Author: Momo Chan

It was our eighth wedding anniversary, and I wanted to surprise Scarlett, my wife. Instead, her assistant, Liam, knocked me down the stairs. Liam looked terrified. “Oh no, did I mess up again? I’m so sorry, please scold me…” Scarlett’s heart ached for him. “Don’t be silly, it wasn’t on purpose.” Then, she glared at me. “Alright, so you fell. Just get up. Don’t lie there making a scene!” At the hospital, the woman in the next bed asked kindly why my wife hadn’t come to see me, even though I had a concussion. Was she too busy? I was silent for a moment, then turned and tossed my wedding ring into the trash can. “No, I just became a widower.” Scarlett didn’t come home until late the next night. The moment she walked in, she tossed her trench coat onto the sofa. Only to find it already piled with her clothes from yesterday, and a mess of high heels scattered across the floor. A flicker of annoyance crossed her face. As usual, she didn’t notice my pale complexion or the medications on the table. “I’ve been out working all day and night, and I come home to this mess? Are you expecting me to clean it up?” I didn’t even lift an eyelid. I was too tired to remind her that the perfume she was wearing completely gave away her whereabouts. Seeing my lack of reaction, Scarlett scoffed. “Seriously, it’s like I married a prince and brought him home just to worship him.” My lips pressed into a tight line. After we got married, I willingly learned to cook and clean for Scarlett. Back then, even if I burned my hand cooking, a single compliment from her would make my entire day. But now, I was utterly fed up. When I remained silent, Scarlett’s brows furrowed. She finally sensed something was wrong. She slowly walked towards me, reaching out to touch my face, but I subtly dodged her. Scarlett froze, her voice softening a bit. “What’s wrong? Are you still angry?” I calmly shot back, “What good would being angry do?” Yesterday afternoon, after Liam knocked me down the stairs, Scarlett was only concerned with comforting a panicking Liam. She completely ignored the blood seeping from my head. To cheer Liam up, Scarlett even promised on the spot to go shopping with him. That afternoon, while they were on a sweet date, I was alone in the hospital undergoing surgery. “I just don’t get you men. Why do you always have so much to be angry about?” Seeing my cold attitude, Scarlett grew a little impatient. She roughly tried to turn my face towards her, but her hand brushed against my icy-cold skin. Her expression finally showed a hint of panic. “Why are you crying? It was just a fall, and I just snapped at you a couple of times, right?” “Alright, stop crying. It’s all my fault, okay? Blame me for being so busy these past two days that I didn’t have time for you.” Scarlett embraced me gently, letting out a soft sigh. “But wasn’t I doing all this for our home? Can’t you be a little more understanding?” “Do you know how hard I work out there? I’m so busy every day, and isn’t it all to give you a better life?” Hearing her words, my heart felt utterly frozen. Yesterday, right after my solo surgery, consumed by despair, Liam updated his social media. Liam: Thanks for the flowers, Scarlett! The photo showed the boy smiling brightly, holding a bouquet of roses. Scarlett’s blurry figure was unintentionally captured in the background. And Scarlett, from the moment I was knocked down until now, had never once genuinely asked about my well-being. At that thought, a wave of disgust washed over my face. I pushed her away with force and casually brushed her off. “Yeah, I know. You work so hard. Everything is for me. Thank you, you’re truly wonderful.” The words hung in the air, and the living room fell silent. Scarlett stared at me, utterly stunned. In eight years of marriage, this was the first time I had ever pushed her away. My fervent, unreserved love had become the very weapon she used to hurt me, over and over again. Ignoring her bewildered gaze, my eyes were cold and distant. I was about to turn and leave. But Scarlett suddenly grabbed my hand tightly, her voice tinged with a subtle panic. “Alex, where’s your ring?”

I lowered my eyes to my bare ring finger and said, expressionless, “I don’t know. Probably lost it.” She fixed her gaze on me, brows furrowed, as if trying to discern if I was lying. I met her stare, completely open and calm. After a long moment, she finally exhaled, a knowing smile playing on her lips. “How could you be so careless? Never mind, I’ll just buy you a new one later.” “I know I’ve been busy lately, and you’ve been feeling neglected.” “Actually, I prepared a little surprise for you. Something you’ve always wanted. I finally bought it.” Scarlett pulled a small box from her pocket, then gestured to the messy pile of clothes and shoes nearby. “But you have to clean all this up first before I give it to you.” I glanced at the trinket in her hand and said blandly, “I don’t need it. You keep it.” Scarlett’s displeasure was evident. “I bought you the gift you like, and you’re not even willing to do a little housework?” “I think I’ve been too good to you—” Before she could finish, her phone rang. I knew it was Liam’s custom ringtone. Scarlett’s lips curved upward unconsciously. She instinctively glanced at me, then, phone in hand, turned and walked into the room, closing the door behind her. Five minutes later, Scarlett emerged, pulled on her trench coat, and tossed the small box onto the sofa. “Alright, I was just kidding. Go ahead and see what the gift is.” “But the housework still needs to be done. The house must be sparkling clean by tomorrow night. It’s a disaster; I don’t know what you do all day.” “There’s a small issue with a company project. I’m going to deal with it. You go to bed first, don’t wait up for me.” I watched her silently. The same scene had played out countless times over these eight years. Yet, I always kept deceiving myself. After Scarlett left, I casually tossed the gift towards the trash can. But the box hit the rim of the bin, snapping open with a pop. A diamond-studded watch fell to the floor. I froze for a moment, then finally remembered. Seven years ago, I had once asked her for a diamond-studded watch. Back then, the company was just starting out. I accompanied her to various business dinners, and we finally landed a huge deal. The day the project was successfully completed, I mustered my courage and asked Scarlett to get me a diamond-studded watch. She frowned, clearly impatient. “Alex, can’t you be more sensible? Today it’s a necklace, tomorrow a car, and the day after are you going to ask for a private jet?” “Besides, your neck is so short, what’s the point of wearing anything?” “If you really like jewelry, I’ll buy you a necklace, alright?” The next day, Scarlett gave me a cheap necklace. I always thought she just didn’t like those kinds of things. But later, she showered Liam with countless pieces of jewelry. So many that he couldn’t help but flaunt them on his social media. Liam: Why does someone love giving jewelry so much!!! I’m not an octopus, I can’t even wear it all! This diamond-studded watch is so tacky, I hate it, don’t want it! I clicked on the post. That diamond-studded watch was the very “surprise” gift Scarlett had given me. My lips tightened. I picked it up and threw it into the trash can again. Then, I dialed a number. “Chris, that famous divorce lawyer you mentioned last time, can you recommend him to me?”

A joyful voice came from the other end of the line: “I didn’t mishear, did I? You finally made up your mind?!” I hummed in affirmation, trying to suppress the bitterness in my heart. “Yes, it’s all over. I want to go home.” Chris chuckled. “That’s good news, Alex, why be sad about it? Well, I’ll wish you a happy divorce in advance then!” Chris was incredibly efficient. The lawyer contacted me first thing in the morning. I booked my flight for three days later and started packing my bags. After Scarlett left that night, she disappeared for two consecutive days. In the past, I would have anxiously asked her why she wasn’t coming home. But now, I no longer cared. At nine in the evening, I lay in bed, silently planning my departure time for tomorrow. Then, Scarlett’s friend Ben suddenly called. “Alex, it’s bad! Scarlett’s about to get into a fight! You need to get over here right away!” When I arrived, I immediately spotted Scarlett, with a frightened Liam cowering behind her. At a table, a few middle-aged men and women were still relentlessly pushing drinks. “Ms. Scarlett, what’s wrong with having this young man join us for a few drinks to liven things up?” “Exactly, he’s just your assistant. Do you really need to baby him so much?” “If he just has a few drinks with us, we’ll sign the deal right away, fair enough?” At these words, Scarlett’s face instantly turned awful. She slammed her glass onto the floor and sneered. “What? Are you implying that I, Scarlett, need to rely on men to do business?!” Hearing that, I froze. Those humiliating memories resurfaced. In the early days of the company, to quickly establish a market presence, I accompanied Scarlett to various networking events. For her career, I forced myself to stomach the nausea, plastering on a smile, drinking glass after glass. But she never once stopped a drink from being offered to me. That time, it was also a night like this. I cried, begging her to take me home. The networking was disgusting, I didn’t want to drink anymore. But Scarlett got angry. “What are you talking about? It’s your honor to drink with Mr. Ben !” She grabbed my hand. “I knew you’d be a hassle! Just keep quiet later and just drink. Let’s go! They’re waiting for us.” At that memory, I couldn’t stop myself from trembling slightly. Yet this time, facing the same situation, Scarlett chose to stand in front of Liam. She ruffled Liam’s hair, her eyes filled with tenderness. “Liam, I’m sorry, it’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have brought you to a place like this. Even if I lose this deal, I would never let you drink.” Seeing this scene, my heart instantly twisted into a knot. So, she could feel reluctant to let someone drink. Liam couldn’t drink, no matter what, but what about me? What did all those glasses of alcohol I’d swallowed over the years count for? My heart ached sharply. I turned, wanting to escape. Just then, Ben spotted me and waved enthusiastically. “Alex, over here!” Everyone’s eyes instantly fell on me. Including Scarlett’s.

My steps faltered, but I spun around and walked away without hesitation. Scarlett seemed a little flustered. She quickly pushed through the crowd and hurried after me. Perhaps it was the alcohol, but her face was pale. “Alex, did you… see everything? Listen to me, Liam’s tolerance for alcohol is really low, that’s why I wouldn’t let him drink. It’s not what you think…” She gripped my wrist tightly, explaining anxiously. Soon, Liam also caught up, grabbing my other hand with a whimper. “Alex, I’m sorry. It’s all my fault for not drinking that glass, which made you and Scarlett argue. Please don’t be angry, I’ll go drink it now…” Scarlett immediately shot him a fierce glare. “Why did you follow us? Go back, aren’t you making enough of a scene already?!” “You don’t need to explain anything to me.” A wave of irritation washed over me, and I forcefully pushed them both away. Liam, however, suddenly slipped, crashing straight into the corner of a table. Blood gushed from his forehead, and he continued to apologize. “Scarlett, I’m sorry, it’s all my fault… am I going to be disfigured?” Seeing him injured, Scarlett instantly panicked. She turned and roared at me, “Alex, if you’re sick, go get help! What kind of tantrum is this? If anything happens to Liam, I swear I won’t let you get away with it!” At that moment, Scarlett’s face was terrifyingly dark. I stood there, stunned, looking at Scarlett, who was solely focused on protecting Liam. Suddenly, I remembered. Nine years ago, she protected me just like that. I was still in college then, and I ran into trouble on my way back to campus. She was the one who helped me out. That was the first time I met Scarlett. Later, she was the one who took my hand first. She was the one who stood up for me when I was wronged, the one who took me to the hospital when I was sick. Under a sky full of fireworks, she was the one who proposed to me. “Alex, marry me. We’ll be the happiest couple in the world.” Faintly, Liam’s whimpering voice reached my ears. Then, a sharp slap landed with a crack, sending me tumbling to the ground. I looked up to see Scarlett’s eyes, icy and bone-chilling, frighteningly unfamiliar. “Alex, you disgust me. That slap is your lesson. Don’t think that just because I’m good to you, you can run wild.” With that, she didn’t give me a chance to explain, helped Liam up, and left without looking back. This winter seemed unusually cold. After an unknown amount of time, I shakily got up, wrapped my coat tighter, and slowly walked back. Back home, I silently finished packing, placing the signed divorce papers in the most conspicuous spot. The next afternoon, Scarlett’s call came again. At this moment, I was already at the airport with my suitcase. “Alex, if you don’t want to get divorced, get your ass over here and apologize to Liam right now, and this whole thing will be over—” “No need,” I interrupted her. “I’ve already prepared the divorce agreement. You just need to sign it.” With that, I hung up, blocked her on all platforms, and boarded the plane home.

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Mom organized an engagement party for my boyfriend and Daisy—the silly girl from the corner store that everyone calls idiot. Our neighbor asked her: “Patricia, isn’t that Scarlett’s boyfriend? How on earth did Scarlett agree to this?” Mom just brushed it off. “Scarlett’s more than capable, she can find any guy she wants later. Daisy rarely gets marriage offers. As chair of the local community outreach program, I naturally need to look out for the vulnerable first.” Standing outside the banquet hall, everything suddenly clicked. That’s why Mom kept trying to fix me up with men, either middle-aged security guards or guys with severe disabilities—even though she knew I had a boyfriend. And I also realized what kind of “surprise” my boyfriend meant when he said he had a secret to tell me. My mom spotted me and called me over to the stage: “Scarlett, to keep things from getting awkward, just think of Ryan as your brother today.” “Come, say hello to your sis-in-law, Daisy.” In that moment, something inside me snapped. My voice didn’t even sound like my own. “Mom, Ryan—from now on, I want nothing to do with either of you.”

I walked out without hesitation, but my head was spinning. I’d only been away from this small town for three days. The minute I got back to the neighborhood entrance, a neighbor told me Mom had “given” my boyfriend to Daisy—the sweet but developmentally challenged girl from downstairs. I didn’t believe it at first. Ryan was a person, not some object Mom could just “hand over.” But when I got home and saw our living room decked out for an engagement party, I knew it was true. When Mom saw me leaving, she hurried over and grabbed my arm: “Scarlett! Where do you think you’re going?” “You can’t leave now. Won’t that just prove to everyone Daisy stole your boyfriend? How’s that supposed to make her look?” “If you had any sense, you’d stay, be Daisy’s bridesmaid, and even give a little toast.” I stared at her, completely dumbfounded. She knew Ryan and I had been together two years—we were practically engaged. How could she only care about Daisy’s reputation and not mine?! Ryan came over too, his voice low and placating: “Scarlett, I’ll explain everything about the engagement tomorrow.” “Today, for old times’ sake, please don’t cause a scene.” He was stronger than Mom, that’s for sure. He practically dragged me into the guest room. Daisy was sitting on my bed, wearing the wedding dress I’d been eyeing for ages but could never afford, grinning foolishly at us. Mom and Ryan lit up immediately. Everyone seemed thrilled about this marriage. Everyone got their version of happiness. Everyone except me—red-eyed, pale, looking pathetic and absurd. All my pent-up emotions erupted. I swept everything off the dessert table by the door. Wedding favors, fancy chocolates, stacks of gift envelopes, and presents they’d already collected went flying across the floor. Mom jumped back, pulling Daisy behind her: “Are you out of your mind? Don’t you remember I’m your mother? You wanna disrespect me on a day like this?” That comment hit me like a knife through the heart. I locked eyes with her, refusing to look away for even a second: “Patricia, do *you* remember you’re my mother?” “Ever since Dad died saving Daisy in that car crash, and you took over that charity, you’ve treated her better than your own daughter.” “The community hails Dad as a local hero. Those monthly grocery vouchers they give you? You hand them all to her. She eats imported fruit while I’m stuck with stale bread and tap water. She wears designer dresses, and I get your thrift store hand-me-downs.” The once lively engagement party fell completely silent. Neighbors craned their heads through the door, hungry for gossip. Mom tried to cover my mouth: “Okay Scarlett, stop it! Aren’t you embarrassed?” “Embarrassed?” I wrenched her hand away, feeling totally unhinged, desperate to scream all my frustrations: “I could let all that slide. But Ryan is *my* boyfriend! How do you just give him away like he’s property?!” “Aren’t you ashamed for making my boyfriend marry someone else?!” That comment lit the room on fire. I could hear the neighbor ladies outside exclaiming loudly. “I told you Scarlett and Ryan were serious—you wouldn’t believe me. They’ve been dating two, three years now.” “I don’t get what Scarlett’s mom is thinking, giving away her own daughter’s boyfriend.” Mom and Ryan’s faces went rigid. Ryan stormed over and pushed me hard: “Scarlett, have you no shame? How could you say that in front of everyone?” “Do you realize how much this is hurting Daisy? Now apologize to her.” “Otherwise, you’ll never hear my side of the story.” I crumpled to the floor. A shattered wine glass had sliced deep into my palm, leaving it soaked. I couldn’t tell if it was blood or the tears I couldn’t shed. But I knew in that moment, it wasn’t Mom giving away my boyfriend. It was me walking away from both of them. I pushed everyone away, hauling myself up from the floor. “Since you both care so much about Daisy, then Mom, let her be your daughter.” “Ryan, who you marry and why is none of my business anymore.”

This time, no one could stop me from leaving this small town for the city. I went to Grandma Lily’s house and found an envelope in her cupboard. I’d been accepted into a grad program at a university down south—thousands of miles away, a two-day train ride from home. It was so far, and I’d originally considered turning it down because I didn’t want to leave Ryan and worried about Mom being alone. I’d left the acceptance letter with Grandma Lily. Grandma Lily hadn’t gone to the engagement party. She brewed ginger tea while comforting me: “Your mom and Ryan have both lost their minds.” “Don’t be sad. Always put yourself first.” “Orientation’s only a month away, right? I’ll buy your train ticket.” Tears filled my eyes, and I fell into her arms, finally letting myself cry. That night, Mom came into my room with a first-aid kit, and Daisy followed her. Ryan hovered in the doorway, looking guilty, too ashamed to come in. She roughly dabbed medicine on my hand, her tone still accusatory: “Scarlett, you went too far today. You know how those neighborhood women already look down on Daisy for her condition.” “Now they’ll have even more to gossip about.” I turned my head away. Just looking at her face made me want to lose it. Daisy had been listening nearby and suddenly puckered her lips, trying to kiss my cheek: “Don’t be mad. Ryan kissed me, I kiss you. No mad, okay?” I jumped back, instinctively raising my hand to block her, but Daisy immediately plopped down on the floor. Mom’s face softened with a tenderness I’d never seen before. She rushed over and pulled Daisy into a hug: “Daisy, sweetie, did you fall? You didn’t do anything wrong. Why are you apologizing to her?” But when she looked at me, her eyes turned icy: “Scarlett, what is wrong with you? I never knew you could be so cruel?! Daisy isn’t like you—she needs someone to protect her so those women don’t pick on her. Why do you have to take this from her? Can’t you let her have one good thing?” Ryan came in too, checking on Daisy’s “injuries.” He couldn’t meet my eyes, though he didn’t yell like Mom: “Scarlett, you used to be so kind. What happened to you?” “So this is my fault?” I wanted to laugh bitterly, but instead tears started flowing: “Mom, you have the nerve to talk about security? Remember when I graduated college? There was an admin assistant opening at the company downtown. I’d already interviewed with HR—it was a stable job. What did you do?” “You pulled strings as some ‘prominent community leader’ and gave my job to Daisy instead, all in the name of women’s rights.” “Now she makes six or seven grand a month doing nothing. Tell me—where’s my security? What do I have?” I gripped the canvas bag in my hand. Inside was my grad school acceptance letter. At least I still had that. As long as I got out of this town, far from them, I’d be okay. Mom and Ryan looked guilty. I was done arguing. Just as I was about to tell them to leave, a sharp sound cut through the room. Daisy started slapping herself hard: “Daisy bad. Daisy took sister’s things. Sister not mad. Daisy punish self.” I frowned at her: “I didn’t tell you to do that.” But Ryan pulled her into a hug, shooting me a hateful look: “Scarlett, do you have to provoke her like this?” “Can’t you see she’s carrying my child? I have to marry her.” That hit me like a ton of bricks. I could barely hear anything after that. So they’d slept together. No wonder when I celebrated Ryan’s birthday last week—drove ten miles to get his favorite cake—he was acting weird, saying he had something to tell me. That was his secret. I stumbled to my feet, nearly tripping over a chair, and staggered out the door: “You two are disgusting. Absolutely shameless.” “I’m going to tell everyone the truth.”

My threat didn’t just panic Ryan—Mom’s face twitched too. Ryan grabbed my sleeve: “No, Scarlett, you can’t ruin me! Your mom manipulated me. If it weren’t for you, I never would’ve gotten into this mess.” Mom looked away, guilty. Daisy suddenly covered her face and started sobbing: “It’s all my fault. She hates me. I should just die so sister won’t be mad.” With that, she ran out. Mom and Ryan chased after her. Mom turned to slap me hard: “Your father died saving Daisy! She is my daughter now.” “If anything happens to Daisy, I’ll never forgive you!” Before Ryan left, he squeezed my hand: “Scarlett, you’re the only one for me. I have to marry Daisy, but you know she’s not all there. I’ll always think of you as family—the mother of my child.” “You’re the only woman I’ve ever loved.” After he left, I scrubbed my hands three times before I felt clean. His touch made me feel filthy. I went to the local shipping center to mail my university documents. As I filled out the address form, I saw Mom and Ryan hugging Daisy, comforting her. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but Daisy was smiling happily. She was pretty in her own way, with a childlike smile. No wonder they all doted on her. Mr. Miller, the shipping center owner, flipped through my papers and smiled: “Good for you, kiddo. Thought you’d given up on grad school.” I played it casual: “How’d you know about that, Mr. Miller?” He slapped a shipping label on the envelope with a snap: “Your boyfriend told me! Picked up your acceptance letter last year, said you weren’t going ’cause you two were getting married. Didn’t expect you to reapply. Not as good as last year’s school, but still solid.” My whole body started shaking. I’d slaved away for a whole year studying. Ryan knew how many all-nighters I pulled, how hard I worked. So I had gotten in last year—he stole my letter?! Mr. Miller noticed my pale face and his smile faded. He leaned in, checking the coast was clear before lowering his voice: “Kid, you need to watch your back.” “My wife was chatting with your mom the other day—heard she paid for Daisy’s engagement party.” “Where’d she get the cash? Turns out she arranged your engagement to that housing rep’s son from Oakwood Estates, took a down payment. She was gonna sell you off!” I recoiled, ice running through my veins. The sun was shining bright, but I felt cold to the bone. The people I trusted most had betrayed me like this. Mom said I could have any man I wanted, but the guy she tried to set me up with had two exes who filed restraining orders against him. I grabbed Mr. Miller’s arm: “Please, don’t tell anyone I’m going to grad school.” I needed to get out quietly and start over.

I stopped moping around and started acting normal. Ryan’s engagement might as well have been happening to a stranger. I even called Daisy “sister-in-law” to her face. She had a new outfit every day—either Ryan bought it or Mom took her shopping. Maybe it was just me, but her belly seemed to be growing fast. She insisted I walk with her. When we passed the neighborhood pond, she pulled my hand to her stomach: “Feel that? Your nephew’s kicking.” A bitter taste rose in my throat. But then it hit me—Daisy wasn’t as innocent as she seemed. Before I could pull away, she whispered in my ear: “Your boyfriend and your mom are *my* family now. They care more about me… and my baby.” “Oh, and your dad? He died for me. You wanna know what his last words were?” That cut me to the core. Before I could respond, Daisy dragged both of us into the pond. The quiet neighborhood erupted into chaos. Neighbors out for walks pulled us out of the water. I coughed up water, my stomach heaving. A stinging slap hit my face. Mom, sobbing, kept hitting me: “Scarlett, why can’t you just let this go? Your father died saving her! How could you try to kill Daisy? What if something happened to her baby?!” “What if something happened to you too? Do you want me to lose everything?!” I screamed that I didn’t do it. But Ryan looked down at me, voice cold: “Scarlett, I know you’re jealous of Daisy. You think she stole me.” “But she’s eight months pregnant! While she was carrying my child, you were trying to break us up! You need to apologize to her right now!” His lies turned the crowd against me. The neighbors had pitied me a second ago, but now they saw me as the homewrecker. If I couldn’t get out of this town, I’d be ruined. I remembered Ryan holding my hand at Dad’s funeral when I was seven, swearing he’d always protect me. I remembered him getting seven stitches when he fought off my bullies in seventh grade. Sixteen, picking me up from school, getting down on one knee with a soda tab ring, calling me his future wife. All those memories were lies. I laughed—a bitter, hollow sound. Whatever. Why bother explaining? Explanations are for people who care. A month later, Mom and Ryan cooked a big dinner. “It’s Scarlett’s birthday. We should smooth things over.” “Don’t know why she’s been so moody lately.” Daisy smiled, hand on her belly. Ryan glanced at her, pausing mid-motion. Something about her seemed different. He dried his hands. “I’ll go get Scarlett for dinner.” But when he opened her door, his smile froze.

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My husband has a strange hereditary illness. Every six months after we got married, he would lose his memory for fifteen days. And during those fifteen days, hed fall madly, passionately in love with another woman. The first time Hymen lost his memory, he fell for my arch-nemesis. For her sake, he had me kidnapped while I was at work, costing me a major promotion. The second time he lost his memory, he fell for the housemaid. For her sake, he framed me in a compromising situation, filmed it, and then blasted it all over social media to publicly humiliate me. The third time, he fell for my adopted sister. For her sake, he forced me to abort our child, almost killing both me and the baby. Each time he regained his memory, he would kneel and beg for my forgiveness, and then brutally punish his mistresses. The last time, he fell for my best friend. I let out a weary sigh. “Hymen Hayes, if youre sick, cant you just drop dead already?” “Liya, I know youre hurting, but you cant force love.” Hymen responded helplessly. “Hymen loves me. You need to accept that reality instead of cursing your own husband to die.” Serena draped herself over Hymen, purring. I took a deep breath. Today marked the first day of his latest amnesiac episode. “If you run out of condoms, there are more in the second drawer. Oh, and Serena, did you buy accident insurance?” The last part I said in a loaded tone. Serena froze, staring at me like I was a lunatic, a smirk twisting her lips. “Liya, have you gone mad with grief? Over a man, really?” This was the same best friend who used to be furious and ready to defend me every time Hymen cheated. Now, she looked like a smug victor. I simply pursed my lips, a nonchalant shrug. “Its nothing, just a friendly warning. Good luck in fifteen days.” With that, I turned and walked away. Wanton moans echoed from the master bedroom that was once ours. Hymen chuckled, his breathing still ragged. “Liya Hayes is just a pawn in a business marriage. Why bother getting upset with her? My heart belongs only to you.” Heh, this Hayes family illness was truly something. Every time he lost his memory, hed dismiss me as a mere tool, always finding a way to justify his own messed-up logic. Stepping out of the villa. I called my lawyer directly, calmly giving my instructions. “By any means necessary, at any cost, within fifteen days, I want to see my divorce papers with Hymen Hayes!” And as the at-fault party, he would walk away with nothing but the clothes on his back! Of course, an even grander surprise awaited Hymen, for him to personally appreciate once his memory returned. The apartment door violently crashed open. Hymen stormed in, and with one swift move, slapped me across the face. My cheek throbbed with a numb, tingling sensation, my lip was split, a thin line of blood oozing. “Hymen, you hit me… for Serena?” I crumpled to the floor, utterly defeated. Not a single tear would fall, yet I still feigned an expression of unbearable agony. In the corner, the red light of a hidden camera blinked steadily. He scoffed. “Still so desperately in love with me? Liya Hayes, you truly are pitiful!” Before he could finish, he gestured. His bodyguards understood, immediately stepping forward to shove me to the ground, roughly and cruelly. “But kidnapping Serena? That crossed a line. Do it! Teach Liya a lesson. Dont stop until she tells us where Serena is.” Fists rained down on me. Suddenly, Hymens phone vibrated. He barely glanced at the caller ID before snatching it up, a surge of excitement on his face. “Serena? Im coming right away. Dont be scared, dont cry, it would break my heart.” He hurried away. In the empty apartment, only I remained, a pathetic heap on the ground, as I pulled out my phone. The video was syncing in real-time to the cloud. I edited, saved. Note: [Gift 1 for the ex-husband, in fifteen days!] Serenas elaborate act had gone off without a hitch. To further punish me, Hymen froze all my credit cards and even notified the TV network, suspending me from my job indefinitely. Ms. Hayes, the head of the TV department, offered a strained smile, trying to comfort me. “Liya, Mr. Hayes will regain his memory in fifteen days anyway. After all these years, you two have been through so much. He truly loves you; everyone can see that.” I was utterly drained, clutching the suspension notice as I left. As soon as I stepped out of the TV network building. Serenas SnapChat messages came flooding in, one after another. [Liya Hayes, as your best friend, I was always just a mere backdrop for you to compare yourself against.] [But now, its different. The man you love most belongs to me.] [I, Serena, will soon step over you and claim all your wealth and happiness.] [Jealous? Resentful? But no! Hahahaha…] The contemptuous words, the utterly arrogant tone practically jumped off the screen. I scoffed, then took a screenshot.

I needed to return to the villa to get something back. It was a hand-embroidered cloth my grandmother had made. But as I stepped through the main entrance. I saw Serena cradling a dirty, stray dog. Her eyes were watery, as she reached out to Hymen, who was standing beside her, clearly allergic to dog fur but trying to tough it out. “Hymen, the poor dog is so pathetic. Hurry and grab that old rag so I can wipe it clean.” The rag Serena pointed at was my grandmothers embroidered cloth. My heart clenched violently. I was about to step forward to stop her. But Hymen moved faster. He casually smashed the picture frame, pulled out the fabric inside, and handed it over. His thin lips parted in a sneer. “Is Liya out of her mind? Framing a worthless rag and hanging it here to embarrass herself?” Yet, when he wasnt suffering from amnesia, that “worthless rag” was the one thing that brought him peace, something he treasured above all else! “Good boy, puppy. Big sister will clean you up.” With that, Serena used the fabric, which represented my entire familys legacy, to wipe the dogs rear end. My eyes widened in fury, and I lunged forward like a madwoman, raising my hand to strike. But Serena didnt even get a single hair touched. Hymen grabbed me by the collar and flung me away like a piece of trash. My frail body slammed hard against the floor-to-ceiling glass window. The window shattered, sharp glass shards tore through my clothes, pierced my tender skin, and blood gushed out. For a split second. Hymen, who had been shielding Serena, his face flushed with rage. His tightly furrowed brows stiffened at the sight of the blood pooling on the floor. His handsome face went ashen, as if remembering something… ” W-wah, Hymen, Liya is so scary! The puppy is terrified too! Im so scared, I dont want to be here anymore~ ” Serenas childish, whiny cries filled the air. Hymen, his mind churning with fragmented memories, snapped back to reality. He shook his head violently, muttering to himself. ” No way! How could I possibly be so distraught over Liya, a mere pawn in a business marriage? I love Serena, only Serena! ” I let out a cold snort just before I completely passed out from the pain. It seemed the closer it got to the fifteen-day mark. the clearer the forgotten memories became for Hymen. Serena, nestled in Hymens arms as she passed by me. She mouthed the words, a smirk playing on her lips, “Liya, youre just like this rotten rag. Hymen will give me anything I want, hahahaha…” Serena deliberately let go of the stray dog. The dog lunged at me.

When I next woke up. I was still clutching my grandmothers soiled fabric, in a VIP hospital room. The young nurse, changing my dressing, muttered sympathetically. ” Ms. Hayes, your husband is truly a heartless beast! A vile monster! ” ” Last night, you almost didnt make it. The attending surgeon called your husband, asking him to come sign the papers. ” ” But guess what he said? He claimed he was too busy coddling his lover and told us to let you die! ” *Let you die…* I turned my head. The rising sun streamed onto me, warm and comforting. My lawyer sent a message. `Madam, in just seven days, youll have your divorce certificate and be free.` Seven days. Leaning against the hospital bed. Grandmas embroidered cloth had been sent to a professional for cleaning. My fingers flew across the screen, saving the recording Id just made of the nurse to the cloud. At the same time, I retrieved and saved the surveillance video from the villa. Note: [Gift 3 for the ex-husband, in fifteen days!] I was discharged five days later. Serena, who had been a barely known actress, was now soaring, thanks to Hymens resources. She was the female lead in over a dozen high-quality TV series. Three renowned directors in the industry were vying to create tailor-made projects for Hymens “true love.” In short. As I sat in the car, every LED billboard I passed. featured the hottest “Goddess of Warmth,” Serena. I tapped my phone, looking at the countdown calendar. Just two more days until this game would finally be over. But I was slightly curious. What kind of scene would unfold when Hymen regained his memory and personally unwrapped the grand gift I had prepared for him? Suicide? Hanging? Self-harm? Pfft, those are so cliché. I was more eager to see a new melodrama unfold! The car pulled back to my apartment. Before I even entered the garage. The TV station director called. Her voice was trembling. ” L-Liya… Mr. Hymens orders… he wants you to come back temporarily to interview Serena. ” Interview Serena? The interview was scheduled for two days later. I put the call on speakerphone. My finger tapped idly on the screen displaying the calendar. Finally, I offered a faint, natural smile. “Alright, tell Hymen that I, Liya Hayes, accept this assignment.” It was a live interview, with three million anticipated viewers. Not only would New Yorkers be watching, but the entire country would witness firsthand how unhinged Hymen would become once his memory returned! Interesting. On the day of the interview. The director rushed over, practically in tears. ” Liya, Serenas agent just called. Shes suddenly feeling unwell and wont come. ” ” What? ” The interviewee wasnt coming. Given Serenas current popularity. If the show went off-air, no one would blame the “Goddess of Warmth” for being a diva; theyd just mock my show for having no guests! I bit my lip, telling the director to continue preparing for the show. Meanwhile, I went to the lounge to call Serena myself. Riiiiing… riiiiing… After thirty consecutive calls. A lazy, languid voice finally answered. But it wasnt for me. ” W-wah~ Hymen, youre so naughty. What if we tease Liya too much and she actually gets mad? ” Serenas sweet, simpering voice, laced with lustful abandon. Hymen, breathing heavily, his voice deep and sensuous. ” Liya is always targeting you. If she wants to remain Mrs. Hayes, she needs to be properly taught a lesson, to learn to behave. ” So, this interview, from start to finish, was just a setup designed to utterly humiliate me? And Hymen himself had orchestrated and executed it! I lowered my head, a bitter smile twisting my lips.

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My husband died protecting the border. I took our three-year-old son on a train to bring his ashes home. My son couldn’t hold back his quiet sobs. The couple next to us exploded. “Can’t you control your brat child?!” They snatched my son, dragged him to the bathroom to punish him, slapping him, and even filmed it. They sneered: “His dad died? ” “So no one to teach him? We’ll do it!” Along with the video, the news of my husband’s heroic sacrifice trended online. The military command was furious, and the entire internet erupted! My three-year-old son clung tightly to my arm, sobbing softly. “Mommy, they said I’ll never see Daddy again. What does that mean?” “Aren’t we going to bring Daddy home this time?” I stroked his head, my own eyes welling up with tears. Yesterday, General Thompson himself called me, informing me that my husband, Major Jake Miller, had died in the line of duty. “Enemy forces secretly crossed the border. He fought bravely to protect his comrades—” The General’s voice choked up. He said they had already bought our train tickets, so we could go say our final goodbyes to Jake. After hanging up, I couldn’t control my emotions and broke down in tears. My three-year-old son didn’t fully understand death, but he seemed to grasp that he might never see his dad again. Leo bit his lip, his little shoulders trembling. “My birthday is next month. Is Daddy not going to send me a toy gun anymore?” Just as I opened my mouth, a young woman in the seat in front of us suddenly stood up, turned around, and yelled at my son, her face contorted with anger: “So noisy! Do you have any manners?!” Leo flinched in fear, instinctively apologizing. She didn’t back down. “Talking nonstop, and now crying endlessly! I’ve been putting up with you two for ages!” I gripped my son’s hand tightly. “I’m sorry, we’ll be more careful.” Leo huddled beside me, trembling with fear. The woman glared at him, clenching her fist in warning. “Cry again, and I’ll call the police to take you away!” Leo immediately covered his mouth with both hands and buried himself in my arms. Only then did the woman scoff triumphantly and sit back down. I glanced around the train car. A few rows ahead, a man was loudly scrolling through TikTok videos, laughing heartily as he watched. In the back, two middle-aged women were passionately gossiping about their family issues. Before leaving with Leo, I had specifically told him not to be loud on the train. So, we both spoke softer than usual. Many people were louder than us, but this woman didn’t say a word to anyone else, only glaring at my son and me. I felt uneasy. But when you’re out alone, especially with such a young child, it’s not worth getting into an argument. It wouldn’t be good for Leo. I softly comforted my son. “Why don’t you try to sleep for a bit?” Leo covered his mouth, his eyes red, and shook his head. “I can’t stop thinking about Daddy. I’m still so sad.” Both of us were deliberately lowering our voices, almost whispering, so quietly you’d barely hear us if you weren’t actively listening. Suddenly, the woman in front flared up again. “Are you kidding me? Does this mom ever shut up?!” She walked over directly, stood next to our row of seats, and viciously kicked my chair. “Try making another sound, I dare you!” “Mommy, I’m scared!” Leo was so startled by her action that he started to wail. I hugged Leo and couldn’t help but retort: “Miss, we weren’t making noise.” “We’ve been speaking very softly.” The woman screamed, craning her neck: “This isn’t noisy?! He’s crying loud enough to make my head explode!” “You scared him, the child is still young—” “Young, my foot! No matter how little he is, he’s not my kid. Who’s obligated to put up with him?!” “Attendant! Attendant!” Just then, a train attendant appeared at the end of the car. The woman loudly called her over. “This brat won’t stop crying! Do something about him!”

“Little one, stop crying right now!” The attendant, Mia, frowned and scolded. I explained: “He wasn’t crying just now. This woman came over and kicked my chair, which scared him—” “Don’t make so many excuses!” The young attendant impatiently cut me off. “I’ve seen plenty of parents like you. Be mindful of others and don’t disturb anyone.” Big tears rolled down Leo’s cheeks. “I’m not a bad kid…” He was timid and usually suffered in silence when wronged. But the accusation of being a “bad kid” shattered him. He couldn’t stop his quiet sobs. “You’re seriously disturbing other passengers. Please take your child to the connecting area between cars to calm him down.” Mia said coldly. The young woman smugly agreed. “Hear that? Now scram!” “Mommy, I’ve been very good, I spoke very quietly…” My son cried, trembling all over. “Mommy knows Leo is the best boy.” I hugged him tightly, my heart aching, and stood up to grab our bag, ready to take him away. But then the young woman suddenly reached out and yanked Leo’s arm! “I told you to scram, why are you dawdling?!” Her long, pointed nail dug viciously into Leo’s delicate skin, instantly leaving a red, bruised mark. “Mommy, it hurts so much!” Leo cried out in pain. I immediately slapped her hand away. “What are you doing?! Let go of my son!” My strength wasn’t great, but the woman let out an exaggerated shriek. “You dare to hit me?! Chad!” From the front, a tall man with dyed blonde hair and a skull ring on his finger stood up. His face red with fury, he rushed over and slapped me hard across the face. “You filthy bitch! How dare you touch my girlfriend!” He swung his hand again, then grabbed my hair and slammed my head against the seat back. I saw stars, my cheek cut by his ring, blood beginning to seep. And in my arms, Leo had been snatched away by the woman! She grabbed the child by the neck with one hand and dragged him forward, walking quickly. “You don’t want to teach your kid, huh? No wonder his dad’s gone, leaving such a badly behaved kid! I’ll teach him for you!” I tried to chase, but the punk held me back by my hair, dragging me back to the seat. “What are you doing? Still trying to chase her and hit her?” “Let go of me! She snatched my child!” My eyes were burning with urgency. “She’s helping you teach your kid out of kindness, and you’re not grateful? You don’t know what’s good for you!” The punk forcefully pressed down on my shoulders. I struggled desperately, pleading with Mia: “Are you just going to watch him hit me? Call the police! Someone’s stealing my child!”

Mia pursed her lips. “He’s just holding you down. I didn’t see him hit anyone.” The two women from the front rows couldn’t stand it anymore. “Her face is bleeding! How can you lie with a straight face?!” “Let her go!” Mia’s expression finally changed. “Maybe I wasn’t paying attention… I’ll go call the police.” She then slowly pushed her service cart and walked away. I seized the opportunity to push the punk away and sprinted forward. From the bathroom at the end of the car, Leo’s piercing cry rang out: “Mommy, help me—” I rushed to the door and pounded on it. “Come for me! Open the door, let my son out!” Inside, the young woman’s curses could be heard: “Don’t you dare cry! Cry again and I’ll beat you to death!” The train bathroom’s metal door was very sturdy, unmoving. I pleaded with the surrounding passengers to call the police, but the punk followed me, glaring menacingly. “I’d like to see who dares interfere! My girlfriend is just helping him teach his son a lesson. If a brat is so noisy, the police will side with us!” Some passengers in the front car, not knowing the full truth, even agreed, saying they hated unruly children and a little scare was good. “My son is not a bad kid!” I cried out, pounding on the door. At that moment, Mrs. Stone and Mrs. Clark squeezed over. “Miss, is this child in the video your son?” I looked down and gasped. In the video, Leo was cowering in the corner, a hand with long, manicured nails grabbing his chin, forcing him to face the camera: “Say it! Your dad’s an Monster, and your mom’s a slut!” Leo’s face was red with finger marks, and he cried out: “My daddy is a hero!” “Ptooey!” A mouthful of spit landed on his face. The woman tightened her grip. “You lying brat!” Only then did I realize it was a live stream. The top of the screen read: “Train passenger losing it over noisy kid, live-streaming to teach him a lesson!” The comment section was filled with cheers, and some doubts, the chat a chaotic mess. The woman excitedly grabbed my son’s face and slammed his head back. “You little punk, speak up!” Thump! Leo’s face turned pale. My heart ached with intense pain. I cried out, pounding on the door: “Stop it!” “Quick, say your parents are trash!” The woman pressed his cheek against the wall. Leo’s face was ashen, but he stubbornly shouted: “Mommy said my daddy is a big hero! And I wasn’t noisy!” His tears poured down, which only enraged the woman further. She sneered, turning the camera to the trash can next to the squat toilet. “Not going to say it, huh? Lying brats get their mouths wiped with toilet paper!” With that, she picked out a piece of used toilet paper with brownish-yellow stains. Through the screen, I could almost smell the stench. I screamed in agony: “You can’t do this! Open the door!” Leo also cried in terror. “Don’t wipe my mouth with poop! It’s disgusting!” He had always been a clean child. Now, his face was pressed against a public toilet wall, a dirty piece of paper shoved in front of him. He cried out in fear, eyes shut: “Mommy, please help me—” The woman grew even more excited. “Oh, you think it’s dirty, do you? Then hurry up and say your parents are both trash and scum, and you won’t have to use this paper, how about that?”

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Today, Julian’s first love, Valerie, returned. The same Valerie who, three months ago, falsely accused me of pushing her down the stairs. Now I was on the floor. One of the men stepped closer, his hands going to his belt. “Mr. Sterling, this is your wife. You’re really just throw her away?” Julian turned his back and walked away. “When you’re finished, dump her in the ocean.” Cloth tore. Cold air bit into the exposed skin of my back.. Seven days. Just seven more days. Until my brother’s surgery was over. Until the five million hit the offshore account. Then, Seraphina Sterling would cease to exist. Seraphina POV Even the roar of the casino floor couldn’t drown out the wet, sickening crunch of breaking bones. My right pinky finger was crushed under a leather shoe. Mr. Hayes’ jowly face quivered, and a glob of thick, yellow phlegm landed with a wet smack on my hand. “Already can’t take it, Mrs. Sterling? Julian told us that besides playing the piano, those hands are amazing at… pleasuring men.” The room was packed with onlookers. Some held up their phones, recording, others whistled and jeered. I didn’t scream. I bit down hard on my lower lip until it bled. I looked up. Julian stood by the railing of the VIP lounge on the second floor, swirling a half-empty glass of red wine. His voice, flat and emotionless, echoed through the speakers. “Mr. Hayes, enjoy yourself. After all, if Seraphina can’t pay back the debts her family ran up, those hands are useless anyway.” Another sickening crack. This time, it was my ring finger. Mr. Hayes pressed down, grinding his heel from side to side. “Julian is truly generous! Then I won’t hold back!” I felt icy sweat trickle down my forehead, soaking into the strands of hair plastered to the grimy floor. I stared at the figure on the second floor. Three years ago, it was these very hands Julian had cupped, making a solemn vow. “Seraphina, if anyone dares to touch your hands, I’ll take their life.” Now, he was the one twisting the knife. Because this morning, Valerie had returned from overseas. His ‘first love’, the one who’d accused me of pushing her down the stairs three months ago, was back after two months of ‘treatment’ abroad. For months, Julian had ‘atoned’ for Valerie’s ‘suffering’ by inflicting double the torment on me. I watched from the floor as Mr. Hayes unbuckled his belt. The laughter around me grew louder. “Julian, this is your wife, supposedly. Are you really throwing her away?” Someone shouted up to the second floor. Julian turned. “She’s broken. Dump her in the ocean, let the fish have her.” That was his answer. My breath hitched. My left hand, braced on the floor beside me, clawed into the thick carpet. Two of my fingernails tore off with sickening pops. Mr. Hayes bent down, his greasy hand reaching for my collar. “Hear that? Your husband doesn’t want you.” Fabric ripped. Large swaths of my skin were exposed to the cold air. With my good left hand, I fumbled inside my shirt, pulling out a perfectly folded piece of paper. A hospital bill. The ICU, twenty thousand a day. That was my brother, Caleb’s, life. Mr. Hayes paused, seeing me clutch the paper to my chest as if guarding my very last breath. “Two million.” I said, “Mr. Hayes, if I survive this ‘game,’ I want two million.” Mr. Hayes stared for a second, then burst into roaring laughter. “Mrs. Sterling, are you trying to cut a deal with me? Fine! If you down this bottle of liquor and then crawl through my legs, I’ll give you five million, not just two!” He kicked a bottle of potent vodka towards me. The bottle slammed into my broken fingers. Agony ripped through me, making my entire body convulse uncontrollably. I emptied the bottle. My stomach felt like it was ablaze, the burning sensation momentarily eclipsing the pain of my shattered fingers. I crawled on the floor, inch by agonizing inch. And slowly, I passed between Mr. Hayes’s spread legs. The entire room fell silent. Only the frantic clicks of camera shutters filled the air. Mr. Hayes hadn’t expected me to actually do it. His face twisted into a furious scowl. He pulled a checkbook from his jacket, scribbled on a check, and slapped it onto my face. “Go buy yourself a coffin!” I picked up the check with my left hand and saw the number. Five million. Enough. Enough for Caleb’s surgery next week, enough to keep him stable for another six months. I stumbled to my feet, clutching the bloodstained check. No one cared about me. The crowd dispersed, moving on to the next round of revelry. I staggered out of the hall and reached the edge of the deck. My phone buzzed. A bank transfer alert popped up, followed by a screen full of missed FaceTime calls from ‘Julian’-that was before yesterday. Then, a new alert flashed. From the contact saved as L. “Package secured. New identity at the dead drop. Wheels up in seven. This is your last window.” I lifted my gaze to the endless, swallowing dark of the open sea. I took a photo of the five-million-dollar check and sent it to Dr. Miller at the hospital. In the chat box, I typed a single word. “Okay.” Seven days. I had to endure him for seven more days. Just until Caleb’s surgery was complete. Until that money was clean and resting in an offshore account. Then, Seraphina would cease to be.

Seraphina POV At three in the morning, I pushed open the front door. The house was dark. My right hand, still untreated, was crudely wrapped in a bandage. A figure sat on the living room sofa. “Finally decided to come home?” Julian’s voice was hoarse, laced with mockery. The lights flared on. I raised my hand to shield my eyes, a movement that pulled at my fresh wound. Julian wore a black shirt, his collar open, revealing a dark red hickey on his collarbone. It was new. “What’s wrong? Didn’t please Mr. Hayes enough? Got kicked out?” Julian stood, stepping closer, one slow stride after another. A wave of stale cigarette smoke, tainted with a cloying, unfamiliar woman’s perfume, hit me like a physical blow. I said nothing, trying to walk past him and go upstairs. He grabbed my wrist, his fingers clamping down right on the shattered bones of my hand. A raw scream ripped from my throat. My reaction seemed to enrage Julian further, and he tightened his grip. “What are you playing at? Three months ago, when you pushed Valerie down the stairs, I didn’t see you acting so fragile.” “I didn’t.” It was a phrase I’d repeated countless times over the past three years. “Didn’t?” Julian flung my hand away. I slammed into the entryway console, my right hand taking another heavy blow. I curled into a ball, cold sweat dripping onto the floor. Julian loomed over me. “The doctor said Valerie’s leg has permanent damage; she’ll never dance again. Seraphina, your hand being broken is just karma. You deserve it.” He picked up a document from the coffee table and threw it at me. The sharp corner of the paper grazed my cheek. “Sign it.” I picked up the document with my left hand. A ‘Cornea Donor Consent Form’. Recipient: Valerie. I looked up at Julian. “What happened to her eyes?” “Complications from her car accident a year ago. Retinal detachment. She needs a transplant.” Julian’s tone was flat. “Your cornea is the highest match.” “I won’t sign.” I threw the document back at him. “You don’t have a choice.” Julian bent down, pinching my chin. “Caleb’s still in the ICU at St. Jude’s, isn’t he? Time for his surgery payment this week, too?” The five million was still processing; it wouldn’t arrive until tomorrow at the earliest. If Julian cut off the hospital’s medication now… “You’re a monster.” “Not as much as you.” Julian released my chin, then meticulously wiped his fingers on a tissue as if I was something vile. “Back then, to marry me, you drugged Grandpa, forcing Valerie to leave the country. What part of that wasn’t despicable?” I opened my mouth. Explain? Explain that Valerie swapped Grandpa’s meds? Explain that she skipped town because she got paid off by Sterling Corporation, Julian’s biggest rival? It was useless. All the evidence had been destroyed. Only Valerie’s perfectly crafted, fake ‘diary’ survived. Julian only believed what he saw. “Sign it, and I’ll cover Caleb’s surgery.” Julian said, his final words. I looked at the document. One cornea. For Caleb’s life. It was a fair trade. What did it matter? I’d be gone in seven days. One less eye wouldn’t stop my disappearance. “Okay.” Julian’s movements froze. He frowned, looking at me. “Pen.” I extended my left hand. Julian handed me the pen. I scrawled my name clumsily in the signature box. The handwriting was ugly, the messy scrawl of a useless lefty. “When is the surgery scheduled?” I asked. “Next Monday.” Next Monday. The seventh day. I calculated the timing in my head. If I could just delay until the last moment before the surgery, Valerie wouldn’t get the cornea, and Julian would be so preoccupied with the surgery preparations that his guard would be down. Perfect. “Fine.” I handed him the document. “But I have a condition.” “You’re in no position to bargain.” “These next few days, I’m staying in the guest room. Also, find me a doctor to set my hand.” I held up my hand, swollen like a pastry. “Otherwise, if it gets infected, it’ll mess with my vitals, and the cornea quality will drop. You want that?” Julian stared at my hand for a few seconds. “Mr. Davies will bring a doctor.” He snatched the document and turned to leave. He stopped at the staircase, not looking back. “Valerie moves in tomorrow. You’d better stay out of her way. Don’t let me catch sight of that grim expression on your face.” “Got it.” Julian’s back stiffened for a moment, then he strode upstairs. The master bedroom door slammed shut, shaking the house. I slid down the wall, collapsing to the floor. I pulled out my phone and sent a message to “Liam”. “Plan change. Evacuation moved to Sunday night.” Sunday night. The eve of the surgery. That would be when Julian was least vigilant, and most consumed by his fury. I glanced at the closed door upstairs. Julian, you want atonement? Here it is. But you’ll never get this eye.

Seraphina POV In the early morning, the mansion’s front doors were slammed open. A dozen movers poured in, bustling in and out of the house. My belongings were tossed out one by one. My piano scores, my orchids, even our wedding photo hanging in the entryway-all were bundled up and thrown into the trash can in the yard. Pink shag carpets, giant diffusers, and a pristine white Steinway grand piano were hauled inside. I sat on the small balcony of the guest room, a glass of water in my left hand. A sweet, tinkling laugh floated up from downstairs. “Julian, does this vase look good here? Is it in the way?” Valerie sat in a wheelchair, dressed in a white lace dress, a delicate porcelain doll. Julian stood behind her, pushing her wheelchair, his eyes soft with tenderness. “Whatever you like. The whole house is yours, change it however you want.” “But… won’t Seraphina be upset?” Valerie looked up timidly. “There’s no Seraphina here,” Julian said. “Only a maid who’s about to be kicked to the curb.” I heard every word clearly. A maid. Indeed, in three years of marriage, the most I’d done was serve him. Just then, a knock came at the door. Mr. Davies stood there, holding a maid’s uniform. “Ms. Seraphina.” Mr. Davies’s tone shifted quickly. “Julian has instructed that there’s a party tonight, and we’re short-staffed. He wants you to change into this and help with serving drinks.” I looked at the ridiculously skimpy maid’s uniform. “I’m injured.” I pointed to my casted hand. “Julian said that if one hand’s useless, you still have the other.” Mr. Davies placed the clothes on the bed. “If you don’t change, Caleb’s situation…” Caleb, again. I closed my eyes. “Get out.” After Mr. Davies left, I changed into the uniform with one hand. The dress was tight, making it hard to breathe. I looked at myself in the mirror. Pale, gaunt, like a ghost. Good. The more pitiful I looked, the more Julian would relish it, and the less he’d suspect me. At six in the evening, guests poured into the house, Julian and Valerie’s entire social circle. These were the same people who, back then, had scoffed at me as a “desperate hanger-on.” Now, their eyes were filled with smug amusement and thinly veiled contempt. “Well, well, isn’t that the former piano prodigy? Look at her, dressed like that!” “Heard she sold her husband for money? Still clinging to the house?” “Utterly shameless.” Valerie was surrounded by guests, smiling, radiating happiness. When she saw me approach with a tray, a flicker of pure malice darted through her eyes. “Seraphina, darling, could you fetch me a glass of red wine?” Valerie’s voice was soft. I walked over, my left hand holding the wine glass steady. Just as I handed it to Valerie, her hand suddenly trembled. Red wine splashed across Valerie’s pristine white dress. “Ah!” Valerie shrieked, her eyes welling up. “My leg… it’s so cold…” “What happened!” Julian shoved through the crowd, practically throwing me aside. Losing my balance, I fell to the floor. My casted hand slammed against the table corner. The agony made my vision swim, then black out for a second. “Seraphina! Are you trying to die?!” Julian knelt to check Valerie’s leg. “Julian, don’t blame Seraphina… I just lost my grip…” Valerie sobbed, tears streaming down her face. “Seraphina must be upset that I’m getting her cornea. She’s just so angry…” The room erupted. “What? She won’t donate?” “Valerie got her leg injured because Seraphina pushed her, and now her eyes are going bad, and she’s still so selfish?” “Exactly! She took Mrs. Sterling’s place for three years, and she’s still not satisfied!” Julian suddenly turned, glaring at me. “Apologize.” I lay on the floor, pushing myself up to a sitting position. I looked at the ‘couple’. Apologize? Fine. I slowly got up and walked to Valerie. “I’m sorry.” “I didn’t hear you!” Julian roared. I took a deep breath, bent at the waist, a deep, mocking bow. “I’m sorry, Miss Valerie. I shouldn’t have spilled wine on you.” “I shouldn’t have taken Mrs. Sterling’s place.” “I shouldn’t even be alive, bothering your perfect lives.” “Get to the kitchen.” Julian ordered. “Don’t come out until the party’s over.” I turned and walked away. No looking back, no tears. Back in the kitchen, I closed the door, shutting out the noise from outside. I pulled a tiny USB drive from the pocket of my apron. I’d slipped it from Julian’s suit pocket during the chaos of my fall. It contained Julian’s company’s most sensitive data. Exactly what Liam needed. I found a piece of raw meat, shoved the USB drive deep into it, then tossed it into the very bottom of the freezer. After that, I leaned against the freezer door, gasping for breath. My right hand throbbed as if it had broken all over again. But I smiled. Julian, if you’d just checked the security footage, you’d see Valerie deliberately spilled that wine herself. But you wouldn’t check. You would never believe me. My phone vibrated. A bank transfer notification. Five million. It had arrived. I immediately transferred the money to the offshore account I’d been preparing for three years. Then, I factory-reset my phone and tossed it into the churning garbage disposal. The phone shattered into fragments. That was the first connection I severed.

Seraphina POV To appease a ‘traumatized’ Valerie, Julian decided to host a charity auction on Friday night. It was philanthropy in name only. In truth, it was a stage: to generate publicity for Valerie and formally reintroduce her as the woman of Julian’s house. The evening’s centerpiece was an antique grand piano. It was the grand piano Julian had given me for my eighteenth birthday, after I won the International Chopin Gold Medal. Now, he was auctioning off that very piano, with all proceeds going to a foundation for the visually impaired, in Valerie’s name. How ironic. Using his ex-wife’s most cherished possession to pave the way for his current flame. I was ordered to attend. The reason: as the piano’s original owner, I was needed for the final “handover” ceremony. Humiliation. Pure, unadulterated humiliation. Backstage at the venue, I stood in a corner, wearing a faded, ill-fitting old gown. Valerie, in a custom-made gown shimmering like a night sky, was getting her makeup touched up, a princess reborn. “Seraphina, I’m truly sorry for you.” Valerie watched me in the mirror. “Julian said you can’t play this piano anymore, and it’s just taking up space at home, so it’s better to use it for charity.” I looked at the black Steinway grand being wheeled onto the stage. A faint scratch marred the lid, a tiny mark I’d made with my hairpin when I’d collapsed from exhaustion during practice. Back then, Julian had been heartbroken, holding me tight, whispering reassurances all night long. Now, he was selling that memory. “Good for something, I guess,” I said. Valerie’s smile faltered for a moment, then she recovered her sweet demeanor. “Seraphina, you’re so philosophical. Oh, Julian said he wants to play ‘Wedding of Love’ with me tonight. You don’t mind, do you?” ‘Wedding of Love.’ It was the song from Julian’s and my wedding. I said nothing, just lowered my gaze to my casted hand. From the front, the host’s voice boomed. “And now, please welcome Julian and Valerie, as they bring us our opening performance!” Thunderous applause. The curtain swept open, and two spotlights illuminated the center of the stage. Julian sat on one side of the piano bench, Valerie on the other. A four-hand duet. The scene was picture-perfect. I stood in the shadows behind the curtain, watching it all unfold. Once, the one sitting there had been me. The music began. Valerie’s technique was mediocre at best, riddled with wrong notes, her rhythm unsteady. But Julian matched her, slowing his pace, using his masterful skill to cover her flaws. When Valerie made a mistake, he would even turn to her, a doting smile in his eyes. I felt sick. I remembered three years ago, how my fingers were raw, covered in angry blisters, from practicing this very song. Julian had carefully pricked my blisters, whispering, “Seraphina, from now on, play only for me.” Liar. They were all liars. The piece ended. The applause was endless. The host rushed onto the stage, thrilled. “Simply breathtaking! This is what true love looks like! Next, we will be auctioning off this piano, a witness to Julian’s love story! Starting bid: five million!” “Ten million!” The first bid sent a ripple of shock through the room. Everyone turned. A tall man in a gray suit, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, walked in from the entrance, holding up a bidding paddle. Cyrus. Cyrus Sterling, the head of the Sterling Corporation and Julian’s fiercest rival in the business world. And my former classmate. The smile on Julian’s face vanished instantly. He stood up and walked to the front of the stage. “Cyrus, what the hell are you playing at?” “No particular reason,” Cyrus said, adjusting his glasses. “Some things, if the original owner doesn’t appreciate them, are better off with someone who does.” Julian saw me. “Twenty million.” Julian spoke. He clearly regretted putting it up for auction. “Thirty million,” Cyrus said without hesitation. “Fifty million!” Julian gritted his teeth. The entire room gasped. Fifty million for a piano was an astronomical sum. Cyrus smiled, then put down his paddle. “Julian, you’re as rich as they say. But…” Cyrus’s tone shifted. “Some things, you can’t hold onto forever.” With that, he gave me a deep, knowing look, then turned and left. In that fleeting glance, I saw a hidden message. I understood. Cyrus was helping me. He was using this method to tell Julian that someone was watching this piano, watching me. And it meant Julian, for the sake of his ego, would never let that piano leave his possession. The piano went unsold, remaining with Julian. Backstage, Julian dragged me into a dressing room. The door locked with a heavy click. “What’s your relationship with Cyrus?” Julian pinned me against the wall, his eyes bloodshot. “Nothing.” “Nothing? Then why would he spend thirty million on your damn piano?” Julian’s grip on my chin was so tight, I thought my jaw would shatter. “Seraphina, have you already found someone new? That affair three years ago, are you still so shameless?” “I didn’t.” I shook my head. “If you believe I cheated, and now I have someone else, then let me go.” I met his gaze directly. “You need to make room for Valerie anyway, and I’ve signed the donation papers.” “Never!” Julian snarled. “You want to leave? Dream on!” Julian’s teeth were clenched. “As long as I say no, you’re bound to me, in life and in death!” He tore my gown. “You want a man? Fine. I’ll give you one!” There was no prelude. Just a brutal, punitive assault. I bit down hard on the plaster cast on my arm, choking back every sound. My tears had long dried. My heart was dead. When it was over, Julian adjusted his clothes. “Go to the hospital for pre-op checks tomorrow. Don’t go anywhere these next few days.” He slammed the door shut and left. I lay on the cold floor, my body aching. I waited. Waited for the signal Cyrus had left me. When I’d been shoved earlier, I’d felt a slip of paper pressed into my pocket by Cyrus. My trembling fingers pulled it out. It contained only a short line of text and a tiny key. “Tomorrow night, midnight, back door delivery truck. Locker 302.” The key to my freedom. Or a one-way ticket to hell. If I failed, I’d have my legs broken and be locked away forever by Julian. But I had no choice. I swallowed the paper and hid the key in the crevices of my cast. Julian, you left me no choice.

Seraphina POV The hospital corridor reeked of antiseptic. I followed behind Julian, led into the VIP ophthalmology clinic. Valerie sat in the examination chair, and Julian was leaning down, kissing her forehead. “Don’t be scared. Dr. Miller is personally performing the surgery. You’ll be able to see again tomorrow.” Valerie clutched Julian’s coat, shrinking back just a little. “Seraphina is really willing? After all, it’s removing an eyeball…” “She doesn’t have a choice.” Julian turned, his tone devoid of warmth. “Sign it.” On the table lay the ‘Surgical Consent Form’. I picked up the pen with my left hand. Dr. Miller adjusted his glasses, his voice professional and flat. “Ms. Seraphina, after the left eyeball is removed, a prosthetic eye will be fitted. There’s a risk of rejection, but it won’t affect your appearance. Please sign if you confirm.” My pen hovered over the line. “I need to use the restroom.” Julian frowned. “Always so difficult.” “I want to go too.” Valerie suddenly stood up, fumbling for Julian’s hand. “Julian, I want to touch up my makeup. I don’t want you to see me looking tired.” Julian’s gaze softened. “Okay, I’ll help you.” “No need, just Seraphina can come with me.” Valerie smiled sweetly. Inside the restroom. The stall door locked. Valerie stood in front of the mirror, reaching up to take off her large sunglasses. Her eyes, clear as glass, held no hint of impairment. She pulled lipstick from her bag and, gazing into the mirror, meticulously outlined her lips. Not a single smudge. “Just as I thought,” I said. “Surprised?” Valerie pursed her lips, turning to face me, her eyes filled with malice. “Seraphina, I never actually needed your cornea. I just wanted to make you blind.” My left hand, in my pocket, gripped the tiny key I’d retrieved from my cast. “Caleb’s surgery fee, Julian already paid it,” I said. “Did he?” Valerie chuckled softly, pulling out her phone and playing a video. In the video, the oxygen tube in Caleb’s ICU room was half-pulled out. The monitor blared a piercing alarm, and nurses scrambled to save him. I lunged to snatch the phone. Valerie sidestepped, then slapped me across the face. I slammed into the sink, my casted hand taking another brutal hit. “Your brother’s pathetic life? It’s in my hands now.” Valerie leaned closer, lowering her voice. “Tomorrow’s surgery, if you dare to run, or say anything, I’ll have them pull the plug entirely.” I glared at her. “What do you want?” “I want you to die on the operating table.” Valerie pulled an eyebrow razor from her bag and shoved it into the crevices of my cast. “Anesthesia complications, cardiac arrest – these things happen all the time in surgery. I want you dead on that table, clearing the way for me to be Mrs. Sterling.” A knock came at the door. Julian’s voice. “Valerie? Are you ready?” Valerie’s face instantly transformed. She swept the hand soap bottle off the sink, letting it crash to the floor. “Seraphina, no!” She shrieked, throwing herself to the ground. The door burst open. Julian rushed in, seeing Valerie sprawled on the floor and me ‘holding’ an eyebrow razor. “Seraphina!” Julian’s foot connected hard with my stomach. I flew backward, my back slamming against the edge of the toilet, and I crumpled to the floor, pain curling me into a ball. “Julian… Seraphina said if I could see again, you wouldn’t want her… She wanted to ruin my face…” Valerie sobbed, burying her face in Julian’s chest. Julian picked up Valerie, his eyes on me, as if looking at a corpse. “Lock her in the morgue,” Julian ordered the security guards who’d rushed in. “Let her have a good reality check.” The guards came forward, dragging me out as I coughed up blood. I didn’t struggle. As they pulled me through the door, I saw Valerie, clinging to Julian’s shoulder, silently mouthed two words at me: “Die. Bitch.” The morgue was freezing. I was thrown between the stainless steel gurneys. The icy chill seeped deep into my bones. I huddled in the corner, pulling out the tiny voice recorder I’d prepared earlier. Everything in the restroom had been recorded. This was my last card. It was meant for negotiating with Julian, but now, it would be Valerie’s funeral song. My phone buzzed. A message from “Liam”. “Caleb’s been moved. Cyrus’s people have him now. You can proceed.” I looked at the screen and laughed. I laughed, tears streaming down my face. Valerie, your biggest mistake was believing I still cared about Julian. I sat in the morgue’s frigid air all night. Until dawn, when the guards opened the door. “Come out. Julian wants you home to prepare for surgery.”

Seraphina POV I’d returned from the morgue with a raging fever. Julian only gave me one fever reducer. His reason: “You’re having general anesthesia tomorrow. Too many meds will mess with your metabolism.” Julian came down from his study, dressed in a black suit, his tie knotted without a single wrinkle. He surveyed the dishes on the table. “Sit. Eat with me.” “I’m not hungry.” “I said sit down.” Julian pulled out a chair, his words brooking no argument. I obeyed, sitting down. Valerie picked up a shrimp and offered it to Julian, her voice sweet and soft. “Julian, this dish Seraphina made, it used to be your favorite. Try it?” Julian opened his mouth, chewed twice, then spat it into the bone plate. “Too salty.” He set his fork down with a sharp click. “Seraphina, are you doing this on purpose?” I looked at the white rice in my bowl. “My hand was shaking. Couldn’t control the salt.” “Shaking?” Julian grabbed my casted arm. “I saw you playing for your lover. You seemed steady enough then.” His fingers tightened. Excruciating pain ripped through me, making my body twitch involuntarily. Cold sweat drenched the back of my shirt, but I didn’t make a sound. “After the surgery tomorrow, this hand will be useless anyway.” Julian flung my hand away. “I’ll arrange for you to be sent to a sanitarium. You won’t leave without my permission.” It was a sentence of soft imprisonment. I picked up my spoon and calmly took a sip of soup. Fourteen more hours. After dinner, a document was thrown onto the table in front of me. A ‘Divorce Settlement Agreement’. “Sign it.” Julian lit a cigarette. “Giving Valerie her rightful place is the last thing you can do.” I opened the agreement. Zero assets. I’d be leaving with nothing. Even the small house my mother left me was already legally Julian’s. “Okay.” I picked up the pen and signed my name. Julian’s fingers, clutching the cigarette, paused. “Aren’t you going to read the terms?” “No need.” I closed the document. “Whatever makes you happy, Julian.” My indifferent attitude was the final spark that ignited Julian’s simmering rage. He stubbed out his cigarette and pushed me onto the sofa. “Seraphina, are you hoping Cyrus is going to ride in and save you? I’m telling you, the Sterling Corporation is in crisis. Cyrus is already on a flight to Europe tonight, trying to save his own ass.” My breath hitched. Cyrus was gone? Then what about tomorrow’s pickup…? “Desperate?” Julian’s finger traced my cheek. “Just hand over the cornea, and I might consider making your life in the sanitarium more comfortable.” He finished speaking, picked up the agreement, and went upstairs. I lay on the sofa, staring silently at the ceiling. My phone was shattered; I couldn’t contact anyone. If Cyrus really was gone, this was a checkmate. Two in the morning. Rain lashed against the windows. I fished a paperclip from deep within the couch cushions. Barefoot, I avoided the blind spots of the hallway cameras and slipped into the first-floor study. Julian’s safe was in the study. With my left hand, I manipulated the paperclip into the keyhole. Click. The old-fashioned mechanical lock clicked open with a soft snick. I didn’t take any money, nor did I touch any sensitive documents. I placed the voice recorder, along with the ‘real vision test report’ Valerie had torn up and meticulously taped back together, deep inside the safe. Julian always opened it first thing in the morning to retrieve his watch. Mission accomplished, I closed the safe. Back in the guest room, I carefully unwound the bandage over my cast. Hidden inside, a single line of text was inked: Cyrus’s contingency plan. “If Plan A fails, initiate Plan B: The Funeral.” I re-bandaged the cast, even tying it tighter than before, using the pain to keep my nerves buzzing, to stay awake. Outside, thunder growled. I stood by the window, watching the distant lightning tear across the night sky.

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When I married him, my friends were blunt. “He’s broke and not even that cute. You could clearly do better.” I just smiled. “The love he gives me is priceless.” Who would have thought that a year later, Julian suddenly became rich overnight and immediately replace me with some young college girl? He figured I was too soft to leave, so he grew bolder. He even made out with his mistress into my room, on the very day I gave birth. But there was one thing he never knew: the curse that runs in my family’s blood. And the price for breaking it is one he could never afford. Our family carried a generational curse: the more one gave in the marriage, the more the other would be forced to repay, multiplied, after a divorce. That’s why when I found out Julian was cheating, I didn’t make a scene. “Anya! Mom says you poured out her chicken soup. She spent three hours on it. How could you be so disrespectful!” Julian hadn’t been home in a month. The moment he stepped through the door, the accusations started. I was still nursing our newborn. His words made me flinch. “That soup was from your last visit. It was leftovers then. It’s been in the fridge for thirty days. It’s moldy. It stinks.” Brenda, my mother-in-law, started crying nearby. “I was saving it for myself! You threw it away without my permission! You have no manners!” Julian immediately scowled. “She’s being frugal, if she wants to keep it, let her keep it! The fridge is big enough, what’s wrong with letting her store it?” My anger flared. “The fridge is packed with freshly stored breast milk! If that chicken soup went bad and affected the milk, and Summer gets sick, are you going to take her to the hospital?” “If the breast milk spoils, you can just pump more, right?” Julian said it so casually, completely ignoring how much agony I’d gone through to get my milk flowing, or how much time I’d spent carefully storing it. Brenda chimed in, echoing Julian’s sharp accusations. “If my granddaughter gets sick, it’s your fault! What good is making three thousand bucks a month? It’s all thanks to my son supporting you! Your fancy university degree is useless; your ‘salary’ isn’t even as good as my niece who only finished high school!” My vision swam with anger. I didn’t have a job, no income, wasn’t that because I’d quit after I got pregnant? I lay weakly on the hospital bed. Julian was working non-stop, day and night. I couldn’t even get up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night without help, having to ask a nurse. I kept telling myself Julian was working hard, and I swallowed my resentment. Until one day, I went downstairs to buy groceries and saw him leaning against his car window, chatting intimately with a beautiful college student. She even kissed him on the cheek. After she left, he lit a cigarette and, with a smug grin, chatted with the building’s security guard. “What do you think? Eighteen, much fresher than my wife.” “My wife went to a fancy university, but she still pops out babies for me, mops floors, and washes dishes.” “I’m not going home. If I do, I’d have to help with the kid, right? It’s utterly annoying…” “You don’t know, after she gave birth, her figure’s all swollen, ugh. Doesn’t wear makeup, doesn’t wash her hair, a complete slob. Just looking at her makes me sick.” Every single one of his words hit me like a lightning bolt, crushing my shoulders. He seemed to have forgotten. The down payment for the house we were living in? He’d borrowed my savings for it, and still hadn’t paid me back. I couldn’t take it. I stormed over to confront him, but he felt humiliated. Right in front of the security guard, he slapped me hard across the face twice, then kicked me. “Bitch, how dare you talk to me like that? You need to remember who supports this family, who gives you the money you spend!” He was right. As soon as my maternity leave was over, the company fired me. Now, I was just a stay-at-home mom, reliant on my husband. I touched my face, swollen like a balloon, staring at him in disbelief. Only one thought burned in my mind: I had to get revenge. Luckily, he still didn’t know about my family’s curse.

The next day, I called my mother, Eleanor. Her voice was calm, as if she’d been expecting this. “You had the ceremony, but you never filed the license with the state. So the curse’s power will be halved. Leave him now, and the worst he’ll face is a year of gut rot and a ruined reputation. It’s a slap on the wrist compared to what you’ve endured.” I calmed down. Right, I couldn’t separate yet. Not only would I not separate, I needed to officially register our marriage. The more he owed me, the more he wronged me, the more he’d have to repay. Ten months of pregnancy for him to suffer stomach problems for a year? No way. I wanted him to suffer a fate worse than death. For six years, he thought I couldn’t leave him, and he grew increasingly outrageous. He’d hit and curse me at the slightest provocation. Finally, when Summer was six and Julian suggested divorce, the time was ripe. I did the math. With all the debts and sins he’d accumulated during our marriage, he definitely wouldn’t escape death. I deliberately brought up dividing our marital assets. As expected, he exploded in rage, calling me vicious, his face turning beet red. “Have you earned a single penny for this family all these years? Let me tell you, the house is already in my mother’s name, and I don’t have a cent to my name! Plus, I want custody of Summer!” Brenda also pointed her finger at my nose, screaming, “Bitch! If you hadn’t latched onto my son, he wouldn’t have been soft enough to marry you! Divorce is because you didn’t treat him well enough, and now you’re dreaming of our assets? Fat chance!” Seeing them so eager to rush to their doom, I felt at ease. “Fine, I don’t want anything. I’ll leave with nothing.” Brenda was ecstatic, afraid I’d change my mind, and rushed Julian to book a divorce appointment at City Hall. The divorce went unusually smoothly. Stepping out of City Hall, he was officially my ex-husband. My ex-husband warned me not to tell anyone about the divorce. He probably had an image of a happy, perfect family outside, and if his clients or superiors found out, it would hurt his career. He probably always thought I was easy to manipulate. Submissive, only crying when I was hit or cursed. Even after divorce, he believed I wouldn’t defy him. “Who knows?” I curved my lips into a smile, completely abandoning my usual docile demeanor. “That depends on my mood.” He was shocked by my attitude, then flushed with anger. “You little bitch, how dare you talk to me like that!” He’d always been like this, thinking he was a king, that everyone should flatter and please him. Little did he know, my years of submissiveness were just for a multiplied repayment. My ex-husband raised his fist, intending to punch me in the head like he used to, to vent his fury. But this time, he didn’t get his way. I raised my slender arm and grabbed his wrist. “This is in front of City Hall, there are cameras everywhere. If you touch me, I’ll call the police.” His lips twitched violently, then a look of pain crossed his face, and he suddenly threw up. I understood immediately, and smiled. The curse was already kicking in.

Ignoring me, he rushed to the bathroom. Soon after, an ambulance pulled up to City Hall. My ex-husband, pale-faced, was carried away on a stretcher. He was always robust, capable of juggling two mistresses, a wife, and non-stop work with ease. Now, he was frothing at the mouth and collapsing in a bathroom. Under the bright sun, I finally laughed out loud. I used my remaining savings to rent a tiny, dilapidated apartment and sent out countless resumes. Unfortunately, I’d been out of the workforce for too long. Even with a good degree and experience at a major company, finding a suitable job was incredibly difficult. A month later, I received my first interview call. When Chloe, the HR person, scheduled the interview, she suggested I start as an assistant, with a relatively low salary. I smiled and said, “No problem.” When she saw the ‘Family’ section on my resume, her expression changed slightly. She looked at me with a complex mix of pity and guilt. She poured me a cup of coffee and asked me to wait in her office. When she returned, she told me, “You’re hired. Your salary will be ten thousand before tax.” On my first day, I saw my ex-husband in the Vice President’s office. He had always hidden his true salary and never told me where he worked. I never expected it to be here. Before we married, he was just a regular engineer. Six years later, he’d been promoted to Vice President. And I, meanwhile, had been trapped in the cage of marriage, becoming a housewife who struggled to even find an entry-level job. My ex-husband was just recovering from his illness, his face ashen. The moment he saw me, his first reaction was shock, panic, and disbelief. He practically accused me with his eyes, cursing me for being an inescapable shadow. However, before he could think too much, he suddenly bent over, clutched his mouth, and dry-heaved again. A foul smell filled the office. Chloe covered her nose, stepped back several paces, and said with disgust, “You were in the hospital for half a month, and your stomach issues still aren’t resolved?” I sneered inwardly. Stomach issues? This was definitely pregnancy. I remembered my own early pregnancy, with morning sickness every single day. Julian had used all sorts of sweet talk to convince me to let Richard and Brenda, who lived in the countryside, move in to help take care of me. Richard was a typical rural man, extremely chauvinistic. He wouldn’t even pick up a spoon if it fell. Brenda’s primary task, besides waiting on Richard, was to assign me chores: washing dishes, mopping floors, cooking. Julian would sometimes offer to help, but she’d wave him away. “Men can’t do these things!” After Brenda said that, Julian would genuinely lie on the sofa, playing on his phone with a clear conscience. I threw up continuously for three months, and even swallowing felt like a painful effort. At first, Julian would offer a few words of comfort. But later, he complained that my restless turning and tossing at night disturbed his sleep and told me to stop moving so much. I explained that it was because of nausea and chest tightness that I couldn’t sleep. He dismissed me impatiently. “All pregnant women go through this. My mother worked in the fields right up to her delivery. Why are you so weak? I think you just want to cause problems for my mother.” I wanted to argue, but he turned away, ending the discussion. You never know pain until you feel the knife yourself. Now he was trapped in a ten-month pregnancy a hundred times worse than mine had been. I sincerely hoped he would survive it. After all, what he owed me stretched far beyond a swollen belly. And I could not wait to see what came next.

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The day Leo Hayes was set to marry, I crashed the ceremony with a positive pregnancy test and a DNA report. I made him choose. After a frozen moment, he did. He changed the bride on the spot, taking the ring from his fiancée’s finger and sliding it onto mine. He bent close, his breath a venomous whisper against my ear. “You scheming bitch!” I didn’t care. I’d married the man I loved. I believed, in time, he’d love me back. I never expected that after the wedding, Leo would never touch me again. He treated our home like a hotel, spending his days and nights drifting through nightclubs. And on the day I went into labor, in a drunken rage, he kicked me down the stairs. “You ruined me and Willow! That bastard in your belly isn’t fit to be my heir! “Did you really think the Hayes family would ever accept a cheap whore like you?” He finally killed the last of my love. I walked away. So tell me, Leo…why did you tear the city apart looking for me after I left? My belly was so swollen I couldn’t see my own feet. That’s why I stumbled, my foot catching on Willow Reed’s gown. Leo kicked me down the stairs. “You’re a disgrace. If you can’t even walk, get the hell out of my sight.” I landed hard on my back, the full weight of my pregnancy slamming into the floor. The pain was a white-hot vise, twisting me into a humiliating curl.. “Look at Mrs. Hayes! A bloated, pathetic spectacle.” Leo and Willow’s friends pointed at me, bursting into mocking laughter. Phone flashlights glared at me, incessantly taking pictures. “Get out of here, stop pretending to be pitiful. You’re an embarrassment.” Seeing me lying still on the ground, Leo kicked my waist again. His friend smirked, winking. “Leo, she worked so hard to get pregnant with your son and become your wife. Why don’t you treat her better?” Leo exhaled a smoke ring. “She thinks carrying my child makes her my wife? Willow and I threw a bunch of condoms in the trash these past few days. Does that mean the trash can is my wife too?” Their laughter made me burn with shame. That year, I stormed into the wedding with the paternity test. Between me and Willow, Leo chose me. The Reed family severed ties with the Hayes family because of it. Overnight, the Hayes’ stock plummeted. Leo’s father suffered a stroke on the spot and passed away shortly after. I cried, explaining that I never wanted such a result. His mother had promised me that if I got pregnant, she’d drop the arranged marriage and agree to let him marry me… But Leo furiously slapped Willow’s lace lingerie across my face. “Anya, why don’t you just die!” For a moment, I thought of just ending it all. But then, the flutter of life within my belly. I could die, but my child was innocent… I spoke softly. “Leo, I was wrong. Let’s get a divorce.” My words didn’t cause even a ripple. Leo toyed with Willow’s curled hair, saying indifferently. “Fine. Get rid of that bastard in your belly, and I’ll let you go.” I trembled, looking at him in disbelief. “Leo, the baby is eight months old. It’s almost due.” “Eight months? So what? If you don’t abort the child, don’t even think about divorce! I have plenty of ways to torment you!” His tone was cruel.

Leo invited all the local socialites over for a pool party. Someone started chanting, “Kiss her! Kiss her!” Willow’s face flushed, and she kept backing away. Leo reached out, pulling her small frame into his arms and kissing her. After the kiss, she playfully slapped him. “Mrs. Hayes is watching! I don’t want people to misunderstand and think I’m a homewrecker!” Their friends chimed in. “If anyone’s a homewrecker, it should be Mrs. Hayes.” Leo massaged her slender waist, saying casually. “In my heart, you’re my true wife.” All their sneering eyes fell on me. But you were the one who pursued me in the first place, Leo. The first time I met Leo, it was at the gates of State University. I was rushing to my tutoring job, hastily got into a car by the university gates, and urged him to drive faster. Leo looked at me, stunned, then smiled and drove me to the upscale neighborhood without a word. When I reached for my wallet to pay, he chuckled. “Does my car look like an Uber?” That’s when I realized I’d gotten into the wrong car. From then on, Leo began to pursue me intensely. Once, when a student’s father was sexually assaulting me, he kicked open the door and beat the man pinning me down, sending him to the hospital. He held me, trembling, and said, “Don’t be scared, I’m here.” After we started dating, he publicly declared our relationship. His Ins and phone wallpaper were all photos of us together. Later, he looked deep into my eyes and knelt on one knee. “So, Anya, will you marry me?” I smiled and said, “I will!” Leo took me to meet his parents. His parents gave me an expensive bracelet but made a request. “The company needs a major investment now, and we must have the Reed family’s support. To secure this partnership, Leo must become engaged to Willow. But rest assured, this is strictly a business arrangement. All you need to do is wait one year. Once the deal is finalized, the engagement will be dissolved, and we will make it up to you with the grandest wedding you can imagine.” Leo apologized, looking guilty. “I’m sorry, Anya. Don’t worry, it’s just a formality. Willow is my childhood friend, and after we get engaged, she’s moving abroad permanently. It won’t affect our relationship.” I suppressed a myriad of emotions and nodded. Leo got drunk because of it, clinging to me and saying many things. “The thought of having to wait a whole year to marry you makes me miserable.” “If only you could give me a child. With you and a baby, I’d give up everything…” A week before the wedding, I found out I was pregnant. Just as I was hesitating whether to tell Leo, his mother, Rachel, sought me out. She congratulated me with a beaming smile, then told me. “Actually, Leo’s grandfather set up a fund. As long as Leo has a child, he can access this fund. Then Leo won’t have to go through with the arranged marriage.” She looked at me meaningfully. “Anya, tell Leo this good news on the wedding day.” Joy clouded my judgment. I thought I was helping Leo solve a huge problem. Happily, I changed into the wedding dress Rachel Hayes had given me and rushed into the wedding ceremony. He leaned down and said in my ear. “Anya, you’re nothing but a slut.” Willow’s figure, crying as she ran away. Overnight, I was branded online as a homewrecker and a slut. I was also forced to drop out of college.

I huddled on the floor, pulling out my phone to dial 911. The phone rang once before Jenkins, the butler, snatched it away. I pleaded. “My stomach hurts… I’m going into labor, please, take me to the hospital…” A hint of scorn flashed in Jenkins’ eyes. “Madam, using the child to play the victim won’t work on me.” He glanced at my phone screen and said. “Madam, you can stall if you like, I have all the time in the world.” “Ah!” Willow, in her swimsuit, shrieked, dodging away from me. Her eyes red, she yelled. “Mrs. Hayes, just because you dislike me doesn’t mean you can splash me with your filth! What if you have some nasty disease and infect me?!” Leo quickly strode up, shielding Willow behind him. Pointing at me, he spoke to Jenkins. “What’s the fifth rule of the Hayes family?” “Disobedience means confinement.” I shuddered, desperately crawling to his feet, pleading. “I was wrong, Leo, I was really wrong. I’m willing to be punished, for as long as you want. Please, just let me go to the hospital first… My water broke hours ago, the baby…” In his mocking eyes, I swallowed all my pleas in despair. He raised an eyebrow. “Anya, this is the treatment you deserve for trying so hard to be Mrs. Hayes.” I was dragged away by the bodyguards. As the confinement room door closed, I couldn’t stop screaming and shaking. That night, being dragged into the dark room by the student’s parent and nearly assaulted, had left me with severe claustrophobia. I pounded on the door, again and again. The only response was a deathly silence. Pain and terror overwhelmed me, and I completely passed out. When I next woke, I was lying in my room. I struggled to sit up, feeling my belly – it was flat. A massive wave of fear and despair engulfed me. I rushed out like a madwoman. Colliding head-on with Leo. “My baby? Give me my baby back!” My usual silence and endurance were gone, startling even Leo. He pushed me away, frowning. “Look at you, acting like a lunatic! Jenkins…” I knew he was about to punish me, to lock me up again. I clutched his collar, wildly raining punches on him. “Leo, I owe you nothing! My child owes you nothing! You pursued me. You promised to marry me. Your mother handed me the wedding gown, pushed me down the aisle, and told me to show you the paternity report! You already destroyed my grandmother. Isn’t that enough?” My hysterical outburst made a flicker of shock and bewilderment appear in his eyes. But quickly, he pushed me away in disgust. “Anya, you’ve been telling these lies for so long, aren’t you tired? Why would my mother do something to harm my father like that? You brought all this on yourself, who else can you blame?” He looked down at me with contempt. “I’m actually quite disappointed that bastard didn’t die. Sure enough, the offspring of a menace like you are always tough.” I understood his meaning. Finally, I released my grip, falling to the ground from his push. He strode past me. A maid came forward to help me up, whispering. “Your baby is in the room next door, too weak to cry. You should go see him quickly.” Hearing that, I ignored everything else and rushed into the adjacent storage room. A tiny bundle, casually placed on the floor. The premature baby’s face was covered in bruises, unable to even whimper. I threw myself on him, holding him close, tears streaming down my face. Thank goodness, thank goodness, my precious baby, he’s alive. The maid gently pushed open the door and came in, carefully holding a bowl of nourishing broth. “Mrs. Hayes’ grandmother sent me to look after you. I know you’re innocent.” I spun around to look at her.

She leaned in and whispered a secret about Rachel Hayes, Leo’s mother. I felt like I’d been struck by lightning, trembling uncontrollably. I choked, hugging her, barely able to utter a complete sentence. “Thank you for saving me and my baby…” That night, the baby suddenly started running a fever, his tiny face sickly pale. I stumbled downstairs, holding the child, only to find the living room filled with guests. All eyes turned to me. Leo’s face was dark. He raised a hand and called Jenkins. “Lock her up.” I walked straight to him. “Leo, I want a divorce.” Leo raised his eyebrows, looking me up and down, his gaze settling on the baby in my arms. I clutched the baby tightly, looking at him warily. “Leo, I told you I’m innocent. I can prove it to you, I really…” Leo yanked my hair, forcing my mouth open. The lit cigar in his hand seared my throat, rendering me unable to speak another word. He looked at me coldly. “Anya, you’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you? You know tonight is the gala where Willow and I announce the partnership between the Hayes and Reed families, and you’re here to stir up trouble with the baby again?” I shook my head repeatedly, desperately trying to explain. “No.” He chuckled. “This bastard won’t last much longer, and you want to take him to the hospital, do you?” He snatched the child from me and threw me into the crowd. “These guests here are all executives from companies that cut ties with us because of the scandal you caused. If you can get them to forgive you, I’ll let you take this bastard to the hospital.” I trembled, kneeling on the ground, looking pleadingly at the people whose faces were etched with disdain. Leo’s friend scoffed. “An apology needs sincerity, right? How about she gets on her knees and crawls around like a dog? Crawling in circles isn’t enough, though. Why doesn’t she crawl under a few of the executives’ legs?” Leo scoffed, tossing a divorce agreement onto the floor, his voice laced with mockery. “Anya, if you crawl, I’ll let you and this bastard go to the hospital.” I trembled, gazing deeply at the baby clutched in Leo’s hand. I lowered my head, my raw throat squeezing out a pathetic, ugly sound. “Woof.” I numbly began crawling towards the man closest to me. Leo’s grip on the baby’s blanket gradually tightened, the baby’s faint cries tearing at my heart. I frantically sped up my crawling. “Enough.” Leo threw the blanket bundle at me. “So disgusting.” I trembled, holding the baby, and tried to walk out, but a maid blocked my way. Leo sneered. “I’ve changed my mind.” I screamed, trying to lunge forward, but the maid held me back. I could only watch, numb, as he carried Willow up the stairs. A bolder guest dared to ask, “Mr. Hayes…and your wife?” Leo drawled, “She’s all yours.” I fought, screaming, clawing at the hands that grabbed me. They just laughed, hauling me deeper into the crowd. “Cooperate, bitch, and we’ll get this bastard to a hospital. Make trouble, and we’ll put it out of its misery. Save Mr. Hayes the trouble.” I gave up all resistance in despair. I don’t know how long passed before a shrill scream cut through the noise. “Someone’s dead…”

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“Stop… It’s too deep… I can’t take it!” A handsome man had me pinned beneath him, unable to move. His voice was tender, but his movements were anything but. “Baby, I’m only halfway there.” After catching my Commander husband cheating, I started seeing a Hollywood actor. Young blood, indeed. Eight-pack abs, 8.5 inches, and moves in bed I’d never even dreamed of. The next day, a video of the actor and me having sex went viral across the entire military base. My husband, Ryder, came to find me, his eyes bloodshot. “Where did he touch you?” I smiled carelessly. “My lips, my chest, my inner thighs… every place you used to love, he touched.” A storm brewed in his eyes, veins bulging in his neck. “Get her out of my sight!” I frowned, annoyed. “You cheated with your subordinate; I fell for my lover. We’re even. What right do you have to tell me what to do?” Three months ago, I returned home early from a mission, hoping to surprise Ryder Vance. Instead, I found him pinning Sara Lee against the window, moving wildly, whispering her name, “Sara.” From that moment on, that name became my nightmare. Because my name, Sarah, sounded so similar to hers. It hit me then: whenever Ryder and I had sex before, he’d always been calling out another woman’s name. My stomach churned. I pushed him away, stumbling into the bathroom, throwing up violently. Ryder quickly followed, his voice concerned. “Sarah? What’s wrong? Are you feeling sick?” I looked up, my eyes burning. “Ryder, just now… were you calling out Sara’s name, or mine?” His face instantly paled. The next moment, he kicked over a nearby chair. “Sarah! I told you, you’re the one I love, the one I chose!” He snatched up his clothes, pulling them on, and the door slammed shut with a thunderous bang. I pushed open the window and watched him stride across the yard, jumping into his military SUV. The engine idled for a long time until a distinctive ringtone cut through the silence. It was Sara Lee calling. I froze. The day he “returned” to our family, he’d supposedly deleted all her contact information right in front of me. When… when did he save it back? My cold fingertips tapped open the dashcam footage on my phone. Inside the car, Ryder stared at the blinking “Sara Lee” on the screen, his fingers tightening on the steering wheel, veins bulging. The ringing continued until the last second before he abruptly hit ‘answer.’ “Speak.” Only muffled sobs came from the other end, like a wounded animal. After a long moment, Sara’s choked voice whispered, “Ryder, I miss you so much.” Ryder’s breathing suddenly hitched. The engine roared to life, and the SUV sliced through the night like a sharp blade. The night wind howled, but it couldn’t blow away the frost in my heart. I saw my reflection in the glass, tears streaming down my face. The car soon stopped outside an officer’s apartment building. Rustling sounds came through the dashcam, followed by Sara’s whimpering moans, “It hurts…” “Bear with it, even if it hurts,” his voice was hoarse, almost unrecognizable. The woman’s broken sobs continued, “Ryder, I love you…” Then came urgent gasps and the sound of frantic kissing. Again and again, so desperate, so wild. I stood by that window all night, listening to the passionate sounds of my husband with another woman. Only when the morning light broke did I manage to move my frozen body, retrieving the divorce papers from the bottom of our safe. He had signed them that day he returned to me, under my coercion. If he ever cheated again, all his assets and properties would automatically transfer to me. But even the strictest terms couldn’t bind a straying heart. I signed my name, stroke by stroke, and headed straight to the military legal office with the papers. The lawyer carefully reviewed them, then looked up at me. “Ms. Stone, once this is filed, your marriage will be officially dissolved.” Walking back home on shaky legs, Ryder was already waiting. Seeing me, he let out a sigh of relief, his voice tinged with both fear and reproach. “Where have you been? Why haven’t you been answering your phone?” I gave a sarcastic smirk. “What, afraid I’d try to jump off a cliff again?”

