Author: Momo Chan

After my SAT scores came out, my mom Lester forcibly locked me in my room. Because of this, I missed the college application deadline and had no choice but to go out and work. Lester would boast to everyone she met: “Children need strict discipline. Only then will they know gratitude when they grow up.” I got married and became pregnant early. During delivery, the baby was too large, and I was in excruciating pain. She desperately held back my husband, refusing to let him sign the consent form for an epidural. In the end, I hemorrhaged and died on the operating table along with my child. Yet Lester said self-righteously: “I just wanted her to have a natural birth so she’d understand a mother’s hardship. It was her own bad luck!” When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day Lester locked me in my room. Before I could react, someone shoved me hard. With a loud “bang,” I fell to the ground, completely dazed. The cursing from outside the door came through clearly. “I feed you, clothe you, raised you until now, and you still want to run off to college to have it easy? Dream on!” “Once the college application deadline passes, you’re going out to earn money for this family. My son is applying to college next year. If you dare delay his future, I’ll beat you to death!” The shrill scolding continued endlessly. I went to the mirror in a daze. The reflection showed someone weary but not aged, with black hair not yet dried out and whitened by life’s torments. My abdomen was flat—it hadn’t yet carried a life. Only at this moment did I clearly realize: I had been reborn. Reborn to the first day after SAT scores were released, the first day of filling out college applications. And now, I had already been locked in my room by Lester. In my previous life, she kept me locked up until the SAT application system closed, then forced me to go out and work to support the family. She would boast to everyone: “She cried and made such a fuss back then, but now doesn’t she obediently bring money home?” I had resisted, but it only earned me a beating. The moment I escaped from this house, she reported me to the police, falsely claiming I’d been kidnapped. I was sent back before I’d gotten far. She would hit and scold me at will, belittle and insult me, then forcibly take all my wages to subsidize her most beloved son. Even after I finally got married, I remained her blood bag, clinging tightly to suck me dry. She didn’t love me. So during my pregnancy, my mother-in-law force-fed me nutritious soups, causing the fetus to grow too large and making delivery difficult. Not only did she show no sympathy, but she desperately held back my husband, refusing to let him sign for the epidural. Due to the delay, I died along with my baby. When she heard the news, she only stiffened her neck self-righteously. “I just wanted her to feel pain so she’d understand a mother’s hardship. It was her own misfortune and short life!” Thinking back on my previous life—controlled, drained of blood, enslaved and abused like a tool. Living again, should I walk the same old path? After shuddering violently, I looked at the poorly soundproofed wooden door, grabbed a nearby stool, and smashed it hard against the door handle. Once, twice, three times… I don’t know how many times I struck it. Only one thought filled my mind. I won’t walk the same old path again! My room door was the cheapest wooden door—thin panels, poor quality lock. After my frenzied assault, the door opened. Lester charged out of the kitchen with a cleaver, looking fierce. The moment she saw me, her expression changed. She swung her arm wide and slapped me hard across the face. Just breaking down the door had already exhausted most of my strength. I couldn’t possibly withstand her slap. I fell to the ground, dizzy and seeing black, beaten by continuous slaps with no ability to fight back. In my daze, my hand was pressed down hard. Lester cursed through gritted teeth. “You bastard, you actually dared to break down the door! Let me show you!” My cheeks stung densely. I struggled to open my eyes and saw Lester raising the cleaver high, her face full of fat and vicious intent. My heart stopped for a moment, then raced wildly. Lester had worked as a housekeeper for years and had tremendous grip strength. My pinned right hand throbbed numbly—I couldn’t pull it free no matter what. Seeing the cleaver about to fall, my heart went cold. Only one thought filled my mind. If she ruins my life again this time, then let’s all be destroyed together! “That’s enough!” A male voice impatiently stopped Lester. “Can you use your brain! If you cripple her hand, will you support her?” Lester, who had looked ready to devour me moments ago, instantly became docile as a cat. She dropped the cleaver and mumbled an explanation. “I just wanted to teach her a lesson. Look how lawless she is—today she dares break down doors, who knows what she’ll do tomorrow!” I looked at Johnson, who had picked up his phone again and didn’t want to get involved, and immediately crawled over to kneel before him. “Daddy, please let me go to college! My teacher said my grades could get me into a good university. Once I graduate, I’ll take the civil service exam to become a teacher. Not only is it a respectable job, but when my brother gets married and has children, I can help take care of them and tutor them—how convenient!” To convince them, I didn’t dare stop for a breath. “Only by attending a good university can I find a respectable job. Then while I’m still young, I’ll find a wealthy boyfriend and get married early. Not only can we collect high betrothal gifts, but I’ll have him buy a house in my brother’s name to support you in old age and let you enjoy life!” I spoke with such conviction that Johnson fell into thought. Instead, my brother Julian, playing games on the sofa, couldn’t contain himself and asked excitedly. “Can you also buy me a car?” I paused, then agreed immediately. “Yes! Once I’ve worked for two or three years and saved up money, I’ll buy you a nice car!” Julian was instantly swayed and urged our silent parents. “Just let Colleen go to college. By the time I graduate, I’ll have a house and a car—my classmates will be so jealous!” With Julian’s support, signs of wavering appeared on Johnson’s hesitant face.

But Lester looked me up and down suspiciously. “What if you go to college and run away after graduation? Who’ll take care of us in our old age then? Back home, some college graduates’ parents can’t even find them now.” As soon as she spoke, suspicion also appeared on Johnson’s face. He stared at me intently while smoking, as if trying to determine the truth of my words. My heart sank, afraid my college plan would fall through. I quickly said: “I can sign a guarantee letter, then choose a university close to home and come back to find work after graduation!” Lester wanted to say something more, but Johnson stubbed out his cigarette, his face showing rare kindness. “How can I not trust you? Colleen, you’re my daughter. You and Julian share the same blood. We’re family—we should be harmonious and support each other…” Lester’s expression soured. “What’s the use of a girl studying so much? Better to go work now. The money she earns can support the family, and when she gets married, we can collect more betrothal gifts.” “Lester!” Julian raised his voice in displeasure. “With just a high school diploma, how much can she earn working in a factory? In the future, she’ll only marry poor guys. Forget buying me a house—she won’t even afford a decent car.” Johnson glared hard at Lester before half-heartedly smoothing things over. “Don’t stoop to her level. She didn’t study much—long hair, short insight.” He then made a show of scolding Julian. “Why are you still playing games? That’s too much. Your sister is good to you, willing to buy you a car and house. If you’re not going to reciprocate, at least don’t make your sister write the guarantee letter herself!” Upon hearing this, Julian didn’t throw a tantrum like before when criticized. Instead, he tossed his phone aside, shuffled over in his slippers to find paper and pen, then began writing the guarantee letter in front of everyone. After finishing, he thoughtfully dug out an ink pad from the corner. I signed with a smile that didn’t reach my eyes, pressed my fingerprint, then filled out my college application in front of them. Father and son beamed with rare smiles. Lester snorted heavily, then rolled her eyes. “Let me say this upfront—you’re the one who wants to go to college. You’ll have to earn your own tuition and living expenses. All the family money belongs to Julian—don’t expect a single cent. Also, since you’ve filled out the application, you’ll start working at the factory tomorrow. You broke the door—you have to pay for it.” Faced with her harsh demands, I gritted my teeth and agreed to everything, then quietly changed my application late that night. The next day I entered the factory and began working 14-hour days. On my first day home, I was so exhausted my eyelids were fighting each other. No food had been left for me. I searched every cabinet but couldn’t find any noodles, so I had to eat the steamed bun meant for tomorrow’s breakfast, then collapsed into sleep. While sleeping hazily, I suddenly felt lighter. A shrill female voice exploded in my ears. “You bastard! Look what time it is and you’re still sleeping like a pig! Get up and go to work!” Lester yelled at me. I groggily grabbed my phone—it was only 4:30, still dark outside. I instantly felt aggrieved and desperate. “Mom, work doesn’t start until eight. Getting up at seven isn’t late. Why get up now?” “Smack!” I’d barely finished speaking when I was slapped. Lester stood with hands on hips, looking furious. “I work as a housekeeper and have to go to the market at six to buy fresh meat and vegetables. Why should you get to sleep until seven? Get up and make breakfast!” Seeing my pained expression, Lester finally looked satisfied. She looked down at me condescendingly, speaking in a lecturing tone. “No pain, no gain. I’m doing this for your own good, letting you experience work hardships early and build your character.” I looked at the broken door, then at Lester poised to strike, and resignedly got up to make breakfast. Hungry all night, my stomach was already touching my back, but Lester grabbed my bowl first and scooped most of my rice into Julian’s bowl. Julian rubbed his sleepy eyes, somewhat complaining. “Mom, how can I finish this much?” Lester shouted: “Why can’t you finish it? You’re about to be a senior—it’s exhausting. You need to eat more to have energy!” I looked at my bowl with only a small portion left and quickly ate. Naturally, I didn’t get enough breakfast. I went to work without them giving me a cent, so I had to walk to the factory. Lunch and dinner were provided free by the factory, but since I ate early in the afternoon and then worked over three more hours before walking home, my stomach was already growling. The work was intense, I often didn’t eat enough, and I was already malnourished. Within half a month, I felt dizzy and lightheaded.

Sometimes when I came home at night, I was so hungry and couldn’t find noodles, so I had no choice but to eat the leftovers on the counter. In summer’s heat, the food hadn’t been refrigerated and had easily spoiled. I was too hungry to be picky and swallowed it in a few bites, then rushed to wash up and sleep. After all, Lester would wake me up after four the next day under the pretense of “training” to make breakfast for the whole family. This night when I came home, besides the leftovers on the kitchen counter, there was surprisingly a watermelon. Watermelon… I swallowed hard, picking at the leftovers in my bowl. I’d long forgotten when I last ate watermelon. I just looked at it longingly. Lester, wearing her nightgown, somehow entered the kitchen. When she saw me, she slapped me without question, her mouth spraying saliva. “You bastard! How did I give birth to something so lazy, greedy, and inconsiderate!” “Taking pity on you, I specially left you leftovers, and you’re still not satisfied—you want to eat the watermelon I prepared for my husband and son! Today I’ll smash your mouth!” As always, she didn’t bother distinguishing right from wrong. After speaking, she raised her palm-sized hand and slapped my cheeks repeatedly. Soon my vision went black, and worse, my stomach began to cramp, my insides churning. Feeling the upheaval in my stomach, I ignored the cursing Lester and rushed past her into the bathroom to vomit. Wave after wave of nausea gave me no chance to leave the bathroom. Outside, Lester started jumping and cursing. “You shameless slut, have you been sleeping with men outside?” “Bastard! You’re so young and already promiscuous. You’re ugly and dirty—who’ll want you now? If I can’t sell you off, how will I collect betrothal gifts?” She charged forward again and beat my face and the back of my head. For a moment, I couldn’t tell which part hurt more. I just felt cold sweat all over, dizzy and ears ringing. Lester forcibly dragged me back to my room. She threw me on the floor, then snatched my phone. “You’ll stay home for now. When the bastard in your belly starves to death, then you can go out!” She meant what she said. The next day she changed the door lock, locked me at home, and gave me no food. My stomach hurt terribly. I curled up on the bed, consciousness gradually fading. Would I die?

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “360724”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #魔幻Magic #惊悚Thriller #重生Reborn

On New Year’s Day, my childhood friend Paul asked for the passcode to my new house. When I went to check on the place that weekend, I opened the door only to be shocked by over a dozen strangers inside. Paul walked over to me with a smile: “Lena, what brings you here? Come on in—you’re in luck. I’m hosting a family dinner right now.” I stood there completely bewildered. Before I could even voice my confusion, his girlfriend snapped: “Why does she have your house passcode and can just waltz in whenever she wants?” Paul immediately explained: “She said she got into a fight with her family and got kicked out with nowhere to stay, so I let her crash here for a few days.” Upon hearing this, his girlfriend’s face filled with contempt: “How shameless! Who knows how many men she’s begged to get what she wants.” Paul gave her a thumbs up: “You’re absolutely right! Last time she wanted to buy some designer bag she liked, she stripped naked and begged me for it.” His girlfriend covered her mouth, stifling a laugh. Seeing Paul lie so shamelessly, I rushed forward and slapped him hard across the face: “Who the hell do you think you are? You take over my house and slander me—get out!”

The moment I opened the door, the dozen or so people standing in the living room froze in unison, looking just as shocked as I was. “A thief?” A woman in her fifties shrieked first: “Breaking into my house in broad daylight—how audacious! Grab her and beat her senseless.” She was turning the tables on me. How shameless. Furious, I pulled out pepper spray from my bag: “This is MY house. You’re all trespassing, and if you lay a hand on me, that’s illegal. I’m calling the police to sort this out.” The people who’d rushed forward hastily retreated, cursing under their breath: “She’s got tricks up her sleeve. Get the mop—I don’t believe we can’t handle her.” Just as those words left her mouth, Paul burst out of the kitchen to stop them: “Don’t call the police, don’t fight—this is all a misunderstanding.” He smiled as he tried to calm the others down, then walked toward me while shooting me meaningful looks: “Lena, what are you doing here? Come on in—you’ve got great timing. You caught us right in the middle of our family dinner.” I frowned, completely confused. Before I could ask my questions, his girlfriend Lauren leaned against the doorframe and suddenly said in a mocking tone: “Paul, is this childhood friend of yours especially sweet-tongued or something?” Paul stopped in his tracks and raised an eyebrow at her: “Babe, I don’t even need to taste to know—her mouth isn’t one ten-thousandth as sweet as yours.” Lauren shot him a coy glare: “Stop it, I wasn’t talking about that.” Their public flirting drew a round of laughter from everyone else. I felt sick to my stomach—like a trusted partner had pushed me out to be used as a stepping stone. At that thought, my voice rose sharply in confrontation: “Paul, you brought outsiders here without my permission…” But before I could finish, Lauren cut me off with a shrill interruption: “Paul, I’m really curious how she sweet-talked you into giving her your door code. If we hadn’t been here today, what was she planning to do with you?” The smile vanished from Paul’s face instantly, replaced by a grave expression: “Whatever she was planning, I’d never give her any opportunity. You’re the only one in my eyes.” “She didn’t sweet-talk the code out of me—she got on her knees and begged for it. Said she fought with her family, got kicked out, and had nowhere to go. You know I’ve always been soft-hearted, so I gave it to her without thinking much about it.” I felt like I’d been struck by lightning. We’d grown up together, and this was the first time I’d witnessed him openly fabricate lies, destroying someone’s reputation in seconds. I was too stunned to react for a long moment. Lauren’s face filled with contempt: “Most girls couldn’t be this shameless. Who knows how many men she’s begged to get what she wants.” Paul gave her a thumbs up: “Babe, you’re so smart. Last time she wanted to buy some bag she liked, she stripped naked and begged me. I told you about it afterward.” At this, Lauren covered her mouth to suppress her laughter: “Oh, so it was her. How shameless.” Lauren’s mother led the others in loud mockery: “Her figure can’t be that great, right?” Paul wrinkled his nose and shook his head: “I didn’t look. Probably like a fat pig, though.” After saying this, he looked at his girlfriend expectantly. Lauren smiled and praised him: “That’s my man—knows where to draw the line.” “Looking at a woman with that kind of body would be painful.” Their back-and-forth ridicule, treating me like a plaything for their amusement, was utterly disgusting. I suppressed the fury burning in my chest: “Paul, for your mother’s sake, I’ll give you one more chance. Take them and get the hell out. I can pretend this never happened—otherwise, I’m sending all of you to prison.”

“Big talk from you. I’m so scared.” Lauren sneered: “Oh right, I forgot you’re some hotshot lawyer who crawls out of god-knows-whose bed every morning, throwing your weight around at us ordinary people.” Paul’s eyes flashed with panic as he tugged at her sleeve: “There are so many people here—give her some face.” Lauren yanked her arm away forcefully, shouting in displeasure: “What, you feel sorry for her?” “Or am I wrong? She snuck in here today to seduce you, didn’t she?” Lauren’s mother chimed in: “Exactly. One look at her face and you can tell she’s a shameless homewrecker who sleeps her way to the top.” The others joined in the mockery, each more foul-mouthed than the last. What I couldn’t accept most was Lauren constantly emphasizing this was her house. The fury in my chest kept churning. With a dark expression, I warned: “According to the law, spreading sexual rumors and trespassing can get you sentenced to 1-5 years in prison.” If it weren’t for your mother being colleagues with my parents, having such a good relationship, and our families being neighbors for years, I would never waste words with them—I’d go straight to the police. “Paul, I don’t care what reason you had for bringing these people to my house, but apologizing and leaving now is still an option.” Upon hearing this, Lauren acted like she’d heard the funniest joke: “Your house? Keep dreaming.” “You’re so used to being the other woman that now you want to steal my boyfriend and take over his house? Let me tell you, he’ll never marry a slut like you who’s been passed around by everyone.” At that moment, I nearly couldn’t resist spraying her with pepper spray, but legally speaking, whoever strikes first is in the wrong. I could only rebut angrily: “I’ve always conducted myself properly, unlike you who’s been with countless men. Only trash like Paul would be a match for you.” “I’ll say it one more time—I bought this house for $150,000. It’s not your place to act out here.” With that, I pulled out my phone to call the police. But Paul, whose eyes had been darting around nervously, suddenly went crazy and snatched my phone, smashing it violently on the ground while roaring at me: “Lena, don’t push your luck!” “What do you mean ‘your house’? You transferred it to me last month to settle a debt. Don’t even think about going back on it.” Lauren’s eyes widened instantly: “What? This house was transferred to settle a debt?” She looked disgusted: “I don’t want some dump where this slut has lived. Who knows how many men she’s brought back here. So gross.” Lauren’s mother and the others fanned the flames: “Paul, do you look down on our Lauren? The wedding house is secondhand? Without $66,000 in betrothal gifts, forget about marrying her.” Hearing this, Paul frantically apologized: “Everyone, I didn’t explain clearly. This is a brand new house, definitely not secondhand. If you don’t believe me, you can check online or even ask the property management—it was just handed over last month.” When he turned to look at me, hatred roiled in his eyes, each word dripping with venom: “Lena, no matter how much you make a scene, it’s useless. I could never like trash like you.” “If you’re really that desperate for a man, Lauren’s uncle happens to be single. For old times’ sake, I’ll introduce you to him first.” Lauren’s uncle’s eyes lit up with a lecherous smile: “Sure! I don’t mind that she sleeps around.” He reached out to grab me: “Come on, let’s find somewhere private for some fun.” His words sparked a round of laughter. Seeing Paul’s disgusting face joining in the mockery, the fury in my chest erupted completely. I rushed forward and slapped him hard: “Who the hell do you think you are? You take over my house, slander me—wait for the lawsuit.”

Paul clutched his face in disbelief: “You actually dare to hit me?” I was shaking with rage, trying my best to stay calm as I argued: “You brought over a dozen people to occupy my property and refuse to leave. You led wave after wave of verbal abuse against me and deliberately had people grope me. I had no choice but to defend myself.” Hearing this, Lauren furiously raised her foot to kick me: “Lena, you dare touch my man? You’re asking for death!” Since I dodged quickly, she lunged into empty air and fell heavily to the ground, screaming in pain. This caused complete chaos. Lauren’s mother and her relatives chased after me: “Bitch!” To avoid getting hurt, I ran from the stairs all the way down to the ground floor, shouting in terror: “Fire! Someone help!” The tactic worked. Soon people walking in the neighborhood gathered around. I immediately changed my story in panic: “No wait—it’s murder! Someone’s trying to kill me to take over my house.” At that moment, Lauren’s mother and the others came running down with kitchen knives and mops. Seeing me hiding behind a group of neighbors, they jumped up and down in frustration: “Bitch, you found more men to protect you in the blink of an eye. Come here if you dare.” The neighbors—both men and women—were immediately offended and started arguing with them. I said quietly: “Please call the police. They broke my phone.” Just then, Paul came down supporting Lauren. Seeing the situation, he immediately played the victim and explained to the neighbors: “Everyone, the truth is she owes me $200,000 and used this $150,000 house to settle the debt. Now she’s shamelessly trying to take it back.” “I have the transfer agreement in black and white with her signature—Lena’s name is right on it.” He pulled out a stack of documents to show everyone. The neighbors crowded forward. After reading the contents, they turned to me: “Are you Lena?” I sensed trouble: “That transfer agreement is definitely fake. I never signed it.” As soon as I said this, the neighbors’ expressions changed, their eyes filling with more wariness. Lauren then shouted indignantly: “She’s a pathological liar. Everyone stay away from her, or she’ll seduce your husbands next.” “If I hadn’t been home today, she would have stripped naked and thrown herself at my boyfriend. Absolutely shameless.” “When that didn’t work, she threatened to burn down the house. Tell me, doesn’t someone like her deserve a beating?” Under her baseless slander, the neighbors immediately turned against me, cursing me out: “You almost tricked us into wrongly accusing good people. How despicable.” Some of her relatives mixed into the crowd and shouted: “Yeah, someone like her needs a good beating to teach her a lesson so she won’t dare seduce other people’s men again.” One sentence made everyone clench their fists, ready to attack me. I tried to explain, but Lauren suddenly attacked from behind, kicking me hard: “That’s for trying to set a fire earlier! If it had actually caught, think of all the property damage. You don’t care because it’s not yours, right?” Her angry tone sounded righteous, making those who didn’t know the truth believe her, though her eyes couldn’t hide her smugness. Paul chimed in: “My girlfriend is absolutely right. This person grew up with me, and she’s not only a compulsive liar but also a gambling addict. Who knows how many men she’s been with for money. Everyone should watch out for trash like her.” After speaking, he put on a pained expression—utterly disgusting. I was in so much pain that cold sweat broke out on my forehead. Clutching my stomach, I struggled to stand: “Paul, every word you say carries legal consequences.” “Everyone, please call the property management. I never did any property transfer—one check will prove it.” Hearing this, Paul smirked: “Call them then. Who’s afraid? Only liars get nervous.”

The property management staff arrived quickly. Seeing thirty-plus people surrounding me so tightly I couldn’t move, they immediately realized the seriousness of the situation and hurried to understand what happened. “The owner registered here is Paul.” The property manager looked me up and down: “You… I think I’ve seen you more than once coming and going with different male owners from Phase Two.” His one sentence caused an immediate uproar. Especially those neighbors—with several of Lauren’s relatives constantly adding fuel to the fire, they unanimously viewed me as a homewrecker everyone should condemn. “Shameless! No wonder when she ran over just now, she crowded around the men. Turns out she’s a repeat offender.” “Exactly. So damn arrogant. We owners need to unite against sluts like her.” Accompanied by insults and abuse coming in waves, these people’s emotions grew increasingly angry, the scene nearly spiraling out of control. No matter how I explained, they wouldn’t listen. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught the property manager and Paul exchanging knowing smirks. That’s when I remembered—when I bought the house, Paul had pushed hard to recommend this neighborhood. Clearly, he’d been planning to seize my property all along. How despicable. “Everyone, please listen to me…” I shouted with all my strength, but suddenly an old woman attacked me with spit: “Ptui! What more do you want to say? Stop playing tricks—we won’t fall for it.” The stench of her breath hit me in the face. I nearly vomited and had to quickly back away, but Lauren’s uncle grabbed my arm. “Right, this little slut is good at playing the victim to deceive people. A few days ago she said she had no money for food and would keep me company for two hours for just two hundred bucks. Scary.” Pretending to be an angry resident, he kept pushing and shoving me while taking the opportunity to grope me. I was furious and slapped him across the face. “You’re slandering me. I will sue…” Before I could finish, his face twisted viciously as he swung his fist at me. I tried to dodge, but two of Lauren’s relatives grabbed me directly, restraining my hands behind my back so I couldn’t move. He slapped me twice across the face, immediately making my mouth bleed. Paul applauded: “Well done! Trash like her deserves a good lesson. Everyone line up to slap her.” Hearing this, Lauren’s mother led her relatives to act first, slaps raining down one after another. Lauren covered her mouth and laughed from the side, shouting: “Bitch, you deserve this! This is what you get for seducing someone’s boyfriend.” Hearing this, Paul publicly kissed her: “Having a girlfriend to protect me is such bliss.” My face was swollen and painful from the beating. I kept struggling and explaining that the property transfer was fake, but no one would listen. “Paul, I have the property deed for this house. Do you?” Hearing my roar, Paul immediately had them stop: “Everyone hold on a moment. This woman still won’t give up—she insists on producing her property deed to slap me in the face.” “Should we give her one more chance?” Lauren and her group clearly didn’t want to, but under my adamant defense and some neighbors’ insistence, Paul showed some conscience and helped me call my parents. After waiting about half an hour, my parents and Paul’s mother rushed over. Before they could say a word to me, they hurried to produce the property deed. Opening it, everyone immediately panicked: “Let’s see you try to weasel out of this now!” Paul and Lauren exchanged glances, both their faces showing triumphant smiles. “Lena, we’ve been more than fair—gave you more than one chance. Your parents brought this property deed themselves. What more do you have to say?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “360723”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #魔幻Magic #惊悚Thriller #重生Reborn

The company was facing bankruptcy, and my husband asked for a divorce, wanting to shoulder all the debts alone. I didn’t agree. I worked eight jobs a day like a beast of burden, working from dawn to dusk to help him get through the crisis. When I finally scraped together enough money and went to the company to find my husband, I accidentally witnessed him flirting with his young secretary. “When is that old hag going to stop clinging to you?” “What can I do? I sent thugs to threaten her, to intimidate her, but she still won’t leave.” Turns out my husband never went bankrupt at all. He even used my hard-earned money to buy the secretary a car, a house, and was planning a grand wedding for her. I gritted my teeth, my eyes red with hatred. When my husband proposed divorce once again, I signed the divorce agreement without hesitation, registered the patent first, and then reported his company for product infringement. You like pretending to be bankrupt? I’ll make you truly bankrupt!

“Quinn, the company really can’t hold on anymore. Bankruptcy is imminent. I don’t want to divorce you either, but as the legal representative of the company, I have to take responsibility. Only by divorcing can I avoid dragging you down with me.” In the office, my husband Adrian handed me the divorce agreement he had prepared long ago. His words and expression were so sincere that I should have been deeply moved. But I dug my nails into my palms, my heart growing colder inch by inch. Because I had already seen through the massive lie beneath his devotion. A month ago, the company faced bankruptcy. To avoid dragging me down, Adrian proposed divorcing me, wanting to shoulder all the debts alone. I didn’t agree. I worked eight jobs a day like a beast of burden, working from dawn to dusk to help him get through the crisis. To save money, I sold off all my possessions, ate nothing but bread soaked in water for every meal, and passed out several times from low blood sugar at work, only to continue earning money after waking up. But when I finally scraped together enough money and went to the company to find my husband, I accidentally witnessed him flirting with his young secretary. Turns out my husband never went bankrupt at all. He was only pretending to be bankrupt to give his mistress a proper status. He even used my hard-earned money to buy the secretary a car, a house, and was planning a grand wedding for her. Now, looking at my husband’s fake devoted expression, I just felt nauseous. Seeing my silence, Adrian thought I disagreed again, and his tone became even more earnest. “As my wife, you should understand my good intentions. Otherwise, I married you for nothing. Don’t worry, this is just a fake divorce. Once the company gets through this crisis, I’ll remarry you immediately.” Before he could finish, I interrupted coldly, “Fine, let’s divorce then.” Before he could react, I grabbed the divorce agreement and signed it cleanly. After seeing through Adrian’s true face, I didn’t want to be entangled with him for even a moment longer. Adrian was shocked by my decisiveness. After all, he had been pressuring me to divorce for half a month. He had even sent debt collectors to my house to smash things and intimidate me. When I was trembling with fear, he would appear with deep affection, proposing divorce under the pretense of not wanting me to suffer. But that only made me more determined to stick it out with him. Thinking about it now, it was truly laughable. Just as Adrian was about to speak, Melissa’s pained cry came from outside the door. The man rushed out to check on her. Melissa held her scalded hand pitifully. “Mr. Grant, I’m fine.” Clearly not even her skin was red, yet Adrian’s eyes were full of concern. “How can you be fine? I’m taking you to the hospital right now.” Watching Adrian’s retreating figure without a backward glance, I smiled bitterly. In five years of marriage, he had never treated me this way. In the early days of our startup, when I fainted from period pain after working overtime, he blamed me for dirtying the chair. But now, he didn’t blame Melissa for clumsily spilling coffee. Instead, he worried about whether she was burned. I was so stupid before. The two of them were so obvious, yet I didn’t see their affair. I even ran around outside for their love, using my hard-earned money to build their future together. After Adrian left, I walked out of the office. Instantly, the envious and congratulatory looks my colleagues had been directing at the two of them turned into mockery and ridicule aimed at me. “Did that old hag get scolded by Mr. Grant again?” “She clings to Mr. Grant like glue every day. At her age, she has no shame. What makes her think she can compete with Miss Hart with that old face?” “Miss Hart is ten times younger and prettier than her, a perfect match for Mr. Grant. As for her, she smells of old age and can’t compare to a single strand of Miss Hart’s hair!” … This wasn’t the first time my colleagues had mocked me to my face. I had been married to Adrian for five years, but he refused to make it public, claiming he was worried people at the company would say I got in through the back door. To avoid suspicion, he wouldn’t pick me up after work, making me take the subway and bus by myself. He was always cold and impartial to me at the company. My colleagues were convinced Adrian hated me and often targeted me to curry favor with him. Facing this humiliation, Adrian had always watched coldly, telling me this was his way of tempering my will. Before, I firmly believed he still had feelings for me and swallowed my grievances in silence. Now, I had seen through his true face! I laughed lightly. “A bunch of people who can’t meet their targets—what right do you have to mock me, the top performer? If I were you, I’d be too ashamed to even stay at this company.” After shutting them down, I ignored their livid expressions and returned to my workstation. As soon as I sat down, Adrian called, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Quinn, Melissa needs to be hospitalized for rest and can’t work. As her colleague, you should share her workload. Hurry up and deliver the files to Mr. Lee at Sanctum.” Then Melissa’s gloating voice came through. “Mr. Grant, that’s not appropriate. You know what Mr. Lee is like. Quinn will be taken advantage of.” Adrian sneered. “He’s just an old pervert. It’s not like she hasn’t dealt with this kind of man before. Besides, she’s in her thirties—what man would want to take advantage of an old woman? You, on the other hand, are the one most likely to be taken advantage of.” Without waiting for my refusal, Adrian hung up and sent me a message telling me where the files were. All along, Adrian had pushed projects involving sleazy old men onto me, afraid Melissa would be sullied in the slightest. After I finished the business while holding back my disgust, he would give all the credit and bonuses to Melissa. Thinking of this, I deleted Adrian from my messages. I took out my phone and sent a message to the relevant personnel. [Hello, I want to register a patent.] The staff accepted it immediately. The reason the company developed so quickly was entirely due to the patent I held. I had originally wanted to use this patent to help Adrian pay off the company’s debts, but now he didn’t deserve it. This time, I would register it first and completely monopolize the patent rights. Then all the products his company produced would be infringing. You like pretending to be bankrupt? I’ll make you truly bankrupt!

After finishing all this, I was about to rest when my colleagues habitually dumped their unfinished work on my desk. They ordered me to complete it for them as if it were a matter of course. Someone even stuck a sticky note on my head telling me to go downstairs and buy things for them. I had complained about this several times before, but each time Adrian told me to be more generous, saying my colleagues were just showing their trust in me. And I would brainwash myself and accept it resignedly. After all, this was a company I had built with my own hands. I didn’t want it to be destroyed. But over time, in their eyes, I became a soft persimmon they could bully and order around at will. But I wasn’t a soft persimmon. I had just loved the wrong person. I swept my cold gaze over these people and threw the documents on my desk into the trash, tearing the sticky note to pieces. “The company doesn’t support useless people, and I’m not your mother to clean up your messes!” “If you can’t do anything, what are you doing at work? You might as well be reborn and start over!” “If you put garbage on my desk again, I’ll throw it directly into the shredder, grind it into powder, and stuff it in your mouths!” My colleagues stood frozen in shock. As the atmosphere grew tense, Adrian returned, supporting Melissa. Seeing me, Adrian stormed over angrily and shoved his phone in my face. “I told you to deliver the files to Mr. Lee, but you’re here slacking off instead. Because of you, Mr. Lee gave Melissa a tongue-lashing!” Looking up, I saw the phone screen displayed a conversation. Because I didn’t arrive at the restaurant at the time Adrian specified. Mr. Lee sent a sarcastic message to Adrian: [Mr. Grant, if Miss Hart doesn’t want to meet with me, you can just say so. There’s no need to leave me hanging here. It seems your company’s sincerity about this cooperation isn’t very high.] Adrian immediately apologized to Mr. Lee. Mr. Lee blocked him directly. Coming back to reality, Melissa stood nearby, crying. “Quinn, you can hate me, but you don’t need to jeopardize everyone’s jobs at the company, do you?” “Mr. Grant, I should personally apologize to Mr. Lee. I’m not like some people who are selfish and take their salary for nothing…” Adrian slammed the table hard upon hearing this. “You don’t need to apologize. Someone else needs to!” Seeing my complete indifference, Adrian roared again, “Quinn, you’ve done something that harms the company’s interests. Shouldn’t you apologize to everyone?” My colleagues gloated and nodded in agreement. I sneered back, “Isn’t Melissa the one harming the company’s interests? Mr. Lee specifically asked to meet with her to discuss cooperation, but she didn’t go because of a minor injury and made me, someone who wasn’t even involved in the project, do it for her. Isn’t this her shirking work and responsibility?” Everyone was speechless. They wanted to refute me, but I had presented solid reasoning they couldn’t find fault with. Melissa’s eyes quickly reddened as she returned to her workstation to pack her things. “I’m sorry, Quinn. I’m sorry, everyone. It’s all my fault. I’ll leave and won’t get in Quinn’s way anymore.” Adrian grabbed her wrist. My colleagues also comforted her, saying it wasn’t her fault, while making veiled accusations against me. “Mr. Grant, Quinn is twisting the truth. Miss Hart must have had a valid reason. And just now Quinn yelled at everyone like a lunatic, even accusing and threatening us.” Adrian immediately glared at me. “Quinn, apologize to everyone right now, or you can get lost!!” Everyone was certain I would cave, looking down at me with raised chins, waiting for my humble apology. At that moment, my phone received a notification. [Miss Quinn, your patent application has been approved.] I smiled. “Suit yourself.” Anyway, the patent application had been approved. After reporting the infringement, the company’s bankruptcy was just a matter of time. Even if they begged me to stay, I wouldn’t. As my words fell, everyone looked shocked. Melissa took the opportunity to add fuel to the fire. “Quinn, you did something like this and you still have the nerve to smile? Do you not take Mr. Grant seriously at all?” Everyone nodded in agreement. Just as everyone expected Adrian to fire me on the spot, he suddenly took a deep breath. “Quinn, considering that at your age it would be hard to find another job, I’ll only dock one month’s salary and won’t hold it against you. Come to my office.”

Melissa glared at me resentfully, not expecting Adrian to side with me. I followed Adrian into the office with a skeptical look, thinking he had changed. But he hadn’t. He was just slapping me before giving me a piece of candy. In the office, Adrian held my hand with a look of helplessness. “As my wife, why can’t you be as considerate as Melissa? The fake divorce is to avoid dragging you down!” “It’s one thing if you don’t understand my good intentions, but you embarrassed me in front of so many people.” “Didn’t I tell you? Once the company gets through this, I’ll remarry you immediately.” I shook off his hand, my face cold with a sneer. He really was a master at pretending to be devoted, still thinking he could fool me completely. But the company was indeed about to go bankrupt as he wished. I hoped he could remain this calm when that time came. Seeing my silence, Adrian thought he had convinced me and took out a stack of documents from his drawer for me to sign. I pretended to be confused, and he patted my head earnestly. “This is a project transfer agreement. I want you to transfer all your projects to Melissa.” “Didn’t you say before that you wanted to prepare for pregnancy and have a child? You shouldn’t overwork yourself and need to rest well. Don’t worry, I’ll give you compensation, and Melissa will do her best to complete the projects for you.” No wonder he suddenly spoke up for me. There was profit in it. I was worried about how to handle these hot potatoes after the company went bankrupt. Now someone was willing to shoulder the burden for me—why not? I signed with a smile. Adrian was very satisfied. After transferring the money to me, he called Melissa in. In front of Adrian, Melissa expressed her thanks with false sincerity, a hint of triumph flashing in her eyes. I ignored her and pretended to walk out of the office. In reality, I hid by the door, carefully eavesdropping. As soon as I left, Melissa couldn’t wait to rush into Adrian’s arms, hooking her arms around his neck and swaying as she pouted. “Adrian, I’m angry. You actually sided with that old hag instead of helping me!” “Baby, how could she deserve my help? I was paving the way for you. I just tricked the old woman into transferring all her projects to you.” “I finally kicked her out. Later I can get our marriage license with you and use her money to buy you a big mansion. How about that?” Melissa kissed his face hard. “Honey, you’re amazing!” Watching their inseparable figures. I turned around, leaving while taking out my phone to decisively report Adrian’s company for infringement to the relevant authorities. Processing would take some time. When the time came, Adrian’s and the company’s death would not be far off. Returning to my workstation, I ignored my colleagues’ mocking expressions. Instead of working hard as usual, I slacked off the entire day. … As soon as it was time to clock out, I went straight home to pack my luggage, planning to move out and cut ties with Adrian completely. As soon as I entered, I saw two brand-new marriage certificates on the table. In the wedding photo, Adrian and Melissa were smiling brightly. The bedroom door was wide open. Adrian had his back to me, tangled with Melissa on the bedsheets I had carefully chosen. Seeing me, Melissa smugly showed off the wedding ring on her hand, several times larger than the one I had when I got married. If this were before, I would have been jealous and lost my mind. But now, I was expressionless and turned to leave. It was even better that they were married. That way, when the company went bankrupt, neither of them could escape! That night, I slept comfortably in a hotel. The next day, I arrived early at the new product launch venue, only to be stopped outside. Melissa walked out smugly, her face full of mockery. “Quinn, on behalf of Mr. Grant, I’m officially notifying you that you’ve been fired.” “Haha, today is the launch of the new product you developed, but it’s a pity you can’t see it anymore. Your husband has handed everything over to me. From now on, I’ll replace you, become famous, and make a fortune!” Adrian came looking for Melissa and showed no emotion when he saw me. “What are you doing here making a fool of yourself?” “The product inside is what I designed.” “What do you mean ‘your product’? This is a product jointly developed by our company, and you’re no longer part of the company. Leave now!” What a perfect example of discarding someone after using them. But not only was I not angry, I smiled. Melissa thought I had gone crazy. “What are you laughing at?” “Of course I’m laughing at your imminent doom.” This morning, the report had been processed, and news of the company’s infringement quickly climbed to the top of the trending topics. Just as I was about to speak, a group of reporters arrived at the venue. Adrian thought they were here to interview him and immediately puffed out his chest. “I didn’t expect you to arrive so quickly. Our new product launch won’t start for a while.” Melissa took his arm, looking at me coldly. “Security, kick out the irrelevant people who have nothing to do with the launch. Don’t block my camera.” The two stood in front of the camera together, ready to speak at length. The next second, a reporter asked. “Mr. Grant, what is your opinion on your company’s infringement of a private patent?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “360722”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #魔幻Magic #惊悚Thriller #重生Reborn

When Mrs. Thompson called both Peyton and me to her office, the two kids were standing against the wall, faces marked with scratches and bruises. He spoke first. “Long time no see.” I replied politely, “Long time no see.” Mrs. Thompson’s words floated past lightly, and she had us each take our child home. I turned right with my daughter. He turned left with his son. This was our first meeting six years after the divorce. …… I was in the middle of a site inspection when the call came. Even the roar of the excavator couldn’t drown out Mrs. Thompson’s piercing voice. My daughter had gotten into a fight at school. With the school board chairman’s son, no less. By the time I arrived at the school, the other parent was already there. A tall figure in a suit, his back straight and refined. I glanced down at my mud-splattered shoes and the jeans ripped by a nail during my site rounds. Silently regretting my choice. I should have changed into something more presentable. Mrs. Thompson waved me over when she saw me. The other parent turned around at the sound. The person I thought I’d never cross paths with again appeared before me without warning. “Long time no see.” I responded politely. “Long time no see.” Mrs. Thompson let out a long sigh of relief. “The two children had a little disagreement.” “Since you and Chairman Hart already know each other, why don’t you settle this privately?” As soon as we left the school building, my daughter told me that Maxwell Hart used his father’s position as the school’s investor to bully other students regularly. I asked softly, “Did he bully you?” My daughter paused. “He said I’m a bastard, a kid without a father.” “I got angry and fought with him.” I paused for a moment, then gave her a thumbs up. “Good for you.” Peyton dragged Maxwell over, chasing after us. He pressed down on Maxwell’s head, demanding he apologize to my daughter. A sharp, affected voice cut through the air. “Why should my son apologize?” Serena clicked over in her high heels, her face flushed with urgency. She had transformed completely from before. Draped in designer labels from head to toe, no trace left of her former awkwardness. When she saw it was me, she froze for a moment. “I already asked the teacher about this.” “Our Maxwell was just having a normal conversation with a classmate.” “This little girl suddenly rushed over and pushed him!” She looked up at Peyton. “If anyone should apologize, it’s her to our son.” My daughter pulled her hand from mine and looked at Peyton too. “He said I’m a bastard, that I don’t have a father.” “That’s why… I pushed him.” Peyton’s eyes flickered across from us. “Sweetie, who says you don’t have a father?” A calm, measured voice sounded beside my ear as a hand gently took my trembling one. Warmth spread from that broad palm, bringing an inexplicable sense of security. “Dad!” My daughter rushed toward Zach, who caught her up in his arms. “I’ve just been busy with work lately and haven’t had time to come to school.” “I had no idea my daughter was being called fatherless.” Silence stretched the moment out. Peyton looked at me and spoke slowly. “Today was our fault.” “I’ll make sure to educate him properly when we get home.” I nodded. I ushered Zach and my daughter into the car. “Vivian Hart, this time we’ll let it go.” “But don’t go around calling people dad.” “Call him Zach.” I turned to Zach. “How did you get here?” Vivian covered her phone watch. “When our Sweetie gets bullied, I have to come back her up.” Zach turned around and winked at her. The two of them laughed together, sweeping away the gloom from the school incident. I glanced out the window where Serena was still saying something. Peyton ignored her, looking annoyed as he turned left out of the school gate with his child. Zach jerked his chin in their direction. “Is that her?” I nodded. Back then, she was just our housekeeper. Yet she made Peyton divorce me without a second thought.

When I first started at the school, Peyton’s company was just getting off the ground. We both grabbed meals on the run. The small diner near our apartment became our regular dinner spot. Serena was a kitchen helper there back then. She often sat on a plastic stool by the door, reading books. When she learned I was a teacher, her eyes lit up. She told me she wanted to take the self-study university exam. She hoped to get a degree so she could establish herself in the city. At the time, I admired her tenacity. Only later did I realize the ambition and ruthlessness beneath that determination. That day, Peyton and I walked to the small diner as usual. From a distance, we saw the rolling shutter pulled down. Serena was crouched on the stone steps by the entrance, shoulders shaking as she cried. It turned out the owner had run off. She had nowhere to go and still owed rent. She cried and begged me to help her get a job in the school cafeteria. I couldn’t help her with that, but I felt sorry for how hard things were for someone so young. So I asked if she’d be willing to come cook at our place. She threw her arms around me, overjoyed. “Claire, I’ll never forget what you’ve done for me.” When we got home, Peyton frowned and told me, “I don’t like having outsiders in the house.” I took his hand. “The girl’s having a hard time. Just let her come cook for us. She’ll leave right after. Okay?” He sighed softly. He turned his hand over and clasped mine. “Whatever you want…” The neighbor I was friendly with saw that a young woman had been coming to our place. She pulled me aside and quietly warned me to be careful. I laughed and waved it off. My relationship with Peyton had spanned our entire youth. From childhood to adolescence all the way to marriage. Plenty of girls had chased him. He never even bothered to look up. I knew him. Once he decided on something, he was single-minded. Serena’s meals were different every day, balanced with meat and vegetables. She was very attentive. She memorized all of Peyton’s and my preferences. Going far beyond what her job required. A cup of hot tea handed to us after dinner gradually melted Peyton’s cold expression. His attitude toward Serena became much warmer. I treated her like a younger sister. But when she said the rent outside was too expensive and asked if she could set up a cot in the storage room, I hesitated. After all, having a live-in was somewhat inconvenient. Serena put on a pleading smile. “Claire, I’ll take care of everything at home.” “You and Peyton can just focus on your careers.” While I was still hesitating, Peyton came home. He took the hot tea Serena handed him. “Living here works. I’m busy with work, so you and Claire can look out for each other.” Serena happily shook Peyton’s hand. “Thank you, Peyton. I’ll definitely take good care of Claire.” Serena truly lived up to her word. She didn’t let me worry about a single household task. The bedding was fluffy and soft, smelling of sunshine. Even the cracks in the corners were spotless. Most importantly, she had a good sense of boundaries. After finishing her tasks, she’d return to her room to study. So quiet you’d forget there was another person in the house. My concerns gradually dissolved day by day. On Serena’s birthday, I brought Peyton along to buy her gifts and a cake. We came home early wanting to surprise her. When we opened the door, she looked completely flustered. Her face was as red as the red halter dress she was wearing. That was a dress Peyton had given me when we were dating. I’d thought it was too revealing and never wore it. “Claire, I was sorting through seasonal clothes today and saw this dress.” “I thought it looked nice so I tried it on.” “I’m sorry…” Though she was speaking to me, her eyes were on Peyton. Tears hung at the corners of her eyes, with a coquettishness unique to young girls. Peyton beside me cleared his throat twice. “I forgot something in the car. Going down to get it.” Young girls liking pretty things was understandable. Serena usually wore faded plaid shirts. I just hadn’t expected someone so simple to like this style. I set aside the gift we’d picked for her that afternoon. “Peyton and I chose a dress for you.” “Though it seems it’s not your style.” She picked up the shopping bag, her eyes full of eagerness to please. “I like it, I like it. I love anything you give me.” Peyton was gone for a long time. When he finally came back, the unnatural flush on his face still hadn’t faded. I didn’t think much of this little incident. But afterward, Serena started wearing makeup. From time to time, she’d go to the study to ask Peyton questions. Peyton, who usually had no patience for incompetence, was extraordinarily patient with her. He’d even disassemble models I wasn’t allowed to touch to show her. The atmosphere in our home began to change subtly. Zach beside me asked, “Is that when they got together?” I shook my head. “Not long after, I let her go.” The reason I fired her was… A peach.

“Serena, did you receive the two boxes of peaches today?” Serena, who was cooking, responded. “Got them. I put them all in the fridge.” I breathed a sigh of relief. Just in time. I’d specially asked a friend to air-ship these Okayama white peaches from Japan. The client Peyton was meeting with tomorrow loved these. When I opened the fridge, I noticed the box had been opened. There had been six peaches originally. Now there were only five. Serena turned around just then, carrying a dish. I looked into her eyes. “Did you touch the peaches in the box?” Her hand holding the soup bowl jerked violently. The ceramic bowl slipped, and hot soup spilled everywhere. Peyton rushed over almost immediately when he heard the noise. He passed right by me. Grabbing her wrist, his voice full of concern. “Did you get burned?” “Did you cut yourself?” “How could you be so careless?” He carefully blew on her hand. “Quick, run it under cold water.” He half-supported, half-carried her to the bathroom. He didn’t even look back at me. Didn’t even glance at my foot scalded by the hot soup. Serena’s trembling voice drifted from the bathroom, broken and halting. “Peyton, I’m sorry…” “I cleaned inside and out all day today, so busy I forgot to eat lunch…” “Later I was so hungry, I saw the peaches in the fridge.” “I thought… just one peach, it should be fine…” “I really didn’t think… that Claire would care so much…” I laughed coldly to myself. There was so much fruit in the house. I’d specifically told her just yesterday that these peaches were for a client. Yet she still took one. Peyton’s voice carried a coaxing tone. “It’s fine. Eat them if you want.” When he came out and saw my expression, his face darkened. “Claire, is it really necessary over one peach?” I said coldly, “Peyton, these were specially prepared for your client visit.” “Do you know how many favors I called in to get these from Japan?” His tone was full of impatience, as if I were being unreasonable. “I’ll handle the client situation myself. You don’t need to worry about it.” “Serena can eat the peaches if she wants. She can eat as many as she likes.” He paused. “I’m taking Serena to the hospital to treat her burn.” “Peyton!” I stepped forward, enunciating each word. “If you walk out that door now, don’t come back.” He stopped in his tracks, his anger deflating by half. In the end, he stayed where he was. He didn’t move another step. Didn’t turn around either. Early the next morning, I called in sick to the school. I stopped Peyton as he was getting ready for work. I turned to Serena, who was holding Peyton’s briefcase. “Serena, you’ll be starting school soon.” I pulled out a manila envelope. “This money is for you. It’s enough for tuition and basic living expenses.” Serena’s face went pale instantly. “Claire… what do you mean?” “What I mean is—” I met her gaze. “We don’t need help at home anymore.” “Claire!” Serena rushed over in a few steps. “Yesterday was my fault!” “I was greedy and ate the peach!” “I made you angry!” “Please let me stay, okay?” “I don’t have many classes. I absolutely won’t neglect the housework.” She got more and more agitated as she spoke. Finally her knees started to buckle. “Serena!” Peyton finally spoke up, stepping forward quickly to catch her. But I stopped him with a look. I watched her knees hovering in mid-air and laughed coldly. “Claire!” Peyton’s voice carried anger. “How did you become like this?” He turned to look at the tearful Serena. His voice softened. “You don’t have to go anywhere. Just stay home.” I felt a surge of rage rush from the bottom of my heart straight to my head. Before I knew it, I’d slammed the teacup down hard on the table. The fragments shattered everywhere, cutting my hand bloody, though I barely noticed. “Peyton, you’re crossing the line!” In all our years of marriage, this was the first time I’d ever slammed anything in front of him. Silence spread through the room. After a long moment, he finally spoke. “Serena, focus on your studies at school.” Zach was even more curious. He parked the car and turned to ask me. “So when did you two get divorced?” I smiled slightly. I’d naively thought that firing her would make life return to normal. But she’d already taken root deep in Peyton’s heart. I glanced at my daughter, who was listening to music with her earbuds in. I said lightly, “Three years later.” “The day I found out I was pregnant.”

After dropping my daughter off at her tutoring class, we came to the coffee shop downstairs. Zach insisted on hearing the rest of the story. He brought over two cups of coffee. I began slowly. By then, Peyton had already made his business successful and stable. I wasn’t as busy as when I first started at the school either. We both wanted a child. We’d done all the tests. Nothing wrong, but no pregnancy either. One year, two years. Peyton smiled and told me to relax. But I knew how many events he’d turned down that he shouldn’t have, just to focus on trying for a baby. On the seventh morning after my period was late, I stared at the three pregnancy tests on the table, each showing two clear lines. I rubbed my finger over Peyton’s name on my phone but didn’t call. Not until I held the pregnancy report at the hospital. I bought his favorite grapefruit cake. I decided to go to his company and surprise him in person. Just as I stepped into the elevator, two girls in work uniforms carrying coffee walked in. The tall girl looked around and lowered her voice to her companion. “Hey, did you hear? Even someone like Mr. Hart…” “I really don’t believe in love anymore!” The girl with the ponytail was excited with gossip. “Which Mr. Hart?” “How many Mr. Harts does our company have? The one on the top floor!” “I heard Mrs. Hart is even a university professor. How could he fall for that intern?” “Right! She didn’t even graduate from a proper university. Using… well, you know. Now she follows Mr. Hart in and out every day. Who doesn’t know what’s going on?” The elevator stopped at the nineteenth floor. The two girls’ voices cut off abruptly as they exited. And I stood there trembling as I pressed the button for the top floor. Just as I reached Peyton’s office door, his secretary Jordan stopped me. “Claire, Mr. Hart is in a meeting.” I tried the handle. “A meeting with who? What kind of meeting requires locking the office door?” Jordan smiled awkwardly. I didn’t look at him again. I used all my strength to kick open that heavy wooden door. The scene inside made me unable to breathe. On the office desk was a disheveled Serena. Peyton stood beside her, his chest heaving violently. When he heard the door, he whipped around. The moment our eyes met, the lust in his eyes was instantly replaced by fear. His Adam’s apple bobbed frantically. “Claire, let me explain.” He fumbled with the buttons on his shirt. Serena cowered behind him. I looked at this place I’d visited countless times. Now it felt so filthy and unbearable. “Explain what?” “Explain how she came to work at your company?” “How she became your assistant?” “Or… how she ended up on your desk?” I thought I would cry, that I’d become hysterical. But when I actually spoke, my voice was as calm as a stagnant pool. I walked toward the silver trash can by the desk. I lifted my hand and threw the grapefruit cake into it. Peyton hadn’t even noticed the cake in my hand. He thought I was going to approach Serena. In two or three steps, he was in front of me. Arms spread wide, shielding Serena behind him. That posture suddenly struck me as ridiculous. “Peyton, don’t worry.” “I find trash too disgusting to even look at, let alone touch.” I didn’t spare them another glance. I turned and left. The moment I stepped through the door, my legs felt like all their strength had been drained. I collapsed heavily onto the cold floor. Tears broke free. That day, I felt like all my organs had gone numb. Time and space dissolved into nothing. The sky gradually darkened, then gradually lightened again. Peyton didn’t come home. This man I’d thought only had eyes for me was completely absent. Not until the divorce papers I sent him showed as delivered did the lock finally turn. He looked well. His expression held no trace of guilt. Only a kind of impatience at being disturbed. “Claire, we don’t need to make this ugly. As long as you don’t divorce me, I’ll never divorce you.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “360721”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #魔幻Magic #惊悚Thriller #重生Reborn

At my best friend’s wedding, the bouquet fell into a bridesmaid’s arms, then bounced and landed in mine. Every eye in the room turned to my boyfriend, Ethan, and the crowd started chanting: “Marry her! Marry her!” The crowd pushed Ethan forward until he stood right in front of me. My face flushed red as I waited quietly for those words—”I’ll marry you.” But he just calmly pulled the bouquet from my hands. Then turned and casually handed it to that bridesmaid. “She caught it first. Should give it back to her. Next time I’ll buy you flowers myself.” He ruffled my hair, his voice gentle as always. I watched that bridesmaid’s expression—surprised and bashful—and let out a cold laugh. Ethan didn’t know there wouldn’t be a next time. My wedding was scheduled for next week. Layla’s face darkened instantly. I grabbed her hand before it could fly up. She turned back, her eyes even redder than mine: “That woman did it on purpose! I told all the bridesmaids clearly that the bouquet was meant for you…” “Layla.” I gently interrupted her. “The wedding isn’t over yet.” The crowd’s attention had already shifted away from Ethan and me. Following that bouquet, it now rested on the face of the bridesmaid named Quinn Rivers. She held the flowers, gazing at Ethan with eyes full of meaning. Ethan had already retreated calmly to the edge of the crowd. The MC was experienced. A few witty remarks and the atmosphere heated up again. Layla finally turned away with a huff and continued with the ceremony. Throughout the entire banquet, I sat at the main table with my best friend’s family. Enduring sympathetic or curious glances from all directions. Ethan sat at another table, laughing and chatting with his friends. Quinn sat close to him—far too close for what a secretary’s distance should be. She wasn’t originally supposed to be a bridesmaid. The groom’s side suddenly had an extra groomsman, so they had her fill in. Ethan often brought her to various events, calling it “professional development.” He even brought her to my best friend’s wedding. During the toast, Layla came to our table with her new husband. She hugged me tightly and whispered in my ear, her voice low enough for only us to hear: “That woman has been scheming her way close to your Ethan for half a year. I had someone look into her—she’s ruthless. Ethan, he…” “Layla,” I patted her back, cutting off what came next. “Today you’re the most beautiful bride. Don’t talk about that stuff.” She huffed but said nothing more. As the banquet ended and guests gradually dispersed, Ethan finally walked over casually. “Ready to go home?” He naturally took my handbag and habitually reached to put his arm around my shoulders. I shifted slightly, avoiding him. “You’ve been drinking. I’ll call a rideshare.” He didn’t seem to mind and nodded. “That works.” The car drove into the night. The window reflected my face dimly. My makeup was perfect, but couldn’t hide the exhaustion in my eyes. “Quinn caught the bouquet first today. She probably wanted some good luck.” He suddenly spoke. “Returning it to its rightful owner—don’t take it too personally.” I didn’t respond, just watched the neon lights flying backward outside the window. He waited a moment, then finally looked up from his phone screen toward me. “Are you angry?” He leaned closer. “Didn’t we agree? Next time for sure?” His fingers threaded through my loose hair, rubbing the back of my neck. Like soothing a temperamental cat. “Our wedding will definitely be even better than Layla’s. You can have as many bouquets as you want, okay?” A layer of bitterness spread through my heart. It was always like this. Using a gentle tone to make vague promises about “next time.” Then taking for granted that the storm should simply pass. “Ethan.” I looked at his reflection in the window. “Hmm?” “Layla and I made a promise when we were kids.” My voice was calm. “Whoever gets married first, the other one’s wedding can’t be more than a week later.” “We’d wear each other’s bridesmaid dresses and be the first to witness each other’s happiness.” The car fell silent for a moment. His hand rubbing my neck stopped. “You’re taking childhood jokes seriously?” He laughed. That hand started moving again, with a perfunctory quality. “Plans can’t keep up with changes these days. Hotels, dates, arrangements—all of that needs six months to a year of preparation.” “We’ll plan it properly and give you the most perfect wedding. What’s the rush?” He didn’t explain why he hadn’t dared to publicly promise to marry me. Instead, he jumped straight to “how to plan a perfect wedding.” I suddenly remembered a month before Layla’s wedding. She excitedly dragged me to try on the bridesmaid dress she’d designed herself. Pale champagne tulle with tiny pearls sewn along the waistline. When I put it on, Layla’s eyes lit up, then inexplicably reddened. “Riley, you look amazing in this.” “I made it especially for you. When you get married, I’ll make you an even more beautiful wedding dress!” Ethan had been there too. He was looking down at work messages, and when he heard this, he glanced up and smiled. “Not bad.” Then his eyes dropped back to the screen, fingers tapping rapidly. In that instant, besides feeling happy for my friend about to be married, I also felt desolate about my own eight-year relationship with no results. The car slowly pulled into the residential complex and stopped. Ethan unbuckled his seatbelt. Seeming to think the conversation in the car had closed that little episode, he very naturally leaned over, wanting to give me a kiss. I raised my hand and gently pressed against his shoulder. He froze. “I’m tired, Ethan.”

