Author: Momo Chan

In the fifth year of my marriage to Daniel Thompson, he had an affair with his personal assistant because I couldn’t get pregnant. He brought her home, took over the master bedroom, usurped my position as the lady of the house, and occupied the place by his side. I never made a fuss, just packed my bags and prepared to leave. But he sneered and said, “Don’t forget, your parents’ lives are in my hands.” His friends bet in front of me, guessing when I would kneel and beg Daniel to take me back. At the auction, he helped his little assistant humiliate me. What he didn’t know was that my parents were already dead, and he was the one incapable of having children. As I watched my long-lost love return, I secretly vowed. This time, I would not only leave, but also ruin his reputation completely. … Once again, as I watched Olivia Baker cling to Daniel Thompson in front of me, I no longer felt much of anything. But he still refused to let me go, speaking in a commanding tone. “Olivia is due to give birth in a few days. Quit your job and stay home to take care of her food and daily needs.” Hearing this, I suddenly realized that these five years of marriage seemed meaningless. “Daniel, let’s get divorced.” … After a brief silence, mocking laughter erupted from the karaoke room. “Did I hear that right? Rachel wants to divorce Daniel? Wasn’t she the one who desperately clung to him in the first place?” “Don’t fight me on this, I bet she’ll be back on her knees begging Daniel to take her back within a day!” “Sis, what’s gotten into you? Are you jealous of Olivia?” “What, are you feeling sorry for her?” Daniel coldly retorted, his gaze towards me growing icy. “Are you sure about this?” “Yes, I’ll send you the divorce papers.” With that, I turned to leave, but Daniel suddenly called out to stop me. “Rachel Wilson, don’t forget, your half-dead parents still need the Thompson family’s support.” He dared to bring up my parents. Seeing I remained silent, he stood up and looked down at me imperiously, his tone threatening. “You’d better think it through. Do you know how much your parents’ annual medical expenses are? Can you afford it?” Olivia chimed in from the side. “That’s right, sis. Uncle and auntie are still waiting for life-saving treatment.” I glared at their hypocritical faces, wanting nothing more than to slap them both. Meeting my reddened eyes, Daniel spoke coldly: “Name your price. How much to take care of Olivia?” How much was five years of a marriage where I was treated like dirt worth? I didn’t bother to calculate. I only knew that the last time I refused him, I ended up being forced to drink with executives at a karaoke bar until I had a gastric hemorrhage. I took Olivia’s hand and pretended to say to her: “I’ll take good care of you and the baby.” Hearing this, Daniel surprisingly gave me an out: “Don’t worry, as long as you take good care of them, your parents will be safe and sound too.” Just as he finished speaking, Olivia, whose hand I was holding, suddenly collapsed to the ground with a miserable cry. I stood there stunned, not knowing what to do. Daniel slapped me hard across the face. He carried her back to the bedroom and ordered the housekeeper to call the family doctor. Seeing this situation, not only did the people around find it amusing. I found it funny too. Following them into the bedroom, seeing Olivia’s emotions had calmed, I turned to leave. But Daniel coldly grabbed my hand. “Apologize!” “What…” Before I could finish, he kicked the back of my leg. With a thud, I fell to my knees in front of Olivia before I could react. My knees were bleeding, but I heard him yell angrily: “You made Olivia fall, shouldn’t you apologize to her?!”

I looked coldly at Daniel. In our five years of marriage, I had apologized countless times. Apologized for mistakes in documents. Apologized for disturbing his work. Apologized even for seeing him go to hotels with Olivia… Swallowing my grievances, I knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Olivia three times, saying “I’m sorry” with each bow. I looked indifferently at Daniel and spoke flatly: “Is that enough?” Staring at the blood on my forehead, he paused before speaking with disgust: “Who are you putting on this act for? If you want to leave, then leave. You’re bad luck. Don’t end up harming Olivia and her child.” Seeing he didn’t seem to want to trouble me further, I breathed a sigh of relief and quietly left the Thompson mansion. I took a taxi to the hospital and received my parents’ death certificates from the doctor. They had died last week, but Daniel was still using them to threaten me. At the time, the hospital called asking me to pay the bills. My salary hadn’t come in yet, so I called Daniel crying, but all my calls went unanswered. I tracked his location and rushed to the hotel, but the lobby manager wouldn’t let me in. I didn’t care and kicked open the door, immediately seeing Olivia half-naked on the bed. He hurriedly covered her, speaking fiercely: “Who allowed you to come in?! Get out!” I knelt down outside the door and begged: “Can you lend me $50,000? I…” Before I could finish, he cut me off: “Are you deaf? I told you to get out! Forget $50,000, I won’t even give you $5. Assistant! Throw her out!” I knelt on the ground begging desperately, crying my heart out, gasping for breath, with no shred of dignity left. I saw Olivia provocatively showing off the ring on her ring finger. The unique diamond ring was priceless – she couldn’t afford it. I knew Daniel must have given it to her. But I had no energy to argue with him. I crawled over and grabbed Olivia’s feet, pleading: “Olivia, I won’t fight you for anything. Please lend me $50,000, I’m begging you.” But her response was a cold snort, followed by Daniel’s slap that sent me crashing to the floor beside the bed. “I told you to get out!” I was thrown out of the hotel and brought home by his assistant, forced to kneel on the cold tiles in the living room. I was ordered to apologize non-stop. If I slacked off even a little, a bucket of cold water would be poured over me. It was at this time that my parents died in the hospital when their oxygen machines stopped working. Looking at my parents’ death certificates, tears unconsciously fell from my eyes. I cried heartbrokenly, attracting attention from many people. The doctor told me to restrain my grief and took me to identify my parents’ bodies in the morgue. I had my parents’ bodies cremated and carefully placed the ashes in urns. My once loving parents had become two wooden boxes. Unable to accept it, I fainted at the crematorium from overwhelming grief.

When I opened my eyes after fainting from shock, I saw Daniel dealing with work matters. Our eyes met for a long while. He picked up a glass of water and moved to feed me. But I shook my head and took the glass, drinking it all in one go. Seeing this, Daniel’s outstretched hand paused. His chest visibly heaved as he spoke with some displeasure: “How are you feeling? Better? I only just found out that uncle and auntie had passed away…” Before he could finish, I cut him off: “Please give me back my phone.” Perhaps my tone was too cold. Daniel was stunned for several seconds before handing me the phone from the table. Glancing at the divorce agreement I had drafted on the phone, he frowned and asked unhappily: “Rachel, who’s getting divorced?” I hadn’t seen him ask so many questions before. Feeling irritated, I spoke directly: “Us.” Hearing my reply, he spoke with displeasure: “How long are you going to keep this up? Your parents’ deaths were an accident. Don’t you trust me?” I waved my hand, not wanting to get into this trouble. My tone was calm: “I was just joking.” He immediately breathed a sigh of relief, changing his tone to comfort me: “I know you’re heartbroken about mom and dad passing, but you can’t joke about things like this.” I didn’t answer. The next moment, his assistant walked in to tell him: “Mr. Thompson, Miss Baker is awake and asking to see you.” Seeing him torn, I lay down and closed my eyes: “Go see her. I’m a bit tired and want to sleep.” Before leaving, he leaned close to my ear and instructed: “Cooperate well with the doctors’ treatment. I’ll come see you after I check on her.” I kept my eyes tightly shut without responding. Only when the room was completely quiet did my tense body finally relax. But the next second, a call from an unfamiliar number came through on my phone. I answered reluctantly, my tone cold: “What is it?” But the other person didn’t care about my strange tone, excitedly saying: “Rachel! Chris is back!” One sentence made my brain short-circuit. I asked in disbelief: “What did you say?!” “Chris Carter has completed his mission! He’s returned to base!” I almost instinctively jumped out of bed, yanking out the annoying IV in my hand, and rushed out of the hospital to take a taxi to the military base in the suburbs. And in my heart, I silently started the divorce countdown. In three days, I would completely leave Daniel Thompson. Reuniting with Chris Carter was an extremely difficult thing. He had been traumatized and forgotten me completely. He wouldn’t allow anyone to approach him, just mumbling words others couldn’t understand: “Silly girl, silly girl… I want to see my silly girl!” But I knew he was calling my nickname. The doctor told me that to fully recover, we would need to go to America to find the top medical team, with only a 50% chance of success. As my phone screen lit up, I turned my gaze to the divorce agreement on my phone. My thoughts drifted to Daniel Thompson. I silently modified the terms from “adultery during marriage, assets split 50/50” to “I don’t want a penny.” I wanted to sever all ties with him. At this moment, Daniel also called me, anxiously asking: “Rachel, where are you? Why aren’t you resting properly in the hospital?” I was immersed in the joy of reunion, but had to perfunctorily respond to him: “What is it? I’m very busy right now.” “I’ve neglected you these past few days. I want to take you to the new product auction to make it up to you.” Seeing I didn’t respond, he persisted: “How about tomorrow? The Zhike Ziye new product auction. I’ll take you to see if there’s anything you like.” These words touched me a little. But his next words slapped me in the face again: “But Olivia is insisting on going to the Bund with me. Tomorrow I’ll take you after I get back.” I smiled mockingly, simply replying with a “Mm” and agreeing to his trap. If I still liked him because of my parents before, I would definitely have a big fight with him. Then sulk alone, but now I wanted to leave and didn’t care about anything he did. After all, divorce is no small matter. I had to prepare a big gift for him. Seeing I agreed, he didn’t think much more of it, tossing aside my unusual behavior. He thought I would be like before, comforting myself and then eagerly going back to him. But I had already awakened and wouldn’t make the same mistake again. Daniel Thompson, you and your illusory love. I don’t want any of it anymore.

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I am a Reaper who ventured into the mortal world to save the woman I love. Olivia. I defied fate’s repeated calls for her death, and after five years of knowing and loving each other, we were about to get married. On our wedding day, she discovered my identity as a Reaper. She ran away from the wedding and used her own life to blackmail me into saving her ex-boyfriend who had cancer. “If you don’t save him, I’ll die with him!” she threatened. Later, when death came for her again, I took her life as commanded. But she cried until her eyes were bloodshot, kneeling on the ground begging me. “Honey, I regret it. Please, save me one more time.” “Lucas, so Olivia ran away from the wedding to be with another man.” At our pure white wedding venue, the big screen suddenly started live streaming, showing my runaway bride. My Olivia was tightly hugging a man in her arms. The man looked pale, while Olivia’s eyes were full of concern. “Don’t worry, Ethan. I’ll find a way to keep you alive.” The video cut off abruptly, just like my suddenly stopped heart. In the four hours since this morning, my bride had only left me one message: “Lucas, since you’re a Reaper, I think we need to reconsider our wedding.” Just when I thought we were about to find happiness together. She left me standing alone to face everyone’s mockery. A burst of loud static came from the speakers… the two of them reappeared on screen. My trembling body was surrounded by layers of wedding guests, their voices full of ridicule and sarcasm. “Looks like even falling for a medical genius can’t save you from being cheated on.” “She’d rather comfort her own patient than come walk down the aisle. If you ask me, the bride herself must have sent this video to the big screen.” “Hey, hey, don’t say that. It can’t be. Look what they’re doing?!” Following the voices, I stared fixedly at the screen. The huge screen was filled with intimate images of Olivia and Ethan. On the pure white hospital bed, the two of them were entangled. Amidst Ethan’s weak tears, Olivia kissed him passionately. In an instant, all the memories of the past and the sudden loss exploded in my mind, shattering and raging. Then, my gaze instantly dimmed, like a fallen star. The guests began to leave. Someone said, could there be a more miserable groom than me? No, there couldn’t be. So I would no longer be her groom. I don’t know how long I sat there. When I got up to leave, Olivia rushed back with disheveled clothes. Our eyes met. She awkwardly rubbed her nose and started to explain. “I’m sorry honey, Ethan almost died just now, so I had to go to him first.” Hah, almost died. That’s the excuse she used every time she went to see Ethan. But didn’t she just find out? I’m a Reaper. How could I not know who was struggling on the brink of death? My heart was completely exhausted. I couldn’t be bothered to expose her lies. Seeing my expression, Olivia frowned in displeasure: “Come on, was it really necessary to throw the groom’s suit on the ground?” I swallowed the bitterness on my tongue, my lips stiff. “I didn’t throw it. The guests tore it off me while mocking me.” Hearing this, her face stiffened slightly, a flash of apology in her eyes. She took the initiative to put the suit back on me. “Alright, stop sulking. I’m back to marry you, aren’t I?” She looked at me, a smile on her lips, her tone certain. “Stop pretending. Didn’t you say you can’t live without me? You should be grateful I came back.” I pulled at the corner of my mouth, saying sarcastically, “Oh yes, I’m so grateful you came back after running away from our wedding.” She glanced at me and continued. “I’ll marry you, but you have to save Ethan first.” In an instant, I looked up at her in disbelief. She continued speaking nonchalantly. “You’re a Reaper, right? You said you saved me. What’s wrong with saving one more person?” “You’ve already saved one, what’s the difference between saving one or two?” At this moment, anger surged in my heart. No wonder she took the initiative to apologize to me. It was all for her beloved Ethan. But she knew better than anyone that there was a price for a Reaper to save someone. Saving her alone had already left my mortal body riddled with wounds. Now she wanted me to save Ethan too. I stared straight at her and said coldly: “Absolutely not.” In an instant, after a moment of satisfaction, her anger flared. “Lucas! How dare you say you love me?!” “I’m telling you, if you don’t save Ethan, you can forget about this marriage!” “Not only that, if Ethan dies, I’ll die with him!” Looking at her furious expression, I felt a sadness and exhaustion I had never experienced before. I had told her long ago that saving anyone other than her would make me disappear into smoke. I laughed weakly, tearing off the veil on my head and the ring in my hand, throwing them all on the ground. “Do whatever you want.” “If you don’t want to get married, then fine.” As I was leaving, I heard her shouting behind me. “Lucas! When I die, don’t you dare cry!” My steps didn’t falter. I won’t cry anymore. Olivia. I will never again be heartbroken over your death.

After leaving the wedding venue, I received a call from my subordinate. “Reaper, we’ve just received information on Olivia’s manner of death. Cancer will take her life in 30 days…” “We’ve already thought of how to…” “No need,” I interrupted. The subordinate was stunned, then reacted. “You mean you’ll find a way to save Olivia yourself this time?” “No, there’s no need to save Olivia this time.” After a long while, the subordinate let out a soft “Mm”, as if hesitating over whether I was speaking out of anger. Because over the years, I had silently borne the consequences of defying fate for each of Olivia’s deaths. Knowing she would die in a car accident, I kept her locked by my side for an entire day. Knowing she would be crushed to death by a heavy object, I stayed by her side constantly and took the blow of that object for her. From the moment I couldn’t bear to see her stabbed to death in a medical dispute, I used my frail body and endured illness. I exchanged my wellbeing for her safety time and time again. But now, my heart was dead. “From now on, don’t inform me in advance of any death notices for Olivia. Follow the normal death procedures.” Just as I finished saying this, Ethan sent me a message. “Olivia said she wouldn’t let me face death alone.” Below was a voice recording of Olivia: “Ethan, you’re the one I truly love. If I have to die, I’ll die with you.” Even though I knew Ethan was different in Olivia’s heart, hearing her say this still made me feel suffocated. Back then, she single-handedly resisted Death’s call for her patients. While marveling at her abilities, I fell in love with her. Later, I saved her when she was about to be stabbed to death by an angry patient’s family. She cared for the wound on my stomach, and that’s how we fell in love. For five years of dating, while I bore the consequences of defying fate, she always took meticulous care of my weakened body. But after Ethan appeared, everything changed. She began to intentionally or unintentionally avoid me, forgetting about my condition. When I was injured by a heavy object for her sake, she even went for a walk in the park with Ethan. Just when I thought she still loved me by choosing to marry me… She ran away from the wedding, and when she reappeared before me, it was to ask me to save Ethan. It turns out that even the most profound love is small and laughable in the face of human hearts. I coldly blocked Ethan and called my subordinate again. “Change Olivia’s time of death to 7 days from now.” We do have the right to advance the time of death for those who volunteer to die early. Olivia, didn’t you say you two would face death together? Then, as you wish. “Let Ethan and Olivia face the pain of illness together.” The moment I finished speaking, I passed out.

It must have been the price for interfering with Olivia’s death last time. I found myself in the hospital again when I woke up. I don’t know who saved me, but as soon as I opened my eyes, I saw Olivia in front of me. Her expression was unreadable. Before I could say anything, she spoke first. “Alright, I know you deliberately made yourself sick to come find me, but it won’t be so easy for me to forgive you.” The next moment, a group of people appeared at the door. In our five years of dating, I vaguely recognized some of them – Olivia’s relatives, uncles and aunts. “If you want me to forgive you, then make all my relatives live long and healthy lives!” “After all, you’re only paying the price of some illness, while they can live the rest of their lives without any pain or sickness.” “Cough!” I gritted my teeth hard, a metallic taste filling my mouth. Looking at Olivia, I only felt disgusted. All those years of true love crumbled in my mind, each scene carrying an extremely cold chill, freezing my heart with pain. “Get out!” I shouted. Large amounts of blood were coughed up. If my subordinate hadn’t arrived in time to drive away the crowd of people, Olivia might have really taken my life. As she left, she still said, “Lucas, you’re not even taking the way out I’m giving you. Just wait and regret it when I die!” I pulled at the corner of my pale lips, seeing the sympathetic look in my subordinate’s eyes, and smiled weakly. “Let’s go, back to the Underworld.” I would never return to this mortal world again. Three days after returning to the Underworld, I remembered that I still had something in the room I shared with Olivia that was suppressing her fate. When I appeared before Olivia again to retrieve the item, her complexion was already quite pale. The pain of cancer must have left her weak and listless, but seeing me, she was still arrogant and smug. “Finally knew to come back and apologize? How come you weren’t so tough when you were throwing the ring and chasing away my relatives?” I coldly took down the peach wood sword by the bed that was used to drive away ghosts, without saying a word. “Hurry up and take away all your unlucky things. I was wondering why I felt surrounded by a deathly aura, turns out it was your doing.” “Now you’re trying to find a way to keep me from dying? I’m telling you, don’t even think about me forgiving you if you don’t save Ethan.” Taking a deep breath, I coldly threw all the items into the trash can and turned to leave. Seeing me like this, Olivia thought I was going to come back to apologize and beg for forgiveness like before, even though I was putting on a cold face while thinking of ways to save her. So her voice behind me became even more arrogant. “I’m telling you, even if you find a way now, I won’t forgive you so easily.” “If you want to make it up to me, come back tomorrow and save the patient I’m treating!” I paused in my steps, turning my face to the side and saying coldly. “Just you wait.” While she was still fantasizing about becoming the savior of those around her, I had already left home without looking back. My subordinate sent me a message that the death procedures were proceeding as scheduled. In four days, I would need to personally collect Olivia’s life to make amends for my mistakes. The four days passed quickly. When I arrived by Olivia’s side as she was on the brink of death, She was lying on the street, barely breathing, having just been rejected by Ethan and berated by her relatives. Seeing me… A light drizzle fell on her face, but she still maintained a superior attitude. “Now you know to come save me? It’s too late!” “I’m telling you, the way I am now, rejected by them, is all because of you. I’m very unhappy, so you better figure out what to do.” I calmly looked down and walked in front of her. The disdain on her face became even more apparent. “I gave you too much face before, that’s why you don’t even know to help me up when you see me like this. Lucas, there’s a limit to throwing tantrums. Do you have to wait until I’m about to die before coming to save me?” “Who will you cry to when I’m dead!” She stumbled as she tried to stand up, her hand shaking in the air. I stood in place, looking down at her coldly. “I told you long ago, I won’t cry.” “What did you say?” Olivia looked up with wide eyes. But when she saw my umbrella, she regained her arrogant and smug expression. “Stop pretending, Lucas. Don’t forget that if it weren’t for me, how could you have lived until today? You love me so much, you can’t live without me.” “I’m telling you, if you save me now, I can cooperate, but you have to save Ethan first.” “And my patients and relatives too.” “Otherwise, I’ll go die right now and see what you’ll do!” She was fearless, but didn’t expect me to just smile slightly. “As you wish.” “What?” Olivia frowned. I raised my hand, materializing a dagger with the symbol of Death on its hilt. Slowly crouching down, I placed it against Olivia’s neck. “Your life was obtained through countless trials I endured in the mortal world. But as long as I don’t care about your life, fate’s call would have been enough for you to die a thousand times over.” “As for the others, didn’t you say you’d die if I didn’t save them? Then as you wish, face death!” I lightly pulled the dagger across her chest… Finally pressing it against her heart.

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On our 5th wedding anniversary, my wife’s first love suddenly appeared at the party and started cutting himself with a knife. “Why? Why won’t you divorce him and be with me? Do I have to die for that to happen?” Ryan pleaded with tears in his eyes, begging me to give my wife Chloe to him. He knelt down and started banging his head on the floor frantically. Chloe was distraught. To comfort Ryan, she immediately booked tickets to take him abroad to clear his mind. She even took off her wedding ring and put it on Ryan’s finger. Afterwards, she explained to me matter-of-factly: “If it wasn’t for your sister bullying him back then, how could he have tried to drown himself?” “What I’m doing now is much better than what your sister did.” I watched the video of Ryan putting his arm around my wife’s waist and smirking at me, but said nothing and just nodded. Chloe thought I had become more understanding and obedient. She was very pleased and declared that she would make it up to me after Ryan’s emotions stabilized. But what she didn’t know was that I had already bought a plane ticket to leave the country. She had also unknowingly signed our divorce papers. Our home together was already gone.

The next day, while Chloe was accompanying her dear Ryan abroad, I packed up all my belongings and took a taxi to the airport. “He’s going abroad to chase after the missus again. When will he realize that she doesn’t love him?” I overheard the housekeepers gossiping behind my back as I was leaving. “I know, everyone knows the missus and Mr. Cooper were childhood sweethearts. If it wasn’t for his sister seducing Mr. Cooper and then abandoning him back then, the missus would have married Mr. Cooper long ago. How could it be his turn?” “Shh, don’t say that. He’s pitiful enough as it is. It’s all because of that awful sister of his who passed away.” I was used to hearing this kind of talk. It was only after marrying Chloe that I learned Ryan Cooper, her first love, was the man who had tried to drown himself and became mentally unstable after breaking up with my sister. After that, Chloe’s personality changed drastically. She repeatedly humiliated me for Ryan’s sake. The housekeepers also started targeting me, trying to curry favor with Ryan. Thinking of this, I turned around and smiled coldly at them. “I’m sorry, but I’m not going to find Chloe this time. I’m leaving the country and never coming back.” I ignored their mocking expressions and left without looking back. Just as I reached the front gate, I got a call from Chloe. Her self-righteous voice came through the phone: “I sent you a location. Go there to test the new medication.” I smiled bitterly as I opened the map to the medical facility she had sent. After Ryan fell ill, Chloe spared no expense to find miracle drugs to cure him. But the experimental drugs had major side effects and weren’t guaranteed to work. She couldn’t bear to see Ryan suffer, so she forced me to be the test subject for Ryan’s medications instead. At first I refused desperately, but Chloe had people forcibly take me to the medical facility and tie me down to test the drugs. Several times I felt terribly sick from the side effects. During those times, Chloe would comfort me gently. In my hazy state, I thought I saw glimpses of the Chloe who used to love me before we got married. I thought she would eventually come to her senses. Until Ryan had another episode, and she insisted on having me test an extremely dangerous drug, ignoring the doctor’s warnings. That time, the drug nearly killed me. I was rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment. But Chloe never came to see me once. She was too busy reading bedtime stories to Ryan at the nursing home. I finally gave up hope. The Chloe who used to love me dearly before we married was truly gone. “I don’t have time,” I replied curtly. “No time?” Chloe said coldly. “You have to make time. Don’t forget, Ryan’s illness is because of whose sister. You must atone for your sister’s sins to Ryan. Otherwise don’t blame me if I divorce you!” “His illness has nothing to do with me or my sister. As for divorce…” I was about to say “then let’s get divorced”, when Ryan’s weak voice came through the phone. “Chloe, it’s okay if Adrian doesn’t want to. I can test the drug myself.” “No way, the doctor said this drug has some side effects. We’ll wait until after it’s been tested before you take it, okay sweetie?” Chloe’s voice was as gentle as flowing water. Compared to how coldly she treated me, it was like two completely different people. I no longer felt the hurt and anger I used to. I only felt numb and cynical now. Seeing my silence, Chloe naturally assumed I had agreed. Her tone softened a bit. “Adrian, I know you always feel awful after testing the drugs. But Ryan’s condition is improving day by day. As the brother of the person mainly responsible, shouldn’t you feel happy about that?” “Ryan already said he doesn’t blame your sister anymore. You should learn from his magnanimity and forgiveness. He’s always been kindhearted, but ended up like this because of your sister.” Ryan chimed in softly: “It’s alright, this isn’t really Adrian’s fault after all.” Though he said that, there was a hint of mockery in his tone. Chloe didn’t notice and replied tenderly: “You dummy, always so naive. If someone sold you, you’d probably help them count the money.” Ryan said coyly: “With you here, who would dare try to take advantage of me?” The two of them went back and forth flirtatiously. I stayed silent, not bothering to argue anymore. Back then, Ryan had obsessively pursued my sister even after she broke up with him. He cheated on her multiple times when they were together. My sister couldn’t take it anymore and asked to break up, but he framed her by attempting suicide and making her look like the bad guy. Afterwards, he packaged himself as an innocent victim whose feelings were toyed with. Meanwhile, my sister faced relentless cyberbullying and took an overdose one night. I had tried to explain the truth to Chloe countless times, but she never believed me. “Hurry up and go test the drug. Don’t delay Ryan’s treatment. He’s not feeling well right now.” Chloe hung up before I could respond. Not long after, I saw Ryan’s latest social media update. The two of them were strolling hand in hand on a beach, looking like the perfect couple. As the light glinted off Ryan’s hand, I saw he was wearing the wedding ring Chloe had taken off at my birthday party to comfort him. I scrolled down further. At 7 AM that morning, Ryan had carried Chloe on his back to climb a mountain and watch the sunrise. His face looked rosy and healthy, without a trace of illness. The two of them were like newlyweds on their honeymoon. I smiled sardonically, not bothering to confront Chloe anymore. In the past, I always thought that once I proved my sister’s innocence, Chloe would regret her actions. Now I realized Chloe didn’t care about the truth at all. All she cared about from beginning to end was Ryan. I was about to get in the car when I got a panicked call from a friend. “Adrian, quick, check the trending topics online. Those photos must be fake, right?”

I clicked on the trending topic and was immediately assaulted by intimate photos of myself from various angles. My vision went black for a moment. The comments below were full of vicious rumors and mockery. [Who knew Adrian Shaw looked so prim and proper on the outside, but was such a slut in private.] [I’ve seen Adrian Shaw before he married Chloe. He was already like this, working as an escort at clubs.] [Chloe is so generous to share her toy with us. When do we get a turn to play?] Countless filthy words flooded my eyes. My whole body broke out in a cold sweat. I had no idea when Chloe had taken these photos of me. My heart and temples were pounding uncontrollably. I quickly tried calling Chloe. She didn’t pick up after over a dozen calls. My mother called to berate me for bringing shame to the family. It was a while before Chloe finally called back. Faced with my questions, she was nonchalant: “Ryan was playing with my phone and accidentally posted them. Why are you making such a big deal out of it? I’ve already had people delete the photos.” I bit my lip until it bled: “Don’t you know many people have already saved them?!” “So what if they saved them? Just don’t look at them and it’ll be fine. Ryan didn’t do it on purpose. Don’t tell me you want him to apologize to you?” “He did something wrong. Shouldn’t he come apologize?” “Dream on. Keep this up and I’ll divorce you!” “Fine, let’s get divorced then.” There was a pause on the other end of the line. In the past, no matter how fiercely we argued, I had never mentioned divorce. We got married in winter and went to Iceland for our honeymoon. She insisted on bringing Ryan along, saying he wasn’t feeling well. While skiing, she told me to give my coat to Ryan. When I refused, she forcibly took it off me and left me on the ski slope. By the time I made it back to the hotel, frozen stiff, she ordered me a bowl of pear soup and apologized. “Ryan’s body has never fully recovered since he tried to drown himself that year. I was worried he’d catch a cold, that’s why I acted so hastily.” She pleaded for my forgiveness with tears in her eyes. I softened, thinking of how good she had been to me before. I told her it was okay. I thought my forbearance would be rewarded with Chloe’s care and remorse. I thought eventually the truth would come out and she would have a change of heart. But I never imagined my yielding would only make her more and more excessive. Chloe seemed to think I was just saying it in anger. After a moment of silence, she said dismissively: “Come on, it’s just a few photos. Why are you acting like it’s the end of the world?” “Ryan even told me to pass on his apologies. I didn’t expect you to be so petty, threatening divorce over such a small thing.” “Fine, to make it up to you for this incident, I promise we’ll have a proper celebration for your birthday when I get back. Happy now?” “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear you mention divorce. Go online and post an apology statement for me. Then we can put this behind us.” “You have 10 minutes. Otherwise I really will divorce you.” Afraid I would keep pestering her, Chloe quickly hung up. In the past, whenever she threatened divorce, I would obediently do as she said. But what I cared about was never the divorce itself, but losing the chance to be with her. Now I finally understood that a relationship that started wrong was doomed to go wrong and end wrong. I insisted on not giving in. I sent her a message: [This was Ryan’s fault to begin with. I don’t know what state of mind he was in to “accidentally” post so many photos. As the victim, why should I take responsibility for him? Either he apologizes, or I’m pressing charges.]

After sending the message, I turned off my phone and continued heading to the airport. After marrying Chloe, even though she didn’t treat me well, she would always try to make it up to me afterwards. Sometimes with cash, sometimes with jewelry and gifts. I sold all the jewelry and gifts, saving up a sizeable amount. This money would be enough for me to live comfortably from now on, without having to rely on anyone else. On the way to the airport, I stopped by to hand over the signed divorce papers to the staff. When getting Chloe to sign the papers earlier, I had hoped she would notice. But Ryan had another episode then, so she rushed out the door and signed the last page without even looking. “Are you sure you don’t want to take another look?” I had asked, clinging to one last shred of hope. “No need. If it’s the liability waiver for the drug trials, it must be fine,” she had replied. I smiled bitterly. As long as it involved Ryan, she would agree without hesitation, not caring about my life or death. I handed over the documents. The staff told me they needed to confirm the breakdown of the relationship with the person directly before they could process the divorce. I showed them sweet photos Chloe had taken with Ryan, as well as our smashed wedding photo that she had broken in a rage over Ryan. The staff still said it wasn’t enough. “We need verbal confirmation from the person themselves.” I reluctantly turned my phone back on. As soon as it powered on, countless messages and missed calls from Chloe popped up. Because I hadn’t gone online to apologize within her set time limit, causing damage to the company’s and her reputation. She hurled all kinds of insults at me, finally declaring she would divorce me. I showed all the messages to the staff one by one. There was pity in their eyes, but they still shook their heads. I had no choice but to call Chloe. After a long time, she finally picked up. “Chloe, our relationship…” “What relationship? Nothing you say now matters. Ryan fainted because you threatened to sue him. Get over here and kneel down to apologize to him right now, or I’m divorcing you!” Thinking I would beg for forgiveness like before, Chloe hung up immediately. The staff finally believed me. With sympathetic looks, they started processing the paperwork, saying the divorce certificate would be issued in a month. As I walked out of the civil affairs bureau, a black van suddenly pulled up. Several bodyguards rushed out and forcibly dragged me into the van. The bodyguards took me on a private jet to the resort island where Chloe and Ryan were staying. Because I struggled too much, the bodyguards tied me up. Looking around the villa, I realized it was the one Chloe had bought to make up to me years ago. Familiar laughter drifted in from outside. I called out Chloe’s name as the door opened. Ryan sauntered in wearing my slippers and the couple’s pajamas Chloe and I used to share. His hair was disheveled as he walked in with the air of the man of the house. “I casually mentioned it to Chloe, I didn’t expect her to actually have you brought here.” As he spoke, he stomped on my fingers. His pupils reflected my pained expression with glee. “Your face looks so much like your sister’s. So much that I want to destroy you like I destroyed her. What right did she have to act proud in front of me? She even dared to try to dump me.” “I’ll tell you the truth – your sister didn’t commit suicide. I killed her.” My features twisted in agony as tears rolled down my reddened eyes. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Chloe walked in from outside and instinctively bent down to check my injured fingers: “How did you get hurt?” As soon as the ropes were loosened, I forcefully pushed her away and shouted: “Ryan killed my sister!!” Chloe’s eyes flickered: “What nonsense are you spouting? Your sister overdosed because she couldn’t handle the criticism. It had nothing to do with Ryan.” I laughed bitterly. Ryan hid behind Chloe, smiling mockingly: “Chloe, is Adrian still mad at me?” “What right does he have to be angry? It was just a few photos. Adrian, apologize to Ryan right now and I’ll forgive your tantrum.” I lunged at Ryan. “I’ll make you pay for my sister’s death!!” Chloe forcefully pushed me away. I crashed into the table behind me. Sharp pain immediately shot through my lower back as I gripped the table for support. After carefully checking if Ryan was frightened, Chloe yelled at me furiously. “What’s wrong with you?! If anything happens to Ryan because of you, I’ll never forgive you. Go downstairs now, the doctor for the drug trial is here too.” “I won’t go.” “What did you say?” Chloe furrowed her brows. “Adrian Shaw, this is your duty. If you keep being unreasonable, I swear I’ll divorce you!” “I have no duty towards a murderer.” I bit my lip and threw the divorce papers at Chloe, ignoring the pain. “Also, we’re already divorced!”

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After my parents divorced, my dad dumped me on my mom’s lover to raise. He beat and scolded me constantly, only hoping I could quickly repay the debt my mom owed him. But ten years later, when my mom wanted to take me away, he cried and said he’d give up everything just to keep me. [1] When I was seven, our once-harmonious family shattered overnight because of my innocent comment: “When daddy’s not home, mommy brings other uncles to sleep over.” My mom moved out that very night, and my dad dumped me on my mom’s lover to raise. The man’s name was Frank. My dad looked at the man before him and said coldly, “If it weren’t for you, our family wouldn’t be in this mess.” “As compensation for destroying my family, take care of Mandy for a while until I get settled in my new job.” With that, my dad pushed me towards the man opposite him. Seeing the scar on Frank’s face, I cried and turned back to run to my dad. “Daddy, I promise I’ll never say anything wrong again. Please don’t leave me!” My dad didn’t hide the disgust in his eyes. Even though I had his blood, I was still the child of that unfaithful woman. But my dad still forced a smile, “Mandy, be good and sensible. Only then can daddy come back for you sooner.” I could only wipe my tears and obediently return to Frank’s side. Frank hadn’t looked at me once. As my dad was about to leave, Frank grabbed him and said, “Room and board not included.” My dad gave an awkward smile and took out $50 from his bag to hand to him. Watching my dad’s retreating figure, Frank said coldly, “If you don’t come back for her within a month, I’ll dump her.” My dad nodded repeatedly, “She’s my own daughter after all. How could I possibly abandon her?” With those words, my dad turned and left without looking back. And so, I was temporarily taken in by Frank. As we lived together, I discovered that although he was my mom’s lover, he was actually a pitiful man who had been scammed out of his money by my mom. He originally had some small assets, but after my mom took everything and ran, he could only move into a run-down house rented in the countryside. Within a month, I endured all kinds of cold treatment from Frank. He always dumped all the dirty and tiring chores on me. “Seeing your face that looks just like your mother’s makes me angry! You’re both good-for-nothing freeloaders!” I knew he was taking out all his resentment towards my mom on me. To be able to stay in this house temporarily, I could only humbly obey any of Frank’s arrangements. Every day, my only motivation was the hope that my dad would come to take me away from this misery soon. But as the one-month deadline approached, there was no news from my dad’s side. Frank’s calls to my dad went unanswered. Frank’s face grew darker and darker. He spat on the ground viciously, “You little brat, if your dad doesn’t come to get you in the next couple of days, I’m going to sell you to old man Johnson at the end of the village!” A wave of panic washed over me, and I could only work even harder. The month passed, and I waited from dawn till dusk, but still didn’t see my dad. It was then that I realized I had truly been abandoned by my father. Frank grabbed me and said, “Come with me.” He dragged me towards the direction of the village’s end. Seeing he was serious, I panicked completely and desperately clung to the ground. “I don’t want to go! I don’t want to!” “You think you have a choice? Since you’re your mother’s daughter, you should pay off her debts!” Just as I was still struggling desperately, old man Johnson from the village’s end actually came to the door. [2] “Frank, I couldn’t wait any longer at home.” Old man Johnson grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth. The fear in my heart was like a lake, drowning me until I could barely breathe. Frank took advantage of my daze and hoisted me onto his shoulder, following old man Johnson towards his house. I desperately pounded on Frank’s back, “I don’t want to! I don’t want to go with him!” Tears of grievance soaked Frank’s back, but he showed no sign of stopping. “I’m begging you, I’ll do whatever you say from now on, just please don’t send me away.” Frank ignored my fear and helplessness, casually discussing the price with old man Johnson. “As agreed, $400 a month.” At old man Johnson’s house, he turned and went inside to find an iron chain. Frank’s brow furrowed slightly, “Old man, what are you doing?” Old man Johnson smiled slyly, “Well, since I paid for her, I naturally have to prevent her from running away.” With that, he locked the huge iron chain to my foot. Old man Johnson handed the money to Frank, who counted it, satisfied, and turned to leave. No matter how much I cried for help behind him, he never looked back at me once. Abandoned by my parents, and now abandoned by my mother’s lover, it seemed I was destined only to be discarded in this life. Old man Johnson closed the door and immediately slapped me across the face, “From now on, you’re my property. You’ll cry when I tell you to cry, and laugh when I tell you to laugh, got it?” I nodded, clutching my stinging cheek. “Now take off your clothes!” I looked up in disbelief, meeting old man Johnson’s leering gaze. My whole body trembled uncontrollably. Seeing my reluctance to move, old man Johnson slapped me again. “What are you playing at, acting all pure?” “Your mom is a big slut who seduces men everywhere, and you’re just a little slut too! Do you want me to do it myself?” Despite the tears of humiliation falling non-stop, I still hugged myself tightly, not giving him any opportunity. Old man Johnson grew increasingly impatient. Sure enough, the next second he pounced on me like an evil ghost. “No! No!” I closed my eyes tightly, hearing only the sound of clothes being torn. His disgusting, dry hands groped all over my body. Fighting the nausea, I bit down hard on his hand, but it only earned me an even more vicious beating. “You little slut, you dare bite me? I’ll teach you a lesson today!” I wanted to scream for help, but found I was too scared to make a sound. Just as I was about to be forced to accept my miserable fate, the door behind me was kicked open. Before I could even look back, I saw a figure rush in front of me and kick old man Johnson away hard. “You bastard!” “Didn’t I say I was bringing her over just to do your laundry and cooking? What the hell are you doing?” Old man Johnson looked at Frank with an awkward smile, “Frank, why are you protecting this little brat so much?” “Don’t forget, she’s the daughter of that woman who hurt you. Didn’t you want revenge on her?” “How about this, I’ll give you an extra $50 a month, just let me play with her a little…” Before he could finish, Frank punched old man Johnson in the face, “If you dare touch her again, I’ll kill you!” With that, he threw the $400 old man Johnson had given him earlier onto the ground. He unlocked the iron chain from my foot and picked me up. “Let’s go home.” [3] After returning home, Frank stopped making me do heavy chores. He turned around and sent me to the only elementary school in town. “Your mom owes me so much money, it would take forever if you just worked to pay it back. Better to send you to school, you’ll make money faster that way.” “Remember, you’ll have to pay me back double for your school fees in the future!” He rubbed his stomach, “I’m hungry, go make dinner.” Frank used to be a small factory manager. He had the opportunity to gradually expand his business, but then he met my mom. He gave my mom everything he could, but she turned around and betrayed him. The factory went bankrupt almost overnight. I heard all this from the neighbors. Soon it was time to start school. Frank handed me a new backpack and clothes with a blank expression. “I’m telling you, if your grades aren’t good, I’ll send you off to work!” I excitedly took the clothes and backpack, “Thank you, Uncle!” Frank said he was afraid I’d run away, so he personally took me to and from school every day. He now worked at a parts factory just outside the small town. Although his work hours didn’t match my school schedule, he still managed to drop me off and pick me up on time. I thought things would continue peacefully like this, but before long, the story of my background spread through the school. The school bully, Fatty, and some other kids cornered me in a secluded spot by the school wall. “Mandy, my mom said your mom is a big slut who seduces men everywhere. You little slut came to our school just to corrupt us.” “You should go seduce men everywhere like your mom. Our school doesn’t welcome people like you!” Looking at their faces, I mustered up the courage to retort, “Your whole family are the sluts!” Fatty glared at me, nostrils flaring, and with a few others, locked me in the equipment shed. “Mandy, no one wants you. Even if you die in here, no one will know!” They laughed at me as they ran away. Frank waited for me at the school gate for two whole hours. By the time he found out where I was, it was already midnight. Curled up in a corner, I shivered from the cold. In my daze, I heard his scolding. “Useless thing, don’t you know how to fight back when they bully you?” “Your mom is so capable, how did she give birth to such a wimp?” His reprimands gradually grew quieter until he held me in his arms, wiping away my tears with his calloused hands. All my insecurities instantly vanished. Later I found out that to find me, he had searched every corner of the small town. Those bad kids only revealed my location after he repeatedly questioned them. Seeing the scrapes on his arms, he must have fallen in his haste to find me. The next day, Fatty’s mom came to the school to make a scene. She pointed at my nose and started cursing. “This little bastard not only uses foul language but also tells lies.” “My son was just joking with her, and look how badly beaten his face is now?” I looked at Fatty’s swollen face, knowing it must be Frank’s handiwork. “Principal, you must expel this little bastard!” “You’re the bastard!” I snapped back immediately. The fat woman flew into a rage, “You unwanted child, if you’re not a bastard, what are you? Am I wrong?” “Let me tell you, it’s your honor that my son even joked with you…” Suddenly the office door opened, and Frank, who should have been at work, appeared. “You call that a joke? How about I lock your son up for a night too?” Seeing Frank, Fatty quickly hid behind his mother. Such a comical sight made me burst out laughing. “If your kid dares to bully my daughter again, I won’t be so lenient next time!” At that moment, I felt the whole world go quiet, with only Frank’s word “daughter” echoing in my ears. My eyes stung, and I quickly ran out of the principal’s office. [4] By 2008, I was old enough to start middle school. Remembering Frank’s “threat,” I got into the best middle school in the city with the top score in town. At this time, there were layoffs at the factory where Frank worked, and he was on the list. He wasn’t cut out for physical labor in the first place, and these years had taken a toll on his health. He hadn’t saved much money, and now things were even worse. A female employee who had once been helped by him at his factory suddenly approached him, saying she wanted to marry him and live together. Although friends advised him to send me away, he sighed helplessly: “The child is so big now, we can’t let someone else benefit from the bride price for nothing.” The woman’s arrival gave this home a chance to breathe. This pieced-together family finally had a hint of home-like warmth. Frank relied on a second-hand motorcycle he got from a friend to start a passenger transport business in town. The income wasn’t much, but it was stable. But good times didn’t last long, and the woman gradually revealed her true intentions. Whenever Frank wasn’t home, she would drag me to meet various old ladies. “Mandy, remember, these might all be your benefactors.” At that time, I didn’t understand what she meant, and seeing how hard Frank worked every day, I didn’t dare to bother him. But that day, she and an old lady said they were taking me to a banquet. I was forcibly dragged to someone’s house, only to see a big red “Double Happiness” character pasted on their front door. I was pushed into the main seat, and next to me sat a man wearing a red flower on his chest. “Mandy, just enjoy your meal. I’ll come pick you up later.” With that, the woman left with the old lady, and they were counting some cash that had appeared from somewhere. It was then that I finally realized – she had sold me! I threw down my chopsticks and tried to run, but the man next to me grabbed me, “Wife! Where are you going?” “After we finish eating, it’s time for our wedding night!” I panicked but forced myself not to cry. “Let go of me. If my uncle finds out, he’ll kill you!” The man smirked, “You mean that lousy motorcycle driver? The money I gave him is more than he could earn in decades of driving. He’d be overjoyed!” “Just stay here obediently and give me a big fat son. I promise I won’t mistreat you!” The man hoisted me up to leave when suddenly there was a loud bang. Frank had crashed right in on his motorcycle. He threw his motorcycle aside with a flourish, “Put her down!” The man was intimidated by his aura, and I quickly broke free to hide behind Frank. “Frank, I’ve already given the bride price to your wife. You’re not thinking of going back on your word, are you?” Frank snorted coldly, “I never married that woman!” Just then, the woman came back crying with the money. “Frank, why are you doing this? I really wanted to live with you!” “If we sell this girl, you could open your own factory again. You wouldn’t have to ride that motorcycle in the wind and sun anymore!” But faced with such a huge temptation, Frank didn’t even bother to look. He directly slapped away the money the woman was offering. “I don’t need it.” With that, he put me on his motorcycle and left. After that, the woman never came back. But one day, the motorcycle he relied on for a living was smashed to pieces. It didn’t take much guessing to know who did it, but without evidence, he could only swallow his anger. As the start of my school term drew nearer, Frank started coming home later and later. I also tried to find whatever part-time jobs I could do. But when I came home that day, I saw Frank had returned early. He sat on the doorstep, chain-smoking the cheapest cigarettes. Seeing me, he slowly raised his head, his eyes filled with an emotion I couldn’t understand. Putting out his cigarette butt, he finally spoke, “Your mom’s back. She’s inside.”

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I had been pretending to be good by Lucas Foster’s side for four years. Four years ago, when the video of Natalie Nelson killing my sister in a car accident was exposed, my boyfriend Charlie West hired a top lawyer for her, helping her clear her name. When I was left alone and helpless, it was Natalie’s stepbrother, Lucas Foster, who stepped up and chose justice over family ties. He found a lawyer for me, collected evidence and witness testimonies everywhere, and finally sent Natalie to prison. When the dust settled, Lucas proposed to me, and I agreed. But in our fourth year of marriage, I saw a birthday wish from Natalie in Lucas’s email. It was accompanied by a happy selfie of her on the beach. The date in the bottom right corner of the photo was yesterday. [Happy birthday, bro!] [Claire Hayes’s heart has been with me for four years now, with no adverse reactions. Thanks to you and Charlie, I’ve been given a new lease on life.] [It’s just a pity that you have to be forced to stay with Chloe to keep her from causing trouble.] Lucas’s reply was: [As long as you’re happy, I’m willing to do anything, sis.] After reading this, I smiled brightly. These three murderers still want happiness? After four years, their time is up!

I carefully recorded and saved this conversation between Lucas and Natalie as evidence, then quickly left Lucas’s study. Unexpectedly, as soon as I opened the study door, I ran into Lucas face to face. Lucas’s brow furrowed almost instantly: “What are you doing in my study?” In our four years of marriage, he had showered me with affection and even allowed me to work in the Foster family’s company, but he never let me near two places: his study at home and a specific room in his office at the company. Before he could finish speaking, I fearfully threw myself into his arms, choking back tears: “Lucas, I just had another nightmare. I dreamed of my sister covered in blood when she died. I was so scared, but I couldn’t find you anywhere, not even in your study…” The coldness in Lucas’s demeanor instantly melted away. He raised his hand to hold my waist, while his other hand gently patted my back to comfort me: “It’s okay, I’m here. Don’t be afraid.” “I know Claire’s death has been a constant pain for you all these years, but now that the culprit is behind bars, we should move on and live our lives well.” I trembled in his embrace, but my heart was filled with nothing but surging hatred. Lucas still didn’t know that I had long since discovered his involvement in my sister’s death, even though Natalie was the only apparent culprit on the surface. The reason Lucas chose to marry me was nothing more than an act to fool me. It was all to help his beloved stepsister Natalie escape legal punishment. Thinking of this, I fought back my nausea and cried even harder in his arms. Lucas put aside all his work and patiently comforted me for a long time, driven by guilt. After I had calmed down, he hesitantly spoke: “Honey, I need to tell you something… Natalie has been released from prison. She’s coming back tomorrow.” Seeing me freeze, he hurriedly added: “I shouldn’t be telling you this right now, but you know, she’s still related to me by family ties. Even though she committed a terrible crime, she has to come home. But I’m worried…” This usually decisive CEO’s voice grew softer as he spoke, filled with uncertainty. It was indeed cruel to ask the victim’s family to accept the return of the culprit. Especially since I was his wife. But I just wiped away the tears from the corners of my eyes and smiled gently, without even furrowing my brow: “I understand your concerns. I’ll be fine.” I looked up and gently caressed his brow: “You’ve done so much for me, even choosing justice over family. I should let it go too.” Hearing this, Lucas’s hand on my back suddenly tightened, and he kissed my forehead. “Chloe, I’ll be good to you for the rest of my life.” I chuckled lightly and pushed him away: “Come on, we’re an old married couple now. Stop being so mushy.” “Since Natalie is out of prison, we should throw her a welcome party to ward off bad luck. Let me take care of it.” Lucas breathed a sigh of relief and hugged me tightly, but the guilt in his eyes deepened. “Chloe, my sweet Chloe, you’re so good. I’ll never let you go in this lifetime.” I leaned on his shoulder, smiling sarcastically. Is that so? Well, let me show you just how “good” I can be.

Over these four years, I wasn’t just the respected and beloved Mrs. Foster; I was also a valuable asset to Foster Enterprises. Many profitable business plans were my ideas, and I fought for many employee benefits as well. Two years ago, when Lucas said the company was facing difficulties and urgently needed to cooperate with West Corporation, I agreed. Charlie West was my ex-boyfriend, the one who abandoned me when I sought justice for my sister and instead hired a top lawyer for Natalie. But at that time, for the sake of Lucas’s company’s development, I reconciled with Charlie without batting an eye. Now, once again for Lucas’s sake, I proactively suggested throwing a welcome party for the murderer of my sister. How could he not be moved by such devotion? How could our friends and family who knew the situation not like someone like me? At the welcome party, the elite of Ocean City gathered. Natalie, dressed in a gorgeous red gown, entered gracefully on Charlie’s arm. Her composed demeanor and arrogant attitude didn’t resemble someone who had just been released from prison at all. Instead, she looked like she had just returned from a vacation abroad. Of course, she had indeed just returned from abroad, and Lucas had personally picked her up from the airport. Natalie immediately spotted Lucas standing beside me. She ran over and threw herself into Lucas’s arms. “Brother, I’ve missed you so much! I was wrongfully imprisoned for four years, but now we can finally see each other!” As she spoke, her eyes, filled with jealousy and hatred, darted towards me like daggers. She added in a spoiled tone, as if showing off: “This welcome party is so beautiful! Did you prepare all this for me, brother? I love it!” Lucas fondly ruffled her hair: “All of this was arranged by Chloe. Come, say hello to your sister-in-law.” The smile on Natalie’s face instantly froze. She turned her gaze to me, forcing out a fake smile and greeted me briefly. As the party officially began, Natalie flitted through the crowd like a social butterfly, her eloquent performance drawing bursts of laughter. But I could feel her gaze, seemingly present yet absent, closely following me. Finally, when Lucas went to the restroom, Natalie approached me. At the time, I was resting in a corner of the party. Without a word, she took a glass of red wine and splashed it on my face. “Oh my, I’m so sorry, sister-in-law! I wanted to come over and toast you, to thank you for preparing such a lavish party for me, but I accidentally spilled it on your face.” “Are you okay? Do you need me to help you clean up?” Despite her words, she just stood in front of me, smiling mockingly, showing no intention of helping me at all. I took out a handkerchief to wipe the water from my face, revealing a calm smile: “It’s alright. Go enjoy yourself. I’ll just wash up in a bit.” My nonchalant attitude seemed to ignite Natalie’s anger. She slammed the wine glass down on the nearby table, no longer trying to hide her malice towards me: “Chloe Hayes, what are you playing at, acting all magnanimous? Don’t think I don’t know your little tricks. Are you planning to act pitiful so my brother will sympathize with you? You’re way out of your league!” Her gaze shifted to something behind me, and she suddenly leaned close to my ear, smiling as she said: “Guess what? Do you think my brother would allow someone who maliciously bullies his sister to continue being his wife?” As she spoke, she raised her hand and slapped herself hard across the face, her eyes immediately brimming with tears. Lucas quickly rushed over to protect the seemingly faltering Natalie in his arms. “Natalie, what happened?” Natalie curled up pitifully in Lucas’s arms, her lips quivering as tears fell like broken strings of pearls. “I just wanted to come over and toast Chloe, but she called me shameless. She not only slapped me but also grabbed the wine from my hand and splashed it on her own face, trying to frame me for bullying her.” Lucas immediately looked at me, seeing the wine dripping down my face and staining my dress. “Brother, I don’t understand why Chloe is treating me like this. Is it still because of that car accident? But I really didn’t mean to, and I’ve already served four years in prison for it. Why won’t she let it go…” Lucas’s face quickly darkened, but not towards me. Instead, it was directed at Natalie.

He furrowed his brow and immediately let go of Natalie, sternly saying: “No one is to bring up that incident again. Why are you imagining all this?” Natalie’s lips parted slightly, looking at Lucas in disbelief. I stepped forward to intervene: “It’s okay, Lucas. Natalie probably didn’t mean it. I’m fine.” “Today is supposed to be a happy occasion. Let’s not ruin it over something so trivial.” Lucas’s face remained grim as he coldly led Natalie away. As the onlookers dispersed and the party continued, I secretly followed them. In a corner on the second floor, Natalie finally couldn’t hold back and shook off Lucas’s hand, complaining in a coquettish tone: “Brother, you’re hurting me! And why won’t you believe me? Why are you siding with an outsider instead?” Seeing Natalie’s aggrieved expression, Lucas let out a long sigh, his tone softening: “We both know the truth of what happened. Chloe has been through a lot too. You should let it go.” Natalie’s eyes widened, looking at Lucas as if she didn’t recognize him: “What are you saying? Brother, don’t tell me you actually think of Chloe as your real wife. You only married her to help me escape punishment!” “It’s been years since that incident, and I’ve served my fake sentence. It’s time for you to dump her!” Lucas shook his head, “We owe her too much. I’ve prepared myself to spend the rest of my life making it up to her.” But as he turned to leave, Natalie hugged him from behind: “I don’t believe it! Lucas, you like me, don’t you? We’re not blood-related. I know you love me, otherwise why would you do so much for me?” Lucas froze as if struck by her words. His hands trembled slightly. Finally, giving in to his desires, he turned around, cupped Natalie’s face, and kissed her fiercely. I silently stopped recording, saved the video, and left the second floor. When Lucas brought Natalie down from the second floor, the party was coming to an end. He couldn’t find me anywhere and only discovered me crying in the storage room when we got home. Hearing him open the door, I pretended not to notice and cried even harder. “Chloe!” Lucas rushed over to hug me, frowning as he spoke: “I was wondering where you’d disappeared to. What happened? Why are you crying like this?” I quickly turned my head away, hastily wiping away my tears with my sleeve before forcing a smile and facing him: “It’s nothing. I just twisted my ankle while tidying up earlier. I hid here because I was afraid you’d laugh at me…” Lucas stared at me, his eyes full of pity: “Chloe, don’t you know that your smile is the most forced when you’re lying? I can see right through it.” “I…” I nervously glanced away. He wiped away my unshed tears with his knuckle, “Tell me, why were you hiding here crying?” I bit my lip, holding back for a moment before hooking my arms around his neck and letting my sobs break free. “At the party, Natalie mentioned my sister. It made me think that if Claire were still alive, she’d be about Natalie’s age now…” “But I’ll never get to see her grow up.” As I mentioned my sister, a flash of panic crossed Lucas’s eyes, quickly replaced by guilt. His grip on my waist tightened as he said remorsefully: “It’s all my fault. I was so busy with the party that I neglected your feelings. Tell me, honey, what can I do to make you feel better?” I lowered my eyes and shook my head: “You don’t need to do anything. Just letting me see you often is enough.” “Lucas, can I come to your office more often from now on? I’ve been having nightmares lately, dreaming that you’ve left me. I… Could we have meals together and talk more? Maybe that would help.” Lucas frowned hesitantly. He had always avoided letting me into his office. Because in there, he kept many secrets he didn’t want me to know. I withdrew my arms, forcing a light laugh: “If you’re too busy, forget it. I was just thinking out loud.” “Lying again.” He gently tapped my forehead, smiling tenderly. “Of course I can fulfill such a small request.” I brightened visibly and kissed his cheek, “You’re the best, honey!” The look of delight on his face didn’t seem fake, a spark of fire dancing in his eyes. Lucas happily picked me up in his arms, and I nestled my face against his neck in feigned shyness. I almost couldn’t hide the disgust in my eyes…

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When I met Blake Pearson, he was broke. I stood by him as he built his business from scratch, helping him become a shining star in the business world. Just when I thought our love was finally bearing fruit, I saw him proposing to another girl with utmost sincerity. Standing at the doorway, I heard laughter erupting from the private room. “Mr. Pearson, we all thought you’d marry Zoe Chapman. Why are you marrying Lily White now?” Blake slammed his glass on the table. “Don’t mention that clingy bitch! It’s been 7 years, I’m sick of playing with her!” The people around burst into laughter, echoing his sentiments. “I always thought Zoe Chapman looked so high and mighty, turns out she’s just a hypocrite!” Blake downed another drink. “You guys don’t know the half of it. She used to ask me when we’d get married every day, like a desperate puppy!” Seven years of unwavering devotion, shattered in an instant. Applause thundered around me as I gently pinched the base of my ring finger. There was a pale mark there, left by a makeshift ring Blake had crafted from a guitar string. I turned to leave but someone grabbed me. “Zoe!” Blake slowly descended from the stage. He wore the navy blue suit I had carefully ironed for him. The bowtie was a birthday gift from me, and even his hair was styled the way I had spent hours perfecting this morning. He gripped my wrist with surprising force, dragging me onto the stage without a word. Then, with practiced ease, he adjusted my collar. His hot breath brushed against me, his eyes brimming with joy. He cleared his throat and spoke solemnly. “This is my best friend, Zoe Chapman.” “I wouldn’t be where I am today without her…” My smile froze on my face, ears ringing. The strange looks from the audience below felt like knives stabbing my face. Fighting back tears, I remember forcing a smile for what felt like an eternity before quietly leaving the stage. In a daze, I returned home and made myself a cup of instant noodles. I stared blankly at the bowl. There was a chip on the edge of the bowl, from when Blake had smashed it in a drunken state last week. The image of Blake placing his pinky ring on Lily White’s finger kept replaying in my mind. Before I knew it, tears were mixing with the noodles in the bowl. I should have never gone out for that walk. The small room was dimly lit, with a thin layer of cobwebs on the window outside. The house was in a crowded old neighborhood, a birthday gift from Blake three years ago. During the early days of his startup, when he was poor, I accompanied him in this tiny rented apartment. Back then, he had blushed as he gave me this house filled with our memories, then held my hand and promised. “Zoe, thank you for staying with me all these years. In the future, I’ll buy a bigger and better house, and you’ll be the lady of that home.” Three years had passed. Blake could now afford bigger and better houses, but it seemed I was no longer the intended lady of the house. After finishing my tear-seasoned noodles, I numbly cleaned up the dishes when suddenly I heard the sound of a key turning in the lock. Blake was back. I quickly wiped my tears with my sleeve and turned my back, pretending to be busy. He didn’t seem to notice anything amiss, naturally hugging me from behind. The familiar scent of his cologne mixed with alcohol wafted over me. “Zoe, why are you eating instant noodles again? It’s not good for your health to eat too much of that.” His tone was as intimate as ever, as if the man who had just proposed to someone else was a different person entirely. I wriggled out of his embrace, my voice trembling. “Now that you have a fiancée, you should keep your distance from other women.” Blake’s confused voice came from above my head. “What do you mean by ‘other women’?” I turned to face him, only to see him pull out a box from behind his back as if performing a magic trick. Inside the box lay a plain women’s ring, the kind often seen in mall clearance sales. He took my hand and slipped it onto my ring finger. “Zoe, you’ve been with me for so many years, I really don’t know how to repay you.” “I saw this ring and thought it would suit you perfectly. I hope you like it.” Looking at the ring on my hand, tears spilled from my eyes. I raised my hand and wiped them away forcefully, managing a strained smile. “If you don’t know how to repay me, why don’t you marry me then?!”

Blake’s smile froze on his face, his voice dropping to a whisper. “What are you saying… you’re my friend.” I forced out a smile uglier than crying, dodging his attempt to touch my hand and yanking off the ring to throw at him. “Blake Pearson, what do you take me for?” “Which friend would sleep with you? Which friend would give you so much money to start your business?!” Blake’s expression changed, his voice filled with disbelief. “Zoe, how can you think of me like that?” He took my hand, raising it to swear to the heavens. “All these years, I’ve been sincere to you, I swear.” This was how Blake always coaxed me whenever he did something wrong, and this time was no different. I pressed down on his hand, persisting with my question. “Then when are you going to marry me?” Blake’s lips pressed into a thin line, and after a long while, he finally spoke. “Zoe… you’ve already enjoyed my best years. All my firsts were yours, you already have so much.” I stood there stunned, unable to believe my ears. He looked up, ruffling my hair as if to appease me. “Don’t be angry… I’ll make it up to you, okay?” “I have to meet a client tomorrow, have you ironed my clothes?” Tears finally broke through the dam, and I bit my lip hard, keeping my head down to avoid looking at him. He pushed me, forcing me to look up. Seeing my expression, he suddenly frowned deeply. “Tsk, what are you crying for…” “Zoe Chapman, I’m not going to marry you.” “You’ve been by my side for so many years, aren’t you satisfied yet?” With that, Blake left in anger, pausing to wipe his leather shoes that had been dirtied by the wooden door – those shoes were the birthday gift I had given him last month. My mood was far from good, so I slumped down on the floor, examining the ring on my hand. It was the simplest women’s ring, without even a diamond, probably worth less than a hundred dollars. Yet Blake had just closed a million-dollar deal a few weeks ago. Perhaps… in his eyes, this was all I was worth. My phone kept buzzing. I saw the company group chat exploding with congratulatory messages. “Congratulations on Mr. Pearson’s successful proposal!” I opened the video to see Blake kneeling before Lily White on a yacht deck covered in rose petals, holding out a ring. It wasn’t a diamond ring. It was the pinky ring he had worn for seven years. His voice trembled with tenderness. “Because I met you, I finally realized…” “It wasn’t that marriage couldn’t bring me happiness, but that I hadn’t met the right person.” I stared at the screen many times until my eyes stung. On my birthday during our senior year of college, I had secretly tried on that pinky ring while Blake was asleep. He had suddenly woken up and snatched the ring back. “Don’t touch this, it’s very important to me.” So it was because I wasn’t the right person. I lowered my gaze, casually placing the ring aside. The sound of metal rolling on the floor rang out crisply. All these years I had accompanied Blake, sharing my connections, taking care of his daily needs, paying attention to his hobbies. In return, all I got was a statement that we were just friends. Initially, it was a bet with a friend that sparked my interest in Blake. Who knew that one bet would last 7 years.

In college, Blake was a special recruit. With his good looks, he was adored by many girls. But from the start of school, he wore a simple pinky ring, declaring himself a believer in staying single, telling others not to get close to him. Friends often said Blake would surely end up alone for life. But I took a particular interest in him and secretly approached him. Unexpectedly, Blake didn’t reject me alone, and even actively stuck to me. I was skinny, so he would work at the cafeteria window I liked, always giving me extra meat. I had trouble waking up, so he would run far every morning to buy my favorite breakfast, coaxing me to get up and eat in various ways. It was my first time falling in love, and I naturally fell for his caring gestures. We often appeared as a pair on campus, and although he never explicitly stated our relationship, I was content. I felt sorry for him and often used money from home to supplement his living expenses while we were in school. After graduation, I was even willing to break ties with my parents to be with him. Thinking back now, I feel very resentful. Resentful of my years of dedication, but what’s done is done, and I don’t want to continue anymore. Blake was a believer in staying single, and I had asked him many times when we would get married. Now, I guess I’ve finally got my answer. Since that’s the case, I don’t need to dwell on it anymore. It’s better to cut your losses on a mistake early. As I walked out of the Pearson Group building, the sunlight was so bright it hurt my eyes. In my bag was the newly signed equity transfer agreement. As the daughter of the Chapman family, I always kept my word. Back then, I had a big fight with my family to be with Blake. But parents always have a soft heart despite their harsh words, and they had been secretly sending me money over the years, so I had some savings. In the afternoon, Blake’s call came through, his tone unpleasant. “Zoe, what’s going on? People in the company say you’ve resigned?” “That’s impossible, don’t joke around.” “And why did Mr. Lee suddenly cancel? Go smooth things over quickly.” Blake’s tone was rushed, but still composed. After all, no matter what happened before, I would always clean up his messes. But not anymore. I brushed Blake off with a few vague responses and hung up the phone. Looking at the files sent to my computer, they contained the information of Pearson Group’s core employees, with several names highlighted in red – these were the backbone staff who had joined the company because of my abilities. I took a sip of coffee and the screen showed that Blake had recently hired a female assistant with zero work experience, but her monthly salary was higher than that of department managers. My phone lit up again, this time with a message from an unknown number. “You think it’s over just because you left? Mr. Pearson says you’re just a dog that comes when called and leaves when told!” The attached image was of Blake kissing Lily White. A dense, sour feeling spread through my heart. I took a deep breath and blocked the number.

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At an extravagant celebration party, my husband Caleb Winters once again ordered me to play the role of a maid. He pushed me in front of the new model his company had just signed, introducing me flippantly, “This is the dog I keep at home. If it weren’t for my mother’s kindness years ago, she’d have starved to death on the streets.” He commanded me to bow and scrape, to massage the model’s shoulders, to serve her with all my skills. Everyone laughed, waiting to see how I would continue to show my gratitude. Instead, I inappropriately brought up divorce. Caleb acted as if he’d heard the most ridiculous joke. He grabbed my neck, snarling viciously, “Aria Sinclair, you dare mention divorce? Have you forgotten who’s keeping your sick mother and paralyzed brother alive?” “If you keep acting up, I’ll cut off all your brother’s medical expenses right now!” Everyone bet that I would immediately cry and beg for forgiveness, saying I’d never let go of this golden opportunity I’d managed to grasp. But they didn’t hear his usually silent uncle, Lucas Winters, the true power holder of the Winters family, whisper behind me: “Divorce him. I’ll take care of you.”

“How dare Aria Sinclair mention divorce?” “Hah, she’s just talking big. Would she really leave? Her paralyzed brother, her half-dead mother, which one of them could survive without the Winters’ money?” “Exactly. Look at how submissive she is to Caleb. That maid outfit really suits her.” “Let’s place bets! I’ll put down a million that she’s just putting on a show today. In the end, she’ll obediently stay.” “I’m in. It’s a sure win.” I clenched the hem of my maid outfit, looking towards Caleb. The girl beside him was Mia Sullivan, a new model his company had just signed. She was now giggling as she poured more wine into his glass. Caleb held his wine glass, looking at me with a mocking smile. “Look at that. The person we Winters raised can’t even serve properly now?” “Who was it that knelt and begged us Winters to take her in back then? What’s this? After being Mrs. Winters for a few years, you’ve gotten too proud to serve?” Mia giggled and stretched her foot towards me. “Mr. Winters, my feet are so sore. Make her rub them for me?” “You heard her,” Caleb tapped my calf with the tip of his shoe. “Get to it.” He always did this, pushing me into the mud in front of everyone, watching me struggle. I crouched down, took off her shoe, and started massaging, one press at a time. His friends burst into raucous laughter, their faces full of schadenfreude. Just when everyone was waiting to see me swallow my pride as I had for the past seven years, I put Mia’s shoe back on, slowly stood up, and met his gaze. “Caleb Winters, let’s get a divorce.” The room fell silent for a few seconds, then erupted into even more unrestrained mockery. Caleb acted as if he’d heard something unbelievable. The casual smile on his face vanished completely. He shook off Mia and strode over to me in one step, his large hand violently gripping my neck. “Say that again?” His voice was low and vicious. “Aria Sinclair, have you forgotten how you begged like a dog at my family’s doorstep, asking my mother to take you in?” “You want a divorce? Fine!” The force on my neck suddenly increased, forcing me to look up at him. “Do you believe I’ll cut off your brother’s medical expenses right now? Let him die along with your half-dead mother!” “What you owe our Winters family, you can’t repay even in your next life!” Tears finally fell uncontrollably. That snowy winter night seven years ago floated before my eyes once again. My father was driving us to pay New Year’s visits when he swerved to avoid a child who suddenly ran into the road. The car lost control and crashed into an oncoming vehicle. In that car sat Caleb Winters’ father. The accident scene was horrific. My father died on the spot, my mother became a vegetable, and my brother suffered a severe spinal injury, condemning him to spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair. And Caleb Winters’ father couldn’t be saved either. I knelt for a long, long time outside the Winters’ mansion. Snow and blood from my forehead mixed together as I kept kowtowing, begging Mrs. Winters to save my mother and brother who were still in the hospital. I was willing to do anything, to atone for the Winters family for a lifetime. Mrs. Winters finally nodded. She said, “Stay. From now on, take good care of Caleb.” I moved into the servants’ quarters of the Winters house, serving wholeheartedly. One night, Caleb, reeking of alcohol, barged into my room. The smell of liquor and hatred hit me: “Marry me! You have to live under my nose for the rest of your life, watching how I suffer because of your family! That’s how you atone!” To atone, I agreed. To repay Mrs. Winters’ kindness, I endured Caleb for seven whole years. But Mrs. Winters passed away from heart disease six months ago. I could no longer find a reason to endure. This kind of life, I didn’t want to suffer through for even one more day. Just as I was about to pass out from being choked, I seemed to hear a vague sentence float by. “Divorce him. I’ll take care of you.” It must be some bored person playing a prank on me. My vision was blurring, and I had no strength to see clearly.

Back at the Winters mansion, Caleb once again threw me into the servants’ room. “Don’t come out without my permission!” He slammed the door shut with a bang. I slid to the floor. My neck, which had just been gripped, was still throbbing with pain. My heart felt numb. I don’t know how long it had been when my phone suddenly rang shrilly. It was an unknown number. “Is this Ms. Aria Sinclair? This is Central Hospital. Your brother Alex Sinclair has developed post-operative complications. His condition is critical. Please come immediately!” My head felt like it was exploding. I sprang up from the floor, frantically pounding on the door. “Caleb Winters! Open the door! I need to go to the hospital!” “My brother is in trouble! Please, open the door quickly!” There was no response from outside, only faint music. “Caleb Winters! Open the door!” I pounded on the door with all my might. My hands turned red, and my throat went hoarse. After a long while, the door was finally opened. Caleb stood in the doorway, his clothes somewhat disheveled. “What are you making a fuss about in the middle of the night?” Mia was clinging to him, looking at me with seductive eyes and a smile. “What trick is big sister trying to play now? Mr. Winters is quite busy, you know.” “My brother needs surgery! Caleb, take me to the hospital, please!” I rushed forward to grab his arm, but he shook me off in disgust. “Aria Sinclair, haven’t you had enough of this act?” Mia whispered in his ear: “Mr. Winters, I think she’s just trying to get your attention like this. What a manipulative bitch.” Caleb pinched Mia’s chin, smiling. “You’re such a good girl.” When he looked at me again, his eyes were cold as ice: “Weren’t you so good at crawling back then? All the way from my family’s doorstep, making my mom soft-hearted enough to take you in. Now if you want to go to the hospital, you can crawl there yourself.” Mia laughed, looking at me with triumphant eyes. Caleb no longer looked at me. He left with his arm around Mia, slamming the door again. “Caleb Winters!” No matter how I shouted, there was no more movement outside. This won’t do. I can’t wait! I looked around this small room. The windows were sealed with iron bars. The only way out was that door. I found a broken mop handle and tried to pry the door lock with all my strength. The lock was very sturdy. It didn’t budge after several attempts. Time ticked by, and I was frantic with worry. I spotted a fire extinguisher in the corner. Without thinking, I grabbed it and smashed it against the door lock! The loud noise was particularly jarring, but finally, the lock was broken! I rushed towards the main door as fast as I could. The security guards tried to stop me, but I just kept running, heedless. Rain mixed with tears blurred my face, biting cold. Just when I despairingly thought I would run my legs off, a beam of headlights illuminated me. The window lowered, revealing a sharply defined profile. It was Caleb’s uncle, Lucas Winters. “Get in,” he said concisely. I practically crawled into the passenger seat on all fours. With no time for thanks, I blurted out the name of the hospital incoherently. He said nothing more, driving quickly towards Central Hospital. As I got out of the car, Lucas handed me a business card, telling me: “If you encounter any trouble you can’t solve in the future, try contacting this number. Remember, you are your own person first.” My mind was in chaos. I clutched the card and ran out of the car. Rushing into the emergency room, I grabbed a nurse and asked, “Alex Sinclair! How is my brother Alex Sinclair?” The nurse looked at me, her face full of hesitant sympathy. The door of the nearby operating room opened just then. The doctor walked out wearily, taking off his mask. “We did our best.” “The patient insisted on having that surgery himself. The success rate wasn’t high, but he persisted, saying he wanted to stand up, to give his sister a surprise…” The doctor sighed, “This is the letter he wrote before the surgery, asking us to pass it on to you.” The nurse stuffed a letter into my hand. “Sis, by the time you read this letter, I might have succeeded, or… I might have gone to find Dad. Don’t cry, big sis.” “I know how much you’ve suffered for Mom and me all these years. It’s all because I’ve been holding you back. I want to stand up. I don’t want to watch you being bullied by Caleb anymore.” “The doctor said there’s a new surgery. Although it’s a bit risky, what if it works? I want to stand in front of you like a man and tell you that I can take care of you now.” “Sis, none of this is your fault. Don’t blame yourself. If it fails… don’t be sad either. I’m just going to find Dad. He must miss me too. You have to live well, live for our share too.” “Your brother who will always love you, Alex.” I hugged that letter, sitting in the hospital corridor, crying my heart out.

My brother’s ashes were light, fitting into a small ceramic urn. I knelt before my father’s grave, hugging the tombstone, my fingers tracing the engraved words. “Dad, Alex has come to keep you company.” “You won’t be in pain anymore where you are.” I went to the hospital, holding my mother’s withered hand against my face. “Mom, I’ll take care of you from now on.” The money I’ve saved from taking on private jobs over the years is enough to pay for medical expenses. I don’t need the Winters family’s support anymore. Leaving the hospital, my feet unconsciously led me back to our old house one last time. I dug out an old photo album from the corner. There was a photo of Alex when he was fifteen. He was on the green field, wearing a jersey, smiling like the sun. Holding that album, I returned to the Winters mansion. Pushing open the door, it was still the same deafening music and flirtatious laughter. Caleb was slouched in the center of the sofa, Mia nestled against him, surrounded by several young and beautiful female artists, all signed to his company, chattering away. Over the past seven years, I’ve grown tired of this scene. He had made me dress up as a bunny girl, as a snake woman, just to give them more amusement. But today, I won’t play along anymore. I walked over and put the divorce agreement on the coffee table in front of them. “Caleb Winters, sign it.” Caleb picked up those few pages, his gaze falling on the title. He snorted. “Aria Sinclair, you really don’t give up, do you? Coming with this again?” He crumpled the agreement in his hand, contemptuously throwing it on the ground. “Getting smarter now? Forgot how you were begging me to open the door yesterday? Now you’re putting on this act again?” “Want a divorce? I’ll tell you what, in this lifetime, you can forget about it!” I don’t know why, but tears suddenly fell, without warning. Caleb looked at the wet trails on my face. He reached out his hand, almost touching my cheek, then suddenly stopped, throwing his hand back even more forcefully. “Put away this crying act of yours! Who are you trying to fool? I’m telling you, Caleb Winters doesn’t fall for this!” I looked at him, forcing back the tears: “Caleb Winters, it’s been seven years. I’ve used everything I have to atone. Now Alex is dead. This debt, I don’t want to repay anymore.” “What did you say? Alex is dead?” Caleb’s face changed. Mia bent down to pick up the album from the table. She acted as if she had discovered something particularly interesting, speaking in an affected voice: “Is this your crippled brother? He looked quite lively back then.” She then picked up Alex’s letter, “What’s this? Oh my, this handwriting is so ugly! It’s like chicken scratch. He wasn’t illiterate, was he?” The people around laughed uproariously. Mia fanned herself with the letter, her hand slipping, the letter fluttering to the ground. She raised her foot, about to step on it— That letter was written by Alex, using fingers that couldn’t bend properly, painstakingly forming each stroke! I lunged forward, grabbing Mia’s hair, pulling her down and pinning her to the carpet! “Don’t touch that!” Caleb answered a phone call, his face turning ashen as he hung up. He turned back and with one move threw me off. My lower back hit the corner of the coffee table hard, the pain making my vision go black. “Aria Sinclair, have you gone mad?! Seducing me wasn’t enough, you’re even going after my uncle?! Does our Winters family owe you or something?!” He dragged me by my hair like a dead dog: “Shameless! Go kneel in the ancestral hall! Apologize to my father, to Mia!” He kicked away the prayer mat in the ancestral hall, “Kneel properly!” I looked at his twisted face, hunched over as I knelt down, my forehead slowly touching the stone tiles. The ancestral hall was very quiet, with only the sound of my heavy breathing left. I don’t know how long I knelt there. My consciousness gradually blurred, sinking completely into darkness.

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Five years ago, the Chen and Brooks families decided to arrange a marriage between their children through a random draw. Lucas Chen, who had always been fond of my younger sister, ended up being matched with me. After standing me up 99 times at the courthouse, he resolutely chose to go on a business trip to Kenya, a country with harsh living conditions. He left for five years. The day after he left, my sister Rachel abandoned her arranged fiancé and emigrated to Kenya as well. Five years later, Lucas returned to the country with Rachel and their daughter Lily. He arrogantly informed me: “Since we have to follow the arranged marriage rules, I will only marry Rachel.” “As long as you stay at home and take good care of her and Lily, I won’t embarrass you in front of others.” The man who was originally waiting for my response looked down at my daughter Emma, whom I was holding hands with, and suddenly smiled: “So you got pregnant after just one time? Looks like you have no choice but to agree now.” I covered Emma’s mouth as she was about to call him “Daddy” and whispered to her: “How about I find you a new daddy? Is that okay?”

Five-year-old Emma immediately understood my meaning. She jumped up and down excitedly, clapping her hands, and looked up at me to whisper: “Is it that handsome uncle who always takes me to the carnival?” I forced a smile and nodded at her. Seeing us smiling instead of getting angry, Lucas, who was affectionately holding little Lily, frowned, seemingly displeased: “What are you two whispering about?” Seeing that I had no intention of answering him, the man’s tone turned cold again: “It’s settled then. I’m sure you understand the situation. Rachel and I have known each other since childhood. You’re just getting in the way. Since you’ve given birth to my child, I won’t abandon you, but remember to behave yourself.” Emma and I had waited for Lucas for five years. I had to comfort her almost every day, telling her that her daddy was just working abroad and would be back soon. Countless times, I saw the longing in Emma’s eyes when she saw other children with their fathers. She even developed autism because of it. My heart ached as if it was being squeezed. If it weren’t for Rachel’s ex-fiancé taking care of us, Emma’s autism might have gotten worse. But after enduring these five years, what we got was Lucas returning with Rachel and their daughter, demanding that I become their housekeeper. Although Emma liked her new dad, seeing Lucas, her biological father, holding another little girl, she couldn’t help but show a pitiful expression of envy. Lucas noticed Emma’s gaze and handed Lily to Rachel before crouching down to caress Emma’s little face. But the next second, Lily ran over and scratched Emma’s face, leaving a bloody mark. She pouted arrogantly: “This is my daddy, you can’t steal my daddy!” Emma endured the pain with the scratch on her face, biting her lip to hold back tears. Her eyes were brimming with unshed tears. Growing up without a father’s companionship had taught her to be strong beyond her years. She seemed to know that she didn’t have a father to stand up for her, but as her mother, my chest hurt so much I could barely breathe. I turned my gaze to Lucas, who remained unmoved. He instinctively shielded Lily behind him and defended her: “It’s just children being naughty. Are you really going to make a fuss over this? That’s enough.” Hearing his completely biased words, I lowered my head and laughed bitterly. Why did I still feel disappointed when I knew this would be his attitude… When Lily tried to run over to hit Emma again, Lucas stopped her with a look. She halted in her tracks. Rachel knowingly took Lily into her arms and deliberately raised her voice: “Don’t be angry, sweetie. Daddy built a princess fairy tale kingdom especially for your birthday, and even bought you a star. Even your little braids today were done by daddy. Of course, daddy only loves you, his one and only daughter.” After saying this, Rachel, who was crouching down, tugged at Lucas’s pant leg and blinked her eyes, asking: “Lucas, am I right?”

Lucas didn’t answer directly, but his tender gaze towards Rachel and Lily answered everything. Rachel, who had been gloomy because of Emma’s existence, suddenly became cheerful. She stood up and linked arms with Lucas. “Sis, we’re just comforting the child. Don’t take it seriously.” She emphasized the word “we” as if they were a loving couple who had been together for years. Emma heard about all those enviable father-daughter interactions that Rachel mentioned. The word “Daddy” that she had been holding back for five years was once again swallowed timidly. Lily straightened her back proudly and clamored to go see her grandparents. Lucas immediately picked her up lovingly. Before leaving, he glanced coldly at the red mark on Emma’s face and didn’t forget to instruct me: “Come to the family house tonight for Lily’s birthday celebration. Remember not to say anything unnecessary. Just say Emma bumped into something.” Watching the family of three laughing and joking as they got into the car, Emma finally showed her vulnerable and grieving side, mumbling: “Then let Uncle Ethan be my daddy. Mom never cries when she’s with him. I don’t want mom to be sad…” Hearing her say this, I realized that there were faint tear tracks on my face. After returning home, Emma eagerly called Ethan. He quickly responded: “It should have been this way long ago. Wait for me, Emma. Uncle will take the earliest flight back home.” I originally thought that no matter how much Lucas disliked me, he would at least treat his biological daughter well and take good care of Emma wholeheartedly. But now that he has Lily, he can no longer be a competent father to Emma. I think a stepfather might not necessarily be worse than a biological father. In the evening, Lucas personally drove back to pick up Emma and me. He leaned against the car, not even bothering to step into the marital home he hadn’t set foot in for five years. Seeing Emma’s face covered with a large bandage, Lucas made a move to check on her, but Emma dodged him. Although the child is young, she understands everything. I silently got into the car with my daughter, watching Lucas’s hands awkwardly freeze in mid-air. After a long while, he angrily sat in the driver’s seat and looked back at me dissatisfied: “Sophia, did you teach Emma to ignore me?” “I didn’t expect you to still be so jealous. Let me ask you, how long are you going to hold a grudge against me?” Perhaps in the past, I would have really been jealous and angry that he only had eyes for Rachel. But now, I just looked out the window and calmly reminded him: “Let’s go. If we’re late, everyone will be worried.” Lucas’s hand gripping the steering wheel unconsciously tightened, his knuckles gradually turning white. The journey was silent. We arrived at the Chen family house. The Chen family elders were very fond of Lily and were willing to give the entire family fortune to the mother and daughter. “Rachel, the chain of hotels under the Chen Group will be handed over to you in the future. Consider it our dowry for Lily.” Seeing my arrival, Rachel deliberately showed off the family heirloom jade bracelet on her wrist and quickly thanked them. Then she feigned surprise: “What about Emma? Shouldn’t the Chen family prepare a dowry for her too?” Just as the elders realized Emma’s existence and their faces flashed with embarrassment, Lucas casually interjected: “We’ve established a primary school in rural Kenya, Emma can…” Before he could finish, I directly interrupted him: “Lucas, keep it for yourselves. Emma doesn’t need it.”

Perhaps it was the first time he heard me call him by his full name, Lucas was stunned. Seeing this, Rachel tightly held onto Lucas’s arm and spoke in a sarcastic tone: “Sister must be angry, right? But after all, Lily is the legitimate heir of the Chen family. It’s reasonable for the elders to arrange things this way.” “However, as her aunt, I’ll definitely arrange a job for Emma in the future. I can’t bear to see her go hungry.” Lucas immediately smiled with doting eyes and pinched the woman’s chin: “I knew you were the kindest, always thinking of others no matter what.” Emma and I were squeezed into a corner, completely out of place with all the Chen family members. Of course, we were considered “others.” Seeing that we were not welcomed, even the servants began to gossip without restraint: “Knowing that the young master liked Rachel, she still shamelessly gave birth to a little burden. How shameless!” “Huh, anyway, the young master won’t marry her. The Chen family giving them food and shelter is like throwing scraps to beggars. If they want to stay, let them stay…” Everyone gathered around Lily, singing her happy birthday song and blowing out candles with her. Emma had always crouched outside the dining room window watching others celebrate birthdays as a family of three, but now that Lucas was back, she still could only watch from the side. After dinner, Lucas took Lily to the rooftop to watch the fireworks display. Rachel found me. “Sis, you shouldn’t have given birth to Emma. Do you really want to use a child to steal my happy family?” Looking back now, it’s laughable. If Lucas hadn’t made excuses to go on a business trip, promising to come back and fulfill our engagement, I wouldn’t have given birth to Emma. Seeing that I remained silent, the hatred in Rachel’s eyes became more obvious: “You know what? No matter how hard you try, even with a child, you can’t steal Lucas’s heart. I am the rightful Mrs. Chen!” As she spoke, the woman showed off the family heirloom jade bracelet on her wrist, smiling triumphantly: “Don’t you think it’s redundant for you and Emma to stay in the Chen family?” Then she began to grit her teeth: “I’m tired of beating around the bush with you. I’ll say it directly, take your bastard child and get out of the Chen family!” As soon as she finished speaking, a slap unexpectedly landed on my face. Emma heard the commotion and ran over, directly pushing Rachel away and standing protectively in front of me: “Don’t bully my mom!” Lily also rushed over to help Rachel, getting into a fight with Emma. The scene became increasingly chaotic. I originally wanted to quickly break up the fight, but Rachel held me back and even encouraged her daughter to scratch Emma freely. “Lily, don’t be afraid. Daddy will support you. Even if you scratch up a wild child like her, no one will care!” Lily completely inherited her mother’s viciousness, pinning Emma to the ground and bullying her without restraint. Until Emma couldn’t bear it anymore and used all her strength to push Lily to the ground, breaking free from the restraint. Unexpectedly, Lucas, who arrived late, saw this scene and without a word, slapped Emma across the face.

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After another disagreement with Lucas about marriage, he went to sleep in the guest room. At 2 AM, I wanted to apologize. But as I approached the guest room door, I overheard him on the phone: “Dating and marriage are two different things. Ivy can’t handle the rules of high society. Not marrying her is for her own good.” “I don’t have a suitable marriage prospect anyway, so I’m just taking it day by day. After all, she saved my life. I can’t bring myself to break up with her…” I didn’t confront him. I just went back to our room and lay awake until dawn. Early the next morning, I sat down across from Lucas’s mother, Rachel: “Is your previous offer still valid? I don’t choose Lucas anymore. I want the money.” Rachel took a leisurely sip of coffee before looking up at me. “Are you sure? If you take the money, I’ll never allow Lucas to marry you.” The scene before me was similar to five years ago. But back then, I had unhesitatingly refused Rachel’s check. I had declared confidently: “Lucas and I love each other, so my grandfather and I won’t charge for treating him!” Lost in thought for a few seconds, I came back to the present: “Don’t worry, once I get the money, I plan to break up with Lucas.” Hearing this, Rachel didn’t waste any more words. “Give me your account details. I’ll transfer the money to you shortly.” As I was leaving, Rachel added one more reminder: “You know Lucas’s personality. If you suddenly bring up breaking up, he definitely won’t agree.” I paused for a moment, nodded, and left without another word. When I got home, Lucas was busy in the kitchen. Seeing this scene, I suddenly remembered how clumsy he had been in the kitchen a few years ago. Back then, I never could have imagined that the famous heir to the Wilson family would one day learn hundreds of different dishes just for me. Of course, I also couldn’t have imagined that this man who seemed to only have eyes for me had never actually thought about having a future with me. “Where did you go so early? Are you still mad at me?” Lucas put the food on the table and came over to hug me. “I was in a bad mood last night. Let’s eat first, and then we’ll go try on wedding dresses this afternoon.” If I hadn’t overheard his conversation with his friend, I would have happily given Lucas a kiss right now. After hesitating for a few seconds between refusing and agreeing, I decided to give myself one last dream. So I softly replied, “Okay.” However, my dream was shattered halfway through. As soon as I put on the wedding dress, Lucas barely glanced at it before saying he had an urgent matter at the company and had to leave. Just after he left, Rachel sent me an address with a message: “In case you don’t know what reason to use for breaking up, I’ll help you out.” In all the years I’ve been with Lucas, I haven’t met his mother Rachel very often. But I’ve always known that if Lucas and I got married, she would be a pretty good mother-in-law. Now that she knows Lucas and I won’t have a future together, she’s efficiently stepped in to start arranging blind dates for him. Unfortunately, I failed to catch Lucas in the act of going on a blind date. Because on the way there, I stopped to help a pedestrian who suddenly fell ill. After taking them to the hospital, I no longer had the energy to confront Lucas. So I went back to the place Lucas and I had lived for several years. When Lucas returned, he saw me packing my things. “Ivy, I’m sorry. Let’s try on wedding dresses in a couple of days, okay?” Rachel, probably afraid I’d change my mind, had been sending me photos of Lucas with his blind date all afternoon. They looked perfectly matched, smiling and chatting away. I was calmer than I expected. While packing our couple items into a bag, I replied noncommittally: “We’ll see.” Lucas wanted to say something, but his phone chimed, distracting him. When he looked back, he had changed the subject: “Adam invited us over for a bit. Let’s go, and when we get back, I’ll help you pack.” Now wasn’t the right time to have it out with him. I had no choice but to go along. As soon as we entered the private room, I sensed something was off about the atmosphere. Adam, who usually joked around and called me “little sister-in-law” as soon as he saw me, kept glancing at a woman sitting in the corner. Following his gaze, in the flickering light, the woman’s face perfectly matched Lucas’s blind date from that afternoon.

Lucas led me to sit in the center, not even glancing at the woman. He handed me a glass of juice and gestured for Adam to introduce the woman. “Luke, Iv- I mean, Ivy, this is my cousin Wendy. She just got back from abroad a couple days ago. She doesn’t have many friends here, so I brought her along.” Maybe out of guilt, Adam’s voice got quieter as he spoke. Lucas’s face betrayed nothing. He nodded briefly at his blind date before looking away. “Hi there, may I sit here?” A few minutes later, Wendy sat down next to me, holding a Yorkshire terrier. Because I had been focused on Lucas, I clearly saw him frown slightly when Wendy sat down. I’m a bit slow to warm up to people. Not knowing how to handle the current situation, I just smiled awkwardly. “I heard your family has a history of royal physicians? Momo’s appetite isn’t good, could you take a look?” Healing and saving lives is my family’s ancestral teaching. Ignoring the strange feeling in my heart, I replied seriously: “Besides poor appetite, does the patient have any other symptoms?” Wendy laughed and held up the little dog in front of me: “Here, there’s no human patient, just an unwell little dog. It’s a life too, Ivy. You wouldn’t refuse to help, would you?” Our family has always been small. When my grandfather was young, he almost lost his life due to certain circumstances. After the founding of New China, he lived in hiding for a few years. But eventually he was called out of retirement to save lives. In my memory, those who knew my grandfather’s background were always very respectful to our family. Even though I was a girl, once people knew I was the only heir to the Sang family in this generation, they rarely spoke to me like this. “Wendy! Where are your manners?! Do you know who you’re talking to?!” Adam angrily rebuked her, then turned to apologize to me: “Ivy, I’m so sorry. This girl’s been spoiled by the family. Please don’t take it to heart.” After I got together with Lucas, his friends basically all asked me to check their parents’ pulses. I once detected a problem with Adam’s mother’s body when she showed no obvious symptoms. Although Lucas had already recovered by then, they thought it was all thanks to my grandfather’s skills and were half-skeptical of me. But Adam still took his mother to the hospital for a checkup, out of respect for Lucas. As a result, they were able to intervene before the lesion became cancerous. This is why, among Lucas’s friends, Adam is so warm towards me. “Miss Summers doesn’t understand medicine, does she? Examining humans and pets are completely different things.” I hadn’t spoken yet, but Lucas chimed in first. However, he didn’t seem to be taking my side at all, and continued calmly: “Ivy isn’t petty. Miss Summers meant no offense, she won’t take it personally.” There had been similar situations before. When someone badmouthed me behind my back and Lucas overheard, he immediately got physical. But now? Just because she’s his socially-compatible blind date, he can be infinitely tolerant? “I’m so sorry, Ivy. I was too impulsive. You don’t mind, right?” As she spoke, Wendy placed her cool hand on my arm. A strong feeling of discomfort welled up from the bottom of my heart. Afraid I might show an odd expression in front of everyone, I quickly stood up: “I don’t mind, but I need to use the restroom. Excuse me.” After adjusting my breathing in the bathroom for a while, I decided to clear things up with Lucas as soon as possible and returned to the private room. Maybe because I had left in such a hurry earlier, the door wasn’t fully closed, and I could hear the voices from inside. “Luke, even though Wendy’s my cousin, I have to be fair. If you want to get back together with her, you should be honest with Ivy. You’ve been together for so many years, and she even saved your life. If you have any conscience, don’t play her for a fool!”

I stopped my hand that was about to push open the door. So Lucas and Wendy knew each other from before? They had even been together? “With Ivy’s personality, if I say we should break up, she’ll leave immediately. She has no family left – where would she go without me? Don’t get involved in this. Keep your mouth shut in front of Ivy, and I’ll talk to Wendy myself…” From Lucas’s words, it seemed he wanted to discuss marriage with Wendy while keeping me in the dark? Taking a deep breath, I withdrew my hand from the door and turned to leave. Less than half an hour after I got home, Lucas returned too. “Ivy, are you feeling unwell? Should we go to the hospital?” His concern didn’t seem fake. But that’s exactly why I felt even more disgusted. “I’ve already taken some medicine. Don’t you remember? I know medicine myself.” After scrutinizing me for a while and seeing that I really didn’t seem to be ill, Lucas breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good. By the way, Adam said he’s throwing a welcome party for his cousin tomorrow. Do you want to come with me?” Closing my eyes briefly, I replied flatly: “I won’t go. I have an appointment for a house call tomorrow.” Lucas’s attention was drawn to his phone again, and he just gave a distracted “Oh” after a while. When I came back from using the bathroom in the middle of the night, I saw Lucas’s phone screen lit up on his pillow. Out of trust, I had never touched his privacy all these years. I was just going to turn off the screen and put it back. But the content that met my eyes made me hold my breath. [I didn’t expect Aunt to set us up on a blind date. Luke, I’ve missed you so much these past years.] Looking at the time the message was sent, it must have been right before Lucas came back from the blind date and said Adam had invited us out. Lucas hadn’t replied to this message. Next were messages from after Lucas and I arrived at the club. [Luke, is this the girlfriend you’ve been with for many years? She looks okay, but seems so boring. What do you like about her?] Lucas replied to this one quickly. [Even though both families want us to get married now, I haven’t broken up with Ivy yet. Watch what you say!] It seemed to be after this message that Wendy came to sit next to me with her dog. And the content of Lucas’s next messages was even more beyond my imagination. [You didn’t drive? Wait, I’ll have someone send you home.] [Are you home yet? Reply! Don’t make me worry!] [It’s not that I don’t want to get back together with you, but my girlfriend is innocent. I don’t want to hurt her.] At this point, Wendy finally responded. [You should know that in families like ours, marriage is rarely a matter of personal choice. But if you want to marry her, I’ll give you my blessing. I can even put in a good word with your mom. I want you to be happy more than I want to marry you.] It took Lucas a long time to reply: [Everyone thinks Ivy and I are a good match, that we have a great relationship. But only I know that I’ve never forgotten you all these years. I’ll talk to her. Wendy, from beginning to end, you’re the only woman I’ve ever wanted to marry.] This message was sent half an hour ago. Because I had things on my mind, I hadn’t been able to fall asleep. But I knew that during that time, Lucas had placed a glass of warm water by my bedside. Not only that, he had kissed my forehead and tucked me in. How difficult it must be for him, to juggle between two women. Afraid of another sleepless night, I alternately pressed the acupuncture points on my wrists. Finally, I slept soundly through the night.

Early the next morning, Lucas left. Shortly after he left, I received a friend request on my phone. Actually, I knew who it was just from the name. But after hesitating for a few seconds, I still chose to accept it. [My brother told me a lot about you. To be honest, if we hadn’t met under these circumstances, I would have liked to be friends with you. But there’s no helping it – there’s no room for a third person in a relationship. Luke and I are well-matched and have feelings for each other. We’ll definitely get married in the future. I don’t want things to get ugly, so why don’t you just leave on your own? It’s better for everyone.] Before Lucas came home yesterday, I had already cleared out all the couple items in the house. When Wendy sent her message, I was sorting through my own things. Everything in the house related to me, things I had bought. I took what I could carry and planned to throw away what I couldn’t. Seeing that I hadn’t replied for a while, Wendy sent another message. [You probably don’t know why Luke was so seriously ill back then, do you? It was actually because of me. I was young at the time, and after an argument with Luke, I angrily said we should break up and then went abroad. I only found out later that he had fallen seriously ill because of my departure and almost didn’t make it. I’m actually grateful to you for saving his life. I’m not saying this for any particular reason, just want you to know that what you thought was love might just be gratitude. Luke may have had feelings for you, but how much of it was actually love is hard to say.] I couldn’t quite describe how I felt. Since that night, my emotions had fallen into a state of numbness. Following my instincts, I had taken back the high consultation fee from Rachel that I should have received years ago. I had also warned myself that I must clear things up with Lucas as soon as possible. Now, I learned the truth that had been delayed for years. For a moment, I doubted whether the past few years of my life had been a dream. I had no ill feelings towards Wendy. Although her words were somewhat condescending, that was the confidence and assurance her family background gave her. And she was just stating facts, not being malicious. I was grateful to her. At this moment, she urged me to make up my mind. [I’ll be leaving soon. I wish you both happiness.] After sending this message, I put down my phone. After all, this was a place I had lived for years. Afraid of leaving things behind that might cause misunderstandings for Wendy in the future, I packed very carefully. Before leaving with my suitcase, I checked each room one last time. Only after confirming that I hadn’t left anything related to me did I feel at ease to leave. I didn’t expect to see Rachel at the airport. “I thought you weren’t leaving for a few days. Have you talked things over with Lucas yet?” Although Rachel was wearing a coat, it was clear she had on an evening gown underneath. She must have rushed over from Wendy’s welcome party. I briefly told Rachel about what had happened these past two days and what I had seen. When she heard what Wendy had said to me, Rachel raised her eyebrows in surprise. “I arranged that blind date for them purely to give you a reason to leave Lucas. To be honest, if I had to choose, I would still prefer you as my daughter-in-law.” I didn’t know how to respond to that. Rachel stepped forward and adjusted my collar. “Take good care of yourself from now on. Love yourself first before loving others. If there’s anything you’re unsure about, you can always come to me. Most importantly, don’t fall in love with someone carelessly.” I hadn’t shed a single tear these past few days. But after Rachel said those words, my tears fell uncontrollably. “Thank you, Rachel.” Thank you for being able to consider things from my perspective as a mother. After saying goodbye to Rachel, I found Lucas’s chat window. I sent him the screenshots I had taken last night of his conversation with Wendy. Then I sent a message: [Let’s break up. I wish you both happiness.]

