Author: Momo Chan

My fiancée was obsessed with a brand-new condo development and insisted I buy a unit for our future home. But just as we were about to sign the contract, she suddenly turned her attention to a cramped, 600-square-foot fixer-upper in a run-down district. “Ethan, look at this place. It has so much vintage charm.” “I want this shack to be our home.” This rundown junk house cost exactly the same as the 1,400-square-foot luxury condo. The price was way above market value. My fiancée dragged me to the real estate agency, threatening that if I didn’t buy this old place, the wedding was off. As I hesitated, a stream of glowing comments suddenly floated before my eyes. [This fixer-upper actually belongs to your fiancée’s ex-boyfriend, Tyler Ross.] [Once you buy this house, Tyler will take your money and buy that exact luxury condo you wanted as his own place.] [Sign the contract now. This neighborhood is slated for a city buyout. Massive redevelopment is coming. Meanwhile, that luxury condo project is about to go under. It will never be finished.]

My fiancée, Chloe Harper, shoved the pen into my hand, her voice sharp with impatience. “Ethan, if you don’t buy this house, the wedding is off. I mean it.” I frowned, staring at her while the words from the floating text echoed in my mind. Was this house really her ex-boyfriend’s? Just yesterday, she was head over heels for the luxury condo. Why the sudden, overnight obsession with this dump? Marcus, the real estate agent, flashed a greasy smile and chimed in. “Mr. Vance, don’t let the exterior fool you. With a little renovation, this place will look brand new.” “Besides, who knows when that new condo development will actually be completed?” “It definitely won’t be ready in time for your wedding.” Chloe nodded eagerly. “Exactly! Who knows when they’ll finish building it? It might end up as an abandoned construction site.” “Ethan, I’m not waiting forever to get married.” I was still skeptical about the mysterious floating text. I lowered my head, flipping to the seller’s information page on the contract. The name Tyler Ross stared right back at me in bold, black ink. So, the bullet comments hadn’t lied. Everything about Chloe’s bizarre behavior over the last two days suddenly made sense. I looked up, locking eyes with my fiancée. “Chloe, are you absolutely sure you want this place?” “If we buy this, we’re living here. The commute is terrible.” “Ethan, I am one hundred percent sure.” “Once we’re married, you can just buy me a new car for my commute. Problem solved, right?” She looked so desperate, as if she wanted to grab my hand and force me to sign. “Alright, Chloe. We’ll do it your way.” I gripped the pen and swiftly signed my name. The moment the ink dried, she began pushing me to wire the funds immediately. “Ethan, why don’t we go to the bank right now and finalize the payment?” “I won’t feel at peace until the money is gone.” “You already have the funds ready anyway. There’s no point in delaying.” She practically dragged me to the bank to wire the money. The very next day, she took me to the county clerk’s office to transfer the deed. That was where I met the owner of the fixer-upper, Tyler Ross. He was of average height, with a plain face, but he was incredibly enthusiastic. “Mr. Vance, if I weren’t in desperate need of cash, I would never have sold this place.” He didn’t speak to Chloe once. They didn’t even exchange a single glance. To anyone else, they looked like complete strangers. That night, I received a call from the sales manager of the luxury condo development. “Mr. Vance, are you really giving up on your unit?” “Yes.” “Alright, I’ll release the hold. Coincidentally, a Mr. Ross just put down a deposit on that exact unit. He said it’s for his upcoming wedding.” “He even brought his girlfriend along today to see it.” I was baffled. Chloe was willing to live in a dump just so her ex could afford a luxury condo? Did she still have feelings for him? Well, since the “new home” was secured, we had scheduled a dinner with both families at a high-end restaurant to discuss the wedding.

Chloe called saying she had an urgent issue at work and would be late. “Ethan, what on earth were you thinking? Passing up a luxury condo for a run-down shack?” Chloe’s mother, Eleanor, glared at me, her face pinched with dissatisfaction. “That old house couldn’t have cost much, right?” “Since the house is such a downgrade, you’ll have to make up for it with the wedding budget.” “The $30,000 we agreed on earlier is way too low. Let’s make it $90,000.” “And you need to buy Chloe a new car. Nothing less than $40,000.” Eleanor’s spit was practically flying across the table as she barked her demands. It was obvious Chloe hadn’t told her parents the actual price of the house. “Eleanor, Chloe was the one who insisted on buying that house,” I replied calmly. “She threatened to call off the wedding if I didn’t. And for the record, the old house cost the exact same as the new condo.” Eleanor and her husband exchanged a look of pure disbelief. Just then, the private dining room door slid open, and Chloe walked in, panting slightly. She took the seat next to me and hurriedly gulped down some water. “Chloe, did you really demand to buy that fixer-upper?” Eleanor’s brow furrowed, her wrinkles deepening. “Mom, it was just a sudden whim. Who knew Ethan would actually buy it?” Chloe brushed it off as if it were nothing, though she had literally blackmailed me with our marriage. “But since it’s bought, let’s just leave it at that.” Suddenly, she turned her head to look at me. “Ethan, I’m already sacrificing so much by agreeing to live in that old place. You can’t mistreat me.” “Tomorrow is the weekend. Why don’t we go shopping for my wedding jewelry?” Before I could even open my mouth, Eleanor chimed in, listing off how many carats the diamond should be. The three of them launched into a heated, enthusiastic discussion. My parents and I sat in silence, completely shut out of the conversation. Suddenly, another stream of glowing text floated before my eyes. [Your fiancée wasn’t working overtime today. She was at a luxury jewelry boutique.] [She and Tyler already picked out the exact designs. She’s just waiting for you to pay for them tomorrow.] [After buying the jewelry, she plans to drag you to a dealership to buy a car.] [Oh, by the way, she intends to ‘lend’ both the jewelry and the new car to Tyler for his wedding.] [Your fiancée is really giving her all to make sure her ex has a perfect wedding.] When the waiter served the food, Chloe’s family finally quieted down. “Ethan, it’s not convenient to commute without a car. Let’s go car shopping right after the jewelry store tomorrow.” Sure enough, her words matched the bullet comments perfectly. But I still couldn’t understand. Why was she doing this? If she still loved Tyler, why didn’t she just marry him? Instead, she was exhausting herself to fund his wedding with someone else. I tapped my fingers rhythmically against my teacup, my brow furrowing. “Chloe, I just bought the house. My liquid cash is a bit tight right now.” “There’s no rush for those things anyway. I want to prioritize the renovation budget first.” Instantly, Chloe’s face turned sour, her eyes flashing with anger. With a loud bang, Eleanor slammed her hand onto the table and stood up. “Ethan, what is the meaning of this?” “Not only are you making my daughter live in a dump, but now you won’t even buy her basic jewelry and a car?” “Let me tell you, plenty of wealthy men are begging to marry our Chloe.” “Come on, Chloe. We’re leaving. This wedding is off.” The moment she finished speaking, Eleanor grabbed Chloe’s arm and marched toward the door. My parents stood up, trying to defuse the situation, but I shook my head at them, signaling them to stay put. Noticing Chloe had left her phone on the table, I picked it up and followed them out. I caught up with them near the restaurant entrance. “Mom, what are you doing? This is so embarrassing,” Chloe was whining.

“Chloe, this is how you handle men. Now Ethan will crawl back and agree to everything.” “Even if Ethan is tight on cash, his parents have deep pockets.” “If he won’t pay up now, he never will after you’re married.” I couldn’t help but sneer inwardly. They were actually targeting my parents’ retirement savings. “Oh, wait. I think I left my phone.” Chloe patted her pockets, turned around, and froze when she saw me standing there. Shock flickered across her face, followed by awkwardness. She stammered, “Ethan… how long have you been standing there?” I handed her the phone. “I came to bring you this.” “My mom was just joking earlier. Don’t take it to heart,” Chloe said quickly, trying to smooth things over. I looked her up and down. She felt like a complete stranger to me now. Two years ago, we met at a party. She had been so gentle, sweet, and always put others first. We fell in love quickly. She had told me she wanted us to live on our own after marriage, in our own little world. My career had been going well, and I had saved enough to buy a house in full. She had fallen in love with that luxury condo development at first sight. She used to talk about how great the neighborhood was, how close it was to good schools, and how perfect it would be for our future kids. We had looked at other properties, but she rejected them all. She only wanted that one. She had repeatedly emphasized that she would never accept a secondhand house. And yet, almost overnight, she had become a completely different person. “Ethan, actually, the renovations can wait.” “We can just make do with the current state of the house and renovate it when we have more money later.” Chloe’s voice pulled me back from my thoughts. Eleanor immediately chimed in. “Chloe makes a good point. The priority right now is buying the jewelry and the car.” “Gold and diamonds only go up in value. Chloe is actually helping you save money, Ethan.” By this time, my parents had caught up and walked out of the restaurant. “We can talk this through. It’s a waste to leave all that food. Why don’t we go back inside?” my mom suggested gently. Hearing this, Chloe nodded. “Yes, let’s go back inside.” “My mom was just hot-headed. Please don’t be angry.” But as they tried to walk past me, I stepped in and blocked the entrance. “Chloe, I won’t be buying the jewelry or the car anytime soon.” “And I will not be using a single cent of my parents’ money.” Chloe’s eyes went red. She clenched her fists so hard the veins on the back of her hands popped. “Ethan, do you really have to do this?” “Fine. Then let’s just call off the wedding.” Once again, she used our marriage to threaten me. I let out a soft, dry laugh. “Fine.” After that disastrous dinner, I cut off all contact with Chloe. My parents urged me to apologize, even offering to pay for the car and jewelry themselves, but I flatly refused. Three days later, Chloe finally called me. “Ethan, are you going to buy the jewelry and the car or not?” “If you take me shopping today, I’ll overlook everything that happened.” “But if you’re going to remain stubborn, then we’re done. Let’s break up.” My hand gripped the phone tightly. After a moment of silence, I spoke calmly. “I told you, I’m not buying them. If you want to break up, I won’t stop you.” She unleashed a stream of furious curses on the other end. Even without seeing her face, I could picture her livid expression. “Fine, Ethan. Don’t you dare regret this.” “Go ahead and rot in that garbage shack. Let’s see what kind of woman would ever be willing to live there with you.” “By the way, did you even bother to check the actual value of that dump?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “449634”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

According to my family’s tradition, the groom had to put the wedding shoes on the bride’s feet with his own hands. It symbolized that our future path together would be filled with pure happiness. But just as my fiancé was about to slip the shoes onto my feet, his childhood best friend, Chloe Higgins, let out a sharp cry. “Julian! The clasp on my high heels just broke. Can you help me fix it?” Without a second thought, Julian Carter threw my wedding shoes aside. He turned around, got down on one knee in front of Chloe, and began fixing her clasp. An Angered heat rushed to my face, and I questioned him: “Julian, according to my family’s tradition, you are only supposed to put shoes on your bride today.” He didn’t even look up. “What century are we living in? Why are you still believing in such silly superstitions?” Chloe wiggled her foot once the shoe was fixed, giving me a smug, sweet smile. “Is Evelyn mad? He’s just being kind by helping me. You’re lucky to marry someone as sweet as Julian.” I looked down at my bare feet. Suddenly, I felt there was no point in wearing these wedding shoes anymore. I pulled out my phone and sent a message to the man who had personally handcrafted a pair of shoes for me years ago: 【Want to crash a wedding?】 【Bring the wedding shoes you made for me, and take the bride away.】

【Wait for me!】 Seeing the quick reply, I locked my phone screen. Chloe stepped in her newly fixed shoes, twirling half a circle. The hem of her bridesmaid dress brushed past Julian’s knees, seemingly by accident. “You’ve got great hands,” she said, her eyes curving flirtatiously. Julian smiled helplessly, his gaze warm. “Alright, stop jumping around. If they break again, I won’t have time to fix them.” The two of them smiled at each other, completely ignoring everyone else in the room. I sat on the edge of the bed, my toes curling involuntarily. The cold air from the air conditioner crawled up my ankles, sending a chill straight to my heart. My mom couldn’t take it anymore. She stepped forward, physically blocking the two of them. “Julian, the ceremony is starting in twenty minutes. Why haven’t you put Evelyn’s shoes on yet?” “Our family tradition says the groom must put the shoes on the bride for the marriage to be blessed.” “What’s wrong with you, leaving Evelyn sitting here while you fix a bridesmaid’s shoe?” Only then did Julian look at me, but his expression was entirely indifferent. “Traditions are flexible, Eleanor.” He turned around and took a luxury designer box from his best man. “I actually prepared a surprise for Evelyn.” He opened the box, revealing a pair of custom haute couture wedding shoes. The other bridesmaids let out a collective gasp of awe. “Oh my god, they are gorgeous! I heard this design has a six-month waiting list!” “The groom is so thoughtful. Evelyn, you are so lucky.” Julian held the box, his tone carrying a hint of self-righteous pride. “I had a friend fly these in from Paris just so you could have a unique wedding.” I stared at the shoes. My heart felt absolutely nothing. Twelve-centimeter stiletto heels. An extremely narrow, pointed toe. These were all the design elements I avoided at all costs in my daily life. I have a high arch. I can’t wear pointed shoes, and I certainly can’t walk in such thin heels. And Julian knew this perfectly well. Three years ago, on my birthday, he took me on a date to an amusement park. The new shoes I wore that day blistered my heels, and I was walking a bit slow. He noticed immediately. He knelt down, took my shoes off, and threw them straight into the trash can. Then, ignoring the startled looks of the crowd, he took off his own limited-edition sneakers and put them on my feet. His shoes were massive on me, like two giant boats, but they were incredibly warm. He ran across the scorching asphalt in just his socks to a nearby shop to buy me a pair of cute, soft cotton slides. Back then, he kissed the tip of my nose, his eyes filled with pure love. “My Evelyn’s feet are meant for walking on smooth paths.” “We will never wear shoes that don’t fit again.” That memory was etched into my soul. But now… Chloe leaned in, her smile barely concealed. “Evelyn, these shoes suit you so well, don’t they? I helped Julian pick them out for several nights!” The moment the words left her mouth, she gasped, covering her mouth with her hands in mock innocence. “Oh dear, did I ruin the surprise?” “Julian said you don’t know much about luxury brands, so he practically begged me to help him choose.” Julian nodded, taking it completely for granted. “Chloe always has great taste.” “The shoes you usually buy are too plain. Today is our big day, you should look radiant.” My mom’s face flushed with anger. “Only the feet know if the shoes fit! What’s the point of them looking good if they hurt?” “Evelyn is not used to such high stilettos. What if she falls?” Chloe chipped in with a giggle. “Julian will be holding her. How could she fall?” “When a girl gets married, suffering a little for beauty is totally worth it.” Julian casually tossed the luxury box onto the end of the bed and reached out to grab my ankle. His palm was warm, but I felt freezing cold. He picked up the stiletto and tried to force it onto my foot without even asking. The moment my toes hit the narrow front, a sharp, piercing pain shot up my leg. I instinctively pulled my foot back. “Ouch! It hurts!” “Stop squirming!” Julian frowned, his voice growing impatient. “Just squeeze into it. It’ll fit.” His grip tightened, and he tried to force my foot into the shoe again. The rough edge scraped off a piece of my skin, and my heel instantly turned red. It hurt so bad! I kicked my foot back with force. The sharp metal clasp scraped across my instep, leaving a harsh white scratch. “Julian, I wear a size 7.” “But these custom shoes are a size 6.” “That is Chloe’s shoe size.”

