Author: Momo Chan

After fighting tooth and nail to get the company public, Julian, my CEO boyfriend, finally decided it was time to reveal our relationship. But his assistant, Chloe, beat me to the punch. She stepped onto the stage first, clinging to his arm, letting everyone assume they were the couple. Julian didn’t even bother to explain. Instead, he handed her a share transfer agreement, publicly announcing her as a new shareholder. The entire hall erupted in a buzz of whispers and cheers. Chloe seized the moment to mock me. Julian not only didn’t stop her, but his voice was chillingly dismissive: “Skylar, you did a lot for the company, but Chloe has exceptional talent. Only she can take us further.” Instead of getting mad, I just nodded in agreement, generously handing all my shares over to Chloe. I was genuinely curious to see. How they planned to grow the company without its biggest investor — me. 1. When Julian publicly announced Chloe as the new shareholder, the hall exploded with applause. I stood there, stunned, my brain foggy from days of endless overtime. For a moment, I actually thought I’d misheard. “You guys, look at Skylar’s face! It’s priceless.” “She’s been with the CEO for so long and only got two percent. Chloe’s barely been working here and she’s already got twenty percent!” “Skylar always used to nitpick Chloe’s work. Now she looks like the joke.” My coworkers deliberately spoke loudly, making sure I overheard. I knew they were doing it on purpose, trying to curry favor with Chloe by putting me down. And Julian wouldn’t stop them anyway. Chloe shot me a smug little smirk, then feigned a hurt tone: “Skylar, why aren’t you applauding? Do you have a problem with me owning company shares?” “I mean, based on seniority, perhaps they should have gone to you.” As she spoke, she slowly extended the contract towards me. Julian, as if afraid I’d actually take it, snatched the contract back, shoving it gently into her hands. He looked at her, a mix of helplessness and adoration. “Chloe, you’re too kind, but the company values capability, not seniority.” Then he shot me a cold glare. “And you, stop making a scene. Your mistake last time cost the company millions. Not firing you was already lenient enough. What right do you have to shares?” Watching them, a perfectly synchronized duo, I just found it pathetic. That mistake? Chloe caused it. But she was scared of being held accountable, so she pushed the blame on me. I’d shown Julian the evidence. He still didn’t believe me. But I was used to it. For years, Chloe’s work performance was mediocre, but she poured all her energy into messing with me. She was fresh out of college, a real sweet-talker. She’d managed to win over a lot of people, and even Julian thought she was innocent. So every time we clashed, Julian always sided with her and blamed me. It’s why my coworkers increasingly disrespected me. Chloe’s voice softened to a whisper: “But I’m worried Skylar might be upset…” She leaned into Julian, her face almost resting on his shoulder, an intimate pose. Julian didn’t flinch. He just glared at me, his face grim: “Skylar, who are you giving that look to?!” “This share transfer was my carefully considered decision. Don’t ruin the mood, don’t be a party pooper.” “Can’t stand it? Then leave!” Everyone immediately chimed in, agreeing with him. I knew Julian was just saying it out of anger, but I couldn’t help but laugh. I hustled, practically drank myself sick to get those clients. I pulled all-nighters to finalize those proposals. The company getting listed? That was all me. Now he wanted to kick me to the curb, tossing aside all my hard work with just a few words? I grabbed my bag and walked up to him. Chloe, thinking I was about to hit her, flinched and hid behind Julian. He stepped in front of her, glaring at me defensively. “Skylar, what do you want?” I pulled the stock ownership documents from my bag and handed them to him. “I just thought, she works so hard, the shares you’re giving her are too little.” “Here, give her mine too. Hope she keeps up the good work.” Chloe’s eyes lit up as she stared at the documents. Julian, though, looked at me suspiciously, remaining silent. A ripple of gasps spread through the crowd. They all knew how much I’d done for the company over the years, from its chaotic startup days through its toughest times. I’d handled the workload of several people, managed everything from fundraising to office errands. Now that the company was public and its stock soaring, my two percent was worth millions. Everyone had speculated how I’d fight for more, nobody expected me to just give it up. But what they didn’t know was that I was Julian’s fiancée. Julian had always hidden our relationship, worried about office gossip. But when Chloe appeared, I started to get uneasy and pressed him to make it public. After I kept pressing him, he finally agreed to announce it the day the company listed. Last night, I was so excited I couldn’t sleep. Who knew Chloe would just waltz onto the stage first, linking her arm with his? He didn’t even try to pull away. The entire room mistakenly thought they were a couple, and he just stood there, looking completely unfazed. It hit me then. He didn’t want to hide a relationship; he just didn’t want to publicize our relationship. He stayed silent. I didn’t push it. I turned to leave. After two steps, a hand grabbed my wrist. I looked back. It was Julian. I was surprised. He usually just let me go. He knew I loved him, I’d always come back to apologize. But then I instantly realized why he stopped me. He pressed his lips together. “Skylar, you’re too impulsive. You’re not as steady and composed as Chloe.” “I didn’t want to touch your shares, but your behavior today disappointed me. These shares have to go to Chloe.” I just laughed. He was deliberately putting me down, just so he could justify giving the shares to Chloe. Back then, I would have argued, but now, I felt absolutely nothing. I just gave a bland, “Oh.” Julian, expecting me to explode, froze. He was about to speak when someone from the crowd yelled for a champagne toast. Julian glanced at me, grabbed the contract, and turned away. I watched his back, then averted my gaze and walked straight out of the banquet hall. Once outside, I pulled out my phone. “Dad, I’ve decided. I’m coming home to take over the family business.” 2. My father owns over a hundred companies and is ranked among the top twenty wealthiest people. I’m a textbook heiress. But when I first met Julian, he told me about his childhood: his father was hit by a driver from a rich family who then fled the scene. His father died, and the driver, protected by his family’s influence, was only detained for a few days before being released. Because of this, Julian held a strong animosity towards the privileged class. To be with him, I hid my family background, rejected my family’s plans, and followed him to a strange city to start from scratch, investing all my savings to support his startup. Until yesterday, I naively believed we would finally have our happy ending. Now, I realized I’d been utterly crushed. After hanging up, I went back to the apartment Julian and I shared. The room was decorated romantically, heart-shaped candles on the floor, a huge bouquet of vibrant blue roses in the center. Tucked among the flowers was a diamond ring. Next to it, documents for a luxury apartment. These were all surprises I’d prepared for Julian. I’d imagined his reaction countless times, never thinking he wouldn’t even see them. I tossed everything out the door. Then, I booked a flight for tomorrow night. I needed one day to sort out work handovers. Ding! My phone buzzed. Chloe had sent a video: Julian was carrying her princess-style, her face flushed as she clung to his neck, burying her face in his chest, looking completely intimate, just like a couple. Coworkers around them were applauding and cheering, “Kiss her! Kiss her!” The video was quickly withdrawn, and Chloe sent another message: [Oops, wrong chat]. I knew exactly what she was doing. She’d been using these kinds of tricks for years. Before, I would have been furious and confronted Julian, only for him to snap back, “Can’t you stop being so paranoid and just focus on work?” At first, I even thought I was overthinking, until one time when he had a fever and mumbled Chloe’s name. That’s when I knew his heart had already strayed to her. But now, I felt absolutely nothing. I just blocked and deleted Chloe. Unexpectedly, Julian called me almost immediately: “Did you delete Chloe?” His voice was cold and accusatory from the moment I answered, not caring at all how she’d provoked me. I was numb. I answered flatly. “Why delete her? She’s your coworker, how’s she supposed to work now?” “She’s crying her eyes out because of you. Add her back and apologize, right now.” I sneered. “Do you even know what she sent?” He paused for a moment, then his nonchalant voice came through: “So what if she sent the wrong picture? It’s no big deal.” Of course. When it came to Chloe, he always took her side. I retorted, “Yeah, it’s not a big deal. Just like the last time she sent the wrong quote and cost the company millions.” That time, Chloe mistakenly sent the bottom-line price as the actual quote to a client, leading to partners canceling or demanding lower prices. All our hard work, down the drain. Julian just hummed. Clearly, he remembered that incident. He was silent for a few seconds. Then Chloe’s voice, choked with sobs, interjected from his end: “Julian, Skylar must still be mad about the shares… Let me apologize.” Julian’s voice softened as he comforted her, “No need, it’s not your fault. Let her calm down herself.” Then he hung up. In the past, after conflicts like this, he’d always use “calm down” as an excuse to go be with Chloe. But now, my heart was like still water. I calmly drafted my resignation letter and sent it to HR. 3. The moment I hit send, a wave of relief washed over me. Later that night, as I was sound asleep, Julian called again. “Come pick me up, I’m still at that hotel.” On the other end, it sounded like a party. In the past, I would have been out of bed, dressed, and on my way in a heartbeat. But now, I just yawned, my voice lazy. “Just take an Uber. There are tons of ride-sharing cars over there.” Julian’s tone was suspicious. “You were asleep?” “Yeah.” Before, every time Julian went out for work events, I’d worry about him and couldn’t sleep. But tonight, I slept soundly. Even this call felt like an interruption. Julian didn’t say anything. About half an hour after he hung up, I heard him come through the door. I happened to be using the restroom, and when I came out, we found ourselves staring at each other. “Good, you’re up. Can you make me some ramen? I’m a little hungry.” He said softly. I knew he was offering an olive branch, trying to mend things. Whenever we had a silent treatment spell, he’d show a little vulnerability to open up communication and bridge the gap. But that was because I loved him. When that love was gone, all I felt was annoyance. “Make it yourself, or order takeout if you don’t know how.” I said flatly, walking towards the bedroom. Julian stepped in front of my door, blocking my way. I caught a whiff of Chloe’s perfume on him. “Skylar, why are you still mad?” “I’ve already explained. It was all for the company. You can’t think that just because we’re public, everything’s smooth sailing. We need to work even harder to maintain it now.” “Chloe might not be the most capable, but she has a lot of connections, and she’s good at business networking. Plus, her family has businesses too, so there might be future dealings.” “Everything I did today was for the company. Giving her shares was just to better secure her loyalty.” I was surprised he was actually explaining himself today. But I didn’t know if he believed it, and I certainly didn’t. Too tired to argue, I just gave a faint “Mm-hm” and walked into the room. Julian seemed about to say something, but I shut the door on him. That move seemed to genuinely anger him. He kicked the door hard. “Fine! Skylar, be as dramatic as you want! Don’t come crying back to me!” The next morning, I walked out of my bedroom to find Julian sitting on the sofa, carefully smoothing out a brand-new dress. Seeing me, he immediately came forward with the dress, telling me to put it on without asking. I recognized it as a limited edition Chanel, not only expensive but incredibly hard to get. The internet was full of ads calling it the best gift a man could give his girlfriend. I’d even hinted to Julian that I thought the dress was beautiful. I changed in the bedroom and walked out, my throat tight. I was about to say something when he laughed. “You and Chloe have similar figures, so it fits you perfectly. I’m sure it’ll be just right on her too.” “Quick, take it off before you wrinkle it. I just finished ironing it.” With that, he reached out and took the dress off me. I watched as he carefully folded it back into the gift box, then he left, humming happily, with the box in hand. I knew he was doing it on purpose, punishing me for yesterday. But I didn’t feel angry. Just childish. After that, I took another call and headed to the company to process my resignation. The moment I walked through the main doors, I saw Chloe sitting on my desk, surrounded by a group of fawning coworkers, like she was the center of the universe. Seeing me, a coworker immediately stepped forward. “Skylar, go buy everyone coffee.” “Why should I?” I glanced at the clock; I wasn’t late. The person smiled smugly. “Julian just said whoever arrived last had to treat everyone to coffee, and that’s you.” “Oh, never mind, it’s fine.” Chloe stood up, deliberately smoothing down the dress she was wearing. I recognized it. It was the same one Julian said he was getting for her this morning. “How can we make Skylar run errands for us? I’ll go instead.” She said, raising her voice on purpose, but making no move to actually leave. Sure enough, the moment she finished speaking, Julian walked out of his office. Seeing Chloe in the dress, his expression faltered for a second, then quickly returned to normal. He deliberately smoothed down her collar and smiled. “It definitely looks beautiful on you.” Everyone around them started cheering. Julian’s face flushed, and he quickly glanced back at me. Was he afraid I’d still be jealous and make a scene? He was probably overthinking it. My heart was like still water at that moment, stirring no ripples. My lack of reaction didn’t seem to satisfy Julian. He said coldly, “I already said, whoever arrived last buys the coffee. What are you doing just standing there?” A coworker immediately pointed at me. “Skylar was the last one.” Julian, who already knew it was me, sneered. “Go on. If you don’t, I’ll fire you.” It seemed he hadn’t received my resignation letter yet. Seeing this, I didn’t hold back. I stated directly, “I’m here today to resign.” 4. My coworkers looked shocked. Some who were on friendly terms with me quietly tried to warn me. “Skylar, Julian just gave everyone a raise. It’s really dumb to resign now.” “And didn’t you hear? He was just joking with you.” My voice was calm. “I’m not joking. I submitted my resignation to HR yesterday.” Chloe’s eyes flickered with a hint of delight. But just as she was about to say something, she met Julian’s unreadable gaze and swallowed her words. Julian frowned deeply, his eyes on me filled with a complex expression. “Do you know the company’s current situation? If you leave now, do you know what you’ll be losing?” Of course, I knew. I’d be losing worries and shackles. Chloe, looking distressed, said, “Skylar, I get it. Are you still upset about me? Maybe I should be the one to leave.” “After all, you and Julian have worked together for so many years. It would be such a waste to leave now.” With that, she walked towards the door, her eyes secretly darting to Julian, waiting for him to stop her. I almost laughed. Julian, however, seemed oblivious to her little game. He immediately grabbed her hand, his voice doting. “This has nothing to do with you. If anyone leaves, it won’t be you.” A flicker of triumph danced in Chloe’s eyes. Perhaps seeing that Julian still hadn’t caved, she reluctantly said, “But Skylar has been with the company for so long. Fine, I’ll try to persuade her.” Chloe walked up to me. “Skylar, maybe you should really think about it again. We’d all be so sad to see you go.” “We were all just kidding earlier. We honestly see you as a good friend.” With that, she patted my shoulder, but when no one was looking, she twisted her fingers into my arm, hard. A sharp pain instantly shot through me. Without thinking, I pushed her away. Chloe fell to the floor, clutching her arm and gasping. Julian rushed to help her up, his eyes full of tenderness. He had never shown me such concern, not even when I’d drunk myself sick for a business deal. Julian slapped me across the face, yelling, “Skylar, what’s wrong with you?! Chloe was trying to be kind, and you attacked her?! You’re bullying a coworker!” Just then, HR walked over, seemingly to inform Julian about my resignation. Julian said without hesitation, “Process her paperwork, get her out!” After signing my resignation approval, he still seemed unsatisfied and continued, “The company is making hundreds of thousands daily now. Only an idiot would leave at a time like this.” “Chloe, don’t worry. In a few months, you’ll have everything you want, not just a house and a car.” “And the rest of you, too! The top performer next month gets a house, straight up!” Chloe’s eyes gleamed. Other coworkers excitedly chimed in. Julian became even more arrogant. “However, certain people, bullying coworkers, refusing to follow orders… I’ll make sure her background checks fail everywhere!” Others quickly followed suit, cursing me. Watching them in their near frenzy, I hesitated for a long moment before deciding not to speak. This morning, my dad had called and told me that Julian’s company’s biggest investor for the past two years was actually him. After learning I was resigning to come home and inherit the company, my dad had done another due diligence check on Julian’s company, was very unhappy with the results, and had already decided to withdraw his investment, citing breach of contract. I knew very well the weight of my dad’s subsidiary company in the investment world. Once he pulled his investment, forget about buying houses or cars. It would be hard for the company to last another month. Seeing me hesitate, Julian thought I was regretting my decision. He rolled his eyes at me and said coldly, “Some people, if you apologize to Chloe now, it might still be salvageable.” “Otherwise…” He hadn’t finished his sentence when Brenda, from finance, rushed in, looking anxious. “Mr. Kane, bad news! Our biggest investor just sent word. They found serious issues with our financial status, suspecting investment fraud. They’re not only withdrawing their investment but also suing us for triple the breach of contract fees!”

