Author: Momo Chan

I stopped by my brother’s company to drop off some documents, only to get stopped at the entrance by a woman I didn’t recognize. “I’m here to see Cameron White. I’m his sister,” I explained calmly. She scoffed. “Since when does he have a sister? Are you some kind of gold digger?” “Let me make this clear—Cameron is MY boyfriend! I’ve dealt with plenty of shameless women trying to hit on him at the office. Beat it before I call security to drag you out!” I immediately texted my assistant: Tell Cameron White to get his butt down here ASAP. What no one realized was that everything in our family—this company included—actually belonged to me, including that idiot brother of mine. “Quit loitering around,” Yasmin Perez snapped, her tone dripping with venom, clearly pegging me as some desperate social climber. “Get lost or I’m calling security.” Several employees had already started stealing glances our way. I frowned, not about to waste time on this nonsense, and pulled out my phone to call my brother directly. But all I got was his voicemail saying he was unavailable. Same result when I tried again. What the hell was that moron doing during work hours? I put my phone away and squared off with the hostile woman, enunciating each word clearly: “Let me clarify. My name is Serena White, and I’m Cameron White’s sister—the CEO’s sister.” “He’s not picking up right now. Feel free to check with anyone in the company or look me up in the directory.” I figured that would settle things quickly. But upon hearing my name, the receptionist didn’t bother verifying a thing. Instead, she let out a shrill, mocking laugh. She laughed so hard she doubled over, drawing even more curious stares from passersby. Then she suddenly leaned in, dropping her voice to a conspiratorial whisper: “Still playing pretend? I’ve seen your face on Cameron’s phone!” “You homewrecker! Sneaking around trying to hit on my man!” “And now you have the nerve to show up at his company? Don’t you have any self-respect?” I froze for a second, glanced at the name tag on her chest—Yasmin Perez—and just shook my head in disbelief. So this was Cameron’s mysterious girlfriend—the one he’d refused to show me even a picture of. Turned out she was just some petty, catty woman. How could he have such terrible taste? I realized then this whole confrontation wasn’t an accident—it was intentional harassment. Before I could respond, she’d already lost her patience entirely. “Since this woman won’t leave and is disrupting our workplace, I won’t be held responsible for what happens next!” She waved her hand, and two burly security guards standing nearby immediately stepped forward. One clamped a hand over my mouth while the other roughly twisted my arms behind my back. I struggled violently, but the strength difference was too great—my resistance was useless. They ignored my angry glare and the shocked looks from employees as they dragged me away from the lobby toward a back storage room. I was thrown roughly into a dusty corner cluttered with boxes, the air thick with stale, suffocating air. The door slammed shut, cutting off all light and sound from outside.

In the darkness, the receptionist didn’t say a word before raising her high-heeled shoe and kicking me hard in the stomach. The sharp pain made me double over instantly, my stomach heaving. That’s for being a homewrecker!” “That’s for hitting on him!” She screamed, her voice distorted with jealousy and rage. She looked down at me and ordered the two men: “Teach her a lesson! Make sure she regrets this!” The guards were clearly in her pocket. Without hesitation, they rained blows down on me. I bit my lip, holding back the cries of pain. I felt like my bones were breaking and my insides were being torn apart. Her shrill voice continued: “Who do you think you are? Some desperate skank trying to steal my boyfriend!” “I told you I’m his sister! If you don’t believe me, call Cameron right now! I’ll talk to him myself!” I tried to explain, but she wouldn’t listen. She only called them off when I started to lose consciousness. She planted her high-heeled shoe on my shoulder, then picked up the torn envelope from the floor, grinding the papers under her heel as she smiled at me: “You better apologize right now and admit you were wrong. Write a note promising never to bother my boyfriend again.” “This is what happens when you try to steal my man and then have the nerve to show up here.” “I’m not scared of what might happen. Cameron will take care of everything for me.” I curled up in pain, barely able to speak: “Those documents were important…” Her expression darkened, and she kicked me again. The guards immediately resumed their beating. I realized nothing I said would matter. If this kept up, I might actually die here. After coughing up blood from another blow, I used my last strength to fumble for my phone on the floor. “Stop… I’ll… I’ll write it.” She looked satisfied with my surrender, signaling the guards to stop. She crouched down and patted my swollen cheek. “Wouldn’t this have been easier from the start? Did you really need to get beaten up first?” “You’re not just writing it—you’re recording a video apology. Admit you tried to seduce him and promise to stay away forever!” I lay on the cold floor, gasping for air, my lungs burning with pain. I ignored her and used my shaking hands to unlock my phone and call my best friend, Melanie Lin. The call connected quickly. “Melanie, get to my brother’s company fast… storage room… bring help…” “I’m on my way.” Melanie hesitated for a second, then realized something was wrong. “Serena? What’s going on? You sound…” “Don’t ask, just hurry.” I cut her off and hung up. When Yasmin heard me call for help, she didn’t look worried at all. Instead, she scoffed: “Calling for backup? Fine, bring whoever you want. No one’s saving you today!” The smug look on her face was impossible to hide.

Melanie showed up at an astonishing speed. Before long, the storage room door was abruptly pushed open from outside. Melanie rushed in with two bodyguards. When she saw the blood at the corner of my mouth, my disheveled clothes, and me curled up on the floor, she was horrified. She quickly stepped forward to help me up. I shook my head, signaling her not to speak. When Yasmin saw the bodyguards, her expression changed, but she still tried to act tough: “Who are you people? This is company business—you need to leave!” Melanie ignored her completely, helping me walk out with the bodyguards surrounding us. “Stop! Who do you think you are?” Yasmin tried to block us but backed off when Melanie’s bodyguard gave her a death stare. Enduring severe pain, I limped out of that disgusting place with Melanie’s support. When we got to the entrance, I thanked Melanie: “Thanks.” She looked worried: “What the hell happened? How did this happen?” I laughed bitterly, wincing at the pain in my lip: “Cameron found himself quite a girlfriend. I need to have a talk with him.” I took out my phone and called the Executive Vice President who actually runs the design company. I’d placed him there to keep an eye on my brother, and he was extremely loyal to me. He answered right away, and I got straight to the point, my voice cold. “You have ten minutes to fire a receptionist named Yasmin Perez.” “Otherwise, the White family will pull all funding and support from the company—every last cent.” The Executive VP on the other end panicked as soon as he heard my voice. He must have noticed the strain in my voice because he agreed immediately, too afraid to ask questions. I hung up and told Melanie: “Take me to South Hills Manor.” In the car, I gritted through the pain and made another call from a different phone. “Victor, get your team to Cameron White’s villa. Now. Right away.” When we arrived at South Hills Manor, my private doctor treated my injuries immediately. After being patched up, the anger inside me only grew stronger—like adding fuel to a fire. I needed answers. I needed Cameron White to explain himself in person. My team tracked him down—he was throwing a party at his villa. I had the driver take me there after sending Melanie home to rest. That villa was another gift from me, by the way. When I got there, though, all I heard was loud heavy metal music blaring from inside. And the sound of people partying—clearly having a good time. He was throwing a party? No wonder he didn’t answer my calls earlier. The front door was slightly open. For some reason, I hesitated before going in. Then I heard a familiar female voice—she was crying. It was Yasmin Perez. She was sobbing to everyone there, painting herself as the victim—claiming some crazy woman had bullied her and gotten her fired for no reason. “I was just doing my job, not letting some random woman in, and she had her goons beat me up! Then she got me fired for no reason…” “Cameron, she’s out of control—she doesn’t care about you at all!” “She just wants to humiliate me and break us up!” Inside, Cameron’s friends all started agreeing, acting outraged on her behalf. Cameron pulled her into his arms, comforting her loudly with a voice full of fake concern. “Don’t worry, I won’t let her get away with this!” Then, trying to look tough, he announced to everyone: “When I find that woman, I’ll make her beg for your forgiveness!” Inside, the rich kids kept egging her on, talking about how they’d make me pay. “Cameron, just say the word—we’ll go find her right now!” “Yeah! Show her who’s boss!” I’d heard enough. I gave a small signal, and my bodyguard kicked the door open. The music stopped suddenly, and the laughter died instantly. Dozens of shocked faces turned toward the door. “No need to find me. I’m right here. Who wants to teach me a lesson?”

The room went silent—only the sound of my heels clicking on the floor echoed through the room. I walked slowly toward the couple hugging in the middle of the living room. Cameron’s face was priceless. First shock, then pure terror—his face turned white as a sheet. He instinctively pushed Yasmin away, like he was going to stand up. But when he saw Yasmin’s teary face, he hesitated, looking conflicted. Finally, his fear turned into some stupid, fake toughness. He stayed seated, just staring at me like that would hide how scared he was. As for Yasmin, when she recognized me, her eyes went wide. But she quickly got her composure back, realizing she was at Cameron’s place with all his friends around. She snuggled deeper into Cameron’s arms and started crying even harder. “It’s her… she’s the one who hurt me…” She cried while looking at me with hate and pride in her eyes. Like she was saying, See? He’s still protecting me. I ignored her, keeping my eyes on Cameron. “Cameron, I have a question for you.” “Didn’t you just say you’d make me beg your girlfriend for forgiveness?” Cameron swallowed hard, his lips shaking, but no words came out. He was scared of me. Always had been, ever since we were kids. He knew who really ran things in this family. His friends looked at each other, clearly confused about what was happening. Some blonde rich kid—probably trying to impress Yasmin—stepped forward. “Who the hell are you? You can’t talk to Cameron like that!” “You better apologize to Yasmin right now, or else…” He didn’t get to finish that sentence. My bodyguard stepped in front of me, expressionless, cutting him off. The blonde kid immediately shut up under the bodyguard’s intimidating stare. I walked around the bodyguard, stood in front of Cameron, and looked down at him. “I guess you’re not going to explain anything.” Cameron finally got up, his neck stiff with tension. He pulled me aside, his voice low and urgent, half-pleading and half-annoyed. “Serena, what do you want?” “Do you have to humiliate me in front of my friends?” “Yasmin didn’t mean any harm—she’s just straightforward. Can’t you just drop it?” Looking at him, I suddenly thought it was all ridiculous. Drop it? After she had me beaten half to death, destroyed important documents, and locked me in a storage room, he wanted me to drop it? “Cameron.” I used his first name sharply. “Are you kidding me?” “I…” He couldn’t finish, avoiding my eyes. Just then, car doors slammed outside, followed by heavy footsteps approaching the villa. Everyone in the living room turned toward the door, confused. Victor walked in with several serious-looking men. They ignored the stares and went straight to me. Victor nodded respectfully: “Ma’am.” I looked at Yasmin and tilted my chin toward her: “Take her out.” Yasmin’s screams got louder: “Cameron! Who are these people?! What are you doing! Help! Somebody help!” Cameron turned white as a sheet and tried to rush forward: “Why did you bring people! Let her go!” Victor’s men moved quickly, grabbing Yasmin by the arms and dragging her out despite her kicking and screaming.

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My wife’s male best friend lost a game and was dared to choose a woman present to grind against face-to-face for ten seconds. Without hesitation, he chose my wife. “We’re most familiar with this position, aren’t we?” I froze, thinking he was joking. Just as I was about to speak, Colton had already pushed my wife down. Seeing my face turn ashen, he explained nonchalantly: “Oh, the night before you two got married, she got blackout drunk and was acting wild. I helped her out.” “Don’t worry, it was just some rubbing. Nothing actually happened, otherwise you wouldn’t have been able to marry her the next day.” I let out a cold laugh. “Of course.” And punched him right in the face. “You should have told me sooner. Otherwise I wouldn’t have married a used-up slut!” The private room fell instantly silent. Sophia’s hands, which had been involuntarily wrapped around his waist, suddenly jerked back. She pulled him into her arms protectively, looking at me furiously: “James, are you insane!” “Colton already explained! It was an emergency and she had no choice but to ask him for help. What right do you have to be angry!” “Besides, I went to him purely out of friendship. That’s better than going to some random guy, right? Instead of being grateful, you dare to hit him!” With that, she gently stroked Colton’s face, her eyes full of heartache. And I stood to the side, my heart growing colder bit by bit. Three years of marriage, and whenever she mentioned Colton, her most common phrase was that he was her best friend regardless of gender. Eating from the same bowl—best friends. Sleeping in the same bed—best friends. And now even “sleeping together” was just best friends. I looked up, carefully examining Colton with his eight-pack abs and six-foot-two frame. Nothing about him looked remotely like a “woman.” Thinking about it carefully, it was just an excuse she made to placate me. I laughed coldly, saying expressionlessly: “You call this friends helping each other out?” “Fine, then find someone else here right now and show me how they can ‘help’ you!” Sophia’s face instantly paled. “What are you implying! Are you suspecting us?!” “James, I’ve told you a thousand times that Colton and I grew up together. If there was anything between us, we would’ve been together long ago. You wouldn’t have had a chance!” “Everyone rarely gets together like this to celebrate our wedding anniversary, and you insist on making such a scene and embarrassing everyone!” She frowned, looking at me with barely concealed disgust. But she was the one who did something wrong. Yet somehow I was the one being unreasonable. I smiled bitterly, staring hard at Sophia: “So you do know Colton is a man.” “I thought you didn’t realize.” Sophia froze, instinctively blurting out: “Of course I know…” Halfway through her sentence, she caught herself. “I’m warning you, don’t try to change the subject. You must apologize to Colton today!” I looked up in disbelief, the bitterness in my heart suffocating me. Suddenly finding it all pointless, I got up and headed for the door. Just as I reached it, I was yanked back hard. “James, I’ll say it one more time—apologize!” My groin slammed hard into the corner of the table, pain shooting through me in cold sweats. But I still gritted my teeth, raising my head and enunciating clearly: “Never!” The atmosphere instantly froze. Seeing this, people around started trying to mediate. “Come on, Sophia, James didn’t mean it.” “Right, right, don’t be so angry.” But no matter what others said, Sophia continued gripping my arm tightly, her eyes cold in a way I’d never seen before. Until Colton walked over and hooked her palm. “Sophia, what have I always taught you? You need to be patient with your husband. You’re not being gentle at all!” Then he looked at me: “James, let me apologize on her behalf. My friend is great in every way, except she can’t stand seeing me bullied since childhood, so that’s why she lost her temper with you.” “Don’t worry, I’ll educate her properly when we get back.” As soon as he finished speaking, Sophia released her grip. All the malice in her eyes vanished completely. In three years of marriage, I’d never seen her eyes turn red. Even during our honeymoon when I got into a fight with someone, afterward she just casually had the other person apologize. I always thought she was naturally cold, but now I finally understood—she did have someone she cared for deeply. Unfortunately… That person wasn’t me… In my daze, Colton picked up a wine glass and walked over to me. “James, this drink is for you. Let’s just put this behind us.” He shoved the glass into my hand. I found it disgusting and resisted, but in the struggle, he suddenly let go. Red wine spilled all over his clothes, and the glass shattered on the floor. Sophia immediately became angry. “You did that on purpose, didn’t you!” With that, she shoved me to the ground. Glass shards embedded themselves in my arm. Blood flowed down my arm. Sophia froze, instinctively wanting to help me up. But Colton behind her suddenly sneezed. “I’m a bit cold~” Without a word, Sophia took off her jacket and draped it over him. She turned to look at me as if I’d committed some heinous crime. “Are you satisfied now that things have gotten this far?” With that, she put her arm around Colton and headed for the door. Suppressing the pain, I said trembling: “Sophia, if you dare walk out that door today, we’re done.” She paused, but ultimately didn’t look back.