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I discovered a chat log on Lucas’s phone in our third year of marriage. The other person was flirting with him. [Pretty please, take me to Disneyland this weekend? I was so good last night.] Lucas replied, [Let me see your chest first.] The contact was saved as “Little Puppy”. Lucas didn’t come home all night. When he returned, I was enjoying breakfast. A brand new Bulgari necklace was placed on the table. “Sherry, a gift for you,” he said. I gave a faint “Mm-hmm.” Perhaps my reaction was too casual. He paused, then kissed my forehead. “Be good, I’m going to take a shower.” The sound of running water came from the bathroom. His phone, left on the table, vibrated occasionally. I unlocked it – the password was my birthday. Inside were unread chat messages. The other person was flirting with him. [Pretty please, take me to Disneyland this weekend? I was so good last night.] Lucas replied, [Let me see your chest first.] The contact was saved as “Little Puppy”. The other person sent a photo almost instantly. Pink, sexy lace. I estimated it was an E cup. I held the phone and sent a voice message to the contact: [He’s in the shower.] The next second, the phone was snatched away. “Sherry, you’re going through my phone?” Lucas questioned accusingly. I looked up. “It’s quite big. No wonder you like it. I like it too.” He stared at me, frowning. “Don’t talk nonsense.” “The young girl is innocent.” He fidgeted with the phone as it rang. “Little Puppy” spoke with a tearful voice. “Lucas, is Mrs. Chen angry? Should I explain to her?” Lucas’s expression turned sympathetic as he comforted her softly, “It’s okay, don’t cry.” I yawned, about to turn and leave, feeling bored. A hand restrained me as Lucas gazed at me intently. “You don’t care?” I was confused. “Care about what?” His face suddenly darkened. We stared at each other for a few seconds. Lucas grew angrier. “Fine,” he spat. He slammed the door shut. Faintly, I could hear him comforting the girl: “Don’t cry, you’ll turn into a little flower dog. I’ll come see you soon.” I glanced over. There was a cabinet next to the door. Seven shelves full of Bulgari necklaces. Lucas’s apology gifts over these three years.

When I was eight, I became the true heiress of the Chen family, treading carefully in my new home. My parents favored the fake heiress, Tara. Tara’s childhood sweetheart was Lucas. They were inseparable since childhood. Until I appeared. On the day the Chen family was busy celebrating Tara’s graduation, everyone forgot my birthday. I bought a cake alone and hid in the backyard to eat it. When Lucas came, I was stomping on the unfinished cake. He raised an eyebrow and said, “What a waste.” I glared at him. “None of your business!” I ignored his intrigued look and ran off. After that, Lucas would invite me along when he and Tara went out. When rich boys teased me, he would coldly fight them. When Tara drugged and framed me, he recklessly drove to save me, spending three months in the hospital. On my birthday, he set off fireworks across the city for me. He protected me so fiercely that everyone knew. People joked that he was protecting his “future wife.” He didn’t deny it. I believed it too. So when I heard the Chen family wanted to marry me off to someone else, I immediately went to Lucas. “Either you marry me, or you watch me marry someone else.” “Lucas, you choose.” That night, he coaxed me into losing my virginity. Our fingers intertwined, skin touching skin. As we reached the climax together, he bit my earlobe and whispered in a low voice. “I, Lucas, will never betray you in this lifetime.” With the deed done, I naturally became Mrs. Chen. He kept his word— Flowers everywhere, jewelry worth hundreds of millions, and a wedding dress that took top designers five years to complete. The guest list spanned political, business and entertainment circles. Luxury hotels across the city were fully booked, and the wedding venue was Lucas’s family’s private villa. Faced with countless media questions, he only replied: “Because she’s Sherry Chen. She deserves it.”

The thing high society has no shortage of is gossip. The first time Lucas cheated, I was having afternoon tea with other wealthy wives. They were chatting about which husband was hiding a mistress, whose husband took his mistress to the Maldives. One wife sighed to me: “I really envy your husband. He protected you so fiercely before marriage.” “Marrying him,” I smiled shyly, “is probably the happiest thing in my life.” That wife smiled and nodded in agreement. That girl showed up at our door that very day. She had a high ponytail, youthful and vibrant, and extended her hand to me directly. “Mrs. Chen, I’m Lucas’s lover.” She spoke frankly. “Lucas said he likes me best in bed, much more interesting than Mrs. Chen.” For the first time in my life. I couldn’t control my upbringing and slapped her.

I thought the girl was simply provoking me. Until the day I received a video she sent. On a luxury yacht was a wild party of socialites. The atmosphere was lively, the lights dazzling. Lucas lounged lazily on a sofa. In the dim light, his expression was unclear. A girl’s legs were draped over his, her skin glaringly white. Everyone was chanting, “Kiss! Kiss!” Lucas’s fingers gripped the girl’s chin as he leaned in to kiss her. The next second, the girl started unbuttoning his shirt. The phone suddenly fell to the ground. My chest felt like it was blocked by a stone, pain spreading to my heart. When Lucas came home, I showed him the video. “Why? Why…” I questioned him over and over. In an instant, all the grievances rushed to my head. Tears rolled down like broken strings of pearls. I looked at him with pleading eyes, tugging at his sleeve. “Tell me what I’m doing wrong, I’ll change, okay?” “She made a scene in front of you?” Lucas rubbed his brow. “I’ll have someone take care of her.” No explanation, no comfort. Lucas seemed to have watched a farce, unmoved. I collapsed to the ground, sweeping the porcelain to the floor, hysterical. “Get out!” Lucas sighed finally, trying to straighten me up. “Sherry, you’re the only one in my heart.” He pulled me into his arms. “No one can replace you. I love you.” My rationality returned as I struggled to meet his gaze. “Then can you stop seeing other women? Lucas, please…” “Be good, be sensible.” He continued, “Just focus on being Mrs. Chen.” Those light words. Words like knives, cutting to the bone, stabbing my internal organs with pain. That night, he took me several times. Each time at the height of passion, he repeatedly promised in my ear: “Sherry, I love you.” I felt my tears had run dry, not knowing how to respond. After that, that girl disappeared. When attending gatherings, different women were by his side. Every time a scandal broke, he would give me a necklace. Every morning I woke up afraid of not seeing him, yet afraid of seeing him. I started refusing his touch, fearing smelling different perfumes; I started fearing going online, afraid of seeing gossip about him and other women; I started fearing calling him, afraid of hearing unwanted sounds. On nights he didn’t come home, I didn’t know how I managed to keep my eyes open until dawn. Some wives advised me, “Think positively, all men are like that.”

“Little Puppy” was indeed different. Lucas hadn’t come home for two months because of her. Compared to previous women, this could be considered doting. But when I saw her in person at home, I was stunned. For the first time, Lucas brought someone home. The girl was as delicate as a flower, with a gentle and outstanding temperament. In the dim morning light, I saw Lucas kneeling on the ground, tending to the girl’s wound. His movements were gentle, his face doting. “Does it hurt?” he asked. The girl shook her head. “Lucas, I’m fine.” Sunlight shone through the window onto them. This scene made me unsteady. The girl noticed me first. Like a frightened rabbit, she said, “Mrs. Chen, I’ll leave right away.” Sensible, obedient, discreet. Lucas held her back, introducing her to me frankly. “Sherry, this is my new secretary Tiffany.” I nodded. Then I heard him continue: “Tiffany will be accompanying me to a charity gala later. You two have similar builds, let her choose a dress from your closet.” I looked at him in disbelief as I watched them go upstairs. The closet was full of new seasonal styles. Tiffany browsed through them before her fingers landed on a cheongsam in the corner. She timidly asked me, “Can I try this one?” I glanced over – this cheongsam was one of the wedding dresses from our marriage. Fine silk, exquisite embroidery. I had carefully put it away in the closet. Sometimes I would take it out to look at, comforting myself that love hadn’t disappeared. Lucas once said, “This dress, only my wife can bring out its beauty.” I was about to refuse when Lucas directly handed it to Tiffany. “Go try it on.” I suddenly couldn’t understand Lucas anymore… A few minutes later, Tiffany came out in the dress. She did look good. A slender waist, the neckline revealing ambiguous red marks. Showcasing my husband’s good mood last night. Tiffany twirled on the spot, then sincerely said to me, “Thank you Mrs. Chen, I’ll wash the dress and return it after I use it.” “No need.” I refused, feigning composure. Tiffany’s face paled for a moment. She looked to Lucas for help. “Sherry, what’s wrong?” Lucas sighed helplessly, patting my head. “Don’t be petty, tonight’s gala is important.” “No need to return it, I find it dirty.” I stared at him, enunciating each word. The words were quite blunt. Lucas was stunned for a moment. He lowered his eyes, seeming to realize something. “Then I’ll buy you a new one. Recently…” “Okay.” I interrupted him. “Aren’t you two busy?” Lucas chuckled dryly. “Sherry, are you chasing us out?” “You used to be so clingy, cooking soup for me, picking out my clothes every morning. Now you don’t do anything.” His words carried a hint of grievance. Lucas, how should I tell you? When I eagerly waited for you to drink the soup I made, you’d rather squat by the roadside eating dumplings with your new flame. The tie I carefully knotted for you became a tool for bedroom flirtation.

As the Mid-Autumn Festival approached, Lucas suggested accompanying me back to the Chen family. He said, “Sherry, you’ve been too tired lately. It’s a good chance to relax with family.” I had no opinion. As for the Chen family, perhaps they couldn’t be called family. Since I was found and brought back to the Chen family, they continued to favor the fake heiress Tara. Giving her company shares, letting her inherit the family business. Even when I once stood in the snow trying to get their attention, catching a cold with a 39°C fever, they only said: “So troublesome, not obedient like Tara at all.” It wasn’t until I married Lucas that they started paying me a little attention, for the sake of cooperating with the Lu family. The car stopped in the Chen family courtyard. Today seemed to be a party hosted by the Chens, with people coming and going. Just as I got out of the car, the Chen family’s housekeeper called me away. “Miss, Madam is looking for you.” Lucas said: “Go ahead, I’ll wait for you.” The housekeeper led me through the crowd into the study. A stack of papers flew at my face, hitting the ground. The paper edges cut my face like blades, stinging with pain. Mother pointed at me. “Sherry Chen, you dare to divorce?” The papers that fell to the ground were clearly a divorce agreement. It was what I had asked a lawyer to print a few days ago, originally kept in a drawer at home. Mrs. Chen glared at me, her tone contemptuous. “A woman who can’t keep her husband in check is useless.” “Anyway, don’t even think about divorce!” Over the years, everyone knew. The Chen family had leveraged this in-law relationship with the Lu family to do a lot of business. I gently closed my eyes. “What if I insist?” “Then you’ll be the enemy of both the Chen and Lu families.” Mother sneered. I turned to leave. Walking to the end of the long corridor, Lucas was leaning against a pillar smoking. A wisp of white smoke lingered hazily in front of his cold features. The trees swayed, quiet enough to hear the wind. Our eyes met, and he spoke first. “Sherry, don’t blame me. I love you too much.” His fingertips brushed over the wound on my face, his voice pained. “You’re so good, how could I let you go?” I shrank my fingers, avoiding his hand. “I hope you can keep watching me forever.” He smiled indulgently, as if looking at a harmless kitten. When the cigarette burned out, he acted as if nothing had happened, taking my hand and walking out.

Lucas had been staying home to accompany me these past few days. One morning as I came downstairs, I was surprised to see a busy figure in the kitchen. “You’re up. I made breakfast.” He set out toast and milk, pulling out a chair for me. I gave a small “Mm” and started eating. He wasn’t annoyed, scrolling through his phone. “There’s a concert today, let’s go watch it together after we eat.” Just as we were about to leave, Lucas’s phone rang. With his hand on the steering wheel, he naturally turned to me and said, “Honey, can you check who’s calling?” That term of endearment made us both freeze. I glanced at the screen – oh, “Little Puppy”. Lucas suddenly realized something and snatched the phone away, turning off the screen. Tiffany kept calling persistently. Finding it too noisy, I put on my headphones. I watched Lucas answer the call, listening to what the other person said. Then Lucas took off my headphones. “I’ll have the driver take you. Something came up at the company.” Watching his retreating figure, I felt a subconscious relief. This was the normal Lucas. The seats Lucas bought were in the front row. Apparently it was a solo cello recital by the famous performer Jason Jiang. When Jason came on stage, I was surprised to find— The gifted cellist was so young! The young man sat down casually, his thin pale hands gripping the cello. Messy bangs fell over his high nose and thin lips. Clear, melodious cello music echoed throughout the hall. Someone quietly exclaimed, “It’s so beautiful.” After the performance, it started raining outside. The audience had mostly left. I was looking for a room to wait for the driver. Before I entered, I overheard people talking: “Jason, didn’t the Jiang family forbid you from playing cello? I heard they even cut off your cards.” Another voice replied irritably, “Giving up is impossible.” The Jiang family. Could it be the mysterious heir of the prestigious Jiang family? I paused and turned, walking up to tap his shoulder. “I’ll sponsor you.” Jason scoffed, hands in pockets. “You’re that rich?” I pulled out several cards from my purse. “This one has no limit, this one has some pocket money, about 3-4 million, and this one…” I hesitated, looking up. “Is it enough? If not I can ask my husband for more.” Jason was visibly shaken.

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