Author: Momo Chan

Soon after I died, Liam’s grandfather, Mr. Sterling, Sr., fell gravely ill and passed away. Liam’s parents were in a car crash and lay unconscious in the ICU. The Sterling family’s stock plummeted. Victoria sought out a mystic, claiming it was all due to my deep resentment and restless spirit. Little did they know, she was the one who killed me! She framed me and destroyed my reputation, all to steal Liam away. “You shameless woman, get out of the Sterling house!” “I was framed! Why won’t you believe me?!” I left, utterly heartbroken, but Victoria drugged me, locked me in the basement, and subjected me to unspeakable torment. She gouged out my eyes, cut out my tongue, broke my legs, and severed the tendons in my hands and feet. Then, she threw me into a den of men, letting them bind me and violate me. When she found out I was pregnant, she sliced open my stomach. I ultimately bled to death. Liam immediately demanded the Mystic suppress my spirit. And all this time, under the Sterling family garden, lay the undeveloped fetus. It was Liam’s and my child.

“Your resentment is too deep. You cannot enter reincarnation.” The Envoy’s gaze was chilling as he blocked my path. I was already dead, killed by my own sister and the man I loved most. Even as a wisp of a soul, I couldn’t forget my past. “How can I get rid of this resentment?” My voice was a hollow whisper, my eyes dead as I looked up and asked. The Envoy flipped through the records of my life, seeing my body riddled with wounds, not a single unmarred patch of skin, and how I’d been dismembered and scattered after death. His brow furrowed with tension. “When love and hate vanish, your resentment will scatter.” The Envoy sighed. “Don’t you want your beloved to know the truth? Are you content to die unremembered?” I clenched my fists, then released them weakly, letting out a bitter laugh. “I’m already dead. What good would that do now?” “I can help you.” My eyes lit up with a flicker of hope as I looked at the Envoy. “After all, only when your resentment disperses and you enter reincarnation will my task be complete.” I quickly bowed in thanks. “Thank you. I just want Liam to see the people around him clearly, to see the truth, to see my pain.” The Envoy was silent for a moment, then nodded, granting my request. Days later, Liam stared at the plunging stock market, his brows tightly furrowed. Beside him, Victoria stomped her foot in a fit of rage, arms crossed, muttering irritably, “The Mystic said it himself! It’s that damn b*tch Aurora, causing trouble even after death, ruining the Sterling family like this!” “Enough!” Liam said sharply, agitated as he lit a cigarette. “Where did you find this Mystic? Is he even reliable?” Victoria’s face twisted in an indignant sneer. “What do you mean by that? I pulled so many strings to find him! I think you’re just still hung up on that b*tch, still carry a torch for her.” Liam slowly exhaled a puff of smoke. “How could I be? You, on the other hand, have worked hard lately, running around for the Sterling family.” Liam’s frustration seemed to melt away as he looked at Victoria with tender affection. Victoria’s scowl softened, replaced by a demure blush, and she whined, her voice syrupy sweet, “Oh, you! I’m your wife, of course I’ll help you.” Soon after I died, Liam’s grandfather, Mr. Sterling, Sr., fell gravely ill. He coughed up blood incessantly, his face growing paler and thinner, as if his life force had been drained. Before this, he’d always been in robust health. What was strangest was that doctors couldn’t find any cause. A few days later, Mr. Sterling, Sr. passed away. Immediately after, Liam’s parents were in a car crash. They were turning at a green light, but in the next second, the light turned red. A large truck slammed into them. Both were critically injured, still lying unconscious in the ICU. Most bizarre of all, the Sterling family’s stock market, after these consecutive misfortunes, went into a tailspin. It plummeted for days, and many whispered that the Sterling family’s luck had run out. Liam hadn’t slept for days, frantic and overwhelmed. Victoria, introduced by a friend, found a Mystic. The Mystic, after a quick divination, claimed that a vengeful spirit was plaguing the Sterling family, causing their household to be disturbed and misfortunes to arise. The vengeful spirit, of course, was me, who had died half a year ago. It was Victoria who brought the news of my death back to the Sterling family. She said I had contracted a shameful illness abroad and died in a hospital bed, abandoned. Liam merely frowned slightly at this, sneering dismissively. “She truly was a dirty woman. Even after leaving the Sterling family, she couldn’t settle down. Good riddance, saves me from seeing her disgusting face.” He cursed me without mercy. All because, after I married him, I was falsely accused of having an affair with another man. In a fit of rage, he kicked me out of the Sterling home. No matter how much I pleaded my innocence, he turned a blind eye. And it was my dear sister, Victoria Maxwell, who orchestrated the whole scheme to ruin my reputation. She had a childhood betrothal to the Sterling family, but back then, the Sterlings were struggling financially. She refused point-blank, running off to live abroad by herself. That’s when I met Liam in a coffee shop on the corner of Blossom Lane. We fell in love at first sight. I endured hardship, helping him build up the Sterling family until they became the biggest business dynasty in the country. The first thing Liam wanted to do after his success was to marry me. But Victoria returned then. She, too, fell for the handsome, wealthy Liam at first sight. Unwilling to let me enjoy this good life, she drugged me, took photos of me in bed with another man, and anonymously sent them to Liam. Then, she pretended to lead Liam to “catch us in the act,” completely severing the bond between us. Seeing his complete lack of trust, I was utterly heartbroken and disillusioned, planning to leave quietly. But unexpectedly, Victoria imprisoned me in the Sterling family’s basement. I suffered unspeakable torment and ultimately met a tragic end. My eyes welled up. Now I was just a wisp of a soul, lingering in the Sterling home, watching him and Victoria maliciously slander me, trying every way to utterly destroy my soul. My heart ached as if pierced by a thousand needles. “Tomorrow, I’ll have that Mystic come over. I don’t believe he can’t subdue that damn b*tch Aurora. She’s truly shameless, getting a shameful illness and then having the nerve to haunt us after death. It’s absolutely disgusting!” Victoria’s eyes gleamed with cruel malice, a look I had seen countless times in life. The next day, the Mystic arrived as promised, accompanied by my parents, Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell. They were accomplices in my death too! They knew full well what Victoria was doing, yet they turned a blind eye. They even helped Victoria steal Liam away, all because they were biased and doted on her more. “Can this Mystic really do it? Are you sure he won’t expose anything?” My mother pulled Victoria aside and asked, worried. “Don’t worry, Mom. Aurora’s been dead for over half a year. There’s no such thing as ghosts in this world. I just asked the Mystic here to put on a show. As long as Liam believes it’s Aurora’s doing, that’s all that matters.” Victoria shrugged dismissively, not even bothering to acknowledge me. “Mystic, our home has been plagued by misfortunes lately. So, my wife asked you to come and take a look. Whatever it takes to secure the Sterling family’s foundation, I’m willing to pay.” My eyelashes trembled, and a bitter smile touched my lips. In his eyes, my injustice was far less important than money and profit. “Don’t worry, leave it to me.” The Mystic nodded, taking out a set of tools. He instructed them to arrange the tools at various points, then sat cross-legged in the center, closed his eyes, and mumbled something softly. “Is the vengeful spirit your former wife?” Liam was silent for a few seconds, then reluctantly nodded. “She betrayed me. I never thought she’d also harm my family! Dying a hundred times wouldn’t be enough.” The Mystic said nothing, continuing to close his eyes and chant. “It’s not that she intentionally wants to harm your family. It’s that her injustice remains unresolved. She refuses to enter reincarnation like this, so she seeks justice from you.” The Mystic spoke softly, his face grim, white mist rising around him, as if truly conversing with a departed soul. “How is that possible? I saw her betray me with my own eyes! What injustice could she possibly claim? I think she’s just looking for an excuse to harm us!” Liam didn’t believe it at all, his face full of scorn. “Exactly, Mystic! My sister was promiscuous. She even died from a shameful illness. How could she possibly be wronged?” Victoria linked her arm through Liam’s, adding solicitously, “Mystic, you must be careful. That b*tch is incredibly cunning. Don’t let her trick you.” “She’s right! Aurora was entitled and manipulative since she was a child. She was always best at lying. The Mystic must have been scared by her!” My parents also chimed in, eager to pin the blame on me. The Mystic didn’t respond. After a while, he suddenly opened his eyes. His face was pale, his eyes bloodshot, veins covering the whites, making him look truly terrifying. “This vengeful spirit’s obsession is too deep. It will be difficult to suppress. Only by clearing her name can she depart.” “Clear her name? What do you mean?” Liam quickly asked. The Mystic took a deep breath, his complexion gradually returning to normal. “She told me she didn’t die of illness. She was murdered!” Victoria’s eyes darted nervously, then she quickly rebutted, “How could that be? She died from a shameful illness. We all know that!” “She has already told me. The one who murdered her was you!”

The Mystic’s hand pointed firmly at Victoria. Liam immediately spoke up. “Impossible. Victoria is her sister. Besides, she’s gentle and proper, devoted to the Sterling family. How could she do such a thing?!” “That’s right, Mystic! Our little Victoria has been well-behaved and sensible since childhood. She never competed with her sister. Aurora was always the one bullying her. How could she kill Aurora?!” “You’re a fraud! I don’t think you know any spiritual arts at all. You’re just here to trick us out of money! You think we’ll believe you just by flapping your gums? You’re truly insolent!” Victoria saw so many people defending her and smirked triumphantly. “You’d better give me an explanation, or you won’t be leaving the Sterling family gates today!” Liam’s expression was grim, his gaze cold and threatening towards the Mystic. “Mr. Sterling, I just spoke with the vengeful spirit. She recounted her entire painful ordeal to me, which is why my blood boiled over, causing my face to contort into that ghastly mask. She said if you don’t believe her, you can look at her diary. All the truth is inside!” The Mystic quickly bowed, eagerly defending himself. “What nonsense are you spouting?! That diary was burned long ago…” Victoria realized she had slipped up, instantly cutting herself off, blinking frantically. “I mean, after she died, all her things were disposed of. How could there be a diary? Don’t pretend to be a ghost here. I think you’re just trying to buy time to escape.” Victoria naturally didn’t dare let Liam see my diary. In it, I had poured my last breath, writing with hateful blood. It was horrifying. “Mr. Sterling, if you truly want to resolve this urgent matter, please trust me. The diary is in the storage room right now!” Liam pondered for a moment, then glanced at a distracted Victoria. Victoria shook her head frantically, trying to stop Liam. “Then let’s go see what tricks this woman is trying to pull!” With that, Liam strode purposefully towards the storage room. Victoria’s shoulders trembled slightly, but she had no choice but to follow. As soon as she entered the storage room, she cautiously searched around, hoping to hide it first. “It’s here.” The Mystic’s voice drew everyone’s attention. Victoria bit her lower lip nervously, glaring at the Mystic with hateful eyes. I hovered nearby, watching them. When I saw that familiar diary, my eyes burned, and my heart ached so much I couldn’t breathe. Tears streamed down. It chronicled my painful, desperate life, just like this tattered diary, my life was already ruined. Liam hesitated. He lowered his gaze, examining the cover, reluctant to open the first page. His constant swallowing told me he was afraid. Finally, Liam steeled himself and turned to the first page of the diary. [How could I have been with that man? I didn’t even know him. I remember my sister brought me a glass of water, and after that, I wasn’t coherent.] [Why won’t Liam believe me? I know nothing. I was framed. I loved him so much, how could I cheat?!]

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “297076”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance

The intern, Chloe Miller, screwed up the monitoring equipment, and it caused a patient to hemorrhage badly. But Declan Hayes – my boyfriend of six years, who was also my chief physician – he made *me*, the nurse manager, take the fall. My boyfriend sacrificed me to protect his new fling’s future. He didn’t bother coming home at night anymore, spending his time with Chloe. I was just a disposable pawn, ready to be used and discarded. “Chloe’s still an intern, Anya. One mistake could ruin her whole career.” Declan looked at me, his eyes cold, his tone utterly dismissive. “You’re experienced. Taking some responsibility is nothing for someone like you.” His face was grim, his gaze filled with disdain, as if I were nothing. “Anya, you need to know your place. You think you’re so great? If I hadn’t pulled strings for you, do you really think you’d be the nurse manager?” I stared at the man I’d dated for six years, and my heart turned to ashes. Six years of my youth, and all I got was his ruthless humiliation and betrayal. But I was going to show him. Without him, I’d thrive even more. **1** Blood. Everywhere. The monitor shrieked a piercing alarm, the patient’s blood pressure plummeting. “Clamps! Now!” Declan’s voice roared through the operating room. My hands trembled, but I quickly handed over the instrument. “Anya Stone, what did you just do?” Declan’s gaze sliced through me like a blade. “I didn’t —” “Did you touch the monitor to make it alarm?” He cut me off, his voice chillingly cold. I froze. The monitor had indeed gone off, but I hadn’t touched it. It was Chloe, the new intern. She’d clearly bumped the equipment a moment ago. I instinctively glanced at Chloe. She stood innocently in the corner, her eyes red-rimmed and wide. “Dr. Hayes, I really don’t know what happened.” Chloe’s voice was soft and sweet. “I was just watching from the side, I didn’t touch anything.” Declan frowned, his gaze sweeping between Chloe and me, finally settling on me. “Anya, you’re the nurse manager. It’s your responsibility to ensure safety in the operating room. Now the patient’s bleeding, someone has to be held accountable.” I opened my mouth, wanting to say that Chloe had touched the monitor. But seeing her innocent, helpless look, the words died on my tongue. *Forget it.* I’m the nurse manager. Taking responsibility is part of my job. “I’ll write the report,” I mumbled. Declan nodded and returned his focus to the surgery. Where he couldn’t see, Chloe flashed me a smile. It sent a shiver down my spine. After the surgery, Declan walked into the office. “Report done?” “Almost.” He glanced at the screen, then nodded. “This sounds appropriate.” “Chloe’s still an intern. One mistake could ruin her whole career.” “You’re experienced. Taking some responsibility is nothing for someone like you.” I looked up at him, the man I’d been with for six years. “Declan, do you really think this was my fault?” “It’s not *your* fault, but someone has to take responsibility.” His tone was flat. “The hospital needs to give the family an explanation.” “Then why not Chloe?” Declan frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean? Are you trying to pass the blame to an intern? Anya, when did you get so petty?” I stared at him, suddenly feeling like I was looking at a stranger. Six years, and in his eyes, I was just a tool, someone he could push forward to take the blame at any time. “I’m not trying to pass the blame.” I turned back to the computer screen. “I’ll write it as you said.” Declan patted my shoulder. “That’s my girl. You’ve always been the most understanding.” *Understanding enough to lose myself.* He turned to leave, but I called out, “Declan, let’s have dinner together tonight?” “Can’t tonight. I need to take Chloe through the hospital procedures. She’s new, there’s a lot she doesn’t know.” “How about tomorrow?” “We’ll see,” he said, walking away without a glance back. **2** The next day, Chloe was already at the nurses’ station, bright and early. She saw me and immediately flashed a sweet smile. “Anya, good morning! Thanks again for yesterday.” “Just do your job well,” I said. “Oh, by the way, Dr. Hayes took me to dinner last night. At that Italian place near the hospital,” Chloe gushed, beaming. “He said I have a lot of potential.” A knot tightened in my stomach. That Italian restaurant was where Declan and I had our first date. “Oh, Dr. Hayes asked me to bring you this coffee,” she said, handing me a mocha. “How did he know I like this?” “I asked him yesterday!” Chloe’s smile was triumphant. “Dr. Hayes didn’t even hesitate. He said mocha, and sugar-free, because you’re on a diet lately.” My grip tightened on the coffee cup. He’d told Chloe my preferences, and in such detail. Just then, Declan walked in. He wore his white coat, still the same detached expression, but when he saw Chloe, his face softened visibly. “Chloe, do you remember what I taught you yesterday?” “Yes!” Chloe nodded enthusiastically. “Dr. Hayes, can I shadow you on your rounds today?” “Of course.” Declan nodded, then looked at me. “Anya, the hospital received your accident report yesterday. Your evaluation this month might be affected.” “I know.” “But it’s fine. Just be more careful next time.” His tone was flat, as if discussing something trivial. Chloe murmured beside him, “It’s all my fault. If only I wasn’t so new and didn’t understand anything, Anya wouldn’t have had to take the blame.” Declan patted her shoulder. “It’s not your fault, Chloe. Everyone has an adjustment period when they’re new. Anya’s the nurse manager; handling these things is her responsibility.” *Right. My responsibility.* So, her mistakes are my responsibility too? I lowered my head and drank my coffee, not wanting them to see my expression. “Alright, let’s go on rounds,” Declan said to Chloe. They walked off, one after the other. I watched their backs, an unreadable feeling swirling inside me. That evening, I got home, but Declan still wasn’t back. I remembered what Chloe had said today: Declan had hugged her and told her she reminded him of someone he used to know. The sound of keys jangling outside broke my thoughts. Declan was home. “What kept you so late?” I asked. “Just practicing procedures with Chloe. It took a while,” he said, taking off his jacket. “The hospital has a medical conference tomorrow. I’m taking Chloe with me.” *Chloe, again.* “Why are you taking her? She’s just an intern.” “She’s very talented. It’ll be good for her future development to see more,” Declan said, looking at me. “Do you have an issue with that?” “I don’t have an issue, I just think it’s a bit strange.” “What’s so strange? Is there a problem with me developing my subordinates?” Declan’s voice was tinged with impatience. “Anya, what’s wrong with you lately? You’re always targeting Chloe.” *Targeting? When did I ever target her?* “I’m not targeting her. I just think you’re being too good to her.” “Too good?” Declan scoffed. “I’m good to her because she deserves it. She’s diligent and hardworking, unlike some people who just overthink everything.” *Some people? Was he talking about me?* “Declan, what do you mean by that?” “What do *you* think I mean?” His eyes were cold. “Chloe told me recently that you keep giving her dirty looks, making her feel stressed. She’s just a young girl who just started, do you really have to be like that?” Chloe told him I gave her dirty looks? When did I ever do that? “When did I ever give her dirty looks?” “You know perfectly well yourself.” Declan turned and walked towards the bedroom. “I suggest you rein it in, before people start to talk.” **3** The next day, Chloe wore a new dress, a pale blue one. “Anya, Dr. Hayes is taking me to a medical conference today! I’m so nervous,” she said with a sweet smile. “How do I look in this dress? Dr. Hayes said blue looks really good on me.” Declan complimented her on blue? Just then, Declan walked over. “Chloe, ready?” “Ready!” Chloe nodded excitedly. Declan glanced at me, said nothing, and turned to leave. “Declan, wait.” I called out. “What is it?” “Did you talk trash about me to Chloe yesterday?” Declan frowned. “I didn’t talk trash about you. I just objectively analyzed the situation.” “What situation?” “Anya, your behavior lately has been worrying.” Declan’s tone was calm. “As a nurse manager, you should be more tolerant and magnanimous, not let personal emotions affect your work.” *Personal emotions? Did I affect my work?* “When did I ever let personal emotions affect my work?” “Your attitude towards Chloe says it all.” Declan looked at me, a flicker of disappointment in his eyes. “She’s just a recent graduate, do you really need to target her like that?” I sighed inwardly and cut him off. “Forget it. You two go.” Around noon, Liam called me. “Anya, have you thought about yesterday’s offer?” “I want to go back.” I said the words with almost no hesitation. “Really?” Liam’s voice was filled with surprise. “That’s fantastic! When can you come?” “Let me sort things out here. Probably about a month.” “Great! I’ll go talk to Dr. Vance right away and secure a spot for you.” I hung up, feeling a huge weight lift from my chest. In the afternoon, Declan and Chloe returned. Chloe’s face was flushed with excitement. Declan walked over and glanced at the content on my screen. His face instantly changed. “A resignation letter? You’re resigning?” “Yes.” I turned to face him. “I’m going back to my family’s town.” “Why?” Declan frowned. “Is it because I’ve been busy and haven’t had time for you?” “It’s not that.” I looked at him. “Declan, do you think we still have a future?” “What do you mean?” “We’ve been together for six years. Have you ever thought about marriage?” Declan paused. “Marriage? My career is on the rise right now. It’s too early to get married.” *Too early? We’re almost thirty. Is that still early?* “Then when won’t it be early?” “Give it a few more years,” Declan said casually. “Marriage isn’t good for career development right now.” *Not good? Or is it that I’m just not important to him anymore?* “Declan, do you still love me?” The moment the question left my lips, I saw a flicker of panic in Declan’s eyes. “Why are you asking that?” “Answer me.” Declan was silent for a long time before he finally spoke. “What is love? We’ve been together for so long, it’s gone beyond love. It’s family now.” *Family?* I looked at him, a chill spreading through my heart. In his eyes, I had gone from a girlfriend to a relative—someone who could be easily ignored. “I understand.” I stood up. “Let’s break up.” Declan seemed not to have heard me clearly. “What did you say?” “I said, let’s break up.” I repeated, my voice calm. **4** “Anya, are you crazy?” Declan’s voice rose. “You’re breaking up with me because of Chloe?” “It’s not because of Chloe. It’s because we don’t have love anymore.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “297075”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance

Back from the dead, I decided to write my fake heiress sister Stella’s name on the 3-billion-dollar gift deed. This time, I was all in for Stella inheriting the family fortune. This life, I’d beat my parents to it, giving Stella the 3 billion and even my wealthy fiancé. I personally orchestrated every picture-perfect family moment between Stella and our parents. They moved to Montclair City with her. I didn’t say a word, packing my bags for a leading engineering school out West. In my last life, I took the 3 billion my parents gave me, single-handedly salvaged our family’s fortune, turning a 300 million debt into a 6 billion empire, securing their lavish lifestyle for generations. But I worked myself to death, literally, until I got stomach cancer and was bedridden at a young age . My parents not only showed no sympathy, they even gifted all my assets to Stella, ensuring she had a grand wedding with my fiancé. Reborn, I don’t want the billions, I don’t want to inherit anything. All I want is to be a soaring eagle, free to fly.

“Just fill in your name and give it to me.” My pampered mother, Eleanor, impatiently tapped on the desk. I stared at the asset gift deed, my fingertips lightly tracing the smooth A4 paper, my thoughts adrift. In my last life, this was the happiest day. I’d carefully, stroke by stroke, filled in my own name, then eagerly dragged Dad to buy a car. I wanted the car so I could pick them up from work, because after being apart for twenty years, I felt like I hadn’t had enough of their affection. But Dad had ripped into me, yelling that I was just a typical orphanage brat who’d never seen money before. He was in a hurry to go with Mom to Stella’s art exhibition. I mumbled, “Got it, got it.” I glanced up at Mom’s agitated expression and the hand that kept checking her phone. Mom was wearing a luxurious silk gown today, half-sleeved, showing off her slender, pale forearms. I remembered Stella loved her in that outfit, saying Mom looked so aristocratic, exuding an intimidating elegance, effortlessly outshining everyone else. “Mom, Dad, if you have something important to do, go ahead,” I forced down the bitter ache in my chest, trying to sound casual. “I’ll turn it in myself once I’m done.” Mom visibly relaxed, her tone softening a bit. “Don’t worry, now that we’ve found you, we’ll take responsibility for you.” “But you need to stop being jealous of Stella. Even though she’s not related by blood, we’ve raised her for so long. You know, she’s family, and we’ve raised her. Who could just abandon her without feeling anything? People would call us heartless.” I stayed silent. In my last life, I’d explained countless times, but in their eyes, I was just a jealous, petty older sister who simply couldn’t stand her frail, kind adopted sister. She didn’t say anything more, turning and hurrying off with Dad. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my erratic heartbeat, my mind replaying all the painful memories from my previous life. Buying Stella the prettiest dresses, taking her on world tours to broaden her horizons. For my coming-of-age party, they used Stella’s illness as an excuse, not coming home all night. They only took Stella when going out to business meetings, patiently and gently teaching her the ropes of the business, dead set on having her replace me, but she was always slow on the uptake. And then, right before I died, my parents didn’t shed a single tear. “You, while you still have a breath left, quickly sign the property transfer agreement. You’re not as good as Stella in any way.” “If you didn’t have a bit of business talent, why would I let you occupy the company for five years? Let go, it all belongs to Stella.” From my hospital bed, I watched my cold fiancé, Ryan, who stood silently beside them. His deathly silence was all the confirmation my parents needed. I bit down hard on my lower lip until I tasted a hint of blood before slowly releasing it. No, not this life. I won’t repeat my mistakes. I picked up the pen and, in the beneficiary column, slowly wrote three words: Stella Monroe. Mom, Dad, since you love her so much, let it be as you wish. I handed the filled-out gift deed to the notary and walked away without looking back. I wasn’t sad. Instead, I felt an inexplicable sense of liberation. 2. Stella Monroe was the child of our family’s former housekeeper. The housekeeper, envious of our privileged life, secretly swapped us as infants. Stella was a sweet-talker and a schemer. She managed to charm Mom and Dad into simply firing the housekeeper, giving her a large sum of money, and letting her “sell” Stella to them, without pursuing any further legal action. They treated Stella even better than their own daughter. When I came back, my parents weren’t happy. Instead, they blamed me for disrupting their family harmony. For the family alliance, Mom had long planned for Stella to marry my fiancé. But the other family’s elders insisted on a pure-blooded Monroe daughter for the marriage, so the intended spouse had to be me. Ryan and Stella were childhood sweethearts, and he was already deeply in love with her. He resented me for breaking them apart. In reality, Stella was just leading him on. At the time, Ryan was just a trust fund kid from the city’s old money families, and she was waiting for someone better. When no one else came along, she grudgingly pretended to agree to marry him. I took a trip to the leading engineering school out West, making sure I understood all the requirements for admission and the living expenses. Only then did I feel at ease enough to head back. Arriving back at the luxurious Monroe family villa, I walked in just as I heard Stella’s saccharine, childish whine cooing, “Mom, Dad, you even canceled your meetings to come back and be with me. Aren’t you going to accompany Clara to the West? Will she be mad?” “We can accompany her anytime. She’s always been a wild child.” “But you always get cramps during your period, and we didn’t feel right leaving you alone at home.” Stella smiled happily, then feigned sadness, saying, “Will Clara still be nice to me after she inherits the family business?” “Of course,” Mom’s voice was firm. “If not to you, then to whom?” “If your sister isn’t good to you, I’ll take back the 3 billion. If it weren’t for fearing it would be too much work for our Stella, I would never have let her inherit the family business!” I clenched my fists so tightly I thought my nails would dig into my palms, just to suppress the overwhelming bitterness in my chest. Even after everything, hearing my own mother speak of me with such coldness still hurt. I composed myself and walked into the villa as if nothing were wrong. 3. Mom and Dad emerged from Stella’s room, a hint of awkwardness on their faces. “We… we just came back early to check on Stella because she wasn’t feeling well.” I hummed vaguely and turned to go back to my room. In my last life, I’d argued with them countless times about their favoritism towards Stella. This life, I didn’t want to waste any more time or energy. Dad called out to me, “Clara, how about we buy you a car? You’ve got your driver’s license now, we should get you one.” I looked at him in surprise. Then I figured it was probably their way of compensating me for not arguing or making a fuss. “No need. My most important task right now is studying. It’s not easy for you to earn money, Mom and Dad.” He froze, probably finding it hard to believe I’d actually refuse that offer. “Is Clara mad because Mom and Dad came home to take care of me?” Stella emerged from her room, her babyish voice cooing, accompanied by a look of wronged innocence. She deliberately exposed her wrist, where she wore the jade bracelet I had bought specifically for Mom. I had saved up for six months, working crazy part-time jobs on weekends, without telling my parents, just to buy it. I’d presented it to Mom like a priceless treasure, but she’d scoffed, saying I was just a wild brat who just runs around, bringing home cheap junk to try and impress her. Seeing my gaze, Stella flusteredly explained, “I saw Mom’s jade bracelet today and thought it was pretty, so I wanted to try it on. I forgot to take it off.” She lowered her head, twisting her fingers nervously, looking like a child who had done something wrong. Mom instinctively started to say, “Clara, you shouldn’t…” I cut her off, my voice calm: “It looks quite nice on Stella. Just keep it. Anyway, I bought it from a street vendor.” “No, no, I can’t take Sister’s things. Mom and Dad have already given me so much since I was little.” In my last life, after saying that, Stella, despite her supposed illness, took off the bracelet, “accidentally” dropping it and shattering it on the ground. Seeing the broken bracelet on the floor, I cried and ran back to my room, only to be scolded by my parents who followed me in. Thinking about it now, it still makes my skin crawl. Under their surprised gazes, I returned to my room and locked the door. 4. I pulled out a package, inside was my acceptance letter—to the leading engineering school out West. In my previous life, I’d always loved the rich history of the West, especially its defense industry, which was my favorite field. Last life, for Mom and Dad, I gave up my passions and my university dreams, willingly starting from the bottom in Montclair City. With the 3 billion they gave me, I single-handedly salvaged our family’s fortune, which was 300 million in debt, literally working myself to death from stomach cancer. This life, thankfully, it’s not too late. I just want to live for myself. I checked my phone. Ten days left until I could leave this place. Time was tight, but I had to prepare every minute. A sudden knock on the door. I opened it impatiently. Mom stood there holding a bowl of noodles, her voice gentle, “Hungry? Mom made you a bowl of noodles. I haven’t cooked in years, come and try Mom’s cooking.” I felt a moment of unreality. In my last life, Mom was either cold as ice or spoke to me with venom, let alone cooking for me. It was as if I was the one who tore the family apart. It had been a long time since I’d seen Mom so amiable. “No thanks, I already ate out.” “How could you?!” “You’ve always been so frugal, haven’t you?” Her words stung. I used to be frugal, saving every penny, spending most of the money I earned from part-time jobs trying to please them, buying them things. But they always complained they were too cheap. Now I was going to university, and I had many expenses. Every penny had to be carefully budgeted. I looked up at her, my voice calm: “I remember a few days ago, I developed a paid app optimization for Mom’s company.” “You seem to be using it quite smoothly. Can I have the development fee now?” She froze, then awkwardly explained: “That app… I put it under Stella’s name. You know, your sister isn’t as capable as you, but she needs to establish herself in the high society circles.” I couldn’t help but curl my lip. How boring. Always the same. “If there’s nothing else, I’m closing the door to sleep.” “I’ll give you the money tomorrow,” she said, a hint of annoyance in her voice. “We’re family, do you have to be so calculative?” I couldn’t help but scoff, “So I pulled all-nighters to make that app, and the credit goes to someone else, the money goes to someone else, and I can’t even complain?” She knew she was in the wrong, but still stubbornly mumbled, “Unreasonable.” I didn’t want to argue with Mom any longer. I slammed the door shut. 5. For the next few days, I locked myself in my room, furiously coding and listing everything, valuable or not, on eBay. In my previous life, I had treasured the gifts my parents gave me. Now, compared to what Stella received, they were just cheap junk. I didn’t want to take a single piece with me. I packed them all up, turning them into cash for university. That afternoon, as I continued sorting my luggage, Mom stood before me, holding a card, saying stiffly, “Here’s your hundred thousand dollars.” I took the money and nodded. “Thanks.” She looked at me, her eyes complex, then her gaze fell on my light luggage. “We’re planning to have Stella move to Montclair City with us first. You don’t need to pack.” I didn’t stop packing, just nodded. She seemed unaccustomed to my attitude, looking somewhat uneasy. “What’s wrong with you lately? You’re like a different person.” I turned away impatiently. I didn’t want to stir up more trouble. Even though Mom and Dad didn’t love me, if they found out that Stella’s name was on the gift deed… It was highly likely they would make me sign a new gift deed for Stella’s sake. I didn’t want any more involvement with the Monroe family. “Nothing, just trying to pack.” “Once you’re in Montclair City, I can move back to the orphanage.” She breathed a sigh of relief, then explained, “It’s not that we don’t want you.” “It’s just that Stella loves Montclair City so much and wants to settle there. We’ll come pick you up in a few months, once we’re settled.” I nodded absentmindedly. In my previous life, for five whole years, they never came to pick me up. Not until I was utterly exhausted and on my deathbed did they rush back to break off my engagement and devour my assets to host a lavish wedding for Stella. She looked at me uncomfortably. Usually, whenever we were alone, I would chatter non-stop. Now that I was using so few words, she grew uneasy. “Weren’t you always wanting to attend the debutante ball? How about we go try on gowns tomorrow?” I knew attendees had to be 16 or older, of good character, from reputable families, with parents of good standing and no criminal record or bad conduct. No way. Tomorrow, I planned to go to a tech company to discuss a collaboration project, to earn money for university tuition and living expenses. I was about to find an excuse when Stella walked in. She intimately linked arms with Mom. “Mommy, when are we going to the debutante ball? Stella wants to go too, Stella wants a gown!” Mom lovingly stroked Stella’s head. “Alright, we’ll go together tomorrow.” “You go ahead. I have plans tomorrow.” Mom frowned. “What could be more important than attending the debutante ball?” “Go pick a gown first. Whatever you like, I’ll buy it for you.” Her voice was forceful, brooking no refusal. Stella whined, “Exactly, is Sister not going because of me?” I didn’t want to argue anymore and nodded, agreeing to go. 6. First thing in the morning, I heard Mom and Dad speaking in hushed, coaxing tones, trying to get Stella out of bed in her room. The stark numbers on my phone reminded me: four days left. In four days, I could completely escape this life. Just as I was about to lose my patience, they finally dragged themselves out of the room. Dad solicitously brought warm water, and Mom personally washed Stella’s face. The old me must have been blind, to naively believe that if I gave them my all, they would reciprocate. I was lost in thought when Dad awkwardly walked over to me, jingling a Maserati car key. “Stella doesn’t have her driver’s license yet, but we already got her a car. I can’t play favorites, so I bought one for you too.” I didn’t take it. In my last life, it was a 300,000 dollar BMW, not this expensive, luxury car. And Stella already had a Bentley before she was even old enough to drive. Stella saw it and immediately pouted. “Oh, it’s so beautiful! I want it too!” I generously offered, “Then you can have it.” Dad’s face instantly darkened. “Don’t be ridiculous, your sister passed her driving test but never had a car!” Stella snatched the car key, holding it up and jingling it at Mom and Dad. “Mom, Dad, will this be my motivation to get my driver’s license, huh?” Mom and Dad looked at Stella, their eyes full of doting affection, and reluctantly nodded. Then Dad guiltily turned to me, whispering, “I’ll… I’ll buy you one next time.” I nodded indifferently. I’d heard their promises too many times; none of them had ever been kept. At the evening gown boutique, Stella chose first, trying on numerous dresses. When it was my turn, the store manager brought out the most magnificent gown. When I put it on, gasps of admiration filled the room. “Oh, I’m so sorry.” Stella “accidentally” spilled a cup of coffee on the gown. I secretly cheered inside, but kept a poker face. “Oh, never mind then.” I picked a simple, understated black gown. Walking out of the boutique, Dad pulled a job offer from his pocket—for a position on the assembly line at the family company in Montclair City, starting in four days. “We didn’t mean to abandon you,” he said. “We want to train you to take over the family business, starting from the ground up. In Montclair City, we’ve rented a small studio apartment for you. It wouldn’t be convenient for you to live at home while working undercover from the bottom.” The assembly line job was six days on, one day off. When business was good, they often worked overtime until midnight. I didn’t know how they thought I could endure it. Besides, I had done some digging. The small studio apartment Stella had rented for me was in the worst part of town, and it was a shared living space with a bizarre couple who had their days and nights flipped. At night, they were either screaming passionately or throwing all-night parties. The previous tenant couldn’t sleep at all, lost handfuls of hair, and was drowsy all day, even getting her hand caught in machinery. 7. Seeing me accept the offer, Dad visibly relaxed. “Don’t worry, even if you don’t live in the Montclair City villa, Mom and Dad won’t abandon you.” “We’ll be good to you, and we’ll hand the company over to you eventually. You just need to treat Stella like your own sister.” My expression softened for a moment. When had Dad ever spoken such soft words? Suddenly, a mugger wielding a kitchen knife burst into the store, charging straight at us. Mom and Dad pulled Stella into their embrace, ducking away. In the chaos, someone shoved me. The mugger held the knife to my throat. My body was stiff with fear, unable to move. “Hand over the money, or I’ll kill her.” A streak of blood appeared on my neck. It stung, making me wince, but I dared not make a sound, fearing I would enrage the mugger. Others in the store slowly gathered around, pointing and whispering. My gaze pierced through the onlookers, settling firmly on Mom and Dad. They were comforting Stella, completely oblivious to my situation. Perhaps they noticed, or perhaps they simply didn’t care. It was Stella, however, who bravely rushed out, yelling at the mugger. “How dare you touch my sister?! We’re the Monroe family from the Capital City! You want money? You won’t get any. Mess with the Monroes, and you’ll rot in prison for the rest of your life.” The mugger became agitated and was about to slice my throat. *Bang, bang, bang!* A sniper took him down. Only then did Mom and Dad dare to approach, embracing and comforting me. I gave a bitter smile. The last shred of hesitation in my heart vanished completely. So, this was their idea of “being good to me.” The 3 billion they gave me was just to pay off the 300 million family debt and ensure their own future comfort. 8. The driver took me to the hospital. After a thorough check-up, thankfully, it was just a scare, and a minor superficial cut on my neck. I lay in the hospital bed, my neck aching from the bandage, but my heart was strangely calm. It was late when Mom and Dad finally walked into the hospital, their faces tired. They saw me sitting on the bed, and a flicker of panic crossed their faces. “Clara, how are you feeling? Are you better?” I looked at them coldly, saying nothing. Dad nervously rubbed his hands, awkwardly explaining, “Stella was too scared, she’s been blaming herself for not protecting her sister. We’ve been with her, comforting her, so…” Under my gaze, Dad sheepishly fell silent. “Clara, listen to me. The situation was too urgent. Stella was closer to us, and I instinctively just…” He paused, seeming to choose his words carefully. “I didn’t know you’d be taken hostage by the mugger.” I cut him off. “Dad, when are you planning to go to Montclair City?” Dad cautiously replied, “We leave tomorrow.” “Got it. I want to rest. The doctor wants me to stay for a few days for observation, so I won’t see you off.” I closed my eyes, dismissing them. Dad wanted to say more, but he eventually left, realizing it was futile. 9. The next day, Ryan’s mother, Mrs. Margot, came. She carried an insulated food container, her face wreathed in smiles. “Clara, Ryan’s so busy. He heard you were hurt and asked me to come take care of you.” “Are you feeling better?” “Much better, thank you, Mrs. Margot.” As she served me soup, she chattered on, “That boy, Ryan, he’s so stubborn. He keeps making a fuss in front of us…” Mid-sentence, she seemed to realize something and awkwardly shut her mouth. “Mrs. Margot, I won’t be marrying Ryan. His intended spouse is Stella Monroe.” Mrs. Margot froze, then after a long moment, she reacted. “You… what did you say?” “I have no feelings for Ryan. Stella is his perfect match.” Mrs. Margot’s face first showed shock, then morphed into unbridled joy. “Clara, you truly are a good girl! I knew you were the most sensible one!” She excitedly gripped my hand. “Clara, thank you! Thank you for making them happy!” I smiled faintly, saying nothing. Making them happy? No, I was just making *myself* happy. Mrs. Margot had always favored Stella. In my previous life, even if I tried my best to please her, all I got was endless ridicule. After I died, she gave most of her assets to her son as a dowry to lavishly marry Stella. The two families spent 100 million dollars on their wedding. “Mrs. Margot, please don’t tell Ryan or Stella about this yet.” Mrs. Margot beamed, unable to contain her joy. “Good, good, Mrs. Margot understands!” “So… what are your plans for the future?” “I’m leaving in a few days too.” I didn’t reveal my exact destination. Eleanor still wanted to ask more, her mind consumed by their wedding plans.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “297074”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance

To save my childhood sweetheart, Serena, who suffered from congenital heart disease, my wife Valerie tricked me into signing an organ donation agreement. Then, she found a semi-truck and had me run over right outside the hospital. As I was barely clinging to life, Valerie coolly removed my heart. When my body was wheeled out of the operating room, Serena rushed to my side like a madwoman. She saw the gaping, unstitched void in my chest and screamed, tears streaming down her face: “I’m so sorry… I was too late… If there’s a next life, I won’t let you suffer like this again…” Her tears landed exactly where my heart used to be, and I even felt a strange warmth. She spun around and stormed into the operating room. When she emerged, Valerie and Dylan Hayes were lying in pools of blood. Then, she slit her own wrist, taking her life for me. Before she died, she ordered them to bury us together. When I opened my eyes again, I was reborn. Valerie, dressed in a wedding gown and holding a bouquet, was proposing to me. I immediately flung the bouquet in her face, then turned and embraced Serena in the crowd. But after just a year and a half of marriage, she changed. Valerie and Dylan Hayes became inseparable, openly letting him move into our home. She even let him drive over my cat—my beloved cat that I’d raised for seven years—claiming its incessant meowing was disturbing his sleep. I couldn’t believe this was the woman who had loved me so fiercely in my last life. My eyes burning, I demanded, “What the hell is wrong with you?” But Valerie’s eyes were glacial. “Nothing. Just fell out of love.”

After burying my cat, I stopped by a copy shop on the way back and printed two copies of a divorce agreement. As soon as I got home, the housekeeper came up to me. “Sir, the madam has been busy in the kitchen all morning. She’s probably trying to apologize to you. She really cares about you.” I could only force a hollow smile. Clutching the divorce papers, I walked towards the kitchen. Valerie was packing up the food she’d just made. The kitchen was a disaster zone. When she saw me, she immediately stopped, pulling off her apron as she headed for the door. “I’m going to change. Help me pack this up. Eat whatever else is on the table, and then come with me to bring food to Dylan.” So, all that effort was just to make a meal for Dylan. Of course. Knowing Valerie, she would never cook personally just to apologize to me. I reached out and stopped her hurried exit, handing her the divorce agreement. “Sign this.” She frowned, staring at me. Her hand already flipped to the last page, where she scribbled her name. She casually stuffed the papers back into my chest, then rushed off, saying, “Hurry up. I’ll be down in two minutes.” I scoffed. She had signed the divorce papers, so I was free to leave. As I was about to head out, Valerie, already changed, ran down the stairs. She saw me by the front door, without the lunchbox she’d prepared, and immediately blew up. “Caleb Reed! I’m stressed out of my mind, and all I asked you to do was put the lunchbox in a bag! Why are you just standing there like an idiot?!” “Dylan works hard overseeing the site. He only gets a short break to eat. Are you going to take responsibility if he misses his meal?” She stormed into the kitchen, packed the lunchbox in two swift movements, then grabbed it and strode back to me, shoving it into my arms. The steaming hot container made me flinch, but before I could react, she dragged me out the door. After tossing me into the car, she stomped on the gas, and the car sped off. When we arrived at the construction site, Valerie was wiping Dylan’s sweat and fanning him. They looked so intimate, truly like an affectionate couple. Even I, her actual husband, was green with envy. Valerie insisted on dragging me along, no doubt just to mess with me. I was almost gone anyway, so I didn’t care anymore. “Look out!” A startled cry rang out. Valerie, beside me, reacted first, but she shoved me aside. As I fell, I saw Dylan embracing Valerie, leaping away. A steel beam crashed down exactly where we had been standing, sending up a cloud of dust. I scrambled to my feet and rushed over. Valerie pushed Dylan off her, her hands flying to her lower abdomen in a panic. “My baby!” Dylan scrambled back to Valerie’s side, carefully helping her up, his eyes overflowing with urgency. I stood there, stunned, staring at Valerie’s belly. “You… you’re having a baby?” Valerie was pregnant? But the last time we were intimate was a year ago. So… she loved Dylan enough to have his child?

The car keys Valerie threw at me hit my forehead, giving me my answer. “What else? You think it’s yours?” Maybe it was my imagination, but as the heavy keys struck my head, I distinctly saw a flicker of something in Valerie’s eyes. But her voice remained icy. “What are you waiting for? Get in the car! Take me to the hospital!” Stunned, I unconsciously obeyed, starting the car and speeding towards the hospital. It wasn’t until I went to pick up Valerie’s lab results that a passing nurse gasped, looking at my head. “Your head is bleeding!” I reached up and touched it, realizing the blood from the gash on my forehead had already coagulated. After cleaning the wound, I returned to Valerie’s exam room with the results. Just outside the door, I overheard the doctor’s caution: “Ms. Thorne, it’s a miracle your baby is alright this time. Please be extremely careful from now on.” “This pregnancy was conceived through IVF, and with unstable implantation, the risk of miscarriage is very high.” IVF? Why IVF? I was a bit confused. Valerie and Dylan’s relationship was almost public. Was IVF really necessary? As I was pondering, Valerie walked out of the room and bumped into me. I looked steadily into her eyes and asked, “What’s this about IVF?” She froze for a second, her gaze darting away. Even her words were stuttering. “Wh-what IVF? There’s no such thing!” Her reaction was exactly like someone caught in a lie. My brows furrowed. Could it be… this child… A sudden pang in my chest. I stared at her, my voice rising unconsciously. “Valerie! What’s going on with the IVF?!” Under my direct gaze, Valerie’s shoulders began to tremble. Her breathing grew rapid, as if she was about to break and tell me the truth… “Valerie, is the baby okay?” Dylan’s concerned voice suddenly broke through, making her jump. She immediately shoved me away and yelled, “Mind your own business! Caleb Reed, don’t you dare try to hurt Dylan and my baby!” Her words hit me like a bucket of ice water. All my desperate hopes crumbled. Indeed, this was her and Dylan’s child. How they conceived it was their business. I scoffed, a self-deprecating smile on my face, and handed the car keys back to Valerie. “I guess I was meddling.” “If there’s nothing else, I’ll leave. I won’t disturb you resting up for the baby.” I turned to leave, but Dylan clapped his hands. “Caleb, I still have to learn from your acting skills!” “I knew you took a long time getting the lab results. Turns out you were staging a scene.” “It’s just a small cut, why wrap it up like that? All to make Valerie feel sorry for you, right?” Valerie finally noticed the gauze on my forehead. A fleeting look of concern crossed her eyes. She reached out, as if to check my injury, but then grabbed my arm instead. “I can’t drive. Dylan can’t drive. You’re taking us home.” “And make dinner. Then bake a cake. It’s Dylan’s birthday tonight.” It hit me then. Today was Dylan’s birthday, but it was also mine. Even though I was five years older than Dylan, our birthdays were on the same day, same month. In my last life, when I was with Serena Vance, she never celebrated my birthday. Only Valerie Thorne did. But the Valerie Thorne in this life had completely forgotten about me. I looked into her eyes, my voice firm. “No.” This was the first time I had ever refused Valerie. In my last life, she avenged me after my death, and insisted on being buried with me. From the moment I was reborn, I had decided to love her with everything I had. But now, I was truly exhausted. Dylan gently tugged Valerie’s sleeve. “Caleb doesn’t want to, forget it. No cake, no big deal. It’ll just be an incomplete birthday.” “Enough! You don’t have the right to refuse!” Without giving me a chance to argue, Valerie dragged Dylan and me into the car. Back at the mansion, seeing me methodically start on the cake, Valerie finally looked satisfied and left the kitchen. I remembered the first time I made her a cake. Her eyes were full of stars as she watched my every move. Sure enough, anything, given enough time, becomes tiresome. I sighed softly and opened the oven, ready to take out the baked cake base. “Not ready yet? I’m starving, man.” Dylan’s voice came from behind me. I ignored him, but the next second, a strong push came from behind, and I stumbled forward uncontrollably. In my panic, my hand landed squarely on the scorching hot oven rack. “Ah!” A burning pain shot through my palm. I struggled to pull my hand away, tearing off a piece of skin that sizzled in the oven. Dylan immediately tapped the oven with his finger, then clutched his hand and sank to the floor. “Caleb! I’m sorry!” “What happened?!” Valerie rushed into the kitchen, asking anxiously. I clutched my wrist, my palm trembling slightly. I expected Valerie to go to Dylan first. But a familiar scent filled the air, and she actually ran straight to me, grabbing my wrist. Seeing my horribly mangled hand, her eyes filled with concern. “How did this happen…” She urgently looked up at me, meeting my confused gaze, and her eyes instantly filled with panic. “Caleb, I know you’re upset about making my cake, but I was just trying to help you get the cake base. You didn’t have to try and ruin my hand…” Dylan’s tearful voice drifted over. Valerie immediately dropped my hand, turned to help Dylan up, and glared at me, her voice unnatural: “Caleb Reed! Do you really have to be so vicious? You’d hurt yourself just to frame him? You don’t need to go this far…”

I scoffed, my gaze locked on Valerie’s eyes. “There’s a security camera in the kitchen. Just check it yourself and you’ll know…” “No need for that.” She cut me off directly, refusing to back down. “Dylan wouldn’t lie.” Her words were a dagger plunged into my heart. With every beat, the pain intensified. Clearly, the Valerie Thorne of now wouldn’t feel anxious for me. But the next second, she suddenly placed a first-aid kit in front of me. “Handle it yourself. Once the cake is done, get out. Go to the hospital or wherever you want, I don’t care.” With that, she turned and pulled Dylan away, gently applying medicine to him in the living room. I endured the excruciating pain in my hand and finished the final step of the cake. Consider it the last thing I’d ever do for Valerie. After tidying the kitchen and setting the cake out, I walked straight to the door. She didn’t spare me a single glance until I closed the door behind me. The night wind was a bit chilly, but at that moment, I felt completely light. Walking to the hospital alone, I saw a figure running towards me from a distance. When they got closer, I realized it was Serena Vance. Breathless, she grabbed my wrist, carefully examining the injury on my hand, and her eyes instantly welled up. “Caleb, you’re so badly hurt. Did she bully you?” “She already has you this life, why isn’t she cherishing you properly?! Just wait, I’m going to kill her!” I coldly shook off her hand. “It’s none of your business.” But she looked at me stubbornly, tears streaming from her red eyes. Her expression seemed genuine. I stood there, stunned. The person who hurt me most in my last life was now weeping for me in this one. And the person who loved me fiercely in my last life was now the source of all my suffering. Serena’s hand trembled as she pulled a share transfer agreement from her bag and presented it to me. “Last life… I did a lot of things to hurt you. This… this is a birthday gift, and my apology.” “I owe you… too much… Can you forgive me?” After my rebirth, I had cut all ties with Serena Vance, but she had continued to pester me. From small things like clothes and accessories to big things like houses and cars, she gave me so much, eventually running her family’s fortune into the ground. I sighed softly. “I can’t forgive you.” “I won’t take these things. It wasn’t easy for your parents to build this company. Don’t let it fall apart in your hands.” Serena was now crying tears streaming down her face. She stubbornly grabbed my hand, choking out, “But… if I don’t have you, what’s the point of having any of this…” Her words were drowned out by the wail of an ambulance. A stretcher was then pushed out of the ambulance and rushed towards the hospital entrance. “Make way! Make way!” “Caleb Reed! What grudge do we have?! Why would you poison me?!” It wasn’t until Dylan Hayes’s voice rang out that I realized the person on the gurney was him. The next second, a slap landed on my face. I turned my head to see Valerie, her eyes red, rushing to my side. She forcefully pulled Serena Vance’s hand from mine and roared, “Caleb Reed, you’re becoming more and more irrational!” Before I could reply, she had already grabbed Serena and chased after Dylan, who had disappeared into the hospital. I gently touched my still-stinging cheek, letting out a bitter laugh. I turned and walked in the opposite direction from her. Perhaps, leaving such an impression on Valerie’s mind in the end wasn’t so bad. I picked up my phone and booked a flight to Europe for tomorrow. I planned to find a hotel for the night, pick up the divorce papers tomorrow morning, and then head straight to the airport. But as I was walking, Valerie’s call suddenly came through. My hand trembled, and I accidentally answered. Her urgent voice blasted through the phone. “Caleb Reed! Dylan’s heart condition flared up because of the poison you gave him! Get to the hospital immediately and get a match for him!” Alarm bells blared in my mind. Painful memories from my previous life, right before my death, flooded back. A hint of terror colored my voice, trembling as I spoke. “No, I won’t go.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “297073”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance

My intention in marrying Julian Thorne wasn’t pure. Yes, I liked him, but more importantly, he was the world’s leading cardiothoracic surgeon. So, I used every trick in the book to lure him, to make him forget Seraphina, the woman who truly held his heart, and willingly marry me. After we got married, he was like a devout believer. He held my hand and promised to personally perform my heart transplant surgery, to give me a second chance at life. Just when I thought he had fallen in love with me, Seraphina got into a car accident. He rushed off to operate on her, completely forgetting that today was the day he was supposed to perform my heart transplant. I was already prepped, sedated, and had been lying on the operating table, waiting for him for what felt like forever. The waiting room light outside the operating theater went out. I lay on the cold gurney, feeling the warmth of life draining from my fingertips, little by little. The familiar, agonizing pain in my chest intensified, each breath feeling like glass shards scraping my windpipe. The head nurse walked over, her face etched with professional pity. “Mrs. Thorne, Dr. Thorne had a more urgent emergency surgery come up. Your procedure will have to be postponed.” I nodded, unable to utter a single word. The heart meant for me, chilling in its preservation box, had only a few hours of viability left. And my life? Only a few hours remained, too. My phone vibrated. It was my brother, Liam. He immediately roared into the phone, “Chloe! Where is that bastard, Julian Thorne? I just got word, the donor family has signed, and the heart is on its way!” I opened my mouth, but the sound that came out was hoarse and dry. “Liam, he… he went to save someone.” A deathly silence hung on the line, then an even louder roar. “Save someone? Who is he saving? That woman, Seraphina Dubois?! Does he have any idea how much money our family spent, how many connections we pulled to find that perfect match for this heart?! This is your life!” Liam’s voice trembled with fury. I knew every word he said was true. To keep me alive, our family had poured almost everything we had into this. Julian Thorne had said that with a perfectly matched heart, he was ninety-nine percent sure he could save me. I once thought he was the light in my life. Now, I knew he was also the devil who personally pushed me into the abyss. “Mrs. Thorne, do you need a sedative?” The head nurse looked at me with concern. I shook my head, my vision starting to dim. The door to the operating room, usually a symbol of hope, now seemed like the entrance to hell—cold and despairing. On the TV at the end of the hallway, an urgent news bulletin flashed. “Renowned pianist Miss Seraphina Dubois was involved in a serious car accident this afternoon. Her condition is critical, and she has been rushed to Metropolitan Hospital for emergency surgery. The lead surgeon is none other than her fiancé, the internationally acclaimed cardiothoracic specialist, Dr. Julian Thorne…” Fiancé? The ink on my marriage certificate hadn’t even dried. It turned out that in his heart, I didn’t even deserve the title of his wife. A bitter, metallic taste filled my throat, and I violently coughed up a mouthful of blood, staining the pristine white sheet. Liam burst into the room to this exact scene. His eyes were bloodshot, like a furious lion. “Where is Julian Thorne?” I weakly pointed to the television. Liam slammed his fist into the wall, plaster flaking down. He stared at me, asking each word deliberately, “What did he say to you before he left?” I recalled Julian’s departure. He’d received a call, his face instantly changed, and he’d grabbed his jacket, bolting out the door without even a backward glance. Only a chilling sentence hung in the air from the doorway. “Wait for me to come back.”

I didn’t wait for Julian Thorne to return. Instead, his mother, my mother-in-law, arrived. She wore an expensive designer suit and a massive diamond ring the size of a pigeon’s egg. Her face was etched with undisguised contempt. “Chloe Maxwell, where’s my son?” She stood imperiously beside my bed, as if scrutinizing a soiled object. “He… he’s in surgery.” “Hmph, at least you have some self-awareness.” She sneered. “Seraphina is a million times more important than you are. It’s only right that Julian went to save her. Someone like you, on the verge of death, shouldn’t drag him down.” The pain in my chest was nothing compared to the agony her words inflicted. I looked at this elegant, imposing woman and suddenly felt ridiculous. It was she who had approached my family, claiming to admire me, hoping I would marry Julian. She’d said she would cherish me like her own daughter. All that warmth, all that affection, had been a lie. “Today was the day of my heart transplant surgery,” I stated calmly, simply stating a fact. “So what?” Eleanor Thorne rolled her eyes, her tone incredibly sharp. “It’s just a heart. If it’s gone, find another. Seraphina is an internationally renowned pianist! If her hands were crippled, that would be a loss to the entire world!” She paused, her gaze turning even more malicious. “Ultimately, you’re just bad luck. If it weren’t for you, Julian would have married Seraphina ages ago. You should just die now and stop occupying the Mrs. Thorne position, you’re an eyesore.” I closed my eyes, refusing to look at her ugly face any longer. Liam pushed the door open, entering just as she finished speaking. His body radiated a terrifying aura of rage as he slowly advanced toward Eleanor. “Say that again.” Eleanor flinched back, startled by his intensity, but quickly straightened her posture. “Did I say something wrong? This sickly girl is clearly not good enough for my son! If you know what’s good for you, sign the divorce papers now and stop delaying my son and Seraphina’s perfect future!” “Smack!” A crisp slap echoed through the hospital room. Liam had put all his strength into it; Eleanor’s face instantly swelled, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth. She clutched her cheek, screaming in disbelief, “You dared to hit me! You uncultured brute!” “I’m hitting you, you disrespectful hag!” Liam was furious. “Is my sister’s life worth nothing in your eyes?! Your family didn’t contribute a single penny for that heart, and now you speak so lightly of it!” “You… you’re talking nonsense! What money?!” “That heart cost the Maxwell family thirty million dollars! We bought it from an overseas channel to give my sister a chance to live!” Liam’s voice was filled with a mix of tears and fury. “Now, that chance has been personally destroyed by your son!” Eleanor’s face instantly turned ashen.

Julian Thorne returned late that night. He took off his blood-stained surgical scrubs, his face showing a hint of fatigue, but a triumphant joy was unmistakable in his eyes. “Seraphina’s surgery was a success.” He walked to my bedside, his tone flat, as if merely discussing an insignificant matter. He noticed my pale face and the dried pool of blood on the bedside table. His brow furrowed slightly. “What happened?” “Julian Thorne, let’s get a divorce.” I used every ounce of my strength to utter those words. He froze, seemingly taken aback by my bluntness. “Chloe, don’t be ridiculous.” He reached out to touch my forehead, but I turned my head, avoiding his touch. “I’m not being ridiculous.” I looked at him, my eyes icy cold. “That heart is no longer viable. I don’t have much time left. I don’t want to be Mrs. Thorne when I die.” His face finally darkened. “Just because I didn’t operate on you?” He looked directly at me, his gaze tinged with scrutiny and impatience. “Seraphina’s condition was more urgent than yours. I’m a doctor; I had to make the optimal choice.” “Optimal choice?” I laughed, tears streaming down my face. “So, my life isn’t a life, is that it?” “Chloe, can’t you be more rational?” He raised his voice. “A heart can be found again. If anything happened to Seraphina’s hands, her entire career would be ruined.” He was the epitome of male arrogance, always so full of himself. Liam walked in from outside, a file in his hand. He threw it directly into Julian’s face. “Julian Thorne, this is the heart’s purchase contract and transfer records. Thirty million, not a penny less. Either you pay up, or we’ll see you in court.” Julian looked at the contract, his pupils contracting sharply. He turned to me, his eyes filled with shock and inquiry. “You bought it?” I didn’t answer him. Yes, he had always assumed this heart was a free resource, obtained through his connections and reputation. He reveled in the glory of being a savior, never realizing the immense sacrifice my family had made behind the scenes. “The money, I’ll pay.” Julian’s voice turned cold. “But the divorce, I won’t agree to it.” He looked at me, his gaze deepening. “Chloe, you are my wife. That will never change.” He turned and left, his back resolute. But in his eyes, I caught a fleeting glimpse not of love, but of calculation. My heart sank completely. He didn’t want a divorce because he loved me; he wanted it because I was still useful to him. But what use could I possibly be? I was a woman on the verge of death. The next day, a nurse secretly slipped me a note. On it, only one line was written: Seraphina’s car accident was fake.

My world completely crumbled at that moment. Fake? The accident that cost me my chance at life, the one he rushed to so selflessly, was fake? I clutched the note, my knuckles white from the force. The agonizing chest pain returned, more violent than ever before. I felt like a fish thrown onto shore, gasping for air, but only inhaling despair. Liam rushed in. Seeing my state, he immediately pressed the emergency call button. Doctors and nurses swarmed into the room, connecting various instruments to me. Through my blurry vision, I saw Liam’s bloodshot eyes. “Chloe, hang in there! Your brother’s here!” I grabbed his hand, using my last ounce of strength to press the note into his palm. “Investigate…” One word, and all my energy was gone. I drifted into unconsciousness. When I woke up again, I was in the ICU. Julian Thorne was sitting by my bedside, holding my hand. His eyes were bloodshot, and he looked utterly exhausted. Seeing me awake, a flicker of joy crossed his face. “Chloe, you’re awake.” His voice was hoarse, tinged with a hint of lingering fear. If he wasn’t acting, I almost would have believed he genuinely cared. I pulled my hand away, looking at him coldly. “Julian Thorne, you sicken me.” His body stiffened, the expression on his face frozen. “Chloe, I know you’re still angry.” He took a deep breath, attempting to explain. “This time was my fault. I promise, I’ll find you a new heart source as quickly as possible. I will save you.” I looked at him and suddenly laughed. “You save me? How will you save me? By fabricating another lie, by making me wait in vain again?” His face turned grim. “Chloe, what on earth are you talking about?” “Seraphina’s car accident was fake,” I stated, each word clear and deliberate. His pupils abruptly constricted, a flicker of panic in his eyes, quickly masked. “Who told you that? Don’t listen to their nonsense.” “Whether it’s nonsense or not, you know perfectly well.” I stared into his eyes, not missing any subtle change in his expression. “Julian Thorne, what exactly are you after?” He fell silent. After a long moment, he finally spoke, his voice low and dangerous. “Chloe, some things, you don’t need to know.” He stood up, looking down at me, his gaze as cold as a surgical scalpel. “You just need to remember, you are my wife. Without my permission, you can’t go anywhere, and you certainly cannot die.” He leaned closer, whispering in my ear. His tone wasn’t a lover’s murmur; it was a demon’s pronouncement. A chill ran through me. I finally understood. He wasn’t trying to save me; he was trying to imprison me. This man was a madman.

Liam arrived. He brought the answers I craved. “Seraphina never had a car accident. That day, she just fainted from low blood sugar. The reason Julian rushed over so desperately was because a senior elder in Seraphina’s family had a sudden heart attack and specifically requested him to perform the surgery.” Liam’s voice was filled with anger and disdain. “That elder is the head of the Dubois family, and also the target Julian has been trying to curry favor with.” So, for his career, for currying favor with the powerful, he had unhesitatingly sacrificed me. How ridiculous. I once thought that marrying a doctor would bring me closer to health. But I never imagined that he would be the one to personally push me toward death. “Chloe, let’s go.” Liam’s eyes were filled with an unbearable heartache. “We’ll go abroad. Your brother has already arranged for the best medical team. We won’t beg him anymore!” I nodded, tears silently tracing paths down my face. But we had underestimated Julian Thorne’s shamelessness. As we prepared to leave, he appeared with a group of bodyguards, blocking the hospital room door. “Julian Thorne, what is the meaning of this?” Liam shielded me behind him, glaring at Julian. Julian didn’t look at Liam; his gaze fell directly on me. “Chloe, I told you, without my permission, you’re not going anywhere.” His voice was calm, but the obsession and madness in his eyes were chilling. “Julian Thorne, this is unlawful imprisonment!” Liam trembled with rage. “I am her husband. I have the right to decide her treatment plan.” Julian’s lips curved into a cold smile. “Mr. Maxwell, if you continue to obstruct me, I won’t hesitate to have security escort you out.” The bodyguards behind him took a collective step forward, their presence intimidating. I pulled back the impulsive Liam, looking at Julian, and asked, word by word, “What exactly do you want?” He slowly walked toward me, raising his hand, his cold fingertips brushing my cheek. “I don’t want anything.” His voice was eerily gentle. “I just want you to live, well, and by my side.” I looked into his bottomless eyes, and a terrifying thought surged through my mind. He didn’t want me to live. He wanted me to be unable to live, and unable to die. “You’re insane!” I pushed him away with all my might. But he used my momentum, grabbing my wrist, his grip so strong it felt like my bones would shatter. “Chloe, don’t force my hand.” His voice turned chilling. “I have many ways to make you compliant. You wouldn’t want to find out.” Liam could no longer hold back and threw a punch. The room instantly erupted into chaos. Bodyguards and Liam’s people started to brawl. Julian clutched me tightly, dragging me into his embrace. I struggled desperately, but it was no use. In despair, I saw Liam get hit from behind, collapsing slowly. “Liam!” I let out a piercing shriek, and my vision went black. I lost consciousness again. I was taken back to our matrimonial home by Julian Thorne. Here, it wasn’t so much a home as a luxurious cage, built with money and power.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “297072”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance

On the eve of our wedding, I discovered a message my fiancé had sent to his ex-girlfriend. “Sophie, we missed our chance after all.” I confronted him with his phone, giving him two choices. Either delete it, or cancel the wedding. He ultimately chose the former, but didn’t smile once on our wedding day. Even later during the delivery, there wasn’t a hint of anticipation in his eyes. Until he received a phone call and suddenly stood up. “Ethan, my parents are forcing me to marry a 50-year-old pig. Please help me…” His grip loosened, leaving only his retreating back. My weak voice called out from behind: “Ethan, if you take one step out that door, our child will never call you dad.” He paused, but still left. That day, I had an emotional breakdown. The delivery was difficult and I nearly died. 0 The baby was eventually born. I didn’t die either, but lost several liters of blood. Family members crowded around the newborn, while I stared at the empty doorway. Ethan never came back. At that moment I regretted it, regretted giving him two choices back then. First, because I couldn’t let go of our years together. Second, because I was already pregnant then. So I took a gamble, betting he would forget her and have a change of heart. At first I thought I had won, since he deleted all her contact information in front of me. But with each passing day, I felt my odds of winning slipping away. On our wedding day, he was distracted and even put the ring on backwards. Later, he smiled less and stopped sharing his daily life with me. Waking up at midnight, his side of the bed was always cold. His texts always said he was too busy. He’d rather sleep on the couch in his office two miles away than come home and breathe the same air as me. I should have understood earlier. Once when he finally came home after two weeks, I grabbed his hand and said seriously: “If you don’t want this anymore, we can divorce. I can raise the child on my own.” Even though I was the one suggesting separation, my voice trembled badly. I was afraid, afraid he would easily say okay. But he just fell silent for a while, then patted my head: “Don’t overthink things, I’m just a bit tired.” “You’re also anxious because of the pregnancy. It’ll be better after these few months.” Then he picked up his bag and left again. He stayed home for less than three minutes. Watching his resolute back, my stomach churned violently. I hugged the toilet and vomited for a long time, until tears rolled down my face. Now, looking at the empty doorway. I suddenly felt relieved. I finally saw clearly, it wasn’t too late for everything. Ethan came back the next day. Behind him was a petite girl in a wedding dress. He let go of the girl’s hand, leaving her to the side. Then he went to the incubator, using his finger to tease the little baby inside. When he turned his head, he met my cold face, and the smile froze on his lips. He walked up to me, gripping my hand tightly: “About yesterday, I was too impulsive, but don’t misunderstand my relationship with Sophie.” He beckoned, and the girl obediently came over, reciting to me as if reading from a script: “I only know Ethan in this city, and only he could help me.” “I’m sorry, sister-in-law. I didn’t know you were in labor, otherwise I would have rather married that pig than…” “Don’t talk nonsense.” Ethan instinctively interrupted. “You deserve better.” Watching their back-and-forth, I smiled self-mockingly. Before I could speak, my father rushed in with a thermos and slapped him. “You dare come back? Yesterday you abandoned my daughter, causing her difficult labor and massive blood loss. If anything had happened to her, our family would never forgive you!” Ethan frowned, his gaze towards me turning cold. “But she’s fine now, isn’t she?” “Besides, I’ve already apologized.” The implication was that he had already given me a way out. I and my family shouldn’t embarrass him. Especially in front of his ex-girlfriend. I had imagined Ethan’s reaction when he came back – remorseful confession or material compensation. But I never expected this. He showed not a shred of remorse towards me. Whether I almost died from blood loss didn’t matter at all. After Ethan said this, I asked him to leave. He nodded, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. “I’ll come see the child in a few days. I’m busy these days.” I didn’t say anything, just turned to look at the happy family of three in the next bed. Ethan followed my gaze, panic flashing across his cold face. But I didn’t say anything, just softly hummed and turned away. He breathed a sigh of relief, taking Sophie’s hand as he strode out. The moment they stepped out, the baby burst into loud cries. I cradled him in my arms, gently rocking. “Baby doesn’t like daddy either, right?” “Since we don’t like him, let’s not see him again, okay?”

Ethan never came until the day I was discharged. He only sent his assistant midway to deliver some care products. When he came, he was also carrying a bunch of luxury shopping bags filled with women’s clothes and dresses. “Did you come to deliver these to me on your way?” The assistant hesitated, but still nodded. “Then please continue on your way and throw them in the trash.” He threw away the things, and also relayed my words verbatim. My phone immediately lit up with a bunch of chat records between him and Sophie. The records were all transfer receipts, indicating he was just shopping for her. But he forgot that Sophie was the girl who had stayed with him through his early poverty-stricken entrepreneurial days. He also forgot that the phone number he had deleted in front of me years ago rang promptly on the day I gave birth. How hard they must have worked to put on act after act for me. Carrying bags big and small back home, a woman threw herself into my arms. “Ethan, you’re five minutes late from work today, I missed you so much.” Seeing the girl’s face instantly turn red, her whole body awkward in front of me. I smiled and ignored her, but she didn’t even dare enter the door anymore. The pouring rain outside drenched her, until the returning man hurriedly shielded her in his arms. Those broad shoulders were full of a sense of security. From the upstairs window, I traced the man’s silhouette, once having been moved by it too. Soon after, the door was flung open violently. I lowered my head to fiddle with the baby’s fingers, not even raising my head: “Are you here to question me? There are cameras in the house, I don’t want to waste energy explaining.” A light chuckle came from above, as Ethan produced a cake from behind his back. “I know you’re not that heartless.” “Honey, did you forget today is your birthday?” I finally looked up, surprised at the cake in front of me. Complicated emotions welled up inside. Until at the dining table, he suddenly spoke: “Sophie has nowhere to go recently, she’s staying at our house for a while.” I finally understood what drug was in the cake. Seeing I didn’t speak, he added: “She’s very attentive, she can also help you take care of the child, share some of the burden.” At that moment, I suddenly didn’t want to ask anymore. Didn’t want to ask why he, worth millions, wouldn’t buy her a new house. Didn’t want to ask why she needed to help when we already had three nannies. “I see.” I put down my chopsticks and turned to go upstairs. As he said, Sophie tried very hard to help me. Every morning she would bring me a warm glass of milk. But I didn’t drink a single sip, and though Ethan said nothing on the surface, I could see the disappointment in his eyes. This disappointed gaze filled every moment of life, after all, since Sophie moved in, he came home every day. Sophie taught him how to mix formula and control water temperature. He learned very seriously, his eyes full of joy when she approved. I stepped forward to take it, but Ethan immediately snatched it back. “Olivia, go rest. We’ve got this.” “You’re a pampered lady, how would you know how to do these things? Sophie is different from you, she’s helped her mom with chores since childhood, she’s more efficient than you.” The servants all stared at me pointedly, seeming to worry I would get angry. I forcefully suppressed the violent heaving in my chest, trying to keep my tone calm: “Ethan, I am his mother.” He froze, then handed the bottle back to me. I took it, but Sophie bumped into me, spilling the scalding milk onto the child. The tiny arm instantly turned red, erupting in earth-shattering cries. I hurriedly stepped forward with a cloth to wipe it, but was directly pushed away by him. His voice filled with warning: “Get out.” He carefully picked up the child, while Sophie took ointment to apply on the baby. The happy family of three, while I was like a nanny who had made a mistake. I ran out crying with red eyes, Ethan only glanced before lowering his head. Afterwards, the nursery was either occupied by the two of them, or guarded by the nanny. “Mr. Gu instructed to let Madam stay away.” I stepped back a few paces, smiling as I returned to my room. Then smashed everything I could smash.

Ethan rushed home upon hearing the news, staring blankly at the mess on the floor. “Olivia, what are you throwing a tantrum about again? The baby is still sleeping, don’t scare him.” At that moment, the long-suppressed emotions finally erupted. I suddenly rushed over, grabbing Ethan’s collar. “Throwing a tantrum? Bringing another woman home and flirting with her right under my nose, who’s really gone crazy!” “Ethan, that’s the child I painstakingly gave birth to, who could care for him more than me!” Surprise flashed in Ethan’s eyes, he had never seen me like this before. Never seen me angry, much less cry. Even on the eve of our wedding when I saw that message, I had only reddened eyes. The air fell silent, until a cry came from the child. I let go of his collar, messily wiping the tears from the corners of my eyes. He sighed, taking out a handkerchief to gently wipe away my tears. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have treated you like this.” I yanked away the handkerchief, unceremoniously throwing it to the ground. Then I shoved him away, diving straight into bed, covering my face as I cried until I couldn’t breathe. He sighed, gently patting my back through the blanket. “Don’t be angry anymore, okay? I was wrong.” “I was just worried about the child, I didn’t mean anything else.” After a long while, I lifted the covers, the light in my eyes mostly scattered. I looked at my now-flat belly and asked him: “Ethan, if I hadn’t been pregnant back then, would you still have chosen me?” He froze, then sighed again, somewhat helplessly: “Olivia, stop clinging to things from the past.” No answer was the best answer. His answer was that without the child, he would never have chosen me. Olivia, why bother humiliating yourself further at this point. I pushed away his hand at my waist, telling him to get out. He froze, then smiled, not coming home that night. Early the next morning, he and Sophie entered the house one after another. I sat at the dining table, pushing a divorce agreement in front of him. The man and woman opposite both froze. “Sophie, go upstairs first, I need to speak to my wife alone.” After she obediently went upstairs, Ethan looked at me, his gaze complex. “Olivia, I’ve already coaxed you, you’ve vented your anger, why are you still throwing a tantrum?” I sneered, just as he had laughed at me yesterday. Ethan frowned. Then he sighed helplessly. “It’s because of Sophie, right? I understand.” “Since you can’t accept her, I’ll send her away.” He compromised, but I didn’t miss the unwillingness in his eyes. I understood his reason for resisting divorce – not because he loved me, but because of that prenuptial agreement. When I married him, I was a famous socialite in high society, while he was just a small business owner whose company had recently gone public. To prevent him from coveting assets, my father had specially drawn up a prenuptial agreement biased in my favor. According to the agreement, if I unilaterally filed for divorce, all property would belong to me. Faced with such an unequal treaty, Ethan had signed without hesitation. At the time I thought it was because he loved me deeply. Now I realize it was just because he was certain I would never leave him. Thinking of this, I picked up the pen and unhesitatingly signed my name. Ethan’s pupils flashed violently. “Sign it, be quick about it.” In the end he still picked up the pen, signing his own name. The once flowing signature was now crooked from hesitation. With the documents signed, he grabbed my hand. “There’s still a three-month waiting period, do I still have a chance?” I pulled my hand away, not answering. That night I drank bottle after bottle with a friend. “If you want to cry, just cry.” She gently patted my head, but I immediately shook my head. “Can’t cry.” “Finally ending a terrible relationship, I should be happy.” “Cheers.” Maybe I was too drunk, I didn’t notice a tear had already slid down the corner of my eye. That night I sat on the doorstep for a long time, only going in after the alcohol had worn off. I didn’t want him to see me so heartbroken, still for his sake. A man walked out from behind, draping his jacket over my shoulders. “I’ve already sent her away.” The wind blew past us, but still couldn’t stir up a single word.

Waking up in the morning, he was tightly hugging my waist, his long-absent breath tickling my neck. I shifted an inch towards the edge of the bed, and he followed an inch. Ethan really wanted to win me back, he was proving it with actions. He turned down a lot of work, making time to accompany me and the child. In the nursery, he shook a little bell to soothe the crying baby. “Baby, say dad, come on.” Mentioning the word dad, he deliberately turned his head to look at me leaning against the doorway. But the moment our eyes met, I coldly turned away without a glance. The bell sound behind me stopped. Ethan thought I was angry, but I was just afraid. Afraid of indulging in this sweetness again, afraid of falling back into this terrible marriage. Until late at night I heard him on the phone with his secretary by the window. “How’s the project going? It needs to be fast.” That moment I finally woke up, Ethan was proud. His concessions were rarely for love, mostly for profit. So all his kindness now was just because he couldn’t bear to part with these hard-earned achievements. From that day on, all his gentleness seemed laughable to me. I was determined not to give him another chance, but he still refused to give up. Until one day, Sophie burst in again. She had only a few scraps of cloth left on her body, her neck covered in red marks, her skin full of bruises. Ethan immediately dropped the milk bottle and rushed out, taking her into his arms. The usually gentle girl now seemed to have gone mad, pounding his chest. “It’s all your fault! It’s all your fault! If you hadn’t dumped me for your career back then, how could I have ended up like this!” “They… they were angry I ran away from the marriage, they found a group of people to humiliate me… I, I don’t want to live anymore!” Saying this, she shoved him away, crashing into the doorpost, blood flowing freely. Ethan frantically picked her up and rushed towards the door. As he stepped over the threshold, I reminded him: “Do you know what you’ll lose if you leave?” Wife, child, and years of hard work. But Ethan didn’t pause for even a step this time, going straight to the car. I stood in the wind and rain, feeling like the biggest joke in the world. From that day on, Ethan stayed by her side day and night. Three months flew by, and I sent him a time, reminding him to go get the divorce certificate. The message quickly showed as read, but there was no reply. Later, he only hurried over when the civil affairs bureau was about to close. After not seeing him for days, he looked much more haggard, with dark circles under his eyes. I looked at the two divorce certificates in my hand, finally feeling relieved. When I looked up at Ethan, he was lowering his eyes, clearly depressed. The sky suddenly began pouring rain, I turned back to look at him: “Did you bring an umbrella? I’ll walk you out?” We were husband and wife after all, might as well part on good terms. But Ethan shook his head, his gaze fixed on a woman running towards him in the distance. Sophie held her slightly swollen belly, her eyes full of smugness. They walked arm in arm back into the civil affairs bureau. Only after their silhouettes had completely disappeared did I turn back to find the umbrella above my head had somehow tilted off course. I took off my soaked outer coat and called my father, asking him to arrange for me to go abroad to clear my head. Soon WeChat pushed a contact who said he would take me traveling the world. Before boarding the plane, a message from Ethan popped up on my phone. [I’m sorry, but I owe her too much.] After reading this, I blocked him. Hugging the child tightly in my arms, I looked out the window at my freedom.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “297071”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance

The third year of my marriage to Jack. His widowed ex-sister-in-law Sophia, who was the same age as him, had returned from abroad. At midnight, she sent Jack a message: “I’m so scared being alone.” Concerned, I replied on Jack’s behalf: “Jack’s busy. I’ll come over instead.” Just because of this, Jack flew into a rage. “She’s just my ex-sister-in-law. How dare you try to go threaten her? You’re acting like a complete shrew!” Sophia stood to the side with tears in her eyes: “Jack, it’s fine. Don’t worry about me.” Jack grabbed Sophia’s hand and left. That night, I saw Sophia post a photo on social media showing Jack’s back as he cooked in the kitchen. In all our years of marriage, Jack had never cooked for me. But none of that matters anymore. A man can’t eat from two homes. 1 I was pregnant, only two months along. I had told Jack yesterday that I had something very important to tell him, and asked if he could come home early tonight. I waited until 9 PM, then checked Sophia’s social media. Caption: Good person, good cook. Two photos – one of a meal with three dishes and soup, one showing Jack’s profile as he cooked in the kitchen. Jack didn’t get home until 10 PM, reeking of Sophia’s perfume. The scent was overwhelming for me in my pregnant state. Jack loosened his tie wearily, clearly having forgotten what I told him this morning: “Go run me a bath.” I looked at him coldly. “You smell lovely. No need to bathe, no one will mind.” Jack hated strong perfumes. When we went out, I never wore anything too pungent. We didn’t keep fruits he disliked in the house. We didn’t even have curtains in colors he didn’t like. For years, I had been accommodating him. He had come to take it for granted. Jack saw that I was still sitting on the couch and hadn’t moved. He pulled a black velvet box from his pocket. Inside lay a pair of sparkling diamond earrings. “I’m sorry I broke our plans. Here’s my apology gift.” The black velvet box gave off the same perfume scent. It even had a black hair caught in it. “Beat me then give me a treat?” Jack’s face froze, then he snapped the box shut and threw it at my feet. “Lucy, enough already. I’m exhausted today. Besides, whatever news you have, couldn’t you have just told me over the phone?! And now you’re turning your nose up at diamond earrings. Don’t forget, back when you were working part-time jobs, you couldn’t even afford $200 shoes!” I stared at him in disbelief. I never imagined my imperfect past would become the knife he used to stab me today. I choked up: “Don’t I have the right to say no?” Jack stormed off to take a shower. At 11 PM, we lay in bed with enough space for two people between us. At 3 AM, Jack’s phone rang. His gentle, melodious voice said to the caller: “Don’t be afraid. I’m here. I’ll keep talking to you.” Ten minutes later, I heard Jack getting up quietly. He even checked himself in the mirror before leaving. At 8 AM, Jack returned with breakfast, once again smelling of Sophia’s perfume. “Wake up, I bought breakfast.” Seeing his attempt to cover things up, I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. People really do laugh when they’re at a loss for words. “Since Sophia came back, you’ve become so diligent.” At this, Jack slammed down his chopsticks. “Lucy, you’re becoming more and more paranoid. Sophia is my ex-sister-in-law. My brother died young, so of course I should take care of her. As a woman, don’t you think you’re being too narrow-minded? Your jealousy is getting out of hand.” Exposed and embarrassed, he lashed out angrily. I never used to mind him and Sophia. But now they seemed to be acting like I was dead. “Am I wrong? Since Sophia came back, you’ve even started cooking.” As soon as I finished speaking, Sophia called again. The house was very quiet. I could clearly hear Sophia on the phone saying she was so clumsy, she had cut her hand. Jack anxiously said: “What fruit do you want to eat? Wait for me to come over and cut it for you. You shouldn’t do it yourself.” I started dry heaving from morning sickness. Sophia’s voice on the other end was on the verge of tears: “Does your wife dislike me? Does she think a widow is bad luck?” Jack reassured her, then after hanging up berated me as I vomited in the bathroom. “You know my sister-in-law is sensitive right now. Why are you pretending to throw up? Lucy, do you have any compassion at all?!” 2 My face was deathly pale in the mirror. Jack was still raging in the living room. I have no compassion? Then who will have compassion for me? I walked out leaning against the wall. My voice was weak: “I really don’t feel well. I really am throwing up. I don’t need to play those kinds of petty games to provoke Sophia.” Jack finally calmed down a bit, his gaze falling on my face to confirm I wasn’t lying. He pulled out another diamond necklace, this time without any woman’s hair on it. “You didn’t like the diamond earrings, but you must like this necklace. I just hope you’ll stop targeting Sophia. She’s pitiful enough as it is.” I recognized this necklace. It had appeared on Sophia’s social media before. Her caption then was: Looks so cheap. Don’t like it. Anyone want it? I laughed bitterly and stepped back. “I don’t want someone else’s leftovers.” Jack’s hand holding the necklace hung in midair. His brows furrowed deeply, then he threw the necklace on the ground. “How else am I supposed to appease you? You don’t want the earrings or the necklace. When did you become so picky? Ever since Sophia came back, you’ve been suspicious every day, always comparing yourself to her. What right do you have to compare yourself to Sophia? You threatened her in the middle of the night, but Sophia still told me not to be mad at you. You’ve clearly been deeply hurt by your dysfunctional family. You’re jealous of anyone better than you!” My body swayed. I had once cried in this man’s arms, telling him how my mother favored boys over girls, how cold-blooded she was. He held me tight and said he would protect me for life, healing my childhood wounds with love. My heart ached terribly, as if stabbed. “Is this how you see me? I’ve never threatened Sophia…” “Enough. You say one thing and do another. It all comes down to your insecurity acting up.” I was insecure, which is why I always strived to grow. Until I met Jack, a man who said he would heal me with love. So I gave up my high-paying job to become a housewife, longing to bear his child. The survival instinct of the baby in my womb was influencing me. My brain kept sending signals to keep the child. But the man before me made me increasingly clearheaded. “If that’s how you want to belittle me, I have nothing more to say.” Grief beyond words. As I turned away, Sophia called as if right on cue. “Don’t worry, Fluffy probably just ate something bad. I’ll take him to the vet right away.” Meanwhile, my vomiting was getting worse. I could barely breathe. “Jack, I don’t feel well. Can you…” “No! Lucy, Sophia’s dog is in danger right now. Stop pretending to be sick. I don’t have time for you!” Jack slammed the door as he left, just as I collapsed from low blood sugar. Using my last bit of strength, I called 91

When I woke up in the hospital the next day, the doctor confirmed I was fine and discharged me. On the way home, I saw Sophia and Jack. Jack was walking a dog while Sophia clung to his arm, looking like a newlywed couple. “Jack, from now on you’re Fluffy’s daddy.” “Sure thing, Fluffy’s mommy.” I touched my belly that wasn’t showing yet and laughed bitterly: “How ironic. Let’s just get divorced then.” 3 Two days later was Jack’s mother Laura’s birthday. In the car. “We still need to pick up Sophia. Don’t make a sour face. She’s our sister-in-law, you need to learn to respect her.” I didn’t look at him, silently accepting everything. When we saw Sophia, I realized her dress matched Jack’s tie perfectly. They were wearing couple’s outfits. “Lucy, I get carsick. Can I sit in the front?” Sophia asked with a smile, but her eyes looked expectantly at Jack. Jack opened the front passenger door. “Lucy, hurry up and move. You should take care of your sister-in-law.” I didn’t move. Sophia tugged Jack’s pinky and said softly: “It’s okay, Lucy’s just like that. Let’s just let her be.” We? So I was the third wheel now. “No way, the front seat should be for my sister-in-law.” Jack looked relieved. Sophia sat in the front. “Oh no, I can’t figure out this seatbelt.” Jack immediately helped her pull out the seatbelt. As he leaned in, their faces were extremely close. Sophia deliberately brushed her lips against Jack’s neck. Jack’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. His ears were red when he pulled away. There were only four people at Laura’s birthday dinner. Laura didn’t like big crowds since her eldest son’s accidental death. Laura didn’t like me much, preferring the more ingratiating Sophia. Now that Sophia was widowed, she felt even more sympathetic. “Let mom take a good look at you. You’ve suffered since James passed. I specifically told Jack to take care of you. Has he been doing a good job?” Sophia smiled bitterly, hesitating to speak. “Jack’s been great, it’s just…” Anyone could tell what she was implying – that I was jealous and mean to her. Laura was displeased and scolded me to my face. “I didn’t agree to you marrying into the family from the start. But Jack liked you, so I had no choice. I said back then that you came from a humble background and wouldn’t be presentable. Now it’s all come true.” “I’ll say this even if it makes you angry – if you and Jack really can’t make it work, you might as well step aside. I think Sophia and Jack are much more compatible.” I replied calmly: “What a coincidence, I was thinking the same thing as you, mom.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “297070”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance

In my poorest year, a fleeting thought flashed through my mind: [Lucas Gray, the heir to the Gray Empire, is looking for a lover who can’t hear his secrets.] A lightbulb went off in my head. I decided to pretend to be deaf and mute to seduce Lucas. No matter what scandalous things he whispered in bed, I remained impassive. Until his first love returned from abroad, and Lucas slapped a check for ten million dollars on the table in front of me. “You should move out for this month,” he said. I blurted out, “Sure thing, boss!” I grabbed the check and was about to leave when I realized I’d blown my cover. Another thought popped into my head: [LOL, this woman is so honest. Actually, the male lead has known her secret for a long time!] I froze on the spot, my mind going blank. Then I heard Lucas chuckle softly. “What’s wrong? Can’t keep up the act anymore, little deaf girl? And here I thought you could endure anything.” 0 Who would have thought a CEO would fancy a deaf girl? Well, apparently mine did! In fact, he wouldn’t have it any other way! Being his “deaf” sugar baby was quite convenient. I could appear anywhere without raising suspicion. Whether it was during confidential business discussions or industry gossip sessions, absolute secrecy was guaranteed. Plus, I didn’t have to listen to my sugar daddy’s endless chatter or insults. I could do whatever I wanted, even deliberately annoying him for fun if I felt like it. After all, I was “deaf.” I couldn’t hear what he was saying, right? Except I wasn’t really deaf. I was faking it. The only downside was sometimes… like now. Listening to Lucas’s words that were more explicit than an R-rated movie, I could only pretend not to hear and look at him with doe eyes. Pretending he was a perfect gentleman. In reality, I was cursing him as a pervert in my mind. Wait! I suddenly realized, maybe his ex-girlfriend ran away because of this! Lucas gently tapped me with his large hand. He used sign language to ask if I was hurt and if he should be gentler. But what he was actually saying out loud was utterly filthy. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes internally. What a fake gentleman. But on the surface, I looked at him pitifully, trying hard not to make a sound. The next day, I slept until the afternoon. 0

As I came downstairs, I heard Lucas talking to his friend in the living room. When they saw me, his friend’s voice suddenly stopped, and his gaze fell on me before turning back to Lucas. “She can’t hear,” Lucas said, waving me over. Gossip? My eyes lit up, and I casually sat down next to Lucas. His friend glanced at me and spoke to Lucas. “Chloe’s back. What are you going to do about her?” Chloe? She’s back?! Could this be Lucas’s ex-girlfriend? Everyone in their social circle knew there was a name that couldn’t be mentioned in front of Lucas. It was his Achilles’ heel, something no one dared to touch. Even after being by Lucas’s side for so long, I had never heard anyone mention her. I only knew that I was chosen from among the many women vying for Lucas’s attention because I somewhat resembled her. In my mind, a woman who could be so cherished by someone like Lucas, the heir to the Gray Empire, to the point where he would seek out a lookalike, must be his true love! I’d seen this plot in countless cheesy romance dramas. The protagonist finds a lookalike of his true love, then when the real deal comes back, I turn into the evil substitute. In the end, the male lead discovers my wicked nature, throws me out onto the streets, and lives happily ever after with his true love… Wait a minute… This plot development seems a bit off. As it stands now, I’ve somehow become the obstacle to the main couple’s happiness! No, no, I think I’ve skipped some steps here. My mind raced, and suddenly it hit me! Of course! Usually, the arrogant CEO hands me a check and tells me to get lost. Then the evil substitute refuses to leave, leading to the subsequent drama. Thinking about how generous Lucas had always been, I couldn’t help but smile. Don’t worry, I’ll leave promptly, quickly, at a speed of 800 meters per second, rolling out of the main couple’s world! Perhaps seeing my schadenfreude expression, Lucas tapped my shoulder, snapping me out of my reverie. He used sign language to ask what was wrong. Of course, I maintained my professional attitude and signed back. Just happy looking at you. Then I excused myself to get them some water. Lucas’s friend watched me leave and spoke again: “Are you really going to let Chloe see her?” Lucas sighed. I didn’t hear what else they said as I hurried towards the kitchen. I was afraid if I stayed a second longer, I wouldn’t be able to hold back my laughter. Don’t worry, I won’t let the “true love” see me! 0

That night, Lucas looked like he wanted to say something several times but held back. I was so anxious I almost wanted to prompt him myself. To be honest, I was quite reluctant to leave this pampered life as a sugar baby. After all, I’d gotten used to having everything handed to me on a silver platter and didn’t want to work hard again. But I also didn’t want to end up thrown out onto the streets. It was better to leave gracefully on my own terms. At the dinner table, I chewed my food in tiny bites, trying to make each mouthful last as long as possible. Just waiting for Lucas to speak up. Suddenly! Lucas took out a check from his pocket and placed it on the table. My eyes lit up, staring intently at the numbers on the check. Ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, hundred thousands, millions! Fifty million dollars! Enough for my mom and me to live on for the rest of our lives! I stared at the check, swallowing hard, completely oblivious to Lucas starting to speak. “Take this money…” Before Lucas could finish, I snatched the check with lightning speed and clutched it to my chest. The enormous sum had gone to my head. I jumped up and blurted out, “Thanks, boss!” As soon as I said it, cold sweat broke out all over my body. I’m screwed! Suddenly, a thought popped into my head, just like the fleeting one from years ago. [Warning! This woman’s been exposed! The male lead knows she’s been lying to him all this time. He definitely won’t let her off easy! I wonder if she has a backup plan. If not, she’s in big trouble!] Backup plan? What backup plan? My mind went blank as I looked up to meet Lucas’s amused gaze. He was fiddling with his custom cufflinks, his long fingers casting delicate shadows in the lamplight. “What’s wrong? Can’t keep up the act anymore, little deaf girl? And here I thought you could endure anything.” Lucas suddenly moved closer, the scent of his cedar cologne mixed with whiskey washing over me. “But you should know, I hate being lied to more than anything.” My throat tightened as I saw the words [She’s done for!] flashing repeatedly in my mind. This damn inner voice! I couldn’t help but recall how I had met Lucas by chance. The doctor said only hospitals abroad could possibly treat my mother’s illness, but the exorbitant fees forced me to scramble for money. I worked five jobs a day, but it still wasn’t enough to send my mother abroad for treatment. Until one day, that thought popped into my head. It said Lucas Gray, the heir to the Gray Empire, was looking for a lover who couldn’t hear his secrets. So I pretended to be deaf and mute and stayed by Lucas’s side for two years. Lucas grabbed my chin in one swift motion. “Mr. Gray, you must be joking,” I forced a smile, my nails digging into my palms. “Of course I’ll take the check you’ve given me. As for the rest…” Before I could finish, he gripped my chin, not forcefully but with an undeniable air of authority. Lucas’s thumb traced over my lips, where he had left bite marks the night before. “When you’re pretending to be deaf and mute, you always use that fake smile to deceive people. But do you know? Every time you pretend not to hear, I want to pin you in front of a mirror and make you see how your ears turn red.” Hot blood rushed to my earlobes, and I suddenly felt a chill run down my neck. Lucas had known about my act all along! For two years, I had diligently forced myself to remain silent no matter how Lucas tormented me in bed. But I had forgotten about the most instinctive human physiological response—when he whispered “Olivia, don’t hide” in my ear. My tense back, my trembling fingers, had long since betrayed my secret to this man who had seen it all. If this man had discovered my deception so early on, then every time after that… he had been deliberately toying with me! Seeing my indignant expression, Lucas suddenly seemed amused. “Don’t you have anything to explain? Hmm? Little deaf girl?” Lucas stood up, forcing me to sit on the table. I looked at Lucas, getting more and more irritated. What else could I say! He’s the client, I’m the service provider! I did the job I was paid for! He’s just a client who was fooled and moved by my acting skills! I’m not angry at all, waaah! But the urgent matter at hand was to protect this fifty million dollars. This was what I deserved! “I… thank you, boss? Boss is so generous?” Lucas was on the verge of laughing angrily. He picked me up and threw me over his shoulder. “Since you can’t keep up the act anymore, you should pay some price, little deaf girl.” I knew this wasn’t good. “Lucas Gray! You want me to pay with my body! I don’t agree! This is an unfair clause!” A voice in my head screamed [This isn’t right, shouldn’t the male lead kick this woman out? What’s going on! Looks like we’re about to hit the paywall?!] Lucas threw me onto the large bed covered with silk sheets, then pressed down on top of me and lifted my nightgown. There was still a vase of blue roses I had arranged last week on the bedside table, now overshadowed by his silhouette. “Olivia, do you know that every time you pretend to be innocent, it makes me want to completely tear apart your disguise?” Lucas seemed to have unlocked a new world, directly unleashing his dominant side. He forced me to scream loudly all night long. Before going to sleep, Lucas said he had to go to the office to deal with an urgent matter. As he left, he tossed me one of his white dress shirts, the collar still warm from his body heat. 0

What urgent matter! He’s probably going to pick up his true love! Looking at the thoughts racing through my head, I grew increasingly frustrated. All this [The female lead is back, the sweet and gentle female lead baby is finally back.] And [This woman shouldn’t take away any more of the female lead’s affection, the female lead has suffered enough, other women should stay away!] And [The male lead can only belong to the female lead.] Who said I wanted to stay anyway! I was just about to stand up from the bathtub when my legs gave out, and I fell to my knees with a splash. Escape plan, to be continued tomorrow. The next day, Lucas was indeed not at home. I was preparing to quickly pack my things and run away with the money when I ran into Lucas, who had just returned. I looked at Lucas, then at my suitcase, and smiled awkwardly. “Are you… going out?” Lucas asked with a hint of a smile. I chuckled nervously. “What a coincidence, right?” Lucas walked past me and sat on the sofa. His voice was neither cold nor warm as he spoke. “I heard from my assistant that someone booked a flight to Germany at 8 PM tonight. I came back to see if this little money-grubber had emptied my house.” I dragged my suitcase over to Lucas and stood in front of him. “Lucas Gray, you’re spying on me!” Lucas looked up at me and smiled. “Spying?” He suddenly stood up and came closer, the tip of his shoe grazing the zipper of my suitcase by my feet. “Little deaf girl, you’ve been by my side for two years and know the location of every camera in the garage like the back of your hand. Now you’re talking about spying?” I stubbornly backed away, my lower back hitting the carved screen in the entryway. Lucas’s fingers traced my burning earlobe, suddenly pulling out the check I had hidden in my sleeve—he had swiped it without me noticing! “Thinking of running away with fifty million?” He waved the check, making a rustling sound. “Olivia, have you forgotten? The confidentiality agreement you signed states that if you leave without permission…” My heart skipped a beat. Suddenly, I noticed a blue ribbon peeking out of the inner pocket of his suit jacket. It was a little trinket I had stuffed into his pocket last week when we were picking out ties—he had called it “childish” but hadn’t thrown it away. “Stop!” I suddenly made a time-out gesture with my hands, raising my voice and signing, “I-I just remembered, I left some soup simmering in the kitchen!” Lucas raised an eyebrow as he watched me scramble towards the kitchen, my suitcase still tilted in the entryway. Just as I grabbed the microwave door handle, I heard a suppressed chuckle from behind. I turned to see him shaking his head at my suitcase. A half-capped lipstick had fallen out, drawing a crooked red line on the beige carpet. “The soup is on the third shelf of the fridge,” he suddenly said. “Also—” He pulled out a gold-embossed invitation from his inner suit pocket, “Tonight at 7 PM, charity gala at the Gray Trade Center. Chloe specifically asked to meet you.” Chloe! What! His true love wants to meet me! Wait, bro! You’re taking me, the substitute, to meet the real deal! Is this right? Is this okay?! Has the plot advanced already? Am I still destined to face retribution?

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “297069”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance

I am the top engineer at the National Deep Sea Technology Center and the only person in the world with deep-sea rescue experience. When my sister’s submarine had an accident and was trapped 10,000 meters deep in the ocean, I hung up her distress call. Then, without any rush, I went to the police station to turn myself in, claiming I had leaked confidential research information. A few minutes later, my father called in a rage, “Your sister’s life is hanging by a thread, where the hell are you?” “I order you to go to the accident site immediately to save her, or you won’t see a penny of the Land family fortune!” I calmly pulled the covers over myself and said into the phone, “No time. Don’t disturb my sleep.” When the rescue team captain came to find me, I was shaken awake from my deep sleep. “Engineer Snow! There’s been an accident!” “Your sister Stella’s ‘Deep Diver’ has lost contact at a depth of 10,900 meters in the Mariana Trench!” “They encountered an unknown underwater earthquake, all communications are down, and the chances of survival… are slim!” I opened my eyes groggily and looked at the person who had come. “So?” I asked indifferently. The captain was taken aback, seemingly not expecting this reaction from me. She urgently said, “We need you!” “You’re the only person in the world with successful rescue experience at depths of 10,000 meters. You’re their only hope of survival!” I calmly lay back down, turned over intending to continue sleeping, “Sorry, can’t help.” “What?” “I said, I can’t help,” I repeated, my tone as calm as if the person trapped at the bottom of the sea was my enemy. “Lucy Snow! Are you insane? Your sister is down there! Along with twenty other research team members! They only have enough oxygen to last 72 hours at most!” “My husband, Charlie Zhou,” I interrupted her, “He was the chief commander of the last rescue operation. In terms of experience, he’s more seasoned than me. You should go find him.” Captain Li looked at me in disbelief and yanked me up, yelling, “What the hell are you talking about? Of course we contacted Commander Zhou! But he’s not even in the country!” I chuckled lightly. “I know.” With that, I pulled the covers over my head and ignored her. She could only stamp her foot and storm out of the detention room, cursing under her breath. The world was quiet again. A few minutes later, a distinctive ringtone stubbornly rang out. It was my father, Harrison Land. I answered. “Lucy Snow! Why are you refusing to help with the rescue? Your sister is still down there!” As soon as he spoke, it was a barrage of accusations, his voice full of suppressed anger. “Dad, I just said, find Charlie. He’s more professional.” “I can’t reach him! His satellite phone is turned off!” Harrison’s voice grew increasingly anxious. I chuckled lightly, responding to him in a relaxed tone, “Oh, that’s normal.” “Because right now, he’s on the ‘Deep Diver’.” On the other end of the phone, Harrison’s breath caught sharply. Then came a thunderous rage: “What nonsense are you spouting! Charlie was personally assigned by me to go to the Arctic for the ‘Aurora Project’ last month! He won’t be back for another month! How could he possibly be on the ‘Deep Diver’!” “Is that so?” I feigned surprise, “Then maybe I remembered wrong.” “You…” I didn’t wait for him to finish before hanging up the phone. The next second, the phone immediately rang again. This time it was my stepmother, Fiona Woods. Her voice was thick with tears, sounding almost broken. “Lucy, please, I’m begging you, just go save your sister…” I leaned back in the chair, closed my eyes, and quietly listened to her performance. “Moreover, more than half of the twenty researchers on the submarine are students you personally mentored! How can you bear to watch them die at the bottom of the sea, 10,000 meters deep?” “Can you really be so heartless?”

I laughed. Of course I could be that heartless. An hour later, my father and stepmother found where I was being detained. I calmly watched the emergency rescue news of the “Deep Diver” being broadcast live on the wall-mounted TV through the cold iron bars. In the news, the host was dramatically introducing the list of missing personnel, portraying them as heroes who had sacrificed themselves for the country. The atmosphere was perfectly set. I raised my handcuffed hands and shrugged helplessly at them outside the iron bars. “As you can see, I’m in no position to help anyone right now.” “I’ve been detained for allegedly leaking core technology secrets of the ‘Deep Diver’.” Fiona’s expression transformed from shock to bewilderment to venom in a matter of seconds. Her well-maintained face twisted with anger as she accused in a shrill voice: “It was you! Lucy Snow! You did this on purpose!” “You’re jealous of your sister! You’re jealous that she became the chief designer of the ‘Deep Diver’ at such a young age!” “If you can’t have it, you want to destroy her! What a vicious heart you have!” Each of her accusations matched word for word with the media press releases from my previous life. It seems they had prepared this script long ago. My father, Harrison Land, was much calmer than her. He was anxious, but still maintained the dignity of a director. He stared at me intently: “What’s really going on?” “Not sure,” I leaned against the wall, my posture lazy, “Last night, the disciplinary department burst into my workshop, saying someone had reported me by name for selling the structural diagrams and underwater sonar identification codes of the ‘Deep Diver’ to foreign agencies.” Harrison’s face instantly turned ashen. He knew this was a frame-up, yet didn’t utter a single word of concern. Half of the core technology of the ‘Deep Diver’ came from my research results. How could I possibly leak my own life’s work? “Damn it!” He growled lowly, immediately pulling out his phone, “I’ll find someone right away, use every connection, and definitely get you out on bail within the day!” “Don’t waste your effort,” I flatly refused. “What do you mean?” “Before the official investigation results come out, if I leave here, it will only confirm the charges.” I looked at him, my gaze calm yet sharp, “Dad, you and I both know that once this charge is confirmed, my life is over.” Harrison’s movements froze. Of course he understood. I slowly asked him a question, “Dad, if today, only one of me and Stella could live.” “Who would you choose?” He opened his mouth, but couldn’t make a sound. Just then, Harrison’s phone rang. He grabbed onto it like a lifeline and immediately answered. The call was from the Arctic Research Center. “Director Land, we’ve just managed to contact Commander Zhou!” Harrison’s eyes instantly lit up. “That’s great! What did he say? Does he have a solution?” “Commander Zhou said he has already interrupted his Arctic mission and is trying to remotely connect to the ‘Deep Diver’s’ operating system using a backup channel! But…” “But what?” “But the submarine’s physical interface is locked, and the remote signal can’t fully access it! Someone must pilot a rescue vessel, reach the accident site in the deep sea, and perform a physical connection to have any chance of restarting the system!” “And this physical connection operation can only be completed by Engineer Lucy Snow!”

The phone was on speaker, and every word came through clearly to my ears. Harrison hung up the phone and looked at me with bloodshot eyes, his voice hoarse: “Lucy Snow, did you hear that? Now it’s not just about saving your sister, it’s about completing Charlie’s rescue plan! This is an order!” I lazily yawned, not even bothering to respond to him. Just then, there was a commotion outside the detention center. Several parents of the missing students, having somehow gotten wind of the news, had rushed here as well. As soon as they saw me, they fell to their knees in unison with a thud. “Professor Snow! Please! Please save our children!” “Yes, Professor Snow, we only have one daughter, she can’t die!” Cries and pleas rang out in a chorus. I looked down at them from above, my gaze as cold as ice. “What does their life or death have to do with me?” One sentence silenced all the crying. They looked at me in disbelief, as if looking at a monster. One of the mothers reacted, immediately pulling out her phone from her pocket, opening a screenshot of a transfer record, and holding it up in front of me. “How can it not be related to you! This is the record of my daughter paying you ‘research fees’!” “She said you stipulated that every month, we had to transfer $5,000 to this account, otherwise you wouldn’t let her participate in projects or graduate!” “Our children’s futures are in your hands, how can you stand by and watch them die!” Others also took out their phones, one transfer record after another, like heavy hammers, striking at me. “Yes! Our family paid too!” “We all paid! For two whole years!” Harrison, seeing those records, trembled with anger, pointing at my nose, his voice quavering. “You… you ungrateful daughter!” “Not only are you cold-blooded and heartless, but you’ve also done such despicable things as corruption and extorting students!” “You’ve completely disgraced our Land family!” He shouted in rage, as if I had really committed some unforgivable crime. But he and I both knew the truth. That receiving account didn’t belong to me at all. It belonged to his precious daughter, Stella. No matter how they begged, cursed, or even threatened to die, I had no reaction. I was like an outsider, coldly watching this farce unfold. Time ticked by second by second, and the golden window for rescuing the “Deep Diver” was rapidly closing. The online public opinion had completely exploded. #Chief Engineer Lucy Snow Refuses Rescue# #Lucy Snow Suspected of Leaking Secrets, Detained# #Lucy Snow Extorts Students# One glaring topic after another was pushed to the top of trending searches. My name, in just a few short hours, had become synonymous with cold-bloodedness, greed, and shamelessness. Just then, in the live rescue broadcast, a weak and intermittent electrical sound suddenly came through. It was Stella. “Sis… sis… can you hear me…” She seemed to be using all her strength, her voice full of fear of death and a desire for life. “Sis… I believe in you… I know you’ll save me…” “Ever since we were little… you’ve always been the sister I admired most… you won’t abandon me, right?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “297068”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance

It was the first week of school when our homeroom teacher burst in, excitement bubbling in her voice. “Our class has been chosen for a groundbreaking ‘Self-Identity Transformation Experiment’ in partnership with the school counseling center!” The whole class crowdfunded plastic surgery for the poor class beauty, $100 per person. I refused. The next day, my desk was doused with soy milk, and the school network was filled with posts exposing my cold-blooded selfishness. They called me ugly, poor, and mean-spirited. They even dug up my mom’s workplace and posted notes at her office door, cursing her for raising a heartless daughter. But no one knew that the class beauty who claimed her family couldn’t afford plastic surgery. Her dad was the director of the plastic surgery hospital that ruined my face. It was the first week of school. The homeroom teacher burst in, excitedly announcing: “The school and psychological center are jointly launching a ‘Self-Identity Transformation Experiment,’ and our class is the first pilot group!” The class erupted in applause. I didn’t join in, just chewed on my pen tip silently. She continued, “As you all know, our classmate Olivia Shaw has been struggling with severe appearance anxiety. The counselors have suggested she undergo cosmetic surgery to boost her self-esteem. We’ll be starting a class fundraiser to help make her dream come true!” I looked up at Olivia. She stood at the front, wearing our school uniform with perfectly applied makeup, her head bowed demurely. “I… I don’t want to trouble anyone… it’s just…” “Don’t say another word!” A boy slammed his hand on his desk. “You’re the prettiest girl in our class. If you get this surgery, our school’s enrollment will double!” Someone else chimed in, “He’s right! Donating to Olivia is an investment in our school’s future!” Olivia shook her head, tears glistening in her eyes. “I just hope that even if I leave this place one day, I can be remembered by the world in my best form.” Her words sent a wave of emotion through the classroom. Our teacher pulled up a PowerPoint slide. “For this ‘Beauty Boost’ campaign, we suggest a donation of $100 per person. It’s voluntary, but we hope everyone will do their best to support Olivia.” I glanced at my phone: $4.25 in my account. So, I spoke up quietly, “I won’t be donating.” The air in the room seemed to freeze. Then someone let out a cold laugh. “Tch, figures.” “Seriously? Not donating is one thing, but that attitude? Didn’t you hear how gently Olivia phrased it?” “Didn’t she just buy that $150 skincare set? With her skin, a $5 moisturizer would do the job.” “Look at her eyes, always staring at Olivia. Jealous of her small face and high nose, perhaps?” “Does she think we’re all idiots, falling for Olivia’s act? Is she the only ‘smart’ one here?” Olivia spoke up softly, “She’s… not a bad person. I understand… maybe her family situation…” “Her family situation is way better than yours!” Someone stood up, slamming their desk. “Doesn’t her mom drop her off in a car every day? What about you? Two bus transfers!” I opened my mouth, but my throat felt blocked. Not a word came out. The entire class was staring at me. Olivia looked at me and suddenly said, “It’s… okay if she doesn’t want to donate. I don’t mind.” In that moment, I was utterly defeated. Because not only was she the class’s protected “angel,” now she was playing the “magnanimous goddess” role too. I was about to speak when someone at the front stuck a QR code on the blackboard. “Let’s vote on whether Rachel should donate or not.” I had barely scanned the code when my screen displayed: Current voting results: Support Rachel Chen donating: 94 votes Support Rachel Chen’s free choice: 1 vote My hands were shaking. “The votes are in. Still not going to chip in?” Someone tossed an A4 paper at me. It read: “Help Olivia’s Dream Come True, $100 per person, SnapPay only.” “Don’t talk about it being voluntary. This isn’t about morals, it’s about class unity!” “If you really don’t want to, you can get out of this class!” Gritting my teeth, I said coldly, “Her dad owns a plastic surgery clinic. If she really wants surgery, doesn’t she have the equipment at home?” The room fell silent for two seconds before erupting into even louder laughter. “Haha, are you crazy? If Olivia’s family really owned a hospital, would I be killing myself trying to get into an Ivy League?” “You think just because her family can afford a house in this small town, they own a hospital? Why not say her dad’s the chief surgeon and her mom’s the head nurse?” “Give it up. Don’t go around spreading lies and smearing others just because you’re insecure about your looks!” Olivia didn’t say a word, just looked at me. I remembered that look. A year ago, her father had me sign a contract for “double eyelid surgery only, no other procedures.” I signed, but on the day of the surgery, while I was unconscious, they altered my nose, my chin, my whole face. When I woke up, I cried and tore at the bandages. The doctor said, “It’s just a bit of technical instability. Go home, apply the medicine, it’ll get better slowly.” It took me a whole year of being disfigured before I dared to go out without makeup. And she used my ruined face for marketing, made promotional videos, and even claimed she was “born with poor facial structure, became beautiful through hard work.” Now she was turning the whole class into her second experimental ground. I stared at her, my voice low and trembling: “I won’t donate. Dream on.” 0

She looked up at me, tears in her eyes. “I know you’ve never liked me, but I really didn’t mean to embarrass you like this.” Our teacher sighed. “Rachel, don’t be so selfish. Is it right to stop the whole class’s plan just because you disagree?” The class chimed in. “That’s right! You’re the only one making us all look bad!” “Is this how your parents taught you to be so cold-hearted?” “If you really won’t donate, just drop out. We don’t want you in this class!” Someone splashed water on my shoes, while others threw paper balls at my back. I clenched my fists, my nails almost digging into my palms. Suddenly, my phone buzzed with a payment notification. It was a SnapChat from my mom. [Rachel, your teacher called and told me everything. I’ve been working overtime, here’s the $100. Don’t let your classmates give you a hard time…] My hand shook, and I almost dropped my phone. After Mom transferred the $100, I didn’t donate right away. I sat at my desk, biting my lip so hard my fingers trembled too much to even tap the screen properly. The class group chat was still buzzing: [Everyone’s donated. How many more times does Rachel want to make Olivia cry before she’s satisfied?] [Some families aren’t poor, they’re just heartless.] Before I could reply, another message popped up on my phone. It was from my mom’s coworker: [Rachel, your mom collapsed at the office. She’s been taken to the hospital by ambulance.] I froze. The next second, I ran out of the classroom like a madwoman. I could hear someone sneer, “She’s putting on another show. Making it life-or-death over a simple donation.” I couldn’t care less. For the first time in my life, I splurged on a taxi and rushed straight to the city hospital. My mom was lying in the emergency room, her face pale, the back of her hand bruised from the IV. The doctor spoke coldly, “Your mother fainted due to long-term sleep deprivation, low blood sugar, and extreme fatigue.” I remembered how she’d been working until 1 or 2 AM these past few days, rushing to two part-time jobs during the day, not even eating breakfast. Standing by her bedside, my heart felt like it was being torn apart. The nurse handed me the bill. I looked at the amount and bit my lip, not making a sound. I had less than $20 left on my phone, but our homeroom teacher was tagging me in the class group: [Rachel, Olivia’s cosmetic surgery fund is just waiting on you now. Everyone’s waiting for you to chip in.] [We know your family isn’t well-off, but even Yolanda’s family donated, and her dad just lost his job last year.] [Do you want us to crowdfund your share? Don’t be so disheartening.] I replied: [My mom fainted and is in the hospital. I really can’t afford this right now.] Olivia replied instantly: [It’s okay… if Rachel is really struggling, let’s just forget about it. I don’t blame her…] She said she didn’t blame me, but the whole class exploded. [Olivia, don’t be too kind. She can afford lipstick, perfume, and skincare, her family has a car, and she’s claiming hardship? Isn’t that laughable?] [Didn’t her mom drop her off at school in a car the other day? What was it, a blue Volkswagen?] [Her mom fainting means she doesn’t have to donate? Why not say her grandma fell or her grandpa’s in the hospital too?] [Besides, Olivia didn’t force you to donate, she just cried. If you don’t donate, it’s because your heart is too hard!] My fingers kept shaking. I was about to reply “I really can’t afford it” when I saw a new hot post pinned to the top of the school forum: “You cried so I must pay? How vicious can a ‘poor’ girl be?” The cover was a photo of me biting my lip and crying at the classroom door that day. The first comment under the title was: [Saying her mom fainted and is in the hospital, probably another old trick. I bet tomorrow she’ll be posting her own donation QR code.] 0

The next morning, before I even entered the classroom, someone dumped a bucket of soy milk all over me at the entrance of the teaching building. “Oops, sorry! My bad!” The boy who threw the cup laughed and walked away. I stood there, soaked from head to toe, the soy milk dripping from my hair onto my uniform, leaving sticky yellow stains on the white collar. I stood frozen, my face burning with shame. Olivia walked up to me and stood in front of me, her voice soft: “Rachel, you can’t keep making everyone think you’re putting on a pity show to clear your name. You’ll really be misunderstood this way.” I finally snapped, my voice hoarse and trembling: “Clear my name? When your dad ruined my face, did I even ask him to take responsibility?” She blinked: “What are you talking about? Didn’t you voluntarily sign up for the trial? You signed the contract yourself.” “Didn’t you say ‘I can endure pain for beauty’? How come now that you’re disfigured, you want to blame others?” She paused, then lowered her voice: “Rachel, I advise you not to say anything rash. The statute of limitations on my dad’s case has passed. If you really make a big fuss, it’ll only make your mom’s work situation more difficult.” “Also,” she smiled, “do you have any evidence for what you’re saying now?” I was stunned. She wasn’t wrong. I had no evidence. The trial contract I signed back then was taken away, and my mom had thrown away the copy as waste paper. I was only a freshman then, and after being disfigured, I only knew how to cry. I had no idea what to keep as evidence. I couldn’t even remember clearly what I had signed. And now, she stood brazenly in front of me, saying: “Without evidence, anything you say is just slander.” My whole body went cold, my teeth chattering. She turned and walked into the classroom with a smile. Classmates crowded around her, offering breakfast, hot water bottles, pink face masks, saying: “Olivia, you’re really too kind.” “Don’t let her get to you, she’s just trying to ride your coattails.” “Don’t worry, we all support you getting plastic surgery to live your best life. You deserve better.” And I, like a madwoman, was nailed to the corridor. My vision started to blur. That night, I couldn’t sleep. Not because I had been doused with soy milk during the day, not because my mother was still lying in the hospital on an IV drip, but because Olivia had posted a new article on the school’s public account: “The Pursuit of Beauty is Never a Sin” She said she was a “patient with congenital facial structure imbalance” and had developed an eating disorder in middle school due to her facial issues. She said she could only fall asleep at 4 AM because “appearance anxiety has seeped into my bones.” Finally, she wrote: “Some people think I don’t deserve plastic surgery, that this is all an act. But I just want to stop being scared of my reflection in the mirror. I hope the next time I sit on the operating table, I’ll wake up with a smile.” There were over a thousand comments below, all praising her for being “brave,” “real,” and “beautifully powerful.” As for me, after being scolded for three whole days, I didn’t even have a single comment defending me. This donation storm, wrapped in the guise of “beauty,” had already become one-sided in public opinion. I sat on a long bench in the hospital corridor, took out my phone, and opened the official website of that plastic surgery hospital. The procedure Olivia said she wanted was the hospital’s newly launched “Full Face Dynamic 3D Fusion Surgery.” The introduction read: “Jointly developed by Shaw Hospital and overseas experts” and “Creating an Asian-adapted facial proportion model.” I recognized it immediately. This was the same procedure the doctor had mentioned to me before my double eyelid surgery. Fighting back tears, I dialed the consumer protection hotline and the city’s medical regulatory hotline. I reported the hospital’s name, saying they exaggerated their advertising, failed to disclose experimental procedures, and refused to provide complete medical records after disfiguring me. The person on the other end said they would file the complaint for investigation. After hanging up, for the first time, I felt a tiny bit of victory, no matter how small. But this small sense of victory turned into hell the next morning. 0

Hot post on the school forum: “Shocking! Girl refuses to crowdfund, reports Olivia’s plastic surgery hospital, even writes to school authorities slandering her father as a quack doctor” The post included a photo of my silhouette making a phone call in the hospital corridor late at night. There was also a secretly taken photo of me queuing in the cafeteria, with large red text: [This is Rachel Chen. Jealous that everyone likes Olivia, she reported her family’s hospital just because Olivia is prettier than her.] The post had thousands of comments. [Wow, how vicious can she be?] [Can’t get surgery herself so she wants to ruin someone else’s face? Does she even qualify as human?] [What did Olivia ever do to her? This girl must be a psycho!] By noon, as I was walking into the teaching building, I heard people scrolling through their phones and pointing at me: “Is she the one who reported the Shaw family hospital?” “I bet she’s mentally ill. If Olivia’s face is considered ugly, she might as well apply for a job at a haunted house.” “Write a sob story, make a fuss, and now she wants to play the victim of public opinion, huh?” I bit my lip and rushed into the classroom. As soon as I sat down, our homeroom teacher came in with several printed papers in her hand. “Rachel Chen, come to the office.” I stood up, my legs shaking. In the office, the dean of students had a grim expression: “Rachel Chen, your unauthorized report of Shaw Hospital has caused extremely negative impact on the school’s image. Now parents and outside media are demanding an explanation from the school.” The homeroom teacher also advised: “We’re not saying you can’t defend your rights, but doing it this way will only make the whole class resent you.” I looked up: “Weren’t they already resenting me?” The dean’s eyes turned cold: “Olivia just gave us the screenshot of the threatening message you sent her father last night. Do you want to take a look yourself?” I took it. The photo indeed showed a message I supposedly sent to the Shaw Hospital’s official account from a burner account: “Don’t think you can keep this under wraps forever. I still remember how you ruined my face back then.” “No matter how rich your dad is, I’ll make sure he’s exposed to the light of day.” At the bottom of the message was a red box noting: “Verbal threats, malicious false reporting.” My mind exploded. I never sent these words. My report was through the hotline, through official channels. I never privately messaged them. This burner account wasn’t mine! I was about to defend myself when the dean coldly handed me another paper: “Take a look at this.” I took it and saw it was a joint letter. “We, the classmates of Rachel Chen, strongly condemn Rachel Chen for long-term spreading of false rumors about Olivia and her family both inside and outside the class, seriously disrupting class unity, and even attempting to smear the plastic surgery hospital through online means. We believe her behavior is extremely vicious and implore the school to take disciplinary action.” At the bottom, over thirty names were densely packed, each signature clear and neat. I felt like I had fallen into an ice pit. I couldn’t even see the words clearly anymore. The dean spoke coldly: “You must write an explanation now, publicly apologize to your classmates, and promise not to make malicious comments again.” I looked up, my eyes red, and asked hoarsely: “What if I don’t apologize?” He raised his head: “Then please cooperate with the school disciplinary process. We will also suggest you take a leave of absence to reflect at home for a while.” I stood up, clenching my fists, and said word by word: “I will never apologize for something I didn’t do.” “You can punish me, even expel me. But let me tell you this” “Olivia is not the good person you think she is. Her father’s hospital has problems, and so does she. You can cover it up for now, but you can’t hide it forever.” I turned and walked out of the office. Behind me came the sound of the dean angrily slamming his desk. But I wasn’t afraid anymore. I opened my phone and dialed a number. It was the young assistant who had been responsible for filming pre-op videos at the plastic surgery hospital that year. I still had her phone number, and I still had the voice message she sent me when she secretly shared “screenshots of the surgical process” with me. Now, it was time to bring them out.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “297067”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance