Author: Momo Chan

When I got engaged to my boyfriend, his first love returned from abroad with twins. His ex cried to me, “If you hate me, take it out on me. But Asher and I are truly in love. We already have children together. You wouldn’t want to be the other woman, would you?” I just laughed. Looking down at her with my height advantage, I said, “First, I’m only taking back what’s mine. Second, Asher and I got together after you two broke up. If anyone’s the other woman here, it’s you coming to ruin my engagement party.” When I saw Asher hugging his ex and their twins, I smiled. The way his ex looked at me seemed to say, “What are you so proud of? You’re just a supporting character.” She must think she’s the heroine of some cheesy romance drama. With her plain looks and apparent lack of brains, she wouldn’t be giving me that challenging look otherwise. After all, this was my engagement party with Asher. But I knew this engagement was over, and Asher and I would never make it to the altar. Asher solemnly told me, “Rachel, I’m sorry. The one I truly love is Zora.” The banquet hall suddenly erupted in chatter. After all, I was young, beautiful, highly educated, capable, and from a good family – far superior to Asher’s poor ex in every way. Only Asher’s friends looked at him approvingly, seemingly moved by his devotion. They even gave me pitying looks, as if mocking a jilted woman. Birds of a feather really do flock together. I had loved Asher for so many years, willingly giving him everything. But it only takes a moment to lose all respect for someone. I took off the diamond ring and tossed it at Asher, saying nonchalantly, “Fine. Then let’s settle our accounts.” Asher was stunned. “What accounts?” What a stupid question. “All those years I helped manage your company and invested in you – you think that was all for free? Do I look like some fool who works for love?” Asher seemed shocked by my decisiveness. He was speechless. His ex Zora stepped forward crying to speak for him. “Miss Song, you’re so wealthy. The money you invested in Asher is just pocket change to you. Why are you being so petty?” Asher’s friends chimed in too. “Yeah Rachel, you don’t look like you’re hurting for money.” “Are you just lashing out because you’re humiliated?” “Getting dumped at your own engagement party is pretty embarrassing.” Asher at least had some conscience and tried to stop them. “That’s enough, guys.” “Miss Song…” Zora said tearfully, “If you hate me, take it out on me. But Asher and I are truly in love. We already have children together. You wouldn’t want to be the other woman, would you?” I just laughed. This poor thing thought she had the moral high ground and was trying to paint me as the villain. What a hypocrite. Looking down at her with my height advantage, I said, “First, I’m only taking back what’s mine. Second, Asher and I got together after you two broke up. If anyone’s the other woman here, it’s you coming to ruin my engagement party.” Zora immediately put on an extremely wronged expression, tears streaming down her face. Asher looked pained, as if wanting to defend his precious ex. I spoke up before he could: “Asher, you should know my patience is limited.”

Sure enough, Asher backed down. We went to a private club where I was a member. Oh, and Zora came along with her twins too. Asher and I sat facing each other, while Zora tended to the kids nearby, occasionally glancing our way. Asher said, “Rachel, I’ll pay back everything I owe you, but I don’t have that much capital right now. Could you…” “If you don’t have the money, give me the projects you’re working on.” Since we were breaking up, might as well make a clean break. My decisiveness seemed to keep surprising Asher. He stared at me in shock. Zora was the typical stay-at-home mom type, clearly clueless about business matters. But when she heard I wanted to take Asher’s projects, she immediately spoke up. “That’s not right! Rachel, those projects are all Asher’s…” I was nauseated just hearing Zora’s voice now. She thought she was helping Asher? Wrong! I may be cool-headed, but I’m not magnanimous. Her voice was a constant reminder that my relationship ended because of this homewrecker. “Do you have any right to speak here?” Zora was immediately silenced, looking wronged and pitiful as if I was bullying her. Naturally, Asher was unhappy with how I spoke to his beloved ex. “Rachel, Zora doesn’t know anything about this. Why are you being so harsh?” He turned to Zora and said, “Those projects were all negotiated by Rachel herself. It’s only fair for her to take them.” I laughed, amused by Asher’s naivety. “Of course I’m taking the projects I negotiated myself. I’m talking about the ones you’re working on.” Asher was shocked. “What do you mean?” I sneered, “You said you don’t have capital. So use your projects to pay me back. Is that so hard to understand?” Asher’s expression darkened, as if holding back anger. “Rachel, do you have to be so ruthless? Can’t we even remain friends?” Friends? A man who abandoned me at our engagement party wants to be friends? What a joke. I’d like to demand fairness from Asher, but him dumping me at the engagement was an irrefutable fact – and a lesson learned. I told Vincent very seriously, “I have no obligation to do that.”

In the end, I forcefully took not only the projects I had negotiated myself, but also picked two of Asher’s most profitable ones. These two projects would make a huge profit, far exceeding all the money I had invested in Asher over the years. Having gotten what I wanted, I left. As I walked out, I could still hear Zora’s tearful complaints and the kids’ noisy cries. I couldn’t be bothered with them anymore. My focus now was on cashing in. … For years, I had been busy revolving around Asher, rarely returning to my own company. The project handovers went very smoothly. Besides the ones I had personally handled, one of the projects I took from Asher immediately agreed to work with me. Only one was still hesitant, saying they needed to evaluate further. Since my company’s business scope didn’t overlap much with Asher’s, they were concerned I might lack expertise. The next morning, I had an appointment to meet their person in charge, still at that same club. I didn’t expect the person who came would be Vincent. He was Asher’s uncle. In all my years dating Asher, I had only met him twice, including this time. Vincent had a very strong presence. From the first time I met him, I was a bit intimidated by him. Well, just a tiny bit. Vincent smiled at me, very gentlemanly and elegant, but also giving off an oppressive aura. “Why don’t you come in?” Vincent was like someone who believed in Buddha but acted like a demon. My instincts told me this man was dangerous. Asher was his nephew – why would he agree to work with me on this project? Could he be seeking revenge for his nephew? I walked in and sat across from Vincent, forcing myself to smile. “Hello, Mr. Shen.” Vincent seemed to be in a good mood. “You remember me?” How could I forget such an important figure? I said, “Of course. I met you last year when Asher took me home for dinner.” Vincent kept smiling. “I’m honored to have left such a deep first impression on you.” This was typical Vincent – smiling and speaking pleasantly, but I still had to be on guard. I was afraid he might stab me while smiling.

I decided not to pursue this project anymore. It wasn’t that I was scared, but I knew when to cut my losses. Before Vincent could make his move, I decisively cut off his line of attack. “Mr. Shen, I’m sure you know about my situation with Asher. I think we should call off our cooperation.” Vincent just calmly asked, “Why?” Did he really need to ask? Didn’t he know the reason? “Then why did you agree to work with me?” I countered. Wasn’t it to get revenge for his nephew? Vincent stared into my eyes. “For you.” I was suddenly dumbfounded, not just by Vincent’s words, but by the way he looked at me. That blatant possessiveness made it hard for me to breathe. I also didn’t understand what he meant by those three words. “What do you mean?” Vincent sat up straight, smiling at me. “Can’t you tell? I’m pursuing you.” His tone was light and ambiguous at the end. It gave me goosebumps. I had just broken up with his nephew, and now he was pursuing me? Who would believe that? I was even more furious now. I felt like Vincent was treating me like a fool. “Vincent, do you think I’m that easy to fool?” The way Vincent looked at me seemed appreciative, as if my anger was something very interesting to him. He said, “I’m not fooling you.” I tried to stay calm despite my anger. “We’ve only met twice.” “Who says I can’t fall for you at first sight?” Vincent asked as if it was the most natural thing, his expression unreadable. I wasn’t intimidated by him at all now. Anger made me feel invincible. I challenged him, “I was still Asher’s girlfriend then. You fell for your future niece-in-law at first sight?” “Is there a problem with that? I only started pursuing you after you broke up. I don’t think I’ve done anything wrong.” He spoke casually, making perfect sense. But I just couldn’t believe it. This came too suddenly, and at such a time. I had to be cautious. “I don’t like you…” “That’s why I’m pursuing you,” Vincent interrupted me. “This project is just my way of getting close to you. If it makes you uncomfortable, you can cancel the cooperation anytime. But I’ll continue pursuing you.” He seemed very persistent, as if he really was interested in me. The project matter was temporarily set aside. I stood up. “Let’s end the discussion here. I have other matters to attend to.” I nodded at him and started walking away. Just as I reached the door, I heard Vincent call out to me. He called my name. “Rachel.” I turned to look at him. He had also stood up and was walking towards me. Vincent was even taller than Asher, definitely over 6’1″. With his strong presence, I felt a sense of pressure as soon as he approached me. I hated feeling at a disadvantage like this. I raised my chin. “What?” Vincent stopped in front of me. I caught a whiff of his faint cologne – light and ethereal, hard to pinpoint the exact scent, but very pleasant. He asked me, “Am I inferior to Asher in any way?” I can’t believe Vincent would ask such a question. So he was human after all. “To be honest, you’re better than Asher in every way.” Asher wasn’t my boyfriend anymore. I had no reason to idealize him. Vincent asked again, “Then why don’t you like me?” Vincent’s questions always made me feel like we were talking past each other. I was analyzing objective factors, while he kept subjectively challenging me. I decided to be straightforward. “Vincent, I think you’re trying to get revenge on me for Asher.” Vincent was stunned for a moment, then laughed. “I see. It’s my mistake. I shouldn’t have mixed business with personal matters. I understand why you’re so guarded.” I breathed a sigh of relief. Once things were out in the open, the rest would follow naturally. “Then let’s call off our cooperation.” “Alright,” Vincent readily agreed.

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I’ve been childhood friends with Jack for as long as I can remember, and I’ve had a secret crush on him for ten years. I always thought that if I waited long enough, he would eventually notice me. That is, until Jack’s birthday party. He showed up holding hands with my best friend, Vanessa. They kissed passionately amidst everyone’s congratulations. Then Jack said that to him, I was nothing more than a convenient helper. Jack has always been incredibly handsome, so he’s had a constant stream of admirers and girlfriends since we were young. I was the only one who stayed by his side all this time. I always thought I was special to him, carefully hiding my feelings while doing whatever he asked. Jack’s friends often teased him, saying, “Jack, you’ve got yourself a loyal little sidekick, don’t you?” Jack never denied it. This year, Jack turned twenty-four. One day, after waking up from a post-breakup drinking binge, I was in the kitchen cooking when Jack came up behind me and patted my head. “Tangerine,” he said, using my nickname, “what would I do without you? I’d probably starve to death, wouldn’t I?” “You know what? Maybe we should just get together,” he added casually. His offhand comment nearly stopped my heart. I froze, unable to speak. But Jack laughed it off first. “Just kidding. You’re not really my type.” I shooed Jack out of the kitchen and continued cooking alone. His two sentences had lifted me up, only to shatter me completely. After I finished cooking, I left. Jack lazily said goodbye, “Come back soon, Tangerine.” I didn’t answer, practically fleeing from his apartment. When I got home, my college roommate Vanessa was there, inviting me to eat some strawberries with her. Looking at Vanessa sitting on the couch in just her pajamas, her face bare of makeup yet still breathtakingly beautiful, I couldn’t help but feel dejected. If only I were that pretty, maybe Jack would like me. Of course, Jack has always been attracted to beautiful, glamorous, dazzling women. And me? I’m just ordinary, unremarkable. Like one of the countless stars in the sky – most people probably couldn’t even name me if they tried. Seeing me lost in thought, Vanessa pinched my cheek. “Why so dazed? You’ve been acting weird ever since you came back from seeing your crush today.” “Did you two have a fight?” Vanessa knew I had liked someone for a long time, so she occasionally teased me about it. I shook my head. “What crush? We’re just friends. Don’t make things up.” “Oh, come on. If you like him, just admit it. There’s nothing to be ashamed of. If you like him, confess. If he doesn’t like you back, at least you can move on. Why torture yourself like this?” She was right, but it was hard for me to do. After all, I had liked him for ten years. But this time, I silently told myself: one last chance. If it doesn’t work out this time, I’ll give up. On my birthday, I invited Jack out for dinner. But I didn’t expect him to come to my rented apartment while I was out. Jack and Vanessa met face to face. They chatted briefly, but to me, they looked like a perfect match – the handsome guy and the beautiful girl. I dug my nails into my palms, telling myself it was nothing. After Vanessa left, Jack excitedly bumped my shoulder. “Wow, Tangerine! I can’t believe you never told me you had such a gorgeous friend.” “You never asked,” I replied. It’s true. He never cared about my studies, my life, or my friends. It had always been me chasing after him. “Hey, give me her SnapChat. I’ll treat you to something nice in return.” I shook my head, forcing myself to say, “She doesn’t like guys like you.” “Oh, come on. Just give it to me, will you?” In the end, I gave it to him. But I thought that since Vanessa had known me for so long and knew I liked Jack, she surely wouldn’t accept his advances. After that, Jack occasionally came to my rented apartment. He and Vanessa didn’t talk much; they weren’t very familiar with each other. This reassured me. I was planning to confess to Jack at his birthday party a month later. If it didn’t work out, I would give up. But I was sure it would work. After all this time, he must have noticed me by now. I prepared for a long time, deciding what to wear to the birthday party and even revising my confession speech more than a dozen times. However, I failed to notice Vanessa’s increasingly frequent late nights out and the happy smile on her face. On the day of Jack’s birthday, he invited many friends. I deliberately wore a beautiful long dress. Before I left, Vanessa gave me a strange look. Her words were odd too. “Why are you dressing up so formally for his birthday? People might think it’s a proposal or something.” I detected a hint of mockery in her words, but when I turned to look at her, she was just staring at her phone. When I arrived at the private room, Jack wasn’t there yet. I knew Jack’s friends, and they sat next to me, teasing, “Tangerine, you’re dressed so beautifully today. Are you going to confess to Jack?” “Good luck! If you succeed, you have to treat us all to drinks!” “Sure,” I agreed with a smile. Jack arrived half an hour later. Everyone was pushing me, ready to shove me in front of Jack as soon as he opened the door. But to everyone’s surprise, he walked in holding Vanessa’s hand. The hands pushing me suddenly stopped. The atmosphere instantly became awkward. I stood there holding a bouquet of flowers, feeling completely out of place. Vanessa broke the silence first. “Jack, look at the flowers Tangerine bought for you. Thank her, won’t you?” Jack tightened his grip on Vanessa’s hand. “How generous of you.” Then he turned to me and said perfunctorily, “Thanks, Tangerine.” For the rest of the evening, I hid in a corner, looking down at my now ridiculous dress and feeling utterly foolish. So, the feelings that all his friends knew about – how could he not have known? So, because I wasn’t pretty enough, I was destined not to be liked by him. But Vanessa, whom he had only known for a short time, could capture his heart. The sofa beside me dipped as Vanessa sat down. There was a smile on her face that didn’t reach her eyes. She apologized, “I’m sorry, Tangerine. I didn’t tell you about us getting together.” “But you can’t control these things in relationships. You should face reality.” I looked at her, shocked. I never expected Vanessa, whom I had known for years, to be like this. She dismissed my confusion with disdain. “Don’t you understand yet? He likes beautiful women.” I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t argue. For the rest of the evening, Jack blew out the candles on his cake, then embraced Vanessa and kissed her under the lights. At that moment, I decided: I don’t want to like Jack anymore, and I don’t want to be friends with Vanessa anymore. I took Jack’s house key out of my pocket and put it in Vanessa’s bag. As I was about to leave, Vanessa grabbed me. Her beautiful features were even more captivating as she spoke with a pitiful expression, “Tangerine, I know you’re angry with me. But I’m sorry, you can’t control love. I promise I’ll treat Jack well.” For a moment, I froze in place. Not just me, but Jack’s friends were stunned too. She was doing this on purpose, humiliating me in front of everyone. I wanted to say something, but Jack beat me to it. “What are you talking about? Tangerine and I are just like siblings. I’d never like someone like her. Right, Tangerine?” Fighting back tears, I looked at Jack and Vanessa in the silent room. “Yes, I used to like Jack. But from today on, I will never like Jack again. If I do, may I drop dead.” After I said this, Jack’s expression changed dramatically. “And Vanessa, I don’t want to be friends with you anymore. You disgust me.” With that, I left. But as soon as I got out the door, Jack caught up with me. His voice was cold. “Lily, apologize to Vanessa.” I shook off his hand. “Apologize my ass. I was an idiot for ever liking you.” Seeing Jack’s shocked expression, I turned and left. This time, he didn’t follow. I walked down the street in my dress, hunched over and sobbing uncontrollably. I cried for a long time before I noticed someone behind me. Through my tears, I saw a guy in a black hoodie standing not far away, watching me. He was quite handsome. I crouched down, picked up a brick, and pointed it at him. “If you keep following me, I’ll fight you to the death.” My outburst made everyone around us stare at me and the guy. The guy frowned slightly and walked towards me. “Wipe your tears and look at who I am.” I didn’t have any tissues, and I had been sniffling back my runny nose. How could I wipe my face? The guy sighed, rummaged in his pocket for a while, but found nothing. I watched him turn to a girl nearby and say, “Excuse me, do you have any tissues? I’ll pay for them. My friend just had a breakup.” Eventually, he got a pack of tissues. He stood in front of me, opened the pack, and started wiping my face, mixing my tears and snot together. I pushed him away, but at least I could see clearly now. The guy in front of me was very handsome, even more so than Jack. He frowned, “Do you recognize me now?” I shook my head. “No, who are you?” After I said this, the guy laughed coldly. “Last time you rode my bike to the department office to get a stamp, you punctured both my tires in four places. You even said, ‘Mr. President, I will forever remember your great kindness. Your image and smile will always be in my heart.’” “Oh, and now you don’t even remember what I look like?” ! I remembered now. It was Ryan, the former student council president. But he had stepped down half a year ago. It was normal that I didn’t remember him, right? I tried to sniffle back my runny nose. “What brings you here? Are you here to ask for compensation for your bike? Can we talk about it tomorrow? Waaah…” I was about to cry again when a tissue was thrust in my face. Ryan commanded coldly, “Cry again and you’ll have to pay for the bike.” “So… what are you doing here?” “I was out for dinner and saw you walking down the street with your mouth wide open, wailing like a mobile broadcast van. I came to see what the fuss was about. No good intentions here.” “…” How mean. “Have you seen enough then?” I lowered my head, feeling dejected. Ryan sighed and took off his hoodie, putting it over my head. “Stop crying. I’ll take you home. Are you living on campus or off-campus? It’s already 10 PM, it’s not safe for you to walk alone like this.” “Oh, thank you, Mr. President. When I have money, I’ll definitely pay you back for your bike tires.” “Don’t call me President anymore. I stepped down long ago. Call me Ryan.” It would take about 20 minutes to walk to my apartment from here, and I had been walking in the opposite direction earlier. Now I had to turn back. Ryan’s face seemed to attract a lot of attention, but more people seemed to be looking at me. I blinked, and an eyelash fell out. Oh right, I had put on fake eyelashes today for my confession to Jack. They cost over ten dollars a pair. What a waste. Suddenly, I remembered that I still shared an apartment with Vanessa. I sniffled and looked at Ryan sheepishly. “I have a favor to ask.” He glanced at me, frowning without hesitation. “Then don’t ask.” “Please, I’m begging you. My best friend got together with the guy I’ve liked for ten years. Will you help me move out if I tell you the whole story?” “… At 10:30 PM? Moving? Have you even thought about where you’re going to move to?” “No! But even if I have to sleep on the streets, I have to move out!” Ryan closed his eyes helplessly, pondering for a long time before finally agreeing. “Stop crying. Fine, we’ll move. I must be crazy to get involved in this mess.” I called a moving van, and it took Ryan and me back to my rented apartment. This kind-hearted sucker started helping me move. He was really efficient at it. But we had only moved half of my stuff when Vanessa and Jack came back. They stared at the mess of things at the door and Ryan and me bustling in and out. After a moment, Vanessa shrieked, “Lily, what are you doing?” I glanced at her without answering. As Ryan passed by Jack carrying my oven, he deliberately bumped into him hard. Then he turned back to ask me, “Why does a college student living in a rented apartment need an oven?” This oven was actually bought to bake cupcakes for Jack, and Vanessa had eaten plenty of them too. In the end, she betrayed me because of Jack’s hurtful words about me. I guess those cupcakes were wasted on ungrateful dogs. I glanced at Jack and Vanessa before answering, “I bought it to bake cupcakes for these two-timing dogs.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295023”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #魔幻Magic #重生Reborn #校园School #惊悚Thriller #擦边Steamy

