Author: Momo Chan

Title: My Husband Chose His “Sister” Over Me During a Kidnapping ## In the eighth year of my marriage to Lucas, his so-called sister, Sarah, and I were kidnapped together. Lucas, a multimillionaire, showed up with ransom money—but only enough for one person. When forced to choose, he looked at me and said, “Claire, your dad’s wealthy. He’ll come for you. But Sarah only has me.” When I barely escaped and made it back home, the media was already celebrating their so-called “unbreakable bond.” When I finally stumbled back home, the media had swarmed the front of my father’s estate. Cameras were flashing, reporters were everywhere, and they were all focused on Lucas and Sarah. Lucas was holding Sarah tightly, and the reporters were eating up their story of “surviving together through thick and thin.” No one cared that Sarah was just the other woman in my marriage. To them, loyalty in marriage didn’t seem to matter as much as the fleeting thrill of “true love.” When I got out of the car, battered, bruised, and wearing the tattered remains of my clothes, the camera flashes turned their attention to me. My father rushed out with a large blanket, wrapping it around me, desperately trying to shield me from the prying eyes of the press. It didn’t matter. For a moment, I caught Lucas’s gaze. There was a flicker of shock on his face, quickly replaced by disgust. Pain rippled through my entire body, especially my abdomen. It felt like my insides had been torn apart. The pain was so overwhelming that I collapsed, losing consciousness. In my dreams, I was still with the kidnappers. Sarah had already been taken by Lucas. She had begged and pleaded with him not to call the police because the kidnappers had taken compromising photos of her. On the phone, Lucas had reassured her. He promised to bring the ransom money. But when he arrived, he only brought enough for one person. When the kidnappers forced him to choose, he held my hand tightly, his face full of false sincerity. “Claire, your dad’s rich. He’ll come for you. But Sarah only has me. You understand, don’t you?” I didn’t understand. All I knew was that the kidnappers were watching me closely, their eyes lingering on my torn clothes. I was terrified. Tears streaming down my face, I begged him, “Lucas, don’t leave me here. Pay for my release, and I’ll make sure my dad reimburses you!” Lucas lowered his head. “I’m sorry. My company is struggling right now. If I pull this money out, your dad might not help me. I’m sorry, Claire.” And just like that, he pulled his hand away, grabbed Sarah, and left. I didn’t even have the chance to tell him I was pregnant. I was carrying our baby—two months along. But those words would never be spoken. The kidnappers tore off what was left of my clothes, gagged me, and tied me to a post with barbed wire. As I struggled, the wire cut into my flesh, and I felt the life inside me slip away. Meanwhile, my father had no idea what was happening to me. Lucas returned home with Sarah, who was too traumatized to talk about what had happened. She refused to mention anything, and Lucas, my loving husband, didn’t bother to press her. The police couldn’t get any useful information from either of them. Time slipped away as they searched for me. By then, it didn’t matter how much money my father had. I had seen the kidnappers’ faces, and they planned to sell me to Southeast Asia. Luckily, during transport, they let their guard down, and I managed to escape. I crawled through mud, slept in dumpsters, and fought stray dogs for scraps of food. Against all odds, I made it back to the city, where the police finally found me. When my father saw me, he nearly collapsed but managed to steady himself long enough to wrap me in a blanket and carry me away. In my dreams, I saw a little girl with pigtails, wearing a princess dress. She waved at me and called out softly, “Mommy, Mommy, I forgive you.” I ran toward her, desperate, but she only drifted farther away until she disappeared completely. I woke up with a start to find Lucas sitting by my bed. The sight of him made me sick. “Why are you here? Get out. I don’t want to see you.” His face contorted with anger. “We’re married. Isn’t it normal for me to check on you?” Furious, I grabbed a pillow and hurled it at him. “Get out! I never want to see you again!” Lucas’s patience snapped. “You should be more like Sarah. At least she knows how to comfort me. All you do is yell and complain. I haven’t slept for days worrying about you, and this is how you act? You’re so spoiled!” I let out a bitter laugh. He hadn’t slept for days? How could that compare to the pain I endured? Every day, I was electrocuted, whipped, and burned with cigarettes. The kidnappers mocked me, saying my husband didn’t think I was worth the money. “Lucas,” I said through gritted teeth, “your heart must be made of the filthiest, most disgusting stone. You call yourself my husband? What kind of man leaves his wife with a group of violent criminals?” His expression softened slightly, as if he felt a shred of guilt. “You know my company’s cash flow is tight. I don’t come from money like you do. Your dad is rich. And besides, you’re back now, aren’t you? What’s the big deal?” At that moment, the door burst open, and my father stormed in. The second he saw Lucas, he lunged at him, ready to fight. Lucas shoved him away without hesitation. “Dad!” I screamed.

When I saw my dad hit the ground hard, Lucas finally seemed to snap out of it. “Dad, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to—I didn’t see you there!” He quickly stepped forward, trying to help my dad up, but my dad pushed him away with force. My father glared at him, his voice heavy with anger. “I don’t care if you saw me or not. Get out of here! My daughter needs rest!” Seeing my dad’s fury, Lucas obediently left. He knew full well that even though my family was bankrupt now, my dad’s connections were still far beyond anything he could handle. The moment Lucas was gone, I rushed to help my dad up, but he pulled me into his arms instead. “Claire, don’t be afraid. Dad’s here now,” he said, his voice shaking with emotion. I clung to him tightly and started sobbing uncontrollably. I couldn’t understand—why was I always the second choice? I cried until exhaustion overtook me, and I fell into a deep sleep. The trauma of the past few days haunted my dreams. Strange, nightmarish visions filled my mind, pulling me into a distorted world where I was forced to confront the absurdity of my life. I saw myself as a naïve teenager, hopelessly infatuated with Lucas Rivers, the most popular boy in school. Every class seemed to have someone like him: smart, polite, and effortlessly charming. But Lucas’s life wasn’t as perfect as it appeared. His mother had been a victim of assault, and he was the child born from that violence. Shortly after his birth, his mother was institutionalized for schizophrenia, leaving Lucas to be raised by his grandparents. But they never treated him as their own. To them, he was a painful reminder of the tragedy that had ruined their daughter’s life. My sympathy for him marked the beginning of my own tragedy. We attended an elite class at our school, where half the students were there because of their grades, and the other half because of their family wealth. Lucas, always the top student, was the target of jealousy and bullying. That’s when I stepped in, defending him time and time again. At first, Lucas didn’t seem to care about me. He barely acknowledged my existence. But then one day, I got into a fight with another student who was mocking him. That student shoved me to the ground, and I fractured my wrist trying to break my fall. From that day on, Lucas started treating me differently. He began looking out for me in small ways, and I mistook that for something deeper.

Determined to stay close to him, I worked tirelessly to get into the same college as Lucas. My dad even approved of him. In my father’s eyes, Lucas was a rare talent—someone worth supporting. With my dad’s encouragement, I finally mustered the courage to confess my feelings to Lucas. He didn’t say yes, but he didn’t reject me outright, either. Blinded by my feelings, I convinced myself that we were in a relationship. Lucas had a younger sister, Sarah Rivers. I’d known about her since high school. She wasn’t his biological sister. She was adopted by Lucas’s uncle, who raised her as his own. But what I didn’t know was that Sarah and Lucas had grown up together, and before starting high school, Lucas’s uncle had abruptly taken her away. On the day of our wedding, Sarah suddenly reappeared. She walked into the reception barefoot, covered in bruises and scratches, her blue dress stained with blood. Tears streamed down her face as she looked at Lucas and cried, “I escaped, Lucas. Why didn’t you wait for me?” And just like that, the ring Lucas was about to place on my finger slipped from his hand. That night, my wedding night, Lucas didn’t come home. Instead, he stayed at the hospital with Sarah. I swallowed my bitterness and forced myself to accept it. After all, I was the one who had been chasing him all this time. The next morning, I changed into fresh clothes and prepared to visit the hospital. But before I could leave, my father stopped me at the door. “You’re going to the hospital, aren’t you? Don’t you dare. No daughter of mine will let herself be humiliated like this!” I begged him, tears streaming down my face. By then, I was already in too deep. Lucas had given me just enough attention over the years to fill my head with beautiful memories. I couldn’t let go. When I finally arrived at the hospital, I learned something that shocked me to my core. Sarah wasn’t Lucas’s uncle’s daughter. Years ago, Lucas’s uncle had sent her away because their relationship had crossed the line. They weren’t siblings—they were lovers. Lucas’s uncle had sent Sarah abroad and forbidden her from contacting Lucas, threatening to cut her off entirely if she disobeyed. Sarah had spent years working to free herself from her adoptive father’s control, determined to reunite with Lucas. On the day of my wedding, she had escaped and returned to him. I covered my mouth in horror as I listened to the story, then stumbled back to our empty marital home. When Lucas finally came back, I asked him for a divorce. But he refused. Instead, he insisted on consummating our marriage that night. What followed was a day of physical and emotional torment. Lucas showed no tenderness, and when he was done, he fell into a deep sleep, leaving me alone to cry in the dark. I slapped myself across the face, trying to wake up from the nightmare my life had become. But I couldn’t. So I told myself I’d try one more time. That “one more time” turned into eight years. Eight years of a marriage where I was nothing more than a third wheel to Lucas and Sarah. I was exhausted, drained, and ready to leave. But before I could file for divorce, Sarah and I were kidnapped together. And in that nightmare, I lost the child I had prayed for all those years. When I woke up in the hospital, my father’s hair had turned gray overnight. But soon, an even more devastating piece of news arrived. Somehow, during the beatings and torture I endured, a tumor in my stomach had ruptured. The cancer had spread. At best, I had three months left to live.

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The poor girl I spent a million dollars sponsoring turned out to be a master manipulator. She chased after my son while sleeping with my husband. When I was on my deathbed in the ICU, desperately waiting for money to save my life, she took all our assets and went on a world tour with my husband. She even had the gall to mock me: “Mrs. Lewis, didn’t you always tell me to pursue my dreams and be brave in love? My dream was to inherit your money, sleep with your man, and take over your life.” In the end, I died full of hatred, powerless to fight back. But when I opened my eyes again, I had been reborn—back to the day she first stepped into my house. “Hello, Mrs. Lewis. Thank you for taking me in.” Standing at the door with her oversized bags, Wendy smiled shyly. She looked so timid, glancing nervously around my house as if overwhelmed by her new surroundings. In my previous life, I thought her reaction was because she felt uneasy about entering an unfamiliar environment. Now I knew better. She wasn’t nervous—she was coveting my wealth. Wendy was an orphan, her parents having died when she was still a child. She had grown up in the remote mountains, barely surviving on scraps. The story of her eating a single piece of stale bread over three days had made national headlines. I felt sorry for her back then. Her tragic situation moved me so much that I decided to sponsor her escape from poverty. For 15 years, from grade school to college, I spent over a million dollars on her education and living expenses. But Wendy was nothing more than an ungrateful snake—a manipulative, scheming woman. She started by pursuing my son, Ryan, relentlessly. When Ryan had finally had enough and confessed to me that Wendy had been harassing him at school, I thought I’d finally see her true colors. But Wendy, ever the actress, immediately burst into tears, her voice trembling as she pleaded: “That’s not true, Mrs. Lewis… I only treated Ryan kindly because I’m so grateful to your family.” “I don’t have any friends at school, and Ryan feels like family to me. I envy my classmates because they have loving parents and siblings… but I’m always alone.” Her tearful confession left Ryan speechless. In the end, he apologized to her. Even my husband, who was never particularly kind, comforted her gently: “Who said you’re alone? Aren’t we your family too?” Wendy looked up at him with watery eyes, whispering: “Thank you… Mr. Lewis.” Her tears made her seem pitiful. Yet when she smiled, she looked so pure and resilient, like someone who had endured great hardships but remained innocent. It was the kind of act that made people instinctively want to protect her. That one word, “Mr. Lewis,” was spoken so sweetly and softly—it was enough to make anyone’s heart melt. Even then, I felt something was off about her. But Wendy was too clever. She turned to me, her expression full of sincerity, as she said: “And Mrs. Lewis, I promise I won’t disappoint you. I’ll work hard to repay your kindness.” Her acting was flawless. Her eyes sparkled with such genuine gratitude that I dismissed the unease in my heart. I continued to help her, supporting her all the way through college. But as soon as she graduated, she seduced my husband. I caught them in my bedroom—her clothes a mess, her body covered in the marks he’d left behind. When I confronted her, shaking with rage, she smirked and replied: “What’s the rush, Mrs. Lewis?” “It’s not my fault you’re getting old. Mr. Lewis just prefers someone younger.” “I’m just… repaying your kindness.” As she spoke, she deliberately adjusted her clothes to reveal more of the evidence, as if she was proud of her conquest. And my husband? He had the audacity to shield her behind him, saying: “Rebecca, don’t blame Wendy. This is all my fault. I was the one who insisted on being with her.” Years of overwork had taken a toll on my health. My heart was already weak, and this betrayal pushed me over the edge. I collapsed, clutching my chest as pain ripped through me. While I lay dying in the ICU, Wendy used my money to fund a luxurious trip around the world with my husband. In the end, I died alone, consumed by anger and despair. Before I passed, Wendy finally came to see me. Smiling triumphantly, she said: “Mrs. Lewis, didn’t you always encourage me to chase my dreams?” “Well, my dream was to inherit your money, sleep with your husband, and live your life.” Her shamelessness was so astonishing that it left me speechless, even in my final moments. As my consciousness faded, I made one last desperate wish: if I could have another chance, I would never let them get away with this! The next moment, I opened my eyes— And found myself back on the day Wendy first arrived at my house. The day I had let the wolf into my home.