He looked at me, silent for several seconds. Finally, he just patted my shoulder. “Being a bridesmaid is exhausting. Get some rest early.” “Quinn said she can’t get a car. It’s not safe for a young woman alone—I’m going back to pick her up.” “Okay.” My voice was flat and emotionless. He didn’t move immediately. He seemed to be waiting for me to remind him to be safe like usual. Or to complain with a trace of grievance that “it’s so late and you’re still going out.” But I just pulled open the car door. And got out. The driver slowly started the car again. After closing the door, I collapsed on the sofa. After a long time, I finally got up and walked toward the bedroom. Passing that “children’s room,” my steps paused. This had been planned when we bought the house four years ago. Now there were no children, just piles of miscellaneous items. I walked in. From the dusty crib, I pulled out a thick stack of things. His handwritten love letters, movie ticket stubs, amusement park tickets, instant photos from trips together… At the very bottom was one from our college graduation. He carried me on his back under a cherry blossom tree, my arms around his neck. My long hair and cherry blossom petals flying together. On the back of the photo, he’d written boldly: “I’ll carry you for a lifetime. I mean it.” The weak light from the living room fell on those words, cold. Like a silent mockery. Downstairs, the faint sound of a car entering the garage drifted up. My movements stopped. I didn’t move, just listened. The sound of keys turning in the lock, deliberately lightened footsteps. After a while, the door was gently pushed open. He stood in the doorway. “Still not asleep?” I didn’t turn around, still crouching by the crib. “Mm.” “Why’d you dig all this stuff out?” he asked, his tone casual. “Feeling nostalgic?” I didn’t answer his question, just quietly asked, “Did you drop her off?” He paused, then explained: “Yeah, dropped her off. She lives pretty far out—not easy to get a car.” “Oh.” I lowered my head again, carefully folding the photos and putting them back. “It’s late. Let’s sleep.” He spoke again, this time extending his hand, wanting to pull me up. I didn’t offer my hand. Instead, I braced against my knees and stood up somewhat laboriously. My legs had gone numb from crouching, making me sway. “Ethan.” “Hmm?” His footsteps paused. “Let’s break up.” He stopped moving, looked at me for two seconds, then laughed. He raised his hand and loosened his tie. “Still thinking about the bouquet? Don’t be petty.” His tone held that exasperation of humoring a temperamental child. “Alright, I’ll order you a bigger one tomorrow, okay? Now wash up and sleep—I have an early meeting tomorrow.” He finished speaking and turned toward the bathroom. “Within a week,” I said to his back, my voice not loud, “I’m getting married.” His hand, just touching the bathroom door handle, froze. Several seconds later, he turned around. The perfunctory warmth on his face finally peeled away completely. “Riley, stop playing around.” He pressed his temples. “Marriage is serious. You don’t just get married out of spite.” “October 28th.” I supplied the date. “The hotel’s booked. The wedding dress is chosen.” He suddenly laughed coldly. “Did Layla say something to you today? Just because she had a whirlwind marriage, she thinks everyone should be as impulsive as her?” “Riley, wake up. Don’t let her lead you astray. After all these years we’ve been together…” “Ethan,” I interrupted him. “The invitations start printing tomorrow.” The muscles in his face twitched subtly. “Riley, you think this is going to work? This just makes me think you’re immature and unreasonable!” “I’m in a critical phase of my career right now. This would only distract me and disrupt all my plans and arrangements.” “Are you really that desperate to get married?” His words hit like stones. Once, his attitude would have made me panic, made me rush to explain and back down. But now, only calm remained in my heart. His attention had always been expensive. It had to be divided among important projects and given to his “capable” secretary—late-night check-ins, birthday surprises, and hot spring trips that just happened to extend business trips by half a day… Naturally, little remained for me, the “old timer.” Meeting his gaze, I nodded: “Yes. My friends are all married. I want to get married too.”

After saying this, I turned and went into the bedroom. On the nightstand sat a fashion magazine from six months ago, its cover headline bold: Bride-to-Be Must Read! The Perfect Three-Month Wedding Planning Guide. I’d bought it enthusiastically back then, flipped through a few pages, then set it aside after his “no rush” and never opened it again. In the darkness, I stared at the blurred ceiling. My phone vibrated softly. The screen lit up automatically—a message from Layla: Are you asleep? I’m so upset. Just thinking about that woman makes me furious. What’s wrong with Ethan? What’s wrong? Nothing’s wrong. In this world, not every wait ends with flowers blooming. She continued with a long message: Remember we said our weddings couldn’t be more than a week apart? Who knew your guy would be like a block of wood—the bouquet literally landed in your hands and he still had no sense. You’ve been together eight years, not eight months! Forget it. This time, I’ll allow you to break our promise. My fingertip paused slightly. I gently typed a few words: When have I ever broken a promise to you? Ethan moved to the small apartment near his company for emergency overtime. Probably my sudden wedding plan made him feel suffocated, and he went there for some peace. Fine. We both got some breathing room. I quietly handled everything. Listed our current house on real estate websites. The afternoon I handed the keys to the agent, I was at home sorting through odds and ends. I found a project file tucked into an old magazine. A glance showed it was one Ethan was currently working on. After hesitating, I decided to take it to him. When I arrived, the apartment door was tightly shut. Inside came the faint sound of laughter—clearly more than one person. I raised my hand about to knock. A familiar female voice rose up, sounding troubled: “Mr. Ethan, it’s all my fault. First time catching a bouquet—I had no experience. Now the company group chat is going wild. Several colleagues have privately asked me if Mr. Ethan and I…” “You really need to clarify in the group, or I’ll be too embarrassed to show my face.” My raised hand froze mid-air. Before Ethan could respond, one of his buddies cut in with a teasing laugh: “I say, Secretary Rivers, do you really want our Mr. Ethan to clarify, or are you hinting you want to hear him say something else?” A round of knowing laughter. Quinn protested “stop it” coyly, but her voice held no real annoyance. “Alright, stop teasing her.” Ethan’s voice came through, with a kind of casual indulgence. “Don’t worry too much about that kind of thing. In a while, everyone will naturally forget.” In a while, they’ll forget… These words unexpectedly unlocked a certain memory. Back when I went to the company to help him with miscellaneous tasks, he’d casually put his arm around my shoulders, forgetting the setting. A colleague happened to see it. That afternoon, he made a brief clarification in the company group chat. Told everyone not to misunderstand and to focus on work. At the time, I understood. To avoid unnecessary gossip, I stopped going to the company. My fingertips felt slightly cold. Turns out what he minded might never have been “office romance” itself. But rather… being seen with me! A woman who couldn’t really help his career. Another buddy asked with confusion: “Speaking of which, Ethan, how’d you handle things with Riley in the end? I actually got a wedding invitation from her this morning—this is way too sudden!” Brief silence. Ethan laughed lightly, without warmth. “Let her do what she wants.” “I usually indulge her little tantrums. But this time, I need to let her understand on her own that some things don’t work just because you make a fuss.” “Whoa,” someone egged him on. “So you mean this groom is definitely planning to be a no-show?” Ethan didn’t speak, essentially confirming it. Until another buddy, with slight uncertainty, probed: “Ethan, you really gonna let it get this bad? You and Riley have been together so many years. All us guys have been waiting to toast at your wedding—our necks are getting long…” He paused here, his tone taking on a half-joking speculation: “You’re being so stubborn about this… could it be you really have other plans? Like… our Secretary Rivers here?” “Mr. Lee~” Quinn laughed coyly, drawing out her words. “Please don’t joke about me like that. Mr. Ethan… he knows what’s in his heart.” Those last few words, she said softly yet meaningfully. Ethan didn’t explain. A round of knowing low laughter rose up. Another male voice chimed in, full of agreement: “If you ask me, Ethan’s already devoted enough. All these years—anyone else would’ve lost patience long ago.” “Besides making a fuss, what can Riley actually help with? Not like our Quinn here—smart, sensible, and can really step up when it matters…” Quinn cut him off coyly: “Don’t talk nonsense!” The motion-sensor light in the hallway had gone out at some point. The corridor was completely dark. I gently set the document envelope on the floor by the door and used my toe to push it toward the gap beneath. Then I turned and left.

Ethan checked his phone screen again. The chat window with Riley still stopped at the last message he’d sent her: When you’ve thought it through, I’ll come back. Something wasn’t right. He knew Riley. In the past, even during cold wars, her silence always carried some small tactic to get his attention. But he’d moved out five days ago, and she hadn’t even posted on social media. “Ethan,” a mutual friend held his phone up to him, tone full of amazement. “Whoa, your girl’s wedding photos… absolutely stunning.” Ethan snapped back to attention. It was Layla’s post—nine photos in a grid. In the center photo, Riley wore a wedding dress. She stood before a floor-to-ceiling window of pure clarity. Sunlight poured down, coating her in a soft, warm glow. Her head tilted slightly down, gaze resting on her hand lightly touching the satin of the wedding dress. A faint curve graced her lips. Beautiful. A kind of beauty he hadn’t seen in her for a long time. Washed clean of all anxiety, settled into a serene beauty. Below, likes and comments from mutual friends flooded in: “Riley looks absolutely gorgeous!” “That Ethan guy is so lucky!” “Congratulations! Finally!” Layla’s social media had always blocked him. He couldn’t see it directly. But he could glimpse this commotion through others’ phones. Along with it came an inexplicable anger. She’s actually going through with it? And making such a big production of it? “Tch, she’s really putting on quite a show.” He twisted his lips. “Let her make a scene. I’m not going.” His friend laughed awkwardly. “Ethan, why…” “Some things, you can’t indulge.” Ethan cut him off. “Especially when someone’s fanning the flames. After this is over,” He paused, meaningfully. “I’ll make her understand who she needs to keep her distance from.” In his mind, Layla had long been classified as a “bad influence on Riley”—someone who needed to be isolated. October 28th. The second day after that photo set was posted. Ethan woke early. Earlier this year, Riley’s parents had come over for dinner. During the meal, they’d mentioned this was the most suitable day for a wedding. He never imagined Riley would actually schedule it for this day! Calls and messages from several buddies came in successively. “Ethan, you really not going? We’re all ready—just waiting for your word to head over!” “Should we arrange the car convoy? If we leave now, we can still make it.” He scoffed and replied in the group chat: “What’s the rush? Let her wait.” He imagined Riley right now in her wedding dress, sitting anxiously in the decorated bridal suite, checking the time over and over, expectant yet anxious… That sense of punitive satisfaction swelled in his heart. She needed to taste what real panic felt like, so she wouldn’t pull this again. Until someone suddenly dropped a screenshot in the group—Layla’s latest post. The image showed a warmly decorated bedroom full of wedding atmosphere. Heart-shaped balloons floated about. Rose petals scattered across the bed. Sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains, warm and brimming with sweet atmosphere. The caption read: My girl must be happy! Groom, hurry up and come! The group chat exploded instantly. “Holy crap, she actually set everything up!” “This atmosphere… Ethan, if you don’t go I really can’t watch this anymore!” “Ethan! Be a man and get moving! Don’t really screw this up!” “Address! Address! Brothers will go with you!” The light from the screen reflected on Ethan’s face. He stared at that photo, his fingers tightening slightly. Every detail in that room called for the groom’s arrival. He imagined himself pushing open the door, seeing her surprised and delighted eyes amid everyone’s cheers… He turned his head toward the closet. That custom-tailored suit hung in the most prominent position. Tie, cufflinks, shoes—all complete. A week ago, for some reason, he’d somehow had his assistant prepare it all. Now, with his buddies pressuring him relentlessly, that taut string in his heart seemed to loosen a bit. He spoke into his phone, tone still reluctantly annoyed: “Alright, alright, what’s all the noise about?” As if he had no choice but to compromise under his friends’ urging: “Wait for me to change.” He stood and walked toward the closet, his steps faster than usual, though he didn’t realize it. Buttoning the last button on his shirt, about to put on the suit jacket, his phone rang. It was one of the buddies who’d gone ahead to scout: “Ethan, why was your and Riley’s place sold? Where are we supposed to pick up the bride?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “360720”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #魔幻Magic #惊悚Thriller #重生Reborn

When I saw my husband Ryan and the intern Quinn having sex against the mirror in the company break room, I didn’t burst in screaming and making a scene. Instead, I went to the legal department, printed out divorce papers, and waited in the office for them to finish. When they emerged, Ryan had Quinn wrapped up tight, shielding her behind him. “I couldn’t control myself in the heat of the moment. It’s my fault. Name your terms, but leave her out of this.” The way he protected that intern was exactly like how he’d stood before my parents defending me ten years ago. “If you won’t treat her, I will! It’s just cancer, isn’t it? I’ll spend every penny I have to cure her! If you don’t want her, I do! From now on, I’ll be her only family!” I smiled through the pain in my chest. Calmly, I pushed the divorce agreement toward him. “Consider this divorce agreement repayment for saving my life back then. Now we’re even.” Quinn’s trembling moans announced the end of their session. Ryan Miller slowly led Quinn out, his movements casual. When he saw me, panic flashed in his eyes. But he quickly regained his composure. He settled Quinn, her steps unsteady, onto the couch, his expression indifferent. “I was planning to find the right time to tell you, but since you found out first, I’ll just be honest.” “I’ve lost the passion of love for you. All that’s left is the habit of companionship. As long as you can accept her, we can continue as before.” His words cut through my heart like a knife. I never imagined he could be so brazen—as if cheating wasn’t even wrong. I clenched my fists, my voice shaking. “How long has this been going on?” He played with the wedding ring on his finger. “A year and a half.” Right when I finished my last round of chemotherapy. I opened my mouth to say something. Suddenly, Quinn clutched her stomach. “Ryan, I… my stomach hurts.” Ryan didn’t bother asking what I wanted to say. He immediately called the family doctor. Within fifteen minutes, Dr. Smith arrived. After checking her pulse, his expression grew troubled, and he glanced at me inadvertently. “Quinn is pregnant. It’s probably from overstimulation due to excessive intercourse. She should go to the hospital for a proper checkup.” Quinn’s eyes reddened as she complained coquettishly. “It’s all your fault! You didn’t use protection last time! And just now you were so rough, going so many times. I told you I couldn’t take it anymore but you wouldn’t stop!” Ryan apologized without a care for anyone watching. “My fault. I won’t do it again.” The doting tone in his voice made my heart tremble. He hadn’t spoken to me so gently in a very long time. I gripped my palms hard to hold back tears. Only then did Quinn seem to notice me. She pulled away from his embrace, her voice full of grievance. “Ryan, don’t do this in front of her. She’ll be hurt. Maybe we shouldn’t keep this baby after all. It’s not legitimate anyway.” Ryan frowned and grabbed her hand. “What do you mean we shouldn’t keep it! If I got you pregnant, I’ll take responsibility! You focus on your pregnancy and having this baby. Don’t worry about anything else. We’re going to the hospital right now!” Ryan hurriedly carried her out. As he rushed past, the wind from his clothes knocked me over. He paused for just a moment but didn’t look back. “Go home first. Don’t come to the office unless necessary—she gets scared easily.” The pain I’d been suppressing spread through my body from where I’d been knocked down. Tears flowed like water, but he was completely oblivious. I knew I was no longer the person whose single tear would make him panic. Looking at the office filled with traces of a young girl— Condoms in the drawer. Quinn’s complete sets of intimate clothing. Several tubes of bright-colored lipstick that had appeared in the pen holder. Cute labels on the file rack that read “Think of me today too.” His evasiveness at home, the phone he wouldn’t let me see. His constant late-night excuses to go out—it was all because he had someone more important. And the fact that I owed him my life meant I couldn’t even rightfully ask “why” when faced with betrayal. I laughed bitterly at myself. I dialed the lawyer’s number. “Help me draft divorce papers. I’ll leave with nothing.”

I sat alone on the couch waiting until late at night before Ryan came home. When he saw my face, his smile faded. Out of habit, he got my sleeping pills. “Can’t sleep again? Didn’t I tell you not to stay up late?” I didn’t respond. I handed him the signed divorce agreement. My voice was hoarse. “She’s pregnant. I thought about it for a long time. Since you like her, I’ll step aside. Consider it repayment for saving my life.” Ryan paused. A flash of barely perceptible anger crossed his eyes. He tore the agreement to shreds in a few quick motions. “Her pregnancy was within my expectations. Your health hasn’t been good these years—you can’t have children. Her child will be your child in the future.” “I won’t divorce you. After all these years, you only have me. I’ll give you dignity and respect, but as for love—I’ll give it all to her as compensation.” “I’ve already talked to her. She doesn’t want status, she just wants to be with me. You don’t need to worry about her affecting your position. Just wait to raise the child. Don’t think about meaningless things.” A belated sharp pain stabbed through my heart. I could never connect this distant man before me with the boy who once sat by my bedside promising he’d never let go of my hand. Right after college graduation, I was diagnosed with early-stage cancer. My parents, who had wanted to marry me off for money, abandoned me when they found out I was sick. Ryan gave up graduate school and entered the business world. He worked his way up from nobody to CEO of a publicly traded company. He gave me the best medical resources, allowing us a few more years of love together. During that time, Ryan’s mother repeatedly tried to make me leave. He threatened to die, saying I would be his only wife in this lifetime, that he would only ever love me. I once thought this was the perfect ending to a fairy tale—the hero and heroine overcoming countless hardships to finally be together. But reality delivered a crushing blow just when I thought I could be happy forever. Seeing my pale face, Ryan softened his tone. “You’re wonderful. I just don’t have feelings anymore.” “It’s late. Get some rest. I’ve assigned Dr. Smith to take care of her. Your health is mostly recovered now—if there’s a problem, just go to the hospital.” Dr. Smith had taken care of me for five years. Ryan had hired him at great expense as my personal physician. I’d mentioned before that my health was mostly recovered and I didn’t need a family doctor anymore. He’d said my condition could never be taken lightly. I said nothing and carried my things to the guest bedroom. Ryan instinctively grabbed my hand, then paused. “That’s fine actually. She’s pregnant and emotionally unstable. Sleeping separately will give her security. Move all your things to the guest room tomorrow.” During chemotherapy, I’d been in so much pain I couldn’t sleep all night, disturbing his rest too. I’d tried sneaking to another room in the middle of the night once, but he got very angry and carried me back. He said he couldn’t rest easy without staying by my side. He said he couldn’t sleep without breathing in my scent. From then on, for over two thousand nights, we slept in each other’s arms. Not even arguments or cold wars separated us. Now, he was preserving himself for someone else. I bit my lip hard, each step feeling like walking on nails as I left the bedroom that held the weight of our relationship. That night, tears soaked my pillow. I’d lost the last person in the world who loved me. The next morning, I went to Ryan’s mother’s house with a pounding headache, bringing the divorce agreement. She’d never liked me, thinking I was a burden to her son. Hearing that Quinn was pregnant with their grandchild made her even more eager for me to leave. She happily prepared a new divorce agreement. Out of her “generosity” for my “self-awareness,” she gave me ten percent of the assets. She subtly warned me not to pester Ryan after taking the money. I didn’t refuse. After all, half a month ago, I’d been diagnosed with a recurrent tumor. They still weren’t sure if it was benign or malignant. She couldn’t be bothered with small talk. Unusually, she spoke with some softness. “I’ll use every method possible to make him sign. You prepare for your future.”

After being politely escorted out of the family estate by the butler, I walked home numbly. But before I could even enter, Ryan’s people grabbed me and dragged me to the hospital. Outside the operating room, his eyes bloodshot, he slapped me hard across the face. “Who told you to tell my mother about Quinn’s pregnancy? Don’t you know she hates illegitimate children most of all! If I’d been one minute later, she would have dragged Quinn to get an abortion!” “Yesterday you acted like you didn’t care—turns out you were playing hard to get! If anything happens to her, what will you compensate me with?” After the burning pain on my cheek came numbness and shock. Ever since he took that slap from my father for me years ago, he said he’d never let anyone hurt me again in this lifetime. But in the end, he was the one who struck me without mercy. I held back tears and was about to explain when the operating room doors opened. He looked more anxious than when I’d miscarried a year ago. The doctor’s expression was grave. “The patient is showing signs of bleeding. She’s still being treated. The family should prepare a blood source immediately.” He stared at me hard, fury spilling from his eyes. “Are you satisfied now! If anything happens to her and the baby, you won’t get off easy either!” He dragged me to the blood donation room. “She has the same blood type as the patient. Draw hers for backup.” I looked at him in disbelief. A year ago, we’d had a child too. But because of my poor health and severe anemia, not long after the pregnancy was discovered, I bled and miscarried. Dr. Smith frowned. “Mr. Miller, your wife’s health isn’t good either. Last time she hemorrhaged… why don’t you use mine instead?” Ryan’s eyes flickered with hesitation, but under the doctor’s urging, he gave the order coldly. “Use hers. The blood type matches.” The needle stirred in my vein. I trembled from the pain. But his eyes remained fixed on the operating room door, not sparing me a single glance. When the surgery light finally went out and voices began exchanging information nearby, my consciousness had faded so much I couldn’t hear. After a long while, when I thought I could finally leave, someone pinned my arms down. Another needle was inserted into my other arm. Ryan’s urgent voice rang in my ears. Not because I was losing consciousness. But because— “Don’t switch donors! Quinn is weak. It’s best if one person provides all the blood to avoid complications. However much it takes, I only care about keeping mother and child safe!” As my consciousness blurred, I almost wished I would just die. Return this life to him. Then we’d be even. But somehow I survived. When I woke again, it was evening at dusk. I started to sit up when rustling sounds came from beside me. “It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t been so insecure back then, insisting you terminate her pregnancy, she wouldn’t have hemorrhaged and her health wouldn’t have declined so much.” “You already lied to her for me. Now you’ve hurt her again because of me. I feel so guilty.” Ryan sighed. “Terminating her pregnancy had nothing to do with you. I didn’t want it myself. Her health was poor—keeping that baby would’ve been a burden. Besides, I can’t give you status anymore. My child can only be born by you.” “If you really feel guilty, then from now on, protect our child well.” Listening to their intimate voices, my heart felt like someone had gouged out a piece of flesh. The pain was suffocating. He’d said even without a child, we’d be just as happy together. He’d said having me alone in this lifetime was enough. I never imagined the child whose loss tormented me through countless nights had actually been terminated by the person I loved most—just to appease his mistress. I gripped the bedsheet tightly, but tears still fell. After the muffled sound of water hitting the floor, the privacy curtain was pulled open. Meeting my desperate, anguished eyes, guilt flashed through Ryan’s expression. He reached out to wipe away my tears. But I dodged him. He sighed almost imperceptibly. “Since you heard, I have nothing to explain. Your health was already poor. Losing the baby was for your own good. Rest well. I’m taking her to the new ward.” The door closed. I finally broke down sobbing. Like a madwoman, I smashed everything in the hospital room. The IV needle twisted in my vein, piercing through my skin. But I felt no pain. If I could choose, I wished I’d died on the operating table during that cancer surgery years ago. Instead of being here, helpless as the person I loved most stabbed me again and again.

Perhaps out of guilt, during the week I was hospitalized, nutritional IVs, various supplements, custom meals, and luxury jewelry flowed into my room like water. But Ryan himself never appeared. According to the doctors, he’d been by Quinn’s side constantly these past days. He hadn’t slept for several nights and hadn’t gone to the company either. On the day of my discharge, he came to pick me up. When he reached out to help me up, I dodged him. His brow furrowed slightly, but he didn’t insist. “I know you’re upset. I’ll take you to an auction tonight. Bid on whatever you like.” “Try to be more understanding. Don’t worry about saving money for me—it’s the only thing I can give you now anyway.” That evening, the driver picked me up for the auction. As I got out of the car, he was helping Quinn out of another vehicle. Their movements were intimate, exactly like us during our honeymoon phase. I numbly followed them to our seats. As if venting, I participated in bidding for every item. Even items worth ten thousand dollars I drove up to hundreds of thousands. But from start to finish, Ryan kept his attention on Quinn and the items she liked. He didn’t look at me once. In that moment, disgust and resentment consumed me. I couldn’t calm down. I put down my bidding paddle and ran to the restroom. I splashed ice-cold water on my face and looked at my sallow, emaciated reflection in the mirror. Quinn appeared behind me at some point. Her skin was white as jade, her face full of youthful collagen. We were worlds apart. I said nothing and turned to leave, but she grabbed me. She touched her still-flat belly. “I said those things that day on purpose for you to hear.” “As you can see, his heart and eyes are full of me now. If not for years of emotional attachment and responsibility, he would’ve left you long ago.” “If you’re smart, you’ll leave while he still has a shred of feeling for you. Don’t obstruct our happiness.” I paused. The words “as you wish” were on the tip of my tongue, but seeing her provocative expression, I swallowed them. I laughed coldly. “I know you’re desperate to get rid of me and take my place, but your desperation is useless. As long as I’m here, you’ll be a mistress for life, and the baby in your belly will be illegitimate forever.” “He’ll have to call me Mom. He’ll have to support me in old age. I’ll teach him from childhood that mistresses are the most despicable people in the world. Do you think that kind of life will be happy?” Quinn’s anger was visible. Her eyes turned red as she glared at me. “You just won’t face reality! Fine. Keep being stubborn. Since you won’t leave, I’ll send you off myself!” I ignored her empty threats. When I went back out, I saw Ryan’s worried eyes—which turned to wariness when he saw it was me. Only when he saw Quinn emerge unharmed did he relax. After the auction ended, Ryan received a work call. He had the driver ensure both Quinn and I got home safely. He got in another car to go work overtime at the company. We rode in silence the whole way. But I noticed this route wasn’t heading home or to Quinn’s place. I was about to speak when someone struck me hard on the back of the neck with a chop. When I woke again, the roar of ocean waves filled my ears, making me shiver. My arms were tied behind my back. No matter how I struggled, I couldn’t break free. I looked up to see several masked figures playing with knives, standing before us. Quinn was also tied up, standing beside me on the cliff’s edge. But she looked completely at ease, not at all like someone who’d been kidnapped. “What are you doing!” She laughed mockingly. “Making sure you die with full understanding, of course.” As she spoke, thick tape sealed my mouth. They grabbed ropes and suspended us both over the cliff. A phone rang across the empty ocean. Ryan’s anxious voice came through. “What do you want? Come at me! Let them go!” The man laughed, scraping his sharp blade against the rope. “Revenge, of course. You really screwed me over back then.” “Now I have both your wife and your mistress with your child. Choose one. I’ll push the other one down to feed the sharks.” Quinn cried rivers of tears. “Ryan, don’t worry about me! You’re a rising star in business—so many people are watching you. I can’t let you bear the stigma of cheating and abandoning your wife and child.” “Natalie, I’m willing to die for Ryan! Please make this farce stop!” Her words instantly enraged Ryan. “Natalie! You’re getting more and more shameless with your jealous schemes! I already said I won’t divorce you. What more do you want?” “Now you’re staging a fake kidnapping to threaten me! I don’t have time for your games. If Quinn loses a single hair, I’ll make you pay!” I couldn’t speak. I could only cry. The kidnapper looked at me sinisterly. “So you’re choosing to let your wife feed the sharks?” Ryan paused, unease growing in his heart. But the flicker of hesitation and doubt in his eyes vanished the moment he saw Quinn’s terrified expression. “Stop pretending! I’m not falling for reverse psychology! If she wants to jump, let her jump! It’ll wash clean her filthy heart! Just send Quinn back to me in one piece!” I never imagined that in his eyes, I’d become someone whose life could be wagered. I struggled to explain. But the tape sealed my mouth tight. The rope frayed bit by bit. Looking at Ryan’s still unmoved expression, the feeling of free fall and suffocation didn’t seem so unbearable anymore. Tears blown by the wind landed on the screen. His brow twitched. Just as he was about to speak, with a whoosh, I plunged into the abyss. Watching his anxious face in the camera grow more and more blurred, I closed my eyes. But the moment I truly fell into the depths of the ocean, I heard him screaming my name with heart-wrenching despair.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “360719”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #魔幻Magic #惊悚Thriller #重生Reborn

On our wedding anniversary, my wife Clara was at a bar kissing a male model. Her friends were even complaining on her behalf: “Clara, you can’t be such a pushover! You’re already CEO—why don’t you just dump that old man of yours?” Clara reluctantly let go of the male model, though his hand was still roaming over her thigh. “I’d love to! But I only got to where I am today because of him! He also holds half the company shares.” The male model’s eyes gleamed. “Have your friends gang up on him later. Get him drunk, then trick him into gambling his shares away while he’s wasted!” Everyone burst into laughter at that. Standing outside the door, I clenched my fists so hard they trembled. I’d been with Clara since we had nothing. Now that she’d made it big, she wanted to throw me away? Since she was heartless, don’t blame me for being ruthless. Today was our wedding anniversary. I’d made a whole table of dishes, wanting to celebrate with my wife. But the food went cold, and still she didn’t come home. Close to midnight, I received a message and address from a client. “Adrian, you’d better keep an eye on your wife. I just saw her fooling around with some guy in the men’s bathroom. The noise was so loud it made me blush.” In the photo, Clara was draped all over this man, her face showing pure satisfaction. I gripped my phone so hard I thought it might crack. Furious, I changed clothes and headed to the address. When I found the private room, what I saw through the glass door made my stomach turn. The room was thick with smoke—pure decadence. Clara was sitting on the male model’s lap. Every time she lost at dice, according to their bet, she had to do something intimate with him in various positions. The whole room roared with laughter. The male model was indeed young and handsome, wearing my custom-made suit. To please him, Clara had given him my clothes to wear while she put horns on my head. Just as I was about to kick the door open, the laughter inside suddenly stopped. “Sigh, you single people have it so good!” “Not like me—now that I’m married, I have to sneak around even when I’m cheating.” As soon as she said this, she planted a kiss on the male model’s lips. The pretty boy eagerly pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. They made out passionately as if no one else existed, while everyone around them acted like it was perfectly normal. “I’m telling you, Clara, you can’t be such a failure as a woman. You’re already the company CEO with thousands of employees depending on you.” “If you want to hook up with young, handsome guys, just dump that old man at home!” “Exactly! Look at me—I live so freely!” Clara reluctantly released the male model, but he slipped his hand under her skirt, clearly displeased. “I’d love to dump him for someone younger and hotter, but I only got where I am today because of him. Plus he holds half the company shares. If I dump him, he gets to take half the money.” The model’s eyes gleamed cunningly. “So that’s the only reason you won’t dump him!” “Easy then. Call him out here right now. You and your girlfriends can gang up on him, get him drunk, then when he’s wasted, trick him into gambling. You can subtly lure him into betting his half of the company shares.” “After all, he loves Clara so much. He trusts her one hundred percent and won’t suspect a thing.” At this, everyone laughed shamelessly.

Standing outside, I clenched my fists until they shook. What I saw and heard stabbed like knives into my eyes and scraped across my heart. Clara and I had been married for seven years. From having nothing to reaching today’s success, I’d borne all the hardships alone. Now her wings had grown strong. Now that she’d made it rich, she wanted to dump me for a young, handsome model. Since she was heartless, don’t blame me for being ruthless. My phone rang—Clara’s deadly call. I quickly muted it and walked away to answer. “Hey, Adrian, come to the bar and hang out with me.” Ha. She had no idea I’d been outside her room this whole time. “I’m sending you the address. Come quick!” After ending her call, I immediately called my private lawyer. “Prepare a divorce agreement for me. Clara leaves with nothing.” “What! Mr. Adrian, what’s going on?” Sensing my cold tone, he didn’t dare say more and simply did as I asked. I stood outside in the cold wind, smoking two cigarettes before turning back. Walking into the private room made my stomach churn, but I had to suppress my emotions and act oblivious. My arrival triggered a room full of sly, mocking laughter. What they were thinking right now was obvious. Clara straightened her clothes and stood up. Just like usual, she affectionately took my arm and acted cute. “Adrian, you’re finally here.” “I missed you so much!” She still reeked of another man. You don’t pick up that scent without intimate contact. Disgusted, I coldly pushed her away slightly. That male model had been looking at me with pure contempt and jealousy since I walked in. How dare he be jealous of me—she was my legal wife. Clara seemed startled when I pushed her away. “Adrian, what’s wrong? You look weird.” Because you disgust me. But I had to lie. “Nothing. My coat’s cold from outside. Don’t want you to catch a chill.” Clara smiled smugly, thinking I couldn’t live without her. “Oh Adrian, come sit!” “You’re always so busy, it’s hard to even see you.” “Since everyone’s free today, and it’s our anniversary, why not relax and have some fun?” The speaker was Yasmin, the woman who’d taught Clara how to cheat. I didn’t stand on ceremony. I walked over and sat down. “Yeah, I’m too busy. Managing such a big company alone—it’s more exhausting than being a dog.” Clara lounged around all day, leaving all the company affairs to me while she enjoyed the benefits. Now she wanted to trick me into losing my shares. Where in the world does that kind of calculation work? “Adrian’s finally willing to play with us.” Clara smiled mockingly, pulling the male model closer. “Adrian, this is my new assistant, Lucas.” Lucas greeted me with a challenging smile. I just nodded coldly. Clara didn’t care and sat down with him. Yasmin laughed and pushed the dice cup toward me. “Adrian, let’s play dice!” I looked up at them. They were dice experts, regularly destroying opponents at bars. But since I was already here, I had to see it through. “How do we play?”

“Honey, we’ll play easy—got to take care of my husband. Nobody bully him, okay?” “Yes ma’am!” “Never seen a woman who loves her husband more than you. You’re so considerate.” Clara leaned her head on mine. I stood up. “Then let’s go. If we’re playing, doing it outside would be more exciting. With so many witnesses, the atmosphere’s better.” Yasmin and Clara exchanged glances, then quickly agreed. In their minds, gambling outside meant even if they lost, they couldn’t back out with so many witnesses. We chose a table near the dance floor. Lucas sat with Clara, while Yasmin sat beside me. “Old rules—losers drink, plus a penalty.” “What penalty?” Yasmin grinned at Clara. “Make out with someone. But you can’t pick your own spouse.” At this, people nearby couldn’t help but come watch. I glanced coldly at Clara and nodded in agreement. The server brought over a case of alcohol. The bet was about to begin. I picked up the dice cup and shook it clumsily. My awkward movements made others sneer. “Don’t laugh at my husband. He’s such a good boy—he doesn’t really know how to play dice, so it’s normal.” As Clara defended me, she shook her dice cup with one hand while her other hand touched Lucas’s banana. Rage surged through me, but I held it back. “Ready?” “Adrian goes first!” I looked down at my five dice—three threes, one six, one four. “Five threes!” Yasmin: “Six sixes!” Clara: “Seven fives!” “Alright, calls are in. Open!” When the cups lifted, Clara had lost. She made a sad face as everyone jeered: “A bet’s a bet. Drink and kiss him.” Her friends all pointed at Lucas—giving her an excuse to cheat openly. “Honey, we can’t break the rules.” I smiled understandingly. “Go ahead!” “Haha, Adrian respects the rules too.” I pulled out a cigarette and lit it, smoking while watching Clara and Lucas make out. “Tsk tsk tsk, interesting. Gambling openly, then openly honoring the bet by kissing another man.” “And her husband’s sitting right there.” “Hahaha, it’s like blatant cheating right in his face. They really know how to play.” Yasmin glanced at those friends, who all laughed wickedly. To keep me from getting angry and leaving, Yasmin had Lucas join the game too. Now four of us were playing. “Let’s consider Adrian’s feelings, okay? No kissing this round. This time we bet drinks and money. Starting at three hundred thousand, six shots of hard liquor.” “You can bet money!” Those degenerate friends pulled out their expensive accessories as stakes. “Round two begins.” The dice cups hit the table. Calls rang out. Yasmin: “Four sixes!” Lucas: “Five threes!” Clara: “I’ll add one—six threes!” I glanced at mine—two threes. Since they all called threes, there must be some. “I’ll add one too. Seven threes.” “Good! Who are you betting on?” “Yasmin!” “Alright, open!” The cups lifted. They had no threes. Only I had two. “Hahaha, Adrian, you lost.” “You only have two threes—how did you dare call seven?” “Hahaha, they’re just playing him.” They were all experts who could signal each other with glances. They’d coordinated this, hadn’t they? Shot after shot of hard liquor went down, making my head grow heavier.

