Author: Momo Chan

Oh, hey. So, yeah, I’m literally in my kitchen right now, and I just rescued a merman cub. Things are super complicated: The original me treated the male lead like a personal cash cow, hanging him upside down and forcing him to cry pearls. My own daughter is a total nightmare. And that egg, the one that was about to be boiled alive? Yeah, that’s his sister. So, question: Is it too late for a redemption arc? Seriously, asking for a friend. Help! I burst through the kitchen door. The first thing I saw was a battered blue fishtail, hanging suspended in mid-air. A flood of memories, or rather, *information*, slammed into my brain. I’d transmigrated into a novel, becoming Chloe, the male lead Leo’s wicked aunt. The original Chloe, greedy for her sister Rainey’s estate, had ostensibly adopted Leo, a merman hybrid, and his unhatched sister, Anya. But in reality, she’d turned the boy, who could shed pearls when he cried, into her personal money-making machine. Along with her biological daughter, Hazel, the original Chloe had cruelly abused the little merman. And twenty years later, the adult Leo had brutally sliced her up. Literally, like *sashimi*. The child hanging from the kitchen beam in front of me couldn’t have been more than six or seven years old. His small body was tightly bound from head to tail. Most of his beautiful scales had been pried off, revealing raw, pink flesh underneath. Directly below him, a small wooden bucket held a handful of rice-sized pearls. *This* was Leo? The future male lead? “Mom, what’s up? Is the egg almost ready to cook?” A little girl with bouncy pigtails trotted up behind me, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she peered at the stove. Only then did I notice the large pot full of water on the stove. Inside, a pale blue egg glowed faintly. My heart hammered in my chest. I quickly turned off the burner. The water was already close to boiling. I carefully wrapped the egg in my apron and lifted it out. “Mom, what are you doing? Didn’t you say we were having boiled egg today?” Hazel pouted, clearly annoyed by my actions. “This isn’t an eating egg.” I carefully placed the pale blue egg in the sink and turned on the faucet, trying to cool it down. Then I turned back to the boy still hanging. He’d been struggling frantically since I walked in, his blue eyes continuously shedding tiny pearls. Muffled whimpers escaped his bound mouth. “Don’t be scared, your sister is fine.” I moved towards Leo, but realized I couldn’t reach the rope tied to his fishtail. I grabbed a chair and stood on it. As I worked on the knots, I said to Hazel, “Hazel, sweetie, can you go grab two towels for Mom? The softest ones you can find.” The moment the rope loosened, his skinny body plummeted. I frantically caught him. He was terrifyingly light in my arms, his ribs starkly visible. A faint scent of blood and seawater clung to him. “Mom, are you crazy? If you let him down, where will we get pearls? What about Dad’s medical bills?” Hazel had just brought the towels when she saw me putting Leo down. She tossed the towels at me, yelling. “Hazel! This is your cousin!” I snapped at my daughter, then wrapped Leo in a towel and removed the gag from his mouth. “Sis…” The first thing he did, free from his restraints, was reach for the egg in the sink. I quickly wrapped the other towel around the egg and tucked it into his arms. Only then did Leo truly calm down, clutching the egg tightly. His blue eyes, filled with distrust and fear, stared straight at me. “I won’t ever treat you two like this again.” I murmured softly, my fingers gently brushing over Leo’s wounds, my heart aching with sympathy. But Leo clearly didn’t trust me. He flinched, curling back, his gaze fixed on my hands.

“Mom! See? He doesn’t even appreciate it. He’s such a little monster, no emotions at all.” Hazel pulled at my hand, looking at Leo with disdain. I quickly led her out of the kitchen, ready to give her a serious lecture. To my surprise, Leo, clutching the egg, stumbled out behind us. Before I could react, he pushed open the front door and darted outside. Hazel’s eyes widened in shock. “Mom, the little monster ran away.” “Hazel, that’s not a little monster. That’s your cousin, Leo. He’s your Aunt Rainey’s child, he’s family, okay?” But my little terror just stared blankly, clearly not getting it. “Mom, he ran away. Do I still get the dress you promised to buy with the pearls?” This kid. Spoiled rotten by the original me, she was a true little terror. I sighed and grabbed my jacket, intending to go find Leo. It was so late, and even if he was the protagonist, he was still just a six or seven-year-old kid. “Mom, it’s so dark outside. Why don’t you look for the little monster tomorrow?” Hazel tugged at my sleeve, trying to stop me from leaving. “Hazel, it’s late and cold out there. Wouldn’t you be scared if you were alone outside?” Hazel thought for a moment, then nodded. “Well, Leo is only a year older than you. He’ll be scared too, all alone. I need to go find him.” Finally, Hazel stopped pulling on my sleeve. “Mom, be careful, and please come back safe.” I ruffled her hair, then turned and left.

I scoured the neighborhood with my flashlight, checking every alley, every shadowy corner, even peering into storm drains. But there was no sign of Leo. The night wind bit at me, chilling me to the bone. Then something clicked. I bolted, running towards the nearest beach. Under the moonlight, the sand glowed a cold white. The waves breathed, ebbing and flowing, a steady rhythm. Right at the ocean’s edge, a small blue figure knelt in the water. “Leo!” My shout startled the little merman. He whipped his head around, and when he saw it was me, he clutched the egg and tried to dive into the sea. “Wait, stop! Your tail will get infected!” The seawater was already up to his waist. I rushed into the waves, grabbed his collar, and dragged him back to shore. “There are hardly any good scales left on your tail. Why are you running into the ocean?” His scales were gone because the original Chloe had ripped them off to prevent him from escaping. The saltwater would burn like hell on his raw skin. “Sister…” He clutched the egg tightly, afraid I would try to harm her. “The eggshell turned gray. It needs saltwater.” Only then did I notice the egg’s strange appearance. From the moment I’d pulled it out of the boiling pot, it had looked a sickly, dull grey-blue. “But you can’t soak yourself in the ocean, either. There’s a tide pool area over there; we can go there.” Noticing that the child under my hand was shivering violently, I quickly took off my coat and wrapped it around him.

The tide pools near the shore formed natural basins. I carefully placed the egg in the seawater, and after a moment, its shell regained its vibrant color. I noticed Leo wasn’t doing well. His tail was in saltwater, and his whole body was ice cold. “Leo, how long does it need to soak? Can we just do it for a bit tonight and come back tomorrow? Your wounds need to be treated, too.” “I promise I’ll be able to cry tomorrow. Please, don’t boil my sister.” He tugged at my sleeve, his large blue eyes pleading. My heart ached, a sharp pang of empathy. I pulled the wounded child into a tight embrace, holding him close – this boy, covered in cuts and bruises, yet still clutching his sister’s egg. It felt like I was holding a younger version of myself, the scared, lonely kid from the orphanage. “You won’t have to shed little pearls anymore. I’ll be good to you and your sister.” The little merman curled into a ball in my arms, his damp hair sticking to my arm like seaweed. A while later, once the egg had completely returned to its original color, I held the egg in my arms and carried Leo on my back as we walked back. As we reached the seawall, he suddenly asked, “Why did you… suddenly change?” The world seemed to go quiet, the sound of the ocean fading away. How was I supposed to tell him? That I transmigrated here? That they were just characters in a book? “I had this really long dream… I dreamt about your mom, Rainey. She was furious, pointing her finger right at me, screaming that if I ever treated you two like that again, she’d come back from the grave and string *me* up.” Suddenly, I felt something hard pressed against my back. As I took a step forward, I saw it was a tiny pearl. The child on my back mumbled, “Mom…” When we got home, only a small night light glowed in the living room. Hazel was curled up on the couch, fast asleep. At the sound of the door opening, she immediately sat up and rushed to the entrance to greet us. “Mom! You’re back!” “Yep, we’re back. Hazel, you did great looking after the house by yourself.” I carried Leo towards the bathroom. The steamy air quickly fogged up the mirror. “Hazel, can you help Mom grab the medical kit? It’s the blue box under Mom’s bed.” She quickly ran back with the medical kit. “Little monster, where did you run off to? Why are you carrying that egg? Wasn’t it for us to eat?”

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Serena deliberately crashed her car into mine. I miscarried my second child, bleeding heavily. Yet, my own daughter eagerly offered Serena her blood, completely ignoring me. Julian, my husband, used his authority to drop the case, instead running back and forth to Serena’s bedside, doting on her. I barely survived, escaping death by a hair’s breadth, only to be met with accusations from both my husband and daughter. “You wouldn’t have died if you just avoided it! Why are you so selfish? If you hadn’t moved and let Auntie Serena hit you, she wouldn’t have crashed into that pole and gotten hurt!” “I told you to stay home, raise the kids, and do housework. Why do you have to be like Serena? Look at how stupid you are, can you even drive?!” My daughter pointed at me, her face contorted with rage: “You’re not missing an arm or a leg. What’s the big deal if you’re old and your looks are gone, and your face is disfigured? Do you really think Dad will look at you twice?” She kicked my hospital bed fiercely, yelling at me, “If you hadn’t shamelessly forced your way in, Dad and Auntie Serena would have been together ages ago. Auntie Serena might even be my real mom!” “I’m telling you, if you dare to sue Auntie Serena, I’ll disown you and cut all ties with you as your mother!” Julian stood by, watching coldly, not bothering to intervene. He said impatiently, “The doctor said you’re too old, and with the heavy bleeding, I’ve already agreed to a hysterectomy. You’ll never have another child.” “If you don’t behave, when you get old, I’ll just have Scarlett send you to a nursing home. No one will bother with you then.” The anesthesia hadn’t fully worn off. I lay on the hospital bed, unable to move. Tears stung the wounds on my face. I had multiple fractures, and a gash from the car door sliced from under my right eye straight down to the corner of my lip, tearing my flesh raw. To be treated this way by the two people closest to me… I felt like knives were slowly slicing my heart into pieces. In the end, I compromised with them. I wouldn’t pursue charges against Serena. My husband and daughter both went next door to take care of Serena, completely abandoning me. My mouth was parched, and I hadn’t eaten all day. Julian was too stingy to hire a nurse for me, claiming it was a waste of money. My face flushed red, desperate to use the restroom, but I couldn’t move without pain. Finally, humiliatingly, I wet the bed. The nurse, exasperated, went to the next room to find someone. Julian was there, wiping down a naked Serena. He looked utterly disgusted, his face turning ashen. “She just broke her leg, she’s not helpless! If she can’t take care of herself, she can wear diapers. Who has time to change her?!”

Once I could barely get out of bed, I leaned on a crutch, enduring the pain, and went to the restroom to change my clothes. When I returned, I saw Julian anxiously questioning my attending doctor. His voice was filled with concern: “Doctor, Serena has a black mole on her butt. I heard that such moles can easily turn cancerous if they rub too much. Does it need to be removed?” “And she has two more black spots on her inner thigh. I’m really worried, could you please take a look?” A wave of numbness washed over me. I didn’t want to face him, so I turned and headed back into my room. Julian and Serena had always had a tangled past, their lives secretly intertwined. I knew that. I gave a bitter laugh, thinking how much of a failure I was. Suddenly, a strong pull yanked me backward. My crutch slipped from my grasp, and I lost my balance, crashing to the floor. My head slammed hard against the wall, and everything went black from the pain. Scarlett stood over me, looking down with a furious glare. “Did you post that video online? You’re just jealous of Auntie Serena, can’t stand to see her happy, so you’re trying to ruin her reputation!” “Auntie Serena has a concussion, she can’t get upset. She just cried herself unconscious. Are you only satisfied if you drive her to her death?”

The video of Serena deliberately crashing into me had somehow been uploaded online. Netizens immediately recognized that she had intentionally hit me. “I didn’t upload the video. I had no idea about it.” I endured the pain and patiently tried to explain, reaching out to grab her hand. “Don’t touch me!” Scarlett pulled her hand away in disgust. She wasn’t listening to my explanations, convinced that I was the one who posted it. Julian walked over, not bothering to help me up. He simply bent down and snatched my phone from my pocket. Using my account, he posted a clarification message. It was only when other patients’ family members nearby couldn’t stand it anymore that they came over and helped me back to my bed. I tremblingly opened my phone. I saw the video my daughter had just uploaded. She was dressed in a style strikingly similar to Serena’s, mimicking her soft tone of voice: “I’m Eleanor Miller’s biological daughter, and I’m speaking up to set the record straight. As her daughter, I can no longer stand her shameless and despicable behavior.” “My Auntie Serena and Dad grew up together, childhood sweethearts. But my mother used disgraceful means to get pregnant with me, forcing my dad to marry her.” “The video is fake. My mom deliberately provoked and insulted Auntie Serena, trying to frame her and get her arrested. I’m her daughter, how could I lie…?” My hand trembled as I scrolled through the comments. Below, comments slandering me and sympathizing with Serena covered the screen.