The noisy bedroom fell into a sudden, dead silence. Julian froze at the edge of the bed. He hesitantly looked down at the label on the side of the box. Size: 6. Irritated, he tugged at his tie and whipped his head around to glare at Chloe. Tears instantly welled up in Chloe’s eyes, her voice trembling with a sob. “Julian… I’m so sorry.” “I asked the designer, and they said this style runs large. Plus, a size 6 looks best in photos. It makes the bride’s feet look small and delicate.” She grabbed Julian’s sleeve, tears streaming down her face. “I just wanted Evelyn to look perfect in the wedding photos. I didn’t mean to… I really didn’t know she couldn’t even squeeze into them…” With only twenty minutes left before the ceremony, it was impossible to find another pair of wedding shoes! Julian sighed, reaching out to gently pat Chloe’s hair. “It’s not your fault. You had good intentions. I was too busy and didn’t double-check the order myself.” He picked up the small shoe again, softening his voice as he looked at me. “Evelyn, we’re out of time. Just deal with it for half a day.” “You don’t have to walk much in the wedding car anyway. Once we get to the venue, we’ll just do the ceremony walk, and it’ll be over before you know it.” I stared at him, the last warmth in my heart freezing over. Once, Julian’s favorite thing to brag about was how he memorized all my sizes. At parties with friends, he would put his arm around my shoulder and say: “A man who can’t even remember his own woman’s shoe size and ring size doesn’t deserve to be in a relationship.” He knew damn well I was a size 7. He knew my arches were high and that I couldn’t handle tight shoes. Yet now, he outsourced such an important task to Chloe, and even after she messed up, he wanted me to “deal with it”! I asked coldly, “On the most important day of my life, you want me to force my feet into shoes that don’t fit?” Julian’s brow furrowed deep. “Can’t you just bear it for a bit? You usually don’t complain about bumps and bruises. Why are you making such a big deal out of this today?” My mom rushed over, snatched the shoe from his hand, and slammed it onto the floor. “I raised my daughter for over twenty years, and on her wedding day, you want her to suffer in tiny shoes?!” The heel hit the hardwood floor with a loud, dull thud. “Oh dear, what’s with the temper?” The bedroom door was pushed open, and Julian’s mother, Beatrice Carter, walked in slowly. Her eyes were filled with nothing but disdain as she looked at me. “Is this tiny matter really worth throwing a tantrum in front of all these people?” “If the shoe is too small, just take out the insoles. Problem solved.” My dad stepped forward, his face dark. “An ill-fitting shoe on a wedding day ruins the blessing! You’re basically cursing my daughter to have a hard life ahead!” Beatrice squeezed out a fake smile. “Arthur, the Carter family is well-known in this city.” “These shoes cost fifteen thousand dollars. If Evelyn throws a fit in public, what will people think of us?” She affectionately took Chloe’s arm. “Chloe stayed up all night helping select the style. Even if she made a mistake, she worked hard.” “You guys are being incredibly petty by making a mountain out of a molehill.” Chloe turned to another bridesmaid, Harper. “Harper, aren’t you a size 7?” “Evelyn has nothing to wear, and the ceremony is about to start. Can she borrow your shoes for the ceremony?” Harper froze, looking awkward, but she slowly slipped off her semi-worn red high heels. Chloe took the shoes and pushed them to my feet, acting as if she was saving the day. “Evelyn, these will definitely fit. Please don’t let my mistake ruin your big day.” Julian looked at Chloe with absolute admiration in his eyes. “See? This is how you handle things smoothly.” “Just wear these. The wedding party is waiting.” I looked down at the worn-out shoes that still carried someone else’s body heat. I bit my lip until I tasted blood. “Julian Carter, you want me to wear someone else’s old shoes on my wedding day?”

“They’re just shoes! Do you have to embarrass everyone like this?” Julian’s patience finally snapped. He kicked Harper’s old shoes aside. “Dozens of relatives are waiting outside, and we have over a hundred tables booked at the venue.” “Evelyn Vance, do you really have to pick a fight right now?” He stood tall in front of me, his expression cold and stubborn. He was absolutely sure I wouldn’t dare ruin the wedding. The invitations had been sent to everyone in town, and the wedding had been in preparation for over six months. In his eyes, I was always soft-tempered and cared deeply about my parents’ reputation. He believed I would never dare to call off the wedding. My mom was trembling with rage, pointing at the door. “The Carter family has gone too far! We are not doing this wedding!” My dad stood in front of me like a solid, protective shield. “Take your things and get out.” Beatrice’s face twisted instantly, her voice screeching. “Arthur! The invitations are out! If you call off the wedding now, it’s the Vance family that will be humiliated!” “Have you forgotten your family’s social standing? Marrying into our family is a major step up for you guys.” “If you kick us out today, tomorrow the whole town will know your daughter is damaged goods who got dumped at the altar!” My dad’s shoulders tensed. He was a high school history teacher who had spent his entire life living honorably. He had never suffered such humiliation. But for my sake, he clenched his fists, standing his ground in silence, swallowing the bitter insult. Looking at the white hair at my father’s temples, my heart ached terribly. The day Julian proposed, it was in this very room. He had knelt before my parents, raising three fingers to swear: “Mr. Vance, Evelyn will have many titles in the future—Mrs. Carter, a daughter-in-law, a mother.” “But to me, she will always be your daughter first. She will always be Evelyn Vance.” “She won’t have to cook, she won’t have to network, she won’t have to please anyone. She can be as spoiled as she wants.” “I am marrying her not to make her sacrifice anything, but to make her the happiest girl alive.” Back then, my dad, a man who rarely cried, had red eyes as he placed my hand in Julian’s. But now? Julian wasn’t giving me love. He was making my parents drag their dignity through the mud with me. Seeing this, Chloe timidly tugged at the corner of Julian’s suit jacket. “Julian, go comfort Evelyn.” “You guys are getting married today. Please don’t fight. It’s all my fault…” “Shut up,” I said coldly, cutting her off. Chloe shrank back in fright, hiding behind Julian. Julian immediately shielded her, his face darkening. “Evelyn, why are you snapping at Chloe?” “She was kind enough to borrow shoes to solve your problem, and instead of saying thank you, you yell at her?” I clenched my fists so hard my nails dug into my palms. I pointed at the size 6 wedding shoes. “Julian, pick up that shoe.” “Look at the back of the clasp. Tell me what is engraved there.” Julian suspiciously picked up the shoe and flipped it over. On the back of the metal clasp, two letters were clearly engraved: J & C Julian’s eyes flickered with panic, but he quickly forced a calm expression. “It’s just the designer’s personal mark. Stop looking for problems.” I exposed his lie without mercy. “The brand’s founder’s initials are not J and C.” Chloe waved her hands in a panic. “No, that’s not it… Julian said he wanted to give me a gift last month. Maybe the workshop mixed up the orders…” Mixed up the orders? The wedding shoes bought for the bride were engraved with the initials of the groom and another woman. He hadn’t even bothered to check them, or perhaps he just didn’t care if I found out. I threw back the wedding blanket and stepped bare feet onto the cold hardwood floor. The chill traveled from the soles of my feet straight to my heart. “Julian, do you really think I can’t survive without you?” Julian didn’t expect that I, who had always been submissive, would openly defy him in front of both our parents. “Stop acting crazy. The cars are waiting. Put on some shoes and let’s go.” He reached out to grab my wrist. I stepped back to avoid him, grabbed my wedding veil, and ripped it off my head. The hairpins holding the veil scattered all over the floor, and my long hair fell loosely over my shoulders. “I’m not going!”

Julian’s hand froze in midair. He stared at the white veil I had thrown at my feet, his breathing turning heavy. After a brief moment of panic, he straightened his back again, his voice turning threatening and cold. “Evelyn Vance, you better think carefully about the consequences.” “If you don’t walk down those stairs today, what will all the guests outside think of you?” “Will your family ever be able to hold their heads up in this town again?” He adjusted his slightly messy cuffs, treating the initials on the wedding shoes as a minor, insignificant detail. “No wedding is perfect. It’s just a little hiccup.” “If you want to throw a tantrum, I can let it slide, but don’t play games with our wedding.” “This ceremony isn’t something you can just cancel whenever you feel like it.” My mom held my hand tightly, glaring angrily at Julian. “Even if our family is whispered about for the rest of our lives, we will never throw our daughter into a burning fire!” “The wedding is off! We will take the blame, and we will pay back any deposits ourselves!” My dad’s slightly hunched back straightened up, his voice booming like a bell. “Don’t be afraid, Evelyn. Your parents are still here. Nobody can force you to marry someone you don’t want to.” “At worst, we’ll just move to another city. We’ll survive.” My nose tingled, and tears threatened to spill over. The people who truly loved me would never ask me to sacrifice myself for “the bigger picture.” They would stand by my side without hesitation when I was wronged. Julian’s face was incredibly ugly. He gave my parents a icy look, then turned to Chloe. “Chloe, take the bridesmaids to the venue first. Help me keep the guests and elders calm.” “I’ll stay here until she regains her senses.” Chloe nodded, holding her dress as she quickly walked out. Beatrice followed close behind, letting out a sneer before she left: “I’d like to see how long Evelyn can keep up this act.” “Once the wedding time passes, let’s see how the Vance family faces anyone in town!” The best men also took the hint and stepped out of the room. The bedroom fell quiet. Only my angry parents, myself, and Julian, who was leaning against the door frame lighting a cigarette, remained. “Don’t be sad, Evelyn…” My mom gently stroked my hair, her heart aching. “We can always move. Your dad and I have our pensions, we can support you!” I squeezed her hand, any remaining hesitation in my heart completely vanishing. Julian blew out a cloud of smoke and let out a soft sneer. “Alright, that’s enough. The venue is booked, you’ve already accepted the wedding expenses, and everyone is waiting.” “You’re twenty-six, Evelyn. If you don’t get married today, the whole town will know you were dumped. Who would ever want to marry you after this?” He gestured toward the size 6 shoes with his chin. “Be a good girl, put the shoes on, get in the car, and I can pretend none of this happened.” I didn’t even look at him. “Julian, you can marry whoever you want.” The moment my words fell, a panicked voice of a best man came from the hallway: “Julian! There are over a dozen black Rolls-Royce Phantoms downstairs! Their license plates are all sequential!” “They’ve completely blocked our wedding convoy! The scale is insane!” Amidst the shocked gasps outside, the elevator bell dinged. Steady, heavy footsteps approached from the hallway. Julian, still holding his cigarette, turned his head in confusion. A tall, striking man walked in against the light, followed closely by four suited bodyguards. His custom-made pure black suit wrapped perfectly around his broad shoulders and narrow waist. His sharp eyes carried the undeniable authority of a powerful business tycoon. Between his long fingers, he held a transparent, temperature-controlled dust box. Inside the box was a pair of hand-stitched, soft lambskin flat wedding shoes in vibrant red. Those were the shoes he had crafted years ago, holding my ankle and measuring my foot inch by inch with his own hands. Sebastian Thorne walked straight past the dumbfounded Julian and knelt on one knee right in front of me. He looked up, his deep, dark eyes locking onto mine. “Evelyn, I’m here to take my bride home.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “449633”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

My boyfriend, Zach, woke up from a car accident with temporary amnesia. The catch? He mistook my best friend, Chloe, for his fiancée. To keep him from suffering any more brain trauma, the doctor suggested I play along. So, I had to swap identities with my best friend. We agreed to only act the part. No intimacy. No real relationship. We were just supposed to wait until Zach got his memory back, and then everything would return to normal. But six months passed. Zach showed absolutely no signs of getting better. Until today, when I was mindlessly scrolling through Reddit and stumbled upon a trending advice post. [I got into a car crash, lost my memory, and mistook my girlfriend’s best friend for my actual girlfriend. Now that I have my memory back, I realized I’ve actually fallen in love with the best friend. How do I explain this to my original girlfriend?] The top comment, which had thousands of upvotes, offered a piece of advice: [Keep faking the amnesia, obviously! It’s the perfect chess move. If things go well, you get the best friend. If you regret it later, you can just pretend you “just” got your memory back.] The poster had liked that comment. And the username of the poster belonged to Zach. I looked up just as Zach and Chloe walked through the front door. He was carrying several grocery bags, following closely behind Chloe. When he looked at her, the adoration in his eyes was so thick it practically spilled onto the floor. As it turned out, Zach had stopped acting a long time ago. He had made the lie his reality.

“Nora! You’re home so early from work today.” “Zach and I just went to the grocery store. I was thinking of making some chicken noodle soup. You love that, right?” Zach stood behind her. He gave me a polite, distant nod, then turned and walked into the kitchen. Ever since Zach “lost his memory,” in order to not be separated from him, I had been forced to live here as a “guest” in their house. I was the actual, legal girlfriend. Yet, every single day, I had to choke down my jealousy and watch him pour his heart and soul into loving another woman. Every time I saw them holding hands or hugging in front of me, my heart felt like it was being shredded by a dull knife. I could only comfort myself over and over again in my head. Just wait until Zach gets his memory back. Everything will go back to how it was. I had endured this torture for six months. I didn’t get his recovery. Instead, I got the devastating news that he had actually fallen in love with Chloe. Chloe followed my gaze into the kitchen, looking at Zach’s busy back. She lowered her voice and whispered in my ear, “I’m so sorry, Nora.” “I’m so useless. Zach still hasn’t remembered anything.” I looked down and let out a bitter laugh. She didn’t know. You can never wake up someone who is pretending to be asleep. “But don’t worry,” Chloe whispered, squeezing my arm. “I’m keeping an eye on him for you. I won’t let him do anything out of line.” “Yeah,” I mumbled, my mouth tasting like ash. “I actually just came back to grab something. I have to go out again in a bit.” Just then, Zach called Chloe from the kitchen to help him. She immediately perked up and said, “Go do what you need to do, Nora! By the time you get back, dinner will be ready.” I stood frozen in the hallway. I watched Chloe walk into the kitchen, put her hands—which she had just used to peel garlic—right up to Zach’s nose. “Smell it. Do my hands stink?” Zach lovingly kissed her fingers and smiled. “Not at all. You smell perfect.” They laughed and teased each other, looking exactly like a real, deeply-in-love couple. Everything before my eyes was the exact married life I had dreamed of for years. Except the female lead wasn’t me. Maybe they thought I had already walked out the door. Zach suddenly asked, “Has Nora been living in our guest room for six months now? Hasn’t she found her own apartment yet?” Chloe was taken aback. She stammered, “Well… no.” “It’s not safe for a girl to live alone. Plus, rent in this city is so expensive.” “Living with us makes her commute easier, and I feel better having her around. Why are you suddenly bringing this up?” Zach kept chopping vegetables, his voice firm and unwavering. “Tell her to move out. It’s not convenient with the three of us living together.” “Every time I want to be intimate with you, I have to worry about a roommate being in the next room.” “Besides, I don’t want you feeling uncomfortable in your own home.” “I was going to make that homemade pizza you love tonight.” “But the second you saw her, you changed it to soup because of her tastes. You’re acting like a guest in your own house, Chloe.” Chloe went quiet for a few seconds. Then, she leaned in and kissed his cheek.

That kiss felt like a poisoned needle stabbing directly into my chest. Back when this all started, Chloe had sworn to God that she would keep her distance from Zach. In front of me, she used to avoid him as much as possible. But I didn’t know when it started—she had become so comfortable, so natural, with being physical with my boyfriend. “I know you care about me,” Chloe said softly. “But let’s talk about this later. It’s not that easy to find a good apartment right now.” Zach was already prepared. “I had a friend look at two places last week.” “They’re close to our place, and very close to her office.” Chloe had no choice but to agree. “Fine. I’ll talk to Nora when she gets back.” My eyes burned with tears. I forced them back and looked around the apartment. I looked at every corner of this condo—a home I had designed and decorated piece by piece for our future wedding. After Zach’s accident, my status changed from the owner of this house to a mere guest. All of my belongings had been packed up and shoved into the tiny guest room. In just six months, Chloe had completely erased every trace of my life here. And now, Zach wanted me to pack my bags and get out. The sound of their laughter drifting from the kitchen made my ears ache. I took a deep breath, turned around, and quietly slipped out the front door. I didn’t go back to the office. Instead, holding onto the absolute last shred of hope, I went to the hospital. What if that Reddit post wasn’t Zach? What if he really hadn’t recovered his memory? What if his feelings for Chloe were just a mistake because his brain confused her with me? “Zach Miller?” Dr. Carter finally found his name in a thick stack of medical files. “Oh, yes. I called him three months ago for a follow-up. He told me he had completely recovered his memory.” “I remember it was right around Thanksgiving.” “I even congratulated him on getting his memory back just in time for the holidays.” I froze. On Thanksgiving, Chloe’s parents came to visit. Zach had personally driven to the airport, picked them up, and played the most polite, welcoming host. That exact same day, my parents flew into the city with heavy bags, excited to see us. But Zach claimed he didn’t recognize them. He literally had the building security kick my parents out of the lobby. It was only then, when I couldn’t hide it anymore, that I had to tell my parents that Zach had lost his memory in a car crash. My mom had sighed and comforted me: “As long as he’s alive, that’s what matters. The doctor said it’s just a matter of time.” But back then, Zach already had his memory. He knew he wasn’t Chloe’s boyfriend. He knew damn well that I was the woman who had loved him for four years, the woman he was supposed to marry. Yet, he still chose to welcome Chloe’s parents and throw mine out onto the street. He was fully prepared to play the “amnesia” card for the rest of his life. Seeing me spacing out, Dr. Carter asked with concern, “Is something wrong? Is he having complications?” I shook my head, my voice hollow. “No. I was just checking. I was worried the blood clot in his brain hadn’t fully dissolved.” Dr. Carter smiled. “Don’t worry. His scan was completely clear.” “He is 100% recovered. It won’t affect your wedding plans at all.” “And it certainly won’t affect your love life.” Six months ago, Zach was in a coma for a week. I took a leave of absence from work and stayed by his bedside for seven days straight without sleeping. But the one time I went downstairs to pay the medical bills and asked Chloe to watch him for just ten minutes… Zach woke up. No matter how much I explained, he insisted Chloe was his girlfriend. Back then, Dr. Carter had told me that because of the trauma, his brain couldn’t handle any sudden shock. “I know you love him, and I know you guys are getting married,” the doctor had told me then. “But give it three months. He will recover. It won’t ruin your wedding.” Who would have thought that life could be this cruel? Our wedding was never going to happen.

