Author: Momo Chan

The company’s annual gala was a blur of shimmering dresses and forced smiles. Then, Chloe, the new intern, publicly accused me of deliberately tripping her and staining her designer gown. My husband, Liam, didn’t hesitate. He told me to hand over the dress I’d picked out for our anniversary to compensate her. When I refused, she flew into a rage, humiliating me in front of everyone: “You’re nothing but a discarded toy, auctioned off and shamed by your ex-fiancé! How dare you even think of marrying Liam?!” With that, she threw a glass of red wine over my head. “I heard your compromising photos were auctioned off for a dollar! There are so many people here today, why don’t you show off your wet body to everyone?” A collective gasp swept through the room. My heart clenched, and I stared at my husband in shock. My mind raced back. I’d been drugged and tricked into a sham marriage by my ex-fiancé, and my intimate photos were livestreamed for auction. Luckily, my childhood friend, Liam, came to my rescue, buying off all those photos at an astronomical price. But now, I realized the salvation I thought I’d found was just a casual joke to him. If that’s the case, I choose to leave.

I was drenched and stunned by the glass of red wine Chloe threw at me. Before I could even react, her voice lashed out again. “Audrey Smith, you only got your position because of Mr. Scott, didn’t you? Don’t think everyone doesn’t know about your past!” “Remember when your nude photos were auctioned off for a pittance, causing a massive scandal that rocked the entire city? Tsk, tsk, what a show!” Every word she uttered felt like a poisoned needle piercing my wounds. All eyes in the room fixed on me – shocked, disgusted, and gleefully malicious. A chill ran through me, the humiliation from years ago washing over me again. Instinctively, I looked at my husband, Liam Scott. I still remembered how he saved me when I was at my most desperate, buying all my private photos for an astronomical sum. I’d always seen him as my savior. But now, he stood just a few feet away, motionless. He saw my plea for help in my eyes. Yet, he only frowned, his gaze flickering before he looked away. No defense, no explanation, not even a hint of concern. He silently condoned Chloe’s insult and didn’t care about the judgment raining down on me. My breath hitched in my chest. Seeing this, Chloe leaned triumphantly towards Liam. “Mr. Scott, I didn’t mean to. It was Manager Smith who… she pushed me first!” Liam patted her arm reassuringly. “I know.” Then he pointed at me, clearly annoyed. “Audrey, what are you even doing? You’ve been so unreasonable lately.” “You weren’t like this before.” His words stabbed into my heart like a knife. Before? Yes, I was so “reasonable” then. I never questioned him when he didn’t come home at night. I cleared his name when rumors about his affairs spread. But what did my “reasonableness” get me? In my panic, someone tripped me, and I stumbled backward. The wine glass in my hand shattered on the floor. I instinctively put my hand down to brace myself, feeling a sharp sting. Blood stained the polished floor. I looked up, wincing in pain, and met Liam’s gaze. Those eyes, once filled with tenderness, now held only icy disgust. In that moment, I clearly understood: in his eyes, I was perhaps never a cherished lover. I was just a shameful stain in his life, someone to be constantly reminded of, lest I embarrass him. I had always believed those sordid past events were a secret between only him and me. But I never imagined he’d casually tell an outsider like Chloe, giving her ammunition to attack and humiliate me. My heart turned to ice, inch by painful inch. I picked myself up from the floor, blood still flowing from my palm, but I no longer felt the pain. I just wanted to escape this place. I ducked my head, pushing through the crowd, and stumbled out of the ballroom. Liam’s voice pursued me. “Audrey Smith, where are you going? Get back here!” I didn’t look back, quickening my pace. I had just found my car in the parking lot when he appeared, like a ghost, behind me. “Audrey, have you had enough?” He grabbed my arm. I looked at him with vacant eyes. He seemed a little uncomfortable and let go of my arm, but his tone remained firm. “Chloe is young, why are you making such a big deal out of it?” “Where’s that dress in the car? Chloe’s dress is ruined, she can wear it as a backup.” I paused, then remembered the dress I’d specially prepared, sitting on the back seat. I’d intended to wear it for our anniversary. How ridiculous it seemed now. Seeing my inaction, he impatiently opened the car door himself, roughly pulled out the dress box, and without a glance at me, turned and walked away. I deflated, too drained to go after him and question him. Chloe jogged over from a short distance away. Liam handed her the dress box, and she broke into a delighted smile, intimately linking her arm with his. Then, as if to spite me, she pulled the dress out and threw it on the ground, stomping on it several times with a look of vengeful satisfaction. Liam stood by, watching her foolishness with a tolerant smile. I closed my eyes, feeling the last bit of strength drain from my body. They walked away together, leaving me in the parking lot with the soiled dress on the ground. As I was about to get into my car, several dark figures suddenly surrounded me. Leading them was my ex-fiancé, Derek Stone. He smiled maliciously, closing in on me. “Long time no see, Audrey Smith.” “What, you’re Mrs. Scott now? I hear Liam can’t satisfy you, so you remembered me?” The men behind him chuckled obscenely. A warning bell rang in my head, but I forced myself to stay calm. “Derek, what do you want?” “What do I want?” He sneered. “Chloe’s under my protection. You’d better not get in her way, or else…” He reached out for my face. I recoiled in terror, screaming, “Don’t come any closer!” But they pressed in, cornering me against my car door. My vision blurred, and I completely lost consciousness. When I woke up again, I was lying in a hospital bed. The nurse said a passerby had found me and brought me in. She also told me I was about six weeks pregnant. My mind exploded with a *boom*. I was pregnant? This was Liam’s and my child… My emotions were a complicated mess. The nurse gave me instructions for early pregnancy care, then left the room. I lay on the bed, staring blankly, my hand unconsciously stroking my lower abdomen. Here, a tiny life was forming. Liam and I had always wanted a child. But for various reasons, we’d put it off. Now I had his child, but our relationship was no longer intimate. In the evening, I completed the discharge procedures. My body was still weak, but a certain thought in my mind grew clearer and clearer. I returned home. The living room was dark; he hadn’t come back tonight. I wearily walked towards the bedroom on the second floor. As I reached the staircase, I heard gasping sounds coming from under the bedroom door. The sounds were all too familiar: Liam and Chloe. I was rooted to the spot, unable to move. My fingers dug into my palms, but I felt no pain. I turned and walked back down the stairs. No tears, no hysterics, not even a flicker of emotion. There is no greater sorrow than a heart that has died. I left the house and wandered the streets. The night wind blew cold on my face, but it was nothing compared to the chill in my heart. As dawn approached, I made a decision. I booked an abortion for early the next morning and a flight to another country for three days later. Finally, I contacted an agency specializing in faked deaths, paid a large sum, and asked them to stage an accidental death for me. Three days from now, there would be no more Audrey Smith in this world.

The next morning, I woke up in a hotel. My phone’s notification sound was buzzing frantically. I looked, and my work WhatsApp group was blowing up. Someone had forwarded a video—the humiliating footage from three years ago that Derek had coerced me into filming. Although key parts were pixelated, anyone could tell the person in the video was me. Under the video were various vile comments. My phone also showed dozens of missed calls, all from Liam. I sneered, turning off my phone directly. The next second, the hotel room door suddenly burst open! Liam stormed in, his face contorted with rage, and slammed a photo down in front of me. “Audrey Smith, explain yourself! What is this?!” he roared. It was a photo of Derek and me in the parking lot last night. The angle was tricky, making it look intimate and ambiguous, like we were kissing. “That’s not…” I started to explain. “Not what? Not you throwing yourself at him?” Liam cut me off, his voice filled with disgust, not waiting for my explanation at all. “Audrey Smith, I never thought you’d be so depraved! Being my wife on one hand, and still hooking up with your ex-fiancé on the other!” “I didn’t! This is clearly staged!” I couldn’t help but retort. But Chloe peered out from behind him, chiming in, “Mr. Scott, please don’t be angry. Manager Smith probably didn’t intentionally meet someone in the middle of the night. Maybe she had a reason.” “What reason could she have?” Liam snorted. “I think she’s shameless and promiscuous!” “She did something disgraceful herself, and she still has the nerve to be jealous of you, deliberately making things difficult for you at the party!” “Audrey Smith, you will kneel and apologize to Chloe right now!” I stared at him in disbelief. Was he crazy? He wanted me to kneel and apologize to Chloe? “Liam Scott, how dare you order me around?!” I trembled with anger. “Because I’m your husband! Because you did something to betray me!” His tone was absolute. “I didn’t!” I stubbornly met his gaze. “Still haven’t learned your lesson yet? Have you forgotten how your compromising photos were auctioned off back then?” He grabbed me and threw me to the ground. I hit the floor unexpectedly, my knees throbbing with pain. But it was nothing compared to the despair in my heart. I looked at the man I had loved for so many years and felt, for the first time, how utterly foreign he seemed. I humiliated myself by kneeling. “Chloe, she knows she was wrong.” He wrapped his arm around Chloe and walked away haughtily. Not long after, I saw the entertainment trending topic – #ScottGroupCEOPubliclyDisplaysAffectionWithNewLover# The accompanying picture showed the doting and indulgent look he gave her. My heart felt nothing. I wrote a divorce agreement and sent it to Liam via express delivery. After all this, I lay on the hospital operating table. As the cold instruments took away the little life inside me, I didn’t shed a single tear. I just felt incredibly cold. After the surgery, I returned home. Opening the door, I saw a bracelet shattered into several pieces on the coffee table. This was our promise bracelet, Liam’s and mine. Sunlight streamed through, and I stared at the fragments. Perhaps, from the moment he allowed Chloe to humiliate me, this bracelet, along with our feelings, had already shattered. Suddenly, my phone rang. It was Liam. I hesitated but answered. “Audrey, where are you?” His voice sounded a little tired, but still impatient. “Do you need something?” My tone was flat. “That bracelet… Chloe accidentally broke it. She didn’t mean to.” He explained, his voice a bit stiff. “I understand.” “Don’t overthink it. I’ll buy you a better one later. Tomorrow is our third wedding anniversary, by the way, I’ve prepared a surprise for you.” Third wedding anniversary? He still remembered. But to me, it no longer mattered. “No need,” I refused coolly. “I have to make an impromptu trip to a neighboring country tomorrow. I’ll be catching an early flight and will be back in the evening.” There was silence on the other end for a few seconds. “So sudden?” He seemed a little surprised. “Then I’ll drive you to the airport tomorrow.” “Okay.” I replied faintly, then hung up. That night, Liam didn’t come home. Alone in the house, I personally burned all the memories of him and me. Photos I once cherished, gifts he had given me, and things we had used together. The firelight reflected on my calm face. Everything should end now. The next day, when I was about to leave, Liam called. “Audrey, I’m sorry, I can’t take you to the airport today,” his voice carried a hint of apology. “Chloe’s puppy suddenly got very sick and is making a big fuss. I have to go with her to the vet.” “You go to the airport alone, be careful on your way.” Chloe’s crying could be heard from the other end of the line, and Liam was gently comforting her. I chuckled mockingly. See? I was not even as important as Chloe’s dog. “Okay,” I replied emotionlessly. After hanging up, I unhesitatingly blocked his number and tossed my phone SIM card into the trash. Then I pulled my suitcase and walked towards the airport without looking back. Boarding, takeoff.

That evening, at the city’s most exclusive revolving restaurant, Liam had meticulously set up a romantic scene. Red roses adorned the table, along with a velvet jewelry box containing a diamond necklace he had specially chosen. He held a bouquet of flowers in his arms, glancing at his watch repeatedly. Why wasn’t Audrey here yet? Liam called her, but the ring tone indicated her phone was off. He tried again from a different number, still off. He felt an inexplicable irritation and unease. Chloe’s call came in just then, crying that her dog’s condition had worsened and urging him to come quickly. Liam felt annoyed and quickly brushed her off. His heart grew increasingly unsettled. He suddenly remembered Audrey’s unusual coldness and calmness during their phone call yesterday, and his heart tightened. She seemed… different. He instructed his assistant, “If my wife arrives, tell her to wait for me for a while. I’ll be back soon.” Then he left the restaurant in a hurry. At the vet, though he was with Chloe, his mind was completely elsewhere. He kept checking his phone; there was still no news from his assistant, and Audrey hadn’t shown up. He felt a sense of panic he’d never experienced before. He couldn’t sit still any longer and decided to go look for Audrey himself. He planned to say goodbye to Chloe, but as he reached the door of the examination room, he heard Chloe’s deliberately lowered voice inside. “Derek, don’t worry, Liam is completely wrapped around my finger now.” “As for that bitch Audrey, she’s utterly disgraced now. I doubt she can cause any trouble.” “Once I climb into the upper class, we can team up, find more wealthy housewives like Audrey, take their private photos, and then we won’t have to worry about money, right? Hahaha…” Liam’s eyes instantly turned bloodshot. So, this was all a setup! Chloe and Derek had conspired to frame Audrey! And he, like a fool, had been played by Chloe, personally pushing his own wife into the abyss! Regret and fury instantly consumed his heart. Liam was about to burst into the room when his assistant called. “Mr. Scott, it’s bad! I just received a delivery—a divorce agreement from your wife!” A divorce agreement? Liam felt as if he’d been struck by lightning. She wanted to divorce him? No, impossible! She loved him so much; how could she bear to divorce him?! He refused to believe it, couldn’t accept it. He frantically called Audrey, but the line was still busy.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296843”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #狼人Werewolf

My first act after being reborn was to pour my best friend’s ashes down the drain. In my previous life, my best friend’s wife cheated on him, not only emptying their joint accounts but also leaving him drowning in debt. He ended up homeless, beaten to a pulp by loan sharks, barely clinging to life. When I finally reached him, he was barely breathing, and he begged me to raise his daughter. Seeing how young the child was, I soft-heartedly agreed. To take care of her, my girlfriend broke up with me, and my parents kicked me out of the house. I poured my blood, sweat, and tears into raising her. When she became an adult, she became a rising model after shooting a commercial. Everyone envied me for having such a wonderful daughter. But as I was celebrating her success, my best friend, who had supposedly died years ago, appeared, arm-in-arm with my ex-girlfriend. “Looks like you passed my test.” Seeing my confusion, my ex-girlfriend explained arrogantly. “Derek is the heir to a multi-billion dollar fortune. Who knows if you were only friends with him for his money.” “But now that you’ve honestly raised our daughter, you’ve proven yourself worthy.” I furiously stepped forward, ready to punch them, but my adopted daughter threw a drink in my face. “You sick freak! How dare you lay a hand on my parents?!” I choked on my rage, my vision blurring, and then I just… collapsed. When I woke up again, I had been reborn to the very day my best friend was beaten by thugs.

“Cough, cough… Alex, you’re finally here…” Derek lay on the ground, filthy and covered in an ugly mosaic of purplish-blue bruises. Deep gashes bled on his arms and legs. I froze, then suddenly realized I had actually been reborn! “Alex, what are you standing there for… cough, cough, take me to the hospital…” Derek lay weakly on the ground, speaking to me without an ounce of strength. In my last life, I received his desperate call and rushed to find him. The sight of him covered in blood sent me into a panic, and I immediately thought of calling 911 for an ambulance. But Derek insisted the location was too remote, and he’d be dead by the time 911 arrived. So, I personally carried him on my back, stumbling for over two hours, back to the city, and straight to the hospital. But now, the thought of it all being his elaborate scheme made a wave of profound disgust wash over me. “No need to call 911, it’s too remote here… just carry me…” Derek coughed a few times, looking at me pleadingly. I frowned, feigning discomfort, and bent down to rub my ankle. “I’m sorry, I wish I could carry you, but I just twisted my ankle. I really can’t carry you.” Afraid he wouldn’t believe me, I even pulled up my pant leg to show him my visibly swollen and red ankle. In my last life, I had endured the pain to carry him, and by the time we reached the hospital, my ankle was practically useless. It cost a fortune to heal. This time, I wouldn’t be so foolish. Derek’s face instantly paled, looking as if he was truly on his last breath. Just then, an SUV pulled up beside us. The driver, a kind stranger, warmly asked if we needed help. To avoid raising suspicion, I quickly smiled and accepted. At the hospital, Derek was immediately rushed into the emergency room. Soon, a female doctor, Dr. Evans, hurried out, saying Derek had lost too much blood and needed a transfusion. “The hospital’s blood bank is severely low. A transfer would take too long and could delay treatment.” “Mr. Miller said you have the same blood type as him. Please come with me to prepare for a blood transfusion.” I scoffed internally at her words. This was the exact same spiel as in my last life. This doctor had used the same excuse, drawing 600cc of my blood without a single word of explanation. Normally, blood donations don’t exceed 400cc, but I was too distraught to notice then. After the blood draw, I felt weak all over and dizzy. And Derek had used that moment to plead with me to take care of his daughter in the hospital room, and I, in my dazed state, had nodded and agreed. So I told Dr. Evans, “I apologize, but I have low blood sugar and anemia. I can’t donate blood. You’ll have to find another solution.” Dr. Evans didn’t expect my refusal. She stomped her foot angrily and hurried back into the emergency room. Another twenty minutes passed. Dr. Evans emerged, her face filled with sorrow. “I’m sorry, we did our best, but Mr. Miller’s condition is too severe. There’s nothing more we can do.” “He’s still conscious now. You can go in and spend his final moments with him.” I nodded, my face calm, and walked in. Sure enough, Derek was lying on the hospital bed, pale and weak, just like in my previous life. He faintly called my name. I walked to his side. “What is it? Do you have anything you want to tell me?” Tears welled up in Derek’s eyes. “Alex, you’re my best friend. Why didn’t you donate blood for me? If you had, maybe I…” Dr. Evans, standing nearby, interjected indignantly. “Yes, Mr. Miller truly considered you his best friend, yet you refused. It’s a tragedy Mr. Miller is so young and can’t hold on. You’re truly heartless.” I said calmly, “You should blame your hospital for not even having the blood a patient needs. I have low blood sugar and anemia. If something happened to me because of a blood donation, would your hospital pay with its life?”

My words left Dr. Evans momentarily speechless. Derek’s face was grim, but he quickly composed himself, his eyes red. “Forget it, Alex isn’t to blame for this. It’s just my bad luck…” “I’m dying now. My wife betrayed me, my family sold me out, I don’t even want to live anymore.” “But I still have a daughter who just turned one. She’s so pitiful, abandoned by her mother, and her father can’t live on. I just can’t bear to leave her.” “Alex, you’re the only good brother I have. Please, I beg you, raise her for me.” Dr. Evans, ever the empath, let two streams of tears fall. “Look, Mr. Miller is begging you like this. Just say yes. You’re his best friend, could you really be so cruel as to refuse? If so, you don’t deserve to be a man!” Watching them play good cop, bad cop, perfectly coordinated, I felt nothing but disgust. In my last life, I had too much blood drawn and was disoriented. Derek even colluded with Dr. Evans to set a trap for me. I was genuinely soft-hearted, which was why I agreed to take care of his daughter. But no good deed goes unpunished. My girlfriend was hostile toward this adopted daughter, believing her to be my love child with another woman. She refused to listen to my explanations, packed her things, and left me, also falling out with her family. At that time, I hadn’t even graduated from my Master’s program and couldn’t juggle both studies and the child, so I had to drop out. Because my major was a combined Bachelor’s and Master’s program, and due to the circumstances, I didn’t even have a Bachelor’s degree; I was just a college dropout. Without a good degree, I could only do arduous manual labor. To better support the child, I worked three jobs a day, often sleeping only three or four hours. And the child had poor health from a young age, constantly ending up in the hospital, even undergoing several major surgeries, with money flowing like water. I gritted my teeth and took out high-interest loans, but with the interest compounding, I couldn’t pay them back at all. The debt collectors were brutal, causing constant harassment for everyone, and my landlord refused to renew the lease, kicking me and the child out. To avoid the debt collectors, I moved many times, living in dirty, dilapidated places. After finally enduring the hardest ten years, I met a kind female boss. She was divorced with a child herself and sympathized with my hardship, so she hired me to work at her barbecue restaurant. After my job stabilized, I also thought about finding a partner. However, I had no house, no car, nothing to my name, and I was raising a child in her early teens. It was truly difficult to date. Finally, I met a simple woman from the countryside who seemed to genuinely not care about my financial situation. I thought I could settle down, but after less than two months, she ran off. She only left me a note, apologizing and saying she could never let go of her ex-husband and child, so she had to quietly leave. From then on, I completely gave up on looking for a partner. Eighteen years passed. I painstakingly raised the child into an adult. But at her celebration party, Derek, who was supposed to be dead, appeared. And he claimed it was all just a test for me. Did I *have* to be his friend? I wasted the most precious eighteen years of my life! Without that child, I could have smoothly graduated with my Master’s, joined a good company, had a respectable job, and a loving, happy family. My life should have been thriving, but it was ruined because of him! Even the child I poured my heart and soul into, chose her biological parents at the moment of conflict, and turned against me. Thinking of this, the hatred surging within me threatened to drown me. I clenched my fists, saying each word clearly, “No, I refuse.” “I can send her to an orphanage, but I will absolutely not raise your child.”

Hearing my refusal, Derek stopped playing the dying man, sat up abruptly, and pointed at me, yelling full of vigor. “Alex, are you even human?! You call me your brother, but in reality, you’re ungrateful, cold-blooded, and heartless!” “You wouldn’t donate blood to save me, fine. But you won’t even raise my only daughter? What kind of a brother are you, you piece of garbage!” I watched him coolly. “Oh, Derek, you seem pretty energetic now, don’t you? You don’t look like you’re about to die at all. Did this quack doctor misdiagnose you?” As I spoke, I glanced at Dr. Evans, who stood by, and she instinctively averted her gaze. Realizing his performance was off, Derek suddenly clutched his chest and collapsed, gasping for air and trembling all over. I had to admit, his acting was good. Dr. Evans immediately reacted, pushing me out, saying she needed to perform emergency aid on Mr. Miller. I wanted to see what other tricks Derek had up his sleeve, so I stood outside the emergency room and waited. About ten minutes later, Dr. Evans came out holding a cooing baby. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Miller is gone. That was just a final surge of life.” “This child is his daughter. His dying wish was for you to care for her until she grows up.” “As for the adoption procedures, don’t worry, Mr. Miller made all the arrangements before he passed. The paperwork will be completed within two days.” “You just need to raise the child well. If you abandon her, that’s illegal, and if I find out, I will absolutely make sure you go to jail!” After saying this, she tried to thrust the baby into my arms. I immediately stepped back. Are you kidding me? Forcing a child on someone like this is actually illegal! In my last life, blinded by so-called brotherhood, I never questioned the truth of this series of events. Thinking about it now, it’s ridiculous. Even with proper adoption procedures, it couldn’t happen this fast. “You said Derek died, right? Fine, then I want to see his body.” Saying this, I bypassed her and rushed into the emergency room. It was completely empty inside. Dr. Evans’s urgent voice rang out. “What are you doing! You can’t just go in there!” I pointed at the empty emergency room. “Didn’t you say he died? Where’s the body? Where did you send it?” Dr. Evans said matter-of-factly, “The body was, of course, sent to the crematorium immediately for cremation.” I asked again, “Sent to the crematorium that quickly? Alright, I’ll go to the crematorium now to see him off.” Saying this, I ignored her protests and strode out of the hospital. Want me to be a fool and raise his kid? In your dreams! Upon arriving at the city crematorium, I immediately inquired with the staff about Derek’s remains. To my surprise, they actually had registered information. Soon, a staff member brought me Derek’s urn. In my previous life, I was too distraught. I just took his daughter home and only attended Derek’s funeral a week later after receiving notification. “Is this Derek’s ashes?” “Yes.” The staff member gave a brief reply and quickly left. But I still felt something was off. Normal cremation of a body doesn’t happen that fast. Even at the quickest, it takes at least a day. And now, less than three hours had passed between Dr. Evans announcing Derek’s death and me receiving his urn. It was practically a mockery of my intelligence. So the next moment, I opened the urn and unhesitatingly poured its contents onto the floor.

Grayish-white powder spilled across the floor. A staff member nearby immediately shrieked. “Hey! What are you doing?!” People who were at the crematorium to handle arrangements for their deceased family members quickly backed away. “Is that person crazy? Why are they scattering ashes on the ground?” “They must be sick. Don’t they know that’s bad luck? How unlucky!” “Did something trigger them? Never mind, I’ll just stay away.” Everyone murmured, pointing at me, their gazes unfriendly. I expressionlessly kicked the “ashes” on the ground. “Look closely, everyone. Are these really human ashes?” At my words, everyone’s gaze fell to the ground. “It does look a bit strange. Why aren’t there any small pieces or fragments of bone?” “Now that you mention it, you’re right. Cremation can’t turn all bones into dust.” I curved my lips into a slight smile and said loudly to the staff member, “Don’t you think you owe me an explanation?” “The crematorium staff gave me fake ashes? Do you have any professional ethics left?” “There are so many bereaved families here. Does this mean the ashes they received are also fake?” At my series of questions, many family members’ faces turned ugly. The staff member anxiously said, “Don’t talk nonsense! We follow all procedures!” I pressed on. “Is that really true? Derek was declared dead at the hospital just two hours ago. How could his body have been successfully cremated two hours later? When did your efficiency become so high?” The crowd instantly erupted. “What? Two hours?!” “Are you insane?! I thought handling everything for my loved one was fast, and it still took a full day. How could it be cremated in two hours?” “No wonder the powder on the ground didn’t look like ashes. There really *is* something fishy going on!” Under the barrage of questions from the crowd, the staff member stammered nervously, completely flustered. He never imagined I would scatter the ashes in public and then question the cremation time. He managed to appease the crowd with a few hurried words, then rushed inside. A moment later, he walked up to me, his face plastered with a forced smile. “My apologies, we had a mistake in our work. The ashes we just gave you belonged to someone else. Your friend’s body is still undergoing cremation. Please wait a bit longer.” Several hours later, the staff member brought me another urn. And the female doctor from the hospital suddenly appeared at the crematorium. “Mr. Hayes, before Mr. Miller passed, he instructed me to ensure his child was given to you to raise. This was his dying wish, and you must fulfill it.” “You were the best of brothers in life, so now that he’s gone, his child is your child.” “Also, here are his life savings, a total of fifty thousand dollars. He hopes you will raise his child well.” Her words were grand and righteous. She then thrust the baby and the bank card into my arms. The onlookers, unaware of the full story, were deeply moved and applauded me. I looked down at the child and let out a soft laugh. Derek, you *really* want me to raise your child, don’t you? Then I’ll grant your wish.

Eighteen years passed in a blur. Over these past decades, after earning my first significant capital, I started running my own Twitter account. I never appeared on camera myself; instead, my sweet, innocent child was the star. She was a natural in front of the camera, every movement graceful and captivating, instantly capturing the audience’s attention. Within a year of starting the account, her follower count reached over a million. She had been a child model since she was little, and even at a young age, she had endorsed several major national clothing brands, her sweet smile leaving a lasting impression. As she grew older, she ventured into the modeling industry. Whether it was photoshoots for print ads or walking runways for major designers, she excelled at everything, a true darling of the camera. Her fame now was far greater than in my previous life. To celebrate her successful completion of a major brand fashion show, I specifically hosted a small celebration banquet for her at a five-star hotel. My colleagues and friends were there, along with many of her industry connections. The room was filled with dazzling personalities. But just as Autumn raised her glass to toast with everyone, Derek appeared. He wasn’t alone; his arm was linked with my ex-girlfriend, Sarah, both dressed to make a statement. Derek, his face filled with a tender smile, reached out and took Autumn’s hand. “Daughter, Daddy finally sees you.” Everyone froze, trying to figure out what kind of stunt this was. Autumn immediately pulled her hand away, stepping back warily. “My dad passed away a long time ago. Why are you pretending to be him?” Derek’s face was filled with emotion. “Silly child, I am your father. Back then, I was severely injured and died on the way to the hospital. Before I passed, I entrusted you to Alex.” “But unexpectedly, I woke up on the way to the crematorium and my life was saved.” “Later, I came back to look for you, but you were already gone.” “I’ve been searching for you for eighteen years. I’ve always loved you! I’m your real dad!” Derek even shed tears as he spoke, looking overjoyed to be reunited. I watched him perform with a faint smile. He clearly thought everything was playing out just like in my last life, believing this successful new model whom *I* had raised, was his biological daughter. But I had been reborn. How could I fall for his trick again? “Derek, you want to claim paternity, do you?” “Of course! I think about my child every single day!” I smiled, looking at him. “But you’ve got the wrong person. She’s not your daughter.” Derek exploded. “What do you mean she’s not my daughter?!” “Don’t think that just because you raised her for eighteen years, she now has your blood running through her veins!”

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My girlfriend and my childhood best friend indulged in their desires non-stop for days, while I stood by, silently handing out condoms to men. “Don’t worry, they can handle it. Just have fun.” In my past life, a plane crash stranded everyone who attended a company interview on a deserted island. After the disaster, the CEO teamed up with other men to hoard food, making women trade their bodies for survival. I tried to convince the women to uphold their dignity, but my usually conservative girlfriend just mocked me for being old-fashioned. “Are you jealous of the CEO’s kindness?” “We’re on a deserted island now, who cares about morals and dignity? You’re not going to break up with me over this, are you?” “You’re useless, but you can’t deny me a chance to survive, can you?” Almost all the women were swayed and walked over, but Chloe, my childhood best friend, stayed firmly by my side. It wasn’t until the company’s bodyguards arrived to take us back that everyone realized this was just a corporate compliance test. Those who passed successfully would get to stay with the company. Chloe and I were fired, but my girlfriend, Briana, successfully joined the company due to her outstanding performance and even married the CEO. When Chloe found me, I had just uncovered the truth about the company. But she stabbed me, again and again. “Why did you stop me? Do you know how much I wanted to get into this company? How much I wanted to marry him?” “If it weren’t for you, I would have succeeded long ago. How could I let someone else snatch it away?” It was then I realized she had been secretly in love with the CEO all along. When I opened my eyes again, Chloe was asking for my opinion. I pushed her forward. “Fight for it. If you want something, go snatch it.”

“Liam, do you think they really don’t regret it?” “Isn’t this just selling their bodies? It’s disgusting.” The moment I opened my eyes, I heard that familiar complaining voice. I looked at Chloe. Though she claimed it was disgusting, the envy in her eyes was almost palpable. It was so obvious, yet how could I have been so blind in my past life? Just as I was about to speak, Darian, the CEO, who was holding my girlfriend, Briana, looked at me with disdain. “Liam, this is my way of making sure everyone survives.” “There’s no absolute fairness in this world. Only those who hold power get to make the rules.” The men who had benefited nodded in agreement. “Exactly. You’re not, like, embarrassed to show yourself to women because you’re bad in bed, are you?” “They don’t mind, so why do you, a grown man, care so much? Just drop the holier-than-thou act.” Briana couldn’t help but snicker. “Don’t even get me started. We’ve been together this long, and he never even touched me. Who knows what’s wrong with him.” It used to be her who refused my touch, saying I only cared about her body. But now, she was turning it around, questioning my masculinity. Sure enough, for the person she desired, she could say anything. I didn’t beg her for an explanation as I had in the past. Instead, I turned to Chloe. In my previous life, everyone had accepted this twisted way of life. Only she, after my desperate pleas, was the sole person who didn’t go along with it. Later, she even agreed to start a business with me and move towards marriage. I thought she was the only sane one. But I never expected that the moment I uncovered the truth, she would stab me, even pouring out her deep affection for Darian. This love was hidden too perfectly, even I, her childhood best friend, hadn’t noticed. Just then, Darian’s gaze fell upon her. “You’re quite pretty. If you’re willing, you could play with me for a few days.” His flippant words easily made Chloe’s breathing erratic. Seeing her about to lose control and walk over, I simply stood up to leave. But she grabbed my hand. I was stunned. I thought she would leave with me, just like in my past life, but her complex gaze met mine. “Most of the girls here are single, but your girlfriend isn’t. Can’t you take her with you?” In that instant, it felt like an electric current shot through me, from head to toe. Chloe, had she also been reborn? As if to confirm my thoughts, she walked over, took Briana’s hand, and placed it in mine. Her eyes were filled with wariness. Right. Darian was a sucker for a pretty face. Besides Chloe herself, Briana was the most beautiful here. “Are you trying to get me killed?” Briana gnashed her teeth, scoffing as she yanked her hand away from mine. “If I don’t get into that company, I swear I’ll haunt you two even in death.” She whispered it, but my hearing had always been excellent since childhood. I heard it loud and clear. I felt like I’d been struck by lightning. So, my girlfriend from the last life already knew this was a company compliance test? No wonder she was so proactive. And she could just watch so many people go down a path of no return? My heart grew even colder. I couldn’t help but sneer, but Chloe was still wary of me, afraid I’d ruin her plans. “Liam, try to be open-minded. This is actually very normal.” “If you can’t accept it, then just leave us alone. Don’t bother us.” She was solely focused on competing with Briana, but she had no idea the path she was on now was a dead end. Joining that company was their first step towards despair. The company was a playground for perverted rich guys, offering them ‘toys’. They had no real jobs, just endless forced performances. The reason Briana married Darian was because she had lost all value. Her ultimate fate would be the same as his previous wives – a convenient ‘accident’. I had investigated all this, but Chloe wouldn’t give me a chance to speak. Thinking of the suffocating feeling of being stabbed to death in my past life, I pushed Chloe forward. “Fight for it. If you want something, go snatch it.”

The moment the words left my mouth, they all stared at me, astonished. They seemed unable to believe those words had come from me. Briana looked at me with pity. “I know it’s unfair to you that two women you like are involved with someone else, but I’m in a special situation right now. Just put up with it.” “If you can’t handle it, then let’s just break up for now.” The old me would always be sensitive to her jokes like that, forcing her to take back any mention of breaking up. But now, I just smiled. “I thought we broke up ages ago, the moment you chose to trade your body.” With that, I turned to leave. It was just three days, right? I could wait. Briana’s smile froze. Before I could take a step, Darian grabbed me. “Alright, don’t act like I stole your woman. We’re all men here, no need for so much fuss. Come on, join us.” A few men stepped forward, grabbing me by each arm. I struggled wildly. “No, I won’t! Let go of me!” Remembering what they wanted me to do, my stomach churned, and I pushed them away and threw up. Darian’s face was grim for a moment, then he suddenly burst out laughing. “I’ve never seen a guy as pure as you.” “You’re so stubborn. Now I really want you to join us.” Briana and Chloe clearly didn’t want me to, but Darian just looked at them with an arrogant smirk. “If I don’t make him come, he’ll go around spreading rumors about me stealing his woman.” “Don’t worry, we won’t do anything like that. It’s just a simple party. You’ll see when you get there.” Chloe’s outstretched hand froze, but she still managed a strained smile. “I knew Mr. Darian wasn’t like that. How could he possibly lust after our bodies?” Briana, though disappointed, also breathed a sigh of relief. “Yeah, who would be so blatant about trading bodies? That’s illegal. It’s just a joke.” “Alright, Liam, the misunderstanding is cleared up. Only if you go yourself will you believe Mr. Darian’s good intentions. Stop making a fuss.” Others chimed in. “Exactly! Even if we’re stranded on a deserted island, it’s still a civilized society. No one would seriously do that.” “Since you don’t care about us, just go watch your girlfriend. She definitely won’t do anything out of line.” The more they tried to make me go, the more uneasy I felt. I struggled desperately. “I broke up with her! I’m not going!” Briana rolled her eyes impatiently. “It’s not like we haven’t broken up before. We’ll still end up together, won’t we?” I almost choked. Was she going to cling to me even to death? I struggled violently, but more people held me down, forcibly dragging me away. In despair, I desperately clutched Chloe’s clothes. “Once you go, there’s no turning back! You know this isn’t just a compliance test, it’s…” Chloe suddenly yelled, cutting me off, covering my mouth and whispering in my ear. “I know there’s something wrong with their company.” “But how can you guarantee I won’t be the one Darian treats specially?” “There’s no way I’m worse than that idiot Briana, right?” My eyes widened, and I even forgot to breathe. She really was crazy for what she called love, to this extent. I opened my mouth to yell and snap her out of it, but someone shoved a rag in my mouth. “Shut up! You’ll find out when we get there.” I was shoved into a metal barrel and rolled away, unable to make a sound. I could only stare wide-eyed at Chloe, hoping she’d understand what I meant. But she only bothered to flirt with Darian, completely ignoring my fate. But when I finally reached their tent, I couldn’t help but gasp. Screams echoed in my ears.

Before my eyes were men and women, pantsless and engaging in orgies. They seemed to have forgotten the world, lost in their own pleasure. All the girls covered their faces, yet couldn’t help but peek. The air was thick with a foul, musky scent. Realizing someone had arrived, they stopped, brazenly exposing themselves as they looked at us. Darian watched our stunned expressions and then let out an abrupt laugh. “Don’t be scared. These are just savages from the island. They don’t count as women. At best, they’re just human sex dolls.” “We would never treat actual women like this.” Only then did everyone look closely and realize they indeed looked different from regular humans, covered in an alarming amount of body hair. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, but my heart was filled with despair. Since we’d landed on the island, Darian’s people had thoroughly explored the entire place. There was no way to escape. Darian handed each girl a cup of grass juice, saying that if they drank it, they could join them and be protected. Facing the girls’ suspicious glances, Darian merely smiled faintly. “This is a potion our male doctor researched. After drinking it, you’ll just fall asleep. It’ll make you feel refreshed and cleanse all toxins, with no other side effects.” He made it sound appealing, but I clearly smelled the scent of an aphrodisiac within it. I desperately tried to signal Chloe, who was also a medical major, hoping she would reveal the truth. But she was the first to step forward. “He’s right, this really is good for us.” With that, she drank it directly. Once one person started, others quickly followed suit. Briana, unwilling to be outdone, drank two cups. Her face flushed, she looked at Darian. “Can we pick our favorite man to protect us while we’re passed out?” I couldn’t watch anymore. I broke free from the men holding me and sharply slapped Chloe across the face. “Are you insane? Spit it out, quickly!” “If the drug takes effect, no one can save you!” Chloe pushed me away, kicking me hard. “This has nothing to do with you! If you dare to interfere, I swear I won’t let you go!” My head buzzed. I felt like the world had completely surpassed my expectations. They were all crazy. I gritted my teeth. “Don’t forget, you all have to go back to civilization! What will your families think if they find out?” “Then you just don’t say anything! No one will ever know!” Seeing the naked killing intent in her eyes, I utterly lost my voice. She was no longer the little sister who used to follow me around, calling me Liam. That last flicker of hope in my heart was thoroughly extinguished by cold water. Meanwhile, Briana had already collapsed into Darian’s arms. She restlessly tugged at her flimsy, barely-there clothes, yet she still didn’t forget to scorn me. “What could possibly happen? You’re making such a big deal out of nothing!” “Liam, how can you make up such lies just to target Mr. Darian?” “He said it was just a joke before, and now he’s helping us with our health! Do you just despise him that much?” Not just her, several other girls had started stripping their clothes. The men who had tasted the sweetness had their eyes glued on them. Their warning gazes all turned to me. “Are you done yet? What do you do all day besides maliciously guessing at people?” “This is just a normal treatment, isn’t it? Look how much your girlfriend is enjoying it! You don’t know a good thing when you see it!” Several people were already kissing. I couldn’t imagine what would happen if I stayed here, so I frantically ran out of the tent. A few men immediately came up and dragged me back inside. Briana, mustering her strength, struggled over and kicked me. “You just can’t stand to see me doing well.” “Since he’s so ungrateful, just forget about him! Throw him into the sea to feed the sharks! Don’t let him bother us!” Darian smoothly pulled her shoulder closer, his lips curling into a scornful smirk at me. Then, right in front of me, he slid his hand into her clothes, eliciting moans from her. However, the R-rated scene didn’t play out in front of me. Chloe, who suddenly rushed out, interrupted them. She twisted Darian’s neck and kissed him fiercely. Darian froze for a moment, then pressed into her.

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On the day my ex-wife Natalie, a renowned perfumer, announced her engagement, we crossed paths again at an upscale club. Five years had passed. She had become a millionaire, while I, driven by desperate circumstances, had taken a job as a male escort at the club. Her fiancé, intent on humiliating me, dangled $200,000 as bait, challenging me to compete with a dog for food. Natalie watched as I bent down, her lips curling in disdain. “So, this is the ‘better future’ you spoke of when you left me? Becoming an escort for others’ amusement?” “Lucas, I should thank you for abandoning me. Looking at you now makes me sick to my stomach.” What she didn’t know was that I was in the final stages of uremia. Five years ago, when she was on the brink of death, I had given her my kidney. Now, as I swallowed my pride and allowed others to trample on me, it was only to secure a decent burial plot. As I woke up, I saw the blood-stained sheets and couldn’t hold back my tears. While I was clumsily trying to clean the bloodstains, my phone buzzed. It was a message from the cemetery manager: “Mr. Foster, the burial plot you’re interested in only needs another $200,000 to complete the transaction. If you’re certain, please make the payment soon.” This burial plot was the final resting place I had chosen for myself. After replying, I changed into my club uniform, preparing for work. A few days ago, I had been hired as a male escort at a high-end club. Although the job was far from respectable, I had no other choice if I wanted to quickly save up $200,000. Little did I know that as soon as I stepped into the club’s lobby, I’d hear a familiar voice. I looked up to see Natalie and her fiancé Simon standing not far away. My heart clenched, and I instinctively wanted to avoid them. But Simon deliberately called out loudly: “Isn’t that Lucas? So you work here now? Let me see your number tag.” I lowered my head, not wanting them to see the expression on my face. Simon, however, was relentless. He grabbed my arm and read out the number on my tag loudly: “250! What a fitting number.” Natalie’s face darkened. “Lucas, how did you end up like this?” I clenched my jaw, not wanting to appear weak in front of them. But Simon didn’t give me a moment’s respite: “Lucas, I hear being an escort here pays well. With your looks, you must make at least $50,000 a day, right?” The onlookers burst into laughter, and I felt a sharp pain in my chest. But I knew I couldn’t cause a scene here. “Simon, what do you want?” He smiled slightly. “Nothing much, just want to give you an opportunity.” Saying this, he pulled out a check from his pocket and waved it in the air. “$200,000. It’s yours if you’re willing to compete with my pet dog for food.” My heart skipped a beat, and a wave of humiliation washed over me. But looking at that check, I felt torn. Natalie, standing nearby, had contempt in her eyes. “Lucas, are you really willing to give up your dignity for money?” My heart ached, but I turned to Simon and said, “Fine, I’ll do it.” Natalie looked at me, her eyes full of disappointment and disgust. “Lucas, you’re still as revolting as ever.” She turned and left. Simon dragged me to a private room and placed a dog bowl in front of me. Then he sneered, “Come on, eat up. Don’t disappoint me.” With trembling hands, I reached for the food in the bowl. At that moment, Simon suddenly grabbed my hair and shoved my face into the dog bowl. My face pressed against the bowl, humiliation and anger nearly made me lose my mind. “Hahaha, Lucas, you’re such a fucking loser.” Simon laughed out loud and released his grip. After a long while, I finally raised my head. Wiping the food residue from my face, I felt utterly hopeless. “What’s with that look? Not happy? Should I say sorry, big bro Lucas?” Simon exchanged glances with his friends, their faces filled with undisguised mockery. Natalie sat there with a dark expression, silently downing her drink. Seeing this, Simon’s eyes flashed with jealousy, and he stood up, intending to humiliate me further. But this time, Natalie stopped him. She grabbed my arm and coldly left the room.

A loud crash came from behind us, and I knew it was Simon venting his frustration. When we reached the end of the hallway, I quickly shook off Natalie’s hand. She let out a cold laugh, her tone full of disdain. “So this is the great future you spoke of?” “Lucas, you abandoned me when I was on the verge of death, all for the sake of becoming an escort? You really have foresight.” Five years ago, Natalie had fallen seriously ill, with both her kidneys infected by a virus. Without her knowledge, I had myself tested for compatibility and, surprisingly, was a match. I didn’t hesitate to make the exchange. But my body had a severe rejection reaction, and I lost ten pounds in just three days. The doctor said I wouldn’t last a year. To spare Natalie from experiencing the same pain as me, I staged a scenario to trick her into divorcing me. But I never expected to hold on for over five years. After being heartbroken by me, Natalie met a benefactor who helped her rise to become a top perfumer. She also established herself in the entertainment industry and fell in love with the superstar Simon. They had just announced their engagement yesterday. Coming back to my senses, I gave her a bright smile. “You’re right, the money comes fast. It suits a gold digger like me.” “Natalie, congratulations on your engagement to Simon. I wish you a lifetime of happiness.” As soon as I finished speaking, Natalie slapped me hard across the face. Her eyes were red, and the air around her became heavy. “This is for the me who once dreamed of growing old with you. Lucas, get lost. I never want to see you again.” I suppressed the urge to cough and used all my strength to stand up, but the medical report in my pocket accidentally fell out. Natalie picked it up first. After reading it, her brows furrowed. The next second, she slapped me again. “You knew I was coming today, so you deliberately prepared a fake medical report, didn’t you?” “Lucas, you’re wrong. Even if you died in front of me, I wouldn’t shed a single tear for someone like you.” Hearing Natalie’s words, my heart felt like it was being stabbed by countless needles, making it almost impossible to breathe. But in the end, I managed to nod, forcing a smile that looked worse than crying. “It’s best if you think that way.” With that, I turned to leave. But before I could take more than a few steps, my vision suddenly went black, and I collapsed to the ground. In the last moment of consciousness, I vaguely thought that leaving like this wouldn’t be so bad. At least I wouldn’t have to see Natalie’s eyes filled with disgust anymore.

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself lying in a hospital bed, feeling a surge of panic. If Natalie were to find out about my condition, everything I had been holding onto would have been in vain. I tried to get up, but my body felt as heavy as lead. Just then, I saw Natalie come and sit down in the chair next to the bed, looking at me with a complex expression. The disgust and contempt were gone from her eyes, replaced by an indescribable complexity. “You’re awake,” Natalie said softly, with a hint of concern that was barely noticeable. I was stunned for a moment, then quickly recovered and managed a smile. “Yeah, I’m awake.” Natalie frowned slightly. “Why did you suddenly faint? The doctor said you have severe hypertension.” My heart tightened, but I quickly composed myself. “Oh, I might just be too tired lately, not getting enough rest.” But Natalie clearly didn’t believe me. She stared at me, her eyes full of inquiry. “Lucas, what are you hiding?” “Was that medical report really fake?” I panicked a bit but tried to maintain my composure as I explained, “Of course it was fake. What, don’t tell me you’re having old feelings resurface and want to get back together?” Just then, Natalie’s phone suddenly rang. She glanced at the caller ID, her brow furrowing slightly, but she still answered the call. Simon’s voice came from the other end of the line, with a hint of tears. “Natalie, where are you? Are you still choosing him?” Natalie looked at me, hesitation flashing in her eyes, but she quickly soothed Simon in a gentle voice, “No, don’t overthink it. I just came to check on him, after all, he was once my husband.” Simon on the other end of the line clearly didn’t believe her, his voice becoming more agitated. “Natalie, don’t lie to me. Just tell me, do you still love him?” Hearing this, Natalie was silent for a moment, then said, “Simon, I love you. Only you. Don’t overthink it, I’ll be back soon.” I closed my eyes tightly, not wanting to hear her profess her love for Simon. After Natalie hung up the phone, she still didn’t leave. We stared at each other for a long time, neither of us saying anything. After a while, I was the first to look away. “What do you mean by this? Didn’t you say you were leaving? Why are you still sitting here?” “Lucas, have you ever regretted it in these five years?” Natalie stared at me calmly. “We were together for seven years. If it wasn’t for that illness, I never would have believed that you would be the kind of person to abandon me at a critical moment.” Back then, I had given my heart and soul to Natalie, so after our abrupt divorce, she fell into severe depression for a time. At this moment, my nails dug deep into my flesh, and only the intense pain allowed me to calm my nervous emotions. “I’ll never regret it, Natalie. When love is gone, it’s gone. Why are you so insistent on asking me for an answer?” She slapped me, her long, sharp nails leaving deep red marks on my face. Then she turned her back to me, tilting her head back to wipe away her tears.

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I am the son of the crime boss of Harbor City. I was supposed to reveal my identity at my wedding. But my sister said I was being targeted and couldn’t expose myself. My fiancée took off my suit and dressed the driver in it, while my bodyguard stole my family heirloom. I trusted them completely, but when the wedding began, I saw the driver with one arm around my fiancée and the other caressing my sister and female bodyguard’s waists. When I questioned them, the driver smiled viciously and ordered his men to break my limbs. They locked me in the basement, forcing me to watch as they had sex, before finally flaying me alive and throwing my barely breathing body to be devoured by wild animals. Recalling the horrific experience of my past life, I punched the driver, breaking his ribs. “You can have my fiancée, but you’re not worthy of my family heirloom.” Charles screamed in pain from my punches. My fiancée Chloe turned pale and slapped me hard across the face. “Jack, how dare you assault Charles!” My sister Emma’s eyes reddened with concern as she raised her fist at me. “How dare you attack the heir of the Blue Gang at the wedding! You’ll be punished according to family law!” My bodyguard Bella immediately started fighting me, but I kicked her away after just two moves. She coughed up blood, looking at me in shock. “Jack, you dare use such force against me?!” I brushed the dust off my clothes and sat down in a chair center stage. “So you still remember my name is Jack?” “Then surely you haven’t forgotten that I, Jack, am Robert’s only son and the sole heir to the Blue Gang.” “And more importantly, I’m the groom at this wedding!” My words caused an uproar among the guests. “What’s going on? He’s the groom? Then who was the previous groom?” All eyes turned to Charles, who was still coughing up blood. I laughed coldly. In my past life, I had pitied Charles’s tragic background and kept him on as my driver at my sister’s urging. Before long, Charles had used his good looks to bewitch my sister, bodyguard and fiancée. After my father was gravely injured, I was supposed to announce my identity at the wedding and take over the Blue Gang. But the three women convinced me that the gang had too many enemies. They feared I would meet the same fate as my father and insisted I hide my identity. They had Charles change his name to Jack and take my place at the wedding to prevent assassination attempts. After I agreed, the three of them slept with Charles on my wedding night. I caught them in the act. Once exposed, they simply threw me into an underground fighting cage, using me as Charles’s punching bag. They even performed sex acts in front of me, torturing me day and night! Remembering the agony of being eaten alive by wild dogs, I didn’t hesitate to stomp hard on Charles’s broken ribs. “Tell me, who are you? And who am I?” Charles howled in pain, desperately calling out to my fiancée Chloe. “Honey, get this madman out of here! Sis, save me!” Chloe was frightened by my murderous aura, but hearing Charles’s pleas, she still resolutely spread her arms to block me. “Jack, so what if your last name is Jiang? I can prove Charles is the next leader of the Blue Gang!” My sister coldly scolded me while tenderly helping Charles up. “Stop this nonsense. We’re doing this for your own good. Apologize to Charles now, then go back and accept your punishment!” My bodyguard Bella also stood up, pulling out a baton and pointing it at me. “No need to go back. Kneel down right now! How dare a servant like you disrupt the young master’s wedding. I’ll personally punish you!” I looked at the three women closest to me, clenching my fists so hard my knuckles turned white. “Since you’re all siding with this driver, don’t blame me for what happens next.” With that, I lifted Charles up and smashed him onto the floor below the stage. “Sorry for the scene, everyone.” “The arranged marriage is over. This wedding will now become my succession ceremony.”

The wedding guests were all dumbfounded. “We’ve heard the Blue Gang has serious infighting, but isn’t the heir Robert’s only son? There’s no dispute about that, right?” “Yeah, everyone knows Robert’s only son is named Charles. The wedding invitation said Jack Charles too. Who does this Jack think he is?” “Daring to cause trouble and hurt Young Master Charles at the wedding, this Jack is dead for sure.” My fiancée and the other two women looked uncertain, but hearing the guests’ comments, they finally relaxed. “Jack, what’s wrong with you today? Get down from there now!” “I am Charles’s wife Chloe. I can testify that Charles is the groom and the heir to the Blue Gang!” “I’m Emma, Charles’s sister. I watched Charles grow up, how could I be mistaken!” “I’m Bella, Charles’s personal bodyguard. Charles is the true heir of the Blue Gang. As for Jack, I don’t know him!” The three women stood in a row, fiercely protecting Charles and glaring at me. The guests burst into laughter. “This poor boy must have gone mad. The Jiang family may have many beauties, but they’re not for him to covet.” “The heir’s identity has been kept secret all these years, but we all know Emma is the eldest Jiang daughter, Chloe is the daughter-in-law, and Bella is the heir’s bodyguard. They can’t be wrong.” “That’s right. Jack, why don’t you kneel and apologize?!” I held my head high, looking past the women in front of me to the woman hurrying over. “Aunt Yvonne, you’ve been with my dad for so many years. Surely you know who his son is?” Everyone followed my gaze, whispering amongst themselves. “Isn’t that Robert’s mistress Yvonne? Why is she here?” “With such a big commotion at the wedding, and Robert on his deathbed, of course someone had to be sent to take charge.” Yvonne said nothing, rushing over in her high heels. She helped Charles up first before turning to me. “You little bastard, who gave a servant like you the guts to fight with Charles!” “Someone tie Jack up. I’ll take him back for the old master to deal with personally!” My heart skipped a beat in shock. In my past life, I only knew my fiancée and the other two women had been bewitched by Charles. I never realized even my dad’s mistress Yvonne had become Charles’s ally! With Yvonne’s order, people immediately came forward to grab me. I stood my ground, using only the Jiang family’s secret martial arts to defeat everyone who came at me. Seeing their injured comrades on the ground, some people finally sensed something was amiss. “Jack is using the Jiang family’s secret fighting techniques. Throughout history, only the direct heirs were allowed to learn it.” “If he’s really just an insignificant servant, how could he possibly know how to use it!” I coldly looked at the group of women, waiting for their lies to be exposed. But just then, the badly injured Charles struggled to his feet with their support and performed a full set of Jiang family martial arts! Taking advantage of the stunned silence from the audience, Charles wiped the blood from his mouth and spoke loudly. “Jack, I pitied your background in the past and let you fetch water while I practiced. But you’ve gone too far, daring to steal my techniques!” I glared hatefully at my sister Emma. Apart from my father Robert, only she and I knew these martial arts. How dare she personally teach our family’s secret techniques to an outsider! She had no respect for rules at all! I was so furious my qi surged, and I grabbed Emma by the collar. “How dare you!” Emma wasn’t flustered at all, looking towards Charles instead. Charles seized the opportunity to pull something from his pocket, holding it high. “Father already passed the Blue Gang’s heirloom to me. Jack, your farce ends now.”

Seeing the ancient heirloom in his hand, everyone was shocked. “It seems Robert’s health really is in bad shape if he’s handed over the Blue Gang heirloom to Charles.” “Jack, with both testimony and physical evidence, you’re just a servant. Get lost now!” I gritted my teeth so hard I tasted blood. In my past life, I didn’t stop them, so I had no idea they had already hollowed out the Jiang family behind my back! Consumed by hatred, I leapt forward to snatch the heirloom from Charles’s hand. Bella had completely turned against me by now. With one shout, countless loyal followers blocked my path and attacked. Although I was skilled in martial arts, I was still only human. I couldn’t fight off so many opponents, and soon someone struck the back of my head with a blunt object. The blow nearly split my skull open. My vision blurred and I staggered. Bella looked at me with disdain and kicked me hard in the chest, sending me flying off the stage. Charles got cocky and came over, raising his foot as if to stomp on my face! Hatred surged through me. I punched the sole of his foot, and Charles, who was all show, fell over. Robert’s mistress Yvonne was so angry her nose almost twisted. “You little beast, you still dare to hurt people. Break his hand!” Bella immediately pulled out a switchblade. She had people hold down my right arm and stabbed down hard! “Jack, today I’m not only going to cripple your hand, I’m going to cut your tendons too. I’ll throw you in the underground fighting pit and make you a complete cripple, forever under Charles’s feet!” The pain spread, and some people looked away, unable to watch. I spat a mouthful of bloody saliva in the women’s faces and shouted hoarsely. “Go ahead and kill me if you have the guts. Otherwise, when my father arrives, you’ll all be dead!” A flash of panic crossed my sister Emma’s face, and she quickly looked at Yvonne. Yvonne snorted coldly, her face full of disdain. She leaned in close to my ear and whispered. “I’ll tell you the truth. Your dad’s never waking up.” “Jack, don’t dream about someone swooping in to prove your identity. The entire Blue Gang, including your women, will all belong to Charles in the future.” A wicked smile curved her lips, and my heart sank. No wonder in my past life, after I was thrown in the fighting cage, no one from my family came to save me. It turns out they had already secretly conspired to harm my father! Seeing the panic on my face, the women laughed raucously. I took the chance to break free from the people holding me down and bit Yvonne’s ear, ripping off a chunk of flesh with a shake of my head! Yvonne screamed in pain. Charles looked heartbroken. My sister Emma cursed furiously. Not satisfied, she grabbed a wine bottle and smashed it down on my head. “Do you know what you’ve done! How dare you hurt her!” My head was ringing from the blow, but I suddenly noticed something odd. Emma had always despised Yvonne, calling her a vulgar slut with no class who stole our mother’s place. But now, why was she so protective of this mistress?! My fiancée Chloe also looked worried, rushing to help Yvonne treat her wound. Bella’s knife flashed coldly as she pressed it against my throat. “Jack, I’m sorry. I didn’t want to take your life.” “But you’ve hurt the people I care about again and again. I can’t let you live!” I was injured all over, with my limbs crippled. I was no match for Bella now. In the stands, some people covered their eyes, waiting for my blood to spill. Just then, a thunderous shout came from the entrance of the hall. “What’s going on at Jack’s wedding? Everyone stop right now!”

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After my wife Olivia tortured me for the 98th time because of Liam, I was completely heartbroken and accepted the pursuit of her best friend, Scarlett. After a night of passion with Scarlett, she promised to help me fake my death and marry her abroad with a brand new identity. After taking the fake death pill Scarlett gave me, I woke up prematurely in the coffin. I couldn’t move my body at all, but I could hear Scarlett talking to someone outside the coffin. “Ms. Shen, you’ve made Olivia torture Lucas and then pretended to save him. You’ve completely gained his trust. Why do you still need to arrange for him to fake his death and be buried?” “Only by doing this will the Wilson family believe he’s dead. Then Liam’s position as the heir will be secure, and no one will ever mention that he’s an illegitimate child again.” The other person hesitantly asked, “Won’t it be too long to dig him out after seven days when you and Liam hold your wedding?” “The fake death pill’s effect can last for five days. I’ve already had people put water, food, and an oxygen tank in the coffin. He won’t die.”

In the darkness, a sense of suffocation overwhelmed me. My heart was gripped with pain. So, it was Scarlett who made my wife torture me, and then she came to pursue me, making me agree to fake my death and give up everything to be with her. This woman who said she would marry me was going to hold a wedding with Liam after burying me alive. But now I’ve woken up early, and there’s no water or food in the coffin at all! The cramped space made it hard to breathe. Through the wooden board, Scarlett’s voice sounded muffled but pierced through me like a sword, pinning me to the coffin. “When Liam’s identity as an illegitimate child was exposed years ago, his engagement to Olivia became his brother Lucas’s. Liam lost love, so I want to help him gain power and status. I promised Liam I would be his backbone.” “As for Lucas, to punish him all these years, I had Olivia torture him physically. Now letting him leave is a kind of relief. He loves me so much; he’ll forever be immersed in the beautiful dream I’ve woven for him.” The person beside her hesitated and said reluctantly: “But Lucas doesn’t know that faking death requires actually being buried. Burying a living person underground for seven whole days is too risky. And Mr. Wilson is so afraid of the dark and has claustrophobia. What if something happens in the coffin…” “It won’t!” Scarlett’s words left no room for argument: “The Wilson family is very cautious; we must make it look completely real. It’s only seven days, and he’ll actually only be conscious for two days. What could happen? Besides, Olivia agreed to lock him in a closet after every beating. He should be used to it by now.” “Liam has waited five years for this opportunity. We must ensure everything goes perfectly. After everything is settled and I marry Liam, we’ll get a fake marriage certificate abroad to fool Lucas. We’ll treat him well and make sure he can never return to the country.” As the footsteps faded away, I couldn’t make a sound no matter how hard I tried. The fake death pill kept my mind clear, but I couldn’t move my body or speak. My claustrophobia kicked in. I bit my tongue to force myself to stay calm, but my back was already soaked with sweat. In the pitch-black darkness, I was reminded of the five years I’ve been married to Olivia. Every time she tortured me, she would lock me in the closet. Painful memories flooded back like a tidal wave, and my stomach kept contracting. Two years ago, when I was locked in the closet again, it was Scarlett who saved me. The moment she opened the closet door, I felt like I saw an angel. Someone who could dispel all the darkness in my life. Since then, Scarlett has pursued me relentlessly. She took care of my battered body, comforted my broken heart, and told me to bravely resist Olivia’s abuse. How foolish I was to think I had found my salvation. Little did I know that all the torture I endured was instigated by Scarlett! She made Olivia hurt me while pretending to be the good person who healed me. And all of this was for my brother, Liam. I bit my lip hard, trying to make my body move. Suddenly, I heard the sound of a door opening outside. The sound of a man’s leather shoes was accompanied by Liam’s voice. “Scarlett, are you sure burying Lucas underground for seven days won’t cause any problems? He’s going to be buried today. He is my brother after all. I still feel it’s too cruel.” I felt like I had grabbed onto a lifeline, helplessly screaming in my heart: Save me! Please, just open the coffin and look. One glance and you’ll see I’m already awake. I don’t want to be buried alive. I don’t want to experience the pain of suffocating in darkness!

But no one could hear my inner cries. The only response was Scarlett’s cold voice. “Liam, you’re still too soft-hearted. We’ve planned this for so long, all for this day. We can’t ruin everything at this point.” “Have you forgotten how Lucas took everything from you? If it weren’t for his mother, your identity as an illegitimate child wouldn’t have been exposed, your mother wouldn’t have died, you would have married the woman you loved, and you wouldn’t have been kicked out of the Wilson family!” “Don’t worry, when this is all over, I’ll make it up to Lucas.” My whole body trembled, my limbs numb and convulsing, as if a thousand needles were piercing my body. The taste of blood filled my mouth, and I had to swallow the metallic sweetness in my throat. Scarlett, I don’t want your compensation! If you just let me out, I’ll willingly give up my position as heir, run far away, and never bother you again! Liam seemed to be crying, choking out: “Scarlett, you’re so good to me. Every time I was sad and upset, you deliberately provoked Olivia to torture Lucas, and had her send photos and videos.” “Seeing Lucas beaten black and blue, kneeling on the ground begging for mercy, and him locked in the closet for three days and nights until he was dehydrated, it always made me feel better.” Scarlett held Liam tightly in her arms, sighing: “As long as you’re happy, hurting Lucas a thousand or ten thousand times is worth it. This is what he owes you.” In the coffin, my tears gushed out. My heart felt as if it had been heavily hammered, caving in. Scarlett, is this how you’ve always seen me? How can people be so cruel? So every time I was abused, it was your doing. You were extremely gentle to my face, but behind my back, you took videos and photos of me being tortured to please another man. I laughed silently, tears sliding down the corners of my eyes, instantly absorbed by the wooden board. Perhaps it was because of the extreme pain, but my body suddenly burst forth with unprecedented strength. My fingers could move! No matter how much I hated this despicable couple, I just wanted to live now! My nails scratched several marks on the coffin board beneath me, making a faint scraping sound. I hoped they could hear the movement inside the coffin. The next second, my hope was shattered. I heard the sound of passionate kissing outside. I could feel the man being pressed against the coffin, his back tightly against the wooden board. I desperately tapped on the wooden board with my fingers. But the two outside were lost in the heat of the moment and couldn’t hear anything. The man and woman’s heavy breathing intertwined, the two of them bumping against the coffin, making it creak incessantly. My desperate cries for help were easily drowned out. The woman moved her body while professing her love: “Liam, do you know how long I’ve waited for this day? I’ve finally waited for you to give up Olivia and agree to marry me.” “For you, I endured the disgust of seducing Lucas. That night with him, all I could think of was your face.” I closed my eyes, gritted my teeth, and forced myself not to listen to those nauseating sounds outside. I thought my desire to live would outweigh my hatred for them. I was wrong. I hate them so much. As much as I once loved Scarlett, I now hate her just as intensely. I hate myself even more for falling in love with two women who hurt me without restraint. After what seemed like an eternity, it finally quieted down outside. Just as I was despairing and waiting for death, the coffin suddenly opened a crack.

The sudden white light was blinding. What came into view was Liam’s handsome but slightly gloomy face. The man’s cheeks were flushed, his clothes disheveled, clearly having just experienced that act. I looked at him with pleading eyes, hoping he would save me. But Liam didn’t seem surprised that I was awake. He looked at me with disdain. “Tsk tsk, how pitiful. You’re about to be buried alive. Scarlett went to handle the funeral arrangements. Good little brother, let me keep you company for a while.” “Five years ago, your mother uncovered my identity. To clear the obstacles for you, she drove my mother to death and made Dad remove me from the Wilson family! Not only that, you also stole my wedding. The one who should have married Olivia was me!” “For five years of marriage, you’ve been tortured by Olivia for five years. I didn’t expect you to be so patient, refusing to divorce. I had no choice but to let Scarlett seduce you. You were so stupid, actually falling in love with Scarlett. Didn’t you fantasize about going abroad to marry Scarlett? You stole my marriage, so I’m going to steal yours too!” “I’ve been waiting for your mother to die. I also tampered with your fake death pill. Once you’re buried, you’ll watch yourself die with your eyes wide open. Your death day will be my and Scarlett’s wedding day.” Liam spoke the cruelest words one by one, and my heart grew colder and colder. The hope that had just been rekindled was extinguished once again. Liam curled his lips, extremely pleased. He took out the water and food prepared in the coffin, saying carelessly: “Since you’re going to die anyway, you won’t be able to eat these things. But I’ll leave the oxygen tank for you, to let you live a few more days. Too bad you won’t be able to see my and Scarlett’s wedding.” The coffin was closed again, and the last bit of light disappeared. My fingers dug deep into the wooden board, my nails almost breaking. My eyelids grew heavier, and I passed out from exhaustion. When I woke up again, I could only hear the hustle and bustle outside. My funeral had begun. Guests exchanged greetings and laughter, no one mourning my “death”. “The Wilson family’s second young master has finally been tortured to death. Olivia beat him until he was unrecognizable, but for the sake of the family, he refused to divorce no matter what.” “He deserved it! Who told him to steal his brother’s woman? His brother is more handsome and capable than him. If it weren’t for being exposed as an illegitimate child, how could it have been Lucas’s turn to take over?” “Exactly. To marry Olivia, he even drugged her. How shameless. As a result, right after they got married, Olivia miscarried their child. Serves him right. Now that he’s dead, Olivia won’t even attend the funeral.” “Liam is the lucky one. Although he suffered five years ago, now that his brother is dead, he’s the only heir to the Wilson family. In a week, he’s even going to marry the only daughter of the Shen Group. Who would dare call him an illegitimate child now?” … People discussed my family and my marriage, freely belittling and mocking me. Yet they didn’t know that lying in the coffin was a living person, desperately waiting for death. The priest finished the prayer, and it was time for the burial. I struggled bitterly, feeling time ticking away second by second, yet no one could save me. I was carried to the cemetery. Before being lowered into the grave, I heard Scarlett leaning against my coffin. I desperately forced three words out of my throat: “Save… save me.”

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I was born with cursed words. Everything I said seemed to come true in the worst way possible, so I stopped speaking entirely since I was old enough to understand. When our six-year-old son accidentally bumped into my pregnant sister-in-law, my husband sent him to a brutal dog training facility. Our son had been bitten by a dog before and was terrified of them. I desperately tried to stop it, begging on my knees until my forehead was bleeding. Gabriel helped Lily up, gently caressing her swollen belly. His voice was cold and unfeeling when he spoke to me: “Don’t think I can’t see through you. He did this because you told him to. You’re a conniving mute, and he has your tainted blood running through his veins. If we don’t teach him now, he’ll grow up to be just as rotten as you.” “We’re sending him to learn some manners, to understand respect and hierarchy. It’ll teach you a lesson too – don’t meddle in things that aren’t your business!” When I finally found our son, he was locked in a cage with five vicious dogs, his small body torn to pieces. I pieced together my son’s tiny body, and for the first time in over twenty years, I spoke: “Gabriel Curtis, I swear you’ll pay for this in blood. Your family will be ruined.”

When I returned to the Curtis mansion carrying my son’s incomplete remains, Gabriel was in the garden, personally planting roses for Lily. Blood-red roses, blooming lusciously. Gabriel’s eyes were tender when looking at Lily, but they turned to disgust when he saw me: “Aria Stone, look at yourself. You look like death warmed over. Has the Curtis family gone bankrupt that we can’t afford to feed you? You look like a beggar with your messy hair and dirty face.” “Don’t think I’ll feel sorry for you. You can’t even raise a child properly, always scheming. Why can’t you learn from Lily?” Lily gave me a smug look, then said softly, “Aria must be worried about Jack. If only I had stayed away from Jack, he wouldn’t have bumped into me. Aria must be blaming me. Gabriel, please bring Jack back soon.” Gabriel frowned, “Jack’s been spoiled by this wretched woman. I sent him to the dog training facility to teach him manners. It’s for his own good, and it’s not your fault.” He turned to me and said, “Go clean yourself up. You’re an eyesore.” I held Jack’s body, staring at Gabriel expressionlessly. I was born with cursed words. Everything I said seemed to come true in the worst way possible, so I stopped speaking entirely since I was old enough to understand. I used to hate why I was cursed with such a power, but now I only hoped my words would come true quickly, punishing them for what they’d done. My voice was hoarse from years of disuse: “Gabriel, you’re right. The Curtis family is about to go bankrupt.” Gabriel was shocked to hear me speak: “Aria Stone, you can talk!” His shock quickly turned to anger: “You’re really something, aren’t you? Pretending to be mute all these years to gain my sympathy! What a deep game you’ve been playing!” “Why speak up now? Let me tell you, the Curtis heir will only be Lily’s child. Don’t even think about it. If you dare to harm her or the baby, I won’t let you off easy.” He didn’t spare me another glance: “Looking at you makes me sick. Throw away that filthy thing in your arms and get out of my sight.” My hands trembled as I held Jack’s body. He was dead, yet his own father called him filthy. I remembered how every night, he would look up at me with his innocent face and ask, “Mommy, if I’m a little better behaved, will Daddy read me a bedtime story?” “On my birthday, will Daddy take me to the amusement park? He promised me before.” My heart ached terribly. My hands shook as I held Jack’s body, tears streaming down my face. I choked out: “Gabriel Curtis, this isn’t filthy. This is the body of your son Jack. He’s dead, just as you wanted!” Gabriel paused, then sneered, “Aria Stone, so this is why you’re not pretending to be mute anymore? You needed your voice for this performance? You’d even curse your own son. You’re truly terrifying.” He snatched Jack’s body from my arms, glanced at it carelessly, and said with cruel intent: “Since you claim this mess of flesh is Jack, let’s have the dogs identify it. We’ll see if it’s human flesh or some animal meat you’ve brought to act out your little drama.”

Soon, the butler brought two large black dogs. Gabriel threw the bundle in front of them. They smelled the blood and excitedly dragged out the remaining limbs, starting to devour them. I went mad, rushing forward to snatch Jack back, but the butler held me tightly. I screamed at Gabriel, my heart breaking: “Gabriel Curtis, that’s your son! He was killed by dogs, how can you feed him to dogs again? Are you even human?!” Gabriel carefully shielded Lily, worried the bloody smell might frighten her. He looked at me mockingly: “Aria Stone, you’re quite the actress. You’ve really put a lot of thought into this scheme, but use your brain for once. Jack is learning manners at the dog training facility. He’s fine.” “In a week, I’ll bring him back myself. No matter how you act now, I won’t give in to you.” I hated him so much my teeth bled from biting down. I fought like a wild animal against those holding me back, finally managing to grab back the remaining body parts. The black dogs, enjoying their meal, bared their teeth at me when I took away their food. Gabriel frowned and quickly had the dogs taken away. He had lost all patience with me and didn’t want to look at me anymore. He turned to leave with Lily. I spat out hatefully at their backs: “My child is dead. Her child won’t live either!” Ever since Gabriel’s older brother died, he had been taking care of his sister-in-law Lily, even to the point of sharing a bed. At first, Gabriel tried to keep the affair secret, doing his best to hide it from me. Until one day, Gabriel brought back a badly injured Lily. His eyes were cold and unfamiliar when he looked at me. He slapped me hard: “Aria Stone, I never thought you could be so vicious. If I hadn’t arrived in time, Lily would have been violated and killed. She’s pregnant, for God’s sake.” That was the first time Gabriel had ever hit me. I was confused, not knowing what had happened, and tried to ask using sign language. But he no longer had the patience to wait for me to finish signing. He warned me: “Stop acting all pitiful. I won’t fall for it anymore.” “If you can’t accept Lily, I don’t mind divorcing you and marrying her.” From then on, Gabriel and Lily’s relationship was out in the open. Even his mother, Mrs. Curtis, couldn’t do anything about it. I had thought about divorcing him countless times, but I couldn’t because I wouldn’t get custody of Jack. In the end, it cost Jack his life. I held Jack’s body and cried until I passed out. When I woke up again, Gabriel was dragging me by my hair to Lily’s bedside. Lily’s face was pale. She looked at me with tears in her eyes: “Aria, I know you don’t like me. You think I stole Gabriel from you. But the baby is innocent. How could you be so cruel as to exchange my baby’s life for your ability to speak?” The cursed words had come true. Her child was gone. I smiled coldly. Seeing my reaction, Gabriel became even more furious. He kicked me in the chest, making me cough up blood. “You bitch! I knew there was a reason you suddenly started talking. You must have used some evil method to exchange Lily’s child for your voice!” “I’ve always been too soft on you, letting you forget your place. Now that Lily’s lost her baby, you must pay the price!” “You want to talk? Wait for your next life!” Gabriel picked up a bowl of medicine and grabbed my neck, trying to force it down my throat. I tightly closed my mouth, struggling desperately. He pried open my teeth, and just as the medicine was about to pour in, I was too exhausted to resist anymore. If I drank this medicine, I would become truly mute. Gabriel Curtis, how could you be so cruel!

“Stop! Stop this instant! This is a sin!” Mrs. Curtis’s arrival interrupted Gabriel’s actions. I fell from his grasp onto the floor, coughing violently, my mouth full of a bloody taste. Mrs. Curtis looked at the scene before her and sighed deeply. She helped me up. “Aria, are you alright?” I managed to say a few words with difficulty: “I’m fine.” Mrs. Curtis’s whole body shook. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing: “Aria, you… you can speak?” She suddenly seemed to age a decade, too weak to stand. Tears streamed down her face as she muttered, “It’s over, it’s all over…” Gabriel looked at her strangely and asked, “Mom, what’s wrong?” Mrs. Curtis’s voice was heavy with age and sorrow: “Years ago, when the Curtis family was in crisis, your father paid a great price to have our fortunes read. The fortune-teller said that if you married a mute woman with a matching birth chart, it would protect the Curtis family’s fortunes from decline.” “But when the mute woman speaks, the Curtis family… will be ruined!” The fortune was correct, but it didn’t account for the fact that I was pretending to be mute because of my cursed words. Gabriel didn’t believe it, scoffing at the idea: “That’s all superstition to trick old people like you. Our Curtis family’s wealth is what we’ve earned ourselves. What does it have to do with Aria Stone?” “If she really had such power, how come she couldn’t even raise her own son properly?” Mrs. Curtis wanted to say more but held back. She had doubted it too, but the Curtis family’s business had rapidly improved after Gabriel married Aria. Mr. Curtis had died just two years after getting the fortune read. Part of her had to believe it, while another part hoped it wasn’t true. Hearing about Jack, she perked up a bit. She doted on Jack the most. “Where’s Jack? I haven’t seen him.” Gabriel looked at me coldly: “Aria Stone couldn’t teach him properly, so I sent him to a dog training facility to learn some manners.” I looked at Mrs. Curtis and said hoarsely: “Jack is dead.” Gabriel couldn’t tolerate me repeating the same lie. He impatiently said: “How long are you going to keep this up? Are you going to say that pile of rotten meat is Jack again? Someone, burn that mess to ashes and use it as fertilizer for the roses.” Watching Jack’s body being thrown into the fire, this time I didn’t struggle. Jack was gone. Keeping his body had no meaning. It was better to burn it and let him leave this world clean. In his next life, he could be born into a good family and live a happy, peaceful life. Mrs. Curtis looked from Gabriel to me, not knowing who to believe. She hurriedly left for the dog training facility. After Mrs. Curtis left, Lily said tearfully: “My poor baby, you didn’t even get to see the world. You would have grown up to be as big as Jack, calling us Mommy and Daddy.” “Gabriel, do you think we’ll have children in the future?” Gabriel kissed her forehead tenderly, comforting her: “We will, in the future.” His gaze turned even more hateful when he looked at me: “Aria Stone, I let you off easy earlier because my mother was here, but I must teach you a lesson.” “Since Lily’s child is gone, the child in your belly will have to make up for it.” Watching Gabriel approach me step by step, I fearfully backed away until I fell to the ground with nowhere else to retreat. I said with a trembling voice: “Gabriel Curtis, you’ve already killed Jack. Are you going to kill my other child too? It’s your child as well!” Gabriel paused. Seeing his hesitation, Lily spoke up: “Gabriel, you don’t need to do this for me. My position in this family is already awkward. How can my child compare to Aria’s? Even though you said the Curtis heir would be my child, no one really believes it.” Gabriel said solemnly: “I make the decisions in this house. What I say goes, and everyone will take it seriously. Aria Stone isn’t worth a single hair on your head.” He hesitated no longer, raising his foot to stomp hard on my stomach.

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Just because I accidentally broke the dried flower arrangement made by my wife’s childhood friend, she sent me to a “men’s etiquette school” for reformation. Facing inhuman torture at the school, I desperately screamed, struggled, and begged on my knees. But no one paid any attention to me. After forty-nine days of brutal body modification, my limbs were removed and I was molded into a vase. When Sophia received an invitation to a private auction, she whispered to the boy beside her: “Jake, I’ll bid on this vase. It would be perfect to display your new dried flower arrangement.” At the moment of my last breath, a commotion broke out in the crowd. With just one glance, Sophia’s eyes widened in shock as she frantically raised her bidding paddle. With a crisp slap, Sophia’s hand struck my face. “Ryan! You useless good-for-nothing!” she snarled, her face dark with anger as she jabbed a finger at my nose. “I didn’t marry you so you could live a life of luxury! You can’t even handle this simple task! How dare you carelessly ruin Jake’s heartfelt gift?” Jake rushed over, looking very apologetic. “Sophia, please don’t blame Ryan. It wasn’t intentional,” he pleaded. “These dried flowers weren’t anything special – just a small gift I stayed up late for a week to make for you,” Jake continued. “It’s a shame you liked them so much, but I didn’t even get a chance to give them to you before Ryan broke them…” He crouched down and carefully gathered up the remains of the dried flowers. I hurriedly tried to explain: “It was an accident! I was being careful, but he-” “Enough!” Sophia cut me off impatiently. “Look at yourself, then look at Jake!” “Jake always puts me first and considers my feelings. But you? All you do is cause trouble for me!” “I’ve told you before not to mess with Jake. Did it all go in one ear and out the other?” She looked at me with disdain and disappointment in her eyes. “Apologize to Jake right now and learn from him how to be a proper husband!” I held my stinging cheek, my heart bitter. After five years of marriage to Sophia, I took care of the household chores, shielded her from drinking at social events, and gave up my own career and hobbies for her. Yet in her eyes, I couldn’t compare to a simple dried flower arrangement from Jake. An immense sense of loss washed over me as I forced myself to apologize through gritted teeth. But Jake still wasn’t satisfied. Sophia declared she would “punish” me to teach me a lesson. Jake approached and patted my shoulder. “Ryan, don’t be upset with Sophia. She just wants you to improve,” he said smoothly. “You’re so handsome and strong. You just need some refinement in your manners.” His tone suddenly shifted. “I heard about a top-notch men’s etiquette school that recently opened downtown. Not only does it cultivate proper behavior, but it also offers physical training.” “Why don’t we send Ryan there to study? It’ll be like returning him to his prime at age 20. What do you think?” This wasn’t a suggestion – it was a poisoned trap! Fear gripped me like an invisible hand. By the time I realized what was happening, I was already restrained by security guards, unable to move. “No! Sophia! I won’t go! You can’t do this to me! Jake has ulterior motives!” I couldn’t help but scream, struggling desperately and crawling to clutch at her legs. But Sophia turned a deaf ear, her eyes cold and impatient. She ignored my pleas and protests. A guard chopped the back of my neck. Darkness instantly swallowed me.

I was awakened by the glare of surgical lights above me. The scent of antiseptic mixed with crisp cedar cologne filled my nostrils. My hands and feet were bound, leaving me completely immobile. I used all my strength to shout: “This is illegal detention! It’s a crime! I’m calling the police!” But the room was empty – no one responded to my cries for help. Overwhelming panic seized me like a tidal wave. They had taken my phone, cutting off all contact with the outside world. I realized with horror that no one was coming to save me. Despair coiled around my heart like vines, making it hard to breathe. After a while, the heavy door opened. A man in a white coat entered, his face expressionless. Without a word, he gestured to the men behind him. Two large men came forward and held me down as a syringe was forcibly injected into my arm. My body gradually went numb, but my mind remained terrifyingly alert. The man in the coat approached and firmly pinched my now-insensate arm. “Ah!” I couldn’t help but cry out in pain, my body shaking violently. He smiled eerily. “Good, the pain receptors are still active. This will make our ‘artistic creation’ much more soulful.” The familiar scent of cedar cologne wafted into my nose. I forced my eyes open wide, finally recognizing the face hidden behind the surgical mask. It was Jake! That bottle of cedar cologne was a gift Sophia had given him just yesterday to welcome him. Now he was discussing my “vase modification plan” with two doctors. “Jake! Let me go right now! Sophia won’t let you get away with this!” I shouted. He didn’t even glance my way. Sophia, you fool! She had no idea that Jake, her dear childhood friend, wasn’t sending me for simple fitness training. He intended to humiliate me, to turn me into a living… vase for people to admire! With the last bit of strength left in my body, my survival instinct exploded. I desperately struggled to roll off the operating table. I had to crawl away! I had to escape! I had barely crawled half a meter when a shiny leather shoe stomped down hard on my right hand! “Ahhhhh!” An agonized scream erupted from my throat. “Trying to escape? Where do you think you can go? Ryan, you need to learn to submit,” Jake said. As he spoke, he deliberately twisted his shoe, grinding it into my fingers. I was in so much pain I nearly passed out. The sound of bones crunching was sickeningly clear. I no longer cared about dignity: “I was wrong, please, I’m begging you, let me go please…” Just then, Jake’s phone rang. He casually answered and put it on speaker. Sophia’s voice came through. “Jake, how is… Ryan doing? Is he still causing trouble?” I thought I detected a hint of concern in her voice, but quickly dismissed the notion. How naive of me – even at this point, what was I still hoping for? Jake glanced at me and smiled smugly. “Don’t worry, Sophia. Ryan is undergoing a body modification treatment. He’ll be completely obedient to you soon.” As he spoke, he ground the toe of his shoe into my hand again. I let out an even more piercing scream. I used my last ounce of strength to beg Sophia for help. But not only did she show no mercy, she laughed coldly: “Ryan, don’t be so ungrateful! Jake is helping you – you should be thankful! Stop trying to play the victim and gain sympathy. I’ve seen through your act!” “Behave yourself and don’t embarrass me!” I thought back to five years ago at our wedding, when she vowed to love me for life and support each other forever. Those promises now seemed utterly ironic and laughable. Immense disappointment and betrayal washed over me. I stopped calling for help and closed my eyes, my heart dying in that moment. Jake hung up the phone and directed the men to move me back onto the operating table. He gripped my jaw, forcing me to look at him. “Ryan, what I hate most is that pretentious face of yours,” he sneered. “And you’re too noisy. It would be better if you were quiet.” Before I could react, a cold scalpel slashed viciously at my tongue! Excruciating pain shot through me as blood gushed out. The agony was so intense I couldn’t even scream. My vision went black as I passed out completely.

When I regained consciousness, I discovered I had truly been turned into a “vase”! And before me was an auction hall. I was trapped inside the vase mold, completely immobilized. Every inch of skin, every bone in my body, screamed with unbearable pain. In a daze, flashes of the operating table came back to me. That devil Jake had personally broken my bones, forcibly molding my body into the shape he desired with clay. Countless tiny needles repeatedly pierced my skin, carving out bizarre patterns. I kept waking from the extreme torture only to pass out again, unable to bear it. That feeling of wishing for death was so intense, I almost forgot I was still alive. The more my body hurt, the deeper my hatred for Sophia and Jake grew. But I was utterly helpless, like a fish on a chopping board, at their mercy. The crowd stared at me intently as the auctioneer spoke passionately. “Ladies and gentlemen, look at this human vase! It took exactly forty-nine days to create the crackle glaze effect!” “Real human blood was used for the red glaze. The more pain the subject felt, the more beautiful the patterns became!” Whispers spread through the audience. Apparently I had been sent to an auction. “This is so artistic! I’ve never seen a vase made from a real person before. It would be quite a conversation piece!” “New patterns are still forming – how fascinating! Truly a rare treasure!” “This auction was well worth attending!” I could feel my life force slowly draining away, barely clinging to existence. Looking closer, I saw Sophia seated in the front row. Her gaze paused on me briefly as it swept across the room. She didn’t recognize me, instead turning to complain to her assistant. “Why hasn’t Ryan made any contact recently?” Jake immediately reassured her, his voice low but just loud enough for me to hear. “Sophia, Ryan is probably focusing on his training. Don’t be angry with him. Maybe he’s planning a surprise for you.” Sophia scoffed after hearing this. “Speaking of vases, why is he so special? I prefer the one on stage.” I had no energy to argue. Let her think what she wants. I was already at their mercy. The crowd below had gone into a frenzy, emotions running high as they bid astronomical sums to acquire me. My gaze met Sophia’s again. From not far away, she seemed to finally recognize me. A look of disbelief flashed in her eyes. “This vase… why does it look like… Ryan? What’s he doing here?” “Putting a person… inside a vase? Is that safe?” She stood up, perhaps wanting a closer look, but Jake grabbed her arm. “Sophia, don’t worry. This must be Ryan’s way of pursuing an artistic effect – he made himself into a vase shape.” “Besides, isn’t he more special this way?” “He can’t go anywhere or cause any more trouble for you now.” Sophia nodded thoughtfully at his words and sat back down calmly. Watching them chat intimately, the physical pain paled in comparison to the despair and hatred in my heart. Sophia! Jake! I truly hate you both so much!

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To support my husband’s scientific pursuits, I sent him overseas for advanced studies. But two years later, he walked out of the airport with a young girl. “Seraphina, a junior researcher under me, got seriously ill from radiation exposure during an experiment while trying to protect me. I need to take care of her.” He insisted on bringing her home, converting my study into a lab. Day in and day out, they were ‘doing research’ in there. Until, well, they ‘researched’ a baby into existence. And he still claimed it was just a drunken accident. “Seraphina’s parents are both gone; this child will be her only family. I *have* to keep it.” “Be the bigger person, Harper. Let her have this house so she can focus on her pregnancy in peace.” “You’re so busy with work anyway, no time for kids of your own. This baby could even call you ‘godmother’ later.” I scoffed. That night, I cleared out everything from the house and pulled all funding from his research project. Sorry, but I’m not exactly short on houses. Or kids, for that matter.

“Ms. Harper, are you really going to cut off all funding immediately? Without any buffer time, their project will practically…” “Confirmed. Pull it all. Every last cent.” I didn’t hesitate for a second. The call with my assistant, Kai, had just ended when another call came in. “Harper Reed, what do you mean by ‘do you want to marry me’? You…” “Exactly what it sounds like. What, you don’t want to? Should I ask someone else?” “Who said I don’t want to! You’re not allowed to ask anyone else!” Declan’s voice shot up, then he slowly asked, “So you’re divorced now?” “Almost. Don’t worry, I won’t let you feel grossed out.” “That’s not what I meant. I meant, if you’re in trouble, I can help you.” I paused, then politely declined his offer, but a warmth slowly spread through my chest. He chased me for six years and never gave up. Guess he’s finally getting what he wished for. Only me, chasing after someone unworthy, ending up completely shattered. Not long after I hung up, I heard Julian and Seraphina’s voices behind me. They walked in, arm in arm, Julian carrying a large bag of baby supplies. “Julian’s never been a dad, but he’s already so good at this stuff,” Seraphina cooed. “If I don’t understand, I need to learn. Otherwise, how can I take good care of you… Harper?” Julian froze slightly when he saw me. Seraphina immediately hid behind him, timidly saying, “Ms. Harper, I’m sorry, I didn’t know you’d be back today.” “Don’t worry, I’ll go abroad after the baby is born. I won’t stay here and be an eyesore for you anymore.” Eyesore? I chuckled. Been an eyesore for this long, a little longer won’t hurt. Besides, soon enough, out of sight, out of mind. Just like in the past, the more pathetic Seraphina acted, the more Julian’s heart ached for her. He wrapped his arm around her, comforting her. “What kind of person do you take me for? You have no parents, no family. How could you live alone with a child?” The next second, he looked at me, his tone utterly natural: “Seraphina is pregnant and needs a new bedroom with a more comfortable environment.” “She can have ours. You rarely come back here to stay anyway, with all your overtime.” I stared directly into his eyes, simply replied “Okay,” and walked straight out. Julian, who had prepared himself for my “tantrum,” stood rooted to the spot. Before, when he wanted to convert my study into Seraphina’s lab, I fought him for a whole week, exhausting him completely. But this time… “Harper, what kind of attitude is that? What are you trying to pull now?” Julian chased after me and grabbed my arm. I looked at him impatiently and asked, “Julian, I should be asking *you* that.” “When I made a fuss, you said I was narrow-minded. Now I’m planning to give the entire house to Seraphina, and you think I have ulterior motives?” Julian’s expression flickered, then he let out an awkward cough, pulling my hand. “I’m sorry. I misunderstood you.” I was momentarily stunned. In our six years of marriage, to keep him focused on his research, I was always the one who gave in first. He’d always been so stingy with his words to me, and now he was actually apologizing. “Since you’re willing to change, then stay. Seraphina and I aren’t unwelcoming.” “Tonight, you can make Seraphina your signature sour fish soup.” “She’s had terrible morning sickness lately and craves something sour.” In that instant, I wanted to throw up too. Sure enough, it was all my imagination. “What *is* she, that she deserves me cooking for her?” I snapped back, unable to stand his face, but he immediately scowled and said, “Hmph, I knew you were faking it.” “You’re still that heartless, ungrateful businesswoman with nothing but filthy money in your eyes, no different from six years ago.”

Years ago, because of my mother’s rare illness, I met Julian, who was researching drugs in that very field. I was quickly drawn to his talent and personality and began to pursue him. To have common topics with him, I forced myself to read obscure biology books. To show my determination, after we married, I didn’t hesitate to agree to his continued studies abroad, even investing heavily in his lab and leveraging my connections behind his back. But what I finally got was him returning with another woman. “You’re right. I’m a businesswoman, so a businesswoman’s hands are only for making money, not for cooking.” Before, when he accused me of reeking of money, I’d feel sad. But now, I only felt lucky. Lucky that even though my judgment was poor, at least I had money. “On the other hand, you, you claim to love her so much, but you can’t even bear to cook for her?” “I’ve told you, I only feel gratitude towards her. I just want to take care of her. That child was an accident!” As always, he explained impatiently, then looked at me with disappointment, as if I had committed some grave error. I was too tired to listen anymore, so I shook my hand free and walked out. I didn’t expect that after an all-nighter at the office, I’d open the door to my apartment and see Julian in the kitchen, making breakfast. That was a ‘miracle’ that had never occurred in our six years of marriage. For the sake of his hands, which he needed for experiments, I had always done the cooking at home. I remember even when my hand was bleeding non-stop from a knife cut, he’d avoid me like the plague just to hand me a band-aid, terrified my blood would taint his hands. And now, he held a knife, meticulously slicing bread for Seraphina. “Julian, your hands shouldn’t be doing such things! Put that knife down!” Seraphina ran into the kitchen, and Julian immediately hugged her back, saying tenderly, “You stayed with that radiation source for so long to protect me, and now you’re still willing to have my child. This little thing is nothing.” Seraphina, touched, threw herself into his arms, and a flicker of triumph crossed her eyes as she looked at me standing outside the door. I watched them with cold eyes, then waved my hand, directly instructing the movers to start clearing things out. Julian looked at everything, confused, shielding Seraphina firmly behind him, demanding to know what I was doing. “Nothing much. I’m just divorcing you, so we’re separating first.” “What did you say?” Julian’s face went blank for a second, as if he couldn’t grasp what I was saying. “Divorce… me?” He again showed that ‘I knew it’ expression, full of disgust. “Here we go again. Harper, I’m not falling for your games anymore.” “Tell them to get out. Seraphina is pregnant and needs quiet rest. Don’t you understand that?” I sighed wearily. Before I could speak, a worker rushed down and asked me, “Ms. Harper, the safe you insisted we take—it’s in Ms. Seraphina’s room, and… it’s open. It’s empty.” My heart sank. I spun around to look at Seraphina. She blinked, saying, “Julian gave me that box. I saw it only had some old papers, nothing useful.” She curved her lips at me, her smile sweet and malicious. “So, I burned them all.” *Slap!* I lunged forward and slapped Seraphina across the face. “Those were my mother’s musical scores, her last precious relics! How *dare* you…” My heart ached so much I could barely breathe. But the next instant, Julian actually raised his hand at me— “Harper Reed, for some dead woman’s junk, you dare hit her!”

As the force of his palm rushed toward me, he met my red-rimmed eyes. He seemed to finally snap back to reality for a second, intending to lower his hand. But because of his strength, his wedding ring still grazed my cheek, leaving a thin cut. “Dead woman’s junk.” I stood frozen, my heart turning to ash as I repeated his words. “Fine, I get it.” I turned around and instructed the movers to take the things and leave immediately. But he chased after me. “Harper!” He grabbed my hand, a rare look of guilt on his face. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know Seraphina would burn your mother’s things.” “But she’s pregnant, it might be hormones, her emotions are unstable.” “You’ve never been a mother, can’t you be more understanding of her? I’ll go get new copies of your mother’s things…” I sharply pulled my hand away, looking at his face, which was already regaining its ‘rational analysis’ look. “Julian, I’ll hire the best lawyers to expedite our divorce proceedings.” “You!” Julian was about to chase after me again, but Seraphina cried out in pain, and he immediately turned and ran back into the villa. After settling my things, I blocked all of Julian’s contact information. I didn’t see him again until a week later at a banquet. This banquet invited many CEOs from biopharmaceutical companies. Julian never used to come to such ‘corrupting’ places, but now, because of the sudden withdrawal of crucial funds, he had no choice but to seek help here. He still had no idea that the person behind that money was me. “Oh my, Ms. Harper, why are you here?” Seraphina covered her mouth, seemingly very surprised. “This place is full of professionals in biomedicine. The discussions aren’t about stocks or funds.” “Someone like Ms. Harper, do you even understand?” Her voice was clear, as if she wanted everyone around to mock my out-of-place presence. But everyone simply gave her a strange look and turned away. “I’m standing here because this banquet is *my* event. Every glass of wine Ms. Seraphina is drinking right now is paid for with *my* money.” “Without me, how do you think these bigwigs would grace us with their presence?” The resentment and jealousy in Seraphina’s eyes instantly overflowed. The next second, Julian actually dismissed her and stood next to me, holding a wine glass. I knew he had networked around, found no one willing to invest in his project, and so he came to me. “Harper, even if you want a divorce, our joint assets are half yours, half mine…” Even he struggled to say such shameless words. I chuckled, then slowly said, “Mr. Julian, did you forget the prenuptial agreement we signed?” “To prove your integrity, didn’t you personally sign an agreement for separate property, terrified to taint yourself with my ‘dirty money’?” Julian’s face immediately turned ugly, secretly regretting it. But he wanted to use our past relationship to make me soften, but I was utterly unmoved. I only spoke of “divorce.” “No, I’m afraid my money would dirty your experiments.” “Harper, are you really going to take it this far?” He gasped, all traces of his refined demeanor were gone. He thrust the wine glass towards me. “Fine then, if you have the guts, drink this, and we go our separate ways, and it’s over for good!” I took the glass without hesitation and drank it all. But after I finished, I noticed that Julian’s eyes, besides anger, held a hint of panic. No, this drink… A wave of dizziness hit me. My vision went black, and I collapsed.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296834”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #狼人Werewolf

After I died, my parents signed the organ donation consent form, transplanting my retinas into their most cherished adopted daughter, Felicity. Without me, they finally became a real family. My whole life, I’d fought with Felicity, only to end up with nothing but a bleak, desolate fate. Reborn, I decided to live my own life, and unexpectedly, I found a happy ending. I was reborn, back to the very day Felicity came to our home. If I’d been reborn just a little earlier, maybe I could have prevented Felicity’s biological parents from dying, or perhaps I could have threatened to kill myself to stop my parents from adopting her. But now, she was already home. It was too late for any drama. Felicity was the daughter of my father’s respected mentor, a renowned artist who had her late in life, and she was cherished like a precious gem. She showed extraordinary artistic talent but suffered from an unknown eye condition, with her sight fluctuating and the constant risk of blindness. Her parents had taken Felicity everywhere seeking treatment, but they died in an accident, leaving young Felicity orphaned. Felicity’s childhood was truly tragic, which is why my parents, at first sight, decided to treat her as their own, even valuing her more than me, their biological daughter. “Chloe, haven’t you always wanted an older sister? From now on, Felicity will be your sister. Aren’t you happy?” My parents looked at me with loving eyes, hoping I would genuinely accept this adopted sister. My seven-year-old self, in my previous life, was indeed happy. I thought the world had given me a warm new family member, and I was eager to share my love with this gentle-looking sister. I never imagined Felicity was a thief, not wanting to share my parents’ love, but to steal it all for herself. “Chloe, Dad knows you’re a sensible girl. Felicity’s health isn’t good. Even though you’re the younger sister, we need you to help Mom and Dad take care of her. Can you do that?” Before I could even open my mouth, tears were already welling in Felicity’s eyes. “I know my sister will have a hard time accepting me. Who wants to share their family’s love? Sister, don’t worry, I’ll just go to an orphanage.” Sometimes I truly suspected Felicity had also been reborn. How could an eight-year-old girl be so manipulative? I hadn’t even expressed any opposition, and she was already branding me as a jealous, difficult child. Mom gently wiped Felicity’s tears. “Don’t cry, Felicity, it’s bad for your eyes.” “Why are you still calling us ‘Uncle’ and ‘Auntie’? We told you, from today on, we’re your Mom and Dad.” Felicity lifted her small, innocent face, clear tears still clinging to her lashes. She looked so overwhelmed and grateful, anyone would feel sorry for her. “Waaah, I have a Mom and Dad now!” At that moment, the three of them hugged, crying together, and no one remembered to ask for my opinion. Felicity just had that kind of power.

That night, my parents made Felicity and me share a room. I lay quietly, unable to sleep, my mind racing with how to become independent and leave this family as soon as possible. After everything in my previous life, I understood: from the moment Felicity entered this home, my Mom, Dad, and even my brother, all became her sole possessions. Late in the night, Felicity quietly got out of bed beside me. I squinted, pretending to be asleep, and watched her head straight for my parents’ room. “Waaah, Mom, Dad, it’s so dark, my eyes hurt so much, I’m so scared!” My overly compassionate parents, blinded by sympathy, didn’t even stop to think how Felicity, in such an unfamiliar environment, could have found their room so easily in the middle of a sudden “eye attack.” They just hugged Felicity tightly, their eyes welling up with tears in distress. “Don’t be afraid, Felicity, Mom and Dad are here.” Felicity trembled, burying herself in Mom’s arms, looking utterly terrified. “Mom, Dad, can I really stay in this home? Waaah, just now my sister…” Overhearing this, my heart sank. The next second, Dad stormed into my room without a word, pulling me out of bed while I was still pretending to sleep. “What did you say to Felicity?! How can you be so insensitive? Felicity has been sick since she was little, and her background is so tragic. Can’t you just give in to her?!” “Don’t be like that, Chloe is still young. Just teach her, she’ll understand!” Mom said she was trying to calm Dad down, but she was still holding Felicity tightly, not even attempting to come over and shield me. In the end, they took Felicity back to their room, leaving me, dressed only in thin pajamas, shut outside my own door. Before, Mom used to check on me in the middle of the night, tucking me in before she left. They seemed to have forgotten I was just a seven-year-old child. I also feared the dark, the cold, and I was at an age when I needed my parents’ love the most. In my previous life, Felicity often did this. She would fake an eye flare-up, then, while my bleeding-heart parents were overwhelmed with sympathy, she’d invent baseless lies to badmouth me. As a young child, I gradually realized the danger. Ever since she arrived, I, their sweet and adorable little daughter, had turned into a “bad girl” in my parents’ eyes. So, I began to secretly compete with Felicity, always trying to outdo her. Anything Felicity had, I had to have too. But Felicity was skilled at playing innocent in front of people, appearing gentle, timid, and always deferring. My parents felt even more indebted to her. I fought with Felicity my entire life, but I could never win against her. Even my brother, who used to dote on me, fell under Felicity’s spell. Everyone in the art world knew that the Davidsons had a pitiful, talented adopted daughter, Felicity, and a rude, jealous, good-for-nothing biological daughter, Chloe. This time, I decided not to compete with Felicity anymore. I would live the life I truly wanted.

The next morning, Felicity and my parents’ joyful laughter drifted from the dining room. I quietly walked downstairs and saw Felicity sitting in *my* seat, using my favorite tableware. When they saw me, the previously harmonious atmosphere suddenly shattered, as if *I* were the outsider who had intruded on their family. A flicker of awkwardness crossed Mom’s face. “Chloe, why are you up so early today? Felicity doesn’t have her own tableware yet, so she’s using yours. Can you use Liam’s set, please?” “No, thanks. I don’t like taking other people’s things.” The moment those words left my mouth, everyone understood I was mocking Felicity. Dad seemed to still be upset about me “bullying” Felicity yesterday; his usually kind expression turned incredibly sour. I glanced at the milk, sandwich, and bacon and eggs on the table—all things Felicity liked to eat. I was lactose intolerant and usually had porridge for breakfast. “Oh dear, I forgot! You can’t drink milk. I’ll make you some soy milk in a bit,” Mom quickly interjected, trying to smooth things over, desperate to hide the fact that she paid more attention to her adopted daughter than to me. *Slam!* Dad slammed his cup on the table, scolding me with displeasure in his voice. “Why so particular? You spoil her too much! At such a young age, you’ve indulged her into being so wild! We need to take Felicity to transfer schools, no time to waste!” The old me would have been heartbroken by those words, throwing a tantrum without a second thought. But now, my heart was numb. I silently sat at a corner of the table, watching Felicity, who was eating with her head down, a hint of a triumphant smile playing on her lips. But when she looked up again, her small face was filled with sorrow. “Dad, don’t talk about my sister like that. My sister isn’t like me; she was pampered with love since she was little, so it’s natural for her to be a bit willful. It just shows how much you love her.” My overly compassionate parents were once again moved to tears. How could there be such an angelic little girl in the world? In comparison, I, who had everything since childhood yet was so headstrong, seemed utterly insensitive. The disappointment in their eyes when they looked at me deepened. But I didn’t care. In my previous life, I had practically cut ties with my parents, and I no longer cared what they thought of me. I could have easily charmed Felicity, acting as a brainless, easily controlled younger sister. Then I would still be my parents’ good daughter, picking up whatever scraps of affection they left over from Felicity. But I would make Felicity understand that the family love and affection she so painstakingly gained were worthless in my eyes.

By the time “the family of three” returned home after handling the school transfer, I had already voluntarily cleared out my original room, moving all my belongings into the unoccupied guest room. It wasn’t that I was giving way to Felicity on purpose; it was simply to preserve my own personal space. Dad gently patted my head and said, “Chloe is so sensible, truly Dad’s good daughter.” A young child might have gloated over those words, but reborn, I understood the unspoken meaning: I had to sympathize with Felicity at every turn, sacrificing my own happiness for hers, to be worthy of being his “good daughter.” Felicity burst into my room without asking, wanting to look around. When she saw the complete set of art supplies my parents had bought for me earlier, her small face suddenly turned pale, and she weakly collapsed into Mom’s arms, sobbing. “Waaah, I wish I could paint carefree like my sister!” Mom looked at me uneasily, hesitating for a long time before finally speaking. “I’m sorry, Chloe, but to consider Felicity’s feelings, could you put away your painting things for now?” Here we go again. Ever since Felicity appeared, my living space had been constantly squeezed, to the point where I wasn’t even allowed to have my own hobbies and dreams. It was the same in my previous life. Felicity’s eyes weren’t good, so she couldn’t paint for long periods, which meant I was also forced to drastically cut down my painting time. I was a painter’s daughter, yet I couldn’t buy art supplies freely or attend art classes, simply because seeing them would upset Felicity. But Felicity could cuddle in Dad’s arms, learning to paint hand-in-hand. Every one of her works was exquisitely framed, while my paintings had to be hidden at the very bottom of my art box. It even came to the crucial moment of our art school entrance exams. Felicity’s vision suddenly flared up during the exam, preventing her from completing her test, and she swapped our names on the canvases when submitting them. When the admission results came out, I immediately recognized that the excellent artwork labeled with Felicity’s name was actually mine. I begged my parents to intervene for me, but they just held a sobbing Felicity, urging me to be more generous. “Chloe, you can always retake the exam next year, but Felicity doesn’t have much time left! You know she could go blind at any moment!” “Felicity has been so pitiful since she was little, just let her have this! You’ll definitely get in next year!” It was easy for them to say. They had no idea how much time I, with less natural talent than Felicity, had secretly spent practicing, painting in the dark every night, nearly ruining my own eyes. I broke down, screaming: “She stole my Mom and Dad, and now she wants to steal my life too?! Give me my spot back, or I’m leaving this house forever!” My resistance didn’t bring my parents any remorse, only a furious slap from my father. “If it weren’t for Felicity’s eyes, do you think you could have beaten her? You have no talent for painting at all, you’d just be bottom of the class at an art school!” I clutched my stinging cheek, unable to believe those words came from my own father. In the end, Felicity still took my place at art school. I, meanwhile, was mocked by everyone in the art world for losing to an adopted daughter with poor eyesight. My artistic dreams shattered, and I lived a mediocre life. Reborn, I had lost all passion for painting. So, in front of my parents, I threw that set of painting tools into the trash. Dad’s face immediately darkened, but they knew they were in the wrong and just awkwardly left with Felicity.

When summer arrived, my older brother, Liam, who usually studied abroad, returned home for a reunion, mainly to meet the legendary new sister, Felicity. Just like in my previous life, Liam was utterly captivated by Felicity the first time he saw her. Felicity had wrapped a cloth around her face, stumbling around the living room like a blind person, then “accidentally” fell into Liam’s arms during their first meeting. Felicity blushed, saying in a delicate voice, “Because I don’t know when I’ll go blind, I want to learn to live in darkness first, so I won’t be a burden to Mom, Dad, and my brother later.” Felicity was so good with words. She subtly excluded me, her sister, and hinted to Liam that I didn’t get along with her. The passionate young Liam was too stunned to speak. The girl before him was as endearing as a delicate, innocent-looking heroine from a K-drama. He instantly vowed in his heart to take care of Felicity for the rest of his life. My parents suggested we all go out and have a fun day to welcome Liam home. I didn’t want to go. They were a harmonious family of four; what did I, their willful, jealous, spoiled, unloved younger daughter, have to do with it? But Felicity just had to stir up trouble, shrinking into a corner and letting tears roll down her face. “Mom, Dad, you should just take my brother and sister. It would be so depressing if I were there when you all have your family reunion.” Liam panicked, gently wiping Felicity’s tears. “Why would you say that? We’re already a family!” Felicity feigned shyness, trying to evade Liam’s hand, while casting a timid glance at me, as if making a silent accusation. Liam immediately glared at me. “Chloe! Why are you bullying Felicity? How did you become this kind of person? You weren’t like this before!” What kind of person did I become? The ones who changed were clearly *you*. Mom, who once thought of me in every way; Dad, who was strict but gentle; and my brother, who always protected me—they had all become strangers. I simply gave a cold laugh, looking Liam directly in the eyes. “Why don’t you let Felicity answer? How did I bully her? I even gave her my room; what else isn’t she satisfied with?” Felicity, guilty, instinctively avoided my gaze. Her frightened look only fueled Liam’s protective instincts, and he shouted at me without restraint, “It’s that condescending attitude of yours that hurt her! Felicity just arrived at our house, it’s only right for you to give in to her!” Suddenly, I felt like an enemy who needed to be vanquished, and he, Liam, was the prince protecting his princess. My overly compassionate parents only took sides. “Chloe, your brother is rarely home; don’t make him angry. Go apologize to your brother and Felicity.” I scanned this family, whose favoritism extended all the way to Antarctica, and answered firmly, word by word, “Anything Felicity wants, I can give it up, because I don’t care. But make me apologize? No way!” After throwing out those words, I locked myself in my room, shutting out Liam’s enraged shouts. Afterward, the family of four happily spent the entire day out. No one remembered to call to check on me, and no one remembered to bring me back any food. If it were the me from my previous life, I would have been incredibly wronged, starving myself or even running away from home to make my parents feel guilty. But now, I knew such actions were futile and would only torment my own body. I cooked myself a rich bowl of instant noodles, and while eating, I laid out the study guides I had secretly bought. Since being reborn, I had diligently studied and improved myself, not daring to slack off for a single day. This time, I wanted to forge my own path through my own efforts. After careful consideration, I decided to study medicine.

My seven-year-old self retained the intellect of my twenty-something self from my previous life, which meant I far surpassed Felicity academically. Felicity’s ‘white lotus’ acts worked on my overly compassionate family, but they were useless against school teachers. Failing an exam meant failing an exam. At the end of the semester, I ranked first in my grade, while Felicity was at the bottom. Every time she was called in for a parent-teacher meeting due to her poor grades, Felicity would cry, claiming she was too stressed and her eye condition flared up. Yet, she stubbornly refused to transfer to a special needs school. Every exam week, she would disrupt the peace of our home. To accommodate Felicity’s feelings and prevent her from being looked down upon by classmates due for being an adopted child, my overly compassionate parents decided both of them would attend Felicity’s parent-teacher conference, even though our grade levels had parent-teacher conferences on the same day. My bleeding-heart parents couldn’t possibly have been unaware that I was being mocked and bullied by my classmates because of their favoritism, being called a child who was born but not loved. Every time they needed to inconvenience me for Felicity, they pulled out the same old, tired, brainwashing rhetoric I’d heard countless times: “Felicity isn’t well, and her background is so sad. Just give in to her.” But I didn’t care, because knowledge gave me the greatest power. I used my after-school hours to study ahead, and at twelve, I skipped grades, becoming the youngest high school student in our city’s history. Overnight, my name became famous. Everyone knew the Davidsons had a child prodigy daughter. Dad’s phone rang off the hook daily with calls from people in high society, wanting me to befriend or even get engaged to their children. But again, to cater to Felicity’s feelings, Dad turned down all those invitations. He never considered how beneficial connecting with high society could be for my future. Of course, how could I compare to his precious darling, Felicity? The day my acceptance letter arrived, the Principal and newspaper reporters personally came to our house to deliver it. But they were met only by the fleeting backs of my parents rushing out. How could Felicity allow me to draw my parents’ attention? She simply claimed she had a headache, and my parents, without a second thought, whisked her off to the hospital, not even taking the time to greet the Principal. Even though I had long given up hope on my overly compassionate parents, at that moment, I still felt a touch of injustice and powerlessness. The Principal looked at me deeply and said earnestly, “Our school doesn’t have boarding students, but if you want to stay in the dorms, you can apply in advance, and I’ll arrange it for you.” The Principal’s hand, as she gently stroked my head, was so warm. I hadn’t felt such care and concern from an elder in a long time. I couldn’t help but shed tears in front of her. It was because of that tear that I gained the two truly important people in my life.

As the school year approached, I couldn’t wait to move out of that loveless home and into the school dorms. The day I left, my parents were once again dispatched to the hospital by Felicity. Liam, though home for the holidays, showed no inclination to help me pack. He just watched me busy myself, then finally tossed out, “This house will finally be quiet.” I hoisted the last bag of luggage into the taxi, not even sparing Liam a glance. The room Principal Thompson had prepared for me was excellent, seemingly converted from an unused faculty dorm, a comfortable studio apartment. I spent a day cleaning the dorm until it was neat and cozy, then went to a bookstore and bought a huge stack of study guides. High school coursework would be heavier; I had to work even harder to outcompete everyone. On the first day of school, as expected, I was ostracized by the other students. They heard the Principal had made an exception to arrange a dorm for me, and immediately labeled me as someone with connections. “Oh, look, here comes the 12-year-old genius!” “Is the prodigy scared to live alone in the dorm? Will she cry for her mom at night?” “Let the prodigy sit by the water cooler. Maybe she’ll need to mix some baby formula during breaks.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296833”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #狼人Werewolf