Author: Momo Chan

On our wedding day, Alexander’s ex-girlfriend sent him a notice that she was critically ill. She said she just wanted to wear a wedding dress one last time before she died. To fulfill her wish, Alexander locked me in the dressing room and prepared to hold the wedding ceremony with her. Through the door, his impatient voice rang out. “Can’t you be less cold-hearted? She’s dying. What’s wrong with letting her have this moment?” Later, the boy next door who had a crush on me for years climbed to the rooftop and begged me to marry him instead. Alexander, with reddened eyes, pleaded with me, “Are you going to throw away our seven years of love for him?” I brushed his hand away, “What else can we do, let him die? It’s just getting a marriage license. Don’t be so cold-hearted.” There was still an hour before the wedding ceremony was set to begin. I sat at the makeup table, looking at the photo Alexander’s ex-girlfriend had sent to my phone. In the picture, she was wearing the wedding dress I had chosen, smiling as she clung to Alexander’s arm. Alexander was looking down at her, his eyes full of tenderness. She sent a message saying: [He said I look better in this dress than you would.] She also said: [If you want your wedding ceremony to go smoothly, beg me.] I turned off my phone and asked the makeup artist, “Is it really because the size was altered incorrectly that I can’t wear the wedding dress we originally decided on?” The bridal shop I had chosen was also responsible for my makeup and photography. To ensure everything would look perfect on the wedding day, I had spent a lot of money and had numerous discussions with their team. But now, the makeup artist couldn’t even look me in the eye. I knew what was going on. I thought about how when Alexander accompanied me to try on wedding dresses, he was either answering phone calls or working on his laptop. But with his ex-girlfriend, he was all smiles. I gripped my phone tightly and took a deep breath. “Please ask Alexander to come here.” I needed an explanation. The makeup artist’s assistant went to call him. I looked at my reflection in the mirror, at the overly tight bodice that made it hard to breathe. Perhaps clothes that don’t fit should never have been put on in the first place. The wedding officiant arrived before Alexander did. His face showed the same guilt, along with a hint of apology. “I’m sorry, Miss Amelia, but you won’t need to attend.” “Won’t need to attend?” I almost laughed in anger. “Are you telling me that at my own wedding, I, the bride, can’t show up? Is that what you mean?” The officiant opened his mouth to explain, but Alexander walked in. He said, “It was my idea.” Alexander was wearing the white suit I had chosen for him, but the bowtie at his collar wasn’t the one I had picked out. Seeing my gaze fixed on his bowtie, he looked uncomfortable and cleared his throat. “Sophia is having surgery in a few days. The hospital has given her a critical condition notice. She said her only wish is to wear a wedding dress once.” I laughed coldly, “At my wedding to you?” I knew about Sophia. It wasn’t until the third year of my relationship with Alexander that I learned he had an ex-girlfriend who had lost all her hair due to chemotherapy. They had grown up together, and their families were close. Even after breaking up, they couldn’t completely cut ties. Because she was receiving treatment in another city, Sophia’s parents had asked Alexander, who lived in the same city as us, to take care of her. At first, I respected and sympathized with her, feeling sorry that a young woman in the prime of her life had to suffer from illness. But from the moment she started making Alexander deliver porridge to her in the middle of the night after our dates, my impression of her took a sharp downturn. Time and again, I held back because she was ill. Alexander also seemed to understand the boundaries and always put my wishes first. Whenever Sophia asked him to do something, he would report it to me. Only occasionally, when the situation was truly urgent, would he go to her, and he would bring me along. Until today. When did Alexander try on wedding dresses with her? And when did he decide to give her the wedding dress I had chosen, letting her take my place in the wedding ceremony?

Perhaps it was because the air conditioning in the dressing room was too strong, but the more I thought about it, the colder I felt to my bones. Alexander reached out to hold my hand, but I shook him off. I looked up at him steadily: “Bring the wedding dress back. I don’t want her to wear it.” Alexander frowned: “Stop making a fuss, Amelia. It’s just a ceremony. We can have another one anytime.” His downturned lips and the irritation in his eyes hurt me. I said, “Fine, let the wedding dress go. But if she wants to hold a wedding ceremony, does the groom have to be you?” Was it her being unreasonable and making demands because of her serious illness, or were you already drifting in our relationship and just taking the easy way out? Perhaps because I had exposed him, hitting a nerve, his face turned ugly. Alexander let go of me and walked towards the door, throwing words back at me. “Dating you has become so tiresome. You never consider my face, always making a scene until everyone looks bad.” Am I the one not considering his face? Am I the one making unreasonable demands? The sound of the door locking brought me back to reality. I picked up my skirt and banged on the door hard: “I don’t agree. The wedding I’ve been carefully preparing and looking forward to for so long is not just a ceremony…” Through the door, his impatient voice rang out. “Can’t you be less cold-hearted? She’s dying. What’s wrong with letting her have this moment?” She’s dying. Just because she’s sick, I’ve been tolerating so much for years, and now I have to give up my own wedding and husband. But am I the one who made her sick? I gripped the doorknob and calmed down: “Alexander, think carefully. Don’t regret this.” There was a pause in the voice outside the door, then the sound of determined footsteps fading away. I slid down to the floor, hugging the exaggerated skirt, feeling completely empty inside. She really ruined my wedding. Sophia had done it. The phone on the makeup table started ringing urgently. It was a call from my parents. Before I could answer, the call ended. The dressing room was right behind the main hall, separated by just a door. I could clearly hear the commotion from the hall, exclamations of shock and unrest. Then, guided by the officiant, there was applause. Sophia’s account sent me another video. The camera was pointed at the big screen, where all the pre-wedding photos of Alexander and me that we had put so much effort into had been AI-replaced with Sophia’s face. All those days of enduring the hot sun for makeup, the aching backs and feet, the hours of adjusting poses for aesthetics, had all become Sophia’s trousseau. This made me even angrier than Alexander’s words. Even though I was shaking with anger, my hand still opened the next video. In the video, she was walking towards Alexander, step by step under the spotlight. In the shadows behind her, my parents were looking around for me with upset expressions, but were being held back by two security guards. Seeing this, I finally couldn’t hold back my tears, which fell drop by drop onto my parents’ faces on the phone screen. I had chosen the wrong person. Why did I have to involve my parents in this humiliation along with me? I didn’t watch the rest of the videos. In the midst of the excitement on the other side of the wall, my mind gradually cleared. After studying myself in the mirror for a long time, I took off the ill-fitting wedding dress, removed my makeup, and changed back into my previous clothes. I could only feel grateful. At least I had seen clearly before getting the marriage certificate.

The long ceremony finally ended. The door to the dressing room was opened, and Alexander stood in the doorway. He rubbed his brow, looking quite drained: “I’ll make it up to you for this incident, and I’ll also go to explain to your parents…” I interrupted him: “No need. They’re my parents, not yours.” They have nothing to do with you, so there’s no need. He was stunned. Alexander looked exhausted: “Don’t say things out of anger. You know Sophia is also suffering from her illness. What’s wrong with us letting her have her way?” Even now, he still thought there was nothing wrong with this, still speaking up for Sophia. For a moment, I didn’t know what else I could say to him. I said: “If you think it’s just anger talking, then let it be. I’ll pack my things and move out today. I’ll have someone sell the marital home. If you don’t want to sell it, just transfer the money my family put in back to my account.” After saying this, I saw my parents standing not far away and hurriedly chased after them, leaving behind a “That’s all.” There were many relatives gathered around my parents. As I rushed over, I heard someone say, “How could she be dumped like this?” My second aunt was still lecturing, “It’s not good for a girl to be too strong-willed. Changing brides on the wedding day, what a loss of face.” I pulled my parents away, feeling heartbroken at the embarrassment on their faces. Not caring that my second aunt was my elder, I retorted. “Are you my second aunt or Alexander’s? His last-minute change shows his lack of responsibility and trustworthiness. His failure to discuss it with me shows his self-centeredness and disrespect for me. What does this have to do with whether I’m strong-willed or not? If I had known even a day earlier, today’s groom wouldn’t have been him!” My second aunt was left speechless and walked away muttering. Mom held my hand, and I could clearly see the worry on her face. I comforted her: “It’s okay. If we don’t get married, we don’t get married. I don’t care about it anyway.” After sending them off in their car, I went alone to pack my things at what was supposed to be our marital home. My words were clear, and my mind was very rational. But emotions can’t be controlled. Why do the tears keep falling on their own… The marital home was decorated by Alexander and me together. There were too many traces of him inside. The ceramic pot was something he bought after learning about my menstrual pain, saying he would make nourishing soup for me every week. The walk-in closet was designed by him after seeing me like a high-heel carousel on TikTok. After it was installed, I laughed that the colored lights he put in were too flashy, but he just hugged my waist and asked for a reward. I met him in college, and then we were in a long-distance relationship for a year because of work. At that time, he put in a lot of effort to pursue me. When he confessed, he said he saw me debating fiercely in a competition, looking very impressive. At that time, in his eyes, I was shining brightly. But now he complains that I’m too strong-willed. The light in his eyes has become painful to him. I packed up my things bit by bit, gradually extracting myself from the memories. When I finished packing, I realized that our seven years together amounted to just a box and a half tall. I was just wondering how to drag this box out and throw it away when the door was pushed open. My best friend, Olivia, rushed in like a whirlwind. Seeing her, the strength I had been putting on completely crumbled, and my nose stung unbearably. Olivia gave me a hug, squeezing me tightly, “If I had known, I would have been your bridesmaid. At least you wouldn’t have been so helpless.” She had disliked Alexander for a long time, hating his indecisiveness and inability to let go of his ex-girlfriend. She disliked him so much that she didn’t want to attend my wedding. She even said harshly that if I married him, I would definitely regret it. To put it bluntly, it was okay while Sophia was alive, but if Sophia died, how could I compete with a dead person? For this, she and I had a falling out. Now it seems she was right on the mark. I’m so grateful I can still have such a friend back. With Olivia around, the days weren’t so hard to get through. She had specifically applied for a business trip to avoid my wedding. But as soon as her plane landed, she heard about what had happened. Worried that I might be hiding alone crying, she rushed to find me. She even took annual leave to keep me company, which moved me deeply. The day she was bustling about trying to set me up with someone new, Alexander showed up at the door. I laughed coldly. When a scoundrel comes to the door, I have to properly shut the door and beat the dog!

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Six months ago, I signed the divorce papers. I wanted the money, not the son. My ex-husband Sebastian Quinn sneered, “I’m the best you’ll ever get.” “After the divorce, I can find someone new anytime, but you? You’ll just be a divorced woman no one wants!” Our son Liam Quinn rolled his eyes at me, “Good riddance. I want Aunt Scarlett to be my mom. You’re not worthy!” Half a year later, both father and son begged me to come back. They were certain I’d eventually soften and agree. Until I showed them my engagement ring: “Sorry, gentlemen, I’m getting married.” Not far away, a little girl ran into my arms. She called out sweetly, “Mommy!” I never expected to see Sebastian Quinn again. After the divorce, I returned to my hometown, while Sebastian and our son stayed in New York. The distance between us was a three-hour flight. Enough to never cross paths again in this lifetime. Until a business dinner, where the manager introduced me to a Mr. Quinn, supposedly one of the top 100 investors in the Northeast. I had imagined many possibilities. But I never thought that the always proud and arrogant Sebastian Quinn would stoop to discuss a project worth less than a million dollars. After we sat down, his inquiring gaze remained fixed on me. I calmly picked up my wine glass, smiling and cooperating with the manager’s negotiations. Sebastian didn’t say a word throughout. Until several business partners started pressuring me to drink: “Miss Hart, you’re full of hidden talents. You’ve only been in this industry for less than six months, and you’re already making a name for yourself.” “You won’t refuse this toast, will you?” … One glass after another, the liquor burned down my throat, making my stomach ache. Even the manager noticed something was wrong. He tried to intercept the drinks for me, but was skillfully brushed aside by the partners, leaving him helplessly worried. Until I could barely stand. I heard Sebastian’s displeased rebuke: “Enough! A bunch of grown men forcing drinks on a young woman, what does that look like?” “Are we still discussing this deal or not?” The middle-aged balding men finally put down their glasses, exchanging awkward glances and forced smiles. A wave of nausea hit me. I excused myself and hurried to the restroom. After throwing up violently in the stall, my stomach still cramping, I managed to support myself and walk out. A pack of tissues appeared from my left. I looked up to see Sebastian’s handsome profile hidden in the shadows, his eyes unreadable. His tone was concerned: “Amelia, after divorcing me, it seems you’re not doing well at all.” “If I hadn’t stepped in earlier, were you going to drink until you threw up?” At first glance, he seemed genuinely worried about me. I pushed his hand away, sneering, “Cut the act, Sebastian. Who do you think you’re fooling?” “I’ve dined with these partners before.” “One has high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol, another has fatty liver, and the third just had surgery. They rarely touch alcohol. Without your instructions, why would they suddenly force drinks on me?” “Swooping in to help after seeing me in distress, Sebastian, does this satisfy your male ego every time you do it?” It’s not that I’m being paranoid, but Sebastian had done exactly the same thing before. Before marrying him, I planned to pursue a career in mechanical engineering. After getting married, on my mentor’s recommendation, I got an interview opportunity for a job position. If things went well, I could even join a research institute in the future. At the time, I immediately shared this good news with Sebastian. However, after the interview, I heard nothing back. Not only that, but my usually caring mentor suddenly became very cold towards me. He wouldn’t answer my calls or reply to my messages. I was devastated and began to doubt myself. Had I messed up some part of the interview? Had the company not liked me, disappointing my mentor? Sebastian, on the other hand, comforted me: “Honey, they’re the ones without vision. They can’t appreciate your talents.” “If it doesn’t work out, you don’t need to work. I can support you.”

I was deeply touched at the time. However, I never gave up on my career aspirations. If one company didn’t work out, I’d try another. I was even willing to take on sales roles related to the mechanical industry. But my luck seemed terrible. I’d barely last three or four months before the company would lay me off, citing restructuring. I was caught in a vicious cycle. Countless times, I asked myself: Am I really such a failure? Later, I became pregnant with our son Liam. Severe morning sickness tormented me, and I had to get many injections at the hospital to prevent miscarriage. Even walking was a struggle. I had no choice but to rest at home. When my mentor’s 60th birthday came around, after much hesitation, I sent a congratulatory message and a gift. That night, I received a call from my mentor. On the other end, the old man was drunk but still audibly upset: “Amelia, all these years, I’ve felt both love and disappointment for you, my last student.” “You’ve always been ambitious. Why did you reject the job I arranged for you back then?” “Do you know how many favors I called in to get you that opportunity, and you just gave it up!” I was stunned. After some probing, I learned that I hadn’t been rejected at all. Someone had declined the offer in my name. My mentor thought it was my personal decision, and when he heard I got married, he was greatly disappointed. A flash of realization hit me, and I called my previous employers. Only then did I discover that the “me” from before had often inexplicably insulted colleagues, sent emails complaining about heavy workloads, and even reported company leaders. Who would dare to hire me? And the culprit behind all this was none other than Sebastian. I confronted him in tears. Sebastian, with his mistress in his arms, coldly replied: “Amelia, you should be grateful. I’ve let you stay at home and enjoy life all these years instead of working.” “Besides, you’re a woman. Why do you need such a strong career drive?” “Always out for work, not even able to take care of our son properly. What kind of image is that?” Our son Liam, whom I had carried for ten months, looked at me with contempt: “Mom, you’re being ungrateful.” “Even if you went out to work, you’d never be as successful as dad. Why not just be a good housewife?” Even my friends advised me: Sebastian was at the peak of his career, and it wouldn’t be wise to fall out with him. I should hold onto his heart tightly and not let this golden opportunity slip away. After all, I was just a housewife who hadn’t worked in years. Apart from relying on Sebastian, I had no other options. At that time, I was like a moth trapped in a spider’s web. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t break free.

After I exposed his true colors, Sebastian’s face darkened. He threw the tissues in his hand into the trash can, unable to hide his disappointment as he said, “Amelia, you’ve changed.” “You used to be gentle, considerate, and understanding. Now you’re sharp-tongued and vulgar.” I remained calm: “Mr. Quinn, if you flew all the way from New York just to criticize me,” “Please, feel free to continue.” I didn’t care much about his words and turned to leave. Sebastian reached out to stop me: “Today is our son’s birthday. He’s been asking to see you.” “You must come with me.” Thinking of that face so similar to Sebastian’s, with an identical personality, I felt disgusted and directly refused: “I’m busy!” “The divorce agreement was very clear. I don’t want custody of the son, but I send child support every month.” “Besides, didn’t he desperately want your mistress to be his mom?” “Why is he clinging to me now?” Sebastian lowered his voice and said, “Amelia, is a $500,000 project enough to buy your presence at our son’s birthday party?” I paused. For Sebastian, this dinner was just about an insignificant small project, not even worth a second glance. But the entire project team had been working on it for three months. They all hoped the negotiation would succeed, so they could use the bonus to pay off mortgages, fund their children’s education, pay for their parents’ medical bills… I couldn’t let them all down because of me. “Fine, I agree.” After sending the drunk manager and project team colleagues to their cars, I opened the door of the Porsche Cayenne. Sebastian drove personally. On the way, he kept trying to make conversation. From inquiring about my life to attempting to get my attention with talk of our son. Unfortunately, I had no interest. He talked, and I kept tapping away on my phone, sending messages. When we arrived at the villa. I had just gotten out of the car when a small figure rushed over, bumping into me painfully. “Mom, why did you make me wait so long?” It was my son, Liam Quinn. He was wearing a well-tailored suit, looking exactly like a miniature version of Sebastian. Ignoring the fact that I was wearing high heels, he dragged me into the living room. The interior was lavishly decorated: expensive 3D models, flashy ribbons, various toys, and luxury goods crammed into the corners… In the center of the coffee table in the living room sat an eight-inch mango cake. Everything was so familiar. I clenched my fists, my nails turning white, my body slightly trembling.

Sebastian walked up beside me, completely oblivious, even with a hint of nostalgia and a smile in his voice: “Do you notice? This is exactly how we decorated for Liam’s birthday a year ago, before we divorced.” “He still remembers every detail to this day.” “Amelia, you carried him for ten months. He loves you so much. Now that you’ve seen him, can you really bear to leave?” I could no longer contain my anger, and retorted word by word: “Why wouldn’t I be able to bear it?” “Sebastian, you should know very well that birthday party was a humiliation for me.” Five years into our marriage, Sebastian had taken up with a starlet. Her name was Scarlett Rose, strikingly beautiful, but with a carefully crafted public image of innocence. My husband Sebastian doted on her. He often brazenly brought Scarlett home, and upon seeing me, his eyes were filled with undisguised contempt: “Amelia, look at yourself. No figure, no ability, just a freeloader.” “Learn from Scarlett. She’s already an Oscar-winning actress at such a young age.” “I’m embarrassed to be seen with you in public.” Even our son Liam, whom I had carried for ten months and raised with care, preferred Scarlett. “Mom, why are you my mother?” “If dad’s wife was Scarlett Rose, I could brag to others that I have an Oscar-winning actress for a mom.” “But you’re just a housewife. When my classmates ask about you, I feel ashamed.” My heart was overwhelmed with helplessness. I wanted to defend myself but didn’t know where to begin. It was Sebastian who had completely destroyed my career opportunities. Yet he turned around and accused me of being a freeloader. I had carried Liam for ten months and devoted myself to him wholeheartedly. But I still couldn’t compare to Scarlett, who only saw him once a week. What finally made me determined to divorce was on Liam’s birthday a year ago. He rarely spoke to me gently: “Mom, all my friends have nice birthday parties. I want one too.” He pleaded with me. I immediately organized the entire birthday party. That evening, Liam invited all his classmates to our house, and Sebastian invited many business partners. Then Scarlett showed up. She brought a $20,000 Lego set as a gift and gracefully sat down next to Sebastian. Liam’s classmates were very envious and asked, “Liam, what’s your relationship with the famous Scarlett Rose? Why is she so nice to you?” At that moment, I was about to bring out the cake I had made myself. But I heard Liam’s clear voice answer, “Scarlett is my mom.” His classmates obviously didn’t believe him and pointed at me, saying, “She’s your mom.” Liam looked at me with disgust in his eyes: “No, she’s not my mom. She’s just our housekeeper.”

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For a moment, everyone in the room held their breath and turned to look at me. I smiled faintly. After a brief pause, I broke the silence. “Go on, don’t ruin the game’s atmosphere.” * On Lily’s birthday, the private room was filled with college classmates. I sat on the sofa, dressed in a crisp suit. My girlfriend, Lily, was singing a love song with her close male friend. “Jack, when are you going to marry our Lily?” her friend teased from the side. I was about to speak when I witnessed a scene I’ll never forget. My girlfriend and her best guy friend were locked in a tight embrace. “Kiss, kiss!” the college classmates cheered in unison. Their attention had been drawn to another event – Lily and Ryan’s game. Lily had lost, and the loser had to kiss the other person. This rule was, of course, suggested by Ryan. Ryan was Lily’s ex-boyfriend and her longtime crush. He had suddenly reappeared in recent years as her “best guy friend,” clearly with ulterior motives. “This… doesn’t seem right,” Lily feigned reluctance, but her eyes were full of anticipation as she looked at Ryan. Ryan returned her gaze with equal intensity. Their eyes met, filled with affection. “Come on, guys, don’t you see her boyfriend is here?” Ryan looked at me with a victorious smile. Everyone in the room held their breath and turned to look at me. With a smile on my face, I broke the silence: “Go on, don’t ruin the game’s atmosphere.” “Look at Jack, he’s so cool about it. That’s the kind of boyfriend you should have!” Lily’s friends, eager to stir up drama, cheered again. I couldn’t be bothered to watch them and drank alone. “He said he doesn’t mind, let’s continue,” Ryan said smugly. Lily, however, was somewhat shocked, unable to believe I had said those words. Then she became a bit angry, glaring at me: “Jack, I’ll deal with you when we get home!” Eventually, the two of them kissed passionately. “Wow!” The people around immediately began to cheer. My mind was in chaos, recalling everything that had happened in the past. The nervousness when I first confessed to her, the joy when she accepted me, the caution I took in our relationship. Her smile, her tears. They never truly belonged to me. What’s borrowed must eventually be returned. It’s just a pity about my two years of devotion. I sighed deeply, my eyes full of disappointment. I knew this was a moment Lily had been waiting for a long time. Lily, you must be very happy right now. The feeling of getting what you’ve always wanted must be nice. Just like when I successfully pursued you. Unfortunately, it’s all over now. A woman who doesn’t love me isn’t worth keeping. From that moment on, I made a decision in my heart. To take back all my love. “Jack, what’s wrong with you today!” my girlfriend pretended to be angry after the party. Indeed, she was still such a good actress. She had clearly crossed a line, yet she was pushing the responsibility onto me. In fact, she didn’t care about me now, even if she might have in the past. I had known this for a long time, I just didn’t want to believe it. During college, Lily was charming, lively, and cheerful. Her smile was enough to make anyone fall for her. She excelled in arts and literature, was the president of the dance club, had a perfect figure, and consistently ranked at the top of her class. Such a girl could be said to be flawless. She was proud, beautiful, talented, and pure. Suitors lined up for her, and I was one of them. From the first time I saw her in freshman year, I fell deeply in love with her at first sight. To make her notice me, I studied hard to improve my grades. I learned calligraphy and dance just to have common topics with her. I constantly kept track of Lily’s news, trying to impress her time and time again. I never stopped sending her bubble tea, snacks, and fruits. I gave her countless designer bags and necklaces. All I hoped for was for her to look at me once. But she returned all the gifts. Of course, how could the universally acknowledged campus goddess change her mind for a few gifts? She was so proud, and that’s exactly what I loved about her. But she didn’t even see me. At that time, she was confident and radiant, only interested in one person. That person was Ryan, the universally acknowledged campus heartthrob. During college, Ryan was handsome, academically outstanding, and represented the school in many competitions. He could sing and dance, and played the guitar well. Whenever he appeared at school events, he would inevitably draw screams from countless girls. He even had his own fan club called “The Wind Chasers.” With so many admirers, Ryan could be considered a campus celebrity. No wonder Lily was infatuated with him. One was the campus heartthrob, the other was the acknowledged talented beauty, they were indeed a perfect match. Lily persistently pursued her crush, and when Ryan broke up with his girlfriend, Lily seized the opportunity and made her move. Finally, on the first Valentine’s Day of sophomore year. Ryan accepted Lily’s confession. This golden couple, famous throughout the school, officially started dating. And I, holding a bouquet of flowers ready to confess to Lily, could only stand aside, heartbroken. Becoming a complete bystander. The news of campus heartthrob Ryan dating dance club beauty Lily quickly spread to every corner of the campus, becoming a beautiful story of college life. Unfortunately, good times didn’t last long. Although Ryan was good-looking, he was extremely flirtatious. He flirted around, and Lily soon found out. On her birthday, Lily cried her eyes out. She took the cake to the rooftop, where she happened to meet me studying for exams. I showed her great care and concern. Every day I was busy taking care of her, bringing her tea and water. Finally, I won the goddess’s approval. Lily became my girlfriend. At first, she was indifferent to me and wouldn’t allow me any intimate gestures; I didn’t force it, thinking at the time that being goddess Lily’s boyfriend was already very satisfying. I treated her like a treasure, loving her dearly. I cared for her meticulously, took her traveling to cheer her up, went out for meals and shopping. No matter how busy work was, I would always keep her informed. I came home on time every day to cook, treating her like a princess. Slowly, she started to accept me. She asked about my joys and sorrows, smiled at me, and even started to care about my preferences. I believe that during that time, she did love me. But love that comes from begging is ultimately hard to last. Nourished by love, I became even more motivated. I worked hard and strived to improve my performance. I wanted to buy our own marital home through my efforts, truly giving her a warm home. I even imagined countless times having a child with her in the future. A family of three, three meals a day, four seasons a year. Living happily together. Everything seemed so beautiful then. I felt like I was in a dream, but finally, one day, I woke up. Her prince charming had returned. Ryan mysteriously appeared in our city, in Lily’s life. On the street, they exchanged a glance. With just that one look, I knew Lily’s heart no longer belonged to me. But I still couldn’t let her go, couldn’t let go of these years of being together day and night. I could only deceive myself, maintaining this relationship that existed in name only by pretending to be deaf and blind. Gradually, she started coming home late and leaving early, exchanging flirtatious messages with Ryan, showing annoyance at my care, and dressing up meticulously. Looking at Lily in the mirror, I knew I had lost. We had been together for two years, and to please her, I had given her countless expensive pieces of jewelry, clothes, and bags. But she had never seriously dressed up for me, telling me we were family and didn’t need to care too much about appearances. Now I realize, she probably thought I wasn’t worthy. A woman dresses up for the one she loves, and I was clearly not that person. The only one she cared about was Ryan. I struggled on, unwilling to give up, telling myself she was just wavering, that if I was good enough, she would surely change her mind. Until that birthday party when she kissed Ryan. I knew then that it was time to wake up from my dream. That night when we got home, I ignored Lily. I walked straight to the living room and slept on the couch. “Bang!” A loud door slam echoed through the house. Lily was clearly angry. She didn’t understand why her number one admirer suddenly stopped admiring her. In fact, it was simply because I no longer loved her. Love is just like that. When I loved you, you were the flowers, the sea, the wind, the clouds, all the beauty in the world. When I no longer love you, you’re just you, with no relation to me. I slept soundly that night, free from the troubles of love, my mind suddenly became much clearer. It was the most peaceful sleep I’d had in a long time, not having to worry about Lily being unhappy, not having to endure her bad temper, not having to fear Ryan taking her away. I only needed to consider whether I was happy. The next morning when I woke up, Lily had prepared breakfast. At the table, she kept staring at me. I ate silently. The food she made was still terrible. Just because she said doing housework would age her quickly, I had taken on almost all the household chores over the years. She only focused on enjoying life and staying beautiful. Back then, I thought life was good and peaceful. Now thinking about it, it just seems ridiculous. “Jack, don’t you have anything to say to me?” Lily interrupted my thoughts. She couldn’t hold back anymore. She was the goddess, and in her view, the fact that she personally cooked for me was already a great favor. I should naturally be overjoyed and obediently follow her lead. Answer her question, and then beg for forgiveness. I knew she wanted to ask why I didn’t care yesterday. But none of it mattered anymore. I didn’t want to waste words. “The food is a bit salty.”

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It had been three months since I found the werewolf when he ran away on a dark, windy night. Before leaving, he warned me fiercely: “Werewolves only have one mate for life. I already have a wolf I like, and I’ll never accept you! “Get rid of those dirty thoughts. I won’t like you!” With that, he ran off, leaving me standing there, dumbfounded. What was he talking about? I had been treating him like a dog all this time. What did that have to do with being mates? Finding the werewolf was purely accidental. At first, I thought he was a dog. On the third day after bringing him home, I discovered he had turned into a human. He was lounging lazily on my sofa cushions, eating chips and watching TV. When he saw something he liked, his fluffy tail wagged happily back and forth. In that moment, I don’t know how many times I recited the core values of society in my mind. Later, he explained the werewolf species to me with a look of disdain, and I realized he was actually a normal evolved creature. “So can you eat dog food?” I asked, rubbing his ears. “Don’t- don’t rub them!” His face turned red and steamy as he stepped back, seriously answering me: “I need to eat meat, not dog food. “I’m not like those lowly dogs who fawn over humans.” Me: “…” He’s quite high-maintenance.

The werewolf’s disappearance was inexplicable. I thought about it for a long time but couldn’t figure out what he was doing, so I gave up thinking about it. Life was very peaceful after that. Until two weeks later, when a business partner invited me to a coffee shop to discuss a project. I brought my laptop. While chatting, by chance, I spotted that werewolf with one glance. He was in human form, very tall and muscular, wearing a suit. His eyes were cold and indifferent as he leaned on the railing, looking down at the crowd below with an impatient expression. “Miss Emma, do you know Mr. Lucas?” the business partner asked eagerly when he noticed me looking: “Mr. Lucas is a major shareholder of Rong’an. I chose this place today because I knew he often comes here. “Why don’t you introduce us?” I was stunned for a moment, then realized he was talking about the werewolf. I shook my head: “I don’t know him. I just thought he looked handsome. Sorry.” The business partner sighed, his expression clearly disappointed. His attitude towards me became somewhat colder afterwards. I didn’t mind. After finishing explaining the project, I got up to pay the bill and saw the werewolf tilting his head, talking to an elegantly dressed urban beauty. The two were standing very close, so close their bodies overlapped, like the man was holding the woman in his arms. [More like they were kissing.] I turned my eyes away without any particular thoughts. On the way home, I passed by a pet hospital and saw a big dog displayed in the window. A yellow Labrador. I put my hand on the glass, and it happened to look up, grinning at me and lifting its paw to press against my palm through the glass. In that moment, I made up my mind. I’m buying it!

Raising a dog is much more comfortable than raising a werewolf. The dog doesn’t talk, loves eating dog food, and is very well-behaved. When I’m not home, it always lazes around on the carpet, waiting for me to come home and walk it. I took it to many places. The beach, the ocean park, the seal aquarium… One day when I went to buy coffee at a cafe, the staff wouldn’t let the dog inside, so I tied it up outside and warned it to be good. Suddenly two people appeared beside me. The werewolf and that woman he was intimate with the other day. The woman stared at the Labrador’s wagging tail and sneered: “Dogs are such fawning creatures, a disgrace to canines.” Beside her, the werewolf’s eyes were also dark and gloomy as he looked at me. I ignored them, patted the Labrador’s head and said softly: “Be good, baby. Mommy will make you meatballs tonight.” With that, I got up and walked past the two of them without giving them a single glance.

When I came out, my dog was gone. The leash I had tied was loose, and both the leash and dog had disappeared. My movements froze for a moment. The werewolf was standing at the door smoking. Seeing the situation, he said very disdainfully and excitedly: “See, it doesn’t want you anymore. “How could such a mindless creature be loyal to its owner?” Wolves can smoke? I walked away in disgust. I called the dog’s name while looking for it, asking passersby if they had seen a yellow Labrador. After walking nearly two kilometers without finding it, I started to panic. Just as I was about to call animal protection for help, an annoying voice came from beside me. “If it’s lost, it’s lost. What’s so great about that stupid dog? “It can’t even track its owner by scent, truly a disgrace to canines. “What’s so good about it? Yellow and ugly, like a pile of human excrement. “Don’t casually raise dogs, canines are very possessive…” I finally couldn’t hold back anymore. I scolded him, suppressing my anger: “Are you sick?” He was stunned for a moment, then said in disbelief: “You’re scolding me for that stupid dog? “You’ve only had it for two weeks, and you’re scolding me because of it. Are you going to set the dog on me next… You can’t treat me like this.” He looked very wronged. So wronged that he was about to cry, his originally narrow wolf eyes widened, faintly tinged with red. But I was very annoyed. I couldn’t understand what he was doing. “It’s my dog, of course I’ll protect it… And you’re the one who said we wouldn’t have any relationship in the future.” I looked him up and down for a moment, seeing his high-end tailored suit, and reached out my hand to him: “You seem to be doing very well in human society. “Pay me back for the meat I fed you before. I want to buy toys for the dog.” “You- you!” He looked like he was about to die of anger, his words becoming incoherent: “What toys does a stupid dog need…” “Mr. Lucas!” Someone suddenly called out to him from across the street, interrupting his words. The person ran over excitedly, looking at him with burning eyes. It was that business partner from the other day. He turned to talk to me, his attitude much warmer than before. “Miss Emma, why didn’t you say earlier that you knew Mr. Lucas? We can sign that contract right away! I’ll have legal draw it up now. “If I had known you were so close to Mr. Lucas, we wouldn’t have dragged this out for so long, right?” Me: “…” Lost my dog and now forced to work on my day off. Damn wolf! I smiled politely, and when the client wasn’t looking, I turned my head and glared fiercely at the werewolf. His expression became even more innocent and wronged, his big eyes filled with tears that looked like they could fall at any moment.

It was already 7 pm when I finished signing the contract. Tired, I walked out of the company to see a man and a dog facing off at the entrance. The yellow Labrador’s body was tense, its paws scratching the ground as it growled a warning at the “wolf-scented” bad guy opposite. Meanwhile, the werewolf stood relaxed with his arms crossed, looking very disdainful and saying things I couldn’t understand. …Was he communicating with the dog? Can dogs understand wolf language? I watched in disbelief for a while before going over to rub the dog’s head. I comforted it: “Don’t be angry, baby. Mommy’s back.” The werewolf was silent for a moment, then came over and crouched down beside me, head lowered. “What are you doing?” I asked. “I want to be petted too.” He moved his head closer: “You raised me too. You can’t just pet it and not me.” I was a bit speechless. I had just learned his identity from the business partner. Lucas Gu. The youngest son of the Gu family in the capital, a shareholder of Rong’an, the country’s largest semiconductor manufacturing company. He could be considered in the top tier of wealth and power. How could he be such a shameless wolf… I stood up and asked him coldly: “Did you steal my dog earlier?” “I didn’t steal it.” He mumbled: “That leash was too loose. I just tugged and it came undone. The dog followed the ham on its own, I couldn’t do anything…” I stared at him silently without saying anything. He bit his lip: “Okay, I was wrong.” He looked very dejected: “You’re too good to it. You pet its head, buy it toys, even kiss it. I was jealous. “After all, you used to only raise me, this one wolf.”

“Weren’t you the one who said you had a wolf you liked and would have nothing to do with me in the future? You told me not to covet you, right? “That secretary lady today, is she the wolf you like?” I asked him coldly: “You like her but still come to play with me. Is this the loyalty you talked about?” “I’m not disloyal! That wolf is my sister, born from the same mother.” He explained anxiously: “You were the one hugging and cuddling with other men. I got angry, that’s why I said those hurtful things. “Werewolves only have one mate for life, unlike you pure humans who are fickle and so disloyal…” His voice got smaller and more wronged as he spoke, until he finally wiped his tears with the back of his hand: “You saved me, saw my pure wolf form, and petted and hugged me so many times. You’re the mate I’ve chosen… You can’t betray me!” Me: “…” Can it work like this?

“I don’t like you. I petted you before because you were a dog… no, a canine. “I don’t know how your werewolf tribe defines the term ‘mate’, but in our human world, hugs and petting don’t determine a relationship.” I told him very frankly: “For that project, I get a commission. Consider it compensation for your food expenses at my place these days. We’re even now. “I don’t like you, and I don’t want to be your mate. Please don’t do any more weird things in the future. “Goodbye… No, never see you again.” With that, I pulled the Labrador away. Walking quickly, wanting to get far away from this weird werewolf. He didn’t chase after me. I breathed a sigh of relief. After getting home, I made beef tofu vegetable soup for the dog, along with a bowl of dog food. I sat beside it and watched it lick the plate clean, feeling very sorry for it. “That bad werewolf made my baby go hungry for a day,” I said, petting its head. “Next time we see him, let’s bite him, okay?” The dog grinned and raised its paw to high-five me. That night, as I was sleeping hazily, I suddenly felt something furry rubbing against my chin. Thinking it was the dog, I pushed it away subconsciously: “Baby, don’t bother Mommy.” The thing paused, then rubbed even more vigorously, even sticking out its tongue to lick my neck. Again and again, the wet and sticky sensation made my whole body tingle with heat. I opened my eyes and found myself staring into a pair of pitch-black, narrow eyes. They were staring straight at me, as if wanting to devour me whole. — It was that werewolf.

I tried hard to push him away. His pitch-black eyes flashed with crimson as he raised his paw to press down my hand. His huge wolf body covered me, enveloping me completely. Black fur fell on my cheeks. I turned my head away awkwardly and angrily kicked him: “Get off!” He let out a muffled groan, his body trembling, but pressed down on me even more— “What are you doing? Get off! Did you hear me? Are you trying to commit a crime? You bastard…” I was about to cry out when I heard his muffled voice: “I’m in pain. Can I just hold you for a while? “I’ll just hold you, nothing else. Please.” His wolf head nuzzled my cheek, his furry ears inadvertently brushing my forehead. His mouth let out uncontrollable whimpers. I was stunned for a moment: “…Mating season? Sensitive period? Or are you on drugs?” He shook his ears but didn’t answer my question. His wolf body was twice my size, his fur covering the entire king-sized bed. It was really heavy on top of me. I was silent for a moment, then patted his paw: “Can we change positions? “Let me be on top.”

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The wolf clan was in decline. Zane, the wolf prince, had lived for a thousand years. Though feared throughout the beast realm, he remained aloof and disinterested in romance. The Wolf Queen was beside herself with worry. Beautiful maidens from various clans lined up outside the wolf king’s cave. I’m Lily, a human who accidentally fell into the beast world. In my original life, I was just a poor girl from a modern city. After crossing over, I somehow stumbled into the wolf king’s bedroom by mistake. On the day of his engagement to the tiger princess, I ran away carrying a belly full of wolf cubs. Years later, as I was busy feeding meat to eight little wolf pups, he pushed open my courtyard gate, looking as pitiful as a droopy-eared puppy. “Lily, have you really given up on me?” The great beast war shattered the barrier between the human and beast worlds. I accidentally fell into this strange realm. I had only intended to help my grandmother pick wild ginseng in the mountains back home. Who knew I’d slip and fall, waking up to find myself in a world of beasts? This place was full of half-human, half-beast creatures. Before I could come to my senses, a pack of wolf patrol guards surrounded me. They were about to dispose of me when Grandma Leopard stepped in and brought me into wolf territory. I had grown up in the mountains with my grandmother, relying on each other. Apart from her and the villagers, I had hardly met anyone else. So I knew almost nothing about the outside world. At first, I thought I could treat these beast-people like the small animals in the mountains. Just as I was about to pat their heads and ears, their fierce expressions scared me back. They were even more intimidating than the Tibetan mastiffs kept by old Mrs. Wang at the village entrance! But Grandma Leopard was kind to me, just like my real grandmother in the human world. She initially wanted me to help with cleaning and odd jobs, but unfortunately, I was clueless about this beast world. Not only was I unhelpful, but I also caused quite a bit of trouble. I tore up beast-skin scrolls while organizing bookshelves and nearly burned a hole through half the floor when I knocked over some potions… Grandma Leopard was exasperated by my antics. In the end, she brought me before the Wolf Queen. The Wolf Queen, seeing my curvy figure and good looks, was very pleased. She kept whispering to her maid beside her. “This little human would make a good breeding vessel. She looks a bit simple-minded and naive though.” “That’s fine. She’s just for trying as a surrogate. It’ll be easy to deal with her once we have a new princess.” Words like “breeding” and “new princess” were all foreign to me, so I paid no attention. I only cared about what Grandma Leopard said – that if I slept in the wolf king’s bed for one night, I’d be allowed to live here. And so, I was happily led to Prince Zane’s courtyard. As soon as we arrived at the entrance, I saw a group of wolf beauties gathered there. They were clearly unhappy about my arrival. A silver wolf beauty even deliberately threw my luggage into the most remote corner of the courtyard. It wasn’t until evening that I first met the wolf prince. He had a pair of fluffy wolf ears on his head, but his face was so handsome it was hard to look away! “You… you’re so handsome…” I blurted out. Zane was taken aback, seeming to develop some interest in this human girl. He leaned in to sniff me, then looked me up and down thoughtfully. This scene infuriated the other wolf beauties in the courtyard. From then on, they bullied me even more viciously. If they weren’t threatening to tear my throat out with their sharp fangs and claws, They were putting all sorts of bugs in my food, leaving me unable to eat a proper meal for days. The wolves mostly ate raw meat, which I really couldn’t stomach as a human. When I was so hungry I couldn’t stand it anymore, I remembered what Grandma Leopard had said. If I just slept in the wolf king’s bed for one night, I could live on and have good food to eat. So, I snuck into the prince’s chambers late at night when all was quiet. The room was empty, so I climbed straight into bed and under the covers. Before long, Zane pushed open the door. He walked in while undressing, heading straight for the bath. Through the misty steam, I could only make out his muscular waist and the smooth lines of his muscles. This was the first time in my life I’d seen a naked man! I watched with a red face and pounding heart. Suddenly, he turned around. I quickly ducked under the covers. I don’t know how much time passed. He stood by the bed, looking down at the small hill formed by the blanket. “Come out.” The voice from outside the covers was extremely intimidating. I timidly poked my head out and patted the pillow beside me. “Prince, shall we… shall we sleep together?” Zane raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes. “What’s your name?” “Lily,” I answered honestly. As he spoke, he seemed to be staring only at my mouth, his breathing gradually becoming heavier. Then he turned and walked back to the bath, emerging again moments later. His eyes were even redder than before, his breath ragged as if he was struggling to suppress something. “I… I’ve been injured recently. There’s an evil energy in my body that’s hard to control.” “Lily, I want you now. Is that okay?” Want me? What did he mean? I was a bit dazed by his burning gaze. “If I say yes, will you give me food? Will I be able to live?” He chuckled softly and nodded. Hearing there would be food, I immediately perked up. “Then hurry up! I want to eat after you’re done!” The next second, I was pinned to the bed. His kisses came like a storm, leaving me dizzy and feeling like I was melting into a puddle. In my hazy state, he tore off all my clothes. Suddenly, intense pain jolted me back to reality. I pushed against him hard. “It hurts! I don’t want to anymore. I don’t need food!” He gently kissed away my tears, whispering comforting words, but his movements only grew more fierce. My words and struggles seemed to become his outlet for release. “Be good, just bear with it a little. Relax and it’ll feel better.” I sobbed in pain, but he seemed to have developed a taste for it, pressing down on me and going at it for a long time before finally stopping. Afterwards, I clung tightly to his arm. “You promised. I want food.” Zane stroked my head indulgently, looking thoroughly satisfied. He immediately called for a table full of delicious food to be brought in. And just like that, I, a human who had only arrived a few days ago, Inexplicably became the first person to sleep with the wolf prince.