The gambling continued. I lost two more rounds, drank three full bottles of hard liquor, and lost a million dollars. “Honey, are you okay?” Clara looked at my slightly drunk state, the corners of her mouth constantly rising. This was their goal—get me drunk, then when I’m wasted, lure me into betting more in desperation, and then go for my shares. I don’t understand Clara. Why does a person’s heart change just like that? All these years of marriage, I gave in to her in everything, yielded to her, couldn’t bear to hit or scold her. Yet she conspired with her friends to scam me. “I’m fine. Continue.” Yasmin and the others started exchanging glances. Those looks clearly said: don’t let Adrian lose again—let him win a couple rounds so he’ll willingly bet his shares. I unconsciously clenched my fists. My chest felt blocked by a stone, making it hard to breathe. I sat up straight and continued shaking the dice cup. “Let’s start!” “What are we betting this round?” I laughed coldly. “Let’s go big. My limited edition luxury car outside—just picked it up a few days ago. As for you all, bet your subsidiary company assets?” “How about it?” Everyone exchanged glances, gasping sharply. I leaned back. “If you don’t want to bet, then leave. If we keep playing and I lose again, I’m done gambling.” They’d worked so hard to lure me into gambling. Walking away halfway would be pointless. Perhaps they were arrogant, thinking I was just a rookie who posed no threat. Clara shook my hand. “Honey, maybe bet something else?” “Ha, fine. We’ll leave right now then.” Clara fell silent. Yasmin’s husband stepped forward. “Bet! What’s there to fear?” “This kind of bet should be between men.” So it became me, Lucas, and Yasmin’s husband—three men gambling. Seeing us bet so big, the whole place quieted down. No more dancing, drinking, or picking up girls. Several hundred pairs of eyes surrounded us. The bet began. Yasmin winked at her husband. As if saying: Honey, let him win once—it’s fine. Next time when we bet for his shares, we’ll win it back. Clara will return it to us anyway. Nice eye contact. They could be actors. As for Lucas, he was betting his Cartier watch and a million in cash. The dice cups rattled. The room was so quiet you could hear the dice rolling. “Alright, calls are locked.” “Who goes first?” I glanced at my dice. “Three twos.” Lucas: “Five twos.” Yasmin’s husband: “Seven sixes.” “Open!” This round, they deliberately let me win. Lucas looked at Clara somewhat aggrieved. She reassured him with her eyes—it’s fine, she had plenty of money. “Haha, I won, honey!” I acted like an idiot, while they looked at me with pure contempt. “Oh honey, your luck’s turning! Let’s bet big.” “This is the last round. Let’s bet while the luck’s hot.” Yasmin’s husband: “Bet! I’m not afraid. Say it—what are we betting?” Clara smiled and pushed my hand. “Honey, put up your company shares and bet with him.” The whole place erupted: “Damn, betting that big! This is exciting!” “I didn’t come here for nothing. Forget the girls—I’m watching this bet.” I nodded drunkenly. “Whatever my wife says. But honey, you join too! If I’m going to lose my shares, I want to lose them to you!” Yasmin: “Hahaha, I’m taking you both down.” I smiled cunningly. “I’m already betting all my shares, so you all need to put up everything you own too.” “Holy shit, a life-or-death bet!” Yasmin, her husband, and Clara all laughed with pure mockery. I looked at Lucas. “You’re out of money, right? So bet your manhood. How about it?” The whole place roared with laughter. “Damn, that’s brutal!” “Without that thing, being a man would be pointless.” Lucas blew smoke in my face. “Bet! If you lose, you’re the one getting castrated.” Everyone laughed at me. To prevent backing out, we called in lawyers and drew up documents. “Alright, final round determines everything. Begin.” We shook our dice cups. “Bang!” “Who goes first?” Yasmin and group: “Four sixes!” Lucas: “Five threes!” Clara: “I’ll add one three!” They smiled confidently while everyone held their breath watching me. “Adrian, your turn!” I smiled. “Seven ones!” As soon as I spoke, they all laughed mockingly. “You’ve lost for sure. Open!” Yasmin only had two sixes, then one one, one five, one two. Clara had three threes, one four, one one. Lucas had one three, one two, two fives, one six. He looked nervously at Clara. “Adrian, we only have two ones total. Hahaha, if you don’t have five ones, you’re dead.” “He’s so bad—he’s not a gambling god. How could he possibly roll five ones?” “Open it!” I flicked away my cigarette, then lifted my dice cup. Everyone craned their necks. Suddenly, shocked exclamations erupted: “Ahhhh!! How is this possible?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “360718”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #魔幻Magic #惊悚Thriller #重生Reborn

On my seventh wedding anniversary, I received a special gift. A dashcam recording from my husband’s car, capturing the sounds of him with his new lover. The whole city knew him as the perfect husband. The man who once flew in two thousand roses for me, who rented out all of Iceland just to show me the Northern Lights. But in that recording, he gasped and moaned while telling someone else, “Why bring her up? She’s so understanding. She never checks up on me.” Expressionless, I saved the evidence and set my plan in motion. Three months later, I was “diagnosed” with a terminal illness and died in a carefully staged “car accident.” My body consumed by flames. At my funeral, he clutched my urn, devastated. His company’s stock price collapsed overnight. Meanwhile, across the ocean, I watched the news from a mountain resort. I smiled coldly. That is, until I deliberately left a trail on social media. The man who had lost everything came looking for me, eyes bloodshot, kneeling in the snow. “Please, come home with me.” My former rival wrapped an arm around my waist, eyebrow raised, a smile curling his lips. “She’s my wife. And you are?”

Kelsey POV After seven years with Griffin, I received a special anniversary gift. Not jewelry. Not the Hampton property. But an automatically backed-up dashcam recording from the cloud. The screen was pitch black-the lens clearly covered by a coat-but I could hear the audio crystal clear. “Griffin, not here. Someone might see us.” It was a girl’s voice, tinged with panic but more prominently, rapid breathing. Then came the rustle of fabric, the mechanical sound of a seat reclining, and a man’s low, triumphant laugh. “What are you afraid of? This car has privacy glass. No one can see anything from outside.” That was my husband Griffin’s voice. I would never forget the sound of that moment, even if I turned to ashes. Just ten minutes earlier, he’d called me, his voice gentle as if soothing a child. “Babe, I’m stuck in a multinational video conference at the office. I’ll have to cancel tonight’s anniversary dinner. I had my assistant send that latest haute couture dress home-try it on first.” The recording continued. “Gentle… that’s the tie Kelsey gave you.” “Why bring her up? Focus.” “But aren’t you supposed to be with her tonight for your anniversary? I’m taking up your time-won’t she be angry?” “She won’t. Kelsey’s so understanding. She never checks up on me.” Then came the sound of a zipper opening, heavy breathing, the sharp clink of a metal belt buckle hitting the car window. And those nauseating wet sounds, echoing with perfect clarity in my study-a room that might have once felt warm but now felt deathly silent. I listened without expression. I didn’t cry. My hands didn’t shake. I simply clicked “Save” with cold precision, backing up the forty-minute audio file to three different encrypted cloud drives. It was 3 PM. I had been in the kitchen preparing his favorite lasagna. The oven’s heat had scalded my hand, raising a blister. I looked down at the red mark on my hand and suddenly felt nauseous. All that devotion now seemed like nothing more than a ridiculous comedy show. Every media outlet called Griffin the “devoted husband.” When I was twenty and hospitalized with appendicitis, Griffin was so worried he canceled a hundred-million-dollar deal to stay by my bedside for three days and nights. He insisted on feeding me water himself, on wiping my face with his own hands. At twenty-two, when my graduation exhibition was vandalized, Griffin flew in two thousand blue enchantress roses from the Netherlands by private helicopter, filling the entire hall. He knelt on one knee and proposed. “My Kelsey deserves the very best this world has to offer.” At twenty-four, when I mentioned wanting to see the Northern Lights, he cleared his schedule for half a month and took me to Iceland. Holding me in the freezing night, he whispered, “Whatever stars you want, I’ll pluck them from the sky for you.” Turns out those star-plucking hands were also eager to unbutton someone else’s clothes.. Turns out Griffin, who swore he’d fight the whole world for me, would also work up a sweat over another woman. Even with that lucky coin I gave him still in his pocket. The girl’s name was Joyce. I’d seen her before. She was a scholarship intern Griffin had sponsored, only three months into the company. Her features bore a slight resemblance to mine, but that didn’t matter. What mattered was that she had that kind of naive, timid innocence fresh out of school-something I, the so-called “perfect wife,” had long since lost. My phone vibrated. An iMessage from Griffin. “Babe, meeting’s over. Heading back now. Got your favorite red velvet cake. Wait for me.” Looking at the words on screen, I smiled bitterly. If I hadn’t heard that recording, he’d seem absolutely perfect. Ten minutes later, the fingerprint lock chimed. Griffin walked in, wearing just the right amount of fatigue. He wore his charcoal gray bespoke overcoat, his tie knotted meticulously-the very tie Joyce had mentioned in the recording. He carried an elegant cake box. Seeing me on the sofa, he strode over immediately, his eyes full of adoration. “Why aren’t the lights on? It’s bad for your eyes.” He set down the cake and moved to kiss my forehead, as he always did. I instinctively turned my head away. Griffin froze for a moment, but he didn’t get angry. He just reached out to feel my forehead. “What’s wrong? Not feeling well?” His palm was warm, carrying a faint tobacco scent, along with a subtle, cloying cheap perfume smell. Forcing down the churning in my stomach, I didn’t push him away. I stood up and said, “Just a bit tired.” Griffin immediately showed his usual concerned expression, pressing me back down onto the sofa. He knelt on one knee before me, looking up and saying, “I’m sorry, today was unexpected. That board of directors is such a pain to deal with. Since we missed dinner, I promise next year’s anniversary, I’ll spend the whole day with you.” As he spoke, he pulled a velvet box from his pocket and opened it, revealing an enormous pink diamond ring. “This is my apology. I won it at a Christie’s auction-one of a kind in the world.” I looked at the ring. The pink diamond was dazzling, priceless. But I remembered clearly-just ten minutes ago, Joyce had posted an Instagram Story set to “close friends only.” The photo showed a young hand wearing that very pink diamond ring, with Griffin’s Maybach passenger seat in the background. The caption read: “Some things I can’t own, but trying them on still makes me happy. Thanks, boss.” Turns out what I got was secondhand goods someone else had already tried on. Even the “one of a kind” claim was a lie. I didn’t take the box. I looked into Griffin’s seemingly loving eyes and suddenly said, “Your tie is crooked.” Griffin reflexively touched his tie, his expression flawless. “Is it? Must have bumped it sitting through that long meeting.” I reached out and touched the silk tie. The texture was cool and smooth. Suddenly, I yanked hard, tightening it around his neck. Griffin was forced to lean forward, his face nearly pressed against mine. He looked surprised, then smiled. “Babe, so passionate tonight?” I stared into his eyes, my voice eerily calm. “Griffin, if you ever betray me, I’ll kill you.” Griffin froze. Then he grasped my hand and kissed it, his eyes so sincere it made me sick. “Kelsey, what are you talking about? You’re the only woman in my heart for life. If I betray you, you won’t have to do anything-I’ll jump off the company building myself.” Such beautiful promises. All complete bullshit. I released my grip and smiled. “Just joking. I’m going to take a bath.” I turned and headed upstairs. The moment I turned, the smile vanished from my face, leaving only ice-cold emptiness. I walked into the bathroom and locked the door. I turned on the shower, using the water to cover all sounds. Then I retrieved a backup phone from the hidden compartment deep in the bathroom cabinet and made an international call. “Initiate Plan B.” “I want all assets under my name secretly transferred within three months.” “Also, help me forge medical records-something terminal.” Since Griffin loved putting on such devoted performances, I’d put on the ultimate show with him. A show that would leave him ruined and regretful for the rest of his life. After hanging up, I switched to the monitoring software on this phone. The screen showed real-time footage of the living room downstairs. In the frame, Griffin was loosening his tie. Just then, the cloning software on my end vibrated-it had synced a message from his phone. It was a “disappearing photo” from Joyce. In the picture, she wore an oversized men’s white shirt, a vivid hickey on her collarbone. The caption read: “Your shirt smells like you. I don’t want to wash it.” I stared coldly at the screen as Griffin frowned and quickly replied: “Delete it. Don’t send photos like this again. Kelsey might see.” After sending that message, I watched his sickeningly practiced routine-delete the conversation, clear the cache, eliminate all traces. Having completed these steps, he looked up toward the second-floor bathroom. Even through the surveillance screen, I could feel his gaze shifting back to that chillingly “tender” look. I knew him too well. He craved Joyce’s young, vibrant body as relief from his tedious work. But he loved even more the shell of the “perfect family” I provided him. I was his weakness, his bottom line, and the indispensable wife maintaining his upper-class status. Right now, he must be confidently thinking that as long as he hid things well enough, he could have both women. Forever.

Kelsey POV Griffin kept his word. Over the next few days, he played the perfect husband to a T. Making breakfast every morning, driving me to and from work on time. He even turned down two important business dinners to come home and watch those old Hollywood black-and-white films with me. If that dashcam recording weren’t still sitting on my hard drive, I might have thought it was all just a nightmare. Friday evening. I came out after my bath to find Griffin sitting on the bed, on the phone. Seeing me, he made no attempt to hide it, saying into the phone, “That’s it then. Process her as a standard resignation.” Hanging up, he naturally took the towel and began drying my damp hair. “There’s an issue with Joyce’s project.” He explained casually, appearing shockingly candid. “She’s new to the company. Capable, but too inexperienced. I had the admin department transfer her.” Sitting at my vanity, I looked at that gentle, considerate face in the mirror and said lightly, “Since you personally selected her as an intern, you should really mentor her more.” Griffin’s movements were gentle, his fingers threading through my hair as if handling a priceless treasure. “You’re truly magnanimous, Kelsey.” He kissed the top of my head. “By the way, we’re going to Las Vegas this weekend. We made a wish at that chapel there once-this time we’re going back to fulfill it. You haven’t been feeling well, so just wait at the hotel suite. I’ll go to the chapel to make a donation.” My body tensed. Las Vegas. Where we fell in love. Three years ago, Griffin’s company faced bankruptcy. Without telling him, I liquidated the stocks and trust fund my parents left me, scraping together seventeen million dollars for him. To help him rise again, I spent three days and nights at that old chapel, dropping in my last coin and praying. When Griffin found out, he held me and wept, swearing he’d never betray me. He later retrieved that coin and kept it with him always. “Alright.” I lowered my eyes, hiding the mockery beneath. Sunday, Las Vegas. Griffin indeed didn’t let me go to the chapel. “The desert climate is too dry out there. Your cold just got better-don’t catch a chill.” He adjusted the hotel suite temperature and covered my legs with a blanket. “I’ll be right back.” Watching his figure disappear into the elevator, I pulled out my phone. I opened the burner account I used specifically to monitor Griffin’s social media activity. Sure enough, Joyce had updated her Instagram Story. Location: Las Vegas, Little White Wedding Chapel. The image showed her from behind at the chapel entrance, sunlight making her look particularly angelic. The text read: “He said he only hopes I stay safe.” The second image was a custom-made gold coin. Exquisitely crafted, engraved with her initials-an expensive custom piece. Completely different from the ordinary one-dollar coin I’d tossed into the wishing pool years ago. I pushed open the suite door, wrapped my coat tighter, and took a cab to that chapel. Today, I would witness this scene with my own eyes. On a bench in the garden behind the chapel, Griffin and Joyce were embracing. He had no donation, no prayers at all. Griffin had Joyce pressed against the bench back, kissing her. Joyce toyed with that custom gold coin in her hand, saying coyly, “Griffin, is this for me? But doesn’t Kelsey have a coin too?” “That one’s already rusted.” Griffin’s voice carried disgust. “Plus it’s just a one-dollar coin-so cheap. Doesn’t match my status now. This one’s solid gold.” “Then why don’t you throw away the old one?” “I’ve been carrying it out of habit, too lazy to throw it away. Besides, she exchanged her entire fortune for it back then. If I toss it, she’ll lose her mind. Better not to stir up trouble.” “It bothers me to see it.” Joyce squirmed in Griffin’s embrace, holding up the gold coin. “This one has better energy. You carrying her broken coin-haven’t you forgotten your old flame?” Griffin laughed and kissed Joyce’s hand. “Jealous again.” I watched with my own eyes as Griffin pulled that coin directly from his pocket. “Fine, I’ll listen to you.” He casually tossed it. That coin-carrying all my sincerity and sacrifice-traced an arc through the air. “Clink.” It dropped through a storm drain grate, disappearing into the dark filth below. “Out with the old, in with the new.” Griffin lowered his head and personally placed the gold coin necklace on Joyce. “Happy now? That thing was garbage. You’re my treasure.” Joyce smiled and fell into his embrace. “Love you most, boss.” They walked away from the garden hand in hand. I stood behind a massive sculpture’s shadow, my nails digging deep into my palms. Rusted. Cheap. Too lazy to throw away. So my salvation, given at the cost of everything I had, was just “rusted garbage” in his eyes-kept only because he feared I’d go crazy. I turned toward the storm drain. Through the iron grate, I saw that coin lying among sludge and cigarette butts. Already filthy beyond recognition. Just like our long-rotten relationship. I crouched down. I didn’t retrieve it. Because once something’s dirty, it’s dirty. I didn’t want it anymore. From this day forward, whether you live or die, go bankrupt or go to prison-none of it concerns me. When I returned to the hotel, my hands and feet were ice cold. Ten minutes later, Griffin came back. He carried the scent of chapel incense and Joyce’s cloying perfume. “Did you wait long?” He grabbed my hand the moment he entered. “Why are your hands so cold? Didn’t I tell you to keep the blanket on?” He tucked my hand into his cashmere coat pocket, his tone both scolding and doting. I let him hold my hand, my gaze falling on the empty edge of his pocket. “Where’s that coin?” I asked. Griffin’s answer was airtight. “I accidentally dropped it in the wishing pool while praying at the chapel. The pastor said that’s a good thing-it means God heard my wish-so I didn’t fish it out.” “I see.” My tone was flat. “Then we should really thank God.” “Don’t overthink it. Out with the old, in with the new.” Griffin’s profile was devastatingly handsome. “I’ll have someone custom-make you a better one.” I closed my eyes. “No need. I don’t believe in God anymore.” Griffin laughed. “Don’t believe, then. You have me as your guardian anyway.” On the way back, I saw a red Ferrari pull up beside us. It’s Joyce’s car. The window was half-down. Joyce sat in the driver’s seat, looking at me provocatively, her fingers lightly caressing that custom gold coin. Her lips exaggeratedly mouthed a word. “Winner.” I turned away expressionlessly. Winner? Who the ultimate winner would be-that verdict was still far too early. That evening, I sent an instruction to that mysterious number. “Speed things up. I want to see results within one month.” “Also, contact Erasmus for me.” Erasmus. Head of New York’s largest short-selling firm. Also Griffin’s mortal enemy in business. And the man who once pursued me, only to be rejected and even humiliated by me for Griffin’s sake. To destroy Griffin, Erasmus was the sharpest blade. Even if that blade might cut my own hand first.

Kelsey POV I sat on the living room carpet, holding Griffin’s old discarded iPad. He hadn’t used this device in ages, but he seemed to have overlooked one fatal detail. His Apple ID was still logged in, and all photos synced automatically. The screen suddenly lit up. A photo taken ten minutes ago appeared. The background was the CEO lounge at Griffin’s company headquarters. The subject was Joyce. She was taking a mirror selfie, wearing only an oversized white men’s dress shirt. I knew that shirt all too well-I’d specially flown to Italy last month to have an old tailor custom-make it, with Griffin’s initials embroidered on the collar. The shirttail barely covered her thighs, making her legs look long and pale. Most jarring was the dark red hickey on her neck. The photo came with text-a screenshot of a note. “Boss said I look a hundred times better in his shirt than Kelsey does. He almost tore all the buttons off just now, so naughty.” My finger scrolled across the screen. Next image. A five-second Live Photo. The lens was aimed under that expensive walnut office desk. A long leg in black stockings was sliding up a man’s dress-pants-clad calf. The man’s large hand grabbed that ankle-not pushing it away, but rather caressing it suggestively. The background audio was Griffin’s low voice. “Stop it, I’m reviewing merger documents.” Joyce giggled and asked, “Are the documents prettier, or am I?” Griffin chuckled quietly, and the image cut off. I stared, my face ashen. My stomach felt like it had swallowed lead. My heart felt hooked, tearing out flesh and blood with each beat. This was the man I’d loved for seven years. This was the husband who kissed me every morning before leaving, saying he was “working to support the family.” In his office, he reviewed hundred-million-dollar merger contracts while enjoying a young woman’s teasing. Simultaneously. The sound of the fingerprint lock came from the entrance. Griffin was home. He walked in somewhat hurriedly, still looking down at his phone. Seeing me sitting on the carpet with that old iPad, his eyes clearly flashed with panic. But that panic vanished instantly. After all, he was a seasoned businessman. “Why are you using that old thing?” Griffin approached, reaching out with perfect naturalness. “The screen resolution is terrible-it’ll hurt your eyes. I ordered you the latest Pro. It’ll arrive tomorrow.” He tried to take the iPad. My wrist turned slightly, avoiding his hand. The screen faced him. The photo was still open. That provocative selfie of Joyce wearing his shirt was laid bare before him. The air froze for exactly three seconds. Griffin’s expression didn’t change in the slightest. Even his heartbeat seemed perfectly controlled. He even frowned, displaying just the right amount of disgust and anger. “Who sent this? How did it sync here?” He pulled out his own phone and called his secretary right in front of me, putting it on speaker. “Check my iCloud account immediately. I think it’s been hacked. Someone’s maliciously uploading pornographic images.” “Also, that intern Joyce who resigned recently-did she steal my lounge key? I’m missing a custom shirt.” “Not only did she steal clothes, she dares send photos like this to disgust people. Have legal send her a cease and desist immediately. People like this must face consequences.” He hung up. He crouched down, holding my cold hand, his eyes so sincere he almost looked hurt. “Kelsey, I’m sorry. Security dropped the ball. These young people will do anything to get ahead. Shameless. But I never thought she’d be this bold.” “Trust me. I can barely even remember her face. That shirt? I had someone toss it the second I saw her in it. Too dirty.” Perfect explanation. If I were the naive fool I used to be, I probably would have believed him. He was Griffin, a billionaire. How could he possibly be interested in some ordinary intern? But I’d heard the recording. I’d heard him calling her “little vixen” in the car, praising how “tight” she was. Watching him play the upright gentleman now just made me sick. “I see.” I closed the screen and casually tossed the iPad into the nearby trash. “Then let’s throw it away. It really is dirty.” Griffin visibly relaxed. He thought the matter was settled. He lifted me from the floor and walked toward the dining room. “To make amends, I personally cooked your favorite lobster risotto tonight. Stop looking at this garbage-it ruins your mood.” I leaned against him, listening to his strong heartbeat. One beat, two beats. Each one the rhythm of lies. During dinner, Griffin carefully extracted the lobster meat and fed it to me. I took a bite, then suddenly spoke. “Griffin, I want to sell that Hampton beach house.” Griffin’s hands paused mid-extraction. “Why the sudden decision to sell?” “There might be something unclean there.” I sipped white wine, speaking casually. “Last time I stayed there, I kept having nightmares. Plus a real estate agent friend said the market’s at peak prices right now.” That villa was Griffin’s engagement gift to me. Worth forty million. “Alright.” Griffin didn’t hesitate. He set the sliced meat on my plate. “It’s in your name. Your call. Keep the money as your nest egg. If it’s not enough, I’ll send more.” He was so confident. Confident that I loved him desperately and would never leave him. So he didn’t care about those tens of millions of dollars at all. “Thank you, honey.” I smiled. But the smile didn’t reach my eyes. That very night, I contacted that real estate agent friend. Only one requirement: cash deal, urgent sale, complete the paperwork within three days. All received funds to be transferred to an anonymous trust account in the Cayman Islands. That was my “escape pod.” And my offering to Erasmus. Late at night, Griffin’s breathing grew steady and slow. I picked up his phone. The password was my birthday. It never changed. Unlocked. Opened WhatsApp. His chat with Joyce had been wiped clean. But in Messenger drafts, I found an unsent message. “Sorry you had to go through this, babe. Tomorrow’s just for show. Go to HR first thing and process the transfer. You’ll be operations director at the branch. Be good. I’ll take you to Tahiti in a few days. Just the two of us.” I stared at those words for a long time. Then screenshot, sent to my secret email. Deleted the record, put the phone back. I lay back in bed, my back to Griffin. Tears silently streamed down, soaking the silk pillowcase. This would be the last time I cried for this man. Starting tomorrow, even if it meant going to hell, I’d drag him down with me.

Kelsey POV One week later, Metropolitan Charity Gala, New York. Griffin arrived with me in full formal attire. I wore a black velvet backless gown, like a proud black swan. Around my neck was an emerald jewelry set-my grandmother’s legacy, my final dignity and confidence. Griffin wore a purely handmade Italian tuxedo, handsome and upright. The moment we entered, we became the focus of all cameras. “Mr. Griffin and his wife are truly a model couple.” “Seven years married and still this devoted-practically royalty among the elite.” Compliments and envy surrounded us. Griffin stayed attentively protective, shielding me from drinks, adjusting my dress-every detail performed to perfection. Then the charity auction began. The finale item was a blue diamond necklace called “Ocean’s Tears,” starting bid five million dollars. “Like it?” Griffin whispered in my ear, his breath warming my neck. I glanced listlessly at the large screen. “Too ostentatious.” “That’s what makes it worthy of you.” Griffin raised his paddle without hesitation. “Six million.” “Seven million.” “Eight million.” The price skyrocketed. Finally, Griffin won it for twelve million dollars. The entire hall erupted in applause.The auctioneer exclaimed excitedly, “Congratulations, Mr. Griffin! Is this an anniversary gift for Mrs. Kelsey?” Griffin took the microphone, gazing at me with deep affection. “My wife deserves all the beauty this world has to offer. This necklace only gains a soul when it graces her beautiful neck.” Under everyone’s envious and jealous gazes, I cooperatively displayed a happy, bashful smile. Only I knew how much I was digging my nails into my own hand beneath the tablecloth. Because I had seen her. In the most inconspicuous shadowy corner of the banquet hall stood a girl in a server’s uniform. It was Joyce. She hadn’t gone to the branch office at all. She’d found a way to sneak in here. She held a champagne tray, those eyes full of greed and jealousy fixed on that blue diamond necklace on stage. Midway through the gala, I went to the restroom. Just as I turned the corridor corner, from the corner of my eye through a half-open lounge door, I saw two entangled figures inside. By the moonlight streaming in, I recognized them as Griffin and Joyce. That “Ocean’s Tears” necklace worth over twelve million dollars was now hanging around Joyce’s pale neck. The blue diamond glittered with a cold light in the darkness. I quickly pulled out my phone and pressed record. “Like it?” Griffin’s voice carried heavy breathing. “Love it to death.” Joyce caressed the diamond lovingly. “But you just publicly bought this for that old hag Kelsey.” “That was a PR show for the media and board of directors.” Griffin kissed her neck frantically. “Only you are the little vixen in my heart. On her, it’s just an expensive display rack. On you, you’re the one I truly want to spoil.” “Do I have to return it to her later?” “No need. I already had someone make a high-quality fake. The naked eye can’t tell the difference. You keep the real one. I’ll put the fake on her later.” Real diamond for the mistress, fake for the wife. I forced down the urge to burst in and tear their faces apart, my nails digging into my palms. Save the recording. Turn and leave. Back in the banquet hall, I acted as if nothing had happened, chatting and laughing with the socialites over champagne. Ten minutes later, Griffin returned. He held that exquisite velvet jewelry box, walked up to me, and opened it with great ceremony. “Kelsey, let me put it on you.” The necklace lay quietly in the box, still dazzling. But I could tell at a glance. The fire was wrong. A real diamond’s brilliance is cold and sharp, but this one, though exceptionally crafted, refracted light with a dull, cheap quality. It was the fake. Griffin really had skills-he must have premeditated this “substitution” long ago. I obediently turned around, lifting my long hair to expose my neck. The cold metal touched my skin like a damp, cold serpent coiling around me. “Beautiful.” Griffin praised sincerely in my ear. “Only you in the world can wear it with such nobility.” I touched that fake necklace, turned around, and smiled radiantly. “Thank you, honey. I love it.” “Oh, when I went to the restroom earlier, I think I saw that former intern Joyce.” I suddenly spoke up. Griffin’s eyes instantly contracted, then immediately returned to normal. “You must have seen wrong. She’s already been transferred to the Seattle branch.” “Really? Maybe my eyes were playing tricks.” I sipped champagne. “After all, that cheap, overpowering perfume smell really shouldn’t appear at this kind of event.” Griffin’s smile stiffened for an instant. The gala ended. Sitting in the luxury car’s back seat on the way home, I sent Erasmus an encrypted message. “The evidence chain is complete. The blue diamond is fake-I’ll get the appraisal report. Erasmus, you can launch your takeover plan. I want to see him utterly disgraced.” Erasmus replied instantly. “You’re ruthless. Wearing a fake and still putting on an act with him.” I replied: “If I’m not ruthless, how can I send him to hell?” Back home, I removed that fake necklace and casually tossed it into the bottom of my jewelry box. Griffin hugged me from behind. “Why’d you take it off?” “Too heavy. My neck hurts.” I turned to avoid his kiss. “I’m going to take a bath.” In the bathroom. I looked at myself in the mirror. The inferior metal necklace had rubbed a faint red mark on my neck. I splashed cold water on my face again and again, the hatred in my eyes growing clearer with each droplet. Griffin, every fake gift you’ve given me, every lie you’ve told-I’ll repay them all tenfold. Just wait and see.

Kelsey POV Half a month later, Griffin claimed he needed to go on a business trip to Tokyo, Japan. “There’s a tricky cross-border merger to negotiate in Tokyo for a few days.” As he packed, he deliberately brought two boxes of “peace crosses” I’d obtained for him years ago-props to maintain his “devoted” persona in front of me. I leaned against the doorframe, holding a cup of hot milk. “How many days?” “Five. If you miss me, I’ll compress the negotiations to three days.” “No need. Work comes first.” I said considerately. The moment Griffin’s front foot left, my back foot booked a flight. Not to Tokyo, but to Hokkaido. I’d planted military-grade tracking software in Griffin’s private phone. That red dot wasn’t in bustling Tokyo at all, but at an extremely private hot spring resort hotel in Hokkaido. When checking in, I specifically pulled strings to get the suite next to Griffin’s. This hotel emphasized natural authenticity. Though privacy was good, the bamboo fences between outdoor balconies didn’t provide ideal soundproofing. At 10 PM, I sat in a rattan chair on the balcony, swirling a glass of sake, a high-sensitivity voice recorder on my lap. The sound of trickling water came from next door. Along with that voice that made me physically nauseated. “Griffin, the water’s so hot. Be gentle.” Joyce’s voice was coquettish to the bone, mixing clearly with the sound of splashing water. “Hot is stimulating. That’s why I brought you here.” Griffin’s voice was low and husky. “Been stifled in that proper office setting, haven’t you? No one knows us here. Scream however you want.” “Do you love me?” “Love you. Love this body of yours to death.” “What about Kelsey?” “Why bring up that wooden plank? She’s like a dead fish in bed-rigid and boring. Nothing like how well you know how to play.” My grip on the sake glass suddenly tightened, my knuckles turning white. Wooden plank. Dead fish. Rigid and boring. So that was his true assessment of me. To accommodate his so-called “work stress,” I was extremely gentle and considerate every time, forcing myself to cooperate even when physically uncomfortable. In his mouth, all that consideration became evidence of my being boring. I pulled out my phone and dialed Griffin’s number. The water sounds next door instantly stopped. Griffin’s voice filled with panic. “Shh, don’t make a sound. It’s that yellow-faced hag calling.” Joyce covered her mouth with a giggling laugh. The call connected. “Hello, babe?” Griffin’s voice switched seamlessly, sounding exhausted. “Why aren’t you asleep yet? If you hadn’t called, I would’ve almost fallen asleep in the conference room.” I listened to the deliberately suppressed breathing next door, my tone calm as water. “Just checking in. Where are you?” “At the hotel. Just finished the third round of video conferences. My head’s about to explode from exhaustion. I have a whole day of negotiations tomorrow too.” “Alone?” “Of course I’m alone. Who else would there be? You think I’m keeping a mistress?” Griffin’s tone carried a hint of helpless indulgence. “Kelsey, stop being silly. I’m very tired, and I miss you.” At the same time, a crisp sound came from next door. “Smack.” The sound of a palm slapping wet skin. Joyce couldn’t hold back a short cry of surprise. “Ah…” Griffin’s end went instantly silent-clearly he’d covered the phone. A few seconds later, he uncovered it and explained, “Room service just brought water and accidentally broke a glass. Babe, it’s really late. You should rest too. I love you.” “I love you too.” I hung up. Next door immediately erupted in unrestrained laughter. “You scared me to death. You’re so bad, deliberately slapping my butt just now.” Joyce said coquettishly. “Who told you to moan so loud? Almost gave us away.” “It’d be better if we were exposed. Let her know whose man you really are now.” I turned off the voice recorder and saved the file. Standing up, I walked to the balcony’s edge. Through the gaps in the bamboo screen, in the moonlight, two bodies in the outdoor hot spring pool next door were entwined like snakes. I watched with cold eyes for a full minute. That was my complete farewell to my past self. Back in my room, I lay on the tatami mat. The commotion next door continued. I put on top-of-the-line noise-canceling headphones and played Beethoven’s “Symphony of Fate.” My heart was surprisingly calm. The Kelsey who would cry late into the night over her husband’s infidelity was already dead. The one alive now was an avenger.

Kelsey POV On the third day after Griffin returned to the country, he worked late in the study until the early morning hours. I pushed open the door carrying a glass of warm milk with calming ingredients. The computer screen was still lit, displaying not financial statements but an obstetric ultrasound report. Griffin reacted extremely quickly, frantically closing the window. His mouse even knocked over the black coffee at his elbow. Brown liquid spilled across the desk, dripping along the edge onto the Damascus carpet. “Why aren’t you asleep yet?” He stood up abruptly, using his body to block the screen, looking somewhat panicked but quickly forcing composure. “The company has an urgent project. I’ll sleep once I finish handling it.” I set the milk at a clean spot on the desk corner. “I was worried when you didn’t come back to the bedroom.” I pretended to glance casually at that darkened screen and asked calmly, “What was that interface just now? It looked like a hospital test report.” Griffin’s fingers trembled involuntarily. “Nothing. The company VP isn’t feeling well. He asked me to help look at his physical examination report from Mayo Clinic.” He walked around the desk and hugged my waist from behind, burying his head in my neck, his voice muffled. “Honey, let’s have a baby.” My body instantly stiffened. Have a baby? For these seven years, every time I brought up wanting a child, Griffin always deflected with excuses like “wanting a few more years of just the two of us” or “not wanting you to suffer through childbirth.” Now that Joyce was “pregnant,” he wanted a child. Did he want to legitimately register that bastard child under my name? Make me raise their child? “We’ll see.” I gently pushed him away. “It’s late. Clean up and get some rest.” Griffin didn’t insist, dropping a kiss on my forehead. “Alright, whatever you say. Oh, I have an important business dinner tomorrow. I won’t be home for dinner.” “Okay.” I turned and walked out of the study. The moment I closed the door, I pulled out my phone. Just ten minutes ago, Joyce had sent me a video. The video background was the back seat of Griffin’s car. The camera shook violently, showing only two entangled legs and clothes scattered on the floor. The audio was crystal clear-sickeningly sweet mixed with physiologically disturbing moans. “Griffin, be gentle. Don’t hurt our baby.” “Relax, I know what I’m doing. It’s only a month old, just an embryo. Not that delicate.” Griffin’s voice sounded abnormally excited. “This is also the first heir to the Griffin family line. You’ve done a great service.” “What about Kelsey? If she finds out I’m pregnant with your child, won’t she lose it?” “Don’t worry about her. With her condition, she can’t get pregnant anyway. Once the baby’s born, we’ll say it’s adopted. Or from a surrogate. Bring it home and have her raise it. That woman’s full of maternal instinct. She’ll love the kid like her own.” “You’re so bad. But I like it.” The video ended there. I stood in the hallway shadows, looking at the last photo on my phone screen. It was a pregnancy test stick photo Joyce had sent, with bright red double lines. The accompanying text read: “Borrowing your nest to hatch my egg. Wealthy families need heirs. If you won’t give birth, someone has to. Don’t be ungrateful.” I deleted the photo and completely cleared the chat history. My fingers flew across the screen as I messaged Erasmus. “The fish took the bait. Send Joyce’s fake pregnancy report to Griffin’s corporate email tomorrow at 9 AM. Use the untraceable IP.” Erasmus replied. “Got it. The ‘scene’ is set. Your double is in position. Tomorrow at 3 PM. Highway 1.” “Good.” I put the phone down and went to sleep. That night, I slept exceptionally well. I knew the real show was finally about to begin.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “360342”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn

My best friend passed away when his wife Laura was eight months pregnant. Laura said she didn’t want her child to grow up without a father. To repay my friend’s life-saving grace, I became the child’s father. Laura loved her work, so I quit my job to become a full-time stay-at-home dad, caring for them for seven years straight. But she remained cold and distant. Only during sex at night would she occasionally show a trace of tenderness. Yet after each time, she would carefully check whether the condom had broken. One night, the condom accidentally broke. Laura flew into a rage and locked me out on the balcony as punishment, leaving me in the pouring rain. Her son came hurrying over with an umbrella. But he coldly walked right past me and handed the umbrella to the nanny who was heading out. In that moment, I decided to leave. Fighting through the weakness of a high fever, I handed her the divorce papers. She frowned in displeasure and asked, “Is this just because of what happened last night?” “Mark, if you hadn’t crossed the line, I wouldn’t have punished you. You should look for the cause in yourself.” I suppressed the urge to defend myself, my voice hoarse as I said, “Just sign it.” “What about our son?” “He was never my biological child anyway. Of course I won’t fight for custody.” “And you don’t need to split any assets with me either. Consider that portion my child support for him.” Laura looked up in surprise. No wonder—after all, I normally cared most about this child. She threatened me with a stern face, “I advise you to quit while you’re ahead. If you keep this up, there’ll be no turning back.” Apparently she was convinced my divorce request was just a tantrum. But what she didn’t know was that from the moment I decided on divorce, I never planned to turn back. I didn’t bother explaining further. Taking the signed divorce agreement, I returned to my room. Seeing me pack my luggage, Laura said, “Mark, the paperwork will still take some time. You don’t need to rush to move out.” I calmly threw her own words back at her. “No thanks. When doing things, it’s better to make a clean break.” She said nothing more. I had a lot of belongings, but I only took the essentials. As I came out dragging my suitcase, John was in the living room reading a science magazine. So disciplined at such a young age, just like his mother. And just like his mother, utterly cold toward me. He put down his book, walked up to me with an impatient expression: “Are you really divorcing Mom?” I nodded. Though his face was expressionless, I still caught the joy flickering in his eyes. Then he spoke to me in a tone of granting a favor: “From now on, I’ll allow you to visit me, but only once a month. More than that might make Ivan unhappy.” He was talking about Laura’s first love, Ivan. If Ivan hadn’t had that incident that forced his whole family to immigrate, Laura probably never would have married my brother. Recently Ivan returned to the country, and the two reconnected. She often took John to see Ivan too. Ivan was a race car driver. John thought he was cool and impressive. But he didn’t know I had won multiple consecutive CRC and CTCC annual driver championships. He hated me so much he wouldn’t even give me a chance to take him to race cars. Before, I would feel hurt and sad that he liked Ivan but not me. But now my heart was still as water. Last night’s incident had completely opened my eyes. You can’t domesticate an ungrateful wolf. I didn’t even give him a glance, just opened the door and left. As I neared the main gate, Laura came out. “Why the rush? You haven’t even found a place to stay yet.” I said nothing, opening the front door. “Where are you planning to go? I’ll have the driver take you.” “No need.” After being drenched in last night’s rainstorm all night, my whole body was burning hot now, my head splitting with pain. Dragging a body that could collapse at any moment, I used my last bit of strength to walk out the door. But I’d barely taken a few steps outside before my vision went black and I collapsed.

