Author: Momo Chan

In my previous life, I saved my brother Jason from kidnappers but was taken myself. Fifteen years later, my birth parents found me. Yet I never enjoyed their love, constantly framed by the fake daughter. Jason always held the impostor’s hand, looking at me with disdain: “Emily will always be my only sister.” As he wished, the fake daughter caused my death. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day of the kidnapping. Six-year-old Jason looked panicked: “Sister, save me quick!” This time, I didn’t rush over like before. I just coldly replied: “Brother, let’s meet again in fifteen years.” “Quick, catch that little boy! Don’t let him escape!” Urgent shouts rang out around me. I suddenly came to my senses and found myself sitting in a go-kart. Six-year-old Jason was running and crying. The scene before me was so familiar. I immediately realized that I had traveled back in time to when I was six, the day I was kidnapped. Soon, the kidnapper caught Jason and walked towards a van across the street. “Sister, save me!” Jason cried in panic. In my previous life, seeing my brother being taken away, I rushed to save him. But he abandoned me and left on his own. I was kidnapped and began a tragic and difficult life. “Sister, save me!” Jason’s cries continued. Without hesitation, I drove the go-kart away. Looking at Jason crying in the distance, I calmly responded: “Brother, let’s meet again in fifteen years.”

After Jason was kidnapped, our parents were devastated. They posted missing person notices and rewards on TV and in newspapers everywhere. Thinking back to the family I was sold to in my previous life, it took half a day just to walk to the nearest town market. Jason’s fate couldn’t be much better. Although my parents were truly heartbroken now, it didn’t matter. They would forget. Just like in my previous life, when they lost me, their biological daughter, they were also devastated and felt like dying. Later, out of longing for a daughter, they even adopted a girl. They poured all their love into that adopted daughter. They gave her the best of everything. Even when I returned, they didn’t care about me. When the adopted daughter got sick and needed a kidney transplant, they even wanted mine! So, nothing is irreplaceable. Not even parents or children.

Time passed quickly, and it had been almost a year since Jason disappeared. I often said I missed my brother very much. Whenever I did, Mom would cry uncontrollably. She couldn’t help suggesting to Dad: “Why don’t we adopt a boy?” I seemed to have guessed this would happen, so I also strongly agreed.

Since we were adopting a brother, of course it had to be with my approval. My parents took me to many orphanages and looked at many boys around my age, but I wasn’t satisfied with any of them. One day, we came to another orphanage that was in a remote location with poor conditions. After searching around without finding anyone I wanted, we were about to leave. The director suggested to my mother that we adopt a girl, saying they had a girl about my age who was very obedient and well-behaved. I pretended to agree. When that girl walked out, I was stunned. It was her, Emily Young. The adopted daughter my parents treasured like the apple of their eye in my previous life. She also seemed surprised to see me. Her sweet smile turned to shock as she blurted out: “How is this possible?” We stared at each other. Mom frowned. “Director Lewis, is this the girl you just mentioned?” Director Lewis looked a bit embarrassed: “I’m sorry, Emily may be a bit excited meeting you for the first time. Emily, this is the CEO of Long Sheng Group and his wife. Don’t be so impolite.” Emily seemed to come to her senses and quickly changed her expression to be very cautious and polite. “Uncle, Auntie, hello. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude earlier.” Mom nodded, studying her with curiosity, then asked a few questions. Emily answered everything smoothly with a sweet attitude. After the conversation, it was clear Mom had a good impression of her. Even Dad’s face showed satisfaction. But what could they do? The person holding Emily’s fate in her hands at this moment was me, Olivia Wilson. “Sweetie, shall we bring this big sister home with us?” Mom came to my side and asked gently. “No.” As soon as the words left my mouth, Emily’s face turned white. She looked at me anxiously and in disbelief. Her lips parted as if wanting to say something, but she held back in the end. Such a direct and clear attitude surprised my mother. She seemed to want to persuade me: “Actually, having an older sister at home would be nice. You could wear pretty dresses together, do each other’s hair, play hide and seek…” “No.” Seeing my firm attitude, Mom had to give up. She sighed lightly: “I’m sorry, Director. I’m afraid we won’t be able to adopt this girl after all.” “That’s alright,” the director said understandingly. “No!” Just then, Emily suddenly cried out in despair: “Why is this happening? Mom, I’m Emily! Dad, don’t you recognize me anymore?” My parents were startled by her words. Emily threw herself at my mother, hugging her tightly and crying, as if afraid she would leave the next moment. “Mom, I’ve been waiting here for you and Dad for so long. Please take me home, I don’t want to stay here another day. Where’s my brother? Why didn’t he come?” Mom was frightened by her strange words and hurriedly pushed her away. “Child, how can you randomly call me mom? Is something wrong with your mind?” Emily froze, wiped away her tears and explained: “No, Mom, my mind is very clear. In my previous life, you adopted me from here.” No one present except me knew what she was talking about. My parents’ expressions had completely changed. They probably never expected the girl the director recommended would be mentally unstable. The director looked embarrassed and ashamed, quickly calling someone to take Emily away. Emily was shocked and terrified. She kicked and hit at the others, struggling hysterically. “No, I won’t go! I want to go home with Mom and Dad! Get away from me! I’m the real daughter of Long Sheng Group. That woman is an imposter! Mom, I’m your precious daughter!” Emily was carried out like a little chicken by two aunties. For a long time after, we could still hear her heart-wrenching cries from the courtyard. Mom was still shaken as she quickly took my hand and walked out. “Olivia, let’s go. We can’t stay in this place. There are crazy people here.” The precious daughter in my mother’s eyes in my previous life had become a mentally ill crazy person in this life. Even I couldn’t stand my mother’s completely opposite attitudes, let alone Emily. It really cuts to the bone! 4 After three whole months of searching, I finally found Lucas Stone at an orphanage in a neighboring city. When the director took me to him, he was fighting with several other boys. His face was bruised, one eye was swollen, and his arm was bleeding. My eyes instantly welled up with tears. In my previous life, whenever other kids at the orphanage bullied me, he would fight back for me just like this. Lucas, this time it’s my turn to protect you.

When they heard I wanted to bring Lucas home, my parents both expressed confusion. Clearly, they had already heard about his usual behavior from the other kids at the orphanage. But I didn’t care at all and insisted on doing so. With no other choice, they finally agreed. And so, 8-year-old Lucas came home with me. I took him to the room on the second floor and opened the thick curtains. The floor-to-ceiling windows were spacious and bright. I turned around and gave him a warm smile. “Because in this life, it’s our turn to have some good days.” Of course he didn’t understand and just looked at me in confusion. “Who’s this?” Lucas pointed at a photo frame on the bookshelf. It was Jason sitting in a toy car, taken on his sixth birthday last year. “No one.” I picked up the frame and threw it in the trash without hesitation. I remembered in my previous life when Jason coldly told me he would only ever recognize Emily as his sister. Very well. In this life, I don’t need him as a brother either. After a while, Lucas looked up at me again and asked: “How long are you planning to keep me? Three months or six months?” As far as I knew, Lucas had already been abandoned twice before. He no longer had any expectations about being adopted. His temper grew increasingly volatile, getting into fights at the drop of a hat and keeping to himself. Until I appeared at the orphanage years later, and two equally isolated kids gradually became friends. Recalling this, I walked over to Lucas and said seriously: “Not three months or six months. You can stay in this family forever, until you want to leave on your own.” He looked at me for a very long time without saying anything.

Although my parents initially opposed bringing Lucas home, they soon accepted him. No one knew better than me how smart Lucas was. After just three piano lessons, he could play entire pop songs from memory. Two months into chess lessons, his teacher was no longer a match for him. The smiles on my parents’ faces gradually increased. They nurtured Lucas with all their efforts, just as they did me. Lucas was strikingly handsome, exceptionally talented in his studies, and though his personality was a bit aloof, his merits far outweighed any flaws. Some prominent figures even started strategizing for their daughters, discussing becoming in-laws with my father. Though pleased, my father politely declined. After all, we were still too young. From then on, my parents paid even more attention to Lucas, becoming stricter with his education. His food, clothing and other needs were treated exactly the same as mine, their biological daughter. Lucas and I also became as familiar and at ease with each other as we had been in my previous life.

One day after school, on our way home. A figure suddenly darted into the middle of the road, startling the driver. He swerved sharply, and the car spun out of control towards the other side. Lucas reacted quickly, lunging over to hold me tightly in his arms. There was a loud crash as the car hit a roadside flower bed. Lucas anxiously checked my body. “Are you okay?” I let out a sigh and shook my head. “I’m fine.” Fortunately, only the front of the car was damaged. All three of us were unharmed. The driver’s face had turned pale with fright. He angrily got out of the car, only to find a little girl standing across the street. “Driver, it’s me, Emily!” The girl said excitedly. “Little girl, do you know how dangerous what you just did was? Where are your parents?” the driver asked. Emily looked deeply disappointed. When she saw Lucas and me in the car, her eyes widened as she exclaimed: “Olivia Wilson, why are you two together?” Lucas turned his head and asked me curiously, “Who is that? Do you know her?” I shrugged. “I don’t know her.” Emily’s face turned pale as she shook her head frantically. “That’s impossible! How can this be? Where’s Jason? Where did Jason go?” The driver also turned to ask me: “Miss, is this your friend?” “I don’t know her. Let’s go,” I said. Hearing this, the driver got back in the car and started the engine. Emily panicked and ran up, banging on the car window. “Olivia Wilson, you can’t leave! I need to go see Mom with you! Stop! Stop the car right now!” I couldn’t be bothered with her and complained expressionlessly: “What bad luck today, running into a crazy person. Driver, when we get to the neighborhood, tell security not to let any unstable people in.” “Certainly, Miss Olivia.” The car sped away, with Emily chasing after us, screaming and shouting.

After getting home, I told my mother about what happened on the road. “That was so dangerous, we almost got in an accident. Mom, is that girl really crazy? How did she find our house?” My mother was clearly frightened too. She angrily called Director Lewis. The other end carefully apologized to my mother for a long time, saying they had already sent people to look for Emily and would take her away soon. Only then was the matter settled.

Not long after, the company’s business in Europe ran into some issues. My father decided to leave immediately. He told my mother he might be gone for quite a while, perhaps two or three years. The implication was that he wouldn’t be able to return home for some time due to the subsidiary’s affairs. Thinking of Emily’s lingering presence recently, I suggested to my mother without hesitation: “Mom, why don’t we move there to live with Dad?” My mother quickly adopted the suggestion. Just two weeks later, our family of four boarded a plane to France. The plane cruised at an altitude of 10,000 meters. I quietly gazed down at the clouds below, making a goodbye gesture. Farewell, Jason and Emily. If fate allows, we’ll meet again in fourteen years. During this long, difficult and painful time, you must persevere. Don’t have any accidents, and don’t commit suicide. You must live like insects – poor, pitiful, in pain, and without dignity. After all, that’s how I lived in my previous life. I believe we will meet again someday.

After walking out of the terminal, I immediately spotted our driver holding a sign with my name. Even after many years, he still looked the same. I quickly waved to him. But he didn’t look in my direction at all. It wasn’t until I walked right up to him and took the sign from his hands that I smiled and said: “Driver, what are you thinking about? I’ve been calling you.” “Are you Miss Olivia?” he asked, his eyes wide with disbelief. “How did you get so tall and beautiful?” “I’ve always been beautiful,” I laughed. The driver nodded enthusiastically, his eyes seeming to redden. “Yes, yes, of course. Miss Olivia has always been beautiful.” He then glanced behind me. “Did you come back alone? Where are the CEO, Madam, and young Master Lucas?” “They’ll be here in a couple days, after Lucas’ last performance. You know my parents – they never miss any of their precious son’s shows.” The driver clearly agreed with my words. “That’s true. Whenever the CEO calls me, as soon as he starts talking about young Master Lucas, he just goes on and on. Always saying how Lucas performed in Vienna last month, or how he’s going to perform at the White House next month. Sometimes I want to ask about you, but I can’t even get a word in. People who don’t know better might think Lucas is their biological child.” I shook my head with a smile. “Driver, I think you just wanted to ask about Chris but were too shy to interrupt my dad.” Chris was the driver’s son, who had gone to study in France ten years ago and had been living at our house. “Bah! I don’t care about that little brat. All he does is ask me for money.” On the way home, I noticed huge posters of Lucas hung all over the city’s CBD. “Genius pianist returns to homeland after 14 years – Premiere domestic performance” The hype was clearly working well.

We had long since sold our old house. Three years ago, Dad bought a seaside mansion in the suburbs with a beautiful view. The renovations were just completed last year. This was my first time stepping into this house. The decor was very nice, close to my dream home. The driver started rambling again: “Miss Olivia, why do you like living in such a high place by the sea? The view is nice, but you young people need to be careful driving. The coastal road has a lot of twists and turns, with cliffs on one side. You absolutely can’t speed.” “I know, don’t worry,” I said. While I was taking a bath, I heard the phone ringing outside. I was too tired from the flight to move, so I ignored it. But the person on the other end seemed very persistent, ringing for about ten minutes. I had no choice but to get up and answer.

“What are you doing?” I asked lazily, wrapped in a bathrobe and leaning on the sofa. “Young master, I’m taking a bath. Is there something so urgent you have to say it now?” “Mm.” The phone went quiet for a moment. “I booked a flight for the day after tomorrow.” Lucas’ voice sounded a bit weary. He must have been tired from practicing piano these past few days. “Alright, I’ll prepare a welcome home party for you, young master.” A light chuckle came through the phone. “How was the performance?” I asked. “Not bad.” “Congratulations. Okay, it’s 11:30 now. Go to sleep soon, you can’t stay up late.” “I know. Goodnight.” “Goodnight. Love you.” He hadn’t hung up yet. After a moment of silence: “What did you just say?” “Goodnight.” “The next part.” “Love you.” The other end went quiet again, as if even his breathing had stopped. I laughed. “What? Am I not allowed to say that? I heard your fans saying it when they greeted you at the airport last time.” Three seconds later, the dial tone sounded on the phone. Two days later. The driver brought my parents back from the airport, but I didn’t see Lucas. Apparently he had been picked up by the event organizers and might not be back until evening. I was about to eat when Mrs. Lin, our housekeeper, came running over to say someone was looking for us outside. “Who are they looking for?” I asked casually. “They said they’re looking for the CEO and Madam.” My father and mother both looked puzzled. “Looking for us? Who is it?” Mrs. Lin’s expression was conflicted, but she finally said it: “He says… he’s the CEO’s son.”

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Three years after our divorce, my ex-wife was in a car accident and lost her memory, reverting to when she was eighteen and loved me the most. She coldly rejected the other woman she once adored, ignored the humiliation and hurt she had caused me, and stubbornly insisted on moving into my house despite my indifference. She clung to me, acting sweet and expressing her love. I played along, watching coldly as she fell deeper. Until later, when she regained her memory and tearfully begged me on her knees to remarry her. Little did she know, thanks to her, I was dying. I would die in the year when she was most vulnerable and helpless after being betrayed by the other woman… And when she loved me the most. When I arrived at the hospital, I heard Lily arguing with someone. She was sitting on the hospital bed, her head still wrapped in bandages, but she didn’t look like a patient at all. “I don’t know you, please don’t touch me!” Lily said. Jake, Lily’s secretary, was holding a bowl of porridge, looking helpless. “Lily, it’s me. I’m your boyfriend.” Lily’s beautiful eyes scrutinized Jake suspiciously. She tilted her head and said, “Boyfriend? You’re lying. My boyfriend is Adrian.” At the mention of my name, a flash of darkness crossed Jake’s eyes, but he still said good-naturedly, “Lily, be good. You haven’t eaten all day. Let me feed you some porridge.” Jake scooped up a spoonful of porridge and tried to feed Lily, but she swatted his hand away without even looking, spilling the hot porridge all over Jake. “Get out! Don’t touch me.” Jake wearily pressed his temples and called someone to clean up. It was in this chaotic scene that I appeared. I pushed through the crowd and called out, “Lily.” Lily, who had been burying her face in her knees, suddenly looked up at the sound of my voice, her eyes lighting up with joy. “Adrian!” She was about to jump off the bed and into my arms. I quickly stopped her, saying, “Don’t move. You’ve just been in a car accident. You shouldn’t make any sudden movements.” Lily pouted, reluctantly settling back onto the bed. “Okay. They say I’ve lost my memory. Is that true? But I clearly remember you, my parents, and even the homework Mr. Zhang assigned yesterday. How could I have lost my memory?” Mr. Zhang was our math teacher. Lily’s behavior clearly showed that her memory had reverted to our high school days. Before I could speak, Jake cut in, “Lily, it’s 2024 now. You’re thirty years old.” Lily glared at Jake fiercely and said angrily, “I don’t believe you. Adrian, this weird guy keeps lying to me. Get me out of here quickly.” Jake’s face visibly darkened. After all, being called weird by the person you love isn’t a pleasant experience. Looking at Lily’s clear and innocent eyes, I sighed and said, “Lily, Jake isn’t lying. It really is 2024 now.” Lily’s eyes widened suddenly. I turned to Jake, gesturing for him to bring over Lily’s scans. As I held the scans up to the light, Lily playfully whistled at me and said, “I never imagined our Adrian would really become a doctor. You must look especially handsome in a white coat.” This little flirt’s behavior was exactly the same as in high school. However, I could no longer perform surgeries now. I put down the scans and said, “Now do you believe that you’ve lost your memory?” Lily nodded glumly and said, “You wouldn’t lie to me. If you say so, then it must be true.” Jake’s face became even more unpleasant. He stepped forward and said softly, “Lily, you see, I wasn’t lying to you.” Lily didn’t even look at Jake. She hugged my arm and said, “Adrian, is this guy really my boyfriend? Did we break up later? How is that possible? I like you the most. Did you leave me?” A barrage of questions hit me, and I looked at Lily clinging to me obediently, not knowing where to start. How could I tell her that we got married and then divorced? How could I tell her that in the first year of our marriage, she fell in love with someone else? How could I tell her that we once vowed never to see each other again? I held Lily’s hand and said heavily, “We didn’t break up.” Lily’s eyes lit up, with a hint of “I knew it” pride. I gently removed Lily’s arms from around me and said flatly, “We got divorced.”