“Mrs. Lewis, I’ll be starting high school when the semester begins.” Wendy’s voice broke the silence, as if testing the waters when she noticed I hadn’t spoken for a while. Her words pulled me back from the memories of my previous life, and I refocused my gaze on her. I studied her carefully, forcing down a wave of disgust as I gave her a faint smile. —She’d been living quite comfortably off my money these past few years. When I first saw her in the mountains, she was dark-skinned, malnourished, and scrawny. Now? Her skin was fair and smooth, her figure well-fed, and even her voice carried a soft, sweet tone. “Come in,” I said, gesturing toward the door. “The guest room is ready. Make sure to focus on your studies.” As I spoke, I glanced at the man standing beside me—George Lewis. I had no intention of sending Wendy back to where she came from. Trash should be thrown into the trash can, after all. I had even gone out of my way to “dress up” George for the occasion. He wore a crisp white shirt paired with tailored slacks, and on his wrist was the six-figure Cartier watch I had gifted him for our wedding anniversary. From the outside, he looked flawless—a charming, successful man. But in reality, I was the one with the money. George held a useless position at my company, a job I gave him just so he’d have something to do. He had no real power. But girls like Wendy—greedy and shallow—were easily fooled by appearances. Hah. If she was so desperate to play the part of a manipulative gold-digger, I’d hand her over to the dog myself. This time, I’d push George straight into her arms so she wouldn’t have time to go after my son. Sure enough, from the moment George appeared, Wendy’s demeanor changed. She pretended to be shy and obedient, but her gaze kept drifting toward him. I nudged George deliberately and said, “Honey, don’t just stand there. Help Wendy with her luggage.” George, snapping out of his daze, finally reached out his well-manicured hands to pick up Wendy’s suitcase. He led her into the living room. When their hands accidentally brushed during the handoff, Wendy’s cheeks turned pink. She lowered her head bashfully and murmured, “Thank you… Mr. Lewis.” I watched the scene unfold, a cold smile forming in my mind. Perfect. The fish was starting to nibble at the bait.

For the first few days after Wendy moved in, she behaved herself. Well, mostly. There was just one incident: she wandered into the living room in her pajamas, pretending it was an accident, and deliberately lingered in front of George. It was subtle, more like a test than anything outright inappropriate. But I could tell—she was itching to make her move. Every day, I watched her play the role of the innocent, sweet girl, flitting around George Lewiske a little butterfly. I pretended not to notice. The more she thought she was getting away with it, the bolder she became. Then, the fall break arrived. My son, Ryan, was coming home from boarding school. In my previous life, this was when Wendy and Ryan first met. I was curious to see if she’d try to pull the same tricks on him this time. And, predictably— It seemed Wendy had decided George would take too long to seduce. She’d set her sights on Ryan instead. That day, as soon as I walked into the house, I heard her sugary voice: “Ryan, have some water.” Ryan, bless him, had a good eye for trouble. From the moment he saw Wendy, he clearly didn’t like her. He glared at her attempt to fawn over him and snapped, “Get lost. I’m not your brother, and I don’t have a sister. Stay away from me.” Wendy’s face froze, but she quickly recovered. Her eyes turned red, and tears started streaming down her cheeks. “Ryan, do you… not like me?” she whimpered. She then turned her tearful gaze toward George, sniffling pitifully. “Mr. Lewis, I’m sorry. It’s my fault. I must’ve done something wrong to make Ryan hate me…” George, predictably, softened at her display. He immediately tried to smooth things over. “Don’t worry about Ryan, Wendy. He’s always been spoiled by us—don’t take his words to heart.” I decided it was time to step in. Wendy’s lingering gaze on George hadn’t even faded yet when I walked into the room, catching her off guard. The moment she saw me, her expression stiffened. She quickly masked it with a look of vulnerability and said, “Mrs. Lewis, it’s all my fault. I upset Ryan earlier. You can blame me, but please don’t be mad at him.” Ryan’s face darkened as he glanced at me, clearly wanting to explain himself but unsure how to start. And honestly, I didn’t blame him. In my previous life, even I had fallen for Wendy’s act. How could my son stand a chance? Back then, I had scolded Ryan harshly for being rude to Wendy. He’d always been an obedient child, taking my words to heart. Because I constantly praised Wendy in front of him—telling him to treat her like a little sister and protect her—Ryan reluctantly put up with her. When Wendy got into trouble at school, he even defended her, getting into fights on her behalf. That led to a disciplinary record right before his college entrance exams. Looking back, I must’ve been out of my mind to favor an ungrateful snake over my own son. But this time, I wouldn’t make the same mistake. Meeting Wendy’s gaze, I smiled faintly. “Why would I blame Ryan?” I said coolly. “Wendy, Ryan works very hard at school, and this is his chance to rest. Don’t bother him unless it’s important.” Then I added pointedly, “I only have one son, after all.” Wendy’s eyes widened in disbelief, and for a split second, I caught a flash of hatred in her gaze. But she quickly suppressed it, replacing it with a pitiful expression as she whispered, “Of course, Mrs. Lewis. I’m sorry. I’ll make sure not to disturb Ryan again.” Ryan let out a sigh of relief and walked over to me. “Mom, I’ve missed your cooking. The food at school is terrible.” George patted Ryan’s shoulder, saying, “You’ve been working hard, son. I’ll take you shopping for new shoes tomorrow.” Wendy watched our warm family interaction, biting her lip so hard it turned white. I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye. Maybe the problem wasn’t that no one had taught her properly. Maybe she’d been rotten to the core all along.

When I started sponsoring Wendy, she was just in the third grade. She lived in the remote mountains where the roads were nearly impassable. To get to school, she had to climb over hills and leave the house before the sun even rose. Her parents had passed away, and she lived with her grandmother, barely scraping by. They were so poor that they couldn’t afford proper meals or clothing. Feeling sorry for her, I decided to sponsor her education all the way through college, giving her a monthly stipend of $500 for living expenses. Over the years, she would write me letters from time to time, bragging about her excellent grades. Out of kindness and goodwill, I believed every word she said. I never once questioned whether she was lying. But when she took her high school entrance exams, she only managed to get into the worst-performing school. Based on the grades she had claimed to have, she should have easily gotten into one of the best schools in the district. As her sponsor, I felt it was only natural to ask why she had “underperformed.” Her explanation? “Mrs. Lewis, I’m so sorry for disappointing you. “My grandma got sick, and I was so worried about her that I couldn’t focus on studying.” She used her grandmother’s health as an excuse, leaving me with no room to argue. Not long after, her grandmother passed away. At the funeral, Wendy clung to my hand tightly, tears streaming down her face as she pleaded: “Mrs. Lewis, I have no family left. “Can I live with you? “Please, let me call you Mom. I’ll take care of you when you’re old. I’ll repay you no matter what.” Looking at her tear-streaked face, I sighed and agreed. In public, she always played the role of the pitiful, apologetic girl, making herself seem so small and humble. In my previous life, I was touched by her act and tried to be as kind to her as possible. It wasn’t until my death that I realized it had all been an act. She did it to make me let my guard down.

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I won 20 million in the lottery and shared the exciting news with my boyfriend. That evening, he brought over a younger friend from his lab, saying they wanted to play some cards to catch a bit of my good fortune. I agreed. After losing five games, I felt overwhelmed and suggested we take a break. On the balcony, I accidentally saw my boyfriend kissing his friend in a corner. “Darling, when will this be over? Just looking at her makes me sick.” “Hang in there a bit longer. I’ve already set everything up. Once she’s ensnared, we’ll make our move.” “The lottery results are out. Congratulations, you’ve won a big prize. Please follow the instructions to redeem it at the designated location. Wishing you a happy life.” Seeing the new message, I was momentarily stunned before realizing I had been given a second chance at life. This was the day I won the big prize. In my previous life, I quickly told my boyfriend the news. He was overjoyed, saying we must celebrate. But when I got home that night, he had brought the younger friend along. “Baby, I was in the lab when you called. Emily overheard the great news and asked if she could come over to share in your luck.” Emily looked at me with a sweet smile, “Sis, I’ve never seen such a big lottery win. I was curious and asked my senior to bring me along to see it. You don’t mind, right?” Thinking it was a fun occasion, I didn’t refuse. After dinner, Ethan suggested we play cards for fun. They worked together seamlessly, and I lost ten thousand dollars in just five rounds. Feeling light-headed, I suggested taking a break. It wasn’t until I caught them hugging that I realized everything had been a setup. From the moment he brought Emily home, their goal was to con me out of money and harm me. Recalling Ethan’s ugly smile, I slammed the table hard. “Bark! Bark!” The water cup toppled over, and Buddy, who had been sleeping, quickly ran over, circling my feet. Looking at him, my eyes welled up. To force me to admit the gambling debt and sign the IOU, Ethan and Emily tied Buddy next to the stove, torturing him with boiling water and a hot spatula. Amid my heart-wrenching cries, Buddy suddenly sprang up, biting through Emily’s hand. She screamed in pain, angrily raising a kitchen knife to strike. “Stupid dog! Your owner would rather have money than save your life, and you still protect her!” “So loyal, I’ll send you both down to reunite!” Buddy’s struggling whimpers echoed in my ears. I couldn’t help but cry. Buddy got anxious, jumped on me, and gently nudged my arm with his paw, showing his concern. I petted his head, softly explaining, “I’m okay, Buddy, don’t worry. I’ll make you a gourmet meal tonight.” I calmed myself down and hid the lottery ticket. Then, I went to Ethan’s school. Being reborn, I thought I could give Ethan another chance. If this time he didn’t plan to harm me, I might even share half the prize with him and part ways amicably. Standing at his lab door, I dialed his number. “Baby, I’ve got some good news!” I spoke excitedly, and Ethan immediately stopped his experiment, turning around nervously to ask in a whisper. “Is it about the lottery ticket we bought?” I nodded. “I got a message today that our lottery ticket won the grand prize, and the staff asked me to go redeem it!” Hearing his sudden rapid breathing, I deliberately reminded him, “With this money, we can live comfortably for the rest of our lives. Don’t tell anyone, or it might bring trouble!” Ethan, looking all proper, agreed and repeatedly promised not to tell anyone. Hanging up, I watched him excitedly jump around the room, then call Emily without hesitation. “Emily, Nora just told me she struck it rich! Now, we can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.” “Hurry over, so we can plan how to get that money from her!”

That evening, Ethan brought Emily back. The moment they met me, they couldn’t hide their excitement, eagerly asking, “Did you really win the big prize? How much is it altogether?” I pretended to be surprised, pulling Ethan aside to whisper my complaint. “Ethan, didn’t I say this should be kept secret? Why did you bring someone else?” Ethan awkwardly scratched his head, smiling ingratiatingly. “When I took the call, Emily was right next to me. I couldn’t help but tell her in my excitement.” “She’s a good girl, just wants to share your luck, no other intentions. Don’t worry.” I sneered internally. If I hadn’t seen how he ruthlessly betrayed me, I might have fallen into the same trap again. Recalling how Emily proudly boasted about how Ethan shared everything with her, calculating against me, his official girlfriend, I couldn’t help but clench my fists. She was beaming with happiness, “After getting your call, Ethan couldn’t wait to call me over.” “You’ve been together so long, and he hasn’t bought you anything, right? But he promised me he’d buy me all the jewelry I want.” “You’ll never understand, being someone who can’t even win a man’s love.” I was in a dilemma, “I wanted to plan with you on how to get the money.” “But now it’s inconvenient to talk about it.” Ethan clicked his tongue, “How much could it be to make you so cautious?” I leaned in and whispered a number into his ear. Ethan’s eyes widened in shock. His voice trembled, “Really?” I nodded, complaining repeatedly. “I wanted to disguise ourselves and go redeem it under the cover of night. But you brought your junior home, now neither of us can leave.” Ethan’s expression turned strange. I knew he was weighing the pros and cons. If he could get the prize money himself, why go through the trouble of setting traps to steal my money like in the past? But letting me out now, if he slipped up, the cooked duck might fly away. Seeing his conflicted look, I patted his shoulder. “No worries, Emily is your favorite junior. How could we not let her broaden her horizons with such a rare event?” “We can find another time to go.” Actually, I should have noticed something was off between Ethan and Emily long ago. Though they were in the same lab, Ethan’s concern for Emily far exceeded what a senior should have. He could immediately recall Emily’s birthday and even knew her cycle, thoughtfully preparing sweet water. Even I hadn’t received such attention. I had my suspicions. But Ethan told me Emily was an orphan, and everyone cared about her. So, I thought I was overthinking. And ended up in a miserable situation. Probably thinking I couldn’t escape. Ethan showed a confident smile, not saying much. When we returned to the living room, Emily had already brought out the food from the kitchen. Seeing me, she smiled sweetly, “Sis, everything’s ready.” During dinner, I picked up a piece of mango, pretending to feed it to Ethan. Emily immediately reached out to stop me, “Sis, senior is allergic to mango. He can’t eat this.” I responded with a surprised look, “Even I didn’t know. How do you know so well?” Hearing my words, Ethan’s face turned sour. In the past, Emily was jealous of my title as Ethan’s girlfriend. After getting her way, she boasted. “Someone like you doesn’t deserve to claim you’re with Ethan. You don’t even know what he’s allergic to. Ethan never intended to open up to you.” She tirelessly used these ridiculous details to brainwash herself. Now, I pointed it out directly. Emily was so scared she dropped her chopsticks.

