Author: Momo Chan

When I married Blake, everyone said I’d married up. After all, he was the sole heir to the billion-dollar Chen family fortune. But three years into our marriage, my mother-in-law, Evelyn, only allowed me to have a daughter. She never permitted me to have a son. It wasn’t until Blake’s ex-girlfriend showed up with a little boy that I understood why. That boy was supposed to be the Chen family’s “true heir.” To make way for his illegitimate son, Blake tried to force me into a divorce using a fake medical report claiming I was infertile. Heartbroken, I prepared to leave with my daughter. But to everyone’s surprise, Evelyn tore up the divorce papers in front of everyone and slapped Blake hard across the face. “My real son died years ago,” she declared coldly. “You’re just an adopted child I brought in. I’ve kept this secret for years, hoping my granddaughter could grow up happily!” Blake broke down on the spot, still believing his mother was just angry. “Mom! I’m the son you’ve raised for over twenty years!” Evelyn held my daughter close, her eyes ice-cold as she stared at Blake. “The Chen family’s billion-dollar fortune will only go to the true heir. As for you, an outsider, you have no right to call me mother anymore.”

It was Emma’s third birthday party. I wore a cream-colored dress, smiling as I greeted the guests. Blake seemed unusually happy too, dressed in a dark suit that showed a completely different side of him. “Honey, did you really prepare a surprise for Emma?” I tugged at his sleeve, my eyes full of anticipation. He gently caressed my cheek. “You’ll see soon enough.” My heart raced. In four years of marriage, he’d never been this mysterious. I crouched down to hug Emma as she ran around. “Sweetie, Daddy says he has a big surprise for you.” “Really?” Emma clapped her hands, jumping with excitement. In the grand hall, guests held champagne flutes while Evelyn sat at the main table. Suddenly, the ballroom doors swung open. Blake walked in, holding hands with a woman. It was Vanessa, his ex-girlfriend. Beside her was a little boy, about five or six years old, who bore a striking resemblance to Blake. My mind went blank. “Ladies and gentlemen,” Blake took the microphone, walking to the front. “On my daughter’s birthday, I have an announcement to make.” My heart was about to burst out of my chest. Something wasn’t right. “This is Vanessa, my first love. And this boy is my biological son.” The room erupted into chaos. I stood there, my mind completely blank. “Blake, what are you saying?” I rushed forward, my voice trembling. He smirked and pulled out a report from his pocket, throwing it in my face. “Take a look at this.” With shaking hands, I picked up the report. It was a medical diagnosis stating: Natalie, congenital fallopian tube malformation, unable to conceive naturally. “This is impossible!” I cried out. “Impossible? The evidence is right here.” Blake pointed at our confused daughter. “And her? Where did you pick up this bastard child?” Guests began to whisper. “I always thought Emma didn’t look like Mr. Chen at all.” “Oh my God, Natalie actually…” “Poor Mr. Chen…” Their judgmental looks cut into me like knives. Emma ran over and hugged my leg. “Mommy, what are they saying?” I crouched down to hug her, tears streaming down my face. Blake threw another document at me. “Divorce papers. Sign them and leave with Emma. Don’t take anything else.” “You’re insane! Emma is your daughter!” “My daughter?” He laughed maniacally. “How can an infertile woman have a daughter? Sign it, before I make you.” I looked towards Evelyn in the crowd. “Mom, say something!” But Evelyn remained seated, her face expressionless, her eyes lingering on Blake for a long time. My heart sank completely. Even Evelyn didn’t believe me.

My hand trembled as I held the pen. The divorce papers felt like a branding iron. If I signed them, I’d lose everything. Four years of marriage, a child, all reduced to nothing. “Sign it!” Blake sneered, urging me on. “What are you waiting for?” The guests formed a circle around us, watching like it was a show. Some whispered among themselves. “Always said she wasn’t good enough for Mr. Chen.” “Now the truth’s out. The child isn’t even his.” “How shameless, lying for all these years.” Each word cut into my heart like a knife. I gritted my teeth, the pen shaking as it neared the paper. Suddenly, a hand snatched the papers away. Rip! The papers were torn to shreds, fluttering to the ground. I froze. It was Evelyn. She stood in front of me, her face expressionless, her eyes cold and sharp. “Mom?” Blake stared at her in shock. Slap! A resounding slap landed on Blake’s face. The room fell silent. Everyone stared wide-eyed. Evelyn’s voice was ice-cold. “My granddaughter. How dare you question her?” Blake held his cheek, disbelieving. “Mom, you hit me? For a bastard child?” A warmth surged through me. Evelyn was standing up for me. She believed me. But her next words sent a chill down my spine. “Take the young madam and Miss Emma back to the old house,” she ordered her bodyguards. “No one is to see them without my permission.” What? The bodyguards approached me, their movements gentle but leaving no room for refusal. “Madam, please.” I was lifted up, holding a frightened Emma in my arms. “Mommy, where are we going?” Emma asked softly. I couldn’t speak. Looking back, I saw Blake glaring at me venomously. Vanessa stood nearby with the boy, a smug smile on her face. The guests continued to gossip. “What is the old madam thinking?” “Locking Natalie away?” “Could she actually be innocent?” My mind was in chaos. What was Evelyn’s intention? Did she believe me, or was she just protecting the Chen family’s reputation? The car started moving. Through the window, I watched the hotel grow distant. It held four years of memories, now all turned into a nightmare. Emma leaned against me, her little hands clutching my clothes tightly. “Mommy, I’m scared.” I stroked her hair gently. “Don’t be afraid, Mommy’s here.” But I had no idea what would happen next. That slap from Evelyn, what was it really for? Did she truly believe Emma was her granddaughter? Or did she have other motives? The car pulled into the old Chen family mansion. This grand, traditional house was once my safe haven. Now it felt like a prison. The bodyguard respectfully opened the door for me. “Madam, the old madam is waiting for you in the study.” I got out of the car, holding Emma. The night wind was cold, making me shiver. I wasn’t sure if it was the weather or fear. The light in the study was on. Evelyn stood by the window, her back to me. “Mom,” I called softly. She turned around, her face unreadable. “Sit.” I sat down with Emma, my heart pounding. “Natalie, do you find today’s events strange?” Evelyn asked. I nodded. “Did you look at that medical report?” “I did,” I said quietly. “But I really don’t know…” “I know,” Evelyn interrupted me. “Because that report is fake.” What? I looked up sharply. Evelyn’s expression suddenly became complex. “Natalie, it’s time I told you some things.”

She walked to the desk and pulled out a yellowed file from a deep drawer. Opening the folder, there was an old photograph inside. The man in the photo bore a slight resemblance to Blake, but his eyes were much kinder. “This is my real son, Ryan,” Evelyn said. What? I stared, wide-eyed. “Twenty years ago, he was killed by business rivals. To stabilize the company, I adopted Blake from an orphanage and fabricated his identity.” My mind was reeling. Blake wasn’t her real son? “But Mom, what does this have to do with me?” I asked, confused. Evelyn didn’t answer directly. Instead, she took off a phoenix jade pendant from around her neck. The pendant was smooth as water, exquisitely carved, gleaming softly in the lamplight. “This is the Chen family’s blood heirloom. Only a female descendant of the Chen family can activate it.” I was even more puzzled. “Activate?” “This pendant contains the key to a Swiss bank account. Half of the Chen family’s assets are there.” Her words sent a shock through me. “But I’m not part of the Chen family.” Evelyn looked at Emma in my arms, her gaze softening. “But Emma is.” My blood froze. “What do you mean?” “Natalie, I must tell you the truth. Before Ryan’s car accident, I had his sperm frozen.” Oh God. I hugged Emma tighter. “You mean…” “Emma is my real granddaughter. She’s Ryan’s daughter.” Boom! I felt like the whole world was spinning. Emma wasn’t Blake’s daughter? She was the daughter of Evelyn’s deceased son? “So you had me marry Blake just to…” “To allow my true granddaughter to be born,” Evelyn nodded. “I needed a healthy woman to carry the pregnancy. You were suitable.” My shock turned to anger. “So I was just a tool? A surrogate?” “Natalie, listen to me…” “No!” I stood up. “You’ve all been lying to me! I thought I was part of this family, but I’m just an outsider!” Emma was frightened by my outburst and started crying. Evelyn came over, trying to take Emma. “Don’t touch her!” I stepped back. “Since you’ve got what you wanted, why not let us leave?” “Because Emma needs the Chen family’s protection,” Evelyn said gravely. “The people who killed Ryan are still alive. If they discover Emma’s existence, they’ll come after her.” My anger instantly turned to fear. “Who are these people?” “The masterminds behind that business war twenty years ago. They’ve been searching for the Chen family’s core assets all this time.” Evelyn walked to the window, her silhouette looking old and tired. “I pretended to believe in Blake to protect Emma. If outsiders knew her true identity, her life would be in danger.” I felt dizzy. “So what do we do now?” “I’ll drive Blake out of the Chen family. Today’s events might mean he’s figured something out.” Evelyn turned around, her eyes flashing coldly. “He’s no longer useful, but it’s best if you take action yourself.” “You need to grow, to have the ability to protect your daughter.” I looked at her, suddenly understanding something. “You slapping him today, tearing up the divorce papers, it wasn’t to protect me. It was to protect Emma.” Evelyn didn’t deny it. “Natalie, I don’t expect you to forgive me. But Emma is innocent. She needs the Chen family’s protection.” I looked down at my daughter in my arms. She was sleeping peacefully, her little cheeks rosy. This child wasn’t Blake’s daughter after all. She was another man’s daughter. A man I’d never met. “I want to see Ryan’s photos,” I said softly. Evelyn nodded and took out an album from a drawer. Opening the first page, I saw a kind-looking, handsome man. He was holding a baby, smiling brightly. “This is Ryan as a child with his father,” Evelyn said. I continued flipping through. The photos showed the man growing from a baby to a young adult, his eyes always warm. “What kind of person was he?” “Kind, intelligent, responsible,” Evelyn’s voice was nostalgic. “If he were still alive, the Chen family wouldn’t be like this now.” I closed the album, my emotions a mix of confusion and sadness.

That afternoon, Evelyn handed me the evidence. A thick stack of documents recording Blake’s underhanded moves in the company over the years. Transfers, project approvals, each one traceable. “He’s been pushing an overseas mining project recently,” Evelyn pointed to one page. “On the surface, it’s a normal investment, but he’s actually trying to move company funds overseas.” I flipped through the documents, my fingers trembling slightly. This man’s ambitions were greater than I’d imagined. “I’ve given you access to the CEO’s office,” Evelyn handed me a card. “He’s working late tonight. Go see what you can find.” At 8 PM, I arrived at the company. The elevator went straight to the top floor. I swiped the card to enter the CEO’s office, my heart racing. Low voices came from inside. I held my breath and pressed my ear to the door. “Is everything arranged for the DNA report?” Blake asked. “Don’t worry, it’s all taken care of at the hospital,” Vanessa replied smugly. “Once the report comes out, the old lady will have to acknowledge my son’s status.” My blood froze for a moment. So Vanessa’s son wasn’t Blake’s at all! “Does that kid really look like me?” Blake asked. “The features don’t match, but the build is similar. Besides, the old lady’s eyesight isn’t great.” Vanessa laughed confidently. “Once she accepts her grandson, won’t the Chen family fortune be ours?” Blake laughed. “You’re so clever.” I quietly took out a mini camera from my bag and aimed it through the crack in the door. In the lens, the two embraced, Blake’s hands roaming over Vanessa’s body. “Once the old lady dies, we can be together openly,” Vanessa purred. “She’s so healthy, who knows how long we’ll have to wait,” Blake said impatiently. Just then, Blake’s phone rang. “Hello, Lawyer Wang,” he answered. I pricked up my ears to listen carefully. “Did you get Evelyn’s medical report?” Blake walked to the window. “What? Nothing wrong with her health?” My heart tightened. “Then create a problem. Find some doctors to certify she has symptoms of dementia.” Blake’s voice was terrifyingly cold. “Yes, say she’s mentally unfit to manage the company.” Oh God! This beast was planning to frame Evelyn!

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The day I went into premature labor, James was celebrating his first love’s birthday. After I almost died from hemorrhaging, he coldly said: “Let’s get divorced. Since we lost the baby, there’s no point in staying together.” He didn’t know our child was in the NICU under observation. Three years later. James stared at the son holding my hand. He panicked. The day I found out I was pregnant, I was excitedly planning to go home and tell James. However, when I eagerly pushed open the door, I saw James tenderly embracing Sophia and whispering to her. The man who was always cold and distant with me was now smiling in a way I’d never seen before. They sat side by side on the couch I had carefully chosen for our home. Their tightly clasped hands made my excitement feel like the cruelest joke. I froze in place, my elbow accidentally hitting the doorframe. The loud thud finally made the two engrossed in conversation notice my presence. They turned to look at me simultaneously, both their expressions changing. Sophia instinctively pulled her hand from James’ grasp. She stood up from the couch, her intertwined fingers betraying her panic and unease. However, I only gave her hesitant face a brief glance. Looking away, I calmly gazed at James. The man now had his arms crossed, looking at me with an unpleasant expression. “You shouldn’t be home now.” I silently laughed to myself. Right. Normally at this time, I should be at the office handling work for him. But today, halfway through work, I suddenly felt short of breath and nauseous. After enduring it for a while with no relief, my lower abdomen started cramping. Not daring to delay, I immediately had my assistant take me to the hospital. After a series of examinations, the doctor told me I was already two months pregnant. Because of my poor health and overwork, I was now showing signs of threatened miscarriage. It took quite a bit of effort at the hospital to stabilize the pregnancy. Looking at the “2 months pregnant” on the report, I finally felt belated happiness. My first thought was to tell James this news. Because I knew he had always wanted a child. But I never expected Sophia would be back. The woman James had loved since childhood. The woman who…had married someone else but remained an indelible obsession in James’ heart.

I closed the bedroom door and calmly walked over to them. Sophia grabbed my hand, tearfully trying to explain. “Lily, I just got divorced. James was only comforting me, don’t misunderstand.” I silently let her hold my hand, my gaze lowering slightly to her snow-white arm. So she was divorced. No wonder. No wonder James had been leaving early and coming home late lately, too busy to even care about his own company. I let out a soft laugh, feeling indescribably desolate inside. In two years of marriage, James had never taken a day off work to spend time with me. But it turns out it wasn’t because he was a workaholic by nature, just that I wasn’t worth him pausing for. These two years, to have more time with him, I had voluntarily taken on the company’s business. I accompanied him working overtime, attended social events with him. I was even pregnant now and nearly miscarried because I was so busy with work. And now, he was with Sophia while I endured the pain of medical exams alone. He had even brought her back to our marital home, openly holding hands with her. I felt like crying, but also felt I deserved this. Who told me to marry him knowing he always liked Sophia? Who told me to…start liking him ten years ago? Taking a deep breath, I felt my lower abdomen start to cramp again. Silently clutching the test results in my pocket, I forced a smile at Sophia. “It’s fine, I don’t misunderstand.” Turning around, I handed the test results to James. James looked at me with dark eyes, but didn’t reach out to take it. I shrugged, feigning nonchalance: “You’re going to be a father.” James’ eyes flickered, and he finally took the thin A4 paper. He quickly scanned the test results. After a while, he calmly looked up and said to me without any emotion: “Go tell Grandpa the good news tomorrow. Don’t go to the office these next few months, just stay home and take care of the pregnancy.” Sophia also leaned over to look at the test results. Then, she put on an expression of pleasant surprise and looked at me with shining eyes. “Lily, you’re going to be a mom?! Congratulations!” I didn’t miss how she deliberately omitted James’ role. But seeing James’ indulgent look, I could only swallow my words. I smiled at her and softly said: “Thank you.”

The next day, I went with James to see his grandfather and tell him about my pregnancy. For the next period of time, I stayed home to take care of the pregnancy. During my pregnancy, I didn’t see Sophia again. James also didn’t mention her in front of me, so I deluded myself into ignoring his gentle eyes when he made phone calls on the balcony every night. My body had many health issues from birth, so this pregnancy was not stable. By seven months, my whole body had lost weight except for my belly. That day, I wanted to bring coffee to James who was working in the study. But when I waddled to the study door with my big belly, I heard his pleasant voice saying tenderly: “What do you want for your birthday? Shall I take you to the South Islands?” My hand holding the coffee shook, and the cup fell to the floor. There was a loud crash as the ceramic mug shattered. James finally looked up, his lips tightening slightly when he saw me standing in the doorway. After softly reassuring Sophia, he hung up the phone and quickly walked over to me. He held my arm, carefully leading me around the spilled coffee and ceramic shards. Bringing me to sit on the couch in the study, he asked in a low voice: “Are you hurt?” I instinctively shook my head, but thinking of the phone call I just overheard, I couldn’t help grabbing his sleeve. “You just…” I bit my lip, hesitating before asking. “Who were you just on the phone with?” James’ brows furrowed instantly. But very quickly, he relaxed again and looked into my eyes, saying very frankly: “Sophia.” “It’s her birthday next Wednesday, I was asking if she wanted any gifts.” My suspicions were confirmed, and for a moment I felt short of breath. Perhaps due to pregnancy hormones, I clearly felt my emotions spiraling out of control. Gripping his arm tighter, I said softly: “Can you not spend her birthday with her? I…I’m a bit scared being home alone.” But as soon as I finished speaking, James’ face changed instantly. He pried my hand off his arm without mercy, his gaze cold and gloomy as he said: “Lily, you’ve crossed the line.”

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Five years ago, I fell into a deep coma after a car accident that killed both my parents. When I finally woke up, I discovered that the person responsible for the accident was the one closest to me. By then, my daughter was living in squalor, eating leftovers, and being bullied by the household staff. My husband had long since found a new love and was tormenting me day and night, trying to force me to hand over the family business. Watching them act like a happy family of three, I secretly contacted my childhood friend, Ethan Brooks, the heir to a powerful family in the city! On the day of my ex-husband’s wedding, I showed up with Ethan and my daughter, shocking the entire city… I had been in a coma for five years, one month, and three days. While I was still unconscious, I vaguely sensed someone entering the room. From the sound, I realized it was my daughter, Lily. Lily held my hand and called out, “Mommy, I wish you could wake up and play with me. All the other kids have their moms with them.” Just as I wanted to open my eyes and tell her, “Mommy misses you too, Lily, my sweet girl,” the door was kicked open. “You little brat, who told you to come here? What, you think you can wake this worthless woman up?” a woman’s voice snarled. The woman grabbed Lily’s ear and berated her. I recognized the voice—it was Rachel Cole, the daughter of Mr. Cole, our former household manager. She used to be one of my closest friends, but before the accident, I discovered that she had been conspiring with her father to harm me. Lily broke free from Rachel’s grip and bit her arm before standing protectively in front of my bed. “You bad woman, don’t come near my mommy!” Rachel shoved Lily to the ground and slapped her repeatedly. “You little brat, how dare you bite me! I’ll beat you to death!” Lily wailed, her cries piercing my ears and stimulating my nerves. “Mommy, save me! Waaah!” “Mommy, this bad woman is going to kill me! If Lily dies, I’ll never see you again!” I struggled desperately to open my eyes. In my mind, I saw myself getting up and rushing over to save my Lily. But my body wouldn’t obey, lying motionless on the bed as if trapped in an endless nightmare. I was frantic with worry. When Rachel tired of hitting Lily, she called Mrs. Wilson to drag her out. “Mrs. Wilson, throw this little brat in the dog kennel and don’t feed her for three days!” Mrs. Wilson nodded and dragged my daughter away. The room suddenly fell silent. But I was still fighting to open my eyes, trying to regain control of my body. Rachel slowly approached me. I could feel her footsteps getting closer. When she leaned in, she placed a hand on my face, her voice dripping with sarcasm and contempt. “Well, well, Miss Shaw, you’re quite the survivor. Five years as a vegetable, and not only are you not dead, but your skin is even more radiant!” Suddenly, Rachel’s hands wrapped around my throat, her face twisted with rage. “Why were you born beautiful, with flawless skin and a privileged background? Why am I just a servant’s daughter, plain-looking and unwanted? Ah, I’ll strangle you to death!” Rachel squeezed my throat. I felt my breathing becoming labored. I wanted to struggle, but as the air in my lungs was nearly depleted, my consciousness began to fade. Just as I thought Rachel would choke me to death, a familiar voice stopped her. “What are you doing?” It was my husband, Derek Grant. He had arrived! Rachel abruptly stopped, her expression and voice suddenly turning gentle. “I saw that Olivia looked pitiful lying here, so I came to check on her and see if there was anything I could do to help!” Derek’s voice softened. “Rachel, don’t do anything rash right now. After all, she’s still the heir to Shaw Enterprises.” Rachel walked over and clung to Derek’s arm. “I’ll do whatever you say, darling!” As soon as she finished speaking, Rachel kissed Derek’s lips. Derek pushed her against the wall. “You’re very sexy today, and quite forward!” Rachel giggled seductively. “Of course. We’ve tried the kitchen, bathroom, and balcony, but never in front of your wife. Derek, don’t talk, just kiss me…” Derek’s breathing grew heavy as he embraced Rachel and began kissing her passionately…

Then came the rustling sound of clothes falling to the floor, mixed with their sounds of pleasure. The room was filled with their passion, but my heart sank to the depths. I couldn’t believe that my husband had betrayed me, and even more unbelievable was that the object of his betrayal was the daughter of our family’s servant. At this moment, I couldn’t help but wonder if Derek was involved in the car accident five years ago that had claimed my parents’ lives and left me paralyzed in bed. Remembering the tragic state of my parents when they died, my heart felt like it was being stabbed. The pain was so intense that I could barely breathe, and tears began to flow from the corners of my eyes. Fortunately, they didn’t notice my reaction. Apparently feeling uncomfortable, Derek picked up Rachel. “Let’s go to the bedroom next door. Tonight, you’d better perform well!” After they left, I suddenly opened my eyes, gasping for air. My consciousness had finally regained control of my body. As the cold air filled my lungs, my mind gradually awakened. I tried to lift my arm. Although my eyes were open and I could see everything in the room, my arms didn’t quite obey me. They would lift halfway and then fall back down. After several attempts, my arms, which had been paralyzed for five years, finally regained some mobility. Unfortunately, my neck could only maintain a tilted angle and couldn’t turn, while my legs remained completely numb. I slapped my legs, but I couldn’t feel any pain. I realized that even though I had woken up, I might be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of my life. I forced myself to calm down quickly and analyze my current situation. If Derek and Rachel found out I had recovered, they would undoubtedly try to force me to hand over the Shaw family business and then kill me by any means necessary. For now, my priorities were: first, not to let Rachel and the others discover that I had regained consciousness; second, to find a way to contact Ethan, the only person I could trust now. Ethan and I grew up together in the city. His family was in the medical business, while ours was in construction. Although our families were in different industries, our parents were close friends and even arranged for us to be married when we were children. But I couldn’t stand his spoiled, arrogant rich kid attitude, even though he had the face of a male celebrity. I just didn’t think he was my type. Of course, he seemed to feel the same way about me. Later, I fell in love with Derek Grant, who had nothing but was hardworking and ambitious—the typical rags-to-riches story. Now, I admit I misjudged him. If I could choose again, I would never pick this ungrateful beast. Otherwise, my parents wouldn’t have died in that car crash. Otherwise, my daughter wouldn’t be suffering abuse. And I wouldn’t have become a coma patient, lying motionless in bed, at the mercy of others! The more I thought about it, the more angry I became. Using my arms to support myself on the bed, I rolled onto the floor and crawled to a hidden compartment at the foot of the bed. I quickly retrieved an old phone I had discarded and plugged it into the charger. Just as I was about to climb back into bed, I suddenly heard voices from downstairs. I heard Lily’s cries for help, and I immediately crawled towards the door. “Lily!” I crawled to the top of the stairs and saw Mrs. Wilson holding Lily down on her hands and knees, while a chubby little boy clapped his hands excitedly nearby. Afraid of being discovered and killed by Rachel, I could only cover my mouth and watch helplessly. After my daughter was forced onto her hands and knees, the chubby boy climbed onto her back. “Lily is our family’s little wild dog, haha, this is so fun! Giddy up, giddy up!” I guessed this chubby boy was the illegitimate son of Rachel and Derek. Sure enough, Mrs. Wilson said, “Young master, you play with this little brat for now. I’ll go make you something delicious to eat!” The chubby boy climbed and hit my daughter’s back. I wanted nothing more than to rush over and slap him hard. After Mrs. Wilson left, Lily angrily threw the chubby boy off her back. “You’re just a pig head! If you bully me again, when my mom wakes up, she won’t let you off easy!” The chubby boy got up, glaring at my daughter angrily. He raised his hand, about to slap her! “Stop!” I couldn’t bear it any longer and shouted in anger. But when the chubby boy saw my fierce expression as I lay on the ground, he froze in terror.

“You’re… you’re a ghost!” The chubby boy fainted from fright. Lily ran up the stairs step by step and threw herself into my arms. “Mommy, you’re finally awake!” Tears streamed down my face as I stroked my daughter’s cheek. “From now on, Mommy’s here. No one will dare bully you again!” Lily said obediently, “Mommy, let me help you back to your room!” Knowing this wasn’t a safe place to stay, I quickly moved back to my room with Lily’s help. After lying down, I looked at Lily seriously. “Lily, remember what Mommy says. Don’t trust anyone in this house. Wait for Mommy to rescue you.” Lily nodded obediently. “Mommy, I know. Everyone here is bad. Even Daddy doesn’t feed me!” My daughter’s casual remark broke my heart, and I clenched my fists tightly! During the five years I was in a coma, my Lily must have suffered so much. Derek, that beast, didn’t even take care of his own daughter. He was worse than an animal! I stroked my daughter’s hair, comforting her before sending her back. I instructed her to pretend she didn’t know I had woken up. “Mommy, Lily is a little scared!” I looked into her eyes and said, “Lily, after Mommy avenges your grandparents, we’ll never be separated again!” Lily hugged me before reluctantly returning to her room. I picked up the phone on the bedside table and dialed a familiar number from memory. A very lazy voice came from the other end of the line. “Hello, who is this?” I tried to control my emotions as I called out, “Ethan, it’s me!” Ethan Brooks was my childhood friend who grew up with me in the city. We were so close that we used to share candy apples. Perhaps because we were too familiar with each other, having grown up together, I only felt a sibling or close friend relationship with him, not romantic love. When I first fell for Derek, Ethan warned me that Derek wasn’t a good man and urged me to reconsider carefully. Even then, he had seen through Derek’s character, but I wouldn’t listen. Even when my parents objected to him, I didn’t care. I was determined to marry Derek! So I, the heiress of Shaw Enterprises, married Derek Grant, who was just a low-level employee at the time. After we married, Derek was devoted to me. But I never imagined that he was secretly conspiring with the household manager to harm my parents, intending to seize Shaw Enterprises and even kill me! Now that I think about it, I was truly blind. I didn’t cherish the good man in front of me and instead chose a complete wolf in sheep’s clothing. Ethan’s voice immediately became excited. “Olivia, you’ve finally contacted me!” I took a deep breath. “Ethan, the ones who killed my parents are likely Derek and Rachel. Can you help me investigate and gather evidence against them… I want them to pay for their crimes in blood!” Before Ethan could respond, I heard footsteps outside. My heart sank—someone was coming! I quickly hid the phone under my pillow. My legs still hadn’t regained feeling. If Rachel and the others found out, I would surely die. Rachel pushed the door open, followed by Mr. Cole and the chubby boy who had seen me earlier. Mrs. Wilson came in from outside carrying a basin of cold water. Rachel gave her a look, and she slowly approached me. Rachel pretended to be gentle and asked, “Sister Olivia, are you awake?” I closed my eyes and remained motionless. Rachel waved her hand, and Mrs. Wilson lifted the basin of water and poured it over me…

The cold water splashed on my face, and I almost couldn’t help but open my eyes. Seeing that I still didn’t move, Rachel turned to look at the chubby boy. “Feixiang! You’re being naughty again. How could this useless woman possibly wake up!” The chubby boy shouted, “Mommy, if you don’t believe me, you can ask Lily. She saw it too!” Rachel glanced at me before preparing to take Mr. Cole and the others to find Lily. I wasn’t sure if Lily had returned to her kennel, and if they went now, she would inevitably suffer a beating. No, I had to buy Lily some time! I suddenly opened my eyes, my body involuntarily convulsing. Mr. Cole and the others, who were about to turn around, saw me open my eyes and were too shocked to speak. “She’s awake, she’s awake!” Mr. Cole pointed at me, his emotions running high. Rachel hadn’t reacted yet and teased Mr. Cole, “Dad, why are you being as mischievous as a child? This stinking woman has been paralyzed for five years. How could she possibly…” Rachel suddenly turned around, her eyes widening as they met mine. “How is this possible? This can’t be! Quick, go call Derek!” Soon after, I was helped into a wheelchair by Mrs. Wilson. Derek, still wearing his pajamas and looking half-asleep, was called by Mrs. Wilson. Derek pretended to caress my hand affectionately. “Olivia, you’re really awake. That’s wonderful!” I secretly pulled my hand away, my head deliberately tilted. I pointed at Derek, unable to speak, making only “mmm” sounds. If I didn’t do this, Derek’s cautious nature would surely keep me under strict surveillance. The reason I pretended to be unable to speak was to make them lower their guard. Derek and the others exchanged glances before understanding my condition. Although I had woken up and opened my eyes, and my arms had regained mobility, my speech function and legs hadn’t recovered. I was basically in a semi-paralyzed state. Derek and the others secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Rachel also pretended to hold my hand. “Sister Olivia, don’t worry. As long as the Shaw family has food to eat, you’ll have food to eat. We’ll take good care of you!” At this moment, Mr. Cole inappropriately asked Derek, “Derek, now that Olivia has woken up, will you and Rachel still get married tomorrow?” Derek glanced at him, then looked at me and said, “Olivia, you won’t blame me for marrying Rachel, will you? Don’t worry, we’ll all be family from now on. Even if I marry Rachel, I definitely won’t abandon you!” I secretly scoffed. The Qing Dynasty fell over a hundred years ago. What, are you trying to bring back polygamy here? Seeing my expression, Derek changed his tone. “I’ve already drafted our divorce agreement. As for some property division issues, as long as you sign this agreement, you can find someone you love after you recover.” I laughed coldly in my heart. What exactly did this beast take me for? Did he think I would go along with his schemes, without principles or bottom line like him? Rachel added a comment that made me even angrier. “Sister Olivia, why don’t you just transfer Shaw Enterprises to our Derek? After all, we’re family. We’ll ensure that you and your daughter live in luxury for the rest of your lives!” I coldly watched them perform like clowns in front of me. If I’m not mistaken, these lowly servants and ordinary people wouldn’t have today’s wealth and status without my support. These ungrateful wretches, they’re finally showing their true colors, aren’t they? If I really handed Shaw Enterprises over to them, what awaited me would surely be a miserable fate. I probably wouldn’t live long enough to follow my parents! I’m not afraid of death, but what about my daughter if I die! If I die, won’t this vast family fortune fall entirely into Derek’s hands? In the future, he’ll live in my house, spend my money, and enjoy life with other women? Even if I’m in the underworld, seeing this beast living so comfortably would make me angry enough to crawl out of my grave. I didn’t respond to them. Derek and the others probably didn’t know what to do with me. After Mrs. Wilson changed my bedding, they all went back to sleep. I secretly wiped away cold sweat. Fortunately, while they were calling Derek, I had hidden the phone in a secret compartment in the headboard. If Mrs. Wilson had found the phone, I would have been completely exposed. If they knew I had contacted Ethan, I probably wouldn’t survive the night. Lying in bed, I thought about my next move. But before I could figure it all out, something happened to Lily!

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Quinn has skin hunger syndrome but never touches me.
He says it’s because he loves me too much to hurt me.
I believed him.
But in private, he embraces his true love without hesitation, saying,
”The sorcerer said that without that pearl, she’s no different from ordinary people. Why should I care about her?”
”She’s just a fox spirit. Isn’t it disgusting to touch her? My skin hunger can only be satisfied by our dear Sophia.”
Everyone thought I would continue to endure, just because he is my immortal love I’ve searched for over a thousand years.
But I acted out of character, not crying or making a fuss.
On the eve of his wedding, I vowed never to see him again in this life and returned to my magical realm.
Who knew that a year later, he would travel thousands of miles to my realm, kneeling and begging me to return to his side.
”Quinn, I don’t want children anymore. Please, just hold me.” With the rapid development of modern technology, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth has become scarce.
No new magical creatures have been born since the founding of the country.
So now magical beings are in decline, with only a few thousand-year-old great spirits still existing in the world.
But I had no awareness of shouldering the mission of reviving our kind, indulging in love instead.
I wanted to be with my immortal love Lucas forever, just because I had waited for him for a thousand years.
For him, I cut off contact with my clan, willing to become an ordinary person mingling in modern society.
He never touched me, but he told me he wanted to have a child.
To fulfill his wish to be a father, I disregarded the reproductive barrier between humans and magical beings. I found a witch doctor and exchanged half of my remaining soul to get a body that could conceive offspring with humans.
Because I loved him.

The morning I learned online that he was about to marry Sophia, I hurriedly left my rented apartment, wanting to find him for an explanation.
He had just promised me not long ago.
As long as I was willing to give up my soul pearl to save Sophia, he would marry me.
The vow of “Willing to get my true love, never to part till old age” was still ringing in my ears.
Although I had lost all my magical powers, my physical skills remained.
I effortlessly dodged through the crowd, shuttling between high-rise buildings to his villa.
Standing at the door, I had just pushed it open a crack when I saw him holding Sophia in his arms, pinching her face with an affectionate expression.
”Alright, still throwing a tantrum? I’ve said that my wife can only be our dear Sophia.”
”She’s just a useless creature who can’t even have children. She doesn’t even have a modern identity. Who would marry her?”
Sophia pushed away his hand and pouted, “Who knows if that witch will whisper sweet nothings in your ear and make you change your mind?”
”After all, someone used her to get rid of all the competitors and climb to this position.”
The man who used to forbid everyone from discussing this matter, and would become furious if anyone mentioned it, was now not angry at all.
He coaxed gently, “I used her for the sake of us and our child.”
”That Quinn is so stupid. I casually said I would marry her, and she foolishly handed over her soul pearl.”
”The sorcerer said that without that pearl, she’s no different from ordinary people. Why should I care about her?”
”She’s just a fox spirit. Isn’t it disgusting to touch her? My skin hunger can only be satisfied by our dear Sophia.” As he spoke, he hugged her tightly, his hands roaming inappropriately.
Seeing his shameless behavior, Sophia giggled coyly, “Lucas, you’re so bad.”
I was certain Lucas knew I was there because he was looking directly into my eyes as he said it, the corners of his mouth curling into a malicious arc.
He was deliberately saying it for me to hear, revealing his true colors to me.

I could no longer bear to hear the sounds of the couple’s flirting and playing.
So, it turns out he never touched me because I was a magical being.
He found me disgusting.
If that’s the case, why didn’t he just say so? No matter how painful it would be, I wouldn’t have humiliated myself. I would have left.
I wandered away in a daze, bumping into a maid.
I looked up at the newcomer.
It was Sophia’s personal maid, who was also her good friend.
She was holding a snow-white cat, with a haughty expression.
When she saw it was me, she looked at me with disdain and sneered, “Oh, it’s Miss Quinn. Sorry, I bumped into you.”
After saying that, she nodded perfunctorily at me.
In the past, as Lucas’s vice president, I had schemed for him and acted as his pawn to clear obstacles for him.
Now that he was firmly seated in a high position, these two roles of mine were not of much use to him anymore.
So he suggested removing my position, letting me stay by his side to bear children for him.
Out of trust in him, I agreed.
So, in the eyes of most people, I was just a nameless orphan girl of unknown origin.
Except for my former subordinates, not many people respected me.
Moreover, to satisfy his desire to be a father, I disregarded the reproductive barrier between humans and magical beings. I found a witch doctor and endured a year of soul-stripping pain, only succeeding today.
Originally, I wanted to tell him this good news this morning.
I was too emotionally confused to care about her rudeness.
I tried to walk past her.
But she didn’t intend to let me go, blocking my path.
She held up the cat in her hands and brought it close to my face, her eyes flashing with malice.
”Don’t go, Miss Fox. Look, this is the pet Mr. Lucas gave to our dear Sophia.”
”I specially brought it out for a walk today.”
I knew what she meant. She just wanted to show off Lucas’s love for Sophia and make me see the situation clearly.
This kind of inexplicable malice from humans is sometimes truly incomprehensible to magical beings.
If I didn’t go along with her, I was afraid she would pester me for a long time.
I prepared to humor her and praise the cat a few times before leaving.
Just as I was about to open my mouth to look at the cat, I froze.

The kitten opened its round, big eyes and affectionately reached out its chubby paw towards me.
Perhaps it sensed that we were both feline creatures.
The red silk ribbon fluttering around its neck caught all my attention.
That ribbon was the one I had given to Lucas.
A thousand years ago, Lucas’s previous life, Luke, had saved me when I was on the verge of death, being hunted by spirit hunters.
At that time, I was a little fox who had just started cultivating and couldn’t transform into human form yet.
And he was just a sickly scholar.
Unlike the stories in novels where fox spirits repay kindness, I ended up causing his death.
In my memory, the meandering blood flowed from under him, staining the blood-red ribbon.
This ribbon, for me, was filled with warm and painful memories of the past, and also contained half of my soul.
The scene of the couple’s wanton mockery flashed through my mind again.
My nails were almost embedded in my palms, but I felt nothing.
He could use and humiliate me, he could marry someone else.
But he actually casually gave away the ribbon I had cherished for a thousand years!
He clearly knew what it meant to me!
My eyes gradually became deep and dark, as if they could suck people into hell.
The maid saw that I wasn’t speaking and secretly felt proud. She said as if unintentionally, “This ribbon, Mr. Lucas used to wear it every day, but he gave it to Sophia as soon as she asked.”
”You can see that Sophia is not like some…”
Before she could finish speaking, I calmly reached out my hand.
Then.
I grabbed her neck.
Too noisy, I didn’t like it.
I casually picked her up by the collar, ignoring her struggles, and threw her into the pool like throwing away garbage.
It didn’t matter if someone discovered it, there were no cameras here anyway.
The little cat in front of me seemed not to understand what had happened and came to my feet on all fours, rubbing against the hem of my skirt as if seeking attention.
I looked at it for a moment, silently picked it up, and left.

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I didn’t refuse when my husband proposed an unusual arrangement for our marriage. He wanted to split everything 50/50, from living expenses to having children. He even insisted I give birth to quadruplets – two boys and two girls. I agreed to his unreasonable demands for one simple reason: I’m a seahorse humanoid. Not only can I get pregnant, but I can also make men pregnant. The day before we got our marriage license, my boyfriend Ryan suddenly handed me a contract. “Let’s split everything 50/50 after we get married,” he said. “We’ll each pay half for the house, car, and daily expenses. We’ll even alternate days for housework.” “We’ll split all living costs, including raising kids. I won’t buy an engagement ring, and you don’t need to bring any dowry. We’ll just get the license, no ceremony.” I took the paper and skimmed it. It detailed the 50/50 arrangement, from major purchases like a house down to toothpaste. Even for having children, it clearly stated we should have four – preferably two boys and two girls, each of us raising two. This way, it would be fair for both of us. I frowned slightly at the paper, but before I could speak, Ryan continued: “Samantha, this is for your own good. Your family is well-off, but I’m an orphan. I don’t want people to think I’m with you for your family’s money.” “When couples keep finances clear, life goes more smoothly.” Ryan looked sincere, as if this decision was unavoidable. “I’m not disagreeing, but isn’t having four children at once a bit difficult?” I asked. Hearing my partial agreement, Ryan smiled. “I’ve already looked into it. With fertility drugs, multiple pregnancies are possible. If we don’t get four, we can try again. If we get more than four, we can reduce the number.” He talked about terminating pregnancies as casually as buying groceries. I was still concerned. “But carrying so many babies is really hard on the body. This 50/50 split doesn’t seem fair at all.” “Samantha, that’s not right. Don’t all women have children? Even without me, you’d be having kids for someone else,” Ryan argued. “I’m already being generous by proposing to split things. Many men expect the woman to have all the children and pay all the expenses, even for raising kids.” His face was flushed, as if I was getting some great deal. I made a troubled face. Seeing that being forceful wasn’t working, Ryan switched to an emotional appeal. He took my hand tenderly. “Samantha, don’t worry, I absolutely won’t let you suffer. Once you’re pregnant, I’ll take great care of you.” “You know how much I love you. If I could carry the babies myself, I definitely wouldn’t let you go through this.” Hearing this, I suddenly looked up. “What if you could get pregnant? Would you be willing to carry half the babies?” Ryan was stunned for a few seconds, then laughed. “If I could get pregnant, of course you’d carry two and I’d carry two.” I nodded. “Okay, then add that to the contract. For however many children I carry, you have to carry the same number.” Ryan thought I was just being childish, but he actually added it to the end of the contract. We signed two copies. After signing, I suddenly became cheerful. “Ryan, we agreed, okay? When the time comes, we’ll each carry our own babies. No one can terminate the pregnancies.” Ryan clapped and laughed loudly. “Samantha, you’re so cute. I’m a man, how could men possibly get pregnant?” How could they not? We male seahorse humanoids get pregnant. As times have changed, we’ve evolved. Now we can not only make men pregnant, but also get pregnant ourselves. So I thought Ryan was a genius for coming up with the idea to each carry half the babies. My parents originally didn’t like me marrying a human, thinking we wouldn’t have enough children with a human. But this was great – now we could have even more kids.

As agreed, we only got the marriage license without a ceremony. So the next day after getting licensed, Ryan helped me move all my things into our new house. The first thing Ryan did after we moved in was give me two small pills. “What are these?” I asked. “They’re fertility drugs. Baby, didn’t you forget we’re aiming for quadruplets?” I hadn’t forgotten, I just didn’t think Ryan would be in such a rush. I hesitated, “Isn’t it too much pressure to have kids right away?” After all, Ryan and I had just gotten married. We’d bought the car and house in cash, using up all my savings. Moreover, he wanted multiple babies, which would be extra taxing on the body. We seahorse humanoids get pregnant easily. Four babies in one pregnancy is no problem – we could even handle ten. But for humans, carrying so many would likely cause issues. Ryan patted his chest reassuringly. “It’s no problem, Samantha. It’s better to have kids early. If you wait until you’re older, it’ll be harder to recover after giving birth.” “But we can’t take care of them now – we both have to work. Who would watch the babies?” I pointed out. Ryan was an orphan; his parents had passed away when he was 18. According to him, we’d each take care of two children. He had no parents to help, so it would be hard to even rest after giving birth. I was about to try persuading him to reconsider. Ryan’s face darkened. “You’re not having second thoughts, are you? We’ll have to face these issues sooner or later. If you can’t solve them now, how will you solve them in the future?” Faced with his aggressive tone, I narrowed my eyes and agreed decisively: “Fine! Let’s do it then.” Hearing my words, Ryan became all smiles. He held out the pills. “Then take these, wife.” I didn’t take them. “I won’t take those. I’ve heard these drugs have side effects. I’ll ask my mom to prescribe something healthier.” My parents are both doctors, which Ryan knew. He thought for a moment. “That’s fine if you don’t take them, but you’ll have to pay me back for these pills I bought you.” His attitude made me uncomfortable. Even in our seahorse clan, there were no male seahorses who nitpicked like this. But thinking about how he was willing to carry four babies for me, I held back and asked the price, then transferred the money to him. I thought that would be the end of it, but Ryan started calculating other expenses with me. “Honey, you haven’t paid me for moving today.” I was surprised. “You want money for moving too?” Ryan acted like it was obvious: “You have so much stuff, hiring movers would cost at least $1000. I put in all that effort, so $500 should be enough.” He acted like I was getting a great deal, which both angered and amused me. I crossed my arms. “Is there anything else? Just tell me all at once instead of asking bit by bit.” Seeing how understanding I was, Ryan looked pleased. He opened his laptop and typed up an itemized list of expenses for me. As expected of an accountant, the list was shockingly detailed. He even calculated the cost of the A4 paper I was holding to two decimal places. I looked through it item by item, finally stopping at one charge in disbelief: “Ryan, are you that desperate for money? You’re charging me for making babies?” Ryan chuckled. “I’m putting in more effort for that, you know. Hiring someone outside would cost hundreds. I’m only charging you $5 – that’s a bargain.” “Of course, if you put in the effort, I’d pay you too.” Ryan was very handsome – I’d fallen for him at first sight. But even the most attractive face becomes disgusting when filled with calculation. I took out my phone and transferred the total amount. Ryan grinned so widely his eyes nearly disappeared. He kissed my cheek. “You’re the best, honey.” Then he started getting handsy with me. “Now I can provide my services.” I stopped him. “We’ve settled your accounts. Shouldn’t we settle mine now?”

Ryan froze. “What do you need to settle?” I grinned. “You broke one of my glass bottles while moving today. That bottle cost $2000, but $1000 is fine.” “What kind of glass bottle costs that much?” “It was handmade in Italy. If you don’t believe me, I’ll show you the receipt.” I found the receipt – it actually cost $2300. Ryan pouted, clearly unwilling to pay. “Honey, we’re family now. Do we really need to be so exact? I didn’t know the bottle was so expensive.” How ridiculous. He didn’t think we were family when he was charging me for paper, but now we’re suddenly family. I quoted his words back to him: “Honey, this is for your own good. When accounts are clear, life goes more smoothly.” Faced with my firm attitude, Ryan reluctantly transferred the money. Not only had he not made money, he’d lost quite a bit. I took the money, then climbed onto Ryan’s lap with a flirtatious smile. “Now you can service me, honey.” Ryan had just lost money and clearly wasn’t in the mood. But he couldn’t resist my persistent advances for long. Just as he was about to go further, I stopped him again. “Wait.” Ryan was confused. “Wait for what? You’re not going to charge me too, are you?” Look at this man. He was the one who first suggested charging for this, yet he got all sensitive when it was turned back on him. I’m not as petty as he is. I took out a small capsule. “Take this.” “What is it?” “Didn’t you agree to split the baby-carrying with me? This will let you get pregnant.” Ryan was impatient and started kissing me again. “Don’t joke around, honey. There’s no such thing as a pill to make men pregnant. Let’s get to business.” The more eager he was, the more I refused to let him touch me. Ryan had no choice but to swallow the capsule. “There, happy now?” His kisses landed on my body. “I know you’re upset about me suggesting we split everything. I’ll go along with you today, but don’t joke around with cold medicine in the future.” So Ryan thought I was just messing with him. He didn’t know that tiny capsule was our seahorse pregnancy sac. Once he swallowed it, the sac would implant in his belly and grow like a woman’s uterus. Two months later, I still hadn’t gotten my period. When I told Ryan I might be pregnant, he was so excited he started jumping around. He grabbed my hand, insisting we go to the hospital for a check-up. “Honey, my parents said if I’m pregnant, we should go to their hospital for discounted check-ups,” I said. According to our agreement, we’d split prenatal care costs. Hearing there was a discount, Ryan was even happier. When we got to my parents’ hospital and Ryan learned my parents were the directors, his jaw dropped in shock. “Samantha, didn’t you say your parents were doctors and you had a bunch of siblings, with you being the only girl?” I nodded. My parents were doctors, but they’d become so successful they’d opened their own hospital. And it was true we had a lot of kids in the family. Seahorses can have many offspring. I’m called Samantha because I’m my parents’ 39th child. The 38 before me are all brothers who don’t work. Ryan had always assumed my family must be poor after having so many boys. He thought I was the type to support my brothers, and would use his money to help my family. That’s why he insisted on splitting everything – he wanted to distance himself from my birth family. Seeing such a big enterprise, he looked regretful. “Why didn’t you tell me your family was so rich?” “You never asked.” I took Ryan straight to the OB/GYN department. My dad was an obstetrics specialist. We did an ultrasound. It didn’t take long for my dad to confirm. “You’re pregnant.” “How many?” Ryan asked eagerly. “Four.” Ryan asked again: “Boys or girls?” My dad shook his head. “It’s too early to tell.” Even though we didn’t know the genders, Ryan was overjoyed. He hugged me tightly. “You’re amazing, honey! It would be great if it’s two boys and two girls.” I nodded, then reminded him: “Honey, let my dad check you too. Didn’t you say your stomach hasn’t been feeling well lately?” Ryan had been feeling nauseous and having acid reflux the past few days. Learning my dad could check stomach issues too, Ryan lay down on the exam table. My dad pressed on his belly for a while, then gave his diagnosis. “Hmm, also four.”

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The year Gabriel Grant loved me the most. During evening study hall, I was accidentally locked in the pitch-black dormitory building. He stood outside the window, singing all night to comfort me. Later, on the day we were supposed to celebrate our anniversary. He abandoned me and rented out a bar. For a private concert dedicated to his childhood friend. Singing the love song he once wrote only for me. When I opened my eyes again, I was back in that night when I was trapped. A bucket of cold water poured down from the window. “Shut up, you sound terrible.” Today was supposed to be the day Gabriel Grant and I celebrated our anniversary. We had invited only our closest friends and family. I forced a smile on my face, wearing an uncomfortably tight dress and high heels. After bustling about for two hours and downing countless glasses of champagne, I didn’t even have time to drink water. Someone whispered quietly: “Tsk, the party’s almost over and the boyfriend is still nowhere to be seen. I feel so embarrassed for Chloe.” “Well, he is a big star now. It’s normal for her to put up with this.” “But this is too much. Who doesn’t show up to their own anniversary party?” They were right. This was a celebration without the other half of the couple. Because Gabriel Grant never showed up from beginning to end. I tried hard to suppress the churning in my stomach, my palms sweating as I kept calling Gabriel. Usually, even if he had a schedule, his manager would contact me in advance. But not today. There had been no word from him all day. More than anything else, I was worried something had happened to him. When it was over, my parents didn’t look too happy. Our family had always cared about face, so they never approved of my relationship with Gabriel from the start. “I really don’t know what you’re thinking, choosing someone like him. You’ve embarrassed our entire family.” Before leaving, my mom held my hand and said earnestly: “Chloe, you know best about your own feelings. It’s not too late to turn back now.” My eyes were moist, but I forced a smile. “Mom, Dad, Gabriel just had something urgent come up. I’ll bring him home another day, and you can scold him then.” After all the guests had left. I called Gabriel’s manager while stuffing leftover food into my mouth. Until the call was disconnected again due to no answer. I took a deep breath, staring blankly at the dark phone screen, my heart sinking heavily. My best friend Jenny Johnson walked over angrily and handed me her phone. “Look at this.”

It was a recorded livestream. In the dim stage light, Gabriel was singing passionately, while only one person’s silhouette could be seen in the empty VIP seats. And it was someone I knew all too well. Jenny’s tone was harsh, her hair almost crackling with anger: “This livestream has already topped the trending list. Now the whole world knows your boyfriend has a girlfriend.” “Chloe Adams, let’s go right now—” “Jenny.” I suddenly interrupted her, my gaze fixed on the screen that was replaying the loop, and said softly: “You know what?” “I was the first person to hear this song years ago.” That’s why I could overlook Gabriel’s repeated mistakes. Because he said this song was written for me. In those years when he was still unknown, he said I was the only listener he wanted to keep. Jenny fell silent for a moment, then took back the phone I was gripping tightly. “So what are you going to do now? The party’s over. Are you going to walk down the aisle alone next time too?” She shook my shoulders angrily: “Wake up! How long are you going to keep up this one-woman show?” I didn’t answer her, just forced myself to stand up. The anxiety that had been building all day finally subsided, leaving only one thought in my mind: At least nothing bad had happened to him. Wrapped in fatigue and discomfort, there was no room for excess emotions. I closed my eyes to calm myself, then sent Gabriel a final message: “What time are you coming home?”

It was already late by the time I finished dealing with the aftermath. I was packing up my clothes backstage. A hotel staff member caught up with me and handed me a thick envelope, saying it was left by a gentleman, along with a plastic bag containing a box of stomach medicine. I casually flipped through it. The envelope said “Happy Anniversary,” stuffed with thick wads of cash, signed only with the name Hughes. I froze for a few seconds, my throat tightening and my stomach suddenly aching as if in response. Before I could think too much about it, Jenny lowered the car window and called for me to get in. “Are you going to find Gabriel?” I closed the car door and shook my head: “Home.” From booking the hotel to everything else, I had been handling it all alone. At this point, I really didn’t have the energy left to go pick a fight. I swallowed a stomach pill and closed my eyes, feeling dizzy and heavy. It was almost ten when I got home. The whole apartment was dark. Clearly, no one had been back. I poured myself a glass of wine, sat by the window, and waited patiently second by second. I had never been this patient before. We moved in here two years ago. At that time, Gabriel had gained some fame with his new album. He often had obsessive fans secretly showing up at our door, so we were forced to move to this high-end neighborhood with better privacy. Clean, orderly, with a cold distance between people. So different from the cozy little nest we once furnished together. It wasn’t just the house we couldn’t go back to.

At two in the morning. The sound of someone entering the passcode finally came from outside the door. Gabriel was clearly startled to see me sitting by the window. The things in his hand fell to the ground with a thud. “Why aren’t you asleep yet?” He knew that in the past, even if he came home late, I would only wait until midnight. Not like today. I put down my wine glass and walked past him to turn on the living room lights. In an instant, the quiet space was as bright as day. Gabriel loosened his tie and casually tossed his suit jacket on the sofa, taking large strides towards me, wanting to hug me. I had a moment of dizziness. Even this suit he was supposed to wear to our anniversary was chosen by me. Yet he wore it to rush to someone else. “Are you tired?” he asked me coaxingly, bringing up the serious topic lightly. I quietly sniffed the alcohol on him and raised my hand to push him away. Gabriel didn’t let go, explaining with complete nonchalance: “I had something urgent come up today. I didn’t mean to miss it. Besides, our families have already met, so these formalities don’t really matter, right?” “It’s so late, can we not fight about this?” Seeing that I didn’t say anything, he suddenly seemed to remember something and turned to pick up the paper bag he had dropped on the ground earlier. “I brought you a small cake. Last time you said this place was really popular and you wanted to try it. I specially went to queue up for it.” He took my hand affectionately. When the box was opened, the cake had been smashed beyond recognition, with most of the fruit filling spilled out. It was only at this moment that I let out a small laugh. Gabriel saw my expression soften and immediately breathed a sigh of relief. “It’s okay, I’ll buy you another one another day.” But I suddenly asked him: “Does she like this place too?” Gabriel froze for a few seconds. “Who?” I looked up and stared into his eyes: “Zoe Quinn.” “You… know?” Gabriel’s voice instantly lowered, then became irritated: “Her mom passed away recently. She was really emotional today, and I was afraid something might happen to her, so I went to keep her company. You know she doesn’t have many relatives. We grew up—” I calmly finished his sentence: “Together, almost like siblings.” Gabriel choked, then continued after a while: “I’ve already had someone take down the trending topic. We’ll release a statement tomorrow.” I said “Oh,” and slowly started cleaning up the cake on the table. “Why don’t you just release a statement saying you’re single?” He frowned in confusion: “What do you mean?” “Gabriel.” The long-delayed sense of bitterness finally began to occupy my eyes. I blinked, trying to prevent myself from losing composure, but my voice still trembled uncontrollably. “I’m allergic to mangoes.”

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I was heartlessly abandoned by my parents the day they discovered I was intersex. My childhood friend, Lucas, threatened to kill himself to convince his family to adopt me, promising to love me for a lifetime. As our wedding day approached, I accidentally stumbled upon him in an intimate moment with his first love: “You’ve taken such good care of yourself. So soft and delicate, with a faint floral scent. Not like my fiancée’s – hers is oddly shaped and utterly repulsive. “Thank goodness I have you, or I’d die of loneliness.” In an instant, my heart felt like it was being stabbed by a thousand knives, my body pierced by countless needles, the pain unbearable. People truly are fickle. I struggled to hold back the tears that threatened to spill from my eyes as I turned to leave. What I didn’t know was that Chloe had seen me at the door, nor did I realize she had silently crept up behind me. “Ava… had enough of eavesdropping?” I heard a voice say. Just as I was about to turn around, she gave me a hard shove, and before I could react, I tumbled down the stairs. Chloe stood at the top of the stairs, coldly watching me, silently mouthing the words “Go die.” She then turned and went back into the room. “Lucas, I’m done in the bathroom. Shall we continue?” “What was that noise just now?” “It was nothing, just something falling. Don’t waste time, I can’t wait any longer.” I curled up on the floor, in excruciating pain, but instinctively still wanting to call out to him for help: “Lucas, it hurts so much, help me…” But the rhythmic sounds of passion told me he was too occupied. I involuntarily clenched my thighs together, a wave of self-loathing washing over me. He had always said I was special, that having me was a blessing he must have earned from several past lives. When I was at my lowest point, fighting for survival, it was Lucas who had threatened suicide to convince his family to adopt me. From that moment on, I had silently vowed that Lucas was my destiny. But now he was in the throes of passion with another woman. Slowly, the blood from my head stained a large area of the floor. My vision began to blur. I desperately looked towards Lucas’s direction, praying he would appear… Suddenly, Lucas rushed out of the room, but he was carrying a woman in his arms, frantically shouting: “Chloe, hang on a bit longer, I’m taking you to the hospital. “I’m sorry, Chloe, I shouldn’t have been so rough. Just hang in there.” He carried Chloe past me, and in his haste, he even stepped on my fingers. I inhaled sharply from the pain. He didn’t notice at all, his eyes focused solely on Chloe in his arms. I could no longer hold on and slowly closed my eyes. When I opened my eyes again, the first thing I saw was Lucas’s anxious gaze. Seeing me awake, he let out a sigh of relief. “Ava, are you alright? Why didn’t you call me when you fell? Do you know how worried I was about you?” I tried to raise my hand to touch my head but couldn’t lift it. “What’s wrong with my hand?” He quickly pressed my hand down. “Don’t move, your hand is fractured from the fall. It’s a comminuted fracture.” From the fall? I remember it was you who stepped on it. “Ava, I want to discuss something with you.” He took my other hand, his gaze full of sincerity. “On the way to bring you here, I saw Chloe. She’s very ill and needs a heart transplant. Could you…” His words hit me like a sledgehammer, crushing my heart. Lying to me was one thing, but now he wanted me to donate a heart to someone who had attempted to murder me. “Ava, don’t be afraid. Our company has just developed a new artificial heart. The technology is very advanced, it’s just like having a normal heart once it’s implanted.” The more he spoke, the more excited he became, his eyes filled with urgency. “Ava, Chloe doesn’t have much time left. I’ve already done the heart compatibility tests for you two, and you’re a match. The surgery can be done in three days. “Ava, you’re beautiful and kind-hearted, you’ll help her, right? “You should be the one who understands her the most, right? Because you also have an incurable condition…” They’ve already done the compatibility tests and scheduled the surgery. So is he here to inform me or to ask for my opinion? I let out a cold laugh and turned my head away. Seeing my silence, his face lit up with joy. “Ava, since you’re not saying anything, I’ll take that as a yes. “Rest well and take care of yourself these next few days. I have some work to do at the company, so I’ll go now.” My heart sank to the bottom. I struggled to reach for my phone on the side and sent a message to the Special Experimental Lab in Hong Kong: [Ryan, save a spot for me in this experiment. I’m not getting married anymore.] Three days is enough for me to rest. After three days, I’m leaving this place.

After he left, he never came to see me again. Looking at the empty hospital room, I felt a pang in my heart. The nurse told me I had to get up and walk around today. Walking would be good, it might help clear my mind. I leaned against the wall, slowly inching forward with my head down, not knowing why my legs felt like they weighed a ton. Suddenly, another pair of feet appeared in front of me. Those shoes… they belonged to Chloe. Just as I looked up, she grabbed my throat, her face contorted with rage: “Ava, you’ve stolen Lucas from me for so many years. It’s time you paid the price!” I desperately tried to pry her hands off, attempting to make her let go. But she only tightened her grip. My face turned red from the lack of air. “Lucas showed me your photo. You freak, how dare you stand by his side. “You got lucky last time, but this time I’ll make it look like a medical accident.” Lucas had actually taken secret photos of me and showed them to others. I managed to squeeze out a few words from my throat, “But you’re still… by his side…” At this moment, she was like a madwoman, deaf to anything I said, her eyes filled with hatred. Suddenly, a familiar voice came: “Chloe, where are you?” Looking to the side, I saw Lucas anxiously searching for her. Chloe immediately let go of me, straightened her clothes, and quickly returned to her room, acting as if nothing had happened. It turned out Chloe had been staying in the room next to mine all along. Lucas hadn’t gone to work at the company; he had been taking care of her. I collapsed on the floor, gasping for air. At this moment, Chloe deliberately raised her voice. “Lucas, do you really want her to give me her heart?” “Of course. When I saw her disgusting side, my heart was already dead. But at least she still has some use. “I’m sorry I can’t give you an official status yet.” I let out a bitter laugh and struggled to get up from the floor, feeling dizzy. Suddenly, the wall beside me cracked with a loud noise, and pieces of the ceiling began to fall. People were thrown into a panic, with someone shouting: “Run! The hospital is collapsing!” I snapped to attention and started running, but after just a few steps, I felt an intense pain in my head, as if my brain was rattling inside. I clutched my head, my eyes red and unfocused as I stood rooted to the spot. If I don’t run, I’ll die. Mustering up my courage, I was about to move forward when I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder. The force of the impact threw me off balance, and I fell to the ground uncontrollably. The dust in front of me was getting thicker. I waved my hand in front of my face to clear my vision and saw who had bumped into me. It was Lucas, carrying Chloe on his back as he ran desperately towards the exit. The patients around me who could run had already fled, and those who couldn’t were being helped by their family members. Behind me, there was no one. The only person who used to be behind me was now carrying another woman away. I could no longer hold back and burst into loud sobs.

The dust in the air grew thicker, and pieces of rubble kept hitting my body. But what was this compared to the pain in my heart? It wasn’t even a fraction. It seemed like I was the only one left around, all alone. What was the point of staying alive in this world? Perhaps this disaster was my destined fate. I slowly closed my eyes, waiting for death to come. My ears were filled with the sound of the building tearing apart, each sound like the ticking of a countdown clock to the end of my life. Suddenly, a pair of strong hands lifted me up securely. Could it be Lucas? I opened my eyes excitedly, but when I saw who it was, I swallowed my words. “Ryan? Why are you here?” He frowned, his eyes fixed determinedly ahead. “Are you an idiot? Don’t you know to run?” I wanted to explain, but I didn’t know where to start. Ryan carried me out of the hospital just as the building collapsed behind us. He carefully set me down. As the smoke cleared, I saw people in various uniforms – doctors, nurses, patients, firefighters. Among the crowd, that familiar voice rang out again. “Firefighters, please go in and save people! There are still people inside! My fiancée is still in there.” Lucas’s face was red, the veins on his forehead bulging, as he anxiously gestured to the firefighters. The firefighters wore troubled expressions. The building had collapsed severely; anyone still inside would have been crushed. Seeing the firefighters not moving, Lucas roared, “How can you be like this! There are people inside and you won’t save them? I’m going to file a complaint!” After saying this, he suddenly turned and ran towards the rubble, digging at the stones with his bare hands. As he dug, he muttered under his breath: “Ava, you can’t die, you can’t die. “Chloe still needs your heart.” My heart suddenly skipped a beat. So, he wasn’t upset because of me, but because if I died, there would be no one to give Chloe a heart. I took a deep breath and slowly spoke up: “Lucas, I’m here.” As soon as I spoke, everyone turned to look at me. A flash of relief crossed Lucas’s face. He dropped the stones and ran towards me. He pulled me into a tight embrace, hot tears sliding down my neck. “Ava, do you know how worried I was about you? As soon as I heard about the accident at the hospital, I rushed over here. I’m so glad you’re okay. “Where did you go? How did you get out?” I unconsciously glanced at Ryan but didn’t answer. Someone watching nearby commented, “It’s obvious the man next to her saved her. They probably came out so late because they were together.” Lucas immediately raised his head and glared fiercely at Ryan. “Who are you?” I quickly stepped in front of Ryan. “He’s my friend. We met by chance, and he saved me.” Lucas let out a cold laugh, the hostility in his eyes not diminishing at all. “Don’t joke around. Who would want to be friends with you?” Indeed, everyone thought I was a freak. Chloe slowly walked over, a smile playing on her lips, her voice full of malice: “Ava, you and Lucas are about to get married. It’s not good to cheat now, is it?” Lucas instantly flew into a rage. He stepped forward and grabbed Ryan’s collar, shouting: “Well, well! You and Ava are bold enough to cheat right in front of me?” How could he accuse others of what he himself was guilty of? It was laughable. “Lucas, I advise you to stop right there,” I warned, knocking his hand away. “Fine, you’re even protecting him now? Ava, don’t take advantage of my love for you and do whatever you want.” Love for me? What a joke. Loved me so much he brought another woman home, loved me so much he didn’t save me when the building was collapsing. I was about to retort when a stern voice came from behind. “Who’s in charge of this hospital? We’ve found that the building materials used were substandard. Please come with us for investigation.” The next second, his hand pointed at me. “It’s her. She’s the director.” My pupils constricted, and I looked at him in disbelief. Back then, he said he wanted to build a hospital just for me, so I became the nominal director. But all along, it was his people who had been managing these things.

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In our three years of marriage, my wife hypnotized me three times. The first time, when her childhood friend and I were competing for a board position at the company, my wife personally broke both my hands, turning me into a cripple. The second time, when her childhood friend needed liquid capital, she sold my luxury cars and mansion, and took out massive loans in my name. The third time, when her childhood friend was severely injured in a car accident, she forcibly harvested our son’s eyes and liver for transplantation. Each time, I furiously demanded a divorce, wanting to cut all ties with her. But she would cling to me, crying, saying she’d go insane without me. She even forcibly hypnotized me to forget everything, just to keep me by her side as if nothing had happened. It wasn’t until the day of our son’s funeral that I accidentally discovered the whole truth. “Ms. Chloe, this is the fourth hypnosis session. One more could cause irreversible damage to your husband’s brain. He might become mentally unstable. Are you sure you want to proceed?” the doctor asked. “He must forget what happened today! If not, he’ll definitely leave me. I can’t allow him to pose any threat to Marcus!” Chloe insisted. The doctor sighed, “Why do you need to trample on your husband’s sincere love to this extent?” “I have no choice. Who told him to possess exactly what Marcus needs? For Marcus’s happiness, I’m willing to be the villain,” Chloe replied coldly. Hearing this conversation, I felt as if my blood had frozen. My fists clenched involuntarily, but I kept my eyes tightly shut, pretending to be asleep. I had only been looking for my absent wife at our son’s funeral when I accidentally stumbled upon her hosting a lavish birthday party for her childhood friend at a five-star hotel. Before I could confront her, someone knocked me unconscious. When I came to, I overheard this conversation between the doctor and my wife. The doctor continued heatedly, “But your husband’s hand injury was severe. You made the hospital deliberately misalign his tendons. He endures excruciating pain every day.” “You lied to him, saying he had a gambling addiction and owed debts. You told him there wasn’t enough money for pain medication, yet you emptied his bank account to throw this extravagant birthday party for Marcus! Do you really hate him that much?” Chloe shook her head, “How could I possibly hate him?” “It’s all for Marcus. His greatest dream is to be the company’s leader, so I’ll be the woman who silently supports him from behind.” “As for Jack, if he must blame someone, blame him for shining too brightly and blocking others’ paths. I had to turn him into a helpless cripple to feel at ease…” The doctor wanted to say more, but Chloe coldly cut him off. “Enough. Watch your mouth. If you let slip even half a word to Jack, I won’t let you off easy!” “Hurry up and erase his memory. Make him think he caused some trouble today. That way, he’ll stay by my side out of guilt, never leaving me.” Chloe’s hand gently caressed my face. But I could no longer feel any of the love I once thought was there. Five years ago, when Chloe’s family company went bankrupt, I gave her a billion dollars to help her rebuild. When Marcus was kicked out of his family for being an illegitimate child, I was the one who kindly took him in at the company, gradually promoting him to a high position. At the time, Marcus knelt before me, saying he would repay this life-saving kindness someday. Chloe also confessed her love to me, saying she had liked me for a long time. But I never imagined that later, Chloe would steal my assets for Marcus, then trick me into believing I had gambled away all my money. She even put on a complete act, moving with me to a tiny apartment in the poorest part of town, living a life of extreme poverty to save every penny. Later, when Marcus was in a car accident, she cut open our son and harvested his organs to save Marcus’s life. While our son was dying in agony, Chloe was busy wiping Marcus’s body and feeding him. I had angrily argued with her countless times. Each time, Chloe would kneel and beg my forgiveness, pleading with me not to leave, saying she would go crazy without me. If I insisted on leaving, she would use hypnosis to make me forget everything. I had already forgotten three times, and this was nearly the fourth. When I opened my eyes after the hypnosis ended, I saw Chloe looking at me with reddened eyes. Seeing me awake, she hugged me and burst into tears. “Jack, thank goodness you’re awake,” she sobbed. “You were so devastated by our son’s death that you got into a fight at the hospital. When I saw your head bleeding, I thought I would go mad. If you left me too, I really couldn’t go on living!” The concern in her eyes seemed so genuine, but I no longer felt any trace of being moved. Chloe didn’t notice anything amiss. She turned and took out a takeout container from a cheap plastic bag, holding it preciously before me. “Jack, you must be hungry. Look what I brought you! I snuck this out while working as a cleaner at the hotel. It’s high-grade steak and Wagyu beef.” Ever since our family went bankrupt, Chloe would always cry about how all the money she earned from work went to pay off debts. Feeling sorry for her, I would eat very little each day, enduring dizziness and hunger pangs. But today I had clearly seen at Marcus’s birthday party how abalone and sea cucumber were served endlessly. This steak was merely scraps. Marcus had even deliberately stepped on the container and spat in it, telling the waiter to add raw blood to make it disgusting and inedible, saying it was food for dogs. In the past, the so-called gourmet food Chloe brought back always tasted terrible, but I would force myself to eat it all, not wanting to waste her kindness. Now I felt nauseated. I discreetly pushed her hand away, not acknowledging her gesture. But Chloe wasn’t angry. Instead, she looked surprised and delighted as she grasped my hand, examining it closely. “Your hand can move now?” she exclaimed.

“That’s wonderful, you’re finally starting to recover!” “You used to always say your hands were useless, that you didn’t want to be my burden and wanted a divorce. Let’s see if you still dare say such discouraging things now!” She excitedly found a hot water bottle to warm my hands, then gently massaged them. She looked as happy as a wife seeing her husband recover. But I could no longer trust her. I forced a smile and pushed Chloe away from me. “Don’t you have to go to your part-time job? Hurry along, don’t be late for work.” She paused at my unusual reaction, but after carefully checking that I seemed normal, she just kissed me on the cheek and hurried out the door. “Wait for me at home!” Shortly after she left, I went out too. I had been holding my son’s ashes before being knocked unconscious. Now they were gone, presumably left at the hotel. I needed to find them. But I had only walked a few steps when I suddenly felt dizzy. When I opened my eyes again, it was pain that woke me. Someone had viciously struck my wrist with a club. Agonizing pain spread throughout my body. In the darkness, I couldn’t make out the attacker’s face. I only heard him speaking into a phone in a thick accent. “Ms. Chloe, I’ve crippled that man’s hand. This time I guarantee he’ll never be able to lift it again.” “We were very discreet. We didn’t let him see our faces.” A cold female voice came through the phone, devoid of emotion. “Last time you guaranteed the same thing, yet he was able to lift his arm again after just three years. Are you certain it’s completely ruined this time? I want to ensure he has no chance of recovery ever again!” After getting confirmation, Chloe finally sounded satisfied. “Very good. I’ll double your payment!” “I’ve drugged his water with enough sedatives to last all day. Just leave him there barely breathing. I’ll go deal with him after I finish up things with Marcus.” My heart was pounding with shock. I was already crippled, yet Chloe still wasn’t satisfied. She was willing to go to such lengths to destroy me for Marcus! But for all her calculations, she never anticipated that I had only taken one sip of that water. After the man hung up, he turned to give my hand another blow. I seized the opportunity to strangle him unconscious with the iron chains on the ground, then staggered out. Once outside the room, I realized this was the underground warehouse of Lin Corporation. Just as I was about to leave, I saw two people talking in the garden. Chloe was leaning against Marcus, her head buried in his chest, seemingly full of endless affection. She sighed, “Marcus, your embrace is so warm. I wish I could stay in your arms forever. If only this moment would never end.” “I’m in so much agony. Countless times I’ve wanted to divorce Jack, but I’m afraid that once we divorce, he’ll be out of my control and pose a threat to you.” “For the sake of him once saving you, I can only grit my teeth and care for that cripple.” Marcus didn’t push her away, but instead wrapped his arm around her waist. He sighed, “You’ve suffered so much for me, Chloe. I’ll always remember everything you’ve done.” “But I set my life’s goal long ago to focus on my career. If I can’t achieve great success, I’m afraid I’ll regret it for the rest of my life.” “I’m about to negotiate a deal with a major corporation. I heard their CEO has a grudge against Jack. What if I hand Jack over to him? Wouldn’t that help seal the deal? I just don’t know if you’d be willing…” Chloe replied without hesitation, “Of course I’m willing. Just tell me when you need him. Back when my family went bankrupt, it was you who gave me a billion dollars to help. Otherwise, Lin Corporation wouldn’t be where it is today.” She paused, then added, “Just… no matter what they do to him, make sure to leave him alive in the end.” “You can’t bear to let him die?” Marcus asked. “No, it’s because his blood type and bone marrow match yours. In case anything happens to you, he can donate blood or organs.” I laughed coldly. So Chloe believed that billion-dollar investment came from Marcus. No wonder she was so obedient to him, treating him like her savior. I wondered how she would react if she knew the truth. I took out my phone and dialed a number I hadn’t called in years. “Dad, I’m done being stubborn. I admit I was wrong.” “I’ll agree to your demand to divorce Chloe. Please send someone to pick me up and bring me home.” After hanging up, I prepared to leave. But just as I exited the company, I ran into Marcus. He stood with his arms crossed, looking at me with a mocking expression. “Did you enjoy eavesdropping? The once high and mighty Jack, how have you fallen to such a pathetic state? Covered in blood, thin as a rail. Didn’t eat the gourmet meal I specially prepared for you?” My clothes were stained with blood from the attack, and I looked utterly disheveled. My wrist throbbed with pain at the slightest movement. I could only be grateful I had stopped that man from striking a second time, or my hand might truly have been beyond saving. I didn’t want to engage with this ungrateful bastard. I just gave him a cold look and prepared to leave. But Marcus pulled out a small urn, dangling it before me. “Looking for this?” he asked.

The urn was tiny, barely the size of his palm. He mused, “Who would have thought a six-year-old child would be reduced to just a small handful of ashes? Just days ago, he was standing before me alive, calling me uncle. Too bad Chloe soon cut him open.” “Chloe said his only value in life was to be my blood bank and spare organ donor. Now that he’s dead, you’re next. Looks like you father and son have a hereditary occupation.” He burst out laughing, tears of mirth in his eyes. Rage ignited in my heart. I lunged at him, trying to snatch the urn. “Give it back! That’s my son!” But my strength was no match for his. He easily dodged me. “I can’t just give it to you for free. After all, Chloe wanted to throw it away, but I kept it for you. You should be thanking me!” As he finished speaking, several bodyguards suddenly appeared and kicked the back of my knees, dragging me to the company lobby. It was bustling with people, including many former colleagues and acquaintances. They all stopped to stare at my wretched state. “Isn’t that Jack who disappeared? I thought he had retired after making his fortune. How does he look like he’s on death’s door? He’s practically a cripple!” “I heard he gambled away all his assets and got his hands broken by loan sharks. He even caused his own son’s death. What a burden on poor Chloe!” “He’s probably here to beg Marcus for money, playing on their past relationship. Those two are so unlucky to be saddled with him.” Contemptuous and scornful gazes fell on me, their disdain nearly drowning me. Marcus smirked, “You want your son’s ashes? Then crawl between my legs to get them! I’ll give you five seconds. Time’s up after that!” He started counting down, “Five, four, three…” As I gritted my teeth, agonizing over the decision, he paused midway and laughed. Then he suddenly opened the urn and dumped all the ashes into a nearby flower pot. The white fragments and powder scattered, then were ground deep into the soil by his raised foot. In an instant, they vanished without a trace. Now there was no way to retrieve them. I could no longer contain my fury. I raised my hand and punched him hard in the face. “Marcus, he died for you! How can you be so heartless? Aren’t you afraid of karmic retribution?” Marcus sneered and said in a low voice, “Are you trying to tickle me? A cripple is still just a cripple.” “No wonder your wife says you’re useless, completely unable to satisfy her. Yesterday we went at it until the bed nearly collapsed. She kept praising me, saying how amazing I was. She screamed in pleasure so loudly the whole office outside could hear clearly!” He grinned maliciously, “You know what? Back when you were kidnapped and tortured, we watched the whole livestream from outside. She felt guilty midway and wanted to send someone to save you. But after I pressed her down on the couch, she was too caught up in ecstasy to care anymore. In fact, the more we heard your agonized screams, the more aroused and thrilled she became.” My whole body shook with rage. Memories of being tortured to the brink of death flooded my mind, making me sick with anger. But Marcus suddenly grabbed my hand and used it to punch himself hard in the face. “See, that’s how you throw a punch!” he taunted. Just then, we heard Chloe’s piercing scream. She quickly shielded Marcus behind her, then slapped me across the face to avenge him. Her face was colder than I had ever seen as she said, “Jack, stay away from Marcus. If a worthless cripple like you hurts him, he’d wake up dissatisfied even in his dreams!” “If you dare touch him, I’ll pay you back tenfold!” I laughed mockingly, “Didn’t you cause me to become a cripple in the first place?” A flicker of panic crossed her eyes. She frowned, “What are you talking about? Stop being ridiculous!” But Marcus held her back. “Chloe, Jack did me a favor in the past. Let’s consider this punch as repayment for that kindness. We should be magnanimous and not quibble with petty people!” He took Chloe’s hand and left. Their backs as they walked away together stung my eyes. But I didn’t chase after them to beg. Instead, I went home to pack my bags. The doorbell suddenly rang. A courier had delivered a package. When I opened it, a bloody, mangled finger fell out. From the birthmark, I immediately recognized it as my son’s. The note inside read, “Chloe accidentally chopped this off while harvesting his liver. A keepsake for you.” Just then, my phone rang. Chloe’s voice came through, “Jack, I was a bit hasty earlier. Don’t take it to heart. Marcus told me he picked out a gift to apologize to you. Do you like it?” Suppressing the hatred in my heart, I said in a trembling voice, “I love it. Tell him I’ll return the favor.” I hung up and left behind divorce papers, then departed from the place I had called home for years. Chloe, thinking I had finally learned my lesson, hung up with satisfaction. She was accompanying Marcus at the company, waiting for their business partner. But as the appointed time passed, there was still no sign of them. Just as Chloe was feeling uneasy and about to make a call, a panicked employee rushed in. “M-Ms. Chloe,” he stammered, “Someone saw our business partner leave by helicopter with Jack! And Jack asked me to tell you something before he left.” “He said he now knows everything you’ve done to him. His biggest regret was giving you that billion dollars five years ago to help you rebuild. If he could do it over, he’d rather have fed that money to dogs!”

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The day my sister committed suicide, my husband locked me, three months pregnant, in a large sterilization chamber. “You filthy-minded woman, purify your dirty, ugly soul in here!” Jack shouted. “You killed Rose! Not making you die with her is already the greatest mercy!” “You’re morally corrupt and unfaithful. This will disinfect you and treat those shameful gynecological infections of yours!” Rose was his first love, his ideal. I was just leftover rice gone bad. Rose’s depression was fake. My claustrophobia was real. I struggled desperately in the sterilization chamber, finally dying from ozone poisoning. Ironically, it turned out my sister’s suicide was also fake. She came back to life with a radiant smile. My husband embraced Rose passionately, leaving my corpse to rot in the cramped sterilization chamber. A week later, he opened the chamber door with Rose by his side. “Lily, have you repented yet?” Only in death can one truly find liberation. My soul floated out of the sterilization chamber, drifting to Jack’s side. He was crying. In the eyes of the world, Jack was a cold and dignified man, always composed and never losing his poise. He was also a germaphobe, never allowing even a speck of dust on himself. But now he was crying uncontrollably, snot running down his face, sobbing over Rose’s photo on his phone. “Rose, I miss you so much!” “Why did you do something so foolish? What am I supposed to do without you? The world has lost all its color without you… wah wah wah…” He was inconsolable, just like the passionate male lead in a romance movie. I laughed mockingly. Romance movie? More like an illicit affair movie! Rose was my sister, and I was Jack’s lawful wife. So Rose was Jack’s sister-in-law. What right did he have to cry? The one who should be crying is me! I floated in the air, tears streaming down my face, my hand caressing my now-flat belly. Not just crying for my own death, but for the loss of my innocent child. “Baby, Mommy is so sorry.” “Mommy was blind, marrying such a heartless scumbag. Because of that, you didn’t even get a chance to see this world before tragically departing.” “If there’s a next life, please be born into a family where the parents truly love each other, okay?” “Even if it’s poor, at least it will be warm.” “Wah wah…” My soul trembled with grief. The door opened, and the housekeeper walked in. “Sir, the madam has been locked in the sterilization chamber for three days and nights. Please let her out! I’m really worried something might happen to her. Madam is very timid, she even has claustrophobia and is afraid to ride in elevators alone—” The housekeeper’s words enraged Jack. “Shut up!” “Three days without food or water won’t kill her!” “It’s not a gas chamber! Ozone isn’t toxic, it can even disinfect and reduce inflammation! It’s perfect for purifying Lily’s dirty, ugly soul!” “What’s claustrophobia compared to this? My Rose has already committed suicide because of depression! Lily is just afraid of the dark, what’s there to fuss about? Let her stay in there and atone for her sins!” “She killed her own sister. I’m already being merciful by not drowning this vicious woman in a pig cage!” Jack was so agitated that snot ran into his mouth without him noticing. I felt disgusted watching. It seems people only truly understand everything after death. I regretted why I ever fell in love with such a heartless beast like Jack. Even though I was already dead, just thinking about the torture and abuse I suffered before dying still left my soul restless. Three days ago, I had begged Jack not to lock me in the sterilization chamber. “My sister committed suicide. Her death had nothing to do with me!”

But my pleas were met with Jack’s distorted face as he roared: “You still dare to quibble? You knew very well that Rose had depression and couldn’t handle stress!” “But you didn’t open the door for her, didn’t wake me up to comfort her lonely and fragile heart, letting her drown herself in despair!” “Bah! You’re just a malicious woman! Jealousy made you lose your humanity! You could even do this to your own sister!” “You may not have broken the law, but you’re morally bankrupt!” “I must get justice for Rose! Repent, you executioner!” He forcefully shoved me into the sterilization chamber. The chamber wasn’t large. To close the door, Jack actually broke my right wrist. I screamed in agony while he laughed maniacally. He slammed the door shut, isolating me in the cramped darkness. I have claustrophobia. I screamed hysterically inside, suffering both mental and physical torture. Jack was unmoved and stormed off. Before leaving, he turned on the chamber’s sterilization program. Ozone continuously poured in. At low concentrations, ozone smells like fresh grass. It wasn’t too unpleasant. I could still bear it. Although I was afraid of the dark and my wrist hurt terribly, for the sake of the baby in my belly, I trembled but encouraged myself to be brave. Women may be weak, but mothers are strong. With the company of the child in my womb, I didn’t feel as frightened. But Jack forgot to turn off the sterilization program, and ozone kept pouring in! The concentration got higher and higher, turning into a fishy smell. I was good at chemistry. I knew that low concentrations of ozone weren’t toxic. But at high concentrations, inhaling too much could damage the respiratory system, circulatory system, and nervous system. It could be fatal! In the blue smoke, I felt chest tightness, shortness of breath, arrhythmia, and a splitting headache. “Let me out!” “Help!” “Jack, I’m carrying your child! We’re both going to die!” I screamed desperately, but no one answered my calls. I was terrified of dying! I was even more afraid something would happen to the baby in my belly! I cried and pounded on the door. It wouldn’t budge. My right hand was broken, so I tried to claw at it with my left hand. I tore off my nails, rubbed my flesh raw, exposing white bone, but it was all in vain. In the end, I died, tragically saying goodbye to this cruel world along with the unborn child in my womb. Jack’s mercy never came. Jack, how could you be so cruel!

The housekeeper trembled in fear, but I had always treated her well. So she still gathered her courage and continued to plead: “But madam is pregnant, pregnant women can’t handle this kind of stress—” The housekeeper mentioning my pregnancy was like lighting a fuse for Jack. “Shut up!” “I don’t want to hear the word ‘pregnant’! Get out!” “Say one more word and you’re fired!” “One week! Keep that bitch Lily locked up for at least a week before letting her out!” I really couldn’t understand. Isn’t it said that even tigers don’t eat their cubs? Aren’t men supposed to believe “the child is mine, but the wife belongs to someone else”? Why was Jack so heartless towards the child in my womb? You may not love me, but how could you be so cruel to your own flesh and blood? You’re truly an animal! The housekeeper left, and Jack couldn’t hear my curses as he continued to mourn Rose. I watched him coldly. Because I hated him so much, because my tears had all dried up while I was still alive. So I smiled a sad smile. Jack, you can no longer control my life. I’m waiting for the day you regret this bitterly!

Rose and I were sisters born to the same parents. But she bullied me since childhood, stealing all the spotlight. She was the red flower, I could only be the green leaves. Whenever I made her unhappy, she would torment me in revenge. In elementary school, just because my grades were one point higher than hers, she locked me in the basement and played creepy music from horror movies outside. That’s how I developed claustrophobia. The Qiao family and the Ye family had an arranged marriage. Jack was handsome and dashing, so Rose claimed him without hesitation. She seized every opportunity to date Jack, warning me not to interfere. Although I also liked Jack, I didn’t want to compete with Rose. Three years ago, when Rose was about to get engaged to Jack, the Ye family business ran into big trouble and was on the verge of bankruptcy. Rose was used to a life of luxury and didn’t want to marry into hardship, so she pretended to have depression and checked herself into a mental hospital. Jack’s career and love life both took a hit, leaving him very depressed and drowning his sorrows in alcohol every day. I couldn’t bear to see him like that, so I voluntarily offered to marry Jack. I fell out with my parents over this. Because they were also snobs who wanted to break off the engagement. But I was very insistent. Before our grandfather passed away, he left a will. Our parents held 60% of the Qiao family shares, while Rose and I each had 20%. I brought my 20% shares as a dowry to the Ye family. My parents cursed me for being an ungrateful white-eyed wolf. But I felt that I should give everything to my husband without reservation. I didn’t want to see Jack depressed. I hoped he could make a comeback. Jack was very capable. After liquidating these shares as capital, he worked hard and pulled the Ye family back from the brink of bankruptcy step by step. They became even more prominent than before. Ironically, my own family’s company went bankrupt due to bad investments. My parents also passed away in an accident. Although I was very sad, I thought I still had my husband to rely on. My husband and sister were the two closest people to me in the world. But these two people also hurt me the deepest! Because my sister regretted her decision. She shamelessly became the other woman, seducing my husband in various ways. She even had the audacity to say that love is first come, first served. Although I had the marriage certificate, she was the inviolable first love. She said I married Jack by taking advantage of the situation, stealing her man. She wanted to take back the man and happiness that belonged to her. To protect my marriage, I very solemnly told Jack not to be deceived by my sister’s sweet talk, that she was a white lotus. She had previously faked depression to avoid marrying him. But Jack was furious and accused me of slandering his goddess, his first love. He said Rose would never deceive him, that she developed depression because she was worried about his bankruptcy. She suffered for his sake. He felt guilty towards Rose, so he wanted to take extra care of her. Jack and Rose became more and more unscrupulous, using treating depression as an excuse to go bar-hopping, clubbing, dancing, swimming, traveling, mountain climbing, skiing… I was disheartened, realizing that Jack didn’t believe me simply because he didn’t love me. He had always loved Rose. He chose to marry me back then only because of that 20% of shares. Disappointed, I thought about divorce. I wanted to keep some dignity for myself. I didn’t want to be a beggar for love. But just three months ago, I found out I was pregnant. Jack was very shocked, but also very happy. He apologized to me for neglecting me, saying he would be a good father and keep his distance from Rose. I knew his return to the family wasn’t because of love, but because he cared about the child in my belly. But I still swallowed the bitterness and reconciled with him. Not because I couldn’t bear to part with him, but because I didn’t want the child to grow up in a single-parent family. For the sake of the child, a mother can sacrifice anything. Including stupid love. Jack did indeed turn over a new leaf, treating me very gently and attentively, even preparing a nursery full of toys. He kept his distance from Rose, blocking all her contact information. Until a week ago, he suddenly got drunk, cursing incomprehensibly, and passed out on the bed. In the middle of the night, Rose came, banging on the door violently, crying that her depression had flared up. She needed Jack’s comfort. Of course I couldn’t let Rose in. I kept her out and didn’t wake up my drunk husband either. That night Rose drowned herself in the sea, leaving her shoes and a suicide note on the shore. The note was full of love for Jack and resentment towards me. The next day when Jack woke up, he went crazy. He cursed me for having evil thoughts, for driving Rose to her death. Ignoring my cries, he locked me in the sterilization chamber.

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It was New Year’s Eve, and my in-laws insisted we spend it at their place, claiming it would bring good luck for the coming year. Unable to get train tickets, we decided to drive back. That’s when Jack’s ex-girlfriend, Chloe, invited herself along. She brazenly took my seat in the front, saying, “Emma, I get carsick easily. I can only sit in the front.” Jack looked at me with disdain. “It’s just a seat. Why are you being so petty?” His parents chimed in, “You’re older, what’s the harm in letting Chloe have the front seat?” Unable to argue, I squeezed into the back with my in-laws. At a toll station, Chloe spotted a stray dog and had a sudden burst of compassion. “That poor dog! Let’s take it with us.” I immediately objected, “Our car is already full. We’d be over capacity if we took the dog. We wouldn’t be allowed on the road.” Chloe gave Jack a pitiful look. Without hesitation, he turned to me, “Emma, why don’t you give up your seat for the stray dog? You can take a cab home.” … At the toll station, Chloe, who had insisted on squeezing in with us for the trip home, spotted a stray dog and wanted to bring it along. Faced with my objection, Chloe didn’t care at all. She just looked at Jack with puppy eyes: “Jack, please, can we take this dog? If we leave it here, it’ll freeze to death.” “It’s so young, it hasn’t even seen the world yet. It shouldn’t die here like this.” She wrapped her scarf around the stray dog as she spoke. Jack took my shawl from the car and draped it over Chloe’s shoulders, comforting her as if I wasn’t there: “Don’t worry, I won’t abandon it.” “You’re already so frail, you need to take care of yourself too. Don’t catch a cold.” Then he turned to me with displeasure: “Emma, how can you be so heartless?” “It may just be a stray dog to you, but it’s a living being.” “How can you be so cold and indifferent?” I looked at the two of them, annoyed by their excessive display of compassion. I had never said we shouldn’t help the dog, yet they painted me as some sort of villain. And one of them was my husband, who had shared a bed with me for years. Despite my anger, I patiently explained: “If you really want to save this dog, we can leave some food for it.” “Or we could talk to the convenience store staff here, leave some money, and ask them to look after the dog.” “Our car is already full. If we take it with us, we’ll be over capacity and will definitely be stopped by the police.” I thought my explanation was clear enough. But as soon as I finished speaking, Chloe became upset: “Emma, I know you’re loaded, but how can you just leave the stray dog with the store staff here? How do you know they’ll take proper care of it?” “What if they take the money and don’t do anything? What will happen to Blackie then?” In less than five minutes, Chloe had already come up with a name for the stray dog. “How can you expect a little dog to survive this harsh winter?” “Do rich people like you think a dog’s life is worthless? Is it not a life at all?” “How can you bear to leave it here all alone? Can’t you see it’s already shivering from the cold?” Listening to Chloe’s moral blackmail, I couldn’t help but laugh. “I think you have a point.” Then I changed my tone: “Why don’t you give up your seat for little Blackie?”

Hearing my words, Chloe, who had been so righteous a moment ago, was stunned. “You can’t expect Jack’s parents to get out of the car to make room for your Blackie, can you?” “After all, they’re elderly.” “Since you’re so concerned about this little dog, why don’t I take it, and you stay here?” Now Chloe panicked, looking nervously at Jack. He frowned, looking at me with displeasure. “Emma, you’re going too far.” “How can you leave Chloe, a young woman, in a place like this? What if something happens to her? How would I explain that to her parents?” I used to think Jack was just insensitive and didn’t care about people. Now I realized he wasn’t incapable of caring; he just didn’t care about me. When it came to Chloe, he was attentive to every detail, afraid of causing the slightest discomfort to his ex-girlfriend. I crossed my arms and looked at Jack expectantly. “So what do you want to do?” Without a second thought, he picked up the little dog and put it in the car, then turned to me coldly: “Emma, just make a small sacrifice and give up your seat for this little dog.” “You can take a cab. That way, you won’t have to squeeze in the back with my parents, and you’ll be more comfortable.” At that moment, exclamations came from inside the car: “Oh my, where did this stray dog come from? It’s already cramped enough back here, there’s no room!” Jack patiently reassured them: “Don’t worry, Mom and Dad. Emma won’t be riding with us, so it won’t be crowded.” With one sentence, he had stripped away my rightful place, and none of my so-called family objected. “You want me to give up my seat for a stray dog?” I pointed at myself, looking at Jack in disbelief. He looked at me as if it were the most natural thing in the world: “Mom and Dad are old. Do you want to leave them at this toll station? Don’t you have any sense of duty as a daughter-in-law?” “As for Chloe, she’s already in poor health. How can you bear to leave a sick person at a toll station?” “If anything happens to her, how are you any different from a murderer?” “I’m doing this for your own good. Can’t you stop being such a princess?” He even started complaining about me: “If you knew how to drive, would we be in this mess?” “I’m already exhausted from driving long distances. Emma, can’t you be a little more understanding?” I looked at Jack in shock. It’s true that I don’t know how to drive. Because since I was young, my family had always provided me with a chauffeur. Later, when I met Jack, he had said: “From now on, I’ll be your driver. You just need to sit comfortably in the passenger seat.” Now, not only had he given my passenger seat to Chloe, But my inability to drive had become his excuse to blame me. My heart felt as if it had been doused with ice water, instantly turning cold. He worried about his parents being old, worried about his ex-girlfriend’s poor health. Even a strange dog could catch Jack’s attention. But for me, he had not an ounce of sympathy. He had even forgotten that I, too, was a defenseless woman. Yet he was perfectly content to leave me alone at this toll station in the middle of nowhere. I looked at Jack coldly. “So what am I supposed to do?” Jack turned to me without a hint of hesitation: “You’re a grown woman. Don’t you know how to get home?” “Even if you’re a pampered rich girl, surely you know how to call a cab!” As he spoke, he helped Chloe into the front passenger seat and thoughtfully closed the door for her. “It’s cold outside. You just sit tight in the car.” Chloe looked at me triumphantly: “Emma, I knew you were kind-hearted deep down.” “Saving a dog’s life is a great virtue. I’m sure Blackie will be grateful to you.”

Her words of gratitude were laced with smug satisfaction. They sat comfortably in the warm car while I stood alone in the cold wind outside. The contrast couldn’t have been starker. “Jack, do you even remember who your wife is?” I snapped. My words successfully darkened Jack’s face. “Even if you are my wife, that doesn’t give you the right to be unreasonable!” “It’s not like I’m asking you to walk home. What’s the big deal about taking a cab? Why are you making such a fuss?” “Emma, when will you learn to be more considerate?” With that, he slammed the car door shut and started the engine. “Instead of arguing with me, why don’t you hurry up and get a cab?” “Don’t make everyone late for New Year’s Eve dinner!” At the mention of dinner, Jack’s parents chimed in: “Emma, remember to buy some fresh vegetables on your way back.” “The eggs at home might be expired too, don’t forget to buy some.” “Oh, and Jack’s father hasn’t been feeling well lately. He can’t eat anything too greasy. Try to keep the New Year’s Eve dinner light, okay?” They seemed to have forgotten that I had been kicked out of the car and still had no idea how to get back. Yet they shamelessly continued to treat me like a maid, bossing me around. Even Chloe joined in, watching the drama unfold: “Can Emma cook everything?” Jack nodded without hesitation. She excitedly leaned out the car window, looking at me challengingly: “Then I’d like some braised meatballs!” With that, she closed the window. Jack didn’t even give me another glance as he stepped on the gas and drove away. The car hadn’t gone far when Jack’s phone call came through. But it wasn’t because he had a change of heart or was worried about my safety. Instead, he was giving me orders. “How come you haven’t gotten a cab yet? What are you even doing?” “Also, Chloe isn’t feeling well, so I can’t drive too fast. Since you’ll be taking a cab, tell the driver to hurry. Get back first and prepare the New Year’s Eve dinner we just ordered. We’re all tired from the long drive, so hurry up and do your job!” I used to be a pampered rich girl who never had to lift a finger. It was only after I got together with Jack that I learned how to cook. We always had a housekeeper at home. But they said they couldn’t get used to the housekeeper’s cooking and insisted that I, the daughter-in-law, should cook myself. I had complained before, but Jack always shut me down: “My parents have worked hard all their lives. They just want to enjoy being taken care of by their daughter-in-law. Can’t you just indulge them a little?” With that one sentence about filial piety, he successfully trapped me in a cage of serving them for three years. Naturally, the New Year’s Eve dinner also fell on my shoulders every year. I didn’t even have the chance to ask Jack to help out. Because his mother would say, “It’s bad luck for men to enter the kitchen.” And she would drag Jack out immediately. In the eyes of Jack’s parents, and even Jack himself, I wasn’t a wife or a daughter-in-law. I was just a servant catering to their every need. Listening to his arrangements, whatever remnants of affection I had for Jack were destroyed by his own hands. At that moment, I suddenly woke up. If there’s no love left, why keep this garbage of a man around for the New Year? Wouldn’t that just bring bad luck for the coming year? I immediately sent a message to my lawyer, asking him to prepare the divorce papers. I looked indifferently in the direction they had left and smiled. Then I dialed 911: “I want to report a crime. My husband deliberately abandoned me on the highway.”

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