Author: Momo Chan

My brother married a crybaby. If I stayed over for an extra meal, she would cry. She’d say, “This family only cares about their daughter and doesn’t give a damn about their daughter-in-law!” When I bought a house with my own money, she cried again. She’d say, “How could she, just a girl, afford a house? Your parents must have helped her!” Then she went even further, spreading rumors that I was some rich man’s mistress and slept my way to the top. It wasn’t until my brother got kicked out trying to defend her that she finally had nothing left to cry about. “How could your sister, just a girl, afford such a nice house all on her own? Your parents must have secretly given her money!” Delilah’s voice was sharp, dripping with suspicion. “Babe, you’re overthinking it. My parents already told me, they didn’t give her a dime,” Eliot replied, trying to calm her down. “You thick-headed fool! Do you think they’d admit it if they did? That would just make them look biased!” I had been on my way to call Eliot and Delilah for dinner when I accidentally overheard their conversation. What was so wrong about buying a house? I bought it with my own hard-earned money. And even if my parents had chipped in, so what? I’m their daughter, isn’t it normal for parents to help their own kids? Is that a crime now? I didn’t interrupt them. Something made me stand there and keep listening. I heard Delilah’s voice, bitter and angry, “I don’t care. If your parents had the money to buy Sienna a house, then they better do the same for us. You’re their son, after all, and they’ll need you to take care of them when they’re old. A daughter will get married off eventually, and she’ll be someone else’s problem.” Eliot’s voice softened, clearly not agreeing with her. “You’re thinking too much, Delilah. Sienna’s my sister. And our house is already big enough. We don’t need to waste money like that.” Delilah wanted to keep arguing, but Eliot cut her off. “Enough! Today’s about Sienna moving into her new place. Stop bringing up this nonsense.” As I heard Eliot’s footsteps approaching, I quickly turned and slipped away. Even though Delilah was always a bit unreasonable, at least my brother still had my back. When we all sat down for dinner, Delilah still looked sour, acting like she was owed something. Eliot gave her several warning looks, but she didn’t tone it down. My mom couldn’t take it anymore. After the other relatives left, she pulled Eliot and Delilah aside for a talk. “I know what’s going through your head. You think we gave Sienna the money for her house and you’re feeling upset about it, right?” Delilah thought she had figured everything out and immediately launched into a tirade. “Isn’t that exactly what happened? How could a young girl earn enough money to buy a house? Honestly, Marjorie, Gerald, you’ve been so unfair! Eliot and I are the ones who’ll take care of you when you’re older. Your money should be spent on us, not her!” “Sienna’s going to get married and leave the family anyway. Why buy her a house? That’s just going to benefit some other guy. Honestly, you two are way too clueless.” “Eliot, you coward! You won’t speak up, so I have to!” My brother tugged on Delilah’s arm, telling her to stop, but she just went off even more. My mom slammed her hand down on the table, her voice cold, “Don’t anyone stop her. Let her talk.” Anyone who knew my mom could tell she was on the verge of blowing up. Delilah shrank back a little, her tone not as strong as before. “Did I say something wrong?” When Delilah first married into the family, my parents bent over backward to make sure she felt welcome. They sold their old house and, with their savings, bought a beautiful Victorian-style home in Savannah. And they asked Delilah what she wanted. If she didn’t want to live with them, they would’ve bought her and Eliot a nice three-bedroom house. If she liked big houses, they could all live in the Victorian home together, and my mom could help take care of future kids. The choice was Delilah’s, and my parents had always made it clear that I’d always have a place in their home, whether I got married or not. At first, Delilah was sweet and warm, always so kind to me. I was thrilled—I thought I’d hit the jackpot with such a wonderful sister-in-law. No issues between us at all. But after just six months, her true colors started to show. It began with her constantly nudging my mom to set me up on dates. “Sienna’s not getting any younger, it’s time for her to settle down,” she’d say. My mom made her stance clear: if I didn’t want to get married, it was fine. Even if I never married, they’d support me. That must have been the breaking point. From then on, Delilah saw me as a threat to her interests.

Things only escalated from there. Delilah became convinced that my parents were secretly giving me money. Whenever I bought a new makeup product or handbag, she was the first to make a snide comment. “Oh, Sienna, what did you buy this time? It must have cost a fortune! You know, I’d never splurge like that. It’s so much easier to be single—you can spend without a care!” “Is that designer? Must have set you back a few thousand dollars. You know, instead of wasting money on these things, you could buy some health supplements for your parents.” At first, when Delilah hadn’t fully shown her true self, I used to buy her gifts whenever I got something for myself. A nice bag, some makeup, I always made sure to include her. But to her, my generosity was just proof that I was freeloading off my parents, spending their money. What she didn’t know was that my brother’s business only took off because of my support behind the scenes. To avoid putting my parents and Eliot in an awkward position, I bought my own place and moved out. I thought I was doing everyone a favor by giving them space, but somehow, Delilah twisted that, too. My mom shot Eliot a cold look, her silence speaking volumes: This is the wife you chose? “Eliot! Say something!” Delilah barked, clearly frustrated that my brother hadn’t defended her. “Don’t you want to know how much your parents gave Sienna for her house?” Just when I thought Eliot would stand up for me, he hesitated, then moved to Delilah’s side. That’s when I understood. No wonder Delilah felt so bold—Eliot was quietly enabling her the whole time. I felt like I’d swallowed a stone. It sat heavy in my chest, impossible to spit out, and equally impossible to keep down. “Eliot, do you agree with Delilah? Do you think I shouldn’t have spent our family’s money?” I looked my brother dead in the eye, waiting for his answer. What Delilah thought of me didn’t matter—I couldn’t care less. But Eliot? He was my brother, my flesh and blood. We grew up together. As kids, if I ever got hurt, he’d be the first to grab a stick and defend me. He knew better than anyone what I had been through. But now, he couldn’t even look at me. Still, he spoke. “Sienna, don’t misunderstand. I’m not upset about Mom and Dad giving you money for the house. You’re my sister. If you’d asked me for help, I’d have given it to you, no question. But we’re family. Mom and Dad gave you that money, so Delilah and I have a right to know how much, don’t we?” Hearing that, even my usually silent dad turned dark with anger. “Eliot! Don’t forget—you wouldn’t have what you do today without Sienna’s help!” Don’t let my dad’s quiet nature fool you—when he speaks up, it’s serious. Eliot instantly fell silent. But Delilah, being Delilah, wasn’t about to back down. “Well, Eliot said we have a right to know…” “Fine. You want to know? I’ll tell you.” My mom’s voice was cutting. “Sienna bought that house with her own money, every last penny. Not only did we not give her anything, but she even gave us $10,000. Satisfied now?” Delilah’s eyes widened in disbelief. Hearing about the $10,000, they practically lit up. Her entire demeanor changed in an instant. She latched onto my arm, playing the role of the caring sister-in-law. “Oh my, Marjorie, Gerald, what are you saying? That’s not what we meant at all. We were just worried about you not having enough to take care of yourselves, that’s all.” Her behavior was so shameless I had to pull my arm away. “Well, if there’s nothing else, it’s getting late. You two should head home.” Eliot gave me a sheepish smile. I could tell he wanted to apologize but didn’t have the guts to say it. In that moment, I realized something I hadn’t before: even between siblings, there can be distance, and sometimes that distance can be hard to bridge.

At first, I thought that putting some space between us would help. We might not be as close as we used to be, but we could still be family. I underestimated how dangerous jealousy can be. It wasn’t long before I started noticing the way my neighbors looked at me—disdainful, judging, whispering behind my back. Several times, I tried to greet them while walking my dog, but they would turn away, avoiding me like I had some sort of disease. Then one day, I checked the Oak Hills Subdivision Group Chat and finally understood what was going on. It all started with a faceless account stirring up rumors. “Did you hear about the owner of 609? People say she’s some rich old man’s mistress. How else could someone that young afford a house like that?” “Seriously? She seemed like such a nice girl. How could she do something like that?” “Tsk, tsk, girls these days. No shame at all.” “You’d better keep an eye on your husbands, ladies. If she sets her sights on one of them, it’s game over.” I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. What kind of nonsense were they spouting? I tried adding the person who had started the rumors, but they left the group chat as soon as they’d done the damage. Meanwhile, the others kept gossiping, acting like they knew everything about my life. They even said the man supposedly “keeping” me was in his seventies. At that point, I had enough. I took screenshots of everything—over a dozen messages—and posted them back into the group, tagging each person who had spread the lies. “Slandering someone is illegal. Expect a lawyer’s letter soon!” After that, most of the people went silent. Some who had been lurking in the chat tried to play peacemaker. “Oh, come on, 609. People were just joking around. No need to take it so seriously.” “Exactly. We all live in the same neighborhood. Let’s just apologize and move on.” I typed furiously in response, “Funny how you all are acting like good Samaritans now. Where were you when these people were slandering me?” Finally, one of my upstairs neighbors couldn’t hold back any longer and tagged me in the chat. “@609, what do you mean by slander? This came straight from your own family. Do you think we’d just make this up?” My family? I instantly thought of Delilah. But even so, it seemed too ridiculous. Why would she do that? At that moment, I wanted to rush over and confront her, but without any evidence, what could I do? I took a deep breath, gathered all the screenshots, and headed to the Atlanta PD – West Precinct. Let the police handle this. When I explained the situation at the station, the officers took it seriously and immediately opened a case. That same night, the neighborhood was in an uproar. Everyone who had participated in the slander was brought in for questioning. The panic was real. One by one, they all tried to distance themselves, passing the blame around until eventually, everything pointed back to Delilah. Some of the neighbors still had the nerve to defend themselves. “Whose family would say such things if they weren’t true? She must have done something to deserve it.” I still couldn’t understand why Delilah would spread such vicious lies about me. I had already moved out, just like she wanted. What more did she want? I was trembling with rage. And then I thought about the faceless account that had started it all. The police traced the IP address back to one place—my parents’ house. They asked me if I wanted to continue pressing charges. I understood that for many, family is reason enough to let things slide. But I didn’t hesitate. “Of course I want to press charges,” I said firmly.

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During the summer of my sophomore year in college, my 58-year-old mom decided to undergo IVF treatment. She said she wanted to give me a little brother, someone I could rely on in the future. After I convinced her not to go through with it, my parents and my cousin became godparents to my little cousin, bought him a house and a car, but refused to spend a dime on me when I was critically ill in the ICU. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back at the Thanksgiving Family Dinner. This time, I smiled and said, “Whatever you and Dad think is best.” I woke up and realized I had returned to that Thanksgiving Family Dinner. Uncle Thomas, mouth full of food, was still going on about his outdated ideas. “I’m telling you, a man’s gotta have a son! No matter how good daughters are, they’re not going to be the ones carrying on your name, right?” He kept talking, saying that now the laws had relaxed, and with how advanced medical science had become, IVF was a great way to ensure a son and secure their legacy for old age. Most of the relatives thought he was joking. They tried to dissuade him. “You’re 65 now, Thomas. Your daughter has her own family and career. You’ll be holding grandkids soon enough, so why chase after all this drama?” Uncle Thomas stood his ground. “Grandkids? They don’t even have my last name! If I don’t have a son, the Cross family line ends with me!” My dad looked tempted. “You’ve got a point, but are you and Linda even still able to have kids at your age?” Uncle Thomas replied confidently, “I’ve done my research. The IVF technology today is incredible. Not only can you still have a kid, but you can make sure it’s a son!” Then he turned to me. “Hannah, wouldn’t it be great if your parents gave you a little brother? You wouldn’t have to worry about not having family to look out for you!” He had asked me the same thing in my previous life. I looked at my father, who was starting to get excited, and patiently explained. Older women face a higher risk of pregnancy complications like high blood pressure and gestational diabetes. Not to mention, as age increases, the quality of eggs and sperm deteriorates, making it more likely that the fertilized egg will have chromosomal abnormalities. Even if they managed to conceive, the baby would have a higher chance of being born prematurely or developing issues like cerebral palsy or neurological disorders. Dad stayed silent. Mom, who looked a little nervous, tugged on his sleeve and shook her head. With my reasoning, they let go of the idea of pursuing IVF. But Uncle Thomas? He was determined. Two years later, he proudly showed off his big baby boy, born through IVF, at the family reunion, grinning ear to ear as relatives congratulated him. “Little brother, don’t worry! Now that I’ve got a son, the Cross family won’t die out. Be good to your nephew, and maybe when he’s older, he’ll take care of you too!” He laughed, slapping my dad on the shoulder, completely ignoring the dark look that spread across my father’s face. From that day, Dad began subtly blaming me. He said I was selfish, afraid that having a brother would mean sharing the inheritance, so I convinced him not to have one. Mom, too, resented me, saying I’d scared her with all that talk about the risks of having kids at her age, pointing out how Uncle Thomas and Aunt Linda’s son was perfectly healthy. They couldn’t comprehend the concept of probability. All I could do was silently endure their criticism. I thought that in time, my actions would prove to them that it didn’t matter whether they had a son or daughter. But what I didn’t expect was for them to start frequenting the hospital, trying to have a son just like Uncle Thomas. After numerous rounds of hormone treatments and egg retrieval attempts, they finally had to face the truth: Mom’s eggs were no longer viable. I thought that was the end of it. But then, I was in a car accident, left critically injured in the ICU, waiting for them to pay for the life-saving treatment. That’s when I found out the truth. They had made my three-year-old cousin, Nathan, their godson, using all their savings to buy him a house near Cedar Hills Elementary School. They didn’t pay a single cent towards my medical bills. Not even a visit. In my last phone call with them, their cold, heartless words became the final straw that broke me. “Stop calling us so much. We’re busy dropping off your little brother at daycare!” “You’re practically dead already. Don’t waste our money—we need it for Nathan!” So, they had abandoned me. Thinking of all this, I turned to Uncle Thomas with a smile and said, “You’ve lived long enough to know best, Uncle Thomas. Of course, Mom and Dad should make the decision.” He was pleased with my response and patted Dad’s shoulder, laughing. “Hannah is much more sensible than my daughter. How about this—we brothers can both go for another kid, and maybe I can even get the hospital to give us a discount!” Well, let’s see how that ‘precious son’ of yours takes care of you in your old age this time.

After the dinner ended, Mom and Dad held a family meeting back at home. “Hannah,” Dad started, snubbing out his cigarette in the ashtray. “Your uncle said IVF will cost about $100,000 altogether, and if we want to guarantee it’s a boy, we’ll need to pull some strings, which might push it to $150,000. Your mom and I don’t have much savings, but we can scrape enough together for that. From next semester on, you’ll need to handle your own living expenses.” I didn’t reply right away. I glanced over at Mom, who was busy listening to a voice message on her phone. She set her phone down, her face serious. “I asked some friends. Since you’re a med student, you’ll be doing a hospital internship in your junior year, right? You’ll get a stipend. You’re in school all the time anyway, so you won’t need much money. Don’t add more burden to us.” “And besides,” she added, “we’re spending this money now so we can give you a brother. When he grows up, you’ll have someone from the family to rely on!” I nearly laughed out loud. How could they expect me to rely on a child when I couldn’t even count on my own parents? In my previous life, they feared the risks I’d mentioned and didn’t go through with IVF. But they held onto their resentment. After that Thanksgiving dinner, they cut off my living and tuition funds, claiming they needed to save for retirement. At the time, I thought they were just angry for a while. After all, I was their daughter, the one they had raised for twenty years. To make ends meet, I worked part-time during the day and tutored kids at night. My grades plummeted, and I almost flunked out by the end of the semester. This time, I wouldn’t let history repeat itself. I smiled and nodded. “Got it. I hope everything works out for you.”

A few days after returning to school, Mom called. “Hannah, your dad and I went to the hospital today. The doctor said your father’s sperm is still okay, even though the DNA fragmentation and abnormality rates are a little high. But my eggs aren’t great. We’ll need third-generation IVF, which will cost even more.” “So, try to pick up more tutoring jobs or a part-time waitress gig. Save up some money and send it to me. Your aunt told me I should be eating health foods like those organic smoothies to improve my eggs.” It was just like last time. When I had refused to let her go through with IVF, she’d constantly called me, complaining about headaches or fevers, and demanded that I work more to send her money for supplements. I had sympathized with her then, figuring Dad’s old-fashioned ways left her feeling unsupported. I always found a way to send her money, no matter how tight things were for me. But now, I stretched, feeling no such sympathy, and replied casually, “Mom, I have way more coursework this year and barely any time for a side job. And at the hospital, they only give us free housing and meals—no pay. I’m almost out of money myself. Can you send me $500?” Her voice became evasive. “Oh, well, I don’t have any money either! Your dad controls the finances, and it’s all going towards the IVF. If you need money, talk to him!” Before I could say anything else, she hung up. I set my phone aside and got back to my PowerPoint. After all, my new hustle of creating medical case presentations was bringing in $500 a pop.

Mom still got her organic smoothies. She took pictures of it from every angle, posting a nine-grid photo collage to her Instagram account: “Thanks to my wonderful Thomas for buying me this special smoothie! My son will definitely make it into my womb now!” She promised to take good care of her health and soon give my father the son he needed to carry on the Cross name. In the comments, some people congratulated her, while others weren’t so kind. “Aren’t you almost 60? Why go through all this?” “No offense, but your husband’s 62 too. There’s no way the kid will be healthy at your age.” Mom, furious, blocked them and swore she’d give birth to a healthy son. I quietly liked the post and turned off my phone. This was only the beginning.

Over the next two months, Mom was constantly posting updates in the family group and on her social media. “Went to the hospital for bloodwork today. They took tube after tube, but it’s all worth it for my future son!” “Starting the hormone shots today. Gotta eat more meat and keep my strength up so I can get some good eggs!” “Finally doing the egg retrieval! Wish me luck!” After that last post, her updates suddenly stopped. Three days later, I received a video call from her. On the other end of the call, her face was pale, and she looked both angry and confused. Seeing her like that, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pity. “Mom, what happened? You don’t look well.” Tears started streaming down her face. “Hannah, what am I supposed to do?” “The doctor said my eggs are completely useless! That egg retrieval needle—do you know how long it was? Thirty centimeters! Your dad didn’t want to pay for anesthesia, so I went through the whole thing wide awake! It was more painful than when I gave birth to you!” “I suffered through all that, and then they told me my eggs are no good! But your Aunt Linda is three years older than me, and her eggs were just fine. Why?!”

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After another failed breeding task, the test subject pinned me against the operating table. His palms were burning hot, firmly holding my shoulders. In the hazy night, his breath was warm, sending shivers down my spine. [Only with you… breed…] I met his direct and passionate gaze, unable to suppress a slight smile. The Alpha I had raised… Finally understood… After the breeding task failed again, Logan pinned me against the operating table. His palm was scorching hot as he firmly gripped my shoulders. In the hazy darkness, his warm breath sent shivers down my spine. “Only… breed… with you…” I met his direct and passionate gaze, unable to hold back a smirk. The Alpha I had raised from birth… Finally understood… “You should take a look… Subject 1109’s breeding attempt failed again…” I frowned, casually slipping the pen into my pocket. “He still refuses?” The intern’s face showed a hint of fear as he hesitated before speaking. “Well… you should see for yourself…” For some reason, I felt a morbid excitement stirring in my heart. I suddenly recalled the day the breeding task was assigned. Logan was pressed tightly against the glass wall. Under the effects of the aphrodisiac, his muscles were involuntarily tensed, his porcelain skin flushed a pale red. He lay there naked on his side in the vast glass enclosure, letting out heavy pants. His pupils had lost their usual indifference, now clouded with intense desire. The moment our eyes met, I surprisingly saw a faint longing and grievance in his gaze… The Alpha I had raised from birth was showing such vulnerable emotions for the first time… It made me want to hide him away… to keep him all to myself… My thoughts gradually returned to the present. I curled my fingers, suppressing the excitement in my eyes as I replied coolly: “I see. I’ll go record the results.” The intern seemed to want to say more but hesitated, his lips moving slightly before remaining silent. I walked past him and entered the elevator, pressing the button for the laboratory floor. As the elevator descended, the air around me suddenly turned cold. In the laboratory, the first thing I saw was the giant experimental tank containing Logan. However, there were now several splashes of blood on the tank that weren’t there before, a stark and disturbing sight. “Logan, you’ve been naughty again…” I smiled helplessly as I slowly approached the tank, looking at Subject 1109 huddled and shaking in the corner. His skin was stained with large patches of blood, like wild red roses blooming across a snowy field. Sacred yet demonic. He was my Alpha… A living work of art I had created with my own hands… Hearing my voice, Logan suddenly raised his head and stared intently into my eyes. His pupils were bright, a pale silver-gray, now glistening with a faint wetness. “Let me check if you’re hurt…” My gaze greedily swept over every inch of his body. Only after confirming he was unharmed did I spare a glance at the other experimental subject beside him. It was an Omega subject modified with jellyfish genes. Her pupils were a pure cyan, her long hair as lush as seaweed cascading down, beautiful like a fragile porcelain doll. But now, her body was covered in horrific wounds. Her neck had been torn open, blood staining the pure white carpet at the bottom of the tank. Her skin had turned an almost transparent white from the massive blood loss, appearing lifeless. I sighed, finally understanding the source of the intern’s terror. I raised my hand and tapped on the glass tank, trying to put on a stern tone. “Logan, cultivating an experimental subject is not easy…” Logan lifted his hand, touching the spot where my fingertips had landed on the thin glass, looking at me with a dazed smile. “Alright…” I opened the top of the experimental tank and slowly reached my fingers inside, gently hooking them around his. “Don’t let it happen again…” Logan suddenly sat up and hugged me. I froze, enveloped by his scorching body heat as my heart pounded wildly. He buried his face in the crook of my neck, his voice still hoarse. “Not here… it’s dirty… please?” In this state, he was both obedient and sensual, stirring up indecent desires. I wanted to bully him… to see him cry… I nodded, suppressing the surging desire in my heart as I raised my hand to gently stroke the bloodstains on his waist. His whole body trembled, hugging me even tighter. “It hurts…” I took a step back, raising my hand to grip his chin and forcing him to lift his head. “How many injections did they give you this time?” He obediently tilted his head up following my grip, his face still flushed and looking somewhat dazed. After a moment of silence, he listlessly raised his hand to show me the needle marks. “Three shots…” “Those bastards… we agreed on only one aphrodisiac injection…” I cursed under my breath, turning to walk towards the control panel to shut off the laboratory’s surveillance cameras. “Come out, Logan…” There was a rustling sound behind me. I turned around to find Logan already pressed against my back, tightly embracing me. I smiled, standing on tiptoe to wrap my arms around his neck, caressing his warm lips. His Adam’s apple bobbed as his large hands passionately pressed against my waist. Before he could do anything further, I slowly pushed him away. “Wait a moment, Logan…” He looked somewhat dejected, mumbling an acknowledgment as he obediently stood to the side. I lowered my gaze to look at the spots of blood staining my pure white lab coat, sighing helplessly. “Sit over there and wait for me…” I took off my coat, found a towel, and patiently soaked it in warm water before wringing it out. Instead of sitting still and waiting as I’d told him, Logan followed closely behind me like a little puppy. He was still completely naked, having somehow taken my discarded coat and loosely tied it around his waist. I turned around and beckoned to him with my finger. “Come here…” He obediently sat on the table in front of me, sitting up straight. As I wiped the dried blood from his skin, he lowered his gaze to watch for a moment before suddenly leaning down and biting my collarbone. “Ouch… be gentle…” Logan mumbled a response, his teeth grazing my delicate skin. I patted his head. But he suddenly flipped me over, pinning me against the operating table. His palms were scorching hot as he firmly gripped my shoulders. In the hazy moonlight, his warm breath sent tingles down my spine. “Only… breed… with you…” I met his direct and passionate gaze, unable to hold back a smirk. The little wolf I had raised from birth… Finally understood… When I left the laboratory, my legs were still a bit wobbly. My carefully applied makeup was slightly smudged, and my curled hair was messily clinging to my chest. I frowned, wanting nothing more than to quickly go wash off the wet sensation between my legs, when I suddenly bumped into a man. I paused in my steps, hiding the disgust in my eyes as I discreetly moved to the side. “Just came from Subject 1109?” He didn’t seem to notice my attempt to avoid him, smilingly standing in front of me. “Yes, the breeding task failed. I went to check on him…” The man’s lips curled into a smile as he slowly walked to my side. His gaze was direct and sticky as it landed on my exposed shoulder. The bite mark… probably hadn’t faded yet… I instinctively pulled my collar up higher, tilting my head back with a bold smile. “Dr. Harrison, you seem quite free today, keeping track of which labs I visit?” He was momentarily dazed by my smile before adjusting his gold-rimmed glasses. The eyes behind the lenses stared at me coldly, like a slippery snake. “Your lipstick…” He reached out, his fingertip lightly brushing my lips. The cold touch made me shudder involuntarily. He was still smiling, but the pressure of his finger gradually increased. “Why is your lipstick smudged?” I turned my face away, avoiding his finger. Thinking about how those hands that had dissected and stitched together countless creatures had just caressed my lips made me feel nauseous enough to almost vomit. “If you have nothing else, I’ll be going now…” I hurriedly turned to leave. His cold voice drifted from afar. “Don’t get too close to that little beast… and don’t let me discover anything else… otherwise…” His laughter echoed eerily down the empty hallway. “I’ll kill him with my own hands…”

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While taking my annual vacation, I lay back in the Private Spa Suite, savoring the peace. When the waiter handed me a small cake, I casually complimented him, “Great service here. Do all guests get this?” He replied, “No, only for female guests or couples.” The fork slipped from my fingers and dropped into the water. My husband, Daniel Hayes, brings me this exact triangular slice, a Rose-Petal Cake, every time he returns from a business trip. Something in my gut told me that he’d been cheating—and that his mistress must not like sweets. My name is Rachel Evans. I’m the manager of the Emerald Jewelry Sales Division, and after a few years of shrewd investments, I’ve done pretty well for myself. Daniel Hayes, my husband, was my college classmate. From freshman to junior year, he persistently chased after me until, finally, I said yes. An arts student with little in the way of prospects, he landed his sales consultant job because I pulled some strings for him. But I liked his looks and his loyal, gentle-dog qualities. Now, though, I stared at the tiny cake in my hands, silent for a long time. Daniel brings back this triangular slice of Rose-Petal Cake after every business trip, claiming it’s complimentary from his hotel. Single male guests don’t usually receive perks like this, though—so, it’s likely another woman stayed with him. Unlike Daniel, I am naturally thrifty; whenever I travel to meet clients, I’m usually back the same day, and even if I stay overnight, I settle for a basic three-star hotel. But Daniel, comfortably reimbursed by the company, has no qualms about booking luxury accommodations. When I confided my suspicions to my friend Stephanie Ward, she was shocked but quickly gave her opinion: “No way. You two were college sweethearts—you’ve been through everything together, from school uniforms to wedding rings. Get the facts straight before you decide anything.” I frowned and nodded. Honestly, I couldn’t be sure if I was overreacting or if there was really something there. Either way, I needed to test Daniel. Stephanie, who runs a nail salon and has a sharp way with words, is a little more street-smart than I am. While I’m good with the business side of things, she’s better at reading people, so I asked her to help me strategize. After thinking it over, she texted me the next day with a plan: “Doesn’t he travel a lot? His mistress might be a coworker. We can try waiting for him by the underground parking after work to see who he’s with.” It was a solid plan. Since they’d be traveling together, the mistress was likely a female colleague. So, before Daniel left work that evening, I called to let him know that I’d be out with Stephanie and wouldn’t stop by to visit him. “All right, hon. I’ll be home after work to wait for you,” he replied, his tone as warm as ever, making me doubt myself for a second. That evening, Stephanie and I sat waiting in her car at the parking garage. It didn’t take long. Daniel appeared, heading toward his parking space—and a young woman was walking beside him, clinging to his arm and leaning provocatively close. My lips pressed together, my fists clenching. Just as I thought, he was cheating with a younger female coworker. Stephanie sneered. “Unbelievable. Has he forgotten who fed him when he was jobless? You got him that job, and this is how he repays you?” Yes, Daniel came from a modest background, while my family was well-off. We were from different worlds. Naturally, my parents had strongly opposed our relationship. But I’d been defiant, swearing our love would get us through anything, like a real-life Romeo and Juliet. Now reality was making a mockery of those ideals. My hands tightened around the steering wheel, my gaze locked on the scene unfolding in front of me. Unexpectedly, just as the woman was about to get in the car, Daniel gently pushed her away. “Sorry,” he said loudly. “I’m married. Please keep things professional between us.” His voice carried clearly in the empty garage; I heard every word. The young woman stomped off, clearly frustrated, and turned away without looking back. Stephanie exhaled in relief. “See? He probably didn’t cheat. She must’ve been trying to get with him one-sidedly.” One-sided…? I wasn’t buying it. That woman was exactly Daniel’s type. When I got home, I was still uneasy. While I was changing in the entryway, Daniel—who had arrived home earlier than usual—walked up behind me and wrapped his arms around me. “Happy anniversary, babe.” He placed a diamond necklace around my neck. I was a bit taken aback, as my work in emeralds made me prefer diamonds more. I pulled away from him, unable to ignore it. “Who was that woman I saw you with, the one you nearly gave a ride?” Daniel looked mildly surprised but explained gently, “Oh, you mean Zoe. She’s just the boss’s little fling. Even if I wanted to, getting involved with her would mean career suicide.” Seeing my frown relax slightly, he leaned in and murmured, “You’re the only one in my heart, babe.” His explanation was flawless. I couldn’t argue further, but his embrace felt cold, somehow hollow. Was it possible that everything was just in my head?

My doubts stemmed from my own insecurity about marriage. Being firm on living the DINK lifestyle, I’m a career-driven woman who doesn’t want kids. This was something Daniel’s family never accepted. His mother, Linda Hayes, comes from a traditional background, where passing down the family name is everything, and Daniel is the family’s only heir. “A healthy couple with no kids? Just give me a grandchild to look after,” she once insisted. I stood my ground, even though it nearly ended our engagement. Daniel, in a surprising move, stood up to his mom and went through with a vasectomy for my sake. He really amazed and moved me. “Look, Mom,” he told her, “I can’t have kids anymore, so there’s no problem with marrying Rachel.” Linda was so furious she practically collapsed on the spot, feigning a blood pressure episode, though I knew it was all for show. We married three years ago and held to our DINK lifestyle, happily living our own lives without children. But despite my efforts to be patient and respectful, Linda never missed a chance to mock or needle me. “A useless hen that doesn’t lay eggs!” I endured it all, partly out of guilt toward Daniel, and kept showing respect to his parents. That morning, after a restless night, I looked at my sleeping husband and felt a pang of guilt. He’d been nearly perfect toward me, so what was I holding onto? When I went to work, I threw myself into my latest project. That afternoon, we split a rare emerald stone, and the first cut revealed an imperial green quality—pure and flawless. Ecstatic, I bought a bracelet for a hefty $208,000. It was a great investment, and I thought gifting it to Linda might mend things a bit. But her reaction was only a dismissive frown. “Ugh, what good is this thing? Can’t eat it or drink it. Give me a grandchild, and that’ll make me happy!” I pressed my lips together, holding back any mention of the bracelet’s cost. My gesture was lost on her, but I’d tried. To celebrate, I invited Stephanie to dinner at an exclusive members-only restaurant where the chef’s choices changed daily. Stephanie seemed out of place. When I offered her some wine, she refused, saying she was on antibiotics and would stick to juice. As we waited, well-dressed patrons filled in around us, making her even more uncomfortable. She fidgeted and finally excused herself to the restroom, returning with a touch of lipstick and a few extra pieces of jewelry. “Getting dolled up just to eat?” I teased, and as she adjusted her bracelet, my eyes caught it. An imperial green jade bracelet—the same as the one I’d given Linda. Only two of these had come from that stone, one I’d bought, and the other was sold to an executive, Mr. Chen. “Nice bracelet you have there…not bad quality.” I commented. Stephanie laughed, brushing it off. “Oh, please, I’d never afford the real thing. It was a gift—probably a fake.” But I knew this bracelet well. I’d inspected it closely enough to recognize a small cotton flaw in the design. Seeing my gaze harden, she grew visibly anxious.

Maybe it was her sudden guilt or maybe she just couldn’t face me; halfway through dinner, Stephanie got a call and quickly excused herself, claiming she had an urgent matter to attend to. “Do you need a ride?” I asked with a polite smile. She waved me off. “No, no, Rachel, someone’s picking me up.” I watched her leave from the restaurant’s floor-to-ceiling window. She didn’t wait for anyone, though—she slipped straight into a cab. Feeling a twinge of suspicion, I got into my car and followed. The taxi’s destination was, oddly enough, my own office building—the same place where Daniel works, where I’d recently bought that emerald. This was odd, since by that hour, most people had already left for the day. Stephanie seemed cautious, glancing around with her black mask covering most of her face. Once she reached the front entrance and saw no one else was around, she hurried inside. Narrowing my eyes, I parked and crept into the building, trailing her down the dim, empty hallways. Only one office still had a light on: Daniel’s. I held my breath and moved closer to the door. Through the narrow crack, I saw the scene that would forever etch itself into my memory.

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My brother-in-law’s son was diagnosed with leukemia. Instead of using their own assets, they wanted me to sell the house I bought before marriage to cover the medical expenses. I refused. My husband said, “My nephew is sick, and you can’t even sell a house for his treatment. Do you even deserve to be his aunt?” Do I look like someone easily fooled? So, I filed for divorce and left. I had to get away from a family with such distorted values. 0After a busy day at work, I got home and opened the door to an unexpected sight. Sitting in my living room were Grant and Debbie Hawley, my in-laws, along with Mason Hawley, my brother-in-law. I was puzzled. I hadn’t spoken to Grant and Debbie for years because of some past conflicts. Ryan always went back to see them on holidays by himself, but they hadn’t set foot in our home for as long as I could remember. Mason, who was always taking sides with his parents, never missed an opportunity to show me a cold shoulder. I was so fed up that I cut ties with him too. So why on earth were they all here, sitting together in my house? As soon as I walked in, Ryan rushed over to take my bag and shoes, acting like the perfect husband. Debbie, who had never been overly friendly, actually greeted me warmly. This was all too strange, and I knew something was up. Sure enough, the moment I sat on the couch, Debbie burst into tears, covering her mouth as she spoke. “Luke is sick.” I quickly asked, “What’s wrong with him?” Debbie’s tears fell even harder. “Leukemia.” I was shocked. I looked at Mason and saw his eyes were red, like he’d been crying. Even though Mason and I didn’t get along, his son Luke was a sweet kid—smart and adorable. Sometimes, when Mason was busy, Ryan would bring him home, and Luke would always greet me with a cheerful “Aunt Savannah.” The thought of such a well-behaved child being diagnosed with something so serious really hurt my heart. Debbie continued, “The doctors said it’s acute leukemia. There are only two treatment options: chemotherapy or a bone marrow transplant.” At this, I immediately spoke up. “With modern medical technology, leukemia has a high cure rate. Luke will be fine. Let’s all go to the hospital and get tested for a match.” Debbie nodded in approval at my response. “But,” she added, “the treatment, the hospital stay, and the surgery afterward will all cost a fortune. The doctors said it would cost at least $500,000 to $600,000. Mason only makes $5,000 a month, even if he worked himself to death, he wouldn’t be able to cover it.” As she spoke, Debbie began to cry again. That’s when I realized where this was going. Though I didn’t care for Mason, when it came to a child’s health, I knew what mattered most. I turned to Ryan and said, “We have $60,000 in our account. Go ahead and transfer it to Mason. It’s not much, but it’s something from us as his aunt and uncle.” Sixty thousand wasn’t a huge sum, but it was everything we had. We had a mortgage, a car loan, and regular expenses. By the end of the month, we barely had anything left. I thought I had done my duty as part of the family. Just as I was feeling proud of my generosity, I heard Grant scoff, “Sixty thousand? That’s not going to do much.” In that instant, all my goodwill evaporated. I didn’t say another word, just leaned back on the couch. Debbie took over, playing the good cop. “I feel like we’re all family, and in tough times, we have to pull together. Savannah, I know we’ve had our misunderstandings in the past, but I also know you really care about Mason. Now that he’s in trouble, you won’t just sit back and do nothing, right?” I let out a cold chuckle in my head. They were buttering me up, trying to squeeze more money out of me. I was already thinking about whether I could borrow more from my parents when Debbie hit me with something even worse. “Savannah, don’t you have that house over in Lakeview? You’re not living in it now, so why don’t you sell it to help with Luke’s treatment? Don’t worry, we’ll remember your kindness. When Luke grows up, he’ll be sure to show you his gratitude.” If I didn’t see their true intentions by now, I’d have to be a complete fool. I glanced at Ryan, noticing how he avoided my gaze. He clearly knew about this. But why should I sell my house? That house was bought for me by my parents before I got married. They poured all their savings into it to give me some security in life. Now they wanted me to sell it? The nerve. It was obvious they had discussed this before I even got home. Before I could respond, Debbie spoke up again, “Ryan agrees with this plan.” I glared at Ryan. “I don’t care what Ryan agreed to. That house is mine. I bought it before we got married. He has no say.” Debbie looked embarrassed for a second, but she didn’t give up. “Why are we even talking about what’s yours and mine? We’re all family, and this is about the Hawley family.” “Savannah, are you still holding a grudge because Mason said some mean things to you before? If that’s the case, I’ll apologize. But Luke’s life is in your hands.” Debbie was trying her best at emotional manipulation. Seeing through their schemes, I finally dropped the pretense and said coldly, “Don’t put that on me, Debbie. I’m just the aunt. Luke has his parents, and you and Grant are his grandparents. If a house has to be sold, why don’t you sell yours?” “That’s ridiculous! We need our house to live in.” “And yours is just sitting there empty. Why are you being so selfish?” So that’s how it was. They were a family, and I was the outsider. Their child was sick, and instead of selling their own home or cars, they expected me, the aunt, to make the sacrifice? Too bad for them, I’m not the pushover they think I am. No matter how much they tried, I refused to agree. In the end, Mason lost his temper and threw his glass on the floor with a loud crash. It startled me, but I stayed quiet. He stormed out, shouting, “Fine, if she won’t help, so be it! It’s not like Luke won’t survive without her.” With that, he slammed the door behind him. Grant banged his fist on the table, yelling, “Our family is cursed! Cursed!” Debbie joined in, crying out, “She doesn’t even consider us family! At a time like this, she’s still thinking about herself. So selfish.” Finally, when they saw there was no winning me over, they left in a huff. Ryan ran after them, but they slammed the door in his face. It was all a disaster. When Ryan came back, he was furious with me. “Savannah, you were way out of line today!” “How could you speak to my parents and brother like that? They’re going through a really hard time.” I raised my eyebrows and snapped back, “Oh, I haven’t even started with you, Ryan. Who do you think you are, agreeing to sell my house? You can’t make that decision! My parents bought me that house. You don’t get a say.” “Your brother has a house and a car. Why isn’t he selling those? Why are your parents’ assets off the table? And you want me to sell mine? Do you think I’m an idiot?” “You think I’m being harsh? I don’t care. Helping him is a kindness, not an obligation. And by the way, $60,000 isn’t nothing. It took us years to save that.” Ryan’s face turned red with embarrassment. He scratched his head. “But they only have that one house. They can’t sell it; where would they live?” Ryan was always like this—kind-hearted but spineless, with no principles. We met in college, and during our dating years, I loved how gentle and caring he was. But when it came to real life, his wishy-washy attitude drove me crazy. I gave him one final warning. “If you go behind my back and do something I can’t accept, we’re done.” 0Even though I had laid down the law with Ryan, I could tell from his expression that this wasn’t over yet. And I was right. One evening after work, I came home to find Ryan showing our house to a couple of strangers—potential buyers. Fury boiled inside me. I waited until they left before I let loose. “What the hell are you doing?” Ryan couldn’t even look me in the eye, but he tried to stand his ground. “If you won’t sell your house, then I’ll sell mine, alright?” I let out a bitter laugh. “Your house? Are you sure this is your house?”