I gritted my teeth and pushed myself up from the floor. Some of Sophia’s friends asked guiltily: “James, should we take you to the hospital? Sophia, she…” Before they could finish, I glanced at my bleeding arm and laughed. Now even a stranger knew to care about me. But my wife had walked away with someone else without looking back. I shook my head: “No need, I can manage.” With that, I limped out and took a cab to the hospital. During the bandaging, each touch made my whole body shudder from the pain. Then my phone buzzed. I opened it—Colton had just updated his Ins. [Gift from my best friend to make it up to me. Look how happy we are!] In the photo, a Maltese dog sat in the middle, with Sophia and Colton smiling happily behind it. They really did look like a happy family. I casually liked the post. The next second, Sophia’s call came through. “James, what’s your problem? I just bought Colton a puppy and you’re being sarcastic!” I didn’t respond. She continued: “By the way, Colton’s shirt got wet, so I’m taking him home to change. Don’t forget this is all your fault!” Before I could answer, she hung up with a sharp click. I laughed self-deprecatingly and contacted a lawyer about divorce proceedings. Just after I sent the message, a doctor recognized me. He said the results from mine and Sophia’s checkup were ready. I followed him to the office, but the next moment, what the doctor said shocked me. “By the way, your wife is pregnant. Congratulations!” I couldn’t believe it, thinking I was hallucinating, staring hard at the test results. Since my parents died, I’d always longed to have a child of my own. But it had to happen now… After much hesitation, I recalled the email I’d just sent. I thought I’d give Sophia one more chance. And give the baby in her belly one more chance. Because the hospital was crowded, by the time I finished treating my wound and got home, it was late at night. Before I even opened the door, I heard playful laughter from inside. Sophia’s face was covered in foam, and even her body was splattered with it. But she had severe OCD. Once when I accidentally splashed a drop of oil on her while eating, she found me disgusting for an entire week. But now, because it was Colton, she showed no anger despite being covered in foam. Seeing me return, Sophia immediately breathed a sigh of relief, snatching the hair dye from Colton’s hands: “Leave this kind of service work to my husband. You’re so clumsy, I really don’t know what woman would dare marry you!” Colton protested indignantly, grabbing a nearby pillow and throwing it at her. “Mind your own business! It’s not like it’s you anyway!” Sophia was amused by his antics, but worried he’d fall, she defended herself while protecting his body. And I just stood in the entryway, watching their intimate interaction as if I weren’t there, feeling only tightness in my chest. I didn’t take the hair dye as I normally would. Instead, I went straight to the bedroom to change out of my dirty clothes. When I came back out, Sophia was wearing headphones, keeping Colton company while he played games. I walked over and handed her the test results. Hearing movement, Sophia reluctantly turned from the computer. “What’s this?” Just as she finished speaking, Colton screamed. “Save me! I’m about to be killed by the enemy!” “And… and the ice cream in my mouth is dripping. Quick, wipe it for me…” Sophia said with disgust, “Gross!” But her hands didn’t stop moving. She grabbed the nearby test results and wrapped up the half-melted ice cream, casually tossing it into the trash. At that moment, standing to the side, I didn’t even have the desire to speak anymore.

In the early morning hours, a pair of hands embraced me from behind. A familiar scent whispered softly in my ear: “Honey, happy anniversary.” One sentence suddenly brought dead memories flooding back. Sophia and I met at a college dance. She fell for me at first sight and pursued me relentlessly for three years. Back then, she would remember every preference I casually mentioned, every habit of mine. And after every time she made me angry, she’d try everything to make it up to me. She said my feelings mattered most. Senior year, when my parents died, it was Sophia who stayed with me through those darkest days. Her gentleness and consideration made me fall completely. But when did she start to change? Probably after Colton returned from abroad. I still remember the first time we met, he put his arm around Sophia’s shoulder: “Sophia, long time no see! I missed you!” Sophia smiled and punched him back: “Get lost, who needs you missing them.” I stood awkwardly to the side. Only then did Sophia remember to introduce me: “My husband, James.” Colton extended his hand with a grin. “Nice to meet you, James!” “We’ve been like this since we were kids, don’t take it personally.” I forced a smile and shook his hand. Sophia also explained from the side: “Colton has been my friend since childhood. We’re really close, don’t overthink it.” I nodded, trying to get used to their intimacy. But later, Colton appeared more and more frequently. He always called Sophia away under the pretext of “friends gathering,” and even insisted on a bachelor party the day before our wedding. And every time before leaving, Sophia would emphasize again and again, “We’re just friends.” But today, one sentence from Colton completely woke me up… Thinking of this, I suppressed the nausea in my stomach and pushed Sophia away, not holding her like I usually would. The next morning, I was woken by a dog barking. Getting up and going downstairs, I saw the side hall where my parents’ memorial photos were kept—a complete mess. My parents’ photos had been thrown on the floor, covered in muddy footprints. And Colton’s pet dog was chewing on the photos. At that moment, I felt all the blood in my body flowing backward. All reason instantly evaporated. Like a madman, I grabbed a nearby vase and hurled it at the dog. The porcelain shattered. The dog whimpered continuously. Colton’s expression changed instantly. He ran over and scooped up the dog, tears of panic in his eyes. “James, can’t you even tolerate a dog?!” I ignored him, raising my hand and slapping him hard across the face. Sophia was coming downstairs and saw this exact scene. She rushed over and shoved me aside: “James! Will you ever stop! How long are you going to bully him!” My whole body shook as I forced myself to speak: “Can’t you see! My parents’ memorial photos are lying on the floor!” But Sophia glanced at them indifferently and said: “That’s still no reason to hit someone!” Then Colton spoke up too: “James, I know you hate me, but the puppy is innocent. Why did you have to be so cruel…” “Is it because you resent me staying at your place? Then I’ll leave right now…” Sophia instantly flew into a rage, dragging me in front of Colton. “Apologize!” I laughed coldly, turning to pick up the photos from the floor. My attitude completely enraged Sophia. She viciously kicked my lower back. I crashed heavily onto the stairs. Instantly, excruciating pain exploded from my groin. I looked down to see a palm-sized sharp object embedded in my groin. “Hospital… get me to a hospital…” Before I could finish, Colton had already thrown himself into Sophia’s arms: “Sophia, our baby is hurt. It’s still so young…” Without a word, Sophia picked up the dog and rushed out the door without looking back. And I curled up on the floor, my heart shattered to pieces. As my consciousness blurred, I dialed a number. That person rushed over in a hurry and sent me to the hospital. Before surgery, the nurse helped me call Sophia. Before I could speak, Colton’s voice came through. “I bet you regret marrying James.” In an instant, I felt my heartbeat stop. After a long pause, that voice I knew so well spoke: “I do.” At that moment, something in my heart seemed to collapse with a thunderous crash. “Proceed with the surgery.” With that, I closed my eyes. What dissipated along with consciousness was the last thread of affection between Sophia and me.

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On my eighteenth birthday, my father sent me to Alpha Marcus’s bed to settle his debt. After that one night, he seemed captivated. He doted on me, keeping me by his side every day. Then, one day, a phone call pulled him away. When I saw him again, he was holding his mate, who had been missing for five years. He threw me out of their bedroom. I confronted him, furious, but his reply was dismissive. “You’re just an Omega bought to pay a debt. I’ll discard you when I’m tired of you.” The woman’s delicate laughter echoed in my ears all night. I curled up in a corner, my tears soaking through my dress. I had overthought everything. But to pay for my mother’s treatment, I stayed in the Castella Pack. Then I saw my mother’s body. With trembling hands, I took off the necklace he had given me. The debt was paid. Any feeling was gone. I never wanted to see him again, alive or dead. I watched Marcus come home with her in his arms after being out all night. She was the person in the photo on Marcus’s desk-Serena, his mate who had been missing for five years. Marcus glanced at me indifferently and spoke lazily. “You. Move to the maid’s room on the first floor.” I stood frozen in disbelief. My fists clenched, and I bit my lip hard before the words tore out of me. “Don’t you have anything to say for yourself, Marcus? Anything at all?!” His face darkened instantly. He looked down at me, a cold sneer twisting his lips. “You’re just a gift. Be grateful I’m not throwing you out of the territory now that I’m done with you.” My heart clenched, the pain stealing my breath. Serena clung to Marcus’s arm, her plea for me dripping with false sweetness. “Marcus, she did keep you company for three years while I was gone. Why not just put her in a guest room?” Marcus gazed at her with utter devotion, tapping her nose playfully. “Anything for you, my love.” When his gaze turned to me, it was filled with cold disgust. “Aren’t you going to thank Serena? If she weren’t so kind-hearted, how could you stay by my side?” I smiled bitterly, desperately trying to control the tears welling in my eyes, but they still fell drop by drop as I bent down to express my thanks. Marcus frowned at the teardrops on the floor. “Is all this drama necessary? I’m only asking you to change rooms.” A bitter smile touched my lips. I turned without a word, hurried to the master bedroom to gather my things, and moved to the guest room. From the doorway came the man’s coaxing voice and the woman’s departing laughter. The next moment, I was lifted by the waist and placed on the desk. Marcus’s domineering, scorching kiss swept over me. After the kiss, my mouth was full of the taste of blood. He rubbed my lips and spoke harshly. “Were you just throwing a tantrum at me? Remember your place! I’m your Alpha. Understand?” His fierce gaze stunned me, and the stinging pain on my lips brought me back to reality. So this was it. I’d been deluding myself all along. There had never been any love or affection. I felt like I’d fallen into an ice cellar, trembling all over as I nodded. Seeing this, he seemed to feel sorry for me. He gently rubbed the top of my head and kissed my forehead. Tears immediately filled my eyes. In the past few years, I’d loved it when he did this, but now I only felt mocked. “Hurry up and pack. I want you moved out in ten minutes. Don’t worry, I won’t cut off your mother’s medical resources. You just need to stay by my side obediently.” I looked up and met his teasing eyes. My heart felt sour. He was my Alpha, my support. Only he could afford the astronomical cost of my mother’s treatment. For my mother’s sake, I had to endure. Turning my head, I saw the necklace nearby-the token of love Marcus had given me. I tentatively asked. “Can I take the necklace?” Marcus waved his hand dismissively. “It’s just a worthless necklace. Take it if you want.” My heart stung like I’d been stabbed with needles. The token of love I treasured so much was just a worthless trinket to him. I left in disappointment. By the lake, I ran into Serena, who was touring the grounds.

Her demeanor had completely changed from before. A mocking smile played at the corner of her lips. “I thought you’d be someone formidable to keep him interested for five years. I never imagined you’d be such a lowly Omega. Stay away from him. You’ve been his bed partner for years, and I don’t like it.” My body trembled. Eyes red, I stared at her and couldn’t help but retort. “You want me to leave? But he ordered me to stay by his side! He’s my creditor, my Alpha. I can only obey!” She glanced behind her. Suddenly, she grabbed my hand, slipped backwards into the lake herself, and shouted. “Help!” Marcus’s angry roar came from behind me. “Vida! What are you doing?!” Marcus immediately had someone pull Serena out. She cowered pitifully in his arms and spoke with false sympathy. “Marcus, don’t blame her. She’s just too jealous of me.” Marcus’s eyes were ice cold, veins bulging on his neck. In three years of knowing him, I’d never seen him like this. “Vida! You’re so ungrateful. Then go be a servant!” Seeing him favor Serena so much, my eyes turned red with anger, and aggrieved tears fell uncontrollably. The next second, I jumped into the lake. Marcus immediately stepped forward to grab me, but Serena tripped him. Marcus frowned. “She can’t swim-” Before he could finish, he saw me already standing in the lake. The water only came up to my waist. I looked mockingly at the two of them on the shore and sneered. “So I tried to harm someone with water this shallow?” Marcus’s face stiffened. Serena also went pale and tried to explain, but Marcus stopped her. “Whether you harmed her or not, the fact remains that you caused her to fall into the water. I won’t change what I said.” My hands clenched tight, nails digging in as if trying to gouge out flesh from my palms. I took a deep breath and nodded in agreement. I already knew he was biased toward her. Why did it still hurt so much? The three of us returned to the house to change clothes. I’d just taken out my clothes when I heard a knock on the door. I opened it to find Serena standing there with a pleasant smile as she walked in. “I think it’s more convenient for us girls to change together. Don’t you agree?” She took off her clothes, revealing large areas of marking scars that stabbed painfully at my eyes. This was Marcus’s favorite thing to do. I used to laugh at him for needing to leave his scent everywhere he went. He’d gently pulled me into his arms. “This is proof that I love you.” Serena acted as if she’d just noticed, hurriedly covering her body with her clothes, her face flushing red. “After all these years, he’s still the same as before-he still likes to do this.” I stared at her numbly with a stiff face. After Serena left, thinking about everything that had happened today, I felt somewhat desperate. And this was only the first day. The woman’s moans brought me back to my senses. I covered my ears and curled up in the corner of the bed. I squeezed my eyes shut, but tears still slid uncontrollably down my cheeks. When I woke again, it was from a sharp pain.

In the darkness, a pungent smell came over-wolfsbane. Serena was bent over by my bedside. With each of her movements, my foot felt like it was burning. I immediately pulled my foot back and said in a low voice. “What are you doing?! This is abuse of private punishment. I’m going to tell Marcus!” Serena listened to my questioning with a smile. “Punishing you, of course. Don’t bother telling Marcus. Even if you tell the Wolf Council, no one will help you.” I tried to struggle to my feet, only to find my limbs were weak. I could only watch helplessly as Serena used silver needles covered in wolfsbane to pierce my skin again and again. The wolfsbane seeped into the wounds, bringing excruciating pain and numbness. Early the next morning, I went to guard the cemetery. Every step I took brought piercing pain. I grabbed Marcus and tried to expose everything Serena had done to me. Marcus frowned and told me to show him proof. I looked at my fair, rosy feet without a trace of injury and was speechless, but I couldn’t let this opportunity pass. I pressed my fingers hard, trying to squeeze out the silver needles from the wounds, but the wolfsbane had already seeped into my bloodstream. The pain made me break out in a cold sweat, but only a few strands of poisoned blood emerged. Marcus impatiently shook off my hand and warned me sternly. “Vida, this is the last time. I don’t want to hear you slander her again!” As he turned and left, my last hope was shattered. The light in my eyes dimmed inch by inch. Every night after that, Serena would come to my room, and no matter how I tried to defend myself, I’d be drugged and unable to resist. But for my mother’s sake, I had to endure no matter what! Until one day at the crematorium, I saw that familiar face lying among the bodies. The nurse from the medical station kept saying something in my ear. I felt cold all over. My fingers trembling, I touched my mother’s icy face and immediately collapsed to my knees. Marcus looked at my empty eyes and suddenly felt extremely panicked. He stepped forward to support me. He shook my shoulders hard, calling my name with a trembling voice. “Vida, say something!” I looked at him with dilated pupils, tears falling on his hands. “Marcus, I don’t have a mother anymore.” I returned to my room and fell into a deep sleep. When I opened my eyes again, three days had passed. I went to the medical station to collect my mother’s belongings and ran into her nurse. From her, I learned the heartbreaking truth. My mother hadn’t died from severe injuries-she’d been killed by a large dose of wolfsbane administered by Serena! And after Marcus learned the news, he immediately suppressed it and disguised everything to look like a natural death. “Vida, I really couldn’t bear to lie to you when I saw your condition, but I didn’t dare say much with Marcus there. That’s the truth. You should leave him as soon as possible. He’s not right for you.” I thought about how Marcus had once promised me he’d give my mother the best medical resources. I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. The strange looks from people around me fell on me, but I didn’t care anymore. I wiped away the last tear from the corner of my eye and took off the necklace from around my neck, throwing it in the trash. The debt was paid. The feelings were gone. It was time for me to leave.