I wanted to confront Scarlett, but they found me first. Julian gently placed Serena on a chair. Her voice was soft: “Eleanor, you’re disfigured now. How can you be the lead dancer? Why don’t you let me have the position?” “You’d look embarrassing dancing like that, and you might scare the audience.” My face changed. I instinctively tried to sit up, pulling at my wounds: “No! I’ve been preparing for this performance for three years! I poured so much effort into it; I can’t give it up.” “It’s just a lead dance. Why are you so petty? If it weren’t for you, Serena wouldn’t be injured.” Julian completely disregarded my refusal. He forcefully grabbed my hand and pressed my fingerprint onto a voluntary withdrawal form. Scarlett, beaming proudly, handed the form to Serena, swinging her arm and acting spoiled. “Auntie Serena, now you can relax, right? Without her as a stumbling block, the lead dancer position is yours for sure!” “And you can wear the gown Dad bought you, Auntie Serena. You’ll be so beautiful. Dad and I will both be there to cheer you on!” Serena’s face broke into a smile. She gently stroked Scarlett’s head, then looked up at Julian with a sweet expression and kissed him. “Julian, thank you. It’s so good to have you both as family.” The three of them looked so intimate, as if they were the true family. A bitter wave of despair washed over me, twisting my heart. I closed my eyes, unable to watch their joyous family scene. Julian suddenly stepped forward, grabbing my wrist and sliding off the ice-blue jade bracelet I wore. He said with disdain, “This bracelet looks perfect on Serena. Your skin is so sallow; it’s wasted on you. And all those designer skincare products you have at home? Give them to Serena too.” “You’re not allowed to be discharged with us. Your face is too ugly. You stay here in the hospital and get plastic surgery. Don’t come out until you’re done.”

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My entire life spiraled because I asked Damian’s childhood friend, Briar, for a simple apology after she brutally slapped me twelve times. That very night, my intimate photos were leaked online and spread everywhere for just a few credits. My face was swollen and throbbing, but I still wanted to visit my fiancé, who was supposedly sick. As I approached his hospital room, I saw them. Damian and his friends were projecting my private video onto the wall with his phone. “Mine’s way better! Every intimate detail is crystal clear!” “Damn, Damian, you’re something else! To share a body this hot? We all owe you, man!” “But hey, Damian, Kira’s a rising star. If she finds out you’re behind this private stream, won’t she dump you?” Damian just smirked, unfazed, and tossed a playing card with one of my leaked pictures onto the table. “What right does she have to talk about our engagement? She’s just a cheap slut, seen by everyone. Who else would want her after me?” His friends exchanged glances, then fawned over him. “Damian’s right! How could such a dirty woman become Mrs. Sinclair? If we get the chance, let’s all have a taste of her. But seriously, Damian, what did Kira do to make you go so hard on her?” Damian’s casual expression twisted into disgust. “Who told her to pull rank and deliberately make things difficult for Briar? So what if she slapped her twelve times? Briar’s just a newcomer to the industry. I only promoted Kira to be a stepping stone for Briar. Does she even *deserve* to make Briar apologize?” He slammed his cards down, and my private photos flashed across the screen in front of those men. Staring at my unaware face, my vision went black.

“Damian, this move of yours is genius, though. Ten minutes of Kira’s high-definition, uncensored live stream for a single credit? It’s practically a giveaway! And a whole night for a dollar? Cheaper than dirt!” Damian sneered, his expression icy. “A single credit is giving her too much credit. Does she really think she’s some big star? She dared to treat Briar like that, so I’m going to make sure she knows exactly what she is!” He slowly opened his phone and sent a voice message to the group chat. “Tonight, we continue. One credit gets you a new pose. First-person view, do whatever you want. Anyone who wants in, sign up.” Then, he even packaged last night’s video and sent it out again. My body trembled, my teeth nearly biting through my lip. No wonder he’d blindfolded me last night, tormenting me in every way possible. The men in the room had their phones on speaker, broadcasting the video, their lewd comments filling the air. And I, too, was drowning in despair. The sharp pain on my lip kept me clinging to the last shred of my sanity. I couldn’t understand why Damian, who had pursued me for three years—the man who publicly doted on me, who couldn’t bear to see me suffer even the slightest harm—would treat me like this. I knew he was extremely possessive. Every time, he’d leave all sorts of marks on my body. He’d also frequently take me to various places to seek thrills, even demanding that I say embarrassing things, which always seemed to excite him. The old me had gone along with it, thinking it was just our little kinky fun as a couple. I never imagined it was all just a prelude to his humiliation of me for the sake of his childhood sweetheart. The comments from the hospital room grew more and more explicit. I hugged myself tightly, trembling all over. As a popular actress, I’d just started making a name for myself with my acting skills when Damian begged me to mentor a newcomer. Before that, I’d only heard about Damian’s childhood friend, Briar. “Damian values Briar so much! She’s been his little shadow since they were kids. She’s so cute and thoughtful!” The first time we met, Briar actively called me “Sister” and greeted me, but I later found out she was actually a year older than me. Still, for Damian’s sake, I was willing to guide her a little. But I never expected that on the very first day of shooting, she’d ask to add a slapping scene. The director reminded her she could fake the hit, but she slapped me twelve times in a row, then pushed all the blame onto me. My face was swollen beyond recognition. Not only did she not apologize, but she burst into tears, acting like *she* was the one who’d suffered a great injustice. Seeing the shooting schedule delayed, the director, with a dark expression, insisted she had to fake the hit, and only then did the scene finally wrap. Everyone looked at the red, swollen finger marks on my face with pity. I was heartbroken, but all I wanted was an apology. Briar cried hysterically, but under Damian’s watchful eye—he was visiting the set—she finally apologized. “I’m sorry, I made a mistake.” But she acted like she’d been immensely wronged, retreating into her private car. At the time, Damian just told me she was spoiled, and he looked at the injuries on my face with concern. I never imagined that very night I’d become the star of a private stream, all because he thought I wasn’t even fit to be compared to his childhood sweetheart. Yet, that very morning, he’d held my face in his hands. “Briar is my childhood friend. She’s seen it. Even my parents have seen it. I hope we can have everyone’s blessing.” He was the one who said he’d love me forever, but then he betrayed me without hesitation. Our three years together, it turned out, meant nothing compared to a single tear from his childhood friend. If that’s the case, why did he ever bother with me?

Suddenly, a comment from one of his friends echoed from the hospital room. “If Briar wasn’t so fragile, Damian wouldn’t have to go find other women to satisfy his needs.” It was then I understood. He wasn’t incapable of respect; he just never placed *me* at the center of his world. My vision flickered, and a searing pain ripped through my chest. I can’t remember how I left the hospital, only the naked, blatant stares from every direction, as if I’d been stripped bare and thrown into public. I cowered from everyone’s gaze, terrified that someone would rush up and brand me a slut with my own private video. Trembling, I dialed my sister, Mia’s, number. After our parents passed away, my sister and I relied on each other. A while ago, there was an incident with our company, and Mia had to go abroad for six months to handle it, working in isolation. For my safety, she deliberately hid our relationship, and today happened to be the day she was free. Mia picked up instantly, and my suppressed sobs immediately threw her into a panic. She kept trying to comfort me over the phone. “Mia, I’ve made up my mind. I’ll go abroad with you and help you develop the business. You’ve protected me all these years; it’s time I did something for you.” Our family had many businesses, but most of them were focused overseas. Originally, after I graduated, I was supposed to go abroad with Mia to develop our ventures, but because Damian said he couldn’t bear for me to leave, I pushed all the responsibility onto my sister. I thought that if I could make a name for myself in the entertainment industry, Mia would agree to my marriage with Damian, and we could be together forever. But the truth was, he just saw me as a toy, a plaything. If he cared about me even a little, he wouldn’t have let me fall into this hopeless situation where I could never recover. Thankfully, I could still turn back, even if it meant abandoning everything from my past. I drove to what used to be our love nest. Most of the time, I lived here alone. Damian came every day, but he only entered to blow off steam. I lay on the cold floor, letting the chill slowly seep into my limbs. All my strength seemed to drain away, and even my vision was blurry. Soon, my phone rang. I looked at the familiar number and tiredly answered. “What are you doing?” Hearing Damian’s voice, I curled into a ball. “Nothing.” “Briar said she feels bad about what happened the other day and wants to apologize to you in person. Get dressed up, I’ll take you.” The call ended instantly. I didn’t even have time to say no. Ten minutes later, he walked in. Seeing me sitting disheveled on the sofa, his brow furrowed slightly. “Your agent already called me. Those videos must have been secretly filmed. Don’t worry, I’ll handle everything.” He pushed me into the bedroom, whispering in my ear. “Everyone will be there tonight. Get yourself ready.” With that, he pulled open the closet and started picking out clothes for me. I looked at him through the mirror. “How will you handle it?” I remembered what they said in the hospital room. “Damian, Kira will definitely find out these videos were secretly filmed. How will you handle it then?” Damian hadn’t had time to answer, but Briar, who was still in the group call, gave the answer. “Who told her not to be careful and get herself filmed? Anyway, she’s just a minor celebrity. It’s normal for her to be seen naked. Everyone will just say it’s because she was too attention-seeking that she got targeted. And besides, Damian has always been by her side, never abandoning her. She’ll be so touched she’ll probably happily become Damian’s kept woman, saving her from blocking my way. Damian, isn’t that right?” Damian praised her without hesitation. “Yes, my Briar is the smartest.” Just then, someone posted a screenshot of my stream. In an instant, the news that watching me only cost a single credit spread, and I became the “slut” everyone knew. I looked at Damian, utterly disappointed. “This is how you ‘handled’ it?” I buried myself under the covers, trying to find a bit of warmth. “I don’t want to see anyone. Just go.” But Damian forcefully pulled off the covers, his voice filled with disappointment. “Kira, what are you still putting on a show for?”

“Briar is kind-hearted. She was afraid you’d do something foolish after finding out about the online stuff, so she deliberately set this up. She even wants to formally apologize to you for that incident.” His gaze fell on my still-swollen face. “She’s already made such a concession; you can’t be so willful.” No matter how I refused, he dragged me to the car. At the club, I cowered in the car seat, terrified of everyone’s stares, but he forcibly pulled me out. He seemed to hug me tenderly. “You’re not the one who did anything wrong, why are you hiding? You need to bravely face the rumors, understand?” He wouldn’t let me lower my head. He gripped my arm and pulled me into a private room in the club. I could feel the gazes of the people inside the club. Those greasy stares, like snakes, slithered over my body, tightening their coils around me. “Actresses really do have great bodies, but it’s a shame she’s dressed so conservatively. She looks way hotter in the video!” “Her entire body has already been seen by everyone, hahaha! Last night, I specifically bought a few extra credits just to see all her private details clearly!” I shivered, cold sweat instantly soaking my back. Damian pushed me into the private room they had booked. Before I could even sigh in relief, I was met with even more direct and disdainful stares. “I’m going home! Let me go!” But Damian firmly blocked the door, and a pair of cold arms instantly wrapped around my neck, pulling me into an unfamiliar embrace. I tried to break free but was held down tightly. “Little sister-in-law, you’re still so good at rubbing up against people. You’re making my heart itch. I really want to have you right here, right now.” I recognized that voice. It was one of Damian’s friends, the one who was most active in the group and loved commenting on the videos the most. I struggled to break free from his grip, my back pressed hard against the wall, confronting those pairs of malicious eyes with terror. Briar stood among the crowd, an expression of enjoyment plastered on her face. “How can you joke like that with our big star? That’s too much.” She walked over, grabbed my hand, and flung me towards the crowd. I was instantly surrounded by a group of strange men, my rationality slowly consumed by fear. I wanted to run, but there was no escape. And Damian merely stood at the door, perfectly at ease. I saw only indifference on his face. He didn’t care about my panic or my fear. He even took out his phone with a curious expression and snapped a photo. I couldn’t imagine that a man who was holding me and saying he loved me last night could turn on me so mercilessly. Briar also walked into the crowd, completely cutting off my last chance of escape. “Sister Kira, I’m just a newcomer. My acting naturally isn’t as good as yours. I know I haven’t done well enough, so I specifically brought my friends here to apologize to you. What do you think?” “But before that, we also have a question we’d like to ask you!” She fiddled with a remote control in her hand. The next moment, the large screen in the private room displayed various uncensored screenshots of me. Her eyes held a smile, but her voice carried a cruel innocence. “You really are careless. How could you let someone post this kind of thing? Or perhaps, you did it voluntarily? But you should at least consider Damian’s feelings, right?” She feigned understanding, glancing at Damian. “Luckily, I’ve said a lot of good things about you to Damian! I don’t ask for your thanks, but how about you stay tonight, and we get along really well?” Her poised and generous demeanor earned praise from everyone. They surrounded me like hungry wolves. Just as I couldn’t dodge them anymore, Damian finally spoke. He looked at Briar, his eyes full of resignation. “Briar, don’t play too hard. You need to rest well tonight. You have more filming tomorrow.” Briar curved her lips into a smile and casually picked up a bottle of red wine nearby. “Alright then. For Damian’s sake, as long as Sister Kira drinks this bottle of wine, we’ll stop.” Instantly, everyone looked at me with an expression of anticipation. And the moment I said no, Damian had someone open the wine. “It’s just one bottle of wine. You’re a veteran in the entertainment industry; you’re used to it. Just drink it.” I stared at him, stunned. Since entering the industry, I’d never touched alcohol. Because he was by my side, I’d always maintained a pristine image. But it turned out he never cared about any of my efforts. He just saw me as a plaything, which was why he looked down on me, wantonly demeaning me. His kindness to me was only to make me more obedient. I forced a bitter smile and picked up the bottle of wine. “If I finish this bottle, will it all be over?” Damian looked at my pale face, but urged by Briar, he hesitated and said, “Yes.” The entire bottle of wine was poured down my throat. I forcibly suppressed the urge to vomit, covered my mouth, and walked towards the door of the private room. But I didn’t expect the dizziness to worsen. Finally, I stumbled and fell to the floor. Outside, the door was just a few feet away. The next moment, someone chuckled and grabbed my ankle, dragging me back into the crowd. This time, my vision was clouded as if by a thick fog. The people surrounding me transformed into shadows of devils, enveloping me layer by layer. A scorching flame ignited within my body. I fought to maintain the last sliver of consciousness, watching Damian, who was whispering to Briar, in utter shock. “You knew there was something in the wine?” The man who had held me earlier now pulled out his phone, shoving it in my face and snapping photos. “I can’t believe how good this drug is! Hahaha, this stuff is hard to get. Even the most virtuous woman will cling to you after drinking it. Damian really went all out for his girl, Briar!” “And you! Thinking you’re so special just because you’ve got a bit of fame, daring to give Briar attitude. How could Damian indulge you? A few slaps won’t hurt you. But now, I’m really looking forward to seeing you beg me!” Their mocking laughter turned into whips, lashing at me until I was raw and exposed. “Let’s see how long you can hold out, you little bitch. Take all your clothes off, now!” I desperately clung to my last bit of sanity, crawling towards Damian. “No, don’t do this to me. Please, let me go…” 4

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After my mom had a hysterectomy, she miraculously got pregnant with sextuplets! She flung the ultrasound report in my face, her massive belly jutting out. “This is the latest artificial womb technology! You can pick the number of babies and their genders! Once these six boys are born, your dad and I will finally show everyone in our small town what we’re made of!” I was positive she’d been scammed by some shady clinic. I nagged and pressured her to go to a reputable hospital for a check-up. Just as I expected, the tests showed she wasn’t pregnant at all. Her swollen belly was due to severe cirrhosis, causing fluid buildup. If she’d waited a few more days for treatment, it would’ve been life-threatening! I saved her life. But I never imagined that once she recovered, she’d resent me for it. “Severe cirrhosis? That’s just an excuse! You secretly aborted my babies, didn’t you? You were afraid my six boys would fight you for the inheritance, so you came up with this wicked idea!” “You killed the six boys the Miller family needed!” That night, while I was sound asleep, she choked me to death. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day Mom first showed off her sextuplet pregnancy. This time, I said, “Mom, you really need to take it easy and make sure our little brothers are born safe and sound.” I had been reborn. Mom was joyfully stroking her slightly swollen belly, her face practically glowing with smug satisfaction and pure excitement. She giggled, “I secretly went for an artificial womb procedure last month, and I can’t believe I got pregnant with sextuplets this month! Even the doctors said I’m blessed with fertility; six babies are nothing for me!” Dad’s eyes widened, and he gasped. “Sextuplets?” “Sharon, you know I have a heart condition. Please don’t joke around like this. And besides, is that artificial womb thing really reliable? I haven’t seen anything about it on the news.” Mom’s face immediately turned cold. “Nonsense!” “I paid a fortune—ten thousand dollars—for this artificial womb surgery! How could it not be reliable? This technology was just brought in from overseas. You can choose the number of babies and their genders. Once these six boys are born, your dad and I will finally hold our heads high in this town!” “Chloe, you’re the college grad, you must know about this. Come on, explain to your dad what an artificial womb is.” As she spoke, she squinted at me. Her gaze stunned me for a second, and the memories of my past life flooded back completely. In my last life, she’d played this same act, pretending to ask for my opinion. I had heard whispers about artificial wombs, but there was zero research proving it could be used on humans. And my mom? She’d had a hysterectomy years ago. To think it could help her get pregnant with sextuplets was just ridiculous. It was utter nonsense. Without much thought, I told her directly, “That’s impossible. Where did you get this ‘artificial womb’ surgery done? You must have been scammed by some shady little clinic. As for your suddenly swollen belly, I really think you should get it checked out at a reputable hospital.” Mom rolled her eyes at me. “What? Are you jealous that I can still get pregnant with sextuplets at over fifty?” As always, she gave me a sour look. “I bet you’re just afraid that once I have my sextuplets, you won’t be loved, won’t inherit the family property, so you’re deliberately trying to upset me, right?” “You want to trick me into getting an abortion.” Her words made me genuinely laugh, a bitter laugh. Our ‘family fortune’ was a small, run-down house and a beat-up sedan from ten years ago. Barely worth a few thousand. Was *that* what she considered an inheritance? I grudgingly shut my mouth, not daring to say another word. Yet, only a few days later, my mom’s belly had ballooned to twice its size. According to her, she was only a little over a month pregnant, but her stomach was round as a basketball, completely abnormal. Besides, I never believed someone who’d had a hysterectomy could actually get pregnant with sextuplets. She jutted out her belly. “Well? Can’t you feel the six little lives already? Six babies at once! When my precious sons grow up, they’re definitely going to spoil me rotten.” After thinking it over, I still gathered my courage and spoke up. “Mom, you *have* to go to a reputable hospital for a check-up immediately. Your belly suddenly swelling up like this means there’s something wrong with your body. Stop dreaming about having sextuplets!” But Mom didn’t appreciate it. She angrily raised her hand and slapped me across the face, then pushed me to the ground, deliberately grinding her foot into my face. “You little tramp, is my pregnancy bothering you? How dare you say something like that to me? Do you have a death wish or something?!” It wasn’t until Mom was writhing in unbearable pain and fainted at home that I finally got her to the hospital. Within half an hour, she was diagnosed with severe cirrhosis. Her abdomen wasn’t filled with any so-called sextuplets; it was ascites caused by her illness. The doctor explicitly told me that if my mom had waited a few more days, her life would have been in danger. After the surgery, my mom’s belly completely deflated. I thought she would thank me for saving her life. But instead, she not only showed no gratitude but screamed, cried, and wailed, accusing me of killing her sextuplets. She even choked me to death while I was sound asleep! Before I died, I used all my strength to ask, “Mom, why…?” Her eyes turned bloodshot. “You killed my six boys, I wish you could die six times over! And you still have the nerve to ask me why? Even if you die, I’ll keep cursing you until my hatred is satisfied!” What was even more ridiculous was that while my mom was strangling me, my dad just stood by, watching coldly. He hypocritically shed tears. “Chloe, your mom didn’t mean it. You’ll forgive her, won’t you?” I treated them with genuine kindness, only to meet a tragic end. It wasn’t worth it. I pulled myself out of the chaotic memories. I looked at my mom, who stood before me, belly protruding, looking smug. I chuckled softly. “Wow, Mom, I actually *have* seen reports about artificial womb technology! That’s amazing, Mom, am I really going to have six little brothers?” “Don’t worry, as long as you give birth to these six brothers, I’ll work my fingers to the bone to buy houses for all of them.” She finally looked at me properly, nodding with satisfaction. “Chloe Miller, I didn’t raise you for nothing.” I sneered softly. Of course, I’d buy houses for my six little brothers. The prerequisite was that she actually manage to give birth to sextuplets. I wanted to see, Without my timely intervention, what would become of her. 2. Hearing me say that, my usually silent dad became agitated. He kept giving me warning glances. When I remained unmoved, he sighed. “Actually, Chloe just secretly told me she thinks you’re 100% being scammed. I won’t argue with you about the ten thousand dollars, but you really should go to the hospital for a check-up.” “Sextuplets? Don’t even think about it, it’s just too absurd.” “Right, Chloe?” My dad didn’t even bother to hide his true feelings, directly pushing all the blame onto me. In my previous life, he was exactly the same. He feared my fierce mom. Whenever he had an opinion, he’d always make sure to emphasize that *I* said it, conveniently shifting all responsibility onto me. This satisfied his own needs while simultaneously driving a wedge between my mom and me. Because of him, I was unfairly blamed for so many things. The relationship between my mom and me grew increasingly strained. While they fought, someone else always benefited. And my dad was always the one hiding behind us, stirring up trouble between us. Compared to my foolish and impulsive mom, he wasn’t much better. Neither of them were good people. But now, I didn’t want to play their tiresome blame game anymore. I deliberately spoke in a sarcastic tone. “Mom, you heard what I just said. I’m even buying houses for my brothers, so how could I *not* support you having kids?” “Could it be that Dad is deliberately adding fuel to the fire?” “Oh my god, Dad says he wants Mom to get a check-up, but he’s actually just trying to trick Mom into getting an abortion! Dad isn’t on your side at all!” My mom exploded the moment she heard that. She completely blew up, hands on her hips, yelling furiously at my dad. “It’s all because you’re useless, man! Otherwise, how could I still not have a son by now?!” “This is what you owe me! I’ll have sextuplets if I want to!” Even though my dad was cunning, he was truly a spineless wimp. My mom’s shouting scared him witless; he stammered for ages, unable to string a sentence together. “I… I… Honey, how could I mean that?” He forced a sheepish laugh and shied away. “Have them, have them! Is it okay if I let you have them?!” He looked at me with ill intent. “I don’t have money to support your pregnancy. Whoever supports you having them should pay for it.” My dad was doing this on purpose. I had contradicted him in front of my mom, making her yell at him, so he wanted to get back at me in this way. Sure enough, the next second, my mom immediately exchanged a look with him, and then her eyes darted around. She righteously made demands of me. “Anyway, you’re buying houses for your six brothers, so you shouldn’t mind spending a little extra money on Mom, right? From today on, the task of buying supplements to support my pregnancy falls on you.” “If you don’t take care of me properly, you’re dead.” Both of them were full of schemes, trying to screw me over. I smiled. “Of course. Even if Mom wanted the moon from the sky, I’d bring it down for you. Buying some supplements? That’s nothing!” “Caviar, truffles, foie gras, exotic delicacies? Do you want all of those? I’ll buy them for you right away. You can have as much as you want. Everything for my mom’s sextuplets first!” My mom’s eyes widened; she clearly didn’t believe I was suddenly so generous. She pursed her lips. “Chloe, are you cooking up some mischief? I’m your mom. If you dare to trick or play me, that’s unfilial, and you’ll go to hell when you die!” I shook my head repeatedly. “Mom, I wouldn’t dare.” I agreed verbally, but secretly, right under her nose, I opened Wish. Caviar for five bucks, truffles for thirty cents, and a few bucks for some mystery seafood. I ordered them without batting an eyelid. She wouldn’t know real quality if it bit her, anyway. Gosh, why didn’t I realize that being a dutiful child could be so cheap before? Hehe. I looked up at my mom again. “From now on, I’ll handle your three meals a day. I promise to make sure you eat your fill. For our family’s sextuplets, it’s nothing if I’m a little busy or tired.” I had even planned out her meals. Sugary pastries for breakfast, greasy fried chicken and burgers for lunch, and a full BBQ feast for dinner. Three daily ‘liver-destroying’ specials for a severe cirrhosis patient. How could I be so clever? 3. I found an excuse to move out of the house. After all, staying at home, I never knew when I might meet an untimely end. Although my mom was a bit reluctant, she now relied on me to order her takeout meals every day. She was counting on me to earn money, so how could she genuinely object? Mom had longed for a son her whole life, wishing upon every star. Now, suddenly learning she was pregnant with sextuplets, she was completely satisfied, as if her lifelong dream had finally come true. She bragged to anyone who would listen. “Sextuplets! All boys! You could pray to every saint out there for half a lifetime and never get this lucky! Our Miller family has always been quiet, but now we’re about to make a huge splash—we’re finally going to have heirs!” “You can be jealous all you want, it won’t help!” She even got carried away and posted about it on Ins to show off. [Your Momma’s got sextuplets! Bet you never saw that coming. Oh well, what can I say? My womb just works miracles! Let’s see who dares to mock our Miller family for having no heirs now!] [Sigh, ever since I got pregnant with sextuplets, my husband has been so good to me. He cooks extra meals and even massages my feet. You probably don’t have a husband like mine, do you? I’m just so blessed.] [Hubby sleeps with his hand on my baby bump every night.] [This is what a sextuplet baby bump looks like!!] [You’re all probably so jealous, aren’t you? Too bad you don’t have my good fortune.] At first, a few people responded. But soon, her Ins posts were met with silence, like a stone sinking into the sea. This enraged her. With her belly jutting out, she shamelessly hosted a so-called family get-together, inviting a few relatives and friends to continue bragging. “Oh, haven’t you all seen my Ins posts? Aren’t you jealous of my good fortune? Once my sextuplets are born, I’m going to become an influencer, and so many people will support my six adorable boys!” “Do you want to touch? I’m giving you a chance at this party to share in my good luck.” But after just a few days, her belly had grown even bigger. If you got close enough, you could hear sloshing sounds from her abdomen when she moved. The relatives all found it a little… off. “Didn’t you say you’re only one month pregnant? How is your belly already so big? Even for sextuplets, that seems exaggerated. Besides, hospitals don’t really recommend having so many at once these days.” Another relative quickly chimed in. “Yeah, have you had any prenatal check-ups? Why hasn’t the doctor suggested selective reduction? Carrying on the family line is important, but you shouldn’t risk your life for it. Being careful never hurts.” Hearing the relatives, my dad plucked up his courage and smiled at my mom, gently touching her baby bump. He said cautiously, “Yeah, maybe we should still go to the hospital for a check-up? You haven’t wanted to do prenatal check-ups since you got pregnant, that’s too dangerous!” “Dangerous?” “How am *I* dangerous?! Sextuplets are a blessing! What if those barren bitches at the hospital, who can’t get pregnant themselves, get jealous and try to harm them?” I suspected the shady clinic was afraid my mom would discover the truth, so they specifically told her not to go to the hospital. The more she talked, the angrier she got. She finally crossed her arms and started cursing at the two relatives who had just advised her. “Are you out of your minds?! Don’t think I don’t know what you’re thinking—you’re jealous that I’m pregnant with sextuplets, so you’d suggest I reduce them?!” “Those are living babies! Every single one!” “If anything happens to my six sons, I will not let you animals get away with it. Believe me, I can make you regret it today!” Mom’s insults were truly nasty. The two relatives weren’t pushovers either; they shouted back, unwilling to be outdone. “Jealous? That’s hilarious! We don’t even know if sextuplets born like this will survive. You haven’t even had a single prenatal check-up. What if all six of them are deformed?!” I stood by and watched them argue furiously. My mom glared at the relatives, enraged and furious. “How can people like you exist in this world, jealous of me to this extent? Aren’t you disgusting? I’m telling you, if you dare to talk nonsense again, I’ll end you! I’ll show you how ridiculous you are.” The relatives saw that she had completely lost it and were too tired to argue with her anymore. They sullenly shut their mouths and said nothing further. Now, no one would dare question her strange belly. After all, no one wanted to get entangled with a nutcase like her. Torturing herself to the point of looking like a total wreck, all for the sake of her supposed six baby boys—that was truly her style.

