Author: Momo Chan

As an innocent-looking girl (Note: In Chinese internet slang, this refers to a woman who appears pure and naive but is actually manipulative), I found Adrian Evans, the head of the Evans family, too tough to handle. So I decisively chose his playboy nephew instead. To marry into this wealthy family as soon as possible, I deliberately pretended to be drunk and flirted with the campus heartthrob, making Jason both jealous and guilty. Unexpectedly, it was that cold-hearted family head who came to pick me up when he received the call. “Miss Lily, shall I help you sober up?” Adrian asked. I had lived a life of luxury for seventeen years. But suddenly, I fell back into poverty. All of this happened because my dad, who worked in finance, was made the scapegoat by his company. He was an honest man who didn’t dare tell my sick mother the truth. Instead, he resorted to taking out online loans. I had a feeling something was wrong. People’s attitudes towards us changed drastically. On the day I received my college admission letter, my father invited close relatives and friends to celebrate. According to our hometown custom, guests were supposed to give red envelopes for a child’s college admission celebration dinner. The money he had given out on previous occasions should have been enough to cover my first year’s tuition and living expenses when returned. But to our surprise, no one showed up, and we were left with two tables of wasted food. By ten o’clock, with the oil congealing on the dishes, still not a single person had arrived. My dad started drinking alone, his eyes turning red. After settling the bill, he said he wanted to go for a walk. Worried he might do something rash, I followed him. He walked for a long time with a hunched back, reaching the city center where his new company was located. He stopped a car at the exit, saying nothing at first, and then just knelt down. Looking both pathetic and miserable, he explained that his violation of rules was arranged by Mr. Stern for the company’s benefit. He went on about how difficult his life had become, not even having money to buy a burial plot for his wife, and his child about to start college. He said he could barely survive… After he finished speaking, a cold voice came from inside the car. “Oh, aren’t you living quite well now?” The person in the car raised a hand, and a security guard came over, kicking my father’s things aside and roughly dragging him away. The food my dad had been carrying in takeout boxes spilled all over the ground. As he tried to pick it up, he started crying. On our way back, my dad “accidentally” fell into the river. After the accidental death insurance payout came through, we cleared all our debts, with only a small amount left as my living expenses. I was going to college on my father’s blood and sweat. He had done all he could for me, and now I had to do what I could for him. These people who drove him to his death – I wouldn’t let a single one of them off the hook.

During the summer break of my sophomore year, I found a part-time job at a coffee shop below that office building. Soon enough, I met Mr. Stern, my father’s former superior. He was in his forties, well-dressed, and smug with his newfound success. I caught his attention by upgrading his coffee to a large size. He had originally intended to take it to go but ended up staying to drink it in the cafe. Watching me busily working, he came over to place another order. I smiled and said, “Your stomach isn’t good, so it’s not advisable to drink too much iced coffee. How about switching to a hot drink?” He agreed readily and asked how I knew about his stomach issues. I explained that I had seen him holding his stomach when he came to buy coffee last week. I guessed that he probably didn’t have time for breakfast, rushing to work in the morning. Mr. Stern’s eyes lit up slightly. When he looked at me again, his gaze held a deeper meaning. As he took the milk tea, he casually touched the back of my hand. I didn’t shy away, only pretending to be embarrassed as I averted my eyes. Three days later, with Mr. Stern’s help, I entered Tiansheng Company, where my father used to work, as an intern. I heard that he personally delivered my documents to the general manager’s office to open the back door for me. Tiansheng Company’s successful acquisition couldn’t have happened without the “hard work and cooperation” of Tiansheng’s old finance team. But in the end, while others got promoted, only my honest father became the scapegoat, forced to resign and even had to pay compensation. Mr. Stern was now flying high, often talking about how “people should cherish their reputation and integrity.” Huh, just wait until I strip you of your feathers. As an intern in the general affairs department, I quickly memorized the HR system password. But when I logged in, I couldn’t find any of my father’s past records. I was told that due to a system upgrade, some data had been lost. Coincidentally, during the office move, two boxes of financial records were accidentally damaged. And of course, it was my dad’s portion. How incredibly convenient. Interns usually do odd jobs, and my “naive and cute” persona quickly won everyone’s favor. Especially Mr. Stern’s. He was clearly getting ahead of himself, thinking his “mature man” image had attracted an innocent young girl. Yet he was reluctant to invest too much, buying me a bunch of fake bags and clothes as gifts. On the day of the company’s summary meeting, I changed into the uniform cheongsam for receptionists and applied light makeup. Mr. Stern’s eyes lit up when he saw me. During the departmental reports, Mr. Stern came out for a drink of water. I deliberately waited for him on his way back. As he approached, I looked at him innocently. There was no one around, and behind me was the general manager’s office. Not a soul would come by. Sure enough, the moment I touched his palm with my finger, he couldn’t resist and pushed me into the general manager’s office. I only slightly hooked my arms around his neck, and his body immediately reacted. He pushed me to sit on the sofa, grinning as he placed his hand on my knee. I remained motionless, and his hand slowly moved. “You little minx,” he cursed, but with a smile on his face. His hand trembled as he reached for my zipper, which was already loose and suddenly broke completely. At that moment, I burst into tears. Mr. Stern was dumbfounded. I looked at him with a cold smile but cried even louder. Finally, male colleagues burst in, draping a jacket over me, while a female colleague slapped Mr. Stern across the face. Curses, angry shouts, and sounds of scuffling completely drowned out the stunned Mr. Stern’s attempts to explain. I just cried, not needing to say anything. Everyone was on my side. As Mr. Stern left in disgrace, I threw the fake bags and clothes with tags still on them that he had given me at him. Utterly humiliated, he reached out to hit me but was dragged away by security. I lowered my head and cried as the HR girl gently comforted me. “What a scumbag. Always talking about cherishing one’s reputation and integrity, and then he does something like this. Disgusting. He’ll definitely be disciplined for this.” Disciplined? That’s not enough. Just then, the assistant said the general manager wanted to see me. This general manager was Adrian Evans, the new boss from the acquiring company, the one my dad had begged that day. Heh, I’m coming right away.

Adrian Evans wasn’t old, but he had a cold heart. I heard he even snatched his brother’s position to dominate the family business. In the month since I’d been here, I’d seen him three times. Once for coffee, twice for documents. The day before the summary meeting, when I brought him coffee, he took a sip and said he didn’t want sugar. I took the cup back and drank a sip: “But it tastes really good.” Adrian looked up at me. “Really,” I said, looking at him innocently. He had thick eyelashes and deep-set eyes. I just held the cup and kissed him directly. Outside was the bustling corridor. When there was a knock on the door, I said I was momentarily overcome with emotion. He remained expressionless at the time and didn’t pursue the matter further. Then this incident happened the next day. I entered the general manager’s office. He sat in his chair, fingers interlaced, looking at me expectantly. I sat down in the chair in front of the desk, separated from him by the large office desk. On the desk was a photo of him with his family members. My gaze fell on the photo, and I immediately memorized it, a talent from my liberal arts studies. “I’ll help you settle your salary until the end of the month. Take a good rest at home tomorrow.” This was a veiled dismissal. In this matter, I was the perfect victim. All the events captured by the security cameras in the office corridor showed that I was innocent and coerced. How cold-blooded. I thought he would at least comfort me, his little employee, first. “I only want what I deserve,” I said, biting my lip. His gaze fell on my lips. The lipstick was applied just right, along with my shoulder-length short hair and slightly red eyes, presenting a pitiful image. Adrian looked at me for a while, then leaned back in his chair. “Don’t push your luck. Stern is lecherous and bold. But you’re not simple either — newly painted nails, right?” He smiled. “They left marks on the back of his neck. In that position, it’s hard to believe you were forced.” He truly was sharp-minded and ruthless. I had thought that kiss yesterday might have had some effect. I said, “I don’t understand what Mr. Evans is saying, but if this matter gets out on the internet, it will surely have a negative impact on the company…” Adrian thought for a second and chose to fire me. “Now that he’s been fired, at least no one in this industry will hire him. Half a lifetime of work has turned to nothing. Is that enough to satisfy your anger?” Not enough. On my way in, I had anonymously called his wife. She should be downstairs by now. I let go of the model I had been playing with in my hand, stood up supporting myself on the desk, my body seeming to go weak and swaying slightly. The jacket on my shoulders rolled off to one side, half draped over my arm. I stood up and walked straight towards the door. Suddenly, his voice came from behind. “This is an exception. Come back to work after resting for two days.” This was a concession. But I had a new plan now. I watched Mr. Stern’s pathetic beating from the corner window of the coffee shop downstairs. After his futile pleas at Adrian’s car window, he started cursing loudly, accusing Adrian of being ungrateful and abandoning him for a little slut. He asked how they could have easily covered up such a big hole without his suggestion. Security chased Mr. Stern away. Adrian’s car passed by the coffee shop, the window slowly lowered, and the person inside turned to look in my direction. I didn’t flinch, holding my coffee and taking another sip with a smile. Is that enough to satisfy my anger? Not at all. The real show is just beginning.

I returned to school and changed my phone number. After a long time, one day I suddenly received a call from the HR department of Tiansheng Company in my dorm room. They asked about my current situation and said there was a new internship vacancy, considering if I wanted to go back? It was the kind that could be converted to a full-time position after graduation by signing a tripartite agreement. I laughed and said they had the wrong number. The HR manager on the other end was stunned for a moment, saying it shouldn’t be wrong, that the name and photo matched. During the less than two months I worked at Tiansheng, all the addresses and contact information I provided were fake. To be able to call my dorm room, they must have put in quite some effort. But Adrian was too tough to handle, so I decided to choose his weak spot instead. As I was about to graduate from university, I met Jason’s parents once. Jason was known as the campus playboy and was the only son in his family. His mother was no match for him. After a bit of fuss from Jason, she softened and agreed to our relationship. She probably thought it was just dating anyway. Jason liked me for three reasons: first, my face; second, my grades; and third, my innocence. He said I was the only girl he had met who was this beautiful yet had such a clean record when it came to hotel stays. I was also the only beautiful girl he had seen doing such hard work as supermarket promotions. Of course, if I hadn’t known he would go to that supermarket to buy things, that his off-campus apartment was right next to that supermarket, why would I waste half a day doing promotions there with natural makeup? From before I met Jason, I knew exactly what I was doing. He loved to play around, a butterfly among flowers, hating constraints and calculations. He thought he had spent countless efforts to pursue me and cherished me immensely. Little did he know that those chance encounters and perfectly timed meetings, even the image of me that he liked, I had studied carefully beforehand. I planned to find a way to settle the marriage when he graduated, and then meet all of his family. But things happened a bit earlier than expected. One day, I was having dinner with Jason at a restaurant when his phone suddenly rang. He answered it, looking around, then waved to someone on the other side. Following his gaze, I saw his uncle, my former boss, Adrian Evans, who had his arm around Jason affectionately in that photo. Adrian was dressed formally tonight, with a well-dressed female companion. His gaze moved from his nephew Jason to me. Jason hurriedly introduced me. I looked at Adrian and smiled gently. He made a sound of acknowledgment: “Oh, so it’s Miss Lily?” His female companion asked him with a hint of jealousy: “You know each other?” Adrian said: “I happened to hear from my sister-in-law that Jason has a very beautiful girlfriend surnamed Jiang.” This was a cover-up. Jason’s mother hated me to death, and probably only cursed me as a vixen and schemer when she mentioned me. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Adrian and his companion prepared to leave. Jason said to me: “That’s the uncle I told you about, the one on the magazine cover last time.” I shook my head, pretending to be clueless: “Oh, I don’t remember.” Jason pinched my face and laughed: “Well, you’re face-blind. You probably don’t remember anyone except me.” Adrian’s footsteps slowed for a moment.

Leaving the restaurant, I decided to speed up the marriage process while Jason was still infatuated. According to the schedule, Adrian should be about to expose me, so I planned to settle things in two days, racing against time. Jason is usually most infatuated when he’s drunk, jealous, and feeling guilty. So I agreed to the class president’s invitation to a high school reunion this Friday. Conveniently, Jason had an unavoidable dinner engagement on Friday. His cousin, who he grew up with, had returned to A City from studying abroad, and it would surely be a night of wild partying. With many beautiful women present, Jason wouldn’t want me to go with him. On Friday afternoon, I dawdled in the dorm, carefully changed my clothes, didn’t wear any jewelry, just used a hairband to tie up my slightly curled hair. As I went downstairs, I ran into two junior students. I heard them discussing: “That’s Lily, isn’t she? She really is pretty.” Such comments had long become commonplace. The beauty of a young body always presents itself doubly, but it’s all just fleeting fireworks. I took a two-hour taxi ride to A City. More people came to the class reunion tonight than I had imagined. As soon as I appeared at the door of the private room, I heard the commotion inside. “I told you she would come, but they wouldn’t believe me,” the old class president came over first, looked at me with a smile, and pointed out the reserved seat for me. I recognized the boy sitting next to the seat, a cold academic achiever who I heard had already signed a very good job. His face was slightly flushed with alcohol. I went over and sat down without showing any emotion. As usual, there was old classmate sentiment, as usual, there was the clinking of glasses, as usual, there was subtle showing off and discreet probing. Everyone talked about youth, about the future, and it was quite harmonious. I sipped my drink slowly, controlling my alcohol intake. The academic achiever helped me fend off several rounds of drinks. “That’s right, if she drinks too much, Lily’s boyfriend will worry,” the class president said with a smile. The academic achiever immediately looked at me. I timed it just right, ignoring their probing, and just reached out to hold my forehead: “My head is a bit dizzy. I don’t want to drink anymore.” I needed this perfect slight tipsiness. Taking the opportunity to go to the restroom, I called Jason back. Sure enough, he asked why I didn’t answer the phone. It was noisy on his end, like he was still at a drinking party. So I said I was dizzy and whined for him to come pick me up later. He immediately got a bit angry: “You’ve been drinking?” In his mind, I had very low alcohol tolerance, he knew that. The background noise from the phone was chaotic, with young girls’ coquettish laughter. “Aren’t you drinking too?” I said and hung up the phone directly. I knew Jason would always come.