As I took the elevator down, my mind was on overdrive, replaying everything Zach had done over the last three months. Now that I thought about it, his acting was actually terrible. I was just too blind, constantly using “amnesia” as an excuse to justify his behavior. Because I was so lost in my thoughts, I followed the crowd and accidentally got off at the OB-GYN floor. By the time I realized my mistake, I had already walked quite a distance from the elevator. Just as I was about to turn back, I saw a familiar figure. Zach. Why was he here? Shouldn’t he be at home making dinner with Chloe? I instinctively stopped outside one of the consultation rooms. The door was slightly ajar. Inside, the doctor’s voice drifted out. “You’re pregnant. Eight weeks.” “Are you keeping the baby?” Before Chloe could even answer, Zach burst out eagerly. “Yes! Yes, we are keeping it!” Zach was holding the ultrasound scan in his hand. He couldn’t wait another second. He pulled Chloe into his arms and hugged her tightly. “Did you hear the doctor, Chloe? We’re having a baby!” He was already starting to plan. “Before you start showing, we need to go to city hall and get married. We need a wedding.” “I’ll call my parents tomorrow. It’s a bit rushed, and I’m sorry if it feels sudden.” “But I promise you, I will give you everything. You won’t miss out on a single thing.” Zach had his back to the door. But Chloe was facing it. Her eyes locked right onto mine. Seeing my expressionless face, she went deathly pale. She shoved Zach away. Zach followed her gaze and turned around. The moment he saw me, a flash of panic crossed his eyes. “Nora? Aren’t you supposed to be at work?” “Why are you at the OB-GYN?” I didn’t answer his question. My eyes were glued to Chloe. I asked the obvious. “You’re pregnant?” Chloe lowered her head guiltily, not daring to look at me. Zach stepped in front of her, shielding her. “We’re engaged, Nora. Things got passionate in bed and we didn’t use protection. It’s perfectly normal to get pregnant.” I let out a self-deprecating laugh. I didn’t know if I was answering him or just talking to myself. “Right. You two are the engaged couple now.” On the drive back, Chloe sat next to me in the back seat, staring at her feet without saying a single word. Zach, in the driver’s seat, was on high alert. He kept checking the rearview mirror to watch me. It was as if he was terrified I would do something to his precious Chloe. But I just looked down at my phone and replied to the HR manager at my company. [I accept the transfer. I will go to the Italy branch as the lead engineer.] During the mid-year meeting, the corporate headquarters had decided to expand into the European market, selecting engineers from local branches to support the launch. Coincidentally, I was the only engineer in my branch who had minored in Italian in college. Before, even when I thought Zach had amnesia, I couldn’t bear the thought of a long-distance relationship. But between my career and Zach, I had chosen him once. From now on, I was only making decisions for myself. When we got back to the condo, I realized why they had gone to the hospital in the first place. Chloe had started vomiting violently while making dinner. Zach was worried it was a stomach issue, so he rushed her to the ER. Because he was worried the smell of grease would trigger her morning sickness again, Zach turned to me. “Nora, why don’t you go into the kitchen and finish up dinner?” Chloe looked at me with a conflicted expression. “But Zach… Nora doesn’t even know how to cook.” Zach helped her sit down on the sofa. “She can learn. We can’t have a pregnant woman doing physical labor.” The word pregnant pierced my ears. I turned around and went into the kitchen to wash the vegetables. Zach followed me in. The moment he entered, he locked the kitchen door behind him. “If anything happens to Chloe or the baby, I will make your life a living hell.”

It felt like someone had taken a rusty knife and carved a giant hole in my chest. The cold wind was howling right through me. I didn’t dare look up, terrified he would see the tears in my eyes. I forced my voice to sound as flat as possible. “You’re overthinking.” “Chloe is my best friend. I’m happy she’s pregnant.” “Why would you think I’d hurt her?” Zach’s eyes lingered on me for a moment. He was probably trying to figure out if I knew he had regained his memory. After a few seconds, his tense posture relaxed slightly. “I just mean, since you two are best friends, you should help take care of her more.” I didn’t say another word. A few minutes later, Chloe used the excuse of wanting ice cream to call me out of the kitchen. She looked at me, tears welling up in her eyes. I looked back at her, completely calm. “When did it start?” Her face was a mask of guilt, and she began to sob. “It was that one night… we both got too drunk. I swear I took the Plan B pill the next morning!” “Maybe it was expired. I don’t know how I still got pregnant.” She hadn’t mentioned a single word of this to me when it happened. And I had been living like a complete fool. I thought Zach was just a poor, tragic victim of amnesia who got the wrong girl. I thought Chloe was my loyal best friend who would never betray me. But now I saw the truth. I was the only one romanticizing the past. They had crossed the line long ago, right under my nose. Suddenly, Chloe dropped to her knees right in front of me. She raised her hand and slapped herself hard across the face. “I’m a terrible person. I betrayed you.” “I lost my mind. I made a mistake.” “Just say the word, Nora. If you want me to, I’ll go to the clinic and get an abortion tomorrow!” “There’s no need,” I said. She froze, looking up at me in disbelief. “No, I’ll do it. I’ll go right now… wait, what did you say?” I pulled my skirt out of her tight grip. “The baby is innocent.” Chloe’s eyes widened. “But what about you? What are you going to do, Nora?” Just then, Zach walked out of the kitchen with a plate of food. He walked right into the scene of Chloe kneeling at my feet. Chloe scrambled to her feet instantly, trying to cover. “Zach! It’s not what it looks like!” “I just slipped and fell, and Nora was about to help me up.” Zach’s temper flared instantly. He grabbed Chloe by the arm, pulling her behind him, and glared at me. “Did you not hear a single word of what I said in the kitchen?!” “Chloe was nice enough to let you stay in our home, and this is how you repay her?” Chloe grabbed his arm, crying hysterically. “It’s not Nora’s fault! Don’t yell at her!” Zach tried to control his breathing, his voice dropping to a cold whisper. “Fine. I won’t argue about what just happened.” “But you are moving out of my apartment today.” “Chloe is pregnant. It’s not suitable for an outsider to live here anymore.” Chloe’s body went rigid. She turned her head slowly, looking at me to see my reaction. “Okay,” I said. Without a single second of hesitation, I went into the guest room and started packing my things. As I dragged my suitcase to the front door, Chloe held onto my hand, whispering, “Don’t worry, Nora. I’ll convince Zach to let you move back in tonight.” “No need,” I said, pulling my hand away. The moment I stepped out of the apartment building, I dialed my real estate agent. “I want to sell my condo. Cash buyer preferred. As fast as possible.” Zach had played the amnesia card for so long, he seemed to have forgotten something very important. This condo was bought in full by my parents as my wedding gift.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “449632”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

My sister and I were kidnapped when we were kids. I gave her the only chance to escape. After years of living through hell, I finally dragged myself back home. By then, my sister, Sienna, had already become the pampered heiress of the Hale family. I thought we’d have a tearful reunion and I’d finally get to live a peaceful life. But my own flesh and blood stole my fiancé, turned our parents against me, and ruined my reputation. In the end, she had me thrown into the freezing ocean, leaving me to rot in the dark, unknown to anyone. But I survived. No, I was reborn. I woke up on the very day we were kidnapped. This time, Sienna, I’m not giving you the chance to run. *** **1.** Even as the icy water filled my lungs, I couldn’t believe how much Sienna hated me. She had told everyone that I was a greedy traitor who stole family money and ran away to Europe. She had cried those crocodile tears so convincingly that our parents held her, weeping with her. “She wasn’t raised by our side since she was little,” they’d sighed. “Of course she has no loyalty to this family.” They had no idea that my bloated body had been floating in the ocean for three days and nights. Unclaimed. Unloved. As I lost my footing and plunged into the abyss, I stared at the hands that had pushed me. “Why, Sienna?” I gasped. My own sister smiled, her eyes cold and venomous like a viper. “Why couldn’t you just stay in that godforsaken mountain shack, Chloe? Why did you have to come back?” “No one is taking my life away from me. Not even you, my dear sister.” The heavy, crushing waves swallowed me, tearing the last bit of oxygen from my chest. I didn’t even have time to cry out my regrets. When we were six, Sienna and I were taken. I gave her the only escape route. I told her to memorize our location and promised she would bring help back for me. I waited for so long. But help never came. Eventually, a couple who wanted to buy a child came to the camp. I didn’t want to be sold to some old creep in the woods, so I used every ounce of my wit. I faked amnesia, put on my most pitiful face, and grabbed their attention. “Are you my mommy and daddy? I missed you so much,” I cried, throwing my tiny arms around the woman’s neck. Her heart melted, and she actually bought me. The traffickers blindfolded me, and after days of bumpy riding, we arrived at an isolated, run-down farm deep in the mountains. But when the husband saw his wife had brought back a girl instead of a boy, he lost his temper and beat me mercilessly. “Why did you waste money on a useless mouth to feed?” Years of harsh sun, endless farm labor, and countless whip scars aged me far beyond my years. By the time I turned eighteen, the man tried to sell me to a creepy old hermit in the next valley to be his “wife.” I fought back with everything I had. The man beat me half to death and locked me in the barn. But that night, the wife finally showed a shred of mercy. Under the cover of darkness, she unlocked the door and let me go. I ran out of those mountains. The first thing I did was look for my real family. Every single night, fearing I would forget my parents’ names, I had whispered them like a mantra. Fortunately, the Hale family was prominent and wealthy. It didn’t take much digging to find them. When I finally returned, they were warm to me at first. But gradually, things changed. They began to resent my timidness and my lack of high-society etiquette. “A daughter of the Hale family cannot look so unpolished,” my father, Robert, would say. Soon, they stopped taking me to galas and charity events. “Just stay home, Chloe. Don’t go out. We can’t let the media snap photos of you looking like this.” Their eyes and hearts only had room for Sienna. Julian Vance, the boy I had been betrothed to since childhood as part of a family alliance, came to see me once. He shook his head in disgust. “A sun-baked, uneducated hillbilly? I’d rather die than marry her!” Fine. If he didn’t want me, we could call off the arrangement. But the very next day, a scandal broke. Julian and my sister were caught in bed together, and the photos were leaked all over Instagram. Holding Julian’s hand in front of reporters, Sienna sobbed, “Julian and I are truly in love. But my sister… she just won’t let him go.” The media swarmed me. Overnight, the internet tore me to pieces. “Look at her. She looks like a maid. How does she think a childhood contract makes her worthy of Julian?” “She has no degree, no class, and no looks. She can’t even hold a candle to Sienna.” My parents suggested buying me a house in Switzerland to “let things blow over.” I agreed. But somehow, the narrative was spun that I had stolen millions from the family and fled the country. Sienna came to see me off. She offered comfort as we walked along the cliffside by the sea. And then, she pushed me. I closed my eyes in agony. I had been so stupid. Even in my final moments, I had been craving a sliver of sisterly love. *** **2.** “Chloe. Chloe, wake up!” A high-pitched, childish voice called out, accompanied by a violent shaking of my shoulders. I gasped, my eyes flying open. Sienna’s young face stared back at me, startling me. We were crammed inside the back of a moving truck that smelled of stale cigarettes and cheap beer. The suffocating feeling of drowning was gone. I had been reborn. I was back to the day we were kidnapped. “Chloe, are they going to sell us? Do something! Please!” Sienna clutched my arm, her face pale with terror. I looked at her coldly. I felt absolutely nothing for this sister of mine anymore. “Be quiet,” I muttered. In my past life, it was because she wouldn’t stop crying that I took several brutal beatings for her. Hearing my cold tone, Sienna shrieked even louder. A scrawny trafficker opened the cabin window, brandishing a wooden club. “Shut the hell up back there! You want to die?!” He swung the club toward us. Sienna screamed and tried to hide behind me. This time, I stepped aside. The club landed squarely on Sienna’s shoulder. She screamed in pain. Annoyed, the man hit her a few more times. I stood there, watching. I was never going to shield her again. Sienna finally realized that crying only brought pain, and she shut her mouth, trembling. I quietly studied our surroundings. Every time the truck slowed down, I made mental notes of the landmarks. Finally, the truck pulled over near a highway construction site at the edge of a small town. This was it. The exact moment of escape from my memory. There were two guards. One rushed off to find a restroom, leaving only one behind. The remaining guard saw some construction workers playing cards and betting money nearby. He tied us up hastily and went over to join them. Seeing him walk away, I squirmed toward a nearby wooden crate. I slammed my body against it, sending a glass bottle rolling out and shattering on the floor. Reaching behind my back, I grabbed a sharp shard and began sawing at the ropes around my wrists. Sienna, who had a cloth stuffed in her mouth, saw what I was doing and began to mumble frantically, “Me… save me…” She was only five years old right now. I hesitated for a fraction of a second, then sliced her ropes open. She glared at me immediately. “You’re a horrible sister! You were going to leave me behind!” I frowned and ignored her. Quietly slipping out of the truck, I relied on my memory and kept low, scanning the area. My eyes lit up. A flatbed cart loaded with high stacks of hay. It was right there. “You’re going to hide in *that*? No way, I’m not doing that. It looks filthy, and they’ll find you in two seconds,” Sienna sneered, pinching her nose. “Go wherever you want then,” I said coolly. I didn’t try to convince her. The hay cart was only big enough to hide one child anyway. In our past life, she had refused to get in, and I had spent precious minutes begging her until she finally relented and took the spot, leaving me to be caught. Without another word, I wiggled into the deep, sweet-smelling hay. Being small and flexible, I managed to bury myself completely. I started counting in my head. In ten minutes, an old local worker would come to wheel this cart away. But at minute eight, chaos broke out outside. I heard the trafficker’s harsh voice. “Just disciplining my stubborn kid, folks! Nothing to see here!” *Smack!* The sound of hard slaps echoed, followed by Sienna’s hysterical wailing. My heart leaped into my throat. Suddenly, the cart jolted. The old man had started moving it. I prayed silently for him to push faster. “Stop hitting me! My sister is hiding in the hay cart! Go get her!” Sienna shrieked through her tears. Heavy, rushing footsteps approached. The cart ground to a halt. “Hey, old man. Our girl ran off. We need to search your hay.” I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the worst. But the hay wasn’t uncovered. The old man stood his ground. “I packed this hay myself. There’s nothing in here but feed.” The trafficker didn’t care. “Get out of the way, old man, before we show you what these fists can do!” Instead of backing down, the old man threw himself onto the dirt road and wailed at the top of his lungs, “Help! These young thugs are beating up a poor, helpless old man!” His loud cries immediately drew the attention of the nearby construction workers. Many of them knew the old man. “Hey! What do you think you’re doing to George?!” they yelled, stepping forward. Seeing a crowd gather, the traffickers panicked. With a muttered curse, they turned and fled. The cart began to move again. I didn’t know how much time had passed. Drowsiness washed over me, but I kept pinching my thigh to stay awake. Finally, the cart stopped, and George’s gentle voice drifted down: “You can come out now, kiddo.” I hesitated, then slowly poked my head out of the hay. George pulled a cold roll from his bag and handed it to me. “Hungry? Here.” I took it, whispering, “How did you know I was in there?” The old man chuckled. “That cart was awfully heavy today. Made this old man sweat buckets.” He reached into his inner pocket and pulled out a worn handkerchief, unfolding it to reveal a few crumpled dollar bills and some coins. He handed some to me. “Wait here. A bus to the city will be by soon.” Warmth flooded my chest. “Thank you, George…” I bowed deeply to him. *** **3.** The rest of the journey was smooth. Once I reached the city, I went straight to the police station. Within twenty-four hours, my parents arrived. It was ironic. The journey that had taken me over a decade to complete in my past life took only a day this time. Eleanor held me tight, weeping. “Chloe, oh my god, where did you go? I was losing my mind!” I froze in her arms, not knowing how to react. The loving parents and the affection I had craved so desperately in my past life were right here. But I couldn’t bring myself to hug her back. Seeing my stiff posture, Robert touched my forehead. “No fever. What’s wrong, sweetie? We’re your mommy and daddy. Don’t you remember us?” I swallowed my emotions. “I’m okay. But… Sienna…” They froze, suddenly realizing someone was missing. They looked around frantically. “Where is Sienna?” I shook my head. “She didn’t make it out.” In my past life, they had asked Sienna the same question. But Sienna had told them: *“Chloe fell into the river while we were running, and she drowned.”* They had believed her, stopped looking for me, and poured all their love onto her. When I had finally reappeared years later, they had been awkward and distant. Even though they tried to make it up to me, I wasn’t the daughter they had raised. There was always a wall between us. Sienna could lounge in Eleanor’s lap and gossip, while I stood awkwardly by the door. I was always the outsider looking in. And every time I tried to get closer to my parents, Sienna would chime in with her passive-aggressive remarks. “Oh, Chloe, that’s not how you eat steak.” “Mom, Chloe didn’t even finish high school. It’s going to be so embarrassing if she works at the company.” “You can just throw away the leftovers, Chloe. Why are you hoarding them in the fridge? It smells awful.” She constant reminded them that I was a peasant. That only Sienna was worthy of being a Hale. Eleanor squeezed my hand, her voice soft and reassuring. “It’s okay, Chloe. Don’t blame yourself. It’s our fault for not watching you closely enough. We will find your sister.” I forced a stiff smile. I gave the police a detailed description of the traffickers and the last location I saw them. As for whether Sienna would be saved, that was up to her own fate. I hated her, but I didn’t want her to die at the hands of traffickers. Those monsters deserved to be locked up anyway. The detective gave me a thumbs-up. “Your kid is incredible, Mr. Hale. To stay that calm under pressure and memorize so many details… this information is gold.” Robert smiled proudly. “A daughter of the Hale family is bound to be extraordinary.” They took me home. I remained quiet during the ride. When we arrived, I stared at the bright, spacious living room and the pink, princess-themed bedroom. It felt too beautiful to touch. It was nothing like the mold-infested, drafty shack I had lived in during my past life. Here, the roof wouldn’t leak when it rained, and rats wouldn’t crawl into my clothes at night. I touched the brand-new school backpack on the bed. I was finally going to get an education. Tears welled up in my eyes. Eleanor noticed and pulled me onto her lap, looking confused. “You didn’t cry when you saw us, but you’re crying over a backpack? Is a backpack more important than your mommy?” I couldn’t help but ask, “Mom… if I didn’t have an education, and if I were dirty, dark-skinned, and ugly… would you still love me?” “You’re my flesh and blood, Chloe. No matter what you look like, I will always love you.” Robert walked over and tapped my head playfully. “Silly girl. We’re here now. We would never let you become like that.” I slowly lowered my head. *Liar.* My throat tightened, and a silent tear soaked into my sleeve. *** **4.** Over the next few weeks, Eleanor barely left my side. Whenever Robert had free time, he took me to theme parks. There were no endless farm chores, no livestock to feed, and no local bullies throwing rocks at me. Yet, I could still see a faint, lingering disappointment in their eyes whenever they looked at me. One afternoon, Eleanor answered a phone call. She broke down, clutching me as she sobbed. “They might never find your sister!” Based on the information I provided, the police had busted the first ring of traffickers. But Sienna had already been sold down the line. The people who took us were just low-level runners. The trafficking network was vast and terrifyingly complex. Finding her now would be like finding a needle in an ocean. I didn’t shed a single tear. Eleanor pulled back and stared at me like I was a monster. “Chloe, that’s your sister! Aren’t you sad at all? Ever since you came back, you’ve been so cold. We do everything for you, but you don’t care. How can your heart be so stony?” I pretended to feel sick, slipped out of her embrace, and went up to my room, locking the door. Of course I could have squeezed out a few fake tears. But I didn’t want to. In my past life, did anyone cry for me? No. With the soul of a twenty-something woman trapped in a child’s body, I was living a completely different life. *** **5.** Twelve years later. I was representing Hale Enterprises at a high-society charity gala when my phone buzzed. It was Eleanor. Her voice was shaking violently. “We found your sister. Come home right now!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “449631”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