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Last life, I was utterly obsessed with Chloe, yet she treated me like her personal simp. I even sacrificed my life to save her, only to hear her call me a “good dog” in return. After my death, Blair, the yandere girl everyone steered clear of, cradled my lifeless body and sobbed for a day and a night. Once she saw me laid to rest, she threw herself into the river. When I opened my eyes again, I’d been reborn. And there was Chloe, ordering me to skip class and buy her a bubble tea. “Julian Hayes! What are you staring at? If I don’t get my bubble tea in ten minutes, I’m never eating your breakfast again!” Students around us were enjoying the show, pointing and scoffing: “He’s the ultimate simp!” “I’d bet anything Julian will ditch class for Chloe.” The moment I realized I was reborn, my ears were assaulted by all sorts of mocking and jeering. Seeing me frozen in place, Mia, Chloe’s best friend, frowned, a clear look of annoyance on her face. “Julian! Why are you still standing there like an idiot?” “Didn’t you hear our Campus Queen wants bubble tea? Go already!” At her words, I looked up, meeting Chloe’s gaze. It held disdain, even a hint of disgust. I scoffed internally. Her aversion had been so obvious all along, but I’d been blinded by my own infatuation. I’d always thought that with time, and enough persistence, I’d eventually win her heart. In my previous life, to pursue her, I’d bought her luxury cars, mansions, jewelry, bags, and dresses. Every morning, I’d wake up early to make her breakfast personally, creating grand romantic gestures: fireworks displays, flower confessions… I’d blown through most of my inheritance, almost getting disowned by my grandfather. Even all that hadn’t won her over. And when I died saving her, all I got was her snuggling in Trevor’s arms, calling me a “good dog.” “What ‘influential heir’?” Trevor sneered, wrapping an arm around her waist, looking down at me. “He was just a good dog I had wrapped around my finger.” “Tsk, so what if he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth? He’s still stupid as hell.” “Once you’re dead, I’ll be the top talent in the design world, adored by millions! Hahahaha!” It was only after I died that I finally understood: Chloe’s “victimization” had been a setup. Their real goal was to lure me to my death, clearing the path for Trevor to dominate the design industry. As long as I was alive, Trevor would never rise to prominence. Even with Chloe constantly making me skip class, my designs still won major awards. Pure talent, that’s all it was. Thinking this, I met Chloe’s disdainful gaze and stated, cold and resolute: “Get lost!” The words caused an uproar. Chloe’s eyes widened in shock, staring at me. “Whoa, what’s going on? Are we witnessing history today? The ultimate simp just told the Campus Queen to get lost!” “This is spicy! Did the simp finally wake up? Or is he giving up?” “I think giving up is the right choice. Julian comes from money, Chloe’s family is super poor. They’re totally mismatched!” … Hearing the other students, Chloe’s face cycled through shades of pale and purple before finally turning scarlet, like a boiled lobster. She had excellent grades and striking looks, and over the years, I’d spoiled her rotten, treating her like a princess. Her only insecurity was her family background, which she never talked about. Mia tugged her arm, saying loudly: “Chloe, don’t overthink it. I bet he’s just playing hard to get.” “He’s been chasing you for three years, there’s no way he’d suddenly give up. He just wants to piss you off to get your attention.”

Hearing that, Chloe’s expression softened a bit. She lifted her chin, arrogant as a peacock. “Julian, if you go get me that bubble tea right now, I’ll be your date to the design gala tomorrow night.” Chloe arched a brow, convinced I was just hitting too many dead ends and getting defensive. All she had to do was offer a little incentive, and I’d fall right back in line. But what she didn’t know was that the Julian standing here now wasn’t the same one who loved her more than life itself. I kept a straight face, ignored her words, and walked past her. Class was about to start, and I didn’t want to waste any more time on her. As I brushed past, I saw the smile on her face crack, like shattered glass. Mia lunged, grabbing my arm, sounding furious: “You useless simp! Chloe’s talking to you! Didn’t you hear her?” I stopped, lifting my eyes to hers, the icy glare undisguised. She instinctively let go of my arm and took a few steps back. “You— Chloe being your date, isn’t that what you’ve always dreamed of?” The students around us looked puzzled too, stroking their chins as they watched me. Seeing this, I swept my gaze over everyone and stated firmly: “Everyone, please bear witness today!” “I, Julian Hayes, am cutting all ties with Chloe Black as of this moment. There will be no further contact. If Chloe Black dares to bother me again, please judge her accordingly!” At my words, the crowd instantly erupted. “I’m impressed! Never thought I’d actually see Julian wake up one day!” “I don’t know if it’s just me, but not being a simp, he looks way hotter now.” “It’s not just you. Julian’s always been campus heartthrob material, and he’s rich. Plenty of girls like him, but his simp act was such a turn-off, that’s why hardly anyone paid him any real attention.”

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I wasn’t her biological daughter. But she raised me with her life, doing odd jobs, cleaning public restrooms, spoon-feeding me every meal. Eighteen years later, my birth parents showed up, claiming she was just a nanny. I stood at the door, watching them hand over legal documents and a thick envelope of money. Then I turned, wrapping my arms around the woman in the faded sweater, who was coughing too hard to speak. I told them, “You’re not a nanny. You’re my mom.” ### On my eighteenth birthday, Mom forgot to buy me a cake. She worked until eleven that night, dragging herself home, clothes reeking of dish soap. Panting, she pulled a hot container of my favorite takeout noodles from the bag. “Isn’t it your birthday today? You love this place. Mom even added extra eggs for you.” I sat on the couch, staring at the TV, watching a reality show, but I didn’t move. She knelt to set the bowl down, her voice a little hesitant. “I’m so sorry, sweetie. Mom’s shifts have been late these past few days. Can we celebrate your birthday a bit later?” I looked down at the noodles. They smelled good, familiar—the way she always made them when I was sick as a kid. But I didn’t touch my fork. Slowly, I pulled an envelope from the drawer and handed it to her. She froze for a moment, then took it. The moment she saw the title, her hand started to tremble. “DNA Test Results: No Biological Relationship.” Her face went instantly white, as if all the life had been sucked out of her. “Where did you get this?” My voice was eerily calm. “The hospital mailed it. You were at work that day, so I signed for it.” Her lips trembled a few times before she managed to squeeze out a single sentence: “You… you investigated me?” I didn’t deny it. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Finally, she sank to the floor, burying her face in her knees. I heard her whisper, “You were so young back then. I was afraid if you knew… you wouldn’t stay with me.” My memories before I was five were a complete blank. Mom said I was a premature baby, weak since birth. When I was little, I didn’t believe her. I always wanted to see my birth certificate. She’d say she lost it, or it burned up—any excuse would do. She was good at keeping secrets. She kept this one for eighteen years. Suddenly, I wanted to laugh. Laugh at my eighteenth birthday, when everyone else got cash gifts, and I got proof that I was “found.” I leaned back on the couch, watching her shoulders shake as she cried. My own eyes stung, but I couldn’t bring myself to comfort her. Because when I wanted the truth, she chose to hide it. We didn’t speak again that night. When I dumped the noodles into the trash, she just looked at me. She didn’t say a word. I’d never seen that look on her face before. It was like she was terrified I’d shatter, and she couldn’t make a sound. I suddenly realized she wasn’t cold; she was terrified. Terrified that the daughter she’d worked so hard to raise would, overnight, rip her out of her own heart. I woke up in the middle of the night and heard her wiping something in the kitchen. No lights were on, just the soft, careful clinking of her washing dishes, one by one. I walked over and saw her washing the unused cake plate—five times. I said, “You don’t need to wash it. It wasn’t even used.” She looked down. “You always said when you were little that a birthday wasn’t complete without this plate. I wanted to keep it.” I froze for a second. “You remember that clearly?” She gently lifted her head, her eyes red and swollen. “I remember you were scared of thunderstorms as a kid, you loved salty egg yolks in your oatmeal, and before every test, you had to put on your left sock first, then your left shoe.” “I also remember when you were three, you fell and split your chin open. Five stitches. I didn’t dare cry until you were asleep, then I went to the bathroom and threw up.” “I remember everything about you, Harper.” “I just… I’m not your biological mom. That’s all.” Finally, I understood. She hadn’t lied to me. She was just afraid that one day, I’d think blood was thicker than her love. She was afraid of losing me. But what she didn’t know was that, at first… I never even *thought* about looking for my birth parents. It was the hospital’s letter that forced me to know. It was fate that forced me to face it. I wasn’t trying to replace my mom. I just wanted to know who I really was. Once I calmed down, I asked her, “So, how did you find me?” She dried her hands. “I didn’t exactly ‘find’ you.” “That year, I was cleaning restrooms at Central Station. It was three in the morning, and I heard a bundle crying.” “I opened it and saw a baby, wrapped in a wet diaper, face red from the cold.” “No tag, no name, no one around.” “I looked at you, and my first instinct wasn’t to call the police… it was to pick you up and give you some water.” “I was thirty-two then. No husband, no kids. Everyone told me not to get involved, not to cause trouble. I didn’t listen.” “I just kept thinking: ‘This child can’t freeze to death.’” “Who knew that one hug would last eighteen years?” I stood rooted to the spot, speechless. Her tone was so calm, as if she were just saying, “It’s a bit chilly today.” But every single word hit me like a hammer to the chest. I thought about how, when I was little, she’d clean construction site restrooms just for me, how she’d queue up at 4 AM to sign me up for extracurriculars, how she’d just eat plain bread and claim she was trying to lose weight. I always thought she was just an incredibly ordinary mom. Now I knew: she was a woman who had nothing, yet she was willing to give her entire life for a child who wasn’t even hers. The next day, I went to the police station, hoping to find information about my biological parents. The officer flipped through files for a long time. “Your legal status… it’s not properly recorded,” he said. “Carol hasn’t gone through legal adoption procedures, but there was an abandoned infant report the year you were born. Found at: Central City Train Station women’s restroom.” “Discoverer: Carol Miller.” My heart pounded. “So… are there any relatives registered?” “No.” “Has anyone ever come looking?” The officer hesitated. “Hold on, let me check the system… Oh, there actually is someone.” My heart rate instantly spiked. “Five years after your birth, someone filed a missing child report for a baby girl.” “The time, location, characteristics… they all match.” I asked, “Can you tell me who it was?” He hesitated. “You’ll need to apply for official documentation. All I can tell you is that the system shows the last name… Stone.” My breath hitched in my throat. Stone. Could it be… I was really a Stone? I went home and didn’t say a word. Mom saw the look on my face and asked tentatively, “You went to check, didn’t you?” I nodded. Her eyes darkened. “Are you… leaving?” I shook my head, my voice hoarse. “I never thought about leaving. I just needed to know.” She smiled, but tears welled up and fell. “I knew you’d go back eventually.” “You’re destined for a life of privilege. I just scraped by. I can’t keep you.” For the first time, I knelt before her, holding onto her legs, crying like a heartbroken child. “Don’t say that. You’re not just a mom I found.” “You’re the mom I was meant to have.” She stroked my hair, just like she did the first time she held me, eighteen years ago. And she said: “I’m not your biological mom, but my love for you, that’s real.” I didn’t say anything, just held her tighter. What I didn’t know was that the real twist of fate was just beginning. Three days later, I got a call. A voice on the other end was polite and composed: “Hello, this is Stone Enterprises. May I speak with… Ms. Harper Stone?” “We’ve been looking for you for eighteen years.” ###

The Stones first arrived in a sleek black Maybach. The moment Mom heard the car horn, the bowl she was holding slipped, shattering on the kitchen floor. I rushed to open the door. Standing outside were two impeccably dressed people— The man was in his early fifties, his face bearing a striking resemblance to mine. The woman was incredibly well-preserved, with delicate features, dressed in a light camel trench coat. Her perfume was subtle but commanded attention. When she saw me, her eyes immediately welled up. “Harper…” I stood frozen. They stared at me for a long time, as if seeing eighteen years of dreams finally come true. Finally, she stepped forward and pulled me into a tight embrace. “You looked exactly like this when you were little. Your eyebrows haven’t changed a bit.” “Mom… Mom finally found you.” I stiffened for a few seconds, then slowly lifted my hand and lightly hugged her back. My mom, Carol, stood in the doorway. She didn’t come in, didn’t say a word. Camille Stone let go of me, glancing at her. The glance was fleeting and subtle, but I understood it immediately— It was an assessment, not gratitude. It was scrutiny, not respect. They didn’t come inside. Robert Stone said the family had arranged a welcome ceremony and wanted to take me there. I looked at Carol. She was looking down, twisting her apron. I quietly asked, “Mom, do you want to come with me?” She looked up and forced a smile. “You go. I won’t.” “I’m not dressed for a place like that.” That night, I was taken to the Stone family mansion. The moment we stepped inside, housekeepers bowed, lights gleamed, and a long row of gift boxes sat on a table beneath a dazzling “Welcome Home, Harper!” banner. It was the first time I’d seen so many unfamiliar relatives. Aunts, cousins, the Stone family’s financial partners, brand representatives… They looked at me as if I were a newly launched product. Someone laughed, “Oh, this girl truly takes after Robert, especially her nose. Flawless!” “Such poise! Definitely a Stone.” “She’ll probably be an Ivy League candidate too!” Camille smiled, turning to me. “If you want to paint, Mom will hire the best art teachers in the country for you.” “But remember, studying art doesn’t mean you can be too… wild.” “Your manners, your accent, and your clothes… they all need a little polishing.” I glanced down at my canvas sneakers, suddenly feeling every speck of dust on them. It felt glaring. They said “polishing,” but what I heard was—”You’re not good enough.” At dinner, they seated me at the head of the table. I was about to stand up and offer my seat, but Robert Stone chuckled, pressing my hand down. “Sit here. From now on, you’re the true young mistress of this house.” “But there’s one condition,” he paused. “Since you’re a Stone, you’ll need to learn all the proper etiquette and rules.” “And as for… Ms. Miller, we’ll handle her appropriately.” “She worked hard these years, but after all—” He looked at me, and then he uttered the words that finally snapped something inside me: “She was just a nanny. My fork clattered against the plate. I almost choked on my food. “What did you just say?” He was still smiling. “It’s a fact she raised you, and we’re grateful.” “We’ll compensate her with a sum of money, arrange a place for her to live. She won’t lack for anything.” “She’s done her part, and she can step aside. We won’t make it difficult for her.” I spoke, each word sharp and distinct: “What did you call her?” “A nanny?” “Or ‘done her part and can step aside’?” Everyone at the table froze. I lifted my head, my voice eerily steady, even to my own ears: “You think, by giving her a sum of money, she should quietly disappear, is that right?” “You think the daughter she raised with her very life, bearing so many scars, should suddenly take on the Stone name overnight, is that right?” “She isn’t my birth mother, but every meal she cooked, every time she rushed me to the emergency room, every month she skipped eating meat just to pay my tuition—was that fake?” “She’s not a nanny.” “She’s my mom.” Camille’s expression changed. “Harper, don’t get upset. You’ve misunderstood us.” “We just… want to help you return to your rightful place.” I sneered. “My ‘rightful place’ is for you to decide?” “Then all these years you searched for me, were you looking for a daughter, or just an accessory to fill a void?” No one answered. I put down my fork and stood up. “You’re bringing me home not out of love, but out of guilt.” “But she, with no obligation, willingly gave me everything.” “You call her a nanny.” “But I say—she, is my mom.” I walked out of the room, and Camille cried out, chasing after me: “Harper, don’t be impulsive!” “You’re our only child! You’re not hers!” I turned back, my voice calm: “Yes, she’s not mine.” “But I am hers.” “She only has me in this life.” “I can’t pretend I don’t know that.” That night, I walked out of the mansion. I walked all the way back to our rented apartment and knocked on the door. The moment the door opened, she was standing there in a faded cotton nightgown, hair disheveled, eyes wide: “Harper… why are you back?” I hugged her, my voice so hoarse it was barely a whisper: “Mom, they tried to take me, but I came back.” “I was afraid you wouldn’t wait for me.” She didn’t say anything, just gently stroked my back with a trembling hand. I said, “Mom, they called you a nanny.” “I didn’t believe them.” “I told them you’re my mom.” ###

The night I came home, she quietly made me a bowl of soup, serving it still steaming. “To warm your stomach.” “You’ve always been like this since you were little, your stomach gets upset if you get hungry.” I took a sip, saying nothing. She sat opposite me, watching me. “Were they good to you?” I nodded. “So… do you still want to go back?” I looked up at her. “Mom, I’m not going back.” “I’m afraid if I leave, you won’t eat, you won’t sleep, you won’t even go to the doctor.” She blinked, then chuckled. “Don’t be silly. Mom’s perfectly fine.” “The doctor just said it’s bronchitis. A couple of pills and I’ll be fine.” I stared at the dark circles under her eyes, and the fever patch discreetly stuck to her hand. My chest tightened. I asked her, “How long have you been going to the hospital?” She said, “Just a couple of days. It’s nothing serious.” “Last month, during my company health check, they said I had some inflammation and told me to monitor it.” “You weren’t here, and I didn’t want to bother you. I was afraid they’d laugh at you over there.” My eyes immediately welled up. “You were afraid I’d be embarrassed?” “After all this time, do you really think I’m grown up enough to be embarrassed by you?” She lowered her head, her eyes red-rimmed: “I just thought… you finally had a good place… I couldn’t let anyone look down on you.” “You wear nice shoes, I wear worn-out clothes. If you took me out… people would laugh at how pathetic your mom is.” I covered my face with my hand, tears streaming down between my fingers. “Mom, do you know? In that so-called ‘home,’ no one dared to look me in the eye and say they loved me.” “They called you a nanny. I didn’t fight them. I only did one thing—I left.” “I came back.” “You can’t get worse.” “If anything happens to you, I’ll never have a mom again.”

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Born with the gift of second sight, I could see things others couldn’t – spirits, auras, the unseen world. After my husband, Damon Blackwood, was blinded in a car accident, I didn’t hesitate to donate my corneas. But after the surgery was a success, he tricked me and buried me alive in the mountains. Sand filled my nostrils, a terrifying sense of suffocation choking me. The last thing I heard before losing consciousness was Damon’s vengeful voice. “Die, Anya Reed! If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be tormented by these spirits!” “Seraphina had already found the perfect cornea for me, why did you have to meddle?!” Turns out, he’d hated me all along. I opened my eyes again, back to the day of the surgery. This time, when Seraphina Thorne offered him a pig’s cornea, I simply stood silently to the side. But he still wasn’t done with me. To calm the frail Seraphina, he demanded large amounts of my blood daily to draw talismans. What he didn’t know was that talismans drawn with my heart’s blood weren’t something just anyone could handle.

“Patient urgently needs a suitable cornea match!” The familiar words echoed in my ears. I opened my eyes, and they weren’t just a blank void. My eyes could see again? Looking around, I instantly realized I’d been reborn. The doctor stared at me, asking anxiously, “Family?” “She’s not my family! Where’s Seraphina?!” Before I could answer, Damon Blackwood, barely clinging to life on the bed next to me, spoke first. My heart was already dead, but hearing him so eagerly disown me still made it tremble. My gaze unconsciously shifted to Damon. Born with second sight, I quickly realized he’d been reborn too. In my previous life, his soul was pure and clean. Being near him felt like basking in warm sunshine. But now, Damon was shrouded in a sinister black mist. My heart sank, understanding everything. The suffocating terror of my death in the last life made my breathing quicken. The disorientation of being led into the mountains, the searing pain after the violent blow to the back of my head, and the helplessness as sand filled my ears and nose – I couldn’t let go of any of it, even now. Such heavy sins; even with a second chance, Damon wouldn’t just get to wipe the slate clean. Seraphina Thorne, who had been sobbing beside him, rushed forward and grabbed Damon’s hand. “Damon, I’m here.” “Doctor, Seraphina is in charge of all decisions regarding my surgery.” What a pair. So devoted. So in love. And standing there, despite being his wife, I felt utterly like an outsider, a complete stranger. Seraphina gasped, her face lighting up with unconcealed triumph at Damon’s words. Her gaze met mine, filled with challenge. But my heart didn’t stir with a single ripple of emotion, only a cruel, dark satisfaction. In my previous life, my second sight had shown me that Seraphina’s intentions weren’t pure; she wasn’t as innocent as she seemed. So when she first offered a “suitable cornea,” I’d been cautious and placed a tracker on her. Sure enough, I overheard her plotting something sinister with another man. Seraphina planned to replace Damon’s eyes with a pig’s cornea, intending to blind him so she could control him! Last life, I stopped Seraphina and donated my own corneas to him. And in the end, I met a brutal, suffocating death. This time, I wanted to see if he’d be satisfied without my interference. Damon’s surgery was scheduled for an hour later. The hallway was quiet. Having trained with my Master since childhood, my senses were sharp. Even through the wall, I could clearly hear Seraphina’s conversation with the doctor. “Five hundred thousand. Another five hundred thousand after it’s done.” Seraphina looked pained, but she gritted her teeth and handed over her bank card. Along with it was a small black box. The doctor instinctively started to refuse the card, but hesitated when he heard Seraphina’s words. Finally, he silently took the items.

Damon Blackwood’s surgery, as expected, failed. But Damon knew nothing of it. When he was wheeled out of the operating room, his eyes wrapped in bandages, his first instinct was to find Seraphina. “Seraphina, thank goodness for you. You really are my little good luck charm.” Damon caressed Seraphina’s cheek, his wet kiss pressing against her skin. I had no desire to watch their lovey-dovey display and turned to leave, but Damon stopped me. “Hold it! Did I say you could leave?” A bodyguard blocked my path, forcefully pushing me back. Caught off guard, I stumbled and fell in front of them. Seraphina sat on Damon’s lap, looking down at me haughtily. A sweet smile played on her lips, but her voice was sickeningly pathetic. “Damon, big sister’s glare is so scary. I’m so afraid.” Before Damon could speak, the bodyguard behind me grabbed me, punching me hard in the stomach. I felt a sudden gush of warmth below me. “You bitch, you want to have my child? Dream on!” “He wasn’t born in the last life, and he won’t be in this one either!” Damon’s words stunned me, followed by an endless wave of despair. So, the miscarriage in my last life wasn’t an accident. I’d been pregnant for a month already. In my previous life, after Damon’s surgery was successful, I’d eagerly told him the news. Back then, he’d excitedly picked me up, spinning me around, and we sweetly discussed names for our child. He was so wonderful then, making me believe deeply in my love for him. Even later, when I inexplicably miscarried, and doctors told me I couldn’t have children, I faced the reality alone, suffering in silence. I had never doubted Damon. I lay sprawled on the floor, tears streaming down my face, mixing with the blood on the ground. Through blurry eyes, I finally saw the black mist around Damon clearly. A tiny, human-shaped shadow of black mist desperately waved at me, as if filled with deep concern. I frantically wiped away my tears, trying to see more clearly. But it was just mist; I couldn’t make out its form anymore. Damon couldn’t see my expression, but the smell of blood in the air inexplicably made him uneasy. Before he could dwell on it, Seraphina, nestled in his arms, wrapped her arms around his neck. Her fluffy head buried in his chest, tears dampening his clothes. “Damon, big sister is so scary, my heart is pounding, I can barely breathe.” Then she gasped, collapsing dramatically into his arms. Of course, I saw through Seraphina’s terrible acting, but I knew Damon wouldn’t believe me, and I was too tired to expose her, so I just let her keep slinging mud at me. What I hadn’t expected was that Damon would go to such lengths for her. “Seraphina! What’s wrong?” He frantically checked on her, his hands running over her until he touched her icy-cold hand. His face instantly contorted with fury! “Anya Reed! I told you, stop bullying Seraphina!” “It’s just a miscarriage, you’ve been cultivating for so long, nothing bad could happen to you! Why scare Seraphina like this?!” The urgency in his voice wasn’t faked; it just wasn’t for me. His dismissive tone pierced my heart. Turns out, my blood pooling on the floor mattered less than Seraphina’s cold hands and feet. “Where’s the doctor? Someone! Take her heart’s blood to draw talismans for Seraphina’s peace of mind!” Damon declared with absolute finality.

My heart leaped in shock, followed by overwhelming despair. In my previous life, Damon had used talismans drawn with my heart’s blood to stabilize himself. Because my second sight had been transplanted into his eyes, he was able to see other things. Back then, right after his surgery, as soon as they removed his bandages, he was terrified by the spirits before him. No matter how carefully I tried to comfort him, he remained utterly spooked. Left with no choice, I sacrificed some of my cultivation and took my heart’s blood to draw talismans to calm him. Though it had gravely weakened me, at least I survived. But now, I had just miscarried and was already bleeding profusely. If they took more blood for talismans, I might actually end up in the underworld. I instinctively tried to flee, but Damon ordered his bodyguards to seize me. “Anya Reed, this is what you owe Seraphina.” Damon’s words echoed in my ears, and I couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh. “Damon Blackwood, I haven’t said a single word this entire time! Tell me, what exactly do I owe her?” Stumped by my question, Damon instinctively wanted to argue but couldn’t find the words. He could only mumble, “If it weren’t for you, Seraphina wouldn’t be so scared.” “And you won’t die; taking a little blood for talismans is fine.” Damon knew he was in the wrong, but he was still worried about Seraphina. He stubbornly insisted, “Anya Reed, stop making a fuss. As long as you draw the talismans, I’ll agree to anything you want.” I had no chance to refuse; the doctor was already approaching with a needle. I kept backing away, but the bodyguards grabbed me, pinning me firmly to the ground. “This is illegal! You don’t have my consent!” Hearing my words, the doctor hesitated for a moment, his needle hovering over me. But when his eyes met Seraphina’s meaningful gaze, he finally made up his mind. They were all in this together now. The cold needle plunged into my chest, and a hundred milliliters of blood were quickly drawn. Just then, Seraphina “woke up,” and seeing me, she let out a piercing scream. Her shriek startled the doctor, and his hand twitched. The freshly drawn blood spilled onto the floor. Damon, hearing the commotion, asked anxiously, “What happened?!” Only after the doctor tremblingly explained everything did Damon finally relax. Then he dismissively waved his hand. “It’s fine, she’s strong. Draw it again.” My heart shuddered at his words. “Damon Blackwood, I’ll die!” But hearing me, Damon showed no pity, only a look of disgust. “Anya Reed, stop being dramatic. Don’t you think I know whether you’ll die or not?” The cold needle was plunged into my body again. I felt my body temperature slowly dropping. Just as I thought I had reached a hundred milliliters and was finally free, Seraphina walked over. The needle, which was about to be pulled out, was pushed back in by her. The doctor looked at her in surprise, then silently complied. I felt dizzy, and instinctively called Damon’s name. The last thing I saw before losing consciousness was Damon’s anxious face. So, you do worry about me. But Damon, I don’t want you anymore. I woke up again in the Blackwood family mansion, but not in the master bedroom. Instead, I was in the utility room on the first floor, where the staff often rested. Seeing me awake, a maid hurried out to inform someone. After a while, Damon was pushed in by a maid, and he urgently grabbed my hand. I was somewhat surprised, but his next words brought me back to reality.

“Seraphina had another nightmare, hurry and draw the talismans!” He yanked me from the bed, and I stumbled. I couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly. Of course, Seraphina was having nightmares. Judging by the dark aura around her, she had more than just one or two lives on her hands. Doing too many wicked deeds naturally kept her from sleeping peacefully. “Damon Blackwood, do you think she can handle my talismans?” Damon froze at my words, then erupted in fury, violently flinging me aside. “Anya Reed! At a time like this, are you still playing games?!” “Seraphina is a good girl! She deserves everything!” Damon ordered his bodyguards to drag me to the study on the second floor, instructing them not to release me until I was willing to draw the talismans. On the long desk were the very same brushes and yellow talismans I used to use. He had custom-made the desk for me from the finest mahogany, and found the white jade-handled brush himself. He once said I deserved the best things in the world. But now, he was forcing me to use my heart’s blood to draw talismans for another girl. Tears splattered onto the yellow talismans. I knew deep down that there was no going back. I picked up the brush, intending to draw, but several times I raised my hand, only to hesitate. The bitterness in my heart festered deeper and deeper, growing heavier with each passing moment. It finally erupted three days later when I overheard the maids gossiping outside my door as they delivered my meal. “Mr. Blackwood is truly devoted to Miss Thorne. He even gave her Madam’s most precious warming jade.” “Isn’t that true? If you ask me, Madam’s title will change hands sooner or later!” I hammered on the door with all my might, my knuckles raw and bleeding, skin torn. But I didn’t care; I just kept shouting, “What warming jade?! Explain yourselves! Where’s Damon Blackwood! I want to see Damon Blackwood!” After such a long silence, it was the first time I had made a sound from the room. The maid outside jumped in fright, realizing she had blurted out too much, and dutifully went to fetch Damon. But Seraphina Thorne came along with him. Seraphina was wearing my mystic robes, which, worn inappropriately, looked like some kind of strange dress-up, almost suggestive. My face darkened, and my gaze immediately zeroed in on her waist. Hanging there was a piece of exceptionally fine warming jade – a gift from my Master before I left the mountain. Noticing my gaze, Seraphina simply flicked her hair carelessly and said with an airy dismissiveness, “Big sister, I haven’t been feeling well lately and keep having nightmares. You won’t be so petty about me using your clothes and warming jade to ward off evil, will you?” Before I could speak, Damon interjected. “Seraphina, don’t overthink it. This is from me to you. She won’t mind.” But before he could finish his display of authority, I cut him off. “Take it off. Give it back to me!” As if shocked by my words, they both instinctively blurted out, “What?” “I said! Take it off, and give it back to me! You want me to draw talismans, right? Give it back to me, and I’ll agree.” I didn’t even glance at them, my eyes fixed solely on the warming jade. My hands didn’t stop moving. I took out a prepared talisman paper and held it out. Seraphina was overjoyed. After all this effort, she finally had it – finally, she could get rid of those unclean things! But when she noticed how much I cherished that jade pendant, something stirred within her. Just as my hand was about to touch the warming jade she was handing over, it slipped from her fingers with a *thud*, shattering into several pieces on the floor. The last fragile thread inside me finally snapped. I sank to the ground, helplessly cradling the pile of broken jade, trying to piece it back together, but it was useless. Seraphina, holding the talisman, eagerly pressed it to her body, completely unaware of the sudden shift around her. From her perspective, the otherwise calm surroundings suddenly twisted and churned. Spirits, as if unleashed from their chains, swarmed towards her. This time, Seraphina truly fainted from fright. Damon only heard Seraphina’s shriek before silence, and without another thought, immediately ordered his bodyguards to seize me. “Anya Reed! What kind of dark magic did you use?! Why won’t you just leave Seraphina alone?!” My mind was blank, focused only on the shattered warming jade. I just let the bodyguards grab at me. Just as they were about to seize me, a single palm sent the bodyguard flying backward. I stared blankly at the man who had suddenly appeared before me. “Master?!”

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On our anniversary, I served a piece of meat to Chloe, but her assistant, Ryder, knocked it away with a fork. “Chloe’s pregnant, she can’t eat anything too greasy. Don’t you even know that, Liam?” My face froze, and it took me a moment to process. Chloe and I locked eyes, and she quickly looked away. We’d never been intimate. Where did she get a child from? “Ryder’s father is critically ill, and his last wish is to see his family line continue, to have a grandchild before he passed. You know Ryder’s been my assistant for years, he’s practically part of the family, and he’s worked so incredibly hard for me.” “So I agreed to artificial insemination.” “After I give birth, I won’t interfere anymore, I promise.” But we’d been together for four years. I’d brought up having children many times, and Chloe always refused, saying she was afraid of childbirth and didn’t like intimate things. Now she’s pregnant with someone else’s child? My whole body trembled, and my heart twisted with agony. The words clawed their way out of my throat, “Then what am I?” Before Chloe could answer, Ryder stood up, his eyes welling up with tears. “I’m sorry, Chloe. I guess my dad’s last wish before he died is something Liam can’t accept. Let him die with regret.” The next second, Chloe’s palm connected sharply with my face. Her eyes wide with fury, she snapped, “Ryder’s father is on his deathbed, and you’re still so petty? Are you even a man?!” “I didn’t even sleep with him! What are you making such a fuss about?!” With that, she grabbed Ryder’s hand and walked away without a backward glance. On our anniversary, I was left alone in an empty house. The next day, I dialed a number overseas. “Help me draft a divorce agreement, Stella.” On the other end, an excited squeal erupted. “You’re finally getting divorced? Does that mean I have a chance?!”

After hanging up, I silently started packing away all traces of myself from the house. To say I wasn’t heartbroken would be a lie. My hands even trembled when I took down our wedding photo. Chloe’s grandfather died saving me from a fire. Before he passed, he asked me to take care of Chloe. For her grandfather, and for the goodwill in my own heart, I approached her, cared for her, and married her. I still remember how her eyes shone on our wedding day, full of dreams for our future. Even though she never let me touch her after we married, she claimed a bad childhood experience left her traumatized, and she didn’t want to experience the pain of childbirth. I never suspected anything, waiting patiently, but the result… Tears splashed onto the floor, spreading into dark circles. I had just booked a flight for three days later when a call from the hospital came through. “Hello, are you Chloe’s husband?” Almost instantly, I instinctively clutched my phone and sprinted to the hospital without a word, my worry surging uncontrollably. But at the door to the hospital room, I had to stop. My blood ran cold, freezing me to the spot. Chloe and Ryder were nestled in the small hospital bed, kissing passionately, completely lost in each other. “You were too rough, you almost made me lose the baby! And you landed me in the hospital!” Ryder held Chloe’s delicate, almost childish hand, his eyes soft with adoration. “Well, Chloe, you’re just too captivating! Even pregnant, your charm is undeniable.” He curled his lips, leaning in to whisper in Chloe’s ear, “Am I better than Liam?” The man’s other large hand remained hidden under the covers. I watched Chloe’s face flush, her expression distant and blissful. “Of course, it’s you. That loser, I never even touched him. How could he be as good as you?” “If it weren’t for you, I might never have experienced this kind of joy in my life, Ryder… It’s just a shame I met you too late, too late.” My legs wobbled, and I almost collapsed. My chest ached, making it hard to breathe. A doctor suddenly appeared behind me, his brows furrowed with deep displeasure. “Do you even know your wife is pregnant? Why were you two being so rough? Are you trying to jeopardize her life?” “How can there be such an irresponsible husband in this world? You’re no different from an animal!” He slapped the medical report hard against my chest. I clutched the report, flipping through it repeatedly, but I couldn’t ignore the truth. Taking two deep breaths, I suppressed all my emotions and pushed the door open. Chloe was caught off guard by my sudden entrance. She hastily grabbed the blanket to cover herself. At the same time, she shoved Ryder off the bed. There was a faint hint of guilt in her expression as she looked at me. “Liam, what are you doing here?” I silently placed the medical report on the table. “The hospital called me, her next of kin.” “But it seems, I came at the wrong time.” Chloe’s gaze lingered on the report, a fleeting panic in her eyes. She forced a strained smile, leaned forward, and grabbed my hand. “You’re my husband, you can come anytime.” “What did the doctor just tell you?” I looked at her face, still the same as before. But why did I feel like she was a complete stranger? “You’re pregnant, and you’re in the hospital because of how rough you were during sex.” As I spoke, my gaze fell on Ryder’s face, my voice laced with ice. “Chloe, didn’t you say you two never slept together, that it was all artificial insemination?” “Are you trying to make a fool of me?”

Chloe’s face turned scarlet at my words. “Honey, listen, I can explain. There’s a reason for all this.” “Last night, Ryder kept threatening to kill himself, and I was scared something would happen, so… so I made the first move. We only did it out of desperation.” “Please don’t be angry, okay? I promise you, I’ll never do anything like that with Ryder again.” Chloe’s expression was gentle, appearing very sincere. If I hadn’t seen everything from the doorway just now, I might have actually believed her story. Taking a deep breath, I let out a cold laugh: “Last night could be an accident, but what about just now? What do you call lying together, intimately?” Chloe stiffened at my words. She hadn’t expected me to see everything. She quickly grabbed my hand, attempting to explain. But I threw her hand away. All her pretense shattered as she yelled furiously, “So what if we were intimate today too? When I got pregnant, it really was artificial insemination, I didn’t lie to you about that.” “Besides, you hurt Ryder’s feelings last night, he almost jumped off a building! I sacrificed myself to prevent you from having a death on your conscience.” “Liam, you don’t have to be grateful, but how can you talk about me like that?!” I was so choked with anger I couldn’t speak. A knot of rage tightened in my throat. “He threatens suicide, and you sell your body, roll around together, so intense you ended up in the hospital, and you want me to be grateful?!” The moment the words left my lips, Chloe slapped me hard across the face. The sound echoed, and my cheek stung with a fiery pain. Seeing this, Ryder walked over, seemingly heartbroken, holding Chloe’s hand and blowing on it, doting on her excessively: “I’m sorry, Chloe, it’s all my fault…” “I just keep causing trouble. You should have let me die last night! If I can’t fulfill my father’s last wish, I should die with him.” With that, a clear tear fell, which he quickly wiped away. But it still subtly caught Chloe’s eye. She had been momentarily stunned after hitting me, but seeing that tear, all guilt vanished. It was replaced by deep disgust. “Liam, I never realized what a jealous and selfish man you are!” “Do you have to push people to their deaths to be satisfied? If I had known you were like this, my grandfather never should have saved you!” “Shouldn’t have saved me.” Those words hammered into my chest like a giant mallet. It was hard to breathe. A thousand words churned in my throat. Emotions clogged my chest, unable to escape. I clenched my fists and let out a self-deprecating laugh. “Yes, Grandfather shouldn’t have saved me. He should have let me die in that fire. That way, maybe I would never have ended up with you in this life!” Tears streamed down my face. I hung my head, my heart tightly clenched. Chloe was momentarily stunned, staring intently at my face, a flicker of something resembling regret in her eyes. She slowly walked forward, and just as she was about to reach out to me. Ryder suddenly rushed to the window and threw himself out. The sight stunned all of us. Chloe screamed and immediately rushed to the window. Fortunately, the floor wasn’t high. Ryder had jumped from the third floor of the hospital. He was immediately rushed to the emergency room. Chloe stood at the door, trembling from head to toe, tears streaming down her face. When she looked at me, her eyes were filled with profound loathing. She glared at me, “If anything happens to Ryder, you’re the one to blame!” “You’re not just killing Ryder, but also his father, who’s in the ICU!” I turned my head away, unwilling to speak. An hour later, the doctor came out to announce that Ryder was fine, only suffering some minor fractures. Chloe slowly let out the breath she’d been holding in her throat. Her anxious expression momentarily reminded me of when we were dating, and she would worry about me the same way. But now, Chloe had no such concern or worry for me. My heart sank. I felt suffocated in this place. I tried to leave, but Chloe grabbed me. She looked at me and said, “Go home and get Ryder some of your clothes to wear.” I actually laughed, a bitter, angry sound. “You want *my* clothes for *him*?” Chloe raised an eyebrow as if it were obvious. “Of course. Liam, don’t forget, he jumped because of you.” “If you hadn’t been making a scene just now, how could Ryder have jumped? I’m just asking you to bring him some clean clothes to change into. Are you unwilling even to do that?” I gritted my teeth, and after a long pause, I managed a strained, “Fine.” Only then did Chloe release me, continuing to instruct, “Oh, and make some chicken soup. Ryder really liked the soup you used to make for me.” That chicken soup, I used to start preparing it the night before. I even spent a whole week learning how to make it. I had to cook so many failed attempts before I finally got it right. All because she worked hard overtime, and I wanted her to nourish herself. But all my effort, all my care, was going to another man’s stomach. I couldn’t take it anymore. I turned and quickly walked away. Ignoring Chloe’s calls behind me. Back home, I went to the bedroom and took out a few old, slightly worn clothes from years ago. Some of them Chloe had bought for me. When we moved to our new place, she said they were unwearable and wanted to throw them away, but I insisted on keeping them, cherishing them as precious memories. Now, screw those memories. After packing the items, I didn’t leave immediately. First, I went to arrange various passport documents and collect evidence for the divorce. I dragged my feet until the next day when Chloe called, urging me, and then I slowly made my way to the hospital. Chloe was currently wiping Ryder down. He was only wearing underwear. Chloe held the towel, gently and tenderly wiping him, their eyes sharing intimate glances, laughing and chatting. Sometimes, their faces would even flush with shyness. I swallowed down the disgust churning in my gut, walked quickly, and set the clothes down. “These are the change of clothes.” As soon as the words left my lips, I turned to leave, but Chloe called out to me in a low, venomous voice from the doorway. “Wait, who told you to bring these clothes?” I didn’t turn around. “I won’t be wearing these clothes anymore, so why can’t I bring them?” Chloe grabbed the clothes and swiftly walked up to me, throwing them hard at me. But I didn’t even raise a hand to catch them. “Do you have any idea how long I worked odd jobs in college, pinching every penny, to buy you those clothes? And you just don’t want them anymore?” The clothes slid to the floor, Chloe’s face contorted with rage. But I said calmly, “They’re too old. They’re perfectly suitable for a change of clothes, though.”

Chloe’s mouth opened and closed, her face cycling through a dozen emotions, words failing her. Finally, it twisted into a cold sneer. She stared intently at my face. “Liam, don’t think you can play these games and get my forgiveness.” “If it were just a small thing like before, I’d let it go, but this time you’ve gone too far. And where’s that chicken soup I asked you to make for Ryder? Where is it?” I raised a hand. “I can order takeout now. Do you need me to?” Chloe was furious. She raised her hand and slapped my phone from my grasp. “Liam, what is *wrong* with you? Is it so hard to show Ryder some basic care, some *empathy*?!” “He just jumped from a building, he’s still injured, and he has a gravely ill father! Are you even human? Playing these petty tricks to deliberately upset me!” Ryder, sensing the moment, let out a few soft, aggrieved sounds. “It’s okay, Chloe.” “Someone like me doesn’t deserve to live, and certainly doesn’t deserve to wear Liam’s old clothes.” At that, Chloe finally reacted. Seeing Ryder’s red, swollen eyes, she bit her lip, and as if to prove a point, she stomped on the clothes lying on the floor. The moment her foot came down, my expression stiffened. I heard her furiously demand, “That’s right! Liam, you have so many new clothes in your closet, why didn’t you bring those for Ryder to wear? Are you looking down on him?” “Go get them now, or I’m divorcing you!” “And the chicken soup. I expect to see it this time.” I kept my head down, staring at the trampled clothes on the floor. After a long pause, a sound finally emerged from my throat. “Fine. Let’s get divorced.” Chloe froze. She slowly turned to look at me. Our eyes met. Her lips trembled. “What did you say?” I scoffed, “My wife is pregnant with another man’s child, and you expect me to bring clothes and make soup for your lover? Chloe, what do you take me for? Some spineless idiot? Your personal plaything?” “Let’s end this. We’re done.” The moment I finished speaking, Ryder suddenly got off the bed, his knees hitting the floor with a dull thud. “I’m sorry, Liam, I was so foolish!” “Please don’t divorce Chloe, she loves you very much! I’ll go beg her to abort the baby right now, and I’ll stay far away from her forever, I won’t bother you two again!” Chloe’s pupils constricted. She practically rushed forward to help Ryder up. Her eyes filled with concern, “What are you doing? Get up!” Then she glared at me, “Liam! There’s a limit to your antics! I’m carrying *his* child now, and it’s his father’s only hope left in this world!” “Do you have to kill them both to be satisfied?!” I gently closed my eyes. “You can still do all of that after you divorce me.” She bit down hard on her lip. “Don’t you forget, my grandfather saved your life! What right do you have to ask for a divorce?!”

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My dad was a raging alcoholic and a gambling addict. My mom was always calling me, sobbing her heart out over it. With every penny I’d saved from work, I begged my mom to divorce him and leave with me. But my mom, that very same day, went right back and told my dad everything. My dad flew into a drunken rage and beat me to death. My mom could have called the police, she could have saved me, but she was too scared. She just stood there, watching me die. Afterward, she even lied to the police, claiming I attacked him first, and he was just acting in self-defense. The next time I opened my eyes, my mom was sobbing to me again, complaining about my dad hitting her while drunk. I scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. “Why does Dad only hit *you*, Mom, and no one else? Clearly, that’s just his way of showing how much he loves you!” I was dead. Killed by my own father. It was my twenty-fifth birthday. My mom said she wanted to celebrate with me. I was so caught up in the idea of celebrating with her that I forgot: my mom had never celebrated my birthday before. She didn’t even know when it was. After work, I politely declined my colleagues’ invitations and bought my own birthday cake. But I never imagined that when I got home, I’d be met with my dad’s brutal beating. My dad was drunk, reeking of alcohol, his eyes filled with contempt and resentment. I didn’t even get a single bite of my birthday cake before I collapsed to the floor. “The deceased suffered multiple fractures, severe head trauma from a blunt object, accompanied by intracranial hemorrhage, and showed signs of violent struggle before death…” “Witness Brenda Smith, is it true that your daughter, the deceased Aubrey Wen, was beaten to death by your husband, the suspect Frank Wen?” The judge’s face was beet-red, veins throbbing in his temples. I heard him say he’d never seen such brutal violence, a man beating his own daughter to death. My mom stood on the witness stand, shaking her head wildly. “It was all my daughter’s fault! My husband didn’t mean to hit her!” “My daughter was disobedient from a young age! She even deliberately provoked my husband! My husband acted to protect himself and me. It was self-defense!” “My daughter was standing there with a knife! She’s not right in the head! She wanted to kill us! She’s always been mentally ill!” My mom was hysterical, rambling nonsense. And I, floating above them, watched her spew her nonsense with a blank expression. I *was* holding a knife, but it was a plastic cake knife. With all the fat on their bellies, that plastic knife would probably just snap if I tried to stab them. Self-defense? Protecting *her*? It was the first time I realized my mom could lie so smoothly. This was clearly my dad’s revenge. All because I said I’d take my mom, who he’d abused for years, and help her escape. I wanted what was best for her. My heart ached for her. But what did I get in return? My mom, turning around and practically melting into my dad’s arms, ‘innocently’ telling him I was trying to break them up, that I wanted them to divorce. So, I was lured back home for my birthday, only to be smashed to the floor with a stool by my dad as I was cutting the cake. It hurt so much. By the time my entire body was swollen and bruised, I couldn’t feel anything anymore. In the end, because my mom committed perjury and signed a statement of forgiveness, my dad was acquitted and walked free right there in court. The legal fees? They were paid with *my* life savings, the tens of thousands I’d scraped together from my job. It was a sick joke. I never knew that the mother-daughter bond I thought we had was nothing but my own delusion, my own one-sided fantasy. Because the case was so bizarre, even after I died, I ended up all over the trending news. I watched the online trolls rip into me, and I watched my dad, after being acquitted, put on a whole show on live stream, claiming he’d ‘spoiled’ me rotten. That’s why I was so ‘lawless,’ ‘uncontrollable,’ and ‘violent.’ Even Mrs. Jenkins downstairs, who I’d helped countless times, went on social media for clout, calling me a ‘delinquent girl’ and saying my death was a ‘blessing’ for the entire neighborhood.

Maybe my resentment was just too strong, but somehow, I was reborn. The moment my consciousness returned, I was still clutching my phone, my mom’s sobbing voice pouring through the receiver. “Your dad went drinking again! What is so damn good about alcohol anyway?!” “He drinks morning, noon, and night. And after that, he’s off with his drinking buddies, gambling away the money you sent me last time – every single cent of that five hundred dollars gone!” “My body is covered in bruises! Aubrey, please come home!” Go home? Before, I genuinely thought she wanted me back because she missed me. It was only after I died that I realized she only wanted me home so my dad could hit *me*. If he hit me, she wouldn’t get hit. I touched the tears of self-mockery welling in my eyes. Thank god, I hadn’t been abandoned by fate. My mom kept talking for a while, then, noticing my silence, asked suspiciously, “Aubrey, can you hear me? Hello? Aubrey?” My mind snapped back. I scoffed. “Why does Dad only hit *you*, Mom, and no one else? Clearly, that’s just his way of showing how much he loves you!” Before, I would always tell my mom to divorce him, then send her some money for living expenses. My unusual reaction this time made my mom freeze on the other end of the line. “But you always said loving couples don’t fight! Didn’t you even tell me to call the police?” I chuckled. “Mom, they say it’s better to preserve something old than to destroy a long-standing union. Plus, you and Dad have been married for over twenty years. If there was no love, would you really have lasted this long?” “Besides, sure, Dad likes to drink and gamble, and he loves to hit and yell at you, and he probably spends his days at shady clubs with other women, but at least he comes home, right?” “Didn’t you always say men are like that? As long as they come home, that’s what matters?” My mom hesitated. This wasn’t achieving her goal at all. She just wanted to play the victim, guilt-trip me into sending money, then hand it straight over to her ‘beloved’ husband. How could she possibly leave Dad? She’s clearly obsessed with him! But I wasn’t taking the bait, and she was stumped. “Aubrey, you seem different.” Of course I’m different. I’ve died once already. “Mom, I’ve grown up. I understand your marriage now. So just live happily with Dad, okay?” You two are a perfect match, two rotten peas in a pod. With that, I hung up. My current company is a Fortune 500 giant. Though the workload is heavy, the promotion prospects are excellent. In my last life, to stay with my mom and protect her from harm, I gave up an opportunity to be stationed abroad. I also missed out on a major promotion. The result? My mom tricked me, and my dad beat me to death. This time, I decisively wrote up my application for the overseas posting and submitted it to my boss. The last tens of thousands I had saved were now locked away in a high-interest account. From today on, I’m a miser. I won’t spend a single cent.

Just as I was packing my bags to leave town, my mom showed up at my rental apartment. Her face was covered in bruises, her left eye swollen shut. It was late at night, and she was wearing sunglasses to hide the damage. In my last life, it was at this very moment that I told my mom I had tens of thousands of dollars saved and urged her to divorce my dad and come with me. She went straight home and told my dad. “Mom, what are you doing here?” My mom didn’t say a word. She walked in, sat on the couch, and started to cry. “Aubrey, I can’t live like this anymore! Look at what your dad did to me! Please, you have to save me!” I feigned helplessness. “Mom, what do you want to do? You can’t be serious about divorce, can you?” “Divorce? Yes! I want a divorce! I can’t take this life anymore!” Divorce? My mom said this to me every time she got beaten. That’s why, in my last life, I suggested she just divorce him. But I never expected her to go home and tell my dad exactly that. After my dad got drunk, he hit me while cursing, “You worthless little brat! You dare try to break up your mom and me?” “If I don’t beat you today, you’ll forget your place!” “If it weren’t for me, do you think you’d even be alive in this world?” I was already losing consciousness from the beating, but my mind replayed the years of my life. If I’d had a choice, I wouldn’t have been born into this family. From as far back as I could remember, I’d lived under the shadow of domestic violence. My dad’s moods were unpredictable. When he was happy, he’d lift me high and play, but he never knew I had a fear of heights. When he lost money gambling, he’d come home, smashing things and hitting. My mom would push me out to bear his rage. I knew from a young age that I was a girl, and no one in my family really wanted me. If my mom could have had more kids, I’m sure I’d have younger brothers or sisters. But sadly, after my dad threw her into a freezing cold bath, she couldn’t have children anymore. Memories flashed before my eyes like a highlight reel. I looked at my mom, cowering in the corner, trembling. I let out a bitter laugh. Before, whenever she got hit, I was the one who stepped forward to protect her. Now, she just cowered, afraid to move. All her talk about loving me, about me being her only daughter, it was just comfort she sought after my dad hurt her. So now, I would never feel soft-hearted toward my mom again. I watched my emotional mom on the couch, calmly picking up my phone. “Dad, you heard that, right? Mom did come looking for me.” “But did you two have a fight? Mom actually said she wants to divorce you.” My dad’s voice, amplified by the phone, reached my mom’s ears. “Lock the door! I’m coming right over to break her legs!” “She wants to divorce me? Over my dead body!”

My dad arrived quickly. The moment he flung the door open, he charged straight at my mom, kicking her to the ground. By the time my dad finished venting, my mom was lying on the floor, unable to move. And I just watched, cold and detached, just like my mom in my last life. “Dad, aren’t you hitting her too hard? Mom isn’t moving.” My dad scoffed. “I know my limits. She’s not going to die. She’ll be up tomorrow, doing my laundry and cooking my meals.” “Oh, and do you have any money?” My dad asked if I had money while rummaging through my bag on the couch. Thankfully, I’d already put all my money in the bank, and even left the deposit slips at my best friend’s place. I bit my lip, shaking my head. “Dad, I already gave all my money to Mom. Didn’t she tell you?” My dad kicked over a stool. “What good is that pathetic amount? It’s barely enough to line my pockets!” “No wonder everyone says daughters are useless! You barely make any money in a year. Why don’t you just find some rich guy to marry, and bring home a huge wedding payout for *me* to spend!” “Dad, I’ve given Mom over ten thousand dollars these past two years. I’ll definitely work harder in the future and earn more for you both.” “Ten thousand?” My dad’s expression changed. He snatched the phone from my mom’s pocket. He saw there was nothing in SnapChat, but then he found over five thousand dollars hidden in her PayPal account. “You b*tch! Hiding money from me, your own husband?! Aren’t I beating you hard enough?!” My mom scrambled behind the couch, terrified. My dad couldn’t care less about her anymore. Humming a tune, he transferred the PayPal balance to his own account, then tossed the phone onto the floor and sauntered out. Not until his footsteps faded completely from the hallway did my mom finally drag herself off the floor. “Why didn’t you stop your dad when he was hitting me just now?” I feigned fear. “I didn’t dare, Mom. I was afraid Dad would hit me too.” “Mom, didn’t you always tell me? It doesn’t matter how much you suffer, as long as *I* live a good life?” “If it was me getting beaten, you’d be even sadder than I was, right? That’s why I just stood there, frozen.” My mom’s mouth twitched. She had indeed said those words. Then, she noticed my packed suitcase in the living room. “Are you going on a business trip?” I smiled. “The company’s sending me to City A to kick off a new project.” “City A? That’s quite far. When will you be back?” “The company hasn’t given a specific date, but it could be six months or more. But don’t worry, Mom, I heard the salary will be much higher when I return. It’s good for our family.” Hearing that, my mom’s face brightened. But she still didn’t dare to smile, because any movement would pull at her facial injuries.

