Author: Momo Chan

In the seventh year of my marriage to Julian Prescott, I accidentally discovered his secret. He believed in a book, and that book had written all of our destinies in advance. Serena Hale was the only heroine in the book, destined to have everything. And I was the supporting character who targeted her at every turn and ended in misery. In the book, people like me were called the vicious female side character. Julian never married me because he loved me. He only wanted to keep me under his nose and watch me for Serena. Chapter 1 Ava Bennett POV Old Mr. Prescott’s seventieth birthday banquet was held with great ceremony, and almost everyone familiar in our circle had come. I stood beneath the hallway with my daughter Annie in my hand, lowering my head to smooth the wrinkles in her dress. “Mommy, what should I say when I see Great-Grandpa later?” “Say you wish Great-Grandpa good health.” Annie clutched the hem of my shirt and answered in her sweet little voice. Serena Hale walked over right then. She wore a plain white dress, her long hair loosely pinned behind her head, looking elegant and gentle. She crouched in front of Annie and smiled as she said to her, “Annie is such a good girl, come on, can I take you to say hello to Great-Grandpa? Great-Grandpa likes obedient little kids the most.” She was holding a cup of freshly poured hot water, and white steam was rising from the porcelain cup. The water was too hot, and I was afraid it would hurt the child, so I reached out to take it. “Serena, the water is too hot, let me hold it.” But the moment my fingers touched the rim of the cup, Serena’s wrist suddenly went limp, and the entire cup of boiling water poured straight toward Annie. Almost out of a mother’s instinct, I pulled Annie into my arms and pushed Serena away at the same time. Screams rang out at once. Annie’s hand was burned bright red by the hot water, and blisters rose on her pale, tender skin in the blink of an eye. She cried in my arms from the pain, and her whole body trembled violently. Serena had also fallen to the side, bracing one hand on the floor, her eyes red and looking very frightened. The surrounding guests instantly looked over. The crowd parted, and Julian Prescott strode over. I thought he would look at Annie first. But he did not even spare a glance at his daughter, who was crying so hard her whole body shook, and instead walked straight to Serena and helped her up. He looked at Serena, his voice filled with undisguised tension. “Did you hurt yourself anywhere?” Serena lowered her head, tears falling in streams, and timidly hid behind him as she said in a weak voice, “Julian, don’t blame Ava, I was the one who didn’t hold it steady…” Julian patted the dust off her clothes, and only then did he turn to look at me. His eyes were dark, carrying a chilling indifference. “Ava Bennett, why did you put your hands on Serena?” Holding Annie, who would not stop sobbing in my arms, I felt as if I had fallen into an ice cellar. “Julian Prescott, Annie was burned by hot water, didn’t you see the blisters on her hand? Take her to the back and find a doctor first!” “I’ve already had the doctor wait in the lounge.” Julian stood up and looked at me, his tone calm. “But I also saw that you pushed Serena.” “She deliberately poured hot water toward Annie!” My tears finally spilled out, and my voice shook terribly. “I only pushed her away to protect my daughter! You don’t believe me?” Julian’s brows furrowed slightly. He looked at me as if I were crazy, and his voice was cold to the extreme. “Serena can’t even hold anything heavy, so what would she use to deliberately burn someone? Ava Bennett, there should be a limit to your lies.” At that moment, my heart went completely cold. “There are so many guests here today, and it’s inappropriate for you to push someone in public.” Julian looked at me coldly. “Apologize to Serena.” “I didn’t do anything wrong, so why should I apologize?” I held the child in my arms tightly, my knuckles turning white from the force. Julian stopped wasting words with me. He took a step forward, reached out with both hands, and forcibly took the child from my arms despite Annie’s crying. “Julian Prescott! What are you doing! Give Annie back to me!” I rushed to snatch her back like I had gone mad. Julian protected Annie with one arm and turned to hand the red-faced, crying child to Serena, who had just steadied herself. Serena accepted her in a bit of panic, held her in her arms, and said weakly, “Julian, this doesn’t seem right, Annie is crying…” “Serena, hold the child for now.” Julian turned back and completely blocked me two steps away. He looked at me, his voice very soft yet carrying a cruelty that allowed no refusal. “Apologize to Serena, and after you apologize, you can take Annie to the lounge in the back to put medicine on her.” Chapter 2 Ava Bennett POV I stared at the husband in front of me in disbelief. Annie struggled desperately in Serena’s arms, crying so hard she could barely breathe. Her little hands reached through the empty air toward me with all their strength as she called Mommy again and again. Julian stood in front of me, his expression cold. Between my dignity and my daughter, I had never had a second choice. I dug my nails hard into my palm, and the sharp pain came from my hand, yet it was not even one ten-thousandth of the pain in my heart. I lowered my head and heard my own emotionless voice. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have pushed you.” Serena held my hand with a gentle and forgiving look. “Ava, don’t say that, today really was because I didn’t hold it steady, so don’t be angry.” Whispers came from the surrounding guests. Everyone looked at Serena with eyes full of approval, and when they looked at me, only disgust and contempt remained. Only then did Julian’s expression ease a little. He took Annie back from Serena’s arms, stuffed her back into mine, and calmly instructed, “Take her to the back and let the doctor handle it, and don’t ruin everyone’s mood.” When the banquet ended, a light rain had begun outside. Holding Annie, who had been treated with medicine and had fallen asleep from exhaustion after crying, I waited for a long time in the cold, damp underground garage. The evening wind blew over me, so cold it made people shiver. In the end, it was the old family butler who came over with an umbrella. He handed me the umbrella and spoke with some difficulty. “Madam, Mr. Prescott drove Miss Hale home, and Mr. Prescott said you should call a cab back yourself.” I took the umbrella and gave a self-mocking laugh in the cold rain. I gave up completely. I did not want to stay in this home for even one more second. I took a deep breath, took out my phone, and called Serena’s cousin, Ethan Brooks. Ethan was the only person in the Hale family who saw Serena’s true face, and he had long hated the Hale family’s hypocrisy to the bone. “The thing you mentioned last month, about taking Annie abroad to settle down and hold an art exhibition, I agree, so help me arrange it, the sooner the better, and don’t let Julian know.” On the other end of the phone, Ethan’s voice was low and decisive. “Okay, handling the paperwork and preparing the house abroad will take about a week, so wait for my message and be ready to leave anytime.” After hanging up, I took Annie home. Julian had not come back yet. I carried Annie upstairs and carefully helped her change into her pajamas. Looking at the thin gauze wrapped around the back of her hand, my heart ached again and again. I swore that I would definitely take her away from here with me. I stayed by her side until her breathing evened out, and only then did I get up to go to the study for spare cotton swabs and medicine. The study door was half-closed, and the desk lamp was still on. A sheet of paper lay flat on the desk, and Julian’s handwriting was on it. His fountain pen writing was very neat, stroke by stroke, as if he were recording some kind of daily routine. I had not meant to pry, but after just one glance, my feet could no longer move. On that page was written: [Old Mr. Prescott’s birthday banquet, Ava Bennett will deliberately push Serena down out of jealousy and try to ruin Serena’s reputation, which is the beginning of her vicious nature being revealed.] Below that line, Julian had written two words heavily with a fountain pen, and the ink was very fresh, clearly written tonight: [Fulfilled.] Looking at those two lines, my hands began to tremble uncontrollably. No wonder Julian did not even look at Annie at the birthday banquet today and decided at once that I had pushed Serena. So in his eyes, this accident was not an accident at all, but a vicious scheme I had planned for a long time. There were many more lines on the paper, and each line had a clear date marked in front of it. Some had already passed, and behind each one was Julian’s own handwritten “Fulfilled.” And some dates had not yet arrived. Under that page of paper, there was also a journal pressed beneath it. The ink on the newest line was not fully dry yet, and it was a prophecy pointing to next Thursday: [October twenty-first, Annie’s kindergarten performance, Ava Bennett will be unable to tolerate Serena getting close to the child and will attack Serena again in the backstage lounge, causing Serena’s head to be injured and bleed…] The words after that were blurred by a blot of ink, and nothing could be seen clearly. Chapter 3 Ava Bennett POV In the second half of the night, I changed the medicine on the burn on the back of Annie’s hand once. The faintly bitter scent of burn ointment slowly spread through the silent room, and I knew this smell well. When I was sixteen, I had also smelled this scent countless times. That year, my father’s art studio failed because of poor business, and in the end, it did not survive that winter. When he left, the IOUs he left behind were more numerous than his belongings. Serena’s father, Mr. Hale, held my hand and said, your dad was half my teacher, so from now on, you will live with the Hale family, and we will raise you. From then on, I was taken in by the Hale family and became sisters with Serena, though we were not related by blood. The Hale family had a very beautiful three-story villa downtown. But after living there for two years, there was still no place that belonged to me in the shoe cabinet in the living room. My pair of worn sneakers could only ever be awkwardly stuffed beside the shoebox in the farthest corner. In that house, the first thing I learned was how to be sensible. Being sensible meant being the last one to start eating at the dining table. It meant taking the initiative to stand on the very edge during holiday family photos, and it meant never making any requests. The second thing I learned was to walk through school with my head lowered. My paint tubes had been maliciously filled with glue, and the lock on my art case had been pried open three times in two months. The worst time involved the sketchbooks I had saved for three years. All eleven of them were pulled out of my locker and thrown into the trash incinerator in the backyard. By the time I arrived, only a furnace of cold paper ashes remained. Inside were all the rabbits I had drawn for my father. When my father was alive, he always laughed and said the rabbits I drew always had one ear that could never stand up. Later, I deliberately drew them that way, with one crooked ear, and it became a secret sign only my father and I understood. But they were all burned to ashes. No one at school admitted who had done it. The homeroom teacher sighed and said to me, if we can’t find out, then let it go, Ava, it’s better to have one less problem. Serena would stand beside me and wipe away tears for me, saying to everyone with red eyes, Ava, don’t be sad, I’ll give you half of my sketchbook. At that moment, everyone in the classroom looked at her with gentle eyes and thought she was like an angel. What truly made me decide to leave the Hale family was a bracelet. On the day of Mrs. Hale’s fiftieth birthday party, one of Serena’s bracelets disappeared. In the end, that bracelet was found in the inner pocket of my backpack. Even now, I still remember the way everyone looked at me back then. The room was full of guests dressed in formal clothes, and not a single person spoke. Mrs. Hale’s expression darkened inch by inch. Serena was the first to cry. She clutched Mrs. Hale’s sleeve tightly and pleaded through tears, “Mom, Ava didn’t mean it, she must have just liked it too much, please don’t kick her out, okay?” The moment that plea was spoken, my theft was completely confirmed, and I could no longer explain myself. Under everyone’s contemptuous gaze, I bowed to Mrs. Hale. “I’m sorry.” That was the first time I learned to say those three words quickly and flatly. There was a boy in the crowd who kept looking at me. That was Serena’s cousin, Ethan Brooks. He looked at me for a long time, but in the end, he said nothing and turned his head away. The day after my eighteenth birthday, I dragged the old art case my father had left behind and completely moved out of the Hale family’s house. Serena walked me to the door and stuffed a paper bag into my arms. “Ava, your things, I’ve been keeping them for you.” Inside the bag was half a sketchbook, with charred marks along the edges, looking as if its edges had been charred deliberately with a lighter. She smiled sweetly at me, revealing two harmless little dimples. “Come back and visit often.” Back then, I still thought she was truly being kind. Chapter 4 Ava Bennett POV Julian Prescott and I met when I was twenty-two. At the time, I had just moved out of the Hale family’s house and barely made a living by drawing illustrations for eight hundred dollars each. Julian was my only client. He did not bargain, and he even noticed the crooked-eared rabbit I secretly drew in the corner of my drafts. After my dad died, he was the first person in the world to notice that rabbit. In the delivery notes, he asked me, “Why can’t the rabbit’s ear stand up?” At the time, I held my phone in that freezing room and cried all night, thinking I had met the person who understood me best in the whole world. When we met at the end of the year, Julian printed out every illustration I had drawn over the past two years and neatly bound them into a book as a gift for me. On the first page, he wrote, “These drawings should not be worth only eight hundred dollars each.” Half a year later, he proposed to me and even helped me pay off all the debts my dad had left behind. On the day we got our marriage license, Julian stood at the entrance of city hall and smoothed my wind-blown hair for me. He said to me, Ava Bennett, from now on, as long as I’m here, no one can make you lower your head again. At that time, I truly thought meeting him was the best thing that had ever happened to me in my life. … Early the next morning, Julian went out, and without even thinking, I knew he had gone to keep Serena company. I had always wanted to have a proper talk with him about what happened at the birthday banquet, but he did not come back reeking of alcohol until the early hours of the morning. I tucked the blanket Annie had kicked off back over her, gently closed the bedroom door, and went downstairs. The study door was not fully closed, leaving a crack. Julian sat behind the desk, pouring wine into a glass, his suit jacket draped over the back of the chair. I stood at the doorway and looked at him. “Annie’s hand is covered in blisters, and she was in pain all night and couldn’t sleep, but as her father, don’t you have even one word to say?” Holding the wineglass, he did not even look at me. “The medicine has already been applied, and children’s skin heals fast, so she’ll be fine tomorrow.” “Yesterday, in front of everyone, you snatched the child out of my arms, shoved her to Serena, and forced me to apologize in public.” I walked in step by step, my voice trembling with anger. “Julian Prescott, Annie is only three, but she is already starting to remember things.” “Serena’s wrist ligament was severely torn yesterday, and even now she can’t hold a cup steady, didn’t you see that?” He finally raised his eyes to look at me, his tone filled with impatience. “And here you are, still in the mood to worry about what Annie will think.” Just then, Annie’s cry came from upstairs, but it stopped again very quickly. I instinctively turned my head to look toward the stairs, but Julian seemed as if he had heard nothing, and his expression was terrifyingly cold. “I am your wife of seven years, and Annie is your biological daughter.” My tears finally fell, and my nails dug hard into my palm. “Why is it that every time, we are the ones who get hurt, and we are also the ones who have to apologize and admit fault?” Julian set down the wineglass, stared at me, and fell silent for a full five seconds. “Because Serena can’t take it.” He said, “If anything happens to her at all, a lot of things can’t be suppressed.” I froze completely. “Suppress what? Julian Prescott, explain yourself, what exactly can’t be suppressed?” He did not answer my question and instead stood up, picking up the suit jacket from the back of the chair. “This ends here, and from now on, don’t interfere in Serena’s matters, and don’t ask again.” “We’ve been together for seven years.” I stood there and watched as he prepared to walk past me. “Julian Prescott, do you still have me and Annie in your heart at all?” He paused at the study doorway but did not look back. “Go check on Annie.” He said, “She cried all night, so she should be waking up soon.” He pushed the door open and left, leaving me alone in the study, while the wineglass on the desk still gave off a faint smell of alcohol. The warmer I once thought his words from back then were, the more ironic they felt now. Lost and dazed, I returned to Annie’s room. Annie slept uneasily, her tiny brows tightly furrowed, and suddenly, in her sleep, she cried out a muffled sentence like a dream: “Auntie Serena said Mommy is the bad woman in the story…” When I heard that sentence, all the blood in my body slowly turned cold. Serena was already teaching my daughter to hate me. And my husband was still forcing me to bow my head to her. Chapter 5 Ava Bennett POV Someone must have filmed what happened at the birthday banquet and posted it online. My name became a trending topic. The trending hashtag was #RichWifePushesSomeoneInPublic. The comments under the hashtag were filled with all kinds of abuse and insults. Some people even dug up my number and called me directly to curse me out, so I turned off my phone. My reputation had been completely destroyed, but I did not care about that at all now, I only cared about Annie. Whenever I thought of the prophecy in Julian’s notebook, which said I would deliberately injure Serena backstage during next Thursday’s performance. I could not sleep night after night. To prevent trouble before it happened, I tried sneaking into the study to see if I could steal that notebook. But when I went there the next day, Julian’s desk was already empty, and there was a brand-new lock on the drawer, as if he were guarding against me like I was a thief. When I combed Annie’s hair in the morning, I pretended to ask casually, “Annie, has Auntie Serena ever told you stories before?” “She has.” Annie shook her little head at the mirror. “Auntie told me a princess story.” “Then in the story, is Mommy there?” When I heard that sentence, my whole body froze. Because Annie looked at me in the mirror and suddenly said to me mysteriously, “Auntie said this story can’t be told to Mommy, and Auntie said Mommy is the bad woman in the story, and later she will steal Annie’s rabbit and beat Auntie Serena to death.” I never could have imagined that Serena had already been privately feeding my daughter such vicious words. My hands began to tremble uncontrollably. I did not know how much they had slandered me in front of Annie, and I did not dare to think too deeply about it. On Thursday, it was the day of Annie’s kindergarten performance. I stayed by Annie’s side every second and did not stay alone with any strangers. I also deliberately chose a seat near the aisle, so that if anything happened, I could run backstage the moment I lifted my leg. But Serena still came. Holding a bouquet of flowers, she smiled and waved at me from the auditorium entrance, saying Annie had personally invited her, so she had to come. When the fourth performance was halfway through, my phone vibrated with a SnapChat message, and the profile picture and note showed it was from Annie’s teacher: [Annie’s mom, one ear on the bunny hair clip Annie is wearing fell off, and the teacher can’t find it anywhere. The spare clip is in the props storage room on the second floor. Can you go upstairs and get it for her?] Because it involved Annie going onstage, I had no choice but to get up and head to the second floor. But when I entered the empty props storage room. My heart suddenly sank, and I realized I had fallen into a trap, so I turned and ran outside. When I passed a lounge around the corner on the second floor, Serena’s voice faintly came from inside, and she was calling Ava. I ignored her completely, gritted my teeth, and ran all the way back to the first-floor auditorium in one breath. From the time I left to the time I returned to my seat, it was four minutes at most. But before the fifth performance had ended, chaos erupted backstage. Someone shouted that something was wrong, and Serena had been pushed down in the second-floor lounge and injured. Serena had fainted on the ground, her temple hit the corner of the table, and a lot of blood had flowed out. At the infirmary door, Julian had already arrived. He stood beside the stretcher, looking at me coldly, his eyes full of disgust and caution. “Today, in the hallway by the props room on the second floor during the performance, you were the only person who went there, Ava Bennett, what else do you have to explain?” I clenched my fists tightly and defended myself loudly. “The teacher sent me a SnapChat message and told me to go to the second floor to get the spare hair clip! I was deliberately tricked into going up there by them!” “The teacher’s phone has been charging at the front desk all night, and she never sent you any SnapChat message.” Julian interrupted me, his tone full of disappointment. “Ava Bennett, don’t you think making up this kind of lie to shirk responsibility is too childish?” “I’m not lying! If you don’t believe me, go check, you’ll definitely find something.” I was so anxious that I defended myself again and again. When the stretcher was carried past me, Serena, who was lying on it, suddenly opened her eyes and clutched my wrist tightly. In a voice only the two of us could hear, she smugly spat a sentence beside my ear: “Ava Bennett, no one will believe you, and without evidence, if they can’t find out, then they’ll just let it go.” The ambulance siren howled as it sped away. I left Julian behind and rushed back into the auditorium like I had lost my mind. In the center of the stage, Annie was wearing that bunny hair clip with the drooping ear, dancing while looking toward the audience with expectation. And in her father’s seat, it was completely empty, with only a bouquet of flowers no one had taken away. That night, while I held sleeping Annie, the words Serena had said to me on the stretcher suddenly exploded in my mind. “If they can’t find out, then they’ll just let it go.” Those words were exactly the same. Fourteen years ago, when I was living under someone else’s roof, it was the day after my art albums were burned to ashes in the Hale family’s backyard. In the office, the homeroom teacher had also said to me in exactly the same tone, “If we can’t find out, then let it go, Ava.” At that time, there were only two people in the office, me and the homeroom teacher.

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My arm had a four-inch gash, blood dripping from my fingertips. Yet, the first thing my fiancé said when he woke up, the man I had just risked my life to save, was to ask if Hailey Sterling, who was cowering outside the door, was alright. Inside the top-floor conference room of the Cole Group, Julian Carter sat with a bandage on his forehead. He claimed he had “amnesia” from the hit and said he only remembered Hailey. His mother awkwardly told me to be patient and wait for him. Suddenly, my late grandmother’s voice exploded in my mind. “He is faking it. He played this exact same trick on you in your past life, bleeding the Cole family dry while keeping Hailey perfectly safe.” My grandfather slammed three marriage alliance proposals onto the mahogany table. Julian finally looked at me, his voice dismissive. He said he would still go through with our wedding, but demanded I stop making life difficult for Hailey. Without a single second of hesitation, I bypassed the Carter family’s contract and picked up the very last folder. “Grandpa, I choose Greyson Vance.”

Amelia’s POV My arm was sliced open, a four-inch gash oozing blood that dripped steadily onto the floor. But the fiancé I had nearly died saving didn’t care. The moment he opened his eyes, his only concern was whether Hailey Sterling was scared. Inside the VIP conference room of the Cole building, the silence was suffocating. Last night, a massive display shelf in the exhibition hall had collapsed. I had shoved Julian out of the way, but my own arm was ripped open by a jagged, rusty metal bracket. Now, Julian walked in with a small bandage on his forehead. He walked right past me, bleeding and pale, and wrapped his arms around Hailey, who was sobbing softly. “Don’t cry, Hailey. I remember you.” Hailey clung to his chest, her voice trembling. “Julian, I thought you forgot about me.” Julian’s mother smiled nervously at me. “Amelia, sweetie, Julian bumped his head last night. His memory is just a bit scrambled. You two grew up together, so I’m sure you’ll wait for him to recover, right?” I stared at the hugging couple. My wound felt freezing cold, matching the ice in my chest. Right then, a familiar, furious voice echoed in my head. “That pathetic jerk is faking amnesia! In your last life, he used this exact trick to manipulate you. He drained our family’s fortune to climb to the top while keeping Hailey safe. You died alone in a hospital bed because of them! I am still so angry!” My pupils shrunk. I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. It was my Grandma Martha’s voice. She had died seven years ago! This was a wake-up call. Julian was faking amnesia just to back out of our engagement without looking like the bad guy. My grandfather, Arthur Cole, tapped his cane heavily against the floor. He signaled his assistant to lay out the marriage contracts. “Amelia, whoever you choose will get the Cole Group’s ten-billion-dollar project. I’m only asking you once. Have you made up your mind?” The Carter family’s proposal sat right in the middle. The very last one belonged to Greyson Vance. He was the sole heir of the Vance Group. We had been rivals since childhood, arguing every single time we met. Grandma’s voice screamed in my head. “Pick Greyson! In your past life, after the Carters threw you out, he was the only one who searched for you in the pouring rain and took you in. He has a sarcastic mouth, but his heart is pure gold! Amelia, trust me!” Julian finally deigned to look at me. “I will still marry you, Amelia. But Hailey is fragile. I love her now, so you have to promise not to bully her.” Hailey peeked from behind his back. “Amelia, I’m so sorry… I didn’t mean to be the only one Julian remembers.” In the past, if Julian even frowned, I would blame myself. But now, looking at his lying, smug face, I just felt sick. I didn’t hesitate. I reached past the Carter family’s folder and grabbed the last proposal. “Grandpa, I choose Greyson Vance.” “I’ll marry him.” The room erupted into chaos. The calm mask on Julian’s face shattered. He stared at me in pure disbelief. “Amelia, are you insane? You’re throwing away our future and choosing an enemy just to throw a tantrum?!” I didn’t even look at him. In front of everyone, I ripped off the promise bracelet I had worn for ten years and threw it onto the Carter family’s folder like trash. “It’s not a tantrum. You simply don’t deserve me.” In my head, Grandma cheered. “Yes! That’s my girl! If a man is trash, throw him in the dumpster!” As soon as the meeting ended, Julian and his friends blocked my path in the hallway. His friend, Tyler Brooks, sneered immediately. “Amelia, are you serious about Greyson? Come on, everyone knows you’ve been obsessed with Julian for years. He just has temporary memory loss, he’s not dead. Who are you trying to put a show for?” Hearing this, Julian’s expression softened, his ego returning. He looked down at me. “I know you’re just angry. I’ll still marry you. But Hailey just got back to the country. Don’t go around bothering her.” Grandma spat in my mind. “The nerve of this guy! Who does he think he is?” I scoffed. “And how exactly did I bother her?” Before the words fully left my mouth, Hailey pushed a heavy metal cart loaded with files right toward me. She acted like she didn’t see me, ramming it straight into my injured arm. My wound tore open again. Fresh blood soaked through my bandage instantly. Yet, Hailey cried louder than me. “Amelia! I’m so sorry! I didn’t see you! Please don’t hate me!” She sobbed, shrinking behind Julian. Julian didn’t even look at my bleeding arm. He shielded Hailey protectively. “Amelia! It was an accident! She apologized, what more do you want?!” Hailey raised her hand. “Maybe I should slap myself… if that makes Amelia feel better…” Julian grabbed her wrist, glaring at me. “Are you happy now? Do you have to use your status as the Cole heiress to bully people?” If this were the past, I would have desperately explained that I didn’t do anything. But today, I realized trying to reason with an idiot was pointless. It was better to just hit them. I stepped forward, raising my uninjured right hand. Smack! A loud, solid slap landed squarely on Hailey’s face. The hallway went dead silent. Hailey touched her swelling cheek, her eyes wide with shock. “That,” I said coldly, “is what using my status to bully someone actually looks like.” Julian lost his mind. “Amelia! How dare you!” Smack! I swung back and slapped Julian right across his face. “And that is what bullying looks like. Got it?” I shook my numb hand, looking at them like they were bugs. Julian had been pampered his entire life. This slap completely shattered his pride. Rage burned in his eyes. “Amelia! If you walk away today, I swear, even if you beg me on your knees, I will never look at you again!” “Then you better sew your eyes shut.” I pressed the elevator button. As the doors slid open, I left him with one last line: “Because no one is going to wait for you by the trash can.” As the doors closed, Grandma laughed hysterically in my head. “Incredible! That’s how you teach them a lesson! Don’t be afraid, Amelia, I’ve got your back!”

Amelia’s POV I walked toward the break room and heard Hailey’s muffled giggles coming through the gap in the door. “Julian, Amelia slapped you in public. Are you really not mad?” Julian’s voice was arrogant and cold. “She’s just throwing a fit. She’s been clinging to me like a desperate dog for years. She can’t live without me. I bet you within three days, she’ll come crawling back, begging for my forgiveness.” Standing outside, my blood turned to ice. The amnesia was indeed a lie. The manipulation and contempt were real. He viewed me as a toy he could discard and retrieve whenever he pleased. “See? He’s a parasite!” Grandma was shaking with rage. “If a dog bites you, don’t try to talk to it. Let’s go!” I turned to leave, but a sudden commotion happened at the end of the hallway. A waiter slipped, and a tray of boiling hot coffee and shattered ceramic cups came flying right toward me. The break room door flew open. Julian saw the hot liquid flying toward my face. He instinctively took a step toward me, but Hailey shrieked and grabbed his arm. “Julian, I’m scared!” That split second of hesitation was all it took. Julian turned and hugged Hailey instead. I closed my eyes, bracing for the pain. But right before the boiling coffee could scald my face, a pair of strong arms pulled me hard into a broad chest. A man used his expensive designer jacket to shield me, blocking every drop of hot coffee and flying shard. A clean, cedarwood scent wrapped around me, and a deep voice grumbled over my head. “Amelia, are you stupid? Why didn’t you dodge?!” I looked up in shock. Greyson Vance was frowning, his dark eyes filled with suppressed anger. He stood before me like a wall, keeping me safe from the danger. Grandma let out a huge sigh of relief in my head. “That’s him! That’s the same protective back from your past life! He might have a smart mouth, but he actually shows up when it matters!” Julian’s face turned green when he saw who it was. He marched over and ordered, “Amelia, get over here!” I didn’t move. Greyson sneered, keeping his hand firmly on my shoulder. He glared at Julian like a wolf guarding his territory. “Her arm is literally bleeding, and you want her to go over to you so she can be your shield again?” Julian’s face flushed with anger. “This is between her and me!” “Not anymore.” Greyson smirked. “Amelia’s grandfather called me to pick up my fiancée. She chose me. Mr. Carter, don’t tell me you don’t know you’ve been dumped yet?” The word “fiancée” hit Julian like a sledgehammer. Hailey stopped crying out of sheer shock. Julian stared at me as if I were a stranger. “Are you crazy? You’re marrying this jerk just to get back at me?” This time, my heart didn’t ache. I only felt an incredible rush of freedom. “Julian, don’t flatter yourself. Greyson is ten thousand times better than you.” Greyson raised an eyebrow, looking down at me. “Can you walk, fiancée?” I nodded. He didn’t overstep by carrying me, but he offered his arm. “Let’s go get you patched up.” At the hospital. The doctor cut open my bloody sleeve. As the disinfectant hit the wound, I turned pale and bit my lip, refusing to make a sound. Greyson leaned against the doorframe, watching me coldly. “In the past, you’d cry for hours if Julian so much as sighed. Now your arm is practically ripped open, and you’re acting tough?” I glared at him. “No one will think you’re mute if you keep your mouth shut.” Greyson chuckled. “What? You were pretty quick to use me as a shield earlier.” I stayed quiet for a moment, then whispered, “Greyson, I didn’t choose you because I like you.” “Obviously. If you suddenly liked me, I’d have the doctor check your head too.” Greyson stopped smiling and looked at me with intense seriousness. “Amelia, you can use me to escape. But remember this: once you’re engaged to me, Julian has no right to touch you. Don’t you dare run back to him the moment you feel a little lonely.” “I would rather die than go back to him,” I said firmly. Greyson stared at me for three seconds, a faint smile touching his lips. “Good.” When we walked out of the clinic, Julian and Hailey were waiting by the exit. Seeing us walk out side-by-side, Julian’s face was incredibly dark. “Amelia, I’m taking you home. Stop making a scene in public.” He really believed I was just playing hard to get. Greyson casually switched the medicine bag to his left hand, and naturally wrapped his right arm around my waist, pulling me close. “No need to worry, Mr. Carter. The only one looking pathetic here is the one who got thrown out.” Julian’s eyes turned red as he stared at Greyson’s hand on my waist. “Take your hands off her!” Greyson didn’t back down. He leaned in close to my ear, speaking loud enough for everyone to hear. “Fiancée, there’s a dog blocking our path. Shall we go?” I leaned into his chest and nodded. “Yes, let’s go.” At the curb, Greyson opened the car door for me, naturally placing his hand over the frame to protect my head. As he got into the driver’s seat, I asked softly, “Why did you show up so fast?” Greyson started the engine. “Your grandfather called and said two stray dogs were barking at you.” “So you just came?” “Why wouldn’t I?” Greyson stepped on the gas, the sports car roaring as we left Julian in the dust. “Did you want me to leave you there to watch their cheap drama?” I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. In my mind, Grandma clicked her tongue in satisfaction. “See? That’s a real man! Let the trash have the trash. Your good life is just starting!”

Amelia’s POV The Cole family’s banquet to announce the new marriage alliance was scheduled for two days later. During those two days, Julian called me over a dozen times. I blocked every single number. Finally, he sent a text message filled with his usual arrogance: Don’t take this joke too far. Our families’ alliance is not a toy for you to use to make me bow to you. Hailey has been crying for two days because of your slap. I expect an apology from you at the banquet tonight. I stared at the screen, scoffed, and handed the phone directly to my grandfather. My grandfather’s face darkened with rage after reading it. “Amelia, I really misjudged that boy.” I sat in the study, looking at my bandaged arm calmly. “Grandpa, I did too. This time, I want to choose someone who won’t hesitate to stand by me.” Grandma clapped happily in my head. “Exactly! A man who doesn’t respect himself is like rotten cabbage! Tonight, let’s show the Carters what it means to be out of their league!” That evening, the Cole estate was brightly lit. Everyone assumed the stars of the night would be Julian and me. Julian’s mother was wearing a designer gown, boasting to the guests. “Oh, Amelia is practically my own daughter. Julian marrying her is our family’s blessing.” She was already acting like she owned the place. Julian stood in the center of the crowd holding a glass of champagne, looking extremely confident. Hailey stood beside him in a simple white dress. When people asked about her identity, she looked down. “I’m just Julian’s friend. I don’t want to get in the way of his engagement with Amelia…” Her victim act made me look like some villainous, jealous woman. I watched from the entrance with absolute indifference. The grand doors opened, and I walked in, holding my grandfather’s arm. Julian’s eyes lit up the moment he saw me. He took a step forward, but the crowd suddenly parted. Greyson had arrived. He wore a custom black suit that highlighted his broad shoulders and tall frame. His expression was cold and sharp. He ignored the guests trying to greet him and walked straight to me. In front of everyone, he ignored Julian entirely and asked softly, “Does your arm still hurt?” I blinked, touched by his concern. “Much better.” Greyson checked my bandage to make sure there was no blood, then turned to my grandfather, his cold demeanor softening. “Mr. Cole, apologies for being late.” My grandfather laughed heartily. “Just in time!” Not far away, Julian’s face turned pale. He stared at Greyson and me standing together. Hailey leaned against him weakly. “Julian, Amelia looks so beautiful tonight. She must be standing with Mr. Vance just to make you jealous. Don’t be mad, I’ll go talk to her later…” “Shut up,” Julian snapped, his eyes glued to me. I felt his gaze, but I felt absolutely nothing. My grandfather stepped onto the stage, and the ballroom fell silent. Julian’s mother was still daydreaming, nudging Julian to get ready to walk up. But Julian’s feet felt like they were glued to the floor as he watched Greyson stand mere inches from me. My grandfather raised the microphone, his strong voice echoing through the hall. “Thank you all for coming. Tonight, I want you to witness my granddaughter Amelia’s engagement. The Cole family and the Vance family have finalized our alliance. Amelia is now officially engaged to Greyson Vance!” The room erupted into shocked whispers! The smile on Julian’s mother’s face froze. She pushed through the crowd, outraged. “Mr. Cole! There must be a mistake! Amelia and Julian grew up together! Isn’t the alliance with the Carters?!” My grandfather looked down at her with a cold sneer. “Grew up together? Does that give your son the right to treat my granddaughter like garbage?” Julian’s mother turned pale. Julian pushed through the crowd, staring at me, his voice shaking. “Amelia, are you serious? You’re playing with your own marriage just to hurt me?” My voice was crystal clear. “I told you, I choose Greyson. I never play games.” Seeing this, Hailey rushed forward with teary eyes. “Amelia! Is this because of me? If you’re angry, I’ll leave right now! Don’t ruin your life over a tantrum. Julian loves you!” The guests’ looks turned suspicious. Before I could speak, Greyson let out a cold laugh. “Miss Sterling, if you donated your brain, I doubt anyone would want it.” Greyson’s eyes were like ice as he exposed her in front of everyone. “You claim you care about Amelia, yet you’re clinging to her ex-fiancé like glue? This isn’t a soap opera. Julian is just trash that the Cole family threw out. There’s no need to play the tragic martyr here.” Someone in the crowd laughed out loud. Hailey’s face flushed bright red, tears stuck on her lashes. Julian stepped in front of her, furious. “Greyson! Watch your mouth!” Greyson calmly dusted off his sleeve, looking at him with utter disdain. “Did you watch yours when you treated Amelia like trash? Oh, does it hurt now? Deal with it.” Julian was shaking with rage. I watched silently. In the past, I would have desperately explained myself to avoid Julian’s misunderstanding. But now, Greyson stood by my side, slapping every lie back into their faces. In my mind, Grandma laughed happily. “Amazing! I love this guy! You have to scald trash with boiling water!”

Amelia’s POV As the banquet drew to a close, Julian cornered me in a quiet hallway like a desperate dog. His eyes were bloodshot. “Amelia, you win! You got your revenge, and you dragged my family’s name through the mud! If you call off this fake engagement right now, I will take you to get our marriage license tomorrow!” Even now, he still thought I was playing hard to get. I looked at his face, a face I used to love, and found it pathetic. “Julian, do you have trouble understanding English?” I looked at him coldly. “I didn’t do this to win.” “I did this because you genuinely disgust me.” I shoved past his shoulder and walked away. At the end of the hallway, I let out a long breath. Greyson handed me a glass of warm water, smirking. “You looked so tough back there, but now your legs are shaking?” I took the glass and glared at him. “Would you die if you stopped teasing me for one second?” “Probably.” Greyson looked at me, a rare warmth in his dark eyes. “But honestly, Amelia, you did great tonight.” My eyes welled up with tears. Suddenly, a commotion broke out near the restroom. Hailey was sitting on the wet floor, her dress ruined, clutching a broken bracelet, sobbing. She claimed she only wanted to look at my engagement bracelet, but I pushed her. By the time I arrived, Julian had already helped her up. His first words to me were a demand. “Why did you push her?” I looked at the broken bracelet in Hailey’s hand. It wasn’t my engagement bracelet. Mine was still securely on my wrist. The fake one Hailey held was cheap and dull. But because she was crying so hard, the onlookers were already whispering about my “terrible temper.” Grandma cursed in my head. “Again with this trick! In your past life, she broke your jewelry and cried, making you look like the bad guy! Don’t let her get away with it!” I didn’t rush to defend myself. I walked up to Hailey, kneeled down, and asked calmly, “You say I pushed you?” Hailey flinched, shrinking into Julian’s arms. “Amelia, I don’t blame you. You’re just stressed today. I know you didn’t mean it.” “So you’re saying I did.” I nodded, grabbed Hailey’s wrist, and took the broken bracelet from her hand. Hailey shrieked, “What are you doing?!” I held the broken bracelet up to the light for everyone to see. “The diamonds on my bracelet are custom-cut, and there is a Cole family crest engraved on the inner band. Many people here have seen it. This cheap plastic piece in your hand doesn’t have the crest.” Julian’s face changed. Hailey stopped crying for a second, then quickly stammered, “I… I don’t know about jewelry. I just saw yours and wanted to look…” Greyson walked through the crowd, his voice chilling. “You don’t know about jewelry, but you certainly know how to pick a restroom with no cameras to stage a fall.” Hailey looked at him with teary eyes. “Mr. Vance, why do you keep targeting me?” “Because your acting is terrible.” Greyson turned to the staff. “Check who entered the restroom. There are too many eyes at this party. Crying loud doesn’t make you right.” A young waitress stepped forward, hesitating. “I… I saw this lady squatting by the door by herself. She was holding something the whole time. Miss Cole only walked in after she was already on the floor.” Hailey’s face drained of color. Julian tried to find an excuse. “Maybe she was just confused because she was scared.” I looked at him, the last trace of warmth in my heart freezing over. “Julian, you will always find an excuse for her.” Julian opened his mouth, but no words came out. Hailey sobbed, shaking her head. “No, Amelia, I really didn’t mean to hurt you. I was just afraid you hated me…” I tossed the fake bracelet into the trash can. “What you’re afraid of is none of my business. Next time you want to put on a show, use something cheap. You are not worthy of touching anything related to my family.” I turned and walked away. Greyson followed me, draping his jacket over my shoulders. “Thank you,” I murmured. “For what?” Greyson’s tone was still teasing. “If you had started explaining yourself back there, I would have really lost respect for you.” I glared at him. Grandma laughed in my head. “Good glare. In a marriage, you can’t let the man always have the upper hand.” My ears turned red. We weren’t even married yet, and Grandma was already calling it a marriage. Greyson noticed my red ears. “Are you cursing at me in your head?” “What?” I gasped. “Whenever you curse at me, your face gives it away.” Feeling guilty, I snapped, “You think too much.” Greyson didn’t push. He adjusted the jacket around my shoulders. “Let’s go. Your grandfather is looking for you. You did great tonight, don’t ruin it by catching a cold.” Hearing him say “fiancée” made my heart skip a beat. When Julian said it, it felt like a chore. But when Greyson said it, it felt safe. Grandma whispered, “Amelia, is your heart fluttering?” I replied internally, “No.” Grandma smirked. “Sure, honey. I’m not blind.” Greyson drove me back to the Cole estate. As I reached for the door handle, he stopped me. “Are you free tomorrow?” I looked at him warily. “Why?” “My grandmother wants to meet you,” he said. “If you don’t want to go, I’ll tell her no.” I blinked in surprise. I thought he would just demand I go, but he actually asked for my consent first. Grandma murmured, “He has manners.” I thought about it. “I’ll go. Since we are engaged, it’s only right to meet your family.” Greyson nodded, adding, “My grandmother’s name is Evelyn. She’s very direct. If she says something you don’t like, just argue back. No one in the Vance family will make you swallow your pride.” I couldn’t help but smile. “Is that how your family teaches you to treat guests?” “Our family doesn’t teach people to take insult.”

Amelia’s POV His words were quiet, but they made my heart swell. When I visited the Carters in the past, everyone praised me for being “obedient.” Obedient meant waiting for Julian when he was busy, yielding to Hailey when she arrived, and letting Julian’s mother walk all over me. The next day, I prepared myself for a difficult meeting with his grandmother. Mrs. Evelyn Vance sat in the garden. Despite her white hair, her eyes were sharp. She looked me up and down. “I heard you used to be obsessed with the Carter heir?” Greyson frowned. “Grandmother.” Evelyn waved her hand dismissively. “I’m asking her, not you.” I didn’t dodge the question. “I was.” “And now?” “Not anymore.” Evelyn stared at me for a few seconds, then smiled. “Good. Loving the wrong person isn’t embarrassing. Knowing they are trash and still jumping back into the dumpster is.” Grandma Martha nodded vigorously in my head. “I like this old lady! She speaks the truth!” Greyson drank his tea, hiding a smile. For the first time, I felt like this alliance wasn’t as cold as I thought. In the afternoon, Evelyn showed me an old photo album. There were pictures of Greyson as a boy, looking grumpy in the yard, while a younger me made faces at him in the background. I was stunned. “I don’t remember this.” Evelyn chuckled. “You had just argued with him, promising you’d never talk to him again. Then you turned around and stole his birthday cake.” Greyson cleared his throat. “Grandmother, that’s enough.” I stared at the photo. It turned out Greyson and I weren’t always enemies. In the years I had ignored, he was always there, standing just a little out of my sight. As we prepared to leave, Evelyn held my hand. “If you ever feel wronged, come to me. Don’t be afraid of Greyson. He looks mean, but his heart is soft.” Greyson coughed behind us. I smiled. “I will. Thank you.” Next, I decided to go to the Carter estate to pack up my belongings. This wasn’t a sudden decision. Growing up with Julian meant I had left too many things at his house. Books, photos, gifts, a scarf I spent weeks knitting, and a necklace Julian claimed he was “keeping safe” for me. Grandma said a clean break required action. “Take everything back. Leave nothing behind. Let them know you aren’t playing games; you are truly gone.” I agreed. I didn’t sneak in. I had the Cole family driver park right at their front door and brought two movers with me. Julian’s mother came out, her smile stiff. “Amelia? Julian isn’t home. Why don’t you come in and wait?” “No need,” I said. “I’m just here to take my things. I’ll leave once I’m done.” Her smile vanished. Several Carter relatives were in the living room, whispering. In the past, I would bring them gifts and help host. Today, I didn’t even take off my shoes. Julian’s mother whispered, “Amelia, let’s talk when Julian gets back. You two have years of history. Making a scene like this is embarrassing.” I replied calmly, “I didn’t start this.” The movers went upstairs and quickly brought down several boxes. The first was full of my books, the second was old gifts, and the third had albums and the hand-knitted scarf. I touched the dark grey scarf, my fingers pausing. I had stayed up late learning how to knit because Julian said he was cold in the winter. But after Hailey returned, he never wore it once, claiming it didn’t match his style. I pulled the scarf out and threw it into the trash can in front of everyone. Julian’s mother gasped. “Amelia!” I picked up the photo album. It was filled with photos of Julian and me. I didn’t tear them; I simply took out my solo photos and left the rest on the table. “These belong to the Carters’ memories, not mine.” Suddenly, the sound of screeching tires echoed outside. Julian rushed in, his face dark as he saw the boxes. “Amelia, what the hell are you doing?” “Moving out.” “Do you have to make a joke out of us?” I looked at him. “Julian, I kept my things here because I thought I was welcome. Now I know I’m not. What’s so funny about that?” Julian grabbed my wrist. “Have you had enough of this tantrum?” He squeezed hard, aggravating my injured arm. I gasped in pain. In the next second, Greyson’s voice boomed from the door. “Let go of her.” He had arrived with his own driver. When Julian didn’t let go, Greyson marched over, grabbed Julian’s wrist, and forced him back. “She said she’s leaving. Are you deaf?” Julian grit his teeth. “This is between her and me.” “She’s my fiancée now.” Greyson’s eyes were freezing. “Before you touch her, remember your place.” I grabbed the last necklace from the table and put it in my bag. I turned to Julian’s mother. “You don’t need to save a room for me anymore.” I walked out of the house. The sun was bright outside. The boxes were loaded into the trunk. Grandma whispered gently, “This is how you leave, Amelia.” I sat in the car, never looking back. I knew Julian was watching, and I knew if I looked back even once, he would think he still had a chance. Greyson sat next to me, unusually quiet. After a long time, he asked, “Does it hurt?” I touched my bruised wrist. “A little.” “I wasn’t asking about your wrist.” I froze. The Carter estate grew smaller in the rearview mirror. I whispered, “It hurts. But I can bear it.” Greyson kept his eyes on the road. “You don’t have to keep bearing it. From now on, if it hurts, say so. If you want to scream, do it. You didn’t leave the Carters just to learn how to be quiet.” My eyes stung, and I gave a quiet nod.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “443799”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

During the seventh year of my secret relationship with Brandon Vance, we attended our firm’s annual ski retreat in Aspen. During the team lottery, he cheated so he could pair up with Hailey Thorne, his first love who had just returned to the country. In front of everyone, he handed my custom heated gloves to Hailey and said softly, “You get cold easily. Put these on.” The crowd went wild, cheering about how they were “meant to be.” I didn’t say a word. Instead, I quietly accepted the blue draft card handed to me by Julian Sterling, a man notorious in the venture capital world for his ruthless, cold-blooded tactics. Late that night, Brandon sent me a text: “Don’t throw a tantrum. This is just a test to see if you’re mature enough to handle being Mrs. Vance.” At that exact moment, I threw the seven-year anniversary watch I had custom-ordered for him straight into the deep snow. If anyone wanted to be the future Mrs. Vance, they could have the job. I was officially done. The snow in Aspen was heavy, but the heating inside the luxury chalet was so intense it made my skin itch. I stood on the outermost edge of the crowd, watching Logan Miller carry a raffle box to the center of the grand hall. “Alright, everyone! The rules for this year’s backcountry ski rally have changed!” Logan yelled excitedly, scanning the room. “Co-ed pairs, blind draw! If you pull the same color, you’re locked in. For the next three days and two nights in the wilderness, you survive together!” Whistles and cheers immediately erupted throughout the hall. The investment banking world is small. These men and women, usually suffocating in tight suits, loved nothing more than a little forced proximity and thrill in the wild. Hailey Thorne, wrapped in an expensive white mink coat, her cheeks flushed pink from the cold, shrank timidly behind Brandon. The corner of Brandon’s mouth ticked upward. His tall frame shifted subtly, shielding her from the draft near the door. “Don’t worry,” he murmured, his voice deep and reassuring. “I’ve got you.” “Oh, look at Brandon already playing the knight in shining armor! The rest of us better watch out on the slopes. Don’t run into his princess, or Brandon will have our heads!” The teasing grew louder and louder. I lowered my eyes, my hand stuffed deep into my coat pocket. My fingers tightly gripped the blue plastic card I had just drawn. No one knew that ten minutes before the game started, I had been standing near the second-floor stairwell. I had heard Logan whisper to Brandon: “Brandon, I marked the red cards. They’re at the very bottom right of the box. I kept them special for you and Hailey. That’s the best I can do for you, man.” And Brandon had merely given a casual, confident grunt in response. In our seven years of dating, he had never once acknowledged my existence in public. Before this trip, he had even asked me to book economy class while he flew first class. His excuse? “People at the firm talk too much, Chloe. For our future, we need to keep our distance.” And I had believed him. I genuinely thought that once this retreat was over and he was officially promoted to Managing Partner, he would fulfill his promise from seven years ago—to make our relationship public and propose to me. But now, he was walking toward the raffle box. His long fingers reached in, pulling out the marked red card with absolute precision. A second later, Hailey “coincidentally” pulled out a red card as well. “Oh my god—red! A perfect match!” Logan clapped, and the entire room erupted. Hailey’s face flushed red. She looked up at Brandon with watery, sparkling eyes. “Brandon, it looks like I’m going to be a burden to you for the next three days. I’m still such a terrible skier…” “It’s fine,” Brandon said, his voice softer than I had ever heard it. He untied his cashmere scarf and wrapped it gently around her neck. “I’ll teach you. Just follow my lead.” At that moment, my heart felt like it had been plunged into the freezing Colorado snow. That scarf… I had spent three months knitting it for him, stitch by stitch. I took a deep, shaky breath, pushing down the bitter taste in my throat, and raised my blue card. “Who has the blue card?” I asked. My voice wasn’t loud, but in the suddenly quiet room, it carried perfectly. Everyone’s eyes snapped to me. Logan blinked, trying to laugh it off. “Chloe, tough luck. Blue is the extreme backcountry route. It’s the most dangerous. Want me to swap it for you?” “No need,” I cut him off, my gaze sweeping the room. Hearing my voice, Brandon raised his head. Our eyes met through the crowd. His brow furrowed, his eyes flashing with a familiar, warning look that said: “Don’t start acting up now.” Just then, a cool, deep voice drifted over from the corner sofa. “I have it.” The crowd turned, gasping collectively. The man sitting in the corner stood up. He wore a minimalist black ski jacket. He was tall, with sharp, striking features, and carried an aura of absolute authority that warned everyone to stay away. It was Julian Sterling. The youngest, most ruthless venture capital titan on Wall Street, and the primary sponsor of this entire retreat. He walked over to me, opening his palm. A blue card lay quietly in his hand. “Looks like we’re partners, Chloe.”

The atmosphere in the room instantly turned tense. Nobody expected a mid-level investment director like me to be paired with a cold-blooded industry giant like Julian. Brandon’s face darkened visibly. He took a step forward, as if to say something, but Hailey gently tugged at his sleeve. “Brandon, my head hurts. I think the altitude is getting to me.” Brandon froze. His attention was instantly pulled back to Hailey. “Let me take you upstairs to rest.” Watching their retreating backs, I let out a mocking laugh. This was the man I had loved for seven years. For seven years, I had stood by him when he was just a broke kid, fighting alongside him until he secured his VP position. I had taken the fall for him in corporate politics, stayed up countless nights writing his due diligence reports, and even drank myself into a bleeding stomach ulcer at client dinners just to save his projects. Back then, he had held my hand by the hospital bed, his eyes red as he swore, “Chloe, once I make it to the top, I’ll give you the most beautiful wedding in the world.” But the moment Hailey—the college sweetheart who had dumped him for a rich guy, only to return now that she was divorced—reappeared, my seven years of devotion became nothing but a joke. That night, everyone gathered around the outdoor fire pit for a game of Truth or Dare. Hailey had changed into a form-fitting sweater, leaning closely against Brandon. The empty beer bottle spun, pointing directly at Hailey. Logan smirked. “Hailey, truth or dare?” “Truth,” she said with a gentle smile. “What is your biggest regret in life?” The entire circle fell quiet. Hailey lowered her head, her eyes welling with tears. She stole a quick glance at Brandon. “I regret being too young and foolish… and letting go of the boy who loved me more than anything.” A collective, knowing sigh rippled through the crowd. Brandon’s grip on his glass tightened, his knuckles turning white. He didn’t look at Hailey, but the storm in his eyes was impossible to hide. The bottle spun again. This time, it stopped right in front of me. “Chloe, your turn!” Logan’s eyes gleamed with mischief. “Truth. Do you have a boyfriend?” I raised my head. Brandon’s gaze finally locked onto me. He was tense. He was terrified. Terrified that I would lose my mind and expose our seven-year relationship in front of everyone, ruining his touching reunion with his first love. Looking at his handsome, selfish face, a wave of nausea hit me. I picked up my glass of ice water, took a sip, and said calmly, “No. I’m completely single.” The second the words left my mouth, I clearly saw Brandon’s tense shoulders relax. But then, his brows knit together again, seemingly annoyed by how easily and cleanly I had denied him. “Single is great!” Logan quickly filled the silence. “Julian is single too. Sounds like the blue team might have some sparks flying!” Julian, who had been sitting quietly beside me playing with his lighter, let out a soft chuckle. “I certainly hope so.” Those five simple words were like a boulder dropped into a quiet pond. Brandon’s face turned completely black.

When I got back to my room that night, my phone wouldn’t stop buzzing. It was a barrage of messages from Brandon on Snapchat. “What the hell was that tonight?” “Why are you getting so close to Julian Sterling? Do you have any idea how ruthless he is in this industry?” “Hailey just got back to the States and her mental state is fragile. I’m only looking after her because of our history. Stop acting like a bitter housewife.” Looking at the gaslighting texts on my screen, I didn’t even have the energy to reply. A few minutes later, another message popped up, his tone softening: “Chloe, be good. Just put up with it for a few days. Don’t throw a tantrum. When we get back to New York, I’ll buy you that Chanel bag you wanted.” A slap in the face, followed by a sweet treat. For seven years, he had trained me like a dog with this exact method. Whenever I complained, he would say, “You’re going to be my wife, Chloe. You need to look at the bigger picture. Don’t be petty like other girls.” I shut my phone off completely and tossed it onto the nightstand. The next morning, the backcountry ski rally officially began. The Aspen backcountry was steep, and the temperature had plummeted to negative twenty. Before heading out, I realized I hadn’t packed enough hand warmers. My hands were already stiffening. Brandon walked over holding two pairs of high-end heated ski gloves. We had bought them together before the trip—one pair for him, one for me. I reached out to take them, but he walked right past me, straight to Hailey. “Hailey, your hands get cold easily. Wear these. The heating chip inside lasts for eight hours.” Hailey looked up, pleasantly surprised. “What about you?” “I’m fine. I run hot anyway,” Brandon said, smiling as he ruffled her hair. The colleagues standing around murmured about what a gentleman Brandon was. I stood there, looking at my red, freezing fingers. The very last spark of affection in my heart died right then and there. “Hands out.” A deep voice sounded from above me. I looked up to find Julian standing in front of me. Without waiting for my response, he took my freezing hands and pulled a pair of heavy, warm black professional ski gloves over them. They still held the warmth of his body. “These are…” “My spares,” he said flatly, not even sparing a glance at Brandon. “I don’t like my partner slowing me down because of frostbite.” Though his words were blunt, the warmth of the gloves made my throat tight with unshed tears. Brandon noticed the exchange. His face darkened, and he strode over, grabbing my arm. “Chloe, we need to talk.” He dragged me behind a large pine tree and hissed in a low, furious voice, “Are you insane? Accepting things from another man right in front of me?” I yanked my arm out of his grip and stared at him coldly. “Where were you when my hands were freezing to death?” “I told you, Hailey gets cold easily!” Brandon said, completely righteous. “You’re tough, Chloe. What’s wrong with making a small sacrifice? When did you become so selfish?” I let out a bitter laugh. Me? Selfish? For seven years, I had poured my youth, my career, and my resources into him. And in return, I was called “selfish.” “Brandon,” I said, my voice so quiet and calm it surprised me. “I don’t want your gloves anymore. I don’t want anything of yours.” Without waiting for his reply, I turned and walked back to Julian.

The backcountry route was far more grueling than I had anticipated. Julian was an incredible skier, but he never sped ahead to leave me behind. He stayed exactly three yards ahead of me, carving a path through the fresh powder, stopping at every dangerous turn to wait for me. “Keep your center of gravity low. Don’t be afraid,” his voice came through the walkie-talkie, steady and incredibly grounding. Meanwhile, the red team was a disaster. Hailey screamed the entire way, constantly wiping out or getting her skis stuck. Brandon hovered over her, even taking off his own outer jacket to lay it on the snow so she could sit and rest. During our lunch break at the mid-mountain lodge, I was holding a mug of hot water to warm my hands. Hailey walked over, her eyes rimmed with red. “Chloe,” she said, biting her lip with a victimized expression. “I’m so sorry. I know you and Brandon are close colleagues. He’s been so busy taking care of me that he ignored you. Please don’t be mad at him.” On the surface, it was an apology. In reality, she was claiming ownership, while subtly reducing my seven-year history with Brandon to being “close colleagues.” Before I could speak, Brandon strode over, instantly pulling Hailey behind him. “Chloe, Hailey is easily frightened. Stop giving her attitude.” Looking at Brandon’s protective stance, I found it utterly pathetic. “Brandon, which of your eyes saw me giving her attitude?” “Don’t lie,” Brandon said, his brow furrowed with deep disappointment. “I know you’re upset. But Hailey just got back to the country. She has no one else here. As her old friend, it’s only right that I help her.” “As a senior director of the firm, you have no professional grace. You’re behaving like a jealous child. I’m truly disappointed in you.” I looked at him as if he were a stranger. This was the man I had loved. To protect another woman, he didn’t hesitate to drag my name through the mud in public. “Are you done?” I set my mug down, not giving him another second of my time. “If you’re done, get lost. You’re ruining my lunch.” Infuriated by my dismissive tone, Brandon was about to snap when Julian walked over, carrying two plates of grilled steak. He sat down right next to me, sliding one plate in front of me, his voice casual but dripping with authority. “Eat up. You need to keep your strength. Don’t waste your energy on irrelevant people.” “Julian, don’t cross the line!” Brandon spat, his teeth clenched. Julian didn’t even look up. He cut a piece of steak, chewed it slowly, and then finally raised his cold eyes to Brandon. “Aren’t you overstepping, Brandon?” Julian’s voice was like ice. “You protect your ex, I protect my partner. We mind our own business. Or what? Are you trying to keep both?” Brandon’s face went pale. Julian’s sharp words hit him right where it hurt, leaving him completely speechless. He glared at me one last time, grabbed Hailey’s hand, and stormed off.

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On the day of my wedding dress fitting, the zipper got stuck on my back. But instead of helping me, Carter took a phone call and walked out of the massive bridal boutique, leaving me all by myself. His excuse? His ex-girlfriend’s Samoyed, Cotton, was depressed and on a hunger strike. Carter just “had” to go and hand-feed him. This was the seventh time this month he had abandoned me for that dog. All because of a ridiculous pact they made when they broke up: “Whenever the dog has an emotional breakdown, both “parents” must be present to comfort him.” I stared at myself in the mirror, looking like a total joke in a half-finished wedding gown. Finally, I dialed the number I had ignored for three long years. “Damian Vance… does your offer from three years ago still stand?” On the other end of the line, the most ruthless and cold-blooded billionaire in New York’s elite circle spoke with a raspy, suppressed, and wild voice: “Ten minutes. I’m coming to get you. Chloe, you walked into my trap this time. Don’t even think about escaping for the rest of your life.” Later, Carter would kneel in the pouring rain, eyes bloodshot, begging me to look at him just one last time. But Damian simply wrapped his arm around my waist, pressing the cold tip of his black umbrella against Carter’s chin. “Get lost. Don’t dirty my wife’s eyes.”

The AC in the luxury bridal boutique was blasting, and goosebumps broke out across my bare back. The zipper of the wedding dress was stuck right at my waist. I reached behind, straining my arms, but I couldn’t pull it up no matter how hard I tried. “Carter, can you help me?” I called out through the curtain of the fitting room. No response. I pushed the curtain open just a crack. Carter was standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, on the phone. He was wearing a perfectly tailored black tuxedo—the groom’s suit we had just picked out yesterday. Right now, his brows were tightly knit, his voice filled with a rare, anxious tenderness. “Melody, don’t cry. What’s wrong with Cotton? Is he refusing to eat again?” Hearing the names “Melody” and “Cotton,” my fingers on the curtain froze. My fingertips turned a ghostly, bloodless white. Melody. His ex-girlfriend. Cotton. The Samoyed they adopted together. “Okay, don’t be scared. I’m on my way.” Carter hung up, and as he turned around, his eyes met mine. He paused for a second. A flicker of annoyance flashed in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a calm, matter-of-fact look. “Chloe, I have to go,” he said, walking over. He didn’t even glance at the million-dollar gown I was wearing. “Melody said Cotton has been on a hunger strike since last night. He’s shivering under the couch. You know Article 28 of “The 36 Rules of Cotton’s Co-parenting” states that if the dog shows severe depressive symptoms, both owners must comfort him together.” That damn co-parenting agreement again. This was the seventh time this month. On the day we set our wedding date, he rushed off to sign a dental surgery consent form for Cotton. “Rule 5: Any medical intervention requires joint signatures.” On the day we did our wedding menu tasting, he left halfway through to buy a specific brand of goat milk powder. “Rule 15: Any dietary changes must be inspected by both parties in person.” On the day we mailed our wedding invitations, he spent the entire afternoon at Melody’s apartment watching the rain with Cotton. “Rule 19: Thunderstorms require double companionship.” Every single time, he used that professional, business-like tone to tell me, “Chloe, I promised Melody when we broke up. Cotton is a living soul. I can’t just abandon him. This is just a responsibility. Don’t overthink it.” I stared at him, my throat feeling like it was stuffed with wet cardboard. “Carter, today is our last dress fitting. The designer flew in all the way from Paris, and she’s only staying for two hours.” My voice was quiet, trembling with a pathetic weakness that made even me despise myself. He reached out, habitually trying to ruffle my hair, but I jerked my head away. His hand froze in mid-air. His brows furrowed deeper, his tone dripping with the impatience of a man used to getting his way. “Chloe, you used to be so reasonable. We can reschedule the fitting. I can pay double to fly the designer back here. But Cotton is in critical condition right now. He’s not just a dog—he is Melody’s emotional support animal.” “And what about me?” I looked him dead in the eye. “Does that mean your fiancée will always have to take a backseat to a dog and its owner?” Carter’s face darkened. He hated it when I questioned him like this. “I told you, it’s a responsibility. The agreement is in black and white. I can’t break my word.” He glanced at his Rolex, clearly losing his patience. “Try the dress on by yourself first. Tell the designer if you want any changes. I’ll pick you up later.” With that, he turned on his heel and walked out, pushing open the heavy glass doors of the boutique. A wave of summer heat rushed in, only to be instantly swallowed by the cold AC. I stood frozen, staring at the mirror. I looked like a complete joke—wearing a gorgeous, expensive wedding dress with a zipper stuck halfway down my back. The assistant walked over cautiously. “Miss Smith… do you want to keep trying?” I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. When I opened them, the last trace of moisture in my eyes had evaporated. “No.” I reached behind and yanked the heavy gown down. The rough lace scratched my back, leaving angry red marks, but I didn’t feel a thing. “Miss Smith, about the remaining balance on this dress…” “Cancel the order. Keep the deposit.” I changed back into my own clothes, grabbed my purse, and spoke as calmly as if I were talking about the weather. When I stepped out of the boutique, the harsh sunlight stung my eyes. I pulled out my phone. I didn’t text Carter to scream at him. I didn’t post any depressing rants on Instagram. I simply scrolled to the very bottom of my contact list, staring at the number I had blocked, unblocked in the dead of night, but never actually dialed. Damian Vance. The most untouchable man in the city. Ruthless, cold-blooded, and terrifying. He was also the man who, on a rainy night three years ago, had pinned me against an alley wall with bloodshot eyes, asking me in a broken voice, “Why can’t you choose me?” I pressed the call button. It rang only once before he picked up. No “hello,” no casual greeting. Just heavy, ragged breathing, so intense I could almost feel the heat of a volcano ready to erupt through the screen. “Damian,” I said, my voice incredibly calm. “Does what you said three years ago still stand?” Silence stretched for two seconds. Then, the sharp “click” of a metal lighter echoed. The man’s voice was incredibly raspy, dripping with a dark, obsessive passion. “Chloe, do you have any idea what you’re doing right now?” “I do,” I said, watching the traffic rush by. “I don’t want to wait anymore. If you can…” “Stay right there. Don’t move,” he cut me off brutally. I heard the loud crash of a chair flipping over and people gasping in the background. “Ten minutes. Chloe, you walked into my life on your own this time. For the rest of your life, even if you die, you’ll die with my last name on your death certificate.”

After hanging up, I took a cab back to the penthouse I shared with Carter. The smart lock beeped, and the door swung open. The living room was cluttered with wedding favors we hadn’t sent out yet. I walked straight into the bedroom and pulled out a large black suitcase. I didn’t have much. When I first moved in, Carter had told me, “I’ll buy you whatever you need. You just need to bring yourself.” Now I realized he just didn’t want this place to have too many of my traces. After all, this place used to be his and Melody’s home. I had just finished packing a few everyday clothes when the front door opened. Carter was back. He carried a strong smell of veterinary disinfectant, mixed with a faint, sweet trace of Melody’s perfume. Seeing the open suitcase on the bed, he stopped in his tracks as he kicked off his shoes. “What are you doing?” He walked in, his brow locked in a tight frown. “Packing.” I didn’t even look up, throwing my toiletries into a makeup bag. Carter took a deep breath, trying to control his temper. He walked over and grabbed my wrist. “Chloe, have you had enough? It was bad enough that you threw a tantrum at the boutique, but now you’re doing the whole run-away-from-home act?” I yanked my hand out of his grip and looked at him coldly. “How’s the dog? Not dead, I assume?” “Chloe!” Carter’s voice raised, his eyes filled with disbelief. “When did you become so heartless? Cotton had acute gastroenteritis! The vet said if I had arrived a step later, he would have gone into shock! Melody was crying so hard she couldn’t even stand. Can’t you show some compassion?” I laughed. I laughed so hard tears almost came out of my eyes. “Carter, your compassion is truly overflowing. So overflowing that you can abandon your fiancée in a fitting room just to dry your ex-girlfriend’s tears.” I zipped my suitcase shut with a sharp, scraping sound. “I’m not throwing a tantrum, and I’m not running away. I’m just making room.” Carter stared at me, his chest heaving. He seemed to be trying to control his anger, trying to use his usual arrogant, condescending tone to put an end to my “childish behavior.” “Chloe, I know you feel hurt. But I’ve explained this a thousand times. The co-parenting agreement was signed when Melody and I broke up. Cotton was severely traumatized by our split back then. As a man, I have to take responsibility.” His tone softened, and he reached out, trying to hug me. “Alright, don’t be mad. I rescheduled the boutique. Tomorrow, I’ll cancel all my meetings and spend the whole day with you at the fitting, okay?” I took a step back, dodging his touch. “No need.” I pulled the cancellation receipt from my bag and tossed it onto the bed. “I cancelled the dress. They didn’t refund the deposit. Consider it my donation to your dog’s therapy.” Carter’s eyes fell on the receipt, his pupils shrinking instantly. “You cancelled it? Who gave you permission?!” His voice finally cracked, revealing a hint of panic. “Not just the dress,” I said, looking at him calmly. “The venue, the caterer, the florist—everything I was in charge of, I’ve cancelled. Carter, our wedding is off.” The air in the room froze. Carter stared at me for a solid ten seconds before letting out a cold scoff. “Chloe, you’re threatening me with the wedding?” He loosened his tie, his eyes turning cold again. “Do you honestly think I’ll buy into this? You love me so much you threw away your dignity. You’ve spent the last four years playing house and taking care of me like a maid. You really think you have the guts to leave?” His words were like a rusty blade, slowly carving into my heart. He was right. I had loved him so much. I loved him enough to tolerate him rushing over to Melody’s at midnight because of a phone call. I loved him enough to smile while helping him pick out dog food for that Samoyed. I had spent four years squeezing myself into the tiny cracks of their crowded, three-way relationship. “I didn’t have the guts before,” I said, grabbing the handle of my suitcase. “But now? You just make me sick.” Carter’s face turned pale. He lunged forward, grabbing my wrist with a grip tight enough to shatter my bones. “Chloe! If you walk out of this door today, don’t you dare think about coming back. Even if you beg me on your knees, I won’t look at you again!” Right then, a sharp, aggressive car horn honked from downstairs. Three short honks, followed by two long blasts. It was the distinct custom horn of a Maybach—low, arrogant, and commanding. I shook off Carter’s hand and dragged my suitcase toward the door. “You won’t have to look at me ever again. Because someone is already here to pick me up.”

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I had just woken up from the anesthesia after my C-section. My husband gently placed a tiny baby girl in my arms. Suddenly, glowing lines of text flashed across my eyes like a live-stream chat. [Wait! That’s not your daughter. Your real daughter was swapped by your husband and Fiona Cross, the single pregnant mother you sponsored.] [They did it together.] [They put their own love child in your arms instead!] [They want their illegitimate daughter to replace yours and inherit the Montgomery family fortune!] [Your real daughter is right next to Fiona. She has a faint pink birthmark behind her left ear.] [In ten minutes, they will transfer her out of this hospital under the excuse of treating severe jaundice.] The blood in my veins turned to ice. In the next second, Fiona knocked and walked in. She smiled, looking innocent and harmless. “Mrs. Montgomery, my daughter has severe jaundice. She’s being transferred to another hospital in a few minutes. I wanted to come by and say goodbye.” The floating text in front of my eyes flashed rapidly. [Don’t let her leave!] [If she walks out that door, you will never find your daughter again.] I dug my fingernails deep into my palms. I forced a smile. “Jaundice? Let me take a look.”

The hospital room fell dead silent. Julian was the first to react. He sat on the edge of the bed and pressed his hand against my shoulder. The pressure wasn’t heavy, but it was just enough to press down on my C-section wound, sending a sharp pain through me. “Chloe, you just woke up. Don’t move.” I stared at him. To the public, Julian Vance was the most respectable son-in-law of the Montgomery Medical Group. He was the man who would run out in the middle of the night to buy sour plums when I had morning sickness. He accompanied me to every single prenatal checkup. He told the media that marrying me was the luckiest thing that had ever happened to him. But the floating screen said otherwise. It was him. He had stolen our daughter and put his mistress’s baby in my arms. My chest choked with an unbearable ache. “I’m not moving too much,” I said, looking past him to Fiona. “She is a pregnant woman under my charity program. Since her baby has severe jaundice, it’s only natural for me, as her sponsor, to check on her. Is there something wrong with that?” Fiona’s grip on the baby bundle visibly tightened. “Mrs. Montgomery, the doctor said the baby shouldn’t be exposed to the cold wind. The transport ambulance is waiting downstairs.” “I heard jaundice is most obvious behind the ear. I’ll just check behind her ear. No need to unwrap her completely.” Her face turned pale. Julian tried to coax me in a gentle voice, “Chloe, Fiona has had a hard time. Her baby needs urgent care. Let’s not delay them.” “Will a five-second delay kill her?” I asked. His brows furrowed slightly. It was a silent warning. During our standoff, the nurse at the door walked in. Rachel. She was the one who had checked my wristband before my surgery. She wore a professional smile. “Mrs. Montgomery, the anesthesia hasn’t fully worn off yet. You might not be thinking clearly. The transfer paperwork for Fiona’s baby is already complete. The ambulance is waiting downstairs.” I looked at her. “What is her bilirubin level?” Rachel paused. “320.” “When was it tested?” “Twenty minutes ago.” “Where is the report?” Rachel’s smile stiffened. “It’s all logged in the electronic medical system.” A new comment floated across my eyes. [They just modified the numbers.] [The original record was only 176. It didn’t meet the emergency transfer criteria at all.] [They just want Fiona to take your daughter and make a quick escape before you find out.] My daughter was standing just a few steps away from me. Held by her biological father and another woman, about to be erased from my life forever. I forced myself to breathe steadily. “Since the jaundice is so severe, I’ll contact the head of the Neonatology Department at Crestview to check her personally. I’ll cover all the expenses.” Fiona raised her head instantly. “No need, Mrs. Montgomery. You’ve already helped me so much.” “I’m not asking for your permission.” I pressed the call button next to my bed and told the nurse aide who walked in: “Tell the head of Neonatology to come to my room. Also, before he arrives, Fiona and her baby are not allowed to leave this floor.” Rachel panicked. “Mrs. Montgomery, this goes against hospital protocol.” “I am one of the largest individual shareholders of Crestview Maternity Hospital.” I stared at her, my voice dropping to a whisper. “Are you really trying to talk to me about protocol?” Rachel’s face lost all color. Julian called out to me in a low voice, “Chloe.” I didn’t look at him. “Also, my own baby is not allowed to leave this room. Any checkups must be done right in front of me.” Fiona’s eyes welled with tears. “Mrs. Montgomery, is there some kind of misunderstanding? I just want to get medical care for my baby.” I stared at the bundle in her arms. “Then wait for the specialist to get here.” The floating text popped up again. [Step one: successful.] [But they have already altered the hospital system.] [They won’t let you see the birthmark that easily.]

The head of Neonatology didn’t show up. Instead, Dr. Thomas Sterling, the Vice President of the hospital, walked in. There was sweat on his forehead. Two nurses and an administrative director followed right behind him. Julian stood up and whispered a few words to him. Dr. Sterling’s gaze shifted to me, becoming instantly cautious and overly polite. “Mrs. Montgomery, congratulations on a successful delivery. Your health is the top priority right now. The hospital will handle everything else.” I asked, “Where is the department head?” “He is currently in surgery. But we can arrange phototherapy for the baby here.” “Then treat her in this hospital.” “According to the current records, Fiona’s baby has extremely high levels. We highly recommend transferring her to our partner clinic for observation.” I stared at him. “Crestview is the best private maternity hospital in the city. Are you telling me we can’t treat a simple case of newborn jaundice and have to send her away?” Julian walked over, leaning down to tuck my blanket in. “Chloe, you just had surgery. You shouldn’t be worrying about other people’s problems. I’ll handle Fiona’s arrangements.” I grabbed his wrist. “Did you sign the newborn birth confirmation?” His eyes flickered. “The hospital asked me to sign on your behalf.” “On whose behalf?” “I’m the baby’s father. It’s only natural for me to sign.” I looked at him and slowly let go of his wrist. “I wasn’t even awake yet, and you already signed to confirm the baby’s identity?” His perfect composure finally showed a crack. Dr. Sterling quickly intervened. “Mrs. Montgomery, it’s very common for family members to sign on behalf of the mother in clinical practice, especially since you were still recovering from anesthesia.” “Common doesn’t mean legal,” my voice went cold. “Bring me all the handover records, identity verification videos, and the umbilical cord blood storage codes from my delivery.” Rachel stood in the back, her fingers clutching her clipboard so hard they turned white. A comment floated by. [She’s panicking.] [She already swapped the ankle bands of the two babies and backdated the handover log.] [Don’t drink the water. Julian ordered a sedative to be added to it.] The moment I looked up, Julian was already holding the glass of water from the nightstand. “Drink some water first, Chloe. Your lips are dry.” I stared at the warm water. “You drink it.” His hand froze. “Chloe, what are you doing now?” “I said, you drink it.” Everyone in the room turned to look at him. The gentle mask on Julian’s face was about to shatter. “You shouldn’t be so paranoid after a C-section.” I laughed. “I’m paranoid? Then take a sip and prove me wrong.” He set the glass back down. “The doctor said you need to stay hydrated.” “Then have the nurse open a fresh, sealed bottle for me.” Rachel immediately chimed in, “The water in our ward is standardized. There’s nothing wrong with it.” I looked at her. “Are you absolutely sure about that?” She shut her mouth. Fiona stood by the door, cradling the baby as tears streamed down her face. “Mrs. Montgomery, I know you are wealthy and powerful, and you look down on people like us in your charity programs. But just because you don’t like me, you shouldn’t stop my daughter from getting medical treatment.” With a single sentence, she painted a vivid picture. A rich heiress bullying a poor, single mother. What a perfect card to play. Dr. Sterling frowned. “Mrs. Montgomery, your emotional state seems highly unstable right now. Should I call a psychiatrist for an evaluation?” I stared him down. “Do it.” He was stunned. I continued, “And while you’re at it, call the legal department, the risk management team, and the hospital administration. If we’re doing an evaluation, let’s evaluate everyone.” Julian said in a low, warning tone, “Chloe, don’t make a scene.” I pressed a button on my smartwatch. My fingers were still trembling from the lingering anesthesia. I sent a text to Vivian: “My baby is in danger.” Vivian Carter was my late mother’s most trusted lawyer and the executor of the Montgomery Family Trust. She had once told me: “Chloe, marriages can fail, and people’s hearts can change. But the protective clauses in a trust fund never lie.” Back then, I thought she was too cold. Only now did I realize the painful truth in her words.

By 11:40 PM, the ward was in complete chaos. Rushed footsteps echoed from the hallway outside. I had already instructed Vivian to lock down the hospital. Fiona wouldn’t be able to escape. But I couldn’t sleep a wink. My daughter was still in another woman’s arms. How could I sleep? The door was pushed open. Rachel rolled in an incubator transport cart. Fiona followed right behind her. The baby had already been placed inside the incubator, covered by a transparent plastic dome, showing only a tiny, red face. Fiona’s eyes were red and swollen from crying. “Mrs. Montgomery, please stop blocking us. The doctor said if we delay any longer, my daughter might suffer brain damage.” Julian was there, too. He had changed his jacket, looking exhausted. “Chloe, I had Dr. Sterling call a specialist consultation. The conclusion is that we must transfer the baby first. If you’re still worried, I’ll ride in the ambulance with them.” The floating text flashed frantically. [Lies!] [They forged the consultation records!] [She taped over the baby’s left ear to hide the birthmark. You have to look!] [Once they enter the elevator, the underground parking lot has blind spots in the security cameras.] I pushed myself up against the headboard, trying to sit up. A sharp, ripping pain in my abdomen made my vision go black. The nurse aide quickly held me down. “Mrs. Montgomery, don’t get up! Your stitches will rip!” I gritted my teeth. “Bring the incubator here.” Rachel blocked it. “We are on a tight schedule.” “Bring it here!” She didn’t budge. I looked at Julian. “You said you’d ride in the ambulance, right? Then you personally bring the baby to me so I can look at her.” His eyes turned cold. “Chloe, you are disrupting hospital order.” “I just want to look at her once.” Suddenly, Fiona dropped to her knees. She clung to the edge of the incubator, sobbing hysterically. “Mrs. Montgomery, I beg you! My daughter is not your toy! Just because you have money, you can’t keep my child hostage here!” Her loud wails drew the attention of patients in the neighboring rooms. “What’s going on?” “I think it’s the Montgomery heiress. She won’t let a poor pregnant woman’s baby get transferred for treatment.” “Rich people are terrifying. They even want to control other people’s sick babies?” “She just gave birth, right? Is she having some mental breakdown?” The whispers crawled into my ears. But I only stared at the baby inside the incubator. She was crying. The final thread of my sanity snapped. I ripped the IV needle right out of the back of my hand. Beads of blood welled up. Julian’s face changed instantly. “Chloe Montgomery!” I used every ounce of my remaining strength to swing my legs out of bed. The moment my feet hit the floor, my knees buckled, and I fell forward. Julian caught me. Using the momentum, I grabbed the edge of the incubator and slammed open the side access port. Rachel screamed, “What are you doing?!” I reached my hand inside and gently parted the soft hair behind the baby’s left ear. In that split second. I saw it. A faint, reddish birthmark sat quietly on the skin behind her ear, looking like a tiny drop of red ink on paper. The floating chat exploded. Tears instantly poured down my face. “This is my baby.” The room fell dead silent. Fiona’s crying stopped for half a second. Then, she shrieked. “You’re lying! That’s my daughter!” Julian grabbed my shoulders and tried to drag me back. “That’s enough, Chloe!” I struggled, screaming at the top of my lungs, “She has a birthmark behind her left ear! She’s my daughter!” Rachel immediately chimed in, “Birthmarks are extremely common in newborns. You can’t claim a baby just because of a spot. Mrs. Montgomery, you just gave birth. You might be suffering from postpartum psychosis.” Dr. Sterling rushed to the door, his expression grim. “Get Mrs. Montgomery back into bed immediately. Call the psychiatric department for an emergency consultation if necessary.” I looked at their faces. I finally understood what it felt like to be forcefully fitted into the straightjacket of a “madwoman.” They were all waiting for me to break. First, they would label me as mentally unstable. Then, everything I said would be dismissed as the delusions of a crazy person. This was Julian’s ultimate advantage as my husband. Julian leaned down, his voice barely a whisper in my ear. “Chloe, don’t force my hand.” I looked up into his eyes. “What are you going to do to me?”

He remained silent. That was his answer. The crowd in the hallway grew larger. Some people held up their phones, but the hospital security guards quickly blocked them. Fiona knelt on the floor, gasping for breath through her tears. “Mrs. Montgomery, I know you helped me, but you can’t humiliate me like this. You have your own baby. Why do you want to steal mine?” The moment she said those words, the whispers outside changed. “Stealing a baby? Oh my god.” “Is she unhappy with her own baby? Does she think someone else’s baby is cuter, so she’s claiming it?” “Shh, keep it down. They’re rich. Even if she steals it, there’s nothing we can do.” “Postpartum psychosis is pretty common among wealthy women, right?” Two nurses held me down on the edge of the bed. My incision was completely numb with pain. Julian turned to Dr. Sterling. “She has been under a lot of stress during the pregnancy. She just woke up from anesthesia, and her emotions are highly unstable. I suggest letting her rest.” “I’m just worried about you,” he added softly to me. Fiona quickly sobbed in agreement, “Mr. Vance, Mrs. Montgomery just became a mother too. She’s probably just too anxious. I don’t blame her.” Rachel walked over holding a syringe. “Mrs. Montgomery, this is a mild sedative prescribed by Dr. Sterling. The dosage is very small and won’t affect breastfeeding.” I stared at the needle. I raised my wrist and spoke directly into my smartwatch: “Vivian, upload the audio recording to the cloud server right now.” All sound in the room died instantly. The next second, the ward door was pushed open. Vivian walked in holding her briefcase. Behind her were two police officers and the head of the Montgomery Foundation. Seeing my bleeding hand and pale face, Vivian’s eyes turned freezing cold. She turned to face everyone in the room. “Starting now, no one is allowed to move either of these newborns. No medical records are to be deleted, altered, or backdated. Anyone who violates this will be charged with destroying evidence.” Julian finally tore off his gentle mask. “Ms. Carter, this is a private matter between my wife and me.” “Didn’t you just say she’s mentally unstable?” Vivian looked at the police officers. “In that case, we need a third party to step in. We can’t have a husband making unilateral medical decisions for a supposedly ‘unstable’ patient.” “On behalf of Mrs. Montgomery, as the trustee of the Montgomery Family Trust, I am officially freezing all beneficiary status checks due to identity risks.” Julian’s face went completely pale. I didn’t give him a chance to speak. I looked at the police officers. “Officer, I request the immediate seizure and sealing of all Crestview Maternity Hospital’s newborn handover logs, delivery room access logs, surgical cord blood samples, placental pathology samples, newborn screening blood cards, transfer requests, and ambulance GPS records.” “Furthermore, seal all of tonight’s medical orders, including the sedative syringe they were about to inject into me.” Dr. Sterling broke into a cold sweat. “Mrs. Montgomery, you’ve misunderstood. This is just a family matter…” “It is not a family matter,” I said, projecting every word clearly. “I suspect a criminal conspiracy to swap newborns, forge medical documents, illegally transport an infant, and attempt to fraudulently claim the beneficiary rights of the Montgomery Family Trust.” The moment those words left my mouth, Fiona’s face drained of all color. The onlookers outside went wild.

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On the very first day of our honeymoon, I dragged my husband to a local photography studio to get some romantic couple portraits done. As the camera lens panned over him, the photographer casually asked, “Hey, how come you didn’t bring your girlfriend this time?” I was just about to raise my hand to show off my wedding ring when a familiar voice chimed in from behind us. “Marcus! What a coincidence seeing you guys vacationing here too.” The scowl that Marcus had been wearing all trip finally cracked, replaced by a warm, genuine smile. The girl shoved me aside, effortlessly taking my spot next to him. The photographer smoothly guided them through a series of cozy poses, and as they finished up, he smiled and said: “Congratulations! Wishing you two a happy honeymoon.” Marcus gently rustled the girl’s hair with pure affection and muttered a soft, “Thanks.” I thought my ears were playing tricks on me. Just as I opened my mouth to clarify who the actual wife was, Marcus grabbed my wrist and dragged me out of the studio. Right before we stepped out the door, my eyes locked onto the display wall he had been staring at earlier. In the framed photo, Marcus and Chloe were locked in a passionate, deep kiss. The timestamp on the photo was exactly one day before our wedding.

Suddenly, a cold shiver ran down my spine. Looking at Marcus now, every ounce of love I had felt for him evaporated. All the way back, Chloe and Marcus chatted and laughed, sharing inside jokes. I sat there like an invisible third wheel who couldn’t squeeze a word in. This man, who had been completely silent and cold to me, was now looking at another woman with eyes full of tenderness. I suddenly realized this marriage didn’t even need to begin. The moment we stepped into our hotel suite, Marcus threw his coat down and glared at me. “What was with that miserable face back there?” “You were the one who begged for this honeymoon. Now that we’re here, you’re throwing a tantrum and ruining the mood.” “Do you have any idea how valuable my time is?” I stared at him in utter disbelief, a bitter tightness squeezing my chest. When I was eighteen, the Franklin family empire went bankrupt. My parents essentially pawned me off to the Christians under the guise of an arranged alliance. The graduation trip my parents had promised me was canceled. Seeing how devastated I was back then, Marcus had wiped away my tears, promising he would take me on a trip every single year. The first year, Chloe got sick and was hospitalized, so we had to wait. The second year, Chloe took a bad fall after a breakup, and the plans fell through again. This year, Marcus finally agreed to take me. But as it turned out, he and Chloe had already been here, playing house as a happy couple. The suffocating silence in the room was crushing me. I just wanted a straight answer. “When did you and Chloe come here?” He shrugged casually, acting as if I was making a big deal out of nothing. “Chloe failed her job interview last month and cried all night. I brought her here to clear her head.” “To clear her head? Does clearing her head require mouth-to-mouth resuscitation?” A long, heavy silence stretched between us. Then, Marcus snapped, his face flushing with anger. “Keep your dirty thoughts to yourself.” “Chloe is like a sister to me. If there was actually anything going on between us, do you really think you’d be sitting here as my wife?” I let out a dry laugh. So, that was his truth. Chloe’s parents died saving Marcus’s life when they were kids. To make it up to her, his parents had initially set them up to be married. But then, Marcus claimed he fell in love with me at first sight. He used childish stunts like hunger strikes and running away from home to force his parents to agree to our match. When the Franklins went under, he finally got exactly what he wanted. “Let’s get a divorce.” His hands froze over the suitcase he was unpacking. He let out a scoff. “Just because I took Chloe on a trip to cheer her up, you’re throwing a fit and demanding a divorce?” “Catherine, when did you become so childish?” I said nothing, my heart aching in dull, heavy thuds. “Chloe has really sensitive skin and allergies. Go sleep in her room tonight so she can have this suite.” Seeing me stand still, he reached out and patted my head condescendingly. “You need to learn to be more generous.” My eyes welled up with uncontrollable tears. It was always like this. The jewelry she wanted, I had to give up. The designer dresses she wanted, I had to let her have. I had been yielding to her for seven long years. I sniffled, swallowing the lump in my throat. “I’ll give her the room. And you? I’m giving you to her too.” Hearing this, he pinched the bridge of his nose in sheer annoyance. “It’s just a room! Stop turning everything into a federal case!” Before I could reply, there was a knock at the door. The moment Chloe walked in, Marcus smoothly took her suitcase, opened it, and began unpacking her things one by one. That was when I noticed their toiletries were matching couple sets. She slid her room card into my palm, offering a sweet, innocent, yet apologetic smile. “I’m so sorry, Catherine. I booked my room so late, and the view isn’t great.” “I hate to make you suffer in that room… you don’t mind, right?” I suddenly felt a surge of petty amusement. “What if I said I do mind? Would you give me my suite back?” It was the first time in seven years I had ever said no to her. Chloe froze, her eyes instantly filling with tears. She began frantically stuffing her things back into her suitcase, acting as if she was being bullied. Marcus’s face darkened instantly. He grabbed my suitcase and hurled it out into the hallway. “If anyone’s leaving, it’s you.” The zipper on my suitcase burst, scattering my clothes all over the hallway floor. I sat slumped in the middle of the mess, looking absolutely pathetic and ridiculous. The heavy suite door slammed shut, cutting off my view of Marcus. The plastic room card in my hand felt like a burning coal. I laughed at myself, realizing for the very first time what a massive joke my life had become.

Instead of going to Chloe’s room, I went straight to the airport. On my phone, the wedding planner was blowing up my WhatsApp, asking me to confirm the final details for the ceremony. Before this trip, Marcus had held me close, promising he would give me the wedding of the century the moment we got back. I stared at the screen for a long time, waiting until my battery was down to one percent. Finally, I typed back: Change my name on everything to Chloe. I also bought the digital file of the photo I saw at the photography studio and sent it to them. Use this as the main welcome poster at the entrance. I figured Marcus would love my little wedding gift. Our trip was supposed to last a week, but by the time Marcus finally returned home, a whole two weeks had passed. He hadn’t even noticed that I left the honeymoon early, nor had he sent a single text to check on me. He tossed a luxury gift box onto my lap. “Chloe bought you this to apologize. It’s been weeks, Catherine. You should be over your little tantrum by now.” I looked at the box. It had a prominent ‘Gift with Purchase’ sticker on it, and the perfume sample inside was already more than half empty. He couldn’t even bother to pretend to care. I slowly stood up, pulled the pre-drafted divorce papers from my drawer, and slid them across the table. “Marcus, let’s get a divorce.” He glanced down at the papers, his brows knitting together in pure irritation. “Catherine, don’t you think you’re being incredibly dramatic?” “Your family literally threw you away and handed you to me like a piece of garbage. If you leave me, who else in New York would ever want you?” I snapped my head up to look at him. It was true—the moment the alliance with the Christians was finalized, my parents had kicked me out of the house. They called it “fostering a relationship” with my future husband. Looking at the man who had once promised to build a home with me, I felt like I was looking at a complete stranger. The love I had once been so proud of felt incredibly pathetic at this moment. My lips trembled, but I couldn’t find the words to argue. Because he was right. He slammed the door and left, telling me to use the night to clear my head. The next morning, when I arrived at the office, my colleagues were whispering and congratulating me, saying my promotion to Senior Project Manager was a done deal. But my blood ran cold when I opened the official announcement email and saw Chloe’s name listed as the new manager. I stormed into Marcus’s office with the printout, only to stop dead in my tracks. Chloe was leaning over Marcus, tenderly adjusting his tie. They looked like two high school sweethearts in the middle of a honeymoon phase. When Marcus saw me, his face immediately twisted into annoyance. “Knock before you come in. Even elementary school kids know that rule. Do I need to send you back to HR for basic etiquette training?” “You’ve been with this company for years, and you still have zero situational awareness.” Chloe, on the other hand, took a timid step back, looking like a frightened rabbit. “I’m so sorry, Catherine… I always do Marcus’s ties. I saw it was crooked and just reacted without thinking.” She quickly untied Marcus’s tie, shoved it into my hands, and ran out of the office crying. Once again, she made me look like the wicked witch who had ruined their pure love. Marcus’s voice boomed with anger. “You know Chloe has been depressed since she failed her job interview. It’s just one position, Catherine. Do you really have to fight her for everything?” This was different. I had pulled countless all-nighters and drafted dozens of proposals to earn this promotion. And with one casual sentence, he expected me to just hand it over. Watching him turn to leave, I called out, “Marcus, it’s either Chloe or me. Choose.” He paused for a fraction of a second, but didn’t turn back. He kept walking to chase after Chloe. I walked back to my desk. Looking at the cubicle where I had poured four years of my life, it felt utterly alien. That afternoon, the company-wide Snapchat group exploded. A coworker nudged my arm, sliding her phone in front of my face. “Catherine… is Mr. Christian actually your husband?”

Chloe had uploaded a photo of my marriage certificate with Marcus to the group chat. Her caption read: Wishing Catherine and Marcus a lifetime of happiness! My entire body went numb. The chat was scrolling at lightning speed with mockery and gossip from my coworkers. “I knew it! No wonder she landed all those major clients at her age. She was just riding her husband’s coattails!” “Please, her parents basically sold her. She’s been his live-in maid for seven years. Aside from a piece of paper, she has nothing.” “Did you see how Mr. Christian looks at Chloe? That’s real love right there. Catherine is just a placeholder.” The nasty, venomous words flooded my brain. My head felt like it was going to split open. I fled from my desk and slipped into the quiet stairwell to catch my breath. But as I walked down, I heard a soft, wet, gasping sound coming from the landing below. Chloe was whimpering, her shoulders trembling as her small hands weakly beat against Marcus’s chest. “Now everyone knows… you guys can be together openly now. She won’t have to ‘misunderstand’ us anymore.” “Are you happy now?” Marcus stared at her for a second, then leaned down to kiss the tears from her eyelids. “That’s enough.” “Don’t ever do that again without my permission.” Then, the heavy sound of kissing resumed. I don’t even remember how I dragged myself back to my office. When I walked in, Marcus was lounging on his leather sofa, looking thoroughly satisfied. I placed my physical resignation letter on his desk. His forehead creased with instant irritation, and he uncomfortably pulled up his collar. “What are you throwing a tantrum about now?” “Chloe didn’t mean to leak the certificate. She’s been crying in the restroom for an hour. I already lectured her about it.” We had been together for seven years, and he had never once publicly acknowledged my existence. The only couple photos we had were deleted by him because “it might negatively impact the company’s stock price.” I had lived like a shameful, hidden mistress for seven years. I stared at the fresh red mark on his collarbone and forced a hollow smile. So, that was his idea of a “lecture.” He stood up and reached out to wrap his arms around me. The thought of what they had just done in the dusty stairwell made my stomach violently churn. I lurched backward, dodging his touch, genuinely wondering how he did it. One second he was passionately making out with his foster sister, and the next, he could act like a doting fiancé to me. He casually tossed my resignation letter into the paper shredder, his tone leaving no room for argument. “I’m going to pretend I never saw this. As for the promotion, we’ll talk about it next time.” “Besides, given our legal status, it’s better if we keep a professional distance at work anyway.” It took me four grueling years to climb from an assistant to managing my own projects. How many more four-year periods did he expect me to wait? I waited year after year for a vacation. I waited year after year for a promotion. And with one word—”professionalism”—he wiped out every ounce of my hard work. But I was done waiting. I kept my voice completely professional. “If you want to keep your distance, my resignation actually solves all your problems.” He looked at me, a sudden wave of understanding washing over his face. “Ah, right. We’re already legally married, and the wedding ceremony is in two days. I make more than enough to support you anyway.” “My mother has been begging for grandkids. After the wedding, you can stay home and focus on getting pregnant.” I gave him a non-committal hum, waiting until he signed off on my exit paperwork before turning on my heel. As I reached the door, he called out, “Oh, and don’t forget—our parents are meeting in three days to finalize the wedding reception details. Don’t be late.” I didn’t answer. The moment I stepped out of the building, I booked a one-way ticket to London. A few days ago, I had received a job offer from a multinational firm over there. My future was waiting for me across the Atlantic.

Three days later, I still showed up to the dinner. An ugly beginning deserved a clean, dignified ending. When I arrived at the private dining room, it was completely empty. Right then, my phone buzzed. It was Marcus, and he immediately started yelling the moment I picked up. “Catherine! How old are you? Still playing games and showing up late? If you can’t even manage your time, how can I trust you with a manager position?” I opened the text notification on my phone. It was a new address. How hilarious. The venue had been changed, and I, the bride, was the last to know. When I finally arrived at the upscale restaurant, Chloe was sitting in my designated seat, making both sets of parents laugh hysterically with her sweet banter. The moment I walked in, the warm atmosphere turned ice-cold. Chloe immediately made a show of standing up to give me my seat, but Marcus’s mother grabbed her arm, pulling her back down. “Chloe, sweetie, stay right there.” She then turned her icy glare toward me. “If some people hadn’t used cheap, manipulative tricks, the title of Mrs. Christian would belong to Chloe right now.” “You’re in your twenties, yet you expect your elders to sit around and wait for you.” “You haven’t even officially moved into the Christian estate, and you’re already throwing your weight around like you own the place. Who do you think you are?” My parents sat there, offering nothing but awkward, tight smiles. Marcus shot me a warning glare, his eyes practically screaming threats. “On such an important day, you’re the only one who’s late. Aren’t you embarrassed?” I let out a long sigh, ignored the comments, and sat down at an empty seat. My heart was already dead. Looking at the table, every single dish was covered in heavy, spicy Mexican chili oil. Marcus picked up a fork, stabbed a piece of spicy meat, and put it on my plate. He leaned close to my ear. “Stop sulking. Everyone is watching. Smile.” Without a second thought, I scraped the meat directly into the trash bin. The smile on Marcus’s face froze. “I can’t eat spicy food.” My stomach had been ruined by stress ulcers over the years; spicy food was practically poison to my system. Years ago, when I had accidentally taken a bite of a spicy pepper, Marcus had panicked, rushing me to the ER for a full gastrointestinal scan. Since then, he had always personally checked every menu to make sure my food was bland. Chloe noticed my action and her face fell. “The elders are all sitting right here, Catherine. Who are you putting on this dramatic show for?” Marcus looked at Chloe, then back at me. He stabbed another piece of spicy food, his voice dropping to a cold, commanding whisper. “Eat it. Behave.” I set my fork down with a quiet clack. “Enjoy your dinner.” “I only came here to say one thing: I won’t be attending the wedding. Marcus and I are completely over.” With that, I stood up and walked out. Behind me, Marcus’s mother exploded into furious screeching, while my parents frantically rambled out awkward apologies. I drove straight back to my apartment, grabbed my pre-packed suitcases, and headed to the airport. Back at the restaurant, it took Marcus nearly an hour to soothe his mother’s anger, promising her that I would never act out like this again. But remembering the absolute finality in my eyes before I walked out, a sudden, cold dread crept into his chest. He pulled out his phone and shot me a text: Catherine, stop this childish nonsense. Come back and apologize right now. I didn’t reply. For the next few days, I didn’t send him a single text or call. He didn’t think much of it, assuming I was just experiencing cold feet and being shy before the big day. After all, I had chased him for seven years. He was convinced I could never survive without him. He figured this time would be no different. On the morning of the wedding, Marcus got up early, carefully grooming himself. He couldn’t wait to see me walk down the aisle. But the moment his car pulled up to the luxury hotel venue, his face went completely pale.

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In my past life, my daughter, Chloe, knew exactly how terrified I was of snakes. Yet, she still bought one and kept it in our house. She’d watch me jump around in sheer terror, a mocking smirk plastered across her face. My husband, Leo, just stood by and watched with cold eyes. He even claimed we needed to “respect our child’s hobbies.” He eventually snuck the snake into the bathroom while I was showering, calling it “exposure therapy” to help me get over my phobia. In a blind panic, I tried to escape through the window, slipped, and fell to my death from the sixth floor. In this life, I don’t want Leo or Chloe anymore. “Hey? Hey? Mom, can you hear me? I said I have a huge surprise for you!” Chloe’s voice through the receiver made me realize I had been reborn. I gripped my phone, my entire body trembling. In my previous life, Chloe had used this exact same cheerful, innocent tone to urge me to come home. The moment I opened the front door, a snake was waiting for me. I’ve always had a paralyzing phobia of snakes. Just looking at a photo of one would make me break out in a cold sweat. But in that moment, a real, live snake was hissing and flicking its tongue right in front of me. I couldn’t control my screams. I begged Chloe to take it away. But she just looked at me with those innocent eyes and said, “Mom, this is my new pet. You have to be nice to it from now on!” With that, she walked toward me, holding the snake in her bare hands. My legs went completely weak. The gourmet cake I had bought for her slipped from my hands and smashed all over the floor. Chloe rushed over, her face falling. “Mom! How could you be so careless? You ruined my cake!” She pouted, on the verge of tears. But I couldn’t care less about comforting her. As she moved closer, the small snake writhed in her hands, heading right in my direction. “Ah! Get it away!” I turned to run, but my foot caught on the edge of the stairs, and I tumbled all the way down. My leg snapped. I clutched my broken limb, screaming in agony. Then, I watched in horror as the snake slithered out of her hands and crawled onto my body. I blacked out from pure terror. “Mom! Are you even listening to me?! You are being so disrespectful right now!” Chloe’s sharp voice snapped me back to reality. She was lecturing me in her childish voice. In the past, I would have found it adorable. I would have smiled and said, “I’m sorry, sweetie. Mommy was distracted. Forgive me?” and then done everything to coax her out of her pout. But now? I didn’t give a damn. Without saying a word, I hung up. I turned to the bakery clerk and said, “Actually, I don’t want this cake anymore.” The clerk, who was in the middle of boxing it up, froze. “Ma’am, are you sure? This is the last custom strawberry shortcake we have today.” It was Chloe’s absolute favorite. It was always sold out by the time I picked her up from school. Today, Leo had surprisingly offered to pick her up, which was the only reason I could get to the bakery early enough to grab the last one. “I’m sure. I don’t want it. You can sell it to someone else,” I said. I paused, pulling out my VIP membership card. “Also, I’d like to cancel my membership and refund the remaining balance to my card.” To get Chloe her favorite treats, I had pre-paid a ton of money at this high-end bakery over the years. The balance was easily over $2,000. Now, I’d rather donate that money to charity than spend a single dime of it on that ungrateful brat.

After canceling the card, I got a refund of $500 in cash. From this moment on, Chloe wouldn’t get a single penny of my money. My phone started blowing up with call after call from her. Irritated, I finally picked up. “Dad, look! The little snake is crawling right onto my hand!” Hearing the word “snake” made my breath hitch. There was a sudden gasp on the other end. Chloe clearly hadn’t expected me to answer. But in a split second, her cheerful tone turned incredibly defensive. “Mom, why didn’t you say anything when I called? And why did you hang up on me? That is so disrespectful.” I ignored her attitude. “What did you just say about a snake?” “What? No… there’s no snake,” Chloe stammered, caught off guard, not knowing how to lie her way out of it. “Just come home, Mom. I have a surprise for you.” The “surprise” was that damn snake. Even though I had practically caught her red-handed, she still refused to tell the truth. Leo had taught Chloe well. He taught her how to demand “respect” and use it as a weapon against me. Yet, neither of them had ever shown me an ounce of respect! Leo knew exactly how terrified I was of snakes, but he went behind my back and bought one anyway. He had even lied to me, saying he didn’t have to work overtime today so I could “take a break” while he picked Chloe up. Chloe knew about my phobia too. Yet she wanted to lure me home, scare the life out of me, and laugh at my reaction. “Mom, aren’t you surprised? I’ve always wanted one, and Daddy made my dream come true!” They knew I was terrified, yet they let the snake roam free in the house. They let it slither around, even letting it crawl over my broken leg when I couldn’t move, laughing hysterically as the color drained from my face! Eventually, they “generously” told me that Chloe was willing to compromise for my sake and keep the snake in a glass tank. Though I was still paralyzed with fear, I endured it for Chloe. But even lying in bed, unable to move, I felt like a cold-blooded monster was watching me every second of the day. During that recovery period, every minute in that house was pure torture. I would wake up from nightmares screaming, clawing at my skin to make sure the snake wasn’t crawling on me. Once my leg finally healed, I was finally able to take a proper shower. But Leo secretly let the snake into the bathroom. I was washing the shampoo out of my hair, eyes closed. The moment I opened them, I gasped. The snake’s head was inches from my face, staring at me. I jumped back in panic, slamming my head hard against the sink. Dizzy and in excruciating pain, I screamed for Leo to help me. He was standing right outside the glass door. I could see his silhouette. “Aurora, your leg is healed now. You need to start cleaning the guest bathroom again. You have to learn to get over this phobia.” “If you keep acting like this, Chloe is going to feel guilty. You need to start thinking about your daughter.” “After all, you’re the only one in this house who hates snakes. You’re the odd one out.” I was desperate. So desperate that I climbed onto the toilet to get away. But the snake didn’t stop. It kept slithering closer. As I scrambled onto the window sill, the cold, slimy scales wrapped around my ankle. The wet, slippery sensation triggered a primal wave of terror. I forgot I was on the sixth floor. I kicked back and fell. As my eyes closed for the last time, I couldn’t understand why they had treated me this way. I always knew Chloe loved exotic pets. But Chloe also always knew that they were my worst nightmare. It wasn’t until my rebirth, hearing Chloe’s laugh over the phone, that I finally got it. She carried Leo’s blood. All the love, care, and guidance I had given her since she was a baby couldn’t change her cold-blooded nature. Just like Leo, she loved reptiles. And just like Leo, she looked down on me.

“You bought a snake, didn’t you? I heard you. Why are you lying to me?” “You know how terrified I am of snakes. Why are you doing this to me?!” The memories of my horrific death in my past life surged, and I couldn’t stop myself from screaming. Chloe was stunned into silence. Having let out all my rage, I slammed the phone down and hung up. A moment later, Leo sent me a Snapchat message, lecturing me: What the hell is wrong with you? Is this how a mother behaves? We agreed we would raise our child as an independent individual. If you can’t respect and support your child, why did you even have one? Chloe likes snakes. What’s wrong with keeping one? Are you really going to throw a tantrum over this? She’s crying because of you. And you’re still not home? Do you even care about this family? Aurora, grow up. Do you think we’re still dating? Does everyone have to cater to your feelings? If you’re not home, who’s making dinner? And did you get the cake Chloe wanted? You don’t care about anything else, and now you can’t even buy a simple cake for your own daughter! I let out a bitter laugh. I had sacrificed everything for this family, yet in their eyes, I was still a failure of a wife and a terrible mother. When we first got married, our finances were tight, so I wanted to hold off on having kids. But Leo told me that as women get older, the quality of their eggs drops. He claimed if we waited, I’d have trouble conceiving, or worse, miscarry. He said even if I did manage to give birth, the baby would be sickly. Anxious and blinded by his words, I forgot that Leo was five years older than me. If anyone had “poor quality,” it was him. Once I got pregnant, Leo would rub my belly every day. He promised he would raise the baby himself to make sure they grew up independent, successful, and respected. Seeing his supposed paternal love, I actually felt lucky to have married him. Then, he told me my uterus was too weak and forced me to take early maternity leave to “protect the baby.” I didn’t want to. I had just passed my probation at work. Taking leave now would make my boss think I had planned the pregnancy just to abuse the company’s benefits. But he just looked at me with pure disdain: “The moment you got pregnant, your boss started hating you anyway. If you don’t take leave now, you’re just letting them exploit you.” I couldn’t win the argument. Under the judgmental gazes of my colleagues and manager, I took my leave. “She’s barely even showing.” “She just passed her probation. Didn’t she get pregnant during her trial period?” “I remember the senior partners saying they didn’t want to hire women.” “Yeah, Jennifer vouched for her. She promised there’d be no issues during the critical six-month project phase.” “Even if she is pregnant, she looks perfectly healthy. Why does she need leave this early?” “Who knows? Maybe she has some ‘medical complications.’” My entire pregnancy was spent in a state of high anxiety. I was excited for the baby, but I was also terrified of losing my career, of raising a child, and of trying to re-enter the workforce later. But the moment the baby was born, Leo pressured me to quit. “Breastfeeding is the healthiest option. You’re a mother now. Your priority should be our child, not your selfish career.” I was too weak postpartum to fight him. Looking at the tiny infant in my arms, a wave of maternal love washed over me. Back then, I believed Leo was right. I was willing to sacrifice everything for my baby. But when I handed in my resignation, my colleague’s words echoed in my mind: “I knew she was just using us for maternity benefits.” It cut like a knife. Leo pretended to comfort me, though he was really just looking down on them: “People who haven’t had kids just don’t get it. Nurturing a new life is a woman’s greatest value.”

I ordered some DoorDash and enjoyed a moment of peace—something I hadn’t experienced since getting married. Ever since I got married, I had stopped eating takeout. Leo claimed takeout was unhealthy, yet he never cooked. Instead, he expected me to wake up at the crack of dawn to buy fresh groceries. After making breakfast, I had to prepare his lunch. Following Leo’s strict health standards and personal preferences, I had to pack a perfect bento box for him to take to the office. He would say, “It’s too much trouble for you to cook lunch at home, and commuting back and forth wastes too much of your time. I’m just looking out for you.” But the moment I finished my own work, I had to rush to the grocery store for dinner ingredients. The second I stepped through the door, I had to put on an apron and start cooking. After dinner, it was dishwashing, laundry, and deep cleaning. I was working a job while simultaneously carrying the full burden of a housewife. That was one of the reasons I eventually gave in to Leo’s pressure to become a stay-at-home mom. “Just be a stay-at-home mom. No more stressful office job. You’ll have it so much easier, and I’ll take care of you.” He made it sound so simple. But once Chloe was born, I was solely responsible for every single aspect of her life. When Chloe grew old enough to offer to help me sweep the floor, Leo immediately stopped her: “Chloe, let Daddy tell you something. You need to learn to be independent.” “Look, sweeping is your mom’s job. She’s the adult. That’s her responsibility. You shouldn’t be doing it for her, okay?” I was furious. “Leo, what do you mean ‘my job’?” “Chores should be shared by the family. Chloe is growing up, and she wants to help me. Why would you teach her otherwise?” “You don’t even work a real job anymore. If chores aren’t your job, whose are they? Mine?” “Can you grow up? Do you seriously need a little kid to do your work for you?” “This is exactly why I need to teach Chloe to be independent—so she doesn’t end up like you!” His voice boomed, startling Chloe into tears. Then, he turned his anger back on me: “If you don’t know how to raise a child, keep your mouth shut! Your random outbursts are going to ruin her mental health!” So this was his version of “taking care of me.” I didn’t have an office job, but the physical labor never stopped. It was just as exhausting, and he took it completely for granted. And all his talk about teaching our child to be “independent”? It was a joke. Parents are supposed to be role models. He lived like a king, expecting everything to be handed to him on a silver platter. He wouldn’t even empty a trash can if it was overflowing. What right did he have to teach anyone independence? He demanded Chloe be “respected,” so he used “respect” to control me at every turn. Not making Chloe’s favorite meal was disrespectful to her. Not picking Chloe up from school on the dot was disrespectful to her. Entering Chloe’s room without permission was disrespectful to her. If Chloe found trash in her room, it was still disrespectful to her. Respect, respect, respect. For their twisted version of respect, I paid with my life. But who had ever respected me? The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. I opened Snapchat and texted Leo: “I want a divorce.” He replied instantly: “Why?” “You guys want respect? Fine. I’m respecting you.” “Since you both love snakes so much, you can have the house. I’m out.”

Maybe they really did hate me. The moment I brought up divorce, Chloe called me multiple times, screaming that I was an irresponsible mother and a terrible wife. My voice was dead calm. “Who taught you to say those words?” Chloe sounded proud of herself. “I’m older now. I know how the world works.” “Other moms either make a lot of money or take perfect care of the house. They do a great job.” “Why don’t you make money, and you can’t even do the chores right? You’re failing as a mom.” “My friends’ moms respect them. They let them have cats and dogs, and the moms are the ones who walk them and clean up after them.” “But you? The moment you found out I got a snake, you ran away and didn’t even come home.” I listened to her entire rant patiently, then calmly replied, “Right. And remember when I wanted to get a dog? Did either of you let me?” Chloe choked on her words. Leo hated dogs. He claimed they shed too much. He said walking a dog was a waste of time and would lower his quality of life. But we all knew I would have been the one walking the dog anyway. At the end of the day, he just didn’t want me to have any distraction from serving him and his daughter. Chloe didn’t really care about dogs either way. But Leo had sat her down, telling her how much of a hassle a dog would be, and insisted on “majority rules” to get her on his side. If Chloe had agreed to the dog, she would have stepped on her precious father’s toes. So, to show “respect” to her beloved dad, Chloe voted against it. And that was the end of the dog. “You know your friends have cats and dogs,” I said. “Go ask them how many of their parents would tolerate a snake living in their house.” Chloe tried to argue. “But everyone is different! Why shouldn’t I be allowed to have a snake?” “Oh, I am allowing it. That’s why I’m giving you the house so you can raise it.” “You can let it sleep in my old bed if you want. I don’t care. None of this has anything to do with me anymore.” Leo chimed in over her shoulder, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Let her go. Who cares if she comes back? Like we can’t survive without her.” I was actually really excited to see the answer to that. I reminded Leo: “Don’t forget to meet me at the family court tomorrow to file the paperwork.” I wanted to get out before they realized how much they actually relied on their live-in maid. Unfortunately, there was a mandatory thirty-day separation period before the divorce could be finalized. “Thirty days. See you then. Don’t go regretting this. Let’s see who else is going to spoil you like I did.” At the lawyer’s office, Leo was smugger than ever. He was absolutely convinced I couldn’t survive without him. But in this day and age, I had a working brain and a healthy body. There was nothing I couldn’t do to support myself. Without the two of them dragging me down, my real life was finally beginning.

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My husband has split personality disorder. Or so I thought. On our anniversary, he dragged me to his lawyer’s office for the third time to force me to sign the divorce papers. Right after, he forced abortion-inducing pills down my throat. I blacked out from the excruciating pain and spent three days in the hospital. When I was finally discharged, I saw Ethan standing near the hospital entrance. He was surrounded by his close friends. One of them, Marcus, leaned in and asked in a low voice: “Ethan, how much longer are you going to use this split-personality lie to trick Hazel? Do you really not care about the baby at all?” Ethan casually flicked a piece of lint off his jacket. “Chloe has been having nightmares again about how Hazel bullied her back in high school. She’s depressed and can’t sleep. I had to do this to make her feel better.” “Besides, Hazel is fertile. We can have another baby whenever we want.” Tyler looked at him, his face filled with pity. “But Hazel spent every single penny of her savings to find a cure for your mental illness. She didn’t even get to see her parents one last time before they died because she was traveling to find a specialist for you.” Ethan let out a cold scoff. “She spent that money voluntarily. And I’m supporting her for the rest of her life, isn’t that enough?” “Once Chloe gets over her trauma, I’ll just pretend my ‘other personality’ is cured. Hazel will crawl right back to me and call off the divorce anyway.” A sharp, tearing pain flared in my lower abdomen. I clenched my fists so hard my nails dug into my palms. What he didn’t know was that three times was my limit. Once this 30-day separation cooling-off period ended, He and I would be finished forever. ……

Standing next to Ethan, Chloe lowered her eyes. Tears quickly welled up in her eyes. “Ethan, lying to Hazel like this isn’t a long-term solution.” “You’re pretending to be mentally ill for my sake, letting people whisper behind your back. It makes me feel so guilty.” Hearing this, Ethan immediately turned and pulled her close. He gently stroked her hair. Chloe leaned into his chest, looking fragile and helpless. “It’s nothing,” Ethan’s voice was incredibly gentle, a stark contrast to the cold indifference he had used when talking about me. “As long as you can escape the shadow of your past and find peace, I don’t care how long I have to play this part.” Chloe buried her face in his shoulder, a small, triumphant smirk playing on her lips. But when she looked up, her eyes were filled with fake fear and jealousy. She let out a shaky sob. “But when the thirty days are up, you two will still legally be husband and wife.” “Just thinking about you sharing a house with her makes me shake. I can’t even sleep at night.” I stood hidden behind a maple tree, watching her pathetic, hypocritical act. A wave of nausea hit my stomach. Nobody knew Chloe’s true face better than I did. She and Ethan were childhood sweethearts. But when we were teenagers, Ethan fell for me first. Since then, Chloe’s bullying had never stopped. In high school, she locked me in a dark janitor’s closet during lunch, making me miss a crucial midterm exam. She spread disgusting rumors that I would sleep with anyone for fifty bucks, making the whole school ostracize me. During my period, she forced ice cubes into my underwear, laughing hysterically as I curled up on the bathroom floor, shaking in pain. She even destroyed the birthday gift I had spent months making for Ethan. She stepped on the shattered pieces and whispered in my ear that a girl like me would never be worthy of standing beside him. Back then, I was insecure and naive. I craved Ethan’s tiny scraps of affection so much that I swallowed all the abuse in silence. Later, I managed to marry Ethan. I thought I had finally secured a peaceful life. But the moment Chloe returned from abroad, she twisted the truth. She painted herself as the victim, crying to the world that I was the one who had bullied her for years, leaving her with severe PTSD. Ethan had gently patted her back to comfort her when she told him that lie. His eyes had filled with a deep affection that I mistook for love. “Let it go,” he had told her. “I’ll punish her for you. But I still can’t divorce her just yet.” For a split second back then, I actually thought he still had some lingering feelings for me. Hearing those words now, Chloe’s fingers clenched tightly behind Ethan’s back. I walked straight out from the shadow of the tree. “Since it’s such a hassle for you, Ethan, you don’t need to play this game anymore.” “Once the cooling-off period is over, we will sign the papers and go our separate ways. No one has to suffer.” Ethan didn’t expect me to appear. His body froze. Instinctively, he shielded Chloe behind his back. His voice was a mix of panic and defensiveness. “What are you doing here?” I let out a weak chuckle, my hand resting gently on my aching lower abdomen. “My baby is dead, Ethan. Where else would I be if not at the hospital?” He fell silent. A rare flash of panic crossed his eyes. He took a step toward me, seemingly wanting to check on me. I immediately took a massive step back. “Don’t come near me.” I kept my eyes down, avoiding his complicated gaze. “If acting is this exhausting for you, let’s just stop.” “You don’t have to play the crazy husband anymore, and Chloe won’t have to feel disgusted seeing me every day. It’s a win-win.”

