Author: Momo Chan

Mom loved to distill her parenting philosophy into rules. My older sister, Aria, was raised as a little princess. Mom always called her “baby,” and she grew up spoiled. When I was born, Mom assigned me a different label: the last four digits of my Social Security Number, 2328. She believed that a name stripped of emotional attachment would forge an independent personality. For twenty years, to her, I was 2328. Then, on Christmas Day, I brought my boyfriend home. When he called me “baby” over dinner, my mother slammed her cup onto the floor. “How dare you call her that? Her name is 2328!” “I ruined Aria by calling her ‘baby.’ I won’t let you ruin Serena, too!” “Baby, let me peel a shrimp for you.” Before Kyle could finish, Mom’s cup hit the floor with a crack. “What did you just call her?” Kyle froze. He looked from me to my mom, utterly confused. “‘Baby’…What’s wrong?” “Baby?” Mom’s voice shot up an octave. “Her name is 2328!” I watched Kyle’s expression morph from confusion to pure bewilderment. Under the table, I gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. With a sigh, I turned to Mom and said softly. “Mom, let’s just eat. It’s only a nickname.” “It’s not only a nickname.” She straightened up, settling into her lecturing posture. My hands clenched. Here we go again. “I called her sister ‘baby’ from the day she was born. I spoiled her. She turned out rotten. I learned from my mistake. When Serena was born, I did it right. I’ve called her by the last four digits of her Social Security Number ever since.” Mom’s eyes locked onto Kyle. “So please, call Serena by 2328.” The living room fell into dead silence. Kyle swallowed awkwardly. Aria emerged from the bedroom, her pocket still stuffed with the money Mom had secretly slipped her when she thought I wasn’t watching. “Mom, you’re scaring him.” She drifted over to Kyle, her tone light and explanatory. “Don’t take it personally. My mom is just…very dedicated to her parenting theories.” “Look at me. She called me ‘baby’ my whole life, and look how I turned out. Still trying to kick all the bad habits she baked into me.” “So with 2328 here, Mom doesn’t allow names. No nicknames. Just the last four digits. It’s her foolproof method.” “She says it prevents dependency and builds character.” Aria let out a laugh that didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m basically her living cautionary tale.” Her mock-pitiful tone made me dig my nails into my palm. Mom seized the moment to drag me into the bedroom. “What’s wrong with you?” She looked at me with scrutiny. “I worked so hard to raise you as an independent woman, and you turn around and become some man’s pampered wife?” “He just called me ‘baby’ once.” I kept my voice as calm as possible. “Mom, you can’t expect everyone around me to call me 2328, can you? It makes me uncomfortable…” “What’s uncomfortable about it?” Her eyes were cold as ice. “I sacrificed your sister as my parenting experiment. All the failed lessons I learned from her, I corrected with you. You got the better deal!” “Better deal?” I looked up at her. “So calling me by a number, forcing me into emotional isolation, making me feel unloved-that’s for my own good?” Mom’s eyes widened. Her lips pressed into a thin line. “I’ve raised two children. Don’t I know better than you?” “Only by making you emotionally independent of others can you become strong and self-reliant.” I watched her stubborn expression, suddenly feeling deflated. Before bringing my boyfriend home, I’d joked that my family had some “special rules.” He’d laughed and ruffled my hair. “How special could it be? They’re not going to ban me from eating, right?” I’d thought Mom would set aside those ridiculous rules for my boyfriend’s first visit. I bit my lip and looked straight into Mom’s eyes. “Mom, are these rules of yours really for my own good?”

Memories poured out like a broken faucet, unstoppable. On my first day of preschool at age three, I asked Mom in confusion. “Mommy, the teacher says my name is Serena. Why do you always call Aria ‘baby’ but call me 2328?” Mom looked at me, enunciating each word. “To me, you’re 2328. Don’t get all sentimental about it.” I didn’t understand. I just nodded blankly. When I was five, Aria beat up a neighborhood kid for taking her toy. Mom paid two thousand dollars in medical bills, then immediately set a new rule for me. “2328, from now on, if someone hits you, don’t hit back. Just come tell me.” I remembered. After a bully pushed me off the slide and I scraped my knee badly, I held back tears and went home. Mom disinfected my wound while asking. “Why did he push you? Did you provoke him?” I opened my mouth, but seeing Mom’s interrogating look, I didn’t dare speak. Turns out Mom didn’t tell me not to fight back so she could defend me-she just didn’t want me causing her trouble. At thirteen, Aria became obsessed with fashion. Mom bought her dress after dress, accessory after accessory. Aria grew increasingly materialistic, narcissistic like a proud princess. Seeing this, Mom immediately cut up all the clothes in my closet, leaving only two T-shirts and pairs of pants. “Look at Aria, all she cares about is appearance. You need to focus entirely on studying.” The result? I was mocked and isolated for three years for my shabby, outdated clothes. When Aria reached senior year, Mom hired her a private tutor at three hundred dollars an hour. She forced Aria into college. The day the acceptance letter arrived, Mom said to me. “See? Aria relied too much on tutoring. She lost her ability to study independently-that’s why she didn’t get into a top 10 university.” She dragged me home from school and locked me in my room, forcing me to “study independently.” I ended up only getting into community college. “Community college is great-practical. Your sister’s school costs thirty to forty thousand a year. You’re better off learning a trade.” During Aria’s four years of college, she posted daily on social media about dinners, trips, and the living expenses Mom sent her. Mom liked every post while messaging me. “Aria is wasting her time. Mom applied for student loans for you. You’ll pay them back yourself-that way you’ll value your education.” So during school, I worked three jobs. I graduated with thirty-six thousand dollars in debt. Meanwhile, Mom paid all of Aria’s tuition and living expenses. All I got was: “2328, you’re so much more independent than your sister. You never make Mom worry.” For over twenty years, Mom used Aria as her educational “experiment.” She pampered and protected Aria, doing everything to elevate Aria’s life. Yet she constantly told others she’d “ruined” Aria. And me? I was the “lucky one” who benefited from her timely course correction. Aria’s bright confidence became “vanity.” Aria’s carefree attitude became “irresponsibility.” Aria’s sense of security became “spoiled willfulness.” Meanwhile, my timidity, insecurity, and frugality got repackaged as maturity and self-reliance. “Mom learned from all her mistakes with Aria and corrected everything with you.” “Look how well you turned out. You never make Mom worry.” My life was severely pruned and trimmed. But unlike Aria, I never received love’s nourishment. “How is this not for your own good?” Mom shot back, looking at me like I was ungrateful. “Mom, I don’t want to be called 2328. I want someone to call me ‘baby’ too. Buy me a dress. Stand up for me once. I want to be cherished just once…” Mom’s expression froze. “I practiced so much on your sister and gave you all the right methods. Now you got the better deal and you’re complaining?” Her lips trembled, her eyes filled with warning and anger. Aria entered the bedroom, glancing at us. “2328, your boyfriend is so rude. He just up and left.”

By the time I reached the living room, it was empty. Kyle had gone. Only a text message remained. “Serena, I’m heading home. Please don’t fight with your mom on my account. Your family rules are…unique. I need some time to think..” I stared at those words, my thumb hovering over the reply box. I typed a single word. “Okay.” What else could I say? Explain why my mother made such rules for me? Explain why those rules only applied to me? Being unloved was obvious. I turned to go back. Uncle Robert’s laughter reached me first. In the living room, Mom and Aria were already seated at the dining table. “Rachel, don’t worry. I’ve got Aria’s transfer covered.” Robert patted his chest. “The HR director at her company is my high school buddy. Moving her to an easier position is just a phone call away.” Mom beamed. “That’s wonderful. You know Aria’s lazy. Her current position is too demanding, and she has to work night shifts.” After graduating, Mom pulled strings everywhere to get Aria into the city’s largest state-owned enterprise. After just a few years, Aria constantly complained about the work being too hard. But from what I knew, the so-called night shift only came once a month. And it was just from 6 PM to 11 PM. Five hours of work, and Aria complained endlessly. She insisted Mom find connections to transfer her to a cushy position with good pay and little work. Robert set down his wine glass and suddenly turned to me. “By the way, Ser-” He nearly blurted it out, then glanced at Mom and quickly corrected himself. “2328, what company are you working for now?” My throat tightened. “A small private company. I do operations.” “A small company?” Robert’s voice rose. “Why not have your mom pull some strings too? Get into a big company-easier work, better benefits. Look at Aria, how comfortable she is.” Mom held her rice bowl, watching me with satisfaction. She opened her mouth with that familiar backhanded compliment. “Oh, 2328 doesn’t need anyone to worry about her. She’s the hardworking type, unlike her lazy sister.” “She works so hard, staying at the office until 10 PM every night. That’s a good place to develop character.” My hand gripped the fork tightly. Back when I had trouble finding work due to my education, I’d struggled to land this job. I worked desperately at the company not because I loved hardship-it was because I had no connections, no backing. The only way was to sell my time and labor in the most basic way to earn a little more. When I got sick with a fever after a week of overtime, Mom just made a brief phone call. “2328, you’re an adult now. Buy your own medicine when you’re sick. Young people need to work harder to get noticed by the boss.” But when Aria got varicose veins from sitting at her desk, Mom went to massage her legs daily, applying expensive ointments. Now she was even asking Robert to transfer Aria to an easier position. I laughed bitterly inside, feeling suffocated. “No need. My current job is fine.” My voice was dry. Back in the bedroom, I closed the door. I pulled out my phone and opened my manager’s chat. “Manager, I’ll take the three-year transfer to the branch office.” The branch was in Alaska. It was newly established and needed people to develop business. But Alaska was three thousand miles from home. And it was a three-year commitment. No one wanted this difficult assignment. I’d initially refused too. I didn’t want to leave home. I wanted to stay close to Mom to take care of her more easily. I also didn’t want to be separated from Kyle. But now, there seemed no need. Message sent. I wiped my face. After a long while, someone knocked on the door.

“2328, come out and sweep the living room. Don’t hole up in your room on Christmas.” I gripped the broom, looking at Aria scrolling on her phone on the couch. “Just me?” I asked. “Aria can’t do anything right. You expect her to help?” Mom walked over and patted my shoulder. “You do a bit more, and people will praise you for being diligent and sensible. Mom’s building your reputation.” Same as always. Seemingly criticizing Aria, but completely exempting her from work. I felt numb inside, mechanically starting to sweep. “Oh, I need to tell you something.” Mom’s expression was deliberately casual. “The demolition notice came through for our old house.” I stopped moving. Aria looked up from her phone. “They’re compensating us with two commercial apartments on Oceanview Road.” “Mom thought about it. One will be transferred to my name, one to Aria’s name.” The air suddenly went quiet. Only the exaggerated music from the TV remained. “I don’t get one?” I heard my voice ring out awkwardly in the living room. “It’s close to your sister’s company but far from yours. Even if I gave it to you, it wouldn’t be convenient.” Mom spoke quickly, as if afraid I’d ask more questions. “Besides, after I’m gone, the one in my name will go to you two sisters anyway.” My hands trembled uncontrollably as I gripped the broom. For the first time, I abandoned decorum and asked directly. “Then why not transfer the one in your name to me?” Mom clearly hadn’t expected me to ask such a “shameless” question. She paused, then grew angry. “Your sister is careless. If you don’t take care of me either, don’t I need to keep something for security?” I lowered my eyes and laughed softly. “Didn’t you always say you raised me to be sensible and obedient? Are you afraid I won’t take care of you in old age?” Mom froze, her shoulders tensing. “You have a boyfriend now. Who knows if you’ll be led astray?” Her voice climbed to a shrill pitch. Aria watched from the sidelines, a spectator to the scene. “If I give you the house, what’s to stop you from turning around and handing it to some random men?” “Besides, it’s thanks to your sister’s example that I knew how to raise you properly. You owe your upbringing to her. Compensating her now is only fair. What’s your problem with that?” In that moment, my blood turned to ice. No matter how unjust her favoritism was, she could always wrap it in the language of fairness. In her mind, twisted logic simply became justified reasoning. I threw the broom to the floor, my words sharp and deliberate. “Well, you can stop worrying. After today, Kyle said he can’t handle us. We’re done.” “That man was never good enough for you anyway.” Mom turned away, already moving on. “Disrespecting our family rules on his first visit? He has no breeding.” “What rules? Rules to keep me in line?” My voice cut through the air, sharper and louder than I’d intended. Aria finally stood up from the couch, awkwardly trying to smooth things over. “2328, Mom is just being protective. She’s cautious for you.” “Look at your attitude!” Mom pointed at me. “After all I did to raise you, you talk to me like this? Over one apartment?” I looked at them both, feeling completely like an outsider. Right. Just one apartment. Like when I was little, it was just a nickname. Just one piece of clothing. Just tuition money. Growing up, it was just a job. Just an apartment. Just never being the favorite. A bitter laugh escaped me, leaving me chilled to the bone. I went to my room and started packing my few belongings. My mother watched, a mocking smile playing on her lips. “Where exactly will you go? All the hotels are closed.” I dragged my suitcase to the door, my voice flat and final. “Wherever it is, it won’t be back here. Not ever.”

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Maxwell was in a meeting when he accidentally opened a hidden folder, exposing sex videos of himself and his secretary, Vivian. To protect Vivian’s privacy, he forcibly dragged me onto the stage and publicly announced our ten-year relationship. “This is just a private hobby between Winona and me. It was my mistake. Please don’t judge her.” After we left the stage, I begged him desperately: “I’ve done everything you asked. Now please bring my mom back from the mountains. There’s a bear attack happening there!” But his secretary Vivian chose that moment to hand me a set of lingerie—the exact set she wore in the video: “Winona, to make sure everyone believes you’re the woman in the video, please put on this lingerie and take a few photos.” Under Maxwell’s coercion, I changed into the lingerie. Soon, my photos were circulating around the company. I became everyone’s laughingstock. I endured the humiliation, only hoping Maxwell would hurry and save my mom. But when I got home, the police delivered my mother’s suicide note.

“The bear is going to eat me. Winona, maybe it’s better if I die. Then you can finally escape Maxwell’s control.” A bloodstained piece of cloth, a few bone fragments—these were the last traces my mother left in this world. The officer delivering the note looked devastated. “Ms. Rivers, my condolences. By the time we received the distress call and reached the scene, this was all that remained. The bear had vanished without a trace.” My tears flowed uncontrollably. Maxwell—all the love I once felt for this man had completely dried up. After learning from the officer where they’d found my mother’s remains, I rushed to those mountains without stopping. Even finding just a little more trace of my mother would be a blessing. As I approached the location, I heard moaning sounds. When I got closer, I felt like I was going mad. “Maxwell, you’re so bad. Isn’t it enough that you torment me all the time? Now you have to exhaust me while camping in these remote mountains.” Vivian clung intimately to Maxwell’s neck, her face showing pure pleasure. “Maxwell, you really are heartless, making Winona take the blame for me. She’s been in a relationship with you for ten years.” “Getting to publicly announce our relationship made her so happy inside, how could she care about anything else?” “That woman gets so excited she can’t sleep all night just from hearing me say I like her.” Maxwell spoke these cold words so casually, and they pierced straight through my heart. My heart felt like it was being squeezed tight. Pain and bitterness surged up together. I had indeed loved him to my bones, willing to stay with him for ten years without any official status. Even when he used my mother to threaten me, I couldn’t bring myself to let go. But I never imagined that all my devotion was nothing but a joke to him, something he never took seriously. Bitterness spread through my mouth. I finally understood just how pathetic my one-sided love had been. Before I could retreat, Vivian’s sharp eyes spotted me and she shouted my name in fake surprise. “Winona, what are you doing here? Have you been stalking Maxwell this whole time?” “That’s so creepy.” Hearing my name, Maxwell’s smile vanished instantly. He stared straight at me. I lowered my eyes, unwilling to meet his gaze. I was afraid he’d see the flames of revenge burning in my eyes. But Maxwell thought I was feeling guilty. He threw on a shirt and walked up to me. He gripped my chin tightly, his voice ice-cold. “Winona, do you really like me this much? Enough to do something as disgusting as stalking?” “Since you like it so much, I’ll satisfy you.” The moment he finished speaking, he planted a heavy kiss on my lips. His kiss was full of domination and superiority, as if this was a reward he was granting me. But I only felt disgusted. His actions, his smell, his very existence—all of it disgusted me. I bit down hard on his lip. The taste of blood spread through my mouth. Maxwell pulled back in pain, staring at me in disbelief. The next second, he grabbed my throat tightly. “Stop playing these boring games with me.”

Before he could say anything more vicious, Vivian behind him let out a terrified scream. “There’s a bear!” In the distance, a massive bear was slowly walking toward us. Even Maxwell was trembling with fear. He released his grip on me. I gasped for air, then flashed him a brilliant smile. “Maxwell, I do love you.” “So let’s die here together, reunited in the bear’s belly.” Maxwell glanced at me in shock, treating me like I’d truly lost my mind. As the bear drew closer, his eyes darted between me and Vivian, hesitation in his gaze. No matter how fit he was, he could only take one extra person with him to escape. In the end, he grabbed Vivian’s hand and ran for their lives. “I’m sorry, Winona. Once I get outside, I’ll immediately call for help to rescue you.” Between me and Vivian, he made his choice. After Maxwell’s abuse, I didn’t even have the strength to run. I could only watch helplessly as the bear approached. I closed my eyes and silently prayed. Mom, I’m coming to see you. The bear was so close I could smell the stench from its mouth. Just as the bear was about to strike, the crack of a gunshot rang through the air. The bear’s head was pierced by a bullet. Its body crashed to the ground. I stood frozen, not yet understanding what had happened. A middle-aged man dressed like a hunter emerged, holding a rifle. He had only one piece of advice for me: “Girl, next time you choose a man, remember to use your eyes.” I smiled bitterly. I couldn’t agree more with those words. The look in Maxwell’s eyes as he left was burned into my mind. Though it was full of regret and hesitation, his body was more honest than his heart. The people Maxwell called arrived quickly at the scene. Surrounded by bodyguards, he rushed up to me and pulled me into a tight embrace. “Are you hurt anywhere? Winona, I’ll take you to the hospital right now. I’ll find you the best doctors in all of Sea City.” “Don’t worry, I absolutely won’t let anything happen to you.” I stared blankly at the man before me. The concern in his eyes and words seemed genuine. But it only made me feel worse. Because it proved he wasn’t incapable of loving me—there were just things more important to him than his love for me. Like Vivian, for instance. Seeing us embrace, a flash of malice crossed her eyes. Suddenly she cried out and collapsed, claiming she was in shock. Maxwell immediately let go and rushed to support Vivian, whispering comfort in her ear. As for me, he simply waved his hand and had a bodyguard take me to the hospital. When I left the hospital, I took all of my mother’s remaining belongings and had them cremated. Holding the lightweight urn, I returned home with a numb expression, planning to confront Maxwell and end everything. This relationship that had lasted ten years had exhausted me. It was time to end it. But as soon as I opened the door, I saw Vivian acting coy with Maxwell. Maxwell’s eyes were full of laughter as he recorded everything on his phone. Hearing the door open, both of them looked over at once. I froze in place, my mind blank. Maxwell’s brow was furrowed at first, but when he saw the urn in my hands, understanding dawned. He raised his eyebrows in surprise. “I didn’t expect you to actually be into this kind of thing.” “Considering your performance in the mountains today, I suppose I can play along with this little act of yours. Call it compensation.” “Vivian, hold my phone. Record this scene.” As he spoke, he took off his shirt and strode toward me. Not until his arm wrapped around my waist and his hot breath fell on my ear did I snap out of it. “Let go of me right now. Maxwell, what are you trying to do?” “I didn’t expect you to get into character so quickly. Have you been rehearsing?” As his actions grew more brazen, I slapped him hard in my fury. His eyes instantly turned cold and hard as he stared at me.

“Winona, what exactly are you trying to do? Weren’t you the one who wanted to make a video with me? Now you’re playing hard to get?” “My patience isn’t unlimited. If you want to film, let’s get on with it.” After I understood the meaning behind his words, I was too disgusted to speak. I looked at him like he was a stranger. How had the man I once loved so much become this filthy and ugly? Or perhaps he’d always been this way, and I was only now seeing the truth. “Open your damn eyes and look carefully. This is my mother’s ashes!” “Saying these things in front of a dead person—aren’t you afraid of karma?” He looked uncertain, staring blankly at the urn in my arms. But Vivian rushed over at that moment and whispered in his ear. The doubt in Maxwell’s eyes vanished, replaced by intense disgust toward me. “Before I had your mother placed in those mountains, I had Vivian arrange a team of mercenaries to protect her. How could anything have happened?” “Winona, just to win my affection, you’d even fake your own mother’s death. What disgusting thing wouldn’t you do?” He snatched the urn from me, opened it, and let out a cold laugh. “What normal person’s ashes would be this little? Winona, if you’re going to fake something, at least make it believable.” But the ashes were so sparse because there was so little left of my mother’s body. My heart was full of grievance, but Maxwell gave me no chance to explain. I could only swallow it down. “Since you already bought the props, I might as well put them to use.” “Vivian, help me finish that scene from earlier.” By the time I remembered what scene he meant, the two of them were already performing it right in front of me. Right in front of my mother’s ashes. Maxwell tied me up with rope. I could only watch helplessly as they defiled my mother with their actions. “No, please don’t. I’m begging you.” Tears streamed down endlessly, but they didn’t stir even a hint of mercy in Maxwell. He even spoke mockingly to the urn: “Your daughter’s boyfriend of ten years is with another woman. Can you see this from below?” By the end, I’d gone numb, watching them expressionlessly. When they finished, I picked up the urn without a word and left that disgusting place, not sparing them another glance. They disgusted me to the point of nausea. Worried that Maxwell might find my temporary residence and do something disgusting with my mother’s ashes again, I’d rather carry the urn with me to work. Ever since the scandal from the meeting had spread, my reputation at the company was completely ruined. Wherever I went, I could hear people whispering behind my back. “She acts so proper normally, but she’s so shameless in private.” “Only our Mr. Hunt would want her. Who else would like this kind of slut?” The source of all these rumors was Maxwell’s current woman, Vivian. But this life was finally about to end. Today I was here to resign. However, when I knocked on Maxwell’s office door, I was told Mr. Hunt wasn’t in his office—he was downstairs at the company entrance. I looked down through the floor-to-ceiling window in confusion and saw countless gorgeous, brilliant flowers. In the middle of a heart shape made of bouquets, Maxwell knelt on one knee. Just by reading his lips, I knew what four words he was saying: “I like you.” But the object of his confession wasn’t me. It was Vivian, her face full of bashful delight. Ten years. I’d waited ten years for his confession. Whenever I wanted to make our relationship public, he always found excuses to put me off. I never imagined the reason it would finally be made public would be this absurdly laughable. And the confession I’d waited ten years for was stolen by someone else. Falling in love with Maxwell truly was the biggest mistake of my life. Vivian accepted Maxwell without question. The two embraced excitedly and kissed passionately on the spot. I didn’t spare them another glance. After placing my resignation letter on Maxwell’s desk, I returned to my workstation to pack my things. All my colleagues were discussing the confession that just happened, openly and subtly scorning me. “Those two are so well-matched. Vivian is so much better than that Winona.” “Some ten-year relationship—probably just Mr. Hunt being kind to save her face. I bet she’s the one who’s been pestering him for ten years.” These words flowed through my mind like water, unable to stir even a ripple. But when I returned to my desk, the urn that had been sitting there was gone. My heart sank to the bottom. Ignoring others’ contempt, I frantically asked the surrounding colleagues. After learning Vivian had taken it, my vision went black and I nearly fainted. That woman would definitely do something terrible to my mother’s ashes. My mother’s ashes couldn’t afford any mishap. I headed to the CEO’s office once more. When I arrived, I saw Vivian had poured all the ashes into a flowerpot with several vibrant roses planted in it.

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My fiancé, Derek Stone, deliberately pursued the girl who bullied me in middle school—Vivian Ford—to get revenge for me. He promised me: “After I punish her a hundred times, I’ll dump her immediately and marry you!” But when his punishment game ended, he brought Vivian home from the psychiatric hospital. Afterwards, he casually instructed me: “Vivian has a mental illness and doesn’t remember you anymore. She can’t handle any more stress, so I told her you’re our housekeeper. Also, she’s been having nightmares and needs me to sleep beside her, so you’ll be staying in the guest room from now on.” Everyone was waiting to see me humiliated, but I calmly accepted it all. Derek said with satisfaction: “You’re doing the right thing! Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you from now on.” Six months later, I dragged my luggage out, ready to leave. But Vivian urged me to stay, and Derek threw out a bank card: “Eight million dollars. Stay and take care of Vivian.” I didn’t take it. He didn’t know—this time, I was really leaving him.

“If the money’s not enough, I can add more. You can’t leave.” Meeting my reddened eyes, Derek said frantically: “Vivian’s pregnant again. She needs someone to make her nutritious meals.” His words made me laugh. I had been forcibly injected with large amounts of hormones by Vivian in the past, which damaged my reproductive system. He had promised me with tears in his eyes that he would make sure Vivian could never have children. Now, she was pregnant again. I only remembered that last time, when Vivian miscarried because I gave her the wrong medication, I was stripped naked and locked in the morgue for eight hours, developing severe hypothermia. Seeing that I didn’t respond and just kept walking, Derek tried to make me stay for the first time ever. “I know you don’t like bland food. After Vivian finishes eating, I can take you out to eat.” As soon as he finished speaking, Vivian in his arms suddenly curled up and clung to him. “Derek, my stomach hurts…” Derek’s expression instantly became frantic. He swept Vivian up in his arms and barked an order at me to call the family doctor. I obediently dialed the number. While he was taking care of Vivian, I turned to leave, but Derek grabbed my wrist and scolded me sharply: “Vivian’s in this condition and you still want to leave? How can you be so vicious?” Me, vicious? I laughed bitterly. “If I were vicious, I wouldn’t have called the doctor for her.” Next thing I knew, he yanked me down to my knees. “Apologize!” My knees slammed hard onto the marble floor, and my ankle twisted at a grotesque angle. I didn’t make a sound. “If you hadn’t been so difficult, insisting on leaving home, would Vivian’s stomach hurt? Don’t you owe her an apology?” I took a deep breath, thinking of the people abroad waiting for me to follow up on the project. I lowered my head. “I’m sorry…” Without changing my expression, I snapped my ankle back into place and asked softly: “Can I go now?” Staring at my severely swollen ankle, he threw me onto the sofa. “Your foot’s all swollen and you’re still causing trouble. If it weren’t for you, Vivian wouldn’t have become mentally ill. What’s the point of putting on this disgusting act?” The family doctor arrived quickly. After calming Vivian down, the doctor came over to examine my foot with a pitying look. “The ligaments are almost completely torn. Don’t put weight on it, try not to walk much, or it might develop into a fracture. I’ll prescribe you—” “Mmm…” Vivian let out a perfectly timed moan. Derek instantly exploded in rage, pointing at the doctor and cursing: “The pregnant woman isn’t treated yet, why are you bothering with her! It’s just a sprained ankle, she won’t die. If something happens to Vivian, how will you take responsibility?” Vivian wrapped herself around Derek’s waist. “I want some water.” Derek looked around, grabbed a pair of scissors from the medical kit, and hurled them at me. “What are you standing there for? Go get Vivian some water!” I wiped the blood trickling from my forehead into my eye and limped away. After Vivian drank the water and fell sweetly asleep, Derek finally spoke as if granting me a favor: “Treat your wound too, so you don’t scare Vivian when she wakes up.” When he turned around, he found I had already bandaged myself with gauze. Alcohol, ice packs, gauze—I kept these supplies on hand every day and had to restock them frequently. His eyes showed a moment of surprise. “I’ll take you to get scar removal treatment tomorrow. I won’t let you be disfigured.” I thanked him perfunctorily. Back in my room, I sent that person a message.

“Give me a few more days. Let me handle things here first.” He called me urgently: “Didn’t we agree on six months? Are you having second thoughts?” “No, there’s just some trouble. I need a little more time.” “The professor’s recommendation letter should arrive soon. Check for it and register your name at the branch office.” In the middle of the night, I woke up tormented by chest tightness and heart palpitations. I reached for the medication on my nightstand and swallowed it in one gulp. But the symptoms didn’t ease—they got worse. Nausea, a dull pain in my frontal lobe, wave after wave. Painful memories I had temporarily forgotten all came flooding back into my mind. I couldn’t help grabbing any sharp object nearby and scraping it hard across my skin. I didn’t sleep all night. At dawn, I discovered that the medication on my nightstand had been replaced with vitamins! Blood rushing through my body, I ignored the intense dizziness and charged straight into Derek’s master bedroom, grabbing him by the collar. “Derek, did she switch out my emergency antidepressants?” My finger pointed at Vivian in his arms. I was disheveled, like a madwoman. The next second, he covered my mouth and forcibly dragged me out of the bedroom. Once again thrown onto the cold floor, I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. Laughing at myself for forgetting the pain once the wound healed. Last time, Vivian had secretly unfastened my climbing safety harness, causing me to fall from eight meters high. After I came out of the ICU, the man gently comforted Vivian, then turned to me with harsh words: “If you don’t have the ability, don’t do extreme sports anymore. Look how scared you made Vivian.” Seeing him carefully close the door, afraid of waking the person inside, I asked with some desperation: “Do you know what it’s like when depression attacks…” He cut me off. Without saying a word, he quickly pulled me to the living room. “I know you’re suffering. But if you just endure it, it’ll pass. If Vivian gets stimulated, she could suffer brain death!” “I drove her to mental illness for your sake. Can’t you show her a little more tolerance?” I sneered mockingly. “How else should I be tolerant? Wash my neck clean and hand her a knife to play with?” “You…” He glanced at the bedroom and issued a command like a favor: “I promise you, after she gives birth, we’ll get married. But in front of her, you have to keep playing the role of housekeeper and accommodate her in everything.” He looked at the time, assumed I had agreed, and went back to accompany Vivian without looking back. I opened my phone and asked the doctor for another bottle of medication. “Has your condition gotten worse? You need to manage your emotions. Don’t let it develop into severe depression.” I comforted the doctor instead, not telling him why I was going through the medication so fast. It was late morning when Vivian finally woke up moaning. “Derek, my chest feels tight…” Derek panicked instantly, holding her tightly to comfort her. When the doctor said the cause was accidentally taking antidepressant medication, his eyes darkened with unclear emotions. “Derek, I just thought the things Elena ate in front of me looked delicious. I didn’t mean to…”

I sat to the side, indifferent, remotely replying to my project partners’ questions. My phone was suddenly knocked to the ground. The screen cracked from one corner and completely shattered. Last time my phone cracked in one corner, he said he’d take me to get it fixed. He never kept that promise. “Don’t you know to hide such dangerous medication when you take it? Are you happy now that Vivian took it by mistake?” I was stunned by the scolding. My phone kept vibrating. “Who’s messaging you?” Derek was furious. Without even looking, he stomped on it and crushed it completely. The vibrations stopped. I said nothing, just knelt down numbly and picked up the glass shards with my bare hands. I stood up, looked him straight in the eye, and decisively shoved the glass pieces into Derek’s mouth. I had no computer. All the data I had just been transferring hadn’t been backed up. Everything was destroyed in Derek’s hands. He was shocked and suspicious, using both hands to pull the glass from his mouth. “What are you doing, you psycho!” I was as calm as a real psycho. “Just demonstrating what a psychotic mental state looks like.” Meeting my eyes, he hesitated for a moment. “Mmm…” Vivian whimpered and began crying softly. Derek instantly rushed to her, picked her up, and ran toward the hospital. With tweezers, I picked out the glass shards from my palms one by one, then went out to buy a new phone. When I returned to the villa, Derek was sitting on the sofa with a dark expression, holding a recommendation letter in his hand. “You’re joining Azure Lotus?” Before I could answer, he tapped the recommendation letter on the coffee table. “Give this recommendation letter to Vivian.” I thought I had misheard and asked in disbelief: “Give it to her? You expect a mentally ill girl with no knowledge to go to Azure Lotus?” As soon as the words left my mouth, he slapped my left cheek numb. It swelled up high. From the corner of my eye, I could see his right hand was also trembling slightly. “I caused her to be delayed two years in graduation. Her career has been struggling ever since. I looked into it—it’s just a nominal position. You can help her with the work she can’t complete.” I pressed my tongue against my swollen cheek with a half-smile. How come when I was forced to drop out of high school and go abroad, no one thought to compensate me? “Fine, you give it to her.” With that, I walked past him, sat on the sofa, and started booking a plane ticket. The second before my phone was snatched away, I locked the screen. “What have you been doing lately?” I was used to his inconsistent controlling behavior. “If you want to know, just open the phone and look, won’t you?” But even when the phone showed it was locked, he never opened it. The password had always been my birthday. I had repeated it countless times. He never remembered it. I snatched it back. “Let me tell you how long it’s been. It was yesterday.” I didn’t know if he felt even a moment of guilt in his heart. I only saw him flee in panic. Tonight’s dinner was made by a hired housekeeper, all sweet dishes. I frowned and picked at a few bites. A piece of mango cake was pushed in front of me. “Not to your taste?” I casually tossed it in the trash. His expression turned ugly. “How can Elena waste food?” Vivian immediately squatted down, trying to dig through the trash can for something, but Derek stopped her in time. I was dazed, remembering when Vivian had forced my head into a bathroom trash can to search for a necklace with my mouth. “Stop being unreasonable!” Derek’s angry shout pulled me back to reality. The dishes in front of me trembled from the force. “Derek, I can’t eat high-sugar foods. And I’m allergic to mangoes.” The man’s rage immediately died down. He stared at the mango cake in the trash, lost in thought.