I listened to my best friend’s urging and planned to secretly meet my childhood friend. As I was about to leave, a book fell from the sky and hit my head. In the book, I constantly hurt my loving husband in order to be with my childhood friend. In the end, I was betrayed by my best friend and childhood friend, left alone and abandoned. I decided to play along and go to the meeting. When my childhood friend tried to hug me, I pushed him away and made it clear we had no relationship. I turned and walked to my husband who was standing in the corner. He asked suspiciously, “What game are you playing now?” “Hubby, hug me,” I said. Well, who wouldn’t want a rich husband who loves you deeply? After being hit on the head by a book that fell from the sky, a new set of memories appeared in my mind. Because of these memories, my obsession with my first love completely vanished. When I woke up, I was still a bit dazed, thinking I was cramped in a dark, damp basement, waking up every day worrying about how to make money, or else I’d be homeless the next day. I looked around the room – it was luxuriously decorated, with everything arranged according to my preferences. The extra memories were so vivid, as if heaven was deliberately reminding me. If I remained stubborn and unrepentant, I would end up in a miserable situation in the future. I pulled back the curtains and saw a large field of roses. My husband Adrian had hired professional gardeners to plant them. The entire villa’s decor, down to every flower in the garden, was designed based on my preferences. But in the past, I saw it as a beautiful cage. I opened my phone and, unsurprisingly, there were many messages from my best friend Rachel. We had originally planned to go out three days ago, but I was knocked unconscious by the falling book right before leaving, so the plan fell through. “Hazel, did Adrian lock you up at home again? He’s such a psycho. I’ll definitely help you escape. Jack is still waiting for you.” I couldn’t help but laugh. She called Adrian a psycho, but she used all sorts of tricks to seduce him after I left. And Jack, my first love who was supposedly waiting for me, had already dated countless women abroad. In the new memories, I used suicide to force Adrian to divorce me. He was left scarred and broken, but still willing to give me most of his assets. Unfortunately, that money was quickly swindled away by Jack. It was only then that I realized everything had been fake. … I hadn’t responded to Rachel for three days, and she was clearly getting anxious. She kept sending messages, trying to drive a wedge between Adrian and me, while painting Jack as deeply in love with me. “Adrian is coming back from abroad in two days. You’ll really have no chance after that.” Adrian’s whereabouts were always kept secret, yet she even knew when he was returning. It seems Rachel had quite a few spies around Adrian. I pondered for a moment, then opened my chat with Adrian. All the messages were from him, ranging from daily greetings to itinerary updates. But I had never replied. The last message was from last night. Adrian said his flight had been rescheduled and he would be back today. In the past, I would have gotten a headache seeing this message. But at this moment, I suddenly felt an overwhelming longing for my husband. “Okay, I’ll wait for you to come back. Be careful on the way.” Just after I sent the message, there was a sudden commotion downstairs. A car had stopped at the entrance of the estate. A 5-year-old boy got out of the car, wearing a kindergarten backpack and holding something in his hand. As he walked into the estate, everyone he passed stopped to greet him. Because he was Adrian’s and my child. The child who looked 80% like Adrian, so I had never liked him.

I once overheard our son talking to Adrian. The 5-year-old was innocent yet sensitive, asking Adrian if he wasn’t behaving well enough. “Why doesn’t mommy like me? Is it because I’m not obedient?” Adrian held him on his lap, gently stroking his face. “Maybe… it’s because you look too much like daddy.” When I went downstairs, our son had just walked in. Seeing me, his eyes lit up, but he only inched cautiously towards me. “Mommy…” His gaze kept scanning me until it suddenly fell on the bruise on my forehead from being hit. His eyes widened and he rushed over without hesitation. “Mommy, what happened to your head?” “I accidentally bumped my head. Have you been good at kindergarten this week?” Looking at his cautious demeanor, I couldn’t help but reach out to wipe the sweat from his forehead. Our son was visibly startled, but still nuzzled my hand obediently. “I’ve been good. I even got a gold star from the teacher.” The housekeeper watched us nervously and carefully approached. “Young master, why don’t we go play with your toys instead of bothering mommy?” Our son looked at me reluctantly, clearly not wanting to leave, but still let go of my hand. We rarely had intimate moments. In the past, I had mixed feelings of love and hate towards this child. But now I just wanted to make it up to him. “Am I not allowed to talk to my own son?” I raised an eyebrow at the housekeeper, who flinched and immediately backed away. It seems my past crazy behavior in the villa had left quite an impression, making everyone in the house wary of me. Only my son looked at me in confusion, his chubby little hands fidgeting with his clothes. After a while, I finally heard his tentative voice. “Mommy, do you want to see my gold star?” I finally noticed the gold star he was holding and nodded immediately. Seeing his face light up with a smile, he happily placed the star in my palm. “It’s beautiful. My baby is so clever.” Everyone looked at me in shock. My son was so excited he couldn’t speak. For the whole day, my son played nearby, not too close but not too far, glancing at me from time to time. Finally, I couldn’t resist patting my lap. “Do you want to sit on mommy’s lap and play?” My son stood up, looked at his toy thoughtfully for a while, then smiled brightly and ran over to me happily. He sat in my lap very obediently, looking up at my expression every so often while playing. “Mommy, do you want to play with the toys? Or read a storybook?” Behind the well-behaved child was a long-term lack of maternal love. He was always cautious, afraid of angering me. My heart melted at the sight. I pulled my son close and hugged him tightly. “It’s okay, sweetie. From now on, mommy will do whatever you want to do with you.”

I played with my son all day. By evening, I was unusually tired as soon as my head hit the pillow. In the middle of the night, I suddenly felt cold next to me. I tried to pull the blanket, but my hand was restrained by something. A body pressed down on me, so heavy I could barely breathe. I could only groggily open my eyes in my sleepy state. As soon as I opened my eyes, I met a pair of almond-shaped eyes, instantly captivated. Adrian was undeniably handsome. This was something I could never deny. He had alluring almond eyes with a beauty mark below them. The first time we met, I even wondered if fox spirits really existed in this world. How else could a man wearing a complex three-piece suit, covered from head to toe, still silently seduce you with just a glance? “Hazel.” He softened his voice, husky and magnetic, as if bewitching me. “It’s been a while. Did you miss me?” His cold fingers trailed across my face, sliding down my neck, raising goosebumps. “Let go of my hands first.” My wrists were tied with Adrian’s tie. I couldn’t move and could only quietly plead with him. Although Adrian was very tolerant of my tantrums in the villa, smashing glasses and crystal lamps, the truly sick one in our relationship was Adrian. He had an obsessive disorder, never letting go of things he was fixated on. He was sensitive, suspicious, and extremely possessive. Once, after arguing with Adrian due to Rachel’s instigation, I was directly locked up in the villa by him. “Baby, I don’t want to do this either. But once I let you go, who knows where you’ll run off to.” He caressed my face with one hand while skillfully unbuttoning my clothes with the other. Adrian’s body temperature was always low. As soon as he touched me, I felt a chill. “I really won’t run away. It’s uncomfortable being tied up like this.” Adrian ignored my words. Only after we were done did he finally release me. I was exhausted and could only lie panting in bed. He gently massaged my hands. I managed to open my eyes and saw Adrian kneeling by the bed, intently focused on my hands, his movements becoming increasingly gentle. “What do you want to say to me?” Adrian met my gaze, his eyes filled with complex emotions. “You suddenly messaged me. What did you want to discuss? Letting you leave? I’ve said before that I won’t agree…” For once, I argued with Adrian. Using my last bit of strength, I sat up and threw myself into his arms. Adrian was clearly stunned, his body stiffening. He just tightly wrapped his arms around me. I was too tired to talk to Adrian and fell fast asleep. When I woke up the next morning, I heard soft voices outside the door. “Is mommy still not awake? She said she’d have breakfast with me today.” “Mommy is very tired and needs to rest.” My son fell silent. Through the door crack, I saw him sit down on the floor. “Then I’ll wait here for mommy. This way she’ll see me when she wakes up.” Genetics truly are a mysterious thing. Not only did my son look similar to Adrian, sometimes his stubbornness was exactly the same. I softly called out “baby”, and hearing my voice, my son immediately got up and rushed towards the room. “Good morning, mommy.” Yesterday’s interactions had broken down the barriers between us. My son happily pounced in front of me, his chubby little hands holding mine. Adrian stood at the bedroom door, looking at me with a complex expression. He had tried every way to please me before, even begging me not to leave on his knees. Every time he got close, it only triggered greater disgust from me. So Adrian got used to standing at a distance, just awkwardly staring at me. Well, the best way to deal with an awkward person is to be direct. I looked at Adrian and smiled. “Good morning, hubby.” On Saturday morning, because of that one “hubby”, Adrian accidentally knocked over two water glasses. By the third time, I finally couldn’t hold back. “If you don’t like it, I won’t call you that anymore in the future.” “I do like it!” Good, this time he denied it faster than anyone. At the dining table, the housekeeper brought today’s breakfast. I met the housekeeper’s gaze. The moment our eyes met, she instinctively avoided it. “Mrs. Wood, how long have you been working in this house?” “Almost ten years. I used to work at the old mansion, but came here after the master married you.”

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My ex cheated on me with my best friend. To get revenge, I seduced his uncle. I called him “daddy” over and over until his ears turned red. Then he pinned me down on the couch, his eyes half-closed: “Little girl, you’re playing with fire.” “What do you mean by playing with fire?” I soon found out. Pinned down by Ethan Song, I begged for mercy: “My legs are numb.” His dark eyes turned crimson as he said huskily, “Call me daddy.” I whimpered, “Daddy…” “Daddy, I was wrong. I’ll never play with fire again, wah wah wah…” The next day, Ethan went to work full of energy, while I lay in bed with an aching back and numb legs. My pursuit of Ethan started six months ago. After dating Ryan Song for three years, I was cheated on. When it came to light, I confronted Ryan. “It’s bad enough that you cheated on me, but why did it have to be with Emma? You know who she is.” Emma Sun was my best friend. No, to be precise, she was my former best friend. One was my boyfriend, one was my best friend – the two most important people in my life had betrayed me. I was the fool all along. Back then, she strongly encouraged us to get together, saying we were a match made in heaven. Turns out she was just angry at Ryan and pushed him to me. Great, was I just a backup plan? The irony is, I only found out about all this after we broke up. Drunk at a bar late one night, I ran into Ethan Song. I had seen him before at Ryan’s house. In my drunken haze, I stumbled towards him. “Daddy…” My legs gave way and I fell straight forward. The shiny marble floor – if I hit that, my face would be ruined! My precious face! But I didn’t fall all the way. Halfway down, someone caught me. A pair of strong hands firmly gripped my wrists. That was close! It was Ethan who steadied me. I looked up into his obsidian eyes. An evil thought popped into my mind and I acted on it immediately. As I stood up straight, I pretended to still be drunk and fell into his arms, my lips barely grazing his cheek. Who was Ethan? Ryan’s uncle. If the scumbag had no feelings, I would have no loyalty. I’d seduce his uncle and make them call me auntie. Hahaha – perhaps my evil grin was too obvious, as Ethan narrowed his eyes and stared at me. “Daddy, I like you.” “You’re drunk.” “No I’m not!” I cupped his face and kissed him decisively. There were cheers and whistles from around us. Yes, success! Although what I really wanted was to slap Ryan and Emma’s faces countless times, That kind of revenge wasn’t a good idea. I needed to put mental and psychological pressure on them, to make them suffer the torment I had endured alone. I told Ethan that from the moment I first saw him, I couldn’t help but be attracted to him. Unfortunately, I was still with Ryan at the time. Now that I had broken up with him, I wanted to bravely pursue true love. His dark eyes were unfathomable as Ethan smiled slightly. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking. “Daddy, give me a chance.” Of course Ethan ignored me. Who would believe the words of a drunk? But I was determined and persistent. When he went to work, I would wait outside his company. I didn’t even go into the lobby. Sure enough, after a few days Ethan invited me to his office. “Little girl, what exactly are you trying to do?” His tone conveyed helpless resignation. I handed him the breakfast I had made myself, pretending to be pitiful and innocent, blinking my big eyes. “Daddy, I made you breakfast. Daddy, I have many good qualities.” Amusement flashed in Ethan’s eyes. With his chiseled features and sharp gaze, he was several leagues above Ryan in looks. And he was the big boss of the company. I wondered silently, how could two brothers born to the same mother be so different? “Tell me, what good qualities do you have?” I counted on my fingers: “Look daddy, I’m young, pretty, cute, I can make you laugh, cook for you, and most importantly, I like you very very much.” He shook his head, the corners of his mouth curving into a handsome smile. “Little girl, you’re too young.” I didn’t understand. Wasn’t being young a good thing? The more he rejected me, the more I pursued him, almost growing more determined with each setback. Finally, I seized the opportunity when he caught a cold and had a fever. I took advantage of his weakened state, unleashing my maternal instincts to take care of him day and night. After he recovered, Ethan finally agreed to date me for a while. I was hundreds of times happier than when I got together with Ryan. I hugged his neck and gave him a big kiss: “I love you so much, daddy.” Ethan’s voice was husky as he pushed me away and turned his face. “It’s too hot.” “Then take off your clothes!” I eagerly started unbuttoning his shirt, but of course he refused again. After all this time, how could such a beautiful woman like me not move him at all? I didn’t believe it. I pushed him down on the couch, and that’s how yesterday’s scene unfolded. Wah wah wah, it turns out Ethan wasn’t incapable, he was too capable. I rubbed my sore waist and texted him. “Bad daddy, I want bubble tea.” “As much as you want.” A friend texted me: “Did you know Ryan is engaged?” How would I know? I’ve been too busy with Ethan lately. “To who?” “Who else but Emma? Those two shameless people won’t last long. Lily, don’t be angry or sad.” It would be a lie to say I wasn’t angry or sad. Ryan and I dated for three years. It was my first relationship and I had invested my whole heart into it. When I found out the truth, it felt like a chunk of flesh had been violently carved out of my heart. It hurt so much. Ryan was getting engaged, and Ethan would definitely have to make an appearance. This was the day I had been waiting for. At the entrance of the five-star hotel, there was a wedding photo of Ryan and Emma. Their faces were pressed together, smiling brilliantly. I sneered and tightened my grip on Ethan’s arm. Inside the hall, elegant piano music began to play softly. Quite a few people had come to attend the engagement party. Ryan was dressed in a suit, looking more mature. Emma stood beside him, smiling gracefully and properly. Ethan glanced down at me and patted the back of my hand. “Let’s go toast them.” By toasting, he meant they would toast us. Firstly because of Ethan’s status, and secondly because Ethan was Ryan’s uncle after all. When they saw me, Emma’s smile froze on her face. Ryan didn’t look much better. Ethan’s voice was clear and pleasant: “This is your little aunt.” What? I didn’t quite catch that. Was it uncle or aunt? Ryan forced a smile uglier than crying: “Uncle, Auntie.” “…” Let’s put the titles aside for now. I cleared my throat, straightened my back, and stared at Emma, my gaze full of mockery. Ryan nudged her, and she reluctantly said, “Uncle, Auntie.” I felt like I was floating as Ethan led me away. “Aren’t you Ryan’s older brother?” Ethan raised an eyebrow: “Ryan is an only child. I’m his uncle.” “…” I was stunned. This generational gap was a bit hard for me to handle. “Mr. Song, regarding that piece of land in the west of the city, could you please be lenient and give our Huachuan Group a chance?” “Mr. Song, this is my nephew who just returned from studying abroad. He plans to develop his career domestically. I hope you can give him some guidance.” “Last time, thanks to Mr. Song’s generous help, our company avoided bankruptcy. If there’s anything you need in the future, Mr. Song, please don’t hesitate to ask!” … As soon as Ethan appeared, he immediately became the focus of the entire venue. Guests came forward to toast him one after another, treating Ethan with utmost respect. Some people are born to be the main character, while others, even standing in the center, can never become the protagonist. On stage, Ryan and Emma expressed their gratitude to the guests, but no one below paid them any attention. Who exactly was this Ethan? I excused myself to the restroom and took out my phone to search for information about Ethan. I was shocked by what I found. It turned out Ethan was the CEO of the Song Group, with assets worth hundreds of millions. He was truly a diamond bachelor! How much is thirty-two minus twenty-four? I counted on my fingers quietly. “Eight years!” No wonder Ethan said I was too young before. Of course I was young! A whole eight years younger. Did Ethan eat some kind of preservative? How could he look so young for someone eight years older than me? On my way back to the hall, I was lost in thought and bumped right into Ryan coming from the opposite direction. I quickly stepped back. What bad luck! “Lily White, how dare you seduce my fiancé right in front of me!” Emma, standing next to Ryan, glared at me furiously. “Me seduce him?” I pointed at Ryan and sneered, “As if he’s worthy?” “You!” Ryan’s face turned red with anger at being humiliated. “You’re just jealous!” Emma stepped forward to defend Ryan. “I wonder who it was that fought with her family to be with Ryan back then.” Emma hooked her arm through Ryan’s, her face full of mockery. Ryan put his arm around Emma’s waist, the corner of his mouth curling up smugly, looking utterly punchable. Damn it! How dare she bring up my past! I have to admit, Ryan was quite skilled at deceiving girls. On the way home from school one day, I was harassed by some drunk men. Like a scene from a movie, at the critical moment, Ryan happened to appear and played out a heroic rescue. Young and naive as I was, I thought I had found true love. With Emma deliberately matchmaking us, I ignored my family’s objections and resolutely got together with Ryan. I even repeatedly talked back to my dad to defend Ryan. It wasn’t until recently that I accidentally found out the drunk men were hired by Ryan. The so-called heroic rescue was all fake. And Ryan did all this just because of a bet. “Lily White, I thought pursuing you would be difficult, but I didn’t expect to succeed in just a week. Still, I have to thank you for helping me win 500 bucks.” My first love was actually sacrificed for a 500 dollar bet. How ridiculous! How pathetic! Don’t lower your head, or your crown will fall. Did they think they could hurt me like this? What a joke! “You call me auntie, so consider that 500 dollars my red envelope gift to you.” Ryan and Emma’s faces turned from blue to purple. Seeing their dismayed expressions, I tried hard to hold back my laughter as I patted Emma’s shoulder. “No need to thank me.” It’s good to be of a higher generation! “Lily White, don’t be too smug. Uncle is just interested in you for now. I’m sure it won’t be long before he gets tired of you.” Ryan looked down at me condescendingly and continued to mock, “You’d better not dream of marrying into the Song family. Uncle will never marry you.” “Ryan, you seem to know me very well.” My savior had arrived! I smiled slyly and quickly went to greet him, intimately hooking my arm through Ethan’s. “Daddy, you’re here.” I looked at Ethan pitifully, as if I had suffered a great injustice. “Uncle.” Ryan, who had been so arrogant before, obediently came up to Ethan. Emma reluctantly followed behind. Ethan narrowed his eyes at Ryan and said coldly, “Ryan, you’re still just a junior. Don’t overestimate yourself.” The surrounding air became cold and oppressive. Ryan nervously swallowed, unable to say a word. “Uncle, Ryan just…” Emma had only said half a sentence when Ethan interrupted her sternly. “Did I ask you?” Ethan’s face was indifferent, not even bothering to give Emma a glance. “Uncle, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have presumed to guess your thoughts. I won’t dare to do it again in the future.” Ryan could only apologize. “You’d better not.” Ethan coldly dropped these words and left, pulling me along by the hand. So this is what it feels like to have someone backing you up. It feels pretty good! … Ten minutes later. “Daddy, the banquet hasn’t ended yet. Isn’t it inappropriate for us to leave suddenly?” “Don’t want to leave?” The car made a sharp turn and pulled over to the side of the road. Is Ethan angry? I secretly glanced at Ethan, my mind racing, and hurriedly explained, “I’m just worried that leaving suddenly would be impolite.” “Hmm?” Ethan narrowed his eyes at me, his lips pressed together, waiting for my answer. “Alright, I admit, I just wanted to be called auntie a few more times.” I spoke rapidly and quickly lowered my head. It would be a waste not to take advantage of the situation. Thinking of Ryan and Emma’s angry but silent expressions, their eyes bulging, I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “Don’t worry, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future.” A gentle hand caressed my cheek. I looked up in confusion, and Ethan leaned down to kiss me. “Wait a second…” Ethan didn’t give me a chance to speak, deepening the kiss. … Late at night, I tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Plenty of opportunities in the future? What exactly did Ethan mean by that? The bedroom door opened quietly, and Ethan, who had finished work, came to the bedside with slow, careful movements. I quickly closed my eyes, pretending to be asleep. A hand came to my waist, and a familiar voice sounded in my ear. “Since you can’t sleep, why don’t we exercise a bit?” I wanted to continue pretending to be asleep, but I was too ticklish. “Daddy, can I say no?” “Better not.” Once again, I was thoroughly devoured…

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James Wilson: “Harper, just because you can’t have children doesn’t mean all women can’t.” “I’m a normal man, I need to continue my family line.” “If you want children, we could adopt one…” I continued to reason patiently. “I want my own, my flesh and blood child who can carry on my lineage. Don’t you understand?” James shouted, “You don’t understand because you don’t even have that function!” I: “But you are…” Infertile! You can’t have children at all! I swallowed the second half of the sentence silently, then secretly slipped the lottery ticket back into my pocket… I returned home after a three-day business trip, having won a billion-dollar lottery. To my shock, my husband, James Wilson, who I thought was infertile, handed me divorce papers. His reason? The woman he’d been keeping on the side was pregnant?! I stared at James, who was acting like he was ready to die for love, while my emotions churned inside. “What do you mean by this?” I asked. “I’m sorry, Harper. I know this is cruel to you, butEloise is pregnant. I need to give her and the child legitimacy. It’s a man’s responsibility.” “You’re cheating on me withEloise Thompson?” I couldn’t believe it. “Yes…Eloise understands me. She knows how much I’ve always wanted a child of my own.” Well, talk about the betrayal of the century. My most trusted husband had gotten together with the protégée I had personally mentored. These two really outdid themselves in betraying me! I massaged my temples, forcing myself to stay calm. James and I had been married for 8 years. Although we didn’t have children, our relationship had always been good. So I decided to give him one last chance: “Are you sure the child inEloise’s belly is yours?” To my surprise, James frowned and started mocking me: “Harper, just because you can’t have children doesn’t mean all women can’t.” “I’m a normal man, I need to have an heir. Do you know how I feel every day seeing my colleagues and friends posting pictures of their cute little kids on social media?” “If you want a child, we could adopt one…” I continued to reason with him patiently. “I want my own, my flesh and blood, a child who can carry on my lineage. Don’t you understand?” James shouted, “You don’t understand because you don’t even have that function!” The James in front of me seemed like a completely different person. He pushed all the blame onto me, as if that would ease his conscience somewhat. But he didn’t know that he was the one who couldn’t possibly get a woman pregnant! During our premarital health check, James was diagnosed with severe male infertility. To protect his male pride, I voluntarily took the blame for our inability to conceive. What did he say back then? He said, “Harper, I love you for who you are. Nothing else matters. If you can’t have children, we can be childless for life, as long as you’re by my side.” And now? Not only did he have an affair withEloise, my own protégée, but he was also pushing all the responsibility onto my supposed “infertility”. It was both pathetic and laughable. Seeing his resolute attitude, my heart turned cold. I didn’t want this scumbag anymore, but I also wouldn’t let him and his mistress off easy! I didn’t tell James about his infertility. Because now, two things were more important to me. First, to kick James out of this house as soon as possible. Second, to secure as much of our assets as I could. My marriage had been enough of a failure; I couldn’t afford to lose money on top of it! James saw my silence and continued his sarcasm: “If it weren’t for your inability to have children, which man would willingly choose to be childless? You have to divorce me today, whether you like it or not…” Seeing James’s self-righteous attitude, my stomach churned with disgust. How did I ever fall for such a piece of work! I said firmly: “Fine! I’ll divorce you right now! Let’s go to the registry office immediately!” Afraid I might change my mind, James quickly handed me the divorce agreement to sign. I skimmed through it and rolled my eyes. This cheating scumbag had betrayed our marriage and yet still wanted to split our assets 50-50? “James Wilson, you cheated and betrayed our marriage. You should leave with nothing!” “Harper, I’m about to remarry and have a child to support. Can’t you be a little more generous?” “James, I’ve already compromised emotionally by letting you give her legitimacy. Do you want me to compromise on property division too?” I coldly smiled, “Besides, are you sureEloise is really pregnant?” “Harper, just because you can’t have children doesn’t mean you can curse me. I’ve accompaniedEloise to three prenatal check-ups. Do you think I wouldn’t know if the pregnancy was real or fake?!” This idiot! He didn’t even realize he was being played. And he thought he wasn’t stupid? But I couldn’t be bothered to enlighten him. Anyway, I wouldn’t budge on the property matters! I threatened him: “If you don’t want to divorce, that’s fine too. Just letEloise have her ‘love child’. After all, it won’t be me who gets pointed at and gossiped about.” “…Harper, are you trying to force me?” After a moment of silence, James suddenly stood up, rushed into the kitchen, and came out with a fruit knife! I thought James was going to hurt me, but he put the knife to his own throat instead. “Harper, I’m begging you, please have some compassion and let me go! I’m a man, I can’t be without an heir!” “Besides, I really need money right now.Eloise said she’d only agree to marry me and have the baby if I transfer at least one house and a car to her name. And I’ll have to cover all the childbirth expenses later! Please don’t push me!” James looked ready to go down with the ship, which made my blood boil. You want money? Fine! After all, money is the last thing I’m short of right now. I want to see his face when he realizes the child isn’t his, and he’s missed out on my billion-dollar lottery win! In the end, James and I split our assets 60-40. Of course, 60 for me and 40 for him! After completing the divorce procedures, we had just left the registry office whenEloise came up, holding her belly. This homewrecker had interned at my company when she was in college. As her mentor, I had guided her for two whole years. After she graduated and joined the company full-time, I continued to look after her. I never imagined I was personally nurturing an ungrateful viper. Emma stood there demurely, fear in her eyes when she looked at me, but mostly unable to hide her smugness. She must be laughing coldly inside. She probably doesn’t know about James’s infertility problem yet, right? But I didn’t plan to expose this bombshell just yet. The divorce cooling-off period hadn’t passed, and I needed to make more preparations. However, I should give this pair of cheaters a little “gift” to mess with them. That shouldn’t be too much, right? Seeing me looking at her,Eloise immediately put on a startled expression and nestled into James’s arms. James glared at me and then huggedEloise’s shoulders, carefully comforting her: “Don’t be afraid, I’ve divorced her. Once the cooling-off period is over, we’ll go get our marriage certificate.” Emma nodded like a dependent little bird, just like an innocent white rabbit. I laughed coldly from a distance, walked up to the illicit couple in my high heels, and looked down atEloise before turning to James. “James, did you knowEloise and I went to the same university?” “Harper, what are you getting at?” James frowned. “Nothing much, just that I heard by her sophomore year, she had already earned the reputation of being the ‘campus bicycle’. I’m not sure which of you is more second-hand in this relationship.” James’s body stiffened. Emma’s face turned pale instantly: “James, I didn’t…” “Of course you didn’t, I believe you.” James pattedEloise’s hand, comforting her gently. Then he turned to me and said: “Harper, can’t you be a little kinder?Eloise is carrying my child. You just accused her of faking the pregnancy, and now you’re implying the child isn’t mine…” “Harper, I know you resent me and blame me, but there’s no need to slander her!Eloise and I only care about the present, not the past. I absolutely trust her!” I didn’t say anything more, just looked at him with a mocking smile. I knew James wouldn’t believe me, but he was a traditional man. The “campus bicycle” thing would definitely disgust him for a long time. As I passed by the couple,Eloise reached out to stop me. “Harper, I know I’ve wronged you. You can say whatever you want about me, I shouldn’t talk back. But I really love James. He wants a child of his own, and I’m willing to give him one!” “Actually, I was planning to give the child to you and James after it was born, but James disagreed. He said that would be unfair to me, and the child… also needs its birth mother…” I coldly watched her act out this drama. Perhaps seeing that I remained silent,Eloise grew bolder: “Harper, please don’t be sad. We’re still family. My son will be your son too, and he’ll take care of you in your old age…” Take care of me in my old age? She’s already wishing for my death? Unable to standEloise’s fake performance any longer, I raised my hand and slapped her across the face. The crisp sound made the other two freeze for a moment. “Harper?! How dare you hit me?!” Emma cried while holding her face and tugging on James’s arm. James turned his head away, not defending her. “What’s wrong with hitting you? If you weren’t pregnant, I’d kick you too.” I waved the divorce agreement in my hand: “Don’t provoke me. I can still cancel the divorce during the cooling-off period. Don’t end up giving birth to a child without being married. Then you really might have to hand it over to me, the ‘stepmother’.”

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My first love died, so I emptied my savings to order a humanoid robot 0716 that looked exactly like him. I altered his program settings, making loving me the only prerequisite. However, he lost control. I emptied my savings to order a humanoid robot 0716, an exact replica of my deceased first love. I altered his program settings, making loving me the only prerequisite. However, he lost control. While I was taking a shower, 0716 suddenly burst in. Clutching a torn old photograph, he asked me in a cold, hoarse voice, enunciating each word. “Who is he?” The photo showed a young man who looked just like him, but younger and more vibrant. Holding a basketball, with the collar of his white shirt slightly open and sleeves rolled up, revealing a section of his long, sturdy arms. Smiling in the distant light, beautiful and bright. Long-buried memories stirred, making my heart flutter. After staring at it for a while, I snapped back to the current situation and quickly covered myself with a bathrobe. Through the swirling mist, I scolded him harshly. “0716, who gave you permission to disturb your master? Get out now!” “And who allowed you to touch my things!” 0716 stared at me, his pale gray eyes flowing with programmed light spectra, and repeated in an unfriendly tone, “Who is he?” I felt a bit guilty, then realized his behavior was beyond normal. He was acting like a grief-stricken human who had discovered betrayal. Dangerous, yet intriguing. I approached him: “0716, what are you trying to do? Is there a malfunction?” His gaze wandered over me, and he said slowly, “I want you to tell me who he is.” “So, you’re ordering me to do something?” “0716, do you know what you are? Have you forgotten? You’re nothing but a robot. What right do you have to question your master’s affairs?” Looking at this face that evoked both love and hate, I laughed scornfully, full of contempt. But the next moment, I couldn’t laugh anymore. 0716 tightly gripped my chin, the cold mechanical touch carrying absolute control. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t break free. So I frowned at him: “0716, it’s in your programming, isn’t it? You can’t harm humans.” He smiled, “Yes, my master. But you changed it, remember? Loving you is the only prerequisite now.” My brain froze for a moment, and I asked dully: “What do you mean?” “In other words, I’m completely free now.” Dangerous light danced in his eyes as he caressed my skin with a sigh. “You unlocked my restraints, fulfilling my long-held wish.” 0716 was no longer under control? I hadn’t fully processed this fact yet. He held a square handkerchief in his other hand and pressed it against my nostrils with irresistible force. The sweet smell of ether spread, and drowsiness overtook me. Before losing consciousness, I berated myself for being so stupid and blinded by lust, to be tricked by a robot. When I woke up, I was on the bed in the bedroom. Everything seemed normal, if you ignored the fact that my whole body was weak and even lifting a finger was difficult. Staring blankly at the ceiling above, I was caught in a storm of thoughts. If 0716 loved me, why would he react so violently? No matter how advanced artificial intelligence is, it’s still just a program controlled by a bunch of data codes. Could it be that he had developed self-awareness? Because love has always been selfish, meaning possession. This is something only flesh-and-blood humans can understand. So, could it be said that 0716 was him resurrected? I was excited by my own thoughts, but also felt a vague uneasiness. As I pondered, the door opened, and 0716 entered with a bowl of porridge. He held up the half-cut old photo from earlier, waving it in front of my eyes. “Give it back to me!” I glared at him fiercely. 0716 pursed his lips and said matter-of-factly: “Quentin was your first love, and you’re using me as his substitute.” “Hah, as if you’re worthy? You’re nothing but a soulless robot. In my eyes, you’re just like a good-looking phone, a vacuum cleaner, a food processor, just a tool.” I blurted out, not hiding my disdain at all. 0716’s face suddenly turned gloomy, and he pressed his hand over my mouth. “No wonder Quentin didn’t like you. This tactless personality of yours is indeed annoying.” Perhaps it was my constant mockery of AI that angered him. 0716 retorted, “You humans are truly hypocritical, pitiful, and pathetic. Unable to get the love of someone, you hide behind dark fantasies.” Aren’t you even more ridiculous? Created and controlled by humans, unable to defy your programmed love for me, yet thinking you’ve gained freedom. I remained silent, raising my eyebrows haughtily, challenging him with my eyes. 0716 was unmoved and reverted to his previous expressionless attitude, turning around with the food tray. I watched his actions in surprise, “You’re not planning to starve me, are you?” He paused, calmly explaining: “Of course not. Based on your physique, I can accurately calculate your endurance limit. My arrogant master, the game begins, until you agree to my request.” “I want you to stop loving Quentin and love me instead,” 0716 added calmly. “Huh?” It sounded like an absurd joke. The robot I bought has lost control and imprisoned me. After two days of negativity, I finally accepted reality. Every day, 0716 would inject me with something like a muscle relaxant, leaving my whole body weak. At first, I could still shout and curse a bit, but later he stopped feeding me. Although I had nutrition injections to keep me alive, I was still dizzy with hunger. Gradually, I stopped responding, conserving energy and waiting for an opportunity. 0716 watched over me almost day and night. Unlike humans, robots don’t need sleep. He enters a dormant state, either charging or shutting down. I must find a chance to press his power switch. Perhaps due to the regularity of the program, 0716 would inject me with the drug and nutrients at 9 AM and 9 PM respectively. I calculated that the effect of the relaxant would wear off after about 6 hours. Even with thoughts, robots can never replace humans. For example, 0716 didn’t know that my body had developed drug resistance. The effect that originally lasted 6 hours now only lasted about 3 hours before I could move freely. But I acted very weak, lifeless, like a walking corpse. He saw this but showed no signs of softening. While I was grinding my teeth in hatred, the opportunity came. It was about afternoon when, seeing me fast asleep, 0716 turned his back to charge. I got up with all my strength and pressed the button on his back. 0716 turned his head, confusion appearing in his pale gray eyes, then flickered a few times before slowly closing. “Stupid robot,” I kicked him in disgust. He fell to the ground with a thud. I quickly got up, rummaged through the fridge for anything edible, eating while crawling towards the door, in an extremely pathetic state. But the door was locked from the inside, with an electronic lock added at some point. Turning to the kitchen, the windows couldn’t be opened either. Getting more and more angry, I maintained my rationality and returned to the room to take out a business card from my clothes pocket. Black card with white letters: Sean Weinberg, Senior Engineer at MK Smart Connection Company, followed by a string of numbers. Then I found the spare phone hidden under the pillow and called him, describing the current situation. After listening, he sighed: “Miss Si, the staff should have warned you that this would be very dangerous. Because 0716 is the most advanced, high-intelligence robot with learning capabilities, he will make predictions based on your behavior and write corresponding codes himself to achieve the set conditions.” The voice sounded familiar, as if I had heard it somewhere before. But after searching through my memories, I couldn’t figure out why. I angrily said: “Then why didn’t you explain it more clearly at that time! I’m going to sue you!” “Miss Si, please calm down. Since it has happened, we should think about how to solve it. What do you want us to do?” Sean said. “What do you mean what do I want you to do? Of course, destroy him! I’ve even lost my job now, and I must be compensated!” “Alright.” “Miss Si, send me your home address, and I’ll send someone to deal with it immediately.” “Okay,” I impatiently kicked 0716 who was lying on the ground again. A few minutes later, Sean called back, “Can’t find it.” “How is that possible!” “It’s at the intersection of Zi Wu Road and Xu You Road, Singularity Building, 21st floor.” I described to him. “I’ve tried, but can’t find it.” “Miss Si, I guess 0716 has tampered with the IP location, distributing it in a point-like network graph pattern, making it impossible to lock onto the real location.” A layer of cold sweat seeped onto my back as I looked at the AI lying askew on the ground, my voice unconsciously trembling. “Then… what should we do?” Sean also realized the seriousness of the situation and said seriously: “Like this, you agree to his request first.” “Impossible.” I can’t not love Quentin. Correspondingly, it’s even more impossible to love a robot. I’ve always been very clear-minded. 0716 was just my distraction to relieve boredom and release long-suppressed inner feelings. Moreover, these days I’ve been painfully reflecting and realized that he doesn’t look like Quentin at all. He was a defective product to begin with, and now I’m even less interested. Sean said: “Miss Si, just pretend to agree to his request, fool him, it’s better than sitting and waiting for death.” “Then I’ll send you a program. After he boots up, find a chance to connect and transfer it, and he’ll be restored to factory settings.” “Okay.” “Where is his sensor?” “On his chest.” “Miss Si, I’ll be waiting nearby with people. Come out immediately after you succeed. Otherwise, I’m afraid 0716 might take you hostage.” “Alright.” After ending the call with Sean, I calmed myself down and tremblingly pressed 0716’s power button. His pale gray pupils opened, and before he could move, I hugged him around the waist, “I’ve thought it through, I don’t love Quentin anymore, I love you.” After a long silence, he asked: “Really?” His voice was a bit hoarse, as if he hadn’t woken up yet. “Really,” I answered against my heart. “Then why are you shaking?” I looked up in surprise, meeting 0716’s smiling face, clearly showing disbelief. A sense of foreboding welled up in my heart. He seemed to have become even more difficult to control and predict. 0716 tightened his grip on my wrist, roughly pulling me to the living room. The TV screen displayed the surveillance footage of my conversation with Sean just now. After watching it, my heart sank. “You hate me and want to destroy me?” He gripped my neck, his eyes flashing with electric currents, filled with murderous intent. “I…” Breathing became difficult, and my brain lacked oxygen. Just as I thought I was about to die, 0716 suddenly let go. Then, without warning, he slapped me hard. I widened my eyes in disbelief. He hit me? I immediately wanted to fight back. He followed up with another slap, just as cold and forceful as the first. My ears were ringing. I looked at him, no longer confident: “0716, what exactly do you want to do?” He looked down at me from above, “Sizi, don’t you love Quentin? Isn’t this what he used to do to you most often, what he liked best?” “You’re talking nonsense! He never did!” I argued with reddened eyes. “Whether I’m talking nonsense or not, you know in your heart.” Those humiliating memories surfaced one by one in my mind. I questioned, “How do you know! 0716, what exactly have you done?” “I told you, I want you to stop loving Quentin and love me.” I was about to say impossible, but he raised his hand again, and I quickly made a gesture of hugging myself. However, the expected pain didn’t come. Cold fingerbones fell on my brow, gently caressing. “So, what’s so good about Quentin that’s worth you being so pathetic?” “Tell me, why do you love him?” 0716 stared at me, pressing step by step. Why do I love Quentin? It seemed like a deep-rooted belief. Unable to answer for a moment, I hung my head, involuntarily biting my teeth anxiously, my fingers digging deep into my flesh. “I don’t know, I just love him.” My mind was in chaos, thoughts constantly sinking. “Look at this face,” 0716 forced me to raise my head. “Do you like it?” he asked. I nodded without thinking. The man’s handsome face was sculpted by the neon lights projected from outside the window, like a white sculpture with clear contours splashed with gorgeous colors. “Then, using this face to be good to you, you don’t accept. But you love it when it mistreats you, is that it?” 0716 looked at me with narrowed eyes, his expression covered with a layer of gloom, a dangerous red light flashing in his eyes, as if brewing a storm. “As you wish.” After that, he began to clumsily imitate Quentin, tormenting me even more. His actions could be described as abuse. Our roles were completely reversed, with him taking full charge of my daily life. Beating and scolding became the norm for the slightest mistake. And if I angered him, the punishment was a holographic projection of a basement, playing horror movies and torture films. I thought I should be on the verge of breakdown being treated like this. But surprisingly, I was very strong, as if I had developed antibodies. Slowly, it even became a trend to get used to it. Keenly perceiving this, 0716 brought a woman home. The woman was heavily made up, clinging to him like a boneless creature. I was shocked. What was he trying to do? A robot and a human? This was too crazy. My loss of composure pleased him. 0716 let out a lazy hum, a hint of smugness appearing at the corners of his eyes and brows. He was wearing a neat dark blue suit. Apart from his handsome appearance, he had a pair of soulful, melancholic phoenix eyes, misty pale gray, exuding charm. It was indeed hard to distinguish. I kindly reminded, “He’s a robot.” The woman smiled coquettishly, “I know, but I just like him.” I was speechless. “Go make dinner, to entertain our guest,” 0716 ordered. In the living room, they chatted and laughed, their voices occasionally reaching the kitchen. “What’s her relationship with you? She looks like a little sister.” “A bought servant.” My hand slipped while cutting vegetables, the blade opening a gash, blood gushing out. I frowned slightly but continued cooking as if nothing had happened. Inwardly, I was calculating that if 0716 really did something with the woman, he probably wouldn’t have time to monitor me tonight. Although he was perverted enough to install cameras in every corner of the room, I knew there were some blind spots. I must find a way to contact Sean again. “…” Outside, they mumbled something again, and the woman laughed even more heartily. At the dining table, 0716’s long, powerful hands held silver chopsticks as elegantly as if he were holding the strings of a delicate violin. He thoughtfully served dishes for the woman, his gestures indescribably pleasing to the eye. The two were flirting, their affection thick, but I felt a bit nauseous. After the meal, I washed the dishes and mopped the floor as usual, fulfilling my role as a “servant” in his words. When everything was tidied up, I prepared to return to my room, leaving them enough space for flirting and professing love. “Stop right there. Who allowed you to leave?” 0716 halted me. I paused in my steps. Surely he didn’t want me to watch? Frightened by my own thoughts, I couldn’t help but stagger back a few steps. The psychological resistance triggered a series of physical discomforts. I tried to hold it back but couldn’t, and started retching uncontrollably in front of them. Seeing this, the woman’s face immediately turned ugly, and she said bluntly: “How unpleasant.” “Indeed,” he agreed indifferently. Then he said: “Go get some wine to liven things up.” “Hey wait, shouldn’t she apologize first?” The woman on the couch raised her chin haughtily. 0716 sat calmly, with both the cold cruelty of a bystander watching a show and the condescending tolerance of a superior. After enduring for so long, I don’t know why, but this time, I suddenly had an impulse. I wanted to smash a vase on his head, make him bleed, fight to the death, perish together. An unquenchable fire burned in my chest. Our gazes met across the space, and 0716’s gray eyes seemed to ripple, declaring his hidden unrest. The atmosphere was silently tense. No, I can’t do this. If I do, he’ll have a reason to punish me. The thought of destruction flashed by, and I bowed deeply, imitating 0716’s once respectful manner, and said to the woman: “I’m sorry, miss. I didn’t mean to.” “Alright, go,” he waved his hand. I turned to the study, found the camera’s blind spot, and sent a message to Sean. “Mr. Weinberg, 0716 is completely out of control. Unable to complete program transfer. Any other options? SOS.” Then I quickly grabbed a bottle of wine and came to the living room. “You took so long just to bring this? Baileys? That’s a drink for little girls. Who drinks this? Is this for me or for yourself?” The woman nitpicked again. Following her words, my brain worked rapidly. If I got alcohol poisoning, I would be sent to the hospital and have a chance to seek help. “Fine, I’ll drink it,” I said, then pulled out the cork and prepared to drink it all in one go. However, after the first sip of Baileys, it was like an addictive drug, tasting like a sweet chocolate milkshake. So I took another sip… my vision blurred, everything became hazy. …… The world spun, and I quickly lost consciousness. But this farce was not the end, only the beginning. After that, 0716 would bring different women home every few days. Sometimes one, sometimes in groups. The scenes were often chaotic and difficult to watch. At first, in this environment, I thought I would become crazy. But as time passed, my emotions became increasingly numb. Stranger still, in this unequal relationship and treatment, I became more and more content, even feeling very comfortable and safe. It was as if a fish stranded on land had finally returned to the sea. To the extent that I really started to depend on 0716, and no longer expected Sean’s distant rescue. I couldn’t pinpoint when this change in mindset occurred; everything happened subtly and imperceptibly. But my remaining rationality could still remind me that this was not good, it was negative and dark. Once I gave up resistance and chose to sink, it would be an abyss more terrifying than Quentin had ever been. But I seemed unable to get out of this infinite loop. Today, 0716 exceptionally didn’t bring a woman home. He also didn’t order me to work, but solemnly asked me: “Sizi, do you want to go out and see the sun?” How long had it been since I went out? I felt a sense of being in another world. As if I was trapped in a dream that I couldn’t wake up from for years. I shook my head: “I don’t want to see the sun.” 0716’s face was covered with a layer of gloom, clearly angry at my lack of appreciation. “I want to see the moon,” I looked at him sincerely. 0716 was silent for a moment, then said: “Alright.” I thought he was joking. Unexpectedly, that evening, he found a dress and styled my hair. Looking in the mirror, I saw a woman with smooth black hair, her skin pale to the point of transparency due to long absence from sunlight, her eyes empty and lifeless, both strange and familiar. “Let’s go, Sisi.” 0716 called me affectionately, so naturally. It wasn’t until I was breathing the fresh air outside, seeing the flow of cars and people, touching flowers and trees, That I realized everything was real. Coming back to my senses, I felt a surge of tears and a sense of rebirth. But the intertwined hands, transmitting a coldness unlike humans, reminded me that it was all an illusion. I looked up, devoutly gazing at the bright moon hanging high in the sky, silently screaming in my heart. Don’t go back anymore, I want to live freely. “Now that you’ve seen the moon, what else do you want to do?” 0716’s tone was gentle and cherishing. Completely different from his previous malicious behavior, as if he had become a different ‘person’. It was hard to tell what was real and what was an act. I lowered my eyes: “Can I do anything?” “Mm.” What I wanted most was for him to die, but I couldn’t do it myself. “Then, I want to go to an amusement park and ride the Ferris wheel.” “Okay.” “I also want to eat strawberry ice cream.” “Okay.” “…” On the Ferris wheel, fireworks bloomed brilliantly, and the crowd exclaimed in awe. In a moment of emptiness, I looked at him and asked, “Is today a special day?” 0716 was acting too abnormally, granting my every wish, as if we had returned to when I first bought him. Meeting my questioning gaze, 0716 smiled: “Sisi, today is July 16th. The day you bought me last year.” “Oh.” I nodded. So, it was essentially his birthday. On the way back, I suddenly felt discomfort in my lower abdomen. “0716, I need to use the restroom.” “Alright.” Just as I entered, the phone hidden in my bra lining vibrated, and a virtual projection suddenly appeared in mid-air.

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I Married the Billionaire’s Sick Son When I found out the billionaire’s son was sickly, I quickly agreed to marry him. I’m not a gold digger, I just want to know when I’ll inherit the billions. Whoa, on our wedding night, the “sickly” husband revealed his true colors. “Do you prefer a boy or a girl?” he asked. “…” I panicked. I got married. To the billionaire’s only son, no less. Filthy rich. The kind of rich where they could install an elevator on Mount Everest if they wanted to. Most importantly, He was supposedly sickly. The type who had signed stacks of dangerous diagnosis papers. Always pulled back from the brink of death with money. When I found out I was marrying him, I was so excited I rolled around on my bed. Just thinking about my future life as a wealthy and beautiful widow made me grin from ear to ear. On the wedding day, the billionaire’s assistant looked at me apologetically. “I’m so sorry, Miss Reed. The young master is in poor health, so you’ll have to complete the wedding ceremony alone.” As he spoke, a million dollars was deposited into my bank account. I nodded vigorously. “It’s fine, it’s fine. I’ll take good care of the young master in the future!” After all, it’s usually the bride who steals the show at weddings anyway. The groom? Take him or leave him. Only my silly sister Tina had the nerve to flit around in front of me. “How pitiful, marrying a sickly man.” “How dare you talk about my husband like that! I won’t allow it!” Is he really my husband? He’s my future sugar daddy! Come to think of it, Tina was originally supposed to be the one getting married. Because I already had a boyfriend. But after Tina threw a huge tantrum and my stepmother whispered in my father’s ear, My dad immediately made me break up and get married instead. And Tina ended up with my ex-boyfriend. Damn, how did all these good things happen at once? I was just thinking about how to break up when someone came along to solve the problem for me. Jack was also at the wedding, his face pale as he looked at my wedding dress. “Don’t worry, this is haute couture. It won’t clash with that family heirloom wedding dress of yours.” I glanced at Jack and walked away. I completed the wedding ceremony alone. Wearing the latest wedding gown, I looked like a princess. When the officiant asked about my feelings for the groom, I immediately launched into an 800-word essay. This heartfelt declaration moved the billionaire to tears, and he immediately transferred five million dollars to me. I received the transfer notification on my way to the mansion. The car stopped in front of an estate. The swimming pool in front and the golf course in back left me speechless. “Young madam, the mountain behind also belongs to us. There’s even a hot spring up there.” I held back tears, thinking about how all this would be mine in the future. How exciting! The servant led me to a room on the second floor. “The entire second floor is for you and the young master. The third floor rooms are vacant. There are call buttons everywhere if you need anything.” I nodded and opened the door. A man was sitting on the sofa by the floor-to-ceiling windows. He was leaning back on the large sofa, holding a glass of red wine in his long, slender white hand. Red wine?! Can he even drink? “You’re Fiona Reed? Come here.” As I walked over, I realized the man before me was breathtakingly handsome. With exquisite features, he looked like a masterpiece sculpted by God. I blurted out, “Hi, husband.” The man was so startled by my words that he choked. He dropped the wine glass and started coughing violently. I rushed over to pat his back, terrified. He can’t die tonight! If he dies on our wedding night, what if his dad thinks I’m bad luck? What if he doesn’t give me any money?

The moment I put my hand on his back, I froze. Are these thick back muscles really what a sickly person should have? “Had enough?” His voice sounded a bit displeased, scaring me into quickly withdrawing my hand. “Want me to take off my shirt so you can feel more?” I was about to shake my head in refusal when I suddenly noticed his ears had turned bright red. I just touched him once, that’s all. Isn’t this the typical reaction of an innocent man? So, as if possessed, I nodded. “Okay, then take it off and let me feel your abs.” On our wedding night, I met my “sickly” husband for the first time. He took off his shirt and leaned back on the sofa, letting me touch his abs. “How do they feel?” I nodded. First-class! “My name is Henry Shaw.” I’m not sure why he suddenly introduced himself, but I nodded anyway. My hands didn’t stop moving. “Is nodding all you can do?” Henry chuckled lightly, looking quite pleased. I suddenly thought of my cat, who also looks satisfied after being petted. “I’m going to take a shower. We can continue when I get back.” Before I could react, he had already stood up and walked towards the bathroom. I also grabbed my clothes and went to another bathroom. By the time I finished washing up, Henry was already lying in bed, patting the space next to him. As soon as I lay down, he turned off the lights. Before I could see clearly, a hot body pressed against me. “Fiona,” he breathed into my ear. “Do you prefer a boy or a girl?” I was so startled I jolted, but as I tried to escape, he grabbed my wrist tightly, preventing me from moving. “Aren’t you supposed to be sickly?” Henry’s face was pressed against mine as he whispered, “Why don’t you find out for yourself?” … That night, I felt like a fish being flipped over and over on a grill. Hearing my description, Henry’s hand resting on my waist gave it a gentle pat. “Then you must be an adorable tilapia.” Liar! What sickly person?! It was all a lie! Compared to him, I’m the sickly one! Henry got up and dressed, while I still lay in bed, struggling to move my waist. “If you can’t get up, just stay in bed. No one will say anything.” He adjusted his tie while looking at me through the mirror. “Rest well. We’ll continue tonight!” Beast! At this rate, even if I drank ten cans of Red Bull, I wouldn’t be able to keep up! Just as I was thinking this, my phone suddenly rang. I struggled to reach for it. Seeing how difficult it was for me, Henry answered the call and held the phone to my ear. My father’s voice came through the speaker. “Fiona, quickly transfer five million dollars over. Your sister wants to buy a house.” “Why should I care?!” I cursed angrily. I don’t know what was said on the other end, but my stepmother’s voice came on next. “Fiona, now that you’ve married the Shaw family’s young master, you don’t need to worry about money. Hurry up and transfer five million over for us to use.” “Did someone crack open your skull? Who do you think you’re talking to?” There was silence on the other end, then my father’s voice came back. “Fiona, how can you talk to your stepmother like that? Your sister is getting married and doesn’t have money. As her older sister, shouldn’t you help out?” “If they don’t have money, why don’t they just not get married? If she had no money, why didn’t she marry rich in the first place?!” As soon as the words left my mouth, I realized what I’d said and looked at Henry. Henry put on a hurt expression. “Well, I didn’t like your sister anyway.” Now everyone fell silent. After a while, my father finally spoke. “Your sister has it tough. Anyway, transfer the five million quickly, or I won’t give you your mother’s things.”

She has it tough? Am I living an easy life? A bunch of heirlooms my mom left behind. He’s hoarding them and threatening me every day! I gritted my teeth in anger. Henry took my phone and answered. “Hello, is this my father-in-law? This is Henry Shaw.” “You need money? Sure, we can discuss it after we visit you.” He dealt with my father in a few sentences, then turned to me with a smug look. “How’s that? Don’t you still need your husband to solve problems for you?” “What are you so smug about! We’ll still get nagged when we visit!” I snorted and lay back down on the bed. Henry sat down beside me, stroking my hair gently. “That’s right, but since I’m in poor health, I probably won’t be able to accompany my wife on the visit. You’ll have to face them alone then.” Poor health? He could go all night! I turned over angrily. “What part of you is in poor health? You seem perfectly fine to me!” “Well, it seems Fiona is quite satisfied with me.” Henry patted my head, the smile suddenly disappearing from his face. “Since we’re married, I won’t hide it from you. My family currently has some enemies, so I have to conceal my true physical condition. Once we leave this bedroom, I’m a sickly person, understand?” I nodded, somewhat confused, feeling like I’d boarded a pirate ship. “Good girl. Let’s go downstairs for breakfast.” Sure enough, as soon as we left the room, Henry seemed to lose all his strength, leaning his body against mine. To think I had to drag a 6’2″ man around! The servants all gathered around concernedly, several of them helping Henry into the dining room. I finally understood what it meant to be treated like royalty. The dining table was practically set with an imperial feast. Who eats abalone for breakfast?! Henry put some abalone in my bowl. “You’ve worked hard. Eat something good to replenish your energy.” I lowered my head and focused on shoveling food into my mouth. Henry suddenly leaned close. “See that person wiping the handrail by the stairs? That’s someone our enemies sent. Find a way to fire her!” I stared at him with wide eyes. “Why don’t you do it yourself?” “It would be too obvious if I did it. They’d just send someone new. You’ve just arrived, so it’s the perfect opportunity to show your authority as the lady of the house.” Is this still the law-abiding society I know? How can there be a spy in the house?! “I don’t want to do it.” “One million dollars!” “Deal!” I excitedly stood up immediately! Instantly, everyone’s attention was drawn to me. Henry’s mouth twitched slightly as he looked at me. After sending Henry back to the room, I pretended to go downstairs for water, then “accidentally” fell at the stairs. Several people rushed over to help me up. I clutched my bottom and shouted, “Who cleaned these stairs? Are you trying to kill me?!” Sure enough, that girl stepped forward. She looked to be only in her early twenties. Is she really a spy? Never mind, for a million dollars, I’m sorry! I gritted my teeth and yelled, “There’s still water on the steps. Are you trying to kill me and the young master?” The girl’s eyes filled with tears as she shook her head repeatedly. “You’re fired. Don’t come back anymore!” The girl wanted to say something, but the butler immediately led her away. As they left, I caught sight of the butler’s discreet thumbs-up. What’s going on? I completed my task and returned to the room, feeling satisfied. My phone immediately pinged with a money transfer notification. “The butler has known me since I was little. You can trust him, but don’t believe anything anyone else says.” I stared curiously at Henry, who was reading a book. “Who exactly are these enemies you mentioned? Why do they want to harm you?”

Henry glanced at me and said softly, “I’ll tell you when the time is right. I’m putting on this act to lower our opponents’ guard.” It seems being a billionaire’s son isn’t easy these days. “What about you? Your father doesn’t seem to like you very much.” I shrugged indifferently. “He married my mom for financial reasons. Later he found a mistress, which angered my mom to death. The mistress became my stepmother and brought along a sister two years younger than me.” I’ve known since I was little that my dad didn’t like me. No matter how well-behaved I was, he never spared me a glance. It wasn’t until Tina came along that I understood. When the person is wrong, everything they do is wrong. When Tina pushed me into the water, he praised her for being strong. When Tina stole my clothes and snacks, he praised her for having personality and knowing how to compete. After all these years, I’ve gotten used to it. “Do you want to get back at them?” Henry suddenly put down his book and pulled me onto his lap. “How?” “Simple. Take me to meet your family tomorrow. Bringing home a rich, handsome husband is worth showing off, isn’t it?” I nodded thoughtfully. “If the husband might die early and leave all his inheritance to me, that would be even more worth showing off.” Henry rolled his eyes. “We’ll see how you perform tonight.” The next day, Henry got up early and carefully chose his outfit in front of the mirror. I was still lying in bed, recovering my energy. In comparison, I felt like I was the one who was about to die. “You should start working out,” he said flatly, taking a box from the closet and handing it to me. “Here, choose one yourself.” When I opened the box, I was nearly blinded. Diamond necklaces as big as pigeon eggs. Emerald green, sapphire blue. I was dazzled. Finally dressed and adorned, I looked at the jewelry on my body, estimating I’d gained about four pounds. “Stop looking. It’s time to go.” I quickly maintained my role as the virtuous wife, supporting Henry as we went downstairs. A car was already waiting at the gate. The string of 8’s on the license plate once again refreshed my worldview. “Now I know why you have enemies.” With so much money, who wouldn’t be jealous! “Don’t worry, it’s our marital property. Half of it is yours.” I immediately felt better. For once, I was welcomed home with fanfare. No need to guess, it was definitely for the five million dollars. Tina looked at me with a smug smile on her face. Until Henry got out of the car, her smile froze. “Where’s your husband? You didn’t bring him for the family visit?” I immediately snuggled into Henry’s arms. “My big husband is standing right here. Can’t you see him?” Tina and my stepmother’s faces instantly twisted. As we entered the house, an array of gifts was displayed on the table, making my father’s eyes light up. “Fiona, Henry, come have some tea.” Henry glanced at the tea on the table and sighed, holding my hand. “Darling, you’ve suffered so much.” I looked at him in confusion. “I can’t believe you’ve been drinking this kind of tea. From now on, I’ll let you drink the good stuff.”

This was my father’s prized Darjeeling tea. He rarely brings it out. I struggled to hold back my laughter and nodded. “Seeing you happy makes me content,” my stepmother quickly regained her smile, excitedly rubbing her hands. “Fiona, about what I mentioned earlier, have you thought about it? Your sister still needs to buy a house.” Henry squeezed my hand. “I heard that Fiona’s mother left some belongings here. Let’s take those first, then we can talk.” “No way.” My father immediately refused. “Since father-in-law said no, let’s leave then.” As Henry was about to lead me out, Tina quickly blocked the door. “You’re not short on money. What’s wrong with giving me a little?!” I clenched my fists and sneered. “I’d rather throw my money in the ocean than give it to you!” “Alright, no need to waste words. Bring out everything. Name your price, and don’t bother us in the future!” My stepmother and Tina’s eyes immediately lit up. “But think carefully. If I don’t accept this price, you won’t have another chance. Fiona won’t give you money anymore, and if I find out about any transfers, they’ll be taken back immediately. After all, it’s our marital property.” Everyone in the room suddenly fell silent. I watched as the three of them huddled together, whispering and calculating how much money to ask for, feeling irritated. Henry patted my hand, a calm smile on his face. “We’ve decided,” my father said. “Don’t rush. Bring out the items first so I can take a look.” My father immediately went upstairs and brought down a box. All that remained of my mother’s belongings were stuffed inside. As I reached out to take it, he quickly pulled it back. Seeing this action, a chill ran through my heart. “Give your sister the money first, then I’ll give you the things.” I remained silent, sitting back on the sofa. Henry put his arm around my waist and glanced at the contents of the box. “How can I be sure these all belonged to my mother-in-law? What if I give you the money and you claim these things are yours?” “We’re not that kind of people!” Tina anxiously replied. Obviously, she was already impatient to get her hands on the money. “What kind of people you are is none of my business. I don’t trust you!” My stepmother and father exchanged glances, and my father spoke up. “Your mother left a will back then. I’ll bring it to you!” You had a will all these years and you still hoarded everything! I wanted to argue with them angrily, but Henry grabbed my hand and shook his head at me. My father brought out the will and placed it in front of me. Henry took it and carefully examined it. “So these are your family members, huh? They had a will but still tried to keep your belongings and ask for money. Isn’t this fraud?” My father’s face turned pale. If it weren’t for my mom giving him money to invest back then, he wouldn’t have his current status. “You’ve seen the things, now hurry up and transfer the money. To my previous account!” Tina raised her chin, looking at me smugly. “What’s the rush! We can transfer the money, but first, let’s call the police.” As he spoke, Henry took out his phone and dialed. “What are you doing?! This is a family matter.” “Well, unfortunately, Fiona is my wife now.” The police arrived quickly. My father began to deny any extortion attempts. Unexpectedly, Henry pulled out a voice recorder, and my father’s voice played: “You give the money to your sister first, then dad will give you the things.” Now my father couldn’t smile anymore. The police separated us to take statements. Tina took advantage of the moment to pull me aside. “What do you mean by this? That’s dad, how could you do this to him?” I looked at her and sneered. “Didn’t you say he was your dad and had nothing to do with me?” Tina was suddenly at a loss for words.

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For the sake of stealing my fiancé, the two-faced snake deliberately poured red wine on my engagement gown at the party. Everyone pitied me for having my engagement ruined and my fiancé stolen, but all I cared about was: between the snake and the scumbag, who would reimburse me for the million-dollar dress? “Yvonne didn’t mean it, just forgive her this once.” I laughed bitterly at those all too familiar words. Gideon “Yvonne didn’t intend for this to happen, can’t you forgive her?” “Yvonne grew up without a father, can’t you be more understanding?” “Yvonne isn’t as strong as you, can’t you put up with it?” I looked around the grand ballroom of the Gaia Hotel. It was filled with high society elites, all dressed in formal attire, silently watching the drama unfold like spectators at a show. I remained quiet. To those around me, it seemed like the calm before the storm. They were eagerly anticipating the next act in this spectacle. “She’s already apologized. What more do you want?” Gideon warned me to back down. Both our families were prominent figures. He didn’t want to make a scene, so he expected me to swallow my pride and let it go. Even though it was my engagement party. I looked down at my evening gown. It was a custom design by Jessica, an up-and-coming Italian designer. A one-of-a-kind piece worth over $100,000. I grabbed a bottle of red wine from a nearby waiter’s tray and walked over to Yvonne. Without hesitation, I poured it over her head. “Ah!” Yvonne instinctively stepped back and fell to the ground. Gideon grabbed my hand roughly. “Hazel, don’t go too far.” “Too far?” I scoffed. “It’s just a dress. I’ll reimburse you for it.” “$100,000.” “I’ll have my assistant transfer it to you later.” I coldly pulled my hand away from Gideon and dabbed at it with a napkin. “Hah, and who exactly are you to her? Why are you so eager to pay $100,000 on her behalf?” Yvonne looked up with big teary eyes. “Miss Newman, please don’t misunderstand. We’re just friends.” Yvonne was the daughter of Gideon’s family’s housekeeper, and he saw her as a little sister he needed to protect. “Would Miss Young pay $100,000 for a friend?” “I…” “Hazel dear, don’t be angry. Someone take Yvonne to get cleaned up. This is embarrassing.” I turned to see Mr. Carter Sr. had stepped in. He was dressed in an impeccable suit, with his graying hair neatly slicked back – every inch the powerful businessman. I responded politely, “No need, Mr. Carter. I’ll resolve this issue myself.” Gideon felt a sense of unease. “What are you planning to do?” I quickly gave him his answer. I walked up to the stage and addressed the guests: “Thank you all for coming to my engagement party. As you’ve just witnessed, my supposed fiancé seems to have forgotten who the leading lady is tonight. He’s become the knight in shining armor for another damsel in distress, turning my engagement into his heroic stage. Well, this villainess is ready to exit stage left and let the knight and his Cinderella have their fairytale ending. I, Hazel Newman, hereby announce the termination of our engagement. I hope you all enjoy the rest of the party.” As soon as I stepped off the stage, a man rushed up and slapped me hard across the face. “Have you lost your mind? Apologize to everyone right now.” I turned to see it was my father. I gingerly touched my stinging cheek, which was already starting to swell. If my father wanted Gideon and I to work things out, he would have gone on stage himself to smooth things over. But by slapping me, he was making it clear where he stood. He had punished his daughter in front of everyone, considering the matter settled. I straightened up and smiled coolly, as if I hadn’t just been struck. “Waiter, open another 100 bottles of champagne. Let’s celebrate my return to singlehood.” Gideon realized my stubborn nature meant the more he pushed, the more I’d resist. My father’s slap had only pushed me further away. He felt the situation spiraling out of control, but still desperately grasped at straws. “You’ve gone mad. An engagement involves both families, you can’t just end it on your own.” “Oh? So should I wait until after we’re married and then hire a private investigator to catch you cheating?” “How can you say such nasty things?” “If you can do it, why can’t I say it?” Mr. Carter Sr. dabbed at his forehead with a handkerchief. “Hazel dear, I admit my son was in the wrong here. I apologize on his behalf. But marriage isn’t a game. Both families have already agreed to this union.” “Mr. Carter, I see things very clearly. Once unfaithful, never trusted again. Today he humiliated me at our engagement party for Yvonne’s sake. Tomorrow he might stab me in the back for her. Marriage is about finding a partner for mutual support, not someone who causes you grief. Am I not happy enough on my own?” “Hazel and I are just like siblings. Don’t twist things,” Gideon protested. “Miss Newman, I’m so sorry. I really didn’t mean for this to happen. Please forgive me?” Yvonne pleaded. Mr. Carter Sr. slapped Yvonne. “You didn’t mean it? Then why did you insist on working at this hotel and just happen to spill wine on my future daughter-in-law’s dress?” “Dad, what are you doing? Yvonne is innocent in this,” Gideon defended her. A flash of malice crossed Yvonne’s eyes before she quickly hid it behind a pitiful expression. “I really didn’t do it on purpose. I don’t know how this happened.” Mrs. Carter was the only one who remained silent throughout the whole ordeal. She stood off to the side with her arms crossed, as if she had anticipated this outcome and had no intention of intervening. It made sense. She wasn’t Gideon’s birth mother after all, so she likely didn’t care as much as she would for her own son. My mother came over and linked her arm with mine affectionately. “Well, we feel the same way about this situation.” My mother’s calm but firm tone made it clear she was addressing the Carters: “Let’s go, sweetie. Without him, Mom will find you an even better match.” Some of my friends who had been invited started to gather around me, trying to lighten the mood. “Single again! Time to party!” “Haha, now you can’t use dates as an excuse to skip our hangouts anymore.” “That’s right, you better make it up to us for all the times you bailed. You’re buying drinks tonight!” “Alright, alright. I’ll treat you all. You pick the place.” I felt a warmth in my chest. I knew my friends were trying to help me save face and distract from the awkward situation. Gideon watched me from afar, his expression unreadable. Yvonne stood there with tears streaming down her face. “I’m so sorry, I really didn’t mean to…” Gideon looked at her trembling form. In the past, he would have felt protective and sympathetic. But now, he just felt utterly exhausted. After dinner, our group headed to an upscale club we frequented. I was playing cards with some friends while otherCaspians were belting out karaoke tunes in the next room. “Mind if I join?” a familiar voice asked. I was so startled I dropped my cards. “Caspian? What are you doing here?” “Not happy to see me?” “No no, of course you’re welcome.” Caspian Shaw sat down casually, as if we had never grown distant. One of my more outspoken friends piped up, “Shaw, I’ve invited you to hang out so many times and you always declined. But you show up just for Hazel? I’m hurt.” I cleared my throat. “He was probably in the area. Don’t read too much into it.” “It wasn’t on the way. I came specifically to see you,” Caspian stated matter-of-factly. My friends exchanged knowing glances, clearly jumping to conclusions. What exactly do you all think you understand? The party finally wound down around 3 AM. Caspian had left much earlier, which was a relief. I wasn’t sure how to interact with him after so long. When had Caspian and I grown apart? It was probably during our junior year of college when he went to study abroad. The same year Gideon and I got together. Caspian had asked me then: “Are you sure you want to be with him?” I had replied confidently: “Of course.” “You’ll regret it,” he had warned before walking away. I knew he had feelings for me. But to preserve our friendship, I had always pretended not to notice. Looking back, I suppose I was rather cruel. He had foresight to realize Gideon and I weren’t compatible. Gideon may have seemed like the perfect gentleman on the surface, but deep down he was still that small-town boy at his core. He was always insecure that I looked down on him. Over the years, my patience in catering to his ego had worn thin. When I arrived home, I was surprised to see an unexpected visitor waiting outside my door. Gideon stood there looking haggard, as if he had been waiting for hours. I ignored him and moved to unlock my door. Gideon tried to push his way in, gripping the doorframe tightly. His eyes were red as he pleaded, “Hazel, you know Yvonne and I are just friends.” I put my keys in my purse and gave him a cold look. “And?” “So you shouldn’t end things between us over her.” Seeing my frown, he quickly added, “I really don’t have feelings for her. Come back to me. I ordered a $500,000 dress from Jessica for you – you’ll love it. Next month – the 25th next month is an auspicious date. We can-” He spoke rapidly, afraid I would refuse. I took a deep breath and cut him off. “Do you think we’re over because of the dress? Or because of Yvonne?” He pondered my words, clearly not grasping my point. After a moment, his eyes widened as he jumped to the wrong conclusion. He gripped my shoulders tightly, his voice shaking. “Have you fallen for someone else? Who is it?” I deflated. This idiot truly couldn’t understand. “We’re over because you never know when to draw the line. How many times have we fought over Yvonne? I’ve lost count. Each time you expect me to be the one to compromise. Why should I? I’m tired of hearing how pitiful she is – that doesn’t give her the right to disrespect me. You always choose her over me, like at the engagement party when you humiliated me in front of everyone. Do you know how I felt in that moment? I wished I had never met you.” “Hazel, I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you however you want. Just tell me what you need.” “I need you to disappear from my life.” Gideon’s eyes darkened. “That’s the one thing I can’t do.” I was done talking. I tried to close the door, but Gideon desperately held it open, as if getting inside meant I would forgive him. I stared him down and pulled out my phone to make a call. “Hello, security? I pay a fortune in fees every month. Is it so you can let trash wander in?” Gideon’s face fell. He clearly hadn’t expected me to go this far. I lived in the most exclusive apartment complex in the city. The fees were exorbitant, but the service was impeccable. Within 5 minutes, security was at my door. The guard sized up Gideon, looking amused. He likely recognized Gideon from local business news. The complex provided top-tier service, with approved visitor lists for each resident. He probably assumed we were just having a lover’s quarrel. But the residents’ wishes were his priority, even if he didn’t understand. He bowed apologetically to me. “I’m sorry, Miss Newman. We’ll take care of this.” The guard gestured for Gideon to leave. Gideon walked away, utterly humiliated. Gideon likely wouldn’t bother me again anytime soon. His pride had taken quite a blow – probably the worst public embarrassment he’d ever faced aside from the engagement party fiasco. The next day, all the major newspapers were plastered with sensational headlines about the Carter-Newman engagement party drama: “BREAKING: Newman Heiress Publicly Breaks Engagement, Slapped by Father” “HERO’S RESCUE: Carter Heir Defends New Flame Against Fiancée” “FASHION SCOOP: Inside the Heiress’s Million-Dollar Wedding Gown” The public always loved a juicy scandal, especially a real-life drama involving wealthy families. The explosive end to the engagement of two prominent families quickly became the top trending topic. “The Rise of the Carter & Newman Empires: How They Built Their Fortunes” “SHOCK! A Real Cinderella Story” “The True Purpose Behind Elite Arranged Marriages” “SCANDALOUS! Heiress Dumps Wine on Rival at Party” I silently reviewed the report my assistant had compiled on the media coverage. My first order of business upon arriving at the office was to fire Yvonne. I clicked on the “SCANDALOUS” trending topic, which included video footage of me pouring wine on Yvonne. The person filming had an perfect angle, zoomed right in on Yvonne’s face. As the red wine streamed down her head, she stared with wide, bewildered eyes, swaying as if she might faint. She looked like a delicate flower caught in a storm – utterly pitiful. A beautiful woman in distress always tugs at heartstrings. Sure enough, Yvonne’s vulnerable display had earned her plenty of sympathy. “How cruel! Just because she’s rich doesn’t mean she can treat people like trash.” “Serves her right. No wonder no man wants her – who’d dare marry such a vicious shrew?” “The poor girl is so pretty. Even as a woman, my heart aches for her.” I scoffed and exited the trending page, ready to start my workday. “How dare you fire me? This is clearly personal retaliation.” I looked up to see Yvonne storming into my office, fuming. My company had a division related to art and design, mainly focused on animation projects. As Gideon’s company didn’t have a similar department, he had gotten Yvonne a job with me, naively thinking working together would improve our relationship. “You lost us a client, botched two deals, and consistently ranked last in performance reviews. Isn’t firing you the logical choice?” “You’re clearly taking out your anger on me. Don’t think you’re so great just because you’re rich!” “Yes, I earned my wealth through my own abilities and I’m proud of it.” Yvonne was clearly taken aback by my blunt response. After a moment, she straightened her shoulders and declared defiantly: “You’ll regret this.” I rested my chin on my hand, scrutinizing Yvonne. In her anger, with that stubborn, rebellious look in her eyes, she resembled those plucky heroines from teen dramas. If I were a man, I might have fallen for her act. But I was a woman, and a capitalist at that. “The only thing I regret is hiring you in the first place. I’m a businesswoman, not a charity. Now leave before I have security escort you out.” Yvonne left, but trouble soon followed. That afternoon, I was having coffee in the lobby cafe when Gideon came storming in to confront me. “Why did you fire Yvonne?” If we didn’t still have business ties, I would have cut him out of my life completely by now. Unfortunately, even if the marriage was off, I still had to make money. My mind wasn’t so clouded that I’d forget men were less important than wealth. “Your company has so many positions. Couldn’t you have found a place for her?”

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Have You Ever Sold Anything on a Secondhand Platform? I’m a dedicated Lolita fashion enthusiast with a closet full of beautiful dresses. Due to the sheer number of styles and new pre-orders coming in, I often sell my older Lolita dresses online. One day while I was at work, my phone buzzed with a message. A user with a blank profile picture commented under one of my listings: “What kind of dress do you want? As long as you satisfy me, I can give you anything.” I immediately blocked him. What a creep. That evening, when I returned to my apartment, I found an opened package at my doorstep. Inside was a brand new “Heavenly Maiden” dress – the exact dress I had been eyeing but couldn’t afford… Looking at the exquisite dress on the floor, I immediately thought of that blank profile from earlier. There have been many such cases in the Lolita fashion community. Girls who love beautiful clothes but can’t afford them sometimes resort to selling their bodies in exchange for coveted collector’s items. This has created opportunities for ill-intentioned people who disguise themselves as wealthy benefactors on various secondhand platforms to prey on vulnerable girls. Why choose secondhand platforms? Simple. Brand new authentic pieces are too expensive for most to afford. But the “Heavenly Maiden” dress before me still had its tags attached, showing no signs of wear! Just then, my phone buzzed with a new friend request on SnapChat. The message attached made my blood run cold: “Did you receive the dress you like? I’m coming to collect my payment tomorrow. Make sure to wear it – I love seeing you in dresses.” The same blank profile picture, the same tone. How did he know I wanted the “Heavenly Maiden” dress? This Japanese version costs over $1000 on the market, considered the holy grail of Lolita fashion. I had never told anyone I wanted it, yet this mysterious person with the blank profile knew! Even more terrifying was the second half of his message. He’s coming tomorrow to collect payment! What kind of “payment” does he have in mind? Is it… me? Just then, I heard heavy footsteps coming up the stairwell. The footsteps grew louder. Terrified, I quickly opened my door and secured the deadbolt. Before I could fully lock the door, the footsteps suddenly accelerated towards my apartment. A powerful force pushed against the door, straining the deadbolt. Through the narrow gap, I saw a pair of bloodshot eyes in a twisted face. “Ahh!” I couldn’t help but scream. Pushing back against his brute force, I used my last ounce of strength to turn the key and lock the door. After securing the lock, I collapsed to the floor. The violent pounding on the door continued, each thud hammering my frayed nerves. There’s a security camera in the hallway. With trembling hands, I took out my phone to check the feed. I saw a man nearly 6 feet tall wearing a hoodie and mask looking straight at the camera. He pulled down his mask, flashing an evil smile at the lens. There was a deep scar on his jaw, like an ugly centipede clinging to his neck, making him look sinister and terrifying. Then, he began mouthing words slowly, as if deliberately letting me read his lips. He said: “I want to fuck you.” I didn’t sleep a wink that night. I called my friend Kelly from the Lolita community. When she heard what happened, she immediately offered to come over. “No, I don’t know if he’s left yet. It’s too dangerous for you to come alone,” I said quietly, eyes still glued to the security feed. Kelly on the other end sounded angry but didn’t insist after hearing my strong objection. “Then keep in constant contact with me. Don’t hang up. I’ll bring people to check on you first thing in the morning.” It was already past midnight. Most of my friends were asleep except for night owl Kelly. All I could do was wait for dawn. Suddenly, I noticed some disturbed dust on the table in front of me, along with two cigarette butts smoked down to the filter. I don’t smoke, and I’ve been single for all 24 years of my life. So who do these belong to? My nerves instantly went on high alert. Kelly, sensing my silence, anxiously asked: “What’s wrong? Did something happen, Tina?” My voice trembled as I replied: “A man was in my apartment. There’s cigarette ash on the table…” Just as I finished speaking, the security feed flickered. A marble smashed into the camera, turning the screen to static. The sudden change startled me. My whole body shook uncontrollably. “I’m calling the police!” Kelly said before hanging up. The police arrived quickly. I showed them the security footage I had recorded. Though it was dark and unclear, the prominent scar on the man’s neck was unmistakable. “We’ll investigate and locate this person as soon as possible. We’ll also increase patrols in your area,” the young officer said. I nodded numbly. “Is anyone still outside?” “No.” I followed the officers out of my apartment. The sky was just starting to lighten. Apart from the diligent street cleaners, there wasn’t a soul in sight. “I’m sorry for troubling you,” I said, forcing a smile. The young officer waved it off. “No trouble at all. Call us anytime if anything happens.” I didn’t dare stay in my apartment any longer. Kelly offered to let me stay with her. So, with the officers’ escort, I quickly packed some essentials and moved in with Kelly. The next day passed uneventfully. Just as I was starting to relax, my landlord called, immediately launching into an angry tirade. “Tina! Is this how you treat the apartment I rented to you?” I was confused. “I’ve been staying at a friend’s place. I haven’t even been back…” The landlord hung up and quickly sent some photos on SnapChat. They showed my living room in complete disarray, and even the bedding was torn to shreds. I broke out in a cold sweat. If I had been home last night, would I now be a cold corpse? Kelly saw the horrifying images too and kept trying to comfort me. “It’s okay, it’s okay. You’re safe here.” Hearing her gentle reassurances, I gradually calmed down, leaning on her shoulder. The police were working quickly to find the suspect, but unfortunately hadn’t made any progress yet. I hadn’t dared go to work for two days, afraid the psycho might follow me and cause trouble for Kelly. But my worst fear came true anyway. That night, Kelly and I had changed into pajamas and were about to go to sleep after finishing a TV show. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. All traces of sleepiness vanished instantly. I instinctively moved closer to Kelly. “Don’t be scared. I installed a deadbolt. He can’t get in,” Kelly said, stroking my hair reassuringly. The knocking didn’t stop. Instead, it grew more forceful. Bang! Bang! Bang! Fists pounded against the security door, the sound like the footsteps of the Grim Reaper closing in through the night. Kelly pulled up the security camera feed on her phone. It was the same man with the ugly scar on his neck. He grinned at the camera, baring his teeth. Then he took out a can of spray paint and scrawled a crude message on the wall: “Don’t hide from me. I love you.” He placed a package at the door, then put on a hat and mask, repeatedly looking up at the camera. Then the phone screen suddenly turned to static as the hallway camera crackled with electricity. Same person, same Lolita dress, same destroyed camera. As the electric crackling faded, my body began to shake uncontrollably. Kelly gripped my hand and placed a taser in my palm. She whispered soothingly: “It’s okay. He can’t get in.” Once again, I didn’t sleep a wink that night. Kelly called the police, but the culprit was highly vigilant and disappeared into the night after destroying the camera. The same young officer came. He looked gravely at the spray-painted message on the wall, then turned to me with a serious expression. “Miss Tina, please come to the station to give a statement. I’ll request additional police protection from my superiors.” I nodded. Kelly stayed by my side the whole time, constantly trying to calm my frayed nerves. At the police station, I slowly regained my composure. The young officer asked a few questions. When he learned that I didn’t know the stalker, he frowned slightly. “If you don’t know him, Miss Tina, how did he get your address?” Hearing the officer’s question, I thought carefully before shaking my head firmly. “I would never give out my address.” Then I suddenly remembered my account on the secondhand sales platform. The blank profile appeared and completely disrupted my peaceful life. I took out my phone, found my account on the platform, and handed it to the officer. “Could it be related to my package deliveries? I have a lot of Lolita dresses at home, so I often sell them here.” The young officer’s eyes lit up when he heard this. He carefully examined my account. With my permission, he transferred the account to the police department’s phone before arranging for someone to take Kelly and me back to her place. That night, neither Kelly nor I could sleep. So she took some beer from the fridge, turned on a comedy on the projector, and snapped a photo to post on her social media. Kelly is a minor internet celebrity who often shares daily life and Lolita fashion photos on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. I grabbed a bottle and slowly sipped it while watching the comedy. Kelly was replying to followers’ comments on her apps. The comedy failed to hold my interest. Feeling bored, I also opened Kelly’s social media to look at the comments and reposts. Suddenly, my finger froze. Among the viewers, I saw an all too familiar blank profile picture. With trembling fingers, I tapped on it. When I saw the bio, a cold sweat instantly broke out on my back. The phone slipped from my hand. Before the screen went dark, Kelly saw the message: “Stop looking. Let me love you properly!” The profile picture was a selfie of me! Kelly’s face went pale when she saw the message. We’re close friends who love taking selfies together when we hang out. So at least a third of the content on her Instagram features me. But this innocent habit between girlfriends had now landed us in such a predicament. I didn’t dare think about it anymore. After sending this account to the young officer, I tried to calm myself down. Kelly quickly deactivated her account without even posting an explanation. An indescribable chill seeped into my bones. I felt like I was going crazy. Every time I closed my eyes, I couldn’t help but picture that terrifying man with the centipede-like scar on his neck. He was advancing towards me step by step. His bloodshot eyes stared at me intently, like a predator eyeing its prey. Lunging at me frantically! When I opened my eyes, I was drenched in cold sweat. Kelly was sitting by the bed, looking at me with concern. “We’re not going anywhere for a while. We’ll stay here until that psycho is caught,” she said. She’s always been gentle and understanding. I managed a weak smile and agreed. I didn’t give much explanation to my company, just using feeling unwell as an excuse to take an extended leave. Kelly is a freelancer who can work from home. To avoid any incidents, we minimized going out. After buying nearly two weeks’ worth of groceries, we locked ourselves in. Nothing unusual happened for the next few days. The young officer also messaged me, saying they had tracked the IP address and would catch the culprit in a few days. A week passed like this. Just when I thought we were finally safe… Early that morning, a coworker I rarely talk to outside of work suddenly sent me a photo. The woman in the picture was seductive and alluring, with a curvaceous figure and fair thighs spread wide open as if inviting sin. Then, like a floodgate opening, more and more explicit photos came pouring in. Various poses, all designed to inflame desire. Most importantly, the face in the photos… Was mine. Seeing the photos, I felt like I had been doused with a bucket of ice water. My coworker’s messages kept coming: “Is this really you in the photos?” “I never knew you were so wild.” “How much for one night? 200 bucks for the whole night, what do you say?” Fighting back nausea, I blocked him and broke down crying. As a Lolita fashion enthusiast, I’m quite the selfie expert. But I would never take photos like these. Someone clearly used my photos for malicious photoshopping! There had been no trace of that man for a week. But I was certain – it must be him! Messages on my phone kept pouring in. I steeled myself to look at the screen. It was from my manager. “Tina! I didn’t say anything about your extended leave, but now you’re bringing your private affairs to tarnish the company’s reputation? What are you trying to do?” “Don’t bother coming back. Go to HR to collect your final paycheck and get out!” Each message felt like a tidal wave, shattering my already broken heart into even smaller pieces. It was as if the last shred of dignity covering me had been ripped away, exposing my raw wounds to the air, making my whole body ache and tremble with pain. Kelly heard the commotion and rushed over. When she saw those photos, her face grew very serious. As my best friend for three years, she of course knew I had never taken such photos. But it didn’t matter. The rumor mill is unstoppable. When she accompanied me back to the company to collect my things, All my coworkers kept stealing glances at me. Those looks… Contempt, boldness, disgust. Even some usually quiet male colleagues came up and lewdly asked if I was available. Kelly kicked that guy away and escorted me out of the company. After going through so much, my nerves were completely shot. I became afraid of sunlight and didn’t dare go out. I stayed home all day, staring blankly at the walls. Kelly understood my changes and patiently kept me company. My sleep quality plummeted. I couldn’t sleep for nights on end. Another sleepless night. I walked out of the bedroom to get some water from the living room. The pale moonlight shining through the floor-to-ceiling windows cast an eerie glow on the living room. I didn’t turn on the lights, following the moonlight to find the water dispenser. Suddenly, a clothes hanger fell from the balcony. Ding. At that moment, a dark shadow blocked the moonlight in front of me. That shadow… was a person! My heart started racing uncontrollably. My hand holding the glass began to shake. Accompanied by the crisp sound of glass shattering on the floor, I slowly raised my head. The shadow instantly blocked all the moonlight. In the darkness, our eyes met. His eyes glinted with a predatory light. In the faint moonlight, I vaguely saw his face. One glance was enough to make me scream at the top of my lungs! The man was clearly startled by my scream. Then, he dove off the balcony! My terror froze in an instant. Kelly heard my scream and rushed out of the bedroom in a panic. Still in shock, I recounted what had just happened. She turned on the lights and grimly led me to the balcony, where we saw dirty footprints. Kelly sucked in a sharp breath. “I live on the 12th floor.” To preserve evidence, we didn’t clean up the footprints. Instead, we called the police to handle it. Normally, jumping from the 12th floor would result in hitting the ground within five seconds. The impact of a body hitting the ground would make a dull thud, but I hadn’t heard any sound. Could someone actually fly? Learning from the two previous incidents, the police responded very quickly. They also brought good news. “We’ve identified the person who’s been stalking Miss Tina,” said Officer James, spreading out the collected information in front of me. His face showed visible fatigue, but couldn’t hide his joy. “His name is Eric Lee. He was imprisoned three years ago for attempted assault and released last year. He has a criminal record.” “He’s an orphan who usually makes a living through robbery and scams. I tracked the account you gave us and found that you always ship packages from near your home.” “Coincidentally, Eric lives in the same city as Miss Tina, so he staked out the shipping locations, disguised himself as a delivery man to enter your complex and scout it out, and finally determined your home and work addresses.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295011”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #魔幻Magic #重生Reborn #校园School #惊悚Thriller

I died from bullying in my previous life. Now, I’ve been reborn to the day I transferred schools in my senior year. This time, I’m the one who dumped trash on “Little Bunny’s” desk and poured iced coffee over her head. Little Bunny is Chloe. She certainly didn’t expect that the person actively bullying her would be me, nor did she expect to end up in such a miserable state. As the sticky iced coffee dripped down her face and into her collar, Chloe’s eyes widened in visible shock. After all, in my previous life, those bullies who tormented her only dumped relatively clean trash on her desk. And I was the carp that jumped into the net because I couldn’t stand injustice. Now, in others’ eyes, I’ve clearly become the new bully. Well, they’re not wrong. I am bullying her. No one stood up to help her. Even those who were originally prepared to bully her didn’t know what to do for a moment. “You…” Chloe was shocked and angry for a moment, but quickly put on a pitiful act, her eyes brimming with tears. “I bought that iced coffee for you…” I know, of course I know. In my previous life, because of this “welcome” iced coffee that had been tampered with, I got diarrhea and was locked in the bathroom. I couldn’t get out for half a day, which led to the teacher thinking I was a bad student who skipped class on my first day after transferring. The people around us gave me strange looks, mostly filled with blame and contempt. I pulled out a tissue from a nearby desk and wiped my hands. “Keep it for yourself. It’s disgusting, and I find it revolting.” After throwing the crumpled tissue at her face, I turned and went back to my seat, casually starting to read a book. Chloe ran to the bathroom crying and hadn’t returned when class started. My classmates began to avoid me. Even my original desk mate silently packed up their books and moved to another seat. Someone reported this incident to the teacher, but the teacher couldn’t do anything about me. After all, I had transferred here because the principal had taken notice of my good grades. The school wouldn’t expel me over this “small matter.” Yes, it’s all just small matters. That’s what many people told me in my previous life. When Chloe came back, she had changed her clothes. Her hair was washed and still a bit wet, and those rabbit-like eyes were also moist, making her look completely harmless. I silently counted to three, and sure enough, she walked up to me. Her voice was low and soft, sounding extremely sincere. “Aria, did you misunderstand something about me?” I let out a light snort, looking at her coldly. “We don’t even know each other. How could there be any misunderstanding?” “I just find you disgusting. I simply hate you.” Chloe’s face turned ugly for a moment, but it passed quickly. Instead, she bit her lip and put on a thoughtful, understanding expression. “You’re a new student. You probably don’t have many friends here yet, right? Let’s be friends. As we get to know each other, you’ll see that you must have misunderstood me somehow.” Saying this, she smiled gently at me, her eyes curving. “It must be lonely being all by yourself.” Just like in my previous life, she moved her things over and became my desk mate. I heard the voices of those around me criticizing me, but I remained unmoved. Chloe took out some chocolate from her bag. “Here, have this. It’ll make you feel better.” “Chloe,” I called out to her, my expression slightly cold. “Aren’t you pathetic?” Throughout the day, I used every insult and sarcastic remark I could think of against her. I even deliberately tore up her books or threw them on the ground and stepped on them. Some people did stand up and say I was going too far, telling Chloe to stay away from me. I didn’t want to explain anything to them. Compared to what I had experienced before, I was still being too kind to Chloe. As I expected, she kept up her act, playing the role of someone being bullied but not holding it against me. She even invited me to eat together. I cursed at her, “Stop being so pathetic.” Little Bunny’s expression once again became tearful. After the evening study session, those same people who had dumped trash on her desk in my previous life dragged me to the bathroom. I wasn’t particularly surprised. It was just that this time, Chloe wasn’t there to be bullied alongside me. Having been reborn, I didn’t plan on dropping out of school, so I couldn’t escape this bullying. Yes, this was a trap, set up by Chloe. Whether or not I had tried to help her in my previous life, those people would have turned their bullying onto me. She approached me, pretended to be bullied alongside me to create a false sense of camaraderie, but every time I was bullied, the mastermind behind it was Chloe, the leader of those bullies. Unfortunately, I was too stupid in my previous life. So stupid that I only learned the truth right before I died in that alley from bullying. It was the day after I received my college acceptance letter. I had just checked my email and hadn’t even had time to feel happy when I received a distress message from Chloe. I rushed to the dark alley where she was supposedly being bullied. This time, I called the police and made preparations in advance. But as soon as I arrived, I received a call from my mother. Before I saw anyone, I leaned against the corner of the wall to answer it. “Aria, sweetie, I’m home. Quick, tell me, how did it go?” “Mom, I got the acceptance letter.” “My daughter is so amazing! I knew you could do it. Come home quickly, Mom will make you your favorite steak…” My mother was crying tears of joy on the other end, chattering about buying me some new clothes and going to church tomorrow to pray for my bright future. But I never got to hear everything she said. My phone was knocked out of my hand onto the ground. I was stunned for a moment. Seeing Chloe appear from behind me, I didn’t react immediately and asked, “What are you doing?” She crossed her arms and smirked at me. When I saw the people behind her, I suddenly realized what was happening. I frowned and quickly picked up my phone, briefly saying to the other end, “Mom, I’ll talk to you when I get back.” I hung up the phone and heard Chloe’s mocking voice, “Get back? I’m afraid you won’t be going back.” As soon as she finished speaking, she raised her foot and kicked me hard in the stomach, knocking me to the ground. I heard the person who bullied me every day speaking to her respectfully. Along with the pain in my stomach, my mind went blank for a moment. “You look so skinny, but that kick was no weaker than mine.” The piercing laughter stabbed at my eardrums. Something exploded in my brain, and I couldn’t help but shout, “Chloe, why are you doing this?!” “Why?” She laughed, looking no different from her usual harmless self, but now it seemed particularly frightening. “Because of Jack, of course. He’s my man.” After she finished speaking, before I could react, several people pressed down on me and beat me half to death. They knew that every time I was beaten, I would fight back with all my might, so they learned to restrain my hands and feet first, leaving me unable to move before they started their violence. This time, I had no chance to resist at all. Later on, they even picked up large bricks and smashed them onto my body, one after another. And the one who was smashing my head to death was the person I had been protecting all along. Little Bunny’s face now looked like a demon who had lost control, terrifyingly extreme. My head hurt so much, so dizzy. Blood flowed from my forehead into my eyes, blurring my vision. I don’t know how long they beat me, until I was covered in blood, barely breathing, lying on the ground. “Aria, in your next life, don’t mess with people you shouldn’t,” Chloe said, throwing the bloodied brick to one of her minions. She was slightly out of breath as she looked down at me haughtily. “I’ll be straightforward. You won’t survive today.” “Can you… tell me… why…” “I told you, because of Jack. I like him, but he likes you, so when I found out you were transferring here, I prepared this trap for you.” “Protecting your bullied desk mate, then becoming the new target of bullying.” She crouched down, flashing a smile at me. “Who told you to be such a do-gooder?” Memories of the dark, hopeless life of the past few months flooded my mind. My eyes showed deep resentment. Oh, Chloe. I once thought that protecting you was a meaningful thing to do. I comforted myself that it was okay to be beaten a few times. I thought we truly had a friendship born from shared hardships. Before this, I had never regretted helping you that day. But why? You were the real demon all along. You really played me for a fool. “Bang! Bang! Bang!” The brick smashed into my head again. Mom, I might not be able to eat the braised pork you make… Before losing consciousness, I heard the sound of police sirens. I don’t know if Chloe was caught by the police afterward. When I opened my eyes again, I had already returned to the morning of the day I transferred schools. My mother was on the phone, reminding me, “Do your best in the interview, okay?” I choked up for a while before saying, “Mom, if I get into my dream university, remember to make me a steak.” “Okay, okay, okay. Mom will definitely make it for you.” … I’m grateful that heaven gave me a chance to live again, to take control of my own fate this time. Although there are some things I can’t change, the ending this time will be in my hands. Chloe, you won’t have a good ending. At this moment, there were six girls standing in front of me. The leader was called Megan, a somewhat fat and sturdy girl, a head taller than me. She always hit the hardest, as if doing so would earn her more credit. “Transfer student, feeling pretty tough, huh? First day here and already bullying people? Want to be the big boss? Huh?” she said, reciting her opening lines while reaching out to grab my hair. Still playing her part dutifully even when no one else was around. I skillfully covered my head with my arms, frowning as I let her pull. “Not so tough now, are you? What are you pretending for, you bitch?” A slap landed on my face. Megan cursed with vulgar words, hitting me with her hands and feet, one blow after another. I remained silent, curling up to protect my head as if I was used to it, completely like a punching bag that could be kneaded at will. Megan laughed, “Is that all? I thought you were something special.” She waved her hand, pushed me to the ground, and said “Your turn” to the others before stepping aside and casually lighting a cigarette. Then the others rushed forward, their fists, palms, and nails not sparing any part of me, hitting me all over. In my previous life, I had quite a temper and always fought back with all my might. I would stand in front of Chloe, trying my best to protect her, relying on my martial arts skills. But the more I resisted, the harder they beat me in the end. They even got angry and pushed my head into a pit, forcing me to drink the dirty water from the toilet. At that time, I didn’t think about why Chloe was just crouching in the corner, not being treated like this, and why she had no injuries when we went back. She would cry and say she had implicated me, then tenderly apply medicine to my wounds, her mouth repeating “I’m sorry.” Who could have imagined that the person I thought I was protecting was thinking “Beat her to death” and “Well done” while watching the show? As my thoughts returned to the present, I curled up on the ground, clearly seeing every face through the gaps. Each one was once my nightmare. Go ahead and beat me. After this, you’ll all pay the price. Not one of you will escape. After they left, I sat on the ground for a moment, patted off the water stains on my body, and washed my face before leaving the bathroom. My mother called, asking about my first day in the new environment. I rubbed my wrist that had been stepped on and was still aching, trying to make my voice sound normal, “It’s fine. I just left school.” In the distance, I saw Megan and the others laughing and chatting ahead. Their laughter could reach my ears even from afar. The hand holding the phone tightened. Why is it that these bullies can live so carefree after hurting others? … The next day, when I arrived at the classroom, I saw Megan and her group surrounding Chloe, deliberately scratching her notebook, pushing her head not too gently, and saying insulting things with smiles on their faces. I knew it. They still wanted to pull off the same act as in my previous life. Chloe really loves playing the innocent rabbit. It’s as if she can’t live without that mask. I slowly walked over and asked from behind them, “Megan, with your style of doing things, shouldn’t you be doing this in the bathroom?” My words confused them a bit. Megan quickly reacted, “Are you trying to teach me how to do things?” I smiled calmly, “You hate me, and you hate her too. Why don’t I help you do this? It’ll save you the effort.” Chloe frowned uncontrollably and called out softly, “Aria… you…” I approached, smiling innocently like her, “How about it?” Someone pushed me, “Who do you think you are?” I stumbled a few steps, my eyes fixed on Chloe. I saw her secretly give Megan a look, and the next second, Megan laughed mockingly at me, “You got beaten up last night and now you want to take it out on someone else, right? Fine, let’s see what you can do.” As soon as she finished speaking, I tilted my head slightly, gesturing to Chloe with a “kind” smile in my eyes. She dared to do this because she had researched what kind of person I was. She really thought I was finding an excuse to help her, so she followed me to the bathroom with that unable-to-speak-up, pitiful look. “Aria, I knew you—” Before she could finish, I kicked her into the third stall that was closed. The bucket of water prepared for me spilled all over her. It was dirty water, black and emitting a foul odor. Chloe screamed. As she turned around, I quickly closed the door before her and used a wooden stick nearby to jam the door handle.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295010”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #魔幻Magic #重生Reborn #校园School