Author: Momo Chan

My Wife Forced Me to Die for Her First Love Scarlett Sterling’s first love, Julian Thorne, was in kidney failure and desperately needed a transplant. She went absolutely frantic searching for a match, and in a twisted turn of fate, she found me. That day, Scarlett, always so haughty and untouchable, dropped to her knees for the first time, her eyes red-rimmed with desperation as she pleaded with me. “Asher, please, I beg you, save Julian. Just say you’ll donate, and I’ll give you anything you want.” Back then, I loved her. I loved her so much I would have died for her. So, without a moment’s hesitation, I nodded and agreed. But later, she threw a divorce agreement and a kidney donation consent form coldly onto the table in front of me. “Sign it. Everything you have now, I gave you. Donating a kidney? Just think of it as paying your dues.” I looked at her cold, determined face and suddenly, a bitter laugh escaped me. I calmly asked her, “Scarlett, if I died, would you be sad?” She scoffed, as if I’d told the biggest joke she’d ever heard. “Asher Hayes, cut your pity games. They don’t work on me.” She had no idea. This time, I wasn’t playing a game. I was genuinely, truly dying.

Scarlett and I had been married for three years, a well-known commercial marriage arranged for business. I loved her with a desperation that crushed my own dignity, but her heart always belonged to a pure, shining image of her true love — Julian Thorne. Three years ago, the Sterling Group was on the verge of bankruptcy. Julian Thorne left the country without a word, vanishing into thin air. It was my father who stepped in, offering a marriage alliance as a condition to save the Sterling family. Scarlett hated me for it, to the core of her being. She believed I used dirty tricks to break her and Julian Thorne apart, stealing his rightful place as husband to the Sterling heiress. So for the past three years, all I received from her was coldness and disgust. She never came back to our marital home. On the rare occasions she did, it was after a night of heavy drinking, and she’d mistake me for someone else, murmuring Julian’s name. I felt like a pathetic thief, clinging to crumbs of warmth that weren’t meant for me. Until three months ago, when Julian Thorne returned. And I, the usurper who had stolen his place, was expected to disappear. The moment Julian Thorne returned, Scarlett asked me for a divorce. I refused. I fantasized that three years of living together, day in and day out, would have melted even a stone heart. But I forgot, Scarlett’s heart wasn’t stone; it was an iceberg. My persistence, to her, was nothing but an irrational entanglement. She started staying out all night, using emotional warfare to push me away and force my hand. Then, Julian Thorne was diagnosed with late-stage kidney failure. It was the final straw that broke the back of our marriage. When the doctor spoke those words, Scarlett felt her entire world crumble. She spent her days and nights, unkempt and exhausted, by Julian’s bedside. The tender affection she’d always been so stingy with me, she showered entirely upon him. She pulled every string, used every connection and resource she had, all to find a suitable kidney donor for Julian. And then, fate played its cruelest joke. The person who was the perfect match? It was me. The atmosphere in the living room was so oppressive, it was suffocating. Scarlett sat across from me, her beautiful face etched with exhaustion and internal struggle. This was the first time she’d come home since Julian had fallen ill. Her voice was hoarse. “Asher Hayes, we need to talk.” I lowered my eyes, silently waiting for her to continue. “You already know about Julian’s illness. The doctor said your kidney is a perfect match for his.” My heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand, making it impossible to breathe. I looked up at her, asking each word distinctly, “So?” Scarlett’s eyes flickered, avoiding my gaze. “I… I hope you’ll consider donating one of your kidneys to Julian.” She said it so matter-of-factly, as if she were just asking to borrow a pen. I suddenly laughed, a raw, shaking laugh that rattled my chest. “Scarlett Sterling, are you serious?” My laughter irritated her. She knitted her brows and glared at me fiercely. “What are you laughing at?!” She slammed her fist down on the glass coffee table, the crash echoing through the silent room. “I asked you, what are you laughing at?!” she roared, like a furious lioness. I suppressed the sharp pain in my chest and met her murderous gaze. “I’m laughing at you. I’m laughing at what gives you the right? What gives you the right to trade my life for his?” “What right?!” She scoffed, as if I’d said something utterly ridiculous. She sprang to her feet, her tall figure instantly casting a shadow over me. “The right is that everything you possess right now, Asher Hayes, was handed to you by me, Scarlett Sterling!” “You’ve stolen Julian’s rightful place for three whole years!” “Now, asking you to give him a kidney, isn’t that only right?!” I stubbornly lifted my chin, retorting, word by defiant word. “What if… I just don’t donate?”

“You wouldn’t dare!” She grabbed my jaw, her grip so strong I thought my bones would shatter. “Asher Hayes, I’m not asking, I’m telling you!” “If you dare say no, tomorrow I’ll bankrupt your father’s company!” “Believe me, I can make Hayes Inc. disappear from this world within twenty-four hours!” Just then, Scarlett’s assistant burst in, drenched in sweat. “Ms. Sterling! It’s terrible!” The assistant’s voice trembled, a cry catching in his throat. “Mr. Thorne… Mr. Thorne, he… he slit his wrists!” The hand gripping my jaw instantly released me. Scarlett’s face turned ashen. “Julian!” She spun around, like a madwoman, roughly shoving me out of her way. I stumbled, my lower back hitting the sharp corner of the coffee table with a jolt. A sharp intake of breath escaped me, hot with pain. She rushed out like a whirlwind, never once looking back at me. The vast living room was left with only me. I curled up on the sofa, feeling as if all the strength had been drained from my body. My stomach churned, and I ran into the bathroom, throwing up until my vision blurred. Lately, my health had been rapidly declining. I was always sleepy, fatigued, and felt inexplicably nauseous. A bad feeling gnawed at me. The next day, I went to the hospital. When I saw “heart failure” on the diagnostic report, my mind went blank. Suddenly, I felt incredibly weary, and so utterly pathetic. Even then, I was still wondering. Would this, finally, make her show me a shred of pity? With a faint glimmer of hope, I dialed Scarlett’s number. The phone rang for a long time, so long I thought no one would answer. Then, Julian Thorne’s weak, yet subtly provocative voice came through. “Hello? Mr. Hayes? Scarlett’s busy taking care of me right now, she can’t come to the phone.” “If you have something to say, you can tell me, and I’ll pass it on.” My heart instantly plummeted to rock bottom. I hung up the phone and tore the diagnostic report into tiny pieces. After that, to force me into submission, Scarlett froze my cards and pulled all collaborations with my family’s company. My father was so furious, his heart condition flared up, sending him to the emergency room. When I rushed to the hospital, my mother was sitting on a bench outside the ER, her face awash with tears. She grabbed my hand. “Asher, please, go beg Scarlett! Your father… he’s not doing well!” “The doctor said he needs surgery immediately, and it costs a million! All our company funds are frozen, we don’t have that much cash right now!” My mother’s desperate sobs pierced my nerves. If it weren’t for me, things wouldn’t have come to this. I had no choice but to go find Scarlett. She was sitting by Julian Thorne’s bed, carefully spoon-feeding him porridge. That gentle, attentive look was something I had never seen from her in the three years of our marriage. Julian Thorne saw me, a smirk of triumph playing on his lips, before he quickly adopted a weak, pathetic expression. “Scarlett, Mr. Hayes is here.” Scarlett turned, her brows immediately furrowing when she saw me. “What are you doing here?” Her tone was filled with impatience and disgust. I clenched my fists, my nails digging deeply into my palms. “My father… he’s in the hospital. He needs a million for surgery.” “Can you… can you lend it to me? I’ll definitely pay you back later.” Scarlett scoffed, then stood up and walked over to me. “Lend? Asher Hayes, what makes you think I’d lend you anything?” She raised a hand and pinched my chin, forcing me to meet her gaze. “You want the money? Fine.” “Sign that donation agreement, and forget a million, I’ll give you ten million.” “Otherwise, you can prepare to bury your father.”

I looked into her icy eyes, my heart aching with sharp, stinging pain. I used every ounce of strength to force out a few words from my throat, “Scarlett Sterling, you’ll regret this.” “Regret?” She laughed, as if I’d spoken something utterly ridiculous. “The biggest regret of my life, Scarlett Sterling, was marrying you!” With that, she mercilessly shoved me away. I staggered back a few steps, hitting the wall. A sharp, piercing pain shot through my heart. I clutched my chest in agony, cold sweat breaking out. Julian Thorne spoke up from the side, feigning concern. “Scarlett, don’t be like this…” “It’s all my fault. I’ll figure out my illness on my own, even if it means dying…” Scarlett immediately turned, pulling him into a comforting embrace, her face filled with tenderness. “Julian! Don’t talk nonsense! I’ll never let anything happen to you!” She soothed the man in her arms, then looked back at me, her eyes filled with murderous intent. “Asher Hayes, I’m asking you one last time.” “The donation agreement. Are you signing it, or not?” I looked at the sweet scene playing out before me and felt an overwhelming sense of irony. My wife was forcing me to die for another man, even willing to destroy my family in the process. I heard myself say calmly, “I’ll sign.” A flicker of surprise crossed Scarlett’s face, then a cold smirk. “See? Isn’t that better?” She snapped her fingers at her assistant behind her. “Bring the agreement.” I picked up the pen, but my hand trembled violently. What I was signing away was my life. I threw the signed agreement along with the pen onto the table in front of her. “The money?” Scarlett picked up the agreement, nodding in satisfaction, and pulled out her phone to make a call. Less than a minute later, the funds for my father’s surgery were transferred. I didn’t spare her another glance, turning to leave. “Stop.” Her icy voice came from behind me. I halted, my back ramrod straight, but I didn’t turn around. “The surgery is scheduled for next Wednesday.” “These next few days, you’d better behave yourself. Don’t try any more tricks.” I paused, said nothing, and went straight to the doctor’s office. The doctor held my medical record, his brows furrowed in a deep knot. “Young man, you have a severe congenital heart condition, and it’s showing signs of failure. I’ve told you this many times.” “In your condition, forget donating a kidney, even a bad cold needs careful attention!” “If you go through with this surgery, you’ll lose your life!” Before he could finish, the door to the office burst open from the outside. Julian Thorne walked in, dressed in a hospital gown. His face was pale, but a faint smile played on his lips. Dr. Miller’s face instantly turned white when he saw him. “Mr. Thorne…” Julian Thorne glanced at the medical record in Dr. Miller’s hand, his eyes chilling. “Dr. Miller, Scarlett asked me to check if everything is ready for tomorrow’s surgery.” Dr. Miller gripped the medical record, his palms sweating profusely. “Mr. Thorne, Mr. Hayes’s condition… he really isn’t suitable for surgery! The risks are too high!” Julian Thorne’s smile vanished. He came closer to me, lowering his voice, saying each word distinctly: “Asher Hayes, stop with your pathetic little tricks.” “Hiring a doctor to put on an act? Do you really think Scarlett will fall for it?” “I’m telling you, it’s useless. Tomorrow, you will donate that kidney, whether you want to or not!” I looked up at him, my gaze cold. “Julian Thorne, aren’t you afraid of karma?” He scoffed. “Karma? My karma is that Scarlett loves me enough to do anything for me.” “And your karma, Asher, is to be trampled under her foot, nothing but a walking organ donor for me!” He suddenly leaned close to my ear. “Oh, right, I forgot to tell you a secret.” “Three years ago, I didn’t just disappear without a trace.” “Scarlett was afraid the Sterling family’s bankruptcy would drag me down. She cried and begged me to leave, personally sending me onto that plane.” “She said that once she bounced back, the first thing she’d do was marry me.” “If your father hadn’t forced that marriage on her with Hayes Inc. as leverage, I would be standing by her side right now, wearing the Sterling family ring.” “So, Asher Hayes, *you* are the thief. You stole the life that should have been mine.” My mind exploded into a buzzing static. My perceived salvation was nothing but a transactional demand.

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The Inferno Apocalypse was coming. Working as a climate scientist, I’d detected anomalies and urged my family to prepare. My parents, Brenda and Robert Smith, seemed to trust my judgment. They even proposed creating a “Family Survival Fund.” They told me to pour my years of savings into stockpiling supplies, promising they and my younger brother, Leo, would contribute all their money too. We would survive this, together. I smiled. “Alright, I’ll handle the planning.” That very night, I converted every single penny of the fund into gold bullion and locked it in a safe. I also spent a fortune building a state-of-the-art apocalypse shelter. The day the apocalypse struck, they came to demand the money we’d supposedly saved together. “Hand over all the gold. You’re just an outsider anyway, a waste of precious resources.” I smiled, tossing them the safe containing the gold, and sealed them outside the shelter. Their faces lit up with greedy delight as they opened the safe. Then, their smiles froze.

My mother, Brenda Smith, rushed up to me the moment I got home from work, her face etched with worry. “Asher, I heard whispers about a high-temperature apocalypse. You work at the Weather Bureau, right? Is it true?” I pondered for a moment. “I can’t say for certain, but it wouldn’t hurt to prepare.” No sooner had I spoken than my father, Robert Smith, stiffened. He grabbed my arm, his voice strained. “What do we do? You’re the expert, Asher! You have to come up with something!” My mother looked at me, her expression grim. “Asher, how about we set up a Family Survival Fund? We’ll put you in charge of managing everything. If the apocalypse really hits, at least we’ll be ready.” I agreed without a second thought. “Sounds good.” Brenda continued, “You’ve been working for years, you’ve saved up a lot. You’ll be covering the biggest chunk…” Before she could finish, I pulled out my debit card. “Fine. This is all my salary. I’m putting it all in.” Their eyes practically gleamed. But then I shifted gears. “Now, hand over everything valuable you own. That includes any jewelry or accessories you’re wearing.” “What?!” Robert exploded, instinctively shielding his wrist. “Asher, what are you talking about? These are precious heirlooms Dad’s collected his whole life, how can you…” “Dad,” I cut him off, my voice cold, my eyes devoid of emotion. “In an apocalypse, they won’t feed us, and they certainly won’t protect us from this hellish heat.” Leo’s face paled too, as he protectively stroked his designer watch. He forced a strained laugh. “Bro, aren’t you overreacting? Keeping one or two things won’t hurt, right? What if we need them later…” “There are no ‘what ifs’,” I stated, my voice cutting through the air, leaving no room for argument. I turned to my mother. “Mom, you decide. My plan allows for no secret stashes, no hidden personal funds.” “Every single hidden penny, every secret stash, could be the final nail in the coffin of our survival. After all, we’re facing a global catastrophe.” “Listen to Asher!” she roared, her voice echoing, as she made her decision. Robert and Leo’s faces contorted with agony and resentment, but they meekly complied. I scanned their offerings, a flicker of satisfaction in my eyes. “Excellent. Now, write down all your bank card PINs for me.” The next day, I received a bank card holding their entire savings: 2.8 million. Robert clapped my shoulder, his voice earnest. “Asher, this is our family’s last hope. You have to be careful with it.” I took the card, nodding solemnly. “Don’t worry, Dad. I will.” Then, I opened my laptop and logged onto a professional real estate valuation site, inputting the details of the house we lived in. Moments later, a figure popped up. Market value: 4.5 million. A faint smile touched my lips. Their paltry savings wouldn’t even scratch the surface. This house, too, needed to contribute to the “Family Survival Fund.”

“What?! You want to mortgage the house?!” When I brought up the idea, Brenda and Robert’s reactions were even more extreme than I’d anticipated. Brenda’s eyes practically bulged out of her head, her voice cracking. “Are you out of your mind, Asher?! Do you even hear yourself?!” She looked ready to jump up and scream. “Your father and I worked our entire lives for this house!” “Leo needs this house to start his own family someday! No, absolutely not!” Leo panicked too, his eyes red. “Yeah, Bro, if we lose this house, where will we live?!” I looked at them, speaking each word slowly and deliberately. “I know a major player in the financial world. He said he could invest for me, and the returns would at least triple our investment.” “But he has strict requirements for qualifications, demanding substantial cash flow.” “Triple?” Brenda’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “Yes,” I pressed my advantage. “And he promised to build us an apocalypse shelter and give us gold bars equivalent to the amount we invest.” The picture I painted was too tempting. Their resistance began to waver. Robert asked in a small voice, “What… what if the apocalypse doesn’t come?” “If the apocalypse doesn’t come, won’t we still have the gold?” That sentence utterly demolished their last line of defense. I seized the opportunity. “Mom, this is our only chance.” “Either we cling to this house, which will be utterly worthless when the apocalypse hits, and just wait to die together.” “Or we take this one shot, and we’re guaranteed to come out on top. You’re the head of the household, Mom. It’s your call.” I put the ball in her court. After a long pause, Brenda slammed her hand on the table, as if summoning all her remaining strength. “Alright! Let’s do it! Mortgage it!” Over the next few days, I handled all the paperwork with astonishing efficiency. Brenda and Robert’s hands still trembled as they signed the house deed. The 4.5 million loan was quickly deposited into my account. I stared at the long string of numbers in my mobile banking app, my smile widening, a dark satisfaction spreading through me. That afternoon, I returned with a box of “gold.” In front of them, I carefully stacked the bars into the safe. “Asher, this… so much gold, just sitting there?” Brenda’s voice was a dry croak. She couldn’t help but reach out to touch it. I deftly closed the lid, avoiding her outstretched hand. “That’s right. The password is Leo’s birthday, plus Mom and Dad’s wedding anniversary,” I said softly. “That way, you can all rest easy, right?” Hearing that, the three of them exchanged glances, their expressions visibly softening. I let a silent, chilling smile play on my lips.

Days bled into weeks as the onset of the apocalypse drew closer. The oppressive heat in the air became increasingly noticeable. The afternoon sun already carried a searing prickle. A few days later, the central AC unit died. Its cooling power had plummeted. The repairman said the compressor was shot; a full replacement would cost over three thousand. “Replace it! We have to replace it! It’s scorching hot! We’ll die without AC!” Robert frantically fanned himself in the living room. Brenda was sweating profusely. “He’s right, we need a new one. Asher, for this money…” “Mom, I told you before, not a single penny of the fund can be touched,” I calmly repeated. Seeing Brenda’s temper about to flare, I quickly added, “However, since everyone’s struggling, I do have a compromise.” “What is it?” they immediately pressed. “A colleague of mine has a rental property out in the suburbs, with a basement. His family is moving overseas, and he’s looking to unload it quickly.” “The area is nice, and most importantly, it’s cool. We can stay there for a while until our shelter is completed, then move in.” Their eyes lit up. Robert eagerly asked, “Really? How much does it cost? Asher, you’re close with them, can’t you get them to let us stay for free?” I smiled faintly. “It’s free, don’t worry. We’re family, after all.” Robert immediately broke into a delighted grin. Then Brenda looked at me awkwardly. “Asher, this shelter project is huge. Someone needs to supervise it every day, right?” “Your father and I are getting old. And Leo doesn’t know anything…” I sneered inwardly, but feigned confusion. “Mom, what are you suggesting?” Brenda slapped her thigh. “The rental house, the three of us will go stay there.” “You stay here at home. It’ll be convenient for you to keep an eye on the construction site and oversee the progress.” Robert cleared his throat, puffing out his chest, asserting his position as the man of the house. “Your mother makes a good point.” “Alright…” I plastered a look of reluctance and mild grievance on my face. The next day, Brenda called. “Asher Smith! Where the hell are you?!” The moment I answered, Brenda’s hysterical shriek exploded through the line, mixed with Leo and Robert’s high-pitched wails in the background. “What kind of dump did you rent us?! It’s right next to an abandoned pig farm!” “And there’s no AC!!” “Is the shelter finished? Take us there! We’re burning up!!” She screamed, her voice filled with frantic rage and impatience. “Oh, the shelter?” I drew out my words, a hint of malice in my voice. “I’m already inside.” A deathly silence on the other end lasted for about three seconds. Then, an even more violent roar, this time from Robert. “Asher Smith, you goddamn ingrate! You ran off into the shelter to enjoy yourself alone?!” “You left us out here to die? Do you even have a conscience?! We’re your own flesh and blood!” “Yeah, Bro!” Leo’s cries interjected. “How could you be so selfish! That shelter was built with *our* money too!” “What gives you the right to hog it all to yourself?! Come out and get us! Now!” I chuckled softly. “What’s the rush? The safe key and the shelter address are all right here.” “The password, you all know it, don’t you?” On the other end, I heard a frantic scrambling sound, followed by uncontrollable, ecstatic shouts. “Found it! We found it!” I settled back comfortably on the sofa, switching to the security camera feed of the vault. I watched as the three of them gathered around the safe, inputting the password and opening it. A wave of ecstatic relief washed over their faces. Then, their smiles froze. The safe was empty. Utterly empty. “The gold?! Where’s our gold?!” I hung up the phone and opened our family group chat. It was already blowing up, hundreds of unread messages flickering wildly.

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It was the sixth year of my marriage to Seraphina Sterling, and her 88th kept man showed up at our door. I kept my face calm, expertly handling the situation. Then, I got a message: my three-year-old daughter had been kidnapped by her new secretary and boy toy, Damon Thorne. I begged her to save our daughter, but she just wrapped her arms around Damon and glared at me. “Caleb Knight, three years ago, you used every dirty trick in the book to marry me, just to get rid of Damon.” “Now you’re trying to use that mistake of a child to stir up trouble between us, aren’t you? Her birth was a mistake anyway. She’s better off dead!” When our daughter’s legs were severed by the kidnappers and she was fighting for her life, Seraphina rerouted all the doctors to treat Damon, who only had a small scratch. Our six-year-old daughter bled to death. Even my sister, Lily, who was in a coma, had her heart removed and given to Damon. I clutched both urns and went to see Grandpa Sterling. “Grandpa, the Sterling family’s kindness, I’ve repaid it with two lives. From this moment on, we have no ties.”

Grandpa Sterling trembled, his face drained of color as he stared at the two small boxes. His lips quivered, and he tried to reach out to stop me. “Caleb, Seraphina… she was just confused for a moment…” I didn’t respond. I just took a thick folder from my bag and placed it next to the urns. “Inside are 88 agreements, and the information and accounts of 88 men.” “Over the past six years, I personally dealt with each one. Every single one was a struggling student I used to sponsor.” Grandpa Sterling’s gaze slowly shifted from the thick folder back to the two urns, and the last flicker of hope in his eyes finally died. He sighed deeply, then pulled a contract agreement from his drawer. “…Alright, I agree.” The agreement stated in black and white: Once Seraphina Sterling’s legs healed, Caleb Knight would regain his freedom. “I hope you’ll honor your promise.” I looked at the agreement as if it were a joke. Seraphina Sterling’s legs had healed three years ago. Grandpa Sterling nodded, tears streaming down his face. “I’ll handle the divorce. You can leave in three days.” He pulled out a black card, offering it to me. “This is compensation…” I shook my head, refusing it. Just then, my phone screen lit up. It was a taunting message from Damon Thorne. I tapped on it, and a video automatically played. In a dimly lit hotel room, Seraphina Sterling and Damon Thorne were entangled, their vulgar sounds filtering through the speaker. “Seraphina, if Caleb Knight found out about this, would he be furious?” “Who cares about him? He’s just a scheming gold-digger, a manipulative opportunist. He’ll always be your stand-in.” Before the video ended, another image popped up. On the screen, a fresh, still slightly beating heart was tossed into a Mastiff’s food bowl. Damon Thorne laughed triumphantly. “Caleb, look, this is your comatose sister’s heart. Fed to a dog. At least it served some purpose.” Seeing my sister’s heart desecrated like that, my chest tightened, I could barely breathe. I felt like I was about to pass out. So, my sister’s death was all his doing. How dare he! After I calmed myself, I showed the video to Grandpa Sterling. “Grandpa, is there any reason for me to stay with Seraphina Sterling?” “I’ve lost everything. The kindness the Sterling family showed me all these years, I’ve repaid it.” Grandpa Sterling also trembled with rage at the cruel footage. He leaned on me, tears streaming down his face. “My boy, our Sterling family has wronged you so terribly…” “If you hadn’t tirelessly cared for Seraphina for five years, she never would have walked again. Whatever you ask for, I’ll grant it!” “I’ll go catch that scoundrel right now and bring him back to apologize to you!” I gave a faint smile and bowed to him. “Grandpa, there’s no need.” “Please don’t tell Seraphina Sterling that I’m leaving.”

Grandpa Sterling had indeed been kind to me. My sister, Lily Knight, and I grew up together in an orphanage. It was the Sterling family’s sponsorship that allowed us to continue our education. Later, Lily saved me in a car accident, becoming a comatose patient. To pay her exorbitant medical bills, I agreed to Grandpa Sterling’s request. At that time, Seraphina Sterling’s parents were victims of a car accident, both dying. Seraphina herself was left with paralyzed legs from the same crash. And her fiancé at the time, Damon Thorne, disgusted that she was confined to a wheelchair, fled before their wedding. To protect his granddaughter from further trauma, Grandpa Sterling concealed the truth of Damon Thorne’s departure abroad. But he also wanted to find a husband who could care for his granddaughter for the rest of her life. We then made an agreement: I would marry Seraphina Sterling in Damon Thorne’s place. Life after the marriage was unexpectedly peaceful. I discovered that Seraphina Sterling, though she appeared cold, had a genuinely warm heart. My feelings for her evolved from pity to concern, and finally, to love. We fell in love and even had a beautiful daughter, Chloe. I tried to be a good husband, massaging her legs daily, helping her with personal care, and assisting her with rehabilitation. Chloe would always hug her mother’s neck and say in her sweet voice, “Mommy, I love you most! Get better quickly so we can play house together!” However, the day her legs finally healed and she could stand again, everything changed. She slept with one of the male students I sponsored. When I confronted her, she fiercely threw that contract agreement in my face, her eyes filled with scorn. “Caleb Knight, who do you think you are? A scheming gold-digger who’d stop at nothing to get what he wants! You were so conniving, you even dared to chase Damon away just to marry me!” “Don’t forget, your sister’s life is still in my hands. One word from me, and she’ll be gone.” “So, stop with that disgusting act and behave yourself!” After that humiliation, Seraphina Sterling seemed like a different person. She grew more brazen, constantly having affairs with the young men on my sponsorship list, each time feeling like a slow torture to my soul. She tested my limits repeatedly, watching my reactions, seemingly drawing pleasure from my pain. Until Damon Thorne returned. She immediately arranged for him to be by her side, as her personal secretary. Then, my little Chloe was kidnapped right under my nose, her legs severed, and she ultimately bled to death due to lack of medical attention. Grandpa Sterling had promised me that if Seraphina Sterling didn’t repent, he wouldn’t force me to stay. But now, even my last hope, my only sister, had been cruelly killed by them. I slowly wiped away the tears from my eyes, my heart dead inside. Perhaps, this was for the best. Both Seraphina Sterling and I were finally free. Just as I stepped out of the Sterling mansion, Seraphina Sterling called. “Caleb Knight, you’re nothing but a stand-in.” Her voice was laced with irritation. “I’m warning you, Damon has a weak heart. You’d better behave yourself and not play any tricks to provoke him!” In the past, her words would have pierced me to the core. Because of Chloe, my only request of Seraphina Sterling was not to have illegitimate children outside. But now, Chloe was gone. I coldly uttered three words: “Whatever you say.” There was a moment of silence on the other end. Seraphina Sterling seemed surprised by my reaction. Then came a surge of greater anger and a hint of subtle unease. “Heh, so you’ve got Grandpa backing you up now, feeling all confident?” she sneered. “Don’t forget, I can cut off your comatose sister’s medical expenses anytime. If you dare to cause any more trouble, I don’t know what else might happen!” My hand involuntarily clenched into a fist! My sister? She was already dead! Her heart had been dug out by her little lover, Damon Thorne. Now, only a handful of ashes remained! A searing, throbbing pain erupted in my chest, impossible to suppress. I remembered the first time I discovered her cheating. After I slapped that man, her furious retaliation followed. She tied me to the balcony of our bedroom, forcing me to watch them spend the night together. The wind that night was chilling, colder than my heart felt at this moment. It was from that day on that I became numb, learning to calmly deal with every man who showed up at our door. Now, my sister and Chloe were gone. I had no weaknesses left! I coldly hung up the phone and booked a flight for abroad, three days from now.

Back at the marital villa to pack my things, I ran into Seraphina Sterling. She leaned against the doorway, her eyes scanning me with contempt. “So, my daughter’s kidnapping act was exposed, and now you’re dropping the pretense?” “Just as I thought, everything about you, right from how you first approached me, was fake.” “What if I told you I married you because Damon Thorne dumped you for being paralyzed and left the country? Would you believe me?” I looked at her calmly. She scoffed indifferently. “You’re really good at slandering Damon.” “Stop with your pathetic act. I’m sick of it.” She stepped forward and grabbed my wrist. “Since you’re so idle, move back in and serve Damon and me properly.” “And if you’re feeling lonely, I don’t mind if we all share the bed.” She leaned close to my ear, her voice barely a whisper for only us to hear: “Your suffering expression is my best thrill!” I didn’t struggle, just stared at her numbly. She seemed to find it boring, let go of me, and turned to her assistant. “Where’s my daughter? He’s done with his act, it’s time to bring the child back, isn’t it?” The assistant stammered, but I no longer wished to explain. Just then, Seraphina Sterling’s phone rang. The moment she answered, her face changed dramatically. “What? Something happened to Damon?” Seraphina Sterling instinctively looked at me. “Is this another one of your dirty tricks! I knew you were still as malicious as before!” “Do you think playing these little games in front of me will make me change my mind?” “Dream on!” She hung up and furiously kicked me hard in the chest. I cried out, falling to the floor. She wasn’t satisfied, though, and kicked me again from above. “Caleb Knight! You dare to pull the same stunt again! Three years ago, you forced Damon away, and now you want to do it again?” Her eyes were bloodshot, like an enraged lioness. “I’m telling you, if anything happens to Damon, I will never let you go!” With that, she rushed away without a backward glance. The assistant was terrified and quickly helped me, weak as I was, to my feet. “Mr. Knight, why didn’t you explain to Ms. Sterling just now? It was Grandpa Sterling who called the police and launched an investigation into Damon Thorne.” I closed my eyes, tears rolling down my cheeks. “I’m tired. And even if I explained, she wouldn’t believe me.” “Just let it be.”

The night before I left, I don’t know what Damon Thorne said to Seraphina Sterling, but to appease him, she not only transferred the title of our marital home to Damon. She also spent a fortune buying a star, naming it “Damon” and proclaiming it to the world. Damon Thorne ostentatiously flaunted their love on Ins. “Some people schemed to get this position, then made my original partner’s heart condition flare up, forcing me to recuperate abroad for years. Only now do I have the chance to return and find my true love. Fortunately, what’s mine, he can never steal.” Below, the comments were filled with sympathy for him and insults directed at me. I vaguely recalled the earliest days, when Seraphina Sterling’s legs were still immobile. She felt bad for me, carrying her to and from bed every day, always gritting her teeth late at night, repeatedly falling from her wheelchair, then climbing back up, silently practicing how to move on her own. She would ask me to go to the garden every morning to pick the freshest, dew-kissed rose for her, placing it by her bedside. The time I had a fever, she was frantic, trying to pour herself water, but she accidentally fell from her wheelchair, hitting her forehead and drawing blood. But as soon as her legs healed, all that tenderness vanished like smoke. I understood now. In this decaying relationship, dwelling on the past was meaningless. Under his Ins post, I calmly left a comment: “May your unwavering love last until old age.” Minutes later, Seraphina Sterling’s call came through. “Caleb Knight! Why would you do that? You know Damon has a heart condition, and you still provoke him! Is your heart made of stone?” On the other end, Damon Thorne weakly coughed. “Seraphina, don’t blame him. I shouldn’t have made our love public, after all, the position of Mrs. Sterling is still his, I understand…” I said nothing, just hung up and blocked her number. The day I left, Grandpa Sterling insisted on seeing me off. “Chloe is still your child, aren’t you going to see her off tomorrow for the last time?” My heart ached again. “Grandpa, the memories would be too much to bear. Let Chloe rest in peace in her favorite garden.” Grandpa Sterling held my hand, his eyes red, filled with guilt and reluctance. Just then, Seraphina Sterling returned. Seeing my luggage by my feet, a mocking sneer played on her lips. “Caleb Knight, what stunt are you pulling now?” “What, your last act of kidnapping our daughter was exposed, so you’ve got a new trick?” I couldn’t be bothered to argue with her. I picked up my suitcase and turned, intending to walk past her. But my silence seemed to infuriate her. She took a few steps forward, snatched the suitcase from my hand, and snapped: “Did I say you could leave? Where do you think you’re going?” She pulled too hard, and the old suitcase burst open, spilling its contents onto the floor. Seraphina Sterling’s gaze fixed on the scattered letters, her face stiffening. She was all too familiar with the style of those envelopes. “Aren’t these the letters Damon wrote to me!” Seraphina Sterling carefully began picking up the letters. She looked up, her bloodshot eyes glaring at me. “Caleb Knight! What were you trying to do by stealing them? Destroy them to get revenge on Damon and me?” “How can your methods be so despicable!” Seraphina Sterling had always believed that Damon Thorne had secretly written those letters to her while he was abroad. But those letters were anonymous notes I had written to encourage her. Now, I no longer wanted to explain. “You scoundrel!” Grandpa Sterling trembled with rage, pointing at her nose. “Don’t you know, those letters were…” His words were cut off by Seraphina Sterling’s phone ringing. She haphazardly stuffed the letters into her arms, stood up, and impatiently told Grandpa Sterling, “Alright, Damon’s not feeling well and needs me. I’m leaving.” She walked up to me, looking down, and dropped a warning: “Caleb Knight, you’d better watch yourself.” “You stop right there!” Grandpa Sterling was furious, but Seraphina Sterling disappeared out the door without a backward glance. I silently knelt, picking up the scattered items one by one and putting them back into the suitcase, as if I were not the one who had just been humiliated. Grandpa Sterling sighed deeply and handed me a signed divorce agreement. “Caleb, you’re free.” I quietly took off my wedding ring and tossed it into the trash can. Then, holding my sister’s urn, I got into the car headed for the airport. “Lily, it’s all over. Brother will take you to see the world.” After Seraphina Sterling soothed Damon Thorne, she went straight to a club and partied all night.

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The day the cruise ship sank, raging fire and thick smoke billowed. Everyone fought frantically for the last lifeboat spot. I clung to the railing, my knuckles white, but Seraphina, right beside me, acted as if I wasn’t even there. She frantically searched through the crowd for my younger brother, Caleb Stone. Finally, she shielded him in her arms and pushed him onto the lifeboat. When she looked back at me, the tenderness in her eyes vanished. “Caleb isn’t mentally stable; he can’t handle this.” “But I’m your therapist. I know your willpower—it’s incredibly strong.” She promised, “Once he’s settled, I’ll be right back for you.” But even as the ship exploded, and I was dragged into the icy waves, my mind fading, before I completely sank, her figure never appeared. Years later, we met again. Seraphina looked at the child I was holding, her eyes blazing red as she gripped my wrist. “I told you to wait for me! How dare you have a child with another woman?!” Seven years later, I stepped onto the ferry heading for that very ocean again. The sea air tasted salty and raw, whipping up waves that crashed against the hull with a dull thud, an echo of that sinking ship’s final wail seven years ago. I stood on the deck, my son Leo’s hand in mine. This time, it wasn’t for sightseeing, but for a formal farewell to the past. I was back, a new man. “Daddy, the ocean is so big!” Leo looked up, his small face beaming with excitement, pointing at the distant seagulls. I ruffled his hair, smiling, the gloom in my heart lifting a little with his cheerful laughter. But that calm was shattered by a disbelieving female voice. “Liam Stone?” My body froze. The voice seemed to come from a century away, blurry and distant. I hadn’t seen Seraphina in seven years. Instinctively, I pulled Leo closer, turning to duck into the cabin. But Seraphina was faster. She lunged forward, gripping my wrist in an iron vice. I looked up, meeting those familiar eyes. Once, they held so much tenderness. Now, only raw fury burned there. Her gaze dropped to Leo beside me, her pupils instantly shrinking. “A child?” Her voice trembled. “I told you to wait for me. Is this how you waited?” “How dare you have a child with another woman?!” She shrieked, drawing the stares of curious passengers around us. Leo, terrified by her distorted face, went pale. He clung to my leg, whimpering, “Daddy, I’m scared…” My heart ached. I pulled my son protectively into my arms and coldly yanked my wrist free. “Ms. Blackwood, please show some respect. We’re long past having any relationship.” “No relationship?” Her bloodshot eyes were filled with mockery. “Liam Stone, is your heart made of stone? I searched for you for seven years! Seven years! You hid away, had a kid with some other woman, and now you’re telling me we have no relationship?” Before she could finish, a tall, slender figure rushed forward and tightly hooked an arm around hers. It was my dear brother, Caleb Stone. He looked at me, a flicker of venom flashing in his eyes. “Bro, it’s really you! We all thought you…” He choked up mid-sentence, his eyes welling with tears at just the right moment. “It’s so wonderful you’re alive!” “We took this ferry because Sera wanted to come mourn you. We searched for you for seven years, we thought you were already…” He put on a performance of genuine emotion, then his tone shifted. His gaze lingered on me ambiguously, and he spoke with clear insinuation: “Bro, where have you been all these years? When the ship went down, did you get stranded on some deserted island all alone, with some wild woman…?” He didn’t finish, but his scornful look said everything he left unsaid. Seraphina’s face darkened further at his words. She looked at me as if I were something vile. “I kept myself pure for you for seven years, and you debased yourself like this!” She pointed at the ocean, her face contorted in anguish. “I came here every year, hoping to find a trace of you! But where were you? Living it up somewhere else!”

Her twisted version of events made me laugh, a bitter, angry sound. She was the one who pushed me into the abyss, and now she dared to question me, playing the victim. How dare she? Seeing my cold silence, her emotions flared even more. She reached out, ready to grab me. “Tell me, who is that woman?!” I dodged her, wanting nothing more than to get my son away from this toxic scene. Just then, her gaze locked onto the red string on my wrist. Instantly, her expression softened, a triumphant smile touching her lips. She smiled, a smile of absolute certainty. “I knew it,” her voice softened. “You still care for me. You kept this red string.” A wave of pure disgust welled up inside me. She thought I’d spent seven years, wearing her love token, yearning for her return. But she didn’t know the one she gave me had snapped and vanished the moment I plunged into the freezing depths, just like my dying heart. This red string on my wrist was given to me by someone else. A woman who reached out to me when I was lost in the depths of despair. Seeing my silence, Seraphina’s smile widened. She confidently reached out to touch the red string, but I sidestepped, avoiding her hand. Her hand froze in mid-air, her face coloring slightly, but she quickly plastered on that facade of deep affection. “Liam, I know you’re still angry with me. But I had no choice back then.” She glanced at Caleb, who looked somewhat helpless beside her. “Caleb… you know, he can’t be without me.” Caleb immediately lowered his head, trembling slightly, playing his part. “Bro, don’t blame Sera. It’s all my fault… If it wasn’t to save me, you wouldn’t have…” I was too tired to argue with them. I just wanted to leave with my son. “Leo’s feeling a bit seasick. I need to take him to rest.” My voice was ice cold. “Bro, now that we’ve found you, how can you not come home with us? Mom and Dad have missed you for seven years, they’ve cried their eyes out, practically blind from weeping!” Caleb immediately grabbed me, putting on a show of being a dutiful son. “Can you really bear to let them keep grieving?” He brought up our parents, and I couldn’t refuse. After all, they were my parents. Even if they’d caused me endless pain, the ties of blood were still impossible to sever. I hesitated for a moment, then nodded. Seeing this, Seraphina immediately tried to eagerly help with my luggage, but I coldly refused her. Her expression faltered. Caleb seized the moment, hooking his arm through hers, and mouthed silently to me: *See? She’s still mine.* I just found it pathetic. What he wanted, I had long since stopped caring about. The plane landed in Coast City. Back in that familiar yet strange home, my parents were overjoyed to see me, tears streaming down their faces. They hugged me, repeatedly checking if I was truly safe and sound. “It’s good you’re back, so good you’re back, my son…” My mother sobbed, breathless. This long-lost warmth made me waver for a moment, as if all those neglected years were just a nightmare. However, a single sentence from Caleb instantly slammed me back to reality. “Mom, Dad, look, big brother didn’t just come back himself, he brought a kid too.” He pushed Leo forward with a beaming smile, his tone innocent yet utterly venomous: “Big brother is really something, surviving alone overseas, must’ve been tough, huh? I hear things are pretty open over there… easy to accidentally become a dad, with such a big kid at such a young age.” The air instantly froze. The surprise and affection on my parents’ faces froze, replaced by pure disgust in their eyes when they looked at me. They believed him. Just like before. They didn’t hesitate to believe Caleb’s most vicious slander against me. Leo couldn’t understand the adults’ complicated expressions. He only knew these were the grandparents he’d learned about in his books. He looked up with his innocent little face, opening his arms and babbling sweetly, “Grandpa, Grandma, hug.” The child’s pure smile seemed to melt the ice in my parents’ hearts. They hesitated for a moment, then bent down and picked up Leo. Caleb saw this and shot me a venomous glare.

That evening, after I settled Leo to sleep, Caleb pushed open the door and walked in. The facade he wore during the day was gone, replaced by raw, naked jealousy. “Liam Stone, why didn’t you just die out there? Why did you have to come back?!” He hissed, his face twisted in a snarl. “To steal Sera from me, to steal Mom and Dad’s affection?!” I watched him calmly, like he was nothing more than a petulant clown. “I didn’t come back to fight you for anything. This home, too, take it all if you want. I don’t care.” “You don’t care?” He cackled shrilly, “If you don’t care, then why is Sera still obsessed with you? If you don’t care, what’s with that red string on your wrist? Don’t think I don’t know, Sera knitted that for you herself!” I said calmly, “The old me would have fought you. Because I thought those were the only life rafts I had.” “But now I understand. Something that’s already rotten, no matter how tightly you cling to it, will only drag you down with it.” My calmness completely enraged him. “Don’t act so high and mighty! Liam Stone, don’t forget, everything you have today, I gave you! If it weren’t for me, you’d have died in the hands of traffickers!” His words were like a sharp knife, brutally tearing open my already scarred wound. Bleeding profusely. When I was seven, he and I were both kidnapped. On the run, the traffickers caught up to us. I desperately clung to the trafficker’s leg, biting off a chunk of flesh with all my might, screaming for him to run, to go find Mom and Dad to save me. I thought he was going for help. In that dark, foul-smelling cellar, I was tortured beyond recognition, praying day and night for someone to save me. I waited for a long, long time. It wasn’t until the traffickers snatched another little girl in a pretty dress, and her family used immense power to track them down, that I was incidentally rescued. Only when I got home did I realize Caleb hadn’t gone for help at all. He told Mom and Dad that I’d wandered off by myself, being too playful. When I confronted him, he cried, saying he was too scared, too scared to speak. And my parents just held their trembling son, then turned around and blamed me: “Your brother is scared stiff. You’re back safe and sound, isn’t that enough? Why are you still holding this against him? Ultimately, wasn’t it your own fault for running off that you got kidnapped in the first place!” From that day on, nightmares plagued me every night—the traffickers’ gruesome faces, my helpless screams. I developed severe PTSD. Mom and Dad finally felt a flicker of guilt towards me. But just then, Caleb claimed he was also sick, that he had nightmares every night too. And so, all their care and affection were once again poured onto him. While I became the gloomy, paranoid, unlikable son. Until Seraphina appeared. She was my therapist. She patiently listened to all my pain, gently guiding me out of the darkness. I clung to her like a drowning man to a straw, falling in love with her. But that salvation soured the day Caleb started seeing her for therapy too. She started calling me paranoid and suspicious, saying I was jealous of my brother, claiming I was just seeking sympathy. Later, we had a huge fight because Caleb deliberately harmed my pet dog, and we got into a car accident. I instinctively shielded her, but ended up with a leg injury, walking with a slight limp. She embraced me, full of guilt, promising she would treat me well from then on. I believed her. It wasn’t until that burning cruise ship, when she chose Caleb without hesitation, leaving me alone in a despairing inferno, that I truly woke up. A person rotten to the core could never bloom into a flower facing the sun. I looked at the hysterical Caleb before me, my eyes ice cold. “You’re right. Everything I am, everything I’ve become, is thanks to you.” I said, every word dripping with ice, “So, what you owe me? I’ll collect it all back. Every single cent, with interest!” He was stunned by the cold in my eyes, frozen in place. Finally, with a bravado that quickly faded into fear, he spat, “You just wait,” and stormed out.

The next morning, I woke up to an empty bed beside me. Leo was gone. My heart clenched. A wave of immense panic instantly seized me. I burst out of the room, searching frantically through the house. “Leo! Leo, where are you?!” In the living room, Caleb was leisurely sipping coffee. Seeing my distraught appearance, a triumphant, cold smirk played on his lips. “Bro, what are you looking for so early? Did your little bastard son go missing?” I lunged forward, grabbing his collar, my eyes blazing red. “Where did you take Leo?!” “I don’t know.” He blinked innocently, but the defiance in his eyes was crystal clear. “Maybe he missed his wild woman mom and ran off to find her? After all, a bastard child is always starved for love.” “Caleb!” I shrieked hysterically. “I’ll kill you!” Just then, the front door swung open, and Seraphina walked in. What she saw was me, tearing at Caleb like a madman. While Caleb wore a look of utter grievance, his eyes rimmed red. “Liam Stone! What madness are you on about now?!” Seraphina rushed over, shoving me away forcefully, pulling Caleb protectively into her arms, her face filled with concern. “Why do you always have to target Caleb like this? What has he ever done to deserve this from you?!” I stumbled backward from her shove, hitting the wall. A searing pain shot through my leg. But at that moment, I couldn’t care less. My hands shaking, I pulled out my phone and dialed the number I knew by heart. The call was answered almost instantly. A calm female voice came through. “Liam, what’s wrong?” “Anya…” My voice choked, I could barely speak. “Leo… Leo’s gone!” “Don’t be afraid.” The voice on the other end instantly turned utterly calm. “Stay right where you are. I’m on my way. Tell me the address.” I hung up, feeling as if all my strength had drained away, collapsing to the floor. Seraphina looked at me, her eyes filled with contempt and disdain. “Keep acting. Go on, keep it up.” She sneered, “Liam Stone, your tactics are still so pathetic. To provoke me, you not only got a child, but now you’ve got a woman pretending to be your wife?” “What, did you rent that kid? Is the lease up today, so now you’re claiming he’s missing?” Caleb burst into an exaggerated laugh, echoing, “Yeah, bro, your acting is totally fake. Sera, don’t fall for it. He just wants to make you jealous, he wants you back.” Seeing the nauseating faces of the couple before me, pure rage consumed me. “If anything happens to Leo,” I lifted my head, glaring at both of them with burning hatred, “I’ll make your lives a living hell!” Seraphina scoffed, about to launch another taunt, when the front door burst open with a loud bang. A group of bodyguards in black suits streamed in, quickly securing the entire living room. Immediately after, a figure walked in, silhouetted against the light. She walked straight to me, took off her coat and draped it over me, then gently helped me up from the cold floor and pulled me into her embrace. Then, she lifted her eyes, her sharp gaze sweeping over Seraphina and Caleb, who stood frozen. Her thin lips parted, her voice chilling. “When my husband wants to make someone’s life a living hell, does he need to put on an act?” The entire living room fell into a deathly silence. The mockery on Seraphina’s face instantly froze, her whole body rigid with shock.

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In my past life, I took the fall for the Reed family’s foster son and served five years in prison. But the day I was released, I was greeted by his extravagant birthday party. The Reeds stripped me naked and threw me into a snowdrift, leaving me to freeze to death. When I opened my eyes again, I was five years old, on the very day my biological parents, the Reeds, were supposed to take me home. That’s when my sister, Brooke Reed, suddenly burst out. She stood fiercely in the doorway, a desperate barrier, pointing at my tattered clothes. “Dad, Mom, don’t bring him back! He’ll destroy our family!” Seeing her reaction, so utterly different from my past life, I instantly knew she had been reborn too. After my parents left, looking disappointed, she walked up to me and forcefully shoved a piece of candy into my hand, her voice like ice, sharp and cutting. “The Reeds have enough with one son, Tyler.” “You, you menace. This time, you should just rot out here.” I squeezed the candy tightly, my nails almost piercing my palm. She was right. In her eyes, in my past life, my only purpose was to ward off misfortune for the Reed family, to step up and take the blame whenever Tyler got into trouble. Now that she had a second chance, she foresaw that my existence, this stain, would ruin the Reed family’s reputation. So, this useless thing that I was, naturally had no reason to return to the Reed home. I smiled, but my tears betrayed me, streaming down against my will. I fiercely wiped them away, telling myself that Alex Reed was dead. The person alive now was *me*. I turned and walked back to my quiet corner of the orphanage. Not long after, a black sedan pulled up at the entrance. Director Thompson led a distinguished elderly woman, with elegant white hair, inside. All the children in the orphanage erupted in excitement, like a flock of excited birds, chirping and fluttering around her, each desperate to show off. “Hello, Grandma!” “Grandma, I’ll sing for you!” “Grandma, look at my drawing!” Only I remained, quiet in an inconspicuous corner, feeling like an outsider. The old woman noticed me. She gently pushed through the crowd, leaning on a dark wooden cane, and walked step by step toward me. “Little one, why are you sitting here all by yourself? Don’t they like you?” I shook my head, looked up, and held out the candy in my hand, which had grown warm from my tight grip. “Grandma, have some candy.” I tried my best to appear calm and mature, far beyond my years. She paused, clearly surprised. She took the candy, unwrapped it, and put it in her mouth, a relaxed smile spreading across her face. “Hmm, very sweet.” She looked at me deeply, then asked, “What’s your name?” “Director Thompson calls me Alex.” “Alex…” She repeated my name, then nodded. “Do you want to come home with me, little one? Be my grandson.” The room instantly fell silent. All the children’s gazes locked onto me, filled with burning envy. I didn’t hesitate for a second, nodding forcefully. “I do.” She burst into hearty laughter, her voice ringing out. “Good! Excellent! From today on, your name is Alex Vance.” She took my hand, her palm warm and dry. “Knowing the law and understanding speech, discerning right from wrong.” “My child, Grandma hopes you will become a person who upholds justice and fairness.” I understood the weight of her words, her high hopes. She was none other than the retired legal titan, a former Supreme Court Justice – Justice Eleanor Vance. In that moment, I tightly clutched her hand. I became the most cherished grandson of the Vance family. Grandma Vance treasured me like precious jade, personally teaching me legal principles and logic, taking me to observe court trials, and opening up a whole new world for me. My aunts and uncles in the Vance family, though all busy legal elites, always brought me various law books and fascinating case studies whenever they returned home, showing genuine care. The one who doted on me the most was my older sister, Scarlett Vance, ten years my senior. The first time she saw me, she took off her wire-rimmed glasses, a gentle smile gracing her beautiful face. “No one touches our precious little brother, Alex.” That was a phrase she often said. Surrounded by such immense love, I almost forgot the pain of my past life. I studied diligently. From law school to the bar exam, my grades were always top of the class. Debate trophies from various mock trials filled my room. Twenty years later, I became the youngest and most renowned star prosecutor in the country.

My days were calm and fulfilling. I thought the Reed family would vanish from my life forever. Until that day, when my assistant knocked on my office door. “Mr. Vance, there’s a Ms. Brooke Reed outside. She specifically asked to see you.” “She said she wants to hire you as a consultant for a major commercial fraud case her corporation is involved in.” Hearing that name, my heart still gave an uncontrollable lurch. I took a deep breath, suppressing the surge of emotion, my voice calm and steady. “Let her in.” A tall woman, dressed in a sharp business suit, walked in. Her face had shed the awkwardness of youth, becoming even more captivating and refined. Brooke froze the moment she saw me. Her deep-set eyes were wide with shock and disbelief. She never would have imagined that the rising legal star she had gone to such lengths to hire would be me, the boy she had personally abandoned twenty years ago. After a long moment, she finally found her voice, her tone full of doubt. “You… you’re Alex Vance, the prosecutor?” I nodded. “Ms. Reed, please have a seat. However, you might be mistaken. I am a prosecutor; I don’t handle private cases.” She seemed not to hear me, scrutinizing me instead. “Are you really a prosecutor? How confident are you that you can handle our case well?” Her attitude made it sound like I was some kind of charlatan chasing fame. My assistant, Chloe, could barely stand it, blurting out, “Ma’am, Mr. Vance is one of the top prosecutors in our system. His time is extremely valuable…” I looked at Brooke, a faint, almost imperceptible curve on my lips. “It seems Ms. Reed doesn’t have much faith in my professional abilities.” “In that case, this meeting is over.” “Chloe, please show our guest out.” Brooke’s face instantly darkened. She gritted her teeth, but in the end, said nothing, turning and slamming the door behind her as she left. Chloe stomped her foot in frustration. “Mr. Vance, that woman is so rude! Who does she think she is?!” I just smiled nonchalantly. “It’s fine, just a client who doesn’t know what’s what.” For me, it truly was just a trivial little incident. After work, Brooke suddenly appeared at the entrance of the Department of Justice building, blocking my way. Her face held a complex, somber expression. I instantly frowned. “Something wrong?” She stared at me, her gaze unyielding. After a long silence, she squeezed out a sentence through gritted teeth. “Alex Reed, I’m warning you.” “No matter who you are now, don’t even think about using this case to harm Tyler.” I almost laughed in exasperation. Twenty years ago, she had cruelly prevented me from returning to my biological family. Now, she was calling me Alex Reed again. She came to me herself, yet her first impulse was to warn me not to harm Tyler? Why did she think I would waste my time on someone like him? I looked at her as if she were an unreasonable lunatic. “Ms. Reed, my surname is Vance, and my name is Alex Vance. Please don’t get it wrong.” “Furthermore, I don’t know you, and I certainly don’t know your brother.” “As a prosecutor, my duty is to uphold justice, not to frame others.” “So, why would I harm a complete stranger I don’t even know?” Brooke froze, a flicker of bewilderment crossing her face. “You… you don’t remember me?” She seemed unable to accept this fact, her voice unconsciously rising. “Twenty years ago, at the orphanage entrance! I was the one who stopped you…” She stopped mid-sentence, seemingly finding her past actions too shameful to articulate. I watched her embarrassment, feeling only speechlessness and disgust. Of course, I remembered. I remembered every look of revulsion she gave me, every hateful word she uttered. I remembered how she had personally pushed me away, severing all my illusions of family affection. But I chose to pretend I didn’t. I feigned a moment of deep thought, then adopted an expression of dawning realization. “Ohh—” I deliberately drew out the sound. “So it was you.” I looked at her, smiling innocently. “I’m really sorry, but events from twenty years ago are so distant. I’ve long forgotten them.” “After all, I have so many important case files to review every day. Who has time to remember petty little things?”

Brooke’s face instantly turned ugly. Petty little things? In her eyes, that had been a momentous event that determined my destiny. This hurt her more than any direct insult. She bit her lip, unwilling to concede. “Don’t play dumb with me!” “Are you telling me you’re not holding a grudge because I prevented the Reeds from adopting you back then, and now you’re looking for a chance to get revenge on me and my brother?” I finally couldn’t help but scoff. “Ms. Reed, are you perhaps a little too self-important?” I dropped my smile, my eyes turning cold. “Revenge on you? Are you even worth it?” “If anything, I should thank you. If you hadn’t been so determined to stop them back then, how would I have had the chance to become Justice Eleanor Vance’s grandson?” “How would I have achieved what I have now?” “So, I’m too busy being grateful to you. Why would I hate you?” Every word I spoke was light and casual, yet they landed like knives, piercing deeply into Brooke’s heart. She was utterly speechless, her face fluctuating between green and white. “Eleanor Vance? Don’t you dare spout nonsense here!” She seemed to have grasped some leverage, immediately retorting with sarcasm. “You think just because your name is Vance, you’re related to the Justice? Dream on! Someone like you could never get through the Vance family’s front door!” The moment her words fell silent. A black Bentley glided silently to a stop beside us. The car door opened, and a tall, elegant woman stepped out. She quickly walked to my side, naturally draping a trench coat over my shoulders. She didn’t even spare Brooke a glance, simply gently ruffling my hair. “Alex, why are you still here? Grandma’s getting impatient.” Then, her gaze finally fell on Brooke. “Little brother, who is this?” I linked arms with Scarlett Vance, smiling brightly. “Oh, it’s nothing, Sis. Just a client who wanted to consult about a case and chatted with me for a bit.” Brooke was utterly frozen in place. She stared incredulously at Scarlett and me, at our intimate gestures, then at the luxury car that proclaimed their status. She wasn’t foolish. Of course, she recognized Scarlett Vance, the founder of the country’s top law firm, Vance & Co. And of course, she knew that Scarlett Vance had a younger brother, cherished by the entire Vance family. But she never in her wildest dreams imagined that brother would be *me*. Unbidden, the image of the young man in a prison uniform from her past life, his eyes vacant as he looked at her through the glass in the visitation room, flashed in her mind. And now, that same young man was smiling, linking arms with another woman, and sweetly calling her “Sis.” While she was still in a daze, I had already gotten into Scarlett Vance’s car. The next day, my assistant told me that Brooke Reed was trying to use various connections to have her corporation’s case transferred to the Department of Justice where I worked, hoping I would intervene as the prosecutor. Chloe tidied up my documents while complaining. “Mr. Vance, is this Brooke Reed crazy?” “The day before yesterday, she looked like she didn’t trust you at all, and today she’s practically throwing herself at you again.” “I bet she just realized you’re a Vance and wants to climb the social ladder!” I merely smiled, saying nothing. I signed my name on the case transfer request. I wanted to see what kind of act she was planning now.

At three in the afternoon, the entire Reed family, including Tyler, arrived promptly at my office. This time, they were summoned as family members of a suspect in the case. Twenty years hadn’t changed Tyler. He was still meticulously dressed, maintaining that innocent, delicate look that made people instinctively want to protect him. Brooke’s attitude was a hundred times more respectful than last time. “Mr. Vance, I was too impulsive last time. I apologize.” Mr. and Mrs. Reed stood awkwardly beside her, their eyes on me filled with complex emotions. I couldn’t be bothered with them. My gaze fell directly on Tyler. “The suspect stays. Family, please wait outside.” The office door closed, shutting out their sight. Only Tyler and I remained in the room. The innocent, pale look on his face vanished instantly. In its place was an undisguised expression of jealousy and malice. He eyed me up and down, a mocking smile playing on his lips. “Alex Reed. No, I should call you Alex Vance.” “Who would’ve thought, you’re really hard to kill.” “Thrown out by our family, and you still managed to climb up the Vance family’s high branches. What a skill.” I looked at him calmly, as if watching a pathetic clown. “Tyler Reed, this is an interrogation. Please maintain your composure.” My coldness seemed to infuriate him. He leaned back in his chair, continuing to provoke me with a sharp, sarcastic tone. “What? Being a prosecutor makes you special? Don’t you still have to watch enviously as I live a better life than you?” “Let me tell you, what if you’re a Vance now?” “In my sister’s heart, you’ll never compare to even my little finger!” “She only asked for you because she didn’t know you were *the* Mr. Vance. Don’t flatter yourself!”

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The day Eleanor and I got married, the man who had taken my place committed suicide. By our second year of marriage, that event had completely torn us apart. She hated that I, the true heir, had returned and caused Brandon Montgomery’s death. I resented her for still clinging to the man who had usurped my identity for twenty years. For ten years, we attacked each other with the vilest words, cursing each other to hell. Until an earthquake hit. She shielded me with her body, her spine bearing the brunt, creating a path for me to survive. The ceiling beam crashed down, leaving her a bloody mess. As she lay dying, she whispered in my ear, “If I had known he would die, I wish I’d never brought you home.” “If there’s a next life, I only want you as my family.” Ultimately, I died in the aftershocks. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day she brought me to meet my birth family. She suddenly pulled back. “Julian, I made a mistake. The Montgomery family’s son, lost twenty years ago, isn’t you.”

Eleanor blocked my path outside the Montgomery family’s mansion, her face a mix of struggle and grim determination. I said nothing, but instantly, a vision flashed before my eyes: steel and concrete crashing down, her bloodied spine, and her words whispered into my ear. “If I had known he would die, I wish I’d never brought you home.” So, this was her choice. In another life, she’d choose to abandon me from the very start. Fine by me. Those ten years of hellish marriage in my previous life—she hated me, I resented her. We tortured each other day and night, finding release only in death. Now, to be able to cut all of it off at the source, I felt a strange sense of relief. I looked at her and calmly nodded. “Okay.” A flicker of surprise crossed Eleanor’s eyes; all her prepared arguments got stuck in her throat. “What did you say?” she almost instinctively blurted out. “I said I understand,” I repeated. “Since it was a mistake, let’s just leave it at that. Thanks for bringing me here; I should head back to school.” With that, I turned to leave. But her hand shot out, grabbing my arm. “Julian!” She sharply called out my name, her voice laced with a hint of panic. “What kind of attitude is that? Didn’t you always want to find your family? Now that I’m saying you’re not, you’re giving up so easily?!” I turned back to her, finding it somewhat amusing. She’d gone to great lengths to lie, precisely because she wanted me to give up, didn’t she? Now that I was doing exactly what she wanted, she wasn’t satisfied. “What else?” I countered. “Eleanor, are you telling me that what you said wasn’t the truth, and I actually *am* the Montgomery family’s real son?” Upon hearing that, the panic in her eyes intensified, and her grip on my arm tightened unconsciously. She lowered her gaze, not letting me see her expression. “Let’s just drop this. Don’t ever bring it up again, and don’t go near the Montgomery family.” “I understand.” I pulled my hand free, rubbing my wrist where her grip had left it red. “I won’t bring it up again, and I won’t go near them. Eleanor, are you satisfied now?” She looked at my empty hand, as if she’d lost something important, her expression momentarily bewildered. She didn’t know I’d been reborn too. In this life, I wouldn’t step through that door again, wouldn’t become a Montgomery, and certainly wouldn’t… become her husband again. She wanted to protect her childhood friend, to complete their world. I’d gladly hand it to her. “I’m leaving.” I didn’t look at her again, turning towards the bus stop. Behind me, Eleanor’s voice chased after me, tinged with irritation. “Stop! I’ll drive you back.” Eleanor didn’t take me back to my school dorm. Instead, she drove straight to a luxury apartment in the city center. I watched the rapidly receding streetlights outside the window, understanding perfectly. In my previous life, after we married, this had been our home. It had held our tenderest moments, and it had also witnessed how we slowly became a resentful couple, eventually consumed by hatred. The car stopped. She unbuckled her seatbelt and turned to face me. In the dim light of the car, her expression was unreadable, but her tone had softened considerably, unlike her harsh voice at the Montgomery mansion gate earlier. “Let’s go inside. We need to talk.”

I followed her into the apartment. The familiar decor, the minimalist design with cool tones – just like her, elegant and aloof. Only this time, I felt not a trace of the fondness I once had. She pulled a bottle of water from the fridge and tossed it to me, then walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and lit a slender cigarette. White smoke curled, forming a hazy mist that seemed to separate us. “Julian, I know you’re upset,” she began, her voice muffled through the smoke. “I didn’t handle the situation with your identity well. But Brandon’s mental state is very unstable right now. He… can’t handle any more stress.” Always Brandon Montgomery. I lowered my eyes, twisted open the cap, and silently took a sip of water. The cold liquid slid down my throat, but it couldn’t quell the bitter surge in my heart. She’d said the same thing in my previous life. She’d said Brandon had a history of self-harm, that he was fragile, and asked me to be more accommodating after I was reunited with my family. I listened. I let him have all of Eleanor’s favoritism. I even chose to back down and stay silent during his countless unreasonable provocations. Yet, he used a suicide attempt to condemn my marriage with Eleanor to a ten-year life sentence. Seeing my silence, Eleanor assumed I was still upset about not being able to join the Montgomery family. She put out her cigarette with a sigh of resignation. She turned, walked over to me, and looked up slightly at me sitting on the couch, a hint of reassurance in her eyes. “Please, don’t be mad at me, okay?” Her voice was soft as she reached out and covered my hand holding the water bottle. “I admit, I messed up today. I gave you false hope.” “Whatever compensation you want, just name it. Anything I can give, I will.” She paused, her voice turning earnest. “But the Montgomery family… let’s just put that out of our minds for now, alright?” Her guard was completely down; the love for me practically poured from her eyes. I saw it clearly: she was truly afraid of my anger, afraid of me leaving her. But this love came at the cost of my identity. I looked up, meeting her gaze, and a sudden urge to laugh overcame me. “I don’t want anything.” I calmly pulled my hand away, a movement that dimmed the light in her eyes for a moment. “Don’t worry. Even if the Montgomery family came begging on their knees, offering their entire fortune, I wouldn’t spare them a glance.” “You don’t need to apologize. You don’t owe me anything. Let’s just end this between us.” Eleanor’s brows furrowed tightly. She suddenly stood up straight, her face instantly turning cold. “End this? Julian, are you playing games with me? Because I didn’t let you go back to the Montgomery family, you’re trying to force my hand like this?” She leaned in close, hands braced on the sofa beside me, trapping me in her presence. “I only told you not to go back to the Montgomery family. I didn’t say I was breaking up with you! We can be like before. No, I’ll be even better to you than before!” I looked at her and suddenly felt incredibly tired. She thought that by stripping me of my “true Montgomery heir” identity, we could return to square one, loving each other safely. But she didn’t know that the root of our tragedy was never about whether I returned to the Montgomery family or not. “Eleanor,” I pushed her away, stood up, and widened the distance between us. “I’m tired. I want to go home.” With that, I walked towards the door, not looking back. This time, she didn’t stop me.

In the days that followed, I threw myself entirely into the final preparations for my overseas application. Soon, I received an acceptance letter from a university abroad, with my departure date set for the following month. The day before I was due to leave, I had just walked out of the library when two men in black suits blocked my path. “Mr. Hayes, Ms. Thorne would like to see you.” I was forced into a car that sped off, eventually stopping at the top floor of a skyscraper overlooking the entire city skyline. “Ms. Thorne is busy. Please wait here.” The bodyguard led me into a glass-walled room, then turned and locked the door. The room had an excellent view, with an entire wall made of huge, floor-to-ceiling glass. And directly opposite the glass was the city’s most exclusive rooftop garden restaurant. At that moment, the restaurant was brightly lit, buzzing with people, and a grand birthday party was underway. The guest of honor was Brandon Montgomery. He was dressed in a lavish suit, surrounded by a crowd. And standing beside him, adjusting his tie, gazing at him tenderly, was Eleanor. I watched as Eleanor took Brandon’s hand and they began the first dance. They spun, drew close, whispered, intimately resembling a perfect couple. The surrounding guests clapped, their faces filled with congratulations. I suddenly wanted to laugh—laugh at my obsession in the previous life. Was it worth sacrificing my entire life for a woman who didn’t love me? I closed my eyes, not wanting to see that dazzling scene anymore. But Eleanor’s bloodied face from the earthquake in the previous life, and her trembling spine as she shielded me, resurfaced in my mind, uncontrollably. She hated me, yet she saved me. This debt felt like a giant net, trapping me, unable to move. I don’t know how much time passed, but the party seemed to be winding down. The door behind me suddenly opened. I turned and saw Brandon Montgomery standing in the doorway. A triumphant smile played on his lips as he walked towards me, step by step. “Julian Hayes,” he stopped in front of me, looking down at me. “How does it feel? Watching the woman you love throw such a grand birthday party for *me*?” It clicked. These bodyguards weren’t sent by Eleanor; they were Brandon’s. He wanted me to give up completely. But he didn’t need to do this; in this life, I had no feelings left for Eleanor. I said nothing, just looked at him coldly. My silence seemed to infuriate him, and the smile on his face twisted. “You think you can pretend to be noble by staying silent? Let me tell you, what’s not yours, you’ll never get!” He leaned in closer, lowering his voice. “Do you know? If you hadn’t suddenly appeared, Eleanor and I would have been engaged by now! You ruined everything for me!” “Are you done?” I asked calmly. “If so, please let me leave.” Brandon Montgomery trembled with rage at my attitude. He suddenly pulled a knife from his suit’s inner pocket, its blade gleaming menacingly in the light. My heart clenched. “What are you going to do?” “What am I going to do?” Brandon sneered, a flicker of madness in his eyes. “I’m going to show Eleanor how you pushed me! I’m going to make her realize that as long as you exist, I’ll never have peace!” Before I could react, he raised the knife and slashed his own wrist. He looked at me, a smile on his face, then shrieked loudly, “Please! I can give you anything! Why do you insist on pushing me to my death?!” Outside, hurried footsteps immediately sounded. Eleanor was the first to rush in, clutching Brandon tightly in her arms, her face grim. Brandon leaned weakly against her, pale, and pointed a trembling finger at me. “Eleanor, he said he’s the real Montgomery son, that I don’t deserve any of this, that I should just die…” Eleanor looked up, her eyes blazing with fury. “Julian Hayes,” she said coldly. “Didn’t I warn you to behave?” “Today is Brandon’s birthday. It was supposed to be the happiest day for him, and you ruined everything!”

I looked at her, my heart sinking deeper and deeper into despair. She’d forgotten that today was actually my birthday too. Brandon and I were born on the same day, same month, same year. Only one was in the clouds, and the other in the mud. She immediately summoned the bodyguards to restrain me and threw a combat knife at my feet. Her words were almost merciless. “However much blood he spilled, you’ll pay back double!” I stared at her in disbelief. “Eleanor, are you insane?!” I began to struggle violently. But she only gave me a glance and ordered the bodyguards to act. Sharp pain instantly shot through my arm, and warm blood immediately welled up. I groaned, cold sweat beaded on my forehead, and I bit down hard, my mouth filled with a metallic taste. The second cut, the third cut… I didn’t know how many times I was cut, only that the pain had turned numb, and everything before my eyes began to blur. I looked at Eleanor’s cold face, at the triumphant smirk on Brandon’s lips as he lay in her arms. My heart truly died. “Enough,” Eleanor finally said, stopping the bodyguards. “After you’re done, take him to the hospital.” With that, she didn’t look at me again, carrying Brandon in her arms as she swept out. I lay in a pool of blood, my consciousness slowly fading. Before I completely lost consciousness, I thought I saw that earthquake again. This time, Eleanor wasn’t shielding me. She simply stood by, coldly watching as I was swallowed by massive rubble, not a ripple in her eyes. Eleanor, this debt for saving my life, I’ve repaid it. When I opened my eyes again, the scent of hospital disinfectant hung in the air. Eleanor sat by my bedside. Seeing me awake, her eyes lit up. “I’m sorry,” she suddenly said. I froze. “Last night, I went too far.” She lowered her eyes, her voice filled with regret. “I was so angry at the time; I couldn’t control my emotions. I…” “So?” I cut her off, asking calmly, “Are you saying you regret it?” She sharply looked up, her lips moved, as if wanting to say something, but in the end, it was just a sigh. “Julian, don’t talk to me like that.” Her voice softened. “I know you hate me, but Brandon really almost died.” “Eleanor,” I looked into her eyes. “You don’t need to apologize. Just consider this me repaying what I owed you.” “Owed me?” She frowned, clearly not understanding what I meant. “Yes.” I managed a bitter smile. “In my previous life, you saved my life during the earthquake. In this life, I’ve repaid you with a life. We’re even now.” As I finished speaking, a crash sounded as the chair was knocked over by her sudden movement. Her lips trembled, and her pupils constricted violently in shock. “You… you were reborn too?”

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I was the most envied woman in the entire city. My billionaire husband adored me, treating me like a queen, and my powerful brother doted on me, loving me to bits. Three years ago, I was diagnosed with a rare illness. They told me they’d give anything, even their lives, to make me well again. And they meant it. Asher stopped several critical projects, blowing billions searching the globe for a compatible kidney; And Ryder canceled all his engagements, staying by my side day and night at the hospital, never leaving my bedside. Three years later, I was basically cured. I could finally return home. I didn’t tell them, wanting to give them a surprise. But I was stopped at the familiar villa gate. “Who are you looking for?” “This is my home. I’m Asher Vance’s wife,” I said with a smile. The guard froze for a second, then a look of pure disgust, like he was looking at a gold-digger, crossed his face. “Mrs. Vance doesn’t look like you.” As he spoke, the guard pulled out his phone and opened his photo album. The woman in the picture had eyes and brows strikingly similar to mine, and when she smiled, two shallow dimples appeared. I recognized her. It was Chloe Miller, the woman who donated her kidney to me back then.

I stumbled, my phone almost slipping from my hand. The guard’s disgusted look intensified. “See? If you had any sense of self-awareness, you’d know not to come here and make a fool of yourself.” “Mr. Vance treats his wife wonderfully; we can all see how much they love each other. You’re dreaming.” With that, the guard gave me a hard shove. I lost my balance, and coupled with the exhaustion from the long journey, I fell heavily. My head hit the ground, leaving me dizzy. Just then, the guard’s walkie-talkie buzzed. A familiar voice came through— “What’s all the noise out there?” The guard’s attitude instantly turned fawning. “Mr. Vance, it’s just a gold-digger, claiming she knows you.” “Get her out of here quickly. Mrs. Vance just fell asleep, don’t disturb her.” I distinctly heard Asher Vance’s voice. It was arrogant, impatient, yet filled with tenderness and care for the “wife” he spoke of. So, Asher Vance and “the wife” were living in this villa now. Living in the marital home he and I once shared. My blood ran cold. So many beautiful memories, of him and me, were in there. And he let another woman live in it? My blood boiled, and a bitter, metallic taste flooded my mouth. “Asher, who is it?” A woman’s sleepy voice drifted from the walkie-talkie. Then came Asher’s voice, softened to an almost unbearable degree. “It’s nothing, just a small matter. Go back to sleep.” “Stay with me.” “Alright, alright, you’re impossible.” “Tomorrow, I still have to see my brother…” The walkie-talkie clicked off abruptly. My heart felt like it was being squeezed tight, so painful I couldn’t breathe. That soft voice, filled with love. Before, he only spoke to me like that, as if he wanted to melt me in his palm. And my brother… Did my brother know about this too? Of course, how could anything happening here be hidden from Ryder? I don’t remember how I left. I walked along the road in a daze, my phone buzzing non-stop. Asher’s message came through right on cue. [Babe, are you feeling better today?] [Did you take your medicine? When is your surgery scheduled?] My brother’s message arrived at the same time. [My dearest sister, my adorable little sister, did you miss your brother?] [Brother’s been busy with work lately, couldn’t be abroad with you. Are you mad at brother?] Looking at these messages, my tears flowed uncontrollably. They seemed to love me so much, but why? Why would they let someone else take my place? Chloe Miller was the compatible kidney donor Asher and Ryder found for me years ago. She had a face strikingly similar to mine. The first time I saw her, I even joked that maybe we were alternate versions of each other from a parallel universe. Back then, Ryder cradled my face and said: “My sister is one of a kind. No matter how much she looks like you, she can’t compare even a fraction.” And Asher Vance hadn’t given Chloe Miller a second glance the entire time. Asher’s assistant talked with Chloe Miller about the compensation after the kidney donation. That’s when I learned Chloe Miller’s family was very poor. She was forced to donate her kidney to pay for her seriously ill mother’s treatment. I still remember Chloe Miller back then, wearing a faded T-shirt, looking at me awkwardly. “Miss, I’ll take good care of myself and cooperate with the surgery.” I looked at her, feeling a little soft-hearted. I slipped her a card: “Take this to pay for your mother’s treatment first.” But she refused to take it, saying she wouldn’t accept charity.

The memory abruptly stopped. I suddenly looked up, toward the brightly lit villa in the distance. On the second-floor balcony of the villa, Asher Vance held a petite woman tightly in his embrace. On a crazy impulse, I called him. The next second, he hung up. I called again. He hung up again. My heart ached, and I squatted on the ground, gasping for air. About ten minutes later, he scooped the woman up into his arms and went inside. Then, he reappeared on the balcony. And my phone rang. “Hello, babe, what’s wrong? I was just in a video conference.” I wanted to expose him directly. But the words caught in my throat, bitter and dry, I couldn’t squeeze out a single one. “Babe?” Asher Vance asked, confused. I still didn’t speak, biting my lip hard, forcing myself not to cry out. Asher finally realized something was wrong, and his voice turned worried: “Did someone upset you?” I wanted to say, the ones who upset me are you. I smiled bitterly: “Asher Vance, do you remember what day it is today?” The person on the other end was silent for a moment, then suddenly chuckled. “Oh, so you’re mad I forgot our wedding anniversary? My little princess is throwing a fit again.” “I’m sorry, babe, I was just so busy today. I’ll come abroad and spend some quality time with you in a few days, okay?” Just then, I saw Chloe Miller come out again. She stood on tiptoes and kissed Asher Vance on the lips. A sickening smacking sound came clearly through the phone. A shiver of disgust ran through me. My voice was already hoarse: “No need. If work is busy, then focus on work. Don’t mind me.” “Alright, babe, you’re getting more understanding.” The call ended. The two on the second-floor balcony embraced tightly under the moonlight, looking like a truly devoted couple! My tears gushed out instantly. Was this what betrayal felt like? The eighteen-year-old Asher Vance and Aria Blackwood would never have imagined that the twenty-five-year-old Asher Vance would betray his beloved. He had loved me so much. That summer, a boy held a basketball, dazzling under the sun. The wind blew across my face, carrying the voice of an eighteen-year-old boy through time— “Aria, I love you, I’ll only ever love you. If I, Asher Vance, ever betray you, may I die a terrible death!” The night wind made me tremble uncontrollably. I leaned against the wall and slowly stood up, then turned to leave. I hailed a taxi. The place I went to was the small apartment Ryder had given me for my eighteenth birthday. My hand trembled as I inserted the key into the lock. The moment the door opened, a damp, dusty smell assaulted me. It was clear no one had lived here for a long time. The furnishings inside were just as I had left them three years ago. On the desk sat a photo of Ryder and me. Ryder was in a black suit, and I, standing next to him, had a high ponytail and was smiling brightly. Ryder and Asher learned of my return the next day. They both gathered at my small apartment. These two men, who commanded respect and power in the outside world, now faced me with looks of surprise and awkwardness. Asher stepped forward first, reaching out to take my hand as he used to. “Aria, you’re back? Are you… are you well?” I subtly avoided his hand. Ryder’s eyes welled up, his voice choked. “Sister, this is great, as long as you’re okay.” Asher’s hand froze in mid-air, a little surprised. Then, a deeper tenderness melted into his eyes. “Are you too tired from the long flight?” Hearing this, Ryder quickly walked to my side, worried, and reached out to feel my forehead. I didn’t move, my body stiff. Ryder checked carefully, “No, your temperature’s normal.” I forced a smile. “Yeah, I guess I’m just a little tired.” Asher smoothly picked up the conversation. “In that case, you should stay here and not run around.” “It’s close to the hospital, so it’s convenient for your follow-up check-ups.” My lips curved into a smile. Was he afraid I’d discover his secret mistress? How absurd. I, his wife, was living outside. While his lover was brazenly living in our home. It seemed I was the one who looked like the mistress. I chuckled bitterly, “Whatever.” It wouldn’t be for long anyway. Asher’s brow relaxed, his voice filled with his usual宠溺. “Good girl. Rest well here, I’ll come to see you often.” Ryder also visibly relaxed: “Okay, then I’ll have Mrs. Davis come over and tidy up. Tell me if you need anything, sister.” “Mhm.” I played along with their charade.

Asher’s phone suddenly rang. He glanced at the screen, then awkwardly looked at me. Then he walked to the balcony, his voice deliberately kept very low. But blurry words still floated into my ears. “Good girl, I’m busy now, can’t come back yet… I’ll be done soon… Mhm, I’ll bring you a small cake…” When he hung up and turned around, the tenderness hadn’t faded from his face. Asher walked over, his gaze towards me now tinged with apology. “Something urgent came up at the company. I need to handle it. I’ll be back later to have dinner with you.” I nodded, saying nothing. Ryder looked at Asher with concern. “Is something wrong?” “Minor issue.” They were playing a charade in front of me, thinking I didn’t know. Ryder eventually left with Asher. At the door, they both turned back to look at me. Asher’s eyes were filled with lingering affection: “Aria, wait for me. I’ll be back tonight.” Ryder also looked at me with doting affection. “Sister, go to bed early. Brother will take you for your hospital follow-up tomorrow.” I smiled and nodded. The next second, the door was gently closed. The front door isolated me from them, and it also severed my last shred of hope. Only I remained in the spacious living room. The wall clock ticked, seemingly knocking against my shattered heart. It felt like Ryder and Asher were slowly killing me, all in the name of love. That night, Asher didn’t return. He only sent me a message: [Company business is hectic; I’ll have to stay at the office tonight. Babe, get some rest.] And the next day, Ryder, who said he’d come to pick me up for my follow-up, didn’t show either. I took a taxi to the hospital by myself. After my check-up, as I was about to leave, a commotion suddenly erupted nearby. I subconsciously looked up. Just one glance, and my blood instantly froze. Asher Vance was carefully supporting Chloe Miller, his face filled with tenderness and concern. Ryder followed on the other side, his tone cautious and worried. “Walk slowly. The doctor said you’re at risk of miscarriage, you can’t exert yourself now.” I froze. Chloe Miller was pregnant… Chloe Miller looked at Asher Vance coquettishly, her voice sickeningly sweet. “It’s all your fault, you didn’t come back to be with me last night for so long, that’s why I almost had a miscarriage.” “Yes, yes, it’s all my fault.” Asher Vance lowered his head, one hand supporting her shoulder, the other touching her belly. The doting affection in his eyes was impossible to hide. “I’ll stay with you from now on, okay?” “My husband is so good to me.” Chloe Miller burst into tears, then a smile. Ryder also chimed in: “As long as you’re well, we’ll do whatever you want.” The three of them stood there, backlit, their figures searing my eyes. Chloe Miller leaned against Asher Vance’s chest: “Husband, will you always be good to me?” “Of course. You’re my wife, and you’re carrying my child in your belly. Of course, I’ll be good to you.” Asher Vance looked at her, his profile unbelievably soft. Ryder joked from the side. “You’re just spoiling her rotten.” But there wasn’t a hint of blame in his tone, only pure indulgence. Chloe Miller giggled, clearly amused… That metallic taste surged into my throat again. I clapped a hand over my mouth, forcing myself to swallow the blood. Not long after leaving the hospital, my phone vibrated a few times. It was a message from Ryder: [Sister, how were your check-up results?] [Brother’s quite busy here and can’t get away. Next time, I’ll definitely go with you.] I looked at that text, smiling through my tears. After getting home, I took a cold shower. Finally, I felt a little clearer. Asher Vance’s words to Chloe Miller, “You’re my wife…,” kept echoing in my ears. I sent a message to a contact with a plain black profile picture. “Julian, help me look into Asher Vance…” About ten minutes later, he called me back. “Aria, I found out you and Asher Vance divorced six months ago.” “Asher Vance’s current wife is named Chloe Miller.” I clutched my cramping stomach, laughing and crying on the sofa. It was so absurd, so ridiculous. I was a joke. In three years, someone had completely taken my place. The person on the other end of the line sounded anxious. “Aria, are you okay?” “I’m fine, Julian, I’m fine. And—I agree to marry you.”

There was no room for me here anymore. And no need for me to stay and be an eyesore. After talking things over with Julian, I fell into a deep sleep. The next few days, I was busy with preparations to go abroad. And handling my assets here. Ryder and Asher always seemed to have something going on and no time to see me. I knew they were both with Chloe Miller. A few days later, I was woken up in the middle of the night by faint whispers. I was conscious, but my body couldn’t move. It was Ryder and Asher. “Are you sure she won’t wake up?” Ryder’s voice was worried. “No, this diffuser produces a scent that will put her into a temporary coma. She won’t wake up tonight.” Asher said with a chuckle. Then, he skillfully pressed my finger into an ink pad. And then pressed my ink-stained finger onto a document. “Alright, with this statement, we can clear Chloe of the mistress label.” My head felt woozy. What mistress label? Then I heard Ryder sigh, “She just got back, and bad rumors about Chloe started circulating – do you think Aria did it?” Asher let out a snort of laughter. “How could that be? Aria’s just a spoiled little princess; if she found out about Chloe, she’d make a huge scene, she wouldn’t just pull strings in secret.” I felt like I’d been plunged into hell. So, Ryder thought the so-called “mistress label” was spread by me? And Asher’s next words made me even more disgusted. “Chloe’s pregnant with my child, she’s very important to me now.” “I hope Aria didn’t do it, otherwise I…” Asher didn’t finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear. I really wanted to ask. Otherwise what? What do you, Asher Vance, intend to do to me for Chloe Miller? After they left, the room returned to quiet. I only found out what had happened the next day. It turned out, the truth about Chloe Miller being a mistress had been exposed. That day at the hospital, the three of them were photographed and posted online. Netizens were initially shipping them. But then an insider came forward and revealed the tangled web of our relationships. They even attached my photo. Suddenly, the hashtag “The rich family’s body double takes over” caused a sensation online. Of course, these hashtags didn’t stay up for long before they were taken down. Soon after, topping the trending list was a statement with my fingerprint: “I, Aria Blackwood, solemnly declare that Ms. Chloe Miller is my savior, and she is not a mistress.” I looked at my phone, my breathing quickening. How dare they speak for me? Pain, despair, confusion… In the end, only a stagnant pool of emptiness remained deep inside me. Chloe Miller came to my door at that moment. As she entered, she kept clutching her stomach. “Miss Blackwood, please don’t misunderstand. That day at the hospital, Mr. Vance and I met purely by chance.” “They were just thanking me for donating my kidney to you, and they saw I was alone for my prenatal check-up and felt sorry for me, so they stayed with me.” “You really shouldn’t overthink it, we’re innocent.” She clutched her stomach, her eyes red, and lowered her head, sobbing. “We… anyway, none of us did anything to wrong you.” “If you don’t believe me, I can only… only leave.” As she spoke, she covered her face and ran off. In her emotional state, she seemed not to notice the stairs in front of her. Her foot missed a step, and her body tilted. My heart leaped, and I quickly rushed forward, “Be careful!” I lunged to grab her. But the next second, a force knocked me over. I lost my footing and tumbled down the steps. In a split second, I saw Asher Vance and Ryder both rush towards Chloe Miller. Chloe Miller was pulled back by Asher Vance and held tightly in his arms. They spoke in unison, “Chloe, are you okay?” “I… I’m fine…” Chloe Miller’s voice was choked with sobs, tinged with lingering fear. She trembled as she pointed at me, “She looks… she looks pretty bad.” Following the direction of her finger. Only then did Ryder and Asher Vance notice that the person who had fallen down the stairs was me. Through my blurring vision, I saw the two men, faces pale with shock, rush towards me. “Aria!” At the same time, a message popped up on my phone: “Okay, the marriage certificate is done.” “Allow me to introduce myself, I’m your husband, Julian Reed.”

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The donor heart I’d waited two years for was snatched away and given to Leo, the son they pretended was theirs. My doctor, Dr. Davies, told me I had just one week left to live. So, I decided to have my body cryopreserved. I donated my body to Leo’s research lab. The day I signed the donation papers, my daughter Lily rushed into my arms, saying, “Daddy, you and Uncle Leo are finally getting along again!” My parents, Eleanor and Richard, praised me for finally understanding “brotherly love” and being helpful. Serena, my wife, looked relieved, saying I’d finally put aside our differences and saw reason. I just smiled faintly. Yes, I really learned my lesson this time. I was going to give Leo back his identity as the Mo family’s son, and make all of you happy. … “Your time is short. Now, say your goodbyes to your family.” Dr. Davies’ voice was gentle, full of pity, but it felt like a boulder crushing my chest. I knew this was coming, but when the death sentence was finally pronounced, my eyes still welled up. I’m only twenty-eight. I’ve fought so hard to live. But the donor heart I finally found was stolen by my wife. She had it transplanted into Leo, the son who wasn’t really ours, who only had a mild heart condition. In a daze, I made my way to Leo’s hospital room. There were my parents, Eleanor and Richard, my wife Serena, and my daughter Lily, all gathered around him, fussing over him. When I walked in, Serena, who was just feeding Leo water, quickly put down the cup. She walked over to me. “What did the doctor say?” I looked at her. Her eyes flickered away, a tell-tale sign of guilt as she stammered, “It was an emergency, Alex. If Leo hadn’t gotten the new heart, he would have died from the pain.” My mom, Eleanor, immediately chimed in, “Serena’s right, Alex. It was a life-or-death situation. You’re not going to be so unreasonable as to resent us for this, are you?” The words I was about to say died on my lips. I just said flatly, “I’m not angry. The doctor said there would be good news in a week.” I paused, then added, “Good news for all of us.” Serena’s captivating eyes instantly lit up with a smile. “A suitable donor heart so soon? I knew our decision that day was the right one.” My dad, Richard, also let out a sigh of relief, smiling. “Our Leo is truly blessed. If you hadn’t given him your heart, he wouldn’t have made it another week.” My mom nodded repeatedly, gently stroking Leo’s hair. “Our Leo’s blessings are still ahead of him.” “Unlike some people, who could have waited for another donor heart, but chose to make a huge scene instead, embarrassing our family.” Even though I was already beyond disappointed with them, at that moment, my heart still ached. I clenched my jaw so hard I thought my teeth would shatter, forcing back the tears that threatened to spill. Serena looked at me tenderly, but her words were chilling, sending shivers down my spine. “You were too impulsive that day. I think you should apologize to Leo.” I stared at her, utterly disbelieving. Leo stole my heart, and she wanted *me* to apologize to *him*? My mom seconded her. “That’s right. And if you hadn’t bullied Leo that day, he wouldn’t have had those chest pains in the first place.” “You should be grateful he’s lying here, recovering. Otherwise, I would never have acknowledged you as my son.” I remembered that day. Leo stood in front of me, triumphantly displaying the marks on his neck, boasting about his intimacy with Serena and her passion… I couldn’t help but punch him. They walked in just as it happened. Serena furiously rushed forward and pushed me away. I was shoved to the ground, the room spinning around me, as my mom charged in and started hitting me. My dad stood coldly a short distance away, as if he also thought I deserved a lesson. Right after that, my heart flared up, and I could barely breathe. My mom, initially worried, asked what was wrong, but then Leo suddenly clutched his chest, gasping, “It hurts so much!” My mom immediately abandoned me and ran to his side. Everyone believed I was faking it, and he was genuinely in pain. Thinking of this, I twisted my lips into a bitter smile. I said flatly, “My apologies. It was my fault.” Everyone was surprised by how docilely I apologized. Serena looked at me with a hint of suspicion, a seed of unease beginning to sprout in her heart. Leo also frowned, giving me a look that screamed, “How can you be such a good actor?” My parents watched me warily, as if afraid I would cause more trouble. Only my daughter Lily rushed into my arms. “Daddy, that’s great! You finally admitted you were wrong.” “Don’t bully Uncle anymore, or I won’t like you, just like Grandma and Grandpa.” I lowered my gaze, looking at her. My parents’ and wife’s coldness, their misunderstanding and favoritism, I could endure all of it. But her, my own child, whom I raised with my own hands and poured all my love into – she also favored Leo. That was something I couldn’t bear. But, I no longer had the strength to fight. I gently stroked her face, smiling. “Daddy will listen to you.” My mom, Eleanor, finally nodded in satisfaction. “Good. It seems you’ve finally learned your lesson, Alex.” Serena also let out a complete sigh of relief. “My husband has finally grown up.” Watching her feign affection, I only felt a wave of nausea in my chest. Just then, Leo suddenly cried out, “It hurts!” Serena immediately rushed to his side. My daughter, who had just been hugging me, let go and ran over too, calling out, “Uncle Leo, where does it hurt? Lily will kiss it better!” My parents’ eyes were red with concern. Standing there, a distance away, I felt like a clown. I couldn’t stand the atmosphere anymore. I used being tired as an excuse, turned, and left the hospital room. 2 The moment I reached the door, the pain in my chest nearly made me pass out. I leaned against the wall and crouched down, frantically searching for my potent painkillers. I swallowed several pills before the pain subsided. Inside the room, I could still hear my mom scolding me for my coldness. She thought I didn’t care about Leo. But I knew that as long as I was there, Leo would always feel “unwell.” It was his usual trick to grab attention. But he didn’t even need to do it, because from the very beginning, my parents, my wife, my daughter — they only ever loved him, the son they pretended was theirs. And I, just like the name my parents gave me, “Alex,” was meant to be kept away. This was the name they gave me the day I returned, sixteen years after I went missing. My mom said she hoped I would be cautious, never getting lost in sudden wealth. But that night, I overheard Mom comforting Leo. She told him that in her and Dad’s hearts, he was their only son. The name she gave me, Alex, was actually a play on words, a subtle hint: ‘Don’t come close.’ That night, it was as if someone had doused me with a bucket of cold water. I fully woke up from the joy of having found my parents. I should have known all along. I was, and always had been, the unwanted child. Dazed, I left the hospital and took a taxi to Leo’s research lab. I had already arranged to donate my body for their cryopreservation and revival experiments. When I signed the agreement, the staff member asked, “Mr. Alex, do your parents and wife know about your decision?” I smiled faintly. “They are all very respectful and supportive of my decision.” The staff member said enviously, “That’s wonderful. Your family must love you very much, hoping you’ll have a chance to be revived one day.” Looking at her admiring gaze, I almost felt like I really was a man deeply loved by his parents and wife. My lips curved up involuntarily. I smiled. “Yes, who doesn’t love their own family?” With that, I handed over the agreement. After confirming everything, I left and returned home. The moment I walked in, I saw my belongings piled up in the living room. I frowned, looking at Brenda, who was standing there directing everyone. She was Leo’s nanny, who had raised him. Why was she here? Brenda, like my parents, clearly disliked me, the real son. Seeing me, she gave a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Mr. Alex, Leo is being discharged today. Mrs. Eleanor asked me to come and take care of him, and to pick a room for him to recover.” “I thought the master bedroom, being so bright and spacious, would be perfect for Leo to recuperate.” “All the other rooms in the villa have a purpose, so I’m afraid you’ll have to make do with the downstairs utility room.” I said flatly, “Alright.” Brenda probably didn’t expect me to be so agreeable. All the words she was ready to say got stuck in her throat. She looked at me suspiciously. “You’re not angry, Mr. Alex?” I shook my head and turned, walking towards the utility room. Brenda scoffed disdainfully. “Well, it seems Mr. Alex has finally learned some sense. If only he had been like this sooner.” “If you had been like this sooner, the master and madam wouldn’t have disliked you so much.” I didn’t say anything. As I entered the utility room, an overwhelming stench of mildew hit me. The cramped space was filled with all sorts of items. There was only a cramped twin-sized bed, half-covered with books, the other half empty. I just lay down on it and drifted off into a heavy sleep. I was so tired. I just wanted a good night’s rest… But even that small wish couldn’t be granted. I don’t know how much time passed, but I was suddenly pulled awake by a strong force. When I opened my eyes, I saw Serena’s face, filled with panic. Seeing me awake, her worried expression instantly turned cold. She angrily demanded, “Why did you post about our marriage online?” “Don’t you know Leo is being cyberbullied right now? He just had surgery, his body is already fragile.” “Because of this, the shock and stress caused him to collapse!” “I actually thought you had learned your lesson. Turns out you were just silently planning how to get revenge on us!” My head felt like it had a hammer pounding inside it. The intense pain made it hard to understand her words. I could only say weakly, “I didn’t do anything… If you don’t believe me, check my phone.” Serena roared furiously, “Enough! Those reporters admitted you paid them to publicize this! “How long are you going to keep up this act? Come with me now, go kneel and apologize to Leo!” 3 Serena roughly yanked me off the bed, dragging me out. She moved too fast. My leg slammed hard against the doorframe, making a dull thud. The pain instantly made me tremble. But she only glanced back at me before continuing to drag me outside. When we reached the living room, she threw me violently to the floor. My whole body felt like it was falling apart. Just as I tried to stand, my dad, Richard, rushed over and slapped me several times. A foul, metallic taste like decay bubbled up, overwhelming me. I looked up to see Leo clinging to my mom, Eleanor, looking incredibly frail. My mom, meanwhile, glared at me with a contorted face. Her dark eyes were filled with disgust and hatred for me. As if tearing me limb from limb wouldn’t be enough to satisfy her. Perhaps my gaze was too cold, because my dad swung another punch at me. I couldn’t hold it back anymore. A mouthful of blood sprayed out. Blood splattered all over his hands and face, making him freeze. I collapsed exhaustedly, blood also starting to trickle from my nose. Serena rushed forward in horror, asking anxiously, “What’s wrong with you? Why are you spitting up so much blood?” I looked at her. Her hands were trembling. She almost looked genuinely worried about me. I pushed away her hand as she tried to help me up. I tried to stand, but then I started to shamefully vomit large mouthfuls of blood again. A hint of fear finally appeared in my dad’s eyes. He shook his head. “I… I only slapped him a few times! I didn’t do anything else!” Then, with rare concern, he asked, “Alex, what’s wrong? Dad… Dad will take you to the hospital right now…” My mom also walked over. “What’s happening? Quick, help Alex up first.” My daughter Lily also ran over, crying. “Daddy, you’re bleeding so much! Are you going to die?” My dad sternly said, “Don’t say such nonsense!” Just then, Brenda, the nanny, suddenly walked out. She was holding a bag of something and said angrily, “Mr. Alex, how could you use a fake blood pack to scare the master, madam, and Ms. Serena?” A fake blood pack? What fake blood pack? Before I could process it, my mom had already rushed to Brenda’s side. She looked at what was in Brenda’s hand, then furiously threw it to the ground. She screamed in anger, “Alex! You truly are devious! You actually tried to use a fake blood pack to trick us into pitying you!” I smiled bitterly and shook my head. I had already learned my lesson, so why wouldn’t they leave me alone? Serena crouched down, looking at me with disappointment. “Alex, how could you have become like this?” My dad furiously kicked me, saying in disgust, “You ungrateful brat! You’re truly an unruly street kid, cold-blooded and unscrupulous!” “You’re not even a fraction as good as our Leo! No, you’re not even worth a single hair on Leo’s head!” I said nothing, just desperately swallowed the blood that threatened to surge up. Lily, who had been hugging me, now pushed me away in disgust. She frowned. “Daddy, I thought you’d changed. You’re so bad, I don’t like you anymore!” Then, she ran to Leo’s side, leaning on his lap. “I want Uncle to be my daddy!” My heart withered to dust. I gripped my hands so tightly that my fingernails dug deep into my palms. Serena sighed, then reached out and wiped the corner of my eye. “You know how awful it feels to be betrayed by the person closest to you.” “So why did you do such a thing? Now Leo’s reputation is ruined, and our company’s stock is fluctuating.” “All of this is because of you. So, you not only need to apologize, but also take responsibility.” I wanted to say I knew nothing, but Leo started to cry. He sobbed, “It’s alright, Serena… My brother has hurt me repeatedly. I’m afraid if I make him apologize again, he’ll hate me even more.” “Even though I don’t know why he dislikes me so much, I… I’m willing to overlook it for Mom and Dad, and for you, Serena.” My mom, Eleanor, said with concern, “Leo, you’re just too kind, that’s why he bullies you.” “Don’t worry. Dad and I will always stand by you. With us protecting you, he won’t have another chance to hurt you.” Then, she turned to me with a cold face. “Listen closely. For the sake of our families’ reputations, we’ve already discussed a solution.” “You and Serena will get a divorce tomorrow. Then she’ll marry Leo.” “We’ll announce to the public that Serena and Leo were already married.” “It’s just that you weren’t well and were infatuated with her, so they kept it from you.” I looked at Serena. “You agree to this?” Serena avoided my gaze, frowning impatiently. “There’s no other way. Who else caused this mess but you?” She paused, then added, “But don’t worry, this is just a temporary measure. Once the storm passes, I’ll divorce Leo.” I looked at her. Though I had a thousand words, I no longer had the strength to speak. Perhaps it was guilt, or perhaps she saw my silence as defiance, which made her very displeased. She said coldly, “Whether you agree or not, I will…” I slowly began to speak. “Congratulations. Happy wedding.” 4 Serena’s voice caught in her throat. She stared at me blankly, a strange panic blooming in her heart. She felt like the current me was a light piece of paper, liable to be blown away by the wind to a place she could never see. I slowly got up, leaning on the wall and wiping the blood from my face. I looked at my mom, Eleanor. “Serena and I never actually got married.” “So, she can go ahead and marry Leo directly.” My mom looked a little surprised. “You didn’t get married?” Serena’s face was grim. She frowned and explained, “We were too busy before, and then we just forgot.” But my mom clapped her hands. “That’s even better!” Lily, my daughter, tentatively looked at me. “So, Uncle will be my daddy now?” I nodded to her, smiling. “Happy?” Lily jumped up excitedly. “That’s wonderful! Uncle is going to be my daddy now!” Then, as if afraid I’d be upset, she added, “Daddy, oh, I mean, Mr. Alex, as long as you promise not to bully Uncle anymore, I’ll still like you.” I lowered my eyes. “Understood.” Leo was overjoyed, on the verge of tears. “Brother, are you really willing to let Serena marry me?” I said calmly, “Yes. Don’t call her ‘Sister-in-law’ anymore.” Leo glanced at Serena, a look of longing in his eyes. He thought Serena would be thrilled, but she was just staring at me. He instantly clenched his sleeves, hiding the jealousy in his eyes. When he looked up again, his eyes were full of innocence. He said sincerely, “Thank you, Brother.” I shook my head. “We’re family. No need to be so polite.” “Besides, I’ll need to rely on your care in the future.” Leo didn’t know that I had donated my body to his research lab. He thought I was just being polite and immediately chuckled. “We’re brothers. I’ll definitely take good care of you, Brother.” My mom, seeing us “reconciled,” finally nodded in satisfaction. “That’s right. If you had been this sensible earlier, how could your father and I have been angry with you?” I looked at her, wanting to ask her, *Was I really insensible?* I was the actual son of the Mo family, but everyone thought I was their adopted son. Serena was the one who insisted on marrying me, but everyone thought I was the disgusting third wheel. I willingly took care of her and Lily without a title, all for Serena, but everyone thought I was manipulative… I slowly closed my eyes, forcing back the surge of tears. I didn’t want to appear pathetic in front of them anymore. Because I knew if I showed any dissatisfaction, Leo would immediately feign injury. Then, even my pain would become a mistake. When I opened my eyes again, the constant ache in my heart felt completely numb. Like an old clock, it had simply stopped ticking. I looked at Serena. She was still watching me, and her eyes held a hint of pity. The feeling struck me as absurd. I quietly asked, “Can I go back and rest now?” Serena nodded. “Yes, go rest.” I breathed a sigh of relief and slowly shuffled towards the utility room. But my mom said, “Pack your things and go back home.” “There are reporters everywhere outside. If people find out you’re still living at your sister-in-law’s house, who knows what rumors they’ll start.” I obediently nodded. “Alright.” My mom told Serena to drive me back. Once we were outside, Serena suddenly grabbed my hand. “I’ll go with you into surgery in a week.” “After your surgery, we’ll talk properly.” “Leo and I… it’s really not what you think.” I saw Leo’s face suddenly change. I smiled at Serena and said, “Okay.” But she didn’t know that I wouldn’t have a chance to hear her hollow explanations. Serena looked at me strangely. She felt as if the person standing in front of her was a block of emotionless wood. She said impatiently, “Let’s go.” Once in the car, the ride was silent. Serena tried to speak several times, but each time she saw my pale, blood-stained face, her desire to talk vanished. The car had only gone halfway when she received a call from my mom. The next moment, she pulled over to the side of the road. She said anxiously, “Leo suddenly fainted. It might be a severe rejection reaction.” “I have to rush back. You can take a taxi.” I glanced at the clock on the dashboard. It was 3 AM. And this was a deserted overpass. A taxi? Where would I find a taxi? But I didn’t say anything, just obediently got out of the car. Before I could even steady myself, Serena stomped on the gas and drove off. The roar of the sports car tore at my heart, making it ache. I clutched my chest, taking a long time to recover from that excruciating pain. But just as I started to feel better, a dull rumble of thunder echoed overhead, as if even the heavens were enraged by my weakness, roaring in fury. Soon after, large raindrops began to fall, some hitting my head, stinging painfully. Hearing the “thump, thump, thump” sounds, I realized it was hailing. I quickly covered my head and walked forward. Hard hailstones relentlessly pelted my hands and face. As I walked, my vision suddenly went black, and I collapsed to the ground. A long, long time later, I think I heard an ambulance, and then Dr. Davies’ familiar voice. He sounded like he was crying, repeatedly demanding, “What happened? He still had a week to live! How… how could he suddenly be gone?” My ribs hurt so much, Doctor. You’re pressing down too hard on me. Are you performing CPR? But… it really hurts… Living hurts so much… Please, just let me go… “Beep…” Patient Alex Mo was pronounced dead at 5 AM on June 1st, aged 28. Simultaneously, the renowned Ingenuity Medical Research Lab received his body and initiated cryopreservation.

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The first thing I did after my rebirth was to dump my devoted boyfriend and immediately accept the pursuit of the obsessive guy. Why? Because in my previous life, my best friend Emma had bound an app that could transfer all my boyfriend’s love for me to herself. The 999 golden roses he prepared for me ended up in her arms. The hotel he bought for me was registered under her name. His gaze towards me changed from passionate to cold and distant, yet when he turned to look at her, it was filled with the tenderness I once knew so well. When I cried and asked him why he had changed, he looked at me with disgust. “We broke up long ago. Stop harassing my girlfriend!” On my birthday, Emma livestreamed, showing off the entire amusement park my ex-boyfriend had rented for her, with fireworks blazing behind her. As for me, they joined forces to send me to a mental hospital. They said I was a madwoman who couldn’t accept rejection. I died in despair amidst endless electroshock therapy and drug injections. When I opened my eyes again, I was reborn. This time, I didn’t invest an ounce of true feelings in my ex-boyfriend. Instead, I played along with the obsessive guy’s pursuit. When Emma opened the app again to absorb all of the obsessive guy’s overwhelming love, I smiled. I wanted to see if she could handle it. 1 “Lily, I love you!” The deafening confession, accompanied by the screams of the crowd around us, yanked me back to reality. My boyfriend, Lucas, was holding a bouquet of golden roses, professing his love to me. Cheers erupted from all sides. “Say yes! Say yes!” I was momentarily dazed before realizing I had been reborn. I had returned to the day when Lucas was about to publicly declare his love for me in front of the entire school with 999 roses. In my previous life, I had waited here, full of anticipation, for him to approach me. But just when he was one step away from me, he suddenly turned and handed that bouquet to my best friend, Emma, who was standing behind me. I could never forget that moment. The love in Lucas’s eyes that was originally meant for me extinguished in an instant, only to reignite when he turned towards Emma. Later, I learned that Emma had an app on her phone that could steal love. It was her, like a thief, who stole Lucas’s love for me. And now, history seemed to be repeating itself. I could even sense Emma behind me, quietly raising her phone, ready to use her old trick again. The cheering around us grew louder, and Lucas’s smile became more radiant. I beat him to the punch, saying in an extremely calm tone: “Lucas, let’s break up.” Everyone’s expressions froze, and the cheering came to an abrupt halt. Lucas’s smile stiffened, and he looked at me in disbelief, as if he hadn’t heard clearly. “Lily, what… what did you say?” “I said, let’s break up,” I repeated, my tone as cold as ice. “I don’t like you anymore. I’ve lost feelings for you.” These words exploded like a bomb in the crowd. “What the hell? What’s going on? Has Lily gone crazy?” “Lucas treats her so well, everyone knows that. How can she say break up?” “Is she playing hard to get? That’s too cruel!” Lucas’s face instantly turned pale. His hands holding the flowers trembled slightly, and the deep affection in his eyes was replaced by immense shock and pain. “Why? Lily, tell me why? Did I do something wrong? I can change!” In my previous life, I had also pleaded with him like this, only to be met with his disgust. Now, it was his turn to experience this pain. “Lily!” A hand grabbed my arm. It was Emma, looking at me anxiously. “Don’t be impulsive! You and Lucas have such a good relationship, how can you break up just like that? Quickly apologize to him, stop fooling around.” I looked at her hypocritical face and laughed coldly in my heart. She was panicking, as expected. I suddenly understood that her app probably could only transfer the love of my current boyfriend. Once I broke up with Lucas, she wouldn’t be able to steal anything. That’s why she was so anxious to persuade us to reconcile. I forcefully shook off her hand, abandoning the weakness of my previous life, and stared at her with a piercing gaze. “My business is none of your concern.” With that, I turned and pushed my way through the crowd, leaving behind a commotion and Lucas’s heartbroken calls. 2 The news of me dumping Lucas spread like wildfire across the campus. I became a heartless woman in everyone’s eyes, ungrateful and playing with feelings. Wherever I went, I could feel the pointing fingers and whispers behind my back. “That’s her, the one who dumped Lucas, such a good boyfriend.” “I heard she’s just riding a donkey to find a horse, must have found someone richer.” “Who would have thought, she seemed so quiet usually, but she’s so manipulative.” I didn’t care about any of this. These rumors and gossip, compared to the electroshock therapy and torture I endured in the mental hospital in my previous life, were like a gentle breeze. Emma had been buzzing around me like a fly these past couple of days, earnestly trying to persuade me to get back together with Lucas. She kept hinting at how miserable Lucas was, how he couldn’t live without me. “Lily, Lucas hasn’t been able to eat for days. He’s lost so much weight. Can you really bear to see him like this?” She held my hand, speaking with apparent sincerity. “You two were the campus’s golden couple. Don’t give up because of some small misunderstanding.” I pulled my hand away, looking into her hypocritical eyes, finding it all so ridiculous. “If you care about him so much, why don’t you date him yourself?” I said flatly. Emma’s face froze for a moment before she quickly recovered. “I’m saying this for your own good. I’m your best friend. I can’t stand by and watch you make a mistake.” “Oh, really?” I smiled. “Then I should thank you for your kind intentions.” I ignored her and walked straight towards the campus basketball court. On the court, one figure stood out. He was tall, with skin so pale it was almost sickly. His eyes were startlingly black, with a beauty mark under them that gave him an otherworldly allure. He wasn’t playing basketball, just leaning lazily against the hoop. Within a three-meter radius around him, there was no one else. This was Ethan, from a prestigious family background, but with a volatile temperament and unpredictable mood swings. He was the epitome of a yandere. In my previous life, I had heard about his exploits. A girl who had dated him for less than a month was forced to transfer schools. I took a deep breath, walked across the court, and stood in front of Ethan. He seemed to sense someone’s presence and lazily lifted his eyelids. Those pitch-black eyes fell on me, carrying a hint of scrutiny and impatience. “What do you want?” His voice was as cold and indifferent as his person. I looked straight into his eyes and said word by word: “I’ve broken up with Lucas. Now I’m agreeing to be your girlfriend.” As soon as I finished speaking, Ethan was stunned. He slowly straightened up, looking down at me with a playful smile tugging at his lips. “Didn’t you say you were deeply in love with Lucas when I pursued you before?” “What, now you’re willing to break up with him?” Ethan’s words suddenly reminded me of the time I had spent with Lucas over the past few years. Back then, we were very much in love, but that was before Emma transferred Lucas’s love away. I tried to keep my voice as calm as possible, “Not interested? If not, forget it.” I was about to turn and leave when he suddenly chuckled softly. “Of course I’m interested.” As soon as he finished speaking, Ethan’s lips came crashing down on mine. 3 The news of me getting together with Ethan spread even faster and wider than when I had dumped Lucas. The entire school was in an uproar. “Oh my God, has Lily lost her mind? Dumping Lucas to go after Ethan?” “Does she think Ethan is as good-natured as Lucas? Just wait, she’ll be a wreck within three days.” “I bet a week before she comes running back to Lucas, crying for reconciliation.” I became the laughingstock of the entire school, with everyone waiting to see how this drama would unfold. Lucas, whom I had ruthlessly dumped, finally couldn’t take it anymore when he heard the news. He burst into my classroom, his eyes bloodshot, and confronted me in front of everyone. “Lily! What the hell are you trying to do?!” He pointed at me, his voice filled with the anger of betrayal. “You broke up with me just to be with him? Why are you torturing yourself like this?!” Before I could respond, Emma immediately stepped forward, putting on an act of deep concern. “Lucas, calm down.” She held Lucas back but turned to scold me, “Lily, how could you be so foolish!” “Throwing away someone as good as Lucas, and for what? To go after someone like Ethan? What’s he worth that makes you do this?” “As your best friend, no matter how much you hate me, I have to knock some sense into you!” She stood on her moral high ground, speaking righteously, as if she truly had my best interests at heart. The classmates around us chimed in. “That’s right, Lily. Emma’s right, you should break up with Ethan right away!” “Lucas treats you so well, don’t be stupid.” I looked at this farce unfolding before me and found it laughable. “Lucas, you’re already in the past. Why can’t I start a new life?” I then turned to Emma, my eyes full of mockery: “And you, Emma, do you live by the sea? Why are you so concerned with everyone’s business?” Emma’s face turned pale instantly, probably not expecting me to publicly embarrass her like this. Lucas was so angry he was shaking all over, trembling so much he couldn’t utter a word. Suddenly, a male voice rang out. “Since when did my girlfriend become someone you could lecture?” Ethan was leaning against the doorframe, hands in his pockets, looking at everyone present. He slowly walked to my side, naturally shielding me behind him. His gaze fell on Lucas, and he immediately launched into a tirade of mockery. “Losing to me isn’t shameful.” “After all, whether it’s family background or looks, you’re far behind. Instead of barking here like a defeated dog, why don’t you go look in a mirror and see why you got dumped?” Lucas was humiliated to the point of turning red, he glared at me fiercely before turning and running out. At this moment, I noticed Emma’s gaze was glued to Ethan, even more intensely than when she used to look at Lucas. I smirked coldly. The fish had taken the bait. From that day on, she no longer tried to persuade me to get back together with Lucas. Instead, she began to do everything she could to promote my relationship with Ethan. She revealed almost all of my preferences to Ethan. From small things like my favorite color to big things like what kind of person I liked. Ridiculously, Ethan actually listened to Emma’s advice and molded himself into a perfect boyfriend. Until one day at a class gathering, Emma deliberately locked me, who had drunk too much, in an empty private room with Ethan. As she closed the door, she turned back and gave me a meaningful smile. She thought that after tonight, Ethan’s love for me would reach its peak. Then she could reap the benefits and steal all of this intense love. She wasn’t wrong. But what she didn’t know was that I had been waiting for this moment too. 4 In the private room, only Ethan and I remained. He was indeed drunk, his eyes unfocused, his usually pale face flushed an unnatural red. He approached me step by step, calling my name in a low voice. “Lily, you’re mine, only mine…” He wanted to forcibly possess me. At this moment, I was eerily calm. Just as his lips were about to fall, I didn’t dodge. Instead, I raised my hand and, using all my strength, delivered a precise chop to the back of his neck. Bang—! Ethan’s tall figure collapsed softly, unconscious. I panted heavily, looking at him lying on the ground, without a shred of pity in my heart. The night was long. I sat on the sofa, quietly watching Ethan sleeping on the floor. During this time, I felt that suffocating love emanating from him. It was a hundred, no, a thousand times more intense than Lucas’s. It felt like countless invisible chains binding and suffocating me. In my previous life, it was in the mental hospital that I felt Lucas’s disgust after his love was stolen, dying in despair. And in this life, I wanted Emma to personally experience what it was like to be wrapped in this kind of distorted love. Time passed minute by minute, second by second. Finally, just before dawn, I felt the heavy feeling on my body suddenly being forcibly pulled away! What followed was an unprecedented sense of lightness. I smiled. Emma, you finally made your move. Almost at the same time, there was a soft click from the door lock. The door opened. Emma stood in the doorway. Seeing me unharmed, she was visibly stunned. “Lily! Are you okay? I… I accidentally lost the key last night and spent all night looking for the spare key.” “You and Ethan… how are things?” As she spoke, she anxiously looked into the room, searching for Ethan. I played along with her act, putting on a heartbroken expression, my eyes instantly reddening. “We… we broke up,” I choked out. “When he woke up, it was like he had become a different person. He said he had no feelings for me anymore and told me to get lost.” Hearing this, Emma’s eyes instantly filled with poorly concealed triumph and wild joy. She forcefully suppressed her upturned lips and came over to hug me with fake concern. “Lily, don’t be sad. You’re better off without a man like that! He doesn’t deserve you! It’s not worth crying over someone like him!” “Mm…” I buried my face in her shoulder, revealing a victorious smile where she couldn’t see. “I’m going to leave now. I need some time alone.” I pushed her away and walked out, looking lost and dejected. Emma almost eagerly saw me off. I didn’t actually go far, but hid around the corner of the hallway, coldly observing. Sure enough, as soon as I left, she immediately tidied her hair and clothes, and with a smile of certainty on her face, pushed open the door and entered the private room. The door wasn’t completely closed, leaving a small gap. Soon, I heard a man’s deep, suppressed voice, and a woman’s coquettish laughter from inside. “Mr. Ethan, you’re awake?” “…Who are you?”

My wedding with my boyfriend of three years was just around the corner. But then, I found so many texts on his phone. Every single word, sent by him to another girl. “I’m getting married.” “Any regrets?” “I’m happier than you.” … The night before our engagement, he sent her four final texts: “Fine, you’ve really got guts.” “Stop being so stubborn, okay?” “The wedding date’s set, the dress is ordered.” “Just come back, and you can be the bride.” It was my birthday when Scarlett Thorne returned. A crowd was celebrating with me, showering me with birthday wishes, when she pushed the door open. The woman wore a plush fleece jacket, her long hair cascading. She strode up to us in high heels, just a few steps. Then, she raised her hand and simply flung the contents of the teapot in front of her right onto my face. After dousing me, she crossed her arms, a smirk playing on her lips. She looked at the man sitting beside me and sneered, “Is *that* the kind of person you’re dating now?” “Terrible taste.” The private room fell silent. The lively chatter that had filled the air just moments before vanished completely. She held her head high, smiling triumphantly, as if absolutely certain the man beside me would pamper her just like old times. After an eternity of silence, Liam Carter reached for a few napkins. He gently wiped the tea stains from my cheek. He cupped my face, his gaze serious yet tender, as if his eyes could only hold me. “Oh? I think my taste is excellent.” “Ms. Thorne, my wedding with Bella is next week. I hope you can make it.” As if unable to believe these words could come from his mouth, she took a step back, then stormed out, slamming the door shut. But even after she left, no one in the room dared to breathe. Liam lowered his eyes, still gently wiping the tea leaves from my face. Yet, as he wiped, he suddenly lifted his hand and violently smashed the priceless teacup on the table. A deafening crash echoed. Still, his smile remained perfectly composed, almost angelic. He scanned everyone present. Including me. His thin lips curved slightly, and he said softly, “Everyone, get out. Now.”

If time could rewind four years. Everyone would have assumed Liam was destined to marry Scarlett. He, who was always so cold and detached, would travel halfway across the city just to buy flowers for Scarlett. He, who hated socializing, willingly mingled with the entire art world for Scarlett. Even for Scarlett’s exhibitions, he would cancel important meetings, personally attending every single one. Our friends used to joke, “Who would’ve thought Liam had a romantic bone in his body?” But their ending was anything but good. So bad, in fact, that Liam came to despise Scarlett. So bad that Scarlett didn’t return for four whole years after leaving the country. And I, somehow, picked up the pieces. Everyone knew Scarlett Thorne hated me the most during our school days. I still remember that night, one of his friends, drunk, pointed at me and said, He was only marrying me to spite Scarlett Thorne.

The temperature dropped a few days ago, and Liam started coming home later and later. But I couldn’t demand anything from him, even though we were getting married. Liam paid off my loans. Liam paid my tuition. My life… Liam saved it. So, I didn’t even have the right to resist, not even a little bit. I stared at the dinner on the table, wondering if I should microwave it again, when Liam returned. He casually hung his suit jacket on the hanger by the door. He leaned in slightly, smiling at me. “Help me untie my tie, wife.” His tone was both flirtatious and natural. As if the man who’d exploded in rage yesterday because of Scarlett’s appearance wasn’t him. As if the man who’d calmly told everyone to get out wasn’t him either. I walked up to him, tilting my head to study the structure of his tie. I knew he was looking down at me, his gaze as bright as the overhead lights. Until he raised his hand and gently took my wrist. He whispered into my ear, “Clumsy.” “…” After becoming an adult, I’d only ever done that with Liam. He was always unhurried. This time, though, he paused when his hand brushed over a scar on my back. How that scar got there. Both of us knew perfectly well. Scarlett Thorne had made it, with an X-Acto knife, cut by cut.

Back in school, I had a friend everyone envied. That was Liam. Perhaps even then, the concept of class had already divided us. A poor student like me was worlds apart from Liam and Scarlett’s circle. They were a group no teacher could control. Fights and brawls? Someone always covered for them. Every day, people flocked to fawn over them. It was in this environment that Liam got very close to me, a girl who couldn’t even afford the school buns for all three meals. I thought, during that time, Liam truly considered me a friend. He gave me his unused textbooks. He gave me his meal card so I could eat. He eagerly discussed homework problems with me. Back then, a group of girls used to bully me. He stepped in front of me. He said I was *his* person, and they shouldn’t bully me anymore. —Everything was so perfect before that, wasn’t it? He was my savior. Until one day. He told me he had a crush on a girl. It was Scarlett Thorne. The very girl… who used to bully me. “She’s actually quite interesting.” “Stubborn, I like that.” That was his evaluation of Scarlett. It was only then that I realized he never really saw me as a person either. That night, he took me out for drinks. Scarlett called a group of people and cornered me in the restroom. She used an X-Acto knife to carve my back, over and over. I still remember her face, refined, perfect, Like a demon from hell. She said she hated people like me who thought they were hot stuff because of someone else.

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