Hearing my words, disbelief washed over Ethan’s face. I had always been submissive. He never imagined I would actually demand a divorce. His raw instinct took over, and he blurted out: “No. I won’t allow it.” Beside him, Chloe’s shoulders slumped. She put on her signature guilt-ridden face and spoke in a soft, self-sacrificing tone: “It’s all my fault. I’m just too weak.” “Hazel must have had a reason to dislike me back then. I deserve to live with this trauma.” “I shouldn’t have complained to you, Ethan. I shouldn’t make Hazel angry again.” Before she even finished speaking, she raised her hand and slapped her own face hard. She kept slapping herself, sobbing loudly. “Hazel, I’ll slap myself ninety-nine times just like before. Please don’t be mad at Ethan.” Ethan immediately grabbed her wrist, stopping her. He gently touched her reddened cheek, his face filled with pain. He turned and barked at Marcus: “Go to the convenience store and get some ice! Hurry!” Chloe began to shake violently, burying her head into Ethan’s chest. Her tears soaked his shirt as she screamed hysterically: “No! No ice!” “That’s what she used to hurt me… I can still feel the cold. I can’t take it!” At those words, Ethan’s gaze turned ice-cold as he glared at me. “Do you hear that? Look at the mental scar you left on her!” “I’ve been trying to make up for your sins, tolerating your behavior this entire time. When are you going to stop being so damn selfish?” My body was weak and trembling. Watching them play their disgusting roles, I forced myself to stand straight and repeated every single word clearly: “I am not making a scene. Once the 30-day period is over, we are signing the papers. We are done.” Ethan’s face darkened completely. Completely ignoring my weak, post-surgery state, He grabbed my arm violently. He dragged me in front of Chloe, forcing me to bow my head. “Apologize to Chloe right now. This isn’t something you can just walk away from.” His words were like daggers to my heart. “You hurt her so badly back then that she can never get pregnant. And I just had to rid you of three of your babies.” “If she forgives you, we can wipe the slate clean. We can go back to how we were.” I looked up into his cold, heartless eyes, Then at Chloe, who was looking at me with a smirk. I let out a mocking laugh. “Apologize to a pathological liar? Never.” Marcus and Tyler quickly stepped in to play peacemakers. “Hazel, don’t be so stubborn. Just say sorry and get it over with.” “Yeah, Hazel. Standing your ground like this is just putting Ethan in a tough spot.” “If you actually get a divorce, you have no family, no money. How are you even going to survive on your own?” Every word they said favored Chloe. They completely ignored the fact that I had just had a forced miscarriage and was standing here in a hospital gown, completely exhausted. Ethan let go of my arm and wrapped his hand around Chloe’s waist. He looked at me, completely confident that I had nowhere else to go. “I know you don’t actually want to leave me, Hazel.” “Your parents are dead. You have no savings. If you leave me, you won’t even be able to afford rent.” He paused, offering what he thought was a generous compromise. “Apologize to Chloe right now. I will let this go. I won’t force you to get miscarriages anymore, and I will keep providing for you.” Chloe clung to him, her eyes gleaming with the triumph of a winner, Waiting for me to break and beg.

Hearing Ethan use my helpless, lonely reality to blackmail me, my heart went completely numb. In the past, I worked at a clinic during the day and washed dishes at restaurants at night. My hands were covered in thick calluses, and every single dollar I earned went toward finding a specialist for his mental illness. My parents had begged me to walk away, crying because they hated seeing me ruin my health for him. But I was blinded by love. I refused to let go. Seeing my stubbornness, my parents had given me their life savings to help support us. During those days, Ethan was genuinely sweet. When I came home late from work, he would wait up with a hot bowl of soup, carefully blowing on it before feeding me. When my cramps got so bad I couldn’t move, he would stay up all night, keeping his warm hands on my stomach. Later, I flew abroad to consult with a brain specialist for him. Midway through the trip, I received a phone call. My parents had been in a fatal car accident. I flew back like a madwoman, Only to find two white sheets covering their bodies in the morgue. I collapsed on the floor, completely shattered. It was Ethan who held me tightly, rubbing my back as he cried with me. “For the rest of my life, I will protect you for them,” he had sworn. He said he didn’t want a dime of my money. He bought them the best plots in a beautiful cemetery and accompanied me there every year. Back then, I truly believed my sacrifice had paid off. But now, knowing I had no family left, He chose to stab me in my deepest wound. I clutched my hospital gown, swallowing the bitter tears. Just as I was about to scream the truth at him, Ethan calmly pulled out his phone. The screen showed a notification for the cemetery plot renewal fees. He looked down at me. “Your parents’ cemetery lease expires next month. They need me to pay the renewal fee.” “If you don’t apologize to Chloe today, I will cancel the lease. I will have their urns dug up and thrown into the sewer.” That single sentence shattered my remaining strength. My parents were all I had left. I couldn’t let them be desecrated after death. The suffocating pain choked my throat. I slowly lowered my head. “I’m sorry.” Those two words took every ounce of energy I had left. Ethan immediately smiled, pulling me into his arms. His warm breath tickled my ear as he whispered: “That’s my good girl. Just behave, and we can go back to how we used to be.” His embrace was warm, but it made my stomach turn with disgust. Chloe, leaning against his other side, spoke up in a sweet, mocking voice: “Speaking of which, I haven’t visited your parents in a long time, Hazel. Let’s go to the cemetery together.” “They were always so nice to me. I want to pay my respects.” I snapped my head up, immediately rejecting her. “No! I’ll go by myself.” Just the thought of the woman who bullied me standing in front of my parents’ graves, pretending to mourn, made me want to throw up. It was a desecration. Ethan’s grip around my waist tightened. His gentle tone vanished, replaced by a cold glare. “Chloe is just trying to be nice. Don’t give her that attitude.” Marcus and the other guys quickly chimed in, telling me not to be ungrateful. They praised Chloe for being so big-hearted and forgiving. Chloe lowered her eyes, playing the hurt victim again, Tugging at Ethan’s sleeve as if she didn’t want to cause trouble. I leaned against Ethan, Watching the strangers walk by the hospital lobby. My heart was completely dead.

The marble gravestones were cold. In the black-and-white photos, my parents smiled warmly. Looking at them, my heart ached with a dull, throbbing pain. Chloe had sent Ethan to the administrative office to pay the fees. Before leaving, Ethan had given me a warning look. “Behave yourself. Don’t cause trouble.” The pain in my stomach was getting worse, so I didn’t bother replying. I squatted down alone, my fingers tracing their photos. I whispered, my voice barely audible: “Mom, Dad… I couldn’t save your third grandchild.” “I’m so tired. Once the 30 days are up, I’m leaving Ethan. I won’t let them hurt me anymore.” Suddenly, Chloe’s mocking laughter echoed behind me. She strolled over and dropped her sweet facade. “If you had just accepted your place earlier, I wouldn’t have had to go to such lengths.” “Know your place, Hazel. Stop clinging to the title of Mrs. Sterling.” I slowly stood up, not surprised at all by her sudden change. I let out a cold laugh. “Even without me, Ethan would never look at a snake like you.” “I am leaving him. Now, get the hell away from my parents’ graves.” My words hit her right where it hurt. Chloe lost her mind. She lunged forward, grabbing my neck, And slammed me hard against my parents’ gravestone. She whispered maniacally in my ear: “I controlled you back then, and I can control you now. You will always be under my shoe.” Her cold words felt like venom dripping into my ears. “You were too scared to tell your parents about the bullying back in high school, weren’t you? Well, I was nice enough to tell them myself.” “I told them exactly what I did to you. They got so panicked they rushed out to find me… and that’s how they got into that car crash. They died because of you, Hazel.” The truth hit me like a physical blow. A wave of pure hatred surged through me. I gathered every bit of strength I had and slapped her across the face. “You monster! How could you be so evil?!” “Hazel! Stop!” Ethan’s angry voice boomed behind us. He rushed forward and caught Chloe, who had deliberately let herself fall to the ground. He wiped away her fake tears, his face twisted in anger. “I told you to behave! Why are you putting your hands on Chloe again?” I looked at him, seeing how blindly he defended her. All my love and hate vanished into thin air. “She’s been lying to you this entire time, Ethan. She caused my parents’ death!” Ethan didn’t believe a single word. He stepped forward, grabbed the back of my neck, And slammed my head against the cold gravestone. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth. His grip was so tight it felt like he wanted to break my bones. He snarled: “Kneel here and think about what you did. Look at your parents and ask yourself if you deserve them!” He picked Chloe up in his arms, Turned around, and drove away, leaving me all alone at the mountain cemetery. I knelt in front of the gravestone, tracing my parents’ faces over and over. Eventually, the sky darkened, and a heavy downpour began. My thin hospital gown was soaked in seconds. My weak, post-miscarriage body couldn’t handle the freezing cold. Using the gravestone for support, I forced myself to stand and staggered down the mountain path. The heavy rain completely blocked my vision. As I rounded a sharp turn, A pair of blinding headlights suddenly rushed toward me. Before I could even react, the car hit me, and everything went black. …… On the other side of town, Ethan took Chloe to the hospital for a check-up. As they walked out of the clinic, a young nurse saw them. Her face twisted in disgust, and she muttered under her breath: “What a jerk. How does he even show his face here?” Ethan frowned, about to confront her, When his phone buzzed. It was a full refund notification from the cemetery. He immediately called the cemetery manager. The manager informed him that I had paid off all the fees myself, canceled the lease, and arranged for my parents’ urns to be moved to another cemetery. “Damn it, Hazel. You’re taking this tantrum too far.” He called my number repeatedly, but it went straight to voicemail. A strange panic began to bloom in Ethan’s chest. He decided to drive back to the mountain to find me, But as he walked toward the exit, a team of paramedics rushed past him, pushing a stretcher. “Emergency! Clear the way!” As the stretcher flew past him, A pale, limp hand fell off the side. On her wrist was a faded, red braided bracelet. It was the matching bracelet Ethan and I had woven together when we were teenagers. There was only one pair in the world. The moment Ethan saw it, His heart stopped.

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The charity student I had been sponsoring for ten years just got into a university near my house. He asked if he could crash at my place for a few days to get used to the city before the semester started. In my past life, I readily agreed. I not only bought him all kinds of daily necessities, but also prepared a brand-new MacBook and an iPhone as a reward for his hard work. But when he saw them, his face darkened instantly. “Liam, I used to think you were just some average middle-class guy. I actually felt grateful to you.” “I didn’t expect you to be this rich. Giving me just this cheap stuff seems a bit insulting, don’t you think?” “And that three-hundred-dollar monthly allowance you promised is a joke. It needs to be at least three thousand.” I refused him on the spot and told him that if he found it too little, he could find someone else to sponsor him. Seeing my firm stance, he immediately apologized, claiming he was just making a joke. I thought he had learned his lesson. I was wrong. That very night, while I was working late at the office, he slipped a massive dose of sleeping pills to my three-year-old daughter. Then, he crawled into my wife’s bed. By the time I found out, my daughter was already dead from an overdose. I was consumed by rage. But during our physical confrontation, he pushed me off the balcony, sending me plummeting to my death. Afterward, he used his sweet talk to seduce my wife, got her pregnant, and successfully took over my position, stealing my entire estate. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day the charity student called. Hearing his request to stay at my place, my face remained dead calm. “Sorry, Tristan. My house isn’t open to strangers.” “Also, since you are now an adult, you’ll have to figure out your own tuition and living expenses from now on.”

Before I could even hang up the phone, my wife, Chloe, snatched it right out of my hand. Her voice turned incredibly sweet as she spoke into the receiver. “Tristan, don’t mind Liam. He’s just exhausted from work today and in a bad mood.” “It’s just staying over for a few days, of course you can. I’ll pick you up from the station tomorrow.” She hung up and turned to glare at me, her voice filled with annoyance. “Liam, what the hell is wrong with you?” “You’ve sponsored him for ten years. What’s a few more years of college? You should finish what you started.” “The poor boy came all this way for school. He doesn’t know anyone here. What’s wrong with letting him crash on our couch for a few days?” I snatched the phone back and looked at her coldly. “I said no, Chloe. And I mean it.” “It’s my money. I give it to whoever I want. If I don’t want to, no one gets a single dime from me.” Tristan’s whimpering, victim-playing voice immediately came through the speaker. “Liam, Chloe, please don’t fight because of me.” “It’s my fault. I didn’t think this through. I didn’t mean to disrupt your family’s life.” “I won’t come, okay? Liam, please don’t be mad at Chloe.” “Please, I beg you, don’t cut off my tuition and allowance. I really want to go to college.” I let out a cold laugh. “Cut the act, Tristan. My decision is final.” With that, I hung up. Chloe’s face darkened instantly. “Did you take the wrong meds today? How can you be so heartless?” “Tristan is such a sweet, sensible boy. Why are you pushing him into a corner?” I stared at Chloe’s face. My mind was flooded with images of her ugly, smirking face when she committed perjury in court in my past life. Tristan was the one who murdered me and our daughter. Yet, to protect Tristan and the bastard child in her belly, she ruthlessly painted me as a depressed, lunatic husband who poisoned his own daughter before jumping off the balcony. An uncontrollable wave of pure hatred surged from the depths of my soul. I pointed directly at the front door. “Chloe, let me make this crystal clear.” “If you ever contact Tristan again, we are getting a divorce.”

Chloe froze, clearly not expecting me to take it this far. She sighed and reached out to grab my arm, her tone softening. “Liam, don’t be mad.” “I just thought since you sponsored Tristan for so many years, you actually liked the kid.” “I had no idea you despised him this much.” “Fine, fine. I promise I won’t contact him again. Just stop throwing the word ‘divorce’ around, okay?” I brushed her hand off, not even wanting to look at her. Chloe cleared her throat awkwardly. “By the way, the office is sending me on a business trip for a few days.” “Get some rest at home. I’ll bring you a nice gift when I get back.” I genuinely thought that without Tristan’s interference, I could still keep this family together. After all, my daughter was so young. I didn’t want her to suffer the pain of a broken family. But the next afternoon, when I went to pick my daughter up from her after-school art class. Just as I reached the door, the teacher ran up to me. “Mr. Vance, what are you doing here?” “Lily was already picked up by her mom and a young man a little while ago.” A horrible sense of dread washed over me. I frantically dialed Chloe’s number. The phone rang for a long time before she finally picked up. “Chloe! Where the hell did you take my daughter?!” Chloe’s cheerful voice came through the line. “Oh, you’re off work? I already brought Lily home.” “There’s a huge surprise waiting for you. Hurry back!” Ignoring whatever “surprise” she had, I slammed my foot on the gas and sped home as fast as I could. When I kicked the front door open, Tristan was sitting on my sofa. He was holding a glass of milk, slowly moving it toward my daughter’s lips. In my past life, this was exactly what Tristan did when I wasn’t home. He crushed a massive amount of sleeping pills, mixed them into the milk, and tricked my three-year-old daughter into drinking it. By the time I found out, her tiny body was already cold. Pure terror seized me. I rushed over like a madman and slapped the glass right out of Tristan’s hand. “Get the hell away from my daughter!” With a loud crash, the glass shattered on the hardwood floor, spilling white milk everywhere. Lily burst into tears, terrified. I scooped her up, holding her tightly against my chest, my entire body shaking with rage and fear. Tristan gasped, looking at the spilled milk on the floor, pretending to be completely helpless and shocked. Hearing the commotion, Chloe ran out of the kitchen. Seeing the mess and our crying daughter, she screamed at me. “Are you out of your mind?!” I glared at Tristan with venom in my eyes, then turned to demand an answer from Chloe. “I asked you, why is he in my house?!” Chloe quickly pulled Tristan behind her back, shielding him. “My business trip was canceled! Tristan just arrived at the train station, so I picked him up on my way back to have dinner with us. What is your problem?” I looked at her coldly. “Chloe, do you treat my words as a joke?” “What did I tell you yesterday? If you contact him again, we are divorcing!” Hearing this, Chloe lost her temper completely. “You are being absolutely ridiculous!” “I brought Tristan here because I wanted you to see how amazing and talented this boy is!” “If you just spend a few days with him, you’ll change your mind!” “I’m trying to save your ten-year investment from going down the drain, and this is how you treat me? You’re threatening me with divorce!” Tristan peeked out from behind Chloe, his eyes red, looking incredibly wronged and stubborn. “Liam, please don’t blame Chloe. It’s all my fault.” “Both of you are my saviors. I don’t want you guys to fight because of me.” “I’ll leave right now. I won’t get in your way.”

He made a show of grabbing his suitcase, but stopped right at the front door. “As for my tuition and living expenses, don’t worry, Liam. I’ll find a way.” “Even if… even if I have to steal or rob, I will get the money.” Chloe immediately grabbed Tristan’s arm, her heart breaking for him. “Tristan, don’t say such foolish things!” “Don’t worry. Even if he doesn’t sponsor you, I will make sure you finish college!” Then she turned and glared at me with absolute hatred. “Look at what you’ve done!” “I thought you were a generous, noble man. I didn’t realize you were so petty and narrow-minded!” “You are pushing a good kid into a life of crime!” I let out a cold, mocking laugh. Whether he went to steal or rob was none of my business. I wasn’t the one forcing him. Seeing that I remained silent, Chloe sighed. “You’ve been working too much overtime lately, so I’ll let this slide. I know you’re just talking out of anger.” “I’m going to take Tristan out for a nice dinner to calm him down.” “Stay home and cool your head! And stop using divorce as a threat.” “Lily is only three. If she grows up without a mother, she’ll be laughed at by all the other kids at preschool!” With that, she dragged Tristan out the door. Before leaving, Tristan turned back and shot me a quick look. That look was filled with smugness and pure provocation. Not long after, my phone buzzed. It was a text from Chloe on Snapchat. “Since you don’t want Tristan staying at the house, I’m taking him to a nearby luxury hotel for now.” “I’ll take him around the city for a few days to clear his head.” “You should spend this time reflecting on your behavior.” I stared at the screen and let out a cold laugh. Reflecting? Oh, I definitely needed to reflect. Reflect on how blind I was to have married such a piece of garbage who constantly backed an outsider over her own family. Chloe’s heart was completely rotten. Since that was the case, there was nothing left to say. I dialed my lawyer’s number immediately. “Gary, draft a divorce agreement for me. I need it done as fast as possible.” Then, I called a private investigator I knew well. “I need you to investigate two people for me. My wife, Chloe Vance, and a college student named Tristan.” Over the next few days, Chloe didn’t contact me, and I thoroughly enjoyed the peace. But looking at my daughter, I couldn’t help but feel anxious. This house was no longer safe. Who knew what disgusting tricks Tristan would pull next? With that in mind, I quickly packed a few of Lily’s clothes and daily necessities. I put her in her car seat and drove straight to my parents’ house. Just as I arrived, my phone buzzed with two photos from Tristan. The first photo showed a massive, luxurious bed in a five-star hotel. Laid out neatly on it were a brand-new MacBook Pro, an iPhone 15 Pro Max, several luxury watches, and a few designer men’s suits with the tags still on. The second photo showed two hands clasped together. On their ring fingers were matching Cartier love rings. I didn’t even need to guess whose hands those were. It was Chloe and Tristan. Looking at the photos, I chuckled. Tristan probably thought he had landed himself a super-rich sugar mama. But what he didn’t know was this: The only reason we lived in a penthouse and drove luxury cars was because I worked my ass off, pulling crazy overtime to become the Vice President of my company. Meanwhile, Chloe had zero ambition. She had been working the same dead-end, lazy receptionist job for years. Her monthly paycheck, after taxes and insurance, was a pathetic fifteen hundred dollars. And she sent every single penny of that to her toxic, male-favoring family. I only gave her a credit card because I didn’t want her to feel embarrassed when she went shopping with her friends.

I never expected she would use my hard-earned money to play sugar mama to a broke college kid. I called the bank immediately and froze the card. My mom came out of the living room. Seeing my dark expression, she walked over with concern. “What’s wrong? You look awful. Did you and Chloe have a fight?” I didn’t want my parents to worry, so I took a deep breath and forced a smile. “It’s nothing, Mom. Just a minor issue at work.” “I might be really busy for the next few days, so I was hoping you and Dad could watch Lily for a bit.” My dad walked out of his study and scooped Lily into his arms. “Don’t worry about her. Go handle your business.” “But remember, if you’re dealing with something difficult, don’t keep it to yourself.” “Your mother and I will always have your back. If things get too tough, just come home. We can still support you.” Hearing my dad’s words, my eyes welled up with tears. In my past life, after my death. My parents couldn’t bear the grief of losing both their son and granddaughter. They both passed away shortly after. In this life, I would never let that tragedy happen again. Leaving my parents’ house, I drove back to my apartment complex. Just as I parked my car and got out, I ran right into Chloe and Tristan. Chloe’s face was livid. The moment she saw me, she charged at me. “Liam! What the hell is your problem?!” “Why did you freeze my card?!” I looked at her coldly. “Let me remind you, Chloe. That is my card.” “Do I need your permission to freeze my own credit card?” Chloe’s face flushed red with anger, completely speechless. Seeing this, Tristan stepped forward and wrapped his arm around Chloe’s shoulder. “What do you mean, ‘your card’?” “Liam, don’t think I don’t know the truth. Chloe told me everything. You only enjoy this rich lifestyle because of her hard work over the years.” “I didn’t expect you to be such an ungrateful leech, trying to steal Chloe’s money just because you’re married to her!” He turned to Chloe, his face filled with dramatic pity. “Chloe, this kind of man doesn’t deserve you.” “He’s just dead weight. You should divorce him right now!” I sneered in my mind. A few days ago, he was playing the polite kid, and now he was calling her ‘Chloe’ so naturally. It was the evening rush hour, and many neighbors were returning home. Hearing the loud argument, they began to gather around us. Seeing the crowd, Tristan’s eyes turned red. He pointed a finger at me, shouting dramatically. “Everyone, please listen to this!” “He promised to sponsor my college education.” “But right before the semester started, he told me that if I wanted the money, I had to obey him.” “He wanted me… he wanted me to sleep with the rich, older women he introduced me to!” “If Chloe hadn’t stepped in to save me out of the goodness of her heart, I don’t know what I would have done…” With that, Tristan covered his face, looking like he was traumatized and deeply victimized. The neighbors’ looks toward me shifted instantly. “Oh my god, he looks like such a decent guy. Who knew he was doing something so disgusting behind closed doors?” “You can’t judge a book by its cover. He looks so handsome and professional, but his heart is absolutely rotten.” “Exactly! He has a daughter of his own. How could he be so cruel to another kid?” Listening to the whispers, Chloe took a step forward, a smug smile playing on her lips as she whispered to me: “Hear that, Liam? Everyone sees what you are.” “I’m warning you, unfreeze the card right now, and I might help you clear your name before this gets out of hand.”

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Seven months into my pregnancy, Ethan Carter handed me a cup of boba tea. I took a huge, unsuspecting gulp. An agonizing burn, like liquid fire, instantly seared my throat. It was ghost pepper syrup. I coughed so violently that I couldn’t even stand straight. The sudden, intense pressure made me lose control, and warm fluid began trickling down my thighs. My pale maternity dress was instantly ruined, damp and stained, as drops fell onto the polished tiles of the shopping mall. Amelia Rose, Ethan’s little assistant, suddenly ran out from behind a pillar and threw herself into Ethan’s arms. “See? I told you pregnant women have no bladder control. A few coughs and she leaks everywhere.” “Ethan, you lost the bet. You have to take me to the movies tonight.” “Besides, Clara is in such a messy state now, you probably don’t even have the appetite to touch her, right?” Ethan caught her by the waist, a lazy smile on his face. “Fine, I admit defeat.” Amelia leaned against Ethan’s shoulder, looking at me with a sweet, mocking smile. “Let’s bet again. Do you think Clara is going to cry?” Ethan turned his head to look at me. He didn’t try to cover my stained dress. He didn’t stop the onlookers from filming me with their phones. He just smiled and said, “I bet she will. She cares about her pride more than anything. She won’t last three minutes.” The two of them walked into the elevator, laughing and whispering, leaving me standing alone under the mocking, curious stares of the crowd. I didn’t cry. I just pulled out my phone and dialed a number. Late that night, hundreds of bodyguards surrounded Amelia’s apartment complex. I pressed a cold dagger against her cheek and smiled softly. “Want to make a bet, Amelia?” “Let’s guess if my next cut will be on your pretty face, or straight through your heart.”

Amelia stared at the blade pressed against her cheek, trembling as she shrank back into her chair. “Clara Vance, don’t do anything crazy!” “There are security cameras everywhere here! If you touch a single hair on my head, Ethan will never forgive you!” Even now, she was still trying to use Ethan to threaten me. I pressed my wrist down slightly. Amelia screamed and shut her eyes tight. The blade scraped past her ear, cutting off a lock of her hair. “Relax,” I whispered. “I always pay my debts. I’m just playing a little game of my own.” “Let’s bet on how many cups of ghost pepper water it will take for you to cough and wet yourself.” I signaled my bodyguards to open the cardboard box on the table. Inside were dozens of cups of prepared ghost pepper water. “You had your fun with me this afternoon. Now, we’re going to play the exact same game.” “Drink.” Amelia clenched her teeth, refusing to open her mouth. Just as a bodyguard forced a cup toward her lips, Ethan’s furious voice roared from the doorway. “Stop!” He pushed past the bodyguards blocking the entrance and rushed inside. Seeing Amelia pinned to the chair, he didn’t hesitate for a second. He pulled her into his arms, shielding her. “Clara, what the hell is wrong with you?” The moment Amelia saw him, her tears fell like rain. “Ethan, I was just playing a harmless prank on Clara this afternoon.” “But she brought all these people to corner me. She even threatened me with a knife.” She pointed to the lock of hair on the floor. “If you had come any later, she would have ruined my face.” Ethan stared at her for a long time, making sure she wasn’t actually hurt, before finally turning his cold gaze to me. “Amelia went a bit too far this afternoon, I admit that.” “But did you really have to make such a big scene?” “You’re healthy. A little coughing fit won’t kill you.” “Amelia has a weak stomach. Drinking this stuff will actually put her in the hospital.” So he remembered Amelia had a weak stomach. But he completely forgot that I was seven months pregnant, and my doctor had repeatedly warned me to avoid anything spicy or irritating. I didn’t bother arguing with him. I only asked one question: “Did you tell her about my pregnancy incontinence?” Ethan fell silent for a few seconds. “I only mentioned it casually once,” he muttered. “How was I supposed to know she would turn it into a bet?” When I was three months pregnant, I leaked for the first time because of a sudden sneeze. Back then, I had locked myself in the bathroom, too embarrassed to even open the door. Ethan had stood outside, gently comforting me for an hour. Later, he carried me to the bed and changed the sheets himself. He told me there was nothing to be ashamed of between husband and wife. He promised me, “This will be our little secret. No one else will ever know.” But now, even his little assistant could use my deepest embarrassment as a joke to humiliate me. Amelia hid behind his back, pretending to be innocent. “Clara, don’t get the wrong idea.” “Ethan was just worried about your postpartum recovery, so we talked about it.” “I even looked up pelvic floor physical therapy for you.” I looked at her coldly. “Was posting that video on Snapchat also to help me recover?” Amelia’s face stiffened for a second, but she quickly sneered. “I only sent it to a few friends in a group chat.” “They were the ones who shared it online. It’s not my fault.” She held her phone up to my face. The video of me in the mall had already been shared tens of thousands of times. The comment section was filled with vile laughter mocking my body and my stained dress. Someone had even made a GIF of my humiliated expression. Ethan glanced at the screen. “The internet has a short memory,” he said dismissively. “The trend will die down in a few days, and no one will remember.” He said it so easily. Because he wasn’t the one filmed in his most vulnerable moment. He wasn’t the one being laughed at by tens of thousands of strangers online. I ordered my bodyguard to pour another cup of ghost pepper water. “I won’t make things difficult for her.” “Drink this, delete the video, and make a public apology on Instagram.” “Then, we’ll call it even.” But Amelia didn’t reach for the cup. Instead, she gently touched her lower abdomen. The crying, pitiful girl from seconds ago was gone, replaced by a smug, victorious look. “I can’t drink this.” “The doctor said pregnant women should avoid spicy things.” I thought I had misheard her. “What did you say?” Amelia pulled a prenatal report from her designer bag and unfolded it in front of me. “I’m pregnant. The baby is Ethan’s.”

I stared at the medical report, completely speechless. Amelia seemed highly satisfied with my reaction. She wrapped her arm around Ethan’s, intentionally pressing her belly against him. “Clara, don’t be mad.” “I never wanted to take your place as Mrs. Carter.” “But don’t be too controlling. My baby will still need to see their father often in the future.” Ethan didn’t push her away. Instead, he looked down at her gently and murmured, “The doctor told you not to stand for too long. Go sit on the sofa.” He helped Amelia to the couch and ordered my bodyguards to take the pepper water away. Only after making sure there was nothing in the room that could harm her did he turn his attention back to me. His tone was incredibly calm, as if we were discussing a minor business deal. “Once, when I accompanied you to your prenatal checkup, Amelia wanted to play a game. She dared me to kiss her in the hospital hallway to see if you would catch us.” “We got carried away, and I lost control.” “But I never planned on divorcing you. I won’t let her threaten your position as my wife.” He even walked over and gently adjusted my coat for me. His touch was as warm as it had always been. But the words coming out of his mouth were ice cold. “Clara, we both grew up in this upper-class circle.” “Which man in our circle doesn’t have a few women on the side?” “Keeping a quiet, obedient mistress to relieve stress is completely normal.” “You were raised to be a perfect society wife. You should know when to make a scene and when to look the other way.” I stared at him, suddenly remembering the Ethan from many years ago. Back then, Ethan hated nothing more than the so-called “rules” of high society. His father had kept countless mistresses outside. His mother had spent her entire life clinging to her title as Mrs. Carter, yet she didn’t even get to see her husband one last time before she died. On the day of her funeral, an eighteen-year-old Ethan had knelt in the grief hall all night, his eyes bloodshot. The next morning, he had held my hand and promised: “Clara, I will never, ever become a man like my father.” When he was twenty-two, the Carter family tried to force him into an arranged marriage with another heiress. Ethan had flipped the tea table right in front of both families’ elders, grabbed my hand, and walked out of the Carter estate. Behind us, dozens of relatives roared in anger, and a fleet of luxury cars blocked the driveway. He didn’t even look back. That night, the Carter family froze all his credit cards and repossessed all his properties. With only a few hundred dollars left in his pocket, he had looked at me and laughed: “What’s there to be afraid of?” “Even without the Carter family, I can still give you the best life.” And he had kept that promise. When he proposed, he rented a private island. Hundreds of drones formed my name in the night sky over the ocean. The pink diamond on my engagement ring was bought at a Geneva auction for a staggering nine-figure sum. On the eve of our wedding, he had signed a Prenuptial Agreement with an Infidelity Clause right in front of all his family elders. The agreement clearly stated: If he ever cheated or fathered a child with another woman during our marriage, all his shares in the Carter Group, his family trusts, and his offshore assets would be transferred entirely to my name. At that time, everyone tried to persuade him not to sign it. But Ethan had handed me the pen, his face glowing with absolute confidence. “Sign it, Clara.” “I’ll never give you a chance to use it anyway.” I had believed him with all my heart. So, when the Carter Group’s capital chain broke, I convinced my father to use the Vance family’s funds to bail him out. When he was attacked by the board of directors, I handed him all of the Vance family’s voting rights. The day Ethan secured his position as the sole heir of the Carter Group, he held me tight and said: “Everything I have now was given to me by you.” “In this life, you will be my only wife.” Now, he still ruled the Carter Group. But he had finally become the very monster he used to despise.

Seeing that I remained silent, Ethan assumed I had finally accepted the reality. His voice softened. “Once the baby is born, I’ll buy Amelia a house in another city and give her a generous allowance.” “She won’t ever show up in front of you.” “You will still be Mrs. Carter, and our child will be the only legally recognized heir to the Carter fortune.” Amelia leaned back on the sofa, gently caressing her stomach. “Clara, Ethan still loves you the most.” “I’m happy enough just having him visit me once in a while.” She sounded so submissive. But the smugness in her eyes was glaring. They probably thought I would be just like Ethan’s mother, swallowing all the humiliation just to keep up appearances. I smiled slightly and turned to my bodyguard. “Call the legal team in.” “Trigger Clause 7 of the Prenuptial Agreement.” The moment I finished speaking, a dozen lawyers walked into the room. Leading them was Robert Davis, who handed a set of documents directly to Ethan. “Mr. Carter.” “Miss Rose’s prenatal report is sufficient proof of your infidelity, which violates the terms of the Prenuptial Agreement.” “As of this moment, your 37% shares in the Carter Group are officially transferred to Miss Clara Vance.” “Furthermore, the Vance family’s financial funding to the Carter Group is officially terminated.” Ethan’s phone immediately began to ring loudly. It was the Chairman of the Board. Even from a distance, I could hear the panicked roaring on the other end. “Ethan! What the hell did you do?” “The Vance family just pulled all their investments! The bank is calling in our loans!” “The board is demanding an emergency meeting to suspend you immediately!” Ethan gripped his phone, his face draining of all color. “Clara, we’ve been together for so many years.” “Are you really going to ruin everything I’ve built over a stupid little mistake?” I looked at him and laughed. “Ethan, didn’t you say you wanted to keep a mistress?” “I’m leaving her to you.” “As for the house, and the money you wanted to use to support her…” I snatched the keys to his luxury penthouse right out of his hand. “They are all mine.” “From today on, I am leaving you with absolutely nothing.” I turned to walk out. Behind me, Ethan finally lost his cool, desperately calling my name. I didn’t look back. At the door, I cast one last look at Amelia. “Congratulations,” I said. “This completely broke man is all yours now.”

But just as I stepped over the threshold, Robert Davis called out to me. “Miss Vance, wait.” His tone was heavier than I had ever heard it before. “We just checked the marriage registry database.” “There is no record of a marriage registration between you and Mr. Carter.” I froze in my tracks. “What do you mean?” Robert glanced at Ethan, his expression grim. “It means the marriage certificate you hold is fake.” “Mr. Carter’s only legal wife, from the very beginning, has been Amelia Rose.” I slowly turned around. The last trace of panic on Amelia’s face had vanished. She pulled two marriage certificates from her bag and waved them at me with a triumphant grin. “Clara, did you really think I was just Ethan’s hidden mistress?” “The pathetic, unregistered side piece has always been you.” I stared at the date on the marriage certificates. Three years ago, June 17th. The exact same day Ethan and I had supposedly gotten married. On that day, after we got our certificates, I had cried tears of joy in Ethan’s arms. Ethan had kissed away my tears and told me: “Clara, from this day on, we are legally husband and wife.” But it had all been a lie. Amelia giggled, covering her mouth. “Oh, by the way, I made a bet with Ethan that day too.” “I bet him that you trusted him so much, you wouldn’t even realize the officiant he hired was a fake, and you’d never check the registry database.” “I told him if you found out, I would leave him forever.” “But if you didn’t notice, he had to go to the real City Hall and marry me.” She flipped open the certificate. “And guess what? You didn’t notice a thing.” “While you were happily going home with your fake certificate, Ethan came to pick me up. We made it to City Hall right before they closed and registered our real marriage.” I looked at Ethan. “Is what she’s saying true?” Ethan avoided my eyes, looking guilty. “It was just a bet, Clara.” “I didn’t think things would turn out like this.” It was just a bet. Because he lost a bet, he handed my rightful title of wife to Amelia. And because I trusted him blindly, I lost my entire marriage without even knowing it. Amelia patted her stomach, her smile growing sweeter by the second. “Ethan even said that day that you were so easy to fool. A little hug, a quick kiss, and you’d never think to double-check.” “Clara, you’ve been a fool for three whole years.” “And now you want to use a Prenuptial Agreement to take his shares? Don’t you find that hilarious?” Robert Davis rapidly flipped through the agreement, his face turning pale. The very first clause of the prenuptial agreement stated: This agreement shall only take effect upon the date of legal marriage registration by both parties. But Ethan and I had never been legally married. Which meant whether he cheated or got Amelia pregnant, the agreement was completely invalid. I couldn’t touch a single share of his 37% holdings. Ethan finally looked up, adjusting his collar. The confidence returned to his eyes. “Clara, it’s not too late to stop this.” “Tell the Vance family to restore the funding and stop pressuring the board.” “I can overlook the fact that you broke into this apartment with a mob tonight.” “In the future, you can move to the suburban villa. Just focus on having the baby and stop causing trouble.” I stared at him. “And if I say no?” Heavy, synchronized footsteps suddenly echoed in the hallway. Several police officers walked through the door. Amelia immediately threw herself into Ethan’s chest, crying hysterically while pointing to her head. “Officers, it’s her!” “She broke into my home with hundreds of men, held a knife to my face, and tried to force me to drink toxic liquids!” “I’m pregnant! She wanted to murder me and my baby!” Ethan held her tightly, looking at the police. “Officer, Clara Vance has been mentally unstable lately.” “She caused a scene at the mall this afternoon, and now she’s bringing armed men to my home.” “I’m genuinely terrified she will hurt my wife and our child.” Wife. He could finally call Amelia his wife, openly and proudly. The officer looked at the dagger in my hand, then at the bodyguards filling the room. “Miss Vance, we’re going to need you to come with us to the station for questioning.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “443791”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster