Author: Momo Chan

While I was on my way to find a lawyer with the will in hand, I got into a car accident and died. When I woke up again, I found myself sitting in a college classroom in 2002. Sitting next to me was my 19-year-old boss. This introduction sets up the premise of the story – the main character (Olivia) has been reborn into the past with memories of her future life. It establishes the time period (2002) and introduces a key character (her future boss, Lucas) right from the start. As I was on my way to see a lawyer with the will in hand, I got into a car accident. The car was totaled, and I died. When I regained consciousness, I found myself sitting in a college classroom in 2002. Beside me sat my 19-year-old boss. “Are you Lucas?” I asked, shocked to realize we were classmates in college. Lucas turned his head slightly, acknowledging that he heard me, but his eyes remained fixed on the professor at the front of the room. “Mm-hmm,” he mumbled. I observed this shy young man wearing worn-out sweats and canvas shoes. Lucas was frantically jotting down notes from the lecture. I noticed purple bruises on his wrist. This handsome, thin young man would become my boss in ten years, the person who left all his assets to me when I was at my poorest. I looked down at my own delicate, slender hands, so different from the rough, yellowed ones I remembered. The bag next to me was even a new 2002 Chanel model. When I worked for Lucas in my past life, my family had already fallen on hard times. The few designer bags I owned were all year-end bonuses from Lucas. I took out a mirror from my bag and carefully examined the beautiful young woman reflected in it. I really had been reborn. After class, Lucas grabbed his books and headed out. I wanted to catch up with him but was stopped by another girl. “Olivia, why were you talking to that poor kid today?” she asked. Poor kid? She must be referring to Lucas. “What’s wrong with talking to him?” I replied. She widened her eyes and felt my forehead. “Didn’t you used to say he smelled like a country bumpkin and it was awful?” What? I used to look down on Lucas? I thought hard but couldn’t remember having any impression of this boy in college. “I was ignorant before. Now I think he’s really impressive and inspiring,” I said. I looked up and saw Lucas standing in the doorway. His lips were pressed tightly together, and he looked uncomfortable. “Forgot something?” I asked him with a smile, trying to convey as much kindness as possible. He nodded but still wouldn’t look at me. I picked up the keys on the desk and handed them to him, then followed him out of the classroom. His pants were obviously too short, and his canvas shoes were a bit big, exposing his heels as he walked. He had several blisters on his feet, and there were more bruises visible on his exposed ankles. “Is someone bullying you? Who is it?” I asked. He turned back to look at me in surprise, as if to say, “Isn’t it you?” I blinked and clarified, “I mean, is someone in your dorm bullying you?” He didn’t respond and just kept walking. I continued following behind him. As we passed a stairwell, he was suddenly pulled aside by someone. “What are you doing?” I called out as I caught up. By the time I reached them, Lucas had already been pushed to the ground. One of the guys had his foot on Lucas’s shoulder. He looked shocked to see me. “Olivia, don’t you hate this guy?” he asked. Lucas was staring at me too, but there was no fear or plea for help in his eyes. “I don’t hate him anymore. He’s my friend now, so you’d better move your foot,” I said firmly. The guys laughed mockingly, looking at me with defiance. I took out my phone from my bag, pretending I was about to make a call. They started to panic. “What are you doing?” I looked at them innocently. “Calling the dean. My dad donates so much money to the school every year, and this is how they’re raising students? A bunch of bullies ganging up on one person?” They grew scared, knowing I actually had the power to get them expelled. They glared at Lucas and me, cursing under their breath as they left. “Wait,” I called out. They immediately stopped, their backs to me – the only defiance these young men could muster. “Lucas is my friend. Do you understand?” I said. They nodded reluctantly and then left. I went to help Lucas up. He wasn’t badly hurt, just his clothes were dirty. He was clutching an envelope tightly, the flap unsealed. As he stood up, money spilled out onto the ground. It looked like his savings, including coins as small as ten cents. “Were you going to deposit this?” I asked. He looked at me, as if trying to determine if I was friend or foe, then nodded. “It’s for my brother.” “You’re so poor yourself, and you’re still giving money to your brother?” As soon as the words left my mouth, I realized how rude they sounded. Luckily, he didn’t seem offended. “Yeah, he needs it right now.” He has a brother? In my past life, I worked for him for seven full years. I never heard him mention having a brother. I had someone look into Lucas’s background. His path to college had been very difficult. He dropped out in his junior year of high school. It took a lot of persuasion from his teachers, visiting his home multiple times, before his parents agreed to let him apply to college again. His grades were good, so the school waived his tuition and he could even get stipends and scholarships. It was this point that finally convinced his parents. Lucas’s brother, Zack, had failed his college entrance exams. Their family spent a lot of money and called in many favors to get him into a community college. He hadn’t been there long before he got a girlfriend, and now he was asking Lucas for money to buy her gifts. The Johnson family wouldn’t give Lucas a penny for living expenses. He worked in the cafeteria every day to earn some money, which he had to send home and to his brother. There was a photo of Lucas’s brother in the file. He was leaning against a tree with his hands in his pockets, smoking a cigarette, looking like he didn’t have a care in the world. But why did his face look so familiar? I thought hard for a moment. Wait a second, wasn’t he the driver who hit me in that car accident? I felt a chill. Perhaps that accident hadn’t been an accident after all. I had always wondered about something – why did my boss write a will before committing suicide, leaving everything to me instead of his parents? Maybe his suicide was also related to the Johnson family. Zack’s school was actually quite close to ours, though it didn’t have a great reputation. We usually didn’t go there. Most of the students there were like Zack – mediocre in academics and family background, but acting tough. Reading their social media posts, you’d think they were the heirs to some crime family slumming it at community college. I’m not being unfair to them. Right now, Zack and his buddies were blocking my way, asking for my contact information. I looked at them coldly. “Why do you want my number? Do you even have phones?” Zack scratched the back of his head awkwardly but insisted, “We have a payphone in our dorm building.” Seeing that I wasn’t responding, he reached for my bag. I hissed at him, “My bag costs $1,000. Are you sure you can afford to replace it if you damage it?” They burst out laughing. “I don’t believe a bag can be that expensive. Is it made of gold?” I didn’t back down. “You’re welcome to try if you think you can afford to pay for it.” Zack thought for a moment and removed his hand from my bag. He probably felt like he’d lost face in front of his friends, so he suddenly reached out to grab my arm. I dodged him. “Zack.” A familiar voice came from behind me. It was Lucas. He quickly ran over and pushed Zack away, then apologized to me. I watched him bow slightly to me. When those people had bullied him earlier, he hadn’t even furrowed his brow. But now… I suddenly felt sorry for him. “Lucas, your brother offended me. Let’s go back to school and talk about this,” I said, then left. Lucas was saying something to Zack, who looked impatient. It wasn’t until Lucas put a $50 bill in his hand that Zack finally smiled. Back at school, Lucas was still apologizing to me. “I’m sorry, my brother doesn’t know any better. Please don’t hold it against him, okay?” he pleaded. I nodded. “Alright, but you have to tutor me.” Lucas was taken aback. “Tutor you?” I told him my grades weren’t good, especially in English. As long as he could tutor me every day to help me pass my finals, I’d let this incident go. Plus, I’d pay him for the tutoring. He looked at me seriously. “I can tutor you, but I can’t take your money.” I knew he would say that. But it didn’t matter. There were other ways to spend money on him if I wanted to. Thinking of how he had cared for and looked after me as my boss in my past life, I felt an urgent desire to spend money on him. Lucas was really a good boss. He had a tough life before, so he was always kind and approachable to his employees. Since he became wealthy, he had been doing a lot of charity work, though always in my name. He said he didn’t want to appear in the media. I understood. It wasn’t like I was losing out – I was even gaining good karma. Just then, my phone rang. It was my dad. “Dad,” I answered, my voice dry. In my past life, my dad had jumped to his death after going bankrupt. He hadn’t left a single word. I never thought I’d have a chance to see my dad again. “Olivia, have you eaten?” he asked. “Oh, yes, I’ve eaten. Have you eaten?” I struggled to hold back tears as I heard his familiar voice. My nose stung, and it was hard to breathe. He chuckled on the other end, saying he had grandma’s braised pork hock soup for dinner. He sounded a bit smug, knowing it was my favorite dish. I felt a warmth in my heart, but I didn’t forget the important things. “Dad, remember to check the company accounts carefully. Our professors all say you shouldn’t let one person handle all the accounts – it’s risky.” In my past life, Dad’s company had been emptied out bit by bit by his best friend, who then fled abroad. Dad trusted him too much and refused to believe it until it was too late. Dad suddenly got serious and said he would look into it. I wanted to talk to Dad more, but he had another call coming in. He was still Mr. Wilson now, busy every day. After hanging up, I told Lucas about my schedule. He said he could only tutor on weekends because he had to work in the cafeteria other days. I agreed. I arranged for the tutoring to take place at an empty villa my family owned. I pretended to be completely clueless, hoping to frustrate him so he’d feel the task was too burdensome and accept money from me.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294914”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #魔幻Magic #擦边Steamy #浪漫Romance #励志Inspiring #重生Reborn

As I was about to go to bed, I habitually unzipped Jack’s pants, only to catch a faint whiff of cigarette smoke. He rarely smoked, except for the occasional post-coital cigarette after we made love. We hadn’t seen each other for two months due to business trips. When I tried to wrap my arms around his neck for a kiss, he pushed me away listlessly: “My back hurts. Not tonight. Let’s just sleep.” Looking at the man snoring beside me, I frowned. My instincts told me that Jack was having an affair, and the girl was young enough to drain all his energy. My name is Rachel Lewis, I’m 28 years old, and my husband Jack is 12 years older than me, having just turned 40 this year. Due to our age difference, I called him “honey,” and he often said that having a young wife like me made him look good when we went out together. I would just smile it off. When we first met, I was an outstanding college intern at the International Jewelry Exhibition, while he was already a suave small business owner. Attracted by his successful and elegant demeanor, we fell in love almost at first sight. Now, five years into our marriage, I’m a “daddy’s girl” with a son, financially well-off, and seemingly happy. At 40, time had turned him into a paunchy middle-aged man with deep nasolabial folds. After giving birth, despite the care of high-end beauty salons and wellness centers, the stretch marks on my body were hard to eliminate, and I was no longer as youthful as before. “This is how marriage is. After the passion fades, it slowly transitions into a familial relationship,” I comforted myself, gradually shifting my focus to taking care of our son and my career. Jack still treated me the same as always, never forgetting to send gifts for Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, and birthdays. On our wedding anniversary, he had the housekeeper deliver a Cartier diamond rose gold necklace, claiming it was a limited edition. “Only two were available in the city, and I pre-ordered one for you,” he said, hugging me from behind and kissing my cheek, his stubble tickling my neck. Jack chuckled softly, feeling aroused, and promptly pinned me down on the office desk. I pushed him away, blushing, “What are you doing? We’re in the office…” He nibbled on my earlobe, unusually eager, like a young man again, “Then let’s go to the room.” After years of marriage, Jack rarely showed such urgency. My office had a small resting area where I would occasionally take short naps when tired. He picked me up and carried me behind the curtain, while the entire company outside remained oblivious to the intimate scene unfolding in the small alcove. Jack’s technique was skillful. Suddenly, he leaned close and whispered in my ear: “Rachel, I…” After he said something, my face immediately turned bright red. Due to work requirements, I often wore black stockings, but Jack had never shown any particular interest in them before. That day, he was exceptionally passionate, almost to the point where the employees downstairs could hear us. If he hadn’t been stimulated by something, Jack, being over forty, shouldn’t have been so fired up. I vaguely remembered him taking a pill midway through. When I asked what it was, he said it was a painkiller. Jack had a herniated disc, and he would take painkillers whenever it flared up. But after that time, I found a thin aluminum pill wrapper on the floor. I clearly saw the words “Viagra” printed on it. The purpose of this drug was self-evident. But why did he carry Viagra with him? And why did he lie to me? This incident planted a seed of doubt in my mind. Two months later, the jewelry exhibition co-hosted by our company was about to open. As a member of the organizing committee, I was swamped with work, while Jack had disappeared without a trace. When I called him, he made excuses about entertaining clients. Finally, I managed to get his location and went to the hotel where he was staying in the neighboring city. “Honey!” I hugged his neck, pretending to be overjoyed, and pulled him into the room. “Mm, I missed you,” Jack said, his demeanor unchanged, though I clearly noticed his fatigue. He lowered his head and touched my necklace. That limited edition Cartier necklace he had given me. “Honey, only when you wear it do I think it’s the most beautiful,” he smiled sincerely. As I was about to go to bed, I habitually unzipped Jack’s pants, only to catch a faint whiff of cigarette smoke. He rarely smoked, except for the occasional post-coital cigarette after we made love. We hadn’t seen each other for two months due to business trips. When I tried to wrap my arms around his neck for a kiss, he pushed me away listlessly: “My back hurts. Not tonight. Let’s just sleep.” Looking at the man snoring beside me, I frowned. My instincts told me that Jack was having an affair, and the girl was young enough to drain all his energy. Taking advantage of his deep sleep, I secretly picked up his phone. Although Jack was a small business owner, he was somewhat out of touch with the times, using an old-fashioned BlackBerry phone. He conducted business negotiations through his male assistant, who would then use a smartphone to guide him in communicating with others. I closed his phone, expressionless. The keypad phone was clean, with no messages or call records. It seemed I would have to work on his trusted assistant to get information. The next day, I borrowed the assistant’s phone under the pretext of checking some design plans. He was very cautious, “I’m sorry, Mrs. Lewis, but Mr. Lewis instructed that due to business confidentiality, only he can look at his own phone.” I smiled lightly, crossing my arms: “Business confidentiality? I’m the boss’s wife, what secrets could there be between us? I just want to look at a file.” The assistant pursed his lips, still unwilling to give me the phone. I frowned and casually said: “Then I’ll call Jack now. I’ll have him fire you right away for being such a disrespectful assistant to his wife.” The assistant finally handed me the phone reluctantly, and I did indeed only look at work-related emails in front of him. After about ten minutes, I nodded calmly and returned the phone to him. As I left the assistant’s office, my palm held a small USB drive. Just moments ago, while looking at the files, I had discreetly plugged it into the phone and copied all the information, covering it with my hand. Back home, I immediately opened my computer to check the records. I found that the chat records on the messaging app were all normal. So why was his assistant being so secretive? I didn’t believe it, so I casually clicked to switch accounts. Sure enough. The assistant had even opened a separate account for Jack, with the ID “Can’t escape your eyes in this flowery world.” Very fitting for a sleazy middle-aged man. He had a group chat called “The King no longer holds morning court,” which was full of lewd conversations with his unsavory friends. Jack’s last message in the group was: “These young ones, they really drain my Viagra supply. My old back can’t take it anymore.” In the gallery, I also found dozens of scandalous screenshots. They were one-sided screenshots Jack had taken of video chats with a friend using a Hello Kitty avatar: In the small window in the upper right corner was Jack’s greasy, wrinkled old face, while below was a dimpled young girl with a flawless body. I gripped the mouse tightly, etching the girl’s face into my memory, and scrolled through their chat history: “Daddy, you’re so amazing. An old war horse still eager for battle (rose)(smile)” “Haha, your little waist is still the best. My herniated disc can’t handle it…” Things hadn’t deviated from my suspicions. My face darkened, and I scrolled faster and faster. Heh, interesting. A college student working part-time? Currently interning at our company, doing menial tasks like serving tea and water. She kept saying it was “compensated dating” with Jack, providing him with emotional comfort while he gave her some financial support. I never thought this “support” would end up in bed. Among the new summer interns at our company, I looked through the HR files and my gaze stopped on a familiar ID photo. That delicate face matched perfectly with the girl Jack was chatting with in the screenshots. I narrowed my eyes, locking onto a name next to that photo: Bella Baker.

When I first met Jack, he was in his early thirties, an elegant and scholarly elite. Now, I thought he should have completely lost his appeal to young girls, but unexpectedly, he still attracted trouble. Jack, who was starting to gray and show signs of balding, with a slight beer belly, was the type who exuded sleaziness with every belch. What did this girl see in him? Was she attracted to his age and poor hygiene, or his three-bedroom apartment? I sneered sarcastically and continued to compare the chat records with the HR files. Bella Baker came from a poor family background and claimed to be working her way through school. She appeared to be a frail and introverted country girl, but her ambition was sky-high, dreaming of marrying into wealth and living a life of luxury. They had been intimate for about two months, which meant he had just gotten a taste two months ago. No wonder he was so vigorous that time in the office. He was clearly stimulated by his new conquest. In their chats, she often hinted at the topic of divorce. Bella Baker said naively: “Daddy, I’m willing to give you three more children. We can name them ‘Do Re Mi’, just like musical notes.” She’s really a fake innocent romantic little green tea bitch. And Jack actually responded with the most classic “sober scumbag” lines: “I have a wife, what children are you talking about giving me?” “What we’re doing now is called an affair, not love. Bella, you need to be clear about that…” The young girl still persisted, bringing it up at every opportunity. I couldn’t help but laugh coldly. Playing mind games with me, a seasoned professional, her wall-digging tactics were quite amateurish. Meanwhile, Jack kept evading and brushing her off. I knew that Jack didn’t dare mention divorce to me, and he was just playing around with her. Business circle relationships are like this. The company’s largest shareholding belonged to Jack and me, and we had invested all our efforts into it. It was a delicate balance. He couldn’t leave me, but he had violated my emotional bottom line – infidelity. My eyes noticeably darkened. I never thought that one day I would have to use the strategies I used against competitors in the workplace on my own husband. Since you betrayed me first, don’t blame me for being merciless. … The jewelry exhibition was proceeding as scheduled. I managed it discreetly while secretly observing this pair of cheaters. Jack had a new red Hello Kitty lighter among his personal items.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294913”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #魔幻Magic #擦边Steamy #浪漫Romance #励志Inspiring

Sebastian said to me, “I need a partner who can keep up with me. You’re just holding me back.” I hung up with a smile, then immediately called all the brands he was collaborating with to terminate their contracts. My boyfriend was a rising star in the entertainment industry. We had agreed to keep our relationship secret for the sake of his career. Today, he was supposed to come celebrate my birthday with me. Instead of him showing up, I saw a video announcement of his relationship with Rachel, a popular young actress. In the video, he was smiling brightly, just like when I first met him. The content was a vlog of their recent overseas trip together. During that time, he had told me he was filming abroad for work. I felt like such a fool. I called him to confront him about the trending video. “Sebastian, what’s going on with the Hot Search?” He laughed scornfully, “Isn’t it obvious? Natalie, Rachel and I are together now. She can offer me the best resources. I need someone who can keep up with me, while you’re just holding me back.” After hanging up, I called all the advertisers working with Sebastian and told them to immediately terminate their collaborations with him. If there were any contract termination fees, I would cover them. For the past few years, I had been secretly helping Sebastian connect with major brands, linking him to various resources, elevating him from an unknown trainee to today’s hot commodity in the entertainment world. But he never knew about any of this. In his eyes, I was just a plainly-dressed, makeup-free fangirl who loved him to the bone. When we first got together, he was still a new trainee at his company. At that time, his company released a dance practice video of him that had zero views and zero comments. I became the first person to click on it, and his first fan. I followed him on Twitter and sent him encouraging private messages. He said he was so excited he cried. Back then, I thought he was down-to-earth, bright, and had clear goals. After we secretly got together, I felt bad that he wasn’t getting attention from his company and had no resources. So I privately pulled some strings to gradually elevate him to where he is today. But he had long since been blinded by the spotlight and applause. This wasn’t the first time Sebastian and Rachel had trended together online. The last time was when they were filming together and the media caught them spending five hours in a hotel room. At the time, I confronted Sebastian with the media reports. He just impatiently said, “We were just discussing the script. Should we have done that in the hotel lobby? Do you trust those gossip reporters more than me? I really can’t talk to you anymore.” We parted on bad terms after that, and his attitude towards me grew increasingly cold. I even wondered if my distrust had pushed him away. Looking back now, I was overthinking it. Sebastian had long wanted to kick me aside and fly to Rachel. Early the next morning, announcements of multiple brands terminating their collaborations with Sebastian successively trended online. Netizens were all speculating whether Sebastian had done something wrong or offended some big shot. Of course, no one would know it was all because of one word from me. Those brands wouldn’t dare reveal my name either. My family was a top financial group in the country. Offending me would be like cutting off their own funding. Rachel’s fans, who were congratulating the couple just last night, immediately flooded Sebastian’s social media with insults. “Have some self-awareness and stop dragging our sister down.” “If you know what’s good for you, break up now. Don’t bring our Rachel down with your bad luck.” “Are you just a gold digger?” “Are you using your relationship with our Rachel to distract from your own scandals? Gross. Rachel, run away fast!” Some netizens even started their own wild speculations: “I heard Rachel has a powerful backer. This relationship announcement must have angered the backer, so they stepped in to cancel all of Sebastian’s endorsements.” I laughed out loud when I saw this comment. It was pretty much on point. Except I wasn’t Rachel’s backer getting angry. I was more like Sebastian’s behind-the-scenes backer. But actually, Rachel did have a powerful supporter. More accurately, someone who saw her commercial value and decided to promote her. That person happened to be my childhood friend who grew up with me but we never got along – Zachary. To be honest, before last night’s relationship announcement video, I always thought Rachel would end up with Zachary. After all, Zachary was handsome and rich, albeit with a bit of an attitude problem. Thinking of this, I suddenly wondered if I should comfort Zachary. We’ve known each other for so many years. It’s normal for two heartbroken people to comfort each other, right? I sent him a message: “Don’t be sad, there are plenty of good women out there.” Zachary replied instantly: “?” “It’s okay, I know you’re upset. Go ahead and cry if you need to.” “You’re crazy.” Never mind, he must be in a bad mood after the breakup. I won’t hold it against him. I glanced at Twitter and saw the trending topics had changed again. This time it was a statement from Sebastian’s company, basically saying they would take legal action against netizens spreading rumors. They also announced the cancellation of all of Sebastian’s upcoming schedules. The underlying message was clear – Sebastian was being frozen out of the industry. (Note: Being “frozen” in the entertainment industry means an artist is sidelined and not given any work or opportunities by their company, often as punishment.) Looking at this trending topic, I couldn’t help but smile. It felt so satisfying. Later, some brand representatives called me, saying Sebastian’s manager was blowing up their phones asking why they suddenly terminated the contracts. The overwhelmed representatives asked if they should make up some excuse. I just snorted coldly, “Then tell him it’s because his artist brought this upon himself.” When I loved you, I could give you everything. But now that I don’t love you anymore, I’m taking all my love back. A few days later, Zachary invited me to attend a cocktail party with him. I rarely attend these kinds of social gatherings because I really dislike the superficial socializing. But thinking I should keep the heartbroken guy company, and that I could use some distraction myself, I agreed. I wore a custom-made spaghetti strap cocktail dress that hugged my curves, put my hair up in an elegant updo exposing my smooth shoulders and neck, and did glamorous makeup – very different from my usual look. When Zachary saw me, his pupils dilated, but his face remained as cold as ever. He took off his suit jacket and draped it over my shoulders, saying curtly, “The AC will be cold at the party. I won’t be responsible if you catch a cold.” I pouted and tossed his jacket back at him, “This looks awful.” Zachary didn’t say anything, but his face got even colder. At the venue, I ran into an old acquaintance. Sebastian walked right past me wearing the custom suit I once bought him. He probably didn’t recognize me immediately since I looked so different from usual. That suit cost six figures, but to avoid making him feel burdened, I had told him it was just a $10,000 off-the-rack suit. Sebastian’s work had all been suspended now, so the fact that he was here meant Rachel must be here too. I suddenly realized Zachary’s purpose in inviting me today – it was to make his ex-girlfriend jealous. Who knew this ice-cold jerk had such sneaky thoughts. I immediately linked my arm through Zachary’s, giving him a look that said “I get it.” After all, my ex was here too. Might as well let Sebastian feel some regret. Zachary looked down at my arm linked with his, “What, using me to make your ex jealous?” ? How dare he accuse me first when he was the one who wanted to make his ex jealous? I was just going along with it. “It’s rare for all of us to gather. I’m helping you, so you need to help me too. Don’t be stingy.” I tried to reason with him patiently. Unexpectedly, Zachary tossed out another “You’re crazy.” But he didn’t remove my arm. Hmph, men. Denying it verbally, but their bodies are still honest. Afterwards, Zachary and I started making awkward and fake compliments to various business people and entertainment bigwigs while sipping champagne. While chatting, I kept looking around but didn’t spot Rachel. Just then, a short, plump middle-aged woman approached us. I remembered her. She had inherited her husband’s massive fortune last year and loved dressing up extravagantly to attend various parties. Each time she had a different young man as her date. There was a hand around her waist, wearing a very familiar watch. I looked up and – wow, it was Sebastian. “Well if it isn’t little Sebastian,” Zachary started with his sarcastic tone before I could say anything. “You know each other?” The woman looked at Sebastian in surprise. Sebastian finally recognized me then, pointing at me in confusion, “Natalie?” “Yes, Charlotte, we’re old acquaintances,” Zachary said with a smile, patting my hand on his arm. Sebastian and Zachary didn’t actually know each other, but Zachary knew about my relationship with Sebastian. “Sebastian, how come we don’t see Rachel today?” I joined in on the sarcasm. “Rachel is old news for Sebastian now,” Charlotte said, stroking Sebastian’s hand. Her face scrunched up, the bright red lipstick almost reaching her ears as she grinned. I clearly saw a flash of disgust cross Sebastian’s face. Zachary and I exchanged a knowing glance, smiling. Poor Rachel, she was just a pawn in the end. Perhaps our little exchange irritated Sebastian. With Charlotte’s words boosting his confidence, he looked at me scornfully. “Haven’t seen you in a few days and you’ve already climbed up the social ladder?” As soon as Sebastian finished speaking, Charlotte hurriedly covered his mouth, looking at me in panic. “What nonsense are you saying? Apologize quickly.” Clearly, brains are a good thing to have, but Sebastian didn’t possess them. “Don’t worry, Charlotte. I know this woman well, no need to fear her,” he said. “Hmph, Charlotte, is this your date?” I raised my chin, my tone slightly threatening.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294912”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #魔幻Magic #擦边Steamy #浪漫Romance #励志Inspiring

News broke that the old building was set for demolition, and suddenly, every distant relative we had was scrambling to get a piece of the payout. The tenant, who only paid $500 a month in rent, was the most eager. “I’ve lived here for over a decade. Half of this house is mine. I deserve half of the $4 million demolition payout!” After I refused, he knocked me out and delivered me to his worthless son. His son came closer, attempting to kiss me. “My mom says you’re going to be my wife now.” The news that some of the earliest residential buildings in downtown Manhattan were slated for demolition spread like wildfire. Coincidentally, the old house my grandpa left me just before he passed away was smack in the middle of the planned demolition area. The day after the news broke, I got a call from Uncle Edward. “Lily, how have you been? Busy with work? Your Aunt Carol’s cooked up all your favorite dishes. Why don’t you come by for dinner tonight? We haven’t seen you in a while.” Oh, we hadn’t seen each other in a while, alright. The last time we crossed paths was three years ago when I ran into him on the street. That time, Uncle Edward had his arm wrapped around a heavily made-up younger woman. The moment he saw me, he panicked and scrambled to get my contact information. Later, he repeatedly begged me not to mention the incident to Aunt Carol. I stared at the traffic passing by and gestured for John, my driver, to leave. Then, I flagged down a cab and sweetly responded to my uncle over the phone, “Sure, Uncle Edward, just text me the address.” The last time I saw Uncle Edward’s family before that was ten years ago, at Grandpa Parsons’ funeral. Back then, Aunt Carol pointed at me—eyes swollen and red as I collapsed in front of the gravestone—and scolded, “You useless girl! You’re no family of ours. Don’t you dare come to us for help. From now on, you live your life, and we’ll live ours. Stay far away from us, you hear?” I didn’t say a word, just stared blankly ahead. Uncle Edward and my cousin Brandon stood by, watching, and didn’t lift a finger to stop her. I was fifteen that year, in my last year of middle school. My parents had died in an accident, and the person who loved me most—Grandpa—was now buried in the ground. From that day forward, I was truly alone. I never thought I’d see the day when they’d invite me back. The cab sped toward the Upper East Side. I gazed out the window, watching the scenery fly by, a bitter smile tugging at the corner of my lips. When I arrived at Uncle Edward’s place, Aunt Carol greeted me at the door, eyeing me up and down. She had put on quite a bit of weight over the years, and her face had become even more sharp and judgmental. With her arms crossed, she sneered at me, “Oh, Lily, that Prada bag you’ve got there—it’s gotta be a knockoff, right? I’m pretty sure this model isn’t even out in the U.S. yet. It’s a pretty convincing fake, though. You really think your $5,000-a-month salary can cover that? Don’t be young and foolish, trying to show off.” I glanced at the bag my business partner had brought me from Europe just days ago and didn’t respond. She then proceeded to critique every piece of clothing and accessory I wore, one by one, as if it gave her some twisted sense of satisfaction. Only after that did she gracefully sit down on the sofa. She had invited me for dinner, but the table was conspicuously empty. Not that I was really there to eat, anyway. Uncle Edward didn’t disappoint. After barely exchanging pleasantries, he cut straight to the point. “Lily, I heard the house your grandpa left you in downtown Manhattan is set for demolition?” I didn’t respond, but Aunt Carol jumped in immediately. “That house is over 1,000 square feet, and in that location, the compensation could be around $4 million. Plus, you’ll get a new place, over 1,500 square feet. Lily, you can’t keep all that money and the house to yourself.” I glanced around at their expensive home décor, then turned back to Aunt Carol. “What do you mean by that, Aunt Carol? I’m afraid I don’t quite understand.” Aunt Carol’s face twisted. “Don’t play dumb! What’s a single girl like you gonna do with all that money? By rights, your grandpa’s house should’ve gone to your Uncle Edward. And if not to him, then to our son, Brandon. We were just being generous by letting you keep it. Don’t be ungrateful.”

Aunt Carol’s bright red lips flapped, spouting a stream of nonsense. Though I had braced myself for this, her shamelessness still stunned me. Before Grandpa died, they’d cleaned out anything of value from the house: savings, cash, antiques—things worth over a million dollars. Uncle Edward even threatened to kill himself if Grandpa didn’t give him what he wanted, worsening Grandpa’s condition. In the end, Grandpa had no choice but to transfer his last two properties into my name and leave a will stating that Uncle Edward’s family had no claim to them. Originally, Grandpa intended to give one house to me and the other to Uncle Edward, splitting everything else equally. Remembering how his health rapidly declined after that, I felt my expression turn icy cold. “That house was left to me. My name is on the title deed. Whether it’s money or property, none of it has anything to do with you.” At this, Aunt Carol and Uncle Edward immediately panicked. Uncle Edward shouted, “You ungrateful brat! That house belongs to the Parsons family. We know you’re struggling financially, so we’re not asking for everything. Just give us $300,000, and the remaining $100,000 can be yours… Ow!” Aunt Carol pinched Uncle Edward hard. “$100,000 is plenty for you. Plus, you’ve got another house, don’t you? We’ll take this new one.” Their audacity was beyond shocking. I overheard Aunt Carol muttering to Uncle Edward, “Didn’t we agree to ask for the house first? Idiot. The house will keep bringing in money. Just asking for cash is a huge loss.” I sneered. They were plotting this all too carefully. Too bad for them, after everything they’d done to me and Grandpa, there was no way I’d let them win. Standing up slowly, I leveled my gaze at them, my voice cold. “I said, the money and the house are mine. Don’t expect to get a single penny from me.” My firm tone caught Aunt Carol off guard. She lunged at me, her perfectly manicured face twisting in rage. “You ungrateful little wretch! That house is your grandpa’s! We have a right to it…” Before she could touch me, I swung my high-heeled foot and kicked her square in the stomach, sending her plump body crashing to the floor. Oh, and she’d just said these YSL heels were a cheap knockoff. I guess now she could judge how sharp they really were. “Carol Parsons, I’m not the clueless little girl you used to bully!” Back when my parents first died, I stayed with Uncle Edward for a while. Aunt Carol hit me constantly and often locked me in a room without food. Uncle Edward turned a blind eye, and Brandon even helped his mom beat me. When Grandpa found out, he was furious. He whipped Uncle Edward and, despite his poor health, took me in and raised me. This family still thought I was the same powerless girl they once tormented. Seeing Aunt Carol groaning on the ground, clutching her stomach, Uncle Edward didn’t dare come near me. He only barked, “Lily, what are you doing?!” “Did you learn nothing in school? Is this how you treat your elders?!” I didn’t even glance at him. I grabbed my bag and walked to the door. But just as I opened it, a large, overweight man stood in the doorway. Startled, I froze for a second, only to hear Aunt Carol shouting desperately from behind, “Ryan, stop her! This is the girl I found for you to marry! Once you marry her, you’ll have both a wife and the house!” Ryan’s eyes lit up as he grabbed my wrist and leaned in to kiss me…

I was startled, struggling with all my might to break free from the man’s grip, yelling at the top of my lungs. Hearing my screams, John, my driver, rushed over. The shameless family, seeing that someone had come to my aid, especially a strong, fit young man, reluctantly let me go. Furious, I stormed out. The next morning, just as I started work, I received a call from Charles Daniels, the tenant living in my grandpa’s old house. Mr. Daniels was the son of one of Grandpa’s friends. He’d lost his parents early in life and, in his youth, lost everything in a failed business venture. He was on the verge of living under a bridge with his wife and child. Grandpa, being the kind soul he was, couldn’t bear to see the son of an old friend fall into such ruin, so he let them live in his house rent-free for a while. When Mr. Daniels’ situation improved, he began paying rent. That house, located in the heart of Manhattan’s Second Avenue, was a three-bedroom apartment. But out of old loyalties, he only paid $500 a month for more than a decade—never once did the rent increase. On the phone, Mr. Daniels started off by casually asking how things were going at my company. Since I’d graduated from college, he’d taken me out for dinner a few times, so he had some idea of my situation. After exchanging a few pleasantries, he suddenly chuckled and said, “Lily, I hear this area is going to be demolished?” That rumor must have spread everywhere. I responded with a light “Yes,” before adding, “But the final decision hasn’t been made yet. There could still be changes.” “There’s no way they’re changing anything,” he laughed from the other end, his tone gleeful. “This place is so old and rundown, right in the heart of the city—it’s been an eyesore for years. It’s about time they tore it down.” Then his voice shifted, taking on a more calculated tone. “So, Lily, about this house of ours… I heard from the neighbors that if it gets demolished, the payout could be worth a few million.” I stayed silent, waiting for him to continue. Sure enough, Mr. Daniels didn’t wait for my reply and kept talking. “Now, I know the house is technically in your name, but it was your grandpa’s place, and I’ve been living here since before he passed. I’ve got a lot of sentimental attachment to this place. So, Lily, when the payout comes, you can’t take it all for yourself. I think it’s fair to split it fifty-fifty.” It was barely 8 AM, and already Mr. Daniels had left my head spinning with this nonsense. I couldn’t help but let out a small, sarcastic laugh. Mr. Daniels didn’t notice and just kept rambling on. “Plus, Lily, you don’t really need the money, right? And you won’t even live in the new place once it’s built. Just let us stay. I’ll keep paying the $500 rent, no problem.” “And look, Ryan’s about to get married. This house would make a perfect wedding gift for him.” “Oh, and the place has to be fully renovated too. If it’s not move-in ready, well, we won’t be paying any rent.” His tone was authoritative, like he was laying down the law. I couldn’t help but burst out laughing. I had always thought Mr. Daniels was a bit lazy and prone to dreaming big, but I had no idea he was this shameless. Did he really think I was a complete fool? “Mr. Daniels,” I replied in a calm voice, though my anger was bubbling underneath, “The house is mine. The compensation is mine. Your family has no claim to any of it. By the way, you still haven’t paid rent for the first half of this year, but I’ll let that go. You’ve got ten days to move out of ‘my’ house.” I made sure to emphasize the word “my.” Before he could get another word in to raise my blood pressure, I hung up. As if it wasn’t bad enough that my uncle and aunt were trying to muscle in, now Mr. Daniels, who had benefited from Grandpa’s generosity for over a decade, wanted a piece of the action, too. Just because you’ve lived somewhere for years doesn’t mean it’s yours. And the whole “you don’t need the money” argument? That doesn’t justify his utter lack of shame. I thought making it clear who owned the house would shut them up for a while, but I underestimated how low people could go.

Uncle Edward, on the other hand, didn’t give up harassing me. When I blocked his calls, he switched to sending text messages, starting with ridiculous demands and eventually escalating to threats. I ignored it all. He was getting increasingly desperate when he couldn’t reach me. As for Mr. Daniels, after that phone call, he was quiet for a few days. But I had a feeling he wouldn’t let things go so easily. Once someone’s greed grows, it’s not easy to shrink it back down. Sure enough, a few days later, I got a notice from the property management about a meeting regarding the demolition. I hadn’t been back to the house in a while, and with the thought of it being torn down soon, I figured I’d stop by for a final look. I also intended to tell Mr. Daniels and his family to pack up and leave. Whether or not the demolition went through, after what Mr. Daniels said to me on the phone, he was no longer welcome there. The whole situation reminded me of Aesop’s fable, The Farmer and the Snake. When I arrived at the meeting, I ran into Mr. Daniels. He was mingling with other residents, looking much more like the homeowner than I did. The moment he saw me, his eyes flashed with unease, and he quickly looked away, pretending not to notice me. It wasn’t until the meeting ended that he finally came over. “Lily, since you’re here, why don’t you come by the house for a bit?” he asked, smiling warmly. A completely different demeanor from when he ignored me earlier. “Sure,” I said with a smile of my own. “Might as well see what my house looks like now.” His face immediately darkened, and a flash of something cold crossed his eyes. I followed him upstairs. The building wasn’t in bad shape—it had been well-constructed back in the day, no corners cut. It just hadn’t kept up with the rapid pace of urban development. Still, it was perfectly livable. When we entered the apartment, his wife and son were both home. It was a Wednesday—don’t they work? I figured they were all waiting for the demolition payout to finally make their big break. His wife, Mrs. Janet Daniels, had a flat, unremarkable face and a pair of sharp, beady eyes. The moment I stepped inside, she was all smiles, rushing to take my bag and coat. Their son, Ryan Daniels, was 30 years old, 5’7″, and easily over 250 pounds. His face was so bloated with fat that his features were barely distinguishable. His half-closed eyes kept darting over me, his gaze sticky and unsettling. They kept their cool, chatting with me and trying to be hospitable, inviting me to stay for dinner. But the entire time, they never once mentioned the demolition. I had no interest in their hospitality, so I decided to get straight to the point. “Mr. Daniels, Mrs. Daniels, I’m here to tell you that you need to move out in the next few days. I’ve given you notice already, and as I said before, you don’t have to worry about this year’s rent.” The moment I finished speaking, their faces changed. Mrs. Daniels, who had been all smiles, suddenly turned hostile. “What gives you the right to kick us out? We’ve lived here for over ten years. This house is ours now. You can’t make us leave.” Mr. Daniels, in contrast, forced a smile and tried to calm the situation. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The demolition is still a ways off. No need to rush, right? Let’s not create any unnecessary conflict over this, Lily.” As he spoke, he motioned for me to sit down, pouring a glass of orange soda and handing it to me. I took a sip. Within minutes, the world started spinning, and everything went black. Mr. Daniels had drugged the soda.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294911”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #魔幻Magic #擦边Steamy #浪漫Romance #励志Inspiring

My brother’s girlfriend got pregnant before they were married, and his house was still under renovation. So, they quickly had a wedding and moved into my house. Just because I brought a friend to stay over for one night, my sister-in-law threw a fit: “Aren’t you getting a little too old to be living off your family? Always mooching, and now you’re bringing friends home? Are you planning to live here forever?” I immediately threw her luggage out the door and shot back: “Who do you think you’re talking to? My name is the one on the deed. If you don’t like it, you can get out!” My parents had bought both me and my brother a house early on. My brother’s house was being remodeled to fit Verity’s tastes, but before it was finished, Verity suddenly found out she was pregnant. For the sake of the baby’s health, they moved into my house instead. Dax treated her like royalty, taking care of every little thing—doing laundry, cooking, giving her back rubs after work. Verity’s guest suite didn’t have a private bathroom, so she asked if we could switch rooms. Since she was pregnant, I agreed. Then, a bit embarrassed, Dax came to me and asked, “Can we replace the plants in your botanical collection with roses?” Because she was pregnant, Dax did anything to make her happy. I didn’t want to make things difficult for him, so I agreed and replaced the plants I had cared for over three years with roses for Verity. But today, my college friend Ariadne was in Summersville for business, and we made plans for dinner. We reminisced over a seafood boil and had a bit too much to drink. I figured it would be safer for her to stay at my place instead of going back to her hotel alone. We got home around midnight, doing our best to be quiet so as not to disturb Dax and Verity. After a quick wash, we went straight to bed. The next morning, as soon as I stepped out of my bedroom, there was Verity, storming up to me, practically seething: “Isla, are you out of your mind? Aren’t you too old to still be single? Living here for free, and now bringing friends back? Are you planning to stay here forever?” Ariadne, looking guilty and uncomfortable, quickly apologized, “Isla, did I cause any trouble for you? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude. I’ll leave right now.” I held her back and gently patted her shoulder, “You have nothing to apologize for. Your flight’s in the afternoon, right? Let’s have lunch first, and I’ll take you to the airport.” Verity’s face twisted in anger, and she snapped, “What do you mean by that, Isla? You will apologize to me today, or get out of my house!” I actually laughed. My house? The deed still has my name on it. When did this become her house? And she wanted me to apologize? Either her ego was bigger than anyone else’s, or she was completely out of her mind. There was no way I was letting this slide. I turned, walked into her bedroom, grabbed her suitcase, and stuffed it full of her clothes. Then I threw it right out the door. “Don’t think just because you’re pregnant you can act out like this. I’ve been putting up with you long enough.” I pointed to the door and said coldly, “And by the way, this is my house. If you want to stay here, show some respect. Otherwise, you can leave.” Verity was stunned. She just stared at me, then laughed mockingly. “You’re throwing me out? I’m carrying the Montgomery family’s future grandchild. Everything your family owns will be Dax’s one day. You’re just an outsider. All I have to do is say the word, and you’ll be kicked to the curb.” I couldn’t believe she had the nerve to say something so outdated in this day and age. Was I hearing this right? I smiled and said, “Go ahead and try. Let’s see who really runs this household.” Verity was furious, slamming the door behind her with a loud bang. Soon after, I heard her crying on the phone to Dax. “Your sister is being horrible to me. I don’t even know what I did wrong, but she told me to leave!” “She insulted me, said I was shameless for getting pregnant before the wedding. I can’t take it anymore.”

Hearing her sobbing and twisting the story to Dax only made me angrier. I opened the family group text and explained everything that had just happened. The group was just the four of us—Dax, me, and our parents. Dax had originally added Verity, but she had left the chat for some reason. As soon as I sent the message, my mom responded. She wasn’t taking Verity’s side just because she was pregnant. [Verity was wrong in this situation. I’ll talk to Dax and tell her to tone down her attitude.] My dad chimed in: [If Isla doesn’t want to get married, no one can force her. We can support her for life if need be. It’s no one else’s business.] [Dax, take control of your wife. Just because she’s pregnant doesn’t mean she can cause problems.] It was mostly my parents talking in the chat. Dax didn’t respond. That afternoon, Dax came home from work, silent and looking exhausted. I could tell he had seen the group messages and wasn’t taking it well. We had always been close growing up, barely ever fighting. This was the first real tension between us. He quietly poured a bowl of soup and took it to Verity in the bedroom. I’ll admit, maybe I was a bit too harsh this morning. Feeling bad for Dax, I poured him a cup of tea, thinking maybe I should apologize to Verity. Not because I was backing down, but because I didn’t want to make things harder for Dax. After a long silence, Dax finally looked up at me, his eyes full of frustration. “Sis, do you hate Verity?” I froze, completely taken aback. He continued, “I know this is your house. If you don’t want us here, just say so. You didn’t need to treat Verity like that. She’s pregnant. Wasn’t kicking her out a bit much?” I couldn’t believe it. Dax didn’t even ask why I kicked her out. He just took her word for it and blamed me. I let out a bitter laugh. “Do you even know the things she says about me behind your back? And you’re taking her side without knowing the full story?” Dax’s voice grew louder, more upset. “She’s pregnant, Isla! Why can’t you just be the bigger person? If something goes wrong because of her stress, can you take responsibility? Her family’s not as well off as ours, but that doesn’t give you the right to look down on her. She’s someone’s daughter too, and she shouldn’t have to put up with this.” He sighed, trying to calm down, then added, “Maybe you should move back in with Mom and Dad for a while. After Verity has the baby, we’ll leave.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. This was my brother—polite, mature, and understanding since we were kids—and now he was saying these things? When had I ever looked down on Verity or judged her for her family? Verity was the one calling me an old maid, trying to claim the house my parents bought for me, and accusing me of mooching. I wasn’t going to let her trample all over my boundaries just because she was pregnant. She was the one at fault here. As I looked at the table full of food I had prepared, I felt an unexpected wave of sadness.

