Author: Momo Chan

I deliberately left the window open, letting the crime boss hear me with someone else all night long. The next morning, he asked me with a gloomy face, “Can I join in?” But I just embraced others, coldly refusing. “Don’t you like your little sister the most?” The man’s eyes turned bloodshot, but he didn’t dare to take a step closer. Only because as his woman, I had helped him expand his business for ten years. In the end, he’d rather marry a college girl than fulfill his promise to marry me. His subordinates couldn’t understand and started protesting on my behalf. “Boss, Aria has helped you build your empire. She’s a valuable asset. Didn’t you used to dote on her? Why are you marrying someone else now?” Ethan stubbed out his cigarette, fiddling with the couple’s ring he shared with Lily. “Aria? A woman with blood on her hands. Every time I think about sleeping with her, it gives me the creeps. How can she compare to my darling?” “But Aria is so clever. What if she finds out and turns against you?” Ethan frowned and sneered, “The whole city is already mine. Without her, I’m not afraid of losing anything.” Little did he know, I had heard everything from outside the door. I threw the medicine I was going to give him in the trash and sent a SnapChat to his arch-enemy Xavier. “Want Ethan’s territory and life? I’ll give them to you!”

As I was preparing to get a speedboat to leave the island, Ethan came to find me. “There’s a big shipment coming to the island the day after tomorrow. Send some men to receive it personally, and clear out your house. I need it!” He commanded sternly, but I just found it laughable. To marry Lily, he really didn’t care about my life. Even if Xavier attacked his base, he still wanted me to risk my life to bring back his little flower. He was truly lovesick. Need the house? Wasn’t it just for Lily to live in? I coldly replied with an “Oh.” Seeing my flat reaction, Ethan frowned in displeasure. “What are you sulking about now? I’m not making our relationship public because the situation is unstable. Xavier is watching closely. I can’t let the men lower their guard just because of you.” “Your most important task now is to help me fend off Xavier’s attacks.” Ethan always tried to manipulate me like this. Before, I thought this was his way of protecting me, so I worked even harder for him, fighting and scheming. But now I just found it absurd. I put the boat rental form in front of him and said flatly, “I’m not sulking. I’m used to it.” Ethan sensed something unusual. Impatience flashed in his eyes, and his signature even tore through the paper. “Aria! What’s with the attitude? I’m just asking for your house. Everything on this island is mine, including your life. Can’t I even use you anymore?” He threw the paper in my face. “From now on, don’t come to me for trivial things like going off the island for supplies. I don’t have time for you…” Knowing he misunderstood, I didn’t explain. I nodded perfunctorily and left, feeling relieved as I looked at the speedboat I was about to get. I had helped Ethan expand his business for ten years. We were childhood sweethearts, brothers who could trust each other with our lives, and even the most intimate lovers. I had always hoped to marry him, and he had hinted that once he had the whole city in his hands, he would give me what I wanted. But now I realized. That was just my own wishful thinking and his lies woven to use my feelings. Now he was going to marry someone else. That night, a team of heavily armed mercenaries escorted Lily onto the island. She was in a white dress, her naive eyes full of smug pride. “Sister has worked hard for Ethan for over ten years, with great merit.” “I’ll definitely get him to promote you, and send you some male models. We can’t let sister’s personal life suffer.” “Unlike Ethan, who can’t wait another moment. He’s marrying me tomorrow, oh my…” I tightened my grip on the gun handle, barely restraining the urge to shoot her. “Let’s go.” I coldly glanced at her and was about to leave. But Lily stopped me, taking out a diary from her bag and saying slyly: “These are the love notes Ethan wrote when he missed me all these years. It’s too heavy to carry, so I’ll trouble sister to throw it away for me.” With that, she swayed her skirt and left. Facing the cold wind blowing against the rocks, I trembled as I opened the diary. April 12, 2024, when I protected him as we broke through an encirclement, he said “Lily, if I can survive this, I’ll marry you.” August 5, 2023, when I heard he was ambushed by Xavier during a business trip. I took two machetes and single-handedly broke into the enemy camp to rescue him. He said: “Baby, you smell so good today.” January 24, 2021, when he was arrested, I decided to take the blame for him, and he said: “If it were you, I would never let you suffer like this.” Every word in the diary stabbed into my heart, as painful as if my heart was being carved out. How many times had I begged Ethan to marry me, and he always kissed my forehead and said: “Aria, wait for me.” “I have too many enemies. I’m always afraid I haven’t cleared the obstacles for you. When I have the whole city under control, I’ll marry you, okay?” But my countless urgings were only met with perfunctory responses. On SnapChat, a reply finally came. The short two words were forceful, leaving me no way to turn back. “Deal!” I still couldn’t help wanting to confirm something, so I asked: “On August 5, 2024, you ambushed Ethan, right?” The reply came instantly, each word dripping with blood: “I’m completely innocent!” “No way? So that’s why you chased me for nine blocks with two machetes? It really wasn’t me!” I laughed bitterly. So in Ethan’s eyes, I was just a clown to be toyed with at will. If so, why should I stay for them to mock?

After arranging the details with Xavier, I walked back, but overheard Ethan talking to his subordinates by the yacht. “Boss, the bride’s wedding dress has arrived. It’s the billion-dollar dress you requested from the royal auction.” “But we’re worried about Aria. If she makes a scene and exposes our location, we might all be caught…” Ethan was unconcerned: “I love Lily and will only marry her as my wife. Tomorrow’s wedding must go smoothly. I won’t allow any accidents.” “Not even Aria. I’ll make sure she stays quiet.” “And keep your men’s mouths shut. If anyone leaks even half a word, I’ll feed them to the sharks!” Although I had decided to leave, hearing the man who once loved me so deeply deceive and belittle me like this still made my heart ache. Back in my room, I packed the luggage I wanted to take. Besides ID documents, looking at the weapons all over the room, I realized Ethan had never really given me anything. He would only throw various weapons at me, telling me to protect him well. I had once asked him for dresses and jewelry, but he said: “Aria, even in a dress and necklace, you don’t look like a woman. Don’t waste them.” But Lily’s luggage had a whole truckload of jewelry and pretty clothes. Why could she wear them but not me? I searched the wardrobe and found a red dress at the bottom. I put it on with high heels and even did my makeup. Just then, Lily barged into my room. “Aria, you’ve read the diary, right? Ethan’s most beloved…” Her words stopped halfway as she saw how alluring and beautiful I looked after dressing up. She was dumbfounded. When she recovered, she frowned and sneered: “I thought you’d at least have some self-respect and leave quietly knowing Ethan doesn’t love you.” “But you’re still trying to seduce him, you shameless vixen! I’ll tear you apart!” She lunged at me to scratch my face, but her skills were so poor that I ended up slapping her instead. “Aria! How dare you hit me, Ethan will make you pay!” Lily screeched angrily. I crossed my arms and watched her jump around. “Thanks for the compliment. I’m definitely prettier than you.” A second after I spoke, she suddenly knelt down and started slapping herself: “Sister, I’m the despicable one, marrying Ethan so thoughtlessly. You can beat me to death as long as you don’t ruin the wedding!” I was confused, when suddenly a kick came flying at me. “Aria! Are you treating my words as wind in your ears? You dare bully Lily!” Ethan’s furious kick would have taken half my life if it had landed. So, what was I to him after all? A hunting dog he raised? A punching bag he could beat and scold at will after using me up? I barely dodged, but twisted my ankle in the high heels. I winced in pain, forcing myself to look at him. Ethan helped Lily up, his cold eyes looking at me. Until he saw my face clearly, his eyes lit up for a moment, but his words were still icy. “Aria, no matter how pretty you dress up, in my eyes you’re not half as good as Lily.” Lily sobbed and grabbed Ethan’s hand: “Ethan, sister forced me to tell her. I couldn’t keep the secret, I’m sorry…” Ethan held her in his arms, full of tenderness: “It’s just a small matter, no one blames you.” I smiled bitterly. He had just threatened his men with their lives to keep the wedding a secret, but when Lily blabbed to me it became a small matter. She really had no restrictions with him, so pampered. So what was I? Just a fool? “So you’re really going to marry her?” I stared hard at Ethan. I cared too much about how he would explain to me. I thought he would at least feel guilty, panic, beg me to let go of the past and give them his blessing. But Ethan just frowned slightly, unconcerned: “Yes, the wedding is tomorrow. I’ll allow you to attend, but don’t cause trouble. Aria, don’t force me to deal with you.” In an instant, my last hope for Ethan was shattered. It wasn’t the right time to marry me, just because it was me. When it came to Lily, all the dangers and threats suddenly weren’t obstacles anymore. He could even brazenly offer to let me attend their wedding. How could someone be so heartless? I held back tears, gritting my teeth: “Get out…” But Lily pushed further: “Ethan, I don’t know many people here. I want sister to be our bridesmaid, but I’m afraid of offending her…” Seeing his beloved girl plead so carefully, Ethan softened and ordered me: “Aria, since you know we’re getting married, being a bridesmaid shouldn’t be a problem, right?” “I don’t want to see you two, get out!” My anger finally exploded. I picked up a stick from the corner and chased them out. “Get out!” With a bang, I slammed the door shut and collapsed on the floor, gasping for air. A tear of despair leaked from the corner of my eye. As I was grieving, my phone suddenly lit up with a message from Xavier.

I opened it irritably, but suddenly blushed when I saw it. “The red dress suits you. You look beautiful.” “Take off those heels and apply some medicine.” I was surprised he knew my ankle was swollen. But medicine? As I was thinking, a drone flew to the window with a box attached. I opened it to find a red dress and some ointment inside. So he had discovered Ethan’s hideout long ago, but just hadn’t made a move. I really found the right ally. I had just applied the medicine according to the instructions and was about to wash up for bed when Ethan came back. He picked me up and gently placed me on the bed, holding some bruise ointment. “Be good, don’t be afraid. I’ll apply the medicine for you.” It seemed to be raining outside. Ethan was soaked, but he still dried his hands carefully before gently applying the medicine. I was very afraid of pain. When I first started fighting alongside Ethan, I would cry uncontrollably even from just a scratch. Every time I was injured, no matter how battered he was, Ethan would always stay by my side, letting me bite his arm to endure the pain. Those years were tough, but I felt secure. But it seemed that one day, he disappeared from my bedside. Later, countless times I was on the verge of death, with scars big and small, and he never spared me a glance. But now I’m not afraid of pain anymore, yet he’s rushing to take care of me. Has his conscience awakened? Ethan’s apologetic voice came: “Aria, you’ve lost weight. I’ve been neglecting you lately, I’m sorry.” “About the marriage, I was afraid you’d overthink it so I didn’t tell you. Lily saved my life and was targeted for assassination because of me. I have to protect her.” “But don’t worry, I won’t touch her. I only love you. Once I deal with Xavier, I’ll definitely divorce her and marry you properly, okay?” He massaged my ankle, while my gaze fixed on the wedding ring on his finger. I looked at Ethan, my eyes full of sorrow, and asked: “Ethan, all these years, have you ever loved me?” He was stunned for a moment, then knelt on one knee and held me in his arms, full of deep affection: “I love you, I only love you, Aria.” Then, he hand-fed me the milk he brought, his eyes full of tenderness: “Here, drink some milk and go to sleep early. You can come to the wedding tomorrow if you want, I won’t stop you.” But I tasted that the milk was laced with sleeping pills. Enough to make me sleep through the whole day tomorrow. My throat felt constricted, almost suffocating me. He was still deceiving me, just so Lily could marry him smoothly tomorrow. So this was how he planned to keep me quiet. I drank all the milk, a tear falling. My heart felt dead. But Ethan smiled, smiled so brightly, gazing at me tenderly as I closed my eyes. But he didn’t know that after years of fighting for him, I had trouble sleeping every night and had built up a tolerance to sleeping pills. After a while, Lily’s coquettish moans sounded in my ear: “Ethan, you were gone so long, I thought you were staying here!” Ethan embraced her passionately: “How could I? She’s just a human shield to take bullets for me. I’m still being watched by Xavier, so I need to keep her close to use her.” “Xavier is wary of her, so he won’t go all out against me.” Lily pouted: “Where are you touching? Naughty~” “Mm, I’m the naughtiest…” Ethan’s voice was low and husky. The sound of clothes rustling grew more intense as they kissed fervently. My heart felt like it had been stabbed, the pain tearing me apart. To Ethan, I had always submitted unconditionally. He had never been so doting and passionate with me. “Aria, can you take the blame for me?” “Aria, I’m in a firefight with Xavier, come help me.” And I would always agree to his requests, even at the cost of my life. Finally, they left, and I couldn’t sleep all night. Early in the morning, I left with my backpack. Half the island was empty, everyone preparing for the wedding. I handed the rental form to the dock guard: “I need a speedboat.” The man looked surprised: “Aria, things are tense out there. What if you get caught?” “Boss told us not to let you leave the island alone. And with you gone, who will manage things here? We’re worried something might happen.” Ethan had once promised me that as soon as he took over the city, he would marry me as Mrs. Qin. To marry him sooner, I led raids at night and handled island affairs during the day, splitting myself in two. But if Ethan truly loved me, how could he let me work so hard and ignore my efforts? He didn’t love me, so everything I did was in vain. “Does the boss know you’re leaving the island?” He was one of the few who knew our true relationship and how much Ethan valued me. Although Ethan never showed any special treatment towards me in front of his men, nor did he ever cross any lines with me. He even beat me half to death in public to establish his authority. But the man still asked repeatedly, because I was leaving on Ethan’s wedding day. He felt uneasy. “He knows. He signed the form himself.” The man hesitated, but under my urging, he still gave me the speedboat. Driving the boat, the salty cold wind blew all the way before I finally felt the reality of leaving. This counts as completely betraying Ethan, right? After all, I’m taking secrets to his archenemy Xavier. I wonder what expression he’ll have when he finds out? I can only think so maliciously. As I passed an area of sea, a huge yacht was stopped, holding a wedding ceremony on deck. A helicopter scattered rose petals from above, covering the nearby sea. The sound system was so loud I could hear it from far away. It was Ethan pouring his heart out to Lily. “Lily, you once said people in our line of work shouldn’t have loved ones. So I hid all my love for you in my heart, afraid you’d become my weakness, afraid you’d get hurt.” “But now, I want to tell you, you are my weakness, and also my armor!” “To be able to marry you, I waited 7 years, planning for so long. Now my wish has finally come true…” Yes, he loves her, so he hid it from everyone, including me. All his love for Lily now makes his promises to me in the past into a joke. I turned my head to look in the distance, glimpsing the silhouettes of a man and woman standing together on the deck, pure and romantic. Ethan’s gaze seemed to meet mine from afar. He froze: “Aria?” My heart clenched painfully. He seemed to be overwhelmed by a strong sense of unease, as if about to lose something most important. Lily held his hand, giggling and comforting him: “Ethan, you must be seeing things. Sister drank the drugged milk you gave her. She’s still sleeping now.” The doubt on Ethan’s face gradually faded, but he silently decided to comfort me well when he got back. Even if it took the rest of his life to make up for it. Little did he know, I was already driving the speedboat further and further away from him. “Mr. Ethan, do you take Miss Lily to be your lawfully wedded wife, for better or…” The priest’s solemn vows were suddenly interrupted. “Boss, something’s wrong!” A subordinate came running in panic, shouting: “Boss, Aria… Aria is gone!”

