Author: Momo Chan

My daughter was hit by an entitled rich kid speeding on a pedestrian walkway. He was drunk. Multiple rib fractures, and her thigh bone was shattered. She’s still in a coma. His parents want to settle. He was arrogant, utterly self-righteous: “Sign this legal waiver. Don’t ruin my son’s future.” Rage burned away my sanity. I grabbed the waiver and slapped it across his face. “You wish!” Mr. Sterling smirked, his gaze sweeping over me from head to toe. “The law says compensation for a fatality is barely a million. And your daughter isn’t even dead. How about two million, plus medical expenses?” As he spoke, he pulled out a bank card, a smug look on his face. “Don’t recognize it, do you? This is an exclusive global black card.” My eyes landed on the card. It had the unique pattern I knew so well. It was the birthday gift I’d given my wife. In that instant, my eyes turned blood red with fury, a gaze that could kill. “How much is your son’s life worth? Name your price. I’ll buy it.”

When I rushed to the hospital, my legs were so weak I could barely stand. My daughter,Belle, was covered in bandages, lying silently and unmoving in the ICU. The traffic police showed me photos from the scene. Chloe and two other girls looked like broken dolls, their limbs twisted at unnatural angles, white shirts soaked crimson. The doctor said she’d had a brush with hell, just barely made it. After three days of keeping vigil byBelle’s side, I received a call from her school. The driver’s parents wanted to meet. I arrived at the school to find a man in an expensive suit scrolling on his phone on the sofa. He barely lifted an eyelid, saying casually, “You must beBelle’s dad. Have a seat.” As he spoke, Mr. Sterling handed me a legal waiver. “Don’t waste time. Just sign it. Don’t mess with my son’s future.” He was so arrogant, so entitled. Overwhelming rage threatened to consume what little sanity I had left. The image ofBelle, drenched in blood, kept flashing in my mind. I clenched my jaw, my hands trembling violently. I tore the so-called waiver into pieces and threw them at his face. “Your son is unforgivable. Dream on!” I instinctively lunged at him, throwing a punch, wanting to smash this man in front of me to pieces too! How dare the perpetrator act so high and mighty, so rude! But the school teachers quickly held me back, acting as if they were blind. “Mr. David, please calm down. Blake’s parents are sincerely here to seek your understanding.” Mr. Sterling gently brushed the paper scraps from his face, his eyes full of arrogant mockery. “I’ve looked into it. Your daughter only wears clothes that cost a few hundred bucks to school, no brands. I guess your family is just working-class.” “The law says compensation for a fatality is barely a million. And your daughter isn’t even dead. How about two million, plus medical expenses?” “Two million for a family like yours must be a fortune. Saving a hundred thousand a year would take twenty years. Getting two million from one car accident is both my goodwill and your family’s luck. What more could you possibly want? Don’t be so greedy.” I stared at him with boundless hatred and murderous intent, my whole body trembling as I yelled: “Your son was drunk driving and speeding on a pedestrian street, causing three serious injuries and dozens of minor ones! He deserves to spend the rest of his life in prison!” Mr. Sterling feigned a raised eyebrow, then curved his lips into a sneer. “Ever heard the saying, money can solve everything? Besides, I have power backing me. Otherwise, why isn’t there a single ripple about this incident online? Because I…” He raised his hand and made a downward pressing motion. “Paid people to suppress it.” As he spoke, he flashed an exclusive black card again, his pride and arrogance fully on display. “Know what this is? A top-tier global black card. Only those with assets in the hundreds of billions qualify. It’s a number you’ll never even imagine in your lifetime.” Seeing the familiar, unique pattern on the black card, my already shattered heart plummeted. That was the supplementary card I’d given my wife, Valerie! Now, Valerie’s lover wants to use the card I gave him to buy off my daughter’s life! Memories flooded back clearly: A month ago, Valerie had asked for a birthday gift, wanting an expensive car. I agreed. The model matched the one that hit my daughter. Three days ago, the head of PR said Valerie, Ms. Valerie, needed help controlling public opinion. WithBelle injured, I was too distraught to care and silently agreed. In that instant, a metallic taste filled my throat, but I swallowed it back. My eyes were murderous, my voice chilling. “Then how much is your son’s life worth? Name your price. I’ll buy it.”

Mr. Sterling’s face showed a flicker of surprise, then he “hehe-ed” with a laugh. “I know you’re upset your daughter is hurt, but being hotheaded won’t solve your family’s problems. Besides, how much money could you possibly have?” I just stared at him, my gaze grim. “Name your price.” Mr. Sterling looked even more surprised, then seemed to understand. “You think our compensation is too little, huh? How about three million? Any more than that, and your daughter just isn’t worth it.” I repeated myself. “I said, I want to buy your son’s life. Name your price.” He looked me up and down, then burst into laughter, as if joking. “Ten million. If you can afford ten million, you can have my son’s life. Haha, too bad people like you couldn’t save up that much money in this lifetime, let alone the next.” I nodded. “Ten million. It’s a bit expensive for someone like him, but I’ll buy his life.” With that, I sent a message to my assistant. Mr. Sterling scoffed, and even the teachers tried to dissuade me. “Mr. David, snap out of it. Blake’s family isn’t someone you can afford to offend. You might not even be able to pay for your daughter’s medical bills, and you’ll lose your job.” I usually taughtBelle to be modest, but I never expected the teachers at this elite private school to be so disgusting. No one knew I was the chairman behind Veritas Group. Valerie, as CEO, was just a figurehead. “I’ve recorded everything you just said. And I’d like the teachers to be witnesses.” Mr. Sterling was thoroughly annoyed. “Fine, so you refuse to sign no matter what, huh? Then you won’t get a single penny. I’m telling you, my wife has already dispatched Mr. Hayes, Veritas Group’s Chief Legal Expert, he’s never lost a case.” I nodded again. “Perfect.” The surrounding teachers looked at me with extremely strange expressions. “This guy must have gone crazy from his daughter being hit, how pathetic. What a shame, he’s up against the husband of Veritas Group’s CEO. Everyone in New York knows Veritas Group.” As Mr. Sterling grew more triumphant, the parents of another victim arrived. Mr. Sterling repeated the same demands to them. The child’s parents looked torn. The child’s mother cried, “We can’t sign it! Our child is injured all over, how can we just let the perpetrator off? I can’t accept it!” The father sighed, “But treatment costs money. And how can we fight against a wealthy family like theirs? If we don’t sign, we might not get a single cent!” The mother cried even harder. “My poor child, why are you so unlucky?” Just as they hesitated, about to sign, I stood up and stopped them. “Don’t sign. He doesn’t have the money to compensate you. And I’ll cover your children’s medical expenses and all future treatment.” The parents looked at me in surprise. Mr. Sterling glared at me, annoyed and mocking. “What are you talking about? With this black card, two million, even ten million, is a matter of minutes.” Even a teacher grabbed my arm, frowning. “If you don’t take the money, don’t stop others. They’re much wiser than you.” My gaze was ice-cold, but a smile played on my lips. “So confident, huh?” I turned and gripped the father’s hand, looking at their sorrowful faces. Tears streamed down my face. We were all parents. “Have Mr. Sterling swipe the card right now. Otherwise, he doesn’t have the money.” The father squeezed my hand back, nodding through his grief. The elite private school’s finance department quickly brought a POS machine. “Swipe the card first. The school will transfer it to the parents’ accounts.” Mr. Sterling arrogantly raised his hand and swiped the black card on the POS machine. “Your bank card has been frozen.”

He swiped it again, but the mechanical female voice just kept repeating, “Your bank card has been frozen.” “How is this possible?” Mr. Sterling’s eyes widened in shock. The other parents looked at me, grateful. “Thank you for the warning, otherwise we wouldn’t have gotten the money and that jerk would have walked free!” Mr. Sterling, humiliated, irritably ran his fingers through his hair, then dialed Valerie’s number. A young man’s voice answered. “Dad, aren’t you done yet? Mom and I are waiting for you to come back and eat at the new five-star hotel. Are those poor people asking for too much money? Damn it, they’re really trying to take advantage!” “Get your mom on the phone, fast.” Then I heard a familiar voice, a voice that for the past twenty years had said good morning to me every single day. I clenched my fists, my heart bleeding. I swore to send this and their Asshole child to hell! Mr. Sterling hung up, his expression still arrogant. “You’ll definitely get the money, just a bit later. Hurry up and sign.” The parents shook their heads firmly. “We won’t sign. We’ve decided, we want that jerk to pay for what he did!” The mother wiped her tears, her lips trembling with indignation. “How can my daughter’s life hang in the balance while that jerk casually talks about which hotel to eat at? My daughter is a living, breathing person! Our family isn’t rich, but our daughter is our life!” Every word from the mother struck a chord in my heart. I wanted to ask the same thing: How can this be? I patted the father’s shoulder, stating confidently, “Don’t worry about the costs.” Mr. Sterling scoffed. “I’m telling you, my lawyer will be here any minute. By then, you won’t get a single cent. Your children can just wait to die.” Even the teachers tried to help him. “I say, don’t fight with rich people. While Mr. Sterling hasn’t changed his mind, quickly take the money and sign. Do you really believe this man’s crazy talk? If there’s truly no money for treatment, what good are his words? The child’s future will truly be ruined.” The mother trembled with anger. “I’ve never seen so much blood in my life. I keep wondering if all the blood in her body has drained out. I want that jerk to pay blood for blood!” As she spoke, I saw the same horrifying scene in my mind. I swallowed my tears, each one like a knife. Just then, a well-dressed, bespectacled man knocked on the door. Mr. Sterling’s face lit up. “You must be Mr. Hayes, the Chief Legal Expert of the group.” Mr. Sterling was beaming with pride, glancing at us. “My lawyer is here. My son won’t suffer any consequences, and you won’t get a single cent.” The parents clenched their fists, glaring at the newcomer with resentment. I glanced over, a sarcastic curl on my lips. “Oh really?” My people should be arriving soon too.

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My husband, Liam, had been taking me, eight months pregnant, to this cheap fried chicken place daily. He always ordered the same $4.99 combo. I told him I was sick of fried chicken and asked him to get me a salad instead. He slammed the fried chicken right into my face, his eyes practically spitting fire. “I drive a cab every day to support you, and you still dare to be picky? Ungrateful bitch!” Then he immediately turned, flashing a fawning smile at Tiffany, the curvy, sexy owner of the fried chicken shop. “My apologies! My wife is just being extra about that! Tonight, all the fried chicken in the shop is on me!” With that, he snatched $1000 from me and handed it to Tiffany. That $1000 was for my prenatal checkup today. I forced a bitter smile. I remembered how, ever since we got married, Liam and I had moved into a cramped, dark basement apartment, scrimping on every single penny. Liam always used to reassure me: “When I make it big, I’ll treat you and our child like royalty.” But I never expected him to cheat before he even made it big. Sobbing, I ran to the Dean’s office and collapsed into his arms. “Dad, I’m so sorry. I want a divorce!”

“Bang!” The fried chicken smacked hard against my head, sauce dripping down my hair and into my collar. Before I could even react, a swift slap sent my head reeling to the side. My head was buzzing. I pointed at him, utterly incredulous. “You just hit me?!” Tiffany, the owner, who had been busy in the back, rushed over with a worried look. “What’s going on? Liam, your wife is pregnant, and pregnant women are so emotional. If she did something wrong, you just need to be more understanding.” She shot me a sly glance, a smug smirk playing on her lips in the shadows. Liam, who had just been furious, instantly plastered on a smile. “Yes, you’re right. You’re so thoughtful.” Did something wrong? All I said was I didn’t want fried chicken anymore. I just wanted a salad! For a pregnant woman, eating fried chicken every single day was totally unhealthy. Tears welled up in my eyes, unbidden, as I clutched my enormous belly, feeling completely lost. The whispers around me grew louder, and Liam awkwardly cleared his throat. “Chloe, I’m trying so hard. Look, even for fried chicken today, I only ordered one for you. I didn’t even get one for myself.” The cheap perfume Tiffany wore, mixed with the greasy smell of the fried chicken shop, grated on my nerves. But my good manners, however, wouldn’t let me make a scene. I took a deep breath, hastily wiped my face with a tissue, and started to leave. Tiffany, still grinning, stopped Liam. “Liam, what about this broken plate…?” “Oh, my bad. It messed up your business. I’ll pay for the plate.” He spoke fawningly, then turned to everyone in the shop. “My apologies, everyone! My treat tonight, order whatever you want!” The customers cheered and clapped. “What a generous guy!” “We know a man’s struggles!” “Another 10 bottles of beer over here!” Cheers erupted, mixed with boisterous shouts, drowning out everything else. My steps faltered, and my hands, hidden in my sleeves, clenched into fists. For the first time in my life, I didn’t wait for him. I hailed a cab and left alone.

It was a thirty-minute drive, and already past ten at night. I, a heavily pregnant woman in her third trimester, took a cab from downtown to the suburbs, and Liam hadn’t sent a single text apologizing or asking if I was okay. Clutching my phone, my stomach gave a sharp, painful lurch. The taxi slowly pulled up to a muddy, narrow alley. I was just about to pull out my phone to pay when I heard a “ding!” “Your bank card has been debited $1000.” I stared at the message that popped up, my mind going blank with a sudden “boom.” “Come on, pay up! Stop dawdling, I’ve got another fare waiting!” the driver impatiently snapped. “Right, right, sorry.” My hands trembled as I entered my PIN, but the machine flashed “insufficient balance.” “How about this, sir? I’ll run upstairs and get you cash.” The driver slammed a fist on the steering wheel, furious. “Hurry up! If you don’t have money, why call a cab? What a freakin’ pain in the butt at this hour!” I bit back tears and hurried upstairs, got the money, and sent the driver off. Even as he drove away, I could hear him muttering curses about me. Choking on the exhaust fumes, I slumped onto the curb, utterly defeated, burying my head in my arms and sobbing. I don’t know how long passed before someone hugged me from behind. A wave of stale alcohol hit me. “Get lost,” I pushed him away. Liam didn’t pull back; instead, he rested his chin on my shoulder, nuzzling gently. “Baby, driving a taxi has been so stressful lately. I’ve been neglecting you, I’m sorry.” My body stiffened. He used to do that back when we were dating, a little trick to charm me. It meant he was hoping for forgiveness, no matter how badly he’d screwed up. I touched my belly and sighed deeply. Maybe he really was under too much pressure. Back home, I immediately turned on the heater and started to shower. Halfway through, the light went out. A cold draft swept through, and I couldn’t stop sneezing. I yelled outside: “Liam, why did the heater turn off! Did we run out of electricity credits?” I called again and again, but silence. What was going on? Our apartment was tiny, barely 500 square feet. Was he deaf? No choice, I quickly finished my shower and went out – the water heater was off. “Liam! Liam! Get out here, now!” I stomped my foot, screaming, so angry I could barely breathe. He hurried out, wearing an apron, a chef’s knife still dripping water in his hand. “Did you turn off the water heater?” I asked, softening my tone. “Sorry… electricity is just too expensive. You’re not that delicate, are you?” “I’ll make you a bowl of hot noodle soup to warm you up.” He then ducked back into the kitchen. While I waited at the table for five minutes, I checked our remaining electricity credits. Sure enough, we were in arrears again. A wave of sadness washed over me. Watching Liam busy in the kitchen, my chest felt tight and uncomfortable. The noodles were brought out – just clear broth and plain noodles, not even a single green vegetable. I took a bite. It was bland and tasteless, like he’d forgotten the salt. Liam, wiping his hands on his apron, looked at me expectantly. “How is it? Good?” I ate two bites, then couldn’t manage any more. I looked around our cramped apartment, feeling even more stifled. “I’m going to go wait tables at the restaurant. I need to earn back the electricity money.” Liam nodded like a bobblehead.

