Author: Momo Chan

Lucas and I were a couple with disabilities—his legs were paralyzed, and I was born mute. To make ends meet and pay for his treatment, I worked three jobs a day. Then one time while cleaning windows at high altitude, I had an accident. I survived the fall, but the baby in my belly didn’t. He held me and sobbed, cursing himself over and over for being useless. “Don’t blame yourself. We’ll have another child,” I mouthed weakly, using practiced sign language to comfort him. Just three days after my miscarriage, I secretly returned to work. But as I cleaned the last floor, a figure inside the glass window made me tremble all over. I nearly lost my footing again. “Lucas, you keep making me assign the most dangerous high-altitude cleaning jobs to Summer. She already had a miscarriage last time. Aren’t you afraid something will happen again?” “You’re faking poverty and disability to deceive her. You’re going to get caught eventually.” Lucas laughed carelessly. “Tanya insisted on playing this game with me back then. I wouldn’t have agreed if she hadn’t refused to come back otherwise.” “This game is almost over anyway. When Tanya comes back, I’ll just find some excuse to tell Summer I can walk again. She’s so naive—she believes whatever I say.” My heart seized with pain. Clutching my stomach, I let out a bitter laugh. Never again, Lucas. I’ll never believe you again.

A coworker nearby saw how pale I looked and asked with concern, “Summer, are you okay? You look terrible. You just had a miscarriage—you should be resting properly. Money can always be earned later.” “If Lucas knew you were working this hard, he’d definitely want to get better soon.” Through the window, I watched the man casually pull out a box of cigars from the compartment and light one. With his other hand, he tapped on his phone a few times. The next second, my phone vibrated several times. “Babe, I’ll come see you at the hospital later. I made your favorite cream of mushroom soup.” I loosened my grip at my side, my heart suddenly aching. In five years together, Lucas never knew I was allergic to mushrooms. I felt sorry for him with his immobile legs and didn’t want him to go to the trouble. Seeing Lucas’s hopeful eyes, I couldn’t bring myself to tell him. So every time, I’d force down the soup despite the discomfort, then secretly take allergy medication behind his back. I sent a simple reply: “No need to come. Wait for me at home.” When I opened the door, I heard crashing sounds inside, followed by the thud of something heavy falling. Pots and bowls had fallen on Lucas. Seeing me home, Lucas lay sprawled on the floor, his eyes suddenly reddening as he pounded his legs viciously. “Summer, it’s all because I’m useless! I can’t even help you set out the dishes.” A bowl suddenly fell from the shelf, about to hit his thigh. Lucas instinctively moved his leg out of the way. Pretending not to notice, I went forward to help him up. Usually I would frantically sign to comfort him, but this time I suddenly felt exhausted. I just shook my head to indicate it was fine. Lucas was about to speak when his phone rang. Clear delight flickered in his eyes. “Summer, I found a really good doctor. She just came back to the country. I want to go see her about my legs first.” I lowered my eyes and signed, “Do you want me to come with you?” Lucas smiled and patted my head like always. “You just wait at home for me. I’m afraid I’ll disappoint you again this time.” I didn’t miss the flash of panic in Lucas’s eyes, but I didn’t say anything more. While Lucas was out, I called a car on my phone. I followed Lucas the whole way, noticing the surroundings becoming increasingly familiar. Lucas’s Maybach finally stopped right at the bar where I worked part-time. After switching shifts with the manager, I rushed to the changing room, threw on my work uniform, and hastily put on a mask. As soon as I opened the private room door, I heard unanimous congratulations. “Congratulations on returning to the country, Miss Ji. Someone can finally stop pretending to be crippled.” In the distance, Lucas sat casually on the sofa with his legs crossed. My hand holding the tray suddenly trembled, and the bottle of expensive wine shattered. The manager bowed repeatedly to the person in the main seat. “So sorry, Mr. Walker. This one’s mute and clumsy. Let me get someone else.” At this, one of them laughed loudly. “Lucas, she’s just like your girlfriend—also mute.” Lucas suddenly glanced at me and frowned slightly. The private room’s dim lighting meant I could only see Lucas standing up. I instinctively gripped the hem of my clothes. Suddenly a gentle female voice spoke—soft, yet clearly reaching my ears. “Lucas, help me see if my hair looks good like this?” Lucas instantly looked away and sat down, waving dismissively at the manager. I stared blankly as he carefully fixed the hair of the girl beside him, his movements gentle and restrained. Then I heard someone ask, “Lucas, your girlfriend still thinks you’re really disabled. Otherwise she wouldn’t keep refusing surgery. What if she finds out and breaks up with you?” I lowered my eyelids, lost in thought, accidentally pressing my hands into the pile of broken glass. The pain suddenly brought tears to my eyes. That’s right—we were only boyfriend and girlfriend. Lucas had always refused to marry me. I’d proposed to him countless times. He only ever said “wait a little longer.” I never knew what he was waiting for. Now I finally understood—he was waiting for another girl to stop being angry, waiting for her to come back. Lucas’s cold voice pulled me back to reality. I heard him sneer, his expression detached, as if discussing something trivial. “Break up? In her heart, I’m more important than her own life. How could she bear to break up with me?” “Besides, what right does a mute like Summer have to influence my decisions? The time I’ve wasted playing this game with her is already compensation enough.” I instinctively clenched my fists. The pain in my palm spread to my heart, making my vision go black. I cleaned up the broken glass and left the bar. As soon as I got in the car home, Lucas sent a message. “Honey, the doctor is really busy. I’m still waiting for her. Go to sleep first.” It was followed by a string of caring reminders, but I couldn’t read a single word. So a person’s heart really can be divided in two. And in his eyes, this was a gift to me. I mechanically replied “okay,” then sent a text to the number I knew by heart. “I’ve made up my mind. Schedule the surgery to restore my voice. I agree to your conditions.”

Not long after I got home, a strange number added me on Ins. The person didn’t say a word, but I knew it was Tanya. I didn’t know how she got my number. Soon she posted a new update—a picture of someone’s back standing in front of a pot of soup, steam still rising. “First day back in the country. Finally got to drink the cream of mushroom soup I’ve been craving.” I numbly scrolled through Tanya’s feed. Lucas’s figure was everywhere. When I got to a recent post, my fingertips trembled uncontrollably. “He flew thousands of miles to spend my birthday with me. I’m not going to forgive him that easily.” The date was our anniversary. That day I’d made a whole table of dishes and ordered a cake I couldn’t usually afford. But Lucas disappeared for three days without a word. When he came back, he apologized and told me he’d gone to see doctors, but it still didn’t help. I’d comforted him all night. Now I just felt stupid and ridiculous. Lucas came home very late, struggling to pull himself onto the bed with his arms. He wrapped me in his embrace, his chin nuzzling my neck, kissing me intermittently. “The doctor said my legs have a great chance of recovery. She’s very skilled. In a week I should be able to stand.” He probably didn’t realize how obvious the smell on him was—a sickly sweet women’s perfume assaulting my nose. I suppressed the nausea churning in my stomach and pushed him away, staring at him coldly. The hickey on his neck was glaring. I couldn’t help tearing up. Lucas stiffened for a moment, frowning in displeasure. “Summer, what are you throwing a tantrum about now? So I came home a little late—I’m doing this so I can stand up sooner.” I wanted to ask him—did I really seem that easy to fool? Accidentally glancing at his wrist, I froze when I saw the watch. In the picture Tanya sent me, she was wearing an identical women’s version of the same watch. I’d once passed by a display window where all the watches were astronomically priced. I’d only dared look from afar. Lucas had seen the longing in my eyes and held my hand, his expression serious. “Babe, someday I’ll personally design a pair of watches just for us.” On his computer, the design file for this pair of watches was named “True Love.” Following my gaze, panic flashed in Lucas’s eyes. “I bought this from a street vendor when I went out. I saw it looked similar to my design, so I bought it for reference.” “I want to design something unique for you.” But Lucas’s expression remained serious as always. I couldn’t find a single flaw. As if he were stating a fact. I wanted to ask him who he originally designed this watch for. But when the words reached my lips, I realized I didn’t even have the ability to speak them. Staring at the man before me, I signed, “Lucas, let’s break up.” Lucas’s expression changed dramatically.

Seeing the number flashing on his phone, Lucas’s face changed drastically as he quickly answered. My throat couldn’t speak, but my hearing was sharper than most people’s. Even with Lucas covering the receiver, intermittent sobbing leaked through. “Lucas, my foot is fractured. It hurts so much.” Without even looking up, Lucas spoke hurriedly. “Babe, the doctor has something urgent. I need to go right away—I’ll miss my chance otherwise.” “Whatever you were about to say, let’s talk when I get back.” Lucas got into his wheelchair in just a few moves, even shifting his feet directly several times. He didn’t even notice his hands gripping the wheelchair were trembling. I smiled until my eyes reddened. He’d been home for half an hour, but if he’d looked even once, he would’ve seen the wound on my hand. The wound on my hand had already started festering and throbbing with pain. I pressed my lips together and decided to go to the hospital for an appointment. The doctor frowned when he saw my wound. “If you’d come any later, you could’ve lost this hand.” I nodded. The doctor glanced at the VIP room in the distance and sighed. “People really do have different fates. That girl only scraped her skin a little, but her boyfriend urgently called all the hospital’s specialists and even contacted the director to clear out a premium room.” “Afraid she’d worry and be scared, he hasn’t left her side for a second. So fortunate.” Seeing my lack of reaction, the doctor realized and continued writing me a prescription to get an injection. Passing by Tanya’s room, the cross necklace around her neck was conspicuous and painful to see. When Lucas’s legs suddenly lost feeling, I took him to see every famous doctor, but got no useful information. With no other options, I could only place my hopes in God. I’d gotten that cross necklace after praying for a long time at the church. Lucas’s eyes had reddened—it was the first time he cried in front of me. But less than a month later, the cross necklace was gone. I searched everywhere I could think of.

So it wasn’t lost—it was just given to someone else. Tanya removed the cross, her eyes suddenly reddening. “Lucas, this cross is too heavy. Whenever I wear it, I feel uncomfortable all over. Could it be because of this that I had an accident as soon as I came back?” Lucas took the cross, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. Then he pulled out a box from his pocket. Inside was a sapphire necklace—I recognized it as the Walker family heirloom necklace. More expensive than my cross. Lucas leaned forward to help Tanya put on the new one, casually tossing the old one in the trash. “That cheap thing doesn’t suit you.” The two embraced and kissed. Tanya suddenly opened her eyes and looked at me provocatively. The last thread in my mind suddenly snapped. I’d thought I was already mentally prepared. But actually seeing this scene, my heart still couldn’t help aching. A pinned message suddenly popped up from Lucas. I smiled bitterly, glancing at the embracing couple in the room. I only replied with a few brief words: “Lucas, let’s break up.” For five or six days straight, Lucas didn’t come home. Tanya updated her feed daily. Lucas had taken her to the world’s first amusement park. The two embraced in a high-rise river-view room, the window reflecting ambiguous marks on their bodies. Over these days, I slowly packed my things, only to discover that everything I owned didn’t even fill half a suitcase. After gathering my documents, I threw the wedding photo from the bedside into the trash. Perhaps I should be grateful Lucas kept putting off registering our marriage. He said he wanted to wait until he could truly stand, then we’d go. Now there was no need. After sending the landlord a text about terminating the lease, I headed to the airport. The private jet’s engine roared through the sky. Dozens of bodyguards stood in two rows, bowing to me simultaneously, their voices deafening. “Welcome home, Miss!” After five years, I’d almost forgotten I was the Su family heir. I never told Lucas about my identity—at first I just felt it wasn’t necessary. Now it seemed fair. We’d both been deceiving each other all along. These past days Lucas had been with Tanya, but remained distracted, constantly checking his phone for messages from me. Lucas hadn’t missed that breakup text—he was just certain I was throwing a tantrum. “Lucas, do you still want the stuff in the house? If not, I’m throwing it out. The new tenant is moving in.” Lucas’s heart suddenly panicked. “What new tenant? Where’s my girlfriend?”

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Dad bought cotton candy for my sister and me—one for each of us. I happily took mine, but my sister burst into tears. “Why does she get the same as me! I knew it—once you had a second child, I wouldn’t be the only precious one anymore!” Mom listened, then gently pulled the cotton candy from my hand. “This one’s for your sister too. You can have something else later.” But I wanted cotton candy too. I started crying from the hurt. Mom completely lost it. “Can’t you be more understanding! You’ve already taken half of your sister’s love, and you can’t even give up one piece of cotton candy?” “At such a young age, you’re already fighting with your sister over things. What will you be like when you grow up!” I was so scared I stopped crying and frantically tugged at the corner of Mom’s clothes. “Mom, please don’t be angry. I won’t eat it…” Mom froze for a moment, but then seemed even angrier. She turned and rushed to the vendor’s stand, bought ten sticks of cotton candy, and shoved them into my arms. “Eat! Sit right here and eat! You’re not leaving until you finish them all!” Mom took my sister’s hand and walked away. Dad patted my head sympathetically, his voice weary. “Once Mom calms down, Dad will come get you.” I sat alone on a bench in the mall, desperately shoving cotton candy into my mouth. By the seventh one, the mall caught fire.

People screamed and ran toward the mall exits. But I sat on the bench, not daring to run. I just sped up shoving cotton candy into my mouth. The cotton candy was so sweet. So sweet it tasted bitter. Hurry up and eat. Faster. Once I finish, Dad will come get me. Suddenly, a pair of strong arms lifted me from the bench. It was the cotton candy vendor lady. She carried me outside and set me down, gasping heavily for air. “Stay right here! I’m going to find a police officer to help you find your mom and dad, okay? Whatever you do, don’t run off!” Just then, I saw my sister and rushed over to grab her hand. “Emma! Where are Mom and Dad?” My sister shook my hand off forcefully and said hatefully: “Mom and Dad think you’re still inside. They went in to rescue you.” My mind went blank with a buzzing sound. I immediately turned and rushed toward the fire. I had to find Mom and Dad and bring them out. The cotton candy lady couldn’t catch me in time and shouted anxiously from behind. “Come back! Child! What are you doing! Come back—!” I didn’t look back. I just waved behind me as I ran. “Thank you, ma’am!” I ran back through the heat waves to where I’d been eating cotton candy. The bench was already blackened by smoke, flames crackling all around it. “Dad! Mom!” I shouted hoarsely, but there wasn’t a single person around. The cotton candy in my arms had already melted, the sticky syrup smeared all over me. If Mom saw this, she’d definitely be angry. I ran desperately, searching for Mom and Dad. Couldn’t find them. Couldn’t find them anywhere. I tripped and fell, with no strength left to get back up. The fire and thick smoke quickly surrounded me. I curled up on the scorching ground, using my last bit of consciousness to pray. “Mom, Dad, please make it out…” The pain and suffocating feeling quickly disappeared. I seemed to float up. How strange—just by thinking about Mom and Dad, I floated right to their side. On the chaotic roadside outside the mall, Mom was carefully wrapping a blanket around my sister. “Don’t be scared anymore, Emma. It’s okay now.” Mom cooed softly to my sister. Dad held a cup of hot milk tea to my sister’s lips. “Emma, you must have been so frightened. Drink something sweet to calm down.” That’s wonderful—Mom and Dad were safe! Dad turned to the firefighters rushing past, gesturing urgently. “Excuse me, have you seen a little girl, about this tall, with two pigtails, wearing a white coat…” Dad was looking for me! I quickly ran over and hugged Dad’s leg. But I passed right through his body. “Dad! Lily’s right here!” I shouted loudly, tried several times, but kept missing completely. Just then, my sister tugged on Dad’s sleeve. “Dad… I think I just saw Lily.” Dad jolted, and Mom immediately turned to look at her. “Really? Where? How is she?” Dad’s voice surged with excitement as he gripped my sister’s shoulders. My sister jumped, shrank back, and said quietly, “She left with some lady.” “A lady? What kind of lady? Which way did they go?” Dad asked anxiously. A flash of guilt crossed my sister’s eyes, but Mom and Dad didn’t notice. “I think it was the cotton candy vendor lady…” “I wanted to scare her a little, so I told her you guys thought she was still inside and went in to rescue her.” “But she completely ignored me. She didn’t even ask how you two were. She just left with that lady.” The urgency on Dad’s face vanished instantly. His face turned ashen as he let go. He said coldly, “She really is heartless.”

That’s not what happened! I didn’t abandon Mom and Dad! I was so anxious I nearly cried, desperately trying to explain loudly, but Mom and Dad couldn’t hear anything. Mom trembled with anger. “She ignored you and just left?!” She pulled my sister tighter into her embrace and glared at Dad. “Listen! Just listen! This is the fine daughter you’ve spoiled!” “Knowing we risked our lives going in to find her, she didn’t even ask if we were alive or dead! She left with some cotton candy vendor!” Dad hunched over, his eyes fixed on the mall entrance, saying nothing. In the chaotic crowd, I saw the cotton candy lady collapsed on the ground, sobbing. “That child… I already carried her out! But when she heard her parents were still inside, she ran back in!” “Foolish child… she could have survived!” I softly said sorry to the lady. Dad stared in that direction, took a few steps forward, his expression shifting. My heart tightened. Dad must have recognized that lady! He must know my sister was lying! But Dad stopped, turned around, and sighed at Mom. “Did you hear that?” Dad’s voice was full of disappointment. “Someone else’s child… heard their parents might still be inside, already made it out safely, but went back in.” “Such a loyal and righteous child.” So Dad hadn’t recognized her after all. My sister seemed relieved. Mom let out a cold laugh through her nose: “You said it yourself—that’s someone else’s child.” “Ours is just an ungrateful wolf we raised, and you’re comparing her to others.” “For some food, she didn’t even care about her own parents’ lives. What a waste raising her all these years!” I stood to the side, feeling wronged. It wasn’t someone else’s child! That was me, your child. Dad wearily rubbed his face, his voice very low. “Let’s go. Home.” My spirit involuntarily floated home following them. Everything at home was still the same as when we left that morning. The little lights on the Christmas tree glowed quietly. The snowflake stickers I’d put on the windows were still there. Dad opened the refrigerator, took out a chicken, and placed it on the counter. Mom rolled her eyes at him and said irritably: “Why are you taking that chicken out? None of the three of us like chicken.” “Just because that little brat made a fuss about wanting roast turkey for Christmas Eve, we specially bought it for her—over two hundred dollars for one chicken!” “And what happened? She doesn’t care at all!” Dad sighed, picked up the chicken to put it back in the fridge, then thought better of it and took it back out. “Let’s cook it anyway.” “Maybe she’s just playing around, went off with someone to play.” “Maybe… she’ll come home for dinner tonight.” Dad prepared an elaborate feast. The roasted turkey was golden and beautiful, exactly like the ones I’d seen on TV. Too bad I could no longer taste it. I tried to reach for the turkey, passing back and forth through the dining table. Mom suddenly raised her head and looked in my direction. My heart jumped. Could Mom see me? I moved around, but Mom’s gaze didn’t follow. She was just looking at the darkened sky outside the window. Mom stared for a long while, then suddenly slammed her fork down on the table with a loud clatter. “See! I told you! She’s never coming back!” Mom’s voice trembled with anger as she abruptly stood up, picked up the untouched roasted turkey, and threw it in the trash. “If she’s got the guts, she can stay away forever! I’ll act like I never gave birth to this daughter!” “Don’t…” I instinctively floated over, reaching out to retrieve the chicken. But I couldn’t touch anything. Dad gently patted Mom’s back. “Alright, alright. Let’s not be angry with her. We still have Emma.” My sister immediately threw herself into Mom’s arms. “Don’t be angry, Mom. Emma only loves her own mom and dad.” Mom held my sister tightly. “Yes… Mom’s not angry anymore.” “Mom still has Emma.” Dad’s hand also rested on my sister’s back, patting gently. The family of three, under the twinkling Christmas lights, embraced tightly together. Only I floated alone in midair.

Early the next morning, Dad rushed to my room as soon as he woke up. Seeing the bed still empty, Dad’s shoulders sagged slightly. Mom stood behind him with a cold laugh. “What are you looking at? Still fantasizing she’ll come back? Ridiculous!” On TV, the news was reporting on the fire. “Rescue operations for yesterday afternoon’s major department store fire have entered their final stages. Most of the victims’ bodies have been claimed by family members. However, one body of a young female remains unclaimed.” “The body was found near the children’s play area on the mall’s fourth floor, approximately four feet tall…” I couldn’t help shouting out loud. That’s Lily! Come get me and take me home! Dad walked quickly toward the TV, wanting to see more clearly. Just then, there was a knock at the door. Mom and Dad both tensed. “Is it Lily coming back?” A flash of panic crossed my sister’s face as she rushed to open the door. Standing at the door was my good friend Mia. Mia held a carefully wrapped gift box, her eyes bright and shining. “Good morning, Emma! Is Lily up yet? Today’s Christmas—we said we’d exchange gifts.” My sister blocked the doorway, her tone cold: “Lily? She’s not coming back. You don’t need to look for her anymore.” Mia looked confused. “Why? Where did she go?” My sister scoffed: “She wanted to eat cotton candy every day, so she recognized the cotton candy vendor lady as her mom. She’ll never come back to this house again.” “That can’t be true!” Mia’s eyes immediately reddened. “Lily would never just leave without saying anything! Even if she really had to go, she would definitely say goodbye to me first!” I floated to Mia’s side, my heart warm. Mom sighed and walked into my room, dragging two large boxes out to Mia. They were filled with my favorite toys and picture books. “Take all of these. Don’t cry. Be careful making friends in the future—don’t play with heartless bad kids.” Mia stepped forward and carefully searched through the boxes. Soon, she found the Christmas present I’d already prepared for her. The box had our special marking drawn on it. “Found it! This is what Lily gave me!” Mia placed her gift into the box and looked up seriously at Mom. “These are Lily’s. I don’t want them. I only want the exchanged gift.” “I’ll wait for Lily to come back, then come play with her again.” Mom didn’t respond. Mia walked a few steps, then came back. “Sir, ma’am, my mom says the most important thing for a family is trust.” “Lily isn’t a heartless bad kid. She’ll definitely come back.” Mom slammed the door with a bang. “Some stupid girl dares to lecture me!” Probably getting angrier the more she thought about it, Mom dragged the boxes straight out the door. “What are you doing!” Dad tried to stop her. “Leave me alone!” Mom shook off Dad’s hand. “Out of sight, out of mind! I’ll just pretend she’s already dead!” But Mom, I really am dead. My sister “helpfully” assisted Mom, throwing everything from my room into the public trash bins. Several kids curiously gathered around, roughly rummaging through everything. Mia’s gift was torn open—it was a beautiful ceramic doll. “What a piece of junk.” The doll was thrown on the ground and shattered. I wanted to stop them, but I couldn’t even create a breeze. I could only pass through their bodies back and forth. Finally, they got bored and ran off with their respective spoils. I silently floated back home. Everything related to me had been thrown away. Mom completely didn’t want me anymore. I floated in midair and discovered that even as a ghost, I couldn’t cry tears.

Over the next few days, the household returned to its normal routine. No one mentioned me anymore, as if I’d never existed. Until this day, when Ms. Johnson from kindergarten called. “Lily’s mom, Lily hasn’t been to kindergarten for several days now. Is something wrong?” Mom’s tone was cold: “Oh, nothing. She won’t be coming anymore. I’ll come by in a few days to process her withdrawal.” Ms. Johnson hesitated, then asked carefully: “Could the little girl in that video circulating online really be Lily?” “What video?” Mom’s tone was harsh. Ms. Johnson sighed with relief. “Since you don’t know about it, then it’s not Lily.” “It’s from the fire the other day—a little girl rushing into the flames to find her mom and dad… it’s really heartbreaking to watch.” “I saw the silhouette and kept thinking it looked a bit like… It’s good it’s not her, good it’s not her.” Mom’s voice suddenly rose sharply: “Ms. Johnson, we also heard about that girl, but it’s not Lily. She’s not that righteous.” “She fought with her sister over food. I only said a few words to her, and she went and recognized someone else as her mom. She hasn’t come back even now!” Ms. Johnson couldn’t believe it. “You’re saying Lily hasn’t been home for days? And you haven’t reported it to the police?” Mom cut her off sharply. “Report what to the police? Her sister saw with her own eyes that she left with someone else! Our Emma would never lie!” Ms. Johnson’s voice became serious too. “Lily’s mom, there must be some misunderstanding here. Lily is absolutely not the kind of child you’re describing!” “Besides, even if such a young child did leave with someone else, as her mother you have an obligation to find her!” Mom jumped up from the sofa in anger: “Gotten addicted to being a teacher? You don’t even have kids of your own, and you’re educating me!” “I think you’re not much of a teacher either—one little kid has you completely fooled.” “Some children are two-faced, one way in front of you and another behind your back. Born bad!” Mom rudely hung up the phone. At dinnertime, there was a knock at the door. It was Ms. Johnson with two police officers. Mom’s face immediately darkened. “Ms. Johnson? You brought the police to our house?” “I told you—our family business doesn’t need other people butting in!” Ms. Johnson tried to stay calm: “Lily’s mom, the more I thought about it, the more wrong it seemed. I know very well what kind of child Lily is.” “For the child’s safety, I must verify this.” Mom glanced coolly at the police and crossed her arms. “She left with someone of her own accord. There’s no disappearance, and it certainly has nothing to do with the fire.” “That child was spoiled from birth. One piece of cotton candy didn’t go her way, so she pulled this stunt. I’m not indulging her!” My sister, who had been hiding behind Mom in panic, suddenly pointed at Ms. Johnson and said loudly: “Lily always told me she hates Ms. Johnson the most!” “She favors other kids and often hits Lily! Lily doesn’t like going to kindergarten at all!” That’s a lie! I loved Ms. Johnson the most! But Ms. Johnson seemed completely unconcerned about those “bad words,” staring at my sister’s face for a long time. “Officer, this child—please look carefully. Is she the one in that…” The officer also looked at my sister for a moment, then tapped his phone a few times and handed it to Mom. “Is the girl in this video your child?” Mom’s face showed impatience. “Video, video again. How many times do I have to say it—that girl isn’t…”

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On our wedding anniversary, my usually conservative wife suddenly sent me a photo of herself in sexy lace lingerie. She said she wanted to try something thrilling and asked me to buy a box of ultra-thin 0.01 condoms. My face instantly flushed red to my ears, and I immediately agreed to her request. But the moment I stepped through the front door, Axel—her brother—yanked that box of condoms out of my coat pocket. Jessica’s expression changed instantly, and she slapped me hard across the face. “Dylan, how can you be so disgusting!” Seven or eight relatives pinned me to the ground, all glaring at me viciously and cursing wildly. “You look decent enough, but your mind is so filthy!” “You are a bastard who can’t control himself!” I was stunned, desperately looking up. “Jessica, didn’t you ask me to…” Before I could finish, Elena—my mother-in-law—stabbed me. When I opened my eyes again, my phone received a text from my wife. “Honey, I want to try something thrilling. On your way home, buy a box of ultra-thin 0.01.” In the photo, Jessica was lying on her side on the bed in black lace lingerie, her face flushed, with a half-open box of pills beside her hand. In my previous life, my heart had filled with joy. I went straight to buy the bestselling ultra-thin 0.01 condoms and rushed home, unable to stop fantasizing. But after getting home, I met a tragic death. Looking at the text message identical to my previous life, I forced myself to stay calm. It was clearly our wedding anniversary—why did Jessica suddenly turn on me? How did relatives suddenly appear at my house? Could they really want to kill me just because of a box of condoms? I absolutely cannot repeat the same mistake. With that thought, I replied to Jessica’s text. “Honey, I have to work late at the office today. I won’t be coming home.” I put down my phone and breathed a sigh of relief. At least I could get through tonight safely. Jessica and I were childhood sweethearts. She had a sweet, rigid personality and had always been very conservative about these matters. Could this be a test? But even so, failing a test shouldn’t cost me my life! Just then, the company door intercom buzzed. Margaret—my mom—burst in furiously and slapped me across the face. “Tell me! Which mistress are you keeping on the side!” “You bastard, just like your father—heartless!” She tried to hit me again, but I grabbed her wrist. “Mom! I’m not!” She pointed at my nose, her voice becoming even shriller. “Then go home! Apologize to Jessica right now!” All my life, Margaret had treated Jessica like her own daughter. After I graduated college, I caught the wave of opportunity, opened several companies, and became what people called a nouveau riche. Her first words were, “Now you and Jessica are finally a good match!” “I really do have work!” Margaret yanked the power cord. “Whatever work it is, drop it right now! We’re leaving!” She grabbed my arm, her nails practically digging into my flesh. I wanted to confide in the person who loved me most, but the words stuck in my throat. “Fine, I’ll go home.” “But you have to come with me.” She hesitated for a moment, then finally agreed. With Margaret present, they shouldn’t do anything, and besides, I didn’t buy condoms this time. The moment I walked through the door, just like in my previous life, Axel grabbed my collar without a word and tried to search me. Margaret exploded instantly, rushing to stand in front of him. “How dare you touch my child!” Seeing her protect me, warmth rose in my heart. Elena approached with a fake smile and pulled her back. “If he has nothing to hide, why fear being searched?” The relatives sitting on the sofa chimed in. I sneered disdainfully. “You don’t need to search me. I’ll do it myself!” But the moment I put my hand in my pocket, I broke out in a cold sweat. This feeling—it wasn’t a tissue, it felt like a box!!

How could this be? I clearly didn’t… I looked at Margaret in shock. Her eyes darted away, refusing to meet mine. Robert—Jessica’s father—stared at my hand that I refused to pull out. “Take it out!” My hand was pinched until it bled, then forcibly pulled out. That box of ultra-thin 0.01 was exposed before them once again. Robert snatched it away and threw it violently to the ground. “Marrying my daughter to you was the biggest mistake!” Everyone looked at me with contempt and cursed viciously. “What a bastard! Disgusting thoughts!” “How do you have the nerve to keep living!” Jessica’s slap came at me again. I blocked her hand and shouted desperately. “We’re husband and wife! What business is it of theirs if we use condoms?” “Jessica! You asked me to buy this—what’s the problem? Please explain for me!” Her eyes showed no sign of relenting. “What the problem is, you know very well.” Then she leaned close to my ear and said something I couldn’t believe. “Dylan, the moment you took this box of condoms, you had to die.” I looked at her in terror. From the corner of my eye, I caught sight of a knife tip peeking from Elena’s sleeve, stabbing toward me. I dodged sideways. My arm was slashed, blood seeping out. Four or five men with rope rushed at me. I pulled out the knife hidden at my waist and swung it wildly. Seeing this scene, Margaret passed out. I swung the knife while backing up, knocked over the shoe cabinet, and escaped through the front door in the chaos. I don’t know how long I ran. The taste of blood spread through my mouth. Hiding in a dark alley, only after confirming no one had followed did I dare to catch my breath. I pulled up the company surveillance footage. It was Margaret who had slipped that box of condoms into my pocket while I was typing. My heart went cold. Just then, Margaret sent another message. “Come back quickly. They’re just trying to scare you, they don’t really mean to hurt you!” I laughed bitterly. I was almost stabbed, and she still thought it was a joke. After thinking for a moment, I called my friend Marcus. He was my best friend from college. Without a second word, he let me stay at his place. At critical moments, brothers are the most reliable. After hearing my story, he punched the wall. “Just because of a box of condoms? Your wife is fucking ridiculous!” “Does she have someone on the side and want a divorce, so she’s setting you up!” Then he brought out a medical kit and carefully bandaged the wound on my arm. I paused. Jessica had indeed been coming home later and later recently. I immediately pulled out my phone and sent her a message. “If you have someone else and want a divorce, I can agree. You don’t need to scheme against me like this.” She replied instantly. “Honey, what are you talking about? Today was all a misunderstanding. Where are you? Let’s talk face to face.” I turned off the screen. She didn’t want a divorce—she was determined to take my life! I shook my head. “It’s not an affair.” After bandaging my wound, Marcus paused, then suddenly asked what kind of condoms they were. I pulled up the photo. His laughing face suddenly froze. “You’re sure it was this brand?” Seeing his shocked expression, my heart sank. “What? Is there something wrong with this brand?” He took a long drag on his cigarette, his tone forced casual. “What could be wrong? Bro, you must’ve done something else to piss her off. No way would she really try to harm you over a box of condoms.” “Women, you know—when they’re angry, they’ll say anything. She doesn’t want a divorce. Stay at my place for a couple days. When she calms down, go back.” I thought about it. It wasn’t impossible. Jessica was great in every way, except she never said things directly—she always made me guess. Once she stayed at the office for a month without coming home. Later I found out it was just because the vacation photos didn’t turn out well. Marcus settled me in the guest room. In the middle of the night, I woke up needing to pee. The moment I opened the door, a hushed voice reached my ears. “…Your husband’s at my place. Hurry and bring people over!”

I was thunderstruck and quietly escaped. Marcus was in on it with them! My heart turned completely cold. What secret does this box of condoms hold that makes them all want me dead? Sitting on a park bench, I began to review everything. Could she be allergic to latex? No, we’d been married for years—she’d never shown any allergic symptoms. I searched for the condom brand. Nothing special, just a bestselling product. The more I thought, the more confused I became. The cold wind made my head throb. Should I go to the police? Tell them that because of a box of condoms, my whole family wants to kill me? They’d definitely kick me out as a mental case. Just as I was at my wit’s end, I suddenly remembered hearing “Axel” faintly from Marcus’s mouth. Axel. Jessica’s brother was named Axel Zhang! But in my previous life, he never appeared from start to finish. My mind was in complete chaos, but I really didn’t want to miss any clue. I bought some self-defense items and decided to probe him. I dialed his number. “Axel, your sister and I had a fight. I’m coming to stay at your place for the night.” He asked what happened. I said vaguely. “Just some small stuff. Don’t tell your sister I’m coming to your place.” His tone was relaxed. “Okay, I’m doing experiments. Just come over.” When he saw me, Axel took off his lab coat, his tone casual. “You’re here.” He led me toward the break room and handed me a glass of warm water. It seems I was overthinking. Axel was a doctor. Not only was he dedicated to his work, but over the years, he’d secretly paid medical bills for many impoverished families. Patient families all called him an angel. Just then, his phone suddenly rang. “Axel, is my husband at your place?” I held my breath, my heart jumping to my throat. He pretended to be puzzled. “He’s not home? I haven’t seen him recently.” Hearing him say this, my anxious heart settled down. After hanging up, he said with a smile. “My sister has a temper. Bear with her.” I nodded, then asked directly. “Don’t you want to know why your sister and I fought?” He said casually. “That’s between you two. I’m not that nosy. Don’t worry, whatever the reason, I’ll help talk to her tomorrow.” Hope ignited in my heart. Maybe he could help me find out the truth? I was too tired after being tense all night. My body and mind had reached their limit, and I fell asleep quickly. In the middle of the night, I suddenly woke up choking. Thick smoke kept pouring into my throat. The break room door was wide open. I grabbed a towel and pressed it tightly over my nose and mouth. The smell of chemical reagents mixed with burning filled the air, making it hard to breathe. My eyes were irritated and streaming with tears. “Axel!” I shouted hoarsely. Only crackling sounds answered me. This place held all his most precious experimental equipment. I quickly pulled out my phone and dialed 911, my voice hoarse beyond recognition. “There’s a fire here!” I remembered there was a fire extinguisher box at the end of the hallway. I got down on the ground and practically crawled over. I pulled out the safety pin and pressed down. Empty?! I frantically grabbed another one. Also empty! I was utterly desperate. Just then, hundreds of lab rats scurried out from the thick smoke, running past me. Several at the front seemed to be carrying something in their mouths. When I saw clearly, I was horrified. It was him! He was trying to kill me! But why? What made him willing to burn down a lab worth millions just to kill me? The fire spread incredibly fast. I couldn’t get off this floor at all. My consciousness began to blur. Suddenly, I glimpsed a sign above a door that read “Blast-Proof Design.” Using my last bit of strength, I crashed through the door and fell inside. Sliding down to the floor, the moment I braced against the door, a piece of paper burned to half its original size slipped in through the door crack. In that instant, I understood everything. I understood why everyone wanted me dead over just a box of ultra-thin 0.01 condoms. To confirm one thing, I sent her a message. “I’m at the medical lab. Someone’s trying to kill me.”

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I had been with Lucas Sterling for five years when the massive earthquake hit, forcing him to make a life-or-death choice. He didn’t even look at my crushed leg. Instead, he frantically dug through the rubble to save his childhood sweetheart, Chloe, who had only suffered a few scratches. He tossed me a bank card. “There’s five million in here. Enough for your amputation and a comfortable life.” “Don’t contact me again. She’s sensitive. Seeing someone disabled like you would give her nightmares.” I didn’t cry or make a scene. I just watched him carry her away without a backward glance, running toward the medical team. I stayed there alone, surviving through the aftershocks. I had to saw off my own leg to stay alive. A year later, I got fitted with a prosthetic and ran into Lucas at a charity gala. He grabbed me desperately, his voice trembling. “Aria, you’re alive? I only saved her first because I thought her injuries were worse.” He said it was unavoidable and asked if I could give him another chance. I smiled and pulled my hand away. “Bad timing. I’m already married, and I just found out I’m pregnant with twins.”

Lucas tossed that bank card onto my dust-covered chest as the aftershock subsided. Around us, steel and concrete groaned, punctuated by distant cries of anguish. My right leg was pinned under a massive concrete slab, mangled and bloody, already numb beyond feeling. “The password is your birthday.” Lucas didn’t even bend down. He held Chloe Bennett in his arms as she trembled. Chloe’s face had a layer of scraped skin with a few droplets of blood seeping through. “Lucas, I’m scared. We need to go. This place is going to collapse again.” Chloe buried her head in the crook of his neck, her voice soft and shaky. Lucas immediately tightened his arms around her, looking at me with nothing but impatience and disgust. “Did you hear that, Aria? Five million. That’s the settlement for our five years.” “That’s enough to get the amputation at the best hospital, get a decent prosthetic, and live comfortably in some small town.” I gasped for breath. My lungs felt like they’d inhaled glass shards; each breath tasted of blood. I looked at this man I’d loved for five years. He usually kept his face cold, showing warmth only when he was with me. I thought that was love. It turned out it was just because Chloe had gone abroad, and he needed a docile substitute. Now that the real deal was back and facing a life-or-death test, I—the substitute—had become a burden. “Are you sure you want to leave? With my leg like this, I might not last until the rescue team arrives.” My voice came out hoarse. I tried to sound calm. Lucas frowned slightly, as if weighing something. Chloe sobbed at just the right moment. “Lucas, that slab looks like it’s moving again…” Lucas’s expression changed. He gave me one final look. “If you’re lucky, you’ll survive. If not, it’s fate.” “Chloe is sensitive. Seeing you all bloody will give her nightmares. Don’t come near us again.” With that, he carried Chloe away, stepping over the rubble without looking back, running toward the flickering rescue lights in the distance. That retreating figure was resolute, without a trace of hesitation. I lay there in the cold pile of broken stones, clutching that blood-stained bank card in my hand. How ironic. Five years of love, one leg—traded for five million. Lucas probably thought he got the short end of the deal. I thought I came out ahead. After all, seeing a bastard’s true colors—that’s what the price bought me. I don’t know how long passed before I heard voices from above. “There’s a survivor here! Badly pinned!” “Stretcher! Now!” A beam of light hit my face. It was too bright to open my eyes. I forced the corners of my mouth into a smile and said to the blurry figures, “Thank you. I’m not dead yet.” Before I lost consciousness, I heard someone say, “The leg can’t be saved. We need to amputate immediately.” That’s fine. Broken things—whether legs or men—should be cut away cleanly.

I woke up in a makeshift field hospital tent. The anesthesia had worn off. Where my right leg had been was now empty, yet it transmitted bone-deep phantom pain. A nurse was changing my bandages. When she saw I was awake, her eyes reddened. “You’re so strong. You didn’t make a sound during the entire surgery.” I wanted to smile, but my facial muscles were too stiff. It wasn’t strength. My heart had died, so I couldn’t feel the pain. A man on the bed next to me sighed and handed me an orange. “You’re alive. That’s what matters.” I took the orange, peeled it, and put a segment in my mouth. It was so sour that tears streamed down my face. I pulled out my phone. The signal was spotty. Opening social media, I found it flooded with news about the earthquake. The top trending topic read: [Lucas Sterling’s Deep Love in Earthquake Ruins, Never Abandoning His Love Through Life and Death] The accompanying image was a blurry photo. Against a dim background, Lucas held Chloe protectively, his eyes anxious yet affectionate. The comments section was full of praise: [Oh my god, this is true love! You see real feelings in life-or-death moments!] [I want a boyfriend like this too. He makes you feel so safe.] [Adversity reveals true character. Their love is so moving.] I also found one comment that didn’t fit: [Am I the only one who remembers that Lucas had a girlfriend for five years? Where is she?] Someone immediately replied below: [Oh, her? I heard she ran away to save herself. Nothing like our Chloe, who got injured because she stayed with Lucas.] [That kind of woman deserves to be dumped. Good riddance.] I closed my phone, my stomach churning. Ran away to save myself? Chloe’s skill at twisting the truth must have been honed during those five years abroad. It was Chloe who insisted on dragging Lucas to vacation in this area. When the earthquake hit, I was the one who pushed Lucas into the load-bearing wall’s triangular safe zone, which is why I got crushed. Now I’d become the heartless woman who abandoned her lover. Impressive. I looked at my empty pant leg. That last bit of sadness in my heart evaporated, replaced by a cold feeling. Lucas Sterling. Chloe Bennett. We’d settle this account slowly. A month later, I transferred back to the city hospital. Five million, plus my original savings, was enough to hire the best care and stay in the best private room. The doctor said I was recovering well and could prepare to be fitted with a prosthetic leg. Rehabilitation was a long process. During the adjustment period, my residual limb was rubbed raw and bloody by the prosthetic. Every step felt like dancing on knife points. But I didn’t cry. Compared to the despair of being buried alive in the rubble, this pain was nothing. That day, I was practicing walking with crutches in the hospital garden. A young man sat on a bench with his right arm in a cast, hanging in a sling around his neck. He was furiously typing into his phone. “I’m not going! My arm is broken, and he still wants me to go through with an arranged marriage?” “Broken means broken! Even with a broken arm, I’m still handsome!” “I don’t care about the family business. I just want to race. I just want to have fun!” He threw his phone onto the grass. Huffing angrily, he looked up and met my eyes. A ridiculously handsome, arrogant face crashed into my view. Caught staring at him, he froze for a moment, then his ears turned a bit red. “What are you looking at? Never seen a handsome guy lose his temper?” His tone was aggressive, like an agitated husky.

The next day, I saw that husky again. The nurse said he was the heir to the Prescott family fortune—Ryan Prescott. Another unlucky soul. During the earthquake, he’d volunteered for rescue work and got his arm crushed by falling rocks. He’d been laid up in the hospital for a month. His family kept pressuring him to come home and take over the business, but he insisted on pursuing extreme sports and was currently staging a rebellion. This plot sounded familiar. I ignored him and continued practicing my walking. But Ryan turned out to be a social butterfly—or more accurately, just too bored. He picked up my crutch and practiced a few moves with it like he knew what he was doing. “Hey, how did you lose your leg?” He pointed at my leg. If anyone else had asked like that, I’d have swung my crutch at them. But his eyes were clear and curious, without a trace of malice or pity. “Earthquake. Got crushed,” I said flatly. “What a coincidence—I also got injured in the earthquake.” He pointed at his arm. “But I was going in to save people. You were the one being saved, right?” “Yeah, I guess so.” I didn’t elaborate. “Well, your prosthetic looks pretty cool. Like the Terminator.” He squatted down, studying my carbon fiber prosthetic with great interest. He made me laugh. “What good is cool when I can’t even run?” “Who says you can’t run? Once my arm heals, I’ll take you racing. You don’t need legs to drift.” Ryan patted his chest in promise, pulling at his injury and grimacing in pain. Just like that, we inexplicably became hospital buddies. He was talkative and loved to complain. Every day he found new ways to tell me jokes or curse out his rigid older brother. With him around, the tedious days of rehabilitation weren’t quite so unbearable. Just when I thought things would continue peacefully like this, certain people had to come looking for trouble. I went to the mall to buy shoes. Because my right foot was prosthetic, I only tried on the left shoe. The sales associate was very considerate, helping me find a pair of soft flats. I’d just put one on when a familiar voice came from behind me. “Lucas, do you think those shoes look good? But won’t flats make my legs look short?” My movements froze. In the mirror, I saw two figures reflected. Lucas Sterling wore a custom-tailored suit, still looking every bit the polished gentleman. Chloe Bennett clung to his arm, wearing a white dress. Enemies on a narrow road. I didn’t want to deal with them. I stood up to go pay. Chloe had sharp eyes. She spotted me immediately. “Isn’t that Aria?” She covered her mouth dramatically. Her gaze fell on my prosthetic leg, a flash of satisfaction in her eyes, though her face showed exaggerated shock. “Oh my god, your leg… you really amputated it? How terrifying. You look like a robot.” She shrank into Lucas’s embrace, her body trembling. Lucas’s gaze swept over my leg, his brow instantly furrowing into a knot. “Aria, didn’t I tell you not to come near us?” “Chloe is sensitive. The way you look—are you deliberately trying to scare her?” I laughed at the absurdity. Did he own this mall? I turned around, looking coldly at this pair of bastards.

“That’s a fresh take. The earth doesn’t revolve around you two, you know. I came to buy shoes. How exactly am I scaring your fragile little princess?” “And stop with the ‘scare her’ talk. She looks pretty healthy to me—out shopping and everything. Wasn’t she at death’s door back in the rubble?” Chloe’s face went pale. Tears came on cue. “Aria, I know you resent Lucas for saving me first, but the situation was urgent at the time… Can’t you stop being so aggressive?” People around us started whispering and pointing. “Why is that woman acting like this? The other one already apologized.” “Exactly. Being disabled is pitiful, but that doesn’t mean she can guilt-trip people.” Lucas listened to the surrounding discussion, standing even straighter. He pulled out a card from his wallet and tossed it on the counter. “I’ll buy every shoe in this store. Except for the one on her foot. Aria, take your cheap shoe and get out. Stop being an eyesore.” The card spun twice on the counter with a crisp sound. Just like that other card. I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms. That pain was nothing compared to the cold feeling in my heart. This was the man I’d loved for five years. To save him, I’d not only sacrificed a leg but nearly my life. Now, to please his beauty, he wanted to strip away my dignity in front of everyone and trample it underfoot. The sales associate looked uncertain, glancing between me and Lucas. “Sir, there is a first-come, first-served policy. This lady was indeed here first…” “Shut up. Swipe the card.” Lucas didn’t even lift his eyelids. “I want every shoe in this store. Except the one on her foot.” Chloe put on a fake show of persuasion beside him. “Lucas, don’t be so harsh. Aria is physically disabled now, so she must be emotionally sensitive and fragile.” “These shoes are cheap and poorly made—beneath our status—but they’re probably the best she can afford.” As she spoke, she took half a step back, disdainfully covering her nose and mouth with her hand. Her gaze lingered for a second on my prosthetic leg. “After all, life isn’t easy for disabled people. Wearing cheap stuff is normal for them. Let’s not fight with her. She’s quite pitiful.” More and more onlookers gathered. Lucas listened to this and snorted. “Did you hear that? Chloe is kindhearted. She’s giving you charity.” I took a deep breath. Hold back? With people like this, showing restraint only makes them think you’re weak and easy to bully. I reached out and grabbed that unwanted flat. Since he loved throwing money around so much, I’d give him a taste of his own medicine—right in his precious face. My hand had just lifted, before I could follow through. A large hand wrapped in bandages suddenly intercepted, pressing down on that black card on the counter. Then a lazy voice rang out, carrying three parts amusement and seven parts provocation. “Well, well, if it isn’t Mr. Sterling. Showing off your money again to prove your existence?”

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The fake heiress was allergic to lies—whenever she heard one, she’d sneeze and break out in hives. The day I was brought back, the fake heiress’s whole body swelled up red, tears and snot streaming down her face. From that moment on, my entire family labeled me a pathological liar with a rotten character. Later, when my stroke-paralyzed grandmother tumbled down the stairs in her wheelchair, I had barely shaken my head to say it wasn’t me. The next second, the fake heiress had an allergic attack and went into shock on the spot. Dad was furious. Mom screamed and cried. My brother slapped me hard across the face: “How could the Weston family produce a viper like you!” I was humiliated. I was tormented. I was tortured. It wasn’t until after I died that I finally learned the fake heiress’s secret. The day the Weston family came to get me, I drank a cup of scalding hot water without hesitation. Only after feeling that unbearable, burning pain searing my throat did I calmly get into the Westons’ Porsche. In my previous life, the moment I saw my birth parents and brother, I threw myself into their arms, crying uncontrollably. Mom’s eyes were red as she kept saying she’d finally found me. Beside her, Emma spoke timidly: “I’m sorry, Serena. All these years I’ve been taking your place. Now that you’re back, I should return everything to you.” Derek frowned and flicked her forehead. “Don’t be silly. Serena won’t mind.” I quickly took Emma’s hand and said: “Of course not. I think of you as my real sister. We’ll always be family.” It should have been a heartwarming scene. But right after I spoke, Emma started rubbing her nose, then sneezed several times in a row, scratching at her reddening arms. Derek’s expression darkened slightly as he ordered a servant to bring allergy medication. Dad and Mom also subtly let go of my hands. The warmth in their eyes was now tinged with scrutiny. I was confused and frightened. I didn’t understand how words from my heart could cause such a reaction. I’d heard about it before—Emma Weston, the family’s precious daughter, had a strange condition. She was allergic to lies. Supposedly, when they first adopted her, Emma had an allergic reaction to a loyal housekeeper. After investigation, they discovered the housekeeper was a spy sent by a rival family to steal the Westons’ secrets. Later, at a banquet, Emma kept sneezing, interrupting Dad’s deal with a businessman. They found out afterward that the businessman had already gone bankrupt—the “partnership” was just a scam for money. Even more dramatically, at Derek’s engagement party, Emma broke out in hives after meeting the bride-to-be and developed a high fever. Derek was furious when he learned his fiancée had been sleeping around and picked up some diseases—she was just looking for someone to take care of her mess. One incident after another turned Emma into the Weston family’s precious porcelain doll, treasured and protected by everyone. They trusted her absolutely and wouldn’t let anyone hurt her. So naturally, they were wary of me—their biological daughter who’d just been found. Mom awkwardly asked how my life had been all these years. Remembering the beatings at the orphanage, the bullying at school, the years of scraping by at the bottom of society, I could only say bitterly: “No matter how hard it was, it’s all in the past now.” Mom looked somewhat pained when she heard this. But unexpectedly, even after taking allergy medication, Emma didn’t improve. Instead, welts rose on her arms, swelling badly. Mom immediately called the family doctor, looking at me with wariness and displeasure. Without a doubt, she thought I was playing the victim for sympathy. Then Emma graciously offered to give me her room, saying it was only right to return what was mine.

Feeling anxious and uncomfortable, I quickly shook my head: “How could I take your room? I didn’t come back to take your things.” Those words were like a match to gunpowder, setting off Emma’s condition completely. She started wheezing heavily, clutching her chest, looking like she was about to suffocate. Derek pushed me away in a panic, forbidding me from getting near Emma. Dad’s face turned dark as coal: “That’s enough for today. Mrs. Patterson, prepare a guest room for her and take her away.” I watched helplessly as they all surrounded Emma. I didn’t know what I’d done wrong. I was rejected by the very family I’d longed for. After that, no one in the Weston family gave me a kind look. I overheard the servants gossiping—saying the newly found heiress was a pathological liar with terrible character, that trash raised from the bottom couldn’t compare to the Westons’ precious pearl. I could only keep my head down lower, becoming completely invisible in the Weston household. The incident that made them despise me completely happened one evening. The family had gone out for a walk while I stayed in my room doing homework. Suddenly, I heard a loud crash from outside. When I went to check, I found my stroke-paralyzed grandmother had fallen down the stairs, wheelchair and all! I screamed and was about to rush down to help. But the family happened to walk in right at that moment and witnessed the scene. The housekeeper collapsed to the floor in terror, pointing at me: “Miss Serena said she wanted to take the old madam to the garden for some fresh air, but then she suddenly pushed her down the stairs!” Derek’s eyes turned bloodshot—that was his beloved grandmother. Dad frantically dialed 911, his voice trembling. Outside the emergency room, the doctor said the situation wasn’t looking good. Tears streaming down my face, I shook my head: “Please, you have to save Grandma. I don’t know how this happened. It wasn’t me.” But the moment I spoke, Emma immediately had an asthma attack. Her face went deathly pale, and she collapsed into shock. Everything became even more chaotic. Emma was also rushed into the emergency room. Dad clenched his teeth, barely containing his rage as he told me to shut up. Mom kept wiping away tears, silently praying for Grandma and her daughter to be okay. Derek was like a crazed lion, his eyes blood-red as he slapped me hard across the face: “How many people do you have to hurt before you’re satisfied! How could the Weston family have a venomous snake like you? Is there a single word of truth in your mouth!” I fell to the ground, my mind going blank. I didn’t know why either. I wanted to know how all of this happened! I hadn’t done anything, yet I’d become the family’s criminal! That day, Grandma died. Emma was transferred to the ICU. The Weston family completely gave up on me. Mom wanted to kick me out and sever all ties. But Derek disagreed. He said coldly: “A life for a life. She killed Grandma. I won’t let her off easy.” After that, I was either locked in a dog cage or hung from the second-floor railing. Derek tormented and insulted me every day. Mom and Dad turned a blind eye. I fell into complete despair. My will to live grew weaker and weaker. One time, the housekeeper forgot to feed the Tibetan Mastiff. The starving dog bit into my leg. I watched helplessly as it tore at me, bite after bite. Finally, I closed my eyes and let the pain swallow me whole. Remembering every detail of my past life, I clenched my fists. This time, I refused to be anyone’s puppet, living such a pathetic life!

Just like before, the Weston family hugged me and cried when we first met. Emma said the same words: “I’m sorry, Serena. All these years I’ve been taking your place. Now that you’re back, I should return everything to you.” But this time, I didn’t respond. I just looked at her silently. Her eyes reddened as if I’d wronged her, and she kept apologizing. The family started to look at me with some resentment. But I just shook my head pitifully, pointed to my mouth, then my throat. Red, swollen, and raw. Their expressions changed immediately, and they called for the family doctor. After examining me, the doctor said it was a burn—with medication and time, it would heal. Mom finally relaxed. But the doctor sighed: “Miss Serena has many wounds, both old and new. She must have had a very hard life these past years.” Mom started dabbing at her tears with a handkerchief, her voice trembling with guilt and heartache: “Serena, you’ve suffered so much. From now on, Mommy won’t let anyone hurt you again.” Dad stood beside her, his gaze falling on the crisscrossed scars on my body. He let out a heavy sigh: “No one will ever bully a Weston again!” Derek’s jaw tightened, a flicker of sympathy in his eyes. Emma was caught completely off guard by this turn of events. No one was paying attention to her anymore. She stood frozen in place like an actress who’d had her spotlight stolen. Then I saw Grandma sitting in her wheelchair, and my nose stung with emotion. I rushed to her side. In my past life, trying to figure out what had really happened, my spirit followed Emma after I died. That’s when I learned—she never had any allergy to lies at all. She could hear people’s thoughts. Whenever she sensed someone’s words didn’t match their thoughts, she’d fake an allergic reaction to gain the family’s protection. The most terrifying part was what I heard her say: Years ago, Grandma had gotten information about me and was overjoyed, planning to bring me home. But Emma heard her thoughts. To protect her own position, she’d sicced a large dog on Grandma, causing her to have a stroke from the shock and become vegetative. And all these years, Grandma’s condition never improved because Emma had bribed the servants long ago. The medicine Grandma drank every night wasn’t healing her—it was poison! All these years, Grandma had watched everything Emma did, unable to do anything, only able to wait helplessly for death. I pressed my face against Grandma’s hand, tears flowing uncontrollably. Grandma had truly loved me, but in my past life, I couldn’t save her. Worse, I was blamed when Emma’s bribed servant staged her fall down the stairs, letting her die with her name uncleared! This time, I would save Grandma no matter what! Though Grandma couldn’t move, her eyes glistened with moisture. Beside us, Derek looked moved and turned his face away. Mom and Dad exchanged glances, their eyes filled with comfort. Only Emma stood in the distance, as if she’d been cast out. The first battle—I won! That night, Emma crept into my room with a sinister look: “Don’t celebrate too early. In one month, it’s my eighteenth birthday. Dad promised long ago to give me his shares as a coming-of-age gift. The Weston empire will be mine eventually.” One month, huh? I laughed softly. I would make sure your eighteenth birthday was one you’d never forget.

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My daughter clung to my leg, crying because she wanted a ten-dollar toy. My husband didn’t even glance at her. “Don’t spoil her,” he said coldly. “It’s a waste of money.” I swallowed my heartache and had just calmed her down when my phone buzzed with a notification—his “first love” had posted on Instagram. In the photo, she was beaming, holding a brandnew designer bag. I found myself opening Amazon on impulse. The price tag—ten thousand dollars—stabbed at my eyes. Her caption read: “Thank you! I absolutely love this birthday gift!” And beneath the photo, my husband’s account had left the only like. I looked down at the chipped, faded doll in my daughter’s hands. Quietly, I took a screenshot and sent it to him with just one question: “That bag of hers could buy our daughter ten thousand dolls. Am I right?” “You bought that bag for Vanessa?” “Ten thousand dollars—where did you even get that kind of money?” Ryan didn’t stop what he was doing. He didn’t even look up. “Ten thousand? That’s a knockoff. Two hundred bucks from a street vendor.” “Vanessa just lost her job and was feeling down. I bought her a fake one to cheer her up. We’re old friends, after all.” He said it so casually, like it was nothing. My heart clenched like someone had grabbed it and squeezed. “Cheer up an old friend?” “Ryan, last week Lily wanted a tendollar doll and you said it was too expensive—that it was a scam for kids.” “But you’re spending money to make someone else feel better?” Ryan threw his phone onto the couch in annoyance, frowning at me. “Are you done? Lily’s just wasting money. The house is already full of toys.” “Vanessa’s different. She’s raising a kid on her own—it’s not easy. As a man, what’s wrong with helping out a little?” “Can you stop being so petty? You’re paranoid about everything.” Me? Petty? She’s the one who has it hard? I let out a cold laugh and turned back to the bedroom. Ryan thought I’d bought his lies. He picked up his phone again, muttering “unbelievable” under his breath. I sat on the edge of the bed, my hands and feet ice cold. That bag wasn’t fake. The authenticity tags, the leather grain—none of it could be counterfeited. I knew it too well. It was the exact bag I’d stared at for months on our wedding anniversary but couldn’t bring myself to buy. I took a deep breath, my hands trembling as I opened Ryan’s old phone. After he got a new one, he’d left this one in the drawer, only using it for games. But he forgot—a lot of apps stay synced. I opened the Amazon app, my heart pounding so hard it felt like it might leap out of my throat. The most recent order was a train ticket. Last Saturday. Destination: a city two hours away. And that day, Ryan had told me the company needed him to work overtime—an allnighter to finish a project. I scrolled down, my breathing growing ragged. Same day. Another charge. An upscale family restaurant in that city. Eight hundred dollars per person. That money could have bought Lily eighty toys. It could have covered our family’s groceries for a whole month. Tears welled up in my eyes. I tilted my head back, forcing them not to fall. I called the restaurant. Someone answered quickly—a sweet, professional voice. “Hello, how can I help you?” I forced my voice to stay calm. “Hi, my husband had dinner at your restaurant last Saturday and I think he left his lighter behind. Could you check for me?” “I’m not sure which table he was at. His name is Ryan, and his phone number ends in XXXX.” I heard typing on the other end, then the server replied. “Ma’am, yes, we found the record. Mr. Ryan did dine here.” “However, when our staff cleaned the table, they didn’t find any items left behind.” My grip on the phone tightened, nails digging into my palm. “I see… maybe I remembered wrong.” “By the way, was he alone that day? I just worry he might have been drinking at a business dinner.” The server must have heard the concern in my voice; her tone grew warmer. “Don’t worry, ma’am. Mr. Ryan didn’t drink.” “He came with a woman and a little boy.” “I noticed the boy kept calling Mr. Ryan ‘Daddy.’ They looked so close—just like a real family.” Just like a real family. Those words stabbed into my heart like a knife. I don’t remember how I hung up. All I could hear in my head was: just like a real family. Ryan hadn’t just spent money. He’d given something even more precious—his time. All his patience, his gentleness, his money—he’d given it all to that woman and her child. What he left for me and Lily was coldness, empty excuses, and lies. This was the man I’d defied my family to marry. This was the husband I’d pinched pennies for, sacrificed my dreams to support. Disgusting. I turned on the faucet and splashed cold water on my face. The icy shock cleared my head instantly. What good was crying? Could tears bring back the money? Could tears make Ryan change? No. Ryan, since you love playing daddy to someone else’s kid so much— I’ll make sure you get exactly what you deserve.

The next day was Sunday. Ryan was up early, getting ready and even putting on cologne. “That project at work still has some loose ends. I’m going in for a bit.” “Stay home with Lily. Don’t wait up for dinner.” He said it so naturally, not even bothering to come up with a new excuse. I was braiding Lily’s hair and didn’t look up. “Got it.” “Actually, I was thinking of taking Lily out too. I heard there’s a nice amusement park in the next city.” Ryan’s hands paused on his tie. A flicker of panic crossed his eyes. “Why go all the way there? It’s so far. Just play around here.” “Why waste gas money?” I smiled, pinning a little pink clip into Lily’s hair. “Lily’s been asking forever. Besides, I have a coupon. It’s cheap.” Ryan grabbed his briefcase and rushed out the door. Watching him go, the smile faded from my eyes. I’d made a reservation at that restaurant. Right across from their usual table. At eleven in the morning, I walked into the restaurant holding Lily’s hand. It really was an upscale place—decorated like a dream, warm and cozy, filled with children’s laughter. I spotted Ryan immediately. He was sitting by the floortoceiling windows, head bowed, completely focused. Across from him sat Vanessa. And a little boy, about five or six years old. The boy was clumsily fiddling with a complicated Lego set, and Ryan sat beside him, guiding his hands. “There you go, buddy. This piece goes here—see? That makes it sturdy.” “Good job! You’re so much better at this than my clumsy daughter.” His voice was so gentle it could melt, his eyes full of adoration. Lily tugged at my hand and whispered. “Mommy, is that Daddy?” “I thought Daddy was at work? Who’s that boy?” Looking into my daughter’s innocent, confused eyes, my heart felt like it was being pierced by needles. I crouched down and stroked her head. “Lily, sweetheart, go play in the ball pit over there for a bit. Mommy needs to talk to Daddy.” Lily didn’t want me to leave, but she’d always been obedient. She nodded and ran off. I took a deep breath and strode toward them. Before I even reached the table, Ryan seemed to sense something and looked up. The moment he saw me, the Lego piece in his hand clattered to the floor. His face went white. “You… what are you doing here?” Vanessa jumped too, scrambling to her feet, looking flustered. “Emily…” I ignored Vanessa. I just stared at Ryan. “This is your overtime?” “This is your loose ends at work?” “Ryan, your idea of working late is playing Legos with someone else’s kid?” People around us were starting to look. Ryan’s face flushed red, then white. He shot up, grabbed my wrist, and started dragging me toward a corner. “Have you lost your mind? This is a public place! Why are you making a scene?” “Can’t you give me some dignity?” Once we were in a quiet corner, he let go of my hand and hissed. “Are you following me?” I laughed coldly. “If you don’t want people to know, don’t do it in the first place.” “Ryan, you want dignity?” “You won’t even say a word to Lily, but here you are, overflowing with fatherly love?” Ryan’s eyes darted around as he made excuses. “Vanessa just moved back. Her kid transferred schools, has no friends, and is withdrawn.” “I’m just helping a friend look after her kid, trying to draw him out.” “Our Lily is so outgoing—does she even need my attention?” “How can you be jealous of a child? You’re being ridiculous!” His logic was flawless, really. Just then, Vanessa caught up to us. Her eyes were red, looking pitiful and delicate. She reached out to touch my sleeve. “Emily, don’t blame Ryan. It’s all my fault.” “I’m just too helpless. I can’t take care of my son alone, so I bothered Ryan.” “If you want to yell at someone, yell at me. Please don’t let this ruin your marriage.” “I’ll leave right now. I’ll never bother Ryan again.” As she spoke, big tears rolled down her cheeks, like she’d suffered some terrible injustice. That performance—what a waste not to go for an Oscar. The moment Ryan saw this, his heart melted. He pulled Vanessa behind him protectively. Then he turned and shouted at me. “Look what you’ve done to her!” “Vanessa is so considerate—unlike you, acting like a crazy woman!” “Can’t you learn from her? Be a little gentler, a little more understanding?” I looked at the two of them, putting on their little show, and felt nothing but disgust. Considerate? Understanding? What a thoughtful mistress. What a generous cheater. I didn’t make a scene. I just stood there, quietly, until my gaze landed on Vanessa’s neck. A silver necklace. A unique design—a butterfly with outstretched wings, its wings inlaid with tiny sapphires. My pupils contracted sharply. That was my necklace. The most precious thing I owned in this life.

My eyes locked onto that necklace. The blood in my veins turned to ice. That was “First Light.” The piece that won me the National Young Designer Gold Award in college. The peak of my design career—and its end. That year, I could have used that award to get into graduate school, to study abroad. But Ryan’s startup had failed. He was drowning in debt, people showing up at his door demanding money. To help him, I gave up grad school. I handed over the entire tenthousanddollar prize to pay off his debts. I stood by him through street vending and food delivery, clawing our way back one day at a time. That necklace was one of a kind. I’d kept it as a memento of that dead dream. For years, I’d locked it in the deepest corner of my safe. I couldn’t even bring myself to wear it. Now it hung around Vanessa’s neck. The irony was suffocating. I walked toward Vanessa, step by step. “Stop embarrassing yourself. Take Lily and go home!” I ignored him and pointed directly at Vanessa’s neck. “Where did you get that?” Ryan froze for a second, his eyes darting away. He instinctively stepped in front of Vanessa. “What do you mean where? I bought it!” “Street vendor stuff. Like twenty bucks. What about it?” Street vendor again. Just something he picked up. I laughed coldly and grabbed the necklace. Vanessa shrieked, clutching her neck and backing away. “What are you doing! You’re hurting me!” “Emily, I know you don’t like me, but this is a gift from Ryan after all…” “A gift?” I stared at Ryan, my voice shaking. “You’re telling me this is street vendor junk?” “Do you even know what’s engraved on the back?” Ryan’s face went deathly pale. Sweat beaded on his forehead. Of course he knew. When I gave this to him as a token of our love, I’d held his hand, pointed to the tiny engraving on the back, and told him: “This is an L—for my name.” “Ryan, if you’ve forgotten, I’d be happy to remind you.” I yanked hard, ripping the necklace from Vanessa’s neck. I flipped the pendant over and held it up to Ryan’s face. The small “L” was perfectly clear. “See it now?” “This is my First Light! The most important achievement of my life!” “Ryan, how dare you?” “How dare you take my heart and soul and give it to another woman?” More people were gathering now, whispering and pointing. Ryan’s composure finally cracked. His eyes went red, and he roared at me. “Fine! Yes! I took it! So what?” “It’s your stuff, but it’s also our stuff!” “Vanessa said it was pretty, that wearing it would bring her luck.” “She’s been having such a hard time—what’s wrong with letting her borrow it?” “It’s just a stupid necklace! Why are you so obsessed?” “It was just sitting in a drawer collecting dust. Might as well let it do some good!” So that’s what he thought. My dreams. My youth. My sacrifice. Just “a dusty old necklace.” Vanessa had recovered by now, holding her neck, crying like a wounded flower. “Emily, I didn’t know this meant so much to you…” “Ryan said it was just a decoration, that it wasn’t worth anything.” “If you want it back, I’ll give it back. Why did you have to grab it like that?” “It’s not like I can’t afford my own…” She cried while sneaking glances at the crowd around us. Sure enough, people started muttering. “That woman’s crazy—she just grabbed it right off her.” “It’s just a necklace. Is it really that serious?” My hand holding the necklace trembled. My heart felt like it was being torn apart. In that moment, I finally understood. What Ryan had trampled wasn’t just a necklace. He had trampled my dignity—everything I had sacrificed for this family. In his eyes, I was worthless. I clutched the necklace tightly and turned to leave. “Ryan, we’re done.” Ryan panicked. He rushed forward to block me, then dropped to his knees with a thud. “Babe! I was wrong!” “I know I was wrong!” “I shouldn’t have taken your things. I just—I wasn’t thinking!” “Take the necklace back. Let’s just live our lives together, okay?” He grabbed at my pants leg, crying and sobbing. I kicked him away. All I felt was disgust.

When I got home, I locked the necklace back in the safe. Then I shut myself in the bathroom and cried until I couldn’t anymore. That night, Lily suddenly spiked a fever. Her temperature shot up to 103°F. She was delirious, mumbling that she felt awful. I panicked and rushed her to the hospital in a cab. Registration. Blood draw. Lab work. I ran up and down the halls alone, carrying my thirtypound daughter. In that moment, I truly hated Ryan. The doctor wrote up the orders and told me to go pay. I pulled out the bank card where I kept our savings and handed it to the cashier. It was Lily’s education fund—our emergency money. Five years of saving. Two hundred thousand dollars. I never expected Ryan to save anything, so I’d always managed this account myself. But Ryan knew the password too. Beep— The cashier handed the card back, looking apologetic. “Insufficient funds.” I froze. “That’s impossible. There’s two hundred thousand in there. How can there be insufficient funds?” “Is the machine broken? Network issue?” The cashier looked tired. “The machine’s fine. There’s just no money. The balance is thirty dollars and fifty cents.” “Use a different card. There are people waiting.” Thirty dollars and fifty cents? My head exploded. Two hundred thousand dollars! Money I’d scraped together, penny by penny, going without so we could save! My hands shook as I pulled out my phone and opened the banking app. Three days ago, a transfer of $199,990. Recipient: Vanessa Harper. I paid for Lily’s treatment with my credit card. After she was hooked up to the IV, I called Ryan like a woman possessed. It rang for a long time before he answered. His voice came through, sheepish. “Hey babe, why are you still up? I’m at the office…” “Ryan, where’s the money?” My voice was ice cold, teeth clenched. “Lily’s education fund. Two hundred thousand dollars. Where is it?” Silence on the other end. Then Ryan started stammering. “Um… babe, let me explain.” “Vanessa’s mom… she suddenly got really sick. Needed emergency surgery.” “You know how it is—no money, no treatment.” “I couldn’t just let her die, right?” “So I lent it to her. She said once she sells her parents’ house, she’ll pay it all back…” “Lent?” I was shaking with rage, tears streaming down my face. “Ryan, that was Lily’s money!” “Lily is in the hospital right now with a high fever, and I can’t even pay the medical bills!” “You took our daughter’s emergency fund to save your exgirlfriend’s mother?” “Are you even human?!” “Did a dog eat your heart?!” My shouting drew annoyed looks from the nurses, signaling me to keep it down. I covered my mouth, choking back sobs, the pain making it hard to breathe. Ryan was still making excuses. “I didn’t know Lily would get sick…” “Besides, that was life or death. This is just a fever. Can’t you tell the difference?” “Can’t you have a little compassion?” Compassion? I looked at my daughter on the hospital bed, hooked up to an IV, her face flushed with fever. She was so small. So fragile. And her father, for the sake of another woman, had abandoned her completely. I wiped my tears and spoke into the phone, my voice calm. “Ryan, you wanted to save someone?” “Fine. That’s just fine.” “Since you’re so generous, you’d better be ready to pay the price.” “That two hundred thousand—I’m going to make you pay it back. With interest.” I hung up and blocked him on everything. You want to play dirty? Don’t be surprised when I play dirtier.

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My brother Jason married Veronica Chase, the powerful heir to a business empire. But rumors swirled about Veronica’s dark, sadistic tendencies-ones that pushed him to the brink of madness. I ended up with Hannah Porter, Veronica’s assistant. She didn’t have wealth or influence, but she showed me a kindness I’d never known. Later, she even replaced Veronica and gave me a life of wealth and luxury. Consumed by envy, Jason stabbed me, leaving me to bleed out on the floor. When I came to – back in that fateful moment-Jason was already choosing Hannah, without a second thought. A smug grin spread across his face as he whispered, “This time, dear brother, you’re the one who’ll suffer for life. My happy ending is guaranteed. ” How could he be so naive? Did he honestly believe Hannah was a good person? The moment I opened my eyes, I saw Veronica Chase sitting at the head of the dining table. Standing beside her was her assistant, Hannah Porter. In a startling move, Jason lunged forward and seized Hannah’s hand, and said excitedly to Veronica, “Veronica, I like your assistant. Let her marry me.” At his words, my father immediately stood up from his seat, his face darkening with fury. “Jason, what are you doing? Stop this nonsense!” “I’m not being ridiculous. I really like Hannah.” Jason spoke defiantly, shooting me a smug look. That’s when it hit me-he was a reborn soul, just like me. He remembered everything. In my past life, my father brought Jason and me here so Veronica could choose a future husband. It would also propel our family business to unprecedented success. But my father always favored Jason. There was no way he’d let me marry the powerful Veronica and live comfortably. So he’d laid down the law in advance: “If Veronica chooses you, reject her immediately and choose Hannah instead. Otherwise, I’ll make sure you never see your birth mother again.” Jason and I were half-brothers. My brother was in a nursing home, recovering from a long illness. The woman at home now was Jason’s biological mother—my stepmother. To keep my mother alive, I had no choice but to agree. In my past life, Veronica actually chose me. I had to reject her and choose her assistant instead. Then Jason stepped in, declaring his sudden admiration for Veronica. Back then, Veronica’s expression was unreadable, her eyes like dark pools. She’d simply said coolly, “Fine. Then you’ll be my husband.” But after the marriage, Jason’s life wasn’t happy at all. Because Veronica supposedly had twisted habits—she enjoyed tormenting people. She would lock Jason in the basement day after day, using every method imaginable to torture him. Meanwhile, I married her assistant Hannah. Though she had no money or influence, she was incredibly gentle with me. She brought me to work every day,under the guise of taking care of me. Eventually, she even killed Veronica, took her place, became the new heir, and gave me a life of wealth and luxury. Jealousy ate away at Jason until he snapped. He escaped from the basement and stabbed me to death. That’s why he was so eager to choose Hannah in this new life. But Jason was a fool. Just like before, you never look beneath the surface. Someone capable of killing an heir—how good could she really be? “I choose Hannah!” Jason spoke again, his tone firm. My father was furious, but could only explain to Veronica, “Jason doesn’t know any better, but rest assured, if you favor him, I will ensure he honors the arrangement.” “No.” Veronica spoke softly. “I’m not interested in him. But Hannah happens to be single. I think they’re well-matched.” At her words, my father’s expression darkened. After all, he’d originally planned for Jason to climb the social ladder. But with Veronica saying this, he couldn’t refuse. Now only I remained. Veronica’s beautiful eyes fixed on me intently. “Marcus, will you marry me?” Though in my past life Jason was tortured to death by her. Because Hannah brought me to work every day, I spent a lot of time with her and learned that Veronica didn’t actually have twisted habits. Jason must have done something to displease her, which made her treat him so cruelly. “Marcus, Veronica asked you a question. Don’t you want to marry her?” Jason suddenly spoke up, watching me like this was all a show. I smiled. “Absolutely.” At my words, not only did Jason smile smugly, but Veronica’s lips curved up slightly too. I didn’t know what she was smiling about, and I didn’t want to know. I only knew that this time, I would make every single one of them pay. One by one, I’d drag them down.

Our wedding date was set in short order. As Jason walked past me with Hannah, he whispered, “This time, you’ll suffer for the rest of your life, while I’ll live happily ever after.” I raised an eyebrow slightly. “Really? Who suffers remains to be seen.” Jason was so angry his teeth clenched. “Just wait. Your time is coming!” The moment he finished speaking, Veronica walked over. His face went pale with fright, and he and Hannah scurried away. Veronica looked at me. “From now on, you’re my husband. If you have any conditions, Name your price.” Feel free to ask? Was fate finally on my side? In my past life at this time, Veronica had an important project that she assigned to Hannah. Hannah secretly embezzled a lot of money from it, which later became the foundation for killing Veronica. After all, with money, she could hire people. This time, I wouldn’t let her succeed. Not only to prevent Veronica’s death, but also to get revenge on Jason. I knew Hannah too well. She was the one with real problems. If she lost the project, her temper would become even more volatile. Jason was in for some truly “wonderful” days ahead. I looked at Veronica. “The suburban project—I want you to give it to me, not Hannah.” I thought she’d ask me why. But she didn’t. She agreed immediately. She even offered to show me our future home. Veronica took me to a luxury villa district where every inch of land was worth a fortune. Only the wealthy and powerful lived here. Veronica was truly rich—I’d known that in my past life. I figured that in this life, her wealth alone could secure my comfort, provided I didn’t cross her. As for love, I wouldn’t hope for that. So I took her hand, laying on the charm. “Veronica, I really like it here.” She smiled and handed me a check for fifty million dollars. “Go spend it.” My eyes lit up. I desperately needed money. Heaven was truly helping me. Then she took me to see the new house. How strange—the interior design was all in styles I liked. I didn’t understand how she knew me so well. Just as I was about to ask, she suddenly kissed me, blocking all the questions I wanted to ask. This was happening so fast. When the kiss ended, I suddenly noticed Jason standing outside, his eyes glaring at us viciously. He must be furious that I wasn’t being tortured.

In my past life, Hannah brought me to the company to work together every day. She presented it as care, but in truth, I was her servant. When she was tired, I had to massage her back. When she was unhappy, she’d take her frustrations out on me. Once, she slapped me so hard my nose bled. When I went to the bathroom to clean up, I ran into Veronica. She frowned. “What happened? Who hit you?” I didn’t dare tell her, because Hannah would beat me for it. So I lied. “No one. I just have a medical condition that causes frequent nosebleeds.” After learning this, she gave me a check for one million dollars and told me to get treatment. Then she left. That moment confirmed for me that she definitely didn’t have twisted habits. After all, someone with those problems wouldn’t be kind enough to help a stranger. Hannah was the one with real problems. Jason thought he’d escaped the fire. Little did he know, he’d just jumped from the frying pan into the fire. Actually, he’d just jumped from one fire pit into another that burned even fiercer. After Veronica dropped me home, Jason pulled me into his room, glaring at me viciously. “Did you drug Veronica? Is that why she kissed you?” “Just wait. Soon enough you’ll be locked up, bitten by dogs, and living with snakes and rats!” As he spoke, unable to contain his anger, he tried to hit me. I grabbed his hand and slammed him hard against the wall. My voice was very soft. “Jason, instead of wasting time arguing with me, you should think about your own future.” Hannah would grind him down to nothing. But I didn’t want to tell him what kind of person Hannah really was. Whether in my past life or this one, he never wanted me to have it easy. I wasn’t kind enough to let someone who’d killed me have it easy either. His teeth were chattering with rage. “The show’s just beginning. When you’re broken beyond recognition, let’s see if you’ll still be so smug!” With that, he shoved me hard and left the room. Looking at his short sleeves revealing his muscular arms, I couldn’t help but smile. Yes, the show was just beginning. Jason, soon your healthy body would be covered in scars.

The next day, Hannah arrived with gifts to finalize the wedding arrangements. She gently held Jason’s hand and said to my father and stepmother, “Uncle, Aunt, don’t worry. I’ll treat Jason well from now on.” Her idea of “good treatment” involved tying up her husband and whipping him with a barbed whip. She’d also inject various chemicals into her husband’s body, making him suffer unbearably. I wondered if Jason could handle this so-called “good treatment.” Right now Jason knew nothing, still grinning broadly. When I went to the bathroom, he couldn’t resist finding me to gloat. “See that? Hannah loves me. My happy life is just around the corner.” Then he actually pulled out a syringe, laughing coldly. “In a few seconds, your handsome face will be gone. You won’t be able to attract Veronica anymore. She’ll find you disgusting!” He lunged at me with the injection. I dodged to the side and was about to grab his hand when someone beat me to it. It was Veronica. She snatched the syringe and jabbed it hard into Jason’s arm. Immediately, he let out an agonizing scream. “Ah!” Jason collapsed to the floor, clutching his arm and writhing. Hannah and my father rushed over. “Jason, what happened?” Jason cried and screamed, “It was Marcus! Marcus did this to me! Hannah, quick, punish him for me!” I’d never touched him. Hannah didn’t listen to him. She quickly apologized to Veronica first. “Veronica, I’m sorry. I didn’t discipline my husband properly.” Veronica took my hand, her voice cold. “If anyone dares touch my husband again, I won’t let them off.” The room fell deathly silent. No one dared speak. Jason clutched his arm corroded by the chemicals, trembling with fear. I glanced at my father. He looked at Jason with seeming concern. But only I knew he wasn’t truly concerned about Jason. In my past life, he knew exactly what kind of person Hannah was, which is why he made me marry her. In this life, when Jason chose Hannah, my father not only didn’t stop it for his own interests, he didn’t even tell Jason what Hannah was really like. Not one of these people was decent. I wouldn’t spare any of them. After Jason’s arm injury, his wedding with Hannah was postponed, but the two went to the marriage registry office early. Veronica’s status in Harbor City was unmatched. Though Jason was hurt by her, he didn’t dare say anything. He had no choice but to choke down his rage. Meanwhile, Hannah stayed at the hospital taking care of him every day, playing the role of the good woman. Only I knew Hannah was just keeping up appearances. She actually hated Jason and was definitely tormenting him at the hospital every day. I knew Hannah all too well-she was viciously competitive. Jason made her lose face in front of Veronica, so she’d definitely punish him thoroughly. On my end, my plan was also progressing. The project I’d asked Veronica for, she gave to me as promised. I deliberately had people spread false information. Making outsiders believe that because Hannah was too busy caring for her husband, Veronica gave me the project instead. When word got back to Hannah, she’d probably vent all her anger on Jason. To confirm this, I secretly went to the hospital to check on Jason. I saw Hannah choking his neck, viciously slapping his face. “I worked on that project for months, and because of you, all my plans are ruined!” “You should just die!” She even used needles to pierce his arms and legs. Hannah was a complete psychopath. I quietly recorded this scene with my phone. Jason, you thought swapping lives with me would make you happy. So now, do you regret it?

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The first thing I did after I was reborn was dump Chloe, my devoted girlfriend, and immediately turn around to accept the obsessive Serena’s advances. Only because in my past life, my so-called best friend, Ryan, had bound an App that could transfer all of Chloe’s love for me straight to him. I remembered asking her, eyes burning red, why she’d changed. But she had just looked at me with chilling disgust. “We broke up ages ago. Stop harassing my boyfriend!” On my birthday, Ryan went live on Instagram, showing off the private island Chloe had booked for him. Meanwhile, I was locked away by them in a psychiatric hospital. They called me a delusional stalker, a crazy person. I died in despair amidst endless, so-called treatments and drug injections. Then, I opened my eyes again. I was back. This time, I wouldn’t give Chloe an ounce of my true feelings. Instead, I’d pretend to reciprocate Serena’s. When Ryan opened that App again, ready to siphon off Serena’s overwhelming, pathological love, I just smiled. I wanted to see if he could actually handle it.

“Alex, I love you!” The resounding, unwavering confession, accompanied by the drone swarm’s hum and the crowd’s excited screams, snapped my consciousness back. Chloe stood in the center of a star-filled pattern crafted from roses and lights, microphone in hand, her eyes shining as she gazed at me. The cheers were deafening. “Say yes! Say yes!” It took a moment for me to realize I had been reborn. I was back to the annual campus celebration, the very day Chloe planned to publicly declare her love for me with a drone light show. In my past life, I’d stood right here, heart pounding like a drum, waiting for her to walk toward me. But just as she was about to utter her final vows, her gaze had drifted past me, landing on Ryan, my friend, who was standing behind me. I’d never forgotten that moment. Later, I learned Ryan had an App on his phone, one that could steal love. It was him, like a thief, who had stolen Chloe’s love for me. And now, history seemed poised to repeat itself. I could almost feel Ryan, behind me, subtly tightening his grip on his phone, ready to pull the same stunt again. The shouts from the crowd grew louder, and Chloe’s smile became even more radiant and sweet. Before she could utter the crucial words, I stepped forward, took the spare microphone offered by someone nearby, and spoke in a chillingly calm voice: “Chloe, we’re over.” “I don’t like you anymore. I just don’t feel anything.” Those words landed like a bombshell, exploding in the stunned crowd. “Is Alex crazy? Chloe’s been chasing him forever, put on such a huge show, and he’s publicly blowing her off?” “How could the most popular girl on campus not be good enough for him? He actually broke up with her?” “This guy’s brutal, didn’t hold back at all!” Chloe’s face instantly went white. “Why? Alex, tell me why? Is there something I did wrong? I can change!” In my past life, I had pleaded with her just like that, only to be met with her cold disdain. Now, it was her turn to bear that pain. “Alex!” A hand clamped hard on my arm. It was Ryan, his face etched with fake concern. “Don’t be impulsive, man. You and Chloe have such a great relationship, everyone’s jealous. How can you just break up like that? Apologize to her, stop messing around.” I looked at his face, plastered with hypocritical concern, and smirked inwardly. He was definitely panicking. Suddenly, I completely understood: his App probably only worked on his current partner’s love. Once Chloe and I broke up, he couldn’t steal anything from her. That’s why he was so desperate to get us back together. I violently pulled my arm away, my former dejected self gone, my eyes sharp as daggers as I stared at him. “My business is none of yours.” With that, I pushed through the crowd without looking back, leaving behind a wave of stunned murmurs and Chloe’s muffled sobs.

The news of me publicly dumping Chloe spread like wildfire across the entire campus. I became the campus jerk in everyone’s eyes—ungrateful, cold, and ruthless. Everywhere I went, I felt eyes on my back, heard hushed whispers. “That’s him, the one who dumped Chloe, his perfect girlfriend.” “I heard he’d wanted to break up for a while, just waited for today to totally humiliate her.” I couldn’t have cared less. These rumors and whispers felt like a gentle breeze compared to the ‘treatments’ and torment I endured in that psychiatric hospital in my past life. Ryan had been clinging to me like glue these past two days, trying to tirelessly convince me to get back with Chloe. His words constantly hinted at how much pain Chloe was in, how she was drowning in tears. “Alex, Chloe hasn’t eaten or drunk anything in two days. She’s completely wasted away. Can you really be so heartless?” He hooked his arm over my shoulder, saying with feigned sincerity, “You two were everyone’s favorite couple, the benchmark for love. Don’t give up because of a misunderstanding.” I brushed his arm off, looking at his shifty eyes, finding him utterly ridiculous. “If you’re so concerned about her, why don’t you go comfort her yourself?” I said flatly. Ryan’s face stiffened for a second, then he forced a smile again. “I’m doing this for your own good! You’re my best friend, I can’t just stand by and watch you make a mistake!” “Really?” I laughed. “Well, I guess I should really thank you for your friendship, then.” I ignored him, walking directly toward the school garden. Under the arbor, a figure stood out. Her skin was a morbid, almost translucent white, her eyes as black as ink. A tear-drop mole beneath her eye gave her an unnerving charm. She wasn’t admiring the flowers; she was just lazily leaning on a swing, the silence around her broken only by the wind. This was Serena, from a powerful family, but with a volatile, unpredictable personality—a true control freak. In my past life, I’d heard stories about her: a guy she dated for a short time eventually had a mental breakdown and dropped out of school. I took a deep breath, walked down the winding path, and stopped in front of Serena. She seemed to sense someone approaching, and lazily lifted her eyelids, her inky black eyes landing on me with an appraising gaze, laced with a flicker of dangerous curiosity. “Something wrong?” I met her eyes, speaking slowly and deliberately. “Chloe and I broke up. Now, I accept your offer to be your boyfriend.” Her words hung in the air. Serena froze. She slowly rose from the swing, a playful, almost childlike smile curving her lips. “When I pursued you before, didn’t you say Chloe was the only one in your heart?” “What, now you’re finally willing to break up?” Serena’s words made me briefly remember the warm times I’d spent with Chloe in my past life. Back then, we were deeply in love, but that was before Ryan stole her affection. I forced my voice to remain steady. “Not interested? Fine, then.” I started to turn away, but she suddenly chuckled softly. “Oh, I’m interested.” With that, a kiss landed on my lips.

The news of Serena and me getting together spread even faster and wider than my breakup with Chloe. The entire campus was buzzing. “Oh my god, did Alex lose his mind? Dumping Chloe just to mess with Serena?” “Does he think Serena is some sweet-tempered girl like Chloe? Just wait, he’ll be driven to a mental breakdown in less than three days.” “I bet a week, he’ll come crawling back to Chloe, looking completely defeated.” I became the talk of the campus, everyone waiting to see the spectacle of my downfall. And Chloe, whom I had so cruelly dumped, finally broke down after hearing the news. She rushed into my classroom, her eyes red and swollen, and confronted me in front of everyone. “Alex! What exactly do you think you’re doing?!” She pointed at me, her voice filled with the pain and fury of betrayal. “You broke up with me just to be with her? Don’t you know what kind of person Serena is? Why are you degrading yourself like this?!” Before I could reply, Ryan immediately stepped forward, looking deeply distressed. “Chloe, don’t get so worked up.” He stood in front of Chloe, but turned to me with fake concern. “Alex, how could you be so foolish!” “You’re throwing away a perfectly good Chloe for some Serena. That kind of woman, what makes her worth it?!” “As your friend, even if you think I’m meddling, I have to knock some sense into you!” He stood on his moral high horse, lecturing me righteously, as if he genuinely cared. The surrounding students also started to whisper. “Ryan’s right, Alex, wake up!” “Chloe was so good to you, don’t be an idiot.” I watched the ridiculous drama unfolding before me, finding it laughable. “Chloe, you’re old news. Why can’t I start a new life?” Then I turned to Ryan, my eyes filled with scorn. “And you, Ryan, aren’t you being a bit too nosy?” Ryan’s face went completely pale. He probably hadn’t expected me to publicly disrespect him like that. Chloe was trembling with anger, tears welling in her eyes, biting her lip, unable to utter a single word. Suddenly, a female voice cut through the tension. “Since when did you all get to lecture my boyfriend?” Serena leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, a knowing, almost taunting smirk playing on her lips as she looked at everyone. She slowly walked over to me, casually linked her arm through mine, her fingertips squeezing slightly. Her gaze landed on Chloe, and her words were a sweetly venomous taunt. “Chloe, there’s no shame in losing to me.” “After all, whether it’s family background, looks, or…” She paused, her eyes sweeping over me. “Your taste in men, you’re far behind. Maybe you should go look in a mirror and ask yourself why you got dumped.” Chloe’s face turned ashen with humiliation. She shot me a furious glare, then turned and ran out. At that moment, I noticed Ryan’s gaze glued to Serena. The greed and burning desire in his eyes were even more blatant than when he used to look at Chloe. A cold smile touched my lips. The fish had taken the bait. From that day on, he stopped trying to get Chloe and me back together. Instead, he started actively trying to push Serena and me together. He practically leaked all my preferences, habits, and even my weaknesses to Serena. The unbelievable thing was, Serena actually listened to Ryan and pretended to be the perfect girlfriend. Until one night at a friend’s dinner, Ryan deliberately led a drunk Serena and me to the same lounge, and then “accidentally” locked the door. As he closed the door, he turned back to me, flashing a meaningful, encouraging smirk. He believed that after tonight, Serena’s love for me would reach its peak. Then he could sit back and reap the rewards, stealing all that intense, dangerous love for himself. He wasn’t wrong. He just didn’t know that I was also waiting for this exact moment.

In the lounge, it was just Serena and me. She was indeed very drunk, her eyes glazed over, an unhealthy flush on her morbidly pale face. She took a step closer to me, her icy fingers tracing my jawline, whispering my name. “Alex, you’re mine. Always mine…” The mix of her perfume and alcohol enveloped me. She wanted to forcefully possess me. At that moment, I was chillingly calm. Just as her lips were about to meet mine again, and her arms wrapped around me, I didn’t struggle. Instead, I naturally wrapped my arm around her waist, my other hand silently rising and delivering a swift chop to the back of her neck. Serena’s body went limp in my arms, completely losing consciousness. I carefully laid her on the sofa, looking at her unconscious form. No ripple of emotion stirred within me. The night was long. I sat in a nearby armchair, quietly watching the sleeping Serena. During this time, I had felt her bone-chilling love, a hundred times more possessive, a thousand times more suffocating than Chloe’s. It felt like countless invisible chains binding and choking me. In my past life, I had died in despair in that psychiatric hospital, feeling Chloe’s chilling transformation of love into hate. This time, I would make Ryan experience for himself what it felt like to be devoured by such pathological, twisted love. Time ticked by, second by second. Finally, as dawn approached, I felt the heavy, suffocating hold on me suddenly and violently ripped away! What followed was a lightness I hadn’t felt since my rebirth. I smiled. Ryan, you finally made your move. Almost simultaneously, a soft click echoed from the lounge door. The door opened. Ryan stood in the doorway, seeing me sitting neatly dressed and alone. He clearly froze for a moment. “Alex! Are you okay? I… I drank too much last night, accidentally lost the key card. I looked for it all morning before I found a staff member to open the door.” “How are things… with you and Serena?” He spoke, his eyes urgently darting into the room, searching for Serena’s figure. I played along with his act, putting on an exhausted and utterly defeated expression, rubbing my temples. “We… it’s probably over.” I said hoarsely, “When she woke up, she was like a different person. Said she was bored of me, told me to get lost.” Ryan’s eyes instantly flared with unconcealed triumph and ruthless ambition. He barely managed to suppress the smirk that almost split his face, walking over with fake concern to pat my shoulder. “Alex, don’t be sad! Good riddance to that kind of woman! She wasn’t good enough for you! I’ll introduce you to someone better, man!” “Yeah…” I lowered my gaze, and in the shadow of his sight, a sly smile touched my lips. “I’m heading back to campus now. I need some time alone.” I pushed past him, walking out with feigned heavy steps. Ryan almost eagerly stepped aside to let me pass. I didn’t actually go far. Instead, I hid in the shadows, watching coldly. Sure enough, the moment I left, he straightened his clothes, a victor’s smirk on his face, and pushed open the lounge door. The door didn’t close completely, leaving a small gap. Soon, I heard Serena’s voice, just waking up, followed by Ryan’s coaxing, overtly solicitous words. “Serena, you’re awake?” “…Who are you?”

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In the sixth month after I died, my husband Liam brought his lover to a class reunion. A classmate asked, “Liam, why haven’t we seen you with Shannon lately? Who is this?” Liam sneered, “She’s being dramatic and took off. Don’t mind her, she’ll come crawling back in a few days.” A classmate sitting in the corner, however, frowned in confusion. “Didn’t Shannon die in that air crash half a year ago? I saw the list with my own eyes.” The wine glass slipped from Liam’s hand, shattering on the marble floor. He shot to his feet, his face turning ashen under the lights, his eyes locked on the speaker. “What are you talking about?!” The classmate, startled, spoke with certainty. “I’m not lying. My cousin worked on the case. I saw the final list. Shannon’s name was on it. Liam, you… didn’t you know?” “Impossible! That’s a lie!” Liam roared, shoving away Stella who tried to steady him. “She’s just hiding! Even her parents haven’t said anything! How dare you say that?!” Stella stumbled, bumping into a table. Everyone fell silent. The classmate, annoyed now, broke free. “Have you lost your mind? She’s been dead for half a year, and you’re putting on this act? Didn’t you bring your new girlfriend here?” All eyes turned to Liam and the mortified Stella beside him. Shock and whispered judgment filled the room. Liam staggered back, muttering, “No… she wouldn’t… she’s just mad at me…” Trembling, he pulled out his phone, dialing the number again and again, listening to the endless tone. The classmate scoffed, grabbed his coat, and left. The party was over. Liam seemed to jolt awake. Without a glance at the tearful Stella, he pushed through the crowd and ran out. I floated above, watching the scene. My heart was a still, frozen lake. Liam, my husband. Over half a year after my death, telling everyone I was just “being dramatic.” His breakdown—how much was shock, how much fear, and how much was that belated guilt he never dared face? A perfect satire.

“Why is your attachment unresolved?” a voice asked. I turned. It was the guide. I asked him when I could leave. “That depends on you,” he said, granting me the ability to leave Liam’s side for a while each day. “Perhaps the truth will set you free.” Since that night, Liam seemed normal on the surface. He worked, came home, ate dinner. But I knew he was mad. He slept in our bed, tucking in the empty space beside him. “Goodnight, Shannon.” Leaving the house: “Shannon, I’m heading out.” Returning home: “Shannon, I’m back.” At meals, he set two places, piling food onto the empty plate. “Shannon, eat more, you love this.” But Shannon was dead. And I didn’t love that food anymore. He came home late today, with Stella following him. She had ambushed him at work, desperate to talk. He finally brought her home. “What do you want?” he asked, his eyes empty. “Liam, don’t you love me anymore? Were your promises lies?” Liam was moved. His hollow eyes flickered. I sneered. I knew his so-called devotion was just self-delusion. In the end, he held her as he cried, and she comforted him. “I’m sorry,” he said, kissing her forehead. “I’m in a bad place. Can you wait?” “Is it because of her?” He nodded. “I can’t believe she’s gone. We were together seven years. I just… need time.” “I understand. I’ll wait. We’ve waited so long already.” She smiled through tears. Her understanding seemed to pain him. They held each other for a long time before he sent her home. “Shannon… you won’t blame me, will you?” he said to the air afterward, full of remorse. Disgusting. Hypocritical and nauseating.

Watching him, the buried memories surged back. I never wanted to marry. When the family business was crippled, I agreed to a marriage of convenience. I expected a distant partnership, but Liam spoiled me utterly. Just when I fell for him, his first love returned. I didn’t know about Stella, only heard her mentioned by his friends. They said she was brilliant, studied abroad. Once, they wondered if she was married now. Liam sharply cut them off. The topic changed instantly. That was my first clue. He had been angry. Now I knew why. He couldn’t stand the thought of Stella belonging to someone else. Two months after Stella’s return, Liam started coming home less. First late nights, then days without a word. He hadn’t been back in a week. My calls went unanswered. I went to his office. He wasn’t there. His assistant finally gave me the name of a romantic restaurant. My heart sank. I found them in a hotel lobby, intimate, fingers intertwined. I walked over, then stopped cold, staring at a face that resembled mine by eighty percent. I ignored the panic on Liam’s face. [After a moment, Stella smiled and walked toward me. She extended her hand. “You must be Shannon. Thank you for taking care of Liam for me all these years.”]

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In my seventh year with Tristan, I still hadn’t married into the Foster family. He said I had to be able to wear the ancestral ring to become Mrs. Foster. Over those seven years, I’d gone from having a perfect figure to becoming a walking skeleton. Before each ring fitting, I’d only dare sustain myself on water for days. But ninety-nine fittings, ninety-nine failures. The night before the hundredth attempt, Tristan gently circled my ring finger and sighed softly: “When will I finally be able to marry you?” My eyes welled up with tears, and I secretly scheduled a bone reduction surgery. But just before going under the surgery, I overheard: “Mara’s lost more weight. Switch to an even smaller ring.” “Mr. Foster, to fit into that ring, Miss Smith has already become… like that. Do you… truly have the heart for this?” Tristan fell silent for a long moment before finally saying: “She can’t be allowed to fit into it.” “Selene’s delusional disorder hasn’t been cured yet. In her mind, I’m her lover.” “If I marry Mara now, Selene will completely break down.” He didn’t know that my father had only given me seven years. If I couldn’t marry into the Foster family within seven years, the arranged marriage between our families would be null and void.

My fingertips seemed to still hold traces of Tristan’s gentle touch from last night. His heartbroken sigh still echoed in my ears: “How did you lose even more weight?” So it wasn’t heartbreak—it was fear. Fear that I might actually fit into that ring. Fear that I might actually marry into the Foster family. I turned my head. A nurse handed me a surgical consent form. Bone reduction surgery carried extremely high risks. Post-operative infection, nerve damage, even amputation after failure—all were common enough. I shook my head and pushed away the pen the nurse offered me. “I’m not going through with this surgery.” Relief bloomed across the nurse’s face. “Miss Smith, I’m so glad you’ve come to your senses. You’re already very thin—there’s no need to undergo such a dangerous procedure.” After saying goodbye to the nurse, I ran into Tristan at the hospital entrance… with Selene White. Tristan’s tone carried a hint of sternness, but more than that, heartache and indulgence. “I told you to eat properly. Your checkup shows vitamin C deficiency. What if you become malnourished?” Seeing me, he stopped talking. And subtly removed the hand that had been resting on Selene’s waist. Selene’s delusional disorder first manifested in my first year with Tristan. That day, right in the middle of dinner, she grabbed a glass of red wine without warning and poured the entire thing on me. She screamed and called me a homewrecker. After two days at the police station and three days at the hospital, the result was: She had delusional disorder, imagining Tristan was her lover. It had reached the point where she’d attempt suicide over it. Tristan said: “Selene and I grew up together. She may have misunderstood certain feelings…” “Selene’s father died saving me. I can’t just stand by and do nothing.” So we each compromised. I accepted him placing Selene in the hospital, occasionally visiting to play the role of her lover. He promised that aside from comfort, there would be no intimate actions. The hand he’d just wrapped around Selene’s waist had viciously pierced my eyes. The two of them brushed past me. Selene didn’t see my face clearly. She just covered her mouth in shock and said: “How can someone be that thin?” She burrowed further into Tristan’s embrace. “Honey, are you worried I’ll get that skinny, is that why you were scolding me? I’ll listen to you from now on. I’ll eat properly.” Hearing that intimate term of endearment, my stomach, which hadn’t eaten in three days, suddenly cramped with pain. Selene continued excitedly: “Then I want strawberry cake later, and French cuisine…” “Baby, why are you spacing out?” Tristan withdrew the concerned gaze he’d fixed on me and said to her: “Yeah, whatever you want to eat, I’ll go buy it right away.” Less than a minute later, Tristan’s assistant rushed over in a panic to support me. “Miss Smith, Mr. Foster really can’t get away…” “I know. I’m fine.” I said this often. He’d skipped our anniversary to feed Selene her medication. I said: “I know. I’m fine.” He’d left home in the middle of the night to comfort Selene after she woke from a nightmare. I said: “I know. I’m fine.” He’d abandoned me with a high fever to help Selene fix her toilet. I said: “I know. I’m fine.” Over the past seven years, it was because of love that I was understanding, that I accommodated him. But today, I truly was fine. And from now on, none of this would be my concern anymore. I called my father. “Dad, you were right.” “A ring that won’t fit shouldn’t get a second chance.”

With just one sentence, my father could hear the grievance in my voice. He sighed and said with heartache: “I’m glad you’ve come to your senses. Now that you have, come home. There are plenty of people here who want to put a ring on your finger.” My father never wanted me to marry Tristan in the first place. After all, the Smith family was rooted in New York, while the Fosters were in Las Vegas. The two places were far apart. If I hadn’t been so determined to stay in Las Vegas seven years ago, he never would have been willing to let his only daughter marry so far away. After hanging up, the car driven by Tristan’s assistant pulled up steadily in front of me. “Ma’am, it’s time to try on the ancestral ring.” Outside the car window, familiar streets slipped by bit by bit. My thoughts drifted back to Victoria Harbor when I was eighteen. The wind was strong that night. My hat nearly flew into the sea, but a hand caught it firmly. I turned around. Tristan’s eyes held a smile in the darkness: “Careful there, babe.” In that moment, the sea breeze, the neon lights, and the warmth of his fingertips sent my heartbeat into complete chaos. Regarding this marriage arrangement, my father was extremely opposed. First, he couldn’t bear to let me marry far away. Second, he had no good impression of the Foster family. At that time, I’d just been doused with red wine by Selene and called a homewrecker. And I’d failed to fit the ring for the first time. “What kind of ancestral rule is this? Can’t marry if the ring doesn’t fit? Absolutely ridiculous.” “And that woman who made a public scene—locked up for two days and then released? What’s that supposed to mean?” After ranting for a while, my father finally asked me with great heartache: “So if you can never wear that ring, are you planning to waste your whole life there?” I smiled, unconcerned: “How could I never wear it? If I can’t wear it after seven years, I’ll come home, okay?” This seven-year time limit was actually just something I said casually. Because back then, I thought seven days would be enough. Later, year after year, it became almost an obsession. My heart grew anxious and uncertain. My body grew thinner day by day. The young woman once cherished endlessly by her father stubbornly persisted in this dead end of love. In the end, I discovered I’d fallen into a romantic fraud. My thoughts returned to the present. The car had also stopped in front of the Foster family estate. In the Foster family shrine, Tristan was there too. Through the black curtain, my hand was once again fitted with that ring. I used to think it was so mysterious, having to wear a ring through a black curtain. Now I knew—it was all to keep me in the dark. Without suspense, the ring slid to the second knuckle of my ring finger and stuck. I quickly withdrew my hand. I no longer tried like before, having people force the ring onto my finger over and over until it broke the skin and bled. Tristan froze, then leaned his shoulder toward me. He thought I’d break down and cry like before because the ring wouldn’t fit. But this time, I just shook my head and said flatly: “Take it away. It won’t fit.” This time, Tristan’s daze lasted even longer. He couldn’t help but say: “Mara, today you… feel like a different person.”

I didn’t answer. Not until the doorbell rang did he snap out of it. It was the takeout I’d ordered. All high-sugar, high-calorie little cakes, cookies, and pizza. Things I’d never dared touch before while dieting. Tristan said in surprise: “Why did you suddenly order all this food for me?” He never imagined it was all for me to eat. After all, in the past, when I couldn’t fit the ring, at my most extreme, I’d gone three days without eating. “How could I eat all this by myself?” “I never said it was for you.” Opening the cake packaging, I dipped my finger in some frosting and gently placed it in my mouth. So sweet… Before I could savor this sweetness I’d lost for seven years, the cake in my hand was violently pushed away by Tristan. “Mara, have you lost your mind?” “Do you know how many calories are in one bite of cake?” I looked at him calmly: “I know. Very high calories. So what?” A flash of bewilderment crossed Tristan’s eyes. Tonight’s version of me was too abnormal. Like I didn’t care about anything anymore. He spoke slowly: “Aren’t you…” “Aren’t I dieting? Trying to fit into your family’s ancestral ring, trying to legitimately marry you.” Torturing myself into this state for a lie. Selene’s vitamin C was just slightly low, and Tristan was beside himself with worry. Yet he forgot that to fit into the ring, I’d been extreme dieting, requiring regular nutrient IV drips just to maintain my vital signs. After a moment of silence, I suddenly said out of nowhere: “You’ve really taken such good care of Selene.” Fair skin, rosy cheeks. In contrast, I was skin and bones, pale as death. Seeing Selene today, my first reaction was: not worth it, so not worth it! New York winters were cold. My father had raised me plump and healthy, yet I’d done this to myself for a man. Hearing this, understanding flashed in Tristan’s eyes. He grabbed my hand and coaxed gently: “So that’s why you’re acting so strange today—you’re jealous.” “Baby, the doctor says Selene’s delusional disorder will be cured soon. You’ll be able to marry me very soon.” In a moment of carelessness, he’d let it slip. I gave him a cold glance: “Didn’t you say I could only marry you once I could wear the ring? How did it become having to wait until Selene recovers?” “I’m also really curious—why can I never fit into it?” “Don’t tell me the ring shrinks every year?” Tristan’s heart jumped fearfully, his tone unusually flustered: “Mara, what are you talking about?” He pulled me into his embrace, explaining anxiously: “No one wants to marry you more than I do, but there’s no helping it—that’s the rule passed down in our family. My mom also wore this ring before marrying my dad.” “That you can’t fit the ring… I’m in a difficult position too.” He gently stroked my emaciated spine, comforting me: “But it’s okay. A wedding is just a formality. In my heart, you’ve long been Mrs. Foster.” Before I could respond, a dark voice sounded from behind. “Honey… what are you doing?” Before I could react, I was shoved aside by a forceful push. It was Selene. The nurse caring for her said she’d been vomiting after taking her medicine tonight, making such a fuss that they had no choice but to bring her over. She’d walked right into the scene of us embracing. Before Tristan could react, Selene’s fists rained down on me, one blow after another. A woman’s strength wasn’t particularly great, but for someone like me who’d been extreme dieting for years, these few blows already had me breaking out in cold sweat. Tristan pulled the frantic Selene away. He didn’t check on my deathly pale face, but instead held Selene tightly. “Selene, don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. I’m your husband. You saw wrong just now.” My stomach cramped painfully. I found it utterly absurd. In this scene, I—the legitimate girlfriend—had ended up playing the role of the other woman. Selene’s face was red from crying as Tristan lifted her by the waist. “Ugh!” The instant they rose, Selene borrowed the momentum to kick me viciously, right in the abdomen. My lower abdomen immediately filled with pain. Cold sweat streamed down continuously. I called out weakly: “Tristan…” But he only gave me a glance before the person thrashing in his arms captured all his attention. Before I lost consciousness, the last sound I heard was Tristan’s indulgent comfort to Selene.

When I woke again, I was in the hospital. Before I even opened my eyes, I heard the doctor say: “The patient was injured in the abdomen. Threatened miscarriage. The baby can’t be saved. We’ll need to perform a D&C shortly.” My hand instinctively moved to my lower abdomen. I looked up to hear Tristan say: “Mara, I’m sorry.” “I didn’t know you were pregnant. This baby came at a bad time. The miscarriage is actually for the best.” “Besides, you’re so thin—your body couldn’t handle a pregnancy anyway.” My heart ached. The corners of my mouth pulled into a forced smile. “So many excuses. Are you really worried my body can’t handle it, or are you worried Selene can’t handle finding out?” Tristan shot to his feet. “Mara, will you ever give it a rest?” “I already told you—Selene’s father died saving me. I can’t just ignore her condition. It’s all pretend.” “What are you trying to say now? Making it sound like I cheated?” I looked at him calmly. He was incoherent, his face flushed red. The more defensive and ashamed he became, the more it proved I was right. I laughed softly, and the hand resting on my abdomen slowly relaxed. My stomach hurt terribly. That little life I’d only just learned about was slowly slipping away. “Doctor, take me for the surgery.” As I spoke, I started to get down from the hospital bed to head to the OB-GYN department. “Mara!” Tristan rushed to support my swaying body. “You…” His brow furrowed, his mouth opening and closing, complex emotions churning in his eyes. He hadn’t expected me to move on so quickly. “How are you suddenly so…” Tristan couldn’t find the words to describe the current me. So casual, so easy, so indifferent… “How are you suddenly so cold? This is our child.” I looked at him with some amusement: “Oh, so you know it’s our child? Selene kicked my stomach and caused my miscarriage—why don’t you blame her?” His words caught in his throat, a flash of guilt in his eyes. “Mara, don’t be like this. We can have another child… it’s just that right now, this one really came at a bad time.” A sense of relief washed over my heart. He was right. I was about to leave. This child truly had come at a bad time. He started to say something else, but I cut him off: “Arrange the surgery quickly. I have things to do.” Things like cutting ties. Things like leaving. Tristan’s frown deepened. He looked agitated and uneasy. But I simply pried his hand away and walked determinedly toward the operating room. The D&C took less than ten minutes, but I was utterly exhausted afterward. When I came out supporting my waist, Tristan was nowhere to be seen. On the hospital lawn, he and Selene were locked in a tight embrace. His assistant said as usual: “Miss Smith, Mr. Foster really can’t get away…” I ignored him and turned to go downstairs. “Miss Smith!” The assistant frantically blocked my path, thinking I was going to make a hysterical scene in front of them. “You should be resting properly right now. You can’t go downstairs…” Before he could finish, a pair of strong hands pushed him aside. “What are you doing, shoving Miss Smith around?” My back pressed against a solid chest. I looked back. It was someone my father had sent to pick me up. I’d gone downstairs not because of Tristan, but because my father had sent someone for me. The assistant panicked, but he couldn’t get through to Tristan no matter how many times he called. This was Tristan’s dedicated time with Selene—no interruptions allowed. Before the car door closed, I said to the assistant: “I should have understood long ago. A ring that shrinks every year—of course I could never fit into it.” At the end, I smiled with relief. “But it doesn’t matter anymore. I don’t want it.” The car door closed. The vehicle drove toward the airport. … The assistant rushed to Tristan’s side regardless of everything, startling Selene into another unstable emotional state. Tristan frowned in irritation. He’d wanted to quickly calm Selene down, then devote himself wholeheartedly to me. For some reason, his heart felt panicked and uneasy. Not until the assistant spoke: “Miss Smith knows everything about the ring!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “358678”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #重生Reborn #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic