Author: Momo Chan

The pervert senior who plays very well × the frustrated substitute me In the utility room, he, who was drunk, pressed me on the table. The sports rope I had intended to give him now bound my wrist with an unyielding grip. No matter how much I pleaded, he showed no mercy. With a firm hold, he removed my glasses, waving them mockingly before tossing them out the window. Then he pulled my shoulder hard and said to me in a threatening tone, “I told you, this is more like her.” I cried and watched him leave teeth marks all over the place, feeling heartbroken. He is my senior, Liam Brown. We first met in the Go club, and he and I were assigned to the same group. I knew that he had a fierce style of play, and one would loose repeatedly as soon as he started playing. At that moment, I was wiping the sweat from my brow while stealing glances at his face. My hands shook as I played, anxiety flooding me. I didn’t expect that he would suddenly hold my chess-playing hand, tilt his head and smile, then handsomely help me move the chess piece to the correct position. The chess pieces were cold, but his fingertips were warm. The strange touch shocked my pupils. He is…so charming! As a boy, I fell madly in love with another boy! To pursue Liam Brown, I dedicated myself to my studies and successfully gained admission to his university. The bad news is that the person he likes is a girl. But the good news was that she had rejected him and was planning to go abroad. I knew my chance had finally come, but I never expected it would mark the beginning of my suffering. hat day, I used all my savings to treat my senior to an extravagant dinner. He smiled and said to me, “You’ve made a fortune.” But there was an undeniable loneliness in his eyes. I nervously sat next to the senior and poured him a glass of wine. Let him cry to me about how much he likes that goddess. That was my first time drinking foreign liquor. The blend of bitterness and sweetness coursed through my already fragile stomach, but for the sake of my senior, I downed it anyway, ignoring my stomach’s protests. And he drank a lot. Of course, I had my own intentions. I want to get my senior drunk so that I can get him. After I downed more than ten cups, my senior was completely drunk. I removed my glasses and finally found the courage to speak my heart. A little boy tells all his secret love for another boy without any scruples. I cried and pleaded with Liam Brown not to hate me, desperately asking if he could find it in his heart to accept me. I expected the senior to refuse me. But he opened his eyes wide and grabbed my shoulders. He kept repeating the goddess’ name, Vivian. Then he kissed me without any hesitation, “Don’t go.” That night, we booked a room at the hotel near the school gate. He was drunk and transformed into a different person—tying me up and gripping my throat with anger, demanding to know why I wanted to leave. I really want him to sober up, but I know that he will definitely hate me when he really wakes up. After all, I turned him gay when he was drunk. So, I hugged the unconscious senior and told him that I was Vivian. In that moment, I thought it might be nice to experience some affection from him, even if it was fleeting, so I let him treat me however he pleased. When I woke up the next day, my senior looked at me with disgust. Then he asked another girl out to hang out. Before leaving, she left a message: “If you weren’t a bit like her, I wouldn’t even say a word to you, die.” I held my aching waist and thought it was all over. Who would have known that from then on, whenever the senior drank too much, he would come to me, Same room, same bondage, and ferocity, The difference was that Liam Brown kissed me more often in the following encounters. He proposed to me that we should develop a secret relationship until Vivian came back. “Why me? What about those girls who are chasing you?” I asked. He leaned against the bed, smoked a cigarette, squinted his eyes and said, “With you, no one will suspect anything.” “Of course, I can still have fun with other girls at the same time..” At that moment, I realized that Liam Brown was not the man I imagined. He was not the gentle boy who plays chess in the afternoon, but a scheming, selfish, playboy scumbag. But I still said nothing, just nodded silently and let him continue. I still feel a little guilty, after all, I was the one who got him drunk and forced him to have sex. Deep down, I knew that every time he treated me roughly, it was because he had someone else in his heart. But he said he wouldn’t be so nice to Viviani, so these are specially prepared for me, So overall, he still likes me a little bit. I remained silent, a flash of happiness flashed through my heart. I naively thought that the companionship of the later comers really touched him. Until I saw Vivian, wearing branded clothes, walk up to Liam Brown and say confidently, “I’m back. You said you liked me before, does that still count?” Liam Brown pushed away my hand on his shoulder and said, “Of course it counts.” It was then that I came to my senses and realized that I had always been a substitute. He deleted my contact information without even looking back. I turned to my goddess and told her I was just an annoying classmate, not even a friend. The goddess smiled and said, “Of course, how could you possibly want to be friends with him? He’s obviously a jerk.” “Of course.” Liam Brown glanced at me, without any emotion in his eyes. At that moment, what I heard was not only the sound of a broken heart, but also the sound of a broken dignity. That night, I couldn’t help but vomit into the toilet. It was the first time I felt so miserable. At first, I thought I was just emotionally hurt and didn’t take it seriously. Until later, I started to vomit constantly, couldn’t eat anything, often felt dazed, and lost weight. I went to the hospital, where the doctor delivered the devastating news: I had gastrointestinal cancer and needed to be hospitalized immediately for treatment. The doctor noticed my dazed expression and reassured me, saying, “Don’t worry; it’s not in the late stage yet. If you cooperate with the treatment, you’ll be fine.” I held the medical record in my hand and thought about how I had to force myself to drink with Liam Brown every time. I felt it was not worth it. I also thought about how Liam Brown always gave me whatever I wanted, and I found it ridiculous. I shook my head and laughed at myself, and my heart ached slightly. Look, she insisted on chasing after a scumbag, only to be abandoned without a single glance back and left with a terminal illness. I left the hospital in a daze and squatted at the hospital entrance, but the first person I wanted to contact was Liam Brown. I felt like a jerk, but I couldn’t help it. I wanted to say goodbye to him. After all, this is the first boy I liked, and he is the Go boy in my memory. Just as I was about to dial his number, I saw his name flash across my phone screen. Why was he calling me? Was he finally going to apologize? I took a breath and told myself that I should never forgive him, but say goodbye cleanly and start over. But when I picked up the phone, Liam Brown’s drunken voice slurred through the receiver. “Where have you been? Why didn’t you answer my calls? Come to the school utility room. I’ll be waiting for you here.” I thought he would have a change of heart, and even brought a farewell gift so that we could part ways amicably. The result was that they were forced to have sex in the utility room…

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The proud and scheming wolfdog-like bottom bunk uke × the sunny and easily tamed puppy-like top bunk uke × the self-imagining seme Taming Diary ‘Wife’ isn’t about gender; it’s a feeling. If the feeling’s right, it could be a guy too. Stellar Song lay on the top bunk across from me, half his body hanging off as he poked his head out to say this. His tone was a mix of cute and just a little coy. What? We were clearly just talking about what types of girls we liked. How did this guy go off on a tangent? I quickly glanced over at Flynn Song on the lower bunk across from me, raising my eyebrows with a knowing look that said, “Did you hear what your brother just said? This guy’s trouble. You think he might actually be turning gay?” Flynn Song was looking right back at me, but instead of reacting to Stellar, he said something that caught me even more off guard: “I agree, but let’s keep things straight between brothers.” As soon as he said that, I felt the air around me turn three degrees colder, and a strange feeling creep up my heart. Dude, you two brothers don’t want to share one, do you? Also, why are you suddenly getting out of bed? That’s right. The unlucky guy who was being stared at so intently by these two men at this moment was me. Being liked by a man was already strange enough, but what was even stranger was that it wasn’t just one man. The real kicker was that they were brothers—twins, no less. “Hold on a second, you two. I’m not the one you’re planning to ‘share,’ am I?” Stellar Song flashed a mischievous grin, showing off his cute canine teeth as he nodded slowly. “Why not?” “It’s not me, for crying out loud. I’m a guy.” But Flynn just smirked. “Didn’t my brother say that if the feeling’s right, it could be a guy too?” The two brothers teamed up and yanked away the blanket I was using to cover myself. Then, my wails filled the whole corridor, “Damn it! I treated you two as brothers. What do you two take me for!… Ah. ..Don’t touch me there…” Here’s how it all started. My name’s Wayne, and I’m the head of this dorm. When I first entered this dorm, I thought my days here were going to be tough, because the rejection and coldness in the eyes of these two brothers clearly showed that they regarded me as an outsider. And things were tough… just not in the way I’d expected. Turns out, it was my lower body that took the hit. “Hi, I’m Wayne , your senior…” Although it was a bit awkward, I still calmly introduced myself. Thankfully, there were four of us in the dorm, and the other freshman gave me a friendly nod, saying apologetically, “Hello, senior. Sorry about that. They’re just a bit slow to warm up. They’ll be fine once they get to know you.” “It’s all good. They’re freshmen; everyone’s got their own quirks.” I walked straight to my bed and smiled at these two brothers. Back then, I thought I’d just get through the year and graduate, but little did I know I’d walked straight into a den of wolves. I’d had the bad luck of breaking my leg last semester, which meant a year off to recover at home. By the time I was back, my original classmates had already graduated, so I had no choice but to transfer to this dorm. I thought since I was the oldest, I should take care of these freshmen brothers a bit more. So, I usually helped them fetch water, bring food, and reserve seats for them when I had nothing to do. I thought I was just doing good deeds . Who would have thought that I did do good deeds, but ended up sacrificing my own parts. Now that I think about it, there were signs of this. For example, recently, Stellar Song would suddenly hug me from behind after taking the food I brought him, and then give me a smile that would make girls go crazy and say to me , “Thank you, Brother Wayne.” And then there was Flynn Song, who suddenly started wearing perfume. He’d come over, letting me smell it and asking if I liked it. The way he stretched his neck was so flirty. He clearly looked like a bottom, but at that time, all I could think was, “Well, he knows I’m a nice guy and is coming to play with me. Little brat.” Now I really regret it. I even took the initiative to invite them to the bathhouse for a soak together. Take a bath! Get naked with two bottoms! Take a bath! Wasn’t I just throwing myself at them? I still remember the looks they gave me at that time. Stellar Song’s eyes were bright. “Are you sure you want to take a bath with us~?” Flynn Song, on the other hand, stared at me strangely and said, “I don’t want to be in the bathroom.” At that time, I scratched my head, not understanding their intentions, and said stupidly, “What’s the matter? We’re all buddies. Hurry up, don’t be so slow. ” In the bathroom, steam was swirling around. The two brothers had squeezed in close, sandwiching me in the middle as we took a bath. “Brother Wayne, I didn’t expect you to have such a good body.” Stellar Song praised me with a smile. “Of course. I’ve been working out for a long time.” Flynn Song, keeping his usual confident demeanor, chimed in, “What’s the point of looking good? Being healthy is what really matters.” “I’m as fit as a fiddle, guys,” I said, naively starting to brag about my glorious achievements with my ex-girlfriend, completely oblivious to the increasingly mischievous glints in their eyes. After we got back from the bathhouse to the dorm, I decided to continue our earlier topic and asked them what kinds of girls they liked. That’s when the same scene unfolded again, with Stellar Song saying how “wife” is a feeling and it can be a guy too. And then these two bottoms surrounded me. Now I’m extremely regretful. I’m such an idiot. Not having a gaydar has really screwed me over. If God were to give me another chance now, I would never take a bath with these two brothers again. No, I would never share a dorm with them again. “Brother Wayne, your body is so good. I was drooling over you when we were taking a bath just now.” Stellar Song reached out to a place he shouldn’t have and pinched me sneakily. I have to admit, this guy has really nice skin, and his eyes are huge. With those Korean-style bangs, he actually looks a bit like a cute girl. “Let’s call this love at first sight, shall we?” Suddenly, he climbed onto me, looking at me with burning eyes and even licking his lips? In that moment, even though I was fully dressed, it felt like I was completely naked. I got angry.“Stellar Song, get off me right now. Don’t make me hit you!” “Humph, then hit me.” Who would’ve thought this guy wouldn’t listen? He took the chance to fall into my arms and said coyly, “Just right. I like being tamed by Brother Wayne.” What the hell! I rolled over to get up, ready to throw a few punches at him. But as I landed a few hits, I suddenly felt something strange. This guy was actually moaning and wriggling around? Damn it, it made me hard. “Stop moving!” I roared at Stellar Song. “Okay, don’t be so mean. I’m just in pain because you hit me.” Stellar Song looked at me pitifully and stopped. But Flynn Song was all fired up. “What are you afraid of? There are two of us. Can’t we overpower him?” Flynn Song is different from his brother. He’s smart, decisive, and he has to succeed in whatever he wants to do. He never accepts threats. Just like today, he managed to send the fourth roommate to the cybercafe without anyone noticing. That guy even promised that he wouldn’t come back today before leaving. On top of that, Flynn works out regularly, so when it comes to physical strength, I might not stand a chance against him. It turned out that Flynn Song had been quietly watching Stellar Song and me mess around for a while, just biding his time to wear me out before striking at the perfect moment. “Okay, the appetizer is over. It’s time for the main course.” “What are you doing? Don’t come over here. Don’t… Don’t touch me!” Flynn Song pressed down on me and said ambiguously in my ear, “Don’t pretend. You were already hard just now.” I was stunned. So, he had seen everything I’d tried to hide. “Don’t worry. It’s obvious that you’re a top. You won’t be on the bottom.”

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“Tell me! How can I break the bond with this pen??” My arch-enemy, the teacher, now pushed me over the table and forced me to tell him the answer. Bro, I don’t know either!! “If you don’t tell me, I will be really rude.” He roughly unbuckled my belt, slid his hand down, and then pushed hard. He swears to repay me in the way I have been treated, and let me taste the pain I have inflicted on him. The recent math classes have been quite challenging, and I’m struggling to keep up. As a poor math student, I often roll my pen to relieve the pressure. I didn’t expect my strict math teacher to get so flustered, his face turning red as he glared at me. “Jimmy, put down the pen in your hand! Stop turning it! Listen carefully!” This teacher must be sick today. I wasn’t distracted. Two days later, it was the same teacher who was my archenemy. Still this unruly me, Two 1.80-meter-tall boys were staring at each other in the hotel, and the atmosphere was very ambiguous.

Bran is our new math teacher in the postgraduate entrance examination class. He was so tall and handsome, an absolute male god. As soon as he stepped onto the podium, even the female students who usually loathed math began to pay close attention. While listening, he continued, “Teacher, please say more.” “Teacher, what else?” That’s not all. After class, they would surround him and ask him questions. Even my goddess, who looks like a fairy, is an absolute academic master They would come to our class just to seek Bran’s help, all for a chance to talk to him. I felt a surge of jealousy!! Very jealous! Very jealous! Bran is simply the public enemy of all boys! But I can’t deny my envy. Those long legs, that handsome face, and his clear, humorous teaching style—it’s no wonder even I find myself wanting to listen to his lectures, let alone my goddess. Though I may not excel in my studies, I know my own limitations. There is no way I can compare to this kind of male god teacher. It’s better to get along well with him and take the opportunity to get close to the goddess. Who knew that when I took the test paper to ask questions, he actually called me stupid in front of the goddess, which made me very angry. I vowed to get my revenge on him if I ever got the chance. And now, that opportunity has arrived…

“If you say you don’t want to transfer, then don’t transfer. You are meddling too much.” I grumbled unhappily, slipping the pen under the table and continuing to spin it secretly. “I’ll just spin, and I’ll keep spinning.” A hundred pounds of rebelliousness made me keep repeating the movements on the tip. I imagined that the pen in my hand was Bran’s ** “Hmph, I’ll get back at you for embarrassing me in front of the goddess.” Unexpectedly, Bran suddenly turned his back to us on the podium and held onto the blackboard. An unusual blush crept across his face. Bang! The pen in my hand slipped and fell to the ground. Sorry, my pen-spinning skills aren’t very good. “Hey, let me pick it up,” I said. Unexpectedly, my deskmate accidentally stepped on the pen. “Ah!~~” Bran suddenly screamed, leaned on the desk in pain, and beads of sweat appeared on his face. “Teacher, are you okay?” the female student in the front row asked with concern. “No…it’s okay, this is the question, everyone can study on your own from now on.” I stood up and saw Bran sitting down with a strange expression on his face, hunched over. Tsk, it’s not like you’re a girl and you don’t have your period, why are you being so sissy? I started to do the questions unhappily, holding the pen tightly in my hand. I didn’t know the answer to this question, and I didn’t know the answer to this one either. I started staring blankly forward, biting the pen cap. Little did I know, Bran was up at the podium, growing increasingly impatient and practically hating me. “Strange, why is the ink leaking when I just changed the refill?” I quickly found a napkin to wipe it, and the teacher’s expression on the podium seemed to slowly relax.

After class, The female classmates were gossiping about what happened to the teacher today and whether he was feeling unwell. I was the only one who shivered when Bran yelled at me. “Jimmy, get out here.” Damn, did this teacher take medicine today? The boys all looked at me with sympathy, and the girls all stared at me strangely as if I had really done something outrageous. “Jimmy, you don’t pay attention in class, why are you spinning your pen? Are you still studying?” I was just about to retort, but when I looked up and met Bran’s eyes, I was stunned. The teacher’s face was obviously flushed, and her angry look revealed a hint of shyness. What’s going on? I thought to myself, why is this expression exactly the same as the heroines in some movies I watched during my adolescence? If the girls in our class saw this, they would be so fascinated. “I’m talking to you! What are you daydreaming about? Where’s your pen? Take it out now! I’m confiscating it!” “It’s… in the drawer.” At this time, the teacher of the next class came to my rescue, “Mr. Zhong’s class is over.” “Ah, it’s over. The next class is yours, right?” Bran smiled and said, but then his expression changed immediately. He held my shoulder and said to me sinisterly, “You are not allowed to play with pens in this class. Bring your pens to me after class, or we will never be together again.” It’s funny, you really think I’m still a primary school student, Just spinning a pen is enough to get it confiscated? No one would care about that. Once class was over, I headed straight for the basketball court, giving it my all. And I brought this pen with me.

no sooner said than done. On the court, I took a step to the left and turned to the right. Let the pen fully rub against the fabric of the pants. If friction generates heat, then as it gets hot, Teacher Bran on the other side must be feeling very uncomfortable. If you shoot one more basketball and jump a little more, you can increase the momentum on the y-axis. It’s hard to say whether you can bear it or not. “Nice shot!” My long-range three-point shot earned me the admiration of many. Just when I was feeling proud of myself, someone suddenly pointed at my pants and said there was something black. When I looked down, I saw that the damn pen had leaked ink again. This time, it had completely stained my pants. “You guys go ahead and fight, I’m going to the bathroom.” After nodding goodbye to the guys, I headed to the single restroom behind the stadium with my ink-stained pants It’s a bit of a walk, but it’s a private restroom, and usually, no one goes in or out, making it easy for me to take off my pants and try to clean them up. But as soon as I stepped inside, I saw a familiar figure. I was wiping up the mess with some paper, not really paying attention, when I realized—Bran?! He didn’t look like the suave teacher he usually was. It was hilarious and a bit embarrassing to see him like this. Turns out, even though Bran’s the heartthrob teacher, he’s no different from us regular guys in moments like these. But before I could even laugh, he spotted me, grabbed my arm, and pulled me in, pinning me against the wall. “Having fun, aren’t you?” “Uh, what do you mean, Teacher?” “Don’t play dumb with me. You’re the reason I’ve been so uncomfortable.” I looked at him—handsome, sophisticated, way out of my league—and swallowed hard. He really was something. “What…?” “Still not admitting it, huh?” Bran grabbed my chin and pressed a rough kiss onto my mouth. Instantly, my mind went blank and my hands and feet went weak. That was…that was my first kiss! I’d been waiting four years in college for this, saving my first kiss until I got into grad school so I could finally give it to my dream girl! “Jimmy, if you keep doing this, I will use you to relieve my sexual desire tomorrow instead of my mouth.”

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In a daze, I overheard my childhood friend and the muscled guy debating who would get to keep me tonight. The more I listened, the stranger it sounded. Wait—what?! Turns out, they actually want to do that with me together—and here they are, passionately debating who’s on top and who’s on bottom?! Hold up, I haven’t agreed to any of this! How did these two already settle all the roles?! The moment I opened my eyes, I found myself stretched out in an embarrassing position in the empty school clinic, the pain bringing tears to my eyes. “Arnold Strong, you jerk! Get your foot off my hips!” But he had no intention of letting me go, pressing my knees down harder against the bed with his foot. On the other side, a pair of narrow, alluring eyes gazed at me, filled with danger as he murmured seductive words. “The wider the hips, the better. Let’s do it again.” A chill ran down my spine. They weren’t seriously trying to turn me into an Oreo sandwich, were they?! “Stop scaring him,” Arnold Strong shot an irritated look at James Whitaker but still spoke gently to me. “You just pulled a muscle running the 3,000 meters for the physical test. I was helping you.” “So… you mean running?” I let out a sigh of relief. James Whitaker smirked devilishly. “Not exactly.” He stepped closer, his hand trailing slowly down to my backside. “I don’t mean running,” he murmured. “I’m talking about doing things… not exactly suitable for kids—with Charles.” Smack. Arnold Strong angrily swatted James Whitaker’s hand away. “Are you nuts? Charles isn’t yours alone.” “I’ve known him since he was little, so of course he’s mine alone,” James shot back, pulling me closer. “And what about me, his brother? I’m still his class monitor, and I’m taking him back to class. What’s it to you?” Arnold snapped, grabbing my hand and trying to tug me off the bed. My hands were soon covered in red marks from all the tugging and pulling, and I finally couldn’t take it anymore, jumping up from the bed. James’s eyes flickered with a mix of disappointment and malice as he grabbed the fruit knife from the table, pointing it directly at me. “Tell me, Charles—are you coming with me, or with him?” Bro, you’re jealous of him! Why are you pointing the knife at me?!

Flashback to a month ago. While I was dating the school beauty, I happened to find a campus novel in her bag—a romance with two male leads. Next thing I knew, I was pulled into the story and became Charles, the beloved pawn caught between them. After all, Charles is the “goddess” my girlfriend has raved about for so long, and I’d even picked up on some of the book’s plot details from her. The two male leads? One is Arnold Strong, the bright and athletic class leader with both brains and brawn. The other is James Whitaker, my beautiful but frail neighbor. Through Charles, they meet, and—both fall in love with him. Although I don’t read many online novels, I know this basic trope well. Usually, as long as the protagonist’s ending matches what’s in the book, they can return to the real world. So I rolled up my sleeves, ready to dive in and wrap up the story early! “Hey, James, with the midterm exam coming up, can you help me review this weekend?” I knocked on the door next door, flashing a charming smile at James Whitaker. “No,” he replied, slamming the door shut with a cold expression. Great. Just great. I banged on the door again. “If you don’t help me, I’ll keep knocking all night!” “You’re so annoying,” James finally relented, swinging the door open. He leaned against the frame, his head propped up by his hand, looking both lazy and regal. I put on the cutest begging face I could muster and offered James Whitaker his favorite anime figurine with both hands. “Please!” James smiled, and though I sensed something else behind his gaze, he eventually agreed. Yes! I was secretly thrilled, so I shot a text to class leader Arnold Strong, asking him to come over on the weekend to help me study for the quiz. But when the weekend actually arrived, I was left utterly dumbfounded.

When these two met, it was like watching two mortal enemies clash—totally incompatible with each other. One mocked the other for being a sissy for collecting dolls, while the other laughed at him for being so clueless he couldn’t even solve the last question. “Can you guys keep it down for a minute?” I said, digging into my pocket in frustration. “Hey, where are my cigarettes?” Oh no! I forgot I’m Charles now—I’m still a student and can’t smoke! “Just kidding! I mean… where’s my pen?” “Really?” James Whitetaker stared at me with unfathomable eyes. I scratched my head and left this troubled place quickly, “Well… I’ll go out and look for it.” Arnord Strong followed me out, “Have you been under a lot of pressure from studying recently?” “Not… not so bad.” He took out a pen from his pocket and smiled shyly, “This is for you, don’t smoke.” Arnord Strong’s smile was warm and dazzling in the sunlight, When he took the pen, our fingertips touched each other, and a strange tingling feeling came up. “Then I’ll leave first, I really can’t stand your neighbor brother.” Arnold gave my shoulder a gentle pat, his hand almost brushing against my ear. Wow, up close, he’s… pretty handsome. Wait, what? Gross! I’m straight! Why am I reacting like this? I shook off the distracting thoughts and headed back to the room, ready to tackle another difficult challenge. But as soon as I stepped through the door, I found myself pinned against the wall. “What did he give you?” James Whitaker’s eyes narrowed, a threatening glint in them. I handed him the pen. “Here, it’s all yours.” Could it be that the two of them were just pretending to be at odds, while secretly being a happy-go-lucky duo? “I will definitely not snatch it from you, Brother James.” “That’s good to know.” James Whitaker scrutinized me from head to toe with a wicked grin, as if he were assessing something. Then, without warning, he pulled me into an embrace, pinched my chin, and kissed me.

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The house collapsed. My husband spent a lot of money to save his first love. I was left in the rubble, waiting for death. But I survived. He said he cares about me, but he invited me to be his wedding bridesmaid with his first love. On the day of the wedding, I dressed up. I also brought his fianc é e’s “long gone” boyfriend as a groomsman. …… I was dug out, covered in broken glass. The nurse was helping me clean up while wondering why my wounds looked like they were caused by an explosion. I stayed silent. Andrew and his first love Gillian were being interviewed at the same time. The video of him digging for Gillian went viral. This love story about earthquake rescue was the most popular. Reporters kept asking Andrew questions. They called him ‘the most handsome boyfriend in the world!’ The whole ward knows about him. Even my doctor said he loves his girlfriend. He dug with his bare hands for hours. The wounds were deep. He also showed me the video. Andrew was kneeling on the rubble, digging with his hands in front of the rebar and glass. Glass pierced all his hands. He shouted Gillian’s name and kept digging. In the end, he spent a huge sum of money to find a professional blaster to help him blast the floorboards to get Gillian out. He saw Gillian. He cried. The doctor wiped his tears and said, ‘If I had someone to love me, I’d be happy. There aren’t many good men like this.’ My mouth twitched. A good man. I thought about those three words, then looked at Andrew feeding congee to Gillian. He forgot he had a wife. He forgot I was under the floor too. I was buried because I saved him. He only talked about his love for Gillian. He didn’t mention me at all. The only time he thought of me was when people were recording the death list and asking if my name was on it. He looked disappointed when people told him I was still alive. He didn’t think I would survive the disaster. But we were in the same ward. Every day, I saw him looking at me as he took care of Gillian.

Andrew looked at me, surprised. He brought over the leftovers and put them in front of me. I was wrapped in bandages. The nurse looked sad when she gave me my medicine. But Andrew looked at me with disgust. He couldn’t stand the smell of my rotting body. He looked like he was going to vomit. ‘I got these to eat. Eat them yourself or I will get someone to feed you.’ He pushed the food in front of me and stayed one meter away from me. But when he served Gillian, he leaned tightly against her. He hated the meal so much that he couldn’t even eat it. I looked at him. He was too obvious about it. He said, ‘I wanted to go back to save you after Gillian was rescued, but you were gone and that place had caved in.’ ‘It was dangerous. I couldn’t stay. You don’t blame me from not saving you, do you?’ Save me? He followed Gillian into the ambulance without looking back. The ambulance crew asked him if there was anyone else there. He shook his head and I was trapped under the concrete slab. He called off the ambulance team and left. Why did he leave me there? She saw me chatting with Andrew for too long and pretended to be in pain, shouting loudly. Andrew left without looking back after hearing her voice. He heated up the food and fed Gillian a little. He helped Gillian clean her wound. Her body smelled too. But Andrew didn’t even frown, rubbing it with a sad heart. And I… There were not enough nurses to take care of me because there are too many patients in need of rescue.. I wanted water. Andrew didn’t hear me. I had to shout several times. I reached for the water bottle and I fell to the ground. Andrew stepped on my hand with the hot meal. He went to Gillian’s side. ‘I am thirsty…’ I shouted again. The nurse who was looking after me saw that I had fallen. She looked at the couple and shouted, ‘Can’t you see this patient?’ ‘Can’t you help her get a glass of water? She has injuries all over her body!’ He pretended not to see it and stepped over my hand, but he was acting pitifully. The doctor came over and said the single-person ward was ready. He told Andrew to take his girlfriend there. A single room? The earthquake was so sudden that several public hospitals were full. Gillian and I ended up at the most expensive private hospital in the city. This ward cost more. He asked for a single room. The nurse who gave me the injection said, ‘That boy took a lot of money, about a hundred thousand!’ He took the single room and said he was heartbroken for his girlfriend. More than a hundred thousand! Where did he get so much money?

The next night, Andrew came to my ward with a gift. He gave me an apple as a gift. I asked, ‘Who’s getting married?’ ‘Gillian and I.’ He said. He wasn’t divorced yet, so how could he say he was going to marry Gillian in front of me? I threw the gift in the bin. ‘You have to wait for me to die or get divorced before marrying your first love, Andrew. Why are you so disgusting?’ ‘I’m innocent. I’m just trying to fulfil one of her wishes.’ He took out a map of the wedding site. This wedding was more luxurious than mine. It looked expensive. He said, ‘Gillian was going to marry her first love. Her first love died in an accident because of the message I sent. I was trying to make up for it. I was planning to help her fulfil this wish so that she could have a perfect wedding.’ I laughed. When he knew Gillian was getting married, he was angry. He wished he could have killed me and Gillian’s fiancé back then and so he could have married Gillian. He sent his fiancée photos of him and Gillian, which made her almost get into a car accident. He wants to give Gillian a perfect wedding instead of her fiancé. I laughed angrily. ‘To make it complete.’ ‘Let’s divorce!’ He stood up. ‘I didn’t come to talk about divorce. I love you, Jolene. I just want you to be the bridesmaid and hand her to me. My mother died to save you. You should help me.’ ‘If my mum was here, I wouldn’t even come to ask you.’ His mum? I remembered something. After my parents’ accident, I got five million dollars in compensation. Now I have less than fifty thousand. ‘You used mum and dad’s death compensation to give you and Gillian a wedding!’ ‘That’s my family’s money. If my mum hadn’t helped you, you wouldn’t have had the life to take that much money!’ My parents’ lives were exchanged for this money. He thinks this money is his! He moved Gillian to a single room and planned a big wedding. My phone rang. ‘Hello, is this Jolene?’ ‘Yes, what’s up?’ ‘We rescued a patient who woke up today. He remembered your name and number, so we want to confirm: do you know Mr.Johnson‌‌?’ Gillian’s first love, William ‌‌Johnson‌‌? He’s alive?

After a few minutes, the doctor handed the phone to William‌‌. I heard breathing and the sound of instruments ticking. ‘Are you Jolene?’ ‘Hm.’ I said, ‘Do you want to find Gillian? I can help you contact…’ ‘No, I’m looking for you.’ Looking for me? William and I knew each other. He wanted to find me after I’ve been in a coma for years. William coughed and said, ‘It’s about your husband Andrew. I need to tell you in person. See you tomorrow.’ The phone was hung up. I was sent a time and place. ‘Don’t tell them I’m still alive, especially Andrew.’ I closed the dialogue box. The home surveillance alarmed. Gillian was lying on the bed in my clothes. She was still wearing my lace underwear. Andrew came out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel. He took a suit out of the wardrobe and changed in front of the man. Just as they were about to embrace, Gillian looked at the surveillance. She asked Andrew, ‘Would it be bad if Jolene saw this?’ Andrew said, ‘I’m just showing you the suit I’m going to wear tomorrow. Nothing else has happened.’ I felt sick when I heard those words. He even sent it to me after taking a selfie in the suit. ‘Does it look good?’ I’ll wear this for my wedding tomorrow. Don’t be late. You’re my bridesmaid. There was a hickey on his neck. ‘Do you see it?’ ‘Don’t be late.’ I looked at the picture and said, ‘I’ll be on time.’ On the wedding day, Andrew posted lots of lively photos, more than when we got married. Inside the hotel, friends smiled when they saw me in my bridesmaid dress. ‘Her own husband had a wedding with someone else, and she came as a bridesmaid!’ They don’t like me. Jolene, your husband looks great today. He’s a real match for Gillian. You should have done this sooner.’ I took the microphone and walked onto the stage. I looked at Andrew and Gillian, who were looking at each other fondly. ‘I’m happy to be at my husband’s wedding. It’s a rare experience, and I’ve picked the best man for this wedding!’ Here is Gillian’s fiancé, William ‌‌Johnson‌‌.

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I thought I was being considerate by asking my parents from the countryside to come and take care of my wife after she gave birth. But she was unhappy with the elderly couple and complained about everything. She even accused them of abusing her and insisted on kicking them out. After my parents left, she went back to work, but her monthly salary wasn’t even enough to cover the nanny’s fees. Yet she still constantly suspected me of having an affair with the nanny. I couldn’t take it anymore and divorced her. Until I woke up in her body and realized how terribly wrong I had been. A baby’s cry pierced the air. My body felt like it was in an oven. I opened my heavy eyelids and instinctively called out to my wife, “Iris, what are you doing? Come and soothe the baby—” As soon as the words left my mouth, I froze. Why was I speaking in my wife’s—no, my ex-wife’s voice? Just yesterday, we had a huge fight and got divorced. We were college classmates and got married soon after graduation. Our relationship was great until Iris gave birth. After that, she became increasingly extreme. I thought I was being considerate by asking my parents from the countryside to come and take care of her, but she was unhappy with the elderly couple and complained about everything. She even told me they were abusing her and insisted on kicking them out. After my parents left, she went back to work, but her monthly salary wasn’t even enough to cover the nanny’s fees. Yet she still constantly suspected me of having an affair with the nanny. Thinking about how I no longer had to face her bitter expression, I was so happy that I booked a luxurious private room and called my friends out for drinks to celebrate finally getting rid of her. … I gasped and quickly looked down at my arms. The smooth, fair skin was unmistakably Iris’s. Then I glanced at the baby girl lying next to me, not even as long as my arm. An absurd thought struck me. Not only had I transmigrated into Iris’s body, but I had also gone back to when we had just given birth to our daughter. Could it be that Iris had transmigrated into my body? With this thought, I quickly unlocked Iris’s phone and called myself. After a moment, the other end picked up. I tentatively asked, “Iris?” Iris also asked, “Hugo?” Well, it seemed we had indeed swapped bodies. Compared to my gloom, Iris didn’t seem worried at all. In fact, she sounded excited and eager. “We don’t know when we’ll switch back, but since I just gave birth, why don’t you stay at home and take care of the baby for a while? Honey, leave the money-making to me. Don’t worry, I promise to keep you and our daughter well-fed and happy.” That sweet “honey” startled me. She hadn’t called me that affectionately since our daughter turned one. Yesterday during the divorce, she even scratched my face, leaving bloody marks. “You haven’t worked in so long. Can you handle it? Don’t mess things up.” “Hmph, don’t look down on me. It’s only been a year since I stopped working. If it weren’t for Ulla, I might be your boss by now.” Iris hung up the phone briskly. Thankfully, she didn’t have memories of the future. Otherwise, who knows how she might seek revenge. I wiped the sticky sweat off my body and resigned myself to picking up the wailing baby girl to bathe her. In the living room, my mom was nowhere to be seen. My dad was watching a football game on the couch while eating watermelon, with a large fan blowing directly at him. He looked utterly comfortable. I complained, “Dad, can you check if the air conditioner in my room is broken? I just turned it on but there’s no response.” He glanced back at me indifferently, “Your mom said you use the air conditioner too much and the electricity bill is skyrocketing. She unplugged it.” “…” What a joke. Although my mom was an old lady from the countryside, she was only stingy with herself and quite generous with her family. The unpleasant sweat sticking to my body made me too impatient to argue. I hurriedly took my daughter, who looked like she had just been fished out of water, to bathe. Iris loved beauty and stayed slim throughout her pregnancy and after giving birth. Compared to women who became as fat as pigs after having children, I was secretly pleased. However, when I tried to breastfeed the baby and she couldn’t suck out much milk even after a long time, crying loudly in frustration, my excitement turned into resentment. She was too selfish. Couldn’t she have waited until the baby was weaned before losing weight? I put on some underwear and carried the baby out of the bathroom, feeling full of resentment. Seeing my dad sitting casually in the living room, the heavy yet clear feeling on my chest reminded me that I had forgotten to put on a shirt. I screamed and quickly ran back to the bathroom, awkwardly putting on a nightgown. The thought of my wife’s body being seen by my dad made me indescribably embarrassed. Just as I was about to walk past pretending nothing had happened, he suddenly spoke up. “Iris, don’t worry. I didn’t see anything.” I had made eye contact with him at that moment. Him saying this seemed more like deliberately reminding me. It would have been better if he hadn’t said anything. I glanced at my dad’s smiling face and felt his smile was a bit lewd and uncomfortable. Maybe it was due to Iris’s body lacking sleep, making it easy to overthink things. I carried my daughter back to the bedroom, clumsily preparing formula milk and changing diapers. Finally, I managed to soothe the little ancestor to sleep. I wiped off my sweat and let out a long sigh. When mom comes back from grocery shopping, I can just hand the baby to her to take care of.

“Iris, you lazy woman! It’s mealtime, can’t you come out to eat by yourself? Do you really think you’re a queen waiting to be served?” My mom’s loud voice woke me up. My eyes brightened, “Mom, you’re back just in time. Ulla…” Before I could finish, she unleashed a torrent of scolding. “Well, well, you wasteful woman! It’s so cool early in the morning, yet you’re hiding in your room using the air conditioner again. The electricity bill is hundreds of dollars a month. Do you think Jack’s money grows on trees? Sooner or later he’ll divorce you.” I was stunned by the scolding. Remembering how Iris once said that her mother-in-law was polite on the surface but treated her badly behind my back, I had thought it was just a lie she made up to drive my mom away. Now that I had become Iris, I truly experienced it firsthand. My feelings were mixed. “Mom, how can you say that? Babies are afraid of heat. You didn’t see how sweaty Ulla was after turning off the air conditioner.” I tried to reason with her, but my mom pressed the air conditioner switch and spat directly in my face. “What’s so hot? You’re just spoiled!” I wiped the saliva off my face, feeling complicated. In the past, when I came home from work, my mom would always rush to hold Ulla, calling her “sweetheart” and “darling”, seeming to love her so much. I never thought she was just putting on an act for me… I reluctantly followed her to the living room for dinner. The chicken soup emitted a rich aroma that would usually make my appetite soar, but now my stomach was churning. I tried to suppress my nausea and reach for the filled bowl, but my mom suddenly hit the back of my hand hard with her chopsticks. I sucked in a cold breath from the pain. She showed no remorse and pushed a small bowl of chicken soup towards me. “Don’t you know the rules? Jack works so hard, and you’re trying to steal his food? If it weren’t for him working hard to earn money outside, you’d be begging on the streets by now. Don’t you know how to be grateful?” So the big bowl of chicken soup was for “me”. Iris had a small stomach and ate less, so this arrangement seemed reasonable. I endured the pain and tried to pick up some chicken, but after searching for a while, all I could find were chicken butts and necks. When I saw the chicken head, I couldn’t hold back my nausea anymore. “I’m not eating!” Doesn’t she know she’s abusing her own son right now! I angrily ran back to the room and vindictively ordered a big takeout meal. Estimating the time, Iris should have received the lunch my mom sent over. I couldn’t help but text Iris, “Did you eat the chicken soup my mom made?” “Mmhmm, it tastes okay. You should eat more too, don’t let Ulla go hungry.” “It’s too fishy, I can’t eat it.” “You have to eat even if you can’t. Formula isn’t safe, breast milk is best – healthy and economical.” I opened my mouth, but Iris was impatient to hear my complaints. She casually said, “I went through the same thing back then. I survived giving birth, which was so dangerous. You’re a grown man, surely you can handle eating? Your mom is your own mother after all. Alright, I’m busy with work, can’t chat with you anymore.” These words sounded harsh and familiar. I suddenly remembered that when Iris used to complain to me about things at home, I always thought she was being too delicate. I told her not to make a fuss over nothing, after all, didn’t all women go through this? Besides, my mom treated her like her own daughter. It was only now that I understood Iris’s difficulties. My heart felt like it was weighed down by a heavy stone. Half an hour later, the takeout arrived. As I sat at the dining table eating, my hair was suddenly yanked back hard. The hot soup spilled onto my leg, followed by a stinging slap across my face. I was stunned by the blow and cried out in pain, “Mom, what are you doing?” “You ungrateful brat! I made such good chicken soup for you and you won’t eat it, but you order such expensive takeout instead. My poor Jack is working so hard in the hot sun to earn money. I’ll make him divorce you sooner or later and marry a virtuous wife!” My scalp hurt, my thigh hurt, and my cheek was burning. The one who had reduced me to this miserable state was my own mother with an angry face. Thinking of how good she used to be to me, and all the grievances Iris had suffered that I didn’t know about, I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed with sadness. My eyes involuntarily welled up with tears. Choking back sobs, I said, “Mom, I’m Jack, your own son.” “Did the slap make you stupid?” she muttered, ignoring the mess on the floor and slamming the door as she went into her room.

After enduring for several hours, I finally waited for Iris to get off work. The child’s own mother surely wouldn’t refuse to take care of her! I eagerly shoved our daughter into her arms, about to whistle in relief when my shoulder was suddenly patted by my mom. “I’ll hold the baby. Jack has been working all day outside, while you’ve been doing nothing at home. Go give him a shoulder massage.” I frowned. Taking care of a baby was much more tiring than going to work. It was already good enough that I didn’t ask Iris to rub my back. I couldn’t help but retort, “How can you say I didn’t do anything? Ulla can’t be left alone for a moment. You didn’t hold her at all during the day, I was the only one taking care of her.” As soon as I finished speaking, my mom actually started crying, complaining tearfully to Iris, “I’ve been busy all day, cooking, washing clothes, cleaning the house, doing everything. Now you’re finding fault with me. I shouldn’t be alive, I shouldn’t be in your way.” I was stunned for a moment. My mom had cried in front of me several times before, and I thought Iris was being horrible. I became increasingly impatient with her, never imagining that my mom could be two-faced… Come to think of it, I used to love Iris very much. The vows I made when proposing were sincere. It was only later, worn out by the constant tug-of-war at home, that my love gradually faded. How much of this was due to my mother? Iris raised an eyebrow and plopped down on the sofa with a look of amusement. “How dare you talk to my mom like that, Iris? She came all this way to take care of you, and this is how you treat her? Apologize to Mom right now.” Iris’s words hit me hard. This was exactly how I used to speak to her. She had remembered all along… I closed my eyes and resigned myself to giving her a shoulder massage. At night, after the whole family had showered, Iris sat in the living room working. I quickly walked over, feeling I finally had something useful to contribute. “How was your first day at work? Was there a lot you didn’t understand? I can teach you.” Iris shifted her gaze from the screen to my face. Her eyes sparkled with unprecedented brilliance as she smiled and patted her chest. “I was a bit unfamiliar in the morning, but I got much better in the afternoon. Don’t worry, I didn’t slack off during my pregnancy. I haven’t lost my professional knowledge. Remember when we were in college? I was top of our major. Which project have I ever lost to you at the company? If it weren’t for preparing to get pregnant and have Ulla, I would have been the one promoted that time.” Seeing Iris’s proud expression, I felt somewhat embarrassed. She was an only child from the city, with academic and work abilities no less than mine. To be honest, I was the one who married up. If she could strive forward even while pregnant, surely I, a man with several more years of work experience, could do even better. “When my maternity leave is over, I’ll go back to work. We can hire a nanny to take care of Ulla.” Iris gave me a strange look, smiling sarcastically, “Didn’t you say your mom is Ulla’s grandmother and loves her more than anyone? Why waste money on a nanny? Mom won’t agree.” I gave a bitter smile. “Stop mocking me. I know I was wrong, honey.” If I hadn’t transmigrated into my wife’s body, I probably would have thought my mom was a kind-hearted old lady until the day I died. Our daughter woke up hungry every two hours, crying loudly. I had to force open my heavy eyelids to get up and feed her. After two feedings, I couldn’t take it anymore. I picked up our daughter, and with huge dark circles under my eyes, I woke up Iris sleeping in the living room. “She’s so noisy, how am I supposed to sleep? I’m having a mental breakdown! Please, you take care of the baby. I’ll go to work.” Iris had slept through the baby’s loud crying earlier, but as soon as I complained, my mom immediately pushed open her bedroom door and came out. Holding Iris’s hand, tears streamed down her face like broken strings of pearls. “My poor son, married to a wife who doesn’t know how to care for others. And she’s a graduate from a top university in the city, not even as good as a country girl.” In the past, when I heard these words, I would be moved to tears, thinking my mom was the most sensible person in the world. But now I wanted to slap her. You never feel the pain until the knife cuts your own flesh. I hadn’t had a good night’s sleep since taking care of Ulla, yet I was still being compared unfavorably. But she was my own mother after all, so I held back. Iris pulled her hand away. “Honey, be strong for your child. You’ll get through this.”

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One day, after returning home early from a business trip, I overheard my seven-year-old daughter say something to my wife. “Mom! I really like Daddy Jonathan! Can I go out with him again?” I stood frozen at the doorway, hearing my wife, who was always so cold to me, respond with a smile to our daughter. “Of course, sweetie! He’s your real father, after all. As long as you like him, that’s all that matters.” My name is Micah Miller, and Jonathan Reed… he’s my wife’s first love. I secretly did a paternity test, but I couldn’t bring myself to open it. I couldn’t accept it… The daughter I’ve raised for seven years isn’t mine? It was a devastating blow to me. I smoked cigarette after cigarette, filling the entire office with a thick, suffocating cloud. It wasn’t until my assistant, Megan Carter, came in that I realized I needed to put it out. She asked, “Mr. Miller, are you okay today?” I forced a grim smile and shook my head, asking her what was on her mind. She placed a stack of files on my desk. “The project you’ve been working on has come through. It just needs your signature.” “Alright, leave it there.” I nodded. She hesitated, seeing how distracted I was, but then she turned and left without saying anything. I lit another cigarette, watching the smoke swirl around as it blurred my vision. It eventually settled on the paternity test that had been lying on my desk for days. I stared at it, lost in thought, for what felt like forever. I only snapped out of it when the cigarette burned down and singed my hand. With a deep breath, I slowly opened the envelope. It was something I had to face sooner or later. What was there to be afraid of? The result was clear: the daughter I had adored for seven years had no biological connection to me. “…” Strangely, when I saw the result, it felt like a huge weight had finally been lifted off my chest. I wasn’t upset or anxious anymore, but… oddly calm. In hindsight, I should’ve suspected something was off long ago. Seven years ago, I was still pursuing Samantha Bennett, but she didn’t show much interest in me. In fact, she seemed to dislike me. Then, out of the blue, she asked me out for dinner one night, got me drunk, and things naturally progressed from there. I didn’t use protection that night. She said it was fine, that she was in her safe period. The next few times we met, she didn’t ask me to use protection either. After that, her attitude toward me became softer. At least, she acknowledged I was her boyfriend. Not long after, she dropped a bombshell: she was pregnant and wanted to keep the baby. When she gave birth, it was a rough delivery. She nearly bled out. If it weren’t for the doctors’ quick thinking, both she and the baby might not have survived. I didn’t want her to ever go through that kind of pain again, so I got a vasectomy. Having one daughter was enough for me. Looking back now, I can’t believe how naive I was. I never questioned her for a second! Samantha knew who the baby’s father was from the start, which is why she had no problem with me not using protection. I had been played for a fool—just a convenient option to raise someone else’s kid. The child I’ve loved for seven years wasn’t mine at all. She was Jonathan Reed’s. What a joke! If I hadn’t come home early from that business trip, I might have never found out that I was raising another man’s child. Thank God for my daughter’s innocent honesty. If she hadn’t blurted it out, Samantha would’ve kept it hidden forever. Honestly, I wish I hadn’t found out. I wish she had kept this from me for life because now… everything has changed. Our marriage, which had seemed like a free-spirited romance, wasn’t simple at all. There were deeper, more complicated motives behind it. 2 Samantha’s and my family backgrounds weren’t all that different. Both of our families ran businesses. When I first pursued her, it wasn’t for her family’s money; my family wasn’t any worse off than hers. But over time, our families became business rivals. My father thought that marrying Samantha could help form an alliance between our companies. It was convenient because I’d already been pursuing her for quite a while. At the time, I didn’t know that our relationship would become so transactional. It wasn’t until she was pregnant, and I visited her family, that I realized there was more going on behind the scenes. Both of our parents laughed it off, saying, “What a coincidence! Business rivals on the surface, but in private, we’re becoming family!” Looking back, it’s ridiculous. Samantha and her family were using me. In fact, I’m certain this wasn’t a coincidence at all. It was a calculated move from the start. I had known for a long time that Samantha didn’t really like me. After we got married, she was cold and distant. But I convinced myself that the child was mine. I thought I had to take responsibility and make sure I didn’t let her down. I believed that if I was sincere enough, eventually, I would win her heart. I thought that over time, she’d feel the same love she had shown me in the beginning, when she seduced me so easily. But now, all my sincerity and good intentions feel like a joke. I’m the clown in this story. Lily, my daughter, seemed to know the truth all along. She knew she had another father… Could it be that whenever I left on business trips, the father she thought about wasn’t me? Samantha has been watching from the sidelines all these years, letting me run in circles, fooled by their lies. I must look ridiculous in her eyes—a perfect, unsuspecting fool. Haha. I don’t even know how to describe my feelings right now. I just know I’m strangely calm. Ding. A text message came through. It was from Samantha, which was rare. She hardly ever reached out to me first. “I heard you’ve been back from your trip for a few days? Why haven’t you come home? Lily’s been crying for you, saying she misses her daddy!” I let out a bitter chuckle, shaking my head. Crying for me? Or is she crying for the other dad? How can you, as her mother, not know which one she means? I’ve been home for a week now, but they didn’t seem to notice. The first message I get is today. I had planned to surprise them with my return, but instead, they’re the ones who surprised me—no, shocked me. I needed some time alone to cool off. Otherwise, I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep quiet about all of this. No man could stay calm after discovering something like this, pretending nothing had happened. I didn’t want to blow up in front of Lily. No matter what… she’s still an innocent child. So, I didn’t go home. I didn’t tell anyone. I stayed at the office, with Megan bringing me meals. I scrolled back through my messages, seeing the one I sent her that night after I found out the truth. I’d told her I’d landed a big project and would be busy for a while… and she hadn’t responded. Maybe she hadn’t even noticed it. Or maybe, like always, she just didn’t care what I had to say. I put down my phone and lit another cigarette. The ashtray on my desk was already filled to the brim with stubs. “Whoosh—” I exhaled a cloud of smoke, leaning back in my chair as I stared at the fading swirls. Exhaustion washed over me. What did I do wrong? Why would she do this to me? Was I trying to warm up a heart that couldn’t be warmed? Or… was I the one who was wrong from the start? Maybe it would’ve been better to remain in the dark. 3 I didn’t reply to Samantha’s text. She never had much patience with me, so it didn’t take long for her to call. Her voice was sharp and demanding right from the start. “Micah! What are you doing? Why aren’t you answering my texts?” “Oh, sorry. I’ve been busy at work…” I didn’t even finish before she cut me off, her voice dripping with impatience. “Work, work, work! Is that all you care about? Don’t you know you have a family? Don’t you realize your daughter needs you?” “…” I stayed silent, my mind buzzing. I wanted to ask her so badly: And you, Samantha? Don’t you know you have a husband? Does he know that his daughter isn’t even his? Does he know you’ve been lying to him all these years? The words stuck in my throat, and my eyes fell on the family photo on my desk—Lily’s bright, innocent smile staring back at me. I swallowed my anger. “She’s sick. Pick up some of her favorite snacks and bring them to the hospital,” she said coldly before hanging up. I stood there, listening to the dial tone with a bitter smile. Funny. Why didn’t she call the other dad for this? I could easily guess what had happened. Lily probably wore herself out playing too much, and now it was up to me to clean up the mess. I saw the location Samantha sent me, and as much as it filled me with humiliation and anger, I couldn’t bear to think of Lily looking so small and sick. Seven years. Seven years of loving this child. How could I not care about her? So I sighed, put on my coat, and went to buy her favorite snacks before heading to the hospital. When I got to the hospital room, I heard Lily’s voice through the door, clear as day: “Daddy Jonathan, look! I was so brave! I didn’t even cry when they gave me the shot. Wasn’t I the best?” Through the small glass window on the door, I saw him—Jonathan Reed, wearing a doctor’s coat, smiling at Lily. “Yes, you were so brave! Just like my little girl should be,” he said, ruffling her hair as she giggled. Beside them, Samantha’s face was soft, warm, and full of affection. In the seven years we’ve been married, I’ve never seen her look at me like that. My heart clenched. That man in the doctor’s coat—Jonathan Reed—was her first love. And now, as if life was mocking me, he was Lily’s real father. Watching their happy little family from the hallway, I felt a sudden, overwhelming sense of isolation. It was as if they were a family of three, and I… was just the outsider. No, scratch that. They are a family. Lily is their daughter. And I? I’m just the outsider. The joke. It felt like a weight was crushing my chest. I could barely breathe. Why did this hurt so much? I rushed here, bought her favorite snacks, thinking she needed me, only to find out the real reason they wanted me here was because Jonathan was the doctor on call. Lily got to see her biological dad, and Samantha got to be with the man she truly loved. And me? I’m nothing more than a joke. The biggest fool in the world. 4 It felt like a green light was flashing over me, head to toe, branding me as the fool. I stood frozen in place. I couldn’t move. It wasn’t until Jonathan noticed me standing outside that he adjusted his glasses and said, “Micah?” The moment my name left his lips, Samantha’s warm smile disappeared, replaced by her usual coldness. She didn’t even try to hide her contempt for me. “You’re finally here! Took you long enough! Lily hasn’t eaten a thing since she got sick. Are you trying to starve her?” Of course. The familiar tone. That suffocating pressure she always brings. It made me feel like I couldn’t breathe. “I’m sorry, Lily. Daddy’s late, but I brought you your favorite…” I forced a smile as I spoke to my daughter. Before I could even finish, Samantha cut me off again, her voice sharp. “What’s the point of showing up now? Dr. Reed already brought her food. You’re always too busy to be there for your own daughter, and it’s always left to someone else to take care of her!” Lily, always so “understanding,” added, “Thanks, Daddy! But Dr. Reed says I can’t have dessert after meals, haha.” I stared at her, the same little girl I’d loved for seven years, and felt a strange, bitter taste in my mouth. She probably thought she was being so considerate. But I couldn’t help it… For the first time, I felt a sense of unfamiliarity and… disgust toward the child I’d raised. It was as if she wasn’t mine anymore. And that “Dr. Reed”—just minutes ago, wasn’t she calling him “Daddy Jonathan”? She had grown up. She knew not to call him “Daddy” in front of me anymore, playing along with the lies Samantha had spun all these years. What a good daughter, huh? “So, Daddy waited in line for a long time to buy your favorite snacks. You don’t want them?” I held out the bag, but my expression was slipping. Lily hesitated. After all, they were her favorite treats. “Leave them. Lily didn’t eat much. She can have them as a snack later,” Jonathan said, always the rational doctor. Lily’s eyes lit up as she clapped her hands. “Yay! I get to have them later!” “No!” Samantha scolded from the side, her voice sharp. “You’ve already had dinner! No more snacks, especially after you’ve brushed your teeth. You don’t want to get cavities, do you? Be good and listen to Mommy.” She called me to buy the snacks, but now she’s the one making the rules. I was holding back my frustration, not wanting to lose my temper in front of Lily. “It’s fine. She’s still sick. She needs the sugar for energy. Besides, she’s growing. She could use the extra calories,” Jonathan chimed in, making it all seem so reasonable. Lily looked up at Samantha with those puppy eyes, silently pleading. “See, Mommy? Dr. Reed said it’s okay!” “Alright, just this once,” Samantha finally relented, and Lily cheered happily. “You spoil her too much,” she said to Jonathan, her tone warm and affectionate. “…” I stood there, feeling out of place, as if they had forgotten I existed. The room wasn’t that big. Four people could fit in it, but in their eyes, there were only three of them. I was nothing more than a ghost.