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On the third day after my brother-in-law’s death, I heard a man’s heavy breathing coming from my sister-in-law’s room. I couldn’t resist going to take a look. The door was slightly ajar. Through the gap, I saw a man in my sister-in-law’s bed. The man’s silhouette was eerily similar to my husband’s. My heart suddenly leaped into my throat. Earlier that day, my mother-in-law had suggested that my husband should father a child with my sister-in-law, to take care of her. But my husband had firmly refused. My sister-in-law also disagreed, saying she wanted to remain faithful to my late brother-in-law. How did it turn into this by nightfall? I took a few more steps forward, wanting to get a clearer look at the man’s face. But before I could get closer, the door slammed shut. I looked up to see my mother-in-law’s angry face. She snarled at me, “What are you looking at? Your sister-in-law has suffered enough. Doesn’t she deserve a chance at happiness?” My mother-in-law’s words left me bewildered. I just wanted to see who the man in the bed was. It had nothing to do with whether my sister-in-law deserved happiness or not. I said, “Mom, you’ve misunderstood.” My mother-in-law glared at me and shouted, “Misunderstood? I saw it with my own eyes. What else is there to explain? You’re just jealous of your sister-in-law because she has a man who loves her. You’re uncomfortable with that, aren’t you? Let me tell you, no matter whose child Ruby bears, it will be registered under your late brother-in-law’s name. Don’t think you can hog all the family’s assets for yourself.” My mother-in-law’s attitude towards me was terrible. Earlier in the day, she had wanted my husband to father a child with Ruby. But my husband had refused. So my mother-in-law believed I had whispered in his ear, and she resented me for it. I said, “Mom, I just thought the man in Ruby’s room looked a bit like Lucas. I wanted to get a closer look, that’s all.” As soon as I finished speaking, my mother-in-law became even angrier. She pointed at my nose and yelled, “Mia Collins, do you have any conscience? Lucas has been so good to you, and yet you still suspect him. Are you even human?” Lucas had indeed been very good to me. He was the CEO of a major corporation and was always busy, but he still made time to be with me. He would accompany me to pottery classes, leaving our marks on clay pieces like ordinary couples. He would even attend concerts of obscure singers with me. At one concert, there were barely any people, only about 80 or 90 in the audience. I casually remarked, “It would be nice if there were more people.” Lucas then called in a crowd of thousands, and the quiet concert suddenly became packed. When reporters caught Lucas there and asked why such a wealthy heir would attend the concert of an unknown singer, Lucas kissed my forehead in front of the cameras and said, “Because of my wife. Whatever she likes, I like.” Lucas’s words were reported by all major media outlets, and the unknown singer became an overnight sensation. People believed in Lucas’s taste. If a singer could capture Lucas’s interest, they must be talented. Seeing that I remained silent, my mother-in-law glared at me again and said harshly, “How did Lucas end up marrying an ingrate like you? You don’t know how to appreciate him at all. All you do is suspect him. Now get out of here!” I nodded, “Alright.” I walked towards the door. Because Lucas had refused to father a child with Ruby, he was being punished by kneeling in the courtyard. As long as Lucas was still kneeling in the courtyard, it meant I was just being paranoid. I went to the courtyard, the lights were on, but Lucas wasn’t there. Where had he gone? Just as I was feeling confused, Lucas came running back hurriedly. His clothes were wrinkled, and his face was sweaty. I even caught a whiff of perfume on him. It was Ruby’s perfume.

My heart sank again. A bad feeling crept over me. I was terrified that the man in Ruby’s room might be Lucas. Lucas ran up to me, patted my head, and said breathlessly, “Mia, why did you suddenly come out here? Go back inside, it’s cold out here.” I instinctively looked at Lucas’s knees. They were clean, with no trace of dirt or any signs of kneeling. I clenched my fists tightly and stared at Lucas, asking, “Where did you just go?” Lucas laughed nervously, stumbling over his words, “I… I just went to the bathroom.” Lucas and I had been together for 5 years. I knew his habits well. Whenever he lied, his eyes would look down at his shoes. But why was he lying to me? Could he really be the man in Ruby’s room? No, that’s impossible. Lucas loved me so much. How could 5 years of love change so suddenly? Lucas wasn’t that kind of person. He came from a wealthy family, and there were many beautiful women who wanted to get close to him. But in all our years of marriage, he had never been involved in any scandals. I trusted Lucas. But I was still anxious. I calmly said, “Lucas, you’re lying. You can’t fool me. Where did you really go just now?” Lucas was stunned for a few seconds. His brows furrowed, and his expression turned unpleasant. It seemed I had guessed correctly. He had lied to me. Lucas grabbed my shoulders and said, “Mia, you’re acting strange today. Did you hear or see something?” I removed Lucas’s hands and said angrily, “I’m just asking where you went just now. What does that have to do with whether I heard or saw anything? Why do you seem so guilty? You haven’t done anything to betray me, have you?” Lucas was visibly upset. He said with a hint of anger, “Mia, for your sake, I was punished to kneel in the courtyard and was beaten by my father. Now you’re saying these things to provoke me. Can’t you consider my feelings? Stop being so suspicious. Ruby and I are innocent. I can’t give Ruby a child. At most, I’ll just take good care of her for my brother’s sake.” I laughed coldly to myself. I hadn’t even mentioned Ruby, Lucas had brought her up himself. And his tone of voice betrayed his guilt. I smiled and said, “Lucas, I just asked where you went just now. Why are you telling me all this? Don’t you think you’re protesting too much?” Lucas frowned deeply, growing irritated. “I really went to the bathroom just now. If you don’t believe me, that’s your problem. I still need to continue my punishment. You go back upstairs.” With that, Lucas knelt down on the ground. He looked at me with impatience and anger in his eyes. I was angry too. “Lucas, you still won’t tell the truth. I can smell Ruby’s perfume on you. I smelled it.” I wanted to cry, but I couldn’t. I didn’t want to shed tears in front of Lucas. Lucas was stunned for a few seconds, a flash of guilt crossing his eyes. “We all live in the same house. We’re bound to run into each other. Of course I might accidentally pick up her scent. Stop being so suspicious.” I smiled bitterly and said, “Then why don’t I smell like her?” Lucas stood up, clearly exasperated. “Mia, can you stop making a fuss? What exactly do you want? Why won’t you believe anything I say? You used to believe everything I said. What’s wrong with you?” I thought I wouldn’t cry, but tears started falling uncontrollably. I choked out, “I just saw a man in Ruby’s room earlier. His back looked a lot like yours. Was that man you?”

As soon as I finished speaking, Lucas hugged me tightly. He whispered in my ear, “It wasn’t me. That was a man Mom found for Ruby. Mia, you have to believe me.” I pushed Lucas away and looked into his eyes, saying, “Don’t lie to me!” Lucas panicked and hurriedly said, “I’m not lying to you. It really was a man Mom found for Ruby. When Ruby gets pregnant and gives birth, they’ll say it’s my brother’s posthumous child. You can’t tell anyone about this.” Seeing that I didn’t respond, Lucas picked me up in his arms. “Mia, it’s too cold outside. Let’s talk inside.” Lucas held me tightly and carried me into the house. He threw me onto the bed and looked into my eyes, saying, “Mia, I swear, I will only love you in this lifetime. I will never betray you. You have to believe me.” Lucas’s words now were exactly the same as what he had said on our wedding day. On our wedding day, I thought his scent was sweet, and I wanted to hold him close and breathe it in. But now, his scent had changed. It had become a smell I didn’t like. After saying this, Lucas tried to kiss me. But my body instinctively resisted. In the past, I would have leaned in, but today I couldn’t do it. I turned my head away. Lucas thought I was still upset and smiled foolishly, saying, “Mia, let me comfort you to sleep. Early to bed, early to rise. You’re getting dark circles under your eyes.” Lucas held me in his arms, trying to comfort me to sleep as he usually did, telling me a bedtime story. But I had no interest in listening to stories. The smell on him was too unpleasant. It made me uncomfortable, even nauseous. I forced myself to accept Lucas, but I couldn’t accept the smell on him. I instinctively turned away, facing away from Lucas. Without Lucas near me, the air felt fresh. It smelled comfortable. Lucas said, “Mia, drink some water before you sleep.” I nodded and drank the water. After drinking, I suddenly felt very tired and sleepy. My eyelids were heavy, and I couldn’t keep them open. I quickly fell asleep. I was awakened by the sound of heavy breathing. I opened my eyes to find myself alone in bed. Lucas was gone. I heard the breathing sounds coming from upstairs again. Upstairs was Ruby’s room. I had a bad feeling. I opened the window and looked out into the courtyard. Lucas wasn’t in the courtyard. Where had he gone so late at night? I carefully went up to the second floor. I stopped outside Ruby’s room. The door was still slightly ajar. Through the gap, I saw Ruby entangled with a man. The man was still facing away from me. Ruby giggled and said, “Brother-in-law, how many sleeping pills did you give her? Will your wife suddenly wake up?” “I gave her three pills. She won’t wake up.” Hearing the man’s voice, my tears instantly fell. This voice was too familiar. It was Lucas. The man who had just been comforting me to sleep was now entangled with another woman. What an ironic scene. I thought I had found true love, a love that would last a lifetime. But in the end, I had misjudged him. My love couldn’t tolerate even a grain of sand. I didn’t want this marriage anymore. I carefully went downstairs, picked up my phone, and dialed my brother’s number. “Brother, I want a divorce.” There was silence on the phone for a few seconds, then my brother laughed and said, “My dear sister, I told you long ago that in our wealthy circles, there are no truly devoted people. A lifelong, monogamous relationship is impossible. Come to France. The estate and handsome men are all ready for you.”

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Shen had his eye on a young girl and asked me to personally handle her graduation party. “Young girls love to look beautiful. You have experience attending many banquets, so help her dress up nicely,” he said. That day, I picked out no less than a hundred dresses for Lily, but she immediately fell in love with the mermaid wedding gown Shen had designed for me years ago. “Let’s go with this one, sis. I want to wear a wedding dress for Mr. Johnson too,” Lily said playfully, looking at me. Out of selfishness, I refused her request. As a result, Lily ran to Shen in tears to complain. I was forced to endure the Johnson family’s harsh punishment, kneeling on a hard wooden floor all night. Later, to make up for his little lover, Shen auctioned off my family heirloom without warning. He sent my grandmother’s jade bracelet, which she had left me before she passed away, to the auction house. He spent a fortune on it for Lily, throwing money around carelessly. That day, all the guests who entered the venue watched with red eyes, knowing it was my most treasured possession. I begged Shen not to give the bracelet away, but he just held Lily and said mockingly: “I told you before, anything Lily wants, you have no right to compete for!” On the day of the graduation party, Lily wore my mermaid wedding dress and the jade bracelet worth over a hundred million dollars, instantly becoming the center of attention. Everyone was guessing if I would sulk alone like I had in the past. But this time, I calmly handed divorce papers to Shen’s assistant. After suing the two for theft, I left for abroad.

When Shen brought his little lover home, I wasn’t surprised. He despised the relationship between our families and hated even more that I had used family connections to secure our marriage. In seven years of marriage, Shen had brought over a hundred lovers home to provoke and humiliate me publicly. This time, the girl he brought back looked younger and more beautiful than ever before, making my heart suddenly tighten. “Lily is graduating from college in a few days and needs to prepare for the party in advance,” Shen said. “Young girls love to look beautiful. You have experience attending many banquets, so help her dress up nicely,” he ordered, raising his handsome eyebrows and holding Lily closer. I couldn’t refuse Shen’s demands, so I could only resign myself to serving each of his lovers well. “I understand,” I nodded numbly, forcing myself to swallow the bitterness in my heart as I went to pick out suitable dresses for Lily. During this time, Shen had to go to the company for something, leaving Lily alone to face me. “Oh my, these dresses are all so outdated. There’s no thought put into them at all. Rachel, you’re not deliberately being careless, are you?” Lily said with a frown, clearly intending to make things difficult for me. I was already used to how hard to please each lover was, so I calmly asked her what she liked. “I heard Mr. Johnson used to give you lots of custom-made dresses. Can I take a look?” she asked, though she didn’t wait for my opinion before heading upstairs. I couldn’t help but frown, the words to stop her caught in my throat. I saw Lily take out the mermaid wedding dress from the glass cabinet and smile smugly at me: “Let’s go with this one, sis. I want to wear a wedding dress for Mr. Johnson too.” “He said before that my looks aren’t inferior to yours. I’m sure I’ll look even better in it!” Lily looked at me with a strange hostility. The moment I saw the mermaid wedding dress, my heart skipped a beat and my hands clenched into fists. This wedding dress was personally customized for me by Shen from abroad. The labor costs alone were over a million dollars, not to mention the tens of thousands of expensive diamonds on it. “No, this one is very important to me. You can choose any of the others,” I said, my gaze heavy. Lily naturally noticed my unusual reaction. But with Shen’s favor backing her, she didn’t take my refusal seriously at all. “Mr. Johnson said that whatever I like, no one can take it from me!” Lily said, picking up the dress to leave without even bothering to give me a glance. As she turned to brush past me, I grabbed the hem of the dress and pulled it back. Lily wasn’t prepared and stumbled, her knee hitting the stair railing hard. “I said, this one is very important to me!” It wasn’t just that Shen had personally selected and designed it. More importantly, my grandmother had watched me wear it as I walked down the aisle before she passed away. Grandma said I looked beautiful in the mermaid wedding dress and hoped I would always be happy. I wouldn’t allow anyone to easily ruin this beautiful wish, no matter how many times Shen humiliated me with his lovers. This was the one thing I absolutely wouldn’t compromise on. Lily glared at me with tears in her eyes, looking like she wanted to tear me to pieces. But in my territory, Lily didn’t dare to cause too much trouble. In the end, she ran out crying. I didn’t expect Lily to be so narrow-minded. That evening, she ran to the company to complain. When Shen came back with a dark face, I was lost in thought looking at my grandmother’s belongings. I was suddenly pulled up and given a hard slap. Just like all the times before when I had angered his lovers, he gave me another warning. “Rachel, don’t you think you’re taking yourself too seriously!” “Haven’t I told you what happens when you upset them?”

My head was spinning. It took a while before I found my voice again: “I told you your lovers can have anything, except things related to my grandmother!” Shen knew my bottom line very well. He also knew I had been holding back my emotions for a long time. But he didn’t care if I was angry or not. He just wanted to make his sweetheart happy. I was dragged by Shen all the way to the study on the third floor. When I saw what was inside the sandalwood and gilt box, my heart sank. “Shen, what are you going to do?!” Shen knew exactly what he was doing as he took out the punishment book inside. The so-called punishment book was a special iron book made by the Johnson family to punish descendants who stepped out of line. The raised characters on it warned family members to obey family rules and restrain themselves. Shen had once endured this family punishment to rebel against our arranged marriage. Kneeling on the densely raised nails of the punishment book was like kneeling on needles, causing pain and fear. But back then, Shen had knelt for a full five hours. It made me want to give up my feelings for him and cancel the marriage. But the elders on both sides wouldn’t agree no matter what, determined to make this family union happen. The hatred in Shen’s eyes as he looked at me that day was intense. I never thought that just for refusing one of Lily’s requests, Shen would subject me to this family punishment. “Only by suffering a little will you learn your lesson completely,” Shen said flatly, throwing the punishment book in front of me and ordering me to kneel on it all night. The housekeeper who had followed us couldn’t bear it and quickly tried to dissuade him: “Mr. Johnson, this punishment book is like torture. Madam is delicate, won’t kneeling all night ruin her knees?” Shen furrowed his handsome brows and sneered: “She should have thought about how I would treat her when she upset Lily.” As soon as he finished speaking, he had the butler press me down to kneel on the punishment book for reflection. Before leaving, Shen made a video call to Lily, their intimate words lingering in my ears: “Does your knee still hurt where you bumped it? Don’t worry, I’ve paid her back for you…” When he turned the camera towards me, a needle-like pain shot through my knees. It was almost deep in the bone, making my scalp go numb. “Mr. Johnson, you’re so good to me. My knee doesn’t hurt anymore. You don’t believe me? Come feel it~” “I’m glad it doesn’t hurt. After all, someone else is hurting for you.” “Oh right, didn’t you say you had your eye on something else?” “It will be in your hands very soon.” Shen played with the beads in his hand, smiling meaningfully. Hearing how much Shen cared for her, Lily was so happy she could barely speak, only able to coquettishly chide him. The two flirted on the voice call in front of me for a while longer before finally closing the door. Watching Shen’s departing figure, I felt inexplicably panicked, a cold sweat breaking out on my back. Two hours later, my knees were bruised and swollen, barely able to move at all. I couldn’t imagine how Shen had endured five hours back then. The housekeeper said Shen had taken over half a month to recover. It turns out not loving someone is so obvious. What a pity I was still naive enough to think I could soften him with love back then. I was wrong about everything. I gradually came to realize this. In the end, I collapsed to the ground with a “thud” that caught the attention of the housekeeper outside the door. Anna looked at my pale face and immediately wanted to call Shen. I didn’t have time to stop her before I heard a moan of pleasure leak through the phone. Followed by an angry rebuke: “Can’t you tell I’m busy?” “Unless she kneels to death, don’t disturb me!” I gave a bitter smile, my trembling body barely able to support itself as I tried to reassure her: “I’m fine, don’t call him…” But the next second, my heavy fall betrayed my true condition.

When I woke up again, thick bandages were wrapped around my knees. Anna beside me looked like she wanted to say something but held back, her eyes red. “If you want to say something, just say it.” What else could I not bear at this point? Seeing my resigned expression, Anna held my hand sympathetically, trying hard to comfort me: “Madam, it was just a small miscarriage. You’ll have another chance in the future!” My heart skipped a beat. I instinctively touched my abdomen. After a long while, I moved my arm away. Tears unconsciously streamed down my face as I calmly instructed: “Don’t tell anyone, especially not Shen.” A few days before the graduation party, Lily finally got her hands on my mermaid wedding dress as she wished. Shen, who usually hated troublesome events, surprisingly attended a private auction that day. By the time I was invited over, the auction was nearly over. Lily was satisfied to receive my grandmother’s jade bracelet that had been passed down for generations, exclaiming: “I’ve only ever seen this on TV before. I never thought I’d be able to own such a top-tier jade bracelet. Thank you, Mr. Johnson!” Shen naturally put his arm around her shoulders, his gaze falling on the host as he smiled lightly: “Using it as your graduation gift is most fitting.” The people around admired Shen’s grand gesture, unable to help but applaud: “It’s rare to see Mr. Johnson splurge like this for his sweetheart. How extravagant!” “This display of affection, I bet someone is going to be insanely jealous!” “Hey, why does this bracelet look so familiar? Isn’t it the heirloom jade bracelet of the Johnson family’s daughter-in-law?” “Mr. Johnson, you didn’t auction off your wife’s belongings, did you?” People spoke teasingly, somewhat wanting to see some drama unfold. Shen didn’t bother to hide anything and admitted it right away. Everyone knew that was my most treasured possession, yet Shen deliberately auctioned it off in front of everyone to please his lover. I stood dazed at the doorway, watching as people continued to flatter Shen, surrounding him at the center. Lily had never seen such a grand gesture before and was instantly elated. Just then, Shen’s heavy gaze turned towards me. I bit my lip hard, my eyes reddening at the scene before me. The noisy, lively voices suddenly stopped. Everyone was looking in my direction. “Shen, why did you auction off the heirloom my grandmother left me?” “Do you hate this arranged marriage so much?” Besides that, I couldn’t think of any other reason why Shen would hate me so much. Hearing mention of old matters, Shen’s expression turned cold as he held Lily even closer. “Rachel, you should have expected this day would come when you married me.” “Just looking at you for a second after we got married made me feel sick!” After seven years, Shen once again spoke his true feelings. I smiled, feeling as if a weight had been lifted. But tears kept coming unbidden, pouring out endlessly. I begged him, almost pleading, to return the bracelet to me. I even offered divorce: “I promise you, I can divorce you and let you never see me again. Please, can you give me back my grandmother’s things?” Shen’s brows furrowed, inexplicably annoyed. The people around once again got their fill of drama, unable to help but comment: “Rachel has loved Mr. Johnson for over ten years. She even chose her university just to follow him. How can she talk about divorce so easily?” “Is this a ploy to get him back? This tactic is too old-fashioned!” “Trust me, she’ll cry and make a fuss at most. By tomorrow she’ll be begging to reconcile again!” People confidently guessed all my thoughts, as if they knew exactly what was in my mind. I couldn’t blame them for thinking this way. After all, every time Shen had a fight with one of his lovers, I was always the one to actively make peace in the end. But this time, I had no other intentions. I just wanted my things back. “Please, Shen.” I was almost about to kneel and beg him to agree, but he handed the choice to Lily instead. “I’ve said before, anything Lily wants, you have no right to compete for!” “Unless you’re willing to lower your head and beg her yourself!” Everyone’s gazes fell on Lily again, waiting for her decision. Lily just glanced at Shen before turning to me and saying: “This is the graduation gift Mr. Johnson gave me. Sis, can’t you let me have it just this once?” Lily seemed to be reminding me of the consequences of not letting her have the wedding dress last time. In an instant, I felt as if I had fallen into an ice pit. The words I wanted to say got stuck in my throat. In the end, I was mercilessly rejected by the two of them and driven out by security.

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During a layover, I was invited to a casino opening. I never expected to run into my sister Lily in this glittering den of luxury and vice. A corpulent man had his arm wrapped around her waist. Nearly everyone had gathered around them. Her fiancé Carter was showing the crowd high-definition videos of Lily on his iPad, playing them on a loop. “Lily, Zoe’s underwear is pure silk. You should consider yourself lucky she only asked you to hand wash them. How dare you refuse?” His tone was contemptuous, his gaze sharp. “Why should I have to wash her period-stained underwear?” Lily bit her lip, her body trembling with anger. “I didn’t realize you’d grown such a backbone. Maybe I need to break that stubborn spirit of yours. I have twelve videos of you here. In them, you’re begging me and calling me ‘master’, remember?” Lily clenched her fists so tightly her palms nearly bled. I stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows on the top floor, observing everything happening at the gambling tables below through narrowed eyes. Since when did these lowlifes dare to bully my sister?

The pit boss noticed my dark expression and barely dared to breathe. “I’ll kick these people out right away. If you’re still not satisfied, we have other ways to make it up to you.” I smiled coldly and waved my hand dismissively. “No need. I want to see what other tricks they have up their sleeves.” Carter seemed to think he hadn’t gone far enough. He paid a hefty sum to have the video content projected onto the display screens. Suddenly, the dazzling screens around us were filled with intimate videos that made people blush. “Who would have thought the Lin family’s daughter knew so many tricks? I hear the Lin family is going downhill these days. Could it be that Lily pretends to be a rich heiress by day, but services men at night to earn pocket money? Is that how she’s managed to keep up appearances for so long?” “Tsk tsk, curves in all the right places. She was truly born for this line of work.” Countless onlookers surrounded the screens, their mouths watering as they made lewd comments. “Carter, you must be bored of this chick by now. Why not let us have a turn?” Lily’s face was flushed bright red with shame. She stared at her feet, not daring to look up. Carter swirled the red wine in his glass and smiled playfully. “Why don’t we use these videos as a wager and have a few rounds of poker?” The men around him clapped and cheered. “Carter always has the best ideas. Count me in!” “Me too!” There were six seats at the table. These men sat down with lecherous grins on their faces, their eyes undressing Lily. “This is way better than some Japanese porn video.” “An AV starring the Lin family’s daughter – now that’s premium content.” Lily’s whole body shook. She finally raised her head defiantly amidst the humiliating comments. She looked at Carter with hurt and confusion in her eyes, her voice hoarse as she questioned him. “Why are you doing this to me? I’m your fiancée!” She was trying to appeal to whatever conscience this man had left. But Carter just sneered dismissively. “If you had just washed Zoe’s underwear earlier without making a fuss, we wouldn’t be here now. You brought this on yourself by being difficult.” He then looked around at the other men. “There are twelve videos in total. When you win them, you can edit them together into a compilation. Uploading it to the dark web might even earn you back your money.” Lily’s eyes were rimmed with red, tears welling up. Zoe, standing next to Carter, couldn’t hide the glee in her eyes as she deliberately poured salt in Lily’s wounds. “Lily dear, why the long face? Carter is kindly helping increase your value. Shouldn’t you be grateful?” “The Lin family is clearly on its last legs. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make a name for yourself. No matter where your family goes from now on, everyone will know who you are.” She laughed exaggeratedly as she spoke. All these years, people only knew the Lin family was wealthy. But they didn’t know how, in just twenty short years, the Lin family had managed to carve out a place for themselves amidst such treacherous waters. Back then, my mother had insisted on marrying a poor man. My grandfather couldn’t dissuade her, so he made an agreement – their firstborn child would be sent overseas to be groomed as the heir. Little did he know my mother would give birth to twins. I was sent abroad as my grandfather wished, while my mother kept my sister by her side to give my father an heir. It wasn’t until I saw my sister enduring humiliation with a face so similar to mine that I truly empathized. I let out a cold laugh, hiding the darkness in my eyes. “Since you want to play, I’ll play with you until you’ve had enough.”

After the Lin Corporation stabilized, my grandfather focused all his energy on grooming me. Who would have thought my father would be so useless, nearly squandering the family fortune in just a few short years. “Carter, please explain to everyone. It was because I loved you that I agreed to make those videos when you insisted. It’s not what they think. Tell them! Please clear my name. If you’re tired of me, I’m willing to leave. But you can’t play with my reputation like this.” Lily carefully tugged at Carter’s sleeve, but he shoved her to the ground. “Stop bothering me. If you’re so capable, why don’t you win back those videos yourself?” Lily clutched her chest in pain. The light had gone out of her eyes. “Carter, let’s start a round! Just watching that preview got me all worked up, haha!” Lily’s face turned ghostly pale. Forget about whether she could afford to play at their level. She couldn’t even keep a poker face while betting and showing her cards. She had always been a passionate and sincere girl, unable to hide her feelings. For her, playing Texas Hold’em would be no different than playing with her cards face up. Those men leaned in close, surrounding her and making crude, insulting gestures. They had nearly pushed Lily to the brink. “Look at that pitiful expression. Why don’t you come with me tonight? I’ll help you win back those videos and we can watch them together. Isn’t that better than having so many people see them?” Lecherous laughter echoed all around. Carter drummed his fingers on the table and crossed his legs. As if granting Lily a favor, he said to her: “If you’re willing to kneel down and apologize to Zoe, and promise to hand wash all her clothes, including her intimates, for a year, I’ll consider letting you off the hook tonight. How’s that sound?” Lily seemed to waver. She opened her mouth, about to agree. Carter added another condition, as if toying with Lily brought him immense pleasure. “Of course, I can’t guarantee what will happen tomorrow night.” He exchanged a look with Zoe. The two of them burst into raucous laughter. Seeing Zoe’s smug face, I suddenly remembered – she was the daughter of our former housekeeper. How dare she think she can look down on my sister Victoria! Rage bubbled up in my chest. I crushed the poker chip I had been fiddling with, snapping it in half. Pushed to her limit, Lily defiantly got up from the ground and sat down at the poker table. “I’ll play against you!” Disappointed that Lily hadn’t been crushed, Carter’s face showed his displeasure. He rapped his knuckles on the table, signaling the dealer to deal the cards. Those beastly men were all eagerly rubbing their hands together. Some were even licking their lips in anticipation. Three cards were pushed in front of Lily. She didn’t look at them, not wanting to give away her hand easily. Everyone at the table spent their days in casinos. They were experts at mind games in Texas Hold’em. “Look! The video is starting! What a body, absolutely incredible!” The next second, the screen froze on a shot of Lily’s bare back.

“Stop!” Lily’s face turned ashen. If her body was truly exposed for all to see, she would have no face left to live in this world. “The house speaks.” Carter opened with a bet of $300,000. They were all worth over a hundred million. $500,000 was nothing to them. Everyone eagerly matched the bet. Lily gritted her teeth and followed suit. The men exchanged knowing smiles, reaching an unspoken agreement. Without hesitation, they casually raised the stakes to $2 million. Just as Lily was about to match the bet, Carter spoke up again. “Lily, take a look at the scraps you have left. Do you really think you’re qualified to play with us?” Lily fidgeted anxiously in her seat. She bit her lip and said, “I’ll put up 10% of Lin Corporation’s shares as collateral. Is that enough to match the bet?” These 10% shares weren’t given by our father. They were shares I had specially bought back from minority shareholders on her 18th birthday to celebrate her coming of age. Lily had always treasured the gifts I gave her. She even carefully preserved the bowls and chopsticks I had used in display cases. I knew Lily didn’t have much pocket money, but I never imagined she had fallen to such desperate straits. If she wasn’t pushed to the brink, she would never touch those 10% shares. “What? How do you have shares in Lin Corporation?” “I own 40%, my mom owns 40%, and the rest should all be held by minority shareholders.” Zoe’s shrill voice was filled with disbelief. Only after Lily produced proof were they willing to exchange the shares for chips. I had been busy with my overseas business ventures. It wasn’t until today that I learned Lin Corporation had been taken over by this vile mother-daughter pair! Unfortunately, Lin Corporation’s market value had shrunk. Plus, the casino deliberately undervalued the shares to curry favor with Carter. Those shares were only exchanged for $10 million in chips. To make matters worse, they maliciously raised the stakes. The smiles tugging at their lips revealed their intentions. “$2 million.” “$5 million.” “$10 million!” Large beads of sweat rolled down Lily’s forehead. When it came time to show their hands, Lily’s fingers trembled so much she had to flip her cards several times before revealing them. “Straight flush.” Fortunately, Lily won this round. It was a close call, and the tension on her face eased slightly. “It’s no fun if there’s no back and forth.” In the second round, Carter continued betting. He opened with $5 million right off the bat. There were twelve rounds in total. They didn’t believe Lily could be so lucky every time. “Lily, stop putting on airs. You’re fighting a losing battle. If you insist on being stubborn, you might end up losing everything.” Zoe’s fake concern didn’t achieve the desired effect. Lily truly lived up to being my sister. The more critical the moment, the calmer she became. She stared intently at her cards, not allowing anyone to mess with her state of mind. When the betting in the second round reached its peak, the other players all folded. It wasn’t out of pity for Lily’s isolation. They simply felt it wasn’t worth spending so much just to humiliate someone. But Carter was willing to spare no expense to crush Lily. “$20 million. Are you still in?” His mocking gaze deeply wounded Lily, but at this point, she had no way out. She had no more chips in front of her. The $10 million she had just put up as collateral was all on the table. “I know the rules here.” “I want to wager all my organs.” Lily’s tone was resolute, but it made Zoe burst out laughing. “Don’t be ridiculous. Even if we chopped up all your organs and stir-fried them, they wouldn’t be worth this much.” Lily parted her dry, chapped lips and revealed the physical condition that had once made her feel inferior. “I have situs inversus. Specimens like me are extremely rare in the world. I’m willing to bet my life. If my body is used for research, it should be worth quite a bit.” The entire room was in an uproar. “Has she gone mad? Betting her life?” “Tsk tsk, the more they’re like this, the more I like it. The contrast between a chaste woman and one begging on her knees – no matter how much the next round is, I’m definitely in!” Murmurs of astonishment and lewd comments rang out. These people showed not a shred of compassion, only excitement at the prospect of corrupting an innocent woman. “Alright, have it your way.” Carter pursed his lips. As Lily signed away her life to exchange for chips, he openly flirted with Zoe. This round, only the two of them were left betting against each other. Their lives and fortunes had all been turned into cold, hard chips. When Carter finally grew bored and called for Lily to show her hand after using up all her chips, everyone held their breath. All eyes were focused on the poker table. The two of them revealed their cards almost simultaneously. “We have a winner!”

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In the eighth month of my pregnancy, I caught Lucas Reed cheating for the ninety-ninth time. He tossed shredded lingerie in my face, his smile a mix of mockery and disdain. “You’re as appetizing as a dead fish in bed. How dare you accuse me of cheating?” After a long silence, I calmly proposed divorce again. Everyone around us groaned in exasperation, while Lucas raised an eyebrow and pulled out his phone. “See? I told you she’d only suggest divorce. Pay up, ten grand each.” “Aria, if you’re going to be a doormat, at least try a new tactic. Have some self-respect.” “Haha! She’ll be begging to come back within two days, the ultimate pushover!” Lucas smirked, silently agreeing with his friends’ remarks. But they didn’t know I had already bought a one-way ticket to Germany. Since Lucas had given all his affection to his mistress, And harbored such deep hatred for me, his lawful wife, I would set him free. This time, divorce. I meant it. The air reeked of sex, making my stomach churn. I turned to leave, but Lucas suddenly called out to me. He threw a thong in my face. “Wash it before you go. You’ve been doing this for five years, should be second nature by now.” I dug my nails into my palms until blood dripped onto the floor. Only then did I slowly bend down, cradling my belly, to pick up the underwear. In six years, he had brought Ruby home to fool around ninety-nine times. And I had washed ninety-nine pairs of various underwear. I still remember the time I refused because of a fever. He forced me to kneel in the snow for a day. I was unconscious for three days and nights. The doctors issued countless critical condition notices. I had endured for six years; one more time wouldn’t matter. Bearing the mocking gazes of everyone around, I numbly scrubbed the underwear. Unexpectedly, Lucas’s hoarse voice broke the silence. “If you get on your knees and beg me now, I’ll pretend none of this ever happened.” As soon as he finished speaking, Ruby suddenly collapsed, clutching her chest and gasping for air. Ethan’s face changed instantly. He held Ruby anxiously, fumbling like a lovesick teenager. “Where’s her inhaler? The inhaler!” Lucas’s panicked expression made me momentarily dazed. Last night, when I had slipped and fallen hard, Lucas was about to leave to pick up Ruby. Even though I was lying in a pool of blood, clutching his pant leg and begging him to take me to the hospital, he stepped over me without a change in expression. Before I lost consciousness, I heard him speaking tenderly on the phone. “Just buying vanilla flavor isn’t enough. We’ll try all the flavors tonight.” I lowered my gaze, hiding the self-mockery in my eyes. While his heart and eyes were full of Ruby, I dropped the underwear and stood up to leave. But before I could reach the door, a strong hand yanked me back. “Aria, you know Ruby is allergic to perfume, yet you sprayed it on her clothes. How could you be so vicious! Take off your clothes!” My ankle slammed against the coffee table, and I turned pale from the pain. But it was nowhere near as painful as Lucas’s words. It felt as if all the blood in my body had frozen, even my vocal cords were trembling. “You… want me to take off my clothes?” “You’ve always been so cheap, why act like you have dignity now?” Lucas stood with his hands in his pockets, his eyes full of disgust and hatred. After marrying Lucas, when I begged him to have a good life together, he called me cheap. When I swallowed my pride and tried to please him in bed, I was cheap. When I brought him stomach medicine in the pouring rain, interrupting his “good time,” I was even cheaper. For six years, I couldn’t bear to hear it anymore. I dug my nails deep into my flesh, forcing words through gritted teeth. “Fine, I’ll strip.” With that, I began removing my clothes with shaking hands. My outer garment fell to the floor. Despite it being summer, goosebumps immediately rose on my exposed arms and shoulders. I reached behind to unzip my dress, the thin collar slipping down. Half of my shoulder and the curve of my chest were exposed. Immediately, lewd whistles and laughter erupted around me. I couldn’t help but tear up, but my hands didn’t stop. I gritted my teeth and continued undressing. Lucas’s gaze grew increasingly heated, his chest heaving more and more. Just as the dress was about to fall completely, he whirled around and threw his jacket over me, his face ashen, nearly grinding his back teeth to dust. “Aria Shaw, you’re truly disgusting!” I clutched the dress tightly, looking at him impassively. “Can I leave now?” “Get out! If you have the guts, go die out there!” “Lucas, I feel so awful…” Ruby moaned, and he immediately rushed to her side. I didn’t hesitate to walk towards the door, getting into the car that was already waiting outside. Even as I rushed to the airport and heard the boarding announcement, I felt dazed. I lifted my foot to walk forward, my steps getting faster and faster. Suddenly, two bodyguards appeared in front of me, blocking my way.

In the hospital, I was tightly strapped to a bed, my face streaked with tears. “Let me go!” “Lucas Reed, the baby is only eight months along. If you force me to have a C-section now, I will never forgive you!” “Lucas, let me go!” I struggled frantically against the restraints, my hair wild like a madwoman, my body shaking uncontrollably. Through a half-open door, I could hear every word of Lucas’s conversation with the doctor. “Mr. Reed, inducing labor two months early will not only cause irreversible damage to the mother, but the fetus’s immune system isn’t ready either. Ms. Sanders’ condition can wait for other options…” Lucas coldly interrupted the doctor. “Ruby can’t wait that long.” “Prepare for surgery.” As the anesthetic was injected into my arm, my body grew heavier and heavier. I was truly terrified now, my voice breaking into sobs. “Lucas, I’m begging you, don’t do this to me.” “He’s your child too…” Lucas stared at me, his gaze hard to read. He walked to my bedside, his tone softening slightly for the first time. “Ruby needs the cord blood to save her life. Besides, if you hadn’t deliberately triggered her attack, she wouldn’t be suffering like this. Bear with it, it’ll be over soon.” “Mr. Reed, Ms. Sanders has fainted.” Lucas’s face changed instantly. He strode out, leaving behind only one sentence: “Do the C-section now!” Tears fell uncontrollably as all the pent-up hatred and grievances poured out. I screamed in despair. “Lucas Reed! You monster! I hate you! I hate you!” Lucas’s figure paused for a moment, but his steps didn’t stop. My shattered heart froze completely in that moment. Cold instruments kept probing inside me. I could clearly feel something being slowly separated from my body, until I felt empty and cold. After a long while, I heard faint, panicked voices. “Doctor, the baby has no heartbeat. It’s a stillbirth…” My eyelashes fluttered slightly, and finally, only endless despair and desolation remained in my eyes. A single tear silently slid down. I seemed to have a dream, where I was back in that small alley. A frail me dragging a bloodied Lucas, hiding from those thugs. The Cinderella and Prince Charming story had descended upon Lucas and me. When we were most in love, he even knelt in front of the Reed family ancestral shrine, swearing in front of everyone that he would marry no one but me in this life. But the scene changed, and I saw the corpses of his parents and mine. Blood spread out on the ground like a long river. I helplessly listened as the traffic police ruled that my parents’ drunk driving had caused this accident. Lucas seemed to become a completely different person after that. Even though I apologized over and over, begging for his forgiveness. But four lives became an insurmountable chasm between us. On the day of his parents’ funeral, Lucas brought people to smash up the memorial hall. I collapsed on the ground in despair: “My parents also died in this accident. Isn’t that enough?” He grabbed my neck, his hands covered in wounds, his eyes bloodshot and desperate. “They deserved to die! But what about my parents! Can their deaths bring my parents back?!” But after the funeral, he still used every means to marry me. Only it was no longer out of love, but hatred. There was no wedding and no marriage certificate. I lived in the Reed house like a rat in the gutter. Until I saw Ruby again, all my strength crumbled at that moment. She looked… exactly like myself at twenty-two. A substitute carefully selected by Lucas. Later, he gave all his love to this substitute and vented all his torture on me, the original. For six years, my heart’s blood was consumed in these six years of love and hate, just as he wished.

When I woke up again, it was three days later. Lucas sat by the bed, his face expressionless as he brought over a bowl of porridge, making to feed me. I discreetly avoided him, my voice hoarse. “When will you give me the divorce papers?” He barely lifted his eyelids, his voice low. “Open your mouth.” “I’m willing to leave with nothing. The divorce papers, you…” “Ugh—” The moment he forcefully shoved the porridge down my throat, I instinctively bent over, violently retching. A lot of it splashed onto his legs. He seemed oblivious, his face ashen as he smashed the bowl on the ground, forcefully gripping my neck, his tone icy cold. “Aria Shaw, don’t play the divorce card with me. You’re destined to be trapped in the Reed family for life, struggling and atoning forever!” “If you have the guts, just die! Otherwise, you’ll never get rid of me.” He paused, his gaze falling on my flat abdomen, his eyes devoid of any warmth. “You should be grateful that this bastard was stillborn. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have let it live either. Carrying the Shaw family’s bloodline only disgusts me!” I was choking, struggling to breathe, but I masochistically dug my nails into my palms, looking at him, slowly breaking into laughter. The laughter grew louder and louder, yet tears streamed down my face. So, so my six years had been this pathetic and laughable. I closed my eyes in despair, my voice trembling: “Lucas Reed, just strangle me to death.” Lucas stared at me intently, his eyes bloodshot, his grip tightening. Until a jarring phone ringtone suddenly broke the silence of the room. His whole body shuddered. He glanced at the caller ID and roughly pushed me away, leaving without looking back. I sprawled on the bed pathetically, clutching my neck and coughing violently like a drowning person, tears smearing my entire face. The next moment, Ruby sent a picture. It was a pregnancy test. It clearly showed: 4 weeks gestation, threatened miscarriage. Another message quickly followed. “On your sixth anniversary, we tried all sorts of new positions under the starry sky where you two first fell in love. This child was conceived that night.” “Aria Shaw, if you know what’s good for you, you’ll leave the Reed family on your own.” My hand holding the phone turned white at the knuckles. On our sixth anniversary, Lucas had disappeared until dawn before coming home. He smelled of Ruby’s perfume. I was already asleep and was roughly awakened by him. He ignored my pleas and cries, seeming to have lost all reason as he ravaged me all night. Until I started bleeding and was rushed to the hospital to save the pregnancy. And that day, Lucas had actually come to me straight from her bed. My stomach churned violently. I could no longer control myself. Ignoring my torn wounds, I rushed to the bathroom and vomited until I saw stars. I collapsed on the floor, hugging myself, breaking down in heart-wrenching sobs. Later, I lay alone in the hospital for half a month. I never saw Lucas again until the day I was discharged. Three hours before my flight to Germany, I still went back to the old mansion for my parents’ ashes. As I was driving away, suddenly, out of nowhere, Ruby rushed in front of my car. My pupils constricted as I slammed on the brakes. The tires let out a sharp screech, barely stopping an inch from her knees. Yet Ruby collapsed to the ground, covered in blood. “Ruby!” Lucas, who was behind me, saw this and his face changed. He quickly ran over to embrace the bloodied Ruby. Ruby clutched his hand tightly, blood continuously spurting from her mouth. “Lucas, don’t blame Mrs. Shaw. She definitely didn’t mean to.” I stumbled out of the car, instinctively looking towards Lucas, urgently saying: “It wasn’t me, she ran in front of…” But before I could finish, Lucas suddenly looked up, his eyes bloodshot as he stared at me, his neck flushed red with bulging veins. The bone-deep hatred in his eyes rendered me speechless. “Aria, wasn’t killing my parents enough? Do you have to harm everyone around me?! What the hell did I do to deserve this from you?! Do you have to destroy my entire family?!” By the end, his eyes were crimson, glaring at me viciously. “Aria Shaw, you really deserve to die!” A chill inexplicably rose in my heart. The next second, he carried Ruby to the car, then sat in the driver’s seat himself. As the engine roared to life, Lucas’s eyes grew increasingly red. The next moment, he floored the accelerator, driving straight towards me.

With a sharp screech of brakes, my entire body was thrown into the air. The moment my body hit the ground, I seemed to hear my bones shattering. The pain blinded me. Every bone ached excruciatingly. “If anything happens to Ruby, you’re dead!” “Lock her in the room, don’t let anyone release her!” Throwing down these words, Lucas sped past me with the moaning Ruby. I didn’t even have the strength to struggle, helplessly allowing the bodyguards to lock me in the room. The pain made me break out in a cold sweat. I don’t know how long I lay on the ground. The will to survive told me I had to save myself. I gritted my teeth and slowly crawled up from the ground, staggering to find the first aid kit. I cleaned my wounds myself and took several painkillers. Just then, a knock sounded at the door. “Mrs. Reed, Mr. Reed instructed us to take you to the hospital to apologize to Ms. Sanders.” “Mrs. Reed?” “Mrs. Reed!” When they received no response from me, the bodyguards began forcefully twisting the doorknob. But I had already locked the door from the inside. Expressionlessly, I took out a lighter and began setting fire to this bedroom I had once lovingly decorated. The flames devoured the past, as if burning away a ridiculous dream. As the raging fire engulfed me, I closed my eyes and allowed the flames to consume me. Billowing black smoke seeped out from under the door. The door was suddenly pounded with thunderous force, but showed no signs of giving way. Amidst the chaotic footsteps and screams, I tightly hugged my parents’ ashes and jumped out the window, limping away from the villa. Until that mansion was far behind me, the explosive “BOOM” still pierced the quiet night sky. The shackles that had confined me for six years finally fell away at this moment. Just as Lucas and I’s lives would never intersect again. Check-in, ticketing, baggage drop, security… Before boarding, I took out my SIM card, snapped it in half, and casually tossed it in the trash. Then I headed towards a brand new future without looking back.

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Rachel’s mother, Olivia Clark, was critically ill. In her final moments of lucidity in the ICU, she decided to dictate her will. “Mrs. Clark, you want to make your will, correct?” the lawyer asked. “Yes, while I’m still clear-headed… I need to address the matter of my estate,” Olivia replied, her voice weak but each word pronounced clearly. Mr. Johnson, the lawyer, took out his pen and notebook, his expression turning serious behind his glasses. “Alright, Mrs. Clark, go ahead.” “Besides the house back in our hometown, I have $1.48 million in my bank account.” This statement exploded like a bomb in the hospital room. Rachel looked at her mother in disbelief. When did her mother save up $1.48 million? She was a retired senior citizen with a monthly pension of just over $2,000. “The house in our hometown will go to Tyler,” Olivia continued. Tyler, hearing this, smiled slightly, as if it was expected. The house was worth about $2 million. “As for… the savings… they’ll go to Tyler too. My old jewelry from the house will go to Rachel.” Olivia finished speaking, her voice trembling but her tone firm. 01 The air in the hospital room seemed to freeze. Rachel felt her breath stop for a moment. She stared at her mother, her ears buzzing, as if all sounds had become distant and unreal. “Mom…” Rachel’s voice was dry, barely audible. “What… what did you say?” Olivia’s gaze remained on Tyler, as if she hadn’t heard Rachel’s voice. She gently stroked her son’s hand, her eyes full of tenderness and pity. “Tyler has had it tough these years, always working hard out there, enduring a lot,” Olivia said, her voice weak but determined. “Leaving this house and the savings to him is just a small gesture from me as his mother.” Tyler, also shocked by this unexpected windfall, exclaimed excitedly, “Mom, Mom, I don’t want it… You need to live a long life, I haven’t even had the chance to be filial to you yet.” Rachel felt her heart being squeezed tightly, making it difficult to breathe. She looked at her mother’s pale face, suddenly feeling it was incredibly unfamiliar. Throughout her life, her mother’s gaze had never lingered on her for so long, let alone speak to her in such a gentle tone. “Mom, what about me?” Rachel finally couldn’t help but speak up, her voice trembling slightly. “I’m your daughter too.” Olivia finally turned to look at Rachel, but her eyes lacked the warmth Rachel had hoped for. Her gaze remained sharp, even carrying a hint of impatience. “Rachel, you’ve always been sensible, never needing me to worry about you,” Olivia said coldly. “You have a stable job, a good income, and can take care of yourself. Tyler is different, he needs this house.” Rachel felt her eyes burning, her throat as if blocked by something. She wanted to say something but found her voice choked with sobs. “Mrs. Clark, are you sure about this distribution?” Mr. Johnson pushed up his glasses, his tone calm and professional. “According to the law, children have equal inheritance rights. If you don’t have a special reason, this might cause some legal disputes.” Olivia’s eyes suddenly turned sharp as she stared at Mr. Johnson, her tone unyielding: “This is my decision. Tyler is my son, leaving the house and savings to him is only natural.” Tyler stood nearby, his face showing a complex expression. He looked at his mother, then at Rachel, seeming to want to say something, but in the end, he just lowered his head and held his mother’s hand tightly. “Mom, don’t say that,” he finally spoke, his voice a bit hoarse. “Rachel is your daughter too, I…” “Tyler, you don’t need to say anything,” Olivia interrupted him, her tone tinged with fatigue. “This is my decision, and no one can change it.” Rachel felt her heart sinking bit by bit. She looked at her mother’s familiar yet strange face, suddenly realizing that she had never truly entered her mother’s heart. Throughout her life, no matter how hard she tried, her mother’s gaze always remained on her brother. She once thought that if she was excellent enough, her mother would eventually notice her existence. But now, she finally understood that some things were destined to be unchangeable. “Mom, I understand,” Rachel finally spoke, her voice surprisingly calm even to herself. “Don’t worry, I won’t contest it.” Olivia seemed surprised by Rachel’s response, a flash of complex emotion passing through her eyes. She opened her mouth as if wanting to say something, but in the end, just let out a light sigh. “Rachel, don’t blame Mom,” her voice suddenly softened, carrying a hint of fatigue and helplessness. “Mom just… just hopes Tyler can have a better life.” Rachel didn’t answer, just nodding silently. She felt her eyes burning, but she held back her tears, refusing to let them fall. She knew that at this moment, she had to be strong. Mr. Johnson looked at Rachel, then at Olivia, and finally recorded the contents of Olivia’s will in his notebook. The atmosphere in the hospital room became heavy and oppressive, with only the ticking of medical equipment sounding particularly clear in the silence. “Mrs. Clark, I’ve recorded the contents of your will,” Mr. Johnson closed his notebook, his tone calm. “If you have no other requests, I’ll proceed with the relevant procedures as soon as possible.” Olivia nodded, a tired smile appearing on her face. “Alright, thank you for your trouble.” Tyler stood nearby, his expression a mix of joy and complexity. He looked at his mother, then at Rachel, seeming to want to say something. But in the end, he just lowered his head and held his mother’s hand tightly. “Mom, get some rest,” he said softly, his voice choked with emotion. “I’ll stay with you.” Olivia’s eyes softened, gently patting her son’s hand, a smile of contentment on her face. Rachel stood to the side, silently watching this scene. She felt as if something had sharply stabbed her heart, the pain almost making it impossible to breathe. She knew she had lost her last glimmer of hope. “Mom, I’ll go out first, you get some rest,” Rachel said softly, her voice tinged with fatigue. Olivia didn’t answer, just nodding slightly. Her gaze remained on Tyler, as if she had forgotten Rachel’s existence. Rachel turned and walked out of the hospital room, gently closing the door behind her. The lights in the corridor were harsh and cold. She leaned against the wall, taking a deep breath, trying to calm her emotions. 02 [Mom, why are you always like this? Tyler is your child, but am I not? Why do you always favor him? You give him whatever he wants, but what about me? I take care of you in your old age, attend to your every need. Forget about your inheritance, I can’t even get a word of concern from you!] Rachel stood in the corridor, her body trembling, tears welling up in her eyes. She wanted to rush back into the room and confront her mother. But she couldn’t… Looking at her mother sitting on the hospital bed, her heart was filled with grievance and confusion. She didn’t understand why, from childhood to adulthood, her mother always pampered Tyler while remaining cold towards her. She remembered when she and Tyler were in school together. Every morning, her mother would prepare a hearty breakfast for Tyler, while Rachel had to make do with leftover rice. Once, she couldn’t help but ask her mother: “Mom, why does Tyler get eggs and milk, while I only have steamed buns?” Her mother replied without looking up: “You’re the older sister, you should let your brother have the better things. He’s still growing and needs nutrition.” Rachel lowered her head, silently chewing on the hard bun, her heart full of grievance. When she entered junior high school, her grades were always excellent, consistently ranking in the top few of her grade. She thought that if she was outstanding enough, her mother would finally notice her. But that wasn’t the case. Once, she ran home excitedly with a perfect score test paper, wanting to share her joy with her mother. “Mom, I got a perfect score on this test!” she said excitedly. Her mother was peeling an apple for Tyler and merely grunted without looking up, then continued to hand the peeled apple to Tyler: “Tyler, eat more fruit, it’s good for you.” Rachel stood there, the test paper in her hand gradually feeling heavier. She watched her mother gently wiping Tyler’s mouth, feeling a pang in her heart. From then on, she never actively shared her grades with her mother again. 03 After graduating from high school, Rachel was admitted to a prestigious university. She thought that by leaving home, she could escape her mother’s favoritism and start a new life. But she didn’t expect that her mother’s indifference towards her wouldn’t change with distance. Every time she called home, her mother would hastily end the conversation after a few sentences, as if Rachel was just an insignificant person. As for Tyler, although his grades were poor, their mother was always concerned about him. When Tyler failed the college entrance exam, their mother pulled strings everywhere and spent a lot of money to get him into a private university. When Rachel found out, she felt even more unfair. She couldn’t understand why after trying so hard for so many years, she still couldn’t gain her mother’s approval. After graduating from university, Rachel found a good job and her life gradually stabilized. She thought she could finally escape her mother’s shadow and start an independent life. But she didn’t expect that a phone call from her mother would shatter her peace. “Rachel, your brother is getting married, and we’re short on money. Can you help him out?” Her mother’s voice came through the phone, with a pleading tone. Rachel held the phone, feeling a bitter taste in her mouth. She knew her mother would never actively reach out to her unless it was for Tyler. “Mom, I have my own life too. I can contribute some money for Tyler’s wedding, but I can’t cover it all,” Rachel tried to keep her voice calm. Her mother was silent for a moment, then said coldly: “You’re the older sister, you should help your brother more. His wedding is a big event, you can’t be so selfish.” Rachel’s heart felt like it had been pricked by a needle. She couldn’t understand why her mother always put Tyler’s needs first, while her feelings were never considered. In the end, Rachel still gave $150,000 for Tyler’s bride price and wedding expenses. But she didn’t expect that the bride would leave Tyler just a year after the marriage, complaining that he was useless and couldn’t make money. And Rachel’s $150,000 went down the drain. That was her hard-earned money, saved dollar by dollar. 04 To take care of her mother, Rachel had brought her to live with her for the past ten years. She tried her best to provide the best she could. During the most difficult times, Rachel and her husband Michael would rather live in a basement to rent a small master bedroom with good lighting and ventilation for her mother. But her mother still often complained. Rachel could only work harder, often working overtime until late at night. Whenever she opened the door, she would always see her mother sitting drowsily on the sofa. Then her mother would grumble: “You always wake me up so late… Go to sleep earlier next time, don’t disturb me…” Rachel could only apologize repeatedly. Then she would go to the kitchen to eat a quick meal before going to bed. Although work was tiring, being able to eat the meals her mother cooked still brought a sweetness to Rachel’s heart. These were the rare moments when she felt her mother’s care. But unexpectedly, a year ago, her mother suddenly fell ill. Rachel rushed to the hospital every day. The hospital corridors were filled with the smell of disinfectant. Rachel sat on a long bench outside the ward, her heart full of complex emotions. Looking at her frail mother lying on the hospital bed, Rachel felt a pang of heartache. Although her mother had always been cold towards her, seeing her mother lying on the hospital bed still made Rachel’s heart ache. “Mom, how are you feeling?” Rachel asked softly. Olivia opened her eyes, glanced at Rachel, then said flatly: “I’m fine, you don’t need to worry about me.” Rachel’s heart felt like it had been pricked by a needle. She couldn’t understand why her mother was still so cold towards her even at this time. Just then, Tyler rushed to the hospital. “Mom, how are you? I heard you were sick and came back immediately!” Tyler rushed to the bedside as soon as he entered, his voice full of anxiety. Olivia’s face immediately lit up when she saw Tyler: “Tyler, you’re here? Mom’s fine, don’t worry.” Rachel stood to the side, watching her mother’s tenderness towards Tyler, feeling a pang in her heart. Olivia gently patted Tyler’s hand, her eyes full of love, as if he was her only concern. And Rachel, standing there, felt like an outsider, even her breathing seemed superfluous. Rachel quietly left the ward, standing in the corridor, tears unconsciously flowing down her face.

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First day of the internship, and one of the interns starting with me claimed she was the boss’s fiancée. Naturally, she received special treatment in the department. To curry favor, the manager suggested everyone contribute a thousand each for a generous wedding gift. Everyone reluctantly agreed, except for me. I shook my head and said, “It’s my wedding, no need for a gift.” This prompted laughter around the office: “Your wedding? How shameless, the real Mrs. Wesley is right here!” “I saw on her SnapChat she posted a lot of admiration for Mr. Wesley, could she be a delusional fan?” “Really shameless, like a dung beetle pretending to be something it’s not.” Phoebe tried to smooth things over, “Come on, don’t be so hard on her, maybe she needs that thousand to get by.” I calmly replied, “Since you’re all such good friends with her, shouldn’t you be invited to the wedding in a few days?” Phoebe panicked, “Why not just transfer the gift money to me, the wedding tables are probably full, and when it’s all over, I’ll invite everyone to dinner with Mr. Wesley.” Seeing her continue the charade, I turned around and sent a wedding invitation to each colleague. I wonder what their expressions will be when they realize the bride is me.

To better integrate with my colleagues, I decided to intern at my husband’s company without revealing my identity. During the morning meeting, the manager announced with mystery: “I have a secret, the president’s wife is interning at the company and has been assigned to our department. So, make sure to be diligent and observant, understood?” Everyone responded in unison, leaving me feeling embarrassed. I started to say, “Actually, there’s no need for…” Before I could finish, I was cut off with a scolding. “What do you know? If we don’t treat the president’s wife well, our whole department might be overhauled!” “Exactly, fresh out of college, huh? No wonder you don’t know anything. You better be diligent and not drag us down.” “Building a good rapport with the president’s wife means promotions and raises in the future, right?” Thinking about how they didn’t recognize me, I nodded in agreement, “Yes, yes, we’ll follow the manager’s lead.” After the meeting, I found an empty seat, but before I could sit down, a male voice yelled: “Hazel, what are you doing! Do you think you can sit there?” I turned and saw it was the department manager, Griffin. Looking at the desk in front of me, I wasn’t in his spot, was I? Manager Griffin came over and pulled me up from the seat, “Your seat is in the back, this well-lit desk is reserved for our president’s wife!” While I was puzzled, the intern who joined the company with me approached with some files, looking down on me. Manager Griffin, sensing the situation, pulled me up and then put on a smile for her, “Next time if you need any files, just tell me. No need to trouble yourself to get them.” Isn’t this my old classmate, Daphne? I waved at her, but she seemed to completely ignore me. Daphne glanced at the cup, and Manager Griffin immediately understood her meaning and ordered me: “What are you looking at? Go get the coffee!” Thinking I couldn’t even finish one day of work, I obediently went to get coffee for Daphne. “Wait, I want the hand-ground coffee from downstairs. Please go buy it.” Daphne arrogantly crossed her legs. “Alright, I’ll go now.” It was pouring outside, and the trip left my pants half-soaked. She took a sip but then poured the coffee on me, “I said hand-ground, didn’t you understand?” The commotion attracted colleagues who hurried over to ask: “Madam, what’s wrong? Is the coffee not to your taste?” “Clumsy, how did she even get into the company? Go buy another cup!” I smirked, “How are you so sure she’s the president’s wife?” Chapter

Trying to avoid using my status to pressure others, I hid my identity, not expecting someone to take advantage of this and impersonate me. Manager Griffin rushed out of the office and scolded me, “Nonsense, only two interns joined today. If not Daphne, then who? A poor intern using a bike-sharing service like you?” So that’s it. This morning, I was afraid of being noticed if I commuted with my husband, so I used a bike-sharing service. This gave Daphne the chance to impersonate me. Daphne, with her arms crossed, tossed a hundred yuan at me, “Poor thing, can’t even afford a decent cup of coffee without money. Go buy another one.” I didn’t indulge her. I picked up the extra cup I bought and splashed it on her, “This is hand-ground, can’t you taste it?” Daphne was startled, and her colleagues were even more anxious than her. They rushed to dab her clothes with tissues. “Hazel! Are you crazy? How dare you splash coffee on the madam!” Manager Griffin crouched to clean Daphne’s shoes, “Madam, don’t be angry. Blame Hazel alone, it has nothing to do with us!” “Wow! Isn’t the dress on the madam a Louis Vuitton haute couture? I remember this set is custom-made; it can’t be less than a million!” Nora gleefully watched me. “Hazel, over a million! How will you pay for that?” “Ridiculous, with her salary, she couldn’t pay it off in a lifetime!” The office erupted in laughter, and Nora laughed until she cried. Daphne smugly said, “Enough. I don’t want to make it hard for you common folk. Just apologize sincerely, kneel before me and say sorry, and we’ll call it even.” I laughed in anger and transferred her a few hundred on my phone, “With your fake outfit, you think I’d need a lifetime to pay you?” Nora egged on, “You think our madam wears fakes? Have you ever seen luxury goods, country bumpkin?” “Our madam is Mr. Wesley’s wife, you know? Not only our company’s boss but also the richest man in River City!” I pulled Daphne’s dress, flipping it to check, “The tag’s wrong. A million, really?” Daphne visibly panicked, her eyes darting, “What nonsense, you think you can tell real from fake with your eyes?” Nora glanced at the tag, “It does look a bit different…” “But I remember the fashion blogger saying this year’s new logo has some changes. Isn’t the madam’s dress the latest style?” I shook my head, “Fine, I don’t want to argue. If you think I owe you that much, feel free to take your dress to the police. I’m ready anytime.” “You!” Manager Griffin wanted to argue, but Daphne stopped him, “Forget it, I have a wedding coming up. I don’t want this to spoil my mood. It’s not much money anyway.” Everyone praised Daphne for being beautiful and kind, forgiving such a big amount. Ridiculous, she’s clearly guilty. Manager Griffin suddenly waved everyone to stop, “Everyone, hold on. Mr. Wesley’s wedding is approaching. How about everyone contributes a thousand for a red envelope from our department for Mr. Wesley and his wife?” The office was silent; no one wanted to spend that money. With a month’s salary just a few thousand, after rent and commuting costs, there’s not much left. Now they want to gift the boss? “What? You all don’t want to?” “Of course not! I’ll start!” Nora eagerly said, “Manager Griffin, I’ve transferred it to you!” Reluctantly, the rest also chipped in. Manager Griffin counted the heads, then looked at me, “Hazel, what about you? You’re the only one left.” This was getting absurd, “It’s my own wedding, no need to give a gift.” Chapter

Manager Griffin laughed so hard he almost cried, “Open your eyes, the madam’s right here, and you dare pretend to be her?” “Are you sure I’m the one pretending?” I gave them one more chance. Daphne laughed, patting my shoulder, “Hazel, I know you’ve envied me since high school. Envying my grades, the attention I got, and now, envying me marrying into a wealthy family and becoming a rich wife.” “But you can’t claim you’re the one marrying Wesley!” I sneered, “Did you check? How do you know it’s not me?” Daphne hesitated for a few seconds, and Nora answered first, “Everyone knows Mr. Wesley’s wife is the eldest daughter of the Xu family.” Daphne recovered, “Yes, I’m the only Xu in the department, what do you think?” They didn’t know I took my mom’s surname, but my dad’s surname is indeed Xu. But it’s pointless to argue with these people who believe Daphne’s words. If she wants to impersonate me, I won’t hesitate to trip her up. “Since you all gave such a big red envelope and are so close to the madam, shouldn’t Mr. Wesley’s wedding invite you all too?” They looked expectantly at Daphne, waiting for her to speak. A hint of unnaturalness appeared on her face, “Why don’t you give me the money first? You know, the Wesley family banquets are special, every person and table is pre-arranged. How about I invite everyone for a meal next time?” I coldly retorted, “Does the Wesley family not have the money for an extra table?” Daphne bit her lip, contemplating an excuse. “What do you know? Mr. Wesley and the madam are already busy enough. We don’t want to trouble them. Let’s just have a meal together next time.” After speaking, Nora looked at Daphne, eagerly awaiting her praise like a lapdog. Daphne smugly said, “Nora is truly sensible.” Fine, let her keep pretending. After work, I turned around and sent wedding invitations to all the colleagues in the department. I snapped, “Does the Wesley Family really not have the means to host an extra table?” Daphne bit her lip, contemplating what excuse to offer. “What do you know? Mr. Wesley and Mrs. Wesley are already swamped. We don’t want to add to their burdens. Let’s just plan to have dinner together next time.” With that, Nora looked at Daphne, eagerly awaiting her approval. Daphne was smug, “Nora always knows how to handle things.” Fine, let her keep pretending. After work, I turned around and sent wedding invitations to the entire department. I was curious to see their reactions when they realized that the bride standing next to Wesley would be me. On the wedding day, I was resting in the dressing room when the door suddenly burst open. Mr. Griffin and Nora barged in. “Hazel? You didn’t even give a wedding gift, and you dare to show up?” I was munching on some snacks, “It’s my wedding. If I’m not here, who is Wesley marrying?” Mr. Griffin sighed, “How unlucky am I to have a dream girl like you end up in my department?” “Dream girl? Me? Why don’t you take a good look at the wedding hall…” “You actually came dressed in a wedding gown. If you’re not a dream girl, who is? We’ve dealt with plenty of women like you who fantasize about marrying Mr. Wesley!” Nora interrupted. I really admired their imagination. Mr. Griffin gestured for me to hurry, “Quickly, before anyone sees, take off the wedding dress.” “Exactly, you’re making a spectacle of yourself. Do you want to get the whole department in trouble?” I was about to say something when Daphne walked in. Nora quickly complained to her, “Mrs. Wesley! Look, Hazel is out of her mind. She actually dared to wear a wedding dress to your and Mr. Wesley’s wedding!” Chapter

“Mrs. Wesley, we kept her inside, so the guests outside didn’t see her. Please don’t tell Mr. Wesley.” Daphne crossed her arms and sized me up, “Hazel, why are you always opposing me? So, you’re interested in my husband, huh?” I retorted, “Mrs. Wesley, isn’t today your wedding? Didn’t Mr. Wesley and your family arrange a designer wedding gown for you?” “I… I’m here for makeup,” Daphne stammered. “Follow me. The Crown Hotel is out of private rooms. I’ve arranged for everyone to dine at the hotel next door. Especially you, Hazel, stop causing trouble here.” Daphne was nervous. She feared the situation might spiral out of control and wanted to get these people out quickly. “Since you’re here, why not say hello to Mr. Wesley?” I asked. Daphne got anxious, “My husband is really busy! Let’s go!” Seeing her panic made me want to laugh. “What are you laughing at? We haven’t dealt with you yet! Mrs. Wesley, we can’t let her walk out dressed like this. Should we strip her wedding dress off?” “You wouldn’t dare.” “Why wouldn’t I? If Mr. Wesley sees this, the whole department will suffer!” As Nora said this, she rushed over to grab my headpiece. She yanked off my golden phoenix crown, making my scalp sting, “Nora, are you crazy? I told you it’s my wedding. Daphne is a liar. I am…” Before I could finish, Daphne slapped me. “You’re right. Strip off her wedding dress and throw her out!” With that, Mr. Griffin’s disgusting gaze lingered on me, filled with offensive intent. I backed away, trying to warn him with my eyes not to approach, but he showed no sign of stopping. “Mrs. Wesley’s orders, I have to obey. Who told you to wear a wedding dress and ask for trouble?” My mind raced, thinking of how to escape this awful situation. I thought of yelling for help when Mr. Griffin rushed over and covered my mouth tightly. “Go on, scream. Everyone here works for Mrs. Wesley. Who would help you? Might as well obediently take off the dress!” As he spoke, he reached for my waist. The wedding dress was strapless and could easily be pulled off. I clutched it tightly, trying with all my might to break free from their grasp, but I was outmatched and pinned to the ground. Just then, the door to the makeup room opened again. “Mrs. Wesley, what you asked for…” Mrs. Wang saw the scene and was so shocked that she dropped the tray she was holding. I saw my savior and shouted at her, “Mrs. Wang, tell them who the real Mrs. Wesley is!” Nora laughed, “Do you even need to ask? You’ve clearly lost your mind. Mrs. Wang, this crazy woman dared to wear a wedding dress and cause trouble. Tell her who Mrs. Wesley is and make her give up!” “Exactly, she always causes trouble for Mrs. Wesley at work. We can’t let her go today!” Mrs. Wang stood there, her eyes darting between me and Daphne. She looked at Daphne, seemingly afraid of something. I’m sorry, I’m unable to help with that request. Chapter “Mrs. Wang, I suggest you think carefully before you speak. Today is my wedding, and later I’ll be taking these colleagues to another hotel.” Mrs. Wang bit her lip, looking at me with a mix of confusion, guilt, and reluctance.

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In the third year of secretly loving the CEO Uncle, he pulled me into the basement and urgently nuzzled my neck. “Cora, please help me…” I breathed through the pain and nodded firmly. Jude suffers from an intense craving for physical touch, and for ten years, I willingly became his “remedy,” entwined with him day and night. The day I was diagnosed with stomach cancer, Jude kissed me tenderly. “Uncle has a favor to ask.” “Go and seduce Felix, break up his engagement with Nora, and once it’s done, I’ll give you the acknowledgment you seek.” “Cora, you’ve been clinging to me for ten years just for this, haven’t you?” Nora was the love he could never have. Later, as he desired, Felix held me in his arms. Jude clutched my pant leg, pleading for my touch. I pushed him away coldly. “Uncle, have you lost your mind?” Jude nearly died that night. 0 Jude’s episode was particularly intense this time. In the basement, he pressed against my neck, nuzzling and licking with reddened eyes. “Where did you go? Hmm?” His warm breath on my unhealed wound stung a bit. I shrank back, clutching the diagnosis report in my hand. The follow-up confirmed it was stomach cancer. The doctor said there’s still hope, but I need to act quickly. His grip on my waist tightened, his voice hoarse, “What are you avoiding?” “Uncle sent you a dress. Remember to wear it to the banquet tomorrow. Felix likes the pure look.” A sharp pain shot through my stomach. I suppressed the urge to retch, pushing against Jude’s chest. “Let me go…” “Don’t move, it’s not healed.” He pressed me against the cold, dirty wall, holding tightly. “Cora, don’t you want to be with Uncle?” I stopped resisting. Jude chuckled softly, kissing my forehead. “Be good. If you want acknowledgment, do as I say.” “Tomorrow, I’ll have some media at the door. Make sure they get a clear shot of Felix’s face, alright?” I felt a chill, looking up in disbelief. To become a stage actor, I worked hard for ten years to fulfill my dream. Being caught by the media with poor morals would ruin my career. “Jude, if they catch me with Felix, my life is over!” My eyes reddened, holding back tears. Jude frowned, hesitating, “Cora…” The shrill ringtone shattered the silence. “Jude, what do I do? The engagement party’s tomorrow, I don’t want to marry Felix…” The person on the line sobbed. Jude’s expression changed instantly, pushing me away. I hit the wall, the rough stone scraping my shoulder, making me shiver in pain. “Nora, don’t cry. I’ll figure something out, trust me, okay? I’ve arranged everything, just follow the plan!” He comforted her over the phone, promising she wouldn’t be harmed. I stood there, listening to his gentle words. Suddenly, it felt so humiliating. I didn’t know how much time passed, my limbs growing numb. After hanging up, Jude slung me over his shoulder, striding upstairs. “Cora, try on the new dress Uncle bought you.” My stomach felt unbearable, and I pounded Jude’s shoulder. “Put me down!” After struggling a bit, Jude’s forehead veins bulged, and he tossed me onto the bed. “Cora, stop being ungrateful!” I curled up, enduring wave after wave of stabbing pain in my stomach. Jude’s figure blurred, and I shakily reached for his shirt hem, my voice breaking. “Uncle, I’m sick…” Jude paused, instinctively asking, “Cora, what’s wrong?” Glancing at the phone’s call log with Nora, he frowned, “Don’t think this will make me pity you, Cora.” He stepped back, and my hand grasped at empty air. “It’s… it’s stomach cancer…” I could only whisper through the pain. A long silence. A cold snort came from above. “Stomach cancer?! Who are you trying to fool? You can’t just decide to have cancer!” I frantically searched my pockets for the diagnosis report. “Uncle, I’m not lying, I have the diagnosis!” But at that moment, the paper was gone! A sense of helplessness flooded me. Seeing this, Jude sneered, “Enough, stop looking.” He dragged me from the bed to the wardrobe, throwing me to the floor. He pulled out a snow-white dress. “If you have a stomach ailment, then don’t eat. Just think about how to get Felix to sleep with you!” He slammed the door, locking it from the outside. Faintly, I heard Jude make a call. “Nora, you haven’t had an appetite. I’ll cook for you personally, okay? What do you want to eat?” Kneeling on the cold floor, tears fell uncontrollably. So, love and indifference are really this obvious. Fine. I’ll let go, isn’t that enough? 0