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For five years, Chloe Sterling and I had been secretly married. She said she’d finally announce our wedding at our son’s welcoming party. I was ecstatic, sharing the news with my younger brother, Noah, my only family. He was just as thrilled. To show how much he respected Chloe, Noah pinched every penny. He saved up every dime to buy Chloe a pair of gold earrings. Just as I was about to carry the baby onto the stage, a total stranger suddenly snatched the child from my arms. Then, he intimately held Chloe’s hand and walked onto the stage. “Today, I have a big announcement to make at this baby’s welcoming party.” “Julian Hayes and I grew up together, and today, we’ve finally decided to get married!” The moment those words left her lips, countless complex gazes immediately landed on me. My brother, completely bewildered, asked, “Brother, isn’t that woman… isn’t she our sister-in-law?” I stared coldly at Chloe, who stood on stage with a shy smile. “Give me back my child.” But she just scoffed, “Lucas Reed, you, a small-town guy, actually dared to think I’d have your child? That’s utterly idiotic!”

Chloe Sterling stood on the stage, her gaze chillingly indifferent, completely devoid of the affection she once held for me. She outright ignored me, intimately embracing and kissing Julian Hayes, who held the baby. It was as if *they* were the family of three who had lived together for five years. I stood rooted to the spot, frozen. Watching this scene unfold, I suddenly wondered if those five years we’d spent together, day in and day out, had just been my own delusion. My hands, hanging at my sides, clenched into tight fists. I silently endured the various mocking stares raining down on me. Noah tugged at my sleeve, his voice filled with guilt. “Brother, did I make Sister-in-law mad by showing up?” I forced a smile onto my face, but before I could comfort him, a sudden force violently shoved Noah to the ground. Then, a piercingly shrill voice shrieked, “You clumsy idiot! You’re blocking my fresh air! Get out of the way, now!” I shielded my startled brother behind me, my face grim as I glared at the unfamiliar woman in front of me. After a moment, I recognized her. It was Julian Hayes’s sister, Brittany Hayes. My expression clearly angered her, and her words grew even nastier. “Honestly, just like a country bumpkin, no class! Looking at you for one more second makes me sick!” “Now get out of my sight! If you mess up my newly done nose, I swear I won’t go easy on you!” Brittany grabbed a bowl of thick soup from a nearby table and flung it all over me. The hot liquid scalded my exposed skin, stinging painfully. The rage in my heart could no longer be suppressed. I grabbed Brittany’s arm as she tried to walk away, gritting my teeth. “Apologize to me right now!” Brittany yanked her arm, annoyed, and when she couldn’t break free, she shrieked at the top of her lungs, “Help! Someone! These country people are trying to hit me!” At her shouts, many of the Hayes family members surrounded Noah and me. Brittany pointed at my brother, completely self-righteous. “That little punk almost ruined my new nose! He made it so I couldn’t breathe!” Hearing that, the Hayes relatives didn’t hesitate. They immediately dragged Noah out from behind me. They encircled him, mercilessly beating him. Someone even raised a wine bottle and smashed it hard against the back of Noah’s head. Noah let out a weak, pained cry for help. “Brother, help me! Brother, please!” Desperate, I grabbed a chair and swung it with all my might at the people attacking my brother. They finally stopped, begrudgingly, when they felt the pain. I quickly scooped up my brother, his face covered in blood. “Don’t worry, Noah, I’ll get you to the hospital right away!” Just as I helped him up, Brittany blocked my path again, sneering. “What’s the rush? You haven’t apologized to me yet.” I roared, “You better get out of my way right now! If anything happens to my brother, I swear I won’t let you off the hook!” The moment the words left my mouth, the commotion finally drew Chloe Sterling over. She had been on the second floor, toasting to the important guests. She strode quickly towards me, her brows furrowed in displeasure, and completely disregarding my dignity, she yelled, “Lucas Reed, there are so many well-known businesspeople here today! Do you *have* to embarrass me today?!” “The contract I was about to finalize, you’ve ruined it!” She publicly slapped me hard across the face. My brother, whom I was supporting, tried to explain that none of this was my fault, but Brittany cut him off. “Sister-in-law, his brother purposely tried to ruin my new nose! You need to do something about this!” Watching Brittany playing the victim and accusing me first, my fury intensified. “Brittany Hayes, don’t you dare spew such lies! We didn’t even touch you! *You’re* the one who beat my brother like this!” Chloe glanced at my brother, whose consciousness was already fading, but she still didn’t believe a word I said. She forcibly pressed me. “Apologize to Brittany right now!” I vehemently refused. “It’s not my fault. Why should I apologize to her? The one who truly needs to apologize is *her*!” Seeing that I refused to back down, Chloe’s patience completely ran out. She screamed at me, “Lucas Reed, don’t you dare push it! If you don’t apologize, I’ll have someone kick you out of here!” Noticing Chloe’s genuine anger, Julian Hayes, standing nearby, feigned kindness and tried to calm her down. “Chloe, don’t be mad. I’m sure there’s some misunderstanding.” He subtly signaled Brittany. “You should apologize to the Reed brothers.” Brittany reluctantly mumbled, “I’m not apologizing to them. Sister-in-law agrees I didn’t do anything wrong.” After she spoke, Julian put on a helpless expression. This act seemed to tug at Chloe’s heartstrings. She took Julian’s hand and yelled at me, “Lucas Reed, you’ve truly embarrassed me today! Get out of here right now!” She saw me glance at the newborn baby and continued, “Someone with your character isn’t fit to be around my child. From now on, Julian will raise the baby.” Seeing the cold indifference on Chloe’s face, my heart was completely shattered in that moment. Looking at my brother in my arms, who had been dragged into this because of me, a wave of guilt washed over me. I coldly watched Chloe, who was now cuddling with another man. All the love I once felt for her vanished. Chloe Sterling, from this moment on, you and I are nothing.

After leaving the welcoming party, I immediately drove Noah to the hospital. After a prolonged emergency surgery, the doctor finally emerged from the ER, looking exhausted. The doctor looked at me gravely, regretting, “I’m sorry, Mr. Reed. We did everything we could. The fragments of the bottle caused irreversible damage to his brain nerves. For the rest of his life, he’ll likely be in a vegetative state, lying in bed.” The doctor’s words felt like an invisible magic, instantly draining all strength from my body. I collapsed helplessly at the door of the hospital room, staring at Noah, who lay in the bed, tubes everywhere. He was only eighteen years old! He had just gotten into his dream college! His life’s ambitions were yet to be realized, and now, because of me, this kind and sensible brother would be confined to a bed for the rest of his life! In that moment, an overwhelming wave of guilt and self-reproach engulfed me. Tears of regret streamed from my eyes. At that moment, I wished it was *me* lying in that bed! I didn’t close my eyes that night, staying by Noah’s bedside until dawn. When the first rays of morning sunlight hit the room, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I had barely answered when Chloe’s impatient voice burst through. “Lucas Reed, where the hell did you go?! Why aren’t you here to feed the baby and change his diapers?! Do you have any idea how much sleep we lost all night because you weren’t here to take care of him?!” She had barely finished when Julian’s complaining voice came from the other end. “Chloe, hurry and get Lucas, that servant, back here. I’m exhausted from last night.” His tone was clearly suggestive. “Chloe, if I’m always working this hard at night, I’m afraid I’ll be too tired for… other things.” Chloe replied coyly, “Oh, you!” Listening to Chloe and Julian flirting, my hand gripping the phone trembled uncontrollably from anger. But then she spoke again, criticizing me with force. “Lucas Reed, you are such an irresponsible father! If you don’t start taking care of the baby, I swear I’ll make sure you never see him again.” After the welcoming party, such threats had no effect on me. I said coldly, “Did you forget what you said at the party? Why would I take care of a child that isn’t mine?” Chloe snapped, “Lucas Reed, you are so petty! What I said yesterday at the party was just a dare I had to do after losing a game to Julian. It was just a joke! You, with your small mind, actually took it seriously!” “Do you really think I’m that awful?! If you keep being so ridiculously jealous, I really will get the baby a different father!” With that, Chloe angrily hung up. I gripped the screen of my now-disconnected phone, my heart aching with torment. I looked at Noah, now lying in the hospital bed, kept alive by IV drips, and managed a bitter smile. In that instant, I deeply regretted ever meeting Chloe. If I hadn’t been so determined to be with her back then, Noah wouldn’t be in this state now. Chloe and I met in college. Unlike me, an outsider, she became a campus celebrity the moment she enrolled. Beautiful, academically brilliant, and from a wealthy background, Chloe quickly became the target of pursuit for all the eligible men in the college. But at the same time, she was also targeted by many girls, who even intentionally locked her in a dusty storage room. When I found her, she was crying so hard she was on the verge of fainting. She stumbled helplessly into my arms, begging me in a panic, “Lucas, please, don’t leave me!” Looking at the crying beauty in my arms, my heart immediately stirred, and I fell uncontrollably in love with Chloe. Even though, as a small-town guy, I had absolutely no advantage among Chloe’s many suitors, I still actively pursued her. Finally, in our graduating year, I beat out all the other suitors and officially started dating Chloe. At the same time, respecting Chloe’s wishes, I decided to help her start her own company. In the early stages of the startup, she was worried that news of our marriage would affect the company’s development, so she decided to keep our marriage a secret, asking me to join the company as a department director to assist her. Although I felt uncomfortable, I agreed to her proposal. But five years later, my most cherished marriage lay in pieces, and my beloved wife colluded with an outsider to hurt my only brother. She even used the child to threaten me. I didn’t want this marriage anymore.

The idea of divorce took root in my mind, and I immediately contacted a lawyer to prepare the divorce papers. After entrusting Noah to a nurse at the hospital, I immediately took the divorce papers to the company. But as soon as I entered the building, I noticed all the employees staring at me with strange looks. Just as I was wondering what was going on and opened my office door, I saw Julian Hayes with his feet propped on my desk, looking at me with a provocative smirk. My glass nameplate, with my name engraved on it, had been tossed into the trash can like garbage. I asked in a sharp voice, “Why are you in my office?” Julian looked smug. “Well, obviously, your work performance wasn’t cutting it, so Chloe specifically appointed me as the new Product Director.” I firmly countered, “Impossible. If she appointed you as Product Director, why haven’t I received any notification?” Julian suddenly leaned close to my ear, whispering mockingly, “Someone who embarrassed Chloe in front of so many partners yesterday, do you really think she’d keep using him?” Hearing that, I pushed him away hard. He suddenly showed a strange smile and intentionally fell to the floor, using my force to his advantage. Chloe, attracted by our argument, had just reached the office door and witnessed Julian collapsing. She instantly flared up. “Lucas Reed, how dare you push Julian down in front of all these people? That’s too much!” She quickly helped Julian up, her eyes filled with a tenderness I had never seen in all our years of marriage. I suppressed the bitterness in my heart, picked up Julian’s printed business card, and asked Chloe, “He said you fired me. Is that true?” Meeting my furious gaze, a hint of panic flashed across Chloe’s face. She forced herself to sound calm. “Julian has good connections with many company heads. He’s more suitable for this position than you are.” “You should just go home and take care of the child.” I looked at Chloe’s resolute face, standing there, protecting Julian, and suddenly understood the meaning of unspeakable disappointment. When the company was first founded, to lighten Chloe’s burden as a startup owner, I willingly got drenched in rain running errands for clients, just to get their signatures on contracts. I even let myself be treated like a nobody at business dinners, easily ordered around. But now, she casually told me I wasn’t suitable for the position. I laughed, and as I laughed, I felt my eyes well up. I quickly turned my head, pretending nothing was wrong, and wiped away my tears. Coldly, I said, “Fine. From now on, I won’t be involved in anything related to the company.” I handed the file containing the divorce papers to Chloe. “Take a look at these documents. Please sign them as soon as possible.” With that, I turned to leave. Just as I was about to step out of the office, Chloe suddenly called out to me, asking, “How is your brother’s injury? Julian’s relatives were just playing a joke on him. I hope he doesn’t mind.” “Later, if you have time, I’ll take him on a trip abroad. It can be Julian’s way of apologizing.” Ha, Chloe Sterling, Chloe Sterling! It seems Julian is so important to you that you’d lower your proud facade to apologize. I looked at her coldly. “You don’t need to see my brother again. I’ll take care of him myself.” As she looked on, bewildered, I continued, “The file contains the divorce papers. Chloe Sterling, let’s get a divorce.”

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