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Millionaire heir Derek Chase had hidden his wealth for three years. Now, he was going to confess his love to a gold digger. He claimed he’d finally found his true love, someone who didn’t care about his money. I scoffed and threw a million dollars right in the gold digger’s face. She immediately lit up and scrambled toward her new sugar daddy. But the man she latched onto turned out to be abusive. Pregnant with his child, she was beaten to death. Later, Derek, by then my husband, choked me like a madman. His eyes were bloodshot as he pushed me off a cliff. “Tiffany’s dead because of you, you venomous witch!” When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day Derek planned to confess to the gold digger. This time, I packed my bags for Cambridge. Let the fool chase his “true love.” After the SATs, Derek finally revealed his true identity as a millionaire heir and successfully proposed to the gold-digger, Tiffany Reid. Our classmates suggested a party to celebrate, but I slipped away quietly. “Ava Sterling, stop!” Derek called out. I kept walking, but he caught up and grabbed my wrist, his grip tight enough to bruise bone. “What’s this? Playing hard to get?” He frowned. “I just came to tell you I’m not going to Cambridge. I promised Tiffany I’d go to community college with her.” When I stayed silent, his voice softened slightly. “Tiffany is the woman I’m going to marry! You need to let go.” Just then, Tiffany sauntered over in her high heels and clung to Derek’s arm, putting on a show of fragility. She swung a soda can in one hand, her eyes daring me. “Derek, I know you and Ava grew up together. But you’re my fiancé now. You need to keep your distance from her. A relationship has no room for three people.” Derek shot me a triumphant look and pulled Tiffany closer. “Don’t worry, Tiffany. You’re my everything! She means nothing to me.” Then, Derek turned back to me, his voice final. “Stop wasting your time, Ava. Nothing will ever happen between us.” I just smiled. I remembered how, before he met Tiffany, he’d always told me he hoped we’d go to the same university. That’s why I’d studied so hard. So I could go to Cambridge with him. And now, just to please her, he was throwing it all away. Such a spineless man wasn’t worth holding onto. When I didn’t respond, Tiffany suddenly “slipped,” and the entire soda spilled all over my portfolio. “Oops! Ava, why did you push me?” I was stunned. “Seriously? You’re still pulling these cheap tricks? You ruined my work on purpose!” Derek immediately jumped to her defense. “Ava, stop pretending to be innocent! Tiffany is the kindest person I know. How dare you accuse her!” Tiffany leaned into his embrace, tears welling in her eyes. “Derek, my ankle… it hurts. But please don’t blame her. I understand Ava is just… jealous.” Derek completely lost it. Right in front of everyone, he lifted Tiffany’s chin and locked her into a passionate kiss. The crazy part? While he was making out with Tiffany, he was still grabbing my arm, not letting me leave. He didn’t release my arm until he’d finished kissing her for a solid five minutes. Then he turned to me. “See this? Tiffany is my true love. If you dare bully her again, don’t expect our childhood bond to mean anything.” Their lips were swollen and red. The sight made me sick. Aside from his looks and his parents’ money, that man brought nothing to the table. Then he pulled a pen from his pocket and threw it at my feet. “Here, take this back!” I recognized it instantly. It was the birthday gift I’d given him when I was fifteen. I’d bought two, telling him,, “I’ll definitely go to Cambridge with you someday!” Now, Derek ground that very pen under his heel, crushing it right before my eyes. “Ava, since neither of us is going to Cambridge anyway. There’s no use keeping these things. Better to throw them away now, so you don’t get sad later.” With that, he wrapped an arm around Tiffany and walked away. I was speechless, again. You’re not going to Cambridge? Fine. But I still am!

I pushed open the front door. My dad was ironing my shirt for tomorrow’s interview. Mom brought out a warm glass of milk. Our home always smelled of comfort and safety. Watching them fuss over me, my eyes welled up. In my past life, I’d been so consumed by that idiot that I hadn’t spent enough time with my parents. Just then, Derek’s mom, Mrs. Chase, showed up at our door. The moment she entered, she seized my hand, her eyes already glistening. “Ava, that wretched girl has completely blinded Derek. His father and I see you as our future daughter-in-law. Please, you have to talk to him. That woman will destroy his future!.” In my past life, Mrs. Chase had begged me the same way, only to later tell Derek I was just jealous and nosy. This time, I calmly pulled my hand away. “That’s your son.” I said evenly. “I can’t control him.” Mrs. Chase’s face stiffened, then she actually started crying. “How can you say that? You’ve always wanted to follow Derek to Cambridge, and he even tutored you! Can you really bear to watch him give up Cambridge?” Just then, my phone rang. It was Derek. I answered it right in front of Mrs. Chase, putting it on speaker. Derek’s cold voice came through the phone. “Ava, did my mom come to find you? I’m warning you, we have absolutely nothing to do with each other from now on. Stop clinging to me.” Mrs. Chase heard her son’s words and instantly fell silent, her face cycling from pale to flushed with embarrassment. I rolled my eyes at her. “Hear that? Your son and I are completely unrelated now.” With that, I hung up. Mrs. Chase stood there, stunned, unable to say a word for a long time. My dad walked over, a frown on his face. “How could Derek be such an jerk? Ava just gave him chocolates she made herself two days ago! Ava’s never even made me any!” My mom looked displeased too. “All these years, our family has partnered with yours because Ava liked Derek. If Derek chooses another woman, then our business arrangements will be a completely different story.” Mrs. Chase’s face drained of color, then flushed crimson. “No, that’s not it. Derek is just confused right now.” “Ava, don’t worry, I’ll definitely help you get rid of that bad woman.” I looked at her coldly. “No need. I don’t care about him.” Mrs. Chase was so flustered she stomped her foot. “But how will you go to Cambridge without Derek? Your grades aren’t that great, didn’t you always rely on Derek to tutor you?” I yanked my hand away from her again. “You should worry about your own son first.” Seeing my reaction, Mrs. Chase left dejectedly. As she reached the door, she looked back, still unwilling to give up. “Ava, are you really not going to reconsider?” I closed the door, ignoring her shouts.

The next day, I walked into the Cambridge Admissions interview room. I performed brilliantly during the interview, confident and composed. A stark contrast to the timid girl I’d been in my past life. After the interview, I ran into Tiffany Reid waiting downstairs. She was dressed in designer clothes, and seeing me, she immediately puffed out her stomach. She deliberately waved a sonogram printout in front of me. “Ava, Derek and I are having a baby. You’ll never have the right to steal him away now!” I was completely baffled. When did I ever try to steal him? Lately, I’d deliberately avoided both of them at school. Running into her today? Guess I just have terrible luck! I glanced at the sonogram. The date was last week. But they’d only been together for half a month. A suspicion formed in my mind. Was this child really Derek’s? But it wasn’t my business anymore. I replied coldly, “Well, congratulations.” With that, I turned to leave. Seeing that I wasn’t upset, Tiffany became irritated instead. She deliberately patted her belly, as if it harbored supreme glory. Then she advanced, practically backing me into a corner. “What are you trying to act all high and mighty for? You must be so jealous of me, jealous to the point of madness! I hate seeing that condescending look on your face! You’re just a little richer than my family, what else do you have that’s better than me?” I sneered, “Yes, my family is rich, which means I don’t have to try to please a man by having his baby.” Tiffany heard that and immediately flew into a rage. She suddenly swayed, let out a gasp, and clutched her stomach as she stumbled backward. “Ah! It hurts! Ava! Are you trying to kill my baby?!” A tall figure abruptly rushed over. Derek’s face was ashen. He caught Tiffany, then swung around and slapped me hard across the face. A sharp, burning pain spread through my cheek. “Ava! You vicious witch!” Derek roared, his eyes blazing. “I warned you not to touch Tiffany! How dare you lay a hand on her when she’s carrying my child!” Tiffany melted into his arms with a delicate sob. “Derek, my stomach… I’m so scared for the baby…” “I never pushed her!” I protested. “I was here for my Cambridge interview!” Derek’s gaze turned to ice. “You? Get into Cambridge? Don’t make me laugh. Get out of my sight!” Tears welled up in my eyes, but I fiercely held them back. I stopped explaining. After all, I’d be going to Cambridge very soon. Behind me, Derek was comforting Tiffany. “She’s just a jealous shrew! But don’t worry, I truly don’t like her at all!” Tiffany’s voice, filled with the joy of victory, gently echoed his. “Derek, don’t be angry. She’s not worth it.”

I stood backstage in the school auditorium. Today was high school graduation. Tiffany, arm-in-arm with Derek, walked in, drawing everyone’s attention. Her designer gown made a stark contrast to my simple white T-shirt. Immediately, classmates gathered around, showering them with compliments. “They’re a match made in heaven!” “Derek even gave up Cambridge for Tiffany, that’s true love!” Tiffany chimed in with a mocking laugh, her voice laced with schadenfreude. “Ava, you’ll find true love someday too.” Other classmates joined in the taunting. “Is Ava regretting not holding onto Derek back then?” “She couldn’t even if she wanted to, Derek clearly doesn’t like her.” “The clingy follower who’s been chasing him since childhood finally got completely dumped!” Derek, hearing this, looked even more smug. His gaze landed on me again. “Ava, why did you push Tiffany the other day? If you had been nicer to her, I might have, out of consideration for our past, helped you get into Cambridge.” Just then, the auditorium doors flew open. Mr. and Mrs. Chase stormed in, their faces pale with fury. They clutched a thin piece of paper tightly in their hands. It was the community college acceptance letter that had arrived a few days ago. Mrs. Chase locked onto Derek and rushed over. “Derek Chase! You rotten scoundrel!” She thrust the paper so close it nearly brushed his nose. “What is this?! Southgate City Community College?!” “You told us Cambridge had already accepted you. That this community college nonsense was just to placate Tiffany! How could you actually throw your future away like this?” All the color drained from Derek’s face.

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My husband Richard and my best friend Camille shared a love for extreme winter swims. I’d warned them the ocean was dangerous, but they never listened. Yesterday at the beach, I found them. They lay naked, floating on the surface. Their bodies were still entangled, leaving no doubt about their final activity. Panic seized me, sharp and cold. I fainted on the spot. When I woke, their bodies were stiff. And my panic reached a whole new level. To placate me after a fight, Richard had taken out a life insurance policy worth hundreds of millions. I was the sole beneficiary. How in the world was I supposed to explain this to the insurance company? Someone was shaking me awake. My eyes fluttered open to hushed, excited whispers. “They must have been so in love. I heard it took the forensics team forever to pull them apart.” “I know! They came here for winter swimming every day. What dedication!” “Winter swimming? Looks more like a secret lovers’ rendezvous to me.” I shook my head, pushing myself up. The sight before me snapped me wide awake: those two naked bodies, lying there, completely exposed. Trembling, I tugged on the arm of the person next to me. “What… what happened to them?” The person looked at me with pity. “They’re gone.” Gone? But just yesterday morning, they’d been so alive. I remembered it clearly. Camille had sought out Richard, playfully slapping his chest. “Can’t? A real man never says he can’t!” Her laughter rang out, bright and dazzling. “It’s barely five degrees out, and you’re already scared?” Then, she’d shot me a pointed glare. “Or is it that Vivian, at her age, is still jealous and won’t let you go?” “Vivian, I don’t mean to criticize, but why are you so controlling?” “Richard and I have been winter swimming for years. If something were going to happen, it would have happened by now, wouldn’t it?” “But if Richard’s scared, then I’ll just go alone.” Hearing that, Richard ripped his shirt off right in front of me. “You know how fit I am, what do I have to be scared of?” he declared to Camille with a loud laugh. “What would a housewife like Vivian know about our kind of fun?” “Don’t mind her, let’s go.” They went back and forth, mocking me. That’s when I finally gave in and let them go. But now, they were telling me they were dead? I couldn’t accept it. The tears came in a flood, and I sobbed, completely broken. “Ma’am, you must have been terrified.” A young officer in uniform walked over, his voice gentle. “I understand. Seeing them, naked and tangled, floating in the water like that…” “Anyone would be scared stiff. We don’t blame you.” “But you’re the first witness, so we might need you to cooperate with our investigation later.” Hearing that, I cried even harder. Richard was gone, and here I was, the grieving widow with an impossible to-do list. I had to take over Richard’s company and inherit his entire estate. On top of that, I had to explain the massive life insurance policy he took out right before he died. Where would I find the time for an investigation? But the young officer didn’t understand my turmoil. He just shook his head at the bodies. “What’s the point of love in the end?” “Trying to find excitement at their age… intense activity in cold water likely caused muscle cramps.” “And since they were locked so tightly together, neither could break free” I froze. Intense activity? Stuck too tightly? The memory from last night crashed over me: the sight of their lower bodies, fused in that unmistakable position… A sharp pain shot through my chest, stealing my breath. Thirty years of marriage to Richard. Forty years of friendship with Camille. I couldn’t believe it! The two people I trusted most, doing this behind my back… Yet, all the evidence lay right before my eyes.

I clutched my chest, feeling like I was suffocating. But then, a thought struck me: they were, after all, my husband and my best friend. One was a powerful CEO, the other a renowned dance teacher. Both were people who cared deeply about their image in life. Though I hated them, I couldn’t let their dignity be so utterly stripped away in public. I took a deep breath, rushed over, grabbed the matching swim trunks and bikini bottom they’d shed, and used them to cover their faces. I collapsed to the ground, a raw wail tearing from my throat. “Please, everyone! No more pictures!” “My husband and my best friend are dead! Can’t you just let them rest in peace?” My cries held a twisted mix of fury and a profound, selfish ache. Fury at their ultimate betrayal. And heartache for myself… for the mountain of paperwork and endless arrangements his death had dumped in my lap. A crowd swelled around us, a wave of shocked murmurs rippling through it as my words sank in. “Wait, so they weren’t married? You’re his wife? So this was…an affair?” “Oh my god, her husband and her best friend! That’s brutal!” “No wonder they were out in the ocean… it was a secret rendezvous” “They probably did this all the time, which is why it finally went wrong.” “That poor lady, witnessing their affair and then passing out!” Listening to their comments, my chest felt crushed under a heavy stone, making it hard to breathe. The young officer paused, then finally understood what I’d said. His expression softened with pity. “Ma’am, please get up, the ground is cold.” “By the way, do you… do you have any children?” Yes, I did. But Brandon was on his honeymoon with Camille’s daughter, Brooke, and definitely wouldn’t be answering my calls. Still, facing so many sympathetic eyes, I dialed his number. As expected, the moment he picked up, Brandon’s voice was irritable. “What are you calling for again? Didn’t I tell you not to bother Brooke and me?” “Are you so miserable with Richard that you can’t stand to see Brooke and me happy?” I fought to keep my voice steady, the pain searing through me. “Son, your father is dead.” He paused, then burst into disbelieving laughter. “You’re crazy.” “You’d drop dead before Richard ever would! Seriously, are you just miserable if you’re not wishing death on him?!” Next to him, Brooke’s laugh chimed in. “Oh, Vivian, you know how she is. If it’s nothing, just hang up.” I quickly cut her off, my sobs growing louder. “Brooke, your mother is dead too.” The air went silent for a few seconds. Then, her shriek. “Vivian! My mom was just a little close to Richard! Do you have to curse her like that?! Their relationship was completely innocent! Do you just want to make everyone in this family miserable?!” I ignored her, my voice dropping to a trembling, deliberate whisper. “They were doing it in the ocean. They cramped up. Got stuck. And died together.” Afraid she’d missed it, I repeated the words, slowly and clearly. But they still didn’t believe me. Brandon was roaring now. “Afraid she’d missed it, I repeated the words, slowly and clearly! Don’t you dare project your filth onto her! IThis is just your jealousy! You’ve always been jealous of Camille, and now you’re taking it out on Brooke, trying to ruin our honeymoon!” The officer, unable to stand it, took my phone. “I’m the officer investigating this drowning-” He didn’t even finish before Brandon furiously interrupted him. “Now you’re even hiring actors for your little show?” “Ha! Too bad! We won’t fall for it!” “Spread all the rumors you want! We’ll deal with you when we get back from our honeymoon!” With that, the call was disconnected. I tried calling again, only to find I’d been blocked. I closed my eyes tightly, saying nothing more. The officer gently helped me into the ambulance. “It’s alright, Ma’am. You passed out then, so you couldn’t have known anything anyway. I won’t question you further.” “Go to the hospital and get some rest. Then, you can start preparing for Richard’s funeral.” As he spoke, several people covered Richard and Camille with white sheets. Once the sheets were on, everything was hidden. As if those naked, tangled images had never existed. I looked at them, suddenly unsure whether to cry or laugh. Cry? I had cried enough. Laugh? I didn’t dare.

But I quickly pulled myself together. I called my office. “It’s with great sadness I inform you that Mr. Sterling has passed away. I’ll be back this afternoon to take over the company’s operations…” “I…I won’t let Richard’s legacy simply disappear!” Richard had no other immediate family in this world besides Brandon and me. I didn’t want him lying cold and alone in the morgue. So, I quickly arranged for his cremation. After the cremation, I went straight back to the office. “Ms. Sterling, you’re so strong…” “Mr. Sterling’s passing is so tragic, yet you’re still thinking of the company, still coming back to work…” “Exactly. Ms. Sterling is the only daughter of the Sterling empire, a pampered heiress who never had to lift a finger in her youth. Now, she has to manage the company herself.” “Without Mr. Sterling, she’s utterly alone and vulnerable.” I choked back a sob, grasping their hands. “Richard is gone, but the company must endure. I will see it through.” With that, I walked into the office and signed the appointment letter as Chairman of the Board. This company had originally been given by my father to Richard when he married into our family. Now that I was taking over, it was perfectly reasonable. The next few days were a blur of activity. Richard’s multi-million dollar estate needed to be settled, and there was the multi-billion dollar insurance policy to claim. The insurance agent, though initially questioning the timing of Richard’s policy purchase and death, sighed and stamped the documents after reviewing the case files. A few days later, Brandon and Brooke returned from their honeymoon. Their return coincided with Richard’s memorial service. I had prepared offerings since early morning, carrying the urn as I walked out. Seeing me, Brandon frowned. “I’ve already heard.” He glanced up and down at the urn in my hands, his voice impatient. “Didn’t a dog just die at home? Do you need to be so solemn?” A dog? I remembered. Because Richard’s death was so scandalous, I had paid a large sum to silence all media. But I hadn’t expected the official story to be that it was my beloved dog’s memorial service. Later, considering the difficulty of media work, I didn’t bother to correct it. I opened my mouth to explain, but Brooke scoffed. “Vivian, Richard’s money will all be left to Brandon and me eventually.” “So, what you’re wasting now is our money!” “You’re spending our money on a dog’s funeral, did you even ask for our permission?!” With that, she turned to the bodyguards standing by. “What are you staring at? Go on, dismantle all this stuff!” The bodyguards exchanged uneasy glances, unsure what to do. I trembled with rage. “Brandon!” “Look at the wonderful daughter-in-law you’ve chosen! She’s utterly disrespectful!” Brandon was visibly stunned. He rarely saw me lose my temper like this. A moment later, he growled in a low voice, “Mom! Brooke isn’t wrong!” He pulled a small seashell from his pocket. “She even went out of her way to buy you a gift. What a great daughter-in-law, isn’t she?” I glanced at the luxury shopping bags Brooke was carrying. All international brands. Clearly meant for Camille. But now, I was past caring. Camille wouldn’t be receiving them anyway. Clutching the urn, I ignored them and started walking out. “If you still care about your father, follow me.” But I hadn’t taken more than a few steps. A hand suddenly grabbed my hair from behind and yanked it back. “I was kind enough to buy you a gift, and you’re so ungrateful!” “You’re ignoring me for a dog! You can forget about me ever calling you ‘Mom’!” Caught off guard, the urn slipped from my hands and smashed to the ground. Ashes scattered everywhere. My eyes instantly burned red. “You! Do you even know what this is?!” Brooke looked down, prodding the pile of ashes with her foot. “Just a dog’s ashes.” She wrinkled her nose in disgust, then stomped on them. “What’s the difference between this and trash?!” “My mom was right, you really are a jealous shrew! If my mom had met Richard earlier, you wouldn’t even be in the picture!” I stared at the mess on the floor, my ears ringing. But Brandon didn’t see anything wrong with Brooke’s actions. He pulled a few bills from his pocket, tossed them onto the ashes, and said. “Mom, stop making a fuss. This is enough for you to buy a few new dogs. Clean it up quickly, don’t make the house a mess!” I completely lost it. I grabbed a wooden stick from the corner of the yard and swung it at him with all my strength. “You disobedient brat! You ungrateful son!” “Your father is dead! You’re defiling his ashes! I’ll beat you senseless!” Brandon dodged, shouting back, “Will you ever let it go?! Still cursing my dad!” “Richard loved Camille for years! He never should’ve been so weak, staying with you instead of just divorcing-” His words were cut off as a group of people stepped through the gate into the yard. They carried white funeral wreaths and somber black banners. At their center was Richard’s portrait in black and white. The funeral director leading them stopped short at the sight on the ground. “Mrs. Sterling, what happened to Mr. Sterling’s ashes?” Brandon froze. All the color drained from his face. “You..” he stammered, his lips trembling. “What did you just say?”

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My son’s preschool was hosting an event, but I was blocked at the entrance by security. “Kevin’s parents arrived early,” the guard explained. I watched, a knot forming in my stomach, as my son cozied up to his teacher, Serena. He pointed at me, his face twisted in disgust. “Ugly monster! You’re not my mom!” Julian, my husband, stood by, calmly telling the director to call the police on me. It wasn’t until they posted their “family photo” on social media – the two of them kissing Serena’s cheeks, one on each side – that I realized how utterly lost I was. After I vanished, they searched for me like madmen. When I returned home, Serena was directing the household staff to toss my belongings out. Right on top was a framed picture of our family of three. “Who told you to throw those out?!” I demanded, my voice trembling. Serena flashed a sugary smile. “Oh, because I’ve invited the preschool parents and their children over. If they saw your photo, I was afraid they’d misunderstand and think you were Julian’s wife.” My voice dropped to a frigid whisper. “I *am* Julian Sterling’s wife. Have you, a home-wrecker, forgotten your place?” Serena’s eyes instantly glistened, on the verge of tears. She cast Julian a ‘helpless’ look, her voice barely a whisper. “Julian…” Julian’s long legs were crossed, his gaze lifting with a dismissive indifference. “The media snapped photos of Serena and me at the preschool event. Online, people are calling us ‘the most beautiful parents,’ and Sterling Corp’s new mother-and-baby line has gained massive attention.” “For now, Serena will be helping me with public relations.” Seeing Julian’s cold attitude, the staff no longer hesitated. I watched as my life, packed into boxes, was carried out. Our wedding photos. My wedding dress. Everything that bore my mark was loaded into the trash truck. Julian spoke, his voice unnervingly calm. “For the party later, you should make yourself scarce.” But Serena clung to his arm. “Julian, it’s Kevin’s graduation party from preschool, after all. Why don’t we let Audrey stay? She could help out as a staff member.” Julian hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “Serena isn’t really familiar with the house anyway. It would be good for you to assist her.” “I don’t agree!” My voice cracked. “Julian Sterling, you can just divorce me!” Julian let out a cynical laugh, as if I’d told a joke. “Audrey, if you leave me, do you really think your mom will survive? Her ICU bills aren’t exactly cheap.” He toyed with the heavy signet ring on his finger. The assistant beside him immediately made a call to the hospital, ordering them to halt my mom’s nutrient drip. My eyes burned with tears, and I screamed, “Julian Sterling, she’s my mother! You promised me when you married me that you’d treat my mother like your own!” Julian’s gaze was utterly devoid of emotion. “Audrey, don’t make me say it again.” He loomed over me, looking down. I’d seen that look many times before. It was the same look he gave disobedient subordinates – the look reserved for those he was about to discard. I knew. If I didn’t give in, he really would let my mother die. I never thought he could be so ruthless, all for a single word from Serena. “Audrey, time’s running out.” I dropped my arms, ceasing my struggle, and let the staff change my clothes. Julian finally looked satisfied when he saw my compliant demeanor. “Audrey, as long as you’re obedient, this house still has a place for you.” Preschool parents and their children started arriving, one by one. Serena had me stationed at the door, greeting guests. One parent, who I knew well, warmly took my hand. “Audrey, why are you standing at the door? Julian actually lets you greet people outside?” She’d been traveling abroad recently and didn’t know about Serena and Julian. Serena, clearly annoyed, interjected, “This is just one of our household staff. She’s not Mrs. Sterling.” The parent froze. “Aren’t you Kevin’s teacher?” “Being a teacher was just a hobby,” Serena said, her eyes accidentally lingering on me. “I just didn’t want to be too high-profile outside. I didn’t expect our housekeeper to impersonate my identity.” The parent immediately let go of my hand, retreating several steps as if I were carrying a contagion. Hearing Serena’s words, the other parents’ scrutinizing stares landed on me. Kevin wriggled through the parents, latching onto Serena’s hand. “*This* is my mommy. She’s just staff.” I whispered his name, a broken sound. “Kevin…” He was the child I’d fought to save, even while battling a serious illness. The child I’d watched over in an incubator for countless nights, praying he’d grow up safe and sound. He used to bring me little handmade treats from preschool, telling me he’d give me all the sweetness in the world. He used to hug me and comfort me when I cried. But now, he was saying I wasn’t his mother! A thousand needles couldn’t have caused more pain. My heart twisted, the agony stealing my breath. I stood there, frozen. Kevin’s small foot connected squarely with my bad knee. “Don’t call me Kevin! You’re just staff, you don’t deserve to use my name.” “Get out of here!” I cried out in pain as I fell to the ground. My knee had an old injury—a comminuted fracture from when Kevin was little and I’d shielded him. It still ached and itched in damp weather. But Kevin was all smiles. He wrapped his arms around Serena, whining, “Mommy, come play with me! Don’t mind this staff member!” Serena shot me a triumphant glance, then led Kevin towards the lawn. I lay on the ground, limp, without the strength to get up. The physical pain and the emotional agony piled on top of each other. I watched, stunned, as Kevin skipped away, tears streaming down my face. Laughter and shouts echoed from the lawn. It was the children playing a parent-child game. Julian was playing a three-legged race with Serena. His clumsy attempts made Serena playfully smack his chest several times. Kevin clapped his hands, cheering, “Mommy, Daddy, hurry up!” A bitter ache spread through my chest. Julian always hated childish games. I remembered when Kevin was one, I wanted him to join me for a parenting class. He’d scolded me coldly, “Audrey, be sensible. I detest these childish things.” Yet now, he patiently played with her. Suddenly, Serena let out a yelp. She’d accidentally twisted her ankle, stepping into the muddy patch beside the grass. Julian quickly swept her into his arms, gently taking off her shoe to check the sprain. Julian had severe mysophobia. I remembered once when I had paint on the back of my hand. When I handed him the scarf I’d spent half a month knitting, he merely glanced at it before disgustedly tossing it into the trash. He’d always been so fastidious, so untouchable, like a pristine statue. Now, he was bending down. Taking off her mud-stained shoe, gently rubbing her ankle. Amidst the envious murmurs of the crowd, my knee suddenly started to swell, the pain radiating from the old injury to every corner of my body.

“I’m fine, just a twisted ankle,” Serena said softly. Julian was still worried, calling a doctor to examine her carefully. Only when the doctor personally confirmed she was alright did his tightly furrowed brows finally relax. “Since the doctor’s here, have them check on the household staff too.” Julian’s gaze swept over me. Serena followed his gaze and then suddenly clutched her chest, dry heaving. “I feel awful.” Someone nearby gasped, “Could Mrs. Sterling be pregnant?” My body went rigid. Julian half-knelt, asking her gently, “What do you want to eat? I’ll have the kitchen prepare it.” “I want pastries from Audrey’s Bistro. Have Audrey go buy them, she knows the place best.” Serena pointed at me. Audrey’s Bistro was a gift from Julian to me. He used to say that the pastries there were only to be made for me. At the time, I laughed, telling him he had no business sense—how could a shop be open if it didn’t serve anyone else? Whispers rose from the crowd. “I heard Audrey’s Bistro never sells to outsiders.” Serena smiled sweetly. “Actually, Julian opened Audrey’s Bistro especially for me. Julian said those pastries are just for me.” Everyone murmured in understanding, praising Serena’s luck and envying Julian’s devotion. Julian looked at me. “Since Serena wants it, have the driver take you.” Serena frowned. “Julian, the driver needs to take guests home later. Audrey is just staff. If she sits in the car, won’t she get it dirty for the guests?” “Audrey, call a taxi yourself.” The Sterling mansion was nestled in the exclusive hillside estates. Taxis never came up here. With Julian’s silent consent, I limped out, dragging my injured leg. Every step felt like a needle piercing my knee. Five hours later, I returned home, clutching a box of pastries from Audrey’s Bistro. The party had long since ended. Serena said flatly, “Took you this long? The pastries are stale now.” She tossed them directly into the trash. I stared at the pastries spilled in the bin, the character “Audrey” on the packaging glaringly obvious. Tears streamed uncontrollably down my face. Julian walked over just as Serena started to cry pitifully. “Julian, she said the pastries from Audrey’s Bistro were made for *her*, and that I wasn’t worthy to eat them. She said she’d rather throw them in the trash than let me have them!” Julian’s face went dark. He immediately ordered his assistant to rename Audrey’s Bistro to Serena’s Bistro. He looked at Serena with tender eyes. “There’s no more Audrey’s Bistro. From now on, Serena’s Bistro is all yours.” Serena’s cheeks flushed red as she leaned into Julian’s embrace. “You’re so good to me.” My vision blurred with tears. The scene before me was blinding. My chest felt stuffed with cotton, and I choked out, “Julian Sterling, let’s get a divorce.”

Julian frowned. “Audrey, don’t be childish.” He let go of Serena, his expression turning serious as he looked at me. “Serena is only Mrs. Sterling in name.” “But you are still my wife.” He rubbed the corner of his eye, sighing. “I promised my parents I’d take care of you.” My heart lurched. So, all these years, our marriage had just been him fulfilling a promise. “And one more thing. The Sterling Corp shares in your name, transfer them to Serena today. Consider it her compensation.” After my family went bankrupt, on the day we got married, Julian transferred over half of his shares to me. “My love, these are your leverage.” “If one day you find me unworthy, just sell all the shares, bring me down, bankrupt me. Make me learn my lesson.” I looked at the share transfer agreement laid out before me. I met Julian’s gaze calmly. “I’ll transfer the shares if we divorce. Sign the papers, and I’ll sign these.” A flicker of displeasure crossed Julian’s eyes. “Audrey, don’t push my limits.” He handed me a video. His lips parted, his voice chilling. “I hear your mom can’t be off her ventilator for more than three minutes.” In the video, my mom’s oxygen mask was removed. Her face instantly turned ashen. “I’ll sign! I’ll sign!” I cried out, signing rapidly. The person in the video still hadn’t put the oxygen mask back on. I screamed, desperate, “Julian Sterling, hurry! I’ve already signed!” Julian let out a cold laugh. “Audrey, this is an AI-generated video Serena made. It’s not real.” “I wouldn’t hurt your mom.” “Even though I’ve taken your shares, I’ve had Serena set up a linked payment account for you. You’ll have a limit of five hundred thousand a month—that should be plenty.” Even though he said the video was fake, a knot of unease remained in my stomach. “Julian Sterling, please, just this once.” Tears streamed down my face without my realizing. Julian’s brow furrowed slightly. “Then I’ll…” “Honey, Kevin wants you to tell him a story! Come on!” Serena’s call echoed, and Julian’s eyes reverted to their usual indifference as he looked at me. He distantly responded to Serena, then his cold gaze returned to me. “Audrey, stop being dramatic.” “Serena is inherently kind. She would never harm your mom.”

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My cousin was obsessed with “testing” my boyfriends. No matter how hard I resisted, she reveled in it. She’d charm them, then dump them, telling everyone my taste in men sucked. When she pulled her usual stunt again, she had no idea it was a trap, custom-made just for her. And she had no choice but to fall right into it. My cousin, Zara, has been divorced for three years, still living it up on a hefty alimony check from her ex. One day she’s dating models, the next she’s going for younger guys, always busy, always having fun. Lately, she’s found a new target: Julian, my boyfriend of six months. I wasn’t surprised she found him so quickly. My mom came to my apartment to pick something up and ran into him. My mom, her biggest flaw in life is her obsession with keeping up appearances. Zara married well, and even after her divorce, she has endless alimony. Plus, Carol never misses a chance to brag about Zara in front of Mom. So, for me to marry a man even better than Zara’s ex-husband has become Mom’s mantra. And my lack of progress has become her constant worry. Julian and I met at a bar. I spotted him in the crowd instantly, and it took me over six months to finally win him over. He’s younger than my cousin’s ex, hotter, and even richer. Didn’t that just play right into my mom’s hands? She immediately broadcast the news in the family group chat, even sending a money transfer to announce my impending marriage. I saw it and felt so helpless. I sent a waving hand emoji in the chat. “Not that serious, guys. No need to make a big deal.” Mom immediately shot back with a photo in the chat. “Looking like that, carrying that kind of bag – and you’re not serious?” Zara popped up. “Wow, where did Cassie find such a catch? Want your big sister to test him out for you?” I didn’t say anything, but I knew whether I wanted her to or not, she’d try. This time, though, I was ready.

On the very first day of our relationship, I told Julian that I had a very beautiful, very sophisticated cousin. She loved adding my boyfriends on SnapChat, and if she ever added him, he absolutely shouldn’t accept. Julian jokingly asked, “Afraid I’ll fall for her?” I smiled faintly. “Afraid you’ll be bewitched and come to a terrible end. Every boyfriend I’ve had has ended up that way.” He hugged me close, comforting me for a long time. “Then I definitely won’t. I’m only marrying you, Cassie.” With my warning, when Zara first tried to add him, he kept refusing. He even complained to me a few times. “Your cousin, Zara, is so relentless. She’s tried adding me with like, ten different SnapChat accounts now.” I kissed his cheek as a reward. “You have to stay strong. Don’t give in just because she’s a charmer.” He didn’t miss a beat, rejecting another account, then turned to me. “My parents want to have dinner with you. They said we’ve been dating for six months, and you still haven’t shown your face. They’ve heard so much about how much I like you.” I paused, then stroked his head. “Let’s wait a bit. I’m pretty busy right now. After this quarter, I’ll treat your parents to dinner.” “Treat them? No way. Just your presence will make them ecstatic! We’ll eat at my family’s hotel!” Maybe because she still hadn’t added Julian on SnapChat, Zara got a little impatient. She suggested staying at my rental for a while. Of course, I wouldn’t agree, but my mom was so eager to show off the new apartment Julian had gotten for me that she couldn’t wait to give Zara the address. So, when I got home from work, Julian and Zara were sitting on the sofa, phones in hand, one on each side. Julian pulled me into the bedroom, sounding annoyed. “I really didn’t engage with her. Why is she at my place?” I said nonchalantly, “Mom probably gave her the address. That’s just how she is. Just ignore her.” He raised his hand to swear to God, but I felt a little uncomfortable. My mind kept replaying them sitting on the couch. Julian wouldn’t, would he? I worked so hard for half a year to get him, he wouldn’t be won over in just one night, would he? I was still a little anxious. My lack of self-confidence was one thing, but I also had no idea how long Julian would last.

Julian didn’t stay the night. He had another apartment in the building next door, and he went back there. The next morning, he came over to bring me breakfast. There were seven or eight dishes spread out on the table. Zara saw them and smiled somewhat smugly. “Did Julian know I was here today, so he brought so much?” “Wow, I love the soup dumplings from this place! Too bad they never deliver. Did you pick them up early this morning?” Julian looked up at her. “No, I forgot you were here. I even bought two fewer things today. Cassie doesn’t have much of an appetite in the mornings, so I just buy a lot so she has choices.” Zara let out a long “Ohhh,” but her fingers kept fiddling with her freshly manicured nails. That’s how she thinks. I figured if she was just a little interested in Julian before, now she was definitely determined to get him. I unconsciously tightened my grip on Julian’s hand. Maybe feeling the pain, Julian looked at me. I quickly apologized to him and left the table. That evening, when I got off work, they were again sitting on opposite ends of the sofa. When I walked in, Julian got up to greet me. He asked me in a low voice, “Does Zara not work? Why is she always here? And doesn’t she have her own place? What’s the deal with her being here every day?” I looked up at him. “If you add her on SnapChat, maybe she’ll quiet down.” His expression froze, and after a short pause, he said, “Just added her. She said if I did, she’d go home tomorrow.” I just said “Oh” and went into the room. Julian followed, putting his arm around me and asking if I was mad. “I just don’t want to see her every day. I can mute her, you know. Look, I’ve already set her to ‘do not disturb’.” He pulled out his phone as he spoke, holding it up to me, trying to prove his innocence. I didn’t say anything. My disappointment must have been obvious. Julian held my hand, comforting me for a long time. During dinner, he kept teasing me, trying to get me to talk, and piling food onto my plate. Zara just smiled when she saw it. “Our Julian is so thoughtful, isn’t he?”

Julian ignored her. He was busy discussing the store setup for a direct-to-consumer brand he was working on with me. Zara heard this and deliberately made some noise at the dinner table. When we both looked at her, she chuckled. “Oh, you’re talking about something I’m good at. Got a little excited.” She spoke to a confused Julian. “My ex-husband had a pretty successful direct-to-consumer brand. He has a lot of channels he could share with me. For Cassie’s sake, I could help you out.” After that, she even detailed the brand. I could tell Julian was really tempted. He looked at me, then at Zara, a little conflicted, and asked, “If it’s your ex-husband, won’t that be awkward?” “Awkward? A little charm offensive will fix everything. Just wait for my news.” This time, Julian didn’t refuse. I knew his SnapChat notifications wouldn’t be on ‘do not disturb’ for long. Sure enough, when he came into the room, he said, “Zara is really loyal, and so upfront.” I just looked up at him, my eyes instantly welling up. He immediately came over to comfort me. “I was just saying. Do you think I’d be interested in a woman who’s still entangled with her ex?”

Zara left my apartment the next day, and Julian didn’t come back for several days either. He said he was out of town, running around to different sites because several direct-to-consumer stores were opening at once. A few times when we video chatted, I saw Zara behind him. He quickly explained, “Zara called to check on progress, and when she heard I was in a neighboring city, she came to check things out. This whole thing is thanks to her help; it saved so much trouble. Even my dad praised me.” A rich kid’s life is often spent yearning to outdo their father. Julian was no exception. His father and grandfather were both incredibly successful entrepreneurs. He wasn’t bad himself, but always overshadowed by his elders’ accomplishments, he really wanted to prove himself. This time, the direct-to-consumer stores were opening in several cities at once, quickly and in prime locations. Even his father and grandfather praised his excellent work at the dinner table. Julian transferred twenty thousand dollars to me, saying it was for me to buy Zara a bag on his behalf. “I know she’s helping me because of you. It’s better if you give it to her. I still have that much sense.” After that, he added, “Pick something Zara likes. If it’s not enough, I’ll send you more.” I pulled out my phone and called Zara. As soon as she picked up, I said, “Thanks for helping my boyfriend. He wants to get you a bag, around twenty thousand dollars. Do you have one in mind? Or should I just transfer the money to you?” There was a pause on the other end, then a slightly deep male voice. “Cassie? Why is your boyfriend sending Zara gifts?” Oh my God, Zara and her ex-husband’s names in my phone were just one letter apart. I accidentally called Ryan, my ex-brother-in-law. Ryan, Zara, and I were all alumni. Ryan was a year older than us, and we’d run into each other at club activities. I’d only mentioned once that I thought Ryan was charming and attentive, and the next day, Zara started going all out to chase him. For a woman pursuing a man, it’s usually easy. Two weeks later, they were together. After breaking up and getting back together several times, they got married right after graduation. Three years later, they divorced.

To avoid any misunderstanding from this sugar daddy, who still sent my cousin monthly living expenses, I quickly explained, “No, no, she helped my boyfriend with a huge favor. But this also requires thanks to you, Ryan. My boyfriend’s direct-to-consumer snack brand relied entirely on your resources this time.” “I thought she was getting ambitious and starting her own thing. Turns out it’s your boyfriend. She’s putting more effort into him than she ever did into me.” Before I could reply, he continued, “Alright, I get it. I’ll buy her the bag. You keep the money.” I returned the money to Julian, telling him Ryan said no. He looked a little confused. “But he’s her ex, why is he still so involved?” “He’s still her primary financial support, Julian. How else do you think she affords all those designer things?” Julian’s face looked a bit unnatural. Seeing me watching him, he just added, “Right.” That night, Zara came over to my place again. She’d had some drinks, and her face was flushed as she argued with me on the sofa. Her mind was clear, her thoughts sharp, her logic impeccable, as she picked apart every single thing about me. Finally, she pointed at Julian and said, “Just because of you? You think you can snag a sugar daddy like that? Dream on, Cassie, you’ll never live a life like mine.” “You think telling Ryan I’m stealing your boyfriend will get my allowance cut? I’ll find a new one tomorrow, you just wait!” A glint sparked in Julian’s eyes when he heard that. I suddenly found it all pointless. I left them in the living room and went back to my room. After that, Julian started working overtime and traveling even more frequently. Even when I suggested I wasn’t busy anymore and could have dinner with his parents, he politely declined, saying it wasn’t the right time. By then, I already understood. Zara had succeeded again.

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To go on a solo trip with his childhood sweetheart, Lucas posted online to have other men take care of me. [“One girlfriend, hot body, proactive in bed. I’ll be away for three months, looking for a decent guy to watch over her.”] When I saw that post, my heart went cold. Our wedding was in three months. But he was already tangled up with another woman. Not just that—he was handing me off to another man himself. Just as I was about to break up with him, a new message popped up under the post: [“I’ll pay ten million. Give her to me.”] 1 My fingers froze, and I clicked into the user’s profile. He had sharp, deep-set features that looked familiar, but I couldn’t place him right away. Meanwhile, Lucas was packing his bags, casually telling me, “Ava, I need to accompany Isabella to Europe for three months. She’s been down lately. I don’t like you being alone, so I’ve hired a reliable caretaker for you. This ten million can be your allowance.” I closed my phone and stared at his face. I’d met Lucas at work, and our wedding was set for three months later. Isabella was supposedly his first love from his startup days, sharing a tiny apartment and instant noodles. But after Lucas made it big, his family forced them apart, saying he had to marry someone from a similar background. That’s when he turned to me. Back then, I’d had a crush on him for ages, so when he pursued me, I thought it was fate. Turns out, I was just a tool for him to secure his status—a marriage of convenience. His true love was someone else. Snapping out of my thoughts, Lucas’s phone buzzed. [Your account has received: $10,000,000.00.] He paused, then immediately checked the details. I saw his face darken. “Alexander?” he spat out, almost gritting his teeth. “How could it be him?” Alexander, the rising star in the city’s elite business circles, known for his ruthless, unpredictable moves. Also Lucas’s biggest rival in business. Lucas’s expression was grim, but he forced a smile. “You know Alexander. He’s from a good family. I trust him to take care of you.” I found it laughable. He wasn’t trusting—money talks. With enough cash, he’d ditch anyone, no matter how long they’d been together. I nodded softly. “Okay.” Lucas was taken aback; he probably didn’t expect me to be so compliant. But once I saw his true colors, this man didn’t deserve a spot in my heart anymore. Lucas gave me a complicated look, then answered a call. His voice turned unusually gentle. “Isabella, I’m almost at the airport. Don’t worry.” He walked out without looking back. I sat in the dark room for three hours straight. Then I threw all our photos from over the years into the trash. Along with the matching necklaces, bracelets, and rings he’d given me. I listed them all online for $9.99 each. After that, I got a message from Alexander. He said he was downstairs to pick me up. My heart skipped a beat as I slowly dragged my suitcase down. A black Bentley pulled up to the curb. A man in a black coat stepped out, long legs striding forward. The night blurred his stunning face, adding to his intimidating aura. When he saw me, he gave a slight smile. “Hello, Ms. Ava.” “I’m Alexander, here to collect you as your ’employer’.” 2 He naturally took my luggage and put it in the trunk. We didn’t exchange any extra words. “Are you upset?” Alexander asked suddenly. I knew he meant about Lucas. I said softly, “Someone who’d abandon their loved one for money isn’t worth my tears.” I just hated that I hadn’t seen his true self sooner. Alexander’s lips quirked slightly. “Where do you want to go?” he asked. “Anywhere.” “Then to my place.” I didn’t object. Alexander’s home was a penthouse in the city’s top riverside area, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city lights. “These are for you. Let me know if you need anything else.” I was stunned by the empty room and brand-new seasonal items. “Mr. Alexander, you…” “Just Alexander.” He then prepared a rose bath for me, with fruits and desserts. Finally, I slept on a soft velvet bed, dreamless all night. It had been so long since I’d slept that well. The next morning, I woke up to Isabella’s social media post. A photo of her and Lucas kissing under the Eiffel Tower, caption: “Defying odds for true love. Thanks, darling, for the most romantic honeymoon.” In the photo, Lucas was beaming—a side I’d never seen. I remembered how many times I’d asked to take photos under the Eiffel Tower. He always said he was too busy with work, never agreeing. But with Isabella by his side, Lucas made it happen instantly. Alexander came up behind me, handing me a glass of water. His brow furrowed slightly. “If it hurts, don’t look.” I took the glass, my fingers trembling a little. “I’m fine.” “Really?” He chuckled. “Good. There’s an auction tomorrow with the Heart of the Ocean you love.” “I’ll win it for you, and you’re not allowed to be sad anymore.” I felt embarrassed and was about to refuse. But then it hit me—how did this man know my preferences? Alexander added, “In return, you’ll accompany me as my plus-one.” I’d never seen Alexander bring a date to public events before, even when I attended with Lucas. People said he was cold, untouchable even by the city’s wild roses. Yet here he was, inviting me. I agreed readily. “Okay, I won’t embarrass you.” He looked surprised, but his lips curled up unconsciously. Over the years, I’d grown used to being the center of attention at events with Lucas. This time, it was just a different man by my side. The next evening, I walked into the venue on Alexander’s arm. Almost every eye turned to us. After all, everyone knew I was Lucas’s fiancée. “Is that Ava? Why is she with Alexander?” “I heard Lucas went abroad with his first love, Isabella, to Bali for a honeymoon!” “Yesterday it was France, today India—sounds like he’s taking her around the world! Isabella has no background at all; she’s lucky to be with Lucas!” “Does that mean he and Ava broke up? Lucas never took Ava anywhere publicly…” I listened to the whispers, my expression calm. But Alexander guided me to the front row and sat me down. He held my trembling shoulder, but I gently patted his hand. “It’s okay.” Midway through the auction, the host finally unveiled the centerpiece: the Heart of the Ocean necklace. Alexander raised his paddle, his voice steady. “Fifty million.” The room fell silent. The host was about to close the bid when he took a hurried call. Then he announced excitedly, “Lucas, calling from Europe, bids seventy million!” 3 All eyes landed on me. “What’s Lucas playing at? Splurging on an ex but not letting go of his fiancée?” “I heard Isabella loves the Heart of the Ocean too…” Alexander remained calm beside me. “Feeling pressured?” I shook my head. He raised his paddle again, speaking unhurriedly. “One hundred million.” The room gasped. Over the phone, Lucas’s voice was furious. “Who dares outbid me?!” The host replied respectfully, “It’s Alexander.” Silence for ten seconds. When Lucas spoke again, his voice was fierce. “One billion! If Isabella likes it, I’ll get it for her!” “Wow, a billion! Lucas has lost it for Isabella!” “One billion once! One billion twice!” Everyone stared at Alexander and me, but he didn’t flinch. The host slammed the gavel. “Sold for one billion! Congratulations, Lucas!” The crowd looked at me with pity. “Guess Alexander isn’t serious either—he gave up at a billion.” “Probably just playing around. I’ve never seen Alexander truly care for any woman.” “Poor Ava, dumped by Lucas, and now Alexander doesn’t value her.” I didn’t respond, following Alexander to the VIP room backstage. Then Isabella sent a flood of photos and voice messages. In the photos, she wore the Heart of the Ocean, hugging Lucas intimately on a luxury yacht. [Ava, see this? Lucas spent a billion on me!] [Not like some people, treated as toys, thinking they can climb high.] [But in the end, he wouldn’t even spend a billion on you. How pathetic.] I laughed at the fake on her neck. So Lucas had such poor taste—he couldn’t even tell real from fake. Alexander ordered his assistant to bring a red velvet box. The assistant knelt, opening it to reveal a gem shining brilliantly, blue like the ocean under stars. This was the real Heart of the Ocean. I took a close-up and sent it over. … The message went through, and Isabella’s texts stopped. Within a minute, Lucas called. “Ava! What do you mean by this?” “Where’d you get that fake? Trying to piss off Isabella?!” Before I could speak, Alexander took the phone, his tone leisurely. “Lucas, get your eyes checked. If you can’t tell real from fake, don’t embarrass yourself at auctions.” “Alexander?!” he sounded shocked. “Why are you two together?” “You agreed to it. Ten million, and Ava’s mine.” Alexander’s voice held mockery. “I didn’t—I didn’t say you could touch her! Ava’s my fiancée! Alexander, I warn you, if you lay a finger on her, I’ll ruin you in this city!” I found it ridiculous. He pushed me away, yet now he acted the devoted partner? “Lucas,” I took back the phone, coldly. “The moment you posted about me on eBay, I stopped being your fiancée.” I hung up before he could reply. I thought he’d give up, but I underestimated his obsession. Days later, scandals about me flooded the internet. [The Social-Climbing Ex: How Ava Used Dirty Tricks to Seduce Alexander!] [Insider Reveals: Ava and Lucas Were Already Split—She Cheated with Alexander Before the Wedding!] 4 The “details” were exaggerated, as if witnessed firsthand. No need to guess who was behind it. Lucas couldn’t have me, so he wanted to destroy me. Isabella posted on her socials: [Some people act like proper ladies but do shady things behind closed doors. Feel sorry for Lucas, betrayed by the two closest to him.] Fans and trolls swarmed my accounts, hurling insults. “Slut! Stealing someone else’s man!” “Scheming witch! Hope you and Alexander crash and burn!” I felt chills reading those vile comments. This was the man who claimed to love me for five years. For his so-called “true love,” he’d put me through hell. Alexander had his PR team suppress the热搜, but the rumors kept spreading. In the midst of the chaos, an unknown number called. “Sis… did you and Lucas have a fight?” It was my brother, Liam! “He said… if you don’t behave, he’ll make me ‘fall’ from the construction site…” My world shattered. Our parents were always busy, so Liam and I relied on each other. Lucas had promised to protect us. Now he was using my loved one against me. “Sis, don’t worry about me! Don’t come back!” Liam’s cries were cut off as the call ended. Then Lucas’s message popped up. [Ava, come back. Marry me, and I’ll clear your name. Liam will be safe.] [I promise, you’ll still be my wife.] [But don’t test me. And leave Isabella alone.] “Don’t agree!” Alexander gripped my hand, his eyes worried. Remembering Liam’s screams, I gently pushed him away. Then, slowly, I typed. [Okay, I’ll marry you.] [Christmas Eve, Hilton Hotel. The wedding is on.] After a long pause, Alexander’s voice trembled. “So, you’re going back to him?” I looked up at his pained, disappointed face. This man who appeared when I was at my lowest, spent fortunes on me, shielded me from storms. In less than a month, he’d etched himself into my soul. I pulled a velvet box from my bag, opening it to reveal a pair of wedding rings. “Alexander,” I took a deep breath. “Will you… do me one last favor?” … On the wedding day, I sat in the makeup room, calm in my expensive dress. Lucas wasn’t there—he was busy soothing Isabella’s latest tantrum. Isabella’s social media was active. [The hardest pain is loving someone you can’t have.] [They say class is an unbridgeable gap. We… couldn’t cross it.] [If society’s rules didn’t exist, could we be together?] Our mutual friends commented. “Isabella, don’t cry. We know Lucas loves you most.” “Yeah, if not for the family alliance, you’d be the bride!” I replied to Isabella’s latest post: [Fine, the dress and venue are ready. The bride’s spot is yours. Want it?] In two minutes, the door burst open. Lucas stormed in, followed by a tearful Isabella. “Ava, what’s your problem?!” he yelled. “You know how sensitive Isabella is! Why provoke her? Can’t you tolerate her?” I said flatly, “Then marry her. I approve.” Lucas faltered. “I…” He stumbled over his words, finally mumbling, “I know you love me. You’re the only one who can be my wife.” Isabella, in her bridesmaid dress, clung to his sleeve. Resentful but silent. Their act was laughable. Lucas wanted status and true love, but he’d lose both. I made an excuse to send them away. But as the wedding car neared the venue, I told the driver to turn toward another hotel. Where the real groom waited. … Meanwhile, at Lucas’s wedding, the bells rang. But the bride never showed. Lucas called me 99 times—no answer. Isabella sobbed in her bridesmaid dress beside him. He grew agitated. Guests whispered: “What’s Lucas doing? Marrying for alliance but tangled with Isabella?” “Shh, it’s his big day.” Time dragged on; guests arrived, but no bride. A bad feeling crept in. His assistant rushed in, panicked. “Sir, trouble! The Ritz-Carlton across the street—there’s another wedding today!” Lucas frowned. “So what?” “But… the bride is Ava! The groom is Alexander!”

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When I was three months pregnant, a video of Derek’s affair went viral. My parents were livid, and worse, consumed with guilt. After all, they were the ones who had pushed me into this marriage. “What are you going to do?” Mom asked, her face streaked with tears. “Will you… divorce him?” “No.” I clutched the ultrasound report until my knuckles turned white. My father’s business investments had collapsed this year, leaving us 30 million dollars in debt. So he cheated. So what? Why on earth would I divorce him? I was counting on that jerk to help pay off our debts! After that, I acted like nothing had happened. I went back to the house Derek and I shared. Even when Derek came home that night, I didn’t breathe a word about the video. I just handed him my pregnancy report, my face a mask of calm.. Derek studied my expression, his own devoid of any guilt or emotion. My arm had begun to ache from holding out the folder for so long before he finally took it. Then, as casually as if discussing the weather, he said, “Don’t worry. That girl was a little disobedient. I’ve already disciplined her.” A tremor ran through my hand. He hadn’t said he’d broken things off or cut ties. He’d said “disciplined,” with a mix of possessive indulgence and chilling indifference that turned my stomach. Disciplined her? How? Like in the video? With Derek, all beastial hunger, dragging her back, pinning her down as she giggled and writhed beneath him? “Getting brave, are we? Saying no to me now?” “You want to be disciplined, is that it?” Then, He flipped her over, his hand connecting with her skin in a sting that was part punishment, part perverse caress. A dull ache flared in my chest. Gagging, I shut down the memory hard. “I’m tired,” I said, my voice miraculously steady. “I’m going to my room. See Maria if you’re hungry.” I didn’t wait for a reply. I scrambled for the stairs, my sole focus on reaching the second floor. Derek didn’t stop me. He just let out a grunt from the couch. It wasn’t until my foot hit the first step that his voice cut through the silence again. “Willow, thank you.” My hand instantly clenched. Since I’d known Derek, he’d thanked me countless times. When we got married, he said, “Thank you for agreeing to be my wife.” When I got pregnant, he said, “Thank you for carrying our precious baby.” But I never imagined his “thank you” would, one day, be used for this. A suffocating pain seized my chest. I bit down hard on my lower lip, forcing out a calm, “You’re welcome.”

After that, for a long time, Derek and I settled into a tense peace. The video was never mentioned again. Derek would accompany me to my prenatal appointments. He showered me with gifts. He played the part of the doting husband to perfection, as if he were still the man who’d loved me madly. But I knew, with a cold, sinking certainty, that everything had shifted. It was there last night, when he suddenly caged me beneath him, his voice a low murmur against my skin. “The doctor said it’s safe… at four months.” Then his kisses came, thick and relentless. I used to crave them. Now, all I could smell was the lingering, sickening scent of another woman on his skin. My stomach, which had finally settled, twisted violently. I was so overwhelmed that I shoved him away, stumbling out of bed and rushing to the bathroom. The violent sound of my retching echoed through the room. Derek, who had followed me in, watched with a slight frown. “The doctor said morning sickness stops after three months. Why are you still throwing up?” My stomach was cramping, so I didn’t answer him. Derek instantly grew agitated. He paced impatiently in the bathroom, then grabbed his suit, his watch, barely bothering with his tie. He glanced at me, still retching, and muttered, “Got a contract to sign. Heading to the office.” Then, without a single word of comfort, or even asking if I was okay, he walked out. Watching his retreating back, listening to the toilet flush, tears welled up and streamed down my face. So, yes, something had definitely changed. The old Derek would have been half-dead with worry if I even shed a single tear. But now? His greatest act of affection was perhaps maintaining a sliver of decency, telling me he had a “contract to sign” before openly going to meet that other girl.

Derek still didn’t come home that night. And I, still alone, cried until dawn. This was my new normal since discovering his infidelity. I couldn’t sleep when he was home. I couldn’t sleep when he wasn’t. It wasn’t until the next morning, when I saw a spot of red on my underwear, that I snapped awake, crying hysterically as I rushed to the hospital. On the way, I called Derek several times. He didn’t pick up. This was his new habit, ever since I’d ‘tolerated’ his cheating. He’d reply to my SnapChat whenever he felt like it, or not at all. It was nothing like before, when I could send him a single emoji and he’d flood me with a dozen messages. He’d ask if I’d eaten, what my plans were for the day. My chest tightened again, filled with a familiar pang of bitterness and pain from the memories. I quickly pushed the thoughts away. I couldn’t afford to get upset. The doctor at my last prenatal check-up had warned me that my emotional stress was putting the baby at risk of miscarriage. I couldn’t lose this baby. This child was our only link now, Derek’s and mine. My family was counting on this baby to keep the money flowing from Derek. And I? I was counting on this child to give me some small comfort in this desperate marriage. But thinking of the baby only brought another wave of sadness. When I first found out I was pregnant, Derek had been ecstatic, and so was I. We were so excited for this baby to be born. How, in just five short months, had it become merely a tool to connect Derek and me? A searing pain erupted in my chest, and the tears I’d been holding back finally broke free. Especially when I arrived at my OB’s office and saw Derek gently assisting a girl at the blood draw station. A crushing wave of despair washed over me. In the hospital lobby, Derek tenderly stroked the girl’s hair. “Come on, sweetie. Just let the nurse draw some blood so we can see if it’s the flu.” The girl pouted playfully up at him. “No, I hate needles.” Derek’s lips curved into a soft smile. “You’re such a child.” Then he pulled her into a tight hug and kissed her cheek several times. This was the first time I’d seen Derek interact with her. From the video that had been sent to my family group chat, I’d always pictured her as wild and provocative. But now, in person, she seemed so innocent, even a little pure. She reminded me of myself at eighteen. As I stared, frozen in disbelief, Derek spotted me. Without a trace of panic, he released the girl and walked towards me. “What are you doing here?” I swallowed hard, trying to push past the bitter lump in my throat. I was about to say I was spotting and came for a check-up. But the next second, Derek cut me off. “Are you stalking me?” The words I’d been about to say died in my throat. Derek’s angry words continued. “Willow, I thought we had an understanding, a truce, that we wouldn’t make a scene. We agreed to coexist peacefully.” “But I never thought you’d stoop to something so disgusting.” A suffocating pain seized my chest again. I couldn’t believe I looked so monstrous in Derek’s eyes now. Seeing us arguing, the girl Derek had been with walked over. She tugged on Derek’s arm, then looked at me with an apologetic expression. “Oh, Willow, I’m so sorry. Derek’s been under a lot of stress with work lately. His temper’s a bit frayed.” Then she turned back to Derek. “Derek, don’t be mad at Willow. She’s definitely not stalking you. This is a hospital; she must be here for something important.” With that, the girl walked over and linked her arm through mine. “Willow, are you not feeling well? Derek told me last night you’re still having morning sickness at five months.” “Are you here because something’s wrong with the baby? Did you make an appointment? I’ll have Derek go with you to see the doctor, okay?” Her arm linked with mine felt like a poisonous snake coiling. I wanted to endure it, to suppress the pain in my chest, to smile politely and tell her “no thanks,” to thank her. To calmly explain to Derek that I was just here because of some spotting, a potential miscarriage. But it had been two months since I discovered Derek’s infidelity. I had suppressed too much, restrained too much. The pain had long since exceeded what I could bear. So, when she provoked me so brazenly, and Derek didn’t say a single word in my defense, I finally broke. I angrily yanked my arm away and took two steps back. “Why are you touching me? Are you trying to infect me with your flu? Don’t you know I’m pregnant? I can’t be around sickness!” I don’t know how it happened, but I barely used any force, yet the girl suddenly stumbled and fell to the ground. Seeing her fall, Derek instantly exploded. “Willow, what the hell are you doing? Why did you push Skylar?!” With that, Derek rushed over, roughly pushing me aside, and helped the girl up. Being shoved by Derek didn’t hurt physically, but it was suffocating. I tried to hold back again, but I couldn’t. “Derek, don’t forget I’m your wife! You’re openly cuddling with another woman in public! You don’t give me any respect, so why should I give you any?!” As I said this, my fingers, clutching my purse, trembled slightly. The girl standing beside Derek suddenly burst into tears. “I’m so sorry, Willow! I… I really didn’t mean to! I was just worried about you, that’s why I came over and held your arm!” “Please, I’m begging you, don’t argue with Derek! It’s my fault! Please, don’t be angry!” Then, the girl suddenly pushed Derek away. “Derek, you stay here with Willow. I… I’m leaving.” With that, she scurried out of the hospital. Derek’s face instantly turned ashen. He glared at me with pure hatred. “Willow, you are being absolutely ridiculous!” Then, he didn’t spare me another glance, and rushed after the girl. Watching his retreating back, tears streamed down my face. Ridiculous? So, he cheats, and if I dare to question it, I’m deemed ridiculous? My chest throbbed with a numb ache. Just then, the nurse called, asking why I hadn’t arrived for my appointment. I wiped my tears and walked towards the examination room. Thankfully, the results were good. The spotting was still due to a threatened miscarriage, but I only needed medication and bed rest at home; no hospitalization was required. As I left, the doctor reminded me to absolutely, absolutely avoid emotional agitation. If I kept stressing myself out, there was a high chance I could lose the baby. A dense, throbbing pain flared in my chest. Leaving the hospital, I hardened my resolve once more. I was done. Truly, truly done letting Derek yank my strings. My baby was all that mattered. But then, my father called that night. His voice, frayed with age, was thick with exhaustion. “Willow, honey… Could you ask Derek something? Ask him why he’s decided to stop covering the company’s interest payments next month.” I calmly told Dad I’d ask him that night. But the moment I hung up, I couldn’t hold back the sobs. I hadn’t realized Skylar, that girl, was that important. Important enough that merely a few harsh words from me that afternoon, and Derek was cutting off my father’s funds to manipulate me. A wave of disgust washed over me. But it was nothing compared to the crushing despair that followed. Despair for this broken, rotting marriage I was trapped in.

Two hours of tears led to one inevitable call. I asked Derek about the money for my dad. His answer was swift and cutting. “I’m a little short myself. Tell your dad to find a loan. Maybe I’ll pay next month.” My grip on the phone tightened. I swallowed hard, steadying my voice. “What will it take?” The line clicked onto speaker. “Apologize to Skylar. Now. I’m buying her a car tonight to make her happy. Make her happy for me, and I’ll have the cash for your dad.” Rage, pure and blinding, surged through me. I wanted to shriek at the humiliation. But then a sharp, twisting cramp seized my lower stomach, a visceral reminder that steadied me. Even though it hurt, really, really hurt, I still trembled as I spoke into the phone to the girl on the other end. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pushed you this afternoon. I shouldn’t have yelled at you this afternoon. I was wrong.” As I spoke, I gripped the phone so tightly, even biting my lip until it bled, just to keep my voice even. The moment my words faded, the girl’s sweet voice came through the phone. “Willow, don’t say that. You don’t need to apologize. I just lost my footing this afternoon.” “It’s all Derek’s fault. I was sick with the flu and felt bad, so I didn’t want to talk to him. But he thought I was angry and insisted you apologize to me.” “I’m not angry at all. I’m already so happy you’re willing to share Derek with me. Really, I’m not mad. Aren’t you pregnant? You should take care of yourself first.” Listening to the girl’s voice, tears streamed down my face. I dug my nails so hard into my flesh that it was the only thing stopping me from sobbing out loud. And the moment the girl finished, Derek took the phone back. Then, casually and lazily, he said to me, “Willow, see? Skylar is so compliant. In the future, you should learn from her. Don’t be so arrogant and look down on everyone all the time. I’ll have the finance department transfer your dad’s funds later tonight.” With that, Derek hung up. And listening to the dial tone, I finally couldn’t hold back the torment in my heart and burst into tears. Especially when, through my tear-filled eyes, I saw the high school graduation photo of Derek and me displayed in the room. The pain surging in my chest instantly felt like a thousand sharp blades piercing my heart. Derek and I were high school classmates. But, unfortunately, he was a scholarship student, and I came from money. Because our circles were different, our social lives different, even after being classmates for three years, I’d probably exchanged no more than ten sentences with him. And back then, I had a boyfriend. After high school, I went abroad, and my boyfriend and I broke up amicably due to the long distance. Then, I returned to the country. It was at my dad’s company that I ran into Derek. He was a vendor coming to discuss a partnership. Seeing me, Derek immediately called out my name. It took me a long time to remember who he was. But after that, Derek began to pursue me relentlessly. My dad was happy about it, saying Derek was self-made and capable, someone destined for great things. And I, too, felt a certain fondness for Derek. He was gentle and polite, witty and humorous, a top student from a renowned university, and he had even started his own company. Derek and I were together for two years when he told me he’d loved me for ten. I was swept away by the romance of it. So when he proposed a year later, I didn’t hesitate. Back then, I thought I was the luckiest woman alive to have found my perfect match. Then came our wedding night. Derek, drunk, slurred the words that shattered my reality. “Willow… why aren’t you like you were at eighteen?” In that moment, a cold dread seized me. But he never slipped again, treating me with the same devotion as before. I convinced myself I’d imagined it. It wasn’t until Derek’s cheating video surfaced, until I met that girl today. The clothes she wore were my favorite brand from eighteen. The mole by her eye was a near-perfect copy of mine. And in that moment, I understood everything. Derek never loved the woman I had become. He always loved the eighteen-year-old girl he could never have back then. My heart ached with suffocation, and that night, I developed a high fever. Maria tried to persuade me to go to the hospital several times, but I refused. I didn’t know who I was trying to spite, but all I knew was that there was a huge, empty space in my chest. It wasn’t until the middle of the night, when blood started gushing from my lower body, staining my pajamas and the sheets beneath me, that I panicked with terror. I started screaming hysterically for Maria. I started hysterically calling Derek. But Derek, like always, didn’t pick up. The blood kept coming. Then the contractions seized me-hard and wrong. That’s when the hysteria won. Sobbing, I managed to grab my phone and call my parents. I don’t know what I said on the phone. The only thought my mind could hold was that I was dying. And my baby was dying too. Everything after that was a fractured nightmare. The ambulance. My mom and dad, each gripping a hand, their voices trembling. “Willow, stay awake.” “Honey, please, don’t close your eyes.” I felt my lips move, but no sound came out. The next thing I knew, I was under the harsh lights of the ER. And there he was. Derek’s hair was wild, his shirt misbuttoned, collar askew. He was a storm of fury and panic, shoving towards the operating room doors. “Willow, don’t die! Please don’t die!” The words had barely left his mouth before my dad’s fist connected with his face. After that, everything went black. When I finally swam back to consciousness and my eyes fluttered open, my mother gasped. She rushed to my bedside, her face crumpling as she clutched my hand. “Willow, I promise you, you can divorce him. We’ll do it. Your father has a plan. We’ll sell the house, the cars. I don’t care if we have to live on the street, you are divorcing that man.” A wave of relief washed through me, so profound it could only escape as silent tears. “Okay.”

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“Principal, her private life is a mess! She just had an abortion! You should revoke her eligibility to speak!” It was the university’s Freshman Welcome Ceremony. I was supposed to give a speech as an outstanding student, but my mom, Veronica, snatched the microphone right out of my hand. Instantly, I became the laughingstock of the entire university. My boyfriend slapped me hard and broke up with me. Classmates scrawled “slut” all over my clothes. In despair, I jumped from the rooftop. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day before the Freshman Welcome Ceremony. I secretly swapped Veronica’s birth control pills for vitamin tablets. This time, I’d make sure she got a taste of public humiliation and ruin herself. Dinner table, the atmosphere was heavy. Veronica cut a piece of steak and placed it on my plate. “Eat more. The Freshman Welcome Ceremony is tomorrow. You need to be well-rested.” I silently pushed the steak to the side. “I don’t like it.” Veronica’s face darkened. “You’re going to be speaking on stage as the freshman representative in a few days. You *have* to be healthy, right?” Tiffany chimed in. “Anya, Veronica is just looking out for you.” “It’s such an honor to speak as the freshman representative.” Seeing my silence, Veronica’s voice shot up, practically a screech. “I’m talking to you! Are you deaf?” “Have you memorized your speech for tomorrow? Don’t you dare embarrass yourself on stage!” My dad, Robert, couldn’t stand it. He frowned. “Enough, let her eat in peace.” Veronica immediately turned her矛头 on Robert. “What do you know! I’m motivating her!” “She’s the focus of the entire university right now; she can’t afford to make a single mistake!” “Anya, I heard your university has an exchange student spot this year, chosen from the freshmen. The requirements are super high.” Tiffany brought it up, seemingly casually. Veronica, predictably, spoke up. “An exchange student? Which country?” “I think it’s the US. The tuition and living expenses for a year are hundreds of thousands of dollars, all covered by the university.” As soon as she heard “hundreds of thousands,” Veronica’s eyes lit up. A flicker of greed and calculation passed through them. Brenda gasped too. “Something that good? Then my daughter absolutely has to go!” “Her grades are so good, and she’s the freshman representative; there’s no way she won’t get it!” A hint of triumph crossed Veronica’s face, but then she frowned again. “Her? Look at her frail appearance; a strong gust of wind could probably knock her over.” “If she goes abroad, with no one to take care of her, what if she gets sick?” Tiffany immediately jumped in. “That’s right, Anya’s health isn’t great; she’s always had a delicate constitution since childhood.” “The competition for this spot is probably brutal, and Anya’s body might not be able to handle it.” I watched their coordinated act, a cold sneer forming in my heart. In my previous life, I burned the midnight oil for countless nights to get that exchange student spot. But because Veronica caused a huge scene at the university, I completely lost my eligibility. In the end, Tiffany actually got the replacement slot. This time, I wouldn’t let them succeed. “Mom, I don’t want to fight for that spot.” “It’s too much work. I just want to enjoy university.” Veronica froze. Brenda and Tiffany exchanged surprised glances. Veronica looked at me suspiciously. “Are you serious? You’re giving up such a good opportunity?” “Are you trying to pull some trick on me again?” “No, I just feel like my body truly isn’t up to it.” I deliberately showed weakness, shifting the focus to Tiffany. Watching the mother and daughter arrogantly scheming, a cold laugh echoed in my mind. This was just the first step. Let them fight over it themselves. The harder they fought, the harder they’d fall. Tiffany hurriedly waved her hands. “Anya, I didn’t mean that…” Veronica, however, cut her off, her eyes gleaming with cunning. “Since Anya isn’t going, we can’t let this opportunity go to waste.” “Tomorrow, we’ll go talk to Anya’s professor.” Brenda’s eyes lit up. “Will that work?” “Why wouldn’t it?” Veronica smiled. “She can go tell the professor that she’s not feeling well and wants to voluntarily give the opportunity to her cousin.” “The professor will see how thoughtful she is and will surely agree.” A flush crept up Tiffany’s cheeks, and she excitedly clenched her fists. Robert listened from the side, his brow furrowed. “What kind of nonsense is this? This is absurd!” Veronica glared at him. “You shut up! It’s not your place to speak in this house!” She looked at me, her voice commanding. “After your speech tomorrow, you’ll take us to your professor.” I nodded. “Got it, Mom.” Late that night, Veronica brought a glass of milk into my room. “Drink this milk. Don’t be nervous tomorrow.” It was exactly the same as in my previous life. Last time, after I drank the milk, I felt groggy every day. Veronica then had even more reason to claim I was frail. I took the glass and dutifully drank it all. “Thanks, Mom.” Veronica looked at me with satisfaction. After she left the room, I immediately went to the bathroom and vomited all the milk. Then, I walked into her bedroom. From the nightstand, I took out the bottle of birth control pills she always took. Skillfully, I removed the pills and replaced them with the vitamins I had prepared long ago. Mom, didn’t you always say I was your pride? This time, I’ll let you personally experience what it feels like to fall from grace to rock bottom.