I looked at her calmly. After a moment of eerie silence, Emily forced a smile, stammering. “Last time, we went to a club event, and someone brought mango cake. After eating it, he started itching all over. That’s when I found out he’s allergic to mango. It’s just a coincidence.” Emily smiled ingratiatingly. I just nodded lightly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. Ethan and Emily exchanged glances, a barely noticeable viciousness in their eyes. After a full meal and drink, Ethan suggested playing poker. It’s the most common card game at gambling tables. Several players bet, with the last two revealing their cards, and the one with the highest card takes all. With the right cooperation, it’s easy to set traps in this game. Just like in the past, under Ethan and Emily’s manipulation, I lost several rounds in a row. Seeing my gloomy face and the transfer notification on my phone. Ethan and Emily were overjoyed. I pretended to be frustrated, “How could I lose so much? Let’s play another round. I can turn it around this time!” Emily paused, then smirked. “Sis, why don’t we play bigger?” She took out two IOUs from her pocket and placed them on the table. “I know you want to win back what you lost, but in this situation, it’s impossible.” “Let’s not cap the maximum amount. Bet all your assets. If we lose, we’ll sign this IOU.” Ethan and Emily couldn’t hide their delight. Feigning disappointment, I said, “How could I lose so much? Let’s go for another round. I’m sure I’ll make a comeback this time!” Emily paused before flashing a smile. “Hey, why don’t we up the ante?” She pulled out two IOUs from her pocket and laid them on the table. “I know you’re eager to win back your losses, but realistically, it’s not going to happen.” “Let’s lift the limit and bet everything we’ve got. You put up your lottery ticket, and if my senior and I lose, we’ll sign these IOUs.” “How about it? With my senior here as a witness, we won’t back out.” Watching Emily’s smooth persuasion, I chuckled to myself. In poker games, there’s a ruthless strategy called “bluffing.” Since you have to raise the stakes each time you check your cards, and you can only look at one card at a time, there are three chances to double up. At the showdown, you still have to increase your chips. When two players team up, they avoid checking their cards and keep raising, pressuring the target into folding when they can’t handle it anymore. And folding means giving up everything you’ve bet so far. In my past life, I didn’t know about this nasty trick and foolishly agreed to Emily’s challenge. On such a table, two million was nothing. Ethan and Emily teamed up to put psychological pressure on me. Eventually, I couldn’t handle it and folded voluntarily. It gave them a perfect excuse to humiliate me. Even worse, after ruthlessly killing me, they spread rumors around the neighborhood. Claiming I was a gambling addict who committed suicide with gas after being cornered by debt collectors. Everyone used me as a cautionary tale, dragging my name through the mud repeatedly. Now, meeting her expectant gaze, I smiled slightly. “Alright.” Perhaps my compliance made them drop their guard. I noticed Ethan awkwardly make a mark and pass it to Emily. Emily started first, “My family has a house in the suburbs worth fifty thousand, I’ll bet that.” Ethan added, “Then I’ll bet my family’s house,” he looked at me, “the one you know of in the city center, worth one hundred fifty thousand.” Facing his gaze, I felt nauseated. “I’ll just bet the lottery ticket money, two hundred thousand.” Several rounds of betting passed, and the stakes soared. But I remained calm and composed. Seeing that they had nearly bet all their assets, Ethan and Emily were getting anxious. “Nora, aren’t you going to check your cards? Be careful, or you’ll lose everything.” I knew they were trying to break my mental defenses and make me fold. But having gone through this in my previous life, I wouldn’t fall for it again. I shook my head. Finally, Emily couldn’t take it anymore. She glared at me venomously and revealed her cards. “Three Kings, let’s see who can beat that!” “Nora, if you lose, don’t blame us!” I slowly revealed my cards. At that moment, her face changed.

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On my birthday, my boyfriend insisted I join him and his god-sister on a Ferris wheel ride, despite my fear of heights, to make her happy. “Nora, it’s just a Ferris wheel. You won’t die. I brought you because you take the best photos.” Even though I was terrified, I took photos for them, but his god-sister kept criticizing my shots. Unexpectedly, when the Ferris wheel reached its peak, it suddenly broke down. Ignoring my pleas, my boyfriend pushed me out. “We’re too heavy with three people, Nora. Hang in there, I’ll call for help.” “I have to protect Adeline, she’s my mom’s goddaughter.” Somehow, I survived with broken bones, called off our engagement, and burned all our photos together. But later, when he saw my Instagram post announcing my marriage, he lost it completely. Inside the stuck Ferris wheel car, my boyfriend Asher looked at me with a harsh expression. “We’re overweight. If you don’t jump, we’ll all die. Just do it.” “It’s not that high. If you jump, you might just break a leg. Trust me, Nora. I’ll call an ambulance for you right after.” I was stunned, gripping the doorframe so tightly my hands bled. Who could have guessed that on my birthday, Asher would trick me into coming here to take photos for him and his first love, Adeline? “Asher, do you realize I could die if I jump from here? How could you do this to me…” My voice shook as I spoke. Asher’s face turned cold, and he shouted at me. “What do you want then?! If you don’t jump to lighten the load, we’ll all die together! Nora, how can you be so selfish?!” Selfish? I never thought I’d hear him call me that. Today, when Asher mysteriously promised a surprise, I was excited. I took the day off, expecting something special for my birthday. In the five years we’ve been together, he either forgot my birthday or brushed it off without a gift. Whenever I showed my disappointment, he didn’t seem to care. “It’s just a birthday. Do you think you’re some great person who deserves something extravagant? Aren’t lipstick and skincare products enough?” But the lipstick was used, and the skincare products were just samples. Back then, I thought he was just being thrifty. Now, I see it was because he didn’t love me enough. Seeing my silence, Asher grew impatient. “Are you jumping or not? Do I have to push you? Why are you making such a fuss over something so simple?” He stepped closer, almost ready to push me himself. At that moment, my heart ached unbearably, forcing me to bow my head, tears falling to the ground. How foolish I was to believe his words. All his promises meant nothing compared to the woman, Adeline, now cowering in his arms. For Adeline, he didn’t care about my existence at all. The ground was several meters below. Just looking made me dizzy. At noon, when Asher sent me a location to meet him, I didn’t expect Adeline to be there too. She let him pamper her, softly asking if I could take some photos of her on the Ferris wheel. I was about to tell her about my fear of heights and refuse when Asher dragged me into the Ferris wheel car. The overwhelming fear mixed with my current grievance and anger made me shout at the top of my lungs. “Asher, do you remember I’m your girlfriend? Do you know we’re about to get engaged?!” “You already know I’m afraid of heights and now you don’t even care about my life. Was your love for me a lie?!” Choking with emotion, I collapsed on the floor. Seeing me shaking and crying, Asher looked slightly pained and reached out to help me up. Just then, the Ferris wheel hanging mid-air made a dull noise, scaring Adeline into his arms. “Asher, I’m so scared. Are we going to die here? I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked you and Nora to come. It’s all my fault.” Her eyes were red as she walked to the door. “If it’s like this, then I’ll jump to make amends.” In an instant, Asher rushed to pull her back, his eyes wet with anxiety. “No, Adeline, it’s not your fault! You can’t jump, you’ll get hurt!” He held her tightly, comforting her softly. A few minutes later, he turned to me with determination on his face. “Don’t worry, Nora. Even if something happens to you, I’ll take good care of you. I’ll always be there for you.” “But Adeline can’t. She’s too delicate to endure hardships.” With that, ignoring my pleas, he opened the door and pushed me out.

As I fell, I landed in a tree by the roadside, followed by excruciating pain. Lying on the ground, I felt the searing pain in my left leg, curling up and groaning nonstop. “It hurts, it hurts so much!” Soon, the rescue team called by the staff arrived to help the Ferris wheel passengers. Asher, who was helped down, quickly ran to my side, checking my injuries. “Are you okay, Nora? The rescue team is here, they’ll take you to the hospital.” “Adeline was frightened this time. I really couldn’t leave her. Don’t worry, no matter what, I’ll take good care of you.” “When you recover, we’ll get engaged, alright?” Looking at his all-too-familiar face, I pushed him away with all my strength despite the pain. “Get out!” After five years, what am I to Asher? Five years ago, he confessed to me, promising to cherish me forever. Back then, I had just graduated, uncertain about my future. As a senior, he noticed my worries, tirelessly comforting me and helping me find a path. I knew he had feelings for me, but I was insecure because I came from the countryside. I feared our different backgrounds, feared I wasn’t good enough, and feared the pain of losing after gaining. That New Year’s Eve, Asher took me to watch fireworks. He shielded me from the wind, giving me my favorite pink roses. “Nora, I love you. Can you give me a chance?” His sincere gaze made my heart race. At first, we were like any other loving couple, going on dates and trips, sharing everything. But since Adeline said she was returning home, he changed. He became indifferent, uncaring. Or rather, he stopped pretending to love me. Pushed away, Asher looked hurt, trying to support me again. “What did Adeline do wrong? Don’t worry, Nora, I’ll make sure the hospital takes good care of you. This isn’t serious.” Yes, Adeline has always been the irreplaceable presence in his heart. How could she be wrong? She was a girl his mom saved during a trip, raised in their family, and later became a goddaughter. The family pampered her, giving her the best, even sending her abroad to study. When Asher brought her along on a few dates, I was puzzled, but he denied any feelings. “Adeline is just my little sister. I brought her because she was bored at home. If you don’t like it, I can ask her to leave.” But now, he would push me off the Ferris wheel for his “little sister” Adeline. I was too weak from blood loss to speak, letting Asher hold my hand. “Just lie still, Nora. The rescue team will take you to the hospital soon. You see, Adeline and I were rescued too, isn’t that perfect?” Angered by his words, a metallic taste rose in my throat, my nose stinging with frustration. A week ago, we were discussing our engagement. I felt I was a step away from happiness. Little did I know, I was stepping into an abyss. Lying helplessly against him, I forced a bitter smile. “Forget it, Asher. Let’s end this.”

He froze, his body tense, sensing my resolve. “Why? Nora, why? You’re not seriously hurt, and I survived too.” He looked incredulous, as if my words were outrageous. “Is it because I didn’t call an ambulance in time? But the rescue team is here, Nora. Don’t be so stubborn, okay?” Stubborn?! I couldn’t help but laugh, but the sharp pain in my chest quickly silenced me. He tricked me onto the Ferris wheel and pushed me off. Yet all his schemes turned out to be my stubbornness. For the first time, I felt a chill beyond compare, regretting ever choosing him. Sensing my emotions, Asher sighed deeply. “Don’t be like this, Nora. We’ve already told our friends and family about the engagement. You’re putting me in a difficult position.” “Besides, you know I love you and can’t live without you.” “To make it up to you, once you recover, I’ll take you to the Maldives like you always wanted.” I was coaxed into riding the Ferris wheel with him, only to be pushed off. In the end, all his scheming turned my choices into my foolishness. For the first time, my heart felt a chill beyond measure, and I regretted my decision from the very beginning. Perhaps sensing my emotions, Asher sighed deeply. “Come on, Nora, don’t make a fuss. We’ve already announced our engagement to our friends and family. Saying this now is putting me in a tough spot, don’t you think?” “Besides, you know I love you and can’t live without you.” “To make it up to you, once you’re feeling better, I’ll take you to the Maldives like you’ve always wanted.” Suddenly, the rescue team called out from a distance. “Are there any more injured? The vehicle is full. If not, we’re heading out.” Asher was about to respond when Adeline suddenly clutched her arm, crying. “Asher, my arm hurts so much. I think I scraped it just now. What if I can’t play the piano anymore? I’m so scared…” Upon hearing this, Asher released my hand and rushed to her side. “What happened? You seemed fine a moment ago. We’ll go to the hospital with the rescue team right away. You’ll be okay!” Adeline glanced at me with teary eyes, feigning hesitation. “But what about Cora? She seems more seriously injured than I am. The staff said the vehicle is full. I’m worried…” Asher’s eyes turned dark, and when he looked back at me, his expression changed. “Nora, you see Adeline’s hand is injured. If she doesn’t get treated in time, she might never be able to play the piano again. That would be devastating for her.” “So, since you can still talk, just wait here for a bit. I’ll call an ambulance for you, okay?” Even though I had anticipated this, hearing it felt like a knife twisting in my heart, leaving it numb with pain. “What if I say no?” Asher’s face immediately darkened, and he yelled at me angrily. “Why can’t you be more understanding, Cora? Are you trying to crush Adeline’s dreams?!” “It’s not like we’re leaving you here. Waiting a bit won’t kill you. Why are you acting like this? Or are you just targeting her intentionally?” “Cora, what’s happened to you?” Swallowing the taste of blood in my mouth, I let myself collapse to the ground, feeling my body grow cold. Why, why does he always abandon me when I need him the most? Just like how he forgot that today is my birthday and that I’m afraid of heights. The rescue team was calling from afar, and Asher carefully helped Adeline to leave. My left leg was likely broken; the numbness from the pain left me unable to move at all. “Asher, Asher!” Hearing my call, he turned back and instructed me. “Just wait here. Once Adeline’s wound is treated, I’ll call an ambulance for you.” But it would be too late; I wouldn’t last that long. “No, Asher, tell the rescue team there’s still someone here!” But Asher never looked back, helping Adeline onto the rescue team’s vehicle. Then came the sound of the engine, and I watched the hope of rescue fade away before my eyes. Suddenly, I recalled Asher’s whisper in my ear this morning. “Wake up, Nora, I’ll give you a surprise today.” Back then, I was so full of joy, never imagining I’d end up like this. It’s all too late now. Slowly, I closed my eyes in despair.

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Lucas hates me for killing his sister. He’s told me more than once to go die. “Sophia, you should be the one who’s dead. How dare you continue living?” That night, I fulfilled his wish and tried to end my life with an overdose of sleeping pills. Later, when he learned of my death, he knelt beside my body, clutching my hand tightly. “Sophia, I was wrong.” “Please don’t play such a cruel joke on me.” I died. As Lucas wished, I finally paid for his sister’s life with my own. After taking an overdose of sleeping pills, I slipped into unconsciousness, my life slowly ebbing away. Fortunately, I passed away in my sleep. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself floating in the air, surrounded by a group of medical staff in scrubs and white coats. The sheets were stained red, a sight that was deeply disturbing to anyone who saw it. Yes, I was the one who called the ambulance. I didn’t want my body to be discovered only after it had started decomposing. Moreover, I was alone in this world, with no family to notice if I was gone. After the doctor confirmed that I couldn’t be revived, he pronounced me dead on the spot. Upon identifying me, he sighed softly, looking regretful. “Another poor soul.” “I wonder if she has a loved one who will come to claim her body.” A loved one. At first, I thought I had one, but later I realized I was wrong. He didn’t love me at all. He hated me and wanted me dead. So now, I’ve fulfilled his wish and left this world. Looking at my cold, pale body, my mind began to wander. Lucas, how will you feel when you hear about my death?

My soul left the hospital and floated to Lucas’s house. The lights were on in the luxurious townhouse, and the TV in the living room was playing, but Lucas’s attention was clearly not on it. He was frowning, his eyes fixed on the phone he was gripping tightly, seemingly hesitating about something. Finally, as if he had made up his mind, he dialed a number. As the busy tone became more frequent on the other end, his patience gradually disappeared. He angrily hung up and threw the phone onto the floor. Lucas had always been impatient, so I wasn’t particularly surprised to see him act this way. But what he said next shocked me. “Sophia, how dare you not answer my calls? Are you trying to provoke me?” After saying this, as if still not satisfied, he swept everything off the coffee table onto the floor. The sound of shattering was jarring, but he seemed oblivious to it and continued smashing things. “Sophia, don’t think you can escape my sight like this. I’m telling you, the only way I’ll let you go is if you die!” Hearing these words, I felt a tightness in my chest. Lucas, as you wished, I’m already dead.

Actually, Lucas didn’t always hate me this much. He used to be good to me, even promising that he would love only me for the rest of his life. I still clearly remember the scene when he got down on one knee and proposed to me on my birthday. He said, “Sophia, marry me. Let me spend the rest of my life loving you. Let’s spend our days together happily. I’ll make sure you’re happy every day, with a smile always on your face.” Back then, his world revolved around me. I truly believed I had found the love of my life. But I never imagined that a car accident would turn our world upside down. On the day I found a job after graduating from college, Lucas’s sister Lily suggested we go out for hot pot to celebrate. I couldn’t refuse her kind offer, so I happily agreed. But at that intersection, a large truck suddenly came hurtling towards us. When I woke up again, I was in the hospital, and I was told that Lily had lost her life in the accident. The doctor told me that Lily had used her body to shield me from the truck. She died saving me. Those few short words made me lose my only best friend in this world, and on the same day, I lost Lucas’s love. To this day, I can’t forget the sight of Lucas, his face pale, kneeling on the ground when he heard the news. I tried to apologize to him. But he ignored me. He even violently pushed away my trembling hand when I tried to hold his. And then, I heard him say the most vicious words he had ever said to me. “Sophia, why couldn’t it have been you who died?” From that day on, he began to torment me, ensuring that the rest of my life was no longer filled with laughter and joy, but instead with constant suffering. I know he hates me. And he has every right to hate me. So even now, I’m grateful that he didn’t see me in my final moments.

To be honest, I can understand Lucas’s hatred towards me. He and Lily grew up in a single-parent family. After their mother passed away, they only had each other to rely on. Lucas was very smart. When he graduated from college, he secured a job offer from a well-known tech company based on his abilities. After working for two years, he earned his first pot of gold and used it to start his own small company. Over the years, under his management and operation, the company gradually got on track. I witnessed all his hard work. So when we were together, I would always make him hangover soup when he drank too much, clean him up, and change him into fresh pajamas so he could have a good night’s sleep. I would also make various stomach-friendly soups for him at noon every day, worried that he might skip meals due to his busy work schedule. His work was so demanding, so I wanted to do what I could to help him. Under my careful care, Lucas’s quality of life visibly improved. Even Lily would sometimes envy him for having such a caring girlfriend. And every time this happened, Lucas would plant a deep kiss on my cheek to show his love and gratitude. I thought this was what a peaceful life looked like. Back then, I naively believed that the rest of my life would continue to be this happy. So when Lucas hated me, I could understand. Because I hated myself just as much for letting Lily die.

With his phone broken, Lucas vented his emotions and then returned to his room. He simply thought I wasn’t answering his calls, never imagining that I was already dead. Looking at his face, red with anger, I couldn’t help but recall the first time he ever got angry with me. It was the first time I returned to the Lucas family home after being discharged from the hospital following the accident. When he saw me walk in from outside, he looked at me as if I were his mortal enemy. He rushed up to me and violently threw everything I was carrying out the door. “Sophia, how dare you come back here!” “Sophia, don’t forget that you killed my sister with your own hands. How dare you continue to live here so comfortably?” His words were like salt on my already wounded heart. My emotions, pushed to the brink by his constant pressure over the past few days, were about to explode. My hands clenched into fists at my sides, and for the first time, I shouted back at him. “Lucas, if you hate me so much, why don’t you just kill me? Wouldn’t it be better to kill me to pay for your sister’s life?” “Do you think you’re the only one suffering? Have you seen my pain? If I could, I wish I had never met you two in this life!” The sharp sound of a slap brought me back to my senses. My cheek quickly became hot, and the ringing in my ears cleared my mind. I had almost lost control again. Afraid of going crazy again, I pushed him away and ran out the door frantically. Only to find that once I left the Lucas family, I had nowhere to go. In the end, with no other choice, I spent a few nights under a bridge. The cold November wind was biting, and I wore nothing but a thin jacket. Shivering from the cold, I couldn’t help but remember the sudden drop in body temperature due to blood loss on the day of the accident. That feeling was very similar to death. Just when I thought I would freeze to death on the streets, Lucas appeared before me again, his face gloomy. He yanked me up from the ground. I thought he might be concerned about me, but the first thing he said was, “Sophia, dying like this would be too easy for you. You should experience what it’s like to suffer a fate worse than death.” Hearing him say this to me, I looked at him in disbelief. At that moment, I suddenly felt that the Lucas standing in front of me was so unfamiliar. So unfamiliar that it was as if I had never known him at all. “Sophia, don’t even think about escaping from me, because I will watch you experience an unbearably painful life.” “You owe Lily, and you should repay it with your life.”

After Lucas finished washing up, the doorbell of the townhouse suddenly rang. Standing at the door was Emma, Lucas’s childhood friend who had grown up with him. I had known that Emma liked him ever since I started dating Lucas. As the front door opened, Emma, dressed in an elegant cocktail dress and looking impeccable, appeared before Lucas. Unlike me, she always seemed to have a cheerful demeanor, as if she could bring endless joy to people. Not only that, but she also knew how to cheer Lucas up. For instance, now she sensitively noticed Lucas’s irritable mood and began to patiently comfort him as she sat beside him. “Lucas, don’t be angry. It’s not worth getting upset over someone like that.” Lucas glanced at her, then expressionlessly took the candy from her hand. “You’re right. It’s not worth getting angry over such a despicable person. She doesn’t deserve it.” Yes. I don’t deserve it.

“Lucas, you shouldn’t talk about Sophia like that. Maybe she’s just upset about what you said to her, that’s why she’s not answering your calls.” “Why don’t I try to talk to Sophia for you?” Hearing these words, my soul floating in the air couldn’t help but sneer. Doesn’t Emma find this two-faced act exhausting? If I hadn’t truly seen the dark side of her heart, I could never have imagined that a person could be so different behind closed doors. Hearing Emma’s words, Lucas smiled slightly at her. “Emma, you’re always so understanding. Sophia usually treats you so poorly, yet you’re still here defending her to me.” “We’ve known each other for over twenty years, and you’ve become increasingly gentle and considerate. I was truly blind to have fallen in love with a vicious woman like Sophia back then.” “Emma, ever since Lily left us, you’ve been by my side, taking care of me, accompanying me through this difficult time. I really should thank you properly. If it weren’t for you, I honestly don’t know what I would have done.” Emma’s hand slowly grasped Lucas’s. “Lucas, don’t say such formal things to me. You know you’re the one I’ve always liked.” Their eyes met, and I saw Emma start to lean towards Lucas. She tilted her head slightly and kissed the corner of his lips. Lucas’s body stiffened for a moment, but it was only for an instant. Then he took control, his hand pulling her waist to make her sit on his lap. His fingers held the back of her head, deepening the kiss. The quiet environment was filled with the continuous sound of their passionate embrace. A wave of nausea suddenly rushed to my head. I covered my mouth, afraid that I might throw up in front of them the next second. The two of them continued to be intimate on the couch. I could clearly see a flash of triumph in Emma’s slightly open eyes. That look reminded me of the expression of satisfaction she had when she bullied me behind closed doors, making me kneel before her. The memories I thought had died came rushing back to attack me.

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My husband accompanies her to concerts, shares a straw with her to drink bubble tea, wears childish headbands with her, and even prepares menstrual pain relief pills for her. Yet he claims he only sees her as a sister. I said, “Oh, the kind of sister you sleep with? Then can I go find a brother too?” Later, my heart died, and I proposed divorce. He broke down, crying and begging me to look at him one more time. A video of a couple’s proposal during an interactive segment at a superstar concert went viral, with netizens calling it sweet. The video shot to the top of the trending list. I clicked on it by chance and spotted familiar figures. Although they were only briefly captured by the camera, I immediately recognized my husband and his young assistant. Tears streamed down my face in that instant. A few days ago, while organizing the closet, I found two VIP tickets to the superstar concert in Jason’s pocket. I was quite happy at the time, being a fan of the singer. I naturally thought Jason wanted to surprise me, so I pretended not to have seen them and put them back. On the day of the concert, I got dressed up early, did my makeup, and even styled my hair specially. However, I couldn’t reach Jason. Worried about missing the time, I went directly to wait outside the venue. But until the show started, he never appeared. While I was waiting in the rain outside the venue, worrying if something had happened to him, he was sitting in the VIP section inside with his young assistant watching the concert. After it ended, his call finally came, “What’s wrong, Emily?” “Where are you? Why couldn’t I reach you on the phone?” “Sorry, I was in a meeting, my phone was on silent.” “Jason.” “Hmm?” “I saw two people in the superstar concert video who looked a lot like you and Assistant Sullivan.” There was a moment of silence on the other end, then he spoke in a calm tone that betrayed no issues, “You must be seeing things. I’ve been in meetings all day, how could I have time to go to a concert?” My heart sank inch by inch. “Jason.” “Hmm?” “Nothing, let’s hang up.” I actually wanted to ask him if he remembered that the singer was my favorite, if he remembered his promise to me. But when the words reached my lips, I didn’t want to say anything anymore. I was so tired, I fell into bed and drifted off to sleep. Back when we were poorest, Jason secretly worked part-time moving bricks to buy me concert tickets of my idol as a birthday gift. He nearly coughed up blood from exhaustion. When he presented the tickets to me, I cried seeing the blisters on his hands. “I don’t want to see the concert, and I don’t like that singer anymore. Jason, I just want you to be okay.” I couldn’t bear to let Jason’s hard-earned money go to waste, so I resold the tickets. He hugged me and swore, “When we have money in the future, I’ll definitely take you to see VIP shows, as many as you want. When we’re even richer, we’ll book private shows. And when we’re super rich, we’ll invite him to sing at our home.” Leaning in his arms, listening to his words, imagining our beautiful future, I felt extremely happy. But after we really became wealthy, we seemed to have forgotten our initial promise and never went even once. Today, he took his assistant to see it. I felt so sad. We used to be so in love, I didn’t understand where things went wrong. The tears at the corner of my eyes were gently wiped away, and Jason’s soft sigh sounded by my ear, “Having a nightmare again?”

I opened my eyes groggily, unable to distinguish between dream and reality. The person before me seemed to overlap with the image of the young man in my memories. My lips suddenly trembled, and I reached out both hands to him, feeling extremely wronged, “Hug~” The person in front of me was stunned for a moment, then immediately held me tightly in his arms, gently patting and comforting me, “It’s okay, don’t be afraid, hubby’s here.” The word “hubby” instantly pulled me back to reality. I immediately retreated from his embrace, “Why are you back?” He looked a bit amused, “Are you still half asleep? This is my home, where else would I go?” I didn’t want to deal with him and lay back down, turning my back to him. “I brought you your favorite cake from that shop, do you want to eat it now?” “…” “Emily, ever since we lost the baby, you’ve been immersed in pain. I know you’re sad, but… it’s been half a year, you should try to move on. Do you want to go on a trip to change your mood? We could go anywhere, domestic or abroad…” Seeing that I didn’t respond, he sighed, “I’ll be in the study. You sleep first.” I stared blankly in the direction he left. You see, he’s still gentle and caring towards me, very attentive. Should I say his acting is too good? Jason, which version of you is the real one… I couldn’t sleep and lay awake until dawn. The next day, I put on slightly heavier makeup to cover my haggard appearance, dressed up carefully, and went to Jason’s company with a food container. Jason has stomach problems, and for years, I’ve insisted on bringing him lunch. After Amber became his assistant, occasionally other food containers would appear on his desk. Once I happened to run into this, and I asked Jason where it came from. He was typing on his keyboard and didn’t even look up, “Oh, maybe Assistant Sullivan brought it over.” “Then why didn’t you eat it?” I asked deliberately. “I only eat the food you cook.” “Does Assistant Sullivan often bring food? Is her cooking good?” “I don’t know, I’ve never eaten it.” At this, Jason finally looked up from his pile of work, looking at me strangely, “Why are you suddenly interested in others? Isn’t my living presence in front of you enough to attract your attention?” I smiled, “If you’re not going to eat it, tell her not to make it anymore, to avoid waste.” “I told her, but she doesn’t listen. She says whether I eat or not is my business, whether she cooks or not is hers. She just does it for peace of mind.” Jason and I once accidentally saved Amber. She was escaping after being kidnapped from the mountains when she met us driving by, and we took her to the police station. Later, after learning about her experience, we helped fund her to continue college. She gratefully said she would consider Jason as her brother and would repay us well in the future. Because of this relationship, she directly entered SQ Company after graduation and became Jason’s assistant. So, I also thought she did these things purely out of gratitude. Since the miscarriage, I had rarely come to the company. The receptionist was quite surprised to see me, but her attitude towards me was as warm and respectful as always. I went straight to the top floor in the elevator. When Amber saw me, she came over with a smile, “Sis, you’re here to bring lunch for Jason?” With just one glance, I noticed the necklace hanging around her neck. I had an identical one at home. It was a wedding anniversary gift from Jason to me. I remember Amber had praised it at the time, “This necklace is so beautiful, Jason has great taste. You’re so lucky, sis. Unlike me, I probably won’t have a chance to wear such a pretty necklace in my lifetime.” Suddenly, I felt sick. Seeing me staring at her neck, Amber also smiled at me, showing no signs of guilt. “Your necklace…” “Oh, you mean this?” She casually fiddled with it around her neck and waved her hand, whispering to me, “This is a fake. I bought it on Amazon for just a few bucks, just to wear for fun. Sis, isn’t it pretty good? It even fooled you into thinking it was real?”

Amber, afraid I didn’t believe her, emphasized again, “Really, sis. I can show you the link if you don’t believe me.” I hadn’t noticed before, but now hearing her repeatedly call me “sis”, I just felt irritated. “From now on, don’t call me sis anymore. Please address me as Mrs. Quinn.” Amber’s expression changed, and she seemed at a loss, like a child who had done something wrong, “Ah! I didn’t mean anything by it, I just thought calling you sis was more affectionate. If you don’t like it, I won’t call you that anymore.” I ignored her and went straight into Jason’s office, then placed the food container on the desk and carefully examined the entire office. I quickly noticed two small green plants next to the computer, with sticky notes attached to them, decorated with cute patterns, looking playful and warm. This spot used to hold my photo. When decorating the office initially, Jason had strongly insisted on putting it there, saying that this way he could see my photo every time he looked up during work breaks, as if I was always there with him while he worked. I laughed at him for being sentimental then, and he hugged me and whined, “I just want to put it here, so everyone can see that you’re my wife.” I opened the drawer and, sure enough, found the photo frame face down in the corner. As I reached for the frame, I accidentally knocked over a bottle nearby. The words “menstrual pain relief” were clearly visible on the bottle. I never have menstrual pain, so it was obvious who these pills were for. My heart felt like it was being tightly gripped by an invisible hand, making it hard to breathe. I don’t know how I walked out of Jason’s office, leaving behind my bag and phone without realizing it. When I went back to find them, I discovered that the lunch I had brought was in the trash can. Amber looked at me with an embarrassed expression, “Jason said he had no appetite and asked me to deal with it. Other colleagues and I have already eaten, and we didn’t want to waste it, so we gave it to the cleaning lady. I don’t know why it ended up in the trash can, sorry…” She said sorry, but her face showed a hint of smugness. “Where’s Jason?” I asked calmly. “He went out.” I reminded her, “Amber, you’re just Jason’s assistant. You should call him Mr. Quinn at work. Jason is an only child, he doesn’t have a sister.” After I said this, I took my bag and phone and left, but Amber chased after me. “Then I’d like to advise Mrs. Quinn something too. You’d better not come to bring lunch anymore.” Her eyes held a challenge, “Jason works so hard every day, it’s really pitiful for him to eat such terrible food. Why don’t you do him a favor and stay at home? Stop holding him back.” Very well, finally dropping the act. “Amber, instead of provoking me here, why don’t you spend more effort on getting Jason to make you, his mistress, official?” Amber was angered by my words, but she quickly smiled again, “The third wheel is the one who isn’t loved. Emily, you think Jason won’t divorce you because he loves you? No, he just pities you.” “He doesn’t love you anymore. You’re getting old, not as young and beautiful and full of energy as I am. When he’s with me, he can feel the beauty and vitality of life. But you, you’re just a dull old hag. He says he can’t stand looking at you for even a moment!” I calmly replied, “Oh, if he likes you so much, why doesn’t he divorce me and marry you?” Walking out of the company, even though it was the height of summer, I felt cold and shivering.

Jason and I dated for four years and have been married for eight years. Our story is actually quite cliché. The summer of my freshman year in high school, my mom and stepdad both died in a car accident, and I was taken to live with my biological father. My dad had already started a new family. Naturally, no one welcomed my arrival. My stepsiblings couldn’t stand me, and of course, I didn’t have an easy time at school either. Once again cornered in the bathroom, I no longer called for help, knowing no one would come anyway. I just silently crouched down, hugging my knees, but still couldn’t help sobbing quietly. Not long after, the door opened, and Jason leaned against the doorframe. He said, “Why are you so easy to bully? Call me ‘bro’, and I’ll have your back from now on. No one will dare mess with you again.” Jason kept his word. After that, no one at school ever bullied me again. When I was locked in the basement by my stepsister and nearly suffocated to death, it was he who descended like a god and saved me. When I was trapped by a flood and almost lost my life, it was he who came through the wind and rain, carried me on his back, and escaped the predicament step by step. When I was slandered by classmates, it was he who firmly stood by my side and proved my innocence. But later, Jason’s family suddenly met with misfortune. Overnight, they lost everything and were left with enormous debts. He fell from the clouds into the mud. I stood on tiptoe and kissed away his tears, “You still have me. I’ll always be with you.” Later, I unhesitatingly chose the same university as him and flew to the city where he was. We got married right after graduating from college. At that time, Jason loved me very much and was extremely good to me. Back then, we were very poor, but we were happy. We lived in a tiny partitioned room in a shared apartment, without even a window. Every day we carefully budgeted, trying to find ways to increase income and reduce expenses, hoping to pay off the debts as soon as possible. At that time, our only way to relax was making love. When we made love, the bed creaked along with the hum of the old fan. Jason held me tightly, as if he wanted to fuse me into his blood and bones. Once when he was drunk, he held my hand, his eyes twinkling with laughter. He pulled out a ring from his pocket and carefully slipped it onto my finger, “Wear this for now. When we have money later, I’ll get you a better one.” Later, we really did become wealthy, and I did get better rings. But the one I loved most was still that small ring from back then. Everyone said Jason treated me so well. Many men abandon their wives who stood by them through thick and thin after they become successful. But Jason and I had been together for so many years, and our relationship was still great. If it weren’t for Amber, I probably would have thought so too. I asked Jason to fire Amber, but he refused. “She hasn’t made any mistakes in her work. I can’t fire her without reason. Amber has already explained to me that she didn’t mean any harm.” Jason tiredly pinched the bridge of his nose, “Emily, stop making a fuss.” I suddenly felt it was all quite meaningless. “Jason, have you fallen in love with Amber?” His body froze for a moment. Frowning, he said, “Emily, can you stop imagining things? I just see her as a sister.” I stared at him intently, trying to discern the truth or falsehood of his words from his eyes. My voice was calmer than ever, “The kind of sister you accompany to concerts, keep menstrual pain pills ready for in your office, give the same necklace as your wife, and sleep with? Then can I go find a brother too?” Complex emotions flashed in his eyes as he shook his head repeatedly, “There’s really nothing between me and her. Do you think you’re only insulting me and Amber by saying this? No, you’re insulting yourself too, and the more than ten years of feelings between us.” He’s really good at acting. Looking at the man in front of me, I suddenly felt so unfamiliar, as if I had never understood him at all. My voice was so faint that a breeze could have scattered it, “Jason, if you dare to do it, you should dare to admit it. This… is really tasteless of you.”

