Author: Momo Chan

Married for five years, he only shared a bed with me, never his heart. It was a family marriage; I knew better than to hope for more, thinking it was enough. Until our anniversary night. I defied his rule for the first time and secretly took off the blindfold. That’s when I accidentally saw the name tattooed on his waist. It hit me then. Jasper wasn’t incapable of love; he simply kept it hidden, saving it for my sister. We had a furious argument, wishing each other dead. Unbelievably, it all came true when we had a car accident, driving off a cliff. Before dying, Jasper looked at me, his face bloodied, and begged: “Daphne, if there’s a next life, let’s not be husband and wife, okay?” I looked at him with a bitter smile, like someone who’d lost their mind. When I opened my eyes again, I saw Jasper kneeling on the ground: “Uncle, Aunt, I can’t marry Daphne. I love Iris.” I was stunned. But quickly relieved, as I didn’t want to choose him this time either. After being reborn, I chose to marry Asher. In the past life, Asher died at thirty, and his mother fainted from crying, while his father aged overnight. Everyone mourned his passing. He was remarkable, becoming the head of the family at a young age. Beneath his frail body was a steadfast heart. Before he died, I intended to see him one last time. But I heard him say, “I like Daphne.” “What I’ve done, she doesn’t need to know. I just want her to be well.” He said not all love needs to be spoken, not all love requires reciprocation. For many years, no one knew except his assistant. His love was kept so deep that I never noticed until his last moment, filled with regret. Today, I’ve returned from rebirth. This time, I choose to marry Asher, even if it’s just for that “like” from the past life. I want to help him, at least not let him die with regrets again. But Asher’s mother was a bit hesitant, “Are you sure you want to marry Asher?” I calmly exchanged wedding documents with her, confirming Asher’s name on them, and smiled slightly, “Yes, Aunt.” Asher’s mother tried to persuade me again: “They say Asher won’t live past thirty, you…” “Daphne, even if Jasper disagrees with the marriage, you don’t have to choose a husband from the Adams Family.” After a while, I smiled, raised my hand, and gently patted her hand. Reassuring her, “Aunt, Asher will live a long and full life.”

In the past life, I especially liked Jasper. We were childhood friends, and when my feelings awakened, no other boy could compare. I thought he felt the same way, but it was always one-sided. Every time in bed, Jasper would hand me a blindfold or tie to cover my eyes, saying: “Daphne, your eyes are too beautiful. I’m afraid I’d lose control and hurt you.” Every time, I’d blush at the ears. Until the fifth-anniversary night. I secretly took off the blindfold for the first time, only to accidentally discover the name tattooed on his waist. Shame and betrayal swept over me simultaneously. At that moment, I felt like I’d fallen into an icy abyss. I went mad, smashing everything in the bedroom, grabbing an ashtray and throwing it at Jasper. I hurled insults, wishing him dead. Cursed him to the lowest depths of hell. But if I could do it over, I wouldn’t do anything, just distance myself from him.

Asher and my engagement party is set for next month. Asher’s mother said the Adams Family would handle these matters, and I just needed to wait calmly. She gave me the chance to back out anytime. I replied with a helpless smile, “That’s not fair to Asher.” He’s just sick. I sent a message to the research institute’s assistant, asking them to prepare the experimental equipment. In the last life, after Asher had a heart transplant, I locked myself in the lab for some time to research antibiotics. Later, the medicine was ready for production, but he had already passed away from an infection. I hope it’s not too late this time. Suddenly, Jasper sent me a message: “Come to the Night Owl Club, I have something to discuss with you.” I refused outright. The first thing Jasper did after being reborn was to cancel the marriage with me and confess to my stepsister, Iris. To make Iris happy, he set off fireworks all night long. Their relationship topped the trending topics, and everyone said they were a perfect match. Paparazzi even caught a video of them walking on the beach. Iris seemed tired, and playfully asked Jasper to carry her. I thought he’d refuse. But he didn’t. He smiled indulgently, kneeled down, gently rubbed her ankle, and then carried her, his actions smooth and tender. A commenter online said: “Jasper is truly in love with Iris.” He’s been by Iris’s side, diligently pleasing her, treating her like a princess. He’s trying to make up for past regrets, wanting a new life. I don’t object, as long as it doesn’t involve me. But I ended up going to the Night Owl Club, though not because of Jasper. I wanted to see Asher, and his assistant called me back: “Ms. Daphne, Mr. Asher is doing business at Night Owl. If it’s urgent, you can come directly.” I frowned instinctively, teasing, “Drinking while sick? Afraid of not dying fast enough?” The assistant quickly muted the mic. After a moment of silence, all I heard was a light cough. Finally, the assistant hurriedly gave me a room number and hung up.

Surprisingly, Jasper seemed sure I’d come and had people watching for me since early morning. The moment I showed up, two bodyguards at the entrance forcibly took me to Jasper’s room. After opening the door, they pressed hard on my shoulders, forcing me to kneel. The cold from the floor seeped into my knees. The humiliation washed over me again. I clenched my fists and glared at the man in front of me: “Jasper, are you out of your mind?” The room was dimly lit. Jasper bit a cigarette from its pack, lit it, took a drag, and exhaled a cloud of smoke. “I don’t want this either.” “You didn’t cooperate with me. You refuse to cancel the engagement, so don’t blame me for being dirty.” My mind went blank instantly. Our wedding was already called off. Does he still not know? I instinctively struggled, trying to explain. Jasper had already approached me with a glass of wine, gripping my chin, “Daphne, don’t blame me.” “I just want to live the life I want. As long as you’re tainted, they won’t force me to marry you.” I stared at Jasper, eyes filled with endless sorrow. My heart ached sharply. Childhood friendship, five years of marriage, truly worthless as dirt. “So you want to drug me and send me to someone’s bed?” For a moment, Jasper seemed stunned, his lips tightly pressed, his hand pausing for just two seconds. But he still forced the wine into my mouth. “The Adams Family has been busy with our engagement party these past two days. I can’t wait any longer.” “I found a well-matched young man for you. He’ll take responsibility and marry you.” “Jasper, you’re crazy, really crazy…” I struggled desperately against his control, but there were two bodyguards behind me. Their strength was too great; resistance was futile. The wine rushed down my throat. The intense sensation made me cough uncontrollably. My face flushed red, and spilled wine dripped from my chin, soaking my shirt. Clinging to my skin. “Daphne, be good.” His voice was gentle, reaching out to wipe the wine from my lips. By then, the bodyguards had let me go. I gasped for breath, still a bit disheveled. Hands weakly propping on the floor, my eyes brimmed with tears of physiological reaction. My lips curled in self-mockery: “Jasper, I’m not marrying you, nor will I ever.” He laughed disdainfully at that: “Really? Daphne, I know you too well.” “I know how much you like me, so I had no choice.” He was so confident, so sure. Suddenly, Iris appeared at the room’s entrance, clutching her dress hem, her gaze fixed on me. Her voice trembled, “Sister, Jasper, you two…” Jasper’s body froze, the smile stiffening on his lips. “Iris, why are you here…?” “Who brought you here? It’s dirty here; you shouldn’t be here.” He approached Iris in a panic, his voice gentle, his movements tender and obedient. At this moment, he was like a devout believer, his eyes full of genuine love. A sight I’d never seen before. Indeed, love and lovelessness are truly distinct. I stared at Jasper for a long time, an unspeakable bitterness welling up. People are strange. In the past life, after marrying Jasper, Iris went abroad and never returned. He’s always regretting the past, but if he wanted to marry her back then, who could have stopped him? If he truly loved her so much, a plane ticket to America. Just over two thousand dollars. But did Jasper ever visit Iris? No. Sometimes I don’t know whether to be grateful he was faithful to me in the past life, or grateful he was cowardly. Jasper coaxed Iris to go home. She pursed her lips without saying much, looking at me with unclear emotions. In the end, I was left alone. The effects of the drug came quickly. The two bodyguards stood at the door as Jasper instructed, waiting for the well-matched young man he’d arranged. He constantly regrets the past now, but if he had wanted to marry back then, who could have stopped him?

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I replicated my Grandpa’s masterpiece for the dessert competition, but my fiancé’s childhood friend accused me of using addictive poppy seed pods. I frantically searched for evidence to prove my innocence, yet my fiancé locked me inside, embracing me in tears and even promising to marry me. “I’m sorry, I love you, but Sophia really needs this trophy. This is the last time; I promise you’ll rise to the top again next time.” Sophia took home the competition trophy, while my Family Heirloom Signature Dessert was scorned by thousands. This was the 99th time he took something that belonged to me for her, turning me into a laughingstock in the dessert community. With her wish fulfilled, Oliver Thompson finally stopped blocking my participation and even asked me to make the Family Heirloom Dessert for their wedding after I won. Yet they didn’t know, my hands had long been severed by his childhood friend. … “What’s going on? Isn’t this the granddaughter of Dessert Master Ethan Johnson, Mia Johnson? How did she end up like this?” “Look at her, she seems like she’s been seriously ill. This is the International Dessert Competition. She’s not here just to humiliate herself, right?” Amid the mocking voices, two bodyguards pushed me in front of Oliver Thompson. His face darkened, and he slapped me angrily. “I gave you a chance to showcase your family creation, but you still pretend to be pitiful. How ungrateful!” “Besides, you’re infamous now because of the poppy seed pods incident. Today is also a chance for you to turn your life around. You better prepare well.” I lowered my head silently, while Sophia Thompson began to exaggerate the story. “Oliver, do you think Mia is still mad at me? After all, I won the trophy 99 times before. Maybe I should withdraw from the competition…” Her eyes reddened as she cried in Oliver’s arms. He comforted her with a tenderness I’d never seen. “Baby, don’t cry. That glory was always yours. With you here, he’ll always look up to you!” The reporters and Sophia’s fans started jeering. “Mia Johnson has some guts, losing to Sophia 99 times. If it were me, I’d have smashed my head long ago.” “I heard her Grandpa’s dessert recipe was stolen from Sophia’s family, and she’s a mistress interfering with Mr. Thompson and Sophia. What a shameless family!” Hearing this, my heart trembled. They could slander me all they wanted, but why defame my Grandpa! He poured his heart into his craft, achieving success through a lifetime of dedication. He was kind and always helped the poor and weak. Why should he bear such disgrace after death! I gritted my teeth and stood up, facing the camera. “Stop lying! My Grandpa never stole anyone’s recipe. The Johnson family’s pastry is entirely original!” But the audience didn’t believe me, only responded with disdainful snorts. I looked to Oliver for an explanation. Oliver stepped back with a look of disgust. “Your Johnson family is notorious. Why should I explain for you? Prove yourself if you have the ability.” I was pushed to the dessert station by the staff. Looking at the shiny kitchen tools, an indescribable emotion welled up inside me. This place, so familiar, should have been filled with a sense of mission and honor, yet it always brought back painful memories. Once, Oliver Thompson loved me dearly. He said my desserts were the best he’d ever tasted, something he could never tire of. Yet he imprisoned me in a basement, repeatedly making me a foil for Sophia. After being forced to lose to Sophia for the 99th time, I finally refused. Oliver looked at me with deep sorrow. “Mia, being a pastry chef is Sophia’s dream. Please don’t compete with her, just this once?” “You still have me. I’ll love you forever, but Sophia lost everything saving me. I can’t bear to see her lose her career too!”

I knew Sophia didn’t truly care about desserts; she just wanted the empty title of Dessert Princess. Yet I didn’t stop her, nodding reluctantly. After all, I owed Oliver a debt, and this was my repayment. But I was too naive. I thought stepping out of the competition would make Oliver let me go. Yet he accused me of using addictive poppy pods, destroying Grandpa’s century-old dessert reputation overnight. I furiously demanded why he did it, but he calmly replied. “You are talented and have the family recipe. You can easily make a comeback. But Sophia has nothing; I must clear all obstacles for her.” “I’m sorry, Mia. I owe her, and I must repay this debt. I’ll spend my life compensating you.” He imprisoned me in the basement, only letting me out for dessert competitions, facing public scorn and repeatedly losing to Sophia. Oliver Thompson, you owe her, and I owe you. So this time, I’ll repay you and owe you nothing more. I closed my eyes, awaiting the torment. Seeing Sophia standing opposite me at the dessert station, the host announced the start of the competition. Under eager gazes, Sophia began separating egg whites and yolks. I stood still, lost in thought. The audience grew dissatisfied. “What’s going on? Can she even make desserts?” “Haha, lost 99 times and still here. She cheated her way to the dessert master’s title. Shameless!” “If you can’t, just get off the stage!” Oliver, nearest to me, walked over displeased, lowering his voice. “What are you doing? Why aren’t you making desserts yet?” I trembled, biting my lip as I explained. “I don’t have hands anymore. Can’t you let me go?” Oliver seemed to find it funny. “Mia, aren’t you overdramatic? You’ve lived a pampered life in my villa’s basement for three years. Everyone respects you. I even instructed the butler to take good care of your hands, and you’re still lying!” Sophia softly chimed in. “Oliver, don’t push Mia. She must be upset because I stole the spotlight. Maybe I should withdraw from the competition.” Saying this, she pretended to untie her apron and leave, eyes red. The audience erupted in anger, cursing and throwing things at me. The insults grew louder, and I saw the bullet comments on the live stream, all cursing me. But I truly had no hands; how could I make desserts? I was about to show my sleeves to prove it when Sophia grabbed my mangled arm, squeezing it. “Mia, your hands are perfectly fine. Why make excuses?” I met Sophia’s malicious, satisfied gaze. She had cut off my hands, yet dared say such things! Before I could explain, Oliver slapped me hard. “If you keep pretending, I’ll reveal Grandpa’s dessert recipe right now. Get serious and compete!” I looked at him in disbelief, my body going rigid. He knew that Grandpa’s dessert recipe, written stroke by stroke, was a crucial confidential kept in our safe deposit box. Yet he stole and gave it to Sophia. How could he insult Grandpa’s legacy like this! I asked, my voice shaking. “Oliver Thompson, have you forgotten how good Grandpa was to you? How can you threaten me with him!” Oliver averted his eyes, guilty. “Don’t play the sympathy card. There’s no room for emotions on the stage. I’m always fair.” Always fair? How laughable. He wanted me to lose to Sophia publicly once more, because this competition was different. The winner would receive the International Dessert Competition Grand Prize, the most prestigious award. But without Grandpa’s dessert recipe, how could I win? At this moment, anger surged through me. I wanted to fight them, but feared he’d harm Grandpa’s dessert recipe. If it were lost, the Johnson family’s craft would truly be gone. “Please don’t do this. I’ll compete. I’ll compete, okay?”

Through sobs, I struggled towards the Dessert Station. But… without hands, even picking up an egg was impossible. An egg rolled off my sleeve, and laughter erupted from the crowd. “Is she pretending to be disabled on purpose?” “Is this the heir of the Pastry Family? She’s no match for Sophia!” Sophia Thompson, full of pride, had already started making cream amidst the cheers. A strong wave of bitterness rose in my heart, and tears streamed down my face. The first fragrant dessert was soon out of the oven. It was a Lemon Cake, made using the secret recipe she stole from my Grandpa. In stark contrast, my creation looked like a mess. Without hands to precisely adjust the oven temperature, my dessert didn’t hold its shape. The audience burst into laughter, and the Judges didn’t even want to look at my work, asking sarcastically, “Was that on purpose or an accident?” Sophia chimed in mockingly, “Judge, I know Mia, she’s far more skilled than this. She’s clearly doing it for show.” I was too ashamed to speak. The next moment, Sophia pretended to accidentally knock over my work and pushed me to the ground. “Oh dear, I’m sorry, Mia. Don’t be mad at me.” As she spoke, she pretended to bend down to help me up, but leaned close to my ear. “You didn’t know, did you? I actually caused your Grandpa’s death. That old man protected the recipe till his last breath, but I smothered him with a pillow…” “That old man protected your family’s recipe even in death, but I burned it all to ashes!” Hearing this, it felt like my blood froze. I wanted to grab her and question her, but I had no hands. “You murderer!” I shouted in anger, trying to get up, but Oliver Thompson rushed over and slapped me. “What do you think you’re doing? Sophia was kind to you, and you made something that looks like crap and fed it to others! No wonder the Johnson family’s reputation was bought with money!” He looked furious, completely forgetting that when he was an orphan, it was my Grandpa who paid for his education. Tears fell like broken beads as I collapsed in front of the Cameras, asking Sophia, “Why did you kill my Grandpa?” Oliver’s face turned ugly. “What nonsense are you spouting in front of so many people? Sophia didn’t kill your Grandpa. He died of old age!” Sophia cried pitifully, “I know you can’t stand to see me doing well, but you can’t slander me!” “But you admitted it yourself! When I was imprisoned, you came and cut off my hands. I want to call the police!” “Shut up!” Oliver was furious. “Don’t let me hear you slander Sophia again. You live in luxury at my place and pamper your hands every day, and today you’re just acting up to get my attention!” Then, Oliver turned to face the hundreds of cameras, addressing countless viewers. “Don’t believe her lies. She’s always cared about her reputation. How could she not have hands?” “And to think I wanted to help her run the Pastry Shop after all this. She’s really let me down.” Oliver looked at me with disappointment, as if I were a terrible person. The audience’s emotions were stirred, and they rushed over to beat me up. I weakly raised my arms to shield myself, but I couldn’t withstand their madness. “Stop hitting me! I didn’t do it on purpose. My hands were cut off. If you don’t believe me, look…” But no one listened to me. Oliver stepped forward and kicked my arm. “Still pretending? You can’t even lie properly.” In the chaos, Sophia accidentally poured a pot of hot butter on me. With a sizzle, I felt my skin blistering and screamed in agony. Everyone gasped and backed away, afraid of getting splashed. It seemed like a glimmer of hope for me. Ignoring the pain, I tried to crawl away. But in the next second, Oliver had the Bodyguards grab my clothes. They pulled so hard they tore my shirt off. I was desperate, as if my last shred of dignity was stripped away, and I screamed for mercy. “Please, let me go! Don’t look at my hands…” But when Oliver saw my arms, he was stunned. Just one look, and his eyes widened in shock, his voice trembling. “Mia, where… where are your hands…” My whole body twitched, my skin blistered from the hot butter, bleeding profusely. “Please, call a doctor for me…” Sophia screamed, “It’s fake, don’t believe him!”

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When the man came to pick me up, I lay naked on the bar table. He saw the wine stains and scars on my body, yet his eyes showed no pity. I picked up my torn clothes from the floor and numbly followed him. I took my sister’s place to marry Gideon, trying to please him for five years. During the worst of my depression, he brought home the woman he was seeing. He forced me to confess and serve a girl who looked exactly like my sister. The tenth time I cut my wrist, Gideon sat by the bed and told me he hated me. “Vera, don’t use such means to get my attention. Seeing you only makes me hate you more… If only it hadn’t been you who survived back then…” A sharp pain pierced my heart, and once again I asked for a divorce. But Gideon still wouldn’t let me go. Until a fire, reminiscent of the past, trapped both Nora and me. Before the pillar of fire collapsed, I exchanged my life for Nora’s escape. Everyone blamed me for my sister’s death. This time, I paid with my life. But Gideon went mad. 0

“Divorce?” Gideon sneered without mercy. “Every time you ask for a divorce, don’t you come back the next day crying for forgiveness? Vera, these pains are nothing compared to what she went through. You’ll never escape.” Gideon didn’t mind speaking in front of the family doctor. I bypassed him, apologizing to the doctor with regret, “Sorry to trouble you again.” Gideon impatiently interrupted, “Stop pretending here. The trouble you’ve caused is far beyond this. Cold-blooded beings like you are a nuisance just by existing.” Pain flashed in my eyes, and after a moment, I met Gideon’s hateful gaze. “Gideon… then why won’t you let me die?” My words seemed to sting Gideon, and he gritted his teeth, “Want to die? It’s not that easy! You used every means to survive back then, so I’ll satisfy you. I’ll make you live well, or better yet… a life worse than death.” I gave a bitter laugh. I’ve wanted to leave this world more than once. But they hate me, won’t let me live well, and won’t let me die. I have a debt I can never repay. “Can my sister, in her current state, still entertain for me at tonight’s dinner?” Nora spoke with a slightly proud voice while holding Gideon’s arm. I looked at the girl in her early twenties, who looked just like my sister, and felt a bit dazed. I pressed my lips together, wanting to refuse, “Sorry, I’m afraid I can’t go…” But before I could finish, Gideon coldly interrupted, “Vera, who said you could refuse? It’s just a cut, what are you pretending for? Didn’t you run fast even when your leg was burned back then?” My face instantly turned pale, painful memories resurfacing. The abandoned building devoured by flames, thick smoke filling the air. I covered my nose and mouth, stumbling out of the fire. But suddenly, a burnt wooden beam fell from above. My trapped left leg was instantly charred. I struggled to push away the burning pillar. But why… why can’t I push it away… why couldn’t I be a bit faster, just a bit faster… I snapped back to reality in terror. Nora, nestled in Gideon’s arms, stoked the fire again, “Brother Gideon, maybe we should just forget it. If my sister goes unwillingly, others might misunderstand that I’m bullying her. ” Gideon’s aura turned icy, “Vera, it’s just drinking. What are you afraid of? Afraid your frail body might drink itself to death? But don’t you want to die? This is exactly what you wanted, isn’t it?” I heard every word Gideon said clearly, and my breathing trembled. Nora didn’t need to attend any dinners to get the abundant resources Gideon threw her way. But Gideon insisted I drink myself into a stupor to please the investors. He just wanted to humiliate me. I accepted it. “Fine, I’ll go.” I bowed my head to Gideon. But for some reason, his face turned even darker. 0

I put on the scant dress Nora picked for me. She pushed me into the private room, where a pot-bellied, half-drunk man greeted me. His alcoholic breath hit my face, making my stomach churn. “Miss Song, if you’re late, you must drink three glasses as punishment!” “Mr. Knox, my sister can handle her liquor, I’ll have her drink double for you!” Nora complimented the man with a smile, her fingertips pinching into the soft flesh of my arm, threatening in a low voice, “Vera, you better perform well, or you know what will happen!” I looked down at the full row of white liquor before me, my already pale face turning even worse. But I had no choice but to take the glass, downing one after another. My stomach burned painfully, and black spots danced in my vision. Suddenly, Nora accidentally knocked over a champagne bottle, jolting me awake. The entire bottle poured down my chest, turning my dress transparent, revealing what lay beneath. I had no mind to catch the fleeting malice in Nora’s eyes. I turned to leave the room, but Mr. Knox grabbed my wrist. “Don’t go. Stay with me tonight, and I’ll guarantee the lead role for Nora.” The man’s leering gaze swept over me, making me shiver. But the next moment, the door was kicked open. Gideon, emanating a terrifying chill, grabbed a bottle from the table and smashed it over Mr. Knox’s head. Holding his bleeding forehead, Mr. Knox looked up in disbelief, “Young Master Jiang, what is the meaning of this?!” “Did I let you speak?!” Gideon kicked him again, and Mr. Knox fell to the ground, crying out in pain. Gideon stared at my half-exposed shoulder, his voice cold as ice, “Why are you still standing there? Go change your clothes!” I clutched my soaked dress, stunned, unmoving. “Gideon, isn’t this what you wanted to see? Why are you here?” A strange look flashed in Gideon’s dark eyes, quickly turning to hatred, “What do you think? You think I care about you? I’m just afraid you’ll use any means to seduce someone else and run away.” Gideon’s voice was low, full of mockery. I found it hard to breathe. “Vera, are you really going to stand there, dressed like that, in front of me?” I snapped back to reality, fleeing the room. Back at the old house, I finally scrubbed off the sticky feeling. Wrapped in a bathrobe, I went to the balcony for some air, only to hear a faint noise behind me. Realizing something was wrong, I turned to pull the balcony door. Sure enough, it wouldn’t budge. A few minutes later, I stopped banging on the glass, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. The same old trick, I’ve fallen for it countless times, yet I never learn. As expected, I developed a high fever by morning. My forehead was burning, yet my limbs were cold and trembling. I didn’t know when the door opened. Gideon stood over me, looking down in disdain, “Vera, what trick are you pulling now? Since you’re awake, get ready. Nora has a scene in ice water today, and you’re shooting it for her.” 0

I was momentarily stunned, my voice hoarse, “I have a fever.” Gideon frowned, impatience flashing in his eyes, “Stop pretending, the car’s already waiting downstairs.” I couldn’t believe it, “It’s below freezing. You want me to get into ice water with a fever?” “What else?” Gideon sneered, leaning down to grip my chin. “Nora’s body is frail. She’s not like you, tough enough to live shamelessly till now.” His grip was so strong it felt like he might shatter my bones. “I’m not going!” I pushed Gideon away, but he grabbed my wrist. “You don’t have a choice. Don’t forget, the Lin company is still in my hands. If today’s shoot doesn’t happen, I can’t guarantee its survival. Your sister is gone. If Lin goes too, do you think your parents can survive? Hm?” My body froze. Gideon knew too well where my weakness lay. Even if my parents disowned me, they remained the perfect leverage for Gideon to control me. I eventually nodded. Gideon raised an eyebrow, satisfied, leaving with a parting shot, “Vera, this is what you owe us. You’ll never repay it in this lifetime.” Once the door closed, I couldn’t hold myself up any longer, collapsing to the ground. I stared at my reflection in the glass. Puffy eyes, sallow skin, a shadow of my former vibrant self. I endured countless humiliations and tortures like this. I saw no end and couldn’t escape. Dragging my feverish body to the set, the director impatiently pushed me to get into the water. The wind was biting, and ice shards floated on the water’s surface. I gritted my teeth, slowly lowering myself into the water. The director, unhappy with my slow pace, ordered someone to push me in. Cold water rushed into my nose and mouth, making me cough violently. Before I could adjust, the director barked for me to go deeper. But as I stood in water that reached my chin, the cameras didn’t roll. My lips turned blue, and I weakly asked the crew onshore, “When will we start shooting?” They avoided me like the plague; I got no answer. I tried to climb out for a break, but barely moved half a meter before the director shouted angrily, “Did I say you could come up? Stay there!” My head felt heavier and heavier. A scream pierced the air, snapping me back to reality, “Blood! There’s blood in the water!” I looked down, seeing blood spreading from between my legs. The crew pinched their noses, backing away repeatedly. Lips turning purple from the cold, I weakly asked the staff on the shore, “How long before we start filming?” But they completely avoided me, not offering any response. I wanted to climb ashore to rest, but I hadn’t moved half a meter before the director yelled at me, “Did I tell you to come up? Stay there and don’t move!” My head felt like it was sinking, and a scream jolted me back to consciousness, “Blood! There’s blood in the water!” I looked down to see blood spreading from between my legs. The staff pinched their noses and backed away quickly. “Swimming while on your period? How unsanitary!” But then it hit me—I hadn’t had my period for two months. Two months ago, the image of Gideon drunk flashed through my mind. That night, Gideon held me down with a crazed intensity, pouring out his hatred for me. We hadn’t used any protection that night. No. I desperately tried to climb ashore, but the staff held me down firmly. The director eagerly adjusted the camera, “Hold her still! The blood in the water looks so real! I want a close-up!” Water filled my nostrils, darkness closing in. I screamed with all my strength, “Let go… let go of me…” Certainly! Below is the adapted translation, maintaining the original line breaks and paragraph breaks as requested: I’m committed to ensuring that the content reflects the original intention while aligning more closely with English expressions for easier understanding. Throughout this process, we will maintain the original format, preserving the original line breaks and paragraph breaks. People stared at me with indifference, watching as I panicked in the water. Amidst the chaos, I felt a sharp slap across my face. Gideon’s dark eyes were chillingly cold: “The scene isn’t finished yet. Where do you think you’re going?”

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Third wedding anniversary. I carefully chose 999 red roses for Fiona. But her male secretary had an allergic reaction. Fiona was livid. She manipulated me by using my mom’s keepsake as leverage, compelling me to fight a lion. She nonchalantly instructed her subordinates, “It’s fine if he dies, as long as it dispels the bad luck for Asher.” I stayed silent. With six ribs broken and my body battered, I managed to leave with the keepsake. Behind me, Fiona sneered, “He’s just a lowly bodyguard I keep around. How can a dog leave its master?” Fiona didn’t know. Someone had already bought my contract at a high price long ago. This time, I’m going to protect someone else. The iron cage opened, and a massive lion roared. I faced it barehanded and was instantly knocked to the ground! On stage, Fiona clenched her fists. Asher’s face was flushed, and his eyes sparkled. Fiona’s frown relaxed, it seemed what they said was true. This might actually ward off bad luck for Asher. The lion charged, and I felt my insides break apart. I punched the lion’s eye with all my strength. Gasps echoed around. Covered in blood, I never backed down. I grabbed the nearby hunting rifle and shot the lion in the throat. One shot, dead. At the cost of six ribs broken and my body mauled. I won. I successfully retrieved my mom’s keepsake. As I was about to leave the underground arena, Jasper suddenly looked pale and coughed heavily. Fiona’s gaze changed immediately, snatching the keepsake I fought for from my arms. She smashed the jade bracelet hard, pieces scattered everywhere. Fiona frowned slightly, looking at me with disdain. “Was it worth troubling Asher for a bracelet? Are you satisfied?” I opened my mouth but was speechless. Asher choked on water, and Fiona splashed black dog blood on the keepsake. He coughed, and Fiona used the keepsake to force me to fight the lion. My ribs were broken, and blood flowed uncontrollably. I didn’t understand who was really at fault. I dug my nails deep into my palms. I knelt down, skillfully bowing my head to her. “I’m sorry, Miss, please forgive me.” I bent over painfully, cherishing the broken pieces in my arms. Mom, this time, I’ll take you away. The act of kneeling stained my shirt with more blood. Fiona’s pupils contracted, her brow furrowed. She surprisingly helped me up. “As long as you don’t oppose Asher, I can let you stay and have a meal.” Her tone was condescending, as if granting a great favor. As she finished speaking, Asher suddenly fainted without warning. Fiona’s face turned tense, as Asher’s follower whispered. “Ms. Shen, it might be the dead person’s item bringing bad luck, causing Mr. Qin discomfort.” I lifted my head. A fleeting victorious gleam flashed in Asher’s eyes, but they were closed. He gripped Fiona’s hand, understandingly said, “Lili, I’m fine. After all, it’s Brother Jiang’s mother’s keepsake. I can bear it.” Fiona tenderly stroked Asher’s cheek, coldly ordered me. “Throw away that disgusting thing. If Asher feels unwell again, you can leave too.” I looked at her indifferently, firmly heading for the door. Seeing my lack of reaction, Fiona’s chest heaved with frustration. She ordered someone to bring a whip, sneering lightly. “A dog dares to defy its master? Just beat it.” The whip fell like raindrops, each strike accompanied by a fierce whooshing sound. Already wounded by the lion’s fangs, my injuries bled more freely. The force of the blows weakened, and Fiona mocked. “Seems I’ve been too lenient with you. You don’t even know how to beg anymore?” Every pain reminded me. Constant retreat only makes her bolder. I bit my lip hard, clutching the shards tightly, suppressing my screams. Fiona paused, swinging the whip mercilessly. The whipping lasted a long time, the lion’s corpse reeking of blood, blurring my consciousness. Before losing consciousness. I vaguely heard Fiona’s cold laughter. Her fingers casually swiped my phone screen. “A dog wants to book a flight to run away? Break its legs.” “Only 99 lashes, just use some medicine to keep it alive.” “By the way, check on Asher. His health isn’t good, remember to give him the best medicine.” I lost control and fainted. My mind couldn’t stop thinking. Now, I’ll miss the flight.

When I woke up. Fiona was rarely sitting by my bed. She looked down at me, handed me a plastic bag with disdain. The wounds still ached. I looked down; it was full of broken jade bracelet pieces. I was surprised Fiona didn’t throw them away. “Asher asked me not to. If only you were half as sensible as him.” I rummaged through the shards, my heart sinking. These were just fake replacements. Expressionless, I pulled out the IV needle. Asher suddenly appeared at the door, leisurely said, “Brother Jiang, your mother’s jade bracelet, I’ve returned it intact.” His words were taunting, his eyes flashing provocatively. Ever since he came, Asher found me, the bodyguard, disagreeable. When hungry, he’d send me 50 kilometers in the rain for roast duck. In the middle of the night, he’d drag me out for their errands. Repeatedly trying to destroy my mom’s last keepsake, just to make me leave. I didn’t understand, wasn’t Fiona entirely devoted to him? I was just a dog for Fiona to torment and train. Why destroy my mom’s last fantasy? Rage surged through me. Ignoring my body’s pain, I grabbed the fruit knife from the table. I pressed it hard against Asher’s neck, my voice icy cold. “Return those pieces to me!” Asher’s tears came like a startled rabbit’s: “Lili, I’m scared…” No need for Asher to say more. The next moment, my scalp was yanked hard. The knife in my hand involuntarily cut Asher’s shoulder. Blood beads oozed out. I was forced to look at Fiona. But met with her extremely cold eyes. Inside them was undisguised disgust, and a fleeting murderous intent. She sneered, stabbing the fruit knife into my chest. “Though you’re my husband, don’t forget who saved you back then! Do you want to experience being bitten by a lion again?” “Thud!” Blood gushed instantly! My pupils shrank. I instinctively tried to pull her hand out, but she held it firmly. “Don’t move… it’ll be over soon.” I gritted my teeth through the pain, my forehead veins bulging. The woman rarely sounded comforting. Enduring the pain, my gaze at Fiona was utterly indifferent. At this moment, Fiona suddenly felt an inexplicable annoyance. She carved out that piece of flesh bit by bit. Blood flowed down my chest, staining my pants, and her hands red. Fiona was satisfied, looking at the word on my chest— “Fiona.” Just because I accidentally cut Asher, Fiona personally carved a tattoo on me in revenge. She tossed the fruit knife carelessly to the ground. Fiona gently embraced Asher, soothing him softly: “It’s okay, with me here, you won’t have a scar.” Asher immediately blushed, kissing her lips. I coldly watched the wound on his shoulder. If not bandaged soon, it might heal on its own. They shamelessly kissed in front of me. But over three years, I heard this misery countless times. My phone vibrated. My contract had entirely reached her hands. The flight Fiona canceled was rebooked. While entangled with Asher, Fiona subtly watched me from the corner of her eye. Seeing the smile on my face she hadn’t seen for a long time. A sense of discomfort rose again in her chest. Before entering the bedroom, she coldly ordered: “Tomorrow, I’m throwing Asher a birthday party. You better show up!” Amidst the intimate sounds from the bedroom, I quickly searched the entire villa. Finally, I found the jade bracelet pieces. Carefully, I glued them back together. I held it dearly in my arms. Tomorrow, I’ll leave with you.

The birthday party Fiona meticulously prepared began at 8 PM sharp. Jasper, in a pure black high-end suit, appeared holding Fiona’s arm. Guests squeezed me aside, whispering. “Mr. Qin is so handsome, no wonder Ms. Shen has favored him for so many years.” “But isn’t that bodyguard Ms. Shen’s rightful husband?” Fiona looked at me, dressed so properly for once, her tone slightly tender: “Introduce yourself to everyone.” Her voice held a hint of expectation even she didn’t notice. I bowed my head, speaking steadily. “I’m Fiona’s bodyguard—Jasper.” Fiona clearly paused for several seconds, her face visibly darkening. A flicker of frustration crossed my face. What exactly does she want from me? “Mr. Qin, you really are quite the gentleman. No wonder Fiona has been so fond of you all these years.” “But I thought the bodyguard was supposed to be Fiona’s legitimate husband?” Fiona looked at me, dressed impeccably for once, her voice carrying a soft undercurrent: “Introduce yourself to everyone.” Her voice held a hint of anticipation she didn’t even notice. I lowered my head, speaking with calm composure. “I’m Fiona’s bodyguard—Jasper.” Fiona was visibly stunned for a few seconds, her expression darkening. A trace of annoyance flickered across my face. What exactly does she want from me? Qin An smiled broadly, a glint of mischief in his eyes, beckoning me over. “I’m not feeling well today and can’t drink, so you drink all this wine for me.” I remained silent, eventually opening my mouth. “I’m allergic to alcohol…” “Lili, I know Brother Jasper might still be mad at me, so he’s just making up an excuse.” Qin An lowered his head, his voice filled with disappointment. Fiona gave me a pointed look, her voice firm: “Drink! Don’t you always carry allergy meds? Take them and then drink, what’s the big deal?” Her tone left no room for refusal. I quietly took out the medication and swallowed a few pills. Soon, a crowd gathered with glasses, engaging in small talk, and I downed the wine in my throat. One glass after another, my stomach churned, and I couldn’t help but feel nauseous. My not-yet-healed wounds burst open under the alcohol’s influence. Seeing the blood at the corner of my mouth, Fiona noticeably gasped. The next moment, Jasper screamed. “Lili, the heirloom watch you gave me is missing, and just now, only Jasper was near us, could it be him…” My pupils contracted, not because of the baseless accusation, but because the heirloom gift my mom gave to Fiona, her daughter-in-law, was passed on so carelessly. Back then, she treated both me and my mom so well. At that moment, I couldn’t help but smile mockingly. Fiona looked at my smile, and a familiar feeling of frustration welled up in her heart. She comforted Qin An personally, then sternly called for the bodyguards. The next second, several bodyguards pinned me to the ground, tearing at my clothes forcefully. Normally, I wouldn’t be so defenseless. But the fresh wounds Fiona had inflicted over the past few days left my body with no time to recover. I struggled desperately, but couldn’t match their brute strength. My shirt was torn to shreds, and the tattoos on my body oozed blood faintly. Fiona squinted slightly, displaying only her desire for control over me. Until— “The watch has been found!” Fiona took the emerald watch and personally placed it on Qin An’s wrist, her tone indulgent. “Next time, don’t be so careless.” Qin An scratched his head sheepishly, looking at me full of guilt: “This was a gift from you, luckily it was found, but I wronged Brother Jasper, should I apologize to him?” In full view of everyone, looking at my blood-stained body. Fiona’s voice was extremely cold. “No need, he’s just a bodyguard, a dog I keep, what’s a little grievance?” In the bathroom, I couldn’t stop dry heaving. Before I could recover, Qin An kicked me hard. He pressed on my tattoo, veins bulging on his forehead. “You really are pathetic, just a dog raised by Lili, yet you cling to her so desperately!” “Speaking of which, do you know why, when your mom was seriously ill, Lili sent you to the neighboring city for medicine?” “Because she just wanted to get rid of you, at that time, Lili and I—stripped naked right in front of your mom, she was literally angered to death!” “Smack!” After slapping Qin An across the face, I grabbed his neck, unable to hold back any longer. Qin An sneered, immediately fighting back. He poured cold water over me relentlessly, but accidentally struck a dry appliance. In the blink of an eye. We both simultaneously heard the appliance emit a sizzling sound. The next second, it exploded, filling the entire bathroom with thick smoke. From outside, desperate cries for help quickly sounded. Fiona’s voice accompanied by the click of high heels approached: “Where’s Jasper?” She ignored the raging fire and rushed in. Her gaze fell immediately on Qin An, who pretended to faint. He reached out, tears in his eyes: “Lili, save me…” Ignoring me, drenched in blood-soaked shirt. Fiona anxiously helped Qin An up and walked out without looking back. Never once did she glance my way. The smoke choked me, making me collapse powerlessly on the floor, the pain magnified a thousandfold in that instant. The next second, a pair of black leather shoes appeared in my vision. I looked up in a daze, and it was Qin An’s sidekick. He wore a menacing smile, shoving me hard. Already by the window, I fell out unguardedly. “Don’t blame me for being ruthless, only if Qin An has a good life can I rise to the top with him.” He confidently turned back, not realizing he had inadvertently saved me from the fire. Just the fourth floor. With a limping leg, I hailed a cab and told the driver, “Airport.” The scenery outside the window quickly receded. I took out my phone, removed the SIM card, and snapped it in half— “Crack.” The card broke, and I tossed it out the window. Fiona, from now on, you and I will vanish completely! 4. Inside the hospital room. Fiona gently touched the small scar on Asher’s shoulder. It reminded her of the tattoo she had engraved on Jasper. She should have felt happy, yet her heart raced as if something was gnawing at her nerves.

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After I Chose to Marry the Country Boy, My Three Rich Fiancés Were Devastated I’m the true daughter of the Sinclair family, brought back from a small town. To make up for lost time, my father specially gave me three fiancé candidates to choose from. Back then, only Ethan Grant didn’t look down on me for coming from a small town, and I gradually grew dependent on him. Even when he later started deliberately distancing himself from me like the others, I still tried hard to win his favor, thinking he would be moved by my sincerity. But on the night before our engagement party, I overheard him comforting Ivy Chen, the fake daughter: “Just bear with it a little longer. She’s from a small town after all. Once we’re married, I’ll be the one managing the Sinclair family business. Then I’ll make her kneel down and apologize to you. You’re the true lady of the Sinclair family!” So at the banquet, I turned to my father and said I didn’t want to choose any of these three men. I wanted to choose Liam Kennedy, who grew up with me in that small town. Last week, he was just brought back to the Kennedy family and was about to be announced as their sole grandson – the next leader of the prestigious Kennedy family in New York!

The day before the wedding, my father asked me: “Have you decided on your fiancé for tomorrow?” I nodded, “I’ll choose Liam Kennedy.” Father was very surprised: “That boy who grew up with you in the small town? No, that’s not a suitable match!” I whispered a few words to Father, and he exclaimed in shock: “Really?!” I nodded. Liam Kennedy and I were both actually the true heirs mistakenly raised in that small town. He was brought back to the Kennedy family last week and is their sole grandson. He’s guaranteed to be the next leader of the Kennedy family. Father patted my shoulder: “It’s an honor to be able to form a marriage alliance with the prestigious Kennedy family of New York. But weren’t you always fond of that Grant boy?” I calmly replied: “For the benefit of our family, an alliance with the Kennedys is the best outcome I’ve considered.” I didn’t want to tell him how Ethan had scorned my small-town origins and hurt me in every interaction after that. If I did, Father would surely confront him, which would also cause trouble with the Grant family behind him. We still have business dealings with them, and I don’t want the two families to become enemies. Now that I have a better solution, it’s about letting him go, and also freeing myself. After Father and I finalized the marriage plans, he left my villa. Ethan and Ivy Chen hurried over to see him off. After he left, Ethan frowned at me: “You were pestering your father about rushing our marriage again, weren’t you?” I was too tired to argue. But Ethan grabbed my arm: “As expected of someone from a small town – poor and vulgar. All you know how to do is marry a rich man!” Ivy Chen chimed in at this moment: “Don’t worry, sister. In our big city, women are no longer mocked for not being able to marry. But you lack ambition – I sent you that business proposal yesterday and you didn’t even look at it.” She had sent me a document at 4 AM last night, of course I didn’t have time for her games. But hearing Ivy say this, Oliver Lawrence and Zach Johnson also came over to mock me. “As expected of a woman raised in poverty – even becoming the true heiress hasn’t changed anything.” I was brought back to the Sinclair family from that small town. Father was overjoyed and let me choose from several young men who were already interested in marrying into our family. The Grant, Lawrence and Johnson families weren’t considered top-tier, so marrying into the Sinclair family for resources was a step up for them. But as soon as they found out the marriage candidate was me, this small-town true heiress, their attitudes immediately changed. They looked at me mockingly, waiting for my reaction. I didn’t say anything. Foolish people never realize their own foolishness. It seems they still don’t understand the rules – I’m the one representing the Sinclair family in choosing them. They were never in a position to look down on me.

But even though they looked down on me, they still lived in the villa Father gave me. In the end, they couldn’t let go of the benefits of this marriage alliance. I looked at them and said: “If you think marrying me is embarrassing, you three can get out of my villa right now. Or -” I glanced at Ivy Chen beside me: “You can choose to marry Ivy, who has no inheritance rights.” Hearing the words “no inheritance rights”, the people in front of me immediately moved to protect Ivy. Ethan was especially angry: “Don’t think you can bully Ivy just because you have power now. Was it her choice to be switched as a baby?” The usually hot-tempered Oliver Lawrence directed all his anger at me: “You think we want to marry you? It’s all your Sinclair family using your power to force us!” Zach Johnson also snorted arrogantly, looking at me sideways: “Shameless. You think you can do anything just because you got some power!” They despise power, but in reality, they are the ones who most desperately want to obtain it. Ivy Chen started crying pitifully behind them, suddenly kneeling down to me: “Sister, please don’t be angry anymore. It’s all my fault. I should have just died back then!” With that, she suddenly rushed to bang her head against a marble pillar in the living room. Blood immediately flowed down. Ethan and the other two quickly ran to hold her back, hugging Ivy Chen with concern. Ivy Chen leaned weakly in Ethan’s arms and looked at me: “Sister, are you happy now? If it weren’t for me, Ethan and the others wouldn’t dislike you. You’ve always thought it would be better if I just died, right?!” I was utterly speechless. She had started putting on an act all by herself. Since returning to the Sinclair family and being confirmed as the true heir, I’ve been studying with private tutors. Recently I’ve also been going to the company early and returning late to learn the business. Where would I have time to be jealous of her? I had glanced at her business proposal this morning too – it was childishly simple stuff that I couldn’t even be bothered to comment on. But she had used all of this to her advantage. Hearing this, Ethan looked at me with disappointment: “How can you still not change your small-town bad habits? Lazy, jealous, telling Ivy to die – aren’t you afraid of karmic retribution?” But I’ve been standing here the whole time, not doing anything at all… Ethan continued lecturing me: “Quickly kneel down and kowtow to apologize to Ivy. Otherwise, don’t blame me for breaking off the engagement!” When I first arrived, I had fallen for Ethan who was kind to me then, and confessed to him. But later, with Ivy’s repeated crying and accusations, he became convinced that I was just a stupid and vicious small-town woman. Since then, he has used my love as leverage, forcing me to apologize to Ivy again and again. Kneeling, kowtowing, admitting my faults – I was young then, and thought this would keep his affection. But he only used this love to manipulate me for five whole years. Now that I see through everything, his love has become as cheap as air to me. This time I just gave him an indifferent look: “She banged her own head. I didn’t force her to do it. Let her apologize to herself in the mirror.” It was the first time Ethan saw me refuse to give in, and he felt like he lost face. He angrily pointed at me: “You dare to talk back? Small-town people really are vicious!” Oliver Lawrence suddenly snapped his fingers and said: “You must have found out we let Ivy try on your Alifilos wedding dress, and are deliberately torturing her, right?” Zach Johnson also frowned: “Small-town people are so petty, not understanding the beauty of sharing.” Hearing this, my expression turned cold: “My wedding dress?”

Alifilos means “wings of the clouds” in Latin. When Father found me, he had joyfully commissioned this luxurious wedding dress for me in Switzerland. It also symbolized my position as the heir of the Sinclair family. But now they’re saying this meaningful, once-in-a-century wedding dress was tried on by Ivy Chen first. I looked at Ethan. He was in charge of having the wedding dress flown back from Switzerland. Ethan looked a bit guilty under my gaze, but quickly straightened up and said to me: “Can’t you be less petty? Ivy was raised in luxury, but as soon as you came she was labeled as the fake heiress. She’s been mocked and insulted by you so many times. What’s wrong with lending her the dress to try on and satisfy her love of beauty?” He sighed, closing his eyes as if making a painful decision: “Fine, I’ll agree to the engagement party! I’ll let you have your wish of wearing that dress and getting engaged to me. Satisfied now?” Hearing him say this, Oliver Lawrence and Zach Johnson complained on his behalf: “No way, that’s exactly what that evil Aria wants! Why give in to her?” “Now Aria’s going to be smug about getting her way. What a shame, sigh.” Even Ivy Chen leaned into Ethan’s arms, tenderly caressing his face: “Ethan, you don’t need to make such a big sacrifice for me…” I stood watching them, my heart bitter. I was also a young girl longing for love, yet they despised me to this extent. I held back my tears and said to Ethan: “Don’t worry, I will never marry you.” Hearing this, Ethan looked at me as if he saw through me: “What trick are you trying to play now?” Oliver Lawrence and Zach Johnson beside him looked at me warily, as if afraid I would reject Ethan and choose one of them instead. At this moment, Ivy Chen suddenly crawled over and kowtowed to me: “I’m begging you, sister. Stop torturing these three men. You’ve already taken away my inheritance rights and my father. Do you have to drive away the few friends I have left?!” She kowtowed forcefully, making her already bloodied forehead even more battered. Ethan and the others were frightened and quickly went to hold her. The group of them huddled together glaring at me, pushing me to the opposing side. I held back the tears of grievance about to fall and turned to leave. But Ethan grabbed my hand: “I said I’m willing to marry you. You’d better not think about hurting Oliver and the others!” “You say you won’t marry me, but do you really have the guts to reject me at the engagement party? The fact is, besides me, who else would want a small-town girl like you!” I slowly pried his hand off mine and looked at him: “I, Aria Sinclair, always do what I say. No need for Mr. Grant to worry.” I strode forward, still able to hear Ethan’s voice behind me trying to persuade me not to throw a tantrum. He spoke with exasperation and loudly, as if I had exhausted him. I didn’t see them again until the engagement party. When the party started, I was surprised to see Ethan appear with a cold expression. How strange, I clearly didn’t invite them, Yet somehow these people all showed up uninvited to my engagement party.

At the engagement party, my assistant asked if I wanted to kick them out. I shook my head. Forget it, the stars of this engagement party aren’t them anyway. Let’s just treat them as a few extra guests. But as soon as they entered, the other CEOs around eagerly went over to toast them. “Young Mr. Grant is so accomplished, acquiring American Vikey at such a young age.” That was actually me negotiating the acquisition as the Sinclair heiress. He just went to sign his name. “I heard Mr. Lawrence has had success in racing. It would be quite a story if he inherits the Sinclair family in the future.” If it weren’t for the Sinclair family’s funding, his racing club would have gone bankrupt long ago. “Mr. Johnson’s paintings have fetched sky-high prices in art circles. The Sinclair bloodline must be full of artistic talent!” I was the one who bought his third-rate paintings, otherwise they would have been a laughingstock at auctions. The guests fawned over those men endlessly. They assumed my fiancé would definitely be chosen from among Ethan, Oliver and Zach. Flattering them was the same as flattering the Sinclair family. But they didn’t realize at all that I was the one with inheritance rights. Whoever I choose will be the next co-heir of the Sinclair family! The main event of the party hadn’t started yet. I was tired of watching these people bootlick and was about to step away for a moment. But then Ethan suddenly received a phone call and shouted in disbelief: “What?! Ivy was deliberately kidnapped?!” As soon as he said this, I immediately felt dozens of gazes shoot towards me. I turned my head, only to be slapped across the face by Oliver Lawrence who had walked over. “You’re truly vicious! Insulting Ivy wasn’t enough, you even had someone deliberately kidnap her today!” The banquet hall immediately burst into hushed whispers. They all thought I was from a small town – stupid, vicious, with evil thoughts. So they were also more willing to flatter my fiancé candidates, even disdaining to interact with me. I held my face and coldly looked at him: “Do you have any evidence that I’m behind the kidnapping?” Zach Johnson stood beside him with his arms crossed, sweeping a contemptuous glance at me: “Do we need any evidence? Anyone with eyes can see what’s going on.” Just then, the doors of the banquet hall were thrown open – “Ethan, save me! Ivy is so scared!” Ivy Chen ran in looking disheveled, her hair a mess, as if she had suffered some unspeakable abuse and humiliation. She threw herself straight into Ethan’s arms, ignoring all decorum. Ethan immediately took off his jacket to cover her, comforting her not to be afraid. “Given what’s happened, what do you have to say for yourself? Ivy almost lost her virtue. This isn’t over between us!” Ethan glared at me angrily, directly carrying Ivy away. Oliver Lawrence violently pushed over the champagne tower next to him. Before leaving, he pointed at me and said: “Without us, let’s see how you manage to pull off this engagement party!” Zach Johnson also looked at me with disdain: “You reap what you sow. Don’t blame us for not giving you face anymore.” The surrounding guests pointed and whispered between Ivy and me. Saying what a lovely Sinclair princess Ivy used to be, yet now she’s been tortured to this state by me, this vicious true heiress. As Ethan and the others left, many people looked at me mockingly through their noses. “Well now, who would still be willing to marry this wild woman?” “Looks like the Sinclair family is finished this time.” “All the fiancés ran off. Let’s see how she holds this engagement party now.” I collected myself and had people clean up the scene and reassure the guests. I announced to everyone present: “The engagement party of Aria Sinclair officially begins!” On the big screen, the handsome face of a young man suddenly appeared. The guests whispered, wondering which family’s young master this was. I said: “This is Liam Kennedy, who grew up with me in that small town.” As soon as I finished speaking, the whole hall burst into laughter. “The Sinclair family actually wants to find a small-town person as their co-heir, hahaha!” A second after he finished speaking, on the big screen, an electronic invitation unique to New York’s Kennedy family slowly unfolded. The stern yet kindly voice of Old Mr. Kennedy rang out: “Thank you all for attending the engagement party of Sinclair heiress Aria Sinclair and my sole grandson, Liam Kennedy!”

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My husband’s rehabilitation center went bankrupt, and we owe millions in penalties for breach of contract. I left my kids with my parents and started working two jobs every day. Three years later, when I finally saved enough to pay off the penalty and went to the hospital, I saw Ezra nonchalantly sitting in the director’s chair. The director and head nurse, who always targeted me, were flattering him: “Director, Dr. Nora has been working extremely hard lately. She just completed a 48-hour shift without sleep.” “She mentioned taking a vacation yesterday, saying she was unwell. Should we approve it?” Ezra’s voice was lazy and indifferent: “Isn’t she obsessed with money? How can she even think about taking a break?” “We just admitted a few patients today. Let her take care of them.” Adeline raised her eyebrows, acting playfully: “Honey~ I booked tickets for you and our son. How about going to the Maldives next week?” Ezra pulled her into his arms, kissed her hair, and instructed: “Schedule all of Adeline’s surgeries for the next couple of days to Nora. Don’t let her have any downtime.” I shakily pulled out the late-stage stomach cancer diagnosis from my pocket, tears streaming down. — After Ezra’s rehabilitation center went bankrupt, I gave up a stable director position and chose the hospital that was Ezra’s biggest creditor. Because I needed money, I converted all my benefits into salary and performed intense surgeries every day. After work, I took on extra shifts as a hospital orderly. But I never expected Ezra to be the director of this private hospital. The realization hit me, and despair almost swallowed me whole. The Mediterranean Fake Director flattered: “Director, you’re really good with women, even someone as stubborn as Nora is compliant under your influence!” The head nurse rolled her eyes: “What nonsense! Our director only has eyes for Dr. Adeline. Nora’s like a clingy plaster that can’t be removed!” Adeline, hearing this, leaned into Ezra’s embrace, acting all aggrieved: “Ezra, if it weren’t for my mom forcing me to marry that old man, you wouldn’t have married someone else out of spite and had two kids with her.” Ezra and I were both graduate students under the same mentor. Many girls pursued Ezra, but he chose me. He was gentle and attentive, treating me like a princess. Whenever I couldn’t handle the high workload, it was those memories that kept me going. Later, I secured a position at a public hospital, and he inherited the family rehabilitation center. After the center went bankrupt, we shared the debt. While he smoked and drank at home, I endured the director’s anger and humiliation at the hospital. He once messaged me about ending his life, and I rushed home, covered in patient waste, to save him. I used my shoulder to support our crumbling home. But now, I feel like a walking joke. In my despair, a former colleague called: “Nora, did you come to the hospital today?” I forced a smile, harder than crying: “Just felt like visiting old friends.” His voice was as loud as ever: “Nora! You’re still so stubborn! You were like this in school, and still are. Why didn’t you tell me you have cancer? I have the latest technology here! Get everything arranged and come here for treatment!” I paused, then softly replied: “Okay.” I stood up, adjusted myself, and opened the door. Ezra had already taken off his lab coat, revealing a cheap shirt underneath. Seeing me, he looked guilty. “Nora, I’m sorry. You’ve worked so hard on surgeries, but this money ended up filling an endless pit for me.” The fake director sneered: “Your rehabilitation project cost us so much. If it weren’t for Dr. Nora, we wouldn’t have let you drag it out this long!” The head nurse praised me: “There aren’t many wives like Dr. Nora who can share hardships these days!” Adeline looked me up and down: “Dr. Nora, I admire how energetic you are. Surgeries by day, patient care by night, and still looking so satisfied.” She gasped, covering her mouth with a laugh: “The senior ward patients are all fighting for Dr. Nora’s service. I heard some sell themselves for dirty money. Dr. Nora, are you one of those?” I stared at Adeline, shocked at her slander. Ezra’s face turned grim, pointing at me and shouting: “Nora! You didn’t really do that for money, did you?” — A metallic taste rose in my throat, and I couldn’t help but spit out blood. The disdain in Ezra’s eyes shattered my heart. Trembling, I handed him a bank card, hoping he would at least treat our children well after my death. Our issues don’t matter, but the kids are innocent. Ezra snatched the card from me and handed it to the fake director. “Director, check this. Nora said there’s a million in it. While we’ve paid back a third, we still owe two million. We’ll pay it next year.” I was stunned. Ezra had told me we only owed a million. How did it suddenly become three million? And all due in a year—does he think I’m a miracle worker? After a look from Ezra, the fake director passed the card to Adeline. “Dr. Nora, didn’t you know? Our hospital’s big boss is actually Dr. Adeline. I’ve heard you’ve argued with her over trivial matters. If you apologize, maybe your request for a raise will go through.” Adeline smirked: “Dr. Nora is a pillar of our hospital. I wouldn’t dare ask her to apologize.” “But I heard an old man, Mr. Lin, in the senior ward is looking for a woman to have his child for a high price. Since you’re so short on money, why not give it a try?” Ezra’s urging and their mockery filled my ears. My heart ached unbearably. Ezra’s past care and love weren’t fake. He even gave up a chance for a position for me. The Ezra family is a prestigious one with complex relations. His mother died early, and his father married a woman only ten years older than him. In anger, he left home. It was only on our wedding day that I met his father. Feeling Ezra’s affection for him, I spent months mending their relationship. After graduation, he worked at the rehabilitation center. During that time, Ezra was busy with work, and his patience with me waned. I met Adeline at a business banquet. She was Ezra’s stepmother’s daughter’s friend. The two, arm in arm, drew everyone’s attention. Ezra’s stepsister was like a radiant rose, thorny yet alluring. Adeline, true to her name, was soft and pure, like a little angel. When she learned I was a medical student with a position at the third hospital, her admiring eyes softened me. But as we interacted, I sensed something off between her and Ezra. She stayed over at our place but would come out in the middle of the night undressed for water. When I complained to Ezra, he looked helpless: “Adeline’s just like that. But she’s pure-hearted, no ill intentions.” At a birthday party, she accidentally fell into the water, and he pushed me aside to give her CPR. Even after she regained consciousness, they kissed and embraced, ignoring everyone. Seeing Ezra’s growing obsession with her, I stopped taking birth control, gave up promotion opportunities, and had twins for him. I thought this would keep him by my side. My father-in-law was thrilled, promising a two-million reward. Ezra was busy with work, only returning home for the kids’ full moon celebration. After that, he came home daily, thinking of the kids. Later, when my father-in-law passed, the rehabilitation center went bankrupt, and our lives hit rock bottom. Only today did I realize everything was by Ezra’s design. At this moment, Ezra whispered, trying to retreat strategically: “Nora, maybe I should go to prison. I’ve seen your struggles over the years, but two million is no small sum… I owe you and the kids.” In the past, I’d have encouraged him like a little sun. But today, I remained silent. He panicked, tightly gripping my hand: “Nora, maybe you should beg Adeline. I don’t mind going to prison, but you’re already thirty-five. Once you leave this hospital, no one will want you.” “Even if not for yourself, think of the kids. Kneeling is just a gesture. Pride doesn’t fill your stomach.” Kneeling? Tears streamed uncontrollably. To him, am I just a plaything or a beast without dignity? Wiping my tears, I turned and left. When Ezra and I first came to the hospital, laden with debt, we couldn’t afford rent. The hospital kindly assigned me a single dorm. Passing by Adeline’s room, I suddenly remembered accidentally entering it before and seeing familiar items. — Ezra is obsessive about certain things. His razors, skincare products, and other personal items are always the same brand. To ease the awkwardness, I casually chatted with Adeline: “Didn’t expect your husband to like these brands too, just like Ezra.” She laughed: “Yeah, I gave those to him when we were dating. He said it wouldn’t be the same with other brands.” Passing by Adeline’s dorm, I was suddenly reminded of the time I mistakenly entered the wrong room and saw those all-too-familiar items. Ezra has a peculiar attachment to certain brands. His razor, skincare products, and other personal items are always from the same line. To break the ice back then, I started chatting with Adeline: “I didn’t realize your husband likes these brands too, just like Ezra.” She laughed, “Yes, I gave them to him when we were dating, and he’s been a fan ever since. He says nothing else feels quite right.” Now, putting everything together, my composure was shattered. Because the dorm bed was too small, he would only sleep with me once a week. Sometimes, after performing a surgery, I’d see him emerge from the shower with a lingering look of desire, and I’d feel guilty. They deliberately left things unspoken, perhaps for the thrill of it all, or maybe waiting to see when I’d catch on! Ezra came back to the dorm just as I was about to leave. His face was conflicted, “Nora, I’m sorry for all you’ve been through.” “But remember how kind Adeline and the others have been to you. You shouldn’t be ungrateful.” I laughed bitterly and pushed him hard, “Ezra, stop pretending. Do you enjoy making a fool of me?” He was startled, then chuckled softly, “You finally figured it out? I thought you’d only realize when Adeline and I were right in front of you. Nora, are you really that naive, or are you just playing dumb?” He grabbed my chin and forced me against the wall, “Aren’t you supposed to be a little ray of sunshine? Can you still shine now? Nora, you make me sick!” I stared at him blankly, unable to grasp his words. He bit my lip harshly and whispered, “Aren’t you the saint who loves saving the world? The hospital needs funds now, so why not offer your body to help?” I was already humiliated, but his words cut even deeper. I grew up in a traditional setting, always obedient and never causing trouble for my parents or teachers. Every setback, I overcame on my own. I was always strong, confident, sunny, and kind. But hearing “saint,” “saving the world,” and “angel” from Ezra felt incredibly ironic. When he was bullied, I stood up for him. When his father passed away, I supported him like a pillar. I encouraged him, even treating him like a child. And this is what I get? I struggled desperately to break free from his hold. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder, and then everything went black. When I opened my eyes again, I was in a VIP hospital room. As Mr. Lin leered at me, I heard Ezra and Adeline talking outside the door. “Ezra, are we really doing the right thing? Nora is still your wife.” Ezra replied coldly, “Adeline, don’t you know who she is by now? She’s greedy, jealous, selfish, and manipulative. She’s brought this on herself.” “Isn’t she the saint who loves to help? The hospital is in trouble, so she should help.” Suddenly, a sharp pain hit my stomach, and I uncontrollably vomited blood. My heart sank, and my life was slipping away. “Ezra, if there’s a next life, I never want to meet you again.” My vomiting scared Mr. Lin. “Doctor! Nurse! Someone’s vomiting blood!” Ezra heard the commotion and instinctively pushed the door open. He anxiously approached Mr. Lin, asking if he was unwell. Mr. Lin gestured for him to look at me. The blood on the white sheets made him frown. “Nora, did you steal blood bags from the hospital?” I laughed bitterly at his accusation, “Ezra, is it really that hard to confirm I’m vomiting blood?” He seemed to find it laughable, “You’re trying to imitate Adeline again? With your health, saying you have a terminal illness would be more believable. Stop pretending!” Adeline was frail, frequently falling ill. When we were on good terms, I accompanied her to the hospital during my breaks. She said it was a congenital issue, and I even learned some traditional medicine to help her. Adeline was grateful, saying I treated her better than her own mother and promised to always be friends. But how did she repay me? By repaying my husband with her body? Adeline reminded Mr. Lin, “Mr. Lin, you’re in the late stages of stomach cancer. Time is running out. Don’t you want to have a child soon? Don’t waste time.” Mr. Lin’s face wrinkled into a frown. “Dr. Adeline, I do like Dr. Nora, but she’s in such poor health now, and she’s unwilling. Maybe we should drop it.” Ezra wrapped an arm around Adeline’s waist, indifferent, “Dr. Nora always acts. When she says no, she means yes. When she says she doesn’t want it, she wants it. Mr. Lin, you won’t get another chance like this.” Adeline placed Mr. Lin’s hand on my chest, persuading him, “Mr. Lin, Dr. Nora’s family has twins. Don’t you want a boy and a girl at once?” Listening to their conversation, I felt like I was in an icehouse. I tried to run but Ezra shoved me hard, and I hit the wall with my head. My already weak body had no strength to fight back. I could only watch as my clothes were torn, Mr. Lin’s body blocking my view. “What are you doing?” Before losing consciousness, I heard a familiar voice. In my daze, I saw my former colleague, Jasper, punch Ezra to the ground. Ezra hadn’t even reacted when Jasper cursed, “You scumbag! Heartless jerk! Nora marrying you was the worst luck. She must owe you from a past life to deserve this! Get lost, I’m taking her away!” Ezra’s voice was filled with anger, “Jasper! Nora is my wife. What right do you have to take her?” Jasper replied furiously, word by word, “Because I’m her attending physician. The patient entrusted me with treating her cancer. Is that reason enough for you?” I’m sorry, but the text you want translated isn’t available. Could you please provide the text you need translated? Upon noticing Ezra’s changing expression, Jasper continued: “I knew Nora wouldn’t tell you about her health! She’s been sacrificing her sleep for years just to make money. I warned her that health is the real wealth, but she wouldn’t listen. She wanted you to move on quickly so your burden would lessen.” “Your beloved is in your arms, but she only has a few days left due to her terminal illness. Does that make you happy?” Ezra’s face turned dark. Then, sarcastically clapping, he mocked: “Nora, isn’t it enough for you to put on a show alone? Now you’re bringing in your lover to help? Are you paying him, or did you sell yourself to make him perform so eagerly?”

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[I really want to lock her up.] After gaining the ability to hear the thoughts of beast-people, I started contemplating how to escape. Being human in this world of beast-people who extremely hate humans, I would die if my identity was discovered. I tightened the fake fox tail tied around my waist and climbed over the wall. But can someone tell me why the silver wolf, white tiger, merman… are all smiling at me from below? The black hawk embraced me from behind, asking in a low voice: [Isn’t it exhausting pretending to be a beast-person every day?] “I want to lock her up.” When I heard this thought, I was tutoring Lucas in our beast-people academy. My first reaction was that I must be hearing things. I continued solving the math problem on my scratch paper. This was an elite school for beast-people, and I was just an ordinary human. I’m not sure how the original owner of this body got in, but when I transmigrated here, I found myself in a dangerous situation where I could lose my life at any moment. I had no choice but to keep the fake fox tail tightly attached and carefully pretend to be… well, not human. Fortunately, the curriculum here wasn’t too different from my high school courses in my previous life, so I was able to keep up the act of the original owner. Finally finishing the calculations, I looked up at Lucas, the silver wolf. His eyes were wandering, clearly not having absorbed anything I taught! “She looks so obedient and soft… Are all foxes this seductive?” Before I could even get angry, I unexpectedly heard another thought. Lucas was sitting very close to me, his silver wolf tail swaying behind me, almost but not quite touching. “I want to kiss her…” As I watched that handsome face lean closer, the scratch paper crumpled under his arm with a soft rustle. I suddenly snapped back to reality. It seemed I could hear… Lucas’s thoughts? I finally couldn’t take it anymore and leaned back, but that fluffy wolf tail pressed against my lower back, not letting me retreat an inch. Behind me, another beast-student walked by. Lucas frowned slightly in annoyance: “Aria, if you lean back any further you’ll bump into someone. Am I really that scary?” “Does Aria dislike me? How sad… I just want to snuggle her, I don’t have any bad intentions…” Me: “……” I never would have guessed that Lucas, who usually wore a cold expression that kept people at a distance, was such a crybaby on the inside. Criticisms aside, I didn’t dare get too close to him. One way beast-people expressed affection was through mating. Mating… With my fake tail? Did I dare risk that? If the tail fell off, I’d be paying with my life! I swallowed hard and managed to hand him the pen with a trembling hand. Even though I was sitting up straight now, the tail behind me still refused to move away. The soft sensation transmitted through the thin fabric, brushing against the hem of my shirt, with a subtle tendency to explore further. My whole body went rigid. The thin strap holding my tail in place would be visible if my shirt rode up even a little!

Just as I was at a loss for what to do, I heard someone call my name from behind. “Aria, the physics teacher is looking for you.” A boy with fluffy white ears stood in the back doorway, coldly eyeing Lucas and me. Ethan, the white tiger. I breathed a sigh of relief and quickly broke free from Lucas’s hold. Lucas clicked his tongue impatiently, picking up his notebook and pen as he returned to his seat. He couldn’t resist a parting shot: “That big cat is so annoying. One of these days I’m going to beat him to a pulp.” I fell silent at his words. Big cat? I suppose tigers are big cats in a sense. “Let’s go, what are you spacing out for?” Ethan waved his hand in front of my face. Before I could react, he took my hand and led me out of the classroom. The boy’s fingers were long and slender, holding mine loosely with a cool touch spreading across the back of my hand. “Ah, I’m so excited! I’m holding Aria’s little hand, it’s so soft, I want to lick it…” As I listened, I looked up to see the tips of Ethan’s beast ears turning red. He looked so pure and innocent. Me: “……” Bro, what’s with that reaction? You’re not the one being harassed here, why are you getting all shy?! I wasn’t sure whether to pull away or let him keep holding my hand. The whole way to the office, my heart was pounding nervously as Ethan led me along. “Aria.” Ethan suddenly pinned me against the hallway wall, his golden eyes fixed on me like a predator eyeing its prey. “Why haven’t you responded to the love letter I sent you?” Love letter? What? When did he ever give me a love letter? I was dumbfounded, my language system malfunctioning as I struggled to say anything for a long while. Ethan stared at me intently. After a moment, I heard his thoughts: “No, I have to be patient. I can’t scare Aria.” He gazed longingly at my fox ears, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed hard. He seemed to be holding himself back with great difficulty. My heart was racing. I was terrified he might suddenly reach out and touch the ears. Even though they weren’t likely to fall off easily, what if they did? I abruptly pushed him away, hearing a muffled grunt. Without looking back, I turned and rushed into the office. As I closed the door, I caught a glimpse of Ethan’s disappointed face, and… His bright red ears. I fell silent. “What took you so long?” The physics teacher, Mr. Blake, sat on his desk. His smoke-colored glasses perched on his high, straight nose bridge, his narrow eyes sweeping over me with an intimidating aura even when not angry. You could tell at a glance he was an eagle beast-person. The reason was simple – his features were too sharp and striking, extremely distinctive. Mr. Blake was notoriously strict. There was hardly a student who wasn’t afraid of him. I was no exception. I licked my lips nervously as I walked towards him step by step. “Sorry sir, I got held up on the way. May I ask why you wanted to see me…?” Blake closed the book he had been reading and pulled out a form from beside him, handing it to me: “This is the sign-up sheet for the experiment. Fill it out.” He paused, then added: “The research project is confidential for now. The school is very pleased with your grades and personally recommended you.” I was flattered as I took the form. I had just glanced at it and was about to sign when I suddenly heard a voice: “Actually, I was the one who recommended her personally. This is a rare opportunity, I wonder how I can collect some payment from her?” The cool, restrained voice barely contained excitement and anticipation. It was both strange and familiar. “Maybe pat her ears?” “Or hug her, she smells so good…” I was startled, the black pen leaving a long ink mark on the paper. When I looked up, Mr. Blake was still staring at me with an expressionless face, his thin lips pressed into a straight line. There was no hint of emotion. Seeing my mistake, he frowned slightly and pulled out a new form for me: “What’s wrong?” “It’s nothing, I’m just too excited.” I broke out in a cold sweat, my mind in chaos. What was going on? Why could I suddenly hear so many beast-people’s thoughts? And they all seemed to be… Coveting me?!

Just as I was starting to feel anxious, Blake suddenly said: “You can go back now. I’ll let you know when there’s news.” The weight lifted off my chest and I put on a sweet smile again: “Thank you, sir!” As soon as the words left my mouth, a large hand suddenly covered the top of my head, gently rubbing my ears. I froze for a moment and looked up. Blake had already withdrawn his hand, his expression as cold as ever: “Keep up the good work.” He seemed like a genuinely caring teacher looking out for his student. If only I couldn’t hear his thoughts. “Her ears really are soft and tender…” “I want to lock her up in here and hold her while I sleep every night…” I fled in panic. I nearly tripped over my own feet as I rushed out the door. How could Mr. Blake be so different in private too? By the end of the day, I had finally accepted my ability to hear some beast-people’s thoughts. I returned to my apartment feeling dejected, contemplating ending it all as I collapsed on the couch. Just then, I heard the sound of running water coming from the bathroom. I glanced at the fish tank, understanding dawning. I walked over and knocked on the door: “Nolan, are you in there?” The water stopped, followed by a weak male voice: “Yes, sorry… did I disturb you, sis?” I sighed and turned the doorknob. In the bathtub full of water lay a stunningly handsome young man. His sky-blue fishtail, covered in water droplets, gleamed in the sunlight streaming through the window. Only the deep, bone-deep wound on his chest marred his beauty. When I found Nolan washed up on shore, he was barely clinging to life, filthy and battered. As soon as we got back to the apartment, he automatically reverted to his fishtail and slept in the water for half a month straight. “I came to the bathroom to clean my wound. I’ll tidy up afterwards…” Nolan looked pale as he leaned against the edge of the tub. The water beneath him was already tinged a faint red with blood. I shook my head: “Don’t worry about it, just focus on healing.” As soon as I finished speaking, water splashed up. The large fishtail rose from the surface, wrapping around my waist and forcefully pulling me into the fish tank. Caught completely off guard, I fell onto Nolan’s body. My clothes were soaked through, clinging to my skin and outlining my curves. Nolan’s arms held me tightly, his forehead pressed against the crook of my neck. His voice was low, his beautiful eyelashes wet with crystal-like water droplets, as if he’d been crying. “Sis, I had a nightmare. Can I hold you for a while?” I hadn’t even commented on his sudden action, but hearing those words made my heart melt. Nolan came from the Western Sea. He was the fourth prince, but unloved by his parents and nearly killed by his brothers’ schemes. I knelt straddling Nolan’s body, the soft fishtail beneath cushioning my thighs so my knees weren’t too uncomfortable. I stroked Nolan’s wet golden hair, my maternal instincts overflowing. Just as I was about to say some comforting words, an inexplicable drowsiness overcame me. I can’t fall asleep here… Even as I thought this, my eyelids grew heavier and heavier. An increasingly fierce fatigue washed over me, and I collapsed onto Nolan’s chest. Naturally, I didn’t see the flash of jealousy in Nolan’s cobalt blue eyes. He lifted his head from my body, his tongue licking along my neck. No longer the harmless creature he first appeared to be, he now exuded a bewitching aura. “These scents are so unpleasant…” White tiger, silver wolf, eagle… Nolan’s eyes darkened as he decisively removed my fake ears and tail. “Humans should just behave themselves. Otherwise they’re easily coveted…” “Let me clean off these scents for you, sis.”

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I carefully selected 999 red roses for Sophia Evans. Her male secretary broke out in hives. Sophia was furious. Using my mother’s heirloom as bait, she forced me to fight a lion bare-handed. She casually instructed her subordinates: “It doesn’t matter if he dies. As long as it cleanses Ryan’s bad luck.” I remained silent. At the cost of 6 broken ribs and being mauled bloody by the lion, I successfully retrieved the heirloom and calmly turned to leave. Behind me, Sophia sneered: “He’s nothing but a lowly bodyguard I keep. How could a dog ever leave its master?” What Sophia didn’t know was, Someone had already bought out my contract for a high price. This time, I was going to protect someone else. The iron cage opened, and the massive lion roared as it charged out. I faced it bare-handed, instantly knocked to the ground! On the platform above, Sophia clenched her fists tightly. Jack’s face was flushed, his eyes sparkling. Sophia’s brow relaxed. It seemed they were telling the truth. This really could cleanse Ryan’s bad luck. The lion slammed into me, and I felt like my internal organs had shattered. I countered with a punch to the lion’s eye. The crowd gasped. I was covered in blood but never backed down. After accurately grabbing the nearby hunting rifle, I precisely shot the lion’s throat. One shot killed it. At the cost of 6 broken ribs and being mauled bloody by the lion. I had won. I successfully reclaimed my mother’s heirloom. Just as I was about to exit the underground arena, Ryan suddenly turned pale and coughed heavily. Sophia’s eyes instantly changed. She snatched the heirloom I had fought so hard to retrieve from my arms. The jade bracelet was viciously smashed, shattering into pieces. Sophia frowned slightly, her eyes filled with disgust as she looked at me. “Are you satisfied now that you’ve hurt Jack so much for a mere bracelet?” I opened my mouth but was left speechless. When Ryan choked on some water, Sophia splashed black dog blood on the heirloom. He coughed once, and Sophia used the heirloom to force me to fight the lion. My ribs were broken in six places, and my body wouldn’t stop bleeding. I didn’t understand who was really hurting whom. My nails dug deep into my palms. I skillfully knelt down and kowtowed to her. “I’m sorry, Miss. Please forgive me.” I bent down with difficulty, cherishing the fragments in my arms beyond measure. Mom, this time, I will take you away. The kneeling motion caused my shirt to be stained with fresh blood again. Sophia’s pupils constricted, and her brow twitched violently. She unexpectedly helped me up. “As long as you don’t oppose Jack, I’ll let you stay by my side and earn your keep.” Her tone was condescending, as if it were a great honor. As she finished speaking, Jack suddenly fainted without warning. Sophia’s face instantly tensed. Jack’s lackey quietly reported, “Miss Evans, it might be the negative energy from a dead person’s belongings that’s making Mr. Parker feel unwell repeatedly.” I looked up. A flash of triumphant joy quickly passed through Jack’s tightly closed eyes. He gripped Sophia’s hand tightly and said understandingly: “Sophia, I’m fine. After all, this is Mr. Wilson’s mother’s heirloom. I can endure it.” Sophia stroked Jack’s cheek lovingly and calmly ordered me. “Throw away that disgusting thing. If it makes Jack feel unwell again, you can get lost too.” I looked at her indifferently and resolutely walked towards the door. Seeing my lack of reaction, Sophia’s chest visibly heaved. She ordered someone to bring a whip and sneered. “Even a dog dares to defy its master. A beating will do.” The whip fell like raindrops, each lash accompanied by a sharp whistling sound. The wounds already torn open by the lion’s fangs now bled even more profusely. The force of the blows on my body lessened slightly, and Sophia mocked, “It seems I’ve really been too indulgent with you. Now you don’t even know how to beg for mercy?” Every pain on my body reminded me. Constant retreat would only make her more aggressive. I bit my lip hard, clutching the fragments tightly in my arms, not letting myself cry out. Sophia’s breath caught, and the whip she wielded showed no mercy. The whipping continued for a long time. The smell of blood from the lion’s corpse stimulated my blurring consciousness. Before losing consciousness, I vaguely heard Sophia’s cold laughter. Her fingers casually swiped across my phone screen. “A dog wanting to book a flight to run away from home? Just break its legs.” “Mere 99 lashes, just use some medicine to keep it barely alive.” “Oh right, quickly check on Jack. His health isn’t good, remember to give him the best medicine.” I involuntarily passed out. My mind couldn’t stop thinking. Now I’ll miss the flight.

When I woke up, Sophia was sitting by my bedside, which was rare. She looked down at me condescendingly, handing me a plastic bag with obvious disgust. The wounds on my body were still aching faintly. I lowered my head to look – it was full of fragments of the jade bracelet. I was somewhat surprised that Sophia hadn’t thrown them away. “It was Jack who begged me not to throw them away. If only you were half as sensible as him.” I rummaged through the fragments, but my heart suddenly plummeted. These were clearly just replaced fakes. I pulled out the IV needle expressionlessly. Jack suddenly appeared in the doorway, speaking slowly and deliberately: “Mr. Wilson, I’ve already returned your mother’s jade bracelet intact.” He enunciated each word, a flash of provocation passing through his eyes. Ever since he had entered the house, Jack had found me, the bodyguard, disagreeable in every way. When hungry, he’d make me brave pouring rain to buy roast duck 50 kilometers away. When the mood struck, he’d drag me out in the middle of the night to buy condoms for them. Time and again he tried to destroy the last heirloom from my mother, just to force me to give up and leave. I didn’t understand. Wasn’t Sophia completely devoted to him? I was just a dog for Sophia to torment and train as she pleased. Why did he want to destroy the last fantasy my mom left me? All the anger surged to my head. Ignoring the lingering pain in my body, I grabbed the fruit knife from the table. I pressed it hard against Jack’s throat, my voice ice cold. “Give me back all those fragments!” Jack cried like a frightened rabbit: “Sophia, I’m scared…” Without Jack saying more, The next second, I felt my scalp being forcefully yanked. The small knife in my hand uncontrollably cut Jack’s shoulder. Tiny beads of blood appeared. I was forced to look up at Sophia. But I met a pair of extremely cold eyes. In them was undisguised disgust, and a flash of murderous intent. She laughed coldly and stabbed the fruit knife into my chest. “Although you’re my husband, don’t forget who saved you back then! Do you want to experience being bitten by a lion again?!” “Squelch!” Blood instantly gushed out! My pupils constricted, and I instinctively tried to pull out her hand, but she pressed down hard. “Don’t move… it’ll be over soon.” I was in so much pain that the veins on my forehead bulged. The woman’s tone was rarely comforting. Enduring the pain, I looked at Sophia with an extremely calm gaze. At this moment, a strange sense of irritation suddenly welled up in Sophia’s heart. She slowly carved out that piece of flesh. Blood flowed down my chest, staining my trouser legs red, and also staining her hands red. Sophia looked at the words on my chest with satisfaction – “Sophia Evans”. Just because I accidentally cut Jack, Sophia personally carved a retaliatory tattoo on my body. She casually tossed the fruit knife on the ground. Sophia carefully embraced Jack, her tone pampering: “It’s okay, I’m here. I won’t let you have even a tiny scar.” Jack immediately kissed her lips shyly, his face full of guilt: “This was a gift from you. Luckily we found it. But I wrongly accused Mr. Wilson. Should I apologize to him?” In front of everyone, looking at me covered in blood stains, Sophia’s voice was utterly cold. “No need. He’s just a bodyguard, a dog I keep. What’s the big deal about suffering a little grievance?” They started kissing deeply right in front of me, as if no one else was there. But over these three years, I had already heard countless such sounds of debauchery. My phone vibrated. I couldn’t help but smile. My contract had completely fallen into her hands. The flight ticket Sophia had cancelled was rebooked. While kissing Jack passionately, Sophia discreetly observed me out of the corner of her eye. Seeing the smile on my face that she hadn’t seen in a long time, The irritation in her chest inexplicably surged up again. Before entering the bedroom, she coldly commanded: “I’m throwing Jack a birthday party tomorrow. You better show up too!” Taking advantage of the sounds of lovemaking coming from the bedroom, I quickly searched the entire villa. I finally found those jade bracelet fragments. Carefully gluing the pieces back into a bracelet shape. I hugged it to my chest, having lost and regained it. Tomorrow, I will leave with you.

The birthday party Sophia had meticulously prepared began promptly at 8 PM. Jack, wearing a pure black custom-tailored suit, made a striking entrance arm-in-arm with Sophia. The guests pushed me aside, quietly discussing among themselves. “Mr. Parker is truly talented. No wonder Miss Evans has doted on you so much all these years.” “But I thought that bodyguard was Miss Evans’ lawful husband?” Sophia looked at me, rarely dressed formally, her tone carrying a hint of tenderness: “Introduce yourself to everyone.” There was a trace of expectation hidden in her voice that even she hadn’t noticed. I kept my head down, my tone neither servile nor overbearing. “I am Sophia Evans’ bodyguard – Jack Wilson.” Sophia was visibly stunned for several seconds, her expression visibly darkening. An expression of annoyance flashed across my face. What did she want me to do? Jack smiled generously, a flash of malice in his eyes as he beckoned to me. “I’m not feeling well today and can’t drink. You drink all this alcohol for me.” I remained silent, finally opening my mouth. “I’m allergic to alcohol…” “Sophia, I know Mr. Wilson is probably still angry with me, so he’s just making up this lie.” Jack hung his head, his voice filled with disappointment. Sophia glanced at me, her voice growing heavier: “Drink! Don’t you always carry allergy medicine? Take it before drinking, what could happen?” Her tone left no room for refusal. I silently took out the medicine and swallowed a few pills. Soon, a group of people came forward with wine glasses to make small talk. I also picked up a glass and poured it down my throat. Glass after glass, my stomach churned violently, unable to stop the urge to vomit. The wounds that had not yet healed burst open under the effects of the alcohol. Seeing the blood at the corner of my mouth, Sophia very obviously took a sharp breath. The next second, Jack let out a scream. “Sophia, the heirloom watch you gave me is missing. Jack was the only one near us just now, could it be that he…” My pupils constricted, not because of this baseless accusation, but because the heirloom gift my mother had given to Sophia as a daughter-in-law, She had casually given away without any burden on her conscience. Back then, she had been so good to me and my mother. At this moment, I couldn’t help but laugh self-mockingly. Sophia looked at my smile, and the familiar feeling of irritation surged up in her heart once again. She personally comforted Jack and sternly called for the security guards. The next second, several guards pinned me to the ground, forcefully tearing at my clothes. Normally, I wouldn’t have been so powerless to resist. But with the new wounds Sophia had inflicted over the past two days, my body simply hadn’t had time to recover. I struggled desperately, but couldn’t overcome their brute force. My shirt was torn to shreds, the tattoo on my body faintly oozing blood. Sophia narrowed her eyes, revealing only her desire to control me. Until – “The watch has been found!” Sophia took the emerald watch and personally put it on Jack’s wrist, her tone doting. “Don’t be so careless next time.” Jack scratched his head embarrassedly, looking at me with a face full of guilt: “This was a gift from you. Luckily we found it. But I wrongly accused Mr. Wilson. Should I apologize to him?” In front of everyone, looking at me covered in blood stains, Sophia’s voice was utterly cold. “No need. He’s just a bodyguard, a dog I keep. What’s the big deal about suffering a little grievance?” In the bathroom, I couldn’t stop dry heaving. Before I could recover, Jack kicked me hard. He pressed down hard on the tattoo on my body, veins bulging on his forehead. “You’re really cheap, aren’t you? You’re just a dog Sophia keeps, yet you still cling to her!” “Speaking of which, do you know why Sophia sent you to buy medicine in the next city when your mom was critically ill?” “It was because she just wanted to get rid of you. At that time, I stripped naked with Sophia right in front of your mom – she was literally angered to death!” “Slap!” After slapping Jack’s face, I couldn’t hold back anymore and grabbed his throat. Jack laughed coldly, instantly fighting back. He kept splashing cold water on me, but accidentally touched a dry electrical appliance. In the blink of an eye, We both heard the sizzling sound from the electrical appliance simultaneously. The next second, it instantly exploded, and the entire bathroom was filled with thick smoke. Soon, anxious cries for help were heard outside the door. Sophia’s voice came along with the sound of high heels: “Where’s Jack Wilson!” She rushed in regardless of the raging fire. But her gaze immediately fell on Jack, who was pretending to faint. He reached out his hand, tears in his eyes: “Sophia, save me…” Ignoring me whose shirt was dyed red with blood. Sophia’s face tense with worry as she supported Jack and walked out without looking back. From beginning to end, not a single glance fell on me. I fell to my knees weakly, choked by the thick smoke. The pain on my body seemed to magnify infinitely in an instant. The next second, a pair of black leather shoes appeared in my vision. I looked up dazedly, and it was actually Jack’s lackey. A vicious smile appeared on his face as he pushed me hard. Already next to the window, I fell unprepared. “Don’t blame me for being ruthless. Only if Jack has good days can I rise with him.” He turned back confidently, not realizing he had actually helped me escape the fire scene. It was only the fourth floor. I dragged my limping leg and hailed a taxi, telling the driver: “Airport.” The scenery outside the car window rapidly receded. I took out my phone, removed the SIM card, and snapped it in half – “Crack.” The card broke into two halves, casually tossed out the window by me. Sophia Evans, from now on, you and I will completely disappear from each other’s lives!

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My penny-pinching husband publicly auctioned off 365 of my intimate photos to make money. Not only did I not stop him, but I also pulled out a video recording and personally made him watch it thoroughly. However, the moment he saw the video, his face filled with terror, and he fell to his knees begging me for a divorce. After gifting me all his assets, he jumped into the river that night and committed suicide. This incident caused a huge stir, with the entire internet speculating. What exactly was in that video? Countless wealthy strangers were willing to pay high prices with company shares to acquire the video, but I ignored them all. Until my childhood sweetheart, now the richest man in town, proposed to me in grand fashion. At our wedding, I once again brought out that video… My husband Adam was notorious for being a penny-pincher. He wouldn’t let anyone touch his safe. But more than money, he valued his own life above all else. This was a man who would call the doctor for a full checkup over a simple sneeze. Yet after I showed him that video, he not only transferred all his assets to me, but even took his own life. The day after Adam’s death was confirmed, this incident blew up on social media and became a trending topic. “Adam Thompson was known to be extremely frugal. How could he possibly be willing to give up everything?” “Just confess and you’ll be treated leniently. Think carefully before you speak,” the young detective said sternly. He stared intently at my face, trying to warn me not to cover up the truth. I waved my hands anxiously. “I really don’t know, officer. Maybe he felt guilty about how he treated me and wanted to make amends?” I explained the whole sequence of events to them in detail – from Adam auctioning off my private photos with his mistress at an exhibition, to me showing him the video and watching him kneel and beg for divorce. “Impossible. From what we’ve learned, Adam wouldn’t even pay for groceries out of his own pocket,” the female officer beside him said with a grim expression. She glanced at a file and continued, “He even made the girls he cheated with pay for the hotel rooms and condoms.” “What exactly did you show him?” she demanded. “It really was just an adult video starring me, officer,” I said. I knew every word I spoke was the truth. Unable to get any useful information from me, the police had no choice but to end their interrogation. I returned to my apartment complex. As soon as I stepped out of the elevator, I found a crowd of reporters already gathered outside my door. “Ms. Brooks, your husband auctioned off your private photos for profit. Don’t you hate him for that?” “He didn’t do anything worth hating. And I really don’t know why he died,” I replied. Hearing my response, they exchanged excited glances and shoved their microphones closer. “Please tell us, what exactly was in that video?” “What was your purpose in showing the video? Are you sure Adam’s death had nothing to do with you?” “I really don’t know anything!” I cried, trying to dodge their cameras. But they wouldn’t listen and only grew more frenzied. The property management soon heard the commotion and came with some neighbors to drive the reporters away from my door. Just as I breathed a sigh of relief, Adam’s family angrily rushed up to confront me. “Lily Brooks, you killed my son and took all his money. You must pay for his life with your own!” Adam’s mother screamed. “What nonsense are you spouting? Lily’s been a good girl since she was little. She wouldn’t even hurt an ant, how could she possibly kill someone?” “If you ask me, it must be your son who offended the wrong person!” I didn’t say a word as the older ladies drove Adam’s family away with their scolding. No one would believe that I had killed Adam Thompson. Even I myself didn’t understand why he committed suicide after watching that video.

From a young age, I was always well-behaved and obedient. As a daughter, I was filial and never defied my elders. But Adam had been spoiled rotten since childhood, leaving a trail of broken hearts. After marrying into the Thompson family, I treated Adam as my whole world. I never went against his wishes. To satisfy his possessive nature, I would bundle up in layers even on the hottest summer days before going out. So no one believed the adult video I showed Adam was real. They also didn’t believe an ordinary video could kill a man who loved money more than life itself. But only I knew – it was all true. I just had no idea how this video could kill someone. For the next three years, Adam’s family still refused to give up on sending me to prison. They went from causing a scene at my door every day, to falling into despair after the police cleared me of suspicion. They finally accepted the reality that Adam had committed suicide. As for me, within a year of moving back to my old neighborhood, I reunited with my childhood friend Jack, who was now the heir to a business empire. We soon began dating. Three days before our wedding, Jack held me tightly and said, “Lily, I’m finally marrying you. I’ve waited 23 years for this day.” “I’ll make you the happiest woman in the world. I won’t be like your ex-husband at all.” He rested his chin on my shoulder. “If you ask me, your ex must have been fated to die young. A video killing someone? I don’t buy it! Those people will believe any rumor. How could they actually think a video can kill?” He paused, then took my hand and said, “But I have to admit, I’m quite curious too. Is there really something scandalous in that video?” He looked at me cautiously. “Don’t be angry. I’m not blaming you for making that kind of video. I just thought if I watched it, I could help prove the truth.” Jack’s eyes were full of concern. He always believed in me unconditionally like this. “I don’t know. But he really did die after watching the video,” I said quietly. “Don’t overthink it. Adam must have offended someone powerful and that’s why he died. You happened to show the video at that time, so those people used it as an excuse to avoid suspicion,” Jack reassured me. I asked worriedly, “But what if you watch it and end up dying like Adam? What would I do then?” “Marrying you is the luckiest thing to ever happen to me. Even if I die, I have no regrets,” Jack said with a bright smile. I angrily covered his mouth with my hand to stop him from saying such ominous things. After his repeated pleading, I finally nodded in agreement. “But I have one condition – you can’t watch the video alone.” Jack hugged me gently. “As you wish. I’ll watch it at our wedding then.”

At the wedding, countless guests stared at me curiously. “Who would have thought? She lost her husband but managed to marry someone even better.” “I wouldn’t dare marry a woman like that. Who knows when you might die mysteriously.” “It’s been so long, but I still want to know what was in that video. I wonder if we’ll get to see it today…” Adam’s parents had also been invited to attend my wedding. They now looked pale and gaunt, their faces like sheets of paper. But their eyes still held traces of hatred when they looked at me. I ignored it all. I was only thinking about what was about to happen, feeling increasingly nervous. Following the officiant’s blessings, I lifted my dress and walked step by step to Jack’s side. “Now, the bride has a surprise for everyone,” I said with a smile, handing the USB drive to Jack. “That’s right, as you’ve all guessed, this surprise is the mysterious video everyone’s been so curious about.” As soon as I finished speaking, the crowd erupted in whispers. Everyone’s faces showed a mix of fear and excitement. No one dared to step forward. Adam’s parents’ expressions became especially grim. When they saw Jack about to open the file, they suddenly rushed onto the stage shouting, “Don’t watch it! You absolutely must not watch it, it will kill you!” “She’s the real murderer, arrest her quickly! Wasn’t killing my son enough for you? Do you want to keep hurting more people?” Adam’s mother glared at me fiercely, her eyes filled with hatred like she wanted to devour me whole. “I really don’t know why he died. I didn’t kill him!” I stepped forward hesitantly to explain, but Jack immediately shielded me. He gave them an icy stare. “This is the most important day for Lily and me. If you’re here to cause trouble, please leave!” Adam’s mother kept shaking her head, insisting they couldn’t watch it or someone would die. His father pulled her arm, looking at me with grief-stricken eyes as he begged, “Please Lily, don’t hurt anyone else.” I frowned in confusion and asked, “What do you mean? Adam committed suicide. I’ve never hurt anyone.” Before I could finish, they both knelt before me, kowtowing repeatedly. “Adam wronged you, but he didn’t deserve to die! Please, the video absolutely cannot be shown!” Suddenly, they stared at me in terror, collapsing to the ground. They grabbed Jack’s pant leg, shaking their heads frantically. “She’s a demon! Lily Brooks is insane, you’ve all been fooled by her!” “Her parents didn’t even show up on her wedding day. When Adam married her, we never met her family.” “She’s cursed! It wasn’t enough to curse her parents to death, she had to kill our son too!” The scene descended into chaos. Jack’s expression darkened as he called security to remove them. He took a deep breath, placing his hand back on the mouse. Everyone pushed forward, both afraid yet curious to see. I stood beside Jack and held his hand, nervously holding my breath. “Maybe we shouldn’t watch it, Jack.” He smiled at me. “It’s fine, it’s just a video.” But his hand was trembling slightly. He swallowed hard and clicked the mouse. After the video finished playing, Jack wiped the sweat from his brow. “How was it, Mr. Evans? What was in the video?” “Looks like there was nothing wrong with the video. Adam Thompson must have done something terrible to kill himself.” Some people tried to get closer to see the screen, but Jack quickly shut the laptop. I had just started to relax when I noticed Jack, who had been smiling moments ago, was now frozen in place, staring at me wordlessly. His hand had turned ice cold as he pulled away from me and jumped off the stage.

Jack stared at me in fear, his eyes dark and hollow. I slowly tried to approach him, but he suddenly pushed away his father who attempted to stop him. “No, don’t come any closer!” he cried out. He snatched the white jade hairpin from his mother’s head and violently stabbed it into his own eye. “Jack, no! Don’t do anything foolish!” I screamed. I stood there in shock, momentarily dazed as I watched blood pour from his injured eye. The next second, my head began to throb painfully. I clutched my head as I walked towards Jack. “Jack, it’s me, Lily. What’s wrong with you?” I endured the splitting pain as I approached him step by step. With each step I took, the fear on his face intensified. “Don’t come near me! I won’t marry you, okay? I’ll give you everything!” Jack struggled violently, breaking free from his father’s grasp. Even though he could barely see, he recklessly charged forward. Screech! The tires let out a deafening screech. Screams and curses filled my mind. I collapsed to my knees, feeling chilled to the bone. Before me lay Jack, flung into a pool of blood after being hit by a car. His uninjured eye was wide open, staring at me in a way that made my scalp tingle. Jack’s mother rushed over to me, her eyes filled with hatred. “You wretched girl! My son was so good to you, how could you not even spare him? I’ll kill you!” Her nails dug into my arm. The pain snapped me back to reality. The day of the wedding became the day of Jack’s death. “This Lily Brooks really is cursed. She got her ex-husband killed, and now her new husband is dead too. What terrible luck!” “What curse? I think she must have done something to that video to get money. Anyone who watches it dies!” “We should all stay away from her. That woman is nothing but trouble. Only bad things happen around her.” The whispers grew louder. I clenched my fists tightly as Jack’s mother continued hitting and cursing at me. “I’m not cursed! I’m not!” I cried out. A bucket of red paint was thrown over me. Adam’s mother glared at me hatefully and screamed, “Go to hell!” She used all her strength to wrap her hands around my neck and squeeze. My face turned purple as I struggled to breathe. Tears streamed down my face. My breathing grew heavier. Just before I lost consciousness, I heard a familiar voice. And that’s when I finally understood what was really in that video.