On Freshman Welcome Ceremony day, the auditorium was packed. I took a deep breath, my heart filled with a profound stillness. It was my turn. I could clearly see Veronica, Brenda, and Tiffany sitting in the first row. Their gazes were like three sharp daggers, fixed firmly on me. “Distinguished faculty, staff, and my fellow students…” I began, my voice clear and steady. There was none of the nervousness or trembling from my previous life. A polite ripple of applause swept through the hall. My speech was about to end. Following the protocol, I bowed in thanks to all the faculty and students. The moment I straightened up, a figure suddenly darted from the audience. It was Veronica! She snatched the microphone from my hand so quickly that no one had time to react. The entire hall fell silent. All eyes focused on the stage, on Veronica. Unlike last time, I didn’t feel a chilling dread. Instead, my heart was pounding wildly. Not from fear, but from… excitement. The show, finally, was beginning. She held the microphone, her voice shrill and tearful. “Principal! Professors!” “Please, I beg you, revoke my daughter’s speaking eligibility!” Her words exploded like a bombshell in the auditorium. A wave of commotion erupted below the stage. I stood my ground, watching her performance with detached interest. “She doesn’t deserve it! She doesn’t deserve to stand here!” “She’s not at all what you see!” She cried frantically. “Her private life is a mess! She got herself pregnant at such a young age!” “To come to university, she just had an abortion a few days ago!” “Her body is still so weak; the doctor said she needs bed rest. I’m afraid she’ll collapse on stage if she stands for too long!” The entire hall fell into a deathly silence. Everyone’s gaze shifted from Veronica to me. I saw the Principal’s face turn ashen. The professors began to murmur amongst themselves, exchanging speculative glances. “No wonder she looks a bit pale; she just had surgery…” “I can’t believe it; such a good student, but her private life is so messy.” Tiffany, meanwhile, rushed to my side, her face full of feigned concern. “Anya, are you okay? You look so unwell.” “Quick, let’s go sit down and rest.” Her voice wasn’t loud, but it seemed to confirm Veronica’s words that I truly was frail. I shoved her hand away. I looked at the woman still performing on stage. My biological mother. She was still wailing. “I’m doing all this for her own good! How could a mother harm her own daughter?” “She’s just too strong-willed, but health is paramount!” “I was afraid she’d exhaust herself and wouldn’t be able to have children later, so I resorted to such a desperate measure!” What magnificent maternal love. To protect her daughter’s health, she didn’t hesitate to ruin her reputation in front of thousands of people. A dry, humorless laugh escaped my lips. Veronica turned, looking at me in shock. “What are you laughing at?” Step by step, I walked towards her. I took the microphone back from her hand. “Mom.” My voice wasn’t loud, but through the microphone, it clearly resonated throughout the entire auditorium. “Are you done?”

Veronica was stunned by my reaction. She stared blankly at me, unable to speak. I ignored her and turned to the university leadership. I bowed deeply. “I apologize, Principal, professors.” “I apologize for disrupting the Freshman Welcome Ceremony due to my personal matters.” My tone was calm. The Principal’s expression softened slightly. “Student, you…” I cut him off. “Regarding what my mother just said, I’d like to clarify a few things.” I turned, facing all the faculty and students. “First, I am not pregnant, nor have I had any surgery.” “Second, my private life is perfectly clean.” After speaking, I looked at Veronica. “Mom, you wanted to use this method to make the university believe I have an unsuitable character, thereby revoking my eligibility.” “And then, have my equally excellent and healthy cousin, Tiffany, take my place.” “Is that right?” The moment my words fell, Tiffany’s face drained of all color. Brenda also panicked, hastily waving her hands. “What are you babbling about, child! We didn’t!” Veronica’s face was a mask of fury. She hadn’t expected me to expose her in front of everyone. She trembled with rage, pointing at me. “You… you ungrateful wretch!” “I worked so hard to raise you, and this is how you slander me?” She started crying again, her acting utterly convincing. “How could I have given birth to such a monster!” “Every word I said is true! Do you dare go to the hospital for a check-up!” She was cornering me. Forcing me to prove my innocence against the filth she’d slung at me. In my previous life, that’s exactly how she pushed me to the brink of suicide. The university, to quell public opinion, advised me to withdraw. And she, only when I was driven to despair, offered a reluctant apology. “I only had good intentions. How was I to know they’d actually believe it?” I raised the microphone and spoke to everyone in the audience. “I can go to the hospital for a check-up to prove my innocence.” “However, before that, I’d like to ask everyone to watch a video.” Saying this, I took out my phone and connected it to the auditorium’s big screen. The screen showed Veronica, Brenda, and Tiffany, sitting on a sofa. “…It’s settled then! Tomorrow, Brenda, Tiffany and I will go to the university together!” “Once I say that, her spot will definitely be gone, hmph.” The auditorium fell into a deathly silence once more. Everyone watched the screen in astonishment. Veronica looked as if she’d been struck by lightning, frozen stiff. She pointed at me, utterly speechless. “You… you…” Tiffany had already crumpled to the floor, terrified. Brenda shrieked directly. “You recorded us! You actually secretly recorded us!” I turned off the video and put away my phone. “I just have a habit of documenting things.” I looked at Veronica. “Mom, now, do you still want me to go to the hospital for a check-up?” “Or, perhaps we should call the police first and let them determine whether such public defamation and false accusations constitute slander?” Veronica’s body almost swayed. All her pretense had been publicly torn to shreds by me. Whispers erupted from the audience. “Oh my god, is that her real mom?” “To get her niece the spot, she’d ruin her own daughter?” “That cousin isn’t any good either, too cunning.” I looked at Veronica’s face, feeling not a trace of satisfaction. Just then, several university security guards rushed onto the stage. “Madam, please leave immediately!” Veronica, being escorted out by the security guards, was still shouting at me. “I’m your mother! You can’t do this to me!” “You’ll regret this! You’ll definitely regret this!” Brenda and Tiffany were also led away from the scene. The farce finally concluded. I held my speech manuscript and walked off the stage. The moment I stepped out of the auditorium, someone blocked my path.

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My husband’s first love got drunk and was taken away by five strange men for an entire night. To protect her, he started a vicious rumor, claiming I was the one with those men that night. Overnight, I became the target of everyone’s scorn. My unborn baby was called a bastard. I confronted my husband Callum, raw and hysterical. He didn’t even have the decency to care. “Luna isn’t married yet. If this gets out, she’ll be shamed.” I stared coldly at the man I’d loved for six years. The truth washed over me. He had never loved me. “What about me!” I stood before Callum, my eyes blazing red. He was cradling Luna Hayes, his voice soft and comforting. His gaze was tender, full of a devotion I never saw when he looked at me. Luna, in her white dress, shrank against him like a frightened bird. Callum finally turned. His eyes darted away, guilty. I raised my hand and slapped him hard across the face. The moment I struck him, Luna threw her arms out to shield him. “How dare you hit Callum? He was just trying to help me! Do you have to be so petty?” Callum looked uncomfortable. He pushed Luna’s arms away and carefully pulled me into his embrace. “Don’t cry, Rayna. Luna is still unmarried. If that night gets out, her reputation will be ruined.” My heart froze. “And what about MY reputation?” “Do you even know what they’re calling me? A slut! Our child, a bastard!” Guilt flickered in Callum’s eyes, but he remained silent. Luna swayed dramatically. “This is all my fault. Rayna, I’ll go explain-” Callum immediately pulled her into an embrace. “Rayna,” he said hoarsely, “if I ignore the rumors, they can’t hurt you.” “But Luna… she’s innocent. She just made one drunken mistake. This would destroy her.” “What about our baby?” My voice broke. “Can you really condemn him to that shame?” “Callum,” Luna whispered, tears glistening just so, “I can’t let your child bear this shame. We must tell the truth. It’s my mistake to own.” Pain flashed in Callum’s eyes. “In three, four years… when he’s older, everyone will have forgotten.” Tears fell as I swallowed the sharp pain in my chest. “Is she worth this? Worth destroying your wife and child?” “What the hell am I to you?” Callum held me tightly. “I’m sorry, Rayna,” he rasped. “But Luna saved my life once. I can’t just abandon her now!” I beat my fists against his chest, thrashing in his grasp. His debt became my price to pay? Callum seemed impervious to the blows, holding me fast. “I won’t let you suffer for long,” he vowed. “Once Luna is safely married…” “I’ll tell everyone the truth. I’ll clear your name.” I stared at his determined expression. All the churning agony inside me suddenly cooled, hardening into a single, cold resolution. This baby… I couldn’t keep it.

Callum forced me to go home. Luna followed behind us. The moment I stepped into the living room, I noticed the changes. The sofa was dressed in new, pale pink covers. My plants were gone. A pair of feminine slippers sat neatly by the shoe cabinet. “After the incident,” Callum explained carefully, “Luna developed a trauma about hotels. I’m just letting her stay here temporarily.” “Once I find her a suitable place, she’ll move out.” I tugged my lips into something resembling a smile and said nothing, my face a carefully blank mask. My calmness seemed to frustrate him. At dinner, I watched numbly as he tried to win me over by serving me food. That night, I lay staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep. Before long, the mattress dipped beside me. Callum wrapped his arms around me, his embrace an apology. I wanted no part of it. I pushed his hands away. His eyes reddened. “Rayna,” he pleaded, his voice humble, “please don’t push me away like this.” A clap of thunder shook the house. Beneath its roar, his plea sounded especially small. I looked at his red-rimmed eyes, my heart aching. Just as I was about to speak, frantic knocking interrupted us. “Help! Callum, save me!” His expression shifted instantly. He released me and rushed to open the door. Luna collapsed weakly into his arms, her face pale with terror. “I keep reliving that night,” she whispered. “Stay with me. I’m so scared.” “Okay. I’ll stay with you.” His hand gently patted her back. He glanced at me, apology written across his face. “Rayna, that night… it was storming like this. The thunder triggers her trauma. I have to stay with her tonight.” Before I could respond, he turned and carried her away. I slowly sank back onto the bed, closing my eyes against the hurt welling up inside. Callum, I’m scared of thunder too! You promised you’d stay with me through every storm. But for Luna, you forgot. I slowly stroked my belly. The tears I’d been holding back finally slid down my cheeks. I’m sorry, baby. I was so excited for you to be born. But your father changed his heart. He doesn’t deserve to be your dad. I hope you’ll be reborn into a happy family. The next morning, Callum served breakfast to both Luna and me before leaving for work. Not long after he left, his mother showed up at the house. The moment she walked in, she slapped me across the face. I was caught off guard. My cheek burned and swelled. Mrs. Reid stared at me coldly. Her eyes were full of disgust. “I thought you were just petty and small-minded. I didn’t know you were out sleeping around!” “A daughter-in-law like you-the Reid family can’t afford to keep you. You’ll divorce Callum tomorrow!” “And that bastard in your belly must be aborted! Even if you give birth, the Reid family will never acknowledge it!” I swallowed the metallic taste in my mouth. I looked at Mrs. Reid calmly. “Perfect. I don’t want to have Callum’s baby anyway.” “I’ll go to the hospital right now and get rid of it!” “Rayna, what are you talking about!” “I won’t divorce you! And you’re not allowed to abort the baby!” Callum rushed back, drenched in sweat. His face changed completely when he heard my words. “She’s pregnant with God knows whose bastard!” “What spell has she cast on you? Why can’t you leave this slut!” Mrs. Reid scolded him furiously. Callum held me close. Seeing I wasn’t seriously hurt, he slowly relaxed. Faced with his mother’s questioning, his eyes showed inner struggle. His mouth opened and closed several times. I watched him look so conflicted. A faint hope rose in my heart. Even if he just told the truth now, it would be something! “I love Rayna to my bones. So I don’t care about this.” “The baby in her belly-I’ll raise it as my own.” Hearing his words, I stood there stunned. The blood in my veins nearly stopped flowing. My heart felt like it had a huge hole torn through it, desolate and empty. For Luna’s sake, my husband personally nailed me to the pillar of shame. In that moment, I gave up completely. I felt no more love for the man beside me.

“Not only does your mom not want this baby. I don’t want it either.” After Mrs. Reid left in anger, I coldly pushed away Callum’s arms. “Rayna, do you hate me that much? You won’t even keep the product of our love?” “Yes. I hate you. You don’t deserve for me to have your baby!” I stared into his eyes. Each word came out deliberate and clear. Seeing my unwavering resolve, fury flashed in Callum’s eyes. His voice turned to ice. “You WILL have this baby! You’ll stay in this villa for now!” With those words, he stormed out. He couldn’t bear to see the pure hatred burning in my gaze. From that day on, I was his prisoner. He took away my phone. He sent people to guard me in the villa. I didn’t understand why he wouldn’t let me go. He clearly didn’t love me anymore. After living in the villa for a few days, Luna’s mother barged in with her entourage. The moment she entered, she mocked me. “Carrying a bastard in your belly. I don’t know how you still have the nerve to occupy the position of Mrs. Reid.” “My Luna is already pregnant with Callum’s baby. If you’re smart, you’ll leave on your own. Save everyone the embarrassment!” Luna was pregnant? I looked at Luna. Her eyes flickered and she hurried upstairs. Mrs. Hayes started ordering the servants around the moment she walked in. “My daughter is carrying Mr. Reid’s son. How can she stay in a guest room?” “Hurry up and throw out all of Rayna’s things. Let my daughter move into the master bedroom!” The villa servants had already heard all the gossip from outside. Plus Callum hadn’t come by in days. They clearly despised me. They all tried to please Mrs. Hayes. They roughly threw out everything of mine from the master bedroom. “Stop it right now!” When I saw my mother’s jade bracelet-her final gift to me-shatter, I screamed in rage. I grabbed a baseball bat from the corner. Like a madwoman, I started swinging at everyone. Mrs. Hayes got hit with the bat several times. She hopped around cursing. In the chaos, Callum rushed back. “What are you all doing?” The servants who were about to attack me all froze. They looked at him anxiously. Eyes red, I walked to where the broken bracelet lay. Carefully, I picked up the pieces. “Rayna…” Callum also saw the shattered bracelet. He knew how important it was to me. “Callum, my daughter is pregnant with your child. When will you marry her?” “And this promiscuous bitch-hurry up and kick her out.” Mrs. Hayes thought Callum was on her side. She kept pointing at me accusingly. “Shut up!” “I will NEVER divorce Rayna. I won’t marry Luna!” Callum’s eyes turned red with anger. Mrs. Hayes wanted to argue with Callum, but the security guards threw her out. “I’ll find the most professional person to repair the bracelet. Don’t cry!” Callum looked at me carefully. “Even if it’s repaired, it can never go back to what it was.” I looked down at the broken bracelet. My tone was loaded with meaning. “It will!” Callum held me tightly, murmuring. “In a few days, I’ll take Luna abroad for an abortion.” “After this is all over, we’ll definitely be as good as we were before!”

Over the next few days, he stayed at the villa with both Luna and me. He took care of us two pregnant women meticulously. Luna’s pregnancy symptoms were severe. Callum stayed by her side almost constantly, like a devoted husband. After being locked in the villa for over a month, I gradually softened my attitude toward Callum so I could get out and abort the baby as soon as possible. “You don’t need to keep me locked up anymore. I’ve thought it through.” “The baby is innocent. No matter what, I’ll have this child!” “Really?” Joy bloomed in Callum’s eyes. “I’ve never lied to you,” I said tonelessly. “I’m not starting now.” Callum pulled me into a crushing embrace. “In a couple days, I’ll take Luna abroad for the surgery.” “Once she’s recovered, I’ll come back. Then we’ll live a good life together!” I made a soft sound of agreement. My bowed head hiding the ice in my gaze. Two days later, Callum took Luna abroad. I sat quietly in the villa, waiting. I knew Mrs. Reid would come. She would never allow me to have this child. That afternoon, she arrived with bodyguards. “Grab this woman! Take her to the hospital!” “No need.” I stood, meeting her gaze directly. “I’ll go myself. “YOU are the one forcing me to abort Callum’s baby!” Mrs. Reid looked at me with utter contempt, as if I were filth. “You dare call that bastard in your belly Callum’s child? You’re shameless!” “He may be fooled by you, but I’m not!” “This bastard must die!” I switched off my phone’s recording function, giving Mrs. Reid a meaningful look. “I hope you won’t regret this.”

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My mom is an “illness influencer.” The catch? I’m the one with cancer. Every day, she goes live, forcing me to swallow a cocktail of pills on camera and perform my suffering for an audience. By monetizing my fake symptoms, she’s made a fortune. Then a local man offered her ten thousand dollars. He claimed to have a miracle cure and insisted on administering it to me in person. My mom agreed. Mom ended the live stream, wiped away her crocodile tears, and her eyes lit up as she counted the day’s earnings. Meanwhile, I was dizzy, seeing stars, a cold sweat breaking out all over my body from the pain. She didn’t even glance my way. “Lily, my little cash cow, you were wonderful today!” she crooned, leaning in for a kiss. A wave of nausea twisted my stomach, and I flinched back instinctively. Her smile dropped. Her eyes turned sharp and cold. She seized my arm, her fingers digging into the tender flesh. “Why are you pulling away? If it weren’t for me, you’d be dead in a ditch! What’s the big deal about pretending to be sick? It’s not like it’s actually killing you.” My arm was a canvas of old yellowing bruises and fresh purple ones. It started with her just making me act weak and frail on camera for sympathy. But when she saw how slow the money trickled in, she got her hands on some pills. She claimed they would just make me look tired, that they were harmless. But I knew better. After taking the pills, my vision would darken, my ears would ring, and my heart would pound like crazy. I tried spitting them out a few times, in secret. When she caught me, she dragged me by my hair, shoved my face into the toilet bowl, and forced me to retrieve the dissolving pills. “Spit it out, will you? Go on, spit it out again! I spent my money on these damn pills, how dare you waste them!” After that, I never tried again. Yesterday’s live stream went differently. The pills hit me harder than ever. My body wouldn’t stop twitching, and I vomited my entire dinner across the bedsheets. Mom panicked for a second, then instantly burst into tears for the camera. “My baby is getting worse! It’s a complication! Please, everyone, we need your help!” That stream set a new record for donations. That night, for the first time in ages, she bought me a little cupcake. The sickly-sweet frosting made my throat seize up, threatening to make me vomit again. “Lily, Mommy wants to talk to you about something.”  Her voice was soft, unnaturally so. Every time she spoke in that tone, I knew something worse was coming. I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. “There’s a man, a local guy, who feels really bad for you. He wants to come over and see you, maybe bring you some food.” She watched my face closely. “He said his daughter had the same illness, and… she passed away. He wants to make up for his regrets through you.” A chill ran through me, and my teeth started to chatter. “No… Mom, I don’t want to see strangers.” She grabbed my hand, her grip terrifyingly strong. “Just for one visit! He said he’d give us ten thousand dollars just to see you! Ten thousand, Lily! We won’t have to stream for half a year!” Her eyes were bloodshot, like a demon’s. “But Mom, you said that last time… and the time before that…” My voice was barely a whisper. Last week, to film a “critical condition” video, she somehow got an oxygen mask and strapped it to my face, almost suffocating me for real. After it was over, she also said we could take a break. But the very next day, because there was a live stream challenge, she gave me double the pills. “This time it’s for real!” She impatiently flung my hand away, then forced herself to calm down and coaxed me. “Lily, just help Mommy this one last time. Once we get the money, Mommy will take you to the amusement park, and buy you the prettiest dresses, okay?” An amusement park. I’d only ever seen it in other kids’ photos. I watched as she pulled another strip of white pills from her pocket. “Here, take your medicine first. Later, your face will look worse, it’ll seem more realistic.”

I took the pills anyway. Because she said if I didn’t cooperate, she’d abandon me under a bridge and let the rats bite me. She said it, and she’d do it. The pills took effect quickly, and cold sweat soaked through my pajamas. Mom changed me into an old, faded outfit, even deliberately tearing a few small holes in it. She adjusted the lighting several times to make my face look even worse. The doorbell rang. My heart lurched, and I felt like I couldn’t breathe. Mom rushed to open the door, her voice instantly turning humble and sorrowful. “Mr. Jenkins? Please come in, my child’s not doing well today.” A tall shadow loomed over me. It was a man in a leather jacket, carrying a fruit basket. He reeked of stale cigarette smoke, making me want to throw up even more. He walked closer, looking down at me with a complex expression that sent shivers down my spine. “Poor thing, so young.” He sighed, his voice rough. He reached out, as if to touch my forehead. I squeezed my eyes shut, stiff with fear. Mom quickly stepped in. “Sir, she’s shy with strangers, and the doctor said to avoid too much contact, for fear of infection.” The man pulled his hand back, saying nothing. He sat on the sofa and started chatting with Mom. It sounded like Mom was complaining, talking about how expensive medical bills were, and how hard it was for her alone. I curled up in the corner of the sofa, trying to fight off waves of dizziness and nausea that grew stronger with each passing moment. Their voices sounded like they were coming from very far away. “So, Mr. Jenkins, given the situation…” Mom probed. The man was silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke. “My daughter was just like this before she passed.” Mom immediately started to sob. “The money, I can give it,” the man interrupted her crying. “But, I need to make sure this money is actually used for the child’s treatment.” “Of course! Of course!” Mom quickly assured him. The man stood up, walked over to me, and looked down at me from above. “Tell you what, why don’t you give the child a bit of this miracle cure I brought, right now, and I’ll observe the effect. If the child’s face brightens up a bit, I’ll transfer the money immediately.” Mom froze. “Now? Mr. Jenkins, the child just took her medicine and is sleeping, maybe we shouldn’t disturb her?” The man’s tone was uncompromising. “Just a little, I’ll watch you give it to her.” Mom hesitated. She was afraid that if I drank it, I might throw up on the spot, or show other symptoms, and expose everything. But the lure of ten thousand dollars was too great. She gritted her teeth and took a small glass bottle from the man. “Lily, come on, open up, have some good stuff.” She helped me sit up and brought the bottle to my mouth. The liquid gave off an indescribably strange smell. I clamped my mouth shut, shaking my head furiously. “The child isn’t cooperating, is she?” the man’s voice turned cold. Mom panicked, pinching my waist hard, and hissed. “Open your mouth!” The pain made me gasp, and my mouth sprang open. The viscous liquid immediately poured in. The taste was indescribably disgusting, and I instinctively wanted to spit it out. But Mom clamped her hand over my mouth, forcing me to swallow. A burning sensation spread from my throat all the way to my stomach, followed by violent cramping. I arched my back abruptly, retching uncontrollably, and my vision went black. “See! I told you it would work! The child is reacting!”

Mom tried to help me sit up, but I couldn’t control myself. I lunged forward suddenly and threw up with a loud retch. Blood splattered all over the floor and onto the man’s pants. “Lily! What’s wrong? Don’t scare Mommy!” She knelt over me, patting my back. But all I felt was the world spinning, then it went completely black. Before losing consciousness, the last thing I heard was my mom’s choked, yet incredibly practiced, shout into her phone. “Everyone! Something’s happened! My child is spitting blood! Please, help us, save my child!” When I woke up again, my throat felt like it was on fire, and I had no strength in my body. “Lily? Are you awake?” Mom’s face leaned close, her eyes swollen and red, as if she’d been crying for a long time. She grabbed my hand-the one not hooked up to an IV-and pressed it against her face, her voice softer than I’d ever heard it. “You scared Mommy so much, you really scared Mommy…It’s all Mommy’s fault, Mommy didn’t know that damn bastard’s medicine was poisoned!” As she spoke, real tears fell, hot against the back of my hand. “Mommy will never do that again, we won’t stream anymore. When you’re better, Mommy will take you away from here, we’ll go to the amusement park, and I’ll buy you lots of pretty dresses, okay?” She promised again and again, her voice so sincere that I almost believed her. I looked at her, unable to speak, just blinked softly. During these few days in the hospital, she had indeed reined herself in. She stopped mentioning live streaming, carefully fed me porridge, and slept curled up in the bedside chair at night. I thought the gates of hell had finally closed. Until that afternoon, she took a phone call. Her voice started low, then gradually rose. “You said you brought the wrong thing? Ten thousand? No way, my child just barely survived.” I kept my eyes closed, but my heart sank little by little. After she hung up, she sat by the bed for a long time, so long I thought she’d fallen asleep. Then, her cold hand grasped mine. “Lily.” “Mr. Jenkins, he just called. He said he made a mistake, that the last thing he gave us was for someone else. This time, it’s the real miracle cure.” I abruptly opened my eyes, staring at her in horror. She avoided my gaze, her voice even lower. “He said if you go to his house and try the medicine just once, he’ll give us thirty thousand dollars. Thirty thousand, Lily! That’s enough for us to leave here and start a new life!” I tried to pull my hand away with all my might, but she held me in an iron grip. “No! I won’t go, he’ll kill me…” My voice was hoarse, tinged with tears. “He won’t! This time he definitely won’t!” She promised urgently, but her eyes flickered. “He guaranteed it! And Mommy will go with you, I’ll be right there watching!” “You said that last time too…” I reminded her despairingly. Her face instantly darkened, reverting to impatience and cruelty. She abruptly let go of my hand and stood up. “Lily! I’m telling you, you’re going whether you want to or not! Do you think staying in the hospital is free? Where am I supposed to get the money? Do you want us both to sleep on the streets?!” She paced the room twice, then sat back down, lowering her voice to threaten me. “If you don’t listen, I’ll leave you here in the hospital, and you can pay the medical bills yourself! See if those doctors and nurses won’t kick you out!” I knew she would do it. From the moment she pressed my face into the toilet to film a video, I knew. In the end, she dragged me out of the hospital bed.

That man’s house was in a very old apartment building. When he opened the door, he reeked of cigarette smoke. Seeing me, he grinned. “You’re here, come on in.” My mom pushed me forward, forcing me into the apartment. “The child does look pretty weak.” He reached out and squeezed my arm hard. It hurt, and I flinched. “Mr. Jenkins, about the money…” My mom rubbed her hands together, a flattering smile plastered on her face. The man ignored her, just staring at me, his expression growing increasingly unsettling. “Stop faking it,” he suddenly said, his voice hoarse and unpleasant. Both my mom and I froze. “Faking it? What are you talking about?” My mom’s voice trembled slightly. The man scoffed, pulled out his phone from his pocket, swiped a few times, and the screen clearly showed a screenshot of my mom’s live stream. “You can fool those idiots online, but you can’t fool me.” In a sudden, brutal motion, he grabbed a fistful of my hair and dragged me into the center of the living room. “Look at this pale face! Took the wrong medicine, did you? I know real sickness when I see it!” I screamed, thrashing against his grip. “Let go of my daughter!” My mom rushed forward, trying to pull him away. He threw his elbow back, a sharp, vicious blow that connected with her chest and sent her stumbling. She crashed against the wall, clutching her chest, struggling to breathe for a long moment. The man released my hair but gripped my neck, pressing me down hard onto the cold concrete floor. “Ten thousand dollars just to watch a show? I’m paying money to play for real!” I trembled, trying to run. He wasn’t some benevolent stranger trying to make up for regrets; he was a psycho. “No! Please! We don’t want the money! Let us go!” My mom finally caught her breath and cried out, begging for mercy. The man laughed, released my neck, and started unbuckling his belt. “Another ten thousand.” He looked at my mom, his eyes wild. “You help me hold her down, and I’ll give you the money when we’re done.” My mom’s face instantly turned as white as paper. She looked at the man, then at me, trembling on the floor. Then, she avoided my gaze and slowly walked over. Her voice was soft, yet it cut like a knife. “Be good, just bear with it, it’ll be over soon. Forty thousand is enough for us to live on for a long time…” She reached out and pressed down on my shoulders. The man let out a triumphant laugh, his rough hands tearing at my clothes. I don’t know where I found the strength, but I suddenly lifted my leg and kicked him with all my might. The man was caught off guard. My kick landed hard in his stomach. With a sharp yelp, he fell backward onto the floor. “You little bitch! How dare you!” Enraged, he scrambled to his feet and lunged for me. In that split second, I sprang up and stumbled toward the door. My mother moved on instinct to block my path, but I shoved her with all my strength, sending her stumbling back against the wall. Behind me, the man’s curses and my mother’s frantic shouts tangled together. I couldn’t let him catch me. I ran like crazy toward the outside. Only when I saw a woman walking her dog up ahead did I finally break, sobbing. “Help me! Please, help! Someone’s trying to kill me!”

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