Author: Momo Chan

My wife was reported for embezzling company funds, and I took the fall, serving time in prison for her. She promised she’d wait for me in our home, but she never visited, not once. I figured she was busy and didn’t think much of it. Until the day I was released. I found my wife, Serena, leaning into a man’s embrace, gazing happily at two little kids, a boy and a girl, playing in the yard. No wonder she didn’t have time to see me. She was too busy living her happily ever after. I’d sacrificed four and a half years in prison, thinking I was a martyr, but they hadn’t cared at all. The little boy caught my eye, still crouched behind the iron fence. He turned, screaming with excitement: “Mom, Dad, look! A beggar’s here for food!” The man’s gaze fell on me, and a chilling cold spread through my chest. Wasn’t that Vincent Blackwood, the man who’d reported my wife all those years ago? … Vincent Blackwood pulled the two children behind him, his eyes wary. “Go on, sweethearts, play with Mom.” The two kids bounced around Serena. She just looked at me, her brow furrowed. Vincent reached out as if to pat my shoulder, hesitated for a few seconds when he saw my ragged clothes, but completed the standard guy-to-guy greeting anyway. “Next time you visit us, remember to call ahead and make an appointment. You… nearly scared the kids.” “I don’t recall you being due out so soon.” Vincent pulled out a cigarette and offered it to me. I didn’t take it. “Good behavior, got some time off,” I repeated his words in my head, the taste bitter. “The property deed for this house is still in my name, you know.” My life’s work, all those years of struggle, now just a freebie for Vincent because he started a family with *her*. Vincent fell silent. He lit the cigarette himself and took a drag. Serena Miller approached, and his free hand naturally rested on her shoulder. Serena’s eyes swept over me, making me uncomfortable. She let out a soft sigh, those expressive eyes looking at me. “You’ve lost weight.” As if we were truly long-lost lovers, finally reunited. I desperately wanted to ask her if her words from back then still held true, if she’d thought of me at all during all these days. Vincent suddenly clapped his hands, the cigarette still dangling from his lips. “I almost forgot! My mind’s a mess, all thanks to your son.” “Honey, don’t eat that.” He picked up a dog bowl, still wet with dog drool, and haughtily tossed it at my feet. Then, with a sneer, he blew a puff of smoke directly into my face. “Liam, I’m not trying to insult you. Our dog’s monthly food bill is definitely more than what you got in prison. The food won’t be bad.” “I’m just curious, I heard people who’ve done time would eat anything, even rotten scraps, and find it delicious. I just want to see if that’s true.” I had arrived hungry, but in my rush to see Serena, I hadn’t eaten anything before coming. And it wasn’t as if I’d relish rotten scraps, as he suggested. I just hadn’t expected Serena to already have two children. She had forgotten me completely, forgotten my sacrifice. Vincent treated me like dirt, and Serena just offered a faint smile. Infuriated, I grabbed Vincent by his collar with one hand. “What are you showing off for? You framed my wife and stole my family, and I haven’t even settled that score with you yet!” Serena’s fingernails scraped my arm. She snapped, annoyed: “Liam Anderson, Vincent was just joking with you. Why are you overreacting like this?” I swallowed the bitter taste in my mouth and let go. The moment I released him, Serena quickly took Vincent’s arm, meticulously smoothing out his collar. “Serena Miller, aren’t you going to give me an explanation? He and those twins…” Serena raised her hand to check the time, her voice cold and distant. “We can talk about this minor issue later. It’s almost time for Leo and Mia to go on the swings.” They treated me as if I were invisible, walking away hand in hand. My anger felt like shouting into a void; no one cared. Serena pulled a hundred-dollar bill from behind her phone and tucked it into my hand. “You’ve worked hard for over four years. Go buy yourself something nice.” I stood there, stunned, clutching the hundred-dollar bill. Keeping cash behind my phone was a habit I’d had for years. That was from a trip with Serena long ago. She’d fainted from heatstroke, my phone had died, and I had no cash. I’d asked countless passersby before finally borrowing money from a girl who’d had a previous spat with Serena. The condition was five bucks for every slap to my face. Since then, to be prepared for any emergency, every morning before leaving, I’d check both our phones to make sure there was cash behind them. Serena’s actions still carried a shadow of my influence, but she no longer loved me. Only this house, where we’d lived for so many years, told me. Those loving memories, they were real. I suppressed the bitterness in my heart, felt under the rug, and found the key, ready to enter the house and change into some slippers. Mrs. Jenkins, the housekeeper, suddenly shouted, accusing me loudly. “Mr. Anderson, what are you doing? Your muddy footprints are all over the tiles! Can’t you think about how hard we work to keep this place clean?” Mrs. Jenkins was a housekeeper I’d hired years ago, back when I was just starting out. She had been incredibly grateful to me at first. I hadn’t expected that in four and a half years in prison, Serena wouldn’t be the only one to change. Ignoring Mrs. Jenkins, I reached for a pair of slippers. Mrs. Jenkins shrieked again, “Mr. Anderson, you still don’t know the rules! These slippers are for guests!” I was about to explode, but Mrs. Jenkins rushed back, bringing me a pair of my old shoes and two red plastic bags to use as shoe covers. She patted my back like an elder. “Mr. Anderson, don’t be mad at me. I have to follow the orders of whoever pays me, right?” “Your things? Mrs. Miller already had me put them all in the storage room. Hurry up and take that pile of junk and move out.” I shook my head and went to the storage room. Expensive watches and custom suits were haphazardly piled on the floor. But on the top shelf of a spotless glass cabinet sat a single shoe box. I quickly and carefully took it down, only to find a pair of canvas shoes cut into shreds, with several burn holes on the upper and traces of cigarette ash. When I carried the shoe box out, the cozy family of four had returned. Seeing my grim face, Serena stepped forward and touched my forehead. “No fever. Why do you look so pale? I’ll have Mrs. Jenkins make you some chicken soup later to perk you up.” “I just discussed it with Vincent. Since we’ve known each other for so many years, you can continue to stay in our house. We won’t kick you out to wander the streets.” I took a few steps back to avoid her touch and opened the shoe box. “Who ruined my shoes?” Serena glanced at them. “Oh, the pair your mom sewed for you, right?” I nodded. Serena pointed at me, letting out a clear laugh. “Vincent, look, a twenty-dollar pair of old-fashioned sneakers, and he treats it like a treasure.” “Who could stand such a mama’s boy? He wore those worn-out shoes every single day, and if it rained, he put them in a safe. Why didn’t he just spend his whole life with his mom?” The little boy, who had been hiding behind Vincent earlier, bravely stepped forward, raising his hand high. “I ruined them! Don’t blame my mom.” He seemed proud of himself. Serena gently ruffled his hair. “If you ruin someone’s things, you have to pay for them. Go buy him a new pair.” Then, she said to me, seemingly helpless: “Liam Anderson, don’t fuss over a kid. He’ll pay you for a new pair, just let it go.” The chubby boy ran over with an alligator-skin wallet, pulled out a handful of coins, and scattered them all over me. He grinned, his smile strikingly similar to Vincent Blackwood’s. Serena praised the boy for being sensible, but then she saw me again, and her brow furrowed. “This is over. Kids are always mischievous. Giving you twenty bucks for those old-fashioned shoes is already generous of him.” Vincent extended a cigarette butt, making a cryptic gesture. The shoes had been placed so high, a child of a meter tall couldn’t have reached them. Besides, there was cigarette ash on them. Serena followed my gaze, playfully punching Vincent’s arm. But when she turned back to me, her face was cold as ice. “You’re not still suspecting Vincent, are you? Even if he knew those old shoes were your family heirloom, Vincent wouldn’t bother with your trash. Can’t your mom just make you another pair?” She couldn’t make another pair. This was the last pair of shoes my mom ever sewed for me. In all those years I suffered in prison, my mom only visited once. She even specifically told me to be good to Serena when I got out. But was it my fault that I couldn’t have a good life with Serena? For five years, I yearned for her. She was laughing in another man’s arms. Serena ignored me, picking up the children. “My darlings must be hungry. Let’s go eat. Hubby, you too, hurry up.” Vincent casually glanced at me. “Honey, it’s been so many years, and the kids and I don’t like Spicy Tripe Stew. I’ve never even seen you touch your fork to it, so why do you still insist Mrs. Jenkins makes it?” Spicy Tripe Stew was my favorite dish. Before, Serena had disliked it, calling it a strange, unpresentable dish. Only on holidays would she allow Mrs. Jenkins to make it for me. Serena froze, her back to me, not answering Vincent. “Liam Anderson, stay and eat. I don’t want the neighbors seeing our guest leave looking upset, thinking we’re bad hosts.” The phrase “our home” had stabbed at me countless times today. Vincent gritted his teeth, then put his arm around my shoulder, acting friendly. “Liam, tonight, we drink until we drop.” A few years ago, he’d solemnly told me he would pursue justice and the law to the very end. His face hadn’t looked like this then. At the most prominent spot on the table, a steaming bowl of Spicy Tripe Stew sat. Seeing me staring at the dish, Serena picked up the bowl and dumped it into the trash can. She didn’t look at me, but smiled sweetly at Vincent. “I can’t believe I used to put such a disgusting dish on the table.” “Only someone with a psychological defect would enjoy a dish like that.” More than her sarcasm, I thought of our marriage, just an empty piece of paper. She must have regretted it long ago, right? I wasn’t incapable of accepting Serena falling in love with someone else, having children with another man, but why didn’t she tell me sooner? Even a message through someone else would have been enough. My place setting was still on the table, but I knew that in this home, which I had fought so hard for, there was no longer a place for me. Serena and Vincent, with their two children, harmoniously enjoyed dinner, while I was isolated outside. I directly asked the question that had been haunting me. “Was what happened five years ago a joint effort between you two?” Serena pressed her lips together and handed the two children to Mrs. Jenkins. Vincent stared at my face and laughed. “Liam, you’re too full of yourself. If I wanted to go against you, it wouldn’t have been just four and a half years. Besides, look in the mirror, see that receding hairline? If I played dirty with you, my subordinates would laugh me to death.” Serena laughed too, glancing at the top of my head with a look of disdain. “What’s past is past. Liam Anderson, you’re just not generous enough. After all these years in the industry, you’re still just an upstart.” Could four and a half years of repetitive prison life just be brushed off with “what’s past is past”? My buzz cut, it was a mark left by them both, yet they laughed so happily. Serena suddenly turned serious, glaring at Vincent. “That’s enough laughing, it’s getting excessive. Show Liam Anderson some respect. I think a buzz cut isn’t bad at all.” She picked up a chicken drumstick and placed it on the plate in front of me. I wiped the fork, which had the little boy’s drool on it, and gently turned over the chicken skin, seeing specks of white maggots lying on the drumstick. It felt like the entire universe was telling me to leave, to stop being moved by little things. Finally, I made up my mind. “Serena Miller, let’s get a divorce.” Serena’s lips turned pale. “Are you sure? Once we divorce, there’s no turning back.” I nodded. “This house has the traces of your partner and children living in it. I don’t want it. Sell it to me at market price.”

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I married the son of a billionaire through an arranged marriage, but he suffered from erectile dysfunction. The only woman who could arouse him was his secretary. To give his terminally ill father a grandson, my husband would sneak out every night to “resolve his physical needs” with his secretary. When I discovered this, he fell to his knees crying, slapping himself until he bled as he begged for my forgiveness. “Honey, I do love you. I just can’t bear to see my father pass away with regrets!” he pleaded. What he didn’t know was that every time he snuck out, I would buy myself a luxury apartment downtown as compensation. And each time his secretary got pregnant, I would treat myself to a private island. In just two years, I had acquired 99 luxury properties and 4 islands. Until one day, I received a photo. In it, my father-in-law – who was supposed to have died from cancer – was lovingly caressing the secretary’s pregnant belly, his eyes glowing with joy. I threw the photo in my husband’s face. He immediately dropped to his knees, repeatedly kowtowing as he begged: “Honey, this child is the fruit of our love. I beg you to spare her…” “I swear I’ll cut off all contact with her once the baby is born!” I clenched my fists tightly, resisting the urge to hit him. Instead, I turned away calmly. “Fine,” I said. Since you don’t cherish what I’ve given you, don’t blame me for taking it all back. 0

In the photo, Kevin was leaning tenderly against Chloe’s swollen belly, smiling with deep satisfaction. I opened my contacts and called him. The phone rang for a long time before he picked up. “Hello? Honey?” His voice sounded guilty. “How was the business dinner? Did you make some good connections? I’m here with some important investors. Just finished a round of talks, I’m exhausted…” I replied with a laugh: “It went well. But I miss you so much right now. Can we video chat?” There was no response from the other end. The two of them were clearly panicking. “Baby, it’s not convenient right now. Besides, who video calls their wife in the middle of a business meeting? It wouldn’t leave a good impression on the clients.” “I know you miss me. Don’t worry, I’ll wrap up work as quickly as I can and spend more time with you tonight, okay?” I didn’t bother exposing his lies. Instead, I asked directly: “Kevin, do you love me?” Kevin hesitated for a few seconds before answering: “Of course I love you, honey! Don’t overthink things. You’re the only woman I’ll ever love!” His voice was very quiet, clearly trying to prevent Chloe from overhearing. Some “wife” I am. How pathetic. I hung up the phone and headed straight to their love nest, knocking on the door. “Sweetie, is that the food delivery? I…” Kevin opened the door, his bare upper body still glistening with sweat. He never expected to see me standing there. He immediately tried to block the doorway with his body, attempting to obstruct my view. “H-honey? What are you doing here… Aren’t you supposed to be…” He was utterly shocked. “At the business dinner, right? Kevin, that’s hardly important now, is it? Just like how you’re not actually in a meeting.” I looked past him at Chloe. She instinctively covered her belly with both hands, stammering: “Sophia… What brings you here…” I knew she was waiting for me to confront her so she could play the victim. But I didn’t. With a blank expression, I unlocked my phone screen and shoved that glaring photo right in Kevin’s face. I asked calmly: “Honey, didn’t you promise you’d never see her again?” “Were you lying to me?” 0

Kevin’s legs gave out and he fell to his knees in front of me. He started slapping himself hard. “Honey! Honey, I was wrong!!” “It’s not what you think! I… I admit I didn’t handle things well. Let me explain!” He tried to grab my pants leg, but I didn’t give him the chance. “Get lost,” I said coolly. “Sophia, you can’t blame this all on Kevin… You’ve been married for years without getting pregnant. Are you saying he’s not allowed to find someone else?” Chloe sneered. At this moment, she was wielding her pregnancy like a weapon. This girl I had once helped out of poverty was now seducing my husband. “Chloe, do you know why Kevin and I haven’t had children in ten years of marriage?” I stared her down. She lowered her head under my gaze, but her tone remained defiant: “You’re going to bring up his erectile dysfunction again, aren’t you? I’ve tried plenty of times and he’s perfectly normal. I don’t think it’s ED at all – he’s just not interested in you!” “A woman who can’t even arouse desire… Your life really is a failure… Ah!!!” I slapped her across the face. “Sophia! If you’re upset, take it out on me!! She’s just a young girl in a difficult situation…” “It’s all my fault… I didn’t handle my feelings properly. But I… I just can’t control myself when I see her… I’m not human! I’ve wronged you!” He was slapping himself repeatedly. Chloe grabbed his hand, crying. “Don’t stop her! She can beat me to death if she wants! I’ve been sick of how she treats you for a long time! You’re such a good man, why should you have to endure this?” “And… and I was willing. If anyone’s to blame, it’s me! Blame me for falling in love with you… for having feelings for you!” The two of them went back and forth, like a deeply affectionate couple. I was tired of watching their performance. “Are you done?” I asked. “If you’re done, I’ll continue.” 0

The scene before me was nauseating. “Kevin, you’d better make a choice between me and her today.” Kevin hurried to placate me. “Honey, you know I love you, but I’m a man too. I have my own needs…” “Besides, you know it’s because you couldn’t give birth that my dad, on his deathbed…” “Your dad! You have the nerve to bring up your dad!” I threw my phone hard, hitting him square on the nose. But he didn’t react at all, his eyes fixed on the photo on the screen. It showed his father, beaming as he touched Chloe’s pregnant belly. “How… how did you get this photo…” Clearly, the discovery that his father had faked his death came as a huge shock. He didn’t even know how to start lying. At this point, what was there for me not to understand? The three of them were putting on a show for me. “Kevin, I’ve warned you many times. Why didn’t you take it to heart?” Kevin dropped the act. “Yes! I lied to you! But don’t you have issues too?” “If you could have children, if you could arouse me, would I have cheated?” With the truth exposed, Kevin chose the stupidest path. That is, to turn against me completely. I was stunned for a moment, then couldn’t help but laugh. I must have been too good to him all these years, making him forget who made his current lifestyle possible. He couldn’t really think he could afford mansions and sports cars on his $3000 monthly salary, could he? “Kevin, I’ve been so tolerant of you only to end up like this. Don’t blame me for being ruthless now.” “I’ll have my lawyer send you the divorce papers. As for everything I’ve given you, I expect it all returned intact in three days.” With that, I strode away in my high heels. Three days later, not only did I not see a single thing returned, I received a scolding from the miraculously resurrected billionaire: “Sophia! What gives you the right to divorce What gives you the right to divorce my son? What can you do besides make money? You can’t even satisfy a man properly. Who else would want you besides my son!” “Alright, alright, I’ve decided to let him keep Chloe on the side. They can meet once a month, how’s that? But you’ll have to cover her living expenses!” His shamelessness was truly like father, like son. I smiled and said: “I spent over $100,000 on your funeral. When do you plan to pay me back?” What money? Chloe had already pocketed it all. When the old lady heard this, she wasn’t having it. She immediately jumped up: “Have you no shame? I’m a billionaire! I didn’t complain that you couldn’t have children, and now you dare ask me for money? What sins did I commit in my past life to end up with such a wretched daughter-in-law!” She looked ready to throw herself on the ground and start a tantrum. I helpfully offered her a cushion: “Please continue, Uncle. I have other matters to attend to, so I won’t stay to humor your antics.” His father couldn’t stand this indignity. He chased after me, wailing dramatically: “Help! My daughter-in-law is abandoning me!” “At my age, I’m begging her and she won’t even look at me! What a miserable life!” Noticing camera flashes around us, I pretended not to see. If they want to take photos, let them. Just make sure to use a beauty filter on me. 0

A few days later, Chloe actually came to my office threatening suicide. I looked at her helplessly. “Can’t you make a scene somewhere else? People are trying to work here.” But Chloe’s brain clearly couldn’t comprehend the importance of work. She continued shouting: “Kevin and I are truly in love. Why can’t you just let us be together? Do I have to die for you to be satisfied?!” I was confused. Wasn’t I already agreeing to divorce? How was that not letting them be together? What exactly did she want? “Why did you cancel Kevin’s credit cards? Don’t you know we can’t survive without money? How can you be so selfish!” When Kevin rushed over, I rolled my eyes and said, “Oh, you’re here. Your little mistress has been threatening suicide for an hour but hasn’t even scratched herself. Better comfort her quick, or you’ll inconvenience the cleaning staff getting off work.” Kevin’s face turned ashen. But it wasn’t because he found Chloe embarrassing. He was upset at my indifference: “Sophia, when did you become so cold-blooded…” “You’ve really disappointed me…” Mr. Chen was even more dramatic, his eyes rolling back as if about to faint: “Sophia! You little beast! Are you only happy when you’ve driven our whole family to death?!” She yelled loudly, and I replied even louder. “Yep, thrilled.” The onlookers, not knowing the full story, actually started criticizing me: “I can’t believe it. Ms. Johnson seemed so capable at work, but behind closed doors she’s so cold to her own family!” “Yeah, she’s driven that poor girl to the brink of suicide and she’s still making sarcastic comments. You really can’t judge a book by its cover!” “Hmph! Who knows how she got that CEO position. Probably by sleeping with other men.” As the crowd’s speculation grew more and more outrageous, Kevin cleared his throat and put on a magnanimous act: “Sophia, you see how clear-sighted everyone is? They all know you’re in the wrong. Stop making a fuss and come home with me. Who else would want you besides me?” He reached out to grab my hand. I laughed. As if he was worthy of touching me. I stepped back, and under his dissatisfied gaze, I slowly spoke: “Do they know that in all our years of marriage, we’ve had no children because you have erectile dysfunction?” The crowd fell silent, all ears perked up waiting for the juicy gossip. “Sophia! What nonsense are you spouting?!” “If you keep talking rubbish, I really won’t take you back!” The man’s pride was thoroughly trampled in public. I shrugged, cleared my throat, and repeated in a voice the whole office could hear: “You have ED! You have ED! You have ED! You have ED!” “I’ve been married to you for years and never experienced a woman’s pleasure, all because…” “You have erectile dysfunction!!!!”

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Seven months pregnant, I was hit by a car right outside my front door. But the driver didn’t stop immediately. Instead, they dragged me for miles. I called my husband through the pain, but the line was busy. When the driver finally stopped, she was crying on the phone: “Gabriel, I think I’ve done something terrible. I… I hit a pregnant woman… What should I do? I’m so scared!” Clutching my belly, I looked at her pleadingly, begging: “Please help me… save my baby…” She cautiously approached me, but her phone transmitted my husband’s voice: “Is she dead? Tsk, half-dead is more trouble than fully dead.” “Don’t worry, I’ll cover the compensation.” My vision blurred from the pain. I struggled to make out the driver’s face, my voice trembling: “Gabriel, is that you?” 0 Gabriel froze, his heart suddenly pierced as if by a needle. For a moment, the pain drained the color from his face. He gripped the phone tightly and asked: “Chloe, who did you hit?” Chloe forcefully covered my mouth, her eyes filled with panic and her voice shaking: “I hit a pregnant woman on Greenhill Road, like I told you.” “Gabriel, I’m so scared. Can you come find me?” I made muffled sounds, eventually passing out from suffocation under her hand. Gabriel breathed a sigh of relief, rubbing his forehead as he grabbed his car keys. I was seven months pregnant. Gabriel remembered telling me to stay home and rest before he left. I always listened to him. Greenhill Road was in the north of the city while our mansion was in the south. The pregnant woman Chloe hit couldn’t possibly be me. It must have been the shock of the situation causing him to hear things. In my hazy state, I was taken to the hospital. I heard Gabriel’s friend Dr. Evans teasing: “Gabriel, you couldn’t control yourself again and went too far?” “How many times this month? I’m not judging, but little Chloe isn’t out of the danger period yet. For the baby’s sake, you should hold back.” “Natalie’s almost due anyway. Just wait another month or two.” Gabriel frowned, displeased: “What nonsense are you spouting? Don’t you dare say a word of this in front of Natalie! If she finds out about Chloe’s existence, I’ll shut down your hospital!” Dr. Evans immediately apologized: “Yes, yes, I was wrong. I’ll keep my mouth tightly shut in front of Natalie!” “Everyone in the city knows how much you dote on Natalie. You won’t even touch her during pregnancy, keeping a mistress on the side to relieve your urges. How could I dare upset her!” “Did you come today for Chloe’s check-up?” Hearing my own name, my foggy consciousness slowly returned. But Dr. Evans’ words sent my heart plummeting. Tears leaked from my tightly closed eyes. So my seemingly enviable marriage, admired by the whole city, was actually rotten to the core behind the scenes! Gabriel had an affair while I was pregnant, and his mistress was even three months along. How could he act so well! Making me believe he loved me to the bone! Gabriel pointed to me in the backseat, saying with disgust: “Chloe hit a pregnant woman. Take care of it.” Dr. Evans casually glanced over, telling someone to carry me out. Just then, a nurse suddenly exclaimed: “Oh! This pregnant woman is wearing a blood type tag!” Gabriel’s pupils constricted as he turned to stare intently at me. My fingers twitched slightly, a glimmer of hope rising in my heart. I wanted to tell Gabriel to save me, to save our child. But I couldn’t open my eyes. “Her husband must be very thoughtful, specially making a tag saying she has the rarest blood type. Let me see… there’s even a phone number…” “139867…” Chloe nervously gripped Gabriel’s sleeve, exclaiming excitedly: “Gabriel! She has the same blood type as me!” Gabriel smiled, his voice filled with undisguised pleasure: “Since her blood type is so rare, Samuel, make sure you save her.” “I was worried that if something happened to Natalie, there would be no one to give Chloe blood. How fortunate that a walking blood bank has appeared before us. She can replace Chloe from now on.” I belatedly realized who Chloe was… So the person who hit me was Chloe, a girl who once gave me blood because we had the same rare type. At the time, I was so grateful that I not only gave her money for nutrition, but when I learned she had just graduated and couldn’t find work, I even had Gabriel make an exception to hire her at his company. Who would have thought that one blood transfusion would cost me my entire marriage. A flash of discontent crossed Chloe’s eyes, but she raised her head with a face full of happiness: “Gabriel, you’re so good to me.” “If something happens to Natalie, I’ll give her blood too. After all… I only got into the company because of my blood type. I don’t want people gossiping behind my back that I graduated from a third-rate university and don’t deserve you, or that I seduced you. I’m also afraid Natalie will fire me.” Gabriel pulled her into his arms, saying indulgently: “Everyone at the company knows you’re my darling. If anyone dares insult you, fire them on the spot! Your university doesn’t matter – you’re more important than any elite graduate!” “As for Natalie, she sees you as her lifesaver. She won’t fire you. Last time she even asked if you were settling in well at the company.” I finally struggled out of the murky darkness, opening my eyes to see them embracing. A bitter smile tugged at my lips. Three months ago, Gabriel was always working late. Worried about him, I personally made soup and brought it to his office. But when he saw me, he inexplicably flew into a rage, smashing the soup in front of me and scolding me for not staying home to take care of my pregnancy. After that, I never went to the office again. So it turned out everyone at the company already knew. Chloe had replaced my position, becoming someone no one dared offend. Passing by Gabriel, I reached out with effort and grasped the hem of his shirt. My trembling fingertips were covered in blood. Every word seemed to be squeezed from deep in my chest, shaking with emotional collapse: “Gabriel… I want a divorce.” Gabriel’s brow furrowed coldly, his gaze gloomy. He forcefully shook off my hand, saying with disgust: “Who said you could touch me!” “Filthy thing!” I stared at him in shock, unable to believe this was still the Gabriel who always looked at me with eyes full of love. His contemptuous gaze turned into iron nails, driving one by one into my heart, making me wish for death. Chloe immediately explained: “Gabriel, she must have heard about her rare blood type and is trying to manipulate us!” Hearing this, Gabriel’s eyes filled with loathing. He viciously told the doctor: “Don’t use anesthesia when you treat her!” “Let her suffer a bit, so she knows her place. Does she think she can manipulate people in our circles?” The doctor and nurses nodded, expressions of reluctance on their faces, and immediately carried me away, afraid of angering him further. Cold instruments operated on my body as alcohol was wiped across my face. I let out scream after agonized scream before falling unconscious again. Gabriel heard the screams coming from the emergency room and hesitated, saying uncertainly: “Why do I hear Natalie’s voice?” Chloe threw herself into his arms, crying pitifully: “Gabriel, thank goodness you’re here. I was so scared!” Gabriel set aside the doubt that had just surfaced in his mind and hugged her, comforting: “It’s okay, baby. I won’t let anything happen to you.” “If that pregnant woman makes a fuss about this…” A vicious light flashed in his eyes: “I’ll make sure she never comes back!” When I woke up again, my face was covered in bandages. Gabriel stood at the door of the hospital room, his face filled with anger as he stared at me grimly. He was holding something as he walked to the bedside, looking down at me as if I were an insect beneath his notice! Seeing his gaze, I curled up in fear. Before I could speak, he poured a bottle of strong liquor down my throat without a word. “Cough cough cough!” Gabriel threw a piece of paper onto my body, his tone icy: “You were drunk today and crashed into Chloe’s car in your confused state.” “This is a settlement agreement. Sign it.” “Take the five million dollars and you can leave.” I looked at him in disbelief, my voice hoarse as I shouted: “Gabriel! Have you gone mad? This is illegal!” His face darkened as he leaned down and grabbed my throat, his gaze sinister: “Who do you think you are, daring to scold me just because your voice sounds a bit like my wife’s?” A feeling of suffocation came over me. Tears fell like a broken dam onto Gabriel’s hand as I stared at him through blurry eyes. Gabriel’s expression froze and he suddenly let go, hesitantly staring into my eyes: “Natalie?” “Cough cough cough!” I clutched my throat, gasping for air. I pulled the ring off my ring finger and threw it at him, angrily saying: “Gabriel, I want a divorce!” The ring bounced off his chest onto the floor. Gabriel stared at it in a daze before suddenly raising his head to look at me in disbelief. Just then, Chloe opened the door and slapped me across the face. “Thief!” That slap made the air freeze. Chloe picked up the ring from the floor and threw herself into Gabriel’s arms, pointing at me as she cried: “Gabriel, she’s a thief! I kindly helped her into the car to take her to the hospital, but she took the opportunity to steal my ring!” Gabriel’s eyes flashed with doubt as he looked down at Chloe’s finger. The ring fit perfectly on her hand, the huge pink diamond gleaming brilliantly, even more suitable than on my hand. Gabriel’s face instantly turned cold. He came forward and viciously bent back my fingers, his low voice filled with displeasure: “This is a custom ring I had made for my wife. Trash like you dares to covet something you can never have!” The fingers are connected to the heart. The pain cut through my nerves like a knife, cold sweat dripping down my temples. Seeing Chloe’s smug face, tears welled up uncontrollably in my eyes. I didn’t understand. When Gabriel proposed with this ring, he said he had designed it himself. Using the most beautiful pink diamond in the world, one of a kind. But why did Chloe have an identical one! Why couldn’t he recognize me! Just then, a sharp pain shot through my abdomen and a gush of warm fluid flowed out. Taking a deep breath, I weakly grasped his hand with my broken fingers and cried out in desperation: “I’m going into labor! Gabriel, I’m giving birth! Call a doctor quickly!” “Hurry, call a doctor!” Gabriel looked down. The sight of blood and amniotic fluid mixing together hit him unexpectedly. His face paled and he instinctively ran out of the room to call a doctor. I clutched my belly, enduring the pain. Chloe sneered and held up her hand to show off the ring, saying smugly: “You must be wondering why Gabriel didn’t recognize you when he saw this ring, right?” I gritted my teeth, glaring at her. She roughly shoved me off the bed onto the floor and viciously kicked my stomach. A cold light flashed in her eyes as she snarled: “Of course it’s because I have everything you have!” “The ring, the man, the status, the child, the house – everything you have, I have too! Monday, Wednesday, Friday he’s with you at the mansion. Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday he’s with me at the apartment!” “You still think you’re the only one? Haha, don’t be stupid.” She contemptuously patted my face and continued: “You were hit by me, and he still protected me.” “As long as your child isn’t born, the baby in my belly will be the only heir. Go die!” Her words shattered the world I had thought was happy. A stabbing pain shot through my heart as tears silently streamed down my face. My nails dug deep into my palms as I clenched my fists. The pain in my abdomen grew more and more intense. The sound of doctors running came from outside. I was pushed back into the operating room. The baby came out of my body with a cry. I breathed a sigh of relief, shedding tears of joy. But before I could even see her, Gabriel had someone take the baby away, while I was pushed to another room. The doctor stood still, advising: “Mr. Kensington, this patient just gave birth and was in a car accident. She doesn’t have the strength to donate blood for someone else.” “Forcing her to give blood could be life-threatening. I know you’re anxious because your wife suddenly fainted, but we can urgently request blood from the blood bank…” “Enough!” Gabriel interrupted the doctor impatiently: “Chloe’s life is worth more than hers. I’ll give her a lot of money, enough to buy her life!” “The most important thing now is to give Chloe blood!” The doctor tried to persuade him again. I looked wearily at Gabriel and asked: “After I give blood, I can leave… I can go see my baby, right?” He frowned slightly, avoiding my gaze: “As long as you finish the blood transfusion and sign the settlement, I’ll let you and the child go.” I nodded and told the doctor in a hoarse voice: “Go ahead and take it.” Having achieved his goal, Gabriel was about to leave to check on Chloe. I called out to him from behind, my eyes red: “Gabriel, you still don’t believe I’m Natalie Shaw?” He paused. “I don’t know what your intentions are in repeatedly impersonating my wife, but my Natalie – I could recognize her even if she turned to ashes. She’s not someone a lowlife like you could compare to!” There is no greater sorrow than a dead heart. I laughed bitterly, mocking myself: “Forget it, it doesn’t matter anymore.” “I don’t want to argue with you anymore. I hope you don’t regret this.” After everything that happened today, I no longer had any love for Gabriel. I just wanted to take my baby home and divorce him, never to see him again! But I didn’t expect my fate would collapse like dominoes, one disaster after another. After giving blood, I returned to the room and saw a bundle on the hospital bed. I excitedly walked over and picked it up. “Baby, Mommy’s back.” As I held the child, my body suddenly stiffened. It felt like a stone hammer was suspended above my head, slamming into my heart. The pain made my eyes sting. The baby’s face was blue. Her eyes were closed, without any movement. My breathing became unsteady. My voice was so hoarse it was almost broken, like a candle flickering in the wind, ready to be extinguished: “Baby… what’s wrong?” “Don’t scare Mommy. I can take you home soon. Please wake up and look at Mommy, okay?”

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When I was eighteen, I plunged into a frozen river to save my childhood sweetheart, Declan Thorne, a talented swimmer. I got severe frostbite, damaging my uterus. The doctors told me I’d been in the ice too long, sustained severe damage that would make having children incredibly difficult. Declan knelt by my hospital bed, swearing to cherish me forever, even if we never had kids. And just like that, he pampered me, making me the city’s most privileged elite. This year, at thirty-two, marked our tenth wedding anniversary, a decade we’d built side by side. But on our anniversary, I received an anonymous envelope. Inside were growth photos of Declan’s eight children. I stared at my husband, who was meticulously massaging my leg. My heart felt like it was being squeezed in a vise, making it hard to breathe. Yet, he looked up and said, “Aria, perhaps we should adopt some children.” He then shamelessly, brazenly, brought his mistress and their eight children right into our home. That day, tears blurring my vision, I dialed his best friend’s number. “Liam, I’m giving you a chance. Come help me put on a show!”

“Aria, I think we should…” “We should adopt a few children to look after you when I’m not around.” He said this while leading a boy and a girl out from a nearby room in the lobby. Looking at their eerily similar faces, I felt a bitter, cynical twist in my gut. Declan walked over and pulled me into a deep hug. “They’re just adopted.” “I’ll still love you most, always!” “That whole thing was so many years ago…” “Aria, maybe we both need to move on.” The memory of almost dying to save him, only for him to betray me, hit hard. The suffocating terror of the river water, the feeling of drowning from all those years ago, flooded me again. “Get out! All of you, just get out!” I fiercely pushed away the two children standing in front of me. Declan’s voice turned sharp, a furious roar. “Aria Maxwell, don’t be so unreasonable!” “They’re just kids. Why are you throwing a tantrum at children?” We’d been childhood sweethearts, and this was the first time he’d ever yelled at me. My heart splintered, like shattered glass. I stormed out of our tenth wedding anniversary dinner. But he didn’t grab my hand like he usually would. The other guests had no idea what had just transpired. They only saw me, pushing the kids away like a madwoman, and their whispers and stares followed me. That evening, Declan came home with the children. I was packing my bags to leave. “Aria, if you don’t like them, I can arrange for them to stay on the second floor.” My packing paused for a beat, then resumed. “Whatever.” It wouldn’t concern me anyway, not anymore. Declan let out a sigh of relief. When I finished packing and reached the living room, I heard the children’s noisy shouts coming from the far right room on the second floor. He’d put the children in *my* old room! I raced upstairs. What greeted me was an utter disaster, the room torn apart. The letters Declan had written me, the tiny straw cricket he’d woven, the handcrafted ring he’d given me when he proposed… And all the toys my parents had given me! Everything was strewn across the floor and the bed, broken. My throat felt like an invisible hand was choking it, and a metallic taste, sharp and bitter, flooded my mouth. *Slap!* I slapped Declan hard across the face. “Declan, do you have any heart at all?!” Declan’s head was turned, and in his eyes, I saw no trace of the love he once held for me. “Aria Maxwell, do you always have to be so demanding?” Declan glared at me, his eyes blazing, while the boy behind him made a mocking face at me. Suddenly, all those years of shared history felt like a cruel joke. I turned to leave, but the boy picked up a jade pendant, clearly intending to throw it out the window. My pupils constricted. “Stop!” Declan spun around. “It’s just a pendant!” “Aria, what kind do you want? I’ll buy you a new one, okay?” “Why argue with a child?” With Declan’s permission, the little boy flung the jade pendant out the window. That was the last birthday gift my mother gave me before she passed away. “No!” The pendant shattered on impact. My eyes burned red with unshed tears. “Go pick it up for me!” My hand had just brushed the boy’s shirt when Declan rushed over and shoved me to the ground. My fingers hit the floor awkwardly and fractured, a searing pain shooting from my hand through my entire body. Declan pulled the boy into a protective, comforting hug. “Aria Maxwell, I never realized you were so vicious!” I remembered how, once, a nanny accidentally broke my hair clip, and he’d lost his temper, making her kneel and apologize to me. Now, he held the boy, led the girl, and walked away without a backward glance, leaving me alone, sobbing uncontrollably. I went to the hospital alone. Dr. Reed, while bandaging my hand, sighed. “What’s gotten into Mrs. Thorne this year?” “Mr. Thorne used to protect you like the apple of his eye. You rarely visited the hospital. Now, you’ve actually broken your finger.” The doctor’s words were like a dull knife, twisting slowly in my chest. I stayed silent, biting back tears. While I was being bandaged, I received a text from him. [Aria, I was too hasty earlier. I’ve prepared a surprise for you.] My heart ached until it felt numb. No surprise he could offer would compare to the “surprise” of these two children. I pushed down the pain and dialed Declan’s best friend, Liam Hayes. “Liam, interested in helping me put on a show?”

I deleted the text message from Declan. I just wanted to grab my luggage and leave, but as I opened the front door, Declan enthusiastically pulled my hand, leading me into the living room. “Aria, are you upset with the kids because you don’t want to take care of them?” “It’s okay, I found a nanny to look after them.” “Now you can relax!” “She just happens to have six children of her own, so she’ll need to live with us.” “Don’t worry, she’s a professional when it comes to kids…” He chattered on, completely ignoring my reaction, beaming as if he’d accomplished some great life feat. Looking at the eight children, big and small, in the living room, my stomach churned. I covered my mouth, feeling nauseous. Seraphina Vance glided over, her hand reaching out to steady me. “Hello, Mrs. Thorne, I’m the new nanny.” Her grip tightened imperceptibly on my broken finger, a searing pain that made me gasp. Blood instantly bloomed, soaking through the gauze. She leaned in close, her voice a poisonous whisper. “Sweetheart, the unloved one is the mistress.” She then shrieked loudly, staggering backward. “Mrs. Thorne, if you don’t like me, just tell me to leave! Why did you push me?!” Declan rushed forward in one stride, catching her. “Aria Maxwell, have I spoiled you rotten these past few years?” “Why is your temper so terrible?” His words from our wedding day echoed in my mind, the solemn vow he’d made before the priest: “Aria, I’ll pamper you into the most cherished princess!” I lifted my bleeding hand. “It wasn’t me!” “Enough!” Declan’s eyes instantly filled with resentment. Looking at the family of ten before me, I felt utterly superfluous in my own home. I turned and went back to my room to get my luggage. Seraphina gently patted Declan’s arm. “I’ll go comfort Mrs. Thorne.” She walked in and closed the bedroom door, dropping her fragile act completely. Seraphina grabbed my arm, yanking me close to her. “A barren hen like you, still clinging on?” “I come from a lineage renowned for its boundless fertility. As you can see, all eight of those children are mine, children I bore for Declan.” “A woman who can’t even have children, truly a disgrace to us women.” “If I were you, I’d have left gracefully long ago.” I stared at the beautiful woman before me. A chill ran down my spine. I didn’t want to engage in a pointless argument; I just wanted to leave. But she blocked my way again. “Do you really think you still hold a place in his heart?” She grabbed my hand and, with it, slapped herself hard across the face. My palm went numb from the impact. As expected, her scream drew Declan’s attention. Declan rushed in, caressing the red mark on her face with tenderness. Then he turned and shoved me, sending me tumbling. My lower back hit the corner of a cabinet, and pain shot through my entire body. He wasn’t done. He swung his hand, connecting with a sharp crack across my face. Blood welled up at the corner of my mouth, and my cheek burned with searing pain. “Aria Maxwell, you’ve gone too far!” “I’ve gone too far? What about your promise to protect me forever?!” His pupils constricted, his expression flustered. But when he heard Seraphina’s sobs again, he chose to turn away from me, helping Seraphina out of the room. After they left, I was in too much pain to move. “Mr. Thompson, call a doctor…” “Mrs. Thorne, all our family doctors are currently in the nanny’s room, tending to *her* face…” “Mr. Thorne won’t let them come.” Declan had once arranged for ten family doctors for me. And now, all of them were attending to Seraphina’s face! The butler’s words were like needles, piercing my entire body, leaving only a dull, aching throb. I bit back the tears, refusing to let them fall, and dialed 911 myself. “Mrs. Thorne, congratulations! You’re two months pregnant!” “Though you’ve had a slight scare, please be sure to take good care of yourself when you go home!” I instinctively touched my lower abdomen, disbelief washing over me. Tears streamed down my face. My hand trembled as I called Declan. “Declan, we… we’re having a baby.” There was no joy, no surprise as I’d hoped. Only a sneer. “Aria, are you really so desperate to fight with the kids that you’d make up a lie like that?” I froze, unable to speak. Before the call disconnected, I faintly heard a woman’s soft moans from his end. I tilted my head back, forcing the tears not to fall. When I got home, Declan walked out of the nanny’s room. The hickeys on his neck were a glaring, painful accusation. I forced myself to ignore them and handed him a document. He paused for a second, then laughed, signing his name with a flourish. “Aria, I’ll buy you whatever you want, but you need to be obedient, okay?” “Tomorrow, I’m planning a party to announce that all eight of these children are mine!” I laughed, a bitter, angry sound. He wasn’t even pretending anymore? “You said you only adopted two. Why are you claiming the other six now?”

Declan stammered, his eyes darting away. “Seraphina’s children were constantly getting bullied at school. If I acknowledged them, no one would dare mess with them anymore.” “She’s a single mom, it’s not easy for her, you can understand that, right?” He reached out, taking my hand and gently stroking it. A wave of nausea washed over me. I pulled my hand away and left. I just had to wait for Liam to finalize the property division, then I’d be free. The next day, when I arrived at the banquet hall, Seraphina and Declan were dressed in extravagant evening wear, greeting guests at the entrance. Anyone who didn’t know them would think they were the couple of honor. In the past, Declan always had custom gowns made for me for every event, big or small. I walked up to Declan, gesturing to my simple attire, then to Seraphina’s elaborate gown. “What is the meaning of this?” Declan waved his hand dismissively. “Seraphina hasn’t worn such beautiful clothes before. Anyway, the children are the stars tonight.” “It doesn’t matter what you wear, does it?” Even though I was determined to leave, seeing the husband I’d loved for so many years like this, my heart still twisted with a sharp, familiar pain. I wandered aimlessly through the banquet, eventually finding myself in the children’s resting room. Looking at the two sleeping infants in their cribs, I thought of my own baby, who would someday be just as adorable, and reached out to hold them. Suddenly, the older children who had been playing nearby rushed over, grabbing my arms and biting down hard. The others ran to the door, screaming that I was trying to kill the babies. They ganged up, pushing me to the floor, pulling my hair, and splashing water on me. Soon, the guests and Declan rushed into the room. The children, seeing them, immediately sat on the floor and started crying. Declan shoved through the crowd, hurrying to my side. Without a word, he slapped me, not once, but ten times. I was too stunned to speak, my cheeks swelling painfully. Seraphina clutched a child, sobbing hysterically. “Mrs. Thorne, just because you can’t have children, do you have to harm other people’s children?” It happened so fast. I hadn’t even processed it, only felt the screaming pain from every part of my body. “That’s right, Mrs. Thorne! Mr. Thorne’s kindness to you is well-known in the elite circles.” “He doesn’t mind you can’t have children. Can’t you even let him adopt a few?” Everyone started to accuse me. Declan, without asking a single question, had already decided I was trying to harm the children. The guests’ words only fueled the fire. “Someone, lock this vicious woman in a room! Let her out after the banquet!” I cried out in disbelief. “No! It wasn’t me!” He ignored me. I was locked in that hotel room for three days. No phone, no one brought me food. I was dizzy and lightheaded from hunger every day. I kept pounding on the door until my palms were raw and bleeding. Declan had completely forgotten about me. He only remembered when he came back to settle the hotel bill. When he saw me, my hair was disheveled, and I was pale and gaunt. I felt a warm liquid trickle down my legs. Gathering my last ounce of strength, I rasped out, “Declan, save… save our baby!” I collapsed before him. Not long after, I was jolted awake by a splash of icy water. “Aria, why do you keep lying about having a baby?” “I told you, I’ll still treat you well after adopting the children!” Seraphina stood nearby, her eyes gleaming with unconcealed triumph. “Mrs. Thorne, lying will teach the children bad habits.” “I heard you’re terrified of water. We should soak you in the bathtub to teach you a good lesson, to set an example for the kids.” After that drowning incident all those years ago, I never went swimming again. Even showering, I had to do it quickly. Declan knew about my fear of water, yet he stood by, watching me with cold indifference. My hands were tied and hoisted up. Seraphina operated a mechanical arm, dipping me into the water, then pulling me out, then plunging me in again. “No! Please, no!” “My baby!” “Mrs. Thorne, you’re clearly on your period. And you’re still lying about being pregnant.” “Hmph! Give her a lesson she won’t forget, so she won’t dare to lie again.” The air in my lungs grew thinner and thinner. My lower abdomen ached, as if hammered. But nothing, nothing compared to the agony in my heart. I felt my child slipping away from me, little by little. In the depths of despair, on the verge of death, I lost consciousness. 5 I woke up to the stinging smell of antiseptic. When I opened my swollen eyes, Liam Hayes was sitting by my side. He shot up the moment he saw I was awake.

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I used my life force to nurture a beast-man bodyguard. For six years, I loved and pitied him, pouring out my whole heart only to receive a cold response: “Don’t try to tame me.” During the beast riots, he protected another girl, leaving me to be trampled. He was supposed to be my bodyguard. Yet he always abandoned me. He even wrapped his scorpion tail around my neck, forcing me to use my blood to save that girl. He didn’t know that every drop of blood I shed reduced my lifespan. Nor did he know this was the last of my life force. “Olivia, I promise I’ll be good to you from now on. Please, save her.” The once proud beast-man finally knelt on the ground, acknowledging me as his master. My fingers gradually became transparent. “But we don’t have a future anymore.” His scorpion tail thrashed wildly, his eyes consumed by bestial instinct. He had gone berserk. “Sophia……” Even now, he called her name. I let him bite my arm. As the fresh blood entered his throat, he slowly calmed down. “Thank you……” Instead of whining about the pain as usual, I pushed him away and wiped the remaining blood on some plants. The withered leaves instantly recovered. My life force diminished a bit more. “I’m moving near the lab. You’re my bodyguard, so you have to come with me.” Lucas froze. “But……” “I nurture you with my blood every month, not so you can deal with her heat cycles.” His chest was covered in love marks. I forced myself to look away, my eyes stinging. The words of accusation on the tip of my tongue. Turned into a threat instead. “Don’t forget your mission. If anything happens to me, the Federation won’t let you off.” Post-apocalypse. The biosphere had been reshuffled, and food crops were on the brink of extinction. I was the Federation’s only botanist. “Understood.” Lucas lowered his eyelids. “Then I’ll go out first.” As he reached the door, I called out to him. “Lucas, what do you think our relationship is?” He stopped. His broad shoulders shrugged, honey-colored muscles tensing. On his waist was the indelible mark of a disposable item. If I hadn’t spent half my life protecting him back then, he would have been dead long ago. “Employer and bodyguard.” “You provide me with blood, I protect you.” The expected answer. No matter how much I gave, his heart would never have room for me. Why force it? He would never be my Ethan. He would never cherish me above all else. No matter how similar they looked, he wasn’t him. Tears blurred my vision. I tried to wipe them away, but my fingertips had turned transparent. “I might not be able to afford your wages anymore.” I was disappearing. Lucas didn’t take it seriously. “Then I’ll find a new employer.” He strode out, leaving the door ajar, and me sobbing quietly. I often joked with him. But this time, it was real.

I had just gotten up, but Lucas was already fully equipped and standing at the front door. “The clothes are all here, and the documents are organized.” He frowned slightly, his slender fingers brushing away stray hair as he carefully checked the luggage. “The calming incense got a bit damp, so I didn’t bring it. I’ll buy you new ones later.” “I packed the stuffed animal separately……” “Throw it away.” I said flatly. That stuffed animal was a gift from Lucas. He had originally intended to give it to Sophia, but when she refused, he passed it on to me. Pathetically, I had treasured it. Lucas was stunned. “Why?” This was the first time he hadn’t obeyed my order. “Don’t you really like it? Keep it……” “Lucas!” A girl ran into the yard with light steps, throwing herself into Lucas’s arms. “Thank you so much for yesterday. I came to express my gratitude.” Lucas stiffened, not knowing where to put his hands, his ears turning red and hot where the girl couldn’t see. His scorpion tail raised high, afraid of hurting her. I glanced at the back of my hand. It was red and swollen from being grazed by the poison needle last night, almost breaking the skin. Maybe I was used to it, as I couldn’t feel the pain anymore. “Oh? Isn’t this the doll I didn’t want?” Sophia picked up the beautifully packaged stuffed animal, examining it. “Why is it here?” “Did you give it to Olivia?” Lucas glanced at me. Slightly hesitant. “Uh…… no.” I turned my face away, unconsciously clenching my hand at my side. He said: “I forgot to throw it away at home. It’s just trash.” His scorpion tail hooked. The stuffed animal was flung into the garbage pile. Its plush face still wore a smile as it tumbled down, soaked in filth and slime. “I knew it. How could you give Olivia the trash I didn’t want?” Lucas caught sight of my pale face, his pupils trembling before quickly looking away. I didn’t know if it was guilt or pity. He was afraid Sophia would misunderstand. So he chose to hurt me. Well, there was no comparison between me and her. Even gifts were just leftovers others didn’t want. I unclenched my hand. Several crescent-shaped marks were left on my palm. “Throw away the luggage. I’ll buy new ones.” “I don’t want any of it anymore.” I looked at Lucas. “Including you, I don’t want you anymore either.”

I applied to the Federation for a new bodyguard. “Are you sure?” “You spent half your life saving Lucas.” The Commander smiled. “Miss Olivia, the crops in the East District are growing well. Would you like to take a look?” “It took half your blood.” “And the place where you knelt and kowtowed in the Council Chamber has grown green grass. That beast-man doesn’t know, does he?” “How could such a failed genetic experiment be worth you risking your life?” “Oh, I forgot, he looks just like Miss Olivia’s childhood sweetheart. No wonder……” I had already made up my mind. Replace Lucas, never have anything to do with him again. The next day. The new bodyguard sent by the Federation arrived. It was a tiger beast, even taller than Lucas, with a snow-white long tail curled around the luggage. “Hello, Miss Olivia.” I cleared out the room I had prepared for Lucas and let the tiger beast move in. Just as I was explaining his duties, the doorbell rang. I didn’t go to open it. Lucas waited outside for a while, thinking no one was home, so he entered the passcode himself. “Incorrect passcode—” He thought he had misheard. He tried again. “Incorrect passcode.” He started knocking on the door. Annoyed by the noise, I asked the tiger beast to send him away. A huge crash shook the whole house. I rushed out to see Lucas wrestling with him, neither giving way, tearing down the front door. “Stop!” Lucas looked up, jealousy almost materializing and dripping down. His scorpion tail stabbed forcefully into the tiger beast’s waist. With a muffled groan, the tiger beast collapsed, his skin visibly turning purple. “Are you crazy!” I slapped Lucas hard. His head turned to the side, splattering several drops of blood. Only then did I notice the bloody hole on the back of his head where the tiger beast had clawed him. “Who is he?” Lucas stared intently at the man. “My new bodyguard.” I supported the tiger beast, quickly cutting open my arm to feed him my blood. Lucas’s eyes turned red. “I am your bodyguard.” The fire in him died down, and he stood there at a loss, especially when he got no response from me. Even his scorpion tail drooped. “I am your bodyguard……” “You can’t protect me,” I said coldly. “Get out.” He stood rooted to the spot. Perhaps realizing he had gone too far before, he mumbled, unable to utter a word of rebuttal. “I can……” “I’ll definitely protect you well from now on, with my life……” Lucas’s face was reflected in the glass window, his jaw clenched, gaze locked on me. He didn’t even blink as blood flowed into his eyes. “Give me one more chance.” The tiger beast woke up. He pushed me away and rushed towards the door, afraid of getting stung again. “Olivia, no one is more suitable for this job than me,” Lucas stepped forward. “I can protect you.” I was silent for a while. Looking at him. “You said you’d protect me with your life.” Lucas nodded vigorously. “I promise.”

I could sense my life force draining away. For some reason I felt tired, slept longer, and even the plants in the lab were no longer fully under my control. “I’m tired. I’m going back first.” “Alright, Doctor.” Lucas was waiting outside the lab. He stuffed a hot water bottle he had been holding for a long time into my arms, saying nothing, walking on the windward side to block the flying snow. “Cough cough—” I coughed violently. The experiment earlier had used up a lot of energy. I could barely stand steady and started running a fever as soon as I got home. Lucas used cold water to wipe my body over and over. “Ethan……” I was delirious with fever, my hand gently caressing Lucas’s cheek. “I love you so much……” He suddenly grabbed my hand. “The Ethan you’re calling, is it me?” “Who is your Ethan?” I closed my eyes, about to fall asleep in a daze. Lucas kept asking. “Stop asking. Ethan is you, okay……” He breathed a sigh of relief, the tension in his back finally relaxing. He took out a photo hidden in his pocket. Examining it carefully, the man’s face was identical to his, but Lucas couldn’t remember ever taking such a photo. “Maybe I forgot.” He muttered to himself. As he pulled up the blanket, the woman’s semi-transparent hand caught his attention. Lucas’s heart skipped a beat. When he blinked, her hand had returned to normal. “Ding—” The ringtone interrupted his thoughts. “Lucas, you haven’t comed his thoughts. “Lucas to see me in so long……” Sophia was drunk on the other end. “If you don’t come, I might be taken away……” Lucas put on his coat and was about to leave. I grabbed him. “Don’t go. Stay and take care of me. I feel so bad……” “I’m about to die……” He broke free. “Don’t talk nonsense.” “Sophia has an emergency. I have to go over there first.” His retreating figure was resolute, never lingering for even half a second for me. He was supposed to be my bodyguard, yet he always left me behind. He had promised to protect me with his life. Lucas, I trusted you time and time again. Everything Sophia said was true. “If the Federation hadn’t forced him, he would never be your bodyguard.” “The person Lucas cares about most is me. Olivia, even if you died in front of him one day, he wouldn’t feel an ounce of pity.” “You’re just a burden to him.” Whether it was during the beast riots three years ago when he left me in the eye of the storm, or three years later when I told him I was dying. Lucas never took it to heart. I called my assistant. “Take out the blood I stored for Lucas before.” “Yes, give it to the North District for them to cultivate crops.” I wouldn’t leave anything for him anymore.

On a rare day off, I went to the bar alone. It was mostly beast-people inside. Seeing me, a pure human, they couldn’t help but be curious, gathering around. “Hey sis.” A young man sat down beside me, his yellow ears perked up. “Let’s play together.” “I’ll teach you a game we beast-people play……” His tail unconsciously wrapped around my arm, soft and furry, feeling nice. “Are you a cat?” He paused, then smiled, revealing sharp teeth. “Yeah, do you like it? Many people……” Before he could finish, he was lifted up by the neck. The young man was about to get angry. Seeing the poison needle suspended in front of his eyes, he immediately deflated. Lucas stood tall, his mere presence driving away many beast-people. In the dim light, his expression was unclear, but the veins on his neck were clearly visible. “He’s not a cat, he’s a leopard.” “It’s so dangerous outside. How could you go out alone? Or is he your new bodyguard?” I stared straight at Lucas. “Put him down, then get out.” An invisible pressure spread through the bar. Lucas took a deep breath and threw the young man to the ground. Instead of leaving, he came closer to me. “Let’s go home.” “The magnetic field has been unstable lately. Be careful of riots.” “What riots?” someone spoke up. “General Ethan is about to return. Who would dare rebel!” I instinctively looked towards the bar entrance. No one. A wave of disappointment washed over me. Lucas saw it clearly. His heart inexplicably irritated. “Let’s go.” He reached out to pull me. The young man suddenly pounced, biting Lucas’s arm hard, tearing at it. Immediately after, red-eyed beast-people surged from all corners of the bar, attacking anything alive, especially pure humans. Countless eyes stared at me hungrily. If Lucas dared to leave, I would be torn to shreds. “Lucas!” Sophia crouched in the corner, tears falling in big drops. “I’m scared!” Out of survival instinct, I clutched Lucas’s clothes tightly, my fingernails curling up and bleeding. “Protect me, you’re my bodyguard!” He tried to break free. “Don’t you dare! If you leave me, I’ll have the Commander kill you and Sophia!” Lucas hesitated. At that moment, Sophia was pounced on by a tiger beast. “Sophia!” I don’t remember much of what happened after that, but anyway, Lucas abandoned me again. It hurt so much. I bled so much. Herbivorous beast-people fought over the grass and flowers growing on the floor, while carnivorous ones greedily sucked at my wounds. A flash of white light passed before my eyes. Time seemed to freeze, and the next second, all the beast-people collapsed on the ground. I was lifted up. “Olivia, hold onto me.” The light shone on his face. Was it Lucas? No, he was never this gentle, never called me Olivia, and would never hold me in his arms. “Ethan……” “Mm.”

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I was sitting comfortably on the couch, surrounded by six young male dancers. Two of them, one on each side, took my hands and placed them on their chests. As I felt the pulsing of their young hearts, I realized what a miserable life I had been living before. After adopting Lily, I never remarried or accepted any man’s advances for the sake of providing her with a healthy growing environment. I wanted her to grow up in a comfortable greenhouse, but my efforts only resulted in her saying, “You’re just jealous of me because you can’t get a man.” Thinking about this made my blood boil. I took out a stack of cash from my purse and held it in my hand. Whenever a dancer made a move I liked or said something pleasing, I would tuck the money into their waistbands or shirt pockets. In the past, I had invested hundreds of thousands in that ungrateful brat only to see it go down the drain. Now, spending just a few thousand was bringing me so much joy. This blissful feeling lingered until I heard a familiar voice behind me— “I never thought the usually cold and aloof Ms. Yates would come to a place like this to unwind.” Samuel Sutton walked in front of me, eyeing the boys around me one by one. “So this is your type. Actually, I’m not much different from them. Why don’t you consider me, Ms. Yates?” “You’re the esteemed CEO of Sutton Corp. Why are you lowering yourself in front of me?” I waved my hand, signaling everyone in the private room to leave. Then I poured drinks into two glasses on the table. “Your timing is perfect. Join me for a drink. I’ve had enough fun for today and just need a drinking buddy now.” “Sure, drink as much as you want. If you pass out, I’ll take you home.” Many of the eligible bachelors I had missed out on in the past were now key figures in various industries, and Samuel was one of them. Seven years ago when I first met Samuel, his Sutton Corporation hadn’t yet broken away from the family business. To me, he was just an immature kid, so when he confessed his feelings, I rejected him without hesitation. But over the years, Samuel has always been hovering around me. I watched him grow from a little boy into a big-shot CEO, and he witnessed my transformation during this period. The next morning when I sobered up, I found that the internet was flooded with gossip about me. #Sutton Corp CEO single for years, turns out his heart belongs to Yates Corp’s CEO sister “Did you call me because you think the gossip is too outrageous?” Samuel asked. “Not really. I’m just curious how someone could coincidentally capture us leaving the club together and then snap photos of you sending me home.” Samuel burst out laughing, “You’re so smart. I forgot that your villa is so secluded that normal people can’t find it. Whoever took those photos must know you very well.” Even without Samuel pointing it out, I knew the creator of this gossip was Lily. Because of this rumor, many strangers online had a negative impression of me. Some even targeted my hotel operations, flooding review sites with bad ratings. Just as I was starting to face some trouble, Lily showed up at my doorstep to confront me. “Mom, look at those classless people online, actually cursing you for being an old cow eating young grass at your age.” Lily covered her mouth and laughed, “But I’m different. You’re only seven years older than Mr. Sutton, and you take such good care of yourself, even looking younger than me.” I cut her off abruptly, “Get to the point.” “As long as you agree to let me come back to the Yates family, I can help you clarify that this rumor is false. The photos were all taken from misleading angles. This way, you won’t be cyberbullied anymore.” Lily showed me several photos on her phone. Compared to the deliberately angled shots in the gossip, these looked much more normal. Seeing Lily’s expectant face, I smiled. Then I pushed her away. “From now on, this person is not allowed within the villa’s premises, and no one in the villa is permitted to contact her without authorization.” After closing the door, Lily started shouting and banging on it outside. “Sheila Yates! Just wait until everyone curses you for being shameless, seducing a younger man! You’ll go down in history as a disgrace!” Finally showing her true colors, huh? Watching Lily’s figure gradually disappear on the security cameras, I had someone follow her to see what she was up to this time with her big scheme. To my surprise, Lily’s next target was Sutton Corporation, specifically Samuel’s office. “I know you’ve always liked Sheila Yates. What’s so good about her? She’s rejected you over ten times, yet you’re still so devoted to her.” “Mr. Sutton, do you know how many female fans you have? They can’t accept you dating a woman seven years older than you. I’ve thought of a perfect solution for both you and Sheila.” Samuel listened patiently to Lily’s speech before slowly asking, “Tell me your plan.” Encouraged by Samuel’s response, Lily immediately perked up. She even sat down on the sofa next to Samuel, hooking her arm around his. “The solution is to tell everyone that you and I are actually the ones dating.” “I’m Sheila Yates’ only publicly known daughter. If you announce our relationship, Sheila would become your mother-in-law. It makes perfect sense for a son-in-law to send his drunk mother-in-law home, right?” Lily kept observing Samuel’s reaction, thinking her plan had been accepted since he hadn’t shown any anger. But just as she was about to get more intimate, two security guards burst in and lifted her up.

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I used to be the perfect housewife, devoted to my husband Frank for seven years. I was so loyal I’d cross the street to avoid other men. But then I found out he was cheating on me. Tears streaming down my face, I confronted Frank with a list of 102 women he’d cheated with. “Why did you betray me?” I demanded. He coldly replied, “You’re too pure. There’s no passion in our life.” Later, I faked my own death to escape. Once I was free, I stopped pretending! I immediately took my Ferrari out for a spin and hired 99 male models. As I finished singing a silly song, I was passionately kissing one of the models when we locked eyes with someone at the door. I gave a flirtatious smile. “Hi there, ex-husband!” Frank leaned casually against the doorframe, saying nothing as the flickering lights cast eerie shadows. Annoyed at being stared at, I whispered in the model’s ear, taking a dig at Frank: “When someone greets you, you should respond. That’s just basic human decency.” “Otherwise, you’re not even human.” The model’s ear turned red from my warm breath. He gave Frank a challenging look. “Twinkle twinkle little star…” The next silly song I’d picked started playing. I wrapped my arms around the model, about to kiss him again. Frank finally spoke, his face dark: “Hiring male models?” “99 of them?” I turned to look at him with an innocent expression. “Is there a problem, Dr. Harrison?” Frank’s eyes grew cold, a mocking smile on his lips. “You’re really going wild, aren’t you.” The guys with Frank started teasing: “Sis, if you’d been this wild before, you and Frank wouldn’t have split up!” “Yeah, you gotta spice things up to get through the seven-year itch!” I firmly held down the model, Miles, who was getting angry and wanted to stand up. I slowly sipped my wine, lost in thought. I used to be a free-spirited woman. Years ago, I fell for Frank’s image as a selfless doctor saving lives. I went to great lengths to find out he had a pure, gentle ex who died young. For years he’d remained faithful to her memory. I knew then that he was the one. I forced myself to rein in my outgoing personality and played the perfect wife for Frank for seven years. And what did those seven years get me? Messages on his phone flirting and hooking up with countless sexy women. And his cold words to me: “No passion.” Even someone as strong as me couldn’t help but tremble remembering it. Only I knew how deeply I had loved Frank for those seven years. And only I knew that the seemingly perfect man was rotten to the core. I felt like such a fool. Miles gently held my waist and whispered: “Lily, are you that shaken?” I sighed softly, ready to rally. But then I heard Frank’s impatient mockery: “Are you two planning to get a room? This is a bar, not a hotel!” “We don’t allow indecent behavior in respectable establishments!” I emerged from Miles’ embrace and gave Frank a faint smile. “Young people date and hook up. Is there something wrong with two single people getting to know each other?” “Dr. Harrison, you’re so old-fashioned!” I watched the man’s chest heave with anger, his eyes dark. “Lily, you-!” I lifted my chin proudly and pulled out a wad of cash, stuffing it into Miles’ jacket pocket. “How about I buy you for the night, handsome?” Miles pressed his forehead to mine, his voice low: “What do you want to do?” I winked playfully, ignoring Frank as I pulled Miles towards the dance floor. “Dance with me!” The pulsing music shook the wild crowd. I smirked at Miles’ stiff movements in front of me. “You really don’t dance like someone who works here as a model.” Miles gritted his teeth and glared at me threateningly. “Lily!” “I would never come to a place like this if you hadn’t called me!” I laughed and pulled Miles closer by his shirt, lightly touching his lips. “I called you to act, but you’re taking advantage. We’re even now.” Miles’ eyes flashed red as he smacked my hand away, his mood darkening. “Lily, can’t you behave?!” “Didn’t you fake your death to get away from Frank forever? Why come to the bar he owns?” I fell silent. Seeing my reaction, Miles’ voice softened. “Do you regret it? Do you still love him?” I stiffened, my smile fading. After I left Frank, I never planned to see him again, and certainly didn’t expect to run into him here. Damn, who knew this bar was his?! I had just come out of the bathroom when I overheard Frank talking to his lowlife friends. “Bro, I found some hot new girls for you. Wanna meet them?” “You’ve been cooped up at the hospital ever since Lily disappeared. You look awful! You need some fun!” Separated by just a wall, I was shocked. Frank knew I had faked my death?! “How’s Lily been lately?” Frank inhaled deeply on his cigarette, slowly exhaling. “She went to the gym the day before yesterday and pretended to be weak to hook up with a muscular trainer. Yesterday she went to a wine tasting and ‘accidentally’ spilled wine on a sexy CEO’s shirt. Today she came to the bar and hired 99 male models to her room.” I silently listened to the lackey’s report, wanting to laugh. They really knew how to pick out the highlights. Frank suddenly chuckled coldly. “Sneaking off and faking her death, trying to make me jealous by practicing on other men-” “These little tricks aren’t enough to make me forgive and take her back.” I rolled my eyes so hard they nearly fell out of my head. What the hell kind of tricks?! It was all because Miles kept messing things up when he was with me: He was supposed to spot me at the gym but didn’t adjust the equipment. How was I supposed to lift that much?! The trainer was just laughing so hard he finally helped me! Miles suddenly complimented my white dress, making me trip and spill my wine all over the CEO. The guy came to ask for compensation! As for the models, I admit that was intentional. Miles had teased me that after faking my death, I didn’t even have a single man around! I was so annoyed listening to Frank and his crew’s delusional conversation. Where did they get the confidence?! Back in the private room, I reluctantly dismissed the 99 tall, handsome models. I calmly posted on social media, visible only to Miles: “Emergency! Need a male model wingman!” “Lily, say something.” “Do you still love him?” Miles’ low shout snapped me back to reality. I was about to speak when commotion broke out by the booths. A drunk customer was forcefully groping a sweet, innocent-looking girl and wouldn’t let go. He was shamelessly trying to feel her up. “Come on baby, let me hold you!” “Let go of me!” Beer bottles shattered on the ground as the girl cried out desperately for help. Until Frank came over and punched the guy, shielding the girl behind him. The onlookers cheered, the noise growing louder and louder. “What were you saying earlier?” Miles glared at me in annoyance. “You lose your soul as soon as you see Frank.” I lightly patted Miles’ cheek. “Tsk! We’ve been best friends for so many years and you still don’t understand my personality? Am I that kind of person? I don’t go back to exes!” Miles turned his head slightly, pressing his cheek firmly against my palm. “Then why are you still looking at him!” I laughed scornfully, leaning back against Miles with my arms crossed. “Am I looking at him?” I was actually looking at Frank’s hand resting firmly on the girl’s slim waist. And the knowing glance he exchanged with the drunk guy. He got the pretty girl and good publicity for the bar. Killing two birds with one stone. He was so calculating. It made me wonder how many times I’d been manipulated in those seven years. Disgusting. “Let’s go home.” I patted Miles’ broad shoulder, no longer wanting to get involved in Frank’s mess. Miles hesitated, his face full of restraint. “To my place?” “Uh, sure, your place works.” Miles looked increasingly uncomfortable as he waited for my decision. I narrowed my eyes and leaned close to his ear, pretending to be serious. “Of course-” “I’m going to my home, and you’re going to yours!” I quickly walked away, waving goodbye to Miles. “Goodnight Miles!” By the time Miles realized I’d tricked him, I was long gone. He unconsciously smirked, savoring the moment: “I’ll get you back for this.” Meanwhile, on the other side. Frank clinked glasses with the girl, gently calming her frightened heart. But his eyes were fixed firmly on Miles and me. Seeing us walk away one after the other, he couldn’t help but feel pleased. “Still so faithful.” “She must really love me.” On a cruise ship. “Mom, don’t worry. I’ll definitely snag a rich husband for you at this masquerade ball!” I reassured my mom on the phone as I gazed at the roaring sea. “Yeah right, with your taste in men?” “You wasted seven years being fooled, and now the neighbor’s daughter already has grandkids!” I was momentarily speechless at my mom’s scolding. “Sweetie, you and Miles have been childhood sweethearts. Our families know each other so well. Have you really never considered him? Old Mr. Young has always wanted you as a granddaughter-in-law!” I kicked at imaginary pebbles on the ground. “Mom! Stop worrying! I have my own pace!” Besides, if Miles really liked me, why hasn’t he said anything? He probably doesn’t even see me as a woman! I might as well find a boyfriend here today. Like that guy at 2 o’clock in the black mask. He looks good. His tailored suit hides an irresistibly attractive physique. “Hi, care for a drink?” I confidently walked over to greet him. The man smiled and bowed slightly, clinking his glass with mine. “Pleasure to meet you.” I downed my drink in one gulp and casually asked: “Are you here alone? May I have the honor of being your dance partner?” The man chuckled, his deep voice vibrating in my ears. I shifted back slightly, feeling a bit uncomfortable chuckled, his deep. “I’d be honored, but I don’t think your boyfriend would be too happy about that.” I blinked in confusion, following the man’s gaze. Miles was frantically looking around, seeming lost. “Miles?” I apologetically excused myself from the man and ran over to chat up Miles. “Hey handsome! Wanna drink?” Miles gulped and stayed silent, shaking his head like he wanted to run away. I forcefully grabbed his neat tie, running my hands over his fit body. “Hey don’t go! Your pecs are really nice!” Miles’ breathing grew increasingly erratic from my teasing. He angrily burstratic from my te out: “Lily, how can you grope a stranger?! That’s sexual harassment!” I was stunned for a moment, then laughed: “So by that logic, if I know you then I can grope you?” “Big bro Miles~” Miles’ eyes lit up for a second when I called his name, but he stubbornly insisted: “You… you’ve got the wrong person.” I adjusted my slightly crooked mask, murmuring as I watched Miles run off: “What are you being shy for.” “Next birthday I’m definitely giving you a trophy – World’s Stubbornest Person.” The endless, calm sea always makes me feel free. I love this kind of free scenery. And I love being this free version of myself. It’s just a shame that in those seven years with Frank, I misse this free versiond out on many happy moments like this. But cutting my losses is a small consolation at least. However, turning my head to see Frank hooking up with a girl really ruined the mood. I silently vowed to pray for good luck when I got back on land. Why do I keep running into Frank’s annoying ass?!

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I led our design team, working tirelessly for my husband’s company, and finally secured a multi-million dollar brand collaboration. At the celebration party, however, my husband credited all the success to the new intern, saying her creativity was “the finishing touch.” As a reward, he publicly gifted her a limited edition designer “labubu” worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. The team felt sorry for me, but when I confronted him, he pushed me away. He gave me ten dollars and said with a smirk, “At your age, you should go buy a cheap toy from a street vendor.” I finally woke up and resigned the next day, taking the entire design department with me. My husband mocked us, holding the intern, “You think you can find better jobs without any real skills? I’d like to see where you end up!” Three months later, at the industry’s largest brand bidding conference. My ex-husband took the stage with the intern, presenting our proposal and talking about future brand strategies. What he didn’t know was that I had already been hired by a top client company with a high salary, and I was the sole decision-maker for this bidding conference. “Olivia Lin, don’t say I didn’t warn you. Women who’ve lost their youth shouldn’t be jealous of young girls’ opportunities.” He said, turning away with a swagger. I looked down at the crumpled ten-dollar bill in my hand. So, in his eyes, all the hard work of my team and I was only worth a cheap toy. I smiled, but tears kept falling. I wiped my tears and returned to the table. My deputy, Jack, looked at me with concern. “Boss, are you okay?” I slammed the ten dollars on the table, my voice low but clear. “Jack, get ready.” “We’re all resigning tomorrow.” The next morning at nine. I walked into Andrew Chen’s office with resignation letters from the entire design department. He was holding Bella White, both intimately looking at the computer screen, laughing at something. Seeing us come in, he wasn’t surprised at all. He took the resignation letters and tossed them on the desk without even looking. “Olivia Lin, you really dare to make a scene.” He sneered, holding Bella tighter. “You think you can find better jobs without any real skills? I’d like to see where you end up without my platform!” Bella leaned into his arms, glancing at me timidly before flashing a smug smile. Andrew stood up and announced in front of all of us. “Well, I might as well announce something too.” “From today on, Bella White is the new Design Director of the company.” The whole office was in an uproar. An intern who had only been there for three months and could barely use design software was now the Design Director. It was the biggest joke in the industry. The members of my team had looks of absurdity and disdain on their faces. I didn’t say another word and left with my team. Walking out of the company gates, I looked back one last time at the place where I had poured eight years of my heart and soul. I felt nothing but disgust. That afternoon, I consulted a lawyer. The answer I got felt like a bucket of ice water. The legal representative of the company had always been Andrew Chen alone. I didn’t have any shares in my name. When we got married, he had promised earnestly that the company belonged to both of us, and he would give me half the shares after we succeeded. For him, I had resigned from a top internet company in the country and worked day and night by his side. Now I realized that all those promises were nothing but empty checks. Eight years of dedication might all be in vain. I sat in the coffee shop, looking out the window in despair. Just then, a call came in from an unknown number. “Hello, is this Design Director Olivia Lin?” “Yes, it is.” “Hello, I’m the project director from the brand collaboration we just signed. My name is Zhang. I’d like to discuss some detailed design specifications with you for the follow-up.” It was the client’s director. I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice as calm as possible. “Director Zhang, I’m sorry, but I’ve already resigned from that company.” There was silence on the other end for a few seconds. “Resigne on the other end for a fewd? The whole team resigned?” “Yes.” Director Zhang’s voice suddenly became excited. “That’s great! Director Lin, to be honest, for this collaboration, we were interested in your team, not your company!” I was stunned. “We’ve internally assessed that your design concepts highly align with our brand’s future development direction. To be honest, we were worried that the personnel might change later, affecting the project quality.” “Now that you’re out, things are much easier.” Her words were like a beam of light, shining into my despair. “Director Lin, on behalf of our company, I’d like to formally invite you and your entire team.” “The salary will be double what you were getting before.” “The position is a core brand management role in our newly established group, which you’ll be directly responsible for.” “We hope you can bring your entire team to join us.” Double salary. Core position. The entire team packaged together. I suppressed my heart that was almost jumping out of my chest, my fingers tightly pinching my palm. “Director Zhang, thank you for your appreciation. It’s just that we’ve just completed the resignation process, and there are still some procedures to handle.” “No problem, we can wait. Talented people are worth waiting for.” “I’ll send the formal letter of intent to your email later. Take a look first, no need to rush with a reply.” After hanging up the phone, I looked at the sky outside the window, feeling it was brighter than ever before. My phone buzzed again, it was a WeChat message from Andrew. “Olivia, I know you’re still angry. Stop making a fuss, doesn’t our years of relationship mean more than a moment of anger?” “I know I was wrong, I shouldn’t have said that to you.” “Come back first, help Bella out, finish handing over the project. When this blows over, I’ll give you a grand apology ceremony, okay?” Looking at the words on the screen, I felt nauseous. Help Bella out. How could he say that? I turned off my phone, completely ignoring that message. The game had just begun. I used my savings to throw a grand “resignation party” for the team at the best five-star hotel in the city. Celebrating our escape from trash, welcoming new life. Everyone raised their glasses and cheered, their faces radiating relief and hope for the future. “Boss, it’s a good thing we left with you, or we’d have been infuriated to death in that company!” “Yeah, making an intern the director, has Andrew Chen lost his mind?” “He must be in a panic now!” After a few rounds of drinks, we started to review the collaboration proposal for this project. “The core design language ‘Breakthrough’, and all the VI application standards, the most detailed version is actually only in our heads,” said my deputy Jack. “I held back at the time, only submitting the basic version. Many extended applications and special scenario specifications weren’t included in the final document at all.” I nodded. “Well done. These are our real value.” The new week began. Andrew and his new “Design Director” Bella officially started interfacing with the client. Soon, they ran into trouble. The client needed a complete brand VI usage manual for subsequent material production and market promotion. They searched through all the design files but couldn’t find it. Bella, relying on her own intuition, worked overtime to produce several design drafts. The next day, they were all sent back by Director Zhang. Zhang’s email was copied to everyone, with harsh wording. “These designs completely misunderstand our brand tone. The colors, fonts, and compositions are all problematic! Are you even professionals?” Bella cried on the spot in the office. Andrew’s call quickly came to my phone. “Olivia Lin! What do you mean? You took the design source files and standard manual when you left?” His voice was full of anger. I was in my new company’s office, looking out at the river view, my tone calm. “Mr. Chen, you can eat carelessly, but you can’t speak carelessly. All the files I handed over are on record.” “As for that manual you mentioned, that’s our team’s core creative asset, a trade secret, no comment.” “You dare!” he roared in exasperation, “Don’t you believe I’ll sue you for stealing company trade secrets!” I chuckled lightly, reminding him of a fact he had overlooked. “Mr. Chen, I don’t think we ever signed a confidentiality agreement or non-compete agreement.” “Moreover, according to copyright law, the creative copyright for this proposal is in my personal hands. Are you sure you want to sue me?” On the other end of the phone, there was only heavy breathing left. He hung up. The client side pressured again. Because the design specifications couldn’t be confirmed, the entire collaboration project came to a standstill. Several channel partners who had already signed contracts began to express dissatisfaction. Andrew’s company’s reputation in the industry began to be affected. Bella was completely at a loss, crying every day and complaining to Andrew that the client was deliberately making things difficult for her. The company’s internal morale was low, and rumors were flying. Andrew was in a frenzy. He spread the word that he would spare no expense to hire top designers who could solve this brand design problem. However, a week after the news was released, no one responded. The circle was only so big, and everyone knew this project was led by me. In this situation, no one was willing to wade into these muddy waters, let alone offend me and my new employer behind me. He had pushed himself into a dead end. Just when Andrew was about to despair, a team calling themselves “Wind and Cloud Design” actively contacted him. They claimed that they had been studying my design style and were 100% confident that they could perfectly recreate a VI manual identical to the original. Bella grabbed onto this lifeline. She whispered in Andrew’s ear, saying this team must have seen that I had gone to the client’s side and came specially to help. “Honey, this shows we have more supporters! That Olivia Lin is just petty!” Andrew was convinced by her and gritted his teeth to hire this outsourcing team at three times the market price. Three days later, they delivered a seemingly flawless VI manual. Andrew immediately sent it to the client. After reviewing it, Director Zhang only replied: “We can proceed now.” Andrew and Bella were overjoyed. They thought the crisis was completely over. The next day, Andrew called a company-wide meeting. At the meeting, he singled me out by name, criticizing me for “lacking professional ethics, holding back after resigning, attempting to blackmail the company.” He was beaming, full of vigor. “This proves that the earth keeps spinning without anyone! Some people shouldn’t overestimate themselves!” “From today on, our company officially cuts ties with all resigned design department personnel, no more entanglements!” The employees below had various expressions, but no one dared to speak. I sat in the conference room of the new company, watching the video of his impassioned speech, and smiled. This was exactly what I was waiting for. I immediately had the lawyer send a lawyer’s letter to his company based on this public “cut ties” announcement. Demanding that he pay the multi-million project bonus promised earlier to the entire team, as well as severance pay for everyone. The promise in black and white, plus his public acknowledgment of “no more entanglements,” left him without even an excuse to default. To maintain the company’s reputation, he was forced to pay this huge sum. The company’s cash flow, already tense due to the project stagnation, instantly went from bad to worse. I looked at the string of zeros added to my bank card, feeling no ripples in my heart. This was all we deserved. On the same afternoon. On my desk, I received an email from the group headquarters. The sender was the secretary of the client’s big boss. I opened the email, the title clearly stated: “Notice on Appointing Ms. Olivia Lin as the Overall Responsible Person for Next Year’s Full Product Line Bidding Conference for This Brand”. Three months later. Late autumn. The industry’s largest annual brand bidding conference was held at the International Convention Center. I sat in the center of the judges’ seats, in the capacity of the client’s Brand Director. Below were top advertising companies and design teams from all over the country. My ex-husband, Andrew, and his new director Bella, also came. They walked into the venue with high spirits, their faces wearing confident smiles. Andrew soon saw me. He was stunned for a moment, then a contemptuous smile appeared on his face. He said something in a low voice to Bella beside him. I read his lips. “Look, some people can only come to such occasions to steal ideas after leaving me.” Bella covered her mouth and let out a coquettish laugh, her eyes full of superiority. They thought I was just a former employee coming to listen and learn. The client colleagues beside me and some industry peers who knew me all looked at him with eyes as if looking at a clown. But he was completely unaware. The host began to introduce today’s judges according to the procedure. “First, let’s welcome with warm applause the overall responsible person for this bidding conference, who is also our brand’s core Brand Director – Ms. Olivia Lin!” The spotlight instantly shone on me. I saw the smile on Andrew’s face freeze instantly.

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After my wife died, our entire family spoiled our son rotten. We treated him like a prince. My mom worked tirelessly for three years for the principal of the most elite high school, just so our son could get in. My dad drove Leo to and from school every single day. One rainy morning, he slipped on the way out and shattered his spine. On Leo’s 18th birthday, my sister, Skylar, painstakingly prepared a gift for him. But on her way there, she got into a car accident. I answered the FaceTime call from Skylar. Her face was a bloody mess on the screen. “Alex… I saw… I saw Seraphina…” As her phone camera moved, Seraphina, who was supposed to be dead, appeared in the frame. She looked utterly impatient after hitting someone. Next to her, a handsomely dressed man casually pulled out a wad of cash and flung it at my sister. “Seraphina, this kind of person clearly just wants to scam us. It’s more important to get to Leo’s coming-of-age party.” “If I miss Leo’s party, he’ll definitely blame me, his father.” At that instant, a cold dread washed over me, chilling me to the bone. Our son, whom our family had cherished for eighteen years, wasn’t even related to me by blood?!

“Seraphina, don’t just stand there. Ten grand is already more than enough for this lowly beggar. We need to hurry and see Leo; we can’t miss his coming-of-age party!” In the video Skylar had sent me, the man hooked his arm through Seraphina’s, about to get into the car. I recognized him. It was Victor, Seraphina’s childhood sweetheart, the one she’d grown up with! And my wife, who had been dead for eighteen years and now suddenly reappeared, didn’t even recognize the person she’d hit, lying injured on the ground—it was my sister, her own sister-in-law! She just gave Skylar a dismissive glance, then turned to comfort Victor: “Alex and I couldn’t have kids back then, so I borrowed your help to get pregnant just to make him feel better.” “You’re Leo’s biological father. He won’t blame you.” Watching the two of them, so cold and arrogant in the video, my head reeled. So, Seraphina’s death was a lie, and tricking me into raising her son was the truth! What did all our family’s sacrifices over the past eighteen years even mean? A crushing pain seized my heart, but I had no time for grief. Skylar was still barely clinging to life on the ground. I frantically rushed to the city hospital. When Skylar was wheeled into the operating room, she was still clutching Leo’s coming-of-age gift in her hand—a custom-made gaming controller. “Alex… don’t be sad. Leo… he’ll definitely side with you…” As she was pushed into surgery, I clenched the blood-stained controller so tightly my nails almost dug into my flesh! If it weren’t for delivering Leo’s gift, she wouldn’t have gotten into an accident. After three long hours of frantic rescue efforts, the operating room light finally went out. The doctor told me Skylar was out of critical condition. But her left leg had sustained a comminuted fracture, and she had a concussion. Her recovery would be long and arduous, with potential lasting complications. My knees buckled, and I nearly fell, my heart ripping apart. It took me a while to collect myself and call my parents to reassure them. I pulled out my phone and instinctively clicked on Leo’s latest update on Ins. In the photo, my son stood center stage in a sharp suit, a brilliant smile on his face. In eighteen years, I’d rarely seen Leo smile at me like that. With me, it was mostly annoyance. I’d always just told myself he was going through his rebellious phase. The last photo showed Leo intimately linking his left arm with Seraphina, who was supposed to be dead, and his right arm tightly pressed against the man from the video. The three of them smiled brilliantly at the camera, a picture of pure, unadulterated family happiness. The sight burned my eyes. Below the image was a caption. “Thanks, Mom and Dad, for my amazing coming-of-age party! This is the best gift ever! Love you guys!” And then, a follow-up: “Unlike some people’s crappy handmade junk, so cheap and tacky, it was an embarrassment.” The ‘junk’ he spoke of was the celestial model I had personally polished for three months. It lay silently in my bag now, like a silent taunt. I had painstakingly carved that celestial model from a treasured piece of rare rosewood, a leftover from before Seraphina’s “passing.” Leo had loved the stars since he was a child. I had promised him that for his 18th birthday, I’d give him a truly one-of-a-kind gift. For three months, I’d pulled countless all-nighters, my fingers raw and blistered multiple times, just to finish it before his birthday. I’d even imagined his surprised expression when he received the gift. Turns out, Leo knew everything. He knew Seraphina wasn’t dead. He knew his biological father was Victor. And my eighteen years of pouring my heart and soul into him, had been a complete and utter joke.

I suppressed the turbulent storm of emotions raging within me and called my parents, who were on their way to the hospital to see Skylar, telling them not to panic just yet. No sooner had I hung up than Seraphina’s figure appeared at the ward door. Eighteen years. The moment our eyes met, her brows furrowed slightly, and a hint of displeasure flashed in her gaze. A maelstrom of emotions churned within me. I didn’t know how to even begin speaking to her. Before I could even question why she faked her death and disappeared for eighteen years, Victor followed her in, his tone laced with mockery. “Alex, really, what are you doing here? On such an important day as Leo’s coming-of-age party? Leo was just asking about you, saying he felt unsettled without you there.” Seraphina’s face instantly darkened, and she looked at me with an accusing gaze. “Alex, what is wrong with you? How dare you miss Leo’s coming-of-age party?” “My faking my death back then was just to test your sincerity, to see if you’d take good care of Leo in my absence.” “You did well for the first eighteen years, but now it seems you haven’t taken my words to heart.” A test? My sincerity? In that moment, I felt all my strength drain away. My heart was pricked by countless steel needles, the sharp pain spreading through me. Her casual declaration of a “test” erased my eighteen years of walking on eggshells, erased all the sacrifices our entire family had made for her son. Seraphina, you’re truly heartless! Seeing my silence, Seraphina’s expression grew even uglier. “I’m taking Leo and Victor on a trip abroad tomorrow. You stay home and reflect on your mistakes.” With that, they turned and walked away, a united front, leaving me alone outside the cold hospital room, facing my sister’s closed door, a chill spreading through me. I never imagined that after eighteen years, our first reunion would be like this. I remembered when I first married her, how I’d come home dead drunk from work dinners. Even though Seraphina would complain I wasn’t ambitious enough, she’d still clumsily get up in the middle of the night to make her homemade hangover remedy, carefully blowing on it to cool it before bringing it to my lips. Her eyes red-rimmed, she’d say, “Honey, don’t push yourself so hard. From now on, I’ll shoulder this burden with you.” She once said she’d love me for an eternity and give our child the happiest home. But those sweet memories now felt like sharp knives, slicing my heart to bloody ribbons.

Not long after they left, I dialed Leo’s number with trembling hands. I wanted to ask him what was going on. Since he already knew the truth, why hadn’t he said a single word to me? Did he also think this was some kind of “test” for me? The phone rang for a long time before it was finally answered. “Hello? What do you want? I’m busy!” Leo’s voice was utterly impatient. In the background, I clearly heard Victor’s voice: “Leo, do you like this Patek Philippe watch? It perfectly suits our Leo’s status.” Seraphina’s gentle voice echoed, “Yes, Leo, wear this, and you’ll be the handsomest young man around.” So, after leaving the hospital, they had gone straight to a luxury store with Leo. Leo must have been at the hospital earlier too, or rather, he’d come with Seraphina and Victor all along. He just couldn’t be bothered to even step into the ward to take a look. On the phone, Leo responded to their every word, his tone filled with genuine intimacy, as if they were the real family. Yes, they were the real family. I was just an “outsider” who had raised their son for free for eighteen years. But I still couldn’t give up, and I spoke: “Leo, your Aunt Skylar… she got into a car accident. She’s still unconscious in the hospital. Can you come see her?” “Oh, okay.” Leo’s voice was flat, devoid of emotion, even carrying an undertone of annoyance at being disturbed. He didn’t care at all about the aunt who had doted on him since he was little, who would have plucked the stars from the sky for him if he’d asked, who loved him the most. “If there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up. I still have things to pick out!” Before I could say anything else, Leo abruptly hung up. The buzzing dial tone finally severed the bond between us, father and son. For eighteen years, our entire family, the Alex family, had cherished him, Leo, like the apple of our eye, sacrificing so much, giving so much for him. My mom’s presbyopia, my dad’s back injury, my sister’s severe injuries now… Who knew that all our efforts, our everything, would only nurture a cold-hearted, ungrateful viper! Since Leo didn’t value this family anymore, there was no point in us demeaning ourselves any further for an outsider. A week later, Skylar’s condition stabilized, and she was discharged from the hospital. The four of us, with no regrets, quietly left the city that held too much pain, returning to our quiet little hometown we’d left behind long ago. We had originally moved to the big city just for Leo’s schooling. Now… there was no need anymore! I never thought Seraphina would still be sending me messages at a time like this. She was publicly and lavishly throwing a grand birthday gala for Leo. The dozens of messages she sent me were still in her usual imperious, princess-like tone. She ordered me to bring the whole family to Leo’s birthday gala on time, even saying she had arranged a suit for me and that I should dress appropriately, so as not to embarrass the Seraphina family. I looked at those condescending words and found them utterly ridiculous. I casually turned off my phone and tossed it aside. At the birthday gala, Seraphina waited for a long time, but I never showed up. She clearly couldn’t bear to lose face in front of the numerous dignitaries and celebrities. “Go, bring Alex to me!” ———-此处为截断点———- Annoyed, she sent her assistant to the apartment I rented. Another hour passed, but the assistant returned alone, looking flustered.

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My husband got a racy photo from his mistress. He raced to the hotel, leaving our three-year-old son in the car. Under the scorching summer sun, the locked car became a furnace. Our son suffocated to death. When I told my husband the devastating news, he answered, panting, “Let’s just get the funeral over with. We can always have another kid.” I was sobbing, choked with grief, but he was disturbingly calm. “Chloe’s already pregnant. Once her baby is born, they’ll be our family’s heir.” “She’ll move into our house, but it won’t affect your status as Mrs. Arthur. I’ll still spend a few nights a week with you.” At his words, my heart completely died. I walked straight into my husband’s arch-rival’s office. “Interested in partnering up to take down Arthur’s empire?” I was a stay-at-home mom, not because my husband made a fortune, but because our son was often sick and needed constant care. On Leo’s third birthday, I’d decorated a private room at a local restaurant. It was all superhero-themed, just like Leo loved, even the cake was a custom flavor. Before the party even began, my husband offered to take Leo out for a stroll, giving me more time to set up. But three hours went by. My husband refused to answer my calls, and I couldn’t track his location. It wasn’t until late afternoon that the police called with the devastating news of Leo’s death. The cramped car had turned into an oven. Leo’s tiny body was already stiff and bruised. Under his small fingernails were marks from his desperate struggle to survive. “What kind of parents leave such a young child alone in a car?” “Look at that mom, all dressed up. She was probably too busy shopping or socializing to even realize her kid died in the car.” Facing the ignorant public’s accusations, I had no strength to defend myself. I collapsed beside the car, sobbing until I had no strength left. It was the female officer who gently pulled me into the patrol car. My hand trembled as I dialed my husband’s number. He answered, panting, “So he died. It’s just a funeral. We can always have another kid.” Then he hung up. I next saw my husband at the police station. Fueled by fury, I slapped him across the face, shrieked, my voice raw with anguish, “Where were you?! Why did you leave him alone in the car?! Why didn’t you answer my calls?!” I thought Arthur would be as heartbroken as I was, but he angrily pushed my hand away. “Can you stop acting like a lunatic?” Arthur went through the procedures in the interrogation room. When he signed Leo’s death certificate, his face showed absolutely no emotion. As if the person who had suffocated to death was a complete stranger, utterly unrelated to him! “Arthur, tell me what you were doing?” I clutched his hand, my voice trembling. “You said you were just taking Leo for a walk. Why was he locked in that car for over two hours?” Just thinking about it, I remembered the dashcam footage. The video showed Leo’s cries, starting strong, then gradually fading, charting every agonizing step of his journey towards death. I couldn’t help but cry again, but Arthur remained indifferent. “I was conducting business, okay? I was too busy. What was I supposed to do, I forgot.” “Enough, stop making a scene. Come home with me. You’re embarrassing our entire family.” Arthur dragged me along, showing no sign of grief even as he practically shoved me through our front door. He even flung his perfume-scented suit jacket at my face. “Get this dry-cleaned. Don’t you dare ruin it.” I stood my ground, speaking coldly. “Arthur, let’s get a divorce.” But Arthur just looked at me blankly. “What tantrum are you throwing now?” “You’re talking about divorce over an *adopted* child? Are you out of your mind, Avery?” “Let me be blunt. Chloe’s already two months pregnant. Once her baby is born, I’ll bring it home, and you’ll raise it just like you raised Leo. It’ll even call you ‘Mom’ when it grows up.”

While Arthur was in the shower, I unlocked his phone using Chloe’s birthday as the password. My heart clenched when I saw the racy photo Chloe had sent him at 1:50 PM that afternoon. So he was in such a rush to hook up with Chloe that he forgot our son in that scorching car?! *Ding-dong*. A new message arrived from Chloe. **[Arthur, you’ll come with me to my prenatal appointment tomorrow, won’t you?]** Tears streamed uncontrollably down my face. With trembling hands, I blocked Chloe from Arthur’s phone. Arthur, fresh out of the shower, witnessed this. He quickly snatched the phone, pushing me away angrily. “Who gave you permission to touch my phone?!” Arthur quickly re-operated his phone. He was a tech whiz, and he easily found my block history. Without a second thought, he unblocked Chloe and sent her a voice message: “Avery just went a little crazy and blocked you. Don’t mind her. She’s just grieving for her son.” “Was Leo only *my* son?” Arthur just glanced at me, didn’t even bother to reply. He just barged past me, shouldering me aside, and walked into the room. That night, I lay awake in Leo’s room, wide eyed with grief. Arthur, meanwhile, slept soundly. The next morning, he even loudly demanded I get up and make his breakfast. My tears had long since dried, my eyes horribly swollen. My fingers scrolled through my contacts, but before I could find the person I was looking for, a trending news alert popped up on my phone: **[Arthur Enterprises CEO’s Wife, Preoccupied with Shopping and Socializing, Forgets Three-Year-Old Son in Car, Leading to Tragic Suffocation.]** I clicked on the article. It wasn’t just gossip accounts spreading rumors; even Arthur Enterprises’ official account had reposted it, implicitly confirming the story. Arthur was the one in charge of Arthur Enterprises. No one would dare do something like this without his approval. I rushed out to confront Arthur, who was eating breakfast. He just kept his head down as he answered, “You’re just a stay-at-home mom anyway. If your reputation is ruined, it’s ruined. This can’t be allowed to affect *my* reputation.” “Your reputation? What reputation?” I stormed over to him, smashing the dishes. “Breaking up with Chloe was *your* choice. Marrying me was *your* choice. Even adopting Leo was *your* decision. So why am I the one stuck bearing all the blame now?” “Before my patience completely runs out, you’d better not piss me off again.” Arthur stood up, looking down at me. “Chloe needs extra care during her early pregnancy. I’m having her move into our house. You’ll take good care of her and the baby.” Seeing my continued silence, Arthur casually added. “Even if Chloe has my baby, it won’t affect your status as Mrs. Arthur. So stop being so immature, okay?” It wasn’t comfort; it was more of a warning. But he didn’t know I didn’t care about being Mrs. Arthur. The only reason I stayed in this house was Leo. Now that he’d killed our son, there was no reason for me to stay. On my way, I scrolled through photos from years ago. Arthur was still Chloe’s boyfriend back then. She cheated on him and left the country, and only then did he get together and marry me. Arthur and I had been married for two years without children. It was my idea to adopt, and I chose Leo from a children’s home. The more I thought about it, the more miserable I felt. My eyes were still glistening with tears when I walked into Marcus Group’s office. Marcus looked at me, offering a tissue. “What, your husband treating you badly?” “I’m divorcing him.” “Interested in partnering up to crash Arthur Enterprises and absorb all their assets into your company?”

When Marcus dropped me off, we saw Arthur getting out of a car, his arm wrapped around Chloe. Before I could speak, Arthur frowned and demanded, “Now you’re not only causing trouble at home, but you’re also trying to get back with your ex, trying to make a fool of me?” Chloe deliberately stroked her belly, looking at me with a smirk. “Mr. Marcus just gave me a ride. What about you? You brought your mistress directly into our home.” “Watch your mouth!” Arthur rounded on Marcus. “It’s been five years! Haven’t you given up on my wife yet?” Marcus and I had long since lost any feelings for each other. We dated for three months and had thirty arguments. We even had a huge fight on the day we broke up. So, no, we’re not getting back together. But to provoke Arthur, Marcus deliberately put on a smug face. “You don’t appreciate Avery anyway. What’s wrong with me pursuing her?” “You wouldn’t dare!” Arthur was about to confront Marcus further, but Chloe suddenly let out a little gasp. He immediately rushed to her side, anxious. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?” “My feet are a little numb, Arthur. Can you carry me inside?” Arthur didn’t even spare me a glance. He simply scooped Chloe up bridal-style, taking every step with exaggerated care. That scene couldn’t stir my heart anymore; it was already as cold as ashes. Marcus watched, then turned to remind me, “He treats you like this. Don’t you dare go soft on him now.” “Don’t worry. I’ll stick to our agreement.” After saying goodbye to Marcus, I walked inside to find the usually high-and-mighty Arthur kneeling before Chloe, massaging her swollen, pregnant calves. I tried to avoid them, but Arthur called out, “Go prepare lunch for Chloe.” I smiled, looking at him. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll *add something* to her lunch?” “Don’t you dare provoke me, or I can’t guarantee what might happen to her in this house.” With that, I went upstairs to my room. I opened my long-unused laptop. I could still access Arthur Enterprises’ financial data. I spent the entire afternoon in my room preparing for my collaboration with Marcus. I only snapped back to reality when Chloe’s voice cut through the door. “Avery, come out! My legs are aching a bit. Come massage them for me.” I didn’t respond, so she kept knocking and shouting. Only when I finally opened the door did she flash a triumphant smile. “Do you think playing dead will work if you don’t answer? You don’t run this house.” “I’m not Arthur. I won’t indulge a mistress who thinks she can do whatever she pleases.” “Oh, you’ve got some nerve. You still think Arthur loves you, don’t you?” Chloe suddenly burst out laughing. “Wanna bet?” The words were barely out of her mouth when Chloe suddenly smashed a vase beside her and flopped backward onto the floor. “Avery! Why did you hit me?!” Chloe’s trembling, sobbing voice echoed through the house, reaching Arthur, who was working downstairs, and drawing him up.

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