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I bought a house four years ago but never moved in or renovated it. Two years later, I suddenly started receiving utility bills. Confused, I returned to check on the house, only to find strangers living in it! One day, after work, I got a notification on my phone for an overdue utility bill. Staring at the unfamiliar house number on the screen, it took me a moment to realize—I did own a house with that address. It was the house my mom, Sharon Hawkins, had bought for me near my college, thinking I might not enjoy dorm life. But I made a last-minute decision to pursue studies abroad, so the house had been left empty right after renovation. The more I thought about it, the more confused I became. No one should be living in that house, so how on earth were there utility bills? With growing curiosity, I followed the familiar route to Maplewood Heights, the neighborhood where the house was located. … Standing at the front door, I noticed something immediately off. The front door, which I remembered being a dull brown, had been replaced with a brand-new, shiny black security door. I checked the house number again, “808”—yep, this was definitely the right place. Staring at the unfamiliar black door and catching a whiff of a horrible odor leaking from inside, I felt an overwhelming sense of unease. Without hesitation, I called a locksmith. Charlie McIntyre, the locksmith, arrived quickly, giving me a suspicious once-over. “This is your house?” he asked. I quickly pulled out my property deed and ID, handing them over. “Of course! Here are the documents. Check for yourself.” He examined the papers carefully before handing them back, still looking uncertain. “I really need to get inside. How about I pay you an extra hundred?” I offered anxiously. That did the trick. He handed the documents back, crouched down, and opened his toolbox while mumbling, “Strange. Wasn’t the last tenant here an old lady?” “What did you say?” I asked, surprised. Before I could probe further, a sharp voice interrupted behind us. “What do you think you’re doing?!” Before I could react, my shoulder was shoved hard, and a white-haired old woman—Gloria Pittman—charged forward, pointing a finger at the locksmith’s face. “How dare you?! Trying to rob me in broad daylight? In my own home?” Before we could even respond, her hand shot out, scratching Charlie across the face, leaving a deep red mark. He yelped in pain, clutching his nose and pointing at me, “I’m not a thief! He told me to unlock it!” Gloria turned to face me, her eyes scanning me before locking onto the Gold Lion Pendant hanging around my neck. Her expression shifted into one of greed, and she stomped toward me, cursing. “You little punk! Starting a life of crime already? You need a good lesson today!” She lunged at me, reaching out with her claws. I frowned and took a step back, causing her to miss. The old woman immediately changed tactics—collapsing to the ground, dramatically wailing. “Oh Lord, this young man is breaking into my house and now he’s attacking me too! Somebody help me!” Her voice was so loud that the neighbors began poking their heads out of their doors to see what was going on. I’d never seen anything like this in my life. My instinct was to back away, but seeing the crowd, Gloria started screaming even louder. She reached out, clutching at my pant leg, pinning me in place. “You can’t leave! You knocked me down, and now I can’t move! You’ll have to take responsibility!” What?! I hadn’t even touched her! “Ma’am, be careful with your accusations. I haven’t even laid a hand on you! The locksmith can testify!” I said, turning to Charlie for backup, but to my shock, he averted his eyes and remained silent. Gloria’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction as she dug her sharp nails into my leg. “You see? No decent person would back you up. So, how about you compensate me like a good boy?” Her gaze returned to the gold pendant around my neck, her intentions clear as day. With no help in sight, I took a deep breath, calming myself before letting out a small chuckle. “And how exactly do you want me to compensate you?” I asked coolly. Her eyes lit up. She pointed directly at my Gold Lion Pendant. “I can’t even get up without going to the hospital, and that’ll cost at least a couple thousand! But I’m a kind person. Your little gold pendant looks nice. Why don’t you give me that, and we’ll call it even?” I nodded. “Sure, but before I hand it over, could you answer two quick questions?” Blinded by greed, Gloria agreed immediately. “What do you want to know?” I gestured toward the black security door. “Is this your house?” “Of course it’s my house!” she snapped without hesitation. “Oh really? Then how did the house I bought become yours?” Her face froze, and she stammered, “W-what do you mean? I don’t understand!” “I mean, why are you living in my house?” Her eyes flickered with guilt, but she stubbornly pushed back. “This is my house! I’ve been living here for years! Where’s your proof that it’s yours?” “Oh, I’ve got proof.”

I reached into my bag and slowly pulled out the property deed, opening it to the first page and pointing at the owner’s name. There, in bold letters, it clearly said Darren Hawkins. The neighbors around us started murmuring louder. “Wait, so it’s not her house?” “She’s been lying about owning this place all along?” “I thought so. How could that old hag afford a house in this nice neighborhood when she collects trash all day?” Hearing the gossip, Gloria’s face flushed red with anger. She lunged at me, trying to snatch the deed from my hands. I swiftly raised my arm, holding the deed out of her reach with a smirk. “Aren’t you the one who couldn’t even stand up a minute ago? Looks like a miracle recovery to me.” Realizing her mistake, she scowled, pushing me roughly. “I’ve lived here for three years! This house is mine! Who knows where you crawled out from!” I nearly laughed out loud. “So by your logic, if someone lives in a house for three years, it automatically becomes theirs?” “That’s right! If I’m living here, it’s my house!” she shouted. The commotion had finally drawn the attention of Travis Pittman, the security guard. He arrived, looking completely uninterested in the truth. “What’s going on here? Why’s there so much yelling?” Gloria’s eyes lit up again as she pointed at me and wailed, “Thank God you’re here! This guy is trying to break into my house, saying it’s his! You’ve got to help me!” Without asking any questions, Travis shielded her and glared at me. “How’d you get in here? Do you even know where you are? You can’t just harass residents like this!” I’ve dealt with unreasonable people, but this was a new level. I shoved the deed in Travis’s face. “Check again. I am the owner of this house.” When Travis saw the property deed, his expression faltered. Realizing the other neighbors were watching, he tried to snatch the deed from me. But after Gloria’s attempt, I wasn’t about to let anyone grab it. I quickly stepped back. “What do you think you’re doing? I’ll hold it while you look,” I said. Angered, Travis barked, “How do I know if this deed is even real? You probably forged it, trying to steal the house! Get lost!” He moved to shove me, while Gloria used the distraction to unlock the door with her key. The door swung open, and an overpowering stench hit me so hard I nearly vomited. Through the crack in the door, I saw mountains of garbage piled high. A rat squealed as it darted out through the opening. “Ugh!” I recoiled. In the chaos, Gloria slipped inside and slammed the door shut. I started pounding on it, but Travis blocked me, tapping his nightstick threateningly. “Better leave now, or I’ll drag you out myself.” Feeling defeated and with no help from the locksmith, I left, my frustration boiling.

I headed straight to the Maplewood Police Station, hoping for help. But it turned out Gloria was already well known to them. The officer who greeted me looked exasperated. “Yeah, we know her. But there’s not much we can do. She’s old, stubborn, and causes trouble often,” he said, carefully choosing his words. I could read between the lines—Gloria was a nuisance, and the cops didn’t want to deal with her. The officer suggested, “This is more of a civil matter. You’ll have to take it to court if you want the house cleared. The court can enforce eviction.” Court? That could take forever. And meanwhile, my house would keep rotting under piles of garbage. I took a deep breath, an idea forming in my mind. Turning to the officer, I asked, “Officer, is it illegal for me to enter my own property to clean out the trash?” He hesitated but then cleared his throat. “If there’s no lease in place, it’s not illegal. Just don’t hurt anyone.” Perfect. With a newfound sense of determination, I marched out of the police station, ready to take matters into my own hands. As I left, I spotted Gloria peeking into a trash bin down the street, accompanied by Travis. I ducked behind a sign, listening in. “Mom, do you think that guy’s going to take the house back?” “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure he never steps foot inside again,” Travis assured her. Well, well, no wonder Travis had been acting strange. They were in this scam together. The conversation continued. “What if he calls the cops? He’s got the property deed,” Gloria fretted. Travis slapped his chest confidently. “Doesn’t matter. I’ll find a way to steal the deed and destroy it. Uncle Mitch can make us a new one.” I clenched my jaw. These fools actually thought they could win by tearing up the property deed? As the video I’d been recording on my phone ended, I let out a cold laugh. I now knew exactly what I was dealing with. Time to make them pay.

Early the next morning, I timed it perfectly for when Gloria Pittman went out to collect trash, and I stormed into Maplewood Heights with a group of guys at my back. Her son, Randy Pittman, tried to block our way, but the moment he saw the crew of big, burly men behind me, his bravado fizzled out, and he meekly followed us to the door. When we reached the house, I directed my crew, “Break the door open!” As soon as the door swung open, the stench from the day before came rushing out, making us all recoil. What lay before us was an unbelievable sight—mountains of garbage piled high: empty cans, cardboard, foam boxes, and unwashed food containers. What I had seen the day before was just the tip of the iceberg. “Ugh…” I gagged, pinching my nose. “Clear all this out. Every last bit.” I paused for a second and added, “Careful though, stack it neatly by the dumpsters.” I had hired a professional crew, and they didn’t flinch in the face of the overwhelming stench. With gloves on, they got to work efficiently. Meanwhile, Travis Pittman, the security guard, was in the background, making a hushed phone call to alert Gloria. I pretended not to notice. By the time Gloria arrived, lugging her sack of trash, half of her beloved garbage fortress had already been cleared. “Put that down! You thieves! Put it all back!” The fragile, tearful Gloria from the day before was now leaping three feet in the air, screeching as she tried to attack the men moving her precious junk. But before she could land a blow, one of the guys easily grabbed her by the collar, lifted her off the ground, and calmly set her down in the corner of the room. The once brazen woman fell silent, eyes wide as she took in the sight of the strong man’s bulging biceps. Then she spotted me, and the rage returned. She screamed, “You again! I’ll claw your eyes out this time!” She lunged at me, her sharp nails reaching for my face, but once again, she was lifted by the collar and placed aside by my crew. I casually lit a cigarette and called out, “Keep going. Clean the house out. I want the locks changed.” Helpless, Gloria could only scream at her son, Randy, “Call your uncle! Get Mitchell here right now!” My interest was piqued. I decided to let them make the call. I was curious to finally meet the so-called property manager who handed over my house to them.

It wasn’t long before a short, pudgy middle-aged man wearing glasses rushed over. Trailing behind him, to my surprise, were the two police officers from the previous day, Officer Jerome Carter and Officer Lisa Morales. When Gloria saw the property manager, she ran toward him like he was her savior. But before she could say anything, he shoved her aside. Wiping the sweat off his forehead, Mitchell Pittman greeted the police with an obsequious smile, pointing toward me. “Officers, this man has broken into one of our resident’s homes and is removing their belongings without permission!” I had to give him credit. He was trying to flip the script and make me the villain. Officer Carter turned to me, ready for my explanation. “Sir, please explain your side of the situation.” I calmly reached into my bag, pulling out the property deed. “Officers, I didn’t break into their house. I broke into my house.” Before either officer could take the document, Travis, who had been lurking in the background, suddenly darted forward. He snatched the deed from my hand and, before anyone could react, ripped out the page with my name on it and shoved it into his mouth! “What are you doing?!” I shouted. Both officers immediately restrained him, trying to get him to spit out the evidence, but it was too late. He had swallowed the shredded paper. His brazen destruction of the deed was as good as a confession of guilt. Officer Morales glared at Travis, her expression stern. “Sir, you’re under arrest for the destruction of property. You’re coming with us to the station.” “Wait!” Mitchell suddenly interjected, glaring daggers at Travis before stepping forward with a forced smile. “One thing at a time, Officers. I’m the one who called you, so you need to help me first,” he said smoothly. The officers exchanged wary glances, and Mitchell continued, “The property deed was destroyed, and none of us saw what was written on it. There’s no proof this house belongs to this gentleman. We can’t just take his word for it, right?” He threw me a smug look, trying to sow doubt in the officers’ minds. Officer Carter responded coldly, “If the deed is damaged, he can request a new one from the housing authority. They can confirm ownership.” “I understand,” Mitchell said, rubbing his hands together nervously, “but that will take time. In the meantime, shouldn’t we stop him from doing anything else to the property?” The officers seemed unsure. While they didn’t completely buy Mitchell’s story, they were bound by procedure, and they looked at me apologetically. Mitchell’s smirk deepened. He knew that as long as he could stall, he could keep me from reclaiming the house for a bit longer. But I was one step ahead. I lazily waved my hand. “There’s no need to make this complicated.”

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I’m pregnant, and the baby is my ex-boyfriend’s. When his mother found out, she immediately brought me to their five-story mansion. Suddenly, I became a princess, surrounded by love and care. Grandma: “This is a limited edition global jewelry set.” Mother-in-law: “Keep this black card safe. In our family, women manage all the money.” Father-in-law: “Sign this stock transfer agreement. If you think it’s not enough, we can add more!” Running into Jerry and Amelia at the hospital was unexpected. When I was with Jerry, I knew he had a close junior schoolmate. On Jerry’s birthday, Amelia, who was studying abroad, even sent a special video greeting. Seeing how intimate they were, my heart ached. We had only broken up two months ago, and he had moved on so quickly? Even finding a new love. I unconsciously clutched the pregnancy report in my hand, not wanting anyone to see it. Yes, I was pregnant, and the baby was Jerry’s, just over two months along. I watched their matching silhouettes and turned to leave. “Jessica?” Hearing the familiar voice, my whole body froze. I gripped the report in my hand, not daring to move. “Jerry, what’s wrong?” Amelia asked. “Nothing,” Jerry replied in a low voice. I felt a wave of sadness. Jerry truly didn’t love me anymore, treating me like a stranger even upon this reunion. Fine, let’s forget each other then. I walked forward with my head down. “Wait! Jessica.” It was Amelia. I didn’t want to deal with her and quickened my pace slightly. But wearing high heels, I couldn’t walk fast, especially with the baby in my belly. Surprisingly, Amelia caught up with me. She grabbed my hand, forcefully turning me to face her. This was my first time meeting Amelia. She was beautiful and elegant, with bright red lips displaying a kind of bold beauty. Jerry stood beside her, his face cold and expressionless. It was so frustrating. The father of my child was accompanying another woman to the hospital, while I couldn’t even say a word. After considering my words carefully, I finally said, “Do you need something?” Seemingly not expecting this response, Amelia’s face stiffened for a moment. After adjusting her expression, she said, “Of course I do.” She linked her arm with Jerry’s and continued, “I hope you won’t bother Jerry anymore. Only love between people of the same social status can last. You’ll only hold him back.” Amelia’s words hit a sore spot. This was the reason Jerry and I had broken up. Our families were worlds apart. He was the sole heir to a wealthy family, while I was an overlooked girl. My mom had tricked me out of my savings, claiming she needed surgery, but the next day she bought a house for my brother. The day I found out about the stolen savings, I truly felt like I was holding Jerry back. In the heat of the moment, I suggested we break up. I don’t know why, but he was in a bad mood that day too. He only asked once, “Are you sure?” before agreeing to the breakup. We ended our relationship just like that, confused and hurt, until our reunion today. “Amelia, let’s go,” Jerry said, his face dark as if holding something back. How ridiculous! I should be the angry one. If anyone should leave, it should be me first. I left, feeling indignant. As I was going down the stairs, I accidentally missed a step. My heart nearly jumped out of my chest, but luckily, a lady caught me. I grabbed her arm for support. “Are you alright, dear?” The lady continued to support me until I was steady. “I’m fine, thank you so much.” I inadvertently glimpsed the lady’s Hermès Birkin bag and felt a jolt of panic. Thankfully, I hadn’t grabbed that bag earlier – if I had scratched it, I could never afford to pay for the damage. “You dropped this.” She picked up my pregnancy report that had fallen to the ground. Just as I was about to take the report, she paused. “Dear, are you Jessica Snow?” she asked, her tone surprised. I was confused. We didn’t know each other. “Yes, how…” Before I could finish, Jerry’s voice suddenly rang out. “Mom, what are you doing here?” No way, how dramatic could this get? Running into my ex-boyfriend while checking on my pregnancy was one thing, but meeting his mother too? There was no way I could hide my pregnancy now. “Jerry, is this Jessica?” Jerry’s mom’s tone became serious. Jerry’s silence said it all. “How could you be so careless! Such a big thing and you didn’t tell me!” “Jessica, dear, you’re coming home with me right now. Pregnant women need special care. Let me take good care of you.” Mrs. Graham took my hand and was ready to leave. This… this… “Mom, what are you talking about!” Jerry exclaimed. “You naughty boy, I’ll deal with you later!” Mrs. Graham threw my pregnancy report at Jerry. Seeing the report, Jerry looked shocked. Of course, the most interesting facial expression was Amelia’s. Her face turned red, then white, then red again, her lips trembling with anger. “Mother Graham, there must be some misunderstanding. Jerry has already broken up with her,” Amelia said. “Miss Hart, our family matters are none of your business.” Mrs. Graham shot Amelia a sharp glare, causing her to lower her head in fear. “Darling daughter-in-law, will you come home with me?” When Mrs. Graham spoke to me, her voice was incredibly soft, and she looked at me with loving eyes. Faced with such a warm aunt, I really didn’t know how to refuse. So I let her lead me away. By the time I realized what was happening, I was already sitting in Mrs. Graham’s car. The situation had spiraled out of my control. I carefully began, “Mrs. Graham, Jerry and I have indeed broken up. I think it’s better if I stay at my own place. Besides, Jerry has Amelia now, so it’s best if we have less contact.” “Nonsense, silly girl. There’s nothing between Jerry and Amelia, and I would never approve of them being together!” “The reason Jerry is nice to Amelia is because she once saved his life in college. Of course, we’re very grateful to her, and we’ve always granted her requests over the years. That’s fine, but if she’s getting greedy and trying to ruin your relationship with Jerry, making you suffer, I won’t let her get away with it!” “And now that you’re pregnant, it’s our family’s responsibility. We can’t possibly ignore you. If you don’t want to stay at our place, I’ll move in with you.” “Mrs. Graham, this…” “It’s settled then!” I had heard from Jerry before that his mother was a decisive person, and now I truly experienced it firsthand. Calling the moving company, packing luggage, loading the car – the whole process was seamless. I was brought to the Grahams’ five-story mansion in the middle of the night. Jerry wasn’t home. His grandmother and father were there. When I got out of the car, both elders were waiting at the front door, making me feel quite embarrassed. “Hello, Grandma. Hello, Mr. Graham.” I greeted them politely. Mr. Graham smiled and nodded at me. “Good, good! Come here, child.” Grandma Graham warmly beckoned me over. Seeing the old lady still using a cane, I quickly went to support her. The old lady held my hand as we walked into the mansion. The interior decor was simply over the top – European palace style. Once again, I acutely felt the gap between Jerry and me. His family lived in a five-story mansion in the city center, while mine lived in an old, rundown apartment in the suburbs. His father was the CEO of a corporation, while my father was an alcoholic, gambling taxi driver. His mother was a dancer, while my mother was a supermarket clerk. Two people from such different backgrounds, coming together just because they caught each other’s eye at a friend’s birthday party – thinking about it now, it seemed so naive. Moreover, Jerry was the epitome of a handsome guy – 6 feet tall with sharp features. I heard from friends that Jerry had been the campus heartthrob during his school days. What made me feel most inferior wasn’t the economic disparity between our families, but the difference in family atmosphere. The Graham family was warm and loving, while my family members only thought about how to squeeze me dry and leave more for their precious son. A bitter smile crossed my lips. Mrs. Graham’s words brought me back to reality. “Daughter-in-law, you must be tired today. Quickly go upstairs and rest. Your room is on the second floor. I’ve arranged everything for you.” Mrs. Graham took my hand and led me to the room. “Look, do you like it?” Mrs. Graham smiled at me. The moment the door opened, I was truly amazed. An Instagram-worthy princess room, all in pink and white, completely matching my childhood fantasies. There was also a huge wardrobe filled with various Barbie dolls and stuffed animals. I loved Barbie dolls when I was little. Every birthday, I would wish for my mom to buy me one. But my birthday wish was never fulfilled, not even once. She would only buy limited edition Lego sets for my brother, never remembering my existence. Feeling both hurt and touched, my eyes welled up with tears. I looked at Mrs. Graham, unable to speak. “Silly girl, why are you crying? I had this hastily arranged. Do you like it? If not, we can change it.” “Thank you, Mrs. Graham,” I choked out. “No need for thanks, it’s what we should do. I genuinely like you, Jessica. Regardless of your relationship with Jerry, I want to treat you like my own daughter. Jessica, could you not call me Mrs. Graham anymore? Could you call me Mom?” Mrs. Graham said the last sentence very carefully. I couldn’t bear to refuse, especially since Mrs. Graham was truly kind to me. Although it was probably for the baby’s sake, I was still very grateful to her. “Mom,” I said softly. “Yes!” Mrs. Graham smiled happily. “Go rest now. I’ll have someone bring up a glass of warm milk later. Drink it and go to bed early. I’ll be staying next door to you, so call me if you need anything, okay?” That night, I slept very peacefully. The next morning, after breakfast, I was strolling in the Grahams’ garden. The garden was full of roses planted by Mrs. Graham, romantic and gentle. “Jessica Snow! Why are you here!” A sharp female voice, suppressing anger, interrupted my tranquility. I turned to see Amelia holding many nutrition supplements, probably coming to visit the Graham elders. “I don’t think I need to explain myself to you,” I said. Amelia angrily walked towards me, gritting her teeth, “Did you take what I said last time as a joke? If you keep shamelessly clinging to Jerry, don’t blame me for not being polite!” “Oh? Miss Hart, that’s quite a big talk. Tell me, how exactly do you plan to ‘not be polite’? I’d like to see who dares to bully my daughter-in-law in front of me!” Mr. Graham’s voice rang out firmly, his icy face full of authority. Mrs. Graham and Mr. Graham had appeared at some point. Mrs. Graham came over and put her arm around my shoulders, frowning as she looked at Amelia. “Uncle, I didn’t mean…” Amelia said pitifully. “Hmph.” Mr. Graham snorted coldly. “Jessica, come inside with Mom. There’s something I want to discuss with you. Miss Hart, you come in too. It’s better to clear some things up,” Mrs. Graham said. We all walked into the house together. Grandma Graham seemed to be waiting for us in the living room. I sat down next to Mrs. Graham, and then the three elders simultaneously took out something. What they said next completely stunned me. Grandma Graham: “This is a limited edition global jewelry set, a gift for my granddaughter-in-law.” Mrs. Graham: “Keep this black card safe. In our family, women manage all the money.” Mr. Graham: “This is a stock transfer agreement. Sign it, and if you think it’s not enough, we can add more!” Finally, Mrs. Graham said, “This is a small token of our appreciation. We hope you can accept it.” She patted the back of my hand as she spoke. “Mrs… Mom, these things are too valuable,” I said. “It’s nothing, really. This is what our Graham family should do. You don’t need to be polite! As for some people, they shouldn’t have inappropriate thoughts!” Grandma Graham said slowly, clearly hinting at Amelia. Amelia’s face turned red, angry but not daring to speak. “Also, we elders have a suggestion. We hope you and Jerry can get married first. Jessica, when would it be convenient to arrange a meeting with your parents?” Mrs. Graham’s eyes sparkled as she spoke to me. How could I tell her that I had cut ties with my mother? How could I tell her how dysfunctional my original family was? Just as I was hesitating, Jerry appeared. Seeing Jerry, Amelia seemed to have found her backbone. She immediately rushed over, grabbed his hand, and said pitifully, “Jerry, you’re finally back.” Jerry didn’t respond to her, subtly freeing his hand from her grasp. Amelia stepped back awkwardly. Jerry stared straight at me and said firmly, “I don’t agree to marriage. I’ll make my own decisions about my marriage.” After speaking, he turned his head to Amelia and said, “I’ll take you home.” I lowered my head, not wanting to see Jerry being gentle with another woman. “You brat! If you dare walk out that door today, I’ll disown you!” Mr. Graham shouted. Jerry’s footsteps paused for a moment, but then he left without looking back. Amelia ran after him. Jerry didn’t appear all day. To avoid me, he didn’t even want to come home. Perhaps leaving was the better choice. I lay in bed unable to sleep, the image of Jerry leaving with Amelia replaying in my mind. To distract myself, I opened Instagram. The first post was from my aunt: “My sister has moved, congratulations to my nephew on his new house.” Whether I was in that family or not made no difference. I was always the extra one. I closed my eyes, letting tears soak my pillow. The next morning, I opened my eyes groggily to see someone standing by my bed holding breakfast. It startled me. It was Jerry. I didn’t know how long he had been standing there. I thought he had come to make amends, but I was proven wrong. “My mom said pregnant women sleep a lot, so she asked me to come up and see if you were awake. Now that you’re up, eat your breakfast. We need to talk after.” He had stubble on his chin, and he didn’t look well. While I ate breakfast, Jerry sat nearby, staring out the window lost in thought, his brows furrowed. I swallowed the last bite and said, “Jerry, I’m done eating. What did you want to say?” “Do you really want to keep this child?” Jerry looked at me deeply, his eyes filled with emotions I couldn’t understand. “Yes, I want to keep the baby.” “Hah, Jessica Snow. Do you think keeping this child will guarantee you a comfortable life? You’re quite calculating, aren’t you? Such scheming… it must have been tiring for you to pretend all this time by my side.” Jerry’s words angered me. “Jerry Graham! I never planned to tell you about the baby in the first place. Don’t worry, isn’t this what you want – to drive me away? You don’t need to say it, I was planning to leave today anyway! I won’t stay here to bother you!” “Get out of my way.” I pushed past Jerry and started throwing my clothes into my suitcase. Jerry didn’t move, but from the corner of my eye, I saw his fists clenched tight, veins popping out. Our commotion alerted Jerry’s parents. “Jessica, what are you doing?” Mrs. Graham took the clothes from my hands, stopping my actions. Jerry and I were both holding back our anger, not wanting to speak. Mr. Graham’s gaze swept over the luggage on the floor, then looked at Jerry, his face falling. “Jerry Graham! Did you upset Jessica?” Mr. Graham shouted. “Not saying anything, huh? Housekeeper, bring me my golf club. If I don’t teach this boy a lesson today, he’ll never learn how to be a decent person!” “Jerry Graham, get out here!” Jerry was dragged out by his collar. Jerry had told me before that his father was a strict parent. When he was young, he was quite mischievous and often got beaten. But after his teenage years, his father never physically disciplined him again. Today, Mr. Graham must have been truly angered. Mr. Graham’s trust in me gave me a bit of comfort, but Jerry’s hurtful words still pained me deeply, like knives stabbing into my heart. Perhaps it was because of the pregnancy, but I was more emotional than usual. Large tears rolled down my cheeks. Mrs. Graham hugged me sympathetically, gently patting my back, saying, “Jessica, don’t be angry. It’s all that silly boy’s fault. I’ll make him apologize to you! He’ll kneel on durian if he has to! Later, I’ll show you his embarrassing childhood photos. If he dares to upset you again, we’ll post them on Instagram and let him be humiliated!” I was crying and hiccuping, but Mrs. Graham’s words made me laugh. Putting Jerry aside, having such a mother-in-law would truly be a blessing. In the afternoon, while taking a walk in the park with Mrs. Graham, I once again brought up the idea of moving out. Mrs. Graham refused no matter what. In the end, we both compromised. I would continue to stay at the Graham house, but I wouldn’t accept the gifts they had given me. Jerry and I had already broken up, and I couldn’t accept things from his family without clarity. Mrs. Graham couldn’t persuade me otherwise, so she had to compromise, saying she would keep the gifts for me until Jerry and I got married. Jerry and I… could we really get married? When I entered my room that night, I found that my bed had been changed to a bunk bed. Was Mrs. Graham planning to move in and sleep with me? The next second, Jerry entered with a sullen face. “I’m sorry. You’re pregnant now, and your emotions shouldn’t be agitated.” What an insincere apology. “If there’s nothing else, I’m leaving,” Jerry said, abruptly opening the door. “Ouch.” Mrs. Graham, who had been eavesdropping outside, almost fell over. “Mom, what are you doing?” “Smack.” A crisp sound as Mrs. Graham’s hand hit Jerry’s back. “Jerry Graham, can’t you be more sincere!” “And where do you think you’re going? Starting from today, you’ll be sharing a room with Jessica.” “What?” Jerry and I exclaimed simultaneously. “You don’t need to go to the company for now. Just focus on taking good care of Jessica.” “Impossible! I won’t accept this!” Jerry reacted strongly. “If you don’t accept it, then get out!” “Fine, fine, I’ll leave. I don’t even know who your real child is anymore!” His tone… why did it sound a bit hurt and jealous? Jerry really did leave, and he didn’t appear for several weeks. Days passed uneventfully. During my time at the Graham house, I deeply felt the warmth of a family. Mrs. Graham prepared nutritious meals for me every day, trying different recipes. Grandma Graham and Mrs. Graham, afraid I might get bored, accompanied me in flower arranging, playing chess, chatting, and taking walks. Although Mr. Graham was more serious, he also cared about me, occasionally bringing home some nutritional supplements. I became increasingly attached to this place, not wanting to leave. But I knew it was impossible, after all, Jerry hated me so much. Thinking of this, I sighed helplessly. “Jessica, what are you thinking about?” Mrs. Graham asked. “Nothing,” I shook my head with a smile. “Then why don’t you come with me for a beauty treatment this afternoon!” “Sure.” Only when we arrived at the beauty salon did I realize that Mrs. Graham wasn’t really there for a beauty treatment. She was there to introduce me to the family! Jerry’s aunts sat in a row, smiling at me. Being stared at by a group of rich ladies, who could understand this feeling! “Jessica, this is Jerry’s eldest aunt.” “Hello, eldest aunt.” “This is Jerry’s second aunt.” “Hello, second aunt.” “This is Jerry’s…” … Mrs. Graham led me to greet everyone. I smiled and nodded the whole time, my face almost stiff. By the end of the round, not only had I become familiar with everyone, but I had also received a pile of gifts. During this time, I endured many exaggerated compliments. “This young lady looks like she’s destined for good fortune. The Graham family will surely prosper even more with her!” “The girl is as beautiful as an angel.” … By the end, I was embarrassed and found an excuse to step out for some air. Coincidentally, as I stood on the second floor, I saw Amelia walking out of a coffee shop across the street on the first floor. There was nothing strange about Amelia appearing at a coffee shop. What shocked me was the woman following behind Amelia. It was my mom! The two walked out of the coffee shop one after another, exchanging a few words before parting. How did they know each other!

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294898”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring #重生Reborn #校园School #浪漫Romance #擦边Steamy #惊悚Thriller #魔幻Magic #玄幻Fantsy

Jack’s childhood friend turned into a social media influencer while I was away. She snuck into my room when I wasn’t home, guessed my computer password, and copied all my paid novels onto her phone. Then she posted them online for free. Overnight, she gained tens of thousands of followers. The next day, when I confronted her, she smirked and said, “What’s wrong, old lady? Jealous that I’m making money now?” Jack walked in just as Lily and I were in the middle of a heated argument. Well, to be more accurate, Lily was the one doing all the yelling. I realized she was like a madwoman from an asylum – completely impossible to reason with. “If you can write stories as a side gig, why can’t I promote them?” she sneered. “What’s wrong, old lady? Jealous that I’m making money now?” My initial anger at her accusations gradually turned to stunned silence as I listened to her increasingly unhinged ranting. Lily used to be Jack’s neighbor and in his words, was just an innocent, lively young girl. After graduating, she moved to our city for work. Being new and unfamiliar with the place, she had come to stay with him. My newly purchased apartment had two bedrooms. Jack suggested letting Lily stay temporarily until her internship ended in a few months. “Lena, it’ll be three months max. Just think of it as doing me a favor,” he pleaded. At first, I refused. After all, who wants to live with a stranger? But then I reconsidered. When I first moved here, I had no one and went through many hardships. If I could help someone else out, why not? It was only for three months after all. I didn’t even charge her rent. Little did I know I was inviting a wolf into my home. One time Lily’s laptop broke down when she urgently needed to revise a proposal. She was in tears, so I softened and lent her my computer. Afterwards, I forgot to change the password. Who knew that would plant the seeds of disaster? Seeing Jack arrive, Lily immediately transformed into a sweet, demure girl – a complete 180 from her nasty attitude just moments ago. She lowered her slightly damp lashes, sniffled, and said softly, “Jack, there are so many novel promotion accounts online. Why is Lena picking on me specifically? Doesn’t she want people to promote her work?” Jack was silent for a moment, his brow furrowed. “Normally, social media influencers don’t post an author’s entire work. That’s quite…” He paused, searching for the right word. “…disrespectful.” Hah. I laughed bitterly. So unethical behavior is just “disrespectful” now? Hearing this, Lily hung her head and mumbled, “Okay, I was wrong then.” She took a deep breath and when she looked up again, she was back to her innocent, carefree persona. With a bright smile, she chirped, “Let’s go get dinner! My treat, as an apology to Lena.” Apology? Who does she think she’s fooling? I sat on the couch and smiled at her. “Lily, first you need to delete all the videos. Then return the money you earned from the views to me. Finally, post a public apology statement.” “That would be a real apology.” Lily stared at me in disbelief, her voice suddenly rising. “Lena, you’re going too far!” Going too far? How ridiculous. I pulled up the videos from my phone gallery and handed it to her expressionlessly. Instantly, Lily’s face froze. Jack, not knowing what was happening, curiously leaned over to look. Soon his brows furrowed, a deeply disappointed expression on his face as he glanced at Lily, seemingly at a loss for words. The videos showed all of Lily’s misdeeds in my room when I was away. Not only did she steal my manuscripts, she also wore my clothes, used my skincare products, spat on my bedsheets and pillowcases, and even took my jewelry. At first when I noticed things amiss, I had suspected Lily but had no proof. Who knew that just three days after installing hidden cameras, I’d capture so much incriminating footage? Lily’s face turned beet red with shame. She looked at Jack with teary eyes, shaking her head. “I… I didn’t…” But she couldn’t come up with any excuses. In a fit of rage, she deleted the video and tossed the phone onto the couch, glaring at me defiantly. I savored Lily’s smug expression with amusement, speaking slowly. “No worries, I have plenty of backup copies. Lily, if you don’t meet my demands, I’ll have no choice but to hand this over to the police. After all, there’s clear evidence of theft.” I paused, then added, “That Cartier necklace wasn’t worth much, but is it really worth getting a criminal record over?” Lily was utterly humiliated and furious. Biting her lip, she had no choice but to delete the videos, return the money she’d earned, and post an apology statement under my increasingly impatient gaze. As for the Cartier necklace, Lily claimed she had already sold it on eBay for $50. …Well, no matter. She can just compensate me for the full price then.

When Lily moved out, she sneered that I was obsessed with money. I lazily raised an eyebrow, replying nonchalantly, “Still better than being brainless like you.” She glared at me fiercely, at a loss for words. Not long after, Lily posted on Instagram. The photo showed her on a balcony at dusk, gazing into the distance. Her delicate profile was bathed in the fading light, hair gently blowing in the breeze. It had a tranquil, poetic quality. The caption read: “Grateful for the shelter. Looking forward to what’s ahead.” I knew that balcony all too well – it was at Jack’s place. An indescribable chill ran through me. It was nauseating. If that’s how it was going to be, why bother dumping this idiot on me in the first place? Utterly ridiculous! I coldly texted Jack asking what the hell was going on. Moments later, Jack called. He sounded flustered. “Lena, Lily had to move out so suddenly and couldn’t find a place. I couldn’t just let her end up on the streets.” It sounded like he was blaming me for kicking her out. I asked, “Are there no hotels?” Jack sighed softly. “It’s not safe for a young woman to stay at a hotel alone. Lena, Lily’s young and naive. She knows she was wrong. Just let it go, okay?” I was speechless. One loved stealing, the other loved twisting words. These two really did have a future together. “Jack, Lily may be five years younger than me, but even five years ago I would never have done what she did. And I certainly wouldn’t be living with someone else’s boyfriend.” I paused, then said, “Let’s break up.” There was silence on the other end. I lost patience and hung up. Actually, I’d been planning to end this relationship for a while now. Lily had paid me back $3000 in total. I knew full well who had really given her that money. But I didn’t care anymore. Whatever, money in my pocket was what mattered most. Good riddance to trashy men. Jack and I had been introduced by our parents. His dad and my dad were classmates. At a reunion, they discovered their kids were working in the same city and both single, so they exchanged our contact info. Jack and I got to know each other for a while before becoming a couple. He gave me the impression of a jade stone sealed in a box – plain and dull, occasionally glimmering. But after this incident, I saw clearly that the so-called “jade” was nothing but shards from a shattered beer bottle – ugly and stained. I know no one’s perfect. So I could accept Jack’s weak personality and indecisiveness. But I couldn’t accept how he completely stood by when I was being bullied. Even with evidence right in front of him, he didn’t say a single word in my defense. And I definitely couldn’t accept that deep down, he favored another woman. Call it stupidity or favoritism, I didn’t want to entrust myself to a man like that. After we broke up, Jack called me many times and sent lots of long messages. Just looking at them made my eyes hurt. I never responded and blocked him directly. One night I got a call from an unknown number. The person on the other end seemed drunk, slurring, “Lena, did you… hic… did you find some rich guy?” I was stunned for a moment, then laughed mockingly. “No, I just don’t like men who are too short. In any sense of the word.” Jack choked, then angrily hung up. He knew full well why we broke up, but admitting fault was too difficult. Shifting blame was so much easier. Recently I took on a new project at work. Our whole team was working around the clock, practically day and night. It wasn’t until half a month later that we finally wrapped things up. I stretched lazily in the office, feeling immensely relieved. Thinking of the year-end bonus made me break into a smile. Suddenly my phone buzzed. It was a photo from my friend Samantha. In an upscale restaurant, Jack and Lily were acting intimately, gazing at each other with eyes full of endless affection. “Lena, you were right to break up! That scumbag moved on without missing a beat! It’s so gross I can’t even eat!” To be honest, I felt completely calm. It was like watching random strangers on the street – not a ripple of emotion. I replied: “Whatever. You can’t hold onto someone who wants to leave. And those who stay won’t go anywhere.” I strolled down the street. The night wind surged fiercely yet tenderly, blowing away the last warmth of late summer. It also bid farewell to a relationship that was never meant to be mine. At least, that’s what I thought.

The project was completed beautifully. Our boss, understanding how hard the team had worked, gave us a few extra days off after we finished wrapping things up. I had been so exhausted that I was sound asleep at home when I was suddenly woken by loud knocking. I opened the door to find Jack. His eyes were rimmed with red, his expression dazed. He reeked of alcohol. Leaning against the doorframe, he looked down at me and smiled. “Lena, long time no see.” I eyed him warily. “What are you doing here?” But Jack didn’t answer. He tried to come inside, but he was so drunk he could barely stand. I kicked him out without hesitation. I slammed the door shut. Outside, Jack’s voice came through like a dog barking. He kept yelling for me to open the door, to see him, to give him another chance to start over. Drunk words, sober thoughts. A man who seemed so honest and steady on the surface was actually a fickle playboy at heart. I couldn’t help but feel grateful I’d gotten out of that mess in time. It was 11:30 PM. The neighbors were all asleep. Jack’s hoarse voice echoed in the hallway like an curse, shattering the night’s peace. I warned him, “If you don’t leave, I’m calling the police!” There was a moment of silence outside, then his dismissive voice: “Hah, I don’t believe you.” Fifteen minutes later, the police arrived. … When Lily came to pick Jack up, he was already half sober, hanging his head in silence. Lily glared at me with disgust. “Lena, are you some kind of ghost or succubus? Why are you still trying to seduce other people’s boyfriends?” I couldn’t help but laugh. “If your boyfriend hadn’t shown up drunk in the middle of the night begging me to take him back, forcing me to call the police, why would you be here picking him up from the station?” “You…!” Lily bit her lip hard, shooting a disappointed look at Jack before turning her anger back to me. “Keep dreaming! He just came to settle accounts after you scammed him out of so much money!” I froze. The police officer frowned. “Scammed?” Lily snatched Jack’s phone and pulled up records of all the money he’d spent on me over the past six months. Gifts for various holidays, meals he paid for, travel tickets, hotel bookings… all sorts of odds and ends. “Lena, since you’ve already broken up with Jack, shouldn’t you return everything you owe? Don’t take advantage of my boyfriend!” The police officer’s expression was hard to read. He glanced at me, his eyes conveying either sympathy for my situation or relief that I’d gotten out of it. I smiled bitterly and shook my head, immediately pulling up my own records of purchases – men’s belts, watches, wallets and more that I’d bought from high-end stores. “You’re right, we should settle accounts.” Just a quick comparison of the prices made it clear who owed who, without even needing a calculator. Lily was furious, especially when she realized the suit jacket and shoes Jack was wearing were ones I’d bought. Her face turned an ugly shade of purple. She took a breath, then sneered, “So you were the one throwing yourself at him.” Jack, that rotten piece of wood, finally spoke up. Looking at me, he nodded. “That’s right, she was.” I didn’t want to waste energy arguing. I also didn’t want to get involved in this mess anymore. I accepted the officer’s mediation, but before leaving, I asked for a copy of the police report. As I came out, the streetlights on both sides had gone dark. The night curtain was being pulled back, revealing the faint white of dawn. Lily had thrown Jack’s shoes and jacket in the trash. He stood by the road waiting for a ride in his socks and shirt, shivering from the cold. As I passed by them, I overheard Lily making a few sarcastic remarks, all aimed at me. Even though it was clearly the man who had shown up uninvited, she blamed me instead. I wasn’t sure if she was deluding herself or just blind to the situation. As for Jack, he neither refuted nor agreed, remaining silent with a complex expression. I quickly got in my car and left. Even looking at them for another second made me feel sick to my stomach. Besides the childhood bond, what Jack liked most about Lily was feeling adored and depended on. It gave him a sense of superiority he never got from me.

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My gold-digging sister-in-law suddenly seemed like a different person. Watching her and my brother act out the drama of a domineering CEO’s marriage before love every day, I was grateful that at least my husband was a normal person. One day, my sister-in-law suddenly asked me curiously why I would marry someone I didn’t love. I was confused. It turns out my husband had always thought he had forcefully taken me as his wife? My sister-in-law, Lily Evans, was known to everyone as a manipulative social climber. A few days ago, she had just married my brother Ethan. But it was Emma, Lily’s sister, who had been Ethan’s long-time crush. My parents were a bit unhappy about the marriage, but I thought it was Ethan’s own decision. Unexpectedly, after the wedding, Lily seemed to have become a different person, and her reputation gradually improved. Today, Ethan brought Lily back to our family home for the first time. She behaved very appropriately, and my parents finally felt a little relieved. Lucas had left on a business trip the day before yesterday, so he didn’t come with me this time. After dinner, Lily casually offered to drive me home. My parents frantically signaled to me with their eyes, hoping I would agree so that I could judge her character more. I agreed indifferently. In the car, there was silence all the way. I was used to such situations, but she seemed to be having a hard time with it. When she failed to start a conversation for the third time, I sighed. “You don’t need to try to make small talk with me. I won’t interfere with Ethan’s marriage.” Lily smiled awkwardly, “I’m sorry, it’s my first time being alone with you, and I’m a bit nervous.” I turned my head to look out the window, “It’s okay, many people don’t like to be alone with me.” Due to being kidnapped as a child, I suffer from emotional deficiency. For example, right now, I understand that we should be chatting about something, but I don’t actually feel awkward. “I don’t dislike it!” Lily firmly refuted, “On the contrary, I really like you. It’s just…” “This question might be a bit intrusive.” Her fingers tightened on the steering wheel, “I don’t understand, why did you marry someone you don’t love?” “What?” I heard every word clearly, but I didn’t understand what she meant. “I think you’re a very independent person, I don’t believe you would accept an arranged marriage.” I was unusually stunned, “Lucas and I fell in love naturally, what arranged marriage?” Lily also realized something was wrong, “Did I misunderstand?” I nodded. Who spread such rumors? As we got out of the car, Lily seemed to want to say something but hesitated. I unbuckled my seatbelt, “You don’t need to take today’s conversation to heart. I don’t participate much in social interactions, so it’s normal for outsiders to misunderstand.” “Sister…” Lily called out to me, as if finally making up her mind, “It’s not outsiders who think you don’t love Lucas, it’s Lucas himself…” My hand paused as I was opening the door. “I really like you, and I know you won’t tell others.” Lily looked at me sincerely with her big eyes, “Actually, this is all from a book. I accidentally traveled through time and came here.”

As I connected a video call with Lucas, I was still thinking about Lily’s words. She said that everyone thought I didn’t care about marriage. Lucas loved me, and my parents and Ethan thought Lucas was a reliable person, so when Lucas proposed an arranged marriage, my family agreed. She also said that she thought the same when she was reading the book. My eyebrows furrowed uncontrollably. I may have some degree of emotional deficiency, but I’m not completely ignorant of human relationships and social norms. Lucas and I met in college, confirmed our relationship in the second semester of our sophomore year, got married after graduating, and have been happily married for eight years now. How could Lucas possibly not know that I love him? “Aria, is something wrong?” Lucas’s gentle voice came through the speaker, interrupting my thoughts. I focused my eyes on Lucas’s handsome face on the screen, “Sorry, I was lost in thought about something else.” Lucas slightly pursed his lips, “It’s okay, if Aria has other things to do, you can go ahead, I don’t mind.” In the past, I only thought this was his little habit, but now I sensed something off about it. “Honey.” I called out to him, and Lucas immediately smiled with his eyes narrowed. I glanced at my expressionless face reflected in the camera. It seems that it might indeed be possible? “I love you.” My emotionless words floated in the empty room. In the video, Lucas was stunned for a moment. I looked at his slightly widened eyes, feeling it was a bit cute. But after a few seconds, the image shook, and with a “click”, it went black. After a few minutes, a landline number called my phone. Lucas’s voice was slightly hoarse, “Aria, did something happen at home today?” “Nothing.” Since he might not know, I might as well tell him now. There was silence on the other end for a while, then a forced laugh, “I know, it’s okay.” What kind of nonsensical answer is this? Before I could ask, Lucas suddenly said, “It’s getting late, you should rest early.” Then he hung up the phone. This was the first time he had ever hung up on me, and I was confused. I called back, but it was rejected. Lying in bed, I was genuinely puzzled. Could it be that Lucas actually thought his marriage to me was something he had forcefully obtained?

I had planned to book a flight to find Lucas, but unexpectedly, he came back early the next morning. I was groggily going downstairs when I bumped into him coming up. Lucas gently rubbed my forehead where we had collided, “Did it hurt? Did I wake you up?” I shook my head slightly, removing his hand before answering the latter question, “I heard a noise and guessed you were back.” Lucas smiled, carrying me back to bed, “Want to sleep a bit more? I’ll go take a shower and change clothes.” I nodded, thinking this was a simple thing that just required a verbal response, so I wasn’t in a hurry. Half-asleep, I heard the bedroom door open and close, but didn’t feel him come to bed. I opened my eyes, and Lucas was standing bent over by the bed, looking at me tenderly. The corners of his mouth were curved up just right, but unfortunately, I couldn’t ignore those melancholic eyes, “The company still has some business, I have to go.” “Have you been very busy lately?” Lucas nodded, “I’ll be staying at the apartment for the next few days, so I won’t be coming back home.” I was instantly wide awake. The apartment was closer to the company, and sometimes when he was too busy, he would rest there. But I hadn’t heard of any project being so busy lately.

As if to prove that he was really busy lately, Lucas hadn’t let me see him in person. The development of the situation was beyond my expectations. It seemed that this issue couldn’t be resolved just by talking. I made an appointment with Lily and briefly explained my predicament. She said I should take the initiative. I pondered over it for a night after returning home, and came up with an idea. Lucas had mentioned a while ago that a junior from my Ph.D. program had recently joined his company, Xun Yao. I scrolled through my contact list. Ryan, that was him. After chatting briefly, Ryan agreed to help me get a job at Xun Yao. I specifically instructed him not to reveal too much of my information, saying I would discuss the details with the boss in person. Ryan was a bit confused, but I didn’t want to expose that I was going to resolve marital issues. Fortunately, Ryan was familiar with my personality and didn’t ask further.

On the day of the interview, I arrived at Xun Yao early and contacted Ryan. Ryan led me to an office, “Senior, please wait for a moment. The CEO will be here in about half an hour.” Ryan held a high position and wasn’t in a hurry to get back to work. He sat down next to me, “Senior, why did you suddenly decide to look for a job?” “I need to take care of some things recently.” Ryan had a boyish charm, and now he smiled, still looking youthful, “Back then, when you didn’t continue academic research or enter the industry, Professor Gao was so upset. He kept talking about you afterwards.” Professor Gao was my advisor. He had hoped I would stay in his team after graduation, but I refused. “I was too tired at that time. I didn’t like such a dull life.” I took a sip of tea, “Professor Gao probably wasn’t really that regretful about me, he just felt it was convenient to have me do work for him.” “Senior, you’re still so straightforward. But,” Ryan laughed, then suddenly changed the subject, “I heard from Professor Gao that it was because your husband wanted you to stay at home.” “Could it be that he regrets it now and wants you to go out and earn money?” Ryan smiled mischievously. I raised an eyebrow slightly, “Professor Gao said that?” The old man wouldn’t be that idle. Ryan’s hand holding the teacup paused, his smile fading as he awkwardly scratched his head, “No, I made that up.” “I was just curious. Back then, which of our classmates wasn’t curious about your love life?” Ryan put his hands together, almost pleading, “I finally get to see you again, let me pry a little.” The corners of my mouth curved slightly. Among our classmates back then, Ryan was the most favored. One reason was his face, and the other was this mischievous personality that was hard to dislike. Although I only had superficial relationships with everyone, Ryan acted as if we were still close. I was about to answer when the office door was pulled open from the outside. Lucas stood at the door with a serious face, looking at us with an indescribable expression. Ryan quickly stood up and introduced us to each other. I reached out my hand and said calmly, “Good morning, Mr. Ward.” Perhaps thinking my usual toneless voice might seem disrespectful, Ryan kindly explained for me: “Boss, due to a physical condition, my senior’s tone and expressions might be a bit flat. She doesn’t mean any disrespect.” Lucas gave an almost inaudible “Mm” and lightly shook my hand, letting go quickly. I had never been to Xun Yao before, but his assistant Zhang Ke knew me. Now he stood behind Lucas, a flash of shock crossing his face. But with his good professional qualities, he quickly returned to normal. “Miss Hayes, if there’s no problem, we can start the interview now.” I nodded. Zhang Ke turned around, “Mr. Lee, you can go back to work now.” As soon as Ryan left, Lucas calmly spoke, “You can go out too.” Zhang Ke wasn’t surprised, “Then I’ll go back upstairs.” As soon as the door closed, Lucas smiled helplessly, “What made you decide to interview at Xun Yao like this?” I stared straight at him, answering a different question, “You’ve been avoiding me.” Lucas’s body stiffened, and he didn’t speak. I stepped forward, approaching him with slightly furrowed brows, “Why?” Even if he didn’t believe my words, he could have interacted with me as usual. Under Lucas’s complex gaze, I leaned into his embrace, “Don’t avoid me.” I had tried very hard to learn how to discern people’s emotional changes. But in the end, I found that the input-output ratio of this task was so low. I don’t care about most people’s opinions of me. But I can’t not care about Lucas. Lucas let out a light sigh, cupping my face with both hands, and said gently: “How could I bear to avoid you?” I stared at him steadily. Liar. Lucas’s lips tightened slightly, and after a long while, he gently hugged me back to him, “I’m sorry.” I leaned on his shoulder, looking at his beautiful neck. I pressed my hand against his Adam’s apple, and Lucas involuntarily swallowed. My finger slid along with it. “Lucas, I don’t want ‘sorry’.” Apologies don’t have much use for me, as I don’t derive psychological comfort from them. “Okay, it won’t happen again.” For some reason, I heard a hint of bitterness in his tone. “Never mind.” I comforted him, wrapping my arms around his neck and resting my head on his shoulder dependently. Actually, it’s okay if it happens again. After all these years, I didn’t know that due to my emotional deficiency, he had been fumbling through this relationship for eight years. There are some things I can’t change, so I should at least give him a chance to breathe. Suddenly, a cold liquid flowed down my neck. Lucas spoke softly, but still couldn’t control the crying in his voice, “I don’t want to let it go.” I was stunned and quickly raised my head. The man in front of me had red-rimmed eyes, tears filling them to the brim. I stared at him blankly, full of confusion, “Why are you crying?” Lucas turned his face away, not letting me see, “I’m not.” My brain was spinning frantically, “You don’t want to let it go? Okay, then as you wish, it won’t happen again.” Lucas’s pupils dilated, and he suddenly turned to look at me. I gently wiped away the tears on his face. It was the first time I’d seen him cry. It was quite cute, so different from his usual self. “You mean let this matter go?” I nodded matter-of-factly. What else could it be?

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My sister-in-law lies. She said her family has millions and owns villas all over the country. She can give them a retirement. She told my sister her family has an entertainment company and can arrange for her to meet male celebrities. She married into our family. When I’ve asked her about all the things she said before, she would cry and say I’m ‘cruel’ and don’t treat her as a family member. In the summer, she took us abroad on a plane. I said I had to study for exams. My family told me I was doing the wrong thing. But only I know-they’ll be killed on a live stream once they go abroad. Now that I’ve been reborn, I’m not going with them to die! ‘Mom, dad, I’ve made the arrangements. Once Doris is on break, we’ll charter a plane and take a trip.’ I opened my eyes and heard these words. The pain spread through my body. My mum hugged my sister-in-law with excitement. Dad’s eyes were glowing, he was excited. ‘Rae, you’re great! My wife has never been abroad! Bernard is lucky to have you as his wife.’ Rae looked at me with malice and greed. I stiffened. I felt a coldness crawl up my spine and shivered. It was her! The woman who got us all killed with her twisted tricks in my past life. I took Rae’s arm and thought freely, despite my fear. ‘You’re so nice, Rae.’ All my classmates have been abroad, I’ve wanted to go for a long time!’ ‘I’m going to buy foreign snacks, clothes, and cosmetics, and show them to my housemates!’ ‘And a necklace, Rae, you’ll buy it for me, right?’ My mum slapped me when she heard this, and said, ‘You little girl! How dare you spend Rae’s money?’ ‘You’ll stay at home and guard the house during the summer holidays!’ ‘Stay here!’ My mother stopped me from enjoying anything good. My brother looked at me and sneered. ‘My wife’s money is also mine. Why are you spending it?’ I shouted, crying. ‘Mum and Dad, I want to go. Why can’t I go?’ My mum snorted and grabbed my hair, glaring at me. ‘You worthless girl, do you think you deserve the good things in your life?’ I bowed my head to endure the pain, trembling. It wasn’t fear, it was excitement. Only by doing this would they give up on taking me with them. Then, they’d meet the end they deserve, with no way out. In my last life, I didn’t want to go, but they made me. If I acted interested in money and luxury, my mother would never let me go. Seeing that I stayed silent, they all left. I put an ice pack on my face and thought about my past life. I had two brothers and a sister who’s a year younger than me. My family was poor until my younger sister Doris was born and my father became rich. They thought my sister was a blessing and pampered her. My brother got the family fortune. I was ignored and even beaten up. It wasn’t until my brother got married that I met the first person who was kind to me. My sister-in-law was young, pretty, kind, smart and rich. She said she had villas all over the country, so my parents could find a place to retire. She said her family owned an entertainment company and can arrange for my sister to meet her favourite male celebrity. She said she could get me a job in the company even if I didn’t pass my exams. I refused because my sister-in-law wasn’t as rich as she said. She lied to our family. But whenever I raised any doubts, she’d tearfully accuse me of being heartless and not treating her like family. And my parents, along with my brother and sister, would scold me, calling me ungrateful and saying I didn’t know how to appreciate good things. My sister-in-law took us abroad by plane during the summer holidays. As soon as we landed, we were kidnapped and thrown into the forest. After a week in the forest, we ran out of food. Suddenly, supplies appeared and we ended up fighting each other for them. Then the kidnappers came and one of us had to be sacrificed to escape. I was the one chosen. I was abused. After I died, I became a ghost to follow them. My sister-in-law and others arranged the death broadcast. Many people watched and bet on how we died. My sister-in-law isn’t rich. She was just a criminal, staging an elaborate scheme to get rich fast. In this life, I’ll watch the family kill each other!

My sister went on holiday too. She hugged and pampered her sister-in-law as soon as she heard the news. ‘Rae, you’re amazing. I’ve always wanted to go abroad. I’ll show off to my college friends when I get there!’ My mum smiled as she sat next to me on melon seeds. ‘Ask Rae to buy you some designer clothes so your friends can really be jealous. If you need more money, just ask me.’ My sister jumped into my mum’s arms and laughed. I was cooking for the family, ignoring the happy outside. My sister-in-law shouted at me, ‘Hilda, we’re leaving tomorrow, pack up.’ My sister looked unhappy and complained, ‘Why bring her? Every time she’s with us, it ruins the fun.’ My mum stared at me, signaling that I shouldn’t respond to the invitation. I didn’t say anything and continued preparing dinner. At the dinner table, the family talked about where to go and what to buy. I ate in silence, longing showing in my eyes. My sister-in-law smiled and put a piece of vegetable in my bowl. I blushed and didn’t eat. My brother watched and scolded me, ‘Hilda, what’s wrong with you? Rae’s been so nice to you and you don’t know how to be grateful? ’ My sister muttered under her breath, ‘Ungrateful brat.’ My parents looked unhappy too. I ate it all. My body broke out in a rash, my face was flushed, and I was breathing rapidly. My family took me to the hospital. I was allergic. My sister-in-law’s eyes were red and she was blaming herself. ‘Oh Hilda, I’m sorry.’ My brother looked at me like I did something wrong. ‘Why didn’t you say you were allergic? Now you’ve made Rae blamed herself.’ He made me eat the food. I was cold and shivering. Rae glared at my brother. I held Rae’s hand and cried, ‘Rae, I want to go on the trip too.’ I was so strong, Rae barely keep a scowl on her face. My sister got upset and shouted when she heard me. ‘No way! You can’t go. You’re allergic, so we’ll have to take care of you on the way.’ I vomited as soon as she said that. My sister’s shoes were covered in vomit, and she cried, ‘Mum, Dad! How is Hilda supposed to go? I don’t want to go on vacation if I have to take care of a sick person.’ My dad’s face darkened as he played. ‘Stay home and take care of yourself.’ My sister looked at me smugly. Rae comforted me, ‘Hilda, when you’re better, I’ll take you there again.’ I looked at her with gratitude. Grateful that she would bring down and kill this entire family of demons. They have no reason to take me out of the country and I can escape being killed. They’re going to suffer. After I finished the potion, my parents took me home. My parents cooked a meal together to celebrate their trip abroad tomorrow. I had just finished vomiting, so I could only eat a little rice. After eating, I went to bed.

My mum shouted again, ‘Hilda. Don’t think being sick gets you out of work. Get out here and pack Doris’ bags.’ My sister, lounging on the couch, said casually, ‘Mum, I don’t want Hilda Packing for me. She has no taste. If she packs something ugly, how am I supposed to take nice photos? She waved dismissively, ‘I’ll just tell her what to pack instead.’ My sister’s room was bigger and better decorated than mine. My parents were biased. She and I were a year apart. My dad got rich after she was born, so my parents coddled her. When I was little, she had floral dresses, while I had patchy trousers. When I grew up, I could have gone to the best school, but my parents didn’t want to pay for living expenses and high-speed train tickets, so I stayed at the local university. But when my sister couldn’t even get into a regular college, they paid for her to attend an expensive private school with annual tuition in the tens of thousands. At that point, money wasn’t an issue for them anymore. They just didn’t want to spend it on me. I smiled. My sister sat on the bed and told me what to do. ‘Bring these together.’ ‘And the make-up and skincare products on my desk.’ I put them into Doris’ suitcase. My sister stopped, came close and smiled. ‘Hilda, mum and dad bought these for me. Don’t be envious. Mum and dad love me, not you. I thought to myself, that’s fine. Soon, you’ll all die together, and your little family will be perfectly reunited in the hell. Right? Thinking of this, I bit my cheek and offered a sincere suggestion. ‘Doris, look, all this stuff is too heavy to bring on the plane. Why don’t you just leave it behind? Rae will buy you all the designer brands when you arrive there anyway, Isn’t that right?’ I added, ‘I’ve never had designer brands before, I’m really jealous.’ My sister was happy when I complimented her. She thought for a moment, then ran to mom and whining sweetly. My mum patted her head and nodded. A loving mother. My sister got permission and ran to my brother. My brother was happy to stop packing. They were lazy and greedy. The next morning, they left. Before leaving, my mum kept reminding me. ‘The air conditioner can only be used for two hours a day. If there’s nothing going on, don’t stay home and waste electricity. It’s not good to always let your parents support you when you’re an adult.’ I waited for her to finish counting and watched them leave. They can’t see it anymore. I organised my books and went to the library to study. In my last life, I was unhappy that I never entered ideal school, and then I went on a trip abroad and my life was ruined. I must study hard and succeed this time without them. Studied in the library until nine, then went home and had takeout. I took out my other phone and typed in the URL. The live broadcast had started. I want to see them die! Chapter 4

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294895”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring #重生Reborn #校园School #浪漫Romance #擦边Steamy #惊悚Thriller #魔幻Magic #玄幻Fantsy