When I saw the momentary shatter in Lily’s eyes, I felt a twinge of guilt. Tears slowly welled up in Lily’s eyes, and she asked me with a choked voice, “Why? Didn’t we swear in front of the snow-capped mountains that we’d be together forever? It’s only been a few years, and you’ve already broken your promise?” Lily and I chose to travel for our wedding, from the heart of the country all the way to the west. We sang in the desert, drank by the sea, and at the moment when the sun shone on the golden mountain, we vowed to be together forever. But just six months later, another man appeared by Lily’s side. At that time, Jake had just graduated from university. Due to his inexperience, he had made a big mistake for the company. Lily was originally going to fire Jake, but I felt sorry for him and pleaded on his behalf. Only then did Lily agree to give Jake another chance. Little did I know that this small act of kindness would plant a huge hidden danger for myself. It took Jake only two months to become Lily’s secretary. And in another three months, he had climbed into Lily’s bed. Lily bit her lip hard, not letting the tears fall from her eyes. This stubborn look was no different from how she was over a decade ago. I crouched down, leveling my eyes with Lily’s, and said, “Lily, I didn’t break my promise. It was you. You fell in love with someone else and chose to divorce me.” Lily was so shocked that she forgot to cry, staring at me blankly. I slowly stood up and said, “From the scans, you don’t have any major issues. You just need to rest for a while and you’ll be fine. I have some business to attend to, so I’ll be leaving now.” With that, I turned to leave. Lily called my name with a trembling voice. I stopped in my tracks but didn’t turn around. After a moment, I opened the door and left. I came to the hospital today not only to see Lily but also for another matter. I pressed the elevator button and made my way to my friend Dr. Lucas’s office. Dr. Lucas handed me a large bag of medicine and said, “Adrian, are you sure you don’t want to keep fighting?” I shook my head with a bitter smile and said, “No, chemotherapy is too painful. You know I can’t bear it. Besides, even with chemo, it might not work, right? It’s already late-stage anyway.” Knowing that my mind was made up, Dr. Lucas didn’t try to persuade me further. He leaned back in his chair and asked, “I heard Lily was in a car accident and has lost her memory now?” I nodded, and Dr. Lucas let out a contemptuous laugh, saying, “God is blind. Why didn’t He take her away instead!” “Lucas!” I reprimanded him. Dr. Lucas widened his eyes in disbelief and asked, “Don’t tell me, Adrian, that you still have feelings for that woman? Don’t forget who made it impossible for you to ever hold a scalpel again.” Dr. Lucas’s words made me close my eyes in pain. That day was the tenth anniversary of our relationship. I had prepared gifts and a candlelit dinner at home, but Lily never came back. I reheated the food on the table over and over again. Finally, I received a call from Lily’s phone. But it wasn’t her voice on the other end. Jake anxiously told me that Lily was in trouble. I rushed to the location Jake sent me. As soon as I pushed open the door, I saw a man about to smash a broken bottle at Lily. Without thinking, I used my hand to shield Lily from the blow. As a result, my hand was covered in blood from the shattered glass. After the surgery, the doctor told me that several of my tendons had been severed. It wouldn’t affect my daily life, but I would never be able to perform delicate procedures like surgery again. When Lily found out, she cried uncontrollably. She lay by my hospital bed, saying she was sorry. At that time, I thought, exchanging my dream for my loved one’s life was still worth it. So I stroked her head and told her that to me, she was more precious than my dream. Until later, when Jake suddenly approached me and said, “Mr. Chen, actually, Lily loves me. She’s been tired of you for a long time but didn’t have the heart to tell you because of all these years together. There’s five hundred thousand in this card. Lily hopes you can part ways amicably.” Of course, I didn’t believe him. Jake just smiled lightly and said, “Mr. Chen, do you know? I’m actually very grateful to you. If it weren’t for you, I would have been the one with severed tendons.”

Only then did I realize that the real reason Lily got into an argument with others that day was because Jake had accidentally spilled wine on the boss sitting opposite them while pouring. The boss said a few words to him, and Jake, unwilling to back down, started arguing with them. Lily, in an attempt to stand up for her secretary, got into an argument with them, which led to what happened later. In my ear, Dr. Lucas was still earnestly advising me not to make the same mistake again. I waved my hand and said, “Don’t worry, how could I possibly fall in the same place twice?” However, the very next day, Lily knocked on my door. A thirty-year-old body housing an eighteen-year-old soul made Lily look particularly strange. For example, an adult sucking on a strawberry-flavored lollipop while sitting on my couch, curiously examining the interior decor. “Adrian, is this our home? It’s so shabby and small. Didn’t you say you’d buy me a villa when you made a lot of money?” Lily jumped onto me, clinging to me like a koala. My hand, which was making tea, paused. I said, “I did buy one, in Blue Bay Residences.” Lily bit her fingernail and said, “Oh, that house is yours? I thought it was Jake’s.” I’m a doctor, and my income isn’t as high as Lily’s, but I still wanted to give Lily a home through my own efforts. I worked tirelessly and finally saved enough for a down payment. On the day we moved into the new home, I carried Lily and spun her around in the living room. At that time, she held tightly onto my neck, saying she was the happiest woman in the world. Later, she had an affair with Jake in that very house. That day, I came home after a night shift to find Jake wearing my pajamas, lying on my pillow, holding Lily as they slept soundly. All the blood in my body froze. It was almost by instinct that I yanked Jake up. Lily let out a scream, kneeling on the ground begging for my forgiveness. She said she had drunk too much and couldn’t remember anything. In the end, I chose to believe Lily. I told her to replace Jake. She did, but not in bed. After catching them together for what felt like the hundredth time, I filed for divorce. Lily agreed, and we quickly got our divorce papers. I felt disgusted, so I didn’t take anything with me when I left. Surprisingly, Jake didn’t seem to mind, and the two of them continued living there for quite some time. I didn’t continue this topic and asked Lily why she had come. Lily grinned and hugged my waist, saying, “You’re my boyfriend. Of course, I should be wherever you are.” I pried her hands off and said flatly, “Didn’t I tell you? We’re already divorced.” Lily put her hands on her hips and said righteously, “The thirty-year-old Lily divorced you. What does that have to do with me, the eighteen-year-old Lily? I don’t care. I just want to be with you. At worst, I’ll pursue you all over again.” Actually, our relationship had been Lily’s forceful pursuit. In high school, Lily was the school’s star. Beautiful, from a well-off family, she was every boy’s goddess.

In comparison, I was much more ordinary. Average looks, average family background, raised by my mother alone since I was young. The only thing extraordinary about me was probably my consistently top-ranking grades. I don’t know what about me attracted Lily, but one day, I inexplicably became Lily’s boyfriend. When I tried to explain to others, Lily would suddenly appear by my side, link her arm with mine, and say with a smile, “Adrian is shy, don’t tease him.” At that time, I hated Lily to the core and wanted nothing more than to stay far away from her. Until one day, I saw her at my home. She was munching on a pancake, waving at me happily. My mom told me that if it weren’t for Lily’s help, her street stall would have been confiscated by the city management that day. In her haste, Lily had even scraped her hand, which my mom had carefully bandaged. But Lily acted as if it didn’t hurt at all, smiling carefreely as she said, “Classmate Chen, your mom’s pancakes are so delicious!” That was the first time I felt that Lily wasn’t so annoying after all. Later, we gradually became closer. We promised to apply to universities in the same city and to get married after graduation. “Will you agree? Will you agree?” Lily tugged at the hem of my shirt, whining. Suddenly, I had an idea. I nodded and said okay. Lily smiled somewhat mischievously and threw herself into my arms. She was about to say something when there was a knock at the door. I opened the door, only to be knocked down by Jake’s punch. “Adrian, seducing a married woman? Have you no shame?” Jake yelled. If it weren’t for my weakened body due to illness, I would have taught Jake a lesson. But now, I could only lean against the doorframe, taking a long time to recover. Lily rushed out, standing in front of me, pointing at Jake and cursing, “Are you fucking crazy? I’ve told you I don’t like you. Why are you still pestering me?” As soon as Jake saw Lily, his aggression diminished considerably. He put on a placating smile and said, “Lily, you’ve lost your memory. You have no relationship with him now. I’m your boyfriend.” Lily crossed her arms, looking Jake up and down, then snorted coldly, “I may have lost my memory, but I haven’t lost my mind. Me, like you? A toad yearning for swan’s flesh, what kind of dream are you having? Get lost now, or I’ll call a whole group of people to beat you up.” For a moment, it felt like we had truly returned to the past. When Lily’s admirers came to cause trouble for me, she would shield me just like this. Jake glared at me hatefully and sneered, “Adrian, you coward. You can only hide behind a woman for the rest of your life.” I retorted, not backing down, “Jake, you’re not a coward. You’re brave enough to climb into your boss’s bed.” The poor soundproofing in the old neighborhood meant our quarrel had attracted many onlookers. People were curiously pointing and discussing us. Jake’s face reddened, and with a “You just wait and see,” he hurriedly left. I coughed lightly and closed the door. Lily looked at me with starry eyes and said, “Wow, Adrian, you’re so cool. You made him run away with just one sentence.” I chuckled and patted Lily’s head, then took out my phone. In Lily’s memory, we were still using Nokia phones. She had no idea how to order takeout or call a ride-hailing service. I wonder how this little girl managed to find me across half the city. After an afternoon of learning, Lily was already able to play games on my phone. Feeling pleased, I made her a bowl of wonton for dinner. Focused on her game, Lily didn’t notice the bloodstained tissues in the trash can, nor did she see me swallow a handful of pills. My home didn’t have an extra room, so I gave the master bedroom to Lily and made do with the sofa for the night. And so, Lily and I began an odd cohabitation. Jake would come by from time to time, but without exception, he was always scolded away by Lily. Lily and I seemed to return to our passionate dating days. Her eyes no longer held resentment and disgust when she looked at me, but instead overflowed with love. Everything seemed to go back to how it was when we first got married. In the morning, I would get up first, prepare breakfast for Lily, squeeze out toothpaste for her, and then wake her up. She liked to sleep in, and I would patiently carry her to wash up every day. During the day, we each went to work. She was busy with business negotiations, and I was even busier with surgeries. We could hardly speak a word to each other throughout the entire day. Only the time after work was truly ours. We were no different from ordinary young couples. We shopped at supermarkets together, bought groceries together. At home, I was the chef, and she was my assistant. Though calling her an assistant was generous; it was more like causing trouble. She would eat the tomatoes I had cut, or insist on tasting the soup before it was ready. When the kitchen was filled with the aroma of cooking, she would pull me close and exchange a tomato-flavored kiss with me. I was afraid that hot oil might splash and hurt her, or that the smoke would taint her skin. Every time I told her to leave the kitchen, she would hug my waist and say with a grin, “I’m not afraid. Wherever Adrian is, that’s where I’ll be.” Back then, Lily’s heart and eyes were full of me, and so were mine of her. I thought our days would continue like this forever, but when did things start to change? It was when Lily stopped mentioning Jake in front of me, when Lily secretly changed her phone password; when Lily began to resist intimate gestures with me. It was when Lily’s work became increasingly busy; when Lily’s gaze towards me gradually became cold and distant; when Lily made excuses about work and stopped coming home. Lily and I were like two intersecting lines, briefly touching before heading in different directions. I watched all of this happen before my eyes, powerless to change it.

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During my internship as a forensic pathologist, I accidentally opened a video file of a 20-year-old murder case in the database. I watched in horror as a young girl was brutally killed. Devastated, I frantically dragged the progress bar back to the beginning. Like a madman, I started sending message after message. [Please, I beg you, don’t open the door! There’s a serial killer outside!] [You’re so young. Seeing you like this hurts me more than if I were killed myself.] [Don’t open the door! You’ll die, you’ll really die!!] At that moment, the little girl who was about to open the door suddenly stopped. She turned around and looked up, her shocked gaze meeting mine. “Who… who are you?” She could see me?! The moment our eyes met, I almost dropped my phone in shock. The girl’s sweet childish voice continued to come from my phone. “What’s this? Why did these words suddenly appear?” “Is someone projecting them?” I looked back at my phone. In the video, the girl reached out into the air, as if trying to grab something. Although it seemed unbelievable, I was now certain that the little girl couldn’t see me. But she could see the messages I was sending! Just then, the aggressive knocking on the door resumed. “Knock knock knock,” each sound more urgent than the last. The girl turned back, her hand reaching for the doorknob again. The TV in the living room was on, broadcasting the 2005 New Year’s Eve TV gala. A group of beautiful deaf-mute dancers were performing “Thousand-Hand Guanyin,” a dance that would later become world-renowned. (Note: The New Year’s Eve TV gala is a major annual event in China, featuring various performances and celebrations.) Without time to think, I quickly sent another message. [Lily, I know what I’m about to say sounds strange, but please believe me. I’m from 20 years in the future.] [I’m a forensic pathology intern named James.] [I’m watching a real video of you being murdered. There’s a serial killer outside the door. No one knows what he looks like, and he hasn’t been caught even now.] [You’re currently the last known victim on record.] [According to the police’s current deduction, he kills randomly. As long as you don’t open the door, he’ll leave, and you’ll be safe!] The girl had beautiful natural curls and big, blinking eyes. Her expression was surprised: “You know my name?” I noticed that at this moment, the girl had clearly lowered her voice. I knew she was starting to believe what I was saying. Thinking back to the scene of her being brutally murdered that I had just witnessed, I still felt a lump in my throat. [Yes, I know your name is Lily. Because three hours from now, close to midnight, your mom will come home and cry while holding you, calling your nickname.] [The video ends completely at midnight.] The girl fell silent. She quietly brought over a stool and stood on it to look through the peephole. I don’t know what she saw, but her expression clearly became somewhat fearful. “What should I do now?” [Lily, no matter what he does, don’t open the door. Try to call the police! Do you have a phone at home?] The girl nodded. “Yes, under my mom’s pillow.” Out of professional instinct, I thought for a moment and then sent another message. [Lily, when it’s safe, can you describe what the killer looks like to me? Maybe you can help us catch the criminal in the future.] The girl quietly brought over a stool and stood on it to look through the peephole. Then she turned back, about to say something to me when suddenly my head started to ache violently, as if it was about to split open. My ears were also filled with a piercing roar. “Ah!” I clutched my head and fell to my knees in pain. The next second, my consciousness was instantly pulled into a thick darkness.

When I regained consciousness, I smelled the pungent odor of disinfectant. I opened my eyes and found myself in a hospital. My hands and feet were sore and numb from maintaining a rigid posture, slumped over the bedside table for a long time. I looked at myself, somewhat confused. How did I end up here? The TV hanging in the hallway was playing the New Year’s Eve gala. Three male celebrities in mismatched outfits were singing on stage. “I invite you to meet me on the spring mountain; I’ve saved up a year’s worth of countless thoughts; Today is just an ordinary day; But it becomes extraordinary because I met you…” This… seems to be from the 2014 New Year’s Eve gala… Just then, a nurse on duty walked in. The nurse saw me and seemed unsurprised. “After the New Year, you should really hire a caregiver to help you. You young couple, working during the day and staying up like this at night, even the strongest body can’t take it.” I felt like I had grabbed onto a lifeline. “Nurse, is this a rerun on TV?” The nurse looked at me with sympathy: “Did you wake up confused? It’s not a rerun, this is this year’s live New Year’s Eve gala.” With that, the nurse skillfully pulled open the curtain of the bed in front of me. But when I saw who was lying on the bed, I felt all the blood drain from my body.

“Dad!” Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. “How did you end up like this?!” The man on the bed had his eyes tightly shut, emaciated to just skin and bones, with sunken cheeks and a sallow complexion. His throat had been cut open. His body was full of tubes. The nurse took out a device and skillfully lifted a section of the tube in my father’s throat, inserting a thin tube to suction out the congested phlegm with a scratching sound. After finishing the procedure, the nurse looked at me sympathetically, seeing my panicked face. “If you need anything, press the call button.” Then she left. All the muscles in my body felt frozen, numb and cold, as if I had lost all sensation. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. How could this be possible? This year was supposed to be 2025. I was doing an internship, about to become a full-time employee, realizing my long-held dream of becoming a forensic pathologist! The office was on holiday, and I was busy sorting through files on my phone. My dad and mom were in the living room, laughing and making dumplings. Fireworks were going off outside, and the TV in the living room was blasting music. A robot was doing a traditional dance, tossing a handkerchief. My parents laughed, joking that instead of having the robot toss a handkerchief, they might as well have it throw grenades. How did it suddenly… Is this really not just a nightmare? I reached out my hand, and the moment I touched my father’s withered, cold body, Countless memories forcefully flooded into my brain. On New Year’s Eve in 2005, my mom, returning home from her night shift, encountered the infamous serial killer. He brutally murdered her and dumped her body in the neighborhood garbage bin. After that, the killer went dormant and never struck again. My mom became his last victim. My warm and loving home collapsed completely that night. The killer not only took my mom’s life but also took away my dad and ruined my life. My dad, holding my mom’s corpse, suffered a severe mental breakdown. From then on, he fell into depression, smoking and drinking heavily. He couldn’t get over the pain of losing my mom. He started to neglect me. As a result, I had to start working right after finishing middle school to support myself and my dad. To survive, I did all kinds of hard and menial jobs. I’ve broken dishes, assembled screws, carried cement. I watched as my once close classmates drifted away, no longer able to relate to each other. One by one, they entered university, striving for their life’s ideals. Some even went abroad. While I could only hide in the distance. Enviously watching their backs. I thought my life would forever be under a dark cloud. Until I met my wife, the love of my life. I had my own little family, and I thought the hard days were finally over. But then we found out my dad had late-stage lung cancer. What followed was a long and grueling process of chemotherapy and surgery, draining our savings and leaving us in debt. Yet his life was still coming to an end. I took out my phone, and the date really was January 30, 2014. With trembling hands, I searched for information about that serial killing case. The murderer was still at large. Online, you could see some photos of the victims taken after they were killed. Even though they were blurred, they were still unbearable to look at. The name and picture of the last victim. Instead of Lily Thompson, it was now my mom. Sarah Johnson…

I collapsed, sinking to the ground. How could this happen? How could this happen… Just then, the door opened again. A beautiful young woman with long hair draped over her shoulders, wearing a red scarf and a down jacket, walked in. Looking at me, she waved the lunchbox in her hand and smiled. “Honey, I made chive and egg dumplings, all by myself!” “Eat them while they’re hot!” She walked in hurriedly, almost tripping. My body reacted before my mind could process, standing up to steady her. Memories of her flooded back like a tidal wave, instantly covering the “dream” I couldn’t distinguish as real or false. Meeting my wife, falling in love, supporting each other. Every little detail, every frame, felt so real and vivid. Love for her immediately spread through my heart. She was my wife, Emma. She was beautiful, a graduate from a prestigious university, working at a bank. Yet she fell for me, a poor guy with only a middle school education, making a living by hauling goods for supermarkets. I awkwardly took the lunchbox. My wife must have sensed something was off. Her warm fingers touched my forehead with concern: “Honey, what’s wrong? Are you too tired?” I smiled bitterly. “I had a dream, I dreamed…” I paused: “I dreamed of a group of robots doing a traditional dance, tossing handkerchiefs.” My wife handed me a bowl of dumplings and couldn’t help saying, “I think it would be more believable if you dreamed of them carrying machine guns and throwing grenades.” “You must be too tired from taking care of dad lately. After the New Year, I’ll switch to a less busy position so I can help you more.” Grenades… My wife’s words made me feel disoriented. The smiling face of my mom flashed before my eyes again. My wife looked worried and pulled my head to rest on her soft chest. I could hear her clear heartbeat. “Thump thump.” The fear, unease, and doubts in my heart were all pressed down beneath the iceberg by this sound. “Honey, you’ve really been through a lot.” My wife couldn’t help but try to cheer me up. “You’re so tired you’re dreaming about beautiful female robots…” I couldn’t help it either, the tense muscles in my face relaxed, and I squeezed out a smile. But when I looked up at the TV, the New Year’s Eve gala host was interviewing the three male celebrities. The tone was teasing. This scene was so familiar. Was it really all just a dream?

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My boyfriend and my best friend were kissing passionately. I went up and slapped them both. A well-dressed lady nearby watched in shock. She came over and asked, “Excuse me, could you slap my son like that?” “You cheater, go to hell! I won’t give you custody of our child!” “You slut, I won’t cover up for you being a sugar baby to old men anymore!” They stared at each other, their eyes full of silent accusations. Soon, they started fighting. I felt satisfied and was ready to go home to bury my dead love. A teary-eyed lady grabbed my arm, “It’s not easy raising a child alone. There’s $1,000 in this card. I hope it helps.” Oh, this lady was too invested in the drama. I explained that it was all made up. The lady paused for a moment but still held onto me. “Um, could you slap my son like that?” I was stunned for a few seconds before I realized. She wanted me to break up her son’s relationship too… “No, ma’am, you misunderstood. I don’t do this for a living.” The lady wiped her tears and took out a platinum card from her purse, “100,000 dollars.” “Ma’am, I really can’t.” “500,000 dollars.” “No, ma’am, you…” “5 million dollars.” “Uh… let’s exchange SnapChat.”

The lady’s son was named Marcus Grant, who was madly in love with his dream girl. But his dream girl was studying abroad, living a messy life while stringing Marcus along. According to Mrs. Grant, when the dream girl got off the plane wearing a white dress that day, Marcus was overcome with joy, completely ignoring his mother’s warnings. To avoid affecting their mother-son relationship, they had to hire me as an intervener. “She dumped Marcus as soon as she went abroad, causing him to be depressed for three years. He almost got expelled from college for failing classes. In his senior year, he turned his grief into motivation and studied hard for a year to barely get his degree. Now that she’s back, what will happen to my Marcus…” “Don’t worry, Mrs. Grant. I’ll get right on it.” My hand trembled as I received the $500,000 deposit. For the first time in my life, I took a taxi instead of the bus and quickly appeared in front of Marcus. I raised my hand to… But I couldn’t bring myself to slap him. His handsome face and sharp eyes made my heart flutter. The fierce slap turned into a gentle caress down his handsome face. He was too good-looking to hit. “I’m sorry, that was rude of me.” Marcus’s temple twitched slightly, but his good manners kept him composed. I was delighted, thinking it would be easier to handle him now. So I politely extended my hand to him. “Nice to meet you, I’m Lily Adams, a friend of a friend of your mother.” Mrs. Grant’s friend was money, and money was my best friend. Marcus smiled slightly, and just as he was about to touch my hand, he suddenly raised it and put his arm around Amber Rose beside him. “Sorry, I have a girlfriend.” Amber looked up at him suddenly, her joy evident on her face. It was as if their relationship had just been confirmed at that moment. My smile froze. I hoped Mrs. Grant wouldn’t take back the money. Back home, I started searching online for his likes and interests. Combined with the information Mrs. Grant gave me, I began to quietly infiltrate Marcus’s world. We had a “chance” encounter at a coffee shop. At a restaurant, I pretended to be a part-time waitress, intentionally brushing my hand against his fingertips as I served. Amber became unhappy, and they started arguing. Good sign! That night, I immediately transformed into a sporty, sunshine girl, jogging past his house. I “accidentally” tripped and fell into Marcus’s arms as he was taking out the trash. I cried out in pain, looked up in surprise, my eyes brimming with tears. “Mr. Grant…” Marcus smiled silently. Feeling encouraged, I boldly said, “Actually, I’ve liked you for a long time.” Step one of breaking up the lovebirds: sow discord. Marcus loosely held me, “You like me?” I nodded shyly. He gently lifted me up. The next second, he stuffed me into the recycling bin along with the trash. One hand pressed down on the lid to keep me from getting out, while the other took out his phone. “Hello? 911?” “Yes, there’s a crazy person here, stalking me and sexually harassing me.”

Is this right? “This is not right! Miss Adams, even if you like someone, you can’t harass them at their home. Is this what they teach you in college…” The police officer lectured me. I tried desperately to explain. He just looked at me coldly, “Call your teacher to pick you up!” Calling my teacher was out of the question. I didn’t want to become a social outcast at school. Originally, I should have been lying in Marcus’s arms tonight, touching his slim waist, breathing heavily, about to do something for the good of humanity, then getting caught by Amber, having a big fight, and finally tearfully earning five million dollars. Now I was behind bars, listening to a bunch of drunks wailing… With no other choice, I called Mrs. Grant early the next morning. She came quickly and got me out as a family member of the involved party. Ignoring the looks from the police, she kept praising me, “You did very well. My son called last night in a bad mood, they must have had a fight…” After leaving the police station, she was still chattering, “But he’s too spineless, he took her back home. Lily, can you go to his house and keep an eye on things? What if that girl runs away pregnant?” I turned my head dejectedly and said softly, “Mrs. Grant, do you think next time you’ll be picking me up from prison?” Arrested for stalking, and then for breaking and entering, it would be even worse. Mrs. Grant clearly didn’t think so: “Don’t worry, Lily, just go ahead and do it.” Uh… I had a vague feeling that my relationship with the police officer wouldn’t end here. After finishing the thesis my advisor was rushing me for, I looked up and it was already dark. To prevent them from making a little Marcus Grant, I reluctantly went over. Mrs. Grant was true to her word and had bought off the new security guard Marcus hired. The guard didn’t even try to stop me, opening the gate wide for me to enter. At that moment, I suddenly felt confident. The door inside was slightly ajar. Through the gap, I saw two people canoodling on the sofa. Marcus’s half-open collar was wet, making his shirt transparent and revealing vague curves underneath. Amber took a tissue and started wiping it, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” Marcus frowned slightly and blocked her hand. “Amber, we’re both adults, some things…” Suddenly his voice trailed off. My heart skipped a beat too. Were they about to start doing adult things?! I don’t agree with this. Marcus’s sharp gaze swept over, “The person at the door, have you seen enough?” I walked in with an air of confidence. Seeing me, Amber immediately leaned into Marcus’s arms, as if marking her territory. But so what? Mrs. Grant doesn’t approve either. I said, “Mrs. Grant said she left something at your place and asked me to come get it.” As long as I couldn’t find it, I could use that as an excuse to stay, and they wouldn’t have a chance to get cozy. Marcus stared at me, his brows furrowed into a frown. He was about to get up when he looked down at his wet collar and said to Amber, “I’m going to take a shower. The red wine you spilled is sticky. This guest… please help me get rid of her first.” He walked towards the bathroom. Amber swirled the wine glass in her hand and said scornfully, “I advise you not to use despicable means to seduce Marcus. He’s different from other men. He’s very loyal.” She emphasized the last sentence particularly clearly. I found it hilarious and laughed out loud, “He’s loyal, but what about you?” Mrs. Grant had already investigated her thoroughly. Even after returning to the country, she wasn’t behaving herself. While pursuing Marcus, she had several backups, but unfortunately, there was no solid evidence to make Marcus believe it. Hearing this, Amber’s face changed slightly, but she quickly regained her composure, “What are you talking about? Of course, I only like Marcus.” “In a relationship, loyalty is the most basic thing, and Miss Rose, what you don’t have, I do.” Looking at her smile that was about to crack, I knew Mrs. Grant’s information was spot on. Suddenly, the phone on the coffee table rang. Amber was probably too nervous and accidentally pressed the speakerphone button. The phone immediately transmitted a young man’s voice: “Baby, are you coming tonight?” The voice was lazy and the tone ambiguous. Amber completely lost her composure, frantically trying to mute the call and rushing outside. This was my chance! As long as I let Marcus see her cheating, everything would be accomplished! Where was Marcus? The sound of water came from the nearby bathroom. Oh, he was taking a shower. I rushed over to urge him, knocking on the door frantically: “Are you done? I need to use the bathroom.” A lazy voice came from inside: “Not yet.” “Hurry up, I can’t hold it!” The person inside hesitated for two seconds, “There’s another bathroom upstairs.” “No, please, come out quickly!” “…” Through the window, I saw Amber’s lips forming what looked like “bye-bye”. She hung up the phone quickly, and Marcus also started to speed up his shower. I was scratching my head anxiously. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Amber was about to push the door open when the sound of water in the bathroom stopped. I couldn’t wait anymore! I kicked open the bathroom door and rushed in. A beauty out of the bath, my heart was pounding. I immediately closed my eyes. It was as if time had frozen at that moment. Until the warm breath approached, disturbing my thoughts. “Weren’t you in a hurry to use the bathroom? Go ahead.” I tried desperately to shake off the images of pecs, abs, and V-lines in my mind, “No, no, not urgent anymore, haha.” “Then why did you burst in?” My muddled brain was racing, and I stammered, “Uh, actually, your mom sent me here for a blind date with you. Before marriage, I need to check if it’s big enough!” Haha, I’ve gone crazy, my mouth was saying whatever came to mind. Just then, Amber’s voice gradually approached from the living room, “Marcus, aren’t you done yet? I specially canceled a meeting to spend the evening with you, okay?” I suddenly remembered what I was supposed to do. Right, I was supposed to create a misunderstanding and drive a wedge between them. I abruptly opened my eyes. Two streams of blood gushed from my nose. Why wasn’t he dressed yet!

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I lost five years of my memories. When I woke up, I discovered that Evelyn Frost, the goddess I had been secretly in love with for years, had become my wife. But she wasn’t good to me at all. All her tenderness was reserved for her male best friend. Even when my life was in danger, she was only concerned about accompanying her childhood sweetheart. Everyone said I was madly in love with her. They claimed that even if Evelyn asked me to be a slave to her male best friend, I would do it without hesitation. What a joke. I didn’t even remember this person. I didn’t remember Evelyn, and since she wasn’t good to me, I naturally proposed a divorce. But later, she lingered outside my house late at night, unwilling to leave. “Honey, can you… look at me one more time?” “Ms. Frost, your husband attempted suicide!” When I woke up, all I could see was a blinding white. Before I could react, a sharp pain shot through my wrist. As I was coming to my senses, I heard an anxious female voice nearby. Then, I saw a woman standing with her back to me, talking on the phone: “Ms. Frost, Jack Carson is in the hospital now. Do you want to come and see him?” A cold, emotionless female voice came from the other end of the line: “Is he dead? If not, don’t bother me!” The call was hung up, and the woman sighed, turning around. When she saw me, she froze for a moment. After a while, she walked up to me: “You’re awake?” “…Who are you?” I looked at her blankly, “Are you talking to me?” “You don’t recognize me?” The woman’s expression changed, “I’m Zoe, Ms. Frost’s assistant.” “…Who is Ms. Frost?” Zoe frowned as she looked at me, her expression already showing some impatience, “Jack, Ms. Frost is very busy with work right now. Even if you attempt suicide, it won’t work, let alone pretending to have amnesia! Give it up, Ms. Frost won’t come to see you!” I was even more confused, not knowing what she was talking about. Seeing that I didn’t respond, Zoe took another step forward and said earnestly: “Jack, you’ve been married to Ms. Frost for five years, and you’ve been causing trouble for five years. Ms. Frost still hasn’t fallen in love with you. Don’t you think you should reflect on yourself and stop causing trouble for Ms. Frost?” Although I still didn’t know what had happened, her attitude made me very uncomfortable. Especially looking at her face, I felt an inexplicable aversion. Wait a minute… “Did you say… five years?” I suddenly rushed into the bathroom attached to the hospital room, looking at myself in the mirror— It was indeed still me, the same face, but more mature and with a hint of lingering melancholy. Could what Zoe said be true? Is it five years later now? Am I really married? … The facts proved that I was indeed married. And had been for five years. I hadn’t time-traveled or been dreaming, I had just lost my memory. My current memories were still from when I was 18, just entering college; I had a secret crush on a senior student named Evelyn Frost. She was an ice beauty with impeccable looks, family background, and abilities. She had skipped grades since childhood, and although she was my senior, she was actually a few years younger than me. And now, I was married to her. According to Zoe, I married Evelyn when I was 22, in a rushed marriage without much of an emotional foundation. At that time, I hadn’t even graduated from college. We only got our marriage certificate, without a wedding ceremony. After getting married, I discovered that Evelyn’s heart wasn’t with me, but rather close to her male best friend, Lucas Sterling. Apparently, he was her unrequited love, the one that got away. And I, unloved, began to act out in our marriage. I used all sorts of bizarre methods to attract Evelyn’s attention, but only earned her increasing disgust. Her friends all treated me like a joke, just waiting to see when we would divorce. Lucas never took me seriously either. He was the young master in their circle, and my hysterical antics were nothing more than a clown show in their eyes. Finally, I used suicide to threaten Evelyn, demanding that she cut off all contact with Lucas. But she didn’t agree, and even told me to go ahead and die. So I attempted suicide. This was what happened before I woke up— I found it surreal. Attempting suicide for love didn’t seem like something I would do! I hated being a love-sick puppy the most! I would never be any woman’s lapdog! By the time I figured all this out, I was already in the master bedroom of our marital home. The doctor said I was fine, so Zoe had sent me directly back home, warning me not to cause any more trouble before she left. Looking at the enormous villa before me, I no longer had any desire to cause trouble. I was completely overwhelmed by this immense wealth. Even just the walk-in closet was bigger than my old house! Just as I was dizzily taking in our bedroom, there was a commotion at the door. I turned my head sharply and met Evelyn’s icy gaze.

Although I knew I had been married to Evelyn for five years, for me, this was the first time seeing her face up close. I had to admit, there was a reason she became the goddess of my youth. Just having that face in front of me improved my mood considerably. Even though she was giving me a cold look, I didn’t dislike it much. It seems Zoe’s words were credible; I might indeed be a sucker for beauty. Seeing that I didn’t speak, she frowned slightly, “Jack, what are you up to now?” As she spoke, she walked gracefully to the closet, not even pausing as she passed by me, and picked out a nightgown. I turned to look at her, “Up to?” From the moment she suddenly came back until now, I hadn’t said a word. Why did she say I was up to something? Evelyn’s pitch-black eyes glanced at me, “In the past, you would always pounce on me when I came back. Have you changed your tactics now?” I was a bit shocked. After marrying Evelyn, was I really that desperate? But I didn’t show it on my face, only saying flatly, “Oh, it won’t happen again in the future.” I originally thought Evelyn would be relieved. Unexpectedly, her frown deepened, and she looked at me with even more impatience, “I’ve been very tired with work lately, I don’t have time to deal with your antics.” Me: “…” Seeing that I didn’t speak, Evelyn’s gaze suddenly turned cold, “Jack, don’t try to do anything to Lucas again. He hasn’t done anything wrong, and even if you use suicide to threaten me, it won’t work.” I was stunned for a moment, my feelings complicated. Zoe had told me most of what had happened between Evelyn and me. It was nothing more than me loving Evelyn, Evelyn loving Lucas, and me, the clown in this love triangle, constantly trying to cause trouble for Lucas, increasingly earning Evelyn’s disgust. This suicide attempt was also because I was jealous of Evelyn’s constant care for Lucas. So I privately attacked Lucas’s company and smeared his artists, but Evelyn unhesitatingly chose to support him— This undoubtedly told everyone in the circle that I, Ms. Frost’s husband, was husband in name only, not even worth a finger of Lucas in Evelyn’s heart. So I lost my balance and tried to use suicide to win back Evelyn’s heart. The result was predictable. A woman who was already tired of me wouldn’t have a change of heart because of my suicide attempt; she would only find it troublesome. Seeing that I didn’t speak, Evelyn also lost patience and went directly to the bathroom. I breathed a sigh of relief, falling onto the large bed, my mind in chaos. After all, having lost the memories of these years, I really didn’t know why I would become so crazy. The 18-year-old me despised those obsessed with love, but now I was ready to die for a woman. I really couldn’t imagine that I would have such a day! My thoughts were in a jumble, and before I could figure out what I should do now, the blanket beside me was lifted, and a soft, warm body lay down next to me. The fragrance that hit me made me jolt. I turned my head to see Evelyn looking at me with those pitch-black eyes, her usual ice-cold demeanor now mixed with a hint of suppressed darkness. I stammered, “I, you… what are you doing?” Although I had lost my memory, based on the information I knew, Evelyn and I should have a bad relationship, right? We might even sleep in separate beds, so why did she lie down beside me so naturally? Evelyn seemed not to notice my discomfort. Her soft arm wrapped around my waist. Without a word, she pounced on me, her delicate fingers skillfully teasing the most sensitive parts of my body, giving me unprecedented sensations— “Evelyn!” I couldn’t help but call out her name, “Don’t touch me!”

Perhaps because the resistance in my eyes didn’t seem like an act, Evelyn’s eyes flashed with momentary bewilderment. But it was quickly replaced by impatience, “Jack, stop throwing a tantrum.” I didn’t like the way she always spoke to me, and even her face, which I had secretly loved for years, started to lose its appeal. “I’m your husband, right? I attempted suicide and was hospitalized, and you didn’t even show a bit of concern when you came back. Now you’re accusing me so aggressively. Evelyn, what gives you the right to treat me like this?” My anger seemed to ignite her fuse as well. She gripped my wrist tightly, her tone icy, “Because all of this is your own doing.” Her strength was minimal, but she happened to grip the wound from my suicide attempt. It hurt, but I endured it without making a sound. Evelyn suddenly withdrew her hand, as if she had lost interest, and lay on her side with her back to me, her tone cold: “I’ll let it go this time, but don’t pretend to attempt suicide to threaten me again in the future.” I lay beside her, my emotions a mix of five flavors. When I woke up the next morning, Evelyn was no longer beside me. I casually put on some clothes and went downstairs, only to see her already eating breakfast at the dining table. The housekeeper was beside her and greeted me, “Good morning, Mr. Carson.” I stood there without moving. Evelyn didn’t even lift her head, “Come down for breakfast.” Although it was just breakfast, the lavishness made me speechless. I couldn’t help but think, no wonder they’re a wealthy family, even breakfast is such a grand affair. I sat right across from Evelyn and saw the housekeeper serve me a plate of pancakes. I was speechless. What man eats this stuff early in the morning? Smelling the scent of strawberries, I frowned, “Why are there strawberries?” The housekeeper said: “This is specially sent over by Mr. Sterling. It’s also Mr. Sterling’s favorite, flown in from Europe…” I immediately lost my appetite, “I’m not eating.” The silver cutlery clashed with the porcelain, making a crisp sound. Evelyn looked up at me, her voice cool, “Jack, know your limits.” I had a belly full of anger, “Not eating strawberries offends you too?” “Isn’t it because Lucas sent these that you won’t eat?” Evelyn’s face was icy, “Jack, when will you curb your jealousy.” Me? I’m jealous of Lucas? I don’t know what the 27-year-old Jack was like in front of Evelyn, probably a pitiful and petty image. But no matter what, we are husband and wife. Doesn’t she even know that I’m allergic to strawberries? I was about to speak when the housekeeper suddenly said: “Sir, Mr. Sterling has arrived!” A gentle voice sounded: “Evelyn, am I interrupting you?” A tall figure walked in from the door. Both the housekeeper and the maid seemed very familiar with him, obviously a frequent visitor. One look and I knew this person was Lucas Sterling. I noticed how the housekeeper addressed him. I’m Evelyn’s husband, but he only called me Mr. Carson, while he called him Mr. Sterling. The difference in intimacy was clear from the way he addressed us. No wonder the 27-year-old me was so against Lucas. We are legally married, yet I can never compare to her blatant favoritism towards another man, under the guise of childhood friends. Anyone would lose their balance. Lucas looked at me with concern, “Mr. Carson, I heard you attempted suicide… Are you alright now?” I snorted, showing him no courtesy. I don’t know what the 27-year-old me was like in front of them, perhaps very cowardly, perhaps because I loved Evelyn too much, so I allowed them to boss me around— But now, I’m the 18-year-old me. I don’t love Evelyn at all. So I don’t need to swallow my pride. Lucas looked a bit troubled and said to Evelyn: “Evelyn, I’m sorry, Mr. Carson doesn’t seem to want to see me, perhaps I shouldn’t have come…” “You knew that and still came?” I said bluntly, “Are you here to laugh at me?” Lucas’s face instantly turned red, and Evelyn coldly reprimanded me, “Jack, stop making unreasonable scenes.” She was covering for Lucas, which made me feel unhappy, further lowering my impression of her. Originally, waking up to find myself married to my secret crush made me a bit excited and grateful— But now it seems, Evelyn is just ordinary. So what if she’s beautiful and rich? Abandoning her own husband, does it make her look impressive? If she had the guts, she shouldn’t have married me in the first place! I was indignant, but Lucas remained gentlemanly and calm, “Evelyn, I came this time to specially invite you to my celebration party…” After saying this, he seemed to realize that I, a living person, was standing right there, and he couldn’t not invite me, so he had to say to me: “Mr. Carson, why don’t you come along?” Originally, I didn’t want to go. But seeing the contempt and provocation hidden in Lucas’s eyes, I suddenly smiled and agreed, “Sure, after all, I am Evelyn’s husband. I should accompany Evelyn to social events.”

So I went with Evelyn to Lucas’s celebration party. When the three of us appeared, everyone in the private room looked over, their expressions a riot of colors. “Why did she bring him along?” “It’s not surprising, her husband is always making scenes and causing trouble, hostile to all the men around Evelyn, especially Lucas!” “I heard he even attempted suicide because of Lucas?” “That’s right! But he should know his place. Marrying Evelyn was already marrying up, what right does he have to control her? Those other guys were one thing, but Lucas? Who is he to compare?” These voices were neither loud nor soft, just enough for me to hear. I swept my gaze over them, guessing they were probably friends of Evelyn or Lucas. Anyway, they were all in the same circle, I couldn’t be wrong. I laughed coldly in my heart. No wonder the 25-year-old me wanted to commit suicide. Hearing these belittling words every day, how could the psyche not be distorted? Besides, I must have loved Evelyn very much back then, so I suffered to the point of wanting to give up my life in the daily torment. Evelyn and Lucas had already sat down in the seats reserved for them, leaving only me standing alone. “Isn’t he embarrassed standing there alone?” “How could he be embarrassed? As long as he can be with Evelyn, he’d even kneel if you asked him to!” I coldly looked at the man who was gossiping, “She’s not dead, why should I kneel for her?” The man’s face changed, as if he hadn’t expected me to talk back today. Evelyn’s expression was impatient, “Alright, stop making a fuss, all of you.” I had been ridiculed like this, and not only did she not help me, but she also tried to be impartial. I sneered, “It seems I’m not welcome here. I won’t disturb you any longer.” With that, I turned and left. Behind me came the gasps of those people: “Did I see that right? He actually dared to give Evelyn attitude!” “Could it be that Lucas really drove him crazy?” “I bet he won’t last half an hour before he comes crawling back…” “…” The noisy voices behind me were very annoying. I went to the outdoor swimming pool to clear my head. Not long after, Lucas suddenly came out. “Mr. Carson, you really surprised me.” I looked behind him, seeing that he came out alone, and said playfully, “I hate you so much, aren’t you afraid I might push you in?” Lucas laughed, “I’m more afraid you wouldn’t dare. After all, everyone knows Evelyn would save me.” I pressed my lips together, not bothering to respond to him. Lucas walked to my side again, “Jack, do you dare to bet?” I found it strange, “If you two really love each other so much, why don’t you let Evelyn divorce me? Lucas, do you have to trample on someone else’s true feelings to play out your love story? Is that what you call deep love?” Lucas’s expression changed slightly, “That’s because you won’t let go! You’d even attempt suicide to cling to Evelyn, she’s just pitying you!” Soon, he regained his calm and gentle demeanor, asking me again, “Jack, do you dare to bet?” The swimming pool sparkled, looking clear but actually very deep. I firmly shook my head, “I don’t dare.” I can’t swim. Suicide is a stupid thing, doing it once is enough, no need for a second time. I had just stood up when I caught Lucas’s disappointed gaze. He stood behind me and gave me a push— Splash! Screams of all kinds echoed in my ears as my body hit the water surface and then quickly sank. At that moment, I couldn’t feel anything. Only the fear of my senses being overwhelmed by water from all sides. My throat started to choke on water, my lungs gradually sinking. I struggled desperately to swim up, only to see a familiar figure quickly swimming in another direction. My wife, Evelyn, when both Lucas and I fell into the water, swam towards him. A sharp pain shot through my heart. This might be the last bit of feeling left in the 27-year-old me… Although I had long forgotten the past and no longer loved her, my body’s instinct was still there. But this time, it was also thoroughly drowned. … When I woke up, I was lying by the pool. Both Lucas and I had been rescued, but he was saved by Evelyn, while I was saved by a strange woman. She was quite beautiful, with a stunning figure. I lay on the ground as she pressed her hands on my chest, trying to squeeze out the water I had swallowed. I spat it out with a “Wah!”— In the corner of my eye, I saw Evelyn walking over. Lucas was still pretending to look at Evelyn’s back. Evelyn seemed to suddenly remember she had a husband, frowning as she asked, “Are you okay?” I didn’t answer, struggling to stand up. The woman beside me tried to help me, but I pushed her away. When Evelyn came to stand in front of me, I raised my hand, originally intending to slap her. But I don’t hit women. My hand raised in the air, in the end, I just grabbed her neck and threw her to the ground— There was dead silence all around. I could even hear everyone’s deliberately slowed breathing. A white-rich-beautiful woman like Evelyn, the darling of heaven, probably had never been touched violently by anyone, let alone being thrown aside. “Evelyn, let’s get a divorce.” After a long while, I heard my own voice in the dead silence. “I don’t want anything. That throw just now, consider it as the breakup fee you give to your ex-husband.”

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I stared at the black fabric I had just pulled out of the washing machine, my fingers unconsciously tracing the torn lace edge. The tear in these yoga pants was right in the crotch area. The material was high-quality, Lily’s favorite Lululemon brand. She always said this fabric was breathable and form-fitting, perfect for yoga without any risk of exposure. But now, these four-figure yoga pants had a vicious tear in the crotch, as if something sharp had forcibly ripped them open. What concerned me more was the suspicious white stains along the edges of the tear. They had dried and crusted, feeling hard to the touch. I leaned in for a closer look and caught a faint, fishy smell that made my stomach churn. “What are you looking at?” Lily’s voice came from behind. I instinctively stuffed the yoga pants into the laundry basket and turned around with a forced smile. “Nothing, just finished the laundry,” I said casually, but my eyes couldn’t help but linger on her face. She had light makeup on today, with perfectly drawn eyeliner and soft pink lipstick. She looked polished and elegant. “Oh,” she responded indifferently, walking to the fridge to grab a bottle of yogurt. “I’m going to the gym tonight, so you’ll have to eat dinner alone.” I nodded, watching her scoop up the yogurt. A drop of white liquid fell from the spoon, leaving a small stain on her shirt. She frowned and grabbed a tissue to wipe it off. “By the way,” I asked, trying to sound casual, “what happened to your black yoga pants? How did they get torn?” She paused for a moment, the spoon clinking against the glass bowl. “Oh, that,” she continued scooping the yogurt, “I accidentally caught them on some equipment during training yesterday. Just my luck.” “Is that so?” I stared at her profile. “The tear looks pretty bad.” “Yeah,” she smiled, tossing the empty yogurt container in the trash. “But it’s fine, I’ve had them for a while anyway. I’ll buy a new pair soon.” I watched her walk into the bedroom to change, but my heart felt heavy. She had only bought those yoga pants last month. She even posted about them on social media, bragging that they were limited edition and hard to get. And knowing her personality, if she had really accidentally torn them, she would have been devastated. How could she be so nonchalant about it? I walked back to the laundry basket and picked up the yoga pants again. The edges of the tear were jagged, as if they had been forcibly stretched open. Upon closer inspection, I found a small electronic key sewn into the inside of the waistband, engraved with a series of numbers: XX-032

XX was the abbreviation for a high-end gym in our city, and 0321 was a locker number. I remembered that Lily did have a membership at that gym, but she usually went with Victoria and rarely went alone. As I was pondering this, Lily came out of the bedroom, dressed and ready to go. She wore a pair of gray sweatpants and a loose hoodie, looking fresh and sporty. “I’m leaving,” she said, picking up her bag and heading for the door. “Wait,” I called out to her, “Why have you been going to the gym with Victoria so often lately?” She stopped and looked back at me, her eyes shifting slightly. “What do you mean? We’ve always gone together, haven’t we?” “But you used to only go on weekends. Why are you going every day now?” I probed. She laughed it off, saying lightly, “Work’s been stressful lately. I just want to exercise more and relax a bit.” I nodded, not saying anything more. She turned and left, and I stood by the window, watching her walk quickly towards the community gate where a black SUV was already waiting. The window rolled down, and Victoria waved at her. Lily opened the door and got in. The car soon disappeared from view. I returned to the living room, picked up the yoga pants, and carefully examined the electronic key. The VIP lockers at XX Gym were only for premium members, but Lily’s membership was just a regular one. I opened my phone and searched for XX Gym’s official website. I discovered that their VIP membership fee was over $10,000 per year and required strict vetting to obtain. Lily’s income was decent, but not enough to justify such an extravagance. As I was thinking, my phone suddenly vibrated. It was a text from an unknown number: “Don’t forget, Wednesday at the usual place for the reshoot.” I stared at the message, feeling uneasy. Lily’s phone was still on the coffee table; she had forgotten to take it with her. After a moment’s hesitation, I picked it up and unlocked it. Her password was still my birthday, which gave me a small sense of relief. I opened her text messages and found that she had been frequently communicating with an unknown number over the past few days. The messages were mostly brief exchanges like “See you Wednesday” and “Remember to bring clothes.” I scrolled to the top and found the first message from a month ago: “Wednesday, 3 PM, XX Gym VIP area. Remember to wear those black yoga pants.” My heart started racing, and my fingers trembled slightly. As I continued scrolling, I discovered that they met every Wednesday, and each time, those yoga pants were mentioned. The last message was sent yesterday: “Good performance today. Let’s continue next time.” I put down the phone, feeling like a heavy stone was pressing on my chest, making it hard to breathe. Lily had been going to the gym every Wednesday, always wearing those black yoga pants. And today, those pants were mysteriously torn, with suspicious white stains. I picked up the yoga pants again, re-examining the tear. The lace around the edges was ripped, as if something had forcibly stretched it open. Suddenly, I had a thought. I picked up my phone and searched for “yoga pants tear.” The results that popped up made me freeze. The first search result was a post on an anonymous forum titled “Exposing the Gym’s Hidden Camera Industry.” I clicked on it and found that the original poster had detailed how to use the gym’s changing rooms and equipment areas to secretly film female members. There was even a specific “yoga pants series” because these pants were form-fitting and easily damaged, making them ideal targets for hidden cameras. My hands started shaking as I continued reading. The poster mentioned that those who set up hidden cameras usually chose VIP lockers because there were fewer people and more blind spots in the surveillance. They would also install tiny cameras in the lockers to specifically capture footage of female members changing clothes. I suddenly stood up, grabbed my car keys, and rushed out. XX Gym wasn’t far from my house, only a ten-minute drive. I had to go see for myself what was hidden in that VIP locker. I drove there quickly, my mind replaying Lily’s recent unusual behavior. She always came home late, sometimes with strange bruises on her body. When I asked, she would say she accidentally bumped into something while working out. She also frequently received text messages from unknown numbers, always deleting them nervously after reading. I parked outside the gym and walked quickly towards the VIP area. The security guard at the entrance stopped me, but when I showed him the electronic key, he let me through. I found locker 0321 and inserted the key. The door opened with a click. It was empty except for a small SD card lying in the corner. I picked up the SD card, my fingers trembling slightly. I knew that it must contain some dark secret. I found a corner, inserted the SD card into my phone, and opened the file manager. There was only one video file, named “0321-20231004”. Taking a deep breath, I clicked on the video. The image was blurry at first but soon came into focus. The camera was aimed at a dimly lit room with workout clothes hanging on the wall and a yoga mat on the floor. A woman wearing black yoga pants had her back to the camera, doing stretching exercises. My heart rate suddenly increased. I knew that silhouette all too well – it was Lily. She seemed completely unaware of the camera’s presence and continued with various yoga poses. The camera angle was very low, as if filming from the ground up, providing a clear view of her lower body. Forcing myself to keep watching despite my discomfort, I saw the scene suddenly change. Lily walked towards the camera and crouched down, apparently adjusting something. At that moment, a hand suddenly reached out from off-screen and grabbed her ankle. Lily cried out in surprise and tried to break free, but the hand was strong and pulled her to the ground. The image began to shake violently. I could only vaguely see Lily struggling on the floor, while the owner of the hand never came into view. The video abruptly ended there. I stared at the blank screen, my mind completely blank. Lily had been secretly filmed, and the person behind it clearly had malicious intentions. I suddenly stood up, rushed out of the gym, and drove straight home. I had to get to the bottom of this. However, when I got home, Lily wasn’t there. Her phone was still on the coffee table. I picked it up and saw that the unknown number had sent another message: “Meet at the usual place tonight. Remember to wear those black yoga pants.” I gripped the phone tightly, a sense of foreboding washing over me. Tonight, I had to go to this “usual place” myself and see who was behind all this. I sat on the couch, clutching Lily’s phone. That text message felt like a thorn, piercing my heart. The content was simple, yet it sent a chill down my spine: “Meet at the usual place tonight. Remember to wear those black yoga pants.” The usual place? Where was that? The VIP area of XX Gym? Or somewhere else? I stared at the phone screen, my mind racing through Lily’s recent whereabouts. She went to the gym every Wednesday, but aside from that, she didn’t seem to have any other regular haunts. I opened her messaging app and scrolled through her recent chats. Besides her daily conversations with Victoria, a contact labeled “Coach” caught my attention. Their chat history was brief, mostly about scheduling training sessions, but the recent messages were strange. “Meet at the usual place tonight. Remember to wear those black yoga pants.” This was the latest message from him, identical to the text on Lily’s phone. I frowned and clicked on his profile picture. It showed a middle-aged man, around 40, with a muscular build, wearing a tight tank top with an XX Gym badge on his chest. His name was Jack, and he was Lily’s personal trainer. As I continued scrolling through their chat history, I noticed that starting a month ago, Jack had been frequently asking Lily to “add extra sessions,” always reminding her to wear those black yoga pants. Lily’s replies were mostly “Okay” or “Got it,” occasionally asking questions about the training. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. But the torn yoga pants and the video on the SD card made it impossible for me to believe in this facade of normalcy anymore. I decided to go to XX Gym myself and see what this Jack was up to. I drove to the gym and walked straight to the front desk. The receptionist smiled and asked how she could help. I showed her Lily’s membership card and said I wanted to find Coach Jack. “Coach Jack is in a session right now. You can wait in the lounge area if you’d like,” the receptionist pointed to the nearby sofa area. I nodded and sat down in the lounge, but my eyes were fixed on the training area. Not long after, I saw Jack walk out of a private training room, followed by a tall woman – it was Lily. She was wearing a tight sports top and black yoga pants, the same style as the torn ones. Her hair was tied in a high ponytail, and her face was flushed from exercise, looking energetic. Jack said a few words to her, then patted her shoulder before turning towards another private room. Lily headed towards the changing room, apparently getting ready to leave. I stood up and quickly followed her. The changing room door was slightly ajar. I stood outside, overhearing a conversation between Lily and Victoria. “Why are you so late today?” Victoria’s voice sounded displeased. “Coach Jack said we needed extra training, so I stayed a bit longer,” Lily’s tone sounded tired. “Extra training? Did he make you wear those yoga pants again?” Victoria’s voice suddenly rose. “Yeah, he said these pants help with the training,” Lily’s voice lowered, sounding a bit guilty. “Help with training? I think he has other intentions!” Victoria scoffed. “Do you know his reputation at the gym lately? I’ve heard he often gets handsy with female members.” “Don’t say that. Coach Jack is a good person. He’s just helping me correct my form,” Lily’s tone was urgent, as if defending herself. “Correcting your form? Then why does he always make you wear those yoga pants? Don’t you find that strange?” Victoria’s voice was tinged with sarcasm. “I…” Lily fell silent, seemingly at a loss for words. Standing outside, I felt a tightness in my chest. Victoria’s words further confirmed my suspicion that Jack’s “extra training” with Lily was definitely problematic. Just then, the changing room door suddenly opened, and Victoria walked out. She was startled to see me standing there. “What are you doing here?” Her tone was surprised, but she quickly regained her composure. “I’m here to pick up Lily,” I said calmly, my eyes fixed on her face. Victoria’s expression was peculiar. She glanced back at the changing room, then lowered her voice to tell me, “You’d better be careful. Jack isn’t a good guy.” I nodded without saying much. Victoria turned and left, and I walked into the changing room to find Lily sitting on a bench, changing her shoes. She looked up in surprise when I entered. “Why are you here?” Her tone was flustered, as if she hadn’t expected me to show up. “I’m here to pick you up,” I said, walking to her side, my eyes falling on her yoga pants. The crotch of these pants was intact, clearly not the pair I had found in the washing machine. Lily noticed my gaze and instinctively pulled at her waistband, as if trying to hide something. I crouched down, grasped her wrist, and asked in a low voice, “Have you been hiding something from me lately?” Her body tensed, and her eyes darted around. “No, why would you think that?” I stared into her eyes, trying to read her expression. Her gaze was evasive, as if she couldn’t look at me directly. I took a deep breath and decided to confront her directly. “I found a pair of torn yoga pants in the washing machine, with white stains on the crotch,” I said quietly, my voice tinged with suppressed anger. Lily’s face instantly turned pale. She yanked her hand away and stood up, trying to leave. I grabbed her and pulled her back onto the bench. “What are you hiding from me?” My voice trembled slightly, a sense of unease rising within me. Lily lowered her head, her hands tightly gripping the hem of her shirt, seemingly engaged in an intense internal struggle. After a long moment, she finally said in a low voice, “I… I don’t know how to tell you.” “Then start from the beginning,” I forced myself to calm down, sitting beside her and holding her hand. Lily was silent for a while before finally speaking: “A month ago, Coach Jack suddenly approached me, saying there were issues with my posture that needed extra training to correct. He asked me to come to the gym every Wednesday night, wearing those black yoga pants, saying it would help him see my movements more clearly.” “And then?” I pressed. “At first, he was really helping me correct my form, but later…” Lily’s voice trembled, “he started touching me inappropriately, claiming it was to help relax my muscles, but it made me very uncomfortable.” My heart sank. I squeezed her hand, encouraging her to continue. “I tried to refuse, but he threatened to post videos of my training sessions online if I didn’t cooperate,” Lily’s voice was on the verge of tears, “I… I didn’t know what to do, so I just went along with it.” I took a deep breath, trying to suppress the rage building inside me. That bastard Jack, using such despicable methods to threaten Lily. I clenched my fists, silently vowing to make him pay for this.

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Four months after marriage, my husband took in his pregnant and divorced distant cousin. He killed the dog my late mother left to keep me company and used it to nourish her body. He gave her our meticulously decorated newlywed room, which he had prepared for me, and made me sleep on the couch. When I got angry, he scolded me, saying he was just doing what a brother should do. But he didn’t know that I also had a childhood friend who was like a brother to me. When he heard I was wronged, he flew back from abroad specifically for me. Late at night, after returning from the hospital where I had been cleaning up after my mother-in-law, I discovered that my husband had killed the dog I had raised for nine years to nourish his pregnant cousin. I grabbed the bones I found in the trash and rushed into what used to be our wedding room. There, I saw my husband pressing his ear against Zoe’s belly, grinning like an idiot. “Mia, ‘Buddy’ was so smart,” Zoe taunted me. “He was barking non-stop when Jack was killing him, but he quieted down when he heard your voice recording. Haha, I’m sure it’ll be very nutritious for my baby. Jack just said the baby enjoyed it.” I clenched my fists, tears in my eyes, as I looked at Jack. The smile he had worn earlier while watching me call out for “Buddy” in the yard was still lingering on his face. “Alright, Mia. I’ll buy you another dog after Zoe gives birth. Now, go prepare a basin of warm water for Zoe to soak her feet,” Jack said dismissively. I stared at him in disbelief, as if I had never known him before. I had found Buddy seven years ago when I first got into college and brought him home. My mom had taken care of him for seven years. She said when she missed me, she would pet Buddy, and it was as if she was seeing me. Eight months ago, she passed away in a car accident, and Buddy became like my mom’s presence accompanying me. Just four months ago at our wedding, Jack had ignored the mocking voices of others and publicly offered a toast to “Buddy,” tearfully promising to take care of me for life. But now, just four months into our marriage, he easily killed Buddy for Zoe. Enraged, I threw the bones at Zoe’s belly. Jack reacted quickly, pushing me to the ground and shielding Zoe behind him. He scolded me angrily, “Enough, Mia Russell! Are you really treating this dog as your mother? Your mom is long dead, why are you throwing a fit here?” I glared at him coldly. Since the first day of our marriage, my mother-in-law had fallen ill and been hospitalized. I had been running back and forth between the hospital and home, while Jack focused all his attention on Zoe. Every time I returned home late at night, only Buddy was waiting for me at the dark alley entrance. I stood up angrily, glaring at Jack, and ran to the living room where we kept his father’s ashes. I grabbed a handful and sprinkled it over their heads, coldly saying to them, “Zoe, didn’t you want snow? Here, I’ll give you some.” I recalled the social media post Zoe had made earlier that day in the hospital room. Jack’s hand was holding hers, touching her belly, with the caption: “When we were young, you held an umbrella for me in the snow. Now there’s no snow, but you still shield me from the world’s hardships.” I continued sprinkling the ashes in a frenzy. Jack angrily grabbed my hand, shouting if I had gone mad. “Your dad died even earlier. Are you really treating this urn as your father?” I mimicked his tone. His face darkened as he yelled at me to get out. Zoe took the opportunity to cling to Jack, saying she was scared. I looked around the messy room. Just half a month ago, Jack had covered my eyes and proudly showed me the scene he had meticulously prepared for a week. The memory was still vivid. Now, our wedding photo on the wall had been replaced by Zoe’s shoes, and the “double happiness” decorations we had laughingly put up on the windowsill were quietly lying in the trash can. The blanket they were using was hand-sewn by my mother. Perhaps our relationship, like this wedding room, had already been in shambles since Zoe’s arrival. With a dead heart, I uttered the word “divorce” to Jack. He didn’t try to stop me but instead roared “Get out!”

Braving the cold wind, I returned to my mother’s old home. I curled up on her old bed, nestling in her lingering scent. I kept saying “I’m sorry” over and over, and then repeatedly murmuring how much I missed her. In my daze, the phone rang. I answered to hear William’s voice. He was the son of my mother’s friend, a childhood friend who grew up with me like a brother. He had gone abroad in his second year of high school. “Congratulations on your marriage, Mia. I sent some gifts…” he said softly. I held back my tears and forced myself to respond, then hung up, claiming I was tired. He had surgery just last month, and I didn’t want him to worry about me again. The next day when I woke up, my mother-in-law called. She said angrily that she knew everything now. She cursed Jack for being so cruel and begged me to come to the hospital to talk. I initially wanted to refuse harshly, but hearing her weak cough, my heart softened, and I rushed to the hospital. Throughout the long period I had been dating Jack, she had always been kind to me, saying many times that if Jack and I didn’t work out, she would adopt me as her goddaughter. When I arrived at the hospital room, I found Jack and Zoe already there, and my mother-in-law was happily touching Zoe’s belly. Seeing me, she quickly grabbed my hand. Before I could speak, she snatched the jade bracelet from my wrist and gave it to Zoe. “Zoe, this is our family heirloom. Keep it as a gift for the baby,” she said fawningly. Looking at her expression, I was stunned for a moment, bitterly smiling at what this “talk” she mentioned on the phone had turned out to be. “Mom, I’m your daughter-in-law,” I said with a heavy heart. But my mother-in-law angrily shouted at me. “How dare you! Don’t think I’ve accepted you just because you’ve taken care of me for a few days. Even a nurse can clean up shit and piss. A hen that can’t lay eggs has no right to crow!” It felt like a knife stabbing deep into my heart. I looked at Jack with a bitter smile, but he just held Zoe’s hand tightly and turned his head away. I ran out of the hospital room, with Jack following closely behind. He cornered me at the door and said softly, “Mia, to tell you the truth, the child in Zoe’s belly is mine. Mom’s illness is psychological; she’s always wanted a grandchild. I can’t be unfilial, can I? Zoe is already four months pregnant. You’re the only one in my heart. After the child is born and Mom’s psychological issues are resolved, we can raise the child together, okay?” I laughed bitterly and looked at him with contempt, asking if he had forgotten who had deprived me of the right to be a mother. During our years of dating before marriage, I had been pregnant eight or nine times, all of which Jack had forced me to abort with excuses like “I’m busy with my career” or “We’re not ready yet.” My mother-in-law had also told me to focus on taking care of Jack, comforting me that I could have children anytime. Now, it had become very difficult for me to get pregnant again. Jack had once comforted me, saying not to force myself and that we could always adopt. But now that it had come to this point, he was already discarding me. Jack tried to hug me with some guilt, but I dodged him. He reproached me, saying it was just a bracelet and that he could buy me ten more. I rushed to the hospital room door, took off my wedding ring, and threw it at them before turning to leave. “Where do you think you can go? Your dad is in jail, your mom is dead, and all your relatives think you’re bad luck. Who else can you rely on besides me?” Jack said indifferently. I gritted my teeth but had no words to refute. “She has me.” A figure emerged from the corridor nearby, grabbing my hand and looking at me with concern.

“I’m late, Mia. You’ve been wronged. Let’s go,” William said, holding me in his arms and taking me away. I looked at him in surprise, shocked to see him here. Suddenly, tears started flowing, and I sobbed in his embrace. Jack angrily asked who he was. He was about to step forward when his mother cried out that Zoe’s stomach was hurting, calling him back urgently. He left with a parting shot: “Mia Russell, go home now, or we’re getting divorced.” William and I sat in a coffee shop. I asked him why he suddenly came back to the country. He said with a heavy heart, “How could I not hear that you were crying?” I laughed awkwardly, bitterly recounting the heartaches of the past four months since my marriage. I tried to make it sound like a joke, but William’s furrowed brow showed only concern and pain for me. “This isn’t funny at all,” he said. He asked if I would be willing to go abroad with him. I politely declined, saying I hoped to reopen my mother’s beauty salon. He didn’t insist but said he wanted to help me. I murmured a thank you. After spending a night in my mother’s old home, I woke up to find my phone bombarded with messages from Jack. “Zoe’s pregnancy was affected by your scare the other day. Come back and take care of her!” “Mom still needs someone to look after her. Mia Russell, you’re really something, spending the night with that strange man. Now we’re even, okay?” “Where are my suit and tie? Don’t you know I have an important meeting today?” … All I could see were reproaches. Annoyed, I broke my SIM card and flushed it down the toilet. William arrived early at my mother’s beauty salon. As I looked at the familiar scenes, memories flooded back. This was my mother’s lifelong effort. But after my father went to jail, her health deteriorated, and she closed the shop soon after. William and I carefully wiped every corner. Looking at a faded lipstick mark in the corner, I fell into deep thought. It was during a college break when Jack had traveled 1000 kilometers to secretly find me at the shop and was discovered by my mom. He pretended to be a customer, and I was doing his makeup. He tilted his head back, smiling at me, saying I was beautiful. He suddenly tried to kiss me, but I dodged, causing him to stumble and hit the wall, leaving that mark. At the time, we stared at the lip print and laughed for a long time. He smiled and said that when we were 80 years old, we would bring our grandchildren to see this trace of our love. I sniffled and wiped it clean with a cloth, severing ties with my past completely. Halfway through cleaning, Jack inopportunely walked in. He looked at me with displeasure and shouted, “Mia Russell, are you serious? Leaving all the housework undone to come and fix up this rundown shop? Come home with me now.” He reached out to grab my hand, but William stepped in front of me protectively. “Who are you? This is our family matter,” Jack said angrily. William smirked and made a phone call, then looked at Jack with disdain, saying he would know who he was soon enough. Confused, Jack’s phone rang. After answering, he looked at William with surprise, then hurriedly left, but not before throwing one last comment: “Mia Russell, you’ve gone too far. We’re getting divorced tomorrow.” William explained to me that he had just notified his company to cut off business with Jack’s company. I was surprised that he had business dealings with Jack’s company. “It’s because of you. And every time I sent gifts to Jack’s company under the guise of ‘Mrs. Gordon,’ they were actually specially chosen for you,” he said, looking at me without hesitation. I turned my head away, feeling unworthy. Even a blind person could see how good William had been to me since childhood, but I had always only seen him as a brother. Now that I had gone through a failed marriage, I naturally felt even more undeserving of him. Suddenly, he clutched his chest, his face pale. He had had heart surgery a few days ago. Frightened, I immediately took a taxi to take him to the hospital. After registering, while waiting in the corridor, I saw a pregnant woman being rushed to the emergency room on a stretcher. Looking closer, I saw Jack following behind with an anxious face. The doctor said William needed to rest in the coming days. After he thanked the doctor and prepared to leave, I curiously pulled him to the emergency room door. As we arrived, we saw Jack yelling at the doctor. “You tell me she miscarried, but why is the baby Asian? Why is my child Asian?!”

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Rumors were swirling through high society that the Song family’s eldest daughter had gone mad. The once proud rose had now become Aiden Foster’s lapdog. With just one phone call from him, I would rush to his side, even if it meant delivering condoms for him and another woman. I would sprint there, even if I got into a car accident on the way and ended up bloodied and bruised. I would still make it to his side as quickly as possible. All just to make him remember me. The last thing he said to me was: “Disgusting.” In the end, I couldn’t wait for Aiden Foster to remember me. I sat on the window sill, staring blankly outside, clutching the diagnosis paper tightly in my hand. Suddenly, my phone rang, breaking the silence in the room. Seeing “Aiden” flashing on the screen, tears welled up in my eyes. I gripped the phone tightly as I answered, my fingertips turning white from the pressure, as if holding on tighter could grasp that fleeting, intangible hope. “Bring a box of condoms to room 1908 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel.” Aiden’s voice came through the phone, his tone icy cold, devoid of any warmth. A stabbing pain gnawed at my stomach, and my hand holding the phone trembled uncontrollably. “Okay,” I responded with a bitter smile. Maybe this time he would remember me? I forced myself to ignore the churning in my stomach and dragged my heavy legs out the door, stumbling as I went. Each step I took required all the strength I had left. And with each step, my heart was torn into even smaller pieces. As I crossed the street, my vision blurred from the pain in my stomach. The noise from the surrounding traffic became muffled until a sharp, piercing screech of brakes suddenly rang out. Then, a tremendous force knocked me to the ground. Everything went black in an instant. Warm blood trickled down my cheeks, and I was terrified. A year ago, Aiden had also been knocked unconscious by a car, and when he woke up, he had forgotten me. No, I can’t forget Aiden! I trembled as I pushed myself up from the ground, struggling to stand. I wiped the blood from my face with a shaky hand. Everything was a blur of red, and I could barely make out the outline of a car nearby. Stumbling on unsteady feet, like a soulless puppet, I hailed a cab and weakly gave the hotel address. At that moment, my heart was numb, left only with deep pain and that ridiculous obsession. When I appeared at the door of the hotel room Aiden had mentioned, looking utterly disheveled, the door was ajar, and I could hear a woman’s coy laughter from inside. I took a deep breath, steadying my swaying form, and pushed the door open with trembling hands. I didn’t have the courage to walk in, so I just stood in the entryway and called out weakly, “Aiden…” Aiden got up from the woman, and when he saw me, his brows furrowed into a knot, his eyes filled with undisguised disgust. “What took you so long?” He carelessly tossed a red bill at me like he was throwing away trash, impatiently urging, “Stand outside, don’t dirty the place!” At that moment, my heart was shattered by Aiden’s cruel words. I stepped back with tears in my eyes, standing outside the door. My voice trembled, carrying a hint of pathetic hope as I asked, “Aiden, do you… really not remember who I am?” “Well, if it isn’t Scarlett Song, the top socialite!” The woman in the room came out wearing a sexy, fiery red dress. She looked at me with contempt and said, “Why have you made yourself look like this? It’s quite frightening!” She then pretended to be scared and threw herself into Aiden’s arms. This woman wasn’t the same one who had been with Aiden last time, but they shared one thing in common – she was also wearing my favorite red dress. It seemed Aiden had changed women again, but she was just another shadow of me. “Aiden, you’re with her, but you must still love me, right?” Why else would every new girlfriend be a reflection of me? Aiden frowned impatiently, as if shooing away an annoying fly. “Leave quickly, you’re an eyesore.” He then wrapped his arm around the woman’s waist and walked back inside, lowering his head to kiss her ear. “Baby, let’s get down to business.” He spoke loudly enough for me to hear. I knew he was saying it for my benefit. Even though he humiliated me like this, I still clung to a sliver of hope, thinking that next time, maybe next time he would remember me.

I had just hung up the phone with the doctor when I received a SnapChat from Aiden: “I’m having a party at my place today. Come over now.” Looking at Aiden’s tone, it wasn’t as cold as before. Could it be that Aiden had regained his memory? I carefully dressed up to hide the weakness showing on my face, not wanting Aiden to worry about my illness. I put on the red dress I loved to wear when I was younger. Aiden used to say red suited me best. When I arrived at Aiden’s house, he was laughing and playing with a group of friends in the garden. They were holding wine glasses, their laughter and chatter filling the air. “Aiden, do you remember me now?” My arrival brought their laughter to an abrupt halt. Aiden walked towards me, backlit and holding a hoe. “We’re having a party tonight, and there are too many weeds in the garden. Clean them up.” “What…” I staggered back a step, unable to believe what I was hearing. “Oh my, Miss Song dressed up so nicely to do some yard work?” A slender figure in a fiery red dress walked over, linking her arm with Aiden’s. He had changed women again. “What are you standing there for? Do I need to teach you how to pull weeds?” Aiden handed me the hoe, his tone harsh and brooking no argument. I looked at Aiden’s face. This man used to not even let me throw away trash when we went shopping. In an instant, my eyes filled with tears. I swallowed my humiliation, took the hoe, and bent down to start weeding. The sun blazed overhead, and soon sweat had soaked through my hair and dress. I clumsily swung the hoe up and down, the pain in my lower abdomen growing more intense. Aiden stood nearby, drinking and chatting with his friends. Occasionally, I could hear their deliberately raised voices mocking me. “I heard that the Song family’s eldest daughter has gone mad, like she’s obsessed. The once proud rose has now become Foster’s doormat.” “Yeah! The high and mighty socialite, with just one word from Foster, is obediently doing the work of a servant.” … I looked towards Aiden. He just held that woman, saying nothing. Backlit as he was, I couldn’t make out his expression. Did he think the same way? After finally finishing the weeding, I took a shower in Aiden’s guest bathroom. As I was debating whether to put on my sweat-soaked dress again, Aiden knocked on the bathroom door. “Wear this. I had someone throw away that other outfit.” I took the light-colored dress Aiden handed me, unsure of what he was thinking. “Hurry up and change. I have something else for you to do.” My heart swelled with hope once again.

“Aiden, what did you want me for?” “Scarlett Song, come here and pick out a suitable pair of dance shoes for my date.” I froze in place, the smile on my face instantly stiffening as my gaze fell on the broken heel of the woman in Aiden’s arms. I looked at Aiden in shock. “Aiden…” Aiden didn’t look at me. The woman gave me a challenging look. “Then please hurry, Miss Song. After all, I need to dance with Mr. Foster tonight.” I went back to the changing room. All the women’s shoes there were size 7, my shoe size. If Aiden had completely forgotten me, why would the changing room in his house be full of clothes and shoes that fit me perfectly? Aiden must still remember me! He’s only treating me like this because he lost his memory. I took a pair of high heels that matched her dress and brought them over. “Help her put them on.” Aiden held the woman tightly in his arms. He lifted her chin and kissed her right in front of me. The impact of this scene was like a bolt from the blue, shattering all the beautiful fantasies in my heart. I felt like an outsider, only able to watch helplessly as my boyfriend and another woman… But I still had a glimmer of hope in my heart. Maybe he was just acting on impulse. If he could look at me now, if he could notice the hurt in my eyes, if he could see my feelings for him, wouldn’t he stop being so cruel to me? But reality is cruel. He and that woman were inseparable, not sparing me a single glance. I walked up to them, crouched down, and lowered my head. Tears welled up in my eyes, dropping onto the surface of the high heels. I put the shoes on Aiden’s date. Aiden’s date, her face flushed and lipstick slightly smeared, nestled in Aiden’s arms and giggled, “Mr. Foster, Miss Song is so obedient!” Hearing the whispers and mocking laughter of the people around, I felt my dignity completely trampled underfoot. Along with this, waves of pain from my stomach swept through my entire body. The party was about to start. I didn’t want to stay and watch Aiden be intimate with someone else, so I found him and said, “Aiden, I’m not feeling well, so I’ll head home now. Have a good time.” “Wait a moment.” Aiden stopped me and walked towards his study. I stood there, confused, waiting for him. Aiden’s date looked at me with contempt in her eyes. “You should have some self-respect. Mr. Foster doesn’t like you anymore. What’s the point of clinging to him?” I gave her a cold look. “My relationship with Aiden is not something a passing fling like you can comment on.” Aiden came back with a somewhat worn book and handed it to me. “Take this book. Don’t take up my space anymore!” It was the sequel to “Blooming Dreams” called “Shores of Passion.” This novel was a rare edition, with only a few copies left in the world. It was something I had always wanted. I hugged the book to my chest and looked at Aiden gratefully. “Aiden, so you still remember…” I was about to say that he still remembered I liked this book, but Aiden’s date interrupted, “Mr. Foster, Miss Song insulted me while you were gone…” Aiden furrowed his brows and looked at his date with concern. “Scarlett Song, if you’re leaving, then hurry up. Stop being a nuisance!” Seeing Aiden like this, I turned and left, dejected. I kept comforting myself in my heart, maybe next time, next time he would remember me, remember all those beautiful memories we once shared. But I didn’t know how much longer I could keep up this self-deception.

Aiden invited me to his birthday party. When I saw the location, my heart skipped a beat. It was the villa he had originally planned to use as our marital home. As I stepped into the hall, the smell of alcohol and perfume hit me. The moment I appeared, Aiden’s gaze swept over to me, his eyes filled with mockery and coldness. “Scarlett, come here.” Aiden beckoned to me and patted the empty seat beside him, indicating for me to sit there. This time, there didn’t seem to be any other woman by his side. A glimmer of hope that should have been extinguished rose in my heart again. He was holding his birthday party in this villa and hadn’t brought another woman. Could it be that he remembered me? Aiden continued chatting with his friends. One of his friends jokingly said, “Foster, look at how devoted Scarlett Song is to you. Are you sure you really don’t remember anything from before?” My heart suddenly tightened. I instinctively perked up my ears, my gaze fixed on Aiden, full of expectation, hoping to hear the answer I wanted. Aiden picked up his wine glass, took a sip, and smirked, “Scarlett Song? She’s just a plaything when I’m bored! You guys really think I’d remember her?” “A year ago when I had that car accident, I forgot nothing except her. That shows she wasn’t important to me at all. Forgotten is forgotten, there’s nothing worth remembering!” These words hit my heart hard, instantly shattering that tiny, humble hope in my heart. I stared at Aiden in disbelief, as if I had never known the person before me. “But she’s done so much for you. Isn’t treating her like this a bit too much?” Another friend seemed to speak up, unable to bear it. Aiden shrugged indifferently. “It’s her choice, I didn’t force her. Every time I say something, she jumps to do it. Isn’t that perfect for keeping me entertained?” These words falling on my ears made me hurt so much I could barely breathe. So in his heart, all my efforts to win him back were just a joke. Those moments when I thought he might remember me were nothing but my own self-deception! The pain in my stomach intensified. However, Aiden seemed to think it wasn’t enough. He looked at me, his eyes flashing with malice. “But you know, if you want to be with me, there is a way.” “As the top socialite, you are indeed prettier than the other women I’ve dated, and you have a better figure too.” “If you willingly climb into my bed tonight and satisfy me, even if I can’t remember the past, I might consider officially being with you.” Aiden’s words were like a bucket of ice water poured over my head. The people around first froze, then burst into jeers and laughter. I looked at Aiden’s face, the one I used to be infatuated with, my heart filled with anger and despair. I felt the world spinning around me. The pain from my illness and the pain in my heart intertwined, almost overwhelming me. At that moment, I finally woke up completely. In this twisted relationship, I was nothing but a pitiful creature he could toy with at will. For that elusive hope of “he will remember me,” I had repeatedly put aside my dignity, enduring his humiliation. But he wasn’t my Aiden anymore. I slowly raised my head, straightening my back. Although I couldn’t control the physical pain, I didn’t want to be so weak and humble anymore. I stood up, looking down at Aiden, and said word by word: “Aiden Foster, I don’t need you to remember me anymore. My Aiden died in that car accident a year ago. This is the end between us!” Hearing my words, Aiden was stunned for a moment, his eyes flashing with a hint of panic that was barely noticeable. But soon, he regained his composure, the corner of his mouth curling into a disdainful smile. I didn’t look at him again, turning to leave. Aiden shouted behind me, “You’ll come back begging me. I know women like you too well. This playing hard to get trick, I’ve seen it all before. In a few days, you’ll be crying and begging for my forgiveness.” I didn’t turn back, just paused for a moment before continuing to walk forward resolutely.

After leaving Aiden, painting and taking walks became the main themes of my life. On this day, the sunshine was perfect. I sat by the floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the silk tree outside. The dappled sunlight under the tree reminded me of how Aiden used to stand there on such afternoons, watching me. My time was running out, and I wanted to use my brush to record the beauty I had completely lost. Just as I was about to paint Aiden standing under the tree, a sudden, intense pain struck me. The brush in my hand fell to the ground with a “thud.” I curled up in the chair, my hands tightly clutching my stomach, my body shaking uncontrollably. While I was struggling against illness and fate, Aiden kept barging into my life from time to time. As I was taking a walk in the park, a familiar figure suddenly appeared in my line of sight. It was Aiden. He stood under a tree not far away, hands in his pockets, looking arrogant. My heart sank, and I instinctively stopped. I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm, pretending I hadn’t seen him, and walked around him to continue forward. Seeing that I had no reaction, Aiden strode over in a few steps, blocking my path. “Scarlett Song, you really think you’re something special! You even blocked my number and SnapChat!” He raised his chin, his tone carrying his usual arrogance, but with a hint of unnaturalness. I looked up at him coldly. “Aiden Foster, what do you want now?” Aiden’s lips curled slightly, revealing a faint, cold smile. “I’m just curious to see how you’re doing without me!” “How I live is none of your business. Please move aside!” I tried to walk around Aiden. But Aiden moved to block me again. “Don’t be in such a hurry to leave! Looking at your sickly appearance now, you must be hoping every day that I’ll have a change of heart, right?” I laughed coldly. “Aiden Foster, you’re really too full of yourself! I will never forgive you for how you humiliated me!” Aiden’s eyes flickered for a moment, but he still said firmly, “Humiliation? Didn’t you willingly accept it for so long? In the end, isn’t it just that you can’t let go of me? Now I’ve lowered myself to come find you, and you’re still putting on airs!” I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. “I once thought you were my Aiden and endured your humiliation, but now, I won’t be so foolish again!” Aiden snorted disdainfully. “There’s a limit to playing hard to get. You’d better apologize to me before my patience runs out!” I looked at him, feeling nothing but disgust. “Aiden Foster, even if I die, I won’t go back to you to be humiliated again!” With that, I used all my strength to push him away and walked forward without looking back. Aiden stood there, staring at my retreating figure for a long time. Then he regained his arrogant demeanor, snorted coldly, and turned to leave.

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The Pregnant Mistress Who Came to Claim Her Place I didn’t have the courage to tell her to get lost. Because I couldn’t get pregnant. My husband James said that in ancient times, men had multiple wives and concubines. What was wrong with him having two women? One to bear his children, one to be his public face. I flatly refused to accept this, and my whole family called me a fool. On the day we were to sign the divorce papers, someone finally dropped their act. My husband’s uncle Lucas, rumored to be uninterested in women, pinned me against the wall and kissed me forcefully. He said, “I’ve been going crazy wanting you.” In the living room, James sat on the couch opposite me, his arm around his mistress. Yasmin stroked her round 5-month pregnant belly, smirking at me challengingly. James calmly said, “In ancient times, a family of our status would have had multiple wives and concubines. Having two women now isn’t that many.” The person before me felt increasingly like a stranger. When he pursued me initially, it was the talk of the whole city. He was so passionate and zealous, holding nothing back. At our wedding, he even vowed to love only me for life. Now, he was embracing another woman right in front of me, humiliating me. With reddened eyes, I asked, “James, have you forgotten everything you said?” James sneered, “It’s all because you couldn’t get pregnant. For three years, everyone’s been whispering behind my back that I have no heir. It’s been so embarrassing.” I lifted my chin, trying hard not to let the tears fall. “So you cheated and found another woman.” “Coco, I just want a child. If you can’t be a mother, are you going to deny me the right to be a father too?” With a broken heart, I slowly stood up. He was still trying to justify himself! Before the tears could fall, I quickly turned and left that heartbreaking scene. As I rounded the corner, I unexpectedly collided with someone. Looking up, I saw it was James’ uncle – Lucas Fu. He was known for being cold, especially towards women. Rumors said he had no interest in women and at 33 still refused the family’s attempts to arrange a marriage for him. I hurriedly stepped back, escaping from his embrace. “Uncle Lucas, I’m… I’m sorry.” Lucas looked down at me and said slowly, “Running away won’t solve anything. Be a good girl and stay in the Fu family.” His soft, coaxing tone made me uncomfortable. In the end, I took his advice. I couldn’t believe James would abandon me and destroy all our beautiful memories and vows. At dinner, there was no spicy Sichuan food on the table, only light Cantonese dishes. I grew up in Sichuan and was used to spicy food. I really couldn’t stomach these bland dishes. James was peeling shrimp for Yasmin, eating happily. I had never experienced such treatment from him. Yasmin glanced at me slyly as she ate her fried egg, deliberately asking, “James, what happens to a hen that can’t lay eggs?” James casually replied, “It gets made into soup.” My mother-in-law sitting at the head of the table remained silent the whole time. She didn’t stop the mistress’s deliberate provocation, showing how disappointed and annoyed she was with me. I immediately lost my appetite and left the table. The maid quickly brought Chinese herbal medicine. But this time, it wasn’t just one bowl, but three. The extremely bitter soup went down my throat, making my stomach churn. I couldn’t stop gagging, but I had to drink it. Thinking of James’ actions today, I finally couldn’t control my emotions. Tears dripped into the medicine, mixing together to become even more bitter. That evening, I checked the calendar and saw it was my ovulation period. I wanted to make one last attempt. I put on light makeup, wore a black slip dress, and sprayed James’ favorite perfume. James came back to the bedroom where I was already waiting on the bed. I slowly wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my lips to his. As our lips moved together, James quickly became aroused. Just then, James’ phone rang with the special ringtone he had set for his mistress. I didn’t want to give up, pleading softly, “Don’t answer it. She’s just doing it on purpose. Don’t go.” James’ expression instantly hardened. “You’re jealous of a pregnant woman? How petty.” With teary eyes, I held him back. “Fine, I’m petty. If you go out tonight, don’t think about coming back to my room or asking for sex.” I thought this would stop James from going to see her. But James roughly pushed me away, glaring as he said, “Stop being unreasonable. I can sleep with you whenever I want. I don’t need your permission.” He quickly disappeared. Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. Now I felt like a woman shamelessly flaunting herself to compete for favor. How degrading – I had lost all dignity and self-respect. I went to the kitchen and threw all the Chinese medicine from the fridge into the trash. Wiping away my tears, I headed straight for the wine cellar. Nothing could heal the wound in my heart better than getting drunk. As soon as I entered the wine cellar, I felt an intense gaze on me. I felt awkward, annoyed at losing composure in front of Lucas. I was barefoot, wearing a black nightgown with my hair loose – not at all proper. I wanted to retreat, but remembering the scene upstairs, I steeled myself and walked in. I silently chose a red wine, took a glass, and started drinking on my own. Lucas held out his hand to stop me: “You shouldn’t drink so much.” I smiled bitterly and shook my head. “Uncle Lucas, don’t stop me. Let me drink myself to death.” After that, Lucas no longer tried to stop me.

I drank glass after glass, quickly emptying two bottles of red wine. Under the influence of alcohol, my body felt light and floaty, happy and relaxed. It was late at night when I stumbled, preparing to return to my bedroom. But my legs were weak, and I accidentally fell forward. Lucas quickly wrapped an arm around my waist. I tried to struggle, but he picked me up in his arms. The alcohol left me powerless. Leaning against his chest, I pleaded helplessly, “Uncle Lucas, put me down. This isn’t appropriate.” Lucas ignored my protests and carried me back to my room. In the darkness, something soft and warm wiped away my tears. My exhausted body sank into the soft bedding until late the next evening. Yasmin stood by my bed, looking smug. “Coco Lee, the Fu family is wealthy and influential. A mother gains status through her son. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll voluntarily ask for a divorce and leave James on good terms.” I got up from the bed, ignoring her provocation, and went straight to the bathroom to wash up. Yasmin leaned against the doorframe, tilting her head as she said viciously, “You can’t beat me. Even while pregnant, I can keep him perfectly satisfied. That’s why he didn’t come back to your room all night.” I spit out my mouthwash forcefully. I turned to stare her down. “If you shamelessly refuse to leave, I’ll make you sorry.” Just then, we heard James’ voice. Yasmin immediately switched to acting like a victim. She slapped herself hard across the face, leaving a red mark. Then she collapsed to the floor, crying and making a scene. James came running over and saw this tableau. He approached step by step, angrily demanding of me: “Did you do this?” My eyes reddened. “You believe her?” “James, she hit me and pushed me down. She was trying to kill our baby,” Yasmin wailed. The next second, James raised his arm and slapped me hard across the face. Caught off guard, I was knocked to the ground by the force. My forehead slammed into the sink, splitting open. Blood immediately started flowing. James yelled, “Coco Lee, get out!” Night fell, bringing with it a heavy rainstorm. I took off my wedding ring and left the Fu mansion without taking anything else. The downpour instantly soaked me to the bone. The icy raindrops were bitterly cold, making my body shiver uncontrollably. Blood from my forehead mixed with the rain, blurring my vision of the road ahead. In the darkness, a black car pulled up beside me. Lucas opened the door. I firmly rejected his kindness. At this point, I was utterly disheartened and no longer wanted any warmth or care. The bone-chilling cold seeping into my skin and marrow was perfect for filling the emptiness in my heart. It took a full two hours to walk from the Fu mansion to my parents’ home. My body was extremely weak as I shakily took out my key and opened the door. I had hoped for some hot soup, but the man and woman on the balcony made me lose my appetite. “Why are you back in the middle of the night?” The woman speaking was my own mother. The man holding her was our next-door neighbor. The man smiled, his teeth yellow. “Coco, can whatever it is wait until morning? Uncle can give you money for a hotel room.” No hot soup, no concern, just an affair and cheating. I turned and left immediately, not wanting to stay a second longer. Standing in the pouring rain, I felt lost and didn’t know where to go. Soon, I heard Lucas’ voice through the rain. Just like before, he ignored my protests and picked me up securely, placing me in his car. In the backseat, Lucas handed me a set of cotton pajamas. Feeling dejected, I didn’t react. The next second, Lucas actually started undressing me himself, tearing off my wet clothes. My body was completely exposed in front of this man. I immediately slapped him hard. “Lucas, what are you doing?!” Even after being slapped, Lucas didn’t stop. He stripped off all my clothes and put the soft pajamas on me. I curled up in the corner, unable to stop crying. My mind was in a haze, feeling both ashamed and miserable. The car drove through the thunderstorm, soon arriving at our destination. The underground parking garage of a hospital. Lucas carried me all the way into the operating room. The doctor and nurses were already prepared. The wound on my forehead was stitched up. Due to the rainstorm, my body was feverish and I needed to be hospitalized for an IV drip. Lucas silently stayed by my side. I turned away, not wanting to look at him. As the medicine slowly entered my body, I felt a warm sensation flowing out below. I quietly lifted the blanket to look. It was a pool of fresh blood. Counting the days, it wasn’t my period. What could it be? Soon, my lower abdomen started cramping terribly. I broke out in a cold sweat and grabbed Lucas’ arm. “Quick, call the doctor for me.” Thunder and lightning split the sky. The hospital room was soon crowded with people. My mother-in-law was the first to reproach me: “Coco, how could you be so careless? Getting pregnant and then running around outside.” I looked over at James. He slowly raised his head and said, “When I told you to get out, you actually left? That was just something I said in anger. Besides, we have cars at home. How did you end up caught in the rain and getting a fever, causing the miscarriage?” I asked, “James, Yasmin is already carrying your child. What does my baby have to do with you?” James angrily retorted, “Her child can only be considered illegitimate. Our child would have been the proper young master of the Fu family. It’s all your fault for making me angry.” I slowly sat up, calmly refuting him: “You’re blaming everything on me, but what about yourself? Cheating, bringing your mistress home, provoking and insulting me, hitting me – which of those actions makes you a real man?!” Seeing the situation, my mother-in-law interjected: “Although my son made mistakes, now my precious grandchild is gone and you bear responsibility, Coco Lee. Don’t be ungrateful!” I looked at the mother and son, my eyes blazing red as I enunciated each word: “I want a divorce!” James’ face turned completely cold. “You don’t have the right to divorce. You’re not qualified. Coco Lee, you’re mine in life and in death.” I couldn’t control my whole body shaking. My heart was utterly desperate. “Even as a ghost, I wouldn’t want to be your wife. You’re worse than a dog.” James was furious. He said through gritted teeth: “Coco Lee! Say that again!” I was determined to get a divorce. Only by thoroughly angering him would James possibly sign the divorce papers. So I was willing to endure this beating. I repeated, “James Fu, you’re lower than an animal.” James was so angry he wanted to hit me. He raised his fist, but the doctors and nurses quickly rushed over to restrain him, preventing the blow from landing. Soon after, the Fu family’s lawyer brought the divorce agreement to the hospital. The moment I signed the divorce papers, years of grievances and pain finally came to an end. Unfortunately, after trying for three years, I had finally gotten pregnant, only to lose the baby in the end. Not long after, Lucas walked in. Remembering what had happened in the backseat of the car earlier, I felt somewhat awkward. “Un-Uncle Lucas, you… you’re here.” Lucas said nothing. He strode over, one arm wrapping around my waist, the other hand pressing against the back of my head as he kissed me fiercely. My cry of surprise was muffled by his lips. My whole body froze. I doubted this was reality and thought it must be a dream. Lucas kissed me domineeringly. I immediately struggled, but he held me tightly in his arms. Lucas kissed me wildly without restraint. Only when I was breathless and my body went limp did he finally release me. I hit his chest with reddened eyes. Lucas kissed my forehead. “I’ve been going crazy wanting you.” Things had developed completely beyond my expectations. Lucas actually had such wild ambitions. I angrily tried to push him away, but to little effect. After the kiss, Lucas left and wasn’t seen for many days. A month later, I recovered and was discharged from the hospital. Since I had left my marriage empty-handed, I didn’t have much savings and urgently needed to support myself. Fortunately, my three-year marriage to James wasn’t too long, so I wasn’t completely out of touch with society. I soon interviewed for a job at a company my best friend recommended. Just when I thought I could put the past behind me and start over, Lucas conspired with my best friend to set a trap for me. The new job turned out to be as Lucas’ assistant. The contract was for five years, with a huge penalty for breaking it. Left with no choice, I reluctantly accepted this difficult-to-describe job. On my first day as his assistant, Lucas wanted me to accompany him to a cocktail party. Going from James’ wife to Lucas’ female companion was a sudden change in relationship that I found hard to adjust to. Lucas whispered teasingly in my ear, “Stand tall and proud. Let them see what it means to be one in a million.” After dealing with wave after wave of people, I went from feeling awkward to feeling numb. During a break, the phone in my clutch started ringing. It was James calling. James angrily said through the phone: “Coco Lee, how did you end up with Uncle Lucas? I saw photos of you two embracing. You’re really desperate, aren’t you? He’s my uncle!” I could only answer: “I’m his secretary, working as his companion for the night.” James’ voice was terrifyingly fierce. “You can’t be his companion, not even his secretary! Just wait, I’m coming right now…” The party ended, but I didn’t see James anywhere. Had he just been talking big? Lucas embraced me as we left. James started shouting and making a scene. It turned out he had been blocked by security downstairs the whole time.

James stormed over angrily, demanding: “Uncle, what’s the meaning of having my ex-wife be your secretary and companion?” Lucas leisurely lit a cigarette, took a drag, and said, “Coco needed a job. I wasn’t comfortable with her working elsewhere.” James immediately became furious, pointing as he said: “Lucas Fu, you’ve got your eye on my ex-wife, don’t you?” “Yes, I do. What of it?” Lucas’ frankness made me gasp. He was clearly pouring oil on the fire. “You shameless, depraved beast…” Lucas calmly smoked as he waited for James to tire himself out cursing. Then he opened the car door, gesturing for me to get in. James hurriedly tried to stop me: “Coco, we’ve both been manipulated by Lucas. He’s the one who broke up our marriage. Don’t fall for his tricks…” Faced with his endless chatter, I looked away. The car window quickly rolled up, completely shutting him out. As the car drove at a steady speed, Lucas said unhurriedly: “News of us will surely spread like wildfire tomorrow. Are you afraid?” I coughed dryly in response, “An upright person fears no false accusations.” Lucas suddenly leaned in close, his lips near my ear as he softly said, “But our relationship already became improper the night of your divorce.” Lucas drove me home. I didn’t invite him in – that shameless woman was still there. I opened the door to find James in the living room. The room was filled with expensive gifts. James came over and wrapped his arm around my waist, acting completely natural as he said: “Mom knows we had a fight and you were upset, so you moved back home. I’ve sincerely come to take you home.” May must have taken bribes from him. She immediately said, “Sweetie, couples fighting is normal. Be a good girl and go back with him.” I silently went to my room. James eagerly followed me in. As soon as the door closed, James pushed me onto the bed, kissing me sloppily while trying to take off my clothes. I pushed him away with all my strength, panting as I said: “If you dare do this again, I’ll report you for rape!” Just then, May’s voice came from outside the door: “Don’t be difficult. Go along with what your husband wants.” Go along with James? He cheated whenever he wanted, hit me whenever he wanted. Now he wanted to force himself on me, and I was supposed to just lie back and let him have his way? Feeling rebellious, I bit down hard on James’ shoulder. He let out a pained cry. I quickly got off the bed and sent a text to Lucas. Opening the door, I calmly said to May: “I’m already divorced. He hit me.” May immediately started cursing: “Ungrateful wretch! Where will you find another man like him? You actually divorced? Besides, it’s perfectly normal for a man to hit his woman. It’s not like he beat you to death.” James chimed in from the side, “Mom, she’s been seducing other men.” May pointed at me accusingly: “You didn’t behave properly as a wife and broke up the family on purpose, just to anger me, didn’t you?” I asked, “Who’s the one not behaving properly, bringing men back home to fool around?” May hadn’t expected that I, who had always been obedient, would talk back and defy her. She immediately started crying and making a scene. I had endured this kind of moral coercion for years. When I signed those divorce papers, I said goodbye to the past. No one could threaten or pressure me anymore. Just then, there was a knock at the door. Lucas stood in the doorway. I took the initiative to wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him passionately. Perhaps infected by my enthusiasm, Lucas held me tightly, kissing me back fervently, lost in the moment. May let out a shocked cry and fainted.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296169”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring #魔幻Magic #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn #惊悚Thriller

The billionaire heir announced he would marry two women—essentially uniting two families under one roof. The news rocked high society like an earthquake. The wealthy Scott family had two sons, but tragedy struck when the eldest and their father both died in a plane crash. Mrs. Scott, devastated and desperate, demanded her younger son, Charles Scott, take two wives to preserve the family legacy. Only one wife could legally register the marriage, however, and Charles already had a woman he loved deeply. No one wanted their daughter to be the one without official status. Except me. I happily moved into the lavish mansion without hesitation. “I might have married you, but my heart belongs to Olivia,” Charles said coldly. I nodded seriously, lying unsaddened on the mansion’s eight-hundred-metre king-size bed. After all, I wasn’t here to break them apart—I was here to join the family. “Girls these days will do anything for money.” “No kidding. They say he’s marrying two wives, but only one gets the legal title. The other one? Just some shameless mistress without a name.” “Crazy, right? And to think she’s from a wealthy family herself—how embarrassing.” I sat on the edge of the bed, listening to the maids gossip outside. It was almost midnight when Charles stumbled drunkenly into the room. He sat at the edge of the bed, staring at me with a deep hatred in his eyes. “I might’ve married you, but you know perfectly well that my heart belongs to Olivia. You’ll never compare to her.” “We might’ve had a wedding, but I’m not getting a marriage certificate with you. Legally, Olivia will be my wife—no one else.” His words were blunt, and his glare was sharp, as if he was waiting for me to crack. I nodded with a calm smile, unfazed. The Scott family, one of the richest in the fictional country of Westmont, had two sons. The eldest, Michael, was the perfect heir—gracious, intelligent, and well-loved. He was groomed to take over the family empire, but a tragic accident during a business trip with Mr. Scott shattered those plans. Charles, the younger son, was left to inherit the family fortune. But Charles was different—he had a fiery romance with Olivia, a woman from a modest background. Their love story was no secret in the elite circles. The couple faced criticism for their relationship but vowed to defy societal expectations and stay together—a testament to their “pure and undying love.” But this love was precisely what Mrs. Scott opposed. When she decided Charles should marry two women to continue the Scott legacy, she made it clear she didn’t approve of Olivia. Still, Charles and Olivia’s passionate love story continued to make waves. In elite families, it wasn’t uncommon for men to have affairs, but they were expected to keep their wives happy and maintain appearances. Charles, however, was different. His “second wife” would receive neither love nor respect—an unenviable position. No respectable family would willingly send their daughter into such a situation. Except me. “If I don’t agree to the two-wife arrangement and marry you, my mother won’t let me register my marriage with Olivia. She’s the reason you’re here, so don’t provoke her. Stay out of her way,” Charles said coldly, his eyes filled with disdain. I scratched my cheek and smiled. “Relax. I’m not here to ruin your relationship—I’m here to join the family.” As I unzipped the back of my wedding dress, his expression darkened. “Are you seriously suggesting…?” he asked in disbelief. I chuckled, calmly slipping off the dress. “You’re marrying two women to carry on the family name, right? You have your job, and I have mine. Let’s get this over with—it’s better for everyone.” He frowned, his eyes filled with contempt and disgust. “Fiona Monroe, you’ll do anything for money, won’t you?” “You’re nothing but a gold digger. How could someone like you ever compare to Olivia?”

“You’re right—I’ll never compare to Olivia,” I said calmly. “But tonight, you will do what’s necessary, or how else will you explain yourself to Mrs. Scott tomorrow?” I issued my threat without an ounce of shame. Charles Scott’s face went dark, his eyes filled with fury. Having lost his father and brother, Mrs. Scott was his only family left—and his greatest weakness. Her demands couldn’t be ignored, and her approval was something he couldn’t afford to lose. Seeing the storm brewing in his expression, I softened my tone and took a step back. “I swear, I’ll never do anything to hurt Olivia,” I said gently, walking closer to him. “Mrs. Scott wants you to have two wives, and if you have to marry someone else, isn’t it better that it’s me? At least I won’t try to take your love away from her. I just want a child, nothing more.” I smiled, my voice sweet, as though we were having a casual chat. “All I want is to have a baby, live comfortably, and leave you two to your happily-ever-after. It’s a win-win for everyone.” Charles froze, clearly trying to figure out whether I was being honest. I met his gaze without flinching because I wasn’t lying. I had no intention of fighting Olivia for his love—or for anything at all. “I heard you come from a wealthy family,” Charles said suspiciously. “Not as rich as the Scotts, of course, but it’s not like you’re starving. What did my mom promise your family? Must’ve been a pretty sweet business deal.” I sighed inwardly and nodded. “Yes, she’s helping my family out. But I also married you of my own free will.” I tilted my head, smiling playfully. “Why don’t you just pretend I’m madly in love with you and couldn’t live without you?” Before he could respond, I grabbed him by the arm and dragged him into the bathroom, pulling at his shirt. “Let’s get this over with. The sooner I’m pregnant, the sooner you won’t have to deal with me anymore.” Charles stiffened as I stripped off his shirt, his face a mask of disdain. The contempt in his eyes was so thick it practically dripped off him. “I’ve never met anyone as shameless as you,” he said coldly. “You don’t even bother pretending to have dignity.” I gasped dramatically, wrapping my arms around his neck. What a heartless man—he had zero regard for a woman’s feelings. Hah. Men. They’ll look down on you in public but won’t hesitate to take what they want in private. The next morning, I went downstairs, now dressed and composed, and saw Charles sitting in the living room with Mrs. Scott and a pale, tearful Olivia by his side. Charles was holding Olivia’s hand tightly, his voice gentle. “You should rest more. I know last night was hard on you.” Mrs. Scott, obliviously cheerful, grabbed my hand and gave me a satisfied smile. “Even though you’re not officially married to Charles, you’re still my daughter-in-law. Now hurry up and give the Scott family some grandkids!” Her words were pointed, and Olivia’s face turned even paler. When her gaze fell on the marks on my neck, she froze, her body trembling. Tears spilled down her cheeks. “Charles Scott, looks like you had a great time last night!” Slap! Her voice shook as she slapped Charles hard across the face. Before anyone could react, she clutched her chest and suddenly collapsed.

On the second day of my marriage, Olivia slapped Charles in front of his mother. But that wasn’t the real drama. The real drama came when the doctor revealed that Olivia had a congenital heart condition. “I won’t allow this! Divorce her immediately!” Mrs. Scott erupted, furious. She had never liked Olivia, and the revelation of her illness only made things worse. “You knew, didn’t you?” she accused Charles, jabbing a finger at him. “She has heart disease, and you helped her hide it from me! The Scott family can’t have a daughter-in-law who’s sick! She can’t even have children!” Charles lowered his head, trying to explain. “Medical technology is advanced these days. Her condition won’t stop her from having kids—we’ve already consulted doctors…” “It’s already done. She’s my wife and will remain the second Mrs. Scott.” Slap! Mrs. Scott struck Charles across the face with enough force to leave a red mark on his other cheek. Despite her rage and physical outbursts, Charles stood firm. He refused to divorce Olivia. I leaned against the doorway, watching the dramatic scene unfold like a soap opera. When I left the living room, I ran into Olivia, who was leaning against the wall for support. Her eyes were red as she gazed toward the living room, her expression one of bittersweet gratitude. “Even though you tricked him into this marriage, his heart still belongs to me,” she said, turning to face me. Her pale face was full of defiance. “He’s willing to fight his mother for me. That just proves how deep his love is. You’ll never come between us.” I chuckled softly, brushing past her. “I’m not here to break you two up. I’m here to join the family.” Her lips trembled as I walked away, but then she raised her voice, sharp with anger. “I’m his true wife! Even if they call it a two-wife arrangement, you’re nothing but a glorified mistress!” When I didn’t respond, she grew even more hysterical. “You think you’re so clever, don’t you? You’re just shameless! Whatever you can give him, I can give him too!” That night, she dragged Charles into her bedroom, presumably to prove her point. The Scott estate was huge. I lived on the third floor, while she stayed on the second. When I went downstairs for water in the middle of the night, I could hear the sounds coming from her room. The next day, Olivia came to the third floor, her face glowing with satisfaction. She tugged at her collar, “accidentally” revealing the marks on her neck. “You’re jealous, aren’t you?” she said with a smirk. “I have his love, and I can satisfy him in ways you never will.” I frowned, glancing at the marks. “You have a heart condition. You really shouldn’t overexert yourself. Especially not around your neck—there are arteries there.” Her smile faltered for a moment before she sneered. “You’re just bitter. Don’t think you’ve won just because his mother likes you. I’ll never let him go!” She stormed off, but as I turned around, I saw Mrs. Scott standing in the hallway. She patted my shoulder with a smile. “Don’t worry. Charles is your husband too. Love will come in time—just be patient.” I blushed and nodded shyly. “With the business deal already in motion, don’t let me down,” she added with a meaningful look. I nodded again, obediently. Once she was out of sight, my smile vanished. I would make sure Charles came to me. But not because I wanted his love. I just wanted to get pregnant as soon as possible.

I was doing everything I could to get pregnant, but Olivia wasn’t giving up her position without a fight. Charles Scott, it seemed, truly adored her. Every time she shed a tear, he’d immediately drop everything to comfort her. She had her emotional leverage, but I had my own tricks. For all his cold, polished demeanor, Charles had no self-control around me. He wasn’t the upright and disciplined man he pretended to be. I knew exactly what he liked, and I used it to my advantage. Olivia stared at the marks on my neck, her eyes red with frustration. “He’s changed. He never used to ignore me like this. But don’t get ahead of yourself—he’s only with you because of family obligations. Deep down, he still loves me. You’ll never take my place.” I looked at her, this woman who clung so desperately to her idea of love, and I almost felt sorry for her. Charles hadn’t changed at all. He had always been this kind of man. Before I married into the Scott family, I’d seen him with countless women—young, bold, and alluring. While the media painted him as a devoted lover, spinning stories about his “pure and passionate romance” with Olivia, reality was far less glamorous. Even now, with two wives, he still carried the faint scent of unfamiliar perfume. Olivia never noticed. She always assumed it was mine. “Olivia, I’ll never hurt you, and I’ll never fight you for him,” I said evenly. “There’s no love between Charles and me. I’m only here for one reason: to give him a child.” She stared at me, stunned. After a long silence, she shook her head. “I don’t believe you,” she said. To her, Charles was perfect—how could anyone not want his love? My persistence paid off. I was finally pregnant. The entire Scott household was overjoyed. Mrs. Scott couldn’t stop grinning as she looked at my growing belly. Even Charles, who was always indifferent toward me, cracked a rare smile. From the second floor, Olivia stood watching us, her face pale as a ghost. That night, the lights in her room stayed on until morning. I opened my window and could faintly hear muffled sobs and voices. “You need to take better care of yourself,” I told her the next day. “Your health is more important than anything else.” “Why is it that I’ve been with Charles longer than you, yet you’re the one who got pregnant first? I’ve been trying so hard, and still—nothing!” She froze at her own words, then suddenly erupted into a furious scream. “You did something, didn’t you? Tell me!” She glared at me with wild, desperate eyes, her voice shaking the walls. “I know it was you! You didn’t want me to have his child, so you sabotaged me!” Her accusations grew louder and more frenzied. I instinctively stepped back, shaken by her outburst. “It’s you! You’re the reason I haven’t been able to get pregnant!” she screamed, her voice cracking. Suddenly, Charles stepped in, pulling me behind him protectively. “Olivia, enough!” he snapped, his voice tight with frustration as he grabbed her arm. “It was me,” he admitted, his tone low. Olivia froze, staring at him in disbelief. “What are you talking about?” “I’ve been putting birth control in your water,” he said, his voice heavy with guilt. “You have a heart condition, Olivia. I didn’t want to risk your health by letting you get pregnant.” Her face twisted with shock. “Why…?” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I’ve always wanted to have a child with you!” she cried, her face contorted in pain. Her voice cracked as she screamed, “You did this for her, didn’t you?” She pointed a trembling finger at me, her eyes wild with fury. “You love her! You want her to have your baby because you’ve fallen for her!” Before I could react, she lunged at me. The impact sent us both crashing to the ground. Pain radiated through my abdomen as I hit the floor. A sharp, searing agony shot through my body, and I felt the wet warmth of blood pooling beneath me. Bright red streaks ran down my legs, staining my dress. “Ahh—” Olivia let out a piercing scream and clutched her own stomach, curling into a ball. Both of us lay there on the cold floor, bleeding and broken.

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