Author: Momo Chan

The company organized a team-building trip to Colmar. I discovered my boyfriend was planning to propose to me when everyone gathered to watch the sunset. But that evening, he got down on one knee with a ring—for someone else. “Sherry, I’m willing to be the baby’s father. Marry me!” Sherry, the woman Frederick had been in love with for ten years. I watched the two embrace intimately in the glow of the setting sun. I turned around, booked a trip departing in three days, then went home. A year later, when I returned and we met again, Frederick grabbed me, his eyes bloodshot. “Iris, you’re finally back. Don’t leave me again…” “Your trip will depart from Colmar in three days.” “Miss Iris, have a pleasant journey. Goodbye.” I had just confirmed my flight details with the staff. Behind me, the voice of my assistant rang out. “Iris, we’re heading back.” By then, Frederick had already carefully helped Sherry leave. His proposal to New York’s most famous ex-girlfriend made the headlines. Everyone said he’d loved her secretly for ten years and finally won her heart. But no one knew I had been his girlfriend for six years. That afternoon, when I found the custom engagement ring in Frederick’s pocket… I was overjoyed, thinking he remembered I wanted a sunset proposal. Now I’d been slapped in the face. His love and his ring weren’t meant for me after all. Shortly after the car left town, Frederick called. His tone on the phone was commanding. “I want chicken soup in half an hour.” He hung up without giving me a chance to refuse. I froze for a moment. Then it hit me—chicken soup is often recommended for pregnant women. I opened my phone and scrolled through our chat history. Three months ago, Frederick had started asking for various nutritious soups. At this moment, the realization finally dawned on me. He’d probably decided back then to be someone else’s stepfather. Half an hour later, I arrived at his estate with the chicken soup. His friends from the team-building trip sat in the living room. When they saw me, the lively atmosphere instantly quieted. They’d always seen me, his assistant, as completely devoted to Frederick. Now they all looked at me with half-smiles, waiting to see me make a fool of myself. On the main couch, Frederick held Sherry close affectionately. He took the chicken soup with an indifferent expression. “Perfect timing.” He lifted his chin, gesturing toward several glasses of hard liquor on the table. “Sherry can’t drink. You can handle liquor—drink these for her.” Frederick didn’t spare me a single glance, as if discussing something trivial. But he’d forgotten I was allergic to alcohol. He only remembered Sherry couldn’t drink. As if in his eyes, I was just a tool to take drinks for others. In that instant, I suddenly wanted an explanation for our six years together. I couldn’t control my voice. “Frederick, about the proposal today—don’t you think you owe me an explanation?” As soon as the words left my mouth, everyone’s expressions became awkward. Anyone could see Frederick’s favoritism toward Sherry. Sure enough, Frederick focused on feeding her the chicken soup and said in a deep voice, “Iris, we’ll talk about this later. Don’t ruin the mood.” In that moment, my last shred of hope for him completely died. I’d been his assistant for six years, helping him handle countless situations. But this time, I suddenly felt so exhausted. I swallowed the bitterness in my heart and picked up the glass, draining it in one gulp. “Then I wish you both happiness.” They thought I’d make a scene. They didn’t expect me to be this calm. After all, in the past… Whenever I went up against Sherry, I’d become like a lit firecracker. Frederick seemed used to it too, watching coldly as I became hysterical. Afterward, he’d casually send a gift, and I’d pathetically forgive him again. I couldn’t even remember anymore—since Sherry returned… How many times I’d fought with Frederick because of her. After each argument, I was the one who had to collect myself. Then go to him apologetically to make up. In this relationship, I was destined to lose completely from the start. As I walked out of the estate, Sherry’s coquettish voice came from behind. “Frederick, Iris is upset. Go talk to her.” Frederick just laughed dismissively and gently rubbed her waist. “It’s fine. She listens to me. I’ll talk to her later and it’ll be fine.”

At the hospital, I endured the large red rash on my neck and worked through the pain. When the IV was almost finished, I received an expected call from my brother. The man on the phone chuckled. “Iris, you lost.” Six years ago, when I returned home for a friend’s party, I was in a car accident. Trapped in the car, Frederick risked his life to save me. From then on, I fell for him, hopelessly in love. After graduation, despite my family’s objections, I decided to stay. I was willing to work as his assistant at Frederick’s company, taking care of him. My brother never liked him and didn’t think our relationship would work. But I was obsessed and wouldn’t listen to any advice. So I made a confident bet with my brother. Within seven years, Frederick wouldn’t fall in love with anyone else. If he lost, he’d give me ten percent of his shares. If I lost, I’d listen to him and go home. When Frederick’s proposal made the headlines, it was hard for my brother not to know. My relationship with Frederick ended in the sixth year. I accepted my loss and paused before replying. “Yeah, after my trip in three days, I’ll fly back.” That evening, when I dragged my exhausted body back to the hotel… I found Frederick in my room. The company came to Colmar for team building, and my colleagues and I stayed at a hotel. Frederick, being particular about cleanliness, stayed alone at his own estate. Hearing movement at the entrance… The man didn’t look up and asked coldly, “Where were you?” Taking off my shoes, I casually brushed him off. “Nowhere.” I didn’t elaborate, and Frederick didn’t seem to care. He casually handed me a pink gift box. “Sherry specially picked this for you. See how thoughtful she is.” “About the headlines—arrange for someone to handle it quickly.” “Don’t let it affect her. She can’t handle stress right now.” Opening the gift box, I saw a green preserved flower. If I remembered correctly… Yesterday, Frederick had given her ninety-nine of these flowers in different colors. Sherry had even complained online that the green one was the ugliest. And today, Frederick turned around and gave it to me. I said “Mm” indifferently and set it aside without another word. Frederick sensed my mood wasn’t right and, for once, explained. “Are you upset? Sherry and I really didn’t…” As he approached, the smell of alcohol hit me. Mixed with the scent of Sherry’s favorite jasmine perfume. Out of the corner of my eye, I glimpsed the bright red marks on his neck beneath his disheveled collar. I pushed him away subtly and pretended to get water. I answered first. “I know. There’s nothing between you two.” I paused and added, “I’m not upset.” Because I’d memorized his answer by heart long ago. Every time he abandoned me for Sherry, this was his explanation. “We’re just friends. If something was going to happen, it would’ve happened already.” But after hearing my words, Frederick somehow exploded again. Impatience colored his expression. His tone turned cold. “So what’s your attitude right now?” “You know there’s nothing going on, but you’re still acting like this?” I felt somewhat helpless. Just because I didn’t go along with him, he thought I was giving him attitude? Taking a deep breath, I was about to speak. His phone rang with Sherry’s special ringtone. Frederick shot me a cold look, turned his back, and answered tenderly. “Frederick, my stomach suddenly feels uncomfortable.” “Can you come check on me and take me to the hospital?” “Okay, wait for me. I’ll be right there!” As he spoke, Frederick’s footsteps had already reached the entrance. As he was about to open the door, he unusually paused to glance at me. “There’s a problem with a partnership. I need to go handle it now.” “Go to sleep. Don’t wait up for me.” Without waiting for my answer, he grabbed his coat and left in a hurry.

I sent my resignation letter to HR’s email. Reminding her to check it after the team building ended in three days when we returned. Before long, I suddenly received a message from Sherry. It was a photo of Frederick’s back as he busily cooked chicken soup in the kitchen. “The baby’s been fussy. As soon as daddy arrived, it calmed down.” “Don’t you think this is the legendary bond?” I ignored Sherry’s provocation and blocked her directly. I looked down and laughed at myself, then started packing my luggage. Early the next morning, everyone had free time. I planned to explore this town I’d always wanted to visit. Walking on picturesque roads… Surrounded by flowers, I felt it was just so-so. I smiled bitterly, feeling somewhat relieved. I didn’t understand why I’d been so obsessed with coming here before. After shopping, I bought a large bouquet and was about to return to the hotel. From a restaurant ahead came the sound of someone playing piano and singing. I lifted my foot to keep walking but was rooted to the spot the next moment. I recognized that voice—it was Frederick. At the end, his tone carried a lazy quality as he finished. “Live with the one you love in a happy town.” Frederick usually wore suits and rarely dressed casually. But today, he was dressed as youthfully as a college student. Looking with deep affection at the woman he’d loved for years. My fingernails dug deeply into my palms. I stared at Frederick without blinking, remembering he hated singing. Once, when I went to a friend’s birthday party with him… At the karaoke, I invited him to sing a duet. He lost his temper on the spot, threw the microphone, and scolded me. “Can you stop being so childish? I hate singing!” Yet now, in front of everyone, he was singing affectionately for Sherry. The atmosphere reached a climax, and warm applause erupted. I clapped along, watching them kiss. My eyes reddened involuntarily as I walked toward the crowd, step by step, with a smile. Seeing me appear, Frederick’s expression instantly changed. “Iris, aren’t you annoying? I go somewhere and you have to follow!” He thought I was stalking him, not hiding his disgust. I smiled. “Didn’t you say there was a problem with the partnership?” I pointed at the lipstick remaining on his mouth. “What’s this? Does your ‘partnership’ involve kissing someone else?” Hearing my sarcasm, Frederick’s brow furrowed tightly. “Iris, can you stop being so unreasonable?!” “Sherry was in a bad mood and wanted to hear a song. Stop making a scene.” Sherry behind him stuck out her tongue and hummed lightly. “Sorry, Iris. Don’t blame Frederick.” “I just gave him a kiss as a reward for singing so beautifully!” At her words, Frederick affectionately patted her head. Then turned to me, his tone softening. “I was planning to find you. I didn’t expect you to come here.” “There’s a fireworks show tonight. I’ll take you to see it later.” His deep black eyes seemed to still hold some affection. Just like before, when he said he’d take me anywhere I wanted to go. I thought about it and decided to fulfill my old wish. The town square was full of people waiting to watch the fireworks. At eight o’clock, fireworks bloomed across the entire sky. In the happy atmosphere, many couples were kissing and cheering. I turned my head but didn’t see Frederick and Sherry. Suddenly, something happened in the crowd. The noisy square instantly descended into chaos. Everyone fled in panic. When I came to my senses, I tried to head somewhere safe. A figure beside me suddenly crashed into me. In the chaos, I was hit in the face by someone’s bag chain. The pain nearly made me lose my footing. I stumbled backward. But I heard that familiar anxious voice in my ear. “Sherry, don’t be scared. I’ll take you back right now.” Frederick didn’t stop, protecting the frightened Sherry as he left. Watching his retreating figure, I clearly realized… The Frederick who said he’d always protect me had changed long ago.

Fortunately, within a few minutes, order was restored in the square. Someone helped me stand up. After thanking them, I covered my bleeding forehead and rushed to the hospital. When I went to pay for medicine… I discovered my card had been suspended by Frederick at some point. And my phone had died. In a foreign country, I fought back the tears. I started asking around to borrow money. Finally, with help from a kind stranger… I successfully bought the medicine. Just as I was about to bandage myself simply… My newly charged phone immediately received a call from Frederick. “Iris, where are you? Why haven’t you been answering?” “Where did you run off to when the incident happened? Are you okay?” I couldn’t tell if his worried tone was genuine. I replied concisely. “I’m fine. My phone just got charged.” Hearing I was okay, the person on the phone was obviously relieved. His tone switched to impatience again. “Then hurry to the airport. Sherry’s not feeling well and needs to go home.” Before I could speak, Sherry’s tearful voice came through. “Frederick, my stomach really hurts. What if something’s wrong with the baby?” “It’s okay. I can wait for Iris…” Sherry was being so understanding that Frederick had completely lost his patience. He yelled at me on the phone. “I’m giving you half an hour to arrange everything and get to the airport!” The call was abruptly disconnected. I rescheduled my flight and dragged my luggage. By the time I reached the airport by taxi, an hour had passed. As Frederick’s assistant, I efficiently handled check-in for him. As I handed the boarding passes to them both… Sherry suddenly clutched her stomach, pretending to be startled. “Ah, Iris, why is your face covered in blood?” After bandaging, I hadn’t had time to wash my face or change clothes. Frederick looked at me with disgust. “Iris, are you crazy? Deliberately scaring Sherry?” The wound throbbed with pain. I was too tired to even speak. I walked straight to the restroom, planning to change clothes. But Sherry suddenly appeared. She gave me a provocative look. “Iris, you’re really persistent.” “You know Frederick proposed to me, but you’re still clinging to him.” Hearing the hostility in her words, I looked up at her. Just as I was about to retort, I saw the bag at her side. I recognized it as the one that had hit me at the square. I grabbed her wrist and demanded. “Your bag? Why did you hit me just now?” Sherry’s eyes darted away. She didn’t answer me. After struggling to shake off my hand, she fell to the ground. The next second, Frederick rushed in after hearing the commotion. Sherry immediately clutched her stomach and cried out in pain. He quickly helped her up, glaring at me furiously. “Iris, how did you become so vicious?!” “If anything happens to Sherry, you’ll pay for it!” He didn’t listen to any explanation and left carrying her. Walking out of the restroom, when I returned to the waiting area… My assistant ran over, looking troubled as she told me… The company colleagues would take the same flight home. But Frederick had specifically canceled only my ticket. I knew this was his warning. If I didn’t behave, he’d leave me here with no money. In the past, I would’ve been the first to apologize. But now, I just coldly watched Frederick from a distance. It wasn’t until the boarding announcement that I walked toward him. “Iris, you stay here and think about what you’ve done!” “Even if you beg me, it’s useless. Sherry hasn’t calmed down yet!” But what Frederick got wasn’t my apology. I interrupted him, saying coldly, “Let’s break up.” At my words, I withdrew my gaze. Behind me, Frederick froze for a moment, then laughed in anger. “Iris, you’d better mean what you say. Don’t come crawling back later!” With that, he turned and left, boarding the flight home. I blocked and deleted all his contact information. Going in the opposite direction, I boarded a flight to another country. I didn’t expect that right after taking my seat, I’d run into someone unexpected.

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My sister was adamant about staying “pure” before marriage. But she sleeps with her boyfriend every day and never uses birth control. When I asked her about it, I learned she was using the back entrance…. I warned her this could easily cause infections: “You can keep sleeping with him if you want. Later on, just get a little hymen reconstruction surgery and everything will look perfect again—no one will ever know.” My sister took my advice to heart. Later, after breaking up with her boyfriend, our mom set her up with a wealthy heir. On their wedding night, even though she’d had the surgery, she didn’t bleed. The rich man flew into a rage on the spot for she is not a virgin. The next day, everyone knew about it. Completely humiliated, my sister blamed everything on me. She shoved my head into boiling water, her face twisted with rage: “This is all your fault! If things were different, I’d be a wealthy man’s wife and no one would dare laugh at me!” When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day my sister told me she never used birth control. I sneered: “Then go ahead… keep using that other hole.”

“Grace, don’t worry, I won’t get pregnant…” As my sister spoke, she twisted her body slightly. Looking at her face, I felt a chill run through me. The sensation of boiling water flooding into my airways from my past life came rushing back. It took me a long time to calm myself down. “Well, aren’t you clever.” My sister continued sharing her “wisdom” with me. “Grace, you shouldn’t always listen to Mom. What era are we living in? Living in the moment is what matters most.” “It’s because your thinking is so old-fashioned that you can’t keep a boyfriend.” I smiled faintly. My sister was so smug because her current boyfriend, Liam, was my ex. We’d been together for two years. He broke up with me because I wouldn’t sleep with him before marriage. Less than three days after our breakup, Liam got together with my sister. When I went to Liam’s place to collect my things, I discovered they’d been hooking up all along. My sister went to Liam’s apartment every day. The sounds of their activities could be heard through the walls. All the neighbors knew. When I found out, my first reaction wasn’t anger—it was the realization that if Mom found out, my sister would be finished. Dad died young, and Mom raised my sister and me single-handedly. Mom works as a professional matchmaker with access to plenty of high-quality prospects. After dealing with upper-class people for so long, Mom knew exactly what they required in a partner. One crucial requirement was a lack of past sexual experience. So from childhood, Mom’s teaching to my sister and me was: dating is fine, but sex before marriage is absolutely not. Mom would always say earnestly: “Marriage is a fresh start. These men might say they don’t care, but deep down they have expectations. You two need to hold your boundaries.” On my way back from Liam’s place, I kept thinking about how to help my sister come clean to Mom. But when I talked to her, she told me she was still “pure” because she never used that way—she used another way. When I heard this, it took me several seconds to process what she meant. Then I immediately started worrying about her health. As someone with basic medical knowledge, I knew how fragile that area is. The muscles control tightness and can’t remain strained for too long. If it’s frequently strained, especially violently, it will definitely cause damage and serious complications. I explained all this to my sister and told her: “Someone who truly loves you wouldn’t let you suffer like this. If you enjoy intimacy, use the proper way. If someone really cares about surgery, it can be done later.” My sister’s eyes lit up when she heard about the surgery… I just never imagined that later she’d break up with Liam, and Mom would set her up with a rich guy. Even though she got the surgery, she didn’t bleed on their wedding night. The rich guy called her terrible names. After divorcing him, she blamed everything on me. Then she shoved my head into boiling water and killed me.

Thinking about this, I still kindly reminded her, “But won’t that hurt after repeated use? And it’s easy to get infections.” My sister blinked and smiled. “As long as you take precautions, nothing will happen…” This was obviously something Liam had told her to manipulate her. If it happened, it would only mean one thing. She’d gotten an infection there. This realization gave me a dark sense of satisfaction. I pretended to be envious. “Is that why Liam prefers you?” Meanwhile, I sent messages to Liam’s account from an alternate profile. My sister has always loved competing with me for things. Hearing the longing in my voice, she immediately became defensive. “Of course. But Grace, you’re probably not built for that. You should give up on him.” I lowered my head in apparent disappointment. At the same time, Liam sent an inquiry message. I quickly recommended several products. After Liam selected a few and transferred payment, I swiftly placed an order. Once I finished responding, my sister’s phone vibrated. She glanced at it and her face turned bright red. Soon she stood up and grabbed her bag to leave. “Grace, I have to go out. Remember to keep this secret from Mom.” I smiled and said okay. My sister didn’t come home that night. When she returned the next day, she could barely walk. I didn’t expect things to escalate so quickly. One Saturday, my sister pulled me aside and whispered: “Grace, I think it tore.” I forced myself to stay calm. “Where?” “There. That place.” “Can you check for me? It really hurts.” Fighting nausea, I looked and noticed it was indeed different from normal. “Grace, should I go to the hospital…” That question almost made me vomit. “The hospital?” I frowned. “You want Mom to find out about all this!?” Mom kept extremely strict control over our private lives. With my sister staying out so much lately, Mom was already getting suspicious. My sister asked: “Then what should I do?” “I’ll handle it,” I said. “It doesn’t look too serious. Let’s just get some medicine.” My sister was too embarrassed to go to a clinic. In the end, she bought some medicine online and applied it herself. After the medicine took effect, my sister went right back to her frenzied intimacy with Liam day and night. But it was obvious her condition had worsened. She always carried a familiar foul smell. I calculated the days. Finally, the time came. Mom found a suitable rich guy and came home insisting my sister go on a date with him. “This Mr. Harrison is truly one in a million—worth hundreds of millions, studied abroad, and most importantly, his private life is extremely clean.” Mom laughed. “Best of all, he has no requirements for a partner except one thing—purity. Emily, your good days are coming.” Mom was so excited, but my sister’s reaction was flat. She said: “Mom, I don’t want to.”

Both Mom and I froze. In my past life, my sister had agreed without hesitation. Why was she refusing so quickly this time? Mom pressed her: “Why not? Marriage is a fresh start. Haven’t you always complained that I didn’t give you good opportunities? This time I’ve found you a great match.” My sister shrugged. “I have a boyfriend.” “Just break up with him.” Mom frowned. “You didn’t disobey me and sleep with him, did you?” My sister’s face went pale. “Of course not, Mom. I just don’t want to get married yet. Let Grace go on the date instead.” Hearing this, Mom shot me a disgusted look. “Do you think she’s worthy?” Mom’s hurtful words pierced my ears. Without a husband, Mom feared gossip, so she was strict with both of us. Though strict with both, Mom treated me like a criminal and my sister like her precious child. If I didn’t do homework, she’d tear up all my textbooks and throw them away. I’d be mocked by teachers and classmates the next day at school. If my sister didn’t do homework, she’d just scold her lightly. If I broke a dish, she’d punish me severely. If my sister broke a dish, she’d just get a light scolding. I always suspected I wasn’t Mom’s biological daughter. After turning eighteen, I even got a test done. But the results showed I was indeed Mom’s daughter. In my past life, after my sister pushed me into the scalding water, I still had a breath left. When Mom arrived, she didn’t even glance at me. Instead, she worried about whether my sister’s hands got burned. With my last bit of strength, I asked her why she favored one over the other. She looked at me with disgust. “I’m not playing favorites. You just have a petty mind. Your sister has never said I play favorites.” Actually, I knew the real reason—my sister was prettier than me. Mom often said that in this era, beauty is also a resource. She firmly believed my sister could marry into a wealthy family, so she bet everything on my sister’s marriage. Despite Mom’s reluctance, she ultimately didn’t force my sister to go on the date. Not wanting this opportunity to go to waste, she arranged for me to meet Harrison instead. She even rolled her eyes at me. On the way, she warned me: “Don’t tell Mr. Harrison you’ve dated before. You’re already losing points for your looks.” Sometimes I wondered if Mom was blind. My sister stayed out all night and Mom thought she was being good. I came home on time every day, yet she still thought I was promiscuous. She was truly biased.

Fortunately, Harrison didn’t mind my appearance. Because of what happened between him and my sister in my past life, I didn’t have a good impression of him. After talking this time, I discovered he was actually a decent person. Polite and well-informed. Just as Mom said, his only requirement for a partner was a lack of past experience. This requirement stemmed from his family background. With his excellent conditions, women threw themselves at him constantly, yet he remained celibate. He held himself to high standards, so this requirement wasn’t unreasonable. We got along well. We went on several dates after that, and our feelings for each other seemed compatible. After our last date, I even thought maybe God gave me a second chance not for revenge, but to set things right—to let me marry Harrison. For a moment, I thought marrying Harrison wouldn’t be bad at all. But I never expected that after Harrison agreed to get engaged to me, my sister would break up with Liam. That day when she got home and saw Harrison, she called Mom into her room that night. The next day, Mom told me: “Break up with Harrison. Your sister wants to be with him.” Her words hit me like a sledgehammer. I froze for several seconds. “Does Emily have some kind of problem? Does she get off on stealing other people’s boyfriends? Fine, she wanted that trash Liam and I let her have him. But now Harrison and I are about to get engaged—why does she still need to steal him? Is she addicted to it?” As soon as the words left my mouth, Mom slapped me. “Emily is your sister. How can you say such awful things? I was planning to introduce Harrison to Emily from the start. You’re the one who took him.” The slap burned painfully and extinguished the last bit of love I had for Mom. I couldn’t take it anymore. “Even so, Harrison is my boyfriend now. If she’s so capable, let her make him like her.” After shouting this, I couldn’t stay in that house any longer. I grabbed my bag and ran out. I knew that if my sister wanted Harrison, Mom would make it happen. But I had confidence in Harrison. He wasn’t like Liam. I stayed out all day. The events of today and the past kept replaying in my mind. In both lives, I felt utterly wronged. I thought once Harrison and I got engaged, I’d move out. But I never imagined that just a few hours later, before I even got home, Harrison would call. He said: “Grace, let’s break up.” My voice trembled with pain. “Why? Is it because of my sister?” After a long silence, Harrison didn’t hide it. “Grace, you’re a smart person. You should know that someone in my social circle needs a beautiful partner for appearance’s sake.” “I’m sorry. I’ll give you some compensation, but I hope you won’t make a scene. When we meet in the future, let’s still be civil.”

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Three years after breaking up with Adrian Whitmore, he came looking for a surrogate, while I was competing for the highest surrogacy commission. When our eyes met, his lips curled into a cold sneer. “Didn’t you marry into a wealthy family carrying some bastard back then?” “How did you fall so low that you need to make money through surrogacy? Is it because you didn’t give birth to a son?” I gripped the agency’s business card tightly in my hand and said nothing. “Kneel and beg me. Maybe I’ll consider giving you a chance.” I lowered my eyes and knelt down. “Mr. Whitmore, I’m sorry. Please.” He stared at me for a long time before throwing the contract in front of me. “Since you love having other people’s children so much, you’ll keep doing it until I’m satisfied.” For five years, I gave birth to three children for him. During the third delivery, I had a sudden amniotic fluid embolism. They had to remove my uterus to save my life. The anesthesia had barely worn off when he tossed the termination agreement on my bedside. “Buying your reproductive rights was my worst decision. You’ll work off the penalty as a lifetime nanny.” I closed my eyes, my mind filled with my mother’s critical condition notice and the astronomical surgery costs. “Can I use my heart to pay for the final payment?” He frowned, examining my pale face. “Your heart? How much is it worth?” I took out the report showing my heart was a match for his wife’s. I was dying. This was the last thing I could do for him, for my mother.

Adrian’s pupils contracted sharply, as if he’d heard the most absurd joke in the world. He leaned down, almost touching my bloodless face. “You’d be that kind?” I said nothing, only pushed the heart compatibility report forward another inch. He straightened abruptly and barked toward the door: “Mark!” Assistant Mark pushed the door open in response. “Go,” Adrian’s gaze remained fixed on my face, each word deliberate, “arrange a new heart compatibility test. Rush all the testing. Personally supervise it. No room for any errors.” “I want to see what kind of trick she’s trying to pull.” Mark picked up the report, glanced at me with a complicated expression, and hurried away. The air in the hospital room grew stagnant, leaving only my weak breathing, suppressed by pain. Adrian walked to the window and lit a cigarette, but didn’t smoke it. He just let the smoke curl around his fingers, blurring his sharp profile. The wait wasn’t long, yet every second stretched endlessly. Two hours later, Mark returned. “Mr. Whitmore, the results are in. Confirmed… highly compatible.” Adrian took the report, then let out a low laugh. The laughter was full of karmic retribution and grim satisfaction. “The best heart is actually yours. I guess Heaven really does punish those who do too much evil.” He suddenly reached out and gripped my chin, forcing me to raise my face. “For money, you really can sell anything? Even your heart?” I looked into his anger-filled eyes and forced out a disdainful smile. “Yes.” “I’ve always been this kind of person. As long as the price is right, anything goes. Mr. Whitmore, this deal shouldn’t be a loss for you. Want to cooperate?” He seemed stung by my smile and released me abruptly, as if he’d touched something filthy. “A cheap life indeed,” his words dripped with disgust, each one like a knife, “even your heart is dirty. It’s only fit to be a container for Flora.” He turned to Mark without any hesitation. “Arrange the surgery immediately. The sooner the better.” Without waiting for me to recover from childbirth, Adrian arranged for the surgery as soon as possible. As the anesthesia took effect, I slowly closed my heavy eyelids. Suddenly, Mark’s hesitant voice reached my ears. “Mr. Whitmore, which implant device should we use for Miss Parker? The basic model our company is currently promoting, or… the ‘Guardian’ you specifically developed for Mrs. Whitmore?” Adrian didn’t even pause to think. “Did you eat shit for brains to ask such a question! Does a bitch like her deserve the Guardian?” His mockery was undisguised. “The ‘Guardian’ is Flora’s fallback. Only my wife in the entire world can use it.” He deliberately emphasized the word “wife,” and seeing my body tremble uncontrollably twice, he smiled with satisfaction. The cold verdict followed. “Use that batch of defective experimental products on her. It’s a good chance to see what needs improvement! She owes me this.” Even though I’d long known how much Adrian hated me, hearing his cold, merciless words still made my heart twist. As the doctor brought the artificial heart into the operating room, Mark glanced at it and immediately tried to stop them: “You’ve got the wrong one. This isn’t the one set aside for…” “Shut up!” Adrian’s rebuke prevented me from hearing the last few words. The next second, the cold scalpel cut across my chest, and my entire body suddenly convulsed violently. The anesthesiologist panicked immediately: “Something’s wrong. Stop the surgery now! Her body seems to be allergic to the anesthetic. The surgery can’t continue…”

“If you don’t want to be fired, increase the anesthesia and proceed with the surgery.” Under Adrian’s powerful presence, the anesthesiologist ultimately compromised. Darkness surged like a tide. I suddenly found myself back in that bright afternoon when I first met Adrian. By the basketball court, the boy I’d secretly loved for three years ran toward me in a white shirt. “Hey,” he smiled as he handed me a bottle of water, “can you hold this for me?” My heart pounded, but he forced the water into my hand. The teasing from the crowd made my face burn red. That was Adrian Whitmore! The most popular guy in school! He actually used the most clichéd yet passionate way to pursue an ordinary girl like me. He would brave a high fever to bring me an umbrella when I was trapped in the lab by a rainstorm. He would climb a tree and jump into my third-floor dorm to bring me medicine when I was sick, not caring that he fractured his bone in the process. At the school talent show, he loudly confessed: “Lena Parker, my future must include you.” His eyes were full of burning passion. I stood there, my cheeks impossibly hot. That night, we first tasted love. He cupped my face and said: “Lena, I’ll be good to you forever. So good that you can never leave me.” The scene shifted to my mother suddenly developing a rare serious illness. I had just discovered I was pregnant but hadn’t had time to tell Adrian yet. Mrs. Whitmore had always been strict with Adrian. She said he could play around with me, but couldn’t marry me. I didn’t want Mrs. Whitmore to think I was approaching Adrian for money. But the astronomical surgery costs were enough to crush all my hope and dignity. Just when I had nowhere to turn, Mrs. Whitmore slowly pushed a check in front of me. The amount was exactly my mother’s surgery cost. “Miss Parker, the Whitmore family urgently needs a strategic marriage alliance now, but he’s ready to secretly sell a kidney to secure investment because of you. Someone from your background can’t help Adrian at all. You’ll only become his burden.” I tried to explain, tried to plead. I even thought about telling Adrian the truth no matter what. But that afternoon, while I was struggling and hesitating, I witnessed Adrian being forced to drink until he had stomach bleeding, all to secure investment. Yet he texted me, pretending to be strong: “Lena, I’m going abroad on business. I might be gone for two weeks. Be good at home and wait for my surprise.” Before I could reply, the hospital urgently contacted me: “Miss Parker, your mother’s condition can’t be delayed any longer.” The cruel reality made me reach out and take that check, light as a feather yet heavy as a thousand pounds. Mrs. Whitmore personally sent me to the procedure room, then acted with me, establishing the fact that I despised the Whitmore family’s downfall and ran off with a rich old man while carrying a bastard. Sharp pain yanked me violently from the tangled memories. My body curled into a ball, drenched in cold sweat. Adrian’s anxious roar reached my ears: “Doctor!” When I fully regained consciousness, his face was cold, and every word stabbed: “Good that you’re not dead.” It must have been too much anesthesia that made me dream such delusions. Was Adrian actually concerned about me? “Report any discomfort immediately. The lab needs the data.” As he finished speaking, the artificial heart sent distinct stabbing pains and persistent suffocation. But none of it compared to the pain of Adrian hating me. This was fine. My heart would finally stop aching for him. Flora Reed would replace me and love him properly! Along with the three children I bore for them. “Adrian, Miss Parker doesn’t look well. Should we call a doctor?”

Flora pushed her wheelchair in. Adrian strode to meet her. “Didn’t I tell you to rest? What are you doing here?” He crouched in front of her, worriedly holding her hand. His eyes held that familiar focus and tenderness. Only, it no longer belonged to me. Flora pointed to the fruit plate on her lap, smiling sweetly: “Lena gave birth to our children, and now she’s saved me. I want to thank her…” “This is fruit I cut for you. Does she deserve to eat it?” Flora quickly covered his mouth, playfully scolding: “How can you say that?” Adrian fed Flora several pieces of fruit carefully before allowing her to bring the rest to me. “I can never repay your kindness, so I have a request. I don’t know if you’ll agree?” Her gaze fell on the thick bandages on my chest, choking with emotion. Adrian dotingly kissed away the tears on her face. “Flora, is there anything your husband can’t handle? Why do you need to beg her?” Flora shyly pushed him away: “Adrian, Lena is watching. Stop it! Don’t delay me from talking business with her.” Flora’s face was bashful, her complexion rosy—not at all like someone who just had heart transplant surgery. “Lena, can I ask you to be the godmother of my three children? After all, you saved me, and they were all born from you…” “No!” “I don’t agree!” Adrian and I refused in unison, making Flora’s smile freeze. “Why do you both…” Adrian quickly planted another kiss on Flora’s lips before turning to look at me, his eyes instantly returning to their usual coldness. “Lena Parker, please understand. Only women like Flora are worthy of being Mrs. Whitmore, worthy of being my children’s mother. And you…” He paused, a mocking smile playing on his lips. “You’re just a breeding tool. You’ll never be worthy.” A sharp pain shot through where my heart should be. I closed my eyes, forcing the tears back. Adrian’s devotion to Flora Reed was famous in New York—he’d give her the stars if she asked, never the moon. Refusing to let me be the children’s godmother was the first time he’d ever said no to Flora. To compensate her, he immediately called Mark to attend an auction and bid on everything Flora might possibly like. Flora suddenly leaned close to me and whispered: “Lena Parker, you’re really hard to kill. You didn’t die after giving birth three times. Now you’ve got a new heart and you’re still so resilient. I just wonder about your mother…” My pupils constricted. She actually knew about my mother’s critical condition. After a moment’s thought, I understood why each of my three deliveries had been more dangerous than the last. But I couldn’t hate this woman who had helped Adrian at all. “As long as you don’t touch my mother, you’ll get your wish within a month.” At my last prenatal checkup before the third delivery, I collapsed in the examination room. After emergency treatment and tests, they discovered late-stage brain cancer. The doctor said with good care, I had three months at most. Now that I’d given my heart to Flora, I probably had only the “shortest month” the doctor mentioned. … Adrian never showed up until I was discharged. I also got used to the dull, painful beat of the artificial heart in my chest. I returned alone to the Whitmore villa and didn’t go check on the three children as usual. Unexpectedly, the door opened a crack, and little Hudson peeked his head in worriedly. “Miss Parker…” He was Adrian and Flora’s eldest son, now three years old. “Miss Parker, I heard from Mommy that you saved her. This is my favorite chocolate. It won’t hurt anymore after you eat it.” Hudson waddled over on his short legs and handed me the chocolate that had melted somewhat in his grip. The softest part of my heart was touched. I forced a smile for Hudson and accepted the chocolate: “Thank you.” The moment I put the chocolate in my mouth, Hudson suddenly burst into tears. I quickly got up to pick him up and comfort him, but he suddenly pushed hard against my heart: “Bad person! Why did you steal the chocolate I gave Mommy? And pinch me to make me call you Mommy? You’re not my mommy!” I clutched my heart, cold sweat instantly beading on my forehead. An ominous premonition wrapped around me along with the heart pain.

