Author: Momo Chan

To support my husband’s scientific pursuits, I sent him overseas for advanced studies. But two years later, he walked out of the airport with a young girl. “Seraphina, a junior researcher under me, got seriously ill from radiation exposure during an experiment while trying to protect me. I need to take care of her.” He insisted on bringing her home, converting my study into a lab. Day in and day out, they were ‘doing research’ in there. Until, well, they ‘researched’ a baby into existence. And he still claimed it was just a drunken accident. “Seraphina’s parents are both gone; this child will be her only family. I *have* to keep it.” “Be the bigger person, Harper. Let her have this house so she can focus on her pregnancy in peace.” “You’re so busy with work anyway, no time for kids of your own. This baby could even call you ‘godmother’ later.” I scoffed. That night, I cleared out everything from the house and pulled all funding from his research project. Sorry, but I’m not exactly short on houses. Or kids, for that matter.

“Ms. Harper, are you really going to cut off all funding immediately? Without any buffer time, their project will practically…” “Confirmed. Pull it all. Every last cent.” I didn’t hesitate for a second. The call with my assistant, Kai, had just ended when another call came in. “Harper Reed, what do you mean by ‘do you want to marry me’? You…” “Exactly what it sounds like. What, you don’t want to? Should I ask someone else?” “Who said I don’t want to! You’re not allowed to ask anyone else!” Declan’s voice shot up, then he slowly asked, “So you’re divorced now?” “Almost. Don’t worry, I won’t let you feel grossed out.” “That’s not what I meant. I meant, if you’re in trouble, I can help you.” I paused, then politely declined his offer, but a warmth slowly spread through my chest. He chased me for six years and never gave up. Guess he’s finally getting what he wished for. Only me, chasing after someone unworthy, ending up completely shattered. Not long after I hung up, I heard Julian and Seraphina’s voices behind me. They walked in, arm in arm, Julian carrying a large bag of baby supplies. “Julian’s never been a dad, but he’s already so good at this stuff,” Seraphina cooed. “If I don’t understand, I need to learn. Otherwise, how can I take good care of you… Harper?” Julian froze slightly when he saw me. Seraphina immediately hid behind him, timidly saying, “Ms. Harper, I’m sorry, I didn’t know you’d be back today.” “Don’t worry, I’ll go abroad after the baby is born. I won’t stay here and be an eyesore for you anymore.” Eyesore? I chuckled. Been an eyesore for this long, a little longer won’t hurt. Besides, soon enough, out of sight, out of mind. Just like in the past, the more pathetic Seraphina acted, the more Julian’s heart ached for her. He wrapped his arm around her, comforting her. “What kind of person do you take me for? You have no parents, no family. How could you live alone with a child?” The next second, he looked at me, his tone utterly natural: “Seraphina is pregnant and needs a new bedroom with a more comfortable environment.” “She can have ours. You rarely come back here to stay anyway, with all your overtime.” I stared directly into his eyes, simply replied “Okay,” and walked straight out. Julian, who had prepared himself for my “tantrum,” stood rooted to the spot. Before, when he wanted to convert my study into Seraphina’s lab, I fought him for a whole week, exhausting him completely. But this time… “Harper, what kind of attitude is that? What are you trying to pull now?” Julian chased after me and grabbed my arm. I looked at him impatiently and asked, “Julian, I should be asking *you* that.” “When I made a fuss, you said I was narrow-minded. Now I’m planning to give the entire house to Seraphina, and you think I have ulterior motives?” Julian’s expression flickered, then he let out an awkward cough, pulling my hand. “I’m sorry. I misunderstood you.” I was momentarily stunned. In our six years of marriage, to keep him focused on his research, I was always the one who gave in first. He’d always been so stingy with his words to me, and now he was actually apologizing. “Since you’re willing to change, then stay. Seraphina and I aren’t unwelcoming.” “Tonight, you can make Seraphina your signature sour fish soup.” “She’s had terrible morning sickness lately and craves something sour.” In that instant, I wanted to throw up too. Sure enough, it was all my imagination. “What *is* she, that she deserves me cooking for her?” I snapped back, unable to stand his face, but he immediately scowled and said, “Hmph, I knew you were faking it.” “You’re still that heartless, ungrateful businesswoman with nothing but filthy money in your eyes, no different from six years ago.”

Years ago, because of my mother’s rare illness, I met Julian, who was researching drugs in that very field. I was quickly drawn to his talent and personality and began to pursue him. To have common topics with him, I forced myself to read obscure biology books. To show my determination, after we married, I didn’t hesitate to agree to his continued studies abroad, even investing heavily in his lab and leveraging my connections behind his back. But what I finally got was him returning with another woman. “You’re right. I’m a businesswoman, so a businesswoman’s hands are only for making money, not for cooking.” Before, when he accused me of reeking of money, I’d feel sad. But now, I only felt lucky. Lucky that even though my judgment was poor, at least I had money. “On the other hand, you, you claim to love her so much, but you can’t even bear to cook for her?” “I’ve told you, I only feel gratitude towards her. I just want to take care of her. That child was an accident!” As always, he explained impatiently, then looked at me with disappointment, as if I had committed some grave error. I was too tired to listen anymore, so I shook my hand free and walked out. I didn’t expect that after an all-nighter at the office, I’d open the door to my apartment and see Julian in the kitchen, making breakfast. That was a ‘miracle’ that had never occurred in our six years of marriage. For the sake of his hands, which he needed for experiments, I had always done the cooking at home. I remember even when my hand was bleeding non-stop from a knife cut, he’d avoid me like the plague just to hand me a band-aid, terrified my blood would taint his hands. And now, he held a knife, meticulously slicing bread for Seraphina. “Julian, your hands shouldn’t be doing such things! Put that knife down!” Seraphina ran into the kitchen, and Julian immediately hugged her back, saying tenderly, “You stayed with that radiation source for so long to protect me, and now you’re still willing to have my child. This little thing is nothing.” Seraphina, touched, threw herself into his arms, and a flicker of triumph crossed her eyes as she looked at me standing outside the door. I watched them with cold eyes, then waved my hand, directly instructing the movers to start clearing things out. Julian looked at everything, confused, shielding Seraphina firmly behind him, demanding to know what I was doing. “Nothing much. I’m just divorcing you, so we’re separating first.” “What did you say?” Julian’s face went blank for a second, as if he couldn’t grasp what I was saying. “Divorce… me?” He again showed that ‘I knew it’ expression, full of disgust. “Here we go again. Harper, I’m not falling for your games anymore.” “Tell them to get out. Seraphina is pregnant and needs quiet rest. Don’t you understand that?” I sighed wearily. Before I could speak, a worker rushed down and asked me, “Ms. Harper, the safe you insisted we take—it’s in Ms. Seraphina’s room, and… it’s open. It’s empty.” My heart sank. I spun around to look at Seraphina. She blinked, saying, “Julian gave me that box. I saw it only had some old papers, nothing useful.” She curved her lips at me, her smile sweet and malicious. “So, I burned them all.” *Slap!* I lunged forward and slapped Seraphina across the face. “Those were my mother’s musical scores, her last precious relics! How *dare* you…” My heart ached so much I could barely breathe. But the next instant, Julian actually raised his hand at me— “Harper Reed, for some dead woman’s junk, you dare hit her!”

As the force of his palm rushed toward me, he met my red-rimmed eyes. He seemed to finally snap back to reality for a second, intending to lower his hand. But because of his strength, his wedding ring still grazed my cheek, leaving a thin cut. “Dead woman’s junk.” I stood frozen, my heart turning to ash as I repeated his words. “Fine, I get it.” I turned around and instructed the movers to take the things and leave immediately. But he chased after me. “Harper!” He grabbed my hand, a rare look of guilt on his face. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know Seraphina would burn your mother’s things.” “But she’s pregnant, it might be hormones, her emotions are unstable.” “You’ve never been a mother, can’t you be more understanding of her? I’ll go get new copies of your mother’s things…” I sharply pulled my hand away, looking at his face, which was already regaining its ‘rational analysis’ look. “Julian, I’ll hire the best lawyers to expedite our divorce proceedings.” “You!” Julian was about to chase after me again, but Seraphina cried out in pain, and he immediately turned and ran back into the villa. After settling my things, I blocked all of Julian’s contact information. I didn’t see him again until a week later at a banquet. This banquet invited many CEOs from biopharmaceutical companies. Julian never used to come to such ‘corrupting’ places, but now, because of the sudden withdrawal of crucial funds, he had no choice but to seek help here. He still had no idea that the person behind that money was me. “Oh my, Ms. Harper, why are you here?” Seraphina covered her mouth, seemingly very surprised. “This place is full of professionals in biomedicine. The discussions aren’t about stocks or funds.” “Someone like Ms. Harper, do you even understand?” Her voice was clear, as if she wanted everyone around to mock my out-of-place presence. But everyone simply gave her a strange look and turned away. “I’m standing here because this banquet is *my* event. Every glass of wine Ms. Seraphina is drinking right now is paid for with *my* money.” “Without me, how do you think these bigwigs would grace us with their presence?” The resentment and jealousy in Seraphina’s eyes instantly overflowed. The next second, Julian actually dismissed her and stood next to me, holding a wine glass. I knew he had networked around, found no one willing to invest in his project, and so he came to me. “Harper, even if you want a divorce, our joint assets are half yours, half mine…” Even he struggled to say such shameless words. I chuckled, then slowly said, “Mr. Julian, did you forget the prenuptial agreement we signed?” “To prove your integrity, didn’t you personally sign an agreement for separate property, terrified to taint yourself with my ‘dirty money’?” Julian’s face immediately turned ugly, secretly regretting it. But he wanted to use our past relationship to make me soften, but I was utterly unmoved. I only spoke of “divorce.” “No, I’m afraid my money would dirty your experiments.” “Harper, are you really going to take it this far?” He gasped, all traces of his refined demeanor were gone. He thrust the wine glass towards me. “Fine then, if you have the guts, drink this, and we go our separate ways, and it’s over for good!” I took the glass without hesitation and drank it all. But after I finished, I noticed that Julian’s eyes, besides anger, held a hint of panic. No, this drink… A wave of dizziness hit me. My vision went black, and I collapsed.

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After I died, my parents signed the organ donation consent form, transplanting my retinas into their most cherished adopted daughter, Felicity. Without me, they finally became a real family. My whole life, I’d fought with Felicity, only to end up with nothing but a bleak, desolate fate. Reborn, I decided to live my own life, and unexpectedly, I found a happy ending. I was reborn, back to the very day Felicity came to our home. If I’d been reborn just a little earlier, maybe I could have prevented Felicity’s biological parents from dying, or perhaps I could have threatened to kill myself to stop my parents from adopting her. But now, she was already home. It was too late for any drama. Felicity was the daughter of my father’s respected mentor, a renowned artist who had her late in life, and she was cherished like a precious gem. She showed extraordinary artistic talent but suffered from an unknown eye condition, with her sight fluctuating and the constant risk of blindness. Her parents had taken Felicity everywhere seeking treatment, but they died in an accident, leaving young Felicity orphaned. Felicity’s childhood was truly tragic, which is why my parents, at first sight, decided to treat her as their own, even valuing her more than me, their biological daughter. “Chloe, haven’t you always wanted an older sister? From now on, Felicity will be your sister. Aren’t you happy?” My parents looked at me with loving eyes, hoping I would genuinely accept this adopted sister. My seven-year-old self, in my previous life, was indeed happy. I thought the world had given me a warm new family member, and I was eager to share my love with this gentle-looking sister. I never imagined Felicity was a thief, not wanting to share my parents’ love, but to steal it all for herself. “Chloe, Dad knows you’re a sensible girl. Felicity’s health isn’t good. Even though you’re the younger sister, we need you to help Mom and Dad take care of her. Can you do that?” Before I could even open my mouth, tears were already welling in Felicity’s eyes. “I know my sister will have a hard time accepting me. Who wants to share their family’s love? Sister, don’t worry, I’ll just go to an orphanage.” Sometimes I truly suspected Felicity had also been reborn. How could an eight-year-old girl be so manipulative? I hadn’t even expressed any opposition, and she was already branding me as a jealous, difficult child. Mom gently wiped Felicity’s tears. “Don’t cry, Felicity, it’s bad for your eyes.” “Why are you still calling us ‘Uncle’ and ‘Auntie’? We told you, from today on, we’re your Mom and Dad.” Felicity lifted her small, innocent face, clear tears still clinging to her lashes. She looked so overwhelmed and grateful, anyone would feel sorry for her. “Waaah, I have a Mom and Dad now!” At that moment, the three of them hugged, crying together, and no one remembered to ask for my opinion. Felicity just had that kind of power.

That night, my parents made Felicity and me share a room. I lay quietly, unable to sleep, my mind racing with how to become independent and leave this family as soon as possible. After everything in my previous life, I understood: from the moment Felicity entered this home, my Mom, Dad, and even my brother, all became her sole possessions. Late in the night, Felicity quietly got out of bed beside me. I squinted, pretending to be asleep, and watched her head straight for my parents’ room. “Waaah, Mom, Dad, it’s so dark, my eyes hurt so much, I’m so scared!” My overly compassionate parents, blinded by sympathy, didn’t even stop to think how Felicity, in such an unfamiliar environment, could have found their room so easily in the middle of a sudden “eye attack.” They just hugged Felicity tightly, their eyes welling up with tears in distress. “Don’t be afraid, Felicity, Mom and Dad are here.” Felicity trembled, burying herself in Mom’s arms, looking utterly terrified. “Mom, Dad, can I really stay in this home? Waaah, just now my sister…” Overhearing this, my heart sank. The next second, Dad stormed into my room without a word, pulling me out of bed while I was still pretending to sleep. “What did you say to Felicity?! How can you be so insensitive? Felicity has been sick since she was little, and her background is so tragic. Can’t you just give in to her?!” “Don’t be like that, Chloe is still young. Just teach her, she’ll understand!” Mom said she was trying to calm Dad down, but she was still holding Felicity tightly, not even attempting to come over and shield me. In the end, they took Felicity back to their room, leaving me, dressed only in thin pajamas, shut outside my own door. Before, Mom used to check on me in the middle of the night, tucking me in before she left. They seemed to have forgotten I was just a seven-year-old child. I also feared the dark, the cold, and I was at an age when I needed my parents’ love the most. In my previous life, Felicity often did this. She would fake an eye flare-up, then, while my bleeding-heart parents were overwhelmed with sympathy, she’d invent baseless lies to badmouth me. As a young child, I gradually realized the danger. Ever since she arrived, I, their sweet and adorable little daughter, had turned into a “bad girl” in my parents’ eyes. So, I began to secretly compete with Felicity, always trying to outdo her. Anything Felicity had, I had to have too. But Felicity was skilled at playing innocent in front of people, appearing gentle, timid, and always deferring. My parents felt even more indebted to her. I fought with Felicity my entire life, but I could never win against her. Even my brother, who used to dote on me, fell under Felicity’s spell. Everyone in the art world knew that the Davidsons had a pitiful, talented adopted daughter, Felicity, and a rude, jealous, good-for-nothing biological daughter, Chloe. This time, I decided not to compete with Felicity anymore. I would live the life I truly wanted.

The next morning, Felicity and my parents’ joyful laughter drifted from the dining room. I quietly walked downstairs and saw Felicity sitting in *my* seat, using my favorite tableware. When they saw me, the previously harmonious atmosphere suddenly shattered, as if *I* were the outsider who had intruded on their family. A flicker of awkwardness crossed Mom’s face. “Chloe, why are you up so early today? Felicity doesn’t have her own tableware yet, so she’s using yours. Can you use Liam’s set, please?” “No, thanks. I don’t like taking other people’s things.” The moment those words left my mouth, everyone understood I was mocking Felicity. Dad seemed to still be upset about me “bullying” Felicity yesterday; his usually kind expression turned incredibly sour. I glanced at the milk, sandwich, and bacon and eggs on the table—all things Felicity liked to eat. I was lactose intolerant and usually had porridge for breakfast. “Oh dear, I forgot! You can’t drink milk. I’ll make you some soy milk in a bit,” Mom quickly interjected, trying to smooth things over, desperate to hide the fact that she paid more attention to her adopted daughter than to me. *Slam!* Dad slammed his cup on the table, scolding me with displeasure in his voice. “Why so particular? You spoil her too much! At such a young age, you’ve indulged her into being so wild! We need to take Felicity to transfer schools, no time to waste!” The old me would have been heartbroken by those words, throwing a tantrum without a second thought. But now, my heart was numb. I silently sat at a corner of the table, watching Felicity, who was eating with her head down, a hint of a triumphant smile playing on her lips. But when she looked up again, her small face was filled with sorrow. “Dad, don’t talk about my sister like that. My sister isn’t like me; she was pampered with love since she was little, so it’s natural for her to be a bit willful. It just shows how much you love her.” My overly compassionate parents were once again moved to tears. How could there be such an angelic little girl in the world? In comparison, I, who had everything since childhood yet was so headstrong, seemed utterly insensitive. The disappointment in their eyes when they looked at me deepened. But I didn’t care. In my previous life, I had practically cut ties with my parents, and I no longer cared what they thought of me. I could have easily charmed Felicity, acting as a brainless, easily controlled younger sister. Then I would still be my parents’ good daughter, picking up whatever scraps of affection they left over from Felicity. But I would make Felicity understand that the family love and affection she so painstakingly gained were worthless in my eyes.

By the time “the family of three” returned home after handling the school transfer, I had already voluntarily cleared out my original room, moving all my belongings into the unoccupied guest room. It wasn’t that I was giving way to Felicity on purpose; it was simply to preserve my own personal space. Dad gently patted my head and said, “Chloe is so sensible, truly Dad’s good daughter.” A young child might have gloated over those words, but reborn, I understood the unspoken meaning: I had to sympathize with Felicity at every turn, sacrificing my own happiness for hers, to be worthy of being his “good daughter.” Felicity burst into my room without asking, wanting to look around. When she saw the complete set of art supplies my parents had bought for me earlier, her small face suddenly turned pale, and she weakly collapsed into Mom’s arms, sobbing. “Waaah, I wish I could paint carefree like my sister!” Mom looked at me uneasily, hesitating for a long time before finally speaking. “I’m sorry, Chloe, but to consider Felicity’s feelings, could you put away your painting things for now?” Here we go again. Ever since Felicity appeared, my living space had been constantly squeezed, to the point where I wasn’t even allowed to have my own hobbies and dreams. It was the same in my previous life. Felicity’s eyes weren’t good, so she couldn’t paint for long periods, which meant I was also forced to drastically cut down my painting time. I was a painter’s daughter, yet I couldn’t buy art supplies freely or attend art classes, simply because seeing them would upset Felicity. But Felicity could cuddle in Dad’s arms, learning to paint hand-in-hand. Every one of her works was exquisitely framed, while my paintings had to be hidden at the very bottom of my art box. It even came to the crucial moment of our art school entrance exams. Felicity’s vision suddenly flared up during the exam, preventing her from completing her test, and she swapped our names on the canvases when submitting them. When the admission results came out, I immediately recognized that the excellent artwork labeled with Felicity’s name was actually mine. I begged my parents to intervene for me, but they just held a sobbing Felicity, urging me to be more generous. “Chloe, you can always retake the exam next year, but Felicity doesn’t have much time left! You know she could go blind at any moment!” “Felicity has been so pitiful since she was little, just let her have this! You’ll definitely get in next year!” It was easy for them to say. They had no idea how much time I, with less natural talent than Felicity, had secretly spent practicing, painting in the dark every night, nearly ruining my own eyes. I broke down, screaming: “She stole my Mom and Dad, and now she wants to steal my life too?! Give me my spot back, or I’m leaving this house forever!” My resistance didn’t bring my parents any remorse, only a furious slap from my father. “If it weren’t for Felicity’s eyes, do you think you could have beaten her? You have no talent for painting at all, you’d just be bottom of the class at an art school!” I clutched my stinging cheek, unable to believe those words came from my own father. In the end, Felicity still took my place at art school. I, meanwhile, was mocked by everyone in the art world for losing to an adopted daughter with poor eyesight. My artistic dreams shattered, and I lived a mediocre life. Reborn, I had lost all passion for painting. So, in front of my parents, I threw that set of painting tools into the trash. Dad’s face immediately darkened, but they knew they were in the wrong and just awkwardly left with Felicity.

When summer arrived, my older brother, Liam, who usually studied abroad, returned home for a reunion, mainly to meet the legendary new sister, Felicity. Just like in my previous life, Liam was utterly captivated by Felicity the first time he saw her. Felicity had wrapped a cloth around her face, stumbling around the living room like a blind person, then “accidentally” fell into Liam’s arms during their first meeting. Felicity blushed, saying in a delicate voice, “Because I don’t know when I’ll go blind, I want to learn to live in darkness first, so I won’t be a burden to Mom, Dad, and my brother later.” Felicity was so good with words. She subtly excluded me, her sister, and hinted to Liam that I didn’t get along with her. The passionate young Liam was too stunned to speak. The girl before him was as endearing as a delicate, innocent-looking heroine from a K-drama. He instantly vowed in his heart to take care of Felicity for the rest of his life. My parents suggested we all go out and have a fun day to welcome Liam home. I didn’t want to go. They were a harmonious family of four; what did I, their willful, jealous, spoiled, unloved younger daughter, have to do with it? But Felicity just had to stir up trouble, shrinking into a corner and letting tears roll down her face. “Mom, Dad, you should just take my brother and sister. It would be so depressing if I were there when you all have your family reunion.” Liam panicked, gently wiping Felicity’s tears. “Why would you say that? We’re already a family!” Felicity feigned shyness, trying to evade Liam’s hand, while casting a timid glance at me, as if making a silent accusation. Liam immediately glared at me. “Chloe! Why are you bullying Felicity? How did you become this kind of person? You weren’t like this before!” What kind of person did I become? The ones who changed were clearly *you*. Mom, who once thought of me in every way; Dad, who was strict but gentle; and my brother, who always protected me—they had all become strangers. I simply gave a cold laugh, looking Liam directly in the eyes. “Why don’t you let Felicity answer? How did I bully her? I even gave her my room; what else isn’t she satisfied with?” Felicity, guilty, instinctively avoided my gaze. Her frightened look only fueled Liam’s protective instincts, and he shouted at me without restraint, “It’s that condescending attitude of yours that hurt her! Felicity just arrived at our house, it’s only right for you to give in to her!” Suddenly, I felt like an enemy who needed to be vanquished, and he, Liam, was the prince protecting his princess. My overly compassionate parents only took sides. “Chloe, your brother is rarely home; don’t make him angry. Go apologize to your brother and Felicity.” I scanned this family, whose favoritism extended all the way to Antarctica, and answered firmly, word by word, “Anything Felicity wants, I can give it up, because I don’t care. But make me apologize? No way!” After throwing out those words, I locked myself in my room, shutting out Liam’s enraged shouts. Afterward, the family of four happily spent the entire day out. No one remembered to call to check on me, and no one remembered to bring me back any food. If it were the me from my previous life, I would have been incredibly wronged, starving myself or even running away from home to make my parents feel guilty. But now, I knew such actions were futile and would only torment my own body. I cooked myself a rich bowl of instant noodles, and while eating, I laid out the study guides I had secretly bought. Since being reborn, I had diligently studied and improved myself, not daring to slack off for a single day. This time, I wanted to forge my own path through my own efforts. After careful consideration, I decided to study medicine.

My seven-year-old self retained the intellect of my twenty-something self from my previous life, which meant I far surpassed Felicity academically. Felicity’s ‘white lotus’ acts worked on my overly compassionate family, but they were useless against school teachers. Failing an exam meant failing an exam. At the end of the semester, I ranked first in my grade, while Felicity was at the bottom. Every time she was called in for a parent-teacher meeting due to her poor grades, Felicity would cry, claiming she was too stressed and her eye condition flared up. Yet, she stubbornly refused to transfer to a special needs school. Every exam week, she would disrupt the peace of our home. To accommodate Felicity’s feelings and prevent her from being looked down upon by classmates due for being an adopted child, my overly compassionate parents decided both of them would attend Felicity’s parent-teacher conference, even though our grade levels had parent-teacher conferences on the same day. My bleeding-heart parents couldn’t possibly have been unaware that I was being mocked and bullied by my classmates because of their favoritism, being called a child who was born but not loved. Every time they needed to inconvenience me for Felicity, they pulled out the same old, tired, brainwashing rhetoric I’d heard countless times: “Felicity isn’t well, and her background is so sad. Just give in to her.” But I didn’t care, because knowledge gave me the greatest power. I used my after-school hours to study ahead, and at twelve, I skipped grades, becoming the youngest high school student in our city’s history. Overnight, my name became famous. Everyone knew the Davidsons had a child prodigy daughter. Dad’s phone rang off the hook daily with calls from people in high society, wanting me to befriend or even get engaged to their children. But again, to cater to Felicity’s feelings, Dad turned down all those invitations. He never considered how beneficial connecting with high society could be for my future. Of course, how could I compare to his precious darling, Felicity? The day my acceptance letter arrived, the Principal and newspaper reporters personally came to our house to deliver it. But they were met only by the fleeting backs of my parents rushing out. How could Felicity allow me to draw my parents’ attention? She simply claimed she had a headache, and my parents, without a second thought, whisked her off to the hospital, not even taking the time to greet the Principal. Even though I had long given up hope on my overly compassionate parents, at that moment, I still felt a touch of injustice and powerlessness. The Principal looked at me deeply and said earnestly, “Our school doesn’t have boarding students, but if you want to stay in the dorms, you can apply in advance, and I’ll arrange it for you.” The Principal’s hand, as she gently stroked my head, was so warm. I hadn’t felt such care and concern from an elder in a long time. I couldn’t help but shed tears in front of her. It was because of that tear that I gained the two truly important people in my life.

As the school year approached, I couldn’t wait to move out of that loveless home and into the school dorms. The day I left, my parents were once again dispatched to the hospital by Felicity. Liam, though home for the holidays, showed no inclination to help me pack. He just watched me busy myself, then finally tossed out, “This house will finally be quiet.” I hoisted the last bag of luggage into the taxi, not even sparing Liam a glance. The room Principal Thompson had prepared for me was excellent, seemingly converted from an unused faculty dorm, a comfortable studio apartment. I spent a day cleaning the dorm until it was neat and cozy, then went to a bookstore and bought a huge stack of study guides. High school coursework would be heavier; I had to work even harder to outcompete everyone. On the first day of school, as expected, I was ostracized by the other students. They heard the Principal had made an exception to arrange a dorm for me, and immediately labeled me as someone with connections. “Oh, look, here comes the 12-year-old genius!” “Is the prodigy scared to live alone in the dorm? Will she cry for her mom at night?” “Let the prodigy sit by the water cooler. Maybe she’ll need to mix some baby formula during breaks.”

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My half-sister was reborn, prophesying a zombie outbreak and the end of the world in two months. My husband and entire family believed her. They frantically hoarded supplies, even spending a fortune to transform our suburban villa into an impenetrable fortress. Julian squandered all our savings and even took out high-interest loans. I begged him, clinging to his leg, but a divorce agreement stripped me of everything. Two months later, Julian called, scoffing, “The first infected person is about to appear. If you don’t want to die, come kneel at the villa gates. Blair is kind-hearted, she might let you in.” But on the prophesied day, the apocalypse never came. They finally panicked. **Chapter 1** Waking from a nightmare, I answered a call. “Ms. Cassandra, today is the deadline for your mother’s grave renewal. If you don’t renew, her ashes will have to be moved.” I was on a business trip out of town. My hands trembled as I called my husband, Julian, urging him to renew the lease quickly, to keep those people from disturbing my mother’s eternal rest. Still shaken, I leaned back in my chair, the dream’s images still swirling in my mind. Two months later, a zombie crisis, erupting from City A, was set to sweep the globe, turning the whole world into a living hell. When the crisis hit, our entire family was trapped in the suburban villa. After two months, just as our supplies were running out, the army finally arrived. Overjoyed, I urged my family to get in the car and evacuate with the troops. But my sister, Blair, insisted on finishing her makeup before leaving. As the army’s departure time drew closer, I wanted to drag her out myself. Julian, though, blocked my way. “Blair’s a young woman. What’s wrong with wanting to look pretty before leaving? It’s the army’s job to serve the public; what’s wrong with them waiting a bit?” My dad, Mr. Davies, and my stepmother, Eleanor, also nodded in agreement, sitting back as if they had all the time in the world. I couldn’t believe it, but I had no time to waste with their nonsense. I turned to leave, but Julian grabbed me, saying, “We’re a family, we stick together.” He snatched my car keys. Finally, while Blair was meticulously drawing her eyeliner, the zombie horde suddenly attacked. We couldn’t retreat in time and all died, torn apart by the zombies. The searing pain of zombie bites still seemed to linger on my skin. Now that I had a chance to do it all over again, I absolutely wouldn’t repeat the same mistakes! When my plane landed, a subtle unease gnawed at me. Halfway to my destination, I changed course and headed for the cemetery. To my shock, a brand-new tombstone stood on what should have been my mother’s grave, engraved with an unfamiliar name. The staff member looked bewildered. “After we called you last time, no one renewed the lease. To avoid mistakes, we even notified your father. He explicitly said not to renew and that we could dispose of the ashes however we pleased.” A chill ran through me, my heart aching violently. I frantically searched through every jar and container in the unclaimed storage room until past midnight. Finally, clutching a small urn, I returned home. I hadn’t been home for half a month, and the sight that greeted me in the entryway left me stunned, unable to collect myself. My cozy little home, which I had painstakingly decorated, now looked like a frozen cave. All the appliances and furniture had vanished. My carefully chosen beige curtains were half-torn down, drooping on the dirty floor. My husband, Julian, was directing the maids to take down our wedding photo, which had hung on the wall for three years, and casually tossed it into a corner. “What are you doing?” The scene before me made me wonder if I was dreaming. After a long moment, I finally managed to squeeze out the words. A flicker of panic crossed Julian’s eyes. “Cassie, why are you suddenly back…?” I stared at him, my fingers trembling as I clutched the urn. “If I hadn’t come back early, how would I have known my mom’s grave had been desecrated?” Julian’s usually gentle face showed a hint of exasperation, as if he were looking at a childishly unreasonable person. “You don’t understand, Blair came back reborn from the future! The world is ending in two months, every cent we have needs to be spent wisely. Wouldn’t it be better to use the money for the grave renewal to buy more food? Why are you being so unreasonable at a time like this?” **Chapter 2** It dawned on me then. Blair had also been reborn. But I didn’t let any emotion show on my face. I clenched my fists, my voice filled with anger and disbelief. “You actually believe Blair’s nonsense about the end of the world? You’ve all gone mad!” “Dad’s company landed several big projects thanks to my foresight!” Blair sauntered down the stairs, head held high. “All the money we earned, Dad used to buy an entire warehouse of common medicines. These will be more valuable than gold in the apocalypse.” Her eyes were scornful. She glided into Julian’s arms, her fingers tracing his flat stomach. “I might as well tell you the truth: I’m carrying Julian’s child. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll serve me well. In the apocalypse, I might even spare you a bowl of rice.” My cold gaze flickered between their faces. It seemed they had been illicitly involved long before the supposed apocalypse. Julian suddenly felt a prickle on his skin. “Cassie, we’ve been married for three years, and you haven’t given me a child. I’m an only son; you have to consider carrying on my family name.” Only son? Please. This backwoods bumpkin acts like he’s heir to a kingdom. I scoffed, pulling off the simple band from my finger and dropping it at Julian’s feet. “Since you put it that way, I certainly need to consider your royal lineage. And since Blair says it’s only two months, we should hurry and finalize our divorce before the world ends.” Julian stared intently at the wedding ring I had discarded so carelessly, his brows deeply furrowed. Our family backgrounds were vastly different. After he graduated from college, I willingly gave up everything to help him start his business. We huddled together in a cramped, damp basement for warmth. To earn money, I worked five jobs a day, my hands in icy water washing dishes during the bitter winter, my fingers aching and itching. He used the first money he ever earned to buy me that ring—a simple silver band with only a tiny chip of a diamond embedded in it. Later, he succeeded in his venture, and I, with my top-tier qualifications, secured a position at a leading medical research institute. Yet, I still cherished that ring as if it were priceless. My reaction clearly caught him off guard. Julian could no longer maintain his gentle facade, a flicker of irritation crossing his face. “Cassandra, don’t throw a tantrum! At a time like this, we need to stick together as a family to get through this hardship. In fact, tomorrow, hurry up and ask all your friends and colleagues to lend you some money. You’re well-connected; borrowing a few million shouldn’t be an issue!” I sneered, too disgusted to entertain his absurd words, and walked straight upstairs to rest. To my shock, when I woke up the next day, my room door was wide open, and the entire wardrobe, which held all my gold and silver jewelry and designer bags, was gone. I bit down hard on my lower lip, my voice sharp as I demanded to know where my things had gone. He acted completely unconcerned. “You were sleeping soundly, I didn’t want to wake you. Those jewels and bags were useless anyway. Selling them meant we could buy a few more sacks of rice.” I could barely contain my rage. “What about the gold ring under my pillow? That was my mother’s only keepsake!” Julian’s voice faltered, then he sighed. “Cassandra, your mother passed away so many years ago. But you still have your father, Blair is your blood, and I’m your family too. Can’t you make a sacrifice for your loved ones?” His entitled tone tore through what little sanity I had left. I suddenly burst out laughing, but large tears streamed down my face. His breath hitched. He wanted to say something more, but I pushed him out of the room. I collapsed amidst the chaos, tears flowing uncontrollably, a helpless smile playing on my lips. **Chapter 3** Fortunately, just to be safe, I had secretly sold my most valuable jewelry under the cover of night, leaving behind only the cheap trinkets Julian had bought me and a few flashy designer bags. By the time Julian, wanting not to wake me, personally moved the wardrobe, a full ten million had already been transferred into my bank account. But I never imagined he would be shameless enough to steal my mother’s keepsake and sell it for cash. The hatred from the previous life, when he had personally dragged me into that death trap, surged through me. I silently wiped away my tears, a plan slowly brewing in my mind. Since your whole family is so united in preparing for the apocalypse, how could I not lend a hand? I don’t know how much time passed before my phone rang again. The caller ID showed it was a shareholder from Dad’s company. “Cassie, get to the company immediately! Your father has gone mad! He’s selling all his shares!” My heart tightened. I rushed over, only to find Dad and Blair confronting a group of shareholders. This company was founded by my parents, and its current status as an industry giant was partly due to my mother’s tireless dedication. I wouldn’t let him ruin it like this. Dad’s eyes lit up when he saw me. “You’re here at a good time. Hurry up and transfer your shares too, give me the money so I can reinforce the villa.” Blair arrogantly held her head high, looking at me as if I were already dead. In her eyes, I had neither the good fortune of being reborn nor the willingness to be subservient, destined for a dead end. Their family would stay safe in their impenetrable fortress, laughing at my miserable fate. The shareholders, all long-time company veterans, were caught off guard by Dad’s sudden actions. Fearing he was being scammed, they clamored to dissuade him from doing something foolish. “If you don’t want the company to have problems, there’s another solution,” Julian quickly approached, a refined smile playing on his lips. “You just need to acquire Dad’s shares.” My fingers clenched tight, nails almost piercing my palm, my knuckles white. Julian’s expression was as calm as if he were discussing tomorrow’s weather, but his words were like dull knives, carving into my heart, slice by slice. Blair scoffed, “Her? Want to buy Dad’s shares? Does she even have that kind of money?” Cold sweat trickled down my back. I couldn’t believe my former husband would scheme to such an extent. Dad, desperate for a quick sale, had lowered the price significantly. All my liquid and illiquid assets combined barely scraped by. “Well, Cassandra, even if it means spending every last cent you have, you want to keep this company, don’t you?” Julian whispered gently in my ear, his voice as soft as ever, yet it felt like steel knives piercing right through me. He watched me with keen interest, like a predator sizing up its destined prey. In two months, companies and shares would be nothing but garbage. But now, he wanted to use that garbage to squeeze every last bit of value out of me. Once the apocalypse came, I would have to swallow all humiliation, humbly bowing at his feet just to survive. My gaze was fixed on Julian’s utterly hypocritical face, my own pale and bloodless. “It’s a deal!” The paperwork was processed quickly. My dad, thinking he’d rid himself of a hot potato, had no idea he was abandoning their last lifeline. Ever since my dad remarried, the company shares had been firmly clutched in my stepmother’s hands. She never imagined there’d be a day she’d hand them over to me. Blair triumphantly announced that they had sold all their properties and the entire family had moved into the suburban villa. The cash obtained from selling all their assets was transformed into sacks of rice and instant ramen in the warehouse, and long-lasting potatoes, winter melons, and cabbages in the cold storage. The construction crew was working feverishly at the villa, erecting various illegal structures. Blair smiled proudly. “When the zombies attack, these watchtowers will be the best observation points.” I snorted, about to leave, but Julian wouldn’t let me go. He forcibly dragged me away. A hulking man with a menacing face eyed me up and down, his lewd gaze making me intensely uncomfortable. “This is Mrs. Julian, isn’t she? Quite an alluring woman.” The man rubbed his hands together, placing a contract in front of me. “Mr. Julian is in a hurry to borrow fifty million. We don’t exactly distrust him. But we’d appreciate it if Mrs. Julian could sign too. If anything goes wrong, a wife should naturally help repay the debt, right?” **Chapter 4** Before I could even speak, Julian pulled me aside. “Who’s going to care about these debts in two months?! Just sign it quickly! The stuff we’re hoarding could save lives! When the time comes, even the government will be begging us to sell supplies. What’s this little bit of money compared to that?” He had gone completely insane, even resorting to loan sharks. He was truly courting disaster. I sneered inwardly, but on my face, I put on a pitiful expression, clutching his leg and pleading desperately. “You’ve gambled away all our family’s money! Please, snap out of it! You won’t be able to pay back these high-interest loans!” The loan shark, Vinnie, immediately grew wary. Fifty million wasn’t a small sum. If Julian truly gambled it all away, even tearing him to pieces wouldn’t help. Seeing the money about to slip through his fingers, Julian was enraged. He kicked me away. “Bitch! What nonsense are you spouting?!” Blair nonchalantly stood beside Julian, smiling with pursed lips. “Julian, isn’t Cassandra going to divorce you? How can she still be ‘Mrs. Julian’? I can sign it instead.” Julian glared at me, then immediately scribbled a divorce agreement and tossed it at my face. I could almost laugh from sheer anger. All the clauses stated that all marital assets were unrelated to me – clearly meaning he wanted to strip me of everything. Though, given the current situation, our marital assets were already almost nonexistent. I added a line at the end of the agreement. Julian scoffed, agreeing without a second thought. A month later, clutching my freshly issued divorce certificate, I felt a sense of immense relief, completely disregarding Julian’s furious, dripping-wet face. As time ticked by, the date Blair had been constantly babbling about drew nearer and nearer. Julian and the Davies family, confident they were fully prepared, grew increasingly reckless in their actions. As I browsed the supermarket, several colleagues messaged me, reassuring me to stay calm and that divorce wasn’t such a big deal. It wasn’t until I saw the top story on Ins that I realized what was happening: Julian and Blair had announced their relationship.

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I was thrown by an out-of-control car when I was seven months pregnant, lying in a pool of blood. James rushed me to the hospital with red eyes, spending a fortune to bring in the best obstetrics team, desperately trying to save the baby. When I woke up, the ward was empty. Ignoring the excruciating pain, I got out of bed and stumbled around looking for my child. But outside the ICU, I overheard James talking to the doctor. “Mr. Wilson, the baby still has vital signs. Why are we giving up on resuscitation?” “A bastard child would only be a burden even if it lived.” “Sophie just gave birth to my son. I can’t let anyone threaten his inheritance rights.” So beneath his gentle and caring facade, he was hiding a poisonous heart. The marriage I treasured was nothing but an elaborately designed scam. Since he ruined everything with his own hands, he can’t blame me for leaving him with nothing. I stood outside the ICU, my hands gripping the wall so tightly my nails almost dug into the surface. James’ voice came from inside, each word like a knife carving into my heart: “Change the time of death to during the resuscitation process. Just say we did our best, but couldn’t save it.” The doctor hesitated: “But the baby still has a heartbeat.” “I said, this child cannot live,” James’ voice was cold as ice. “Sophie’s newborn son is the only heir to the Wilson family.” “This doesn’t seem right…” The doctor’s voice was shaking. “One million dollars. This is the down payment. You’ll get another million when it’s done.” The sound of rustling bills was piercing to my ears. My child, the baby I desperately protected, was only worth this much in his eyes? Through the glass window, I saw the doctor’s trembling hands pull the oxygen tube from the incubator. The tiny body began to struggle, twisting painfully like a fish out of water. I wanted to rush in and stop it, but my legs felt nailed to the ground, unable to take a single step. The heartbeat line on the monitor began to fluctuate erratically, finally flattening into a straight line. “Time of death, 10:47 AM,” the doctor’s voice seemed to come from far away. My whole body went cold as James’ past vows echoed in my mind: “Honey, when the baby is born, I promise I’ll be a good father.” “Our child will be the happiest baby in the world.” How laughable, how utterly laughable. Every word of love he spoke was just laying the groundwork for today’s betrayal. I leaned against the wall, inching my way back to the ward. Not long after I lay down, James pushed open the door. His eyes were still red, his face etched with grief: “Honey, I’m so sorry. We did everything we could, but…” I looked at his perfect emotional management and suddenly felt sick. This man could kill his own flesh and blood for someone else’s child. He leaned down to hug me, but I dodged him. “What’s wrong, baby? I know you’re devastated, but we’re still young, we can try again…” “No need,” I cut off his false sympathy. “I’m tired. I want to sleep for a while.” James gently tucked me in: “Alright, get some rest. I’ll be right outside with you.” As he turned away, a hint of a triumphant smile flashed in his eyes. But he would never imagine that the woman he had just destroyed would make him pay a thousand times over. The moment the hospital room door closed, I took out my phone and called my best friend Kate: “Help me investigate Emily’s relationship with James.” “And the birth date of their child.” After hanging up, I closed my eyes, tears silently falling. Baby, I’m sorry. Mommy couldn’t protect you. But Mommy will definitely make those who hurt you pay the price they deserve. Outside the window, the moonlight was like water, shining on my pale face. That night, my heart died. Along with the naive, innocent self who had been full of joy and hope for the future. From now on, I’m just a walking corpse. Until James kneels on the ground, begging me for a quick death. 2. I lay in the hospital bed, watching James busy himself taking care of me. His movements were gentle, his gaze focused, occasionally using the back of his hand to test the temperature of the food. This tenderness was like a knife, carving into my heart bit by bit. “Hungry?” He leaned forward slightly, a doting smile on his lips. “I had the chef make bird’s nest soup, your favorite.” He sat down by the bed holding the bowl, his long fingers gripping the silver spoon. Carefully blowing on a spoonful to cool it, his eyes fixed unwaveringly on me as he brought the spoon to my lips. I turned my head away, my hair lightly brushing his fingertips. “I don’t want to eat.” “Come on,” he sighed, his free hand gently stroking my hair, his voice full of concern. “You just lost the baby, your body needs nourishment. I’m worried about you, please don’t make me more anxious, okay?” What a perfect performance. His brows furrowed slightly, the corners of his eyes tinged red, even the trembling of his fingers was just right. If I hadn’t heard his words with my own ears, I might have believed him. Just then, his phone rang. His eyes flickered for a moment, glancing at the caller ID, his frown deepening: “There’s something at the company. I’ll take this call outside.” I nodded, watching him leave. He deliberately lightened his footsteps as he walked, even closing the door gently. The moment the door closed, his voice came through the crack. His previously gentle tone instantly became light and joyful: “Emily, don’t worry, everything’s taken care of.” His voice carried undisguised affection, completely different from moments ago. “Our child will be the Wilson family’s only heir. No one can threaten him anymore.” As he said this, there was even a hint of pride in his voice. “You just focus on the pregnancy. Once you’re out of postpartum care, I’ll bring you home.” So while I was lying on the operating table fighting for my life, his true love was resting comfortably elsewhere. I touched my empty belly, my fingertips trembling slightly. A small life had once been growing there. But now, there was nothing left. A nurse came in to change my dressing. Her gaze lingered on my face for a few seconds, her eyes full of sympathy: “Mrs. Wilson, my condolences.” I forced a smile, the curve of my lips just right: “Thank you.” She bit her lip, fidgeting with the hem of her uniform, hesitating before finally speaking in a low voice: “Actually… the baby could have been saved at first.” I gripped the blanket tightly, my knuckles turning white, the fabric crumpling deeply in my palm. “I know.” My voice was so calm it scared even me. The nurse was taken aback, her eyes widening slightly, seemingly surprised by my calmness. She glanced around, as if making sure no one was nearby, before leaning closer to my bed. “That Emily, she’s Mr. Wilson’s first love.” Her voice was barely above a whisper, “I heard they broke up years ago because his family opposed it.” Her hands shook slightly as she arranged the medicines on the bedside table: “She came in for a prenatal check-up a few days ago. I attended to her myself.” “She’s six months pregnant.” Six months. I counted on my fingers, my nails unconsciously digging into my palm. It was right when I had just gotten pregnant. No wonder during that time, James was always making excuses about business trips, occasionally coming home with unfamiliar perfume on his suit. So he had been with her all along. I laughed, laughing so hard tears came to my eyes. The nurse nearly dropped the medicine bottle she was holding. “Mrs. Wilson…” She looked at me worriedly, awkwardly offering a tissue. “I’m fine, you can go,” I took the tissue, elegantly wiping away my tears. After she left, I took out my phone, my fingertips lightly tapping the screen, dialing a number. “Hello, Kate.” My voice was frighteningly calm. “Help me investigate Emily’s whereabouts over the past few years.” My fingers unconsciously fiddled with the edge of the blanket. “And every meeting record between her and James.” Hanging up the phone, I wiped away my tears, a cold smile curling at my lips. James Wilson, isn’t the Wilson family’s reputation what you care about most? Then I’ll let the whole world know. That the mighty CEO of Wilson Group is a scumbag who killed his own flesh and blood for his mistress. You love Emily the most, don’t you? I’ll make you watch her crumble under everyone’s contempt. You took away my child, so I’ll leave you with nothing. Outside the ward, the sun was setting. The blood-red twilight dyed half the sky, just like that day, when blood stained my skirt. James pushed open the door, a bouquet of roses in his hand. His steps were light, a gentle smile on his face, as if the phone call earlier had never happened. “Honey, don’t be too sad.” He gently placed the flowers by the bed, his long fingers lightly arranging the petals. “When you’re better, we can try for another one, okay?” I looked at his concerned gaze, at the fine laugh lines at the corners of his eyes, and suddenly wanted to laugh. Unfortunately, you’ll never have that chance again. Because from today on, I won’t give you any opportunity to get close to me. For every bit of pain you’ve given me, I’ll make you pay back tenfold. 3. I scrolled through the surveillance footage on my phone, each frame cutting into my heart like a knife. So while I was struggling alone through morning sickness, James was in another private residence, personally making soup for Emily. His movements were as gentle as if handling a treasure, even testing the temperature of the soup spoon three times. In the footage, he wore a custom apron, smiling at the corners of his eyes: “Drink more, it’s good for the baby.” Emily snuggled into his arms coquettishly: “Your soup is always the best.” Meanwhile, my nutritional meals were always ordered from outside by his assistant. Memories rewound like a movie playing backwards. That day I suddenly craved sour plums and sent him a message. Three hours later he finally replied: ‘In an important meeting, I’ll have my assistant send some over.’ Now looking at the surveillance, I realized he was accompanying Emily to a luxury store to pick out baby items. He crouched down, gently caressing her slightly swollen belly: “This little dress is so cute. If it’s a girl, it would be perfect.” Emily smiled radiantly: “I think it’ll be a boy, handsome like you.” “Boy or girl,” he dotingly tapped her nose, “as long as it’s our child, it’s the best.” My fingers unconsciously dug into my palm. I remembered going to the hospital alone for a check-up, the nurse asking: “Where’s your family?” I smiled and replied: “He’s busy with work.” When the results came out, I excitedly took a photo and sent it to him: ‘It’s a boy!’ He only replied with a simple emoji. So all his tenderness was given to someone else. I opened another surveillance clip. He accompanied Emily for a prenatal check-up, never leaving her side. “Baby, don’t be afraid, I’m here,” he gripped her hand tightly. “If it hurts, just squeeze my hand.” Emily nodded with tears in her eyes: “With you by my side, I’m not afraid of anything.” While during my check-ups, I could only ever hear the cold sound of machines. The most ironic was the day of the gender reveal. He said he was on a business trip out of town, telling me not to worry. But in the surveillance footage, he was lying next to Emily in the examination room, eyes fixed on the ultrasound screen. “It’s a boy!” The moment the doctor spoke, he excitedly kissed Emily’s forehead. “That’s wonderful,” his eyes reddened with emotion. “We have a son.” Emily wiped away tears with a smile: “Do you think he’ll look like you?” “Of course he will,” he gently caressed her belly. “He’s our child after all.” I turned off my phone, looking out the window. The sky was gloomy, as if it might rain. Just like my mood right now. So from the very beginning, I was just an outsider. Every bit of tenderness he gave Emily came from his heart. While what he gave me was nothing but a perfunctory facade. The nurse came in to change my dressing, seeing my expression, she hesitated to speak. “Mrs. Wilson…” “Just call me Sophia,” I forced a smile. From today on, I don’t want to be Mrs. Wilson anymore. She hesitated for a moment before speaking: “Mr. Wilson and that Miss Emily were just in the cafe downstairs…” “I know,” I cut her off. “No need to say more.” I know what they’re doing. No doubt discussing what name to give that unborn child. James will certainly put a lot of thought into it. Just like he once promised me. Too bad those promises were meant for someone else’s ears. I took out my phone and sent Kate a message: ‘Prepare divorce papers for me.’ ‘Also, check their transfer records over the past few years.’ Since he loves Emily so much, let’s see if his true love is as pure as he imagines. Putting down the phone, I touched my flat belly. I’m sorry, baby. Mommy couldn’t protect you. But Mommy will definitely make those who hurt you pay the price.

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I fell in love with Lucas Gray, the heir to our company’s biggest rival. We were fierce competitors in the boardroom, and just as passionate in the bedroom. Our trysts left traces in his office, his car, the shower, the balcony – everywhere we could steal a moment together. My birthday was coming up in a week. I decided I would officially announce our relationship at my birthday party. But then I overheard him talking with his friends by accident. “Damn, three condoms? Lucas, you animal. I thought you said this was just for fun? No need to put in so much effort.” “Man, imagine how that old Sinclair geezer would react if he knew his precious daughter was getting it on all over Lucas’ office. Think he’d have a heart attack when he sees the video?” “You’re not going to chicken out of releasing the video, are you bro?” Lucas exhaled a cloud of smoke, pausing before he slowly replied. “Don’t worry, I’m just playing with her. You know Emma’s my fiancée. I’m only with Olivia to humiliate the Sinclair family. That bitch had the nerve to steal my deal – she deserves this.” I clutched the contract in my hand – the $100 million deal I had spent over a month convincing my father to agree to as our first partnership with Gray Corp. Well, it seems the Grays don’t need the Sinclairs’ goodwill after all. I dialed Ethan Morgan’s number. “I have a business proposition for you. And if you’re interested, I have a marriage proposal as well.” 0

My heart turned to ice as I listened to their conversation. Just this morning, Lucas had bent me over his desk and taken me three times. “We can’t, there are cameras in your office,” I had protested. “Don’t worry, I disabled them all. I can’t let anyone else see how beautiful you are, my darling.” I had scanned the room carefully, only agreeing after triple-checking there were no cameras. Now my shoulders still bore the marks of his passion. So he had been lying to me all along. The contract papers scattered across the floor. Their conversation continued in the office. “Lucas, you sly dog. Setting up that incident at the bar, having your guys harass her so you could swoop in and play hero. No wonder she fell for you hook, line and sinker.” “The Sinclairs and Grays have been rivals for years. When Olivia first joined the board and snatched that million-dollar deal from you, you became the laughingstock of the whole city.” “Now once you release that video at her birthday party, Olivia and the whole Sinclair family will be the new joke in town. You’ll have crushed them completely.” “Who’d want to do business with that slut Olivia after that?” … I couldn’t bear to hear any more. So the love I thought was real was just an elaborate scheme. But Lucas, you’ve underestimated me. I may have loved the wrong man, but I can take the loss. If you don’t love me, there’s a line of men waiting to love me instead. Ethan’s voice came through the phone: “Really? You’re finally willing?” “But I thought you said you were announcing your engagement next week? That you loved him…” “That man will be you,” I said firmly. “What?” I repeated with conviction: “That man is you.” I hung up and returned to my own company. I called my assistant in. “Remember that contract I had you working on this month? I need you to draft a new proposal, but change the partner to Morgan Corp.” My assistant hesitated. “But weren’t you and Mr. Gray very close? This deal would give them at least 30% profit. Why give it to the Morgans instead?” “You’ve been working overtime for a month to make this happen. Why…” “That’s enough,” I cut her off. “Personal feelings have no place in business. Besides, Morgan’s offer is lower and they’ve been a trusted partner for 10 years. They deserve it.” “And remember, from now on Lucas Gray and I have no relationship whatsoever. Don’t mention him to me again.” After dismissing my assistant, their conversation echoed in my mind. I scrawled “VIDEO” on a piece of paper in frustration. Video. I needed to delete any compromising footage before I left. Just then, Lucas burst through the door. His assistant followed, carrying gift boxes. Lucas took out a cake. “I picked four flavors I think you’ll love. Try them! Whichever you like best, I’ll have them cater your birthday dessert bar.” I forced a polite smile. “Aren’t you very busy lately? Why bother with little things like this?” He fed me a spoonful. “Olivia, everything about you is important to me. No detail is too small. Oh, and your birthday is in a week – I’ve decided to plan the whole thing myself.” His gaze suddenly fell on the paper with “VIDEO” written on it. My heart skipped a beat in panic. He smiled, pointing at the word. “We should prepare a special video for your birthday party. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure it’s a surprise you’ll love.” Hearing this, my heart plummeted. The cake in my mouth turned bitter. I spoke hoarsely: “It’s just a birthday. We don’t need a video, right?” He stroked my hair affectionately. “No way, how else will your parents see how in love we are? How can they feel comfortable entrusting you to me?” The last shred of hope in my heart was crushed by Lucas’ own hand. I nodded helplessly, my chest aching. “Whatever you say.” 0

Just then, Lucas’ phone chimed. He glanced at the screen, a faint smile appearing. I tilted my head to look, pouting playfully. “Who’s messaging you?” He hastily hid his phone. “It’s nothing, just my assistant reminding me about a meeting.” My eyes darkened. He never used to hide things from me before. I had clearly seen a pink cartoon avatar. Lucas had replaced all his assistants with men to avoid making me jealous. Which woman was making him smile like that? Was it his fiancée Emma? I hid my disappointment, watching him carefully. Noticing my gaze, he broke into a sweat. The phone rang again. He declined the call. He gave me an apologetic look. “I’m sorry Olivia, I have to go. I’ll come see you tonight after I’m done with work.” After Lucas left, I borrowed my assistant’s car and discreetly followed him. My heart raced. I wasn’t sure what exactly I was trying to confirm. At the airport, I donned sunglasses and a hat, trailing about 100 meters behind Lucas. I saw him take out a large bouquet of pink and white flowers, looking around anxiously. Soon I spotted a slender young woman in a white pleated skirt bouncing over. She took the flowers and kissed him passionately right there in the airport. I turned away abruptly, my nails digging into my palms. I told myself: “Olivia, stop hoping. Your true love was just a game. It’s time to quit.” Late that night, Lucas finally came home. When we first moved in together, I wasn’t used to Lucas getting home late from business dinners. I always went to bed at 10pm sharp and woke up at 5:30am to work out for an hour before heading to the office, like clockwork. He’d come home late and try to fool around, leaving me exhausted for my morning meetings. After I complained repeatedly, he promised to always be home by 9pm. Tonight was the first time he had broken that promise. Seeming to sense my mood, he was especially gentle tonight. He silently took my hand from under the covers and clasped a diamond bracelet around my wrist. Then he bent to kiss my fingertips. “Look, do you like the new gift I chose for you?” “I didn’t mean to be late, I swear. We had an important client today. I knew you’d be upset so I had my assistant go to the auction to get this bracelet you loved.” “Will you forgive me just this once?” The diamond bracelet sparkled dazzlingly in the dim light, impossible to look away from. But I felt somewhat weary of it all. I looked at him and said flatly: “You smell like iris perfume. Were you meeting a client or seeing a woman?” He blanched in shock, quickly sniffing his jacket. “The client today was a woman, but she was over 40. No one as beautiful as you.” “Olivia, you’re overthinking again.” Whenever he did something wrong and was trying to appease me, he’d call me “Liv” and pepper light kisses on my nose, collarbone, and stomach until I lost all resistance and surrendered to passion. This time I pulled away. “But my employee saw you at the airport picking up a young, beautiful woman. You even kissed.” His expression cycled through several emotions in the lamplight, more colorful than a painter’s palette. He swore to the heavens: “We didn’t kiss, it was just a cheek greeting. The client just got back from France, it’s a local custom there. Don’t overthink it.” “We’re announcing our relationship in a week, what are you worried about?” “Honey, are you having some pre-wedding jitters? You never used to be so insecure.” I looked at the man before me, still so composed even when caught in a lie. I gritted my teeth. How lovely! I stared at the phone in his pocket. “I don’t believe you. Tell me your phone password, I want to check myself.” He calmly handed me his phone. Then he entered the password in front of me. I checked his messages, social media, photos – nothing suspicious. I couldn’t even find that pink cartoon avatar. For a moment I wondered if I had imagined the whole airport scene. I handed the phone back, my voice choked. “I’m sorry, I must be oversensitive.” He smiled and took the phone back, his warm hand sliding up my calf. I pulled my leg away, clutching the covers. “I was going to say, my period came early. The mood swings are probably from PMS.” He immediately placed a concerned hand on my belly and went downstairs to make me herbal tea. I used to get bad cramps during my period. He took me to see a Chinese doctor who recommended an herbal tea. Ever since, he’d brew it himself each time, watching me drink it and giving me a sweet date to chase away the bitterness. I watched his busy figure, unsure what was real and what was fake about this man anymore. 0

That night, I watched his sleeping face and quietly took his phone. I had once heard a married friend describe how she caught her husband cheating. I learned that some phones have two separate interfaces, requiring a special method to switch between them. I entered the password and successfully found the hidden interface using my friend’s technique. But opening the private space required another password. I tried the phone’s unlock code – no luck. I thought about using his fingerprint, but Lucas was very sensitive to touch. I didn’t dare risk it. As a last attempt, I entered my birthday. I had no real hope, but to my shock it worked. Lucas, if you don’t love me, why use my birthday as your password? I wiped away tears and opened the hidden space like Pandora’s box. I found the pink cartoon avatar in the messaging app, and 1.5GB of videos of me stored in the cloud drive. All our intimate moments that I thought were precious now felt like knives stabbing into me. My trembling fingers checked the camera angle of one video. It seemed to be from a hidden camera on his body. I quickly and permanently deleted all the videos, triple checking I hadn’t missed any. I put down the phone and found the diamond pin Lucas always wore. On the back of the pin, I truly did find a tiny hidden camera. I covered my mouth and collapsed to the floor, muffling my sobs. Crying, I flushed the camera down the toilet. The next day I packed all my things into a suitcase. Lucas looked at me in confusion. “What’s wrong? Where are you going?” I smiled and replied: “I have a business trip in a few days. I’m packing early so I’m not rushed later.” Lucas came over and hugged me. “What’s the hurry? I’ll help you pack when it’s time.” “Are you going to the office today? I’ll drive you.” I pushed Lucas away. “I have a client meeting. I’ll go myself.” Before I left, there was one last thing to take care of – handing over my work at the company. My parents had wanted me to return to headquarters last year, but I had made excuses to stay with Lucas until now. When I called yesterday saying I was ready to go back, they immediately sent a new manager to take over for me. I had just finished briefing him on all the tasks when my assistant burst in. “Ms. Sinclair, there’s trouble! A Miss Lee is making a huge scene, demanding to see you. She’s saying…” She hesitated, looking at me uncertainly. “She’s saying you’re the other woman who stole her fiancé. Of course we don’t believe her, but she won’t leave. What should we do?” I took a deep breath. So Emma Lee couldn’t wait and came looking for me herself. I walked out and heard the commotion by reception. “Olivia Sinclair, come out! If you have the guts to steal someone’s man, have the guts to face me!” Everyone was staring and whispering. I stood in front of her. “You’re looking for me? Let’s talk in my office.” She strutted after me in her Chanel heels, bristling with anger. She looked around my office, eyeing my nameplate. “So the homewrecker even made it to CEO. Did you sleep your way to the top?” I leaned against my desk, turning the nameplate. “Miss Lee, you’ve been out of the country for over a decade and seem unfamiliar with things here. If you had bothered to look into the Sinclair family at all, you’d know exactly who I am.” Her eyes widened in disbelief. “You’re Olivia Sinclair, the Sinclair heiress? Impossible. Lucas said the Sinclair daughter was his most hated rival – a shrew always meddling in men’s business.” She narrowed her eyes, looking triumphant. “Oh, I get it. Lucas must be pretending to date you just to humiliate you.” “Take my advice and stop chasing after Lucas if you know what’s good for you. We’ve been engaged since childhood. You don’t stand a chance!” I struggled to contain my anger, feigning nonchalance. “Oh? Why don’t you ask your dear Lucas whether I’m chasing him, or he’s chasing me.” When we first got together, he had pursued me relentlessly. Now I’m the other woman? Lucas, you’ve really outdone yourself! Just then, she flew into a rage and grabbed a nearby vase, hurling it at me. “You’re lying! Lucas would never like an old hag like you!” I couldn’t dodge in time. Blood spilled across the floor. By the time Lucas rushed to the hospital, Emma had long since fled. He stood by my hospital bed, looking guilty. “I’m so sorry. Emma is my sister – she’s been spoiled by our family. It’s my fault for not explaining things clearly. Don’t worry, I’ve already scolded her.” I turned away, not wanting to look at him. He grabbed a water glass and smashed it against his own head. Blood streamed down his face as he gazed at me with devotion. “See? Now we match. If you hurt, I’ll hurt with you.” Seeing my silence, he raised the glass to strike himself again. “If you’re still not satisfied, I can do it again. Two times, three times, four times – as many as it takes until you forgive me.” I quickly stopped him. “Enough. Don’t hurt yourself anymore.” He knelt down, reverently kissing my fingertips. “You’ve finally forgiven me?” I nodded. Lucas, I’ll believe you one last time.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296830”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #狼人Werewolf

I had been caring for my husband Marcus for over forty years after he was paralyzed in a car accident shortly after our wedding. It wasn’t until he passed away that I discovered he had left a will, bequeathing all our assets to Olivia, a younger woman he knew from college. I was evicted from the house we had lived in for decades. Leaning on my cane, I shakily made my way to a law firm, hoping to reclaim the property as his wife. To my shock, I was informed that Marcus had secretly divorced me years ago. Before I could process this betrayal, Olivia sought me out, taunting me with cruel words. “You didn’t know, did he? He was worried about my well-being, so he’s been sending me your salary and his pension all these years.” “When you were younger, he didn’t want children with you because we already had a child together. Come to think of it, I should thank you for paying to raise our kid.” I was devastated and enraged. But before I could react, Olivia shoved me into a muddy puddle. Later, her daughter and a group of delinquents beat me to death after trapping me in a sack. When I opened my eyes again, I saw my young, newly paralyzed husband Marcus crying pitifully before me. “Rachel, the doctor says I’ll never walk again. How will I find work now?” he sobbed. I quietly put away the credit card I had prepared to give him and sneered, “What can we do? I guess I’ll just have to throw you a grand funeral when you starve to death.”

“What did you say?” Marcus asked, perhaps not hearing me clearly, looking at me with puppy dog eyes. Those deep, soulful eyes had fooled me in my previous life. I believed he only loved me, but in the end, he had deceived me for an entire lifetime. “Marcus, Rachel earns a good salary. She can definitely support you. Plus, she’s still young. She can just work two jobs,” Olivia, a sunny-looking young woman, patiently comforted him. “Don’t worry about these things. The most important thing now is to keep your spirits up. That’s the key to a quick recovery.” Marcus had said Olivia saved him during the accident and was his savior. In my previous life, I was so focused on the devastating news of Marcus’s paralysis that I didn’t notice how familiar their interactions were, as if they had known each other for a long time. Perhaps seeing no reaction from me, Marcus’s tear-filled eyes secretly glanced at Olivia. She immediately understood his meaning and decided to speak to me directly: “Rachel, let me be frank. Men’s hearts are fragile, especially now that he’s in this condition because of you. He’s bound to have some insecurities. As his wife, you should give him a sense of security. For example, you could put your savings in his name. It would be good for the stability of your family.” It was the exact same words as in my previous life. On the day of Marcus’s accident, I had just returned from a business trip abroad. I had finished my work early and wanted to surprise him, so I only told him I was at the airport after I had already arrived. Marcus rushed to pick me up and got into an accident on the way. Because of this, I spent my entire life drowning in guilt and pain, trying everything I could to make it up to him. It wasn’t until just before I died that I learned Marcus had been in Olivia’s car that day, and they weren’t even on their way to pick me up. But he never told me the truth, allowing me to be consumed by guilt day after day. Coming back to my senses, this time I didn’t anxiously hand over my credit card to him like I did in my previous life, apologizing and swearing my loyalty. Seeing that I still hadn’t moved, Marcus became angry: “Rachel, I’ve become like this, and this is your attitude? What does this mean?” Olivia also seemed anxious but still tried to persuade him: “Maybe Rachel is still in shock from hearing this terrible news and hasn’t recovered yet.” My salary was quite high, and I had always been generous with him. Whenever he asked for money, as long as it wasn’t excessive, I would give it to him. Perhaps he also felt that handing over my credit card wasn’t a small matter, so he didn’t become suspicious. He sighed and said, “No matter what, Olivia is my savior. She saved my life, so you should at least show some appreciation, right?” “You probably haven’t prepared a gift, so why don’t you give Olivia a check for $2,000 as a thank you?” “Oh, I couldn’t possibly accept that!” Olivia immediately refused. Marcus insisted: “No, you must. When I give it to you, you have to take it.” The scene was playing out just like before. In my previous life, after Marcus said this, I immediately wrote a check for $3,000, even adding an extra thousand because I believed that a life was priceless. Later, I sent her many more gifts to express my gratitude. At the time, the look in her eyes was strange, but I thought she was just shy. Now I understood that it was clearly mockery at my stupidity. This time, I didn’t move. Seeing this, Marcus, annoyed at my hesitation, reached for my phone himself. He knew my bank account password and had secretly transferred money to Olivia many times before. Whenever I asked about it, he would use the “life-saving debt” to silence me. This time, I moved away from Marcus’s hand and walked to the side: “It’s fine to give money as thanks, but I have a few questions first.” Marcus was clearly surprised that I, who had always been quick to give money, would suddenly challenge him. He looked puzzled. Olivia also froze for a moment, glancing at Marcus before saying, “What questions?” I looked at Olivia: “I heard that the car doors were all jammed shut. How did you manage to pry them open?” This was Marcus’s version of events, but many details in his story had holes. In my previous life, whenever I questioned these details, Marcus would get angry. He would eventually explode, accusing me of being heartless, saying he was almost dead and I was focusing on such trivial matters. Later, I gradually stopped daring to ask. To avoid bringing up painful memories, I even avoided mentioning the accident altogether. Olivia’s eyes darted around: “I’ll tell you about this in private later. Let’s not talk about the accident in front of Marcus. He’s already very upset, and I’m afraid it might cause him further trauma.” I laughed and asked, “Are you really afraid of hurting him, or are you just looking for a chance to get your stories straight?” Olivia and Marcus’s faces darkened. They spoke in unison: “What do you mean by that?” Their synchronization was impressive. No wonder they had been able to fool me for an entire lifetime, leaving me penniless and alone in the end. Swallowing my hatred, I smiled coldly and said, “Olivia doesn’t look like she has the strength to force open a car door. How did she manage it?” “Besides, if you had to use force to open the door, your hands should have been badly injured. But the injuries on your hands don’t look like they came from prying open a car door. They look more like self-inflicted cuts.” “Also, the accident happened two days ago. Why didn’t you come then, and why are you only showing up now? I heard you were in a car accident yourself a couple of days ago? What a coincidence, isn’t it?” “…” “Enough!” Marcus angrily interrupted me before I could finish. Olivia was clearly flustered by now. She said pitifully, “Marcus, I never thought Rachel would be so suspicious of me. If that’s the case, then forget it. I’ll leave now.” Marcus grabbed her wrist, refusing to let her go. Then he turned to me with angry eyes: “Rachel, what’s wrong with you? Is this how you interrogate someone who saved my life?” “I order you to transfer the money to her account right now and apologize to Olivia!” It was clear that he was truly furious. I chuckled lightly and asked innocently, “What is there to apologize for? These are perfectly normal questions. If she’s not lying, why is she so flustered?” “Besides, she’s your savior, not mine. If anyone should be transferring money, it should be you.” But I knew that over the years, he had secretly transferred all his money to Olivia behind my back. He couldn’t possibly come up with any money now. Sure enough, Marcus flew into a rage. He grabbed the fruit knife from the bedside table and threw it at me forcefully. I dodged just in time; the blade barely grazed my face as it flew past. He acted as if he hadn’t seen how close it came to hitting me and pointed at me, shouting, “Is this how you treat me? Fine! Why are we even staying together? As soon as I’m discharged, we’re going to file for divorce!” “Divorce?” I repeated these two words questioningly. Marcus thought I was scared and a flash of satisfaction crossed his eyes. He was about to say something, but I calmly interrupted him and asked: “Aren’t we already divorced?”

In my previous life, when I painfully walked into the law firm, hoping to claim a share of the property as Marcus’s wife, they told me we had divorced just days before the car accident. Later, when I wanted to have children, Marcus kept refusing. I guess he was afraid I would discover this fact. Clearly struck by my words, Marcus’s face turned pale for a moment. But he was certain I couldn’t produce any evidence right now, so he continued to deny it: “What nonsense are you talking about? Rachel, is it because you see that my legs are injured, so you want to abandon me?” “How can you be so heartless? Have you forgotten all I’ve done for you? We’ve been married for six years. During this time, I’ve brought you lunch every day because I was worried about your stomach. Three years ago, when your health was poor, I went to the temple to pray for you for three months, reciting scriptures and eating vegetarian food every day…” Marcus choked up, tears streaming down his face. We had met through a matchmaker and got together because our views aligned. It wasn’t a passionate love, but after spending time together, feelings naturally developed. Over the years, I had taken on the responsibilities of our family, and he had indeed taken good care of me. But later I found out about Olivia’s existence. When he brought me lunch, he would first deliver a portion to Olivia. The gifts he bought for me, he would inflate the price, then use the extra money to buy something better for Olivia. As for going to the temple to pray for three months… I sneered inwardly, guessing that was probably when Olivia gave birth to their child. Unfortunately, all these years, in order to provide the luxurious life he wanted – the mansion, the luxury cars – I had been so busy earning money that I had left this opening for them to exploit. Olivia also tried to smooth things over for Marcus: “Rachel, don’t let this situation escalate because of me. I know you might be worried about the future expenses, so you’re a bit reluctant to part with the money. It’s okay, I didn’t save Marcus for money anyway. Actually, I don’t need the money…” She pretended to be generous. I knew she was trying to provoke me, but I didn’t fall for it. Instead, I said to Marcus, “See? She says she doesn’t need the money. Why are you insisting on giving it to her? Is the money burning a hole in your pocket?” Marcus’s face turned purple with rage. Olivia also glared at me resentfully. Just then, the doctor came in, urging us to pay the continued hospitalization fees. Actually, Marcus had already met the standards for discharge, but he had been reluctant to leave. In my previous life, he had me pay for two more months of hospitalization. A week’s stay in a private room at this top-tier hospital cost $7,000, just for the room. He said he wanted a better treatment environment, and I supported him, struggling to earn money to give him the best conditions. But later I found out that he stayed in the hospital just to make it easier to meet Olivia. Hearing about the hospital fees, the two exchanged a glance, and Marcus coldly said to me, “Rachel, I don’t know why you’ve become so stingy, but we can’t delay the treatment. Aren’t you always busy? Just transfer the hospital fees to my card, and I’ll pay it myself.” Asking for money so brazenly? I laughed bitterly and asked the doctor, “I remember he’s already met the discharge standards. Let’s cancel this room and process the discharge today.” Marcus’s eyes widened: “Rachel, are you trying to kill me? What if my legs get worse at home?” Before I could speak, the doctor interjected, “That won’t happen. The critical period has passed. Staying at home now is the same as staying in the hospital.” Marcus’s face turned ashen. Olivia was about to say something, but I spoke to Marcus first: “I don’t have money for you to stay in the hospital anymore. If you insist on staying, either pay for it yourself or borrow from her.” I pointed at Olivia: “Didn’t she just say she has money?” Their faces looked as if they had eaten something bitter, but I didn’t bother with them anymore. I turned and walked out of the room. I didn’t have time to argue with them. Right now, I urgently needed to get evidence that Marcus’s car accident had nothing to do with me, as well as proof that he and Olivia had been together for a long time. This would help me keep all my assets if we ever ended up in court. After all these years of hard work, I could let the past go. But now, even if Marcus took a single cent, I would feel disgusted. After leaving the hospital, I immediately called a lawyer and asked him to investigate the accident vehicle from when Marcus had the accident. In my previous life, I had noticed some suspicious details, but because I was taking care of Marcus, it was a long time before I had someone investigate. By then, the scene inside the car had been destroyed, and the dash cam was missing. After a car accident, this kind of situation was quite normal. Later, because I was busy earning money to pay for Marcus’s medical expenses, working three jobs a day, I simply didn’t have the energy to think about these things anymore. This time, Olivia hadn’t been discharged yet, so she shouldn’t have had time to destroy the evidence. Sure enough, it wasn’t long before the lawyer called back. The first accident scene hadn’t been tampered with. He had already collected fingerprints and obtained some hair and blood samples. Finally, he sent me the video from the dash cam. At the time of the accident, Marcus was sitting in the passenger seat, anxiously asking Olivia, “I’ve already divorced Rachel. When are you planning to marry me?” Olivia was stunned for a moment, then carelessly said, “There’s no rush. Let’s talk about this after you’ve transferred all the assets to your name. Otherwise, what if your wife finds out?” Marcus looked at her anxiously: “But you always say that. I’ve given you a car, and I’ve given you all the savings my wife entrusted to me for you to invest, which you lost completely. Every time you say you’ll marry me to thank me. You’re not… lying to me, not wanting to marry me, are you?” “How could that be?” Olivia said, and as if to prove it, she leaned over to kiss Marcus. With that one action, Marcus’s doubts were dispelled. At this point, I also understood why Marcus had divorced me so early but had delayed marrying Olivia. Olivia was clearly deceiving him, but he didn’t know. Or perhaps he did know, but was willingly deceived. The lawyer added, “The DNA test will take some time. It should be ready in about three days.” I nodded and was about to hang up when I remembered another matter: “Also, help me find a child.” By my calculations, their child should have been born by now, about three or four years old. Every weekend for the past couple of years, Marcus would find various excuses to go out alone in his wheelchair, probably to see the child. I told the lawyer about the places Marcus frequently visited, then went to the hospital for a physical examination and froze all the assets in my name. In this life, everything was just beginning. My body hadn’t suffered from heart failure caused by working three jobs non-stop, and not too many assets had been transferred away. That night, for the first time, I “irresponsibly” went home alone. Perhaps sensing something was wrong, Marcus called me on his own initiative. Seeing the incoming call, I hung up directly. As a result, not long after, I saw a post he made on Facebook. It was a series of accusations against me, ending with how he had sacrificed so much for me, but now that he was injured for my sake, I was abandoning him. To garner sympathy, he even posted the doctor’s diagnosis and a pitiful photo of himself sitting in a wheelchair, looking haggard. But he didn’t notice that in the smooth metal armrest of the wheelchair, Olivia’s reflection was visible. Perhaps to provoke me, in one of the photos, if you looked carefully, you could see that Olivia was kissing him in the reflection. On one hand, he was asking me for money and cursing me, on the other hand, he was giving his love and money to another woman. Marcus was playing everyone for fools. The comment section was full of spectators, not one person noticing the cat in the picture. Everyone was comforting him and using the vilest words to curse me as a scumbag. I pretended not to see it and blocked Marcus. The next two days went on as usual, but Marcus seemed to have gone crazy, cursing me every day and posting screenshots of me deleting him, accusing me of having a guilty conscience. Friends who didn’t know the whole story all spoke up for him, urging me to come back. I didn’t explain, just waited until the third day when the test results came out. To my delight, the lawyer had also helped me find their child.

Before I could go find Marcus, on the third day, perhaps because he had no money to stay in the hospital, or perhaps because he sensed something was wrong, Marcus returned home early in the morning. Behind him were his angry parents, Robert and Linda, as well as my parents, John and Mary. Unlike Robert and Linda’s imperious manner, my parents followed behind them looking somewhat guilty. “In-laws, judge for yourselves! Is this how she should treat my son?” Linda began as soon as she saw me. “What’s even more unbelievable is that she secretly divorced my son without telling him, unilaterally dumping him!” Linda’s spit flew as she yelled. I realized what was happening and laughed bitterly. Marcus had really turned things upside down. But the civil affairs bureau records weren’t open to the public, so they had no way of knowing the truth and could only listen to what Marcus said. My parents, feeling guilty, allowed themselves to be scolded. Finally, they said in a low voice, “We shouldn’t interfere in the children’s affairs, but since things have come to this, we can compensate.” “Compensate?” Linda became even more agitated when she heard about compensation: “No matter how much you compensate, can you compensate for my son’s legs?” I interrupted her: “Your son’s leg injury has nothing to do with me.” Hearing this, my parents hurriedly pulled me aside, advising me not to argue with them. Linda had a fiery temper and had given my parents a lot of grief over the years. Especially after learning that Marcus’s legs were injured because of me, they would come to my mom every few days demanding compensation and money for nutritional supplements. My parents were worried I would get angry, so they didn’t dare tell me about this. I only found out about it by accident later. Seeing that Linda was about to lose her temper again, I took out the dash cam recording and test results and handed them over. After watching the video, Linda’s previously haughty face finally weakened, but she still said angrily, “How do I know you didn’t fake these?” “You can check,” I looked at Marcus, whose face was pale with shock: “Or we can go to court.” “Forget it, let’s not air our dirty laundry in public,” Robert, who had been silent until now, said. “Both children are at fault in this matter, but divorcing without a word is still wrong. Let’s talk about compensation.” My parents were about to speak, but I stopped them: “We won’t pay a single cent in compensation.” “What do you mean? My son married you for so many years, is this how you treat him?” Linda yelled. I sneered: “I was also married to your son for so many years and supported him for so long. Isn’t this how he treated me?” Linda’s face turned red with anger: “Just based on one video, you can’t prove my son had an affair.” Seeing that I didn’t respond, Linda became more agitated. She stood up and went to open the door: “I’m not talking to this girl anymore. Let the neighbors judge.” Her high-pitched voice had already attracted many neighbors to gather outside the door. Seeing her open the door, they all looked a bit embarrassed. But Linda didn’t care. She recounted what had just happened, embellishing it with exaggerations, glossing over the evidence with a couple of dismissive sentences. The neighbors listened and tried to mediate, saying to me, “It’s really not that serious, just a small matter. Marcus surely still cares for you in his heart.” “Yeah, you’ve been husband and wife, there’s still affection there. Leaving him with nothing seems a bit harsh.” “…” Seeing me being pointed at and criticized, my mom felt uncomfortable and said, “In-laws, let’s discuss this in private.” “Now you want to talk in private? Where were you earlier?” Linda suddenly pushed my mom. My mom wasn’t prepared and stumbled, almost falling. I hurriedly supported her. Just as I was about to get angry, a chubby little girl suddenly pushed through the crowd of onlookers and ran over. She hugged Marcus’s legs in the wheelchair and shouted loudly, “Daddy, you haven’t come to see me for so long. I’m going to punish you by making you buy me a Barbie doll.”

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Shortly after our wedding, my wife Ava was paralyzed in a car accident. I cared for her for over forty years, but it wasn’t until she passed away that I discovered she had left a will giving all our assets to Ryan, her ex-classmate from years ago. I was kicked out of the house we’d lived in for decades. Leaning on my cane, I shakily made my way to a law firm, hoping to reclaim the property as her husband. Instead, I was informed that Ava had secretly divorced me years ago. Before I could process this shock, Ryan sought me out, taunting me with cruel words. “You didn’t know, did you? She was worried about me, so she’s been sending me your salary and her pension all these years.” “When you were younger, she refused to have children with you because we already had a child together. Come to think of it, I should thank you for paying to raise our kid.” I was devastated and enraged. But before I could react, Ryan kicked me into a muddy puddle. Later, his son hired a group of young thugs who beat me to death in a sack. When I opened my eyes again, I saw my young, newly paralyzed wife crying before me. “Lucas, the doctor says I’ll never walk again. What will I do if I can’t work?” I silently pocketed the bank card I had prepared for her and sneered, “What else? When you starve to death, I’ll give you a grand funeral.” 0

“What did you say?” Ava might not have heard clearly, looking at me with tear-filled eyes. Those deep, loving eyes had fooled me in my previous life. I had believed she loved only me, but she had deceived me for a lifetime. “Ava, don’t worry. Lucas makes good money, he can definitely support you. He’s young, he can even pick up a second job,” said Ryan, the young man beside her, patiently comforting her. Ava had told me Ryan saved her during the accident and was her savior. In my previous life, I had been so focused on the devastating news of Ava’s paralysis that I hadn’t noticed how familiar they seemed with each other, as if this wasn’t their first meeting. Perhaps seeing no reaction from me, Ava’s red-rimmed eyes darted to Ryan. He immediately understood her meaning and spoke directly to me: “Lucas, let me be frank. Women are sensitive, and now that she’s in this condition because of you, she’s bound to have doubts. As a man, you should give her some security. For example, you could put your savings in her hands. It would be good for your family’s stability.” The same words as in my previous life. On the day of Ava’s accident, I had just returned from a business trip abroad. Having finished my work early, I had waited until I reached the airport to tell her, wanting to surprise her. As a result, Ava had rushed to pick me up and gotten into an accident on the way. I had spent a lifetime drowning in guilt and pain, trying everything to make it up to her. But it wasn’t until just before I died that I learned the truth: that day, Ava had been in Ryan’s car, and they weren’t on their way to pick me up at all. Yet she had never told me the truth, allowing me to be consumed by guilt day after day. Coming back to my senses, this time I didn’t hurriedly offer her my salary card and apologize, promising my loyalty as I had in my previous life. Seeing that I still hadn’t moved, Ava grew angry: “Lucas, I’ve become like this, what do you mean by this attitude?” Ryan also seemed anxious but still tried to mediate: “Maybe Lucas is still in shock from the bad news and hasn’t processed it yet.” I earned a good salary and had always been generous with her. Whenever she asked for money, as long as it wasn’t excessive, I would give it to her. Perhaps she also felt that handing over my salary card wasn’t a small matter. Not suspecting anything, she sighed and said, “No matter what, Ryan is my savior. He saved my life, you should at least show some appreciation.” “You probably haven’t prepared a gift, so why don’t you give Ryan a red envelope with $2,000?” “Oh, I couldn’t,” Ryan immediately declined. Ava insisted, “No, you must. When it’s given, you should accept it.” The scene was repeating itself. In my previous life, after Ava said this, I immediately gave him $3,000, even adding an extra thousand. After all, I believed a life was priceless. Later, I even sent him many other gifts to show my gratitude. At the time, the look in his eyes had been strange, but I had thought he was just shy. Now I understood that it had been mockery at my stupidity. This time, I didn’t move. Seeing this, Ava, annoyed at my hesitation, reached for my phone herself. She knew my bank card PIN and had secretly transferred money to Ryan many times before. Whenever I asked about it, she would use the “life-saving grace” to silence me. This time, I dodged Ava’s hand and stepped aside: “It’s fine to give money as thanks, but I have a few questions first.” Ava was clearly surprised that I, who had always been quick to give money, would suddenly challenge her. She looked puzzled. Ryan also froze for a moment, glancing at Ava before saying, “What questions?” I looked at Ryan: “I heard that all the car doors were jammed shut. How did you manage to pry them open?” This was Ava’s version of events, but there were many holes in the details she had given me. In my previous life, whenever I questioned the details, Ava would get angry and eventually explode, accusing me of being heartless, saying she had almost died and I was focusing on such trivial matters. Eventually, I stopped daring to ask. To avoid bringing up painful memories, I even avoided mentioning the accident altogether. Ryan’s eyes darted around: “I’ll tell you these things in private later. Let’s not revisit the accident in front of Ava. She’s already upset, and I’m afraid it might cause her more trauma.” I laughed and asked, “Are you really afraid of hurting her, or are you looking for a chance to get your stories straight?” Both Ryan and Ava’s faces darkened. They spoke in unison: “What do you mean by that?” Their synchronization was impressive. No wonder they had been able to fool me for a lifetime, leaving me penniless and alone in the end. I swallowed my hatred and said with a cold smile, “Ryan doesn’t look strong enough to force open a car door. How did he manage it?” “Besides, forcibly opening a door would surely have left injuries on his hands. The wounds I see on your hands don’t look like they’re from prying open a car door. They look self-inflicted.” “Also, the accident happened two days ago. Why didn’t you come then, and only show up now? I heard you were in a car accident yourself a couple of days ago? What a coincidence, isn’t it?” “…” “Enough!” Ava angrily interrupted me before I could finish. Ryan, still young, was already looking guilty. He said pitifully, “Ava, I never thought Lucas would doubt me like this. If that’s the case, let’s forget it. I’ll leave.” Ava grabbed his wrist, refusing to let him go. Then she turned to me, her eyes blazing with anger: “Lucas, what’s wrong with you? Is this how you interrogate someone who saved my life?” “I order you to transfer the money to him right now and apologize to Ryan!” It was clear she was truly furious. I chuckled lightly and asked innocently, “What is there to apologize for? These are normal questions. If he’s not lying, why is he so flustered?” “Besides, he’s your savior, not mine. If anyone should transfer money, it should be you.” But I knew that over the years, she had secretly transferred all her money to Ryan behind my back. Now she couldn’t come up with any money. Sure enough, Ava flew into a rage. She grabbed the fruit knife from the bedside table and hurled it at me. I dodged just in time; the blade barely missed my face. She acted as if she hadn’t seen it and pointed at me, shouting, “Is this how you treat me? Fine! Why should we stay together? As soon as I’m out of the hospital, we’ll go file for divorce!” “Divorce?” I repeated the word questioningly. Ava thought I was scared and a flash of triumph crossed her eyes. She was about to say something, but I calmly interrupted her with a question. “Aren’t we already divorced?” 0

In my previous life, when I had painfully walked into the law firm, hoping to claim a share of the property as Ava’s husband, they told me we had divorced a few days before the car accident. Later, when I wanted children, Ava kept refusing. I guess she was afraid I would discover this fact. Clearly struck by my words, Ava’s face paled for a moment. But she was certain I couldn’t produce any evidence now, so she continued to deny it: “What nonsense are you talking about? Lucas, is it because you see my legs are injured that you want to abandon me?” “How can you be so heartless? Have you forgotten all I’ve done for you? We’ve been married for six years. All these years, I’ve been bringing you lunch every day because I was worried about your stomach. Three years ago, when your health was poor, I went to the temple to pray for you for three months, chanting sutras and eating vegetarian food every day…” Ava choked up, her voice full of tears. We had met through an arranged date and married because our views aligned. It wasn’t a passionate love, but after so much time together, feelings had naturally developed. Over the years, I had taken on the family responsibilities, and she had indeed taken good care of me. But later I learned about Ryan’s existence. When she brought me lunch, she would first deliver a portion to Ryan. The things she bought for me, she would inflate the price, then use my money to buy something better for Ryan. As for going to the temple to pray for three months… I sneered inwardly, guessing that was probably when she had given birth to Ryan’s child. Unfortunately, in those years, I had been so busy trying to earn money to give her the luxurious life she wanted – the mansion, the expensive car – that I had left this opening for them to exploit. Ryan also tried to smooth things over for Ava: “Lucas, don’t let this come between us. I know you might be thinking about all the money you’ll have to spend in the future, so you’re feeling a bit stingy. It’s okay, I didn’t save Ava for money. Actually, I don’t need money…” He pretended to be generous. I knew he was trying to provoke me, but I didn’t fall for it. Instead, I turned to Ava and said, “See? He says he doesn’t need the money. Why are you insisting on giving it? Does it burn your hands?” Ava’s face turned blue with anger. Ryan also glared at me resentfully. Just then, a doctor came in, urging us to pay the continued hospitalization fees. Ava had actually met the standards for discharge, but she had been reluctant to leave. In my previous life, she had made me pay for two more months of hospitalization. It was a top-tier hospital with a private room. The room alone cost $1,000 a week. She had said she wanted a better treatment environment, and I had supported her, straining myself to earn money to give her the best. But later I realized she had stayed in the hospital just to make it easier to meet Ryan. Hearing about the hospital fees, they exchanged a glance. Ava coldly said to me, “Lucas, I don’t know why you’ve become so stingy, but we can’t delay the treatment. Aren’t you usually busy? Just transfer the hospital fees to my card, and I’ll pay it myself.” Asking for money so righteously? I laughed bitterly and asked the doctor, “I remember she’s met the discharge standards. Let’s cancel this room and discharge her today.” Ava’s eyes widened: “Lucas, are you trying to kill me? What if my legs get worse at home?” Before I could speak, the doctor said, “That won’t happen. The dangerous period has passed. Being at home now is the same as staying in the hospital.” Ava’s face turned ashen. Ryan was about to say something, but I spoke to Ava first: “I don’t have money for you to stay in the hospital anymore. If you insist on staying, either pay for it yourself or borrow from him.” I pointed at Ryan: “Didn’t he just say he has money?” Their faces looked as if they had eaten something bitter, but I didn’t pay them any more attention and turned to leave. I didn’t have time to argue with them. Right now, I urgently needed to get evidence that Ava’s car accident had nothing to do with me, as well as proof that they had been together for a long time. This would help me protect all my assets if we ever ended up in court. After working myself to death for so many years, the past was already gone. Now, even if Ava took a single cent, I would feel disgusted. After leaving the hospital, I immediately called a lawyer and asked him to investigate the accident car from when Ava was injured. In my previous life, I had noticed some suspicious details, but because I was busy taking care of Ava, it was a long time before I had someone investigate. By then, the car’s interior had been tampered with, and the dash cam was missing. After a car accident, this kind of situation was normal. Later, because I was busy earning money to cover Ava’s medical expenses, working three jobs a day, I simply didn’t have the energy to think about these things anymore. This time, Ryan hadn’t been discharged yet, so he shouldn’t have had time to destroy the evidence. Sure enough, it wasn’t long before the lawyer called back. The accident scene hadn’t been disturbed. He had collected fingerprints and some hair and blood samples. Finally, he sent me the dash cam video. At the time of the accident, Ava was sitting in the passenger seat, anxiously asking Ryan, “I’ve already divorced Lucas. When are you planning to marry me?” Ryan was stunned for a moment, then carelessly said, “No rush. Let’s talk about this after you’ve transferred all the assets to your name. Otherwise, what if your husband finds out?” Ava looked at him anxiously: “But you always say that. I’ve given you a car, and I’ve given you all the savings Lucas entrusted to me for you to invest, which you lost completely. Every time you say you’ll marry me to thank me. You’re not… lying to me, are you? You do want to marry me, right?” “How could that be?” Ryan said, and as if to prove it, he leaned over to kiss Ava. With that one action, Ava’s doubts were dispelled. She giggled, “Watch the road.” “It’s fine, just for a second.” Hearing this, Ava relaxed and leaned in to meet him. Just then, a huge crash sounded, and the image flipped. At this moment, I also understood why Ava had divorced me so early but had delayed marrying Ryan. Ryan was clearly deceiving her, but she didn’t know. Or maybe she did know, but was willing to accept it. The lawyer added, “The DNA test will take some time, probably about three days before we get the results.” I nodded, about to hang up when I remembered something else: “Also, help me find a child.” By my calculations, their child should have been born by now, about 3 or 4 years old. For the past two years, every weekend, Ava would find various excuses to go out alone in her wheelchair, probably to see the child. I gave him the locations Ava frequently visited, then went to the hospital for a physical examination and froze all the assets under my name. In this life, everything was just beginning. My body hadn’t suffered from heart failure caused by working three jobs non-stop, and not too many assets had been transferred away. That night, for the first time, I “irresponsibly” went home alone. Perhaps sensing something was wrong, Ava called me, but I hung up when I saw the incoming call. Soon after, I saw a post she made on social media. It was a series of messages cursing me, ending with how she had sacrificed so much for me, but now that she was injured, I was abandoning her. To gain sympathy, she even posted the doctor’s diagnosis and a pitiful photo of herself in a wheelchair, looking haggard. But she hadn’t noticed that Ryan’s reflection was visible in the smooth metal armrest of the wheelchair. Perhaps to provoke me, in one of the photos, if you looked closely, you could see that Ryan was kissing her in the reflection. On one hand, she was asking me for money and cursing me, while on the other hand, she was giving her love and money to another man. Ava was playing everyone like a fiddle. The comments section was full of spectators, not one person noticing the cat’s paw in the picture. Everyone was comforting her, using the vilest words to curse me as a scumbag. I pretended not to see it and blocked Ava. The next two days passed as usual, but Ava seemed to have gone mad, cursing me every day. She even posted screenshots of me deleting her, accusing me of having a guilty conscience. Friends who didn’t know the whole story all spoke up for her, urging me to go back. I didn’t explain, just waited until the third day when the test results came out. To my pleasant surprise, the lawyer had also found their child. 0

Before I could go find Ava, on the third day, perhaps because she had run out of money for the hospital stay, or maybe because she realized something was wrong, Ava returned home early in the morning. Behind her were her angry parents, Robert and Linda, as well as my parents, John and Mary. Unlike Robert and Linda’s imperious attitude, my parents followed behind them looking somewhat guilty. “In-laws, judge for yourselves! Is this how he should treat my daughter?” Linda ranted. “What’s even more unbelievable is that he secretly divorced my daughter without telling her! He just dumped her unilaterally!” As soon as we met, Linda was spitting mad, her saliva flying. I realized what was happening and laughed bitterly. Ava had really turned things upside down. But the civil affairs bureau’s records weren’t open to the public, so they had no way of knowing the truth and could only listen to what Ava said. My parents, feeling guilty, let themselves be scolded. Finally, they said in a low voice, “We shouldn’t interfere in the children’s affairs, but since it’s come to this, we can compensate.” “Compensate?” Linda became even more worked up when she heard about compensation: “No matter how much you compensate, can you give my daughter back her legs?” I interrupted her: “Your daughter’s leg injury has nothing to do with me.” Hearing this, my parents hurriedly pulled me aside, advising me not to argue with them. Linda had a fiery temper and had given my parents a hard time over the years. Especially after learning that Ava’s legs were injured because of me, they would come to my mom every few days demanding compensation and money for nutritional supplements. My parents were afraid of upsetting me, so they never told me about this. I only found out by accident later. Seeing that Linda was about to flare up again, I took out the dash cam recording and test results and handed them over. After watching the video, Linda’s previously haughty face finally weakened, but she still angrily said, “How do I know you didn’t fake these?” “You can verify them,” I looked at Ava, whose face was pale with shock. “Or we can go to court.” “Forget it, let’s not air our dirty laundry in public,” Robert, who had been silent for a long time, said. “Both kids are at fault in this matter, but divorcing without a word is still wrong. Let’s discuss compensation.” My parents were about to speak, but I stopped them: “We won’t pay a single cent in compensation.” “What do you mean? My daughter was married to you for so many years, and this is how you treat her?” Linda shouted. I sneered: “I was married to your daughter for so many years and supported her all that time. Isn’t this how she treated me?” Linda’s face turned red: “Just based on one video, you can’t prove my daughter had an affair.” Seeing that I didn’t respond, Linda became annoyed. She stood up and went to open the door: “I’m not talking to this young punk anymore. Let the neighbors judge!” Her high-pitched voice had already attracted many neighbors who were waiting outside the door. Seeing her open it, they all looked a bit embarrassed. But Linda didn’t care. She recounted what had just happened, embellishing it along the way, glossing over the evidence with just a couple of sentences. The neighbors listened and tried to mediate, saying to me: “It’s really not that serious, it’s just a small matter. Ava surely still cares for you in her heart.” “Yeah, you’re husband and wife after all. It seems a bit much to leave her with nothing.” “…” Seeing me being criticized, my mom felt uncomfortable. She quickly stepped forward and took Linda’s hand: “In-law, let’s discuss this privately.” “Now you want to talk privately? Where were you earlier?” Linda suddenly pushed my mom. My mom wasn’t prepared and stumbled, almost falling. I hurried to support her. Just as I was about to get angry, a chubby little boy pushed through the crowd of onlookers and ran over. He hugged Ava’s legs in the wheelchair and shouted loudly: “Mommy, you haven’t come to see me in so long. I’m going to punish you by making you buy me a Transformer toy!”

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As a descendant of a Beta, I, Ophelia Wentworth, was set to bond with Alpha Desmond Calder. But on the night before our bonding, my parents died in a tragic car accident. I was immediately demoted to an Omega, and he replaced me with another she-wolf—my best friend, Elowen Blake. Devastated, I was saved by Alpha Tobias Hawthorne, who made me his Luna. However, I soon discovered a shocking truth—my parents’ deaths were orchestrated by Alpha Tobias himself. His proposal to me was never out of love; it was all just to please Elowen Blake. Determined to escape him, I faked my own death while traveling to the Crowley Pack. There, I found a new mate—Alpha Gideon Crowley. But my “death” changed everything. Alpha Desmond Calder broke his bond with Elowen Blake, and Alpha Tobias Hawthorne never stopped searching for me. Worse, he finally uncovered the truth—his blind obedience to Elowen Blake had never been real. He had been drugged all along. I was born a Beta’s daughter, destined for an honorable life—until everything was ripped away. The night before my bonding ceremony, my parents died in a tragic car accident. Their deaths weren’t just a loss; they were a sentence. Stripped of my status, I was branded an Omega overnight. And the man who had sworn to cherish me—Alpha Desmond Calder—crushed our bond without a second thought. With cold indifference, he announced his intent to bond with my best friend, Elowen Blake. The reason was that Elowen accidentally marked him. But I knew—it was no accident at all. Betrayed. Humiliated. Cast aside. The pack whispered, watching, waiting for me to crumble. But instead of breaking, I found myself standing before Alpha Tobias Hawthorne—the ruthless, untouchable Alpha of the Hawthorne Pack. His next words shattered the expectations of an entire pack. “Marry me, Ophelia.” His voice was steady, his claim absolute. Before I could second-guess, I grasped the lifeline he offered. And just like that, I became his Luna. I abandoned everything I had fought for, everything I had built. I was the envy of every she-wolf in the pack. But illusions shatter just as easily as dreams. At an extravagant pack gathering, I went to fetch my mate. He had indulged too much and couldn’t control the release of his pheromones, I was afraid that many she-wolves would be drawn to him because of it, so I went to find him. With an inhibitor in my hands, I followed Eulalia Finch, Alpha Tobias’s secretary, through the dimly lit halls of the Pack’s VVIP suite. Then, just as I reached for the door handle, a voice drifted through the barely open doorway. “Tobias, Elowen’s trading post is finally opening. You’ve given up so much for her—your reputation, your so-called marriage. How much longer do you plan to keep up this farce with Ophelia?” I recognized this voice—it was his friend. “Luna!” Eulalia grew nervous but didn’t dare to stop me from listening. A sharp pain speared through my chest, but nothing could have prepared me for Alpha Tobias’s slurred yet unmistakably genuine reply. “For as long as Elowen needs me to.” A pause. Then— “I’ll remove any obstacle that stands in her way.” The world spun. My breath hitched, my fingers trembling against the doorframe. Beside me, Eulalia stiffened, her silence the cruelest confession. She had known. They had all known. I had been blind. A fool. A pawn in a game I never realized I was playing. ” Ophelia trusts you so much,,” the voice inside whispered. ” If she found out that her parents’ death was connected to you and that marrying her was just to ensure Elowen could become Alpha Desmond’s Luna, what do you think she would do? ” Alpha Tobias chuckled, low and knowing. “She won’t. She never will.” The warmth of the corridor became suffocating. The weight of betrayal coiled around my throat, tighter and tighter. Before I knew it, the inhibitor in my hand had been crushed to pieces. I forced my voice steady. “Alpha Tobias has had too much to drink,” I murmured to Eulalia. “Take this to him later. I’ll wait in the car.” “And say nothing to him.” The night air was crisp, but it did nothing to ease the numbness spreading through me. I sat in the car, staring at the moonlit sky, retracing the twisted path that had led me here. Desmond had discarded me like nothing. Alpha Tobias had pretended to save me, weaving a beautiful lie for the pack to admire. I was never his mate. I was just a shield. A deception wrapped in silk and gold. Eulalia returned, guiding Alpha Tobias into the car. His hand restlessly wandered over Eulalia’s chest, making her expression turn uneasy. He leaned against me, his scent a blend of whiskey and pheromones. His fingers ghosted over my arm, his voice gentle. “You didn’t need to come, Ophelia. Eulalia could have handled it.” A bitter smile curved my lips. “I was worried about you.” He was in heat and, just like before, bit into my neck to leave his mark. But this time, I felt nothing. Alpha Tobias lost all interest. He exhaled, his grip tightening slightly. “The trading post opens tomorrow. I’ll be working late—don’t wait up.” “Take care of yourself.” I replied smoothly. That night, I didn’t sleep. Somewhere between heartbreak and fury, a thought surfaced. I had left my pack communicator in the study. Slipping from bed, I padded into the dimly lit room. As I reached for the device, my fingers brushed against the edge of a hidden stack of papers. Documents? Contracts? Curious, I pulled the drawer open.

This was unheard of. His drawer was always securely locked—until today. A strange pull guided my hand as I slid it open, my heartbeat pounding in my ears. It shouldn’t have budged, but it did. Inside, stacks of architectural blueprints lay meticulously arranged, each one marked with a name that sent a shiver down my spine—Blake. Blake Mall. Blake Residences. Blake Jewelry. Every structure, every expansion Alpha Tobias had planned was tied to one name. Elowen Blake, the she-wolf who stole my mate, Alpha Desmond Calder. The realization hit me like a silver blade to the chest. I had been part of the Architecture Department for years, yet Alpha Tobias had always assured me he had his own team handling high-profile projects. I never questioned it. Now, it was clear—every brick, every foundation, every luxury boutique was a shrine to the she-wolf. My fingers trembled as I reached for the small jewelry box nestled between the documents. My breath hitched when I flipped it open. Empty. Suddenly, I remembered. Yesterday, Elowen posted a photo on the pack’s social platform, and she was wearing that very necklace. I clenched my fists, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. My phone buzzed, yanking me from the dark spiral of my thoughts. [Miss Wentworth, are you certain you’ve made your choice?] A deep breath steadied me. There was nothing left to hesitate over. [Yes. I’ve made up my mind.] It was time to leave. The next morning, I barely glanced at my packed bags. “I’m leaving for Crowley Pack tonight.” A pause. Alpha Tobias’s voice, always calm, held a trace of something unfamiliar. ” What are you going there for? ” I swallowed hard, keeping my tone light. ” A she-wolf’ trip with some socialites. Just a few days.” He pressed a kiss to my cheek, his lips warm against my skin, but I felt nothing. “Good. Enjoy yourself, shop to your heart’s content.” I miss my parents a little. I want to go see them. I had never understood why Alpha Tobias had buried my parents in another pack, but now I did. He was afraid I was getting too close to the truth. It struck me then—how effortlessly he feigned affection. How deeply I had drowned in his illusions. I was done. But before I disappeared, I had one last thing to do. He has a pack gathering to attend tonight, and I’m going to check it out. The Blake Mall grand opening was tonight. The final piece of his empire. When I arrived, the air was thick with celebration. Chandeliers cast golden light over the elite of the Pack, their laughter blending with the music. And in the center of it all stood Alpha Tobias—every bit the powerful Alpha, commanding and unreadable. Then there was Elowen. She moved like she owned the night, the necklace resting against her throat, a silent declaration of her place in his world. Her lips curled as she raised her glass toward him. “Mr. Blake , congratulations.” Alpha Tobias turned, his gaze meeting mine for the briefest second. A flicker of something—shock?—passed through his eyes before he masked it with his usual effortless charm. He clinked his glass with another man’s. “Mr. Blake, your design for the Blake Mall is truly remarkable. It’s drawing in the Pack’s finest.” Mr. Blake? Steeling myself, I stepped forward. I refused to let him pretend I wasn’t here. Alpha Tobias’s eyes darkened as he turned to me, his expression unreadable. “What are you doing here?” A sharp smile played on my lips. “What? Am I not welcome?” Tension crackled between us like an oncoming storm. He set his glass down, his jaw tightening. “Of course not. But you don’t usually attend Pack events like these. You tend to get… overwhelmed.” Elowen’s laughter chimed beside us, sweet and venomous all at once. Just then, Eulalia approached. “Alpha, your speech is about to begin.” Alpha Tobias hesitated for a fraction of a second before nodding. He turned back to me. “Stay for a while. Rest. We’ll talk after.” And then he was gone, swept away by duty and power. I moved toward the dessert table, grabbing a slice of cheesecake, hoping the sweetness could mask the bitterness rising in my chest. Elowen was beside me before I could take a bite, her voice a silk-wrapped dagger. “Long time no see, Ophelia. My dearest friend.” I met her gaze, the glint in her eyes telling me one thing: She knew exactly why I was here.

Elowen’s lips curled into a smug smile, her golden eyes gleaming with challenge. “What’s the matter, Ophelia? Keeping an eye on me now?” “Maybe you should just chain Alpha Tobias to your side if you’re so worried about him.” “Tell me, how does it feel to be the Luna of Alpha Tobias? Living in someone else’s shadow, watching me take everything that was once yours?” “You’ll never win against me. No matter how hard you try.” Her laughter rang out, sharp and mocking. Around her neck, the necklace gleamed under the lights, its brilliance searing into my vision like a blade to my soul. Elowen and I had once been inseparable—at least, I had believed so. We had dreamed of conquering the world of architecture together, our bond unshakable. But then, Alpha Desmond, my fated mate—severed our bond, choosing Elowen as his Luna and shattering my world in one brutal moment. To be betrayed by my closest friend and my destined mate—there was no deeper agony. For a time, I thought the darkness would consume me. Until Alpha Tobias, Alpha of the rival Calder Pack, entered my life. He offered me a way out, a promise of something greater. In the beginning, everything felt safe, secure. But then came the moment that changed everything. Just as I was preparing for a prestigious international Pack competition, Alpha Tobias uttered the words that would define my downfall: “Ophelia, you don’t need to fight for dominance or carry the weight of our Pack. Just be my Luna. I will protect you. Your family will be safe. You’ll never have to struggle again.” His words burrowed deep into my wounded soul, and in a moment of weakness, I let go of the life I had built. I sold my architectural firm. I abandoned the competition without a second thought. And who stood victorious in my place, basking in the limelight? Elowen. My so-called best friend ascended, her name celebrated in thecircles of the architectural world, while I faded into obscurity, reduced to nothing more than Mrs. Hawthorne—Alpha Tobias’s Luna in name alone. But now, as I stood in the center of it, something felt off. The towering structure before me was familiar—too familiar. My gaze traced the lines, the symmetry, the core design principles embedded in every detail. My breath hitched. This was my design. The one I had abandoned years ago. The one I had left buried deep in my personal files, never to be touched again. And yet, here it stood, a living, breathing monument to my stolen dreams. My pulse pounded in my ears. How had this happened? How had Elowen— “Ophelia!” Elowen’s sudden shriek shattered my spiraling thoughts. She stumbled backward, her hands clutching her stomach. A strangled gasp tore from her throat as she crumpled to the ground, her face twisted in pain. Gasps rippled through the gathered crowd. “Someone call an PackDoctor!” “She’s fallen! Get help!” All eyes snapped to me, suspicion and accusation burning in their gazes. And then—I saw him. My Alpha.

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“He ripped open his collar to reveal the bite marks: ‘Now, it’s my turn to cover you with my scent.’” Selina cut off the contract with Alpha with her own hands, but met her childhood follower at the most embarrassing moment – now he has become a dangerous and charming wolf upstart. “Remember you said you would protect me forever?” She chuckled sarcastically, but he grabbed her wrist and pressed her against the French window, “Sister… This time I will teach you what ‘protection’ means.” When the old wounds have not healed and the power changes, she must choose between desire and reason: should she continue to be a deserter, or let this man who has lost his youth teach her the taste of sinking? Not long before Valentine’s Day, my mate, Kieran Draven, dropped a ridiculous amount of money on a custom diamond pendant. And when the day actually came? All I got was a bouquet of roses. He handed them over with a shrug. “We’ve been together forever, right? No need to go all out—flowers should do the trick.” That night, scrolling through my feed, I nearly choked. His Beta, Mira Thornclaw, had posted a picture, proudly showing off my necklace. A cold, sinking feeling twisted in my gut. When I confronted him, he just scoffed. “She’s part of our pack, Selene. No mate, no family—I felt bad for her. What, is that a crime now?” I let out a sharp laugh. “Oh, sympathy? Why not just mark her while you’re at it?” His entire body went stiff, his jaw tightening as he turned to look at me. “You’re seriously this worked up over a piece of jewelry?” He gestured toward our room, irritation rolling off him. “Have I ever forgotten to get you something for a special occasion?” “Who makes sure you’re taken care of? Who keeps you safe? Who provides for you as my Luna?” “This is about a necklace? You’re actually thinking about rejecting our bond over something so petty?” “Why can’t you be more like Mira? You know how much she’d appreciate what you take for granted?” He let out a humorless chuckle. “What, still not enough for you?” His voice boomed through the den, his dominance pressing down on me like a command. At the mention of Mira, my hands clenched against my legs. That familiar sting of hurt clawed its way up my chest. Here we go again. Every fight, every disagreement—it always came back to her. I forced a bitter smile. “I’m the one being difficult? I’m the one who isn’t grateful?” “Kieran, is Mira my problem? Is it my job to make sure she has a cushy life?” My voice rose, all the anger I had swallowed for months finally breaking free. “And yet you, my mate, my Alpha, have never once gone out of your way for me like you did for her with that necklace!” “Ask anyone in the pack—who’s the selfish one here, Kieran? Have you ever stopped to think about how I feel?” I glared at him, my whole body shaking. Then, last year’s Valentine’s Day crashed into my mind. We had planned a trip to the Moonlit Cliffs in Silvercrest—a place sacred to our kind. I had everything packed and ready the night before. And then, just like that, he told me he wasn’t coming. It was like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over me. My chest tightened. “Why?” I had asked. He had barely looked up. “Something came up with the pack. Can’t make it. We’ll go another time.” I wasn’t stupid. “What could possibly be so urgent tonight? Even the Elders take the night off! You swore on the last full moon that we’d go.” “You’re always busy, Kieran. Can’t you give me one day?” I muttered under my breath, “Mia’s mate is taking her on a run through the Elderwood tomorrow.” At that, his expression darkened. “How long have Mia and her mate been bonded? You really think we’re in the same place?” “Can you stop obsessing over these ridiculous traditions? Why do you always need so much attention?” And then, with a look of pure exasperation, he pulled out his wallet, yanked out his black pack credit card, and tossed it onto the table. “Here. Go crazy. Buy whatever you want and let it go.” Then he walked out without another word. And after that, he was never there when it mattered. For the longest time, I told myself this is just how it is. Long-term bonds settle. Alpha and Luna, learning to coexist. But tonight? I knew better. His heart hadn’t changed. It had just shifted—toward someone else. I sucked in a shaky breath, trying to steady myself. Kieran’s face flickered with something—maybe surprise, maybe guilt—but it was gone in a second. His coldness faded, but indifference remained. Silence stretched between us until his phone buzzed against the table. He glanced at it, sighed, and looked back at me. “Selene, I’ll get you another necklace.” “But can we not turn this into a whole thing? You know the stress I’m under as Alpha.” I had known Kieran Draven since we were pups.

Growing up, our families were so close that I practically trailed behind Kieran everywhere, and everyone knew I had a puphood crush on him. Over time, we went from childhood friends to mates, then engagement, and eventually, we became the Alpha-Luna couple everyone in the pack admired. But a year ago, everything shifted when he started expanding our pack’s territory. His duties as Alpha became overwhelming, and that’s when he took on a new Beta assistant. At first, I barely noticed her—Mira Thornclaw was plain, easy to overlook in a crowd. Turns out, that was my mistake. That seemingly unremarkable she-wolf somehow caught Kieran’s attention. He started nitpicking things he never cared about before. My love for steaks? Suddenly, that was wasteful and extravagant. Shopping for ceremonial Luna gowns? He had endless complaints about the cost, accusing me of spending recklessly. He even had the audacity to say that just one of my outfits could have funded supplies for the warriors or helped struggling Omega pups. Eventually, I figured out why. He was comparing me to her. Mira came from a rough background—an Omega-born girl who had to claw her way up in a pack that favored sons. She’d earned a scholarship to an elite shifter academy through sheer willpower. Even now, she still sent half her salary back home. Kieran admired that about her. And the more he sympathized with her, the more he resented me—his spoiled Luna who had never known hardship. Last month, I decided to surprise him at his office. Between constant meetings and pack matters, he barely ate properly. Too much stress, too much raw meat, and he’d been having stomach issues for weeks. I had a pack chef prepare a meal just for him. I walked into his office, smiling, lunchbox in hand—only to see an empty plate already sitting on his desk. Kieran looked at the meal I brought, expression unreadable. Then my gaze landed on a small wolf-shaped lunchbox sitting beside his files. A chill spread through me. It was the kind of thing a she-wolf would pick out. Doubt sank its claws into me, deep and unshakable. Forcing a smile, I asked lightly, “New meal plan, Alpha? Did the pack start sending catered lunches now? What happened to the ones I used to bring?” Before he could respond, the door to the Alpha’s private lounge creaked open. Mira stepped out, holding an identical lunchbox. A matching set. My stomach twisted. Everything clicked into place. I let out a cold laugh, walked straight to his desk, and without hesitation, tossed the lunchbox into the trash. Mira paled, eyes darting to Kieran, but she didn’t say a word. I turned to him and spoke, voice like ice. “Looks like your Beta’s got your meals covered, Alpha. I’ll stop wasting my time.” “She can take care of you from now on.” I walked out without looking back, my throat burning. And after that? I never brought him food again. If I ever mentioned it, he brushed it off—I was overreacting, I was being unfair, I wasn’t as understanding as Mira. Eventually, I got tired of the whole thing. Stopped fussing over him. Stopped checking in on whether he made it home after meetings. Instead of thinking about what he needed, I focused on what I wanted. I even sent him shopping lists instead of waiting around for him to remember to ask. A few days ago, Ravara—the Gamma’s mate—invited me to dinner, her voice laced with excitement. “Selene, did you hear the news?” I blinked. “What news?” “About you and Kieran.” I frowned, confused. “What about us?” She grinned. “He ordered a diamond pendant infused with moonstone from my family’s shop. Over a hundred thousand—extravagant, even for him.” “Honestly? I’m jealous.” Since her family owned one of the most renowned jewelry businesses among werewolf packs, I knew she wasn’t lying. And for the first time in months, hope flickered inside me. Maybe he was trying. Maybe things weren’t as bad as I thought. The more she talked about it, the more I started to believe. But then, Valentine’s Day came. And that hope shattered like fragile glass. Instead of the carefully selected, Elder-blessed moonstone pendant, he handed me a hastily bought bouquet of roses. And the custom-made Luna’s necklace? It was sitting around Mira’s neck. A bond built over two decades—reduced to nothing compared to the she-wolf he’d only known for a year. I let out a bitter laugh at myself. The moment Kieran left, I collapsed onto the den’s leather sofa, drained. I pressed a hand over my eyes, fighting back the sting of tears. And in that moment, I swore I could hear it— The sound of my mate bond breaking apart. I had finally reached my limit.

I was up early the next morning, packing my things to head back to my birth pack. Once I was ready, I called my mother, the Pack Luna, from downstairs. She stepped outside, her face lighting up. “Selene, look who finally decided to come home!” “Come in, I made your favorite—venison stew.” I nodded, following her into the Alpha’s residence. Dad, the Pack Alpha, was already at the table, casually eating. I pulled out a chair and sat across from him. We ate quietly for a while before I finally worked up the nerve to speak. “Mom, Dad… I need to talk to you about something.” Their heads lifted instantly, curiosity flashing in their eyes. I hesitated, then met their gazes. “I’m thinking about rejecting my mate bond with Kieran.” Both of them spoke at once. “What?!” Dad’s silver spoon hit the wooden floor with a sharp clang. Mom was the first to react. “Did something happen? Did you and Kieran have a fight?” “If he upset you, just tell me—I’ll handle it.” I exhaled slowly, choosing my words. “It’s not just an argument. It’s more than that… We can’t keep going like this.” “He doesn’t care about me. Not really.” The room fell into silence. Dad’s brows knitted together, his expression unreadable. After a long pause, he finally said, “I’m meeting with Alpha Magnus for dinner tonight. Come along. Talk it over with him.” That evening, dressed and ready, I rode with my parents to the Pack’s Council Hall, where the Alphas gathered. As soon as I stepped into the private dining hall, my breath caught. Kieran was already there, dressed in a fitted black training shirt, exuding dominance like he belonged at the head of every table. I barely spared him a glance before greeting his father. “Hello, Alpha Magnus.” The older Alpha smiled warmly. “Selene, it’s been too long. You’ve grown into a strong she-wolf. Come, sit with us.” I nodded, deliberately choosing the seat beside my mother, ignoring the empty one next to Kieran. He noticed. His hand tightened around the chair he was about to pull out, but instead of sitting, he pushed it back in, his face darkening. Sensing the tension, his father made an effort to keep Kieran engaged, serving me roasted meat, refilling my drink, and keeping the conversation flowing. It didn’t change the fact that the air between us was stifling. Maybe it was all the water I drank, but soon, I excused myself to step out. As I left, another door nearby opened. And out walked Mira Thornclaw. She froze. I stared. She smelled like nerves—anxiety rolling off her in waves. Dressed in a dark violet gown that hugged her curves, she looked anywhere but at me, her fingers twisting together. My jaw clenched. “What are you doing here?” I glanced at the private pack chambers behind her, suspicion crawling up my spine. Mira Thornclaw, the Beta assistant from a struggling Omega family, standing inside an elite Pack Elders’ gathering? Something didn’t add up. I took a step forward, intent on seeing exactly who was inside that room. She stepped in front of me. I moved to the side, and she did too. I was done playing. I shoved her aside, harder than I meant to, and she tumbled to the floor with a startled gasp. Just as my hand closed around the door handle, a furious voice rang out. “Selene! What the hell are you doing?!” I turned in time to see Kieran storm toward us. His Alpha instincts kicked in immediately, kneeling beside her, checking her injuries. Her scraped knees. Her tear-filled eyes. Her trembling lips. And then he looked at me. Golden Alpha eyes burning with fury. “Selene, apologize. Now.” Something inside me snapped. He hadn’t even asked what happened. He hadn’t questioned why I reacted. He had just assumed. I let go of the door handle and met his gaze with an icy glare. “Apologize? Sure. But first, tell me something—”

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When I died, the blood of the fetus was still hot on my belly hair. The Alpha who claimed to “mark” my entire body finally marked me permanently with his fangs. Now, I have become a ghost wolf entangled between his bed curtains, watching him cramp every night due to guilt. Thorn always said he wanted to conquer me – now every breath of his is under my control. How interesting it is when this arrogant wolf king starts to whimper like courtship to the air… When I opened my eyes again, I found myself at Alpha Thorne Blackwood and his childhood friend Beta Livia Frost’s mating ceremony. Livia was wearing the pure white ceremonial gown that Alpha Thorne had custom-made for me—a gown worth millions, woven with moon-silver threads blessed by the Pack Seer. She clutched his hand, her claws retracted in false delicacy, her smile dripping with smug satisfaction as her golden wolf eyes gleamed in triumph. At this, my ghostly form trembled, phantom tears burning in my eyes. A growl built in my throat, but when I lunged forward to stop them, my spectral body passed right through theirs. The realization struck like a silver dagger to the heart. I was already dead. What remained of me was nothing more than a restless spirit, bound to the living world by grief and fury. Before despair could fully claim me, the gathered pack members began chanting, their voices rising in unison. “Claim her! Mark her!” Most of these wolves had once been our friends—Alpha Thorne’s and mine. Not long ago, they had whispered their pity for me, swearing that even if he took Livia as his mate, they would never stand for such betrayal. Yet now, they bared their throats in submission to him, their loyalty shifting like the wind. I let out a bitter, hollow laugh. Of course. Their kindness had always been about currying favor with the Alpha. Now that Livia stood at his side, why would they spare a thought for a dead she-wolf like me? But one voice still dared to speak against the tide. “Alpha Thorne,” a young Omega murmured, “this is too cruel to Luna Sylva. What if something’s happened to her?” Alpha Thorne swirled his goblet of blood-red wine, his ice-blue eyes flickering with disinterest. “Sylva brought this on herself. After the ceremony, I’ll release her. The den has enough food to keep her alive. She’s been spoiled too long—a little suffering will do her good.” He didn’t know. I was already dead. And he had killed me with his own claws. A week ago, Alpha Thorne had demanded I agree to a false mating bond with Beta Livia, who carried another wolf’s pup and needed his name to shield her from disgrace. I refused. “If she needs a pretend mate, let her find another Beta—or better yet, the father of her pup. Why must it be you, a bonded Alpha? She’s scheming!” He snarled at me, accusing me of petty jealousy, and we fought like feral beasts. In the past, I would have bowed my head, submitting to his will just to keep the peace. But this time, I stood my ground—even threatening to sever our bond if he went through with it. I never imagined he’d secretly complete the mating rites with Livia behind my back. When I saw them under the full moon, their scents entwined as the Pack Elder blessed their union, the shock sent me into early labor. My pup kicked violently, and my waters broke right there in the sacred circle. Alpha Thorne halted the ceremony, lifting me into his arms with a snarl of concern. For one fleeting moment, I thought he was taking me to the Pack Healer. Instead, he carried me to the abandoned dens of Moonwood Territory and locked me inside, ordering me to “reflect on my disobedience.” It was him. My own mate. The one who led me to my death. As I watched from the shadows, Alpha Thorne suddenly stiffened, his nostrils flaring as if catching a distant scent. He turned to Beta Garrick, his second-in-command. “Go check on Luna Sylva. If she’s ready to apologize to Livia, we’ll let her out.” A bitter laugh escaped me. Apologize? For what? I had done nothing wrong. I hadn’t lied—I had been in labor. But under Beta Livia’s sly whispers, Alpha Thorne believed I’d faked it, that I’d humiliated him by losing control of my body in front of the entire pack. He trusted her over his own Luna. Seeing his hesitation, Livia pressed a delicate hand to her belly, her voice trembling with false concern. “Alpha Thorne, even though Luna Sylva lost control and attacked me earlier… she’s still carrying your heir. If something happened to her… Perhaps you should release her.” She lowered her eyes, the picture of wounded grace. “This time, I’ll protect my pup better. She can hate me all she wants, but my child is innocent…” Earlier, when I’d burst into their ceremony, Livia had taunted me with whispered barbs only I could hear—”He’ll never choose a weak she-wolf like you over me.” The hormones, the fury, the betrayal—it shattered my control. I lunged. But before I could reach her, she collapsed, howling in “pain,” her claws tearing at her own gown for effect. That was why Alpha Thorne locked me away. Now, hearing Livia’s false plea, he cupped her face, his voice softening. “No one will harm you or your pup while I live.” Then, to Beta Garrick, cold as winter frost: “Tell Luna Sylva she’ll stay confined until she begs Livia’s forgiveness.” Livia nuzzled against his shoulder, her tail flicking smugly. “You’re so good to us, Alpha.” The pack erupted in laughter, their voices merging into a chorus of encouragement. “Just make her your true mate, Alpha Thorne! You and Livia have been bonded since pup-hood—how could a mere human-turned-wolf compare?” Livia ducked her head in feigned shyness, her claws teasing the edge of Alpha Thorne’s ceremonial cloak. I braced for him to agree. But his growl silenced them all. “Enough. Livia and I are bound only for appearances. Luna Sylva is possessive—if she hears this nonsense, she’ll—” He cut himself off, and my ghostly heart ached. Hollow words. If he truly cared, he wouldn’t have mated her at all. Livia’s smile turned venomous, the air thickening with tension—until Alpha Thorne’s phone shattered the silence. Thinking it was me calling to surrender, he answered with a sharp, “Sylva, you—” But the voice on the other end was a stranger’s. “Are you Luna Sylva Blackwood’s mate? This is Healer Grant from Silverfang Clinic. We’ve lost contact with her. Her whelping date is near—when will you bring her in?” Alpha Thorne froze. “Whelping date? She’s only six months along.” A pause. Then, the Healer’s voice turned icy. “Six months? Alpha, she’s eight months pregnant. The pup could come any night. How do you not know your own mate’s condition?”

Alpha Thorne Blackwood froze, his claws unsheathing as his grip on the phone turned the metal casing to crumpled scrap. His golden eyes burned with a feral intensity, his wolf scent spiking with shock. Watching his stunned expression, I let out a hollow, spectral growl. It had been a critical time for the Blackwood Pack’s alliance with the Silvermane Trading Guild, so I’d hidden my true whelping date for two moons to avoid distracting him. I’d told him I was only six months along. But if my Alpha had ever bothered to scent my den, he would’ve found the healer’s scrolls in my drawer—proof of the pup’s true due date. If he’d cared, I could never have concealed it. The truth was simple: his wolf had never truly been mine. A low-ranking Delta in the crowd dared to mutter, “So Luna Sylva didn’t just lose control of her bladder? Her waters truly broke?” Alpha Thorne’s head snapped up, his snarl ripping through the air as he pinned Beta Garrick with a glare that promised violence. “Garrick. You escorted her to every healer’s visit. You swore she was only six moons pregnant. Explain.” Beta Garrick dropped his gaze, baring his throat in submission—but not out of respect. Out of guilt. He should feel guilty. He’d helped murder me. When my labor had started, I’d howled for my mate through the pack bond, begging for help. But Beta Garrick, who knew the truth, had intervened. “She’s lying, Alpha. The healer confirmed it’s too early.” And Livia, that venomous she-wolf, had woven her poison: “She’s humiliating you on purpose, Alpha. Pissing herself like a frightened pup to ruin your ceremony.” With their words echoing in his ears, Alpha Thorne had dragged me to the abandoned Moonwood Dens and locked me inside. The moment the door slammed shut, the pain had torn through me—crippling, wrong. I’d crumpled to the floor, blood pooling beneath me as my pup fought to survive. I’d clawed at Beta Garrick’s boots, my voice raw. *”Please… the pup—*our pup—” He’d sneered down at me, his boot crushing my fingers. Then, with a merciless snarl, he’d kicked my swollen belly—once, twice—until the world went dark. By the time the bleeding stopped, my pup was nothing but a lifeless scrap of fur in my arms. Now, as Beta Garrick hesitated, Livia slithered forward, her voice dripping with false sympathy. “Alpha Thorne, I never thought Luna Sylva would stoop so low. Faking illness, lying to healers… all to manipulate you.” She pressed a delicate hand to his chest. “If it were me, I’d never shame my mate like this.” Alpha Thorne’s growl deepened, his canines flashing as he snarled into the phone, “Tell Luna Sylva her games end now. I won’t indulge her tantrums.” He crushed the phone in his palm, and Livia’s eyes gleamed with victory. After the ceremony, as the pack dispersed, Livia clung to Alpha Thorne’s arm, her voice a purr. “Take me to your den tonight, Alpha. If we’re to sell this mating, we must commit.” His muscles tensed. He’d sworn to me—under the full moon—that no other she-wolf would ever enter our shared den. But Livia’s claws pricked his skin, her eyes wet with calculated tears. “What will the pack say if I slink home alone? A pregnant, unmated Beta? I’ll be ruined.” With a resigned growl, he yielded. He cared for her reputation—but not enough to realize he’d signed my death warrant. When they crossed the threshold of our den, the elderly Pack Mother Laura greeted them—then stiffened at the sight of Livia. “Welcome home, Alpha Thorne and… Beta Livia.” Livia’s smile turned lethal. She dug her claws into Alpha Thorne’s arm, whispering, “They must believe this is real.” His jaw clenched, but he commanded, “Call her Luna.” My ghostly heart shattered. He’d vowed I’d be his only Luna. Pack Mother Laura bristled. “Luna Sylva will be devastated—” “When she returns,” Alpha Thorne interrupted, “we’ll revert the titles. For now, Livia is Luna.” Livia strutted into the bedroom, draping herself in my furs, my moonstone jewelry, smearing my berry-stain across her lips like a claim. Alpha Thorne said nothing. When Pack Mother Laura opened her muzzle to protest, he cut her off. “Prepare roasted elk ribs and sun-gilded pheasant. Livia favors them.” His voice softened. “No wolfsbane or fire-peppers. They upset her stomach.” A whimper escaped me. He’d shared my bed for years yet never remembered my allergy to moonfin. But Livia’s every whim was etched into his bones. I’d thought him indifferent. Now I saw the truth: his wolf simply hadn’t been mine to tame. Then Livia spotted it—the scarf I’d woven for him, its threads laced with my scent, embroidered with LJB: “Love Thorne Blackwood.” Her snarl ripped through the room as she shredded it with her claws. “Even dead, you cling to him, you pathetic human-turned-wolf! You were never his true mate!” I recoiled. How did she know I was dead? Before I could react, Alpha Thorne burst in—and froze at the sight of the tattered scarf at Livia’s feet. His eyes bled to wolf.

Alpha Thorne’s claws twitched as his golden eyes locked onto the shredded scarf. “Beta Livia, what have you done?” My spirit wavered, a phantom whine escaping my throat. For a fleeting moment, hope flickered – did the scarf’s destruction pain him because his wolf still recognized me as mate? Before I could process this, Livia’s eyes flooded with crocodile tears, her lower lip trembling in perfect mimicry of distress. “Alpha, I just… the scarf smelled so much like you. I wanted to feel it against my skin, but my claws…” She held up her perfectly manicured hands where not a single claw was unsheathed. “This has your initials – did Luna Sylva make it? I’m so sorry…” The lie stank worse than rotted prey. The scarf hadn’t torn – it had been slashed with surgical precision. Yet Alpha Thorne’s shoulders relaxed, his growl softening as he grasped her wrists with tender concern. “It’s just fabric. Are you hurt?” His thumb brushed her unmarked palm. “If you like it, I’ll have Sylva weave you another.” Ice flooded my spectral veins. Not anger at my gift’s destruction. Not outrage at her trespass. Just… concern for her. And the casual cruelty of demanding I craft another – as if the months spent spinning moonlight-infused threads under the full moon meant nothing. As if my love was merely pack tribute to be reassigned at his whim. I tried to retreat, to dissolve into the shadows, but the mate bond – even in death – chained me to his side. All I could do was turn my ghostly muzzle away. Emboldened by his leniency, Livia pressed closer, her scent dripping with false heat. “Your den feels so empty tonight, Alpha. Let me warm your nest-” Thorne recoiled as if burned, his sudden snarl shaking the walls. “Enough! This farce ends at the threshold.” He pointed to the guest chamber, his canines glinting. “You sleep there.” The moment the door closed behind her, Alpha Thorne’s composure shattered. He paced the scent-marked floors, digging his claws into the furs where we’d once mated. After three restless circles, he snatched his phone, obsessively scrolling through our bond-messages – all frozen at yesterday’s dawn. A frustrated growl rumbled through him as he typed: [Still defiant? One apology is all it takes to come home, little wolf. Must you always bare your throat last?] The screen remained dark. Not because I wouldn’t answer… but because no spirit can breach the veil of death. When morning came, shadows darkened his usually vibrant golden eyes. He grabbed the phone before even stretching, typing with uncharacteristic haste: [Enough punishment. I’m coming to the den now.] But as he reached for the door, Livia materialized like a specter, her claws digging into his forearm. “Alpha, my kin already feast in celebration of our union. The Frostfang Elders demand to scent your claim on me.” Her voice dropped to a poisoned whisper. “Or shall I tell them their new Alpha breaks oaths like a human?” The threat hung between them – her pregnancy with another wolf’s pup was their secret, but her family’s alliance was his pack’s lifeline. His hesitation lasted only a heartbeat before he reached for his ceremonial cloak… and her waiting claws closed around his wrist in triumph.

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