Author: Momo Chan

My husband, Liam Miller, and his secretary, Bella Hayes, were kidnapped. The kidnappers demanded, “Give us a hundred million dollars, and you can take one person. Give us three hundred million, and you can take both.” Liam didn’t hesitate, transferring a staggering hundred million dollars – his *entire liquid assets* – to the kidnappers to free Bella. As he left, he looked at me, his voice a calculated calm. “I can only spare this much right now. You’ve always been so strong, so resilient, Chloe. Bella isn’t like you; she’s so fragile. I have to save her first. I promise, I’ll figure out a way to get you out next.” After they left, I was brutally thrown from the building by the kidnappers, sustaining severe injuries. When I woke up, Liam was holding my hand. “Bella scratched her arm on some glass. We had a piece of skin grafted from you onto her.” “She’s at that age where looks really matter. If she knew she’d have a scar on her arm, she’d be heartbroken.” I was so furious, but utterly helpless, unable to move a single muscle, let alone hit him. As soon as I was discharged, I booked a flight to Europe seven days later. Liam Miller, prepare for your downfall.

The next time I opened my eyes, I was met with Liam’s relieved gaze. “Chloe, you’re awake! Are you uncomfortable anywhere?” “This is all my fault. If I hadn’t put you in danger, you wouldn’t have suffered like this.” “I thought he’d give me time to negotiate, but then the kidnapper threw you right from the window in front of me. I almost went insane then.” “I couldn’t imagine what meaning my world would hold if I lost you.” “Thank goodness, you’re still here. I’ll make it up to you, I swear.” Seeing Liam’s guilt-ridden, weary expression, my heart couldn’t help but soften a little. I tried to lift my hand to touch his cheek, only to find my entire body was completely paralyzed. What followed was excruciating pain radiating through every inch of me. Liam reached out and squeezed my hand, his voice thick with what sounded like emotion. “The doctor said you have multiple fractures and need complete bed rest. You absolutely can’t move around, or it’ll hinder your recovery.” Just then, the doctor knocked and walked in. After checking me with various instruments, he said, “No fever, and no inflammation or infection at the wound site. It seems there were no adverse reactions after the skin graft surgery. Just focus on resting.” He finished speaking and wheeled his equipment out. My eyes widened in shock as I looked at Liam. “What are you talking about? What skin graft surgery?” Liam slowly helped me sit up, propping pillows behind me. “When the kidnappers threw you, flying glass cut Bella’s arm.” “The doctor said the wound was too big and would leave a scar. She’s at that age where looks really matter; how could she possibly accept a scar on her arm? Her eyes were so swollen from crying.” “Besides, this whole mess started because of *you*. And you always wear long sleeves and pants, so losing a piece of skin from your arm won’t really affect you, right? Plus, you’re unbelievably lucky to have just fainted after falling from that height. So, I took the liberty of telling the doctors to graft a piece of skin from your stomach onto her arm. Think of it as making amends for what happened.” I trembled with rage, trying desperately to reach out and grab him, to demand *why*. But then Liam’s phone rang. After he hung up, he said anxiously, “Bella’s getting her skin graft done. Girls are so delicate and afraid of pain; she needs me there.” “You’re awake now, you’ll be fine on your own. But Bella can’t manage without me. I need to go be with her.” With that, he placed a bouquet of roses on the bed and left me, utterly paralyzed, turning and walking away. But I’m severely allergic to real flowers. For our first anniversary, he’d ordered 999 roses for me. When they arrived, I broke out in hives, my breathing seized up, and I passed out cold. After that, any roses he gave me were always carefully crafted from silk. He completely forgot, didn’t he? It was Bella, his little secretary, who loved roses. Now, those real roses by my bed were practically a death sentence. My whole body started itching, my breathing grew more rapid. Enduring the searing pain, I stretched my hand, struggling to reach the call button on the bedside table. Just a hand’s length away, I tumbled from the bed. My head hit the corner of the table, blood gushing over my face. Unable to breathe, and losing too much blood, I finally blacked out.

When I regained consciousness, I vaguely heard Liam’s voice. A faint flicker of hope ignited in my heart. Had he remembered my rose allergy and come back for me? But the words that followed shattered my heart, one by agonizing one. “She’s just having an allergic reaction, isn’t she? Just keep her alive while you draw the blood, what’s so hard about that?” The doctor’s voice replied, “She has multiple fractures and an acute allergic reaction, plus she hit her head and lost a lot of blood. Her body can’t withstand such a large blood draw right now; it could be life-threatening.” Liam was silent for a few seconds, then his cold voice came through clearly. “She survived a fall from that height; clearly, she’s practically invincible. A simple blood draw won’t put her in danger.” “Bella needs blood for her graft, and their blood types match, so it’ll save you a trip to the blood bank. Just take 500 milliliters. And hurry up. If you drag your feet, I’ll report all of you.” I snapped fully awake, struggling desperately, but Liam pressed down on my arm. “Be a good girl, or the doctor will have to stick you again.” Pain shot through the back of my hand. My eyes red, I looked at him. “Liam Miller, what did I do wrong? Why do you keep hurting me again and again for Bella Hayes?” A flicker of hesitation crossed his eyes, but when he looked back up, only ice remained. “Bella got hurt because of you. You’ll be fine after a good sleep.” My eyelids grew heavier and heavier. When I woke up again, the entire room was empty. Liam was gone. The only good news was that I could move. As I shuffled around on crutches, I passed a patient room, and the scene inside froze me to the spot. Liam was carefully peeling an apple for Bella, who lay in the hospital bed. He then cut it into small pieces, feeding them to her one by one, his eyes full of tenderness. Liam’s affection had once been solely for me. Now, only the recipient of that love had changed. Bella, her eyes wide with feigned concern, leaned into Liam. “Oh, Chloe isn’t mad at me, is she? I swear, I had no idea the kidnappers would throw her! Otherwise, I would have absolutely taken her place!” Liam gently pulled Bella closer. “Stay put. This isn’t your fault. Why would *you* apologize? If anyone should apologize, it’s *her*. If it weren’t for *her*, you wouldn’t be caught up in this mess, suffering like this!” He then picked up his phone from the bedside table. A moment later, my phone vibrated. I stood outside the door and answered Liam’s call. “I hear you can walk now. Get down to Room 305 downstairs.” “Don’t come empty-handed. Bella loves mangoes. Go buy some and bring them over.” He hung up before I could even react. Ever since Bella joined the company, she’d added Liam on SnapChat as his secretary. She’d constantly message him on SnapChat, asking for favors. At first, Liam would dismissively refuse, telling me she wasn’t as independent as I was. But over time, his impatient expression slowly changed. He started mentioning Bella more and more often to me, his tone always gentle and doting. Seven years of commitment, all for nothing against a newcomer.

I went back to my room and quickly checked out of the hospital. Just as I got home, my phone rang. The moment I answered, Liam’s furious voice boomed, “I told you to go apologize to Bella! Where the hell did you run off to? Do I have to come drag you over there myself?” I said calmly, “Didn’t you say she loves mangoes? Then she can just wait.” Liam’s anger died down a bit. “Alright, that’s better. Buy them and get over here, fast.” After hanging up, I switched my phone off. If she wanted mangoes, she could wait forever. I wasn’t buying them. Liam and I were college sweethearts. On our graduation night, amidst cheers from students and faculty, he knelt on one knee and proposed. After we got married, I turned down offers from major companies to start a business with him. When project stakeholders made things difficult, I pushed through, nearly getting alcohol poisoning, just to secure the deal. If a proposal wasn’t quite right, I’d spend days and nights perfecting it. When we were short on staff, I handled everything myself until the company grew bigger and bigger. Slowly, I moved from the frontline to the background. I became the woman behind his success. I even thought we were the most compatible partners, both in business and in marriage. But now, I knew this marriage had to end. I finished organizing all my client files when I heard the front door open. It was Liam, with Bella in his arms. He frowned the moment he saw me. “What’s wrong with you? You just vanished without a word to buy mangoes, and your phone’s off. You have absolutely no intention of admitting your mistake or apologizing.” “Bella is so much more forgiving than you. She’s been nothing but nice, saying good things about you.” I scoffed. “If you ask me, she’s not really into mangoes. She’s more into playing the innocent victim.” “So eager to bring her back here? What, are you expecting me to leave so you two can get down to business?” A flash of anger crossed Liam’s face. He raised his hand and slapped me. My right cheek instantly stung. He said coldly, “I think you’re getting more and more out of line. I brought Bella back so she could change for the company banquet, not for what you’re implying.” Then he walked towards the walk-in closet. Just then, Bella approached me, a challenging smirk on her face. “Chloe, what makes you think you can compete with me? At the hospital, Mr. Miller was constantly fussing over me. All the doctors and patients on our floor were so envious, saying I had such a wonderful boyfriend. And you? Fractured all over, with no one to even take care of you.” “And tonight’s banquet? Mr. Miller is taking *me* as his date.” Then, she suddenly lifted her hand and slapped herself hard across the face. She burst into tears, saying, “Chloe, I’ll take any punishment you dish out, as long as it makes you feel better.” “Just please don’t blame Mr. Miller anymore. He’s been through so much these past few days.” Liam violently pulled me away. “Chloe Spencer, what are you doing? I’m warning you, I brought Bella back here. Don’t go too far.” I stepped forward, but Liam immediately shielded Bella behind him. I sneered, then raised my hand and slapped Liam across the face. “I don’t have some self-harm fetish like *some* people.” “If I’m going to hit anyone, it’ll be the beasts who can’t control their own bodies.” With that, I turned and left. That night, I showed up at the banquet wearing a long black dress. Consider it a fitting end to seven years of marriage. I was surrounded by former business partners. “Long time no see, Chloe. Your reputation as a female powerhouse was legendary back then!” “It was such a shame you suddenly retired.” “How have you been? You should show up more often, let’s catch up sometime.” I smiled, responded to each old partner, and re-added their contact information. Then I found a quiet corner and leisurely sipped an orange juice. I had stepped back then because of Liam’s words: “Our company has grown, and we’ve brought in a lot of talent. You can finally rest easy, just be the woman behind me, and I’ll shield you from everything.” I had retreated to the background, becoming a full-time homemaker. But all I got in return was his wandering heart and betrayal.

The click of high heels echoed from behind me. Bella stood there, arms crossed, a mocking glint in her eyes. “You really are persistent, aren’t you? Following him everywhere.” “Didn’t that kidnapping incident make it clear to you? He doesn’t love you at all; he just can’t bring himself to divorce you.” “He even took skin from your body and grafted it onto mine, all for me.” She smiled, showing off her unblemished arm. “What’s the point of clinging to this marriage?” “What do you have that can compare to me? I’m young and beautiful, while you’re old and faded.” I calmly looked at her. “What’s the use of telling me all this? I’m not like you, a parasitic vine clinging to others.” “Without him, I’m still *me*. But you? Without him, you’re nothing, are you?” I was about to turn away when I noticed the necklace around her neck. It was the sapphire Liam had spent nine million dollars on, for me. It was so valuable that after I received it, I only tried it on once before putting it in a safe. Now, it was around Bella’s neck. I scrutinized her. “For someone of your standing, even a genuine piece looks like a cheap knockoff on you.” “You just can’t pull it off.” Bella suddenly grabbed my arm, her voice pleading, and dropped to her knees. “Chloe, please don’t be angry with Mr. Miller. I truly didn’t know this necklace was yours.” “He just lent it to me because I didn’t have any suitable jewelry for such a formal dinner. I’ll give it back right now. If you’re angry, take it out on me. I’ll endure whatever you dish out, a beating or a scolding.” She was about to take off the necklace. My temple throbbed. Bella was pulling this trick again. Just as I reached out to stop her, she cried out, “Ah!” and tumbled down the stairs. Liam emerged from the crowd. The moment he saw me, a flicker of admiration crossed his eyes. He was about to walk towards me when Bella, who had fallen, called out to him pitifully. Liam shoved me aside and rushed downstairs to pick up Bella. When he looked up again, his face was contorted with furious accusation. “What’s wrong with you now? Why are you giving Bella such a hard time? She’s just a sweet, innocent girl.” Bella, her eyes red, clung to his neck, sobbing softly. “I’m fine, really. I just lost my footing and fell down the stairs. It’s not Chloe’s fault.” “Mr. Miller, please go explain things properly to Chloe, don’t let this misunderstanding between you two get any worse because of me.” Liam lowered his head, his voice full of tender concern. “Are you hurt anywhere? Don’t be scared, I’m here.” Bella blinked her big, wet eyes, like a frightened deer, up at Liam, then pointed to her ankle. “It hurts… my foot hurts so much…” Liam bent down and scooped her up amidst her soft gasps of pain. As he passed me, Liam paused. His voice was icy. “You’re too jealous. Bella always seems to be in danger around you. I’m going home to pack some clothes and stay with her for a while. When you realize your own issues, come apologize to Bella.” “Otherwise…” I looked at the face I had loved for seven years. My voice was flat. “Divorce me, Liam Miller.” “I don’t want you anymore.” A ripple of murmuring swept through the room. Bella’s hand gripped Liam’s suit jacket, tense, afraid he might hear my words and change his mind, come back to me.

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The day the Suttons’ true heiress returned, I, the imposter, became an outcast. My parents doted on her, telling me to yield to her in everything. She wanted the position of the Sutton family’s charity ambassador, and I let her have it. She wanted the heirloom bracelet my biological parents left me, and I gave it to her. But when she demanded I take her place at the altar and marry Dorian Blackwood, the notoriously brutal and reclusive scion of the powerful Blackwood dynasty—a man rumored to be confined to a wheelchair—I hesitated. Yet, my childhood sweetheart and fiancé, Julian Davies, sneered, “You stole twenty years of Scarlett’s life from her; isn’t that enough? Do you really have to steal her marriage too?” In that moment, I decisively broke off the engagement and agreed to marry in her place. But at the wedding, seeing Dorian Blackwood, who was supposed to be paralyzed, stand up, Scarlett Sutton and Julian Davies’s facades completely crumbled! “Stella, I know this is unfair to you, but Scarlett is our biological daughter after all. Your engagement to Julian… please, just let her have it.” My mother held my hand, her face still filled with that familiar, gentle affection, but her words sliced into my heart like a dagger. I was *still* the daughter you’d raised for twenty years. I ignored her plea, turning instead to face Julian Davies, my childhood sweetheart and fiancé, who stood behind me. Marriage wasn’t some childish game; it wasn’t something I could just hand over. “Julian, tell me, who do you want to marry?” Julian froze, seemingly surprised I’d asked him. After a moment of hesitation, he walked over and stood beside the tearful Scarlett Sutton. “Stella Sutton, haven’t you stolen enough of Scarlett’s life over these past twenty years?” “Now you want to steal the marriage that rightfully belongs to her too?” I couldn’t believe those words had come from Julian’s mouth. I thought he would fight for me. He had once said that no matter what my identity was, whether I was the Sutton heiress or not, he would always be good to me. But now, those vows meant absolutely nothing! What Julian Davies truly loved was nothing but the wealth, status, and influence that came with being a Sutton, and what my family could do for his! I was just an imposter, a cuckoo in the nest, a pawn he could discard at any moment. The last flicker of hope for love in my heart extinguished, and I spoke calmly, “Fine, I’ll break off the engagement.” Hearing my answer, Julian’s grim expression instantly softened. “Stella, thank you. I’ll take good care of Scarlett.” Seeing this, Mother immediately smiled and said to Julian, “Julian, the wedding date is approaching fast. You and Scarlett should go pick out some wedding dresses now. Richard and I want to chat with Stella for a bit longer.” “That’s right, you two go on ahead. Stella and I have some private things to discuss.” Julian gave my parents a grateful look, then turned and quickly left the study with Scarlett. The study door closed with a soft click. I thought this was the extent of their cruelty towards me, that this farce was finally over. To my surprise, the moment Julian left, the subtle relief on my parents’ faces quickly faded, replaced by expressions even more troubled and grave than before. “Stella, there’s one more thing…” Mother began, wringing her hands, her eyes darting away from mine. “Scarlett and the Blackwoods originally had an engagement.” “Now that she’s marrying Julian, the Blackwood engagement…” She couldn’t finish her sentence, covering her face and starting to cry. My heart sank, inch by agonizing inch, as I already had a premonition. “The Blackwoods specifically requested a Sutton daughter, so you’re the only one who can marry in Scarlett’s place,” Father finished for her. Dorian Blackwood. I had heard of him. Rumor had it he wielded immense power in the city’s elite circles, but was notoriously brutal, ruthless, and moody. More importantly, a few years ago, he’d suffered an accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down—a cripple. It wasn’t enough that they made me give Julian to Scarlett. They wanted me to live as a ghost in a loveless marriage for her, to face a crippled man with a twisted personality! “Dad, Mom,” my voice was dry. “Are you serious?” Mother avoided my gaze. “There’s no other way. It’s not like Scarlett was willing to go.” “We can’t afford to offend the Blackwoods. There has to be a Sutton daughter to marry into their family. Stella, you’re the most sensible. Just consider it helping the Suttons, and helping your sister.” Father’s face hardened. “The Suttons raised you for twenty years. Now it’s time for you to repay them.” I looked at them, suddenly feeling utterly alienated. The grace of being raised for twenty years, it turned out, was just a bargaining chip to be exchanged at any time. I knew I had no choice in the matter. My heart felt like it had a huge hole, with cold wind whistling through it. I had despaired of Julian. Now, even the familial love of these twenty years had completely shattered.

There were three days left until the wedding. I thought that by agreeing to break off the engagement and marry in her place, I could spend these three days in peace. But as I walked to the dining table for breakfast as usual, Mrs. Davies emerged from the kitchen, let out a shriek, and rushed over to snatch the plate from in front of me. “Mrs. Davies, what are you doing?” I frowned. “Miss Stella, this breakfast is for Miss Scarlett. And the seat you’re in right now? That’s Miss Scarlett’s too.” She deliberately emphasized “Scarlett.” “From now on, you’ll sit over there,” she pointed to the very edge of the dining table. A surge of anger flared in my chest. Even if I was the imposter heiress, it wasn’t a servant’s place to bully me. “Who gave you these rules?” My voice turned cold. “Sister, don’t blame Mrs. Davies. I was the one who said I wanted to sit here.” Scarlett Sutton appeared, I didn’t know when, her voice soft and weak, her eyes slightly red-rimmed. She was dressed in a beautiful lace nightgown, a picture of innocent vulnerability. “Scarlett, why didn’t you sleep longer?” Mother, hearing the commotion, also came out of the kitchen, carrying a nourishing smoothie. “Mom, I was afraid Sister would misunderstand Mrs. Davies…” Scarlett lowered her head aggrievedly. Father walked over too, and seeing the scene, his face immediately darkened. “Stella Sutton! Are you bullying Scarlett again!” “Scarlett is our biological daughter! Get your identity straight!” “She just came back; she’s not used to many things. Can’t you just make allowances for her?” Mother echoed him, “That’s right, Stella. Scarlett suffered so much hardship outside. As her older sister, you should be more understanding.” I stood rooted to the spot, watching them, a picture of a happy family of three, while I felt like an unwanted outsider. All the accusations shot at me like sharp arrows. This blatant favoritism made my chest feel suffocating. Injustice swelled up like a tide, but I pushed it down fiercely. What else could I say? If I said I hadn’t bullied her, would they believe me? If I said I was also a victim, would they feel sorry for me? No, they wouldn’t. In their eyes, every tear Scarlett shed was precious and deserving of pity, while all my feelings were insignificant. I silently walked to that corner, pulled out a chair, and sat down. Scarlett Sutton picked up the smoothie, sipping it delicately, a smug smile playing on her lips.

“Stella Sutton, you know your place now, don’t you?” “You’re nothing but a dog the Suttons raised for twenty years.” “Now that I’m back, you, this dog, can be abandoned at any time.” Her words were ugly, but they were the brutal, cutting truth. After my parents finished breakfast and left, only Scarlett and I remained in the dining room. The challenge and smugness in her eyes were undeniable. I looked at her coldly, not wanting to waste my breath. Scarlett’s gaze fell on my wrist, and her eyes lit up. It was an heirloom bracelet I had worn for many years, an antique piece, a rich emerald green, shimmering with an inner glow. “That bracelet is nice. I want it,” she said, reaching out to snatch it. I instinctively protected my wrist. “This is mine!” “Yours?” Scarlett scoffed. “What do you own that’s truly yours?” “Everything you eat, wear, and use in the Sutton household, isn’t it all the Suttons’?” “And what belongs to the Suttons, naturally belongs to me!” “Let go!” I snapped. This bracelet was the only keepsake my biological parents had left me before they died. It held profound significance for me. “My biological parents left this to me!” I tried to explain. But Scarlett reacted as if she’d heard the biggest joke. “Your biological parents? Who are they? Does it matter?” “Anyway, I want this bracelet now, and you *will* give it to me!” She pulled with force, her nails digging into my skin, the pain twisting my face. In the struggle, the bracelet slipped from my wrist. With a “smash!” it fell onto the hard floor. The crisp sound of it breaking shattered in my ears like a clap of thunder. The bracelet split into several pieces, and my heart, too, shattered into a million fragments. It was the only memento my biological parents had left me, the only way I could feel their presence in this world. Now, it too was broken, just like my heart at this moment, incapable of ever being whole again. Scarlett froze for a moment, then a flicker of panic crossed her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure. She hypocritically bent down and picked up a shard. “Oh, sister, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to.” “If you had just given it to me earlier, it wouldn’t have broken, would it?” Her apology was light and empty, devoid of any sincerity. Julian Davies, I didn’t know when, arrived, having heard the commotion. Seeing the broken pieces on the floor and Scarlett’s “aggrieved” expression, he immediately turned on me. “Stella Sutton! What are you doing now!” “Scarlett only liked your bracelet; couldn’t you have just given it to her? Did you have to make a scene like this?” Julian tenderly took Scarlett’s hand. “Don’t be afraid, Scarlett. It’s just a bracelet. I’ll buy you a better one.” Then he frowned at me. “Stella, Scarlett just came back; she’s still innocent. She suffered a lot outside. Can’t you be more understanding?” He didn’t ask me a single question, didn’t understand the circumstances, and didn’t even see the red marks Scarlett’s nails had left on my wrist. He simply condemned me, as if I were some unforgivable criminal. For some reason, at that moment, I found myself looking forward to the day I would marry Dorian Blackwood. Julian’s tone grew increasingly annoyed. “Why do you always have to be at odds with Scarlett? Are you trying to get my attention?” “Let me tell you, my bride is already decided—it’s Scarlett. You don’t need to play these useless little tricks anymore. I’m never going to marry you!” I hadn’t realized Julian thought this way; I felt as if I had never truly known him. “Julian Davies, you have no right to tell me what to do. We stopped being anything to each other the day I broke off the engagement!” I ignored his endless accusations, simply knelt down, picked up the fragments, and rushed out of that suffocating house. I didn’t notice the stunned, complex look in Julian’s eyes as I turned and left.

My wedding and Scarlett’s were set for the same day. Early in the morning, the Sutton mansion was bustling with activity. Scarlett, in her pristine white wedding gown, beamed with happiness, like a princess held in the palm of their hands. I, too, had changed into a deep red gown, simple but perfectly fitted. When Julian came to pick up Scarlett, his eyes immediately found me, also dressed in a wedding gown. He froze, then a look of disgust spread across his face. “Stella Sutton, what do you think you’re doing?” He walked over, lowering his voice to confront me. “Do you think wearing a wedding gown will let you steal Scarlett’s wedding?” The narcissism and certainty in his tone made me want to laugh. “Julian, do you think too highly of yourself? Do you think you’re the center of the universe, and everyone revolves around you?” Scarlett walked over, hooked Julian’s arm, her voice mournful. “Sister, are you deliberately trying to embarrass me?” As she spoke, her eyes reddened again, and she turned to my parents with a pitiful look. Father casually explained, “Julian, Scarlett, Stella is also getting married today.” “She’s marrying Dorian Blackwood, the Blackwood family’s head.” Scarlett’s eyes flickered with glee at the mention of it. So she’s marrying that cripple Dorian Blackwood. She didn’t care for that, so my marrying him instead was perfect. Julian, however, looked as if he’d heard something unbelievable, his brows furrowing tightly. “Marrying Dorian Blackwood? That cripple?” “Stella Sutton, are you crazy?” “Don’t think this way you can get my attention. Let me tell you, it’s impossible!” He stubbornly insisted that I was deliberately wearing a wedding gown to sabotage his and Scarlett’s wedding. I was too tired to argue with him. Just then, the sound of car engines reached us from outside. Several black luxury cars slowly drove up, stopping in front of the Sutton mansion. From the leading car, a well-dressed, respectful middle-aged man emerged. He was the Blackwood family’s butler. “Miss Stella Sutton, the ceremony is about to begin. Mr. Blackwood sent me to pick you up,” the butler said, bowing slightly as he approached me. In that moment, Julian’s arrogance and certainty finally cracked. He stared at me in shock, then at the Blackwood’s impressive wedding car procession, seemingly only then believing that I was truly marrying Dorian Blackwood. As I was about to step into the car, Julian suddenly stepped forward and blocked me. “Stella Sutton, you can’t marry him!” “Snap out of it! Don’t you know what kind of person Dorian Blackwood is? You’re ruining your future!” His tone was urgent, even with a hint of panic he himself hadn’t noticed. I looked at him coldly, feeling only a bitter irony. “Julian Davies, in what capacity are you stopping me now?” “You’re Scarlett Sutton’s groom, aren’t you?” My words hit him like a bucket of ice water, drenching him to the bone. Julian’s face turned a shade of sickly green, then stark white, and he opened his mouth, but not a single word came out.

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For five years after we got married, Julian Hayes pushed me into compromising situations with his business partners over a hundred times. Every night I spent with those men, he’d bring his little trophy girlfriend home and party all night long. I endured it, over and over again, for the sake of the baby I was carrying. Then, his trophy girlfriend, Bella Stone, decided she wanted to see “the limits of human drinking.” Right after my prenatal appointment, he dragged me from the hospital to a private lounge and forced countless bottles of hard liquor down my throat. Tears streamed down my face, blurring my vision, but Bella just pointed and laughed. “Look at her! Doesn’t she look like a pathetic clown?” Blood gushed out from beneath me, flowing down my thighs and onto the floor. Yet, Julian didn’t spare me a single glance. He looked at me with disgust, a sneer twisting his lips. “You’re filthy. Who knows where this filthy vagrant came from?” “Do you bleed like that on other people’s beds too? Hahahahaha, you’re right, she’s a clown.” I watched the blood pour from me, and there was no pity, no guilt in his eyes. Instead, he took his trophy girlfriend to the beach right after, celebrating their pet hamster’s 100-day adoption anniversary. He forgot. Today was my birthday. CHAPTER

I woke up three days later. I stared at the ceiling for a long time before making the call. After a long, drawn-out ring, he finally picked up, his voice still ragged with post-coital gasps. “Julian Hayes, let’s get a divorce.” A clearly impatient voice came from the other end. “Elara, what pathetic stunt are you pulling now?” “Can’t you just go a day without causing a scene? Are you *that* miserable?” My heart felt like it was drowning in bitter seawater, stinging my eyes. Julian never cared about my feelings, nor did he ever care about my health. “Julian Hayes, the baby’s gone.” “I’m stepping aside for your Bella.” Five years. I’d been tormented, body and soul, left bruised and broken. This relationship, which only I was fighting for, I couldn’t bear to continue. Julian clicked his tongue. I could tell he was forcing himself to be patient with me. “Stop being dramatic, Elara. I’ll have my secretary send you a blank check. Just fill in whatever amount you want.” “Julian Hayes, you still don’t understand.” “I want a divorce.” Julian’s patience with me usually lasted for only a sentence or two. I heard him explode into a furious shout. “Elara, don’t push your luck!” “You were always damaged goods, and for all I know, that kid in your belly wasn’t even mine!” “So what if it’s gone? You were so careless with yourself before, ruined your own body; that’s why you lose every baby you conceive!” “Are you trying to pin this on Bella now?!” I felt a moment of suffocating disbelief. I truly thought I had married for love, that I had the best husband in the world. I truly thought I would be happy for the rest of my life. But five years of memories, countless incidents, stung me. “Don’t even think about divorcing me. Even if you die, I’ll make sure your ashes never find peace!” Then he hung up. I slowly lowered my arm, tears streaming uncontrollably down my face. This was Julian’s seventh child. Every miscarriage was caused by him, or by Bella Stone’s unreasonable demands. My doctor had warned me repeatedly during my sixth miscarriage. “If you have another miscarriage, your chances of getting pregnant again will be almost zero for the rest of your life.” I had told Julian more than once that we had to protect our seventh child. Just last month, when I brought him my prenatal report, I emphasized that we needed to be extra careful this time. But Julian was always impatient. “Don’t be so dramatic.” “Your pathetic attempts to get attention haven’t changed one bit.” He flung the prenatal report in my face, slammed the door, and stormed off to find Bella. Later, he still didn’t care and insisted on sending me as a “gift” to his business partners. I even held scissors to my neck, threatening my life, but it still didn’t earn me a shred of understanding or consideration from Julian. He had his bodyguards knock the scissors out of my hand and then slapped me viciously. “What’s with all the fuss?” “I think you just don’t want to.” “You’re nothing but a used plaything, so stop acting like some virtuous saint. Who are you putting on this show for?” My eyes bloodshot, I met his gaze. I couldn’t see any emotion in those eyes. They were cold, like he was looking at nothing more than an animal. Every memory connected to him seemed filled with the stench of blood and conflict. A crushing sense of helplessness wrapped around me, dragging me into an abyss, suffocating me bit by agonizing bit. My hands trembling, I booked a divorce appointment for a month later, screenshotted the confirmation, and sent it to Julian. The message was like a stone sinking into the ocean. Or perhaps, Julian saw it. But he probably just thought it was another one of my pathetic tantrums. But this time, I was truly giving up. CHAPTER

The next time I heard from Julian was one evening. “Come take care of Bella. She’s pregnant, and it’s my baby.” I stared at the words on my phone, my mind momentarily blank. Above it was the divorce screenshot I had sent him. I chose to ignore it, just as he had ignored mine. But not long after, the front door was violently kicked open. It was Julian’s bodyguards. They forcibly dragged me all the way to Julian and Bella Stone’s house. Every corner of the house was filled with the bubble-headed dolls Bella loved. Even the wallpaper was Julian’s least favorite pink, yet he’d personally put it up all over the house for Bella. I suddenly wondered, when was the last time Julian came back to *our* house? I couldn’t even remember. All I remembered was Julian coming home completely drunk every time, and without asking my consent, dragging me into the bedroom. It was less like an assault and more like an outlet for his frustration and anger. His tenderness was never for me. Or rather, the tenderness he now possessed, was no longer for me. Julian sat on the sofa, his leather shoes gleaming in the sunlight. He looked like a superior being, not even bothering to look me in the eye. “You’ve carried so many babies, you’re more experienced than any nanny.” “Bella’s daily care and diet will be your responsibility from now on.” Bella skipped out of the bedroom, and Julian immediately stood up to greet her. Bella jumped, and Julian caught her steadily. She clung to him like a sloth, her eyes filled with mockery and triumph as she looked at me, crumpled in the corner. “How are you still acting like a child even though you’re pregnant?” Julian held Bella, gently placed her on the sofa, then turned back to the bedroom to get her slippers, lovingly kissing her pale, tender foot. “Remember to wear your slippers, or you’ll catch a cold, and then I’ll have to take care of you.” Bella pulled Julian’s hand and swung it playfully. Their sweet display stung my eyes. I felt like a rat in a sewer, watching my husband and his mistress. “It’s okay, big sister will take care of me from now on.” As she spoke, Bella blinked innocently at me. She walked up, took my hand, and led me to Julian’s side. “So, big sister, I’ll leave me and the baby to you.” “Julian really loves this baby, so big sister, you can’t be as careless as you were with your own babies, okay?” Julian snorted, his gaze softening completely as he looked at Bella. “She’s not just careless, she’s utterly despicable. She ruined her own body, that’s why she loses every baby she conceives.” Bella pouted. “How can you say that about big sister? She didn’t mean to.” “Oh, by the way, big sister, how many babies have you carried?” CHAPTER

Seven. A bitter wave washed over me, choking me speechless. Julian, seeing my prolonged silence, coldly answered Bella’s question. “She probably can’t even keep track of how many there were.” I choked, struggling to look up at him, my voice raspy. “What about you, Julian Hayes? Do you remember how many I carried?” Julian fell silent for a moment, his face instantly turning ugly. “Hmph, you carried so many, I don’t even know how many were mine. How dare you ask me that?” Bella, sensing the tension, tugged on Julian’s arm, sweetly pouting for him to go back inside and get her a blanket. The moment Julian entered the bedroom, Bella turned to me. Her eyes were sharp, utterly different from the soft, gentle gaze she’d just given Julian. She leaned close to my ear and whispered, “It was seven, right?” She took half a step back, narrowing her eyes as she looked at me, her gaze slowly dropping to my lower abdomen. “Your first, third, fourth, and sixth babies were all miscarried because I deliberately tormented you.” “Julian knew all about it, but he didn’t care at all.” “He doesn’t even know how many babies you’ve actually carried.” “Believe me, Julian won’t care if this one in your belly lives or dies either.” Rage surged through my chest, consuming me. My eyes turned bloodshot, and my body trembled. “You deserve to die!” I clamped my hands around Bella’s throat, putting all my strength into it. Julian, emerging from the bedroom, witnessed the scene. He kicked my lower abdomen, then rushed to Bella, asking about her condition. My body, having just suffered a miscarriage, couldn’t withstand such a brutal impact. The agonizing pain in my lower abdomen nearly killed me. Warm blood seeped out from below, soaking my clothes. “Bella, are you okay?!” Once Bella recovered, she immediately threw herself into Julian’s arms, sobbing. “Big sister didn’t mean to. She just loves you too much and doesn’t want me to carry your baby…” Julian gently stroked Bella’s back, then gave a look to the bodyguards standing nearby. “Since she’s so jealous and so promiscuous, take her to the hospital and cut out her uterus.” “I will only have children with Bella.” “Perfect, you’ll be accompanying clients later anyway, and it saves me from having my cuckold’s horn grow too deep!” I vaguely heard those words. More than the physical pain, my very soul felt ripped apart, making it hard to breathe. As the bodyguards hoisted me up, fresh blood streamed down my legs and onto the floor. Julian looked at the crimson pool, not with pity, but with sheer disgust. “Where’s the maid? Quick, mop the floor. Her blood is filthy.” I forced myself to stand, leaning on the bodyguards, every word I spoke costing me immense effort. “Julian Hayes, you forgot about Arthur…” Julian seemed to be struck by a deep-seated collapse and darkness. He raised his eyes, filled with a brutal malice, and the air around him became chillingly oppressive. “Tell the doctors, no anesthesia. Cut the baby out of her stomach alive to appease Arthur.” I was carried directly to the hospital by the bodyguards, feeling as if all the blood in my body had drained away on the journey. I lay on the operating table, the blinding white light making it hard to keep my eyes open. I had no strength left to resist. Besides, with the bodyguards standing at the door, even if I had the energy to get off the table, I couldn’t escape. As alcohol swabbed my skin, a profound sorrow enveloped me. My mind replayed the five years I’d dedicated to Julian, like a frantic carousel. The operating room was eerily quiet. Tears silently streamed down my cheeks. A cold scalpel pressed against my lower abdomen. At that moment, I couldn’t even utter a sound for help. I thought I wouldn’t make it out of this operating room alive. Dying like this wouldn’t be so bad. Julian Hayes, if there’s a next life, I won’t choose you again.

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My prenatal check-ups had all been cleared. Yet, my child was born with an incurable, rare genetic disease. Only later did I discover that my doctor husband, Julian Hayes, had deliberately concealed the check-up results for his idealized love, Celeste Sterling’s, graduation thesis. He tricked me into giving birth to a ‘guinea pig’ for Celeste’s medical research. Utterly devastated, I jumped from the hospital rooftop, holding my son, who was wracked with pain. I woke up to find myself reborn when I was seven months pregnant… Clutching the prenatal report that confirmed my baby was healthy, I gently stroked my prominently swollen belly. My mind was reeling, still unable to process the shock of rebirth. Julian Hayes wrapped his arm around me, his face beaming with joy. “Honey, this is wonderful! The prenatal results are perfect. Our baby is perfectly healthy!” His eyes sparkled with excitement, showing no trace of pretense. I subtly slipped out of his embrace. “That’s great. I’m heading home now. You can get back to work.” He stood up with me, took my hand, and personally walked me out of the examination room, his voice still gentle. “Remember to call me when you get home. Eat on time, and don’t forget your prenatal vitamins.” Passing nurses cast envious glances my way. “Dr. Hayes is such a devoted husband. Even with his busy schedule, he personally oversees his wife’s diet and daily life. So many expectant fathers come and go in this hospital, but none are as attentive as Dr. Hayes!” “Right? I even heard Dr. Hayes booked a VIP delivery room ages ago. Their relationship, from high school sweethearts to husband and wife, is truly enviable.” In my past life, hearing words like that would have made me feel like the happiest woman in the world. But now, a cold shiver ran down my spine. Julian didn’t care about me at all. His tenderness and meticulous care over the past seven months had only one purpose: to ensure I’d smoothly deliver an unhealthy child to serve as a human observation experiment for his idealized love, Celeste. If I hadn’t accidentally overheard his conversation with Celeste Sterling in my previous life, while clutching my son as he struggled in agony, I would never have believed it. All for a graduation thesis, he was willing to sacrifice his own flesh and blood. I walked out of the hospital in a daze, my mind replaying the moment I discovered Julian’s secret. Celeste had asked Julian, “Julian, don’t you feel any pain watching your own son suffer like this every day?” Julian sighed. “How can I feel pain for someone I’ve never emotionally invested in? I just see him as a guinea pig for the lab. This is his fate…” “Julian, what if Elara finds out—” “Don’t worry, she doesn’t understand medicine. She’ll believe whatever I tell her. Besides, the baby won’t survive past their first birthday. By then, there’ll be no one to contradict me.” “Julian, thank you. Thanks to you, my thesis will create a sensation in the academic world. My advisor has already approved my direct Ph.D. application.” Julian’s voice was filled with excitement. “Celeste, you never have to thank me. I’d do anything to help you…” They embraced, kissed, and exchanged intimate whispers in the dark stairwell. When I learned the truth, my world crumbled. I took my son, climbed to the rooftop, and jumped. When I woke up again, I found myself reborn, seven months pregnant.

I went to several other authoritative obstetrics and gynecology hospitals in the city for check-ups. The results were drastically different from before. All the doctors unequivocally told me. The baby in my womb suffered from an extremely rare congenital genetic disease. Even if born successfully, they would suffer from recurrent lung infections due to organ dysfunction, indigestion, and stunted growth. According to current medical advancements, they wouldn’t survive past their first birthday. I remembered watching my child in the previous life endure one painful treatment after another after birth. I saw them hooked up to countless tubes, the cold needles piercing their delicate skin. Their tiny body struggled in pain, breathing rapid and shallow, each breath a desperate effort. Their normally chubby cheeks turned blue and lifeless. I couldn’t bear to see the child I’d carried for ten months endure such immense suffering. With tears in my eyes, I suggested giving up. But Julian refused. He firmly told me, “Honey, even if this is a hopeless battle, I will not surrender to cruel fate! I will never give up on our son!” Every night, he would scour academic websites for information about the child’s condition, not missing any possible treatment plan. I was deeply moved, believing I had married such a responsible and good man. Netizens, hearing his story, flooded the comments section with praise. “This is a true hero, shouldering his child’s entire world.” “May this unwavering father’s love light up the path of hope for his child’s life!” Julian’s story spread throughout the medical community. The hospital honored and rewarded him, bringing him both fame and fortune. Only now, looking at the thick stack of reports in my hand, did I understand. Why, despite all my prenatal check-ups being perfectly clear, I had given birth to a child with a rare genetic disease. Julian had hidden the three key data points that could have identified the illness! The doctor looked at the results on the report, her eyes filled with regret and confusion. “It could have been detected at three months pregnant. Why did you wait until now to come in? Oh, what a shame. The baby is fully developed now…” Suddenly, I felt the baby in my belly stretch a leg. A sharp, stinging pain shot through my heart, and tears streamed down my face. I endured the pain and told the doctor, “Please help me schedule an induced abortion.” Baby, don’t blame your mother for being cruel. I simply can’t bear to bring you into this world only to see you suffer so much… Walking out of the hospital, all maternal softness left my eyes, replaced by icy resolve. In my past life, when I learned the truth, I cowardly chose to end my life with my child. Fate pitied me and gave me a second chance. This time, no matter the cost, I would not let Julian have his way.

Hate kept me awake all night. The next morning, Julian returned from his night shift and noticed the dark circles under my eyes. He immediately frowned in displeasure. “Elara, were you up late again? I told you to get enough rest so the baby can be born safely!” I lowered my gaze, hiding the resentment in my eyes, and said nothing. Seeing my silence, Julian softened his voice, coaxing me. “Honey, you’ve worked so hard. I promise, we’ll only have this one baby. After this, I couldn’t bear to see you suffer again. Just for me, bear with it for a few more months.” He leaned down and kissed my forehead. His eyes held a depth of love as vast as the ocean, as if I and our child were the most precious treasures of his life. If I hadn’t personally uncovered his secret in my previous life, I doubt I would ever believe this was all an act. I smiled faintly, subtly slipped out of his embrace, and got up to pour him a glass of milk. Due to his profession, Julian was always cautious. Even when catching up on sleep after a night shift, he was a light sleeper. So, I had no choice but to spike his milk. After a few minutes, he fell into a deep sleep. I picked up his phone and unlocked it. The pinned chat on SnapChat was, predictably, Celeste Sterling. I tapped into it. Julian, who always claimed to be too busy, was chatting heatedly with Celeste every day. The chat history made my hands and feet numb, my whole body trembling with rage. Our relationship, from high school sweethearts to husband and wife, spanned ten years, yet I hadn’t realized he was cheating on me with a fellow student right under my nose. I struggled to suppress the overwhelming fury inside me, sliding the screen to start recording. Four months ago, Julian had told Celeste: [Celeste, Elara’s genetic test results are back. The baby might have a rare genetic disease.] [Once she aborts the baby, I’ll propose divorce to her.] [Oh my God… This disease is extremely rare; currently, there are fewer than a hundred known cases worldwide. My graduate thesis is on genetic diseases. If I could get a specific case for in-depth research, my thesis would definitely impress my advisor…] [Julian, are you really going to falsify the prenatal report to trick your wife into having an unhealthy baby for me?] [Celeste, don’t feel guilty. Just consider it my contribution to academia…] [It’s Elara’s and that baby’s honor to fill a gap in current medical research. You could say it’s their proper end.] I thought I had prepared myself mentally, but when the ugly truth was laid bare before my eyes, the flames of anger nearly consumed my reason. If I wasn’t determined to cherish this hard-won second chance at life, I would have rushed into the kitchen immediately, grabbed a knife, and ended the sleeping Julian right then and there. However, for now, I simply collected all the evidence of Julian tampering with the medical reports. Then, I quietly packed my important belongings. The induced abortion was scheduled for two days later. Just as I was fretting over how to evade Julian’s suffocating ‘care’ and constant monitoring, he suddenly looked hesitant and discussed something with me. “Honey, there’s an academic conference in the city, and the hospital is sending me to attend… But don’t worry, I’ll be back as fast as I can.” I suddenly remembered that Celeste Sterling’s birthday was in these few days. As he went into the room to pack his luggage, I secretly called the hospital’s main line. My suspicion was confirmed: he had indeed requested a week of annual leave from the hospital. But this was also a godsend. My top priority now was to escape his sight and successfully undergo the induced abortion. If I lost this opportunity, as the pregnancy progressed, his surveillance over me would only become stricter, and I might well repeat the same tragic fate. As I thought this, my gaze inevitably turned cold. Julian, seeing this, thought I was upset about his sudden trip and quickly embraced me. “Sweetheart, don’t be mad. You must take care of yourself at home alone. I’ll rush back to be with you as soon as I’m done. Right now, you’re the most important thing to me!” Watching his eager departure, I called out to him. “Julian, I heard the nurses at your hospital say you’ve been spending a lot of time with your colleague, Celeste Sterling, lately. Are you going to abandon me and the baby?” His back stiffened. He turned around to reassure me. “Honey, don’t listen to those gossiping busybodies. They’re just jealous of how talented Celeste is. I swear to God, I only love you!” I looked at his feigned affectionate gaze. I barely managed to suppress the urge to vomit my afternoon meal onto his face. Love me? Is loving me disregarding our years of shared history and having an affair with Celeste Sterling? Is loving me concealing prenatal results, tricking me into carrying a sick child for ten months, and then offering them as a human experiment to his mistress? I could hardly believe that the man I had loved so deeply, whose every thoughtful gesture seemed to be for me, was actually hiding such a cruel and horrifying agenda. Julian said many more sweet words to coax me into resting well. After he left, I immediately packed my luggage and checked into the hospital, preparing for the induced abortion.

Two days later, the surgery time arrived. I lay on the hospital bed, being wheeled into the cold operating room. The blinding lights came on, and tears I couldn’t hold back finally streamed down my face. The anesthetic slowly entered my body from my spine. In a daze, I seemed to see that poor child from my previous life. They seemed to have grown a little, reaching out their tiny hands, calling to me: “Mommy…” I grasped their hand and never let go again. When I woke up again, the surgery was over. My swollen belly had deflated, replaced by bandages. I turned my head to look at the fully developed fetus next to me. A barely tolerable pain shot through my abdomen. But this physical trauma was far less than the emotional devastation in my heart. I stared at the ceiling, tears silently falling once more. The doctor in the operating room, seeing my tears, took a piece of gauze and gently wiped them away. She said with sympathy, “An unhealthy child would only suffer if they were born… You’re still young; you can have more children.” The nurse also chimed in, “Don’t cry. You shouldn’t cry during recovery; it’s bad for your eyes.” I weakly nodded. Even strangers showed me compassion, yet my own husband, to please another woman, was willing to make me endure the pain of separation, of losing my own flesh and blood. That night, Julian called me as usual. “Honey, how are you and the baby doing?” “We’re fine,” I said evasively. The intense pain in my abdomen made cold sweat bead on my forehead with every word I spoke. After two days of recovery at the hospital, I checked out and transferred to the hospital’s affiliated maternity center for continued recuperation. Julian’s “business trip” should be over by now. It was time to settle all scores, old and new, between us. So I dialed his number. “Honey, come back quickly! The baby—” Before I could finish, Julian anxiously cut me off, “What’s wrong with the baby?!” I didn’t explain over the phone, just gave him the hospital address and urged him to hurry.

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My best friend stole all the condoms from the supermarket and vanished. When I saw her again, she was the Queen of Beasts. She was scantily clad, with several male beasts lounging at her feet. She pointed at one of them, a generous smirk playing on her lips. “This one’s quite the catch, strong and… exceptionally talented. I’m only letting him go for you, Chloe. Consider it a sacrifice for our friendship.” I recoiled in horror. “No, no, thank you! I’m here mainly to find *you*!” Male Beast #1 growled, “Brothers, this woman’s here to steal our Queen!” Male Beast #2 added, “Someone get this woman! Throw her to the wild wolves!” Then, ignoring my pleas, disregarding my very life, she turned back to her beasts, resuming their wild, chaotic ‘games’. And I was left trembling, abandoned in the wolves’ territory… Three years ago, my best friend Seraphina and I went on vacation and each bought a matching charm bracelet. Strangely, after we returned, my life started getting better and better, while hers plummeted. She became weak, constantly muttering nonsense. “Chloe, I don’t want to live anymore.” I quickly clamped my hand over her mouth. “Woah, no! Don’t say such morbid things. We’re fine!” She tugged at the charm bracelet on her wrist, a strange, possessive attachment in her eyes. My heart lurched. Could that bracelet be affecting her? I told her to throw it away, but her reaction was abnormally intense! “No! You haven’t thrown yours away, so why are you telling me what to do?” She glanced at the supermarket behind me, then walked away thoughtfully. At the time, I just thought she was in a bad mood. I never imagined that a few days later, when I opened the supermarket doors, all the household goods and food were gone, even the condoms. Hundreds of thousands in losses, and the security cameras didn’t capture a thing. Even stranger, there were no signs of forced entry, not a single footprint or fingerprint. The police concluded it was an inside job and started investigating everyone around me. Just then, Seraphina’s mom suddenly found me, weeping. “Chloe, have you seen Seraphina?! She’s gone!” My heart pounded. Remembering Seraphina’s words and seeing the ransacked supermarket, a terrible feeling washed over me. Something was definitely wrong. I took my bracelet to Sage Elias. He examined it, his eyes wide with shock. “Where did you get this?” I told him everything, and he sighed deeply. “These are Twin Beast God Bracelets. One brings luck, the other brings romance. If I’m not mistaken, your missing friend is no longer in the human world!” I gasped. “Seraphina’s dead?” Sage Elias wagged his index finger. “NO. She’s in heat. She disappeared to the Beast World to find male beasts!”

I patted my chest in relief. Thank heavens she wasn’t dead! But then I caught myself. “What? The Beast World! How do I get her back?” “Difficult,” Sage Elias sighed, his thumb and forefinger rubbing together meaningfully. “Unless… well, unless the right ‘opportunity’ presents itself.” My face darkened. I placed a stack of cash on the table, and the Sage’s face broke into a wide smile. “That bracelet Seraphina has? It’s made of fourteen beads, each representing a male beast from their world. For three long years, those beasts have rotated through her dreams, coupling with her. Their destinies are sealed, Chloe. To save her, she has to be willing to cut ties and return to the human world herself!” I was confident I could convince her. “Seraphina will come back with me. Who would like wild beasts, anyway?” Sage Elias smiled a deep, knowing smile. “Hard to say, hard to say!” I also asked about the supermarket theft. Sage Elias yawned. “Well, Seraphina had no dowry, did she? Going to a whole new world, she had to make some… arrangements.” I was astonished that she could have moved so much merchandise all by herself, without a sound. Sage Elias rolled his eyes. “That’s because she had fourteen husbands helping her!” Sage Elias said I had a “connection” with him. As I left, he gave me one last piece of advice. “Little lady, if you go to the Beast World, remember to bring some food that animals like. It might save your life!” I went back to my empty supermarket, on the verge of tears. Ugh, only a few bags of dog food left in the corner. I guess I’ll take these! I had no idea then that this dog food would not only save my life but also change it completely. The Beast World was still a matriarchal society. Although I was female, the problem was I was human. Sage Elias threw me into a primeval forest in the Beast World. I walked for three days until I finally saw two wild bears. Two bear-headed, human-bodied beasts, their lower halves joined front-to-back, their bodies constantly thrusting. Ugh… I think I just interrupted something. As I lifted my foot to turn away, a bear’s roar ripped through the air, and then a huge paw slowly swung towards me. I’m screwed! Looks like this is where I die today. I squatted on the ground, covering my head, waiting to be flattened into a meat patty. “Huh? Isn’t this the Queen’s bracelet?” At the crucial moment, a she-bear, adjusting her shorts, stepped over, her pointed fingers picking up my bracelet. Both bears looked at me with suspicious eyes. “Tell us, how did you get the Queen’s bracelet? Did you steal it?” I quickly tugged at my torn clothes. “Please, Bear Sires, you’ve got it all wrong! I just arrived, lost in this forest for three days. I have no idea about any Queen’s bracelet!” The two bears didn’t believe me. “This is a treasure only the Queen of Beasts possesses! You little thief, now confess!” Mr. Clawson raised his hairy paw to hit me again, and I wanted to cry. “Please, Sires, calm your rage! This bracelet, besides mine, my best friend has one too. Perhaps she’s your Queen.” As soon as I said that, Mrs. Clawson burst out laughing. “Hahaha, that’s hilarious! You? You think *you* could be worthy?!” The two bears scoffed as if they’d heard the funniest joke, mocking me while boasting about how amazing their Queen was. “Our Queen is a rare beauty in the Beast World, a high-and-mighty human girl! What’s a tiny Dog Tribe like you?” “Dog Tribe? What?!” I pointed at my nose. “Me? Dog Tribe? Sires, are you mistaken? I’m also a high-and-mighty human, just like you said!” The two bears snorted, crossing their arms, pointing at my shadow on the ground. “Hmph, just look at the Sun God. He’s showing your true form! Stop pretending to be human!” The sun was directly overhead. I looked down, and sure enough, the short black shadow in front of me looked exactly like a dog! Its two ears even wiggled. I stared, wide-eyed in disbelief, but every time I moved, the dog’s shadow moved with me, identical movements. I shrieked. “Ahhh! Help! Why am I a dog?!”

No matter how much I explained, Mr. and Mrs. Clawson didn’t believe me. They treated me like a slave and even planned to make me marry the Wolf Prince in place of their daughter. I grumbled about how different species couldn’t possibly intermarry, but Grizzly Clawson glared at me. “Your Dog Tribe and those savage Wolf Tribe are considered the same kind! This marriage isn’t a hardship for you.” I squatted in the corner, utterly wronged. “If it’s no hardship, why don’t *you* go?!” Grizzly Clawson sneered. “How could a noble Clawson maiden like me marry that poor, dull Wolf Tribe?” I got annoyed. “You’re a noble Clawson maiden, and I’m a noble Queen’s best friend!” Grizzly Clawson rolled her eyes. “Laughable! If you were the Queen’s best friend, I’d shave all my fur off and make you shoes!” That’s a good idea, I told her to wait. She said the Wolf Prince was handsome and brave, and that I should just wait obediently to marry him, dismissing everything else as wishful thinking. Ha, she really thought I was stupid. I’d been in the Beast World long enough to hear plenty of rumors. After the Beast Queen took charge, the Wolf Tribe, serving as border generals, had always been loyal. But recently, due to political disagreements with the Queen, the Wolf Tribe was stripped of their military titles and their home ransacked. The Queen’s methods were ruthless; she banished their entire tribe to the barren desert. The Clawson Tribe, seeing the Wolf Tribe’s decline, became fence-sitters. But they also wanted to leave themselves a backdoor, which is why they came up with the idea of a substitute marriage. They must have lost their minds! Not only did they think I was blind, but did they really think a giant ‘woof-woof’ like me could pass for a human bride, and the Wolf Tribe wouldn’t notice? But my purpose here was to rescue my best friend, Seraphina. In this world of survival of the fittest, I could only pretend to agree for now. I behaved obediently for a while, and when the Clawson family saw me quiet down, they began preparing my dowry. But all they prepared were wild boar bones from the forest, and unknown animal droppings made into ‘poop candy’. Even the blanket was shaped like a dog bed. I ground my teeth in anger but had to comply. Because I looked at the map, the wedding procession would pass the Queen’s palace. All I could do for now was endure. Seraphina, wait for me. I will surely save you and bring you back to the human world! My luck was surprisingly good. Before the wedding procession even reached the palace, we heard that the Queen had left for an inspection tour. I just didn’t expect to see Seraphina again in such a shocking manner. She was wearing a two-piece swimsuit, stolen from *my* supermarket, lounging on a high platform. A shaggy lion lay at her feet, and behind her, a spider beast had conjured several hands to massage her shoulders and legs. On either side of her, a White Tiger and a White Horse, transformed into humanoids, were feeding her grapes, mouth-to-mouth. The glistening juice flowed from Seraphina’s lips down her pale neck and across her chest. A leopard, who had been waiting for a long time, eagerly bowed its head to lick it all up, not missing a single drop of sweetness. A soft sigh escaped Seraphina’s lips, and she stroked the leopard’s head, her eyes filled with doting affection. This scene of lavish debauchery assaulted my senses. I couldn’t bother to keep watching. Tears streamed down my face. Oh my god, I finally found Seraphina! Seizing a moment when the Clawson Tribe wasn’t paying attention, I struggled free of the pressure on my shoulders, stood up, and shouted her name across the crowd. “Seraphina! Seraphina! It’s Chloe! Look at me, I came for you!” But the horde of beasts gathered to gaze upon the Queen’s beauty was too vast, and my voice was quickly drowned out. A bear paw slammed onto my head. I looked up to see Grizzly Clawson’s mocking face. “What? You actually think you can get close to the Queen?” Grizzly Clawson scoffed. “Go look in a puddle, little dog. You’re not even fit to lick her boots!” Grizzly Clawson ordered her soldiers to tie me up and gag me. I struggled, but heavy bear paws hammered down on me, blow after blow. They dragged me into a nearby alley and started tearing off my clothes.

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I was the wife of New York City’s wealthiest man, but on the eve of giving birth, I found myself kidnapped and thrust into a brutal reality TV show. Heavily pregnant, I fled desperately through the woods. Suddenly, I heard the voice of Dominic’s friend over the loudspeaker: “Hey Dominic, shouldn’t you be with Aria while she’s in labor? What are you doing here? Is Vivian acting up again?” Dominic chuckled softly, his voice filled with indulgent affection. “Yeah, Vivian insisted on watching this crazy show. Aria thinks I’m at work. She even sent me away when her water broke. She’s so silly.” I frantically pounded on the monitor, begging Dominic for help. But when Vivian screamed in fright, he immediately pressed the punishment button. A violent electric shock coursed through me. Amniotic fluid mixed with blood pooled at my feet as I curled up, tears streaming down my face. As the footsteps of my pursuers grew closer, the betting reached a fever pitch. Everyone was wagering on who would survive. Only Dominic’s voice remained cold: “One million dollars. I bet that crazy pregnant woman dies!” 0

Hearing Dominic’s words, the crowd laughed and shook their heads. In their eyes, this was a losing bet. How could a pregnant woman outrun wild dogs and fit young men? But Dominic didn’t care. He lazily pushed out his chips. “One million dollars to make my darling Vivian happy.” “Wow, Mr. Dominic is so generous! Casually dropping a million for your mistress while your wife’s engagement ring probably cost $100. Aria would cry if she knew!” Dominic lit a cigar, speaking matter-of-factly: “Mistresses are meant to be spoiled. Aria is so virtuous and understanding, she’s happy with just a joint bank account.” I listened to his voice, unable to reconcile it with the husband who once loved me to the bone. We had been in love for eight years. I stood by him as he climbed from a poor college student to New York City’s wealthiest man. When he proposed on one knee, holding out a simple $100 ring, he was crying so hard he could barely speak. I ended up kissing him first, saying yes through my laughter as I held out my hand for him to slip on the ring. I thought I had a perfect love story envied by all. I never imagined he had kept a mistress for five years. To live up to his million-dollar bet, the TV show’s henchmen roughly grabbed me. They yanked on the rope around my neck, displaying me to the cameras from all angles like a piece of meat. I dangled limply, feet off the ground, swaying like a broken doll. A pool of red spread beneath me. The host projected my stats onto the big screen with a whistle. “Wow, 99.9 cm belly circumference! That’s rare – a sign of lifelong happiness!” Through the hood, I saw Dominic’s eyes narrow as he loosened his grip on Vivian slightly. For a moment, I thought he had recognized me. A wave of bitterness washed over me. But the next second, a smile curved his lips. “I thought my Aria was already rare enough. Who knew we’d find someone with such similar measurements.” Watching his back settle into the chair again, I was filled with despair. I used all my strength to make a hand signal. It was one we had agreed upon years ago when I got lost at an amusement park. Dominic had gazed at me tenderly then. “Aria, if you ever get lost, make this signal. Even if you’re wearing a mascot costume, I’ll spot you instantly in a sea of people!” But now when I finally used our signal, he looked at me with disgust. He ordered his men to break my fingers without hesitation. “Only Aria can use that signal! You look half-dead already, how dare you try to seduce me by impersonating her!” “Release two more wild dogs. I’ll teach her a lesson she won’t forget!” Foul-smelling jaws clamped down all over my body. I screamed and thrashed, trying to protect my belly as blood streamed down my legs. His friends cheered, full of envy. “I’d say Aria is the lucky one, pampered by you all these years. She must be the happiest woman in New York!” 0

“This pregnant lady isn’t so fortunate! Stuck with a bastard husband, what rotten luck.” In the darkness, I managed a bitter smile. No one knew that the man embracing Vivian, repeatedly trying to kill me, was my husband. And I could only watch helplessly as the man who had held me that morning, promising to pluck the stars from the sky for me, professed his love for Vivian again and again before the crowd. The wild dogs inched closer to my throat. In my daze, I saw Death beckoning to me. Just as I thought I was about to die, Vivian’s voice rang out from the stands: “I’ve changed my mind. I want to play a new game.” “Since she’s going to die anyway, darling, why don’t we guess…” “The gender of her baby?” Vivian’s malicious voice, amplified by the speakers, exploded in my ears. Dominic’s brow furrowed. I thought he had remembered our promise. For this hard-won child, he had once knelt and kowtowed nine times at the most spiritual temple. He had obtained a blessed Buddhist bracelet for the baby, vowing not to commit any sins related to children. The bracelet was still on Dominic’s wrist, but he lovingly stroked Vivian’s hair. His voice dripped with honeyed poison: “Alright, whatever makes you happy!” Through the blood-soaked hood, my blood froze inch by inch. So when it came to Vivian, Dominic could abandon all his principles. Next, I was dragged onto an operating table by ropes as thick as my wrists. Vivian laughed mockingly as she lifted my mask, spitting in my face. “What a shame. He didn’t even recognize you or keep his promise!” Seeing me staring intently at her shoes through the gap, Vivian deliberately raised her foot to kick the operating table. “See clearly? Your husband buys me all the same gifts as you! Once you’re dead, I’ll be the only one!” “You don’t know, do you? Every night he said he was on a business trip, he was playing sexy card games with me.” “When your father died on the operating table without a doctor, it was because my dog got sick. He gathered all the doctors to give it hospice care.” With each sentence, my heart was stabbed with needles. Finally, the dense pain crashed over me like a tidal wave, burying me completely. The blood flowing from below was like a flood with the floodgates opened. The doctor hesitated several times before making an incision on my abdomen. He looked at Dominic, who was striding over: “Mr. Dominic, this is far too risky. One wrong move and…” Dominic’s eyes flashed with hesitation. Suddenly, Vivian cried out. “Darling, this bitch scratched me! What if she has some infectious disease? Waaah…” Under Dominic’s concerned gaze, she removed her hand. The red marks she had scratched herself weren’t even bleeding, but Dominic was furious. He slapped me hard across the face: “How dare you hurt Vivian? Continue the procedure as planned. No anesthesia! I want to see how tough she really is!” He stared at me coldly through the hood. I stared at the three teeth that had been knocked out on the ground, my heart a wasteland. Vivian leaned weakly against Dominic, meeting my gaze with undisguised smugness. “I’m sorry, ma’am.” The doctor put the anesthesia back on the tray and said quietly with sympathy: “Don’t blame me. I’ll try to finish the surgery as quickly as possible to minimize your suffering.” The moment the cold scalpel fell, my soul shook with pain. I could no longer hold back my piercing screams. Amidst my wails, the Buddhist beads on Dominic’s wrist snapped one by one. He whipped his head around to look at me. “That voice… it sounds just like Aria’s?” 0

I struggled to lift my head, trembling as I tried to grab the hem of Dominic’s shirt. But Vivian stepped forward in feigned shock, blocking me from Dominic. “I can’t believe it! She even learned to mimic Aria’s voice to seduce you!” “How terrifying!” The suspicion in Dominic’s eyes was replaced by deep disgust. He grabbed a handful of cotton from the hospital bed. And stuffed it forcefully into my mouth. I widened my eyes in shock, struggling with all my might. So much fine fluff entering my airways would be unbearable for a normal person, let alone someone with severe asthma like me! But what awaited me was another slap. Dominic’s eyes were cold, but his expression turned joyful when his phone rang. “Aria’s gone? She must be in the delivery room!” “Quick! Buy a full set of the most high-end baby products in New York! And book the $300,000 postpartum care center in advance! This is wonderful, I’m going to be a father!” Dominic trembled with excitement, completely oblivious that the person lying before him was his Aria. As the knife cut through my belly layer by layer, my breathing grew weaker and weaker. To keep me alive, the doctor gritted his teeth and injected me with adrenaline shot after shot. By the end, I had lost all reason. Even my soul seemed to have left my body. The baby’s clear cry snapped me back to consciousness. I heard Vivian click her tongue. “It’s a girl.” The baby was full-term and crying loudly when taken out, but was smothered to death. Carelessly tossed onto the cold table like a useless piece of trash. Vivian’s voice was coquettish: “Tell everyone outside it’s a boy! I have to win this bet!” Looking at the baby’s tightly closed eyes, as if just sleeping, I coughed up a mouthful of blood in heartache. In the darkness, all I could see was Dominic’s delighted face, over and over. We had married young and been together for eight years. It wasn’t until this year that we finally conceived a child. Dominic treasured this baby like gold, constantly listening to its heartbeat against my belly. “Honey, we finally have a baby. Boy or girl, it will be my sole heir!” “If it’s a son, I’ll teach him horseback riding and archery.” “If it’s a daughter who looks like you, I’ll make sure she becomes the happiest little princess in New York!” Now I knew that “sole heir” and “happiest” were all lies he told me! Dominic was still thinking about what gifts to buy the baby, not sparing a glance for his daughter who had died silently. His mind was solely on instructing his assistant on the phone: “Go to that Buddhist temple in the suburbs and get a safety amulet each for my wife and child!” His gaze fell on the broken beads on his wrist, an inexplicable unease rising in his heart: “Get another string of prayer beads too. I want my child to be absolutely safe!” I stared hard at Dominic’s face, my heart full of bitter irony. Too bad the prayer beads didn’t protect your child this time. The safety amulet certainly won’t protect me either. The monitor by the hospital bed started blaring alarms. But Dominic walked out with his arm around Vivian. Without looking back. The doctor helplessly passed by my side, then suddenly returned after a long moment. As if he had struggled greatly with his conscience. “I’m a doctor. I can’t stand by and let someone die. Maybe this will bring some good karma for my wife’s unborn child.” He dragged me out of the dissection room and called an ambulance. As they carried my stretcher past Dominic, my hand fell limply in the jostling. The silver band engraved with forget-me-nots glinted dazzlingly in the sunlight. Dominic’s pupils suddenly constricted. “Wait!”

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I married an idiot. For three years, I personally fed him, bathed him, and gave him the whole world. Then one day he woke up, became the CEO of a listed company, and spent millions proposing to me across the city. After marriage, I became the envy of everyone. He expressed his love for me on various occasions. But when his true love appeared, he immediately kicked me out, just to make room for her. With nowhere to go, I swallowed a whole bottle of sleeping pills. When I crossed over to this world, I spent 25 years pursuing the four main love interests, only to lose everything in the end. The system said that as long as this body dies, I can go home. But just as my consciousness was fading, I heard someone desperately begging me to live. 0 “Aria, I know you’re awake. Why did you choose to attempt suicide on the day Sam returns? What, are you trying to frame Sam by pretending to be dead?” Accompanied by a cold voice, I opened my eyes to see William’s icy gaze full of hatred. William, one of my love interests, was once a husband who loved me to the bone. When we first met, he was tricked while fighting for his family’s inheritance and became an idiot, insisting on marrying me. For three years, I bathed him, washed his clothes, took care of his daily life, and gave him the whole world. However, when the family heirs killed each other off, he suddenly woke up and became the sole heir. It turned out that he had been pretending to be stupid to avoid disaster, and I was the real fool who had been deceived. When I turned to leave, he knelt down and begged, spending millions to propose to me across the city. “Aria, please don’t go. I can’t live without you. I may have been pretending to be stupid, but I really do like you.” Amidst flying flower petals, looking at the face I had lived with day and night, I agreed. Until Olivia appeared, and he changed his heart. He used work as an excuse to stay away from home for long periods. “Why can’t you understand me?” “If I don’t work hard, where will your food and clothes come from?” I believed him. But not long after, I found him intimate with Olivia in the office, with used condoms on the floor. When I asked him why, he told me to leave with nothing. I refused, so Olivia faked her death by jumping into the sea and posted a 10,000-word accusation on social media, framing me for bullying and abusing her, forcing her to die. I was subjected to overwhelming cyberbullying. He seized the opportunity to kick me out of the house. My own brother also wanted to sever ties with me, this vicious person. No matter how I explained, no one believed I was innocent. Although I don’t know why William would save me, looking at the surging hatred in his eyes, I forced out the last breath from my lungs and said with difficulty: “Kill… me.” The next moment, William released his hand and slapped me angrily: “If you want to die, go somewhere else to die. Don’t dirty my hands!” I was stunned by his slap. When I came to my senses, I had already been thrown onto the road outside the villa gate by him and his bodyguards. William folded his arms across his chest, his expression cold and indifferent, as if looking at garbage: “If it weren’t for you bullying and harassing Olivia, how could she have been forced to jump into the sea? If you want to commit suicide, remember to stay away from me. Seeing you makes me physically sick.” I laughed self-mockingly. It was clearly them slandering me behind my back, but it became my fault! Can those with power and influence really turn black into white? But he probably forgot that without me, he wouldn’t have today! Since that’s the case, I won’t dirty his eyes! I staggered away, coming to a bustling street. Looking at the flowing traffic, I jumped. As long as this body dies, I can go home. The next instant, the sharp sound of tires screeching accompanied by honking horns rang out. Someone grabbed my hair tightly and dragged me to the roadside. “Aria, what are you doing?!” I looked at the angry William and quietly asked: “Why? I’ve already stayed away from you.” Although his words were so fierce, I saw his body trembling. When he was still pretending to be an idiot, whenever he was afraid, he would unconsciously tremble and hide behind me. What was he afraid of? Afraid of me dying? But isn’t this fulfilling his and Olivia’s wishes? William slapped me hard: “What are you pretending for? This is the road Olivia has to take to get home! If you die here, how will it dirty her eyes?” I lowered my eyes and laughed self-mockingly. So it was because of this. I obediently went to the riverside. Here, it shouldn’t dirty his beloved’s eyes, right? 0

I walked step by step into the river. The next moment, another hand grabbed me. I turned back in confusion, only to find it was my brother Finn. He was holding a cake with a big name written on it: “Olivia”. It should be a cake prepared to celebrate Olivia’s fake death return… Anger and hatred surged in Finn’s eyes. “What are you doing here? Don’t tell me you knew I was going to bring a cake for Olivia and came to stop me?!” “Aria, have you forgotten that I’ve already severed ties with you!” In this world, if there’s someone who hates me more than William, it would be my own brother. But he wasn’t like this before. We lost both parents when we were young. I raised my brother alone, naming him “Finn”, hoping he would be as free as the wind chimes dancing in the air. He dreamed of studying music, so I dropped out of school early and worked three jobs to send him to the best training classes. Once, during a house fire, he ran barefoot into the flames, crying that if I died, he wouldn’t live alone either. We were each other’s support in this world, the closest blood relatives. But all this changed after he met Olivia. Olivia said she wanted to eat something good, so he forced me to cook a table full of dishes despite my serious illness. She didn’t eat, and when I couldn’t help but ask, he turned on me: “Your cooking is too bad, why are you yelling at her!” Saying that, he threw the dishes I had worked hard to make into the garbage. Later, Olivia and William framed me and faked her death by jumping into the sea. Because of this, Finn hated me to the bone, severed ties with me, coldly watched me suffer all kinds of torment, and even personally pushed me into the abyss. Thinking of this, I didn’t answer his words, slowly pulling my wrist out of his hand inch by inch. Seeing this, William immediately sneered: “Olivia is back. She was kicked out by me with nothing, so she probably can’t accept it and wants to commit suicide.” Finn frowned and laughed coldly: “Someone as afraid of death as her, how could she really commit suicide? She’s probably just putting on an act.” “Great minds think alike,” William also laughed. “She just performed twice in front of me.” After mocking me, Finn looked at me with hatred again: “Aria, even if a vicious person like you really dies, no one would care!” “Get out of my way, don’t block me from finding Olivia.” I slowly lowered my eyes: “Alright, I’ll leave.” As soon as the words fell, I plunged towards the rushing river. Finn’s face turned pale. The river was so rapid that in the blink of an eye, I had been washed ten meters away. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief. This time, I should really be able to die, right? But the next moment, with a “splash” sound, I was rescued by Finn and thrown onto the grass, covered in mud, looking miserable. He was soaking wet and kicked me like a madman. “Aria, are you trying to make everyone think I drove you to death and then ruin me?!” “You really disgust me!” “You, when did you learn to swim?” I coughed violently, bitter water spilling from the corners of my mouth. Finn kicked me hard and sneered: “After Olivia jumped into the sea, I learned to swim.” “What? Unhappy that your scheme didn’t work?” I couldn’t help but sneer. Love is really great. In the past, I wanted to teach him how to swim countless times. But every time I was stopped by Olivia, “With me around, Finn doesn’t need to learn to swim at all. I will always be with him and save him when he’s in danger.” Finn also coldly belittled me: “Aria, this is the difference between you and Olivia. You only force me to do things I don’t want to do. You’re not fit to be my sister at all!” Later, Finn accidentally drowned, and Olivia watched coldly. It was me who went into the water and saved him. But he thought it was Olivia who saved him, attributing all the credit to Olivia, and even scolded me for being ungrateful, watching my own brother drown without doing anything. But I never thought that Finn, who had been afraid of water since childhood, would actually learn to swim for Olivia. “What does my suicide have to do with you? You’re nothing but a stranger to me.” Hearing this, Finn’s face turned red with anger, and he slapped me. “If it weren’t for the fact that I vowed to pray and accumulate virtue for Olivia after her death, do you think I would save you, a biological sister I’ve severed ties with?” “Even if it were a dog that fell into the water today, I would save it!” I laughed self-mockingly, “What a fresh term, biological sister. Then what about Olivia? Your emotional sister? But she’s going to marry William.” Hearing this, Finn suddenly dropped the cake in his hand and looked at William. “Marriage?! With William?” I was about to speak when another love interest, Ryan, rushed over and blurted out: “Olivia is missing!” “Aria, did you hide Olivia?! Quickly call her out!” 0

William, who had been calm all along, panicked for the first time. “Olivia is missing?” “Aria! No wonder you’ve been acting so strange today. It seems you’ve done something bad and want to use fake suicide to clear your suspicions! Quick, tell me where you’ve taken Olivia!” Finn immediately reddened his eyes and slapped me hard: “Olivia went through so much to come back, and you dare to harm her! I should have let you drown in the river earlier!” “Quickly give her back to me! If she dies, I won’t live either!” There was an iron rust taste in my mouth. I opened my lips, and a few drops of blood fell. Olivia disappeared again. She really can’t stand to see me have any good. Since that’s the case, I might as well fulfill her wishes. I was about to speak when I saw Ryan, who once said I was his only salvation, holding a knife to my throat. “Speak! Where did you hide my Olivia!” Ryan, the fourth of my love interests, was also a well-known medical genius. Back then, because someone wanted to steal his family’s secret medical book, his entire family was killed. It was I who risked my life to save him. Perhaps because he witnessed his entire family being killed, Ryan became extremely resistant to others approaching him. There’s still a scar on my left hand where he bit me when he was in shock. But I never left him, accompanying him through that difficult time. Finally, Ryan regained his senses and decided to practice his family’s medical skills to find evidence and avenge his family. In the silent struggle, I went through countless life and death moments, personally helping him reach a high position and slaughter all his enemies. That day, he cried and said that from then on, I would be his sister, a relative without blood ties. That day, I cried too, because he really looked like my brother from another world. I… missed my brother. But later, after Olivia appeared, he gradually distanced himself from me. Just because Olivia said she didn’t like me calling him brother. He then declared that if I came within three meters of him, he would seal my throat with silver needles. On the day he learned that Olivia had faked her death by jumping into the sea, Ryan went crazy. He stuck tens of thousands of needles into my body, torturing me endlessly, just to avenge Olivia. “Who knows how much Olivia suffered at your hands before she jumped into the sea to commit suicide.” “Since that’s the case, then for each of your following days, you will suffer a hundred times more cruel torture than her!” Seeing my silence, Ryan’s eyes were filled with bloodshot, and the sharp blade pressed against my throat, drawing a line of blood. “Not talking? It seems a few days without torture have made you forget our methods!” Ryan coldly stepped forward, knocked me unconscious, and took me to the dark room in William’s villa. He stuck dense silver needles into my acupoints, amplifying my pain and torturing me with various instruments. William and Finn didn’t stop him, but instead gritted their teeth and glared at me with raging anger. I struggled, and dense, stabbing pain came from all over my body. The pain penetrated to the bone, making me cry out involuntarily. But Ryan slapped me hard and shouted: “What are you yelling for? Can’t you even bear this little pain? Don’t forget how you tortured Olivia back then!” “If you don’t tell us her whereabouts, everything you did to her, I will return to you one by one!” Hearing this, I opened my eyes wide, as if seeing dawn. I don’t want to be abused by them anymore. I just want to die quickly and cleanly. I just want to go home and have a good sleep! I cried, sobbed, and shouted: “Your Olivia is already dead! I chopped her up piece by piece with a knife!” “Come on! Kill me!! Let me accompany her!” “Come on!!!” I shouted crazily at them. Ryan was probably too angry, even at this point I still dared to be so arrogant. “You really think I don’t dare to kill you? Olivia is dead, trash like you should accompany her!” He suddenly took out a knife and rushed out, raising his hand to stab me. He used full force, probably thinking I would resist, but I just stood there, watching the knife tip enter my heart. Ryan was stunned, looking at the blood gushing from my chest, as if he couldn’t believe it. But I pulled the corners of my mouth, finally going to die! As my consciousness dispersed, Olivia’s voice suddenly came from the door: “Oh, why is everyone here? I’ve been looking for you for a long time…”

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Everyone knew Lily only married me to spite Jack, her idealized ex-lover. For five years of marriage, she played the role of a caring wife and renowned cardiologist in public. But behind closed doors, she was cold as ice towards me and brought up divorce countless times. Later, when Jack returned to the country due to illness, Lily tirelessly cared for him. She even warned me repeatedly: “Jack’s heart is weak. If you dare show your face around him, you’ll regret it!” Finally, on the hundredth time she mentioned divorce, I agreed. What Lily didn’t know was that I had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and didn’t have long to live. On the way to finalize our divorce, I got into a car accident and died instantly. Lily never made it to meet me. Instead, she received news that a matching heart donor had been found for Jack. She rushed back to the hospital excitedly and personally performed the surgery to remove the heart and transplant it into Jack’s body. It was only afterwards that she remembered about finalizing our divorce. But by then, she could no longer reach my phone… 0

The moment my soul left my body, the unbearable pain finally subsided. I floated above, watching the smoking wreckage of my car in the pouring rain. The driver’s side was severely crushed from the impact. The person in the seat was unrecognizable, their bones completely shattered. Today was supposed to be Lily and my fifth wedding anniversary. It was also the hundredth time she had brought up divorce. In the past, I always avoided the topic to maintain our fragile relationship. But this time, I agreed to the divorce. Our relationship hadn’t been good these five years, but we still spent day and night together for so long. Until a month ago, when Jack, the man Lily loved but couldn’t be with, returned to the country due to illness. After that, Lily never came home. She stayed at the hospital caring for him tirelessly. Everyone knew she had only married me back then to spite Jack. But I had loved her secretly for years. So even knowing this cruel truth, I still cherished Lily. My thoughts returned to the present. I watched as the ambulance took away my mangled body. For some reason, I felt compelled to follow. Lily worked at this hospital. For years, she had been a renowned cardiologist. But as the spouse of a top doctor, I couldn’t even go to her for minor ailments. On our wedding day, Lily had coldly told me: “I don’t want to see you at my workplace. And don’t bother me over small things.” So even when I was diagnosed with a terminal illness, I never got the chance to tell her. Tears streamed down my face as a dull ache filled my chest. My bloodied corpse wasn’t taken to the morgue. Instead, it was brought to the operating room on the fifth floor. Just then, the OR doors opened. Two people walked in one after another. “Jack, it’s illegal to take the heart without the family’s consent…” I recognized the person speaking – it was Tom, Lily’s intern. I had often brought Lily meals at work, and this guy had eaten plenty of them. Jack scoffed and walked over to my cold body with his arms crossed. He looked down at me with disdain, unable to hide his disgust as he quickly turned away. “I’ve waited so long to finally match with a donor. How could I let this chance slip away?” He turned to Tom coldly: “Call Lily back.” “I want her to personally remove the heart and perform my surgery.” Tom hesitated, looking at Jack with uncertainty. He started to speak several times but stopped himself. Jack wasn’t in a hurry. He took out a card from his bag and handed it to Tom. “There’s $50,000 on this card. This stays between us.” “Even if the family comes looking later, I have ways to deal with it.” Tempted by the money and Jack’s assurances, Tom finally took the card and called Lily. After some mechanical ringing, Lily’s voice filled the operating room. “What is it?” Tom paused, glancing at Jack before slowly replying: “Dr. Lu, we found a matching heart donor for Mr. Song.” “The body is in the OR. Please come back quickly.” Hearing this, Lily’s usually indifferent tone became ecstatic, as if she had won the lottery. “Really?! I’ll be right there!” “Jack won’t have to worry about this anymore…” Her excited voice felt like daggers stabbing into my heart. I looked at my corpse on the operating table through tear-filled eyes. If Lily knew it was me who died, would she still be so happy? 0

Less than 30 minutes later, Lily returned. She was out of breath as she hugged Jack in the hallway, saying happily: “Jack, you’re finally going to be okay.” Jack’s eyes reddened at her words as he said softly: “Lily, without you I’d rather give up this heart…” Hearing this, Lily hugged Jack tighter and stood on her toes to gently kiss him. She vowed, “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely divorce Adam.” “I… only married him to spite you in the first place.” Even though this was common knowledge, hearing it from Lily’s own lips still made my heart ache uncontrollably. So this was how much she loved Jack. So even after five years, I still hadn’t managed to melt her icy heart. While I was lost in thought, Lily had finished comforting Jack and told him to prepare for surgery. She went with Tom to change into scrubs and entered the operating room. For Lily, a heart transplant was a simple procedure. But when she saw the blood-covered body on the operating table, she still frowned: “Tom, why wasn’t the body cleaned up before being brought here?” Tom froze, too nervous to look at Lily. In the end, he stammered: “Dr. Lu, Mr. Song’s donor was so hard to find.” “And, well, we wanted to ensure the heart stayed fresh…” Hearing this, Lily said no more. She held out her hand to take the scalpel Tom passed her. Just as she was about to make the first incision, she paused again. I followed her gaze and realized Lily was looking at my hand. On the ring finger of my left hand was a diamond ring, stained red with blood. I had designed this ring myself. I even made a matching women’s wedding band for Lily when we got married. But she had scornfully locked it away in a drawer and never worn it again. “Dr. Lu, is something wrong?” Tom asked in confusion. Lily shook her head. When she spoke again, her voice held a hint of pity. “What a shame. His wife must be devastated,” she said as she cut open my chest cavity. Tom stood beside her, handing her instruments as he replied: “And after examination, this man had a terminal illness. He didn’t have long to live.” “It really is pitiful.” This time Lily didn’t respond, but the atmosphere in the OR became even heavier. I watched her from afar, suddenly remembering last winter when I had fallen terribly ill. I was so weak I couldn’t even get out of bed. Lily was home at the time, but she only focused on her own work. I suffered through a high fever all night. By the time I was rushed to the hospital, the doctors said I had nearly died. But when I woke up, the first thing Lily did was berate me. “You’re a grown man, don’t you know to speak up when you’re not feeling well?!” She glared at me angrily. “Or were you just trying to get my attention?” At the time, I was too weak to argue. She was the one who said not to bother her even if I was unwell. I had listened to her, so why was she still angry? Lily could show compassion for a complete stranger, so why was she so cold towards her husband of five years? 0

The heart was successfully removed. Six hours later, it was beating again. But this time, it was inside Jack’s body. As soon as Lily left the OR, she went straight to Jack’s room. Seeing him lying unconscious in bed, she finally let out a long sigh of relief. After checking on Jack, Lily returned to her office. She sat down and took out her phone, but there were no messages. In the past, I would send her hundreds of messages every day, sharing every little detail about what I ate, what I did, how work was going. But Lily never replied. She stared at her phone for a long time before finally opening her contacts and scrolling to my name. She hesitated before dialing. But the phone just kept ringing mechanically before going to voicemail. No one answered on the other end. Eventually Lily lost patience. She opened SnapChat and sent two voice messages to my chat. “Adam, you already agreed to the divorce, so it doesn’t matter if you answer the phone or not. I won’t change my mind.” “Don’t think playing hard to get will make me reconsider divorcing you!” I watched her irritated expression and smiled bitterly, murmuring, “Lily, if you hated me so much, why did you marry me in the first place?” But it didn’t matter anymore. The husband she despised had died in today’s downpour. Lily would never have to be bothered by me again. For the first time, Lily’s messages went unanswered. I had vanished without a trace. But she didn’t try to find me. She was convinced I was just sulking, hiding away because I didn’t want to divorce her. My body lay unclaimed in the hospital morgue. The reason was simple – I was an orphan. After leaving the orphanage, I was admitted to a top design school in the country. That was probably one of the most praiseworthy things in my life. The other was marrying Lily. In college, she wasn’t just the beauty queen of the medical school, but also the top student. She was the unattainable dream girl for many guys. But back then, Lily only had eyes for Jack. Even I, from a neighboring school, knew about their romantic love story. The first time I saw her was at a joint school mixer. Amidst the crowds, Lily stood out in an expensive designer dress, confidently holding court. She was surrounded by people, but no one could outshine her brilliance. Later, I was standing by the river lost in thought when Lily approached me. She thought I was going to jump and tried to comfort me. For the first time, my dull heart fluttered. But I knew the vast difference in our status. Plus she had a boyfriend, so I kept my feelings hidden away. It’s laughable really. Those who crawl out of the mud always foolishly yearn for things far beyond their reach. I thought that would be my only interaction with Lily. Until she broke up with Jack. By chance, I was delivering custom buttons to her friend that day. The sun was shining brightly when she looked up at me casually and asked, “Do you want to marry me?” 0

“Adam still hasn’t answered the phone?” In the hospital room, Jack looked at Lily with a pale face and asked sadly, “Lily, after five years of marriage, do you really feel nothing for him?” “Are you lying to me about his disappearance? You actually… don’t want to marry me.” “You never forgave me for leaving you back then!” By the end, Jack was crying heartbrokenly. After these days, my emotions had strangely stabilized. I was leaning against the window, quietly watching them. I guessed Lily would hug Jack tenderly to comfort him. Sure enough, the next second, she frowned and stood up to embrace the agitated Jack. See, I guessed right. “Adam agreed to divorce me. I don’t know why he suddenly went off the grid.” She said as she gently patted Jack’s back to comfort him. Then she said softly, “But don’t worry, I will divorce him.” Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps approached. Two uniformed police officers burst into the room. Lily looked at them in confusion, “Officers, is something wrong?” Before the police could answer, the door was flung open again. Tom stood there panting heavily. He looked up at Lily with trembling eyes: “Dr. Lu… Mr. Chen is dead…”

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My fiancé Lucas, the CEO, told me the company wasn’t doing well and cut my salary in half. But then I saw his secretary Amber bragging on social media: “The boss not only gave me a raise, but also bought me a luxury car because he was worried I’d get tired from commuting. He’s so thoughtful!” In the photo, she was standing with Lucas in front of a brand new $100,000 car, looking blissfully happy. I pondered for a moment, then hit the like button. That evening, Lucas called an emergency meeting. Using the excuse that I was “disrupting company morale”, he docked my entire month’s salary and gave it to Amber as “emotional distress compensation”. Everyone looked at me with pity, probably expecting me to freak out. But I calmly packed up my desk and handed him my resignation letter. “Docking someone’s pay isn’t enough punishment for bullying a coworker. I’ll save you the trouble and quit.” 0 As soon as I finished speaking, Lucas’s secretary Amber chimed in. “Rachel, how can you quit over such a small thing?” she said. “You’ve been with the company for so long, and Lucas has always treated you so well. If you resign now, what will people think of him?” “Lucas, please talk some sense into Rachel!” she pleaded. Lucas may have been planning to convince me to stay. But after hearing Amber’s words, his anger flared up. He snorted coldly: “What’s there to talk about? If she wants to leave, let her leave. I have nothing to hide, I’m not afraid of what anyone might say.” Without hesitation, he signed my resignation letter and tossed it in my face. The other employees looked on in shock. A coworker I was close with quietly urged me to apologize, telling me not to act rashly. Almost everyone knew that I had helped Lucas build this company from the ground up. When the company was short on cash and couldn’t complete projects, I led the team in working overtime for three days straight. I had poured my heart and soul into every aspect of the business. Now the company had just secured funding and was about to go public. Anyone else would stay for that. But I remained calm as I picked up the resignation letter from the floor. “I’ll finish handing over my work before I go.” “No need for that. Get out right now,” Lucas said coldly, pointing at the door. Seeing this, I said nothing more. I said goodbye to a few people and left with my things. As I was leaving, I glanced back at Lucas one last time. I clearly saw a flash of complicated emotion in his cold eyes. I knew why, of course. He didn’t think I would actually leave. We had fought before, but after I left, I would always regret it soon after. I’d come back as if nothing had happened, apologize to him, and go back to work as usual. But he probably didn’t realize this time was different. My patience with him had finally run out. I walked to the parking garage and found my old beater car that I’d been driving for 10 years. The paint was chipped in several places. Next to it was parked a brand new top-of-the-line Porsche – the one Lucas had just given to Amber today. There were plenty of empty spots in the garage, but she had deliberately parked right next to me. I understood it was a provocation aimed at me. These weren’t just two cars – they represented the two of us. I had been with Lucas for 10 years, but I meant less to him than Amber who had only joined 10 months ago. I gave a bitter laugh and got into my car. Just then, a text message came through. I opened it to see a transfer from my friend Sophia. This morning when Lucas said the company wasn’t doing well and was cutting my pay, I had been worried he was under too much stress. I immediately contacted Sophia to borrow $50,000. I had planned to give it to Lucas, but then I inadvertently saw Amber’s social media post about Lucas buying her a new car. At the time, I was surprisingly calm. I didn’t feel sad or jealous enough to go crazy. Perhaps because it had happened too many times before. Amber had been hired by Lucas as a special exception. Her work abilities were terrible, but Lucas, who was usually so strict and serious about work, kept tolerating her mistakes time after time. From small things like serving the clients plain water while getting herself a latte during meetings, to big blunders like accidentally sending out our internal pricing sheet to a client, causing the company to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars. When I tried to hold Amber accountable, Lucas would unhesitatingly stand in front of her to shield her. He’d look at me with obvious impatience. “Amber just graduated, isn’t it normal for her to make some mistakes? Why are you being so harsh on a new employee?” Over time, Amber became more and more brazen, to the point where she didn’t take me seriously at all anymore. Soon after, I left the parking garage. As I was waiting for the gate to lift, my car suddenly jolted as if rear-ended. Realizing I had been hit, I got out of the car, only to see Lucas and Amber getting out of the car behind me, hand in hand. “Oh no, I’m so sorry Rachel! I didn’t expect it to be you,” Amber immediately walked up, looking concerned at the dent in her own car’s front bumper. “But why did you brake so suddenly? I didn’t have time to react.” “What a shame, Lucas just bought me this new car,” she added with a pout. Lucas also glared at me coldly. “Did you do this on purpose? You knew Amber was behind you, so you deliberately slammed on the brakes to get back at her?” I almost laughed at the absurdity of it. There he went again, pushing all the blame onto me without even hearing my side. Before I could say anything, Amber’s eyes started to well up with tears. “Lucas, don’t blame Rachel,” she said. “It’s normal for her to be upset with me after quitting because of me.” “If anything, it’s my fault for causing all this trouble.” As she spoke, she made a show of clenching her fist and moving to hit herself on the forehead in frustration. But just before making contact, she deliberately loosened her hand. Lucas couldn’t see through her act. His eyes filled with tenderness as he gently rubbed her forehead. “It’s not your fault at all. Don’t take everything on yourself.” Then he turned to glare at me furiously. He seemed to get angrier the more he thought about it, and jabbed his finger at my forehead. “Rachel, can’t you learn from Amber and take some responsibility?” he scolded. “She knows how to be humble, while you’re still so childish and arrogant after all these years of working!” I stumbled back a couple steps from his push. When I recovered, I found the situation darkly amusing. For the past year, it had been Amber constantly stealing my achievements and using tricks to pin blame on me. Now suddenly she was the humble one with integrity, while I was childish and arrogant. Knowing it was pointless to argue further, I couldn’t be bothered to say anything more. I turned to leave. “Wait.” Lucas suddenly stopped me. I thought he was going to berate me again and defend Amber, but to my surprise, he pulled me aside. He spoke to me in a serious tone. “Rachel, I admit I was too harsh on you today.” “But it’s only because I have such high expectations for you, that’s why I’m so strict.” Hearing his gentle words, I was confused at first. But soon, I understood his intentions. Lucas gave me a slight smile and patted my shoulder. “I’ll withdraw your resignation. Just come back to work as usual. But find some time to publicly apologize to Amber, okay?” “Also, you’re fully at fault for this rear-ending. I’ll deduct the repair costs from your salary.” I realized what was happening and couldn’t help but laugh derisively. I glanced over at Amber. She had likely already known what Lucas was going to say. Her face was full of smugness as she winked at me provocatively. I scoffed. “No need,” I said firmly. “We can check the security cameras to see who was at fault for the accident. If you really want to pursue it, call the police.” “I have to go now. Goodbye.” With that, I walked away. Lucas shouted angrily behind me: “I already gave you a chance! Don’t come crying back later!” Regret? I wouldn’t regret this. I got back in my car and sent a message to Sophia. “I quit. I can start at your company tomorrow.” Sophia called back within seconds, her voice excited: “Are you serious?” She sounded a bit unsure: “Do you want to think it over with Lucas first?” Back when Sophia and Lucas were both starting their companies, Sophia had tried to recruit me. Compared to Lucas who was truly starting from scratch, Sophia had more resources and connections, and could offer me a much better compensation package. Sophia was in desperate need of top technical talent. She had promised me higher equity and profit sharing to entice me to help them out. Even after learning about my relationship with Lucas, she had made an exception and offered to let me work part-time. But for Lucas’s sake, I had rejected her without hesitation. Back when I was at my lowest point, lying in the snow nearly freezing to death, it was Lucas who had dragged me into a police station and saved my life. I was incredibly grateful to him, so I gave up everything else to pour my heart and soul into the business, doing whatever I could to help Lucas’s company grow step by step. But now it seemed he didn’t care about any of that. Besides, after all these years, I had more than repaid my debt of gratitude to him. There was no need for me to keep sacrificing myself anymore. “No need to discuss with him. I can make my own decisions,” I told Sophia firmly. We chatted a bit more and confirmed the time to sign the contract. Then I drove home first to get the documents I needed for the signing. I had thought Lucas wouldn’t be back until late at night as usual. But to my surprise, he came home soon after, talking happily on the phone with Amber as he walked into the living room. When he saw me, his expression immediately darkened. He rolled his eyes at me deliberately before going into the bedroom. I knew he was waiting for me to go comfort him. Every time we had a fight at work, I would always find ways to apologize and beg for his forgiveness. Even when he was the one in the wrong, I would swallow my pride and admit fault. In the past, I felt it was the right thing to do, whether to repay his kindness or to maintain our relationship. I thought I should be the one to comfort him. But now I just found it tiresome. I focused on searching through the drawers for the documents I needed. After a while, Lucas came out of the bedroom with a sullen face. “Did Amber get her car fixed? What about yours?” he asked. I knew this was his way of extending an olive branch. In the past, I would have taken this as a sign he had forgiven me, and eagerly tried to get back in his good graces. But now, I didn’t even look up as I replied flatly, “It’s just an old beater. Not worth fixing.” Lucas frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?” I looked up at him in confusion, not understanding what he was upset about now. This car had been scratched and dented many times before. Whenever I said I wanted to get it fixed, he would dismiss it with the same words I just used. I thought he was going to get angry again, but to my surprise, he let out a sigh. “Amber has been doing great work lately. I gave her the car as a way to retain this talent,” he explained. “You’re my girlfriend. We’re going to get married eventually – won’t the company be yours too? Why do you have to be so petty about salary and compete with her?” “Rachel, everything I do is for the company. I don’t want the other employees to think I’m showing favoritism towards you.” I was taken aback that he was actually trying to explain himself to me. He had never bothered to justify his actions to me before. But I knew these were just excuses. Everyone at the company knew how Lucas treated me versus Amber. Projects I had slaved over for days, he would suddenly hand over to Amber on a whim. She would just slap together a quick PowerPoint, and it would become her achievement. Clients I had spent days negotiating with, about to sign a contract – he would take Amber out for one dinner under my name, and suddenly the deal would be credited as Amber’s success. There were countless incidents like this. Over time, the other employees all came to believe Lucas favored Amber more. They even thought Lucas disliked me. Because of this, I endured a lot of cold shoulders and mistreatment at work. Lucas saw it happening but pretended not to notice. I didn’t want to explain. It wouldn’t matter anyway – even if I did, he would just accuse me of making excuses. “Oh,” I responded flatly. “You don’t need to tell me all this. I’m no longer involved with the company. Do whatever you think is best.” Lucas fell silent. Finally, he let out a sigh. He walked up to me and put his hands on my shoulders. “To be honest, I have selfish reasons too. I wanted you to take some time off to think about our wedding,” he said with a smile. “Have you thought about when we should get married?” But I had already picked out wedding dates many times before. Each time, he had refused. Every time we had a fight, he would use the prospect of marriage to appease me. Sometimes, I felt less like his girlfriend and more like a dog he was toying with. I said nothing. Lucas scratched under my chin playfully, as if petting a dog. “Don’t be mad anymore. Can you smile for me?” he coaxed. He planted a kiss on the back of my hand, as if deliberately trying to please me. He rarely showed me affection like this. In the past, I probably would have been overjoyed. After his display of affection, I would have taken the initiative to get closer, only to be pushed away as he laughed and called me a pervert. Looking back now, I found it all so tiresome. I yanked my arm away and wiped the spot he had kissed with a tissue. Lucas froze, as if struck by lightning. “You’re disgusted by me?” he asked in disbelief. “I have to go out later to take care of something. I’m going to change clothes now,” I said flatly. I turned to go back to the bedroom. Lucas tried to follow me, but I closed and locked the door without hesitation. “Fine! Rachel, don’t come crying back to me later!” Lucas seemed truly angry now. After yelling those words, he kicked the door hard before storming off. When I came out of the bedroom, the living room was empty. Lucas had sent a message in the company group chat saying he was treating everyone to dinner and asking who wanted to join. Everyone remained silent. Only Amber enthusiastically sent three “excited” emojis in a row. I knew Lucas was deliberately trying to provoke me. This had happened many times before. It always went the same way – the other employees were reluctant to attend, with only Amber showing enthusiasm. In the past, I would have gotten jealous and insisted on going too, only to be mocked by them. Now, I couldn’t be bothered to care. I went straight to meet Sophia and sign the contract. Sophia was thrilled and specially arranged a celebratory dinner for me. After a few drinks, I went to the restroom. As I was walking back, I heard familiar voices from a nearby private room. I instinctively paused. Through the partially open door, I saw Amber nestled in Lucas’s arms. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but Lucas was laughing happily. Taking advantage of the moment, Amber quickly leaned up and kissed him on the lips. Lucas froze for a second, but didn’t push her away. “Lucas, when are you going to break up with Rachel?” Amber asked coyly. “I can’t wait to be with you officially. Do you know how much it hurts me to see you with her every day?” Lucas opened his mouth as if to say something. In the end, he just hugged Amber tightly, patting her back gently like comforting a child. “Just wait a little longer,” he said softly. “It won’t be much longer now.” The two clung to each other intimately, looking every bit like a couple. I scoffed and walked away without watching any further. Back at the dinner, I had a few more drinks before we called it a night. As we were heading to the parking garage together, Sophia suddenly pulled me in front of a top-of-the-line Porsche and asked if I liked it. I nodded, confused. Thinking it was her new car, I was about to compliment it when Sophia unexpectedly pressed a key fob into my hand. “It’s for you,” she said with a wink. “Your old car is falling apart. I’ve been wanting to get you a new one for ages,” she explained. “Now that you’re officially on the team, it’s the perfect time for an upgrade.” I started to refuse, but she cut me off as if already knowing what I was going to say. “I heard Lucas bought a luxury car for that new hire at your old company,” she said bluntly. “If someone with her lousy skills can drive a fancy car, you definitely deserve something even better.” “You know, I’ve seen the work that new girl produces. The style is totally inconsistent every time – it’s obvious she’s just copying other people’s work. I have no idea how she’s managed to keep her job there…” Perhaps it was the alcohol, but Sophia held nothing back as she ranted about Amber. I remained silent. She was right. All those projects had actually been done by me and the other team members. Almost every time we were about to finish something, Lucas would suddenly demand we hand it over to Amber. That’s why Amber’s “style” was so inconsistent. Sophia could see through the situation without even being at the company. Yet somehow Lucas remained oblivious. I thanked Sophia and chatted with her a bit more before heading home. As I opened the front door, I found Lucas already sitting on the couch in the living room. “Where did you go?” he asked, his tone noticeably cheerful. The scene of him and Amber embracing at the restaurant flashed through my mind again. I felt a wave of nausea. “Had dinner with a friend,” I replied flatly, walking straight towards the bedroom. I had only taken a few steps when Lucas suddenly blocked my path, frowning. “You’ve been drinking?” “Didn’t we agree you wouldn’t drink when I’m not around?” he said accusingly. I couldn’t help but laugh derisively. What he really meant was that I was only allowed to drink when helping him entertain clients. I said nothing. Lucas seemed to realize something and suddenly smiled, looking rather pleased with himself. “You’re still upset about me going out with Amber earlier, aren’t you?” he said smugly. “You didn’t want me having dinner alone with her, but you were too proud to say it directly. Was it really worth drinking this much over?” “You’re overthinking things. My drinking had nothing to do with you,” I said wearily. I sat down in a chair, feeling tired. “But there is something I want to tell you.” “What is it?” Lucas asked. Probably thinking I was going to apologize, his tone became smug. “Let me tell you in advance – it’s too late to apologize now. I’m still very angry about what happened this afternoon,” he said haughtily. “Don’t think a simple ‘sorry’ will be enough for me to forgive you.” He rolled his eyes at me as he spoke. I pretended not to notice and started to say, “I…” Before I could finish, his phone suddenly rang. Lucas glanced down at it. I noticed the caller ID showed Amber’s name. “Hold on, I need to take this call,” he said dismissively. With that, Lucas completely ignored me and moved to answer the phone. I watched his cold, resolute back as he walked away, and calmly spoke up. “Let’s break up, Lucas.” As soon as the words left my mouth, Lucas’s body seemed to freeze for a moment.

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I forgave Julian Davies twice. The first time, he cheated, and I caught them red-handed. The girl herself pleaded on her knees, claiming Julian was drunk and unaware. I believed her. The second time, he told me, “Willow is pregnant. Once she has the baby, things will go back to how they were.” I believed him again. It wasn’t until later, all because of a single word from Willow, that he tore down my dance studio—my only solace—and stomped on our cherished love token. When I cried, he lashed out, calling me cruel. “Can’t you just give her a break? Once the baby is born, we can go back to how things were.” That time, I picked up my phone and called my lawyer. “Please draft a divorce agreement for me, as soon as possible.” No one knew that Julian Davies, the “model husband” everyone praised, had betrayed me three times. The first time, he had a one-night stand with Willow, whom I considered my own sister. Afterward, they both knelt before me. Willow’s eyes were red. “Miss Aria, Mr. Davies was drugged! He just thought I was you. Please, don’t be mad at him!” Julian’s face was etched with pain. He hadn’t even had time to shave before rushing to confess his wrongs. “Aria, you’re the only one in my heart. Please, don’t leave me.” He wouldn’t get up until I spoke. So, my heart softened. The second time, he was absent from our wedding anniversary celebration. He told me, “Aria, Willow is pregnant.” “She had a terrible stomach ache and was crying from fear. I couldn’t leave her alone.” I accidentally put him on speakerphone, and the entire room of guests fell silent. My mother-in-law, hearing this, immediately grabbed me anxiously and dragged me towards the hospital. “Quick, quick, save our baby!” In the hospital room, Julian held Willow’s hand, comforting her softly, “Don’t be afraid. The doctor said the baby is fine.” He only let go frantically when he saw me. Willow struggled to sit up, her eyes red, her voice trembling but incredibly firm. “Miss Aria, you and Mr. Davies have always been so kind to me since I was little.” “Since you can’t have children, I don’t want money or status. I’m willing to bear this child for you.” Julian’s mother even threatened to die. “The baby is six months along! I’ve heard its heartbeat. If you can’t accept this child, then I’ll just die with it!” Julian also repeatedly held my hand and promised, “I’ll send her away after she gives birth. Nothing will change.” His hand felt as warm as it always had. I couldn’t bring myself to pull mine away. The third time, Julian tore down my dance studio because Willow said, “A spiritual guide told me the baby needs to live in the southeast room to be healthy.” He didn’t even ask me. I watched blankly as workers moved in and out. Willow intimately held Julian’s hand, dreaming aloud, “We can play games with the baby here later!” Julian fondly ruffled her hair. “You’re still such a kid yourself.” But as he turned and saw me, his smile vanished. “Aria, just give her a break. Once the baby is born, we can go back to how things were.” How things were? Before we married, I was almost a principal dancer in a top troupe. But my mother-in-law said, “A Davies family wife doesn’t perform publicly.” For love, I gave up my dream. As compensation, Julian specifically set up this dance studio for me. He even bought the potted plants and figurines himself. Later, it became the only place in this house that truly belonged to me. Willow stroked her visibly swollen belly and looked up at me. “Sister, this is all for the baby’s good.” She was the daughter of our housekeeper. She used to call me “Miss Aria” no matter how many times I told her not to. It was only today that I finally saw her true colors. I couldn’t help but scoff, “It’s your baby, so of course, you call the shots in this house.” Willow’s face instantly turned pale. She awkwardly stood up, her eyes red, and said, “Miss Aria, I’m sorry, it’s all my fault. I didn’t mean to stay.” The next second, she suddenly clutched her belly and screamed in pain. Julian panicked. He scooped her up and rushed out. He only threw over his shoulder, “She’s pregnant. Do you really have to be so cruel?” He knocked my bracelet off my wrist, and stomped on the bell charm attached to it. It was a gift he clumsily made for three days and three nights for my sixteenth birthday. When I looked up again, I couldn’t even see his retreating back. My tears fell uncontrollably. That was the first time he had ever spoken to me so harshly. This liar. How could anything ever go back to how it was before? I pulled out my phone. “Ms. Hayes, please draft a divorce agreement for me.” I had told Julian before that the way Willow looked at him seemed off. But he didn’t believe me. He said she was just starved for affection and saw him as a brother. He continued, without restraint, to buy her a high-end laptop worth thousands just because she mentioned envying a classmate.

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