Adrian burst through the door, rushed over, and slapped me across the face: “Lena Parker, is this how you bully my son behind my back?” With someone to back him up, Hudson immediately cried and complained to Adrian: “Daddy, Miss Parker made me call her Mommy. When I refused, she pinched me! She said Mommy is a bitch and she’d kick Mommy out of the house!” “I didn’t…” I instinctively tried to explain. Adrian slapped me again: “Would Hudson lie?” He picked up Hudson and left with Flora in his arms. He ordered the butler to throw me out of the Whitmore house. Flora came out alone to see me off, her eyes cold: “Lena Parker, you think that after sacrificing so much, acting weak will make Adrian change his mind? No. He wishes you were dead!” “If you’re smart, never come back. Otherwise…” The next second, she suddenly pulled out scissors and stabbed herself in the arm without hesitation. The black card in her hand also fell to the ground. Her piercing scream shattered the villa’s tranquility. Adrian rushed over at the sound. Flora immediately threw herself into his arms, crying like a broken flower, trembling all over: “Adrian, I kindly saw Lena off and gave her the black card. She thought it wasn’t enough and suddenly stabbed me with scissors, saying only if I died would everything I have become hers…” Adrian stared at the wound on her arm—not deep but striking enough. The heartache in his eyes couldn’t be hidden. After calling an ambulance, his eyes held only cold disgust when he looked at me. “Lena Parker, you dare hurt Flora. I’ll make you wish you were dead.” I opened my mouth but couldn’t make a single sound. Explain? Who would believe me? In his eyes, I was already a viper who would sell anything for money and could even hurt children. “Mark, lock her in the basement. Release the snakes.” That already malfunctioning artificial heart sent frequent sharp pains when snake after snake wrapped around me and bit madly. It felt like an invisible hand was viciously squeezing and tearing inside my chest. Years ago, when I was bitten by a snake, Adrian sucked out the poison with his mouth to save me. Later, when we both survived, I blamed him for being so reckless. He said all my pain, he wanted to experience it too. From then on, I hated and feared snakes most of all. But now, he let a room full of snakes engulf me. I don’t know if I was seeing things, but there seemed to be a green snake mixed in with the others. I curled up in the corner, hugging myself, my jaw chattering. My phone screen suddenly lit up. The hospital was calling. “Miss Parker, your mother’s account is overdrawn again. Please pay the fees as soon as possible.” In the call’s background, I heard my mother’s weak but anxious voice: “Don’t pressure my daughter. She has it hard enough… the medicine… I can go without medicine for now…” That voice was like a dull knife sawing back and forth across my heart. I hastily hung up and pounded on the door like a madwoman, begging Adrian to let me out. But only Flora brought me a glass of warm water: “You can scream your throat raw and he won’t soften. Enjoy your last moments.” In front of me, she killed that green snake and took it away. All the physical pain couldn’t compare to the agony in my heart. I completely lost consciousness. I woke again when Adrian threw a bucket of ice water over me. “Tell me, where did you hide Hudson? Just because he exposed your true face, you had someone kidnap him. How did you become so vicious?” I couldn’t care what he was saying. My first reaction was to find my phone. When I saw countless missed calls from the hospital and a notification about my mother’s critical condition, I crawled to his feet: “Adrian, please, save my mom…” He froze for a moment, then ordered Mark to investigate my mother’s situation. Learning my mother was critically ill and dying, he suddenly slammed me against the cold wall and gripped my throat: “Tell me where Hudson is, or your mother doesn’t need to live either!” “I don’t know… I didn’t kidnap him…” “Lena Parker! You’re asking for death!” The air in my lungs was rapidly emptied. My vision darkened. I used my last strength to grab his wrist: “It wasn’t me… Adrian… believe me… please… save my mother first…” He leaned down, his cold lips against my ear, word by word: “Don’t give up Hudson, and your mother’s resuscitation will be suspended.” I jerked my head up, staring at him in disbelief. But he calmly said: “You dare touch my child, I’ll let your mother die in the emergency room.” “When you’ve thought it through, call me.” I was pushed back into the snake pit while he personally went to search for Hudson. Soon, my phone in the corner rang again. I tremblingly pressed the answer button. From the other end came the doctor’s anxious, heavy voice: “Miss Parker! Why haven’t you come to the hospital yet? Your mother suffered multiple organ failure after resuscitation was interrupted due to power outage… We did our best… Please come to the hospital immediately to settle the outstanding fees and handle the funeral arrangements…” The phone slipped from my hands full of bloody holes. The screen shattered, like my heart in that moment. I maintained the posture of answering the phone, wanting to say something, but my throat felt stuffed with wet cotton. I couldn’t make a sound. As I fell straight backward, Adrian returned. Seeing me collapse, he frowned impatiently and sneered coldly: “Lena Parker, smart move. Hudson is safely home! Your mother is also being resuscitated, but you dared kidnap Hudson, so you deserve punishment!” Three days later, while playing with his newborn daughter, he casually ordered Mark: “Go ask her if she knows her mistake, if she dares to touch my wife and children again, or covet things she shouldn’t!” Ten minutes later, Mark stumbled back, his face bloodless with terror, his voice shaking uncontrollably: “Mr. Whitmore! Miss Parker… she… she… is dead!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “358505”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn #擦边Steamy

After my family went bankrupt, I became a mistress of my ex-boyfriend, a mafia boss—his on-call sex toy for whenever he wanted. Thinking of my mother lying in the ICU, I swallowed my shame and studied moves from adult films, desperately trying to please him in bed. When Lucas slapped my ass and ordered me to “lift it higher,” I complied in humiliation. Just endure a little longer. My mom still needs money to survive. “You’re such a slut when you get like this, it feels damn good..” Utterly mortified, I asked hoarsely, “When will you transfer the money?” He lit a cigarette. “Next month.” A chill instantly spread through my body. I turned back and begged desperately, “But you promised it would be tomorrow… My mom can’t hold on until next month.” “Please.” Lucas slowly blew out a smoke ring. “I used the liquid funds to buy Mia the latest sniper rifle. She needs some protection for her first mission.” He thought I would kick up a huge fuss like I used to. But this time, I was truly exhausted.

“You’re going out like that?” Lucas glanced at my torn clothes, his eyes sweeping toward the door he’d deliberately left slightly open. I knew what he was reminding me—that everything that just happened had been clearly visible to his men through that crack. But they’d already witnessed me in even more degrading positions. What did this matter? I numbly pushed the door open. He grabbed my wrist. “Do you have any shame left?” I looked back calmly. “Have you ever given me any dignity?” He fell silent. We both knew the truth. From the moment I beat him three times in a row at that shooting competition when we were nineteen, he’d fallen deeply in love with me. He said he loved the fierce determination in my eyes when I pulled the trigger. But in just seven years, he grew tired of it. All because the newcomer Mia curled up in his arms and said, “Lucas, the way Kiera looks at me… I’m so scared.” So he personally severed the tendons in my hands, ensuring I could never hold a gun again. Seven years of life-and-death companionship, defeated by a single tear from his new flame. He’d brought up breaking things off seven times, each time because Mia wanted official recognition. Even now, knowing full well my mother was lying in the ICU waiting for money to survive, he remained unmoved. My eyes suddenly burned. I asked hoarsely, “That sniper rifle—how much did it cost?” He said casually, “Three hundred million.” Three hundred million. My heart felt like it was being crushed by an invisible hand, the pain suffocating. I only needed fifty million. A fraction of that amount would be enough to save my mother. After seven years with him, I wasn’t worth as much as Mia’s sniper rifle. Lucas always meant what he said. If he said wait a month, even if I died right here, he wouldn’t change his mind. I stopped pleading and walked straight to the door. Outside, several team members were smoking. They fell abruptly silent when they saw me. They awkwardly looked away. Someone laughed nervously, “Kiera, finished with training?” The group exchanged knowing glances, laughing under their breath. Lucas threw a glass from inside. The shards sliced across my calf. Blood seeped into my pants. I didn’t even feel it. He frowned at the bloody mark before tossing his jacket over my shoulders in front of everyone. “I said one month, not never. Who are you making that face for?” The buttons weren’t even fastened—just draped over me for show. I looked deeply at this man I’d loved for seven years. I’d always thought if I was just a little more obedient, a little more humble, he’d remember that I’d once taken a bullet for him, that I’d been willing to die for him. They say true love means caring, but his eyes held only coldness. The moment I stepped out of the compound, all my strength drained away. My legs shook so badly I could barely stand. As tears fell, laughter echoed shamelessly from inside. Someone asked Lucas, “The Sterling family was obviously set up. Are you really not going to help?” Lucas’s voice was cold. “I’m the one who set the trap. Mia said Kiera publicly humiliated her when she first joined the organization. She’s been hurt all these years—I had to make it up to her somehow.” “Aren’t you worried Kiera will actually leave? She’s a top-tier sniper with a backbone of steel.” Lucas laughed outright. “Come on. We’ve known each other eight years, been together seven. Kiera always comes running back with one phone call.” “If she can actually walk away, I might actually respect her for once.” I pressed against the wall, biting my hand hard to keep from sobbing out loud. My family’s bankruptcy, my desperate pleas for help that went unanswered—it was all because Lucas blocked every avenue, all because Mia shed a few tears three years ago. My wounds stuck to my soaked clothes. Every movement tore at my flesh. Thinking of my mother covered in tubes, thinking of the doctor saying they’d stop the machines if I didn’t pay soon, I slapped myself twice, hard. “Idiot. If you hadn’t fallen for him, you wouldn’t have dragged your whole family into this hell.” I never imagined that trusting someone with my life would end like this. The Davis family was a powerful gang controlling half the underground arms trade. Lucas’s word could determine life or death. He was determined to avenge Mia. No one in the underworld dared help me. I stood on the river bridge in despair, looking at the surging waters below, almost ready to jump. But I didn’t dare. If I died, what would happen to my mother?

I suddenly thought of Mia. Three years ago, during a cross-border mission, I attended as the Sterling family heiress alongside her, when she was still a newcomer. In the lounge, some arms dealer drunkenly groped her thigh. I happened to witness it and got her out of the situation. At the time, I’d just had a fight with Lucas over rumors about him and another woman. He decided to spite me, laughing in front of everyone, “Miss Sterling likes playing the hero? New girl, you report to me from now on.” I never imagined that would be the beginning of our twisted triangle. I don’t know when Lucas fell for Mia. He gave her top-tier equipment, hired the best instructors for private training, let her participate in the most important missions. To spare her any grievance, he bought an entire smuggling route as her birthday present. Whenever Mia frowned, I didn’t need to ask to know why—because Lucas would cut contact with me first, then apologize to the organization using my name. He said, “Mia is innocent. She can’t handle this kind of thing.” She couldn’t be wronged, so I had to be the one who suffered. I stumbled to the private club hosting tonight’s celebration for Mia, only to be stopped by security at the door. “Sorry, Miss Sterling. Mr. Davis ordered that no one disturb Miss Mia.” This club used to be a place Lucas brought me often. Now that I was discarded, no one would show me any courtesy. The night wind cut through my thin clothes. My wounds reopened, pain making my teeth chatter. “Let her in.” I looked up. Lucas stood on the gallery, looking down at me. Something flashed in his eyes before quickly turning cold again. “Who are you trying to look pitiful for? Don’t you know your old injury acts up when you get a high fever?” Right. I’d once taken a bullet to the lung saving him. Catching cold always brought on a fever. Back when things were good between us, he’d wrap me in his coat and stay up all night monitoring my IV drip. I lowered my head. “I want to talk to Mia.” Lucas frowned slightly, a mocking smile playing at his lips. “You haven’t changed, Kiera.” He was afraid I’d make things difficult for Mia. After all, I had a “record.” When I first discovered Mia calling Lucas at dawn saying she had nightmares, I’d stormed into her dorm and thrown her phone in the sink in front of the whole team. As everyone snickered, Lucas came over and slapped me. Every team member froze. I stood my ground defiantly. “You’re my man. Not just anyone can harass you in the middle of the night.” Lucas just looked at me coldly, publicly shielding the pale-faced Mia behind him. “Look at yourself, acting like a crazy woman. You think you deserve to call me your man?” He left me standing there while everyone pointed and whispered. Because of that, Mia took my place on an overseas mission I’d been preparing for a month. Lucas locked me in the basement to “reflect.” However many days Mia was unhappy, that’s how many days I was confined. Not a drop of water. Lucas didn’t come back until he’d spent a week comforting her. Afraid she’d be affected by public opinion, he directly transferred operating rights to a port as compensation. I shook my head, forcing out a smile more painful than crying. “I just want to explain to her that there’s nothing between us anymore.” The clear doubt on his face made my heart ache. I admit I still loved him. I knew his pride as the Davis heir was immense. All these years, I’d never defied him, terrified that one wrong look would hurt him. I never expected he could be this ruthless toward me—setting up my family’s destruction just to appease Mia. It wasn’t that I didn’t love him anymore. I just didn’t dare to. Once grievances take root, they spread wildly. My eyes instantly reddened. Lucas frowned. “If you want to talk, talk. Why are you crying…” He was about to raise his hand when a figure ran out from the club. Mia wore a custom evening gown, radiating luxury and confidence—far more dazzling than the timid newcomer from years ago. More than me, she looked like the princess Lucas treasured. I smiled bitterly, watching as Lucas quickly walked to Mia’s side.

“Why did you come out?” Lucas’s tone instantly softened. She lowered her head. The moment her eyes reddened, Lucas panicked, pulling her into his arms and coaxing gently, “Who made our Mia upset?” Only then did Mia smile through her tears, lightly hitting his shoulder. “I heard Kiera was here. I came out to see.” “Now you’ve seen her. Satisfied?” He asked Mia, but his eyes were on me. I thought she should be satisfied. The Sterling family heiress who once rescued her during a mission now stood before her in tattered clothes, hair matted with blood and sweat, utterly wretched. What wasn’t there to be satisfied about? I wanted to question them, but I didn’t dare—afraid that if Mia became unhappy, my mother wouldn’t survive even her last few days. I forced myself to produce a pleasing smile. “Mia, long time no see.” She was more natural than I was. “Kiera, you didn’t need to come specially. I’ve already forgiven you.” I looked up at her. Forgiven me? Forgiven me for throwing away the phone she used to seduce someone else’s boyfriend, or forgiven me for blocking her path to becoming Mrs. Davis? I was momentarily dazed, just staring at her blankly. But Lucas suddenly got angry. “Mia’s being generous enough to forgive you. Shouldn’t you say thank you?” A thousand arrows pierced my heart. I bit down hard on my jaw, holding back tears. The words of gratitude ground between my teeth again and again, my tongue tasting blood before they finally broke free, “Thank you.” Lucas looked away, pulling out a black card and placing it in Mia’s palm. “There’s fifty million in here. You decide whether to give it to her.” My eyes lit up immediately. If I could just get the money, my mother could live. I looked at Mia hopefully, only to see her slowly curl her fingers around the card. Mia’s lips curved slightly. “Kiera made the whole team mock me back then and made Lucas misunderstand me. I can’t let her off that easily.” Lucas smiled and tapped her nose affectionately. “Whatever you say.” I panicked instantly. My mother was waiting for this money to survive. I’d already used all our savings trying to plug the holes in the family business. Now penniless, I was being hounded by creditors and enemies every day. My mother’s heart was already weak. The shock sent her to intensive care. This was my last chance, right in front of me. I begged desperately, “Mia, I’m sorry. I was wrong. You can punish me however you want. Please help me.” Mia tilted her head thoughtfully, then said playfully, “How about this—if Kiera barks like a dog for me, I’ll give you the card. Deal?” She smiled sweetly, but her words were poison. “Make it sound real, okay? I heard Kiera used to be amazing at disguises and imitations during missions.” Lucas remained silent, standing beside Mia as if backing her up. “Don’t want to…” She started to put the card back in her pocket with mock regret. I immediately cried out, “I will!” As soon as the words left my mouth, she laughed triumphantly, her eyes crinkling as she waited for my performance. I glanced at the unmoved Lucas. My throat felt like it had been scraped with sandpaper. It was just a few barks, yet it felt like being stripped naked in public. I opened my mouth. No sound came out. My nails dug into my palms. The taste of blood filled my mouth. “Woof…” When the first sound escaped, I heard my voice trembling. “Woof woof…” The second was clearer. Someone in the hallway couldn’t help laughing. “Sounds so real,” someone whispered. Mia laughed with satisfaction, then pretended to be regretful. “Oh Kiera, I was just joking. Why did you actually do it?” I didn’t stop. I lowered my head and continued, “Woof woof woof…” Each sound scraped my throat like a blade. “Oh…” Mia sighed lightly and tossed the card at my feet. I bent down to pick it up, tears falling onto the gold-embossed surface. My mother could be saved. Lucas, I’ll never dare to love you again.

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I’m a cheapskate—I rented a haunted house. The first night I moved in, the faucet turned itself on. I yelled at the empty air, “Are you gonna pay the water bill?!” The water stopped instantly. I thought that was just the beginning… But the next day, I found a lavish breakfast waiting on my dining table. And later, this female ghost asked me to help her get revenge. Avocado scrambled eggs, pan-seared shrimp with tomato sauce, buttered sautéed spinach, plus a bowl of creamy mushroom soup. Perfect in color, aroma, and taste. As someone who lived on pizza delivery, my mouth watered on the spot. Hunger conquered fear. I tentatively picked up a fork and took a bite of the avocado eggs. Delicious. So delicious I almost swallowed my tongue. I devoured everything on the table like a hurricane, not leaving even a drop of soup. Full and satisfied, I rubbed my round belly and burped. I praised the empty air sincerely, “Great cooking. Keep it up tomorrow.” Then I went to work. That evening when I got home and opened the door, the aroma of food hit me. Three dishes and a soup were on the table again. Red wine braised beef ribs, black pepper tofu stew, garlic broccoli, and vegetable meatball soup. Shamelessly, I polished it all off again. After freeloading for three days straight, I started feeling a bit guilty. This “female ghost” not only had a good temper but was also great at managing a household. I dug out a pink sticky note from the drawer and wrote in bold black ink: “Hi, what should I call you? I feel bad always eating your food.” After writing, I placed the note neatly in the center of the dining table. The next morning, breakfast was on the table as usual. Oatmeal porridge, a small dish of pickled cucumbers, and two freshly baked beef pies. Next to my sticky note was an identical one. Written in very beautiful handwriting. “Evelyn Hartley.” The name sounded nice. After finishing breakfast, I left another note: “Evelyn, with your cooking skills, it’s a shame you’re not a food blogger.” Just making conversation. When I came home that evening, a hearty dinner was on the table. Below my note was a new reply: “What’s a food blogger?” I burst out laughing. She must have been dead for quite a while. Suddenly, an idea came to me—a very bold idea. I spread out the paper and wrote a shopping list. Australian lobster, Kobe beef, black truffles, caviar. I wrote down every expensive ingredient I’d ever heard of but could never afford. After writing, I guiltily glanced around. The air was completely silent. I pressed the list in the middle of the table and went to bed with a strange sense of anticipation. The next day, the first thing I did when I woke up was rush to the dining room. The table was completely empty. Forget lobster and beef—there wasn’t even a hair. I felt a bit disappointed. I guess my demands were too excessive and scared her away. I sighed and was about to cook some oatmeal myself in the kitchen. When I turned around, I saw a note pressed on the table. It was in Evelyn’s familiar handwriting, but this time the strokes seemed a bit cold. “Wasteful.” I stood there stunned, then couldn’t help but laugh out loud. This ghost not only could cook but was also a thrifty, good girl. I like that. I immediately picked up my pen to reply: “Evelyn, I was wrong. I was just joking. From now on we’ll eat home-cooked meals. I’ll never mention that nonsense again.” My apology was very sincere. Sure enough, when I came home that evening, three dishes and a soup appeared on the table again. Although they were all cheap home-cooked dishes, I ate more contentedly than ever before. On the weekend, I was sprawled on the couch playing video games when the doorbell rang. I looked through the peephole and saw my coworker, Marcus Quinn. What was he doing here?

Marcus and I didn’t exactly get along. Marcus came from money. At the company, he looked down on everyone, especially people like me who’d fight over a few dollars in coupons. I opened the door. Marcus waved his hand in front of his nose with a disgusted expression, standing at the doorway. “Preston, you actually live in this dump? It’s like a trash heap.” His eyes swept over my one-bedroom apartment, full of contempt. “I heard you got this place dirt cheap. Is there something wrong with it?” I said flatly, “It’s fine. Spacious, bright, friendly neighbors.” Marcus laughed exaggeratedly. “Neighbors? Do you dare go out at night in this building? I heard someone died here.” He just came to laugh at my misfortune. I couldn’t be bothered with him and turned to close the door. But Marcus squeezed his way inside. “Hey, don’t be so quick to kick me out. I came here out of kindness to check on you. What’s with that attitude?” He walked around the place uninvited, wrinkling his nose like he was inspecting a slum. “So clean? Did you hire a cleaning service? Doesn’t seem like your style.” He walked to the table and suddenly stopped, pointing at a vase in the corner. “You even have an antique decoration? Is this real or fake?” My heart tightened. “Just a regular decoration.” It was here when I moved in. Marcus curled his lip and reached out to grab it. “Let me take a look.” “Don’t touch it!” I tried to stop him. But it was too late. Marcus’s hand touched the vase, and as if he didn’t hold it properly, the vase fell straight toward the floor. My heart jumped to my throat. Just as the vase was about to make intimate contact with the floor, it stopped. It just floated in mid-air, less than a centimeter from the ground. Time seemed to freeze. Marcus’s smile froze on his face, his eyes wide as saucers. The next second, the vase wobbled up and flew back, landing steadily on the corner of the table, completely undamaged. The room was deathly silent. Marcus’s face turned from red to white, then from white to green. He pointed at the vase with a trembling finger. “It… it…” He stuttered “it” for a long time without forming a complete sentence. Suddenly, he let out a short, strange cry and ran outside. Stumbling and scrambling, not looking back. I watched his pathetic retreat, then looked at the vase on the table and sighed. “Evelyn, I’ve told you so many times—keep a low profile.” I scolded the empty air. “If that vase broke, how expensive would it be? Would you pay for it?” The air remained completely still. I didn’t expect her to answer anyway. That night, lying in bed, I proactively chatted with Evelyn for the first time. I told her about the annoying things at work, about how obnoxious Marcus was today. I said how much I wanted to make good money, buy my own place, and stop having to look at people’s faces. As I talked, I fell asleep. The next day, I woke up freezing. The temperature in the room seemed to have dropped to freezing. I pulled the blanket tight but still shivered from the cold. I opened my phone and saw a text from the electric company. This month’s electricity bill: three thousand eight hundred dollars. I stared at that number for a full minute. Thirty-eight hundred?! How could my electricity usage possibly be that high? Then I suddenly remembered something. The faucet turning on by itself, the TV lighting up in the middle of the night, and those damned meals that appeared on time every day! Did these paranormal phenomena also consume electricity? A surge of anger shot straight to the top of my head. I leaped out of bed, grabbed my phone, and roared at the empty room: “Evelyn! Come out here!” “What’s with this electric bill? Thirty-eight hundred! Why don’t you just rob me!” “You’re paying this bill!” My voice echoed in the small room, filled with uncontrollable anger. The lights in the room started flickering wildly, on and off. A chill shot up from the soles of my feet, even colder than the low temperature before. I saw the shadow in the corner of the wall begin to wriggle and gather unnaturally. A silhouette darker than the darkness itself slowly peeled away from the shadow. Her figure was slender, but her entire body was shrouded in an indistinct black mist. I couldn’t feel any wind, but it felt like all the air in the room had been sucked out. A cold, emotionless voice—not through my ears but directly in my head—spoke. “Say that again.”

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The day the company handed out year-end bonuses, my bonus turned into a box of ultra-thin condoms. “The sales department’s performance is all from sleeping around anyway. Spread your legs and the contract gets signed. That’s easy.” I looked up at the secretary, her face twisted in a lewd smile. “Getting off and making money at the same time—I’d want that job too.” A few obscene laughs echoed through the conference room. I closed my laptop, got up, and left. Leaning against the window, I opened SnapChat. The message from the VP of our rival company three days ago still sat in the chat box. “Ms. Foster, have you thought it over? Bring your clients with you, and the VP position is yours.” Behind me, more obscene laughter drifted from the conference room. Then came the boss’s duck-like voice screeching: “Walk out that door and don’t you dare regret it!” I didn’t look back. I strode toward the office area. Linda clacked after me in her four-inch heels. She deliberately raised her voice in the hallway: “Evelyn, stop acting so high and mighty.” “Without this company, you’re nothing. Don’t forget to pick up that box of condoms from accounting—consider it the boss’s severance package for you.” Coworkers around us turned to stare. Some whispered among themselves. I stopped and gave her a cold look. Linda crossed her arms, wearing that mocking smile unique to someone who thinks they’ve won. Instead of getting angry, I smiled, turned around, and walked to my desk. Last month’s performance reports still sat piled on top. Those were the results of three consecutive all-nighters with my team. Just ten minutes ago, the boss had casually wiped it all away with a single sentence. I looked at those familiar faces beyond the cubicle walls. Jake kept his head down, pretending to type, but his shoulders trembled slightly. Rachel’s eyes were red. She glared in my direction, angry but not daring to speak. In that moment, my last shred of hesitation evaporated completely. My phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out. On the screen was a message from VP Chen of our rival company, Golden Tech. “Ms. Foster, have you made your decision?” My fingers flew across the screen. “I’ll bring my projects. I want the Sales Director position.” The response came almost instantly. “Deal. Contract’s ready. Car’s downstairs.” I shoved my phone back in my pocket and started packing my things. I didn’t grab that cardboard box full of miscellaneous items. I only unplugged my encrypted flash drive. Then I opened my computer, fingers dancing rapidly across the keyboard. After copying the core client data, I deleted the files directly. All that remained in the company system was a pile of worthless surface-level data. When I finished, I closed my computer, feeling refreshed. The boss had somehow burst out of his office. He stared at my empty desk, the fat on his face quivering. “Evelyn Foster, if you walk out that door, I’ll make sure no one in this industry will hire you!” He jabbed his finger at my nose and roared: “Everyone knows about your dirty little secrets! Don’t think changing companies will clean your reputation!” Here came the smear campaign again. This was his usual tactic—trying to force me into submission with these lowlife methods. I cut him off impatiently: “Save it, boss.” I casually removed my ID badge from around my neck. In front of everyone, I tore the badge in half. With a flick of my wrist, the pieces landed precisely in the nearby trash can. “Keep your threats and your condoms for yourself. Be careful you don’t destroy yourself.” Dead silence filled the room. The boss’s face turned iron gray. His mouth hung open, but no words came out. I grabbed my bag and walked out without looking back. Outside the building, the late autumn wind hit my face, but it felt incredibly liberating. A black Maybach sat parked by the curb. VP Chen got out personally and opened the door for me. “Ms. Foster, welcome to Golden Tech.” No nonsense about probation periods—just a core employment contract. I signed my name and watched the scenery retreat past the window. I took out my phone and posted on social media. The image was my brand-new Golden Tech ID badge. The caption was just one simple line. “New beginning. Making money with my brain, not my looks.” A few minutes later, my phone went crazy with notifications.

The day after I left, my old company exploded into chaos. According to a secret message from Jake, the sales department had turned into a complete mess. The boss threw the printed client list directly in Linda’s face. “Evelyn used to guard these resources, now they’re yours!” He pointed at the long list and roared: “You go sign deals and prove sales is all about looks!” Linda held the folder containing only contact information, brimming with confidence. She changed into a low-cut, tight red dress. Her perfume was so strong you could smell it from two blocks away. Her first target was a major client worth tens of millions—Vincent Hayes, CEO of Skyhigh Group. Linda brought two fresh graduates with her and marched straight to Skyhigh Group. She thought it was the same old routine from when she accompanied the boss to business dinners. But I knew Vincent too well. He was a true hands-on executive who most despised this type of “public relations” approach with sexual undertones. Sure enough, less than half an hour later, Linda came out looking utterly defeated. Vincent not only refused to see her but also made a complaint call directly to the company’s front desk. “Tell your boss if he sends this kind of person to harass me again, he can expect a lawyer’s letter!” The boss smashed a cup in his office. He couldn’t bring himself to scold Linda, so he turned and vented at everyone else in the sales department. “You all failed to support Director Linda properly!” “Bunch of useless people! Can’t even land a single client!” My former colleague Rachel was crying so hard on the phone she could barely breathe. “Evelyn, we really can’t take it anymore.” “The boss is forcing us to give gifts to clients, drink with them, and he’s even hinting that the female employees should learn from Linda…” I gripped my phone tighter, my voice turning cold. “Hang in there for two more days. The real show’s coming.” I hung up and looked at the dense data analysis on my computer screen. At Golden Tech, I hadn’t wasted a single second. I’d worked through the night to finish a proposal. It completely rejected the old company’s culture of using alcohol and seduction to win business. Vincent agreed to my invitation. We met at a quiet business tea room. I didn’t order alcohol. Instead, I ordered a pot of fine tea. I took out the thick analysis report and pushed it in front of Vincent. “Mr. Hayes, this is the proposal tailored for Skyhigh Group.” Vincent flipped through a few pages. His frown gradually relaxed. “Ms. Foster, you still understand me best.” He closed the file and sighed. “The person that other company sent was an insult to my intelligence.” I smiled slightly and poured him a cup of tea. “Professionals do professional work, Mr. Hayes. Let’s just talk business.” The meeting went very pleasantly. I not only secured Vincent’s verbal commitment but also obtained a crucial piece of information. The old company’s supply chain had developed a major vulnerability. Since I had also been responsible for coordinating the supply chain, I knew exactly where their weaknesses were. At the weekend industry social, we ran into each other. The boss brought Linda, both dressed to the nines. Linda clung to the boss’s arm. Her dress had a slit that went almost to the top of her thigh. When she saw me, she deliberately raised her voice. “Oh my, isn’t this Evelyn, who got kicked out?” Eyes immediately focused our way. Linda twisted her waist as she walked over, looking me up and down in my business suit. “Think you can sign deals now that you’ve joined the competition? Or did you sleep your way in again?” The boss let out a piercing cold laugh nearby. “Evelyn, that dump Golden Tech actually took you in?” “I heard VP Chen picked you up personally? Guess you do have some talent in that department.” Their vulgar words echoed through the social event hall. Quite a few people started pointing and whispering about me. I held my juice and watched these two clowns. In that moment, I felt no anger—only the calm detachment of someone watching a show.

Facing Linda’s malicious slander, I didn’t resort to screaming like a shrew. I simply turned slightly and smiled at several industry leaders nearby. “The boss certainly has a unique corporate culture.” I said unhurriedly: “After all, a company that gives out condoms as year-end bonuses—I’m just not blessed enough to appreciate it.” My voice wasn’t loud, but it was just loud enough for the circle of people around us to hear clearly. Gasps rippled through the crowd. Many people showed looks of contempt. The boss’s face instantly turned iron gray, as if someone had slapped him hard across the face. Humiliated and enraged, he pointed at me: “Evelyn Foster, just you wait!” After the social ended, the boss didn’t let up. He went into several industry group chats with hundreds of members and spread rumors like crazy. He said I’d stolen trade secrets from my former company. He even photoshopped some obscene images. He was trying to completely destroy my reputation before Skyhigh Group’s bidding process. Some discordant voices also appeared inside Golden Tech. People whispered in the break room, questioning whether I would bring negative impact to the company. “That Director Foster seems to have a pretty bad reputation…” “Why would VP Chen hire someone like her?” VP Chen pushed the door open directly and slammed a file on the table. “I value Director Foster’s abilities.” He looked around the room, his tone ice-cold: “These gutter tactics just show how desperate the other side is. Anyone else who gossips gets fired immediately.” I stood outside the door, warmth flooding my heart. Since the company trusted me this much, I couldn’t afford to lose. I didn’t rush to defend myself in those group chats. That would be a waste of time. I contacted a lawyer directly and had all the screenshots and recordings of the boss’s slander notarized. At the same time, I reached out to several old clients the boss had screwed over. We were going to work together and prepare a big gift for him. The Skyhigh Group bidding conference arrived as scheduled. The boss and Linda brought their team in full force. They carried a beautifully bound proposal. I only had to glance at the cover to know it was plagiarized from one of my old rejected drafts. They hadn’t even changed the formatting. Linda cornered me outside the lounge. She leaned in smugly: “Evelyn, save your energy.” “Mr. Hayes promised me privately that as long as tonight…” She winked suggestively: “The contract is ours. Your boring data is useless.” I looked at her like she was a hopeless idiot. “You don’t even know what Mr. Hayes hates most, and you think you can land this deal?” Vincent had a daughter who’d been harassed early in her career. So the thing he hated most in life was workplace sexual harassment. Linda was tap-dancing in a minefield, thinking she was performing a waltz. I didn’t bother explaining. I just sneered: “Is that so? Then I wish you a pleasant evening.” Both parties entered the conference room. The boss sat across from me, glaring viciously. He raised his hand and made a throat-slitting gesture across his neck. His mouth clearly formed the words: “You’re finished.” I opened my laptop with no expression. Vincent pushed through the door, his face serious. When his eyes swept over Linda’s overly revealing outfit, disgust flashed across his face. When he looked at me, he nodded slightly.

Linda was first to present. She twisted her hips as she walked to the projection screen, confident as if she were walking a red carpet. “Our Harmony Solutions has industry-leading service concepts…” The entire presentation was all posturing. The PowerPoint content was empty and meaningless. Full of “dedicated service” and “premium experience”—all phrases dripping with innuendo. When she reached the technical details, she stuttered. “Um… this…” She had to ask the technician beside her for help. The scene became extremely awkward. Vincent coldly cut her off: “Mr. Wallace, is this your sincerity?” The boss immediately broke into a cold sweat, stammering without daring to respond. “This… Mr. Hayes, we can discuss the terms further…” Vincent waved his hand impatiently: “Next.” I straightened my suit jacket, took the presentation remote, and walked onto the stage. Full presence. No wasted words. Just solid data and logic. I pointed at the line graph on the screen: “As far as I know, Harmony’s current inventory turnover rate cannot support Mr. Hayes’s requirements.” That sentence struck right at the boss’s fatal weakness. He slammed the table and stood up: “Evelyn Foster! You’re leaking your former company’s confidential information!” He pointed at me and roared: “Mr. Hayes, this is commercial crime! All this data was stolen by her!” He was trying to disrupt the conference and muddy the waters. I looked at him calmly, a mocking smile playing at my lips. “Mr. Wallace, this data is extrapolated from your publicly available financial reports.” “Is it that hard to admit your own mismanagement?” My gaze was sharp: “Also, this is my professional competence. Unlike some people who only focus their energy on handing out condoms to employees.” The whole room burst into laughter. Vincent couldn’t help but smile as well, the admiration in his eyes impossible to hide. The boss’s face turned the color of liver, but he couldn’t utter a single word of rebuttal. Vincent announced on the spot: “No need for further discussion.” He closed the folder: “I’m very satisfied with Golden Tech’s proposal. Director Foster, let’s sign the contract.” He completely ignored the group from Harmony. Linda still wouldn’t give up. She tried to rush forward and act cute to salvage the situation: “Mr. Hayes, please reconsider…” Vincent frowned and called security. “Please escort this woman out. This is a conference room, not a nightclub.” Security guards grabbed Linda by the arms and dragged her out. One of her high heels fell off. The boss looked ashen as he watched that contract worth tens of millions fall into my hands. All his arrogance completely extinguished in that moment. Walking out of the conference room, the boss slumped on a bench in the hallway like a broken man. Like a mangy dog whose spine had been snapped. I walked up to him and looked down from above. “Mr. Wallace, I told you.” “Multi-million dollar contracts aren’t signed by taking your clothes off.” “This project—I’m taking it.” The glass door of the conference room was suddenly slammed open with a loud thud. The boss rushed out, his face flushed red, his tie askew. He threw a thick stack of documents viciously onto Rachel’s desk. Papers flew everywhere. “Useless! What’s the point of keeping you useless people!”

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On the morning of New Year’s Day, I had prepared gifts for my in-laws, but I waited forever for Lucas to pick me up. Bored out of my mind, I scrolled through Ins and saw that his secretary, Leah, had just posted an update: “Mr. Reed took me to meet his parents! His mom’s gift was so expensive—I feel bad accepting it!” The photo showed her in my vacation villa’s garden, surrounded by Lucas’s family, beaming with joy. Lucas had commented with utter adoration: “You silly girl, we’ll give you gifts every New Year from now on.” I screenshot that smug photo and posted it directly to the company’s executive group chat. “Lucas, since when did your mom become Leah’s mother-in-law? How come I didn’t know about this?” “Also, get your parents and Leah out of my house by 8 PM tonight. You’re all making the place filthy!” The chat went dead silent. The next second, Lucas’s call came through: “Samantha Smith, do you have any idea how this makes Leah look in front of her colleagues? She grew up without a family, and my parents and I just wanted to care for a poor girl! Apologize publicly in the group chat right now!!” I let out a cold laugh: “She’s been fired. So have you.”

Before he could start raging, I hung up. The car went quiet. My dad passed away years ago, and my mom was traveling again this year. So Lucas brought his relatives to my vacation villa, saying he wanted to throw a party to liven things up. I agreed. But I didn’t expect him to spend three million of my money buying gifts for his parents and his secretary. He even brought the secretary to my house. Soon after, Lucas sent another message. [Get here within half an hour.] [Leah’s timid—this is her first time at something like this. Bring that green jade necklace from the safe to give to her. Don’t make our family look cheap.] [Oh, and wipe that death-mask look off your face. It’s bad luck.] I stared at the screen. My family’s heirloom jade necklace—he wanted to hang it around a secretary’s neck? I ignored him, turned up the car stereo, and hit the gas. I stopped the car outside the iron gates of my vacation villa. I pressed down on the horn and didn’t let go. After a minute, Lucas came out with a dark expression on his face. “Samantha, are you sick? You’re ten whole minutes late, and the elders have been waiting for you!” I rolled down the window, my gaze sliding right past him. Leah followed behind him, wearing a cream-colored coat. I raised an eyebrow. That was my globally limited-edition piece—tags still attached. Now it was on her, sleeves rolled up twice, looking completely ridiculous. When Leah saw me, she shrank back and hid behind Lucas. “Samantha… don’t misunderstand.” “It’s windy up here in the mountains. Lucas was worried I’d freeze, so he let me wear it.” Lucas immediately stepped in front of her protectively, glaring at me. “What’s wrong with borrowing it? You have so many clothes—do you really need to stare like that?” “Where’s the jewelry?” I said nothing. I opened the glove compartment and pulled out a box cutter. Lucas froze. “What are you doing with a knife?” I ignored him and walked straight toward Leah. Leah looked at me timidly. “Samantha, don’t be angry. After the New Year visit, I’ll wash it and return it to you…” I shook my head and said calmly, “Don’t you think this coat doesn’t really fit you?” Leah blinked. “Huh?” I flicked out the blade and raised my hand toward her shoulder, slashing downward. “Ahhh—” Leah screamed. But before my blade even touched the coat, a powerful force clamped down on my wrist. “Samantha, are you out of your fucking mind?” Leah stood frozen in shock. A cold wind blew past, and only then did she start trembling. Lucas roared and flung my hand away, patting Leah’s back repeatedly. “Are you sick? First day of the New Year and you’re pulling out knives?” I looked at the pair of scumbags in front of me and frowned. “Well then, Happy New Year to both of you.” “Next time, I’ll aim straight for your pretty little face.” At that, Leah went limp and collapsed into Lucas’s arms. Tears came instantly. “Lucas… a knife… she has a knife… she wants to kill me!” 2. Lucas’s eyes practically shot flames. You’d think I’d dug up his ancestors’ graves. “Samantha! If anything happens to Leah because of this scare, I’m not done with you!” “She just graduated, and you’re already coming at her with a knife?” I ignored him and reached for Leah’s wrist. “Didn’t you get hurt?” “Come on, I’ll take you to get it checked out.” Before my hand even touched her, she screamed again. “Don’t… Lucas, save me…” Then her body went soft, and without Lucas holding her up, she’d have collapsed on the ground. “Are you scared, or did your bones get scared away?” Leah completely ignored me and just kept sobbing. She practically melted against him—so smooth, you’d think she had no bones at all. “I won’t go to the hospital…” “Samantha didn’t mean it. She’s just jealous I’m wearing this coat… I’m fine, I’ll be okay in a bit.” Before she even finished her sentence, Lucas shoved me hard. The force was so strong I stumbled backward, my lower back slamming right into the marble console edge in the entryway. My vision went black, and tears shot out of my eyes. I clenched my teeth and stared at the man in front of me—utterly unrecognizable. If this were before, I probably would’ve cried and asked him why he pushed me. Now? I just felt I should’ve cut deeper with that knife. Lucas didn’t even glance at me. He was too busy patting Leah’s back and soothing her. After a while, he finally turned his head and said coldly, “Transfer five hundred thousand to Leah.” “Emotional distress compensation, plus the cost of the coat.” I leaned against the wall, nearly choking on my breath. Take my money to compensate for my coat? “Are you dreaming? Your abacus beads are flying straight into my face, dude!” I sneered and stared at him. “Still not awake? Let me get you two a room so you can sleep it off.” Leah’s eyes were red as she tugged on Lucas’s sleeve. She said timidly, “Lucas, stop fighting… it’s New Year’s. This is all my fault.” She turned to look at me. There was no fear in her eyes—only provocation. “Samantha, I don’t need you to pay me anymore. Earning money is hard.” “But this coat was Lucas’s gift to me, so please sweep up these scraps of fabric on the floor and keep them for me.” “Leah’s so understanding.” Lucas immediately chimed in. He grinned and pointed at the mess on the floor. “You hear that? Hurry up and clean it, then go to the kitchen and make Leah some ginger tea to calm her nerves! Don’t make me say it twice.” “You want me to make ginger tea for a mistress?” “Why don’t you just ask me to make you two a pot of tonic soup so you’ll have the energy to keep being a two-pump chump?” Lucas’s face flushed with humiliation. Before I could finish, he grabbed my arm and dragged me toward the kitchen. “What the hell are you babbling about! Are you deaf?” As I struggled desperately, he lost his patience. He shoved open the door to the utility closet and pushed me inside. “I was going to let you sit at the table for dinner, but now you can reflect in here until you’re ready to come out!” Bang—the door locked from the outside. I kicked the door. It didn’t budge. “Lucas, are you insane!” The hallway went quiet for a moment. Then came Leah’s sugary, breathy voice. “Ohhh~ Stop it~ Lucas, are you calming down now?” “Samantha’s getting older. She’s going through menopause and her emotions are unstable—we have to be understanding.” “You’re too kind.” Lucas’s sticky-sweet voice came through the door. “She’s thirty years old and acts like a shrew every day. Dry as a stick.” “Not like you—soft as water.” “Oh my gosh, Lucas, you’re so bad…” “I’m serious. Being with her is like hugging a wooden plank. Nothing like being with you—you make me feel like a man.” I stood in the utility closet, not angry, just disgusted. This was the man I’d loved for five years? When he proposed before, didn’t he say I was the light that illuminated his life? What happened? The light went out and turned into a plank of wood? I don’t know how much time passed before Leah pushed the door open. She stood there with her arms crossed, leaning against the doorframe. Her face was full of smugness—nothing like the innocent little rabbit act from before. “Samantha, you heard all that, right?” She lifted her chin. “Lucas said only when he’s with me does he feel like a real man.” I gave her a sympathetic look. These days, some people fight over trash and feel superior about it. “Yeah, I heard.” I brushed the dust off my hands and looked at her. “What’s there to be proud of?” Leah froze. I stepped closer and whispered in her ear, “A man who can’t even last three minutes—only you would treasure him like that.” “Since you love picking up garbage so much, you can have this quick-shot all to yourself.” 3 Leah dropped the act completely. She slammed the door shut, and all traces of that pitiful look vanished. She sneered outright. “Samantha, what are you being so stubborn for?” “You should know better than anyone how Lucas is in bed.” “Then again, how long has it been since you two shared a bed? Even if you stripped naked now, he probably wouldn’t touch you, would he?” She unlocked her phone and waved it in front of my face. “Take a look! The Eiffel Tower, the Maldives.” “Oh, and that time you went home for a funeral and he said he was on a business trip? We actually stayed in a hotel for three whole days without leaving the room.” “Want to hear the details? I’m worried your heart can’t take it at your age.” After hearing her provocation, I let out a mocking laugh. Leah’s face flashed with confusion. “Looks like Lucas never told you about his rags-to-riches story.” “A poor boy who couldn’t even afford college tuition—how he knelt in the snow at my family’s door, begging my dad to give him a chance. He never mentioned that?” Leah’s smile stiffened for a moment. Then, as if remembering something, she straightened up again, all self-righteous. “So what? Even if Lucas used to be a dog, he was still a dog you were willing to pave the way for!” “You still slept with him all these years, didn’t you?” I couldn’t help it—I laughed out loud. She didn’t get angry. Instead, she leaned in close and whispered in my ear, “Samantha, you need to know your place.” “Give up your position while you still can. Don’t cling to it like a desperate fool.” I stared at her. “What position?” “Mrs. Reed, CEO’s wife of Reed Corporation.” I paused and looked at her like she was an idiot. “CEO’s wife? Didn’t I just say?” “A man who’s about to be begging under a bridge—you want that title? Take it.” The moment I finished speaking, the door was shoved open. Lucas stood in the doorway, his face dark as storm clouds. Leah’s face immediately crumpled, her eyes reddening. She rushed over and clung tightly to his arm. “Lucas… Samantha’s lost it!” “She called me a whore and cursed you—cursed you to go bankrupt and beg on the streets…” She sobbed, her voice drowning in tears. “I tried to reason with her, and she just stabbed me with her words. How can someone be so vicious…” Lucas let out a cold laugh. He turned to look at me, eyes full of malice. “You bitch, say that again?” He pointed right at my nose. “Samantha, you really think you’re something special?” “That old bastard’s been dead for years! Now this house, this company—I’m the one in charge!” “After New Year’s, pack your shit and get out!” “You useless old hag squatting on a position you don’t deserve—it’s time someone else took that VP spot!” I couldn’t hold back—I snapped. “Lucas! Have you forgotten who begged my dad like a dog to bring you into the business?” “Without my family, you’d be nothing!” That completely set him off. “Fuck your Smith family!” His whole face twisted with rage. “Everything I have today, I earned myself!” “It has jack shit to do with your Smith family! Mention the past again, and I’ll sell you up north!” “Now! Without me, what the hell are you, Samantha? The shares I hold and the shares my people control—kicking you out is just a matter of one sentence!” With that, he shoved me aside hard and walked off with Leah in his arms. The sound of the car faded into the distance. The house was empty. I walked out of the utility closet. The place was a wreck. The car and the gifts worth hundreds of thousands—he’d taken them all. I pulled out my phone and scrolled to Lucas’s social media. The photo was a Reed family portrait. Leah sat beside him, smiling brightly, wearing my family’s jade necklace around her neck. The New Year gifts I’d prepared were all displayed in the most prominent spots. The caption read: “Finally able to breathe in this house.” The comments below were all the same: “Your wife is so beautiful.” I stared at the screen and made a call. The second the call connected, all the strength I’d been holding onto collapsed. “Aunt Susan…” My tears came without permission. “They’re trying to steal Dad’s company…” 4 The next time I saw Lucas was on the seventh day of the New Year—the first day back at work. I’d just arrived at the company entrance, but I didn’t even get to touch the revolving door. Lucas, along with the relatives he’d planted in the company, blocked my way. His face was full of impatience. “Samantha, just go home. I’ll handle the transition.” “It’s the first day back. I don’t want to make a scene.” Just as I was about to speak, the man behind him—someone I was supposed to call Uncle Bob—shoved me aside. The force was so strong I stumbled and slammed into a nearby pillar. “Why waste words on her!” Bob ripped off my ID badge and threw it hard on the ground. “Want to get into the company? Dream on! Mr. Reed is being generous letting you leave with dignity!” Leah’s high heels stepped right on it, grinding the toe of her shoe over my photo. “Oh my, Samantha, your era is over!” She smiled at me cheerfully. “From now on, you can’t just swipe your face to get through this door.” I stared hard at Lucas. He turned his head away without a word. My heart went completely cold. “Lucas!” “You’re just going to stand there and watch your wife get bullied?” When he didn’t respond— “Slap!” A sharp smack landed across my face. The entire lobby seemed to go silent for a moment. Bob spat on the ground. “You little bitch, how dare you call our Lucas by his name! What the hell are you now!” “Security! What are you standing around for? Drag this crazy woman out!” Just like that, several security guards shoved and pushed me out the door. I stood in the cold wind, watching the smug faces of those people inside. Bob clapped Lucas on the shoulder. His laughter echoed out. “Lucas, finally some peace! Should’ve kicked that woman out ages ago!” Leah practically hung off Lucas. “Mr. Reed, congratulations! You’ve finally taken back everything that belongs to you!” Only Lucas turned his head and looked at me through the glass. Hesitation flickered across his face for a moment. One of his board member relatives cut him off. “What are you looking at? She’s a stray dog now.” “Great men don’t sweat the small stuff! Let’s go hand out New Year bonuses together and celebrate the company being renamed Reed Corp!” A group of them crowded toward the elevator, and the whole scene felt surreal. I leaned against the cold wall, my whole body trembling. My company. My father’s life’s work. Just like that, occupied by a pack of thieves. Tears fell without permission. Suddenly, the screech of brakes shattered the silence. Five black Bentley Mulsannes pulled up in perfect formation at the company entrance. The license plate of the lead car—I’d never forget it as long as I lived. It was my father’s: SEA AS8888. “Dad…” The car door opened. A woman in a black trench coat stepped out. She walked straight up to me and draped the coat over my shoulders. Then she wiped the tears from my face. When her gaze landed on my swollen cheek, she asked, “Who did this?” I froze for a moment, then pointed inside the building. “They’re about to throw a victory party.” The woman let out a cold laugh. She turned to the lawyer who had stepped out of the car behind her. “You know what to do.” “Five minutes. I want that man named Lucas Reed out of my sight.”

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I received my January paycheck—only 600 dollars. When I went to the finance department, she gloated: “The Manager Logan said you’ve been working overtime every day and using the company’s electricity, wasting public resources. Naturally, the electricity bill needs to be deducted from your salary!” I went to find Logan to explain the situation. I’d been working overtime because the company had suddenly expanded its business. As the head of HR, I needed to work through the nights recruiting and onboarding people, coordinating everything. But Logan just shrugged: “Melissa, if you can’t complete your work within the designated time, how can you expect the company to foot the bill?” I smiled, looking at the new message on my phone. It was from the high-end technical specialist I’d hired, asking when he should start. I calmly replied: “Don’t bother coming.” The company had suddenly expanded. Without funding or sufficient staff, they’d blindly launched a new business venture. They’d taken on a program design project for a major gaming company. The client required all work to be completed within fifteen days. Because the money was good, Manager Logan hadn’t consulted anyone—he’d just accepted it directly. As the head of HR, I had no choice but to recruit people through the night. I’d even brought in my cousin,Bob—a renowned game server development engineer in the industry—at a salary far below market rate. To build the project team, I’d worked overtime for ten nights straight. Finally, I’d secured all the personnel. If nothing went wrong, the project could be smoothly completed in five days. I never expected to have my salary docked for using the company’s electricity while working overtime. Right after Logan kicked me out of his office, I received a text message. It was from Logan in the project group chat: “After comprehensive consideration, HR head Melissa has been found to have excessively used company public resources while working overtime, causing this month’s electricity bill to exceed by $10,600. This amount will be deducted from HR Melissa’s salary.” “However, to demonstrate the company’s humanitarian care, we’ve only deducted $10,000. I hope everyone takes this as a warning!” I looked at those cold words and laughed bitterly. What humanitarian care. What a warning. The phones of my nearby colleagues rang one after another—clearly they’d also received the message. Someone whispered: “Serves her right! Who told her to work overtime until late every night, showing off like that? Acting like the company can’t survive without her.” “Exactly. The company asked her to recruit people, and she brought in seventeen or eighteen people, all of whom she knows. Isn’t that just nepotism?” “The project hasn’t even made a profit yet, but she’s already spent all the funds!” I slammed my hand on the desk: “Which person I recruited is useless?” My colleagues immediately fell silent. Just then, Logan walked over. “Oh, Melissa, I need to inform you of something else!” “Because the company has expanded its personnel and is short on funds, starting next month, your base salary will be reduced to $1,500!” “After all, you’re the one who recruited all these people, so naturally when their salaries aren’t enough, you need to bear part of the burden.” I looked at his matter-of-fact expression and laughed in disbelief. I didn’t argue back. I just quietly opened my phone’s recording app: “Logan, I need to confirm with you—are you now, without any work errors on my part, arbitrarily reducing my salary to $1,500?” Logan replied arrogantly: “What? You don’t accept it?” “But I’m the general manager of this project. How much each person’s salary is—I have the final say!” His lackeys sucked up to him: “Logan is thinking about our project. The funds are limited, so shouldn’t they be used where they’re most needed?” “Exactly! If it were me, I’d have accepted it gladly! Melissa, you need to think more about the company!” Logan nodded with satisfaction. Seeing me holding my ground stubbornly, he asked: “You don’t accept it?” I looked at him silently, wordlessly protesting. He snorted and called out several more names. These people were all new recruits I’d brought in. “You few—your work abilities are mediocre. Each of you gets a $1,000 salary reduction!” Those people looked at each other and protested: “On what grounds? Our salaries were agreed upon when we joined!” Logan didn’t answer. He just looked at me triumphantly: “Melissa, do you have any objections to my arrangements?”

I took a deep breath and answered with a smile: “No, you have the final say on salaries.” But whether we actually work or not—that’s our decision. The people he’d just called out: There was Marcus, who did engine development, and Katie, who did tool development. Every single one was an industry talent, each capable of doing the work of three people. And they were all people I’d recruited at salaries far below market standard. It was only because they were my underclassmen from university who had received my help before, and were willing to help out in an emergency. They’d only signed short-term contracts to work until this project ended anyway. But now it was even better—they could leave directly. I just wondered whether the company could afford the breach of contract penalties if the project couldn’t be completed on time. Right after Logan announced his series of “brilliant decisions,” he received a call from the client. “Oh, Mr. Quinn, you can rest absolutely assured! We’ll definitely complete the task in five days, and we absolutely won’t delay your subsequent development!” “We’re definitely foolproof!” He made these promises without any psychological burden. After finishing the client’s call, he returned to the office. “Everyone, stay sharp! There’s less than a week until the delivery date. Everyone must ensure nothing goes wrong, okay?” His lackeys all agreed. Just then, Marcus, who did engine development, stood up: “Logan, I won’t be staying sharp.” “I just arrived today, and I haven’t even signed the employment contract yet. Then I ran into your brilliant display of power reducing my salary, so I’m leaving now!” With that, he left without looking back. Logan was shocked and turned to look at me: “Melissa, he’s your university classmate, right? How can he just leave like that? No credibility at all!” I shrugged: “But weren’t you the one who showed no credibility first?” “The contract hasn’t even been signed. He wants to leave, so he left. There’s nothing I can do.” Logan’s face darkened. He turned to his lackey number one, Derek: “Derek, you take over Marcus’s work!” I looked at this actual “connection hire” who’d been given special recruitment because he was Logan’s cousin, and I almost wanted to applaud. Brilliant! Having a high school dropout who’d never touched program development do engine development. What kind of pig brain could come up with such a wonderful idea? Sure enough, Derek repeatedly refused: “Logan, I have too much work on my plate already. I can’t handle it!” I smiled. His work consisted of picking up packages and takeout food for Logan. He was indeed busy. Logan’s gaze shifted, landing on Katie, who did tool development: “Then you! Can you take over Marcus’s work?” Katie spread her hands: “Can’t do it, Logan. Everyone has their specialty. I do tool development—I can’t do other things!” With that, she winked at me with a knowing smile. Tool development and engine development were both core R&D positions with significant differences. But this university classmate of mine was an all-around technical talent—whichever one it was, she could handle it with ease. But now she wasn’t willing, and no one could force her. Logan was so angry he was seething, shouting at Katie: “You’re fired!” Katie couldn’t have been happier: “Great! I’m out of here!” Then, Logan, breathing heavily, said to me: “Melissa, come with me!”

Those lackeys of Logan’s were whispering again. “Why’s he calling her again?” “What else? The people she recruited aren’t useful, so she’s going to get chewed out again!” “Haha, I bet that’s it! Best if he fires all the people she recruited and divides their salaries among us!” I couldn’t be bothered with them. I followed Logan into his office with neither humility nor arrogance. As soon as I entered, he pounded on his desk: “Melissa, what’s the deal with these people you found? Not a single one of them is useful!” “Forget it, I’ll give you a chance to redeem yourself. Go recruit someone else, preferably someone who can do both Marcus’s and Katie’s work!” I shook my head: “Logan, I can’t do that.” He jabbed his finger at my temple: “Can’t do it? What does the company pay this HR for—to do nothing?” “Do you know how much the company will have to pay in breach of contract penalties if the project can’t be delivered on time?” I dodged his finger jabbing at my forehead and steadied myself. I looked up at him: “I can’t means I can’t. What kind of person do you expect me to recruit for $3,000?” “Why don’t you get your cousins, nieces, and nephews to do it? They seem pretty smart to me.” This project team was already short on funds, and the relatives Logan had brought in had taken up a large portion of the salaries. After I finished speaking, I slipped out quickly before Logan could throw files at my head. Ten minutes later, my phone rang. It was Mr. Harrison from headquarters. I knew Logan must have tattled. Harrison had given me a job opportunity when I’d fought with my family years ago and refused to go home to inherit the family business. So all these years, I’d worked hard for the company with all my heart. I resolved that if Harrison would agree to fire the parasites Logan had brought in and let me use their salaries to recruit people, I’d be willing to try again. The call connected, and Harrison’s voice came through: “There you go being impulsive again! The company’s been tight on funds lately—you need to understand!” “How about this: I’ll privately reimburse you the $10,000 that was deducted, and you just pretend it didn’t happen, okay?” “I know you have a wide network. Hurry up and find two more people to help with the emergency!” Harrison spoke as if he’d bestowed some tremendous favor upon me. For the sake of his willingness to reimburse my salary, I decided to give him one more chance: “Harrison, our salaries are really too low! The people I recruited before were all my classmates who came as a personal favor to me.” “Now they’ve all left. If we don’t raise the salary a bit, I don’t have the confidence to convince them again.” “Could we take the high salaries that Logan’s relatives are getting—when they can’t do anything—and use that money…” Before I could finish, Harrison interrupted me. “Enough, Melissa! Logan is a veteran employee of the company, and he’s also my brother. Isn’t it normal for me to have a few trusted people around me?” I was stunned. So Logan and Harrison were also relatives—no wonder he was so fearless. “Besides, didn’t you also recruit people you know? Who doesn’t have their own interests?” “Didn’t I just reimburse you $10,000? You can use that money to recruit people! Why can’t you learn to be flexible?” I smiled. So that was his calculation. Then don’t blame me for completely giving up on this company that recruited a bunch of freeloading relatives. “Yes, yes, yes, you’re so smart!” “Hurry and transfer the money to me. I can’t wait to use it to recruit people!”

The $10,000 was quickly transferred to my payroll account. As soon as I got the money, I turned around and applied for seven days off on the company app, combining my overtime compensatory leave and annual leave. I’d just worked overtime for ten days straight—I could use a good rest. Right after I sent the application, Logan called me to his office again. “Melissa, what’s the meaning of this?” “This is a critical time for the company, and you want to quit?” “I won’t approve this leave!” I shrugged: “I’ve completed my task. Why can’t I take leave?” “In just ten days, I built a complete game program development team.” “I’m impressed with myself!” Logan roared: “What bullshit are you spouting?! Everyone’s left—who’s going to develop the game?!” “And didn’t Harrison just give you money to recruit people?” I smiled: “That’s my salary! Logan, get this straight—I’m only responsible for recruiting people. Is it also my fault if the company can’t retain them?” “Besides, didn’t you think their salaries were too high and wasting funds? Go find more suitable people yourself!” Logan was so angry he couldn’t get a word out. If they couldn’t complete the client’s project requirements on time, not only would the branch office’s reputation be ruined, they’d also have to pay ten times the contract amount in breach of contract penalties. This project was going to leave a colorful mark on Logan’s career. I magnanimously offered: “Logan, if you’re willing to admit your decision-making mistakes and apologize to me in the group chat, I can consider helping you out one more time.” His face darkened like water about to drip out. Just when I thought he was going to compromise, his phone rang. After the call ended, that familiar smug expression appeared on his face again: “Melissa, did you think the company can’t function without you? That you’re the only one in the whole company who can recruit people?” “Let me tell you, you’ve miscalculated! Headquarters just onboarded a high-end technical specialist who’s being transferred to us to help with the emergency!” “I’m approving your leave! Let me tell you, don’t expect a single cent of this project’s bonus!” I paused, then thought of something. I asked nonchalantly: “Fine, fine, fine. Amazing! Since you don’t need me anymore, I’m going on vacation!” After leaving the company, I pulled up a contact and sent a message. Then I bought a plane ticket home. And embarked on my journey home for the holidays. When I got home, I had a wonderful long sleep. When I woke up, I saw countless messages and missed calls on my silenced phone.

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On a stormy night, my younger brother was buried in a mudslide while my husband, Hayden, stayed with the woman he loved, listening to piano music. He used his authority to hold back the rescue team. Just to calm that woman’s fears. When they found my brother’s body, he transferred five million dollars. “Road delays. Stop making a scene.” Later, I miscarried, was kidnapped, and jumped from a moving car. His response was always the same. “She didn’t mean it. Be reasonable.” Only after I disappeared completely did he realize every “accident” had been a carefully laid trap. But when he found me in New York, dragging his broken leg, I just smiled, holding my new husband’s arm. “Mr. Hayden, your belated concern is cheaper than garbage.” Vienna’s POV In San Francisco’s elite circles, Hayden was famously known as the “cold-blooded devil.” He controlled a massive shipping empire with an iron fist. Yet he had once poured all his tenderness into me. That year, I was just a poor student working as a dock recorder. After a chance encounter in a rainstorm, he brought me onto his private yacht. And I stayed for five whole years. Everyone said that block of cold, hard steel had finally softened. For me. He would fly a helicopter across the strait during a typhoon just to bring me a box of cold medicine. Because I casually mentioned “wanting to see snow,” he built an artificial ice and snow palace on a tropical island. Most shocking of all, he married me despite his family’s opposition, even though I had no background. After marriage, he protected me so tightly no one could touch me. In the fourth year of our marriage, San Francisco was hit by a massive mudslide. My brother, a teacher, was buried beneath the rubble. Hayden wasn’t just a tycoon-he was also the sponsor and commander-in-chief of “Blue Shark,” the largest private rescue team in the area. When it happened, he was coincidentally conducting inspections nearby with his elite squad. I frantically called for help. On the other end, his voice was steady and reassuring. “Don’t worry. I’m here. Calvin will be fine.” However, as the golden rescue window ticked away second by second, the rain kept pounding the crumbling ruins. I knelt in the mud, my nails torn, my hands covered in blood, yet the heavy excavators and professional search and rescue team he’d promised never came. Trembling, I called him again. This time the phone rang for a full minute before someone answered. “Hayden! Where are the excavators? Where’s the rescue team?” I was crying. “Calvin’s been buried for three hours. The muddy water is about to fill the pit…” “Vienna, calm down.” On the other end, the background noise wasn’t the chaotic storm and machinery sounds, but an eerie silence. I could faintly hear soft piano music. “The road is blocked. The equipment can’t get through.” His voice was low, with a trace of stiffness. “Wait a little longer. I’m trying to arrange air transport.” “The road is blocked?” A supply truck had just driven past nearby. My heart sank bit by bit. “Hayden, tell me-where exactly are you right now?” “I’m at the dispatch center…” Before he could finish, a sweet, delicate female voice suddenly came through the phone, carrying a coquettish gasp. “Hayden, there’s thunder. I’m scared…” Then came Hayden’s instantly gentle consolation. “Don’t be afraid. I’m here. Put on your headphones and you won’t hear it.” A thunderbolt exploded over my head, shattering my last thread of sanity. That was Grace’s voice. Hayden’s “sister” who was supposedly recovering abroad, who allegedly suffered from severe depression and panic disorder. I quickly opened Grace’s social media account. Her latest post was from ten minutes ago. The location tag showed the safest hillside villa in San Francisco. In the photo, Hayden sat on the carpet by the floor-to-ceiling window, holding a storybook. Outside, rain poured violently, but inside was warm and cozy. The caption read: “On this stormy night, I’m lucky to have you beside me, driving away all my nightmares.” “Hayden.” I said, “You’re not coordinating the rescue. You’re with Grace, aren’t you?” Silence on the other end for a moment, then came his helpless explanation. “Vienna, Grace’s condition relapsed. On thunderstorm nights like this, she self-harms. Your brother is just buried-he’s not in immediate life-threatening danger. The rescue team will arrive shortly. Be reasonable and stop always targeting a sick person.” “Reasonable?” I laughed. “My brother’s life hangs by a thread in muddy water, and you want me to be reasonable? Hayden, in your eyes, is Grace’s fear of thunder more important than my brother’s life?” “Why have you become so unreasonable?” His tone grew impatient. “I told you I’d make arrangements for your brother. Can you please stop being hysterical?” The call was disconnected. I stood in the pouring rain and watched helplessly as a support beam holding up the ruins nearby collapsed with a thunderous crash. The mudslide instantly filled the pit that still had a sliver of space. “Calvin-!!!” I threw myself desperately at that pile of mud, frantically digging with my hands. But it was too late. When the belated firefighters finally arrived and dug him out, that sunny, cheerful boy who always called me “sis” was already cold and stiff, his mouth and nose filled with sludge. The doctor glanced once, then sighed and covered him with a white cloth. “Suffocation lasted too long. If only professional equipment had arrived half an hour earlier… or even twenty minutes earlier to prop up the space, perhaps he could have been saved.” My vision went black, and I completely passed out. When I woke up again, three days had passed. I lay in the hospital bed staring at the ceiling. The nurse was changing my bandages. Looking at the wounds covering my hands, she couldn’t help but sigh. My phone vibrated. It was a message from Hayden. No explanation. No apology. Just a notification that he’d transferred five million. Then a voice message. His tone carried that familiar condescension, that tiredness. “Grace hasn’t been well these past few days. I can’t leave right now. Take the money and fix up your family’s house. The rescue team said they were delayed. Road conditions. The weather. No one could’ve done anything. Stop with the tantrums. I’ll come back when I’m done here.” Listening to that voice message, my stomach churned with nausea. Natural disaster? Road condition delays? In reality, he had personally diverted the helicopter and advance team that should have rescued Calvin, all to comfort Grace. He didn’t even know that Calvin was already gone. I pulled out the IV needle from the back of my hand and walked to the window. On the LED screen downstairs, news about the Hayden Corporation was playing. On camera, Hayden wore a custom-tailored suit, protectively escorting Grace-who wore sunglasses-into a car. When reporters asked about Grace’s condition, his brow furrowed slightly, his eyes full of concern. “She was a bit frightened and needs rest. I hope everyone won’t disturb her.” In that moment, the last ember of warmth in my heart was completely extinguished. I returned to the hospital bed and pulled out my brother’s death certificate from my bag, then dialed my lawyer’s number. “Mr. Chen, this is Vienna. That divorce agreement we drafted before-it can take effect now.” “I don’t want any property division. I just want the fastest way to sever all ties with Hayden.” After hanging up, I removed my SIM card and casually tossed it into the toilet. The water swirled, carrying away all the past. I touched my bare ring finger. The custom diamond ring he’d proposed with, the one that meant “forever,” used to be there. Somewhere in the ruins, that ring was already buried in the mud. Just like Hayden’s love for me. It looked brilliant, but couldn’t survive a single storm. In the end, it could only rot in the mire, never seeing the light again. “Hayden,” I whispered to the empty hospital room. “This time, you destroyed everything yourself.”

Vienna’s POV Calvin’s funeral was hastily arranged. There were no mourners, no proper farewell-just me, sitting alone on the cold hard bench at the funeral home for an entire night. Hayden didn’t come. I heard that Grace had developed a “high fever from excessive fright.” He stayed by her side at the hillside villa without leaving, not even making a single phone call. The moment the funeral ended and I walked out of the cemetery, a sharp pain suddenly tore through my lower abdomen, like someone grinding a dull knife inside. My vision went black. I barely managed to stay upright by holding onto the wall. Using my last bit of strength, I made it to the hospital. After a series of tests, the doctor held my report with a complicated expression. “Ms. Vienna, congratulations. You’re pregnant-six weeks.” “However, your physical condition is very weak. Combined with the previous emotional trauma, there are signs of threatened miscarriage. You must be hospitalized immediately for fetal preservation.” “Pregnant…” How ridiculous. My brother had just died, and my marriage was already dead in name only. This child came at the worst possible time, like a cruel joke from fate. Was it conceived while kneeling in front of those ruins? Or was it heaven’s last bit of compensation, taking pity on me? I walked out of the consultation room. Passing through the VIP waiting area, my footsteps suddenly froze. At the end of the corridor by the floor-to-ceiling window, the man I’d loved for five years stood backlit, carefully holding another woman. Hayden wore an iron-gray handmade suit, his posture straight. But now he was slightly bent over, holding a wet wipe, his movements incredibly gentle. Grace looked up at him, her eyes and brows filled with delicate, timid laughter, letting Hayden carefully wipe away the lipstick smudged at the corner of her mouth. “How can you be so careless? You even smudge your lipstick drinking water.” Hayden’s voice was deep and rich, carrying an indulgence I hadn’t heard in a long time. “There, all clean now.” “Hayden, you’re so good to me.” Grace leaned into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his waist, her voice sweet and soft. “Without you, I really don’t know what I’d do.” “Silly girl, I’ll always be with you.” Hayden gently patted her back, like comforting a fragile treasure. They stood in the light, a perfect match. And I stood in the dark corner, clutching that crumpled early pregnancy test result, like a clown that couldn’t see daylight. From beginning to end, Hayden never looked back. His heart and eyes were full of Grace in his arms. He didn’t notice me just a few meters away. I couldn’t even feel heartache anymore-just a numb coldness spreading along my spine. I turned and rushed into the nearby bathroom. Turning on the faucet, cold water rushed over my fingers. I looked at myself in the mirror-my eyes utterly lifeless. Just then, the sound of high heels echoed behind me. Grace walked in. She was touching up her makeup in the mirror. When she saw me, that delicate, helpless expression instantly vanished, replaced by undisguised smugness and contempt. “Well, if it isn’t Vienna?” Grace leisurely twisted open a tube of lipstick, carefully applying it while looking in the mirror, smiling carelessly. “You look terrible. Are you sick? Hayden was just outside. Why didn’t you go say hello?” I turned off the faucet and looked at her through the mirror. “Grace, you don’t need to act in front of me.” “Act?” Grace let out a light laugh, then turned to face me, arms crossed, her gaze boldly raking over me. “I’m not acting. Hayden genuinely cares about me. You know what? The doctor just told me my body’s too weak. I need to rest up before I can try to conceive. When Hayden heard that, he panicked. He insisted on bringing me in for a full workup. He was scared something might happen to me.” At this point, Grace leaned closer, lowering her voice, her tone full of malicious provocation. “Vienna, your brother is dead, and you’re about to be kicked out too. Hayden told me he’s been tired of you for a long time. He just hasn’t mentioned divorce because he felt sorry for you. Now I’ve thought it through-I want to give him a child. Once I’m pregnant with the Hayden family heir, do you think the position of Mrs. Hayden will still belong to you?” My hand unconsciously moved to my lower abdomen. There was already a child here. Hayden’s flesh and blood. But looking at that arrogant face before me, then thinking of the man outside who was so tender toward a murderer, I suddenly felt nauseous. “Grace,” I lifted my head. “You’re so eager to climb up-are you afraid Hayden will find out that you deliberately faked illness that day to keep him there, and that you killed my brother?” Grace’s smile froze, then became even more vicious. “Don’t you dare slander me! It was clearly your brother’s bad luck! Vienna, I advise you to know your place and get lost early, before Hayden personally kicks you out. That would be too humiliating.” With that, Grace snorted coldly and walked out triumphantly on her high heels. I stood there, listening to Grace outside resuming that saccharine voice calling “Hayden,” followed by the man’s gentle response and their footsteps fading away. I lowered my head, looking at the test result in my hand. After a long while, I tore that paper into pieces bit by bit and threw it in the trash. Since he didn’t deserve to be a father, this child had nothing to do with him.

Vienna’s POV When I went downstairs, I accidentally lost my footing and fell. Blood flowed from beneath me. The doctor said the baby couldn’t be saved. The doctor seemed reluctant: “After all, this is a life, and your physical condition…” “I don’t want it to come into this world and suffer.” I interrupted the doctor, my voice as light as smoke. “Thank you.” I walked out of the consultation room. I just wanted to escape this suffocating place as quickly as possible. The elevator doors slowly opened. Just as I was about to step in, I froze. Inside the narrow car, Hayden was carefully supporting Grace. The two were intimately positioned, like conjoined twins. Seeing me, a flash of panic crossed Hayden’s eyes. He instinctively released his arm from around Grace. “Vienna? What are you doing here?” He looked at me, his tone urgent: “Where don’t you feel well?” Grace also came closer, her eyes scanning me: “Right, if you’re sick you should speak up. Don’t bear it alone. Hayden was just talking about you, saying you must be exhausted handling the funeral by yourself.” I felt my stomach churn. I sidestepped to avoid their touch: “Stomach discomfort. Just checking. No need to worry.” With that, I retreated to the elevator corner, staring intently at the jumping floor numbers, not wanting to stay a second longer. Hayden looked at me, opening his mouth to say something, but the elevator dinged as it reached the lobby. The catastrophe happened in that instant. As soon as the elevator doors opened, a man in a hospital gown, looking deranged, suddenly rushed over waving a fruit knife. “Nobody move! Don’t anybody move! I want to see the director!!” In the chaos, the man grabbed both me and Grace, who were at the front. The cold blade instantly pressed against my carotid artery. A stinging pain came, and I could even smell the rust on the blade. Grace was only grabbed by the arm-still some distance from the knife. “Help! Hayden, save me!!” Grace let out a scream and struggled desperately. This movement instead provoked the mentally unstable man. “Shut up! Scream again and I’ll kill you both!” The man roared. The knife in his hand trembled uncontrollably, cutting a bloody line on my neck. I bit my lip tightly, not making a sound, my whole body rigid, not daring to move. I knew that struggling now would only make things more dangerous. But Grace acted like she’d gone mad, crying and shrinking toward Hayden: “Hayden! I’m scared! Save me!!” Hayden stood several meters away, his face ashen, his gaze locked on the man. “Let them go! I’ll give you whatever you want!” “I don’t trust you! You’re all liars!” The man became even more agitated, wildly waving the knife, about to lose control. Grace’s screams became even more piercing: “Hayden! He’s going to kill me! Save me now!” In that moment, Hayden’s rationality seemed completely shattered by those screams. He didn’t look at me once. Instead, he charged toward Grace’s side. “Let go!” Hayden grabbed the man’s wrist and forcefully pulled Grace into his arms. “You’re asking for death!” Enraged, the man lost control of the knife in his other hand and slashed forward viciously. I only felt a sharp pain in my arm as blood instantly gushed out. Because of the tremendous force of Hayden snatching Grace away, the unbalanced man gave a hard shove, and I was thrown heavily backward. A dull thud. My lower back slammed hard against the solid marble pillar, then I fell to the ground in a mess. A tearing, sinking pain came from my abdomen. I curled into a ball, cold sweat instantly soaking my back. “Grace! Grace, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?” Hayden’s panicked voice sounded in my ears. He held Grace tightly in his arms, nervously checking her up and down, as if the person in his embrace was a fragile treasure. “Hayden, my stomach hurts so much… I’m so scared…” Grace huddled in his arms, trembling, her face streaked with tears-completely unharmed yet crying pitifully. “Don’t be afraid. It’s over now, it’s over.” Hayden scooped her up horizontally, his expression anxious as he rushed toward the emergency room. “Doctor! Get a doctor over here!!” From beginning to end, he never looked back. Never looked at me once. I lay on the cold floor, clutching my agonizing abdomen, watching Hayden’s back as he ran frantically carrying Grace. My vision gradually blurred. That knife had cut my arm, but it felt like it stabbed into my heart, shredding those remaining, ridiculous traces of love to pieces. The noisy voices around me gradually faded. I closed my eyes, a painfully bleak smile forming at the corner of my mouth. Hayden, this time, you made your own choice.

Vienna’s POV I was sent to the wound cleaning room by a nurse. The cut on my arm was deep, flesh torn open, but I didn’t make a sound as the doctor stitched it. Through the wall in the VIP ward, Grace’s tearful voice came through clearly: “Hayden, I was so scared… I thought I’d never see you again…” “It’s okay now. I’m here.” Hayden’s voice was low and gentle. “Did you get hurt anywhere? Let me have the doctor check again?” “No need. As long as you hold me, it doesn’t hurt anymore.” One wall apart, I watched the nurse cut the suture thread. The last bit of feeling in my heart was also cruelly severed. That was my husband. When I was covered in blood, he was holding the culprit, tenderly comforting her. He didn’t even ask “where is she.” When heartache reaches its extreme, it truly becomes numbness. After bandaging the wound, I refused the recommendation to stay for observation and left the hospital alone. I returned to the hillside villa. This was the home I’d shared with Hayden for four years of marriage. But the moment I opened the door, a strange perfume smell hit me in the face, sickly sweet and nauseating. I rushed upstairs. In the master bedroom, the simple curtains I’d carefully selected had been replaced with Grace’s favorite lace pink. The cherished wedding photo at the bedside was gone, replaced by an artistic photo of Grace. The study was even worse-a complete mess. With trembling hands, I pulled open a drawer. This was where I kept my brother’s belongings. My brother’s diary from when he was alive. His award certificates. That broken watch found in the ruins. All of it, gone. In their place were Grace’s fashion magazines and cosmetics, brazenly filling the corner that once belonged to that young man. “Looking for this?” A mocking voice came from the doorway. Grace leaned against the doorframe, holding a black garbage bag like it was something filthy. “Your dead brother’s stuff-I found it unlucky, so I had the servants throw it in the backyard to feed the dogs.” “Grace!!” My rationality completely snapped in that moment. I rushed forward to grab the bag, but Grace dodged sideways. The garbage bag hit the floor with a “smack,” its contents scattering everywhere. The watch shattered into pieces. Grace stepped on my brother’s award certificate and ground it with her foot, a vicious smile curling her lips: “Stop wasting your energy. Hayden said from now on, I’m the mistress of this house. I can throw away whatever I want. Not just this junk-even you will eventually be cleaned out like garbage.” “You’re asking for death!” I raised my hand and slapped Grace hard across the face. Grace’s face snapped to the side from the blow. But instead of fighting back, Grace suddenly grabbed my collar, pulling us both toward the staircase. Then, before I could react, Grace released her grip and shoved me hard! My foot slipped, my body falling backward uncontrollably. As I tumbled down, I instinctively protected my abdomen, but the violent impacts still felt like my organs were being displaced. Bang! I crashed heavily onto the first-floor marble floor. My forehead split open, blood instantly flowing down, my vision a sheet of red. “What’s going on?!” The door was pushed open. Hayden strode into the entrance. He immediately saw me on the floor, face covered in blood, and Grace standing at the top of the stairs, covering her face and “trembling.” The moment Grace saw Hayden, tears burst forth like a dam breaking. She stumbled down and threw herself into Hayden’s arms: “Hayden! She went crazy… I was just trying to help her tidy up the house, and she hit me and tried to push me down the stairs… If I hadn’t grabbed the railing, I’d be the one on the floor now…” Hayden looked at Grace’s swollen face, then at me on the floor. “Vienna! You’re absolutely unreasonable!” He strode over to me, looking down from above. “Grace is already in poor health, and you’d be so vicious toward her? Where has your upbringing gone?” I lay on the floor, my whole body in bone-shattering pain. My lower abdomen sent waves of suffocating, sinking sensations. I struggled to lift my head, looking through blood-blurred eyes at this man: “It was her… she threw away my brother’s belongings… it was her who pushed me…” “Enough!” Hayden cut me off sharply, his face full of disgust. “You’re still lying! Grace wouldn’t even step on an ant-how could she push you? But you-what have you become!” With that, he didn’t even look at the blood pooling beneath me. He turned and scooped up the “frightened” Grace in his arms. “Hayden, my face hurts so much… am I disfigured?” Grace curled in his embrace, crying her eyes out. “You won’t be. I’ll take you to a doctor-the best doctor.” Hayden’s voice instantly became gentle, as if the furious man from moments ago was my hallucination. He strode out the door carrying Grace, leaving me only a resolute, cold back. The villa’s main door stood open. The late autumn wind poured in. I lay on the floor, a pool of glaring blood gradually spreading beneath me.

Vienna’s POV When I opened my eyes again, it was that suffocating white once more. The smell of disinfectant drilled into my nostrils. I moved my fingers and discovered someone was tightly gripping my hand. Hayden sat by the bed, his eyes full of bloodshot veins, his chin sprouting dark stubble. His entire being radiated a decadent, broken feeling. Seeing me awake, the joy in his eyes hadn’t yet fully bloomed before it was drowned by thick guilt and pain. “Vienna, you’re awake…” His voice was hoarse. The hand gripping mine was trembling, his eyes instantly rimming red. “Why…why did you hide it from me? If I’d known you were pregnant, I never would have treated you like that. That was my child too…” I looked at him. I gently pulled my hand back and rubbed it against the sheet. “Tell you?” My voice was hoarse. “When? At the hospital, while you held Grace and wiped her lipstick? At the elevator, while you pushed me toward a knife to save her? Or maybe…when Grace shoved me down the stairs?” Hayden froze. He opened his mouth but couldn’t make a sound. “I…” Hayden awkwardly turned his face away. “I know I wronged you, but I really didn’t know… I’m devastated too. That was the child we’d hoped for for four years.” He paused, then explained: “Besides, Grace didn’t mean it. She was just too frightened, so she accidentally pushed you. You also slapped her-her face is still swollen… Let’s just let this matter go, okay? We’re still young. We can have children later.” Let it go? A human life, plus my brother’s belongings-in his mouth, could all be dismissed with “you also slapped her”? Ridiculous and pathetic. I closed my eyes, not even having the strength to mock: “Get out.” Hayden didn’t leave. Perhaps to make up for the guilt in his heart, over the next few days he set aside all company business and stayed by my hospital room without leaving. Hayden, who had never taken care of anyone, learned to test the temperature of my porridge and feed me himself. He learned to peel apples in one perfect strip. He even had expensive supplements stewed and coaxed me to drink them three times a day. “Vienna, this just arrived from home. The temperature is perfect. Have a sip.” I leaned against the headboard, staring at the withered yellow leaves outside the window. Just then, Hayden’s phone on the bedside table vibrated again. This was already the fifth time today. Hayden glanced at the caller ID, his brow furrowing slightly, but he still answered. “Hayden…” Grace’s weak, tearful voice was especially clear in the quiet hospital room. “I had a nightmare. I dreamed that psycho was chasing me with a knife… I’m so scared. Can you come back and keep me company?” The previous times it was “dizziness,” “wound pain,” “the power went out at home.”The reasons varied wildly, but the goal was only one-she wanted to prove she could summon him away at any time. Hayden glanced at me, somewhat hesitant: “Grace, I’m at the hospital…” “Don’t come! Hayden, save me!” A scream suddenly came through the phone, followed by a crash of things shattering. Hayden’s expression changed drastically. He stood up abruptly: “Grace?! What happened? Don’t be scared, I’ll be right back!” He hung up, hastily set the still-steaming nutritional supplement on the table, and looked at me somewhat flustered: “Vienna, something seems to have happened with Grace. I need to check on her. Eat while it’s hot. I’ll come back after I handle this.” With that, he grabbed his coat and rushed out of the hospital room like the wind, not even waiting for my response. The door swung shut, bringing in a gust of cold air. I slowly turned my head and looked at the bowl of soup on the table, growing cold. It was always like this. The moment Grace crooked her finger, his guilt, his promises, his vows all became a joke. Gone in an instant. I picked up the bowl and poured it into the trash. Cold food, I don’t eat. Dirty men, I don’t want either

Vienna’s POV On discharge day, the sky was terribly overcast, much like my current mood. My phone vibrated. It was an automated text from the marriage registration system: [Your divorce application has been successfully submitted.] Looking at that message, I even found it somewhat ironic. Four years of marriage, ending so quickly. I didn’t hesitate. I opened the ticket booking app and purchased a one-way ticket to Manhattan for a month from now. The timing was perfect-the early morning of the day after the divorce would be finalized. This time, I was truly leaving. Clean and thorough, leaving no retreat. Dragging simple luggage back to the villa, I just wanted to pack the last of my personal belongings and take them with me. However, the moment I pushed open the door, that familiar suffocating feeling hit me again. The living room was brightly lit. Grace, wearing a silk robe, was directing servants to change the carpet colors like a mistress of the house. Hayden sat on the nearby sofa reviewing documents. Though fatigue showed on his face, he didn’t stop Grace from ordering everyone around. When she saw me enter, Grace froze for a moment. Then she immediately put on a timid look and scurried behind Hayden in small steps, hiding like a mouse that had spotted a cat. “You’re back.” Hayden set down the documents. Seeing me, a trace of concern flashed in his eyes. He instinctively stood to help me. “Vienna, why didn’t you call me to pick you up from the hospital? Are you feeling better?” I sidestepped his hand and headed upstairs. “No need. I’m just back to pack my things.” “Pack your things?” Hayden’s expression darkened. “Where are you going? This is your home. How long are you going to keep this up?” “Home?” My steps paused slightly. Looking at Grace in her robe, I smiled. “Since another woman lives here, this isn’t my home.” “Don’t misunderstand…” Grace suddenly emerged from behind Hayden, her eyes red-rimmed, looking like she’d suffered great injustice but still had to consider the bigger picture. “I know I was wrong before. I shouldn’t have touched your brother’s belongings, and I shouldn’t have accidentally pushed you… I’ve felt terrible about it these days. I’ve been staying in the guest room, waiting for you to come back so I could apologize to you in person.” As she spoke, she observed Hayden’s expression. “Hayden told me it’s your birthday at the end of the month. I thought, to express my apology, why don’t I organize a big, lively birthday party for you at the villa? How about that?” Grace stepped forward and continued. “I’ll invite all of Hayden’s circle of friends. That way, I can formally apologize to you in front of everyone and help you calm down.” A birthday party? An apology? I found it absurd. How could someone like Grace ever sincerely apologize? She just wanted to use the birthday party as an excuse to assert her dominance in front of everyone again, or she was plotting some nasty scheme to humiliate me. “Not interested.” After saying this, I lifted my foot to leave. “Vienna!” But Hayden called out to me, his tone carrying helplessness and persuasion. “Grace means well. She knows she was wrong and has been trying to make amends these past few days. Your birthday is coming up. Everyone gathering together, having fun, clearing up past misunderstandings-wouldn’t that be good?” He paused, walked a few steps closer, his voice low. “Besides, I want to give you a proper birthday. Too much has happened recently. We both need a fresh start.” Looking at the man’s matter-of-fact expression before me, I only felt my stomach churn. A chance? Where was there any chance left between us? In another month, we’d be strangers. I really wanted to throw that divorce application in his face, wanted to loudly tell him Grace’s true nature. But seeing the provocative gleam in Grace’s eyes, and then Hayden’s attitude, I suddenly felt exhausted. If I refused now or made a scene, Hayden would just call me “unreasonable” again. “Petty.” Then came the endless arguments, the dragging on. Only a month left. I didn’t want to waste my last days on fights that didn’t matter. “Do whatever you want.” I lowered my eyes. “I’ll show up. That’s it.” With that, I didn’t spare them another glance. I went straight upstairs and closed the door. From downstairs came Grace’s delighted squeal. “Wonderful, Hayden! She’s finally willing to forgive me! I’m going to make this party absolutely spectacular!” I leaned against the door, listening to that grating laughter, and slowly closed my eyes. Go ahead and plan it. Consider it the final act of this absurd marriage.

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New Year’s Eve. I was thrown out of the hospital. Snow was falling heavily outside. My father’s sponsored student posted on Instagram: “Thank you, Dr. Bennett, for giving the only ICU bed to my mom.” I thought she was just showing off. “Dad, I just had surgery and my wound split open. It really hurts. Can I please go back to my room?” A voice came through the phone: “Aria, how can you fight Linda’s mom for a bed? You just have a superficial wound, but Linda’s mom has a heart condition!” “The hospital’s short on beds. You’re the director’s daughter—if you refuse to leave, what will people think of me? We need to be fair!” I looked at the blood-soaked gauze and lowered my hand: “I understand. I won’t make things difficult for you anymore.” I sat in the snow all night. This time, I really didn’t embarrass him. New Year’s Eve. The snow was heavy. I sat on the edge of a flower bed outside the inpatient building, looking down at my phone. The screen was lit up, showing a post Linda had made a minute ago. The photo showed her in the ICU holding Marcus’s hand by a hospital bed, with the caption: “Thank you, Dr. Bennett, for giving the only ICU bed to my mom.” I turned off the screen. My abdominal wound had split open. Blood was seeping out, soaking through the gauze. Half an hour earlier. A nurse had been rushing me, bleeding heavily post-surgery, toward the ICU. Marcus reached out and stopped the bed. He didn’t look at the medical chart—just pointed at the woman who had just been wheeled in behind him: Linda’s mother. “Transfer her to a regular room. There are no beds available here.” The nurse said: “Marcus, Aria is hemorrhaging badly. All her vitals are dropping. The regular ward doesn’t have monitoring equipment—she could die!” Marcus flipped through Linda’s mother’s medical file without looking up. “She just has a superficial wound. She won’t die. Linda’s mom has a heart condition—she can’t handle any stress.” I reached out and grabbed the hem of his white coat. “Dad, it hurts.” I pulled back the blanket, trying to show him my still-bleeding wound. He shook off my hand. “Aria, you’re a grown woman. How can you fight an elder for a bed?” “Linda’s still a student—her mom is all she has. You’re the director’s daughter. If you refuse to leave, what will people think of me? We need to avoid any appearance of impropriety!” Avoid any appearance of impropriety. Those words again. Linda came running out of the room, crying: “Mr. Bennett, my mom stopped breathing!” Marcus turned and rushed inside. He waved at the security guard outside: “Clear out anyone unnecessary. Don’t interfere with the emergency treatment.” The security guard came over and grabbed my arms. The nurse tried to stop him, but Marcus glared at her through the glass door. I was dragged into the elevator and thrown out of the building. The security guard said: “Miss, don’t make this hard on us. Marcus said you need to clear your head.” I fell into the snow. My phone slid out of my pocket and hit the ground. I tried to call 911, but my fingers were too stiff to unlock the screen. Blood ran down my thighs, congealing into a dark brown stain in the snow. So cold. I remembered the New Year when Mom died. It had been snowing heavily that day too. Mom had a sudden cerebral hemorrhage. I called Dad twenty times while he was at a parent-teacher conference. He didn’t answer. By the time he came home, Mom’s body had already gone rigid. He said: “Aria, you need to understand—those kids need me.” Now, I needed him too. My vision began to go dark. In the distance, someone was setting off fireworks. I dipped my finger in the blood pooling beneath me and wrote my name in the snow. My heart beat one last time. I floated upward. Looking down at my body curled up in the shadow of the flower bed. The hospital’s main door opened. Marcus ran out, wrapped in a coat. He didn’t look toward the flower bed. A news van pulled up at the entrance. A reporter held out a microphone. Linda stood beside her, carrying a thermos. Marcus straightened his tie and walked over to meet them. The reporter said: “Marcus, working on New Year’s Eve to help impoverished patients—what a model of medical compassion.” Marcus took the dumplings Linda handed him: “It’s just what I should do.” Linda smiled at the camera: “Mr. Bennett is the best doctor in the world.” I was less than thirty feet away from them. New snow was already covering my body.

The next day. The TV in the hospital lobby played the interview from last night on a loop. Marcus sat in his office, scrolling through online comments. All of them praised his “selflessness” and “benevolent medical ethics.” Linda pushed the door open, wearing that down jacket. It was the one I’d begged Marcus to buy me last year for my birthday. I hadn’t dared to wear it. I’d kept it hanging in my closet. Linda spun around: “Mr. Bennett, this jacket is so warm.” Marcus smiled: “It looks good on you. It didn’t suit Aria anyway.” I floated in midair, watching Linda slip her hand into my pocket. The duty nurse knocked and came in, carrying a dressing tray. Her eyes were evasive: “Marcus, Aria didn’t return to the regular ward last night, and she didn’t go home either. Her phone’s off. With all that snow, and her wound still needing to be dressed…” Marcus’s smile faded. “Ignore her.” He tossed his phone onto the desk. “She’s just being spoiled. She’s probably hiding at a friend’s place, trying to manipulate me with a pity act.” “Tell the nurses’ station—no one is to look for her. If she comes back, make her write an apology letter first.” The nurse opened her mouth but didn’t dare say more. She backed out. Linda walked over and massaged Marcus’s shoulders. “Mr. Bennett, don’t be angry. Aria probably just feels upset for the moment—like I took her place.” “Actually, I could sleep in the hallway. Let Aria come back to the single room.” Marcus patted Linda’s hand. “You’re too understanding. If she had even half your sense, I’d count my blessings.” “Oh, clear out the VIP room on the top floor for your mom.” I floated in front of him, wanting to scream. That was the room Mom had stayed in before she died. After Mom passed, I’d kept paying for that room myself. It was filled with Mom’s belongings and photos. It was my last home. Marcus pressed the intercom button: “Housekeeping? Go to VIP Room 1 on the top floor. Clear out everything inside. Immediately.” I followed the cleaning staff upstairs. They grabbed trash bags and swept away the photo frames, stuffed animals, and paintings. The glass in the frames shattered, stabbing into Mom’s photos. It was our only family portrait. I reached out to grab it, but my hand passed through the trash bag. The cleaning woman tied the bag shut, dragged it to the stairwell, and threw it in the bin. “This family is heartless. Throwing away such nice things without a second thought.” Linda helped her mother into the room. Her mother sighed: “Talk about a blessing in disguise. Marcus is so good to us.” Marcus’s phone rang. A video call from his sister,Nancy. Marcus put it on speaker. Nancy’s voice came through: “Marcus, where’s Aria? She didn’t come see me for New Year’s, didn’t even send a gift. She’s getting more and more rude!” Marcus snorted coldly: “She’s throwing a tantrum at me right now. Fighting over a hospital bed, acting like she’s dying. Let her be.” Linda leaned into the camera: “Aria’s just being impulsive. Don’t blame her—it’s my fault.” Nancy laughed: “Linda’s the sensible one. Aria’s just spoiled rotten. Let her freeze outside for a while. Once she’s frozen through, she’ll know to come home!” Marcus hung up and sent a message. I floated outside the window, watching those words appear in the chat: “If you don’t get back here and apologize to Linda, you’re paying your own medical bills from now on! Don’t expect me to give you another cent!” In that moment, I felt only relief. Relief that I was already dead. I wouldn’t have to go home. I wouldn’t have to see him. I wouldn’t have to work to pay medical bills. The dead don’t need medical bills.

Linda wandered around the room. She pulled open the bottom drawer of the bedside table. There was a hidden compartment that the cleaning staff had missed. Linda pulled out a box. Inside was a diamond necklace. It was the coming-of-age gift Mom had left me—the last thing she’d put around my neck with her own hands before she lost consciousness. To raise money for surgery, I’d pawned it. The day before my operation, I’d begged the pawn shop owner and bought it back, hiding it here. Linda’s eyes lit up. She pulled out the necklace and held it against her neck. “Mr. Bennett, look at this.” Marcus was reading the newspaper. He glanced over. “That’s from Aria’s mother. I think it’s worth quite a bit.” Linda bit her lip and put down the necklace. “Then I should give it back to Aria. I’m going to my high school reunion tonight, and everyone else has jewelry to wear except me… but it’s fine. I’m not afraid of looking poor.” Marcus put down the paper. “Wear it.” “Aria’s not here anyway. It’ll just collect dust.” I lunged forward, trying to knock over the box. It was useless. Linda put on the necklace, admiring herself in the mirror from every angle. “Thank you, Mr. Bennett! I knew you were the best to me!” The head nurse pushed open the door with medicine. She immediately spotted the necklace around Linda’s neck. The medicine tray clattered to the floor. The head nurse rushed over and grabbed Linda’s wrist: “Take it off! That was left to Aria by her mother. How dare you wear it?!” Linda scrambled behind Marcus. “Mr. Bennett, she’s hurting me…” Marcus stood up and pushed the head nurse away. “What do you think you’re doing? This is my family’s business!” The head nurse’s eyes turned red. She pointed at Marcus: “Marcus, are you even human? That’s Aria’s most precious possession! Yesterday you threw her out in a blizzard, and today you’re giving her mother’s belongings to a stranger?” Marcus’s face darkened. He straightened his cuffs. “I’m her father. I have the right to handle anything in this household.” “Besides, it’s just a necklace. What’s wrong with lending it to Linda for a couple days? If Aria can’t even be that generous, she doesn’t deserve to be my daughter!” The head nurse trembled with rage: “Fine. Marcus, you’re going to regret this.” The head nurse slammed the door on her way out. Marcus turned to comfort Linda: “Don’t listen to her. Wear it out tonight. When you’re done, bring it back.” Linda broke into a smile and pulled out her phone to take a selfie. She posted it on Instagram. Photo: the diamond necklace around her neck. Caption: “New Year’s gift from Mr. Bennett, love you~ Some people just have bad luck and can’t hold onto things.” This post wasn’t hidden from my old classmates. Ten minutes later, my college roommate commented: “That’s Aria’s mother’s heirloom! Are you a thief? Where’s Aria? Let her come out and tear your face off!” Linda deleted the comment and blocked my college roommate. She showed Marcus: “Mr. Bennett, Aria’s friend is cursing at me online, calling me a thief.” Marcus glanced at the screenshot and gripped his phone tightly. “Birds of a feather. What kind of ill-mannered friends is Aria making?” He picked up his phone and called the bank. “Freeze the secondary card under Aria Bennett’s name. Yes, freeze it immediately.” “If she doesn’t learn her lesson, she won’t understand who runs this household.” That card held thirty thousand dollars I’d saved from working. It was also the money I would have used to buy anti-rejection medication if I hadn’t died. Now, the money was gone. And so was I. Perfect.

Day three. Dr. Smith, the attending physician, came back from vacation. He entered the room, saw the empty bed and Linda’s mother eating an apple in the next bed, and his expression changed. He stormed into the director’s office. “Marcus, where’s Aria?!” Marcus was writing a report. He didn’t look up: “She went home in a huff. What, do I need to go beg her to come back?” Dr. Smith slammed the medical file on the desk. “Went home? She’s on day four post-op, her rejection markers are triple the safe level, she has coagulation dysfunction, she could have internal bleeding at any moment! In her condition, being away from monitoring equipment means death! And you let her go home?” Marcus stopped writing and took off his glasses. “Dr. Smith, are you helping her lie to me too?” “When she left last night, she could run and jump, and she was talking back to me—her voice was louder than mine. What internal bleeding?” “She just wants to stay in the hospital and take up public resources. I’m the director—I need to set an example. I can’t let family members get special treatment.” Dr. Smith laughed bitterly. “Marcus, in your obsession with avoiding impropriety, have you lost your mind? That’s your own daughter! I’m calling the police right now.” Dr. Smith pulled out his phone. Linda pushed open the door. “Dr. Smith, don’t call the police. Aria’s fine.” She pulled out a phone and opened a video. The background was heavy snow. A figure stood up from the snow, took a few steps, and walked out of frame. Though the face wasn’t clear, the hospital gown was mine. Linda said: “I shot this last night on my way back to school. Aria fell down, but she got right back up and walked away. If something was really wrong, how could she walk?” I knew that moment. That was the surge before death. I walked five steps, collapsed, and never got up again. The video only showed those first five steps. Marcus pointed at the screen and laughed coldly. “See that? This is what you call ‘about to die’?” “To force me to give in, she’s even learned to fake her death? What a disgrace to this family!” Dr. Smith froze. He looked at the video, then at Marcus, and put down his phone. “Fine. Since she’s okay, I’m staying out of it. Marcus, you’d better pray she really is okay.” Dr. Smith left. Marcus posted the video in the hospital group chat. Caption: “This is my ‘good daughter,’ conspiring with doctors to put on a show to fight for a bed. I, Marcus Bennett, will never tolerate this kind of abuse of privilege!” The group flooded with approval. “Dr. Bennett is so fair!” “Support Dr. Bennett!” At the same time, an anonymous post appeared on the hospital forum. Title: “Director’s Daughter Fights for Bed, Forces Poor Student to Kneel on New Year’s Eve, Gets Thrown Out by Her Own Father!” The post described how domineering I was, how pitiful Linda was, and how Marcus handled it. Below it, thousands of comments—all cursing me. “Why doesn’t someone like this just die?” “With a heart that vicious, she deserves to have her wound split open.” Marcus replied under the post with his real account: “I failed to raise her properly. I apologize for the spectacle. I’ve frozen her card to make her reflect.” This reply pushed the post to the top of the local trending list. I watched Marcus stare at the computer screen, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. Outside the hospital flower bed. When the janitor, Joe, was clearing snow, his shovel hit something hard. He dug down and found a hand. Joe fell backward in fright, about to call the police. Linda happened to be walking by—she was picking up a food delivery at the back gate. She immediately recognized the bracelet on that hand. It was the bracelet Mom had woven for me. Linda went pale. She rushed over and pressed down on Joe’s hand. “Don’t call the police!” She pulled out a stack of cash from her bag. “That’s a discarded mannequin from the hospital. Sorry it scared you. Take this money and buy yourself a drink, but please don’t tell anyone. If word gets out that the hospital’s dumping medical waste, Mr. Bennett will get in trouble again.” Joe looked at the money, then at Linda. “It’s really a dummy?” “It really is. I’ll get someone to haul it away and dispose of it right now.” Joe took the money and left. Linda stood by the snow pile. She looked at the fingers sticking out from under the snow, bit her lip, and kicked more snow over them to cover them again. “Aria, don’t blame me.” “Mr. Bennett is about to be promoted to full director. Nothing can go wrong right now.” “Just think of it as helping us one more time.” I floated above her head, watching her tremble as she covered the snow. Linda, you’re finished.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “358205”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn #校园School