Six months ago, my son Ethan, who was preparing for his high school graduation and SATs, was brutally bullied at school. They threw him off the school rooftop. His body was covered in horrific wounds. The school claimed it was a suicide. Before we could even get an independent autopsy, the local authorities rushed his body to be cremated, claiming it was standard procedure. I knew who those kids were. They all came from wealthy, powerful families, so the school district refused to hold them accountable. People online even said it was my son’s fault. They said he was book-smart but socially awkward, that he couldn’t handle pressure. They blamed him for his own death. I had been a trauma surgeon for twenty years. I saved countless lives. They used to call me an angel in a white coat. But from the moment I saw my son’s cold, bruised body, I decided to become a demon. One night, under the cover of darkness, I wore a black tactical jacket and slipped into Tyler Sterling’s house. He was one of the monsters who bullied my son. His father, Robert, was a high-ranking executive at a major local pharmaceutical company, always out late drinking with clients. Tyler was the star of the school basketball team. Tall, athletic, and popular with girls. He was the polar opposite of my nerdy son, Ethan. They should have lived in different worlds. But in the two months leading up to his death, Ethan was subjected to Tyler’s living hell. Someone told me Tyler had kicked Ethan to the ground and urinated on his head. And now, this monster was fast asleep in his warm, comfortable bed, while my son’s ashes were buried cold in the ground. I clenched my fists, my breathing growing heavy. My face must have looked terrifying. I pulled out a chloroform-soaked gauze and pressed it tightly over his nose and mouth. He struggled weakly for a second before slipping into a deep sleep. I wasn’t going to let him off that easily. I used IV tubing to tie his hands and feet securely to the bedpost. Then, I crept into the master bedroom. His mother, Cheryl, was lying in bed with a face mask on, scrolling through TikTok. She didn’t look up, probably thinking it was her husband coming home late. “Home so late? You might as well have slept at whatever whore’s house you were visiting,” she muttered. It was only when I pressed the chloroform rag over her face that she realized something was horribly wrong. She thrashed wildly, but she was no match for a grown man fueled by pure vengeance. She blacked out soon after. I tied her up as well and dragged both mother and son into the living room. Five minutes later, they both woke up. As a surgeon, my dosage of anesthetics is always precise. Cheryl opened her eyes, saw her son tied up across from her, and panicked. She thrashed against her restraints, but it was useless. When she looked up and saw my face, her eyes filled with absolute terror. We actually knew each other. We met back when she was still a pharmaceutical sales rep. Later, she married Robert Sterling, quit her job, and gave birth to Tyler. She had used her connection with me to skip the line at the hospital when Tyler was sick. Ethan was with me that day. I remember how he shrank back, looking terrified of Tyler. Back then, I never could have imagined that one teenager could do something so monstrous to another. Every time I recalled that day—recalling my son’s innocent, sweet face—rage would boil in my chest, tearing me apart. I pulled out a surgical hammer. I began tapping Tyler’s body, targeting very specific, painful areas. Even though I had only gotten a fleeting glance at Ethan’s body, every single bruise and scar was permanently burned into my memory. I was just returning the favor. Then, I delivered a heavy blow to Tyler’s throat. His airway collapsed instantly. Blood began leaking from the corner of his mouth as he suffocated. Cheryl watched her only son die right in front of her. I knew she wasn’t innocent. She knew exactly what her son was doing, but she chose to enable it. Since she raised a monster, I made her watch him die. Cheryl’s mouth was gagged, but I could read the curse in her eyes. She was probably cursing me to rot in hell. But for a father who had already lost his son, I was already living in hell. I didn’t torture Cheryl. I simply took a scalpel and slit her throat clean. Then, I sat on the sofa, turned off all the lights, and waited quietly for Robert to come home. At 2:00 AM, the heavy stench of alcohol preceded him. Robert was back. Drunk and slurring, he yelled: “Where the hell is everyone? I’m home! Someone get my slippers!” He fumbled for the light switch on the wall. The sudden glare forced his eyes shut for a second. When he opened them, he let out a blood-curdling shriek. He saw the bodies of Cheryl and Tyler. The shock sobered him instantly. He spun around to run, but I was faster. With one swift slice of my scalpel, I severed the tendons in his wrists. His hands went limp, blood soaking down his white shirt. “Bro, look,” he whimpered, shaking with fear. “If it’s money, take it all. Just don’t kill me. I have credit cards, cash. I’ll give you the PINs.” But the moment he saw my face, the words died in his throat. He knew exactly why I was here. Still, the desperation to live overcame his fear. He dropped to his knees, begging. “Please, man. Your boy is already gone. I’ll give you everything I have. I won’t call the cops. Just let me go.” I remembered seeing him at the hospital once. He was dressed in a sharp suit, arrogant and demanding. Tyler had beaten someone up, and Robert had brought the victim in, throwing cash around as if money could erase any crime. Like father, like son. Robert was responsible for at least half of Tyler’s sins. Seeing me step closer, he realized there was no mercy. He scrambled up and tried to run. But the blood loss had already drained his strength. Within three steps, I caught up to him. I plunged the scalpel straight into his heart. He slumped to the floor like a rag doll. I turned and walked out of the blood-splattered house.

I buried Ethan in our quiet hometown. We didn’t want the media and clout-chasing TikTokers to disturb him. My elderly, white-haired parents wept bitterly at his grave, lighting candles. My wife, Sarah, had fainted from crying so many times. But I kept my distance and didn’t show my face. I couldn’t drag them into my mess. When it first happened, Sarah slapped me hard. She screamed at me, asking why I hadn’t noticed Ethan’s pain, why I hadn’t fought for justice. I had even refused the school district’s offer to simply suspend the bullies. Because to those monsters, a suspension wasn’t a punishment. It was a shield. I would deliver their real punishment myself. I bowed to my son’s grave from afar. *Dad is going to get you justice.* There were four bullies in total—two boys, two girls. The next target was Brandon Miller. He was also on the basketball team and a straight-A student. His father, Richard Miller, was the School Board Superintendent. It was Richard who pulled the strings to bury Ethan’s case, preventing us from even getting an independent autopsy. News of the Sterling family’s slaughter had leaked, but the media was being heavily censored. A massacre like that would throw the entire city into a panic. Honestly, I was confident the police wouldn’t find me anytime soon. As a surgeon, I knew how to maintain a sterile environment. I knew exactly how to leave no trace. But I was running out of time. I couldn’t stand the thought of those monsters breathing for another day. And they were starting to feel the heat, too. That evening, over dinner, Richard warned his family: “Be careful when you go out. Actually, don’t go out at all. Brandon, you’re staying home from school for a few days.” Brandon’s mother, Vicky, protested: “I can stay home, but what about our son? He can’t miss school. He’ll fall behind.” Brandon chimed in: “Yeah, Dad. We have the championship game coming up.” Richard slammed his fork down. “Are you both brainless? Do you have any idea that the Sterlings were slaughtered?” “It was probably Marcus Vance—Ethan’s father. If he could kill Tyler’s entire family, do you think he’ll spare you?” But Brandon didn’t look scared at all. He smirked. “Who? That wimp’s dad? We beat his son to a pulp and he couldn’t do a thing. If his dad comes, I’ll handle him too.” “Dad, just hire some security. Get those guys who helped us take the body last time.” Before he could finish, Richard slapped him across the face. “How did I raise such a stupid son? Do you have any idea who those people are? Having them do dirty work comes with a steep price.” Vicky shoved Richard angrily. “If you don’t care about our boy, I do! He’s just a kid. So what if he made a mistake?” Richard was about to yell back: “Murder isn’t a mistake—” But suddenly, a heavy wave of drowsiness hit him. He looked over and saw his wife and son already slumping over, their eyes half-closed. He realized what was happening, but it was too late. He drifted into darkness. When they woke up, they were tied up back-to-back in the master bedroom. The whole family, nice and neat. Thanks to modern medicine, it was easy to get my hands on tasteless, odorless sedatives to slip into their dinner. Richard was the first to fully wake up. When he saw me, panic flashed in his eyes, but he quickly masked it. Typical politician. He spoke to me in a calm, soothing voice: “Marcus, please. Don’t make things worse. I promise you, I will get you justice for Ethan. Just trust me.” I had heard him give the exact same high-and-mighty speeches on TV. Back then, people clapped and cheered. But his audience tonight wasn’t buying it. Vicky spat, “Richard! If he touches our son, I’m divorcing you!” Richard snapped, “Are you blind? Look at the situation! Shut up!” But right after he yelled at his wife, his idiot son opened his mouth. “Marcus, right? You better hope I don’t get loose. If I do, I’ll beat you just like I beat your useless son.” “Who did he think he was? Trying to get better SAT scores than me? Trying to steal my girl?” Hearing his words, a sharp pain pierced my heart. Ethan had once told me that a girl at school liked him. But he had ignored her to focus on his studies. Brandon kept mouthing off, calling Ethan a weak coward. Furious, I took out my surgical hammer and smashed it directly into his groin. He instantly doubled over as much as the ropes allowed, screaming in agony, tears and snot streaming down his face. Vicky screamed, “You animal! Don’t touch my baby!” But when *my* baby was being tortured, who was there to protect him? When *her* baby was destroying lives, who was there to stop him? I smashed the hammer into other parts of Brandon’s body. Every single strike mapped to a bruise I had seen on Ethan. I was going to make him feel ten times, a hundred times the pain. Finally, Brandon started begging for mercy. But it was too late. I knew Ethan must have begged him too, and Brandon hadn’t stopped. So, I wouldn’t stop either. Then, Vicky sealed their fate. She shrieked at Richard: “He’s castrating your son and you’re just sitting there? Tell this psycho that his son is already dead, but he still has a wife! He still has parents! Doesn’t he care about what happens to them?” Richard’s face drained of color. He looked horrified. He knew Vicky had just crossed the ultimate line. The next second, I slipped the hammer away, pulled a scalpel from my pocket, and sliced it across Vicky’s throat. She looked at me in shock, trying to speak, but no sound came out. A fountain of dark blood sprayed from her neck. Blood splattered all over Brandon’s face. He lost his mind, sobbing and begging, kneeling as much as his ropes allowed. “Mr. Vance, I’m sorry! Please, we were classmates! I’ll apologize to Ethan. I’ll buy him flowers, I’ll do anything!” Hearing him mention Ethan only made me angrier. “You knew you were classmates. What kind of sick hatred drove you to do that to him?” “Bullying is fun, right? Now that you’re the victim, do you regret it even a little bit?” Brandon opened his mouth to say “I—”, but I drove the scalpel straight into his temple. His eyes bulged, shocked by how fast death had claimed him. Richard watched his wife and son die right before his eyes. In an instant, he seemed to age twenty years, his shoulders slumping in total defeat. In that moment, I saw a reflection of myself in him. The absolute, gut-wrenching despair of having nothing left. For a brief second, I wondered if I should spare him. Then Richard spoke: “Marcus… you lost your son. Now I’ve lost mine. And my wife. Isn’t that enough?” “Just pretend I’m dead too. I’ll spend the rest of my life doing charity, helping schools… please.” Hearing this, I put my weapons away and stood up. He let out a long sigh of relief, slumping against the floor, relaxing his guard. But then, I slammed the surgical hammer straight down into the crown of his skull. He was the one who ordered Ethan’s body to be cremated. He denied me the chance to even look at my boy one last time. He had essentially murdered Ethan a second time. How could I ever let him live? I walked out of Richard’s house and spent the night hiding under a bridge. A homeless man walked under the bridge later that night. I don’t know if he saw the look of a killer in my eyes, but he took one glance at me and immediately hurried away. The next morning, I headed to the old town district. The next target was a girl named Chloe Bennett. Ethan used to talk about her. He said she was beautiful, bright, and sweet. Yet, she was deeply involved in the bullying that killed him. I wanted to know exactly what role she played in his death.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “449630”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

I was four months pregnant when my husband started dating a college girl behind my back. And the matchmaker was none other than my own mother-in-law, Brenda. As it turned out, they had a backup plan: whichever woman gave birth to a boy first would get to stay. Later, when they found out I was actually a billionaire heiress, they literally got on their knees and begged for my forgiveness. I didn’t budge. Scum like them deserve to rot in hell. My husband, Ethan, hadn’t come home for a week. Believing that marriage should be built on trust, I didn’t ask too many questions beyond checking in on him. But a woman’s intuition told me something was seriously off. Just as I was starting to suspect he was cheating and getting ready to confront him, he suddenly walked through the front door. He even brought me a bouquet of flowers. I was so thrilled that I practically spun in circles, hugging him tightly and silently scolding myself for overthinking. He was always so good to me. How could he ever do anything to betray me? But later that night, while sorting the laundry, I found a makeup wipe stained with bright red lipstick in his jacket pocket. It made my previous relief look utterly pathetic. I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I slammed the dry wipe right onto Ethan’s face and demanded, “What is this? Ethan, are you seeing someone else?!” He froze for a second. Then, his forehead creased, and he snapped impatiently, “What is wrong with you, Chloe? Can you stop being so paranoid all the time?!” His reaction only fueled my anger, but I forced myself to take a deep breath, trying to keep my voice steady. “Parody? Then explain to me why you’ve been coming home so late every single night. What have you been doing?” He ignored me entirely, rolled over in bed, turned his back to me, and closed his eyes. I kept talking, trying to get a straight answer out of him, but he didn’t utter a single word. Only when I finally stopped talking and the room fell dead silent did he speak up, his voice ice-cold. “I’ve told you a thousand times, I’m buried in work!” “I have to work tomorrow, so stop keeping me up with this nonsense.” “If I wasn’t working my ass off to bring home the bacon, how do you think we’d pay our bills? Can you grow up for once?” His words choked back everything else I wanted to say. I stared at his back, my heart aching. A wave of intense humiliation and sorrow washed over me, and before I knew it, tears were streaming down my face. Busy with work? What a joke. The tech giant Ethan worked for was owned by my family. I knew his exact workload better than anyone. I had only kept my family’s wealth a secret because I didn’t want him to feel pressured marrying into a rich family. And yet, he was using this job as a cheap excuse to lie to my face.

The more I thought about it, the more miserable I felt, and my quiet sobbing turned into loud cries. Ethan noticed my distress and let out a heavy, irritated sigh. He shifted under the covers, making a move to turn around. To be honest, in that split second, I imagined a few different scenarios. I thought he might turn around, wrap his arms around me like he used to, and whisper, “I was actually planning a surprise for you, babe. I didn’t want to ruin it.” Or maybe he would keep lying, telling me how exhausting his job was, playing the victim to guilt-trip me into submission again. Or maybe he would tell me he was facing some serious trouble at work and had to stay late to fix it. … “Can you shut the fuck up? Stop being such a drama queen!” Ethan suddenly bolted upright, snatched his pillow, threw it violently onto the floor, and screamed at me. I froze in pure shock. I had imagined so many reactions, but never this. I stared at him in utter disbelief, unable to comprehend how the sweet, attentive man I married had turned into this monster. He glared at me with pure hatred, as if I were his worst enemy. Hearing the commotion from the guest room next door, my mother-in-law, Brenda, burst in. “What’s going on? What’s wrong, my sweet boy?” Seeing Ethan so angry, Brenda panicked. She immediately rushed over, pulled him into her arms to soothe him, and shot me a venomous look. “What kind of wife are you?! How dare you upset my son like this!” “Don’t think you can boss us around in this house just because you managed to get pregnant!” I finally snapped out of my daze. I shook my head frantically, trying to explain, but my sobbing was so violent that I couldn’t form proper words. “She’s literally psycho,” Ethan muttered under his breath, looking at my tear-stained, messy face with sheer disgust. He threw on his clothes and slammed the door as he stormed out. On his way out, he grabbed the bouquet of flowers from the table, threw it onto the floor, and crushed it to pieces under his boot. Brenda turned back to me and pointed a finger in my face. “Keep crying in the middle of the night and drive your husband away, you useless brat!” “You better hope that thing in your belly is a boy. If you give birth to some useless girl, you can pack your bags and get the hell out of this family!” With that, she stomped out, and another loud door slam echoed through the house.

I curled up under the blanket alone, not sleeping a wink the entire night. Ethan didn’t come back. I called him more than a dozen times, but it went straight to voicemail every time. As the hours dragged on, my anger slowly faded into worry. Maybe… maybe the lipstick stain was just an accident? What if he was driving while angry and got into a car crash? What if he got into a fight with someone? What if he was hurt? … Endless guilt flooded my mind, and I began to wonder if I had indeed been too sensitive. First thing in the morning, I went downstairs, bought groceries, and cooked a massive, delicious breakfast, planning to apologize to Ethan the moment he walked through the door. But once the table was set and I finally dialed his number, a woman’s voice answered the phone. “Who is this? Ethan forgot his phone here when he left earlier.” “I’ll have him call you back when he gets back.” The girl’s voice was sweet and youthful. I stood frozen in place as if struck by lightning. After a long pause, I asked with a trembling voice, “What… what is your relationship with Ethan?” The girl paused for a second, then let out a soft, amused giggle. “Aren’t you on his Snapchat? He posted photos of us on his stories. I’m his girlfriend.” Girlfriend… What did that mean? Ethan was actually cheating on me? I forced myself to stay calm, burying the storm of emotions raging inside me, and replied after a moment of silence, “Sorry, I dialed the wrong number.” Then, I hung up. I had spent the entire night worrying about his safety, while he was out having the time of his life with another woman? He had even publicly posted photos of his mistress on Snapchat? But as far as I knew, Ethan never posted anything on social media. Whenever we went on trips and took cute couple photos, he always refused to post them, claiming it was too much of a hassle. I opened Snapchat and checked his profile. Indeed, his public stories were completely empty. Had he blocked me from seeing his posts? Just then, Brenda pushed open her bedroom door. Seeing my bloodshot eyes, she rolled her eyes in disgust. “Look at that pathetic face. You look like a curse!” “No wonder you can’t keep your man!” I took a deep breath, ignored her, walked back into my bedroom, and slammed the door. From outside, Brenda’s muffled insults continued. “Getting pregnant has only given you a nasty attitude. What a classless, uneducated small-town brat.” Brenda had always treated me like garbage. But in the past, Ethan would always tell me that his mother just had a sharp tongue but a good heart, and asked me to bear with it. So I did, over and over again. But my patience only made Brenda bolder and her insults meaner. Before, whenever I cried from Brenda’s abuse, Ethan would hold me tight, stroke my hair, and gently comfort me. But the moment I got pregnant, everything changed. Not only did he stop comforting me, but he also started calling me dramatic and high-maintenance. “Every daughter-in-law gets scolded by her mother-in-law. She’s in her fifties, can’t you just let her have her way?” “You’re about to be a mother yourself. Stop being so petty!”

I sat on the bed for a long time. I knew I couldn’t just rely on a single phone call to accuse him of cheating. I needed to wait for Ethan to come home and ask him face-to-face. What if there really was a misunderstanding? With those thoughts spinning in my head, I eventually drifted off to sleep. When I woke up, it was already evening. My stomach was screaming in pain from hunger. Just as I was about to go to the kitchen to find something to eat, I heard voices coming from Brenda’s bedroom. “Mom, Chloe called me today, and Hailey picked up the phone.” “Do you think she knows about me and Hailey?” It was Ethan’s voice! I quieted my footsteps, walked over to Brenda’s door, and peeked through the crack. I pulled out my phone and quietly tapped the voice memo app to record. Brenda’s tone was filled with utter contempt. “What are you scared of? Even if she knows, what can she do? She doesn’t have any proof!” “Besides, she’s just a penniless girl from a dead-end town with no family backing here. She even quit her job because of the pregnancy.” “She won’t dare make a scene. If she leaves you, she won’t even be able to pay rent!” “By the way, how are things going with Hailey? That girl has wide hips, she’s definitely built to give us a grandson.” Hearing Brenda’s reassurance, Ethan relaxed, his voice turning light and casual. “I have to thank you for setting us up, Mom. Hailey’s body is amazing. Chloe used to be hot, but now that she’s pregnant, she just grosses me out.” Brenda let out a sly chuckle and nudged Ethan. “So, last night…” Brenda trailed off, looking at her son with a knowing smirk. Ethan grinned and nodded. “It was her first time, so she insisted on a condom. Annoying as hell.” Then, a greasy, repulsive grin spread across his face. “But I poked a few holes in it when she wasn’t looking. There’s a high chance she’s already pregnant.” Brenda patted Ethan’s shoulder and laughed. “That’s my smart boy!” “We’ll see which one of them gives us a boy first, and we’ll keep that one!” Ethan nodded in agreement. “Whatever you say, Mom! Whichever one gives birth to a useless girl gets kicked to the curb!” “If they both have boys, we’ll keep Hailey. She’s younger and tighter anyway.” With that, Brenda pulled Ethan into a tight hug. Ethan buried his face in his mother’s chest, snuggling against her like a toddler, and murmured, “Chloe is asleep. Mom, can I sleep in your room tonight?” “Since I married Chloe a year ago, I haven’t slept with you once. I miss my mommy!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “449629”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

After three years of secret marriage with Julian Ryder, he told me he would give me a surprise at his new company’s launch party. I thought he was finally going to announce me as his wife to the world, but instead, he took his first love’s hand. With tears in my eyes, I demanded answers, only to receive his ruthless mockery: “It’s been three years, Evie. I’ve been sick of your face for a long time.” A month later, holding his half-brother’s arm, I showed up at the Ryder family gala. The massive diamond ring on my ring finger blinded him with rage, while the handsome, younger brother beside me smirked contemptuously at him: “It’s been three years, Julian. Honestly, I’m tired of calling her my sister-in-law anyway.” 【1】 “The best surprise for my beloved.” Under Julian’s latest Snapchat story, our mutual friends were leaving comments like crazy. “No way, man! Keeping it a secret from Evie to pull off something this romantic?” “Are you finally going public? Congratulations!” The picture on his story showed a romantic sea of 9,999 red roses and a massive, custom-made diamond ring. It was in my favorite color—a rare, natural purple diamond. It was crystal clear. It must have been incredibly hard for him to find one of such high quality. Looking at the Snapchat story, I couldn’t help but smile. We had a huge fight last month. Julian hadn’t texted me for over two weeks, and he hadn’t even come home. I thought he was giving me the silent treatment because of our argument. But it turned out he was secretly preparing a surprise for me… Tomorrow was the press conference for the public listing of the Ryder Group’s new subsidiary. This was also Julian’s first major media interview since securing his position as the sole heir of the Ryder family. For Julian to prepare something so grand, was he planning to publicly reveal my status as Mrs. Ryder? After three years of secret marriage, my wait was finally paying off. I hugged my pillow, lying in bed, imagining Julian standing in the spotlight tomorrow, proudly announcing to the world: “She is my legal wife, Evelyn!” He would hold my hand and kiss my forehead gently. I couldn’t help but screenshot his Snapchat story to look at it again and again. He actually forgot to block me from seeing it. What an idiot. I wanted to text him to ruin his “little surprise,” but then I thought about how busy he must be at the office. Since he was being so sweet, I decided to forgive him a little early. I would buy a nice dress and wait for tomorrow’s surprise. The next day, I wore a stunning red evening gown and sat in the VIP section, watching the confident, handsome man on stage from afar. He looked sharp, and his voice was deep and steady, just like the day I first fell for him. “Today, I want to publicly announce someone very important to me.” “Without her, I wouldn’t be standing here today.” The spotlight followed him as he walked down the stage, coming right toward my row. My heart raced, and I shyly reached out my hand, waiting for him to take it. But he only gave me a cold, passing glance, walked right past me, and grabbed the hand of Seraphina Vance, the heiress of the Vance family. “Will you marry me, Sera?” He slipped that beautiful purple diamond ring onto Seraphina’s finger, his eyes filled with a deep tenderness I had never seen before. It was a perfect fit. The camera flashes from the media went wild. “It’s the Vance heiress! What a perfect high-society match!” “When is the wedding, you two?” Seraphina’s expression turned from shock to pure bliss, a beautiful blush creeping up her cheeks. “This is so sudden… I’m not even prepared…” The Ryder and Vance families were both elite powerhouses in New York, but there had never been any rumors of them dating. The reporters went crazy, instantly surrounding the two of them. In the chaotic crowd, someone stepped on my red gown, leaving a dirty footprint on the fabric. My hand remained frozen in the air. Under the bright camera lights, the sight of him and Seraphina looking so in love was so blinding that tears started rolling down my face. I stood there like a pathetic clown, while they were hailed as a match made in heaven. The surprise was never meant for me. The man I loved was abandoning me to marry someone else. 【2】 Because I loved him and didn’t want to ruin his reputation in front of the cameras, my confrontation was pathetic and quiet. I watched Julian laughing and talking with Seraphina backstage. I pulled out my phone with trembling fingers and sent him a message. “I am your wife. Why did you propose to her?” My hands were shaking so hard that the message was full of typos. From a distance, I saw him glance at his phone. His eyebrows knitted together for a second, then relaxed. My phone buzzed. His reply was short and ice-cold. “Get lost.” I waited with red eyes until all the guests had left, then followed Julian to the VIP parking lot. “Why? Why are you doing this to me?” I refused to let it go, raising my voice as I ran after him. Seraphina had no idea about my secret existence. She looked at Julian, confused. “Julian, who is this crazy woman?” He whispered something sweet in Seraphina’s ear to reassure her, then walked over to me and threw a set of divorce papers right at my chest. A wave of despair washed over me. I grabbed his arm with tear-filled eyes, like a drowning person clutching at a straw. “It’s my fault for arguing with you. You’re just trying to make me jealous with another woman, right?” During our three years of marriage, there were occasionally other girls around him. But every time I got mad, he would always coax me back with sweet words. I assumed he was just furious because I had pushed him to go public with our marriage a few days ago. “Please don’t do this. I was wrong, okay? We don’t have to go public… As long as we’re together, nothing else matters.” He just looked down at me. The way I was begging him made me look like a stray dog in his eyes. “The Vance family can help my business expand. But you?” He let out a low laugh, his voice dripping with pure disdain. “Other than warming my bed, what value do you bring to my life?” My grip on his sleeve slowly slipped away. He brushed his sleeve in disgust, then leaned down to whisper the most brutal words directly into my ear: “It’s been three years, Evie. I’m sick of your face, and honestly, I’m done playing with you.” I watched his sports car roar away with Seraphina in the passenger seat. Overwhelmed by despair, I slid down against the concrete wall and collapsed onto the cold ground, gasping for air. Tears poured down, soaking the divorce papers in my hands. My heart ached so badly, as if it were being crushed by giant, invisible hands. He wasn’t always like this. He used to love me so much that he wouldn’t let anyone disrespect me. Now, he was using the most toxic words to cut all ties with me. He seemed to have completely forgotten that I was the one who saved his life. Years ago, Julian had lost his mother in a brutal family power struggle. Depressed and broken, he wanted to end his life. That day, on the busy highway bridge, I saw him standing alone on the edge, ready to jump. Risking a horrific car crash, I slammed on my brakes, ran over, and dragged him back from the edge of death. In my cheap, tiny apartment, a spark of hope returned to his eyes. Just like a cliché romance novel, the broken, suicidal boy fell deeply in love with his savior. On my birthday, he told me he wanted to take me somewhere special. When he placed our signed marriage certificates in front of me, I felt a rush of pure happiness. “This is my promise to you, Evie. I will never make the woman I love cry.” But the Ryder family was a snake pit. As an unloved eldest son, he had no maternal backing. He had to fight tooth and nail to become the heir. I understood his struggles. I knew the board members were watching his every move. He told me that having a wife with no elite background would ruin his chances of securing the inheritance. “Just wait a little longer, Evie.” He promised that once he took full control of the Ryder family, he would give me a grand wedding that everyone would envy. I loved his ambition and his drive so much. I truly believed I would spend the rest of my life with him. But I didn’t realize that ambition would eventually consume his heart. The marriage I cherished was nothing but a transactional stepping stone to him. My three years of devotion were nothing but a joke. 【3】 I don’t even remember how I dragged myself back to the apartment, or how I forced myself to sign those divorce papers. Julian was incredibly efficient. He had already ordered his assistants to pack my things and throw them out of the house. He was already moving Seraphina into the master bedroom that used to be mine. I sat in the living room like a ghost, listening to the muffled sounds of their laughter through the closed door. On the table in front of me sat a cold black credit card. Half an hour ago, he tried to buy off my three years of devotion with money. “There’s three million dollars on this card. Let’s end this cleanly.” “And don’t ever bother me again.” My parents died when I was young, and I had lived alone in New York for years. I thought marrying Julian meant I finally had a family. But my love was misplaced, and now I had no way to take it back. I wanted to call someone to talk to, but when I opened my phone, my entire contact list was filled with people associated with Julian. During these three years, to help him secure his position, I had accompanied him to countless business dinners. The irregular sleep schedule and constant drinking had made me look exhausted, much older than other girls my age. My stomach burned with a sharp, agonizing pain. The doorbell rang loudly. I struggled to stand up and opened the door. Standing there was Julian’s younger half-brother, Christian Ryder. Unlike Julian, Christian grew up surrounded by love. He was an artistic genius with grand dreams in the fine arts. With no interest in corporate greed, he never cared about the Ryder family inheritance, so Julian never saw him as a threat. I had only met Christian a few times, so I had no idea how he found my place. Through my blurry, drunken eyes, I could see the deep worry on his face. I grabbed his arm and started rambling like a crazy person. I talked about how Julian and I met, how happy we used to be, and how brutally he had abandoned me. “He promised me a real wedding! He’s a liar! A total bastard!” Terrified that I might hurt myself, Christian gently grabbed my flailing hands. Three years ago, he was just a high school kid. Now, he had grown into a handsome young man who stood a full head taller than me. His beautiful, expressive eyes weren’t cold like Julian’s. They were filled with a mix of longing and restraint, looking like a startled deer that had accidentally stumbled into my messy, broken life. “Evie, he’s not worth it.” I laughed and cried at the same time, waving my hand dismissively. “Christian, don’t call me that anymore. I don’t deserve to be anyone’s sister-in-law.” “Come on, have a drink with me!” My voice was forced, still holding onto the remnants of my love for Julian. Christian’s eyes darkened, and his voice dropped to a whisper. “I’ve wanted to stop calling you that for a long time anyway…” I only saw the worry on his face, failing to notice the deep passion swirling in his eyes. It wasn’t until the next morning, when I woke up and saw Christian lying naked next to me, that I realized how wild last night had been. Maybe it was because I hadn’t been drunk in so long, but I didn’t know I could be so reckless… I had just divorced my ex-husband, and now I was in bed with his younger brother. The young man’s chest was covered in light hickeys, and his muscular back had faint, healing scratch marks. His breathing was soft and even, his long eyelashes fluttering slightly. Oh my god. He just turned twenty-one, didn’t he? I tried to slide out of bed quietly to make my escape, but his hand shot out and gripped my wrist firmly. “Where are you going, Evie?” Christian flipped over, pinning me beneath him. His deep, raspy morning voice was incredibly sexy:

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “449628”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

I bought a bouquet of fresh red roses, wanting to give my fiancée a surprise. Instead, I caught her completely naked, tangling with another man on the bridal bed I had painstakingly prepared for our upcoming wedding. And that man was none other than Justin Carter—my best friend, the guy I’d been joined at the hip with since childhood. Later, the wedding went on as scheduled. But I made sure every single guest got to enjoy a high-definition video of them screwing. After her reputation was completely ruined, she came crying, begging for my forgiveness. But she ended up being stabbed and permanently disabled by my dear “best friend.” 【1】 These past few weeks, I had been working myself to the bone preparing for our wedding. Today, I took a day off specifically to decorate our new house. I glanced at my watch as I unlocked the front door. It was 10:50 AM. Chloe was lazy. She was probably still sleeping in. I couldn’t help but think of the sweet morning kiss she had planted on my forehead before I left earlier. I touched my forehead, smiling like a happy kid. Treading softly through the hallway, I held the red roses behind my back and reached for the master bedroom door handle. Then, I heard it—the unmistakable, breathless moans coming from inside. Through the crack of the door, I saw my girlfriend of five years, Chloe Miller, tangling on the bed with a man whose face I couldn’t see. They were going at it so hard that the bed wouldn’t stop squeaking. Chloe’s giggles, mixed with the man’s dirty talk, drifted straight into my ears. “Baby, who’s better? Me or him?” “You, of course! He’s just a pathetic, rich simp.” “You look so sexy in this lingerie. Did he buy this for you?” The man slid the silk strap off her shoulder, his hands roaming over every inch of her skin. Chloe closed her eyes in ecstasy. “Of course. He has more money than he knows what to do with. It’s his job to spend it on me, isn’t it?” Listening to those filthy words, I gripped the doorframe. Rage almost obliterated the last shred of my sanity. Five years ago, right after Chloe broke up with her ex, I had showered her with flowers, jewelry, and endless affection for six months before I finally won her heart. I genuinely loved her, even though she had always been cold and distant. I believed that if I just loved her enough, treated her like a queen, and met every single one of her material desires, she would eventually fall in love with me. Last month, I finally gathered the courage to propose. To my surprise, she agreed without a second thought. Filled with beautiful dreams of our future, I threw myself into planning the perfect wedding. She, too, changed her cold attitude. She started kissing me goodbye in the mornings and greeting me with a warm smile when I came home. For a moment, I thought I was finally experiencing true happiness. Until I saw this disgusting scene. The happiness that had filled my heart for weeks shattered into a million pieces. Was I not good enough to her? Why did she have to humiliate me like this? It turned out that these five years of love were nothing but a one-man show. She had had a side piece all along. She only kept me around as her personal ATM, bleeding me dry for her lavish lifestyle. My family was incredibly wealthy. My parents were successful real estate investors. Though they passed away early, they left me a massive trust fund. I was raised by my wealthy Uncle Marcus, never lacking anything. I could easily live a luxurious life without working a single day. So, she was only with me for my money? I couldn’t accept it. I couldn’t accept that she was enjoying my wealth while using my money to fund her secret hookups. But then, I thought about how sweet she had been to me lately. Maybe… maybe she just made a mistake? Like a wild bachelorette party mistake? Maybe she just hired a hot male model on a whim? If she was willing to apologize, if she just gave me a good explanation, I would probably still forgive her… Five years of dating was too long. I really couldn’t bear to throw it all away. Suppressing the urge to kick the door open and smash both of their faces in, I slammed my fist hard against the hallway wall. My silent rage bled through my knuckles. *Thud!* The two on the bed froze. Chloe tried to get up to investigate, but the man eagerly pinned her back down. “Stop it… what if Ethan is back?” “Don’t worry about him. What can he do? He’s practically a dead man anyway.” *A dead man? What did he mean by that? I was standing right here, perfectly healthy.* A wave of confusion washed over me. I stopped my footsteps and kept listening. “Are you sure about this? Messing with his car brakes… will it really kill him?” “Trust me. Back in college, we used to go street racing. I’ve known him for ten years; I know exactly how he drives.” “I managed to coax him into signing a one-million-dollar accidental death insurance policy a couple of days ago. The sole beneficiary is me!” “Once you guys are officially married and we make our move, you’ll get his entire estate too!” My heart, which had already sunk into a frozen abyss, turned completely cold. I couldn’t see his face before, but now, hearing that familiar voice, I knew exactly who it was. Justin Carter. We had ten years of friendship. We grew up together. He was closer to me than a biological brother. Three years ago, when his family went bankrupt, I immediately hired him as the Vice President of my company—only one step below me. At the time, he patted my shoulder and promised he would help me take the company to the next level, swearing he would never betray my trust. For a second, I felt completely disoriented. The hallway around me began to blur. What was real in this world, and what was a lie? The woman I cherished above all else, and the brother I would have taken a bullet for. Since when had they been screwing behind my back? They were actually planning to murder me for my insurance money and steal everything I owned… 【2】 *Calm down.* I walked quietly into the guest bathroom, locked the door, and splashed cold water on my face. I needed to think of a way to deal with this trash couple. On the coffee table in the living room lay the insurance policy she hadn’t had time to hide. It triggered a memory from three days ago. Chloe must have been bragging about her “victory” to Justin before I came home. The reason she had been so affectionate lately was to keep me from suspecting anything. Three days ago, she had sweet-talked me into drinking a lot of wine. While I was completely wasted, she took my ID and forged my signature on the application. After it was approved, she grabbed my phone and deleted all the confirmation texts and call logs. The hilarious part? She had been living off my money for years. Even the premium for this insurance policy was paid using my credit card. She really took “parasite” to a whole new level. They wanted to make me a fool and steal my estate? Without hesitation, I called the insurance company, declared that the policy was opened without my knowledge or consent, and cancelled it immediately. The disgusting sounds from the bedroom were still going. I walked out of the house silently and called our wedding planner. “Hi, there’s a change of plans. I want to swap out the video slideshow for the reception.” Because I wanted to respect Chloe, I had lived like a monk for the past five years. Our physical intimacy had never gone past hugging and kissing. To gather cute footage for our wedding video, I had installed a small, discreet camera in our bedroom a few days ago. This morning, I was still planning to edit a clip of our morning kiss into the slideshow to show everyone our “sweet love.” Now, it seemed entirely unnecessary. I had spent five years treating her like a saint, only for my “best friend” to get the prize. Was there any man on earth more pathetic than me? I opened my laptop, downloaded the footage of their passionate afternoon session from the cloud, and replaced the original wedding slideshow file. Since they loved screwing behind my back so much, I was going to let them perform in front of all our family and friends. Over the next few days, I acted completely normal. I didn’t reject any of Chloe’s advances. “Babe, let’s go get our marriage license registered early.” Under the dim lights, she breathed softly into my ear, wearing the exact same red silk lingerie she wore when she slept with Justin. She was using every trick in the book to seduce me. In the past, this would have been the ultimate reward for me. But now, looking at her, she was no different from a streetwalker. She just wanted to become my legal wife as quickly as possible so she could claim my estate once I “accidentally” died, and then run off with Justin. I closed my eyes, forced a tired smile, and gave her a brief kiss on the cheek. “I’m so exhausted tonight, babe. Let’s do it another day.” She pulled away in disappointment. She tried to tease me a bit more, but seeing that I was as unmoved as stone, she rolled over and went to sleep. Trying to lock down my assets before the wedding? No way. The big day arrived quickly. I had specially invited our high school and college classmates—anyone who had witnessed our five-year relationship. Over a hundred guests packed the grand ballroom. Chloe, dressed in a gorgeous white bridal gown, gasped as she looked at the crowd. “Wow, even the nerdy kids from college are here! How did you manage to get them all to come?” Chloe was incredibly vain. This lavish wedding had boosted her ego to the sky. Seeing all her old classmates here to admire her luxury made her ecstatic, though she still tried to act surprised. Only I knew how much money I had spent on “gift cards” just to make sure every single one of them showed up for the show. I gently took her white-gloved hand and kissed it, acting mysterious. “I just wanted everyone to witness our happiest moment.” She swung my hand playfully, looking so sweet and innocent. You could never guess she was the same woman who had been moaning under another man in our bed just days ago. “You’re the best, Ethan. I love you so much.” Right. Loved me enough to sleep with my best friend and plot my murder. “Alright! Let’s welcome our beautiful couple, Ethan Vance and Chloe Miller!” the MC announced. “And now, for the next part of our ceremony, please look at the big screen for a special tribute video!” Chloe held my hand tightly, not forgetting to throw a subtle, flirtatious glance at Justin, who was standing right next to us as my best man. Everyone turned their eyes to the massive projector screen. I clenched my fists, took a deep breath, and quietly let go of Chloe’s hand.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “449627”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

I used to be a food delivery driver in a sleepy Texas border town. No matter how hard I worked, my fiancée, Chloe, called off our engagement because I couldn’t afford the fifty-thousand-dollar wedding and the house down payment her family demanded. That was when Victoria, a mysterious woman who ran an overnight courier service, came to me. She told me a man needed to have some pride, and asked if I wanted to make some real money with her. So, I followed her to her warehouse. Every night at midnight, I would drive a beat-up, modified cargo van to a remote, private estate on a hill we called Copper Ridge. My beautiful boss set three strict rules for me: First, never open the cargo doors. Second, pretend to be deaf no matter what kind of noise you hear. Third, do not say a single word to anyone at Copper Ridge, unless they ask, “Is the cargo here?” Then, and only then, you answer, “Yes.” I once asked her what would happen if I broke the rules. Victoria just gave me a cold look. “We’re all adults here, Ethan. You get paid to do a job. Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answers to.” Until one stormy night, due to an unexpected breakdown, I broke the second rule…

“Yeah, I get it. I’m turning back now.” I sat in the driver’s seat of the cargo van, put down my phone, and slowed down to turn back toward Copper Ridge. Victoria had just called. She said they hadn’t finished unloading the cargo, so I had to make another trip back. It was pouring outside. The heavy rain hammered against the metal roof of the van, making a deafening racket. Under normal circumstances, the sound of rain would be quite soothing. But the mountain road was treacherous. Especially the path up Copper Ridge. Even though it was paved, the shifting soil underneath meant the asphalt was constantly cracked and riddled with deep potholes. The second half of the road was even worse—just one incredibly steep, hairpin turn after another. I didn’t dare go over twenty-five miles per hour. The old van wasn’t sealed well. Besides the heavy rain, a fierce wind was howling outside. Even though it was mid-summer, it was freezing inside the cabin. “Help… help me…” Suddenly, I heard a woman’s voice—coming from the cargo hold right behind me! In an instant, whether from the chill or sheer terror, goosebumps exploded all over my arms. The van had been heavily modified. A thick, solid steel partition separated the driver’s cabin from the cargo area. I had never once been in the back. Every time I arrived at the luxury estate at Copper Ridge, I would get out, smoke a cigarette, and wait for their people to unload the goods. Then, I would just drive away. “Why the hell is there a woman’s voice in the back in the middle of the night…?” Was it a ghost? As an experienced driver, especially with a manual clutch like this old van, I could tell by the drag on the engine whether the vehicle was carrying a heavy load. Remembering my boss’s rules, I forced down the rising panic in my chest and kept driving. The eerie voice kept pleading. She sounded incredibly weak. She kept repeating the same words, sending chills down my spine. It was starting to make me anxious. Distracted, I didn’t see the massive puddle ahead. The front tire slammed into a deep ditch. The engine sputtered and died. “Damn it!” I slammed my hand against the steering wheel in frustration. I turned the key, trying to restart the engine. It cranked slowly, making a dying *whir-whir-whir* sound, but refused to catch. “Help…” With the engine dead, the wind and rain seemed to quiet down, making the cry for help even clearer. It was definitely coming from the cargo hold. There was a real person inside! I threw on my raincoat, grabbed the heavy wrench from the passenger seat, and cautiously walked to the back of the van. I tapped the metal door with the wrench. The cries for help stopped instantly. “Who the hell is…” Mid-sentence, my boss’s second rule flashed in my mind: *Pretend to be deaf no matter what kind of noise you hear.* A horrifying realization hit me—was I smuggling something highly illegal? Or worse? I quickly clasped my hands together, mumbling whatever prayers I could remember from Sunday school, and turned to get back into the cab. “Help me! I’m not a ghost!” The rain was letting up, and the wind had died down. The woman’s voice was much clearer now. She definitely didn’t sound like a ghost. I had never heard of a ghost speaking with a local Texas accent. But thinking of Victoria’s warnings, I hesitated. *Buzz! Buzz!* My phone started ringing loudly. “Aren’t you there yet? You’re taking too long. Did something happen?” Victoria’s cold voice came through the speaker. “Yeah, the rain is crazy. The van stalled out.” “Victoria, seriously, can you get a better vehicle next time? This piece of junk should have been scrapped years ago. It breaks down every other day!” I didn’t say a word about driving into the puddle. Instead, I blamed the vehicle. Rule number one of being an underpaid worker: never blame yourself. Bosses don’t actually care about you anyway. You have to deflect the blame immediately. “I see. Wait for roadside assistance. And remember the three rules I gave you.” “Otherwise, you might not live to see tomorrow.” She emphasized the last sentence heavily before hanging up. Her tone made me seriously wonder: was I really transporting something dangerous? The pay was incredibly high. When I was delivering food, I worked from six in the morning until midnight just to make about three thousand dollars a month. But with this job, I only had to make one trip at midnight, and I got paid five thousand dollars a week. Victoria even let me stay at her place. When she found out I liked gaming, she even put a high-end gaming PC in my room. Free room and board, great pay, and video games. It seemed like the perfect job. The only catch was that Victoria didn’t wear much when she was at home. She walked around in very revealing clothes. It made me hot under the collar every single time. But since she always spoke to me with such a cold, professional detachment, I forced myself to ignore any wild fantasies. As I sat in the driver’s seat playing on my phone, waiting for help, the cargo hold rattled again. This time, the movement was violent. The entire van rocked slightly. I heard the screech of rusted metal rubbing together. But I forced myself to stay still. *Boom!* A flash of lightning illuminated the dark forest. In that split second, a pale, ghostly woman’s face appeared right outside my driver-side window. “Holy shit! A ghost!!!” I screamed, terrified out of my mind. I instinctively scrambled over to the passenger side. My stomach knotted in pain. The sheer terror had triggered my chronic ulcers. Trembling and clutching my stomach, I pointed the wrench at the window. “Are you a person or a ghost?!” The forest plunged back into pitch blackness. When the next bolt of lightning cracked across the sky, the face was gone. I swallowed hard, slowly turning my head to look at the passenger-side window. It was too dark to see anything outside. I unlocked my phone and turned on the flashlight, pointing it at the glass. The terrifyingly pale face was right there, staring back at me. Her dark, hollow eyes were filled with absolute despair and resentment. My brain short-circuited, and everything went black. … I didn’t know how much time had passed when I finally woke up. A violent jolting motion dragged my consciousness back to reality. Dazed and confused, I heard voices nearby. “He was completely passed out when we found him.” “He’s always been smart, kept his mouth shut. He’s lasted the longest out of all the drivers. Are you sure we have to do this?” “…Yeah, copy that, boss.” I tried to sit up, but my body wouldn’t move. Looking down, I realized I was tightly bound with thick ropes. “Marcus? Marcus, what the hell? Why am I tied up?” The man I called Marcus was the guy who received the cargo. Every night after midnight when I reached the Copper Ridge estate, Marcus would toss me an imported cigarette, tell me to take a break, and unload the van by himself. By the time I finished my smoke, he was usually done. We didn’t talk much, but we were friendly. A cigarette is the quickest way to break the ice between guys. Even though we were both just working a job, Marcus drove a much nicer car than my beat-up van. He drove a brand-new Mercedes SUV. “You screwed up, Ethan. The boss wants you punished. Cooperate, and you might still keep your job.” Marcus’s voice was dead cold. “I get it if I made a mistake, but is tying me up really necessary?” “I’m just a guy trying to earn a living. This is a bit degrading, don’t you think?” “Degrading?” Marcus looked back at me and laughed, a dark, unsettling sound. We drove in silence after that. Soon, Marcus pulled up to the estate. I usually drove in through the back gate, but this time, he took me through the front. I had no idea how luxurious the place actually was. Having barely finished high school, the only word I could think of to describe it was “palatial.” But the gold-trimmed hallway walls were lined with framed, explicit photographs of various young women. Laughter and cries echoed from the rooms lining the hallway. I could hear the distinct, sickening sound of a whip cracking against bare flesh. Marcus led the way, pulling me along like a dog on a leash. I felt incredibly humiliated. Along the way, we passed a few women who threw cold, indifferent glances at me. I squirmed under their stares. I was a man, and I had my pride! “Marcus, this is too much. I’m a human being, not an animal!” “Too much?” Marcus said flatly, “You’re lucky to still be breathing. Don’t start crying about human rights now.” He gave the rope a violent tug. I stumbled, and he shoved me hard into a room at the end of the hall. The room was dimly lit and largely empty. There was only a leather sofa and a marble coffee table. A man with a short, slicked-back ponytail sat on the sofa. The tea on the table in front of him was still steaming. I recognized him. He was the big boss Marcus had mentioned. He had a massive black dragon tattoo wrapping down his arm. A jagged, terrifying scar ran from his temple down to his jawline, giving him a permanently menacing look. Scarface—Leo—glanced at me with total indifference. He picked up a cigar cutter and began prepping a cigar. “Did you find the cargo?” he asked. Marcus shook his head. “She probably ran. I already sent the boys down the mountain road to track her.” “The terrain out here is brutal. She can’t outrun a car on foot.” Leo lit his cigar, took a deep drag, and slowly exhaled a thick cloud of blue smoke. The smoke swirled around him, obscuring his face. Then, he reached behind his back, pulled out a wicked, razor-sharp hunting knife, and tossed it onto the coffee table. “You know the rules,” he said quietly, taking another drag. I watched in horror as Marcus’s brow furrowed for a split second. Then, grinding his teeth, he stepped forward and picked up the knife. Before I could even process what was happening, he brought the blade down and sliced off his own pinky finger. “Holy shit…” A wave of absolute terror washed over me. Marcus didn’t even flinch. Was I really trapped in some twisted cartel den? Based on their conversation, the “ghost” I saw last night wasn’t a ghost at all. She was a captive who had tried to escape. What about me? Were they going to cut my finger off too? Marcus, incredibly, didn’t make a sound. He bandaged his bleeding hand with a rag and asked Leo, “What do we do with him?” He was pointing at me. “Throw him in the back. Feed him to the dogs,” Leo said, his tone as casual as if he were ordering a pizza. “Whoa, hold on, man! I’m just the delivery guy! This is insane! You can’t do this, it’s illegal!” Leo looked at me, a cruel smirk playing on his scarred face. “Illegal? Kid, we aren’t in the States anymore.” Not in the U.S.?! My heart plunged into a frozen abyss. Suddenly, it all clicked. My boss’s warehouse was right on the Texas border. No wonder I had to drive at midnight on those dark, unmarked dirt roads. I had been unconsciously crossing the border into Mexico every single night! Leo gave a slight nod. Marcus understood immediately. He grabbed me, covered my mouth, and dragged me out of the room. His fresh blood smeared all over my face. For the first time in my life, I was dragged like a dog in front of a crowd. Despite the terror, a burning rage began to swell inside me. Marcus felt me resisting and, without warning, slammed his fist into my face. Stars exploded in my vision, and my head throbbed. A moment later, I was thrown into a filthy, concrete pen. Then, he locked the gate and left, likely to tend to his severed finger. A single, grime-covered bulb hung from the ceiling, casting a dim, yellow glow. Even though it looked like an animal pen, I could smell a mixture of cheap women’s perfume and rotting copper. I looked into the shadows of the pen and gasped. I wasn’t alone. Three women were huddling in the corner, their torn clothes barely covering them. They stared at me with wide, terrified eyes. One was covered in horrific whip lashes. Another was nearly naked, her belly slightly swollen—she was pregnant. The last one had a brutal “X” carved into her right cheek. “Are you guys…” After a few quiet words, my heart grew even heavier. They were the “cargo” I had been delivering all this time. The woman with the scarred face seemed mentally unstable, and the whipped woman couldn’t speak—her tongue had been cut out. Only the pregnant girl, Lily, was able to tell me what had happened to them. Lily asked how I ended up here. I made up a quick lie. I didn’t dare tell them the truth. If they knew I was the driver who brought them to this hellhole, they would probably tear me apart. Before long, Marcus returned with a fresh bandage on his hand. He didn’t say a word. He dragged me out of the pen and began pulling me toward the dark woods behind the estate. In the distance, I could hear the low, menacing growls of large attack dogs. Marcus and Leo were monsters. I knew that if I didn’t act fast, I was going to end up as dog food. I swallowed my fear and looked at Marcus. “Marcus… look, I’m a dead man anyway. Can you grant me one last wish before I go?” Marcus paused, turning his cold eyes toward me. Seeing his hesitation, I pressed on. “You know I only took this job for the money because my fiancée left me. I told you about it.” “I’ve never… you know, been with a woman. Can I at least experience it once before I die?” “There are three girls right there in the pen…” “Don’t think I’m a freak, Marcus. But if I die a virgin, I’ll haunt this place forever!” I was betting he would say yes. Lily had whispered to me earlier that Marcus was a sick bastard who enjoyed watching people suffer and degrade themselves. Marcus stared at me for a long moment, then let out a sick chuckle. “Well… I guess that’s a fair request. For old times’ sake, I’ll let you have some fun.” Relief washed over me. He dragged me back and threw me into the pen for the second time. “Make it quick. I want to see a good show,” he said, leaning against the bars with a sadistic grin. “What are you waiting for? Get to it!” Seeing me hesitate, Marcus’s grin faded. “You trying to stall for time, kid?” “It won’t work. No one can save you from Leo.” When I still didn’t move, Marcus lost patience. He stepped inside the pen, grabbed Lily by her hair, and dragged her over to me. “Do it! You’re about to die anyway, what are you hesitating for?” “Marcus, man, you’ve got to untie my hands first. How am I supposed to do anything like this?” Marcus blinked, then burst into a loud laugh. “Right! Of course!” He knelt down and began to untie me. But he only untied my legs, keeping my hands bound in front of me. As Marcus bent over, I locked eyes with Lily and gave her a desperate nod. Lily gritted her teeth and slammed her entire body weight into Marcus.

He was caught off guard and tumbled to the ground. Lily was vicious—she immediately sank her teeth into Marcus’s freshly bandaged, injured hand. I didn’t waste a second, raising my legs and stomping violently on his back. The whipped woman joined the fray, quickly tearing at the ropes around my wrists. Once my hands were free, I pinned Marcus to the dirt and began raining heavy punches down on his face. The girl with the “X” scar on her cheek, triggered by the chaos, crawled over and bit hard into his thigh. This was the plan Lily and I had hastily whispered about. To survive, we had to fight dirty. But I hadn’t expected the other two women to join in so fiercely. With our combined forces, we quickly subdued Marcus. “If he hadn’t been injured already, we never would have pulled this off!” I gasped, using my own ropes to tie him up tightly. “What do we do now?” Lily asked, trembling. I pointed toward the back of the estate. “There are cars parked out there. We take one and run.” Leo was right about one thing—the mountain road was brutal. If we tried to run on foot, they would catch us in minutes. Our only shot was to steal a car. Fortunately, most of Leo’s men were out searching the mountain. I quickly found an SUV with the keys left in the ignition. I waved the three women inside, jumped into the driver’s seat, and slammed the car into reverse to turn around. Suddenly, a blinding light cut through the darkness. Before I could react, another vehicle rammed into us at full speed. *Crash!* The violent impact flipped our SUV onto its side. Because we were rushing, none of us had buckled our seatbelts. My head slammed hard against the window, and darkness claimed me once again. *** When I woke up the next day, I was back in the filthy concrete pen. Marcus was sitting on the low concrete wall, staring down at me with pure hatred. He had fresh gauze wrapped around his head, his hand was heavily bandaged, and he was holding a black stun baton. “Look who’s awake,” he sneered. Without another word, he stepped down and began beating me with the heavy baton. I tried to shield myself, but the cold metal rods bruised my ribs and back. I wanted to fight back, but I knew that if I did, he would kill me on the spot. Thankfully, my abusive, alcoholic father had given me a high tolerance for beatings when I was a kid. Otherwise, I would have broken. I swore to myself right then: if I ever got the chance, I would kill this bastard. “Hey, stop hitting him. We need to deal with this one first.” Leo appeared, flanked by a few of his henchmen. Two of them were carrying a semi-conscious woman between them. My eyes widened. It was the pale-faced woman from the storm—the undercover who had scared me in my van! Leo patted Marcus’s cheek with a cold smile. “We have some big-paying clients coming tonight. Victoria has prepped a new batch of cargo.” “You’re driving tonight, Marcus.” Then, Leo turned his gaze to me and the other women in the pen. “As for these… it’d be a waste to feed them to the dogs. Let’s sell them off to the buyers.” … The courtyard fell quiet after they left. Marcus had gone down the mountain to meet Victoria at the warehouse. According to Leo, we were going to be sold tonight. The “ghost” woman was tossed into the pen with us. It was almost funny. In my twenty-odd years of life, I had never been in a small room with four women. The only girlfriend I ever had left me because I was broke. Now, I was surrounded by four beautiful women, and we were all about to die. About ten minutes later, the new woman groaned and woke up. I crawled over to her. “Are you the one who scared the shit out of me last night?” She rolled her eyes and mouthed a single word: *Idiot.* I bristled, instantly losing interest in talking to her. But after a moment, she leaned in and whispered, “My name is Audrey. I’m an undercover cop.” A cop? A female cop? “Then why the hell did you try to scare me last night?” I whispered back. Audrey sighed. “When they were unloading, I slipped into the back of your van while Marcus was distracted. I thought you were one of them. When I realized you thought I was a ghost, I tried to play along to keep you quiet. How was I supposed to know you’d faint and the engine would die?” That explained everything. After I fainted, she had to run on foot. But the mountain was pitch black and surrounded by dense jungle. Afraid of getting lost, she had to stick to the road, which made her an easy target for Leo’s patrol. “If we can hold out until this afternoon, backup will be here,” Audrey whispered. “But I need all of you to cooperate with me.” Hearing that we had a chance to live, my eyes lit up. “What do we do?” Lily asked. Audrey looked at her. “We play dead. Here’s what we’re going to do…” … A few minutes later, Lily and I started screaming at each other. She called me a piece of trash, getting angrier by the second, until she flew at me like a feral beast, sinking her teeth into my shoulder. “Whoa, easy! Are you for real?” I hissed. Her teeth dug deep into my collarbone, making me wince in pain. I shoved her off, raising my fist. But looking at her slightly swollen belly, I hesitated. “Do it!” Lily hissed under her breath. “It’s a cartel bastard’s kid anyway, I don’t care! Hit me!” I gritted my teeth and threw a punch. But at the last second, I couldn’t bring myself to hit her stomach. My fist landed on her collarbone instead. “You coward!” Lily yelled, throwing herself on top of me and punching me square in the eye. My vision went black for a second, and a dull throb bloomed across my right eye. The commotion brought one of the guards running over. “Hey! What the hell is going on in there?” Lily sat on chest, pointing at me. “This animal tried to touch me!” The guard sneered. “Do you think I’m stupid? You’re acting. I don’t see any blood.” “Stop wasting your breath. You’re all getting shipped out in an hour anyway.” My heart hammered against my ribs. Audrey had warned us that once they moved us, we’d be as good as dead. Lily gritted her teeth, grabbed my arm, and bit down with everything she had.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “449626”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

When my boyfriend got into a horrific car accident, I abandoned him and ran away. Years later, he spent a fortune and went through hellish schemes just to force me to marry him. To our friends, we were a match made in heaven. He always told me I was the love of his life, his eternal light. But later, while I was asleep in our bed, he would bring another woman into our house and make love to her in the next room. I became the biggest laughingstock in our social circle. Yet, I stayed by his side, acting as if nothing had happened. My sheer indifference eventually drove him insane. “Did you ever love me, Jasmine? Even for a second?” What he didn’t know was that I was dying. Under his endless emotional torture, my life had officially entered its final countdown. “A blooming jasmine, pure and untainted.” That was how Ethan used to describe me. But now, he used those exact words for someone else. Chloe Miller. She was the new intern at his company. She was pretty, innocent-looking, and most importantly, she looked exactly like me. At the office, they were boss and employee. Outside the office, they were tangled up in bed. They had been together for a year. But Ethan had been my husband for two. My friends kept warning me about Chloe. They told me to watch my back before this little homewrecker kicked me out of my own marriage. The first time I saw Chloe was in my own bedroom. That afternoon, I had just been diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension at the hospital. The doctor told me I only had two years left to live. I went to bed early that night, only to wake up to my husband bringing her into our suite. The sound of their heavy breathing and the rhythm of their bodies made me feel physically sick. When Ethan went to the bathroom to wash up, Chloe, convinced I was awake, leaned down to my ear with a smug, triumphant smile. “So, you’re Ethan’s wife? You’re literally just skin and bones. Are you dying or something? Touching you must feel like touching a skeleton.” “Everyone says I look like you. But honestly? I think you’re inferior to me in every single way. You’re not as pretty, and you’re definitely not as young.” She was right. I was incredibly thin. I used to be a healthy 110 pounds at 5’6″. Now, I was barely 88 pounds. My ribs stuck out prominently, looking almost skeletal. The cold moonlight fell over my body. I felt nothing but a hollow, tragic emptiness. I remembered going to Ethan’s office a few days ago. Chloe had stood in front of me with that same victorious posture. One of her coworkers had tried to warn her out of kindness. “Chloe, you should keep a low profile. I’ve seen pictures of Jasmine from a few years ago. She was gorgeous. Honestly, way prettier than you.” “Yeah, you and Ethan aren’t even official yet. Don’t push your luck. Don’t let your pride ruin things.” “I heard she was Ethan’s first love. He used to worship the ground she walked on. Be careful, or you’ll end up getting shipped off to some remote branch overseas.”

Chloe wasn’t intimidated by those warnings at all. Instead, a flash of jealousy burned in her eyes. Clicking her high heels, she walked right up to me, forcing a fake smile onto her face. “Oh, Jasmine. Why are you waiting out here? Ethan’s been in his office for so long and hasn’t called you in. Does he not love you anymore? Whenever I want to see him, he practically flies to me. I thought he was like that with every woman, but I guess you’re the exception. No wonder he told me I’m his favorite.” I stared at her face. Her fair skin, her long black hair, her expressions, and her body shape—she really did look like a younger version of me. Ethan had brought many women home before, but Chloe was the most frequent. He clearly favored her. Maybe his hatred for me made him use the most brutal methods to punish me. But his methods were truly sadistic. I heard he didn’t just sleep with Chloe; they were practically in a passionate relationship. They went out for romantic dinners, went shopping, and traveled together. He could have just paid for a hooker, but instead, Ethan chose to give Chloe his “love.” Sometimes, I honestly couldn’t tell if he actually liked her, or if he just liked sleeping with her to spite me. I looked up, meeting her gaze, and let a small smile slip onto my lips. “If he loves you so much, why hasn’t he divorced me to marry you? If you’re really that capable, go convince him to leave me. Let’s see if he’ll actually marry a side chick who can’t even be shown in public.” As I said this, I gripped my teacup so hard my knuckles turned white. Chloe glared at me, looking exactly like a humiliated clown. “So what if I’m the side chick? He sleeps with me every single night, and you can only watch and keep your mouth shut! If you weren’t a few years younger than me, the title of Mrs. Vance would already be mine!” Her coworkers quickly dragged her away, throwing worried glances at me, terrified that I would blow up. But I wouldn’t. To me, Ethan was already a ghost in my life. He couldn’t trigger any of my emotions anymore. I wouldn’t waste my energy getting angry over his disgusting behavior. I wouldn’t even get jealous. Because he was a complete piece of trash.

As the coworkers were dragging Chloe away, she tripped over her own heels. She fell, apparently spraining her ankle, and immediately burst into tears. Hearing the commotion, Ethan aborted his meeting instantly. He ran out of the conference room, leaving a room full of executives behind, and rushed straight to Chloe’s side. Everyone in the office crowded around to watch the drama unfold. Ethan knelt beside her, his face dark with fury. He roared at the crowd: “Who did this to her?!” Classic protective billionaire behavior. The surrounding employees immediately lowered their heads, their faces turning pale. I stepped forward and stood right in front of him. “I did. She has a big mouth, so I taught her a lesson.” Chloe cried even harder, her innocent eyes wide with tears as she looked at Ethan. “Did I say anything wrong? Is it a crime to love a married man? Why does she get to call me a homewrecker? Everyone knows you love me, Ethan! And I love you too! As long as we love each other, nobody can tear us apart. Not even her!” What a bold statement. Love knows no order, sure, but this was the first time I had seen someone paint homewrecking as something so noble. Before I could even speak, Ethan let out a soft laugh. He gently stroked her hair and wiped her tears with a tissue. “You’re so cute, baby.” The contrast between being loved and being ignored was glaringly obvious at this moment. But I didn’t want to waste any more words on him. “It’s our second anniversary today. I want you to give me the downtown penthouse.” The penthouse was where I currently lived, the place they frequently used to disrespect me. I knew if I asked for cash, he would just call me materialistic. So I wanted the property. I could sell it and use the money for my medical treatments. In Ethan’s eyes, I was already a materialistic gold-digger who only cared about money. He had accepted that when we got married, claiming that as long as I stayed with him, he would give me whatever I wanted. So, I wasn’t going to be polite. But this time, he hesitated. He looked at me with a smirk, pinching my chin tightly. “Still as materialistic as ever, Jasmine. I can give you the penthouse. But first, apologize to my baby.” He glanced at Chloe, his twenty-two-year-old “baby.” How the tables had turned. He used to call me that, too. He loved using money to crush my dignity. He loved showing off how much he adored his new toy. I did my best to control my expression, ignoring the physical pain in my chest, and smiled back at him. “An apology? That will cost you extra.” He looked at me with pure disgust, releasing my chin and pushing me back slightly. “Your appetite is getting bigger and bigger.” “If we can’t reach a deal, then forget it.” I didn’t want anything that had to be begged for. Whether it was love, or money. I was actually quite curious. If Ethan found out one day that this was my life-saving money, would he regret his decision today? He of all people knew how terrified I was of pain, and how much I hated bitter medicine.

They say you have to go through the worst pain to appreciate life. I had tasted enough bitterness, yet here I was, left with nothing but a broken, failing body. When I got home, I didn’t even want to turn on the lights. A person like me belonged in the dark. I sat on the sofa, staring blankly at the city lights outside. Once upon a time, I had a light of my own. Suddenly, a warm, metallic taste rushed up my throat. Blood erupted from my mouth and nose, instantly staining my clothes and splattering onto the floor. If I couldn’t see it, it didn’t happen. If there was no visible wound, it wouldn’t hurt. Staring up at the white ceiling, the blank space slowly transformed into a projector screen of my memories. It was the peak of my relationship with Ethan. That year, I was twenty, and he was twenty-two. He was incredibly wealthy, yet he fell head over heels for a completely ordinary girl like me. On Christmas Eve, heavy snow was falling. We walked down the street like any other deeply in love couple, letting the snow cover our heads. We joked that we were growing old together. I had secretly wished back then that the person I grew old with would be him, must be him, could only be him. He had suddenly wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into his warm coat. “Jasmine, it’s almost Christmas. What do you want?” “I want a table full of delicious food. Made by you.” I didn’t actually expect him to cook. It was just my deep-seated insecurity acting up. I always felt so ordinary, so unworthy of him. I constantly looked for proof that he didn’t love me just so I could prepare myself for the inevitable heartbreak. He didn’t say anything at the time. I knew cooking was hard for him. He was used to a pampered lifestyle. With a house full of maids and private chefs, he didn’t even know where the grocery store was. Sure enough, on Christmas Day, he vanished. I couldn’t reach him anywhere. Just as I was moping in my dorm room, my roommate yelled that Ethan was waiting downstairs. Though I was a bit annoyed, I went down. A stretched Lincoln limousine was waiting at the curb. “Miss Jasmine, Mr. Vance requested that I escort you to a special location.” Confused, I got in. When I arrived at the destination, I was shocked to see him standing at the entrance. He looked like a prince waiting for his princess. “Merry Christmas, Miss Jasmine. Please, follow me.” He led me to a beautifully set table. A feast of nine dishes and one soup caught my eye. As he proudly introduced each dish, I noticed his hands were covered in tiny, painful-looking blisters. My heart ached with guilt. I had no idea he would take my random, selfish request so seriously. I felt so incredibly foolish. Even though my heart was breaking for him, I scolded him to hide my tears. “Ethan! Why did you do this to yourself without my permission? Nobody is allowed to hurt you, not even yourself!” I knew how deep and fierce his love was. But I felt I didn’t deserve it. He had just laughed, kissing my forehead gently. “Baby, this is how I show my love. How could it be hurtful?” He told me he had spent days watching cooking tutorials and practicing every night. I always knew he was brilliant, but I didn’t expect him to learn so fast. To show my appreciation, I cleaned out every single plate. It had been so long since I had a home-cooked meal. I could still taste it to this day. Maybe the memory was too beautiful, because I found myself smiling in my sleep. Through the haze of my dream, I heard someone calling my name. “Jasmine.” It was Ethan’s voice. I smiled, whispering back, “Ethan… I miss you. I miss your cooking.”

At 4:00 AM, I woke up. I reached out to the other side of the bed. It was cold. When I walked out of the bedroom, I saw Ethan standing in the kitchen. The last time I saw him in this house, he and Chloe were making out in my walk-in closet. Ever since he started dating Chloe, he barely came back here. He lived with her. They ate together, slept together. Their romance was the envy of everyone. He took off his apron, looked at me, and frowned. His eyes held a flicker of genuine concern. “Why are your clothes so baggy? Have you lost weight?” His tone was so gentle. He looked so much like the man I used to love. He looked as if he still cared. Setting the apron down, he walked over and cupped my cheek. I had indeed lost weight. My face had lost all its roundness. I slapped his hand away with all the strength I could muster. “Don’t touch me, Ethan!” He lowered his gaze, a flash of disappointment crossing his eyes. When he stepped aside, I finally saw the table. It was covered in a fresh, delicious feast. It wasn’t a dream. It was real. I couldn’t believe that a single whisper in my sleep had actually made him cook for me again. What was he trying to do? I didn’t understand. And I didn’t want to. I was just dragging out my final days anyway. I didn’t need love, I didn’t need his food, and I certainly didn’t need Ethan Vance. With a violent sweep of my arm, I pushed all the dishes off the table. The clean dining room was instantly turned into a chaotic, messy disaster. Hearing the crash, Ethan stared at the mess in disbelief. Slowly, he approached me, pinning me against the wall. His face was contorted with rage, his eyes burning with fury. “Jasmine! What the hell is wrong with you?!” “I was just joking in my sleep, and you actually took it seriously? Don’t you find yourself pathetic? You cook just because I ask you to? You might not be tired of this game, but I’m sick of your dirty hands!” He stared at me as if I had been possessed. I spat out the cruelest words I could think of. His eyes grew colder by the second. Suddenly, he scooped me up and threw me onto the sofa. A dark desire flared in his eyes, his breathing turning ragged. I struggled wildly, but I couldn’t break free from his grip. “Ethan, you bastard! Let me go!” He bit my lip hard, making me gasp in pain. “Is it really that hard to say you love me?! All these years, I’ve just been waiting for you to apologize to me! Why won’t you just give in? You said you wanted my cooking tonight, and I made it without a second thought. Why do you have to humiliate me?!” “Do you enjoy playing with my feelings?!” His sharp accusations made it impossible for me to look him in the eye, fearing he would see the tears pooling in them. We stared at each other in a suffocating silence until he began to unbutton my shirt. He unbuttoned, and I quickly buttoned it back up. He refused to back down, and neither did I. His movements were fluid, far too familiar with my body. Suddenly, his phone rang. It was Chloe on Snapchat. Without hesitation, he answered it and put it on speaker. Chloe was crying hysterically. “Ethan… why did you leave me? Is Jasmine really worth it? You said I was your favorite! I drank way too much at the bar… my head is spinning and I feel like throwing up. Can you please come pick me up? There are so many guys staring at me, I’m so scared… please come get me…” Ethan didn’t answer her. Instead, he stared at me, covering the microphone with his hand. “Jasmine, kiss me.” Seeing that I remained silent, he pleaded, “Say you love me. Say you’re sorry. If you say it, I’ll never leave you again.” Though he kept his voice low, I could hear it trembling. He was begging me. I knew. But this was exactly how I used to be. I used to beg him for love just as desperately. “Ethan, please don’t leave me, okay?” “Ethan, can we go back to how we were?” “Ethan, let’s stop fighting, please…” Back then, he had only left me a cold text message: “Jasmine, stop being so pathetic.” So, loving someone was considered pathetic. Loving someone meant dragging your dignity through the dirt. I didn’t understand his love, and I certainly didn’t want it anymore. The scars of his cruel words were permanently engraved on my heart. They would never heal. I didn’t want to forgive him. I wanted him to feel exactly what I felt. Leaning close to his ear, I whispered with a cold smile: “Ethan, stop being so pathetic.” He froze, then let out a bitter laugh. He uncovered the phone. “Baby, hang tight. I’m coming to get you.” In the end, he didn’t even look back at me as he slammed the door shut.

I couldn’t sleep that night because of the excruciating pain, coughing up blood periodically. The penthouse was terrifyingly quiet. The next morning, the sun was bright, and I wanted to go out for a walk. But as soon as I stepped outside, I noticed people staring at their phones, whispering. Curious, I opened my phone and let out a self-deprecating laugh. It turned out my dear husband had gotten into a massive street fight last night to protect Chloe. As the son of New York’s biggest jewelry tycoon, his reputation was massive. Within hours, it had become the biggest entertainment scandal in the city. The moment I reached the gates of our gated community, a swarm of paparazzi and live-streamers rushed at me. “Mrs. Vance, have you seen the news? Did you know your husband is cheating on you?” “Mrs. Vance, are you going to divorce him?” “Mrs. Vance, the intern is younger and prettier than you. Are you jealous?” Every question felt like a poisoned needle piercing my skin. Still, I forced a tight smile and stopped walking. “You should be interviewing the man who cheated, and the woman who chose to be a homewrecker. Not me.” A female reporter who looked about Chloe’s age refused to let me go. “Is that so? I heard that years ago, when Ethan got into that horrible car accident, you abandoned him for money. You only crawled back crying for a second chance after you saw he recovered perfectly. What kind of dirty tricks did you use to get him back?” “Honestly, Ethan and Chloe look like a perfect match. Are you refusing to divorce him just because you couldn’t agree on the alimony? You call her a homewrecker, but everyone knows that in a relationship, the one who isn’t loved is the real intruder.” “Don’t you think they’re true love, and you’re the actual homewrecker here?” She spoke with perfect articulation. She was clearly sent by someone. I stared at her, noticing the custom college tote bag on her shoulder. “You’re defending Chloe so passionately. Are you classmates? You look like an intern reporter, but your professional skills are honestly embarrassing. Making up stories without doing proper research… aren’t you worried about losing your job?” “Ethan went through hell and back just to marry me. I guess you’ve never been loved like that, which is why you’re projecting your jealousy onto me. Or did Chloe send you here today specifically to disgust me?” Her eyes flickered with panic. She subconsciously tried to hide her bag, but she kept arguing. “So what if I know Chloe? I’m just stating facts! You claim Ethan forced you to marry him, so if you hate it so much, why don’t you divorce him and let them be together? Or are you just holding out for a massive payout? Since we’re all here, if you’re too embarrassed to say the number, we can pass the message to him for you!” She smiled triumphantly, and the other reporters chimed in. The retort died in my throat, replaced by a sudden surge of warm, metallic fluid. I tried to cover my mouth, but there was too much of it. The white snow on the pavement was instantly stained a violent red. The reporters gasped in shock. One of them quickly recovered and sneered: “Wow, that fake blood looks incredibly realistic. Where’d you buy it? My friend works in movie props, I should ask for the brand.” “Just a second ago she was acting like she was forced to marry him, and now she’s coughing up fake blood. Pathetic actress.” I let out a weak, bitter laugh. “I wish this blood were fake, too. Sorry to disappoint you all… but I’m actually dying.” Their expressions froze. They looked at each other in silence, the mock smiles instantly vanishing from their faces. Until the intern reporter spoke up again: “Stop acting so fake! You can’t win the argument so you’re playing the cancer card? How shameless!” “No wonder we can’t beat you older women. Your manipulation tactics are truly on another level!” Her behavior perfectly proved the saying: birds of a feather flock together. The truly shameless ones were them—highly educated but completely devoid of basic humanity.

The sky turned dark with heavy clouds. Within an hour, my interview was trending everywhere on Instagram. Knowing my days were numbered, I didn’t care about the internet gossip. I just wanted to spend my remaining days in peace. But Ethan went into complete damage control mode. He edited his Instagram statement three times. “Jasmine and I will not be divorcing. I apologize for taking up public resources. Please stop harassing my wife and leave her alone.” Strangely, Chloe’s reporter friend was fired immediately and blacklisted from the entire media industry. Even though he cleared the air, some toxic netizens still kept attacking me. “That woman is so dramatic. She married him but acts like she’s a victim. I bet she screams his name in bed.” “Ugh, look at her skeletal body. Who would even want that? If I knew Ethan was that easy to get, I would’ve shot my shot.” “Ethan is defending her so hard, it proves he’s obsessed with her. I admit, I’m jealous.” “She’s clearly faking innocence. She abandoned him when he was crippled in a car crash, then crawled back when he got better. She’s got some serious tricks up her sleeve.” Suddenly, one comment caught my eye:

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “449625”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster