Author: Momo Chan

Four years ago, I put three men in the hospital and five in the ground. All to protect my wife.The court called it excessive force and threw me in prison for four years. After my release, the house felt off. Everything looked normal, but the air was wrong. Then one day, helping my son with his homework, he looked up at me. “Why didn’t you just die in prison? Now that you’re back, Daddy Blake never comes to play games with me anymore.” Daddy Blake. That was my best friend. Blake. Maybe it was just proximity. Blake had been around a lot those four years. A kid gets attached to a friendly face. I tried to convince myself, but that very night, I caught my wife and Blake making out. My wife, Seraphina, hated germs. She saved her real kisses for rare, joyful occasions. With me, it was usually just a quick touch of the lips. But the way she was devouring Blake’s mouth was nothing short of carnal. “My wife. Enjoying that kiss?” The rage was a live wire under my skin, urging me to lunge and break his face. I held myself back by a thread. I waited for the shock, the panic, the scramble to explain. It didn’t come. Instead, their faces relaxed into sheer relief. “I’ve been meaning to tell you,” Seraphina said, her voice calm. “But how do you even start a conversation like that? I suppose it’s better you found out this way.” She leaned back into Blake’s hold. Then, she ran her tongue over her bottom lip, catching a last, glistening trace of him. . A cold clarity washed over me. Every time I’d reached for her, it was a new pill, a fresh ache, a mysterious flare-up she couldn’t explain. There was no illness. There was just him. In prison, many inmates had broken down, lamenting how their wives or girlfriends had abandoned them. But I was so sure. I was certain I wouldn’t be betrayed. Because I went to prison for Seraphina. Otherwise, she would have been violated that night, maybe even lost her life. “You two should talk. I’ll go first.” Right in front of me, Blake leaned in and kissed Seraphina again, a deep, lingering kiss. As their lips parted, he gave a soft, teasing bite that drew a low, playful gasp from her. Then, with a smile playing on his lips, he glanced at me, turned, and got into a car. He was provoking me. And the car he got into was my black Maybach, the one I had before prison. He even rolled down the window, flashed me a smug grin, and though he said nothing, his eyes screamed, “See, Asher? I’m driving your car, just like I’m sleeping with your wife.” I clenched my fists, my breathing growing heavy. I was on the edge of losing it. “Are you thinking of hitting someone again?” Seraphina’s icy voice snapped me out of it. “Don’t forget, you’re a convicted felon. If you lay a hand on him, I’ll make sure you go back to prison myself!” “Why?” I asked, confused, unable to understand why I was being betrayed. “How can you even ask that?” “As a husband, as a father, you spent four years behind bars!” “Do you have any idea how hard these past four years have been for me?” “If it weren’t for Blake holding everything together, this company, this family, everything would have fallen apart long ago!” Seraphina screamed at me hysterically. “Why was I in prison?” “I never agreed to that shady deal, but you backed Blake’s plan, which got us trapped in the shipping container district!” “With all those people surrounding us, if I hadn’t fought back, what do you think would have happened to you?” “Do I really need to spell out what those thugs would’ve done?” “I went to prison to protect you all, and this is how you repay me?” I couldn’t help but roar. “If I hadn’t felt obligated, I would’ve filed for divorce while you were still rotting in there!” Seraphina left me with a chilling sentence. “You’re still the man of this house, but please don’t interfere with Blake’s and my relationship.” With that, she brushed past me. I stood frozen. The love I once had, the person I’d risked my life for… it was all gone, just like that. “Asher, don’t make a scene. This kind of arrangement is pretty common.” But Seraphina turned back, took my hand, and started walking towards the mansion. “At least Blake and I are still just at the kissing stage. I can even promise you that before we’re officially together, I’ll ‘be with’ you one more time.” I walked forward numbly, her words completely shattering my understanding of the world. “And don’t worry, I’ll still be your wife and fulfill my wifely duties.” “I’ll try to make time for you. I won’t spend all my time on Blake.” Seraphina sounded like she was scheduling work tasks.

“There’s ten million dollars on this card. Do whatever you want with it.” “But remember, if you’re going to fool around, keep it clean. Don’t bring back any diseases.” Seraphina led me to the study and handed me a card. I looked at the card, then at the woman who had become a complete stranger. I said nothing, just took the card. “Where are you going?” As I turned to leave, Seraphina suddenly grabbed my arm. “To sleep.” I replied numbly. “No, you’re not!” “Tonight, you can ‘have’ me in the study. Didn’t you always want to try something… different? Tonight, anything you want.” Seraphina actually initiated it. But I felt utterly disgusted. Psychologically sick to my stomach, physically wanting to gag. Yet I suppressed the revulsion and didn’t refuse. That night, I barely slept. It was like she was trying to physically exhaust me to death, using sex as a weapon. It wasn’t until dawn, when she finally fell asleep in a chair, that I managed to shower. I thought of those movie scenes where someone feels violated and scrubs themselves endlessly, desperate to wash away the filth but never feeling clean. That was exactly how I felt right then. I even wanted to find sandpaper and scrub off my own skin. After my shower, all that was left was sorrow and exhaustion. I fell asleep in that haze, waking up sometime in the afternoon. When I went to the living room, I saw Seraphina’s parents sitting on the sofa, their faces grim. “What time is it already? Still sleeping?” “Did you sleep like this when you were in prison?” “What rotten luck to have married our daughter to a man like you” My mother-in-law, Mrs. Thorne, hadn’t changed. She remained a walking jewelry display, every possible surface glittering with stones. But I remembered the truth. She had once sobbed on my doorstep, threatening to kill herself if I didn’t marry Seraphina. And now, it was rotten luck? “We heard you saw everything yesterday?” “Well,” she sighed, as if relieved of a burden. “Now let’s skip to business. We’re here for two things.” “First, we’re taking Leo to Blake’s place. We all live there now.” “Second, we’re here to warn you. Don’t you dare ruin Seraphina and Blake’s relationship, or we’ll send you straight back to prison!” “A morally bankrupt ex-con like you doesn’t deserve my daughter!” Mr. Thorne finished, his face stern, then stood to leave. Morally bankrupt? Did his memory fail him? Forgot that I bailed him out after his prostitute scandal. Now he stands there in the suit I paid for, calling me corrupt. “Leo, are you sure you want to go?” I asked my son. He was seven or eight years old, and I decided to give him a chance. Leo glared back, his face twisted in disgust. “Mom said I can change my name to Sterling, like Daddy Blake! I’m not keeping your name, you pathetic ex-con!” With that, he tugged on Mr. Thorne’s hand and walked off, asking, “Did Daddy Blake buy me that computer? The one with the RTX 5090? I want to play Warzone and dominate every lobby!” “He did, he did,” Mr. Thorne replied. “And you don’t have to call him ‘Daddy Blake’ for long. Soon enough, Blake will be your real dad.” Mr. Thorne looked at me as he said this, as if trying to provoke me. I clenched my fists, saying nothing. The spacious room was now empty, leaving just me. The irony hit me hard: our wedding photo, Seraphina’s and mine, still hung in the living room. Near the liquor cabinet, another photo showed Seraphina and me kissing under a tree, with Blake’s goofy face photobombing from the corner. The woman I loved most, the brother I trusted most. I would have died for them. And they, without hesitation, gave me a cuckold’s cap. The true nature of people in this world. Just as I sat on the sofa, smoking, my phone rang. It was an unknown number. “Asher, I’m out too! Called you the second I got out. This is my new number!” The voice on the line was Julian’s. He looked like an angel and had been framed as a demon by his own brother for a DUI crash. In prison, his beauty made him prey. I made him my responsibility. He repaid me with a loyalty deeper than blood. “Let’s find a time to meet up. I’ve got some things going on right now, so I can’t hang out just yet.” I had barely finished speaking when another call came in, from my dad. I quickly told Julian, “Gotta go, my dad’s calling.” My biggest worry was my parents finding out. They were getting old, and the news might make them sick. “Asher, listen to me.” “Feelings are tricky. If Seraphina’s fallen for someone else, you shouldn’t cling on.” “Besides, Blake is a good kid. In the four years you were in prison, he took better care of us than you, our own son.” “So, if you keep bothering her, don’t blame your mom and me if we cut you off!” My dad’s angry voice boomed through the receiver.

So, even my parents betrayed me? A sharp pain lanced through my chest. I said nothing, just hung up the phone. If everyone was going to betray me, then I’d just pretend these people didn’t exist. Beyond emotions, there was also my career. I got up, cleaned myself up, put on a suit, and went to the company. Vance Enterprises. I built that empire from scratch. I started it in college, accumulating wealth through small mobile games. Then our mobile MOBA games blew up overseas, and I practically owned half the global market for games developed in our country. Before I went to prison, a major AAA title was just about to drop on Steam. My incarceration delayed it. Now, I was out of prison. Love and family were gone. This game was my only chance to return to my peak. But when I arrived at the group’s entrance, the security guard stopped me. “I’m Asher. Vance Enterprises is mine.” I explained. The security guard, a guy named Mark, sneered. “So what if your name’s Vance? I’m Mark. Can I say I’m your dad then?” Just then, footsteps approached from behind. I turned to see Seraphina and Blake, surrounded by a small entourage. Upon seeing them, Mark immediately stepped forward with a fawning smile. “Mr. Sterling, Mrs. Sterling, there’s some idiot here claiming Vance Enterprises is his!” Mr. Sterling? Mrs. Sterling? It seemed Seraphina and Blake weren’t hiding their relationship from the outside world at all. Blake just smiled, telling his distant cousin, “He’s not wrong. Vance Enterprises used to be his, but it isn’t anymore.” “How is it not mine?” I frowned. Blake chuckled. “When you went to prison, for the company’s development, all your shares were transferred to Seraphina. How could it still be yours?” Seraphina merely gave me a dismissive glance. “Alright, Asher, you shouldn’t come to the company anymore.” I remembered transferring my shares to Seraphina. At the time, the company was at a critical juncture and desperately needed funding. To attract investment, it was indeed unsuitable for me, being in prison, to hold shares, as competitors could use it against us. “Then why can’t I even come to the company?” I asked, suppressing my anger. “You’re a convicted felon. This company can’t have a felon as an employee, let alone in leadership.” Seraphina’s tone was ice-cold. “And you need to understand, I’m the CEO now. Don’t you dare question my decisions ever again!” Everything was gone? Even my career? I turned and left, saying nothing. I didn’t even know what to say. Seraphina’s voice echoed behind me. “As long as you behave, I’ll still ensure you maintain your dignity. At least you won’t be short on money.” They were taking the wealth I’d built, and now they wanted to dole it out to me, to insult me? I walked for who knows how long until I found myself in front of my old high school. I caught a whiff of familiar fried chicken, that greasy, salty, spicy smell-an indelible scent of youth. So many memories were made here with Seraphina and Blake. “Hey, can I get a fried chicken?” I said numbly to the vendor. “Don’t make him one.” Blake’s voice sounded behind me. He sneered. “Seraphina and I bought this fried chicken stand. With your money.” I stared at him deeply, then sighed, “Blake, nearly thirty years of friendship, and this is how you treat me?” “Asher, you know what?” “You went to prison, and every day, I slept in your bed, kissed your wife, and spent your money.” “Your son calls me Daddy Blake every day. Your parents treat me like their own son.” “Now you’re out. You think you can just waltz back and take everything from me?” Blake’s smile was cold. “Asher, you have nothing left. In four years, I’ve made everything of yours my own, and all you can do is watch me take it all!” I gasped, clenching my fists, just like I used to when I was ready to fight for my life. “What, you’re upset?” “You want to hit me? Come on then.” Blake pushed his face closer. “Go on, Asher. If you’re still a man, hit me!” I raised my hand.

I raised my hand, then let it drop. If I hit him, and Blake pressed charges, I’d definitely go back to prison. Especially now that he had money-my money! “What, no guts?” Blake sneered, a flicker of disappointment in his eyes. That disappointment told me he was deliberately trying to provoke me into hitting him. I said nothing, just turned and walked away. From that day on, Seraphina rarely came home. But every day, my SnapChat inbox was flooded with photos of Seraphina and Blake. Photos of them kissing. Were they really that addicted to making out? I blocked them, out of sight, out of mind. But after I blocked them, packages started arriving every day. They were printouts of those same photos. They seemed intent on driving me insane. My mental state worsened. I was often deeply depressed, even suicidal, but then I’d suddenly become extremely agitated, filled with destructive urges. Julian noticed this when he came to visit. He took me to the hospital. His sister, Dr. Julia Hayes, was a psychiatrist there. Julian was strikingly handsome. His sister Julia was breathtaking. Hers was an artistic, formidable beauty that made you stare-a reflex, not a desire. After a brief evaluation, Dr. Hayes’s gaze found mine in the ensuing silence, then moved to Julian. “Go on, Asher can handle it.” Julian trusted me completely. I knew my situation was grim. “Asher, you might have bipolar disorder.” “You need to start medication immediately, and keep yourself busy. Otherwise, it could be very dangerous.” Dr. Julia said sympathetically. “My brother told me you’re a man of great perspective and a very open-minded person. How did you end up like this?” “I went to prison for my wife and my best friend, and they ended up together.” “Now my son disowns me, my in-laws curse me, and even my own parents threaten to cut me off if I don’t leave my wife alone.” “And I’ve lost all my company shares.” “Love, career-everything’s gone.” “If I could still be ‘open-minded’ after all that, I’d be a god.” I laughed sardonically. Julia hadn’t expected my story to be so tragic. Besides sympathy, she seemed to feel empathy, almost on the verge of tears herself. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll get through this.” I even ended up comforting her. She wiped her eyes, then gave me a diagnosis certificate and a stack of prescriptions. I didn’t let the siblings take me home. I left alone. Instead of taking the elevator, I wandered floor by floor, trying to waste time. But when I reached the sixth floor, I froze. I saw Blake helping Seraphina out of a consultation room. Blake’s face didn’t look good. “Asher, are you stalking me?” Seraphina saw Blake’s unhappiness, and her temper flared. Seeing me, I became her immediate outlet. “No, I’m not.” I shook my head. “Easy, Seraphina. You’re pregnant.” Blake said. Pregnant? I looked at her stomach, and my heart ached. Was she carrying Blake’s child? “Congratulations, Asher. You’re going to be a father again.” Blake said, gritting his teeth. “Mine?” I scoffed. “She sleeps at your place every night. How do you know the child is mine?” “Shut up!” Seraphina angrily walked up to me and slapped me across the face. “I told you, I haven’t slept with Blake! So the child is yours!” “Then abort it.” I dropped the bombshell, turned, and left. This time, I took the elevator. As the elevator doors closed, I saw Seraphina’s face, a mask of shock at my words. “I was going to break things off with Blake for this child!” “But Asher, you disappoint me too much!” Seraphina said, gritting her teeth. “You just wait, I won’t let you spend another dime of my money!” Blake’s eyes were blazing with fury. He had been so happy, thinking Seraphina would demand a divorce, but she was only threatening to cut off my funds. I ignored them completely. After leaving the hospital, I wandered aimlessly. Unconsciously, I found myself in a small alley. “Don’t go any further. This is it.” Blake’s voice suddenly came from behind me. I turned to see him, flanked by a dozen men. “What do you want?” I asked, frowning. “Alright, you guys, go.” “Don’t hit him too hard. Don’t actually injure me seriously, but make sure to cut me with your knives.” “Don’t touch my face, got it?” “Then I’ll call the police. You know what to say, right?” Blake’s voice was unnervingly calm, giving orders as if I weren’t even there. “Oh, and take his phone. Add yourselves as contacts. Transfer a few grand from his account to yours. Then type a message saying he hired you to beat me up.” “So determined to send me back, Blake?” I smiled bitterly. Blake gave a chilling smile. “Not just back, Asher. I’ve already made arrangements. Someone inside is expecting you. You’ll never disrupt my life again!” “Now. Get to work.” Blake roared.

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In my previous life, Ash locked me in his world. He controlled my phone, my friends, my every step. He used his illness as a chain and treated my fear as loyalty. When I tried to leave, he broke my bones and called it love. I died in that cage. Then I woke up on the day I confessed to him. This time, I cut him off before he could touch my life again. No hesitation. No mercy. I’m alive again, and I’m not his cure or his possession. I’m here to take back everything he stole—starting with my freedom. I was tortured to death. When I opened my eyes, I was back to the day when my crush rejected me. As we were cutting the cake, they encouraged me to confess. Gathering my courage, I said, “Ash, my birthday wish is you.” Ash’s hand holding the cigarette trembled. He smirked and said, “Sorry, you’re too good. Not my type.” In my previous life, because of these words, I went crazy, thinking about my miserable end. My whole body felt cold, and I wanted to kill Ash right then and there. “Nova, are you okay?” “Ash, can’t you say something nice?” Ash maintained his laid-back and nonchalant attitude, lazily blowing smoke rings. “I’m not good at lying.” His lazy British accent was quite alluring. But hearing it now, I only felt disgusted. In front of everyone, I coldly made a new birthday wish. “Ash, I hope that for eternity, you and I will never cross paths again.” I blew out the candles. They tried to stop me, but couldn’t. Ash’s smile froze on his face. “Nova, are you serious?” “I’ll give you one more chance. Make a new wish, and I’ll pretend I didn’t hear anything just now.” No need. I ignored him and started cutting the cake. Ash rushed towards me, grabbing the blade with his right hand. “Nova, I’m talking to you.” The blade cut his finger, drawing blood. Someone exclaimed, “Blood! Ash, you’re bleeding!” I knew he was having an episode again. Ash had a severe psychological disorder. In my previous life, only I could stop him from having these episodes. Oh, to be precise, only I could before that poor junior girl appeared. Because of this, I always thought I was special to him. Until I heard him comforting that poor girl in his lazy tone. “She’s different from you.” “At most, she’s just a placebo. Only you are my sole medicine.” “Without you, I’d die.” I let go of the knife and said, “If you like it so much, you can have it.” As I turned to leave, Ash threw the knife aside and grabbed me. His bloodied finger stained my white shirt. “Nova, who are you trying to impress with this attitude?” The blood terrified me. Uncontrollably, I remembered the things from my previous life. Feeling dizzy and overwhelmed, I fainted. When I woke up, Ash was by my bedside. “Awake?” “You made me angry, yet I had to carry you back. Nova, how do you plan to make it up to me?” Ash was a player. He often said these ambiguous things, making me harbor inappropriate hopes. But I was no longer who I used to be. I knew very well that when faced with someone he truly liked, Ash couldn’t utter a single flirtatious word. Even when confessing, his voice would tremble. I sighed and said, “I’m tired.” “Ash, let’s not see each other anymore.” 0

The next day, I went to school alone. Ash didn’t wait for me. I knew this was his punishment for me. He was waiting for me to apologize. But I ignored him all day. In the afternoon, I was sleeping in the classroom when someone shook me awake. “Nova! Wake up! Ash’s fighting with someone on the basketball court!” Still half-asleep, I was dragged to the basketball court by my deskmate. “Quick, go look! Ash’s gone crazy, only you can stop him!” No. He was wrong. I didn’t need to go over there. Because his leading lady had already appeared. I guessed right. By the time we arrived, Ash had stopped fighting and was sitting to the side, drenched in sweat. Beside him sat a girl. She had a low ponytail, a serene expression, and was holding his hand. Her voice carried a hint of choked emotion. She said softly, “Ash, you’re hurt.” Ash hated being touched by outsiders. He tried to pull his hand away. But when his eyes met mine, he paused, his gaze darkening, allowing Lily to hold his hand. The senior he had beaten was leaving, supported by his classmates. “Wait,” he called out to them. He pointed at Lily beside him. “Apologize.” The senior’s face was bruised and swollen. A classmate tried to persuade Ash, “Ash, let him go to the hospital first.” Ash refused, his voice deepening as he repeated, “I said, apologize to her.” Lily grabbed Ash’s hand, shaking her head, “It’s okay, Ash, I’m fine.” The senior, beaten so badly, still had to bow and apologize. Someone asked why he was beaten. My deskmate answered, “He called her poor, and Ash overheard.” “Serves him right! Who told him to be so mean!” “Ash is so cool! A hero saving the damsel in distress!” “Is this a campus romance happening right before our eyes?” Only I knew that wasn’t the truth. In my previous life, the senior was forced to transfer schools by Ash. Before leaving, he came to warn me about Lily. He wouldn’t say more, probably scared by Ash. The senior needed to go to the hospital, but the ambulance would take some time to arrive. I went over and said, “Take my car.” The senior was stunned and said, “Thanks, but no need.” Ash ran over and grabbed my arm. “Nova, are you deliberately trying to upset me?” I looked at Lily behind him, her eyes red from crying. “Mind your own business.” “If you dare leave, don’t ever come find me again.” I left without looking back, leaving them in a mess. “Bang!” There was a commotion behind me. Ash had punched the basketball hoop. Tsk, doesn’t he feel pain? 0

Ash and I haven’t had much interaction lately. I heard that for Lily’s sake, he hasn’t been fighting for a long time. He’s even turned over a new leaf and started studying hard. Ash’s friends called him to go to the internet cafe. Lily whispered to him, “You haven’t memorized your English vocabulary yet.” Ash sighed deeply and sat back down. “My family’s strict, I can’t go.” I hear stories like this from my deskmate every day. But whenever they see me approaching, they stop talking and go back to their own business. “She’s so pitiful.” “Yeah, she chased Ash for so long, only to be snatched away by a poor junior girl.” Pitiful? I don’t think so. My paperwork for studying abroad is all set. Once I pass the Japanese language test, I’ll be off to study my favorite major, journalism. My beautiful new life is about to begin. That day, on my way home from school, Ash’s mom stopped me: “Nova, Ash forgot his medicine again. Could you please take it to him for me?” I really wanted to refuse. But seeing the bruise on Ash’s mom’s wrist, I sighed and said, “Alright.” I asked Ash, “Where are you?” He took a long time to reply, sending me a location. Pool hall. In my previous life, I had been there countless times. When I arrived, I knew exactly where to go. The pungent smell of smoke made me feel sick. I spotted Ash immediately. He was at the central pool table, gambling with someone. There was a thick stack of cash on the table. I walked over and tossed him the medicine. “Your mom asked me to bring this to you.” Seeing me, Ash frowned and said, “Who told you to come?” I didn’t bother responding to him. I dropped the medicine and turned to leave, but someone blocked my way. “Ash, is this your girlfriend?” Ash sneered, taking a cigarette offered to him and tucking it behind his ear: “Do you think that’s possible?” Just then, Lily came in with her backpack. As soon as she entered, she started coughing. Ash stood up, shielding her. “Put out all the cigarettes.” The guy with yellow teeth who had stopped me earlier grinned. “Looks like the real girlfriend is here.” Lily’s face turned red. “Ash, don’t talk nonsense. The teacher said we can’t…” “I know.” Ash lightly tapped her nose. “Be good, call me ‘brother’ and I’ll let you go.” Lily exclaimed “Ah!” and pointed at the cigarette behind his ear: “Ash, didn’t you promise me you’d quit smoking?” I noticed Ash’s gaze fall on me. Suddenly, I remembered that I had also asked him to quit smoking before. Because I had asthma since childhood and couldn’t stand the smell of smoke. At that time, he didn’t even bother to pretend, deliberately blowing smoke rings in my face, saying, “Can’t do it.” A cold smile crossed my lips as I tried to leave, but someone grabbed me again. “Don’t go, little sister.” “Ash, hurry up. It’s two on two. My girlfriend’s here, who’s going to play on your side?” 0

I just walked away. Lily tugged at my sleeve. “I… I don’t know how to play pool.” I frowned and said, “What’s that got to do with me?” “I…” Intimidated by my harsh tone, Lily’s eyes welled up with tears. Ash ran over, shielding her behind him, and confronted me: “Can’t you speak nicely?” “Psycho.” I tried to leave, but he blocked me. Fed up, I deliberately provoked him: “What’s the deal, Ash? Playing hard to get? Want me to be your girlfriend?” “In your dreams.” “Then don’t block my way.” I left, and this time no one stopped me. I heard Lily panicking behind me, asking, “What should we do, Ash? I don’t know how to play pool.” Ash patiently comforted her: “Silly, with me here, we won’t lose.” I had no interest in the outcome of their game. But that evening, during dinner. My mom kept sighing, saying, “I saw Ash’s mom again today, she was covered in bruises. His dad is really going too far…” “By the way, Nova, why haven’t I seen Ash come over for dinner lately? Did you two have a fight?” “No.” “That’s good. If you’re free, invite him over more often…” I looked up, interrupting my mom. “We’re not friends anymore.” “What? Why?” I took a bite of the tender fish. “No reason. I just can’t stand blind people.” My mom cautiously asked, “Is Ash dating someone?” I put a piece of fish in my mom’s bowl. “Yeah, and they’re sickeningly sweet.” They’re acting out some idol drama and insist on dragging me, a passerby, to play the supporting role. Early the next morning in the classroom, I heard Lily crying. “What should I do, Ash? It was in my backpack this morning, but now it’s gone!” My deskmate told me: “The class fund that Lily was keeping has disappeared. Everyone’s helping her look for it.” I casually said, “Why not just check the security cameras?” Lily reacted defensively, coming over to me and saying, “Nova, I may be poor, but I’m not so poor that I’d steal the class fund.” I didn’t even say she stole it, why is she so defensive? Ash came over and coldly commanded. “Apologize to her.” I put my backpack on the desk and sat down. He threw my backpack and flipped my desk. Ash was having an episode again. “Apologize to her, didn’t you hear me?” The classmates didn’t dare to make a sound, and no one dared to come stop him. I bent down to try to right my desk, but Ash grabbed my neck. His eyes were red as he said, “A-po-lo-gize.” I couldn’t breathe, tears welling up in my eyes. My neck quickly developed a red mark from his grip. Lily tried to stop him: “Ash! Ash!” He wouldn’t listen to anyone, staring at me with red eyes, not knowing who he thought I was. It took several teachers rushing in to separate us. Lily went forward and hugged the frenzied Ash. “It’s okay, it’s okay, Ash. I don’t care about others, as long as you believe me, that’s enough.” He buried his head in her shoulder, but his gaze was fixed in my direction. I was taken to the infirmary by the teachers. His gaze was obscure, constantly fixed on my retreating figure.

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The first thing my father-in-law did after his company went public was order my wife to divorce me. “Divorce him! I’ll find you someone rich! A struggling professor? He ‘s not good enough for you! I must have been blind to allow this marriage.” I smiled. He truly was blind. Last year, when his empire was crumbling under thirty million in debt, I was the anonymous buyer who quietly purchased every last note.. If I hadn’t stepped in when I did, he would have been bankrupt! On my phone screen, a voice message from my friend Chloe sat unplayed. I didn’t need to. The preview text beneath it told the whole story. The click of a key turning in the lock echoed from the entryway. My wife, Scarlett, was home. She kicked off her heels, the motion sharp with fatigue. When her eyes met mine, all she offered was a drained “Mm.” She used to rush in, all warmth and lively stories. Now, only this solid silence remained. “Have some tea first.” I poured a cup and offered it to her. She glanced at it, her brow furrowing. “Again? I’ve told you I don’t take it sweet.” My hand stalled in the air, the cup suddenly heavy. This used to be her favorite. She didn’t look at me again, walking straight into the bedroom and slamming the door shut. That sharp thud left the house in utter silence. At the dinner table, we sat opposite each other, neither speaking. She picked at her food for a few bites, then suddenly put down her fork. “Alex, we need to talk.” I looked up, watching her quietly. “I don’t think we can keep going like this.” Her gaze darted away, unwilling to meet mine. “Our lives are drifting further and further apart.” “My dad’s company… it’s back on track now, even better than before.” “And you’re still just a university professor, making peanuts every month.” I put down my fork, saying nothing. She seemed to finally muster her courage, raising her eyes to meet mine. “Alex, let’s take a break. Let’s both cool off for a while.” A break? I looked at her resolute face and suddenly laughed. “Okay.” That single word choked all the elaborate explanations she’d prepared. She froze, seemingly surprised by my immediate agreement. I stood up, clearing the dishes as I always did. “Scarlett,” I said, my back to her, my voice flat. “Don’t regret it.”

The next day, I went to the university to teach as usual. During lunch break, Professor Miller sighed and went on about the insane housing market. “Alex, you’ve got it easy, single, no dependents, no worries.” He patted my shoulder. “Not like us family men. The pressure is real.” I smiled, not responding. In their eyes, I, Alex Reed, came from an ordinary background, had a stable job, and married a beautiful wife whose family had recently gone bankrupt. I was the typical ‘nice guy’ who took on someone else’s baggage. My phone vibrated. It was a message from Scarlett. “Saturday night. Dinner at my parents’ house.” A commanding tone, cold words. I replied,”Okay.” The ambush dinner was coming. On Saturday, I walked through the front door of Richard Hayes’s mansion, carrying a couple of expensive bottles of wine. The mansion, once so quiet and empty, was now bustling with people again. Richard, my father-in-law, was dressed in a designer suit, beaming with confidence, talking loudly about business with several partners. When he saw me, the smile on his face faded, replaced by undisguised disdain in his eyes. “You’re here? Find a seat for yourself.” He gestured towards the most secluded corner of the living room. In the main seating area, a young man I didn’t recognize was sitting, dressed in head-to-toe designer brands, a Patek Philippe watch glittering on his wrist under the lights. Scarlett was sitting right beside him, smiling charmingly, deep in conversation. That was a Scarlett I’d never seen, a Scarlett from another world. “Alex,” Eleanor, my mother-in-law, handed me a glass of water, her tone distant. “This is Eric Sterling. Mr. Sterling’s son. He just came back from abroad, young and accomplished.” I nodded, looking at the man named Eric. He was sizing me up too, his gaze like he was looking at a cheap knock-off. “Oh, so this is Scarlett’s husband? Alex Reed, right?” Eric drew out his words, a faint, mocking smile playing on his lips. “Teaching at the university, are we? Well, that must be… quite the effort.” He said “effort,” but his eyes were practically overflowing with contempt. Scarlett’s expression was a little uncomfortable, but she didn’t say a word in my defense. Dinner was served, a lavish spread of delicacies. Richard sat at the head of the table, full of vigor, raising his glass. “To all my friends, thank you for sticking by me, Richard, during my most difficult times!” He downed his drink, then his tone shifted, his gaze landing on me. “Of course, I also want to thank some… people who ‘stuck by us’ even when our family was struggling.” He deliberately emphasized “stuck by us,” drawing a chorus of knowing chuckles from the table. Eric was even more brazen, speaking up. “Now, Richard, be fair. Some people just want a quiet life, they don’t have big ambitions. They’re content just sticking to their wives and kids.” “But a woman like Scarlett? Now that the Hayes star is rising again, she deserves to soar. Can’t have dead weight holding her back.” They sounded like they’d rehearsed this whole routine. I remained silent throughout, just quietly eating my food. My silence, to them, was weakness, incompetence. Finally, Richard put down his fork, dropping the pretense. “Alex,” he looked down at me. “As you can see, our family is different now. Scarlett is too good for you.” “I’ll give you two hundred thousand dollars. Divorce Scarlett, and don’t bother her again.”

Two hundred thousand dollars. To buy out three years of our marriage. I’d settled thirty million in debt for him, and he was offering me two hundred thousand to get rid of me. It was laughable. Everyone in the living room was focused on me, smirking, waiting to see my angry or desperate reaction. Eric was smug, as if he was already the terminator of my marriage and Scarlett’s next partner. I didn’t look at Richard. Instead, I turned my gaze to Scarlett. From start to finish, she had kept her head down, like a puppet, as if it had nothing to do with her. “Scarlett,” I said. “Is this what you want too?” Her body stiffened, her shoulders trembling slightly. Seconds stretched into an eternity. Finally, she still didn’t look up, but forced out a single word through gritted teeth. “Yes.” That word completely broke me. I couldn’t help but laugh aloud, my chest shaking with it. “Good. Very good.” I stood up, scanning the room full of people. Richard frowned, clearly displeased with my reaction. “What are you laughing at? Is two hundred thousand not enough? Alex, don’t be greedy!” “No, it’s plenty.” I shook my head, the smile on my lips growing colder. “For someone about to lose everything again, two hundred thousand is indeed a large sum.” Richard’s face changed. “What do you mean? Are you cursing me?” “Dad, don’t waste time with him!” Scarlett finally spoke up, her voice annoyed. “Alex, what do you want? Do you have to make this so ugly?” “Ugly?” I looked at her. “Scarlett, it became ugly the moment you allowed him to sit here and humiliate me.” I gestured towards Eric. “I’ll divorce you,” I said, my smile gone, my face turning completely cold. “But not now.” Everyone was stunned. Eric sneered, “What? You want to drag it out? Let me tell you, Scarlett will be mine. Dragging your feet won’t change anything.” “I just feel,” I slowly adjusted my cuff, “that we never had a grand wedding when we got married, and that’s always been Scarlett’s regret. Now that the Hayes family is flourishing, why don’t we host a grand banquet? Invite everyone we couldn’t afford to include back then.” “At that banquet, we’ll announce our divorce. It’ll be a proper farewell, a dignified end to our marriage.” My proposal stunned Richard and Eric. They couldn’t figure out what I was planning. To them, this was public humiliation, tearing off my last shred of dignity and stomping it underfoot. A glint flashed in Richard’s eyes. He understood. This was a golden opportunity for him! He was already looking for a chance to announce his triumphant return to everyone and introduce Eric, the wealthy suitor. With me setting the stage, why wouldn’t he be happy to perform? “Excellent! That’s showing some character!” Richard slapped his thigh, his face beaming. “Alex, I didn’t expect you to have some backbone after all! Let’s do it! I’ll arrange the banquet, and it’ll be grand!” Eric also laughed, his gaze at me filled with disdain and pity. “Alex, just try not to cry on the day, okay? Do you need me to sponsor a decent suit for you?” I ignored him, giving Scarlett one last look. Her face held confusion, bewilderment, and perhaps a hint of imperceptible guilt. But what did it matter? This path was her choice. So, in this grand finale, she had to be the star.

Over the next few days, Richard indeed threw all his energy into preparing for this “divorce banquet.” He booked the penthouse ballroom of the city’s most luxurious five-star hotel and sent out invitations far and wide, inviting every business elite, friend, and acquaintance he could think of. The city’s elite knew the Hayes banquet was never just about celebrating the company’s revival. It was a stage to publicly dissolve a “mismatched” marriage and present Scarlett’s wealthy new suitor. I had become a complete joke. Scarlett called me once, her voice hesitant. “Alex, do we really have to do this? I think… it’s too much.” “Isn’t this what your father wanted?” I countered. Silence on the other end of the line. “Scarlett, there’s no turning back now,” I said, and then hung up. Chloe was furious, ripping into me over the phone. “Alex, are you out of your mind?  You’re really walking into their trap? What’s your game here?” “Just want some peace,” I said calmly. “You…” Chloe was too angry to speak. “Fine, have it your way! I’ll be there to see how you clean up this mess!” On the day of the banquet, I walked into the opulent ballroom wearing a perfectly ordinary casual suit. Richard and Eleanor, in resplendent gowns and suits, were greeting guests with beaming faces. Scarlett, in an expensive custom-made evening gown, was arm-in-arm with the impeccably dressed Eric Sterling, accepting congratulations and envious glances from everyone. Seeing me, the smile on Richard’s face instantly vanished. He quickly walked over, whispering in a warning, disgusted tone. “You actually dared to come! Remember, today you’re here to play your part, don’t you dare pull any stunts!” Eric also approached, sizing me up before sneering, “Alex, with that outfit, are you here to be a waiter? Don’t say I didn’t warn you, only important people are here today. You’d best hide in a corner so you don’t embarrass the Hayes family.” I didn’t speak, just smiled. Scarlett’s gaze briefly met mine, then she quickly looked away, her eyes complex. I found an inconspicuous corner to sit in, watching this absurd yet very real drama unfold. I watched Richard move through the crowd, boasting about how he had turned the tide for his company. I watched Eric Sterling, acting like the man of the house, introducing the grand vision of the Hayes family to everyone. And I watched Scarlett, the woman I had loved for three years, the woman I thought I would spend my life with, smiling radiantly in this socialite circus, drifting further and further away from me. Halfway through the banquet, the host invited Richard to the stage to give a speech. Under the spotlight, Richard, microphone in hand, looked full of vigor. “Good evening, esteemed guests and friends!” “Today is a day of great joy for me, Richard! The first joy is that my Hayes Group has risen from the ashes, stronger than ever!” A thunderous applause erupted from below the stage. He reveled in the moment, then his tone shifted. “The second joy is my daughter, Scarlett. She will bid farewell to the past and embrace a brand new life!” Saying this, he beckoned Scarlett and Eric. The two walked intimately onto the stage, standing beside Richard. “Some people are only suited to share hardships, not prosperity,” Richard said, his gaze falling on me with a chilling intensity. “The Hayes family is sailing ahead, and we don’t need a heavy anchor holding us back.” All eyes turned to me. There was sympathy, pity, but mostly morbid curiosity and mockery. I had become the superfluous person in their eyes. Scarlett kept her head down, not daring to look at me. Eric, beaming with triumph, put his arm around Scarlett’s waist, subtly flaunting his victory to me. Richard cleared his throat, about to announce my divorce from Scarlett and hint at Eric and Scarlett’s impending engagement. I stood up, slowly walking towards the stage. Everyone was stunned, and the music stopped. Richard’s face went pale with rage, and he roared into the microphone. “Alex! What do you think you’re doing? Get off this stage!” I ignored him, walking directly to the center of the stage, plucking another microphone from the stunned host. The lights shone on me. I could clearly see every astonished face in the audience. “Don’t be so hasty, Richard.” I smiled, a sharp, quiet thing, as my voice filled the silent ballroom. “After all, isn’t this my stage too?”

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I stepped out of the airport, and my ex’s people pointed at me and called me a broke nobody— Mason mocked my clothes. Elise slapped me and ripped off my twenty-million bracelet, calling it fake. not knowing the “Mrs. Young” they were ordered to pick up was me. Because the man they worship, Damian Young, is my husband. In the arrival hall, I saw someone holding a sign with my English name. As I walked over, I realized it was Mason Lee, whom I hadn’t seen in three years. He was there with Elise and a few of his good friends, all craning their necks and looking around expectantly. “Sam, isn’t that your doormat Nova?” one of them said. Mason looked surprised to see me too, but quickly pretended to be indifferent and said, “See? I told you she’d come crawling back.” The group snickered and looked at me: “Nova disappeared without a word back then. Now that she sees Sam’s successful, I bet she cries herself to sleep every night regretting it!” “But Nova, if you wanted to pretend to bump into him, why did you just wear casual clothes? Couldn’t you have dressed up a bit?” “Don’t tell me you can’t even afford decent clothes without Sam? You must be in a really bad state!” In the past, whenever I went out to see Mason, I would always put on my most exquisite makeup and choose the most flattering clothes, presenting my best side to him. But now, there was no need for that anymore. Because of my pregnancy, my husband doesn’t let me wear makeup and wants me to dress comfortably. This casual outfit was specially customized for me by someone he hired. However, hearing their words, I realized they only knew my English name but didn’t know that I was the person they were supposed to pick up. Seeing that I remained silent, someone who used to be closer to me quickly tried to smooth things over: “Nova, it’s good that you’re back. Actually, Sam has been looking for you all these years… asking around for news about you!” Mason’s smile froze, then he pretended to be nonchalant and said: “Elise’s child is about to start kindergarten. From now on, you’ll be responsible for picking him up and dropping him off.” Mason was still his same arrogant, self-righteous self. But I was no longer that young girl who always accommodated him. Seeing him again, all I felt was annoyance. Not wanting to waste time with them here, I was about to reveal my identity when Elise spoke first: “Nova, don’t blame Sam. He did this to take care of you too. After all, who knows what you’ve been up to during these three years you disappeared?” “Now that you’re in such a poor state, you couldn’t even handle being my personal assistant if he offered you the job.” “Don’t worry, no one will look down on you if you help me take care of my son.” Three years later, Elise was still as arrogant as ever, still able to make me frown in disgust. Mason misunderstood my expression as jealousy and anger towards him, a hint of smugness flashing in his eyes. “Alright, enough with the fuss when you can’t even make it out there anymore,” he said. “Just take care of the kid properly and stop causing trouble. You need to know your place.” “Don’t worry, we still have a room for the maid at our place.” As soon as he finished speaking, the people around burst into malicious laughter. “Nova, see how good Sam is to you? He’s afraid you’re suffering out there, so he’s arranged food and lodging for you.” “It’s just helping Elise take care of the kid, isn’t that much better than your current poor life? Hurry up and thank Sam.” Elise touched her earrings, pretending to be considerate: “Nova, don’t worry. If my son misbehaves and doesn’t listen to you, I’ll discipline him for you. I won’t let you suffer any grievances.” Mason snorted with laughter, glancing at me. “What grievances could she have? She disappeared over a trivial matter back then. Now that she can’t make it on her own and has come back, it’s only right for her to suffer a bit.” Hearing these words, my heart skipped a beat. Even now, did he still think that getting married to Elise was just a trivial matter? It turns out that the Mason who once loved me was long gone. He was no longer that boy who, covered in wounds, carried my injured self across half the city. Nor was he that young man who, with nothing to his name, loudly proclaimed his love for me and promised me everything. And he certainly wasn’t that successful man who was willing to cook for me with his own hands. But it’s fine. It’s all in the past, no need to bring it up. After all, I’m about to have my second child soon.

Suppressing my thoughts, I didn’t want to argue with them here. It was pointless. I looked at Mason and said calmly: “Weren’t you here to pick me up? Let’s go.” The scene went quiet for a moment, and they exchanged glances before suddenly bursting into laughter. Elise sneered coldly: “Wait for you? Who do you think you are?!” She pointed at the sign, “Look carefully, we’re waiting for Nova. Do you know who that is?” This was my English name, of course I knew. “Nova is Mrs. Young, the lady of the Young family, and the legal wife of Mr. Young.” “Mr. Young is decisive in the business world, but he’s actually quite the romantic. They say he refused to marry for years, just waiting for Nova.” “Everyone in the circle knows that rather than trying to please Mr. Young, it’s better to please Mrs. Young. She’s the apple of Mr. Young’s eye.” Hearing their chatter, a happy smile appeared on my face. After three years of marriage, Damian’s business had grown bigger and bigger, and his reputation as a wife-doting maniac had spread far and wide. Elise, always trying to one-up me, couldn’t resist showing off in front of me: “Mr. Young once bought a ‘True Love Forever’ bracelet at Christie’s auction for $20 million… US dollars, just to please Mrs. Young.” “Mrs. Young is the envy of women all over the world.” She paused, then pointed at my wrist and said shrilly: “It’s this one!” The scene suddenly went quiet, with everyone looking at my bracelet. Mason grabbed my hand abruptly, examining it for a moment before saying mockingly: “The imitation is quite exquisite! Which delivery guy bought this for you? Giving fake gifts.” “Trash.” I shook off his hand, curled my lips into a smile, and gently caressed the bracelet. Seeing my happy smile, Mason’s pupils constricted, and he suddenly grabbed my wrist, roughly rubbing the bracelet. I hadn’t expected this to happen and was caught off guard. Elise stepped forward to examine the bracelet, taking it from Mason’s hand and playing with it. “It is indeed more exquisite than the imitation I bought, but I would never wear it out. It’s embarrassing.” “The imitations from abroad are really different, the feel is quite nice.” “Or are you saying, Nova, that you’re Nova, that legendary Mrs. Young?!” As she finished speaking, the people around burst into laughter. After all, it was too absurd for them to believe. Damian Young was a world-renowned financial genius, cold and ruthless in the business world, decisive and unforgiving. And I was still hanging out with them three years ago, a nobody whose wedding was called off by Mason. No matter how they thought about it, it seemed impossible. Elise twirled the bracelet around her finger. “Nova, why don’t you give me this bracelet? I’ll pay double for it.” Afraid she might drop the bracelet, I quickly said: “Give me back the bracelet, it was given to me by Damian…” Before I could finish, Mason slapped me hard across the face, making my head turn and drawing blood from the corner of my mouth. “Shut up!”

Mason looked at me with some annoyance and said: “Nova Johnson, you dare to mention Mr. Young’s name? You’re even daring to spread rumors about having a relationship with him. Are you trying to get me killed?” Mason’s good friends also looked indignant, glaring at me angrily. “Nova, do you know that we barely managed to get the chance to pick up Mrs. Young today?” “Sam’s company was acquired by Mr. Young last year. We all depend on Mr. Young for our livelihoods now. Only by pleasing Mrs. Young can Sam’s position be secure.” “Now you’re here spreading rumors about having a relationship with Mr. Young. Are you trying to ruin Sam?” I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth and slowly turned my head, meeting Mason’s gaze. Perhaps my look was too frightening, as Mason frowned, a flash of panic crossing his eyes. Seeing Mason’s strange look at me, Elise shot me a venomous glance and pointed at my nose, cursing: “Nova Johnson, you ungrateful wretch! Sam has already agreed to take you back, don’t be so ignorant and ungrateful, getting above yourself.” “Even if you have some resentment towards Sam, you can’t use this method to get revenge on him, can you?” Hearing this, I felt like I was back three years ago. No matter what I did, Elise would always misinterpret my intentions and explain them to Mason. At first, Mason would scold Elise. But later, he would follow Elise’s words and blame me. Just like now, Mason scolded me in a tone of disappointment: “Jealous woman.” But this time, he didn’t continue to scold me as he did in the past. After a moment of silence, Mason took out a check for $200,000 and placed it in front of me. “For the sake of our past relationship, I won’t do anything to you.” “Take the money and buy yourself some decent clothes. If you don’t like taking care of children, I’ll find you a respectable job in a few days.” “Don’t worry, since Mr. Young acquired the company, this amount of money is nothing to me now.” Mason’s patronizing attitude made me sick. Looks like he’s been doing quite well lately. Under everyone’s surprised gaze, I pushed away Mason’s hand holding the check, retrieved my bracelet from Elise’s hand, and said with a smile: “No need, Mr. Lee. I don’t accept things from strangers.”

Ignoring Mason, whose face had turned as dark as a pig’s liver, I turned to leave. But before I could take a few steps, Mason grabbed me and coldly demanded: “Nova Johnson, you won’t even take my money? What do you mean? I’m a stranger?” I replied: “Since we’ve already broken up, it’s better not to have any contact. It might cause misunderstandings.” I thought of my slightly jealous husband. Mason, however, glanced at Elise with a knowing look. “The company is holding a banquet for Mr. Young in three days. I was planning to bring you along to see the world.” “But you’ll need to buy some proper clothes, so you don’t embarrass yourself…” Before he could finish, I directly declined: “Really, there’s no need. Thank you.” Hearing my refusal again, Mason became somewhat annoyed. His hand offering me the check froze in mid-air, his teeth grinding audibly. “Nova Johnson, you’ve really grown some backbone. I guess it’s true that poverty breeds insolence.” “Since you don’t want to go, forget it then. I’ll take Elise!” Hearing that Mason wanted to take her to the banquet, Elise’s eyes lit up, and she quickly said: “Sam, I’ll definitely perform well and absolutely won’t embarrass you.” Not wanting to entangle with them any further, I turned and strode away, leaving a parting shot: “I hope you’ll still be this confident in three days.” Quickly leaving the arrival hall and breathing in the fresh air, the nausea in my stomach finally subsided. Three years ago, when my family arranged for me to go abroad for a blind date, I begged my boyfriend of seven years, Mason, to marry me, planning to present my parents with a fait accompli. Mason agreed. But unexpectedly, at the courthouse door, I not only waited for Mason but also for Elise, his longtime crush. “Elise’s child needs to be registered. I need to marry her first.” “After we get divorced in a month, I’ll marry you right away.” “It’s just for the child, don’t overthink it.” Watching Mason walk into the courthouse holding Elise’s hand, I was completely heartbroken. That night, I took a flight abroad for the arranged blind date. A month later, I held my wedding and married Damian Young. A year later, I gave birth to our first child. Recently, I became pregnant with our second child. If it weren’t for accompanying Damian to pay respects to his ancestors, I wouldn’t have come back to the country at all. Let alone run into Mason.

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Alex, the billionaire, had a ring custom-made to my size, proclaiming he’d marry whoever it fit. In my first life, Chloe, the fake heiress, secretly had the ring enlarged and married him. Alex beat her face senseless. “She’s not the one!” In my second life, Hailey, the adopted sister, starved off thirty pounds for that ring and married him. Alex backhanded her, sending her tumbling down the stairs. “She’s not the one either!” In my third life, Serria, my stepmother, shaved the skin from her finger to make it fit. Alex simply sneered, then drowned her in the tub. Another failure. In my fourth life, they were out of options. Terrified, they shoved me forward. The ring slipped onto my finger. A perfect, chilling fit. My whole family finally breathed a sigh of relief. But the moment Alex looked at me, he drew a knife and plunged it into me. “Why isn’t it her yet? Where is she?” Now, in this final life, when the ring arrived, all four of us claimed it didn’t fit. But the secretary’s gaze swept over us, puzzled. “Mr. Alex said the owner of the ring is among you four.”

The four of us stared at the massive diamond ring, completely stunned. Every eligible woman in the Winslow family had already taken a turn being his “bride.”. So who on earth was this billionaire actually looking for? Serria, my stepmother, repeatedly confirmed with Alex’s secretary, Mr. Vance. “There must be some mistake. Surely…surely Mr. Alex’s true beloved isn’t among us?” Otherwise, we wouldn’t have married him four times. At this rate, we were just collecting headstones. But Mr. Vance frowned with displeasure, stating with serious conviction. “When you four attended Mr. Alex’s banquet, you had a table to yourselves. He looked at you then and said the ring’s owner was among the four Winslow family ladies.” “This matter, it’s absolutely not mistaken.” With that, he presented the diamond ring, haughtily saying, “Why don’t you each try it on?” Chloe, who always cared most about appearances, recoiled instantly. “I’m allergic to diamond rings. I’ll drop dead if I wear it.” Hailey, who loved money more than life, waved her hands frantically. “I’m so chubby, I’ll stretch the ring until it breaks.” Serria, who was practically yearning for an affair, forced a smile that looked worse than a cry. “My heart belongs to my late husband. Mr. Alex definitely doesn’t love me.” Finally, all eyes turned to me. Mr. Vance’s face crinkled into a smile. “Didn’t Astrid once meet Mr. Alex and fall for him at first sight?” “This ring, it must be yours, Astrid.” My heart? It was practically frozen solid with dread. How could I dare to “fall” for him? In my previous life, when I heard those words, I was indeed incredibly moved. After all, Alex and I did have a secret relationship, and he even had the ring custom-made to my finger size. So, when I finally escaped the control of those three and successfully married Alex, I thought my suffering was over. I waited on the wedding bed, a mix of nervous excitement and trepidation for him to arrive. But the moment he clearly saw my face, he furiously grabbed a fruit knife and left me riddled with holes. His eyes, reflecting my terrified face, burned with an inferno of rage. “How dare you marry me in her place? You’re not her!” I bled out in immense pain. Even when I woke up in this new life, I still couldn’t understand. The woman Alex was looking for wasn’t me? Then who could it possibly be?! Lost in my memories, I stood silently, not taking the ring from Mr. Vance. He smiled, “Marrying Mr. Alex certainly comes with a lot of pressure. You need some time to prepare yourselves mentally.” “Alright, Mr. Alex himself will come tomorrow. You have one night to think it over properly.” “I’ll leave the ring here for now.” Mr. Vance left the ring, then turned and departed in his diamond-studded luxury limo.

But staring at that blinding diamond, our hearts remained frozen. We were terrified of dying. The three women who had been constantly battling me for years in the Winslow family surprisingly formed a united front. They pulled me into the living room for an urgent meeting. One by one, they forced the ring onto their fingers. In the end, only my finger offered the perfect, cursed fit. Serria looked at me suspiciously. “Are you sure you were killed by him on your wedding night too?” I rolled my eyes helplessly. “I was left riddled with holes and sent back to the Winslow family. Didn’t you all see it?” Hailey nodded frantically. “It was brutal, seriously. Not a single good piece of skin left on her body.” Chloe also sighed. “I battled Astrid for ten years, and even I felt bad for her when I saw that.” The four of us exchanged glances, then let out helpless sighs. Serria was on the verge of a breakdown. “But if we can’t produce someone tomorrow, won’t he just kill us all?” The three of them looked utterly devastated. Suddenly, I looked up. “But it’s not entirely hopeless. For example, there must be surveillance footage from that banquet, right?” “If the person Alex is looking for isn’t one of us, perhaps we can find his true beloved through the surveillance footage?” To save our lives, we decided to act immediately. We hailed a cab and headed to the hotel where Alex had hosted the banquet. Hailey, a master at playing the innocent victim, spun a sob story so convincing it earned us access to the surveillance footage. As the banquet began, we were assigned a table in the corner. My father’s death had wiped our name from the city’s social ledger. Serria frowned. “The prestigious corner table. How fitting.” The four of us were always at each other’s throats. The toxicity was so thick, not even the most distant Winslow relative would dare join our table. Chloe was puzzled. “And there were only four of us.” At that exact moment, Alex strode down the red carpet. His walk halted as he passed the Winslow table. He turned precisely towards our table, a deeply doting smile on his face. He leaned to murmur something to his secretary. His smile now felt like a predator sighting its prey. I said in a daze, “It seems his beloved is indeed among us.” The four of us exchanged glances, seeing fear mirrored in each other’s eyes. If we didn’t all possess the memories of our previous four lives, we probably wouldn’t be able to make sense of it. Hailey shivered. “If it really is one of us, then why did he use such cruel methods to kill us?” I took a deep breath, and a singular solution suddenly flashed into my mind. I looked at them with determination. “I might need to go to Alex’s house. You all wait for my news.”

Under their gazes of admiration and gratitude, I set off for Alex’s house. They still didn’t know that I was the most bewildered one of all. Because Alex and I were still in a secret relationship that no one knew about, and what’s more! He was the one who pursued me at the beginning of this relationship! Following the small side entrance Alex and I often used for our clandestine meetings, I easily slipped into his room. He froze for a second when he saw me, then his expression returned to normal. “Why did you come without letting me know beforehand?” The gentle man before me now overlapped with the madman who had brutally stabbed me to death in my previous life. Suppressing the fear in my heart, I walked forward. “Are you going to marry me?” Alex paused, a strange unnaturalness flashing in his eyes. “We’ve been together for so long, don’t you know me?” “I went to the Winslow family with the ring to propose, of course, it’s for the woman I love.” He smiled and pulled me closer, letting me sit on his lap, a familiar intimacy in his gesture. But I keenly spotted a blind spot in his words. He said he would marry the woman he loved, but he didn’t say that woman was me! I dug my nails into my palm, forcing a smile as I asked, “So, who is the woman you love?” Alex suddenly fell silent, sizing me up a few times. “You should know, why are you asking me such a thing?” I thought he would continue to evade, but he then said, “Of course, it’s you, Astrid.” “As long as you wish it to be you, then it will be you.” “When you marry me tomorrow, I will definitely treat you well.” I stared into his eyes, seeing nothing but profound affection. Since our secret relationship began, he had always been incredibly good to me. My mind was often slow, and I was frequently bullied by Serria and the other two. I had no shares in the family corporation. But Alex not only supported me behind the scenes, he also gave me many things the Winslow family could never own. Moreover, this man, born with a silver spoon in his mouth, would even tie my shoelaces and cook for me with his own hands. I once believed he would surely marry me. But I also witnessed him descend into madness and paranoia, howling as he plunged the knife into my heart. “You’re not her! How dare you marry me in her place?” “Just a Winslow family girl with a title but no real power, how could you ever be worthy of being with me?” “You’re nothing but a mistress for my amusement, yet you dare to dream of replacing her and marrying me!” I snapped back to reality, seeing him take my hand and press a kiss to its back. I forced myself not to pull my hand away. But that very action suddenly made me realize a truth that was incredibly crazy, yet perfectly logical. I looked at him, disbelief creeping in. “The woman you love is…” Alex didn’t give me a chance to speak, covering my mouth. A dangerous glint flashed in his eyes. “Are you asking too many questions tonight?” But then his gentle expression quickly returned, “Tomorrow is the big wedding day. You should go back and get some rest.” A creeping terror flooded my heart, and I quickly nodded, eager to leave. When I returned to the Winslow family mansion, Serria and the other two hadn’t slept. They swarmed me the moment I appeared. “What happened? Do you know who Alex’s beloved is?”

I was silent, then shook my head. Their eyes immediately flickered with frustration and despair. Hailey even started crying. “I don’t want to die! Should we just run away?” Serria snapped. “How can we run? Alex’s power is immense. We’d be caught no matter how far we ran.” Chloe made up her mind. “It’s only four hours until dawn. Running away might at least give us a few more days to live, better than dying instantly.” But I changed the subject abruptly, my voice firm. “We can’t run.” “We definitely have to marry. And, I’ll be the one marrying him.” Chloe looked at me in disbelief. “I hate you, but you died so horribly in the last life, have you forgotten?” Serria frowned. “If you’re still a love-struck idiot now, I’m seriously going to doubt if I was ever too good to you.” The massive diamond ring, worth hundreds of millions, still sat on the table. If Chloe wore it, she’d be beaten senseless and thrown into the basement, her face infected and festering until she died. If Hailey wore it, she’d be pushed down the stairs, her body shattered from multiple fractures, dying in agonizing pain. If Serria wore it, she’d be drowned in the bathtub, her body swollen beyond recognition before being returned to the Winslow family. And if I wore the ring, my death would be the most excruciating. To punish me, the insolent mistress, Alex had stabbed me twenty times. None of the wounds were immediately fatal. Blood slowly drained from my body, my warmth gradually fading. This sensation of life slowly ebbing away brought me unimaginable terror and despair, like a slow torture. It was so horrifying that even my three archenemies, upon seeing my corpse, felt pity for me. The brilliantly polished, rounded facets of the diamond gleamed, yet they were our execution block. But I walked over. Without hesitation, I put on the ring. “The danger is real. But this is the only way for us all to survive!” Hailey looked at me in disbelief. “What did you find out?” Of course, I did. Telling them the truth would make tomorrow’s plan more likely to succeed. But if my suspicion was right, it was far too bizarre and terrifying. I couldn’t drag them all into it. I shook my head. “Sorry, not yet.” Chloe’s expression was grave as she asked. “Tell us, what do you need us to do?” I lowered my gaze. “I need you to attend the wedding as usual, pretending you know nothing.” Serria fiercely furrowed her brow. “You’ll be stabbed to death after the wedding, and you want us to act as if nothing happened?” The three of them looked at me with deep concern, now completely on my side. I remembered all the things they used to do to me. They were merely petty squabbles over small sums of money, never threatening my life. But the man I deeply loved and trusted had brutally tortured me to death on our wedding night. I took a deep breath, and decided to tell them the truth. “When I went to see Alex just now, he suddenly grabbed my hand and kissed its back.” “That very detail made me suddenly realize who the woman he loves is!” “This person is indeed among the four of us. It’s someone we would absolutely never guess. She is…”

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A woman accused me of being a mistress, tore my clothes, pinned me to the ground, and slapped me across the face. In a panic, I grabbed an elegant socialite nearby and pleaded for help: “Call the police! I don’t even know her husband!” But to my shock, the woman slapped me too: “Chloe, you hooked up with your best friend’s boyfriend seven years ago, and now you’re a mistress again? Can’t you ever change your ways?” That’s when I realized the elegant woman was my mother, Victoria, with whom I hadn’t spoken in seven years. Mom continued to scold me: “Apologize now! Swear you’ll never be a mistress again! Then I’ll let you be the Sterling heiress again!” I looked up at her undisguised disgust and disappointment, but I insisted: “I didn’t do anything wrong.” Not seven years ago, and certainly not today. As for being the Sterling heiress, I stopped caring about that a long time ago… My defiance earned me another slap. This one hit harder, far more brutal than the other woman’s. My ears rang, and my mouth filled with the metallic taste of blood. Yet, I clearly heard Mom’s voice, laced with ice: “Are you saying it’s glorious to be a mistress by not apologizing? How could I have given birth to such a shameless daughter? “If I’d known I’d run into you today, I wouldn’t have left the house. What bad luck!” My ex-best friend, Seraphina Hayes, who had been watching the drama unfold, promptly came forward, supporting Mom and gently patting her chest to help her calm down: “Foster Mom, maybe Chloe had no choice but to do this scandalous business… Don’t get so worked up, it’s not worth getting sick over!” She then turned to the cheated wife, Brenda, and apologized: “Ma’am, please don’t worry. With my foster mom and me here, she’ll never bother your husband again. Pick any bag you like in this store; I’ll buy it as an apology on her behalf…” I cut her off coldly: “I’m not a mistress, and I don’t need your fake apologies!” Seraphina’s eyes instantly welled up, tears threatening to spill: “Chloe, you don’t still believe that in love, the one who isn’t loved is the real ‘other woman,’ do you? “If I’d known you were so obsessed, I should’ve just let you have Marcus back then, no matter how much it hurt…” She shouldn’t have brought up the past. The moment she did, Mom exploded like dynamite, her voice sharp and piercing: “Are all the men in the world dead? You just have to go after a married man?” In just a few words, the two of them exposed my shameful past to everyone. “So she’s a repeat offender! Seven years ago, she was already a mistress, backstabbing her best friend. How despicable!” “Even her own mother can’t stand it! How does she have the nerve to live to this day?” “If you ask me, everyone should post this repeat offender online! Who knows how many other families she’s broken up!” When they want to blame you, any excuse will do. With my own mother as a witness, the accusation of me being a mistress was sealed. Everyone pulled out their phones, snapping photos of my exposed body and my face. Some people, who had already recorded videos of me being beaten, were preparing to upload the content online. Seraphina suddenly knelt on the ground, crying, begging everyone to stop filming. “Please, give my best friend another chance! My foster mom and I will definitely take her home and educate her properly, ensuring she won’t make the same mistake again! “With the internet as it is, if she’s exposed like this, she’ll be shamed for life…” Brenda immediately flared up again: “If she knew what it meant to be shamed, she wouldn’t have tried to seduce my husband! “You two aren’t in this together, are you? Both of you dressed so provocatively, maybe you all have to sell yourselves to shop here!” Mom and Seraphina were implicated, and their eyes burned with a hatred that wished to tear me to shreds. Finally, Mom couldn’t take it anymore. She turned and handed Brenda a business card and a credit card: “Please delete any photos and videos that show my face or Seraphina’s! “As for her, we’ll see how she behaves later…” Brenda was initially disdainful, but upon seeing “Victoria Sterling, CEO of Sterling Enterprises” emblazoned on the business card, her expression immediately changed. “Oh, it’s the renowned entrepreneur, Ms. Sterling!” “It seems this whole thing might be a misunderstanding, I…” Brenda couldn’t afford to offend Sterling Enterprises, and she couldn’t fathom why Victoria Sterling’s own daughter would become a mistress. Her eyes full of confusion, she tried to help me up. But Mom stopped her.

Brenda was dumbfounded: “Ms. Sterling, wasn’t that whole act just to get me to forgive her? I trust that with your strict discipline, she definitely won’t make the same mistake again…” Mom, however, snorted coldly. Just like seven years ago, she condemned me without hearing my side: “The first time she tried to steal another woman’s man, I kicked her out of the house. I thought that after all these years of hardship, she might realize her mistakes. Unfortunately…” The onlookers and Brenda instantly understood. To curry favor with Mom, Brenda returned the card and even proactively handed her phone to Mom for inspection. “Ms. Sterling, please have a look.” Mom tapped to play the video of me being beaten before Brenda arrived. A flicker of heartache actually welled up in her eyes. I shook my head, quickly shaking off that hallucination. Sure enough, the next second she looked down at me, commanding again: “This is the last time I’m cleaning up your mess. As long as you apologize to this woman and swear you’ll never do this again, these photos and videos won’t ever be leaked online!” Mom’s influence and power could indeed prevent the photos and videos from being published online. But there were countless onlookers, inside and out. How could she silence the wagging tongues of the crowd? From the moment she publicly shamed me, I was a mistress everyone cursed. Even though I knew she wouldn’t believe me, I stubbornly said, word for word: “I am not a mistress, and I will not apologize to anyone!” The next second, she handed the phone back to Brenda: “Since she’s so stubborn, you don’t need to be polite. She’s yours to deal with.” Brenda asked Mom, somewhat uncertainly: “Should I post all the videos?” “Post them! She needs to pay for her actions!” Brenda did as she was told. In just a moment, someone online had already dug up my information. Mom shoved the hateful messages in my face: “Chloe, do you admit your mistake now?” “I didn’t do anything wrong!” Seeing my unwavering denial, Mom trembled with rage, clutching her chest, her face utterly pale. Seraphina skillfully took some medicine from her bag and gave it to her. Then she motioned to the bodyguards nearby: “You two take Foster Mom home first. I’ll stay here and handle Chloe.” Mom left without a backward glance. Seraphina then started a SnapChat group with the onlookers, handing out a generous cash gift to everyone as an apology: “Today’s incident, please forgive us for the spectacle! I beg you all to be kind with your words and please, give my best friend a chance to change!” The crowd took the money, praising Seraphina for her kindness and beauty, and reminding her that even kindness has its limits, especially with someone like me—she should be extra cautious. After the crowd dispersed, I wrapped myself tightly in the jacket Mom had left behind, getting up and stumbling away. Seraphina grabbed me firmly: “Chloe, come home with me. You don’t know how much Foster Mom has worried about you day and night all these years…” I wrenched myself free, scoffing: “Seraphina, no one’s around. You can drop the act now.”

Ten years ago, Seraphina’s mom and my dad both passed away from illness, and we bonded over our shared grief, becoming best friends. My mom, feeling sorry for her, doted on her like her own daughter. The two families grew close, and over time, my mom actually fell in love with Seraphina’s father, Richard Hayes. But Richard couldn’t let go of his deceased wife and always kept my mom at a distance despite her overtures. Unable to get what she wanted, my mom poured more of her energy into Seraphina, almost to the point of granting her every wish. And I, because I tried to tell her that you can’t force love, gradually grew estranged from her. Even Seraphina’s attempts to mediate couldn’t reconcile our mother-daughter relationship. It was during that period that I met my first love, Marcus Reed. Not wanting my mom to know about the relationship, I only confided my secret romance to Seraphina. I treated her as my best sister, sharing the sweetness of falling in love, sharing every little gift Marcus gave me. But I never imagined that while she wished me well to my face, she would turn around and seduce Marcus. On Marcus’s birthday, I secretly prepared a surprise for him. Pushing open his apartment door, I saw two bodies entwined on the sofa. Seraphina frantically pulled her clothes to cover herself, while Marcus, the man who constantly claimed to love me, averted his gaze: “Chloe, let me explain…” I didn’t cry or make a scene; I just quietly questioned Seraphina: “You already have all of my mother’s love, and my friendship. Why do you need to steal my boyfriend too?” She cried, begging for my forgiveness, but then leaned closer and whispered: “Who told your mom to keep chasing my dad?” In that moment, I swore I would get my mom back from her. I ran all the way home, wanting to tell Mom that Seraphina wasn’t a good person, that she was the kind of ‘other woman’ Mom despised. But I never imagined that Seraphina and Marcus would accuse me first. Seraphina sobbed heartbrokenly in my mom’s arms: “Mom, I know Chloe always disliked me getting so much of your attention, but how could she… how could she steal my boyfriend?” I argued reasonably, but my mom didn’t believe me. Only because she was madly in love with Richard Hayes. Seraphina was the most important link in maintaining her relationship with Richard. My words were light as a feather compared to Seraphina’s tears. Without asking any questions, she forced me to apologize to Seraphina. “Chloe, apologize to Seraphina! Swear you’ll never bother Marcus again!” I looked at her protecting Seraphina, at Seraphina’s defiant gaze from behind my mom, and my youthful defiance overpowered all my hurt. “I didn’t do anything wrong! She’s the one who stole my boyfriend!” “Incorrigible! Get out! Don’t come back until you realize your mistake, or don’t ever return to this house!”

I slammed the door and left, relying on odd jobs and student loans to not only complete my studies but also earn an outstanding graduation certificate. At that time, my mom, who had grown closer to Richard Hayes, was in a great mood and proactively welcomed me home. She even held a celebration dinner for me. Marcus was there too, as Seraphina’s fiancé. After years of not seeing me, he surprisingly grew greedy for me again. While I went to the backyard to sober up, he followed me, hugging me from behind: “Chloe, I still can’t forget you. Seraphina doesn’t even compare to you… Let’s get back together…” I was utterly disgusted. I struggled violently and slapped him across the face. The commotion drew everyone’s attention. Marcus immediately changed his demeanor, pointing at the slap mark on his face, feigning deep sorrow: “Ms. Sterling, Chloe tried to seduce me again, and when I refused, she hit me…” I trembled with rage, pointing at Marcus’s nose: “You’re lying! You tried to force yourself on me!” I then looked at Seraphina: “Control your trash!” Seraphina knew Marcus’s true colors, but she still chose to smear my name. Mom was utterly disappointed, and for the first time, she hit me: “Chloe, do you have to steal everything Seraphina likes?” “Get out! I never want to see you again! I don’t have a daughter like you!” In that moment, my heart turned to ash. I didn’t argue another word, turning and leaving. After severing ties, I lived a simple and ordinary life on my own. But fate didn’t easily let me off the hook. A routine physical exam revealed I had hereditary liver cancer. My dad had also died from liver cancer. To raise the exorbitant surgery fees, I worked several jobs after my main shift. I came to this luxury store today because I took a delivery order, to deliver a pre-ordered bag to a client’s loved one. But I never imagined I’d suffer this undeserved misfortune. My phone rang, interrupting my thoughts. When I answered, an impatient male voice came through: “Why aren’t you here yet?” “I’ll be right there.” I hung up, and when I looked up, I met Seraphina’s excited gaze. “I knew it! You’ve lived a life of luxury for so long, there’s no way you could survive on your own! So you really did become a shameless mistress, huh?”

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My once-downtrodden bodyguard was getting married. But the whole city wasn’t focused on his wedding; they were buzzing about me, his notoriously arrogant ex-employer. Ten years ago, I paid a million dollars to rescue him from his creditors who were on the verge of killing him. I kept him by my side, ordering him around as I pleased. Everyone pitied Liam, saying he’d be stuck with a she-devil like me for life. But a year ago, I suddenly set him free, telling him to go as far away as possible and never look back. A year later, he reappeared as a newly minted billionaire investor, his arm linked with the beautiful childhood friend he always spoke of. The media swarmed him with questions: “Mr. Liam, what price did you pay to escape the clutches of that she-devil?” Liam paused, then smiled. “Perhaps she had a change of heart. I don’t really remember.” The crowd buzzed with speculation, and one brave reporter dared to approach me for an interview. I painstakingly applied enough makeup to look presentable. I raised my phone, connected with the reporter, and feigned nonchalance: “Congratulations on your marriage, Liam. Glad to finally get rid of a good-for-nothing like you.” “I sent you fifty thousand as a wedding gift. Consider it payment for your ten years of youth.” Liam’s face instantly darkened. “I don’t need it. Don’t insult me with your dirty money!” The call abruptly ended. I let out a bitter laugh and shook my head. What Liam didn’t know was that his “dirty money” was my last inheritance.

The last expression Liam left me with was one of intense disgust. I should have been used to his attitude toward me by now. But seeing it again, a bitter ache still twisted in my heart. His bride was truly beautiful, just as gorgeous as he’d always raved about. No wonder he’d kept her in his heart for so many years. Five years ago, he accompanied me to my twentieth birthday party. He suddenly half-knelt, begging me for half a day off. “Scarlett, I just need half a day off. Melody collapsed while working her stall outside, and I have to go take care of her!” In an instant, all the guests stared at us, their gazes filled with curiosity. My face burned crimson, all the way to my earlobes. Liam, too, was sweating nervously. Everyone knew that Scarlett, the eldest daughter of the Campbell family, was moody and unpredictable, yet she inexplicably cared most about her poor bodyguard. And to hear another woman’s name from his lips, especially in front of everyone? My anger surged to my head. I raised my hand and slapped him, hard. Liam turned his face, and I scoffed coldly: “You want to protect her, but have you ever considered that your duty is to protect *me*?” “What kind of life do I live? If anything happened to me, could you afford the consequences?” At my words, the usually stoic man’s eyes reddened. His chest heaved, but in the end, He gritted his teeth, nodded, and apologized. “I’m sorry, Scarlett. I didn’t think it through.” That very night, I arranged for Melody’s stall to be destroyed and bribed the neighboring vendors, making it impossible for her to earn a living there. The next day, Liam’s low-hanging bangs couldn’t hide his bloodshot eyes. I think that’s when he started to hate me. The more he cared about others, the more my heart ached with jealousy. Three years ago, I accidentally noticed that despite the exorbitant salary I paid him, He still wore worn-out, holey shirts, living frugally as always. When I asked him why, he just looked down and said it was to build a future for someone important to him. I secretly rejoiced, and when I told my friends, they all insisted that the person in Liam’s heart must be me. “He’s been by your side for so many years! He must know he’s not good enough for you, so he’s saving up to marry you later!” My heart swelled with joy, and I rushed home, eager to confess my feelings to Liam. But instead, I saw massive bank transfer receipts scattered in his room. Each note read: “To my dearest Melody.” That’s when I finally understood. Liam’s heart. It had never paused for me, not even for a second. And the one he wished to marry would never be me. Later, I gave him his freedom, and he was so overjoyed he didn’t even say goodbye. The next day, he picked up his meager bag and walked out of the Campbell estate’s gates. He never looked back. In his room, he left behind everything I had given him over the past ten years. Even the good-luck charm I’d spent a month embroidering for him was tossed into a corner. Less than a year after we parted, he completely shed the humble, obedient facade he wore around me. He became a ruthless and skilled businessman. He even donated a hundred million dollars to medical charity to bless his fiancée. I turned off the TV, shaking my head with a wry smile. Scarlett, isn’t this what you wanted? Why wallow in self-pity? “Patient in Room 4, prepare for your medication!” The nurse’s shout pulled me back to reality, and I quickly responded. “Alright.” I painstakingly pulled the thick IV needle from my arm, watching the blood flow back into the tube. I was long past being surprised by it.

Watching the nurse hastily change my medication, the cold solution seeping into my veins felt like a piercing ache deep in my bones. The nurse advised me, “Your condition has worsened recently. You really should call your family to come look after you.” I was silent for a moment, then shook my head. “I can manage on my own.” The nurse noticed my forced bravery, and a flicker of pity crossed her eyes. “The hospital recently received a grant specifically for high-risk patients. I’ve applied for you, and someone will come to process the paperwork shortly.” Seeing the nurse’s kindness and concern, a warmth spread through my heart. It had been so long since anyone cared for me like this. If I were still the arrogant, overbearing Scarlett of the past, Such charity would have been a profound insult. That Scarlett had everything she wanted and never put anyone in her eyes. But now, times had changed. Every unknown tomorrow was a luxury I couldn’t afford… I thanked her, my lips pale. Suddenly, a commotion erupted outside the door, as if many people were exclaiming in surprise. The nurse looked up at the commotion, her expression growing excited. “The donor is here! They said they want to check on the patients.” I was confused. “What donor?” The nurse’s expression turned to one of awe. “Haven’t you seen the news? It’s Mr. Liam, the incredibly devoted fiancé! He donated a hundred million dollars to our hospital for his fiancée!” Her words hit me like a bolt from the blue. Liam was the one who donated to me? He would soon discover me in this pathetic, half-dead state, lying here in such a mess? Almost instinctively, I struggled, trying to hide. The nurse quickly grabbed me. “Ma’am, you’re still on IV! You can’t move around like that! You’ll start bleeding!” I didn’t care about bleeding; my mind was consumed by the single thought of hiding! The woman who had been arrogant and overbearing in front of that man for ten years was now a pathetic wreck. I could almost imagine the triumphant look on Liam’s face. He would be so happy that I was finally getting my just deserts. The next second, a tall man, surrounded by a group of bodyguards, stepped into the ward. “Mr. Liam, please take your time.” “Okay.” Just one word, and my heart lurched. My entire body froze, as if nailed in place. I stiffly raised my head and met a pair of trembling eyes. I heard his voice, filled with disbelief: “What are you doing here?” I remained silent, quietly retreating to my bed. After Liam saw the name Scarlett Campbell on the bed, A trace of mockery instantly flashed in his eyes. “A year apart, and you’ve found a new trick? Is playing games fun?” My heart trembled, and my eyes welled up, almost imperceptibly. The nurse, bewildered, looked at Liam. “Mr. Liam, what do you mean? Ms. Campbell has genuinely been ill and receiving treatment here…” Liam scoffed, cutting her off, his voice full of coldness. “Alright, how much did she pay you to play along? I don’t have time for your games.” He stared at me, as if I were a pathetic joke. “You can act however you want in front of me, but if you cause trouble for Melody, I will retaliate.” I looked at the conviction on his face, silently mocking myself. I knew this was how it would be. So why, when he first appeared, did I still hold onto such unrealistic hope? When I was still the imperious Ms. Campbell, I always enjoyed playing pranks on him. I’d pretend my leg was injured, pouting for him to carry me to the car. Or I’d fake period cramps, whining for him to rub my stomach. Each time, he would sigh in resignation, patiently doing as I asked. His eyelashes would curl, and the sunlight would fall on his brows; I would stare in a daze. Those were my happiest times. But now that I think about it, he was probably filled with nothing but disgust. He just couldn’t say anything, forced by my overwhelming power, cursing me silently in his head. After crying wolf so many times, he naturally wouldn’t believe me anymore. It’s fine. Maybe I don’t need him to. I forced a smile, still trying to be tough: “Why are you so conceited? Even if I were acting, it would never be for you.” The next second, Liam’s eyes widened, his breathing becoming ragged. He scoffed mockingly. “I should have known you, you manipulative, vicious woman, never tell the truth!” “You love to act, don’t you? I’ll play along to your heart’s content!” He turned to the nurse, sneering: “Unplug all her machines, don’t waste any medicine on her, get rid of her bed, and kick her out immediately!” The nurse looked stunned and quickly explained: “Mr. Liam, Ms. Campbell is truly ill… If we kick her out, she could die…” Liam narrowed his eyes, full of suspicion. “How much did she pay you to protect her like this?” He waved his hand, and a bodyguard respectfully pulled out several thick wads of cash. Then he flung them at me, the red bills scattering across the floor. “Is this enough money for you to turn on her?”

The nurse was too terrified to breathe. I reassured her and told her to step outside. I turned back to the furious man before me. His clothes were perfectly coordinated, his hair meticulously styled. Even his leather shoes were the finest handcrafted alligator leather from Italy. He looked utterly different from the disheveled man who had been by my side. It seemed that woman had taken very good care of him. I felt a quiet sense of relief, but my words remained sharp. “So what if you have a few dirty bucks? Who do you think would want your money?” Liam’s breathing became ragged again, as expected. A flicker of something—was it disappointment?—passed through his eyes, almost imperceptibly. I didn’t dwell on it, just bent down with difficulty to pick up the scattered bills. “Even if I don’t want your money, who would turn down free cash?” My last money, meant for my funeral, I gave to him as a wedding gift. I desperately needed money to save my life. If this hospital wouldn’t take me, there were others… I gritted my teeth, clutching handfuls of cash, when a gleaming leather shoe suddenly crushed down on my hand. “How dare you, Scarlett? What right do you have to speak to me like that?” In an instant, I was drenched in cold sweat from the pain. A searing ache, like my bones were shattering, blurred my vision. I instantly lost all strength and collapsed to the floor. Before completely losing consciousness, I actually saw a look of panic in Liam’s eyes. How could he possibly be worried about me? I gave a self-mocking laugh, then heard the urgent shout of the attending physician. “Quick, get her on a ventilator! Now! The patient’s brain oxygen levels are critically low; don’t exacerbate her condition!” I felt my body grow so light, as if I were floating. Flashes of fragmented memories with Liam flickered before my eyes. Ten years ago, a fifteen-year-old Liam and I met at an underground fight club. I was only there out of curiosity, but my gaze was drawn to the boy in the corner, his head bleeding profusely. He was covered in bruises, his face battered. Even so, his eyes held a tenacious spirit. When he met my gaze, there was no fear in his eyes. He simply looked at me and said, “Miss, do you want to choose me?” At the underground fight club, if a customer picked a fighter, and they won, they would receive a huge prize. Here, life and death held no meaning, only the brutal fight for money. I looked at the fighters clashing in the ring in the distance, unable to imagine what fate awaited this frail boy. A flicker of compassion stirred in my heart; I didn’t want him to be hurt. So I mustered my courage and extended my hand to him: “Do you want money? Then come protect me. I’ll pay you, and you won’t get hurt anymore.” The boy’s originally murky, lifeless eyes slowly brightened. “What… what do you mean?” “I mean… I’ll hire you as my bodyguard, to stay by my side always.” I turned to my Dad, begging him to let me buy Liam. But the fight club owner refused. In his eyes, Every fighter was a cash cow; as long as customers placed bets, it was an endless stream of money. Why would he let him go so easily? But I didn’t care. I threw a tantrum, stomping my feet until Dad agreed to pay his ransom of a million dollars to buy him out. After that, Liam became like my constant shadow. Wherever I went, I brought him along. If someone bullied me, he would instantly shield me. If I clashed with others, he would fight relentlessly to win. With my knight by my side, I couldn’t control the flutter in my heart. I once saw him carefully keep the good-luck charm I’d embroidered for him. I also saw him tend to the gardenia bush I’d abandoned until it bloomed. I thought it was a secret shared love, a mutual crush. But it wasn’t until I heard another girl’s name from his lips That it hit me like a bolt from the blue, and I couldn’t accept it. Perhaps that’s when Liam and I began to drift further and further apart. As my consciousness drifted, I seemed to hear that voice that filled me with disgust. “Scarlett! Scarlett! Wake up, please!”

I struggled to open my eyes, unable to stop myself from coughing. What met my gaze, besides the stark white walls, was an anxious face. It was Melody! Seeing her, I instinctively recoiled. Melody’s expression looked hurt, and her eyelashes lowered. “Scarlett, no matter how much you hate me, you should at least drink this medicine, right?” “I know you’re upset with me, but I just want you to get better. If only you get better…” Before she could finish, she covered her face and began to cry. The next second, a man rushed to my side with hurried footsteps. Liam’s angry eyes blazed, and he picked up the bowl of medicine, splashing it all over my head. “Scarlett, is this how you treat your savior? When you fainted just now, it was Melody who selflessly saved you!” A chilling cold swept through my body, but the cold inside was far worse. How much did Liam love her to defend her so fiercely, without even knowing the truth? I turned my head, without a word, without a fuss, and Liam froze. Before, if he had dared to treat me like this, I would have caused an uproar. I would have punished him severely. In his world, I was the sky, the boss who could never be defied. But now, I was like a defeated dog, stripped of my former pride. Melody quickly pulled Liam back, gently admonishing him: “Liam, Scarlett is still sick, don’t treat her like that.” Liam’s eyes instantly softened with affection, and he squeezed her hand back. “Melody, you’re too kind. You don’t owe her anything after how she treated you!” The three of us fell into an awkward silence. Back then, Melody had cried, saying she was leaving. Liam had knelt outside my bedroom door for a day and a night. Begging me to let him go see Melody off just once. “Scarlett, I’m begging you. Melody is like a little sister I’ve known since childhood; I wouldn’t be alive if she hadn’t brought me food. Just let me see her off, just this once!” I hardened my heart, sleeping soundly in my lavish bed, refusing to open the door or agree. The next morning, I opened my door to see a haggard Liam, his face covered in stubble. The light in his eyes was completely gone. He stayed by my side like a hollow shell. Later, when I finally let him go, he didn’t hesitate to go abroad to find Melody. Now, next to Melody, his eyes shone with happiness. I looked at Liam coldly, speaking clearly and forcefully: “I don’t need anyone’s help. If you want to put on a show of compassion, you’ve come to the wrong person!” Liam bent down and gripped my chin tightly. “I think you’re not sick at all! You’re just faking it for sympathy! The test results will be out soon, let’s see how long you can keep up this act!” I gave a bitter laugh. Even if I were dying right in front of him, he still wouldn’t believe I was sick. “Sick or not, I don’t need your pity or charity. Let me go!” I tried to shake off his hand, struggling to stand up and leave. But before I could take a step, I fell heavily to the ground again. Liam watched my struggle, arms crossed, his face full of mockery. The next second, his assistant rushed in, pushing the door open, and reported in a low voice. “Mr. Liam, Ms. Campbell’s test results are in.” Liam leaned forward expectantly. “What’s the result?” The assistant’s face flushed with concern, and he stammered: “Brain cancer. Stage three, advanced.”

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It had been three years since Everet and I broke up, and then I received his wedding invitation. I went, sitting at the head table. My friends at the table just laughed, their words laced with mockery. “If you hadn’t been the one to break it off back then, you’d be the one in the wedding dress today.” I just smiled, saying nothing. Chloe, Everet’s new bride, deliberately walked over to me, raising her glass. “Thank you for stepping aside and giving me such a wonderful man.” I drained the wine glass in one gulp, revealing the hideous scar that marred the side of my face. “I wish you both happiness!” My love for Everet had been completely consumed by that fire years ago. Everet’s gaze drifted over me, subtle yet persistent. The tension in the room was palpable, and sensing it, others quickly tried to lighten the mood. “Chloe doesn’t seem to be in the best spirits today!” Everet chuckled, drawing Chloe closer into his embrace, his eyes dropping to her belly with a tenderness that stung. “My apologies, my wife is pregnant. Please forgive us.” A wave of gasps and congratulations rippled through the guests. I sat motionless in my chair, my hand instinctively caressing my own stomach. There had once been a life there, too. Chloe, nestled in Everet’s arms, looked at me, her smile laced with a venomous triumph. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Everet’s just *so* invested in this baby.” “The day we found out our good news, he already had names picked out for our child.” My friends at the table turned envious eyes towards her. “Wow, that’s just too sweet! What names did he choose? We want to hear if he put some real thought into them.” Chloe beamed, happily sharing with everyone. “If it’s a boy, he’ll be Arthur. If it’s a girl, Daphne.” The wine glass in my hand froze. My heart lurched. Those were the names Everet and I had picked out together. He had spent a whole week poring over baby name books, even asking everyone for suggestions. But those carefully chosen names never found a home, because my baby was gone. While I was lost in thought, Everet had already taken Chloe’s hand and moved on to the next table. My friends, seeing my despondent look, mistook it for sadness. One of them patted my hand. “Don’t be upset. You pushed him away yourself. You have no one to blame but yourself for not cherishing what you had.” My phone rang, a perfectly timed escape. I excused myself to take the call, heading for the restroom. To them, it must have looked like I was running away. The moment I stepped out, a large hand clamped around my wrist, pulling me into a small, private room nearby. A familiar scent hit me, and my body recognized him even before my eyes could register his face. “You came back for me?” Everet’s arrogant words grated on my ears, and all I felt was a bitter amusement. “You invited me, so I came, of course.” I pulled his invitation from my bag, opened it, and held my name up to his face. A flicker of surprise crossed Everet’s face as he saw his own invitation. He slowly released his grip on my shoulder, his gaze falling on the scar etched across my cheek. “Have you been well these past few years?” I nodded. “Of course.” At my firm affirmation, a shadow of disappointment passed over Everet’s eyes. “I thought you…” I knew the unspoken words. “I did die once.” The old Cassidy had burned away in that asylum fire. Sensing my cold demeanor, a hint of guilt flickered in Everet’s eyes. “I went back for you that year…” I cut him off before he could finish. “It doesn’t matter anymore.” “Everet, it doesn’t matter.” Everet opened his mouth, wanting to explain, to plead his case. I pointed to his suit, a well-meaning reminder. “Don’t forget, you’re the groom today.” “Isn’t this exactly what you fought so hard for back then?” Everet clenched his fists, rendered speechless. The silence that fell between us was unnerving. “Husband?” Chloe’s voice echoed down the hall, shattering the fragile silence.

Everet pulled my wrist, practically shoving me behind the door. He then opened the door and stepped out. Chloe looked at him, her eyes narrowing suspiciously as she peered towards the room. Everet moved, blocking her view. “I had a bit too much to drink just now. I came in here to clear my head.” “Let’s go back. We shouldn’t keep the guests waiting.” Chloe still looked a little suspicious, but she said nothing, letting Everet put his arm around her as they walked back. Hidden behind the door, I heard everything. A bitter laugh escaped me. At that moment, I was just like Chloe, hiding behind a door once upon a time. I stepped out, not heading towards the banquet hall, but towards the exit. As I turned, I bumped right into someone. “Can’t you watch where you’re going, young lady?” The familiar voice made my apology catch in my throat, unable to go down or come up. I looked up, and a familiar face stared back at me. It was my mom, Eleanor. Years had passed, but she looked almost exactly the same. My breath hitched. She recognized me too. But there was no joy in her eyes, only pure disgust. “Who gave you permission to show up here?” Though I was used to it, my heart still gave an uncontrollable shudder. “Mom.” That word hadn’t left my lips in three years. Saying it again felt foreign. “Don’t call me that! I don’t have a repulsive daughter like you!” She cut me off, her face a mask of irritation, as if being associated with me was an insult. “Now get out of here before I have someone escort you off the premises.” After her warning, she muttered “disgraceful” and walked away. Watching her retreating back, I whispered softly: You must be so disappointed I’m not dead, right? The cold draft in the hallway bit at my face, a sharp sting. I shivered, wrapping my arms around myself, and left the venue. Back in my small apartment, I was alone. The full-length mirror reflected my face, and that jagged scar. That day in the fire, my own mother had locked the only exit from the outside. I was trapped under a fallen beam, unable to move. It had left a terrifying scar across my back as well. Actually, my mother and I had a very good relationship at first. She was a renowned photographer, and she hoped I would follow in her footsteps. I lived up to her expectations, achieving some success in the photography world. Until Chloe appeared. She was cornered in an alley by loan sharks. Pitying her, I paid off all her debts, even sponsored her education and covered all her expenses. When I noticed her interest in photography, I even introduced her to Mom, who, exceptionally, took her on as an apprentice. My own photography career was thriving. And Everet, my boyfriend of many years, proposed to me. For a time, I was at the peak of my life. Everyone said I had it all – a successful career and a loving relationship. Even I thought my life was perfect. But things slowly began to spiral out of my control. Mom and Everet started mentioning Chloe more and more. Everet would pick me up from work, but always took a detour to get Chloe first. When we ordered food, he knew all of Chloe’s likes and dislikes, her allergies and preferences, without even asking. It wasn’t until he took Chloe on a trip that even *I*, in my blind stupidity, started to realize something was off. When I confronted him, he just laughed, calling me paranoid. “Don’t be silly, you treat Chloe like a sister, so naturally, I do too.” But the strange feeling in my gut never faded. Sensing my doubt, Everet’s kiss landed on my lips. “Cassidy, let’s have a baby.”

Just that one sentence, and I believed him. I convinced myself that all of Everet’s actions were just normal behavior for someone treating a younger sister. Then, on my birthday, I suddenly started hemorrhaging in the middle of the night and was rushed to the hospital. I clung to life for an entire night, barely making it. But my baby was gone. When I opened my eyes, Everet wasn’t there. Instead, his and Chloe’s voices drifted from the bathroom. “Everet, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean it.” “I didn’t know pregnant women shouldn’t have turtle soup. I just wanted to make Cassidy stronger, I didn’t mean to…” Chloe’s self-reproaching words were cut short by Everet. He comforted Chloe softly, his voice impossibly gentle. “It’s not your fault, she brought it on herself.” “She drank the turtle soup, not you. You had nothing to do with it.” Then, the sounds of heavy breathing, unmistakably male and female, drifted from the bathroom. The sounds stabbed deeply into my eardrums. I lay in the hospital bed, tears streaming from my eyes. Suddenly, I felt like laughing. That soup? Everet had brought it to me earlier that day. I’d seen the broken shells in it and asked him, confused, “Everet, what is this?” Seeing my hesitation, his tone had hardened. “It’s soup I bought just for you. Don’t be silly, drink all of it.” Turns out those broken shells were from a turtle. He knew it was turtle soup. Why didn’t he tell me? Perhaps he didn’t want that child either. My phone rang in the silent room, pulling me from my thoughts. Snapping out of my memories, I saw a work assignment for an on-site photoshoot tomorrow. I typed back “Okay.” The next day, I arrived at the outdoor photoshoot location with my department’s crew. To my surprise, the person in charge of the partner studio was Chloe. “I can’t believe *you* actually got into photography.” “Well, I guess with how you look now, you wouldn’t make it on a runway anyway.” Without Everet by her side, Chloe dropped her facade, revealing her true self. Her eyes were filled with undisguised hostility. I focused on my work, having no desire to engage with her. Chloe, unbothered by my indifference, watched me with even greater smugness. “Look at these models, their skin is so smooth, it’s just enviable.” “Cassidy, you lost three years ago, and you’re going to lose again today.” The next second, Chloe screamed, and a sharp tug sent me plummeting into the icy river. Everet, arriving late, saw both Chloe and me struggling in the water. Without a moment’s hesitation, he dove in. To my shock, he went for *me* first, even though I was further away. Seeing this, Chloe’s face twisted in fury. Everet held me, his voice soft as he comforted me. I just found it amusing. Three years ago, during the fire, Everet had stepped right over my trapped body, pinned beneath a fallen beam, to save Chloe. He hadn’t even spared me a glance. The cold river water engulfed my mouth and nose, my throat, and vocal cords constricting. The pressure of the water crushed my chest, a dull ache spreading through me. Darkness enveloped me, and I passed out. When I opened my eyes again, I was in a hospital bed. My mother, Eleanor, walked in and immediately slapped me across the face. Pointing her finger, she unleashed a torrent of abuse. “You wretched girl! You’ve ruined Chloe’s baby!” “Chloe’s still in surgery fighting for her life! How could you ever take responsibility for this?” Mom’s hateful words blurred, taking me back three years. Three years ago, when I discovered Chloe’s award-winning photographs were actually stolen from me, I publicly challenged her right there at the awards ceremony. I demanded that my own submissions be displayed. But when my intimate photos were projected onto the huge screen, a bucket of ice water couldn’t have shocked me more.

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I was the woman everyone in New York envied, but my husband, Derek, only had eyes for his first love, Vanessa. The day Vanessa returned to the country, he handed me a divorce agreement, demanding I leave with absolutely nothing. He threatened to bankrupt my entire family if I dared to utter a single word about it. I signed the papers, then turned around and launched a live stream called “My Ex-Husband’s Secret Auction.” 【First item: His and his first love’s ‘pure friendship’ — the uncensored video.】 It was snapped up at a high price by a rival company. 【Second item: Evidence of his bribery of officials and market manipulation.】 Now under continuous investigation by FBI agents. 【Third item: The true identity of his illegitimate brother…】 The live stream audience soared past 100 million, and Derek Corp.’s stock plummeted. Derek and his family rushed to my apartment, falling to their knees, begging me to stop the broadcast. I smiled brightly into the camera: “Ladies and gentlemen, the grand finale is here:” “Derek isn’t Arthur Derek’s biological son – the DNA test results, starting bid, the entire Derek Group!”

Today marked our third wedding anniversary. I had personally prepared a slow-cooked gourmet meal, his favorite, simmering for a full six hours. On the dining table, red wine, candlelight, roses – everything was perfect. Except for his prolonged absence. At ten o’clock that night, a pop-up on my phone announced entertainment news. #Award-winning Actress Vanessa Returns Home, picked up by mysterious luxury car at the airport# In the photo, that limited-edition Aston Martin’s license plate was Derek’s birthday. My heart, at that moment, died. At half past eleven, the lock clicked. Derek was back. He carried an unfamiliar perfume scent, nothing I ever wore. It was Vanessa’s favorite ‘Desert Rose’ perfume. He didn’t even glance at the meticulously set dining table, instead, he strode over and slapped a document onto my face. The cold paper sliced across my cheek, a sharp, searing pain. “Stella, we’re getting a divorce.” I stared at him, at this man I had loved for three years, my throat tight. “Why?” He tugged at his tie, his eyes filled with annoyance and impatience. “Vanessa’s back.” His tone was flat, as if stating the most normal thing in the world. I took a deep breath, gesturing to the elaborate spread on the table. “Derek, we’ve been married for three years. What did these three years even mean to you?” He finally chuckled, a laugh dripping with mockery and disdain. “Stella, don’t sicken me.” “You were nothing more than an accessory my grandfather forced on me back then.” “Now, I don’t need this accessory anymore.” An accessory. So, all my efforts these past three years, all my gentle consideration, in his eyes, had just been a decoration. I clenched my fists, my nails digging deep into my palms. “What if I don’t agree?” He stepped closer, leaning in, his voice dropping, laced with bone-chilling coldness. “Stella, I advise you to be smart about this.” “You won’t take anything with you, you’ll walk away with absolutely nothing.” “Dare to utter a single word outside, and your parents’ company will vanish from New York tomorrow.” I looked at his face so close to mine, those thin lips I had kissed countless times. Now, they were spitting out the most venomous threats. The last flicker of warmth in my heart extinguished. I picked up the pen from the table, flipped to the last page of the agreement, and calmly signed “Stella.” Not a single tremor. He seemed pleased with my compliance, grabbed the agreement, and turned to leave. He didn’t even spare me another glance. The moment the door closed, I stood up. I dumped the cold, untouched meal, along with that ridiculous pretense of deep affection, into the trash. Then, I dialed a number. “Leo, the plan can begin.” Half an hour later, my study was brightly lit. I applied my most exquisite makeup, my red lips like blood. I opened the camera and started a live stream. The title of the live stream read just one line: “My Ex-Husband’s Secret Auction.” 2 The moment the live stream began, there were only a few hundred viewers online. The chat scrolled sparsely, filled with mockery and doubt. “Who is this? Desperate for fame?” “Ex-husband? New tactic to piggyback on Mr. Derek’s popularity?” “She looks decent, but her brain doesn’t seem to be working right.” I ignored the malicious conjectures. Facing the camera, I offered a perfectly poised, gentle smile – the kind fitting for the former Mrs. Derek. “Hello everyone, and welcome to my ex-husband’s secret auction.” “I am Stella, Mr. Derek’s legal ex-wife. The divorce papers were just signed, the ink barely dry.” With that one sentence, the live stream instantly fell silent. Then, the chat exploded, scrolling like mad. “WTF? Ex-wife? Mr. Derek got divorced?” “Seriously? Wasn’t today their wedding anniversary?” I adjusted my posture, maintaining my smile. “To celebrate my new beginning, and to thank my ex-husband for his three years of ‘care,’ I’ve decided to host this auction.” “Now, let’s introduce our first item.” I projected my phone screen onto the camera. “Proof of Mr. Derek’s pure friendship with Ms. Vanessa.” “Starting bid, one million.” Saying this, I played a ten-second video. The scene was a presidential suite in a five-star hotel. Derek and Vanessa, disheveled, entwined on the sofa, their gasps and moans unmistakably intimate. Though heavily pixelated, their faces were crystal clear. The live stream erupted. Online viewers surged from hundreds to hundreds of thousands, then millions, still climbing frantically. #DerekCheatsOnStellaWithVanessa# trended at lightning speed, rocketing to the top of the trending topics. A user with the ID “Mason” began flooding the live stream with gifts. Rockets, carnivals – one after another, the screen was consumed by special effects. Mason, Derek’s arch-rival, heir to Mason Corp. He typed directly into the comment section: “Ten million, send me the video.” My smile deepened. “Deal.” “Mr. Mason, thank you for your generosity.” “The video has been sent to your DMs. Enjoy your evening.” No sooner had I spoken than Mason Corp.’s official social media updated. A high-definition screenshot from the video, taken from a cunning angle. It perfectly captured the moment Derek pinned Vanessa beneath him. The caption read: “Mr. Derek, quite the stamina. @DerekCorp” The next second, my phone buzzed frantically. Calls from Derek and Vanessa came flooding in. I glanced at them, muted my phone, and hung up on all of them. Facing the camera, I held up my phone, showing the screen full of missed calls. “It seems my ex-husband is quite anxious.” A text message popped up, from Derek. His tone was furious, almost bursting through the screen. “Stella, you’re insane! Stop this immediately!” I chuckled softly, displaying this text message to the millions watching my live stream. “Insane?” “No.” “I’m perfectly sane.” 3 Derek Corp.’s PR team was quick to react. In less than ten minutes, the trending topic was removed. In its place were new hashtags: #VideoIsAISynthesis#, #StellaMaliciouslySpreadingRumors#. Countless trolls flooded my live stream, spewing the most vile insults. “Bitch, if you can’t have him, you’ll ruin him?” “Looks photoshopped, what can’t AI do these days?” “So desperate for money, disgusting!” Vanessa’s fans were especially aggressive, nearly massacring my live stream. I looked at the offensive comments, not angry, but amused. “It seems Mr. Derek doesn’t find this level of excitement enough.” “Then, let’s proceed to the second item for auction.” I displayed a list of documents on screen. “Some of Derek Corp.’s recent commercial secrets.” “Including, but not limited to, transfer records of a thirty-million bribe to Deputy Chief Miller from Northside District.” “An on-site recording of bid-rigging for the Southside land development project.” “And a complete set of evidence for malicious manipulation of Zephyr Tech’s stock price in the secondary market.” “Bundled for auction, starting bid, fifty million.” The moment I spoke, the entire live stream fell into a ten-second silence. If the first item was merely a scandalous affair. Then this second item was criminal evidence that could send the entire Derek family to prison. The online viewership instantly surpassed fifty million. The chat was no longer insults but a screen full of shock and question marks. “????? I didn’t mishear, did I?” “Is this woman crazy, or does she really have something?” “If it’s true, the Derek family is doomed!” I didn’t give them much time to react, immediately playing a recording. It was the voice of Arthur Derek, chairman of Derek Corp. “Mr. Miller, don’t worry about that land. You’ll get your share once it’s done.” “Thirty million, deposit it into your son’s overseas account first.” The voice in the recording was crystal clear, and it was indeed the highly-regarded Deputy Chief Miller, known for his integrity. The live stream went completely wild. Just then, a user with the ID “BladeRunner” entered the live stream. They didn’t send any gifts, just typed a single line on the public chat. “Following up.” I understood immediately. This was the FBI, or someone from a related department. They were watching. I looked into the camera, a knowing smile playing on my lips. “Since a mysterious netizen is so interested in this item.” “Then I’ve decided, this item, I won’t sell it.” “I’ll give it for free, to the person who needs it most.” Under the gaze of billions of viewers, I opened the official whistleblowing website. Clicked on “Real-name Report.” Then, I compiled all the recordings, documents, and transfer records I possessed. Bundled them into an encrypted file, and clicked “Upload.” The progress bar jumped from 1% to 100%. “Upload successful.” After doing all this, I finally picked up my phone, which was ringing again, almost exploding. It was Derek. I pressed answer and put it on speaker. On the other end, his voice was distorted with panic, almost screaming. “Stella! What exactly are you trying to do!” “You’re destroying the Derek family!” Into the phone, and to the millions of viewers watching the live stream, I whispered: “Don’t rush, Mr. Derek.” “This is just the beginning.”

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My boyfriend of three years, Fitzgerald, asked me to be his nude model. But as I shyly took off my clothes, I realized he was live-streaming it to the entire campus. He did it just to humiliate me in front of everyone, all because I had snatched Chloe’s title as the campus queen. Unable to bear the insult, I ran to the rooftop, ready to jump. But Fitzgerald knelt down and begged me: “I messed up! I’ll spend my whole life making it up to you!” I choked back tears and forgave him. Yet, in the blink of an eye, he was selling my private shower photos online. That was the moment I finally understood how utterly absurd my devotion these past few years had been. I called Professor Dawson: “I’ve made up my mind. I’m joining the research institute.” I stood in the shadows of the bar. I watched Fitzgerald gulp down a drink, then lean in, pressing his lips to a woman’s. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and soon they were entangled. My hand clenched around the undelivered takeout order, my heart suddenly tightening in my chest. Just then, someone nudged his arm and asked: “Big spender tonight, huh? And I hear you’re blowing all that money from his pathetic girlfriend. Aren’t you afraid she’ll find out?” “She probably scrapes by with a hundred or two a day. You’ve blown what she earns in years, just tonight.” Fitzgerald scoffed, his finger still hooked under the woman’s chin: “So what if she finds out? She was so tough when she stole Chloe’s campus queen title, she deserves a lesson. Besides, those shower photos of hers have been everywhere. Where’s she gonna go without me now?” “Pulling her back on the rooftop that day? That was just because I didn’t want her dying on campus and causing trouble for you.” The person next to him chuckled: “So why did you stay with her for so long?” “She insisted on clinging to me.” He flicked his cigarette ash. “Who says no to a free maid? But honestly, she’s so poor. Last time, I even saw her underwear drying, and it had a hole in it.” I didn’t hear the rest of what he said. My grip on the takeout bag tightened until my knuckles turned white. “That person looks a bit like your girlfriend, actually.” Fitzgerald’s head snapped up, a flicker of panic in his eyes before he remembered something: “No way! She gave me all her money. She’s probably riding her bicycle delivering takeout right now. How could she have any extra cash to get into a place like this? Keep the party going! We’re not going home until we’ve spent all her money!” It was already dawn by the time I returned to my dingy apartment, renting for $600 a month on the outskirts of the city. I felt too drained to shower, picking up my misshapen bra and underwear. To support him through the city’s best music school, I worked three jobs a day. Mornings, I sold pastries at a breakfast shop. At noon, I washed dishes at a restaurant, my hands chapped and bleeding from the dish soap. The pain made it hard to hold my forks, so I’d wrap my fingers in bandages and keep washing. In the evenings, I delivered takeout. Last month, he told me his teacher recommended private lessons that cost $12,000. I gritted my teeth and pulled out all my savings. Every dollar he carelessly tossed around last night was stained with the skin peeled from my hands. I sank to the floor, defeated, tears streaming down my face. Fitzgerald, you truly are heartless.

Lying in bed, I stared with open eyes until morning, still unable to understand why he was doing this to me. Was it really just because I’d taken Chloe’s campus queen title all those years ago? But back then, I was humiliated by the entire school, cornered in the bathroom and called a bitch, pushed to the brink of jumping off the roof. I’d already paid the price! Why, why was he still doing this to me? Just then, I heard the door open. Fitzgerald was back. He had changed into his faded t-shirt. Seeing me, he walked over, asking casually: “Where did you go today?” I replied dully: “Delivering takeout.” Noticing my face, peeling from sunburn, he suddenly pulled my hand to his. “Aria. Just wait a little longer. After I win the competition next month and sign with a company, I promise I’ll give you a good life. I’ll buy you a big house, buy you that ring you love most. You won’t have to work so hard anymore.” If this were before, I would have found hope in all my hardships. But now, I just felt a wave of nausea. I yanked my hand back, looking up at him. I caught a fleeting glimpse of disgust in his eyes, and my heart twinged with a slight pain. I asked scornfully: “What’s wrong? Do you think my hands are too dirty, too disgusting?” Hearing my words, Fitzgerald’s face instantly changed, first surprise, then utter panic: “Aria, who told you that? How could I ever find them disgusting? These are proof of everything you’ve sacrificed for me.” “Seeing these only makes me care for you more.” Turning away, I said nothing else. After I turned off the light, Fitzgerald gently wrapped his arms around me from behind, his voice tender: “Your birthday is in two days. I’ve prepared a surprise for you. Don’t worry, it’ll be your favorite.” Celebrating my birthday felt like something from three years ago. Back then, I was young and naive. My ex-boyfriend, Noah, said he wanted me to be his nude model. Because I liked him, I thought about it and agreed. But as I, blushing furiously, took off my clothes, I realized he was live-streaming it to the entire campus. Countless people were recording videos and taking screenshots. He did it just to humiliate me in front of the whole school, all because I had taken the campus queen title from Chloe, the girl he liked. Walking through school, countless people pointed and whispered about me. I didn’t even have the courage to look people in the eye. Completely desperate, I ran upstairs, wanting to jump from the rooftop. That’s when Fitzgerald appeared, took me away, and promised to love me forever. That same day, my parents found out about what happened at school. They couldn’t reach me by phone, afraid something terrible had happened, so they rushed from our hometown through a torrential downpour to the school. The rain was particularly heavy that day. They got into a car accident on the highway, and both of them died. From that day on, I never celebrated my birthday again, and I became even more dependent on Fitzgerald, wanting to give him nothing but the best. Staring at the mold stains on the wall, I counted the days. Two more weeks, and I would leave this city. I had messaged Professor Dawson that night. He was my parents’ closest friend, treating me like his own daughter. He had long wanted me to go abroad and start a new life. Before, I’d refused for Fitzgerald’s sake, but tonight, I’d said yes. I figured two weeks was enough time to say a final goodbye to this place. “Okay,” I whispered in response.

Fitzgerald seemed to sense my coldness, thinking I was upset because he came home late. But then he remembered the surprise he’d prepared for me. He was sure I’d love it. He held me tightly and fell into a deep sleep. On my birthday, Fitzgerald took me to a beautifully decorated restaurant. However, the moment he pushed open the private room door, I froze. The room was filled with people, mostly former classmates. Even more suffocating was seeing Chloe there, with Noah by her side. Fitzgerald nudged my back: “I called everyone here because I want you to know that all the past nonsense is over. We can start fresh.” Immediately, a classmate chimed in: “He’s right, Aria. It’s been years, don’t take it to heart anymore!” “Look how devoted Fitzgerald is to you.” Hearing those familiar voices, my body trembled uncontrollably. I grabbed my bag, wanting to leave, but Fitzgerald’s hand clamped tightly around my wrist. He lowered his voice and said: “Just give me a little credit, please? Just this once?” I looked up and saw him staring intently at Chloe and Noah, a flicker of jealousy in his eyes. I instantly understood. He was just using this gathering to prove something to Chloe, to make her think she’d chosen the wrong person back then. And I was merely a tool for him to try and make Chloe regret her choice. I was about to leave when Noah stood up and looked at me: “Don’t be in such a hurry to leave. I even brought you a present.” As he spoke, the large screen on the wall suddenly lit up. The screen displayed images of me undressing in the art studio three years ago, photos scrolling one by one. The private room instantly fell silent, and everyone’s gaze turned to me. My blood ran cold. Tears streamed uncontrollably down my face. I didn’t understand why they kept doing this to me. Watching them stare at me as if I were a joke, I suddenly understood. Some people are so miserable they can’t stand to see anyone else breathe. My body trembled as I tried to stand up and leave. Chloe suddenly rose from her seat and quickly approached me, saying with a wronged expression: “I’m so sorry, Aria, I really am. I didn’t know Noah would do something like this.” “He just wanted to lighten the mood. Please don’t take it to heart, forgive him, okay?” I forcefully shook her hand away. She staggered back two steps, then fell to the floor. I was about to say something when Fitzgerald rushed over, sweeping Chloe into his arms and glaring at me: “What are you doing! She already apologized for her boyfriend, what more do you want?” “You resort to violence over a small matter! How can you be so vicious now?” I pointed at them like a madwoman, my hand shaking uncontrollably: “A ‘small matter’? You keep turning my photos into a joke, again and again!” “How dare you treat me like this!” “What terrible thing did I do to deserve being bullied like this, over and over again! My parents are dead, everything’s already like this, and you still won’t leave me alone!” My last words were practically a scream. He froze, taken aback by my outburst, then his face darkened. “Don’t be ridiculous. Why keep bringing up the past? I think you just can’t stand to see Chloe do well.” Before I could say anything more, Chloe suddenly clutched her stomach and cried out in pain. Noah immediately panicked: “What’s wrong? Did you hurt yourself when you fell?” Fitzgerald also grew tense. He scooped Chloe up, not even sparing me a glance, and rushed out of the restaurant. Everyone else in the room scattered. Someone passing by me even whispered: “No wonder her parents died, she’s truly disgusting.” I stood alone in the empty private room, took a deep breath, and walked out of the restaurant. As I reached the roadside, a drunk man bumped into me. I fell to the ground, and a sudden, sharp pain tore through my lower abdomen. A gush of blood quickly flowed from my lower body, staining my skirt crimson. I realized what was happening, fumbling with trembling hands for my phone in my bag to call Fitzgerald. The call connected, but before I could speak, Fitzgerald roared: “Stop making a fuss every day! Chloe isn’t feeling well right now, we can talk about whatever it is when I get back.” I tried calling again, but it wouldn’t go through. I knew he’d blocked my number again. It was always like this. Whenever something displeased him, he would just block me. The pain in my lower abdomen intensified, and my vision blurred.

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