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On the day Olivia went to get her diagnosis, she learned she had cancer. The doctor said she had less than six months to live. Olivia calmly returned home and prepared divorce papers. In another two weeks, she would leave this home that didn’t belong to her for good. Olivia silently counted down the days, waiting for the day she could leave. This time, she would not forgive again. She no longer wanted Ethan or her family. “You have leukemia, which is blood cancer. Here is your diagnosis.” Looking at the glaring words on the paper, Olivia actually felt relieved. She calmly accepted the diagnosis. “How much time do I have left?” The doctor sighed. “Six months at most.” After a moment of shock, Olivia stood up to leave. The doctor quickly called out to stop her. “Miss Hayes, if we can find a matching bone marrow donor, there’s still hope.” Leukemia was a well-known cancer. Olivia knew a bone marrow transplant could save her life. But her family might not be willing to get tested as potential donors. Thinking of this, Olivia gave a self-deprecating smile. “That won’t be necessary. Thank you.” “But you’re so young, only 29 years old.” The doctor tried to persuade her a few more times out of sympathy. Seeing Olivia’s silent demeanor, he didn’t say anymore. Olivia put away the diagnosis and called a taxi. Outside the car window, heavy snow was falling, slowly blurring her vision. When she got home, the place was still cold and empty. Ethan was probably “working overtime” again. He used to at least send her a message to let her know. But ever since his old flame Sophia returned from abroad, He couldn’t even be bothered to send a single text. Olivia sat quietly on the sofa in the dark, gazing at the lights of the city outside. For the past 2000 days, she had always waited for Ethan to come home. Today was supposed to be her and Ethan’s wedding anniversary. Yet today she received notice that she had terminal cancer. Olivia didn’t know if it was herself or this empty marriage that was more pathetic. She had waited for Ethan for five years now, and didn’t want to wait anymore. Olivia pulled out the divorce agreement she had drafted two months ago and messaged her lawyer. “Mr. Davis, I’ve decided to go through with the divorce. Please help me draft another divorce agreement.” The reply came quickly. “Alright, same terms as before?” “Yes, but I want to finalize the divorce as soon as possible.” “The fastest we can do now is one month. Let me draft the agreement and we can set up a time to meet.” “Okay.” “By the way, are you sure about this decision?” Her finger hovered over the screen for a moment before Olivia typed a single word. “Yes.” In an instant, Olivia felt like she had lost all her strength. She put down her phone and stared blankly out the window. As long as Ethan agreed to the divorce, she could be free of this marriage in a month. One month… That would be enough time for her to get her affairs in order. Her marriage to Ethan had been an accident. Ethan was the one who proposed to her. At the time, Sophia had left him to go abroad. Olivia knew he had feelings for someone else, but she still agreed to marry him. After all, he was the only person who had been kind to her after her grandmother passed away. Even though he was as cold as ice after they got married and hard to get close to. But Olivia kept telling herself, Ethan was different. As long as she was good enough to him, even the hardest ice could be melted. All this time, her relationship with Ethan wasn’t exactly loving, but it was normal. But less than a year after Sophia returned, his icy exterior had melted into sharp blades. Cutting Olivia over and over until she was bloody and broken. She was truly exhausted. She didn’t want to be entangled with him anymore. As she was lost in thought, she heard the sound of the door opening. The lights were turned on. She shielded her eyes from the sudden brightness and heard the familiar sound of shoes being taken off. “Why are you sitting in the dark?” Hearing Ethan’s question devoid of any real concern, Olivia only replied with two words. “Didn’t feel like it.” Ethan paused briefly as he was taking off his coat. She seemed a bit strange today. But he only thought about it for a moment before continuing to change. Olivia looked at him and called his name seriously. “Ethan.” Ethan responded with a noncommittal “Mm” without even looking up. The response was more like that of strangers than familiar spouses. “Let’s get divorced.”

Ethan finally looked at her. “Don’t be ridiculous.” With those simple words, he dismissed her statement as a joke. “I’m serious.” “I had four surgeries today. I’m exhausted.” In the past, whenever he brought up work, it was a signal for Olivia to be quiet. Ethan unbuttoned his sleeves and walked into the living room nonchalantly. She caught a whiff of Sophia’s favorite plum blossom perfume. Olivia felt nauseous. She closed her eyes briefly and continued speaking. “I’ll draft a divorce agreement and let you look it over. If you don’t have any—” Olivia’s words were cut off by a ringtone. “Little White, answer the phone! Little White, answer the phone!” Sophia’s voice came from Ethan’s coat pocket. Little White was the nickname Sophia had given Ethan. A nickname she had used since middle school. An intimate nickname that only Sophia used for him. Ethan glanced at Olivia. “I didn’t know the ringtone changed.” His explanation sounded perfunctory. When he answered the phone, his voice became exceptionally gentle, a complete contrast to just moments ago. “Sophia, what’s wrong?” It was always like this. Sometimes Olivia couldn’t tell who was really Ethan’s wife. After hanging up, Ethan looked down at Olivia. “Sophia has a low fever today. She said she’s craving your pumpkin porridge.” Olivia gripped her pants leg tightly, looking at him in disbelief. “Ethan, do you know what time it is?” The clock on the wall showed it was past midnight. Ethan replied flatly, “You’re a freelancer, unlike us. It’s fine if you sleep in tomorrow.” Olivia gave a self-deprecating laugh. She was an illustrator, so her time was indeed quite flexible. But that wasn’t a reason for Ethan to order her around. Apparently her health meant nothing in his eyes. Olivia took a deep breath, staring at him intently. “Ethan, let’s set that aside for now. Can you please respect me? I’m trying to talk to you about divorce.” Ethan’s cold expression finally changed as he frowned. “Sophia is sick. Olivia, be sensible.” Ethan looked at her like she was being unreasonable. Olivia struggled to breathe. She used to love his eyes the most. She could still remember the first time she saw Ethan, sitting on her family’s garden wall holding a cat, glancing back at her. Those clear yet cold eyes. One look was enough to capture her heart. One look was enough to make her fall in love hopelessly for thirteen years. Only now did she realize she had fallen in love with an idealized version of Ethan that she had created in her mind. “You didn’t come home for five days, and now you want me to cook for Sophia as soon as you’re back. Ethan, am I really the one being unreasonable?” Faced with her questioning, Ethan replied nonchalantly. “It’s just one meal, you’re being petty. Olivia, Sophia is your stepsister.” How ridiculous. Every argument in the past Always ended with that line. She’s your stepsister. Those words were like a curse. Hanging over Olivia’s five-year marriage. Olivia laughed coldly, looking at Ethan with increasingly unfamiliar eyes. The difference she thought existed turned out to be no difference at all. Ethan was no different from her family. “Ethan, remember this – her last name is Lewis, my last name is Hayes. I don’t have any random stepsister, and I don’t need anyone to assign me a stepsister!” She spoke each word clearly and forcefully. Ethan’s eyes flashed with disbelief. “Olivia, why are you acting like a shrew?”

Five years. She had thought that even if five years of marriage couldn’t earn his love, it could at least earn his respect. But she had overestimated herself. Olivia wanted to ask him. Ask how he could say such cruel words. Ask what she had done wrong to deserve such torment from him. Olivia opened her mouth, but her throat felt stuck. She lowered her eyes, her voice hoarse. “I’ll have the divorce papers drawn up.” Ethan walked past her towards the kitchen. “I’m very tired today. I don’t want to argue with you.” Watching Ethan roll up his sleeves in the kitchen, Olivia turned and went back to the bedroom. Listening to the sounds from the kitchen, Olivia felt a pang in her heart. Ethan had germaphobia and never cooked. Only now did she realize that germaphobia could be selective too. Olivia wiped away the tears in the corner of her eyes. She didn’t have time to be sad now. Besides divorce, there were many other things she needed to do this month. Olivia took out paper and pen, thinking about what she needed to accomplish. After finishing these tasks… She wanted to see the ocean. The winter beaches of Florida must be very warm. Embracing the sunshine as she left this world would surely be painless. Thinking this, Olivia smiled for once. As Olivia closed her notebook, she heard Ethan’s voice. “I won’t be coming home tonight.” Only then did Olivia remember her test results were still outside. She hurriedly ran out, bumping right into Ethan. Ethan scrutinized her face. “What are you in such a rush for?” Olivia tried to appear calm as she grabbed her bag. “Nothing, just getting my bag.” Ethan pressed further: “Really nothing?” He felt Olivia was acting very strangely today. Olivia glanced at him: “Aren’t you going to deliver porridge to your mistress?” Taken aback, Ethan turned to grab his coat by the door. “I’ve told you, there’s nothing between Sophia and me.” After he left, Olivia finally let out a sigh of relief. Ethan cared a lot about his image. If he knew she was sick, he would definitely refuse to divorce her just to save face. She and Ethan lived next to the downtown hospital. But she hadn’t gone there for her checkup. Because Ethan was a surgeon at the downtown hospital. And Sophia had started working in pediatrics there this past year on his recommendation. Ethan didn’t like her going to the downtown hospital to find him. To avoid causing Ethan trouble, she had chosen to go to the district hospital 10 miles away. But thinking about it now, Even if she had gotten checked at the downtown hospital, Ethan probably wouldn’t have noticed. Few people at the hospital knew about their relationship. Olivia carefully hid away the test results. She couldn’t let anything get in the way of the divorce. It was very late now. Olivia curled up in bed, exhausted. Tomorrow she still had to go back to her family home. The Hayes mansion wasn’t far. Only an hour’s drive from where she lived with Ethan. After getting married, she rarely went home except for holidays. Olivia looked at the neatly trimmed garden in front of her and rang the doorbell. She had come today to retrieve her grandmother’s jade pendant.

A few minutes later, someone came out from inside. It was Olivia’s brother, Ryan. Seeing Olivia, his expression was surprised and strange. “Why are you here?” It didn’t sound like how one would greet a sister they hadn’t seen in a long time. More like seeing someone they disliked. Olivia was already used to it. “I need to see Mom about something.” Ryan hesitated before opening the door. “Come in, Mom’s in the living room.” After entering the yard, Olivia immediately noticed the newly planted flowers. Winter jasmine filled nearly half the garden. It was Sophia’s favorite flower. That area used to be where she had planted red camellias to please her father. Now there was no trace of them left. Noticing her gaze, Ryan said, “Sophia likes winter jasmine. Dad had them planted.” It sounded like an explanation, but was really just informing her. After all, none of her things mattered in the Hayes household. Olivia looked away. “Oh.” Ryan gave her an odd look. In the past, Olivia would have been hurt hearing things like this. Why was she so calm today? Ryan tried to detect some signs of distress on her face, but found none. Before she even stepped into the living room, laughter could be heard. Her mother Linda was holding up a finished cheongsam, comparing it to Sophia’s figure. “Frank, look, how’s the cheongsam I embroidered for Sophia?” Her father Frank nodded appreciatively. “Beautiful. The yellow winter jasmine embroidery is very elegant.” Sophia smiled and linked arms with Linda. “Mom’s handiwork is the most beautiful. I love everything she makes!” Linda looked at Sophia with loving eyes. “Such a sweet talker.” Sophia liked wearing handmade cheongsams. Linda felt the ones sold outside weren’t good enough, so she had been making them herself for Sophia for many years. Sophia was in her thirties but still acted like a child, pouting. She held up the dress and twirled around. “Ethan, will this dress look good on me for New Year’s?” Only then did Olivia notice Ethan sitting on the sofa, hidden by the wall. Ethan looked up at Sophia with a smile. The misty blue sweater made him look especially gentle. Where was any trace of how he acted in front of Olivia? “It looks good.” Hearing Ethan’s warm voice, Olivia felt a stabbing pain in her heart. He had never complimented her on looking good. Not even once. The scene before her eyes was warm and loving. Just like a real family. Ryan coughed. “Dad, Mom, Olivia’s back.” Everyone’s smiles froze. Linda turned and made eye contact with Olivia. Linda’s eyes darted away, then she spoke awkwardly. “Olivia’s back.” Her tone was distant and polite, completely lacking the affection she showed Sophia. Frank sat up straight, not even sparing Olivia a glance. “What are you here for?” That tone of voice made her sound like the outsider. Then again, other than sharing the Hayes name, she was nothing like the Hayes family. Sophia waved the cheongsam and smiled at her. “Sis, this is the one I asked Mom to make for me. Don’t think too much of it.” Hearing this, Frank snorted coldly. “Your mother can make dresses for whoever she wants. Does she need Olivia’s permission?” Sophia’s eyes flashed with smugness. It was always like this. A few words from Sophia and the family would despise her. In the past she would argue back, but now she had no energy for it. Ethan watched the silent Olivia, feeling confused. Olivia wouldn’t usually be this indifferent. What was wrong with her today? Olivia suppressed the pain in her heart and walked forward. “Dad, Mom, I didn’t mean to disturb you.” “Nonsense, how could Mom ever find you a bother.” Linda went to take Olivia’s hand but was avoided. Linda’s smile froze on her face as she awkwardly withdrew her hand. Olivia didn’t want to exchange pleasantries and stated her purpose directly. “I came today to take back the white jade pendant Grandma left for me.”

Sophia was Olivia’s stepsister. She was also the orphaned child of Frank’s deceased war buddy. When Sophia was three, Frank’s comrade stepped on a landmine while trying to save Frank and died. His wife committed suicide soon after. Frank felt extremely guilty and took the initiative to raise Sophia. He even brought Sophia to live with the Hayes family. The Hayes weren’t particularly wealthy, but could easily afford to raise another child. But Sophia had trouble getting along with Olivia. So they sent Olivia to live with her grandmother in the countryside. The white jade pendant Olivia’s grandmother left was specifically meant for Olivia. At the time, Linda was very distraught over her mother’s passing and cried while holding the pendant. Olivia felt bad for her mother and gave her the pendant. But Linda had also said that whenever Olivia wanted it, she could come take it back. Linda nervously smoothed her hair. “Olivia dear, why are you asking about the pendant as soon as you arrive? Why don’t you catch up with everyone first?” In the past, she always cared about them when she came back. But did they appreciate it? As soon as Sophia returned, they never spared her a single glance. It was they who trampled on her concern, not her who didn’t give it. Linda’s demeanor made Olivia suspicious. “Mom, where’s the pendant?” Linda couldn’t meet her eyes. Sophia’s clear voice rang out. “Sis, do you mean this pendant?” Sophia pulled out the pendant from her neckline. “I didn’t know it was from your grandmother. I thought Mom bought it for me.” Olivia’s body trembled as she looked at Linda. “Mom, that’s the pendant Grandma left for me!” Linda tried to explain. But before she could speak, Frank interrupted. “What’s yours or mine? Olivia, don’t you understand? If Sophia wants the pendant, are you really going to fight her for it?” Olivia felt it was getting hard to breathe. She could give up everything else. But this was Grandma’s pendant! She and her grandmother had relied on each other for over a decade. The pendant was the only thing her grandmother left behind! Frank continued to berate her. “You dare raise your voice at your parents over a mere pendant? Where are your manners?” “That’s right,” Ryan chimed in from the side, “It’s just a pendant, what’s the big deal? Olivia, you’re being too petty.” “Enough,” Linda pulled on Ryan’s arm and said to Olivia, “Your sister likes it, so just let her have it.” Olivia looked at the silent Ethan. Ethan felt uncomfortable under her gaze. His eyes moved to the pendant in Sophia’s hand. He had some impression of that pendant. The first time he met Olivia, she was holding that pendant. But Olivia owed Sophia too much. Ethan spoke flatly: “It’s just a pendant. If Sophia likes it, let her have it.” Olivia looked at the people before her, feeling they were complete strangers. “Just a pendant?” She suddenly laughed. Her grandmother had been her only family until she was sixteen. “That was left to me by my grandmother! What right does she have to take it?!” “She’s your sister!” Olivia shouted with all her strength: “She’s not!” Hearing Olivia say this, Frank’s eyes widened in anger. Olivia didn’t give him a chance to speak. “Dad, for Sophia’s sake, you sent me away and ruined my future. Now you want to give her my pendant too? You owed your war buddy! I don’t owe anyone anything!” Back then, Sophia wanted to study medicine abroad while Olivia was about to start college. There was enough money for both of them to study. But to give Sophia a better life, Frank gave her double the living expenses. At that time, Olivia had just passed the art exam. But Frank told her to stop studying art. To continue learning to paint, she begged many times. Frank remained unmoved. Having his sore spot poked, Frank stood up from the sofa and slapped Olivia hard across the face. “What are you doing!” Linda pulled Frank back and went to Olivia. “Olivia, your father didn’t mean it. Be the bigger person and apologize to your father. Let’s put this behind us.” Linda always tried to smooth things over like this. Her actions made Olivia feel utterly helpless every time. “You knew that was from Grandma, why did you give it to Sophia!” Olivia grabbed Linda’s hands, forcing her to look at her. “Mom, that was from Grandma! I’ve already given up everything else, why do you have to take away my last memento?” Linda was at a loss for words. Sophia spoke up from the side. “Sis, don’t blame Mom. It’s all my fault. I’ll give it back to you.”