When I woke up the next morning, my entire body was covered in Zane’s scent. What this meant in the beast world, I still had no idea. The group of wolf beauties in the courtyard huddled together, their eyes practically shooting flames at me. In just one night, I seemed to have become the target of everyone’s resentment. I was assigned to a special room. It was said to be designed specifically for humans, with strange charms hanging on the walls. This place was very close to Zane’s chambers, but guards were posted everywhere. But Grandma Leopard was right after all. After sleeping with the wolf prince, I no longer had to go hungry, and no wolf dared to threaten to tear me apart. Zane was very good to me, sending me all kinds of cooked food and desserts every day. Although some things were indeed strange and exotic, it was better than having nothing to eat. People outside all said Zane was aloof and disliked women, but I now had first-hand experience— Those words were utter nonsense! Since that night, he seemed to be addicted, grabbing me as soon as he returned to his chambers. From the bed to the bath to the desk, nowhere was spared. Every time I came to my senses, it was already dawn outside. Even when he was handling official business, he often held me on his lap, kissing and nibbling. I was sore all over from his treatment, but didn’t dare to speak up. In the end, I could only secretly go to the kind Grandma Leopard to complain. After hearing my description, a knowing smile immediately appeared on Grandma Leopard’s face. She patted my hand and said earnestly, “Silly girl, the prince is marking you! In our beast clan, this is a huge blessing!” “When you become pregnant with wolf cubs, you’ll have a bright future ahead! By then, you’ll be a great contributor to the wolf clan, and never have to worry about food or drink for the rest of your life.” I listened in a daze, suddenly thinking of a serious question. “What if I give birth to a human baby?” This time it was Grandma Leopard’s turn to be troubled. She frowned in deep thought. That night, curled up in Zane’s arms, I mustered up the courage to ask him. “Prince… if we have a baby, will it be a little wolf cub or a little human?” Zane’s hand paused in my hair, then he casually said, “You’re still young. Don’t think about children yet.” But from the next day on, after every time we were intimate, he would feed me a strange fruit. He said it was good for my body, so I didn’t think much of it and just swallowed it. It wasn’t until much later that I understood – it was a contraceptive fruit used by the beast clan. Clearly, Zane had never intended for me to bear his heir. On normal days, as long as Zane was in the territory, he liked to keep me by his side. In his leisure time, he would teach me the beast language and beast writing. I have to say, the beast clan’s writing was even harder than human writing. My characters looked like they had been chewed by dogs. But Zane was very patient, always guiding my hand as he taught me. I loved writing his name in beast script the most, stroke by stroke, feeling sweet in my heart. Zane understood my tastes well. Every time he came back from a trip, he would bring me some strange and exotic beast clan delicacies. Sometimes it was glowing berries, sometimes mushrooms with peculiar textures, and even the legendary “beast god’s nectar”. Without realizing it, my heart grew stranger and stranger. When I couldn’t see Zane, I was always thinking about him; when he was by my side, even if he was busy with official duties, I would just quietly stay nearby, my heart full of happiness. Soon it was time for the beast clan’s annual “Full Moon Festival”, which required a journey to a distant holy land. As the wolf prince, Zane had to attend. The night before he left, he pinned me down in various places, frantically taking his fill, as if trying to make up for a month’s worth. I was also upset, not wanting him to go. That night I was unusually proactive, exciting Zane so much that his beast tail materialized. The big fluffy tail swayed back and forth, showing he was in a good mood. After he left, I wilted completely. Even my favorite roast chicken wings didn’t taste good anymore. Suddenly I remembered a beast clan proverb Zane had taught me. “A lone wolf gazes at the moon, its solitary shadow unable to sleep.” I didn’t understand it at the time, but now I could relate. I, who had been single since birth, only now realized that this must be love. Without noticing, it had already been etched into my bones. The day Zane returned, he dragged me into the room without a word. I thought he wanted me, but he mysteriously pulled out a glowing fruit from his robes. “Try this. It’s a fruit from the Beast God Tree. I managed to secretly pick it.” I was so moved that tears almost fell. The Beast God fruit was a treasure of the beast clan. It was said that even the Wolf King was reluctant to eat it, yet Zane had secretly brought one back for me. Taking a bite, a strange energy immediately flowed through my entire body. I felt light as a feather, as if I could fly. At that moment, I even thought that if I could stay with Zane like this forever, it wouldn’t be so bad to never return to the real world. Unfortunately, I forgot that I was just a “surrogate”, how could I dream of growing old together with the wolf king? Not long after, news of the wolf clan’s alliance marriage with the tiger clan spread throughout the beast world. The tiger clan’s young lady was coming to stay in wolf territory, with all the airs of a future queen.

The wolf beauties who had always looked down on me now took the opportunity to mock me even more. “A mere human, how dare you think you could monopolize the prince’s favor forever?” “The real deal has arrived. You little thing who hasn’t even grown fur yet, get lost!” We lined up in two rows to welcome the arrival of Zane and the tiger princess, Roxanne. When they walked in hand in hand, my heart skipped a beat. Zane exuded the powerful aura of a beast king, while Roxanne’s beauty was elegant yet wild. They made such a good match. My heart was instantly flooded with sourness. Thinking of the long years ahead, where I might have to watch them be a loving couple, I found it hard to breathe. In the days that followed, Zane accompanied Roxanne on tours around the territory. They admired the moon together and hunted together. Some onlookers even used illusion magic to capture their sweet moments, deliberately showing them to me. I pretended to be calm, saying I didn’t care. But every night, I couldn’t control my tears, which fell like rain. Zane hadn’t summoned me for many days. He returned very late at night, and I couldn’t even see his shadow. Perhaps, as the other beasts said, I was just a plaything he took interest in for a while. His previous doting was probably just a way to pass time when he was bored. Suddenly one day, the Wolf Queen summoned us to the great hall. It turned out that Zane was busy with official duties and feared Roxanne would be lonely, so he asked us to keep her company. Roxanne walked towards me with a smile, intimately linking her arm with mine. “I heard you’re close to Zane. It must be hard work taking care of him, right?” When we were alone, her expression immediately changed. She violently flung my arm away. “How dare a human like you stay by Zane’s side?” “I heard you consider yourself his bedmate? Guess who’s more important to him, you or me?” Alarm bells rang in my head, but before I could escape, I saw her rip off the protective charm hanging around her neck and throw it into the nearby miasma-filled forest. At that moment, Zane happened to walk into the courtyard. Roxanne immediately threw herself into his arms, tearfully complaining. “Zane, this human in your courtyard is so ill-mannered. I just wanted to chat with her, but she insulted me and threw the protective charm my mother gave me into the miasma forest!” I hadn’t seen Zane for a long time. The man I once spent day and night with now had a cold face, his gaze so unfamiliar it made me panic. He gave me a cool glance, his eyes devoid of any warmth. “I didn’t…” I tried to explain, but was cut off. Zane lowered his head to softly comfort Roxanne in his arms. “Don’t be afraid, I’ll send someone to find it right away.” But Roxanne pouted, pointing at me. “She lost it, so she should go find it!” Humans have the weakest sense of smell among the beast clans. I had no way to navigate in the miasma. Zane knew this. He used to tease me, calling me a “noseless fool”. But at this moment, he coldly ordered me. “Go find it!” I stumbled into the miasma-filled dense forest. The acrid smell made me dizzy, and the poisonous gas burned my skin. I stumbled around, feeling my life force slowly draining away. After searching for who knows how long, I finally touched that cursed protective charm. Covered in wounds, I crawled out of the dense forest, trembling as I handed it to Roxanne. The Wolf Queen had arrived at some point. She glared at me, fuming with anger. “How outrageous! You’re a disgrace to our wolf clan!” “Stay in the dense forest for a day and night to reflect on your actions!” Zane didn’t even look at me, leaving with his arm around Roxanne. As the night wind blew, I shivered. At this moment, I finally understood the vast difference between a surrogate and a queen. Here, I didn’t even have the right to speak. Roxanne, on the other hand, could easily control my life and death. I, who had once been intoxicated by the sweetness with Zane and attached to this wolf clan territory, thought about leaving for the first time. I couldn’t hold out for long in the miasma forest before passing out. In my hazy state, I seemed to catch Zane’s scent. He carefully licked my wounds with his tongue, his movements uncharacteristically gentle. Sobbing, I asked him, “Do I have a place in your heart?” But he remained silent. When I fully regained consciousness, there was no one around. I shook my head with a bitter smile, thinking I must have been hallucinating. Suddenly, a familiar set of footsteps approached. Zane entered, his face gloomy. A glimmer of joy rose in my heart. “Prince, why have you come?” He sat down by my bed, staring at me with a complex expression. “Lily, Roxanne has contracted beast soul atrophy from losing her protective charm. Her condition is critical.” He paused, his gaze becoming determined. “The shaman doctor says we need human essence blood as a catalyst for the medicine. You’ve always been understanding… can you help her?”

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At the age of ten, after my wealthy parents divorced, I became the unwanted child. It was Lucas Carter who took me in. For ten years, he spoiled me rotten. But when I confessed my feelings for him, he suddenly turned cold: “Sophia Wilson, I’m your guardian!” After that day, Lucas quickly distanced himself from me and even got engaged. At his engagement party, I got into a fight with his fiancée. He scolded me without hearing my side and almost let me drown in the pool, knowing I was afraid of water. “Sophia, this is your punishment. If you cause any more trouble, get out of the Carter house.” He didn’t know that I was indeed planning to leave. I had agreed to my parents’ suggestion to study abroad. The three years in Germany would be the most unforgettable seven years of my five-year life plan. By then, Lucas Carter would mean nothing compared to my degree. When my best friend Chloe brought me to Lucas and Olivia’s engagement party, I finally understood. Lucas had gone to such lengths to keep me away. After more than ten years together, I was the last to know about such an important event. It was truly laughable. “Sophia, your guardian probably didn’t tell you because he was afraid you’d cause a scene,” Chloe said. “But I know you’re sensible, and I think you should know the truth. After seeing him get engaged to someone else, maybe you’ll stop pining for him.” I nodded in agreement. Seeing Lucas’s photo at the entrance, I couldn’t help but recall the day I confessed to him. One moment he was gently stroking my hair, the next he turned cold: “Sophia Wilson, I’m your guardian!” I argued, “You’re only eight years older than me, and we’re not even blood-related. Don’t you like me?” He grew angry and blurted out, “Do you think I’m some kind of monster? How could I like the girl I raised?” “Then why don’t you let me date? Why do you tear up love letters from others? Why don’t you correct people when they say I’m your child bride?” “Sophia, you were young then. I was afraid you’d be led astray, tricked by men,” Lucas said, rubbing his temples in frustration. “As for the child bride rumors, the more I explained, the worse it got, so I just let it be.” I wasn’t giving up. I dug my nails into my palms and stared at him. “You haven’t had a woman by your side for years. And when I was twenty, I clearly saw you holding my photo… Isn’t that enough proof?” Lucas’s pupils dilated, his ears turning red, but he exploded in anger. “Sophia Wilson! I’ve spoiled you too much, letting you speak so recklessly!”

We parted on bad terms that day. After that, Lucas began to distance himself from me. He always made excuses to avoid meeting me and drew clear boundaries when others mentioned our relationship. “Sophia Wilson? I’m her guardian, we’re from different generations.” He even brought Olivia to my twenty-second birthday party. “Sophia, say hello to your aunt.” I had just made a wish, hoping Lucas would show up and surprise me. Since I was ten, he had been with me for countless birthdays. I was terrified he might miss this one. He did come, but at the moment when I was happiest, he delivered a crushing blow. I stared at their intertwined hands, speechless. Lucas wouldn’t let it go. He dropped his smile, his gaze growing cold. “What are you waiting for? Not listening to your guardian anymore?” Of course, I didn’t greet her. Instead, I cried and trashed the place, telling them to get out. After that, Lucas took Olivia everywhere with him. I thought he was just trying to provoke me, unwilling to admit his feelings for me. I never imagined they would reach the point of engagement. I had been deluding myself.

I stood quietly at the back of the crowd, witnessing his happiness with someone else. In my heart, I gradually stripped away my feelings for him. By the less crowded pool, I waited for Chloe to return. I casually picked up a glass of champagne. As I turned around, I saw today’s leading lady, Olivia. Olivia was only a year older than me. So I didn’t understand why Lucas, who thought I was too young, would choose someone his own age. “What are you doing here?” she asked, looking wary, as if afraid I’d ruin her engagement party. “I’m here to witness my guardian’s happiness. Congratulations,” I said. I had no hostility towards her, but since she was with the man I liked, I couldn’t bring myself to be overly friendly. As I was about to leave, she grabbed me: “Sophia Wilson, don’t try to steal him from me.” I lowered my gaze. “Whether you believe it or not, I came today with no ill intentions. I won’t make a scene and embarrass everyone.” Olivia didn’t let go. Instead, she glared at me fiercely. “You think I believe that? Someone as spoiled and willful as you? You’re like a weasel paying New Year’s respects to a chicken, up to no good. “And aren’t you disgusting? Liking your own guardian? “No wonder they say you’re motherless. Clinging to Lucas Carter, aren’t you ashamed?” Before she could finish, my hand had already struck her face. It was all Lucas’s fault for spoiling me so much that I couldn’t take any insults. Olivia held her cheek, stunned for a moment. “As you said, I’m such a willful person, so slapping you isn’t too much, right?” I underestimated Olivia’s fighting spirit. Before I knew it, we were grappling with each other. I had been forced by Lucas to learn boxing and martial arts since childhood, so Olivia was no match for me. In the chaos, she still had the strength to speak: “Sophia Wilson, you’re finished.” It was then that I realized. I had fallen for her trap. Olivia’s hair was a mess, her clothes torn and disheveled. I wasn’t much better off, with bruises where she had pinched me. Still defiant, I said, “So what? Are you so sure Lucas will take your side? “Do you think he’s someone who can’t tell right from wrong?” Olivia’s makeup was smeared, but she still smiled triumphantly. “Sophia Wilson, do you have a misconception about your importance to Lucas?” “What do you mean?” As soon as I finished speaking, she stepped closer, took my hand, and placed it on her chest. Then she fell backward into the pool. “Olivia!” Lucas’s worried voice came from behind.

By the time he jumped into the pool to rescue Olivia, a crowd had gathered around. “I just wanted Sophia to come to the party, but I didn’t expect her to push me in…” Olivia sobbed, clinging to Lucas, soaking wet. “She doesn’t like me, she thinks I stole you away…” “You staged this yourself and jumped in. Don’t slander me. If you don’t believe me, check the security cameras!” I protested. “There are no cameras by the pool,” Lucas said, looking up at me coldly. “Sophia, I’m so disappointed in you.” At that moment, I couldn’t describe how I felt. It was as if someone had squeezed my heart tightly. All my arguments were stuck in my throat, blocked by his icy expression. “It was the same at your birthday party, embarrassing everyone. “This time, I deliberately didn’t tell you about the engagement, but you still came and hit your future aunt. “Sophia, you’re not a child anymore. When you do something wrong, you need to be punished.” Before I could react, Lucas let go of Olivia and kicked me into the pool.

After nearly drowning in our home pool when I was six, I became terrified of water. So when I fell in, I even forgot to struggle. I let myself sink. My lungs were compressed, with no air left. As I was about to lose consciousness from suffocation, I thought: Life is really amazing, how suddenly it can take a turn. Lucas Carter, as you wished. I will never like you again. As my consciousness was fading, I felt someone wrap their arm around my waist, pulling me towards the surface. When I touched the air, I coughed up water. “Little sis, your guardian wouldn’t let anyone save you, so I did. You owe me one now.” As my mind cleared, I called out, “Ethan?” “Good, you’re not too dazed. You know it’s your big bro.” Back on the shore. Lucas held Olivia tightly, wrapped in a towel, and looked at me. “Sophia, this is your punishment. If you cause any more trouble, get out of the Carter house.” He deliberately said such harsh words, no doubt trying to extinguish any feelings I had for him. I stared at him silently, clenching my fists. “I understand, guardian.” He seemed surprised that I called him guardian, his face showing disbelief for a moment. After a while, he returned to normal. “As long as you understand. Now apologize to your aunt.” I didn’t apologize. Instead, I continued looking at him. “Guardian, thank you for taking care of me all these years. Congratulations on your engagement. “I won’t appear in front of you again.” “That’s not what I meant…” Lucas frowned, about to say something more. Olivia leaned into his arms: “Honey, I’m cold.” I didn’t even glance their way. Instead, I turned and left, my clothes dripping wet.

Back at the Carter house, it was cold and empty, not a soul in sight. Everyone was busy with today’s engagement party. I thought for a moment, then called a moving company. Then I started packing. There were too many things here that belonged to me. Each item stirred up memories. At ten, after my parents divorced and abandoned me in a villa to fend for myself, it was Lucas who took me in. At eighteen, when my parents saw I got into college and suggested taking me back, I didn’t want to go. After all, if I went back, it would just be me, without love. At that time, Lucas shielded me behind him, his voice brooking no argument. “I’ve practically raised Sophia. I can’t bear to see her suffer even a little or face any grievances. If she doesn’t want to go back, she can stay at the Carter house. I can afford to raise her.” Over the years, he doted on me to the extreme. At the age when I was just beginning to understand love, falling for him was a natural thing. His favoritism towards me also made me mistakenly believe he liked me. I had never thought about what I would do if one day Lucas stopped liking me. Would I cry, make a scene, or even threaten suicide, refusing to let him go? He once said, “What are you thinking? How could I not like you?” Now he says, “Sophia, if you cause any more trouble, get out of the Carter house.” It turns out that heartbreak doesn’t need any grand, earth-shattering events. Just one action, one sentence, can extinguish years of affection.

I moved into an apartment I had bought. At the same time, I left a new card with the inheritance my grandmother had left me at the Carter house. It was to repay Lucas for the cost of raising me all these years. The next day, my parents sent me to the airport. I had been planning to go abroad since my last birthday party. It was only in the past few days that everything was finalized. Germany, a country they say is hard to return from once you go. But it had the major I wanted to study. As I was about to check in, my mom called out to me. “Sophia, it wasn’t easy for your guardian to raise you. Before you leave, you should say goodbye to him.” After thinking for a moment, I dialed Lucas’s number. The phone rang for a long time with no answer. Just as I was about to lose patience, it finally connected. I was about to call out “guardian.” But I heard Olivia’s voice instead. “Are you really going to make Sophia move out of the Carter house?” After a moment of silence. Lucas’s cold, emotionless words came through the line. “I’ve spoiled her too much. This time, let her learn to behave, not be so willful. It’s for the best. “It’s also good to make her give up those inappropriate thoughts she shouldn’t have.” … I didn’t listen to the end. I hung up. And boarded the plane without looking back.

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Everyone said James was cold and aloof, but he chased after me like a loyal dog for ten years. When I was pushed into a sea of flames, he didn’t hesitate to throw away his multi-million dollar fortune to follow me. After being reborn, I decided to stop being the bad woman who kept him on a leash and to wholeheartedly treat him well. Unfortunately, it seems he was reborn too. “Zoe, do you still want to treat me like a dog as you did in your past life, hmm?” He cornered me, forcing me to sign divorce papers. He said he would never want me again in this life. Never. When I was eleven, someone deliberately broke five of my fingers. From that moment on, I swore I would become someone standing at the top of this world. By any means necessary. Later, I did many bad things, and finally, someone took revenge by pushing me into a sea of fire. As the flames engulfed me, I thought of nothing. But then a figure in white rushed into my view and held me tight. It was James, my husband, the man who loved me to death, the man who had never had a single blemish in his life except for me. As we turned to ashes together, I thought: If there’s a next life, I’ll fucking give him my heart and soul, and only be good to him.

“This is the divorce agreement.” “Sign it.” The lamplight flickered, making my thoughts blur. The man standing opposite me lowered his eyes, hiding the coldness in them. “James.” “Don’t do this.” I tried to grab his hand. His veins pulsed as he quickly pulled away. This was one hour and forty-one minutes into my rebirth. I suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of relief. James had finally discovered that I was a bad woman who had cheated him out of his money and feelings. He didn’t want me anymore.

I sat in the cake shop, looking through the thin glass at two figures moving in the teaching building across the street. James surely didn’t know I was secretly watching him. Watching him solve problems for that girl, while she was almost brushing against his clothes. Yes, in this life, James should know who is kind and who is innocent. But I still rested my chin on my hand and sent a message to that girl. “Mia, why are you seducing your brother-in-law?”

Mia is my sister. To be precise, she’s the real daughter, and I’m the fake one. When I was twelve, Mrs. Zhou picked me up on a stormy day. Everyone thought it was a coincidence. But it wasn’t. To ensure Mrs. Zhou would find me looking pitiful and helpless on that rainy day, I deliberately broke my own leg. I wanted wealth and glory, to be above everyone else, to never taste that bone-deep humiliation again. Mia was found by the Zhou family when she was sixteen. She was always kind, innocent, and pure. The things I had to break my bones to get, she got without doing anything. I hated her. I wondered why she didn’t have to fall into the mud and taste pain.

I’m just that kind of vicious, bad woman. So I suffered greatly in my past life. Perhaps Mia really was as those people described her. She was “a girl like a goddess,” so I offended the divine. In this life, the only person who loved me has abandoned me too. I curled up on the sofa, staring at the divorce agreement on the coffee table. “James, are you coming home tonight?” This message in my phone had gone unanswered for four whole hours. James had a cold personality; his friends always joked that he was a big ice cube. But in my past life, I never felt that way. I thought he was my dog. He’d come at the scent of me, always nuzzling me, always wanting to hold my hand the moment mine was empty. Let alone not replying to messages, for every word I said, he’d respond with ten. But now… A message popped up, and I thought it was from him, hurrying to look. But it wasn’t his. It was from Mia, a text and an attached picture. “Sis, I didn’t mean to seduce your husband.” “I want to help you manage Dad’s business, so James is just introducing me to some people.” In the photo, the girl smiled sweetly, standing next to him. They looked like a perfect couple.

I called James more than a dozen times. He didn’t answer any of them, and eventually just blocked me. Actually, James was most ignorant about human relationships; he was just focused on academics. In my past life, to snatch some of Dad’s company shares from Mia’s hands, I asked him to help me win over people from those pharmaceutical companies. He did it without any complaint. I never considered that he was a professor at a prestigious university, so aloof, how he had to lower himself to beg those people for favors. I only remember one thing from my past life. I had secured a deal, got drunk, and called him to pick me up. In a private room full of important figures, I leaned against the sofa, watching that slender figure in white approach me, and called out “Here boy, here boy…” As if calling a dog. The highly respected medical professor, a man who had never lowered his chin before, Being teased like this in public, I must have felt quite smug at the time. …Everyone thought he would storm out. But what did James do then? He walked step by step to me. Then, very naturally, he knelt down and held my ankle. Closing the dangling high heel. Looking up, his brow bone like a gentle fresco. “It’s getting cold tonight, don’t catch a chill.” “Zoe.”

Zoe. He liked to call me that. But after being reborn, he hadn’t called me that once. … I’m a light sleeper, so I woke up when he came home. I lay there, wanting to see what he would do when he saw me completely defenseless, But nothing. He walked past me, not even willing to cover me with a blanket. I sat up and threw the divorce papers at his back. The man paused slightly, the line of his back attractively eye-catching. “Don’t damage it.” “If I have to draw up another one, you might not get as much.” In the faint moonlight, I sat there watching him speak calmly. A cloud of darkness hid in his eyes, mixed with obscure coldness. “I won’t sign it.” I stared at him hard. He seemed to have expected this, nodding, “Fine, then we’ll go to court.” “James, you fucking bastard.” I lunged at him to grab him, but he subdued me easily. That crescent of moonlight curved, and I was pinned to the sofa. His hand gripped my neck, not gently at all, So I bit the base of his thumb, but he didn’t seem to feel the pain. But at some point, he suddenly let go. A gentle touch brushed my cheek. “So you can cry too.” He left this cold and ambiguous sentence. Leaving me alone in the living room, I pressed my eyes hard. As if this would stop the tears from spilling out. “Don’t leave me.” This sentence, I had sworn when I was ten years old, To never say out loud again.

I wouldn’t sign the divorce papers. The next day, James withdrew from all collaborations related to me. The James family had a considerable part of their business in the medical industry, and he was a top scholar in this field. I admit, in my past life, I married him because I saw the benefits. I knew he didn’t want me anymore. But when I learned that he had transferred all projects to collaborate with Mia instead, My heart inexplicably ached for a moment. But I felt this was right. In my past life, he saw clearly, Mia was so pure and clean, unlike me. I was used to using dirty methods to achieve my goals. But his withdrawal from collaboration was like sounding an alarm for the industry, Suddenly, I found myself isolated and helpless. … I prepared to try and please James again. “James, are you at the university?” “I made some food for lunch, can I bring it to you?” I didn’t dare hope he still had feelings for me, but I truly hoped he could remember our past and not be so ruthless. I stared at the phone in my hand that showed no response, feeling my face was thick as hell. After yesterday’s fight, when it came to real interests, I still had to beg. I prepared to make some good dishes and bring them to him personally. Then I discovered a problem. I had no idea what James liked to eat. On the contrary, he probably knew by heart what I liked and disliked. After all, James the professor’s most obsessive thing in the past life was feeding me all sorts of delicious food. I’m not actually that picky, but I liked to act spoiled in front of him, “James, this noodle is too hard.” “James, who are you making such soft noodles for?” “James, I don’t like spicy food.” “James, when did you start cooking so blandly?” He only got angry with me once about this. His dark eyes stared at me intently, his tone icy and serious. “Zoe, do you think I’ll always stand on your side?” I looked down at my manicure for a while, then said to him: “Then get lost.” That was my answer, and he really left. In the sub-zero weather, he went out without even putting on his coat, probably furious. I sent him a message around dusk. “James, I miss you.” Within fifteen minutes, the front door opened. I was suddenly pulled into his embrace, mixed with the crisp cold from outside. His high nose bridge pressed against the crook of my neck, and I heard him say: “Yes, I will always stand on your side.” …You see, for the me in my past life, training Professor James was even simpler than training a dog. … After cutting my hand and drawing blood for the third time, staring at the unidentifiable substance bubbling in the pot, I finally snapped out of my memories, Realizing I was not a cooking talent. I switched to ordering takeout from Lin Chuan Pavilion instead. Then transferred it to our own thermal food container. Anyway… I probably couldn’t tell the difference between homemade and takeout. …Probably.

“I’m sorry, sis.” “I didn’t know you were bringing lunch for Professor James too.” “He’s already eating the food I made…” Mia stood in front of me, visibly panicked and flustered. “Call him brother-in-law.” I smiled at her, seeing her small hands hidden in her sleeves tighten a bit. … “James.” I stood in front of the man who was eating with his head down. He ignored me, so I took the chopsticks from his hand. Swapping the lunch box in front of him for mine. He looked down at the dishes before him for a moment. His deep dark eyes finally focused on me. “Look.” I held out my hand with band-aids to him. “To make food for you, I got three cuts.” “I cooked for a long time, will you eat mine instead?” I met his gaze, very calm. But so calm it seemed like it was about to shatter. Finally, he sighed. “Zoe. Your dishes look exactly the same as Lin Chuan Pavilion’s.” “Did you steal their recipes?” “…” I pretended not to understand the sarcasm in his words. Might as well go all in. “James, just say whether you’ll eat it or not!” It seemed that many times, when I got angry, he would soften and coax me. I was used to this, but I forgot, this wasn’t the me and him from the past life anymore. But he still lowered his head and ate the seafood porridge in front of him spoonful by spoonful. Very obedient, just like the James in my past life who would do whatever I told him to. After finishing, he looked at me bending down to clean up the lunch boxes for the first time. “Zoe.” He called my name, like a clear mountain stream, “I’m allergic to seafood.” “After two lifetimes, you still can’t remember.” I was suddenly shocked and looked up at him. His wrist, already pale to the point where blue veins were visible, had now broken out in red rashes. He just showed it to me like that. “Is torturing me to death the only thing that will make you happy?”

James had a severe seafood allergy. From his wrist starting to redden to uncontrollable coughing, and finally difficulty breathing, it only took about thirty minutes. “How could you let him touch even a bit of seafood?” “The doctor said if Professor James had been brought in any later, he really could have died!” “Sis, how could you not know about this? Why don’t you know even this?” Outside the hospital room, Mia looked at me with red eyes, her voice already tinged with tears. She liked James, I knew. Otherwise, in my past life, I wouldn’t have given James a second glance. “Well…” “He knew and still ate it himself…” I weakly tried to defend myself, and just then, the hospital room door opened. The nurse nodded, saying the patient was awake. I looked through the slightly open door. James was sitting up in bed, looking at me. Probably having heard every word of my feeble excuse just now. His eyes were so empty, devoid of everything, not even disappointment, just a void. Mia rushed to his bedside. “Professor James! How are you?” I followed, but the man who hadn’t spoken for a while suddenly coughed. “Zoe.” His voice was extremely low, his ink-black eyes staring straight at me. My heart skipped a beat, and I unconsciously walked towards him. “Can you never appear in front of me again?” …

This was James’s request. I don’t know why my reaction was even bigger than his. I stormed out of the hospital room, slamming the door behind me. Yes, I schemed endlessly, I was heartless, I was rotten to the core. But he… couldn’t he still stand by my side? Couldn’t he… no matter what kind of person I was, just stand by my side? … He wanted Mia, not me anymore. When I got home, I happened to see the stuffed toy lying on the sofa. It was a limited edition flying dragon he had won for me before we got married. He just treated it as an ordinary gift to give me. At that time, I didn’t know that to catch this dragon, he had gone to five malls, emptied four claw machines. In the end, he got this dragon for me at a bar. That day he was very drunk, his earlobes were flushed red. Dizzy from the alcohol, he took out this dragon from behind his back. “Zoe.” He called me. “Can you look at me?” He hid behind that dragon, using its paw to wave at me. “Can you let me stay by your side?” “Even if.” “Even if…” That was an extremely light sigh hidden beside me. Throwing away all the dignity of being James. “Even as a backup is fine.” … The fact proves that reminiscing late at night really does make one’s anger turn inward. When I walked to James’s hospital room door in the dead of night, that’s what I was thinking. The night was extremely quiet, the curtains barely drawn. I stood by his bed, looking down at the man who seemed uneasy even in his sleep. James’s face, no wonder it had the capital to make the girls in his department think of him day and night. High nose bridge, eyebrows like pines, always a person of lofty ideals and integrity. How did he… Get entangled with me for most of his life. I unconsciously leaned closer, and suddenly fell into a pair of eyes as cold as a deep pool. The man had woken up at some point, leaning against the headboard looking at me. His eyes were so cold, cold enough that I instinctively took half a step back. “You…” “Finally sick of me, huh?” I sniffled. I don’t know why, in the hazy moonlight. I suddenly pulled up the corners of my mouth and said such a self-deprecating thing to him. “Are you surprised?” He said this, enunciating extremely clearly. “Shouldn’t I be sick of you?” I felt the black edge on him magnify. He sat up straight, serious enough to break one’s heart. “You’re so selfish, utilitarian, so fond of using underhanded means.” “Shouldn’t I be sick of you, Zoe.”

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My sister Lily had a medical checkup at my friend’s hospital, and the results showed severe kidney failure. My friend said only I was a suitable tissue match. On New Year’s Eve, I told my family that I was the one who was sick. Their reaction was to avoid me like the plague. “You’re sick yourself, and you want to harm your sister?” “It’s a kidney transplant, the risk is huge. How can you be so selfish?” Lily leaned into Mom’s arms, crying pitifully. I smiled bitterly, thinking they had finally shown their true colors. I threw down the test results and left this home without a shred of attachment. 0 When I first learned about the successful tissue match, my own test results also came out – I was ten weeks pregnant. I was about to go shopping for New Year’s supplies with my husband when my friend stopped me. She said that if I wanted to donate a kidney to my sister Lily, for the sake of my health, I would have to give up this child. To be honest, I hesitated. This child was something my husband and I had been hoping for for so long. How could I bear to give it up? Then I thought of Lily. She was different from me. Lily had grown up pampered and spoiled by our parents. They treasured her beyond measure. If anything happened to her, our parents would probably be devastated. After much hesitation, I still decided to go back home before New Year’s Eve. As soon as I entered the door, I heard laughter inside. Everyone was gathered together preparing for the New Year. Besides my sister Lily and her fiancé, there was also my aunt’s family. They were chatting and laughing happily, the atmosphere of family reunion showcasing the festivity of the New Year. I really didn’t want to break this harmonious and warm scene. The moment they saw me, the whole house went quiet, and everyone’s smiles froze. At this point, Mom seemed to suddenly remember something. She got up with a laugh and walked towards me, pulling me to join them with feigned affection. “We were just about to call you. Look at you coming back on your own. You must be missing Mom’s cooking. Come, have a taste.” Unfortunately, no matter how much she tried to appear warm and caring, her actions and tone were full of distance and politeness. I pretended to look weak and raised my hand to touch the arm that was loosely supporting me, gently holding it. “I’m sick, Mom.” I felt Mom’s body stiffen. The next second, she wanted to pull her hand away from my grip, but then she held back. “…Well, if you’re sick, you should eat more. Once you’re full, all illnesses will be gone.” She didn’t even ask what illness I had, brushing me off while trying to pull her hand away. My aunt frowned with disgust and said, “Did you come back just to make everyone uncomfortable?” I didn’t take her words to heart at all and sat down in the chair that had just been pulled out. “I have severe kidney failure.” 0

Mom’s hand trembled as she repeated her actions, and an eerie silence fell over the dining room. Soon, her eyes reddened, and she sat down beside me, starting to wipe her tears. My father, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. “If you’re sick, go see a doctor. What’s the use of coming back to tell us?” His eyes were full of disdain. “You’re a grown-up now, but you still don’t know how to handle things. Don’t scare others into getting sick after you’ve recovered.” Mom wiped away tears that no longer existed. “Yes, listen to your father.” Lily put on her professional smile and poured me a drink as if nothing was wrong. “Sister, try this good wine your brother-in-law brought back.” My aunt muttered in disgust, “Don’t tell me you came back to borrow money! How unlucky!” After that, everyone fell silent again. I coldly looked at everyone. “I didn’t come back to borrow money from you.” I looked at Lily. “I wanted to ask my sister if she could donate a kidney to me.” The table went quiet again. It seemed like a century had passed before I heard Dad slam the table hard. “Nonsense!” His face turned red with anger. “It’s New Year’s Eve! What nonsense are you talking about!” “Don’t you know how risky a kidney transplant is?” I squeezed out a bitter smile. “It’s risky, but it could save my life. Isn’t it worth it?” He was stunned for a moment, then said firmly and resolutely, “It’s impossible. I won’t agree to it. Even a one in ten thousand risk is unacceptable.” Although I already knew the answer in my heart, I still wanted to hear it with my own ears before giving up. I turned my gaze to Mom. Mom was crying harder than before. I looked at her full of expectation, thinking that maybe she would comfort me like she comforted my sister. But even though she was shedding hot tears, her words were ice-cold and cutting. “Life and death are destined, child. You… just accept your fate.” Her tone was full of sadness. “You’re sick yourself, and you want to harm your sister. You’re killing me!” “Do you want me to lose two children at once? Ah! How can you be so cruel!” Hearing this, I finally woke up. Mom’s tears were never for me. I lost interest and stopped looking at her, turning my gaze back to Lily. But now her eyes were full of anger. “Emma, are you crazy? Do you have to make trouble on New Year’s Eve?” She stood up as she spoke, her hands on the edge of the table, clearly angered by me. “You’ve always resented Mom and Dad for losing you, haven’t you? You think they’ve mistreated you? That’s why you’ve been causing trouble for the family since you came back, you can’t stand to see us happy.” She cried, tears streaming down her face. “I’m about to get married, how can you be so selfish and vicious?” Mom and she cried in each other’s arms, while others looked at me with vicious and resentful eyes. “I’m telling you, I won’t donate. I’m selfish, don’t blame Mom and Dad.” Lily raised her head, looking like she was making a great sacrifice. The others didn’t speak for a long time, so long that Mom’s face looked like she had never cried at all. I stared at the people in front of me and said, “You really won’t donate to me?” Lily tidied her hair and said firmly, “No! Absolutely not!” “Think whatever you want, but don’t take it out on Mom and Dad. They’re innocent.” I sneered, wondering how I had become such a villain. They sat together as a family, and Mom started crying again. My aunt comforted her in a low voice. “What sin have I committed to deserve this!” I coldly watched her pretending to be sincere. “Indeed, it’s not worth it for an ungrateful person like me.” Dad angrily stood up. “We shouldn’t have found you back in the first place, you ungrateful wretch.” I questioned him. “Then why did you bring me back? For your face?” He slapped me, and my face immediately turned red and stinging. “Get out!” Dad took some cash and threw it at me. This New Year’s red envelope was probably prepared for my sister’s fiancé, their golden son-in-law. My sister’s fiancé was a great help to our family business. How could Mom and Dad sacrifice their precious daughter for me? “The Thompson family doesn’t have a daughter like you.” I steadied myself and asked again. “Are you severing ties with me?” Mom looked at me but didn’t say anything. Everyone was looking at Dad. “That’s right, I’m severing ties with you. I believe that since we found you and brought you back, we haven’t mistreated you in any way.” “We’ve fed you well, clothed you warmly, but you… you’re ungrateful. Now you even want to ruin your sister’s bright future.” Fed well? Clothed warmly? I smiled bitterly. More like not starved to death, not frozen to death. “Then I can’t let you down.” I stared hard at my father. “Dad, you have to keep your word.” Father eagerly expressed, “I keep my word. From today on, you are no longer Robert Thompson’s daughter! You have no connection with the Thompson family anymore.” I couldn’t be more clear-headed. “Fine, from now on, we’ll go our separate ways.” Lily hugged Mom and said with a sob, “Get out quickly, you unlucky thing.” I laughed suddenly, took out my test results, and mixed them with the money around. “I won’t take this money. You might need it more than I do.” Walking out the door, the festive atmosphere of the New Year was on everyone’s face! Breathing in the fresh air outside, I felt alive again. Since I came back, I’ve been trying to please everyone in the family, but except for the initial joy they showed in front of the media when they first found me, they’ve been ignoring me ever since. I thought they cared about their reputation. But they weren’t like that with Lily. Lily was the daughter they carefully nurtured, their pride and joy. And I was just a child who grew up in the gutter, dispensable to them. 0

On New Year’s Eve, Lily sent me a reposted article with the title: “The Daughter Found After Great Effort Turns Out to Be Unfilial!” As I clicked in to read, a chill ran from the soles of my feet straight to the top of my head. It was a press conference, and those cold words pierced my eyes one by one. [Emma Thompson, an ungrateful wretch who insults her parents! Misbehaving. Using the Thompson family name to borrow and lend money outside… has severed ties with the Thompson family.] I couldn’t believe they would twist the facts like this just to sever ties with me. Something flowed from my eyes, and my vision began to blur. With each line I read, my heart ached more. Mark came over, took away my phone, and gently pulled me into his arms, comforting me softly. “Don’t be afraid, I’ll handle this.” “It’s not worth it.” My emotions gradually stabilized under his comfort. Yes, it’s not worth it. This report gave them another wave of attention. Dad would never miss an opportunity to boost his reputation. But soon the heat died down, replaced by news of a product defect in Dad’s company. Public opinion began to shift in another direction. I found it ironic when I occasionally saw it. I knew it was Mark’s doing. Mom and Dad probably never imagined that the poor boy they once looked down on had become someone far beyond their reach. I closed my laptop and walked out of the office, thinking that I would be working from home soon. Catching a glimpse of Lily’s face on a roadside billboard, I suddenly realized how much time had passed. I thought they probably hadn’t seen that test result, otherwise my surroundings wouldn’t be so quiet. Mom and Dad should be preparing for Lily’s national speech now. They wouldn’t want to miss such a good opportunity to gain attention. But it’s just a matter of days now. That day when I went to my friend’s hospital for a checkup, I happened to run into Lily getting her physical exam results, and my friend Rachel was in charge of her. Seeing her hesitation, I thought something had happened again. Back in school, she had been bullied by Lily, and my experience was similar. Those memories were a nightmare that could never be shaken off. That’s why I knew Lily’s test results before she did. “I may not have such a noble character, but I can’t be as cold-blooded as her either.” I looked at her with a smile, wondering why Rachel couldn’t be my sister. “You should tell Lily first, let your family be prepared,” “So far, only you meet the requirements, but you can’t be so hasty.” I nodded, knowing she had her own motives, but so did I. Why do people who have bullied others live so comfortably, as if their past actions have nothing to do with them? It can even become a topic of conversation with their friends. Only the bullied remain stuck in that moment forever. I returned home to find many people there, all dressed uniformly. My husband met my puzzled gaze and said softly, “Your father’s family is coming over.” I thought he was being a bit too dramatic and laughed, calling him childish. But he neither agreed nor disagreed.

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After our parents’ divorce, my sister Chloe was desperate to stay with our lenient dad, while our strict mom took me away. Two years later, both our parents found new partners, but Chloe regretted her choice. Our stepmom was open-minded, taking Chloe to get tattoos and dye her hair, which led to Chloe being cyberbullied. Our stepdad, on the other hand, was a “gentleman” who molded me into a well-mannered young lady and helped me marry a “quality” man. Chloe, forced to drop out of school, accused me of stealing mom away from her and poisoned my drink. So in this new life, Chloe resolutely chose to go with mom. But her life was completely ruined by our stepdad. 0 “Mom, I want to go with you! Please take me!” Chloe’s loud voice rang out as I woke up in bed. The stomach pain from the poison in my previous life was gone. I realized I had been reborn. Reborn to the day our parents finalized their divorce. I got up and walked to the living room. Sure enough, I saw our worried parents sitting on the couch, while Chloe was on her knees, tugging at mom’s sleeve and begging. “Please, mom, let Emma go with dad. I promise I’ll be good!” Then she turned and gave me a venomous look. As expected, Chloe had been reborn too. Her goal in doing this was to avoid the stepmom who would marry our dad two years later. Seeing me come out, dad’s gaze fell on me. He asked gently, “Emma, do you want to go with dad?” Memories suddenly flashed back to my previous life. On the same day, unlike Chloe, I was very upset about our parents’ divorce. Rather than choosing who to go with, I hoped more that they wouldn’t separate, and that we could continue living happily as a family of four. So I couldn’t make a choice at all. But Chloe was clever. She had always been afraid of our strict mom and knew that with her poor grades, she would inevitably be criticized if she went with mom. So she quickly grabbed dad’s hand. This way, I passively ended up with mom. Despite this, I still didn’t give up, privately trying to persuade our parents to reconcile. Unexpectedly, years later, I learned a shocking secret. The reason for our parents’ divorce was actually because of mom. Mom had fallen in love with a colleague behind dad’s back. 0

Facing this choice again, I was much more clear-headed. Since mom had betrayed dad, why should I try to reconcile them? Moreover, didn’t Chloe want to go with mom and welcome that kind stepdad two years later? I smiled slightly. I said to dad, “Dad, I’ll go with you.” Chloe, standing next to mom, curled her lips in satisfaction. Indeed, although mom was strict, she was a top student back in the day. Following her, she would, like in my previous life, work with our stepdad to mold Chloe into a well-mannered, universally praised young lady. As for me, I could only follow my stepmom and have my reputation ruined. But I accepted all of this willingly. Soon, our parents’ divorce proceedings were completed. Mom got the house as she wished, while dad drove me, with two suitcases, to the other side of the city. Jack, my dad, was a free-spirited person. After mom’s affair, he never showed any negative emotions in front of me and Chloe. Just like now, even though he had lost the house, he was excitedly arranging my room in the newly rented apartment. “Emma, dad will give you a good life.” I suddenly felt a lump in my throat. After all, I knew that right now, mom was dating that man in what used to be our family home. I’m sure Chloe, locked in her room studying, was still in the dark about it. I smiled at dad. I said, “Dad, Emma will make you proud too.” Compared to living in a family where I would be constantly slut-shamed, having a kind dad and an open-minded stepmom should make it pretty hard not to make them proud, right? 0

Two years passed quickly. This year, mom first announced her new relationship on Instagram. At the same time, she also proudly showed off her wedding ring, sweetly writing: “First year with Mr. Chen.” Yes, this man named Daniel Chen was mom’s affair partner from back then. However, she had left a long enough gap, so friends and family all congratulated her after the announcement. Including my sister Chloe. Chloe shared mom’s post, writing proudly: “Uncle Daniel is so nice, in a few days I’ll be calling him dad.” I couldn’t help but sneer. Uncle Daniel was indeed very nice. He had a respectable job, and people’s evaluation of him was always that of a righteous and steady gentleman. His students often praised him online. In my previous life, when I first met my stepdad, he showed a very likable and friendly demeanor, and interacted with me very appropriately. Of course, he would also gently guide me to change my bad habits, acting every bit the good teacher and helpful friend. How could such a good man not raise a well-mannered young lady? Chloe was overjoyed and specifically sent me a message to show off. “Sis, you know about Uncle Daniel, right? He even helps me with my homework. My final exam ranking has risen to the top ten in the class. You’re probably still around twentieth, aren’t you?” “Oh, by the way, the other day I saw dad dating a woman. People say when you get a stepmom, you get a stepdad too. Are you scared?” I coldly looked at the text she sent. In the end, I still didn’t tell her – Your beloved and admired Uncle Daniel is actually a habitual sexual harasser of students. So do you think he’ll spare you? 0

In my previous life, I met a senior student. Coincidentally, the senior knew my stepdad Daniel. The senior told me that stepdad was her high school math teacher. But in her senior year, he mysteriously resigned. “Do you know what everyone was saying about him?” she asked. I nervously asked the senior, “What?” So the senior lowered her voice: “He harassed female students and was fired.” At that time, I was so shocked I couldn’t even speak. This matter weighed on my mind, making me feel suffocated every day. Finally one day, I decided to talk to mom about it. Unexpectedly, mom didn’t take my side. She immediately called stepdad over. Stepdad pointed at my nose and scolded me for having ulterior motives. “Emma, haven’t I been good to you these past few years? Is this how you repay me? Do you have a conscience?” I shook my head helplessly: “I don’t have bad intentions, I just think mom and I have the right to know the truth.” Hearing this, stepdad smashed the teacup on the coffee table with a “bang”. Blood seeped from his fist as he gritted his teeth and said to me: “The truth? The truth is that I was falsely accused back then! I voluntarily resigned to clear my name, otherwise how could I still be a professor now?” After he finished, he took a deep breath and looked at mom: “It seems your daughter has never considered me family. I think it’s time to reconsider our relationship.” That day, mom slapped me twice. Stepdad slammed the door as he left, and mom cried all night in the living room. I didn’t know what I had done wrong. But mom still said those words that made me feel like I had fallen into an ice pit: “Emma, apologize to your stepdad, or don’t come back to this home!” I looked at mom in disbelief, crying as I returned to school that night. With the help of my senior, I contacted the victim of the sexual harassment incident from years ago. In the end, it was verified that it had indeed happened. My stepdad Daniel Chen was truly a hypocrite with the face of a gentleman. The reason he acted so righteous in front of people was nothing more than to win a good reputation. In Chloe’s eyes, I was receiving a quality education from a distinguished professor and strict mother, walking upright and sitting properly, which is why I could marry a good man. But she didn’t know. During the seven years of living with my stepdad, I had to endure almost daily slut-shaming from him and mom. Now, Chloe, are you about to experience it too? 0

I met Aunt Holly. Dad sat nervously and shyly beside her as he introduced her to me: “Emma, this is your Aunt Holly. We just met recently. You’re grown up now, and dad doesn’t want to hide this from you.” I looked at this fashionably dressed woman in front of me. In my previous life, I had only met her a handful of times. Apart from seeing her once at her and dad’s wedding, most of the time my stepdad wouldn’t let me see her. The reason was very bizarre. Stepdad said with disgust: “That woman doesn’t look like a good person. Our Emma should have less contact with her.” But on my birthday, Aunt Holly waited for me at the school gate and gave me a set of branded cosmetics. I remember it clearly, Aunt Holly with her big wavy hair and thick red lips, patted my head and said: “Emma has grown into a young lady. Take Auntie’s gift, I hope you’ll become even more beautiful in the future.” That day was also the happiest day of my 18 years as a girl. Unfortunately, when I got home, this set of cosmetics was discovered by my stepdad. He said: “Wearing makeup at such a young age, are you trying to attract men’s attention?” The psychological shadow from my previous life still made me afraid. But Aunt Holly seemed to sense my emotions. She spoke first, warm and sincere: “Emma, you’re so pretty. Auntie likes you, do you like Auntie?” Me: “…” Dad laughed sheepishly and patted Aunt Holly: “What are you doing? You’ll scare my Emma. She’s slow to warm up to people, we need to take it slow.” After saying that, dad stroked my head and gave me a reassuring look. Actually, I could see that dad had been watching my reactions the whole time. But dad is human too, he needs companionship and love. And Aunt Holly is not a bad person. So the next second, I smiled at Aunt Holly and said: “Auntie, you’re very pretty too. I like you.” I saw that dad and Auntie were both stunned. Dad’s eyes turned red, and he lowered his head to eat a couple bites of food. Aunt Holly, overwhelmed with emotion, took out an exquisite box from her bag. “Emma, I won’t say those polite words for our first meeting. This is a gift Auntie prepared for you, do you like it?” I took it and opened it. What met my eyes was actually – a set of lingerie. I held back my sobs. Memories suddenly flashed back to my previous life, the third day after stepdad came to our home. At 13, I was just beginning to develop as a girl. Not thinking much of it, I hung my freshly washed underwear on the balcony. But stepdad suddenly came to me with a dark face. He threw the underwear at me: “Emma, I’ve only been living with you for a few days, shouldn’t you be more careful?” 0

To others and Chloe, it seemed I had lucked out with a once-in-a-century good stepdad. He always looked at me with righteousness, never overstepping as a stepdad, and worked hard to strictly educate me for my future. But if they knew that I could never appear at home with exposed wrists and ankles, what would they think? Even more terrifying was that mom was lovesick. Stepdad’s voice caught mom’s attention. She came out of the room, and the first thing she saw was the underwear on me. Stepdad pointed at me, as if he had found backup: “Emma is not a little girl anymore, how can she still be so careless? Hanging such private clothing openly on the balcony, what will others think of me? I’m a professor!” I was bewildered as I processed stepdad’s words, momentarily speechless. And I thought mom would help me. She definitely wouldn’t blame me. Unexpectedly, after hearing stepdad’s words, mom also turned her resentful gaze towards me. Then, she launched her first humiliation against me. “Emma, put away your dirty things!” “Is this how I taught you? If I see you displaying these things again, don’t blame me for getting physical!” I stammered, wanting to speak, but didn’t know how to defend myself. I was just a 13-year-old girl! What kind of things are these things? Now that I have a stepdad, do I not even have the right to wear underwear? Am I that indecent? That night, I tossed and turned, unable to sleep. I even started to be brainwashed, wondering if I had really crossed a line? So from then on, I avoided public areas when drying my clothes. I thought, this way stepdad and mom wouldn’t be uncomfortable, right? But it wasn’t like that. Similar things kept happening over the next ten years. When I had my period and went to the bathroom frequently, stepdad saw the tissues I threw in the trash can and made a fuss, calling my mom to look. He accused me: “Who told you to put these things here? What will I think when I see them? Emma, you really have no manners!” Mom chimed in: “You’re a girl! Girls should know how to respect themselves. Your uncle is a professor, isn’t it disgusting for him to see these things?!” I talked back at the time: “Mom, you’re a woman too, and so is uncle’s mother. Tell me, what does this have to do with self-respect?” The next second, a loud slap landed on my face. This slap was actually from stepdad. I covered my face, tears gushing out. Mom just watched, unmoved.

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On Ethan’s birthday night, I was lured into his bed with a glass of wine. After a wild night, I thought we could finally go public with our relationship. But then I overheard his friend apologizing. “Ethan, I’m sorry, but I have to tell the truth. The drug in Mia’s drink last night, it wasn’t me who put it there.” “I know,” Ethan replied lazily, completely unconcerned. “Aren’t I pursuing Zoe? That little brat actually said my skills in bed were terrible.” “Oh, so you used Mia for practice,” his friend teased. “How was it? Who’s better, Mia or Zoe?” Ethan seemed to reminisce, narrowing his eyes as he thought for a moment. “I still prefer them younger.” I stood outside the room, unable to hold back any longer. I pushed open the door and slapped Ethan hard across the face. He didn’t dodge, leaning casually on the sofa. He touched his cheek with his tongue, smiling faintly. “Heard it all? Good, saves me from wasting more time.” I stared at him intently, my whole body shaking uncontrollably. “Mia, all these years, I really tried, but I realized we’re truly better off as siblings.” “Drugging your ‘sister’ and tricking her into bed,” I laughed coldly, using all my strength not to let tears fall. “Ethan, is this how you treat a sister?” Ethan raised an eyebrow carelessly: “How would I know we’re not compatible if we didn’t sleep together?” “Don’t worry, as long as I’m around as your brother, no one will dare bully you.” “No need,” I forcefully suppressed all my anger and pain, slowly unclenching my fists, trying to smile naturally. “Don’t let your dear Zoe misunderstand.” With that, I turned and left, struggling to maintain my last shred of dignity.