I woke up again in a hospital. A passing lady had brought me in. The doctor said my condition was very serious and asked why I had no family with me. “Sorry doctor, I have no family.” The doctor’s eyes immediately filled with sympathy. I smiled bitterly. A complete stranger could show me kindness, yet the mother and son I’d poured my heart out for seven years could be so cruel. For the first time, I felt these years truly weren’t worth it. After several IV drips and the fever subsiding, I left the hospital. I really wanted to take a spontaneous trip and clear my head. But life isn’t a TV drama. I hadn’t worked all these years, and Laura only gave me a little grocery money. I hadn’t saved much at all. I temporarily stayed at a hotel. The next day, I called my old boss at the TV station. Before marriage, I was the most popular host on the station’s weather program. When I decided to resign, many managers thought it was a shame. But I was single-mindedly devoted to Laura and gave up my own future. Back then, young and impetuous, I truly believed sincerity could be met with sincerity. What a pitiful ending I got instead. Seven years away from the camera—I honestly hadn’t held much hope. Unexpectedly, my boss didn’t hesitate and directly arranged for me to meet the station director. Though I’d been busy caring for them mother and son all these years, I still made time to work out, keeping myself in good shape. Combined with my previously outstanding professional abilities, after discussion the leadership decided to give me another chance. I took my luggage and moved into the apartment the director prepared for me, starting a new life. After a week of familiarizing myself with operations, I smoothly returned to work. My first day back on set broke the highest viewership record of the seven years since I’d left. The director was especially pleased and held a celebration banquet. When juniors toasted me, I instinctively refused: “Sorry, I don’t drink.” Only after speaking did I remember I wasn’t a non-drinker—I’d quit because Laura once said she didn’t like me drinking. Now divorced, whether she liked it or not no longer mattered. I smiled and accepted the glass: “Just kidding, I can drink!” With that, I tilted my head back and downed it in one gulp. After several rounds, I was getting drunk when my phone rang. It was the police calling. “Mr. Mark, we’ve found your nephew.” I sobered up immediately and rushed to the police station by taxi. When I saw that little guy at the station, my eyes instantly reddened. They say nephews resemble their uncles—absolutely true. This little guy was practically a miniature version of me. Sure enough, the police told me that after genetic comparison with my sister and brother-in-law, they confirmed this was their lost son. Years ago, my sister had taken Martinez to the park. She turned around to buy him cotton candy, and he disappeared. My sister, consumed by guilt and grief, had a mental breakdown. Ten days after losing her child, unable to bear it, she committed suicide. Losing both wife and child in succession, my brother-in-law Tommy aged a decade overnight. This grown man cried like a child. Watching him hurt so much. At the time, John was only 3 years old and extremely clingy with me—he’d only stop crying when I held him. But helplessly, to help Tommy search for Martinez, I had to painfully leave John with his grandmother. A month later, someone said they’d seen a similar-looking child in a town. Tommy rushed there immediately, only to find the child wasn’t even the right gender. Tommy was heartbroken. In his daze, he fell into a river and drowned. Not long after, police told me that human traffickers had smuggled the children to America, but the boat they were on had capsized and sunk. “Everyone on board perished. Martinez should have been among them…” With that, all leads went completely cold, and Laura and John became my only two remaining relatives.

After handling things there, I went to my mother-in-law’s to pick up John. But I never expected that when John saw me, he would never call me Dad again. He didn’t remember me. Later when he started school and interacted with classmates, he disliked me even more. He thought I wasn’t impressive like other dads, saying I had no proper job. The officer’s words pulled me from my memories. Turns out Martinez was clever and hid in a dumpster, successfully escaping. He never boarded that boat. A homeless man had taken him home, and the two had depended on each other all these years. Recently that old man passed away. Someone discovered the child living alone and called the police, which led to finding him. Martinez was dark-skinned and thin, looking so timid and pitiful it truly broke my heart. I crouched down and patted his little head. “Don’t be afraid. I’m your Uncle Mark.” His eyes blinked, not knowing what to think. “Baby, you’ll never go hungry or cold again. From now on, you’ll live with me.” Tommy was an orphan with no grandparents, so now I was Martinez’s only living relative in this world. I brought Martinez home, bathed him, and dressed him in new clothes. Holding his little hand, I discovered it was covered in frostbite. I got the medicine kit and gently applied ointment. The little guy was tough. Though it clearly hurt, he endured without making a sound. I put on a cartoon for him. “Stay here by yourself for a bit. I’ll make you a bowl of noodles.” When I came out with the food to call him, I found he’d fallen asleep at some point. I covered him with a blanket. He woke up. Rubbing his eyes, he looked adorably confused. I was reminded of how John used to look just as clingy every time he woke up from naps when he was little. Hugging my neck, slow and endearing as a sloth—so incredibly cute. I couldn’t help pulling Martinez into my arms. He didn’t hug my neck like John used to, but instead touched my face. I came back to my senses. “Martinez, I’m Mark. From now on you’ll be with me, and this will be our home.” The little guy looked up at me, his eyes bright. “Mark? Then why aren’t you Dad?” “I’m your mother’s brother, not your father. Do you want to see your mom and dad?” He nodded. I held him as I showed him old photos one by one, telling him their stories. After looking at the photos, he suddenly kissed my cheek and called me Uncle Mark in his sweet little voice. In that moment, I felt my heart melting. Martinez was old enough for school but had never attended. I quickly contacted a kindergarten to enroll him. He adapted very well, without the crying and fussing John had when he started. Life proceeded in an orderly fashion, and Martinez and I grew closer and closer. I enjoyed making snacks in my free time. Things John had scorned, Martinez ate with delight. This day I was making pumpkin balls for Martinez again when I received a call from Laura. She seemed to have just woken up, her voice hoarse as she asked, “There’s a mall opening ceremony tomorrow.” I instinctively told her which dress to pair with which jewelry, even specifying exactly which closet and which position. After speaking, I fell silent, realizing this had become mechanical memory. Laura still didn’t seem fully awake. I could hear her rummaging around through the phone. The other end stayed quiet. I reminded her, “If there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up.” She suddenly asked if I wanted to go with her tomorrow. I found it ironic. Before, when I’d asked her to bring me to events, she never agreed once. Now divorced, why would I go? “I’ll pass. And don’t call me about these things anymore. Whether you hire a stylist or ask the nanny, just stop asking me. We’re divorced now.”

Just as I was about to hang up, I heard her change the subject. “I’m taking John to TK Plaza for swimming lessons today. You could come see him.” “No need.” Without waiting for her response, I hung up decisively. Putting down my phone, I continued making food for Martinez. Life continued peacefully this way. Until that day when I came out of the broadcast room and received a call from an unknown number. It was John’s kindergarten head teacher. She said today was parent-child art day, requiring parents and children to participate together. All the parents had arrived except John’s. The teacher warmly invited me to come. I interrupted her: “Sorry teacher, I’ve already divorced John’s mother. Custody was awarded to his mom. I won’t be handling these matters anymore.” The teacher sounded embarrassed. I continued, “Is John next to you?” Getting an affirmative answer, I asked her to put it on speakerphone. In front of the whole class of students and parents, I spoke coolly: “John, you also confirmed last time that your mom and I are divorced. I’m no longer your father. I won’t be handling your affairs anymore. Don’t call me again from now on.” After finishing, I apologized to the teacher and hung up. After work, I picked up Martinez from kindergarten. We went for hot pot, and the table next to us was actually celebrating a birthday. I suddenly thought of Martinez’s birthday. Checking the calendar, it was this Sunday. On Sunday, I pushed back all my work in advance, planning to properly spend time with Martinez. He surely hadn’t celebrated a birthday all these years. After ordering, I told him to wait at the table while I got the cake. Carrying the cake toward the restaurant, I unexpectedly ran into Laura. Ivan stood beside her. Ivan spoke first: “Weren’t you making a fuss about divorcing Laura?” I ignored him and walked past them toward the interior, but Laura grabbed me. Her voice dripped with sarcasm. “Weren’t you so tough? I knew you couldn’t last a few days. Now here you are crawling back with a cake for your son’s birthday. Aren’t you embarrassed?” I was speechless. “Let go. Who said I’m celebrating his birthday?” Laura stiffened. “If not for your son, then for who?” I didn’t want to argue with her anymore. “I’m done talking. Move aside. You three have a nice family celebration.” Laura’s face darkened. “Mark, enough. Don’t wait until I really get angry.” I pushed past her directly and entered the restaurant. Martinez saw me and waved with a smile. I waved back at him too. John sat at the table next to Martinez’s. He looked at me with disgust, clearly mistaking my wave as directed at him. I ignored him and sat down next to Martinez. When Laura and the others came in, they looked shocked to see me with Martinez. “Mark, who is he?” “None of your business.” Laura was furious but restrained herself in public. Martinez and I enjoyed our meal wholeheartedly. Near the end, Martinez wanted to use the restroom. He said he didn’t need me to accompany him, so I let him go. I saw John also heading toward the restroom. Probably just going to the bathroom—I didn’t think much of it. But soon after, a server shouted: “Quick, whose parents are these? Two kids are fighting here!” I jumped up and ran toward the restroom. John and Martinez were lying on the floor, both injured. Seeing me, John finally couldn’t hold back tears, his eyes red as he said pitifully, “Dad, it hurts.” Under his helpless, pitiful gaze, I unhesitatingly crouched down and picked up Martinez.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “360341”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #魔幻Magic #惊悚Thriller #浪漫Romance

Just because I refused to pay the $300,000 wedding expenses for my sister Marta’s son Thomas, Marta actually took me to court. At the hearing, she wept bitterly: “To put you through college, I worked everywhere, enduring nothing but disdain, and it ruined my health.” “Now you’re making a six-figure salary but won’t help me! Do you have any humanity left?!” Seeing me sitting unmoved in the defendant’s seat, she trembled as she revealed the horrifying scars on her leg, then pulled out a disability certificate: “I even became permanently disabled because of you—a heavy object fell from a construction site and crushed my thigh. Now I’m asking you to repay your tuition. Isn’t that reasonable?!” My mother also nodded in confirmation, denouncing my ingratitude. Everyone present condemned me in chorus: “She’s so heartless!” “$300,000 is getting off too easy! Judge, you must make her pay double!” Looking at everyone’s righteous indignation, I found it all absurdly ironic. She said she put me through four years of college. But I never even attended community college!

“Alice, I’ve given you everything my whole life, and this is how you repay me?” Marta roared in the courtroom: “I sacrificed everything for you. Now I’m only asking you to contribute a small portion of your income to help Thomas prepare for his wedding, and you can’t even do that! Are you even human?!” She was so agitated that her body kept trembling, tears and snot streaming down her face. The people present saw her worn-out clothes and deeply wrinkled face and felt tremendous sympathy. The looks they gave me were sharp with condemnation. Looking at the haggard Marta, I sighed helplessly: “Marta, I’ve told you many times—I never went to college, and I never received a cent of tuition money from you.” In my senior year of high school, my grades were actually pretty good, but my mother Ruth said the family was in debt. With no other choice, I had to give up on college and went north to find work. I could only come home once a year during the holidays, but when she saw me, she either wouldn’t speak at all, or when she did, it was nothing but cold sarcasm and mockery. She didn’t even invite me to her wedding later, or even to her son’s birthday party. Twenty-plus years passed, and then she suddenly came looking for me, insisting I repay her for college tuition to help fund Thomas’s wedding—but I never went to college at all. Seeing me refuse to admit it, she furiously took me to court. “You’re lying! Without my support, how could you possibly have gotten a six-figure salary at a foreign company with a high degree?!” “Pay me back right now—that’s my blood and sweat! Have you completely lost your conscience? Why are you ruining Thomas’s happiness?!” She grabbed my collar, relentless: “I suffered so much, only to raise an ungrateful wolf like you!” Though Thomas wasn’t as agitated as Marta, he was clearly upset too: “My mom put you through school and didn’t even care about me, her own son. I’ve been working part-time jobs to pay my own tuition all these years. If it weren’t for the wedding and us being completely broke, she wouldn’t be forcing you to pay her back.” Looking at Marta’s emotional breakdown, I felt deeply uncomfortable: “Marta, it’s not that I won’t pay you back—you’ve got the wrong person. Look, here’s the evidence!” As Marta spoke, she threw out printed bank transfer receipts she’d prepared in advance. “Judge, all the transfer records from these years are right here.” “During her four years of college, I sent her a total of $360,000. I’m only asking for $300,000 back and she won’t even agree! She’s inhuman!” “$360,000?!” I was shocked. “How is that possible?” Seeing how righteously confident I was, she shoved the receipts roughly in my face: “Alice, you dare lie to my face—isn’t this your account? Isn’t the recipient you?” “It is my account, but—” Before I could finish, Marta immediately turned around: “Judge, she’s already admitted it. Please render your verdict!”

Looking at such exaggerated, frequent transfer records, everyone was stunned: “Couldn’t she work part-time herself? Doesn’t the school have financial aid? She’s absolutely shameless.” “She’s treating her own sister like a blood bank.” Amidst the chorus of condemnation, Marta held up her phone: “Even with all this, Alice was constantly dissatisfied. She’d ask me for money basically every other day, and when I really didn’t have any, she’d curse at me over the phone, saying I was useless.” Then she played a recording with my harsh, bitter voice coming through: “Marta, you work every day—how can you not have money? Don’t you dare pretend to be broke, or I’ll come make a scene at your workplace and tell everyone you don’t care about your own sister. I’ll ruin your reputation.” “Did you spend the money on some boy toy? No wonder your ex-husband divorced you, saying you were promiscuous. He was right!” These words stabbed into Marta’s heart like knives. Her face went pale and she could barely stand: “Alice, I put you through school, and you’re not even a little bit grateful!” She took a deep breath and slowly rolled up her sleeve, revealing horrifying scars of varying depths that left everyone present dumbstruck. “This scar is from boiling oil burns. This is from slipping and falling while delivering food in winter. This is a knife wound from working in a kitchen…” Then she pulled out a disability certificate: “This is from when I was hauling bricks at a construction site and got hit by falling debris. I barely survived, but one leg is permanently disabled.” “What more do you want from me? Do I have to give you my life to be a good enough sister?” Years of grievance and hardship made her sob uncontrollably, unable to complete another full sentence. Seeing the shocking scars and her grotesquely deformed thighbone, people were completely enraged: “Judge, what are you waiting for? This woman needs to not only pay compensation, but kneel down and apologize!” “This Alice is a demon straight from hell!” “So vicious! This kind of scum doesn’t deserve such a wonderful sister.” As waves of condemnation washed over me, the judge said sternly: “Marta, besides this evidence, do you have any witnesses?” Before he’d even finished speaking, Ruth immediately stood up from the gallery: “Judge, we can testify that everything Marta said is true.” “My husband died early, and my son was too young. I put most of my energy into her, so Marta acted like half a mother in the house.” “It broke my heart to watch. I told her many times to take care of her health, but she was so sensible and obedient. She said Alice was brilliant at her studies, and we should support her education even if it meant selling everything we had.” “Judge, you don’t know this, but over those four years, Marta earned over $30,000 from selling her blood, and she sent it all to Alice.” When everyone heard that Marta had even sold her blood to put me through school, they couldn’t take it anymore. They all stood up suggesting the judge sentence me to death. “How is this any different from drinking someone’s blood? She doesn’t deserve to be human!” “She’s completely beyond redemption.” Seeing everyone on their side, Ruth’s lips curved into a slight smile: “Alice is cold-hearted. She’s brought shame to her family and corrupted our society. I also support severe punishment!”

Ruth’s words received nods of agreement from everyone present. The judge looked at me sternly: “Alice, do you have anything to say?” Seeing me remain silent, my brother Chris immediately jumped up with accusations: “Guilty conscience, right? The evidence is overwhelming—you’ve got nothing to say!” “Nothing to say? Chris, who actually took Marta’s money? You know better than anyone!” I shot back. A flicker of fear crossed Chris’s eyes, but he stubbornly insisted: “Stop spouting nonsense! Marta lost her health and her money putting you through college. Now she’s just seeking justice for herself!” I laughed coldly: “Fine. Since you also believe I went to college, please tell everyone—which college did I attend? What was my major?” Chris hadn’t expected me to suddenly ask this. After a moment’s hesitation, he just made something up: “You resent Ruth for favoring me, so we’re not close. How would I know which college you attended?” “All I know is that without impressive credentials, that multinational corporation you work for would never have hired you, let alone given you an important position!” Before he’d finished, Ruth quickly added: “Chris is the youngest, so it’s normal for me to look after him a bit more. You’re just too jealous and petty—you can’t stand him at all. That’s why I asked Marta to take care of you more.” “As for the college name? I know that. It was A University, majoring in New Media.” I snorted coldly. They’d really done their homework. The chairman of the company I work for graduated from A University. To show his gratitude to his alma mater, he goes back every year to recruit on campus. Hearing her name the university, people began whispering among themselves, looking at me with undisguised contempt. I calmly pulled out my phone and logged into the 2018 New Media graduating class photo from A University: “Everyone, look—if I graduated from here, why am I not in the group photo?” Marta looked at Ruth in confusion. Ruth’s face showed a flash of panic, but she quickly steadied herself: “Who’s fault is that? Your own! You went out drinking with people to celebrate graduation, drank until you had a bleeding ulcer, and were hospitalized for five days.” To add credibility, she threw out a hospital admission certificate, her tone full of disappointment: “I told you to appreciate Marta and not waste her money, but you just wouldn’t listen. That one night, you spent ten thousand dollars on alcohol alone.” Everyone gasped: “Ten thousand! Marta worked herself to death for her, and she’s shameless enough to do this.” “That’s more than many people make in a month, and she blew it all in one night. Outrageous.” “What?!” Marta’s eyes went wide with fury. “You asked me for so much money—I would have accepted it if you’d spent it on something proper. I never imagined you’d use it for partying and drinking!” “Did you think my money fell from the sky? What did I do in my past life to deserve a sister like you?!” Marta was so angry her chest heaved up and down. Her face turned iron-gray as she glared at me, looking ready to tear me apart: “Alice, I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want $300,000. I want you to return every cent I sent you over the years!” “Plus damages for emotional distress—$600,000 total. Not a penny less!”

Seeing Marta increase the compensation demand, Chris gloated: “That’s right! This kind of ungrateful wolf deserves a good lesson. Can’t let her off too easy!” Ruth also nodded solemnly: “Marta, you’re doing the right thing. Otherwise, who knows what worse things she’ll do in the future.” Marta looked heartbroken and extremely agitated: “Alice, you squandered my hard-earned money like this—you might as well have taken a knife and stabbed me. You always complained about wanting to cut ties with this family, right? Fine, I’m cutting ties with you!” No matter how I explained, she wouldn’t believe me. I felt helpless: “I’ll say it one more time—I really never went to college, and I never said I wanted to cut ties with you.” Chris looked at me with utter disdain and mocked: “Of course not! Marta’s like a human ATM—how could you bear to cut ties with her?” Ruth saw me still denying that I’d gone to college and angrily rebuked: “Debts must be repaid—it’s only right. Alice, have some conscience! Stop provoking Marta. She’s sacrificed so much for you in this lifetime.” Looking at Ruth’s hypocritical face, I didn’t want to waste any more time. I took out my ID and handed it to the judge: “Please log into the student records system and check. I believe everything will become clear.” “No!” Ruth suddenly shouted to stop him. “Judge, who doesn’t make mistakes when they’re young? As her mother, I’ve also failed in my duties. As long as she’s willing to admit she lied, I can mediate between the sisters.” “But once you check and prove she’s lying, she’ll be branded a liar for life. Not only will she lose her job, but her reputation will be ruined forever.” Marta seemed shocked: “You really want to do this?” “Yes. I love both my children equally. I don’t want to see you in court against each other, and I don’t want to see Alice being selfish and going down the wrong path.” Her words immediately resonated with many people present, who sighed sympathetically: “Sigh, the old lady’s heart is still soft at the critical moment. A mother’s love is truly boundless.” “Exactly. And Alice keeps saying her mother plays favorites. I think she’s the selfish one.” The judge also empathized and gently advised me: “Alice, don’t let down your mother’s good intentions. Hurry up and apologize to Marta. You’re still young with a bright future ahead. Don’t ruin yourself over one moment of foolishness.” “No,” I answered decisively. “Check. You must check!” My words caused an uproar: “I’ve never seen someone so ungrateful and unknowing of kindness.” “Where does she get the nerve? Hmph, then let her get what she’s asking for!” At this point, a staff member had already logged into the student records system. However, when she saw what came up, her brow furrowed tightly. Her eyes unconsciously drew closer to the screen to confirm again. A few seconds later, her voice wasn’t loud but rang clearly through the courtroom: “Judge, there’s no information about Alice in the university records—no major, degree, student status, thesis, nothing.” “Moreover, I also discovered she never even took the SAT exam.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “360340”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #魔幻Magic #惊悚Thriller #浪漫Romance