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The day my sister-in-law suffered a sudden heart attack, the hospital was overwhelmed with its surgery schedule. I called my husband, who is also a doctor, countless times, hoping he could help with her surgery. He hung up on me without any concern, and when I tried again, the line was busy. My sister-in-law missed the critical window for treatment and tragically passed away. In the hospital lobby, I saw a news report on the electronic screen. The main subjects were my husband and his childhood sweetheart. The caption read: “Couple gets lost after an adventurous escapade and urgently seeks help from local police.” A bitter smile forced its way onto my face. Five years of marriage, it’s time to put an end to it. My sister-in-law’s sudden death left me in a stupor for a long time. I dragged my weary body home, feeling as if my soul had been drained. Watching the news replayed on TV, my heart felt like it was plunged into an ice cave. I sat on the couch, dazed, through the entire night. The next day, Declan Johnson came home whistling a tune, but his good mood vanished the moment he saw me. He deftly slipped off his shoes and kicked them aside carelessly. Glancing at the news on TV, he hurried to offer an explanation before I could say anything. “The stuff on TV is all fake. You know my friend works in the media; they use these headlines to grab attention. People these days will do anything for money, no limits.” I sat silently on the couch, too tired to listen to his excuses. Seeing my expressionless face, he frowned. Then he pulled out a lipstick from his pocket and tossed it to me. “Here’s your birthday gift. Don’t say I don’t care about you.” I opened the lipstick cap stiffly. My last bit of hope vanished at that moment. It was a used lipstick, the exact shade Phoebe Taylor wore in the video. There were even traces on the collar of his white shirt. Yesterday was my birthday, and my sister-in-law had taken a high-speed train from out of town to celebrate with me. She knew Declan and I had been in a cold war for days. She wanted to use this opportunity to mediate between us. Who knew she would suddenly suffer a heart attack, taking her young life away. Seeing the used lipstick, a flicker of guilt crossed Declan’s face. He hastily shoved the lipstick back into his pocket and awkwardly tried to explain himself. “Last night, I worked overtime until late, and we had a gathering. A female colleague had the same lipstick, probably got mixed up. I’ll bring it back tomorrow.” “It was too late, and I didn’t want to disturb you, so I stayed at a colleague’s place.” His explanation was weak, and his eyes were evasive. I couldn’t help but respond sarcastically. My husband of five years, when did he become such a liar? I gave a cold laugh. If he was really working overtime, his own sister wouldn’t have died. After all, Declan is a top physician. Seeing him explain so earnestly, I coldly responded. “Oh? Really? So I should thank you for not coming back all night? Be considerate of you?” My attitude seemed to anger him. He glared at me with wide eyes. “Nora Johnson, can’t you be reasonable? For whom am I working overtime all night? Always being sarcastic in front of me? Still have the nerve to throw a tantrum? Have I spoiled you too much?” “What man doesn’t need some personal space? You watch me like a thief every day, you’re not uncomfortable, but I sure as hell am!” His emotions erupted in an instant, the veins on his forehead visibly throbbing. But I remained exceptionally indifferent. After all, it wasn’t the first time he’d lost his temper at me. After venting, he ignored me. Instead, he went into the shower and made a phone call. The shower wasn’t soundproof. Even from a few meters away, I could hear everything clearly. On the other end, Phoebe Taylor’s voice was coy. “Declan, yesterday was so thrilling. I really want to go on more adventures with you.” “You promised me you’d never touch that woman again. You’ll belong only to me.” Upon hearing her voice, Declan instantly became tender. “Silly girl, of course, I’m only yours. I’m fed up with that woman.” “You have no idea, today when I saw her sallow face and rough skin, I felt like throwing up.” I instinctively glanced at my rough hands. And the sallow face in the mirror. For Declan, I had been a housewife for five years. I never imagined it would lead to this result. Tears rolled down my cheeks, filled with regret. These five years of marriage might as well have been thrown to the dogs.

My connection with Declan Johnson actually began with his sister. His sister and I both loved painting. We met at the same art studio. She was a very lively and cheerful girl. Very passionate about painting. We quickly became good friends, exchanging painting techniques and sharing our inspirations. One time, we stayed late, and it started to rain heavily. Declan came to pick her up. That was the first time I met Declan. He was very doting on his sister, and his gentle manner moved me. After that, we often met. He would come to the art studio to pick up his sister and occasionally discuss art with us. Through deep conversations, I found him to be a good guy. He was warm, generous, responsible, and reliable. And I developed a special feeling for him. His sister became our matchmaker. She said Declan had a crush on me, and if he confessed, I should definitely accept. She hoped I would become her sister-in-law. I still remember her innocent and lovely face. I thought it was just a joke from his sister. Unexpectedly, the next day, Declan came with a bouquet of flowers to confess. It was a bit awkward since I was allergic to flowers. But that didn’t stop us from being together. Later, we naturally became a couple. From dating to getting married. Everything seemed so smooth. I thought I would be the happiest person in the world. With a loving husband and a sister-in-law as close as a real sister. Until Declan’s childhood sweetheart, Phoebe, appeared. All my beautiful dreams for the future instantly turned into bubbles.

I got up to go to the bedroom, feeling dizzy. Although I hadn’t eaten, my stomach was churning with discomfort. I touched my forehead, feeling feverish. The thermometer showed 40 degrees. Probably due to excessive sadness and a cold. The cold medicine at home was all gone. There were some ginger pieces in the kitchen, so I decided to make some ginger tea. After finishing everything, I was about to carry it out. Suddenly, he wrapped his big hands around my waist from behind. I was startled by the sudden hug. The hot ginger tea slipped from my hands. Crashing directly onto the floor, leaving a shocking red mark on my foot. Declan’s brows furrowed with a hint of anger. “Nora Johnson, why are you always so clumsy? Are those five years of housework wasted?” The pain left me speechless, sweat beading on my forehead. Seeing that I was really in pain, he still crouched down to check my foot. “Come on, I’ll take you to the hospital.” He grabbed my hand, picked up the car keys from the table. And took me to the underground garage. This car was something we bought when we got married. To buy it, I didn’t even ask for a dowry. Because Declan wanted a nice car, he said it would be impressive for business. And I just agreed. But this car seemed to become Phoebe’s exclusive ride. Whenever she wanted to go somewhere, a single call was enough for Declan to be her driver. Seeing the trinkets all over the passenger seat. I froze in place for a moment. “What are you waiting for? Get in the car.” I was still standing by the car, and he was already in the driver’s seat. Completely forgetting that my foot was injured. I glanced at the blistering wound on my foot. Struggling to open the car’s back door. Just then, Declan’s phone rang. After hearing the contents, his face was full of worry. I hadn’t even sat down yet, and he immediately ordered me out. “You go to the hospital yourself. Poppy got scared watching a horror movie, I need to be with her.” My whole body froze midair, not knowing what to do. But he had already made the decision for me. He roughly pulled me out of the back seat. Then sped away from the garage. He disappeared from my sight like a gust of wind. But I was already used to it, skillfully hailing a cab to go to the hospital myself.

A kind driver noticed my injured foot. He carried me to the hospital entrance. Seeing me alone and struggling to walk. He decided to help me find a wheelchair. Not far away, I saw the driver getting into a dispute. My body was suspended in mid-air, unsure of what to do next. He made the choice for me. Without hesitation, he pulled me out of the car. Then, hitting the accelerator, he sped out of the garage. He vanished from my sight in an instant. But I was used to it and easily hailed a cab to the hospital on my own. 4. A kind driver noticed my injured foot. He carried me to the hospital entrance. Seeing I was alone and struggling to walk, he offered to find a wheelchair for me. Not far away, I saw the driver in a dispute with someone. That someone was none other than my husband and his childhood sweetheart. The driver politely explained, “Sir, I have a passenger with a foot injury who needs the wheelchair. Your girlfriend looks fine. Please, show some kindness and let someone in need use it.” Unexpectedly, Declan Johnson was incredibly stubborn. He clung to the wheelchair and refused to let go, shouting as if no one else was there. “Her injury isn’t my concern! My Poppy was just frightened, and I need to take her to the doctor. Can you afford the delay?” His words were so commanding that the driver didn’t dare argue further. Phoebe Taylor stood by, pretending to be frail. Before the driver could react, Declan Johnson had already taken the wheelchair. I couldn’t help but tremble, a bitter smile forming on my lips. Is this the same man who couldn’t resist bringing stray cats home? Registering, seeing the doctor, and getting medicine—all done while hopping on one foot by myself. Two young nurses came to help me apply medication. Seeing my wound, they couldn’t help but comment. “How did your foot get burned like this, and your husband’s nowhere to be seen? Unlike the woman in the next room, her husband is so attentive, just because she got scared by a horror movie.” “Ah, life’s really unfair. Why can’t we find such good husbands?” Through the gap in the door, I saw Declan Johnson’s worried silhouette. My husband was with another woman.

When I got home, there was a package on the shoe cabinet. It had my name on it. I shop online often, mostly for household items. They’re cheaper than in-store. When I opened the package, I found an ill-fitting lingerie set and some adult toys. I couldn’t hold it, and everything spilled onto the floor. If I’m not mistaken, these were bought by Declan Johnson. He uses our home address and my name for his shopping account. After seeing that news, I should have known Declan Johnson was cheating. But I didn’t want to believe it until I saw his favoritism towards Phoebe Taylor. And now with these items, I truly expect nothing more. Laughter echoed from the elevator entrance. Declan Johnson was holding Phoebe Taylor, both looking intimate and smiling. His hand on her shoulder quickly withdrew the moment he saw me. “Quickly help me pack; I have a business trip tonight.” I stood still, coldly watching them, anger and disappointment swelling within me. Phoebe Taylor looked at me provocatively, a smug smile on her lips. “Why should I pack for you? What does your trip have to do with me?” I replied coldly. Declan Johnson seemed dissatisfied with my response, his voice rising in irritation. “What kind of attitude is that? I’m working for this family on this trip.” Phoebe Taylor circled from behind Declan Johnson, arms crossed like she owned the place. “Vivi, how can you say that? Declan is working hard for us, and you won’t even help pack?” The two plane tickets in the drawer gave them away. Their so-called business trip was just an excuse to fool around. In the past, I would have questioned it endlessly. Now, I find it unnecessary. Phoebe Taylor gently patted Declan Johnson’s back, trying to comfort him. “Declan, don’t be mad. If Vivi won’t pack for you, I will.” With that, she led Declan into the house. Declan glared at me, muttering under his breath. “Look at Poppy, if you were half as sensible, I wouldn’t be so angry.” I calmly threw the package in front of them. “So, this is what your ‘business trip’ is really about?” Declan Johnson looked guilty upon seeing the items. Yet, he insisted they had nothing to do with him. He even blamed the delivery, suggesting it was a mistake. But he knew the truth. Feeling unlucky, he tried to leave with Phoebe Taylor. But I couldn’t help but speak up. “My sister-in-law’s cremation is tomorrow. Are you sure you’re not going?” The flight is tomorrow, and so is my sister-in-law’s cremation. He grabbed a cup from the table and smashed it on the ground. The sound of shattering echoed in the air. Declan Johnson’s face turned terrifyingly dark as he lunged at me, choking me. “Nora Johnson, you witch! Why curse my sister’s death just because you’re mad?” “My sister was always good to you, and you curse her like that?” I could predict his reaction; I knew how important his sister was to him. She was indeed good to me, but she really did die. Declan could have saved her himself. The call went through, but he deliberately didn’t answer. He preferred to get lost with his childhood sweetheart, becoming a laughingstock. I mustered all my strength to break free from Declan’s grip and blurted out, “Declan Johnson, let’s get a divorce!”

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After my mom woke up from a nap, she became a completely different person. Before, she always doted on my sister, fulfilling her every wish. As for me, she was always critical and harsh. But now, everything has flipped upside down. She started demanding that my eight-year-old sister take care of the whole family’s daily needs, often beating and scolding her, claiming it was to toughen her up. Meanwhile, she began buying me pretty dresses and delicate cakes that I’d never had before, calling me her little princess. Under Mom’s treatment, my sister grew more sullen by the day, which only led to harsher punishments from Mom. But only I knew the truth: Mom had traveled back in time. Interestingly, so had I. “How did I end up with a child like you? Eat, eat, eat, that’s all you do. You see food and can’t control yourself. Were you a starving ghost in your past life?” I had just opened my eyes when I heard Mom yelling at my sister Rachel downstairs. Soon after, Rachel’s earth-shattering cries filled the air. I had lost count of how many times Mom had found an excuse to beat and scold Rachel like this. I waited until Rachel’s cries subsided a bit before slowly getting out of bed and heading downstairs. The moment Mom saw me, her fierce expression instantly melted into a smile. She hurried over to greet me, glancing at my feet before turning to yell at Rachel again, “Are you blind? Can’t you see your sister isn’t wearing slippers? Hurry up and get her a pair!” Rachel, still sitting on the floor, wiped her eyes roughly before reluctantly getting up to fetch my slippers. By then, Mom had already carried me to the dining table and set me in a chair. In front of me was an elaborate breakfast, though I noticed the plate of cherries was considerably depleted. Connecting this with Rachel’s scolding earlier, it wasn’t hard to guess that Rachel had been caught sneaking some cherries. Ever since Mom woke up from her nap last week, Rachel hadn’t had the chance to eat any fruit. Even for regular meals, she only got leftovers after everyone else had finished. I poked at the food on my plate with my fork, smiling silently to myself.

Last week, after Mom woke up from her nap, she started acting strangely. She came downstairs to find Rachel riding on my back, making me mop the floor while pretending to be her horse. Mom’s face immediately darkened. In the past, Mom would have praised Rachel for being clever. But this time, she rushed over and knocked Rachel to the ground, slapping her several times and scolding her for bullying her sister. Shocked by the sudden slaps, Rachel wailed loudly, which only earned her more punches and kicks from Mom. Then Mom scooped me up in her arms as if I were a precious treasure. Ever since Dad died in a plane crash, Mom had given all her love to Rachel, who resembled Dad more. She always treated me with coldness and quick temper. It seemed like my only purpose in life was to please and serve my sister. Feeling Mom’s warm embrace after so long, I instinctively tried to pull away. But Mom held me tighter, and I heard her muttering to herself. “Never again… This time I won’t make the wrong choice. I won’t spoil that ungrateful brat anymore, never again.” Hearing Mom’s words, I understood the reason for her change in attitude. In my previous life, Mom had given all her love and attention to my sister. She indulged Rachel’s every whim, no matter how outrageous. If Rachel had asked for the stars in the sky, Mom would have moved heaven and earth to get them for her. Under Mom’s pampering, Rachel became increasingly selfish and willful. She treated me, the unloved younger sister, just as badly as Mom did, often hitting and scolding me. “I’m Mom’s favorite child. If you make me unhappy, I’ll tell Mom to throw you to the beggars and let you have a bunch of beggar babies!” Rachel would say. Rachel slapping me and pulling my hair in front of Mom had become a regular occurrence, and Mom never batted an eye. At school, Rachel bullied me without restraint, even spreading rumors about my supposedly improper behavior, claiming it caused her and Mom a lot of trouble. With me as a foil, Rachel became known as the beautiful and kind older sister. Later, Rachel tricked me into going to a bar late at night to pick her up, only to watch with a smirk as I was drugged and kidnapped by human traffickers. During the police investigation, Rachel just cried crocodile tears, insisting that I was promiscuous and would go off with any man I saw. She claimed there was nothing she could do about it. Mom chimed in, fabricating numerous stories about my “past misconduct.” But Rachel, who had grown up so spoiled by Mom, ran off with all the family’s money when Dad’s company started going downhill. When Mom finally found her, Rachel tricked her onto a boat in an industrial park and sold her for a few thousand dollars to maintain her lavish lifestyle. It wasn’t until the very end that Mom realized she had raised an ungrateful child. As she was beaten by thugs in the industrial park, she cried and wished she could start over, vowing not to love the wrong child again. Her wish came true. She traveled back in time. But what she didn’t know was that I had also traveled back in time, just an hour before her. She came back with hatred for Rachel, while I returned with hatred for both of them, back to when I was six years old.

“Mom, I’m full. I need to go to class now,” I said, putting down my knife and fork and looking sweetly at Mom. After realizing Mom had also traveled back in time, when she frantically tried to make it up to me and asked what I wanted, I pointed at the TV and said I wanted to learn ballet and enter math competitions. I told her I wanted to become a daughter she could be proud of. Mom’s eyes filled with a kind of frenzy when she heard that. In my previous life, under Mom’s doting, Rachel never cared about studying. She often got Mom called to school because of her poor grades. If she couldn’t even handle basic schoolwork, forget about any extracurricular activities. While kids from similar backgrounds all had one or two special skills, Rachel only knew how to eat, drink, and have fun. I knew that even though Mom never said it out loud, she secretly envied other people’s children. So, if that’s what she wanted, I’d become that child she envied in others. After all, knowledge belongs to whoever learns it. As Mom and I finished getting ready and were about to leave, Mom suddenly turned to look at Rachel standing alone behind us, her face filled with undisguised disgust. “Clean up the house before we get back! All you do is eat and sleep all day, like a pig. How did I end up with a child like you?” Turning back to me, Mom’s voice became extremely gentle. “Sweetie, after your class, how about Mom takes you shopping for clothes? That brand store just got a lot of new styles in. They’ll look perfect on our little princess!” I hugged Mom’s neck and thanked her sweetly. My gaze fell on Rachel’s bruised face behind Mom, and I couldn’t help but smirk. You think this is unfair? This isn’t even a tenth of what you and Mom did to me in my past life! Just you wait, the real suffering is yet to come.

The better I performed, the more enthusiastic Mom became towards me. Correspondingly, Rachel faced the same nightmarish treatment I had endured in my previous life. The only difference was that I wouldn’t do to her what she had done to me. Interestingly though, people are different. In my past life, I endured endless abuse, still foolishly hoping for the day Mom would love me. But in this life, faced with the same situation, Rachel had already started trying to threaten me. On my eighth birthday, I won the children’s ballet championship. Mom threw a grand party for me, never once mentioning that she had another daughter. After we got home, I casually brought up what Mom had said at the party. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Rachel’s expression grow increasingly twisted. After Mom went upstairs to rest, I was about to return to my room when Rachel violently pushed me to the ground from behind. The next second, she was on top of me, grabbing my hair. “You little bitch! You stole Mom from me! What’s so great about being able to dance? I’ll cut your tendons and see how you dance then, you bitch!” Rachel raised a piece of broken glass, her face a mix of excitement and ferocity, about to stab at my ankles. “Sister, no!” I cried out in feigned panic, trying to struggle. But I clearly heard Mom’s hurried footsteps coming from her room. Three, two, one… Before Rachel could react, Mom kicked her away. The next moment, Mom held me in her arms lovingly, glaring at Rachel with fury. “You little demon! What were you trying to do to your sister?!”

Of course, Rachel didn’t get the chance to do anything to me. After making sure I was okay, Mom put me down and started beating Rachel. I slowly got to my feet, watching coldly as Mom grabbed Rachel’s hair and slammed her head against the wall repeatedly. She still held the broken glass Rachel had prepared, now using it to slash at Rachel’s body. Rachel cried and tried to dodge, but being only ten years old, she was no match for an adult no matter how hard she struggled. It wasn’t until Rachel’s head was visibly bleeding and her body covered in cuts that I timely let out a yawn. “Mom, I’m tired. I want to go to sleep.” My voice immediately snapped Mom back to reality. She instinctively looked down at Rachel, disgustedly throwing her aside. “You’re disturbing Lily’s sleep. I’m warning you, if you dare bully your sister again, I’ll break your legs!” Turning around, Mom beckoned to me lovingly, saying that since I’d been frightened today, she would tuck me in. But before we could enter my room, we heard Rachel’s weak sobbing. “Mom, why? Why are you doing this?” Rachel raised her head pitifully, her face a mess of tears, snot, and blood. She struggled to open one eye. “You used to love me the most. Why are you being so mean to me now?” After Rachel’s words, a fleeting look of confusion and struggle crossed Mom’s face. She seemed to remember how close they had been as mother and daughter in the previous life. But then… Mom seemed to recall how her beloved daughter had betrayed her in the end. Her face suddenly turned cold, and she patted my shoulder. “Lily, dear, go to bed first. Mom needs to have a talk with your sister.” I nodded obediently, but as soon as I went inside, I immediately pressed my ear against the door. I heard the sounds of Mom abusing Rachel again. At first, Rachel was wailing, but her voice grew weaker and weaker until it stopped completely. Is that all? I lay back on my bed comfortably. It’s not enough, far from enough! But to my surprise, the next day, Rachel gave Mom and me a big “gift.”

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To help her lover, Jack Anderson, become the vice president, my wife Ruby Hayes pretended to have amnesia after a car accident, planning to take my position, Matthew Jacobs. One day, I overheard their conversation as I passed by. Jack asked Ruby, “Aren’t you worried Matthew Jacobs will never speak to you again after this?” Ruby brushed him off, saying, “I’ll only let him play this game for seven days. After that, I’ll just tell him my memory came back. How could he blame a patient for that?” I paused, but I didn’t expose her lie. The next day, at the meeting table, Ruby slammed her hand on the desk and said that Jack was her real husband, ordering me to leave the company and hand over all the projects. All the employees watched me, waiting for me to stop her unreasonable behavior. But I didn’t resist. I simply signed the resignation agreement. What she didn’t know was that the project submission deadline was only seven days away, and the client only recognized me as the core member. After seven days, not only would she not get what she wanted, but she would also face massive compensation fees and even possible prison time.

“You can leave, but you must delete all the clients’ and colleagues’ contact information. These are company assets, and you have no right to take them with you!” Just as I was about to leave, Ruby’s lover, Jack, blocked my path. Having managed the company for years, I knew full well there had never been such a rule. He was just deliberately making things difficult for me. I turned to Ruby. “Is this your wish too?” Ruby paused for a moment, then coldly nodded. If I really deleted these contacts, there would be no turning back. She was sure I wouldn’t leave, so she acted so harshly. It wasn’t surprising she thought this way. We had been married for seven years and had no children. The company was like our child, and I cared for it more than she did. I worked tirelessly, getting up early and staying late, always focused on the business, and never slacking off. Last week, she proposed promoting Jack to head of the tech department. The senior employees flattered Jack to help her out, but I was the only one who stood firm and vetoed her proposal when I saw Jack didn’t have the skills. Ruby knew that I wouldn’t let her make random decisions in the company. So, to get Jack’s promotion, she even went as far as pretending to have amnesia. She was forcing me to give in. Seeing us argue, some colleagues came to try to mediate. “Mr. Jacobs, calm down. Ms. Hayes is just sick. As her husband, you should be more understanding and compassionate during her fragile time.” Ruby was encouraged by this and solemnly declared, “My husband is my everything. Anyone who goes against him is going against me!” The colleagues laughed and teased me, “Mr. Jacobs, look, your wife still loves you. She’s just sick, mistaking someone else for you.” As I felt their envious gazes, I couldn’t bring myself to smile. The truth was the exact opposite of what they thought. Ruby and I were married, and we treated each other with respect. But whenever things got tough, she always pressured me to compromise. No matter who was right or wrong, no matter the situation, she would always stand against me. Because of this, we argued often. But she would always say, “You’re my family. No matter what happens outside, we can always make up at home.” It was different from others. Once she got truly angry, there was no chance of reconciliation. Although I felt uncomfortable deep down, after hearing it so many times, I started to think there was some truth in what she said. But now, seeing her throw away all her principles and bottom lines for Jack, I finally understood that when he truly loved someone, his first instinct when they were hurt was to protect them, not coldly calculate the pros and cons. While I was thinking, Jack suddenly kicked over the chair in front of me. “Matthew, you shameless old man! Ruby’s husband is me! If you keep talking nonsense, I’ll tear your mouth off!” He pointed at me, cursing as if I were the one destroying someone’s family. Ruby watched the whole scene, but she didn’t speak a word to explain. She just silently stood behind Jack, acting as his support. I smiled. “Alright, I’ll delete it.” With that, I pulled out my phone and posted an update on Instagram that I had resigned, then raised my hand to deactivate my work account. Ruby saw that I was serious and suddenly panicked. She quickly stopped me. “Forget it, since you’ve been with the company for so long, you don’t need to delete it. Just go ahead and leave!” Everyone else let out a relieved sigh. But Jack wasn’t happy. He stomped his foot. “Dear, am I not even allowed to have this little bit of authority as Vice President?” Ruby, who usually indulged Jack, gave him a warning look this time, signaling him to stop causing trouble. Then, she softened her tone, transferred fifty thousand dollars to me, and promised, “Don’t worry. The company won’t let its loyal employees feel unappreciated. Even though you’re leaving, you’ll still get everything that’s rightfully yours. It’ll just take a little time. “As for your severance, we’ll give you an answer in seven days. You can go rest for now.” She thought I still didn’t know she was pretending to be sick and naively believed that in seven days, she would use her illness as an excuse to apologize and beg for forgiveness, thinking everything would go back to normal. But what she didn’t realize was that the most crucial project she was responsible for had only seven days left to submit. This project involved a significant amount of money. If it wasn’t delivered on time or faced any issues, she would have to pay a huge penalty. If this were before, for the sake of the company’s stability and her future, I would have swallowed my frustration and quietly endured everything. But I was already exhausted. I didn’t want the company, and I didn’t want her. Right in front of me, Ruby subconsciously reached out to fix my tie but suddenly remembered she was just pretending to be sweet and awkwardly pulled her hand back. I glanced at my phone and reversed the transfer. I deleted the note [Dear Ruby Baby] in one go. After everything was done, I calmly looked at her and said, “Ruby, let’s get a divorce.”