I planned to go see my mother’s body. But from outside came Serena’s sweet, commanding voice. “Hurry up and close the furnace. Marcus said Vida’s mother’s body needs to be cremated today.” “But where’s the body?” “Oh, I just put the body in the furnace. It’s already preheated. Close it and start burning.” Hearing this, my heart tightened. I quickly ran toward the door. Someone seemed about to come in to check if anyone was still inside, but Serena stopped them. “I’m the future Luna of Castella Pack! You dare disobey me?! Close it now and start burning!” I heard the sound of the door being locked. I rushed over and pounded on the furnace wall, calling for help, trying to make the people outside hear me. Fortunately, the person at the door heard my cries for help. Just as they were about to unlock it, Serena slapped them and snatched away the key. The temperature inside the furnace shot up instantly. I forced myself to calm down. Just when I was beginning to despair, my mother’s body suddenly sat up and pointed in a direction. I was a little scared, but still went over with a glimmer of hope to check my mother’s breathing. There was no response. I followed my mother’s guidance to that direction and soon found iron rings embedded in a corner. I was overjoyed. I wrapped my hands in my clothes and quickly grabbed the rings to climb up. But how could clothes block the high temperature inside the furnace? By the middle, blisters had formed through the clothes, and my shoes were nearly melted. I climbed to the top of the furnace, looked at the grass below, and jumped down. The burns and scrapes on my body hurt so much I almost passed out. But I absolutely couldn’t die here! I staggered forward and finally saw werewolves running toward me at the end of the road. When I woke again, I heard Marcus and Serena arguing. Marcus had Serena by the throat, pressing her against the wall of the medical station. “Who told you to use my name to do these things! I don’t care what you want to do to her. But I don’t want to see what happened today ever again! Serena, my indulgence of you isn’t capital for you to challenge my bottom line. Understand?” I sneered inwardly. He actually knew everything. He was just playing dumb. But now I could no longer shed a single tear for him. Serena’s face was pale, eyes brimming with tears as she explained. “I really didn’t know she was in there. Besides, I’m about to be your mate. Why would I bother?” I coughed, and Marcus immediately turned around, looking at me anxiously. I smiled faintly, reassuring him. “I’m fine, just tired. You don’t need to stay here with me.” I knew him. He would mark Serena, but he would never let me leave. I had to escape before the ceremony began. Two weeks passed. My wounds had nearly healed. I reached out to a contact from my old pack to forge travel papers for another territory. Watching the televised announcement of their marking ceremony, I headed for another territory. But as soon as I crossed the border, guards blocked my path. They were Marcus’s me. I turned to run, but a towel was thrown over my mouth and nose. My vision went black, and I lost consciousness. When I opened my eyes again, I saw the dark red glow of Marcus’s cigarette in the darkness. I trembled. My escape had failed.

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The day I almost died giving birth, my husband was already filing for divorce to marry my best friend, Seraphina Vance. As I teetered on the edge, my boss, Dominic Thorne, swooped in. He spent three hundred million to save my life and our son. The moment I woke from surgery, he proposed. For thirteen years, he treated me like a treasure, his devotion absolute. Everything shattered the day I went to pick up our son, Leo. I overheard their conversation. “Since Seraphina can’t have children,” Dominic said, “will you be her son forever, Leo? How does that sound?” Thirteen-year-old Leo thumped his chest. “Don’t worry, Dad! She’s the best-like a real mom, even better! We’re even meeting her at our secret spot today!” A decade of being spoiled rotten, all a beautiful lie. He had only ever needed me to give Seraphina the child she couldn’t have. Fine. If that’s how it is, then I don’t want either of them anymore. I stood frozen, watching the scene unfold. The stew I’d made for Leo crashed to the floor, splashing and scalding my leg. So, all these years of ‘love and devotion’ were just a calculated trap from the very beginning! I clapped my hand over my mouth, stifling a sob. Hot tears streamed down my face, burning a hundred, a thousand times worse than the scalding. “Mom! Dad and I are coming to see you soon! I brought your favorite blueberry cake!” Leo bounced around, phone pressed to his ear, calling her Mom again and again. Dominic, watching with a doting smile, eagerly snatched the phone. “Go on, Leo, let me talk to her for a moment.” He clutched the phone as if it were a lifeline. Watching them fight over it, I retreated home in shame, feeling like a complete outsider. But as I reached my front door, I saw our housekeeper leaving the villa across the street. Driven by a grim curiosity, I slipped inside. To my shock, every wall of the villa was covered with photos of Dominic, Seraphina, and Leo-a picture-perfect family. So, this was their “secret hideout.” In the hallway, there was a large group photo of Seraphina with the entire Thorne family. It was then I realized that not only Dominic, but the entire Thorne family adored her. Dominic had always said he was afraid I wouldn’t be comfortable at Thorne Manor, so he rarely took me there. Now, it seemed I simply wasn’t worthy. Dragging my numb body, I returned home to tend to my scalded leg. Dominic, who had just entered, stumbled over and knelt before me. “What happened, darling? How did you get burned?” Leo also knelt, gently blowing on my wound. I suppressed the bitterness. “An accident while cooking, it’s nothing.” But when I looked up again, their gazes were fixed on the window. Seraphina had just walked into the villa across the street. My family, painstakingly built over a decade, was just a facade, a stage for someone else’s happily ever after. No wonder Dominic had specifically taught Leo to be filial. He probably just wanted Leo to be filial to Seraphina, to give her a complete family. At that moment, the family doctor knocked and entered, handing Dominic a form. The two went upstairs conspiratorially, and I quietly followed. “Seraphina’s husband is critically ill. If you intervene, there might still be hope.” Dominic frowned. “How am I supposed to save him? Impossible.” A knowing smirk touched the doctor’s lips. “Exactly. If her husband dies, your path clears. No more juggling these two lives of yours.” Dominic, whose thoughts were caught red-handed, simply rolled his eyes at the doctor with a smirk, then added his chilling instruction. “Curing him is tough, but making things worse? That’s easy. You know what needs to be done.” I hid behind the wall, biting my lip hard. Dominic was willing to play God with someone’s life, all to fulfill a lifelong regret. I had underestimated Seraphina’s place in his heart. When Dominic reappeared, he was holding Leo’s hand. “I have to handle something at the office. Leo insisted on coming. You should rest, darling.” Not long after they left, an anonymous message popped up in the school’s parent group chat. “Attention: From now on, each family is limited to one parent in this chat.” Before I could even process it, I was removed. I knew exactly who would take my place as ‘Leo’s mom’ in there. With a bitter smile, I exited the chat and called home, informing them I would be back in a few days. From then on, I would no longer have a husband, nor a son.

Hanging up the phone, I stood by the master bedroom window, watching the three laughing figures across the street. The pain was suffocating. To give birth to Leo, I went through hell and back, and now Dominic was just casually handing him over to someone else… It reminded me of years ago, when Leo had just learned to speak, he pointed at Seraphina’s photo and called her “Mom.” Dominic had dismissed it then, saying the child was too young to understand, but he’d grinned from ear to ear. At that memory, tears cascaded down my cheeks, blurring my vision. I couldn’t tell if it was rain or tears. After watching for what felt like an eternity, I pulled out my phone, my finger hovering over the flight booking screen. Just then, Dominic carried Leo into the bedroom. “Darling, why are you crying?” He seemed startled. “Oh, and about the school group, I’m in it now. I removed you just so you wouldn’t have to worry.” I just nodded and put Leo to bed. But as he slept, he began to mumble. “If Mom and Dad get divorced…I want to live with Dad. Then I can call Seraphina ‘Mom’.” Dad…you’ve asked me that so many times already..” My hand, smoothing his blanket, froze. My heart clenched into a tight, painful knot. I walked numbly back to the master bedroom and noticed several cancellation notifications on my phone. Dominic, taking off his watch, offered an explanation. “You’ve been putting too much pressure on Leo with his studies. It’s not good for him. A child should just be happy, don’t you think?” Was it his decision, or Seraphina’s? I didn’t say much, simply got into bed. But when I turned, I noticed a new bracelet on Dominic’s wrist. Seeing me look, he quickly, almost guiltily, pulled his sleeve down, trying to hide the bracelet, forcing a faint smile. “Go to sleep,darling.” I couldn’t sleep until midnight, when I heard Dominic stealthily get out of bed. I didn’t make a sound, letting him leave. Still hesitating about booking my flight, I casually scrolled through Seraphina’s Ins stories. “Craving a late-night snack at 2 AM? No problem, someone delivered it personally.” The photo showed a hand holding a takeout bag, its wrist bearing a familiar bracelet. For over a decade, Dominic had insisted on proper meals and frowned on late-night snacks. Now, it seemed, rules could be broken. The next second, I received a video from Seraphina. In it, she cried, looking distraught. “If my husband dies, I will be all alone. And you are already married.” Dominic quickly hugged her, his brow furrowed with concern. “Do not worry, Seraphina. You have me and Leo.” “But what if that day comes? Will you,” Seraphina’s eyes lit up as she blinked at him, “marry me?” Dominic’s hand, which had been comforting her, stilled. He bit his lip, unable to answer for a long time. Yet his eyes held a suppressed pain and tenderness. A bitter laugh escaped me. Without hesitation, I booked a flight home and contacted a lawyer to draft divorce papers.

The next morning, both Dominic and Leo were gone. I only found out it was the day of the Thorne family’s annual gathering by checking Seraphina’s Ins. As Dominic’s wife, to learn such news through someone else’s social media felt utterly ridiculous. But I was surprised when Dominic actually returned to pick me up. The moment I entered Thorne Manor, I heard whispers about me. “Aurora hasn’t been to Thorne Manor in years?” “It’s not that she wouldn’t come. It’s Emma, Dominic’s grandmother, who didn’t want her here. Look how lively and adorable Seraphina is, then look at Aurora. She’s seen as damaged goods, utterly discarded.” Those words pierced me like daggers, but Dominic, standing beside me, didn’t refute a single one. Hands in his pockets, he effortlessly made his way to his grandmother’s side. Seraphina was already there, leaning on Emma’s knee, charmingly. “Grandma, Seraphina is just like she was when she was little, always wanting to cling to you.” Dominic’s face was filled with affection as he spoke. At that moment, Seraphina’s gaze fell on me, and she bounced over to my side. “Aurora, I told Dominic to pick you up. You’re a Thorne daughter-in-law, you should come more often.” Yet, it was she who looked like the true Thorne daughter-in-law. I stood to the side like a servant, while Dominic and Seraphina flanked Emma, Leo standing behind Seraphina. During the family’s annual remembrance ceremony, I was relegated to the very back of the procession. Dominic, meanwhile, stayed glued to Seraphina’s side, even taking off his cashmere coat to offer it to her. The outdoor memorial was long. Emma said we could wander off on our own if we liked. Alone on the sprawling hillside, I had just closed my eyes to breathe in the wind when a voice spoke softly behind me. “Aurora. How does it feel to be the one nobody wants? Tell me, does it hurt?” “What does your family money matter? The Thornes never saw you as one of them.” “Emma never liked you. Dominic…well, he likes you even less.” I shut my eyes slowly, my voice tightly controlled. “Whether they like me is their concern. Not yours.” A cold laugh escaped Seraphina as she closed the distance between us. “Oh, but it is.” “Aurora, mark my words, whatever you have, I’ll take it all. Your son, your husband, even your place in the Thorne family. Then you’ll be nothing but trash, and no one will even spare a glance if you die!” I never imagined my former best friend had been eyeing me with such venom all this time. Back then, when I faced a double betrayal of friendship and love, I cried until I couldn’t see. But now, it seemed so worthless… I turned to her. “Are my things so desirable that you have to snatch everything? Don’t you see how pathetic that makes you?” My words found their mark. Seraphina’s face twisted with fury as she backed me toward the edge of the sheer slope. “And you think you can call me pathetic?” “our husband is mine. Your son calls me ‘Mom’. And that husband of yours? He never stopped loving me. He only married a castoff like you because I asked him to.” I stole a glance behind me. The drop was perilous. I tried to shove her away, but Seraphina only sneered, a challenge curling her lips. “Don’t believe me? Let’s put it to the test.” Then she lunged. She threw herself at me, dragging us both over the edge and down the hillside. “Dominic! Help! Aurora’s gone mad!”

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I turned my ex-husband into a punchline and landed myself at the top of the trending list. After the divorce, desperate for cash, I joined a reality dating show that gathered my exes, sworn enemies, and people I’d been romantically linked to. The producers specifically warned me to tone it down. After all, my billionaire ex-husband was the show’s biggest investor, currently watching with his unforgettable first love from the VIP box. I smiled, nodded, then turned, and walked on stage, picked up the mic, and began. “I have a friend. She got married for three years. Her husband didn’t even know she was allergic to mangoes, but he had another woman’s menstrual cycle memorized. Any guesses why?” “A. He’s a ‘cares-about-everyone’ kind of sweet guy. B. He’s a professional gynecologist. C. He’s a pure, unadulterated asshole.” The room erupted. Down in the audience, my ex-husband crushed his champagne flute on the spot. Stella POV The divorce agreement slid across the million-dollar desk toward me with a harsh scrape. Julian Vance leaned back in his leather chair, his assessing gaze cold and devoid of warmth. “Serena’s back,” he stated, his tone as impersonal as a business notification. “Sign it. The villa and the money are yours. We’re even.” Three years of marriage, summed up in a single, cold “we’re even.” Everyone in our circle knew I had been Serena Thompson’s stand-in. Now that the original had returned, the copy was expected to vanish. His assistant stood ready nearby, holding a large pack of tissues. They were clearly waiting for a scene. But I didn’t cry. My eyes didn’t even redden. Calmly, I pulled something from my bag-a pink calculator.  placed it beside the divorce agreement, where it looked utterly out of place. Under their watchful gazes, I spoke slowly and deliberately. “Mr. Vance, divorce is fine, but the accounts need to be settled. It’s all about contracts, just like you taught me.” My fingers flew across the calculator. “Three years, one thousand and ninety-five days. I served as your personal life manager, handling daily logistics. Market rate: two thousand per day. That’s two million, one hundred ninety thousand.” I also provided on-demand emotional counseling, available 24/7. Top-tier therapist rate, discounted as a friend: ten thousand per day. That’s another ten million, nine hundred fifty thousand.” “And as your social companion, attending fifty-two public events to play the devoted spouse. Standard model rate: one hundred thousand per event. That’s five million, two hundred thousand.” I paused and looked up, my voice steady. “Due to the long-term mental strain of impersonating someone else, I require an additional twenty percent compensation for professional damages on the total.” “Stella Reed!” He slammed the table, shooting to his feet. “You’re reducing everything to a transaction?” “What else?”I put the calculator away and met his gaze. “Mr. Vance, you didn’t actually think I loved you, did you?” I opened an audio file on my phone and pressed play. A muffled male voice indistinctly spoke. “Serena… don’t go… Serena…” In the recording, he repeatedly called out another woman’s name. I turned off the audio, shook my phone, and let out a soft laugh. “This is a collection of your sleep-talking from the past three years. If the company’s investors heard their new CEO repeatedly calling out another woman’s name during his marriage, what do you think the market’s reaction would be?” The air grew thick with silence. After a long moment, he said coldly, “Sign it.” His assistant quickly replaced the check with a new one. I took the check, casually glanced at it, then took down our wedding photo from the wall. I tore the photo in half right in front of him, then into shreds, precisely tossing them into the trash bin by his hand. I stood up and gave him one final smile-the perfectly practiced smile I’d worn as “Mrs. Vance” for three years. “You know, trash belongs in the bin.” With that, I turned and left, the click of my heels sharp and clear against the floor. Stepping out of the building, the sunlight was a bit blinding. I squinted. Clutching that astonishingly large check, yet my heart felt heavy. I opened the debt reminder text message on my phone. The number there had an extra zero compared to the check. This money was far from enough.