The next day, I received news that my company was sending me abroad for six months. As I was packing my suitcase, Dax stood awkwardly in the doorway, avoiding eye contact. “Isla, I’m sorry for what I said yesterday. I didn’t mean to take things that far. I was just worried about the tension between you and Verity. We’re not trying to take over your house. It’s yours. We should be the ones to leave.” I calmly zipped up my suitcase, put on my sunglasses, and replied, “I’m going on a work trip. I’ll be gone for six months.” Dax was stunned for a moment, then a wave of relief washed over his face. “Thanks, Isla!” As soon as I left, Verity posted an Instagram update with a picture of the latest Prada bag that Dax had bought her. [Some women really thought they could stick around like they’re royalty, but they got kicked out anyway. Don’t know their place. I’m carrying the Montgomery heir. One day, everything in this family will be mine. No wonder no man wants her. But not me—I’m treated like a princess. My husband just had to drop thousands on this bag for me, even though I told him not to.] A few of Verity’s friends chimed in with comments below: [Once the baby’s born, Verity, you’ll be the queen of the Montgomery family. No one will dare cross you then.] [That bitter old maid is probably hitting menopause.] [No wonder she doesn’t have a man. Karma’s a bitch, huh?] It was ridiculous. How could anyone still think like this? It felt like something straight out of the 1800s. I didn’t care about Verity’s Instagram post, but my parents saw it and were absolutely furious. They marched straight to Verity and demanded she delete the post and apologize to me. The moment she saw my parents, Verity quickly dropped her attitude. After all, they were the ones who paid for the house and car, and the money Dax used to buy her fancy things came from my dad’s card. Verity deleted the post and, trembling, called me. Her voice shook as she said, “Isla, I wasn’t talking about you in that post. Mom and Dad just misunderstood me, but I deleted it already. I’m sure you won’t hold it against me, right?” I let out a laugh, pausing for a moment before replying slowly, “I don’t care who you’re talking about, but could you at least try to maintain some dignity? The Montgomery family has a name in Summersville, and you’re dragging it through the dirt.” With that, I hung up. I couldn’t for the life of me understand how Dax had fallen for a woman like her. Everyone in Summersville knew Dax had married a vapid, trophy wife who spent her days flaunting her lifestyle on social media. But going so far as to publicly insult her own sister-in-law? That was a new low. What really shocked me was that after apologizing in front of my parents, Verity had the audacity to call me privately just to insult me all over again. She raged like a madwoman. “Don’t get cocky, Isla. I’m the future lady of the Montgomery family. You’re just a daughter, and Dax is the family’s only son. Everything will belong to him, and you’ll have nothing.” “I suggest you find yourself a husband, because when the time comes, I’m not letting Dax give you a single cent. You’ll end up with nothing and no one.” She wasn’t completely brainless; she knew not to leave evidence that could be used against her. She didn’t send texts or make calls that could be recorded—she used a voice message through Instagram. Listening to her growing fury, I couldn’t help but smirk. “Verity, do you really think I can’t deal with you?” She let out a triumphant laugh. “Dax loves me unconditionally. No matter what I do or say, he’ll always believe me. Your problem is that you just couldn’t find a man like him.” A woman like Verity would have plenty of skeletons in her closet if you bothered to look. But telling Dax wouldn’t do any good. He wouldn’t believe me. I had to make him see the truth for himself. Let’s see if Dax would still stand by her then.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294910”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #魔幻Magic #擦边Steamy #浪漫Romance #励志Inspiring

My sister-in-law took over my house in the school district and even stole my daughter’s spot for enrollment. “My son is the pride of the Steele family. What’s wrong with using an extra spot? Your daughter is just a burden. Delaying her schooling won’t hurt her!” In response, I evicted her from my home and deleted her son’s enrollment spot. She didn’t know the principal of the school is my uncle! “I’m sorry, ma’am, but the enrollment spot for your house has already been locked in. Your child cannot be registered for school right now.” “What do you mean it’s been locked in?” I was in disbelief. My daughter, Maddie, had only just reached school age. How could her enrollment spot already be taken? “Our system shows that the spot for Summit Elementary was locked three years ago.” My head began to spin, a loud ringing in my ears. Three years ago? Summit Elementary? Wait! That was exactly when Chelsea Steele, my sister-in-law, moved into the house in the Crestview Hills neighborhood! And Summit Elementary is the school her son Jake was supposed to attend! She had just been bragging about this on Facebook a few days ago! Could it be… Chelsea stole Maddie’s enrollment spot? I was so furious that my temples throbbed. After hanging up, I went straight to the house to confront Chelsea. I didn’t even get the chance to unlock the door—Chelsea opened it from the inside before I could. “I heard a noise at the door. Thought it might be a burglar, but turns out it’s just you, Brianna! Don’t stand there, come on in!” Ha! Who’s the real burglar here? The way she stood there with an air of ownership, you’d think I was the one trespassing in my own home. My face hardened. “No need. I’m here to talk about Maddie’s school enrollment.” “Chelsea, when we let you borrow the house, we didn’t agree to give you Maddie’s enrollment spot too, did we?” Chelsea’s smile faltered, and she blinked innocently. “What enrollment spot? I wouldn’t know anything about that. Maybe it was just locked by accident when I was enrolling Jake. I’m so clumsy sometimes… sorry, Brianna.” Still lying at this point? My sister-in-law had some nerve! Before she could finish, I cut her off coldly. “Really? Because the staff told me you locked that spot for Jake three years ago. Are you sure it was an accident?” Chelsea’s face flushed bright red. “Brianna, we’re family. It’s just one spot. Why are you being so stingy?” “That spot was Maddie’s. What you did, Chelsea, was theft!” She couldn’t hold it in anymore. Chelsea shot me a vicious glare, raising her voice. “Brianna, I see right through you. You came here just to start a fight! What do you mean theft?” “My son Jake is the pride of the Steele family, the only male heir! What’s wrong with using the spot? Your daughter’s just a burden. Delaying her education won’t harm her!” “And let’s be real, Jake’s going to carry on the family name. Your Maddie? She’ll be married off eventually. Using that spot on her would be a waste! Why not let Jake have this great opportunity?” I was shaking with rage as I pointed at her, saying each word slowly and clearly. “Chelsea, you need to understand something. This is my house!” Three years ago, Shawn’s brother, Lucas Steele, lost everything gambling and had to move away for work, leaving Chelsea and Jake in Shawn’s care. At the time, we owned two homes—our main house under Shawn’s name, and the other was the school district house I had bought specifically for Maddie’s future schooling. Since Maddie was still in preschool, and the school district house was too far from her current daycare, it had been sitting empty. Shawn had the nerve to suggest renting it out to Chelsea. “Brianna, the school district house is just sitting there. Why not let my brother’s family live in it?” “They’ll move out once Maddie starts school, and I promise they won’t be any trouble!” Out of respect for Shawn, I agreed. But after three years, Chelsea hadn’t paid a single cent in rent! We even covered the utilities and property fees for her! And if that wasn’t enough, every time she visited our home, she’d “borrow” my cosmetics—brand new, unopened ones. When I confronted her, she pulled the family card. “I’m just borrowing a few skincare products. We’re family, Brianna, don’t be so stingy!” Once or twice, I could let it go. But after a while, I had enough. Whenever I brought it up, Shawn would try to calm me down with snacks. “Brianna, don’t get upset. Chelsea grew up with less, so she doesn’t always know better. Her heart’s in the right place, though. Don’t hold it against her.” I didn’t want to put Shawn in a tough spot, so I bit my tongue and kept my distance from Chelsea’s family. But now, not only had she freeloaded off our house for three years, she’d stolen Maddie’s enrollment spot! “Enough! Everyone calm down!” Just when things were about to get heated, Shawn arrived, panting from running over. “Shawn, you’re here.” I filled him in on everything. With him by my side, I felt more confident, stronger. In all the years we’d been together, Shawn had always been a reasonable man. Plus, when he had nothing, I was the one who stood by him. I even used my savings to help him get his business off the ground, and he’d always been grateful for that. I was certain Shawn would back me up this time too. But I couldn’t have been more wrong. The next words out of his mouth hit me like a punch to the gut.

“Brianna, Chelsea’s got a point. Maddie could start school a couple of years later. There’s no rush.” What??? I stared at Shawn in disbelief. He was siding with Chelsea? “Do you even hear what you’re saying? Maddie is old enough to start school now!” But Shawn ignored me, turning to Chelsea and apologizing softly. “I’m sorry about this, Chelsea. You know how Brianna is. Don’t take it personally.” Chelsea shot me a smug look, her eyes gleaming with triumph. And in front of Shawn, her tone softened, no trace of the earlier argument. “Oh, it’s fine, really. I wasn’t offended at all. You’re always so sensible, Shawn.” Wow. She sure knew how to play to her audience. She praised Shawn for being reasonable, while implying I was making a big deal out of nothing. Shawn’s face lit up at her words, a smile breaking across his face. I shot him a sharp look, then turned back to Chelsea, my voice icy. “So, you’re saying I’m the unreasonable one, Chelsea?” “How funny. This is my house. I bought it specifically for Maddie’s education. We let you stay here out of kindness because of Shawn, and now you’re acting like you own the place! You’ve been freeloading for three years, and now you’re stealing Maddie’s enrollment spot? Where’s the justice in that?” Chelsea’s face turned an ugly shade of green, like she’d just swallowed a fly. “Brianna, what do you mean freeloading and stealing? We’re family! How can you say such things?” Tears welled up in her eyes, making her look as though I was the one being cruel. Seeing this, Shawn immediately handed her a tissue. “Don’t cry, Chelsea. I promised Lucas I’d take care of you and Jake while he’s away, and I intend to keep that promise.” Then, turning to me, he sighed. “Brianna, you’re really upset right now. Why don’t you head home and rest? Let me handle this.” “Handle it? How exactly do you plan to handle it?” Under my glare, Shawn’s confidence faltered, and he began trying to smooth things over. “What’s done is done. There’s no use in getting angry now. Let Jake finish his schooling, and Maddie can go to another school or wait until Jake’s spot expires.” His words made my blood boil. What kind of solution was that? In every scenario, Maddie was the one being sacrificed! I scoffed at him. “You’re really something. Using my house to score points with your family.” “And I have to ask—Jake’s not even your son. Why are you treating him better than your own daughter?” It was just an offhand remark, but both Chelsea and Shawn stiffened noticeably, their expressions shifting. Before I could dwell on it, Chelsea gave me a sidelong glance and spoke in that syrupy, fake tone again. “Brianna, this is your house? You married Shawn, didn’t you? That makes it your shared house as a couple.” “Besides, Shawn’s already agreed that Jake can use the enrollment spot. I don’t know why you’re being so harsh. Are you really so heartless you can’t even make room for family? Fine, if you can’t, then we’ll leave…” My anger flared instantly. Did she really just say that? If I was so heartless, I would’ve kicked them out long ago! I let them live here for three years, rent-free! Shawn, looking uncomfortable, shot me a pleading glance, as if asking me to drop it. But after all this? I was done playing nice. Ignoring him, I pulled out my phone and opened up the digital copy of the deed. I tossed it in front of Chelsea. “Look closely. The deed says Brianna Wilkes! This is my house!” “You’ve overstayed your welcome. Now pack your things and get out of my home!”

Before Chelsea could react, I stormed into her room, grabbed her clothes and belongings, and stuffed them into a suitcase, tossing it out the door. “Brianna, you—” Chelsea looked utterly shocked, clearly not expecting me, usually the more easy-going one, to act so cold and direct. “Didn’t you say you were leaving? Why haven’t you gone yet?” I shot back sarcastically. Her face instantly darkened, turning the color of a charred pan. She pursed her lips, tears welling up in her eyes as she turned to Shawn for support. “Shawn, I knew it. Brianna’s been wanting to kick us out all along… Even though you promised your brother you’d take care of me and Jake. And now, we’re about to end up on the streets. What a cruel fate!” “And, don’t forget, you’re married now! This house is technically shared property between you two! Looks like Brianna doesn’t even care about you, Shawn!” Chelsea’s little jab clearly hit its mark. Shawn’s face darkened, and the next thing I knew, he slapped me across the face. “Brianna, what’s your problem? You get a house in the school district and suddenly think you’re better than everyone? Don’t forget—I’m still the one in charge around here!” Then, without missing a beat, he softened his tone, turning to reassure Chelsea. “Don’t worry, Chelsea. I made a promise to my brother, and I’ll keep it. You and Jake are staying right here. Nobody’s kicking you out as long as I’m here.” My face burned, the sting from his slap still lingering. I stood frozen in place, staring at Shawn in disbelief. Did he just hit me? For Chelsea? In the past, even when Chelsea and I argued, he’d never go further than a scolding. Later, he’d apologize, saying his hands were tied—Chelsea was his brother’s wife, and since his brother had saved his life once, he felt obligated to look after her. So, he always claimed he had no choice but to side with her. But deep down, I thought he was still on my side. Now? He hit me? Something even my own parents never did. I held my burning cheek, my eyes welling with tears as I looked at Shawn, waiting for an explanation. But instead, he scowled and barked, “Why are you just standing there? Let’s go! Or do you want to embarrass yourself even more?” Embarrass myself? Was that how he saw this? My anger flared. “Embarrass myself? Shawn, your daughter’s school spot was stolen, and you don’t think that is embarrassing? I’m here to fight for her, to exercise my rights, and I’m the one embarrassing us?” “How did I not realize sooner that you’re nothing but a coward?” Shawn’s face turned beet red with anger as he raised his hand, ready to hit me again. But this time, I was faster—I slapped him back. “Brianna, you dared to hit me?” he stammered in shock. I shook out my hand, still tingling from the slap, and raised an eyebrow. “Just returning the favor.” Chelsea’s eyes widened in surprise, and she quickly rushed to Shawn’s side, as if playing the dutiful wife. “Brianna, it’s only right that Shawn disciplines you. How could you hit him? Shawn, are you okay?” “I’m fine,” Shawn muttered, rubbing his cheek. “You’re right, Chelsea. Brianna just looks down on me.” He gave Chelsea’s hand a gentle pat, and the two of them stood there, close and intimate, like a couple. This wasn’t the first time something like this had happened. Every time Chelsea and I argued, Shawn would step in to defend her and push me to back down. He’d always explain it was because his brother had saved him from drowning when they were younger. Now, with Lucas away for work, Shawn felt it was his duty to take care of Chelsea in return. And because Chelsea had a severe dog allergy, Shawn had insisted I give away my beloved dog—one he’d originally bought for me. Even when we went out for dinner, he’d order everything mild just for her, since Chelsea couldn’t handle spicy food. I’d suggested a split pot so we could have both spicy and non-spicy options, but Shawn just said I was being unreasonable, worried the spicy oil would mix with the broth. Funny how he always seemed to forget how much I loved spicy food… I’d tried to convince myself before, telling myself that his extra concern for Chelsea was just repayment for his brother’s life-saving act. That he was only neglecting me temporarily, and we still had over a decade of marriage behind us. But now he’d hit me for her? And instead of apologizing to me, he went straight to comforting her? Watching the two of them, a wave of bitter realization washed over me. Maybe all along, I’d been fooling myself. Maybe Shawn didn’t care about me as much as I thought… Why else would he care more about Chelsea than me? … I took a deep breath, steeling myself, and slowly pulled off my wedding ring. I tossed it in front of Shawn. “Let’s get divorced, Shawn.”

“What? Divorce?” Shawn’s face went pale, panic flashing in his eyes. “Brianna, don’t be ridiculous! I only hit you once—are you really going to make such a big deal out of it?” “Besides, you were the one picking a fight with Chelsea. And let’s not forget—you hit me too! My face is still sore!” Chelsea, looking briefly startled, quickly stepped in to play the peacemaker. “Brianna, don’t make such a rash decision. You can’t just talk about divorce like it’s nothing!” “If you leave Shawn, you’ll be a single mom. Who’s going to want you after that? You’ve already had a child, and finding another man won’t be easy.” “Why not just let this go? After all, married couples argue, but they always make up.” Shawn nodded in agreement. “Brianna, look how understanding Chelsea is! She’s not even holding a grudge. Let’s stop this nonsense.” He actually had the audacity to say that I should apologize to Chelsea, and we could all forget about it. ??? I couldn’t help but laugh. What kind of backward thinking was this? Chelsea was living in some medieval fantasy, and Shawn clearly had a few screws loose too. The one who had done wrong was Chelsea, but they were telling me to apologize? What a joke! How did I not see how pathetic Shawn was before? “I’m not being ridiculous, and I’m definitely getting this divorce!” Shawn’s face darkened, and I saw the calculating glint in his eyes. “Fine, you want a divorce? Then this house comes with me. Otherwise, I’ll make sure you lose custody of Maddie.” He thought he could threaten me with Maddie? So, this whole time, his true intention had been to take the house! I’d completely misjudged him. But there was no way I’d let him get his hands on this house. I’d bought it myself, with my own money, and had even been smart enough to get a prenuptial agreement, thanks to my parents’ advice. Now he wanted ownership of my house? Not happening. Without a word, I walked over to the bookshelf, pulled out the prenuptial agreement, and threw it in their faces. “This house is my premarital asset. You’re not getting it!” “I’m keeping the house and custody of Maddie.” Shawn’s eyes bulged in disbelief, his hands trembling as he held the contract. “When… when did you…” Chelsea, also visibly upset, shot me a furious glare. “Brianna, you’re being so unfair! You never saw us as family!” I smirked. “Well, you finally got something right. Now get out.” “This is my house, and if you two don’t leave immediately, I’m calling the police.” I picked up my phone, ready to dial. Chelsea’s face twisted in anger. “Brianna, how can you be so heartless?” “Shawn, let’s go. I’m not leaving without a fight!” They stormed out, grumbling all the way. Divorce or not, it’s not up to him anymore. With that thought in mind, I immediately contacted my lawyer to begin divorce proceedings. After that, I calmed down and focused on what really mattered—getting Maddie’s school spot back. Maddie had been looking forward to starting at Summit Elementary for a long time. I wasn’t about to let her down. I picked up my phone and called my uncle, Principal Mark Mitchell. “Uncle Mark, I need your help. Maddie’s spot at Summit Elementary was stolen…” I explained everything in detail. When I finished, Uncle Mark was furious, calling out both Shawn and Chelsea for their behavior. “Don’t worry, Brianna. Maddie’s spot is as good as hers again.” “I’ll remove that little thief’s name right away and get Maddie enrolled.” He even sent me a screenshot to confirm it. Looking at the screenshot, I couldn’t help but smile. Chelsea had pulled out all the stops to get Jake into Summit Elementary. I could only imagine the look on her face when she found out the school’s principal was my uncle!

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294909”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #魔幻Magic #擦边Steamy #浪漫Romance #励志Inspiring

Lucas Miller’s first love had returned to town. He carefully bent down to help her put on her high heels. I wasn’t idle either – I called over her uncle and had him kneel down to put shoes on my feet. “The doctor said I can only wear flats,” I said. The day before our engagement, Lucas broke up with me. The reason? His dream girl from 8 years ago had finally returned, and he had once promised to marry her. Lucas and I had dated since college. I never knew he had a first love all this time. Over the past few years with Lucas, I had given him my heart and soul. I first noticed him during Freshman Orientation Week – it was love at first sight. After that, I started pursuing him like crazy. I’d bring him lunch and accompany him to class. The whole campus knew about my pursuit. Eventually, he seemed touched by my efforts and finally accepted my confession. We became a couple and had a sweet honeymoon period. Later, when we grew closer, he hesitantly told me that his family was actually very poor. His parents had scraped together everything they had just to send him to college, hoping he would make something of himself and leave their small town behind. Hearing this made my heart ache for him. From then on, I started voluntarily covering all our expenses when we were together. I figured he may not come from money, but I did. My parents had plenty to spare for their only daughter. I started transferring money to him regularly, and he gradually got used to spending my money. Eventually, I even set up a joint account. All his living expenses came out of my pocket. After graduation, we started looking for jobs. Lucas told me he wanted to start his own business. He said he knew that being an employee for life wouldn’t change his fate. He was ambitious. After experiencing life in the big city, he naturally didn’t want to return to that small town. Looking at him then, I saw the fire in his eyes. I was drawn to his determination. I was so captivated that I actively asked my dad for help, pulling strings to ensure Lucas’s business succeeded. But once his company got on track, everything changed. He was no longer as gentle and patient with me as before. At first, I thought he was just too busy with work to have energy for me. After all, he had still proposed marriage to me. But I never imagined… his coldness and impatience weren’t because work had gone to his head. It was because of that damn first love.

After leaving Lucas and returning home, I immediately had someone investigate his first love’s background. Lucas’s dream girl was named Sophia Newman, the daughter of a branch of the Newman family. Oh, and she was an illegitimate child who had just been officially recognized by the family. That’s why she was able to return from abroad. I looked at the photos attached to the email. The girl in the picture wore a white dress, her brown hair in a messy bun, smiling brightly and innocently. She was indeed quite pretty. But what really caught my attention wasn’t her beauty, but the tear mole under her eye – identical to mine. So this was why Lucas had accepted me… As I flipped through Sophia’s photos one by one, I found it increasingly laughable. I laughed at my years of sincere devotion. I laughed at how my wholehearted dedication had only earned me a relationship built on deception from the very beginning. I propped up my forehead, laughing so hard my hands shook. Suddenly, I noticed a familiar figure in one of the photos. Frowning slightly, I zoomed in and realized the man looked very much like someone I had casually helped years ago. I stared at the man in the photo for a long time, suddenly feeling unsure. The man in the photo wore an elegant suit. His hair was styled neatly, and he held a glass of red wine, his expression neutral but dignified as he chatted with others. He seemed very different from the man I’d met years ago. After looking a while longer, I was still curious. I asked someone who the man in the photo was, and learned he was actually Sophia’s uncle. In other words, Samuel Henderson, the current head of the Newman family. I stared at Samuel’s photo for a long time before making a decision. Sophia, Lucas. No matter who, I wouldn’t let them take what was mine for nothing.

The gossip spread faster than I could act. Social media was flooded with candid photos of Lucas and Sophia. As a rising tech star, Lucas had gained some fame in recent years. Among the many photos, one of Lucas bending down to tie Sophia’s shoelaces was particularly eye-catching. The media speculated that Lucas would become the Newman family’s son-in-law. “What a perfect match!” they said. I tossed my phone aside, grinding my teeth in anger. This couple that seemed so well-matched in the public eye was actually quite unremarkable when you dug deeper. Lucas’s “wealth” was all thanks to my love-blind support. As for Sophia. I had carefully studied her background too. There were many suspicious points. The scumbag and his dream girl had finally reunited, while I became the object of pity and mockery. The reports only mentioned that I was Lucas’s college classmate, somehow lucky enough to be with such a “business genius” like Lucas. They said I had been “freeloading” at home after graduation, and it was only thanks to Lucas’s lack of disdain that we hadn’t broken up earlier. To be fair, the media can’t be fully blamed for getting it so wrong. When I was young, my cousin from my uncle’s family had shown off his wealth and nearly got kidnapped. It left a deep impression on my parents. So my family always told me to keep a low profile and not rush to reveal my identity unless necessary. Except for my longtime best friend, few people, including Lucas, knew that I, Lily Thompson, was actually the daughter of Thompson Real Estate. I had given Lucas all the opportunities to be in the spotlight, since he craved recognition from others more than I did. Who would have thought… I had wasted my time and money on an ungrateful dog. My parents saw the news too and rushed back in a panic. My mom wanted to find media bigwigs to ruin Lucas’s reputation. My dad was ready to blacklist him immediately. Seeing my usually calm parents so worked up, I actually felt more at peace. “Dad, I own shares in that company too. It’s not worth ruining it now.” “Honey, you’re not planning to stay involved with him, are you?” My parents crowded around me, faces full of worry. Ugh… I guess I really had been too blinded by love before. I sat my parents down and solemnly promised: “I won’t keep the company or the man, but I won’t let them shortchange me a single penny I’m owed.” “Ruining the company now would affect my shares… but after I get my money, do whatever you want.” Haha. Seeing that I was thinking clearly, my parents’ expressions improved slightly. “But sweetie, won’t you feel wronged? You were about to get married after all…” My mom had looked at a lot of wedding-related things with me. She understood how much I had been looking forward to my own wedding. “Oh, I’m still getting married. Just not to that Lucas guy anymore.” My parents looked confused. I mysteriously pulled out Samuel’s photo. “I’m going to marry this man, and make Lucas respectfully call me ‘Auntie’.” My parents exchanged bewildered looks. My dad even felt my forehead and muttered under his breath. “Oh no, our girl’s really been traumatized. She’s even starting to crush on some guy way out of her league!” My mom’s eyes immediately welled up with tears as she pulled out her phone, wanting to contact the most authoritative psychologist. I snatched my mom’s phone away and solemnly declared once again: “I’m not crazy. I will definitely make Samuel marry me. Just you wait and see!”

Actions speak louder than words. This principle works even with your own parents. After extensive inquiries, I learned that Samuel would be returning to the country soon. Unfortunately, the paparazzi weren’t professional enough. They only knew the approximate time, not which specific flight. With no other choice, I had to camp out in the airport lobby every day to catch my “future husband”. After three days of staking out, the head of ground staff personally came to shoo me away. I tried explaining repeatedly that I wasn’t some obsessed fangirl, but he just wouldn’t believe me. Since I couldn’t get past the first line of defense, I decided to wait at the company instead. My family wasn’t exactly small potatoes, but compared to a multinational corporation like the Newmans that had long gone global, we were basically just a “high-end family workshop”. Even an illegitimate daughter could afford to study at the most prestigious private university in Canada – that showed the Newman family’s power. After battling wits with the parking lot security guard for the Nth time, I finally managed to intercept Samuel. His driver looked like he’d seen a ghost, stopping the car about 15 feet away from me. Ignoring the driver’s shocked state, I went straight for the back door and yanked it open. “You’re a tough one to catch!” I panted. Samuel remained very calm. “Would you like some water?” A freshly opened bottle of water was offered from the luxury car. The man’s lips curved in a smile. Just as I reached out to take the water, several long camera lenses popped out, snapping photos of Samuel and me. The LED screen across from the parking lot was playing the news, talking about Samuel’s upcoming new round of acquisitions. Damn, talk about bad timing! The reporters were originally there for financial news, but upon seeing me, they immediately switched to entertainment mode. “Who’s this girl? Is she from some wealthy family?” “Rich girls don’t ambush people in parking lots. Maybe she’s an employee from a company being acquired?” “Oh my god, I feel like something big is about to happen!” Samuel got out of the car too and apologized to the reporters. “I’m sorry everyone, but this young lady’s matter seems more urgent. Let’s reschedule the interview for another day.” The image of Lucas tying Sophia’s shoelaces suddenly flashed through my mind, and my mouth seemed possessed. In front of all those reporters, I blurted out the plan I had been harboring: “Samuel, want to get married?” After a brief pause, all the camera flashes went off. The man before me froze for a moment, then reached out his long arm to shield me from the commotion. His smile held a hint of “uninvited guest” conspiracy, perfectly complementing his refined bad boy aura. In that instant, he had me hooked. “Get in the car. We’ll discuss the details.”

Samuel’s bodyguards and assistant arrived just in time. I smoothly left the scene in his car. I had barely taken two sips of water when Samuel rattled off my entire family history. Most importantly, he even knew all about my relationship with Lucas! “Going from a breakup to wanting to be your ex’s elder… Miss Thompson, you play quite dangerously.” Samuel turned to look at me, a hint of admiration in his smile. Ugh! I had really been too arrogant. Samuel must have looked into Lucas because of Sophia’s return, and then stumbled upon me in the process. Wait, wasn’t I stopping his car to ask for repayment of a favor? How did I end up on the defensive? “Six years ago, at Holy Water Beach. Do you remember me?” I asked. “I’ve never forgotten,” his deep voice replied. I had felt like I was being led by the nose ever since I stopped his car. Samuel was truly unfathomable. I decided to put aside my petty schemes and be straightforward about being a “benefactor seeking repayment”. “A life-saving debt should be repaid in kind… I’m in trouble now and need you to act out a play with me.” I had told my parents it was “real marriage”, but I never actually thought that myself. I knew my own worth all too well. Samuel could have anything he wanted. He definitely didn’t need an “ill-matched” little girl like me as a wife. As for saving him back then, it was just a coincidence. That year, I had just graduated high school and went on a spontaneous trip with friends. While learning to surf at the beach, I happened to save Samuel from drowning. After pulling him ashore, I lectured him a bit and kept him company for most of the day until someone came to pick him up. Only then did I leave. I soon learned of his identity afterwards. Keeping a low profile, I had never actively mentioned it to anyone all these years. If it weren’t for that white-eyed wolf Lucas forcing my hand, I wouldn’t have thought of this “trump card”. “Marriage can’t be an act,” Samuel flatly refused. As expected, big shots aren’t easily fooled. Just as I was feeling disheartened, Samuel spoke up: “If you’re sure about this, come register our marriage tomorrow at 9:30 AM.” I was still dumbfounded when I got out of the car. After tossing and turning all night, I still decided to keep the appointment the next morning. And just like that, I got married. The giant diamond ring fit my finger perfectly. The man beside me held me with gentle strength. “Hello, Mrs. Henderson.”

Clutching the little red book, I rushed home to beg forgiveness. My parents flipped through it front to back and made several phone calls before finally confirming my marriage certificate was real. “How could you not discuss such a big decision with us?!” My parents crowded around me, one on each side, and began interrogating me furiously. “When Lucas had nothing, you didn’t mind his poverty either,” I retorted righteously. I knew my parents too well. They were total pushovers for their daughter. As long as it was my decision, they would support me fully. “It’s not that we won’t let you get married, it’s just this son-in-law…” He was quite the big shot, to be fair. I gave them an “I understand” look and hugged my parents. Faced with their concerns, I recounted the Holy Water Beach incident for the first time. “Six years ago… Samuel tried to drown himself?” My parents were skeptical and started furiously googling. Sure enough, after my dad scrolled through countless forums, we learned something. Samuel had indeed been through some incident six years ago, but the forums only mentioned it vaguely. We couldn’t figure out the details. What was verifiable was that Samuel’s older brother and sister-in-law had died in an accident that year. Their only child was left in Samuel’s care. Strangely though, that child was never seen again afterwards. Thinking back to how Samuel had walked straight into the ocean that day, I seemed to guess what had happened. Sigh, life in wealthy families isn’t easy either. But remembering that I had saved him still filled me with an indescribable sense of pride. Life is precious. The world could use one more handsome man to feast our eyes on. The information we found matched what I had told them, so my parents tentatively believed the Samuel story. Looking at the marriage certificate, my dad was still worried. “Honey, the Newmans are an enormous family, and Samuel’s even become the head. Your path won’t be easy in the future.” A parent’s love for their child makes them plan far ahead. Since I was little, my parents rarely restricted me in anything except my character. They hoped I would be safe and happy, and were willing to give me everything they had. I had never actively mentioned the incident with Samuel all these years, naturally because I had no intention of asking him to repay the favor. Now that I had suddenly eloped with him, my parents surely understood it was because of Lucas. My mom looked at me with heartache, her expression fierce. “Sweetie, if you regret this, we can go apologize to the Newmans right now and get a divorce. It’s your life – you can’t ruin it because of that bastard Lucas!” Oh, my dear mother! I wanted to tell her she was overthinking it. My grand plan to step on Lucas’s moment of glory wasn’t complete yet. How could I possibly get divorced? “Mom, I’m the one who lucked out in this marriage!” “Let’s be honest, you must think Samuel is way out of Lucas’s league too, right?” I nudged my dad’s shoulder. He smiled sheepishly. “Since Lucas was blind enough to let me go, he can be with whoever he wants. I really don’t care.” Through my “inside information” from Samuel, I learned something. The relationship between Sophia and Lucas wasn’t something they could decide for themselves. Although Sophia was of Newman blood, her current DNA wasn’t enough to legitimately enter the Newman family business. A powerful in-law family would be her best support. Lucas seemed decent enough, but that was only because the Newmans hadn’t forced Sophia to make a choice yet. As long as Samuel didn’t approve, Sophia wouldn’t even get a chance to “try”. Thinking about how I had married a man who held the “power of life and death” over that scumbag and green tea bitch, I felt a thrill from my head to my toes. I understood my parents’ worries, but I wasn’t afraid. I would erase their concerns one by one with my happiness in this marriage.

The Newman family’s luxury car stopped at the entrance. The driver who had been startled by me yesterday stood by the door, playfully giving me a thumbs up. I guess it was his first time seeing a bride who ambushed cars too! Most importantly, I had succeeded. Waving goodbye to my parents, I got in the car. Half an hour ago, Samuel had sent a message saying I didn’t need to bring anything, just myself. I knew he lacked for nothing, but proper etiquette was still necessary. Before I left, my parents asked me to inquire about any requirements for the dowry. They said they would do their best to fulfill whatever the Newmans wanted. I thought the Newman mansion would be far away, but the driver only took me to the most expensive area in the city center. “Ma’am, the boss is waiting for you upstairs.” The driver smiled warmly. I thanked him and got out. I was very familiar with this magnificent building. I often came here for afternoon tea. Was Samuel inviting me for afternoon tea? Just as I was puzzled, someone walked up to me. “Mrs. Henderson, I’m your personal assistant Mandy. Mr. Henderson has already given me your contact info. Please add me on SnapChat later.” The uniformed woman led me into a hidden elevator. How fancy! I had never thought of myself as poor before, which is why I was so generous in supporting Lucas financially. The closer I got to Samuel, the more I realized how arrogant I had been. The assistant began introducing our “property” to me. Only then did I learn that people actually lived on the upper floors of this building. They were the wealthiest families in the city, and also major shareholders of this building. This prime real estate office building was just a “small house” for some people’s convenience. Thinking back to how I used to envision the future with Lucas, I felt more and more like a nouveau riche. The elevator reached the top floor, and as the doors opened, I saw Samuel. The assistant’s eyes were full of envy, her expression screaming “I’m eating dog food but I accept it”. “I’ll leave Mr. and Mrs. Henderson alone then…” The assistant was about to leave when Samuel called her back. “Mandy, my wife’s full name is Lily Thompson… Lily as in the flower, Thompson as in Thomas’s son.” Oh my god, I’m going to faint. The assistant solemnly noted down my name before leaving. I had never been introduced so formally before. My vanity was greatly satisfied. When I was with Lucas, I was always the one eagerly trying to introduce him to others. I wanted to tell everyone how talented the man I loved was, and ask them to believe in and support him. Replaying that scene in my mind, I was most touched by the hidden meaning. Samuel was so far above me. Just being “Mrs. Henderson” was a blessing many could only dream of. But he specifically had someone remember my name. He was telling others that I was my own person, worthy of respect. The way big shots flirt is all in the details. Samuel gave me a “simple” tour. “There aren’t many areas I use. Some spaces are probably still empty. You can decorate however you like later.” Listen to how casually he said that! “What’s wrong? Don’t you like it here?” Samuel asked when I didn’t respond. I immediately shook my head like a rattle drum. “I love it here, but don’t we need to live with your parents?” My dad had said the Newmans were quite traditional and might have expectations about this. Samuel smiled faintly and affectionately rubbed my head. “Don’t forget, you’re an elder in the Newman family now.” How domineering! “There are too many rules at their place. You’d find it annoying.” “This location is convenient. I have an office in the inner area. You can see me anytime, and we can have lunch together.” Wow… how thoughtful. “Wait, you’re not going back to Newman headquarters?” From what Samuel was saying, it seemed he planned to live here with me. Not just “live”, but even “work” here. I couldn’t be a Daji who led the king astray. I couldn’t bear that blame. But his answer made me blush. “The woman who stopped my car and forced me to marry her – one of you is enough for this lifetime.” Great, he’s going to tease me about this for the rest of our lives. While Samuel was working, I took a good look around. The busiest street was right below, with all kinds of luxury brands and time-honored shops. The glass and curtains were all custom-made. Despite being in the heart of the city, there was no noise or light pollution. “The most dazzling night view, the gentlest sunset.” And the gentlest person. That evening, we had dinner at a restaurant downstairs. Samuel asked about some of my needs and shared some of his ideas with me. Apparently he had already arranged all the procedures, making sure not to neglect a single detail. “If you have any requests or new ideas, make sure to tell me in advance.” “This is our wedding. My only plan is to make you happy.” Oh my god! What kind of jackpot did I hit? They say saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. Why do I feel like I’ve gained a 700-story treasure tower? Stay calm, stay cool.

When I returned to Lucas’s company, everyone craned their necks to look. Glancing around, I realized I didn’t recognize many people anymore. Some were comparing me to photos on their phones, whispering and gossiping. Back when the company was just starting, I had brought in plenty of clients. 80% of Lucas’s initial capital came from the Thompson name. I was so love-blind back then. To help the company grow, I even poached my dad’s business partners. Faced with his “unfilial daughter”, my dad could only pretend to be angry. At the start of the next quarter, he introduced even better clients to me. Everyone was supporting my “love”. Too bad I still chose the wrong person. Faced with everyone’s eagerness to watch the drama unfold, I walked straight into Lucas’s office without looking back. Sitting at the desk I had chosen, Lucas couldn’t take his eyes off Sophia across from him. “Lily, why are you here?” “Why can’t I be here?” Joke’s on him – I’m the company’s biggest shareholder. It would be weird if I didn’t come. Lucas was clearly shocked by my appearance. He even withdrew the hand holding Sophia’s. Sophia’s expression changed too, looking pitifully wronged. “Lucas, since Miss Thompson is here to see you, why don’t you two talk first…” Tsk tsk, what great acting. Seeing Sophia stand up, Lucas suddenly found his courage and started declaring his devotion. “Sophia, there’s nothing between me and her anymore. I swear you’re the only one in my heart now. Even if she wants something from me, I’ll definitely refuse!” Oh my god, do they really need so much drama? Before coming, my assistant had already scheduled an in-home spa for me. I just wanted to wrap this up quickly. “Save it, Lucas. Who wants to get back together with you? In the future, you’d better not even tell people you know me, got it?” Even through the glass door, I could see the onlookers’ eager eyes. Rather than be seen as the dumped woman, I’d rather show everyone my “past foolishness” all at once. I took out the notarized documents, equity distribution agreement, and previously signed contracts one by one. “Every document here is legally binding. I’m here today to settle accounts with you once and for all.” Lucas frowned. He probably never imagined I had an ace up my sleeve. Heaven knows, I never intended these for a “divorce” back then. My dad always said people’s hearts are hard to read. Lucas had no family background, and if the company got too big, it could all fall apart in an instant. I thought I should keep a closer eye on things for him, which is why I had these documents. Lucas put on airs and called the company’s legal counsel to examine them one by one. Crossing my legs, I sneered. The reports all said I was the one who benefited from him. Little did they know there would be no Lucas Miller today without me. “These documents are all valid,” the lawyer reported reluctantly. Faced with the facts, he didn’t dare say otherwise. Lucas nodded and had finance approve my payout. “Wait.” I raised my hand to stop Lucas from dialing. “Lily, there’s no chance for us anymore. I can give you the money, but my heart…” Lucas gazed at Sophia longingly. The look in their eyes was sickeningly sweet. “Your heart can stay right where it is in your body!” “What you owe me isn’t just the company accounts. There’s also every penny you spent while we were dating. I want it all back today.” I pulled out another thicker stack of bills listing various expenses I had paid through different apps. “Look carefully. Not a single transfer says ‘voluntary gift’.” “You always gave me the impression we would get married. This money was paid as a premarital investment fund.” “Since we’re no longer together, you need to return all the money that exceeded normal dating expenses.” Lucas’s face cycled between pale and flushed. The elite image he had painstakingly crafted would become that of a gold-digging freeloader from today on. Sophia stood by his side and gently held his hand. “She did accompany you for so many years. Now that she’s met such an outstanding man as you, her future love life will surely be difficult.” My temples throbbed. I swear, these two dramatic idiots deserved to be locked up together. Sensing Sophia’s “kindness”, Lucas became generous too. After calculating what I was owed, he even wanted to add a compensation bonus for me. “Lily, take this money and treat yourself. I believe you’ll find your own happiness.” Before he could sign the new check, I left with everything that belonged to me, not looking back. Taking the money that was rightfully mine, I quickly established a new company. Well, it wasn’t really new – I was just helping out with the family business. My dad insisted on having my back. With a wave of his hand, he invested $10 million in me. Feeling fully appreciated, I was bursting with motivation. “Dad, don’t worry. This time I’m definitely going to poach all our competitors’ talent back to our side.” With money, determination and strength on my side. Following the principle of “better the devil you know”, I rehired many of the original employees from the startup days. Talking to them made me realize what a petty person Lucas was. Just because they knew the true “financial relationship” between him and me, he found all sorts of excuses to squeeze them out after I stopped managing the business. He even misused my name, offending quite a few people. Fortunately, everyone was reasonable. They just took the money and left without causing trouble for me. “If even one of you had come to tell me, I wouldn’t have taken so long to wake up.” “Boss, back then you only had eyes for Lucas. Would you have listened to our truth?” Amidst the banter, my company officially opened for business. The path of entrepreneurship isn’t easy. But that’s for other people. As “Mrs. Henderson”, I was already soaring in the clouds. Every project Lucas had his eye on, without exception. Before he could even finish revising his proposal, we were already wrapping up our celebration dinner. After a few rounds, Lucas got so upset he ended up hospitalized with a bleeding ulcer. Some of Lucas’s old buddies came to play peacemaker, wanting me to give him a break. “You two were truly in love once. There’s no need to go this far…” “Whoa, stop right there.” “My relationship with him is long over. Now it’s just business. If he can’t hack it, that’s his own lack of ability. Don’t try to guilt trip me.” After hanging up, I blocked every single one of them. Back then, these guys clearly all knew about Sophia’s existence. But until Lucas came clean with me, not one of them spoke up to say anything fair. Now they have the nerve to accuse me of being ungrateful? The old Lucas got ahead of them all because of my support. After all, they were longtime friends. Lucas would throw them plenty of lucrative business. I knew exactly what they were thinking now – with Lucas, their big tree, about to fall, all the parasites living off him would go down too. “Ugh, that gold-digging bastard can go to hell!” “What’s wrong? Who upset my wife?” A large hand caressed my face from top to bottom, stopping at my chin to make a playful radish-pulling motion. Sometimes I felt Samuel treated me like a child. Teasing me, coaxing me, taking care of my every need. And secretly helping me too. I knew exactly how those contracts, those business connections, had been obtained. Without Samuel as my stepping stone, I wouldn’t have broken through so quickly on my own strength. “Thank you. I know you’ve been helping me behind the scenes.” I took his hand, sincerely expressing my gratitude. “So have you calmed down a bit now?” He tapped my nose. The cool tip of my nose touched the man’s warm finger, and I found myself craving his warmth. I nodded, my face inexplicably turning a little red. The handsome man smiled faintly and slowly crouched down in front of me. The ringtone of an incoming call broke the wonderful atmosphere. Thinking it was those self-important “parasites” again, I answered irritably. “Hello, who is this?” “It’s me, Sophia… I’d like to talk to you.”

An inverted V Hermès bag, a Cartier diamond bracelet, a custom Royal Oak watch from Vacheron Constantin. After breaking up with Lucas, I could finally be myself again. “Looks like you’ve made quite a bit of money lately.” Sophia smiled lightly, her light makeup and every gesture carefully cultivating that socialite lady image. Sophia had always seen me as just a girl with some money, not at all on the same level as an illegitimate daughter of a wealthy family like herself. If only she knew, we weren’t just on different levels – we were generations apart. This feeling of knowing something she didn’t felt so good. “If you have something to say, say it quick. I need to get back to ‘making money’!” “I’m sure you know I’m from the Newman family…” I nodded. That much was true. I did know, and I even knew she was my grand-niece. “A woman consumed by hatred after a failed relationship is truly pathetic. If you’re not good enough, there’s no need to cling to Lucas like a leech.” “As a fellow woman, I pity you.” Sophia took on a lecturing tone, completely different from the little white lotus act in the office that day. What range as an actress. “Whether I’m consumed by hatred or not is none of your business. But I know very well that you’re a gold digger who likes to eat leftovers.” Since she had dropped the act, there was no need for me, her elder, to hold back either. With Samuel’s help, I had become an all-seeing player. Sophia and Lucas’s little drama was too boring, not even enough to keep me entertained while snacking on sunflower seeds. It boiled down to this: Lucas was poor but handsome and smart. Sophia deliberately got close to him to improve herself. Later, Samuel’s parents found out Sophia kept carelessly revealing her identity. That’s when they funded her studies in Canada, keeping her under strict supervision. Driven by vanity, Sophia exaggerated, hinting to Lucas that she needed to return to the Newman family and that he wasn’t good enough for her. Then it was my turn to enter the stage as the unlucky one. Exposed by me, Sophia didn’t even bother maintaining her image anymore. She left without even paying for her $68 rose tea. Sigh, kids these days are so inconsiderate~ She didn’t even call me Auntie, and still mooched off me for an expensive tea. “I should tell her uncle about this. It’s time for her to go back to Canada for some more education!”

Educating the younger generation could wait, but introducing the elders needed to be put on the agenda. “Do we really have to go?” “Of course. You’re my lawfully wedded wife. You must attend these occasions.” Coaxed into the dressing room, I saw a gown so beautiful it left me gaping. “Do you like it?” The man’s murmur sounded in my ear. Lacking in sophistication, I nodded vigorously like a woodpecker. “It’s so beautiful! Let’s have another event after this one. I absolutely can’t wear such a gorgeous dress just once!” With Samuel, I could always be myself. He was so confident and strong that he didn’t need me to tiptoe around him. Once again, I silently marveled that saving him was the best thing I’d ever done in my life! At the Newman family’s anniversary celebration, all the guests were dignitaries and elites. Sophia, as a “Newman”, attended with Lucas, who was “striving to become a Newman”. “Sophia, will you let me go on stage with you later?” Lucas asked expectantly, his face full of eagerness to please. “I’m not sure how my uncle will arrange things. But it’s probably best not to for now.” Sophia rejected Lucas, leaving him looking dejected. “You know the Newman family’s rules. I’ll have many responsibilities to shoulder in the future.” “Lucas, just focus on your work. Our future is long.” Sophia’s promises were crisp and round. The Lucas across from her nodded repeatedly in agreement. I took off my earpiece, too lazy to listen to this useless drivel. That’s right, I had heard it all through a hidden microphone. Sophia didn’t know the jewelry she wore actually contained the latest miniature listening device. Samuel had told me the Newmans never intended to take Sophia back. He was the one who had insisted. “I suspect she’s connected to my brother and sister-in-law’s deaths. I’ve been monitoring her since she returned.” To destroy someone, first let them become arrogant. My husband Samuel was never someone to be easily manipulated. He had his own persistence when it came to the truth. “Haven’t you heard enough?” Samuel asked. Dressed in formal attire, Samuel looked even more handsome. My heart skipped a beat again. “Hehe, I’ve heard plenty.” It was just the same few empty promises over and over. I was already sick of it. Holding up my multi-million dollar custom gown, I bounded over to Samuel like an eager bunny. As the biggest VIPs, Samuel and I had our own private lounge. Standing at the inner door leading to the banquet hall, I took a deep breath. “Ready, my one and only Mrs. Henderson?” Geez, how could he still be flirting at a time like this! I hooked my left arm through Samuel’s right, my expression changing. The host took the stage as the music shifted dramatically. The moment the doors opened, Samuel and I captured everyone’s attention. “Let’s welcome our youngest CEO, Mr. Samuel Henderson, and his wife, Mrs. Lily Henderson, with the warmest applause.” Was it my imagination, or did they pronounce “Lily” even louder than “Samuel”? Under the spotlight, my mermaid gown covered in hand-sewn sequins perfectly enhanced my beauty. My sharp eyes immediately spotted the shocked Sophia. And Lucas, who was so frightened he collapsed right into his chair.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294908”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #魔幻Magic #擦边Steamy #浪漫Romance #励志Inspiring

Ethan and I had just celebrated our wedding a few days ago. We hadn’t even gotten the marriage certificate yet, when his mom showed up with his pregnant sister and nephew, announcing they would stay at my house until the baby was born. I told Ethan to send them away, but instead, he and his mom locked me in my own room. I had just gotten out of bed and opened my bedroom door when I saw Dolores Cole, my future mother-in-law, sitting comfortably in the living room, smiling at me with a look of amusement. “Abby, not to be critical, but Ethan’s been gone at work for hours, and you’re just now waking up?” she said, her eyebrows slightly raised. “As a woman, you should learn to take better care of your husband. I noticed he left the house with just a piece of toast this morning. That’s no way for a man to keep his health. You should at least be getting up early to make him some proper breakfast, like a bowl of oatmeal or something.” I was already in a bad mood from waking up, and now she was giving me a lecture before I could even ask why she had come over so early in the first place. She just kept going without pause. But since we had just had the wedding, I reminded myself to be polite and keep things cordial. So, I swallowed my irritation and asked, “Dolores, is there something urgent that brought you here this morning?” She waved her hand dismissively and said with a smile, “Oh, nothing too serious. It’s just that Tiffany is pregnant, and I thought it would be better for her to stay here with you. It’s easier to take care of her here, and the hospital is closer.” Tiffany Cole, my sister-in-law, is three years younger than me, but she got married young and already has two kids — a three-year-old and another one on the way. Before I could fully process this, Tiffany waddled out of the guest room, leading her three-year-old son, Brayden, by the hand. “Good morning, Abby! Your house is really nice. The guest room is so big, it could fit all three of us comfortably!” she said with a grin. Great. Ethan and I had only just had the wedding, and now his whole family was moving in, trying to take over my house. “Shouldn’t you be resting at your own home, Tiffany?” I asked, trying to stay calm. “Isn’t your place closer to the hospital?” At this, Tiffany’s face flushed with embarrassment, and she glanced nervously at her mother. Dolores quickly jumped in to explain, “Her in-laws are out of town, so there’s no one at home to help out. We didn’t want to bother them. And besides, you and Ethan are both so busy with work, we thought we could help out around the house. We’re family, after all. What’s a few extra plates at the table?” Something about the way they were rushing to explain didn’t sit right with me. But I figured this was Ethan’s family’s problem to deal with, so I decided to let him handle it. Without another word, I retreated to my room and called Ethan. No answer. I sent him a text message, and after what felt like forever, he finally responded with, “I’m in a meeting. We’ll talk about it when I get home.” Not wanting to deal with his family any longer, I threw my phone down and locked my door, intending to focus on my work. But as soon as I sat down and opened my laptop, the blaring sound of the TV echoed through the house. The volume was at least twice what it should have been, and on top of that, I could hear Dolores and Tiffany laughing and chatting while they snacked. Then there was Brayden, running and jumping around the living room, making an absolute racket. The noise was giving me a pounding headache. I was just about to go out and ask them to keep it down when the doorbell rang.

It was Carter Hughes, the neighbor from downstairs, coming to complain. He had moved in recently, and I had borrowed his cart a couple of times to help carry packages. He seemed a little surprised when Dolores answered the door, but politely asked her to keep the noise down. To my shock, Dolores snapped, “This is my son’s house! We’ll do whatever we want. Who do you think you are to tell us otherwise?” Carter didn’t back down. “It might be your son’s house, but this building is shared by everyone. If you’re disturbing your neighbors, that’s your problem.” “If you think I’m in the wrong, why don’t you call the cops? Let’s see if they care about your petty complaints,” she shot back. “We can do whatever we want in our own home. Who are you to say otherwise?” The more I listened, the angrier I got. Not only had they moved into my home without asking, but now they were acting like they owned the place. And on top of that, this house wasn’t even Ethan’s — it was a wedding gift from my parents! I couldn’t take it anymore. If they got into a fight with the neighbors, it would be me who had to live with the awkwardness. So I stormed out of my room. Dolores immediately plastered on a sweet smile and pulled me toward Carter, claiming he was being rude and unreasonable. Carter, shaking his head in frustration, explained, “I just wanted to let you know that I didn’t sleep well last night, and I finally managed to take a nap when all that noise started. I was hoping you could keep it down, especially with the kid running around.” I opened my mouth to apologize, but Dolores yanked me back. “Seriously? You young people stay up all night and then expect the world to tiptoe around you during the day. You’re the one causing problems and blaming others,” she said, her voice full of disdain. “You think we should all rearrange our lives around your nap schedule? It’s the middle of the day! And what, should we stop a growing child from playing just so you can get some sleep? What’s he supposed to do, not grow taller because of you?” Carter’s face was turning darker with every word she said, and even I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I stepped forward to try and defuse the situation, but once again, Dolores pushed me aside and continued, “Look at you — grown man, no respect for your elders or the young. Did your parents raise you like this?” She had crossed the line, bringing his family into it. I couldn’t hold back anymore. I moved in to intervene, but Dolores gave me another shove. I staggered back a few steps before dramatically collapsing to the floor with a loud “thud.” And suddenly, the whole world went quiet.

Dolores, wide-eyed and clearly shaken, started waving her hands frantically. “I didn’t touch her! She fell on her own!” Technically, she was right. I had fallen on my own, but I wasn’t about to let her off the hook that easily. Dolores stayed frozen at the door, too scared to come near me. Carter was the first to step in, crouching beside me and pinching the bridge of my nose, trying to revive me. When I didn’t respond, he rolled up his sleeves and made a show of preparing to give me CPR. I opened one eye and winked at him. He got the hint and pressed on my chest a couple of times, just for effect. I gasped dramatically and “woke up” as if I had narrowly avoided some terrible fate. Dolores’ face changed in an instant. She grabbed Carter’s hand and thanked him profusely. Carter took the opportunity to say, “She might be fine now, but it’s possible she hit her head. She should probably rest quietly for a few days, just to be safe.” He emphasized the words “rest quietly.” Dolores nodded quickly. She might have been running her mouth earlier, but she wasn’t stupid. She knew she had pushed me, and now she wanted to avoid making things worse. She even asked me not to tell Ethan what had happened. Since I wasn’t really hurt, I agreed. Our little performance worked, and they finally quieted down for the rest of the day. But they still didn’t show any signs of leaving. I had no choice but to wait for Ethan to come home and deal with the situation.

The moment I heard the noise outside, I knew Ethan was back. I pulled him into our bedroom and told him flat-out: “You need to find them somewhere else to stay. I don’t care where, but they can’t stay here.” But instead of agreeing, Ethan took my hand and said softly, “My mom is getting older, and Tiffany is pregnant, with a little kid. We can’t just throw them out onto the street, can we? Just give it a little time. If you don’t want to see them, we can stay in our room. I’ll find them a place soon, I promise.” The more he spoke, the more I realized something was off. Why wasn’t Tiffany’s husband taking care of her? And why hadn’t Ethan even mentioned they were coming over in the first place? I snapped, “I don’t care! This house was a gift from my mom. Why should I be the one hiding in my own room? You’re my husband because I love you, but if you’re going to take their side and not care about how I feel, then maybe we don’t need to get that marriage certificate after all. You can move out with them.” Seeing me so upset, Ethan pulled me into a hug and started apologizing, his voice gentle. “You’re right, I’m sorry. I’ll fix this. We’ve been together for eight years — we can’t let something small like this come between us, right?” “And besides, we’ve already had the wedding. We just need the certificate. If we call things off now, how will we explain it to our friends and family?” I pushed him away. “I don’t owe anyone an explanation about my marriage. You decide. If your mom and sister are still here tomorrow, you can pack your bags and leave with them.” Before we got married, I had made it very clear to him that each of us would be responsible for our own parents. I never believed in the idea that marrying into a family meant becoming part of that family. I was looking for a partner to walk through life with, not to take on the burden of an entire household. If this situation could be solved, fine. But if not, I wasn’t about to sacrifice my boundaries for his family. Ethan, realizing how serious I was, finally agreed. He stroked my hair and said, “Okay, okay, don’t be mad. I’ll talk to them and make sure they’re gone by tomorrow, okay?” I saw the sincerity in his eyes and nodded. “Make sure they understand they can stay in a hotel for a few days. I’ll even help pay for it if we need to.” Ethan smiled, leaning down to kiss my forehead. “I know you’re doing this for us,” he said softly. “Good. I’m glad you understand,” I replied, lightly punching his chest. Ethan chuckled and left the room. Feeling curious, I quietly followed him and pressed my ear to the door to eavesdrop. But strangely enough, after several minutes, there was no sound at all. Even with the good soundproofing, I should’ve heard something. So I decided to crack the door open just a bit to get a better listen. But when I tried to turn the handle, it wouldn’t budge. Ethan had locked me in.

Ethan had locked me in the bedroom. The moment I realized what had happened, I didn’t even bother to think about why he would do such a thing. Instead, I pounded on the door with both fists. “Ethan! What the hell are you doing locking me in here?” “I didn’t ask you to kick your mom out onto the street! If you can’t afford to put them in a hotel, I’ll pay for it! What are you trying to pull here?” It sounded like Ethan was leaning against the door, because as soon as I finished speaking, I heard his voice, clear as day. “Abby, I’m sorry. I didn’t have any other choice.” “My dad got into trouble with some gambling debts. He had to mortgage the house, and now the debt collectors are after us. Tiffany’s in-laws kicked her out to avoid getting mixed up in it, too.” “I can’t just let my mom and my sister hide from debt collectors while I stay here living comfortably with you.” For a moment, I was speechless, stunned by the revelation. Suddenly, all their strange behavior made sense. But locking me in my room wasn’t going to solve the problem. So, I forced myself to stay calm and reason with him. “Ethan, your dad’s debt is his responsibility. If the debt collectors come to the door, we can call the police.” “If the amount isn’t too big, I can even help out. We can figure it out together. But locking me in this room isn’t going to fix anything.” There was silence from the other side of the door, but I could hear him breathing. “Open the door, Ethan. Let’s sit down and talk about how to handle this.” “You know I’m not the kind of person who would leave you to deal with this alone, right?” Normally, Ethan was smart enough to see reason by now. But what I forgot was that he had a mother who was anything but reasonable.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294907”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #魔幻Magic #擦边Steamy

After hearing that I had bought a house, my uncle’s family came to visit, and my cousin’s girlfriend immediately demanded a $30,000 wedding gift. She also insisted I give them my house as a wedding present. I refused, but then my uncle pulled out a DNA test, claiming I was actually his biological daughter, so the house must go to my cousin and not be given to an outsider. Ha! Let’s not even discuss whether or not I’m really his biological daughter. Since they’re so eager for a free house, I’ll give them one—a lifetime stay in a fully accommodated place… in prison. Right after the New Year, my uncle Jimmy Lawson and his family came to visit, but this time they brought someone new—a girl. Jimmy introduced her, saying, “This is Tyler’s girlfriend, Kaylee Darnell.” Since my aunt Patricia passed away during childbirth, it’s usually just Jimmy and Tyler. They showed up unannounced, catching my parents off guard, but my dad, Roger, and mom, Nancy, still welcomed them warmly into our home. As soon as we sat down at the dinner table, Kaylee suddenly stood up. “Uncle Roger, Aunt Nancy, and Alexa, Happy New Year! I’m Tyler’s girlfriend,” she announced. It wasn’t New Year’s anymore, but my parents, being polite, smiled and said, “Oh, thank you, thank you.” But Kaylee remained standing, not moving an inch. Tyler grinned, “My girlfriend came all the way here to wish you a Happy New Year, and you don’t have anything to show for it? Or do you just not like her?” My mom, Nancy, snapped out of her confusion and hurriedly stood up, “Oh, my goodness, I completely forgot! Let me grab a red envelope for Kaylee.” She rushed to the bedroom and came back with an envelope, handing it over to Kaylee. Kaylee smiled as she accepted it, but then she opened it right in front of us and started counting the cash inside—$500 in total. Kaylee’s face immediately dropped. “Aunt Nancy, where we come from, it’s customary to give at least $5,000 when the girl comes to visit. But since I didn’t let you know in advance today, it’s understandable. I’ll just expect it next time I come by.” I couldn’t help but laugh out loud in disbelief. Setting aside the fact that they came unannounced, who in the world asks for money the second they walk through the door, and then has the nerve to complain that it’s not enough? How could she even say that with a straight face? I dropped my smile and was just about to speak when Kaylee beat me to it. “I heard you work for a big company in Washington D.C., Alexa, with a salary in the millions. You’ve even just bought a house. So, my red envelope should at least be $30,000, right? Otherwise, it’ll look like you’re being stingy or that you don’t like me.” I let out a cold laugh. “Didn’t my mom already give you a red envelope? If not giving you $30,000 means I don’t like you, then, yeah, I don’t like you.” It’s amazing how some people have no shame. Just because I have money doesn’t mean I’m handing it out to everyone. I stood up. “Mom, I have work to get back to. I’ll be in my room.” I didn’t bother looking at their reactions, and I left for my room. But barely half an hour later, Kaylee barged in without knocking. I already didn’t like her—she was a gold-digger through and through. And I can’t stand it when people walk into my room without permission. Suppressing my anger, I frowned and said, “Can you leave, please?” She ignored me, casually picking up my handbag and trying on my jewelry. “Wow, Alexa, this jade bracelet is beautiful! Consider it my gift from you. I’ll forget about the whole red envelope situation since you weren’t prepared.” I nearly exploded. That jade bracelet was a gift from my late boyfriend, the one thing I treasured most. It was his final gift to me before he passed away, something I kept hidden deep in my drawer. I immediately rushed over, “Give it back.” Kaylee smirked. “How petty, it’s just a bracelet. Consider it my compensation for your lack of hospitality today.” She started slipping it on her wrist. I grabbed for it, and in the scuffle, Kaylee deliberately smashed the bracelet onto the table. In an instant, the bracelet shattered into pieces. I stared at the fragments, tears welling up uncontrollably. Kaylee grinned smugly. “Alexa, this is your fault. If you hadn’t tried to grab it, this wouldn’t have happened.” Her fault? She did it on purpose! My hands trembled with rage as I slammed them down on the table. “You touched my belongings without permission, and the damage you’ve done is extensive. I’ll make sure you spend the rest of your life in prison for this.” For a moment, Kaylee looked panicked but quickly regained her composure. “It’s just a bracelet. How valuable could it be? Do you think I’m some kind of idiot?” I glared at her. “That bracelet was worth over $50,000. It’s more than enough to send you to jail.” Kaylee stared at me, wide-eyed, before suddenly clutching her stomach and crying out, “Oh no, my stomach!” I was confused. I hadn’t even touched her—how could her stomach hurt? Hearing the commotion, Jimmy, Tyler, and my parents rushed into the room. Jimmy took one look at Kaylee, clutching her stomach, and without hesitation, slapped me across the face. “You little brat! What did you do? Don’t you know Kaylee’s pregnant with our family’s son? If anything happens to my grandson, I’ll make sure your entire family pays!” The slap stung, but I was too focused on the shattered bracelet. Kneeling, I gently picked up the broken pieces. My mom rushed over and hugged me, trying to comfort me. Looking at her, tears streamed down my face. “The one thing he left me… it’s gone.” My mom held me tighter and turned to my uncle, furious. “How could you break Alexa’s bracelet? Don’t you know how much it means to her?” Jimmy didn’t even flinch. “It’s just a stupid bracelet. If she had given it to Kaylee in the first place, this wouldn’t have happened.” Kaylee chimed in, feigning innocence, “It’s not my fault. Alexa scared me when she tried to grab it. I got flustered and it slipped. If anyone’s to blame, it’s her.” I raised my head, glaring at Kaylee with so much hatred I wished I could tear her apart. “There’s a camera in my room. The footage will make it clear whether it was intentional or not. You’d better think about how to reduce your sentence because I’m not letting this go.” I walked over to the vanity, where a hidden camera had been recording the whole time. Kaylee’s face turned white as a sheet, clearly shocked that I had cameras installed in my room. Then, as if on cue, she started clutching her stomach again, moaning, “My stomach! Alexa, when you slammed your hand on the table, it startled me, and now the baby’s in danger. I feel terrible!” With that, Kaylee collapsed, completely unresponsive. My parents, sensing something was wrong, immediately called for an ambulance, and we all rushed to Georgetown University Hospital. In the hospital, the doctor was furious. “If you had gotten here any later, we wouldn’t have been able to save the baby. Make sure she stays calm for the next few days—no emotional stress, or both mother and child could be at risk!” Hearing that, I was shocked. I had only slammed my hand on the table—how could it possibly have endangered the baby? Had I really been that upset and forceful? Jimmy’s eyes were full of rage as he turned to me. “I swear, if anything happens to my grandson, I’ll make you pay, Alexa!” Tyler sneered from the side. “Sis, I know you don’t like Kaylee, but to take it out on an innocent baby? You should give her $30,000 as compensation.” My anger flared up again. Glaring at Tyler, I spat, “You still think you can get $30,000 out of me? After what happened with the bracelet, now you want more? Absolutely not.” Tyler replied smugly, “If you don’t, I’ll have my parents come to your house every day. Let’s see if Aunt Nancy and Uncle Roger can handle that.” “You wouldn’t dare.” “Try me.” Seeing the reckless, shameless look on his face, I knew he would. Tyler had always been a troublemaker, and harassing my parents would be nothing new to him. I didn’t want my parents to suffer because of me, and besides, Kaylee had almost lost the baby… Sighing, I pulled out a bank card. “There’s $5,000 on this card.” Kaylee turned her head away. “Sis, I nearly lost my baby, and you think $5,000 is enough to make up for that?” Clenching my fists, I asked, “Then what do you want?” Kaylee lay back on the bed, staring at me with disdain. “I heard you recently bought a new house. You’re single, so you don’t really need it. Eventually, it’ll just go to someone else, so why not give it to me? Then I’ll consider forgiving you for today.” Her demand made me laugh in disbelief. She really thought she could just take my million-dollar house? “You want my house? Do you even deserve to look at the key? The $5,000 is for the baby’s sake. If you don’t want it, that’s fine by me.” Kaylee immediately cried out, “Oh, my stomach hurts!” Jimmy glared at me. “It’s just a house. Hand it over to your brother. All your stuff belongs to him anyway!” “This house is something I worked hard for! If Tyler wants a house, he can buy his own. Why should I give mine?” That’s when Jimmy pulled out a document. “Because you’re my biological daughter, and Tyler’s your brother. Everything you have belongs to him.”

I was stunned. My parents had just finished paying the medical bills and rushed into the room, visibly angry. My dad yelled, “Jimmy Lawson! Who told you to say that to her?” Could it really be true? The man who had never liked me, who had always called me worthless, was actually my real father? I couldn’t believe it. I turned to my mom, Nancy. “Is this true?” Tears welled up in her eyes, and she couldn’t speak. Dad looked at her, then she sighed and said, “Alexa, when your Aunt Patricia was pregnant with you, a tarot reader said it would be a boy. But when you were born, they didn’t want to keep you because you were a girl. Your mom and I couldn’t bear to see you abandoned, so we took you in and raised you as our own daughter.” Dad’s voice broke as he grabbed my hand, “Alexa, we’ve always loved you like our own. We always will.” Seeing the fear and worry in their eyes, I felt a deep ache in my heart. I held both of their hands tightly and said, “Mom, Dad, no matter what, you’ll always be my parents.” Jimmy, clearly annoyed by our emotional display, cut in, “Now that Alexa knows the truth, she should come back to our family. She and her brother can support each other. Let’s go ahead and change her family records now.” Seeing how anxious my parents looked, I was furious. When I needed help for school or struggled with money, where were they then? They didn’t say a word about taking me back then. They didn’t want me because I was a girl, but now that I’m successful, they want me to help their son? No way. “My parents are right here. They’re the only family I have,” I said, glaring at Jimmy. Jimmy’s face turned red with anger. “You ungrateful child! I’m your father, and you won’t even acknowledge me?” Turning to my parents, he sneered, “Did you two put her up to this? I’m her real dad. She’s supposed to take care of me when I’m old. Her money, her house—they belong to us. You can forget about keeping her! You’re just jealous because you can’t have your own kids and now you want to steal mine!” Standing in front of my parents, I said coldly, “You didn’t want me back then, and you didn’t raise me. You have no claim on me now or in the future.” “You ungrateful brat!” Jimmy raised his hand to strike me, but my dad grabbed him. “Touch my daughter and see what happens.” My dad, who had always kept in great shape, towered over Jimmy, making him look small and weak in comparison. Jimmy hesitated for a moment, then backed down. With a huff, Dad grabbed my mom and me, and we left the hospital. Back home, the three of us sat on the couch, leaning against each other. “Alexa, you’re all that matters to us,” my dad whispered. Mom nodded, hugging me tight. “I’m just worried Jimmy won’t give up so easily. Your grandma called earlier and said Kaylee’s threatening to get rid of the baby unless we give them your house. I refused, but I’m worried Jimmy will cause trouble.” I felt uneasy too. I knew Jimmy’s family—there was no way they’d give up after failing to get the house. But I didn’t want my parents to worry, so I reassured them. I thought they’d wait a while before making their next move, but the very next morning, while I was still half asleep, my bedroom door was kicked open. Pain shot through my head as I was dragged out of bed by my hair. “You ungrateful little brat! Not only do you refuse to acknowledge your real father, but you’re giving away your house to someone else? You worthless good-for-nothing, I’m going to kill you!” I opened my eyes to find my grandmother, Evelyn Mitchell, slapping my face, while Tyler yanked my hair from behind. My parents had just returned from grocery shopping. When they saw what was happening, my dad’s face turned red with rage. He grabbed a water pitcher from the table and smashed it over Tyler’s head. Tyler crumpled to the floor, and my grandmother froze in shock. Dad rushed over to hold me. “Alexa, are you okay?” I shook my head, too stunned to speak. How could they value a house more than family? My grandmother called Jimmy, and within minutes, Jimmy, Kaylee, the paramedics, and the police all arrived. Jimmy glared at us. “If anything happens to my son, I’ll make sure you all end up in jail!” My dad was taken into custody, while my mom begged Jimmy at the hospital. “Jimmy, please, let my husband go. He’s been good to you all these years.” Jimmy sneered. “If you want me to drop the charges, give me Alexa’s house. Then I’ll write a letter of forgiveness.” My mom refused, “That’s Alexa’s house. We’re not giving it to you.” Jimmy’s expression darkened. “No house, no deal.” I stepped forward and said, “I’ll give you $50,000.” Though my dad was acting in self-defense, there was a chance the court would rule it excessive, which could leave a stain on his record. I wasn’t worried about spending the money, but my dad was a teacher—he couldn’t afford a criminal record. Jimmy turned away. “I told you, no house, no deal.” I laughed bitterly. “Fine, take it to court. I have money to hire the best lawyer. You broke into our home, Tyler attacked me first, and Kaylee smashed my bracelet. Let’s see who comes out on top.” With that, I took my mom home. But later that day, I made an excuse to return to the hospital alone. Standing outside the hospital room, I overheard Jimmy talking to Kaylee’s doctor. “Jimmy, forging medical records is illegal. I already took a big risk faking that miscarriage, and now you want me to fake your son’s injury? If we get caught, we’re both going to jail.” Fake medical records? They were planning even more devious schemes against us.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294906”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #魔幻Magic #擦边Steamy

My sister was kidnapped by thugs, and to save her, I lost an arm. But afterward, she stole my RV and emptied my bank account. When I confronted her, she was irritated. “Callie Harlow, don’t guilt-trip me! Losing your arm was your own choice; what does that have to do with me? Besides, you hardly use any of that stuff, so give it to me.” Humiliated and angry, she schemed to push me off a cliff. The next thing I knew, I was back to the day she begged me to save her. From the rooftop, I shouted, “Fiona, what did you say? I can’t hear you!” As soon as I said that, I ran. I sprinted away, not giving the kidnappers or Fiona a chance. What a joke—if I survived death once and still acted like a fool, then my death in the past life would’ve been for nothing. “Callie, help me!” Fiona’s voice tore through the air, desperate and heart-wrenching. She was shouting so loudly that, even though I had already run quite far, I could hear her crystal clear. “Dad’s already gone! Are you really going to let your only sister die?” Fiona cried, her voice thick with sobs. From a distance, her words sounded like the shrieks of a banshee, haunting and relentless. And honestly, that’s exactly how it felt. In my previous life, those same words made me run back without hesitation. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing my sister, my own flesh and blood. But what happened in the end? I lost my right arm to the kidnappers. It was my dominant hand. After losing it, even simple tasks like writing became exhausting. But even though I lost my arm, I didn’t regret it at the time. Back then, the kidnappers had given me a choice: either they cut off one of my arms, or they’d take Fiona’s head. Trading my right arm for Fiona’s life? At the time, I thought it was worth it. I worked hard through physical therapy, joined Mom in managing Harlow Enterprises, and despite the pitiful stares from everyone around me, I slowly rebuilt my life. But after Mom passed away, Fiona didn’t care that I had lost my arm for her. She took my RV and drained my bank account. Crushed, I thought I’d use my savings to buy a new house—only to find that I didn’t have a penny left in my account. I ran back and forth between the bank and the authorities, and finally discovered that Fiona had stolen every last cent that Mom had left me. At thirty, not only was I missing my arm, but I had lost everything I owned. When I confronted Fiona, her face was full of disdain. “Callie Harlow, don’t try to guilt-trip me. Losing your arm was your own choice. It has nothing to do with me.” That was the moment I realized I no longer recognized my sister. Back when Mom was still alive, Fiona was sweet and charming. She would tell anyone who would listen that we were sisters, that because I had sacrificed my arm for her, she’d repay me. She even said she’d stay single forever to take care of me. I was deeply touched. I even told Mom to give Fiona a larger share of the inheritance. After all, I had practically raised her. I didn’t want her to suffer. But in the end, Fiona sweet-talked Mom into leaving all the houses and cars in her name. When I questioned her, she responded like it was the most natural thing in the world: “Besides, you don’t use them much anyway. Just give them to me.” I was so angry, my face flushed red, and I blurted out the whole truth in front of everyone—that I had lost my arm saving Fiona from kidnappers. Everyone was outraged on my behalf, calling her an ungrateful wolf in sheep’s clothing. I thought that maybe, after hearing so many people call her out, Fiona might feel some sense of guilt. But I never imagined that she would lure me to the edge of Overlook Ridge and push me off. And as I fell, the truth behind the kidnapping finally came out. The so-called kidnapping? It was all Fiona’s doing. She wanted the money that Mom had, but since Mom was trying to teach Fiona independence by cutting off her extravagant allowance, Fiona staged the entire kidnapping. My arm? That was just for added realism. After securing a million dollars from Mom, Fiona instructed the kidnappers to chop off my arm to make it look convincing. It wasn’t until I was dying that I realized the sweet little sister I grew up with had turned into a cold-blooded stranger. I raced downstairs. As soon as Mom saw me, she was frantic. “Callie! Fiona’s been kidnapped!” She was crying, and her voice was filled with genuine panic. Fiona was the apple of her eye, raised by Mom’s side, so of course, she couldn’t sit idly by. I gently took her hand and led her to a seat, calmly reassuring her. “Mom, don’t worry. Fiona will be okay.” “How can you say that?” Mom’s voice rose in disbelief. “They’re asking for a million dollars! If we don’t pay, they’ll kill her!” “Callie, I know you and Fiona didn’t grow up together, so maybe you don’t feel that close to her, but you can’t just let her die!” Mom’s voice cracked, on the verge of breaking down. When I was five, Mom and Dad divorced. Fiona, still a baby, stayed with Mom, while I was sent to live with Dad. Even though we lived apart, we weren’t strangers. During school breaks, we’d do homework together, play together. To say we had no bond would be a lie. Even though Mom’s words stung a little, I understood. Right now, Fiona’s life was in danger, and Mom was too panicked to think straight. In my past life, I was just as blinded by fear. “Mom, we’ll save Fiona. But if you sell everything to raise that kind of money, what will you do if this happens again?” Mom hadn’t thought about that—she was so focused on saving Fiona that she couldn’t think about the future. My words snapped her back to reality. Giving in to the kidnappers would only encourage them to come back for more. “Callie, what should I do?” Mom asked, gripping my hands like a lifeline, her eyes full of desperation. In this moment, I had control of everything. Fiona, this time, you’re going to experience exactly what I went through.

“Mom, you’re too emotional to think straight right now. Trust me and go home. I promise, I’ll bring Fiona back safe and sound.” After much reassurance and persuasion, I finally got Mom to leave. The first thing I did was call the police. In my past life, I had listened to Fiona and didn’t call the cops, choosing instead to charge in on my own to save her. But this time, I knew exactly where the fake kidnapping was happening. I led the police straight to the location where Fiona was being held. Sure enough, there she was. When the kidnappers saw the police, they were frozen in shock, and Fiona? She looked just as stunned. “Fiona, I’m here to save you,” I said, making sure to speak before she could even react. “Didn’t I tell you not to call the cops?” Fiona screamed at me, furious. What she wanted was for Mom to bring the million dollars to the drop-off point, or for me to come alone to rescue her. Now, with the police swarming the place, the kidnappers were already under control. There was no chance for anyone to get hurt—not even me. “Don’t worry, Fiona. The officers will take care of these bad guys,” I said, wearing the perfect mask of concern, playing the role of the devoted sister. “You bitch!” one of the kidnappers spat, furious. They had been working with Fiona from the start, and part of the deal was that no one would get the police involved. “Nobody move,” one of the cops ordered sternly. The kidnappers didn’t dare make a sound. They sat quietly, obedient, knowing they had no other choice. The police successfully rescued Fiona, and this time, Mom’s assets were untouched. In my past life, saving Fiona had cost Mom a fortune. The strain on the business was too much, and eventually, Harlow Enterprises went bankrupt. Mom, crushed by guilt for her employees and overwhelmed by the pressure, fell ill. She was diagnosed with breast cancer and passed away within two years. This time, I won’t let that happen again. “Officer, what’s going to happen to them?” Fiona asked a young cop, her face filled with nervousness. The officer, thinking Fiona was traumatized by the kidnapping, reassured her. “Don’t worry, this is a serious case of kidnapping and extortion. They’re going to face severe punishment.” The two kidnappers glared at Fiona with hatred, and Fiona quickly grabbed the officer’s arm, her voice trembling, “Officer, can you give me an idea of how bad it’s going to be?” “From what we know so far, they’re looking at at least ten years in prison,” the officer said, trying to comfort her. Upon hearing the sentence, both Fiona and the kidnappers’ faces darkened. The cop, misunderstanding Fiona’s reaction, added, “While they did extort and threaten your family, since you weren’t physically harmed, they probably won’t get life sentences.” He was still trying to console her, but Fiona wasn’t listening anymore. “Officer, they were just acting impulsively. I wasn’t hurt—can’t their sentence be reduced?” she said, her voice loud enough for the kidnappers to hear. “If you sign a settlement agreement, there’s a chance their sentence could be lessened,” the officer responded, looking confused. It wasn’t often he saw someone advocating for their kidnappers. “Callie, let’s sign a settlement,” Fiona rushed over, grabbing my hand. She was terrified the kidnappers would expose her. All she had wanted was a quick way to get money and show off. She hadn’t expected things to go this far and was now scared that the thugs would hold a grudge against her. These men weren’t the kind you could mess with lightly. They might look unremarkable, but they were ruthless. In my past life, they hadn’t hesitated for a second before chopping off my hand. “Fiona, don’t be scared. I’m here now. We’ll make sure those men are punished,” I said, embracing her as I turned to the police. “Officer, please take them away. My sister is so shaken that she’s not thinking straight. I need to take her to see a psychiatrist.” I lowered my voice, but we were all standing close enough that everyone could hear. Fiona immediately freaked out. “They didn’t scare me! They treated me well! I want to sign the settlement. They must’ve been desperate. They wouldn’t have done it otherwise.” Her frantic tone only made her seem more unhinged. The police officer came over and gently told me, “We’ve secured the kidnappers. Take your sister to see a doctor.” Following his advice, I didn’t even bother going home. I drove Fiona straight to the psychiatrist. Mom arrived at the hospital later and was shocked to see Fiona there. As soon as Fiona saw her, her eyes lit up with hope. After all, she had grown up with Mom and believed Mom would always take her side. So the first thing Fiona said after being rescued was to ask Mom to sign the settlement. The joy drained from Mom’s face instantly. “Have you lost your mind?” “I haven’t! I’m just trying to show compassion, to be kind. Mom, don’t you know those men had hard lives too? If they hadn’t been driven to desperation, they wouldn’t have committed such a crime!” Fiona cried, genuinely believing her own words. She was terrified. If those men ratted her out, her future would be ruined. Fiona’s sobbing was pitiful, and Mom’s heart wavered. “Fiona, have you ever heard of someone asking for a million dollars as a ransom out of desperation?” “A million dollars! That’s enough to support countless families,” I added, cutting through the tension. My words made Mom’s earlier sympathy vanish. She firmly led Fiona out of the hospital. I smiled. It wasn’t going to be that easy for Fiona to wash her hands clean.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294905”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #魔幻Magic #擦边Steamy