My main job was a nurse; the restaurant work was a side hustle, from 10 PM to 11 PM, for $10 an hour for the graveyard shift. The icy water was brutal, making my chapped hands ache and turn a painful red, constantly splashing onto my belly. My baby seemed to protest too, a few sharp kicks against my ribs. Dirt and grime clung to my fingers, and I saw what looked like a customer’s vomit. My hand trembled. “Crack!” The plate slipped from my grasp and shattered on the floor. Mr. Henderson, the manager, stood with his hands on his hips, jabbing his finger hard into my temple, his voice booming. “What do you think you’re doing?! Get out! You’re not working today!” I sharply raised my head, tears blurring my vision. “Please, no! You know my situation…” Mr. Henderson glanced at the leftovers on a nearby plate, grabbed a random plastic bag from the floor, and started dumping the food in. Greens, roasted chicken, sweet soup… all mixed together, it looked like pig slop. The tied-up plastic bag was unceremoniously tossed to the floor. “Take this and get out! Aren’t you always pulling these little stunts?!” Mr. Henderson sneered, his voice dripping with sarcasm, intentionally raising his voice to mock me. I walked home like a zombie, my stomach aching with hunger. Clutching my lower back, I went to the kitchen and found the noodle bowl and forks still sitting in the sink, unwashed. I headed straight to the bedroom. What greeted me was a room in utter disarray: clothes, shoes, instant noodle cups… everywhere. Liam was sprawled on the bed, sleeping soundly, snoring like a freight train. Was he that tired? I was exhausted too… Enduring the aches, I washed the dishes in the kitchen. When I went to throw out the trash, I saw two eggshells at the bottom of the bin. The tears I’d held back for so long burst forth when I saw those two eggshells. He’d put two eggs in his noodles earlier—but hadn’t spared a single one for me. Hadn’t he always sworn he’d suffer before he’d let me suffer? My heart ached with sharp, pulling pains. I placed a hand on my belly and took deep breaths, trying to calm myself. After washing up, I curled into a small corner of the bed. Just as I was about to fall asleep, I remembered my anomaly scan appointment for tomorrow. I pushed Liam hard twice, but he didn’t react, only mumbled something, rolled over, and continued sleeping. Unable to take it anymore, I slapped him across the face. “Liam! You used my card to pay that tramp, what about my prenatal checkup tomorrow?!” He suddenly threw off the covers and sat up, glaring at me and roaring. “Figure it out yourself! All you ever talk about is money, money, money! If you need money, you figure it out!” “You’re just a gold-digger, and you’re calling that hardworking woman names? You’re the pathetic one!” Me, a gold-digger? I broke ties with my family to be with him! I gave up my career as a resident physician to become a registered nurse, and now I don’t even have money for my prenatal checkup, and somehow it’s my fault? “Get out! I don’t want to see you!” I screamed, my voice hoarse. He only raised an eyebrow, a mocking look on his face. “If anyone’s getting out, it’s you. Don’t you dare forget who actually paid the rent this month!” “You…” A sudden, intense pain shot through my stomach. I clutched my belly, gasping for air. Instinctively reaching out for help, my hand trembled, but then I heard Liam scoff. “Faking it again, huh? You loved playing the victim when we were dating. Looks like old habits die hard, even now.” Then he pulled the covers over his head and went back to sleep.

My heart sank. I could only sit on the bed, groaning in pain, waiting for the agony to subside. “Are you serious? You’re still faking it?” He sat up again, looking annoyed. But when he saw my cold sweat and my body trembling, his expression changed. “What’s wrong with you? Let’s go, I’ll take you to the hospital. This is my first kid, and I’m not risking bad luck by losing it!” He bent over, and the jacket from his suit slid off the bed and fell to the floor. A stack of white papers spilled out. The word “Contract” was clearly visible. What contract? Alarm bells went off in my head. Along with Liam’s startled cry, I quickly reached out and snatched them up. The title boldly proclaimed: Contract for the Acquisition of a Fried Chicken Restaurant Chain. Party A: Liam Smith. Party B: Tiffany Jones. Liam snatched the contract from my hands, his face frantic, his words tumbling out incoherently. “Chloe, I didn’t mean to pretend to be poor. I was just testing if your love for me was true.” “I’ll transfer the money to you right now.” “Your PayPal account has received $10,000.” Ten thousand? I scoffed, turning my face away. To think that our marriage, which meant more than anything to me, was just a game in Liam’s eyes. I was nothing but a fool! Seeing I didn’t react, Liam suddenly dropped to his knees with a thud and began to hit his head on the floor, begging. Again and again, and soon his forehead was streaked with blood. “I’m so sorry, Chloe. I’ll give you my debit card right away.” He’d never cried in front of me before, but now tears streamed down his face, and he was sobbing like a child. “Will you come with me for my prenatal checkup tomorrow?” My father would definitely check the results of my checkup. He wouldn’t be at ease if I went alone. Liam’s face clouded over again, and he scratched his head. “But tomorrow I have a very important company meeting.” Furious, I threw a pillow hard at him, and he just gave a silly laugh. I lay down, ignoring him, trying to sleep, but he insisted on pressing close to me. He plastered on that familiar, shamelessly eager-to-please expression, just like when we first got married. Unfortunately, we could never go back. Clutching my swollen belly, I walked alone down the corridor of the obstetrics and gynecology department. Everywhere I looked, there were couples. From time to time, people would look at me and sigh. “How pitiful, so far along in her pregnancy and alone at the hospital.” “Yeah, her husband is so irresponsible. He probably won’t take care of her after the baby is born either.” Their whispers felt like daggers in my back, and I quickened my pace. In the office, Dr. Davis, the head of obstetrics and gynecology, praised me while performing my ultrasound. “The baby is very healthy.” Seeing me keep my head down and say nothing, he added: “Your dad still cares about you. He knew you were coming today and specifically asked me to be here to look after you.” “Really?” My voice caught in my throat. I had wronged my father, hurting him for a scumbag. But I was also so confused. After all, the baby hadn’t been born yet, and Liam had promised to change. “By the way, what’s your husband’s name? Why isn’t he here today?” I gave an awkward laugh. “He has business at work. His name is Liam Smith.” Dr. Davis suddenly fell silent, unmoving, frowning in thought. My heart skipped a beat. “What’s wrong, Dr. Davis? Is there something wrong with the baby?” “Oh! I just remembered, there was another pregnant woman whose husband had the same name earlier.” “That couple was so sweet. The husband even spent a fortune to book a luxury VIP suite at the hospital for his wife.” I froze, a dreadful premonition rising within me. After asking for the room number, I politely but firmly refused Dr. Davis’s offer to accompany me. I had to go alone. By the time I reached the hospital room door, I could barely stand, steadying myself by gripping the doorknob. What if it wasn’t him? Maybe it was just a coincidence. There are so many people with the same name in the world. I quietly pushed the door open a crack. The moment I saw the familiar figures inside, I collapsed to the floor. There, intimately close on the hospital bed, were Liam and Tiffany. Liam rushed over in a panic to help me up, but I violently shook off his hand. “Get lost! You’re disgusting!” With that, I stumbled to my feet and ran toward the Dean’s office. Tears streamed down my face. By the time I saw my father, I was sobbing uncontrollably, throwing myself into his arms with overwhelming grief. “Dad, I’m so sorry, I was wrong! I want a divorce!”

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I heard that the girl Kamran Thorne was interested in this time had been with her struggling boyfriend for years. Kamran was relentless in pursuing her, taking what he wanted, by force if necessary, no matter the consequences. The girl fought back like a cornered Monster, refusing to yield, even if it meant her ruin. The night he finally got her, fireworks burst over the ocean, blooming for them all night long. The next day, expensive jewelry and lavish gifts flooded her home, as if money were no object. My friends told me all this when they came to the mental hospital to drop off my clothes. I coughed up a mouthful of blood, then suddenly passed out. When I woke up, Kamran, whom I hadn’t seen in six months, stood by my hospital bed, giving me a warning. “Angela, as long as you promise not to bother her, I can let you come home and enjoy all the privileges you deserve as Mrs. Thorne.” Finally, I nodded weakly in agreement. Because just before I collapsed, I’d learned my brother Nealon had lost everything in an investment last month, saddled with massive debt. Only with Kamran’s financial support had Nealon avoided ruin. It’s just cheating, isn’t it? For Nealon’s sake, I wouldn’t make a fuss anymore.

On the way home, my driver got into a rear-end collision. The car flipped, the driver was unconscious instantly, and I was severely injured. As the ambulance rushed to the scene, I suddenly regained a flicker of consciousness. With what little awareness I had left, I instinctively fumbled for my phone and called Kamran. It rang for a long time before someone picked up. I swallowed the metallic taste of blood welling in my throat and spoke with difficulty: “Kamran, I…” Kamran’s voice held an edge of impatience. “Didn’t I already send a driver to pick you up? I told you I’m busy, Angela. Can’t you be more understanding?” The phone’s receiver suddenly filled with noise. A familiar voice. The girl’s desperate cry came through: “Kamran, you can do whatever you want to me, but why would you hurt *him*?” Kamran’s voice was calm, but his words sent a chill down my spine. “Seraphina, I told you. If you dared to accept his proposal, I’d make sure he spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair.” So, the sweet, innocent-looking girl Kamran was so desperately protecting was named Seraphina. I suddenly remembered why that voice sounded so familiar. It was the sound I’d made the first time I discovered Kamran was cheating, smashing everything in sight. Kamran always knew how to drive people insane. On the other end of the line, Seraphina was crying, begging Kamran to spare her boyfriend. Before I completely lost consciousness, I heard Seraphina’s pleas. “Please, be gentle…” Her cries shifted from enraged curses to soft, broken whimpers. When I woke up, Kamran was sitting on a sofa nearby, fiddling with his phone. He noticed my gaze. He hesitated, then reached out as if to check my forehead for a fever. I turned my head away, my voice hoarse. “I’m fine.” Kamran scoffed, pulling his hand back abruptly. “Angela, you just got out, and already you’re pulling stunts like a car crash. Haven’t you learned your lesson?” My mind went blank. “I’ve told you many times, no one will ever threaten your position. You are my only wife, Angela Thorne.” “What good does it do you, fighting with some young girl fresh out of college, only to end up covered in injuries?” He thought my car accident was a desperate tactic to win his affection against Seraphina. I opened my mouth, but found anything I could say would sound weak and useless. “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.” After all, I knew I had no right to argue now. Kamran seemed pleased by my surrender. My brother called to tell me Kamran had pre-paid his next month’s debt. See? If I just disappeared into the background, if I knew my place, Kamran would take care of all our problems. “If you’re so miserable, Angela, then leave him. Divorce him.” “I’ll figure out the money, I promise.” My arm ached from holding the phone. I’d heard it all. Our family’s assets had been seized and put up for auction. Cars, houses—everything vanished overnight, and it still wasn’t enough to fill the hole. My brother, Nealon, had been beaten by debt collectors, moved from our palatial riverside mansion to a dark, damp basement in just three days. I heard that when Kamran found him, Nealon was curled up on a cramped twin bed, eyes closed, face pale, blood on his lips. His blanket didn’t even cover his legs. On the floor lay an unopened takeout box. We were utterly ruined, with no other choice. Now Kamran was offering cars, a house, and endless funds. All I had to do was turn a blind eye and let him have his ‘beautiful love’ with Seraphina. In our current situation, what right did we have to refuse? I managed a weak smile. “I’m not miserable. Just being blind, that’s all. I can do it.” After being discharged, I tried to be a dutiful wife. I stopped asking about Kamran’s whereabouts or his spending. When Kamran needed a ride home after drinking at a business dinner, I gave the driver Seraphina’s number. When Kamran said he wanted my homemade mushroom soup, I expertly dialed Seraphina’s number and asked her to deliver it. When Kamran complained his newly tailored cufflinks didn’t have a matching suit, I told Seraphina to contact Kamran’s private tailor. Until three months later, Kamran, uncharacteristically, called me himself. He said he was coming home for dinner tonight.

After dinner, as I mechanically prepared his suit for tomorrow, He suddenly pinned me beneath him. “You’ve been so quiet lately, almost… unlike yourself…” As a flurry of kisses rained down on my face, Seraphina’s usual gardenia perfume quickly filled my nostrils. The room’s temperature abruptly rose, making the scent even more intense. A strong wave of nausea suddenly surged in my throat. I forced myself to hold it back. But then, at the peak of it all, Kamran whispered *Seraphina’s* name. My mind went blank, my knuckles white as I gripped the pillow. The next second, I found a surge of strength from somewhere, pushed Kamran away with all my might, And rushed to the bathroom, dry-heaving over the toilet bowl. Kamran followed me closely. Seeing my actions, the lust in his eyes instantly vanished. He leaned against the doorframe, a slight frown on his brow, his tone impatient. “What’s wrong with you?” I didn’t answer him, the continuous retching echoing through the bathroom. He lost patience, simply dropping a line: “Go to the doctor tomorrow for a check-up.” The roar of his car faded downstairs, taking my sleepiness with it. I curled up in the corner of the bed, desperately trying to suppress the physical discomfort. But it seemed useless. So I got out of bed. Rummaging through drawers, trying to find some medicine, I found a pearl necklace in the back of the cabinet. It looked cheap, its metal settings faded. The cold metal in my palm suddenly grew hot, burning me so badly I almost dropped it. I remembered Kamran’s toughest year. We were twenty-two. To test his abilities, his family cut off all his financial resources, forcing him to start from the bottom. The pampered heir who used to blow millions a month was now earning a meager salary, wearing cheap, off-the-rack clothes, squeezed into a crowded employee dorm. My heart ached for him, and I secretly gave him half of my allowance. Under the moonlight, his voice choked. “Angela, it’s so good to have you.” To earn money to buy me a birthday present, He took on every odd job he could, working until he was seeing stars, refusing to stop. When he handed me a pearl necklace, his face was flushed. “The quality of this pearl is definitely nothing compared to what you have in your closet, Angela. If you don’t like it, you can just say so…” I didn’t refuse. I took off my latest designer necklace and wore that pearl necklace year after year. Many times later, that necklace became Kamran’s token to soften my heart. Snapping out of the memory, I clutched the necklace and walked to the balcony, flinging it forcefully into the air. The pearl necklace disappeared into the flowerbed, out of sight. Two months later. Someone arrived at the door. Seraphina. She wore a chic, designer-style suit, and an expensive watch adorned her wrist. Even her earrings were the ones Kamran had bought at auction for a fortune recently. I knew she had accepted Kamran’s possessive love. Like many women, she had come to make me step aside from Kamran’s marriage. “He doesn’t love you anymore. There’s no point in you holding onto this position.” “And I need the title of Mrs. Thorne to shed the label of ‘mistress’.” But now, *I* also needed that title. I only had my brother left. I could give way on everything else, but not this. Seeing no reaction from me, a flicker of hatred crossed her eyes. She slammed her hand on the table and stood up. “Angela, why can’t you keep Kamran in check?” “Why did you let him drive me and my boyfriend to the brink?” “I’m like this because of your incompetence! You’re the one who ruined me!” “If I’m not happy, then you and Kamran, you won’t be either, you disgusting cheats!” She lunged at me, her full weight pressing down on me. My lower back slammed against the metal-edged table corner, the intense pain making me momentarily speechless. I tried to push her away. But before I could even apply force, she suddenly fell to the floor herself, sending plates and silverware crashing to the floor. I turned around and saw Seraphina clutching her stomach in pain. The fabric beneath her quickly stained red with blood. She… was pregnant? The screams of the house staff echoed in my ears, and Kamran’s panicked shouts came from the entryway. The next second, a swift, brutal slap landed across my face. The blow was so hard I tasted blood on my lips. “Angela!” “I thought bringing you back these past few months meant you’d learned your lesson. I never thought you’d still be so stubborn!” An indescribable bitterness surged, rising to my throat, thick with the metallic taste of blood. My voice hoarse, I defended myself: “I didn’t push her…” Kamran didn’t listen to my explanation. He scooped Seraphina up, holding her close, and bolted out the door, his composure shattered. The man who usually remained unflappable even at the negotiation table now had a back that trembled subtly with fear. A week later, I received a call from my brother. “Angela, can you please ask Kamran why he suddenly disconnected the bank account for repayments?” “If it’s too much trouble, then forget it…”

I mumbled a reply, understanding in my heart that Nealon was always too proud. He wouldn’t have called me unless he was truly desperate. When I called Kamran, he picked up quickly, as if he’d been waiting for my call. “What card? Oh… that one. I thought it might have been compromised, so I unlinked it. Is there a problem?” Kamran’s tone was dismissive. But his words felt like a heavy hammer blow to my heart. My hands twisted my shirt hem nervously, and I forced myself to speak. “But Nealon can’t wait, Kamran. Please, can’t you be considerate of me, just this once, like you used to be…” *Kamran*. It had been a long time since I’d called him that. Kamran fell silent for a moment. After a rustling sound, Seraphina’s voice came through. “Angela, don’t you know the company is facing financial strain lately? You and your brother are like bottomless pits; no matter how much money is given, it’s never enough. You’ll drag him down eventually.” Financial strain… The headlines I saw this morning suddenly flashed in my mind. “CEO Kamran Thorne Lavishes Millions for Love! Multi-Million Dollar Mansion, Luxury Car Titles All Registered to Seraphina Hayes!” Financial strain, it was because of this, wasn’t it? An endless bitterness spread across my tongue, like insects gnawing relentlessly, making my heart tremble with pain. “Kamran has left this matter to me. If you can appease me enough, he’ll naturally repay your brother’s debt.” I agreed without hesitation. “I’ll send you an address. Come find me tomorrow, and I’ll tell you.” I never expected Seraphina to send me the address of *my* old family home. Standing at the gate, looking at the familiar exterior, I felt a strange sense of déjà vu, as if stepping into a different lifetime. The cherry tree outside the door was in bloom. When Kamran and I planted this cherry tree together, he asked me, “Do you know what cherry blossoms symbolize?” I shook my head. He leaned down, gently biting my left ear, his hot breath on my earlobe making my heart pound. “Angela, I’m your prisoner of love.” A spring breeze blew, bringing me back to reality. I gave a self-deprecating smile. Entering the courtyard. In front of the massive French windows, the sunlight made the indoor furniture gleam, filtered through the white sheer curtains. I saw two intertwined bodies sprawled on the very chair my mother cherished most. Kamran’s breathing was ragged, his voice laced with both seduction and a hint of punishment. “So, you promised you wouldn’t go too far.” Seraphina playfully pushed his shoulder, giggling. “You gave me this house. Why are you still telling me what to do?” What did she mean… he *gave* her this house? I rushed into the house, distraught, and confronted him: “This house, did you really give it to her?” Kamran got up from Seraphina, slowly wrapping his bathrobe around himself. “Yes, the paperwork is being processed.” The moment those words left his mouth, my ears buzzed. I couldn’t hold back my emotions anymore. Like a madwoman, I lunged at Kamran, hitting him. “Why would you give it to her! You promised that as long as I listened to you, this house would be returned to me!” “Kamran, why did you give it to her, why?!” He grabbed my flailing hands and shoved me roughly onto the sofa. Even though the sofa was soft, a dull ache still throbbed in my lower abdomen when I hit it. “She lost a baby. This house is my compensation to her.” “If you had lost a baby that day, I would have compensated you too.” “And Angela, don’t forget why you’re here today.” In an instant, I forgot how to cry, how to shout, how to hate. When a sliver of rationality returned, Seraphina had also gotten dressed. “Angela, I haven’t quite decided how to punish you. How about… you get down on your knees and beg me?” Meeting Seraphina’s haughty gaze, a powerful sense of humiliation instantly erupted within me. But I knew I couldn’t refuse. The room fell silent. For a moment, I only heard a soft, muffled thud. It wasn’t my knees. It was my spine, straight for twenty-six years, that snapped completely in that moment. Seraphina smiled. “I don’t have all day to spend here with you.” “This is your house. You must know where the security cameras are, right? If I check the security footage and don’t see you on your knees, then I probably can’t help your brother.” With that, she linked her arm with Kamran’s and left. My abdominal pain grew worse. I was in too much pain to straighten up. Every time I tried to stand and catch my breath, The security camera in the corner would subtly shift. The person behind the camera seemed to be reminding me, over and over, that if I dared to run, dared to stand, My brother would be ruined. As night fell, I suddenly felt a warm gush between my legs. By the moonlight, I saw my pants were already stained crimson. Terrified, I called my brother. I cried, telling him I was dying, that I was bleeding so much. My brother, Nealon, arrived. He was still in his uniform from his part-time job. He trembled as he scooped me up and ran towards the ambulance. “Angela, don’t sleep! Keep your eyes open for me!” “Angela! Don’t you dare fall asleep!” Before I was wheeled into the operating room, dimly, I saw Kamran. It was the first time I’d seen him so distraught since we got married. The man who usually kept every strand of hair perfectly in place now wore his coat inside out in his carelessness. Could he actually look so panicked for me? But I didn’t want to see him anymore.

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After Jason lost his memory in a car crash, he forgot our ten years of love. He was welcomed back by his powerful birth family, matched with a perfect fiancée, and I became the gold-digging stranger clinging to his past. My flower shop was destroyed. He watched coldly as his fiancée pushed me to the floor. The child in my womb became a pool of blood. He only wrinkled his nose in disgust. “A gold-digger’s daughter, daring to dream above your station.” When fire trapped us both, he rushed to his fiancée without hesitation. As flames burned my skin, I heard his final dismissive words. “Amber, I never lost my memory. You owed me this.” “If there’s a next life, I hope we never meet.” In the darkness, I heard a sterile, mechanical voice. “Jason Thompson has traded his life for your rebirth.” I opened my eyes again. I found myself back to the day he woke up from the car crash, his memory gone. This time, I didn’t cry. I didn’t try to prove I was his girlfriend. Instead, I offered a calm smile. “Mr. Thompson. I am Amber Reed, your patron.”

“What did you say?” Jason stared at me, rigid, as if taken aback by my answer. Next to him, his fiancée, Sarah, scoffed. “Who are you?! A pauper like you, sponsoring someone? Don’t bring your stench of poverty around us.” But this time, I spoke clearly. “I am Mr. Thompson’s patron from the past ten years.” “The itemized expenses for the last ten years come to one hundred twenty thousand. My lawyer will send you the breakdown.” In my previous life, I’d cried, grasping his hand, recounting our decade of memories over and over, begging him to look at our matching rings. Who would have thought the man who swore to love me forever would publicly rip off his ring and toss it into the trash? Then, he had his bodyguards drag me to the police station, where I was held for 24 hours. The hospital room fell silent, everyone staring at me in shock. Jason’s face shifted, his hands unconsciously clenching into fists. He must have expected me to break down like before, begging him to remember me. That way, he could comfortably use his so-called amnesia like a knife, torturing me without end. His fiancée, Sarah, spoke up. “Is money all you care about?” “Exactly. Between him and me, it’s purely a financial arrangement.” I smiled, then turned to leave. Just then, my phone buzzed, the screen flashing to life, displaying a cherished photo of Jason and me as the wallpaper. Sarah snatched my phone with startling speed, smashing it to pieces, just like my ten years of youth. Then, a cup of scalding hot coffee was poured down, drenching me from head to toe. The hot liquid trickled down my hair and neck, a burning pain that made me tremble. “Who do you think you are, aspiring to his money?” I gasped, about to retaliate, but Sarah shoved me hard. Jason didn’t stir. Suddenly, I felt utterly bored. I pulled a set of keys from my pocket and tossed them at him. “This is the place you used to live. Get your things out within twenty-four hours.” “Otherwise, I’ll treat them as trash.” Jason, still on the hospital bed, his expression frozen. It was just that I’d been so deluded in my previous life that I hadn’t noticed these obvious cracks in his story. He opened his mouth, as if to speak. But I walked out of the room without looking back. A hand grabbed my arm from behind. “Amber!” I stopped, turning back to him. “Didn’t you lose your memory? How do you know my name?” A flicker of guilt crossed his eyes, but he asked again, “Was our relationship just about sponsorship?” I nodded. Isn’t this what he wanted? Last life, he denied our love. This life, I gave him what he wished for. The hospital room door wasn’t fully closed, and Sarah’s voice drifted out. “Jason, would you really settle for someone like that?” The room was silent for a moment. Then, Jason sighed. “Back then, I was dependent on their charity, with no real say.” “Calling her my girlfriend is generous; it’s more like I was a pet their family had ‘adopted’ and controlled.” He hurled insults at me, one after another, from my personality to my daily habits, as if demeaning me would solidify his current status. I remembered him once saying he couldn’t live without me. Burning his hands, leaving them covered in blisters, just to cook for me. Scrimping and saving for months just to buy me the necklace I liked. Yet, he could watch our eagerly awaited child turn into a pool of blood right before him and remain utterly indifferent. I touched my lower abdomen, tears silently falling to the ground.

I processed the flower shop transfer and contacted a private investigator. Back home, everything was still familiar. The wind chimes he made by hand hung in the living room, and the succulents on the balcony were neatly arranged-plants he watered every weekend. The fridge was filled with my favorite drinks, plastered with sticky notes. “Remember to eat breakfast.” “Temperature dropped today, wear more layers…” I traced those yellowing notes, then peeled them off one by one and tossed them into the trash. That night, I dreamt. In the dream, we still lived in this little house. He was in the kitchen, wearing an apron, experimenting with delicious recipes for me. I wanted to help, but he shooed me away to watch TV. He never let me get involved in household chores. He’d even wash fruit and bring it right to my mouth. When our passion burned brightest, we’d spend entire days nestled together at home, lost in each other’s kisses and embraces. I didn’t want to wake up until the doorbell jolted me. When I opened the door, a bank card slapped against my face. “Here’s your money.” “I’m here to get my things.” Jason stood there in a sharp suit, his face cold and unyielding, a completely different man from the one in my dream, wearing an apron. He had brought Sarah with him. The giant wedding photo in the living room hadn’t been taken down yet. Jason paused for a moment as he walked past it. If I hadn’t wanted to postpone our wedding after my parents passed, we would have been married last year. Everything was ready, just one step away from the final ceremony and registering our marriage at the government office. “You even manipulated Jason into taking wedding photos, still fantasizing about marrying into wealth, huh?” Seeing this, I grabbed the baseball bat from the corner and swung it hard. The glass of the photo frame shattered across the floor. “Amber! What are you doing?!” Jason’s face darkened. He instinctively grabbed Sarah, pulling her behind him, as if afraid I’d swing the bat at her. He pushed me away with his hand. I instinctively protected my stomach, and as I fell, my hand accidentally landed on the shattered glass. He looked at the twisted, broken wedding photo and scoffed. “So why were you faking it at the hospital?!” His gaze landed on me, as if asking why I wasn’t confessing. I didn’t speak, enduring the pain, and pulled all his belongings out in a heap. “Jason Thompson, do you still want this junk?” Sarah emerged from behind Jason, walking over in her heels, and kicked over a box. It was the first gift he ever bought me, a music box with a dancing figurine inside. The music box hit the floor with a crisp, shattering sound. Something I usually cherished fiercely was now split in half, but I felt nothing. Jason never answered, only instructing his bodyguards to move everything out. It wasn’t until he was leaving that he asked in a low voice, “Are you really going to let me go so easily?” I lowered my head and gave a bitter laugh. “Mr. Thompson, you’re joking. Isn’t this what you wanted?” In my previous life, if he’d just been honest, said he was tired of me, I wouldn’t have clung on. But he chose to act, giving me cold shoulders, letting Sarah target and humiliate me. Even when I had a miscarriage right there, he didn’t hold Sarah accountable. Instead, he blamed me for scaring her and demanded I apologize. He played me for a fool, tormenting me, and I could feel a subtle undercurrent of hatred from him. But I never knew where that hatred came from. Sarah grabbed my arm then, thinking I was still clinging to him. I couldn’t resist, and slapped her across the face. The slap echoed sharply, and the next second, Jason’s hand swung out. “What the hell are you doing?!” My head snapped to the side from the impact, my vision went black for two seconds, and my stomach throbbed faintly. My hand trembled, but I managed a smile. “You’ve got your things. Now get out.” I pushed them out the door, tears tracing the red mark on my cheek. My chest ached with pain and nausea. I couldn’t help but rush to the bathroom and retch. That slap felt like it settled the score for Sarah pushing me into miscarriage in my last life. Jason and I were finally even.

Sitting on a cold bench in the OB-GYN department hallway, I waited for my number to be called for my prenatal check-up. “What are you doing here?” Hearing Jason’s familiar voice, I clutched my three-month pregnancy check-up report tightly in my hand. “Doctor’s appointment.” He stared at the OB-GYN sign, his face changing, a hesitant look in his eyes. Just as he was about to say something, Sarah interrupted him. “Jason!” She scurried over in flats, grabbing his arm. “The doctor said you need to come in with me.” “My baby is three months along, and the doctor wants to go over some things with you, the expectant father…” My breath hitched. Three months. So early. In my past life, three months ago was the peak of his startup’s struggle. He was out constantly, and I’d felt so sorry for him, I’d even put my own flower shop on hold. I learned to cook all his favorite meals, tried to make things easier. It wasn’t the business that was consuming him. He had already found his wealthy birth family. He already had a child with another woman. No wonder he was so frantic when I struck Sarah. And in my past life, when I lost our baby…he showed nothing. No grief, no anger. He already had a spare. Sarah noticed me, her expression mocking. “What, are you pregnant too?!” “Don’t think you can come to the hospital with some fake report and trick your way into marrying Jason Thompson.” I forced a smile. “Ms. Sinclair, if you have trust issues, you should see a psychiatrist. Not everyone is desperate for your man.” Sarah’s face instantly flushed, and she started to play the victim. “Jason, why is she talking to me like that?” “Last time, if it weren’t for her slap, I wouldn’t have had unexplained stomach pain and bleeding!” Jason’s face was colder than ice. Then, with his silent permission, two bodyguard-like men walked towards me and dragged me into the stairwell. Without a word, they grabbed my hair, forcing my head back. A loud slap landed on my face, and another bodyguard raised his leg, aiming for my stomach. I’m pregnant too! I struggled desperately, but the bodyguards slapped me several times. I closed my eyes in despair, instinctively protecting my lower abdomen. But it was useless. They kicked my stomach with full force. My stomach hurt so badly. Sarah still wasn’t satisfied. But Jason stepped in front of me first. “Sera, the doctor said you shouldn’t get too agitated; it’s not good for the baby. Let’s leave it at that for now.” Jason’s voice was gentle as he held her shoulder, half coaxing, half escorting her away. He never once glanced at me, curled up on the ground. Blood flowed all over the floor beneath me, my stomach was in agony, and I felt the tiny life inside me slowly fading away. Finally, a passing nurse found me and helped me onto a stretcher. Ding. My phone screen lit up. It was a message from Jason. I didn’t open it; I just dragged his number straight into my blacklist. I lay on the hospital bed, tears silently tracing paths down my face. My baby was gone. I stayed in the hospital for two days, until my flower shop employee called me, saying someone had trashed my store. My body hadn’t fully recovered, but I endured the pain and rushed over. … Just like in my previous life, Sarah came to the flower shop to cause trouble. Even after what happened at the hospital. She wasn’t someone who would let things go. I stood at the doorway, calmly watching everything unfold. Sarah imperiously directed everyone, smashing my flower shop to smithereens. Glass shards exploded, grazing my calves, but I felt no pain. I remembered once, while arranging roses, my finger was pricked by a thorn, and a bead of blood appeared. Jason saw it, held my hand, his brow deeply furrowed. He ran to find a bandage, muttering for me to be careful in the future. But now, he merely stood beside Sarah, oblivious to the destruction, letting her vent. His gaze fell on me, devoid of guilt or concern. In his eyes, I saw a struggling resentment. He hated me. I didn’t know what he hated me for. Did he resent our seemingly unequal relationship from the past? Or did he resent my family for having sponsored him, making him feel indebted and unable to hold his head high? I looked up, meeting Sarah’s gaze. “When you’re done smashing everything, remember to pay for the damages.” Sarah laughed as if she’d heard a joke. “Pay? Jason, did you hear that? She actually wants money. Is this cheap woman insane from poverty?” As she spoke, she grabbed an unbroken vase nearby and threw it at my head. I dodged, and the vase shattered against the wall behind me. I stepped forward, intending to fight back, but Jason’s hand clamped down on my wrist. Jason’s eyes blazed with fury, and he roared, “What right do you have to fight back?!”

He shoved me hard, and I laughed. “Jason, I never intended to cling to you. Why won’t you just leave me alone?” “I’ll be leaving here soon, and I won’t appear again…” Jason’s eyes, however, were full of doubt and disbelief. Sarah scoffed. “Who are you trying to fool? You think you’ll give up that easily?” “And your deadbeat parents, using sponsorship as an excuse to force Jason to marry you. Your whole family was scheming against him.” “Let me tell you, if you dare show your face in front of Jason again, I’ll have someone desecrate your parents’ graves.” My face turned cold. This time, I grabbed Sarah’s hair and slammed her head into the mangled, scattered roses. She shrieked. Her eyes were dangerously close to being pricked by the thorns. Jason wrapped his arms around me from behind, dragging me back. Finally, the bodyguards who rushed in pinned me to the ground, screaming hysterically. Sarah took the opportunity to play the victim, crying as she hugged Jason. “Jason, I’m so scared! She tried to kill me and our baby…” “If you touch my parents’ graves, I swear I won’t let you go!” Jason held her tightly. His face was cold, his eyes like ice. “Amber, how do you know I wouldn’t?” My pupils contracted. My parents had brought Jason home, sponsored his education, and treated him like their own son. He had knelt before their ashes, sobbing, vowing through tears that he would never forget their grace, that he would protect me until his last breath. But now, his words were utterly merciless. I had thought, at the very least, he would spare their memory. It wasn’t until a bodyguard handed him a phone, displaying a picture of my parents’ desecrated graves, the tombstone shattered. Jason’s eyes showed no flicker of emotion, silently condoning the insult. My heart wrenched, and my whole body convulsed with pain. My eyes, fixed on him, felt like they would bleed. “Jason, why?! What did they do wrong…” What did I ever owe him? He shifted his gaze, avoiding my question. “You provoked Sera. She’s carrying my child.” I laughed. Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. Despair, powerlessness, and suffocation drowned me. Even a second life didn’t make me worthy of the truth. “Just let me go. I won’t bother you again.” Jason’s gaze wavered for a fraction of a second. Then it hardened. “Sera will cover the cost. But you will apologize to her.” I took a deep breath and stood up. Under his doubtful gaze, I slapped him hard across the face. He looked at me in disbelief, mixed with anger and hurt. But I’d had enough of his performance. I turned and left the flower shop. Jason moved to follow me, but Sarah cried out that she felt faint. He had to quickly scoop her up and get into the car. Then, he pulled out his phone and sent a message to his assistant. “Check Amber Reed’s hospital records.” … Days later, en route to the airport, the investigator’s encrypted file hit my inbox. As I read the contents of the first page, my hand trembled violently, and my blood ran cold. So that was why. That was why he’d changed overnight, faking amnesia to look me in the eye and lie. That was why he’d tossed away a decade like it was nothing!

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The call came just before the wedding, from our wedding planner Amy. Her voice buzzed with excitement. “Miss Seraphina, we’ve finished the edit of Mr. Blake Harrison’s proposal video. It’s stunning. May we share it on our company account for promotion?” I froze for a second, then smiled. Blake and I had been together seven years. Our proposal was simple and spontaneous, just a casual suggestion after dinner. I thought this video was his secret, romantic surprise for me. “Of course,” I agreed cheerfully. After hanging up, I clicked on the planner’s social media. The latest video’s thumbnail showed Blake’s handsome profile. The caption read: “A Timeless Love Story. Seven Years Strong, He Gave Her the Surprise Proposal of a Lifetime.” I pressed play. The video was beautifully shot. Blake’s eyes held deep affection, enough to drown in. Then the camera shifted to show the woman in front of him. She stood in a white dress, hands clasped over her mouth in delight. My breath caught. The woman wasn’t me.

Seraphina POV By the time I fully registered her face, all the blood in my veins ran cold. It was Willow. Blake’s “bestie,” the one he swore was “like a sister.” In the video, he was kneeling, sliding the diamond ring-my ring-onto her finger. The comments section drowned in heart emojis and cries of “True love goals!” I closed the app. Two weeks ago, Blake had said he needed to do a favor for Willow, who was “so scared of commitment.” So this was the favor. A proposal more elaborate than the one he’d ever given me. Right then, a notification lit up my screen. A message from Blake. “What should we do for dinner tonight?” I left it on read. I screenshotted their embrace and posted it on Ins. My caption was brutal: “Dreams come true. Congrats to my fiancé Blake Harrison and his ‘bestie’ on their happy ending. Enjoy!” Blake called instantly, his voice seething. “Seraphina! What is this? Delete it now!” “Who’s the crazy one here, you or me?” I fired back. “I told you! It was a favor for Willow! She wanted to experience it! As her best friend, how could I refuse?” When I stayed silent, Blake seemed to hear his own anger. He took a breath, softening his tone slightly. “You know Willow’s ‘anti-marriage.’ She’s family to all of us. Nothing is going on. Don’t be dramatic.” His words struck me as utterly absurd. “Dramatic? So, unless you help her ‘experience’ her wedding night too, I’m ‘dramatic’?!” Blake roared, his anger flaring. “Seraphina! Don’t be so disgusting! Do you think everyone’s as high-maintenance as you? Willow has always been upfront; she’s not as twisted as you are!” “Fine, I’m twisted. I’ve desecrated your sacred friendship.” At that moment, I just felt exhausted. “I’m not marrying you.” I couldn’t be bothered to argue anymore. I just hung up.

Seraphina POV Half an hour later, the door was swung open. Blake stormed in, rage burning in his eyes. “Seraphina!” He pointed at me, his eyes bloodshot. “Explain yourself! What do you mean, ‘not marrying you’?!” I sat on the sofa, not even glancing his way. Blake grew even angrier. “Delete that Ins post immediately and go apologize to Willow! Otherwise, this wedding…” He didn’t finish his sentence. I stood up and slammed our wedding invitations onto the coffee table in front of him. Blake froze. “What are you doing with those?” I didn’t answer. Right in front of him, I pulled out one card and tore it forcefully. “Are you insane?! Stop that!” Blake reacted, trying to snatch them away. It was too late. I didn’t stop. I shredded all the remaining invitations, then tossed the pieces into the air. I watched Blake’s stunned expression and calmly told him, “I said, I’m not marrying you. So these things are useless now.” Blake was completely stunned by my actions. His shock quickly turned into furious indignation. “Fine! Seraphina, this is your choice. Don’t you dare regret it!” He threw the harsh words at me, then slammed the door shut as he left. I looked at the mess on the floor and felt, instead, a sense of lightness. When did I start losing myself, becoming so utterly pathetic in this relationship? My own proposal was Blake’s casual “Let’s get married” after dinner. I even picked out my own ring. For seven years, I’d numbed myself with the excuse that “he’s just not romantic.” But that meticulously planned proposal for Willow on TikTok? It ripped my lies to shreds. He wasn’t unromantic; he just couldn’t be bothered to put in the effort for me. Memories flooded back. Willow always rode shotgun in Blake’s car. His excuse? “She gets motion sickness in the back.” We’d make plans for a movie, but one call from Willow saying her game needed another player, and he’d ditch me in an instant. The money we’d worked so hard to save? He even suggested we lend it to Willow first for her “startup.” My every complaint was met with Blake’s dismissive “Why are you always so petty?” Seven years. I changed so much for Blake, learned to tolerate so much. I didn’t lose to love. I lost to him, and to his best friend who clearly didn’t understand personal space. Now, I refused to tolerate it anymore. Picking up my phone, I started making calls, one by one, canceling everything related to the wedding. “Amy, I’m so sorry, the wedding is off. Please keep the deposit.” “Hello, I need to cancel the wedding banquet for next month.” With every call, a layer of that seven-year weight fell away. Seven years wasted on a dog, but at least it wasn’t a lifetime. The relief was real. I’d gotten out in time.

Seraphina POV After Blake stormed out, my Instagram notifications blew up. Willow had just posted. The photos were a series of goofy selfies of her and Blake, but their poses screamed intimacy. The caption was a masterpiece of fake nonchalance: “Oops, got a little carried away living out a ‘what-if’ scenario! So sorry if it confused anyone. We’re just two chronically single besties who got a bit too into the bit. Back to our regularly scheduled programming!” Immediately, my phone began to ring off the hook. The messages were all from our mutual friends, their wording almost identical. “Seraphina, it was just a joke, don’t take it seriously.” “Seven years of a relationship isn’t easy, delete your Ins post and give Blake a way out.” “You know Willow’s personality, she’s like one of the guys, don’t overthink it.” I looked at these messages and let out a cold laugh. Everyone was on their moral high horse, telling me to “be the bigger person.” I saw it clearly: they were protecting that little circle centered around Blake. These people were Blake’s and Willow’s friends, never mine. I didn’t reply to a single message. I opened each chat, found their names, and blocked them, one by one, with resolute finality. After purging them, my phone rang again. It was Mrs. Harrison, Blake’s mother. I answered. “Hello.” On the other end, Mrs. Harrison’s voice was laced with that familiar maternal pressure. “Seraphina, Blake told me you two had a fight. Why are you breaking up over a silly little joke?” “It wasn’t a joke.” “Willow’s like a daughter to us, I watched her grow up. She and Blake have always been a bit wild together, you should be more understanding.” Mrs. Harrison’s words were all about defending Willow. “As Blake’s future wife, you need to be more understanding.” “Listen to me, delete that Ins post, and this whole thing can be over. Don’t let relatives and friends make fun of us.” And just like that, I understood exactly where Blake’s complete lack of boundaries came from. Willow’s presence was openly condoned. If I actually married him, the future was suffocating just to imagine. I cut her off. “This isn’t a joke; it’s a matter of principle. Blake and I have broken up. This decision won’t change.” Mrs. Harrison’s displeasure was palpable. “You child, why are you being so unreasonable?” I didn’t want to argue anymore. “Sorry, I have to go.” I hung up and blocked her number too.

Seraphina POV After hanging up with Mrs. Harrison, I thought of the wedding dress. It was my main gown, the one I’d personally helped design, making over a dozen trips to the studio. Now that I’d decided to break things off, I needed to deal with it-at least pay the final balance or see if it could be returned. I took a cab to the haute couture bridal shop. As I approached the VIP fitting room, before I even pushed the door open, I heard a familiar laugh from inside. “Wow, Blake, does it look good?” My hand froze on the doorknob. It was Willow’s voice. Then came Blake’s voice, full of doting affection. “Gorgeous! It looks custom-made for you, Willow. You’re beautiful in a wedding dress.” I shoved the door open. In front of the full-length mirror, Willow was twirling around, wearing my fishtail white gown. The layers of lace, the intricate details-I’d stayed up late sketching and refining those. Now, they were on another woman. And my fiancé, Blake, was holding his phone, finding angles to photograph her. Hearing the door, they both turned. Seeing me, a flicker of awkwardness crossed Blake’s face. “Seraphina? What are you doing here?” Willow, holding up her skirt, approached me with a sickeningly innocent smile. “Seraphina, don’t get the wrong idea! I just saw this dress. It was too beautiful not to try. You know I’m against marriage. I’ll never have a real wedding. So I thought, why not have a little pretend moment before yours?” She twirled, her skirt brushing my feet. “Seraphina, you don’t mind, do you? I’ll only wear it for ten minutes.” I looked at her, then at Blake. “Take it off.” Blake frowned. “Seraphina, what’s with the temper tantrum again? Willow was just curious; it’s not like she’ll ruin it.” “This is my wedding dress,” I stared at Blake. “It was custom-made for me. I was going to wear it on my wedding day. Blake, do you have any sense of decency at all?” “Are you done yet?” Blake impatiently put down his phone. “Willow is my best friend. It’s just a dress. Is it really worth getting so angry over? Fine, maybe I’ll just give her this dress for her to take pictures in later.” Give it to her? I laughed, a bitter, hollow sound. My custom-made wedding dress, in his mouth, had become an item to appease another woman. “Oh no, Blake, don’t yell at Seraphina, it’s all my fault.” Willow put on a tearful act, trying to grab my hand in feigned panic. Just then, the glass of bright red strawberry fruit tea in her hand slipped. The red tea splashed out, most of it spilling onto the pristine white skirt of the wedding dress. Large, dark red stains rapidly bloomed across the snow-white lace. “Ah!” Willow shrieked, covering her mouth. “I’m so, so sorry, I didn’t mean to!” Blake’s first reaction wasn’t even to look at the dress. He immediately pulled Willow closer, anxiously checking her hands and clothes. “Are you okay? Not burned, are you? Did you get your clothes dirty?” After confirming Willow was fine, he finally turned to the ruined dress and frowned at me. “See what you did? You had to come over and yell at her, scaring Willow so much she couldn’t even hold her cup steady. It’s fine. It’s just a little fruit tea stain, the staff can just send it for dry cleaning. Don’t make such a fuss.” I looked at the destroyed dress, my heart sinking further. “No need to clean it.” I looked up. “I find things that have been dirtied disgusting.” Blake froze. “What do you mean?” I turned, walked directly to the counter, and slapped the unpaid balance receipt onto the table. “Manager, I’m not returning this wedding dress. I’m paying the full balance now.” “Since Miss Willow likes it so much and also stained it, then Mr. Harrison can pay for it in full. Blake, didn’t you just say you wanted to give it to her for photos? Pay up.” Blake’s eyes widened. “Seraphina, are you insane? That’s hundreds of thousands of dollars!” “What? You don’t want to spend money on your dear ‘sister’?” I said. “Weren’t you so generous just now?” The surrounding staff and customers all stared, whispering and pointing. Blake gritted his teeth, pulled out his credit card, and slammed it onto the table. “Swipe it! It’s just a damn dress! Only you would treat it like a treasure! I’m buying it for Willow, so you can stop being sarcastic.” The card went through. Willow was still feigning reluctance. “Blake, it’s too expensive, I can’t take it…” “Take it!” Blake, scrambling to salvage the situation, barked the order. “Wear the damn thing whenever you like!” I met his gaze and gave a single, slow nod. “Remember you said that. The dress is yours now.” Then I turned and walked out of the bridal salon His frustrated shout chased after me. “Seraphina! Get back here! What is this now? You’re being impossible!” I didn’t stop. Tears fell, but I quickly wiped them away.

Seraphina POV When I got home at night, I felt a chill seep into my bones, and my stomach churned with spasmodic pain. Perhaps the anger from the bridal shop, combined with not eating all day, had triggered my chronic gastritis. I forced myself into the bedroom and pulled out my suitcase. I didn’t want to stay in this house for another minute. I began to shove my clothes into the bag. The cramping in my stomach continued, and I just wanted to finish packing quickly. Just then, I heard the sound of the key turning in the front door. Blake was home. He was carrying a few takeout containers. Seeing me pack, Blake paused, then a flicker of impatience crossed his face. “What now? I bought the dress, I paid for it, and you’re still not over it? Are you running away from home now?” In his mind, I was merely throwing a childish tantrum. I barely had the strength to argue with him. Clutching my stomach, I slowly sank to the floor. “Blake, do we have any medicine? Can you get me some water?” Blake frowned, walking over. “Don’t act like this. You were fine at the store earlier. How are you suddenly sick now that you’re home?” “My stomach hurts.” “It really hurts.” Blake scoffed. “Save it, Seraphina. How many times have you played the sick card when we argue? Can’t you come up with something new?” Though he said this, he still placed the takeout on the table and turned to get some water. Just then, his phone rang. Blake’s expression changed instantly. He answered the call. “Hello, Willow?” Willow’s tearful voice came through the phone. “Blake, the power suddenly went out at my place, I’m so scared…” Blake’s voice instantly softened. He patiently cooed, “Don’t be scared, I’ll be right there!” Blake hung up, grabbed his car keys, and started to rush out. “Blake…” I lay sprawled by the bed, using the last of my strength to tug on his pant leg. “I really don’t feel well, take me to the hospital…” Blake stopped, looking down at me. He spoke with irritation. “Stop faking it!” He roughly shook off my hand. “The power’s out at Willow’s, and she has claustrophobia. What if something happens to her? You just have a stomach ache. There’s stomach medicine in the cabinet; you can take a couple of pills yourself. Are you really going to die?” “You just had to put on a show right now. There’s a time and place for drama!” With that, he didn’t spare me another glance, striding out of the bedroom. BANG! The front door slammed shut. The pain in my stomach felt like it was tearing me apart, but the coldness in my heart was far worse than the physical agony. I curled into a ball on the floor, tears silently soaking into the carpet. It turned out that in Blake’s heart, half of my life was less important than a power outage at Willow’s place. This was the man I had loved for seven years. This was the man I wanted to spend my life with. After a long while, my hand trembling, I dialed 911. “Hello, emergency services, I’m having severe stomach cramps, my address is…” After hanging up, I struggled to my feet, rummaged through a drawer for painkillers, and dry-swallowed two pills. A bitter taste spread in my mouth. I looked at the empty room and suddenly laughed. Blake, since you love being with her so much, then stay with her forever. This home, this place, I don’t want it anymore. By the time the ambulance arrived, I had regained a sliver of strength. I refused the stretcher and walked into the ambulance myself. I was on an IV until midnight at the hospital before the stomach pain finally subsided. I pulled out the needle and went home alone.

Seraphina POV The next morning, Blake pushed the door open. I sat on the sofa, not even looking at him. Blake announced as he changed his shoes, “Willow was scared last night, so she’s staying in our guest room for a few days.” No sooner had he spoken than Willow poked her head out, wearing Blake’s oversized shirt and carrying the bag with the stained wedding dress. “Morning, Seraphina! Blake gave me this dress, I’m thinking of shortening it to wear as a party dress. You don’t mind, do you?” I glanced at the loose men’s shirt; it was Blake’s, now on someone else. I smiled. “Not at all. If you like picking up other people’s unwanted old clothes, keep it.” Willow’s face stiffened. She hadn’t expected me to hit back. Blake frowned, rebuking me with displeasure. “Seraphina, don’t be so nasty. It’s just a dress.” I scoffed, too tired for further argument, and turned to go back to my room. That evening, a pungent, spicy aroma filled the living room. Blake emerged carrying two bowls of noodles. Willow, already seated at the table, eagerly took one. “It smells amazing! Blake, you’re the best, you knew I was craving this.” Blake placed the other bowl in front of me. “There’s plain porridge in the pot, help yourself. Your stomach isn’t well, so no spicy food for you.” Willow ate, sighing dramatically. “Poor Seraphina, can’t even eat this delicious ramen, stuck with tasteless porridge.” I stood at the bedroom door, looking at the starkly divided dinner, and suddenly burst out laughing. I walked to the dining table and looked at Blake. My laughter clearly unnerved him. He impatiently looked up. “What are you laughing at?” “I’m laughing at your bad memory,” I said. “Blake, who told you I naturally love bland porridge?” Blake froze, then slammed his cutlery onto the table. “What new tantrum is this? You’ve been eating like this for three years! I’m doing this for your health, don’t be ungrateful.” “For my health?” I said. “I spent three years eating nothing but bland food with you. Did you seriously think I enjoyed it?” I leaned down, staring into Blake’s eyes, enunciating each word. “Blake, in these three years, did you ever once ask me if I wanted spicy food?” Blake was speechless, his mouth opening and closing. Then, he flushed with anger. “If you don’t want to eat it, then don’t! Eat it or don’t, I don’t care!” I straightened up. “Indeed. Things I don’t like, I won’t touch again.” With that, I turned to leave. “Wait.” Blake stopped me, his tone shifting to a calmer one. “Liam and the others are having dinner tomorrow night, at the usual spot. You should come too.” I paused, my back to him, saying nothing. Blake, assuming I was being stubborn, grew impatient again. “Don’t be difficult. This whole wedding dress thing has upset everyone. If you come tomorrow, it’s the perfect chance to make up with Willow, and then we can just move past all this.” He expected me to quietly show up tomorrow, bow my head, and then he’d forgive my “unreasonable behavior” of the past few days. Willow’s saccharine voice chimed in from behind him. “Exactly, Seraphina. Everyone’s waiting. Don’t be rude.” I turned to face them, this sudden united front. “Alright.” I looked at Blake and smiled. He frowned, but at my agreement, some of the tension left his shoulders. “Good. You’re finally being reasonable.” I didn’t answer and turned back to my room. Go? Of course I’m going. I had seven years of messy history to settle. Why would I leave out the supporting cast? I was going to let everyone know what kind of jerk Blake really was!

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “343216”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #擦边Steamy #重生Reborn

I received an electricity bill for a villa I hadn’t visited in ages. Weird, right? So I drove over there. Pushing open the door, I found the place packed with my old college classmates! And right in the middle of the crowd, my fiancée was passionately making out with my arch-rival. Before I could even speak, my rival spotted me first. He had his arm around my fiancée, a sneer plastered across his face. “Liam, this isn’t a place for a nobody like you. Get lost!” My fiancée chimed in, equally annoyed. “Liam, seriously, stop hounding me. What we had was just a fling. A broke scrub like you could never be good enough for me.” I rolled my eyes, pulled out my phone, and dialed the police. “Hello, I’d like to report a break-in. Someone’s trespassing on private property.” The moment I pushed open the door, my college arch-rival, Brandon Pierce, had one hand gripping Chloe Davis’s butt, while they were locked in a passionate French kiss. Everyone froze when they saw me, then a wave of whispers swept through the room. “What’s Liam Caldwell doing here? Did anyone even invite him?” “I heard Liam was totally obsessed with Chloe back in college.” “He’s such a poor loser, how could he ever be worthy of Chloe?” “But wait, I heard Chloe was actually Liam’s fiancée?” … Honestly, I wasn’t supposed to be here at all. I’d booked a flight to go back home and see my parents, but just before I left, I got that utility bill. My first thought was some homeless person had broken in, so I decided to check it out. After all, this villa was supposed to be Chloe’s birthday gift, and it had only been renovated two months ago. I’d planned to tell her my real identity when I gave her the villa – that I wasn’t just some regular guy, but the heir to a multi-billion dollar empire. But who would’ve thought? She was cheating on me with another man in my villa, and that man was my arch-rival! Seeing my silence, Brandon aimed a spotlight at me, raising a microphone and shouting, “Liam, what are you doing crashing my party? I certainly didn’t invite you.” I frowned. “You didn’t, but this is my…” He cut me off before I could finish. Brandon sneered. “Since I didn’t invite you, how could you be so thick-skinned to show up at my place?! Or, after more than ten years, have you finally remembered to apologize to me?” Brandon and I were from two different worlds, but in our sophomore year, he came to me for help to pass an exam. He offered me five hundred bucks to help him cheat. The moment I took his money, I went straight to the professor and reported him. He got penalized by the school, and from then on, he became my sworn enemy, constantly trying to torment me. After graduation, we hadn’t had any contact. I shook my head. “Even if I had a hundred do-overs, I still wouldn’t help you cheat.” Though my words were firm, Brandon just thought I was being stubborn. “Don’t act so tough! I totally get people like you!” “Nerd! You thought you could make up for my family’s wealth by studying hard in school, only to realize once you entered the real world that even if you got into a prestigious university, you’d just end up as a lapdog for rich people like us.” “But, I won’t stoop to your level, you country bumpkin. Just kneel down, call me ‘Daddy,’ and lick my shoes clean, and I’ll forgive you.”

The crowd roared with laughter. These were the same people who used to follow Brandon around, bullying others in college. It was clear they hadn’t changed at all after graduation, only gotten worse. “They’re giving you a chance, why aren’t you taking it? One ‘Daddy’ could get you a lifetime of luxury!” “Why aren’t you on your knees licking his shoes and calling him ‘Daddy’ yet? This isn’t the time to be stupid, don’t do something you’ll regret again!” “Exactly, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Don’t let your pride make you forget why you’re here!” “Our Mr. Pierce doesn’t just let anyone in, you know. He’s clearly doing you a favor.” ….. I knew arguing with these kinds of people was pointless, so I stayed silent, fixing my gaze on Chloe. “I told you I wanted to take you to meet my parents, and you turned me down, saying you needed to spend the holidays with your family. So why are you here? Is Brandon your family now?” Brandon feigned surprise. “Oh, that’s why you’re at my place? Looking for the ‘goddess’ Chloe?” As he said this, Brandon hugged Chloe tighter, showing her off. “Honey, didn’t you say you were single and only loved me? Why is this broke scrub saying such things?” Chloe’s face had been dark ever since she saw me. Hearing Brandon’s question, she spat at me, then gritted her teeth and said, “God, you’re disgusting. Couldn’t you tell I was politely rejecting you? Did you really have to stalk me like this? I’d never be with a broke loser like you!” “I’ve been nice, for old times’ sake, not calling the police, not embarrassing you, but how can you be so incredibly self-absorbed? Why would I turn down Brandon to go see your parents who work construction?” “Let me tell you, Brandon is a thousand, a million times better than you. You’re not even worthy of the dirt on his shoes! This is my final warning: we are OVER. If you keep stalking me like a creep, don’t blame me for calling the police and having you arrested!” Brandon beamed, planting a kiss on Chloe. “That’s my girl! I love how you know what’s good for you!” Chloe didn’t look embarrassed at all. In fact, she looked relieved, as if she was afraid Brandon might misunderstand her relationship with me. I found it even more ridiculous. I’d thought my questions would make Chloe feel guilty, but I never imagined she’d belittle me like this, painting me as some twisted stalker. The image of the cool, aloof goddess she’d always presented to me shattered instantly. I felt ashamed that I’d fallen for a woman like this, wishing I could slap myself. Seeing my anger, Brandon found it even more amusing. He signaled to a few classmates, who immediately pushed and pulled me closer to him. Brandon put down the microphone and whispered in my ear, “Ever heard the saying, ‘Revenge is a dish best served cold’? You screwed me over and then just disappeared, leaving me to flunk and be ridiculed. You should’ve seen this day coming!” “I did this on purpose, you know. I knew you liked Chloe, that you were her simp, so I deliberately went after her. But she’s smarter than you; the moment she realized I was richer, she practically ripped off her clothes and jumped into my bed.” “I heard you and Chloe had a Platonic relationship? Never even slept together? Then you must have no idea how wild she is in bed, right?” I could tell Brandon wanted to provoke me into making a scene. Naturally, I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. I just smiled. “You know, I actually have to thank you. Thank you for helping me see Chloe, the gold digger, for who she really is.” “Because I was never Chloe’s simp, and I’m definitely not a stalker. She’s the one who’s been chasing me. It’s actually pretty funny, considering I even successfully proposed to her recently.”

At my words, the bustling party instantly fell silent. Everyone started whispering amongst themselves, but from their expressions, it didn’t look like they were talking about me being cheated on. More like they were calling Chloe two-faced and Brandon a fool for falling for her. Brandon hadn’t expected the truth to be this. He thought he was stealing my ‘goddess’ to teach me a lesson, but instead, he’d snatched himself a gold digger! “Chloe, what the hell is going on between you and Liam?” Brandon’s face was livid, and he shoved Chloe away from him. Chloe’s face went white with anger. She pulled out the large diamond ring I’d given her from her pocket, holding it up as she shouted, “Yes, that’s right! I was planning to marry you because I thought you were an honest guy.” “But I never imagined you’d be so pathetic, trying to trick me with a lab-grown diamond when you proposed! I can accept you being poor, but I can’t accept you being a liar!” “I was thinking the holidays were coming up, so I was going to break up with you after. But I never thought you’d stalk me here and ruin my reputation!” “Just because you lied to me, does that mean I have to keep being fooled?” I raised an eyebrow. “Who told you it was a lab-grown diamond?” Chloe scoffed. “Do I really need someone to tell me?” “This diamond is at least ten carats! How could a broke loser like you afford such an expensive ring to give me? Or can your construction worker parents afford it? If it’s not a lab-grown diamond, what is it, glass?” Chloe grew increasingly furious, flinging the large diamond ring onto the floor. Thankfully, the diamond was big and sparkly enough that it didn’t disappear completely. I was about to explain whether the diamond was real or fake, when a female classmate picked up the ring and spoke first. “I work in diamond sales! This is absolutely not a lab-grown diamond, this is a real South American diamond!!!” Chloe rolled her eyes, grabbing Brandon’s hand again, and said dismissively, “Don’t just make things up. Do you really think I don’t know if Liam can afford a diamond? ” “Do you think everyone is as rich as Brandon, able to buy a huge mansion just like that?” The female classmate seemed worried no one would believe her. Trembling, she put the ring in my hand and quickly continued, “Anyone who has me on SnapChat knows I sell jewelry. I can tell the difference between a real diamond and a lab-grown one with my eyes closed. I swear on my life, this is a genuine diamond.” Seeing the classmate speak so confidently about the diamond, Chloe’s face went white again. “But… but how is that possible? How could you have so much money to buy such an expensive diamond ring?” “You better explain yourself!” I didn’t really need to explain anything, but I couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh. “This diamond ring is…” Before I could finish, Brandon snatched the ring from my hand. “You stole it from me!” “I was wondering how you got into my house. Now I get it! You must have been one of the renovation workers! You stole a copy of my house key, took this huge diamond, and then gave it to Chloe!” As Brandon spoke, he slipped the diamond ring onto Chloe’s finger. “Chloe, I was mad at you for accepting his proposal. But now I realize, you must have sensed this ring was mine, and that’s why you said yes, for the sake of the ring, right?” Chloe, whether she truly believed him or was just playing along, immediately kissed Brandon, smiling and calling him, “Honey, yes, exactly! That’s it!” “It was fate.”

Although Brandon didn’t understand how I’d gotten the diamond ring, he was convinced I couldn’t afford such a large one, so he spoke without hesitation. “I was going to call the cops on you, but for old times’ sake, and since you helped me find such a great wife in Chloe, I’ll forgive you. Now get out!” Chloe chimed in, “Yeah, kick him out! Don’t let this garbage ruin our party!” I wanted to rip Brandon and Chloe’s mouths open, but seeing everyone in the room look at me with disdain, it wasn’t hard to imagine what would happen if I tried anything. With so many people, one slap from each of them could seriously injure me. So, I didn’t engage in a war of words. Instead, I swallowed my pride, lowered my head, and left the villa amidst their vicious, sickening laughter. Once outside, I immediately locked the gate, then stood to the side and called the police again. Since the villa wasn’t in the city center, the police couldn’t arrive immediately. Inside, people quickly realized the gate was locked and they couldn’t get out. They started yelling for me to open the door. Brandon, especially, was almost in tears. “Open the damn gate! I didn’t even press charges for you stealing, what right do you have to lock us in?” I smiled. “Stealing is a big deal, especially such a huge diamond ring. So, I proactively called the police to come and arrest me, the thief.” Hearing that I’d called the police, Brandon started slamming against the door frantically, trying to threaten and coax me. I wasn’t afraid of him; there was no way that gate could be forced open by human strength alone. Only when the police pulled up did I finally unlock it. Brandon’s legs nearly gave out when he saw the police, almost collapsing to his knees. Chloe, oblivious, snapped at me, “You’re so dead.” The officer turned on his body camera and asked sternly, “What’s going on here?” Seeing Brandon speechless, Chloe quickly stepped forward and pointed at me. “Officers, perfect timing! My boyfriend and I were just having a nice party in our villa!” “But this man first showed up uninvited and started harassing us!” “Then we discovered he’d stolen my boyfriend’s priceless diamond ring! After we caught him, he got embarrassed and ran out, but then he locked us all inside!” “I now have a very reasonable suspicion that he planned to set the whole place on fire and burn us all alive! So you need to arrest him immediately! People with anti-social personalities like him should be locked up, don’t you agree?” The classmates, who’d been locked in for a while and were fuming, immediately chimed in. “Yes, I can confirm, this guy is definitely bad news.” “He’s a thief, he stole Mr. Pierce’s ring from his house.” “That stolen ring could be worth tens of millions, bigger than a bird’s egg!” “Exactly, whoever called the police is a hero! They saved our lives!” The police officers were taken aback. With dozens of people present, if I really intended to commit arson, it would have been a hellish scene! One officer looked puzzled. “Wait, this dispatch says the call was for trespassing, not theft or arson.” Another officer nodded. He stepped forward and said loudly, “You’re all speaking too chaotically, I can’t understand. Who called the police? Please step forward and explain the situation clearly.” I cleared my throat and stepped out. “Officers, I called the police, and I locked the gate. But I didn’t lock it to set a fire. I locked it to prevent these trespassers from running away.”

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I’d been undercover for five years with crime boss Damien Thorne. My mission was finally supposed to end. Then, my captain told me the plan was postponed. “There’s a bigger fish behind Damien. We have to wait.” I looked down in silence at the corpse on the floor. Just moments ago, Damien had killed one of his own men in a fit of rage, all to protect me. He walked over, his arm gently wrapping around my waist, coaxing me. “Don’t be scared. As long as I’m here, no one can hurt you. What restaurant do you want to go to tonight?” That night, after Damien had dropped me off in my room, I sent a secure message to my captain: “Captain Miller, we really can’t wait any longer. If we do, I’ll end up marrying a crime boss.” In a derelict building, I finally met my captain, David Miller. He rubbed his temples. “Kira, I know your situation is dangerous right now. But you absolutely have to hold on a little longer.” I gave a bitter smile. He always said that. My phone rang. I answered it. I immediately switched to a sweet, saccharine voice. “Hello? Damien, honey, what’s up? I’m just getting my nails done. Okay, I’m coming right back, don’t be mad, darling.” Captain Miller was probably startled by my feigned sweetness. After all, I was known for being ruthless and cold-hearted back at the station. I shot Captain Miller a glare. “Captain, we agreed. This is the last time. Whether the mission succeeds or not, you have to let me go back.” When I returned to the mansion, I pushed open the front door to a floor covered in blood. “Kira.” Damien stood in a pool of blood, speaking unhurriedly. “They both said you were an undercover cop.” He even ran a blood-stained finger through my hair. “I wouldn’t want anyone falsely accusing you of being a cop. So, I took care of them for you.” A chill ran down my spine. Damien, do you really love me, or is this all an act? That night, after I got back to my room, I secretly called Captain Miller. “I’m coming back. After this job, I’m out. Captain!” “I know. Your flight’s already booked. As long as we catch who Damien is dealing with this time, your mission will be complete.” Captain Miller assured me over the phone. But this time, my patience had run out. “You can’t lie to me this time, Captain. Damien just killed two more people right in front of me today. I don’t even know if he’s sane anymore.” “Alright, I gotta go. Don’t blow your cover.” All I got in reply was the dial tone. I sighed, took out the SIM card, snapped it, and threw it into the bushes below. No sooner had I finished than someone embraced me from behind. “Did I scare you today, huh?” The man carried the faint scent of tropical plants. That scent always brought back memories of home. Damien knew I liked that scent. I wrapped my arms around his waist. My ear pressed against his chest, I was disappointed to hear his heart beating strongly. “I’m fine.” “It’s just… how are you going to explain killing Jax to your men…?” He gripped my chin, tilting my head up. “If I didn’t kill him, should I have killed you instead?” Damien was a complete madman, I knew that. He pressed me against the balcony railing, the night wind soft and lingering. He kissed me, just as gently. As if his hands had never held countless lives, as if he wasn’t the most notorious crime boss to the police. Until his dagger slid under my clothes, slowly moving up, then cutting open my shirt. “No matter what anyone says about you, I believe you.”

The early autumn sun was beautiful. I followed Damien to his deal. His contact this time was infamous, known as “Black Panther.” Based on the intel I passed on, the police should have already set up at the transaction site. Everything seemed to be going smoothly. Damien never shied away from my presence at any major event. I couldn’t stop thinking, I could finally go home. Finally, I wouldn’t have to stand in the shadows. Finally, I could go home. I couldn’t even imagine how happy I’d be when I pulled out my gun, pressed it against Damien’s head, and told him, “I’m a cop.” Footsteps echoed down the corridor. Both Damien and Black Panther frowned. The door was kicked open simultaneously. I instantly drew my gun and pressed it against the forehead of the man sitting beside me. “I’m sorry, I’m a po—” Before I could finish, Captain Miller’s voice crackled through my hidden earpiece. “Operation terminated. Kira, you cannot arrest this man.” “…The police are here.” My pistol barely grazed Damien’s forehead, the bullet hitting the wall behind the door. Immediately, everything erupted into chaos. These anti-drug officers who stormed in weren’t actually there to catch fugitives; they were putting on a show. What’s more, their firepower wasn’t even as strong as what Damien and Black Panther had brought. “Kira, your primary mission is to protect Damien.” “He’s a key witness. We can’t lose our lead with you.” The final order came through my earpiece. Damien grabbed me and ran. The anti-drug police were lenient with Black Panther’s men, but for Damien, it was real bullets. As whistling bullets flew past, I stumbled, still wearing my heels. “Move!” Damien practically grit his teeth as he dragged me, uttering that. But I stood there, unmoving. “Go!!” His voice was almost hoarse from shouting. Amidst the commotion, I turned to where my Captain stood, gun raised, pointing it at me. I admit, for a moment. I didn’t want to be this damn undercover agent anymore. If I just took that step, if I fully exposed myself, I wouldn’t be undercover anymore. Captain Miller would surely take me back. But the moment I hesitated, Captain Miller didn’t hesitate to fire a shot at me. In that critical moment, Damien pulled me aside. But he was hit by a bullet. Instantly, blood gushed from his abdomen. Yet he still gripped my hand tightly, pulling me to run outside. “I’m sorry, Damien, I didn’t know…” But before I could finish, Molly, Damien’s step-sister, slapped me. “This is all because of you! My brother is so badly hurt because of you! You’re such a bitch!” She yanked my hair. My scalp stung from the pulling, but I didn’t dare say another word. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Damien in the backseat, his head bowed as he tended to his wound. He didn’t even glance at me. Before, if anyone dared to hit me, he would have ended their life. “I was just… so scared.” I kept my head down, explaining non-stop. There was nothing else I could do; I was back here, and I had to fight for my survival. I still had a mission. Showing weakness, playing coy — those were my usual tactics against him. He always used to go soft on me. But this time… After bandaging his wound, he finally looked up. He pulled out a gun and pressed it against my forehead. “Just now, I distinctly heard you say you were a cop. Care to explain, Ms. Kira?”

My hands and feet were bound. Everything was dark. What methods did these people use to deal with traitors? Cutting off hands and feet, drawn-out torture, throwing them into a ditch to feed rats… Until the blindfold was removed. A bare bulb swung overhead. I looked up, staring at Damien, who was wearing goggles. Was it to prevent blood from splattering on his face? He gripped my chin, forcing my head up. “Do you know what kind of punishment awaits you?” he asked me. I stared at him in silence. He gave me a small smile. “Why are you trembling?” Then, he took out his phone, set it on a stand, and aimed the camera at us. “Kira, I told you, you wouldn’t be a traitor.” …But he took the torture tool and brought it down on his own hand. I had seen many gruesome scenes, but this was the first time I was truly terrified. Then, I heard Molly say, “Damien can’t bear to punish you. But rules are rules, Ms. Kira. The mistake you made can only be borne by Damien in your place.” “I truly don’t understand why Damien ever fell in love with you!” …Soon, Damien couldn’t hold on any longer. The next second, he collapsed onto my lap. Blood was everywhere. I stared at his finger, now on the floor. Until he chuckled softly. “What are you crying for? We’ll just reattach it.” White-clad medical personnel rushed in, collected his severed finger, and lifted him onto a stretcher. Before they left, I heard his soft sigh. “Stay with me, okay, Kira? Forget your old life. If you betray me again, I swear to God, I won’t be able to take it.” Later, I was locked in Damien’s room. I remembered when he first took me in. I was wearing ragged clothes, standing among a line of girls for them to look over. He had never taken an interest in me; I had provoked him step by step. I needed to extract information, and before coming here, I had studied how to become his lover. And then he fell in love with me. “Who are you starving yourself for?” Outside, the rain relentlessly lashed against the window. The man, his hand wrapped in gauze, leaned against the doorframe, watching me. I hugged my knees. Until he walked to the bed and pushed me back onto the blankets. “Do I look like I’m in the mood to coax you?” Angry, he gripped my head, forcing me to face him. “Do I need to feed you?” I took a breath. He picked up a nearby bowl of soup, took a mouthful, and forced it into me. I just felt his body was burning hot, searing me until I couldn’t breathe. “Kira, what in God’s name are you thinking?” He stopped feeding me halfway, then gripped my throat. He asked me viciously. I stared into his eyes, deep and mesmerizing. “Damien, how’s your hand injury?” I held his fingers. The severed finger had been reattached, but terrifying scars remained at the base of each finger. And he probably wouldn’t have the same dexterity as before. As the howling wind swept into the room, I realized he was only wearing a thin shirt. “Damien, did the powerful figure behind you punish you?” I asked him softly. He leaned on my shoulder, seeming tired, with heavy dark circles under his eyes. “Yes.” “Do you regret it?” I asked him. He chuckled softly, then sat upright. “Regret what? Regret meeting you? I regret it to death. But what can I do? Could I ever bring myself to kill you?”

I was locked in Damien’s room, with no way to contact the outside world. So every night, he’d demand me fiercely. He wouldn’t let me use birth control. Finally, I couldn’t hold back and asked him, “Can you please let me go out? It’s so stifling being stuck in your room all day.” “Go out and do what? Test if your homemade communication device works?” he scoffed. I was indeed using whatever I could find in the room to make communication devices; I had to find a way to contact Captain Miller. But I made those devices in the bathroom. “Damien, you pervert, you put cameras in the bathroom!” He raised an eyebrow, neither confirming nor denying. The next second, he smashed the device I’d hidden behind a picture frame onto the floor, gripped my throat, and pinned me against the wall. “I told you not to leave, not to leave, why do you always disobey me?” I lied: “It’s not a communication device. It’s a birthday gift for you.” Anyway, you smashed it, so you can’t tell what it is. The moment I said that, he released me. I didn’t expect him to crouch down and pick up the broken device piece by piece. “It’s a little robot.” I could only force myself to explain. But he picked it up as if it were a treasure. He wiped the dust off with his sleeve and tucked it into his chest pocket. When he suddenly pulled me into a hug. “I’m sorry, Kira. My fault, I misunderstood you.” His prominent nose brushed against my neck; his emotions shifted so rapidly, I suspected he hadn’t taken his medication today. That night, as he held me close. I called his name over and over. I finally earned the right to go out. He’d been strange these past few days, often sitting alone in the living room, lost in thought. One night, he burst into my room, gripping my shoulders. “Kira, I messed up, I’m too late.” His eyes held a flicker of panic as he hugged me and cried. I didn’t know why he was so upset. He held me tightly, and after a long moment, I realized it was his body’s instinct begging for help. The next day, he was acting as if nothing had happened, kissing the corner of my mouth and wishing me good morning. I suspected his mental illness was getting worse. But it didn’t matter. I had already contacted Captain Miller. The next time we met, it would be in a police interrogation room. “Kira, I keep having the same dream lately,” he suddenly told me. “What dream?” He didn’t answer me, just smiled. Tiny kisses brushed my earlobe, and he whispered, “Kira, tell me, will we have a baby?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “343214”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #擦边Steamy #重生Reborn

I was reborn at the exact moment I picked up the wrong glass—the one meant for my boss, Dominic Reed, laced with aphrodisiac drug. This time, I didn’t take the wrong glass. I watched him drink it down, then dial the woman he truly loved: Celeste. In my past life, I was Dominic’s secretary. And I fell in love with him. When the drug hit my system, I didn’t care that he needed to get to Celeste. I grabbed his belt and made him stay. Not long after, I found out I was pregnant. Dominic was forced to marry me. But on the day I went into labor with complications, he got the news—Celeste had thrown herself off a building, destroyed by grief. He stormed into the delivery room and sent the doctors away. Then he watched me die. The last thing I heard was his voice: “If you hadn’t gotten pregnant, I never would’ve been forced to marry you. Celeste wouldn’t have killed herself. You deserve this…” When I opened my eyes again, I was back. Back to the day I drank that drugged wine. “Iris! Call Celeste right now!” Hearing that familiar command again, I jolted awake. I’d been reborn. Without hesitation, I grabbed my phone and dialed Celeste’s number. Dominic’s face was flushed, his eyes burning with desire. The drug was kicking in. In my past life, I was the one who drank from that glass. I was the one who lost control. And it led to my death. This time, I watched coldly as he downed the entire glass. As the drug began to take hold and he looked at me with struggling, hazy eyes, I quickly finished dialing Celeste. “Dominic, just hang on. Celeste will be here in ten minutes.” The moment I closed the door behind me, I thought I heard him call my name. But I pretended not to hear. I shut the door firmly and waited at the end of the hallway. Ten minutes later, Celeste arrived in a rush. She looked at me with a complicated expression. When she saw that my clothes were intact and I was perfectly composed, relief washed over her face. Before pushing open the door, she glanced at me. “You can leave now. I don’t need you here.” I turned and took the elevator down, called a car, and went back to my apartment. The next morning, Celeste appeared in the executive office. Dominic lifted his coffee, took a sip, then casually announced to the core management team: “From now on, Celeste is my fiancée. She’s also an important future partner for the company. You will all treat her with respect.” Then he looked directly at me, pointing with his pen. “Especially you, Iris.” I nodded blankly. Celeste smirked, flashing me a triumphant smile. I pretended not to notice. I gathered the meeting notes and started to leave the office. But just as I stood up, I heard Celeste’s voice, soft and wounded: “Dominic… does Iris not want me involved in company affairs? I know how important she is to you. If she’s unhappy with me being here, maybe I shouldn’t come to the office anymore.” Her eyes glistened with tears. She looked as pitiful as possible. Dominic frowned. Before he could say anything, I replied: “Of course not. But if you’re not satisfied with me, I’ll make sure to stay out of your sight from now on.” Without waiting for Dominic’s reaction, I walked straight back to my office. Half an hour later, my office door swung open. And there he was—Dominic, staring at me with dark, stormy eyes.

Instinctively, I wanted to close the door. I didn’t want to deal with him. But Dominic blocked it with his arm, frowning as he looked at me. “Are you avoiding me? Why?” He leaned in closer, studying my face. “Are you upset? Because of Celeste?” I quickly shook my head. “No. I’m happy for you. You and Celeste finally get to be together.” His eyes flickered with something unreadable. He seemed… dissatisfied with my answer. “Is that the truth? Or are you just being passive-aggressive?” Then he scoffed. “Iris, don’t tell me you still haven’t gotten over me. Three years ago at the company party, you kissed me when you were drunk. You think I didn’t notice?” “All these years, those little hints you tucked into your reports. That encrypted folder on your computer—the personal journal? I’ve read all of it. You thought you were hiding it so well. But the way you look at me? Everyone in this company can see you’re in love with me.” “The smartest thing you ever did was never confess. Because if you had? I would’ve laughed in your face. Laughed at how pathetic and delusional you are.” He chuckled to himself, then walked over to my desk and yanked open the bottom drawer. He grabbed a thick stack of printed journal pages and scattered them across the floor, stepping on them. “Iris, I handpicked you fresh out of college. I trained you. I gave you everything. And this is how you repay me? You knew I only loved Celeste. But you still wrote all this… feelings you had no right to have. Do you know how embarrassing this is? For both of us?” He leaned down close to my ear, his voice low. “I came here to tell you something. Yesterday, when I drank that wine, I saw the look in your eyes. You wanted to be the one to ‘help’ me, didn’t you? Thank God you didn’t. Because if you had, I would’ve been disgusted for the rest of my life. You’re not worth it.” My heart clenched painfully. Even though I’d decided not to love him in this life, hearing those cruel words still hurt. After warning me to stay away from him and not make Celeste uncomfortable, Dominic slammed the door and left. I didn’t want to be in their way anymore. I had to go out and finalize my transfer paperwork anyway, so I packed up and left. That night, I deliberately waited until almost 10 p.m. to return to the office to pick up some things. The moment I stepped into my office, I noticed something was wrong. My custom ergonomic chair—gone. Then I saw it. Celeste had posted on social media: a selfie of herself sitting in a luxurious office chair. The caption read: “I just mentioned my back was sore, and he immediately gave me the best chair in the whole company. This is why it’s so important to find a man with power, money, and thoughtfulness!” She’d taken the chair Dominic had custom-ordered for me. Earlier this year, when my back injury flared up, Dominic had specially approved a budget of over $20,000 for a chair designed for long hours at a desk—because I was his “chief secretary.” He used to be so good to me. He knew what it meant to show that kind of special attention to a female subordinate. And yet, he let me fall for him. But now, from his position of power, he was telling me I had no right to love him. And now? Celeste made one offhand comment, and Dominic didn’t even bother telling me before he had my chair taken away. Hearing me return, Dominic stood in my doorway and said coolly, “Celeste has back problems. I gave her your chair. Your injury’s healed anyway. Any chair will do for you now.” I didn’t even look up. “Mm,” I murmured. Dominic’s frown deepened. He stared at me intently. “Iris, didn’t you used to hate it when I was nice to other people? Why aren’t you throwing a tantrum now?” “Are you plotting something?” “I’m warning you—if you dare do anything to Celeste, I’ll make sure you never work in this industry again.” I finally looked up. “I’m not trying to do anything to anyone. I just want to be left alone. And isn’t this what you always wanted? For me to be more professional? You should be happy.” Dominic pressed his lips together. Then, almost like a sulking child, he repeated, “Fine. Fine. Fine. Iris, you’re just great.” He slammed the door on his way back to his office. Whenever he said things like that, it meant he was angry. But I wasn’t going to comfort him anymore. Whether he was angry or not didn’t matter. Because soon, I’d be gone.

The next few weeks passed simply. Celeste came to the office every day to flaunt their relationship. Dominic was still sulking. And this time, I wasn’t going to be the one to fix it. A month later, Celeste announced she was pregnant. Dominic was over the moon. He wanted to tell the whole world. The wedding was moved up immediately. Everyone in the company was gossiping about the upcoming ceremony. In this life, the one who got pregnant was the woman he actually loved. And I decided to let them have it. As soon as my transfer paperwork was finalized, I booked a flight to Italy—scheduled for the same day as their wedding. Dominic finally broke and came to find me. He waited until Celeste wasn’t at the office, then pushed open my door. He pulled out his phone, opened an email from HR, and shoved it in my face. “You applied for an overseas transfer? What, you’re so devastated by my wedding that you’re running away?” My heart skipped. But his next words eased my tension a little. When I didn’t answer, his tone turned cold. “Iris, are you done with this tantrum?” “Ever since Celeste started coming to the office, you’ve been avoiding me.” “But I’m going to marry her eventually. So what, you’re planning to keep avoiding me even after the wedding?” I shook my head. “Dominic, I think you misunderstand. I only see you as the boss who mentored me. I’m grateful. That’s all.” He laughed. Like I’d just told the funniest joke. “Grateful? Iris, everyone in this company knows you’re hopelessly in love with me. Who’s going to believe you’re just ‘grateful’? Do you even believe that yourself?” He glanced at the bookshelf in my office and smirked. “All these gifts I gave you over the years—you’ve kept them so carefully. And you’re telling me you don’t love me?” He walked over and picked up the items one by one. A limited-edition pen. A brooch. A watch. Then he said seriously: “You should put all this stuff away. I’m about to marry Celeste. You need to stop holding onto these ridiculous fantasies. We’re just boss and employee. I will never love you. And Celeste is pregnant now. If she sees these things, it might upset her. I can’t have anything happen to my fiancée or my son.” “Mm,” I said, and immediately started packing everything into a cardboard box. I was planning to get rid of it all before leaving the country anyway. Might as well do it now. Seeing how calm I was, Dominic frowned and grabbed my wrist. “Iris, can’t you be more careful? Look, you bent the nib on this pen!” I glanced at the luxury pen in his hand. It was the first gift he ever gave me—the day I passed my probation and officially became his secretary. For years, I treasured it. I wouldn’t let anyone else even touch it. But now, I’d just tossed it carelessly into a box. And Dominic couldn’t stand it. “Iris, you’re clearly devastated about me marrying Celeste. You’re running away. But now you’re pretending you don’t love me anymore?” He exhaled sharply. “Fine. Maybe it’s good for you to cool off overseas. Celeste is in a delicate stage of her pregnancy. It’s better if you’re not around anyway.” Dominic pulled out his phone and transferred $10,000 to me. “Take this. Get yourself settled in Italy. After work, travel around a bit. Take a month to clear your head. By then, Celeste’s pregnancy will be stable.” He looked at me meaningfully. “Adjust your mindset while you’re abroad. Don’t miss me too much. I’m going to be a married man. You need to get used to it. Otherwise, working together later is going to be awkward.” Dominic gave me a few more instructions about the overseas assignment. But he didn’t know—I’d been reborn. And this time, I was really leaving. On Dominic’s wedding day, both the hotel and the company headquarters were bustling early in the morning. While everyone was focused on the ceremony, I quietly grabbed my suitcase, got in a cab, and headed straight to the airport.

Dominic had changed into his wedding suit, but he didn’t leave with the groomsmen to pick up the bride. For some reason, he found himself walking to Iris’s office. He wanted to see her one last time. But when he got there, the office was empty. All her personal belongings were gone. The only thing left on her desk was a standard resignation handover checklist. His heart skipped a beat. He assumed she must have gone to the wedding venue early to help with preparations. That thought calmed him down enough to go pick up Celeste. He was beyond excited today. He was finally marrying the love of his life. And soon, they’d have a child together. Just thinking about it made him smile uncontrollably. The moment he saw Celeste, he couldn’t look away. She looked breathtaking in her white wedding gown. This was the woman he’d been in love with for years. But he wasn’t the only one staring. There was another man—Celeste’s close friend. Dominic didn’t see him as a threat. The guy was good-looking and charming, sure. But other than that? Completely mediocre. He made a point of kissing Celeste in front of the man before carrying her to the wedding car. The ceremony began. But Dominic still didn’t see Iris anywhere. He understood. She couldn’t bear to watch him marry someone else. That’s why she didn’t show up. The day after the wedding, he took Celeste on their honeymoon. He completely forgot about Iris. It wasn’t until two weeks later, when he returned to the office, that he noticed she still wasn’t there. He finally called his assistant to ask about her. That’s when he found out—she’d flown to Italy on his wedding day. He vaguely remembered approving her transfer. He’d even sent her $10,000 to help her settle in. He figured she must’ve started at the overseas branch by now. He made a mental note to remind her not to be so obvious about her feelings. Celeste was pregnant and emotionally sensitive. He couldn’t let anyone upset her. Not even Iris. A month later, during the overseas branch’s monthly report, Iris didn’t join the video meeting. Another month passed. She still didn’t appear in any international conference calls. Dominic started to feel uneasy. He finally tried calling her. But her number had been disconnected. That’s when it hit him. She’d really left. And she hadn’t even said goodbye. She’d changed her number so he couldn’t reach her. Dominic felt a strange discomfort in his chest. She’d actually let him go. She’d walked away without a word. But then he reminded himself—she probably left because he got married and was having a baby. She had no choice. Besides, he’d married the woman of his dreams. Whether Iris came back or not didn’t matter anymore. It was better this way. He could finally have some peace.

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After being reborn, I’m going to make sure my brother becomes an internet celebrity. My brother, Mike, would prank me daily on his live streams, all to become famous. If I dared to resist, Mom and Dad would scream at me for being ungrateful, for hindering their precious son from becoming a big-time streamer. For a mere $300 viewer challenge, Mike locked me out on the back patio. I cried, telling them my heart condition was flaring up, begging them to let me in. But hearing about my heart condition, Mike even insisted Mom and Dad keep me outside, claiming men were tougher and less susceptible to the cold. That night, the temperature plummeted from over ninety degrees Fahrenheit to fourteen below zero. A terrifying, apocalyptic deep freeze descended. I was frozen to death on that patio. Within a month, the temperature dropped to -139 degrees Fahrenheit, and the entire world was encased in ice. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day Mike started his insane live streaming. This time, it was my turn to sit in a warm, safe bunker, enjoying hot food, watching them struggle in a frozen hell!

“Mom, check this out! My prank video with Alex got tons of views. I need to shoot more. Once I blow up and become a huge streamer, I’ll make a ton of money and take you guys on vacation to Florida!” In the living room, my brother Mike held up his phone, proudly showing off to Mom and Dad. Hearing that familiar voice, an involuntary shiver ran down my spine. Even standing in the scorching summer sun, I was trembling. The cold, seeping from the deepest parts of my bones, was uncontrollable—because in my past life, I was frozen alive! I pinched my arm hard until the pain hit, only then truly realizing: I had been reborn. At this moment, Mom and Dad were showering Mike with praise, calling him smart and destined for great things. Then, Mom, Linda, shot me a venomous glare. “Did you hear that, you useless piece of trash? Cooperate with Mike for the videos! If you dare to mess with my son’s chance to get rich, you’ll see how I’ll deal with you!” She’d said those exact words in my previous life. Back then, unwilling to be humiliated like that, I’d privately talked to Mike, hoping he’d switch his live stream content. But he immediately ran to Mom and Dad, teary-eyed, complaining that I was just jealous and couldn’t stand to see him succeed. Dad, Robert, instantly exploded, cursing me as a jinx, saying I was just envious that good fortune was finally coming to our family. Mom pointed a finger right in my face, calling me a good-for-nothing and trying to stop her son from becoming a huge internet celebrity. Later, for a $300 “challenge” donation on Mike’s live stream, they locked me out on the back patio. Even when I cried, saying my heart condition was acting up, begging them to let me in, they all remained indifferent. Mike even yelled excitedly, “A heart condition? Even better! Viewers love that! Dad, hurry and lock him out! My stream’s popularity is skyrocketing!” In the end, they locked me outside. I had planned to leave that house immediately after this incident blew over. But that very night, the temperature plunged from over ninety degrees to fourteen below zero, and a terrifying, apocalyptic deep freeze instantly descended. I pounded frantically on the glass door, begging them to open it. My hands were red and swollen, skin raw, but they wouldn’t budge. Desperate to survive, I threw my body against the glass door, causing cracks to appear. Mike saw it and immediately screamed at Dad to block the door with a heavy dining cabinet. Inside, where it was warm as spring, Mike, wearing a T-shirt, licked a popsicle and smiled at me through the glass. “Alex, you’re a grown man, what’s there to be afraid of in the cold?” I clawed at the door frame with my bleeding, mangled fingers, my voice hoarse. “Mike, please… my medication is inside… I’ll die if this continues…” But Mike just turned his phone camera on me and told his live stream audience, “See, guys? They say men are tough and can handle the cold. My brother here is still kicking, isn’t he?” His malice completely froze my heart. Eventually, I ran out of strength and died miserably on the patio, my tears freezing on my face. Thank goodness for this second chance. Now, outside, it was still a scorching summer day, cicadas chirping piercingly, with no sign of the apocalypse. But I knew that in exactly one week, the temperature would plummet to fourteen below zero, getting colder day by day, until it reached -139 degrees Fahrenheit, freezing the entire world solid. The fire of revenge burned fiercely in my chest. This time, I would make them pay.

I swallowed my hatred, feigning obedience, and replied, “Mom, I’ll cooperate with Mike for the videos.” My mother, Linda, seemed a bit surprised by my docility, but her harsh expression didn’t soften one bit. She still barked at me, “Useless good-for-nothing! Can’t you see it’s almost dinner time? Why are you just standing there like an idiot? Go make dinner!” I clenched my fists, my nails almost digging into my palms, constantly reminding myself: It’s not time yet, I have to be patient. I turned and quietly walked into the kitchen. As soon as dinner was ready, Dad, Robert, came home. I had just washed my hands and was about to sit down to eat when he kicked my leg. “Eat what?! The convenience store shelves are empty! Get down there and restock!” I suppressed the pain and muttered, “Okay,” grabbed the keys from the shoe rack, and headed straight downstairs without looking back. That convenience store was the fruit of my labor for many years. Since I opened it, not one of the three of them had held a proper job; they all lived off the store. The heaviest work, like stocking and organizing, was dumped entirely on me. To cover expenses, I worked another job during the day and came back at night to arrange the shelves. No one knew better than I where every single item in that store was. After quickly restocking, I grabbed an energy bar and a bottle of water and went into the back storage room. After a quick bite, I immediately pulled out my phone and called my wife, Lisa, who was away on a business trip. When Lisa’s familiar voice came through the receiver, my eyes immediately welled up. In my previous life, after my horrific death, Lisa called me countless times, but no one ever answered. She then called Dad, Robert, asking about my whereabouts. Afraid of exposure, Robert used my phone to reply to Lisa, making her believe I was still alive. Later, as temperatures plummeted and the deep freeze apocalypse arrived, Lisa anxiously texted me, asking if I could find a way to send some supplies. The weather had become terrifying, and she couldn’t buy anything where she was. At that time, Mike happened to see Lisa’s messages and immediately instigated Dad to swindle money from her. The father and son quickly agreed, fabricating a lie about me being critically injured in the hospital and needing urgent surgery funds. They even had Mike wear a wig and my clothes, pretending to be me, weakly lying in a hospital bed in a video call. Lisa believed them, frantic with worry, and immediately transferred all her savings. Once they had the money, they completely dropped their pretense. Robert called Lisa on FaceTime directly, and on camera, he and Mike openly mocked her stupidity, calling her an easily duped fool. “Your man froze to death long ago! His body’s right in the backyard!” Mike shrieked, even turning the camera to my frost-covered corpse in the backyard. Finally, Lisa was so enraged that she suffered a fatal heart attack. Recalling this, I almost crushed my phone. In this life, I would never let that tragedy repeat.

Thinking of this, my voice choked slightly as I called out, “Lisa.” Lisa, thinking I was upset about something, quickly comforted me and even said she’d come to me immediately. I shook my head, saying I wasn’t upset. In the last life, Lisa was horribly wronged by Mike and Dad; in this life, I would definitely not let that father-son duo get away with it! But I wouldn’t let Lisa get involved just yet. She just needed to be in a safe place while I arranged everything. Still, Lisa didn’t believe I wasn’t upset, so I changed the subject. “Lisa, can you rent that vacant house in the Lakeside community?” The previous owner of that house was a prepper. He’d built a reinforced bunker beneath it specifically for extreme situations. That house was in the suburbs and had been on the market for a long time. In the future, the extreme weather would reach -139 to -148 degrees Fahrenheit. By then, having food and water wouldn’t be enough; a safe shelter would be crucial. Although Lisa didn’t quite believe extreme weather would hit, especially with the sun blazing outside, she still did as I asked. After hanging up with Lisa, I contacted U-Haul. Under the guise of restocking the convenience store, I secretly transported some items from the warehouse to Lisa’s place. There was about a week until the deep freeze apocalypse. Using this time, I could move a portion each day, secretly emptying the entire warehouse. In this life, it was my turn to be in the safety of a bunker, watching their miserable end!

By the time I finished all that, it was already dark outside. I had just gone upstairs, and before I even entered the door, I heard Mike’s fake laughter. “Alex, look, this guy is just as stupid as you!” Pushing the door open, I saw the “happy family” scene. Everyone revolved around Mike, doting on him like a prince. Mike was Mom and Dad’s youngest, doted on excessively. Mom especially adored Mike, treating him like the apple of her eye. Dad also spoiled Mike, saying he was Mike’s eternal support, and with him around, Mike would never have to work a day in his life. Hearing the door open, the family turned to look at me. As soon as Mom saw me, her face hardened, and she immediately snapped, “Why are you standing there like a useless doorstop? You scared me!” Mike held his phone in one hand and a bowl of fruit salad in the other, walking towards me. “Alex, I forgot to save you any dinner. Here, have some fruit to tie you over.” I looked at Mike, who was smiling with malicious intent. In my previous life, I had unsuspectingly eaten it, only to find the fruit salad contained mango, to which I was severely allergic. My whole body broke out in hives. Mike, meanwhile, held up his phone and laughed hysterically, telling his live stream audience, “Guys, my dumb brother ate it! Look, he’s having an allergic reaction!” Mom chimed in with a laugh, “Our Mike is so smart, making this good-for-nothing look ridiculous.” Dad pointed at me, saying I looked disgusting. At that moment, my heart turned completely cold, and I realized I couldn’t stay in this family, stirring thoughts of leaving. But soon after, the deep freeze apocalypse hit. This time, if they could prank me for a $300 donation, they could certainly prank someone else for the same amount. I decided to test them. I pretended to have a stomachache, bending over and saying, “My stomach feels off, I need to use the restroom first.” But Mike insisted I eat before I went. I pushed Mike away and hurried to the restroom. Mom cursed from behind, “Always making excuses when there’s trouble! Useless!” I ignored Mom’s words, because soon she would taste the bitter fruit. In the restroom, I pulled out my phone and entered Mike’s live stream. I directly spent $300 to post a challenge task in Mike’s live stream—prank your own mom. At the same time, I commented: Getting tired of watching you prank your brother. Let’s see something fresh, prank your own mom for kicks. I wanted to see just how strong their so-called family bond truly was. Sure enough, the next second I heard Mike excitedly tell everyone, “Dad, Mom, look! Someone just donated to my stream! I’m going to be a big streamer soon!” In my previous life, Mike had been equally excited and thrilled when he received a donation notification. The whole family had also showered him with praise. Mom even clapped her hands for Mike, saying how amazing he was, how her son was different, much more useful than me. In the family’s happy and harmonious atmosphere, Mike handed the bowl of fruit salad, laced with mango, to Mom. “Mom, you should eat this bowl of fruit salad. The challenge task is to prank my own mom.” I saw Mom’s face instantly go pale.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “342262”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #擦边Steamy #重生Reborn

My best friend and I married brothers from the same family, and we ended up pregnant around the same time. I married Julian, the brother who’s a doctor, and she married Leo, his good-looking police officer brother. On our first wedding anniversary, my best friend and I were on our way to pick up our prenatal checkup reports when we got into a car crash. My best friend escaped injury because she’d gotten out of the car earlier to buy me some milk, but I suffered severe bleeding. Shaking, I called my husband, the doctor. Julian sounded annoyed and said, “You’re lying again, just trying to get my attention! Medical resources aren’t something you can waste like this! Serena cut her hand, and I’m busy bandaging it. Stop bothering me!” My best friend quickly called her husband, the police officer. But Leo snapped, “Do you know what happens if you file a false police report? I’ve got to fix Serena’s leaky water pipe. Don’t waste my time!” My best friend, eight months pregnant, dragged me to the hospital. We both miscarried. When I woke up, I looked at Mia’s pale face, and we exchanged bitter smiles. “Chloe, I’m getting a divorce,” she said. “Me too,” I replied.

Once I made up my mind, I texted Julian right away about the divorce. He called me back, shouting: “Chloe, Serena slit her wrist—it could’ve been life-threatening! You want a divorce just because I helped her?! I’m not agreeing to this!” With that, he hung up before I could even say anything. Three years of dating, one year of marriage, and a baby that was almost here. I never thought it would all fall apart because of Serena—the girl he’d always had a thing for! This morning, I ran into Serena at the hospital. She insisted on helping me get a cab, and I didn’t turn down her offer. Then the driver suddenly swerved and crashed into a truck. The driver had minor scrapes and took off, leaving me lying in a pool of blood in the middle of the road. Looking back now, maybe the crash wasn’t an accident at all—maybe Serena planned it. Just then, Mia woke up beside me, tears filling her eyes. I was about to comfort her when her husband Leo, the police officer, called, yelling: “What the hell is your problem? You’ve always been perfectly healthy—how could you miscarry? You want a divorce? Fine, then let’s divorce!” The call ended abruptly. My best friend stared at her phone, lost in thought. Seeing how fragile she looked, I said, “Don’t be upset. These two guys aren’t worth crying over.” Thinking about it, maybe this outcome was inevitable from the moment we decided to marry them. Julian had intentionally picked Serena’s birthday for our wedding—his resentment was obvious. Even our marriages were just leverage for the brothers to win Serena back. There was never any real love there. It’s ridiculous how Mia and I let ourselves be played for fools. Hours had passed since the accident, and we were in Julian’s hospital, but he still wouldn’t come see us. Maybe in his eyes, I was never worth his time. I realized that too late. And the price I paid was way too high.

I lay in my hospital bed scrolling through Instagram. Sure enough, Serena had posted another victory photo, showing off like always. There was a group shot of the three of them, a photo of a supposedly “fixed” pipe, and a carefully bandaged wrist with a little bow on it. 【Grateful for good friends—sometimes friendship outlasts love!】 Serena’s post quickly got tons of likes. 【One’s a doctor, one’s a cop—you’ve got two hot guys!】 【So jealous! 】 I took a deep breath and showed Mia the Instagram post. She pulled out her phone, and two minutes later, a bitter laugh escaped her. “A love triangle? Don’t they think that’s a little crowded? Once we divorce, they’ll probably need a custom bed for their little threesome, huh?” I snorted. “I’m calling a lawyer right now to draft the divorce papers. And while I’m at it, I’ll send them a king-size bed as a ‘congrats on your new relationship’ gift!” After we sent the papers, Mia and I waited all day, but neither brother replied. I ran out of patience and called Julian. Before I could say a word, he snapped: “Why did you send divorce papers to my office? Trying to humiliate me in front of everyone because you’re jealous?” His words made me sigh—for myself, for ever thinking he cared. I’d asked a nurse to deliver the papers. If he’d bothered to ask even one question, he would’ve found out about the accident and that I was in the hospital. But obviously, he hadn’t. I was about to bring up the divorce when Serena’s sickly sweet voice came through the phone. “Julian, that lipstick you got me last time was so pretty! I loved it—can you pick up another one?” He quickly covered the phone, and I let out a bitter laugh. “No wonder you’re too busy to sign the divorce papers. Don’t let me interrupt your ‘plans.’ I’ll leave you alone.” I was about to hang up when he lost his temper completely. “Are you serious right now? I was just trying to keep you from overreacting! I’m with my brother! He was fixing Serena’s pipe, remember? She wanted to thank us with dinner. Why are you always so paranoid? Can’t you just trust me for once?” “She’s a single woman who can’t even fix a pipe by herself—why do you have to call me for every little problem? I’m exhausted from work! Can’t you act like an adult? Now you’re throwing a fit, demanding a divorce, and dragging Mia into this too. What did my brother ever do to you?” Julian’s voice rose, sharp with frustration. Then Serena piped up, her voice sickly sweet: “Don’t be upset, Julian. Pregnant women get extra emotional with all those hormones, right?” I was so angry my stitches throbbed, and I slammed down the phone. Mia saw how upset I was and squeezed my hand. “Don’t let them get to you! I already texted Leo—we’re getting those divorces as soon as we’re out of here.”

Mia and I were in the hospital for two whole weeks, and neither of them called once. Not one text asking where two pregnant women had disappeared to. Or why we hadn’t been home. Their silence made our already broken hearts sink even lower. Then I saw Serena’s new Instagram post, and it all made sense. Dozens of photos of the three of them on vacation—laughing, hugging, looking like one big happy family. Their grins were like salt in our wounds. The caption read: 【Family isn’t always blood—grateful for my chosen family!】 I stared at Julian’s carefree smile in the photos, feeling absolutely numb inside. I texted him calmly. 【I’m being discharged. Court tomorrow—bring Leo.】 He called right away, but I declined and blocked his number. Mia and I finished the discharge paperwork, then finally had time to report the hit-and-run driver to the police. After we described what happened, the officer frowned: “It’s been two weeks—why wait until now to report this? Tracking them down might be tough.” I just nodded awkwardly, forcing a smile as I asked for their help. When we explained that my husband had bailed to be with his mistress, and Mia had miscarried trying to save me—so we’d had no one to help us until now—the officer looked sympathetic. “Don’t worry, we’ll do everything we can to find that driver.” After leaving the station, Mia and I moved into a new apartment. We were both still pretty weak, so we hired a cleaning service. But Julian somehow got through using Leo’s phone, even though I’d blocked him. He was yelling: “Where the hell are you? The house is a disaster! Why aren’t you home resting like a pregnant woman should be? Haven’t two weeks been enough for you to get over this? How long are you gonna keep acting like this?” “Even if you want a divorce, stop brainwashing Mia! Are you jealous she had a good marriage?” Mia heard every word and snatched the phone from me, livid. She screamed into the phone, “You two assholes! Mia and I never should’ve married you! Tell Leo if he doesn’t show up tomorrow, he’s a coward! This divorce is happening—with or without you!” With that, she hung up. We blocked both brothers’ numbers right after. The next morning, Mia and I got to the courthouse early to wait for them. But Serena showed up instead—and we should’ve known better. Her eyes were red like she’d been crying. She clicked over in her heels, sniffling and putting on that innocent act: “I’m so sorry—I came to apologize for them. I know there’s been a misunderstanding. It’s not what it looks like, I promise.” “That trip? We planned it five years ago! I was out of town for a while, so we’re just now getting around to it. I told them to say goodbye before they left, but they must’ve forgotten to text…” This wasn’t an apology—it was a flex. I let out a dry laugh. “Oh really? So their divorce today—did you sign off on that too? Are they even man enough to show up, or did you volunteer to handle their dirty work?” Serena’s phone buzzed quietly in her purse. Her expression flickered, and then she suddenly lunged at us. I flinched and pushed her away on instinct. Serena fell hard on her butt, scraping her palm open. I froze, confused, and was about to help her up when Julian’s voice roared from across the lobby: “Chloe, what the fuck are you doing?! Get away from her!” Before I could process what was happening, he was in my face. He shoved me hard in the chest. I stumbled backward, crashing into Mia. Julian’s eyes dropped to my flat stomach, and his face went white as a sheet. He stammered, “The baby…?” Leo wandered over, glued to his phone, not even glancing our way. He was talking urgently: “No, I can’t today. The station just got a report about a hit-and-run from two weeks ago—they’re calling it attempted murder! I gotta head back to investigate.” Then he finally noticed our empty bellies and froze. His phone slipped from his hand, screen shattering when it hit the floor. “What happened? Chloe… your stomach…”

I stared at their panicked, crumbling faces and said flatly, “As you can see, thanks to the three of you, the baby’s gone. Let’s sign the divorce papers. There’s nothing left to say.” Julian’s eyes bulged, like he couldn’t process it. Then it hit him, and he exploded. “Chloe! That was my kid! How could you do this behind my back? Who the hell do you think you are?!” “Are you insane?! You’re a murderer! You killed my child!” I shot a cold look at the woman hiding in his arms, sneering. “I lost my baby in a car accident, and you’re calling me a murderer? Should I have died too to make you happy?” “Julian, do you even care about that baby? Or are you just mad you lost your trophy? Maybe you should ask who caused that accident.” “When the truth comes out, I hope you’ll still be so quick to judge.” My words made Serena panic—just for a second. She opened her mouth to speak, but Leo cut her off. “Car accident? What are you talking about? Was that real? And my son—Mia was fine that day, right?” His ignorance made Mia’s eyes well up. Then she snapped, “Shut up! Are you really that dense?! Do you think a woman would joke about losing her baby? Leo, you’re pathetic.” “You don’t deserve to be a dad! I’m glad that baby never had to call you ‘father.’ After today, I never want to see you again.” Mia had never yelled at him like that—not in their four years together. Leo froze, his face red with shame and rage. “What are you saying? What actually happened? Were you in an accident too? Did they find the driver?” His voice cracked with panic, finally realizing how bad things were. But it was way too late. Mia smiled bitterly, her voice dead calm. “You didn’t care when I called for help. You don’t get to care now.” That’s when Julian finally remembered—the four desperate calls I’d made the day of the accident. His face went pale, like it was cracking. He turned to me, hesitant. “Those calls… were you really hurt? Did the baby die because of the accident?” When I just stared at him, he pushed Serena away like she was burning him. Serena looked shocked—like no one had ever brushed her off before. I shot her a look. “Funny you should ask—who do you think reported the accident as attempted murder?” The brothers didn’t seem to get it, but Serena did. Her shock melted into panic, and she forced a guilty smile. Serena jumped in, defending the driver: “Maybe he was drunk? Probably didn’t even realize he hit someone! Truck drivers are so reckless these days—I’ve almost been hit myself…” Normally, the brothers would’ve rushed to comfort her, warning her to be careful crossing streets. But this time, crickets. The two men just stared at her, expressions unreadable. Guilt and regret flickered in their eyes. I laughed coldly at her panic. Was she covering for the driver… or herself? I kept my voice icy. “I never said it was a truck. How’d you know that?” That sent Serena into a full-blown panic.

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