“Hiss~” Vivian’s hand was somehow cut by something sharp in the trash can. Derek’s mind went blank. He only cared about her wound. “Derek, I remember you said you’d take me to the beauty salon for scar removal. How about tomorrow?” Vivian’s eyes immediately filled with tears: “But you promised to help me water the flowers…” Derek’s expression showed difficulty. I said calmly: “I’ll go by myself.” The next day, as soon as I left the villa, I called my friend abroad. “Today’s the day. Contact them and send a car to pick me up at the airport directly.” I chose a spot without surveillance cameras to wait for the car, not wanting Derek to know my whereabouts. But within minutes, I was surrounded by a group of people. “Elena, the beautiful girl returns home and doesn’t even tell us old classmates?” These were the people who had bullied me alongside Vivian back then. Seeing them, my blood froze. Discomfort instantly swept through my entire body. With a thread of rationality, I reached for my medication, but just before it reached my mouth, someone nearby snatched it away. “I heard people with severe depression will kill themselves? We’ve never seen that before!” I was surrounded until I couldn’t see a ray of sunlight. I curled up in agony. But someone grabbed the hair on the back of my head tightly, forcing me to display my anguished expression before their eyes. “There are no cameras here. Even if we played you to death, no one would know.” In the chaos, someone pulled my hair, someone slapped me, someone tore at my clothes, and camera flashes blinded me. “Stop it!” Everyone uniformly released me. I saw Vivian pick up my dust-covered medication from the ground and shove it into my mouth. “Why did you save me?” Vivian showed me that all-too-familiar smile, like a coiled venomous snake. Only then did I realize—everyone had been fooled. She never had a mental illness at all. “Naturally because I’m afraid you’ll die.” “I can only be this unrestrained because of Derek’s guilt. But if you died, how would I know who he feels more guilty toward?” “I want you to live consciously and watch how I toy with you.” She helped me up and straightened my clothes and hair. Before I could react, she grabbed my hand and leaned backward provocatively. “Vivian!” Derek finally found the “lost” Vivian and rushed straight to her, completely ignoring my disheveled state. “They were bullying Elena. I helped her, but she tried to hit me. My stomach hurts so much…” Derek swept her up in his arms, kissing away the tears at the corners of her eyes tenderly. He turned his head and glared coldly at me. “Ungrateful! They should have beaten you to death!” I stood there thunderstruck. The successive mental shocks left me somewhat dazed. Watching the car drive away, leaving me alone, I ignored the people watching and laughing behind me and limped away. Two hours later, carrying only my passport, I got out of the car at the airport. Before the plane took off, I received a message from Derek: [Vivian’s at her prenatal checkup. Come over and get examined too. Give her a proper apology.]

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Picking up my husband at the airport, I bumped into Brandon Harrison, my ex-fiancé who’d ghosted our wedding two years ago to go see elephants in Kenya with his adopted sister. I was wearing sunglasses, but he still spotted me instantly in the crowd. “Alexis , I’m back to marry you.” My eyes narrowed slightly. “You are…?” He gave a helpless chuckle. “Hey, sweetie, don’t be mad, I didn’t mean to ditch for so long. After Willow saw the elephants, she wanted photos, and she’s my only sister, so I had to spoil her.” “Two years of shooting and, boom, done! I rushed back to fulfill our engagement.” That’s when it clicked. This man was my ex-fiancé! But seriously, had no one bothered to tell him I married his uncle the same day he ran away? …… The airport was a madhouse. Brandon Harrison wheeled a luggage cart with one hand, a Chanel bag dangling from the other. Willow, her skin several shades darker, perched on the suitcase, letting Brandon push her along. Two years in Africa made them look like they’d spent two years digging coal. Absolutely sun-baked. Brandon used to be so fair, handsome, and in great shape. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have agreed to the arranged marriage. But now… Good thing he wasn’t my husband anymore. I took off my sunglasses, forcing a polite smile. “Oh, my apologies. Long time no see. You both have changed so much, I didn’t recognize you at first glance.” Willow, true to form, immediately spat. “Don’t pretend you didn’t recognize us! You’re obviously here to pick up Brandon!” “If Brandon and I hadn’t ditched our phones and gone completely off-grid after we left, you probably would’ve tracked us to Africa yourself!” “Honestly, I don’t know what Brandon sees in you. You’re just a pretty face with nothing else going for you.” Willow huffed, turning her head away dramatically. Brandon ruffled her hair, a helpless smile playing on his lips, and playfully poked her nose. “You can’t be so childish after Alexis and I get married.” “Otherwise, I won’t take you on your artistic journey to Africa next year.” After calming Willow down, he turned to me, explaining, “She’s just got a childish temper. You know her dad died protecting me in that car crash, and she lost her father because of it.” “Once we’re married, we’ll be a united front. I hope you can look out for her, treat her like your own sister.” Was he even listening to the BS coming out of his mouth? I rolled my eyes, a silent, elegant dismissal, and flashed the wedding ring on my finger. “Mr. Harrison Jr., thank you for bailing on me back then. It led me to a man a thousand times better than you.” “And please, don’t flatter yourself. I’m here to pick up my husband today.” Brandon froze. Then he narrowed his eyes at me for a long moment before raising an eyebrow and smiling. “Alexis , do you take me for a fool?” “The Harrison-Hayes merger was the talk of New York two years ago. Every socialite and dignitary was there. Everyone knows you’re my fiancée, Alexis.” “Okay, it was wrong of me to run away and embarrass you, but your reputation is trashed. Who else would possibly want you after this?” So that’s why he dared to run! He was convinced I’d be a “discarded woman,” that no one else would have me! He truly overestimated himself and underestimated me. To clean up his mess, Grandpa had to make some serious sacrifices, not just financially with company shares, but also by involving his own son, Devin. To soothe the Hayes family’s fury, Grandpa had personally offered to transfer the shares originally meant for Brandon, to me. Looks like Brandon had no idea. Of course. Spending two years off-grid for Willow, not even making a single call home, he wouldn’t know any of this. Still, I hope he can keep that smile on his face when he returns to the Harrison family estate tonight.

Brandon initially refused the arranged marriage, saying he’d rather die than yield. But then he saw me, fell instantly in love, and declared he’d marry no one else. He shamelessly pursued me for over half a year. Seeing that he kept himself out of trouble and wasn’t a playboy, I finally agreed. But before long, Brandon had Willow by his side, an adopted sister he spoiled like a princess. On our wedding day, he got a call from her. “Brandon, remember what you promised? To take me to Africa to see the elephants.” “I’m waiting for you at the airport. If you don’t come, I’ll jump from the top floor!” Brandon gave me an apologetic look, then, without hesitation, he let go of my hand, abandoned the guests, and sprinted away. I received two texts from him, then he became unreachable. “Willow’s dad saved my life. Willow is his only daughter, I can’t let anything happen to her!” “Don’t worry, I’ll be back after she sees the elephants. A week at most, then I’ll be back to finish our wedding, and we can go to the Maldives for our honeymoon.” Grandpa Harrison was furious. To give the Hayes family an explanation, Grandpa Harrison promised me: “Alexis, it’s entirely the Harrison family’s fault for raising such an irresponsible son. Tell me, what compensation do you want?” I pointed to Grandpa Harrison’s youngest son, and the current head of the Harrison empire, Devin Harrison. “Then give him to me. This wedding still needs a groom.” And just like that, I married Brandon Harrison’s uncle. Thinking of this, I checked the time. Devin’s flight should be arriving soon. I was about to text him when his message popped up: My love, flight delayed. Just boarded, might be super late. Don’t wait up for me, Mr. Davies can pick me up. Love you. Followed by a huge heart emoji. A soft smile touched my lips, and my brows smoothed out. Even my annoying ex-fiancé didn’t seem so irritating anymore. Brandon stood with his arms crossed, a knowing smirk playing on his face as he stared at my phone. “Oh, what’s this? Hired an actor? Saved as ‘My Love’? And ‘flight delayed’?” “Alexis, don’t joke around like that. You know I’ll get mad.” With that, he suddenly leaned in, reaching out to touch my hair. I quickly stepped back, leaving his hand suspended awkwardly in mid-air. “I told you, I’m married. If you keep harassing me, you’ll be lucky if you only end up with a broken leg when you get home tonight.” Brandon burst out laughing, as if I’d said something hilarious. He pointed to my neck, raising an eyebrow. “That necklace you’re wearing, Grandpa said he’d pass it down to my wife. And you’re wearing it, yet trying to tell me you married someone else?” The necklace was indeed a gift from Grandpa Harrison, but it wasn’t meant for his wife. “I married…” Before I could finish, Willow cut me off. “Is it that necklace?” She hopped off the suitcase and pushed her way between Brandon and me. When she saw it was the necklace she’d been coveting, her eyes instantly welled up. She clung to Brandon’s arm, her voice dropping. “Brandon, I’ve liked this necklace for ages, and Grandpa never gave it to me. Now he just gives it to some outsider.” “Grandpa… doesn’t he see me as family? I’m just a driver’s daughter, unlike Alexis, who was lucky enough to be born rich. Even Grandpa prefers her.” Hearing that, Brandon’s face softened with apology again. He looked at me, a hint of awkwardness in his gaze. “Willow is young, and she’s had a tough life, so she’s always a bit insecure. Just let her have it.” “She likes this necklace, just give it to her. I’ll buy you a new one later, I promise it’ll be prettier and better quality than this one.”

I laughed. A bitter, angry laugh. “I suggest you get your head checked. If I’m not mistaken, Willow is twenty-five this year, a few months older than me, right?” “First, I hate man-children. Second, I hate manipulative parasites who steal from people. And she’s both.” My words stung Willow, and tears immediately streamed down her face. “Brandon will spoil me no matter how old I am, you’re just jealous!” “You’re not even married to Brandon yet, what right does an outsider have to Harrison family property? You’re the shameless one!” Willow was nominally an adopted daughter of the Harrison family, but in reality, she was more like a glorified housekeeper. Brandon had once campaigned to make Willow a true heiress, but Grandpa Harrison firmly refused, so he had to drop it. Because of this, he felt guilty towards Willow. Now, seeing her upset, he looked truly pained. He frowned. “Willow is different from you. She doesn’t have parents, she only has me. Grandpa refused to let her change her name, that’s why she has no sense of security…” I cut him off, offering a suggestion. “You want Willow to be recognized? Easy.” “If you marry her, I’ll gladly give her this necklace. Consider it a wedding gift from me.” I unclipped the necklace from my neck and extended it to Willow. Willow’s eyes widened in disbelief, then undisguised glee. She reached out to take it. “No!” Brandon snatched the necklace away, clutching it tightly in his fist. “What nonsense are you talking about? Willow is just… just my adopted sister. You’re the one I want to spend my life with!” “She’s family, but you’re my love. Don’t say things you don’t mean, or I’ll really get angry.” Staring into those supposedly loving eyes, I felt no emotion except disgust. Not wanting to waste another second, I turned and walked away. Ignoring whatever Brandon was still saying behind me. Stepping out of the airport, a discreet Maybach pulled up in front of me. The driver got out and opened the door. “Madam, Mr. Harrison instructed me to pick him up later. Shall I take you home first?” Devin had been away on a business trip for two weeks. Grandpa knew he was returning today and specifically requested dinner at the family estate tonight. Suddenly, someone pushed past me and quickly got into the car. Willow settled herself, then sneered. “Didn’t you say you were married? Why are you still hitching a ride in our family car? Go take your husband’s car!” Willow recognized the Maybach; it was Devin Harrison’s. Brandon evidently recognized it too, looking pleasantly surprised. After all, his uncle didn’t usually bother with such trivial matters. He sat next to Willow, buckled her seatbelt, then turned to me. “You can sit in front. Willow is used to sitting next to me. I’ll have the driver drop you off at the Hayes estate first.” “No need. I have my own car. Driver, please take them back to the estate. I have other plans.” I pulled out my car keys, pressed unlock, and a Lamborghini Veneno in the distance flashed its lights twice. Seeing me drive off in a supercar, Willow’s eyes glinted with jealousy. Brandon sighed. “She specifically came to pick me up, she must be upset I didn’t get in her car.” Then he asked the driver, “Did Uncle send you to pick me up?” The driver answered truthfully. “No, sir. I’m here to pick up Mr. Harrison.” The air hung heavy for two seconds before Brandon spoke. “…What a coincidence. So where is Uncle?” “Flight delayed.” I went to the spa, enjoyed a luxurious treatment, and only headed back to the estate when it was almost dinner time. The moment I stepped out of my car, I saw two figures kneeling stiffly, like wooden stakes, right at the front gate. Turns out, after the driver dropped them off, Grandpa Harrison, upon hearing it was Brandon and Willow, immediately slammed his cane to the ground and refused to let them in. “Get out! Why didn’t you just die in Africa? What are you back for?” Brandon gambled on Grandpa’s soft spot, dropping to his knees at the door. Willow, to accompany him, also knelt. Seeing me arrive, Brandon stood up and blocked my path. His previously dejected expression vanished, replaced by a smile. “I knew it, you couldn’t stay away.” “Did you hear Grandpa was punishing me and rushed over in a panic?” I grimaced and tried to walk around him. But he blocked me again, putting on a pretense of concern. “Don’t go in. Grandpa’s still fuming. I’m afraid he’ll take it out on you.” Willow had approached at some point. She pointed a finger at my nose, her voice accusatory. “Are you still holding a grudge about Brandon ditching the wedding for me?” “You’re the one stirring trouble, aren’t you? Grandpa usually dotes on Brandon, why would he refuse to let him in?” “You’re just here to gloat!” With that, she lunged at me, trying to grab me. I sidestepped, and she face-planted onto the ground. Willow landed hard, scraping her knee, and tears instantly flooded her eyes. Brandon pursed his lips, his smile fading. He immediately knelt to check Willow’s injury. Seeing she was fine, he skillfully scooped her up in a princess carry and consoled her for a long time until she finally started to smile through her tears. Only then did Brandon remember me. He sighed. “Alexis, you’re acting so unlike yourself.” “Willow never means what she says. If you’re going to marry me, you need to learn to be more tolerant of her.” “Just apologize to Willow this once. In the future, I hope you can change your attitude.” What? My vision swam. I sneered. “Should I also offer some compensation to soothe her wounded heart?” A flicker of greed flashed in Willow’s eyes. “I need a car for getting around. That one you drove today is barely acceptable.” A Lamborghini Veneno. Limited to 3 models worldwide, worth $23 million each. Willow really had some nerve. Brandon started making decisions for me again. “It’s rare for Willow to like something, so just give her the car. Consider it compensation for hurting her.” I stared at him, my voice flat. “You’re truly something.” “What?” Brandon didn’t catch on. “I said, you’re sick.” I shoved Brandon aside and walked straight into the house. “Stop right there!” Brandon realized he’d been played. His face was livid, and he threatened, his voice sharp. “Alexis , I’m telling you now, if you don’t apologize to Willow, you can forget about marrying me, forget about stepping foot into my family’s house!” CRASH— Suddenly, a cane came flying out, striking Brandon squarely on the head. From several feet away, Grandpa Harrison’s booming voice, surprisingly strong for his age, echoed clearly for everyone to hear. “You imbecile! Do you even know who that is?!”

Brandon winced in pain, about to lash out, but then he saw Grandpa Harrison approaching and immediately bit his tongue. “Grandpa, why are you hitting me? Willow’s completely terrified.” A profound silence fell. The butler, who was supporting Grandpa Harrison, and the maids behind him, all silently turned their gaze to me. Brandon, completely oblivious, spoke to the maids. “Quick, call a doctor to check Willow’s leg.” “You fool!” Grandpa Harrison was furious. He shook off the butler’s arm, picked up the cane from the ground, and struck Brandon’s shins several more times. Seeing the veins throbbing on Grandpa Harrison’s forehead, I worried he might suffer a heart attack and quickly intervened. “Dad, don’t get so worked up, it’s bad for your health.” Brandon’s mind went completely blank. He even let go of Willow, who tumbled to the ground, without noticing. He gripped my wrist tightly, reminding me, “Alexis, you’ve got it wrong. This is Grandpa, how can you call him ‘Dad’?” Grandpa Harrison roared. “Alexis is your uncle’s wife!” “Let go of her now!” Brandon’s pupils contracted. He flinched, letting go and taking a step back in shock. “No way!” “Uncle? How could Uncle marry her?” It wasn’t surprising Brandon would think this, as Devin Harrison was famously aloof. Everyone outside the family speculated he either had impossibly high standards or simply wasn’t interested in women. Before the wedding, Devin and I had only met twice. Once at the engagement party, when he accepted my toast. Once at the wedding, when he took my hand. I never imagined he would agree when I asked to swap grooms. Brandon frantically grabbed a maid, pointed at me, and demanded, “Tell me, what’s her relationship with my uncle?” The maid, seeing his furious expression, stammered, “She’s… she’s Mr. Harrison’s wife.” Mr. Harrison, meaning Devin. “Get out!” Brandon pushed the maid away with a cold face, then turned to the butler. “Butler, you watched me grow up, I trust you wouldn’t lie to me. You tell me!” The butler was silent for a few seconds before speaking. “It’s true, Madam married Mr. Harrison.” “Liars!” “You’re all liars!” Brandon’s face was utterly wretched. He remembered his elder sister, Clara, who lived overseas, and quickly dialed her on FaceTime. When she answered, Clara’s mocking voice came through. “Well, well, aren’t you still in Africa watching elephants? How do you even remember to contact me? I thought you only cared about your adopted sister, not your own flesh and blood!” “Then again, you didn’t even want your own wife.” Usually, Brandon would argue back, but now he just wanted to know if I was truly married to his uncle! He shoved the phone camera close to my face, asking urgently, “Clara, tell me, who is she?” Clara saw me and smiled, greeting me. “You’re getting more and more beautiful—” Her voice cut off. Brandon had ended the call. He hung his head, his fists clenched tight. Grandpa Harrison thought he had accepted reality and was about to offer some words of comfort when Brandon spoke. “Grandpa, why did you let the whole family put on an act to trick me?” “It was wrong of me to stay in Africa for two years. You’ve hit me, I’ve knelt, but this kind of joke isn’t funny.” He was still in denial. I stopped Grandpa Harrison’s cane from rising again. Looking into Brandon’s eyes, I said calmly, “You can look up the news from the day you ran away two years ago. My marriage to Devin Harrison was front-page news.” “My room in the estate, and our wedding photos, go ahead and see for yourself.” “If you still don’t believe it, I can even show you our marriage certificate.” At the words “marriage certificate,” Brandon collapsed onto the ground, his eyes bloodshot, as if I were the one who had betrayed him.

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New Year’s Eve. Brandon, my boyfriend of three years, invited me home to meet his parents. At dinner, he drugged my wine. “Skylar, the gangsters…they’ll chop my hands off if I don’t pay up. I had no way out! I had to give you to him.” “Don’t blame me. Blame your luck. You look just like his crush.” “It’s win-win. I pay my debts, you get a wealthy life.” Drugged and dazed, I was delivered by his family to gates I knew too well. The home of my uncle, Victor Thorne. Victor had always doted on Mom and me. The year my father laid a hand on her, Victor had him shipped to a remote African mine before sunset. I could barely imagine what Brandon was about to face… …… The tranquilizer hadn’t fully worn off. I lay slumped in the backseat of the car, unable to lift even a finger. The voices of Brandon, Frank, and Carol Miller reached me as a muffled drone, distant and indistinct. Brandon and I had been together since college, straight through graduation. Ours was a stable relationship, one that had never faced any real turbulence. Just before the holidays, he’d looked so sincere, saying he wanted to take me home to meet his parents, to talk about marriage. Thinking I needed to make a good impression on his family, I’d spent days meticulously preparing. I bought a new cashmere coat, got my hair done, and brought two expensive bottles of wine and a stack of gift boxes. But after just half a glass of water Carol poured for me, my vision started to blur. “Skylar, don’t blame me,” Brandon said, his face a mask of feigned grievance. “I was truly backed into a corner, with no way out.” “Five million! How was I supposed to pay that back? They’ll really chop off my hands!” I wanted to curse him, but my tongue wouldn’t obey, only choked, incoherent sounds escaped my throat. “Don’t feel so wronged, either,” he continued to ramble. “Mr. Thorne’s place isn’t some bad situation. He just likes your type.” “You’ll live a life of luxury with him, isn’t that better than being with me? I’m doing this for both of our sakes, a win-win, get it?” Win-win? You win my ass. The car sped through the darkness, the scenery outside the window a blur. I struggled to focus my eyes, trying to make out our direction. Until the car slowly decelerated, finally pulling up to a massive, intricately carved iron gate. This place, this gate, this estate… My heart leaped. My hazy mind felt like it had been doused with ice water, clearing slightly in an instant. No way. It couldn’t be. Brandon and his mom dragged me out of the car, one on each side, practically pulling me across the front lawn of the estate. My cashmere coat was disheveled and torn, my heels were long gone. Two straight-backed men stood by the door, watching us approach with expressionless faces. “Gentlemen, please inform Mr. Thorne. We truly couldn’t raise the money, so we came up with a new way to settle the debt.” Frank Miller bent at the waist, fawning over the men in black suits at the door. “We’ve brought Mr. Thorne a New Year’s gift. He’s definitely going to like it.” One of the men shined a flashlight beam across my face. The light stung my eyes, making me squint. “Her?” His voice was flat. “Yes, yes, exactly! My son’s girlfriend,” Carol quickly chimed in, forcefully pulling my face straight. “See? Doesn’t she look exactly like the woman Mr. Thorne commemorates every year? We specifically found out about that.” “And she’s a dancer, very graceful. She’ll be attentive to his needs!” My stomach lurched. The man was silent for a few seconds, then gestured to a subordinate nearby. “Go inform him.” He turned back to us. “Whether it works out or not, I can’t say. Just come inside and wait.” “Thank you, sir! Thank you!” Brandon nodded profusely, bowing repeatedly, as he dragged me towards the main house. By the time I was pulled into the parlor on the first floor, my legs had given out. I collapsed onto the cold floor. “Mr. Thorne is with a guest. Wait here,” the man said, then left. As soon as the door closed, Brandon immediately crouched in front of me, a mix of anxiety and calculation on his face. “Skylar, help me out, just this once.” He grabbed my shoulders and shook me. “When Mr. Thorne comes, just say you came willingly.” “Please, I won’t look down on you. I promise I’ll treat you well afterward!” I stared at him, unable to make a sound. “Don’t you dare stay silent!” Carol also leaned in, her nails digging into my arm. “If the Millers go down, you won’t have it easy either! Brandon’s your boyfriend, you should help him!” “Mom, don’t scare her,” Brandon faked a gentle reprimand, then turned back to me, softening his tone. “Skylar, I know you’re angry, but I really have no choice. Five million! They’ll kill me…” The tranquilizer was slowly wearing off. I could feel my limbs regaining sensation, and my tongue could move again. I took a deep breath, finally choking out a raspy sentence: “Get lost. I won’t.”

“What did you say?” Brandon’s face instantly darkened. He grabbed a handful of my hair, forcing me to look up at him. “Skylar, I advise you to think carefully before you speak.” A sharp pain shot through my scalp, but I gritted my teeth. “I said, I won’t. This is a crime. I’m calling the police.” Smack! A stinging slap landed hard on my face. My vision went black, my ears rang, and I tasted blood. “You’re ungrateful!” Brandon snarled through gritted teeth. “What do you think you are? You’re just a dancer, it’s your good fortune to be able to pay off my debt!” Carol followed up with a kick. “Exactly! Who are you to act so pure? It’s an honor my son chose you!” “Not her face!” Frank warned from the side. “If you damage her face, we’re all screwed!” Brandon finally let go. I lay sprawled on the cold floor, gasping for air. “Skylar, I’m asking you one last time,” he crouched down, pinching my chin. “Are you going to cooperate or not?” I stared at him, enunciating each word. “Absolutely not.” “Fine. Very well,” Brandon sneered, standing up and walking towards me. “Aren’t you a dancer? Aren’t you supposed to fulfill your mom’s legacy?” He lifted his foot and stomped down hard on my calf. “Ah!” The excruciating pain made me scream. “If this leg breaks, what dance will you do then?” He ground his foot down harder. “I heard your mom’s biggest wish before she died was to see you on an international stage. What a shame…” Fear instantly consumed me. Mom was one of the nation’s top dancers, but she passed away due to illness at the peak of her career. I had trained tirelessly in dance since childhood, all to honor her legacy. “No,” my voice began to tremble. “Don’t touch my leg…” “Now you’re scared?” Carol scoffed from the side. “Weren’t you tough a moment ago?” Brandon took his foot off, then crouched down again. “Then be a good girl and behave later.” “As long as you clear my debt, I’ll still marry you. We’ll go back to how things were.” I closed my eyes, tears streaming down my face against my will. “That’s more like it,” Carol said, satisfied. “Go clean her up. She’s a mess, how can she be presented like this?” Brandon roughly dragged me off the floor, pulling me towards the private bathroom attached to the parlor. “I can do it myself,” I tried to struggle. “Shut up!” He shoved me into the bathroom. “Your makeup’s ruined, you look like a ghost.” He grabbed my hair, forcing my face under the faucet. The cold water made me shiver violently, my makeup washing off in streaks. Brandon grabbed the hand soap from the sink and smeared it directly onto my face. I choked, coughing. “Mmph…Stop!” “Clean her up properly. Mr. Thorne will want to see this face.” “She really does look like her. Damn. I only chased you because your face looks just like Mr. Thorne’s woman.” My heart sank completely. So that was it. Three years of a relationship, just a calculated setup from the start. Brandon rinsed the foam from my face, then roughly wiped it dry with a towel. Then he started ripping my clothes. “What are you doing!” I screamed in horror, clutching my chest. “These clothes are too conservative. You need something sexier.” He pulled a low-cut black dress from his bag. “Put it on.” “No!” “You won’t?” Brandon’s eyes turned cold. “Then don’t blame me for helping you.” He violently tore open the buttons of my cashmere coat. I shrieked and struggled, but he slapped me again with the back of his hand. “Stay still!” The bathroom door suddenly rattled. Carol’s voice came through. “Brandon, hurry! Mr. Thorne’s men are here!” Brandon froze, glaring at me viciously. “You’re lucky.” He dragged me out of the bathroom, pushing me back onto the parlor carpet. The door opened. Several men in black suits walked in. The one at the front, in his early thirties, had a scar on his face and cold, dangerous eyes. “Mr. Thorne will be here any minute,” the man with the scar, Jax, said, glancing at me. “Cleaned up?” “Cleaned up, perfectly clean!” Frank quickly forced a smile. “Jax, sir, take a look. Doesn’t she look exactly like her?” Jax took a few steps closer, crouching down to examine my face carefully. My heart pounded. Was this Jax, the new guy under my uncle? Victor had only mentioned him once, saying he’d only been with him for about six months, known for being ruthless, but still unfamiliar with family matters. I was doomed. He didn’t recognize me at all.

Jax stared at my face for a full thirty seconds, his expression shifting from scrutiny to something ancient and unsettling. “Uncanny. Damn uncanny,” he muttered. He reached out, his rough finger grazing my cheek. “She’s practically identical to the woman in the photos.” My body went rigid. I managed to squeeze out a sound. “Are you Jax? I’m…” Smack! Another slap, harder than Brandon’s. My head snapped to the side, blood oozing from the corner of my mouth. “Who told you my name?” Jax grabbed a handful of my hair, forcing me to look at him. “You’re just merchandise for debt, trying to pull rank on your grandpappy?” “No, I really am…” “Shut up!” He clamped a hand around my neck. “Say one more word, and I’ll rip out your tongue.” Suffocation gripped me. I clawed at his hand, but it was to no avail. The Millers stood frozen nearby, barely daring to breathe, fawning over Jax. “Jax, sir, what about… Mr. Thorne?” Frank tentatively asked. “Mr. Thorne is upstairs handling some business. He sent me down to check first.” Jax released me and stood up. “But I don’t think this girl is very cooperative.” He pulled out a cigarette, lit it, took a drag, then crouched down and flicked the ash onto my face. “It’s your good fortune that you look like someone Mr. Thorne admired, but don’t think you can get away with anything just because of that face.” He pinched my chin. “Mr. Thorne hates it when people try to exploit his personal connections. You’d better know your place.” I coughed violently, tears streaming down my face. “I really am… I’m Victor’s niece, please believe me…” “Still spewing nonsense!” Jax roared in fury, kicking me hard in the stomach. I curled up in pain, felt like my organs were shifting. “Do you really think I wouldn’t know if Mr. Thorne had any siblings? Where would a niece come from?” Jax sneered. “What lies won’t you spin just to climb the ladder?” He gestured to a subordinate. “Bring the liquor.” A subordinate immediately handed him a bottle of vodka. Jax twisted off the cap, grabbed my chin, and started pouring it down my throat. The harsh liquor burned its way down my throat. I choked, my face flushing scarlet, alcohol streaming from my mouth, down my neck and soaking my clothes. “Drink it! Finish it!” Jax’s expression was distorted. “If Mr. Thorne comes and you dare to throw it up, I’ll throw you into the deepest, darkest pits of our operations and let every one of the guys have their fill!” He only released me after half the bottle was gone. I lay on the floor, dry-heaving, my throat burning. My vocal cords felt shredded, unable to form a complete sound. Brandon looked uneasy. “Jax, sir, if Mr. Thorne comes and she can’t speak…” “Better if she can’t speak,” Jax glanced at him. “Save her from talking nonsense.” He crouched down again, grabbing my right hand. “Pretty fingers, huh?” I stared at him in horror. “What a shame.” He sneered, then suddenly twisted with force. Crack! “AH!” My bloodcurdling scream echoed through the entire parlor. My index finger bent at an unnatural angle. The excruciating pain made my vision go black. “That’s just one,” Jax said, his tone light. “If you don’t behave, I’ll break all ten of your fingers.” I convulsed in pain, tears and snot blurring my face. “Mr. Thorne is here!” A subordinate at the door suddenly announced. Jax immediately stood up, straightened his suit, and adopted a respectful expression. The Millers also quickly stood at attention, heads bowed, not daring to look around. The door opened. A tall figure walked in, dressed in a black coat, with cold and severe eyes, radiating an aura that screamed ‘keep your distance’. It was my uncle, Victor. He scanned the parlor, his brows immediately furrowing. “What’s going on? It’s a mess.” Jax quickly stepped forward. “Mr. Thorne, these people came to settle a debt, and they brought a woman.” “I told you, don’t bring just anyone here,” Victor’s voice was icy. “Clean it up.” He said, then turned to leave. No! Don’t go! I used all my strength to push myself up, but my legs failed and I fell back to the floor, still unable to make a sound. My uncle’s footsteps didn’t falter. In desperation, I tore off the necklace my mother left me, the one around my neck. Then, with my working left hand, I threw it hard at Victor’s feet. The metal struck the marble floor with a sharp clink. Victor’s footsteps halted. He looked down, his gaze moving from the necklace on the floor to my bruised, tear-streaked face. His pupils constricted sharply.

Time seemed to stand still. Victor stood rooted to the spot, staring intently at the necklace on the floor. It was a gift he had personally designed for his sister, Celeste, on her twentieth birthday. He abruptly lifted his head, his gaze returning to my face. This time, he looked with agonizing care. The wisps of hair on my forehead, the tear-mole at the corner of my eye, my lips tightly pressed together from pain. And those eyes, even now, filled with agony and terror, still held a striking resemblance to his sister’s. “Skylar?” His voice was a shaky whisper, filled with disbelief. I wanted to nod, wanted to speak, but only a choked sob escaped me. Jax, still oblivious to the gravity of the situation, stepped forward with a laugh. “Mr. Thorne, this woman insisted on impersonating your niece. I’ve already punished her, you see…” “Punished?” Victor slowly turned his head, his eyes colder than ice. “What did you do to her?” Jax’s blood ran cold under that gaze. “J-just poured some liquor down her throat, broke a finger. A liar like her deserves…” “Kneel.” “What?” “I said, kneel!” Victor suddenly roared, his voice rattling the entire parlor. Jax’s knees buckled, and he crashed to the floor. The Millers all collapsed to their knees as well, trembling like leaves. Victor quickly walked to me, crouching down. His movements were so gentle, a complete contrast to before. “Skylar, is it really you?” He carefully brushed the hair from my face, his fingers trembling slightly as they touched my swollen cheek. I looked at him, tears streaming down my face. He finally recognized me. “Does it hurt?” His voice held a frantic edge I’d never heard before. “Where does it hurt?” I tried to speak, but only raspy gasps escaped my throat. Victor’s face instantly turned grim. He turned to look at Jax, who was still kneeling, and spoke each word distinctly. “You poured liquor down her throat?” “Mr. Thorne, I didn’t know she was…” Jax was already incoherent with fear. “I asked if you did!” Victor suddenly stood up, kicking Jax hard in the chest. Jax was sent flying backward, coughing up a mouthful of blood. “Lay a hand on my niece,” Victor’s voice was icy cold. “You’ve got some nerve.” He walked back to me, carefully scooping me into his arms. “It’s okay, Skylar, I’m here,” he soothed in a low voice. “Anyone who hurt you, I will make sure they pay.” My consciousness began to fade. The pain in my finger, the burning in my throat, all my injuries surged at once. But I still held on, grabbing Victor’s coat with my uninjured left hand, and weakly pointed towards the Millers. “They…” I managed to squeeze out two words. Victor followed my gaze. The sheer danger in his eyes was almost palpable. “Alright, I got it.” He carried me out, pausing at the threshold to address the guards. “Lock them up. Secure the room.” He glanced down at me, his voice dropping to a snap. “And get a doctor. Now.” The bodyguards moved. Cries and pleas for mercy from the Millers echoed from the parlor. “Mercy, Mr. Thorne! We didn’t know she was your niece!” “Brandon, beg her! Get Skylar to forgive us!” “Skylar! I was wrong. For our three years…” Their voices slowly faded into the distance. I sagged against Victor, all tension gone, and let the darkness claim me.

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Thanks for Taking My Ruin, Dear Sister! The day my parents divorced, two agreements lay on the table. One meant staying in the old neighborhood with my dad, who was drowning in gambling debts. The other meant moving to the coast with my mom, who’d remarried a wealthy man. In my last life, my little sister, Chloe, cried and begged for Mom. I quietly packed my bags and followed Dad. Later, Dad quit gambling and became a millionaire, spoiling me rotten. Chloe, however, was emotionally abused and trapped at home by her stepfather. She eventually succumbed to depression and passed away. This time around, Chloe snatched the cigarette from Dad’s hand and hugged him tight, refusing to let go. “Jade, I feel for Dad. You go to Mom’s, okay? I’ll keep the good life here for you.” Dad paused, then affectionately stroked Chloe’s head, a look of relief on his face. I said nothing, picking up the train ticket for the coast. Chloe didn’t know that in my last life, Dad only quit gambling because I, riddled with a brain tumor, worked myself to death to pay off his debts, coughing up blood. My life was the price for his temporary peace. Now, reborn, with no debt collectors banging on the door, all I wanted was a good night’s sleep. …… I picked up my duffel bag. “Get out, get out! Go find your mom, the one who only cares about money.” Dad waved his hand, like shooing away a fly. Chloe hid behind him, making a childish face at me. Her lips exaggeratedly formed the words: “Sis, don’t come begging me for money later.” I just smiled, saying nothing. Then I turned and walked into the rain. I pulled my neck into my shoulders, feeling a chill seep deep into my bones. Honestly, it didn’t matter where I went. I just wanted to find a quiet place to endure these last few moments. No more hearing the gamblers’ creditors banging down the door. No more smelling that sickening stench of cheap cigarettes. Mom’s black Mercedes pulled up at the end of the alley. The window rolled down, revealing her perfectly made-up face. She frowned, looking at me, drenched from head to toe, a flicker of disgust in her eyes. “What happened to you? Get in, quickly, don’t get the car dirty.” I opened the back passenger door, about to slide in. “Put that bag in the trunk.” Mom pointed at the duffel bag in my hand. “It’s filthy, probably crawling with germs.” I paused. But I still obediently closed the door and put the bag in the trunk. Back in the car, I huddled in the corner, careful not to touch the luxurious leather seats. The heater was on full blast, but I still felt cold. “Jade, once we get there, you need to be sensible.” Mom drove, glancing at me in the rearview mirror. “Your stepfather doesn’t like noise. Don’t leave your room unless you have to.” “Eat quietly, and don’t drag your feet when you walk.” “And never mention your dad. He’s bad news.” I looked out at the rain streaking past the window and nodded. “Got it.” The familiar spike of pain lanced through my head again. My vision blurred for a second. I reached up and pressed my forehead. “What’s wrong?” Mom asked, her tone laced with impatience. “Nothing, just car sickness.” I said. “So delicate,” Mom scoffed. “Just like your dad.” I closed my eyes, swallowing back the metallic taste of blood that welled up in my throat. Next time, no way I’m signing up for this again. The drive took five hours. By the time the car pulled into the hillside villa community, it was pitch black outside. Though ablaze with lights, the whole place felt eerily dead. “We’re here.” Mom parked the car, touched up her lipstick, and took a deep breath. She was shifting gears, transforming from the sharp-tongued woman she was with me into a sweet, devoted wife. “Get out of the car. Remember to call him Mr. Henderson.” I followed her inside, still carrying my duffel bag. A man sat on the living room sofa, a blanket over his legs, a book in his hand. He looked up when he heard us. This was my stepfather, Robert Henderson.

The same man who, in my last life, slowly suffocated Chloe until she broke. “You’re back?” His voice was flat, emotionless. “Robert, this is Jade.” Mom pushed me forward, a plastered smile on her face. “Jade, say hello to Mr. Henderson.” I stepped forward and bowed slightly. “Hello, Mr. Henderson.” Robert Henderson turned a page of his book, as if he hadn’t heard me. A few seconds later, he hummed a noncommittal “Hmm” from the back of his throat. His gaze swept over my wet shoes, and his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. “The carpet was just replaced.” He lowered his head back to his book. “The first room on the left upstairs is the guest room. It’s ready.” “Thank you, Mr. Henderson,” I said. Mom breathed a sigh of relief and pulled me upstairs. “See? Mr. Henderson is really a good man,” Mom whispered. “Just don’t upset him, and you’ll be able to stay in this house.” Inside the room, it was huge and empty. “Mom,” I called out, stopping her just as she was about to leave. “What is it?” “I’d like to change rooms.” Mom’s face instantly changed. “Jade, are you being picky the moment you arrive?” “What’s wrong with this room? It’s a hundred times better than your dad’s dump, isn’t it?” “Don’t be so ungrateful!” I calmly watched her outburst. Only after she finished did I speak. “No, this room faces north, it’s too cold.” “I’d like a south-facing one, even if it’s smaller.” I was truly cold. The brain tumor messed with my body’s temperature control, leaving me perpetually freezing. Only sunlight offered me any comfort. “Cold? Just turn on the AC!” Mom thought I was being unreasonable. “The south-facing rooms are your Mr. Henderson’s study and a storage room.” “Then the storage room,” I said. Mom’s eyes widened. “Are you crazy?” “Why would you stay in a storage room when there’s a perfectly good guest room?” “Are you deliberately trying to make Mr. Henderson think I’m abusing you?” Her voice grew shrill. I covered my ears. It was too loud. My brain felt like it was going to burst. “I’m just cold,” I repeated. Just then, two light taps came from the doorway. Robert Henderson stood there, a glass of water in his hand, his expression grim. I didn’t even notice him arrive. “What’s all the shouting about?” Mom immediately plastered on a different face, her voice trembling. “Nothing, Robert. This child is being difficult, complaining about the room.” “I’m about to teach her a lesson.” Robert Henderson looked at me, and I looked back at him. His face was very pale, his lips bloodless, looking as if he were about to die. “Which room do you want?” he asked me. “The one facing south,” I pointed to the end of the hallway. “That’s where we store old furniture.” “It’s fine, as long as there’s sunlight.” Robert Henderson was silent for a moment. “Suit yourself.” “Just don’t shout in the hallway.” With that, he turned and left, showing no interest in this mother-daughter dispute. Mom poked my forehead hard. “Go ahead and make a scene!” “Staying in a storage room… what will people say about me?” I ignored her. Carrying my duffel bag, I walked to the end of the hallway. Pushing open the door, a cloud of dust greeted me. But I saw the floor-to-ceiling window. When the sun rose tomorrow, it would be warm in here. That was enough. I made my bed and placed the photo album under my pillow. My diagnosis was tucked inside the album. As long as I wasn’t dead, no one would be idle enough to snoop through my things. That night, I slept soundly. There were no debt collectors in my dreams, only endless darkness.

I settled into the house, like an invisible ghost. Robert Henderson liked quiet, so much so that even the housekeepers walked on tiptoes. Mom tried every trick in the book to please Robert. Cooking soups, giving massages, watching those boring financial news channels with him. She lived in this house like a high-class housekeeper. As for me, except for meal times, I rarely left my room. The storage room had been tidied up nicely. Though cluttered with old furniture, the sunlight was truly wonderful. I often pulled up a chair by the window and soaked in the sun all afternoon, like an old woman. Sometimes Robert Henderson would pass my door. Seeing me sunbathing, he’d pause, but never spoke. His gaze was strange, like he was looking at a kindred spirit. One afternoon during lunch. The dining table was silent, save for the faint clinking of forks against plates. Suddenly, my phone vibrated. In the quiet living room, it sounded like an alarming siren. Robert Henderson frowned. Mom immediately put down her fork and glared at me. “Who told you to bring your phone to the table? No manners!” “Hang up!” I took out my phone and glanced at the screen. It was Chloe. I pressed decline. Less than two seconds later, it vibrated again. I declined again. The third time it vibrated, Robert Henderson put down his fork. “Answer it,” he said, his voice flat. “It’s giving me a headache.” I took my phone to the balcony. As soon as I answered, Chloe’s voice exploded through the receiver. “Jade, are you doing this on purpose?” “Did you take the passbook?” I held the phone away from my ear. “What passbook?” “Dad says the family passbook is gone, and he’s sure you stole it!” “There’s five thousand dollars in there!” I chuckled. Those five thousand dollars were what I’d earned washing dishes last summer. “That’s my money,” I said. “Even if you earned it, it’s still family money!” Chloe said, her voice dripping with self-righteousness. “Dad can’t buy cigarettes now, and he’s throwing a fit at home!” “Transfer the money right away, or I’ll tell Mom you stole it!” From the other end of the line, I heard things crashing and Dad’s angry curses. “I should’ve strangled you when you were born!” Those sounds, even from hundreds of miles away, still made me feel suffocated. “I didn’t steal it,” I said calmly. “That was my medical fund.” “Medical fund? What kind of sickness do you have?” Chloe scoffed. “Stop playing the victim!” “Transfer the money now, or I’ll come to your school and tell everyone you don’t care if your own dad dies!” I looked out at the garden from the balcony. The flowers bloomed vividly, red as blood. “Chloe.” “You chose your path; you have to walk it, even if you’re crawling.” “Don’t bother me.” With that, I hung up and blocked her number. As I turned, I felt a warm gush from my nose. I reached up and touched it – my hand was covered in blood. I fumbled for a tissue from my pocket and pressed it to my nose. Tilting my head back, I tried to stop the bleeding. The blood flowed rapidly, trickling down my throat into my stomach, making me nauseous. I rushed into the downstairs restroom. Looking in the mirror, I saw bright red blood staining half my face. I turned on the faucet and frantically washed it away. “What are you doing?” A voice suddenly came from behind me. I froze. Through the mirror, I saw Robert Henderson standing in the doorway. He looked at my face, streaked with water and blood, his eyes deep and unreadable. I roughly wiped my face. “Just a nosebleed,” I mumbled, lowering my head. “Probably from the heat.” Robert Henderson didn’t say anything. He walked over and handed me a clean hand towel. “Wipe that off.” I took the towel and pressed it to my nose. “Thank you, Mr. Henderson.” He looked at the faint pink stains in the sink that hadn’t been rinsed away yet. “Does this happen often?” “Occasionally.” I lied. The nosebleeds had been happening more and more frequently lately. Robert Henderson stared at me for a moment. “You should see a doctor,” he said. “No need. It’s an old problem,” I replied, lowering my head, trying to slip past him. “Jade.” He stopped me. “You don’t have to live so cautiously in this house.” “Your mom is your mom; you are you.” I froze, looking up at him. His expression was still detached, but there was a hint of something in his eyes I didn’t understand. “If you’re not feeling well, say something.” “Stop trying to be tough. Nobody’s giving you a prize for enduring all this pain alone.” With that, he turned and left, leaving me alone in the restroom. The towel in my hand carried a faint scent of pine. It was his scent, mixed with a faint whisper of decay.

Robert Henderson had a secret, I knew. Because in his study’s trash can, I’d seen a pill bottle just like mine. They were strong painkillers, specifically for late-stage cancer patients. That day, Mom asked me to take some fruit to his study. Robert Henderson wasn’t there; he was at the hospital for dialysis. I set down the fruit bowl and was about to leave when I saw that familiar white bottle in the wastebasket. I picked it up and examined it. It was a bottle for Ibuprofen extended-release capsules, but inside were morphine pills. I’d used that trick too. Putting life-saving medication into ordinary vitamin bottles, deceiving myself and others. Turns out, my arrogant stepfather. The man Chloe called a cold-hearted monster, was also quietly enduring his own hellish agony. I put the bottle back, pretending I hadn’t seen a thing. That night, Robert Henderson returned. His face was paler than usual, and his steps were a little shaky. Mom went to meet him, trying to help him. “Don’t touch me.” He recoiled, his voice raw with pain. Mom’s hands froze in mid-air, her eyes welling up. “Robert, is there something I did wrong?” “I’m just tired.” Robert Henderson didn’t look at her, heading straight upstairs. As he passed me, he paused. In that instant, I caught a strong scent of antiseptic from him. And a faint smell of blood. The lingering scent of dialysis. Later that night, I woke up in pain. The tumor in my brain was relentlessly crushing my nerves. I was soaked in cold sweat, shivering and curled up in my blanket. I wanted water. I got up, stumbling downstairs. The living room lights weren’t on, but I saw a dark figure on the sofa. It was Robert Henderson, sitting there motionless. A cigarette glowed faintly between his fingers, its light flickering in the gloom. I didn’t dare make a sound, intending to quietly retreat. “Since you’re awake, come over.” His voice, hoarse and weary, came from the darkness. I had no choice but to walk over. “Mr. Henderson.” “Do you play chess?” he asked. “A little.” “Play a game with me.” I sat opposite him. In the moonlight, I saw his face was ashen, his forehead beaded with sweat. He was enduring pain, just like me. We played three games of chess. Neither of us spoke, only the crisp sound of chess pieces being placed. He played aggressively, as if releasing something. I played steadily. “Are you afraid to lose?” Robert Henderson suddenly asked. “I can’t afford to lose,” I replied, placing a piece. Robert Henderson let out a soft chuckle. “Life is just a losing game anyway.” “No matter how much you struggle, you always lose in the end.” I didn’t argue. As dawn approached, the last game ended. I was about to pack up the pieces and go back to my room. Robert Henderson’s hand suddenly pressed down on the chessboard. He looked up, his deep eyes staring directly at me. “Jade.” “That diagnosis hidden under your pillow.” “How long do you plan to keep it a secret?”

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I waited five years for my boyfriend to finally complete his mission and retire from the Special Forces, ready to come back and marry me. But then I found thirty-six farewell letters among his personal belongings. These letters were all written before he went abroad to carry out counter-terrorism missions, filled with his longing for the one he loved—but that person wasn’t me. Clutching my pregnancy test report with a shattered heart, I came to the snowy mountain peak, only to see him—always so proud—kneeling before Lillian Reed. “Lillian, give me a chance to redeem myself. If you’re willing, I’ll marry you right away.” His eyes were full of affection, his tone pleading. I tore up the pregnancy test report and scattered it across the snow mountain, deciding to leave. But on the day I ran from the wedding, he lost his mind. At the peak of a snow mountain 15,360 feet above sea level, I witnessed my boyfriend of seven years propose to someone else among the crowd. Adrian Cross, usually so cold and aloof, knelt on one knee. He held out a diamond ring, and the scene overlapped with the proposal I’d imagined he’d promised me. “Lily, I’ve thought about you every single day during these five years we’ve been apart. Will you marry me?” “If not for yourself, then for our child.” Amid the grating cheers and screams from passersby, Lillian Reed slowly extended her left hand. And just like that, the ring I’d waited five years for slipped onto her finger. Adrian stood up and pulled Lillian into his arms with trembling hands, then kissed her. As tenderly as if she were some priceless treasure. I clutched the crumpled pregnancy test in my hand, my heart feeling as though a blade had been driven through it. I turned and walked away, tearing up the test results as I went, scattering the pieces down the mountainside. Five years ago, Adrian told me he’d been selected by the organization to go to war-torn Country A to carry out counter-terrorism missions. He knelt before me, his expression pleading: “Luna, will you wait for me? Once the mission is over, I’ll come back and marry you.” Because of those words, I waited for him for five whole years, turning down any interest from other men. But now, my five years and the child in my womb had become nothing but a joke. On my way down the mountain, I ran into Adrian and Lillian again. Lillian rubbed her belly and huffed indignantly: “Adrian, after what Luna did to me back then, you have to help me get even with her!” Adrian smiled and asked: “What do you want to do?” “If you really want to marry me, then run away on the day of your wedding to her!” I hid nearby, clutching my swollen, aching foot, waiting for Adrian’s answer. We’d known each other for ten years, and he’d always been righteous, upstanding, and noble. I was curious which he would choose—morality or Lillian. “Alright, I promise.” Adrian’s cool voice drifted over. All the blood in my body seemed to freeze in an instant. Lillian giggled and collapsed into his arms: “Really? Aren’t you afraid she’ll be angry?” Adrian affectionately tapped her nose: “She’ll be angry, sure, but I risked my life to save hers once. If it weren’t for me, she’d be dead already.” “Running away from one wedding—she won’t say anything about it.” The injury on my leg suddenly flared with pain. I have an old injury in my right leg. Whenever I’m in cold places or during rainy seasons, it hurts unbearably. But to hear Adrian’s explanation with my own ears, I’d dragged this damaged leg up more than 13,000 feet of snowy mountain. My hometown is in a flat plains region. Between my leg injury and altitude sickness, I felt absolutely miserable. Still, I stubbornly needed an answer. I took a deep breath, forced down the pain in my chest, and made a phone call. “Hello, Mom? I miss you so much. Can I come visit?” My mother was stunned for a long moment before she responded. She quickly said: “Of course you can, Luna. Your room has always been ready for you.” “But…” She hesitated: “Aren’t you about to marry Adrian?” “If you come now, what about the wedding?” I paused. After all, Adrian was the one who saved my life. I didn’t want to tell my mother about his affair—I was afraid she wouldn’t be able to handle it. So I lied: “There’s no rush. Getting married is complicated, and we’re not ready yet. Besides, we haven’t seen each other in so long—don’t you miss me?” “Miss you, miss you so much.” My mother said joyfully: “Then Mom will wait for you.” After hanging up, thinking about these past seven years, I couldn’t help but curse myself for being so stupid. If I hadn’t seen those thirty-six farewell letters filled with Adrian’s love for Lillian, I might have still thought I’d won. On the way to the snow mountain, I kept telling myself it was fake, just a misunderstanding. After all, he’d once loved me so much he’d nearly died for me—how could he betray me? Until I saw Adrian propose to Lillian—the same Lillian who’d nearly gotten my entire family killed. He was even willing to publicly humiliate me for her sake. My thoughts were in chaos, and with my leg injury, I didn’t notice my footing and tumbled down the mountainside. At that exact moment, Adrian called me. “Luna, I’ll be back a bit late today, you—” Adrian stopped. The next second, his tone turned urgent: “Luna, why is it so noisy on your end? Where are you?”

I lay in the freezing snow, clutching my stomach, my face twisted in pain. When I didn’t respond, Adrian grew more anxious: “Say something, Luna!” My voice trembled: “I… I fell down the mountain.” “Which mountain?” “The one you know.” Adrian suddenly went silent. After a long pause, he asked: “Luna, why did you suddenly come here?” His tone couldn’t hide his guilt. I laughed, my eyes full of sarcasm. “Because five years ago you promised me you’d propose to me at the mountain peak. Now that you’re back, I wanted to familiarize myself with it in advance.” “I see.” Adrian let out an almost imperceptible sigh of relief, then immediately said: “Luna, wait for me. I’m coming right now.” By the time Adrian finally found me with Lillian in tow, I’d already been taken down the mountain by helpful bystanders to the emergency aid station. I lay in the hospital bed, looking at Lillian hiding behind Adrian and asking pointedly: “Why is she here?” Since he was planning to dump me anyway, was Adrian not even bothering to pretend anymore? Adrian said somewhat guiltily: “We just happened to run into each other. When she heard you’d had an accident, she wanted to come see you with me.” I laughed coldly and pointed out the window toward the distance, in the direction of the cemetery. “My brother is still buried there. How does she have the face to come here?” At my words, Lillian’s eyes immediately reddened. She pulled on Adrian’s sleeve, her voice plaintive: “Adrian.” Adrian patted the back of her hand soothingly, then turned around and self-righteously accused me. “Luna, Lillian came here out of kindness to see you, but you’re being so aggressive. Is this how your parents raised you? Apologize!” Lillian sobbed quietly to me: “Luna, I know you’ve resented me ever since what happened six years ago. Not only did I cause your brother’s death, I also left you with a permanent disability in your right leg.” “But I’ve always regretted it. I really know I was wrong. Please, for the sake of us once being best friends, can you forgive me?” Adrian watched Lillian’s aggrieved tears and couldn’t help but want to raise his hand to wipe them away. But when his peripheral vision caught me, he could only stiffly lower his hand. Seeing I remained unmoved, he quickly gave me a look, signaling for some kind of response. “Ha.” I let out a cold laugh and looked at Adrian. Even though I already knew he’d betrayed me, I still couldn’t control my reddening eyes: “Do you think I should forgive her?” Adrian sighed: “Luna, what happened back then was definitely Lillian’s fault. But she was just confused for a moment—the main responsibility doesn’t lie with her.” Momentarily confused? I only felt how laughably stupid I was. Back then, her father wanted to sell her to an old man as a wife. I felt sorry for her and begged my parents to take her in. My family treated her like their own daughter in terms of food, clothing, and expenses, never showing any favoritism. Whatever I had, she had too. But she colluded with criminals to sell out my brother. My brother was an undercover police officer. Six years ago, he’d infiltrated a criminal organization to collect evidence. Just as he was about to gather all the proof and close the net, his identity was suddenly exposed. The investigation revealed that Lillian had overheard my brother’s call with his superior and sold that conversation to the criminals for a hundred thousand dollars. And she wanted that money simply because she thought she wasn’t pretty enough and wanted plastic surgery. Because the information leaked, our entire family was targeted for revenge by the criminals. To protect me, my brother was blown to pieces by a bomb. Though I barely survived, my right foot was crippled. Even after recovery, I’d always walk with a slight limp. Thinking of this, I shook off his hand forcefully, my eyes full of a strangeness I’d never shown before, as if I’d never truly seen him for who he was. “Adrian, it wasn’t your family who died, it wasn’t your right foot that was ruined. What right do you have to tell me to forgive her?” “She didn’t do it with her own hands, true—but if it weren’t for her, would any of this have happened?” When I was kidnapped by the criminals, it was indeed Adrian who’d risked his life to save me. At seventeen, he’d fought hand-to-hand with the criminals and spent seven days in the ICU before he was saved. But I couldn’t use his life-saving grace as an excuse to tolerate everything without limits. Adrian’s face darkened. Stung by my unfamiliar gaze, he said angrily: “Luna, you bear half the responsibility for Lillian’s mistakes.” “You did help her, but when you were being kind, you didn’t consider her self-esteem because of your privileged background. That’s what twisted her psychology and made her do wrong.” “When she had no money for food, why did you give her money directly? You should have secretly helped her in other ways without letting her notice, protecting her dignity.” “If you’d considered Lillian’s feelings more back then, would things have turned out this way?” And in Lillian’s tear-filled eyes, there was now nothing but provocation. Where Adrian couldn’t see, she raised her middle finger toward the direction where my brother was buried. I couldn’t take it anymore. I grabbed the water glass from the table and threw it at them. “Get out! Both of you!”

I gripped the blanket tightly to keep myself from crying. Adrian had completely lost his patience too. His tone was irritable: “Luna, it’s been five years since this happened. No matter how deep the hatred, it’s time to let it go.” “Lillian has already paid for her mistakes. Why can’t you be more magnanimous and make peace? Do you have to drive her to death before you’re satisfied?” I looked at Adrian and found him terrifyingly unfamiliar. Back when I was kidnapped, he’d personally watched me kneel on the ground, holding my brother’s shattered body, sobbing in complete breakdown. To make Lillian pay, he’d hired the best lawyer and sent the then-underage Lillian to prison for five years. But now, he was telling me to let it go. I gave a bitter smile. “Even if Lillian killed herself in atonement, her worthless life wouldn’t make up for the sins she committed. Because of her, it wasn’t just my brother who died—many police officers on that mission were killed too.” “Adrian, do you know how many officers died in that operation? Thirty-one! Thirty-one people!” My eyes were bloodshot: “Someone like her should go to hell!” Adrian clenched his fists, his breathing ragged, clearly struggling to restrain himself. Just like when he’d ignored police orders and rushed forward to try to strangle the already-handcuffed Lillian. Adrian took a deep breath and said slowly: “I know losing your family was painful. But think about it—Lillian has had it so much worse than you. Her parents and brother never loved her, but you—at least your family loved you.” “Lillian causing your family’s deaths was wrong. But you insulting her today is also wrong. She apologized for what happened to your family, so you should apologize to her too.” “If you’re really this heartless, then everything you suffered—losing your family—is what you deserve!” I looked up at him in disbelief. Six years ago, many people blamed me for what happened, saying I deserved it. Out of guilt, I developed severe depression. When I used a razor blade to cut my wrists, it was Adrian who’d snatched the blade from my hand, letting his own hand get sliced until it bled profusely. He’d held me tightly and said it wasn’t my fault, that from then on he’d protect me in my brother’s place. But now, he’d become like those people, saying everything I’d suffered was my own fault, that I deserved it. Because of the heartache, I didn’t even realize I was bleeding until I felt warmth beneath me and knew I was miscarrying. The white bed sheet was instantly stained red, but Adrian remained completely oblivious. He continued his relentless lecture. Until I clutched my stomach, my face deathly pale, and said: “Hospital… take me to the hospital.” Adrian frowned: “I say two words to you and you start faking being sick again.” Just then, Adrian suddenly noticed the blood on the bed. He froze, then tremblingly lifted my blanket. When he saw what was underneath, he let out a sigh of relief. “I thought something serious happened. Turns out the bandage on your foot just came loose.” Adrian had only lifted the blanket casually, and with the bandage on my right foot having just split open, he mistook the blood for coming from that wound. “Wait here, I’ll get you a doctor.” Adrian was about to leave when Lillian suddenly stumbled after seeing the blood on the bed. Adrian quickly caught her, his tone anxious: “What’s wrong?” Lillian leaned against him, her voice weak: “Ever since what happened six years ago, I’ve been afraid of anything bloody. Whenever I see blood I get dizzy. My therapist says it’s psychological trauma.” She cried until her face was covered in tears, and before Adrian could react, she fainted. “Lily, wake up! Don’t scare me!” Adrian immediately gathered Lillian in his arms, his voice urgent, his eyes full of concern. Adrian had always been steady. Six years ago, before he’d even joined the Special Forces, he’d dared to infiltrate the criminals’ hideout alone to save me. But after just six years, he was holding Lillian and leaving—just like he’d once held me. I lay in the bed, feeling the pain from my abdomen. In the emergency room, a nurse called my emergency contact. But after seven consecutive calls went unanswered, Adrian finally sent me a message after the seventh attempt. “Reflect on yourself.” Then he turned off his phone. I said to the doctor: “If this child can’t be saved, don’t force it.” When I came out of surgery, touching my abdomen that no longer held life, I booked a ticket to France.

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I was beaten to disability by the school bully and his gang, but my mom—a top-tier lawyer—became the defendant’s attorney. In court, she tore me apart with her words, delivering a flawless not-guilty defense for the guy who nearly killed me. All because that guy’s father was her benefactor who’d once funded her college education. When I confronted her, Mom said righteously: “Everyone is equal before the law. I can’t compromise my professional ethics just because you’re the victim.” “Jacob just got a little impulsive. I can’t bear to ruin his entire life.” Watching the assailant swagger out of the courthouse, I smiled. I pulled out the severance agreement I’d prepared from my bag and threw it in her face. “Since you’re so devoted to your professional ethics and repaying favors—” “I hope you can defend the rest of your life just as well.” Mom didn’t look at the agreement. To her, this was just another rebellious stunt from her teenage son. “Ethan, are you done with your tantrum?” She picked up the paper from the floor and, without even glancing at it, crumpled it into a ball and tossed it in the trash. “Tonight your Uncle Greg is hosting a party at The Golden Pavilion. You’re coming with me.” “Jacob will be there too. Perfect chance for him to apologize, and we can all move past this.” I stared at her in disbelief. Move past this? I was still in a wheelchair. The perpetrator had just walked free. And she wanted me to attend his party? “I’m not going.” I spat out three cold words and wheeled myself toward the exit. Behind me came Mom’s voice, seething with suppressed rage. “Ethan! Can’t you be less petty about this?” “Your uncle’s family doesn’t have much money. He spent half a month’s salary on this dinner.” “If you don’t go, you’re disrespecting me and disrespecting him!” I didn’t look back. I spun the wheels frantically, escaping this suffocating place. Outside the courthouse, the glaring sunlight made me dizzy. Dad’s car was parked by the curb. When he saw me come out, he rushed over, looking timid as always. “Ethan, how’d it go? What was the verdict?” Looking at this man who’d spent his whole life being a doormat in this family, I felt a wave of helplessness. “Not guilty.” Dad froze, his mouth hanging open, unable to speak. “How could… Your mom said it was just a formality, didn’t she?” “She said she’d try to get Jacob probation. How could it be not guilty?” I let out a bitter laugh. “Dad, your wife is a top-tier lawyer.” “Whoever she wants acquitted gets acquitted.” “Even if that person shattered her own son’s leg.” Dad wrung his hands, looking uncomfortable. “This… this… Your mom must have her reasons.” “That Greg guy really did help her…” “Enough.” I cut him off. “Take me to the hospital. I’m not going home.” Dad hesitated, glancing back at the courthouse entrance. “Um… Your mom just texted. She wants us to go straight to The Golden Pavilion.” “She said if we don’t go, she’ll freeze my credit card.” I looked at this man in front of me. Fifty years old, living like a dog. All his finances controlled by Mom. He didn’t even dare raise his voice. “Then you can go.” I pulled out my phone and called for an accessible ride-share. “I’ll manage on my own.” “Ethan! Don’t be like this…” Dad tried to grab me. I shook him off. “Dad, if you still want to call me your son, don’t go to that dinner.” “If you go, don’t bother visiting me again.” The ride-share arrived. The driver helped lift me into the car. Through the window, I watched Dad standing there, torn. Finally, he sighed and got into his own car. His destination: The Golden Pavilion. I closed my eyes. Tears finally streamed down. This was my family. A mom overflowing with misplaced kindness. A weak, incompetent dad. And me—the dispensable sacrifice in this household. At the hospital, I’d barely lain down when my phone started buzzing nonstop. On Ins, Jacob had posted a nine-photo grid. In the pictures, he raised a wine glass, beaming. Mom sat in the place of honor, smiling gracefully and elegantly. The caption read: “Thanks to Ms. Sullivan! Justice may be delayed, but it’s never denied! Cheers!” Justice? Fuck his justice. I opened the comments. Full of ass-kissing from Jacob’s loser friends. “Badass!” “Where’s the cripple? Not here drinking?” Jacob’s reply: “Probably crying at home, hahahaha.” I stared at the screen, fingers trembling. Suddenly, a new transfer notification popped up. From Mom. Amount: $2,000. Note: “Stop throwing tantrums. Buy yourself something nice to eat. I already told Greg he doesn’t need to pay your medical bills. Their family is struggling. We need to be understanding.” I stared at those words, my stomach churning. I wanted to puke. I hurled my phone at the wall.

I stayed in the hospital for three days. During those three days, Mom never came to see me once. But Greg did show up—carrying a basket of rotten apples. He wore dust-covered work clothes and stood at my hospital room door with a simple, honest expression. “Ethan, Uncle came to check on you.” He set the apples on the bedside table and rubbed his calloused hands together. “Jacob doesn’t know his own strength, that kid.” “I already scolded him.” “Look, your mom got Jacob off the hook, so we’re even now, yeah?” Even? I looked at that basket of apples—probably picked from some roadside stand—and laughed bitterly. “My leg is worth this basket of rotten apples?” Greg’s expression flickered, but he quickly plastered on a smile again. “Hey, Ethan, you can’t put it like that.” “When your mom was in college, I scraped together that tuition from my own teeth.” “People need to have a conscience. Look how sensible your mom is.” “Besides, your family’s loaded. You’re not hurting for medical bills, right?” “My Jacob still needs to get married. Can’t have him saddled with debt.” In that moment, I finally understood the saying: “When people have no shame, they’re invincible.” This whole family were vampires. And my mom was the idiot who willingly offered her neck, complaining the blood wasn’t flowing fast enough. “Get out.” I pointed at the door. “Take your rotten apples and get out.” Greg’s smile froze. “What kind of manners do you have, kid?” “No wonder Jacob beat you up. You deserved it.” He stormed out cursing, carrying his apples. Before leaving, he spat on the floor. I rang the nurse’s bell and asked someone to disinfect. Disgusting. Absolutely disgusting. That afternoon, the head nurse came in with a billing statement. She didn’t look pleased. “Ethan, your account is overdue.” “If you don’t pay soon, we’ll have to stop your medication.” I froze. “Overdue? My mom… didn’t Ms. Sullivan pay?” The nurse shook her head. “Ms. Sullivan came yesterday and withdrew the $50,000 deposit.” “She said… she said the other party’s family is struggling, and she’s lending them the money temporarily.” “She told you to figure it out yourself.” A thunderclap in my brain. The last thread snapped. She withdrew my life-saving medical funds to give to the assailant who beat me? What kind of mother does this? My hands trembling, I borrowed the nurse’s phone to call Mom. It rang for a long time before she picked up. “Hello? Who’s this?” “It’s me.” Silence on the other end. Then came Mom’s impatient voice. “Ethan? Where’s your phone? Why are you calling from a strange number?” “Sullivan, did you withdraw my medical funds?” I called her by her first name. “How dare you talk to your mother like that?” Mom’s voice rose several octaves. “Greg’s family is buying a house in the city. They’re short on the down payment.” “I figured you wouldn’t spend much in the hospital anyway, so I lent it to them for emergencies.” “Don’t you still have birthday money in your account? Use that.” “People can’t be so selfish. You need to know gratitude.” Gratitude? She was taking my bones apart to show gratitude to someone else! “That’s my surgery money!” I screamed into the phone. “The doctor said I need a second reconstructive surgery next week, or I’ll be disabled for life!” “You gave the money to Jacob’s family for a house? Are you insane?” Greg’s voice came through the phone. “Oh, if Ethan really needs it urgently, we can hold off on the house…” Then came Mom’s firm voice. “Greg, don’t listen to this kid’s nonsense.” “Doctors just like to scare people. It’s not that serious.” “Buying a house is a big deal. Jacob’s about to get married—how can he do that without a house?” “Ethan, figure it out yourself. Stop bothering me.” “Beep beep beep…” She hung up. I held the phone, frozen. The head nurse looked at me sympathetically. “Ethan… why don’t you call your dad?” My dad? That man who had to ask for cigarette money? I shook my head. “No need.” “Please help me with the discharge paperwork.” “But your leg…” “I’m not treating it anymore.” Since this world was rotten to the core— I didn’t need to pretend to be a good son anymore. I went home once. While no one was there, I packed everything that belonged to me in that so-called “home.” Except for that severance agreement. I left nothing. My sneaker collection, limited-edition figures, and the gold bars I’d saved since childhood. I listed everything on resale platforms. Fire sale prices. Cash only. With that money, I rented a small apartment with an elevator in the neighboring city. Then I went to a private orthopedic hospital. Though I’d missed the optimal treatment window, the doctor said that with enough money, I still had hope of walking normally again. Just no more intense physical activity. I used to be captain of the school basketball team. Now I was a cripple who could barely walk straight. But I didn’t cry. I’d run out of tears that afternoon.

Half a month later. I was doing rehabilitation, drenched in sweat, gripping the parallel bars as I shuffled forward. The hospital room door burst open. Mom stormed in with Jacob and Greg, looking furious. Mom’s face was ashen. She clutched a document in her hand. “Ethan! What are you doing hiding out here?” “Do you know how long we’ve been looking for you?” I ignored her and continued moving my feet through gritted teeth. Every step felt like walking on knife points. Jacob chewed gum, looking annoyed. “Ms. Sullivan, I told you he was hiding.” “Such a drama queen. It’s just a broken leg, not like he died.” Mom slammed the document on my bedside table. “Sign this right now.” I glanced at it. A settlement agreement. For the school. “Jacob’s getting expelled for the fight.” Mom said self-righteously. “If you sign this settlement, admitting it was a mutual fight, the school will let him keep his enrollment.” “Jacob still needs to go to college. We can’t let this little incident ruin his future.” Mutual fight? I stopped moving, turned around, and stared at her. “Six people beating one. I spent the whole time with my head covered, taking hits.” “That’s a mutual fight?” “Ms. Sullivan, you can actually say that lie out loud?” Mom’s eyes flickered briefly, but she quickly regained her domineering demeanor. “As long as you say it is, it is.” “I’m a lawyer. I have ways to make it work.” “Just sign it. Stop wasting everyone’s time.” Greg chimed in from the side. “Yeah, Ethan, we’re all family. Why make things so tense?” “If Jacob gets expelled, how will he find work later?” “Why do you have such a rotten heart, kid?” I looked at these three people’s faces. Suddenly it all seemed absurdly ridiculous. “And if I don’t sign?” Jacob spat his gum on the floor and walked over, shoving me. I was already unsteady. I fell straight to the ground. My knee slammed hard against the floor. Searing pain shot through me. I screamed. Mom startled and instinctively moved to help me. But Jacob stopped her. “Ms. Sullivan, don’t spoil him.” “He’s just faking it.” “Ethan, let me tell you—today you’re signing whether you like it or not.” “Or I’ll beat your ass every time I see you.” He raised his foot, about to stomp on my broken leg. “Stop!” Mom finally shouted. Not to protect me. But because she was afraid of consequences. “Jacob, don’t! There are cameras here.” She pulled Jacob back and looked down at me on the floor. “Ethan, I’m asking you one last time. Will you sign or not?” “If you don’t sign, don’t expect another cent of living expenses from me.” “And don’t think about coming back to that house.” I lay on the ground, cold sweat pouring from the pain. But I laughed. “Home?” “The home that took my medical funds to buy the assailant a house?” “The home that defended the assailant and got him acquitted?” “Susan, did you forget?” “I already severed ties with you.” I pulled out my phone from my pocket. The screen showed a recording in progress. “Jacob pushing me just now, and you forcing me to sign a fake settlement—I recorded it all.” “This time, I won’t let you get away with it.” Mom’s face went deathly pale. “You… you set me up?” I braced myself against the floor and slowly got up. Like a dog with a broken spine, but with the eyes of a wolf. “You taught me, Mom.” “Everyone is equal before the law.” Mom panicked. She was a top lawyer. She knew better than anyone the importance of evidence. Jacob had just pushed me, causing secondary injury. Plus forcing a victim to sign a false settlement. If this got exposed, her career would be stained. “Ethan, give Mom the phone.” Her tone softened, trying to use family guilt. “We’re family. Let’s talk this out.” “Jacob just has a short temper. He didn’t mean it.” I stared coldly at her outstretched hand. “Jacob, grab the phone.” Greg shouted from the side. Jacob snapped to attention and lunged to grab my phone. I was ready. I hit send. The files uploaded directly to my cloud and simultaneously sent to several influencers I’d already contacted. “Too late.” I threw the phone on the ground. “It’s already out there.” Jacob stomped on my phone, crushing it, then grabbed my collar, ready to hit me. “You dare set me up?” Just then, the hospital room door crashed open. Several security guards rushed in, followed by my attending physician. “Stop! What’s going on here!” The doctor saw me on the ground, blood seeping from my leg, and erupted in fury. “The patient is in recovery! This is deliberate assault!” “Call the police! Call them now!” The police arrived quickly. Because this was a hospital—a public space—the offense was serious. Jacob was cuffed on the spot. Greg sat on the ground, throwing a tantrum, claiming I was scamming them. Mom stood in the corner, her face ashen. She looked at me, her eyes full of disappointment and heartbreak. “Ethan, you’ve disappointed me so much. Are you trying to destroy Jacob and me too?”

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When I returned from my business trip, I found my slippers still damp. I asked my wife Selena if we’d had any visitors. She paused for a moment, then smiled and answered: “How could that be? You know I’m terrible at socializing. I just stayed home alone all weekend.” I smiled noncommittally. When she went out shopping, I carefully checked every corner of the house. Someone had used the razor in the bathroom. The robe in the closet had been worn. Most egregious of all, an entire box of condoms was missing from the nightstand. Two days. Twelve condoms. Seemed like the guy had quite the stamina. I suppressed my rage and pulled out my phone to message the property manager: “Pull all surveillance footage from the past two days. Remember, this stays between us!” The next day when I got to the office, the surveillance email was already waiting in my inbox. I clicked it open and dragged the progress bar. The footage was clear, the timestamps precise. Starting three days ago, a man had indeed been frequently entering and leaving my home. The last recording stopped one hour before I arrived home: The elevator doors opened. He walked out with his arm around Selena’s waist. Outside the closed entrance door, they kissed passionately, unable to tear themselves apart. Selena’s hand even slipped inside his coat, with an initiative and fervor I’d never seen from her. I recognized him immediately. Gavin Sterling, Selena’s newly hired assistant. I’d seen his resume. Twenty-five years old, just back from studying in Europe. Six-foot-two, great physique, handsome face. The video froze on the image of him lowering his head to kiss Selena’s neck. A knock sounded at the door just then. The door opened, and in walked Gavin himself. He wore a perfectly tailored light gray suit that accentuated his height and long legs. His hair was impeccably styled, and his eyes carried the undisguised sharp energy of youth, even a hint of lazy arrogance. He held a file folder in his hands. “Mr. Carter. Ms. Hayes asked me to bring over this year-end bonus confirmation list. It needs your signature.” He walked to my desk and set down the folder. I looked up at him. He remained completely composed, even smiling at me. That smile carried some indescribable meaning. Usually with these kinds of documents, when Selena delivered them or had the secretary bring them, I’d basically scan the total amount and sign off. But today, I reached out, took the folder, and opened it. I flipped through page by page. The bonus amounts ranged from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands, consistent with the company’s performance this year. When I turned to the last page, my movement stopped. Gavin’s name read: Year-end bonus: one million dollars, plus a complimentary car. My gaze lingered on those numbers for two seconds before I looked up. Gavin. “Mr. Carter, is there a problem?” He inquired, his tone still polite, but with a hint of impatience. “Ms. Hayes is waiting for me.” I said nothing more and signed my name. “Thank you, Mr. Carter.” He took back the folder I handed him, flipped through to confirm the signature, and closed it. Just as he turned around, I clearly saw his lips move rapidly a few times. No sound, but the mouth shape distinctly formed three words: “Old bastard.”

He didn’t even bother closing the door as he left. I sat in my chair, unmoving. The cap of my pen slowly clicked back into place with a soft “click.” Sunlight streamed in through the window, falling across one corner of the desk, somewhat glaring. I pressed the intercom for my secretary. “Mr. Carter?” “Close the door.” “Yes, sir.” After a soft closing sound, the office returned to silence. I looked at the minimized icon of the surveillance email, my finger rubbing against the mouse, but ultimately I didn’t click it open again. Ten minutes later, the front desk called. “Mr. Carter, Ms. Hayes and Gavin just left together. They took… your Porsche.” “I see.” I hung up. I stood and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window. Downstairs, that black Porsche Panamera slowly drove out of the parking garage, merged into traffic, and quickly disappeared from view. The glass reflected my image—suited and expressionless. A few minutes later, I opened the in-car surveillance app. The image was clear, the audio crisp. Gavin’s left hand rested on the steering wheel, his right hand casually placed on Selena’s stockinged leg. His fingers stroked up and down with practiced familiarity. Selena had one hand on his arm, her face tilted slightly upward to look at him, her eyes and brows full of smiles, her cheeks flushed. The dignified beige suit jacket she’d worn at the office today had already been removed, tossed in the back seat. She wore only a silk blouse, the top two buttons undone. Where was even half the serious, professional demeanor she showed at the company? “You said earlier that he looked at it carefully?” Selena’s voice came through, carrying a soft coquettish tone and a trace of barely perceptible nervousness. “Flipped through several pages, even paused on mine.” Gavin chuckled lightly, his fingers tracing a line across her leg. “What, scared?” “I’m just a bit surprised.” Selena paused, her body leaning closer to him. “Usually with my documents, he never looks closely, just signs right away.” “You’re worried he noticed something?” Gavin glanced at her sideways, a smirk on his lips. “Relax, that old fool’s head is filled with nothing but business and money. Spends all day figuring out how to make the next million, never imagining he’s being played for a fool right under his nose.” Selena playfully swatted him, the force light: “That’s such an awful thing to say.” “Awful?” Gavin laughed out loud, his hand moving higher, slipping under the edge of her skirt. “There are even worse things I could say. Want to hear them? Yesterday, who was whispering in my ear—” “Shut up!” Selena covered his mouth, her face redder, but her eyes glistened with seductive charm. Red light. The car stopped. Gavin took the opportunity to grab her hand, pulling it to his lips and kissing her palm, then turned his head and kissed her. Not a chaste peck, but a deep and lingering kiss. Selena only gave his shoulder a token push before melting in his arms, her arms wrapping around his neck, responding fervently. I watched expressionlessly. Only when the car behind honked and the light turned green did Gavin reluctantly release her, licking his lips before driving on. Selena leaned back in her seat, straightening her disheveled hair and blouse, her chest rising and falling slightly, the flush still on her face. “Did you book the hotel?” She asked, her voice still slightly breathless. “Booked. The usual place.” “Suite with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the river. You love that spot, don’t you?” “Mm.” Selena hummed softly, her hand returning to his leg, fingertips drawing circles. “So… what about my reward? I went to some trouble to balance those books. A million plus a car—those old fossils on the board nearly saw through it.” “I know my Selena is the most capable.” Gavin freed a hand to pinch her cheek, his eyes filled with undisguised desire and pride. “I’ll make sure to reward you properly later.” The car entered the busy commercial district, finally turning into a five-star hotel. I didn’t watch any further and closed the app.

Seven days later, the company annual gala. The banquet hall glowed brilliantly, crystal chandeliers illuminating clinking glasses below. I stood by the main table exchanging pleasantries with several board members, though my gaze occasionally swept toward the entrance. Selena and Gavin were the last to arrive. The two entered the hall side by side. Selena wore a wine-red off-shoulder gown, her makeup exquisite. The lingering flush on her cheeks was somewhat conspicuous, like the afterglow of a rushed arrival. Gavin walked beside her in a navy blue velvet suit, the youthful arrogance in his eyes completely unrestrained, even deliberately flaunted. I watched from a distance and let out a soft snort through my nose. I raised my glass, took a sip, and said nothing. “Mr. Carter.” Director Lewis beside me clinked glasses with a smile. “The company had excellent performance this year. We should be celebrating.” “Indeed we should.” I smiled back and drained my glass. After several rounds of drinks, the atmosphere grew increasingly lively. The MC took the stage, voice energetic as he introduced tonight’s main event. The year-end bonus presentation. The hall erupted in cheers and applause, all eyes focused on the stage. I straightened my suit jacket and walked onto the stage. Taking the microphone, my gaze slowly swept across the crowd. Face after face filled with anticipation and excitement. Selena sat at the edge of the main table, posture elegant, though her hands resting on her lap tightened slightly. Gavin sat right beside her, back ramrod straight, a faint smile playing on his lips, his eyes filled with complete certainty and pride. “First,” I began, my voice carrying through the speakers across the hall, “I want to thank everyone for their hard work this past year.” Thunderous applause. Following the list, I began announcing year-end bonuses one by one. Each name called brought an employee beaming to the stage, accepting their envelope with both hands and profuse thanks. Bonuses ranged from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands. Everyone wore broad smiles. Gavin watched the entire time. When a mid-level manager collected a two-hundred-thousand-dollar bonus, I caught him pulling his lips into what was nearly an undisguised sneer of contempt. He turned his head and said something quietly to Selena. She smiled with pursed lips and patted the back of his hand. The gesture was natural and intimate. Some in the audience noticed, casting curious glances their way. Gavin not only didn’t restrain himself but actually straightened his back even more, as if enjoying this secretive attention. Soon, the regular awards were distributed. The MC raised his voice appropriately: “Next up is tonight’s most exciting moment—the Annual Special Contribution Award!” “One million dollars cash, plus a BMW 7 Series!” The hall fell abruptly silent, then erupted in even more heated discussion. Everyone knew the weight of this award. “Who could it be? Maybe Vice President Smith?” “I think it’s Director Walker from Marketing. Their department doubled its performance this year.” “Could it be… Gavin?” someone said in a lowered voice. “He’s Ms. Hayes’ right-hand man.” Gavin clearly heard this remark. The curve of his lips deepened, a gleam of triumph in his eyes. Beside him, Selena gently smoothed her dress, maintaining a dignified smile on her face. I picked up the golden envelope and slowly opened it. “This year, the company welcomed a particularly special new member.” My gaze swept across the audience below. “She joined the R&D department less than six months ago, yet led the completion of the Starhaven Project’s core algorithm breakthrough, saving the company nearly ten million dollars and pioneering a new technical pathway.” Whispers began circulating below. Listening, Gavin’s triumphant expression slowly froze. Selena’s smile vanished as well. I continued: “She’s young, yet possesses astonishing talent and focus. She’s low-key, yet has achieved brilliant results.” “By unanimous decision of the board of directors, this year’s Special Contribution Award goes to…” I paused, my gaze landing precisely on Gavin’s face. His face had already begun turning pale, that smile frozen there like a crude mask. I withdrew my gaze and announced loudly: “From R&D, Quinn Rivers!” “Annual Special Contribution Award!”

Applause and cheers exploded simultaneously. The spotlight swept to an inconspicuous table in the corner. A young woman wearing black-framed glasses with her hair in a ponytail scrambled to her feet, her face written with bewilderment and disbelief. A colleague beside her gave her a push, and only then did she come to her senses, walking to the stage uncertainly. Gavin’s face, in that instant, turned completely purple. It was a color mixing shock, humiliation, and rage. He clenched his fists violently, knuckles white from the pressure, his previously straight back slightly hunched. He stared fixedly at Quinn on stage. Selena had clearly panicked as well. She quickly turned, one hand pressing on Gavin’s tense arm, her lips moving rapidly, saying something in a low voice. Gavin seemed not to hear at all, his chest heaving violently. Selena grew more anxious, finally secretly grabbing his hand under the table, her fingers tightly clasping his palm, trying to contain his about-to-explode emotions. From the stage, I saw everything clearly. Quinn had reached me, her face still dazed. I handed over the enormous bonus plaque and car key model. Her hands trembled as she received them. “Thank… thank you, Mr. Carter… thank you, company…” She was so excited she could barely form words. “You’ve earned it.” I smiled and shook her hand, patting her shoulder. Applause continued below. Many stood to cheer. Quinn clutched the awards, her face red as an apple, bowing repeatedly. After stammering through her acceptance speech, she walked off stage in a daze with her prizes. I cleared my throat and raised the microphone. “Everyone, quiet down please.” The banquet hall gradually fell silent, all eyes refocusing on the stage. “The year-end bonuses have been fully distributed.” “However, this year there is one more… very special reward.” Small commotion stirred below, curious whispers spreading. I nodded to my secretary standing at the side of the stage. She held a square gift box covered in deep blue velvet with silver ribbons, gleaming subtly under the lights. She walked onto the stage with steady steps and placed the box on the lectern before me. The box wasn’t large, but very refined. Gavin’s previously livid face underwent a change the instant he saw the box. The unwillingness and fury in his eyes receded like the tide, replaced by rekindled anticipation. He sat up straight, looking toward Selena. Selena also frowned slightly, confusion in her eyes. But soon, she gave Gavin an extremely subtle nod, as if reassuring him, or hinting at something. I reached out, lightly running my hand over the smooth velvet surface. “This reward has no set amount and isn’t related to performance.” My voice was steady, even carrying a trace of warm smile. “It only represents the company’s appreciation for a certain employee’s… unique ‘contribution.’” Gavin’s back straightened further, the corners of his mouth lifting uncontrollably. His eyes flashed with “just as I thought” understanding and a trace of arrogance. He probably assumed the million dollars and car were just a public front, and this “special reward” was the real grand gift prepared for him. Perhaps an enormous check, or something even more valuable like equity or property keys? The audience speculated similarly, gazes moving between Gavin and me. I raised my head, precisely catching his gaze, and smiled slightly. “Gavin.” I called his name. In an instant, the anticipation on Gavin’s face reached its peak. He took a deep breath, straightened the navy velvet suit he wore, trying to appear composed, but the eagerness and pride in his eyes nearly overflowed. He walked to stand before me, his lips forming a smile that could be called brilliant. “Mr. Carter.” His voice rang out, unable to suppress his excitement. I didn’t say much, just gestured toward the box on the lectern. Gavin stepped forward and lifted the velvet box with both hands. It felt somewhat light. A flash of doubt crossed his eyes, but was quickly covered by greater anticipation. He turned to face the audience, holding up the box like displaying a trophy, glancing toward Selena. Then, facing the entire hall, he declared loudly: “Thank you, Mr. Carter! Thank you for the company’s recognition! I will definitely continue working hard and not disappoint this… special favor the company has shown me!” Scattered applause rose from below. Clearly, his popularity in the company wasn’t good. Selena in her seat also showed a relieved smile, gently clapping. Gavin looked triumphant, eagerly beginning to untie the silver ribbon on the box. The velvet lid was finally lifted. The smile on his face, the moment he saw what was inside, completely froze. Inside the box was no check, no keys, nothing of value. Only five chicken butts. Each one plump and glistening with oil.

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My husband, Xavier Monroe, is known for being completely devoted to our daughter. But the new young nurse doesn’t believe it. She even made a high-profile bet with people about it. And on the very day our daughter’s heart condition relapsed and needed Xavier to perform surgery— She deliberately poisoned her own pet cat and came crying to beg Xavier to save it. Everyone thought Xavier would refuse in anger. But his eyes filled with heartache as he readily agreed. “Zara has depression. If she loses her emotional support cat, she might die!” From that moment on, he became her personal pet doctor. Meanwhile, my daughter, who missed the optimal rescue window, ended up in the morgue where they were having their affair. Until three months later, when Zara strutted around with a pregnancy belly she couldn’t hide, her eyes full of smugness. I screamed myself hoarse questioning Xavier. But he just looked at me with impatience. “All surgeries carry risks. No one can guarantee success.” “Stella’s spirit in heaven would be happy to have a little brother or sister!” I nodded with a cold laugh. Xavier, you think my daughter isn’t worth as much as her cat. But without me, you’re nothing.

My phone vibrated. It was a social media post from the young nurse, Zara. [When my little princess had complications during labor, thank goodness my boss stepped in to save both mother and baby! If I’m going to marry anyone, it’ll be a compassionate man like this!] In the photo, Xavier and the young nurse were holding a Ragdoll cat, smiling brilliantly like a happy family. Attached was a message Xavier had sent her. “She’s weak after giving birth and needs careful rest.” “I’ve booked her a three-month premium postpartum care package at the maternity center, with customized nutritious meals and a caregiver available 24/7.” “If she shows any adverse reactions, call me immediately.” Every word dripped with meticulous care. I used to think his tenderness belonged only to me. My heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand. I couldn’t breathe. I had already planned to send my daughter abroad for treatment, but when the emergency struck, my husband Xavier repeatedly assured me. “Hope, I’ll perform Stella’s surgery myself. I’m the most authoritative cardiology director in the entire city. Don’t you trust my abilities?” But I never imagined he would delay Stella’s optimal rescue window for a cat. Xavier cooked a bowl of porridge and placed it in front of me. “Hope, you never eat properly. It breaks my heart.” He scooped up a spoonful to feed me. “I have something to tell you. Zara said stray cats are so pitiful with nowhere to go, and she wants to keep them at our place…” “I’m planning to clear out Stella’s room.” A roaring filled my ears. I even forgot to swallow. What? To please his mistress, he wants me to give up Stella’s room? “I don’t agree!” Xavier used a handkerchief to wipe the porridge from my lips, his eyes gentle. “Hope, I know you’re still grieving, but we can’t just watch stray cats starve and freeze!” I swatted away the porcelain bowl in his hand. “Xavier, my Stella is already gone. Are you trying to erase even the only traces of her existence?” “Using my daughter’s life to please her, and now helping her raise cats? Not a chance!” Xavier gripped my scalded hand and smiled helplessly. “Hope, you’re throwing a tantrum again.” “Besides, Zara’s pet cat is a show-quality Ragdoll worth a hundred thousand dollars! If anything happens to it, we can’t afford to compensate!” A doctor who leaves mid-surgery. A husband who prioritizes someone else’s pet cat. Past experiences had already killed my feelings for Xavier completely. Seeing the fresh hickeys on his neck, I found them glaring and nauseating. “Don’t touch me!” I struggled in resistance, and my forehead accidentally hit the glass coffee table. Blood flowed freely. Blood dripped down my cheeks onto the white wool carpet, blooming into starkly vivid red flowers. Xavier froze in place, but then his phone suddenly vibrated. He didn’t put it on speaker, but I could still hear a woman’s intermittent sobbing. “Boss, I had a fight with my family and have nowhere to go…” I covered my bleeding wound and watched helplessly as he gently comforted another woman. After a long while, he reached out to check my wound and hesitantly spoke. “Hope, I promise you—no cats in the room.” “But you have to promise me one thing. Zara has nowhere to go. Clear out Stella’s room for her to live in.” “Replace all the children’s furniture in the room. She’s pregnant and can’t run around. Go to the mall yourself and pick out new things.” I couldn’t believe my ears and immediately pushed his hand away. Back at the hospital, Xavier’s eyes had reddened as he choked out: “I’m sorry, Hope. Stella missed the optimal rescue window. She’s lost all vital signs. Please accept my condolences.” Those words struck me like a thunderbolt. My blood instantly froze. My mouth opened, but no sound came out. I could only watch in a daze as Stella’s cold body was wheeled into the morgue. It wasn’t until Xavier handed me the urn that I couldn’t hold back anymore and broke down crying. Stella died from her untreated condition at the age of seven. And the culprits behind all this were my husband of seven years and his mistress! Seeing that I wouldn’t speak, Xavier’s eyes flashed with displeasure. “Hope Sinclair, all these years you’ve been eating my food, using my things, living in my house—are you really going to be difficult with me over this?” With that, he grabbed his car keys and hurried away. Before leaving, he planted an affectionate kiss on my cheek. “Be good. Once I become director, I’ll give you another child…” 2. The moment Xavier left, Zara sent me a high-definition video. In the morgue, Xavier was having kinky video sex with her, trying every position. “Hope, my condolences.” “But don’t worry, I’ll give the boss a healthy child, hehe—” I deleted and blocked this message that seemed like condolence but was actually a declaration of ownership. This absurd marriage should come to an end. Xavier was indeed the city’s top cardiology director. But with his qualifications, there was no way he could become hospital director. I hid my identity and fought against the entire board of directors to pave his way. I was afraid of breaking his proud spirit, afraid of damaging the pride he took such honor in. But he believed the next director position was rightfully his. I never expected Stella’s death would make me see just how laughable my dedication had been. In the hospital office, Xavier was massaging Zara’s pregnancy-swollen calves, looking every bit the devoted husband. When the other nurses saw me, their eyes shifted uneasily. They also knew this tenderness once belonged only to me. Watching the panic flash through Xavier’s eyes, I said word by word: “Xavier, let’s get divorced.” His Adam’s apple bobbed as his mouth opened but no sound came out. Zara immediately shrank into Xavier’s arms, squeezing out two innocent tears. “Hope, I understand your grief over losing your child, but you shouldn’t cause a scene at the hospital…” “After all, the boss is about to become director. We can’t have any problems at this critical moment!” “Get lost!” I coldly cut her off. “I’m talking to my husband. What are you?” Xavier immediately frowned. “Hope, whether you’re sad or angry, come at me! Zara is innocent!” My gaze swept over the family photo on the desk, which had been replaced with another picture. Xavier and Zara holding the Ragdoll cat, looking like a happy family of three. As if I were the outsider. I remembered how he used to hold that family photo like a treasure. “You and Stella will always be with me, right?” That family photo and his stubborn love once helped me through the darkest period of my life. But that Xavier in my heart had long died in my tears. I glanced at her slightly swollen pregnant belly and spoke with disdain. “Where’s your director? Call him here!” “Tell him the chairman of Sinclair Group wants to see him!” But Zara completely ignored my words and instead mocked me coldly. “Hope, even if you’re angry, there’s no need to pretend you’re rich! Everyone knows Miss Sinclair has never announced her marriage!” “If you’re jealous of me, just say so. No need to use such despicable tactics to steal the boss away.” I couldn’t help but laugh. When I first met Xavier, he was just a poor kid fresh out of school. To avoid pressuring him, I hid my identity. We got our marriage license but had no wedding. And now that’s become evidence she uses to slap me in the face! Xavier suddenly grabbed my wrist hard, his nails nearly digging into my flesh. “Hope, before you show off, shouldn’t you consider what you’re actually worth?” “Once I become director, who can stop me from marrying Zara!” He yanked me so hard I nearly fell to the ground. Xavier’s gaze fell on the bloodstain on the bandage on my forehead, and his tone softened slightly. “Making a scene won’t help! The director is on a business trip abroad and won’t be back until the handover ceremony.” Zara smiled smugly. “Hope, Director Smith is my father, and he’s the right-hand man of Ms. Sinclair from Sinclair Group. Do you think he’ll punish me and the boss for an outsider like you? What do you have to compete with me?” My right-hand man? No wonder Zara dared to be so unrestrained. I turned and left without lingering, heading to Stella’s grave. “You’re just showing off to get my attention. Don’t worry, I won’t agree to divorce. Stop being angry, okay?” Xavier was still spouting nonsense. I opened the photo Zara had posted of human specimens. It was Stella’s remains. “Care to explain, Xavier?” Xavier froze, then suddenly pulled me into his embrace, though his tone was dismissive. “Yes, I signed the body donation consent form. That’s because Zara’s technique with the scalpel isn’t steady yet and needs more practice. Don’t get upset.” “Besides, Zara looks somewhat like you. The child she gives birth to will probably look a lot like our Stella.” “Once she has the baby and the child calls you mommy too, consider it my compensation to you—” I slapped him hard across the face, my chest heaving violently. “What do you think my Stella is? Some defective product that can be replaced?” “Get out!” 3. Xavier and I parted on bad terms once again. Back home, I discussed divorce matters with my lawyer. Just as I was about to put down my phone, a livestream video notification caught my attention. The blood in my entire body rapidly froze. “Everyone! Welcome to the human anatomy teaching video. Please welcome our Nurse Zara!” By the time I rushed to the hospital, the operating table was a mess. Zara was holding a blood-stained scalpel, her face twisted with excitement. And my Stella lay there, pale and cold, on the operating table. “Stella—!” I instinctively rushed forward. Zara had no intention of stopping, and viciousness flashed through her eyes. The sharp scalpel sliced through my elbow. Searing pain instantly assaulted my nerves. Before I could curse at her, Xavier burst through the door. Immediately, a pig-like scream filled my ears. Xavier immediately shielded her behind him. Zara clutched her belly, crying out pitifully and innocently: “I was just practicing dissection… Why did she push me… Boss, I’m scared…” At these words, Xavier’s brow furrowed, his eyes carrying their usual annoyance. “Hope, even if you’re unhappy, you can’t lay hands on a pregnant woman!” I covered my still-bleeding elbow, my voice trembling with anger. “Are you blind, Xavier? Is the security camera just for decoration?” I was about to take Stella’s remains away, but he grabbed my wrist. “Apologize!” I struggled with all my might. The anger in his eyes could no longer be concealed. His nails dug deep into my wound, and cold sweat beaded on my forehead from the pain. “Hope, what’s happened to you? Zara is pregnant. You’ve been a mother too. Don’t you have any compassion?” “I’m so disappointed in you!” I should be the one saying that to him. Looking at my daughter’s disemboweled body on the operating table, my grievance and anger instantly broke through the floodgates. “Is that even human speech, Xavier? She disemboweled my daughter! And you want me to apologize to her?” Just then, Zara suddenly stepped forward, sobbing pitifully. “Hope, I know you’re jealous of me, but I’m already carrying the boss’s child.” “You can’t harm me and cause a miscarriage just because you lost your child and can’t stand seeing me pregnant!” Then Zara smiled viciously and pulled out a bone saw. The metal made a harsh scraping sound as it cut into flesh. “Stella—!” Ignoring the pain, I just wanted to stop Zara’s cutting motion. “Don’t go over there and cause trouble! Zara needs to do a live practice. So many eyes are watching the livestream. Do you have the heart to watch her make mistakes and be ridiculed?” “So what! You want me to just watch her desecrate my daughter? You’ll both pay for this!” At that moment, I desperately tried to break free from Xavier’s restraining hands. But my strength was no match for an adult male who worked out regularly. After the dismemberment was complete, the hands restraining me gradually loosened. I screamed until my voice gave out, the sound shrill as I shed two trails of bloody tears. “Xavier, without me! How could you have gotten where you are today?” “You actually cut open my daughter’s belly and displayed her bloodied body for everyone to see, to help your mistress practice?” “When you were in bed with her, weren’t you afraid Stella would come back to haunt you!” Xavier was momentarily stunned by my question, his face ashen. “I became director entirely through my own ability. What does it have to do with you?!” “Don’t throw all your dirty water on her. I was the one who decided to sign the body donation agreement! But that was also to accumulate merit for Stella, so she could have a better rebirth in her next life. How can you still blame me?” The day Stella’s heart condition relapsed, he had held that small hand and solemnly promised. “Stella, Daddy will keep you safe and help you grow up…” But now, he watched helplessly as his mistress desecrated my daughter’s body. I laughed coldly. I casually picked up the scalpel that had fallen to the floor and stabbed toward Zara! “You dare touch my daughter? I want you dead!!”

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