Author: Momo Chan

The moment my birth parents found me, bringing the girl who had stolen my life with them, I had a wild Siberian tiger pinned to the forest floor, my knee pressed firmly against its neck as I injected a tranquilizer. They saw me, covered in dirt, taming a predator with my bare hands, and their faces went white with terror. My sister—the girl who had taken my place—was pale with fear. “Mom, Dad, I’m scared! We came to find my sister, but… what is that beast doing here?” My parents shot a wary glance at the tiger, then rushed to comfort their precious fake daughter. “Don’t worry, Vivian, darling,” my mother cooed. “We’re only taking your sister home. We’re not bringing… that… with us.” They instinctively shielded Vivian behind them, as if I were more dangerous than the man-eater at my feet. I let out a short, sharp laugh, patting the tiger’s belly. My gaze fell on Vivian, cold as ice. “You should be scared. Drop any ridiculous ideas you have, or I’ll tear you to pieces.” 1. The air was thick with a dead silence, broken only by the low growl of the beast beneath me. The impeccably dressed middle-aged couple stared in horror at the fanged tiger, their legs trembling. They instinctively shielded the terrified girl, Vivian, taking shuffling steps backward. Tears welled in the woman’s eyes, her voice shaking. “Arden! This is your sister! We all came to take you home. How could you say such a thing?” She wanted to step closer but was paralyzed by the sight of the predator. Her eyes flickered over my worn, tattered clothes, and a flash of disgust crossed her face. I ignored them, finished injecting the sedative, and released the pressure on the tiger. Then, I turned my cold gaze to the uninvited guests. “Isn’t this my home?” The porcelain doll of a girl behind them, who looked to be my age, trembled even more violently. The man, holding her hand tightly, spoke in a panicked voice. “Arden, I’m your biological father, Richard Vance. It was our mistake when you were born… we took home the wrong child. All these years, you’ve suffered out here…” His voice caught with a sob. “We’re here today to bring you home. We’ll make up for all our past negligence…” “Which home?” I cut him off with a sneer, my eyes sweeping over to Vivian. She immediately wiped the venom from her expression, her eyes turning red as she shrank behind the man I now knew was my brother, Ethan. Vivian was the daughter of their former nanny. Twenty years ago, we were born on the same day. To give her own child a better life, the nanny swapped us, dreaming her daughter would become the Vance family heiress. As for me, she tossed me into the deep mountains like a piece of trash, meant to be fodder for wild beasts. Fortunately, I was born with the ability to communicate with animals. It’s how I survived. It’s how I became the Queen of the Beasts. This forest… this is my real home. “Sister… I didn’t mean for this to happen…” Vivian stammered, her face ashen. My mother, who had supposedly come to beg me to return, rushed to her side. “Vivian, darling, this has nothing to do with you. When she comes back, you’ll just have an older sister to protect you. You’ll always be Mommy and Daddy’s precious baby!” Ethan’s face was grim as he stared at me. “Isn’t Vivian a victim in all this, too? We’re all family now. Can’t you stop picking at her wounds?” Richard’s tone grew impatient. “Just come with us. The Vance family can certainly afford to raise you. We can’t have people thinking we’d abandon our own daughter…” Watching their synchronized performance was grating. It was as if my very existence was a threat to their happy family. If it weren’t for their precious reputation, would they have ever even remembered they had a biological daughter? But the life I’d lived had forged me into something far stronger than the delicate flower they saw. I saw the dark, vicious glint in Vivian’s eyes, and I smiled. If I can tame a tiger, how hard can it be to handle a pampered little princess? I was done with their phony sentimentality. I pointed to the beast on the ground, now licking its paws. “Fine. I’ll go back with you. But he comes with me.” “Absolutely not!” My mother’s face drained of color. My father’s brow furrowed. “That’s absurd! What if he…” Ethan met the tiger’s gaze for half a second and immediately backed down. “That’s… that’s too dangerous, Arden. Anything you want, I’ll buy it for you when we get back. Just… let’s not do this…” Vivian burst into tears. “Brother, I’m scared! I don’t want a beast in our house!” I ignored her double-edged comment, casually stroking the tiger’s fur. “Scared already? He’s much better behaved than some of the two-faced cubs in these mountains.” My voice hardened. “And he’s not a beast. He’s my only family.” I looked at my so-called parents. “You want me in your gilded cage? Fine. But we play by my rules.” “Either he and I walk through the Vance family doors together…” “Or you can all go back the way you came.” The silence stretched for a full ten seconds. “Daddy! Mommy! You see?!” Vivian’s wail shattered the quiet. She clutched Ethan’s arm, her body trembling, her head bowed to avoid looking at me and the tiger. “If sister doesn’t want to come home, she should just say so! What good does it do to scare you and Mom to death? Ethan, let’s just go, please… I’m so, so scared…” She peeked at their reactions through her fingers. My parents’ faces were storm clouds. Between the tiger’s low growl and Vivian’s crying, Richard’s resolve crumbled. “This is ridiculous! It’s a wild animal! Who will be responsible if it hurts someone?” “I will,” I answered flatly. My mother, Eleanor, shrieked at the sight of the tiger’s claws. “Can you afford to be responsible? Arden, look at what you’ve done to Vivian! You’ve terrified her!” “Mom!” Ethan looked from the sobbing Vivian to me, a flicker of confusion in his eyes. “Dad, Mom, let’s calm down. Maybe Arden…” Vivian looked at Ethan in disbelief, her wails escalating into a desperate shriek. “Ethan! It will eat people! …I get it. If you don’t want me anymore, I’ll leave as soon as she comes home…” She had been showered with affection her whole life; the mere suggestion of her leaving sent them into a panic. I watched, my eyes cold, as a triumphant, malicious glint appeared in Vivian’s. “So, have you decided? The tranquilizer is wearing off. My family is getting impatient.” As if on cue, the tiger let out a deep, rumbling growl, sending them all stumbling backward in fear. My father’s expression was ugly. He looked from Vivian to me, clearly weighing his options. “I agree,” he finally ground out. “But it stays in a cage! If anything happens, you are fully responsible, and then you get the hell out of our house!” He flinched as the tiger shifted. “Now, make it be quiet!” “Richard!” my mother gasped, shooting a pained look at Vivian. Vivian’s eyes were filled with tears. “Daddy! It’s going to hurt someone! And when it does…” Richard’s gaze darted to the tiger, his voice low and final. “Enough! This is how it will be!” Vivian’s crying stopped instantly, though her shoulders still trembled with feigned distress. When we arrived at the villa, the servants screamed and scattered at the sight of the tiger. Click. I led the tiger into an iron cage in the backyard and locked it. Vivian sidled up to me, her voice a venomous whisper only I could hear. “A beast is a beast. Even a tiger has to live in a dog kennel if it enters the Vance home. Everything here is mine. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll get lost.” I stared at her without a word, then let out a sharp whistle. The tiger’s head shot up. A threatening rumble emanated from its throat as it lunged at the bars, its massive jaws snapping at Vivian. She screamed, scrambling backward, and tripped, landing hard on the ground. “Ahhh! It’s getting out! It’s going to eat me!” she shrieked, tears and snot streaming down her face. “She did it on purpose! She’s trying to kill me!” My parents came running. “Vivian! Are you alright?!” My mother helped her up, her voice a furious hiss directed at me. “Arden! Are you happy now that you’ve made her cry? How can you be so vicious?” My father’s face was ashen with rage. “You haven’t been here a day and you’re already causing chaos!” Ethan stood protectively in front of Vivian, his eyes filled with disappointment. Vivian, gasping for breath, continued her slander. “She… she told me… that she’s the real heiress and that I should get out… or she’d let the tiger… eat me… She said there’s only room for one of us in this house…” Her pathetic act was nauseating. I turned my gaze to the cold iron cage. In a way, it was my cage, too. But having grown up in the mountains, I’ve never been afraid of confinement. A little white rabbit raised in a greenhouse, no matter how pitiful it acts, is no match for a tiger from the wild. I didn’t waste my breath arguing. After calming the tiger, a maid, clearly acting on Vivian’s orders, impatiently showed me to my room. Less than ten minutes later, a notification popped up on my phone. It was a new post from Vivian. “Sister, can you please not let the tiger eat me? I’ll be good, I promise. I won’t fight with you over anything.” The accompanying picture was a close-up of her tear-filled, red-rimmed eyes. Below, a flood of comments from clueless netizens offered her sympathy while calling for a witch hunt against the “evil sister.” Soon, hashtags like #VanceHeiressIsFeral and #JusticeForVivian started trending. I ignored the torrent of online abuse, letting out a small, contemptuous laugh. “How predictable.” Vivian, you’ve basked in the Vance family’s resources, but the only world you know is the tiny patch of sky above your head. You have no idea how vast the real world is. My screen lit up with several encrypted messages. “Boss, the Vances are discreetly investigating our organization.” “Abnormal fund transfers detected from Vivian Vance’s account, traced to an offshore shell company.” That evening, a sharp knock rattled my door. Dinner was an exquisite spread, but the entire family fussed over Vivian, treating me like a complete stranger. Richard slammed his phone down in front of me. The screen was filled with hateful comments. “If you hadn’t insisted on bringing that beast back, the Vance family name wouldn’t be getting dragged through the mud like this! Can’t you learn to be more like Vivian?” “Do you have any idea what your selfishness is costing us? A major project is about to fall through because of this!” Vivian’s voice was smugly sarcastic. “Dad, let it go. Sister came from the backwoods, after all. She’s used to being wild. What would she know about business projects?” My mother’s tone was sharp. “That’s no excuse! Now that you’re home, you’ll follow this family’s rules! For starters, we need to change that name. What kind of girl is called ‘Arden’? It’s ridiculous.” Vivian’s laugh was louder this time. “She’s right, Mom. People might think the Vance heiress is some kind of savage…” For once, Ethan didn’t defend Vivian. Instead, he looked at me with a spark of curiosity. “Arden… how did you subdue that tiger? Have you had training? Maybe for this project…” My father’s expression shifted. I set down my fork and knife, my gaze sweeping meaningfully over Vivian. “When you have no one to protect you, you learn to fend for yourself. After a while, you pick up a few skills. And, of course… you learn to watch out for things that might try to bite you from behind.” Vivian’s face went pale. Her chopsticks clattered to the floor. Her eyes, red-rimmed and fearful, locked on mine. “Sister, even if I did take your place, do you have to bring up that… that beast every time? You’re home now. Mom and Dad will protect you. You don’t have to deal with terrifying animals anymore…” My father’s face darkened instantly. “Arden! That’s enough of your wilderness nonsense. You are a Vance now. Learn some grace and dignity from Vivian! Stop associating with that animal and embarrassing this family!” Vivian chimed in sweetly. “It’s okay, sister. I can teach you about posture and etiquette. You can just learn from me. After all, what are sisters for? I just want you to be better, to be more accepted by everyone.” I was about to be sick. “No, thanks,” I scoffed. “I have no desire to become a two-faced hypocrite.” “And by the way,” I added, my voice dropping, “after your real mother abandoned me, it was the ‘beasts’ you so despise that raised me. Don’t you feel disgusted, putting on this good-person act now?” Vivian’s dam of tears finally broke. “I’m so sorry, sister!” she wailed. “I stole your life! If you really hate me this much, I’ll leave right now…” She always used their favoritism to needle me, but I never played her games. “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.” My parents’ heads snapped up, their eyes wide with shock and alarm. “Vivian! Don’t talk nonsense!” Ethan frowned at me, his face a mask of disappointment. “Arden! You’ve gone too far! Apologize to Vivian right now! Her health has always been delicate. As her older sister, can’t you show her some grace?” Delicate health? More like weaponized fragility. And what did her health have to do with me? Vivian hid in my mother’s arms, but not before flashing me a triumphant smile. I looked down at my phone, at the information displayed on the screen, and a slow smile spread across my face. A hothouse flower, no matter how skilled at silent assassinations, is no match for a predator from the jungle, who kills with a single, decisive strike. “If you’re leaving, you’d better do it quickly. Once the investigation into your little asset transfers is complete, leaving might not be an option.” I leaned forward, my gaze locking onto her like a cold, sharp blade. The color drained from Vivian’s face. Her eyes darted around frantically. “Sister, what are you talking about? What assets? I… I…” “Mommy, Daddy, I don’t know what she’s saying! Why is she always targeting me?” she shrieked, her voice echoing through the dining room, her body trembling with fear. “You don’t know?” I asked calmly, placing a file on the table for them to see. “Then how did I find out about the payments you’ve been making to your birth mother’s offshore account? The most recent one was three days ago, wasn’t it? What was that, hush money? Or were you just trying to bleed the family dry before skipping town?” Her face was a mask of pure terror. She forgot to even cry. “You… you’re lying! Slandering me! I didn’t! Daddy, Mommy, she’s making it all up!” I kept my voice even. “Is it slander? A quick look at the bank records would clear it all up, wouldn’t it?” I tapped the file. “Would you like me to provide the account number and transfer records, my dear sister?” Vivian looked as if she were being strangled, unable to utter a single word. Tears just streamed down her face as she swayed on her feet. As my family read the report, their faces contorted with shock and horror. Vivian, who had been sitting on her throne of privilege just moments before, looked completely and utterly broken. “You see?” I said, my voice soft. “There’s your precious little princess. Surprised?” Amidst their pale faces and Vivian’s broken sobs, I spoke again. My quiet voice was like a clap of thunder, making their expressions even more priceless. “If I recall correctly, the International Wildlife Conservation Summit is next month. The Vance family is desperate to land that key government partnership, right? A bit difficult without the right leverage, isn’t it?” The color drained from my father’s face. His eyes were wide with disbelief and suspicion. “How do you know that?” I smiled. When faced with a lucrative deal, what was their pathetic favoritism for Vivian really worth? “A Siberian tiger, tamed and part of a cutting-edge conservation research program… is currently locked in your dog kennel.” “The access rights and data from the ‘beast’ you so despise… that is the leverage you need to win this international contract.” “And the person who holds that leverage, the one with absolute authority in the world of conservation…” I picked up a dinner knife, tapping the cold steel with my fingertip. The sharp ping echoed in the silent room, a sound of absolute control. “…is the very person you’ve been trying so hard to ‘fix’… me.” My gaze shifted from the catatonic Vivian, finally landing on my dumbfounded, suspicious parents. “So, shall we have a new discussion about who…” “…makes the rules in this house?”

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After building a business empire from scratch, my doctor told me that years of overwork had rendered me unable to have children. To ensure my life’s work would have a successor, I adopted a brilliant boy from a poor background. I funded his MBA, placed him at the core of Sterling Corporation, and groomed him to take my place. Ten years later, his high school sweetheart reappeared as the CEO of a rival company, weeping that she had been forced to leave him all those years ago. Moved beyond reason, and to prove his love, he stole my company’s core secrets and presented them to her as a token of his devotion. “Mom, I owe you everything,” he told me. “But I can’t live without her. If you agree to retire now, I’ll make sure you receive a generous pension.” A pension? I picked up my office intercom, my voice like ice. “Get the legal department on the line. Prepare for litigation. Also, inform the six other candidates hidden across our subsidiaries that the final assessment has begun.” 1 I learned a long time ago not to put all my eggs in one basket. That’s why, like opening a series of blind boxes, I adopted seven gifted children from underprivileged backgrounds all at once. Leah Sterling was the youngest. He was the one I kept by my side, the one I taught personally, the one I invested the most in. I looked at him now—the timid boy I had single-handedly molded into a rising star of the business world. He stood in my office, dressed in an expensive suit I’d had tailored for him, his handsome face a mask of tragic determination. “Mom,” he began, “I’m sorry.” I sipped my coffee, saying nothing. “It’s Ava,” he said, referring to his first love, now the CEO of our main competitor. “She’s back. She told me she had her reasons for leaving me back then! She went away to protect me!” I nearly choked on my coffee. Protect him? Back then, he was so poor he had to think twice before adding an egg to his meal in the cafeteria. What was there to protect? His poverty? His youth? His perpetually unkempt hair? Leah didn’t see the sarcasm in my eyes. He was lost in his own epic love story. “She’s had it so hard, a woman all alone, fighting to get ahead. Now, it’s my turn to protect her.” “And so?” I put down my cup and met his gaze. He took a deep breath and pushed a file across my desk. “This is our company’s core strategic plan for the next three years. I’ve already given a copy to Ava. It’s my commitment to her, a necessary step for our future.” The office was dead silent. As if that weren’t enough, he added, “Mom, you gave me a new life. I’ll never forget that. But I can’t live without her. If you agree to retire now, I’ll have Ava arrange a generous pension for you. You’ll be comfortable for the rest of your life.” A pension? The taxes I paid last quarter alone were enough to buy his girlfriend’s company three times over. Seeing my silence, he must have thought I was considering it. He took a step forward, a hint of a threat in his voice. “Mom, you’re not young anymore. It’s time to enjoy life. I’m doing this for your own good. But if you insist on being stubborn and making things unpleasant for everyone… then I won’t be responsible for you in your old age.” “Hah.” A small, sharp laugh escaped my throat. I finally raised my eyes, my voice devoid of all warmth. “Leah, are you telling me that if I don’t retire, you’ll cut me off?” He stiffened his neck, his expression a perfect blend of reluctance and resolve, as if to say, You’re forcing my hand. “Yes.” “Very well.” I nodded and picked up the intercom on my desk. A flicker of triumph crossed Leah’s face. He thought I was caving, calling the finance department to negotiate the pension amount. My finger pressed a different button. “Get me Legal,” I said, my voice glacial. “Inform them that Leah Sterling is in material breach of his contract. I want the highest-level litigation protocol activated immediately. I want him served with a court summons within twenty-four hours.” The expression on Leah’s face froze solid. Before he could react, I dialed a second number—the direct line to my chief of staff. “Send a top-level encrypted email to my children. Subject: Dividing the Inheritance. Tell them that anyone who doesn’t show up will have all their black cards, trust funds… everything… frozen.” My assistant’s calm, steady voice came through the line, laced with a hint of excitement. “Understood, Ms. Sterling.” I hung up and finally turned my attention back to Leah, who was still standing there, a look of complete bewilderment on his face. I offered him a gentle smile. “No need for the pension. But you might want to worry about yourself,” I said, gesturing toward the door. “After all, prison food might not agree with you.” 2 Leah’s face was a canvas of rapidly shifting emotions—shock, disbelief, utter confusion. After a full thirty seconds, he finally seemed to process the information. Then, he laughed. “Hahaha…” He laughed so hard he bent over, tears welling in his eyes. “Mom, I admit, you almost had me. That’s a brilliant move, trying to pull the rug out from under me!” I raised an eyebrow, saying nothing, content to let him play out his little drama. He stepped forward, pointing at me with absolute certainty. “You think a couple of phone calls will scare me? Make me feel threatened enough to submit to you?” He grew more agitated as he spoke. “Everyone in this corporation knows I’m your sole heir! For ten years, you’ve poured all your resources into me! You can’t function without me! Without me, this entire business empire of yours will collapse!” “Sole heir?” I finally spoke, my voice tinged with weariness. “Leah, your information is out of date.” Just then, the office door was pushed open again, this time without even the courtesy of a knock. Ava Chen strode in, dressed in the latest Chanel suit, her makeup flawless, her chin held high. She slid her arm possessively through Leah’s, her gaze drifting over me with casual disdain. “Auntie Josephine, why must you be so difficult?” she began. “Leah is only thinking of you. You’ve worked your entire life. It’s time to relax, travel the world, enjoy yourself.” Her eyes scanned my office. “This company will be ours now—mine and Leah’s. Don’t you worry. We young people have fresh ideas. We’ll take the company to a whole new level.” Buoyed by her words, Leah’s confidence returned. He stood up straight. “Did you hear that, Josephine? Your era is over! Your archaic management style should have been thrown out years ago!” He glared at me, his voice dripping with arrogance. “I suggest you accept our offer gracefully. Otherwise, once I inherit the corporation, it won’t be so easy to come begging to me!” Ava tapped him playfully on the chest. “Now, now, Leah, is that any way to talk to your mother? She’s worked hard for this company for many years. We, the younger generation, must know how to be grateful.” I looked at the Oscar-worthy performance unfolding before me and finally lost all patience. I picked up the intercom and dialed my assistant. “Arthur,” I said, my voice perfectly calm, betraying no emotion, “please send Security up.” “Right away, Ms. Sterling,” he replied. I hung up, picked up my now-cold coffee, and didn’t even bother to look at them again. “The air purifier in my office has its limits,” I said coolly. “It can’t handle the foul air you’re spewing.” 3 In less than a minute, four burly men in black suits and sunglasses appeared at the door. “Ms. Sterling,” the head of security said with a slight bow. “Please escort these two guests out,” I said, gesturing to the petrified Leah and Ava. “And throw away everything they touched. Including the carpet.” “You wouldn’t dare!” Leah finally snapped out of his stupor, his face flushing red. “Josephine! Don’t you forget, this company’s core technology is all in my head! You do this to me today, and I’ll make the stock price plummet tomorrow!” Ava shrieked, “You can’t touch me! I’m the CEO of Chen Industries! This is unlawful detention!” The head of security acted as if he hadn’t heard a word. He simply gestured, and two of his men moved forward, grabbing one person each and lifting them as if they were a couple of unruly chickens. The entire process was swift and brutally efficient. “Josephine! You’ll regret this! You heartless old woman!” Leah screamed as he was dragged away. “You’ll end up betrayed and alone! I’ll be waiting for the day you come crawling back to me on your knees!” The office door slammed shut with a solid thud. Finally, peace and quiet. I leaned back in my chair, closed my eyes, and rubbed my throbbing temples. I wasn’t angry. I wasn’t even particularly disappointed. I just thought he was an idiot. The private phone on my desk rang, shattering the moment of silence. It was my eldest, Arthur Sterling. He was the chief legal counsel for Vanguard Capital, the most aggressive investment subsidiary in my portfolio. “Mother,” a calm, slightly amused voice came from the other end. “I just wrapped up a hostile takeover meeting when your assistant’s email came through. Dividing the inheritance? Which underperforming subsidiary are you breaking up this time? Just a heads-up, the legal process is expensive. My team bills by the hour.” A hint of warmth crept into my tired voice. “Arthur, it’s not a subsidiary. It’s your brother, Leah. We have a problem.” There were three seconds of silence on the line. “Leah?” Arthur’s voice turned to ice. “I see. A hothouse flower was never going to survive in the wild. What do you need? Shall I initiate litigation for breach of his non-compete, or go straight for a corporate espionage investigation?” “Just come home first.” “Understood.” He hung up, decisive as always. Immediately, my personal phone began to vibrate incessantly with a cascade of notifications. Messages were pouring in from every corner of the globe, from every sector of my empire. [Angela Sterling, Aegis Security Tech]: Mom, I’ve detected an abnormal access log in the corporate firewall. The breach originated from Leah’s office terminal with high-level clearance. I’ve patched the back door and left him a little present. Do you need me to brick his computer? 🙂 [Victoria Sterling, Starlight Media]: MOM!!! WHAT IS GOING ON?! Dividing the inheritance?! Your assistant said you were upset. Is some executive at HQ trying to stage a coup? Give me a name. I’ll have my PR team dig up all their dirt and make them a trending topic by morning! [Julian Sterling, Apex Securities]: Mother, there’s unusual capital movement in the European market related to our key tech stocks. It seems the information Leah leaked is already having an effect. Do you want me to short them into oblivion? … A smile spread across my face as I read through the messages. Raising children really is like portfolio management. When one stock crashes, you have others that are soaring, maybe even creating a bull market of their own. I picked up my phone and sent a group message. “Everyone, home. Family meeting. Last one here gets to clean up Leah’s mess.”

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1 As the sole heir to the Sterling fortune, I was still invisible, especially to the three boys my father raised. I’d thrown myself at Liam Ashford countless times, only to be met with contempt. I thought he was just cold, until I saw him on his knees before our driver’s daughter, Sierra, swearing an oath. “Marrying her is a price for the Sterlings raising me. Once I control the company, I’ll give you the real wedding. You will be my only wife. As long as Evelyn doesn’t hurt you, I’ll pay her to disappear.” The day before the shareholders’ meeting, my father asked for my choice. I thought of Liam, Jax, and Ethan—how their eyes always slid past me. I smiled. “I am a Sterling heir. My marriage should be a merger.” “I’ll choose Damian Blackwood.” My father frowned. “Damian? Since the accident, he’s a paraplegic. They say he’s… incapable. Are you sure?” … My voice was soft, but the words were steel. “In our world, Father, there’s no such thing as true love. It’s all about power. And if it’s power we’re after, then the Blackwood alliance is the only logical choice.” His face was etched with concern. “I understand the logic, but what about the boys? The three I chose for you? Do none of them hold a place in your heart?” My father had adored my mother, but she’d died from a sudden aneurysm the year I was born. He couldn’t bear the thought of remarrying, yet he couldn’t stomach the idea of leaving the vast Sterling empire in the hands of a daughter. So, on the advice of a friend, he’d adopted three boys from an orphanage. His will was already written: whichever one I chose would rule Sterling Corporation alongside me, a united front against the vultures on the board. He loved me, I knew that. But his love didn’t change his conviction that a woman alone couldn’t command the respect needed to lead. I met his gaze. “Damian may be in a wheelchair, and the rumors might be true, but we can have children through IVF. He’s the only heir to the Blackwood fortune. An alliance with a powerhouse is infinitely better than propping up our house with orphans.” My father nodded slowly, a grim acceptance settling over him. “If those three couldn’t win your heart, then they have no place left at Sterling Corp.” If I had told him the simple truth—that Liam didn’t love me and I refused to force it—my father would have dragged him into his office and demanded to know what right a charity case had to refuse his daughter. I didn’t want him to use years of kindness as a leash, and I certainly didn’t want a bitter, loveless marriage. Besides, Liam’s words to Sierra had already turned my heart to stone. Letting them go quietly was the greatest mercy I could offer. As I left the office, I saw my father shoot Liam a look that could freeze fire. After dutifully seeing my father out, Liam turned to me, his brow creased with irritation. “What did you go crying to him about this time?” His eyes were filled with a familiar mix of disgust and impatience, as if I were some loathsome creature. Before I could answer, Ethan Cole, ever the cool observer, let out a short, humorless laugh. “What else? The usual complaints.” “That we don’t play with her. That we don’t worship the ground she walks on,” he drawled. Jax Ryder, the hot-headed one, sneered. “Honestly, Evelyn. It’s the 21st century. Do you really think having a fat bank account makes you a princess everyone has to bow down to?” The three of them stood shoulder to shoulder, a united front, their words like sharpened daggers aimed at my heart. A knot of genuine confusion tightened in my chest. “None of you want to marry me. Why has not one of you ever just told my father that?” My father, for all his old-fashioned ideas, wasn’t a tyrant. If any of them had said no, he would have cut them a check and sent them on their way to a new life. But they never did. The Sterling fortune was a cage they refused to unlock. Jax clicked his tongue in annoyance. “Oh, cut the crap. We’re your father’s charity cases, his pet projects. We’re the dogs he keeps in his kennel. Since when do dogs get to refuse their master?” Liam’s face was a mask of grim resignation. “If you have to choose me, then fine. Just… leave the other two alone. Don’t make their lives difficult.” At this, Jax and Ethan looked at him with profound gratitude, as if he were a martyr sacrificing himself for their sake. The sight of Liam’s noble act was so absurd, so twisted, it left a bitter taste in my mouth. I hadn’t even found my voice when Sierra appeared, scurrying behind Liam as if she’d seen a ghost. Instinctively, Liam shielded her. “She hasn’t done anything. Just leave her alone today.” I looked from him to the others, and a cold realization dawned. The three men who were supposed to protect me were now forming a human wall to protect someone else from me. It started five years ago. Sierra had just arrived at the estate and shyly gave me a cheap plastic barrette. As a welcoming gift, I gave her a Cartier bracelet worth a hundred thousand dollars. A moment later, as I was opening a box of macarons, Liam snatched it from my hands. “That was a keepsake from Sierra’s mother! You’d even stoop to stealing that?” he roared. I stared at Sierra, baffled, waiting for her to explain that it was a gift. Instead, she burst into tears and dropped to her knees. “It wasn’t Miss Evelyn’s fault! I gave it to her! She was so kind to me, she even gave me this beautiful bracelet. I’m not upset, really!” She started bowing her head to the floor, her performance so convincing it made the three of them see red, reminding them of their own precarious positions. “Just because you’re a Sterling doesn’t give you the right to bully someone into giving up their mother’s memento!” Jax had yelled. “That barrette might be worthless to you, but it meant everything to her! Give it back!” Ethan demanded. “Always the same, aren’t you? A spoiled brat who only cares about herself,” Liam spat. My face flushed with anger, but I swallowed it down, thinking it was just a misunderstanding I could clear up later. I held the barrette out to Sierra. As she reached for it, her hand “fumbled,” and the cheap plastic shattered on the marble floor. She bit her lip, drawing blood, and screamed at me. “If you were just going to destroy it, why pretend to give it back?” Liam, always the champion of the downtrodden, had leveled a cold threat at me. “Apologize to Sierra. Right now. Or I swear, I will call off this whole arrangement.” I had just confessed my feelings to him then, telling him he was the only one I would ever marry. He used that confession as a weapon, forcing me to my knees, metaphorically speaking. I was young, terrified of losing him, and too stunned to defend myself. So I apologized through gritted teeth and blurry eyes. And that one apology trapped me in a cycle of apology for five years. From that day on, every time Sierra saw me, she would either fall to her knees or burst into tears, like a mouse cornered by a cat. And I had never done a single thing to her. My face hardened. I looked straight at Liam. “If you’re so worried I’m going to hurt your precious Sierra, maybe you should keep her on a leash.” My words dripped with sarcasm, but he took them literally. “Is that a threat? What are you planning to do to her?” Jax clapped his hands together. “I know what this is about! It’s because we gave her The Celestial Ocean for her birthday, isn’t it? You’re going to make her pay for that.” Ethan’s gaze was glacial. “You have everything, Evelyn. Sierra’s never even had a proper birthday party. It’s just an aquarium. Is it really worth all this drama?” My blood ran cold. “The Celestial Ocean?” The Celestial Ocean was a massive, private underground aquarium, a project started the day I was born. Its main feature was a wall of flawless, deep-green emerald on the far side; when the water rippled, light would refract through the stone, creating an illusion of a living, breathing galaxy. It was set to be completed six months ago, and my father had tasked Liam with overseeing the final touches. It was meant to be my birthday gift, unveiled in one month. And now, my gift belonged to Sierra. My eyes locked on Liam. He was in charge of the project. No one could have gotten inside without his approval. He flinched under my gaze, a flicker of guilt in his eyes before it hardened into anger. “Sierra grew up poor, working her whole life. She’s never seen a real night sky. I just wanted to give her that one wish. Besides,” he added defensively, “the deed is still in your name, isn’t it?” He sighed, running a hand through his hair like a man at the end of his rope. “Look, stop making a scene. How about this? At your birthday party next month, I’ll officially announce our engagement. Will that make you happy?” He said it like he was tossing a bone to a stray dog. For a dizzying moment, I wondered if I was the one who had been adopted. But no one else seemed to notice anything wrong. They just looked at Liam with pity, as if he were making some great sacrifice. “You don’t have to do that for her, man. She’s a vicious, spoiled brat. You’d be better off joining a monastery,” Jax grumbled. “She’s probably going to be so thrilled she won’t know what to do with herself. Her life’s dream, finally coming true,” Ethan muttered. “Oh, Liam,” Sierra sobbed, “please don’t throw away your life for me! I’ll… I’ll beg Miss Evelyn for forgiveness! I’ll be her servant, I’ll do anything…” My throat felt like sandpaper. A single sentence escaped my lips. “I won’t be marrying you.” Liam’s eyebrows shot up in disbelief. Jax and Ethan exchanged panicked glances, terrified I might choose one of them instead. The open disgust from the three people I’d grown up with was a physical blow. I had to get out of there before the tears came. I turned to leave, but Sierra grabbed my wrist. Her eyes were red-rimmed as she, once again, dropped to her knees before me. “Please, don’t punish Liam because of me. The three of them… they owe your family everything. They’re already beneath you. If you’re angry that they gave me the aquarium, if you’re going to tell your father… I’ll apologize. I’ll kowtow to you.” Thump. Thump. Thump. She began knocking her forehead against the hard floor, again and again, until a raw, red mark bloomed on her skin. Liam, his face a storm of protective fury, pulled her up. He whirled on me. “You say you won’t marry me, but let’s see you stick to that! What is this, some twisted game to torment Sierra? Is that all you know how to do?!” “This is just another ploy to get my father to throw her out, isn’t it?” I stared at him, my expression unreadable. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. But you can rest assured, I will never choose you as my husband.” I expected that to be the end of it, but he lunged forward, his fingers digging into my arm. “If not me, then who? Ethan? Jax?” He took a ragged breath. “Jax is an artist; he wants to study in Paris. Ethan craves freedom. Isn’t ruining my life enough for you? Are you going to drag them down with you, too?” He looked utterly exhausted, as if I were a parasite that had been draining him for years. “Just promise me you’ll leave Sierra alone,” he pleaded, his voice cracking. “If you do that, I’ll marry you. Just… please, stop all this.” I looked deep into his eyes. “You’ll get your wish.” He was terrified I would hurt Sierra. He was terrified of marrying me. Once I married Damian Blackwood, all his problems would be solved. I avoided him for the next month. On the day of my birthday gala, he finally showed up, his face a thundercloud. Ethan and Jax flanked him, their expressions equally sour. I shot a questioning look at my assistant. I had explicitly told her not to invite them, that the announcement had nothing to do with them. She just shook her head frantically, mouthing, They came on their own. I sighed and decided to ignore them. The guests, however, were not so inclined. “Mr. Ashford, you’re a true prodigy! That deal you closed last month must have netted Sterling Corp millions. No wonder Miss Evelyn only has eyes for you.” That deal was mine. I had negotiated it for weeks. Liam just signed the papers. “Mr. Ryder, your fiery spirit is a virtue. You stand up for what’s right. Miss Evelyn will be safe with you.” I suppressed a bitter laugh. Jax was the one who hurt me the most, treating me like a venomous snake he had to crush. “And Mr. Cole, such a handsome and refined gentleman. A fine choice for Miss Evelyn. We look forward to working with you.” The three of them moved through my birthday party like they owned the place. Just as I was about to step in and end the charade, they all glanced down at their phones. Before I could process what was happening, Jax’s face contorted with rage. He stormed towards me, and the world exploded in a flash of white. The crack of his palm against my cheek echoed in the sudden silence. My head snapped back, and I staggered, nearly falling to the floor. The entire ballroom went quiet. Guests scrambled back, creating a wide circle around us, their faces a mixture of shock and fear. Liam’s hands were clenched into fists. He grabbed Jax’s arm to stop him from hitting me again, then turned his furious gaze on me. “We’re here. We showed up to be put on display like prize cattle for you to choose from. What more do you want?” he snarled, his voice low and vicious. “Do you have to actually kill Sierra to be satisfied?” I was still reeling, the question making no sense. Seeing my confusion, Ethan’s lip curled in disgust. “You sent thugs to kidnap her while we were gone. Don’t play dumb. It won’t work this time.” The accusation hit me like a second slap. It was Sierra again, pulling her strings. I looked around the room, at my father’s friends and business partners. Not a single person stepped forward. In that moment, I understood. They had all bet on the boys. They truly believed the Sterling empire would never be mine, and they wouldn’t risk offending its future kings. I clutched my stinging cheek, my eyes locking onto Jax. “Apologize,” I commanded, my voice shaking with cold fury. He glanced at my tear-filled eyes and sneered. “Sierra almost lost her innocence. You just got a little slap. What have you got to cry about?” On cue, a heart-wrenching sob cut through the room. Sierra ran in, her designer dress strategically torn, her hair a mess, a perfect picture of a damsel in distress. Liam immediately stripped off his suit jacket and wrapped it around her, his expression a mask of pure revulsion as he looked back at me. “You’re more manipulative than I ever imagined. I would rather die than marry a monster like you.” Ethan, who rarely spoke, stepped in front of Sierra protectively. “Your mother couldn’t give your father a son, so he brought us in as tools to secure the legacy. We accepted our fate. But even that wasn’t enough for you, was it?” He shook his head. “Fine. There’s no reason to keep up this pathetic pretense of peace.” He turned and walked away without a second glance, caring nothing for the public humiliation he was inflicting on my family. As he reached the door, Liam threw one last pronouncement over his shoulder, his voice dripping with condescending power. “I will marry you. But you will be a wife in name only, a figurehead. If you want me to protect the Sterling empire, you will learn to behave.” I laughed. A raw, broken sound. Had they forgotten? Without me, they wouldn’t even be here. As the three of them made for the exit, some of the guests finally moved to stop them, to salvage the situation. But I raised my voice, a clear, sharp command that cut through the murmurs. “Let them go!” Sierra shot me a triumphant smirk over her shoulder, a conqueror leaving the battlefield. I stood frozen in the center of the room. My assistant rushed to my side, wringing her hands. “Miss Evelyn, what are we going to do? They’re all gone! Who will you choose?” The guests were muttering amongst themselves. “A woman is bound to marry out of the family eventually. If the three boys who know her best won’t have her, who will?” I wiped a tear from the corner of my eye, took a deep breath, and raised my champagne flute. “Ladies and gentlemen,” I announced, my voice ringing with newfound strength. “As you all know, tonight is not just my birthday gala. It is also my engagement party.” The massive screen behind me flickered to life, displaying the face of a man with chiseled features and eyes like chips of ice. A collective gasp swept through the ballroom. “Is that… Damian Blackwood? From New York?”

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The call came while Alex’s childhood friend’s son took a tumble at preschool. He turned to his colle When I got the news, I was lying on a This was year three since Alex was diagnosed with a low sperm count, the “Name?” the doctor asked, pulling on his gloves for the final verification. I stared blankly for “Marcus,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt. “I’m not doing it. 1 Alex had been a nervous wreck ever since he took that call. After we both signed the consent form “Sarah, they’ve got it from here,” he said, already inching toward the door. “Leo’s hurt. I I was following the nurse to get changed into a surgical gown, my own mind a million miles away. I barely registered his wor But the head nurse at the fertility clinic frowned. “Mr. Davison, this is a monumental moment for any couple,” she said, her tone pro His phone buzzed Alex shot me a pained, apologetic smile, but his pale face betrayed a frantic energy. To an outsider, you’d think Leo was his son. The next thing I knew, Dr. Alex Davison, a man known for his calm, steady hands in the OR, was practically bolting out the door. He barely On the operating table, Dr. Ma I stared at him for a moment, then slowly sat up. “Marcus, I can’ His eyes flickered down to my stomach, a roadmap of tiny bruises from the injections. His expression was ser “Are you sure, Sarah?” he asked. “You know his results. These are the only two viable embryos we have. You really want to throw that a He paused, and for a man of few words, what he said next landed like a ton of bricks. “You’re a pediatric neurologist, Sarah. You of a He was right. And that’s “I’ve made up my mind,” I insisted. “I have the right to withdraw consent.” 2 By the time I walked out of the hosp I instinctively reached for the passenger door. Just then, the window roll “Oh, Sarah, I’m so sorry,” she said, her voice dripping with feigned guilt. “The presc Her face was a mask of apology, but her e I glanced into the back. Her son, Leo, had a small bandage on his forehead. He was sitting in the car seat I had painstakingly researched and bought, completely absorbed in a game on my iPad. I swallowed the bitter taste in my mouth. “Alex, I need Then I turned to Chloe. “Do you mind getting a taxi with your son?” She seemed genuinely surprised by my directness. For “Alex, maybe I should,” she murmured, her voice becoming soft and vulnerable. Alex’s long fingers tightened on the steering wheel. With He leaned across her and looked at me. “Sarah, just get in the car.” His voice It was the same calm, rational tone, as if he were simply a doctor concerned for a child’s welfare. But after three years of marriage, I k I knew, with a sickening certainty, that he wanted a baby to anchor our marriage, which was already drifting into dangerous waters. He wanted a reason to pull himself back from the edge, to force himself into the role of a husband and father. But we both knew the real proble I took a step back, clearing a p “The subway station is two blocks that way.” Chloe’s face went pale. She got out, opened the back door, and yanked the i Her movements weren’t gentle. The five-year-old, ripped from his cartoon world, “I wanna watch my show! I want Uncle Alex to take me home! Waaaaah!” “Leo, “Why? Is Uncle Alex mad at me because Aunt Sarah is here? Does he not like me anymore? Waaaaah!” The scene was getting mortifyi “Sarah, can we please just talk about this at home?” Alex’s voice was low, his deep-set eyes boring into me. Chloe clutched her A suffocating tightness spread through my chest, a tinglin But this time, I wasn’t going to fold. “Fin I took a deep breath, pushed past both of them, and walked to the back of the car. It to It’s not like I was going to need it anymore. As I stood there, a sleek black SUV pulled up beside me. Marcus rolled down the w I shoved the car seat into the bin with a loud clatter and gave him a bitter, Marcus glanced over at the white sedan that still ha “Get in.” As we pulled away, I felt li 3 Alex got home an hour after I did. I was sitting on the sofa in the dark, waiting. I heard him He held me fo “I want a divorce.” I cut him off, calm and di His body went rigid. He tightened his grip, his voice laced with weary “It has to be the hormones,” he sighed. “They’re messing with the calm, brilliant Dr. Evans I know. Leo is fiv “He got a bump on his head,” he continued, “I “It has nothing to do with Leo,” I said coolly. “And you know it, don’t yo A small frown creased his brow. “Chloe? Sarah, I’ve known her for twenty years. If we were going to be together, don’ He released me and moved toward the kitchen. “Don’t overthink this. He leaned in to kiss me, but the cool touch of his lips on my skin only made my mind fe “Don’t forget your heparin and progesterone shots after the transfer,” he called out as he tied on a No one had told him I’d stopped the procedure. He was always so thoug One afternoon, I was hiding out on the roof of the library, devastated after getting a It was Alex. He had sat with me in silence all afternoon. As the sky turned orang That one sentence brought us together. Our friends and mentors joked that the ice queen had But I wasn’t so bad myself. I’d trained under the best in my field and was the Watching Alex’s back as he chopped vegetables, I spoke into the silen “The fellowship in Germany,” I said slowly. “I don’t want to give it up.” This was the other reason my mind had Alex didn’t turn around. “Peds is always understaffed,” he said dismissively. “Everyone’s overworked. We already talk The vegetables hit the hot pan with a loud sizzle, and a cloud of steam billowed up. He finally turned “Sarah, you can lean on me. You don’t have to work so hard. W I ran a hand over my stomach, Marcus was right. A child wasn’t a bandage f His attempt to pull back from the cliff’s edge might just be me walking straight into the abyss. My marria 4 Wednesday was Alex’s mom’s birth We had agreed to go to his parents’ house for dinner after work. A family dinner felt like the right place His colleague looked He was scrolling through his phone, and his expression suddenly turned strange as he look Confused, I pulled out It was a photo. Alex, with The caption read: “Dad of the Year.” Even though I had been preparing myself Then, I liked the post. And I left a comment. Nice t-shirts. If Alex was going to hang himself out to dry, the least I could do was kick the chair out from un When I finally got to his parents’ house, I had several missed calls from him. The Instagram post w Alex opened the door. He stood there, blocking my way, his face a mixture of guilt and frustration. “Sarah, why didn’t you answer your phone?” I looked down. “I was driving.” He faltered, opening his mouth and closing it again, as if he wanted to explain but didn’t know how. Before he could, Chloe’s sickly-sweet voice floated out from behind him. “Sarah, please don’t get the wrong idea. Leo’s dad had an unexpected business trip overseas. I had no one else to ask. Alex was just helping out. As for the post, Leo was just messing around with his phone and posted it by accident.” I didn’t bother to question how a five-year-old could type and post to Instagram. My patience was gone. I looked straight at Alex. “Why is she here?” “Alex, please don’t fight because of me,” Chloe said, reaching out to tug on his sleeve. “What’s everyone doing standing in the doorway? Come on, dinner’s ready!” Alex’s mom appeared at just the right moment to play peacemaker. She took my hand, her grip surprisingly warm. “Chloe’s parents and us go way back, decades! I invited them over to liven things up a bit.” I politely pulled my hand away and offered her the gift I’d brought. His parents had never been particularly warm to me. My family lived a thousand miles away, in a small city in the Midwest. They couldn’t offer us much help, and their biggest contribution was staying out of our lives. In their minds, their son’s ideal wife was someone like Chloe—a local girl from a “good family” with a respectable job. This sudden change in attitude could only mean one thing.

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Chapter 1 I was five months pregnant when my birth parents finally found me and brought me home. The moment I stepped through the door, I heard a voice in my head. It was my baby’s. Mom, this is a wolf’s den! They only brought you here so you can donate your bone marrow to their other daughter! My feet froze on the welcome mat. Just then, my birth mother came toward me, holding a glass of freshly squeezed juice. The baby’s voice screamed in my mind. Don’t drink that! She put something in it to make you miscarry! My birth father and a young man I assumed was my brother walked in from the other room. Run, Mom, run! the baby pleaded. They’re going to drag you to the hospital for testing! I’d just met these people. My baby, on the other hand, was a part of me. I trusted the voice. Without a second thought, I spun around and bolted. But as I sprinted across the street, a blinding pain shot through my abdomen. I stumbled, right into the path of a speeding truck. As my life faded, the last thing I heard was the cheerful, triumphant voice of my baby in my head. Hahaha, I finally got rid of you! I didn’t understand. Why would the baby I was so excited for want me dead? Then I blinked. My birth mother was standing in front of me, holding out the same glass of juice. As the baby’s voice screamed the same warnings in my head, I took the glass and drank it all. … The sweet and sour juice slid down my throat, the familiar taste slowly pulling me back from the phantom agony of being hit by a truck. A moment later, the frantic voice of my baby echoed in my ears. Mom, spit it out! It’s drugged! She’s trying to make you lose the baby! They don’t love you! They just want you for your bone marrow! Hearing that voice again sent a chill down my spine. The baby insisted the juice was poisoned, but as I cradled my stomach, I felt nothing wrong. My heart began to sink. In my previous life, I’d believed that voice without question. And it was true that my birth parents had mentioned going to the hospital for a compatibility test. I’d been terrified, and in my panic, I’d run straight to my death. This time, I needed to know the truth. Was the voice real? And why did my baby want me dead? My silence seemed to make my mother anxious. “I called your husband, David. He said apple juice was your favorite.” She looked worried. “You don’t like it?” Her concern felt genuine. I managed a small smile. “It’s delicious. I just drank a lot of water on the way over, so I’m a little full.” I glanced around the spacious living room. “Are Dad, my brother, and my sister not home?” A shadow crossed my mother’s face. “Your father and brother are on their way back now.” She sighed. “As for your sister… she’s sick. She’s in the hospital.” My blood ran cold. So that part was true. My sister really was sick. Chapter 2 A triumphant giggle echoed in my mind. What a dummy. I already told you your sister was sick. Hmph. You should always listen to your baby. The childish voice sounded like a demon whispering in my ear. I couldn’t help but shiver. My mother immediately steadied me. “What’s wrong? Are you not feeling well?” “Just a little tired from the walk over,” I explained, letting her guide me to the sofa. “I’ll be fine after I rest a bit.” She still hovered, her face etched with worry. Just then, the front door opened, and my father and brother walked in. The baby’s voice scoffed. Here they are. Two-faced hypocrites. They only care about your sister. They don’t give a damn about you. My pulse quickened. But then my brother, Liam, strode over to me, a warm, sunny smile on his face. His eyes were full of genuine concern. “Maya, what are you doing here already? I was supposed to come and pick you up.” My father stood beside him, his voice gentle. “You look a little pale. Are you feeling okay?” I was stunned. They were nothing like the monsters the baby described. An idea began to form in my mind. “I’m fine,” I said. “Are you guys heading to the hospital later?” My mother nodded. “Your sister… she’s very sick. She needs a bone marrow transplant. Your father and Liam are going to get tested for a match today.” The baby shrieked. Idiot! Run! They’re going to make you get tested too! With the baby’s scream, a sharp cramp twisted in my abdomen, and my heart began to pound. I doubled over, gasping. “Maya, what is it?” my mother cried, her face panicked. “Go start the car! We have to get her to the hospital! She’s pregnant, we can’t take any chances!” NO HOSPITAL! the voice screamed in my head. GO HOME! NOW! The sharpness of the voice was excruciating. I took a deep, shaky breath. “I’m not going to the hospital,” I gasped. “My apartment isn’t far. I just need to go home and rest.” As soon as the words left my mouth, the cramping began to ease. Before my parents could argue, Liam jumped in, his tone disapproving. “You live in that old walk-up without an elevator. And your husband’s job… he works a lot, right?” The baby sneered. See? They’re ashamed of you. They think you married a loser. But Liam continued, “I’m not trying to criticize him. I’m just worried about you being pregnant, climbing all those stairs, and having no one to look after you. Why don’t you stay here for a while? At least until after the baby is born. There’s plenty of room. David can move in too. We’re family. It’ll be nice to have everyone together.” A wave of warmth washed over me. But there was something I had to test. I insisted on going home. Chapter 3 My parents exchanged a look but didn’t argue further. Since they were heading to the hospital anyway, they offered to drop me off on the way. As the car neared my neighborhood, I spoke up suddenly. “Actually… I’d like to come with you. I want to see my sister.” Of course, they were thrilled. My mom even started saying she could make a doctor’s appointment for me, get me a check-up while we were there. The baby’s voice exploded in a furious shriek. You LIED to me! Liars get PUNISHED! A firestorm erupted in my belly. Cold sweat beaded on my forehead. The baby was hurting me directly, just because I disobeyed. Was I carrying a baby, or a demon? The closer we got to the hospital, the worse the pain became, until it felt like my heart itself was being squeezed. I bit my lip to keep from screaming, my knuckles white as I gripped the car door. But the moment I forced myself to stand and walk to the door of my sister’s hospital room, the pain vanished. And the baby’s voice went completely silent. It was an eerie, unsettling quiet. My suspicions deepened. Inside the room, my mother took my hand. “Maya, this is your sister, Chloe.” Chloe was pale, propped up against the pillows in an oversized hospital gown. When my mother placed my hand in hers, a jolt of pure terror shot through me. It wasn’t my fear. It was the baby’s. He was terrified of my sister. I instinctively tried to pull my hand back, but Chloe gripped it tight. Her eyes met mine, and her voice was laced with a strange meaning. “Sister. We finally meet.” Then she looked at our parents. “Mom, Dad, did you bring her here to schedule the abortion?” My heart stopped. I yanked my hand away. “What are you talking about? Who said anything about an abortion?” I looked at them, my defenses flying up. Was the baby right all along? Was their kindness just an act to get me here? My mother frowned. “Chloe, what a terrible thing to say!” Chloe’s eyes filled with tears. “But isn’t that why you found her? To donate her bone marrow to me?” She turned to me, her voice syrupy sweet. “It’s for the best, sister. The baby is still small. You’re young. You can have another one after you save my life.” My father’s face darkened. “That’s enough!” he snapped. “Maya is pregnant. She will not be getting tested. Liam and I are getting tested today. If neither of us is a match, we will find another way.” Chloe began to sob quietly. “Then why did you even bother finding her? You already have me and Liam. You don’t need another kid.” As she wept, her head tilted, and I saw the back of her neck. It was covered in a raw, red rash, the skin peeling away to reveal weeping flesh that soaked through the collar of her gown. Chapter 4 My stomach churned at the sight. I clapped a hand over my mouth and ran out of the room. Once I was far down the hall, the baby’s voice returned. See? I was right. They just want you for your bone marrow. And you still dared to come here. I didn’t argue. But I was certain of one thing: my parents and brother had never intended for me to be a donor. Chloe, on the other hand… My gaze fell to my stomach. After a moment, I walked to the OB-GYN clinic and made an appointment for a prenatal check-up. The baby shrieked. Are you trying to get rid of me? Bad mommies get punished, you know! Instantly, my stomach felt like it was being twisted into knots, the pain even more intense than in the car. My legs gave out and I nearly collapsed. I grabbed a doctor’s arm, forcing the words from my throat. “Please… you have to help me. I need to know if my baby is healthy. I love my baby. I want him to be born safe and sound.” Oh. So you’re not getting rid of me. Good girl. As the voice faded, so did the pain. I was becoming more and more terrified of this thing inside me. The check-up was quick. The doctor confirmed it multiple times: the baby was perfectly healthy, growing right on schedule. I twisted the hem of my shirt. “But… if I were to terminate the pregnancy now…” The baby’s voice whispered, a chilling, ghostly sound in my mind. Mommy… you don’t really want to get rid of me, do you? A shiver went through me. I couldn’t say another word. I fled the doctor’s office in a panic. Sitting on a bench in the hallway, I debated telling my husband, David. This baby was terrifying. I couldn’t keep it. But would he even believe me? After thinking it over, I decided to post on a forum online. I typed out a desperate plea for help: I can hear my baby’s thoughts, but everything the voice says is the opposite of what’s really happening. What is going on? Replies came in quickly. I opened them with a flicker of hope, only to find a stream of mockery. People told me I had “pregnancy brain,” that I was having a psychotic break and needed to see a psychiatrist immediately. The more I read, the more frustrated I became. And with the frustration came another searing wave of pain in my stomach. I almost slid off the bench. The voice was back. Are you still secretly planning to get rid of me? My jaw clenched. With trembling hands, I typed a message to David, telling him everything—the voice, the pain, the manipulation. “David, I can’t have this baby!” After sending the text, I struggled to my feet, determined to go back and schedule the termination. Just then, a new notification popped up on my post. It was a long reply, three or four hundred words. As I read it, my blood ran cold. Then, everything clicked into place. I finally understood. Rage burned through me. I quickly deleted the message I’d sent to David. Looking down at my swollen belly, my face was a cold mask. “Don’t worry, sweetie,” I said, my voice dripping with ice. “Mommy is definitely going to see you’re born.” As I spoke the words, the agonizing pain that had been tormenting me finally began to fade.

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1 My mother always said my father’s eyes were for her and her alone. No other woman was allowed to look at him, not even me, his daughter. The first time I called him “Daddy,” she sealed my lips shut with superglue. “You just have to have his attention, don’t you?” she hissed. “Let’s see you call for him now!” When he came home from a business trip and I ran to hug him, she beat me with a coat hanger until I was covered in blood. “You little slut, trying to steal my husband? Not on my watch!” And the time he took me to Disneyland? When we got home, she threw me out the eighteenth-story window. “Let’s see you seduce my husband when you’re dead!” As my shattered bones lay on the pavement, I prayed with every ounce of my broken soul. A thousand lifetimes of punishing evil and upholding good, I’ll take it. Just please, please give me a different mother next time. And the universe, in its infinite mercy, granted my request. Darkness, then a voice, filled with pure, unadulterated joy. It was my aunt, Claire. “Oh my god, I’m really pregnant? I’m going to be a mom!” “Please, please, let it be a girl!” Thank you, thank you, thank you. The universe had made my aunt my new mother. Aunt Claire was a human sunbeam, her only sorrow being her struggle with infertility. She had seen how miserable I was and had tried to adopt me. I would have given anything to go live with her. But my mother, Jessica, would never allow it. It was a fantasy I held onto until the day I died. And now, my fantasy had come true. I curled up contentedly in my new, safe home, trying not to giggle with glee. But then, a familiar, nightmarish voice shattered my peace. It was Jessica. “We’re pregnant at the same time, sis-in-law,” she said to Claire. “Honey,” she cooed to my father, Mark, “what if we have a girl too?” My father’s voice was full of happiness. “That would be great! A sweet, adorable little girl.” Jessica’s voice tightened. “You’re already so in love with her and she’s not even born yet. What about me? Will you even look at me after she’s here? It’s like I’m giving birth to your mistress!” Claire was stunned. “Jessica, what are you talking about? This is your daughter!” “It doesn’t matter if it’s a boy or a girl!” Claire added, trying to smooth things over. But Jessica wasn’t having it. “What if it is a girl?” she whined. “I have a feeling it is. A little home-wrecker!” She dug her sharp nails into her own stomach, as if trying to kill the fetus inside. A cold suspicion crept over me. Could Jessica have been reborn too? Was that why she thought she was pregnant with me again, and was trying to get rid of the baby from the start? “Honey, this baby is bad luck,” she pleaded with Mark. “It’s a curse. Let’s just get rid of it and try again. I’ll give you a son, I promise!” The doctor cut in. “Mrs. Miller, you have a very specific condition that makes it difficult for you to conceive. This pregnancy is a miracle.” Mark’s voice was stern. “You’re a grown woman, Jessica. Stop talking nonsense. It doesn’t matter if it’s a boy or a girl. Don’t you dare hurt yourself or my child. My parents are so excited to be grandparents.” Claire added, “Jessica, get a grip. Do you really think Mark would have trouble finding someone else to have his children if you can’t?” The message was clear. If she couldn’t or wouldn’t have this baby, plenty of other women would be lining up to take her place. And her husband was her entire world. Jessica immediately changed her tune. “Oh, honey, your angry face is so scary! I’m pregnant, you know! I’ll be good, I’ll take care of the baby, I promise!” In front of Mark, she was the picture of maternal devotion. The second he left, she grabbed her stomach and cursed. “You little bitch. You think you’re safe just because I’m not getting an abortion? You’re not stealing my husband from me this time. Not for one second.” Her venomous words sent a chill through me, dragging me back to the misery of my past life. As if sensing my fear, Claire gently stroked her belly and began to hum a lullaby. This, I thought, this is my real mother. I relaxed. Jessica and Claire were both sent to the same exclusive private hospital, with VIP maternity packages. In front of Mark, Jessica would rub her belly with a beatific smile. But when he wasn’t around, she did everything she could to induce a miscarriage. She spit out her prenatal vitamins, flushed her specially prepared nutritional meals down the toilet, and secretly smoked and drank, and binged on ice cream. “You think you can make me have morning sickness?” she’d mutter to her stomach. “Let’s see how much nutrition you get now! I hope you’re stillborn! Or at least born a wrinkly, ugly little alcoholic that no one will ever want!” She even ordered a set of dumbbells and did endless crunches, her face pale with pain, refusing to stop. When Claire and the nurses tried to intervene, she had a ready excuse. “I’m strengthening my core! It’ll make for an easier delivery and a quicker recovery! I’m not letting this little home-wrecker steal my husband and my figure!” Listening to her, I felt a familiar dread. This must have been what it was like for me last time. My suffering had begun long before I was even born. But this time, I was safe with Claire. So who was the poor soul in Jessica’s belly? Maybe it was a boy. Maybe things would be different for him. If he survived her abuse, that is. Claire’s pregnancy was the complete opposite of Jessica’s self-inflicted nightmare. She ate well, had no morning sickness, and her appetite was only slightly larger than usual. My development was perfectly on track, but her belly was barely showing. From the back, you couldn’t even tell she was pregnant. By the second trimester, Claire was glowing. No complications, not even a single stretch mark. Her skin was radiant. This, of course, was my doing. The other expectant mothers in the hospital were amazed. They gathered around Claire, desperate to know her secret. “Dr. Evans said you’re the most relaxed pregnant woman she’s ever seen!” “You’re even sleeping through the night? If it weren’t for your belly, I wouldn’t even think you were pregnant!” “Look at her face! Not a single blemish!” Claire just laughed. “I don’t know. I guess I just have a well-behaved baby.” My uncle, Tom, was overjoyed. “This baby is a gift. She knows not to cause her mother any trouble!” He was right. I was here to be cherished, and to cherish in return. To finally have a loving mother, and for my aunt to finally have the daughter she’d always wanted. I nudged against Claire’s hand as she rubbed her belly, wishing I could be born right then and kiss her. As if she could feel my joy, she kept her hand there for a long time. Jessica watched from the edge of the crowd, her eyes full of envy. She punched her own stomach, then pushed her way through to Claire. “You know, you’ve been craving sour things,” she said loudly. “Sour for a boy, sweet for a girl. You’re definitely having a boy. I’m having a girl. You always wanted a girl, right? Let’s just swap. Everyone will be happy!” Claire stared at her, dumbfounded. “Jessica, what are you talking about? Are you feeling okay?” Jessica rolled her eyes and stuck out her stomach. “I’m having a girl and I don’t want her! You can have her! You can raise her! And you can give me your son. It’ll save you a fortune in college tuition later.” Even Claire’s legendary patience had its limits. “You smoke and drink and do everything you can to hurt your baby, and now you want to just give her away? Don’t you have any love for the child inside you?” Jessica stamped her foot. “Love? That little bitch is trying to steal my husband! You think I’m going to love her for that? Who are you trying to impress with your sanctimonious act? Fine, don’t swap. See if I care!” She stormed back to her room and started slamming an iPad against her stomach, as if she could beat the baby to death from the outside. She got even worse after that. Coffee, shellfish, intentionally falling down the stairs. The nurses were terrified of her, and started watching her around the clock. But Jessica didn’t care. “It’s my body, my baby. I can do whatever I want!” she’d shriek. “I have to protect my marriage! I’m not giving that little slut a chance!” But the baby stayed put. No miscarriage, not even any spotting. Jessica, furious, ordered a cocktail of dangerous herbs online. “I’ll get rid of you one way or another, you little bitch!” Claire noticed the strange package and immediately told Mark. He came storming into the hospital, his face like a thundercloud, and threw the herbs in the trash. “Have you forgotten this is my child too? What the hell is wrong with you?!” He threw out everything she’d bought and said, his voice deadly serious, “If you ever pull a stunt like this again, I’m done. With you, and with the baby. You can both get out of my life.” Jessica fell to her knees, sobbing. “No, honey, please! I love you! I just can’t stand the thought of you caring about anyone else! Let’s just have a son, please?” Mark sighed and helped her up, wiping away her tears. “Jessica, listen to me,” he said, his voice full of a weary sincerity. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a boy or a girl. You are the woman I love. Nothing and no one will ever change that.” He meant it. And he had kept his word. In my last life, he had seen how Jessica tortured me, but he had looked the other way. He was an accomplice to my abuse. And now, more than ever, I was grateful to be free of both of them. The second Mark left for the office, Jessica was back to her old self, slamming her pregnant belly into the corner of a table. “You little bitch! You’re not even born yet and you’re already making him yell at me! Just you wait!” Claire watched her, a deep frown on her face. She was finally starting to see how truly unhinged her sister-in-law was. What she didn’t see was the strange, calculating smile on Jessica’s face as she watched Claire walk away. I knew Jessica wasn’t done. And I was right. That afternoon, while Claire was napping, Jessica found one of the delivery nurses. “See her?” she said, pointing at Claire’s room. “We’re probably going to give birth around the same time. When we do, I need you to do me a favor. Swap our babies.” The nurse pocketed the thick wad of cash Jessica handed her. “That’s a big risk,” she said. “If I get caught, I’ll lose my job.” Jessica sneered. “If anyone asks, just say I asked you to bring the baby over so I could see my new niece. We’re family. What’s the big deal?” The nurse nodded. “Why do you want to swap, anyway? You don’t even know if you’re both having girls.” Jessica’s eyes were full of a venomous jealousy as she looked at Claire’s door. “She’s already flirting with my brother. Now she’s trying to get cozy with my husband too? And why should she have such an easy pregnancy while I’m suffering? She wants a daughter? Fine, I’ll give her a daughter. Let’s see how she likes it when her own husband starts to stray!” After the nurse left, Jessica muttered to herself, a chilling, evil sound. “Last time, I let you live for a few years. This time, I’m going to kill you the day you’re born. No, no, I can’t even wait that long. The very first day…” My blood ran cold. Was I destined to be killed by this monster, no matter what? But what could I do? I was just a fetus. Thankfully, my limbs were fully formed now. So whenever Jessica came near Claire, I would give a little kick. At first, Claire didn’t notice. She just thought I was finally getting active. “Oh, you’re getting strong in there! Come on, baby, give Mommy a high-five!” It was the only thing I could do. I stayed perfectly still at all other times. But whenever Jessica was around, I’d kick and squirm. After the twentieth time, Claire started to look confused. She didn’t say anything, but she quietly asked Tom if they could switch hospitals. I was overjoyed. Tom was confused. “Why? This is the best hospital in the city.” Claire just said it was a mother’s intuition. In the end, Tom convinced her to stay, worried that the stress of moving so close to the due date would be bad for the baby. But he did get her a larger, more private room at the opposite end of the hall from Jessica. After that, whenever Jessica came by, Claire would pretend to be asleep. Eventually, Jessica got the hint and stopped coming around as often. I finally felt a small measure of relief. I spent my days practicing my positioning, getting ready for the big day. Eight days before my due date, I decided I was ready. Okay, Mom, for my sake, let’s do this thing. I promise I won’t make it too hard on you. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and gave a mighty kick downwards. “Nurse! Doctor! My water just broke! I’m in labor!” Claire’s voice was louder and more powerful than I’d ever heard it. The hospital staff rushed in to take her to the delivery room. Jessica, hearing the commotion, came out of her room. She stared for a second, then ran over and blocked the gurney. “It’s too early! Claire, you can’t have the baby now! We were supposed to give birth on the same day! You have to wait!” Mark, mortified, pulled her away. “What are you talking about? Are you insane?” As the delivery room doors swung shut, Jessica cursed Claire, hoping for a stillbirth. But twenty minutes later, the doors opened again. My cries filled the hallway. Mom! I’m here! The doctors and nurses were all smiling. “I’ve never seen a delivery so fast and so easy! You’re a lucky one!” The family crowded around, cooing over me in my mother’s arms. “Come on, Jessica, come see your new niece. It’ll be your turn in a few days. I’m sure it’ll be just as easy for you!” Jessica forced a smile and walked over. The second she saw me, her face froze. The thermos in her hand slipped, and a stream of boiling water came flying towards me.

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1 I converted my family’s old five-story building into a shared apartment complex. It was prime real estate, right in the heart of downtown, complete with a large courtyard. I knocked out all the non-load-bearing walls and redesigned the space from the ground up, creating a mix of single, double, and quad rooms to cater to different needs. The rent was half the market rate for the area. My only rule? Tenants had to be young professionals, no more than three years out of college. Instead of building on the courtyard, I turned it into a gym and a cafeteria. The gym equipment was brand new. I hired two chefs for the cafeteria, and the prices were the same as a university dining hall. For the first month, all meals were free. I thought I was doing a good thing. I was giving these young people, just starting their careers, a place to breathe, a place to call home. They called me their “guardian angel landlord.” They brought me plaques and wrote glowing reviews online. Seeing their bright, hopeful faces made it all worthwhile. Until Liam showed up. He stood at the entrance of “The Haven,” dragging a silver suitcase behind him. He pushed his gold-rimmed glasses up the bridge of his nose, his eyes scanning the name of the building. Then, he smiled. I handled Liam’s check-in myself. His resume was impressive: a law degree from a top university, a string of scholarships. I gave him the grand tour. “The gym is free,” I explained, “and the cafeteria serves three meals a day. Utilities and internet are all included.” I pointed to the menu on the wall. “Two mains and a side for twelve bucks.” He nodded, his eyes lingering for a moment on the kitchen door. As we walked down the hallway, he suddenly stopped and pointed to a fire extinguisher in the corner. “Ms. Chen,” he said, his voice polite but firm, “this fire extinguisher’s inspection tag is out of date.” I was taken aback. “Oh, the maintenance guy must have forgotten to replace it. I’ll get him on it right away.” “Safety is no small matter,” he said. His tone was level, but there was an undercurrent of something that brooked no argument. A flicker of annoyance went through me, but I forced a smile. “You’re right. I’ll have it replaced immediately.” He moved into 301, the best single room in the building, south-facing with a balcony. In the days that followed, a subtle shift began to occur in the building. Liam was always in the common areas, helping the cafeteria staff chop vegetables, playing chess with the security guard, patiently showing a shy new tenant how to use the gym equipment. He quickly became a popular and well-liked figure. Everyone started calling him “Liam.” “Liam knows so much about everything.” “He’s such a great guy, so down-to-earth.” “That’s what you get from a top-tier education.” Hearing their praise, my initial unease faded. Maybe I was just being paranoid. A bright, helpful young man like him was an asset to the community. A week later, I went to the cafeteria after dinner to discuss the next week’s menu with the chefs. A group of tenants was gathered around Liam. He was holding a document, explaining something with a serious expression. As I got closer, I heard his clear, measured voice. “…according to the city’s housing regulations, any rental unit must be a self-contained, original room. Subdividing rooms is not permitted.” A tenant whispered, “But Ms. Chen’s rent is so cheap. The partitioned rooms are fine.” Liam smiled. “It’s cheap because it’s illegal and unsafe. Have you considered what would happen in a fire? These partitions are a major safety hazard. We pay rent, we have the right to a safe and legal living environment. It’s not a gift, it’s a right.” He emphasized the word “right.” Another tenant chimed in. “Liam’s right! That fire extinguisher was expired. I told Ms. Chen about it, and she didn’t even replace it right away!” I distinctly remembered having the guard replace it that same day. I stopped at the entrance of the cafeteria. The evening breeze was cold. I turned and walked away. Back in my office, I sat in silence for a long time. I pulled out all the rental agreements. Attached to each one was a “Safety Disclosure” form, signed by me, which clearly stated: “Some rooms in this building have been modified. The tenant acknowledges this and agrees to rent the unit as is.” Every single tenant had signed it. 2 The next day, the building’s group chat exploded. Liam had posted a three-thousand-word “Proposal for Improving the Living and Safety Standards of The Haven.” It was a masterpiece of legal jargon, citing everything from fire codes to health regulations to contract law, complete with screenshots of the relevant statutes. He concluded with a list of “proposals”: I was to remove all partitions and restore the building to its original layout. I was to register the gym and cafeteria as businesses and obtain the proper licenses and permits. We were to sign new, “legally compliant” rental agreements that explicitly stated the gym and cafeteria were free amenities. The chat was flooded with messages of support. “Yes, Liam! He’s saying what we’ve all been thinking!” “Housing justice! We’re not trying to take advantage, we just want what’s right!” “To be honest, I’ve always been a little worried about the cafeteria’s hygiene.” “Yeah, what if we get food poisoning? Who’s responsible?” I recognized the username of the person complaining about the hygiene. It was Leo, from the second floor. Just yesterday, he’d bought four meals to take to his girlfriend. I put down my phone and rubbed my temples. That afternoon, I called Liam to my office. He was the same as always: gold-rimmed glasses, crisp white shirt, calm and polite. “Ms. Chen, you wanted to see me?” I placed a printed copy of his “proposal” on the desk. “Liam, why didn’t you come to me with this first?” He adjusted his glasses. “Ms. Chen, this isn’t just my opinion. It’s the collective will of the majority of the tenants. A public discussion is more efficient and transparent than a private conversation.” “Transparent?” I picked up the document. “You want me to tear down the partitions. What about the fifty-plus people who live in those rooms? Where are they supposed to go?” “That’s a problem for you, as the landlord, to solve. You can refund their rent and offer compensation, or you can find them alternative housing.” His answer was flawless, and infuriating. “The gym and cafeteria are a bonus, a gift I provide for free. You want me to get business licenses? Do you have any idea what that entails? The taxes, the regulations, the inspections… Do you have any idea how much that will cost?” “Ms. Chen, it’s not a gift,” he interrupted, his voice hardening. “When these facilities are tied to your rental business, they are part of a commercial service. Whether you charge for them or not, they are subject to legal oversight. This is to protect us, the consumers.” Consumers. He used that word. I laughed, a bitter, angry sound. “So, you enjoy the cheap rent, the free gym, the subsidized food, and now, as ‘consumers,’ you want me, the ‘business owner,’ to bear all the legal risks and operational costs?” “The law is the law,” he said, his eyes cold. “Sentiment doesn’t trump legality. You should have anticipated these issues when you renovated the building. All we’re doing is bringing things back into compliance.” I took a deep breath. I pointed to the signed contracts on my desk. “Everyone signed the disclosure. They all knew about the modifications. It’s in writing.” A ghost of a smile touched Liam’s lips. “Ms. Chen, you, of all people, should know about ‘unconscionable contract terms.’ When a contract violates a mandatory provision of the law, or exempts one party from their primary responsibility while increasing the other party’s, that clause is void. Those ‘disclosures’ you had everyone sign? They’re not worth the paper they’re printed on in a court of law.” There was a knock on the door. A young woman who lived on the fourth floor, Sarah, poked her head in, holding a lunchbox. She looked embarrassed when she saw Liam. “Ms. Chen… I was just wondering if there was any of that braised pork left from dinner?” Before I could answer, Liam turned to her with a warm smile. “Sarah, I’m just discussing our proposal with Ms. Chen. Don’t worry, we’ll make sure we get a safer and more hygienic dining environment for everyone.” Sarah’s eyes widened. She nodded enthusiastically. “Go, Liam! We’re all behind you!” She backed out of the room, forgetting all about the braised pork. I looked at Liam, a chill running down my spine. 3 The negotiations failed. I rejected all their “proposals.” I told them the gym and cafeteria were a privilege, one I could revoke at any time. The partitions were a known condition of their tenancy. If they were unhappy, they could give a month’s notice and move out, as per their contracts. The next day, a notice was posted on my office door. It was an “ultimatum.” I had 72 hours to respond positively to their demands and begin implementation. Otherwise, they would take “all necessary legal measures.” It was signed: The Haven Tenants’ Rights Committee. Chairman: Liam. The atmosphere in the building changed overnight. The young people who used to greet me warmly now avoided my gaze, hurrying past me in the hallways. The group chat I had created to foster a sense of community had become their war room. I didn’t leave the group. I watched as they assigned tasks, gathered evidence. “Who can get photos of the kitchen? Try to get the grimy corners.” “Check the gym equipment for expiration dates.” “Everyone write a statement. Emphasize that we didn’t know the partitions were illegal, that we were misled by the landlord.” “I have a friend who’s an intern at a local news station. They’re very interested in a ‘graduates’ rights’ story.” Liam was the general, directing his troops. “Remember, everyone, our goal is not to cause a scene, but to ‘defend our rights according to the law.’ All evidence must be obtained legally. And when you talk to Ms. Chen, remember to record the conversation.” I saw Leo, the one who’d complained about the hygiene, was the most active in the chat. “Don’t worry, Liam! I’ve already taken pictures of the cracks in my wall! We can say the building is structurally unsound!” I remembered those cracks. He’d made them himself when he tried to hang a bookshelf. He’d even come to me and asked if I could help him patch them up. I sat in my office, chain-smoking. The ashtray was overflowing. The 72 hours passed. I did nothing. On the fourth day, I was served with a summons. The plaintiffs: Liam and ninety-eight other tenants. The defendant: me. The charges: breach of contract and illegal business operations. I looked at the long list of familiar names. The last one was Sarah, the girl who’d wanted the braised pork. I called my lawyer. “Old friend,” I said, “I have a problem.” He was silent for a long time after I explained the situation. “This is bad,” he finally said. “Very bad. The other side’s leader is a pro. He’s got you on two major points: the structural modifications and the unlicensed businesses. Legally, you have almost no chance of winning.” “What about the contracts they signed?” “Like the kid said, they’ll likely be deemed unconscionable. And with so many young people, the so-called ‘vulnerable group,’ they’ll have the judge’s sympathy. You’re at a disadvantage, legally and in the court of public opinion.” “So there’s nothing I can do?” “Your only option is to settle out of court. Offer them a rent reduction or some compensation, and get them to drop the lawsuit. It’s the least costly option.” I hung up the phone. Settle? I looked out the window. A few tenants were laughing and chatting in the gym, using the equipment I had bought for them. I picked up my phone and typed a single sentence in the group chat. “See you in court.” There was a three-second silence. Then, a reply from Liam: a thumbs-up emoji. 4 The day of the trial, the sky was a gloomy gray. The courtroom was packed. The tenants of The Haven, and a gaggle of reporters. Liam represented himself. He was dressed in a sharp suit, his hair perfectly coiffed. He stood before the judge and delivered a powerful, eloquent opening statement. He presented a mountain of evidence: photos of the partitions, close-ups of the “unhygienic” kitchen, news articles about the fire hazards of subdivided apartments. And a hundred-page document of a joint testimony from all the tenants, each one a tear-jerking account of how I had taken advantage of their youth and inexperience, luring them into my “illegal” deathtrap. They painted themselves as innocent lambs, exploited by a greedy, heartless landlord. Liam’s speech was masterful. “Your Honor, we are not here to be unreasonable. We are recent graduates, full of hope for our future in this city. We sought a safe haven, but what we found was a web of lies and danger! The defendant, Ms. Chen, paraded herself as a ‘guardian angel landlord,’ basking in the praise of the media while engaging in illegal and dangerous practices, putting the lives of over a hundred young people at risk! We are not seeking monetary compensation! We are seeking justice!” His voice rang with passion. In the gallery, his supporters looked on with expressions of outrage and admiration. The reporters were scribbling furiously. When it was my lawyer’s turn, he presented the signed contracts and safety disclosures. Liam immediately objected. “Your Honor, I have already demonstrated that these so-called ‘disclosures’ are a textbook example of unconscionable contract terms! The defendant used her position of power to impose an illegal living situation on us and then attempted to absolve herself of all legal responsibility!” My lawyer tried to argue, but Liam shut him down with a barrage of legal terminology and flawless logic. The judge’s expression grew colder and colder. I knew I had lost. I had lost from the very beginning. This lawsuit was a perfectly orchestrated performance, with Liam as the writer, director, and star. A perfect hunt, with “the law” as the weapon and “justice” as the banner. During the recess, I was smoking in the hallway. Liam approached me. “It’s not too late to surrender, Ms. Chen,” he said. “If you agree to our terms, we can drop the lawsuit right now. It’s for the best, for everyone.” “And if I don’t?” He smiled. “Then we’ll win. And you’ll lose everything. The building will be shut down. You’ll face massive fines. And your ‘guardian angel landlord’ reputation will be destroyed. You’ll be a pariah. Is it worth it?” I stubbed out my cigarette. “See you in court,” I said again. His face darkened. “You’re a fool,” he said, and walked away. 5 The verdict was no surprise. I lost. The court ruled that the clauses in my rental agreements regarding the structural modifications were void. I was ordered to remove all partitions and restore the building to its original layout within one month. The gym and cafeteria were deemed illegal businesses, and I was fined two hundred thousand dollars. The common areas were sealed off immediately. When the verdict was announced, the courtroom erupted in applause. The tenants hugged each other, celebrating their “victory.” The reporters swarmed Liam, their cameras flashing. “This is not a personal victory,” he said to the cameras, his face flushed with triumph. “This is a victory for the law, for justice! It’s a message to all young people: when you face injustice, do not be silent! Do not compromise! Stand up and fight for your rights!” A reporter shoved a microphone in my face. “Ms. Chen, what do you have to say about the verdict? Will you appeal?” I said nothing. My lawyer escorted me through the crowd. As I was getting into my car, I heard Liam’s voice behind me. “Landlord.” I stopped, but I didn’t turn around. He walked up to me, the reporters trailing behind him. He looked at me, a smirk on his face. “It’s a new era,” he said, his voice loud enough for everyone to hear. “The days of cutting corners and playing the sympathy card are over. Young people aren’t so easily fooled anymore.” I looked him in the eye. The victory in his was blinding. I said nothing. I just gave him one long, hard look. Then I got in my car and drove away. As I pulled away, I saw him in the rearview mirror, surrounded by his cheering fans, a conquering hero. I took out my phone and turned it off. Then I closed my eyes. One week. That’s all I needed.

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The first time Chloe’s new boyfriend, Leo, set foot in our office, he made it his mission to mark his territory. And by territory, I mean my boss. His opening move? He grabbed Chloe’s phone, found my contact, and deleted it right in front of my face. He held up his own phone, a smug yet innocent look plastered on his face. “Sam, my man. From now on, if you need Chloe, just hit me up. I’ll pass the message along.” He winked. “I’m just, like, super insecure, you know? Don’t want any… misunderstandings between us.” I looked over at Chloe, expecting her to shut this down. She was the CEO, for God’s sake. Instead, she was gazing at Leo with a look of pure adoration, like he’d just discovered a cure for cancer. She turned to me, her voice syrupy sweet. “That’s actually a great idea. Sam, from now on, just do me a favor and look out for Leo, okay?” Cornered, I had no choice but to add Leo on my phone. The second he accepted the friend request, my phone blew up. [Hey Sam. This client you’re meeting tomorrow, Mr. Harrison. Man or woman?] [Where’s the meeting? And you better wear something super casual. Like, don’t even wash your hair. I don’t want you trying to steal my girl.] [I trust that you and Chloe are just friends, but you can’t betray me, bro. I’m counting on you as my brother now!] [Oh, and new daily task for you—remind Chloe to send me a voice memo saying ‘I love you’ every thirty minutes.] I stared at the messages, a disbelieving laugh escaping my lips. I silenced my phone, tossed it on the nightstand, and went to bed. The next morning, I woke up to the sight of dozens of missed calls. 1 My stomach lurched. I thought there must have been a major emergency at work. I immediately called back. The moment the call connected, Leo’s shriek ripped through my eardrum like a lightning strike. “Sam Taylor! What the hell were you doing last night? Why didn’t you answer my calls!” “Were you hiding something? Where did you sleep? Turn on your location services! I need to check!” “I’m warning you, if I find out you’re making a move on Chloe behind my back, I will skin you alive!” His hysterical tirade left me speechless. I was the COO of our company, not his and Chloe’s personal assistant. I fought to keep my voice even. “Leo, I have no obligation to report my personal schedule to you. If you have questions for Chloe, you can ask her yourself.” I added, “After work, my time is my own. What I do and where I am is my business, not yours.” Leo just scoffed, his voice dripping with menace. “You’re not answering because you’re guilty! You think I won’t just have Chloe fire you?” “Leo,” I couldn’t help but push back, “you call her your ‘girl,’ but you two aren’t even engaged, are you? If I make a professional mistake, I’ll accept the consequences. But firing me for ‘being guilty of something’ you imagined? I don’t think that’ll hold up.” He completely ignored my point. “Just tell me! Why didn’t you answer my calls? What were you doing?” I was already exhausted by this conversation. “I was sleeping,” I said, my patience wearing thin. “It was the middle of the night. What else would I be doing?” “Sleeping?” His voice suddenly became righteous, as if he’d caught me in a lie. “Were you sleeping alone? Where do you live? Did you secretly move into an apartment next to Chloe’s?” “I don’t care what you say. Send me your live location right now, or you’ll regret it!” I was done. I hung up and sent him my location pin just to shut him up. As expected, the barrage of calls and texts stopped instantly. Two minutes later, a new message popped up. His tone had completely changed. [Hey man, I’m sorry. I just get really paranoid. Chloe’s so amazing, I’m always afraid someone’s gonna try and take her from me. You’re not mad, are you?] [When you guys get to the meeting, can you send me a few pics of her? Just so I can see her pretty face.] I rolled my eyes so hard I think I saw my brain. Shaking off the deep sense of annoyance, I got ready and headed for the office. 2 Leo was some college kid Chloe had recently started dating. The moment he figured out she owned her own company, he came sprinting over to “stake his claim.” The problem was, the guy was either dumber than a box of rocks or he’d watched way too many cheesy rom-coms. He treated every man in the office as a rival, which meant that I—the guy who’d been Chloe’s classmate in college and co-founded this company with her from the ground up—was Public Enemy Number One. He watched me like a hawk, completely oblivious to the fact that I’d poured my soul into making money and had zero interest in office romance. At 9:30 AM, Chloe and I walked into the conference room at Mr. Harrison’s firm, ready to finalize the details of a major partnership. The meeting wasn’t until 10, but my phone, sitting on the table, started buzzing nonstop. The notification sounds were like nails on a chalkboard in the quiet room. Chloe shot my phone a dirty look, then put on her boss hat. “Phones on silent during work hours, Sam. Do I have to remind you of the basics?” I glanced at the screen. Of course, it was all from Leo. [Bro, you at the conference room yet? You seen Harrison? Send me a pic!] [And a full-body shot of you! I need to approve your outfit!] [You’re with Chloe, right? Why isn’t she answering my texts? Tell her to check her phone NOW!] A vein started throbbing in my temple. I took a deep breath and said to Chloe, as politely as I could, “Your boyfriend is looking for you.” The second she heard the word “boyfriend,” she snatched her phone, scanned the messages, and immediately stood up and walked out of the room. I was left there, completely stunned. Mr. Harrison was due to arrive any minute, and she was leaving to text her boyfriend? Sure enough, two minutes after she left, Mr. Harrison and his assistant walked in. His eyes fell on the empty chair beside me, and his brow furrowed. “Where is Ms. Vance?” Mr. Harrison was in his fifties, an old-school titan of the industry known for his emphasis on punctuality and professionalism. The displeasure on his face was impossible to miss. I quickly smoothed things over with a smile and a convenient excuse, then took the lead and started walking him through our proposal. Over the next thirty minutes, he was nodding along, and the atmosphere in the room felt great. Just then, Chloe strolled back in without a hint of urgency. She sat down beside me and asked how it was going. When I told her it was going well, shevisibly relaxed and then took over, wanting to dive into the fine print with Mr. Harrison. I used the opportunity to slip out for a glass of water. The moment I was in the breakroom, I pulled out my phone. 99+ notifications. Dozens of missed calls. I didn’t even need to look to know who it was. Before I could even open the app, a video call from Leo popped up. I declined. It popped up again. Declined. Again. After the third time, I knew he wouldn’t stop. I braced myself and answered. His roar blasted through the speaker. “Sam Taylor! You’re ignoring my calls again! What are you hiding!” I was about to lose it. “Leo, I told you I was in a meeting! This is a multi-million dollar contract. If we lose it, are you going to take responsibility?” He sneered. “Well, if I get into a fight with Chloe because of you, and it affects her work, are you going to take responsibility for that?” I was floored. I honestly couldn’t comprehend the twisted logic rattling around in his brain. Before I could respond, he became even more demanding. “Turn on your camera. Right now! I want to see where you are and who’s around you. Pan 360 degrees, nice and slow!” A wave of pure frustration washed over me. I gripped my phone, my knuckles white. “Leo, I’m in the middle of something. Can you please stop? If you need something, talk to Chloe. I’m her COO, not your couple’s counselor.” “Turn it on! That’s the only way I’ll believe you! Otherwise, you’re just lying!” My conscience was clear, so I figured, what the hell. I switched to the camera and pointed it at the conference room door I had just exited. “See? Happy now? I told you I was in a—” My words were cut off by a piercing scream. “Aaargh! You bastard, Sam! You’re trying to have a little office romance with Chloe, aren’t you? Not on my watch! As long as I’m around, you will never lay a hand on her!” That was it. My last shred of patience evaporated. I ended the call, and in one fluid motion, deleted and blocked his number. The sudden silence was bliss. Looking at my clean, quiet phone, I felt like I could finally breathe again. 3 When I returned to the conference room, Chloe and Mr. Harrison were getting along splendidly. It looked like they were just about to sign the contract. Mr. Harrison picked up the pen and smiled at Chloe. “You know, a lot of bigger firms were fighting for this project, some with higher bids. But we go way back, and I trust doing business with people I know. Besides,” he said, nodding in my direction, “your Mr. Taylor here is a rare talent. Sincere, professional, incredibly competent. An employee like that is hard to find.” I didn’t let the praise go to my head. I’d earned that respect with my work. Chloe looked relieved and started exchanging pleasantries with him. Just as Mr. Harrison’s pen was about to touch the signature line, the conference room door was thrown open with a loud bang. His assistant was trying desperately to hold Leo back, apologizing profusely. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Harrison. This gentleman said he’s Ms. Vance’s boyfriend and insisted on ‘supervising the meeting.’ I couldn’t stop him…” Before she could finish, Leo shoved her aside and stormed right up to me. He swung his hand and slapped me hard across the face. CRACK! The sharp sound echoed through the silent room. Everyone froze. I held my hand to my stinging cheek, my eyes ice-cold as I stared at Leo. His face was streaked with tears, his eyes swollen and red. He had clearly cried his way over here. But he was acting like he was the one who had been wronged. Chloe rushed to his side. “Leo! What are you doing here?” Instead of answering, Leo’s eyes darted around the room, scrutinizing everyone present. He looked at Mr. Harrison, at the still-active PowerPoint presentation on the screen, at the documents scattered on the table—all clear evidence that this was nothing more than a standard business meeting. Realizing he’d just made a massive mistake, he instantly switched into ‘damsel in distress’ mode, grabbing Chloe’s arm. “I… you weren’t answering my messages,” he whimpered. “I was so worried something had happened to you.” He shot a timid, accusatory glance at me. “And Sam deleted me… he wouldn’t answer my texts, and he was so rude…” His voice trailed off, his eyes welling up again as he mumbled, “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to.” I was still reeling, fighting back a storm of rage, when Chloe grabbed my arm. Her tone was like steel. “You. Apologize to Leo.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Chloe, I’m the one who just got assaulted for no reason!” “So what?” she snapped, her brow furrowed in a look of profound, baffling righteousness. “You knew he’s sensitive and insecure. Why didn’t you just answer his messages? That’s a failure on your part! And I never told you to delete him. Who gave you the right?” If Mr. Harrison hadn’t been in the room, I would have thrown my entire portfolio right at their stupid faces. Clenching my jaw, I took out my phone and cast the screen to the large monitor at the front of the room. The hundreds of messages from Leo filled the display—a scrolling testament to his insanity, from interrogations about my location and outfit to demands that I act as their personal love-note courier. Leo fell silent, his eyes darting away. Chloe stared at the screen, momentarily stunned. “So, Chloe,” I said, my voice dangerously calm, “what you’re saying is, I should have abandoned this multi-million dollar contract to go play therapist for your boyfriend?” I paused for effect. “Tell me, who’s his partner here? You, or me?” Her face flushed crimson. She immediately tried to deflect. “Sam Taylor! Is that how you speak to me? Do you even want this job anymore?” She doubled down on her twisted logic. “This contract is important, but Leo’s feelings are more important! You’re a senior partner, my right-hand man. It should be your job to handle these things for me, both in and out of the office!” I had no words. There’s no arguing with a brick wall. Seeing Chloe’s attention was off him, Leo started his drama act again. He clutched her arm, his voice breaking. “Chloe, stop… It’s okay. I know Sam just can’t stand to see me happy. He probably has a thing for you and is just jealous that I’m with you, so he’s doing all this on purpose…” He turned to leave, the picture of a wounded soul. “I’ll go! I know nobody here cares about my feelings…” With a final sob, he ran out of the room. Chloe didn’t even glance at me, let alone our most important client. She just bolted after him. 4 The conference room fell silent. It was just me, Mr. Harrison, and his assistant. Mr. Harrison’s face was as dark as a thundercloud. He let out a cold, humorless laugh. “So, Ms. Vance values her boyfriend’s tantrum over a multi-million dollar contract. I see now what your company’s ‘sincere commitment’ looks like.” His tone had turned to ice, all the previous warmth gone. “We will need to re-evaluate your firm’s capabilities. That will be all for today. You can see yourselves out.” A wave of defeat washed over me. I was the only one who knew how many sleepless nights I’d spent on this proposal, how many trips I’d made to iron out every detail, how much personal effort I’d put into building a rapport with him. And now, all of it was destroyed by my love-struck boss and her pathologically insecure boyfriend. A flicker of ice formed in my own gaze. If Chloe was going to be this foolish, then she couldn’t blame me for what came next. As Mr. Harrison stood up to leave, I spoke. “Mr. Harrison, if you’ll just wait one moment.” He turned, his expression wary. I took a deep breath, reached into my briefcase, and pulled out a different folder. I walked over and handed it to him. “Sir, before you make a final decision, perhaps you’d be willing to take a look at this proposal instead.”

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I make seven figures as a top sales executive. My husband, Mark, is a stay-at-home dad. Everyone tells me what a huge sacrifice he’s made for our family. But lately, I’ve noticed our six-year-old son growing more and more distant. He even wrote in his journal, “I wish Mommy would disappear.” It broke my heart. I thought maybe I was being too hard on him. Then my neighbor cornered me in the elevator, her face grim. She told me if I didn’t stop beating my son at night, she was going to call the police. But during those times, I was miles away, stuck in meetings at the office. Until the night I came home early, unannounced. And as I stood in the hallway outside my own apartment, I heard it. My own voice, screaming at my child. 1 “Leah, I’m warning you.” In the elevator, Mrs. Gable from across the hall stared me down, her eyes blazing with a mix of anger and disgust. “You stop hitting that boy at night! You do it again, and I swear, I’m calling the cops.” I had just gotten out of a six-hour international conference call. I was bone-tired, and my head was pounding. “Mrs. Gable, I think there’s been a misunderstanding.” “I’ve been working late all week. I haven’t been getting home until after midnight.” “A misunderstanding?” Her voice shot up, and the other people in the elevator turned to stare. “I heard it with my own ears!” she hissed. “The sound of your voice, screaming at him. And that poor boy’s crying… the whole hallway could hear it!” “What good is a big career if you treat your own son like that?” she continued, her voice dripping with judgment. “To lay a hand on your own flesh and blood… you’re a monster!” The elevator dinged open. Mrs. Gable pointed a trembling finger at my face. “A good man like Mark,” she spat, “must have been blind to marry you!” I stood frozen as the doors slid shut, then walked the final few feet to my apartment on heavy legs. I fumbled for my keys, my hand shaking uncontrollably. The door opened to a scene of domestic warmth. My husband, Mark, was in an apron, carrying a steaming bowl of soup from the kitchen. He saw me and his face broke into that gentle smile I knew so well. “Leah, you’re home. Rough day?” “Come on, sit down. I made your favorite.” He took my briefcase and knelt to help me out of my heels. He’d been like this for seven years, ever since we got married. He’d given up a promising career of his own, despite his Ivy League degree, to be the man behind the woman, managing our home with perfect care. “Mark, Mrs. Gable, she…” I couldn’t finish. Mark sighed and pulled me into a soft hug. “I know,” he said, his voice muffled in my hair. “She came by this afternoon, threatening to call the police.” “Leah, don’t listen to her. She’s just getting old, her hearing’s not what it used to be.” The knot in my chest loosened slightly. “But why would she say that?” “Who knows. Maybe someone had their TV on too loud.” He rubbed my back soothingly. “Don’t even think about it. You’re just under too much stress.” “Go wash up. Dinner’s ready.” I nodded and walked to the bathroom. The woman in the mirror looked haggard, with dark circles under her eyes like bruises. Maybe he was right. Maybe I was just exhausted. At dinner, our six-year-old son, Leo, kept his head down, pushing food around his plate without a word. I put a piece of his favorite honey-glazed salmon on his plate, but he flinched back as if my fork were a hot poker. The fish fell onto the table. “Leo?” I frowned. He wouldn’t look at me. “I’m full,” he mumbled. He scrambled from his chair and ran to his room, shutting the door behind him. A sharp pain went through my chest. The little boy who used to cling to me, begging for one more bedtime story, now couldn’t stand to be in the same room. Mark sighed, picking up the piece of salmon and placing it on my plate. “Don’t be too hard on him, Leah. He’s just a kid.” “You’ve been so on edge lately. He’s a little scared of you.” I opened my mouth to argue, but the words wouldn’t come. With the pressure of the new product launch, I knew my patience had been thin. I had been stricter about his reading practice. Was it really my fault? Late that night, I couldn’t sleep. I found myself drawn to my son’s room. He was fast asleep, his cheeks still damp with old tears. His journal was lying open on his desk. I picked it up. In his childish scrawl, a single sentence sent a chill down my spine. “I wish Mommy would disappear.” 2 I didn’t sleep a wink. The next morning, with my eyes swollen and red, I went to see my best friend, Maya. She’s a child psychologist, the only person I can tell everything to. After I finished my story, her expression was grave. “Leah, this is serious,” she said. “Kids are like emotional barometers. He wouldn’t be acting this way without a reason.” “And your neighbor hearing things? That’s not a coincidence.” I buried my face in my hands. “But I didn’t do it, Maya! I have airtight alibis for all those times!” “I believe you.” Maya took my hands, her gaze steady. “But we have to figure out what’s really going on.” She hesitated. “Mark… is it possible he…?” I shook my head instantly. “No way. Not Mark. He gave up everything for this family. He loves Leo and me more than anything.” Maya sighed. “You never know what goes on behind closed doors. Look, let me help. I have a friend who runs a security company. I can have him install a discreet camera in the hallway outside your apartment. See what it picks up.” “Okay,” I said, nodding gratefully. “Don’t say a word to anyone,” she warned. “Especially not to Mark. We don’t want to tip anyone off if something is going on.” A small flame of hope ignited in my chest. That afternoon, Maya called to say the camera was installed. I spent the rest of the day on edge, checking my phone constantly, waiting for a break in the case. Nothing. When I got home, Mark was his usual perfect self, with a beautiful dinner waiting. Leo was even colder than before. He wouldn’t even eat at the table with me, taking his plate into his room. My heart felt like a lead weight in my chest. At 10 PM, I was in my home office answering emails when my phone rang. It was Maya. Her voice was colder and more brittle than I had ever heard it. “Leah.” “Maya? What is it? Did the camera catch anything?” I asked, my voice tight with anticipation. There was a long silence. “Maya?” “I saw it,” she said, her voice sounding like it was being squeezed through a keyhole. “No. I heard it.” “Just half an hour ago. I heard your voice.” My stomach dropped. “My voice?” “Yes, your voice! You were screaming at Leo, saying the most horrible things. And then… then I heard hitting. And Leo was crying, screaming for you to stop…” “That’s impossible!” I yelled, jumping to my feet. “I’m right here, in my office! I haven’t moved an inch!” “Stop lying to me!” Maya’s voice was suddenly sharp, accusatory. “Leah, I can’t believe you! Do you have any idea what you’re doing? That’s your son!” “I didn’t do it! Maya, you have to believe me!” Tears were streaming down my face. “Believe you? How can I? I spent all these years looking up to you, thinking you were this icon of female empowerment!” “Leah, listen to me. You either go to the police and turn yourself in, get some serious psychological help, or we’re done. Our friendship, everything. It’s over.” “I will not stand by and watch you destroy that little boy, and yourself.” “Beep… beep… beep…” She hung up. I tried calling back, but a cold, automated voice informed me, “The person you are calling is unavailable.” Over and over, I tried. The same result. She’d blocked me. My best friend of fifteen years, the woman who was like a sister to me, had just cut me out of her life. A chilling numbness spread through my body. I collapsed back into my chair, the room spinning around me. Why? Even Maya heard it. Was it… was it possible that I was sick? That I was doing these things in some kind of fugue state, with no memory of them? Fear, cold and suffocating, wrapped around my throat. 3 I stumbled out of my office in a daze. Mark was in the living room, holding a glass of milk, watching me with a gentle expression. “What’s wrong, Leah? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” I looked at him, my lips trembling. “Mark… am I… am I sick?” “Do I have some kind of disease I don’t know about?” A flicker of something complex—pity? triumph?—crossed his face, so fast I couldn’t be sure I’d seen it. He set the milk down and came to me, wrapping me in his arms. “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re just exhausted. Your nerves are shot.” “But Maya… she heard it too. She ended our friendship…” I choked out the story of our phone call. Mark’s brow furrowed. “How could she say that to you? What kind of friend is she?” he said, his voice full of indignation on my behalf. Then, his tone softened again. “Leah, listen to me. There has to be a misunderstanding.” He paused, choosing his words carefully. “Maybe… maybe the stress has triggered something. Like a dissociative episode?” “It’s sometimes called… a split personality.” He said it so gently, as if he were afraid the words themselves would break me. “Sometimes, when a person is under extreme pressure, their mind creates another personality to cope. Maybe… maybe that other personality did those things, and you have no memory of it.” My mind went blank. Dissociative Identity Disorder? “No… that can’t be…” “Leah, don’t be scared.” Mark cupped my face in his hands, his eyes filled with sincerity. “No matter what happens, I’m here with you. We’ll face this together, okay? I’ll make an appointment with the best psychiatrist in the city for you tomorrow.” Looking into his concerned eyes, the chaos in my mind quieted a little. He was right. I still had him. Just then, the doorbell rang. Mark answered it. A young, pretty woman I’d never seen before was standing there, holding a covered dish. “Hi, Mark. I… I just made some lasagna,” she said softly. “Mrs. Gable mentioned Leah’s been under a lot of stress, and I just wanted to bring something over.” Her name was Clara. The new neighbor from downstairs. “Clara, that’s so thoughtful of you,” Mark said, taking the dish. “Come on in.” Clara stepped inside but flinched slightly when she saw me, as if I were a wild animal. She directed her words to Mark. “Oh, no, I can’t stay. I just wanted to drop this off.” Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, just loud enough for me to hear. “Is… is Leah okay?” She paused. “I heard some noises last night, too… Leo’s crying was just heartbreaking. Mark… you should really look after Leah. Maybe she’s working too hard?” Her words were like a knife in my gut. Even the new neighbor heard it. Mark’s expression darkened. He glanced from Clara back to me and sighed. “I know. Thanks, Clara. We’ll handle it.” After he closed the door, the gentle concern on Mark’s face vanished, replaced by a deep, weary frustration. “You see, Leah? Even Clara heard it.” He rubbed his temples, and for the first time, spoke to me in a tone that was less suggestion and more command. “You have to see a doctor. For your own good, and for Leo’s.” “He’s terrified of you, do you understand that? If you keep on like this, you’re going to destroy this family!” I stared at him. Was this the same man who catered to my every whim? His eyes, his tone… it was all so foreign. My heart sank like a stone. He put his hands on my shoulders, his voice softening again, but with an unyielding edge. “Just listen to me, Leah. Take some time off work. I’ll go with you to the doctor.” “And until you’re better, I think it’s best if you don’t get too close to Leo. Okay?” “It’s for his own good.” 4 I was a prisoner in my own home. Under the guise of “getting better.” Mark called my office and requested an extended leave of absence for me, citing a mental health crisis. He took my phone, my laptop, and my car keys, severing my connection to the outside world. Every day, he brought me meals and a cocktail of colorful pills. They were from the doctor, he said, to help stabilize my mood. After a few days on them, I was in a constant, groggy fog, sleeping most of the time. I wasn’t allowed to see my son. Whenever I tried to leave the bedroom, Mark would block my path with a look of profound sadness and pity. “Leah, please. The doctor said you need complete rest.” “If Leo sees you like this, it will only scare him more.” Trapped, I felt my strength and my will to fight draining away. I started to believe it myself. Maybe I really was sick. Maybe everything Mark was doing was for the best. Until one night, I woke up, nauseous from the medication, and knocked over a glass of water on the nightstand. The water soaked the inside of the drawer. As I frantically pulled it open to wipe it out, my fingers brushed against a small, unlabeled pill bottle tucked away in the very back. I opened it. The pills inside were identical to the “sedatives” I’d been taking every day. A seed of suspicion took root. The next time Mark went out for groceries, I hid a few of the pills in my pocket. Later, I staged a complete breakdown, screaming and crying and smashing a vase against the wall. When Mark came home to the wreckage, his eyes were filled with disappointment. He didn’t yell. He just quietly cleaned up the mess and doubled my dosage. The next day, I pretended the new dose had knocked me out cold. As soon as I heard the front door close—Mark, Clara, and Leo leaving for the day—I shot out of bed. My years in sales had taught me to be cautious and prepared. I always kept a burner phone and a prepaid SIM card hidden in a secret compartment in my closet. I powered it on and called the one person I knew I could trust completely: a private investigator. I asked him to run a chemical analysis on the pills. Then, I started planning my escape. I couldn’t just sit here and let this happen. I had to know the truth. I became the model patient. I pretended to take my pills every day, but flushed them down the toilet. I acted more stable, more compliant. Mark seemed to let his guard down. Finally, my chance came. He told me he was taking Leo to a “family fun day” at the park, and that Clara was coming with them. They would be home late. I smiled sweetly and told him to have a good time. The moment the door clicked shut, the smile vanished from my face. I picked the lock on my office door, where I had a spare key and an emergency stash of cash. I changed into inconspicuous clothes, put on a hat and a mask, and slipped out of my own home. I didn’t run. Instead, I hid in the stairwell, tucked behind the fire extinguisher case. My gut told me something was going to happen tonight. Darkness fell. At 9 PM, the door to my apartment opened. Mark came back. Alone. He didn’t turn on any lights. He walked straight to Leo’s room. A few moments later, I heard it. A sound that was both intimately familiar and bone-chillingly terrifying. My voice. “Leo! You got another B on your spelling test? You’re worthless!” “I work my fingers to the bone for you, and this is how you repay me?” “I told you, if you’re not number one in your class, you don’t get to eat!” The voice was shrill, cruel, filled with a venom I didn’t recognize. It was followed by the sharp crack of a belt and the sound of my son’s muffled, agonized sobs. My blood ran cold. I clamped my hand over my mouth to keep from screaming. That wasn’t me. It was a recording. He was using a recording of my voice to torture my son. Then, I heard Mark’s voice, flat and devoid of any emotion. “Cry louder. Or your real mommy will come back and give you worse.” Tears streamed down my face. My boy… my little Leo… A woman’s voice joined in. Clara’s. She hadn’t left. “It’s okay, Leo, sweetie,” she cooed. “Just do what your daddy says. This way, your real mommy won’t hurt you. We’re protecting you.” “Your mommy is sick, she’s a bad person now. We’re the only ones who really love you.” Vile. Despicable. A white-hot rage erupted in my chest. I clutched the burner phone in my pocket—it was already recording. I shot to my feet. I couldn’t wait another second. I had to expose them. I had to save my son. I rushed to the door, ready to break it down— Ding. The elevator doors opened. Mrs. Gable stepped out, holding a bag of trash. Her head snapped toward the sounds of screaming and crying coming from my apartment. Then her eyes landed on me. The look she gave me was one of pure hatred. She put one hand on her hip and pointed at me with the other, her voice echoing down the hall. “There you are! I knew it! You shameless, sick woman, you came back for more!” “I’m calling the cops right now! They’ll lock you up, you psycho!”

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The night before my promotion, my girlfriend Lana gave the biggest account of the quarter to her pet project, a junior associate named Leo. I saw red. I cornered her in our apartment, my voice shaking with a rage I couldn’t control. She just stared back, her eyes like ice, and dropped two words that shattered my world. “We’re done.” Then she turned and stormed out, slamming the door behind her. My first instinct was to chase after her. But then, a series of pop-up comments, like a live-stream chat feed, materialized in front of my eyes. [Dude, don’t be an idiot! She’s just pissed! She’s right downstairs, practically burning a hole in her screen waiting for you to call. One text and she’ll be back up here in a second.] [Seriously, you were so busy with this account you almost forgot her birthday today. She only gave the deal to Leo to get back at you. She’s already regretting it, probably pacing and cursing herself out. Call her! That promotion is yours tomorrow, and you’ll get your perfect, devoted girlfriend back!] [Look, you can practically see her chewing her lip raw from here. God, I wish I had a girlfriend who cared that much!] [Bro, it’s starting to rain out there. You’re not gonna let her get soaked, are you? This girl is so deep in love, I’m shipping this so hard!] For a second, the comments almost calmed me down. I walked over to the window and pulled back the curtain. The street below was empty. Then I opened Instagram. Lana had just posted a picture of her and Leo, smiling, blowing out the candles on a birthday cake. I let out a bitter laugh. Eight years. All down the drain. I turned, walked to the trash can, and threw away the gift I’d spent a month planning. Then I picked up my phone. And replied to a text I’d received earlier that day. [Seven figures. If the offer still stands, I can start in three days.] The reply was instantaneous. [Deal.] 1 A wave of relief washed over me as I read the confirmation. I immediately started packing. But the pop-ups flared to life again. [No, no, no, my dude, don’t say things you can’t take back! Lana didn’t get your call, and just then, Leo said he had a power outage at his place. That’s the only reason she went over! The cake was for you, he just didn’t know and ate it himself!] [For real, don’t do this. She hasn’t seen your text yet. Retract! Retract! Retract! She cleared her entire schedule for her birthday, just for you two. She had no idea you’d be stuck at work until 11 PM. If you break up with her now, she’s going to lose it.] [You know the story. Her mom left her on her birthday when she was a kid. It’s a huge trigger for her. She gets terrified that the people she loves will abandon her. You’ve always been so patient with her about it. Come on, man. Just hang in there. For her.] I looked away from the comments, but my hands were still trembling as I folded a shirt. She knew. She knew how hard I’d worked for this account. How many humiliating meetings I’d endured for this promotion. How many client dinners I’d choked down. To land this deal, I’d spent the last month picking up the client’s kindergartener from school every damn day. The kid was a menace. He told all the neighbors I was their new housekeeper. I felt my face burn with shame, but I swallowed my pride and kept smiling. I was this close. Then I got the text. “Hey Sean, my hands are tied here. Right before signing, your boss, Ms. Lin, insisted the account go to a Mr. Leo Chen. I’m really sorry about this.” The message had turned my blood to ice. I rushed home to confront her, and all she gave me was a cold stare and two words before walking out. If it weren’t for those damn pop-ups, I would still be in the dark about why she did it. She was always like this. The slightest disagreement, and she’d threaten to leave. Tell me to get out. The first time, I believed her. I was heartbroken for weeks. When I finally couldn’t take it anymore and sent her a novel-length apology text, she showed up at my door in minutes. She held me so tight I could barely breathe. “Sean, when I’m angry, nothing I say is real,” she’d whispered. “Promise me you’ll never leave, no matter what I say. Please?” “I just say things I don’t mean. Every time I say we’re done, it’s just because I need you to love me more.” “I can’t live without you, Sean.” That night, we went through a whole box of condoms. Back then, I could excuse her behavior. I told myself she was just insecure. I forgave her again and again, coaxed her back from the edge every time. But why this? Why now? At the most critical moment of my career. When she saw, day in and day out, how much I was sacrificing. How could she just wipe it all away with a single, careless decision? How could she use my future, the one thing she knew I valued most, as a weapon to make me bend? Lana. Did it ever occur to you? That I get hurt, too. That I get tired. That eventually, I wouldn’t be able to hang on anymore. 2 For eight years, Lana was my entire world. Ever since that night in high school. Her mother had walked out on her right after her eighteenth birthday party, and Lana fell apart. With graduation right around the corner, she started skipping school, spending all her time at internet cafes. I tried everything to pull her back. I lectured her, I pleaded with her, but nothing worked. Then one night, I was following her home when a homeless man grabbed her, trying to drag her into the bushes. I nearly beat him to death. That was the night she clung to me and sobbed, “Sean, don’t you ever leave me.” With her tears hot on my neck, I made a promise. A promise I kept for eight years. I gave up my first-choice college and followed her to a city I hated. She took over her family’s business, and I started at the bottom, working my way up, determined to become her equal. And now, it was all just a bad dream. 3 After I finished packing, I left and went to the apartment I’d been renting on the side. I got it after the last time Lana kicked me out. My crime? I’d cooked some fish in the microwave. She hated the smell. I thought she was out of town, but she came home early and flew into a rage, screaming that I was inconsiderate, that I didn’t love her. She threw my suitcase into the hallway. I ended up getting a hotel, then renting a cheap studio nearby. It took three days of non-stop, groveling apology texts before she finally let me come back. It wasn’t the first time I’d been kicked out. Subconsciously, I think I knew I needed a backup plan. I never terminated the lease. Tonight, it came in handy. No need to even look for a place. 4 The next morning, I walked into the office with my resignation letter in hand. The elevator doors opened to a POP! Confetti rained down on me. My colleagues crowded around, cheering. “Alright, Mr. Director, where are you taking us for lunch? I’ve been eyeing that new sushi place. You’re paying!” “Yeah, Sean! You owe us!” I opened my mouth to tell them it wasn’t a sure thing, but the elevator dinged again. Lana and Leo stepped out. “Well, well. Looks like someone’s celebrating a little early,” Leo said with a smirk, his eyes locking on me. “See, Lana? Told you he’d do anything to get ahead. What do you think?” That last part was directed at Lana, who stared straight ahead, refusing to even look at me. “Everyone, gather around. I have an announcement,” she said, her voice cutting through the chatter. My stomach sank. I took a step back. Once everyone was quiet, she continued. “I’m not sure where certain people got their information, but there seems to have been a misunderstanding.” Her eyes finally flickered to me, a cruel glint in them. “The new Director of Sales… is Leo Chen.” Her words hung in the air, nailing me to a cross of public humiliation. My colleagues awkwardly tried to hide the confetti cannons behind their backs. “Hey, Sean,” Leo chimed in, “you might be older, but promotions aren’t based on seniority. Otherwise, we’d have to make old Jerry from security the new director, right?” A few people snickered. I bit down on my lip, hard. The damn pop-ups were going crazy. [Dude, just apologize. Say you were wrong. Lana will demote Leo on the spot. She knows how hard you’ve worked. She can’t stand to see you hurting like this. Look, her eyes are all red. She was up all night waiting for your call.] [You know how she is! She’s just being difficult! Just play along, and I guarantee she’ll be on her knees tonight begging for your forgiveness. She’s probably already bought more condoms. A night of amazing make-up sex is just one apology away!] I ignored them. If seeing me publicly shamed was her idea of “caring,” then I had nothing to say. I had just gotten back to my desk when another colleague approached, holding a folder. When I saw what it was, I shot to my feet. “What? You want me to compile all of my client files and hand them over to Leo?” I asked, my voice dangerously low. The colleague avoided my gaze. “Look, Sean, it’s a direct order from Lana. Don’t make this hard for me.” The same guy who was just congratulating me was now looking at me with a mix of pity and morbid curiosity. 5 I took a deep breath. “Fine. I get it.” But he didn’t leave. “Uh, one more thing, Sean. Lana said… well, your office has the best view, and she wants you to clear it out for Director Chen.” I actually laughed. A hollow, empty sound. So this is what it felt like to be completely broken. Lana was showing me exactly what the last eight years of my life had been for. I took off my employee ID badge and walked toward her office, resignation letter in hand. As I reached the door, I heard Leo’s voice inside. “So, Lana, does he really send you a whole essay every time you break up? Hahaha, that’s pathetic. What does he say? ‘It’s all my fault, my sweet Lana, please forgive me?’ Ugh, I’m getting goosebumps. You poor thing. I feel so bad for you.” My hand, raised to knock, clenched into a fist. Tears pricked my eyes. Unbelievable, Lana. Just… unbelievable. 6 [Oh no, you’re crying! Baby, she didn’t mean to show him your texts! Leo was just using her phone to look something up and saw them by accident! Don’t overthink it!] [Yeah, and once he asked, she couldn’t really say no, right? Besides, her mind is completely on you right now. She wasn’t even listening to what Leo was saying. Don’t misunderstand!] [She just ordered that ring you wanted online! She knows she messed up big time and she’s planning to propose to make it up to you! Dude, don’t be mad! Just go in there, say you’re sorry, and Leo will be packing his desk by lunch. Trust me!] I didn’t believe a word of it. Lana’s phone was a fortress. No one touched it but me. The fact that Leo had it, and was reading my private messages out loud, meant only one thing. He was special to her now. I closed my eyes, took a breath, and knocked. The voices inside stopped. “Come in.” I opened the door. When she saw it was me, she raised an eyebrow, surprised. She knew I never knocked. “What is it?” she asked coolly. I placed my resignation letter and my ID on her desk. Her brow furrowed. Before she could speak, Leo jumped in. “A resignation letter? Sean, don’t tell me you’re actually upset about the promotion. This is Lana’s company. She can promote whoever she wants. Just because you’re her boyfriend doesn’t mean you can control her decisions. Threatening to quit? That’s low, man.” I scoffed. “Lower than getting a promotion you didn’t earn?” “You—!” he sputtered. “Enough!” Lana snapped. “Sean, stop this. Are you really going to make such a scene just because I promoted Leo? Is it that big of a deal?” I didn’t answer. I just took a step back. “This is my resignation. I won’t be in tomorrow.” Her response was to hurl her coffee mug at the wall next to my head. It shattered, and a shard of ceramic flew past, slicing my cheek just below my eye. I felt a warm trickle and touched my face. My fingers came away bloody. Lana was on her feet, her face contorted with rage. “Sean, do our eight years together mean nothing to you? You can just walk away? You think I can’t live without you? Fine! Get out! Get out right now!” She jabbed the intercom button on her desk phone. “Send security to the sales department. Sean Miller is fired. Escort him out of the building.” When I got back to my desk, my computer was locked. Two security guards were standing there, waiting. “Mr. Miller. You are not permitted to touch the computer. You may only take your personal belongings. Ms. Lin wants you out in ten minutes.” My colleagues were gathered at a safe distance, watching the spectacle. I never imagined Lana would be so eager to humiliate me. I could already hear the whispers, the gossip that would spread through the industry about how I was unceremoniously thrown out of my own company. If I hadn’t already lined up another job, this could have ruined my career. After all this time, she still knew exactly where to stick the knife. I had to laugh. Look at her. The woman I loved for eight years. With security guards watching me like a hawk, I started packing my box. 7 The pop-ups were a frantic blur. [Son, she’s watching you from around the corner! Go to her! You don’t even have to say anything! Just show up and she’ll get on her knees and beg for forgiveness!] [She’s already got the keyboard ready for you to make her kneel on! Please, just go call her ‘baby girl’ one time, and she’ll give you the directorship, the whole company even!] [The guards are just for show! She saw your tears and her heart is breaking! She’s probably slapping herself right now. She even bought a whip on Amazon! Check her phone, I’m not lying!] [Dude. The whip, the hot sauce, the candles. Take your pick. Just go to her and she’ll let you do anything you want to her tonight.] I stared at the messages for a long moment. Then I let out another cold, empty laugh. “Mr. Miller. This way, please.” I was, quite literally, thrown out onto the street. The midday sun was blinding, but I felt like I was trapped in a block of ice. The world felt surreal, distant. The heat, or maybe the stress, was making me dizzy. My feet felt like they were made of lead. “Mr. Miller? I hope I’m not too late.” A voice cut through the haze, pulling me back to reality.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “385001”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel