Author: Momo Chan

After being reunited with my wealthy biological parents, Harry Marshall and Grace Marshall, my good friend Sophie Martin, who is allergic to dogs, picked up a dog. I was eating all kinds of expensive and rare foods, while Sophie didn’t hesitate to spend three months’ salary to buy king crab for that dog. I had just finished a perm that cost $15,000, and she immediately had the dog’s fur curled too. Even though Sophie broke out in rashes and was severely swollen, she still came to me every day holding the dog, even calling it by my nickname. Sophie explained pitifully, “Olivia, I can’t bear to see you leave. With this little dog around, it feels like you’re still by my side.” Olivia Marshall is my name. I was deeply moved by her words and immediately covered all the dog’s expenses, even buying many matching items for the dog and me. Unexpectedly, 81 days later, I turned into a dog, and Sophie took over my body. I was so anxious that I cried, but the sound I made turned into barking. Sophie, on the other hand, fearfully hid in Grace’s arms. Harry and Grace immediately ordered the bodyguards to beat me until I was barely alive. While I was severely injured, Sophie smiled and sent me to a dog meat shop for slaughter. In the end, I was shared and eaten by the whole family. As my soul was about to dissipate, I saw her talking on the phone with my fiancé Arthur Duncan. She said, “Arthur, thanks to the Soul-Swapping Spell you taught me, I can finally have everything of Olivia’s, including you.” When I opened my eyes again, I returned to the day Sophie asked me to help her feed the dog. ***** “Olivia, I have a business trip these days. Can you help me feed the dog?” As soon as I opened my eyes, I heard Sophie’s sickly sweet voice whining over the phone. Seeing that I didn’t answer, Sophie continued to plead, “Could you really bear to see a little life starve to death?” I felt cold sweat instantly soak my back, and the phone almost slipped from my hand. In my previous life, I turned into a dog, screaming in pain under a beating, and was sent to a dog meat market by her. A blunt knife mercilessly cut through my flesh. No one understands the feeling of dying better than I do. I tried to keep my voice steady and then agreed to Sophie. Endless hatred filled my heart. Living this life again, I must escape the fate of soul-swapping from my past life. The key to the problem must lie with that dog. As soon as I opened Sophie’s door, a strong smell of urine hit me. A filthy stray dog was locked in a small cage. It had to relieve itself inside the cage. Its fur was messy, eyes swollen and crusted with discharge, emitting a foul smell. It was the same in my previous life. Sophie never treated it as a pet or took proper care of it. I couldn’t stand it, so I took it to the pet shop for a bath, a check-up, and bought some tasty food. Unexpectedly, my kindness ultimately led to my own death. Thinking of this, I took out the folding knife I had prepared beforehand. I originally planned to take advantage of Sophie’s absence to come here and kill the dog, eliminating future troubles. But when I saw it curled up in the corner, whimpering pitifully, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. The dog is innocent; the real villains are Sophie and Arthur. After thinking for a while, I called the local stray animal protection association. They will find a good home for the dog, allowing it to live a safe and peaceful life. I stepped closer and fed it some jerky. Looking into the puppy’s moist eyes, I thought no one would interfere with its life or death anymore. But the next second, I noticed something was off. A faint black spot appeared behind the puppy’s right ear. Almost at the same time, the food in my hand fell to the ground. This spot is exactly where my birthmark is. And just now, there was clearly nothing there. My heart started pounding. I thought, “Could it be that even starting over, I still can’t escape their scheme?” I backed to the door, forcing myself to calm down. In my past life, Sophie was allergic to dog fur, her face swelling so much that her eyes narrowed to slits, and she had to take a handful of allergy medicine every day. Even so, she insisted on bringing her dog to see me every day. This shows that the conditions for soul exchange are definitely not that simple. After seeing the staff take the dog away, I finally felt a bit calmer. As long as the dog is gone, I still have time to find a solution. Unexpectedly, the next day, my door was knocked on. Sophie stood at the door holding the dog, her tone very serious. She said, “Olivia, I just asked you to feed him for a few days, but you actually sent my Oli away. How could you be so heartless?” Sophie shoved the dog into my arms, then rudely barged into my bedroom and lay down. I froze in place, and the arm that had touched the dog instantly broke out in goosebumps. I almost immediately threw the dog to the ground and tried hard to make my expression look normal. I asked, “Aren’t you allergic to dog hair? I sent it away for your own good.” Sophie stroked the silk sheets and said gloomily, “What gives you the right to decide for me? I got a pet because I was always thinking of you.” I really didn’t want to say more to her, so I had the butler take the dog outside. Sophie, however, panicked and blocked the doorway. She said, “Are you driving the dog away, or me? Olivia, now that you’re rich, have you forgotten our years of friendship?” While we were at a stalemate, Arthur, who was abroad, called. He started by questioning, “Don’t you know that so-called protection organizations actually dispose of stray animals?” “Olivia, apologize to Sophie right now.”

Focused on dealing with that dog, I forgot that Sophie herself was also trouble. Since I returned to the Marshall family, Sophie often comes to see me. Now, everyone knows I have a very close friend. In my previous life, I was too oblivious and only realized Arthur and Sophie had an affair after I died. I abruptly pushed Sophie out and shut the door. I said, “I’m your fiancée, and you want me to apologize to someone else?” I hung up the phone and blocked Arthur’s contact. It took me a while to come to terms with this reality. Sophie took the dog back again, but I still had no clue. I tried hard to recall all the details of my past life, and my head felt like it was about to explode. Starting early the next morning, Sophie’s messages bombarded my phone one after another. Sophie: [Olivia, can we meet? I really miss you.] [Are you mad at me? I was just too anxious that day. I’m sorry.] [Please don’t ignore me. You’re my only friend.] I can almost picture her fake expression while typing those words. I felt a wave of nausea in my stomach, gripping my phone so tightly that my knuckles turned white. Then, I replied: [I’ve been busy lately. Let’s meet another day.] Seeing that Sophie didn’t message me again, I breathed a sigh of relief. However, I saw her post on Instagram with the caption: [Good friends are the family I choose myself.] The post had two pictures: one was a photo of her and me at the orphanage, and the other was a painting we made together. The painting, done roughly with crayons, depicted her and me, and the edges of the paper had already turned yellow. That was a gift I gave her when we were kids. In the comments section, our mutual friends and teachers left messages, admiring our friendship that has lasted over a decade. But I couldn’t bring myself to smile. Because in the reflection of the inconspicuous bedside table in the photo, there was a naked man. He was wearing a luxury watch on his wrist. That watch was the gift I gave to Arthur. Sophie quickly commented below, asking me to visit the orphanage together. She was clearly using moral coercion on me. Ten minutes later, the orphanage director called. She said, “Olivia, Sophie said you look down on her for being poor and don’t want to meet her. Is that true?” I bit my lip hard, the taste of blood spreading in my mouth. But I couldn’t share my difficulties with anyone. I heard myself say in a cold voice, word by word, “How could that be? We’ve arranged to go shopping together tomorrow afternoon.” The mall lights were glaring. Sophie held the dog, following me closely. She said, “Olivia, look at this bag.” She suddenly grabbed me and pointed to the Louis Vuitton bag in the display window, exactly the same as the one I was carrying. Sophie smiled and said, “The dog has matching accessories too. So cute.” I coldly watched the excited Sophie. In my previous life, at this moment, I had already taken out the black card and bought that bag. But now, I just chuckled lightly and said, “I think it’s average.” Sophie’s expression froze. She bit her lip, and her voice suddenly softened. She said, “I want to buy it for Oli. But I don’t have enough money.” She looked at me, and even the sales clerk behind the counter cast an expectant glance. The air froze for a second. I said coldly, “If you don’t have enough money, save up some more.” I slowly ran my hand over my bag strap. I continued, “Or, you could buy a cheaper one? It’s all the same for a dog anyway.” Sophie’s face twisted instantly. She said, “Olivia, just say it if you look down on me. In your eyes, am I only worthy of buying cheap stuff?” Sophie was about to continue, but out of the corner of her eye, she suddenly noticed something, and tears immediately welled up. She said, “Olivia, you’re still mad at me for losing my temper that day, aren’t you?” She choked up as she reached for my hand. “I was just worried because Oli was scared.” At that moment, Arthur’s voice came from behind. “I’ll pay the bill.”

He walked over in a sharp suit, but his eyes were fixed on Sophie’s face. Sophie’s eyes immediately reddened, and she hid behind him like a startled fawn. When Arthur gave the membership code to the salesperson, I saw Sophie smugly pat the dog’s head. She said, “Good boy, Oli. You’re getting a new bag soon.” My nickname coming out of her mouth felt so sticky it was disgusting. While the salesperson was wrapping up, Arthur looked at me mockingly. He said, “Olivia, you can’t even buy a bag for your good friend? So stingy, as expected.” I stared at the faint red marks on his collar, the color exactly matching Sophie’s lipstick today. I sneered, “Mr. Duncan, you’re quite generous.” Arthur mockingly said, “You’re just like it, a stray brought back. Don’t you think you’re quite similar?” This sentence threw me back to the tragic end of my previous life. I felt a buzzing in my ears as Arthur’s mouth kept moving. He said, “I suggest you treat your friend and her dog well. Otherwise, someone as cold and heartless as you shouldn’t dream of becoming a member of the Duncan family.” Looking at his smug expression, I almost felt like throwing up. In my previous life, he always used breaking off the engagement to threaten me. Every time this happened, I would be very obedient to him, simply because I truly wanted to spend my life with him. If I had realized their malicious intentions earlier, perhaps I could have avoided the tragic ending of my previous life. Suddenly, the dog in Sophie’s arms started barking wildly. It was forcibly put into a bag identical to mine, struggling uncomfortably. And the black spot behind its ear had become too noticeable to ignore. I no longer cared about what happened next. I returned home in a daze. After a while, Grace came to call me for dinner. At the dining table, Harry and Grace looked at me lovingly. Grace said, “Olivia, you’ve had a tough time outside. Now, we’ll take good care of you.” “We never gave up looking for you. Thanks to fortune-teller Hunter Gray, who calculated your location. He’s truly amazing.” I was also a bit moved. After I came home, Harry and Grace couldn’t wait to give me all the best things in the world. But later, Sophie replaced me. Fear filled my heart, and I couldn’t swallow the food in my mouth. Grace continued, “Unfortunately, Hunter refused to accept our gratitude money. He’s truly skilled.” A thought quickly flashed through my mind. I thought, “Maybe Hunter can save me.” I smiled and said, “Dad, Mom, I want to personally thank this fortune-teller.” On Saturday, I set off early in the morning and finally climbed to the church on the mountain top by 2 p.m. When I walked in and saw Hunter, I was stunned. I always thought he would be an old man, but he turned out to be a handsome young man. He was dressed in simple clothes, his eyes deep and calm, nodding to me in greeting. He said, “Hello, Ms. Marshall.” I snapped out of it and quickly returned his greeting. Hunter said, “No need to be formal, just call me Hunter.” I briefly described the events to Hunter, leaving out the part about reincarnation, only mentioning it as a very realistic dream. After listening, his calm face turned serious. Hunter said, “Soul-Swapping Spell? I didn’t expect anyone to actually use such an evil spell.” “I need to look into a way to undo it. In the meantime, avoid contact with that dog. Wait for me to return.” I almost cried while thanking him. Before leaving, Hunter handed me a small box. Inside was a cross necklace. Hunter said, “Put it under your pillow, it can temporarily protect your soul from disturbance.”

After coming down from the mountain, I immediately claimed I was sick and stayed home to recover. And Sophie came to chat with me every day. She would ask me what I ate today and what kind of clothes I was wearing. If I didn’t reply, she would directly make a video call. She said, “Oli misses you. Olivia, when can we come visit you?” I didn’t dare to seem too resistant, so I replied to her intermittently. Arthur would drop by to see me from time to time. He claimed to be visiting, but he was actually monitoring me. Harry and Grace, however, welcomed him, thinking we had a great relationship. I couldn’t stand his behavior anymore and pulled him into the nearby living room. I asked, “Don’t you prefer Sophie? I’ll make it happen for you. Let’s call off the engagement.” Arthur just laughed. He stepped closer, lifting my chin. He said, “Are you jealous? It’s because you’re not as carefree as she is.” “If your face matched Sophie’s tricks in bed, I can’t imagine how thrilling it would be.” Alarms went off in my mind. In my previous life, was it for this reason that he swapped my soul into a dog’s body and let Sophie take over mine? I almost escaped his control. On the seventh day after Hunter left, he still hadn’t sent me any messages. I sent him countless messages, from asking about progress to eventually pleading for help, but got no response. Sophie, however, kept sending messages persistently: [Olivia, are you still not feeling better? Should I bring you some supplements?] I stared at that message, my fingers trembling, and replied: [No, I might infect you.] Fear and unease filled my heart as I tossed the phone aside. Compared to my previous life, I’ve hardly had much contact with dogs, so there shouldn’t be any problem. On the twenty-seventh day, Hunter finally called me. He said, “I found a solution in Los Angeles. I’m getting on a plane right now and coming to your place.” Before I could speak, tears streamed down my face. The me in the mirror looked extremely haggard, red-eyed, and seemed to have lost about eleven pounds. After hanging up, I kept praying in the room. Suddenly, the loud cheerful music from downstairs interrupted me. I opened the door in confusion and saw that the first-floor hall had already been decorated in vibrant colors. Looking closely, Sophie was directing the servants to arrange the cake, completely exuding the demeanor of a hostess. The dog was not there. Seeing me, she immediately ran over and held onto me. Then, she affectionately said, “Olivia, today marks the 16th anniversary of our friendship. Mr. Marshall, Mrs. Marshall, and I have prepared a surprise for you.” I watched her warily, while Harry and Grace warmly thanked her. Grace said, “Olivia hasn’t been going out lately. Sophie, luckily you came.” Harry said, “With such a good friend like you by her side, we feel reassured.” Sophie smiled and handed over a box. Inside was a white dress. She said, “This is my gift for you. Go try it on.” Seeing the relieved expressions of Harry and Grace, I could only put on the dress. But unexpectedly, when I came downstairs after changing, I ran into Arthur coming in with that dog. Fear instantly spread through my whole body. I couldn’t care about appearances and let out a scream. Arthur frowned tightly and said sternly, “Olivia, what’s wrong with you?” Everyone’s eyes were on me. Sophie lowered her head and said sadly, “Olivia, don’t dislike it. Before coming, I already bathed Oli. It won’t dirty your house.” The prolonged tension made me lose my mind the moment I saw the dog. I said coldly, “What are you pretending for? Naming the dog like that is just mocking me, isn’t it?” After saying that, I turned and fled back to my room. I didn’t touch the dog, so it should be fine. But the next second, strange white fur appeared on the skin under my skirt. I watched helplessly as my fingers turned black, twisted, and shrank. Then, my hand turned into an animal’s paw.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MyFiction” app 🔍 search for “490153”, and watch the full series ✨! #MyFiction #UrbanFantasy #BodySwap #Rebirth #Revenge #Family