Ruby froze for a moment, then blurted out, “You want to divorce me? Why?” As soon as she said it, she realized her mistake and quickly corrected herself, “Divorce? You’re joking, my husband is Jack. How could I have ever been married to you?” Watching her poor acting, I couldn’t be bothered to expose her lies or waste my breath arguing with her. I played along with her charade and lied, “It was me who tricked you into getting the certificate. Let’s go and divorce now.” Jack immediately grinned, urging, “It’s about time. Let’s go!” Ruby hesitated, frowned, and, ignoring the holes in my story, just wanted to brush it off. “Forget it, this is a bit strange. I’ll make my decision later.” I was confused. I thought, “Doesn’t she like Jack? I’m the one who proposed the divorce to give them space, so why isn’t she happy?” If this were before, I would have asked her why and mockingly questioned if she had ever loved me. But now, I couldn’t be bothered to guess what was on her mind. I just wanted to divorce her as soon as possible. I raised an eyebrow and teased, “You don’t want a divorce because you’re still attached to me, are you?” Jack immediately pulled on Ruby’s sleeve, looking pitiful. “Darling, am I not your favorite husband? How could you marry someone else?” Under the pressure from both of us, Ruby had no choice but to reluctantly agree. When the three of us arrived at the Courthouse and were just about to enter, Ruby suddenly shook her head as if something familiar triggered a memory. She took my hand with a smile. “This place feels so familiar… I remember now. “On Christmas Eve, we stood in line together to get our marriage license.” She knew that day was the happiest day of my life. So, she thought that by mentioning our happy memories, I would hesitate to get a divorce. After all, back then, every time she made me angry, she’d use this trick to win me back. But that day, not only did I overhear her pretending to have amnesia, but I also heard her talk about our marriage. “There’s nothing romantic about it. The reason I chose to marry him on the last day of the year is because I promised to marry him. “But, living the rest of my life with someone I don’t love, I just can’t accept it, so I kept delaying until the very last day when I finally made up my mind. “Anyway, marrying anyone would just be wasting time. He is in good condition and can help me. “He’s a good guy too, a perfect match for marriage…” I stood outside the door, hearing her compliment me, but my heart sank. I thought our relationship was built on love, but for her, it was all about using me. No wonder, after the company started improving, she began to value money and power so much, never letting me touch a single penny. She had always been wary of me. I drifted off for a moment, and Ruby tugged at my hand, asking if I remembered. In a marriage full of mutual distrust, I was exhausted. For me, cutting ties was the best choice. I shook my head, responding casually, “No, you probably just hit your head in the accident and developed a delusion.” Ruby’s smile froze instantly. Seeing her try so hard to please me while I remained indifferent, I realized she was now a patient, yet I couldn’t bring myself to be more understanding. She grew more and more upset, and without another word, she hooked her arm around Jack’s, intertwining their fingers. “Yes, it’s all fake. My husband is Jack. “Once we’re done here, I’m going to marry Jack!” She stomped her foot and walked happily into the Courthouse with Jack as if she were the one here to get married. I didn’t care to indulge her antics and walked in behind them. Once we finished the registration, we were quickly ushered into the mediation room. Ruby immediately sat on Jack’s lap, pulling out grapes she had bought on the way, peeling them, and feeding him one by one. She thought this would make me jealous. But ironically, it only reminded me of the cold, shy Ruby from before. Back then, she wouldn’t even hold my hand in public, saying it wasn’t proper to act affectionately in front of others. Now, she had completely changed. Being so open made everyone uncomfortable to look. Even the mediator couldn’t stand it. With my firm attitude, we quickly entered the divorce process. I kept a completely indifferent expression the whole time, which made Ruby furious. She sulked and gave me the cold shoulder as we rushed through the paperwork. Once we got the divorce certificate, I sighed in relief. The heavy cloud over my head had lifted a little. I hailed a cab to go home. Jack leaned over and saw that I had written our home address. He immediately exploded in anger. “Home? You’re divorced now. That’s no longer your home. “You need to pack your things and get out!” Ruby stood aside, smiling. “Yeah, kick the outsider out. Honey, you come live with me.” She kicked me out to make room for Jack. No normal man could accept that, and I definitely couldn’t have before. But now, I just nodded indifferently. “Alright, I’ll leave right away.” I booked a hotel on my phone in the car, and once I got home, I started packing my things. Things had gone too far to be controlled by Ruby anymore. She rarely softened, but now she pretended to regain some memory and held up our wedding photo, asking, “Matthew, when did we take this picture?” I didn’t even look up as I stuffed clothes into my suitcase, answering casually, “It’s fake. I photoshopped it.” That sentence really set Ruby off. She grabbed my luggage and threw everything outside the door. “Leave! Leave right now!” She slammed the door shut with a bang. I shook my head and said nothing, silently picking up the clothes from the floor, brushing off the dust, and packing them into my bag. Inside, Jack’s anxious voice came through. “This is all my fault. I shouldn’t have gone for that VP position. “Watching you two get divorced… it really hurts. Maybe I should talk to Matthew and clear things up.” Ruby collected herself and comforted him. “It’s not your fault. It’s Matthew being petty. He’s even arguing with a sick person. “Don’t worry about him. I’ll spend these seven days with you. After that, I’ll deal with things. “Matthew is easy to handle. I just have to wave my hand, and he’ll come back.” I walked into the elevator carrying my things. She was wrong. This time, it was over for good. There was no chance of reconciliation.

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My wife brought home the leftover cake from her lover and then had the nerve to say it was a special treat for me. If I hadn’t seen the transfer screenshot from her male assistant, Ethan Carter, I would’ve actually believed her. I, Alexander Reed, had only casually replied with: [Work comes first.] And I got blocked. Then Emma Westbrook called to scold me, “I’ve never met such a petty man!” I rubbed my aching stomach, thinking to myself, “Fine, let you two do whatever you want, but I won’t be part of it.” When Emma walked in, I was tossing the takeout box into the trash. I was just diagnosed with early-stage liver cancer, so the doctor had warned me to keep my diet light this month, but I couldn’t resist. Today was the fifth anniversary of my marriage to Emma. I left the hospital early, excited, and booked a hotel to celebrate with her. But after waiting all day and seeing Ethan’s smug post, followed by a phone call from Emma questioning me, I realized I probably would’ve still been at the hotel waiting for her if I hadn’t seen that. She walked in, saw the empty dining table, and immediately furrowed her brows. “No dinner today?” she asked. I casually nodded, keeping my eyes on my phone screen, and said, “You already ate outside, didn’t you?” In the past, no matter how late or tired I was, I’d always rush home and find ways to make her something nice to eat. Now, just seeing her frown made me feel like the sky was falling. Now, it was laughable how humble I was, but no amount of that got me the same love in return. Emma didn’t notice my change and directly pulled out a cake, placing it in front of me. She said she bought it, especially for me, since I’d mentioned wanting something sweet. But when I looked at the cake, I could tell it had been messed with. The top was uneven, and all the fruit had been picked off. I glanced at it, then continued to look down at my phone. Seeing how indifferent I was, she got upset. “Alexander, what’s with you? I brought this all the way for you, and you’re acting like this? Are you going to keep this up?” “I don’t want something others have touched. It grosses me out,” I said coldly. Her phone buzzed, and I didn’t need to guess who it was from. She looked at me, her eyes cold but with a hint of something like hidden pleasure. Then, she said impatiently, “Fine, fine, I’ll go get you a new one. You’re already so tired from work, and now you have to come home to your gloomy face. Just unbelievable!” She turned to leave. I remembered I had rushed out of the hospital and hadn’t picked up my medication yet, so I followed her, saying I’d go with her. She jumped up, practically hissing like a cat with its tail stepped on. “You’re coming with me to buy a cake too? Are you out of your mind? Trying to tie me by your side?” I sighed, explaining that I only wanted to stop by the pharmacy. She finally gave in, but not before ordering a blueberry cake. At the pharmacy, I got out of the car, and she looked surprised. Her tone softened a bit as she said, “Wait here, I’ll get the cake and then come back to pick you up.” With that, she sped off. Mud splashed all over me, and I wiped it off, irritated. I waited outside the pharmacy, the rain pouring harder and harder. My body was numb from the cold, but she still hadn’t come back. Thunder boomed, and I jumped. Just as I thought about taking a cab, the rain came down in sheets, soaking me completely. Remembering the doctor’s advice, I gritted my teeth through the pain and ran into a convenience store to buy an umbrella. But by then, it was too late. My stomach started to cramp badly, and I collapsed on the ground, hugging my knees. Thankfully, a kind stranger offered to drive me home. Otherwise, I’d have had to call an ambulance. As soon as I got home, dried off, and took my medication, Emma stormed in, slamming the door so hard it shook. “Why didn’t you say you were back? I spent an hour in the rain looking for you! Was that on purpose? Was it fun?”

I froze, holding my water glass, completely stunned. She blocked my number, and now she’s blaming me for not contacting her. I had waited for two hours, just walked through the door, and she said she’d been trying to reach me for an hour. I didn’t have the energy to call out her little game. I darkened my expression and said coldly, “If you want me to contact you, you should at least unblock me first.” She bit her lip, clearly holding back her anger. She placed a cake, soaked from the rain and without a box, in front of me. “It’s too late, the box is gone. It was hard enough to find a place that still had it,” she explained. I stared at the cake, feeling nothing but exhaustion. I was numb to her pathetic excuses. Just then, my phone lit up. Ethan had posted an update, a picture of a blueberry cake, with a caption that was so sweet that it was sickening. I wanted to sneer, but I realized I didn’t even have the energy for that. Countless words swirled in my mind, but in the end, I just said, “Thanks, but throw it away.” Her face turned pale in an instant, and her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. “Are you crazy? I went through all that trouble to get this for you, and you just want me to throw it away?” She shouted. “You think I’m playing around with you? It’s just a bonus for the staff, and you’re making such a big deal out of it? I’m the boss, don’t I have a say in this? And about you cursing me out in private, I haven’t even dealt with that yet!” Her voice grew louder and more agitated. I rubbed my aching head, soaked from the rain, and had no energy to explain myself. “It’s not what you think. I don’t have the time or the energy for that. Back then, I…” Before I could finish, she interrupted me angrily. “Enough! Don’t even start! It’s always the same. You’re in your thirties, acting jealous like you’re still in your twenties. There are so many handsome guys in the world, can you keep up with all of them? This is insane!” Her words stabbed deep into my heart. In the past, I’d argue over every little thing, begging her to love only me. But now, I’d woken up. What was the point of questioning love between adults? I sighed, “If that’s how you feel, I can’t do anything about it.” With that, I stood up and headed for the bedroom. She ignored me, tossing the cake into the trash as she began scrolling through her phone, occasionally letting out a suppressed laugh. She went to the bathroom to make a call. I took the opportunity to tidy up the bedding and prepared to move to the guest room. I almost ran into her as I stepped out the door. She looked at me impatiently, glaring at the bedding in my hands, and finally snapped, “What’s this supposed to mean? You want to sleep in a separate bed? “I didn’t complain about the smell of alcohol on you, and now you’re making a scene? I can’t even stand the sight of you anymore!” She spat, her voice full of venom. “If you can’t sleep tonight, don’t come to me!” I didn’t respond. I just walked straight into the guest room and locked the door behind me. In the past, when she came home late, I couldn’t sleep, and my phone would blow up with messages. Then, the next day, she’d hand me a bottle of sleeping pills. Now, I sleep soundly without taking any pills. Those obstacles I thought I couldn’t overcome? They weren’t that hard to get past. I found a reliable divorce lawyer and was ready to start a new chapter in my life. Meanwhile, Emma’s company account was busy posting a celebration video. In the video, she stood next to Ethan, looking every bit the perfect couple. The necklace she wore was a wedding anniversary gift I gave her last year. This year’s gift? I returned it, along with all those unrealistic hopes.

I was about to shut down my phone when Emma’s call came in unexpectedly, her voice full of excitement. “I sent you the address. I’ll pick you up in a bit. There’s a surprise!” I smiled with a touch of sarcasm. I’d had enough of her surprises to last a lifetime. Before I could even respond, she hung up with a sharp click. It was strange. Before the divorce, she at least knew enough to pull me out of her blacklist. After finishing my medicine, Emma’s car was already screeching to a stop downstairs. I got her message and, still in my loungewear, headed out. The moment I got in the car, Emma’s smile froze when she saw my scruffy face as she’d just tasted something awful. “Aren’t you going to shave or change your clothes? You’re going out like this? Do you want to embarrass me on purpose?” She scolded, her tone sharp with annoyance. At that moment, Ethan, in the front seat, leaned over, looking immaculate in a formal suit, his face full of innocence. “Ah, sorry, Alexander. I forgot to let you know… I couldn’t get through to you on the phone.” I shrugged and smiled. “It’s fine. I mean, I’m a guy. My image isn’t something I’m relying on women to fix.” I glanced at Ethan and added, “Besides, with such an efficient secretary, Ms. Westbrook’s reputation is already well taken care of.” Emma was stunned into silence for a moment. I couldn’t be bothered to engage with her and simply took a seat in the back. Throughout the ride, Ethan chattered non-stop about the birthday party, about how impressive Emma was, his tone full of bragging and subtle provocation. I ignored him completely, treating him like air. When we arrived at the hotel, Ethan naturally moved closer to Emma while I trailed behind them. At the elevator, the company’s people were already waiting. The moment they saw Emma and Ethan, the atmosphere turned noticeably tense. James Donovan, a colleague, quickly stepped forward to smooth things over. Seeing me enter, James greeted me warmly, “Hey, Alexander! You finally made it! We couldn’t have pulled off this project without you! The whole company owes you one today!” I felt a warm glow in my chest and waved my hand with a smile. “James, you’re too kind. No need to go that far. It feels weird. By the time I get back from my overseas trip, maybe I’ll have some new title, still not even close to being decided though.” I smiled back, fully aware he was just trying to help me out. But as soon as those words left my mouth, Emma’s face darkened. She spun around to stare at me. “What do you mean, overseas? You’re going abroad? How come I didn’t know? Did I agree to this?” Her look made me feel like I was a complete stranger to her. I gave a faint smile and didn’t explain. In my mind, I thought, “This marriage is definitely over.”

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