Stella POV The bills from my mother’s private rehabilitation center kept piling up, each one terrifyingly expensive. I looked at the fifty million that had just cleared in my mobile banking app, realizing for the first time how quickly money disappeared. This amount was only enough to cover the first phase of treatment. I needed a faster way to earn money. As night deepened, I pushed open an old iron gate plastered with posters for underground comedy shows. This was a famous underground stand-up club in the city, the air thick with the smell of cheap beer and sarcasm. My designer suit was utterly out of place in the club’s grungy atmosphere. The moment I sat down, a lanky male comedian on stage spotted me and seized the opportunity. “Well, look what we have here. Slumming it, sweetheart? Or did your husband finally go bankrupt?” The audience howled with laughter. I didn’t acknowledge him. Walking straight backstage, I found a tipsy stagehand. All I said was, “I need five minutes on stage.” He glanced at me, then waved his hand, implicitly agreeing. When I stood on that small stage with the microphone, the boos grew louder. In their eyes, I was too polished, more like a display piece than someone who tells jokes. I stood still for two seconds, waiting for the laughter to slowly subside, before I began. “Hello everyone, my name is Stella. Just this afternoon, I finished a three-year job. My position was-a certain billionaire’s ‘true love’s stand-in’.” The entire room instantly quieted. Next, in the calmest voice, I condensed the entire process of how I went from being a stand-in to my ex-husband’s personal ATM into a five-minute stand-up routine. “My former boss had a strange cognitive disorder. He always thought he was a deeply devoted, overbearing CEO. In reality, he was a face-blind amnesiac. He couldn’t remember anniversaries, distinguish lipstick shades, or even recall my mango allergy.” “But he did possess one superpower: he always remembered his true love’s menstrual cycle. It made me wonder if he had a side hustle selling tampons.” The entire room burst into laughter. I didn’t whine. Instead, I dissected those high-society scandals into relatable workplace complaints, every line hitting home. Finally, I raised my hand, mimicking the motion of pressing a calculator. “So, ladies, remember: when a man tries to fix your life with money, don’t cry. What you need to do is pull out that calculator and tally up every last cent for overtime, emotional labor, and mental distress over the years.” “After all, love might betray you, but contract clauses never will.” As my words faded, the applause and whistles were loud enough to bring down the house. That night, an audio recording titled “Dumped by the Billionaire, I Used the Contract to Turn the Tables on My Ex” quickly spread online. The next morning, I was woken by the urgent doorbell. Standing at the door was Carol Hayes, my agent from three years ago. She burst in and slapped a contract onto the table. “Stella, you’re a sensation! Look at this show, it’s called ‘Exes Roast Night.’ Three million per episode. Are you in?” I took the contract. When I saw the familiar group name in the sponsor section and Serena’s name clearly listed among the invited guests, my gaze turned cold. Carol lowered her voice to warn me. “The largest investor is Julian’s company…” But I just smiled. I picked up a pen and, on the blank space of the last page of the contract, crisply added a line of text. “Supplementary Clause: All my statements on this show are considered artistic expression. The production team will be solely responsible for all legal and commercial consequences, and Party A waives the right to seek recourse.” I pushed the contract back towards her. “Sign it.” Carol looked at my signature, then added, “It’s a live show. And Serena, I hear, has already been acting like Mrs. Vance, having pre-alerted the production team.” My pen paused, then my lips curved into a smile. Perfect. I still needed material for my first joke.

Stella POV Backstage in the dressing room for “Exes Roast Night,” the atmosphere was tense. Serena swept in, surrounded by a crowd. She wore a flowing white gown, her makeup flawless. Seeing me, she offered a sweet, gentle smile. “Long time no see, Stella. I never thought we’d meet again under these circumstances.” She said, pushing a brand-new Hermès Birkin box towards me. “I know you’re a little tight on money lately. Consider this a welcome gift. Also, Julian is, after all, the face of the company. On the show, please… show some discretion.” The surrounding staff quietly watched, their gazes fixed on me. I didn’t even bat an eyelid. Instead, I leisurely unwrapped the package and took out this ‘limited edition’ handbag. My fingers ran over the stitching, then I leaned in to sniff the leather, like a picky quality inspector. A few seconds later, I let out a soft laugh and tossed the bag casually back onto the table, where it landed with a soft thud. “Ms. Thompson,” I finally looked up at her, my voice cold, “not only are you a relic, but even your gifts are knock-offs. This kind of stitching and leather-are you worried people won’t notice your cheap eagerness to climb the social ladder?” Her face instantly drained of color. Audible gasps rippled through the room. Just as the atmosphere froze, a staff member in a uniform and a baseball cap walked over, carrying a walkie-talkie. He spoke to Serena’s assistant. “Excuse me, there’s a problem with the equipment in dressing room three. Ms. Thompson, please move to seven.” Number seven was a cramped, dimly lit storage room at the end of the hall. Serena’s body trembled slightly, but she could only pack her things and leave. Under everyone’s undisguised stares, she hurried away with her entourage. The young staff member tidied the table. As he passed me, he paused and, in a voice only I could hear, said, “Looking forward to your trash sorting performance.” I froze, and by the time I looked up, I only saw his retreating back. Beneath the brim of his cap, a pair of smiling eyes seemed to hide. Five minutes later, the live broadcast officially began. As the first guest, I walked onto the stage under the blinding spotlights. I ignored the carefully prepared, tame jokes on the teleprompter. I gripped the microphone, and my first sentence instantly silenced the room. “Hello everyone, I am Stella. Today I want to talk about something. It is about how incredibly foolish a business elite can become when afflicted with a severe case of love blindness.” The entire hall erupted. “When my ex husband was pursuing his first love, he once broadcast love declarations for seven consecutive days on the largest commercial screen in the city center. He thought it was the pinnacle of romance. To his company’s employees, however, it was a public disgrace that directly caused the company’s stock price to fall three points that week. All of it was due to the CEO’s questionable judgment.” A wave of laughter and applause burst from the audience. I shifted my tone, my voice turning sharper. “But the real gems were his true love’s classic lines. Like, ‘I didn’t mean to hurt you; I just didn’t know how to reject him.’ Translation: ‘I had options, but I went for the fattest wallet first.’” I dissected every piece of that calculated ambiguity, translating it into plain, brutal honesty. Every line landed perfectly. That was when a commotion erupted backstage. I knew it. Julian couldn’t tolerate his private affairs and scandals being exposed like this to a national audience. I looked up, a smile curving on my lips as I faced the camera, my voice clearly amplified through the microphone to fill the venue and the live stream. “See? The person I just roasted is probably trying to cut the power right now.”

Stella POV The moment I finished speaking, with a loud ‘CRACK,’ the studio plunged into darkness. The lights, sound system, and all screens went blank at the same instant. The entire space was plunged into sudden darkness, followed by gasps and murmurs from the audience. In the dark, every sound was amplified. Just then, I heard the click of a phone being hung up nearby. Someone thought that would make me shut up. However, the very next second, a voice unexpectedly cut through all the noise. “Looks like my ex-husband’s signature move is pulling the plug.” It was my voice. I pulled out a powerful handheld megaphone from somewhere, turning the volume all the way up. My calm, clear, even slightly playful voice was infinitely amplified in the darkness, reaching every corner. “The last time he did that, it was to create a three-thousand-dollar artificial snowfall for his beloved first love, which immediately caused a power outage for businesses along the entire commercial street. He called it ‘a brief darkness before illuminating your whole world.’ We called it ‘brain-dead romance’.” The audience was briefly silent, then erupted in unprecedented laughter. The laughter echoed in the darkness, wave after wave. Some people started raising their phones, and screens and flashlight beams flickered on across the audience. Just then, rapid footsteps approached from the side of the stage. Under the cover of darkness, Serena rushed towards me, her target clear: the megaphone in my hand. I was prepared. With a slight shift of my foot, she stumbled and missed. In the same fluid motion, I casually reached out, throwing her off balance. She stumbled forward, her cheek landing right against the megaphone’s microphone. “Ms. Thompson, are you trying to personally verify this old story for me?” My voice, amplified through the megaphone with a faint static hum, clearly echoed throughout the entire venue. “It’s no wonder. Three years ago, some people thought you were struggling abroad, pursuing your artistic dreams. In reality, you were using his supplementary credit card for a two-hundred-thousand-dollar luxury treatment in Paris.” I pulled a folded piece of paper from my pocket. Using the light from the audience’s phones, I aimed the spending record at the nearest camera. CRASH! With a loud bang, the studio door was kicked open from the outside. The emergency lights flickered on at that moment. Light suddenly fell, casting the figure of the newcomer onto the stage curtain, his silhouette stretched, massive and distorted. I looked at him, a cold smile curving on my lips. I raised my hand and, in the light and shadow, made a shadow puppet of a small figure kneeling in surrender, aimed directly at his magnified shadow. Then, I raised the megaphone to my lips and spoke my last words for the evening. “So, some people’s deep affection is only worth three thousand dollars and a fleeting, artificial snowfall.” As my words faded, the live stream signal, which had finally recovered, also cut out completely at that very moment. The screen went black. All discussions were forcibly cut short, leaving behind only the shock and speculation that hadn’t yet been fully processed. The live broadcast ended. Deep in the underground parking lot, a black Bentley had turned off its engine. The man in the car extinguished the cigarette between his fingers, quietly waiting for me to appear.

Stella POV The screech of tires pierced the night as a black Bentley swung abruptly, blocking my path completely. The car door opened, and Julian stepped out. His face was terrifyingly dark, the handsome face that often graced the covers of financial magazines was now contorted with rage. He advanced step by step, his towering figure looming over me, casting me entirely in shadow. “Had enough drama?” His voice was icy, carrying its usual condescending tone. He pulled a checkbook from his inner jacket pocket, quickly signed his name, tore off a check, and casually flicked it to my feet. “Here’s ten million.” “Delete all video backups and quit this show.” The check fluttered lightly onto the concrete. In his eyes, everything had a price. I smiled. I bent down, picked up the check, and slowly and deliberately flicked off the dust. The next second, I pulled out my phone and, aiming it at the check, snapped a photo. Before he could react, I opened an interface and hit submit. “Mr. Vance,” I shook my phone, my voice calm, “I forgot to mention, once a report of commercial bribery is confirmed, the whistleblower receives a reward. Thank you for voluntarily providing the evidence.” On the screen, the “Submission Successful” notification was remarkably clear. “One more thing.” I looked up at him, my voice colder than the night. “You engaged in asset transfers during our marriage and now you’re trying to buy my silence with this money. I’ve already applied for an emergency asset freeze measure based on this. It went into effect an hour ago.” His face instantly went ashen. He instinctively reached for his phone, only to find that, unnoticed by him, several people had appeared behind him and were slowly circling around him. Just then, a pair of blinding headlights suddenly flashed. A slightly worn pickup truck pulled up beside us with a squeal of brakes. The window rolled down. It was the staff member with the baseball cap. “Get in.” Alex Stone’s voice was short and authoritative. I didn’t hesitate, immediately pulling open the car door and getting in. “Stop them!” A furious roar came from behind. Several people rushed forward. Alex yanked the steering wheel, the front of the truck swerved, and we peeled into a narrow service alley. He clearly knew the routes here well, making several sharp turns and quickly shaking them off completely. Inside the car, my agent Carol Hayes’s forehead was slick with sweat. The moment she saw me, she shoved a document into my hand, her voice trembling. “Stella! A contract from Starlight Media! Julian’s sworn rivals! They saw your live stream and offered twenty million per episode-more than his hush money!” I took the contract, quickly scanned it, picked up a pen, but paused at the signature line. “Carol, add a supplementary clause.” I looked up, my voice calm. “I want them to rent the huge electronic billboard directly across from Vance Group headquarters. Starting tomorrow, it’s to play my show’s promo on a twenty-four-hour loop.” Carol gasped. I later heard that Julian had smashed more than one priceless antique that night. The next day, the city’s largest and most expensive digital billboard, which was positioned directly across from Vance Group headquarters, lit up. It showed me. I was wearing the same simple white T shirt from the show, smiling at the camera and holding a handwritten sign. The sign read, “Refuse Harmful Waste.” It was a silent statement, yet more blinding than any public declaration. I knew Julian saw it. My source close to him confirmed that he then smashed several more expensive antiques.

Stella POV I saw the press release from Serena’s PR team. The headline was eye-catching: “Socialite Serena to Host Charity Gala: Speaking for Love, Invites Industry Friends, Stella Also Among Guests.” This announcement was meant to force my appearance. Serena had calculated correctly. If I didn’t show, it would look like I had something to hide to outsiders. At the charity gala, guests mingled, wine glasses in hand. The lights were bright, the attire dazzling. Serena, in a white custom gown, was surrounded by a crowd, basking in undisguised admiration. When I walked into the venue wearing the gown sponsored by my company, I almost instantly attracted everyone’s attention. Most of those gazes were scrutinizing, even dismissive. As the auction segment began, Serena smiled and raised the microphone, her voice perfectly soft. “Tonight, we’ve also invited Ms. Stella, who has been quite the topic of conversation lately.” She looked at me, deliberately slowing her speech. “Stella, I wonder what special item you’ve prepared for charity?” She emphasized the word “special.” Under everyone’s watchful eyes, I walked onto the stage, carrying only a rusty old medical kit. I placed it on a display stand draped in red velvet. A few muffled chuckles rippled through the audience. Serena wore a perfectly inquisitive expression. “This box looks quite vintage. It must have a heartbreaking story behind it, wouldn’t you say?” Her gaze subtly, almost imperceptibly, swept towards where Julian was standing, then she softly added, “I guess it might be related to a certain friend’s severe stomach hemorrhage three years ago. At the time, I was overseas, so worried. All I could do was send emergency medication. Unfortunately, I still couldn’t get there immediately…” She painted herself as a woman devotedly watching over him from afar. I stood before the display, waiting for her performance to end, before finally speaking. “Ms. Thompson certainly has a good memory.” My voice was steady, devoid of any warmth. “However, you’ve mistaken the main character.” I opened the box right there, in front of everyone. Inside were some cheap over-the-counter medicines and a few yellowed receipts. “Three years ago, Mr. Vance was rushed to the hospital with a severe stomach hemorrhage.” I stated, word by word. “The person he couldn’t reach that day was overseas. And I, his nominal wife, had no authority to access any of his funds.” “I worked three jobs simultaneously and visited over a dozen pharmacies to gather these medicines.” Serena’s face instantly crumpled. She cried out, “You’re lying! These medicines were clearly from me-” “From you?” I interrupted her, pulling a small recording device from my clutch and pressing play. A clear conversation filled the hall. “‘Doctor, if I adjust my nose a bit here, do you think I’ll look better on camera?… Location? Don’t be ridiculous, I’m right here, in the VIP room of Vance Group’s aesthetic clinic. As for social media, isn’t it normal to set your location to overseas?’” The timestamp on the recording matched the day she claimed to have “mailed medicine across the ocean,” down to the second. The entire hall fell silent. Julian, standing in the audience, his body visibly stiffened. He finally realized that the person who truly saved him at his bedside wasn’t the one he’d been pining for all along. He abruptly shoved his chair back and rushed toward the stage. “Stella, I’m sorry, I-” I didn’t even glance at him. I picked up the microphone again, my gaze falling on the old box, a cold smile curving on my lips. “This box contains my cheap and superfluous efforts.” “The auction begins now.” “Starting bid: one dollar.” As my words faded, a man who had been silently sitting in the front row slowly stood up. He shed the familiar stagehand’s jacket, revealing a meticulously tailored custom suit underneath. Under the spotlight, he looked at me, his expression unreadable. “I bid one hundred million.” A collective gasp swept through the hall. He picked up a name card from the table, letting the simple text speak for itself: Stone Group. Alex Stone. “And,” he continued, turning to meet my gaze directly, his own steady and intent, “as the majority shareholder of Stone Group, I will personally design and fund a global stand-up tour for Ms. Reed” Julian was held back by security below the stage. I didn’t look back. I placed my hand in Alex’s outstretched palm, and together we walked toward the VIP exit backstage, leaving the clamor behind us in the dark beyond the spotlight. Just before the door closed, from the direction of the underground garage, came the sudden, furious roar of an engine starting. The sound echoed, sharp and endless, in the cavernous space.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “352784”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #狼人Werewolf #重生Reborn #擦边Steamy

I’m the middle child in my family, the invisible one nobody ever sees. My older brother Marcus and younger sister Lily’s birthdays are marked on the calendar, but Mom and Dad can never remember mine. Marcus and Lily always have new outfits to wear, but Mom and Dad always forget to buy me new clothes. Marcus and Lily get Christmas presents every year, but I’ve never received a single one. And today, on our way home for the holidays on the freezing highway— with temperatures well below zero—Mom and Dad once again forgot about me at a deserted rest stop… When I came out of the rest stop bathroom, I saw Marcus and Lily getting into the car. I was about to follow when the car started up and drove away. I ran after them, shouting at the top of my lungs: “Dad! Mom! I’m not in the car yet!” But the car quickly turned and merged into traffic, until I couldn’t see it anymore. I stared at where the traffic had disappeared, my lips trembling as I repeated quietly: “Dad, Mom, I’m not in the car yet…” My voice was as thin as a wisp of smoke, torn apart by the bitter wind the moment it left my mouth, scattering across the empty rest stop. The next second, the last traces of shock and unwillingness in my heart were covered by a cold numbness. I slowly withdrew my gaze and looked around. The enormous rest stop was terrifyingly quiet. Under the dim yellow streetlights, the sky was completely white. There wasn’t a soul in sight. In the distance on the highway, traffic roared past, headlights forming blurred ribbons of light, but not a single car stopped for me. I didn’t dare move around. My feet felt like they were filled with lead, rooted to the spot, as I clung to a faint glimmer of hope. Maybe Mom and Dad hadn’t driven far. Maybe they’d realize I wasn’t in the car and turn right around to find me. I gripped the corner of my jacket, staring at where the car had disappeared, over and over willing that familiar white sedan to appear. It kept getting colder. The chill seemed to seep into the cracks of my bones, freezing me from the inside out. My toes were already numb, gradually losing all feeling. My cheeks were red and aching from the wind. Tears welled up in my eyes, but I didn’t dare let them fall. I knew that even if I cried, no one would come to comfort me. Unable to withstand the bone-chilling wind any longer, I could only turn and shuffle toward the bathroom. Compared to the open outdoors, the bathroom could at least block some of the wind. In the silent bathroom, there was only the sound of my shallow breathing and the howling wind outside the window. All those deliberately ignored grievances now surged over me like a tide, completely drowning me. I remembered last year on my birthday—everyone forgot. It wasn’t until three days later when Mom saw the calendar that she remembered. She hurriedly made a cake. But for Marcus’s birthday, the whole family had gone to his favorite amusement park. The custom-made cake even had “Our Pride” written on it. Lily’s birthday was even more extravagant—she’d invited her entire kindergarten class, and presents were piled up like a small mountain. Ever since I was little, Marcus has been praised as smart, the family’s future support. Lily has been doted on as the little ray of sunshine. And me? “Parker is such a good boy, never causes trouble.” That was my label—like a faint pattern on wallpaper. Present, but never noticed. I don’t know how long I sat in that bathroom. The warmth from my body gradually faded, and I started feeling cold again. Just as I was about to lose consciousness from the cold, I heard light footsteps outside the door. My heart jumped. I immediately perked up, instinctively raising my head, eyes locked on the doorway. Could it be Mom and Dad?

Had they finally realized I wasn’t in the car and come back for me? The door creaked open. But the person who walked in was a stranger—a man wearing a thick down jacket. The light in my eyes instantly dimmed. A self-mocking smile tugged at my lips. I was overthinking things again. The man was clearly surprised to see me. He probably hadn’t expected to find a young boy sitting alone in such a remote rest stop bathroom. He looked me up and down, his tone gentle as he asked: “Kid, are you here by yourself? Where are your parents?” At the mention of my parents, my nose stung. I held back the tears in my eyes, my voice hoarse: “Sir, my… my parents forgot me here. Could I borrow your phone to call them?” The man’s face filled with sympathy. He immediately pulled out his phone and handed it to me, urging: “Go ahead, call them. It’s freezing out here—we can’t have you getting sick.” I took the phone. My fingers were so stiff from the cold that I kept pressing the wrong numbers. After finally entering my home phone number correctly, I took a deep breath and pressed the call button. The dial tone rang in my ear, each beep hammering against my heart with anxiety and hope. But the ringing ended without anyone picking up. My hand holding the phone trembled slightly. That small spark of hope grew a few degrees colder. The man beside me spoke softly to comfort me: “Don’t worry. Maybe the signal’s bad. Try calling again.” I nodded. My fingertips pressed redial, my ear pressed tightly against the phone as I prayed that this time, I’d hear my parents’ voices. The waiting tone in the receiver felt endlessly long. My breathing rose and fell with each ring. On the seventh ring, the call finally connected. Mom’s voice came through, muffled by wind noise and car music: “Hello?” My tense nerves suddenly relaxed. My eyes instantly burned with heat. All the grievance and fear caught in my throat. My voice was so hoarse it barely sounded human: “Mom… I didn’t get in the car. You forgot me at the rest stop.” The moment I finished speaking, Mom’s rebuttal came crashing down on me, her tone full of impatient certainty: “That’s impossible! Before we left, I specifically asked if everyone was here. Marcus and Lily both told me yes. How could we have left you behind?” The phone went briefly silent. I could imagine Mom turning to look at the back seat. Those few seconds of silence made my heart colder than the freezing wind. I thought I’d hear her panic and guilt, but what came instead was sharp accusation: “What’s wrong with you, child? Why didn’t you say something earlier if you weren’t getting in!” “Couldn’t you have shouted for us then? Why wait until we’d driven far away to call? You’re just causing problems!” The cold blame was like needles, bursting the last bubble of my expectations. I bit down hard on my lower lip, forcing the tears in my eyes back down, my voice trembling uncontrollably: “I did shout… I ran after you shouting, but you didn’t hear me. The car just turned and drove away.” My defense made Mom pause for a moment. The silence was fleeting before she found another reason to scold me: “Well, isn’t that because you’re so slow!” “I told you to hurry up, but you just dragged your feet. Now we’ve already passed the toll booth—we can’t just turn around on the highway! How are we supposed to come back for you?” Then Marcus’s voice came through the phone, dripping with schadenfreude: “See? It’s his own fault for being so slow! I even tried to rush him, but he had to be all sluggish about it. Now look what happened.” I gripped the phone so tightly my knuckles turned white. Anger and hurt swirled in my chest. He was the one who’d cut in front of me in line, making me wait again. But now he was saying it was my fault. Next, Lily’s childish but cutting voice chimed in, full of spoiled willfulness: “Mom, Dad, I don’t want to go back! I want to hurry to Grandma’s and eat chicken drumsticks!” Just as I was about to break down in tears, Dad’s deep voice came through the phone. His tone held no warmth—just detached arrangements: “Enough arguing. Your Uncle James is also driving to the old hometown today. He’s going the same way as us.” “Just wait at that rest stop. Don’t wander around. When he arrives, get in his car and come home.” “But Dad, I don’t remember Uncle’s car. When will they—” Before I could finish, the line went dead with a cold dial tone.

I held the phone, standing there in a daze. Tears finally fell, splattering onto the cold phone screen, instantly turning ice-cold. The man beside me patted my shoulder gently and sighed: “Kid, don’t be sad. How about you come to my place first? You can call your parents from there and have them pick you up.” “My place is just off the next exit—it’s not on your way, otherwise I’d give you a ride.” I thought about how impatient Mom and Dad had sounded. I declined the man’s kind offer. “Sir, that’s okay. Thank you. My parents said my uncle will be here soon to pick me up. I’ll just wait for him here.” It was a holiday. Mom and Dad probably didn’t want to turn around and make the trip back for me. Uncle James and I weren’t close normally. Making him go out of his way to pick me up—he definitely wouldn’t be happy about it either. The man looked like he wanted to say more, but his phone rang in his pocket—probably someone traveling with him calling. He looked at me with worried eyes, then pulled several fancy-wrapped chocolates from his down jacket pocket and pressed them into my hands. He went back to his car and brought me a beige blanket, wrapping it around my shoulders: “Keep this blanket on—it’ll help you stay warm. Eat the chocolate so you don’t get too hungry. If you wait too long and no one comes, borrow someone else’s phone and call your parents again. Whatever you do, don’t wander off.” I nodded hard, choking out “Thank you, sir.” His hurried figure disappeared through the doorway. The empty rest stop was just me again. The cold wind still squeezed through the cracks in the door. But my shoulders, wrapped in the blanket, gradually felt warmer. My stomach growled with hunger. I unwrapped one chocolate and gently bit off a small piece. I couldn’t bear to eat more. I carefully folded up the remaining chocolate and put it in my pocket, thinking that if I had to wait too long, I could rely on this to get by. I pulled the small blanket tighter around me and instinctively tugged at my clothes. Underneath, I was wearing an old sweater Marcus had discarded last year. The collar had become loose and misshapen from washing. The cuffs had frayed threads. This was what Marcus didn’t want anymore last year. Mom said it was still wearable, so she gave it to me. But this year, Marcus was wearing a newly bought gray suit with a blue bow tie, making him look like a little prince. Lily’s down jacket was brand new too—pink, making her look like a little princess. Only me, wearing Marcus’s hand-me-downs, like a dull gray shadow. Afraid Uncle James might drive past without seeing me, I had to grit my teeth and leave the bathroom, standing back out in the cold wind. The streetlight glow grew dimmer. The sky gradually darkened. The distant sky turned deep gray. Sparse snowflakes began to fall. Landing on my hair, on my shoulders, instantly melting into cold water stains. I stared at where the cars were coming from. When my feet went numb from the cold, I’d stomp them. When my hands got stiff, I’d tuck them inside the blanket and rub them together. Over and over, I prayed in my heart for Uncle James to hurry up and arrive. Passing cars drove by one after another. The headlights made my eyes blur, but not a single car stopped at the rest stop. The snowflakes fell heavier and heavier, accumulating in a thin layer on the blanket. I pulled the blanket even tighter. The sweet taste of chocolate had long since faded, leaving only anxiety and cold filling my heart. I didn’t know how much longer I’d have to wait. I didn’t know if Uncle James would really remember to come pick me up. I just felt like this freezing wind was about to turn me into ice in this vast, empty rest stop.

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I used to believe Julian and I had a love that could weather any season, sharing both sweetness and hardship. When he bought me that one dollar comb, I would be moved to tears. That was until the day I saw him step out of a luxury sports car, surrounded by an entourage, and walk into a private club. Only then did I realize my three years of devotion were just an elaborate performance, a long con to win over the true object of his obsession, his first love. So when he handed me that cheap comb again, I replied with a calm voice, “Thanks.” Then, I quietly submitted my application for the academic research program. Aurora POV “Professor Hayes, I’ve made up my mind.” My voice was flat. A few seconds of silence hung on the line. “The Pathfinder Project is a fully enclosed research program, requiring a seven-year uninterrupted commitment. Aurora, are you sure? What about your boyfriend…?” “I’m sure,” I cut him off. “I’ve decided to break up with him.” As soon as the words left my lips, the lock turned. I hung up immediately, without a second thought. Julian pushed the door open, saw me putting my phone down, and casually asked, “Who were you chatting with?” “A friend.” I slipped my phone into my pocket. He didn’t seem suspicious. He pulled a small box from his jacket’s inner pocket and handed it to me. It was another wooden comb. The cheap wood reeked of acrid paint, hitting me like a slap. It seemed like these cheap trinkets were all he ever gave me. “Do you like it?” he asked. I took it, opened the box, and glanced inside. “Thanks.” I offered only a calm word of gratitude. Julian’s movements faltered. The old me would have instantly hugged him, my eyes welling up, calling him silly, telling him I worried about him wasting his money. But today, I couldn’t muster any reaction. I just watched him, expressionless. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “Nothing,” I said, putting the comb back in its box. “Just… I feel bad about you spending. Aren’t we supposed to be saving up? For a house and our wedding after graduation?” His expression visibly relaxed. He reached out to ruffle my hair, just like he always did, his voice softening. “Got it.” He turned and headed into the bathroom. I heard the shower start a moment later. A few minutes passed before I walked into the bathroom, pretending to get a towel. His clothes lay in the laundry basket, his phone on the sink counter. The screen suddenly lit up. A new message popped up. It was from Tiffany Sinclair. The content was brief: “Thanks for the clover brooch.” A photo was attached below it. My gaze drifted from the phone screen to the small wooden box on the dresser. Inside, the $1 comb lay silently, a stark contrast. Steam filled the bathroom, fogging the mirror. I stared at my blurry reflection, a humorless smile twisting my lips. Actually, I had learned the truth a week ago. That afternoon, I was working my part-time job at a coffee shop. At 3 PM, Julian Vance, who was supposedly working at a used bookstore across town, appeared at the entrance of the private club opposite the coffee shop. A silver-gray sports car pulled up. He stepped out of the driver’s seat. He was wearing a perfectly tailored dark suit, completely unlike the faded, worn-out T-shirts and jeans he usually wore. At the club entrance, people quickly greeted him, surrounding him. I stood by the floor-to-ceiling window on the second floor, watching him disappear inside. Half an hour later, I went downstairs to the breakroom for water. The hallway was quiet, but a few art students were chatting, and I heard every word. “Wasn’t that Julian who just went in? The heir to that huge family?” “Didn’t he always say he was working odd jobs for living expenses?” “Working? Please. That’s called ‘slumming it’ for him. He’s been playing the poor student act for three years, all for Tiffany’s sake.” “Isn’t Tiffany with another guy?” “That’s why he’s copying him. They’re seeing who can endure more by finding someone even poorer and more ‘ordinary.’ Aurora Lee is the perfect example, isn’t she?” Ordinary. I thought of all the gifts he’d given me. Wooden combs, braided bracelets, cheap earrings… All of it combined probably cost less than $300. For three years, we’d shared a cramped and stuffy rental apartment. I always believed it was a love forged in shared struggles and simple joys. But now I knew, it was just a carefully orchestrated, three-year-long performance. A rich kid’s elaborate show, designed to provoke the woman he truly desired. Even more ridiculous, Tiffany and I used to be friends. She always looked at me with a complicated expression, listening to me recount our humble yet sweet daily life, saying I worked too hard. Now I understood. That wasn’t sympathy. It was pity. That winter, the first snow fell. I excitedly called him, wanting him to come out and watch the snow with me, just like we did when we first got together. The phone rang for a long time, unanswered. I stood alone under that old tree, all night long. Snow settled on me. When I went back, I fell ill. For an entire week, he didn’t send a single message or make a single call. After I recovered, for some inexplicable reason, I found myself scrolling through Tiffany’s Ins feed. The latest post was a photo. In the picture, a familiar hand was peeling an orange for her. That hand… I knew it all too well. That faint scar on his ring finger… I’d traced it countless times. The caption was just one line: “Turns out someone still cares for me.” The sound of water in the bathroom stopped. Julian walked out, wrapped in a towel, his hair still dripping. I had already returned to my desk, turned off my phone screen, and picked up a book, pretending nothing had happened.

Aurora POV When I came out of the shower, Julian was leaning against the headboard, looking at his phone. Seeing me, he put his phone down, pulled me into his arms, and his kisses were already on my neck. But I felt nothing. The old me would have hugged him back, kissed him passionately. Now, I just felt a little sick. “I’m not feeling so great,” I said. “Don’t really feel like it tonight. Let’s just get some sleep.” He glanced at me, then didn’t press the issue. “Get some rest.” “Mm.” The next morning, I started packing. The couple’s mugs with our initials, sitting on the shelf, went straight into a trash bag. Next were two matching plaid shirts; I didn’t bother folding them, just crumpled them into a ball and shoved them into the bin. The couple’s keychains hanging by the entrance – I took my keys off the table and tossed the clumsy little bear charms away. All the paired items, one by one, I cleared them out. “What are you doing?” Julian frowned, watching me. I looked back at him, my voice flat. “Everything’s old. Time for new things.” With that, I picked up the trash bag and walked out. The door softly closed behind me. I went downstairs to throw out the garbage, and my landlady, Mrs. Davis, called. “Aurora, what’s going on with you and Julian? Why are you suddenly saying you’re moving out?” Her voice was urgent, with the sounds of cooking in the background. “Something came up. We won’t be living here anymore.” I walked under a tree, looking up at the sunlight filtering through the leaves. “Can’t you two just talk things out? Couples argue, it’s normal,” she began to persuade me. “Julian is such a good guy. Remember that popular bakery? The line was so long, but he waited two hours for you, came back drenched in sweat. And your old desk lamp was completely broken, but he fixed it for you, didn’t he? A boyfriend like that is really rare, you should think carefully.” I listened, but didn’t respond. Yes. So good. Good enough to fix a cheap old desk lamp with his own hands, just to make me believe in his sincerity, all part of his act. Waiting in line for two hours? Probably because Tiffany liked that bakery. I couldn’t help but feel ironic. “We’re really over,” I cut her off, my voice firm. “Please handle the move-out process according to the contract. As for the deposit, just follow the standard policy.” With that, I hung up the phone. When I returned to the rental, Julian was already dressed and changing his shoes. Just then, my phone rang. Tiffany’s name flashed on the screen. I answered, putting it on speaker. “Aurora…” Her voice on the other end was tearful. “Mason and I had a fight. I really can’t take it anymore. Can you please come stay with me…?” Julian’s hand, tying his shoelaces, froze. He turned his head, his gaze fixed on my phone, his body unconsciously leaning forward a step. I saw his reaction clearly, and my heart sank. I spoke into the phone, deliberately slowing my pace, softening my voice. “Don’t rush, tell me slowly. What happened? I have a few things to do here, can I come see you this afternoon, okay?” Before I even finished, Julian urgently cut me off. “Go now.” He lowered his voice, but it was laced with urgency and command. Seeing me just look at him, he seemed to realize his lapse, and added, “She’s alone and her emotions are unstable. It wouldn’t be good if something happened. I’ll drive you.” I watched him calmly. Watched the urgency on his face that he hadn’t quite managed to hide, watched his undisguised concern for another woman. “Aren’t you supposed to be working at that used bookstore across town this morning?”

Aurora POV Julian clearly froze. “The store’s doing inventory today, so we’re closed.” His lie tumbled out, so quickly he barely had time to think. He couldn’t meet my eyes. As soon as the words were out, he turned, grabbed the keys from behind the door, and urged, “Come on, let’s go, don’t waste any more time.” He pulled my wrist out the door and onto a creaky old bicycle. I knew he’d bought that bike for fifty bucks from a graduating senior; it was just one of his props for maintaining his ‘poor student’ image. The wind was strong, blowing straight into my collar. Sitting on the back, I clearly saw that in his haste, he’d buttoned the top two buttons of his shirt incorrectly, his collar askew, lending him a look of disheveled absurdity. But he was oblivious, putting all his strength into his legs, pedaling furiously toward Tiffany’s apartment. Bouncing on the bumpy back seat, watching his slightly hunched back, the past three years suddenly flooded my mind. Countless times, he’d done this, using the excuse that “loving me means loving my friends” to drag me along to clean up Tiffany’s messes. Tiffany’s cat got lost, he stayed up all night helping her search; Tiffany’s computer broke, he rushed over in heavy rain to fix it; Tiffany wanted to see a concert, he’d always manage to get two of the best tickets, then bring me along, calling it “accompanying her together.” Each time, he’d offer the most righteous-sounding reasons. “She’s your best friend. If I take care of her a bit more, you’ll be more at ease.” I truly believed him back then, even feeling touched that I had such a considerate boyfriend. But now, sitting on this familiar old bike, feeling his frantic anxiety for another woman, I only found it utterly laughable. Tiffany’s apartment was a mess. She lived in the most luxurious apartment building downtown, her monthly rent more than ten times ours. Right now, in this expensive space, designer bags and clothes were strewn everywhere. Tiffany sat on the costly wool rug, barefoot, her exquisite makeup smeared with tears, crying. Julian, seeing the scene the moment he entered, instantly filled with concern. He completely forgot I was behind him, strode over, knelt down, picked up a slipper nearby, and gently put it on her foot. Then, he pulled out tissues, carefully wiping her tears, his voice lowered, full of coaxing. “There, there, stop crying. Your eyes will get all puffy.” Under his coaxing, Tiffany’s sobs gradually subsided, and she leaned into his shoulder. I stood by the doorway, quietly watching this tender scene, quickly figuring out the cause. She was crying simply because her boyfriend, Mason Stone, wouldn’t buy her the latest limited edition platinum handbag. I saw through it instantly: it was just her usual rich-girl tantrum, her go-to tactic to manipulate her boyfriend. I watched, stone-faced, as Julian pulled out all the stops, from telling lame jokes to brewing herbal tea, to promising to “teach” Mason Stone a lesson, finally managing to make Tiffany laugh through her tears. To make her completely happy, Julian suggested taking her out to sea for a change of scenery. On the private dock’s yacht, as soon as we boarded, a server greeted us with champagne. Tiffany immediately became a princess surrounded by admirers, joyfully soaking in the flattery from Julian’s wealthy friends. “Tiffany, you look stunning today!” “Julian, you’re too good to her! To make you happy, he even booked Mr. Qin’s yacht!” Tiffany’s face bloomed into a radiant smile again, fully enjoying the queen-like treatment Julian had arranged for her. I was squeezed to a corner at the stern of the boat. My foot accidentally caught on a rope, and I nearly fell. I steadied myself, gripping the cold railing, and looked up. Everyone’s focus was on Tiffany and Julian. No one noticed my presence. As evening fell, the yacht sailed into open waters. The wind on deck grew stronger. Tiffany complained about the cold, snuggling into Julian’s arms like a spoiled child. Julian immediately took off his suit jacket and thoughtfully draped it over her. I was also cold. My cold hadn’t completely cleared, so I could only stand a few steps away, quietly pulling my thin jacket tighter. A huge wave suddenly crashed, hitting the side of the boat, splashing a large spray of water. Julian instinctively turned, shielding Tiffany completely with his body, blocking all the splashing seawater. I stood right behind him and was drenched from head to toe. Icy seawater dripped from my hair, soaking my shirt, which clung tightly to my skin. My lingering cold immediately worsened, and I shivered uncontrollably. I looked up and saw Julian looking down at Tiffany with concern, gently asking if she was startled, or if she got wet. From the moment we stepped into Tiffany’s apartment, Julian’s gaze had continuously revolved around her. Not once, not even for a second, had it fallen on me. I was like a ghost, completely invisible in his world.

Aurora POV Night fell. Above the yacht, hundreds of drones ascended, performing a spectacular light show for Tiffany against the night sky. Shimmering, colorful patterns transformed in the air, from roses to dolphins, eliciting gasps of surprise from the deck. Tiffany shrieked with delight, grabbing Julian’s arm excitedly. I knew this was Julian’s arrangement. Finally, the drones formed a giant heart in the night sky. In the middle of the heart was Tiffany’s name. The atmosphere on deck reached a climax, everyone started cheering and catcalling. The light show hadn’t even finished when Tiffany’s phone rang. It was Mason Stone. Her face lit up with a smile as she answered, speaking softly and sweetly into the phone. She ignored Julian’s movements beside her, disregarded him completely, and hurried off the yacht, holding up her skirt. As soon as she left, the group of friends dispersed. The smile Julian had prepared for her froze on his face, then vanished. He irritably grabbed a champagne glass from the table and smashed it onto the deck. He turned around, then noticed I was still standing there. He immediately composed himself, quickly walked over, and pulled me into his embrace. “Pretty, isn’t it?” he asked, referring to the lights in the sky. Over his shoulder, I looked at the fading pattern in the sky, softly hummed in agreement, then pushed him away with little strength. “Make a wish,” I said, looking up at the gradually dispersing drones, breaking the awkward silence. Julian paused, then followed my suggestion, closing his eyes and pressing his palms together. A few seconds later, he opened his eyes and looked at me. “I wish for Aurora and me to be together forever, to graduate smoothly, and to get married smoothly.” I mimicked his posture, closed my eyes, and made a silent wish: I wished that after I left Julian, he and I would never cross paths again, for the rest of our lives.. “What did you wish for?” “If I say it out loud, it won’t come true.” The next day, I went to the university administration and signed the confidentiality agreement for the Pathfinder Project. The day after that, I resigned from my part-time job at the translation company. Just before my shift ended, my supervisor handed me a Manila envelope and asked me to deliver an urgent package to an important client. The address led to a mansion in the hills. I took a bus for over an hour, then walked twenty minutes along a winding mountain road before finding the grand, carved iron gate. I tidied my sweat-dampened collar and pressed the doorbell. A few seconds later, the heavy gate slid silently open. It was Julian who opened the door. He stood there in soft silk loungewear, his hair still damp. This version of him was a stranger, utterly different from the confident man he had been last night and from the guy who wore cheap T shirts every day. When he saw me, his entire body froze.

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The day I had my traumatic delivery, Damon Thorne was globe-trotting with his mistress. When he finally came back, he just handed me divorce papers. “Sign them, Ashley. I specifically waited until you recovered before bringing up the divorce. That’s pretty considerate of me, right? By the way, I don’t want the kid, cuz Serena will give me plenty of kids later.” I didn’t say a word. Just took the pen and signed. Besides, I had my own wedding to get to, with the man I actually loved. Three months later, right after my wedding, the hospital administration called me back for an emergency. Apparently, the female patient suffered a rupture of the corpus luteum following sexual intercourse with multiple partners. I pushed open the door and took one look. And wouldn’t you know it? Lying on the operating table was none other than my ex-husband’s mistress. I looked down, carefully checking the patient’s name. Serena. I’d really thought Damon found some perfect, pure love. Turns out his taste runs a little… wilder than I’d imagined. I remembered the day I gave birth. I’d hemorrhaged badly due to complications during labor. The doctors kept frantically calling for my family. But Damon’s phone remained unreachable. Photos of him and Serena, cozying up in and out of hotels, were plastered all over social media. I nearly died that day. When I finally woke up, Damon appeared. His face held a hint of impatience. “Ashley, why do you always have to make such a mess of yourself? You’re an Oxford-educated doctor, for crying out loud. Did you have to have this baby for me? I don’t even like it. Your idea of using a child to secure your place is just pathetic.” He hadn’t even finished speaking when his phone rang. He answered it without a hint of hesitation. “Serena…” The voice on the other end cut him off. “Damon, is my birthday surprise ready? You said you were just going to check on that old hag at the hospital. It’s been half an hour, why aren’t you back yet? I heard she even hemorrhaged? Damon, hurry back. Don’t let her problems get to you.” Damon chuckled. “Only Serena cares about me. I’m coming right back. The birthday gift has been ready for ages. I promise you’ll be screaming my name so loud you won’t be able to walk straight for days!” Damon walked out as he spoke, not sparing me another glance. Of course, it never occurred to him to even look at our child. Thankfully, I wasn’t too heartbroken. After confirming the baby was perfectly fine, I could finally talk to Mr. Hayes, Damon’s grandfather, about the promise we made. I called him myself. “Mr. Hayes, the baby is safe. May I leave now?” My marriage to Damon was forced by his grandfather. I originally refused, but that very night, my parents were in a car accident. While not life-threatening, I couldn’t refuse anymore. Mr. Hayes had promised that if I gave them a worthy heir, he wouldn’t stand in the way of a divorce. The truth was, I’d had a boyfriend for ten years at that point. He knew the truth and had been waiting for me all this time. After my call, Mr. Hayes sighed. “I’ve seen the news these past few days. A forced relationship never thrives, so I’ll let you go. But you’re still weak, so I’ve arranged for a professional nursing team. Please recover fully before you leave.”

Serena’s screams pulled me back to reality. I quickly assessed her condition. Severe lacerations down there, with a nasty infection already setting in. There were even signs of tissue necrosis. This was way trickier than I’d anticipated. She was convulsing from the pain but still swearing. “Idiots! All of you are useless! You can’t even handle a little scratch like this? I’ll have this hospital shut down by tomorrow, I swear!” “And those damn men! None of them are any good! They get their fun and bolt, leaving me here to suffer! Once I get out of here, I’m going to rip them apart!” I put on my sterile gloves, my face expressionless. “Ms. Serena, you need immediate surgical debridement.” As soon as she heard “surgery,” she ignored her pain and continued to curse. “Surgery? Who gave you permission to use a knife? I’m warning you, if you dare leave even one scar on me, you’ll regret it! I’m supposed to wear a designer gown! I’m marrying into a rich family!” She glared at me, her eyes vicious. “Are you doing this on purpose? Trying to ruin me, are you? I’ll have you know, my fiancé is practically a billionaire! He could have all of you fired with a single phone call!” I cut her off. “It’s too early to worry about that. If we don’t operate immediately, the infection will spread. Forget getting married, you could lose your ability to have kids permanently. Hell, you could even die.” I was simply stating the facts objectively. For patients like her, sympathy was useless. The nurse beside me handed over the consent form, and Serena snatched it, tearing it into tiny pieces. She shrieked hysterically, “Sign what?! No! I’m not signing anything! You quacks are trying to ruin me! I’ll sue you all! I’ll make sure you lose your licenses and your careers!” Suddenly, as if remembering something, her eyes turned venomous, glaring at me. “Who the hell are you? You think you’re good enough to operate on me? Get your chief of surgery in here, now! Or my fiancé will tear this whole damn hospital down!” If my job wasn’t to save lives, I wouldn’t bother with her. I wasn’t in the mood to waste time talking. “Honey, I’m probably the only doctor in this whole hospital qualified to be your lead surgeon. Now, where’s your family? Someone needs to sign this.” At the mention of family, Serena clearly panicked. “Family? I don’t need family. I can make my own decisions.” “Just do the surgery! If you delay my recovery, can you bear the consequences?” I reminded her again. “By protocol, surgery requires a family member’s signature. Where is your fiancé?” Serena’s face twisted. “You’d all better keep your mouths shut. If a single word about this gets out, I’ll make sure you regret it for the rest of your miserable lives!” I raised an eyebrow, but didn’t press further. I’d seen this kind of thing too many times in the hospital. I simply placed the consent form in front of her. “Think fast, make a decision soon. Time’s ticking. After I’m done saving your life, I still need to go back and finish my wedding…” My words were cut off by a man’s voice suddenly coming from behind me. “Married? Who are you marrying? You’re getting married just three months after our divorce?!”

Damon, flanked by four black-suited bodyguards, blocked the operating room doorway. His designer suit accentuated his lean, powerful build, and he radiated an intimidating presence. “Ashley, did you hear me talking to you?” “What? Only three months divorced and you don’t recognize your ex-husband?” His gaze swept past me, and before I could answer, his face immediately changed when he saw Serena on the operating table. Serena lay there with an oxygen tube, her face deathly pale. Damon’s eyes instantly filled with heartache, and the icy chill in his voice was directed right at me. “Ashley, what did you do to her?! She was perfectly fine when she left this morning! What are you people pulling behind my back?!” Serena weakly lifted a hand, reaching for Damon. “Damon! She’s trying to kill me!” Her voice was raw and broken. “She was stirring a scalpel in my stomach! She even said, ‘One more cut, and you’ll never have kids again!’ I begged her to stop, but she just kept going, I thought I was going to die from the pain…” Before she could finish, she suddenly coughed violently, her chest heaving. The monitor began to emit a sharp alarm. She gasped for air, then shrieked with all her strength, “It’s your ex-wife, Damon! Damon, she’s just jealous! Jealous that I can give you children, jealous that I’m going to be Mrs. Thorne!” I raised my hand, tossing the blood-stained gauze into the medical waste bin. Then I picked up the surgical record and slowly waved it in front of Damon. “Mr. Thorne, a ruptured abscess in her lower region led to sepsis. If your fiancée had arrived forty minutes later, she’d be in the morgue right now.” Before Damon could take it, Serena snatched it away. “Damon, she’s lying! She’s deliberately framing me! Because she knows you divorced her for me, she’s using her position to get revenge!” Serena yanked out the IV needle on the back of her hand. “Damon, look! She deliberately missed the vein, and she left bruises all over my body, even on my neck!” “She even threatened me! She said she’d send my medical records to all the media, so everyone would know that you married a woman inferior to her!” I turned my head to look at Serena. She did indeed have bruises all over her body. But these were already there when she arrived at the hospital. Clearly, they were marks of passion. Damon hugged her, then stomped on the surgical record lying on the floor. “Ashley, you tried to blackmail me into marrying you using Grandpa’s medication and failed. Now you want to destroy Serena?” He scoffed. “St. Jude’s Hospital? And you think you’re fit to work here? It seems I was too lenient with you when we divorced, letting you get away with touching my woman. Ashley, clearly you haven’t learned what happens when you cross Damon.” As he finished speaking, two bodyguards quickly stepped forward and twisted my arms behind my back. I was forced down in front of Damon and Serena. I looked up at him, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “Damon, aren’t you curious why she’s so desperate not to have surgery?” The bodyguards tightened the restraints on my hands, the straps cutting into my skin, sending sharp pain through my body. I was still recovering from a traumatic childbirth and was even still breastfeeding; I was far from healed. The bending motion made my abdominal pain flare up. Cold sweat beaded on my forehead as I forced out each word, “She has seventeen handsome men contacts saved in her phone. Last week, she was with three different guys in hotels. Go ahead, call your private doctor, and ask him how serious a ‘promiscuous’ lifestyle can be!”

“You’re lying! You’re trying to frame me!” Serena finished, tears streaming down her face, as she burrowed into Damon’s embrace, looking utterly wronged. She sobbed, “Damon, she’s gone too far, using her position as a doctor here to spread false accusations about me! You know I’ve always been with you. How could I have anything to do with other men, let alone get infected with some virus! Damon, are you just going to let her bully me like this? You have to get revenge for me…” Damon’s face grew darker and darker as she accused me. “Drag her to the underground freezer! No one is to let her out without my order!” The bodyguards dragged me towards the fire escape. I struggled, but their grip only tightened. The pain made the stairs seem to wobble before my eyes. “Damon! You’ll live to regret not believing me!” Behind me, Serena’s sobs grew louder. “Damon, make her disappear quickly. I don’t want to see her again. If she finds out we’re getting married soon, she’ll definitely try to ruin our wedding.” Damon soothed her. “Shh, baby, trust me. I won’t let anything happen to our wedding. You’ll be the most beautiful bride in the world.” “…” The freezer door slowly swung shut. Inside, at negative fifteen degrees Celsius, the cold pierced my body like a thousand icy needles. I curled up next to the freezer unit, pounding on the door. “Damon, let me out! This is illegal! You’re breaking the law! Let me out, now!” My flimsy surgical gown offered no protection against the biting cold, and my vision began to blur. I don’t know how long passed, but suddenly, Damon’s voice echoed in my ears. “Have you learned your lesson? Will you dare to do it again? Ashley, don’t think for a second that just because you gave birth to a child for me, you can mess with my woman. Today, you’re going to learn what happens when you cross me.” Damon stood outside the freezer room, holding Serena in his arms, princess-style. She was bundled in Damon’s suit jacket, her face still ghostly pale, but a flicker of calculation danced in her eyes. Serena snuggled closer into Damon’s arms. “Damon, it’s so cold here. Do you think she’ll freeze to death?” I’d seen her report. I knew her condition was critical. She should worry about herself, and how much longer she had to live, instead of me. “But she’s so mean, she made me suffer so much. A little freezing is what she deserves.” Serena looked up at Damon, her tone laced with feigned fear. “I’m really scared she’ll get out and retaliate against me. In the operating room earlier, the way she looked at me was terrifying, like she wanted to devour me alive.” Damon held her, glancing at me, his voice hard. “With me here, she can’t touch you.” Serena’s eyes welled up again. “But I’m afraid she’ll hold a grudge and spread rumors about my private life being ‘improper.’ Everything she said earlier was obviously made up. She’s just jealous of me, deliberately slandering me…” “It wouldn’t be good if it affected you and Thorne Industries.” “Damon, please don’t believe her nonsense. You’re the only one for me. She just wants to stir up trouble between us so she can get back with you.” My teeth chattered slightly from the cold, my whole body ached, and my brain was starting to shut down. “Serena… why don’t you unlock your phone for Damon… let him check your hotel records from last week…” “Shut up!” Serena shrieked, her voice suddenly much louder. “Damon, look! She’s still spouting lies! I didn’t do anything! She’s framing me!” She deliberately leaned further into Damon’s embrace, accidentally snagging her wrist on a bruise, and instantly cried out. “Ah… it hurts… Damon, I don’t want to hear her voice anymore!” Damon’s eyes grew colder, and he commanded, “Set the temperature to the absolute lowest. Let’s see if she still feels like running her mouth.” The bodyguard at the door immediately complied. The cold intensified abruptly, and white frost condensed on the metal cabinet walls. A metallic taste filled my mouth, and my fingernails scraped a raw, grating sound against the icy metal wall of the freezer. Just as my vision started to black out… Damon’s final warning echoed in my ears. “Ashley, when you learn to behave, I’ll let you out. Otherwise, you’ll never leave.” My consciousness began to fade, my whole body frozen and immobile. I used my last ounce of strength to speak. “Damon… let me out…” But he just turned and walked away with Serena in his arms. Just as they were about to leave, the corridor door was violently thrown open. Nurse Davis burst in, a stack of lab reports clutched in her hand, her voice frantic: “Serena’s HIV test came back positive! All instruments in the operating room must be destroyed immediately!” She slammed the papers down. “You’ve all been exposed to her blood! Get yourselves to PEP treatment now, before it’s too late!” Damon’s hand instantly froze in mid-air, the color draining completely from his face. “What did you say?! How is that possible?!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “352403”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #狼人Werewolf #重生Reborn

The night before my wedding, Liam Caldwell’s adopted sister, Chloe, suddenly turned pale and nauseous. He frantically scooped her up and rushed her to the hospital. Half an hour later, my phone rang. “She’s pregnant,” Liam’s voice was disturbingly calm. I was about to offer congratulations, but then he continued, “It’s mine…That night, she’d just broken up with her boyfriend. She was drenched and shivering from the cold. I just held her to keep warm, I never expected…” “We need to keep this from Mom and Dad. I’m bringing her home to take care of her. We’ll figure things out after the baby is born.” “The wedding will have to be postponed for a year. You can go explain and apologize to the guests.” My throat tightened. I couldn’t squeeze out a single word. He continued, “Oh, and one more thing. You need to quit your job immediately. Chloe needs someone to look after her. We can’t have any accidents in these next few months.” I suddenly chuckled, “Alright.” He hung up, satisfied. But he had no idea, I’d made a bet with someone else. If I wasn’t married by my thirtieth birthday, I’d marry him. And today? Today was my thirtieth birthday.

Maybe my calmness was too abnormal. Just three seconds after he hung up, Liam called again. “Ava, I’m so sorry. I know I was wrong first. But you have to believe me, I only see Chloe as my sister. The baby was truly an accident.” I gave a self-deprecating laugh. “Such tender sibling affection. Stripping down in bed to keep warm? How touching.” The other end of the line went silent for a beat, then I heard his resigned sigh. “I understand you’re angry. You can curse me, hit me. But Chloe is still in school, unmarried and pregnant, and can’t reveal who the father is…” “She’s an orphan. Even though Mom and Dad adopted her as their own daughter, the Caldwell family would never accept this. They’d definitely kick her out.” “So I was hoping, you could claim the baby as yours. Since you’re quitting your job and staying home anyway, no one would suspect it’s not yours.” I tilted my head back, forcing the tears welling in my eyes to retreat. My voice came out dry and rough. “Liam, maybe we shouldn’t get married after all.” “Not get married?” He fell silent for a few seconds, then suddenly roared, “Ava, are you kidding me? Didn’t you say we’d been together for five years, and you were hounding me to set a wedding date as soon as possible?” “Now everyone in our social circle knows you’re my fiancée. Do you think marriage is a game? Ava, when did you become so stubborn?” I could almost see his forehead creased in a frown. Sure enough, the next second I heard him threaten, “Ava, I’m asking you one last time! Are you really not going through with this wedding?!” My fingers clenched tightly around my phone. I gave a bitter smile. “Yes, I don’t want you anymore, Liam.” He let out a cold laugh. “I don’t have time for your childish tantrums. Do whatever you want!” The call was abruptly cut off. I stood in the center of the banquet hall. Under the shocked gazes of hundreds of guests, I tore off my veil and ran out. Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell quickly blocked my path. Mr. Caldwell was the first to speak, “Ava, what on earth are you doing? Just because Liam took his sister to the hospital, you’re going to ruin this wedding? Make the Caldwell family a laughingstock in front of hundreds of guests?” Mrs. Caldwell snorted, chiming in, “I told him it wasn’t a good match from the start. Your family is nothing but nouveau riche, completely unworthy of a distinguished classical music family like ours!” “But Liam insisted, so I couldn’t do anything. And look, didn’t it turn into a complete joke today!” Mr. Caldwell sneered, “It’s probably for the best. Saves us the trouble of her temper offending people and ruining the Caldwell family’s reputation later.” Liam was clearly in the wrong first, yet these two were turning around to blame me. I clenched my veil, my fingertips trembling. “Liam canceled the wedding. As for the specific reason… you two should ask him. I’m too humiliated to say.” Hearing that it was Liam’s decision, they only seemed to grow more self-righteous. “Even if Liam canceled it, you’re the bride! You just run off without saying a word? Shouldn’t you apologize to everyone present?” “How did your parents raise you? You don’t even understand basic social graces. How could you ever be a daughter-in-law of the Caldwell family?” I took a deep breath. “I won’t be marrying into the Caldwell family. If you two have nothing else, please move aside.” “You!” Their faces instantly changed, clearly not expecting such defiance from me, who had always been so compliant. I ignored them, walking directly around them towards the dressing room. Mrs. Caldwell yelled furiously behind me, “You uncouth witch!” In the dressing room, someone was already waiting. It was… him.

His fitted sportswear accentuated his broad shoulders and long legs. Sunlight streaming from the side outlined his sharp silhouette. Only the dark circles under his eyes betrayed him; he probably hadn’t slept well. Seeing me enter, he straightened up, arms crossed, that familiar, infuriating smirk playing on his lips. I averted my gaze. “Didn’t someone swear he’d never attend my wedding?” He suddenly leaned close, his warm breath brushing my ear. In the moment our eyes met, I caught a glimpse of the stubborn boy from ten years ago. “A bet’s a bet, Ava.” I kept my lips sealed. He instantly looked anxious. “You forgot?!” “I don’t care. We’re getting married in three days. If you don’t show up…” He paused, as if bracing himself. “I’ll move in with the Millers and never leave!” With that, as if afraid to hear my refusal, he swiftly slipped out the door. I suddenly burst out laughing. That idiot. Of course I remembered the bet. Our families had been close for generations, we’d grown up together. We were too familiar to ever be lovers. Ten years ago, he confessed his feelings to me. I told him we should just be friends. He looked utterly heartbroken, insisting on making a bet with me. I never thought, in the end, I would lose. Just as I changed out of my wedding dress, Liam sent me a photo. All my belongings were piled outside the villa entrance like trash. That pink teddy bear my mom made me stood out the most, carelessly stuffed into a transparent plastic bag, stinging my eyes in the sunlight. “Move your stuff out immediately!” “If you don’t, I’ll have the maids throw it away.” I stared at the screen, my fingertips chilling. He knew exactly how to manipulate me. I could give up other things, but that pink teddy bear my mom made me by hand? I had to get it back. “Okay, I’m coming.” My mom had spent three months making that plush teddy bear. Someone who never touched a needle and thread, her fingers were pricked and dotted with blood. The night before the wedding, she had smiled, handing me the teddy bear, “My dear, I want you to be happy forever.” “In your new home with your husband, think of this little bear as me.” But when I arrived, the entrance was empty. Only half an hour had passed. I had clearly said I would come. Was he really so eager to kick me out? A surge of fury rushed through me. I pushed open the villa door and stormed inside. The moment I pushed the door, I felt a chill to my bones. Chloe sat on the edge of the dining table. Liam had his hands on her waist, his face pressed against her swollen belly, his gentle expression blinding. “Honey,” Chloe suddenly whispered, “the baby kicked me.” Liam immediately pressed closer, a curve on his lips I’d never seen before. “Such a little rascal, just like you when you were small.” When he looked up, his gaze was soft enough to melt. “I hope the eyes are just like yours.” Chloe smiled, pursing her lips. Liam expertly pressed a kiss to her lips, his tone suddenly filled with guilt. “Are you really sure you want to leave after the baby is born? You know… you could stay. I can take care of you and the baby. Such a tiny baby, how can it grow up without its birth mother?” Chloe placed her index finger on his lips, shaking her head. “If I don’t leave, what about Ava?” Hearing my name, Liam clearly froze, then his expression darkened. “Her? She’s just acting out of spite by saying she wants to break up. Once the baby is born, she’ll come begging me to help raise it. A businesswoman’s daughter like her, she only cares about profit, she has no dignity whatsoever.” “Have you forgotten how she shamelessly chased after me to be my girlfriend? That repulsive face of hers, it still makes me sick to think about it.” My tears fell silently. So, my brave confession all those years ago had actually disgusted him all this time.

The Caldwells were a renowned classical music dynasty in New York. Liam was the most promising young violinist in the city. Five years ago, he came to my father with his violin, seeking investment for a musical theater. My father praised him effusively and specifically introduced him to me. I fell in love with him at first sight, shamelessly insisting on learning the violin from him. He was so angry he pointed at me and yelled, “Stupid, absolutely no talent!” I grinned cheekily, “Then be my boyfriend, we’d complement each other perfectly, right?” He glanced at Chloe, head bowed, tears in her eyes, then suddenly took my hand, giving a self-mocking laugh. “Fine.” I jumped up in joy and hugged him, completely missing Chloe’s retreating figure as she ran out, and the instant stiffness in his arm. Now I understood. His heart had always belonged to Chloe. No wonder he later refused to teach me the violin, not even letting me into his music room. My heart felt raw. I wanted to turn and leave, but then I remembered the pink teddy bear my mom had sewn for me—I couldn’t abandon it. “Ava!” Liam suddenly turned, a sneer twisting his lips. “What are you doing standing at the doorway? Your things have been thrown out. Are you regretting it now?” I dug my nails into my palm. “My teddy bear? Give it back to me.” He froze for a second, his face growing even colder. “A worthless teddy bear, why would I care?” “My mom made it by hand,” my voice started to tremble. “Give it back, and I’ll leave immediately.” Seeing that I was on the verge of tears, he frowned. “You’re crying? Are you sick? Is it really that big of a deal?” “Yes, it is!” I yelled, tears finally streaming down. Liam tugged at his tie in frustration, about to say something. Chloe, beside him, suddenly seemed to remember something and quickly spoke up, “Ava, please don’t yell at Liam. I told the maid to put your things in the guest room.” As she spoke, she gently stroked her belly, and tears instantly welled up in her eyes. “Please don’t move out? If it’s because of this baby… I, I can get rid of him. His arrival was a mistake to begin with. None of you welcome him…” Before she could finish, she was sobbing uncontrollably. “I forbid it!” Liam’s voice was almost out of control. He trembled as he pulled Chloe tightly into his embrace, then turned and glared at me fiercely. “She can leave, but don’t you dare lay a hand on my child! Right now, you and the baby are my everything!” “Ava, if this is why you came, then get out of my house!” I let out a cold laugh and walked straight to the guest room. The teddy bear was carelessly tossed on the floor, stained with grime and vomit. Its original light pink plush fabric was now utterly filthy. My fingers trembled as I pointed at the teddy bear. “Chloe, explain yourself!” She shrank her neck timidly. “I didn’t mean to. I just suddenly felt nauseous…” As she spoke, she bent down to pick it up. “Don’t be angry, I’ll wash it clean for you.” But just as she bent over, she cried out in pain. “Ah! My stomach hurts so much.” Liam lunged forward, roughly shoving me to the floor. My head hit the bedpost with a heavy thud. The moment excruciating pain exploded, warm liquid trickled down my temple. I bit my lip, making no sound. I just looked at Liam, a faint smile playing on my lips, wanting to see if he had a heart at all. He held Chloe, his stern eyes filled with extreme disgust. “How much? I’ll pay! I’m begging you, stop being so unreasonable. Do you really get a sense of accomplishment from tormenting Chloe and me with something so insignificant?” My heart felt like it had been pierced. He had always been cool and distant with me, but he had never looked at me with such eyes. Now, he must truly hate me. Suddenly, it all felt pointless. Why bother staying here to annoy him further? I gave in. The teddy bear was ruined. I didn’t want it anymore. And this tainted man, I didn’t want him either. I pushed myself up. “Liam, I don’t lack money.” As I turned to leave, he suddenly grabbed me, a hint of helplessness in his expression. “You’re not in a good mood today. Go back to your parents’ for a few days to cool off. I’ll come pick you up in three days.” I shook off his hand and quickly walked away. This home we had built together for years, I was merely a fleeting guest after all. … Back home. I had already explained the wedding fiasco to Mom and Dad. Seeing me return, Mom breathed a sigh of relief. “Darling, I should actually thank heavens! What if you’d only discovered this after the wedding? What then?” “The Caldwells always look down on us merchants as tasteless, yet their distinguished music family raised such shameless people!” Dad sighed softly. “Don’t talk about that now, our daughter is upset. I’ve already instructed my assistant to withdraw all investments from Caldwell Music Theater. From now on, our family will have nothing to do with the Caldwells!” I was just hesitating whether to mention Ryan when Mom suddenly said, “Oh, by the way, Ryan was here today. He wants to marry you.” She took a velvet box from the coffee table drawer. “That boy certainly moves fast.” Opening the box, inside was the sapphire necklace, a cherished heirloom of the Hayes family. It was then that I truly realized, the wedding in three days, Ryan was serious.

That evening. Chloe sent me a message. “I’m moving out right now, and I’m not keeping the baby either.” “You and Liam have five years of history, it can’t be ruined because of me. I would feel guilty my whole life.” I stared at the screen and sneered. If she wanted to make a scene, she could go talk to her brother. Why bother me? I replied: “Do what you want.” Then, I swiftly blocked her. After doing all that, I leaned against the floor-toceiling window, lost in thought, a lingering sense of melancholy in my heart. My phone suddenly vibrated. Ryan’s FaceTime invitation popped up. “Ava,” his eyes sparkled on the screen, “give me a heart sign.” I was stunned. “Why so sudden…?” “I don’t care,” he insisted, pulling his face closer to the camera. “Right now.” Amused by his childish expression, I quickly made a heart sign, feeling goosebumps rise on my own arms. He immediately clutched his chest, closed his eyes, and made an exaggerated, blissful expression. When he opened his eyes again, he suddenly winked at me with his right eye. My heart skipped a beat. “Look outside, my return gift for you.” He chuckled softly, and the FaceTime call ended abruptly. Outside, the night sky suddenly lit up. Hundreds of drones formed a twinkling heart, then transformed into a line of words: “Happy Birthday, Ava.” Tears instantly blurred my vision. Today’s chaotic drama had made me forget my own birthday. But he remembered. As for Liam, every year on my birthday, he would only send me a music video of a “Happy Birthday” violin piece he had once performed. “My music videos are very precious,” he would always explain. “It’s an honor for you to hear it.” This year, he flat out said, “Planning the wedding is too busy, no time to send you a MV.” But the “wedding planning.” I tried on wedding dresses alone at over twenty stores. I compared over thirty quotes to book the hotel. I stayed up late writing over three hundred handwritten invitations. The only time he participated was when I tried on my main gown; he grudgingly spared five minutes, but spent the entire time checking his watch. Turns out, he never loved me. It had always been obvious. Later, as I was sleeping, my phone vibrated. Groggily, I pressed the answer button. Liam’s voice roared through the phone, “Ava, get to the hospital immediately! Chloe’s in trouble!” I instantly woke up. Was her message serious after all? When I rushed to the hospital room, I saw Chloe resting comfortably against the headboard, Liam gently peeling an apple for her. They looked like a picture of serene domesticity, while I stood there in slippers, half my foot slipping outside the door, feeling like a clown. Seeing me, Liam suddenly erupted, dragging me to the bedside. “Kneel before Chloe!” I looked up in shock. Before I could even react, my knee was hit hard. My kneecap slammed against the floor, the excruciating pain making me unable to move for a moment. “Liam! Are you insane?!” I glared at him fiercely. His eyes blazed with terrifying fury. “Chloe slit her wrists!” Chloe began to sob on cue. “I sent Ava a message to apologize, but she blocked me. She must hate me so much, she doesn’t want to see me anymore. What’s the point of me living…?” Though I detested her, I didn’t want to be responsible for someone’s death. I quickly looked at her. There was a half-centimeter long cut on her wrist, covered in antiseptic, already scarred over. This was a suicide attempt? I quirked my lips. “Liam, if I had come tomorrow, would her wound have already healed?” He instantly exploded. “Ava! How can you be so malicious? If I hadn’t found her in time… do you know the consequences of a pregnant woman losing too much blood?” His concern must have clouded his judgment. A tiny scratch made him panic so much, yet he completely ignored the blood flowing from my forehead. He must really love Chloe, truly. I frowned, silent. This seemed to completely enrage him. He threw the fruit knife at me, snarling. “Since you think it’s no big deal, then cut yourself in the same spot, and taste the pain yourself! This is what you owe Chloe!” I stared at him incredulously. This was the man I had loved devotedly for five years. In that instant, my heart turned completely cold. It was just a cut, wasn’t it? I’ll give it back to her, then. Lowering my gaze to hide the tears in my eyes, I picked up the knife and lightly drew it across my wrist. Chloe shrieked in terror. I struggled to stand up, holding my bleeding wrist out to Liam. “Is that enough?” Blood dripped continuously. His eyelashes fluttered rapidly. He gave a look of disdain. Then he turned to comfort a startled Chloe, muttering curses under his breath. “Why would you cut so deep? You’re hopelessly clumsy.” I smiled soundlessly, stumbling towards the door. He suddenly called out, “Ava, go home and reflect on your actions! In three days, I’ll come pick you up.” I laughed, tears streaming down my face. Liam, we’ll never see each other again.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “352402”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #狼人Werewolf #重生Reborn

Five years after I severed ties with my family, I finally earned enough money to buy an apartment by moving bodies. While waiting for my paycheck, I ran straight into my brother, Brandon. He was there to pick out a burial plot for Tiffany, the adopted daughter’s dog. He gave an awkward laugh: “Five years, huh? How have you been since you left home?” I glanced at the black card in his hand. “Doing okay. Not as well as Tiffany’s dog, of course.” He was spending $100,000 on a grave for Tiffany’s dog, while my apartment would only cost $300,000. Brandon’s voice was strained and stiff: “You clearly can’t handle a tough life. If you just apologize to Tiffany, I’ll let you come home.” I shook my head, carefully tucking my money into my pocket. Go home? I scoffed. My real estate agent just sent me a message. I’d have my own home very soon. 0 I left the funeral home. On my way to meet Maya, my agent, I grabbed a small cake. I hadn’t walked far from the bakery when I suddenly felt a hand clamp around my wrist from behind. I jumped in surprise. The cake slipped from my grasp, falling to the ground and shattering. When I turned back in anger, I was caught off guard by my brother’s dark eyes. I froze. His voice was cold and hard: “Don’t you have anything to explain to me?” Annoyance surged. I pulled my hand free. “Explain what?” He pursed his lips, looking me up and down. “You’re my sister. How can you work at a funeral home? You might not find it unsettling, but I find it humiliating!” I squatted down to pick up the cake. “I earn my money through honest work. There’s nothing humiliating or unsettling about that!” He grabbed my wrist again, forcefully pulling me to my feet. “Aurora, do you really have to talk to me with that attitude? You’re the one who decided to leave five years ago. Haven’t you gotten over it yet?” My patience was worn thin. I yanked my hand away. “You’re the one who can’t get over it, Brandon! We have nothing to do with each other anymore, can you just leave me alone?” His face completely darkened. “Mom is sick, and she’s been missing you terribly. How can you be so heartless? Don’t you feel any guilt towards her?” Always me being heartless. Five years ago, Tiffany commanded her dog to attack and kill my cat. All I did was hit that dog once. And Brandon slapped me across the face. Even then, he’d said: “It’s just a dog, it doesn’t know any better. How can you be so cruel?” I cried hysterically, my face buried in my hands, pleading with Mom for help. But she doused my hopes with a bucket of cold water. “That cat of yours was just a stray you brought from the country, and it scratched up all the sofas.” “If a cat like that dies, it dies. What’s there to cry about?” Those two sentences were the last straw. I completely lost hope in them and proposed severing all ties. Brandon’s face was grim as he asked: “Over such a trivial matter? Are you serious?” Trivial? My eyes were red, tears falling silently. The cat was just the spark. It was the final straw that broke me. From the moment I returned to that family, Tiffany had always made things difficult for me. And my own mother, my own brother? Not once did they stand by me. Tiffany claimed I stole her money. They’d search me, search my room. Even when they found nothing. They wouldn’t make her apologize. Because I’d lived in the country for twenty years, my hands were always chapped with frostbite, and my face easily flushed red. So she took photos of me and posted them in our shared SnapChat group, leading everyone in mocking me. At twenty, I was still very self-conscious. I hid my chapped, red hands behind my back. And kicked her in the chest. That was the only time I ever laid a hand on Tiffany. The result? That very night, Mom made me kneel in the snow. And write “I’m sorry” a hundred times. My feelings for them had been burning down since I first rejoined that family. Three years, and they were finally consumed. Lucky’s death solidified my decision to leave. I resolutely dropped out of that prestigious school and entered the workforce. As I left, Brandon’s face was ashen as he threatened: “Think this through. Without this family, you’re nothing.” “One word from me, and you won’t even find a job!” I said nothing. I only took the two outfits I’d brought from the country. After that, began my long journey of job searching. At Brandon’s instruction, I did indeed hit rock bottom everywhere. No matter the job, I’d be fired within two months, for various reasons. But it only took a year. I found my own way out. Moving bodies at a funeral home, $500 per corpse. Though there were many rules, I excelled at it. In four years, after expenses, I’d saved $150,000. I was very satisfied. Brandon in front of me now had the same angry expression as when I’d left home five years ago. Looking at his face, a wave of disgust rose from the depths of my heart. “The heartless one is someone else. From now on, let’s pretend we don’t know each other.” Saying this, I bent down again to pick up the cake, then turned to leave. His cold voice drifted into my ears: “No matter what, you can’t continue that job.” “Tiffany is already a member of the New York Animal Protection Society.” “And then there’s you. A disgrace!” 0

I ignored him. I threw the ruined cake into a trash can. Then I bought two milk teas. I was delayed a bit on the way. Maya smiled when she saw me. “Aurora, here’s the contract. Take a look.” I handed her a milk tea, a little embarrassed. “I’ve delayed you. I bought you a cake, but a dog ruined it on the way.” Her smile didn’t fade; she was very gracious. “It’s okay. Good news will definitely come your way from now on!” My heart warmed, and I picked up the contract, reading it clause by clause. Truth be told, I didn’t understand most of it. But I felt that for something so important, I needed to read it longer. The family couldn’t give me a sense of security. Instead, they made me feel like an outsider. After severing ties, I desperately wanted my own home. It had become an obsession. Maya waited patiently for me to finish reading before handing me a pen. “If there are no problems, you can sign.” I nodded, just about to take the pen, when her phone rang. She said it was a company call, smiling as she answered. The next second, she froze. “Fired? What… what did I do wrong?” A bad premonition surged in my heart. My heart instantly leaped to my throat. Sure enough. After Maya hung up, her eyes slowly welled up with tears as she looked at me. “You have such a powerful brother. He can make me lose my job with just a few words. Why are you still looking at apartments?” My pupils constricted. I quickly explained: “I cut ties with my family a long time ago!” “That person must have been Brandon. He and I—” “I think you’re just messing with me!” She shot up, enraged, snatching the contract from my hand. She grabbed the milk tea, intending to throw it at me. But in the end, she only threw it beside me, her eyes red. The milk tea cup exploded at my feet. I wanted to explain again. As I opened my mouth, she had already stormed out. I stood there stunned for a long time. Then I took out my phone and called Brandon. The call connected quickly. I couldn’t control myself and shouted: “What do you want?! Messing with me is one thing, but the agent is innocent!” “Sister…” Tiffany’s voice came through the receiver. “Brother is busy handling Lucky’s funeral. You can tell me if you have anything to say.” 0

Tiffany and I naturally had nothing to say to each other. I was about to hang up the phone. She suddenly said: “Sister, I actually forgave you a long time ago.” “Brother and Mom miss you very much. Just come home.” As her words fell, Brandon’s voice came through the receiver: “Whose call is it?” “It’s Aurora. I’m trying to persuade her to come home.” “What a show.” I coldly cursed, then hung up the phone decisively. Thinking that no matter what, I should still try, I went to the real estate company. Maya had already left. I found their boss and explained my relationship with Brandon in detail. I pleaded with him not to fire Maya, explaining it was all because of me. The boss looked troubled. “Your brother paid a very high compensation package.” “Actually, Maya leaving doesn’t affect her ability to find another job.” “Getting such high compensation is a good thing.” His implication was that Maya had to be fired. I felt like I’d fallen into an ice cellar, my blood chilling. I once again realized that confronting Brandon would only lead to my defeat. After a long pause, I pursed my lips and asked: “Can I still buy that apartment?” “That one has already been bought by your brother , along with several similar ones nearby. He reserved them all.” The boss pulled out two brochures and handed them to me. “You can take a look at these developments.” “The price is similar to the previous one, it’s just a bit farther out…” “I’ll take this one.” I casually pointed at one on the brochure. Then I took out the $10,000 paycheck I’d just received and handed it over. The boss looked at me strangely as he pulled out a money counting machine. After verifying that the money was all there and legitimate, he handed me the contract. This time, I didn’t read much, just flipped to the last page and signed. The boss hesitated. “The deposit for this one is $20,000. Did you see that clearly?” “Yes, give me some time.” The boss sighed: “I really don’t understand what you and your brother are thinking. You’re family, why make such a scene…” I didn’t want to listen. I picked up my bag and left, calling the funeral home owner. “I’m coming in to work today.” He was surprised. “Didn’t you say you were taking two days off?” “Not anymore. I won’t be taking any days off for the next two months.” “Alright then, just come in as usual.” After hanging up, I contacted Maya. She didn’t answer my calls, so I had to apologize to her via text. I don’t know how many times I said “I’m sorry.” Finally, she replied with one sentence: 【Forget it, let’s just pretend we never met.】 When I tried to send another message, it was a red exclamation mark. I held my phone, stunned for a long time. I didn’t go to work until the afternoon. There weren’t many people at the funeral home. I walked in and saw Tiffany and Mom. They were hugging an urn and crying sorrowfully. It must have been Lucky, already cremated. I subtly averted my gaze and walked towards the working area. The boss had told me earlier in the afternoon that I only needed to move one body today. I accurately found the deceased’s family. Under their guidance, my colleague and I lifted the body together. However, just as we were about to place it in the coffin, Brandon’s voice suddenly rang out behind me: “Aurora! Why are you still working here!” Before I could react, my arm was forcefully yanked. My grip loosened, and the body fell with a thud. It hit the ground.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “352401”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #狼人Werewolf #重生Reborn