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The hurricane was on its way, but my mom insisted on opening the windows to let some air in. I told her it was dangerous and begged her not to. Yet, in the middle of the night, while I was asleep, she secretly opened the balcony doors and windows. In an instant, the glass doors shattered, and the hurricane stormed into the living room. I was asleep on the couch when the wind picked me up half a meter into the air. I begged my mom to pull me back. But she, afraid I’d drag her down with me, kicked me away. “Don’t blame your mom for being ruthless. Once you’re dead, your house and money will all belong to your brother!” The hurricane swept me out of the 18th floor, and I died instantly when I hit the ground. My mom turned to my dad and brother, cooking a pot of Maryland Blue Crabs to celebrate. She stubbornly muttered: “If she had just agreed to open the windows earlier, none of this would’ve happened.” She and Dad took all my savings, gave my house to my brother as his new wedding home, and drained me of every last bit of value. When I opened my eyes again, I had been reborn. Reborn three hours before the hurricane hit. My mom was already on her way, dragging the family along with their luggage, heading to me. “Sweetheart, come pick us up! The wind outside is crazy!” 0

“Come pick us up! The wind out here is wild!” On the other side of the video call, my mom stood at the entrance of the Atlanta Amtrak Station. Her voice, mixed with the howling wind, beat against my eardrums. My calf suddenly cramped, and I was drenched in sweat, gasping for breath. In my previous life, I fell to my death from the 18th floor. Back then, the hurricane hit. My mom insisted on opening the windows to air out the house and, in the middle of the night, snuck out and opened the balcony doors. The floor-to-ceiling windows shattered, and shards of glass scattered all over the living room. The hurricane, with winds up to Category 5, burst into the room. While I was asleep on the couch, completely unguarded, I was tossed half a meter into the air. My mom cowered behind the couch, staring at me in terror. Neighbors began to wake up one after another, their lights flickering on in the dark. I didn’t have time to question why, even though I had triple-checked and locked the windows before bed, they were now wide open. All I could do was cling desperately to the balcony door frame, screaming for my mom, who was hiding nearby. “Mom! Help me—!” The rain lashed against the windows, soaking my cotton pajamas, and the icy water dripped onto my eyelids, making me shiver uncontrollably. But not only did my mom not help, she kicked me away. “Get off me! Don’t drag me down with you!” I stared at her, wide-eyed in disbelief. The sharp pain radiating from my fingers hammered into my brain, reminding me that this nightmare was all too real. My mom kicked me again, venting years of pent-up anger: “You’ve only been giving us $500 a month for household expenses! Don’t think I don’t know you’re making $3,000! “Your brother needs a down payment for his house, and you refuse to help him. I didn’t raise such an ungrateful daughter!” It felt like someone had grabbed my heart and squeezed. My mom had always prided herself on treating my brother and me equally, never favoring one over the other. But now, for the first time, I was hearing her true thoughts… Lightning flashed across the sky. Her face twisted into an expression of rage I had never seen before. “You couldn’t even let your brother stay here for a few days, huh? Fine. Don’t blame me for being heartless. “If you die, your house and money will all go to your brother!” She kicked me again, this time with such force that she nearly slipped in the rain. There was a sickening crack. My fingers twisted and broke, forcing me to release my grip on the door frame. “Mom…” I was swept up by the hurricane, my white pajamas billowing in the wind, flapping like a sail. “Oh my God, she’s going to fall!” Cries of panic echoed from the building. A neighbor opened a window, reaching out to grab me, but their fingertips barely grazed the wet fabric of my clothes. “Thud—” A heavy, dull sound. My blood splattered like a web, spreading across the pavement, mixing with the rain as it flowed into the drains. The last thing I saw before everything went dark was my mom, standing on the 18th floor, looking down at me with a cold, indifferent glance. “Sweetheart?” My mom’s voice pulled me back to the present. In the blurry video call, her face, creased with wrinkles, twisted into a fake, calculating smile. “Hurry and come pick us up! The wind at the Atlanta Amtrak Station is crazy! Big cities sure are wild!” I snapped back to reality, my voice cold. “I already told you—I’m busy with work. You shouldn’t have come. “Either get back on the train or find a hotel. I’m not hosting you.” 02 I hung up the phone and immediately turned the car around. Watching the GPS show the station getting farther and farther away, I finally exhaled in relief. My brother, Emerson, had failed his exams and spent the last two years doing nothing. My parents used their connections to get him into Crestview Prep Academy in Atlanta. This time, they came to me because they wanted Emerson to live with me while he retook his exams, expecting me to take care of his meals and everything else. But I’m at a crucial stage in my career, and with Atlanta’s real estate prices so high, there’s no way my small Midtown condo could house two people. So, I refused and told them Emerson had to stay in the dorms. But my mom started complaining, saying I wasn’t giving enough for household expenses, and accusing me of not helping Emerson buy a house for his wedding. She called me selfish and ungrateful. And so, a simple disagreement became the spark that led my mom to kill me during the hurricane. The radio in the car crackled to life: [“A super hurricane has made landfall in the Gulf Coast, with maximum winds reaching Category 5. This is the strongest fall hurricane to hit the U.S. since 1949. All citizens are urged to take precautions.”] Without hesitation, I headed straight for the Marietta Farmer’s Market. This time, my parents hadn’t given me any warning they were coming to Atlanta. In my last life, I wasn’t prepared at all. When the hurricane hit, the four of us were crammed into my tiny condo, and within two days, we had eaten through all the food I had stocked. This time, I stormed into the market, buying potatoes and cabbage that would last a while, along with frozen seafood and hot pot ingredients. I also grabbed several cases of fruit and drinks, stuffing the entire trunk of the car. Finally, I stopped by a restaurant and ordered a ton of food. “Beef brisket, spicy chicken, pork belly… hurry up and pack it all to-go!” The takeout boxes were stacked like a mountain, filling the back seat of the car. While I waited, my phone buzzed with nonstop calls from my parents. “Sweetheart, we’ve come all this way! How could you send us back?” “Ivy, we traveled across the country to see you, and this is how you treat us? Raising you was a waste!” “Yeah, Ivy, how could you be so heartless? Mom and Dad came all this way just for you. Don’t you feel guilty?” My mom sent a voice message too, sounding pitiful: “Sweetie, I brought you your favorite homemade eggs. At least let me drop them off for you. I’m not here with any bad intentions.” In the picture, the eggs were cracked, the yolk leaking through the red plastic bag. I chuckled bitterly to myself. Love is a fickle thing. Where there’s money, there’s love. Emerson does nothing at home, yet he always gets the newest iPhone every year, wears expensive sneakers, and lives better than I do. I may earn $3,000 a month from my tech job, but after taxes, my mortgage, and renovation loans, nearly $2,000 goes to the bank. And with my mom asking for $500 a month, I barely get by. I sighed, blocked all three of them on WeChat, and used the restaurant’s Wi-Fi to download TV shows and movies. I remembered the hurricane would knock out the power, and the whole Brookstone Heights Subdivision would be without electricity for days. I still had about an hour and a half before the hurricane hit. When I got home, ready to haul the groceries in with a dolly, I noticed something strange. The doormat was wet. Something wasn’t right. Sure enough. The moment I opened the door, I saw it. The room was soaked. Several umbrellas, dripping with dirty water, were scattered around the entryway. Emerson had kicked off his socks, his filthy feet sprawled across my cream-colored bed, lying carelessly beside my underwear. Dad was chain-smoking, cigarette butts littered the floor, with burn marks scorched into the carpet. And my mom was rifling through my fridge, slabs of raw beef spread across the floor next to her. When she noticed me, she turned and smiled casually. “Ivy, you’re back! I noticed you had some beef in the fridge, so I’ll cook it up for your brother later!” 03 I snapped at them, “How did you get into my house? Didn’t I tell you to go back home?” Emerson smirked and let out a small chuckle. “Mom already found out where you live. Besides, you should know what I do for a living.” I took a deep breath. For the past two years since graduating high school, Emerson had been working as a locksmith’s apprentice, so he had no trouble picking my lock and getting into my apartment. “This is illegal. I’ll call the cops!” But before I could act, my mom slammed her hand down on my phone. “We’re family! What’s with all the drama? I told you we were coming, didn’t I? Look, I even brought you some eggs from home.” She held up a few large bags with a triumphant smile, showing off the eggs, pickled vegetables, and some homemade bread that was so stale it felt like it had been sitting out for weeks. But while she was pinching pennies with homemade food, she had no problem raiding my fridge for the good stuff—salmon, beef, seafood—all gifts from friends, things I barely allowed myself to touch. The contrast was heartbreaking. My mom looked around my apartment, critiquing everything as usual. “Ivy, this pink bedspread is ridiculous. Toss it out and get something your brother can use! “And he’s staying with you for the next year, so you’d better take good care of him. “He’s still growing! Buy more salmon and seafood for him, okay?” Listening to her rambling, my fists clenched as my thoughts raced. The hurricane was coming soon. Even if I called the police, they wouldn’t make it in time. It was clear: staying here wasn’t an option. I forced a smile at the chaos around me. “Okay, Mom.” I had already given them chances. I wasn’t going to stop what was coming. After all, a couple of deaths during a hurricane was just normal, right?

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After seven years of marriage, my husband’s mistress barged into my home with a group of people, accusing me of being the other woman. “This is the home of that sidepiece! Look how fancy it’s decorated. She must have spent my husband’s money!” They trashed my house, leaving it in ruins. And my husband? He threatened me with divorce if I didn’t let it go. “I’m running the company now, and you’re just a stay-at-home mom with a child. After a divorce, what could you possibly rely on?” Well, it looks like it’s time to start preparing for a future without him.\ 0I had just finished getting my baby to sleep when the front door rattled under the sound of loud, aggressive knocks. The nanny hurried to open it, but before she could even see who it was, she was shoved aside roughly. “This is the home of that sidepiece! Look how lavish the place is. She must have spent my husband’s money!” “Trash the place! Teach this trashy woman a lesson, make sure she never dares to be a homewrecker again!” A crowd of people flooded into my house. The woman leading them scanned the room, her eyes gleaming with greed, then barked orders to the others behind her. They didn’t hesitate, rushing forward to destroy everything they could get their hands on. Some even stuffed valuables into their pockets. The sound of things smashing against the floor echoed around the house, turning my once pristine home into a disaster zone. “What are you doing?!” The nanny, regaining her senses, tried to stop them but was shoved hard to the ground. I rushed out of the nursery, alarmed by the noise, only to find chaos unfolding before my eyes. The woman leading the mob pointed at me the moment she saw me. “So, you’re the shameless woman who seduced my husband? Let me show you what happens to women like you!” Someone was recording a video, thrusting their phone right up in my face. “Everyone, take a good look at this homewrecker! Whenever you see her in the street, make sure you remind her of the consequences of being a sidepiece!” I knocked the phone aside, stunned by the state of the room. “Who are you people?!” I demanded. “I’m warning you, stop this now, or there will be consequences!” I gestured for the nanny to call security. The woman sneered. “Consequences? Did you think about consequences when you seduced Connor Holt and became his mistress?” “And all this?” She waved her hand at the room. “You bought it all with my husband’s money. This house is mine! I can do whatever I want with what’s rightfully mine!” Her words made no sense. Connor Holt was my husband, and I certainly didn’t need to steal him. “Are you sure you’ve got the right person? Connor is my husband. We got married at the Orange County Courthouse, and our child is already a year old. How could I possibly be a mistress?” I pulled out the photo we had taken when we got our marriage license, showing it to her. She barely glanced at it before slapping the phone from my hand. “You’ve got some nerve. You even photoshopped a fake marriage photo! Trying to pass yourself off as the wife, huh?” “You’re not even brave enough to admit what you are, a homewrecker. Don’t worry, I’ll teach you a proper lesson today!” It was clear she had made up her mind that I was the other woman, and I’d had enough. She raised her hand to slap me, but I caught her wrist mid-swing and delivered a slap of my own. The bright red handprint on her now-swollen cheek stood out starkly. She screamed and lunged at me, but by then, security had arrived and restrained her. They apologized profusely, blaming their lapse in security for allowing these people into my home. “What do you want us to do with them?” they asked. I waved dismissively. “Take them to the Newport Beach Police Department.” At the mention of the police, the group panicked. “How can a sidepiece like you have the nerve to call the cops?” “We’re not afraid of the police! We’re just standing up for justice against homewreckers. This society needs people like us!” I smirked, returning to my bedroom. I retrieved our marriage certificate and threw it at their feet. “Take a good look. We’re legally married. If there’s a mistress in this scenario, it’s you.” 02 The arrogance they displayed in my house quickly vanished once they reached the police station. I sat before them with a stack of receipts and purchase records. “These are the items they destroyed. The damage is worth several hundred thousand dollars. I want them to compensate me fully.” “We have everything on the home security cameras,” I added, shifting my gaze to the woman who led the attack. “And if I remember correctly, you also stole three necklaces and five rings from my home. The value of those items alone meets the criteria for a felony. I’m pressing charges for breaking and entering and theft.” The moment they heard how much money was at stake, the group turned on each other. “Danielle, this is all your fault! If you hadn’t told us you were cheated on and asked for our help, we wouldn’t be in this mess!” “If you want to blame someone, blame yourself. You should cover the cost. We wouldn’t even be here if it wasn’t for you!” So the ringleader’s name was Danielle. She never expected the situation to turn on her like this. “What do you mean? When I told you all about it, you were happy to jump on board, saying this would boost your social media following. Now that we’re in trouble, you want to distance yourselves?” “If you weren’t so greedy, none of this would’ve happened!” As the two groups bickered, nearly coming to blows, I handed over the evidence to the police and left them to deal with it. I had more important matters to handle. Danielle showing up at my house, knowing exactly where I lived and mentioning Connor’s name meant something had happened between them. I had already suspected Connor of cheating, but I was nearing my due date and needed him to help manage the company, so I turned a blind eye to his behavior—so long as it didn’t interfere with me. Besides, Connor had signed a prenuptial agreement before we married, promising that if he ever cheated, he’d leave with nothing. Now that the baby was born, it was time to act on my plan to get him out of the picture. My childhood friend, Brooke Sinclair, called as soon as she heard about the break-in. We hadn’t spoken in a while, so it was a surprise to hear from her. She sounded shocked when I told her I had sent them all to jail and was seeking compensation. Then, to my surprise, she said, “Vivian, your house is fine now, and you’ve got plenty of money. Those people are pitiful. Maybe there’s been a misunderstanding. Why don’t you let it go?” Her words made me laugh. “Brooke, are you serious? I’m the victim here. They trashed my house, and I even warned them. Do you think I forced them to act like this? Maybe you should quit being human and go become a saint!” Brooke was offended. “Vivian, how can you say that? If your family wasn’t so wealthy, they wouldn’t have done what they did. If you don’t forgive them, I… I’ll end our friendship!” I was stunned by her audacity. How could she side with them after nearly ten years of friendship? “Brooke, don’t twist the facts to blame the victim. They deserved everything they got!” “And you know what? I don’t need a friend like you in my life. If you’re so sympathetic toward them, why don’t you go pay their compensation?” Without waiting for a response, I hung up and blocked her number. 03 A few days later, the investigator I hired confirmed what I had suspected. Connor had been cheating, and not just with one woman. What shocked me the most was that Brooke was one of his mistresses—and had been for the longest time. She had even given birth to his child, just a few months younger than mine. No wonder Danielle had been absent lately—she’d been off having her baby. The police called me, saying that the group who had vandalized my home wanted to see me. Perfect. I needed to confirm who had given them my address. Standing behind the protective screen, I looked at them coldly. “So, have you figured out how you’re going to split the cost of the damages?” I asked. “Or is there something you wanted to tell me?” With the others pressuring her, Danielle finally blurted out, “Actually, someone gave me your address and encouraged me to come after you. If I tell you who it was, will you drop the charges?” I snorted in disbelief. “You owe me a lot of money. If you tell me who it was, I’ll shave a little off the total, but you’re still paying.” Realizing they had no better options, Danielle clenched her teeth and said, “It was Brooke Sinclair. She’s the one who told me you were the mistress and gave me your address.” Exactly as I thought. Danielle didn’t know Brooke was also one of Connor’s mistresses. She probably thought Brooke was just another person outraged by affairs. Instead, she had been played as a pawn in Brooke’s plan to move up in Connor’s life. I leaned closer to the glass. “Did you know that Brooke is a mistress herself? She’s been with Connor longer than you, and they even have a child together.” “She’s been using you to get ahead.” Seeing the doubt on her face, I pulled out my phone and showed her photos of Brooke, Connor, and their child together. “Look at you now. Brooke’s sitting pretty while you’re buried in debt and hated by your so-called friends. You’re both mistresses, but you’re the one left with nothing.” Danielle’s eyes widened with rage. Now, I just had to sit back and watch as they tore each other apart. Based on the investigation, it was clear Connor had a particular fondness for Brooke. She’d been with him the longest, and he treated her better than any of the others. Brooke was smart, too. She knew about the other women but never raised a fuss. The other women didn’t even know each other existed. Connor had bought Brooke a house in downtown LA, similar in size and value to our home. Whatever she wanted, he provided immediately. But Connor wasn’t rich enough to support such high expenses on his salary alone. He’d been siphoning money from the company. It was time for me to take control of the business again. Otherwise, he might forget whose name was really on the company! 04 Connor Holt finally found out about the incident while he was away on a business trip. He rushed back, a look of concern plastered on his face as he asked if I was alright. The expression seemed genuine, and if I hadn’t already known what kind of man he truly was, I might have believed he actually cared about me. Sure enough, after I told him I was fine, he quickly switched gears and got to the real reason for his concern. “Vivian, I heard you had those people thrown in jail. Now that everything’s okay, why don’t you let it go? No need to waste the police’s time.” I gave him a side-eye and asked, “What if I don’t?” Connor’s face tightened. “Why do you have to hold a grudge? Can’t you just be the bigger person? Think of it as doing a good deed for the baby’s sake.” He thought he was smart, trying to use our child to manipulate me. But his little game wasn’t going to work. I let out a cold laugh. “Am I the one being petty, or is there someone in that group you’re particularly concerned about?” Danielle was Connor’s new fling, and things between them were getting pretty serious. That’s why she’d felt bold enough to come and cause trouble in my home. At my words, Connor’s face went rigid. “You’re imagining things. You know I only care about you. Can’t you stop being so paranoid? I just don’t want you to stress over this, especially since you’ve just had the baby.” He thought he was clever, believing his affairs had been so discreet that I’d never suspect a thing. I grabbed the stack of photos I had collected and threw them in his face. “Open your eyes, Connor. Did you really think I didn’t know?” The pictures showed him and a variety of women, entering and leaving different hotels. Connor still tried to wriggle his way out. “I was only doing this for you, for the business! It’s just part of client relations. You don’t understand how these things work. You’re just a stay-at-home mom; what do you know about business?” I shot back, “Does client relations require you to go to bed with them?” That shut him up. The last shred of his act fell away, and he gave up pretending. “Fine, you know everything now, so I won’t hide it anymore.” “If you don’t go to the police and get Danielle out of jail, then we’re getting a divorce.” “I’m in charge of the company now. You’re just a housewife with a kid. After the divorce, what do you think you’ll have left to rely on?” His voice was full of threats, confident that I wouldn’t dare leave him. He thought he had full control of the company and assumed that even in a divorce, the business would be his. I looked straight at him and said, “Alright, let’s get divorced.” Back when we were dating, Connor had believed I was madly in love with him. He thought he had me wrapped around his finger. Even when I made him sign a prenuptial agreement, he didn’t care, assuming it wouldn’t matter. What he didn’t know was that I only chose him for his genes. When I was about to take over the company, some old-fashioned board members tried to block me, saying I was a woman with no husband or children and that I’d eventually shift my focus to my family, making me unsuitable to run the business. Connor, with his good looks and perfect academic record, had played the part of the loving, devoted man well enough for me to decide he would be my husband. Once I took over the company, I swiftly dealt with those who had doubted me. Now that my plan was complete, Connor had outlived his usefulness. “You b*tch, Vivian! What did you say?” he shouted. 05 Connor stood there, stunned, as if he couldn’t believe I had agreed so easily. “Vivian, think carefully. If we divorce, you’ll be left with nothing,” he warned. I stood up and turned to the nanny. “Mrs. Lin, could you show him the door?” He stared at me, incredulous. “This is my house! You can’t kick me out!” I laughed in his face. “Don’t forget, I bought this house before we got married. The deed is in my name. This is my house. Now that we’re getting divorced, are you really going to cling to my place? Or should I have security throw you out?” Connor was too prideful to let that happen. His face twisted with anger, and he spat out, “Fine, Vivian. I’ll be waiting for the day you come crawling back, begging me to return.” But the one doing the begging would be him. 06 I eventually had Danielle bailed out. I had other plans for her. I’d done my research—she had been cheated on by her last boyfriend, which is why they broke up. The thing she hated most was being the other woman. Now, she had become exactly that, and not only that, she had been played by another mistress. She wouldn’t be able to let it go. Once she was out, she headed straight for Brooke Sinclair’s house. I made sure to send photos of Brooke and Connor to all of Connor’s other flings. Nothing sparks more fury than a woman discovering her “loyal” boyfriend has other lovers. Brooke was clever, though. Every time Connor got involved with a new woman, she would go out of her way to befriend them, acting like a sisterly figure, and then use them to get Connor’s attention back on her. Danielle and the other women were in Brooke’s place for a long time, and when they finally left, they seemed to be in high spirits. Once Danielle was gone, I arrived at Brooke’s front door with a few bodyguards. Brooke answered, but her greeting died in her throat when she saw me. Her face was swollen, her hair disheveled—she looked like she had been beaten badly. It seemed like Danielle and the others had given her a thorough punishment. “Vivian… what are you doing here?” Brooke stammered, her voice weak. I smiled. “Just came to check out the house Connor bought you.” I waved my hand toward the bodyguards. “Wreck it.” At my command, the men pushed past Brooke, wielding baseball bats, and began smashing everything in sight. “What are you doing?!” Brooke screamed. “Stop them!” she cried, trying to pull one of the guards away, but the housekeeper watched from the side, too afraid to intervene. The sound of a baby crying filled the air, startled by the chaos. Brooke looked at me with pure hatred in her eyes, as if I were her worst enemy. She rushed at me, but I grabbed her and held her back. “What’s wrong? Didn’t you say you hate mistresses? I’m just helping you teach one a lesson.” Her face went white, and she tried to play dumb. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I gave her a light slap on the cheek. “Danielle told me everything.” “Your days of luxury are over.” Brooke, desperate, turned to the housekeeper and shouted, “Call the police! Call the police!” “She’s trespassing! I want her arrested!”

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I was born without a wolf, “You’re not alone anymore.” Mathew chimed in, “We’ll protect you. You’re family here.” I felt a flicker of hope. But then Ella returned, everything shattered when my mate, Alpha Mike, rejected me. “I can’t be with you,”. Banished and broken-hearted, I returned to my mother’s pack. I met Alpha Nicola. “You’re stronger than you know,” he said, as I felt my wolf awaken. With newfound power coursing through me, I uncovered the truth behind Ella’s betrayal. The night air bit into my skin as I looked up. “Alice.” Alpha Mike’s tone was clipped, cold, a blade meant to wound. “You’re weak. I cannot have weakness beside me. I, Alpha Mike, reject you.” My heart dropped. “You’re rejecting me? Just… just because I haven’t—” “Because you’re no wolf.” His eyes held no mercy. “You’re a liability.” Around us, whispers bega “Did she really think the Alpha would keep her?” “She’s a disgrace.” My father stood in the crowd, face blank, but I could see it—disappointment, etched like stone. I took a shaky breath, reaching out to her. “Mom… please—” He looked away, lips pressed tight. “Alice,” “you’ve made your bed. Now lie in it.” Tears pricked my eyes. He turned her back, his voice low. “Your new mate will be arranged by morning. Don’t make this harder.” “Moon Goddess, why? Why did you curse me like this?” I’m willing to go back and get married,” I murmured, almost too quietly to hear. “You—” My father began, half-hearted words of persuasion on his lips. “You… agreed?” “Yes, I agreed.” “That’s wonderful! Absolutely wonderful!” “I’ve been saying it all along—you should have agreed sooner! Alpha Nicola is a good match; he doesn’t mind that you haven’t shifted, and he respects you! And not to mention, his pack is only growing stronger…” I closed my eyes halfway, cutting him off with a weary sigh. “Dad, I’m tired.” I wasn’t sure how long I’d been lying there when footsteps sounded outside my door. The birthday girl, Ella, burst in, grinning ear to ear and balancing a slice of cake in her hand. She wore a sparkling gold crown, glinting like something out of a fairytale, giving her the air of a little princess. “Alice, come downstairs and join us!” she said, her voice dripping with cheer. I forced a smile that didn’t reach my eyes. “I’m not feeling great. You all go ahead—enjoy yourselves.” Ella’s eyes filling with tears. “Alice… do you… not like me? Is that why… why you never come and celebrate with us?” Here we go again. Playing the innocent, fragile girl who’s somehow always a victim. And of course, all the guys just eat it up. “Drop the act, Ella,” “I’m not coming. Isn’t this what you wanted?” She strolled to the door, but instead of leaving, she turned back with a smug look. “Alice, Alpha Mike ’s going to announce me as his Luna. I guess a weak, wolf-less girl like you should be happy with her place… rotting in the shadows.” She lifted the slice of cake in her hand and hurled it toward me. Instinctively, I raised my arm to block it, but to my shock, she stumbled back, falling with a loud thud. “Ella, what are you trying to pull?” I hissed, my voice low and filled with disbelief. Though I managed to block it in time, the cake still splattered across me, leaving me standing there, humiliated and disheveled. My sister, Ella, lay sprawled on the floor, a faint smile playing on her lips. Then, as if on cue, her eyes welled up with tears, spilling down her cheeks, painting her face with the perfect picture of innocence and betrayal. And just like that, an enraged howl tore through the hallway. “Alice!”

Two men charged up the stairs, their footsteps echoing down the hall. One rushed to Ella’s side, helping her up as she lay on the floor, while the other placed himself between us, his gaze fixed on me with barely contained rage. “Alice, what were you thinking? How could you be so cruel?” Alpha Mike’s voice was low and seething as he pulled Ella into his arms, gently massaging her back. “Are you hurt, Ella? Tell me you’re okay.” Ella looked up at him, her face pale and trembling, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’m fine, Alpha Mike. Don’t be mad at Alice… I’m sure she didn’t mean it.” She sniffled, tears shimmering in her eyes, her voice filled with feigned innocence. I scoffed, a cold smile tugging at my lips. “I didn’t do anything,”Mathew, who had been standing in front of them. “Alice, this is too far.” “I told you, it wasn’t me,” I said sharply, turning to leave. The sticky mess of cake smeared across me was as disgusting as the whole scene itself. But before I could step past them, Mathew blocked my path. “Apologize, Alice. Apologize to Ella,” “Apologize?” I asked, incredulous. “For what? I told you, it wasn’t me!” Ella’s soft voice cut in from behind him. “Please, Alpha Mike… don’t be angry with Alice. I’m sure she didn’t mean to… to push me.” She cast a quick, sidelong glance at me, a hint of triumph flickering behind her teary eyes. “Do you see this, Alice? Look at her—she’s willing to forgive you, even after what you did. She’s still defending you!” “Are you done?” I turned and walked back into my room, shutting the door firmly behind me. Outside, I heard Alpha Mike’s frustrated growl, followed by a hard thud as he punched the wall in anger. “Who does she think she is?” he spat. But when he looked down at Ella, the anger melting into something sickeningly tender. “Ella, don’t let this spoil your night. Let’s get you cleaned up, and I’ll take you somewhere special. It’s your birthday, after all. No tears, okay?” Ella nuzzled into his embrace, wiping her tears on his shirt as she flashed me one last victorious glance through the crack in the door. “I won’t cry anymore, Alpha Mike. Not if you’re with me.” Behind the locked door, I sank against the wall. Once, I was the one they took care of—the one they trusted unconditionally, the one they vowed to protect. Growing up in Flowerland, I was fragile, a child plagued by severe allergies and a weakened immune system. The fields of wildflowers that blanketed my home city were beautiful to most, but to me, they were a storm of allergens that would leave me breathless and feverish if I dared step outside without medicine. When I was six, a severe allergic reaction nearly took my life, and my parents, heartbroken but resolute, sent me to live in the colder, flowerless Rivermoon pack with my grandparents. The change in climate gave me a break from the constant risk, and it was there that I met two boys in the small, tight-knit pack that shared our neighborhood: Alpha Mike and Mathew. The three of us were inseparable. They would swear time and time again to be my protectors, promising to make me their “princess,” saying they’d care for me for the rest of my life. When my grandparents passed away a few years later, Mike and Mathew took turns bringing me meals, memorizing every single allergen that could hurt me. In time, they knew my weaknesses even better than I did. As I grew older, my mother began urging me to return to the main pack, convinced I was strong enough to handle it. But I stayed, lingering in the warmth and care of my two closest. I’d begun to feel the stirrings of something deeper between Mike and me, a pull stronger than any friendship—a mate bond. But when did everything begin to unravel?

Everything changed the moment Ella arrived. I was sixteen when my father’s betrayal was exposed, and I had no choice but to move with him to the Riverland Pack, where he’d begun his new life. My half-sister Ella arrived not long after with her mother, my new stepmother. Ella knew just when to lean in, tilt her head, and soften her voice, using her helplessness like a weapon to draw men toward her. Where I was proud and unyielding, Ella made weakness an art form, the kind that could make every male around her feel like they were her knight in shining armor. When she arrived, Alpha Mike and Mathew, the two people I’d thought would stand by me no matter what, looked out for her at first only out of obligation. She was, after all, my sister. But once Ella had gained a foothold, she turned everything into a game I never realized I was losing until it was too late. One evening, I discovered she’d added both of them on WhatsApp, claiming it was to help her manage my needs more easily. But what had been a thread connecting us quickly became a chain tying them to her. Soon, it was no longer our bond of three—but hers. It wasn’t long before I began noticing the whispers, the glances. My connection with Mike grew strained as Ella found ways to insert herself deeper into his world. She didn’t shift yet, but it didn’t matter—her human form was enough to pull him under her spell, leaving me out in the cold. And Mathew, who had once promised to protect me, was swept up in her orbit, too, laughing at her jokes, defending her. Mike had always been impulsive, drawn to extreme sports like a moth to a flame. I’d warned him countless times, but he’d just chuckle and say, “Oh come on, life is too short! Just let me do what I love!” Yet now, for Ella’s sake, he hadn’t touched any extreme sports in six months, all because of a single word from her. On the other hand, Mathew, usually calm and reserved, had taken a surprising turn as well. He never liked crowds and preferred quiet evenings alone. But now, he was the one who insisted on hosting a big birthday party for Ella at our family villa. Mike’s pov I’ve known since I turned sixteen that Alice is my mate, but it feels wrong. She doesn’t even have a wolf. “How can someone so weak become a Luna?” I thought bitterly. “Alice is beautiful, you know,” Mathew said, leaning against the wall with a smirk. “Yeah, beautiful enough to drive me crazy,” I snapped, running a hand through my hair. “All the guys in the pack want her—not as a mate, just for fun.” “It infuriates you, huh?” Mathew chuckled. “But she doesn’t even have a wolf.” “Exactly! When we turn twelve, we hear our wolves, but she’s never heard hers. They say she’s cursed,” I replied, frustration bubbling. “No one wants a cursed mate.” “So why not just go for Ella?” Mathew suggested, raising an eyebrow. “She’s easier to be with.” “Ella? Please. She’s not half as captivating as Alice,” I shot back. “But yeah, I’m with Ella. It’s simpler.” “Right, but you’re still pining after Alice,” Mathew pointed out. “You want her as your mistress, not your Luna.” “I can’t help it!” Alice’s pov My father’s choice for an arranged marriage must have been carefully selected, and honestly, that was fine by me. My phone buzzed. “Alice, why haven’t you liked my latest post?” Ella’s message popped up. She was in a lavish princess dress, flanked by Mathew and Alpha Mike. “Look at me, the perfect princess,” I muttered under my breath. I knew she posted it to annoy me. Normally, I might feel upset, but not today. I quickly tapped the like button. “There, happy now?” As for what the three of them thought? That was no longer my concern.

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