The year my family went bankrupt, I clung to Frederick Thomson and spent the last night with him. The next morning, I threw the last bit of money at Frederick. I told him, “You can go find another rich person now. You don’t have to force yourself to serve an ugly woman like me anymore.” Afterward, I was kicked out of my home by those coming to liquidate the assets. Because of the birthmark on my face, everyone pointed at it and mocked me. Meanwhile, Frederick’s friends were celebrating, cheering that he could finally start a new life. They told him, “Frederick, with your looks, plenty of beautiful and wealthy girls would fight over you. Why did you have to lose your mind back then and let that ugly woman take advantage of you?” “She’s bankrupt now, so she probably won’t bother you anymore, right?” Five years later, Frederick transformed from the poor campus heartthrob into a rising star in the business world. In an interview room, he flipped through my resume, but his gaze lingered on my photo for a long time. He asked calmly, “You’re 28? You already have a child?” I met his scrutinizing gaze and introduced myself, “Yes. My name is Isabella Fraser, I’m married, and I have a daughter.” Now I’ve changed my name, and the large birthmark on my face is gone. Frederick didn’t recognize me. I never thought the resume I sent would end up in Frederick’s hands, and that he would personally interview me. The moment I pushed the door open and saw him, my breath faltered for a moment. Frederick sat behind the desk, a pair of rimless glasses perched on his high nose. He was reviewing my resume. His gaze shifted from my photo to my face, with a probing look in his eyes. Frederick asked, “Isabella? You graduated from the University of Washington? You’re here applying for the personal assistant position?” He tapped the table with his fingers and looked up at me. “Do you know what a personal assistant means?” “To put it bluntly, it’s like being a nanny. I have a lot of daily tasks. You’ll need to pay attention to many details.” He kept talking, but my thoughts had already drifted back to the night we parted ways years ago. That night, Frederick was wearing a faded shirt. I tore off the button on his collar, then pushed him onto the bed and kissed him passionately without any order. I said cruel words to him, “The happiest person to hear about my bankruptcy must be you, right? You finally don’t have to humble yourself to serve me anymore. Seeing my face, does it disgust you?” “Don’t worry. Even if I’m bankrupt, I can still afford to buy one more night with you.” Frederick stayed silent, his eyes deep. Then, just like before, he skillfully wrapped his arm around my waist. At the end, I threw him a bank card. That also marked the end of my ridiculous earlier life. “Have you made up your mind?” Frederick asked. He tapped the table with his fingers, his voice cold and his gaze calm. He didn’t recognize me. I instinctively touched my face. The bluish-purple birthmark was gone, and so were the rashes caused by various cosmetics. My face now is slightly thin, with no makeup, clean and plain, completely unrecognizable from the person I used to be. What’s more, I even changed my name. I said, “I’ve made up my mind.” I forced down the surging emotions inside and temporarily regained a calm exterior. Frederick said, “Great, you can start now. I’ll have my secretary Jaxon Anderson brief you on the details.” Then, he raised his hand, signaling me to leave, without giving me another glance. I tactfully stepped out. The moment I closed the office door, my anxious heart finally settled. If possible, I never want to have much to do with Frederick again in this lifetime. In school, he was someone everyone saw as untouchable, while dirty, despicable, mean, and ugly were the labels attached to me. It was me who insisted on using money to buy and trample on Frederick’s dignity. I selfishly gave birth to a daughter, Hallie Fraser. Sadly, Hallie has now been diagnosed with a brain tumor and must undergo surgery. It’s like an unbreakable, unhealthy bond. For Hallie, I went to his company again. In the following days, I remained restless and unable to focus. Hallie’s surgery is approaching, so I have a lot to prepare. When I asked Frederick for leave the third time, his response was merciless. He said, “This is the last time. If it happens again, don’t come back.” I understand too. But today is Hallie’s birthday. She really wants to go to the amusement park. With the surgery approaching, I’m really scared she might never have the chance again. I clenched my teeth and still took Hallie to the amusement park until the afternoon. When we were heading back, the sky suddenly poured with heavy rain, and we took shelter under the eaves by the street. Just as I opened my phone to call a ride, Hallie suddenly broke free from my hand and stumbled out to pick up a fallen toy. By the time I reacted, Hallie had already run into the rain. Seeing a car speeding through the rain in the distance, I instantly became tense, almost screaming out loud. But a large hand pulled Hallie back before I could. “Isabella.” His voice was cold and low in the pouring rain. I froze, looked up, feeling like I was dreaming. Frederick stood in front of me, holding Hallie’s hand tightly. He wasn’t holding an umbrella, and rain kept streaming down his hair, cheeks, and chin, soaking his expensive suit. His expression was as distant and stern as ever, but there was a faint trace of anger in it. I said, “Thank you, Mr. Thomson.” Immediately, I hurriedly pulled Hallie behind me. This time, I didn’t teach Hallie to say thank you as I usually would. Frederick glanced at us and coldly said, “Get in the car.”

When Frederick had a cold expression, he gave off a strong sense of oppression. I got into his car with Hallie, my heart racing. My hand unconsciously clenched the hem of my clothes, wrinkling them. The hair on his forehead was still dripping water, and he handed me a towel. Frederick said, “Don’t let the child catch a cold.” I was still stunned, but Hallie had already taken the towel and said crisply, “Thank you.” Frederick’s expression softened a lot. His gaze fell on my dazed face, and he frowned again. He asked, “Did you take the day off just to get caught in the rain?” As soon as he spoke, he seemed to realize his tone was a bit stern. He rubbed his aching temples and asked, “Where are you going?” “Central Hospital,” Hallie answered quickly. As if defending me, she said, “Mom came to celebrate my birthday today. I’ve been in the hospital for so long, and it’s been ages since I went out to have fun.” Frederick was stunned, looking at the fearless little girl in front of him. Her face was slightly thin, with a sickly pallor that made her eyes seem even larger and rounder, and unusually bright. As she blinked at him, an inexplicable and strangely indefinable feeling arose in Frederick’s heart. He felt the child looked vaguely familiar and, almost as if driven by something uncontrollable, asked, “Where’s her dad?” “He passed away a long time ago,” I quickly said my first words after getting in the car. Then, as if trying to cover something up, I changed the subject and said, “Thank you, Mr. Thomson. There have been some matters on her side recently, so I’ve been busy. I won’t let this happen again and will complete my work properly.” After I finished speaking, Frederick’s gaze shifted from Hallie to me. His stern face, with those deep eyes, startled me. I instinctively avoided his gaze. Frederick no longer wanted to say more. He leaned back in his seat, closed his eyes to rest, and simply instructed the driver, “To Central Hospital.” The car quickly arrived at the destination. Frederick got out of the car before me. He pulled out a black umbrella and lightly tapped the handle with his fingers, signaling me to get out. “Thank you, Mr. Thomson. You don’t need to see us off. I’ll return the umbrella to you tomorrow,” I said softly, just wanting to leave quickly. “I only have this umbrella.” He stood in front of the car door, his chest broad. His soft voice came from above my head. He meant that if he lent it to me, he would be without an umbrella. I had no choice but to give up, then held Hallie and squeezed under the same umbrella with him. I was very close to him. Frederick could catch a faint scent of laundry detergent lingering at the tip of his nose. For some reason, he found the smell somewhat familiar, and his heart started beating irregularly. He took a deep breath and started talking to distract himself. Frederick said, “You’ve been at work for less than a month, took a few hours off a couple of times before, and now a whole day off today. You’re even busier than me.” I felt both ashamed and anxious, keeping my head down without saying a word. Walking into the hospital, I handed Hallie to the doctor for a checkup. When I turned around, I saw Frederick still standing behind me, showing no intention of leaving. I stepped forward, smiling awkwardly, and said, “Mr. Thomson, do you have any other plans? I’ve taken care of my personal matters and can return to work now.” He didn’t answer my question, only asked, “What’s wrong with her?” I didn’t understand what he meant, so I answered truthfully, “She has a tumor and needs surgery.” Frederick said, “If that’s the case, I suggest you find a new job.” I was stunned and looked up at him. His expression was as calm and indifferent as ever. Frederick suddenly changed the subject and said in a condescending tone, “Being my personal assistant is demanding. I don’t need someone who’s always distracted and unfocused wasting time here.” His words were very direct, so direct that they were a bit harsh. A buzzing sound rang in my ears. The corners of my eyes turned red, and I let out a cold laugh, saying, “I’ve only been here for a week. Mr. Thomson, what makes you think I’m just here to slack off?” “I took leave, first because I had a valid reason, and second, after completing my work. I don’t think I did anything wrong.” Frederick listened to every word without missing a beat and, unusually, remained silent. He stared into my eyes, noticing a different emotion in me for the first time. From the first time he met me, he felt that my quietness was strange, or rather, that I was avoiding something. Until now, he met my gaze, saw through my evasive eyes, and realized these eyes seemed somewhat familiar. So, he abruptly said, “Have we met somewhere before?”

It felt like all the blood in my body stopped flowing for a moment. Nervous, my tightly clenched palms were drenched in sweat. I asked, “Mr. Thomson, are you changing the subject? Do you think what I just said was so accurate that you can’t refute it?” I lifted my head, trying to interrupt Frederick’s absurd assumptions with sharp words. He paused noticeably for two seconds. Those two seconds felt endless, tugging at my heart. Frederick said, “You’re right, I was wrong.” He let out a soft chuckle, his tone sounding like he was mocking himself. After speaking, he turned and left. The next day, everything at the company was as usual. When Frederick appeared, he didn’t spare me a glance, as if nothing had happened. Near the end of the workday, Jaxon walked out of the office, looking a bit unwell. He muttered softly, “Why did Mr. Thomson suddenly ask me to look into a college classmate?” The words “college classmate” reached my ears. My heart felt like a massive tsunami had been unleashed. I asked with difficulty, “Jaxon, who is Mr. Thomson asking about? Maybe I know them.” “Oh, right, you both graduated from the University of Washington. She’s a woman named Arabella Paterson,” Jaxon said, kindly flipping open a printed photo to show me. The girl in the photo had heavy makeup on, but the bluish-black birthmark clung to her face like a demon’s claw, strikingly obvious. Frederick is looking for me. This news felt like a thorn, piercing my heart and making me increasingly uneasy. So, when Frederick called me into the office at noon as usual, I was still a bit dazed. While making coffee for him, I could feel his cold gaze filled with intense scrutiny. He asked, “Isabella, you also graduated from the University of Washington. Which department were you in? You look somewhat familiar to me.” My whole body tensed up, gripping the coffee cup tightly, even my breathing trembled. I replied, “I was in the Department of Communication. During college, I participated in several volunteer activities. Maybe I ran into Mr. Thomson back then.” “Oh, really?” Frederick took the coffee cup, his gaze falling on the rippling liquid inside, and smiled ambiguously. Then, he suddenly said, “Do you know Arabella from the Department of Economics?” “I think I’ve heard of her, but I don’t really remember,” I replied with a forced smile. Fortunately, Frederick didn’t seem to mind the perfunctory tone in my words and just nodded lightly. I quickly finished organizing the files on hand and then left the office. I didn’t notice Frederick’s gaze shift from my back to the desk in front of him. He picked up the two photos on the desk and tried to overlap them. After work that day, my rarely used email inexplicably received a message. It was actually my former university professor. He said my thesis needed a random check and asked me to provide a phone number for contact. The doctor beside me was advising me on precautions for Hallie’s surgery. So I didn’t even think about whether the message was real or not. I quickly replied with a string of numbers, then turned off my phone to focus on listening to the doctor. After leaving the consultation room, I walked through the hallway toward Hallie’s ward. But I froze when I saw the scene in front of me. In the distance, Hallie was holding Frederick’s hand and waving at me from afar. My hand gripped the doorknob tightly, my whole body tensed up. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and quickened my pace. Hallie tilted her little head, speaking as her voice gradually became clearer. She said, “I’m not afraid of pain. I’ll be just like Mom. Mom once fought and defeated a big monster on her face. I can definitely beat the demon inside me too.” Hallie’s words were a bit confusing, and Frederick seemed not to understand. He paused for a moment and asked, “What?” I broke out in a cold sweat and quickly stopped Hallie from continuing. “Hallie.” A passing nurse greeted me and praised, “Isabella, Hallie really looks like her dad.” I hurriedly said, “He’s not. Hallie’s dad passed away a long time ago.” No one knew my panic at that moment. The intense heartbeat almost shattered my eardrums, and my voice came out dry and strained. The nurse awkwardly walked away. Frederick nodded at me, his gaze calm, seemingly unfazed by the nurse’s words. I breathed a sigh of relief. Taking Hallie’s hand, I thanked Frederick. Hallie’s surgery is less than two days away. I’m struggling with how to ask Frederick for leave. Jaxon walked out of the office with a worried look. His eyes met mine, and he seemed about to say something but stopped. He sighed and finally said, “Isabella, be honest with me. Which school are you really from? This can’t be faked.” My hand trembled, and cold sweat instantly broke out on my forehead. I could only pretend to be confused and forced a smile. “Jaxon, what do you mean by this? I graduated from the University of Washington.” Jaxon said, “Mr. Thomson asked me to check on you. There’s no one named Isabella Fraser in the University of Washington’s Department of Communication.” It felt like something exploded in my head. At that moment, my mind went blank, unable to think. “Think about how you’re going to explain this to Mr. Thomson later,” he advised. I stood there, unable to move. It took a full minute before my clogged mind started thinking again. I quickly wrote my resignation letter, packed up my desk, and marched straight into Frederick’s office. I said, “I’m sorry, Mr. Thomson. I admit I’m not a University of Washington graduate. I faked my credentials and deceived you.” “Hallie is having surgery in a couple of days. I can’t handle this job, and I don’t have the face to continue.” “Thank you for taking care of me this past month. I’ve left my resignation letter here.” I couldn’t give Frederick the chance to keep investigating. Otherwise, he would find out that Isabella was actually called Arabella five years ago. For this, I clenched my teeth and walked forward with my head down. I was about to throw the resignation letter onto Frederick’s desk and run, but a large hand grabbed my wrist. I looked up and saw Frederick’s eyes filled with complex emotions. He said slowly and firmly, “Arabella, how much longer are you going to mess with me?” His words dragged me back to the most unbearable past.

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My name is Diana Murray. My boss, Julian Grant, got a new girlfriend, Sofia Jackson. The first time we met, she was openly hostile toward me. She looked me up and down and sneered, “You’re Julian’s secretary? The rumored mistress?” I was momentarily speechless, staring at her in disbelief. I am indeed Julian’s secretary. After graduation, my dad, Aiden Murray, specifically arranged for me to learn company management under Julian. Over the past year, I’ve been working overtime almost every night, handling piles of documents. Everyone says I’m the hardest worker in the company. How did Julian dating someone turn into me being rumored as his mistress? ***** When Julian brought Sofia to the office, I happened to be delivering documents to his office. She held onto his arm, her high heels clicking crisply on the floor. The moment I looked up, our eyes met. The smile on her face suddenly faded a bit. “And who is this?” she asked softly. Julian remained calm and smiled, “She’s my secretary, Diana Murray. She just graduated recently and is very reliable.” I gave her a polite nod. Sofia responded faintly, but her gaze remained fixed on my face. The next second, she suddenly leaned closer to Julian and softly said, “Julian, is she the rumored little mistress you’ve been hiding in the company?” My hands paused. Julian immediately frowned. “Nonsense. Where did you hear that?” He seemed to sense the tension and softened his tone. “Don’t you already know who’s around me? Ms. Murray is my colleague, highly capable. Don’t joke like that again.” Sofia pouted, looking aggrieved. “But it’s all over the company, saying you’re especially protective of a secretary, not letting her handle even the smallest tasks.” She glanced at me sideways, then turned to Julian, her voice even softer. “And look, Ms. Murray is indeed beautiful, and you admire her abilities so much. Isn’t it normal for me to feel jealous?” She suddenly laughed and said to me, “But since Julian says so, of course, I believe him. Ms. Murray, make sure to keep your distance from him in the future.” The corner of my mouth twitched slightly. Her words truly carried a deeper meaning. On the surface, she acted coy and vulnerable, but in reality, she shifted all the blame onto me, implying that I was the one being inappropriate and scheming. I lowered my eyes and stayed silent. I don’t deny having other intentions toward Julian, but they’re definitely not what she imagines. Murray Group is internally selecting a general manager to join the headquarters. As the chairman’s daughter, I chose to join the branch as a secretary, both to learn and to closely evaluate the candidates. Julian was originally the most promising candidate. He is capable and bold, someone Aiden holds in high regard. But now, seeing his sharp-tongued, possessive girlfriend, I have to reconsider. Julian stepped out to greet a visitor, leaving only Sofia and me in the office. She immediately seemed like a different person, bouncing over to me, casually picking up the freshly trimmed flower branch, and sniffing it lightly. She said, “Ms. Murray, you’re not mad at me, are you?” She tilted her head, but her gaze was cold and devoid of warmth. I responded calmly, “No.” She let out a soft laugh and lowered her voice. “Because I took the position you wanted most.” “Now it’s me standing by his side, and in the future, I’ll be his wife.” “And you? After being by his side for so long, you ended up with nothing. Don’t you think it’s a pity?” I looked her straight in the eye, my tone calm. “Ms. Jackson, I’ve already said, Mr. Grant and I are just superior and subordinate.” “Stop pretending,” she sneered. “Secretaries like you act all professional, but behind the scenes, aren’t you just trying to seduce your boss?” She stepped closer, almost in my face. “If you’re smart, you’ll resign on your own. Don’t wait for Julian to kick you out.” I smiled lightly. “This is a company, please mind your words and actions.” I met her gaze and said coldly, “Does Mr. Grant know about what you’re saying?” She was momentarily speechless. At that moment, Julian pushed the door open and walked in. Sofia’s expression changed instantly. Her eyes reddened, and she choked up as she rushed toward him. “Julian…”

Julian’s words, “She’s still young and easily swayed by rumors,” made me swallow back the words I was about to say. As a secretary, I really shouldn’t clash with my boss’s girlfriend. But as the chairman’s daughter, watching him so unbalanced between work and personal matters, I felt only disappointment. The next morning, I arrived at the company as usual in the family car. As soon as I sat down at my desk, I heard a familiar voice with deliberate curiosity. “Ms. Murray is impressive, always getting chauffeured in luxury cars every day.” Sofia came to the company again. She leaned against the office doorframe, her gaze fixed on me. Several colleagues looked up. I put down my bag and said calmly, “Ms. Jackson, you’re not an employee of this company, so my commuting method shouldn’t be your concern.” “Why wouldn’t it concern me?” she raised her voice slightly, sounding justified. “I’m Julian’s girlfriend. If I see behavior that might affect the company’s image, shouldn’t I have the right to question it?” Hearing the noise, Julian walked out of the office, frowning slightly. “Sofia, this is a workspace. Please don’t disturb the employees.” He turned to me, his expression returning to its usual calm. “Ms. Murray, I’m well aware of your character. However, please try to be mindful of the impact in the future to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.” Sofia was visibly displeased but said nothing more. Julian’s seemingly fair approach made me sneer inwardly. He had no idea who truly needed to correct their behavior. After Julian returned to his office, Sofia quickly walked over to my desk. She lowered her voice, laced with undisguised malice. “Don’t think you’re so great just because Julian spoke up for you. You’re just a secretary, know your place. We’ll see.” I didn’t respond. A branch manager’s girlfriend talking about “position” in front of the Murray Group heir is truly laughable. But I just lowered my eyes, hiding all my emotions. The evaluation isn’t over yet, and my identity can’t be revealed. However, the next morning, I discovered that the 7,000-page bid document on my computer was gone, and the recycle bin had been emptied. This document pertains to the company’s most important project for the second half of the year, worth 800 million dollars, and is also a key assessment of Julian’s team’s execution capabilities. I walked straight into Julian’s office. Sofia was sitting on the sofa playing with her phone, as if this were her living room. “Mr. Grant, the bid document was maliciously deleted,” I reported directly, my gaze sweeping over Sofia. “Yesterday afternoon, Ms. Jackson stayed alone in the office area for a long time.” Sofia immediately put down her phone, looking aggrieved. “Julian, I was just waiting for you to finish work. How could I possibly touch the company computer? She’s slandering me.” Julian looked at me with a serious expression. “Ms. Murray, such accusations require evidence. Are you sure it wasn’t a system malfunction?” I responded coldly, “I’m very sure. Deleting the file might be explained as an accident, but emptying the recycle bin is clearly a deliberate action.” Sofia’s eyes suddenly reddened, her acting flawless. “Ms. Murray, I know you like Julian and want to drive me away from him. But you can’t use something like this to slander me!” Julian looked at her but said nothing. In the end, he said to me, “Try to recover the files first. Without solid evidence, don’t accuse anyone recklessly.” I watched him protect Sofia, thought of the seven thousand pages of the bidding proposal, and clenched my fists in anger. I spoke coldly, “Since you want evidence, why don’t I call the police now and investigate whether it was you who deleted it!” Sofia’s face suddenly changed. Julian stood up and reprimanded, “Enough! The bidding documents were your responsibility to keep, and now that they’re gone, it’s your fault!” “Now that the documents are gone, go work overtime immediately and make a new one!” “If the bid fails, I’ll fire you.” Behind him, Sofia gave me a smug smile. She thought she had won. But she didn’t know she had crossed more than just a secretary’s bottom line.

That day, colleagues who thought they could finally leave work on time and rest were all sitting at their desks with gloomy faces, working overtime. But a 7,000-page bidding proposal wasn’t something they could finish in one night. The next day, the project bid failed. Sofia walked into the office with a big bag of coffee and said to everyone, “Oh, it’s all Ms. Murray’s fault for not saving the bidding documents properly, causing everyone to fail the bid.” “Ms. Murray, you should apologize to everyone. Your mistake has cost everyone their year-end bonuses!” I took a deep breath and said coldly, “It was clearly you who used my computer without permission, causing the company to lose an $8 billion project.” Hearing this, everyone turned to Sofia in shock. Sofia’s face turned bright red. “You’re just jealous that I’m with Julian, so you’re deliberately slandering me to force us to break up!” “Let me tell you, even if Julian breaks up with me, he would never fall for a vicious woman like you!” At that moment, Julian happened to walk out of the office. He held Sofia’s hand and looked at me with a grim expression. He said, “Diana, you mix personal matters with work, slander others at will, and caused the company to lose an $800 million project. “As an intern, your lack of ability could be overlooked, but your character is so questionable. You’re fired.” Moments later, I stood at the bottom of the building holding my belongings. I looked back at the company, my gaze turning cold. ***** The next day was the Murray Group’s annual meeting, where all branch managers, executives, and key employees were required to attend at the headquarters. I attended with my dad. Just as I went to get champagne, a piercing voice suddenly rang out. “Diana? What are you doing here!” Sofia walked toward me arm in arm with Julian. She looked me up and down, gritted her teeth, and pointed at me, yelling, “Diana, you shameless homewrecker!” “Do you still dare to deny that you have feelings for Julian?” “To cling to him, you even stole an invitation to sneak in!” Even Julian’s gaze at me carried a hint of wariness. He said, “Diana, I really didn’t expect to see you here.” He coldly ordered, “Security! Throw her out!” Looking at his self-righteous attitude, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. I said, “Ms. Jackson, I’ve told you many times to stop talking nonsense.” “You say I sneaked in with a stolen invitation? Where’s the proof?” Sofia sneered sarcastically, “Weren’t you fired? If you didn’t sneak in, how else did you get in?” “Security, get this woman out of here!” The security guards at the venue approached upon hearing the commotion, but when they saw me, they all stopped in their tracks. Julian frowned tightly. “Diana, I’m giving you one last chance—leave here immediately!” “If you keep pestering, I’ll blacklist you in the industry.” Hearing his threat, I couldn’t help but laugh. “Blacklist me? Do you even qualify?”

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Caleb Thorne’s first act upon returning to town was to have his men wreck my little seafood stall. All because five years ago, when he was nothing but a sick, penniless nobody, I’d walked away without looking back. Now, with a gorgeous fiancée on his arm, he scattered a fistful of cash directly in my face. “Eleanor, look at you now. You’re like a dead fish.Where’s all that pride you had when you sold me out for a quick buck” I said nothing. Just bent down to pick up the crumpled bills he’d stepped on. My body was failing by the day since the kidney transplant. This money might just buy me a decent plot to rest in. “Enough!” “Eleanor, who is this pathetic act for? For a few bucks, you’ve lost all your dignity?” Caleb watched my pathetic state, his eyes blazing with fury. I retrieved the last bill from beneath the sole of his polished shoe. Wiped it clean of scales and grime. Then, slowly, I pushed myself to my feet. “Dignity? What does it buy?” “Thank you for your business today, Mr. Thorne. The rest of the fish are on me. If they’re good, feel free to come back.” Caleb’s jaw tightened. The air around him seemed to freeze. “I should have known,” he bit out, each word dipped in ice. “You were always only about the money.” “If Sera hadn’t insisted on fresh seafood today, I would never have seen you again in my life.” At his words, I finally looked up. He hadn’t changed at all in five years. Still handsome. Still radiant. The only thing that had changed was the person by his side-it wasn’t me anymore. Perhaps noticing my silence, Sera Hayes, standing behind him, tugged at his sleeve. “Caleb, don’t talk to Ellie like that. She’s had a pretty tough time these past few years since leaving you.” Then she offered me an apologetic smile. “Ellie, I’m really sorry.” “Caleb just has that temper. He’s not very patient with strangers and can be a bit harsh. Don’t take it to heart.” I dug my nails into my palms, just barely managing to hold back the sting in my eyes. Right, that’s just how Caleb was. “How about this, Ellie? You keep these fish to sell. We only need two.” “Caleb doesn’t really like fish, but I was craving Mrs. Thorne’s special baked cod. Buying too much means we wouldn’t finish it, so two is plenty.” Just as Sera finished speaking and moved towards the fish tank, Caleb stopped her with his arm. “Don’t touch those. It’s so cold today, what if you catch a chill?” “Let her do it.” I skillfully bent down and scooped out the fish. Everything was routine, but when Caleb protectively cupped Sera’s reddened hands to his chest, my filleting knife slipped, slicing straight into my palm. Caleb took the cleaned fish, his eyes full of mockery as he looked at my bleeding hand. “Well, Eleanor, do you regret abandoning me five years ago when I was gravely ill?”

I looked at his face, overlapping with the pale, sickly one from my memories. Regret? Five years ago, Caleb Thorne’s startup failed, and soon after, he was admitted to the ICU with uremia. The funds raised for his startup had practically drained all our savings. To cover the exorbitant medical bills, I took on every job imaginable. At my worst, I ate only one meal a day and slept only three hours. I worked at my office during the day, then delivered takeout at night. I pushed myself to the limit, just barely managing to keep Caleb alive. Without a suitable kidney donor, he was constantly in danger. Watching his face grow gaunt day by day, I practically begged everyone I knew. Until that night, the doctor found me. He said they found a match. But the person who matched Caleb was me. Before I could respond, Caleb’s cold voice cut through my thoughts. “I don’t regret it one bit.” “If you hadn’t left me, I wouldn’t have met someone as amazing as Sera.” “And I wouldn’t have seen through your hypocritical, selfish facade.” Caleb finished speaking and turned away without hesitation, pulling Sera into their car. I replayed his words of relief in my mind, a numb smile twisting my lips. The next second, a nosebleed gushed out, unstoppable. When I woke up, I was already in the hospital. Looking at the sterile white ceiling, I skillfully pulled out the IV needle. Grabbing my things, I walked out. I hadn’t gone far when two familiar figures appeared. My steps automatically paused as I saw the “Obstetrics & Gynecology” sign. Caleb was holding Sera, his eyes full of happiness as he looked at the report in his hand. My heart fluttered, and for a moment, I thought back five years. Back then, Caleb’s eyes were only for me. He said that once he recovered, we’d have a child and build our own little family. Now, he finally got his wish. It just wasn’t with me. I shook my head, and the report in my hand suddenly slipped, scattering papers across the floor. Caleb finally noticed me. He picked up the reports from the ground, his brows furrowed as he read the dense text. “Severe kidney damage… late stage…” “What is this?” I hastily snatched the report, breathing a sigh of relief that he hadn’t fully read it. Caleb scoffed. “Eleanor, who taught you this trick? Faking an illness just to get money? Did you not manage to snag a rich guy after leaving me?” I clutched the report tightly, listening to his taunts in silence. Five years ago, after Caleb received another critical condition notice, I broke up with him. “Caleb Thorne, I want a rich life. Look at you now, you can’t even move on your own. What right do you have to ask me to stay and suffer with you?” My words were cold, final. It was the first time I’d ever seen Caleb cry. He clutched my hand, his own trembling, begging for more time, begging me not to go. That day, I walked away without looking back. And straight into the operating room, where I gave up a kidney. So Caleb, to this day, he still has no idea that the very thing that saved his life… was taken from me.

“If you want money so badly, fine.” “Sera and I are getting married. I remember you designed a wedding dress. How much do you want for it? I’ll buy it.” Caleb tightly clasped Sera’s hand, looking at me with absolute certainty. My breath hitched, and my heart gave a sharp lurch. That wedding dress was my first creation. The day it was finished, Caleb held the design sketch, grinning like a kid. He said he could picture how beautiful I’d look in it just by glancing at it. Now he wanted that very dress for someone else. Even though I knew deep down that I’d never get to wear it for Caleb, hearing him offer it to another woman still sent a pang of pain through my chest. After a long moment, I finally managed to find my voice. “Sure, it depends on how much Mr. Thorne is willing to pay. If the price is right, it’s yours.” Caleb’s expression was filled with scorn. “Eleanor, you really are obsessed with money. I truly don’t know how I ever fell for a woman like you.” With that, he didn’t spare me another glance, pulling Sera past me. I clenched the report so tightly my fingers ached. I thought after that day at the fish stand, we wouldn’t run into each other again. But it turned out Northwood was a terrifyingly small city. Caleb hated me, but even through my pain, I felt a flicker of perverse relief. Hate was fine. If love was gone, at least there was hate. That way, if I ever left, he might forget our past, but he’d remember this hate. Hate lasts longer than love, doesn’t it? I forced a bitter smile, wiping away the trickling nosebleed, and slowly pushed myself up against the wall. But before I could turn to leave, a familiar female voice spoke up behind me. “Eleanor, I thought when you agreed to leave Caleb, you’d finally understood, that you’d be willing to let him go.” “I never imagined you’d remain so stubborn. Five years have passed, Caleb doesn’t care about you anymore, so how dare you shamelessly show up again?” “Don’t think I don’t know you’ve been secretly sending letters to Caleb all these years! Do you know that if I hadn’t intercepted them, Caleb would have been ruined by a terrible person like you?!” Without Caleb by her side, Sera was like a different person. Her eyes were filled with hatred, her face twisted into a vicious sneer. I wasn’t surprised by her sudden change in attitude. In fact, her previous pretense of being gentle and generous had always disgusted me. When I first met Sera, she was already skilled at pretense. Back then, I felt pity for how sweet and mature the girl seemed. Even though Caleb and I were just starting our business and funds were incredibly tight, I still set aside a portion each month to help her with her studies. Sera would always sweetly call me “Ellie” back then, and I was fooled by her act. Until Caleb fell ill, and she immediately cut off contact with us. The next time I saw her, she was by Caleb’s side, taking my place. And I, due to the kidney donation, was deteriorating day by day. I still remember what Sera said to me when she and Caleb were about to go abroad. She said. “Ellie, in your current state, you can’t be there for Caleb, and you can’t share his burdens. You’ll only drag him down.” “Don’t you love him most? Can you really bear to see such an excellent Caleb dragged down by you?” “This opportunity to go abroad is one Caleb has waited a long time for. Can you really bear to ruin it with your own selfish desires? I hope you won’t contact Caleb anymore. Instead of having him fall from his pedestal with a burden, it’s better to discard something useless, don’t you agree?” I hated her hypocrisy, and I hated how easily she took everything that belonged to me. But one thing she said was indeed true. I really didn’t want such a bright and proud Caleb to become bogged down because of me. If he were confined to my sickbed every day, worrying about my illness, that would indeed be selfish. So I endured. For a long time, I didn’t contact him. Only during treatments, when the pain became unbearable, would I send him a letter. For five years, I always hoped. Maybe one day, Caleb would reply to me. Even a word or two of concern? But there was nothing. I thought Caleb truly hated me, but I never expected Sera to have interfered. “Eleanor, why are you so persistent? Didn’t we agree you wouldn’t appear in front of Caleb again?” Sera glared at me, as if I’d stolen something precious from her. I just lifted my eyes, giving her a faint glance. “Agreed? I don’t recall us agreeing on anything.” “Sera Hayes, if your memory is failing, go get your head checked. Don’t waste my time here. I don’t think we have anything to catch up on.” I turned to leave, but Sera quickly grabbed my arm. Seeing I wasn’t budging, she clearly became exasperated. “Eleanor, are you regretting it now? Seeing Caleb has money again, you want to snatch him back, don’t you?” “I’m telling you, don’t even think about it!” “I’m carrying Caleb’s child now. His heart and his side belong only to me!” Watching her agitated expression, I found it amusing. “I don’t recall ever abandoning him. Besides, if I hadn’t wanted to avoid holding him back, you wouldn’t be in the picture at all.” “You’re so tense right now, could it be you’re afraid I’ll tell Caleb what really happened back then?” Sera’s face immediately stiffened as I hit a nerve. After a long pause, she bit out, “Eleanor, do you dare to bet that Caleb won’t care about you at all now? Between you and me, no matter what, he’ll only choose me!”

I thought Caleb’s offer to buy my wedding dress design was just him being spiteful. But to my surprise, he actually showed up. I had just delivered some fish to Mrs. Jenkins, my neighbor, and turned around to see Caleb’s stormy face. “Eleanor, what are you doing living here? Who gave you permission to come back?” “Or do you think I’m foolish enough to forgive and forget, and then coddle you, beg you to come back like before?” I paused, then slowly shook my head. “No, it’s just that the rent here is cheap. Mr. Thorne, you’re flattering yourself.” “It’s just an apartment. There’s no hidden agenda.” I clenched my jaw, just barely managing to keep my emotions from spilling out. This rental apartment was where we’d lived during the two hardest years of our startup. Here, we’d leaned on each other, promising forever. So when Caleb left, I immediately rented it back. Caleb coldly averted his gaze. “You’d better truly think that way. Don’t harbor any other intentions.” “There’s ten thousand dollars on this card. Is that enough for your design sketch?” I stiffened, looking at the card. Ten thousand was enough to buy ten design sketches, and to cover my treatments for a long time. But looking at him, I couldn’t bring myself to agree. I simply couldn’t accept that everything that was once mine was now being given to another woman by him. “What, are you regretting it now?” Caleb sneered, seeing my silence. Ten thousand dollars to sever everything between us-it was more than enough. I subconsciously wanted to speak, but a gentle female voice beat me to it. “Ellie, Caleb isn’t bothering you, is he?” “He said he had a surprise for me this morning, I didn’t expect it was to come here to get your design.” “Don’t mind him, he’s like a big kid sometimes. He just proposed yesterday, and today he’s already impatient to plan the wedding dress.” Sera walked up in a simple white dress, naturally linking her arm through Caleb’s. My throat tightened as I saw the diamond ring she deliberately showed off. It was from Eternity Jewels’ “Eternal Bond” collection, the one I’d fallen in love with at first sight. Back then, we were dirt poor, but Caleb had firmly told me. One day, he would buy it for me. Now he had the means, but the one wearing that ring was no longer me. Caleb skillfully enveloped her hand in his, his face filled with worry. “What are you doing here? You can’t stand places like this. What if you get hurt on the way?” Sera playfully nestled into his arms. “You suddenly disappeared, and I got worried, silly. Besides, I’m not a child anymore.” Then she smiled at me, feigning helplessness. “Sorry, Ellie, for making you watch our little show. Caleb always thinks I’m helpless. Every time I go out alone, he worries for ages.” I numbly twitched my lips, feeling like every second spent standing there was agony. Before I could move, Sera grabbed my arm. “Ellie, are you going to get the design? I’ll come with you. We can see if there’s anything that needs changing.” “Caleb, us girls are going to have some private chat, so don’t come over!” Caleb nodded, his eyes full of adoration for the playful Sera. I was pulled into the room by Sera. As soon as the door closed, Sera scoffed. “I knew you hadn’t given up! What design sketch? It’s clearly just an excuse to see Caleb.” “And deliberately living here, are you trying to make Caleb remember the past and come back to you?” “Dream on!” I was tired of listening to her rant and wanted to find the design so she’d leave. But Sera relentlessly held onto me, ready to slap my face. I instinctively pushed her away. With almost imperceptible force, Sera shrieked and began to fall backward. Before I could react, a strong hand suddenly grabbed my arm. He pulled me hard, and I instantly tumbled down the stairs. In the dilapidated stairwell, my nosebleed wouldn’t stop. I lay on the concrete floor, bruised and disheveled. Caleb, however, acted as if he didn’t see me, only caring to scoop Sera into his arms, repeatedly checking on her. Only after confirming she was unharmed did he let out a shaky sigh of relief. Then his shadowy gaze landed on me. “Eleanor, who gave you the guts to lay a hand on Sera?” “If anything happens to her or the baby, you’ll regret it!” I was in too much pain to think clearly. My nose bled endlessly as I tried to open my mouth.. Before I could speak, the iron door next door clanged open Mrs. Jenkins saw me covered in blood and screamed. “What have you done to her?!” “Eleanor had a kidney transplant! She had a kidney transplant! Her body can’t take this! Didn’t you know that?”

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My best friend and I married into the powerful Sterling family together. I got the eldest son, Julian. She got Damon, the younger. We got pregnant in the same month. We went into labor on the same day. I gave birth to a boy with a failing heart. The Sterlings treated him, and me, like a stain on their legacy. My best friend, Seraphina, delivered a healthy, robust boy. He became the family’s golden child. To save my son, Julian and I sacrificed our inheritance, willingly cut off from the family. Later, the child recovered, but he recognized Seraphina as his mother. Julian and I froze to death by the roadside. Only after I died did I learn the child with the failing heart was Seraphina’s. She swept them. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the very day we were due to give birth… “Rory,” her voice drifted gently from the next bed, “do you think our babies will be boys or girls?” I slowly opened my eyes and looked over. My best friend, Seraphina, was gently caressing her baby bump, a soft, maternal glow on her face. I stared at her, my mind reeling. My hand, hidden beneath the blankets, savagely pinched my skin. The pain was sharp. Real. It was true. I was back, trapped once more in the sterile limbo of the delivery room. She’d asked me the same question in our last life. Back then, I’d been blind, answering with a laugh, “Boy or girl, as long as it’s mine, I’ll love it.” “And what if the baby isn’t healthy? Will you still love it?” Her voice floated over again. The words were a perfect echo of the past. Last time, I’d been blind. This time, I knew. She had already known her baby would have problems. The swap had been her plan all along. In my previous life, I’d laughed it off. “Relax, Sera! We’re on the Sterling estate, with doctors on call. Our babies are going to be perfect. Don’t scare yourself, and definitely don’t scare me. You know I’m a big softie.” But Seraphina pressed, needing a firm answer. I gave her one. “If it’s my child, I’ll love it and care for it.” “You better mean that, Rory!” she beamed, a flicker of triumph in her eyes I’d been too naive to recognize. I never knew, then, that every word was a step in her design. Now, the same question hung in the air between us. I immediately turned my head and pressed the nurse call button. Kim, my assigned nurse, was at my side in an instant. “Mrs.Rory Sterling, what can I do for you?” she asked softly. “I need to be moved to a private delivery room. I don’t want to stay in here with her.” Kim blinked, but nodded. As the elder Sterling daughter-in-law in active labor, a sudden odd request wasn’t unheard of. “One moment, please. I’ll arrange it immediately.” Seraphina anxiously called out, “Kim, wait!” “Ma’am, shall I call your nurse for you?” Kim asked politely. Seraphina snapped, ignoring the courtesy. “Don’t you dare move her.” Kim’s eyes sought mine. “Mrs. Sterling?” “Proceed. Now.” I calmly instructed. Kim nodded and left the room. Seraphina glared at me, her face darkening. “Rory, what is this? Are we not best friends anymore?” We used to be. In my past life, we were. But not anymore. This time, I wouldn’t let her wicked schemes succeed. That ungrateful, cold-hearted brat? They could have him.

“Seraphina, I always considered you my closest friend, but I never expected you to suggest my baby might be unhealthy. Until my child is born, I don’t want to see you.” After saying my piece, I turned away, not wanting to look at her. I was afraid if I looked at her any longer, I wouldn’t be able to control the rage boiling inside me. Seraphina didn’t notice my unusual change. She just thought I was upset about her comments regarding the baby’s health. She immediately started explaining, “Rory, that’s not what I meant! I’m just so nervous about giving birth, that’s all. Please don’t overthink it.” “We promised we’d deliver together, and spend our recovery chatting in the same room. You can’t leave me now!” At the end, Seraphina resorted to her usual trick. Her eyes welled up, looking at me as if she were the most wronged person in the world. In my past life, I’d given in to her emotional manipulation time and time again, which is why she always got what she wanted from me. But this time, I wouldn’t yield. “Seraphina, until my baby is born, I don’t want to hear anything negative. And your persuasion won’t change my mind.” Seeing my resolve, Seraphina stopped trying to convince me. However, it wasn’t long before the Sterling brothers arrived. Julian, my husband, smiled gently when he saw me, hurrying to my side and tenderly touching my forehead. “Don’t worry, Rory. I’m right here with you.” Julian had always been so gentle, his presence calming my heart, yet making it race all at once. For our child, he would have sacrificed everything. But in my past life, we’d both put our faith in the wrong people, and it led to a tragic end. “Julian,” I whispered his name, full of emotion. He quickly asked, “Are you in pain?” I was about to answer when I heard Damon’s incredulous voice from Seraphina’s bed. “Seraphina, you must have misheard, right? Rory is so close to you. Now that she’s about to give birth, why would she suddenly want a private delivery room?” Seraphina replied, her voice laced with feigned hurt, “Damon, it’s true. It’s all my fault for saying something that upset Rory. Please, go talk to her for me.” Damon walked to my bedside, looking confused. “Rory, is what Seraphina said true? You’re really moving to a private delivery room?” “Yes, that’s right,” I replied with a smile. Damon looked even more bewildered but immediately accused me of bullying Seraphina. “Rory, aren’t you being unfair to Seraphina? She’s your sister-in-law. How could you do this at a time like this? Aren’t you worried something might happen to your baby?” He was taking the moral high ground. If it were the old me, I would have been the pushover, compromising for Seraphina. But reborn, knowing Seraphina’s malicious schemes, how could I stay with that venomous woman? “Damon, apologize to Rory,” Julian said before I could even open my mouth, making his stance clear. Damon looked shocked. “Julian, Rory’s the one in the wrong. Why should I apologize to her?” Seraphina immediately chimed in, “Exactly, Julian! You should join Damon in persuading Rory to stay with me. I’ll be scared without her.” With that, Seraphina sniffled, looking utterly devastated. One more look at her, and I felt my eyes ache, a wave of nausea washing over me. “Ugh!” I couldn’t help but retch, and Julian’s face immediately darkened. “Seraphina, even if you and my wife are close, there are still boundaries. Damon, is this how you teach your wife respect?” Damon, reprimanded by Julian, grew even angrier. “Julian, are you really letting Rory twist your judgment? Your wife is bullying my wife, and you’re scolding me?” I glanced at the couple, catching a fleeting smirk in Seraphina’s eyes. She was plotting something sinister again.

“Damon, is Julian’s reprimand really so wrong? You’re quick to accuse me, but have you considered the truth?” “Seraphina and I are close, it’s true. But with both of us so close to giving birth, Seraphina kept asking me what I’d do if my baby wasn’t healthy.” I sighed, then continued, “I’m a pregnant woman too. And I’m even further along than your wife. I’m scared too, you know.” Then, I too feigned a sniffle. “Besides, would our friendship truly suffer just because Seraphina and I are in different delivery rooms?” “Or is Seraphina somehow certain my baby won’t be healthy, and that’s why she keeps bringing up my child?” I spoke each word slowly and deliberately, my gaze fixed on Seraphina and Damon. They stiffened, looking like they’d been caught red-handed, a flicker of guilt flashing in their eyes. Especially Damon, who shot Seraphina a furious, covert glare. It was exactly as I’d suspected. Damon was in on the baby-swapping plan. I couldn’t stand another second in that room. Seraphina and Damon tried to argue, but I cut them off with my final word. “Seraphina, even if you’re just nervous, I can’t stay here with you.” “I believe you’re just anxious, but I’m still moving to a private delivery room. It’s also for the Sterling name.” That last sentence finally silenced the couple. For a family like the Sterlings, reputation was the only currency that mattered. Sisters-in-law forced to share a delivery room? he tabloids would spin it into a saga of neglect and family discord. Appearances had to be maintained, even here. Kim walked in. “Mrs. Sterling, the new delivery room is ready.” I nodded, and Julian followed, carrying my things. Once settled, I noticed Damon had followed us. A sense of urgency pursued me. It also told me they hadn’t given up on their plan to swap the babies. Seraphina and my delivery rooms were on the same floor, separated by three rooms, making a baby swap still quite feasible. But no medical staff would dare to swap babies for a wealthy family’s delivery. Therefore, the only ones who could swap the babies were Seraphina and Damon. Seraphina swapping babies after delivery was unlikely, so the one to act would be Damon. I felt like I’d uncovered the truth, and my hand, hidden beneath the blanket, clenched into a tight fist. “Rory, both you and Seraphina are about to give birth. Seraphina is just overly nervous, so please don’t be angry.” “Our Sterling family is vast and prosperous. It’s probably better for you and Seraphina to be in separate delivery rooms anyway. I’ll go keep Seraphina company now.” I offered him a faint smile. “Alright, go on. Be with her.” As soon as he left, Julian sat beside me. “Rory, did something happen?” “Julian, you have to watch over our baby carefully,” I said seriously, tears welling in my eyes. Julian didn’t quite understand but smiled. “Of course, darling. He’s our child. I’ll protect him with my life.” I was anxious but couldn’t tell him about my rebirth. Not only was it unbelievable, but our tragic past was something I alone should bear. He deserved to remain optimistic and carefree. Before my water broke, I quickly told him about several news stories about babies being stolen or swapped in hospitals. Julian found it unbelievable but didn’t argue. As I was telling him the stories, my water broke. Seraphina also went into labor. We were wheeled into separate delivery rooms. After six grueling hours, our baby was born. I was exhausted, but I dared not sleep. I watched the medical staff clean my baby. I watched as they placed the hospital’s special newborn bracelet on his wrist. I watched as they brought him to me. The baby was fair, plump, and perfectly healthy, his tiny hands actively swatting at the air. This was my child.

I passed out from exhaustion. When I woke up, the first thing I saw was Julian. “Julian, where’s our baby?” I asked weakly. He chuckled. “You did amazing, darling! The baby’s right over there with Kim. Don’t worry.” I nodded and told him, “Bring the baby over. I want to see him.” He gave a helpless smile and asked Kim to bring the baby to me. The baby hadn’t been swapped. I let out a sigh of relief. But then Julian asked, “How are you feeling now? Do you want something to eat?” Almost as soon as he asked, Kim brought over a nutritious meal for new mothers. I ate quietly, and afterwards, the urge to sleep returned. Before drifting off, I repeatedly instructed him, “Julian, you absolutely must watch over our baby. Don’t leave his side for a second, stay focused.” Julian looked even more helpless but patiently reassured me, “Alright. Get some rest, I’ll keep a close eye on our baby.” His words eased my mind a little, but I still felt uneasy. However, a new mother post-delivery is incredibly weak, and my body simply wouldn’t obey my will. I quickly fell back asleep. When I woke again, it was three in the morning. Julian wasn’t there, and neither was Kim. My heart tightened, and I immediately pressed the nurse call button. The first person to enter the room was Mrs. Sterling, my mother-in-law. “Mom, what are you doing here?” “Both you and Seraphina have given birth to boys for our Sterling family, so how could I not come?” “I had the chef make some chicken soup. Would you like a sip?” I couldn’t refuse my mother-in-law’s offer, so I smiled and said, “Yes, please.” But inwardly, I desperately wanted to see my baby. With my mother-in-law sitting beside me, watching me with a smile, I had no choice but to force myself to drink the soup. I mindlessly finished the chicken soup, then proactively asked, “Mom, where did Julian go?” “Oh, he just left the room to go to Damon’s side. Your father had something to ask him. He’ll be back soon.” “He just left?” I asked suspiciously. My mother-in-law nodded without hesitation. “That’s right.” But my unease persisted. Something felt off. In my past life, when Seraphina and I gave birth to our sons, my in-laws didn’t even visit us at the hospital that night. Yet tonight, both my in-laws were here, and they had even called Julian away. A preposterous, yet strangely true, premonition began to form in my mind. “Mom, I want to see the baby.” “What’s there to see in a baby? They all look the same. The most important thing now is for you to rest and recover. You can see the baby tomorrow.” My mother-in-law’s words were meant to sound caring, but she was subtly refusing my request to see the baby. My unease intensified, and I said again, “Mom, please bring the baby over. I want to see him.” But my mother-in-law commanded me sternly, “Rory, you’ve just given birth; you shouldn’t get agitated. You’ve had your chicken soup, now rest. You can see the baby tomorrow.” She wouldn’t let me see the baby. But I was too worried the baby had been swapped, so I pressed the nurse call button again. My mother-in-law frowned, glaring at me. I offered a sheepish smile. “Mom, I just want to see the baby for a moment. It’s not that I’m disobeying you.” This time, Kim arrived very quickly. “Mrs. Sterling, what can I do for you?” “I want to see the baby.” Kim immediately brought the baby over. With just one look, I knew something was wrong with the baby. My baby had been swapped. This wasn’t my child. Both Seraphina’s baby and mine were boys and both looked fair and healthy, but their lip colors were different. My healthy baby’s lips were pink. Seraphina’s son, with the failing heart, had lips that were a faint purple. And compared to my healthy child, the baby in front of me was clearly much weaker. “This isn’t my baby.” The conviction in my own voice propelled me to action. “Kim, call Julian. Now.” But my mother-in-law stopped Kim. “You’re not going anywhere.” Then, she looked at me coldly. “Rory, what are you trying to do?”

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Due to a shortage of ER resources, I, the hospital’s lead consulting physician, had to cover a shift as a nurse. My cousin, Chloe Davies, a patient on my ward, made my life hell. “The toilet’s dirty. Clean it. Isn’t that what nurses do? Clean up other people’s mess? Refuse, and I’ll report you!” Duty overrode fury. I clenched my jaw and did it. On her discharge day, she filed a complaint with the associate director anyway. “I’m here to report Ava for patient abuse! And she also seduced my husband! A vixen like her doesn’t deserve to be a nurse. Fire her, now!” Furious, I yanked off my nurse’s scrub top and flung it at her. “Save your complaint. I’m the chief medical consultant here. You have no idea who you’re messing with!” Before I could finish, Associate Director Dr. Sterling cut me off sharply. “Lead Consultant? Ava, even for a liar, you should at least aim for something believable.” I was the newly appointed Lead Consultant, a fact known only to Dr. Peterson, the hospital director. Sterling was completely in the dark. I was about to explain, but he steamrolled over me. “You’re just an unaffiliated intern. Say one more word, and you’re out!” Chloe, who had been frozen in place, instantly relaxed. She mumbled under her breath. “Oh, so she’s just an nobody intern.” Her eyes, when she looked at me again, were filled with mockery and disdain. “So what if she’s an intern? Does an intern get to target a patient?” “Shameless tramp, seducing my husband!” “She has to kneel down and apologize to me, and she needs to be fired!” Hearing Chloe’s baseless accusations, I immediately frowned. I’d never even met her husband. How could I have seduced him? Before I could speak, Dr. Sterling glared at me. “Apologize immediately, or forget about getting your internship certificate!” Was Dr. Sterling under the impression I was here just for an internship certificate? But I was merely trying to get a feel for the work environment. Seeing Dr. Sterling’s attitude, Chloe grew even more arrogant. Her eyes gleamed with triumph, as if convinced I, as an intern, would fall in line. I shook my head right away. “No way.” “I didn’t do anything wrong; I won’t apologize to her.” Without even looking at Chloe, I continued. “Everyone witnessed how Chloe treated my colleagues since she was admitted to the ward.” “If Dr. Sterling isn’t aware, you can check the security footage.” At the mention of surveillance, Chloe’s expression stiffened for a second. But she quickly recovered, yelling insults at the top of her lungs. “What’s wrong with hitting the call button when I need something? You’re just here to clean up after patients, it’s an honor for you to even get me water!” Her expression was fierce, adopting the aggressive stance of someone arguing in the street. Dr. Sterling pushed up his rimless glasses, a forced smile on his face. “Ma’am, rest assured, I will definitely make Ava apologize to you.” With that, he shot me a warning look. “Nurse Miller, just humble yourself and apologize, and this whole thing will blow over.” “You’re an unaffiliated intern; you must want to keep this job, right?” Recognizing the threat in Dr. Sterling’s words, I gave a cold smirk. Dr. Peterson had been the one communicating with me recently; it seemed Dr. Sterling truly didn’t know my real identity. Chloe spat on the ground, looking at me with her nose in the air. But I spoke unhurriedly. “No need to fire me. I’m quitting right now.” Ignoring the three dumbfounded faces, I walked away with a flourish. As I was packing my belongings in the break room, I heard a commotion in the hallway. “The nurses at this hospital are indecent; you all better watch your husbands, or that Ava vixen will snatch them up!” “She seduced my husband and won’t even admit it, she refuses to apologize!” Listening to Chloe’s wails, I paid her no mind.

After packing my personal items, I left the break room. Chloe saw me and rushed forward, wildly tugging at my clothes. Her long nails dug deeply into my skin, and blood immediately seeped out. I winced in pain, then forcefully broke free from her grasp. Glancing at my bleeding wound, I warned her angrily. “Chloe, if you dare touch me again, I’m calling the police right now!” A flicker of panic crossed Chloe’s eyes, and she didn’t dare speak again. But bystanders stepped forward, blocking my path and preventing me from leaving. They spoke sarcastically, shoving their phones in my face and filming non-stop. “Seducing someone’s husband and acting so righteous? All that education went to waste!” “Apologize now, or I’ll blast you all over the internet!” Seeing that she had support, the guilt in Chloe’s eyes vanished. Before I could react, she rushed over and slapped me across the face. “That’s for seducing my man, you shameless home-wrecker!” “No wonder you had money to be a self-sponsored intern here; you just spread your legs for dirty money to support yourself!” My gaze hardened on Chloe; I was at my breaking point. Just as I was about to speak, a familiar voice came from around the corner. “Ava? What are you doing here?” It was Mia Chen, my elementary school classmate. We had kept in touch after graduation and were close friends who talked about everything. Seeing her, my agitated mood vanished. She hurried over, affectionately linking her arm through mine. “What’s going on here? So much excitement!” Someone in the crowd muttered sarcastically. “What else? We’re catching a shameless home-wrecker!” I shot an annoyed glance at the person, who, far from being intimidated, even rolled their eyes at me. Mia looked confused, as if still trying to process what was happening. I managed to control my irritation and pulled Mia closer. “I’ve never done anything I regret in my life. This is my good friend; if you don’t believe me, you can ask her.” At my words, everyone’s gaze shifted to Mia. I looked at Mia with certainty and anticipation, sure she would vouch for me. But Mia gave an awkward smile, pulled her arm away, and stepped back. She looked at me suspiciously, speaking cautiously. “Ava, are they talking about the pictures you showed me?” I froze, not understanding what Mia was referring to. Before I could speak, Mia quickly swiped on her phone a couple of times. A minute later, she handed the phone to me. “Are they talking about you and this man?” “Didn’t you say you really liked him and Photoshopped intimate photos with him? “So, did you get him? If you did, you owe me dinner!” On her phone were intimate bedroom photos of me and Daniel Hughes, in very suggestive poses. My mind went blank instantly; I couldn’t think at all. “SMACK!” The crisp sound of a slap echoed loudly in the hallway. “Ava, you little tramp, you actually Photoshopped such disgusting pictures!” “And you said you didn’t seduce my husband? Your own friend just exposed you!” She started hitting and kicking me, nailing me to the pillar of shame. The bystanders were even more enraged, showering me with insults. “I didn’t, I didn’t Photoshop these pictures…” But no matter how I explained, they wouldn’t believe me. I looked at Mia like a ghost, utterly bewildered. Why would she frame me?

Finally regaining my senses, I demanded angrily. “Mia Chen, I’ve never wronged you, why are you slandering me?” But she looked innocent, quickly apologizing to me. “I’m so sorry, Ava, I didn’t know the man you liked was already married.” “If I had known, I would have absolutely kept your secret!” Her words hit me hard, and I almost collapsed. Chloe, meanwhile, was tugging at my hair, demanding angrily. “Ava, what else do you have to say for yourself?!” “This is your friend; would she lie to frame you?” Yes, Mia Chen was definitely framing me. I forced myself to stay calm, my gaze falling on Dr. Sterling in the corner. “I need to see Dr. Peterson. Otherwise, I won’t perform tomorrow’s surgery.” Dr. Sterling scoffed, sizing me up with a contemptuous look. “Surgery? What surgery? I think you’re just trying to stall for time.” “You know, people shouldn’t do bad things, or karma will catch up to them eventually!” He rolled his eyes and addressed the crowd. “Everyone, Ava has been fired. Her actions have nothing to do with this hospital.” As soon as he finished speaking, the enraged crowd turned their fury on me. Ignoring my explanations, they continued their personal attacks. Just as I was about to give up, I heard a steady male voice. “Chloe, why are you still here? I’ve been waiting for you in the parking lot.” It was Chloe’s husband, Daniel Hughes. Three years ago, when they got married, my mom even sent me their wedding photos, hinting that I should contribute to their wedding gift. I only clicked to view the wedding photo once before I unceremoniously retorted. “You already gave your uncle’s daughter a huge sum for her wedding, wasn’t that enough? Now you want another chunk from me? You might be obsessed with spoiling our relatives, but I’m not!” Soon, I received a dozen 60-second voice messages. Although I didn’t give a gift, Mom still threatened me into attending their wedding. Daniel was from a prestigious university; he surely wouldn’t be as unreasonable as Chloe. I spoke impatiently. “Daniel, someone’s spreading vicious rumors about us. You need to clear this up!” Daniel turned to look, and when he saw me, his expression froze. I looked at him expectantly, hoping he would clarify for us. But he actually knelt directly in front of me, his voice humble and pleading. “Ava, please, can you just stop hounding me? “I’m already married to your cousin; there’s no way I can be with you.” “If you just leave me alone, I’ll get on my knees and thank you.” With that, he actually performed three full bows towards me. Seeing Daniel’s actions, the whispers and condemnations from the crowd drowned me out. “Oh my god, how shameless! She’s really desperate to be a mistress!” “And he’s her cousin’s husband! How desperate can she be?” I quickly shook my head, looking at Chloe and Daniel in front of me with fear and confusion. Chloe was staring at me furiously, but her eyes were filled with triumph. I instantly realized what was happening; they had all conspired to set me up! Finally finding my voice, I quickly denied it. “No, this isn’t right. I just got back from overseas not long ago; I’ve never even met this man!” “The three of them are working together to frame me, deliberately ruining my reputation!” The bystanders, however, didn’t believe what I said. “Still making excuses? The man himself admitted it!” “So shameless, does she even have a family to be ashamed for her?” Before I could move, Chloe’s palm shot out toward my face. I tried to sidestep, but Mia locked my arms in a vise grip. The slap connected, hard. I tasted blood, my lip already swelling. Damn it. Tomorrow’s surgery… I took a deep breath. My eyes locked on Chloe’s. No fury, just a terrifying calm. “It will cost you more than you can imagine, Chloe Davies!”