His face instantly darkened, his impatience palpable. “Sarah! Stop threatening me with death! What else can you do besides torture me with these tactics?” My steps faltered, and I stared at him, stunned. When I first witnessed his affair, I couldn’t cope. Every time the image replayed in my mind, I’d throw up violently. In just seven days, I’d lost over fifteen pounds. I cursed him with the cruelest words, slapped him dozens of times, and left a permanent scar on his shoulder with a scalpel. He knelt in the hallway of the military hospital, admitting his wrongs in front of all his colleagues. But I still couldn’t sleep. After more than ten days of sleepless nights, I had a mental breakdown and accidentally fell off a cliff. I spent a week in the ICU, barely clinging to life. Since then, he’d been almost inseparable from me, enduring my anger and abuse, constantly watchful. So, in his mind, all of that was just my way of fighting for attention? Ryder looked at my bloodless face, his tone softening slightly. He turned and retrieved a takeout box from his jeep. “Your favorite strawberry pudding. I drove halfway across the city to get it.” I looked at the familiar packaging, my stomach twisting. On the dashcam footage, Sara’s soft, playful voice was still ringing in my ears: “Ryder, I’m hungry…” He had specifically driven to buy her a chocolate lava cake; the strawberry pudding was just an afterthought, an extra dessert. My voice was tired. “I don’t like that flavor anymore.” After ten years, I was already sick of it. I’d only kept eating it before so as not to waste his gesture. Just as I was about to turn away, he grabbed my wrist sharply. His voice was irritated and impatient. “Sarah! How long are you going to keep this up? I’ve already…” He didn’t finish his sentence before darkness swallowed my consciousness. When I woke again, I was in bed. Downstairs, faint voices drifted up. I leaned against the wall, slowly making my way down the stairs. By the front door, Ryder’s back was stiff. “How did you find me here?” Sara, in a white dress, looked up at Ryder with a pitiful expression. “Headquarters wouldn’t let me in, and you didn’t reply to my texts… Ryder, are you going to abandon me again?” Her fingers carefully clutched his sleeve. “Ryder, you explicitly told me you loved me.” Ryder abruptly took a half-step back, his voice incredibly low. “Please leave, Sara. Sarah is still sick, and I don’t want to upset her. Whatever it is, we can talk on the phone…” Before he could finish, Sara suddenly stood on her tiptoes and threw herself into his arms, kissing him fiercely. Ryder’s hands hovered in the air, his move to push her away hesitating when his fingers brushed her trembling shoulders. Gradually, the initially restrained kiss grew urgent, until he was breathing heavily, pinning her against the doorframe. “See?” Sara’s voice was laced with triumphant pride. “Your body is more honest than your mouth.” “You don’t love her anymore, Ryder. Staying with her out of obligation only hurts all three of us.” Ryder’s voice was filled with suppressed pain. “I can’t…” With a loud bang, I forcefully pushed open the door. Two startled gazes instantly shot my way. “Sarah!” Ryder instinctively wiped his mouth. I walked past him, directly towards Sara, grabbing her hair. I slapped her three times, hard. “You tramp! How dare you show your face here, you pathetic wretch!” Blows rained down, mixed with Sara’s cries and pleas. Until Ryder grabbed my wrist, his grip so strong it felt like my bones would shatter. “Enough!” He flung me away, and the momentum sent me crashing hard against the steel coat rack by the entrance. A warm liquid immediately welled up on my forehead. Through a blurry red haze, I saw Ryder rush over, carefully scoop Sara into his arms, and quickly carry her out. “Don’t be scared, Sara, I’m taking you to the hospital.”

I watched their figures disappear, my mind drifting back to when I was eighteen. On a snowy night during new recruit training, he snuck an armored vehicle out to show me the stars. On the frosted window, he wrote, “Ryder Vance will only ever love Sarah Stone.” I breathed on the glass, asking, “What if you break your promise?” He kissed me, cupping the back of my neck, his camo uniform brushing my cheek. “I won’t. I only want you.” I slid down the cold wall, slowly sinking to the floor, tears mingling with blood. I laughed hollowly, murmuring, “Ryder, you liar!” I woke up in the hospital. Outside my room, a crowd was gathered around the room next door, whispering and pointing. Inside, Brenda Vance, Ryder’s mother, was fuming. “I wondered why Sarah collapsed at home! You weren’t there to watch over her; turns out you were here protecting this… this woman!” She turned to the two security officers behind her. “What are you waiting for? If she wants to act like a tramp, then let her! She likes being a mistress, she likes sleeping her way up? Go! Strip her clothes off!” The security officers stepped forward, but Ryder swiftly moved to block them. His shoulder strap was askew, his eyes bloodshot. “Today, anyone who touches her will have to answer to me, Ryder!” Brenda, enraged, hurled her purse at him. A metal clasp cut his forehead, a bead of blood seeping into his thick eyebrow. Sara, who had been cowering behind Ryder, suddenly rushed out, falling to her knees on the cold tile floor with a thump. “Mrs. Vance! It’s all my fault! Punish me, please, but don’t hurt Commander Vance!” Ryder, who hadn’t flinched when he was hit, now his face instantly changed. He hastily bent down to pull Sara up. “What are you doing? Get up now.” The two of them tangled together, embracing like a pair of star-crossed lovers pushed to their limits. Through the shifting figures, Ryder’s gaze met mine. He let go of Sara as if electrocuted. “Sarah…” I pushed through the crowd, putting my hand on Brenda’s trembling arm. “Just forget it.” Those three words seemed to drain all my strength. I led Brenda, still furious and trying to hit Sara, back to my own hospital room. Ryder followed. His voice was hoarse, as if he was making an immense compromise. “Sarah, it’s my fault. I didn’t control myself.” “I’ll apply for a transfer away from her. From now on… I’ll make it up to you. Please, stop bullying her.” I was speechless. Bullying. What a ridiculous word. As if I were some villain tearing apart true lovers. No sooner had he finished speaking than a young nurse’s scream echoed from outside. “Patient in Room 302 tried to slit her wrists!” Ryder’s face instantly changed, and he turned to leave. Brenda blocked the doorway. “You try to walk out today!” He shoved her aside, rushing towards the door. I staggered, crashing into the IV pole, the needle tearing from my hand, leaving a crimson trail. Brenda quickly knelt to support me, tears streaming down her face. “Sarah…” Tears in my own eyes, I whispered, “Brenda, I’ve already submitted the divorce papers to the Department of Military Affairs.” After seeing Brenda off, I returned to my hospital bed. My phone suddenly pinged with a notification. I opened it to find Sara Lee’s secondary account had updated. She posted three photos. The first showed two hands clasped together. The second was a shot of Ryder’s gentle profile, focused on peeling a pear for her; The third showed her leaning against Ryder, looking up and kissing him. The caption read: [Military relationships are tough, but true love never fears waiting. I, this persistent gambler, have finally won back my hero. From now on, you’re mine.] Below, Ryder’s secondary account replied almost instantly: [Yes, forever yours.] I stared at that reply, feeling a strange sense of settled relief wash over me. With a light tap, I unfollowed and blocked both their secondary accounts, then uninstalled the tracking app and dashcam app I’d used to monitor Ryder’s movements. Four months after Ryder supposedly returned to our family, I finally… broke free from my obsession with him.

The next morning, I packed my things to check out of the hospital. As I was carrying my luggage downstairs, Ryder suddenly rushed up to me. His eyes were bloodshot. He grabbed my wrist, his grip so tight it felt like he was going to crush my bones. “Where’s Sarah? What have you done with Sara Lee?!” I was furious and in pain, struggling to pull away. “How would I know where she is? Let go of me!” Ryder scoffed in rage. “You don’t know? Who else would target her but you?!” He abruptly pulled out his phone and played a blurry surveillance video. In the footage, Sara was stabbed in the abdomen and collapsed in a small alley, blood pooling beneath her. Ryder watched the video, his eyes brimming with anguish, his voice taking on a pleading tone. “Sarah, I’m begging you, let her go. I shouldn’t have betrayed you, but please, once I get her out, I’ll make her transfer and leave the military, I’ll never contact her again. Just tell me the address, if we wait any longer, she’ll be in danger!” The last time he had begged me like this was when I was clinging to life after falling off the cliff. Then, he held me, crying, begging the doctors to save me. Lost in thought, I shook my head expressionlessly. “It wasn’t me. I really don’t know where she is.” Ryder’s face grew cold, inch by inch. “You’re really not going to tell me?” He suddenly sneered, dragging me by the wrist towards his military SUV parked on the roadside. I desperately struggled, trying to open the car door, but he just pressed the central lock. The next second, he pulled out a military knife and slashed my arm hard. “Ah!” Excruciating pain ripped through me, and blood instantly soaked my sleeve. Ryder’s eyes were bloodshot, his voice as cold as ice. “Tell me the address!” I was trembling all over. “I told you… I don’t know…” Our eyes met, and the ruthlessness in his gaze was like a poisoned dagger, stabbing my heart again and again. Before I could react, the military knife slashed my arm a second time, then a third… “Speak! The address!” he roared, demanding an answer with every cut. Blood streamed down my arm, dripping onto the car seat, blooming into shocking red stains. I curled up in pain, my tear-blurred eyes fixed on his cold profile. “I really don’t know… Ryder, how could you do this to me…” Time ticked by, and with each passing second, Sara’s danger increased. Ryder completely lost control. He clamped his hands around my throat, the hatred in his eyes terrifying. “Are you only satisfied if she dies? Where is she?! Where have you hidden her?! Speak, Sarah!” My vision swam with black spots, my breathing grew increasingly difficult. In my blurring consciousness, I could only weep silently: “I regret it so much… how could I have ever loved you…” Just when I thought I was about to suffocate, Ryder’s military communicator suddenly rang. He abruptly let go of me, frantically answering. “Major General Vance! Lieutenant Lee has been found!” Ryder’s eyes instantly lit up. “I’m on my way!” He hung up and then brutally kicked me out of the car. Ryder looked at me through the car window, his eyes cold. “You better pray Sara is okay, or I won’t let you off the hook!” When I woke up again, I was in a VIP private room at the military hospital. Due to severe blood loss, doctors had worked for a full day and night to pull me back from the brink of death. My arm was thickly bandaged, and over a dozen scars of varying depths were faintly visible through the gauze, each one a testament to Ryder’s brutality. Just outside the door, I overheard nurses discussing Ryder’s overwhelming devotion to Sara. To save her, he had summoned all the hospital’s specialists for her treatment. While she was in surgery, he disregarded regulations, personally going to St. Jude’s Chapel to pray for her safety. While she was unconscious, he stayed by her bedside night after night without blinking, watching over her. I listened in silence, my heart completely calm, no longer stirred. I completed the discharge procedures and requested a full injury report from the hospital. Just as I reached the hospital entrance, my lawyer’s call came through. “Ms. Stone, the divorce has been finalized. According to the agreement, Commander Vance’s military housing, personal honorarium, and other assets will all be transferred to your name within a week.” I looked up at the high-hanging sun in the sky. I offered a faint, fleeting smile, then calmly said, “Please send Ryder’s divorce certificate to him, cash on delivery.” After the lawyer acknowledged, my gaze fell on my bandaged arm, and my voice chilled slightly. “Also, file a lawsuit against Ryder for aggravated assault, with no possibility of settlement.” The moment I stepped onto the plane, I expressionlessly removed my phone’s SIM card, broke it, and tossed it into the trash can. Ryder, eight years of marriage, our feelings completely severed.

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My daughter was sick, so I went to her apartment to take care of her. The moment I stepped inside, a putrid stench hit me. I offered to clean up her place. Clara’s roommates’ faces immediately soured. “What smell? There’s nothing wrong with this apartment!” “If you think this place is too rundown, then just tell Clara to move out.” Clara impatiently pushed me away too. “Mom, you came to see me, fine. But don’t be so dramatic and embarrass me, okay?” Was my sense of smell faulty? But when I went to bed that night, the odor was so strong I couldn’t sleep. Finally, I discovered the stench was coming from my daughter! I quickly brought her to the shower, scrubbing her several times, but the smell remained incredibly pungent! I had no choice. I decided to hire professional cleaners and have them disinfect the apartment from top to bottom. But Clara’s roommates felt offended and argued with me. In the chaos, I was pushed. My temple struck the sharp edge of the coffee table, and I died instantly! When I opened my eyes again, I was back at the moment I first entered the apartment, and the putrid stench assailed me once more…

The rotten stench instantly made my stomach churn! But why did none of them, including my daughter, seem to notice anything? “Mom, what are you doing here?” “My roommates have been taking great care of me. In a few more days, I’ll be able to go out for class again. You really didn’t need to come.” Lost in a daze, Clara walked over and took my luggage. Although she said I didn’t need to come, her eyes were filled with surprise and emotion. In the past, I had been too strict with Clara, which made our relationship not very close, but I knew she deeply craved my approval and love. Her roommates were also very welcoming, inviting me to join them for hotpot. I realized that as long as I didn’t mention the smell on Clara and trigger their hostility, I could get along with them. Coupled with my accidental death in the previous life’s argument, I decided to hold back for now. I would investigate the source of the stench without provoking any conflict with them. The next day, I went straight to the hospital for a check-up, and the results showed my sense of smell was perfectly fine! I even conducted multiple confirmations, ensuring that what I could smell was exactly the same as what any other normal person could smell. This meant the stench definitely existed. It was just that I could smell it, but Clara and her roommates couldn’t. Thinking this, I immediately bought strong-smelling items like perfume, durian, and stinky tofu, planning to test their sense of smell when I got back. I placed these items in different corners of the apartment. But I quickly found that the foul odor emanating from Clara had already permeated the entire room, completely masking all other scents. This test was pointless. Even if their sense of smell was fine, there was no way they could detect the things I’d hidden. Just as I was about to collect the items and put them all together, Clara suddenly rushed out of her room. “Mom, what’s that awful smell?” My heart leaped with joy. “Clara, you can smell it too?” Clara’s brow was deeply furrowed. “It’s choking me! How could I not smell it?” I immediately grabbed her hand, eager to take her to the hospital to investigate the source of the stench. But Clara quickly pushed me away, strode to the corner, pulled a box of stinky tofu from behind the curtain, and glared at me accusingly. “Mom, my roommates are really clean. Why would you secretly put stinky tofu here? Are you trying to attract rats?” Before I could respond, Clara’s roommates returned from class. The moment they walked in, they pinched their noses, looking disgusted. And within two minutes, they had found everything I’d hidden. “Ma’am, we respect you a lot. Please, could you show us some respect too?” “If you want to stay here and take care of Clara, please don’t bring such smelly things back again!” My scalp prickled. What was going on? They couldn’t smell such a strong, putrid stench, yet they could smell durian that hadn’t even been opened?

If none of us had problems with our sense of smell, then something was seriously wrong with Clara’s scent! The bizarre situation made me deeply worried about her health. The next day, I deliberately booked a luxurious dinner at a hotel, opened an expensive bottle of wine, and presented each of Clara’s roommates with an exquisite gift. Once I had won them over, I said kindly at the dinner table: “I bought those smelly things today because I found traces of rats and wanted to use them to lure the rats out and get rid of them.” “If you don’t mind, tomorrow, while you’re at class, could I have a cleaning company come in for a thorough clean? I’ll cover all the costs, and I’ll also pay for a month’s worth of groceries—” Before I could finish, one of Clara’s roommates slammed her fork down. “Ma’am, just say what you mean. There’s no need to be so hypocritical.” The other roommates’ faces gradually hardened. “She’s right, Ma’am. I know you come from a good family and you look down on this apartment, feeling like Clara is suffering by living here. But we didn’t force Clara to stay, you can move out anytime!” “Hmph, we may be poor, but we’re clean. What’s the need for a thorough cleaning?” Faced with their snide comments, Clara’s eyes reddened with embarrassment as she quickly explained. “I don’t look down on you, and I’m not planning to move out.” “Mom!” “If you dislike this place, then just leave. I’m not as dramatic as you are. I love it here, and I’m happy living with them!” I was utterly bewildered. Why were their reactions so extreme? My attitude had been good, and I’d even used gifts to soften them up. Even if I *had* shown some disdain, under normal circumstances, they shouldn’t have lashed out at me so directly, right? Moreover, I’d used rats as an excuse; I hadn’t even mentioned the stench! An inexplicable sense of unease spread through my heart. I couldn’t help but suspect that Clara and her roommates were deliberately hiding something. “Clara, why did you all react so strongly when I suggested a thorough cleaning?” “Please tell me the truth, okay?” “I’m your mother. Whatever has happened, I’ll understand and protect you.” Back in the bedroom, I prepared to have a heart-to-heart talk with Clara. In my previous life, even after Clara showered, the foul smell on her hadn’t faded at all, which was why I called for professional cleaning. The result was that they acted like maniacs and literally killed me on the spot! The experiences of both lives made me almost certain: they were hiding something in the apartment that they dared not let outsiders discover! “What do you mean?” “Mom, are you suspecting that we’re doing something bad and hiding it from you, that’s why you don’t want me to get cleaners?” Clara’s eyes were already red, brimming with angry tears. “Is it because I didn’t get into a prestigious university and disappointed you, that you’re prejudiced against me now?” “I’m not smart, but I’ve tried so hard, Mom!” “If you don’t like me, then just leave! Don’t disrupt my life! My roommates might just be ordinary university students you look down on, but I like them very much. Please, don’t make them hate me and ruin my friendships, okay?” I hadn’t expected Clara to be so emotional. Her words were like a knife, sharply piercing my heart. In the past, I had high expectations of her and was strict, which led to her personality problems. But I had already realized this and was doing my best to make amends. How could I not like her? Looking at Clara’s tear-filled, red eyes, my heart uncontrollably tightened with sorrow. I hugged her tightly. The next second. A sudden chill ran down my spine, and I cried out. “Clara, what exactly have you been through?”

I noticed a detail I had always overlooked! My daughter kept saying her roommates were good to her and that she liked them very much. But in neither the previous life nor this one had I ever seen her roommates help her, or even say a single comforting word. How could such a cold attitude signify a good relationship? Had they discovered Clara’s character flaws and manipulated her? And was the strange smell on Clara a means of their manipulation? At this thought, my body started shaking uncontrollably. I couldn’t remain calm anymore. Clara, her eyes full of tears, asked me, “Mom, what exactly are you trying to say?” I shook my head, not daring to voice my suspicions, afraid of agitating Clara’s fragile emotions. I needed to find evidence first! My sense of smell was fine, which meant the smell on Clara definitely existed. And the only reason others “couldn’t smell it” was one possibility: they were pretending! It was also possible that Clara was suffering from severe emotional manipulation, and her mind and perception were affected, making her unable to smell it herself. Proving my theory would be simple: I just needed to take Clara out! The smell on her was so strong; passersby would surely notice… “Clara, you’re almost recovered. How about I take you out for a stroll today?” “We can also buy some things for your roommates to help maintain your friendships.” The next morning, I suggested taking Clara out. As expected, she cared a lot about her roommates and happily agreed. I noticed that no matter where Clara was, the foul odor on her was particularly strong. But strangely, until we walked out of the apartment complex, no one even glanced at us. Couldn’t they smell it, or didn’t they realize the source of the stench was my daughter? I gradually felt panic and unease. I stopped a passerby who was walking past. “Young man, do you smell anything?” The young man looked at me strangely. “No, I don’t smell anything!” How was that possible? How could he not smell the stench from so close? I frantically continued walking with Clara, then stopped another person. But I asked ten people in a row, and they all said they didn’t smell anything! This was absolutely wrong! My sense of smell was fine! “Mom, what are you doing acting so frantic?” Clara couldn’t stand it. She stopped me, clearly embarrassed, and turned to walk away. I felt like I was on the verge of a breakdown! What exactly was the problem?

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New Year’s Eve. After dinner, my family and I were all chilling on the couch, watching TV. Skylar, my sister, said she was going to the bathroom. Half an hour later, she still hadn’t come back. I went to check. The bathroom was empty. I asked Mom and Dad, “When did Skylar come out?” They both froze. “What are you talking about? You’re our only child. Where would you get a sister?” My mind went blank. Were they playing some kind of twisted prank on me? A little while later, Dad clutched his stomach and rushed into the bathroom too. I glued my eyes to the bathroom door. A long time passed. No one came out. My dad was gone too. My hand trembled as I pointed at the bathroom. But Mom just started walking towards it. “Don’t go! Dad and Skylar both vanished in there!” Mom’s face instantly twisted in grief. “You don’t have a dad or a sister. Haven’t it just been the two of us for over twenty years?” I felt like I’d been struck by lightning, frantically trying to explain. But the more I talked, the more confused Mom looked. She walked straight into the bathroom, and the house fell into a terrifying silence. I was so scared I could barely speak, so I called Allison, my best friend who lived nearby, for help. But her words crushed any last hope: “You’re an orphan. Where would you get family?” I hung up, then sprinted out and hammered on the neighbors’ door.

Mrs. Peterson, our neighbor, opened the door. The sound of laughter and chatter spilled out of her home. She paused when she saw me. I fought back the sting in my eyes and asked, “Mrs. Peterson, have you seen my mom, dad, or sister?” I thought I’d finally get the answer I desperately needed from a neighbor I’d known for over a decade. But the next second, Mrs. Peterson’s face clouded with confusion. “Aurora? Haven’t you always been by yourself?” She said it gently, but I immediately understood what she meant: “Are you saying I’m an orphan?” Pity. Averting her gaze. Mrs. Peterson’s expression said it all. My legs felt like jelly, and I thought I might collapse right there. Her daughter, Mia, came wandering out and slipped some cookies into my hand. “What’s wrong with her? Why don’t you come celebrate with us?” “The more, the merrier! It’s just one more plate at the table!” Her warm invitation only made me feel colder. I don’t remember how I politely turned down Mrs. Peterson and her family. I just stumbled back home. The house, not too big, not too small, felt ordinary yet cozy. My family of four had lived here for over ten years. I’m graduating college next year. How could I possibly be an orphan? I looked around. Traces of my family were everywhere. On the dining table, the four place settings from our New Year’s dinner were still laid out. Mom, Dad, and Skylar’s rooms were full of their things, brimming with life. Even the spots where Mom and Dad had been sitting still held a faint warmth. My gaze landed on the bathroom directly opposite me. There were height marks on the wall for Skylar and me. Mom had even lovingly decorated the doorknob with a pretty ribbon. It all looked perfectly normal. I started to tremble, unsure if I should step inside. Just then, my phone vibrated wildly. Messages from Allison, my best friend, popped up one after another. [Aurora, what did you mean by all that? Is something wrong?] I didn’t reply. I’d been so panicked, I completely forgot about contacting her. I immediately tapped Mom’s profile picture and started a FaceTime call. But I tried several times, and no one answered. My heart sank further and further. Not just Mom, but Dad and Skylar’s accounts were unreachable too. What in the world was going on? I shakily sent Allison a message, letting her know I was okay. But I didn’t know how to even begin explaining this bizarre situation. The next second, there was a sudden, loud knock on the door. I peered through the peephole – it was Brett, my boyfriend! He stood outside, his face etched with worry, sweat beading on his forehead. “What are you doing here?” I asked, shocked. His house was in the next city over, a three or four-hour drive at least. That’s why I hadn’t called him first, turning to Allison instead. “Aurora, are you okay?” “You weren’t replying to my messages, I was worried something happened to you…” Brett shook his phone. There were over fifty messages. The earliest one was from the exact moment I realized Skylar was missing. I’d been too frantic to even notice then. Thinking of my family’s strange disappearance, all the pent-up emotion exploded. I clung to my boyfriend, sobbing incoherently: “What do I do? I can’t reach Mom!” “They went into the bathroom, and they’re all gone!” But Brett glanced at my phone screen. He looked like he wanted to say something but held back. “Isn’t this your burner profile?” “Why are you calling your own burner profile?” “My what?” I froze. I only have one social media account.

Brett simply picked up the tablet from the table and handed it to me. There it was, clearly logged into an account named ‘Serene Waters’. The contact list only had myself. And the messages? Just a few missed calls from my own number. My legs completely gave out, and I crumpled to the floor. Cold sweat trickled down my back. Seeing my state, Brett quickly poured me a glass of hot water. “Aurora, what’s going on?” Under his worried gaze, I recounted every strange thing that had happened tonight, plain as day. The more he listened, the deeper his frown became. I couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh: “You’re not going to tell me I’m an orphan too, are you?” But he took my hand earnestly. And shook his head. “Of course not! You’ve always had a happy home.” “Didn’t we just meet both our parents last month to discuss our engagement?” “The photos we took are still on my phone.” He opened his photo album. Sure enough, there was a picture of our two families together. No one was missing. I held the phone, staring at the picture again and again. My smile was uglier than any cry. But if my family was still here, why did they disappear into that bathroom? “Your mom and dad probably just went out for something.” “Look, their shoes are by the door. They must have left.” I followed the direction of his finger. Three pairs of shoes were neatly lined up by the entrance. My heart finally settled. “But Allison said…” I tapped open my best friend’s chat again. Two voice messages popped up: “Haha, Aurora, were you scared by what I said on the phone earlier?” “I was just playing Truth or Dare!” Brett stood up. “See? I told you. There must have been some misunderstanding with your neighbor too. Don’t worry.” Finally, I started to smile through my tears. But the next second, Brett actually walked straight towards the bathroom: “I’ve been driving for hours. I need to use the restroom.” Those words made my nerves instantly tense again. I immediately blocked his way. “You can’t go in there!” Brett paused, then gently, soothingly, said, “Baby, didn’t we just clear up all the misunderstandings?” “I really gotta go. How about you come with me and check it out?” After a few seconds of hesitation, I nodded. I desperately wanted to know if there was something wrong with that bathroom. We pushed the door open. The bathroom was spotless. The bright light streamed down, making it seem perfectly normal. I knocked on all four walls – solid. The window even had security bars installed. Brett sounded like he was really holding it in, his voice exaggerated: “Can I use the bathroom now?” I hadn’t even replied before he gently pushed me out. He quickly closed the door. My heart hammered in my chest. I paced anxiously, calling out his name every few seconds. He replied each time, without annoyance. After calling out dozens of times and still hearing his voice, I let out a long sigh of relief. Looks like I was overthinking things. When Mom and Dad get back, I’m definitely going to scold them for disappearing! The sound of flushing came from inside the door. I stared at the door, waiting for my boyfriend. But the rushing water faded. The light flickered, then went out with a snap. No one walked out. I shouted Brett’s name again, loudly. But the bathroom was utterly, eerily silent. All the blood in my body instantly rushed backward. I instinctively twisted the doorknob and rushed in. Brett was standing perfectly fine in front of the sink, drying his hands, startled by my sudden entry! His eyes widened. I gasped, then complained, “Why did you turn off the light while drying your hands? You know you’d scare…” The next second, he suddenly spoke: “Who are you?” “How did you get into my girlfriend’s house!?” Seeing Brett’s unfamiliar gaze, my heart sank. “This is my house! I’m your girlfriend!” I was still trying to figure out how to explain. But Brett’s face darkened. He grabbed me and dragged me to the door. “Whoever you are, get out of my girlfriend’s house, or I’m calling 911!” I shook my head frantically. But he pulled out his phone and started dialing. As we struggled, the sound of keys unlocking the front door suddenly echoed from outside. The next second, Mom, Dad, and Skylar walked in, carrying several shopping bags.

I was so thrilled, tears welled up. I didn’t care about anything else and shouted, “Where have you been? Why didn’t you tell me anything?!” But they stood there, looking at each other. Just like Brett, they stared at me with completely unfamiliar eyes. “Who is this? How did she get into our house?” Brett frantically explained, “Mr. and Mrs. Peterson, I really don’t know her!” “She just appeared after I used the bathroom. Could she be a thief?!” At those words, everyone’s faces filled with disgust. “This is infuriating!” “Get out of my house right now, or don’t blame me for getting nasty!” My mom yelled, pointing at me. Dad also raised his voice, calling building security: “What kind of service is this? A stranger broke into my house!” “Get over here and kick her out!” Watching my familiar family hurl insults at me, I completely broke down. I pointed to my room, trying to argue. “If this isn’t my home, how can I have a room here?” But Dad started shouting at me: “You’re crazy!” “What ‘your room’? That’s clearly our storage room!” He pushed open the door. Inside, it was empty. Just a few messy items. I didn’t believe it. I pointed to the family photos on the wall. But I realized they only showed Mom, Dad, and Skylar! I was instantly bewildered. I began to unconsciously doubt my own memories. How could this not be my home? Suddenly, I remembered the photos on Brett’s phone. “He has our engagement photos on his phone! If you don’t believe me, go look!” Brett, half-skeptical, opened it. But after seeing the photos, his veins bulged, and he slapped me across the face. “Tell me! How did you hack into my phone?!” “This picture must be Photoshopped! My girlfriend doesn’t look anything like you!” Skylar also turned cold: “What’s your goal impersonating my sister?!” I collapsed onto the floor. Just then, building security arrived. I immediately clung to him like a drowning person to a life raft. Last week, I’d just paid the property fees, and he’d even given me a candy bar. “Do you remember me?” But he frowned, thinking for a moment. “I’m on duty in this building every day, I’ve never seen you before!” I was utterly desperate. Brett’s face hardened: “What else do you have to say?” With that, he and the security guard started shoving me, trying to force me out. In a panic, I suddenly remembered the necklace my grandmother had given me. I pointed to my neck, urging Mom to recognize it: “Mom! I’m your daughter, Aurora!” “Even if you don’t recognize me, you must recognize this necklace!” Mom’s face instantly changed. She blocked the security guard. “Let her go!” I immediately lunged at her. Venturing my grievances incoherently. “Mom! I really don’t know what’s going on!” “You all went to the bathroom and vanished, then came back, but you act like you don’t know me…” But the next second, Mom savagely yanked the necklace from my neck. The fierce look on her face made it seem like she wanted to devour me whole: “So you *are* a thief! How dare you steal things, that’s my mother’s heirloom!” “I’m calling the police right now to have you arrested!” With that, she used all her strength to snatch the necklace away. Leaving a bloody mark on my neck. The sharp pain and sense of suffocation instantly rendered me speechless.

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