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To have a child before my half-sister and legitimately inherit the family fortune, I selected three potential heirs. I invested in their companies and helped them prove their worth. I even went out of my way to please Zachary, all in hopes of marrying him. But Zachary always avoided me, yet knelt before my half-sister, professing his love: “You’re the true heir, my wife. If you’re not ready to accept me, I’ll pretend to marry her and help you reclaim what’s rightfully yours.” My father accused me of being fickle, asking which one I’d finally choose. Remembering Zachary’s humiliated look, I casually pointed at the most dazzling man under the spotlight and said, “That male model looks good. I’ll take him.” 0The man’s hand paused as he was handing me coffee, looking at me strangely, confusion spreading across his handsome face. My father was furious on the other end of the phone. “Ridiculous! You’ve chosen another man at random!” “You’ve been cultivating three suitors for years, and none of them satisfy you?” “And besides, is the Reed family open to just anyone?!” I flipped through the man’s profile, scanning it quickly before nodding with satisfaction. Turning to address my enraged father, I said, “Don’t worry, Dad. I’ve been evaluating those three for years, and I’ve just realized they’re all style over substance.” “Since I’m the one having the child, I’ll definitely be thorough in my vetting process. The father of my child won’t be some loser, so you don’t need to worry about that.” “Just remember your promise: whoever has a child first inherits Reed Enterprises. Have the stock transfer agreement and inheritance documents ready.” Faced with my directness, my father fell silent, leaving me with only one final comment: “Just make sure that man doesn’t embarrass our family.” He knew he had wronged me. Originally, I was the only daughter of the Reed family, the destined heir to Reed Enterprises. But on my 18th birthday, my half-sister stumbled through our front door, crying, “Dad, Mom’s dead. You’re the only family I have left.” My mother had passed away when I was young, and Dad had never remarried. I thought he was devoted to her memory, but it turned out he had a mistress and a half-sister only two years younger than me. Dad said he kept it from me to avoid hurting me, but Lily Snow moved into our home in tears on my birthday, making me the laughingstock of the entire city. To make it up to me, Dad immediately wanted to hand the company over to me. But Lily cried, her face red with tears. “Dad, I don’t care about fighting for the inheritance, but Mom put her heart and soul into this company too!” “If Mom hadn’t given up her career to take care of the family, how could you have devoted yourself entirely to the company? Now you want to hand over the company that Mom poured her heart into to an outsider? Are you trying to destroy this family?” “This is all that’s left of Mom in this world. I’m begging you…” Dad was torn, until a shareholder spoke up: “Mr. Reed only has two daughters. Giving it to either one means giving it to an outsider, right?” “Instead of this, why not have your daughters find future heirs? Whoever has a child first can inherit the company.” Dad agreed wholeheartedly and made the decision on the spot. That’s what was said, but everyone knew the company would most likely go to me, Aria Reed. I was older, had a wider social circle, and my status in our circles was far above Lily’s. Finding an excellent partner and having a child would be a piece of cake for me. Although Dad felt sorry for Lily, he knew deep down she wasn’t qualified to be the heir. He just couldn’t bring himself to explicitly tell her to give up her inheritance rights due to his guilty conscience and to save face. But since someone had offered a way out, he took it, though in his heart, he had already decided I would be his heir. Marriage and childbirth were just formalities to convince others and Lily. 0

I worked efficiently. As soon as I hung up the phone, I quickly prepared a document and handed it to the male model. The model’s name was Caleb Chase. He stopped my assistant from scolding me and silently signed the prenuptial agreement, even more compliant than I had imagined. My secretary was stunned, whispering in my ear, “Miss Reed, I think he’s specifically after you. Don’t let him trick you out of your heart, body, and money.” I looked around the room, filled with handsome men and beautiful women, but the man before me was undoubtedly the most eye-catching of them all. I had originally come to inspect the newest entertainment division of our branch company, but I never expected to gain a potential heir in the process. I shrugged, “What can he trick me out of? Money? I have plenty, and once I inherit Reed Enterprises, I won’t worry about supporting an idle husband.” “If he can provide quality genes, it’s a win-win deal for me.” I briefly skimmed through Caleb’s profile. As for Zachary and the others, since they were unwilling to marry me, there was no need for them to stay with the Reed family anymore. “Take that man for a full medical checkup and bring the results to the Reed house to see me.” Having resolved one issue, I left the company in a good mood, only to unexpectedly bump into a fragile figure. Lily covered her mouth, as if she had discovered some great secret. “Sister, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. I had no idea that even with three wonderful boyfriends, you still weren’t satisfied and wanted to fool around with other men…” Fearing she would start spreading rumors, I instinctively reached out to grab her. She recoiled as if I were some kind of monster, stumbling backward into Zachary’s arms, who had been right behind her. Zachary held Lily and demanded, “Aria, what have you done now? Look how scared Lily is!” Felix and Xavier came running up behind them, immediately starting to berate me without knowing the full story. “Aria, don’t go too far! Lily is part of the Reed family too. Why do you bully her the moment she comes to the company?” Lily tugged at the sleeves of all three men, pouting, “Zachary, guys, don’t blame my sister. It’s my fault for making her angry.” “I didn’t know she was flirting with a male model. I didn’t mean to interrupt her…” “Maybe it’s because you guys haven’t been paying much attention to her lately, so she’s feeling lonely and has set her sights on another man…” She directly portrayed me as a fickle woman. But over these years, I had never claimed to be any of their girlfriends. Firstly, out of respect for them, I didn’t want their reputations tarnished as men simultaneously kept by me. Secondly, whenever I brought up the topic of marriage, they would avoid it. Zachary even looked at me with disgust. “Are you that desperate to get married? Isn’t the money Reed Enterprises is giving you now enough for you to squander?” “Everyone knows that whichever Reed daughter marries and has a child first gets the entire Reed fortune. You’re pushing us to marry you, but have you considered your sister?” “Reed Enterprises belongs to her father and mother. Why are you trying to steal it?” “She’s the second daughter of the Reed family. She’s suffered for so many years outside, and now that she finally has a chance to live comfortably for a few years, you can’t wait to kick her out!” I stormed out, slamming the door. Later that night, wanting to apologize, I saw him on one knee before Lily, saying earnestly: “You’re the heir I acknowledge, my wife. If you’re not ready to accept me yet, I’ll pretend to marry her and help you reclaim the property that belongs to you.” “I swear, as long as I’m here, Aria will never be able to bully you.” Only then did I realize they didn’t want to get married; they just didn’t want to marry me. But Reed Enterprises was built by my parents. Lily’s mother willingly gave up her career to become a kept woman. Lily had been spending my father’s money and my mother’s inheritance since she was born. Yet in their eyes, Lily was the pitiful sister and the only Miss Reed. And I was supposed to hand everything over to Lily without a fight. 0

Thinking about this, any guilt I felt towards the three of them faded away. I had been wondering how to gracefully ask them to leave the Reed family, but since Lily had already seen what happened, there was no need to hide it anymore. So I cleared my throat and said, “Since you already know, let’s just lay it all out. Zachary, Felix, Xavier, our agreement is hereby terminated. From now on, I won’t invest in you with the intention of marriage, and I won’t take back the money I’ve already given you.” “From this point forward, you’re free to date and marry whoever you want. It has nothing to do with me anymore.” “I’ve already found a suitable marriage partner.” I thought they would cheer with joy, but instead, the three of them fell into an eerie silence. Lily couldn’t hide the delight in her eyes, but she pretended to be worried and asked me: “Sister, are you really giving up? Didn’t you love Zachary the most? Is it because they’ve been neglecting you, making you feel bad?” “You can’t just marry some random guy to fight for the inheritance. It’s easy to catch diseases that way.” “Guys, please talk some sense into her. Don’t let her hurt herself or you because of me.” She moved between the three men, gently persuading them. Xavier couldn’t help but laugh, then immediately fell silent, looking at me maliciously. “This is your plan, isn’t it? To make Lily push us away herself, forcing us to marry you.” Felix’s eyes lit up with sudden realization. “I knew you couldn’t have changed your mind so quickly! So it was intentional, wanting to make us jealous and fight with your own sister over men!” Zachary chuckled coldly, his eyes full of disappointment: “Aria, I never thought you were this kind of person.” “You treat us like kept men, coming and going as you please. Seeing that we’re unwilling to marry you, you come up with this despicable scheme to force us.” “Lily, as your sister, sees money as dirt. She only has us to support her, yet she’s willing to give us up to make you happy.” “And you? You’ve already taken her father, and now you want to take her mother’s inheritance too. You think you can get the Reed fortune by lowering yourself to marry just anyone? Keep dreaming!” “Compared to Lily, you’re not even close!” I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. “Haven’t you always hated me? I agree to let you go, you don’t have to pay me back, and you can be with your beloved Lily. Shouldn’t you be grateful?” Xavier scoffed at my words: “You’re so devious, who knows if you’ll keep your word? You said before that you were willingly giving us the money, but what if you demand we pay it back a hundred or thousand times over in the future?” Felix chimed in: “Even if we marry Lily and let her inherit Reed Enterprises, with your skills, how could Lily possibly be your match? The company would still end up in your hands!” “You act generous, but if we really get together with Lily, you’ll definitely use every underhanded method to bully her!” I was inexplicably surrounded and attacked by the three of them, and I started to get angry too. Seeing Zachary looking down on me, I decided to give it my all and swung at his face. “Ah!” “Sister, even if Zachary doesn’t want to marry you, you can’t hit people! Wuwuwu…” Zachary couldn’t dodge in time, but Lily reacted quickly, shielding him and taking the slap for him. “Sister, I’ll let you have Zachary. I’ll tell him to marry you. Please don’t hit anymore, okay?” She fell to the ground, then hurriedly knelt before Zachary. “Zachary, please marry my sister! I don’t mind, don’t consider me. I’m willing to do anything as long as my sister is happy!” 0

I crouched down to check Lily’s injuries. Zachary’s eyes were bloodshot as he kicked me hard in the chest. “You bitch! You’re too vicious!” He treated me like an enemy, kicking me viciously. My vision went black, and I fell to the ground, clutching my chest, unable to move. Xavier took the opportunity to slap me. “How can Lily have such a shameless sister like you!” “Pah! We’d rather marry a beggar than marry you!” Zachary picked Lily up in his arms, looking at me and enunciating each word: “If anything happens to Lily, I’ll make you pay double!” I lay on the ground for a while before staggering to my feet. My chest ached, but I suppressed my anger and got into the car, telling the driver to take me back to the Reed house. If they show no compassion, they can’t blame me for being ruthless! Now, not only will I kick them out of the Reed family, but I’ll also make them pay back every penny I invested in them! I returned home furiously, only to hear a chorus of laughter. Seeing me, Lily trembled violently, as if she had seen something terrifying. Felix shielded her behind him, his eyes blazing as he looked at me: “You dare to come back!” It seems Dad had already told them. I sneered, “Since you know, why don’t you get out quickly?! You’re of no use here anymore!” “You?!” Felix pointed at me, his hands shaking. Zachary stood in front of the others, looking righteous: “If you have any anger, take it out on me. But asking us to leave the Reed family? Impossible.” “I’ve already told Mr. Reed that Lily and I are getting married. From now on, Lily and I are the heads of the Reed family.” “Felix and Xavier will be our right-hand men in the future, helping us manage Reed Enterprises. Their stay or departure is not for you to decide.” “You have no right to come back!” Xavier slapped his thigh and laughed out loud: “You still think you’re the Reed family’s eldest daughter? Once Lily has a child, you’ll be out on the streets!” “Although only one of us can marry Lily, even so, we absolutely won’t let you have any advantage. If you kneel down and apologize to Lily now, we might be merciful enough to let you have a child, so you won’t be lonely even after being kicked out of the Reed family.” 0

Lily blinked her eyes, looking at me coyly. “Sister, I didn’t mean for this to happen, but I really do love Zachary.” “Since you’ve found another man, why don’t you let him go to me? You drink and party every day, meeting far more men than I do, but I only have Zachary.” “I can’t live without him.” Zachary looked at her with extreme tenderness. “Lily, you don’t need to beg her. I make my own decisions about who I marry.” I laughed mirthlessly: “Fine, Zachary. If you’re so tough, why don’t you pay back all the money I’ve spent on you first?” His small company, his designer clothes, his clients – all were given by me. Zachary had probably forgotten that he owed his success entirely to me. So I decided to remind him. Zachary stiffened at my revelation. “You really never cared about me. All you see is money.” “When Lily and I have our child, I’ll pay you back double!” I said sarcastically: “Haha, even if you married and had a child on the same day as me, with your abilities, you couldn’t compete with me.” “I’ve been too lenient with you before, spoiling you to the point where you don’t know your place?” “Don’t forget, I am the daughter of the Reed family! Even if you marry Lily, you’re still just penniless nobodies. What qualifies you to become directors of the company?” With each sentence I spoke, the three men’s faces grew paler. “And you!” Lily opened her mouth, but I cut her off harshly. “You have no ability of your own, so you want to hand the company over to others, and to these three ungrateful men at that.” “They can benefit from me while bullying me today. Tomorrow, they’ll cheat on you behind your back and use Reed family money to keep mistresses.” “Isn’t that exactly what you and your mother did? Spending my father’s money outside.” Lily bit her lip hard, her eyes exploding with intense hatred. Zachary couldn’t bear to see Lily upset and pointed at my nose, cursing: “Aria, do you think everyone is like you, only caring about money? What Lily and I have is true love.” “As for you…” He pointed at my secretary, who had hurried over, his tone mocking: “You couldn’t buy our true feelings with money, so you went to keep a dirty man. Who knows, maybe he doesn’t even want you!” The secretary leaned close to my ear and said: “Boss! That man… he, he…” “He’s backing out?” My expression darkened. Zachary grinned triumphantly: “What did I say, Aria? A vain, money-grubbing woman like you, even if you pay to keep someone, no one would want you!” “Even a dirty man won’t marry you. Let’s see how smug you are now.” The secretary looked at the four smug faces, then at my grim expression. “He said he wants to…” A man’s magnetic voice came from the doorway. “I want to come and propose in person.”

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