Back home, I soaked in the bathtub for over two hours, until my skin was slightly swollen before I got out. When I went to the walk-in closet to change, seeing half the closet filled with clothes, bags, and jewelry Ethan had given me, I called the owner of a luxury consignment store without hesitation. Ethan and I had practically grown up together. Over the years, he would give me gifts for my birthday and various holidays, big and small, each one expensive. Mrs. Parker had even mentioned wanting me as a daughter-in-law years ago. Because of this, I had devoted all my attention to Ethan for so many years. I thought he must have liked me too. But in the end, I was just deluding myself. From jewelry worth hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars, down to the lingerie Ethan had given me last Valentine’s Day. Anything that could be resold, I had the consignment store owner pack up and take away. What couldn’t be resold, I threw away as trash. After doing all this, I booked a flight for a business trip that evening. As I finished packing and was about to leave, I saw Zoe’s announcement on social media. Two intertwined hands, with a pair of simple band rings that were all too familiar. Those rings – I had helped Ethan pick them out. At the time, I was overjoyed, thinking Ethan was going to propose to me and give them to me. Now it just seemed laughable! Looking at the constant stream of congratulatory messages mentioning @Ethan and @Zoe, calling Zoe “sister-in-law” over and over. I’d be lying if I said my heart didn’t ache. After all, for so many years, I had been eagerly waiting for Ethan to propose to me, to marry him and become his wife. Suddenly, Zoe tagged me: “@Mia Johnson, Mia, are you free tonight? Want to come hang out?” The group chat suddenly went quiet. After a long while, Ethan chimed in, tagging me: “If you truly wish us well, then come. Otherwise, don’t bother showing up and upsetting Zoe.” “Ethan, how can you say that about Mia? She’s not that kind of person,” Zoe protested. “Babe, she’s not as open-minded and reasonable as you. She’s quite petty!” Ethan replied. Watching Ethan and Zoe flirt shamelessly in the group chat, I smiled. Forcing back the tears welling up in my eyes, I left the group chat and blocked both Ethan and Zoe on all platforms.

I’m a wedding planner, fairly well-known in the industry. This time, my business trip was to Newport, Rhode Island, one of the wealthiest areas in the country. The bride was my college classmate, and like the groom, came from an extremely wealthy Newport family. The bride and groom personally came to pick me up at the airport. The next two weeks were a whirlwind of busy work. I was so exhausted that I would fall asleep as soon as I got back to the hotel each night. On the wedding day, all the big shots from the East Coast gathered at the venue. I was responsible for on-site execution and supervision, ensuring everything went according to plan, running around like crazy. At one point, I accidentally stepped on someone’s foot and nearly fell. Luckily, the person caught me in time. “I’m so sorry, are you okay?” I quickly apologized. “I think ‘thank you’ would be more appropriate,” a low, magnetic male voice sounded above my head. I looked up to see a mature, handsome face suddenly filling my vision. The man smiled at me, his eyes deep and sparkling like stars. The scene felt oddly familiar. “Mia, the bride is ready to enter,” my assistant suddenly reminded me. “Okay,” I responded, then said another quick “thank you” to the man before hurrying off.

After the wedding, I slept for a day and a night straight. In the evening, my classmate came knocking, inviting me to join her, her husband, and some friends for a party. I got dressed up and went out. “Do you know Jack Collins?” my classmate asked. I shook my head. She looked surprised. “The heir to the biggest family business conglomerate in New England? You don’t know him?” I was also surprised: “I really don’t.” “But he says he knows you!” “He’s my husband’s friend. Like my husband, he basically grew up abroad and just recently came back to take over the family business.” I was even more surprised: “Did he say how he knows me?” My classmate shook her head. At the venue, after introductions from my classmate and her husband, I finally realized who Jack Collins was. He was the man whose foot I had stepped on at the wedding, the one who told me to say thank you. “Mr. Collins, it’s an honor to meet you!” I said politely. “How can it be an honor when you don’t even know me?” he replied. “…” I imperceptibly raised an eyebrow, then tactfully turned away with my drink. Afterwards, I constantly felt two burning gazes fixed on me, unwilling to move away. My classmate finished socializing and came over to tease me: “I bet Jack Collins has taken a liking to you.” Hearing this, I casually glanced over at Jack Collins. To my surprise, he happened to be looking my way too. Our eyes met, and I suddenly felt my breath catch, an inexplicable sense of embarrassment washing over me. I forced myself to control my emotions, raising my glass in a distant toast to Jack Collins. But he ignored me, turning his head away. I: “…” How ungentlemanly. I drank quite a bit that night, almost to the point of drunkenness. When Jack Collins was about to leave, my classmate stopped him, supporting my unsteady steps as she brought me in front of him. “Mr. Collins, we can’t get a car home. Would you mind giving Mia a ride?” she asked. I mumbled “No need.” My classmate quickly said “Yes, please,” then smiled at Jack Collins and added, “I’d feel uneasy letting anyone else take such a beautiful girl home.” Jack Collins’ face was expressionless as he looked me over coolly, then said in a deep voice, “Alright, help Miss Johnson into my car then.”

The road from the party venue to the hotel wasn’t great, with quite a few bumps. My stomach was already feeling awful, and after all the jostling, I felt like I was going to be sick. “Stop the car,” Jack Collins suddenly ordered. Hearing this, the driver immediately pulled over to the side of the road. The car hadn’t even come to a complete stop when I turned to push open the door. But before I could open it, Jack Collins yanked me back. “Urgh—” Caught off guard, I fell into Jack Collins’ arms and immediately threw up. Once I started, I couldn’t stop. I vomited all over Jack Collins’ chest. The confined space of the car was instantly filled with an acrid smell. Jack Collins’ long eyebrows furrowed slightly as he looked down at me with dark eyes, ordering in a low voice, “Keep driving.” “Yes, sir,” the driver responded, holding his breath as he pulled back onto the road. After I finished throwing up, I was so embarrassed I wanted to disappear on the spot. Thank goodness the car lights weren’t on. I snuck a glance up at Jack Collins. He had his eyes closed, leaning back against the seat, completely motionless as if asleep. The streetlights flickered through the windows, dancing across his chiseled, handsome face. He had a high, straight nose and thin, sexy lips. His eyebrows were long and sharp like swords, his eyelashes thick and dark like brushes. Few men had eyelashes as lush as his. Staring at the face before me, I felt like I had seen it somewhere before. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Collins! Why don’t you drop me off here and head home? I’ll transfer you money for cleaning the car and your clothes.” “What, you make a mess of me and don’t plan to take responsibility?” Jack Collins spoke, his voice low and unreadable. I: “…”

When Jack Collins stood at the door of my hotel room, I still couldn’t believe he had demanded to come up to shower. My hand shook slightly as I took out the keycard to open the door. While I was still hesitating whether to let Jack Collins in, his large hand reached out and grasped mine. The next second, there was a “beep” and the door opened. I was still in a daze when Jack Collins pushed past me into the room, heading straight for the bathroom. Hearing the bathroom door slam shut, I finally let out a sigh of relief. The sound of running water soon came from the shower. I took the opportunity to quickly change my clothes. I had just finished undressing when Jack Collins called out from the bathroom. “Where are the towels?” Huh?! I looked around. Both towels were lying on the nearby sofa, used earlier before I went out. It was already past midnight, obviously too late to call room service to bring up more. “They’re out here, I’ll bring them to you,” I called back. I hurriedly grabbed the towels to take to the bathroom, then realized I wasn’t wearing anything myself. Not wanting to keep Jack Collins waiting, I quickly threw on a loose maxi dress, then went to knock on the bathroom door. “I’ve hung the towel on the doorknob, you can—” get it yourself. “Click!” “Ah!” Before I could finish speaking, the bathroom door suddenly opened from the inside. Then a muscular arm reached out, precisely grabbing my hand holding the towel, and yanked me into the bathroom. I was pushed up against the bathroom door. The man’s body was dripping wet, but burning hot. I only dared to take one glance before my cheeks felt like they were on fire. “Empty handed on purpose?” Jack Collins asked, one hand gripping my waist, the other lifting the hem of my dress. His voice was dark and sexy enough to drive anyone crazy. I didn’t know where to look, so I closed my eyes and turned my head away, my voice shaking as I answered, “Mr. Collins, you misunderstand, I—” “Mmph!” Before I could explain, Jack Collins sealed my lips with his own.

My mind went completely blank, unable to process what was happening. Before I could fully react, Jack Collins’ lips and tongue had already begun moving lower. I opened my eyes, looking down at the man buried in my chest, and tried to push him away with all my strength. “Jack… Mr. Collins…” My voice shook even more than before: “If you touch me, you have to take responsibility.” Hearing this, Jack Collins stopped all movement and looked up at me. Our eyes met, and in the flickering fire of his gaze, I seemed to see his determination. The next second, the loose dress slipped off my body to pool at my feet as he buried his head even deeper. My body began to tremble uncontrollably. I grabbed his short black hair with one hand, trying to push him away with the other. My voice sounded like I was crying and laughing at the same time as I kept calling his name, saying “No.” But Jack Collins was relentless. Just when I thought my legs would give out, he finally supported me and lifted his head. In the bright light, the moisture glistening on his lips looked dazzling and incredibly alluring. “Did that feel good?” he asked. He stood up, pressing tightly against me as he leaned down to kiss me again. My whole body had gone soft, my breathing completely erratic. Thinking of what his mouth had just done, I instinctively turned my head away. But he just laughed: “Disgusted by your own taste?” I ignored him. He forcefully turned my face back and pried open my lips. “You’ve had your pleasure, now it’s my turn!” Somehow we had moved from the bathroom to the bed. The phone I had tossed on the bed suddenly started ringing incessantly, but we were too caught up in each other to pay any attention. Until the call was accidentally answered and put on speakerphone. “Mia Johnson, how dare you block me!” an angry voice demanded. That all too familiar voice made my whole body instantly freeze up. “Ouch~” “Mia, baby, relax!” Jack Collins caressed my face, but increased his intensity. Suddenly turning somewhat fierce. I couldn’t hold back the sounds escaping my throat. “Mia Johnson, what are you doing? Are you actually in bed with another man—” Just as Ethan’s shout was about to finish, Jack Collins, without stopping his movements, reached out to grab the phone. With a low, mocking laugh, he cut Ethan off. “Parker, how old are you? If you want milk, go find your mom. Stop harassing my girlfriend, she’s really busy right now.”

Ethan listened to the dial tone coming from the phone, taking it away from his ear to see the screen had gone black. He suddenly exploded in rage, hurling his friend’s phone across the room. With a loud crash, the phone screen instantly shattered into a spiderweb pattern. Everyone in the private room looked at each other in shock, not daring to make a sound. Zoe carefully moved closer, placing her hand on Ethan’s leg. “Ethan—” “Get lost!” Ethan roared. “Ah!” Zoe cried out as Ethan flung her away, sending her tumbling off the sofa. “Ethan… what happened?” one of his friends ventured to ask. Ethan swept his murderous gaze over them, gritting out, “Where did Mia Johnson go? Does anyone know?” “I think Newport, Rhode Island.” “That super high-profile wedding for the Newport heir that’s been all over social media lately – I think Mia Johnson planned it.” “Ethan, how come you weren’t invited to the Newport heir’s wedding?” Ethan ground his back teeth, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the room one by one. The next second, he abruptly stood up and strode towards the door. “Ethan, where are you going?” Zoe quickly scrambled after him, grabbing his arm. Ethan looked down, seeing the ring Mia had picked out still on Zoe’s right ring finger. He roughly grabbed her hand and forcefully yanked the ring off. No matter how Zoe cried and struggled, it was useless. “Our relationship ends here. Don’t ever show your face in front of me again, and don’t you dare try to mess with Mia, or you know what will happen,” Ethan snarled. With that, he shoved Zoe away again and stormed out.

When I woke up, it was already late morning. The sound of running water came from the bathroom. I got out of bed, wincing at the soreness. I opened the curtains to bright sunlight streaming in. I sat down at the desk, lit a cigarette, then took out my checkbook. As Jack Collins came out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel, I was carefully filling out a check. For $100,000. He walked over just as I finished writing it. I tore out the check and held it out to him. Jack Collins glanced at the check with lowered eyes, the corner of his mouth curling in an ambiguous smile. “Is this to buy me for one time, or for the whole night?” I shook my head, not quite daring to look at him. Before he pulled me into the bathroom last night, I hadn’t thought his physique or stamina was anything special. He was tall, but looked a bit thin. But after last night, I realized how terribly wrong I’d been. The clearly defined six-pack abs and V-line in front of me now were a strong assault on my visual senses. And the lingering ache between my legs was an even clearer testament to his impressive stamina. Apart from finishing quickly the first time due to pent-up desire, every time after that had me begging for mercy. “This is for cleaning the car and your clothes,” I said with a light laugh, mustering up the courage to look at him. “As for you, I can’t afford to buy you.” Jack Collins’ dark eyes gazed at me without any emotion. He didn’t take the check from my hand, but instead plucked the cigarette from my mouth and took a long drag. “Too light. Don’t smoke these anymore.” After one puff, he stubbed out the cigarette in the water glass on the desk, then came around to stand in front of me. He bent down slightly and lifted me onto the desk, then pulled my legs to wrap around his narrow waist. As he leaned in, I placed my hands on his chest to stop him. “Jack, shouldn’t you be leaving?” Jack Collins ignored my protests, removing my hands and cupping the back of my head. Completely changing the subject, he asked, “Why do you smoke? Too much stress, or feeling down?” I looked at him, opening and closing my mouth, suddenly at a loss for words. “Whether it’s stress or feeling down, I can help you deal with it from now on.” With that, he leaned in to kiss me. I turned my head away. “We’re both adults, it was just a fling. Don’t tell me Mr. Collins has gotten addicted?” Jack Collins pressed his forehead against mine. “What, didn’t I satisfy you last night? Left you unsatisfied?” I laughed helplessly: “Jack, don’t you understand? I don’t like the feeling of sex without love.” “Who says I don’t love you?” “Knock knock—” “Knock knock—” Just as Jack Collins finished speaking and I thought I must have heard wrong, staring at him in shock with wide eyes, loud banging came from the door.

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