Author: Momo Chan

　　For three years of marriage to Julian, he never once touched me. 　　Until I accidentally knocked Celeste’s sacred rosary off her wrist. In a furious rage, he stripped me naked and shoved me into the biting snow. 　　I sobbed, begging him to stop. 　　“I truly know I was wrong. It’s so cold, I’ll freeze to death.” 　　But Julian ignored my pleas. 　　“Stop pretending. Since you dared to touch Celeste’s things, you need a good lesson.” 　　I lay in the snow all night, my hands and feet completely numb. 　　Later, I personally took gifts to apologize to Celeste, only to accidentally catch her and Julian entangled together. 　　Turns out, Julian had already accepted my mother-in-law’s proposal for him to essentially extend his responsibilities to both our families. 　　In utter despair, I finally dialed Leo’s number. 　　“I’ve thought about it. I agree to your proposal for me to join your side of the family.” 　　Leo’s voice on the other end of the line was incredibly excited. 　　“Are you really sure?” 　　I nodded, despair weighing me down. 　　“Yes.” 　　I heard rustling sounds from his end. 　　“Wait for me here. I’m coming back for you.” 　　After hanging up with Leo, tears streamed down my face, unbidden. 　　Julian had never touched me in our three years of marriage. 　　I always thought he was just naturally cold, until yesterday, when I stumbled upon him and Celeste together in her private sanctuary. 　　The unbearable sounds lasted all night. 　　I suddenly remembered years ago, when Julian had thrown me out just because I wore a slightly low-cut shirt into the sanctuary. 　　“This is a sacred space. How dare you desecrate it?” 　　Back then, I was utterly humiliated, thinking it was all my fault. Now, I see Julian’s heart was twisted from the very beginning. Catching a glimpse of Julian entering the bedroom, I quickly wiped away my tears. 　　“Anya, get up! Celeste isn’t feeling well. Go make her something to eat.” 　　Celeste leaned against Julian, delicate as a willow branch. 　　“Oh, dear sister-in-law, I’m not feeling well today, so sorry to trouble you. My stomach is a bit sensitive, I need some chicken soup, made from a free-range hen from the countryside.” 　　“It’ll be a bother, but could you go fetch one yourself?” 　　I looked at them, stunned. 　　“My hands and feet are still numb from being frozen last night. How can I go to the countryside to catch a chicken now?” 　　Julian, hearing my words, looked incredibly annoyed. He reached out and dragged me from the covers onto the floor. 　　“Anya, stop pretending! Catching a chicken isn’t going to kill you!” 　　I was violently thrown to the ground, momentarily dazed. That’s when Celeste spoke up. 　　“Dear sister-in-law, the car’s broken. You’ll have to walk.” I secretly clenched my fists. To avoid conflict, I struggled to my feet. As I passed Celeste, she casually exposed the red marks on her collarbone, leaning close to my ear to whisper, “Julian was rough last night, left marks all over me.” She then gave me a provocative smirk. The old me would have burst into tears and confronted them. But now, my heart had long gone numb, unable to stir even a flicker of emotion. I walked past them expressionlessly, because all I wanted was to leave.

　　Under the butler’s watchful eye, I walked to the countryside. 　　With the ice and snow just beginning to melt, the country roads were treacherous, and I stumbled and fell several times. 　　Under the butler’s supervision, I caught a chicken myself. By then, my clothes were filthy and disheveled. 　　My limbs, which had just been numb from the freezing cold last night, started to go numb again. Expressionless, I dragged my exhausted body onto the road back home. 　　But to my surprise, when I finally arrived home, no one opened the door for me. 　　“Leo, is our sister-in-law upset with me? Is that why she came back so late?” 　　“I’m shaking, I’m so hungry.” 　　Julian, standing beside her, dotingly flicked Celeste’s nose. 　　“Then let’s give her a little punishment.” 　　They locked me out of the house. Under the butler’s supervision, I was forced to stand outside. 　　A light snow began to fall, and my hands and feet, already numb from last night’s freezing cold, lost all sensation again. 　　My consciousness began to blur. The butler, showing no mercy, kicked me hard in the waist, sending me stumbling and snapping me back to my senses. 　　But not long after, my consciousness blurred once more. 　　This time, no matter how much the butler kicked me, I couldn’t regain my awareness. 　　In my hazy state, the intimate sounds from inside the house started up again. 　　I felt like I was going to die. 　　I woke up in a hospital, only to be greeted by a stinging slap from Julian. 　　“How can you be so dramatic? All I asked was for you to stand for a bit, and you have to pretend to faint and come to the hospital?” 　　“Do you have any idea how much you scared Celeste? It took me ages to calm her down.” 　　The nurse beside me couldn’t take it anymore and rolled her eyes. 　　“Sir, your wife is almost dead, and you’re still worried about your sister-in-law being scared?” 　　Julian, however, dismissed it. 　　“Anya, you’re getting quite bold, aren’t you? You even bribed a nurse to lie for you.” 　　“Let me tell you, this kind of trick won’t work on me.” 　　The nurse was about to argue further, but I stopped her. Julian was always stubborn; once he made up his mind, there was no changing it. 　　I thanked the nurse and got up, leaving the room with Julian.

　　As soon as we returned home, Celeste eagerly rushed into Julian’s arms. 　　She whimpered, crying. 　　“Julian, I just had the maid stew the chicken Anya brought back.” 　　“But the maid told me the chicken wasn’t fresh anymore, it couldn’t be eaten.” 　　Julian immediately turned to me, glaring furiously. 　　“It’s all your fault for faking illness! Now Celeste couldn’t even have fresh chicken!” 　　“Go apologize to her right now.” 　　Looking at the two of them, I found it somewhat amusing. My gaze fell on their intertwined hands. 　　“Anyone would think *you two* were the married couple.” 　　Hearing my words, Julian instinctively loosened his grip. 　　“Anya, what do you mean by that?” 　　“I tolerate your usual nonsense, but now you dare to casually slander Celeste?” 　　Julian’s words thoroughly ignited the fury in my heart. 　　“Julian, look at the distance between you and Celeste! Do you two look like normal brother-in-law and sister-in-law?!” 　　“If you wanted to extend your responsibilities to both families, you could have just told me!” 　　*Slap!* Julian delivered a stinging slap across my face. 　　“Anya, I think you’ve truly gone mad from pretending to be sick! How dare you spread rumors about me and Celeste?” 　　“It seems the previous punishment didn’t make you sober up. If that’s the case, then go reflect properly in the confinement room.” 　　The family’s confinement room was right next to the family cemetery, specifically for punishing disobedient family members. It was constantly dark, infested with rats and cockroaches. For me, who suffered from claustrophobia, this punishment was pure torture. 　　I trembled, wanting to beg Julian to let me go. But he didn’t even glance at me. He turned to softly comfort Celeste. 　　I was dragged into the confinement room by the bodyguards. 　　The enclosed environment plunged me into anxiety. 　　I started tearing at my hair and clothes, trying to calm myself down in the confined space. 　　But it was all in vain. Rats constantly nibbled at my body. 　　I had to stay conscious at all times, until a phone call came. 　　When Leo arrived, I was huddled in a corner, trembling uncontrollably. 　　The moment he saw me, Leo’s eyes instantly reddened. 　　“Don’t be scared, don’t be scared, I’m here to save you.”

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After my family went bankrupt, I moved overseas for seven years. I started fabricating stories, claiming I was the true love of a powerful old-money heir, just to seem more impressive. “Listen up, Julian Thorne spent a billion dollars on me, buying a private island just for us.” “After I dumped him, he was so heartbroken he found eighteen lookalikes! All young and gorgeous!” “One hundred listed companies went belly-up overnight because they dared to cross me.” At first, nobody in the ex-pat community believed a word of it. Not until someone bold enough to challenge him actually contacted Julian Thorne himself, and he somehow gave them VIP access… The whole community exploded! From then on, they believed every single word about my identity! As I sat on the plane heading back home, my stomach churning with anxiety, I suddenly heard an inner thought. “Julian Thorne ditched me for his true love for the ninety-ninth time. This time, I’m done with him!” Seriously, sis, ninety-nine times?! Why are you so obsessed with breaking them up? Doesn’t ninety-nine times prove it’s true love? Wait! Julian Thorne actually *has* a “White Moonlight”?

On my first day back, Julian Thorne pinned me against the elevator corner, his hands gripping my throat. “Chloe Thorne, you actually dared to come back?!” “Seven years ago, I told you I’d break your legs if you ever showed your face again!” “Did you really think I was just kidding?” My back hit the icy metal panel, sending a shiver down my spine. I’d heard Julian Thorne’s personality had completely changed, but seeing it firsthand was still a shock. I reached up, touching his face. “If it’s you, of course, you can do anything.” Damn it! My flirting habits just slipped out too easily! “You!” Julian Thorne seemed to be struggling with a massive headache. He took a breath, then gritted his teeth, full of resentment. “Chloe Thorne, sometimes I really wonder if I was in a car accident or got seriously sick.” “Otherwise, why would I have absolutely no memory of those wild stories you made up overseas?” I stared at my shoes, trying my best to hold back a laugh. “Go on, laugh. Don’t hold back.” Julian Thorne lifted my chin. “We’ll settle this mess once we get out.” When the firefighters pried open the elevator doors and pulled us out, I immediately saw a familiar face. No way! Julian Thorne’s White Moonlight is my best friend! As for how similar they look, at least 40%! I stared at her, thinking, *You, dude, you like married women?!* “Mr. Thorne.” The young woman walked over timidly, tears still in the corners of her eyes. “Are you alright?” Julian Thorne’s face was cold. “What are you doing here?” I was about to speak, but her inner thoughts reached my ears clearly: “Heh, if it wasn’t for that substitute fee, who’d want to play along with you! As soon as the contract ends in three days, I’m ditching you, you jerk! You’ll regret it!” I was speechless. Wow, these city folks really know how to play dirty. “And you, are you Mr. Thorne’s friend? I’m Skylar. Is there something wrong, ma’am? You keep staring at me.” “Sorry, I just think you smell really good.” The young woman blushed. Julian Thorne pushed himself between us without a word. “How long are you staying this time?” “Three days.” Seven years ago, the Thorne family went bankrupt. Mr. Thorne Sr. pushed his eldest son to take the fall. Now, perhaps with age, he missed his grandson a little. So, he chose his birthday as an excuse for me to bring Caleb back. Julian Thorne looked at me with a complex expression, then suddenly said, “Just go. Don’t bother me for the next few days.” “Otherwise…” Tsk, I only messed with him a few times seven years ago. Is he still this petty? “Chloe—” Everyone exchanged glances, because the person who arrived was none other than my long-suffering bestie.

“Come on!” She grabbed my arm. “The birthday VIP room is booked, eight male models are ready, just waiting for you!” Julian Thorne turned, stopping in front of us. “Why don’t we all go together?” My best friend squeezed my arm hard, but I nodded with a smile. “Sure.” Who doesn’t love a free drama show? “Chloe Thorne,” my best friend gritted through her teeth, “You’re asking for trouble!” But quickly, she got excited. “Did you see just now? The male models I hired, all eight of them! They’re all changing into suits!” Julian Thorne sat in the corner of the room, casually swirling the drink in his glass. The door suddenly swung open. Eight male models, all 6’1″+ and in suits, bowed in unison towards Julian Thorne. “Good evening, Mr. Thorne!” My best friend froze, grabbed her alarm clock, and ran. Real impressive! I was about to grab my own alarm clock when Julian Thorne took my phone. “Isn’t this a birthday party? Why hasn’t it started yet?” You reap what you sow. I opened the cake box. Julian Thorne started putting candles on it, looking like he was decorating my tombstone. Skylar’s inner thoughts chimed in again: “That jerk, for my birthday, it was just a standard twenty-five candles, but for her, it’s eighteen? Does he have to be so double-standard?” “Before I leave, I have to burn his White Moonlight Shrine of Sorrows to the ground!” White Moonlight Shrine of Sorrows? Ugh, I suddenly really wanted to see it! Would it have a bunch of my bestie’s big head photos? “Miss Thorne, your 1995 Dom Pérignon.” Just as I reached out, Julian Thorne took the glass. “She’s allergic to alcohol.” I paused, suddenly remembering that time seven years ago when I got Julian Thorne drunk and then escaped the country. Could he have been faking it back then? The manager came in, handing over the bill. “Miss Thorne, the total for tonight’s consumption is $88,888. May I put it on card or cash?” I glanced at Julian Thorne in the corner, flipping my black card between my fingers. “Oh dear, I just remembered this card has a limit.” “How about I stay and work off the debt by washing dishes?” Julian Thorne flew into a rage. “Chloe! It’s less than a hundred thousand, why are you pretending to be poor?” “I really don’t have money. Why don’t… you lend me some?” “I lend you money?” Julian Thorne tugged at his tie, shaking with anger. “You ordered the male models! I pay? Do I have no self-respect left?!” Ten minutes later, Julian Thorne paid. Soon after, his company’s finance department called, asking what his latest expenditure was so she could account for it. Julian Thorne realized he’d used the wrong card and mumbled something about it being business entertainment. The finance manager then asked which hotel it was and if there was a receipt. Julian Thorne was so furious he just hung up. I stood there, biting back laughter until my insides ached, trying desperately to hold it in. Julian Thorne pressed his fingertips against his temples, then pulled out a sheet of paper. “Write me an IOU. Now. Immediately!”

Stepping out, I immediately slipped into Julian Thorne’s car. “Who said you could get in?” Julian Thorne’s chest heaved. “I told you to stop bothering me for the next few days, did it go in one ear and out the other?” “I’m going to your place—” Julian Thorne froze. “You… What are you doing at my place?” *To see the White Moonlight Shrine of Sorrows?* *Ding!* Someone’s phone suddenly connected to the car’s Bluetooth. The next second, a steady, mechanical male voice began: “Julian Thorne stepped into the backseat, his hand propped beside Chloe Thorne, fire burning in his eyes. A scorching kiss descended, lips and tongues intertwined, shamelessly and fiercely invading every inch of her mouth…” No… What kind of trashy romance novel is this?! I lunged for the center console, but Julian Thorne pulled me into his arms. He looked at me with a half-smile. “Thanks to you, huh? Want to act it out right here?” A knock came from the car window. Julian Thorne pressed a button, and the glass lowered halfway. His brow furrowed with annoyance. “Speak.” Skylar shrank her neck. “Mr. Thorne, my hamster… uh… seems to be having a difficult labor.” She held up her phone to the window. “Look, the pet hospital has called three times…” “Get lost.” Skylar rolled away, but her inner thoughts still echoed in my ears: “Help! Another half-minute later and that psycho would hang me from the chandelier like a decoration!” “Only his White Moonlight can handle this lunatic…” Julian Thorne… is he really that savage now? Suddenly, the White Moonlight Shrine of Sorrows didn’t seem so essential anymore. “How about I… come another time?” A glint of darkness flashed in Julian Thorne’s eyes. “Are you messing with me?” I shook my head repeatedly. If I refused now, would I be hung from the chandelier immediately? Inside the mansion, Julian Thorne slammed the door shut, barring everyone from entering. Ms. Miller, beaming, welcomed me into my old room. “I haven’t seen Mr. Thorne this happy in a long time.” Happy? Seriously? Where did she see that? “Maybe I should go apologize…” “Now?” Ms. Miller sighed. “Mr. Thorne is having an episode. It won’t do any good if you go now. How about waiting until tomorrow?” “What kind of episode?” “He’s bipolar, you see. Sometimes he gets a bit irritable, sometimes he’s down. He’s been on medication for six or seven years, but it hasn’t really helped. When his emotions fluctuate wildly, it tends to flare up.” No wonder. But why would Julian Thorne suddenly get such a condition? A dull thud from upstairs indicated something heavy had fallen. I took a deep breath. “So, we just let him act out like this?” I reached for the doorknob, but Ms. Miller stopped me. “Miss Thorne, going now… it’s too dangerous.” *It’s fine. What’s the worst that can happen, get hung from a chandelier?* Seven years ago, when I reported my adoptive father, his men tortured me far worse than this.

Julian Thorne had been staring at the door, eyes bloodshot. When he saw me enter, he just rolled over. “Mr. Thorne, about that money… could you draft a contract for Skylar like that for me too?” Julian Thorne sneered. “You’ve been overseas for seven years and can’t even get $100,000? You must be living quite well.” Being roasted didn’t bother me much. I continued asking, “By the way, how much do you pay your substitutes a month?” “Get out!” I was about to argue a bit more when Julian Thorne grabbed my hands, trapping me between him and the bed. A dangerous glint was in Julian Thorne’s eyes as he leaned in closer. “Be a substitute? Do you even know what you’d be getting into?” “Do you even know why I saved you back then?” I froze. When my adoptive father’s men caught me, they called me ungrateful and shameless, even threatening to sell me off to a human trafficking ring. While I was locked in the basement, I heard Julian Thorne had paid money and bought me. After that, I came here. My adoptive father was Julian Thorne’s paternal uncle, and there was a childhood bond between them. I was worried Julian Thorne would retaliate, so I got him drunk and ran. Could there be some hidden truth in all this? *Bang!* The door burst open, and Ms. Miller pulled Julian Thorne off me. “Mr. Thorne, Miss Thorne has finally come back! Even if you’re having an episode, you can’t hit her like this!” Julian Thorne sat on the floor, his gaze practically murderous. Ms. Miller pulled me back to my original room. “Mr. Thorne is just having an episode. Please don’t take it personally, Miss Thorne.” I smiled faintly, shaking my head. “By the way, Ms. Miller, does Julian Thorne have any kind of… room or secret chamber that only he can enter?” “He does, but Miss Thorne, why do you ask…?” I gripped her hand, my gaze sincere. “I want to see it!” “This…” Julian Thorne and I grew up together. That kid was always pretty cold and detached. My best friend and I even discussed how if Julian Thorne ever dated, he’d probably first draft a ‘Relationship Conduct Rulebook.’ Now, he even had a White Moonlight Shrine of Sorrows, and the object of his obsession was my best friend! How could I not take some pictures to mock her? Unable to resist my pleas, Ms. Miller eventually led me to a storage room. “It’s this one. He hasn’t let anyone clean it since before the New Year. It’s quite peculiar.” “Oh, Miss Thorne, even though Mr. Thorne probably wouldn’t mind, if he asks…” I nodded, made a zipping motion over my lips, and turned the doorknob. As I flipped the wall switch and the lights came on, my jaw dropped. The room was empty, save for a single safe sitting on a mahogany table. *This* is supposed to be the White Moonlight Shrine of Sorrows? I tried Julian Thorne’s and my best friend’s birthdays. No luck. That doesn’t make sense, does it? Could it be… my birthday? I tried it. *Click*. The safe… it actually opened! “What are you doing?” My entire body stiffened. I turned around to see Julian Thorne leaning against the doorframe, his expression unreadable. I swallowed hard. *Oh god, please don’t come closer, you’re terrifying!*

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I was 29 when I helped my boyfriend build a multi-million dollar fortune after seven years of loving him. He lived with me in a cramped, beat-up apartment and drove a secondhand car, all while whispering sweet nothings in my ear, “Violet, darling, when I make it big, everything I have will be yours.” When he knelt and slid a lavish diamond ring onto my finger, proposing to me, I thought my struggles were finally over. But during a waterfront fireworks display, our boat capsized. He was swept away by the raging water, supposedly trying to save me. For seventeen years, my days blurred into a haze of tears. My health declined rapidly, and the doctors eventually told me it was late-stage cancer. In despair, on my deathbed, I swallowed the ring, just wanting it all to end. Then, by a cruel twist of fate, I saw a news report flashing on the hospital’s big screen. Asher, the son of a tech billionaire, had miraculously survived after accidentally swallowing a diamond ring. Good for him. Not only was he alive, but he was also living the good life. My eyes fixated on the ring, its serial number identical to the one Asher had given me. My pupils dilated weakly, the realization hitting me like a physical blow. I died without ever understanding what had gone wrong. In my last breath, I swore a silent vow: If I ever get a second chance at life, I’ll make him pay back everything he owes me, with interest. **01** “Hey, beautiful, what are you spacing out about?” Asher’s voice jolted me back to reality. He wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, his breath warm on my ear. “It’s your birthday today. I have a surprise for you.” His words, eerily similar to what he’d said in my past life, made me realize: I’d been reborn. I was back three months before he proposed. In my previous life, I met him when I was 22. I spent seven years by his side, silently helping him build his empire from scratch. By the time I was 29, his assets were worth millions. But he never told me about his success. We continued to live simply, just as before. To protect his ego, his pride, I pretended not to know. And I never once mentioned that all his success was thanks to me. “Violet, do you remember? This is the seventh birthday I’ve celebrated with you.” A complex, unbearable wave of emotion washed over me. I had to admit, he was a thoughtful and attentive man. For seven years, he had never missed my birthday. “But…” His tone suddenly shifted. “Let’s keep things simple tonight, okay? I’m still in the early stages of my business, and I have an important client meeting. We can celebrate at home after I close this deal.” Startup phase? Shouldn’t he be a successful businessman by now? My heart clenched. In my past life, I was so blinded by love, so convinced of my place in his heart, that I was completely oblivious to his pathetic lies. It was why he faked his death, secretly enjoying a luxurious life abroad with another woman, while I was left completely in the dark. Recalling it all, a wave of profound sorrow washed over me. I forced a calm smile. “Okay, honey. Come back soon.” On the surface, I agreed sweetly, but deep down, I’d already decided to follow him. Sure enough, he didn’t go to the office. He headed straight to a karaoke bar. From inside the private room, I heard a woman’s sweet, whiny voice. “Asher, aren’t you afraid your jealous girlfriend will come looking for you if you meet me here?” The voice sounded so familiar. I peeked through the crack in the door. One glance, and the world spun. My head buzzed. He wasn’t meeting a client. He was on a secret rendezvous with Serena, his first love, the one that got away. I remembered then. He had mentioned Serena was back in town, complaining to him about a rough breakup. But I hadn’t paid any attention. I hadn’t stopped him. Instead, I’d been so “generous,” telling him to spend more time with his “white moonlight.” I never thought I’d be letting a wolf into the fold. They embraced, like two people on fire. Asher narrowed his eyes, soothing her. “Her? She’s so petty. Let her be jealous.” But Serena seemed unsatisfied. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pouting. “When are you going to do what you promised me?” “Soon, soon,” Asher mumbled, then pounced on her again like a hungry wolf. My heart turned to ice. Their conversation continued inside: “Thank you, Asher, for such an expensive birthday gift. I’m so incredibly happy!” My heart bled as she waved a conspicuous deed to a house. Asher’s voice sounded almost casual. “Darling, it’s just a house. What else do you want? Asher will give you anything.” Then, they started making out again. The woman’s moans became increasingly grating. “Asher, you’re so naughty.” As she spoke, her eyes seemed to glance intentionally, almost casually, towards the door. I couldn’t stand it anymore. My vision was already blurred by tears. I don’t remember how I got back to our place. Looking at this small, less-than-500-square-foot apartment, the secondhand home we’d shared for seven years, my tears streamed down, unstoppable. Seven framed photos hung on the wall, a testament to our seven-year love story. Every year on my birthday, he would suggest we go to a photo studio. He’d say, even though he couldn’t take me to all the beautiful places in the world yet, we could take photos with different famous landmarks as backdrops. One day, when we collected enough, we’d exchange them for real wedding photos. I didn’t know when “enough” would be, but I was such a hopeless romantic, I was completely enchanted by his grand promise. I reached out, caressing the photos, as if saying goodbye to our seven years of love. **02** It wasn’t until late, when the city was quiet, that Asher finally dragged his tired body home. At first, a flicker of panic crossed his eyes. But seeing my calm expression, he secretly let out a sigh of relief. He looked at me with a touch of apology. “Violet, don’t be mad I couldn’t come back earlier. That client today was just so difficult. If it weren’t for our little family, I would’ve walked away from his business ages ago.” As he spoke, he reached for my hand, like he always did. Remembering his hand had just been all over another woman, I instinctively recoiled, pulling my hand back. Fearing he’d notice, I quickly changed the subject. “Honey, didn’t you say you’d come back to celebrate my birthday? I’m starving! What delicious treats did you bring me?” My distraction worked. “Right, right! What was I thinking? I almost forgot if you hadn’t mentioned it!” “I deserve a slap, I deserve a slap.” He made a show of raising his hand to slap himself. As his big hand was about to connect with his face, I instinctively grabbed it. “No!” He grinned, pleased. Seizing the opportunity, he pulled me into his arms, whispering in my ear, “Darling, I knew you loved me.” Then his lips, as fervent and demanding as ever, covered mine. I tried to pull away, but he held me tighter. He kissed me with the same intense, possessive ardor. Only when I slowly quieted did he release me, satisfied. He pulled a set of car keys from his pocket. “Baby, wait here. Your gift is in the car. I’ll go get it right now.” He stood up and walked to the door. Just then, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen, and his expression tightened, if only for a fleeting second. But it didn’t escape my notice. A woman’s sweet voice drifted from the speaker. “Asher…” He quickly turned his back to me, answering the call. In that moment, a mix of emotions churned inside me. When did our love turn into this? Was seven years of love truly as fragile as a piece of paper, so easily torn apart? I didn’t have the patience to wait for him to finish his long phone call. I snatched the keys from his hand and walked straight downstairs. His beat-up car, the one he’d driven for five years, sat there. He used to tell me, more than once, with such conviction, “If I can cherish a used car for so long, imagine how much more I’ll cherish my wife, the woman I spend my life with.” Back then, those words thrilled me so much that I found him a business deal that instantly brought him in three million dollars. For seven years, I kept pouring my efforts into his empty promises. Now, I saw that every sweet word he uttered was a sharp blade, leaving me utterly shattered. I opened the car door. A beautifully wrapped gift bag and a small birthday cake sat neatly on the passenger seat. Seeing them, my mood brightened slightly. The gift wasn’t grand, but it offered a small comfort to my heart. My parents, who’d been working abroad since I was born, had never given me a proper birthday celebration. Their only way of celebrating was to call or text, then wire money to my exclusive account. They thought this was their way of making up for it, their way of showing love. But they didn’t know I never touched any of that money, barely even looked at it. The first time I ever had birthday cake, in my memory, was when a senior from college shared some with me. **03** Seeing me return with the items, Asher quickly put down his phone and started doting on me. He eagerly set them on our small table. One of his big hands wrapped around me tightly, his lips exhaling warm breath near my ear: “Come on, baby, it’s time to witness our love. Open it! See if you like the gift I bought.” His intimate words created a few seconds of illusion, making me feel like we were back in the honeymoon phase. I obediently followed, carefully tearing open the wrapping. The moment it was open, my eyes lit up. Yes, it was the bra I’d wanted for ages. The color was my favorite rose pink, the style, my preferred lace. But— My eyes dropped to the tag, and my heart sank. “So, do you like it?” Asher leaned in, about to kiss my cheek. My brows furrowed, my expression tightened. I pushed him away with force. He looked at me, confused, disbelief in his eyes. “What? What’s wrong? You don’t like it? I distinctly remember you always loved this brand.” I ignored him, my face growing darker. He scratched his head, muttering to himself, “Women’s hearts, kids’ faces. No wonder they say women are fickle.” He tried to tease me into reacting, but my face remained as cold as frost. He had no choice but to point to the small cake on the table, trying to appease me again. “Okay, baby, my bad. If you don’t like it, I’ll return it tomorrow and buy you something else. It’s getting late, let’s blow out the candles and eat the cake.” His words reminded me. Yes, I needed to go to bed early. I had important things to do tomorrow. I forced down my emotions. Gently pulling open the ribbon on the cake box, a vivid rose-shaped cake came into view. “How about it? Do you like it?” He carefully searched my eyes for a reaction. “Mm-hm.” I managed a strained upward curl of my lips. He finally let out a sigh of relief. But as he placed the number 32 candles on the cake, my eyes felt like they were being pierced. 32, 32, why 32? 29 was my number. Asher didn’t seem to notice anything was off with me. He happily handed me a plate. Looking at his familiar yet strangely unfamiliar face, a jarring detail from my memory resurfaced. Serena, his first love, his college classmate. They were the same age. This year, they both turned 32. My outstretched hand trembled. The brutal truth sent my mood plummeting. I struggled to keep my composure, shaking my head. “I suddenly don’t feel like eating. It’s too late, and sweets will make me gain weight. You should eat it yourself.” Without waiting for him to speak, under his disapproving gaze, I decisively stood up, forcing my weakened body toward the bedroom. I knew. It was time for all of this to end. Only three months left. Time was running out. Since fate had given me a second chance, this time, I would take control of my destiny. I wouldn’t live so foolishly again. Remembering a message Leo had sent me recently, I drafted an email to him. And I sent a text to my mom: “Mom, I’ve changed my mind. Wait for me. I’m ready to accept your arrangements.” After doing all that, I slowly lay down. The moment I did, my stubborn tears immediately streamed down my face like spilled pearls. Salty tears repeatedly flowed into the corners of my mouth. They dragged my thoughts back to seven years ago, the day Asher and I first met. I remembered that day, the sky was dull and gray, just like my mood. I had just finished my college graduation ceremony, feeling utterly alone and melancholic. I saw other students surrounded by their families, showered with flowers and gifts. I had nothing. Just me, by myself, feeling incredibly lost. **04** I kept re-reading the congratulatory texts from my parents on my phone, only able to force a bitter smile. Perhaps in their eyes, money mattered more than I did. I pessimistically believed I was just an orphan, no different from the stray cats wandering around campus. I was even worse than those cats. They had people feeding them, playing with them. But me, I always lived in my own world. Even though this solitude allowed me to pour all my energy into studying, eventually pushing myself to become an academic prodigy. But none of that was what I truly wanted. My mood was so low back then that I accidentally bumped right into Asher. He later recounted that he had been in a terrible mood that day too. After our unexpected collision, he felt it was fate. He invited me to a small bar for a drink. To my surprise, I actually went. After a few drinks, we poured our hearts out to each other. That’s when I learned he had just broken up with someone. Serena, his first love, had gone to study abroad and cut off all contact with him, blocking him everywhere. He was heartbroken. We were like two oases in a desert, comforting each other, our conversation flowing effortlessly. We exchanged numbers, and soon, sparks began to fly between us. Later, he often asked me out for dinner and drinks. A few months after that, I moved into his rental apartment. And stayed for seven years. Just as I was thinking, Asher’s footsteps broke my reverie. I quickly wiped away my tears and turned over, showing him only my back. He seemed to realize I wasn’t interested. He tossed his phone onto the bed and went into the bathroom to shower. My eyes had barely been closed for three seconds when his SnapChat buzzed with a new message. I sighed softly, turning over again. But the other party seemed persistent. His SnapChat buzzed four more times, consecutively. Left with no choice, I reached out to silence it. However, the moment the SnapChat interface opened, I saw a short video sent by Serena, his ‘white moonlight.’ It was her, whimpering and being cutesy to Asher. It turned out, she had her birthday on the same day as me. And Asher had prepared the exact same birthday gift for her. He was just too careless, he’d mixed up our gifts. The bra she received was my size, and the birthday cake had my age on it too. “Violet! What are you doing?” I didn’t know when Asher had come out, but he was standing behind me, shouting. He had changed. He really had. For so many years, he had always gently called me by my nickname, “Violet.” He had never yelled or called me by my full name like that. I bit down hard on my lip. Before I could even explain, he started accusing me in an even louder voice. “See? Serena was right. You’re just a jealous woman.” “Tell me, how long have you been snooping through my phone? I can’t believe you’ve become this kind of person!” Faced with a barrage of baseless accusations, I was speechless. I just felt a profound sadness for myself. Just then, his SnapChat buzzed again. I wanted to hand him his phone, but he suddenly slapped my face. Immediately, five bright red fingerprints appeared on my cheek, and blood gushed from my nose. Perhaps his own action shocked him too. In all the years I’d known him, he’d never even raised his voice at me, let alone laid a finger on me. After he hit me, he regretted it instantly. He knelt down, apologizing profusely. He even grabbed my wrist, trying to kiss the back of my hand. I fiercely pulled my hand away, pushing him. This time, I didn’t hesitate. **05** Leo, my senior from college, quickly replied to my email, asking to meet at the hospital. “Violet, are you truly sure about this?”

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The apocalypse came. I hid my son, Caleb, after he turned, secretly raising him. But the people from the settlement found out. “No wonder that filthy bitch was acting so secretive every day! She was raising a zombie son!” “Playing with our lives, trying to endanger us all, how utterly selfish!” “Kill that little monster! Drive that woman out!” In their fury, they brutally smashed my son’s head in, completely forgetting that he had ended up this way because of them. I walked out of the settlement, silently clutching Caleb’s lifeless body. In that zombie-infested hellscape, I found my husband, Ryder, already transformed. “Ryder, I want them to pay in blood.” It was rationing day in the apocalypse, and Brenda, the settlement director, deliberately withheld my family’s share of meat. I asked her why. She snapped, her face twisted with impatience, “Resources are scarce. You’re just one mouth to feed, shouldn’t you be more charitable?” Her words stunned me. “Food is distributed per person,” I said. “I’m not asking for extra. Why are you cutting my meat?” “You’re just a woman. Greens are fine for you. Why are you so desperate for meat?” Brenda said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “I’ll distribute your share equally among others. It saves more, helping us all last longer.” Naturally, I couldn’t agree. I lunged forward to grab my portion, but accidentally scratched her hand. She shrieked in pain, then raised her hand and slapped me hard across the face. “You unreasonable woman, you hit me? Do you want to be kicked out?” A man in line behind me roughly grabbed me, shoving me aside. He sneered, “You’re just a widow. It’s good enough we let you stay here. Stop being so picky. Why don’t you come with me instead? I’ll give you meat every day, as long as you keep me happy.” His voice was loud, drawing a burst of laughter from the crowd, but no one stepped forward to help me. I stood there, seething with anger, but I knew I couldn’t fight them. I could only swallow the humiliation in silence. It was fine. Just three more days, and I would be reunited with Ryder. Everyone believed my husband had died out there in the world, but I clung to the belief that he would keep his promise, that he would appear at our agreed time and take us away from this dirty, dark place.

Back home, I put the freshly acquired vegetables into the fridge, then took out the meat and vegetable stew I’d made days ago. Caleb, smelling the meat, wobbled out of the bedroom. His eyes were vacant. He pointed at the stew, then at his open mouth. Seeing him, the gloom in my heart vanished. “My little hungry guts, did you forget what Mommy told you?” Caleb stared blankly for a long moment before it clicked. He slowly walked to the calendar on the wall, picked up a pen, and painstakingly drew an X on today’s date. Watching his slow, delayed movements, my heart gave a painful lurch. Before the apocalypse hit, my husband had answered the call to duty, rushing to the front lines to clear out the infected and buy humanity time to establish safe zones. The day he left, he held Caleb and me, kissing us repeatedly: “Hope, wait for me one year. In one year, I’ll be back to take you both to a better sanctuary.” Though my heart ached with reluctance, I knew the country needed every soldier, and my husband felt it was his absolute duty. I secretly vowed to myself that while Ryder was away, I would take good care of our son, and in a year, our family of three would continue to live happily together. However, Caleb was infected and turned into a zombie due to an accident. Now, the one-year mark was almost here, and I still hadn’t figured out how to explain this to Ryder… I took a shaky breath, forcing the memories away, and smiled, calling Caleb over to eat. We hadn’t even finished half the meal when a violent banging erupted on the door. My heart clenched. I quickly motioned for Caleb to hide in the room, then, regaining my composure, went to open the door. “Who…” I’d only managed one word when the man outside lunged in, catching me off guard and tackling me to the floor. A sharp pain shot through my back. Without a word, he raised a hand and started slapping me, back and forth across my face, cursing as he hit me. “You filthy bitch, you think I’m easy? You dared to hit my wife? I’m going to beat you to death today!” My head spun, but I pushed him away with all the strength I had left. “Dave, can you be rational for a second? Your wife stole my food, and *you* think *she’s* the victim?” Dave laughed scornfully. “My wife is the director, she calls the shots around here. If you don’t like it, you won’t even get scraps!” I choked back the bile rising in my throat from the blows, pointing at the door. “Fine, I’ll listen to her from now on. You’ve had your fun. Now get out of my apartment, right now.” I didn’t want to argue with him, because Caleb was in the bedroom. If they found out about him, it would definitely cause trouble. But Dave showed no sign of leaving. Instead, he moved closer. “Hope, I’m here for something else today.” His small, beady eyes raked over my body, a lecherous smirk on his face. “Your husband’s gone, your kid’s gone. You’re all alone, easy prey.” Dave reached out, his hand sneaking around my waist. “You know, my family controls all the rations. Just keep me happy every day, and I’ll make sure you get meat at every meal. Deal?” “Get lost!” My rage flared. I tried to struggle free, but Dave grabbed my hand, forcefully pinning me to the floor. “You ungrateful bitch! I’m telling you, I didn’t plan on leaving empty-handed today! Seeing you, you loose woman, strutting around, I’m going crazy!” As he spoke, his ugly face loomed closer. Agony consumed me. I couldn’t break free, and I was terrified to scream, knowing Caleb was in the bedroom. *Caleb, whatever you do, don’t help Mommy. You have to stay hidden. Don’t come out…* But of course, fate had other plans. In my panic, I heard a slow, agonizing creak from the bedroom door.

Dave’s movements stopped. He lifted his head, glancing toward the bedroom door. He froze. Even without looking, I knew Caleb had come out. My heart plummeted. I didn’t care about anything else. I ripped myself from Dave’s grasp and ran to my son, pulling him into my arms, both desperate and furious. “Mommy told you never to come out if someone was here! Why are you so disobedient?” Caleb’s expression was vacant. He lay in my arms like a soulless doll. The terror on Dave’s face lasted only seconds. Seeing Caleb’s harmless, vacant stare, he relaxed. “Well, well, you filthy bitch. No wonder you’re so secretive every day. So you’re raising a zombie son.” Dave snatched a dinner knife from the table, a sinister grin spreading across his face as he took slow steps towards me. “If the people in the settlement find out about this, what do you think they’ll do?” I stared at him in despair, and as he approached, I dropped to my knees with a thud. “Dave, please, I beg you, have mercy. Don’t tell them.” “Caleb is the only family I have left. I can’t lose him too…” Dave grabbed my hair, throwing me aside. Then he reached out, grabbing my son by the neck, and lifted him into the air. Caleb still didn’t react. His small body hung suspended. Beneath his pulled-up shirt, a stomach covered in old bite marks was visible. “Ugh, so stinky, so disgusting.” Dave’s face twisted in disgust. He then aimed the knife tip directly at Caleb’s eye, a cruel smile on his lips. “You want me to spare your son? Fine. Strip.” I bit back a sob, slowly, deliberately, unbuttoning my top. I didn’t know if Dave would keep his word, but right now, to protect my son, I had no other choice. Soon, my top was completely open, revealing my thin bra. Dave’s eyes widened, glued to me. He hissed, “Keep going, keep going! Ha ha ha ha!” His face was contorted in a crazed expression. “If you’d just submitted, none of this would be happening. But now, you’ll have to please me in front of your son. Is that what you want, you pathetic slut? Does that turn you on?” I fought to keep my emotions in check, but the immense humiliation made my body tremble uncontrollably. Just as I was about to unhook my bra, Caleb’s eyes suddenly shifted. The vacant stare faded, replaced by a flicker of pure rage and hatred. He let out a guttural snarl, his mouth opening wide. And then he lunged, biting deep into Dave’s arm! Dave hadn’t seen it coming! He let out a piercing shriek, instinctively dropping Caleb to the floor. He clutched his bleeding arm, and pure, unadulterated terror flooded his eyes. He knew exactly what a zombie bite meant.

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I was sitting on Leo Miller’s lap, my sheer stockings rustling, and he instantly flushed from his neck to his ears. He was so damn innocent, it was almost painful to watch. I deliberately ran my fingers up his chiseled nose. “Isn’t your grandma in desperate need of life-saving surgery? Rip these sheer stockings off, and I’ll cover all her medical bills!” Leo’s breathing grew ragged, and I could feel something hardening against me. Just as he started tearing at my stockings inch by inch with his teeth, Julian Harrington, my ever-dignified and esteemed guardian, burst into the VIP room, enraged. He shoved Leo away and relentlessly pounded the scrawny guy. Then he turned, gripping my shoulders so hard it stung. “Stella Harrington! I told you, no dating! How can you be so disobedient? Are you just ignoring everything I say?!” I scoffed, meeting his scarlet eyes. “Isn’t this just your way of making sure I’m ‘suitable’ for an arranged marriage? Fine! I’m in!” That night, curled up in the wardrobe, I heard Julian’s conversation with his younger sister echoing in my ears again: “I heard that little girl likes you. What do you think?” “She’s just a stray I picked up from the rubble of that disaster, groomed precisely so she could be married off for us someday!”

I woke up groggily the next morning, hearing the housekeepers downstairs shouting my name, and the frantic pacing of footsteps in my room. I wiped away the tears in the corners of my eyes and pushed open the wardrobe door. My gaze immediately clashed with Julian’s anxious eyes. I instinctively looked away, forcing a smile as I mumbled, “Julian.” He instantly reverted to his usual cold demeanor, pointing a finger at me as he questioned, “Did you sleep in the wardrobe last night?” I feigned nonchalance. “Yeah, I’ve always liked sleeping in wardrobes since I was little. You didn’t know that?” Julian’s eyes widened in surprise for a brief moment. Of course, he didn’t know. Because I’d never told him. My entire family was buried under the ruins after the devastating earthquake that leveled our town in ’08. I knelt alone on the desolate, flattened landscape of our small town, staring at it in despair. I was five years old then. Julian was fifteen. Against his father’s wishes, Julian brought me home from that devastation. Under the protection of Julian, the heir to the Harrington family, even without my family, I lived a good life. To avoid causing him any trouble, I was always well-behaved, no matter where I was. Even if someone bullied me, I wouldn’t say a word to him. I studied hard from a young age and was lucky enough to get into a prestigious university, never shaming Julian. At fifteen, when I first felt the pangs of a crush, I broke my obedient facade and confessed my feelings to Julian. He told me I was too young and didn’t understand what love was, confusing familial affection with romantic love. At eighteen, finally an adult, I happily held my acceptance letter and asked if I could pursue him. He said he already liked someone and was pursuing her. I was so envious. At twenty, I learned from others that Julian had already broken off contact with that girl. I was ready to gather my courage again, holding my national academic award, to confess to him. But then I heard his conversation with his younger sister: “I heard that little girl likes you. What do you think?” “She’s just a stray I picked up from the rubble of that disaster, groomed precisely so she could be married off for us someday!” My heart seized, I couldn’t breathe. My nails dug into my palms, the sharp pain ignored as fresh blood bloomed on the pristine white puff-sleeve dress I’d just put on for the very first time. I thought all these years his care and protection for me were under the guise of family, but I never imagined it was for his shrewd business interests. I laughed, tears streaming down my face. “Julian Harrington, Julian Harrington, for your own sister, you played a masterful, cynical game!”

Julian’s commanding tone yanked me back to reality. “Downstairs. Go eat, now!” His voice still held the displeasure from yesterday’s intimate encounter with Leo. Before, I would have even personally handed him love letters sent to me by others, telling him that my heart only belonged to him, and I would never date prematurely. But now, it was different. I had accidentally stumbled upon his true thoughts about me. His words were like countless needles, pricking my heart day and night, making tears stream down my face. I still obediently went downstairs to eat, just as always. But at the dinner table, I was as silent as a mute. Julian sensed my unusual mood, and his tone softened slightly. “Didn’t sleep well last night?” I just nodded silently. Ever since I learned that I was merely a ‘stray’ he’d raised, I hadn’t had a single good night’s sleep. I’d always wake up crying, until I stayed in the wardrobe until dawn. “Should I call a doctor to check on you?” I shook my head again, then put down my forks, got up, and left for school. This was the first time in years I had acted this way towards Julian. Before, I would always finish every meal he personally prepared, and always say goodbye obediently before leaving for school. Now, Julian looked at the untouched food on the table, even the soy milk in my bowl was left unfinished. It felt as if something was lodged in Julian’s throat. I walked to class distracted, when I bumped into Leo Miller, the broke college guy from the bar that night. I thought he was coming to ask me for his grandma’s surgery fees, so before he could speak, I got his SnapChat ID and immediately transferred him 200,000. But he just pointed at my eyes. “Were you crying last night? Your eyes are so swollen!” I instinctively grabbed my phone to check, and sure enough, they were as swollen as if I’d been stung by a bee. I gave a numb smile. Julian and I had just eaten at the same table for so long, and he hadn’t noticed a thing, yet this person I’d just met saw it immediately. I let out a long breath, feigning lightness. “Want to grab a drink?” “Now?” “Yeah.” “Okay, since I’ve taken your money, I’m at your service!” And just like that, we skipped class and went straight to the bar, drinking all day. Only when the alcohol numbed my senses could I feel a flicker of happiness, forgetting all the unpleasant things. Meanwhile, Valerie Chen, my university advisor and Julian’s former classmate, found out I’d skipped all my classes for the day. She promptly called Julian. Julian and his security team frantically searched for me, finally finding me passed out drunk at the bar. Leo, who had just tried to cover me with his jacket, was once again beaten black and blue by Julian. Julian’s strong, lean fingers gripped my waist, preparing to carry me home, but I stubbornly resisted, wrapping my arms around his neck, my voice choked with tears. “Julian, why are you doing this to me! Why?!” My traitorous tears streamed onto Julian’s leather jacket. “I’ve loved you for so many years, why don’t you love me back! Why do you always reject me?!” Julian, as always, remained rational. “Stella, look at me clearly. I’m your guardian!” I struggled to open my blurry eyes, looking at Julian, who had raised me since childhood. “But we’re not blood relatives, so why not?!” Julian frowned slightly, looking at me for a long time before speaking. “Stella, you’ve always been well-behaved and sensible. Why are you so reckless lately, even drinking with other men? Don’t you know how dangerous that is! I’m so disappointed in you!” Honestly, I’d always been terrified of him being disappointed in me. I was afraid that if he was disappointed, he would kick me out of the Harrington family, leaving me utterly alone. So, I’d learned to pretend from a young age. When taught piano, which I didn’t like, I’d smile and say I loved it, then practice for two extra hours, even skipping meals. When taught self-defense taekwondo, even covered in bruises, I never shed a single tear. Instead, I’d comfort a distressed Julian: “Julian, you’re doing this for my own good. I’ll study hard!” Even with food I didn’t like, clothes I didn’t prefer, or a major I wasn’t passionate about, I would never argue. As long as Julian approved, I had no complaints.

Taking advantage of the alcohol’s numbing effect, I boldly reached out and caressed Julian’s face. Julian, however, turned his head away, leaving my hand awkwardly suspended in the air. “Stella, you’re becoming increasingly unruly! Even if we’re not blood relatives, I’m still your guardian! Doing this won’t just ruin you; it’ll ruin me!” So, Julian was afraid I would ruin *him*. All the grievances and helplessness transformed into a choked laugh, releasing themselves in tears. “Julian, I thought my place in your heart might not be first, but at least there was a place. Now it seems, I’m just a burden.” Julian seemed about to say something, but swallowed it back. The hand at my waist suddenly tightened, and Julian lifted me into his arms. I wiped my tears upward, calmly looking at him. “Put me down, I can walk on my own.” Back in my room, I started packing my suitcase. Now that I completely understood Julian’s true intentions, our decade-long entanglement should finally end. Staying at home before was just so I could see Julian every day. Now, it was time to move back to the dorms. After packing, I suddenly realized there were only a few changes of clothes in my suitcase. Nothing else I absolutely needed to take. All the jewelry and necklaces were bought by Julian; I’d kept them neatly in my jewelry box because I couldn’t bear to wear them. Now, they weren’t needed anymore. On my desk, the paper stars I’d folded since childhood still sat quietly in a glass jar. Inside them, every year’s birthday wish was about Julian. I ruthlessly tossed them directly into the trash can. Even Julian’s ID photo, tucked inside a book, went into the trash along with the book itself. The trash can piled higher and higher, my suitcase held less and less. As I left, I even turned our joint photo face down on the desk. When I went downstairs, Julian saw me and asked what I was doing. I simply said, “Moving back to school.” He just casually replied, “That’s fine. It’ll help you develop independence. Have the driver take you.” Develop independence? Ha! In his eyes, I was still just a little girl who clung to him. Clearly, my disguise was perfect. I got into the car without looking back. Behind me, Julian, who had been watching me, increasingly realized I was changing. I, who never touched alcohol, now went to bars all day. I, who had never dared to upset him, now openly defied him. He thought I was growing up, but in reality, I had simply seen him for who he was. I, Stella Harrington, could pick up, and I could let go. More than a decade of emotional investment had gone to waste, but I had no regrets. Back in my dorm, after simply making my bed, I lay down, ready to sleep, when I saw a concerned message from my advisor, Valerie Chen. I knew Valerie had a crush on Julian back in college, and despite repeated rejections, she never gave up. My head was pounding from a day of drinking, so I replied directly: “Valerie, just tell me what’s up!” Valerie didn’t hide her eager curiosity: “Does your guardian have a girlfriend now?” “No.” “Then, can you help me pursue him?” My typing hand trembled on the keyboard. Even though I had given up, a sense of injustice still gnawed at me. They say the one closest to you wins your heart. But after more than a decade by Julian’s side, our relationship remained strictly guardian and ward. I gritted my teeth and replied with one word: “Okay.” After a day of drinking, my head felt like it would explode. Yet, I couldn’t find any sleep. I only drifted into unconsciousness at dawn.

The May morning was still bone-chilling. It had been a month since I moved back to school. Julian hadn’t visited me once. His SnapChat chat box, aside from transfer records, didn’t even contain a single word of concern. Indeed, a businessman is just a businessman; ruthless when necessary, without a trace of hesitation. I was listlessly heading to the cafeteria for breakfast before class, when I unexpectedly saw Julian walking towards me. He smiled and waved. I was the kind of person who would bloom with a little sunshine, so I enthusiastically waved back. Just then, a woman ran up behind him, shouting loudly, “Julian! I missed you so much!” Upon closer inspection, it was my impeccably made-up advisor, Valerie Chen. I instantly pulled my hand back, embarrassed, my heart giving a painful wrench. My hand, tucked into my pocket, felt like a block of ice. Julian, holding Valerie’s hand, walked up to me and gently introduced her: “Stella, I forgot to tell you, Valerie and I are together now. You can call her Auntie from now on when we’re out.” Before I could even open my mouth to speak, Valerie, blushing, playfully hit Julian’s chest. “We’re not even married yet! You’re making me blush!” At that moment, my fingers were digging into my palms, leaving angry red marks. Julian, to make me give up, the man who was always so reserved with his emotions, was now flaunting his affection openly. Perhaps Julian truly liked her, after all, she was indeed very beautiful. Valerie walked over and patted my shoulder, chuckling. “Thanks to Stella for helping me pursue you! Otherwise, I wouldn’t even know what you like to eat, what size clothes you wear, or your measurements!” A flicker of surprise crossed Julian’s eyes. Valerie then pointed to Julian’s suit. “Stella, how do you like Julian’s suit today? I had it custom-made for him. It just arrived yesterday, and he’s wearing it today!” I quickly glanced at it, forcing a smile. “It looks great.” When I was eighteen, I’d spent all the money I saved from high school to have a custom suit made for Julian to confess my feelings. But I’d never seen him wear it. Julian handed me an ornate box. Inside was a formal marriage contract, elegantly presented on rich crimson paper with bold black script. He still spoke expressionlessly, “Stella, if you wish to marry, sign your name here. If not, it’s also—” Before he could finish, I cut him off. “I want to.” Julian’s fingers subtly trembled. “Since I already agreed to it last time, I won’t go back on my word.” I would use the rest of my life to give the Harrington Group a better future, and to give Julian’s younger sister a better future. This would be my way of repaying Julian for raising me. From then on, the sky was wide and the road long. I owed Julian nothing. The Harrington Group originally specialized in bereavement services, so some families were unwilling to engage in arranged marriages with them,

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The train engine was destroyed by the extreme heat. I could have called for a helicopter rescue, but I remained indifferent. All because in my previous life, just as I was about to board the helicopter, my wife Olivia mercilessly kicked me off the platform and embraced her adopted brother Caleb instead. “There’s limited space on the helicopter. Someone has to stay behind. Caleb’s health is fragile, he can’t endure hardship. I’ll send people back to rescue you once I return. You’re tough, you won’t die from waiting a bit longer.” I fell and broke bones all over my body, unable to move. I became a charred corpse under the scorching sun before any rescue arrived. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the moment the train engine failed and we were forced to stop. I took out a box for drawing lots. Only those whose names I drew would be allowed to board. Olivia looked calm, unaware that her name wasn’t even in the box. 0 “Everyone stay calm. Even though the train is out of commission, I’m sure Mrs. Greene will find a way to rescue us!” Caleb stood up, his eyes red-rimmed, as he tried to comfort the subordinates who had accompanied Olivia on this business trip. Olivia gazed at Caleb with eyes full of pity, as if he had suffered some great injustice. My phone rang. As I felt the vibration, I truly realized – I had been reborn. Just yesterday, Olivia had moved her newly returned adopted brother Caleb into our master bedroom, tossing me only one sentence: “Pack our luggage. To welcome Caleb home, I’m taking all the company’s top talent to the branch office tomorrow to publicly announce Caleb taking over.” Despite my repeated warnings about the “extreme heat advisory” in the weather report, she didn’t hesitate at all. She only looked at me with increased impatience in her eyes. “Are you done? I can see you’re just jealous that Caleb comes from a good family. You’re eyeing our family assets, not wanting me to give the branch to Caleb.” I was brought onto the train like a piece of luggage. Olivia only gave me one task – to take care of Caleb. When the train broke down, I received a rescue call from my childhood friend Mia. Thoughtfully arranging for them to board the helicopter. But what I got in return was Caleb’s contemptuous smile at the train entrance. “Want to bet? With just one word from me, Olivia would abandon you without a second thought.” Although Olivia and I had an arranged marriage, we had been husband and wife for seven years. I didn’t believe it. But what I got was Olivia kicking me off the platform, leaving me to become a charred corpse under the sun. In my final moments, Caleb’s light chuckle as he nestled in Olivia’s arms. Like a heavy hammer nailing me to the ground. Just thinking about it, the hatred in my heart could no longer be suppressed. My hand holding the phone started to shake. A woman’s voice broke through my emotions. “Jack, what are you spacing out for? The phone’s been ringing for so long and you don’t know to answer it?” “Caleb’s ears were injured by firecrackers when he was little, he can’t handle loud noises. I can see you’re deliberately torturing him!” I turned my back and walked to the next carriage. After taking a few deep breaths, I answered the call. Mia’s urgent voice came through from the other end. “Jack, I heard you’re trapped on the train. Are you okay?” My eyes instantly burned. I held back my emotions and gave a hoarse “Mm-hmm.” “Don’t be afraid. The rescue helicopter I sent will arrive soon. You’ll be fine.” “But the helicopter can only seat ten people. One person from your group will have to stay behind.” Only one person has to stay behind, huh? I let out a cold laugh and gripped the phone tightly. “It’s okay. Can you come on the helicopter to keep me company? I’m scared.” There was no hesitation on the other end of the line. “Of course.” I hung up and returned to the original carriage. Seeing Olivia using her fingertips to carefully wipe away Caleb’s tears, I couldn’t help but clench my jaw. Since you two care for each other so much, why don’t you just stay here together? 0

Seeing me come out, Caleb’s expression froze. He immediately got up from Olivia’s arms, acting contrary to his usual behavior. You should know that when he was abroad, he ordered Olivia around like a servant. Especially when it came to anything related to me, he would always go out of his way to provoke me. During each of our wedding anniversaries over the past seven years, Olivia would travel abroad to be by his side, losing track of time. A year ago, when my parents were in a car accident and urgently needed money for medical treatment, Caleb chose that time to pester Olivia to buy him diamond rings, draining all her liquid assets. He even spent all my remaining savings. My parents died on the spot. As for me, I only found out yesterday that all these years, the meal Olivia personally cooked for me each month was just to drug me, to prevent me from having a child that would inherit the Greene family fortune. The sound of high heels brought me back to reality. The next second, Caleb appeared before my eyes. He gave a fake smile and hugged me tightly. Leaning close to my ear, he spoke in a voice only the two of us could hear: “It seems Brother Jack has also been reborn.” “What? This time you’re planning to keep the helicopter rescue a secret and sneak away by yourself?” “Why don’t we make a deal – this time, we can both leave, and leave Olivia behind.” I couldn’t help but laugh. Olivia in the distance looked bewildered, warily watching my every move, afraid I would hurt her precious darling. But she didn’t know that the person she had cherished for over 20 years actually wanted her dead. I grabbed Caleb’s shoulders, putting some distance between us. “What makes you think I would help you?” Caleb’s face instantly darkened. He let out a cold laugh, as if threatening: “If you don’t help me, I’ll announce to everyone that you have a helicopter coming for rescue. You want to leave by yourself? Not a chance.” “Last time I could make Olivia abandon you. Do you think you’ll get your way this time?” Seeing his anxious look, I found it amusing. I raised an eyebrow and said: “I can help you, but we’ll leave it up to fate.” I walked past Caleb to stand in front of everyone and announced loudly: “Don’t panic everyone. I’ve already arranged for rescue. We’ll all be safe.” Olivia casually crossed her legs, looking at me with disdain. Her words carried a mocking tone. “You? What kind of rescue could you bring?” “Just a man from a fallen family, only surviving by marrying me. What gives you the confidence and resources to say such things?” I looked down at my whitened knuckles, ignoring her muttering to herself. I tore the white paper in my hand into small pieces and handed them out to everyone. “The helicopter rescue will arrive soon, but there are only ten seats.” There were eleven people on the train, which meant one person had to stay behind. I took out a box for drawing lots, indicating for them to write their names and put them inside. “In a moment, I’ll draw names publicly. Only those whose names are drawn can leave with me.” 0

Caleb panicked first. He snatched the box from my hand and smashed it on the ground, then swung a slap towards my face. “You really don’t know your place. Aren’t you afraid that this time, you’ll be the one left behind?” I raised an eyebrow and let out a cold laugh, holding up my phone in front of his eyes. To avoid the situation from my previous life, this time the helicopter doors would only open to let others board after I got on. Caleb gritted his teeth audibly. He walked over to Olivia and leaned into her arms, shamelessly throwing a tantrum. He seemed to still think I would be hurt by Olivia not loving me. Using Olivia to threaten me was a wrong move on his part. But I couldn’t be bothered to expose him. I’d just watch the show. People lined up to put their name slips into the box. Passing by me, Olivia still had a confident look. “Do I even need to write this? You definitely won’t let me stay behind, so why bother?” Seeing her smug expression, I felt like I was in a different world. Years ago when my family fell from grace, to pay off debts, my father sold me off like a commodity. He put a ballot box at the front door. Any influential family’s child who was willing to marry into the Wilson family to help pay off our debts could marry me. In the past, I was considered quite a catch in the city’s social circles. There was no shortage of women who wanted to associate with me. But after this incident, not a single person dared to visit. I hid in my room, tormented for three days and nights. Then Olivia sent over a marriage proposal. The first time I saw her, she was beaming as she held out a box to me. I followed her gaze to look inside. It was stuffed full. There was her marriage proposal, all the property deeds, even company stock certificates. I still remember on our wedding day, she took my hand and vowed that she would never let me suffer again in this lifetime. At that moment, my heart was completely filled. It turns out I wasn’t unwanted. It turns out I was also cherished by someone. But on our wedding night, Olivia came home drunk and started smashing things frantically. She kept muttering Caleb’s name. I tried to help her up from the broken glass, but she shoved me down. Glass shards pierced my knee, and I shook from the pain. When I looked up at her, her eyes were full of disgust. “No matter how much you look like him, you’re not him.” “Why did he have to be my adopted brother? Why can’t I be with him properly?” At that moment, I finally understood – I was just a substitute for Caleb. The woman who had eagerly proposed to me with a box full of assets was exactly the same as the Olivia standing before me now. It turns out her superior attitude had never changed. I was the one who had been hoping in vain all along. Suddenly there was a commotion in the crowd, followed by a man’s loud voice. “Water! There’s still water left in this carriage!” With those words, everyone in the carriage looked excitedly in that direction. But intimidated by Olivia’s authority, no one dared to make a move. Seeing I was unmoved, Olivia gave me a look, signaling me to go carry the water. After all, she was used to having everything done for her all these years. Because of her obsession with cleanliness, I had to personally clean our 9-story villa every day. Her three meals, schedule arrangements – she casually tossed it all to me to handle. I worked until my lower back was severely injured. When I wanted to rest for a day, she disgustedly pushed me to the ground. “Stop pretending to be pitiful in front of me. Using that face that looks like Caleb to gain sympathy only makes me more disgusted with you.” Olivia clicked her tongue, bringing me back to reality. She impatiently raised her hand to point at the water bucket. “What are you spacing out for?” “Caleb and I are thirsty. Hurry up and bring the water bucket over.” She clearly knew how badly injured my lower back was, that it couldn’t handle such heavy weight. One wrong move could even lead to paralysis of my lower body. The crowd behind me spoke up. “Mrs. Greene, there are so many of us men here. Let us carry it. The boss doesn’t look well.” “That’s right, we still need to rely on the boss for the helicopter rescue.” But Olivia seemed to feel she had lost face. She immediately grabbed my collar and dragged me in front of the water bucket, forcing me to lift it. By the time I carried the water bucket back to the original carriage, my lower back hurt so much I couldn’t stand up straight. My legs were starting to go numb. I picked up the box for drawing lots and began drawing names. Olivia casually crossed her legs, waiting for me to call her name. “You’ll see, he loves me so much, he’ll definitely draw my name first.” 0

But she didn’t know that her name wasn’t even in the box. “Mark Henderson, Lisa Chen…” Eight names had already been called. Including me, that made nine. In their eyes, there was only one spot left. But they didn’t know Mia would be on the helicopter to accompany me. Those two were already doomed. Olivia and Caleb started to get agitated. Caleb quietly got up from Olivia’s arms. Both their faces were full of calculation. I reached my hand into the box. At that moment, Olivia and Caleb stood up almost simultaneously. “Wait!” They spoke in unison, their faces unable to hide their panic. The two exchanged a glance. Olivia forced a smile. “Caleb, the company can’t run for a day without me.” “How about this – you stay on the train first, and I’ll send someone to pick you up as soon as I get back to the company, okay?” Caleb’s expression froze for a moment, as if he hadn’t expected Olivia to abandon him so easily. He gave me a deep look. With the experience of being left here to become a charred corpse in my previous life, Caleb didn’t believe the hypocritical Olivia in front of him. But afraid of ruining their relationship, he still forced a smile. “But sister Olivia, don’t you remember? When we were little, you set off firecrackers that injured my ears. My skin was also damaged. In this heat, I can’t take it.” “Why don’t I go first, and I’ll send someone to get you when I return.” Olivia’s face instantly darkened. She pressed her tongue against her back teeth, her expression already showing impatience. “I already said I’m going first. Since when did you become so hard of hearing?” Seeing the situation, Caleb stopped pretending. He rushed in front of me and grabbed my hand. “Brother Jack, take me with you. Once we get out I promise you’ll have endless wealth and status. You won’t have to live under Olivia’s thumb anymore. I’ll help pay off your family’s debts, okay?” Hearing the trembling in Caleb’s anxious voice, I felt an inexplicable sense of satisfaction rise in my heart. The sound of the helicopter drew closer. The train carriage door was forcibly dismantled from the outside. Olivia rushed over and shoved Caleb away, then grasped my hand with a loving expression. “Jack, we’ve been married for seven years. You can’t abandon me here out of spite.” “I was blind before to like Caleb. Don’t worry, after we go back, I’ll devote myself only to you. I won’t be fickle anymore!” Before I could speak, a woman slowly walked down from the helicopter. Mia let out a light laugh, but her eyes were full of hatred as she looked at Olivia. “After? His future won’t include you anymore.”

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I was at my private research facility on a remote island, finally making a breakthrough. I couldn’t wait to share the good news with my wife. But right then, her new male assistant showed up, bringing his entire family to the island. I didn’t think much of it, figuring they’d just come to the wrong place. I stayed focused on my experiment. Yet, his family just barged straight into the lab. Blake, in his ridiculous beach shorts, spotted me and immediately started barking orders. “Hey, are you the receptionist here? Got any common sense?” “Don’t you know I’m here for a vacation today? Hurry up and grab our luggage!” Watching him turn off the main experimental switch, mistaking it for an AC remote, made a bitter laugh bubble up my throat. “You’re Chloe’s… husband? Don’t you know this is her lab?” “You’re here causing trouble. Aren’t you afraid she’ll get mad?” If Chloe found out that her decade-long experiment, something she’d poured her heart and soul into, was just destroyed by some fake “Mr. Blake,” Would she still want this imposter?

The words barely left my mouth when Blake, the self-proclaimed “Mr. Blake,” started cackling. He eyed me up and down, his gaze full of scorn and contempt. “Afraid she’ll get mad? I’m the *future* Mr. Blake!” “You, a mere receptionist, are trying to tell me what to do?” “Forget about some broken machine. Even if I set this entire island on fire, she wouldn’t bat an eye!” Next to him, a young woman, flamboyantly dressed and looking utterly frivolous, aggressively kicked a suitcase towards my feet. The hard corner of the case slammed into my ankle, sending a searing pain shooting through me. “Hey! I’m talking to you! Are you deaf?” She pointed her chin at me, her face full of impatience. “My future sister-in-law adores my brother too much to get mad over a broken machine!” “Say one more useless word, and I’ll make you vanish from this island!” I was wearing the simplest, most basic white anti-static work uniform. For convenience, my hair was just casually pulled back. My face, due to long nights of experimental work, showed signs of exhaustion. This appearance certainly clashed with the vibe of a luxurious private island retreat. I stared at the energy module’s master switch that he’d just pressed, my heart sinking inch by inch. Chloe and I had poured twelve years of our lives into this project. It wasn’t just about Sterling Corp.’s multi-billion dollar industrial blueprint; it was *our* shared dream, something we’d worked on since college. Now, twelve years of our blood, sweat, and tears might be ruined in an instant, all because of some idiot’s clueless actions. I forced down the fury boiling inside me, my voice dangerously cold. “This is your last warning. Take your hand off that switch immediately, and get your people off this island!” “Oh, still trying to act tough with us?” Blake’s mother, Karen, pointed a finger at my nose and yelled: “Blake, why waste your breath on this kind of lowly servant! An insolent lapdog who doesn’t know his place!” “Just tell Chloe to fire him! People like him should be kicked out on their ass!” Egging on by his mother, Blake grew even more arrogant. Not only did he not release the switch, he pressed it down even harder. “I’m not taking it off. What are you going to do about it?” “Let me tell you, from today onwards, I’m the man of the house here!” “You’d better wise up, or you’ll have a world of pain coming your way!” The words hadn’t fully left his mouth when the alarm lights at the top of the lab began to flash frantically. A piercing siren immediately blared across the entire island. I watched, horrified, as the core temperature reading on the main control screen shot up like a rocket. I didn’t have time to argue with these fools. I spun around and sprinted towards the backup coolant storage room. A few more minutes, and this entire lab, along with the island, would explode violently due to core overheating! “Shut up! What a terrible place!” Skylar, annoyed by the screeching alarm, kicked a nearby instrument with full force. A loud “BANG!” echoed, followed by the sound of shattering metal and sparking electricity. My blood surged, and I almost coughed up a mouthful of it. That was a superconducting data analyzer custom-made in Germany, worth thirty million dollars! It contained all our experimental data from the past decade! I glared at them, my eyes burning. “All of you, you will pay for what you’ve done today!”

Blake flinched, startled by the murderous glint in my eyes, but quickly regained his arrogant smirk. “Pay? What can a poor grunt like you make us pay?” “Let me tell you, when my girlfriend gets here, you’ll be the first one she deals with!” He seemed to have blind confidence in Chloe. I couldn’t be bothered with him anymore. Saving the experimental data was my top priority now. I rushed into the storage room, quickly put on a heavy, insulated hazmat suit, and, cradling a heavy backup coolant tank, stumbled towards the core reactor. Through the thick observation window, I could see the device inside already emitting a blinding red glow. “Bro, look at him! He’s dressed like a clown, so hilarious!” Skylar laughed from outside, her face full of mockery. Karen immediately pulled out her phone, snapping pictures of me to post on Ins, with the caption: [My future daughter-in-law’s private island, even the staff are so unique, how cute~] They had no idea they were standing on the brink of disaster, thinking they were watching a comedy show. I gritted my teeth and opened the valve to the emergency injection port. High-pressure liquid nitrogen instantly jetted out, the powerful recoil slamming me hard against the wall. My internal organs felt like they’d shifted, my throat burned, and a mouthful of blood surged up. But I dared not let go. I clung to the coolant tank, pouring the cooling liquid onto the rapidly heating device. The alarm finally began to subside, and the temperature curve on the screen slowly started to drop. Yet, despite all this, the twelve-year experiment was ultimately ruined. I collapsed onto the ground like a ragdoll, not even having the strength to stand. The visor of my hazmat suit was covered in a mixture of blood and sweat, blurring my vision. I struggled to reach for my satellite phone. I had to report the situation to Chloe immediately. But as I stretched out my hand, a foot clad in a polished leather shoe slammed down hard on it. Blake looked down at me, his face full of disgust. “Who are you trying to fool, playing dead? You made such a huge ruckus, it ruined my good mood!” “Get up now and make us some food! I want Australian lobster, Kobe beef.” “And open a bottle of ’82 Lafite for me!” Listening to his shameless demands, I just felt a profound absurdity. Lobster and steak? Why not dinosaur eggs while he’s at it? “Get lost,” I rasped, forcing the word through clenched teeth. “You dare curse at me?” Blake shrieked, enraged. “Skylar, drag him out! Let him know who the real boss is here!” Skylar grinned maliciously and stepped forward, grabbing a fistful of my hair, yanking me hard towards the exit. A searing pain ripped through my scalp. My body scraped against the rough floor, every raw wound burning. I fought with all my might, grabbing the corner of a nearby lab table, refusing to be dragged away. “Let go of me! I am Chloe’s legitimate husband! If you dare touch me, you’ll regret it!” Blake’s family stared at me, frozen for a few seconds, then erupted into thunderous laughter. “Hahahaha! He says *he’s* Mr. Blake?” Skylar laughed so hard tears streamed down her face. She pointed at me and said to Blake: “Bro, has this guy watched too many sci-fi movies? Is his brain broken? Is he desperate to marry into a rich family?” Karen looked at me like I was a lunatic, spitting in disgust. “You, with that pathetic look? Wearing a shabby work uniform, hair like a bird’s nest.” “And your face looks like a ghost! How dare you pretend to be Mr. Blake?” “Before you lie, why don’t you go take a good look at yourself in the mirror?”

Blake’s face, however, suddenly darkened. He hated anyone eyeing what he considered his, especially when he was about to “make things official” with Chloe. “I thought you were someone important. Turns out you’re just some gold-digger trying to climb the ladder!” “You’ve got some nerve, impersonating Mr. Blake and causing trouble here!” He grabbed my already messy hair, yanking my head back violently, forcing me to look up. Then, he raised his hand and slapped me hard across the face. The sharp crack echoed through the lab. “You home-wrecker! Today, I’m going to teach you a good lesson on Chloe’s behalf, so you know what pipe dreams are!” I was already weak, and that slap sent me sprawling to the ground, stars bursting in my vision, my ears ringing. “Hit him! This shameless man deserves to be beaten to death!” Karen shrieked, lunging at me, her long nails savagely raking across my face. Instantly, several burning red gashes appeared. Skylar, grinning viciously, kicked me in the abdomen. “Still daring to impersonate my future sister-in-law’s husband!” “Let me tell you, my future sister-in-law got tired of that emotionless block of wood long ago! My brother is the one she truly cares about!” “Trash like you isn’t even worthy of shining my brother’s shoes!” I was surrounded by their family, beaten and kicked, completely defenseless. The agonizing pain in my abdomen made me curl into a ball. My head slammed against the metal floor, and my consciousness began to fade. I desperately wanted to explain, to call for help, but only broken whimpers escaped my throat. In their eyes, I, the legitimate husband, was the shameless, opportunistic third party. Just as I thought I was going to be beaten to death right there, a loud roar grew closer and closer. A black helicopter hovered over the lab. The hatch opened, and Chloe’s figure swiftly slid down a rope ladder. Blake’s family immediately stopped their assault, their faces lighting up as if they’d seen a savior. They rushed forward excitedly. “Chloe, you’re finally here!” Blake was the first to throw himself into her arms, pointing at my barely conscious form on the ground, his voice choked with feigned tears. “This crazy man somehow sneaked onto the island, claiming he’s your husband.” “He even tried to hit us! Look at my wrist, it’s all red!” Chloe patted his back reassuringly, then her gaze swept over the messy lab. When she saw the smashed analyzer and the smoking control console, her brows furrowed tightly. Her eyes landed on me, and her expression was like she was looking at an annoying piece of trash. She didn’t even bother to distinguish who I was. “What happened?” she demanded. I lay curled on the ground, covered in injuries, my blood-stained face swollen beyond recognition. I lifted my head, wanting her to see who I was. But she just impatiently averted her gaze. Seeing this, Blake immediately seized the opportunity, adding fuel to the fire: “Chloe, don’t even ask! It was him. He pressed some button, and everything started blaring and making noise.” “He also attacked us like a mad dog! I think he has mental issues!” Chloe clearly had no interest in discerning the truth. “He’s just an employee. Why bother with him?” She waved her hand at the two black-suited bodyguards behind her, her voice icy. “He can’t even look after a lab. Drag him out and throw him into the sea to feed the fish.” “I don’t want any irrelevant people dirtying my space.” I stared in disbelief at the woman I had loved for twelve years, the woman I had given everything to. We had been married for twelve years, and she didn’t even recognize me! Now, she was gently embracing another man, condemning me to death with the most brutal words, delivered so casually. Tears, unbidden, streamed down my face. It turned out, in her heart, I was worse than trash. The bodyguards acknowledged her command, their faces emotionless, and lifted my lifeless body, dragging me outside. My feet left a long, bloody trail on the ground. At that very moment, three heavy helicopters, painted in military camouflage, landed on the island, their deafening roar filling the air. Skylar, who had never seen such a spectacle, gasped repeatedly. “Oh my God! Who is that? Is that a military helicopter? The display is too grand!” Blake gasped, “No! Look at that emblem… It’s Aegis Tech!” “They’re the only ones in the country who developed the sixth-generation lithography machine! Their chairman, doesn’t he ever show his face?” Chloe also stopped, her face changing. Seeing the middle-aged man descending from the central helicopter via rope ladder, she immediately abandoned Blake and hurried forward. Her face was etched with the humblest smile she could manage. “Dad! What brings you here? How did you…” Before Chloe could finish her sentence, Mr. Sterling delivered a powerful kick to her chest. Chloe coughed up a mouthful of blood, stumbling back several steps. “Dad, you… what are you doing?!”

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An hour left until the concert, and the top trending topic across all social media was singular: **Sera Hayes’ Proposal to Alex Thorne.** This proposal, a monumental PR project for my company this half-year, was also meant to be the glorious culmination of Sera Hayes’ and my long-term relationship. Yet, here I was, backstage in the fire exit stairwell, stumbling upon Sera locked in a passionate, desperate kiss with her boy toy, Liam Reed. “Alex, listen to me… I can explain…” “Explain?” I scoffed, a chilling sneer on my face. “Explain why you’re cheating on me with another man right before our engagement ceremony?” “This proposal is being livestreamed across the entire internet. Tens of thousands of fans, countless media outlets, all waiting.” I slapped the engagement ring box down in front of her. “After the final song tonight, you either propose to me on that stage, or your career is shattered, and your reputation utterly ruined.” She clenched her fists, knuckles white, before finally picking up the box. From between gritted teeth, she squeezed out one word: “Fine.” Eventually, the spotlight found me. Sera, dressed in a stunning bridal gown, took out the ring. A stunned silence fell over the crowd. But then, she bypassed me entirely, extending the ring towards Liam, who sat in the VIP section, his face pale. “Alex, thank you for elevating me to the stars,” her voice, amplified by the microphone, echoed through the entire venue. “But tonight, I want to chase my Moon.” The entire arena erupted in gasps and shouts. I had become the most ridiculous prop in her very own proposal ceremony. The moment she walked towards her ‘Moon,’ my heart turned to ash.

“Mr. Thorne,” Chloe Green, my assistant, spoke, her voice hoarse, as she handed me a tablet. “You… you should really see this.” The screen was inundated with news about last night’s concert. This proposal was supposed to be the ultimate triumph for both our careers and our love. I’d poured in hundreds of millions, partnered with dozens of brands. All Sera had to do was propose to me in front of tens of thousands of fans, and the commercial value of our power couple image would have been limitless. All the pieces were in place, everything was meticulously planned and ready to go. But now, photos of Sera and Liam Reed embracing on stage were being magnified endlessly, with blindingly harsh headlines screaming: **A-Lister Defies the Corporate Machine for Love.** And my own bewildered retreat from the stage had been turned into countless mocking memes. My company’s stock plummeted by three billion dollars. I calmly scrolled through the headlines, page after page. Until I saw Sera Hayes’ latest personal statement. In the statement, she thanked everyone. Everyone, except me. She dismissed me, dismissed the company, as merely “an unpleasant past collaboration,” and declared she would seek her freedom at any cost. Freedom. I stared at those two words and suddenly, I laughed. “Notify PR: No comment, no explanations. Notify Legal: Prepare to activate the most severe breach of contract recovery clauses.” My assistant froze. “Mr. Thorne, shouldn’t we… shouldn’t we issue a statement to clarify things first? Public opinion is incredibly unfavorable right now.” “Clarify?” I walked up to him, pointing at Sera’s sugary-sweet face on the screen. “There’s nothing to clarify with a liar.” I rubbed my temples, then slumped into the sofa. The five years with Sera flashed before my eyes, frame by agonizing frame. Five years ago, she clutched a worn-out guitar, singing an obscure folk song that no one cared about. There were only a sparse handful of people in the audience. Only I heard a spark of raw talent in her music and decided to give her a chance. I signed her, set up a small studio. Back then, we had nothing. To save money, we slept on the floor in this cramped three-hundred-square-foot office, surviving on instant ramen and dreaming the most distant dreams. She said, “Alex, when I make it big, the first thing I’ll do is marry you!” I laughed back, “When you make it big, first, pay back the company’s startup funds.” She teasingly called me materialistic, but her eyes were full of bright ambition. To produce her first album, I sold the only property my parents had left me. To secure her an opening slot at a music festival, I drank with investors until I ended up in the ER with a bleeding stomach, my assistant rushing me there in the dead of night. When she arrived at the hospital, her eyes were blazing red. She gripped my hand and said, “Alex, I’ll never let you suffer like this again.” Looking at her then, I felt it was all worth it. Every single sacrifice. I thought we were bound by destiny, each other’s only support. I poured all my resources and heart into paving her way to stardom, every single step. I taught her how to face the cameras, how to handle the media, how to package herself into the perfect idol for her fans. She learned quickly, and she succeeded. So she became bigger and bigger, and we moved into the most luxurious office building downtown. Our little studio grew into a full-fledged company. But our relationship, too, subtly shifted. She started complaining about my controlling nature, saying my schedule was too packed, leaving her no time to create, longing for some “purity.” Liam Reed, a younger man she called her “junior,” appeared around this time. He became the embodiment of her so-called “purity.” I confronted her about it once, just a month before the concert. “Sera, we’re business partners, and we’re lovers. I don’t want anything jeopardizing the foundation of our partnership,” I said, cutting straight to the chase. She sat opposite me, scrolling dismissively on her phone. “You’re overthinking it. Liam is just a friend, someone I can talk music with.” “I’m the one handling all your music,” I reminded her. She snapped her head up, a look of pure loathing and defiance in her eyes that I’d never seen before. “That’s different! That’s commercial! That’s a product! Don’t you get it? All you understand is business!” “With Liam, I feel like a living, breathing person, not just a commodity in your hands!” That was the first time I realized she was no longer the Sera Hayes who’d fought by my side. She was just a successful product I had created. And now, this product had developed its own thoughts and wanted to break free from me. I chose to handle it with a cold shoulder back then. I thought it was just her ego inflating from fame, that once the concert concluded smoothly, and our relationship was solidified by a grand proposal ceremony, everything would go back to normal. I was wrong. I was wrong to treat her like a controllable pawn, ignoring the most uncontrollable betrayal of human nature.

The office door was thrown open without warning. Sera Hayes, wearing sunglasses and a hat, dressed entirely in black, strode directly in. Liam Reed trailed dutifully behind her. “Mr. Thorne,” Chloe Green, my assistant, startled, sprang to his feet, instinctively stepping in front of me. “Leave us,” I said, looking at Sera, my voice utterly flat, devoid of any emotion. My assistant gave me a worried glance but still retreated, closing the door behind him. Only the three of us remained in the office. “What are you doing here?” I asked. Sera took off her sunglasses. Her eyes had a network of red veins, but her face was perfectly calm. “To discuss terminating my contract,” she said, pulling Liam down onto the sofa opposite me and tossing a document onto the table. “I hope we can part ways amicably. It’ll be better for the company, and for you.” “Amicable parting?” I laughed as if she’d told the biggest joke. “Sera Hayes, you call last night’s meticulously planned betrayal ‘amicable’?” “You didn’t just ruin a proposal. You destroyed a commercial project worth hundreds of millions of dollars, the core of our company’s plans for the second half of the year. You know that better than anyone!” She scoffed, leaning back, an expression of unreasonable defiance on her face. “Business, business, your mind is always on business! I’m sick of it! I’m not your money-making tool!” Liam tried to come to her rescue. “Mr. Thorne, don’t blame Sera… it’s all my fault, we truly love each other…” “You shut up,” I said, sweeping a cold glance over him. “You don’t get a say here!” Liam’s face paled, and he said no more. This scene completely enraged Sera. She shot up, glaring at me. “Alex Thorne! That’s enough! You’re always so high and mighty! Who do you think you are? My savior?” “I’m telling you, every day I spent with you suffocated me! You sold your house, you drank with people until you bled—that wasn’t for me, that was for your ambition! For your investment! I was just your most successful investment case!” Every word she spoke twisted the knife, hitting every one of my raw nerves, brazenly. “So, five years of our relationship—that was an investment too? Me eating instant ramen and sleeping on the floor with you—an investment? Me staying up all night outside the ER—was that an investment too?!” I lifted my head, meeting her gaze, asking each word slowly, deliberately. She stuttered for a moment, avoiding my gaze. I smiled, but my eyes burned, tears threatening to fall. “Sera Hayes, I’ll ask you just one thing,” I took a deep breath. “What exactly were these five years to you?” She was silent for a moment, a look of hardened resolve appearing on her face. “Consider it… paid back.” She paused, then a mocking smile twisted her lips. “Oh, right, I forgot to tell you.” She reached out and put her arm around Liam’s shoulder, her palm gently resting on her still-flat stomach. “I’m pregnant. I have to be responsible for him, and for our child.” Pregnant. So that was it. The last thread of my sanity, snapped. It turned out, I had simply set the stage for a cheating lover and his bastard child.

That afternoon, I sat in my office, watching the projection screen. Sera Hayes’ press conference began on time. She looked thinner, her face pale and somewhat gaunt, her eyes bloodshot. Liam Reed sat beside her, head bowed the entire time, looking meek and innocent. “First, I want to apologize to everyone who cares about me.” Sera’s voice, hoarse as if she’d just been crying, came through the microphone. She began to speak of her pure love for music, how she was swept up by the torrent of commercialism, and how she struggled painfully against it. She spoke of Liam’s appearance, how he was like a ray of light, illuminating her dark world. Not a single word about anything I had done for her. She only referred to me, her fiancé of five years, soon to be her husband, as “my former agency” and “the shackles of capital.” “I admit, Mr. Thorne is an excellent businessman. He single-handedly brought me to where I am today, and for that, I am grateful.” Then, her tone shifted, filled with grievance and accusation. “However, he controlled my work, my social interactions, even my thoughts! Who I met, what I said, what I wore—everything had to be approved by him!” “I was just his creation, a soulless puppet!” Liam, his face streaked with tears, sobbed into the camera, “It’s not Mr. Thorne’s fault… it’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have appeared… Sera, I’m sorry…” The flashbulbs in the audience exploded, reporters frantically snapping photos. In the livestream comments, her fans were going wild. [Sister has suffered too much! We won’t let you be wronged again!] [My heart aches for her! So she’s been living under such oppression all this time!] [That Alex Thorne is truly evil! Get out of the entertainment industry!] [Support Sera’s solo career! Pursue true music!] Finally, Sera Hayes announced that she would be establishing her own studio, completely severing ties with my company. “I will make the music I truly want to make, in my own way. It might be difficult, but I have Liam, and our child.” “That’s enough.” The press conference ended, and online public opinion completely exploded. I became public enemy number one. The company phones were ringing off the hook. Several younger artists I had personally groomed even subtly hinted through their agents that they wanted to terminate their contracts, fearing they’d be dragged down by me, the “evil capitalist.” They were all quick to kick me while I was down. The ancients were certainly wise. I looked at that hypocritical face on the screen, my heart devoid of any warmth, only a chilling hatred remained. I wiped away the tears I hadn’t realized were falling and called for my assistant. “Notify Legal: All core personnel, first conference room, five minutes.” My assistant looked at me, his eyes full of worry. “Mr. Thorne…” I forced a smile, calm and resolute. “Notify Legal: All core personnel, first conference room, five minutes.” “I want her utterly ruined!”

“Mr. Thorne.” The Legal Director, Mr. Davies, quickly assembled his team. I wasted no words, directly tossing a document I’d prepared onto the conference table. All eyes in the room focused on me. “Within thirty minutes, I need three things simultaneously published across all online platforms.” “First, issue a cease and desist letter. Publicly expose Sera Hayes’ severe violation of her non-compete clause and her malicious manipulation of public opinion to attack the company during her contract period. From this moment on, freeze all commercial activities and copyright revenues associated with that stage name.” Mr. Davies’ eyes lit up. When I first signed Sera Hayes, she was an unknown nobody named “Sarah Miller.” I insisted on keeping full ownership and commercial rights to the stage name “Sera Hayes” firmly with the company precisely to prevent a situation like this from ever happening. “Second, contact all our partner music platforms and media channels. Release this audio file publicly at the same time.” I plugged a USB drive into the conference room computer and opened a folder. Inside were hundreds of audio files, recordings of her every studio session over the past five years. I randomly clicked one open, and shrill, off-key vocals instantly filled the entire conference room. It was a raw, unedited vocal track straight from the recording studio. A young lawyer couldn’t help but frown. “I want everyone to hear these audio files.” My voice grew colder. “Third, contact the financial media and major gossip bloggers we work with. Release this financial report.” From her vocal and etiquette training fees before her debut, to the production, promotion, and PR costs of every album, to the marketing expenses for every trending topic she ever had, and every haute couture gown she wore. Over these five years, the company had invested over nine figures into her. “Let these people see clearly who the ungrateful viper really is.” The team swiftly mobilized. Thirty minutes later, the hashtag **#SeraHayesGetOutofEntertainment** shot to the top of the trending topics. Immediately after, a compilation video of Sera Hayes’ hundreds of raw practice tracks spread like wildfire online. Countless music critics and popular music influencers reposted it, decrying her lack of talent given her fame. [WTF! This is Sera Hayes? Am I deaf or is she crazy?] [OMG, my ears miscarried! Calling this KTV level is being too generous!] [Now I finally understand why she only half-sings at concerts. Shout out to the million-dollar sound engineer, you earned your pay!] [Alex Thorne is truly something else, to make *this* level of talent a star!] Public opinion instantly flipped. Finally, a well-known gossip blogger on Ins released the studio’s financial reports from the past few years. The headline was bold and capitalized, clearly stating that Sera Hayes had cost the company a staggering nine hundred million dollars over five years! [LOL, oppressed by capital? She was clearly capital’s pampered daughter!] [Nine figures… so this is how A-listers are made. I get it now.] [Every penny she spent was earned by Alex, right? This isn’t just ingratitude, she’s an ungrateful viper!] The phone on my desk began to vibrate frantically, “Sera Hayes” flashing across the screen. I didn’t answer. All I wanted was for her and her boy toy to end up begging on the streets.

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Our anniversary. Brandon, my husband, cleared his schedule. He was taking me on a trip. We were just about to board the plane when he suddenly got a call. His mom was sick. “Babe, I’m so sorry. My mom’s not feeling well, I need to go back and check on her. I can’t go with you this time.” I felt a pang of disappointment, but his mom’s health was more important. I agreed. After he left, I tore up my ticket. I was heading back to check on my mother-in-law, who’d been dead for three months. What new ‘discomfort’ was she experiencing now? I followed his car all the way to our front door. I didn’t rush out. Instead, I pulled out my phone. And there it was: The nanny’s daughter, flaunting on SnapChat. [Your generous favoritism is the best 21st birthday gift!] The picture showed her in a white chiffon dress, nestled in a man’s arms. That man? My ‘dutiful’ husband. I flexed my wrists, then pushed open the front door. The instant I stepped into the foyer, I saw a dozen guys and girls were already crammed into the huge living room. Balloons strung across the walls. A group started chanting: “Kiss! Kiss!” “Kiss! Kiss!” … I don’t know how many times they chanted it, but then Brandon wrapped his arm around Tiffany’s waist and laid a deep French kiss on her. The crowd erupted. When they finally broke apart, Brandon lingered, tracing Tiffany’s lips, only to look up and see me, somehow having squeezed to the front of the crowd. His eyes went wide with terror. He instinctively tried to push Tiffany away. But I was faster. I raised my hand and landed two sharp slaps across his face. The sudden silence in the room was deafening. Tiffany spun around, saw me, and shrieked, scrambling behind Brandon, clutching his arm. I watched him, a cold smile playing on my lips. “When exactly did you get yourself a new mother?” Brandon’s eyes darted frantically, desperate to explain, when a short-haired girl shoved me. “Who are *you*? Barging into someone’s house and hitting people? Are you insane? Apologize to Tiffany’s boyfriend, *now*!” Her words opened the floodgates. Others chimed in: “Hitting people randomly like that? What gives you the right? An apology is the least of it, she should be reported to the police.” “I agree. The police should check if she has a record. She can hit someone now, who knows what she’ll do next?” “How did a lunatic crash such a nice birthday party? And daring to hit people? Do you even know who you just hit?” I gave a sweet smile to the people talking, then turned back to Brandon. “Do *you* also think I shouldn’t have hit you?” Brandon licked his lips, about to speak, but Tiffany tugged his sleeve, shaking her head subtly. I saw all their little maneuvers. I truly wanted to see what kind of game they were playing. Brandon glared at me, his face contorted in anger. “Ashley, what drama are you pulling *now*? It’s Tiffany’s birthday. Whatever you have to say, say it later. Don’t make a scene and ruin Tiffany’s birthday. Just get out!” He was clearly afraid his side chick would lose face in front of his friends. I scoffed, my gaze cool and indifferent. “Brandon, where exactly do you want me to ‘get out’ to? Or are you just afraid someone might find out about your little dirty secrets?” The next second, Tiffany began to quietly sob. “Sister Ashley, I know you’ve always had a crush on Brandon, and it upsets you to see him with me. But feelings have to be mutual, and Brandon loves me. We’ve been together for two years. He promised to marry me after I graduate. I beg you, please stop clinging to him.” Brandon hadn’t expected Tiffany to say that. His face cycled through different emotions, stealing glances at me from the corner of his eye. Tiffany’s words stunned me. Brandon and I had been married for only two years and one month. They’d been together for two years. That meant he cheated on me just one month after we got married. And he brought Tiffany and her mother into our house under the guise of hiring a nanny. I’d been played for a fool for two whole years. The short-haired girl spoke again. “Oh, I get it! You’re the nanny from Tiffany’s house who has a crush on her boyfriend! I can’t believe how shameless you are, trying to steal someone’s boyfriend in public!” I was inexplicably labeled ‘the nanny.’ That really made me laugh. “Tiffany, still living in a fantasy world? Who do you think you are, to have *me* as your nanny?”

The words were barely out of my mouth when a splash of alcohol hit my face. Chelsea, holding the glass, smirked triumphantly. “I think *you’re* the one who needs a reality check! We all know who Tiffany is. Her mom runs a huge enterprise, and her boyfriend is a company CEO. This whole villa belongs to *her*. As for you, tsk, tsk, look at the cheap rags you’re wearing, no brand at all. You’re only fit for cleaning and serving others, a low-class job.” Cheap rags? My clothes didn’t have brands because they were all custom-designed by a renowned haute couture artist. Other girls behind her also started defending Tiffany. “Exactly! Why don’t you hurry up and apologize to Tiffany, or you’ll lose even this job.” Then, a guy spoke up, his tone flippant. “Hey, lady, why don’t you look at yourself? How old are you, still trying to snatch a guy from our goddess Tiffany? If you’re so desperate for a man, I could help you out. I’ve never tried a thirty-something woman before. Is two hundred a night enough?” The others burst into laughter. I wiped the alcohol from my face, my eyes fixed on Brandon as I spoke slowly. “Brandon, I’m your wife. Are you just going to stand there and watch them insult me, help your side chick do this? I’m telling you, you’re going to regret this!” Brandon’s face was utterly cold. “Tiffany is my girlfriend. This is all your own fault.” His words were deliberately ambiguous. Seeing so many of her friends backing her, and Brandon standing by her side, Tiffany straightened up, her voice growing bolder. “Sister Ashley, I call you ‘sister’ because you’re older than me, but don’t forget your place. You can cause a scene whenever you want, even today, if you want to embarrass me, fine. But Brandon is a man, and with so many people watching, how could you slap a CEO of a major corporation in public? Did you even think about his feelings?” She then turned to Brandon, her voice softening. “Brandon, even though I’m young, I know how to stand by my man, to make sure you look good in public, unlike Sister Ashley…” Her words were a masterclass in manipulation, playing directly into his ego and pathetic insecurities. I scoffed. “You know, I almost forgot. I only slapped *him*, not *you*!” The next second, I grabbed her hair and landed two brutal slaps across her pale cheek. Tiffany shrieked and burst into tears, clutching her face. “Ashley, you dare hit me? I’ll make you pay for this!” “Still yapping?” I raised my hand to hit her again, but Brandon caught my wrist, pushing hard. His strength sent me stumbling backward, knocking over a champagne tower. I fell to the ground, my hand landing on shattered glass. Brandon didn’t even look at me. Instead, he pulled Tiffany into his arms and snapped, “Ashley, apologize to Tiffany!” I stared at my bleeding palm. I bit back the pain, slowly pulling out the glass shards. Two years of marriage, just like these glass fragments in my hand, piercing and hurting me. Tiffany, nestled in his arms, smirked triumphantly at me. The pain in my palm made my voice drop several degrees. “Brandon, in *my* home, you throw a birthday party for your side chick, you openly cheat on me right in front of my face, and then you tell *me* to apologize to her? Are you out of your mind? Or do you just think I’m a pushover, Ashley? Don’t forget, I’m your *legal wife*. I can dress you in designer labels and shower you with luxuries, and I can just as easily strip you bare and leave you with nothing!”

My words made Brandon’s eyes flicker. But Tiffany spoke first. “Sister Ashley, Brandon worked hard and has an exceptional mind to grow his company this big. He achieved financial freedom through his own ability. Don’t act like you helped him that much.” I paused, taken aback. Exceptional mind? Ability? Financial freedom? He couldn’t even grasp the basics of a business plan, how did *he* suddenly become a genius? When he first started his business, I gave him a million dollars from my family. Then I got a few multi-million dollar projects from my dad for him to work on. To avoid hurting his ego, even the core department heads of his company were managers I pulled straight from my father’s company. He was the only one who swelled with pride, convinced he was a talent, wondering why elite professionals from various fields would join his fledgling little company – he believed it was because they saw his capability. If I hadn’t been pulling the strings behind the scenes, how could he have transformed a small startup into a major company on the verge of going public in just two short years? Other friends who overheard our conversation started whispering. “That woman just said this is *her* house, and Tiffany is the side chick. Do you think she’s telling the truth?” “I think it’s possible. I always said Tiffany’s boyfriend is so much older than her, maybe she got scammed!” “But, Tiffany’s boyfriend is protecting her so much. If it were a real wife catching a side chick, the cheating guy wouldn’t dare act like this, right?” “Grab your popcorn, let’s see how this plays out.” Chelsea couldn’t stand it anymore. She shouted, “Stop guessing wildly! This *is* Tiffany’s house. I’ve been here many times. I’ve personally seen Tiffany and her boyfriend sleep in the master bedroom, and I’ve met her mother – *that’s* a true socialite!” My heart sank. The thought of them rolling around on *my* bed made me sick to my stomach. Tiffany twirled the diamond ring on her finger and spoke again. “This is *my* house. Everyone here can testify. I think *you’re* the one who should leave. Brandon, I don’t want to see her. Can you make her leave?” Brandon nodded. “This is your home. Whatever makes you happy, Tiffany.” Chelsea yanked my hair and started dragging me out. “Lady, you need to know your place. Who openly tries to steal someone else’s boyfriend like this? You’re so pathetic.” Then, she yelled to the others, “Do you guys want to see what this bitch looks like stripped bare? It’ll really get justice for Tiffany!” My pupils contracted. I instinctively crossed my arms over my chest. Some of the guys couldn’t hold back. They reached out and started tearing at my clothes. I struggled with all my might, screaming Brandon’s name, hoping he would stop them, save me. Brandon frowned, about to raise his hand to intervene, but Tiffany pulled him back. “Brandon, don’t worry. My friends know what they’re doing. They just want to stand up for me. Besides, this way, won’t you have more leverage over her?” Brandon looked enlightened, pinching her cheek. Both of them watched as my clothes were torn, leaving me exposed. “Let go of me! This is illegal!” Chelsea raised her hand and slapped me. “We’re just getting rid of pests for the people! Besides, you love stealing men, right? We have so many guys here, you should be happy!” As her words fell, I felt countless hands on me… Just as despair washed over me, a voice echoed from the doorway. “How’s my little princess’s birthday going? Mommy’s gift has arrived.”

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I clutched my agonizing stomach, curled up in the passenger seat on the way to the hospital for an abnormal fetal heartbeat. Julian’s first love, Celeste, insisted on driving to an isolated trail, only for their tire to get punctured. I tried to stop Julian, who was frantic and about to turn the car around, suggesting we call roadside assistance. Instead, he slapped me hard across the face. Usually so composed, his voice raw with fury, he roared at me, “Willow, are you even human? Celeste is stranded out there, terrified, in a place she doesn’t know, and you’re still making a scene?” “Let me tell you this! I care about Celeste more than my own life. Not a single strand of her hair can be harmed!” With that, he shoved me out of the car and sped away without a backward glance. I stood by the roadside under a blazing 104-degree Fahrenheit sun, trying to flag down a car, my consciousness already fading. If this was how it was going to be, then this baby had no future. Let him and his obsession be together forever.

The 104-degree sun was scorching me, my vision blurring. Julian slammed on the brakes, instantly spinning the car around and speeding off towards the isolated trail. On the road, passersby cast looks of pity or scorn, some pointing, some shaking their heads in dismay. But I felt nothing. I simply held my stomach, wracked with cramps, my nails digging deep into my palms. How ironic, that the man who had just sped away was the same man I’d been married to for three years. Two hours later, Julian’s SnapChat voice message finally came through. His voice was breathless, frantic. “Willow, Celeste has claustrophobia! She’ll have a meltdown alone on that mountain!” “Just take a taxi to the hospital yourself. Celeste needs me more.” Just then, Julian’s SnapChat group chat exploded. “Julian’s a true hero, abandoning his wife for Celeste!” “Don’t talk nonsense, I’m just saving someone.” “Besides, what’s a little pregnancy complication? Celeste is actually trapped on the mountain!” I looked down at my phone, my fingertips trembling. Under the 104-degree sun, sweat mixed with tears as it streamed down my face. The baby in my womb stirred restlessly. Seeing that I didn’t reply, Julian sent another voice message. “It’s just an abnormal fetal heartbeat, Willow. Don’t be so dramatic. I’ll come to the hospital to be with you after I’ve rescued her.” *Be with you.* He had said those words to me countless times before. Once, they sounded like pure bliss. Now, they were a cruel mockery. I bit back the pain and replied, my voice raspy. “Congratulations, Mr. Hayes. You played the hero again.” Not long after, Julian sent another voice message, his tone laced with impatience. In the background, I could hear Celeste’s delicate sobs. “Willow, can’t you be more understanding? I told you, Celeste is in danger right now!” I didn’t argue. I just clenched my phone tighter. Julian’s Ins feed updated. The photo showed Julian tightly holding Celeste, whose neck was covered in suggestive hickeys, her face flushed. The caption read: “Important people are always worth rushing to.” I scoffed inwardly, casually tapped ‘like’, and commented: *Such a perfect match.* My phone instantly vibrated, Julian’s voice roaring with furious embarrassment. “Willow, don’t use your petty mind to speculate about others! Celeste saved my life!” In the background, Celeste let out a perfectly timed, terrified shriek. Julian immediately soothed her with gentle words, then abruptly hung up, only throwing out a hurried, “Remember to get all your tests done. I’ll pick you up after I drop Celeste home.” With that, he hung up without hesitation. I turned off the screen and looked out the window. The sun was still scorching, but my heart felt like an ice cavern. I leaned against the wall and slowly stood up. The cramps in my abdomen suddenly became excruciatingly clear. As I walked into the operating room, the nurse asked in surprise, “Where’s her family?” I stared at the stark white ceiling and replied, “Dead.”

At six in the morning, my phone blared, shattering the silence. It was Julian’s parents. The moment I answered, their curses rained down on me. “Willow! The hospital said you didn’t even get your prenatal check-up! Are you deliberately trying to kill my grandchild?” “If Julian hadn’t insisted on marrying you, how could our family possibly accept an ill-mannered daughter-in-law like you?!” The receiver was filled with their insults. I looked at the ultrasound photos taped to the wall. I’d taken them all alone during my check-ups; Julian was always “working late.” Every appointment he promised to accompany me to was canceled because of one of Celeste’s “emergencies.” This house once held all my dreams for the future. I’d bought it with the salary I earned working until the early hours in the design studio. But now, every piece of furniture seemed to mock my foolishness. My nails dug deeper into my palms as I spoke calmly. “Did Julian tell you what happened yesterday?” The other end of the line fell silent. “Wh-what? Julian said he had an urgent meeting.” I chuckled softly. “You won’t need to prepare a baby shower. He abandoned me under a 104-degree sun yesterday, with an abnormal fetal heartbeat, just to go find Celeste.” “Nonsense!” Julian’s mother’s voice suddenly rose. “My son is the most responsible person! You’re definitely being unreasonable!” I put the phone on speaker and played the recording from the emergency room yesterday. The doctor’s anxious voice echoed through the room: “The pregnant woman’s heart rate is too fast, the fetus is hypoxic. Where is her family?” Before they could respond, I hung up for the first time. My phone began to vibrate wildly. Looking at Julian’s mother’s caller ID, I dragged her straight to the blacklist. I used to work tirelessly to gain their approval, acting like a doormat, doing whatever they wanted. Now, it just seemed laughable. I gazed at the light blue paint in the nursery. I had painted it myself, staying up for seven consecutive nights. Julian had said he wanted a starry ceiling, so I spent an entire night squatting, drawing a galaxy. Julian’s Ins photo, which I’d seen earlier, flashed in my mind. How ironic and mocking it all seemed now. I forcefully tore down the “Expectant Father’s Guide” from the wall. I shredded it and threw it into the trash can. SnapChat messages kept popping up. They were all from my best friends, asking about my check-up results. I replied to each one, telling them not to worry. Just as I was about to turn off my phone, Celeste’s Ins updated. “The one who loves you will always be by your side.” She posted a nine-picture spread, each one a photo of Julian passionately kissing her.

Soon, Celeste’s Ins post was flooded with blessings. Some busybodies even screenshotted it and sent it to the group chat. I mechanically sent a thumbs-up emoji. The next second, Celeste sent me a picture on SnapChat. Julian was lying shirtless on the bed, Celeste’s hair sprawled across his chest. The photo angle was tricky, perfectly capturing her triumphant smile. She sent a fake sympathetic message: “Willow, Julian is still resting. He was with me all night and didn’t get any sleep.” Followed by a provocative tongue-out emoji. Then another message came: “Oh, and by the way, I heard yesterday was your check-up day? I’m so sorry about the emergency, I didn’t mean to call Julian away.” “Also, Julian is still sleeping, I don’t want to disturb him right now.” My vision blurred. The baby in my belly seemed to sense my emotions, kicking restlessly. My phone vibrated again, this time with a video. In the footage, Julian’s back was to the camera, his back covered in suggestive scratch marks, Celeste’s long hair scattered all over him. I impatiently interrupted her performance: “Celeste, being a home-wrecker and being so high-profile? Are you afraid people won’t know how despicable you are?” The feigned apology on Celeste’s face vanished, replaced by a mocking message. “Willow, the baby in your belly was just an accident. Do you really think it can compare to Julian and my decade-long relationship?” She was right. I truly couldn’t compare. When I was left waiting for a taxi under the 104-degree sun, when I waited alone in the check-up room, I should have understood. I didn’t want to deal with Celeste anymore. Just as I was about to turn off my phone, Julian’s call came in. The moment I answered, he started yelling and blaming me without understanding anything. “Willow, what the hell is wrong with you?! I told you, Celeste has claustrophobia! What kind of nonsense are you pulling?!” In the background, Celeste immediately began to cry plaintively. “Julian, it’s all my fault. If only I hadn’t wandered off, this wouldn’t have…” Julian immediately soothed her gently, then turned and roared at me, “Willow, even if we’re married, I’ll do whatever I want! Going to find Celeste was my decision and my freedom!” Julian’s voice was filled with disgust. I calmly repeated his words: “You’re right. You can do whatever you want. I shouldn’t have an opinion.” The other end of the line suddenly went quiet. A moment later, Julian seemed to realize something, and his tone softened: “I broke my promise by not going to your check-up. I’ll go with you another day, and I’ll compensate you.” “As long as you don’t interfere with Celeste and me anymore.” “Okay,” I whispered, tears streaming down my face. He hung up, relieved. Of course, I wouldn’t interfere anymore. After all, I had already signed the divorce papers.

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