Author: Momo Chan

My husband cheated. The other woman was a new intern under him. He bought her a house, a car, paraded her in front of his parents, and even threw a lavish wedding. Everything but the actual marriage certificate was hers. He even had our own son, Leo, walk as their ring bearer on their wedding day. Liam called me cold, too engrossed in my career, neglecting him and our home. Even Leo echoed him, claiming I was no mother, devoid of affection. Apparently, I was destined to be a terrible wife, a horrible mother, so I graciously—or perhaps bitterly—stepped aside. Now, let’s see if this ‘perfect’ replacement truly satisfies them. Today was Liam Caldwell’s wedding day. Even Leo wasn’t home. He’d just posted on Ins five minutes ago. “Dad and Mom’s wedding, our happy family!” The post featured a photo of the three of them, beaming, a picture of pure domestic bliss. Anyone seeing it would have gushed, ‘Goals! Relationship perfection!’ But two of the three people in that photo were undeniably my husband and my child. Even through the picture, I could see the dazzling jewels Brittany Hayes wore. That necklace alone must have cost a fortune—hundreds of thousands, easily. Far better than what I got. When Liam and I married, we were fresh out of college, flat broke. We barely scraped together a few hundred dollars between us. Back then, he’d never tire of telling me, “Eleanor, just wait for me. I’ll make something of myself, I promise I’ll give you a good life.” Later, Leo was born, and his company took off. In just five short years, it successfully went public, and his net worth skyrocketed. We no longer had to fret over monthly rent, or whether we’d eat our next meal. We didn’t need to work endless side jobs just to earn a few extra bucks. But sadly, the man who once earnestly promised me a good life was gone. Now, it was Brittany Hayes who held his heart. I let out a bitter, self-deprecating laugh, then hailed a cab to his company. Perhaps because of the wedding, he’d given everyone at the company the day off to attend, leaving only Mr. Henderson, the building’s security guard, at the front. He seemed surprised to see me, his expression tinged with pity. Yet, he still managed to say, “Madam Caldwell, you’re here?” See? Even the security guard remembered I was Madam Caldwell. So why could Liam so openly invite the entire company to his wedding with Brittany Hayes? Why was Leo so thrilled to welcome his new mother? I smiled and nodded, saying little, just walking into the company building. When Liam first started his company, he brought me here, slinging an arm around me, gesturing grandly. “Look! This whole empire I built for you.” I stayed by his side, watching it grow from a tiny studio into an entire building. I witnessed its meteoric rise, and it, in turn, witnessed our tangled web of love, hate, and betrayal—mine, Liam’s, and Brittany’s. Soon, it would witness my death. I sat by the entrance, recalling everything from the past, my breath growing shallower. Noticing my distress, Mr. Henderson frantically dialed 911. The last thing I felt was my consciousness fading, my body slumping sideways. I tried to sit upright, to die with some grace, but the strength had long since left me. When the hospital reached Liam Caldwell, he was toasting guests with Brittany Hayes. At the mention of my name, his voice was filled with impatience. “Eleanor Vance? Her affairs have nothing to do with me. Don’t call me.” Even Leo, hearing my name, remained impassive. No questions, no curiosity, no defense.

My body lay in the hospital morgue for a full month. Finally, the hospital contacted my colleague, Sarah, who confirmed my identity. During that entire month, Liam never once inquired. He was too busy honeymooning with Brittany Hayes in the Maldives. It wasn’t until the hospital issued a final ultimatum—my body was to be cremated—that he reluctantly hurried back. My corpse, frozen solid in the freezer, was a ghostly, bruised blue, a far cry from my usual appearance. Liam took one look, then sharply averted his gaze, as if my sightless, frozen form was an insult to his perfect day. Leo hadn’t come. He probably didn’t want to see me. The staff urged him to sign the papers quickly and verify the body’s identity. Liam scrawled his name and turned to leave, but was stopped again. He still had to wait for the funeral home to transport the body. His face was a mask of sheer impatience. Of course, Brittany was already texting him, asking what time he’d be home for dinner. The morgue lights were cold and stark. As they moved my body, a beam of light caught the ring on my finger, making it sparkle for a fleeting moment. Liam noticed it. He paused, a slight frown on his face. This was the ring he’d proposed with on graduation day. Back then, we were just two poor students, worried about making ends meet after graduation. To propose to me, he worked odd jobs for three straight months just to buy that modest ring that cost him a few hundred bucks. The diamond was tiny, not very shiny, but it was the best gift I’d received in over twenty years of my life. The golden hour, a gentle breeze, and the earnest, beautiful promise of a young man: “Eleanor Vance, I love you. The wind today tells me I love you, can you hear it? I know you’re pessimistic about marriage. I know all your ideals and ambitions. But please, give me a chance—a chance to prove that our future will be forever happy and beautiful. Will you marry me?” Yet, barely a year into our marriage, the arguments began. He was consumed by his startup, I by my career. He blamed me for not being like other wives, for neglecting our home, for always being busy with work and ignoring him. He complained I was like a robot, always offering calm, rational solutions when he just needed comfort. But it was precisely my drive, my focus, my composure that had drawn him in at first. I kept thinking, just a little more time. Once I finished this project, once I had everything arranged, I’d transform into the ‘qualified wife’ he wanted. But it was too late. Brittany Hayes had appeared in his life. She was young, beautiful, and attentive enough to handle his every need. Naive enough to give him the adoring gaze he craved. Gentle enough not to argue with him after he’d endured a stressful day at work. Those were qualities I lacked. Maybe I was once young and pretty, too, but youth fades. Our love had withered. Between Liam and me, there was nothing left. Perhaps that ring brought back memories for Liam. His expression softened with a flicker of patience as he waited for the funeral home’s van to take me away. He did, in the end, accompany me for this final journey, watching as I was wheeled into the crematorium. My grave was chosen on a desolate hill north of the city—shadowed, windless, treeless, barren. Just one lonely mound. I’d told him countless times that I hated feeling trapped, that I wanted to be free like the wind. If I died, I wished for my ashes to be scattered to the wind, letting me drift one last time across this beautiful world. But on the day of my funeral, neither Liam nor Leo showed up. They were both with Brittany Hayes, going to the courthouse to finalize their marriage license. After all, I was dead. My marriage to Liam Caldwell had automatically ended. No one could hold onto the title of ‘Mrs. Caldwell’ anymore. He doted on her as if she were the most precious jewel, and Leo hovered around her, sweetly trying to win her affection. She wasn’t like me, always engrossed in work, neglecting her husband’s feelings, lacking in care for her child.

So, when Liam Caldwell stared blankly at their freshly minted marriage certificate, she gently wrapped her arms around him. “Liam,” she consoled, “Eleanor is gone. But life goes on for those of us still here. Don’t be sad. I’m sure Eleanor, watching over us, wouldn’t want to see you like this.” Even Leo chimed in, “Yeah, Dad, she’s dead. You should cherish the people who are here now. Brittany is the most important.” Liam snapped out of his daze and hugged the two of them, big and small. “You’re right,” he said, “you two are what matter most now.” He’d said those words to me once, too. After another one of our arguments, he’d stormed off in a huff, packed a bag, and left for a month-long business trip. Until I discovered I was pregnant. Then his anger vanished. He rushed to condense his work into two weeks and hurried home. When he saw me, he embraced me, then, fearing he’d hurt the baby, he held back, his face beaming like an idiot. After that, he turned down countless work opportunities, focusing entirely on staying home with me. He even bought stacks of parenting books. My morning sickness was severe, so he learned all kinds of nutritious recipes, just hoping I’d eat a little more. Every night before bed, he’d massage my legs, afraid I was uncomfortable. I was only six months pregnant, but he’d lost fifteen pounds. In my seventh month, Liam’s company ran into supplier issues, requiring his personal attention. He hesitated, worried I’d be alone. Knowing his company was his life’s blood, I urged him to go, assuring him I’d be fine. He promised to return quickly, but he left me waiting for a full two weeks, claiming the supplier issues were more complicated than expected. My belly grew larger, my movements became slow and cumbersome, and still, he didn’t return. Instead, what arrived was an intimate photo sent to my phone—my husband, Liam Caldwell, and his subordinate, Brittany Hayes, entangled in an explicit embrace. It turned out the truly “complicated” issue wasn’t the supplier at all. It was Brittany. I went into early labor, nearly losing both myself and the baby. Leo was born tiny and very weak. I hadn’t even finished my postpartum recovery when I stormed over to Liam’s company, found Brittany, and made a spectacular scene, embarrassing him utterly in front of everyone. Liam stopped me in front of the entire company. “Eleanor Vance, can’t you stop being so unreasonable? There’s nothing between her and me.” I couldn’t understand how he could be so self-righteous in front of so many people. I wanted to show them that photo, but I’d forgotten to save it, and now it had expired. I was the one who looked like a hysterical, unreasonable woman. But I didn’t care. Just like now, I collapsed at the company entrance, right during lunch hour when everyone was streaming out for their midday meal. A wife dying while her husband held a wedding was juicy enough for tabloid headlines, not to mention Liam’s rivals would be eager to exploit his misstep. In just one month, the company’s market value plummeted by a third. Liam was spinning in circles, hiring countless bots to confuse the public and suppress the news. Only then did he have time to bring Leo back to our home. The plan was to clear out my belongings and sell the house entirely. But the next day, a package arrived. “Sir, excuse me, is this Ms. Eleanor Vance’s home? This is her delivery.”

Liam probably thought I was still causing him trouble, even in death. His expression was full of annoyance. “Eleanor Vance is dead. Just throw the package wherever.” The delivery driver looked awkward, speaking with difficulty. “Sir, are you her family? Would you mind signing for it? It’s something very valuable.” Leo, hearing the commotion at the door, peeked out curiously. “Dad, what is it? I wanna see!” Liam finally signed for the package. It was a large box, about five feet tall, and surprisingly heavy. Leo eagerly urged Liam to open it, impatient to see what was inside. Once opened, it revealed a sleek, silver-gray robot. “Dad, isn’t this one of those broken scraps of metal Mom used to work on? She never let me touch them.” Leo poked around curiously. Even Liam looked bewildered, likely wondering who sent it. “Dad, I wanna play! How do you turn this robot on?” Leo’s voice snapped Liam back to reality. He looked at the instruction manual and powered on the robot. “Please enter the operating password,” a cold, mechanical voice announced. “Dad, why does this robot need a password? I wanna play, I wanna play! Come on, think of the password!” Liam’s face darkened, but he continued to try. “March 13, 1992.” That was my birthday. It was surprising he even remembered. But the expected “password correct” didn’t sound. Next, he tried Leo’s birthday, his own birthday, and our wedding anniversary. All were wrong. Liam’s face was grim. He kicked the robot to the side. Leo, startled, began to cry. Liam, however, wasn’t in the mood to comfort him. He called Mrs. Miller, the junk collector. When Mrs. Miller arrived, he had already gathered my old belongings, ready for them to be taken away. She first carried off my clothes, then my books, then my miscellaneous items. Every trace of my existence was slowly being erased. As she left, she glanced at the robot lying on the floor, but Liam called out, telling her to take that too. After Mrs. Miller left, Leo picked up a small notebook from the floor and handed it to Liam. “Dad, you dropped a notebook.” Liam was about to take it and throw it away, but for some reason, he hesitated, a strange impulse making him open it. [July 14: Today I’m getting married. We’re broke, but I believe in him, and I believe in myself. We’ll have a good life.] [December 22: Research is going well. New breakthrough. If all goes as planned, it’ll be in production within five years. One step closer to my dream.]

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My husband and I were on a business trip in Paris when he suddenly got a call from his childhood friend, Chloe Davis. She told him she was being abused by her husband. Blake booked a flight that very night, leaving me alone in Paris. Later, at the contract-signing gala, I was drugged and brutally attacked by executives from the opposing company. They dragged me into a room, assaulting me until I was left with multiple fractures and internal injuries. After 24 hours fighting for my life in the ICU, I looked at my phone. Dozens of missed calls from Blake. I called him back, only to hear his accusatory voice on the other end: “Aurora Hayes, what’s taking you so long to close a deal?” “Chloe’s been abused, she’s really unstable. I have to stay with her. Just sign the contract and come back yourself.” My voice was raw, rasped out: “I was assaulted by those bastards.” His tone immediately bristled with impatience. “It’s just a contract. What could possibly happen? Don’t start with your drama here.” “I usually tolerate it, but with Chloe like this, how dare you try to compete with her for attention!” The police sent him my injury report. But all I got back was a cold, automated reply: “I’m unavailable right now. Will contact you later.” I never thought he could be so heartless. Since the contract was signed, there was no need to keep this man around anymore.

Three months later, dragging a leg that still wasn’t quite right, I opened the door to our home. Chloe Davis stepped out of the master bedroom, wearing a silk slip. Seeing me, the smile on her face froze for a second. Then, it melted into an expression of pity: “Aurora? Why didn’t you say you were coming back?” “What are you doing here? Where’s Blake Harrison?” I cut her off, my voice hoarse from disuse. “Oh, Blake went to get me some fruit.” Chloe caressed her slightly swollen belly, her eyes deliberately sweeping over my flat stomach. “I haven’t been feeling well lately. The doctor said the pregnancy isn’t stable.” “He was worried about me being alone, so he had me move in. It’s easier for him to take care of me.” That’s when I noticed her belly. By the looks of it, she was only two or three months along. That perfectly aligned with the time I’d spent recovering abroad. Could it be… “Whose child is that?!” I demanded immediately. The moment my words left my lips, Chloe immediately dropped to her knees. “Aurora, please don’t be angry. Blake and I are just friends, don’t misunderstand.” “Blake only took me in out of kindness after I was abused and had nowhere to go. If you don’t like it, I’ll leave right now…” She spoke, her eyes reddening, as if she’d suffered the greatest injustice. Blake happened to walk in with a bag of fruit. Seeing the scene, he didn’t hesitate, rushing forward to shove me aside. “Chloe! You’re pregnant, how can you be kneeling?!” He turned his head, looking at me as if I were a hardened criminal. “Can’t you see Chloe’s pregnant?! How could you make her kneel? You’re absolutely vicious!” I hadn’t done anything. She’d knelt on her own. But in Blake’s eyes, it was all my fault. He didn’t even ask where I’d been for three months or how I was doing. “Blake, Aurora… she seems to have misunderstood us.” Chloe buried her head in his chest, her shoulders subtly shaking. Blake’s face instantly darkened. “Misunderstand? What’s there to misunderstand?” “Aurora Hayes, let me tell you, Chloe is pregnant with my child. If you dare to bully her, I swear I won’t let you off easy!” I laughed. How could a man be so self-righteous about his affair? “Blake Harrison, this is adultery. She’s the other woman—” “You have the nerve to say that!” he roared, cutting me off. “If you hadn’t been playing around abroad for three months, how would I have ever touched Chloe? She wouldn’t be pregnant with my child!” I couldn’t believe he could utter such disgusting words. He was actually pinning the blame for his infidelity on me. I’d been drugged and left for dead at a Paris client dinner, enduring hellish torment, all for his career. And he, meanwhile, had been sleeping with another woman in our home, getting her pregnant. In that moment, my disappointment in him reached its absolute peak.

Chloe cried even harder in his arms: “Blake, don’t scold Aurora. It’s all my fault…” “No, it’s not your fault. It has nothing to do with you,” Blake said, comforting her softly. I took a deep breath, pointed at Chloe, and told Blake, “Get her out of my house.” “Aurora Hayes, don’t go too far!” Blake’s anger reignited. Chloe immediately pulled on his arm. “I’ll go, I’ll leave right away. Don’t fight because of me.” She started to walk out, but suddenly her legs buckled, and she cried out, about to fall. Without thinking, Blake darted forward and caught her. His arm slammed hard into my chest, shoving me ruthlessly to the ground. My head hit the floor with a sickening thud, and the world spun. I heard Blake, holding Chloe, anxiously call out, “Chloe, are you okay? Is the baby hurt?” He didn’t even glance back at me. I lay on the cold floor, staring up at the crystal chandelier we had chosen together. Suddenly, I felt like the three months I’d spent fighting for my life in the ICU had been an absolute farce. The intense pain made my vision swim. I struggled to get up, but my bones felt shattered, leaving me utterly immobile. Blake carefully settled Chloe on the sofa, fussing over her with water and leg rubs, as if she were a precious artifact. “Blake, quickly check on Aurora. She seems to have fallen quite hard.” Chloe prompted him feebly from his embrace, her eyes casting a triumphant glance at me. Only then did Blake reluctantly walk over. “Stop faking it. Get up.” Faking it? The police in Paris sent him my injury report. It clearly stated: “Multiple fractures, ruptured organs, severe concussion.” He knew. He just didn’t care. It took all my strength to lean on the edge of the coffee table and slowly stand up. He didn’t even offer to help me. “Blake Harrison, this is my parents’ house. Please leave immediately, both of you.” Blake instantly flushed with rage. “Aurora Hayes, will you be reasonable?” “Chloe is a pregnant woman, with no family here. Where do you expect her to go? How can you be so heartless?” I looked at his face and suddenly smiled. “Yes, I am heartless.” “Not only do I want her out, I want you out too, Blake Harrison. We’re getting a divorce!” The word “divorce” hit like a bomb, freezing the air in the living room. Blake’s face turned ashen. He grabbed my wrist, his grip so strong it felt like he was trying to crush my bones. “Say that again?” “I said, we’re getting a div—” *Smack!* A stinging slap landed hard on my face. My head snapped to the side, my ears ringing. “Aurora Hayes, I’m warning you, don’t test my limits!” “Even though Chloe is pregnant with my child, you’re the only one in my heart. Once her baby is born, you can raise it.” “It’s not like you can have children anyway.”

His gaze fell to my stomach, where a life once bloomed. But to push Blake away from an oncoming car, I fell in that accident. When I woke up, the doctor told me I would never be able to have children. At the time, Blake had gently cared for me until I emerged from the shadow of losing our child. He even got a vasectomy. He told me, “Aurora, I won’t let anyone else carry my child but you.” Turns out, it was all a lie. A malicious glint flickered in Chloe’s eyes. She walked over, feigning concern as she pulled Blake’s hand away. “Blake, don’t be like that…” Her gaze, however, fell on a painting in the corner of the room. It was my father’s last work, the only keepsake my parents left me. “Oh, this painting is beautiful! Is it an original?” Chloe sounded like she’d discovered treasure, reaching out to touch it. “Don’t you dare touch it with your filthy hands!” I snapped, my voice sharp. Chloe flinched, startled by my outburst, and looked at Blake, wronged. “Blake, I… I just wanted to see it.” Blake lovingly wrapped her in his arms, then glared at me. “What’s wrong with looking at it? It’s just a worthless painting, isn’t it?” “Chloe likes it, so I’ll give it to her!” “You wouldn’t dare!” My blood boiled instantly. “Watch me.” Blake sneered, telling Chloe, “Chloe, look all you want. If you like it, take it.” With Blake’s silent permission, Chloe’s boldness grew. She walked up to the painting, extending her hand with its bright red nail polish, and lightly dragged a finger across the face of the main figure in the artwork. I watched, horrified, as a glaring white scratch appeared on the precious canvas. “No—!” That was the last memory my father left me, the most precious treasure in my world. Now, it was ruined. Ruined by the man I loved most and the woman I hated most, working together. I rushed over, kneeling before the painting, stroking the wound. Tears streamed down my face, and my heart shattered completely in that moment. “It’s just a painting. Is it really that big of a deal? I can always buy you another one.” “Buy? With what?” Seeing my endless tears, Blake lost his patience. “You’re acting crazy. Crying over a broken painting like this.” “I think you’re just intentionally trying to keep Chloe from staying here…” He checked his phone, seeing a newly received message. The next second, his face instantly turned dark. Lewd, disturbing audio blasted from his phone. He glared furiously at me, then slammed his phone down in front of me. The screen was playing a video. It was footage of me being drugged and assaulted in Paris. In the video, my clothes were disheveled, my eyes glazed over, surrounded by several men whose faces were blurred. They were touching me inappropriately, and I seemed to not resist. The video had been maliciously edited, with the beginning and end cut out, leaving only the most suggestive clips. My original struggles and screams were replaced with seductive music. My pained, distorted expressions, in the dim light, were twisted into a perverted scene of supposed pleasure. My brain buzzed, turning blank. This was my deepest nightmare, a hell I would rather die than revisit. How did Blake get this video?! “Aurora Hayes! You absolute slut, how could you do something like this behind my back?!” My lips trembled, but not a single word came out. How could I explain? Say it wasn’t real? Say I was framed? Would he believe me?

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Six years ago, I was forced to marry Lily White in place of my brother. Every night since then, I’ve had to help her bathe and put condoms on her lover. I even had to babysit their child. “I’ve decided to make things official with Quinn,” she said, nestled in Quinn’s arms, completely disregarding my discomfort. “As for you, James, you can stay here and serve our little family.” Quinn didn’t like my face, so they broke my back, leaving me unable to lift my head. He complained about my sour smell, so they threw me into a freezing pool for nights on end. It was bitterly cold, and I was numb all over by the time they fished me out. But Lily just bragged to others scornfully, “He’s like a mangy dog, impossible to get rid of.” Then I got a call from my friend. “Your father has passed away,” they said. “His last wish was for you to be free. You can finally leave now.” I remained silent on the phone for a long while before simply responding with a quiet “Mm.” It’s better that Dad is gone. At least he won’t have to suffer mentally and physically every day anymore. The air conditioner blew out a steady stream of cold air. My icy clothes clung to my skin, but they couldn’t ward off the fever burning inside me. Shaking, I crawled towards the medicine cabinet and swallowed a few cold pills before being dragged in front of Lily. “We’re out of condoms,” she said. “Go buy some more. You know Quinn’s size. I’ll only wait twenty minutes.” But the nearest store was over an hour’s walk away. In the past, I never had the option to refuse her. Even that time I went out in a blizzard and nearly froze to death, I was slapped senseless as soon as I got back through the door. Quinn deliberately wrapped his arms around her and taunted me with a coy look. “Is big brother jealous of how well sis and I fit together? I just want to make her happy.” Lily completely ignored my frostbitten hands and feet. Convinced I was deliberately causing trouble, she banished me to the basement for a whole day. My memories blurred. I slowly stood up, my eyes lifeless. “You don’t need any. I’m not going,” I said flatly. Lily’s head snapped up to look at me, as if seeing me refuse her for the first time. The next instant, her palm cracked across my cheek. My forehead slammed hard against the corner of the table, blood trickling down. “James, it seems you still don’t understand your place!” Lily’s icy voice held the mockery I knew all too well. My place? Ha! Everyone in this house knew I was nothing more than a pathetic yes-man. She bore her lover’s child but dumped it on me to raise. On my birthday, her lover humiliated me, forcing me to crawl between his legs as I knelt on the ground. Even when they pushed me down the stairs and I cracked my head open, all she said was, “Get up and clean your filthy blood. It’s disgusting to look at.” I’d endured all kinds of torment, but now she lost it over one little retort. I turned away, struggling to keep my spinning head clear. “These six years must have been hard on you too. We should…” The word “divorce” caught in my throat as she cut me off. Lily had security hold me down, her eyes cold enough to kill. “So you’ve finally snapped,” she said, her tone dripping with disdain. “If it weren’t for your ruthless scheming, you wouldn’t even have the chance to be my dog.” As I struggled, her gaze fell on my mangled left hand and she faltered slightly. The last time she was kidnapped, I had gripped the attacker’s knife with my bare hand. I ended up losing a finger. She pressed her lips together, about to say something when Quinn came over with a pitiful expression. He “accidentally” stepped on my hand. As I tried to pull away in pain, he suddenly collapsed to the ground. Lily waved for security to release me. But Quinn started pleading, “Lily, I hurt my hand!” His long fingers were barely red, but Lily cradled them tenderly. The servants accused me of being jealous of his piano skills and ability to please Lily. I let out a slow breath and closed my eyes. I was used to being wrongly blamed by now. The medicinal soup I’d carefully prepared for him had been poisoned. He vomited and had diarrhea after eating it. But Lily was convinced I did it on purpose and forced me to eat all the leftovers. Just because I was a heinous sinner who could never atone for my crimes, even in death. “James! He’ll be the child’s only father. Don’t you dare try to harm him again!” she screamed, choking me as she pinned me down to warn me before rushing Quinn to the hospital. The high fever and blood loss finally overwhelmed me. I collapsed to the floor, unconscious. But I was grateful. I was finally going to be free.

When I came to, I was still lying in the yard. I struggled to my feet and had just reached the door when someone chased me away with a mop. “No filth allowed inside! You’re bad luck. Hurry up and clean up your mess!” the housekeeper spat at me, arms crossed. Anyone in this house could step all over me. All because Lily had said if I wanted to enter this house, I could only be the lowest, dirtiest dog. I didn’t argue with them. I just limped into the basement. I had very few possessions in the tiny room. Everything fit easily into one small bag. We’d been married for six years. But aside from a few tattered clothes, I still had nothing to my name. Laughter drifted down from upstairs where Lily was. She glanced at me coldly as I came up, then ordered, “Quinn fell. Come here and kneel down so he can sit on you.” But when I remained motionless, Lily’s face darkened. “If you don’t want to do it, then get lost! This isn’t a place for you to be willful!” Just like the past six years, she showed me no kindness whatsoever. Even though she could be so gentle with Quinn. I clutched my worn backpack, my heart aching as if torn open. She looked at me impatiently, but her brow furrowed when she saw the bag I was carrying. “Where are you going?” Six years ago, when we woke up in bed together, she glared at me with the same hatred. She said I had schemed against her, and let her bodyguards break my leg. The fracture site still ached dully. I unconsciously rubbed my right leg. Lily looked at me with great displeasure and had someone snatch the bag off my back. “You thief, were you planning to steal my things and sell them?” she accused. But when the bodyguard dumped out the contents, there was nothing of value except my ID. Lily’s expression grew even uglier. “I-I wanted to go say goodbye to Dad at the hospital…” I said quietly, keeping my head down as I tried to control my fear. Before, I had merely suggested we part ways once. For that, she had me tied to a cliff face. I have a crippling fear of heights. I went from begging to sobbing hysterically, but she just watched me coldly. She still thought I was faking to trick her. I kept my head down, not daring to anger her further. Seeing me so obedient, her expression softened somewhat. But one plea from Quinn had her leaving without hesitation. I took back my backpack and silently crouched down to gather my things. She glanced back, ordering coldly, “What use is it for you to go? He’s already dead.” Quinn turned his head too, asking in confusion, “Why is big brother being so thoughtless? The living are more important than the dead!” I still didn’t leave. My phone rang again and again. I stared at the familiar name on the screen but didn’t have the courage to answer. I had planned to sneak out in the middle of the night. But I didn’t expect to find Lily sitting on the living room couch when I came up. She waved me over, gesturing to the ointment on the table in front of her. “Come here, I’ll disinfect your wounds. We don’t want them getting infected.” But I remained rooted to the spot, not moving an inch. “Thank you for your concern, Ms. White, but I have thick skin. I’m not as delicate as Mr. Sullivan.” She let out a cold laugh, mocking my presumptuousness. “James, I’ve told you before. This is your retribution.” I was about to speak when an angry roar came from upstairs. Chaos erupted in the living room.

I was dragged into the cold, dark emergency stairwell. Fists and feet rained down on my body. I could only curl up, my whole body aching terribly. “You beast! You scum!” Lily grabbed my collar, her eyes blazing with fury as if she wanted to flay me alive. “How dare you hurt Little Treasure!” My vision kept going dark from the beating. I opened my mouth but couldn’t make a sound. “I didn’t…” I managed to get out three words before she whipped me hard. She even used the whip to choke me, pinning me brutally to the ground. Her voice was hoarse but filled with a hatred that chilled me to the bone. “I was going to abort that bastard child back then. So you did this to the baby for revenge?” “Don’t think that just because you became my legal husband, I’ll go soft on you!” I saw the madness in her eyes. She truly wanted to kill me. But I had never thought our relationship would be our lifeline. I was truly sorry about what happened back then. I had been trying my best to make amends, but she never believed a word I said. Doctors rushed in and out to save the child. Finally, one stood anxiously in the doorway and called out, “The baby’s liver is failing. We need to do an immediate transplant. Do any of you match for donation?” Lily shoved me forward, her voice cold. “Use him!” I closed my eyes, a bitter smile on my lips. It seemed she had truly forgotten that I once had my liver ruptured from a beating when I rescued her from kidnappers. The bodyguards twisted my arms behind my back and took me for testing. Soon, the results confirmed I was a match for donation. I was wheeled into the operating room. As I saw the doctor inject the anesthesia, my consciousness began to slip away and my vision blurred. Actually, I had known from the beginning that she had feelings for my brother Daniel. My mother couldn’t bear to let her pampered eldest son marry into the Lin family. So she faked Daniel’s death and sent him abroad. She locked me in a room with a drunk Lily. I wanted to resist, but my father fell gravely ill just then and needed a lot of money for treatment. After that night, I tried to explain, but news came of Daniel’s death. Lily was convinced I had killed Daniel to marry into the Lin family. She agreed to marry me, but only to avenge the man she loved. Seeing me forced to compromise again and again, stripped of all dignity, made her feel vindicated. But I was coerced into giving up everything, my heart breaking a little more each day. I couldn’t believe that sweet girl who used to hide behind me and call me “big brother” could be so cruel to me now. These memories kept swirling in my mind, filling me with unbearable sadness. As tears streamed down my face, I saw Lily sitting in front of me. Her face was weary, with a hint of guilt. “Are you still in pain?” I wiped away my tears and turned to look at her expressionlessly. “I want to go see my dad.” My voice was so weak it could have been scattered by a breeze. She lowered her eyes, staring at me for a long time. Just as she was about to speak, a commotion broke out where Quinn was. Lily immediately stood up, her face full of anxiety as she hurried over. Not long after, a doctor came to check on me. “Luckily Mr. Evans was a match from before. Though he’s passed away, his liver was donated to someone in need. Your wife just signed the papers on your behalf. My condolences.” I bolted upright in bed, my whole body shaking. I clutched my chest, feeling as if my heart was being slowly torn to shreds. So Lily’s belated concern was just out of guilt. I couldn’t even protect my father’s body.

I was alone again. Once, we had a child too. I had been overjoyed, begging her endlessly to keep the baby. I would do anything for her. But on Daniel’s birthday, she drank heavily, her eyes red. I knelt on the ground pleading with her to stop drinking, but she slapped me across the face. “James, you deserve to be abandoned by everyone!” she sneered. She tumbled down the stairs deliberately, just to see me suffer. I threw myself down to cushion her fall, but still couldn’t save the baby. The blood from that night became a nightmare I could never shake. “Save the baby…” I begged, still shielding her tightly despite being badly injured. Lily looked down at me with a complex expression when she came to her senses, but ultimately decided to abort the child. Perhaps she felt someone like me didn’t deserve to be the father of her child. Lily must have seen that I wasn’t making a fuss, so she magnanimously allowed me to attend my father’s funeral. “You go to the funeral first. I’ll join you after I finish shopping with Quinn.” I didn’t nod, just leaned back in the chair exhaustedly. These past few days, she had patiently cared for the child. The three of them looked like such a close, harmonious family. She was probably only letting me off the hook today because she had checked the security footage and discovered it was the bodyguard who always beat me the hardest who had drugged the soup. I guess she wanted to make it up to me by allowing me to attend my father’s funeral. But I no longer cared about any of that. From a distance, I watched as my father’s ashes were interred in the cemetery. Unable to pay my respects in person, I could only stand far away and kowtow several times to bid him farewell. “Dad, I’m so sorry.” After leaving the cemetery, I made an excuse to get rid of the others and successfully retrieved my small backpack. My friend arrived at the Lin house as promised. “Over here!” he waved, signaling that I could jump down from the back. There were no guards here. I landed silently and was pushed into a luxury car. I looked up and met a pair of familiar eyes. Someone held me tightly. Lily, who had just sent the others home, felt her heart skip a beat for some reason. The urge to see me was overwhelming, as if she would regret it for life if she was even a second late. My father’s funeral ended quickly. By the time she arrived, she saw my mother guarding the area with some people. As she approached, she heard my mother’s furious cursing. “Where’s that little beast James? Isn’t he supposed to care about his father the most?” “This time I’ll teach him a harsh lesson. Make him know he has to side with the Fang family!” Lily stormed in angrily to confront my mother. “Repeat what you just said!” Seeing her, my mother’s expression turned panicked. She stammered out a few excuses, but Lily didn’t catch a single word clearly. Until her phone rang. “Ms. Lin, Mr. Fang has escaped! We just received an express delivery with divorce papers for you inside.”

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I was injured in an explosion while on a mission abroad, protecting my younger brother. The blast left me in a coma. My brother, grateful for my life-saving act, returned home and married my wife. When I finally regained consciousness and hurried back home, I witnessed a heartbreaking scene. My son was on his knees, sobbing, his college acceptance letter torn to shreds. My nephew was viciously beating my son’s back with a metal pipe, shouting, “Your mom’s gonna lick my boots. Who do you think you are to go to college?” Meanwhile, my wife stood by, applauding and occasionally wiping the sweat from my nephew’s brow. “You’re just like your dead father, only fit to be my stepping stone!” My eyes blazed with fury as I clenched my fists. Anyone who dared harm my son would face hell! The school gates opened. Several security guards, wielding batons, rushed to surround my son. I got out of my car and approached them. “Why is your school taking sides without investigating properly?” “Didn’t you see this child’s acceptance letter being torn up by those people?” A guard spat and sneered, “Who’d dare to mess with young master Nick? We’re doing God’s work here, teaching Mr. George’s dog a lesson on his behalf!” My face had been severely damaged and reconstructed after the incident. Even my voice had changed due to the burns. My son didn’t recognize me. Neither did my nephew, Nick. The guards exchanged glances and growled, “Beat him up! He dares to mess with Mr. George’s son!” Although I only had my fists, I’d been through hell and back these past years. Beating up a few watchdogs was child’s play! I dodged when I could and took hits when necessary, returning each with a punch that sent them flying, blood gushing from their mouths and noses. My son, seeing me surrounded by the school guards, shouted, “Come at me! Leave the kind stranger alone!” He tried to hold off some of the guards for me. When I’d finished with the ones surrounding me, I saw my son cornered by several guards and those thugs. Nick was jumping up and down, yelling, “Kill him!” I grabbed Nick by the collar, threw him to the ground, and stepped on his ribs, breaking them. Coldly, I asked, “Who do you want to kill?”

Nick didn’t have my son’s guts. He immediately started crying for his parents. I messaged my domestic contact, asking about my son’s recent situation. He replied that my wife had already arranged for a guaranteed college admission, and my son just needed to report directly when school started. I had just heard my wife helping others bully my son, and now he’s telling me she’s arranging for his guaranteed admission? I coldly asked, “Is this how you handle logistics support?” “I’m going to file a complaint against you at headquarters!” Putting down the phone, I grabbed Nick by the collar, slapped him twice, and demanded, “Why did you tear up Sam’s acceptance letter?” Nick, terrified and covered in tears and snot, stammered, “He scored 600 points higher than me. I felt humiliated and wanted to vent.” A bright red Porsche pulled up at the school gate. Nick excitedly shouted, “Mom, Mom, save me! This lunatic is beating me for no reason!” I hadn’t expected to meet my ex-wife Claire in this scenario. She was dressed garishly, dripping with jewelry. Stomping over in her ridiculous red high heels, she screeched like a fishwife, “Let go of my son!” Her son? I looked closely at Nick. No mistake, this kid had always looked like a rat. How did Nick become her son? I blocked her clawing hand with my arm, causing her to lose balance and fall. Nick muttered under his breath, “Useless.” But Sam went over to help her up. Claire pointed her fat finger at Sam’s forehead. “Can’t you just behave?” “Stop provoking your brother, okay?” “You have food to eat, school to attend, and I can live this good life now, all thanks to your uncle, right?” “And you? Every time the school calls home, it’s either about you stealing watches or tearing up his homework!” “So what if he gets back at you once?” “You’re just as useless as your dead father!” Sam stood his ground, declaring firmly, “My dad is a great hero. He’ll come back for me someday!” Claire spat, “Your deadbeat dad is long gone. Give up that pipe dream, he’s never coming back!” Enraged, I grabbed Claire’s arm, pulled her close, and slapped her twice. “You bitch, do you know who I am?” “I’ve been risking my life out there, building a fortune for you all.” “If you wanted to be a slut and find another man, fine. But why did you have to hook up with my brother and treat my son like this?” Claire looked me up and down in shock, her eyes filled with disbelief. Suddenly, her expression changed, and she started screaming, “Help! Kidnapper! Someone call the police!” “Quick, contact my husband! Someone’s trying to kidnap us!” Sam carefully examined me from all angles, tentatively calling out, “Dad?” Claire viciously kicked Sam. “What are you yelling about? Your deadbeat dad is long gone. Your father now is George.” Sam roared, “George is just using you! His whole family is using you and my dad’s identity for their own benefit!” “Do you think they really see you as a person?” Several vans pulled up outside the school, and a group of bodyguards with hostile looks surrounded me…

The school’s watchdogs had already called out the school leaders. The smug-looking principal glared fiercely at Sam: “We let you attend our school as a favor to Mr. George.” “Colluding with outsiders to beat up young master Nick.” “Who can prove that Nick tore up your acceptance letter?” “You clearly tore it up yourself and framed Nick.” “Fighting at the school gate is a serious offense.” “Not only are you not going to college this year, but your school record is now expelled, and you can’t even get your files back.” “No one will take you for a retake!” “If you still want to study, kneel down and lick the mud off young master Nick’s shoes.” “Maybe I’ll consider your sincere apology and give you a chance to retake the exam next year.” Claire, seeing that George’s bodyguards had surrounded me, shrieked: “You little bastard, didn’t you hear? Kneel down and apologize!” “Don’t forget that I still have your household registration and ID card.” “If you keep being stubborn like your dead father, I’ll make sure you can’t even find a job to support yourself.” What kind of abuse has my son endured all these years while I was fighting for my life out there? This principal deserves to die! I stepped forward, grabbed the principal’s shirt collar, and kicked the back of his knees. Forcing him to kneel in front of Sam. “You say Sam tore up his own acceptance letter?” “Dare you say that again?” “Want to bet if I can tear you up more thoroughly than that acceptance letter?” The principal, sweating profusely in pain, struggled and shouted: “Call the police! Shoot this criminal!” I gripped the principal’s throat: “Your time is running out. Think quickly about what you need to do for me to spare your miserable life!” Claire, holding her phone, incoherently called the police. My phone also received a message that my personal file had been declassified. Immediate arrangements were being made for my personal security detail. I was notified to return to headquarters to discuss arrangements for my life back in the country and settle my benefits. Right now, I just wanted to get revenge for my son. Who has time to care about benefits? Claire smiled smugly: “Everyone’s watching. He’s assaulting people for no reason. You’re all witnesses.” “Surround him well and don’t let him escape. They’ll be here to arrest him soon!” “We’re all civilized people. We didn’t hit anyone first!” I was certain Claire had recognized me. She knew that among those present, no one could beat me in a fight. Even if all the bodyguards attacked together, they might not gain the upper hand. This looked like she was trying to frame me with a crime to get me locked up, and maybe even have me killed inside through some backroom deal. I always felt this woman couldn’t be trusted, which is why I had left money for George too, hoping he could keep an eye on her. I never expected these two scumbags would hit it off and get together. Realizing I had lifted a rock only to drop it on my own feet, I clenched my fists in anger. The private high school principal struggled desperately, screaming for help. George’s bodyguards had clearly received orders. They just surrounded me without making a move. Seemingly waiting to see the show of me strangling the principal to death. Preferably for me to be shot dead on the spot. Unfortunately for them, they were going to be disappointed today. I tightened my grip on the principal’s throat. The principal’s face turned purple as he began to beg: “Please spare me, sir. Mrs. Claire has already called the police. You should run quickly.” Sam tugged at my sleeve, whispering: “Dad, revenge is a dish best served cold.” I snorted lightly: “Today, if he doesn’t lick your shoes clean, I’ll strangle him to death.” The principal began to reason with me: “Taking me hostage won’t help. You’ll be shot by snipers. They’re all professionals.” “Your best bet now is to let me go and run for it.” I increased the pressure on my hand: “Don’t worry. Even if I strangle a piece of trash like you with my bare hands, the snipers can’t do anything to me. I’m not a rookie either.” I raised my voice to threaten the principal: “Have you figured out how to save your life yet?” Piercing sirens rang out as several cars arrived. The principal croaked hoarsely, shouting with all his might: “You’re finished! With so many people here, you’re going to eat bullets. Mr. George won’t let you off!” I tightened my grip again. How could I bear to strangle him outright? He had abused my son so much; letting him die like this would be too easy. Claire immediately started screaming: “Help! Murder! The principal is about to be strangled to death by a thug! Quickly rescue the hostage and shoot the criminal!” A tall man in uniform got out of the first car and came to my side: “Captain Frank, I’m the leader of your local security team in this city. You can call me Kevin.”

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I shivered, wrapped in a vibrant, thigh-high red dress, as the night breeze whipped around me on the street opposite the bar. I was suffering out here, all just to snag some drunk guy nobody was watching, to absorb a little life essence. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to be like my cousin, Blair, and just dive into the bar for prey. But it was way too loud in there. Fox ears are naturally sensitive, especially for an accomplished fox spirit like me. A tall boy stopped in front of me, almost six feet three inches. I had to crane my neck to look at him. He was in a blue tracksuit, his eyes clear and bright, his nose and mouth delicately shaped. His skin was so smooth and flawless, he looked like he’d melt at a touch. Honestly, he looked good enough to eat. But seeing his age, he was probably still in school. Was this too wrong? “Are you working, Miss?” Just hit on me, why are your eyes darting around like that? And what’s with the blush?! Did this kid just mistake me for a streetwalker? Another cold gust of wind made me shiver. Wrong or not, I needed that life essence. So, I went for it. I put on my most innocent, charming face, the one I used on elders. I gently tugged his sleeve, gazing up at him, blinking my eyes. “I’m freezing, sweetie. How about a kiss to warm me up?” “Why should I give you a kiss?” “Because I’m craving… ugh, I mean, I’m starving.” The boy didn’t seem to notice my slip-up. His eyes twinkled with amusement, and he took a step closer, slowly lowering his head towards me. I widened my mouth, practically drooling, ready to suck down that sweet life essence. My ninth tail was practically waving at me! It wasn’t until he pulled me into a convenience store and shoved a sandwich into my hand, no questions asked, that I finally snapped out of it. Wait, this isn’t what I’m hungry for! The scent of chicken wings wafted to my nose. I watched him pop a chicken wing into his mouth, then looked down at the whole-wheat bread in my hand. He just stared at me, looking completely innocent. “Why aren’t you eating, Miss? Aren’t you hungry?” Unbelievable! He didn’t even offer me a chicken wing! I clutched my bread, turned, and stomped off, feeling incredibly wronged. Ugh, men are the worst! 2 Back home, I looked at the empty sandwich wrapper in my hand, then smacked myself on the head twice, fuming. How did I eat it all? I didn’t even get a drink. Oh right, Davey didn’t buy me one. Just thinking about today’s epic fail made me cringe. Nine hundred years old, and I got clowned by a kid who hadn’t even shaved yet. What an absolute disgrace! No way. Next time, I’m going on the offensive. I *will* get my man! Once that burst of adrenaline faded, I deflated like a punctured balloon. Seriously, seducing people is hard. My face just has a mind of its own. It blushes whenever it damn well pleases, no matter how much I tell it not to! Especially today, when Davey got close. He was so handsome, way better looking than any male fox in our clan. I patted my burning cheeks, trying to hype myself up. Willow, don’t get sidetracked by pretty faces. You’re carrying the hopes of your entire clan! You have to be a professional fox spirit. You need to make those jerks who said you couldn’t seduce a man eat their words. I puffed out my chest again, ready to conquer. Listen up, my prey! The Nine-Tailed Queen is here! Tremble, mortals! 3 It was a dark and stormy night. Perfect for murder… *cough, sputter*… I mean, for *hunting*. Let’s see which lucky soul falls into my hands tonight. I randomly picked a guy, pinned him against the wall, and went in for a kiss. Just absorbing life essence, no need for all that fancy stuff. A little ‘take-charge’ approach is always popular, isn’t it? Except, could my little wallflower stop squirming already? Seriously, what’s this guy on? He’s surprisingly strong; I can barely hold him down! “Move again, and I’ll kiss you to death!” I growled, grinding my teeth. Huh, he actually stopped. He just went completely rigid. “Are you craving again, Miss?” A large hand gently cupped the back of my head, an utterly intimate gesture. I looked up, and in the dim light, I saw his face. Handsome, tall, with that sly smirk—it was that arrogant jerk from yesterday! “Do you just go around ambushing random guys every night?” he suddenly leaned in, whispering into my ear, “That’s dangerous, you know. What if you run into a bad guy?” My face flushed hot. He ruffled my hair, then, just as I was getting flustered, he slipped out of my grasp. Walking away, he called out, “This isn’t good for you, Miss. You should head home.” I snapped back to reality. I failed again! As I stamped my foot in frustration, he looked back under the streetlamp, still not far away. “Or, you could come home with me?” My fox ears practically shot straight up. Was this for real?! 4 Davey’s house was huge. If I shouted, would I hear an echo? “It’s just me here, Miss. Make yourself at home.” He lives alone in a place like this? I changed into slippers in the entryway, taking in my surroundings. The room was decorated in dark, cool tones, full of cold, minimalist vibes. Then I looked at Davey, with his sweet, innocent demeanor, and a million question marks popped into my head. It didn’t match at all. Davey, what kind of taste do you have? The shoe rack was filled with identical black leather shoes, except for the white sneakers he wore the first day, sticking out like a little lamb in a wolf’s den. Through the window, on the balcony, I saw perfectly stacked, uniformly spaced, identical black suits. I gasped, sucking in a cold breath. “I didn’t realize you were so cool on the inside,” I said, surprised. “Cool kid.” Davey turned back with a smile. “My name’s Devereaux. I’m a freelance worker. And you?” So, he wasn’t a student. I sat on the sofa. “I’m Willow. I’m a Community Development Specialist.” *Just the great cause of revitalizing Fox Clan, that’s all.* Davey was putting on an apron. “You always seem hungry when we meet, Miss. What do you want to eat today?” “You,” I blurted out. The moment I said it, my face burned. I was about to backtrack, but then I saw Davey’s eyes widen, his face even redder than mine. My heart fluttered with excitement. “No, I’m really tired today. Don’t have much energy,” Davey shook his head. I got even more excited. Davey and I stared at each other. After a long moment, he gave in, lowering his head, his earlobes flushed. “Whatever you want to do, shouldn’t you eat something first?” “How about chicken, three ways?” Davey looked at me with a gentle smile. What fox could ever say no to triple the chicken? 5 Davey’s chicken was absolutely delicious. After gnawing on the last drumstick and seeing the mountain of bones on the table, I let out a satisfied burp. Davey naturally began clearing the table. He was wearing a white T-shirt, his bangs neatly combed back, making him look soft and warm, as if bathed in a gentle light. His eyelashes fluttered like tiny brushes against my heart, tickling me. His apron strings dangled loose, highlighting an impossibly narrow waist. *Gulp.* It’s okay. Soon, this slender-waisted boy would be all mine. I shot up, wanting to pull him into a hug. But after two steps, my head felt so dizzy. Huh—? One Davey, two Daveys, so many Daveys! “That ‘drunken chicken’ dish had a lot of booze. You ate too happily and got tipsy.” Tipsy? But what about my big meal? I hadn’t absorbed his life essence yet! No way I’m letting you get away tonight! I pounced, biting down. “Good girl, settle down.” Suddenly, I was airborne. Davey had picked me up. He looked so skinny, how did he have so much strength? What did you say? What was Davey’s expression? How would a drunk fox know? But I was definitely happy, that much was true. 6 When I sobered up in the middle of the night, I saw my clothes were still perfectly on. I pouted. Remembering my cousin Scarlett’s teachings, I transformed into a thin nightgown, my legs bare, and slipped out of the guest room. It was the middle of the night, and I felt a little guilty. But Davey had explicitly agreed! I was just finishing what we started. He couldn’t blame me. I tiptoed to the master bedroom. The door wasn’t locked; it was even left ajar. Wasn’t that an invitation?! I quietly pushed the door open, slowly crawled onto Davey’s bed, and snuggled up next to him. My mouth was aimed right at his. Life essence, come to mommy! I sucked hard. Davey’s eyes suddenly snapped open, and he clamped a hand over his mouth. We stared at each other like two startled deer caught in headlights. The absorption process was interrupted, and I started coughing so hard the room shook. He did that on purpose! He totally did! 7 Davey switched on the lamp, looking at me with exasperation. Maybe he’d just woken up, his hair was messy, and his pajama top was open, revealing his abs. I instinctively knelt obediently on his lap, looking up at him. “You promised me,” I said, trying to straighten my back, my voice a little shaky. “Miss, you don’t do this with everyone, do you?” I froze. Thinking back, I usually just knocked them out and absorbed. This was the first time I’d met someone so difficult. I shook my head. “Only you.” “Are you serious, Miss?” “Super serious!” I pouted. The tense lines on Davey’s face softened. He shook his head helplessly, then chuckled softly. He shook his head again, then opened his arms to me. What a turnaround! What a ray of light! This was it! I leaped into his arms, giddy with excitement, and he wrapped me in a tight embrace. A single layer of fabric couldn’t stop the warmth from spreading. Davey was like a furnace, radiating warmth. Davey’s face drew closer and closer. I slowly closed my eyes, my other senses sharpening. I felt his scorching breath, felt his lips capture mine. So soft! His tongue began its conquest, and I had no power to resist, dizzyingly following his rhythm. It wasn’t until I was about to gasp for air that Davey finally released me. My lips and tongue were numb. Good thing I got that life essence, or it would have been a total waste. …I went silent. Did I just forget to absorb life essence? I jolted upright, startled, my head hitting Davey’s chin. My ears *hurt*. Wait, my ears!!! I quickly reached for the top of my head. Sure enough, they were out. I quickly pulled them back in. With my hair covering them, and in this darkness, Davey probably didn’t notice, right? Fox spirits can’t reveal their true forms to humans. I didn’t want to end up singing the blues in a jail cell. The next second, my entire body froze. My tail… it was out. Like a broken record, I slowly lowered my head, staring at the tails wildly waving around the room. I closed my eyes in despair. It was just a kiss! How could I get so emotional?! If the clan found out, I’d be laughed to death! Next time I need life essence, I’m finding a blind guy. A soft chuckle came from above my head. “So you really are a fox, Miss. No wonder you’re so beautiful—and so soft.” Davey was holding one of my tails, gently kneading it. I tentatively tried to pull it back. Davey narrowed his eyes, looking at me meaningfully. Then, he stroked my tail from the very tip all the way to the root. All my fox fur stood on end. My entire body felt like it was zapped with electricity. “Are you sick?!” I shrieked, furiously trying to snatch my tail back. I pulled. It wouldn’t budge?! Suddenly, he flipped over, pinning me down on the bed. In the darkness, I could hear both our heartbeats quickening. “Don’t get distracted, my little fox.” 8 I successfully absorbed the handsome Davey’s life essence. But I ended up in the hospital, unlucky me. That arrogant jerk at least had a conscience; he got me a VIP room. “Awake?” He looked at me with a cold face. I was the one who passed out from absorbing *his* life essence, why was he giving *me* attitude? “The doctor said you had food poisoning. He told me to warn you to be careful next time.” *Food poisoning.* *Careful next time.* He emphasized those words particularly heavily. If my human university professors had highlighted key points like that, I wouldn’t have failed so many classes and almost not graduated. “What kind of poisoning did I get?” I felt a little panicky, but then I sensed my body. My ninth tail seemed to have grown out. I ignored the pain all over my body, grimacing as I rushed to the bathroom. Locked the door. I released all nine of my tails, ready to admire my nine-tailed glory. This was it, nine tails! Let’s see who dares say I’m a bad cultivator now. However, I looked at the tails behind me, then at my reflection in the mirror. What the hell?! I’m a white fox! A snow-white fox with not a single stray dark hair, so how did I grow a black tail?! I hugged the dark, ugly tail and burst into tears, whimpering like a puppy. I’m so ugly now! Who wants this tail? Can I just cut it off? I seriously couldn’t face anyone like this! 9 The first thing I did when I got home was tie that arrogant jerk up tight. Seeing him restrained by eight of my tails, lying motionless on the bed, I weirdly felt he possessed a certain tortured beauty. That thought scared the crap out of me. Was something wrong with my fox brain? I let that ugly tail out separately, using it as a whip. In my excitement, the black tail snapped against the floor with a loud crack. That arrogant jerk shivered all over. I felt a little satisfied. “Confess leniently, resist severely. Tell me, which temple sent you to harm me? Why did I get a stomach ache and grow a black tail after absorbing your life essence?” I looked at the dark tail, sniffled, and fought back tears. “Miss, I didn’t do anything. You forced me.” “That’s nonsen…!” I slammed on the brakes. Huh, he was right, wasn’t he? Suddenly, my conscience felt a little pain. “How can you turn the tables on me like that?!” Oh no, my conscience hurt even more. 10 “No playing the victim! Confess honestly, or I’ll eat you, Miss.” I bared my fangs. Don’t think foxes only have ears and tails; I eat meat too! Davey shrank back in fear, his shoulders trembling. Tears clung to the corners of his eyes, and I felt a little soft-hearted. He was still young, after all. “Miss, you’re far too easy to trick.” What kind of horrible personality was that? I must have been blind to think he was a sweet, innocent boy. I was furious. I lunged, biting at his neck. Suddenly, black mist filled the air, and my tails were forcibly flung away. Before I could recover, Davey turned the tables. A large scythe, covered in black cloth strips, appeared out of nowhere, held horizontally in front of me. Davey was wearing a black robe, with smoky eyeliner circles so dark, it looked like he hadn’t slept in three days. If he just had a guitar, he’d be a middle schooler trying to be a death metal rock star. The scythe hooked my waist. With a slight pull, I tumbled into his arms.

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My cousin and I both transmigrated to a beastmen world. Life in this world was harsh, but we were surrounded by all kinds of gorgeous men, and polyandry was the norm. My cousin, Brittany, snatched the [Beloved System] first, grinning triumphantly at me. “You got ahead of me in our last life, but this time, everyone will love and spoil me. I’m the protagonist, and I’ll have countless leading men.” I just smiled faintly, opting for the leftover [Nation-Building Tech System], then pulled out an AK47. “I want that [Beloved System]!” Brittany shoved me aside, her eyes gleaming with impatience. The moment I heard her, I knew. Brittany had reincarnated too. In our previous life, my cousin and I had just arrived in this beastmen world when two systems appeared: one was the [Beloved System], and the other, the [Nation-Building Tech System]. Last time, Brittany pinched me hard, rushing to choose the [Nation-Building Tech System]. I never thought she’d regret it and choose differently this time around. The robotic voice in the air spoke, just as stiffly as before. “Once chosen, there’s no turning back.” “Only a fool would regret becoming the beloved protagonist! I’ll never regret it!” As Brittany’s words faded, the pink glow slowly settled into her chest. And just like that, the discarded [Nation-Building Tech System] bound itself to me. Brittany stared at me, a mix of triumph and hatred in her eyes: “Skylar, in our last life, you got the Beloved System and enjoyed the adoration of so many men. This time, those good days finally belong to me. As for you, if you get in my way, you might as well die early in this wilderness.” If Brittany hadn’t snatched the [Nation-Building Tech System] last time, why would I have needed to bind myself to the Beloved System and live a life of trying to please countless men? What was poison to me, she craved like honey. Oh, Brittany. You don’t know, I’ve wanted this [Nation-Building Tech System] for ages. Now, my wish has finally come true. The surrounding light faded, just like last time, leaving us in a dense forest. The trees here were so thick they blocked out the sun, even denser than any rainforest I’d seen. All sorts of strange plants were everywhere. This was the primeval beastmen world, where strength reigned supreme. Brittany couldn’t wait. “The protagonist’s perks are finally mine.” “Quick, Beloved System, make me beautiful!” A crystalline pill appeared in Brittany’s hand, and she swallowed it without hesitation. The pill worked instantly. Brittany’s skin brightened several shades, becoming smooth and delicate, and even her hair turned silky. “This Beloved System stuff is amazing! Skylar, you were so stingy to hog something this good from me in our last life!” Brittany excitedly caressed her now even more beautiful face, then remembered me standing nearby and added, her voice bitter with resentment. Just then, a lion’s roar echoed, and a massive tiger leaped out of the dense jungle beside us. Brittany showed no fear. She swayed her hips, a shy smile playing on her lips, and walked towards the tiger. A flicker of human-like astonishment crossed the great tiger’s eyes. The next second, he transformed into a bare-chested, handsome man. “Beautiful she-beastkin, if you do not have a tribe, Brody invites you to return to my tribe with me.” Brittany, all sweetness and light, threw herself into Brody’s arms, shooting me a triumphant look over his shoulder. “Of course, I’d be delighted.”

Female beastkin were scarce in this world, and just like in my previous life, Brody, the tiger beastman, brought my cousin and me back to his tribe. Brody was the leader of the nearby Soar Tribe, powerful and handsome. The moment we arrived at the tribe, a large group of bare-chested beastkin swarmed us, buzzing with questions. “Chief Brody, what did you hunt?” “Oh my goodness, it’s a she-beastkin! And she’s so beautiful!” “Only Chief Brody could find such a rare she-beastkin!” Just like me in my previous life, under the [Beloved System]’s influence, Brittany received the welcome and adoration of all the beastkin. Facing so many intense gazes, Brittany clung to Brody, all innocent and demure. I overheard her talking to her system, her tone surprisingly critical: “System, besides Brody, none of these beastkin are very handsome.” “My leading men must be absolute top-tier alphas. Only then will I allow them to grovel at my feet.” “Just like Skylar in the last life, she had handsome snake-kin, the Young Lord of Eagle City… This time, they’ll all be mine.” I shook my head from the side, secretly laughing at my cousin’s naivety. Memories flooded my mind. In my previous life, after transmigrating from a civilized modern society to this savage beastmen world, Brittany, wanting technological security, had snatched the [Nation-Building Tech System]. Females were rare in this world, so polyandry was practiced. Under the influence of the [Beloved System], the top male beastkin of the entire world pursued me, revering me as a goddess. Brittany only saw my sweet life, being pampered by powerful male beastkin. But she didn’t see how I was practically held captive, constantly pressured to birth new children. Mindful of our relationship before transmigrating, I tried my best to mediate among the male beastkin, asking them to let Brittany stay by my side. She had freedom and didn’t have to be a birthing tool like me. I never expected that my softheartedness would be my undoing. The night before I was due to give birth, Brittany burst in and shot me directly in the stomach. As I lay dying, spitting blood, I clutched at her and asked why. Her face was twisted with cruel malice. “Skylar, how dare you ask why? Ever since we came to this world, you’ve had the best of everything, so many men falling over themselves for you. I was consumed with jealousy.” Only then did I realize that all my consideration for her, in her eyes, had just been a show-off. Turns out, karma was watching. This life, I got a do-over. Watching Brittany, surrounded by all the beastkin, I secretly smiled. This ‘blessing’ is all yours now. Enjoy it.

The beastkin buzzed around Brittany, trying every trick in the book to win her favor. Brody got angry. “Brittany is my she-beastkin! Who dares to even think about her?” When the Chief spoke, the surrounding beastkin, no matter how unwilling, had no choice but to shut up. Brittany, watching Brody’s protective jealousy, was flushed with sweet delight. Just as the atmosphere was joyous and harmonious, an arrogant, wolf-eared beastman walked in. “Chief Brody, it’s tribute day today. Don’t tell me you forgot.” I was stunned. I wondered if my rebirth had caused a butterfly effect; this event had moved up. In my previous life, the Soar Tribe and Wolf Cloud City had clashed. The Soar Tribe was defeated and forced to relocate, agreeing to offer she-beastkin to Wolf Cloud City on a certain day. My cousin and I were outsiders, with no real ties to the tribe. Brody, who had taken a liking to me, had planned to offer Brittany to the Wolf Cloud City Lord. I learned from Brody that the Wolf Cloud City Lord was ugly and brutal. I begged Brody to let Brittany stay, saving her life. This time, however, Brittany glanced at me, then pulled Brody, who was still in a standoff with the Wolf Cloud City envoy, and whispered a few words to him. The next second, Brody pointed at me: “Envoy, this is the she-beastkin our tribe will offer to the City Lord. Take her.” I looked at Brittany. As expected, a look of satisfying revenge spread across her face. I scoffed, not at all surprised. The Wolf Tribe envoy looked at me, his eyes lighting up. He nodded in satisfaction. I knew what he was satisfied with. Though my looks were average in modern society, here, I was considered fair-skinned and beautiful. More importantly, my slender build fit their perverted City Lord’s aesthetic. The Wolf Cloud City envoy grabbed me. I almost struggled, but then I thought, I have my own way to protect myself now. Why not go to a different place and really make my mark, build my own power? So I calmed down, not moving, allowing myself to be taken obediently. Before I left, Brittany smugly came to see me off. “Skylar, that City Lord is old and ugly. Enjoy him.” “Now, no one can steal my protagonist halo.” I smiled. I mouthed something to her: “Just you wait, cousin.” I was rewarded by seeing her face go pale.

Hearing that I was too weak to shift into a beast form from fright, the envoy and other guards were quite shocked. They didn’t shift either but instead tossed me onto a wooden sled, planning to drag me along. Watching that sled with no wheels, even after being reborn, I was still amazed by the primitive world’s backward production capabilities. Perhaps seeing my weak constitution, they didn’t even bother to tie me up. So I lay comfortably on the wooden sled, closed my eyes, and began to contact my Nation-Building Tech System. In my previous life, I didn’t even realize there was a gun inside the system until I was dying. This time, the moment I entered the system space, I was utterly stunned. There was everything: rice that yielded a thousand kilograms per mu, basic medical knowledge, craft instruction books, and of course, plenty of guns and ammunition… The shelves were packed full. Any one item, pulled out at random, would be revolutionary for this world! My heart pounded, then surged with excitement. With these things, building my own empire wouldn’t be difficult. It could at least vastly improve my quality of life! No more living like a savage, like in my last life! I couldn’t help but want to grab my short-sighted cousin, Brittany, and beat her senseless. So many treasures, and in her previous life, she was like a toddler given a fortune, unable to use any of it, obsessed only with being beloved. What a waste! Just as my mind raced, commotion and screams erupted around me. I instantly opened my eyes. The moment I did, I froze. Breathing on me was a colossal beast, half a story tall, covered in hard, gleaming armor. Its mouthparts dripped with saliva, exhaling a foul, fishy odor. I was barely half a meter from it, face-to-face. What in the world was this thing?! The beastkin guards who had been watching me scrambled away in sheer terror, “Insect-beast! The insect-beast is here! Run!” It was an insect-beast, the beastkin’s natural enemy, something I’d only heard legends of in my previous life but never seen. “Roar—!” The insect-beast roared at me, its foul saliva dripping all over me. The next second, a gunshot rang out. “Bang—!” The colossal body of the insect-beast crashed down before me, kicking up clouds of dust. I whistled softly. Gotta say, the AK47 is just so good. And the moment I picked it up, I instantly mastered all its usage methods. System-issued, always top-tier. The scattered beastkin, seeing the insect-beast subdued by me, stared in shock, their faces filled with disbelief, almost afraid to approach me. I jumped off the wooden sled. Finn, the envoy, looked at me, a mix of shock and joy on his face: “How did you do that?!” Soon, greed crept onto his face. “What are you standing around for?! Grab her! Tie her up quickly! We must get her secret!” Laughable. Gun in hand, I rule this place. I immediately aimed the AK47 at Finn’s leg and shot him. “Aarghh—!” Finn let out a sharp howl, clutching a bloody hole in his leg, his face filled with terror. “What is this?! What is this?! By the Mother Goddess Raynes, I was wrong! Please, forgive me!” The beastkin guards who had been about to seize me were terrified. They instantly abandoned Finn and tried to flee. I fired a few shots into the sky. “Who dares to run? I’ll kill them directly!” All the beastkin became utterly silent. I nodded in satisfaction. A joke. If I let them go, who would boil water, cook, and hunt on the way to the city? I ran up to the terrified envoy and pressed the gun to his head. He was stunned and terrified by this unseen “divine artifact,” his mouth trembling. “Tell me everything about your Wolf Cloud City, or you’ll end up like that insect-beast.” I pointed to the thoroughly dead insect-beast nearby. Finn immediately nodded, spilling the beans on everything, like a dam breaking.

In my previous life, Wolf Cloud City had collapsed before I ever visited it, seemingly merged with another tribal power. This time, the envoy’s detailed account gave me a rough idea of the situation. Wolf Cloud City hadn’t always been called that. It was originally built by both the Wolf Tribe and the Fox Tribe, and back then, it was incredibly prosperous. Later, the Wolf Tribe grew powerful, directly expelling the Fox Tribe from the city to become the sole dominant power, then changed its name. The current City Lord, Drogo, was absurd and unreasonable. Not only did he hoard rare female beastkin, but he also loved war, turning the whole city into a chaotic mess and causing a significant loss of beastkin population. “Little Goddess, these rabbits have been caught by our warriors for you, and already cooked. Please, enjoy.” Finn respectfully offered me a bowl of rabbit stew in an old wooden bowl. Through my “brainwashing” and a few modern tricks, I had been hailed by the entire group as a goddess sent by their Mother Goddess Raynes. But I looked at the crude, indescribably ugly wooden bowl and couldn’t help but show my disdain. Sigh, change was absolutely necessary. “Little Goddess, this is the best food we can offer you! Once you return to Wolf Cloud City, I will definitely send people to bring you the finest, most exquisite food!” Seeing my frown, Finn swore to the heavens and earth. I stood up. “Who is in charge of cooking?” A somewhat scrawny guard stood up. I extended my hand, and instantly, a pile of modern seasonings appeared in my palm. Seeing me materialize these things out of thin air, all the beastkin looked on in shock and awe. “I’ll teach you how to use these.” I told the scrawny guard. In the beastmen world, the only seasoning was salt, but it was unrefined salt blocks that tasted bad, nowhere near as fine as modern salt. “Is this… salt? It’s so fine!” A beastman couldn’t help but exclaim. Seeing wood ear mushrooms on a nearby tree, my eyes lit up, and I picked quite a few. “Goddess, what are you doing with those? Only frail rabbit-kin and sheep-kin eat those.” Finn mumbled. I had the guard wash them clean and stew them with the rabbit meat, adding plenty of seasonings. Soon, a unique aroma filled the air. All the beastkin sniffed desperately, constantly swallowing their saliva. In no time, a fresh, rich pot of wood ear rabbit stew was ready. “This is a blessing from the Goddess!” Finn was the first to kneel, and a large group followed, kneeling in a rush. I was just chuckling to myself when, suddenly, a wooden grapple flew down from a nearby tree, hooked the stone pot, and the entire pot of rabbit stew was lifted away as if by magic. I was startled. “Quick, catch them!” The guards immediately transformed into their wolf forms and sprinted into the dense forest. I saw two fiery-red figures quickly disappear from my sight within the trees. But soon, the guards returned, apprehending two fox-kin beastmen, along with the stone pot and the confiscated vine-wood grapple. The two fox-kin beastmen had the alluring beauty unique to their kind, a stunning, almost ethereal beauty that transcended gender. One had a mole near his eye, the other didn’t. Their silver hair was topped with two beautiful fiery-red ears. Right now, both of them glared at us, looking annoyed and wary. “Inferior mixed-blood fox-kin, daring to use such tricks to steal the food the Goddess prepared for us! Break their hands and legs and banish them!” Finn declared imperiously, but I stopped him. “Wait.” I held up the vine-wood grapple to the two fox-kin beastmen. It was a hook with a mechanism, capable of retracting flexibly, but when extended, it had an extremely strong grip. I’d seen it already; even a heavy stone pot was no match for it. In my past life and this one, it was hard to find such a strong, expertly crafted hook on the beastkin continent. My heart swelled with excitement. If they had made this hook themselves, possessing such incredible craftsmanship, how wonderful it would be if they could join my ranks and help me implement new crafting methods! “Did you make this?” Both fox-kin beastmen kept their mouths shut, raising an eyebrow at me without speaking. Finn tried to intimidate them, but I stopped him. “I mean nothing else. I’m recruiting new subordinates. Don’t worry, if you become my subordinates, not only will you have today’s food, but anything else I can provide, I will.” The fox-kin beastman with the mole near his eye asked, “What do you want to do?” “Kill City Lord Drogo, and build my own, more advanced empire. What do you say? Care to take a gamble?” I didn’t hide my intentions, my power was evident. Hearing my words, their faces showed shock, as if they hadn’t expected me to have such resolve. The surrounding wolf-kin guards, however, were calm, having already been brought under my command. “Alright. Wolf Cloud City has a part of our fox tribe too. I’m in.” The fox-kin beastman with the mole said. The other one nodded slightly. After getting to know them, I learned that these two fox-kin beastmen had been expelled from their own tribe. They were twins, the elder brother named Lian, and the younger Nolan. Because they were a mixed bloodline of fire fox and silver fox, they were driven out of their tribe. They had survived in the dense forest by relying on their ingenious mechanical skills. This time, Nolan had craved the wood ear rabbit stew, which led them to take such a risk among the wolf-kin. Hearing it was because of their bloodline, I looked at the two beastkin curiously. Their bodies didn’t quite fit the beastkin continent’s ideal of robust strength, but their figures were slender, with lean muscle subtly showing beneath their fur clothes, undeniably captivating. The twins, one steady and the other lively, had silver hair and silver eyes, yet fiery red ears, making them absolutely captivating. I quietly swallowed. No wonder they were fox-kin. I had the beastkin divide the wood ear rabbit stew. For a moment, all I heard were the happy slurping sounds, until even the bottoms of the bowls were licked clean. “Brother, just for this skill, staying here is totally worth it!” Nolan’s silver fox eyes widened, adding to his allure, still wanting more. Lian, comparatively, was more mature. At Nolan’s words, he merely smiled subtly, looking at me, the mole near his eye stood out vividly. No way, they’re too good-looking! Seriously, in our world, they’d be superstars! Even without any romantic intentions towards them, my heart couldn’t stop pounding. This was a raw, visceral impact of facing extreme beauty. “Done eating? I have something for you.” I pulled out books on basic crafts and technology from the system space. Seeing me materialize objects out of thin air, Lian and Nolan’s faces showed shock, while the other wolf-kin beastmen looked on with pride and reverence. “Both of you, study this thoroughly. If there’s anything you don’t understand, ask me. I’ll need you to produce the things shown in this book.” The book used picture-based lessons, simple and straightforward. Lian took the book with a puzzled expression, but soon exclaimed in surprise, “What is this? It’s so light, and it has pictures!” In the beastmen continent, records were kept on stone carvings or wooden boards; paper didn’t exist yet. I smiled faintly, with an air of profound mystery. “This is called a book. Just follow me, and I can give you even better things than this.” Along the way, relying on the complete set of craft books, I brought Lian and Nolan under my wing. They were smart and eager to learn, quickly becoming my two greatest aids.

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Queen Aethelred, famed across kingdoms for her breathtaking beauty, chose *me* of all people to be her Consort Queen. Every time I returned in my armor from battle, she’d look at me with utter disdain, “Why aren’t you dead yet?” Then, after eight years, I found myself clinging to life by a thread. She glared at the woman holding me, her eyes filled with chilling malice. “You’re abandoning me for *this* beast-kin?” she fumed, her voice dripping with fury. Yup, because a younger woman is just incredibly enchanting. 0 On the day of Queen Aethelred’s ascension, dignitaries arrived from every corner of the realm. Royalty from neighboring kingdoms flocked, eager to witness her famed beauty. As her newly crowned Consort Queen, I had barely finished my coronation ceremony before she dispatched me to the front lines that very night. My wedding night was spent alone, in a cold war tent. But at that moment, I regretted nothing. Marrying the woman I adored while also fulfilling my family’s legacy? It felt like winning the grandest lottery. With a fierce surge of strength, I dominated the battlefield, returning victorious soon after. The entire court roared, “Long live the Queen! All hail the Consort Queen!” Queen Aethelred merely scoffed, casting a contemptuous glance at me, still kneeling in the grand hall. “That scar on your neck is hideous,” she sneered, then turned and swept into her private chambers, leaving me to the buzzing whispers of the court. She wanted beauty, didn’t she? Back in my royal apartments, I diligently followed the royal physician’s orders, taking elixirs and applying salves every single day. “My Queen, look.” I eagerly showed Queen Aethelred my neck, now bearing only a faint line. “Ugly people always make a scene,” Queen Aethelred said, without even a glance. With a dismissive wave of her hand, she sent me back to the battlefield. That perfect profile uttered such a callous remark. I pouted, but still donned my armor to expand her kingdom’s borders. With the Consort Queen herself on the front lines, and the granddaughter of the famed Thorne family, a founding pillar of the kingdom, morale soared. Victory reports poured in. On the day of my triumphant return to the capital, the palace walls were adorned with festive lights and banners. Daisy, my personal attendant, was even more excited than I was. “My Lady, look! The Queen still cares for you!” Just as I thought I had finally warmed Queen Aethelred’s heart of stone, I drew closer and realized – this wasn’t a celebration of *my* triumph. This was Queen Aethelred taking a new bride. 0

On the high platform, Lyra Vane was radiant, dazzling in a magnificent ceremonial gown that outshone even my own wedding dress. Except for a full queen’s diadem, her attire and the surrounding rituals were practically identical to a new Consort Queen’s. In stark contrast, I was still in my full battle armor, dust-stained and disheveled, with fresh, unhealed scars on my hands. I looked more like a mere subject than a royal consort. My sudden interruption of the ceremony seemed to shock Queen Aethelred more than me. She blurted out, “You’re not dead yet?” All the questions, all the hurt, choked in my throat, unable to escape. The gazes of the entire assembly turned to me, and in that instant, I felt like I was standing utterly alone against the world. Seeing my silence, Queen Aethelred waved for someone to escort me away to rest, while her other hand clasped that of her ‘true love,’ Lyra Vane. Lyra Vane lowered her delicate fan, a smirk playing on her lips as she smiled at me. How dared this child of a disgraced traitor provoke me so openly? I drew my sword and pointed it directly at her, eliciting a sharp shriek. Chaos erupted in the great hall as guards dragged me out, half-coaxing, half-forcing. I watched as Lyra Vane, tucked safely in Queen Aethelred’s embrace, smugly raised an eyebrow at me. As fireworks burst into bloom outside my chambers, confined within the palace walls, I felt the first stirrings of doubt. Was the one I loved truly so despicable? Or was it *me* who wasn’t good enough? Yet she had once been so gentle. When we first met, I had fallen into the river, and she, heedless of danger, had rescued me. Those dark eyes, filled with the sparkle of a starlit night, were an incomparable memory. Daisy’s voice cut through my thoughts. “Alright, My Lady, you’ve told that story for eight years now. I could recite it by heart.” I was about to retort when urgent alarm bells suddenly rang out from beyond the palace walls. Assassins had infiltrated the palace! “She’s in danger!” I grabbed my sword, not even bothering to change, and scaled the high walls in just my sheer nightwear, rushing to Queen Aethelred’s aid. There were far more assassins than I imagined. By the time I reached Queen Aethelred’s private chambers, I found it littered with fallen guards. A blade flashed directly at Queen Aethelred’s throat; I rushed forward to block it. Turning, I saw Queen Aethelred comforting Lyra Vane, who was nestled in her arms behind me. Distracted for a moment, my left arm was pierced. More assassins quickly arrived, and I gradually found myself overwhelmed. “Aethelred! Call the guards!” Silence stretched behind me. I looked back, and Queen Aethelred was already at the chamber door, Lyra Vane clutched in her arms, fleeing. A cold dread seized me. I looked down to see blood dripping from the sword impaled in my chest. As I fell, I thought I saw Queen Aethelred shouting something from a distance. The world plunged into darkness, but through the fading silence, a furious female voice echoed in my ears: “Who told you to hurt *her*?!” 0

In the haze, I saw those dark eyes, brimming with concern. A wave of warmth surged through my chest, and the drowning sensation vanished instantly. I reached out, my fingers brushing against something soft and furry. A clear, melodic female voice spoke: “Seraphina, you haven’t repaid what you owe me yet. You’re not allowed to die.” The voice was utterly unfamiliar. How did she know my name? Through the blur, those dark eyes sharpened into focus. When my senses fully returned, I found myself in an unfamiliar room. Beside my bed sat the General’s wife of the Whispering Woods Tribe. As a child, our families had been close, and my grandfather often brought me to meet the General and his wife. Elder Elara, seeing me awake, was overjoyed. “She truly didn’t deceive me,” she murmured. When I questioned her, Elder Elara simply told me to rest and heal. I would know everything once I recovered. The Whispering Woods Tribe were the humans most deeply connected to nature’s essence. Here, I received excellent care, and my body recovered day by day. Elder Elara also informed me that she hadn’t heard anything about the Queen searching for me. Ignoring Elder Elara’s pleas, I decided to return to the capital. To the rhythm of drums and strings, a masked woman in red danced gracefully. Three fox tails swayed behind her. Beneath her white mask, a pair of upward-tilting eyes shimmered like water. I was mesmerized. Among the beast-kin, foxes were known for their striking beauty, so I presumed she was from the Foxkin tribe. To my surprise, the Foxkin, with whom I’d had no prior contact, presented her to me as a companion for my return journey. Before I departed, Elder Elara gravely advised me: if I ever faced danger, I *must* return with the beast-kin, Elysia. The masked woman silently met my gaze. I nodded, and together, I took the fox-kin back to the capital. 0

Every time I returned to the capital with my forces, the city would be adorned with festive lights and banners, but never once was it for me. This time was no exception. When I appeared, the city guards bowed respectfully, not daring to impede me. I entered the palace unimpeded, only to find this was Queen Aethelred’s grand celebration. She had finally gotten her wish: her ‘true love’ had ascended to the Consort Queen’s throne, to stay by her side. With the new Consort Queen’s ascension and *my* sudden appearance, the grand hall erupted in a commotion. The old ministers whispered frantically, debating how to respond in accordance with ancient laws. Queen Aethelred, a rare look of joy on her face, hurried down from the high platform. She rushed towards me, then reined in her smile, preemptively demanding, “Where have you been all this time? I thought you were dead!” Before I could even open my mouth, Elysia, behind me, let out a disdainful snort. Lyra Vane then approached, observing Queen Aethelred’s expression before turning to me with feigned concern. “It’s good you’re back, Sister. The Queen was very worried about you.” I gazed at the familiar wedding decorations around us, then glanced at the diadem on Lyra Vane’s head. I let out a soft, hollow laugh. “Oh, really?” Our ancestral teachings demanded I dedicate myself entirely to the Queen’s dynasty, just like my forebears. I was to embody the ideal Consort Queen, bringing stability and peace to the people. But now, it seemed I had married the wrong person and failed in my sacred duty. Queen Aethelred, too, glanced at the diadem. Her voice was laced with frantic urgency as she defended, “That’s not *your* diadem.” Elysia seemed to have had enough. “Of course not. Why would a new love wear an old crown? An old flame can’t compare to a fresh one.” I put a hand on Elysia’s arm, my gaze fixed on Queen Aethelred. I spoke just three words: “I want a divorce.” Since the founding of the kingdom, no Consort Queen had ever dared to propose a divorce. Wouldn’t this be a direct affront to Queen Aethelred’s authority? But I, Seraphina Thorne, had served the kingdom and its people flawlessly since becoming Consort Queen. The Queen had no grounds to dismiss me. In the past, Queen Aethelred had abandoned me to die, and today, she disregarded my honor so brazenly, shaming my ancestors. I absolutely would not tolerate it any longer. My declaration sent shockwaves through the hall. The elderly ministers seemed more agitated than Queen Aethelred herself, rushing forward to plead, “No, Your Majesty, you mustn’t!” Lyra Vane, however, watched Queen Aethelred’s reaction with an almost gleeful anticipation. Queen Aethelred froze for a moment, staring at me in disbelief. Once she realized I wasn’t joking, she suddenly looked as though she’d been dealt a crushing blow. She snatched my wrist. “Come back to the palace with me!” 0 A flash of white, and Elysia was between us, pushing Queen Aethelred and me apart. “Are you deaf?” she snapped. “She said she wants a divorce.”

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To amuse his new mistress, Damon ordered me, pregnant and exhausted, to dance in the water for his entertainment. When I finally dragged myself out, gasping for air, his mistress took one look at me and started gagging. “Your Majesty, I’m with child. I can’t stand the smell of fish.” It was only because I was a Merfolk princess that my legs transformed into a shimmering tail in the water. Damon exploded with rage. He had me locked in a crystal cage and sunk deep underwater, forbidding anyone from opening it without his permission. “Even if you can become human, you can’t hide that disgusting fishy scent! It’s revolting!” No matter how I struggled or pleaded, he didn’t care. He and his mistress even found it amusing. And so, I drowned, my body eventually dissipating into the water. He didn’t know that while we Merfolk can breathe underwater, we must reside on land to bear our young. After a full day and night, he finally seemed satisfied with my punishment and ordered me released. But I could no longer surface.

I never thought I’d die by drowning, and certainly not at the hands of the man I loved most. “Ariel, what are you standing around for? Seraphina is waiting for your dance performance! Are you defying even your King now?!” Damon, with the giggling Seraphina wrapped in his arm, glared at me with an unfriendly gaze. Remembering his threats against me, I had no choice but to enter the water. I began to perform the dance unique to our Merfolk, just as he demanded. Before, moving in water felt as natural as walking on land. But now, I was pregnant. My movements were clumsy, and I needed far more oxygen to sustain myself underwater. It wasn’t long before I was gasping for air, completely out of breath. I had to stop and pull myself onto the shore to breathe. I hadn’t expected that seeing me surface would make Seraphina immediately turn away, gagging. “Your Majesty, I smell such a strong fishy scent! I just found out I’m pregnant, and I simply can’t tolerate this smell right now.” With that, Seraphina nestled herself into Damon’s embrace, looking so fragile and helpless that it stirred compassion in anyone who saw her. Hearing Seraphina’s words, I felt utterly humiliated. Though I was Merfolk, I wasn’t an actual fish. How could I possibly smell of fish? And Seraphina’s mention of her pregnancy also bothered me. Damon and I had been married for years, yet we had no children. Damon had once confessed to me that their royal line struggled to produce heirs due to their immense power in battle. Some spent their entire lives without offspring, so he didn’t care about it and accepted he wouldn’t have children. Therefore, when I told Damon I was pregnant, he didn’t believe me. Seraphina had just entered the palace then and was in his prime favor. Damon thought I was faking it to gain his affection and lashed out at me. “Ariel, you’re truly shameless! To fake a pregnancy just to win favor—how could you? Don’t you know it’s hard for me to have children?!” I expected Seraphina to receive the same reprimand, but instead, Damon was overjoyed. “Really? Seraphina, you truly are my lucky star! I thought I’d never have a child of my own, and yet you’re pregnant!” “Unlike some who fake pregnancies for attention, you can’t hide your fishy scent, even if you come ashore and become human.” After saying that, Damon ordered me locked in the crystal cage he’d specially made for me and sunk to the bottom of the water. “You’ve disgusted my beauty. When my beauty is no longer angry, I’ll let you out.” Hearing Damon’s words, I was horrified. Once the crystal cage sank, it wouldn’t float back up. Being pregnant, I couldn’t breathe underwater for long periods. If I stayed too long, I would suffocate from lack of oxygen. My own death was meaningless, but my child—he hadn’t even been born, hadn’t seen the world with his own eyes. “Damon! You can’t do this to me! If you keep me in the water, I’ll drown! Let me out, now!” Damon listened, his eyes cold. “You’ll drown? Ariel, listen to what you’re saying! You’re a Merfolk princess!” “I’ve never heard such a ridiculous joke.” He finished speaking and, ignoring my struggles, locked me in. Then, he picked up Seraphina tenderly and turned to leave. Watching his cold, heartless demeanor and Seraphina’s triumphant gaze, I was filled with bitter resentment. But there was nothing I could do. And so, filled with despair, I sank to the bottom.

Damon carried Seraphina back to his royal chambers, a place that once, apart from him and me, no one was ever allowed to enter. But ever since Seraphina arrived, everything had changed. I, too, had become one of those forbidden to enter. I’d even been reduced to a personal entertainer, summoned at her whim and dismissed at her pleasure, without any of the dignity befitting a Queen. As long as Seraphina pouted to Damon about being bored, I had to appear and sing or dance for her. If I showed any reluctance, Damon would threaten my people. But he had forgotten—he once promised to protect me and my tribe forever. Now, he was the one trying to harm us. When Damon was inheriting the crown, he was surrounded by enemies. Brothers coveted his throne, and rival kingdoms loomed threateningly. In such a desperate situation, he sought help from my father, the King. My father was initially unwilling. We Merfolk never meddled in the affairs of other races. But because Damon and I fell in love, my father had no choice but to lend his aid. Though we helped Damon ascend to the throne, our tribe was greatly weakened and slowly began to decline. Damon also crowned me Queen, promising to protect our people. But just a few years later, Seraphina arrived. Everything he had said meant nothing anymore. Damon protected Seraphina with such tenderness, as if she were a fragile treasure. It was a look I hadn’t seen directed at me in a long time. In the first few years we were together, Damon had treated me with exceptional affection and care, as if I were too precious to hold, too delicate to even breathe near. Seraphina leaned against Damon, her voice weak and soft. “Your Majesty, don’t blame my sister. This is just my pregnancy, it’s not her fault at all.” Damon’s face darkened when Seraphina mentioned me. “If she makes my Seraphina uncomfortable, then it’s her fault. She deserves to be punished.” “I was too good to her in previous years, spoiled by luxury, so now she gets breathless with just a few movements. Seraphina, don’t worry, she’s just locked in water. She won’t die.” Hearing Damon’s words, a wave of sorrow washed over me. How could I not die? I was already dead. I remembered how, when I felt unwell in the past, Damon would take meticulous care of me, unlike now, when he knowingly confined me to a cage despite my discomfort. Seraphina heard Damon’s words, and the smile on her lips was almost impossible to suppress, yet she still feigned innocence. “Your Majesty, when my sister comes out later, she won’t come looking for trouble with me, will she? After all, she’s the Queen, and I’m just your mistress.” Damon’s eyes widened. “She wouldn’t dare! Don’t be afraid. No one can release her without my permission.” “Once you bear my child, I’ll depose her and make you Queen.” “Ariel hasn’t given me a single child in all these years. She should have been deposed ages ago!” “Oh, Your Majesty, you’re so good to me.” Seraphina finally looked satisfied, having received Damon’s promise. My heart twisted in agony watching this. I should have had a child too, but now he would never have the chance to be born. Because of Damon, he and I had died together. I couldn’t understand how a person could change so quickly, forgetting vows of eternal love in just a few short years. He got a new love and forgot the old. We promised to be each other’s only love forever, but as soon as someone new appeared, everything changed.

After Seraphina arrived, Damon used my poor health as an excuse to banish me from his royal chambers. Ostensibly, it was for my well-being, but in reality, he and Seraphina spent every night in revelry. Damon’s frequent visits gradually became occasional, and eventually, he stopped coming altogether. Now, every time he said he wanted to see me, it was only to make me sing and dance for Seraphina, humiliating me to please her. He said, “You are Seraphina, and you are worth everything I have to make you happy.” Once upon a time, he had said those very words to me. Whenever I was homesick or upset, he would gently comfort me, gathering all sorts of interesting things to make me smile. But now, I had become nothing more than a tool to please someone else. “Your Majesty! Terrible news! The Queen has stopped struggling! She’s sunk to the bottom!” Just as Damon and Seraphina were enjoying a tender moment, a servant suddenly rushed in. Damon froze for a moment. “What did you say?” Then, as if the words registered, he frowned, looking annoyed, his face darkening. “She sank? So what? She’s Merfolk; what’s so strange about her sinking to the bottom of the water?!” The servant, frightened by Damon’s expression, quickly explained, “But… the Queen, she… her eyes are closed, her face is pale, and she seems to have stopped breathing.” Damon dressed quickly and stood up, appearing ready to follow the servant out. Seeing Damon’s movement, Seraphina quickly spoke. “Your Majesty, didn’t you say you’d stay with me? How can you leave me halfway?” “My sister is Merfolk; she lives in the water. Nothing bad will happen to her. This must be her throwing a tantrum. Your Majesty, you’ve been with my sister for so many years; you know she’s like this. When she’s angry, she ignores everyone.” Damon’s expression suddenly changed, clearly angered by something she had said. “Hmph! She’s definitely throwing a tantrum. Ignore her. I’ve never heard of Merfolk drowning in water.” Then he turned back and issued another command. “Go tell everyone that no one is to release her without my order. If I find out otherwise…” Damon’s words hung unfinished, but the servant was already nodding frantically, terrified. “Yes, yes, Your Majesty! I’ll go watch immediately. I’ll make sure not even a fly gets out!” Damon finally looked satisfied. Seraphina giggled, whispering sweet nothings that so utterly captivated Damon he lost all sense of time.

Damon didn’t think of me for the entire night. I imagined by now my body wouldn’t last much longer before it dissipated. We Merfolk grew up in water, and upon death, we dissipate back into the water, returning nutrients to nurture future generations. By the time Damon finally descended from his bed, satisfied, the sun was already high in the sky. “I wonder how my sister is doing now. Has her anger subsided? You know, the last time my sister was angry, she didn’t show her face for three whole days and nights.” Seraphina’s words stirred my memories. It was when Seraphina had just arrived. Though she was favored, she wasn’t as openly bold as she was now. Damon still cared about me somewhat and hadn’t gone too far. And at that time, I still believed Damon loved me, and Seraphina was just a passing novelty. I thought he would return to me once he grew tired of her. So, when Seraphina came looking for trouble, I slapped her without hesitation. Seraphina ran back crying to complain, and Damon, in a fit of anger, slapped me back. It was the first time I had ever been hit in my life, and to be treated this way by the man I loved, I couldn’t bear it. I immediately jumped into the water and hid. For three days and three nights, I didn’t show myself. It was after that incident that Damon never came to console me again, and he began to openly lavish Seraphina with his affection. Damon, prompted by Seraphina, clearly remembered that incident. He paused for a moment, as if recalling my very existence, then suddenly became enraged. “Hmph! I’ll go see if she knows her place now!” With that, Damon stormed towards the royal gardens. Servants were diligently guarding the area, and my pale body lay there. As soon as Damon arrived, he impatiently demanded, “Has Ariel acknowledged her mistake? Has she begged me to let her out?” Hearing Damon’s words, I scoffed internally. How was I supposed to acknowledge a mistake, or beg for mercy? Hadn’t I already done all that before I died? Was it any use? Moreover, what had I done wrong? Was I wrong for getting tired while dancing, or wrong for letting a fishy smell disgust Seraphina? None of it was true. These were just false accusations you, Damon, imposed on me to humiliate me and please Seraphina. My biggest mistake was loving you and believing your lies. The servant shook his head. “To answer Your Majesty, the Queen… she…” “Since she sank, she hasn’t surfaced. She hasn’t opened her eyes, nor moved an inch.” Damon’s expression froze. He took a few hurried steps to the water’s edge and looked down. My face was pale, and I lay quietly at the bottom. Because the water was moving, my clothes and hair also swayed. Coupled with the strong midday sun, it was hard to see clearly. It looked as though I was floating, occasionally making slight movements. Damon clearly misinterpreted this. “Hmph! What do you mean she hasn’t moved? She’s clearly faking her death!” “Since you like staying underwater, then stay there forever! Don’t ever come up again!” Hearing Damon’s words, I felt a burning hatred. Was it that I didn’t want to come up? I was killed by you, Damon! I could never surface again! Damon finished speaking and angrily turned to leave. It was then that I saw my body beginning to dissipate. The servant saw it too. He screamed in terror, “The Queen… The Queen… she’s gone!” Damon stopped dead in his tracks and ran back to the water’s edge, looking down. The bottom of the water was empty. My body was no longer there.

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When I was eight months pregnant, my husband, Liam, completely ignored my protests. He was dead set on having a baby with his childhood friend, Scarlett, who was supposedly terminally ill. He said it was to fulfill her dying wish to be a mother. I was so furious that my water broke. There was blood. I called Liam eighteen times, but he didn’t answer a single one. By the time I was rushed to the hospital, it was too late. I’d lost the baby. Then I scrolled through SnapChat and saw Scarlett’s pregnancy results plastered all over her story. Later, Liam said coldly, “It just wasn’t meant to be for that baby, Stella. Why are you taking it out on Scarlett? She’s sick. Once her baby is born, we can just have another one.” Everyone thought I was madly in love with my husband, certain I’d swallow my hurt as always. But this time, I signed the divorce papers without hesitation, bought a plane ticket, and left the country. I saw my ex-husband again two years later at a class reunion. The moment I walked into the private room, he shoved a two-year-old boy into my arms, a smug look on his face. “Stella, you’ve thrown a tantrum for two years now. Isn’t it time to cool off? Just apologize to me publicly, and I might even let Leo call you ‘Mom’!” Everyone around us snickered, whispering that I’d gotten a fantastic deal, becoming a mother without any of the pain. But I simply held up my left hand, flashing the wedding ring on my finger. “I already have a husband and a child of my own. I don’t need to be anyone’s second-hand mother!”

The room fell silent the instant I finished speaking. Everyone stared at me in shock, then burst out laughing. “Oh, come on, Stella. Everyone knows you were obsessed with Liam! When he had kidney failure, you gave him one of your own kidneys. Do you really think someone like you would just marry someone else?” “Seriously, can’t you at least draft your angry words before blurting them out?” A cold laugh bubbled up inside me as I listened to their gossip. I couldn’t blame them for being shocked. The old me truly did love Liam with all my heart. When he was diagnosed with kidney failure, I didn’t hesitate to donate a kidney to him. Even now, on rainy days, my left kidney still aches. I always gave him the sweetest part of the watermelon and, knowing he didn’t like the seeds in dragon fruit, I’d pick each tiny seed out with a toothpick. Because I loved him, I even tolerated him going on dates with Scarlett again and again. I tolerated him styling Scarlett’s hair and gently wiping her mouth right in front of me. As long as he came home and remembered he had a wife, I thought it was enough. Everyone knew I was a total simp for him, and they all instinctively assumed I was just lashing out. Coming back to my senses, Scarlett picked up a bottle of wine from the table and walked towards me, saying casually, “Stella, I know you’re still upset about what happened two years ago.” “It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t been diagnosed with a terminal illness, Liam wouldn’t have tried to have a baby with me to fulfill my last wish. If not for that, you wouldn’t have been so upset that you hemorrhaged and lost your baby.” “Since everyone’s here today, I’ll punish myself with a bottle. Consider this my public apology!” She grabbed the bottle and gulped it down. The harsh liquor made her choke and cough violently. Liam couldn’t sit still. He handed Leo to a colleague, rushed forward, snatched the bottle, and said, his voice a mix of anger and concern, “Scarlett, are you crazy? How could you drink so much? Even if your condition has been stable these past few years, you’re still a patient!” After comforting Scarlett, Liam shot me a haughty glance, his voice cold. “Stella, you’ve been throwing a tantrum for two years. That’s enough!” “Scarlett and I only did IVF; we didn’t even *act* like a couple. Are you really going to be this petty about such a small thing for two whole years?” The others chimed in. “Stella is just too stubborn. She got to be a mom without any of the pain, what a steal!” “Liam has been looking for her all these years. She left for two years, and he looked for two years. It’s time to move on from the past.” So, abandoning me at eight months pregnant to go have a baby with Scarlett was just a “small thing” in Liam’s eyes? What surprised me, though, was that Liam had actually been looking for me? What for? Lost in thought, I heard Liam continue, talking to himself, “Alright, Stella. Leo needs someone to take care of him. Since you’re back, you can take care of him from now on. Even though Leo isn’t your biological child, you’re his nominal mother, you should be responsible for him.” I actually laughed. Liam wanted me to be his baby nurse? But I wasn’t the Stella he could manipulate so easily two years ago. The moment he abandoned me and our baby to go have a child with Scarlett, my heart turned cold. I left the country without a second thought. And I wasn’t just talking out of anger earlier; I really was married with a child. After leaving the country, I found a new job, and before long, I met my husband, Julian. He helped me through that dark period, and soon, we were married and had an adorable son. Thinking about Julian and Finn filled my heart with warmth. Coming back to reality, I refused him coldly. “No, thanks. I have my own child to take care of. As for your Leo, perhaps his biological mother should take care of him.” Hearing this, Scarlett’s eyes immediately welled up. “Stella, I know you resent me for causing you to lose your baby, so you don’t want to take care of my child.” “I want to raise Leo myself, but my body just won’t allow it… I trusted you, which is why I entrusted him to your care. Leo is such a good boy, he doesn’t cry or fuss, he won’t be much trouble. Please, I’m begging you, take pity on a mother like me and help me take care of Leo…” Scarlett made a show of trying to kneel. Liam quickly helped her up and comforted her. Then he turned, giving me a cold glance. “It’s an honor to take care of Leo. Don’t be ungrateful!” His gaze fell on my clothes, and Liam scoffed. “Stella, I guess you didn’t have it easy overseas these past two years, did you? You couldn’t even bother to wear something decent to a class reunion.” “If you take good care of Leo, I can give you ten thousand a month for pocket money. That’s way more than you’d earn from any job.” Scarlett, playing the hostess, chimed in, “That’s right. You take good care of Leo, and Liam and I won’t shortchange you. At least you won’t have to wear off-brand clothes if you stick with us.” That’s when everyone noticed my casual outfit. Immediately, sneers erupted. “How did Stella fall so low? She can’t even afford proper clothes!” “If she knew this would happen, why did she act so stubborn back then? I heard Liam’s company really took off after she left. If she hadn’t stormed off abroad, she’d be set for life now.” I just curled my lips into a cold smile. They had no idea. The clothes I was wearing weren’t off-brand at all. They were custom-made by a master designer, pure silk, each piece worth hundreds of thousands. Seeing me smile, Liam mistakenly thought I had agreed to take care of Leo. He pulled out his phone, ready to transfer the money. “Here’s ten thousand. Go buy some decent clothes later, so Leo doesn’t catch your poor vibe.” But as soon as he sent the message, a bright red exclamation mark popped up!

Liam’s brows furrowed, his face darkening. “Stella, you blocked me?!” I found it amusing. I’d blacklisted and deleted him two years ago. Was he only just realizing it now? Liam felt his face burning. He demanded I add him back immediately. But I said coldly, “He’s just an ex-husband. Why would I add him? Besides, my husband doesn’t let me add other men. He gets jealous.” Seeing me repeatedly refuse to give him face, Liam finally lost his temper . “Stella, have you had enough of this act? I’ve given you an out. If you insist on making a scene, then we’re divorcing!” In the past, Liam would often threaten me with divorce whenever he was displeased, forcing me to back down. He thought he could still control me as easily this time. But I just gave a cold laugh. “Liam, did you forget? We divorced two years ago.” The whole room went silent. Liam froze for a moment. “What are you talking about?” Then, as if a thought struck him, he sneered, “I know! This is your game of push and pull, isn’t it? Two years apart, and you’ve certainly gotten a lot more cunning!” I rolled my eyes, speechless. “Liam, didn’t you see the letter I left you two years ago?” Liam looked confused. “What letter?” Before I left the country, I’d left a letter for Liam. Inside the envelope weren’t just my wedding ring, but also a signed divorce agreement. That divorce agreement was one I’d made him sign the day he ignored my pleas and insisted on having a child with Scarlett. He’d always been dismissive of me, signing it without even looking. He probably hadn’t bothered to properly check the contents of the envelope two years ago. That’s why he didn’t know we were already divorced, thinking I was just throwing a tantrum. Thinking about it, I sneered, then pulled out the duplicate copy of the divorce agreement from that year and shoved it in Liam’s face. “Liam, the letter I wrote you back then contained the signed divorce agreement. I had two copies, and this is the other one. Take a good look. We’re already divorced.” Liam’s face grew even darker. He was about to say the divorce agreement was fake, but when he saw his own signature clearly on it, he froze. “How can this be? I clearly never signed—” “No, you did sign it. Remember the papers I handed you the day you moved out?” At my reminder, Liam finally realized, belatedly, that what I’d made him sign that day was the divorce agreement. His face turned ashen. Everyone else was surprised too. “Stella actually filed for divorce? Did her love-addicted brain finally wake up?” “If they’re divorced, why is she back? I bet she still can’t let Liam go.” Hearing this, Liam raised his chin, confidently believing I still had feelings for him. Little did he know, my return to the country was primarily to accompany my husband and son. Julian happened to be coming back for a business gala, and Finn wanted to take advantage of the spring break to visit a water park here Right after arriving, I received the reunion invitation and just decided to drop by. I was about to shatter Liam’s fantasy when his phone rang. It was his assistant. “Mr. Hayes, we just got word that Mr. Thorne from Thorne Industries is bringing his wife and child back to the country. They’ll also be attending tonight’s business gala. The Chairman wants us to add an extra seat and treat them exceptionally well.” “The Chairman specifically told us to treat Mr. Thorne’s wife especially well. After all, Mr. Thorne is known for doting on his wife. As long as we keep her happy, we won’t have to worry about future collaborations.” Only then did I realize Liam’s company was hosting this business gala. After Liam hung up, everyone rushed to flatter him. “Liam, Thorne Industries is a giant in the industry! Your company can actually collaborate with Thorne Industries? Your future is limitless!” “I heard all the big shots in the business world will be at this gala. Can you help us old classmates make some connections?” Liam shot me a triumphant glance, speaking condescendingly. “Stella, do you regret stubbornly divorcing me now?” “If you agree to take care of Leo, I might consider remarrying you…” I scoffed internally. Thorne Industries was my husband’s company, and I was the very wife they wanted to impress. Before Liam could finish, I cut him off coldly, “Thorne Industries wouldn’t even *look* at your company.” Beside him, Scarlett, who had been silent for a while, shot me a disdainful look. “How would *you* know?” I enunciated each word clearly: “Because, I *am* Mr. Thorne’s wife.” As soon as I said that, everyone thought I’d gone mad. They looked at me like I was an idiot. Scarlett even let out a scoffing laugh. “If you’re Mr. Thorne’s wife, then I’m Mr. Thorne’s mother!” “Everyone knows Mr. Thorne dotes on his wife. He once spent hundreds of millions on a pink diamond bracelet that lit up the headlines for her! Mr. Thorne’s wife is incredibly precious, worth hundreds of millions. How could a nobody like you impersonate her?” “Look at yourself, what about you even remotely resembles Mr. Thorne’s wife?” But I slowly rolled up my sleeve, revealing the pink diamond bracelet on my wrist. “Are you talking about *this* bracelet?”

Everyone was stunned. “The news about Mr. Thorne lighting up the sky for that bracelet was everywhere! That bracelet looks just like the one Stella is wearing!” “So… Stella really is Mr. Thorne’s wife?” Scarlett froze when she saw the bracelet on my wrist. A flicker of jealousy and malice flashed in her eyes. The next second, she unexpectedly snatched my watch, saying in a snide, passive-aggressive tone, “Stella, how dare you try to fool people with a fake watch! How could you impersonate Mr. Thorne’s wife?” “Don’t get me wrong, this fake is pretty good, but a fake is still a fake, it can never be real.” “Liam is about to collaborate with Mr. Thorne. Are you trying to ruin Liam by impersonating Mr. Thorne’s wife at a time like this?” I glared at her coldly. “Who told you this watch is fake? This watch is genuine, now give it back!” But Scarlett refused to return it, even deliberately tucking the watch into her clothes. I stepped forward, trying to snatch it back, but she stumbled backward, collapsing to the ground, her eyes red as she looked at me. “Stella, I can’t believe you hate me so much. Not only did you deliberately push me, but to target me, you’re dragging Liam down with you. Fine, I’ll take Leo and leave, so I don’t bother you anymore…” Scarlett cried and made a scene, threatening to leave. Two years, and she was still pulling the same tricks. And Liam, as always, fell for it. This time too, he protected her, yelling at me. “That’s enough, Stella! Scarlett is a patient, are you trying to kill her?! You’re the one who was in the wrong first, impersonating Mr. Thorne’s wife! Are you trying to ruin our company’s collaboration? Two years apart, and you’ve become so malicious!” Meeting Scarlett’s defiant gaze, I scoffed inwardly. She wasn’t sick at all. Her terminal illness was fake, and her medical records were forged. I had told Liam this before, but he didn’t believe me, accusing me of making baseless accusations instead. Even now, he still didn’t believe me. I was too lazy to argue, assuming Liam would continue to harass me as he had in the past. But he sighed helplessly instead. “Fine, I see Scarlett likes this watch. Just give it to her as an apology. Let’s drop this, I’ll pretend I didn’t hear anything that just happened.” That watch was a special gift from Julian. Was he seriously expecting me to just give it away? No way. I snatched the watch back, saying coldly, “This is a gift from my husband. You have no right to touch it!” The sharp diamond edge cut Liam’s finger. Seeing me refuse to back down, he pursed his lips tightly. “Stella, it’s just a cheap bracelet. If I wasn’t trying to give you an out, do you really think we’d even care?” “Scarlett, it’s just a watch, right? I’ll buy you an even more expensive and better one. Let *some people* regret it!” I couldn’t be bothered to argue further and turned to leave the room. Afterward, I went back to the hotel where I was staying to rest. In the evening, I quickly got ready and headed to the business gala. Before I left, Julian sent me a message, telling me that the water park show had just ended, and he was bringing Finn over. He told me to go in first and wait for them. Knowing my husband and son loved cake, I took a plate with a small slice of cake, planning to find a seat and wait for them. The moment I turned, I ran into Liam and Scarlett, both dressed to the nines. Seeing it was me, Liam’s eyes flashed with disdain. “What are *you* doing here? What, did you come here specifically to get back together with me?” “You were so tough earlier, but now you look pathetic!” Seeing the cake in my hand, Scarlett scoffed mockingly, “Stella, could you be a server here? I heard the servers here only make four thousand. That’s not even as fast as taking care of our Leo!” Liam’s face was full of arrogance. “Stella, if you beg me, I might, for old times’ sake, make an exception and let you take care of Leo.” I replied calmly, “Don’t misunderstand. I’m not a server. I’m here waiting for my husband and child.” Scarlett, however, looked like she’d heard the funniest joke. “Stella, Mr. Thorne is the only one bringing his child to this gala today. You’re not still going to claim you’re Mr. Thorne’s wife, are you?” “I am, actually.” Hearing me say this, Scarlett crossed her arms and sneered. “Stella, you’re addicted to lying! How dare you talk nonsense and claim such connections at such an important event, and still wear that fake watch!” “If Mr. Thorne and his wife found out, we’d all be in deep trouble!” Before I could react, Scarlett rushed forward, snatched the bracelet from my wrist, and smashed it fiercely onto the ground. The sharp diamond cut a gash on my wrist, drawing crimson blood. Before I could even cry out in pain, Scarlett shoved me to the ground, then grabbed a nearby cake plate and threw it at my face, snarling, “I’ll teach you a lesson for trying to impersonate Mr. Thorne’s wife!” Cake smeared all over my face. The sticky cream clogged my nostrils, nearly suffocating me. I reached up to wipe the cream away, but Scarlett pressed her sharp stiletto heel down hard on my hand, grinding it repeatedly. Excruciating pain shot through my entire body; I could almost hear my bones cracking. When the people in the hall realized I was an imposter, they all laughed at my misfortune. Liam simply watched, his expression cold. Just then, someone in the crowd shouted, “Mr. Thorne is here!” Everyone immediately looked towards the entrance. I waved my arms wildly, trying to get Julian’s attention. But Liam grabbed my hand, whispering, “Stella, behave! I know you came here specifically because you’re jealous.” “As long as you don’t make a scene, I can consider remarrying you after the gala, and we can even have another child…” He tried to pull me up, but I snatched my hand back in disgust. Julian had noticed me. He walked towards me, holding Finn, his voice dangerously cold. “What’s going on?” Scarlett’s face was full of flattery. “Mr. Thorne, this woman is an imposter trying to pretend to be your wife! I’ve already taught her a good lesson for you!” Liam chimed in, “That’s right, Mr. Thorne, you don’t need to bother with someone like her.” The next second, Finn let go of Julian’s hand and ran towards me, tears streaming down his face. “Mommy, why is your face covered in cream, and your hand, it’s bleeding…” Suddenly, everyone present was stunned. “What? Did I hear that right? Mr. Thorne’s son just called that imposter ‘Mommy’?” “So… that means the person on the ground isn’t an imposter, but the real deal?”

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After I donated a kidney for the man my girlfriend adored, Savannah, who had been giving me the silent treatment for a month, finally agreed to reconcile. She even set up a dinner party, calling it a “reward” for me. Her best friend, Kinsley, chuckled, “Savannah, you really know how to handle him. Caleb listens to you, and he’s completely devoted. Are you really going to throw away such a sweet guy and marry Ryder instead?” Savannah scoffed, a disdainful smirk playing on her lips. “He’s nothing but a stand-in. The only reason I haven’t gotten tired of him after all these years is that he’s a dead ringer for Ryder.” Their eyes met, a shared understanding passing between them. “Well, then, why not have Caleb be the best man at your wedding? That way, all his eight years with you won’t have been for nothing.” But Savannah just let out a cold laugh. “What a joke! Who is he to stand next to Ryder?” She paused, then added, “This dinner party is just a pat on the back for helping Ryder out. Consider it a consolation prize for all his years chasing after me.” I had just reached the door and heard every word. Pushing the door open calmly, I didn’t retort. She had no idea that today was the last day I’d be her stand-in. Tomorrow, my one true love would be back.

As soon as I stepped inside, everyone’s eyes converged on me, their expressions uniformly sneering. I took it all in, pretending to be oblivious as I handed Savannah the dessert she’d specifically requested. The next second, her face darkened, and her words sent the room’s atmosphere plummeting to freezing point: “Caleb, the ice cream’s completely melted. You just brought it to me? Are you trying to deliberately gross me out?” Before her words even faded, the dessert—which I’d waited an hour in line for and driven two miles to get—was violently slammed into the trash can. I glanced down. The ice cream was barely starting to melt, it wouldn’t have affected the taste at all. Kinsley, Savannah’s best friend, saw this and handed me a drink, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “You’re not taking our Savannah seriously enough. Why don’t you chug three drinks as an apology to show your sincerity?” Everyone else chimed in, their faces twisted with mocking amusement. I touched the bandage wrapped around my lower back, hesitated for a moment, then took the glass and drained it. As soon as I set the glass down, Kinsley pushed another full one into my hand. My brows immediately furrowed. I didn’t take it. That first glass had already pushed me to my physical limit. Any more, and I’d be in trouble. I looked at Savannah, hoping she’d say something for me. But she just watched, her face cold, not lifting a finger to explain. Kinsley saw my hesitation and sneered, “Savannah, looks like your boyfriend isn’t all that devoted after all. Just two drinks, and he’s being so wishy-washy.” Savannah’s gaze hardened with displeasure. She stepped forward and slapped me across the face. “Caleb, what’s your problem today? You’re usually such a heavy drinker!” She yelled. “And here I was, being nice enough to throw this party to reward you, and this is how you treat me? You won’t even drink three glasses for me!” I turned my head, my eyes darkening. I had thought that after giving a kidney, she would change her usual bossy attitude towards me. But no, she only got worse. She completely forgot that I couldn’t drink alcohol right now. I met her gaze and kindly reminded her, “Savannah, my kidney surgery hasn’t fully healed. Don’t you know I can’t drink?” Her eyes flickered with a hint of surprise, but it quickly vanished in the dim light of the room. Then she said carelessly, “Can’t drink after a kidney transplant? Do you think everyone in this room is stupid?! If you want to get out of drinking, at least come up with a better excuse.” Kinsley, standing nearby, chimed in mockingly, “Exactly! I see everyone else drinking just fine. Why can’t you? Or are you just deliberately refusing? This whole table of drinks is Savannah’s sincerity to you.” She gestured to the table, which was now filled with precisely 99 glasses of alcohol. Seeing the cold indifference on her face, no trace of concern for me, I immediately decided to turn and leave. But Savannah’s circle of friends wasn’t about to let me off so easily. They called people over to hold me down and forcefully poured the alcohol down my throat. The strong liquor seared my lungs, tearing at my chest with agonizing pain. I desperately looked to Savannah for help, but she just watched, a cold, distant spectator, as if I were a stranger. Just when I thought I was going to collapse right then and there, Savannah, who had been like a statue, finally moved. The next second, she walked over and yanked the glass from the hand of the person pouring it into my mouth. I thought she’d finally grown a conscience, that she was going to stop this absurd charade. But then she said coldly, “Hold on. Ryder’s calling.” The moment she answered the phone, her voice shifted, suddenly soft and tender, as if she were a completely different person. “Okay, I’m heading out to get you that dessert now. Wait for me.” A wave of dizziness washed over me, and my consciousness began to fade. Just as Savannah hung up, I collapsed directly in front of her. Everyone else panicked. Savannah frowned, glanced at me, then at the two-thirds of the untouched alcohol on the table, and said with utter disdain, “Don’t bother with him. He’s just faking it, trying to get out of drinking.” “I still need to get Ryder his dessert. I’m leaving.” Savannah walked away without a backward glance. Kinsley then kicked me twice. Seeing no reaction, she finally realized something was seriously wrong and panicked, running off. The others, seeing this, also found excuses to slip away. I was left abandoned in the private room. It was the cleaning lady who eventually called 911. When I woke up, a message popped up on my phone.

It was from Ryder. I opened it. It was a photo of him and Savannah with their marriage certificate. My fingers clenched, staring blankly at the photo until the screen went dark. All these years Savannah and I had been together, for various reasons, we’d unspokenly avoided talking about marriage. We’d fallen in love at first sight, our relationship quickly heated up, and in our respective friend circles, we were considered a “model couple.” We hiked together, camped together, even traveled together. We did everything a normal couple would do. I thought I would be this happy for the rest of my life. But I never imagined those days would end so quickly. I started noticing her requests getting stranger, but I indulged her, letting her have her way, not thinking much of it. At first, she just wanted to control my outfits I thought she just found me unfashionable, so I let it go. But then, she started directly controlling my preferences, restricting my behavior, even hiring a private tutor for me. That’s when I became suspicious. A little digging, and I found out about Ryder’s existence. It was then I understood: everything she had done for me before was actually for Ryder. From that moment on, I could often feel her looking through my eyes at someone else. For eight years, neither of us ever acknowledged this unspoken truth. Until Ryder returned to the country. Once he knew about me, he went all out to impress Savannah, repeatedly mocking me as nothing more than his stand-in . I’d lost count of how many photos like this one I’d received today. Savannah pushed the door open, pinching her nose, a thermal container in her hand. Her tone was disdainful. “I thought you were dead. Didn’t expect you to have such nine lives.” She saw my gaze land on the container in her hand and said coldly, “I spent all afternoon making this chicken soup for Ryder. It’s not for you. Besides, you’re awake now, so you don’t need it anyway.” She paused, her eyes darkening, then forced a sweet smile. “Since you’re fine, then the cake for Ryder’s birthday tomorrow is on you. Don’t you dare disappoint me again.” Without waiting for my answer, she walked out, carrying the container. She had always been like this with me. I had grown used to it over the years. Earlier, to make me more like Ryder, she had hired a private pastry chef to teach me, and I’d picked up a few tricks. But none of the desserts I’d painstakingly made for her had ever satisfied her. She even took a cake I’d spent a whole day on and fed it to a dog. She’d cast a cold glance at the messy aftermath and declared shamelessly, “Caleb, you’re so utterly useless. You can’t even do such a simple thing right. You truly can’t even hold a candle to Ryder.” Thinking of this, I called out to her, “Don’t you usually hate my cakes?” She turned to look at me, her tone impatient. “If Ryder hadn’t specifically asked you to make it, do you think you’d even have this chance?” True. If it weren’t for Ryder, she’d probably make it herself, or at least order a custom one. It would never be my turn. Before I could reply, she slammed the door shut. Smelling the lingering chicken soup aroma that didn’t belong in my hospital room, I remembered Ryder’s room was directly above mine. Just one floor separated us. He was in a luxurious VIP suite, complete with full amenities and a dedicated nutritionist for his recovery meals. He certainly didn’t lack the bowl of chicken soup Savannah held. As for me, the stand-in, ever since I was wheeled out of surgery, Savannah had originally planned to leave me to recover on a gurney in the hallway. It was only after my surgeon strongly insisted, and her own impatience grew, that she reluctantly got me the cheapest, smallest room, barely a yard from the restroom. The strong odor constantly drifted in, irritating me. Just then, a nurse pushed the door open, her voice cold. “Room 12, Caleb? Someone’s processed your discharge. Get ready to leave quickly. Someone will be here to clean and disinfect in half an hour.” I froze, looking up at the IV bag that wasn’t even empty. I hadn’t expected Savannah to act so fast, not even waiting for an afternoon. I ripped the IV needle from my hand, forcing down the discomfort in my body, and quickly packed up, preparing to leave the hospital. As soon as I stepped out of the hospital, I received a frantic message from Savannah: “Go to the bakery immediately. I’ve already had them prepare all the ingredients for the cake. Text me when you’re done.” I stopped, read the message, then tapped the screen, calmly deleting it from my phone. This cake, consider it my wedding gift to them. I had just hung up from calling the artisanal bakery when a SnapChat message popped up. I assumed it was Ryder again, gloating about something Savannah had done for him, and was about to block him. The next second, I saw another message pop up in my SnapChat favorites: “I land tonight. Free to pick me up?” Seeing the familiar tone, I felt a little stunned. I pinched myself hard, thinking I was hallucinating. I only had two people favorited on SnapChat: Savannah, and my one true love from my youth. In the eight years I’d been with Savannah, she never spoke to me with such patience. In my memory, only *she* would talk like that. But hadn’t she said she was moving abroad permanently and would never return? If she hadn’t made that decision back then, we wouldn’t be in this situation now. After all, I had confessed my feelings to her years ago. I stared at the message for a long time, calming my emotions before silently replying, “Okay.”

Putting down my phone, I turned, flowers in hand, and headed straight for the airport, completely forgetting about Savannah’s instructions. It wasn’t until late that night, when Savannah hadn’t received the cake I was supposed to make, ruining the elaborate birthday party she’d planned for Ryder, that she laid all the blame on me. She stormed in, Ryder following behind her. She kicked the door open, screaming, “Caleb, how many times is this?! What kind of stunt are you pulling now?! Where’s the cake I told you to make?!” I glanced at the rattling door, answering blandly, “Forgot.” Savannah immediately blew up. The thought of Ryder being openly ridiculed because I hadn’t shown up with the cake enraged her. She lunged forward, slapping me twice, and snarled, “Do you have any idea that because of you, Ryder was utterly humiliated in front of everyone?! People were pointing and whispering about him! And he was even worried about you, telling me not to get mad at you!” “Ryder is such a good person, why would you do this to him?!” “I’m giving you half an hour! You have to make a cake to apologize within that time, or I’m not done with you!” With that, she slammed the door and left. Watching her resolute back, I realized that she’d never been this invested, not even for my own birthdays. Not only did I never get the special treatment a birthday person deserved, but I had to make *her* a cake, and if it wasn’t to her liking, I’d have to stand all night as punishment. Thinking of this, I let out a bitter laugh. As I stepped out of my room, I saw her sitting in the living room, carefully peeling an orange for Ryder, meticulously removing all the white pith before handing it to him. Ryder saw me but didn’t make a sound. Instead, he smugly took the orange from Savannah and ate it. “Savannah, let’s set our wedding for three days from now, okay?” Ryder asked, his eyes gleaming triumphantly at me, though his voice was tender as he spoke to Savannah. Savannah had her back to me, but her voice was doting. “Of course, darling. Whatever you say.” Hearing that, he smiled even more triumphantly, then asked again: “How about inviting Caleb to our wedding, too?” This time, Savannah didn’t answer directly. Ryder saw the hesitation on her face and immediately acted hurt. “I just want his blessing. That way, our wedding will be even more perfect. Didn’t you always say you wanted to give me a perfect wedding?” Savannah was silent after hearing this. Then, as if remembering something, she nodded in agreement. Ryder smirked, looking at me. “Caleb, did you hear that? Savannah and I are cordially inviting you to our wedding.” Then Savannah turned back, her face cold. Seeing me, her eyes seemed to falter for a moment before she said with disdain, “Since you heard it, I won’t repeat myself. Be there on time, don’t make us a laughingstock again.” My hand clenched. I met Savannah’s indifferent gaze. My eight years of devotion, and in the end, I didn’t even get a proper breakup. I scoffed at myself, then nodded in agreement. On the wedding day, I showed up in full formal wear. The moment the couple emerged, they were the center of attention. Guests showered them with compliments, calling them a match made in heaven, not holding back on their praises. Savannah accepted it all with a beaming smile, but when her eyes landed on me, the smile instantly vanished. Savannah’s face soured. She frowned and chastised me, “Caleb, are you trying to steal Ryder’s thunder dressed like that? Don’t forget, today is Ryder’s and my wedding. Ryder is the groom today!” “If I’d known this, I never should have agreed to let you come! I thought you’d know your place, but I never imagined you’d stoop so low just to cause trouble!” At her words, the surrounding guests began to whisper. Those who didn’t know me accused me of being shameless; those who did threatened to kick me out. Ryder, on the other hand, didn’t seem annoyed. He even spoke up for me, sounding understanding. “Savannah, if he wants to be my best man, then let’s humor him. It’s a way of thanking him for taking care of you all these years. And it wouldn’t be a waste of that outfit he’s wearing today.” Ryder looked at me with a challenging glint in his eyes. Savannah frowned, about to retort, but then heard the continued whispers around them and relented. She checked the time, clearly reluctant. “Then hurry up and get ready. Is this where you’re supposed to be standing?!” A staff member came over, ready to escort me away, but before I’d taken two steps, Ryder’s voice stopped them. “Wait. His outfit is actually perfect. How about we have him bring us the wedding rings in a bit?” My body stiffened at his words. Deliver the rings. That was the flower girl’s job. He wanted me to watch them exchange vows, to watch Savannah marry him, with my own eyes? I looked at Savannah. She didn’t speak, implying her silent consent. The ceremony began quickly. Watching Savannah shed tears on stage, moved by Ryder’s words, I couldn’t help but sneer. The stage was set. It was time for the real show to begin. Savannah, let’s see how long you can keep that smile. The next second, the officiant excitedly announced, “Now, let’s give a round of applause for our special guest who will be presenting the rings to the happy couple…” A thunderous applause erupted. The couple on stage smiled, waiting for me to bring them their rings. I hooked a smile on my face, took the ring box from the staff member, and slowly walked forward. Whispers filled my ears, but my feet moved step by step, *away* from the altar. A moment later, I turned and knelt on one knee in front of a slender, unfamiliar woman. The entire hall erupted in gasps. Savannah’s face went deathly pale as she recognized me, then contorted in a furious scream. “Caleb, do you even know what you’re doing?!” “Of course, I’m proposing. Are you blind? Can’t you tell?” I sneered, utterly dismissive. Savannah’s face changed drastically. She grabbed her wedding dress with both hands and strode towards me, seething.

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