“Nonsense!” Frank glared at Olivia. “If you dare take back the pendant today, I’ll disown you as my daughter!” “Olivia, you’re making it very difficult for Mom.” “Don’t be angry.” Sophia comforted Linda. “Sis, don’t make Mom and Dad argue. The family’s finally together, let’s keep the peace.” Sophia came to stand in front of her, blocking the view of the others in the room. She dangled the pendant, speaking softly so only Olivia could hear. “If I’d known this was your grandmother’s keepsake, I never would have wanted it.” “How unlucky.” With a flick of her fingers, Sophia dropped the pendant on the floor. The sound of the pendant shattering echoed in Olivia’s ears. She was speechless for a moment. Sophia feigned surprise and covered her mouth. “Oh no, Sis, I didn’t mean to. Why did you push me?” Olivia crouched down shakily to pick up the broken pieces. When she stood up, she saw everyone staring at her intently. Afraid she would do something. Ethan even stood up to shield Sophia. Olivia had originally wanted to make a scene. But now she was truly exhausted. She silently put away the pendant fragments and stared at Ethan, enunciating each word clearly. “Meet me at the civil affairs office on Monday. Let’s get divorced. I’ll set you free. And I wish you two all the best getting back together.” Ethan felt his heart skip a beat. Could it be… she found out? Before anyone could speak, Olivia turned and ran out into the rain. “Olivia, take an umbrella.” Linda stood in the living room holding an umbrella, but Frank snatched it away. “What umbrella? This little rain won’t kill her. Look at her, daring to fight with her sister over a broken pendant. Is this the good daughter you raised?” Linda stood by the door, sighing repeatedly. Ethan was in a daze for a moment before noticing the small bloodstains where the pendant had shattered. Just as he was about to go after her, Sophia suddenly grabbed his sleeve. “Ethan, did I do something wrong? Why does my sister hate me so much?” Ethan comforted her: “Sophia, it’s not your fault.” When Ethan looked back, Olivia was already gone. It was just a small injury, she should be fine. Thinking this, Ethan helped Sophia back to the living room. Olivia didn’t get a taxi until over 10 minutes after leaving. Once in the car, the driver handed her a dry towel. “Miss, dry yourself off so you don’t catch a cold.” Olivia took the towel. “Thank you.” The driver tried to console her as he drove. “These days, there’s nothing that can’t be overcome. Just hang in there and it’ll get better.” The driver’s words made her shed a few tears. She used to believe that too. But now she couldn’t hang on anymore. Just then, her phone vibrated. It was a message from Mr. Davis. “Ms. Hayes, I’ve drafted the agreement. Do you have time to meet tomorrow?” “Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Davis. Let’s meet tomorrow.” The phone showed the location – a cafe near her home. Mr. Davis’ law office wasn’t in that area. And tomorrow was Sunday. It seemed he had added an extra workday for her sake. She had first asked Mr. Davis to draft divorce papers six months after Sophia returned. She had gone back and forth, hesitating many times since then. Mr. Davis understood better than anyone how reluctant she was to let go. But he was also the one who most often advised her that she needed to let go. Ethan’s coldness towards her was obvious even to strangers. She had been too foolish and naive before. Always thinking that boy who had helped her in her times of need would eventually fall for her.

The next day, Olivia received the divorce papers. Looking at the large words on top, Olivia felt a bit dazed. “Ms. Hayes, as you know, there’s a 30-day cooling off period for divorce now. After that, as long as both parties agree, you can finalize the divorce.” Olivia nodded and placed the papers on the table. “Thank you for taking the time to help me on a weekend.” Mr. Davis sighed and gave a wry smile. “It’s nothing. If I can help you escape this misery, I’ll have done a good deed.” Just then, an accusatory voice suddenly sounded behind Olivia. “Olivia, what are you doing here?” Olivia turned around to see Ethan and Sophia. Sophia’s gaze swept over her and Mr. Davis. “Sis, are you on a date?” Those words seemed to strike a nerve with Ethan. He walked over and grabbed Olivia’s wrist. “So this is why you’re not home on weekends? To come see him?” No wonder Olivia had talked about divorcing him. Olivia wrenched her wrist free and turned to apologize to Mr. Davis. “I’m sorry, Mr. Davis. You can leave first, I need to deal with some family matters.” “You… Sigh.” Mr. Davis looked at Ethan. “Mr. Hayes, I’m just Ms. Hayes’ lawyer.” With that, Mr. Davis got up and left the cafe. People around kept glancing their way. Olivia spoke quietly to Ethan. “Let’s go home and talk. Don’t make a scene here.” Ethan was about to say something but Olivia cut him off. “Don’t you care about your reputation, Dr. Hayes?” They lived near the downtown hospital. This cafe was often frequented by hospital staff. Ethan cared a lot about his image. Hearing Olivia say that, he didn’t speak further. After returning home, Olivia took out the divorce papers. “Tomorrow, let’s go to the civil affairs office to get a number and apply for divorce. In a month, you’ll be free.” Her words didn’t make Ethan happy, but seemed to please Sophia. However, Ethan first asked Sophia to leave. “Sophia, go home first. This is between me and my wife.” Sophia’s expression stiffened momentarily before returning to her gentle demeanor. “Okay, talk it over with her properly. Don’t let her misunderstand us. Divorce is a big deal, tell her not to be impulsive.” Olivia laughed coldly. Even as she was leaving, she still had to verbally attack her. After Sophia left, Ethan sat down on the sofa and looked over the divorce papers. For a long while, he didn’t speak. His gaze moved from the papers to Olivia. “You really want to divorce me?” Ethan noticed the jade pendant on the table, glued back together over and over. “Just because of a pendant? Sophia didn’t mean it, I can buy you a new one to replace it.” Olivia looked at him calmly and asked: “In what capacity will you replace it? As my husband, or as Sophia’s ex-boyfriend?” “Sophia is right, you’re still being impulsive.” Ethan tossed aside the divorce papers. “Olivia, you were the one who drove Sophia away from us back then.” Olivia was stunned. When had she ever driven Sophia away? “You forced Sophia to leave, telling her to let me go to you. Sophia told me everything when she came back.” “Do you know how much Sophia suffered abroad all these years? You owe Sophia.” Ethan’s words were like knives, cutting into her already wounded heart once again. Olivia looked at Ethan with difficulty. In his heart, she was actually so despicable. “Sophia doesn’t blame you for her leaving, and I won’t blame you anymore either.” He spoke as if he was granting her great mercy. “I didn’t…” The words of explanation died in her throat. What was the point of explaining now? He firmly believed this “old story”. In his eyes, she was the sinner. A sinner’s words would not be believed. Olivia paused, then suddenly asked him. “Ethan, do you know what happened the day Sophia returned?” Ethan frowned in confusion: “What happened?” That day was their fourth wedding anniversary. Ethan had promised to come home after work to be with her. She had wanted to tell him they were going to have a baby. But Ethan stood her up. She waited for him in the heavy snow for four hours. She was holding the ultrasound results when she fell on her way to find him. The baby was gone. The baby she had waited four years for. Gone.

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When the real heiress returned, James and I had been married for three years. She looked at our clasped hands, her eyes reddening with grievance. “So all those childhood promises to marry me were lies.” As soon as she spoke, James, who was usually calm and composed, instantly lost his rationality. I watched their tightly embracing silhouettes and silently prepared the divorce papers. The real heiress had returned, so it was time for me, the fake one, to exit the stage. But James tore up the divorce agreement and forcefully kissed my lips: “Lily, don’t overthink it. I only see her as a sister.” That day, the stars in his eyes were especially dazzling. I thought, perhaps he really belonged to me. But it wasn’t until the very end that I understood – what didn’t belong to me never would. In the Bennett family’s private clinic, Claire was banging her head against the stark white wall like a madwoman, until it was dotted with blood stains. This act was solely to keep James from leaving. “Go ahead and leave! If you go, I’ll kill myself. Then there will finally be no one left to interfere with you and that fake’s lovey-dovey act.” Claire cried heartbrokenly, her swollen red eyes fixed on James as his hand touched the door handle. “Claire, I haven’t been home in three days already.” Though he said this, James’s hand had already fallen away from the door. “James, please, we’re begging you. Stay with Claire a bit longer, alright?” “This child has had such a hard life. She finally made it back home, only to suffer another shock. We’re really afraid something might happen to her.” Mr. and Mrs. Bennett earnestly tried to persuade him to stay with Claire longer. They had completely forgotten that I was James’s wife. I looked at James without a shred of hope. Because I knew he would choose to stay. As I expected, he sat back down by the hospital bed, allowing Claire to clutch his hand as she wept. Perhaps out of guilt, he personally tended to the wound on her forehead, as if they were the married couple.

Not long after, Claire fell asleep. James took the opportunity to extricate his hand and hurriedly left the hospital. I instinctively followed him, watching as he repeatedly dialed my number, but no one picked up. “Throwing another tantrum, are we?” James’s brows furrowed, his voice thick with displeasure. This was already a precursor to his rage. But before Claire returned, he had never once been angry with me. Seeing he couldn’t get through, James drove home. Pushing open the door, the inside was deathly quiet. “Lily Sinclair? Come out.” He called for me, searching everywhere for any sign of me, but found nothing. He dialed the phone again, but there wasn’t a sound in the house. He realized I wasn’t home at all. “Beep beep beep.” He made several more calls, but still no one answered. Finally, he lost his patience. [Lily Sinclair, have you had enough of this tantrum?] [You were clearly in the wrong this time. What are you sulking about now?] The voice messages were sent, but sank like a stone. I wanted to say I wasn’t throwing a tantrum, and I hadn’t done anything wrong. But I was dead, and James couldn’t hear me. “If you’ve got the guts, then don’t come back! Let’s see how long you can hold out!” He gripped his phone, grabbing whatever was nearby and hurling it. There was a crisp “crash”, and he turned to look, but his phone rang again. The screen lit up with “Wife”, and he answered the call, his tone cold: “Finally remembered to call back?” But it wasn’t my voice on the other end. That number belonged to Claire now. “James, come back quickly and check on Claire. She’s climbed up to the roof again.” The anxious voices of the Bennett couple rang out, interrupting James’s train of thought. Hearing that Claire was about to jump off the building, his expression turned panicked. He hurriedly grabbed his coat and rushed back to the hospital.

Watching James’s anxious retreating figure, my heart began to ache sharply. I wanted to stop following him, but I couldn’t control my soul from chasing after him. He walked very quickly, running almost every red light along the way. This was a side of him I had never seen before. James had always been steady, but I didn’t know – did he get this anxious every time he heard Claire was jumping off a building? How many times had Claire tried to jump now? I lowered my head in thought, realizing this was already the sixth time. Yet James had never grown impatient with her antics. But when I asked him to stay with me a while when I was sick, he exploded in anger. By the time I came back to my senses, I had already seen Claire. She stood on the roof of the hospital, her expression vacant, tears in the corners of her eyes, like an abandoned child. James ran up to the roof breathlessly, calling out to her cautiously: “Claire!” “Why did you come? Wouldn’t it be better to let me die?” “I have nothing left, everything’s been stolen by her.” “You promised you would marry me. Why did you lie?” Claire saw James and her tears fell more violently. Her eyes gradually reddened, as if she had suffered a great injustice. I clenched my fists, my heart unbearably sour. He didn’t just lie to you. The one who was deceived… was me too. I was the one who married James. She was the one who smiled and gave her blessing after being rejected. But later, she jumped off buildings again and again, went crazy again and again, and pulled James away from my side again and again. She always said I stole her things. But I didn’t gain anything either, except for James. And that was already in the past. The James of now no longer belonged to me. From beginning to end, the one who had nothing was me.

I originally had birth parents. But they called me Daisy, wouldn’t let me go to school, and always beat and scolded me. Later when they had a son, they sold me. That day, I was cleaned up and sent to the Bennett family. They said I was lucky to be chosen by a wealthy family, and told me to please them so they could benefit. But how could the Bennetts not see through their true nature? So they were driven out of the city. I looked timidly at the elegant lady before me, not daring to speak. “Child, let mommy hug you.” She embraced me, holding me tightly in her arms. It was the first time I felt such warmth. Just as I was about to respond, I heard her choke out “Claire”. But I wasn’t Claire, I was Daisy. At that moment, I lowered the hand that wanted to hug Mrs. Bennett back. Afterwards, they gave me a new name. Lily Sinclair. Pretty, isn’t it? But later I learned they only adopted me because my features resembled their kidnapped daughter. Lily, thinking of Claire. The name I had longed for was just their way of coping. I tried calling them “Mom and Dad”, but was scolded. They wouldn’t let me live in their house, instead setting up a small attic for me not far away. My purpose was just for them to look at when they missed their daughter. They would hold birthday parties for me every year, but carve Claire’s name on the cake, and not let me eat a bite. I didn’t have a birthday, because I didn’t know when it was, and no one cared. All these years, I never touched Claire’s room or any of her things. I didn’t steal anything from her, not a single bit. Only after meeting James did I develop selfish desires. But he was Claire’s childhood sweetheart. I couldn’t have him, and didn’t dare to.

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My husband secretly bought an apartment upstairs for his childhood female friend. He was cheating on me right under my nose. Later, a fire broke out in our building due to equipment failure. As we were escaping, I caught them in the act, and they pushed me into the flames. As my soul left my body, I watched from above as the true nature of these evil people was revealed. Perhaps due to my intense resentment, heaven gave me a second chance. When I opened my eyes again, it was my wedding day with my husband. The wedding venue was packed with guests. Zack, standing opposite me, said “I do” with deep emotion. I hesitated for a moment, and the bouquet slipped from my hands. Just a second ago, I had been floating above my own funeral, watching my husband and his mistress scheme over my family’s assets, discussing how to use a jade pendant to suppress my soul. Unable to contain my anger, I had rushed towards them seeking revenge, only to be sucked into the jade pendant. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back at my wedding with Zack. The overwhelming sense of unreality made me uneasy. I needed to do something to prove this wasn’t a dream. In the next moment, a sharp sound rang out, and the entire venue fell silent. Against the backdrop of sweet background music, Zack’s face was turned to one side by a slap. Feeling the stinging sensation in my palm, I finally believed that heaven had truly given me a second chance. From great sorrow to great joy, I suddenly burst into laughter, like a madwoman. Zack, who had just been slapped, showed no signs of anger. With a slightly swollen face, he came over to check on me. “Mia, what’s wrong?” My parents also rushed up from below, examining me from head to toe. Seeing my parents again, I felt a pang in my heart. I hugged them with tears in my eyes and apologized. “Mom, Dad, I’m so sorry.” Not understanding the situation, my parents unconditionally embraced and comforted me. “Sweetie, are you unhappy? If you’re not happy, we don’t have to go through with this wedding.” I almost agreed, but then my eyes met Zack’s. His face was half white and half red as he stood there stiffly. Averting my gaze, I saw my mother-in-law sitting in the family section, looking equally nervous. In the fire, I had sworn that if given the chance, I would make them suffer a thousand times more than I did. Now, I needed to let the wedding continue. I explained to my parents, “It’s nothing. I just realized how immature I’ve been and how much trouble I’ve caused you.” My parents believed me and returned to their seats after I reassured them. I took the officiant’s microphone and, taking advantage of the tears still in my eyes, forced out a choked voice to explain to Zack. “I was just too emotional, too in love with you. I was afraid this wedding was a dream, that’s why I acted that way. I’m sorry, Zack.” My declaration made Zack’s tense body relax. He wiped away my tears and spoke gently and magnanimously. “Mia, this isn’t a dream. We’ll be happy together.” I nodded emotionally and said that crucial phrase: “I do.” Zack excitedly hugged me, as if embracing a precious treasure. But now, I was acutely aware that I wasn’t a treasure, but a stepping stone—a ladder for Zack to climb higher. I would make him trip over this stepping stone, let him climb the ladder, only to fall hard from the top!

After the wedding, the three of us returned to our marital home. Yes, three of us—me, Zack, and my mother-in-law. In my previous life, Zack and I had planned to buy a house for my mother-in-law in the countryside. But after seeing our marital home, she changed her mind and insisted on living with us. The apartment my parents gave me as a wedding gift was a large flat, more than enough for three people. Unable to withstand my mother-in-law’s fuss, I agreed to let her stay. But this decision nearly drove me to depression. She was extremely petty, making a big fuss over the slightest things and arguing with me in a loud voice. Whenever I talked back, she would throw tantrums and use every dirty trick in the book. She also spread rumors in the neighborhood that I was a bad daughter-in-law, making it impossible for me to hold my head high in the community group chat. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, I moved with Zack to the smaller apartment he had bought with his own money. Looking back now, I realize how stupid I was. This was clearly a scheme concocted by mother and son, forcing me to live in a small apartment where I would be cheated on, while my mother-in-law enjoyed the large flat. This time around, I planned to deal with my mother-in-law first. “Mother, I’ve been thinking, and you were absolutely right before. A housekeeper is an outsider, we shouldn’t let our resources benefit strangers.” “From now on, I’ll give you the money for hiring a housekeeper and other household expenses. You can manage the household.” My mother-in-law happily agreed, even praising me for being good with money. I laughed coldly inside, waiting for her to lose control of the situation. On my mother-in-law’s first day in charge: The three meals were far from what I had requested. Breakfast: soy milk and fried dough sticks. I said nothing. Lunch: noodles with sauce. I still said nothing. Dinner: pickled vegetables with rice porridge. I continued to say nothing. The next morning, the cycle repeated. Breakfast: again, soy milk and fried dough sticks, and even less than yesterday. I stood at the dining table, looking coldly at my mother-in-law: “Don’t you think you owe me an explanation?” Because Zack was present, my mother-in-law felt she had backup and didn’t even bother to pretend to be apologetic. She was extremely self-righteous. “Soy milk and fried dough sticks are fine for breakfast. All those complicated things you told me about, I can’t remember them.” “When Zack and I were poor, we ate even worse than this. People should learn to be content.” I ignored her and turned to Zack. “Zack, is your mother saying that I should suffer along with you? Is that it?” “I married you, and I can’t even have a meal I want to eat? Is that what you’re saying?” Zack looked uncomfortable and was about to explain when my mother-in-law interrupted him sharply. “You’re just being a spoiled princess. What’s wrong with soy milk and fried dough sticks? Didn’t you eat them yesterday? Did they poison you?” This time, I didn’t let Zack speak either. “Fine, I can eat it. But since we’re cutting back on expenses, give me back the extra grocery money.” At the mention of money, it was as if I had hit my mother-in-law’s sore spot. She jumped up, her eyes wide. “With transportation costs and labor fees, there’s no extra money!” I folded my arms and looked directly at her, speaking clearly. “Transportation doesn’t cost that much, and labor fees are wages, which aren’t included. If every meal is going to be at the standard of soy milk and fried dough sticks, you need to give me back at least five thousand dollars.” As my mother-in-law was about to argue, Zack suddenly interrupted loudly: “Mom! Listen to Mia.” Zack didn’t understand his mother as well as I did. To her, money was more important than her son’s words, and she couldn’t hear him at all. Sure enough, my mother-in-law burst into tears, pointing at us and scolding. “I’ve never seen someone so insistent on taking money from their elders. The daughter-in-law you brought home is too much, and even the son I raised with my own hands doesn’t side with his old mother anymore. What a misfortune for our family!” She waved her arms wildly, crying and complaining as if we had committed some terrible crime. As the drama unfolded, I went back to the bedroom to get my bag. Zack stopped me: “Mia, where are you going?” “Home.” “This is your home.” I laughed coldly, looking at him silently, then at the old woman who was still crying loudly. Zack couldn’t withstand my mocking gaze and helplessly let go of my hand. Before leaving, I discreetly glanced at my mother-in-law on the floor, catching a glimpse of her cunning, satisfied smile beneath her fake tears. Hah, laugh while you can. Your time for real tears will come.

I ate well, drank well, and slept well at my parents’ home. Life was extremely comfortable. The only discomfort came from Zack’s daily phone calls and messages. In the evening, I received another punctual call from Zack. But this time, when I answered, it wasn’t Zack’s voice, but my mother-in-law’s. I remained silent, waiting for the other end to speak first. After some faint urging in the background, my mother-in-law started speaking haltingly. “This time… it’s my fault. I’ll… give you back the money, and I’ll cook better meals from now on. Please come back.” Then Zack’s voice came on the line. “Mia, Mom knows she was wrong. Please come home. It’s not good for you to stay there for so long. Your parents already had issues with me, and if you keep doing this, they’ll look down on me even more.” In reality, whether I returned home or not wasn’t important. What mattered was that Zack was afraid my father would give him a hard time at work. Understanding his twisted motives, I remained silent. Zack softened his voice, using the approach that I used to fall for. “Mia, I’ve missed you so much these past few days.” Hearing this, I felt a wave of disgust, goosebumps breaking out all over my body. Afraid he might say something even more nauseating, I quickly agreed. “Alright, I’ll come back tomorrow afternoon.” The next day, I returned as promised. The table was full of home-cooked dishes. Although certainly not as good as our previous housekeeper’s cooking, they had at least made an effort to apologize. After the meal, my mother-in-law reluctantly returned the money to me. For the first few days after I returned, my mother-in-law did her job passably well. But by the fourth day, she gradually began to show her true colors. Lazy, sloppy, careless. One day, Zack came home with a face as black as thunder and went straight to the bathroom, spending a full hour there. At the dinner table, he asked his mother, “Mom, how did you wash these clothes?” My mother-in-law put on an innocent act: “I wash them every day, what’s wrong?” I saw Zack put down his chopsticks with considerable force, barely containing his anger. “I’ve had a cold recently, so my nose isn’t working well. Today, I wore the clothes you washed to work, and everyone I met avoided me. When I asked, they all said my clothes smelled bad. How could that be if you wash them every day?” I had smelled it in the morning, but I didn’t say anything. My mother-in-law probably smelled it too, but she didn’t dare say anything. Now that the truth was out, my mother-in-law still tried to defend herself. “There are so many clothes to wash every day, it’s normal to forget one.” Zack was gritting his teeth, struggling to control himself. “Mom, stop making excuses! Is it so hard to admit you made a mistake?” I was also struggling, trying not to laugh out loud. The show of dogs biting dogs was about to begin. My mother-in-law suddenly stood up: “Fine, now you’re starting to despise your old mother. When I raised you from a baby, changing your diapers and feeding you, why didn’t you complain about your old mother’s poor work then? Now that you’ve grown up, you’re nitpicking everything your mother does…” Zack’s face grew darker and darker as his mother ranted. My mother-in-law was spitting as she yelled, and suddenly turned her attack on me. “And you’re no better! Making your old mother-in-law work all day, my back and waist aching. Don’t think you’re really a princess. Take a good look at yourself before you judge others. Both of you are ungrateful!” I stepped back to avoid her spit, still trying to reason with her. “It’s just a job that you’re paid for, not exploitation. If you really can’t handle it, don’t force yourself. I have high standards for my life, and Zack can’t lose face when he goes out. By being so careless, you’re hurting both of us.” My mother-in-law’s face turned the color of pig liver. “I’m hurting you? Zack, search your conscience, has your mother ever hurt you?” With his mother being so unreasonable, Zack was about to lose his temper. “Mom, I couldn’t hold my head up in front of my colleagues today, all because of you. You’ve really gone too far this time!” This pushed my mother-in-law’s anger to the limit. Before either of us could react, she ran towards the front door. By the time we caught up with her, she was already downstairs in the community. My mother-in-law plopped down on the ground and started wailing loudly, her voice carrying far and wide. “Oh, how miserable I am! I worked myself to the bone to put my son through college, and now that he’s successful and married, he’s forgotten all the good his mother has done. He’s joining his wife in bullying me!” The commotion attracted a lot of attention from the neighbors. Some were watching from their windows, others came downstairs for a closer look. Remembering how the neighbors had criticized me in my previous life, I pushed Zack forward, sarcastically saying, “Your mother, you deal with her. I’m just a wicked daughter-in-law, I won’t get involved in your mother-son affairs.” With that, I melted into the crowd of onlookers, distancing myself from the situation.

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On the first day of college, I became the center of attention in the freshman group chat. Channel bags, Tom Ford makeup, Celine shirts, and Balenciaga shoes – I posted photos of them all in the group. I maxed out all my credit cards to carefully craft the image of a rich socialite, luring Lucy step by step into my trap. Three months later, she used the “life exchange system” to swap lives with me. I was reborn! During the summer after high school graduation, I worked three jobs a day. Livestreaming, tutoring, and doing online translations. After three busy months, I earned about $12,000. I didn’t waste a penny of it, spending it all on luxury goods. Channel bags, Tom Ford makeup, Celine shirts and Balenciaga shoes. On the first day of school, I used these items to successfully become the center of attention in the freshman group chat. [Is there parking near the dorm? I don’t want to leave my Lamborghini at home.] [Didn’t you all travel abroad this summer? I visited several countries. What’s the point of traveling if you don’t go overseas?] [Don’t call me Miss. My family does have some assets, but my parents always say to stay humble.] Every day I would post glamorous photos on Instagram, making sure to show high-end restaurant backgrounds or newly purchased expensive cosmetics. I successfully packaged myself as a show-off, low EQ rich socialite who came from money. Seeing Lucy’s envious compliments in the group chat, I knew the fish had taken the bait. I added her as a friend and sent an obnoxious voice message: “Lucy, right? From now on you can be my little follower! I’ll give you these things I don’t want anymore.” Attached was a photo of my newly bought Michael Kors signature tote bag, some outdated Chanel t-shirts, and a brand new bottle of Yankee Candle perfume. Lucy quickly replied with a voice message: “Thank you, Emma! Let me know if you need anything anytime.” She called me “Emma” very intimately, as if the role of follower brought her great satisfaction. But only I knew that she must be gritting her teeth and cursing me right now! Because in my past life, without me as the “rich socialite”, she had targeted an overseas Chinese girl in our class. Using the same flattery tactics, she became that girl’s follower. Three months into the semester, after fully understanding the overseas girl’s family background, she used the “life exchange system” on her. In my past life, after I accidentally witnessed her using the system to exchange lives, she imprisoned and tortured me. Before I died, she confessed everything to me. “This world was born for me. Whoever I set my sights on, I can exchange lives with them.” “Although I only have one chance.” When I discovered I had actually been reborn, I knew my one chance to change my life had come. I had to become Lucy’s target for the life exchange. I wanted her to know that even with the system, she would still lose miserably.

One month into the semester, the money I earned from my summer jobs was completely gone. I opened a credit card. Two months in, the credit card limit was maxed out. I started taking out online loans. Three months in, I woke up to find myself in Lucy’s dorm room. I knew I had succeeded. Using a fabricated wealthy family background and luxury goods bought with loans, I had gotten Lucy to use the system on me. From now on, I was Lucy. And she had become Emma. As class time approached, my roommate Lily was getting ready to leave. Seeing I was still in bed, she asked curiously: “Lucy, weren’t you supposed to save a seat for Emma today? Won’t she be angry if you’re late?” “Let her be angry, I’ve had enough.” Now that I had become Lucy, the first step was successful. No need to keep acting like a sycophant. I slept until noon, and by the time I returned to the classroom after lunch, the afternoon classes were about to start. “Emma” was standing at the classroom door, looking at me with hostility: “Lucy, you said you’d save me a seat. Where did you go? You made me late and the teacher scolded me.” I pretended to be angry and grabbed her collar. “What did you do to me? Why did I become you?” She leaned in close to my ear, deliberately lowering her voice. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. What do you mean, my little follower?” “Enjoy being a poor nobody, Lucy!” Emma laughed as she shook off my hand, shoved me hard, and swaggered into the classroom. Inside the classroom. The class monitor was spraying saliva at the podium: “New Year’s is coming up, and the school is holding a New Year’s party. Anyone who wants to sign up, come get a form from me.” Emma eagerly expressed her interest in participating. I guessed that with her vanity, she would definitely want to go on a shopping spree and then make a splash at the New Year’s party to get more attention and praise. Sure enough, as soon as class ended, Emma started discussing what gowns to wear on stage with some other rich girls. “I just picked out a haute couture evening gown. I’ll have my mom buy it for me and send you guys photos when it arrives.” “Emma, your family really spoils you, giving you whatever you want.” “Well, girls should be raised with wealth, right? Otherwise our horizons are too narrow and we’re easily deceived.” Everyone was fawning over her and flattering her. Hiding in the shadows, I was smiling too. I wonder if she’s checked her bank account balance yet? She can talk big all she wants. That night, Emma pounded on my dorm room door so hard it shook. “Lucy, come out here!” I opened the door to see her glaring at me furiously. “Aren’t you supposed to be from a rich family? Why is there so little money in the bank account, and I can’t get through when I call your mom?” I quietly made a “shh” gesture, leaned in close to Emma, and whispered: “Why are you shouting? Do you want all the other students to know you have no money?” Emma reluctantly shut her mouth and followed behind me with a sullen expression as we walked to a quiet spot. She looked around to make sure no one was nearby, then finally exploded. “Tell me, what’s going on?” I patted her shoulder and kindly advised: “Just a friendly reminder, besides checking the bank balance, you should also check the credit card and online loan platforms. The numbers there are much bigger than in the bank account.” “Also, those designer bags and clothes in your closet are all rented at high prices. If you don’t return them on time and accidentally get sued, it wouldn’t be worth it.” Emma was stunned for a moment, then her voice suddenly rose: “Are you crazy? Overdrawing so much money just to create a rich socialite persona? How vain are you?” The sight of Emma getting so upset in front of me made me extremely happy. “What does this have to do with me? You’re Miss Emma now, aren’t you?”

Emma took a while to understand my meaning. Her eyes widened in shock and her tone changed. “You planned this from the beginning? You pretended to be rich, deliberately got my attention, then actively exchanged lives with me, didn’t you?” I smiled brightly: “That’s right, I planned it all. You’re so easy to fool! I thought I’d have to pretend for much longer to trick you!” “How did you know I have the system?” Emma wasn’t stupid, and lowered her voice when mentioning the system. I also softened my voice: “Because I’m reborn, you know.” I was telling the truth, but Emma didn’t believe me. She was furious and raised her hand to slap me, but I grabbed it and pushed her away. “Before you hit me, you should worry about the balance in your hands! How will you perform at the New Year’s party without a gown, Miss Emma?” Emma laughed angrily: “Even if you’ve become me, what use is it? My orphan identity is completely useless!” I waved my hand dismissively: “Whether it’s useful or not, we’ll find out later. Don’t regret it then.” Emma’s face fell: “I won’t regret it! But don’t think you’ll get off easy, you bitch!” She stomped her foot and ran away in a huff. I smiled in satisfaction. This is just the beginning, don’t back down now! As it turned out, Emma didn’t back down. She quickly started to retaliate. When I returned from washing up, I found the door to my dorm room locked from the inside. I knocked twice, and my roommate Lily’s hesitant voice came from behind the door. “Lucy, did you offend Emma somehow? She said if we dare let you in, she’ll lead everyone to target us in the future. We’re scared…” I don’t know if my initial image as an arrogant rich socialite was too successful, but these roommates really did submit to Emma’s threats. I was about to go along with it when I ran into Emma. “Isn’t this karma, Lucy? Look, no one dares let you in.” I ignored her and walked past towards the stairwell. People were coming and going in the stairwell. I didn’t care about their gazes at all and wasn’t embarrassed as I curled up in a corner. Emma followed like a plague. “I told you I wouldn’t let you off easy. You dare trick me, you have to bear the consequences of tricking me.” “Just wait, let’s see how you endure the days ahead!” I didn’t answer, just silently shed tears. Two girls passing by seemed to want to help me up, but seeing Emma standing nearby, they ultimately left. After Emma had her fill of watching, she left too. Lily, hiding behind the stairs, secretly brought me a blanket. “Lily, help me take some photos. Don’t cover me with the blanket, make it look as pitiful as possible.” Lily was stunned for a moment, apparently not expecting the usually meek me to fight back. But she quickly reacted and took many photos as I requested. I chose a few that looked the most pitiful and anonymously posted them on the school forum. [First time seeing real bullying in college! Rich girls will be rich girls, we should all be careful, or we might be the ones sleeping in the stairwell next time.] As soon as it was posted, the comments exploded. Many people were curious. [Which rich girl? What major? What’s her name?] [How can they be so cruel without anyone stopping them? The school isn’t their home, who do they think they are?] [Suggest directly exposing this girl’s name, let this gentleman teach her a lesson.] My classmates could immediately tell this rich girl referred to Emma, and started explaining Emma’s show-off behavior in the comments, starting from the freshman group chat. Emma rarely checked the school forum and hadn’t discovered she’d been put on blast yet. Given her usual behavior, no one around her would voluntarily tell her about this either. So the next day, she still put on beautiful makeup and sat proudly in her classroom seat, completely unaware of the strange looks from those around her. This oblivious yet smug appearance made me laugh so hard!

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“Bullied and Betrayed: My Revenge Against a Toxic Family” Barbara “accidentally” sent her complaint about me to the family WhatsApp group: “My daughter-in-law is so lazy and greedy during her pregnancy. My son’s meager salary is all being eaten up by her!” I quickly @Brian: “See? Your mom thinks you’re incapable and don’t make enough money.” Then I @Barbara: “Feeling sorry that your son’s salary isn’t enough? Why don’t you go get a job too? That would solve the money problem!” Ever since I got pregnant, I’ve been extremely sleepy. One day, after waking up from a nap, I noticed Barbara wasn’t home. She probably went to the market to buy groceries. I quickly grabbed my phone, wanting to call and tell her not to buy anything yet. Today was Brian and my wedding anniversary, and we were going out for a candlelit dinner. As soon as I opened my phone, I saw over a dozen unread messages in the family group chat. I casually scrolled through and happened to see a voice message from Aunt Sophia: “Oh my, what’s going on? Airing grievances in the big group chat now? Aren’t you afraid of upsetting your precious daughter-in-law?” She followed it with a smirking emoji. I could imagine Aunt Sophia’s smug face even with my eyes closed. She was the typical troublemaker who loved to stir up drama. Her son’s marriage ended in divorce after just a year, largely due to her meddling. Yet she refused to acknowledge any fault, instead badmouthing the ex-daughter-in-law everywhere and causing tension between both families. Below that was a sarcastic voice message from Aunt Mary: “Young people these days are so delicate. Going to work seems to drain half their life force. Back in our day, we’d bike to work even while pregnant!” Aunt Mary was ostensibly supporting Barbara, but her words were clearly aimed at the daughters-in-law in the group. Her own daughter-in-law was busy with work and had no time for housework, so Aunt Mary went over to clean every day, harboring a lot of resentment. She had even complained to Barbara before: “This isn’t being a mother-in-law, it’s more like being a maid. At least maids get paid for their hard work!” She certainly had mastered the art of indirect criticism. But who exactly were Aunt Sophia and Aunt Mary talking about? I scrolled up further and finally saw Barbara’s voice message in the group, insinuating about me: “This daughter-in-law of mine, oh my! She’s so lazy and greedy during her pregnancy. My son’s small salary is all being eaten up by her!” So she was complaining that I was spending too much money during my pregnancy! I immediately sent two voice messages in the group, making sure to @Barbara: “Mom, why don’t you go get a job too? That way, with both you and Brian earning money, there’ll be enough to spend!” “The supermarket downstairs is hiring cashiers! 8 AM to 8 PM, lunch provided, $1500 a month. You love to gossip, right? Go there and talk all you want. With all the people coming and going, I’m sure you’ll get your fill of chatter.” As soon as I finished speaking, the group fell silent. No one dared to make any more sarcastic comments. That’s right, if you’re not willing to come help out, then go find a job! Stop giving me trouble!

Actually, I initially disagreed with having Barbara come take care of me during my pregnancy. But I was an older pregnant woman, and my health wasn’t great due to years of working hard in my career. So the doctor specifically advised that I needed to be extra careful in my daily activities. Brian also said that as my pregnancy progressed, it would be too dangerous for me to go out alone without someone to look after me. He worried about me when he was at work. The problem was, I had married far from home, and my dad had recently undergone surgery. My mom was already exhausted taking care of my dad and simply couldn’t be in two places at once for me. I had thought about hiring a nanny, but Brian said an outsider could never be as caring as family. That’s why I finally agreed to let him bring Barbara from their hometown to take care of me. But as soon as Barbara entered our home, she saw my dog Meatball. She frowned, clearly disgusted, and said sarcastically: “Lily, why haven’t you gotten rid of this dog yet?” “You’re pregnant now, you can’t keep a dog. Dogs carry parasites and bacteria, it’s bad for the baby in your belly.” I immediately felt a fire ignite inside me. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath to calm myself: “Mom, I’ve had Meatball for 7 years, since before I even met Brian. He’s not just a dog, he’s family to me.” “Besides, Meatball has had all his shots and medications. He won’t affect the baby at all.” Just then, Meatball happened to walk past Barbara. She kicked him disgustedly: “Oh my, how strange! You actually treat a dog like family? But a dog is just a dog, how can it be family?” “The most important thing for you right now is to take care of yourself and give me a healthy grandson. Why keep a dog? It’s full of germs!” The more Barbara spoke, the angrier I became. I felt all the blood rush to my head. My hands shook with rage as I raised my voice: “Mom, do you understand science at all? Doctors say keeping a dog has no effect on the fetus.” “Go look outside – forget about pregnant women, even families with newborns keep dogs! So many people have dogs, has any child had problems because of it?” Brian must have noticed I was truly angry, as he quickly ushered me into the bedroom with a mix of coaxing and deception. He casually closed the bedroom door and tried to placate me with a fawning expression: “Don’t be angry! Don’t be angry! My mom is just old and from a small town. She’s not really insisting we get rid of Meatball.” “Don’t take it personally. She just doesn’t understand the science of keeping dogs. You should explain it to her slowly, not argue with her. No matter what, she’s still my mom. We should talk things out nicely.” “Look at how you were acting earlier, like an angry rooster. It’s not worth it, it’s just a dog!” Brian’s attempt at mediation only made me angrier. He wasn’t being a peacemaker at all, he was clearly taking his mom’s side and implying I was the one with the problem. “What do you mean it’s not worth it? What do you mean it’s just a dog?” “Brian, when we got married I made it clear that I would never give up Meatball, even when pregnant or having kids. You agreed to that.” “What’s going on? Now that your mom’s here, you’re changing your tune?” Brian had been fawningly trying to appease me earlier, but now he suddenly changed his attitude. He yanked off his tie forcefully and threw it on the bed, his whole demeanor radiating impatience. It made me feel like I was looking at a stranger. “Look, Lily, you’re being a bit unreasonable here!” “My mom left my dad at home alone to come take care of you. Don’t you know how to be grateful?” “Besides, she didn’t really say much, just suggested getting rid of the dog. If we don’t, we don’t. Why are you being so stubborn about this?” I looked at the man before me, wondering if his soul had been possessed. How could he change so quickly? Just last night he had held me close and said: “Lily, when the baby is born, I’ll definitely be a good father. If it’s a girl, I’ll protect you both. If it’s a boy, we’ll protect you together!” In just one night, as soon as his mom arrived, he had changed completely? This argument ended with Brian storming out and slamming the door. Before leaving, he coldly tossed out one last comment: “Fine, you’re pregnant and your emotions are unstable. Think it over when you’ve calmed down. I’m going to see if my mom needs any help!” No comfort, no explanation. With one flippant sentence, he pushed all the blame onto my emotions. As if I was the villain who started the whole dispute. It made me doubt myself – was it really just pregnancy mood swings making me overly sensitive? Maybe Barbara didn’t really mean what she said about getting rid of Meatball? She’s older, after all. It’s normal for her to nag about everything she sees. Forget it, no matter what, she’s Brian’s mother and the grandmother of the child I’m carrying. For Brian’s sake, I’ll be more tolerant and not take offense at everything she says. After all, he’s caught between his wife and his mother. It must be difficult for him too.

I silently reassured myself for over 10 minutes, gradually calming down. I wanted to scroll through some short videos to distract myself. I had just picked up my phone when I saw Aunt Sophia had shared a video link in the family group chat: [Pregnant woman miscarries at 4 months, family pet to blame] [Should pregnant women really keep pets?] As soon as I saw this headline, I was furious. Did they install hidden cameras in my house? How do they know everything that happens here? So I @’ed Aunt Sophia in the group: “Aunt Sophia, what do you mean by sharing this link?” Aunt Sophia quickly replied: “Oh, I didn’t mean anything by it. I was just chatting with Barbara, and she mentioned you’re still keeping a dog while pregnant. She wanted to get rid of it, but you weren’t happy about that.” “I thought maybe you didn’t know the dangers of keeping a dog, so I specifically found this video.” “You should watch it quickly. Pregnant women really shouldn’t keep dogs. Get rid of it as soon as possible!” My anger, which had just subsided, instantly flared up again. Using the guise of concern to do things that upset me – isn’t this textbook emotional manipulation? Do they really think I’m made of dough to be kneaded at will? “Aunt Sophia, if you’re really that bored, why don’t you get a job? I think a matchmaking agency would be perfect. You could clean the office and find a wife for your son while you’re at it.” “Your son isn’t getting any younger. He’s 36 or 37 now, and hasn’t had a girlfriend since his divorce. If he waits much longer, I’m afraid he’ll be a bachelor for life.” Aunt Sophia immediately sent me a 60-second voice message. I didn’t need to listen to know what she was saying. “Lily, you’re being quite ungrateful! I’m just trying to look out for you!” “My son is single because his standards are high and he hasn’t found anyone he likes. What do you know? Besides, men are in their prime at 40!” You want to be passive-aggressive? I can play that game too! In the past, out of respect for Brian’s elders, I rarely spoke up in the group chat. But now that they’ve repeatedly pushed my boundaries, they can’t blame me for fighting back. “Oh, still saying men are in their prime at 40? With a mother-in-law like you at home, who would dare to pick that flower from your family?” Aunt Sophia, either rendered speechless by my retort or feeling she’d lost face being talked back to by a younger person, tersely replied: “I’m not getting involved in your family drama anymore.” After that, she didn’t say another word. Not getting involved? Good, that’s exactly what I want! Just as I was feeling extremely satisfied, Barbara suddenly pushed open the door. I was a bit annoyed. No matter what, there should be some basic respect between us, right? “Mom, don’t you know how to knock? You can’t just barge in without warning. This isn’t your house.” But Barbara didn’t seem to think there was anything wrong with her behavior. She haughtily said: “Why should I knock in my son’s house?” Judging by Barbara’s tone, she didn’t come with good intentions. Sure enough, before I could speak, Barbara started interrogating me: “Lily, let me ask you something. Did you talk back to your Aunt Sophia? How can you be so ungrateful?” Barbara stood in the doorway, sunlight shining on her. It highlighted the wrinkles on her face, making her angry expression look particularly twisted and distorted. My tone softened a bit: “Yes, I did talk back. She messed up her own son’s marriage, and now she’s trying to meddle in our family affairs.” “Mom, you need to understand – we’re family, Aunt Sophia is just your sister!” Maybe Barbara saw some logic in what I said, or maybe she had figured it out herself. Her aggressive demeanor diminished slightly, and she muttered quietly: “Well, you still shouldn’t talk to your Aunt Sophia like that. She is my older sister, after all.” My tone was gentle, but my attitude remained firm: “Mom, she may be your sister, but that doesn’t give her the right to interfere in Brian’s and my life.” Barbara was an uneducated woman. Hearing me address her respectfully as “Mom” and maintain a submissive attitude, she lost her anger. She meekly closed the door, saying: “Alright, alright. You just rest.”

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I discovered that my husband had secretly bought an apartment for his childhood sweetheart right above our home. He was literally cheating on me under my nose. Later, a fire broke out in our building due to faulty equipment. As we were fleeing for our lives, I stumbled upon their dirty secret. They joined forces and pushed me into the raging flames. As my soul left my body, I watched from above as the true colors of these evil people, hidden beneath their human facades, were revealed. Perhaps due to the weight of my grievances, heaven granted me a second chance. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself at my wedding with Jack. The wedding hall was packed with guests. Jack, standing opposite me, said with deep emotion, “I do.” But I hesitated, the bouquet slipping from my hands and falling to the ground. Just a moment ago, I had been floating above my own funeral, watching as my husband and his mistress, who had murdered me with their own hands, plotted to seize my family’s assets. They were even discussing using a jade pendant to suppress my soul. Unable to contain my rage, I had lunged at them, seeking revenge, only to be sucked into the jade pendant. And now, I had opened my eyes to find myself back at my wedding to Jack. The overwhelming sense of unreality made me uneasy. I needed to do something to prove this wasn’t a dream. In the next second, a sharp crack rang out, silencing the entire hall. Against the backdrop of sweet background music, Jack’s face was turned to one side by the force of my slap. Only when I felt the stinging pain in my palm did I dare to believe that heaven had truly given me a second chance. From great sorrow to great joy, I suddenly burst out laughing like a madwoman. Jack, his face slightly swollen from the slap, showed no anger. Instead, he came over to check on me, concern evident in his voice. “Lily, what’s wrong?” My parents rushed up from their seats, examining me anxiously. Seeing my parents again, my heart softened. I hugged them tearfully, choking out an apology. “Mom, Dad, I’m so sorry.” Not understanding the situation, they embraced me unconditionally, trying to comfort me. “Sweetie, if you’re unhappy, we can call off the wedding,” they offered. I almost agreed, but then my eyes met Jack’s. His face was half white, half red, as he stood rigidly to one side. Averting my gaze, I noticed my mother-in-law sitting in the family section, looking equally tense. In the fire, I had sworn that if given the chance, I would make them suffer a thousand times more than I had. For now, I needed to let the wedding continue. I explained to my parents, “It’s nothing. I just realized how immature I’ve been and how much trouble I’ve caused you.” My parents believed me and returned to their seats, reassured by my words. I took the microphone from the officiant. Taking advantage of the tears still in my eyes, I forced a choked voice and explained to Jack. “I was just overwhelmed with emotion. I love you so much that I was afraid this wedding might be a dream. I’m sorry, Jack.” My declaration made Jack relax his tense posture. He wiped away my tears and spoke with gentle magnanimity. “Lily, this isn’t a dream. We’ll be happy together.” I nodded emotionally and said the words he was waiting to hear: “I do.” Jack hugged me excitedly, as if clutching a precious treasure. But now, I knew clearly that I wasn’t his treasure. I was just a stepping stone, a ladder for Jack to climb higher. I would make that stepping stone trip him up, let him climb the ladder only to fall hard from the top!

After the wedding, the three of us returned to our new home. Yes, three of us – me, Jack, and my mother-in-law. In my previous life, Jack and I had planned to buy a house for his mother in the countryside. But after seeing our new apartment, she changed her mind and insisted on living with us. The apartment my parents gave me as a wedding gift was a large luxury flat, more than spacious enough for three people. Unable to withstand my mother-in-law’s fuss, I agreed to let her stay. But that decision nearly drove me to depression. She was incredibly petty, raising her voice to argue with me over the slightest things. Whenever I talked back, she would throw tantrums, using every underhanded trick in the book. She even spread rumors in the neighborhood that I was a terrible daughter-in-law, making it impossible for me to show my face in the community chat group. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, I moved with Jack to the smaller apartment he had bought with his own money. Now that I think about it, I was such a fool. This was clearly a scheme cooked up by mother and son, forcing me to live in a small apartment where I would be cheated on, while my mother-in-law enjoyed the spacious flat. This time around, I planned to deal with my mother-in-law first. “Mother, I’ve been thinking about what you said before. You’re absolutely right – we shouldn’t let outsiders benefit from our resources,” I said sweetly. “From now on, I’ll give you the money we would have spent on a housekeeper, plus some extra for household expenses. You can manage everything.” My mother-in-law agreed joyfully, even praising me for being good with money. I smiled coldly inside, waiting for her to make a mess of things. On my mother-in-law’s first day in charge: For breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the meals were far from what I had requested. Breakfast: soy milk and fried dough sticks. I said nothing. Lunch: noodles with sauce. I remained silent. Dinner: plain porridge with pickled vegetables. Still, I kept quiet. The next morning, the cycle repeated. Breakfast: again, soy milk and fried dough sticks, even less than yesterday. I stood at the dining table, looking coldly at my mother-in-law. “Don’t you think you owe me an explanation?” Feeling emboldened by Jack’s presence, my mother-in-law didn’t even bother to feign embarrassment. She was brazenly self-righteous. “Soy milk and fried dough sticks are good enough for breakfast. All that fancy stuff you told me about, I can’t remember it all.” “Back when Jack and I were poor, we ate even worse than this. People should learn to be content.” Ignoring her, I turned to Jack. “Jack, is your mother suggesting that I should suffer along with you? Is that it?” “I married you, and I can’t even have a decent meal. Is that what you’re saying?” Jack looked uncomfortable and was about to explain when his mother cut him off sharply. “You’re just a spoiled princess! What’s wrong with soy milk and fried dough sticks? Didn’t you eat them yesterday? Did they poison you?” This time, I didn’t let Jack speak either. “Fine, I can eat it. But since we’re cutting back on expenses, give me back the extra money for groceries.” At the mention of money, my mother-in-law jumped as if stung, her eyes bulging. “With transportation and labor costs, there’s no extra money!” I crossed my arms and stared at her directly, spelling it out clearly. “Transportation doesn’t cost that much, and labor is your salary, which isn’t included. If every meal is going to be at the level of soy milk and fried dough sticks, you need to return at least $700 to me.” As my mother-in-law tried to argue, Jack suddenly interrupted loudly, “Mom! Listen to Lily.” Jack didn’t understand his mother as well as I did. To her, money was more important than her son’s words. She couldn’t hear a thing he said. Sure enough, my mother-in-law burst into tears, pointing at us and shouting. “I’ve never seen such a daughter-in-law, demanding money from her elders! The woman you married is too much, and now even the son I raised with my own hands doesn’t side with his old mother. What a disgrace to the family!” She waved her arms wildly, crying and complaining as if we had committed some terrible crime. As this farce unfolded, I went to our room to get my bag. Jack stopped me. “Lily, where are you going?” “Home,” I replied. “This is your home,” he insisted. I laughed coldly, giving him a wordless look, then glancing at the old woman who was still wailing nonstop. Jack couldn’t withstand my mocking gaze and let go of me helplessly. Before leaving, I sneaked a glance at my mother-in-law on the floor. Beneath her fake crying, I caught a glimpse of a sly, satisfied smile. Hah, laugh while you can. Your time for real tears will come.

I enjoyed a comfortable life at my parents’ home, eating and sleeping well. The only discomfort came from Jack’s daily phone calls and messages. That evening, I received Jack’s call right on schedule. But this time, when I answered, it wasn’t Jack’s voice – it was my mother-in-law’s. I remained silent, waiting for her to speak first. After some muffled prompting in the background, my mother-in-law started speaking haltingly. “This time… it was my fault. I’ll… give you back the money. I’ll cook better meals from now on. Please come back.” Then Jack’s voice came on the line. “Lily, Mom knows she was wrong. Please come home. It’s not good for you to stay away for so long. My parents already have issues with me, and if you keep this up, they’ll look down on me even more.” The truth was, whether I returned home or not didn’t really matter. What mattered was that Jack was afraid my father would give him a hard time at work. Understanding his ulterior motives, I remained silent, not responding to him. Jack softened his voice, using the approach that had always worked on me before. “Lily, I’ve missed you so much these past few days.” Hearing this, I felt a wave of disgust, goosebumps breaking out all over my skin. Afraid he might say something even more nauseating, I quickly agreed. “Alright, I’ll come back tomorrow afternoon.” The next day, I returned as promised. The table was laden with home-cooked dishes. While certainly not up to the standards of our previous housekeeper, it was a clear attempt at an apology. After the meal, my mother-in-law reluctantly returned the money to me. For the first few days after my return, my mother-in-law did a passable job with her duties. But by the fourth day, she gradually began to show her true colors. Lazy, sloppy, careless. One day, Jack came home with a face as dark as thunder. He went straight to the bathroom and spent a full hour washing up. At dinner, he questioned his mother, “Mom, how did you wash these clothes?” My mother-in-law feigned ignorance. “I wash them every day. What’s wrong?” I saw Jack put down his chopsticks with considerable force, barely containing his anger. “I’ve had a cold lately, so my sense of smell isn’t great. But today, wearing the clothes you washed, everyone at work avoided me. When I asked, they all said my clothes smelled awful. How could that happen if you wash them every day?” I had noticed the smell in the morning, but I hadn’t said anything. My mother-in-law had probably noticed too, but she didn’t dare admit it. Now that the truth was out, she still tried to defend herself. “With so many clothes to wash every day, it’s normal to forget one or two.” Jack gritted his teeth, struggling to control himself. “Mom, stop making excuses! Is it so hard to admit you made a mistake?” I was also struggling – struggling not to laugh out loud. The show of dogs biting dogs was about to begin. My mother-in-law exploded, standing up abruptly. “Fine! So now you’re finding fault with your old mother! When I raised you from a baby, changing your diapers and feeding you, you didn’t complain about how I did things. Now that you’ve grown up, you’re nitpicking everything your mother does…” Jack’s face grew darker and darker as his mother ranted. Spittle flying, my mother-in-law suddenly turned her anger towards me. “And you’re no better! Making me work all day, my back and legs aching. Don’t think you’re some princess! Take a good look at yourself before you start ordering me around. Both of you, ungrateful!” I stepped back to avoid her spray, but still tried to reason with her. “It’s not ordering you around, it’s just work that you’re paid for. If you really can’t handle it, don’t force yourself. I have high standards for my life, and Jack can’t lose face at work. By being so careless, you’re hurting both of us.” My mother-in-law’s face turned the color of a pig’s liver. “I’m hurting you? Jack, search your conscience! Has your mother ever hurt you?” With his mother being so unreasonable, Jack was about to lose his temper. “Mom, I couldn’t hold my head up in front of my colleagues today, all because of you. You’ve really gone too far this time!” This pushed my mother-in-law’s anger to the limit. Before either of us could react, she ran towards the front door. By the time we caught up with her, she was already downstairs in the community. My mother-in-law plopped herself down on the ground and began wailing at the top of her lungs. “Oh, what a miserable life I have! I worked myself to the bone to put my son through college, and now that he’s successful and married, he’s forgotten all his mother’s kindness. He’s ganging up with his wife to bully me!” Her dramatic performance attracted quite a crowd of neighbors. Some were watching from their windows, while others came down for a closer look. Remembering how the neighbors had criticized me in my previous life, I pushed Jack forward, sneering, “She’s your mother, you deal with her. I’m just the evil daughter-in-law, I won’t interfere in your family matters.” With that, I melted into the crowd of onlookers, washing my hands of the whole affair.

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To repay my uncle and aunt for raising me, I married Lucas Foster, the autistic heir of the Foster family, in place of my cousin. For seven years, he treated me with utter coldness. I swallowed my pride and tried to initiate intimacy, only to be met with endless mockery and disdain. Later, when I successfully organized an art exhibition for him, he held another woman’s hand right in front of me. I knew then that my task was complete. It was time for me to leave. To outsiders, marrying into the Foster family was like winning the lottery. As one of the most prestigious old-money families in the city, they usually opted for business alliances in marriage. And I was just an orphan living on others’ charity. I was only six when my parents died. More than grief, I felt terror about the future. My uncles fought bitterly over the inheritance, and none of them wanted to take care of me, claiming I brought bad luck. They decided to send me to an orphanage. I didn’t want to go to the orphanage. I’d heard stories about how terrible those places were. So I found my mom’s old phone and tried calling my uncle – it was my first time contacting my mother’s side of the family. Mom had been from a wealthy family too, but she’d cut ties with them to marry my father. When Uncle Jack heard my plea, he hung up without a word. I told myself he was just hurt by my mother’s actions and it was natural for him not to want anything to do with me. But I couldn’t stop the tears from falling. The next day, I woke up early, packed my little backpack, and prepared to run away. I’d rather go hungry and sleep under a bridge than end up in that orphanage. But just as I slipped out of my room, I bumped into a man. I recognized him as my uncle immediately – he looked so much like my mom. Uncle Jack patted my head and asked if I’d had breakfast. When I said no, he picked me up and took me to his home. My grandparents had already passed away. Aunt Lisa frowned when she saw how skinny I was. “I have to take care of Noah and Emma. I don’t have time for her. You brought this trouble home, you deal with it,” she told Uncle Jack. “Don’t worry, she’s a good kid. Just give her food, and she’ll take care of everything else,” he replied. To prove Uncle Jack right, I learned to feed myself, dress myself, go to school, and sleep on my own. I even helped look after my cousins. Emma was only two months younger than me, a proud little princess. She never called me ‘sister’, instead treating me like a servant. But I didn’t mind. We all have our own destinies, and she had reasons to be proud. As for me, I was just grateful to grow up safe and healthy. After high school graduation, Uncle Jack wanted to send Emma and me to study in England together. But Lucas’s appearance disrupted all those plans.

He came with Mrs. Foster to propose marriage. Apparently, our grandfathers had once jokingly arranged a marriage between their children over drinks. No one expected Mrs. Foster to take it seriously. The atmosphere was awkward. Lucas, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly stood up and walked towards the backyard. Aunt Lisa quickly told me to follow him and take care of him. At first, I didn’t know he had autism. I just thought this young heir was being rude. It was late spring, and the roses in the garden were in full bloom. Lucas took out a sketchpad from his backpack as if by magic and started drawing intently. Not wanting to disturb him, I stood behind him, watching silently. Without exaggeration, Lucas was the most beautiful man I’d ever seen. He had perfect bone structure and skin as fair as jade. His deep, soul-stirring eyes exuded an air of nobility. Just as I was secretly marveling at the lottery of birth, things took a sudden turn. Lucas seemed dissatisfied with his drawing and crumpled the paper in frustration. I wanted to comfort him, but he suddenly reached out and gripped a thorny rose stem tightly. Blood immediately started flowing, but he didn’t seem to feel any pain. Instead, he tilted his head, looking thoughtful. “Let go! Quick, let go!” I panicked like an ant on a hot pan. Young Mr. Foster was an important guest, and I didn’t know what trouble it would cause Uncle Jack if he got hurt under my watch. I called out loudly, but he had no reaction. Left with no choice, I reached out to pull his arm. The moment I touched his sleeve, he suddenly became enraged and pushed me to the ground. I was terrified. His expression was so frightening that I thought he might hit me. But he didn’t. He just turned back to continue drawing. Mrs. Foster heard the commotion and hurried over. She seemed used to such incidents and quickly left with her son. After they left, Emma burst into tears. “I don’t want to get married! I want to go to England! If you force me, I’ll kill myself!” Uncle Jack was heartbroken but also helpless. Most of the family’s business relied on the Fosters. Offending Mrs. Foster would have unthinkable consequences. Aunt Lisa comforted her daughter while secretly glancing at me. “The Thompsons don’t just have one daughter. Why do you keep focusing on Emma?” Emma nodded vigorously. “That’s right, let Aria marry him. You’ve raised her for so many years, it can’t be for nothing.” “What are you saying? Lucas is autistic. How could I push Aria into such a difficult situation?” Uncle Jack protested. “So you’d rather push your own daughter into the fire…” Aunt Lisa retorted.

Uncle Jack and Aunt Lisa argued all night. I hid in my room, listening silently, and made my decision. The next day, I told Uncle Jack that I was willing to marry into the Foster family in Emma’s place. “Emma is right. You and Aunt Lisa have been so good to me. It’s time for me to repay your kindness,” I said. Uncle Jack’s eyes turned red as he held my hand, wanting to say something. But in the end, he couldn’t get the words out. Because of Lucas’s condition, the wedding was very simple. I thought his willingness to marry meant he was prepared to live with me. But I was wrong. On our wedding night, as soon as I stepped into our room, his face darkened. “Get out!” “This is my room too,” I said. “You’re not allowed to sleep here.” I tried to reason with him, to explain the meaning of marriage. But he wouldn’t listen. Instead, he tore up all the red ‘double happiness’ decorations in the room. Helpless, I turned to leave. Mrs. Foster saw this and sighed, calling me to her study. She told me that Lucas wasn’t a bad person by nature, just socially withdrawn and unwilling to interact with others. Since I had married him, it was my responsibility to take care of him. She believed that if I tried hard enough, I could eventually open Lucas’s heart and make him accept me. I decided to give it a try. Taking care of someone with autism is both mentally and physically exhausting. Every day, I personally prepared his meals, reminded him to take his medicine, and took him for medical check-ups. To understand him better, I bought all the books I could find about autism and studied them late into the night. My efforts gradually paid off. Lucas slowly got used to my presence and no longer rejected me as he had at first. I was allowed to ride in the same car with him or sit at the same table for meals. Knowing I liked fruit, he would personally prepare beautiful fruit platters for me. When I caught a cold due to my weak immune system, he would force me to drink ginger tea. Time passed, and we both got used to this life. The only one unsatisfied was Mrs. Foster. She talked to me every other day, always with the same purpose: urging me to have a child. Forced into a corner, I had to tell her the truth. Lucas hadn’t shown any interest in physical intimacy and wouldn’t even allow me to sleep in the same bed. Mrs. Foster was anxious and angry. She took Lucas for a medical examination. The doctor said there was nothing wrong with his physical functions; he just couldn’t overcome his psychological barriers and accept such an intimate relationship. “When it comes down to it, it’s your problem,” Mrs. Foster told me. “Can’t you find a way to make him fall in love with you?” I was at a loss. I didn’t even know what love was myself, let alone Lucas.

In our seventh year of marriage, Mrs. Foster gave me an ultimatum. “The Foster family has only had one child for three generations. We can’t let the line end here. If you can have a child, do it. If you can’t, I’ll find someone else who can. But then I won’t have time to care about the Thompson family’s business!” Faced with such a blatant threat, I had no choice but to give in. That night, I found a romantic movie and invited Lucas to watch it with me. He agreed but left halfway through, saying it was boring. After my shower, I changed into the lingerie Mrs. Foster had specially made for me and nervously knocked on Lucas’s door. “I’m going to sleep,” he said. “We can talk tomorrow.” Lucas blocked the door, not letting me in. “I’ve painted a new picture of birds. I was hoping you could take a look,” I said. That’s right, to please Lucas, I had even taken up painting classes. Lucas finally agreed to let me in, but his expression remained cold and he wouldn’t look at me. “Where’s the painting?” he asked. “Don’t rush. The paper is quite large, we need to spread it out on the bed.” I tried my best to overcome my embarrassment and acted seductively, like in the movies. The nearly see-through nightgown left little to the imagination. But Lucas still had no reaction. His gaze was focused entirely on the non-existent painting. “Stop painting,” he said suddenly. “What?” “I said, stop painting from now on. Your brushwork is weak, you have no talent. Even a three-year-old could paint better than you.” I blushed, feeling extremely embarrassed. “If I’m not good, you could teach me. I’d be the most obedient student,” I said, reaching out to touch him. He pushed me away roughly. At that moment, the strap of my nightgown snapped. I stood there naked in front of Lucas, like a peeled egg. “Get out! Get out of here!” he shouted. “You filthy woman! Disgusting woman!” “Painting is the most sacred thing. How dare you desecrate it!” I had never seen Lucas so angry before. His bloodshot eyes stared at me as if I had committed some unforgivable sin. In the past, I would have run out immediately, terrified. But not today. Trembling, I wrapped myself in a blanket. “Lucas, we need to have a child. Otherwise, I won’t be able to stay here anymore.” “Who wants you to stay here?” he spat. “Look in the mirror. See how disgusting you are!” “I hate you. It would be best if you never appeared in front of me again!” “Do you really mean that?” I asked. Even though I knew he was ill, these words still hurt me deeply. After seven years of companionship, even a pet cat or dog would have developed some affection. Lucas nodded firmly, ignoring the tears in my eyes as he roughly pushed me out of the room.

I fell seriously ill. Mrs. Foster, afraid I might infect her son, told me to go back to my family for a while. Seeing how thin I had become, Uncle Jack kept asking if I had been mistreated at the Foster house. Not wanting to worry him, I just smiled and shook my head. After a few years away, Emma had finished her graduate studies. She had studied jewelry design and started her own brand after returning home, making a name for herself in the industry. “Aria, thank you. If you hadn’t sacrificed yourself to save me back then, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” she said. It was the first time she had called me ‘sister’, and I suddenly felt emotional. Time really flies, and everyone keeps growing. Only I seemed to be stuck in an endless loop, unable to find a way out. “Aria, Dad has been working hard to adjust the company structure in recent years, trying to reduce our dependence on the Fosters. Noah and I can also stand on our own feet now. If you’re not happy at the Foster house, you can leave anytime,” Emma said. Her words shocked me. Before this, I had never thought my life could have any other possibilities. “Can I really?” I asked. Emma held my hand and nodded firmly. “It’s not just my opinion. All these years, Mom and Dad have felt guilty. Their only wish now is for you to be happy.” “I don’t know. My mind is a mess. Let me think about it,” I replied. I only stayed at Uncle Jack’s house for three days. Mrs. Foster called, saying Lucas couldn’t get used to other people’s cooking and asking me to come back quickly. When I returned home, I didn’t see Lucas. The housekeeper told me that for the past few days, he had been going out early and coming back late, refusing any company. This was strange. In my impression, Lucas was a homebody. Every time he needed to go out, I had to coax him for a long time. Him staying out all day alone, not talking to strangers – it was hard to imagine. I made his favorite tofu soup, planning to eat with him when he came back. But I accidentally fell asleep on the couch while waiting. Vaguely, I felt someone beside me. I opened my eyes suddenly and found Lucas staring at me expressionlessly. “Where have you been? Why are you back so late? What if something dangerous happened to you?” I asked anxiously. “Aria,” he said. “Yes?” “Do you know what I hate most about you?” I was speechless, not knowing how to answer. “You keep saying I’m your husband, but in your heart, you just treat me like a child who never grew up, a disabled person who can’t take care of himself. I hate that feeling,” he said.

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Amidst a room full of distinguished guests, my fiancé snatched away my bridal bouquet. He then dropped to one knee, proposing to my sister, who accepted with tears of joy. The wedding suddenly had a new bride, and I became the laughingstock of everyone’s gossip. But then, Lucas Reed, Hong Kong’s golden boy, stepped in with a marriage contract, boldly proposing to me. After our wedding, Lucas showered me with affection, and I once again opened my heart. On the night of my birthday party, I pretended to be drunk and fell asleep in Lucas’s arms. As people discussed how much one could truly love another, I heard him say, “I married the sister my true love despises the most, just to clear the path for her.” Every word fell like thunder in my ears. Nestled closest to his heart, I listened as he professed his love for my sister. I felt my blood run cold, as if plunged into an icy abyss. The room fell silent for a moment before erupting into a chorus of cheers. “As expected of the golden boy! Willing to share a bed with someone he doesn’t love for the sake of his true love.” “Mr. Reed is such a romantic, silently loving Chloe for so many years, even sacrificing his own marriage.” Lucas’s voice was low but tender: “As long as Chloe can be happy, I’m willing to do anything.” His friend teased, “I heard Chloe and Samuel are getting divorced. Doesn’t that mean you can rekindle your romance soon? When are you planning to come clean about your current situation?” Lucas paused before replying coolly, “Olivia can’t live without me. We’ll deal with this slowly.” “Don’t any of you mention this in front of her. I don’t want to see her make a fuss.” Everyone agreed, not daring to upset the golden boy. Someone, emboldened by alcohol, joked, “But Mr. Reed isn’t losing out either. A movie star must be quite the treat in bed.” Lucas chuckled, his fingers absently caressing my earlobe: “Indeed, she is.” I clenched my jaw, holding back tears. I had thought Lucas was my salvation from a bottomless pit. Little did I know, he was the knife cutting the rope. Seven years of marriage had become a joke. Be it Samuel or Lucas, they all loved Chloe. No one loved me.

As the party ended, Lucas personally carried me to the car. He quietly instructed the driver, “My wife is asleep, drive carefully.” Still attentive and considerate, he even lowered his head to nuzzle me gently, his breath warm against my ear. Half-lying in his arms, memories flashed through my mind like a slideshow. Years ago, Samuel Shaw, my childhood sweetheart, suddenly backed out of our wedding. Overnight, I became the laughingstock of all of Hong Kong. That’s when Lucas appeared with a marriage contract. He said he had just inherited his company and needed a stable, suitable marriage to help him establish his position in the group. At that time, disillusioned with love, I didn’t hesitate to agree to this arranged marriage. He gave me a grand wedding that stunned all of Hong Kong, with fireworks lighting up Victoria Harbor all night long. Originally determined to lock away my heart forever, I gradually softened to his unwavering devotion over seven years, opening my heart to him. Now I realized, what I thought was a jar full of honey was actually filled with poison. Immersing myself in it would have been fatal. “Honey,” I murmured, feigning just waking up. Lucas immediately adjusted me to the most comfortable position, letting me lean on his shoulder. “Baby, you drank so much. Are you feeling unwell? I’ll make you some hangover soup when we get home.” I clung to his arm, whining softly, “I was just happy today.” My voice was as sweet as ever. It was all an act, after all. If an amateur like him could keep it up for seven years, how could I, a professional actress, not manage? Lucas was clearly pleased, kissing my forehead lightly. “I have a new project coming up, so I might not be able to visit you on set often. Take care of yourself while filming.” “I’ll arrange for meals to be sent to the set regularly, and have your assistant make sure you eat everything… If you don’t behave… I’ll have to punish you…” Lucas’s suggestive hand lightly pinched my waist. I suppressed the urge to vomit and twisted away. “Stop it, that tickles…”

Late at night, I tossed and turned, unable to sleep. I thought of the hidden safe in Lucas’s study, which I had never opened before. This time, it took me only a second to open it. Because I finally knew the password was Chloe’s birthday. Inside, contrary to my expectations, there weren’t any mementos of Lucas and Chloe. There was only one company seal. The company name on it struck me like lightning. It was a company I had no connection with, but its name was very familiar to me. Because all the movies, TV shows, and commercial projects Chloe had been involved in over the years were heavily invested in by this company. I had always been puzzled. Why did Chloe, whose acting skills were constantly criticized, have even better resources than me, a wealthy socialite? The mystery was finally solved at this moment. It was Lucas, always paving the way for her. Once, a famous director personally invited me to be the lead actress in his latest film. The script and creative team were all to my satisfaction. To prepare for this role, I cleared half a year in my schedule, worked out to build muscle, and endured a lot of hardship. I had expressed to Lucas more than once how important this project was to me. But he said, “Baby, why work so hard? Isn’t it better to stay at home and be Mrs. Reed?” However, before the film started shooting, the director, willing to pay me a hefty breach of contract fee, replaced me with Chloe as the female lead. It was this company with the mysterious legal representative that tripled the investment, snatching the role away from me for Chloe. I put the seal back in its original position and closed the safe. In the dark and silent room, my eyes were misty with tears. My phone chimed with a notification, the suddenly lit screen particularly glaring in the darkness. “Miss White, have you really thought this through?” “Yes.” It was time to exit their love triangle game.

The next morning, the company’s car came to pick me up for the set. Lucas personally saw me off, kissing the corner of my lips before I left. “Baby, take care and don’t work too hard.” I voluntarily reported my schedule for the day: “We’re shooting an explosion scene today.” Lucas paused: “Wasn’t that scheduled for next week?” “It was changed last minute. We’re changing locations in a couple of days, so this saves us from having to set up the scene again.” He hugged me again, completely oblivious to my probing: “Make sure all safety measures are in place. Be careful.” My heart sank. In the past, whenever I had to film dangerous scenes like explosions, car crashes, or wire work, Lucas would always make time to personally oversee the set. Time and again, he would check the safety measures himself to ensure my wellbeing. But now… With news of Chloe’s marital problems just out, he couldn’t even be bothered to pretend to care deeply anymore. If that’s how it is, I might as well step aside for these star-crossed lovers. During a break in filming, I spotted Lucas’s Rolls-Royce in the parking lot of the neighboring set. Remembering that Chloe was the lead actress for that production, I felt a sudden urge to see him one last time. This impulse drove me towards his car. However, only the driver and his assistant were in the car. Seeing me, they hurriedly got out, looking flustered. “Mrs. Reed, Mr. Reed went to the restroom…” But their eyes kept darting nervously towards Chloe’s trailer nearby. Understanding dawned on me. I walked up and knocked on the trailer door. It was Lucas who opened it. Behind him on the couch, Chloe’s hair was slightly disheveled, her buttons done up crookedly. Seeing me, Lucas panicked for a moment before quickly composing himself. “Olivia, I came to see you and happened to run into Chloe. We were just discussing some business.” I forced a smile: “Oh? What business do you have with my sister that you didn’t tell me about?” “Just some boring work stuff. You wouldn’t be interested,” Lucas brushed me off gently. I was about to speak when his assistant came running up with a work phone: “Mr. Reed, it’s an overseas call from our partners.” Lucas patted my head, coaxing me: “Wait for me a moment, I’ll be right back.” He took the phone and walked away. Chloe uncrossed her legs and sauntered over, looking smug: “Curious about what Lucas and I were discussing, aren’t you? Oh, Olivia, my dear little sister.” “His company is about to announce me as their new brand ambassador across all lines.” “Soon, the whole world will know that Mrs. Reed’s husband chose his wife’s rival as their spokesperson…” “Isn’t that like rubbing your face in the dirt?” “Olivia, just you wait. I’m going to take everything that belongs to you, one by one.” She flashed a bright, challenging smile. She lifted her hair, deliberately showing me the fresh kiss mark on her neck. Chloe and I are half-sisters, sharing the same father but different mothers. She was raised elsewhere until my mother passed away, and then our father brought her home. Once, I had hoped to have a good sisterly relationship with her, but she always hated me and refused to get close. “Olivia, I hate you. You and your mother stole my father, stole everything that should have been mine!” “Chloe, my mom married dad in an arranged marriage. She didn’t know he already had a pregnant girlfriend… My mom was a victim too!” “Shut up! If it weren’t for your mom, dad would have married my mother! You’d better remember, you’re not my sister!” Our father always felt he owed Chloe, and from childhood, he always told me to give in to her. Even when she publicly stole my groom at my wedding to Samuel, dad only scolded her briefly before directly changing the bride on the spot. I fell into self-doubt and even depression for a while. It was Lucas who pulled me out of that quagmire with his love and gentle care. Chloe repeatedly snatched away my resources. Lucas always advised me: “Just treat your acting career as a hobby. I’d rather you spend more time at home with me.” I felt incredibly sweet inside. Meanwhile, Chloe took on several roles I had originally been interested in, greatly increasing her national popularity. Thinking about it now, my rival in the entertainment industry wasn’t just Chloe. It was also my dear husband, who shared my bed but not my dreams. “Oh, by the way, Lucas came to give me a script. He’s investing in a new movie for me, hired the most famous director, the most luxurious creative team. We’re starting production soon.” She handed me the paper script from the table. The cover bore the title in large letters – “Redemption in the Clouds.” Flipping through a few pages, my heart began to tremble violently. On the computer at home, there was a script I had been polishing for seven whole years. It was adapted from my story with Lucas, recording the journey of our seven-year marriage, from strangers to lovers, every little detail. Now it had been handed over to Chloe as a gift from Lucas. I was about to question her when I saw Chloe flash a meaningful smile. Then she raised her hand and slapped herself hard twice on the face, messed up her own hair, and screamed loudly: “Ah—” “Olivia, what are you doing!” Lucas, who was about to step onto the trailer, rushed over at the sound. He looked panicked, not even glancing at me as he pushed me aside and rushed to Chloe, urgently asking: “Chloe, are you okay?” Chloe covered her face, her eyes brimming with tears, looking pitiful. “Lucas, I don’t know… I didn’t do anything, I just invited her in for tea, and she rushed over to hit me, calling me a slut…” Lucas looked up at me, his gaze cold and harsh in a way I had never seen before: “Olivia, I know you have hostility towards Chloe, but how could you hit her for no reason! Look at what you’ve done to her face, how is she supposed to film?” “There are paparazzi outside. If they catch wind of this, how do you plan to deal with it?” I stared straight at Lucas, my eyes red but without a single tear. I didn’t explain that I hadn’t hit Chloe. I only asked him: “Why did you give my script to Chloe?” Lucas’s eyes were cold: “What script? Didn’t I tell you not to be so utilitarian? It’s just a script, does it matter who films it? Didn’t we agree that you’d gradually step back from the entertainment industry and come home to be a wife and mother?” I turned away, my fists clenched so tightly that my nails nearly dug into my palms. All I felt was exhaustion and disappointment. Be a wife and mother? That would never happen now. Perhaps struck by the emptiness on my face, Lucas softened his tone: “Olivia, I’m sorry for losing my temper. I was just worried about the paparazzi twisting this story, which wouldn’t be good for you.” “After all, the fact that Chloe is your sister is already all over the news. You’re my wife, I don’t want people speaking ill of you.” He reached out to ruffle my hair, coaxing softly: “Go back to filming now. I’ll have lunch with you. Be good.” I nodded. Turning away, I let out a cold, mocking smile. Poor Lucas, having to juggle between two women.