I turned to the smug Dr. Sterling, my voice cold. “I am Dr. Ava Miller, lead consultant in cardiac surgery. I can’t complete tomorrow’s surgery. You’ll have to find another surgeon.” “You may inform Dr. Peterson yourself.” Chloe and Daniel looked confused. They had no idea what I was talking about. Dr. Sterling let out a derisive snort. “Do your homework before spinning tales. No Lead Consultant is that young.” Chloe spat on the ground, panting as she mocked me. “Ava, you barely scraped through vocational school. Your degree is lower than mine. Who are you trying to fool?” The air hummed with their ridicule, sharp and mocking. Then, cutting clean through the noise, a middle-aged woman’s voice rang out. “Lead Consultant, my foot! Ava is just a country bumpkin!” The sharp voice attracted everyone’s attention. It felt like a bucket of cold water had been poured over my head, and I froze in place. My voice came out strangely hoarse, “Mom?” Mom rushed to Chloe’s side, her glare cutting toward me like a blade. Chloe instantly buried herself in Mom’s arms, sobbing. “Aunt Susan, you have to help me!” Watching Mom soothe her was a fresh twist of the knife. My mother had always put my uncle’s family first. Since we were children, Chloe got first pick of everything. Later, she even blocked me from attending proper high school, steering me into a vocational track instead. “What’s the point in wasting money on your education? Let Chloe go to university instead!” She used my tuition money to pay for Chloe’s college diploma. My father, who had divorced Mom long ago, found out and arranged for me to study abroad. But while I was studying overseas, Mom never contacted me; she didn’t even know I was abroad. Now, to protect Chloe, she was pointing her finger at me, cursing me, trying to nail me to the pillar of shame. “Ava, after all these years, you’ve learned to lie!” “You only have a vocational certificate, stop pretending!” “You’ve always been jealous of Chloe. Now that she’s found a good husband, you’re trying to seduce Daniel!” With that, she cast a satisfied look at Daniel. “Luckily, you truly love Chloe and weren’t swayed by Ava, that vixen.” The crowd gasped, completely believing Mom’s words. “Even her own mother says that about her, she really must be a home-wrecker.” “And she was acting so righteous just now? Where did she get the nerve?” “I almost fell for it. Should someone like her be selling herself? How much for an hour?” My eyes were red-rimmed when I met my mother’s gaze, but hers only hardened in return. She leaned in close, whispering a warning. “Serves you right. Who told you to come here as a self-funded intern? I already pulled strings to get Chloe a position, but because you were here, they turned her down!” Each word was a blade, twisting deeper. So she knew. She had helped Chloe destroy me. And because she was my mother, everyone would believe her. At that moment, I was truly exhausted. “You conspired to ruin me,” I said, “for a junior internship?” “You’re not my mom. I’m cutting ties with you!” But Mom pushed me hard, muttering non-stop. “Cut ties, then! I’d be ashamed to claim a daughter like you anyway!” With a sharp shove, she sent me stumbling back. I hit the floor hard. Suddenly, Dr. Peterson’s respectful voice came from behind me. “Dr. Miller? Are you all right?”

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My adopted daughter, who I raised for eighteen years, found her biological parents. The very first day she moved into their mansion, she kicked me out. “You must have stolen me back then. You’re so cruel!” I tried to explain I’d found her abandoned in a dumpster, but she wouldn’t believe a word. Later, when I was dying of late-stage cancer, I called her, just wanting to see her one last time. But she sneered, “My parents are throwing me a birthday party. If you’re going to die, do it far away from me!” Then she hung up. The next second, a new post popped up on her SnapChat story. In the photo, she was beaming, arm wrapped around her biological mother. The caption read: “Thank you, Mom, for everything all these years. You gave me a second chance at life!” Just then, a man appeared before me. “Ms. Vance, the orphan you sponsored all those years ago is now worth thirty billion dollars.” “He says, it’s time to repay your kindness.” The man had barely finished speaking when my phone rang again. It was my adopted daughter, Cassie. Her impatient tone from earlier had vanished. “My mom wants to meet you and thank you for raising me all these years.” “Come to the birthday party tonight. I’ll text you the address.” “Make sure you dress respectably. Don’t embarrass me!” “Since you’re incurable anyway, just sell that old apartment of yours and use the money to buy my mom a pink diamond necklace as a welcome gift.” “Oh, and my mom has exquisite taste. The necklace needs to be at least ten thousand dollars. Don’t be so cheap, okay?” My throat tightened at her words. Between my retirement savings and supporting Cassie all these years, I’d barely been making ends meet. Now, all I had left was a few thousand dollars and a small apartment downtown. I’d planned to give up treatment and leave everything to her, but I never imagined she held me in such contempt. I sighed, not bothering to reply, and hung up the phone. Staring at the photo of young Cassie on my screen, I lost myself in thought. I’d never had children of my own. First, I adopted Cassie, who I found abandoned in a dumpster. Later, I sponsored an orphan named Adrian through college. I honestly thought I’d done enough good in my life and would enjoy my golden years. But to my dismay, Cassie had resented me ever since she turned ten. She was convinced her biological parents were wealthy and that I’d kidnapped her from them for my own old age. No matter what I said, she wouldn’t believe me. She even reported it to the police station. I spent half a year tirelessly compiling all the legal adoption documents and records of finding her, just to clear my name of child trafficking. Later, she started running newspaper ads to find her birth parents. Finally, on her eighteenth birthday, she found her biological mother, Victoria, a millionaire. She not only unhesitatingly sent me to a nursing home but also immediately changed her name from Cassie Vance to Cassie Hayes. My heart had shattered more than once, but watching her grow from a babbling toddler, I always loved her. But then I wondered, did she ever truly see me as her mother? Just a few days ago, my cancer had spread, and I developed a sudden fever, needing a family member’s signature for treatment. Over the phone, she snapped at the nurse, “She’s not my real mom. What does it have to do with me?” That’s when I finally understood. All those years, it had been a one-sided devotion. “Ms. Vance.” The man’s voice jolted me from my thoughts. “Mr. Thorne is coming to Sterling City tonight for business. The address is The Summit Grand Hotel.” “He asked me to pick you up first. He believes he can help with your treatment, if you’re open to it…” I gave a bitter smile. “Alright, I’ll go with you.” As I spoke, I replaced Cassie’s photo on my phone. Eighteen years of raising her. I was done. That evening, dragging my aching body, I followed Mr. Davies to The Summit Grand Hotel. After settling me in, Mr. Davies respectfully said, “Ms. Vance, I’ll go meet Mr. Thorne at the entrance. Please wait here.” No sooner had he left than Cassie’s voice, filled with utter disgust, reached my ears. “Didn’t you say you weren’t coming?”

“Hmph, so you found out my real parents are rich, and now you’re sucking up, aren’t you? What a pathetic act!” Only then did I realize she was holding her birthday party here tonight. As she spoke, she yanked my bag roughly. “Where’s the necklace I told you to buy?” I snatched my bag back. “I didn’t buy one.” “And I’m not here for you. I’m waiting for—” “You didn’t buy one?!” She shrieked, cutting me off. “You just came empty-handed? Are you sick or something?!” “You’re not actually trying to ruin my birthday party, are you? Just because you’re alone with no children to care for you, you can’t stand to see anyone else happy, right?!” Just then, her biological mother, Victoria Sterling, sauntered over, a champagne flute in hand. “Cassie, is this your adoptive mother?” Cassie paused, then plastered on a fawning smile. “Yes, Mom. This is my adoptive mother.” She looked at me, enunciating “adoptive mother” with biting emphasis. Immediately, strange looks were cast my way. “So that’s her, the one who kidnapped Miss Hayes and made her suffer so much!” “She’s dressed so shabbily. She’s probably here to shake them down, isn’t she? These types always go for the jugular.” “Why would the Hayes family even invite her? I say just kick her out!” “Exactly. Does she know the Hayes family is meeting Mr. Thorne for a marriage alliance today and wants a piece of the pie?” “Hahaha, look at her, she came empty-handed. Anyone would think she’s here begging for food!” “If Mr. Thorne finds out Miss Hayes has such a classless adoptive mother, I wonder if he’ll still be interested!” Their whispers pierced my ears, but I pretended not to hear. But “Mr. Thorne”? Could it be Adrian, the orphan I sponsored? How could he be involved in a marriage alliance with Cassie? Cassie, hearing their words, panicked. She grabbed my arm. “My mom was kind enough to let you see how the other half lives, and you’re just ungrateful!” Then, her eyes fixed on my ear, she whispered, “Didn’t you say those earrings were a family heirloom from your mom?” “If they’re heirlooms, they should be mine now!” “Quickly, take them off right now, go clean them, and bring them back! Just say you forgot them earlier!” My mother’s only memento, and she wanted me to give it to her biological mother? I forced a bitter laugh. “Cassie, I told you, I’m not here because of you.” “I’m not even in my grave yet, and you’re already eyeing my possessions?” She froze, seemingly stunned that I, who had once doted on her so much, would speak like this. Suddenly, she lunged and yanked my earring. A searing, tearing pain shot through my earlobe, and I cried out. “What are you doing?!” Guests immediately crowded around. Seeing the attention, Cassie immediately adopted a tearful, aggrieved expression. “I transferred you three hundred thousand dollars to get my mom a welcome gift… but I didn’t expect you to blow it on yourself!” “How could you do that?!” “Now I just want you to give me back the earrings. After all, my mom’s money doesn’t just grow on trees!” What… Hearing her words, everyone’s gazes turned even more scornful. Victoria watched, not intervening, then suddenly let out a soft laugh. “Cassie, I didn’t believe you, but it seems you truly were raised by someone like this.” “You’ve suffered so much all these years.” With that, she looked at me with an arrogant smirk, whispering in my ear, “You don’t really think I invited you here to thank you, do you?” “I just wanted to see what kind of person Cassie had to endure all those years.” “Today, you’ll see what real power looks like!” She immediately changed her expression, throwing a wad of cash in my face. “The earrings are dirty, so I don’t want them.” “And this hundred thousand dollars, is that enough to sever ties between you and my daughter?” “I wouldn’t want Mr. Thorne to know that Cassie’s adoptive mother is some dirty, rural woman like you.” Meeting her sneering gaze, I finally realized she hadn’t genuinely invited me. It was merely to humiliate me. Cassie, hearing her mother, smugly linked arms with her. “Heard that? Take the money and get lost.” “Don’t pollute the air in here!” I looked at the cash on the floor, finding it utterly laughable. “Cassie, I used to give you five thousand dollars a month for pocket money. What’s a hundred thousand to that?” Her face instantly flushed crimson at my words. The next second, she suddenly knelt before me and began to sob loudly. “Mom! Are you saying it’s not enough?!” “Please, I’m begging you! Stop hounding me for money! My parents don’t owe you anything!”

The surrounding guests gasped in astonishment. I stood there, my head buzzing. “What do you think you’re doing?!” She wept even harder. “Mom, I’ve really had enough!” “I know you raised me, but all these years, you forced me to work multiple jobs a day to support you. I’ve repaid all my debts to you!” “But why are you still lying?! It was me who sent you five thousand dollars every month!” “You planned for me to return to the Hayes family, just to give all the money to you… but I… I can’t do it!” “Please, I’m begging you, just let me go!” With that, she pulled out her phone and showed a screenshot, clearly displaying images of me supposedly transferring money to her monthly. Except, my profile picture and hers had been swapped. More and more guests gathered, and hearing her words, they began to point and curse at me: “I think Miss Hayes is telling the truth. She knew the Hayes family was rich, kidnapped her intentionally, and is now extorting money from her once she’s grown!” “They say she has cancer. Looks like God finally opened his eyes and is giving her what she deserves!” “Poor Miss Hayes, a young lady who should have been living a life of luxury, abused and forced to earn money to support her!” “Disgusting. She made Miss Hayes suffer in the countryside for years, and now she’s still clinging on.” “The Hayes family is really unlucky, stuck with such a parasitic adoptive mother. Call the bodyguards and throw her out!” Cassie and Victoria stood with their arms crossed, watching me. “The Summit Grand Hotel isn’t a place just anyone can enter. You need to know your place from now on. Go where you belong!” I frowned, pulling out my own phone. “Cassie, are you sure you want to slander me like this?” She froze for a moment. “How am I slandering you?” Seeing me about to open my phone to show the transfer records, she shrieked, “Are you still not leaving?! Do you want me to call security?!” With that, she shoved me. I stumbled back a few steps, nearly falling. The pain from my late-stage cancer-ridden bones flared, and I felt dizzy. Just then, my phone vibrated with a message from Adrian: “Eleanor, I’m almost there. Wait for me. I’m taking you home tonight.” A wave of warmth washed over me. Home. I hadn’t heard that word in so long. Seeing me staring at my phone, she snatched it away. After reading the message, she scoffed. “So that’s why you asked me for so much money? To keep a younger man?” “No wonder you thought it wasn’t enough!” “I can’t believe you, at your age, are still messing around! No wonder you got cancer!” “You probably picked it up from your sordid lifestyle!” I couldn’t take it anymore. I raised my hand and slapped Cassie hard across the face. “Cassie! Raising you with my money, I might as well have fed a stray dog!” Cassie clutched her face, her eyes wide, unable to believe I’d struck her. “Y-you hit me?!” she shrieked. Victoria immediately rushed over. “You lunatic! How dare you hit my daughter!” Just then, Mr. Davies hurried back. “What are you doing!”

Mr. Davies panicked when he saw me. He immediately pointed at Cassie and the others. “What do you think you’re doing laying hands on her?! I’ll call the police!” Cassie looked at Mr. Davies, then pointed at him fiercely. “Eleanor, is this the kept man you’re supporting?” “You’re meeting here, at a hotel? A man and a woman, it’s not hard to guess what you’re up to!” Mr. Davies recognized Victoria and naturally deduced that Cassie was her regained daughter. His face instantly darkened. “So the Hayes family has no decency whatsoever!” Victoria’s face turned black. “This is outrageous! No one in Sterling City has ever dared to speak to me like that!” “You two just wait! When my husband and Mr. Thorne arrive, I’ll make you beg on your knees!” Hearing that, Cassie’s chin shot up, her confidence renewed. Mr. Davies was about to say something, but I spoke first. “Cassie, I should never have been soft-hearted enough to pick you up from that dumpster.” “I’m telling you, I will pursue legal action for your slanderous accusations against me!” Cassie burst into laughter. “Dumpster? Eleanor, aren’t you tired of telling that lie?!” “How come no one else found me, only you did?” “Don’t think I don’t know, your own mother died of cancer, and you knew you might inherit it, so you kidnapped me!” “You still expect me to repay you? Dream on!” My heart twisted painfully in my chest. It was true, I’d worried my mother’s cancer might be hereditary, which was why I’d never dated or married. When Cassie first learned of it, she had looked at me with sympathy and said, “Mom, don’t worry. Cassie will be your family from now on. I’ll always stay with you.” I thought she understood this was a deep pain in my heart. But now that she was grown, she was ripping open old wounds. Yes, the sweet, obedient Cassie was long gone. Just then, Adrian called me. He must have arrived. I answered the phone, glancing at Mr. Davies. “Okay, we’re coming out now.” Suddenly, Cassie snatched my phone again, catching me off guard. She shrieked into the phone, “Who are you, another one of Eleanor’s lackeys?! She’s not leaving unless I say so!” “Hmph, you offended the Hayes family. You’ll have to bow down and kowtow fifty times before you leave!” Adrian on the other end of the line paused, then said coldly, “The Hayes family?” Cassie scoffed. “That’s right!” “I’m warning you, if you dare to stand up for her, I’ll make sure you don’t leave Sterling City alive today!” With that, she slammed the phone down. My head was buzzing. Adrian Thorne was worth thirty billion dollars. How dare a mere ten-million-dollar family like the Hayeses speak to him like that? Then, Victoria said with disgust, “What are you still standing around for?” “Why aren’t you forcing this woman to kowtow on the ground?” “Once she’s done, throw her out.” “If Mr. Thorne sees her, it’ll ruin the Hayes family’s image. I’ll fire all of you!” Hearing this, several bodyguards quickly surrounded me. I was pushed, my body losing balance, and my knees hit the marble floor with a heavy thud. My bones, already fragile from late-stage cancer, sent a searing pain through me with the impact. The onlookers even clapped, cheering them on. “She deserves it for causing trouble at the Hayes family’s birthday party!” “If they don’t teach her a lesson, she’ll come back trying to extort money again!” “Just throw her out already, she’s such an eyesore.” Mr. Davies tried desperately to intervene, but one man was no match for a crowd, and he was quickly restrained. Cassie walked up to me. Before I could react, she slapped me hard across the face. “I almost forgot! This slap is for you!” “If you ever dare to show your face in front of me again, it won’t be just a slap!” Just then, Adrian’s furious voice boomed from the doorway. “Stop! I’d like to see who dares to touch her in my presence!” Behind him, the CEO of Hayes Group, Richard, looked utterly bewildered.

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That year, when I was five, my sister and I were kidnapped. After we were rescued, Mom slapped me across the face. “If you hadn’t thrown a fit about going outside, Holly wouldn’t have been hurt and ended up with her mind crippled!” From that day on, I became the family’s sinner. When Holly’s wheelchair needed to go up the steps, and my strength wasn’t enough, Mom would pinch my arm hard. When Holly’s candy fell into the drain, Mom forced me to dig it out with my bare hands. Dad tried to ease the tension between us, but Mom snapped at him, “She ruined Holly’s mind, she deserves to die!” It wasn’t until Holly was playing in the yard and the big brother next door took her to his basement. I cried as I pushed Holly out, but I was dragged in myself. When I came home covered in blood, Mom just pointed a furious finger at me and snarled: “Willow Song, who are you trying to scare looking like that?” “How could I have given birth to such a worthless child? I wish I’d never had a daughter like you!” I quietly pulled out a red cloth pouch from deep inside my closet. Inside was the golden pendant Mom used to give me, shaped like a heart, which she carved herself. I stared at it for a long time, then calmly swallowed it. Mom, I don’t want your love anymore. I just want you to be happy forever.

The pendant was a bit too big, and it got caught in my throat, making me so uncomfortable. I swallowed hard and drank many glasses of cold water. After a lot of effort, it finally *gurgled* down. My stomach felt heavy, a little cold, and it hurt a bit. Mom used to tell me stories about swallowing gold to commit suicide, afraid I’d eat random things. I was a little scared, but also a little relieved. If I died, would the pain go away? Would my heart stop hurting so much? When Mom pushed the door open, she didn’t notice the empty glass in my hand. “Willow, stop just staring into space all day. Go make Holly’s bed.” I followed her out, every step making my stomach ache. Holly’s bed was piled high with dolls. I reached out to tidy them, but my fingertips trembled uncontrollably. Mom pushed me away forcefully, “Clumsy! You can’t even do *this* right!” I bumped into the wardrobe, and a metallic taste welled up in my throat. Dad heard the commotion, sighed, and tried to reason, “Willow looks unwell. Let her rest for a bit.” Mom immediately glared at him, “She’s just faking it to get sympathy. Holly is the one who needs looking after.” I noticed Holly’s hairpin on the floor, the one Mom bought her just yesterday. I reached down to pick it up, but suddenly felt nauseous. Mom saw me vomit all over the floor and grabbed my hair. “Are you doing this on purpose? Trying to make a disgusting mess for us?” “You’re just jealous that I’m good to your sister, you demon.” I looked up, trying to force a smile, but as my lips curved up, tears streamed down instead. “Mom, my stomach hurts so much…” She let go, her eyes as cold as ice. “If you’re in pain, go back to your room. Don’t cause trouble here.” Dad opened his mouth, but ended up just holding Holly to lighten the mood. “Brenda, let’s take Holly for a walk.” Before leaving, Mom told Dad, “Have Mr. Miller next door keep an eye on Willow.” A warm feeling flowed through me. Maybe Mom still cared about me. But the next second, Mom looked at me impatiently, “Don’t let her cause any more trouble. Haven’t we suffered enough because of her?” She wasn’t worried about me getting hurt alone at home; she was afraid I’d cause trouble. But I didn’t like that man. He made me hurt so much. Dad exchanged a few words with Mr. Miller, and he walked over, smiling. “Willow, come over to my place and watch cartoons.” Mom said coldly from the side, “You be good and don’t cause us any trouble!” “Listen to Mr. Miller, and don’t be so gloomy all the time. It’s just bad vibes to be around you!” I didn’t dare resist anymore. Mom and Dad would get upset. Mr. Miller didn’t turn on the TV. Instead, he carried me to the basement. I smelled a nauseating, thick odor. There were no cartoons or candy, only an old mat and a whip. He put a hand on my hair. “I’ll teach you another game, okay?” “Your mom left you with me, so you have to listen to me.” I didn’t move. If I moved, Mom would get angry. If Mom got angry, she wouldn’t want me anymore. The gold pendant in my stomach suddenly felt so heavy, the pain made me flinch. He noticed I was trembling and spat, “You little bitch, you weren’t already *used up* this afternoon, were you?” My legs felt weak, and he half-supported, half-dragged me back home. Mr. Miller put me on my bed, roughly pulling the blanket over me, covering my head completely. His voice was particularly harsh, “When your parents come back, tell them you were just sleepy and fell asleep on your own, got it?” “Don’t you dare tell them what I did to you. Even if you did, no one would believe you!” Actually, he didn’t need to tell me. I wouldn’t tell Mom and Dad. Before, when the boy next door bullied me, Mom said I was being immature, and too young to be learning bad things. I bit my lip hard under the blanket, trying not to cry out loud. The blanket was thick, and I felt a bit breathless, but my body kept getting colder. I heard Mom and Dad bringing Holly back from outside. Holly was giggling, “Mom, I want a story!” Mom’s voice was so gentle, a tone I hadn’t heard in a long, long time. “Of course, Mom will tell a story to her little princess.” Their laughter sounded so beautiful, like Holly’s favorite musical box. But Mom never let me touch that musical box. I heard Mr. Miller in the living room, speaking in a hushed voice, “Willow was tired from playing. She looked so sleepy, so I sent her back to her room to sleep.” Mom seemed to say, “Good, she’s asleep. Saves me from getting annoyed looking at her.” Dad seemed to say something, and then Mom’s voice rose, “She’s just bad luck. If it had been her who died, our Holly wouldn’t be like this…” I couldn’t hear the rest. I was covered by the blanket, in pitch darkness. My stomach hurt so much, even more than when Mom hit me. There was also a metallic taste in my throat. Mom and Dad, I feel so unwell. Gold tastes terrible. If I fall asleep, will you come and look at me just once?

Daylight broke, and my stomach didn’t hurt anymore. The metallic taste in my throat was gone too. My body felt so light. I had turned into a mermaid bubble, just like in Mom’s fairy tales. I floated out from under the blanket. It was so fun, I could see my own little bed. The blanket was plump, and inside, a tiny me was still lying there. Mom pushed the door open, annoyed. “Willow, the sun’s already hitting your butt, get up! You need to go to kindergarten!” I waved at her from the ceiling. “Mom, I’m up! I’m right here!” But she didn’t seem to hear or see me. Mom’s face was filled with anger, glaring at the bulging blanket on the bed. Dad also came, standing at the door with a sigh. “Let her sleep a bit more. She didn’t look too well yesterday.” Mom immediately turned and yelled at Dad, “What do you mean ‘not well’? She’s just lazy, faking sick to skip school!” “Look how good Holly is, she already got dressed herself!” Holly skipped to the door and called out, “Willow, you lazybones!” I really wanted to tell Holly that I wasn’t lazy. I didn’t need to sleep anymore. But they couldn’t see me or hear me speak. Mom angrily walked to the bed. I quickly floated down, wanting to hold her hand. But my hand passed right through her arm. She didn’t pull back the blanket to look, still muttering accusations. “Sleeping like a pig, wrapped up so tight in your blanket.” Mom picked up the empty water glass from my bedside table, then scoffed, “The water’s all gone. Guess there’s nothing really wrong.” I floated through the wall to the living room and saw Dad opening the door. Mr. Miller poked his head in and asked, “Where’s Willow? Why haven’t I heard anything from her today?” Mom poked her head out from the kitchen. “She was tired from playing yesterday. Can’t even wake her up.” Mr. Miller seemed to sigh in relief and quickly left. He must have been afraid I’d tell Mom and Dad about how he hurt me. But, I won’t say anything now. The sun shone in, but I didn’t feel warm anymore; my body felt constantly cold. In the living room, Mom and Dad were watching cartoons with Holly. I leaned against the doorframe, watching them. Dad glanced at my room. “Willow hasn’t eaten all day. I’ll go wake her up.” Mom immediately cut him off. “She won’t die from skipping one meal. She’s just trying to manipulate you because she knows you’re soft-hearted.” “She’s so manipulative at such a young age. Just ignore her. Let’s see how long she can actually sleep for!” Holly mimicked Mom, waving her small hand: “Willow, naughty!” No one came to check on me. Mom, I’m not naughty. I really am awake. See, I’ve been floating here for so, so long. It’s just that me, the one lying in bed, she doesn’t seem to want to wake up anymore.

In the afternoon, Chloe, my friend from kindergarten, came looking for me. Chloe held up a doll and said shyly, “Aunt Brenda, is Willow home? This is a gift my mom and I bought for her!” Mom’s face instantly twisted, looking incredibly sour. She blocked the doorway, not letting them in, her tone stiff: “She’s fine, just throwing a tantrum because she doesn’t want to go to kindergarten. Faking sick, as usual!” Chloe’s mom, Sarah, looked a bit embarrassed and whispered, “I always thought Willow was such a good girl.” “My daughter was being bullied at kindergarten, and Willow even got hurt trying to protect her!” Mom reacted like she’d been stung, her voice rising to a frantic shriek, “What do *you* know? She wants to destroy this entire family!” “Willow is a demon! She hurt her sister!” “If she were even half as considerate as *your* daughter, do you think I’d be this exhausted?” Chloe was scared and started crying. Sarah, with a displeased look, picked her up and left. Mom closed the door, her chest still heaving, muttering continuously: “She’s not well-behaved at all! You’ve all been fooled by her!” I floated beside Mom, looking at her distorted face, feeling a little sad. Mom, I really wanted to be a good child, one you didn’t have to worry about. Dad came into the bedroom once. He stood by my bed for a long time. He sighed and whispered, “Willow, Dad knows you’ve been hurting.” “But your mom… with everything that happened to Holly, she’s on the verge of a breakdown. She’s hurting inside, too.” He tried to reach out and touch me, but his hand stopped in mid-air and then he pulled it back. Dad pulled up the corner of my blanket. “Sleeping will make the sadness go away. Tomorrow, I’ll make you your favorite fried eggs.” He turned and left, his back looked so bent, like he was carrying the world. Dad, I’m asleep now, and I’m not sad anymore. But tomorrow’s fried eggs, I don’t think I’ll be able to wait for them. Before going to bed, Mom came in and glanced at me, complaining: “I must owe you from another life; you were born to be my torment.” “All day long, all you do is sleep. Even a pet cat or dog would bring more joy.” She walked to the bed. How I wished she would frantically feel my forehead, like when Holly had a fever, and pick me up. But she just poked my shoulder hard through the blanket. “Willow, stop faking it, get up now!” I didn’t react at all. Mom’s eyebrows furrowed tightly, “So stubborn, huh? Fine, then. See if you can sleep forever.” Holly was startled by the sound of her forcefully closing the door and cried, saying she was scared. Mom carried Holly past my room, gently humming a song. “Moon so bright, winds so still, leaves dancing on the sill… close your eyes, my sweet, sweet child…” She used to hum that song to me too. Back when Holly wasn’t born yet. She would hold me and rock me, telling me I was her little treasure. But that was a long, long time ago, so long it felt like another lifetime. The next day at noon, I still hadn’t woken up. Mom started to get anxious. “This stubborn girl, she can’t really be sick, can she? She won’t wake up no matter what I do.” Dad was also a bit nervous. “I’ll go check on her.” But Mom changed her mind again and stopped him. “Check what? She’s faking it. If you go now, she’ll be thrilled!” They thought I was silently throwing a tantrum. But Mom and Dad, I wasn’t throwing a tantrum with you. I just couldn’t wake up anymore.

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At the wedding reception, my bride was suddenly dragged into a corner by her childhood friend. He ripped open her wedding dress. The guests gasped, a ripple of shocked whispers spreading through the room. My mother, furious, collapsed. I lunged, grabbing that jerk, Brandon, by the collar, ready to smash his face in. But my wife, Chloe, blocked me. “Liam, what the hell is wrong with you?! He’s just having an episode; I’m saving him!” “What kind of episode needs you to take off your clothes to ‘save’ him? Have you no shame?” Chloe shot back, her voice dripping with indignation: “You clueless bumpkin, you don’t even know what ‘skin hunger syndrome’ is, and you’re so petty. How could I have ever married a man like you?” I pulled off my wedding ring and flung it at her face. “Fine! Then don’t!” The wedding, thanks to that little incident, became an even livelier affair. “Hahaha, I’ve never seen anything so ridiculous in my life.” “Did you guys see it? I almost caught a glimpse of the bride’s… you know.” “If Liam had any guts, he would have slapped both of them right then and there.” The humiliating chatter in my ears grew louder, my anger soaring higher and higher. *Smack!* “How dare you be angry? If you hadn’t been so impulsive, everyone wouldn’t have found out about Brandon’s condition.” “You made him lose face!” Just as I was on the verge of exploding with rage, Chloe not only showed no remorse but raised her hand and slapped me. I touched the stinging red mark on my cheek, a bitter, desolate laugh escaping me. She could care about Brandon’s feelings, but never mine. What was I even doing with a woman like this? My dignity, my face, she had trampled it underfoot, grinding it into the dirt. From this moment on, everyone in the city would know that I, Liam, had been publicly betrayed by my own wife at my wedding. I tore off my groom’s suit and flung it onto Brandon, who had just managed to stand up. “Since you can’t ever forget him, fine. I sincerely wish you two an eternity together. I’m making way for you.” “What are you talking about?” Chloe clutched Brandon tightly, glaring at me with cold fury. If she understood why I was angry, she wouldn’t be holding Brandon so intimately right now. His hand was still wrapped tightly around her waist. And Chloe didn’t seem to find anything wrong with it, tacitly approving his shameless behavior. I realized then that this probably wasn’t the first time something like this had happened. I knew they’d grown up together, but this “friendship” had clearly crossed every line imaginable. I would never, ever accept a woman who used her body to “save” a man suffering from “skin hunger syndrome.” “Can’t you tell? I’m letting *you* have the wedding!” “Your love is just *so* touching. Even as adults with your own families, you’re still ridiculously devoted to your ‘friend.’ If I don’t back out, I’m a pathetic fool.” I glanced at Chloe’s darkening face. Her hands instinctively balled into fists. That was her signal of displeasure. Usually, when she made that gesture, I’d compromise. “So you’re trying to publicly humiliate me, huh?” Before I could react, she snatched a wine glass from the table and hurled it at my head. I couldn’t dodge in time. The glass smashed against me, leaving a throbbing welt. “You’re disgusting! Utterly heartless…” “You say I’m heartless? Fine. What would you do if I publicly embraced another woman?” “You can worry about Brandon, but what about me and my mother? She’s passed out because of you!” “And you’ve utterly shamed me!”

Brandon quickly jumped in to play peacemaker. “Liam, please don’t be like this. This is my fault; I apologize to you.” “I have skin hunger syndrome. If I don’t get relief in time, I’ll slowly die.” “So, are you going to tell me that whenever your ‘skin hunger syndrome’ flares up, you find *her* to ‘relieve’ it?” Facing my rage, Brandon quickly answered: “It wasn’t like this before; I had a girlfriend to help me. But after she went abroad, Chloe started helping me. That’s why whenever my craving hits, I just…” *Bang!* “You disgusting cheats!” I lost control because Chloe had agreed to such a shameful request. No wonder she was always disappearing—not around for dinner, not around for bed. Not even around for our child, leaving him alone at home with no one watching him. When I confronted her, she’d always say she was busy. Turns out, she was busy with Brandon. So busy she could ignore her own son. I also finally understood why our household expenses had been so high lately. She was spending a fortune on expensive skincare products to keep her skin smooth, not caring how much it drove up our living costs. As Brandon’s words hung in the air, everyone started pointing and whispering about us again. Brandon quickly pushed Chloe towards me. “Chloe, we’re in the wrong here. Apologize to him quickly! Otherwise, everyone will keep talking about us.” Chloe was always obedient to Brandon. As she prepared to give in to me, I noticed a fresh mark on her neck, like a bite mark. My heart felt like it had been struck by something again. If she knew her mistake and was truly willing to change, I thought our years together might still have a chance. But she had already been with Brandon. She was tainted. I looked at Chloe with the deepest disappointment. Just then, our nanny walked over, holding our three-month-old son. The baby was wailing, crying because he was hungry. But his mother didn’t care about his cries. She didn’t even think to reach out and hold him, to offer him some milk for comfort. I took the baby from the nanny and told her to quickly make some formula. But the nanny said she’d forgotten the formula. So I turned my hope to Chloe. If she would take our son and feed him, I’d forgive her. Instead, Brandon’s “skin hunger syndrome” flared up again. He claimed he hadn’t gotten enough “relief” earlier. Chloe immediately turned to me, flustered. “Liam, don’t make a scene now. Leo can wait a little longer for his formula, but Brandon can’t. He saved my life once; I can’t abandon him now.” “Liam, I hope you understand, okay?” With that, she abandoned our son and me, leading Brandon further into the room. As for what they were going to do, it was obvious: “relieve” Brandon. The wedding was completely over. There was no point in continuing. I had someone return all the wedding contributions to the guests, then I left with our son. After comforting Leo, the hospital called, asking me to come. My mother had woken up. I needed to rush to her. Opening the door, I saw my mother sobbing uncontrollably. When she saw me, she quickly wiped away her tears and smiled. “My son, you’re here.” She knew how wronged I must feel. So we didn’t speak, choosing quiet companionship instead. That night, back home, I scrolled through my Ins feed and saw Brandon had updated his profile: “They say being just friends, not a couple, is the longest-lasting form of love. I’ve verified it; it’s true. Thank you to my little princess for never abandoning me.” The photo showed Brandon with his arm wrapped around Chloe’s waist, both smiling at each other. Below it were replies from Chloe’s close friends.

Lana: “You lucky dog, Brandon! Chloe is incredibly devoted once she cares about someone.” Mia: “Pfft, ‘friendship,’ my foot! Before Liam even met her, Brandon used to crash at her place all the time, hahaha!” Brooke: “Oh yeah! I forgot about that until you mentioned it. I even supplied them with condoms once.” Chloe: “Stop spreading rumors, guys! That’s all in the past! If my husband sees this, I’ll kill you! Delete those comments!” Someone replied: “Who cares? He’s already hit the jackpot. You married down, darling.” “You’ve already had a kid with him. What’s wrong with helping Brandon with his skin hunger syndrome?” Chloe and I had been together for years, and her friends had never liked me. Whenever she wasn’t looking, they’d openly mock me, saying they only acknowledged me out of respect for Chloe. In their minds, only Brandon was good enough for her. For Chloe’s sake, I never argued with them. I wasn’t a dollar bill; I couldn’t make everyone like me. But what Chloe didn’t know was that I, sitting behind my screen, had seen all their comments. My fingertips slowly reddened, and my chest felt so heavy it was hard to breathe. Just as they were about to delete their comments, I quickly typed below: “Don’t delete them. Leave them up.” “As you wish, I’m divorcing Chloe.” After posting, I lit a bucket of fireworks, watching them bloom in the night sky. Then I took a photo of myself standing beneath them and posted it on social media. Caption: “We’re both free.” Not long after the message went out, Chloe’s phone calls started pouring in frantically. I watched the fireworks explode one after another in the night sky, smiling with a sense of relief I’d never felt before. I’d always wanted to watch fireworks with Chloe, but her heart was only ever with Brandon. I had let her go, but she couldn’t let me go. After the fireworks ended, she sent me a video call. This time, I answered. But seeing her in a sheer nightgown, sitting on another man’s bed, my heart still felt a pang. “Liam, are you out of your mind?! Why did you post that comment under Brandon’s Ins?! I was just helping him through an episode; do you have to be so petty?!” “And take it as far as divorce?!” “Yes, I do. When are you free to come back and sign the divorce papers…” “Chloe, my skin hunger syndrome is acting up again!” Chloe immediately grew anxious. She pulled Brandon onto the bed, then quickly untied her strap. *Ha.* No wonder she was dressed so scantily. It was all so Brandon could get his “comfort” immediately. I watched the deeply unsettling scene unfold, my heart strangely calm. The furious rage was gone. “Is that enough?” “Almost.” Brandon’s hand roamed restlessly over her body, and she seemed to have forgotten she was still on a video call with me. Whenever it concerned Brandon, I was always forgotten. They murmured to each other, then both tumbled into the big bed. Brandon’s burning gaze – any man could tell it was a signal of his arousal. I didn’t need to see what happened next. I recorded their intimate moment as part of the divorce evidence.

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I raised that snake for twelve years. Then I saw him with his hands around my sister’s waist, whispering sweet things meant for me. “Who would like a short, weak little freak like her?”He laughed, talking about me. In that moment, I finally understood. I hadn’t saved a partner. I’d raised a snake who would bite the hand that fed him. So I handed him the termination papers and walked away. Later, he went crazy looking for me. But by then, I was already in the arms of someone who actually knew how to hold me. Raven was a sickly little snake I’d adopted. It wasn’t uncommon for humans and shifters to pair and bond. My family had been bonded with snake shifters for generations. From a young age, each of us would either be gifted a snake beast-man by our parents or find one on our own. But I was out of favor, so I quietly went and found my own little snake. When I found Raven in a dilapidated sewer drain, he was tiny and frail. His body, having just shed its skin, was incredibly weak, and he was barely clinging to life. I saved him, and I raised him for twelve years. Raising a snake took immense energy, resources, and money. Raising a sick snake was adding insult to injury. And being an unfavored, penniless person? That was like adding insult to injury and then some. Thankfully, Raven grew up healthy. His bronzed, muscular lines curved smoothly down, outlining his taut waist, yet his snake form kept him from looking bulky, instead giving him a certain delicate grace. Many in my family said I’d struck gold, finding such a handsome snake-shifter. I’d just smile, never saying a word. Only I truly understood the bitter reality of our bond. Raven rarely initiated physical contact with me. Even when I had to train for my snake-bonding rituals, he rarely cooperated. He’d always be cold-faced, impatiently wrapping himself around my arm, his scales grating painfully against my skin. I constantly reassured myself that snakes were cold-blooded, and that was why he didn’t want to be affectionate with me. Until that day I saw him, his face flushed, carefully wrapping himself around my sister Lana’s calf, softly asking her, “Does it hurt?” Lana looked helpless, gently pushing his head away. “Raven, I know you like me, but you’re my sister’s companion. This isn’t right for us.” His face instantly hardened, and he scoffed. “I don’t care. I only like you. Who would ever like that short little freak?” Lana tried to protest further, but Raven moved closer, wrapping around her waist, his scales smoothed against her, playfully tickling her. Raven was *flirting*. Scene after scene from the past twelve years flashed through my mind. Raven rarely smiled, but during family dinners, sitting across from me, his face always held a faint smile. Looking back now, he was never looking at me. He was looking at my sister, Lana, beside me. The signs had been there all along, but I had just been too blind to see them. I had thought that my adopting this sickly little snake was a mutual rescue, a fate that brought us together. But I never imagined it was precisely because I was a freak that he disliked me. It felt like my heart was being squeezed. That tiny flicker of hope I’d harbored for years, which used to tickle my heart, suddenly sharpened into a blade, piercing right through me.

On my way home, I passed a clothing store and couldn’t help but stop. Lana had one of the dresses displayed in the window. The sales assistant looked hesitant but, seeing my persistence, handed me a set of clothes. The girl in the changing room was small, barely reaching half the height of the full-length mirror. My chest was flat, my limbs slender and weak – the body of someone too frail to properly bond with a snake-shifter. That outfit, which looked absolutely stunning on Lana, made me look like a precocious little girl secretly wearing her mother’s high heels. Images of Lana with her shifter automatically flashed through my mind. Tall, with long limbs, Lana looked incredibly beautiful when she bonded with a snake-shifter. Raven wrapped around her, they looked perfectly matched. No wonder Raven didn’t like me. From the day I was born, even my own parents didn’t want me. I hadn’t developed properly in the womb, born with a frail constitution. I grew slower and stayed shorter than everyone else. Even as an adult, I still looked like an eleven or twelve-year-old child. Others would mock me: “A freak of nature in a family of revered snake-tamers! She’ll probably snap her arm just trying to handle one.” Those cruel words pricked at my heart like thorns that couldn’t be removed, and they brought shame to my parents’ faces too. They learned their lesson and were extra attentive when Lana was conceived. And that extra care gave them every snake-shifter’s dream match – she grew fast and tall. With Lana, they cared for me even less. It was as if they were a complete family of three, and I was just a poorly-nurtured burden. I stared at my small hands, angrily digging my nails into my palm, then curled my fingers into fists, silently sobbing.

I arrived home, my eyes swollen raw, like bruised fruit. Raven was sitting on the sofa, his expression impatient and chillingly cold. “What took you so long? Do you know I’m starving?” I sniffled, my emotions, just barely controlled, surged up again. “I’ll order you some takeout later, I’m a little tired.” He scoffed, “Ha, you want me to eat takeout?” Not wanting to argue, I sighed. My foot, already stepping towards the bathroom, changed direction, heading to the kitchen instead. I usually cooked for Raven. He never lifted a finger in the kitchen. Even with a fridge full of ingredients, he was too pampered to dirty his precious hands. Once before, I’d come home late, and Raven had thrown a terrible fit because he was hungry. I thought he was specially waiting for me to eat, and, filled with guilt and a tiny bit of joy, I cooked him a huge meal. But as I pulled out a chair, about to sit down, he threw cold water on my hopes. “You reek of cooking oil. Go take a shower.” Snapping back to reality, I placed the prepared meal in front of him, but Raven didn’t touch it. “Why do you smell like another shifter?” I raised my arm and sniffed. It was probably from the clothing store earlier. I suddenly remembered when I was little and had no money, I had to hike up the mountain to hunt wild rabbits and pheasants to feed him. He’d grumble, chewing on the tough, stringy meat. He’d complain about the mud on my face and the scent of other shifters on me, always keeping his distance. “I’ll go shower now.” I set the cutlery on the table and walked towards the bathroom, but Raven swept the cooked meal onto the floor with a single arm. “Nova Miller, aren’t you going to explain yourself?” A shard of ceramic from the shattered bowl cut my calf, and the pain instantly sharpened my mind. Some people are just so strange. They don’t love you, but they still want to possess you. They give you the illusion of being cherished, of being cared for, when all they truly want is to extract more love from *you*. Raven was exactly like that. For the first time, I looked at him with a cold face. “Explain what? “It’s fine for you to smell like other people, but I can’t?” A flicker of surprise crossed his face. But it was quickly replaced by anger. “You’re doubting me? “Don’t forget who presumptuously saved you?” I didn’t answer, stepping past him to get the first-aid kit. I brushed past his arm, and he immediately flinched back, the sharp edges of his scales scraping me. His voice was colder than his expression. “Don’t touch me.” Right. He barely let me touch him even during bonding training. Outside of training? That was a pipe dream. I gave a self-deprecating laugh. I used to think he was just a cold-blooded creature, too hard to warm, too wild to tame. Turns out, he just didn’t like *me*. Twelve years of sincere companionship from a freak meant nothing compared to his instant infatuation with a ‘normal’ person.

I took a dissolution of adoption agreement from my bag. “I’m sorry. Sorry for presumptuously saving you, for intruding into over ten years of your life without permission, and for making you unhappy. “So, let’s part ways amicably. “May you finally achieve everything you wish for, and live a life filled with joy and ease.” Raven ground his molars together, a sound of pure rage, his face dark as he asked, “What do you mean?” I said calmly, “It means we’re breaking up.” I then pulled out a property transfer deed and a bank card for him. “I sold the house. We’ll split the money evenly, and with this bank card, you’ll have enough to buy a small studio apartment for yourself.” His face grew even darker. “You’re abandoning me? “Didn’t you say you loved me?” Did I love Raven? I had wondered about that myself. I had never truly received love, so I wasn’t entirely sure what love felt like. I just thought that love meant being good to someone. I looked up at the small house filled with our memories. I had moved out with Raven after I came of age. At first, he was reluctant. Back then, I had to both study and work to support him, so I was always out early and back late, with little time to spend with him. He’d be all alone in that cramped rental apartment, his snake tail sticking out from the folding bed with nowhere to go. I thought that was why he was reluctant. So I worked seven or eight jobs, saving up to buy a house for him. Even then, he still didn’t want to touch me, locking his bedroom door even though we each had our own room. But I still wanted to melt his icy demeanor. He was my responsibility, the one I had saved and raised. I couldn’t just abandon him. Yet, I had seen how others in my family interacted with their shifters. My childhood friend, Hailey, had a snow leopard beast-man. That snow leopard had been very arrogant when first adopted, but Hailey’s gentle persistence eventually melted his icy heart. He’d affectionately rub against Hailey’s neck, and gently lick the back of her hand. Like a mouse in the gutter, I watched, craving a beauty that wasn’t mine. I searched for shifter vlogs online, learning their preferred ways of care. I spoiled him rotten, never letting him do any chores, giving him whatever he wanted. I never thought that what was my sweet gesture was his bitter poison. I also thought that one day I could truly enter Raven’s heart, but his heart had long been occupied by someone else. Perhaps I had loved Raven once, but those feelings had slowly eroded over the years. Until I saw him wrapped around Lana – that was when the melting snow mountain of my hope finally crumbled into dust. “I don’t love you anymore.”

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