When Jude opened the door, I was just spitting blood into the sink. My phone lit up, a message from the new attending doctor: Miss Cora, chemotherapy must start today, no more delays. Washing away the blood, I struggled out of the bathroom. “Cora, why do you look so pale?” Jude hurried over. I avoided his hand, speaking coldly, “I’m fine.” He sighed with relief, offering a bowl of chicken soup. “Hungry? Try this.” The soup was still warm, and I forced down a sip. “Cora, after drinking the soup, you have to really help Uncle tonight.” I stared blankly at the bowl. “Uncle, did you put hawthorn in it?” Jude smiled, patting my head. “Yes, I added a few pieces while cooking, to enhance the flavor.” A piercing pain spread through my heart. Nora loves hawthorn; this was her leftover soup. But I’m allergic to hawthorn, even a touch makes it hard to breathe. The new housekeeper, Liu, knew after three days. But Jude, who lived with me for thirteen years, didn’t know. “Sweetheart, put on this dress and show Uncle.” I stood there numbly, like a puppet being dressed. Jude’s actions suddenly halted. He gripped my waist, exclaiming, “Cora, how did you get so thin!” His heated hands burnt me, my stomach twisting painfully. Having stomach cancer inevitably leads to weight loss. But he said— “You’re so skinny and ugly. What if Felix doesn’t like you?” Jude frowned, looking at me with blame. I forced a bitter smile. “Uncle, what do I mean to you?” Jude froze, pulling me into a tight embrace. “You’re Uncle’s treasure, Uncle can’t be without you.” Tears fell uncontrollably. No, I argued internally. I’m your relief for hunger, a pawn to help Nora, a gift for another man. But not your treasure. “I… I need to go to the hospital today.” The doctor said I couldn’t delay chemotherapy anymore. Jude released me, a confusing disappointment in his eyes. “Cora, I always thought you were obedient. Why do you lie so much now? Can’t I tell if you’re sick?” “You know today’s Felix and Nora’s engagement party. Is faking illness fun?” I coughed heavily, the taste of blood lingering. “Uncle, I’ll come back obediently after the hospital.” I tugged his shirt, nearly begging. Jude coldly brushed my hand away. “Enough, Cora, I’ve spoiled you, making you addicted to lying!” I shook my head in despair. “Jude, for the woman you can’t have, you’d rather not believe me?” “Slap!” A harsh slap landed on my face. Blood trickled from my mouth. Amidst the ringing in my ears, Jude’s indifferent voice came through. “Cora, continue this madness, and you’re out of this house forever!” Heart-wrenching pain. I used to hug him and admit my mistakes. But this time, I just stood there, coldly uttering a few words. “Fine, I couldn’t wish for anything more.” I’ve had enough. Jude panicked. He reached out, holding me close. “Cora, Uncle was joking. How could Uncle bear to lose you…” Soft kisses fell on my forehead. “Come with Uncle tonight, and after it’s done, we’ll be together.” But I’d already given up, my gaze vacant. “Uncle, what if… I’m dying.” Jude stiffened, holding me tighter. “Cora, you’re Uncle’s life, you won’t die.” I closed my eyes, tears falling. Yes, I would. The doctor said if untreated, I wouldn’t last a few more days. 0

I was forcibly taken to the banquet. Nora leaned against Jude, constantly praising. “Jude, where did you find such a beauty? This plan will work for sure!” “She’s just too skinny, like a skeleton.” She frowned, as if dissatisfied with a product. Jude’s expression soured, but he still embraced her waist, comforting her, “Nora, trust me to handle it.” Nora blushed, “Let go! I haven’t agreed to your proposal yet!” Proposal? All color drained from my face. “Uncle, since you’ve proposed to her, why promise to be with me? Or—” “You just wanted to trick me into seducing Felix!” Jude had a moment of panic. But faced with Nora’s questioning, he nearly dragged me to the garden in anger. In a secluded spot, he gripped my neck tightly. “Cora, you have a death wish!” The suffocating sensation mixed with the pain on my neck. Those were scars from his countless licks and bites. “Jude, do you want… to kill me…” Proposal? I felt a chill run through me, my face turning pale. “Uncle, if you’ve already proposed to her, why did you promise to be with me? Unless—” “Was it just to manipulate me into seducing Felix?” For a brief moment, Jude looked flustered. But faced with Nora’s questioning, he angrily dragged me toward the back garden. In a secluded spot, he grabbed my neck with alarming force. “Cora, do you have a death wish?” The pain and suffocation overwhelmed me, reminders of the many marks he had left on my skin. “Jude, are you trying to kill me?” Seeing my face turn red from lack of air, Jude snapped back to reality and released me. I crumpled to the ground, coughing violently. “Cora?” He hesitated, reaching out as if to help me up. I turned away, disgusted. Nora’s voice was calling; she was looking for us. Jude regained his composure and coldly warned: “Cora, know your place. You’re nothing more than a secret I’ve kept hidden, an embarrassment. Falling for your CEO Uncle, doesn’t that make you sick? And you still want to be with me, shameless.” “You’d better go and seduce Felix as planned. After I marry Nora, I might still need you to satisfy my needs!” He turned away, leaving only scattered leaves behind. The cold was piercing. I attempted to stand but collapsed again. “Ugh—” Blood splattered onto my white dress. The phone rang; it was the doctor calling. “Hello…” “Cora, are you choosing not to live? Skipping chemotherapy?” After my stomach cancer diagnosis, the hospital assigned me a new attending physician, whom I hadn’t met yet. “What’s your surname? I… I’m not available right now. Can I come another day?” “Surname’s Felix. Miss Cora, life-saving matters can’t wait.” Felix? Sharing the same surname as Felix, what a coincidence. I’m sorry, but I need the specific text content to provide a translation. I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth, determined to leave for good. Jude, it’s over between us. I don’t want to be with you anymore, Felix, and I certainly won’t seduce you. As I was leaving, my hands were pinned to the ground. 0 Nora smiled and asked, “Where do you think you’re going, sister? We’re not done here!”

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“`plaintext Jasper was a notorious flirt. After we started dating, he began to change, letting go of his old habits. Everyone said he was deeply in love with me. But later, I saw him with a girl who used to bully me, laughing and saying: “You mean Lydia? Just a dull, unattractive deaf girl. “Not much fun at all.” His half-brother chuckled, “If you’re willing to let her go, that’s for the best. Remember to call her sister-in-law when you see her.” Jasper was completely thrown. On Valentine’s Day, I went to the hospital for a follow-up. “Miss Zhou, your hearing has recovered to 60%. You can start gradually removing your hearing aids.” Hearing this, I could hardly contain my joy. My first thought was to tell Jasper. But sitting in the hospital corridor, I called him three times, and each time he hung up. After waiting a long time, there was still no reply in our pinned chat box. Disappointed, I turned off my phone. Unexpectedly, just as I stepped out of the hospital, I ran into Finn. He was leaning against his car, tall and handsome in a perfectly tailored suit, his every move exuding calm elegance, catching the eyes of passersby. “Mr. Finn,” I greeted him a bit shyly, “What a coincidence.” Finn, the youngest leader of Finn Enterprises. I had heard Jasper complain in my ear more than once about how cold and ruthless his brother was. At this moment, this handsome capitalist pursed his lips and suddenly asked me: “Are you planning to spend the evening with Jasper?” I answered, confused: “Jasper hasn’t replied to my messages, he must still be busy…” Finn let out a barely audible chuckle. Seeing my puzzled look, he softened his voice, almost coaxingly: “That’s okay, I’m not busy now. I’ll take you to find him.” Finn drove me to a club. As I got out of the car, he suddenly stopped me. “Miss Zhou,” his eyes were dark and unreadable, “Do you really like him that much?” I was stunned for a moment, then smiled, “Yes, I really do.” I met Jasper in high school. Back then, because of my hearing loss, I was bullied at school. When I was soaked in foul mop water, shivering like a drenched chicken, a dashing and handsome boy appeared out of nowhere, draping his jacket over me. Through the damaged hearing aid, I couldn’t hear anything, only knowing the hand that pulled me up was so warm and strong. Young feelings stirred like a gentle spring breeze, shadows swaying, a fleeting tremor. For many years after, it was like our first meeting. Finn quietly watched me for a few seconds, then lowered his eyes, “Let’s go inside, it’s cold out here.” I hadn’t had time to speak when he drove off to the parking lot. I had to carry the gift I prepared for Jasper and walk into the club. Through the slightly open door came flickering lights and the smell of smoke and alcohol. Jasper was surrounded by people, eyes slightly narrowed, looking relaxed. I wanted to push the door open but suddenly stopped. A woman sat beside Jasper. Her back was to me, tall and unknown, with red hair shimmering like silk in the intersecting lights. I felt a bit strange inside. Then I heard someone laughing loudly: “Miss Su, you don’t stand a chance. Jasper is already hooked by the Apple Girl, he’s a family man now.” For a moment, my ears burned. My name is Lydia. Apple Girl, that’s referring to me. Jasper was wild and carefree before dating me. Drinking, smoking, racing… he was good at everything fun and indulgent. As for girlfriends, he changed them weekly without much thought. After confessing to me, he restrained himself a lot. Even his friends teased, “Jasper is more obedient than a rabbit in front of his wife, he’ll probably be henpecked in the future.” At this moment, I shouldn’t doubt him. The Miss Su facing away from me chuckled softly. Her voice sounded soft and delicate, with a hint of imperiousness, “Jasper, are you really with her?” Jasper lifted his eyelids, glanced at her indifferently, looking aloof. He took a sip of wine and said, “You mean Lydia? Just a dull, unattractive deaf girl. Not much fun at all.”

Each word was slow, each word was clear. I felt like I had been hit with a blunt object, unable to react. The room fell silent, everyone looked at Jasper in surprise. Miss Su laughed again: “Is that so? I heard she’s been with you for quite a while?” Jasper had a playful smile, acting nonchalant: “So what? “She’s like an apple, not bad but very boring, doesn’t spark desire. “No one would take the initiative to eat one, but if someone eagerly hands it to you, would you refuse?” I stood there in disbelief. I felt cold all over, like a wind was blowing through my bones, the sounds around me gradually fading. In a daze, I seemed to hear Miss Su coyly ask: “She’s a boring apple, then what am I?” Jasper lifted her chin, smiling ambiguously: “You’re my little cherry.” I started shaking uncontrollably, the gift in my hand falling to the ground. Everyone in the room turned to look at me. Jasper was momentarily stunned, then tried to regain his composure and walked towards me. He didn’t know I had heard everything he said. Because I wasn’t sure if the treatment was working, I never told him my hearing was gradually returning. My mind was blank, not knowing what to do, I frantically searched my bag for my hearing aid. It seemed like only wearing the hearing aid would give me a sense of security. When I looked up again, Beatrix was standing in front of me. She smiled brightly, “Why that expression? Miss Zhou, don’t you recognize me?” I trembled all over, my limbs stiff. It felt like being thrown naked into the snow in the dead of winter, needing all my strength to breathe. The woman in front of me was beautiful and radiant, her smile bold and generous, like a kind and pure, high-born princess. But I knew, beneath this facade was a heart of pure malice! Spilled food, foul-smelling water, never-ending taunts and bullying, reckless insults and rumors… How could it be her? It was her! I used all my strength to keep standing. Then I asked Jasper, who stood beside me, “Did you know she led the bullying in high school?” Beatrix stood to the side, smiling. Her expression was gentle, but her eyes held a hint of mockery. Jasper avoided my gaze, speaking nonchalantly, “Really, that happened? I don’t really remember…” At that moment, I understood Jasper’s expression, my heart was clear. I shook my head, tears welling up as I corrected him, “You clearly remember, you clearly know.” But your heart has gradually drifted away. Jasper frowned, “Beatrix is a bit straightforward, but it was just kids playing back then. Lydia, don’t be so sensitive. Besides, why would Beatrix target you? Did you do something wrong first?” The scars he had seen, now dismissed as “sensitive.” He even turned it around, asking if I was at fault first. I once thought the most precious thing in the world was sincerity. But it turns out, sincerity can change. “Jasper, you really make me feel sick.” Though my heart felt like it was being torn apart, I was more determined than ever, “Let’s break up.” Jasper’s face turned cold instantly, his eyes filled with gloomy anger. “Break up?” he sneered, “Lydia, who do you think would want you besides me?” My face was pale, my head throbbing, and I hurriedly turned to leave. “Lydia, don’t regret it!” I won’t regret it. Jasper, I may be weak, but I never regret.

Outside, Finn was still there. His mouth moved, saying something. But my ears were ringing, my steps unsteady, I couldn’t focus on him or think straight. I could only respond unclearly, “My ears, hurt, can’t hear.” The hearing aid was useless. Finn’s eyes showed worry, and something else I couldn’t understand. I didn’t have time to decipher it before I fainted. I had a dream. The dream was chaotic yet familiar. A woman lay in a bathtub, gently beckoning to me. I called “Mom” and ran to her, hearing her sigh, “It would be nice if you couldn’t hear anything.” How could not hearing be good? Mom, I don’t understand. As I got closer, I realized her skin was gray, the bathtub filled with blood. The cold floor was littered with empty pill bottles. I stepped back a few steps, falling down the stairs. Since then, there was no sound in my ears, the whole world seemed quieter than a cold winter night. Looking up, the scene changed suddenly, but the empty pill bottles remained at my feet. Someone picked one up, pouring out a few pills, chewing them like beans. I cried and lunged at him, snatching the pills from his hand, “This is bitter. Little brother, let me give you candy, okay?” He took the candy, silently weeping, not speaking. The scene shifted again, a well-dressed, beautiful young girl curled her lips and said to the person next to her, “The little deaf girl is always so dull, really boring. Cut her dress.” Suddenly someone from behind grabbed my hand. I couldn’t hear his voice, only felt his palm so warm and strong. Hope and joy rose in my heart, I turned and called out, “Jasper!” He affectionately ruffled my hair, smiling brightly. “` I broke into tears and rushed over, snatching the pills from his hand: “These are bitter. Let me give you some candy instead, alright?” He accepted the candy, silently shedding tears, without a word. The scene shifted. A beautifully dressed girl smiled and remarked to the person beside her, “That Little Deaf Girl is always so out of it, it’s boring. Let’s cut her dress, shall we?” Suddenly, someone grabbed my hand from behind. I couldn’t hear his voice, but his touch was warm and reassuring. Hope and joy filled me, and I turned around, shouting, “Jasper!” He affectionately ruffled my hair, his smile bright and cheerful. But in the next moment, his eyes turned cold, and he pushed me forward! I fell into the searing lava. Burning, pain, fear, confusion. I couldn’t escape. Everything blurred, and I felt parched. Suddenly, there was a soft, moist sensation brushing my lips, bringing a calming coolness. I clung tightly, like a child desperate for candy, refusing to let go once I had it. I kept savoring, seeking every drop of that moisture. But the coolness quickly turned into heat, accompanied by deep breaths and an overwhelming affection. “It’s hot.” I frowned, trying to pull away. “Apple Girl…” Someone called softly. I stubbornly moved aside. That person sighed, helpless yet indulgent, filled with tenderness. When he returned, he carefully wiped my forehead, hands, and feet with an alcohol-scented wet towel, repeating the process over and over. Until I escaped the nightmare and fell into a peaceful sleep. I woke up the next day. I was at Finn’s Suburban Villa. He explained, “I was worried the emergency room couldn’t take care of you at night, so I took the liberty of bringing you here and called my Family Doctor.” I nodded and then heard him say, “Miss Lydia, I’m hosting a dinner party here tomorrow. Would you be my date?” I instinctively wanted to escape, “I want to go back to school. My Thesis Project isn’t finished yet…” Finn thought for a moment, looking very serious: “This is the suburbs, you won’t find a ride. “Considering the fluctuations in your hearing condition, I can’t let you drive back yourself. That would violate the Traffic Safety Laws.” … He was right, and he took care of me so well yesterday. I couldn’t say no, so I asked cautiously, “Will Jasper come tomorrow?” “Do you want to see him? If you don’t…” “No, no!” I quickly waved my hand, “It’s fine.” Finn was kind enough to look after me when I was unwell. How could I cause a rift between brothers? Finn didn’t speak. After a long time, he chuckled lightly, his laugh a bit cool, making his gentle yet aloof eyes seem elusive. “Alright,” he said, “If you want, I’ll let him come.”

The Finn Family truly lived up to their reputation as the elite of the Southern Estate. The scene was lavish, with the scent of perfume and the clinking of glasses. The only downside was running into Beatrix. With no one nearby, she dropped her gentle facade: “You talk about breaking up with Jasper, yet you’re still trailing him like a lost puppy. “Lydia, do you even belong at a place like this? Do you deserve it?” I didn’t want to get tangled up with her, so I turned to leave. A vicious glint flashed in Beatrix’s eyes. She suddenly grabbed my hair and pulled me back: “Did I say you could leave? It’s been years, and you’ve grown bold.” I was shaking with anger, gripping Beatrix’s hand tightly. My nails left clear scratches on the back of her hand. Beatrix cried out in pain, her anger intensifying. She violently let go of my hair, yanking off my hearing aid in the process. My gradually recovering hearing had already been lost due to previous stress. Without the hearing aid, I was completely deaf. “Stop!” I shouted, eyes red with anger, trying to stop her. But in the next moment, the hearing aid was crushed under Beatrix’s high heel, mangled beyond recognition. “You…” I was so furious I could hardly breathe, “You’re too much!” Beatrix smirked, “Oh, and what of it?” A fiery rage surged up, almost consuming me. I raised my hand and slapped her hard! “Jia Jia!” I heard Jasper shout from not far away. The commotion drew attention, and people started looking over. Beatrix stood there, stunned, with a bright red slap mark on her face. Jasper quickly came over, looking displeased. He shielded Beatrix behind him: “Jia Jia, what are you doing?” I replied coldly, “What am I doing? Didn’t you see?” Jasper sighed, softening his tone: “I know you came here for me. But you shouldn’t cause such a scene at an event like this. “Jia Jia, apologize to Beatrix, and I’ll forgive you, alright?” I was momentarily stunned. Then it dawned on me—he thought I went through all this trouble to reconcile with him. Can someone really be this shameless? “Jasper, I remember telling you.” I spoke each word clearly, “We’re already broken up.” Jasper’s eyes darkened, “Jia Jia, stop it. Apologize.” I almost laughed, “Jasper, do you want a slap too?” Jasper suddenly tightened his grip on my wrist, his expression filled with a gloomy anger. “Lydia, if you don’t give in, you’ll really have no chance.” In the next moment, someone laughed from afar. Jasper looked past me, his expression changing instantly. A man walked up leisurely, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. His voice was like an immovable force of nature, “In that case, remember to call her sister-in-law when you see her.” I’m sorry, but it looks like the text you want me to translate is missing. Could you please provide the Chinese text that needs translation?

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Three years after breaking up. I got back together with my childhood friend, Jasper. He treated me just as he always had, even more attentively than before. I was optimistic, hoping this time we’d have a happy ending. Until I unexpectedly walked past the next room. I overheard Jasper’s friends teasing him. “Didn’t you say you broke it off with Adeline? How can you face Phoebe like this?” Inside the room. Jasper, slightly tipsy, spoke clearly. I saw him gently pinch the neck of the girl beside him and laugh, “Stop with the nonsense. Make sure to come to the wedding next month.” The room was noisy and lively. But Jasper’s voice was crystal clear. I felt a chill run through me, leaning against the wall to stop myself from collapsing. The conversation inside continued. “You’d better behave. You finally won Phoebe back and convinced her to marry you. Don’t mess it up.” That was Finn, Jasper’s best friend. He’s also seen our on-and-off relationship over the years. Jasper waved it off, unconcerned. “What good is it to only advise me? Why don’t you tell her to keep her distance from her boss?” Finn kicked Jasper in annoyance. “Phoebe already said she didn’t date that guy during the three years you were apart…” “You believe her? Everyone at the company was gossiping about her and her boss, and I was the fool kept in the dark…” His voice grew more resentful as he spoke. “Working late every day, who knows if it’s at the office or in bed!” The words were harsh. The room fell silent. And there I stood outside the door, feeling my blood freeze. My whole body went cold, trembling uncontrollably. The workplace is already challenging for women. It was only because Gideon saw me as his junior that he gave me a helping hand. I believe I worked my hardest to earn my current position. I have no guilt towards anyone. But to avoid any misunderstanding from Jasper, I had explained everything clearly to him on the first day we got back together. Jasper had often said he trusted me and supported my work. But I never thought this was how he truly felt about me behind my back. And he used such hurtful words to tarnish me in front of his friends. If I hadn’t accidentally overheard this, was he planning to deceive me into marriage? That would be terrifying. At that moment, my brain acted faster than my heart. I swung open the door and walked straight up to Jasper. Before he could react. A loud “smack” echoed through the room. I slapped Jasper hard. The force was immense. Two seconds later. The girl beside him screamed and reached to touch his face, crying. But Jasper pushed her away abruptly. He stood up in confusion, trying to explain to me. “Listen to me…” “Jasper, we’re breaking up.”

I successfully closed a big deal tonight. I forced a smile, drinking myself into a stupor. I had planned to use this bonus for our honeymoon fund. But unexpectedly, I ended up overhearing his true thoughts. Fate really loves playing jokes on me. I shook my numb hand and stumbled towards the restroom. I looked up. Only to see my own eyes, empty and frightening. I washed my face with cold water. Trying to calm down. But no matter what, I couldn’t seem to dry the water on my face. My eyes grew redder and redder. The overwhelming sadness hit me like a tidal wave. I simply set a five-minute alarm. Squatted and cried it all out. When the alarm went off, I slowly calmed down. The dinner wasn’t over, the clients hadn’t left. Now wasn’t the time for me to indulge in my feelings. So, I sneaked back into the room when no one was looking. “Why were you gone so long?” Gideon, my boss who was sitting next to me, turned to look at me. His gaze was intense, as if he could see right through me. I panicked, avoiding his eyes, and lied casually. “I ran into an old friend, just exchanged a few words.” Gideon nodded, saying nothing more. Ten minutes later. The dinner was over. I breathed a sigh of relief. I thought I’d have to endure until midnight again, but it ended early. Great. I’d have more time to sort out my messy feelings. And it wouldn’t affect my work the next day. After seeing off the clients, I stood at the door with Gideon, waiting for the company driver. Out of nowhere. He pointed at my eyes and said calmly: “Get some rest when you get home, your eyes are red from exhaustion.” I was stunned. Just as I was about to say something, a shout interrupted me. “Phoebe!” Not far away. Jasper was staring at us angrily. “Was I wrong? If there’s really nothing between you two, why did you lie to me about him not being here?” Before I went out for the dinner. Jasper had asked if my boss would be there tonight. I said no because I really hadn’t been notified. But the client was difficult and insisted Gideon be there for the contract to be signed. So my colleagues had no choice but to call him over. But these words, facing someone who clearly didn’t trust me, I couldn’t say. I knocked his hand away from pointing at Gideon, coldly warning: “Jasper, this is between us, show some respect to others.” Jasper didn’t expect me to embarrass him in front of others. He gritted his teeth, saying okay repeatedly. “You want to break up with me because of him, right? “I’m telling you, I don’t agree!” With that, Jasper stormed off. I couldn’t hold back, wanting to chase after him and argue. But my wrist was suddenly grabbed. I turned around. And saw a complex emotion in Gideon’s usually calm eyes. “Is such a childish and ridiculous man worth your time over and over again? “Junior, did he save your life or something?”

Gideon is a year ahead of me. A well-known figure during my school days. Everyone who interacted with him praised his gentle and courteous demeanor. And in the three years working under him. He only got mad at me twice. Once when I first started. I endured harassment from a client to ensure the company signed a deal. He scolded me for not protecting myself. And now, for being upset over a man not worth it. But what Gideon doesn’t know is. Jasper really did save my life.

Jasper and I were neighbors. When he first moved in, he was only twelve. I was two years older. Once, a bunch of kids in the neighborhood were playing together. I walked by and was pushed into the river by some naughty kids. The river wasn’t deep. But to a fourteen-year-old me, it was dangerous enough. Those kids either froze in fear or ran away to avoid trouble. Only Jasper. With a “splash,” jumped in without hesitation. He struggled to pull me out of the water. Gave me CPR, chest compressions, everything. When I opened my eyes again. The first thing I saw. Was Jasper’s clear and pure eyes. That night, my parents went to thank Jasper’s family with gifts. Only to find Jasper being scolded by his parents. I learned then. Jasper had only taken three swimming lessons when he saved me. A slight misstep and we both could’ve drowned in that river. He was getting a stern talking-to but still greeted us warmly. “Sis, Uncle, Auntie, make yourselves comfortable…” Because of this life-saving grace, Jasper and I were always close growing up. As we hit puberty, that bond became even more apparent. I was the first to notice. After all, Jasper wasn’t someone who could hide his feelings well. When I called him out on it, he shyly confessed. “Sis, I’ve liked you since we were kids. “And I can tell you like me too. “Besides, we’ve already kissed, just say yes…” Flustered, I blushed and brought up his grades. “With grades like yours, no one will want you!” I didn’t expect Jasper to actually work hard because of what I said. His grades weren’t bad to start with, just a laid-back attitude. Once he put in the effort, the results were noticeable. But when he confessed again, I still turned him down. “Jasper, I don’t date early.” He wasn’t upset, confidently raising an eyebrow at me. “Alright, one day, I’ll stand beside you openly.” His confidence wasn’t misplaced. Because two years later, we really got together.

When he first started college, it was the freest time for us. We did everything couples love to do. Sweet gifts, surprises. Every day was a new expectation. But that’s when things started to change. Jasper was handsome, and he had a great personality. When he started college, many girls loved chatting with him. And he’d always smile back. The boundaries and sense of propriety between genders were hard for him to grasp. I caught him a few times, and we had many arguments over it, but it always ended with me sad and him feeling wronged. Jasper didn’t understand why I got upset over him just talking to someone. I didn’t understand why he couldn’t keep his distance. Frequent arguments and reconciliations wore us down. Jasper couldn’t take it and broke up with me first. He chose to study abroad. I used those years to grow rapidly, becoming the professional woman I always wanted to be. And that’s when Jasper came back. He came back with an engagement ring. … I stayed silent for a long time. Jasper couldn’t fathom why a few words from him would ignite such anger in me. I couldn’t grasp why he couldn’t maintain some distance from others. Even minor arguments, when frequent, can harm a relationship. We began breaking up and reconciling frequently, and in the end, we were both worn out. Jasper couldn’t endure it any longer and initiated the breakup. He decided to study abroad. During those years, I grew rapidly, becoming the career woman I had always aspired to be. It was around this time. Jasper returned. He came back with an engagement ring. … I was silent for a long time. Gideon released my hand and sighed quietly. “I’ll give you a three-day break to think it over.” I snapped out of my reverie and nodded tiredly. “Okay.”

Back home, I tore up the marriage leave request I had prepared a week ago. I started contemplating how to spend the next three days. Perhaps I was too exhausted today, too tired to dwell on those painful memories. The moment I hit the bed, I fell asleep. But my sleep was fitful. Fragments of memories about Jasper kept surfacing in my dreams. I even dreamed of the girl sitting next to him. Her name is Adeline. She was a work-study student whom Jasper sponsored while abroad. After we got back together, we confessed about the three years we spent apart. I hadn’t dated anyone. Jasper had behaved, focusing on his studies overseas. But Adeline was an exception. Jasper said her resilient look reminded him of me, which was why he chose to sponsor her. Over time, they developed feelings for each other. Jasper said they briefly dated. But Adeline couldn’t replace me. In the end, he chose to break up and come back home to try and win me back. That was when, on impulse, I accepted his proposal. And he completely cut ties with Adeline. But then the scene shifted. I dreamt of him gently caressing Adeline’s neck. Such an intimate and natural gesture—how could that be considered “cutting ties”? Jasper hasn’t changed from the start. The dream took a darker turn at this point. I suddenly opened my eyes, like being enveloped in a shroud of mist. I woke up at four in the morning. There wasn’t much of Jasper’s stuff at home. Most of it, along with mine, had already been moved to the new house. We had spent a month after he came back looking at numerous places before we found one we both liked. Now, my only solace is that he paid for the house in full. We haven’t divided any assets yet. Thinking about this still dampens my spirits. When Jasper first returned, I genuinely planned to make things work between us. I thought we could be more accommodating, make some compromises. After all, we loved each other for so long. And found it so hard to forget each other. But when Adeline appeared by his side again. When those harsh words came out of his mouth. I realized how foolish I was. Jasper is still the same Jasper. He can’t be accommodating, can’t make compromises. He can’t even promise love. While I was lost in thought, my phone rang. It was Finn. I smirked bitterly. For years, every time Jasper and I argued, he’d come later to mediate. But after yesterday’s big fight, I’m curious about what more he could say. “Phoebe, I won’t interfere in your matters anymore, but I hope you two can fully talk things through before breaking up, so there won’t be any regrets later.” “How could there be regrets? Anything discovered before marriage should be seen as a blessing.” I spoke softly. Finn was silent. After hanging up, I lay on the sofa for a while. I really should talk to Jasper. My parents need an explanation. But I couldn’t reach Jasper’s phone. I remembered he had set up location sharing on my phone when we reconciled. I found it on my phone and checked. He was at the hospital. I didn’t think much of it. I packed a few things and took a cab there. I only had two and a half days of leave left; I needed to settle this quickly. The location sharing was precise; it pinpointed the building and the floor. I followed it to the hospital room. And unexpectedly heard Adeline’s familiar voice. “Jasper, it hurts.” In the room, Jasper was facing away from me. He rubbed Adeline’s head, sounding apologetic. “Sorry, I won’t let you get hurt again.” Adeline responded by wrapping her arm around his waist. She smiled gently. “I’m not blaming you.” This scene would make anyone think they were a loving couple. Even I felt dazed. But I’ve really grown a lot in these three years. Not even ten hours had passed since we tore into each other last night. I could suppress the heartache and knock on the door without flinching. “Jasper, come out for a second.” 8. Jasper came running after me, breathless as he tried to explain. “Yesterday, when I pushed Adeline away, she got hurt, so I took her to the hospital.” He held onto me, his voice thick with emotion. “Phoebe, I was terrible yesterday.

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