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I am one of Jack Rivers’ many lovers. I handle his work affairs and shoo away those clingy women for him. People say I’m the woman who has stayed by Jack’s side the longest. He even promised to marry me. Until a car accident happened, where I was involved along with another of his lovers. After barely surviving, all I got was a bank card. “This is your payment for these years. Take the money and get lost,” he said. Only then did I realize that Jack had always seen me as nothing more than an amusing caged bird. I went to the cemetery, caressing the photo on the tombstone of a face similar to Jack’s. “Ethan, I miss you so much. I can’t go on anymore.” Jack suddenly went mad, “You’ve always just seen me as his substitute, haven’t you?” After coming out of surgery, I stayed in the ICU for seven days. When I saw Jack again, he was passionately entangled with Emily in his office. “If you treat me so well, won’t Sophia make a fuss when she wakes up?” Emily asked coyly. “What’s there to be afraid of? Even if she wakes up, she wouldn’t dare to make a fuss. She’s just a mistress after all.” I opened my eyes, unable to believe my ears. Jack’s promises had made me believe I was different from the others. My head started to throb violently, every part of my body felt like it was being corroded, every surgical incision aching. Just as I was about to turn and leave, Jack opened the door. Seeing me, he merely glanced, his eyes cold. “Finally back to work? Good, you can take care of entertaining Mr. Wilson this afternoon.” My throat tightened, “Mr. Rivers, don’t you know what kind of person Mr. Wilson is?” “If you don’t go, should I send Emily instead?” Jack looked at me with a gloomy face, full of dissatisfaction. Emily came out of the office, her collar open wide, the flush on her face telling of their recent passion. “Jack said it’s because Mr. Wilson is lecherous that he can’t bear to send me,” she said smugly. She sauntered over to me, eyeing me as if I were something contemptible. Hearing this, Jack smiled indulgently at her and picked her up. “How could I let such a treasure be tainted by others?” As he said this, he held Emily tighter. Emily laughed happily, speaking coquettishly in Jack’s arms. Looking at me again, Jack seemed to have lost all patience, his eyes filled with cruelty. “Mr. Rivers, I’m sorry. I’ll do my best to complete the task you’ve given me.” I apologized softly, tears in my eyes. However, my apology only made Jack’s expression darker. That night, Rivers Corporation held a banquet. In the past, the woman on Jack’s arm was always me. This time, he brought his favorite, Emily. I looked at the old-fashioned dress they sent me, with a heavy smell and even dirty. While Emily’s dress was clearly haute couture. Seeing me, Jack mocked, “This dress suits you well. Today’s star is Emily, so just play your role as the ugly duckling.” “Oh, and Emily can’t drink, so remember to take her drinks for her.” Emily gave me a smug smile. Jack seemed to have forgotten that I had been in a car accident trying to protect his lover. Before I could react, drinks were being handed to me one after another. I leaned against the wall, about to vomit, my body breaking out in a cold sweat. A portly man joked, “I heard Miss Lee could drink quite well. How come you can’t handle just a few drinks?” As he spoke, his hand rested on my waist. My stomach was churning, and I immediately vomited on Mr. Wilson. “Sophia Lee, how dare you vomit on Mr. Wilson! Apologize to him right now!” Emily shrieked. Jack frowned, waiting for my response. “It’s alright, it’s alright. How about this, Miss Lee, why don’t you help me change clothes? Then you can properly apologize to me?” Mr. Wilson suggested with a leer. Clutching my burning stomach, I looked towards Jack. Emily in his arms watched me with amusement, while Jack’s face remained expressionless. “Alright, Mr. Wilson.” Hearing this, Jack crushed the wine glass in his hand. Blood oozed out, frightening Emily, who cried while fussing over Jack. Jack left with a cold face, each step filled with anger. Mr. Wilson extended his hand to me, and I placed my hand in his palm. “I’ll do whatever you want, as long as you’re happy.” As soon as I finished speaking, everything before me seemed to sway, my vision gradually blurring. I fainted on the spot.

When I regained consciousness, I was in a storage room. A cleaner told me that everyone had been scared away by my fainting. I curved my lips into a self-mocking smile. Even if I had fainted, no one would care whether I lived or died. Checking the time, I slowly got up and called a cab to head back to the Rivers’ mansion. Leaning against the car window, the uncomfortable pain tugged at me, and my tears fell in large drops. “Ethan, I miss you so much.” When I returned to the mansion, Jack was holding Emily, drinking from intertwined glasses. He slowly looked at me after hearing the noise, “Back so soon? Did you take good care of Mr. Wilson?” I remained silent. If he had stayed a moment longer, he might have seen what happened. Never mind, he wouldn’t care about me anyway. “Since you couldn’t serve Mr. Wilson well, then kneel down and clean everything inside and out.” Jack’s cold voice came, and a rag was thrown mercilessly at my feet. I crouched down, picked up the rag, and started scrubbing the floor on my knees. Just as I was about to faint again from the darkness before my eyes, Jack instinctively moved forward. Emily’s mocking voice came, “Jack, look at her. Mr. Wilson wasn’t satisfied, but she seems very pleased. She’s so cheap.” Jack paused in place, his hand suspended in mid-air, then withdrew with a look of disgust. I started gasping for breath, my head throbbing violently. Biting my lower lip hard, I barely managed to stand up. But Emily hooked Jack’s arm, “Jack, I want to eat brownies. Can you make her bake some for me?” “Get to it, now!” Jack roared at me, his eyes full of undisguised disgust. I dragged my body step by step to the kitchen, enduring excruciating pain while preparing the elaborate brownie cake for her. When I brought the brownies to the table, Jack directly knocked over the plate. “What the hell is this? Even a dog wouldn’t eat this crap.” As he spoke, the pastry chef Jack had called arrived with the finest ingredients. Jack paid attention to Emily’s every need, even hiring several pastry chefs. I stood frozen in place, unable to move. “Seeing me treat Emily so well, how does it feel? Like a knife to your heart?” Jack smirked, his eyes scanning my entire body. I calmly replied, “It’s my fault for not doing well. I’m sorry.” I apologized again, but it only brought displeasure to Jack’s eyes. “So you admit you’re jealous of how I treat Emily, right?” “I’m going to marry her. You’ve been by my side for so many years and got nothing. You must feel very disappointed, right?” His tone was urgent, needing my confirmation. I turned my head away, answering carelessly, “Jack, seeing you happy makes me happy.” I didn’t dare say that this was Ethan’s wish. So it was also my wish. Hearing this, Jack’s eyes reddened, and he punched the wall behind me. His eyes were filled with anger and restraint, but more than that, unwillingness. “Jack, the pastry chef you hired for me made such delicious cakes, you should try some too.” Emily came out of the kitchen, feeding a bite of cake to his lips. Jack mechanically opened his mouth, while Emily persuaded him not to be angry because of me. Jack’s gaze moved away from me, and he remained silent for a long time. Emily froze, then shot me a vicious glare. The next day, a post suddenly appeared in the company group chat. It vividly described, with text and pictures, the news of me spending the night with Mr. Wilson. Colleagues also started discussing boldly in the group. [Sophia Lee has been with Mr. Rivers for so many years, and suddenly she’s willing to be with an old man. Has she been abandoned by Mr. Rivers?] [Is she still in the company because she’s clinging to Mr. Rivers? How cheap.] [To be honest, with Sophia Lee’s dead fish face, of course she can’t compare to Emily’s goddess face. It’s normal for Mr. Rivers to fall for someone else.] Seeing this, I turned off my phone. I took a painkiller and took a cab to the company. Placing my resignation letter on Jack’s desk, I suddenly felt as if struck by lightning, frozen in place. Why choose Lakeside City to hold the wedding? That day, Ethan left us forever there. And his tombstone was also in Lakeside City.

“I was thinking of sending you an invitation, but I didn’t expect you to have already seen it.” Jack’s voice came from behind me, and I turned to look at him with tears in my eyes. Jack was clearly dissatisfied with my current expression, frowning as he looked at me. “It’s just asking you to take care of Emily in Lakeside City, why are you putting on such a disgusting face again?” I lowered my head and bit my lower lip. Jack was about to say something more, but hearing my sobs, he slowly closed the door. “What are you crying about?” His tone was unusually gentle. “Don’t cry. If you don’t want to do this, I won’t force you.” He looked at me helplessly, with a hint of concern in his eyes. In the years I’ve been by Jack’s side, I’ve driven away many women for him. No matter what happened, I never shed a tear. But I couldn’t accept Jack marrying someone else in Lakeside City. That place held my memories with Ethan, and it was also the pain in my heart. Coming to my senses, I raised my head and asked Jack, “Can I leave after the wedding is over?” Jack’s breathing slowed, and he looked at me like a trapped beast. “You want to leave that badly?” I nodded, pointing to the wedding date on the invitation, confirming with Jack. As long as Jack got married, my mission would be complete. Returning home, I started packing my things and headed straight for Lakeside City. I carried several suitcases, following behind Jack and Emily. Jack suddenly turned back to look at me, “Didn’t you go to college in Lakeside City? If there’s anyone you want to visit, feel free.” His tone was like he was granting me a great favor. But he forgot, I wasn’t close to anyone. Except for Ethan. But he was already dead. I returned to my room in silence, falling asleep with tears in my eyes. Early the next morning, I heard the voices of Jack’s close friends. “Sophia Lee is still following you, Mr. Rivers. Your charm is quite something.” “What are you talking about? It’s just because Sophia Lee is a lapdog.” They joked, and Jack didn’t refute. I got up and opened the door, coming out of the room, pretending not to see anyone. Jack squinted at me, slowly exhaling a smoke ring. “Seeing people and not greeting them? Where are your manners?” I greeted everyone according to Jack’s request, and he finally showed a satisfied smile. “Jack, you’ve really trained Sophia Lee well.” “She can’t leave me,” he said with certainty. Yes, I had given Jack so many years, given him my all. I didn’t even care about my own life. I lowered my eyes, and when I was about to leave, Jack suddenly grabbed my hand. The wound felt like it was tearing open again, and I cried out in pain. Jack was startled and suddenly withdrew his hand. “Mr. Wilson can touch you, but you’re so repulsed when I touch you?” He gritted his teeth, this time not even willing to show a look of disgust. Looking at his eyes, I fell into confusion. Didn’t he know that my injuries were from the car accident? But wasn’t it him who told the doctors to save Emily first?

The scene became awkward, and Jack’s group of friends shooed me away. I hadn’t walked a few steps before their voices came again. “Jack, what’s so interesting about this woman? Just give her some money and send her away.” “Don’t give her too much. She’s been used by old men, she’s not worth the price.” I walked expressionlessly in front of them, and Jack’s loud voice came: “You’re right. A woman like her who’s been used by old men is worthless.” The wedding proceeded as scheduled. On the beach of Lakeside City, even the sea breeze seemed to bring blessings for their love. The ground was covered with roses and red carpets, and the air seemed filled with sweetness. On the stage, Jack and Emily were exchanging rings. My hand unconsciously went to my wrist. Ethan, I’ve fulfilled your wish for you. The smile on my face could no longer be suppressed, and my eyes became bright. But Jack froze on the stage, his face gloomy. He was wondering why I was smiling, and at the same time, he panicked. Seeing the light in my eyes, Jack felt something indescribable in his heart. Jack hesitated to put the ring on Emily’s finger. She turned her head and looked at me. Understanding what had happened, Emily could no longer bear it. She threw the bouquet on the ground, “Sophia Lee, today is my wedding day. How dare you still try to seduce Jack? Can’t you live without a man?” People in the audience started discussing, blaming me for being inappropriate. Emily called security to drive me out of the wedding venue. I hadn’t walked two steps when I realized my bracelet seemed to have fallen on the ground. I struggled free and crawled on the ground, searching. Jack frowned, but Emily suddenly rushed down from the stage, holding up my bracelet. “Are you looking for this?” I carefully begged her, “Please give it back to me.” “If that’s the case, then kneel down and beg me. If you kowtow and admit your mistake, I’ll give it back to you.” I knelt down without hesitation, and Emily smiled triumphantly. She played with the bracelet, not understanding why I could be so shameless for this thing. This was Ethan’s keepsake. I begged her again, but Emily turned towards the sea and threw the bracelet into it. “Since you’re leaving anyway, don’t think about taking anything Jack bought, including this bracelet.” Before she finished speaking, I had already jumped into the sea. I couldn’t lose this bracelet; it was Ethan’s keepsake. Focused only on retrieving the bracelet, I completely forgot that I couldn’t swim. I struggled in the water, and Jack had someone drag me back to shore. I tried to dive back into the sea, but the security guard grabbed my hand, reopening my wounds. The seawater turned red with my blood, and I lost all support, crying helplessly. I couldn’t find the bracelet. I was going to lose Ethan. In a daze, I came to Ethan’s grave. I hugged the tombstone, crying loudly. “Ethan, I miss you so much.” “I’ve fulfilled your wish for you. Can I come to you now? Let’s never be apart again.” A pair of large hands pulled me away from Ethan’s tombstone. Jack’s cold face and bloodshot eyes suddenly appeared before me. He asked, enunciating each word, “Sophia Lee, in your heart, am I not even as good as a dead man?”

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