Author: Momo Chan

Five Years of Marriage, I Suddenly Called My Wife by Her Full Name I’ve been married to Sarah Mitchell for five years. Today, I suddenly started calling her by her full name. I also stopped caring about our daughter’s health. Sarah and Emma were stunned and asked why I had suddenly become so cold. I just smiled and said, “It’s nothing. You’re overthinking it.” They believed me and immediately started discussing their plans to go out with Mark the next day. They didn’t know that I had initially stayed with them only to complete a mission from headquarters. As long as I made Sarah fall in love with me, I could get $50 million. However, I ended up falling in love first. But now, I don’t want to continue anymore. I made a phone call: “Mission terminated. I don’t want the money anymore.” A voice came from the other end: “Are you sure about this? She might have already fallen in love with you. We’re talking about $50 million here.” “I’m sure,” I replied. “Alright. I’ve bought you a ticket to Norway. From now on, all your information in the city will be erased.” “In just half a month, you’ll be able to leave.” After the call, I dumped all the food into the trash can. That’s when Sarah and Emma returned home. As soon as they got home, Sarah tossed me a piece of clothing: “This is for you.” In the past, I would have been happy that they thought of me even when they went out without me. But now, looking at the clothes in my hand, I felt a bitter taste in my mouth. Still hoping against hope, I asked, “Did you buy this especially for me?” Sarah glanced at me, frowning: “Who else would I buy it for? Come on, is it because we didn’t take you out today? We’ll bring you along next time, okay?” Emma made a face at me: “Daddy’s a miser! Emma doesn’t want to go out with Daddy anymore.” Emma was still eating candy she had brought back from outside. Worried she might get a toothache, I took the candy from her hand: “Emma, you can’t eat any more candy. Your teeth might hurt tonight.” To my surprise, as soon as I took the candy, Emma reacted violently. She glared at me, pointing her little finger and shouting: “I don’t want you to be my daddy anymore, you’re a bad daddy!” She turned to Sarah and said: “Mommy, can you let Uncle Mark be my daddy instead?” Sarah looked at me and just said to Emma: “We can’t do that, honey. He’s your daddy.” Emma burst into tears and ran over to me, hitting and kicking: “Bad daddy, I don’t want this bad daddy. Daddy, why don’t you just die? If you die, I can let Uncle Mark be my daddy.” Emma’s words shocked me. I knew she liked Mark, but I never imagined she would want me to die so Mark could be her father. My heart was pierced once again. I took a deep breath and, for the first time, didn’t crouch down to comfort Emma. I firmly pulled her away and gave mother and daughter a cold look. After going upstairs, I opened my phone. The screen was still on Mark’s social media post from half an hour ago. The post showed a picture of the exact clothes Sarah had just said she bought especially for me. He had captioned it: “Bought the wrong size. Shame to throw it away.” So he thought it was a waste to throw away, so he gave it to me instead. Because I’m only worthy of wearing what he doesn’t want, is that it? A bitter smile crossed my lips as I started packing my clothes. Sarah thought I didn’t know about her and Mark, but six months ago, when she first cheated, Mark had sent me a message. After that, every time Sarah cheated, Mark would send a message taunting me. Each time, I endured it for the sake of our daughter. But later I discovered that even Emma was on Mark’s side. So since they’ve betrayed me, I don’t want them anymore either. There’s only one day left before I leave. I’ve prepared everything, just waiting for the time to come so I can fake my death and leave. When the time comes, headquarters will prepare a body that looks exactly like me. And I will be completely free. But on this day, someone suddenly came to our house. Seeing Mark next to Sarah, I didn’t know what expression to make anymore. He was holding a dog in his arms. When the dog saw me, it started barking loudly. As it moved, dog hair flew everywhere. I felt my nose start to itch and quickly covered it, stepping back half a step. Seeing my reaction, Mark turned to Sarah with a troubled look: “Sarah, I think I should go back. It seems Jason doesn’t welcome me.” Sarah frowned, looking at me with displeasure: “Jason Carter, Mark hurt his foot and has no one to take care of him at home, so I invited him to stay with us for a while. He’s a guest, don’t be so rude.” Emma chimed in: “Bad daddy! Uncle Mark, you can stay in daddy’s room, it’s the biggest!” Mark smiled: “Thank you, Emma, but your dad doesn’t seem to like me. I should go back.” He turned to leave, but Emma quickly grabbed him and glared at me: “Bad daddy, if you don’t want Uncle Mark to stay with us, you should get out!” Mark’s dog was still barking furiously. This season was when animals shed the most. Dog hair was flying everywhere. I couldn’t help but sneeze repeatedly, feeling my body start to itch. I said nothing, just moved aside half a step to let them in. Only then were Sarah and Emma satisfied. The two of them carefully helped Mark inside. Due to my dog hair allergy, my body had already broken out in red spots. I quickly went back to my room to take allergy medication. There was only one pill left. Just as I was about to take it, Mark came over and deliberately bumped into me. The pill fell to the ground, and Mark stepped on it. “Move your foot,” I said. Mark looked at me challengingly, his eyes full of smugness. I was having difficulty breathing and was about to forcefully move his foot. At that moment, Mark let out a cry and deliberately fell to the ground. The next second, Sarah and Emma came running over. They helped Mark up, looking concerned. Mark looked at me with a hurt expression: “Jason, I know you don’t like me, and I’ll leave. But did you have to push me?” Hearing this, Emma ran over and started hitting me with her little hands: “Bad daddy, you deliberately hurt Uncle Mark. Why are you so mean?” Sarah also looked at me accusingly: “Jason Carter, I never thought you’d be this kind of person. Mark’s foot is already injured, why would you do this to him? Let me tell you, this is my house. If you’re not happy with the friends I bring home, then please leave immediately!” By this point, I was in so much discomfort that I didn’t even know how to refute. I looked at the pill on the ground, now broken in half by Mark’s foot, and quickly went to pick it up. But Sarah stepped on it again. She looked at me coldly: “Jason Carter, apologize to Mark.” I was shaking all over from discomfort, no longer caring about anything. In a hoarse voice, I said, “I’m sorry.” Only then did Sarah move her foot. They thoughtfully helped Mark sit on the sofa. I looked at the even more broken pill, and like a pathetic dog, picked it up. After swallowing it down with some water, I finally felt a bit better. I sat weakly in a chair. Looking at the happy scene of the three of them, I quietly comforted myself. “Jason Carter, it’s okay. You’re leaving tomorrow anyway.” Suddenly, I heard Sarah’s voice: “Leaving? Where are you going?” Looking at Sarah, I forced a smile: “It’s nothing.” Sarah then noticed the red spots on my neck: “What happened to your neck?” I laughed weakly: “Don’t you know I’m allergic to dog hair?” Sarah froze, suddenly remembering the dog Mark had brought. She hurriedly tried to explain: “I’m sorry, I forgot.” “It’s fine.” After all, in Sarah’s eyes, nothing I did could compare to Mark. It’s normal that she forgot about my dog allergy. I stood up, and Sarah grabbed my hand in a panic: “Where are you going?” I pulled my hand away, saying coldly: “I don’t feel well. I want to rest in my room.” Sarah then said: “Okay, get some rest.” For once, forgetting about my dog allergy made her feel a bit guilty. I laughed bitterly inside, no longer looking at her. As I passed through the living room, Mark gave me a smug look. I ignored him too. Back in my room, I gathered all the photos of me with Sarah and Emma. Looking at the stack of photos in my hand, I felt no attachment as I threw them all into the trash can. When I went downstairs to take out the trash, Sarah asked: “Didn’t I tell you to rest in your room? What are you doing?” “Nothing, just throwing out some trash.” Sarah made a sound of acknowledgment: “Alright, since you seem fine now, we’re heading back to the old house. You come with us. Mark’s foot is injured, so you can drive.” Not wanting to cause any more trouble before I left, I said flatly: “Okay.” At the old house, Sarah was called away by her father, while Mark was chatting and laughing with Sarah’s grandmother. The old lady had mobility issues and was already in a wheelchair. Mark was pushing her outside. I called out to him: “Your own leg is injured. It might be dangerous to push the old lady.” Mark sneered: “Jason Carter, are you jealous because you see me getting along well with the old lady?” The grandmother also glanced at me. She had never been satisfied with me as her granddaughter’s husband, so she never had a good attitude towards me. She patted Mark’s hand: “Little Mark, don’t mind him. Push me out for a walk.” Mark shot me a smug look. I sighed and didn’t stop them anymore. When I went outside, I found Mark pushing the grandmother by the pool for a walk. Emma was playing with them nearby. I turned my head, not wanting to look anymore, but the next second, I heard a splash from the distance. Somehow, the grandmother had fallen into the pool. Mark was standing nearby, looking helpless. Without thinking, I quickly jumped in. The old lady was quite heavy, and due to drowning, she was struggling fiercely. I couldn’t pull her up alone. I quickly shouted at Mark to call for help. Only then did he react and find the house staff to help. After we rescued the old lady, they hurriedly sent her to the hospital. I was soaking wet, and no one paid any attention to me. At the hospital, Sarah was fuming: “Who pushed grandmother out there?!” Seeing me arrive, Mark pointed at me: “It was him! Sarah, I said we shouldn’t take the old lady out, but he wouldn’t listen!” Sarah looked at me with a furrowed brow: “Jason Carter, is what he’s saying true?” I was disgusted by Mark’s behavior and shook my head: “No, it wasn’t me.” But at that moment, Emma shouted: “Mommy, daddy is lying. It was him who pushed great-grandma out! If it wasn’t for him, great-grandma wouldn’t be hurt!” I looked at Emma in shock. I really didn’t expect that at a time like this, she would lie for Mark’s sake. I was more than a little disappointed in her. I wondered how this daughter, whom I had always taught to be honest and trustworthy, could become a child full of lies after knowing Mark for just half a year. I looked steadily at Sarah: “I didn’t do it. They’re lying. It was Mark who pushed the old lady out.” Mark’s eyes flashed with panic, but he still said: “Sarah, my leg is injured. How could I push the old lady? Jason, if you don’t like me, that’s fine, but why are you falsely accusing me?” With these words, Sarah immediately became furious. She walked over and slapped me across the face. “Jason Carter, I never thought you’d be so petty, and now you’re full of lies. You’d better pray that grandmother is okay, or I won’t let you off!” Mark looked at me, his eyes flashing with malice. “Sarah, if we don’t teach him a lesson, he’ll keep doing this. Why don’t you let me talk to him? I’ll make him understand what he should and shouldn’t do.” Just then, the grandmother woke up. Sarah hurried to check on her, agreeing without a second thought. Mark and I returned home together, and he shoved me into a room. Then he threw his dog in there too. I huddled in the corner while Mark stood at the door, smiling: “I heard you’re allergic to dog hair. Since Sarah left you with me, why don’t you enjoy this for a while?” With that, he closed the door. I shouted at Emma, who was by the door: “Emma, quick, open the door for daddy.” But Emma yelled back: “I won’t! You’re a bad daddy. You should be locked up!” “Uncle Mark, let’s go. Don’t bother with him.” “Okay.” Their voices gradually faded away. The room was left with just me and the dog. The dog bared its teeth, looking like it might pounce on me any second. I quickly ran to the window and opened it, trying to breathe in some fresh air. Then, as if sensing something, the dog kept coming closer to me. Red spots started appearing on my body again. This time, I didn’t have a single allergy pill with me. I was in such discomfort that I kept scratching, and in the midst of my movements, the dog suddenly lunged at me. I instinctively grabbed a nearby vase and hit it. The dog was struck on the head and fell to the ground, convulsing. The dog was dead. I took out my phone to call Sarah, wanting her to come back and open the door. Before I could speak, Sarah said coldly from the other end: “Jason Carter, thankfully grandmother is fine. You better reflect on your actions. Don’t call me again!” With that, she hung up. I looked at the ended call, forcing a smile. The door was locked from the outside and I couldn’t get out. The only option now was to jump from the window. It was only the second floor, which wasn’t a big deal for me. After jumping down, I found that Mark and Emma had disappeared somewhere. I returned to my own room, took the suitcase I had already packed, and took one last look at this home where I had lived for several years. I once thought this home was my warmest haven. I even thought that even without the $50 million, it would be okay because I had the person I loved. But now I realize that this home means nothing to me. I no longer lingered. I called headquarters: “The body can be placed now.” When Sarah returns home, all she’ll see is a “me” who died from a dog hair allergy.

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I never imagined my wife Olivia’s job as a sleep therapist would lead to such a shocking discovery. She helps insomniacs fall asleep through voice or video chat services. At first, I didn’t understand and thought the job was ridiculous. After all, I’m well-off enough that she doesn’t need to work. I tried to talk her out of it, but she got furious. She accused me of trying to hold back her career and insulting her dreams. Her parents are both teachers, and she was known as the ice queen back in college. I trusted her not to do anything inappropriate. I chalked it up to her pride and stopped questioning it. That is, until I came across a certain video… One evening, I was lounging on the couch scrolling through my phone as usual. As I was swiping, a video in a local group suddenly caught my eye – “Sexy Married Woman”. The video showed a couple getting intimate, even more explicit than what I normally watch. But their faces weren’t visible. It got me all hot and bothered. Too bad my wife wasn’t home. I left a comment saying the woman was such a tease. The screen was filled with flashes of pale skin as the camera shook violently. It was charged with desire and pheromones. The woman called out “Master” in a husky voice, clearly trying to please. That voice sounded exactly like my wife’s when she’s doing her sleep therapy sessions! It was uncanny how similar they were. My heart dropped. It felt like a knife was hanging over my head. I quickly brought the phone closer and listened over and over again. No way, it couldn’t be! My wife was supposed to be on a trip right now. I even paid for it myself. There are plenty of women with similar voices and bodies. Plus, videos online are often fake. My wife was never this wild in bed. But that voice kept pounding in my ears, stabbing at my nerves. I desperately tried to reassure myself. But another voice kept whispering: “What if?” I spent the next hour frantically examining the video. I slowed it down to a crawl, analyzing it frame by frame. My heart was racing as I stared at the screen. The image was still shaky, never revealing the woman’s face. Some details of her body were blurry too. But suddenly, a detail caught my eye like a sword piercing my heart. The woman’s hand lifted slightly. As she made a flirtatious gesture, I saw a flash of silver on her wrist. It was a silver bracelet, simple yet unique in design, with a soft, mellow glow. It was the custom gift I had made for our 5th wedding anniversary. It was her. Olivia. My wife of 5 years was cheating on me.

In that moment, my sanity crumbled. Every nerve felt like it was on fire. A deafening ringing in my ears made it impossible to think. Every inch of my anger was mixed with humiliation – I’d been made a cuckold! I scoured the video but still couldn’t make out the other man’s face. But the evidence of my wife’s infidelity was irrefutable. How else could I explain her wanton, debauched behavior in the video? That enthusiastic, frenzied performance. I had to find this man. I decided to start by contacting the person who posted the video. I created a new account and sent him a friend request. Luckily, he accepted quickly. To avoid suspicion, I pretended to be a sleazy guy thinking with his lower half. I eagerly asked: “Bro, where’d you get this video? It’s got me all worked up, I can’t take it.” He was silent for a few seconds, seemingly testing me: “Why do you want to know?” I could tell he was wary, so I gritted my teeth and sent a big cash gift, saying: “Come on man, this sexy lady’s got me going crazy. I can’t help myself, please!” After getting the money, he loosened up and became friendly: “Well since you’re so sincere, I’d hate to leave a brother hanging.” Then he sent me several more videos, each one more explicit and graphic than the last. The man and woman’s faces were still hidden, but the body, the movements… every detail confirmed it was my wife. My mind went blank, filled with endless humiliation. It felt like countless little people were mocking me. I felt both ridiculous and pathetic. In all our years of marriage, my wife had never been this passionate with me. She was always cold in bed, hardly ever initiating. Whenever I tried to initiate, she’d always say she was too tired or change the subject. Even when she agreed, she’d just lie there like a dead fish in our dark bedroom. I always thought she was just shy or not that interested in sex. But now, the truth before my eyes told me otherwise – she wasn’t frigid or reserved. She just couldn’t let loose with me. With another man, she could be this uninhibited, like a completely different person. I silently lit a cigarette, trying to calm myself down. Even though it was all hard to accept, the most important thing now was finding out who the other man was.

The man in the videos never showed his face, but I should be grateful my wife was only cheating with one guy. The only clue was a distinctive tattoo on the man’s arm in all the videos. I asked him: “Bro, how’d you get these videos?” He vaguely replied: “Special channels, don’t ask too many questions. Just enjoy, man.” I wanted to probe further, but he was clearly getting suspicious, his words guarded. I had to play dumb: “Next time you get good stuff like this, hook a brother up. I’ll make it worth your while.” I logged off and collapsed in my chair, completely drained. I decisively tossed my wedding ring in the trash. This marriage was over. No man could continue living under a cloud of infidelity like this. But before divorcing, there were some accounts to settle. All these years, I’d given my all to her and her family, never shortchanging them. I never imagined this is how she’d repay me. We met in college. She came from a poor family, both parents were teachers, and she had a good-for-nothing brother. Back then she was known as the campus ice queen. She’d even rejected the advances of a rich guy. That’s actually why I pursued her – I admired that she didn’t care about money. I thought an educated family would be easy to get along with. But on my first visit to her home, her mother immediately demanded a $40,000 bride price. The greed in her eyes made it seem like a business transaction, not marrying off a daughter. I hesitated, and her mom immediately changed her tune, kicking me out. She went on and on: “My daughter is highly educated and beautiful. We have suitors lined up. If you can’t afford the bride price, don’t waste her time.” I thought I was a decent catch – I had a car, an apartment, and a sizable inheritance from my parents. I assumed I’d be their ideal son-in-law. But reality slapped me in the face. Her mother’s greed made me want to back out. But then Olivia showed up at my place crying. The usually cold girl’s breakdown that day softened my heart. She said her mom didn’t mean it, that her dad had accidentally hit someone with his car recently and the victim was demanding $40,000. Their family just didn’t have the money. If I didn’t marry her, she’d have to marry some 40-year-old guy. Her tears made my heart ache, and I finally bit the bullet and paid the $40,000 bride price. But that $40,000 was just the beginning. After we got married, my mother-in-law and good-for-nothing brother-in-law kept finding excuses to borrow money from me. They said it was borrowing, but never paid back. And my brother-in-law was useless – drinking, gambling, whoring, he did it all. I was constantly cleaning up his messes. With no other choice, I arranged for him to work under me at my company. Better to keep an eye on him than let him cause trouble elsewhere. I’d had enough of this life long ago. But every time my wife would beg me with tears in her eyes, and I’d soften and give in. I admit I was whipped, but ultimately it was because I loved her and felt bad for her. Now, it was all going to end. I’d settle accounts for everything they owed me. I contacted a lawyer to draft divorce papers. Just as I finished, I heard the sound of a key in the front door. She was back.

As soon as the door opened, I smelled an unfamiliar perfume on her. Faint, but unmistakable. Like marking territory. I took her luggage from her. Feigning calm, I smiled and asked: “How was your trip?” I watched her face closely, looking for any trace of guilt or unease. Her eyes flickered for a moment. She mumbled a few vague words, not at all like someone just back from vacation. I remembered something she’d said before leaving: “Don’t worry about me, I’ll make sure to relax and enjoy myself.” Thinking back now, it was quite telling. I felt a wave of bitter mockery. I’d been so naive before, missing such obvious signs. I was already glowing green. While she was in the shower, I secretly went through her bag. Unsurprisingly, there was an opened box of condoms. Even though I was prepared, it was still hard to process. Next, I took out her phone. I scoured her contact list and chat history but found nothing suspicious. I hesitated for a moment, then tried switching accounts. Sure enough, there was a hidden account – her work account as a sleep therapist. This account had a contact pinned at the top labeled “Hubby”. I clicked to view his profile, but there were no photos. Clearly he was using an alternate account too. I frantically scrolled through their chat history, trying to figure out when they’d started hooking up. The filthy messages on screen were like knives stabbing my heart. I couldn’t believe these words came from my usually cold wife’s mouth. Every line felt like it was mocking me. “Be gentle tonight, you hurt me last time. I almost got caught.” “Good thing I pretended to be drunk, or we would’ve been busted.” “Next time let’s do something even more thrilling. Video call me while you’re next to your wife.” “Hehe, you’re so bad.” I nearly threw up. My blood was boiling, and it took all my willpower not to rush over and slap her. I vaguely recalled a night a few weeks back when my wife came home very late. Her hair was messy, her face flushed, her voice soft and breathy. She stumbled in and collapsed on top of me. I could feel she wasn’t wearing a bra, and I was secretly thrilled my wife was being so forward. But she pushed me away, saying she’d been drinking and felt awful. I rushed to make her a hangover soup, but by the time it was ready she’d fallen asleep. Now I realized how foolish I’d been. Olivia does her sleep therapy work every night. Who knew she was actually getting therapy in bed. I wanted to make this pair of adulterers pay. I kept searching her bag and found a bottle of lube. Damn, things must get pretty wild if they need that stuff. I dumped out the lube and replaced it with super glue. You like playing risky games? I’ll make sure you two are inseparable from now on. I quickly jotted down the man’s account info, but found this alternate account didn’t allow friend requests.

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When the true heiress returned, the whole family surrounded her, crying. Her body was covered in bruises, driven to bipolar disorder by my parents’ beatings. To take revenge, she deliberately smashed my gifts and tore my clothes. She even threw herself into the arms of thugs, falsely accusing me of drugging her. I hated her with every fiber of my being, until the day our house caught fire. She broke down the door and carried me out of the flames. But my brother, who had always favored me, reached out and pushed us both back into the inferno. Only then did I realize that he had been the one sowing discord between us all along. When I opened my eyes again, it was the first day of the true heiress’s homecoming. —- “Scarlett, I’m so sorry,” Chloe whispered as we lay trapped in the burning room, the flames closing in around us. As we faced our impending doom, pushed into the fire by my own brother, we finally set aside our differences and confessed the mistakes we had made. So many misunderstandings had led us to this tragic end. “If only we had tried to understand each other from the beginning,” Chloe said softly, “maybe we could have been real sisters.” The burning rafters collapsed, and a sharp piece of metal pierced my brain. In my final moments, I heard my mother’s voice, “Even if we bring Chloe back, we’ll still love you just as much, okay?” When I opened my eyes again, Mom was gently wiping away my tears, her eyes filled with guilt. Chloe? She wasn’t dead? I looked down at myself, realizing there were no flames. Somehow, I had traveled back in time to the day Chloe was brought back to our family. Seeing my troubled expression, Dad squeezed my hand reassuringly. “Come on, we’re going to pick up Chloe this afternoon. No more tantrums, alright?” In my previous life, I couldn’t accept that I wasn’t their biological daughter. I had thrown a huge fit with Mom and Dad. Blake, my brother, had taken advantage of the situation to drive a wedge between Chloe and me, deliberately provoking us both. Remembering all this, I wiped away my tears. “I want to go with you to pick up Chloe this afternoon!” Mom was surprised but smiled. “It’s a long way to that rural area. Why do you want to come?” “If the mix-up hadn’t happened, I would have been living her life. If you want me to accept Chloe, you should let me see how she’s been living with my own eyes.” Seeing my serious expression, Dad exchanged a glance with Mom. Then he laughed and patted my head. “That’s my girl. Alright, you can come with us.” Blake couldn’t make it back from his out-of-town job, so Mom and Dad took only me on the bumpy drive to the countryside. When we arrived at the village, there was only one narrow road for cars. Chloe stood at her front door, with Trisha and Derek – my biological parents – beside her. Trisha grinned widely when she saw our fancy car. “Sister, Chloe hasn’t suffered a bit with us. If you want to take her, you’ll need to compensate us properly.” Mom clearly didn’t want to linger. She took out an envelope of money and asked how much they wanted. “Not much, not much,” Derek said with a sleazy smile. “Just $80,000.” Mom’s hand paused. While that was a small sum for our family, it was an outrageous amount given the local living conditions. Even $20,000 would have been generous for raising a child here. But wanting to resolve things quickly, Mom just frowned slightly and continued reaching for the money. At that moment, I rushed forward and hugged Chloe tightly. She was covered in injuries and pushed me away in pain. Chloe pushed hard enough to make me fall onto the muddy ground with a thud. Everyone froze. The sleeve I had grabbed tore, revealing the skin underneath. Her body was covered in bruises, blue and purple, with fresh bloody wounds on her hands. Derek, realizing things were going south, angrily raised his hand to strike Chloe’s face. “You little brat! Can’t even do this one thing right. I’ve wasted all that food on you!” Chloe screamed and crouched down, covering her head. “Daddy, I’m sorry!” While everyone was still in shock, I rushed forward to shield Chloe with my body. Derek, in a rage, slapped me hard across the face. Just two blows were enough to make me cry from the pain. “Try touching my daughter again!” Dad roared, kicking Derek away just as he was about to land another blow. “It’s okay, sweetie. Mom will take you both to the hospital right away,” Mom said, pulling us close. I immediately buried my face in her embrace, crying and tattling. “Chloe’s hurt even worse! Her wounds are infected!” Mom cursed angrily, “And you dare ask for $80,000? Just wait, I’m calling the police right now!” “It’s a misunderstanding!” Trisha hurriedly tried to explain, but Mom shouted her down. “What misunderstanding? We saw it with our own eyes! You think you can take advantage of us?” After alerting the police, Mom immediately took Chloe and me to the hospital. The doctor said Chloe had severe bipolar disorder. In my previous life, Mom and Dad had brought Chloe straight home. I had run away in anger, meeting her later than Blake did. He had Chloe wear my new dress and deliberately invited my boyfriend over. When I came home to find them all getting along, I angrily flipped the table. Chloe, already on edge from coming home, had an episode due to my provocation. She tore the dress and smashed the tea set my boyfriend had brought for me. Mom, feeling guilty towards Chloe and not wanting to discipline her right away, had scolded me harshly and forced me to apologize to Chloe. That was when our enmity began. “Mom, we don’t have clothes for Chloe at home, right? I’ll go buy her some,” I said, deliberately choosing not to return home with Chloe, as Blake would have wanted. “Chloe, you can borrow my clothes when we get home. Everything except a few new pieces is fine to wear. If you’re not sure, just ask Blake.” Chloe, who had been wearing only a jacket since her clothes were torn, nodded gratefully at my thoughtfulness. Then I called Dominic. “Did Blake invite you over to our house?” “Yeah,” Dominic drawled. “He just hung up, and now you’re calling. What, eager to see me?” “Cut it out. Get over here quick, I’ll wait for you on the way.” In my past life, Dominic had warned me more than once to be wary of Blake, saying you can never truly know what’s in someone’s heart. But I thought we were family, and Blake had always looked out for me, so I hadn’t taken Dominic’s words seriously. Looking back now, I could see how calculated Blake’s every move had been. As soon as we opened the door at home, I saw Chloe arranging clothes as Blake had instructed, her bare back exposed by the dress facing the door. Leaving Dominic behind, I walked straight to Chloe and grabbed her wrist. “Who told you to wear this?” Seeing my anger, Blake’s lips curved into a smile. He thought I would argue with Chloe as he had planned, ultimately bringing Mom’s rebuke upon myself. But to his surprise, I took off my jacket and draped it over Chloe’s shoulders. Then I strode over to Blake. “Didn’t I tell you this was for my gala next week? With all those clothes, you just had to pick this one?” Blake’s smug expression froze. Before he could respond, Chloe played along, blinking innocently. “I said it looked expensive and refused several times, but Blake insisted. Scarlett, you should really scold him.” Taking the cue, I threw my bag onto the sofa in feigned anger. “What’s the meaning of this, Blake? You think I’m not good enough for this dress, so you have to make Chloe wear it?” Both girls stared at him with wide eyes. Realizing the situation was slipping out of his control, Blake quickly tried to explain. “Of course not,” he said seriously. “I just thought the dress was too revealing for the gala. I was planning to buy Scarlett a new one and let Chloe use this one for now.” I raised an eyebrow, studying him. “So where’s this new dress you bought?” Blake gritted his teeth and took out his phone, transferring me $1,000. As he looked up to speak again, I linked my arm with his. “Brother dear,” I said sweetly, “Chloe just came back and will be living and eating with me. Surely you don’t expect me to cover all the expenses?” Blake’s face darkened further. He had thought buying a dress would be enough, but now he was faced with another unexpected demand. “That’s right,” Dominic chimed in. “Didn’t you make a lot of money recently, Blake? Since Chloe just came back, you should give her at least $50,000 for living expenses. We wouldn’t want people thinking you look down on your sister from the countryside, would we?” The room fell silent. Blake turned his head to find my starry-eyed gaze on one side and Chloe’s pitiful, wronged expression on the other. In front of him, Dominic smiled provokingly. Forced into a corner, Blake could barely hold his phone steady. He let out a few dry laughs, but then he directly placed a bank card in my hand. “I see what’s going on. You’re all ganging up to test me,” he said, his brow furrowing for just a moment before he quickly hid his emotions. He pulled me into a hug. “Don’t worry, Scarlett and Chloe are both my precious sisters. If you need money, just say so. I’ve texted you the PIN. Take Chloe shopping for a phone and clothes, okay?” After hugging me, he gently patted Chloe’s head. These simple gestures were enough to dispel Chloe’s slight dissatisfaction, making her blush. “You’re not angry anymore, are you, Scarlett? I really didn’t mean any harm.” Seeing my frown, Blake apologized again with a face full of remorse. What an actor. I swallowed my disgust and gave him a sweet smile. The more someone acts like this, the more I want to see how ugly their death will be when they finally break. Because Chloe had grown up in the countryside, her education couldn’t compare to ours. Unfortunately, she couldn’t attend the same university as me. But she seemed to get along well at her school. She came home and told me about a boy in her class who was very nice to her. “His name is Adam. He saves seats for me and even stands up for me when others bully me.” I knew about this. He would go on to give her many luxury gifts and eventually confess his feelings. It was all arranged by Blake long ago. He knew Chloe came from the countryside with limited experience, and that a few small kindnesses could easily win her heart. He had specifically sent Adam to be by her side, slowly capturing her affections before tricking her into losing her virginity at a bar. Then he would blame it all on me. When it happened before, Mom had been furious, beating my legs with a stick. Dad was disappointed in me too, cutting off all my allowance and doting on Chloe even more. It was because of this incident that Chloe and I had completely fallen out in my past life. I was convinced she had orchestrated the whole sickening play to steal the love that should have been mine. But looking back now, it was clear that Blake had been the one to invite me to that bar. “You say Adam wants to invite you to a bar?” This time, I made sure to correct Chloe’s views on love early on, so she wasn’t head over heels for Adam. “Yeah, I’ve told him several times that I don’t really like those places, but he says there’s a gathering this time.” Chloe looked troubled. I chuckled softly and pulled her into my room. “Then go. I’ll come with you.” After helping her with her makeup, I instructed her, “I’ll be at the same bar. If anything happens, message me right away.” The place Adam invited Chloe to was a very seedy establishment, frequented by lowlifes. It was clearly the same group of people who had taken advantage of Chloe in my past life. Watching Chloe being plied with drink after drink, I messaged her to go to the bathroom. Then I switched clothes with her. Pretending to be drunk, I returned to the table. Because Chloe and I looked very similar and the bar was dimly lit, Adam didn’t notice anything amiss. “Chloe, stop drinking. Let me help you go rest,” Adam said, picking me up when I didn’t respond. The other thugs followed him upstairs. “This is the Task family’s little girl. I wonder how much her parents will pay to cover up this scandal.” “Bro! Stop talking and let’s get on with it. I can’t wait to taste her.” The moment I felt hands on my clothes, I grabbed Adam’s hand and broke his fingers. “You know I’m the Task family’s daughter and you still dare to try this?” Adam screamed in pain, finally realizing who I was. His face turned deathly pale. “Scarlett! Why are you here?!” Seeing my gleeful smile, he shouted even louder. “What are you waiting for? We’re in too deep now. Knock her out and let’s continue—” Before he could finish, I grabbed his head and smashed it against the wall. At that moment, the door creaked open. Dominic entered with the bar owner and ten bouncers, his face dark with anger. “Fuck! You guys—” Adam crawled up from the floor, his face covered in blood, and immediately noticed Dominic adjusting his ring. Dominic flexed his fingers. “You know there are no cameras here. Whatever happens, it’ll be your word against ours.” Compared to offending the Shao family, crossing the Task family suddenly seemed insignificant. Adam didn’t hesitate for a second. He wiped the blood from his nose and said ingratiatingly, “Mr. Shao, I was just drunk, you see.” “Oh?” Dominic’s voice grew heavier. Adam panicked and immediately sold out the mastermind. “It was all Blake’s idea! If it weren’t for him, I’d never dare mess with Miss Task!” Dominic smiled slightly and turned towards the door. “Well, Blake? What do you say?” While I was dealing with Adam, I had instructed Chloe to hide in a crowded corner. I told her to watch the entrance and start recording video as soon as Blake came in. Although she didn’t understand why I wanted her to do this, she obediently followed my instructions, honestly filming all of Blake’s actions as he entered the bar. This included footage of him slipping something into my bag. Blake gritted out a response. “Mr. Shao, you’ve misunderstood.” Adam hadn’t expected Blake to be there either. After a moment of shock, he shouted even louder. “It was you! You told me to get close to Chloe! You said if I could make her lose her virginity, you’d give me $100,000! Now you’re trying to pin all the blame on me?!” “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Blake raised his voice, his expression already showing signs of panic. Then he tried to look hurt and angry. “I’m so sorry, Chloe, Scarlett, that you had to go through this. I’ll have these lunatics arrested right away!” Adam became even more frantic. As the bouncers dragged him away, he kept shouting, “It was you! Blake, you’re trying to hurt your own sister. You’ll get what’s coming to you!” But I pretended not to hear, instead taking Blake’s hand with feigned innocence. “How could I ever doubt you, brother? Even though you suddenly messaged me to come to this bar and put something in my bag, I’m sure you’d never hurt me.” Blake’s smile was on the verge of collapse, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down repeatedly. “So,” I smiled even more brightly, “what exactly did you put in my bag, brother?” ———-This is the breakpoint———- It was a hormone-laden contraceptive pill that would cause physical reactions if taken in large quantities.

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My Sister Wants to Kill Me The moment my mother stepped forward to help my sister, I gave up struggling. Later, she underwent extensive plastic surgery to look exactly like me, sitting in my bedroom waiting for my husband to return. My parents hoped she would live happily ever after with my husband and enjoy a life of luxury. I laughed at their ignorance, not knowing how dangerous the man before them truly was. Today is the day Alexander Thorne returns from his business trip abroad. He’s been gone for over two months, and I’ve been dead for a week. My sister Natalie Reed nervously stands up when she sees Alexander enter the room. “Alex, have you had dinner? I asked the cook to make your favorite pumpkin soup.” This should be their first time meeting. Yet Alexander doesn’t seem to notice his wife has been replaced. I have to admit, Natalie did an impressive job of making herself look exactly like me from head to toe. Alexander hands his suitcase to the servant and rubs his temples. “I’ll have a bowl.” Natalie smiles softly, perfectly mimicking my mannerisms from the secretly recorded videos. She follows Alexander into the dining room. “Mrs. Wilson, please bring a bowl of pumpkin soup for Mr. Thorne.” Alexander turns and glances at Natalie when he hears this. We have many servants, but I’m still in the habit of doing many things myself. After all, I don’t have much else to do at home. Even though I’ve been in the city for almost two years, I’m still not comfortable ordering people around. Before marrying Alexander, I always lived in my hometown. Originally, Natalie was supposed to marry Alexander. The Thorne and Reed families used to be close for generations. The Thornes were the second most powerful family in the city, with no one daring to claim first place. The grandfathers of both families saw that they had a grandson and granddaughter of the right age, so they arranged a marriage between them. Twenty years ago, after both grandfathers passed away, the Thorne family fell victim to business sabotage. Alexander’s father brought up the marriage agreement again, hoping the Reed family would help save them. But by then, my father had already been won over by other powerful families. He decided to take advantage of the situation to carve up the Thorne empire, no longer caring about their past friendship. The Thorne Group went bankrupt. Alexander’s father died of depression, and his mother disappeared from the city with her son and the butler. Two years ago, Alexander returned from abroad with the Cloud Summit Group, devastating several major powers in the city. Not a single person who had taken advantage of the Thorne family’s downfall back then escaped. They either ended up drowning in debt with no way to recover, or were caught for their crimes and sent to prison. Family ruin became the norm. People in the business world were relieved this was happening domestically. They had heard rumors about how ruthless Alexander could be in less regulated foreign markets. When the Reed Group was on the brink of bankruptcy, my father remembered the old marriage agreement. Natalie was afraid Alexander would torture her to death out of revenge, so she cried and made a scene at home, insisting that I return from our hometown to marry him in her place. Business families tend to be somewhat superstitious, and my father was especially so. On the day Natalie was born, my father successfully signed a major deal that elevated the Reed Group to new heights. But on the day I was born, a project he had just acquired ran into problems, and the Reed Group lost half its assets. He firmly believed Natalie brought him good fortune, while I brought him misfortune. If it weren’t for my grandfather using his last dying breath to protect me, I probably would have been drowned in a chamber pot as an infant. So my father told everyone I was sickly and sent abroad to recuperate. In reality, I was abandoned in the countryside and randomly given to a blind widow surnamed Mendez to raise. My sister was named Natalie, with our parents wishing her peace and health. I was named Evelyn, with my father hoping for my early demise so I wouldn’t affect the Reed family’s fortunes. My grandmother felt sorry for me and secretly changed my name to Evelyn when registering me. Though I escaped an early death, I still ended up dying in the prime of my youth.

Natalie snapped back to reality and said softly, “I’ve been feeling dizzy these past couple days. I’m afraid I might drop the bowl.” Alexander stared at her intently for a few moments. I saw a flash of panic in Natalie’s eyes. How ironic. That night when she stabbed my heart with a dagger, she was so afraid I wouldn’t die that she even twisted it a few times to make sure. Natalie nervously changed her words, “I’ll go get it for you.” Alexander looked away and walked towards the dining room. “No need. If you’re not feeling well, get more rest.” I was stunned for a moment. In our two years of marriage, I had never heard him tell me to rest more. Now that I’m dead, I finally hear these rare words of concern. It’s also strange – my weak constitution that had plagued me since childhood rarely bothered me after those first few months in the Thorne household. I was hardly ever unwell in the past year. After all, we had shared a bed for two years. I gathered my courage and floated to his ear, calling his name. I wanted to ask him to go to the Reed house and bring me back. My grandmother had passed away. There was no one left in this world that I cared about. Although I died with regrets, living had also felt tiring. The freezer was too cold. I had always been prone to chills. I wanted to find a sunny place to stay. Besides, when I died, I heard them planning to cut me open to make it easier to dispose of my body in pieces later. Just hearing about it terrified me. If I was going to end up dismembered, I would have rather been drowned as a baby. At least then I could have kept my body intact. Even being cremated would be better – at least I would be whole when I died. Unfortunately, he had no reaction at all. He simply picked up his bowl and started eating. “I heard you’ve been going out a lot recently?” Hearing his question, my eyes lit up. Other than the Reed family, I didn’t know anyone else in the city. On my wedding day, my parents had told me that if I didn’t want my grandmother to run out of money for medical treatment, I should do my best to please Alexander. As long as the Reed Group remained stable, my grandmother’s medication would never stop. They said a married daughter was like spilled water – I shouldn’t come back in the future. So after marrying into the Thorne family, apart from occasional trips to the supermarket or walks, I hardly had any contact with the outside world. No wonder Alexander found it strange. Natalie obediently replied, “The weather has been changing a lot lately between morning and evening. My parents both got sick, so I went back to check on them.” At the mention of our parents, I was reminded of the scene when she tried to kill me. I had fought back desperately to protect myself. My mother, worried I would hurt Natalie, rushed forward with my father to pin me down. In that moment, I suddenly lost all strength in my body and allowed the dagger to pierce my heart. Alexander didn’t say anything, only responding flatly, “It must be boring staying at home all the time. It’s good to go out for a change.” I felt somewhat discouraged. How could someone as cautious and suspicious as Alexander not notice anything amiss? He even said things he had never said to me before. On our wedding day, my parents had smiled ingratiatingly at Alexander. They said my marriage to the Thorne family was to atone for the Reed family’s sins. He could take out his anger on me however he wanted. I would endure any beating or scolding – my life and death were in his hands. The Reed family would not object. Alexander didn’t actually use me as a punching bag, but he didn’t seem to like going out. So apart from our activities in bed, we hardly had any other interaction in our daily lives. After finishing the soup, they returned to the bedroom together. Natalie sat on the bed expectantly, watching Alexander finish washing up. Alexander leaned down towards her. His phone rang. After hanging up, he started changing clothes. I wasn’t surprised. He was most likely going to the company to deal with an urgent matter. A flash of dissatisfaction appeared on Natalie’s face, but she quickly replaced it with a smile when Alexander turned his head. “Your perfume is too strong. It was better before.” Natalie stared at Alexander’s retreating back in confusion, then quickly raised her arm to sniff. She found she couldn’t smell anything.

Natalie hurriedly called Mrs. Wilson to the bedroom. “Mrs. Wilson, can you smell any perfume on me?” Mrs. Wilson leaned in and sniffed Natalie’s arm and neck. “I don’t smell anything, just a bit of shampoo scent in your hair.” Natalie frowned, pacing back and forth before asking, “When you used to serve that dead girl, what did she smell like?” Mrs. Wilson thought for a moment. “I don’t think she had any particular scent. That poor thing didn’t know how to enjoy life. She had a whole cabinet full of perfumes but I never saw her use any. She didn’t have any feminine fragrance at all!” Mrs. Wilson was sent to the Thorne house by my mother six months ago. She said since I still hadn’t gotten pregnant, she was sending Mrs. Wilson, who was skilled at making medicinal dishes, to help improve my health. The change in the Reed family’s attitude towards me had made me happy for quite a while. Even though Mrs. Wilson never actually cooked a meal for me after she arrived, it still made me hopeful about my parents’ love. But later I realized that from the moment Mrs. Wilson appeared before me, it was the first step in the Reed family’s plan to help Natalie replace me. Mrs. Wilson came to the Thorne house to observe my living habits and secretly record videos for Natalie to imitate me. Hearing Mrs. Wilson’s mockery of me, Natalie’s lips curled into a smile. “Not only was she poor, she was also short-lived.” Mrs. Wilson looked confused. “Short-lived?” Natalie’s smile froze on her face, but she quickly recited her prepared lines, “She was always very weak. The old widow who took care of her was always saying she needed to take her to the doctor, hoping our parents would give more living expenses.” “All they did was ask our family for money. It was just a beggar raising another beggar! You could tell that dead girl had never seen the world. She did everything herself, which made it awkward for me to order the servants around.” I angrily rushed over and tried to punch and kick her, but my fists and feet passed right through her body with no effect. The Reed family only gave money for those first few years. They never gave another cent after that. It was all my grandmother scraping by collecting recyclables to provide for my food and clothing. When they needed someone to take my place, that’s when they finally remembered me. Mrs. Wilson started giving Natalie advice, “Why don’t you wash your hair a few more times with the shampoo in the bathroom? Maybe the scent from the shampoo you used at home hasn’t completely faded yet.” “Evelyn Reed didn’t care about these things. She just used whatever the Thorne household provided. She wasn’t as particular as you.” Natalie pressed her lips together in annoyance. “I’ve been using it every day! How has it not washed out yet? I’ll wash it again later.” After sending Mrs. Wilson away, Natalie made a phone call. “Master Shen, have you contained Evelyn Reed’s wandering soul like I asked?” I leaned in close to the phone to hear the response. “Don’t worry, ma’am. I’ve used my magic to trap her soul on the spirit altar. She doesn’t even have a chance at reincarnation!” Spirit altar… yeah right. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes as I floated around the room a few times. Although I don’t know why I’m bound to stay by her side, a truly capable master wouldn’t speak so obsequiously. He’s clearly just afraid of losing business.

Alexander didn’t return home for several days. Natalie waited until 8 PM. Looking at the table full of his favorite dishes, I licked my lips. To say Alexander and I had nothing in common wasn’t entirely accurate. When it came to food, our tastes were surprisingly similar. Natalie ate some vegetables and a piece of meat before putting down her chopsticks. She had always been very strict about managing her figure. Her total daily food intake was barely equivalent to one of my meals. Not only did she have specific requirements for cooking methods, she also strictly controlled her last meal of the day to be before 6 PM. My grandmother used to say being able to eat was a blessing, so I never deprived myself. Mrs. Zhang’s mouth-watering chicken was first-class! Just looking at it made my mouth water. I had to say Natalie was missing out. Alexander also stopped eating and looked at Natalie. “The food doesn’t suit your taste?” Natalie smiled serenely. “I haven’t had much of an appetite lately.” Alexander stared at her for a good while before saying, “The butler said your appetite was even better than usual while I was abroad. How come you suddenly can’t eat now that I’m back?” Natalie looked at Alexander’s expressionless face and shook her head repeatedly. “My appetite hasn’t been good these past few days. I might have caught a summer cold.” Alexander lowered his gaze. After a moment, he said, “First dizziness, now loss of appetite. I’ll take you for a check-up tomorrow.” Natalie instinctively wanted to refuse, but ended up smiling and agreeing. I knew she thought as long as they didn’t go to the plastic surgery department for an examination, she had nothing to fear. After all, only the three of them knew about my disappearance.

The Cloud Summit Group owns a hospital. I used to come here when I was sick to avoid spending money, conveniently charging it to Alexander’s account. The fact that Alexander was accompanying Natalie for the check-up nearly made my jaw drop. The hospital director handed the report to Alexander, saying, “Mr. Thorne, this is the full body examination report. Mrs. Thorne is in very good health.” “I remember when she came for her first check-up two years ago, her body was lacking in various vitamins. But this examination shows that problem is gone now. It seems the madam has been taking her supplements regularly.” Back then, I had just married into the family and was falling ill every few days. The director had suggested I get a full body check-up. My poor health was due to malnutrition. The hospital had prescribed a bunch of supplements to improve my constitution. But medicine is partly toxic, so after taking them for half a year and feeling much better, I stopped continuing. I wasn’t sure if the medicine actually worked, since they were now examining the well-fed Natalie. Alexander took the report and flipped through it casually. His hand suddenly paused on one page. Just as I was about to float over to take a peek, he quickly flipped to the back. After finishing, he asked, “Aren’t these recent symptoms typical of pregnancy?” I nearly choked on my saliva. Although his suspicion wasn’t directed at me, he knew I took contraceptives after every time. Besides, with my issues of cold constitution and weak blood, how could I possibly get pregnant? The director shook his head. “The weather has been hot lately. Many people are suffering from summer heat exhaustion. I’ve prescribed some Huoxiang Zhengqi water. Mrs. Thorne should feel better after drinking one box.” Alexander lowered his eyes, looking at the report in his hands without saying anything.

Meanwhile, Natalie saw Alexander talking to the director and felt a bit uneasy. She hurried over with the medicine the nurse had retrieved, interrupting, “Alex, is there something wrong with my health?” The director repeated what he had just said. Natalie relaxed upon hearing this. Just then, Natalie received a call from the Reed family asking her to come home for dinner. Seeing this, Alexander said he would accompany her. I floated along and got in the car with them. Since Alexander’s return this time, I felt his attitude towards Natalie impersonating me was a bit strange. For such a businessman who never did anything without profit, I couldn’t help but suspect he had some other motive. This was Alexander’s first time visiting the Reed house. My parents’ faces lit up with joy when they saw him. Their tone was full of fawning and flattery. As they sat in the living room, I was bound to stay within Natalie’s vicinity and couldn’t go too far. My mother held Natalie’s hand, examining her closely while quietly asking if she was eating well at the Thorne house and how she was sleeping. I didn’t want to watch her doting on Natalie. My gaze kept drifting towards the storage room in the backyard of the villa. That day, they had given all the household staff time off. After luring me there to kill me, they directly hid me in the freezer they had prepared in advance. I wanted to go see if I was still there. It was rare for Alexander to visit. If only he could take me away with him. At this moment, my mother gave my father a look. He immediately made an excuse to take Alexander to the study for tea and chess. I followed the mother and daughter to the bedroom. My mother spoke in a low, grave voice, “Your father and I cut that girl into pieces last night.”

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My 10-year-old son reported me for watching obscene videos. He pointed at me angrily and said, “Mom’s life with you must be miserable!” What he didn’t know was that this video was captured by the hidden camera I had installed in the bedroom. The pixelated protagonists were my wife and her lover. After the police arrived, my wife also rushed home. Her eyes were red-rimmed as she said, “Honey, I never thought you were this kind of person!” I let out a cold laugh and said, “Since the police are here, let’s talk about the divorce.” “Dad, why are you watching this kind of video?!” A voice suddenly sounded behind me, and I whipped my head around. Ten-year-old Liam glared at me angrily, “If I hadn’t snuck in quietly, I wouldn’t have known you were watching this kind of video!” I quickly closed the video and was about to explain, but he took out his phone and dialed 911 right in front of me. “Son, you’ve misunderstood. It’s not what you think.” He gritted his teeth and said, “Mom’s life with you must be miserable!” Hearing these words, I felt as if I had fallen into an icy pit. Aria and I had known each other for three years and been married for twelve. From the beginning, we had agreed to be a DINK (Double Income, No Kids) family. It wasn’t until her belly gradually swelled that she came clean with me. “Honey, I’m sorry. I changed my mind. I want to have a child of my own, so I… tampered with the protection.” When both sets of parents found out about this news, they all pressured me to keep the child. After Liam was born, I slowly began to experience the feeling of being a parent. For this son, I can say I held nothing back. Now, he wouldn’t even give me a chance to explain. Seeing this scene, besides anger at my wife’s infidelity, I felt more heartbroken. “Ding dong—” The doorbell rang abruptly. Liam hurried to open the door and pointed at me angrily, “Officer, I want to report my dad for watching that kind of video!” The two police officers who came looked at me and said, “As a parent, you’re not setting a good example for your child. Instead, you’re making the child warn you.” Before I could speak, Aria rushed home in a hurry. Seeing her return, Liam went forward and hugged her arm, “Mom, Dad was secretly watching that kind of video!” Aria looked at me with disappointment all over her face, “Honey, have I not been good enough that you had to watch those videos?” She’s such a good actress! When we first got together, Aria told me she liked buying bags. She said she wanted to fill a whole closet with bags. To fulfill her wish, I worked like crazy. My colleagues joked that I was working harder than a workhorse. After Liam was born, I quit my stable job against my parents’ wishes and started a business with a friend. In the early stages of the startup, we had cash flow problems. Aria sent me a link to a handbag. [Honey, I want this.] I tried to appease her: [Once this project is secured, I’ll buy it for you.] [Caleb Frost, you can’t even afford a bag. You’re so useless!] That night, to secure the project, I drank with the client bottle after bottle until I was nauseous and vomiting. When I finally bought that bag, wanting to surprise her, she didn’t even glance at it. She said, “That bag is already out of style. Honey, I want this one. I know you’re so good, you’ll definitely buy it for me.” Only when I bought bags for Aria would she say such sweet words to me. They were the most insincere words, but I had been fooled by her for so many years. Thinking of this, I trembled with anger. “Officer, please check my dad’s phone quickly.” Liam urged from the side. I laughed coldly and said, “Aria Sinclair, do you think I should let the police see the video?”

In all these years of marriage, I had rarely called her by her name. Aria looked at me coldly, a hint of mockery at the corner of her mouth. “Caleb Frost, you dare to do it but not admit it? Did I make you watch that kind of video?” Since she said that, I didn’t need to consider her face anymore. “Officers, there’s a child here. Why don’t we move to the bedroom?” Aria muttered, “You didn’t think about the child when you were watching it.” At that time, I was so overwhelmed with anger that I hadn’t noticed Liam coming in and opening the door. As soon as we entered the bedroom, Aria crossed her arms and said in a disgusted tone, “Caleb Frost, you watch these videos behind my back. Have you also been seeing other women behind my back?” I was stunned for a few seconds, not expecting her to turn the tables on me. Originally, I had pixelated the faces of Aria and her lover out of consideration for our marriage. Now it seemed there was no need for that at all. I opened the computer and asked Aria again, “Are you sure you want me to play it?” She frowned impatiently, “You’re so indecisive. How did I ever fall for a man like you!” I smiled and clicked play. The moment the faces appeared, Aria lunged forward like a madwoman to shut off the computer. The two police officers beside us were at a loss for words, “What’s going on here?” I looked at the guilty-looking Aria and slowly said, “What I was watching wasn’t obscene videos, but videos of my wife cheating with another man.” As soon as I finished speaking, Aria screamed, “Caleb Frost, shut up!” I spoke calmly, “Since the police are here, let’s talk about the divorce.” “Divorce?! You want to divorce me?” Aria looked at me in disbelief. When I first got together with Aria, I would rush to do part-time jobs after work. I finally bought her the bag she had always wanted but couldn’t afford. The moment she got the bag, she looked at it in disbelief, “This bag is so expensive, can it be returned?” At that time, I only thought her expression was cute and wanted to be even better to her. Now I just felt utterly disgusted. The two police officers were caught in the middle and looked a bit uncomfortable, “This is a family matter between you two. Try not to say these things in front of the child.” Seeing the police leave, Liam looked confused, “Mom, why wasn’t Dad arrested?” Aria glared at me fiercely, “Son, if Dad and Mom get divorced, who do you want to live with?” Without thinking, Liam blurted out, “Of course with Mom!” Hearing this answer, Aria seemed to have gained the upper hand. I only asked one question, “Do you like him?” Hearing this, Aria’s face turned shy, “Jasper is a thousand times better than you. What can you do besides give me money?” I was almost laughed with anger. If I didn’t work, who would support the daily expenses of this family? Which of Aria’s bags didn’t start at over a thousand dollars? Which of Liam’s school fees, extracurricular classes, and tuition fees didn’t start at over ten thousand? I took a deep breath, “Let’s get divorced. You leave with nothing.” “What?!” Aria shrieked, “Caleb Frost, what gives you the right to make me leave with nothing?” I sneered, “Aria Sinclair, you cheated first. Since you don’t want my money and only want that man’s love, I’ll grant your wish.” Aria was speechless for a moment, “Fine, let’s divorce. Caleb Frost, don’t regret it!” Seeing Aria and me at daggers drawn, Liam actually reached out to push me. “Don’t bully my mom!” At this moment, something broke in my heart. As a man, not only had my wife cheated, but my son didn’t understand me either. The happy family I had always believed in was nothing but an illusion. After saying this, Aria ran to the bedroom to pack her things. I watched her stuffing those bags into her suitcase, afraid of leaving even one behind. Take them, take as many as you can. The more you take now, the more you’ll have to return.

Not long after Aria left with Liam, my parents called. As soon as I answered, my mom started persuading me, “Caleb, Aria brought Liam to our place. There’s no grudge between husband and wife that can’t be resolved overnight. Just talk it out.” I was a bit surprised. She didn’t go to find that lover Jasper but went to my parents instead. I spoke firmly, “Mom, we must get divorced. Aria admitted herself that she only loves my money, not me as a person.” “Caleb Frost, you’re talking nonsense!” Aria’s voice came through the receiver, “Caleb Frost, are you even a man? I ruined my figure to give you a child, and it hasn’t even recovered properly yet!” Back when Aria was pregnant with Liam, she had severe morning sickness. I saw it with my own eyes and felt the pain in my heart. As long as she said a word, I never said no. In the middle of the night, if she wanted grapes, even if it was pouring rain outside, I would brave the storm to go from door to door looking for them. But what did I get in return? “Aria Sinclair, don’t forget I have the video.” After saying this, I heard my mom’s voice on the other end of the phone. “Aria, wake up!” I hung up the phone and found a reliable lawyer through a contact. Aria had cheated during our marriage, so the marital property should be equally divided, but personal property couldn’t be divided by the other party. After marrying me, Aria became a full-time housewife. In all these years, I could count on my fingers the number of times she cooked. Sometimes when I came home late from business dinners, she would look at me with disgust, “You stink of alcohol. You’re not allowed in the bedroom tonight!” She was used to enjoying life without working for it, used to being pampered. Well, the taste of hitting rock bottom would surely be unforgettable for her. The next day, when I went to get the divorce agreement, I received a call from Aria’s mother. “Caleb Frost, you’ve upset Aria so much she’s in the hospital. If you’re still a man, come to the hospital and see her!” Of course I would go. This good show couldn’t go on without me. I slowly walked into the hospital room. Aria was leaning against the headboard, surrounded by three elders, looking pale. Seeing me arrive, my mom came over and reproached me, “Caleb, quickly apologize to Aria.” Mrs. Sinclair looked at me with hatred in her eyes. I let out a light sneer, “I’ve already drafted the divorce agreement.” Mrs. Sinclair snatched it first, and when she saw the property division, she shouted at the top of her lungs, “Caleb Frost, you’re not human! How dare you make Aria leave with nothing!” “Leave with nothing?” My mom frowned slightly, “Caleb, what exactly happened between you and Aria?” I looked coldly at Aria, “You won’t say it? Do you want me to show them the video?” Aria’s lips quivered, “I’m pregnant.” This sentence was like a stone thrown into a calm lake. Mrs. Sinclair seemed to have found her backbone and started questioning me, “You, Caleb Frost! Aria is pregnant with your child, and this is how you treat her? Are you even human?!” My parents also joined in. “Caleb, pregnancy is no small matter. Your father and I have also quarreled for so many years.” “You said you wanted to be childless before. If it weren’t for Aria, we wouldn’t have a grandson. You can’t divorce.” No wonder Aria went to my parents first. So this was what she was waiting for. I took out my phone, found the video, and prepared to play it. Afraid my parents would be shocked, I planned to just let them hear the audio. The next second, Aria said, “I’m pregnant, but the child isn’t Caleb’s.” [Truncation point] “Aria, what are you saying!” Mrs. Sinclair pushed Aria, “If the child isn’t Caleb’s, whose could it be?”

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After fourteen years of marriage, Liam betrayed me. I was pushed down the stairs by his mistress and died. Then, I was reborn eighteen years in the past. In a small alley, Liam was being trampled in dirty water by some thugs. Seeing me pass by, he begged for my help. Liam had an affair. When I found out, I was holding a pregnancy test with two lines. I had accompanied him step by step from the bottom to the top. In our toughest times, we only had ten dollars in our pockets. On the day he proposed, he swore to the heavens that if he ever betrayed me, he would find a cliff and jump off. On our wedding day, Liam cried like a child, saying how fortunate he was to have me as his companion. Fourteen years of marriage, two seven-year itches. In the photo, the child was smiling brightly. Liam was holding him, his eyes gentle. Everything was as I had imagined. Except the main character wasn’t me. When I was young, I traveled frequently for work, which damaged my health. For this child, I took countless medicines and injections. When the pain was unbearable, Liam would hold me, his eyes full of concern, telling me over and over: “We don’t need a child, I only need you.” But at that time, I always thought love could overcome all difficulties. I never imagined this day would come. Out of a woman’s intuition, I checked his suit. On the collar of the suit, there was a barely visible lipstick mark. I held the suit, stunned for a long time. Actually, there had been signs all along, but I never thought Liam would betray me, so I subconsciously ignored them. In a daze, I heard a voice behind me. “Nora, I have a dinner tonight. You should go to bed early.” Liam quickly kissed my forehead, took the suit from my hands, and hurriedly left. I opened my mouth, wanting to say something, but the door had already closed. I only heard the sound of the car engine. It seemed that this had become the norm between us for some time now. Once, we had endless topics to talk about. Now, when we face each other, there’s only silence. The next day, I went to the company alone. The company was called Promise, named after me, Nora. The receptionist had changed, and they didn’t recognize me anymore. They asked for my appointment number in a businesslike manner. After some awkwardness, an old employee of the company saw me and took me upstairs. The office door wasn’t closed. The new secretary was helping Liam tie his tie. The young girl wasn’t very old and seemed clumsy while tying the knot. Liam didn’t mind, just lowered his head and looked at her with a smile. I was lost in thought, remembering when the company was just starting and urgently needed funding. We spent all our savings to buy Liam’s first suit. Back then, I was just as clumsy tying his tie, and Liam would look at me with the same gentle smile. I got annoyed and pulled the tie too tight, making him yelp. It all seemed so close, yet it had been over a decade. When did things change? I pushed the door open with a creak. Liam looked up and saw me, seeming a bit flustered: “Nora, why did you come to the company today?” “No reason, I just missed you,” I said softly, stepping forward to carefully tie his tie. He wanted to say more, but his team was calling him for a meeting. Before leaving, Liam specially turned up the air conditioning and prepared a blanket and snacks for me. He was so thoughtful, he loved me, but this didn’t prevent him from having an affair. The young girl was more impatient than I had imagined. Liam had barely left when she started probing me intentionally. I just leaned back on the sofa, looking at her carefully. When we first got together, I joked with Liam: If he ever had an affair in the future, he must bring the person to me so I could check them out. I never thought this joke would come true. He broke his vow, and now I wanted to see. The young girl’s features were somewhat similar to my younger self – the same big eyes, a bun hairstyle, with an air of innocence. I touched the fine lines around my eyes, feeling a bit sentimental. The young girl was young and impetuous, her tone becoming aggressive. She was young and didn’t know that in the circle of wealthy wives, there were many ways to torment people without making a sound. But I didn’t bother to do that. At this moment, I only felt utterly exhausted. I regretted coming here today. It all felt so pointless.

As I turned to leave, she grabbed my arm. I had no intention of tangling with her, but as we struggled, we had already reached the stairway. She flashed an extremely innocent smile. Before I could react, we both fell. As we fell together, I saw Liam grab the other person’s hand. I tumbled down the stairs heavily. I tried to protect my abdomen, but it was all in vain. Something was flowing out of my body, blood everywhere. Liam stumbled down the stairs after me, holding me in panic like a child, no longer showing any of his usual calm composure: “Nora, ambulance, Nora, please don’t sleep, ambulance” I gradually lost consciousness. When I woke up again, I was back to when I was 18 years old. In a small alley, on a rainy day, a young man was being pushed into a puddle of dirty water. I looked over belatedly and met Liam’s eyes. His eyes were full of hatred and unwillingness, like a wolf cub. This was my first meeting with Liam. Later, when we talked about this first encounter, Liam would always look at me with tender eyes: “You were clearly terrified, but you still trembled as you stood in front of me.” “I thought then, how could there be such a foolish person in this world!” I would get annoyed and try to hit him, and he would just look at me with a smile as I fussed. But at this moment, I stared steadily at the young man lying injured on the ground. “If you don’t want to die, get lost,” the thug with dyed hair said menacingly, a cigarette dangling from his mouth. I took the lollipop out of my mouth and asked calmly: “Can I watch? I’ve never seen someone being beaten up before.” The man seemed a bit surprised, looked at me, and laughed: “Interested?” I nodded, and he had his men throw Liam back into the mud puddle, tormenting him over and over. Liam lay on the ground like a lifeless object. I just watched expressionlessly. I had originally thought I might get some satisfaction from this. But there was nothing – no excitement, no sadness, no anger, like an ancient well that had been still for ten thousand years. I shrugged, “Boring,” and turned to leave. Behind me, Liam’s suppressed cries of pain continued. But all of this had nothing to do with me anymore. If the story had developed as before, Liam would have originally chosen me as his deskmate. And thus began our ill-fated relationship. But now… I looked up at Liam who was entering the classroom door. The young man was thin, wearing a slightly yellowed school uniform. Backlit by the sun, his expression was unclear. At this moment, he was leaning against the podium with his hands in his pockets, looking at me with a half-smile. I lowered my head and continued to focus on the problems on the paper. The questions weren’t difficult, but it still took some time to pick it up again after so long. A loud thud sounded beside me as Liam dropped his desk next to mine. He spoke in a mocking tone, arms crossed: “Hello, new deskmate.” I glanced at him indifferently, not wanting to engage. But he persisted, seeming determined to get to the bottom of that day’s incident. Annoyed by his questions, I finally replied: “There’s no reason. I just don’t like you.” “Why don’t you like me?” I slammed my pen on the desk and glared at him fiercely: “Phoenix eyes, passionate; thin lips, fickle; thick eyebrows, promiscuous.” “I’ve studied physiognomy. You’re naturally a heartless, unfaithful person. I can’t stand it, okay?” Liam was clearly stunned for a moment. When he tried to speak again, I had already put on my earphones. But my heart was in turmoil. I wasn’t as indifferent as I thought I was. After being together for over a decade, Liam’s betrayal had left a hole in my heart, filled with nothing but pitch-black hatred. But the 18-year-old Liam knew nothing of this. The young Liam had a vindictive personality. He resented me for laughing at him that day, so he started opposing me in everything. Young people have their own ways of tormenting others, yet leaving no evidence. He knew I was terrified of insects, so he would catch them and hide them in corners. When the insects crawled out during class, I would be on edge the whole time. At those times, Liam’s phoenix eyes would be full of mirth, taking pleasure in my panic and distress.

He still hung out with those thugs from outside school, his brow bone still bruised. I heard that he had beaten those guys who bullied him very badly, breaking several of their ribs and costing a lot in compensation. Liam’s parents had divorced when he was young. He was given to his mother, who had remarried and had a new child, so no one really cared about him. He was never one to follow rules, and not wanting to go home, he often wandered outside. Moreover, his stepfather liked to get violent when drunk, which was why Liam’s face was often bruised. Liam was very resistant to this part of his past. Even after being together for over a decade, I still knew very little about it. The young Liam was actually a very difficult person to get along with, solitary and obsessive. The teachers treated him like an invisible person, assuming he would just fend for himself. Back then, as class monitor, I was too responsible and always thought I could save everyone. I talked to Liam over and over, trying to open up his tightly locked heart. And after learning about his family situation, I tried to help him every day. I told him the world outside was vast, and this small county town shouldn’t trap us for life. I shared my dreams with him, gazed at the starry sky together, telling him that even in darkness, we should look up at the stars. Every day I was like a broken record in his ear, talking and talking until he got annoyed and coldly asked if I knew no shame. After hitting so many walls, I privately swore several times that I wouldn’t bother with him anymore, but I still kept trying. Finally one day he opened a book. Liam was very smart, and after finding something he liked in books, his grades started to improve rapidly. Later Liam said it was me who saved him from the mire. Starting over this time, I just wanted to watch how he would rot and stink in the mud. When the midterm exam results came out, Liam was still undisputedly in last place. Liam and I both used the college entrance exam as a springboard to reach places we had never imagined before. But now, how fate would develop, I no longer knew. Liam had disappeared after the midterm exam results came out. As class monitor, the teacher asked me to go to his home to inquire about the situation. I had originally planned to go after school, but I was delayed by a problem, so it was already getting dark when I went. His house wasn’t far from mine, on the edge of the village, with its own small courtyard. I really didn’t want to make this trip, just going through the motions. After a long time, I reached the door and was about to knock when I heard the sound of things crashing inside, and also… Listening carefully, I heard Liam’s whimpers. I quickly found a corner to hide myself and peeked through the cracks in the door. A middle-aged man, reeking of alcohol, red-faced, was beating Liam with a stick, not holding back. He was muttering something, getting angrier and angrier, hitting harder and harder. In the end, he even tried to strangle Liam. Liam struggled desperately. At 18, the young man already had some strength, and for a moment the man couldn’t subdue him. The man became enraged and shouted something. A middle-aged woman ran out from the inner room. Though older, you could tell she had been a beauty when young. Liam’s eyes were very much like hers. “Hold him down.” The man had completely lost his reason, his eyes full of bloodshot. The woman hesitated, her body trembling constantly, but she still went forward. The moment she approached, I noticed Liam stopped all struggle. He just lay quietly on the ground, looking up at the starry sky, a strange smile on his lips, as if he was going to some sweet rendezvous. A sudden pain gripped my heart. Liam had always told me that life was too bitter, and I always thought it was just young people’s affectation. I never imagined that for him, life really was this bitter. The moment his mother stepped forward, he had already lost all will to live. The gears of fate had started turning again when I came to the past. I still hated him, the hole in my heart now cold and empty. It had brought me here to see how I would choose?

The moment I pushed the door open, all movement stopped. The man looked at me with murderous intent, as if he wanted to silence me too. But standing here now was the 36-year-old Nora, who had been through all sorts of situations in life. “Stop now, and I’ll pretend I saw nothing,” I said coldly. The man still wanted to move, but I stared straight at him: “Liam is your son. If he dies, no one will investigate. But if I’m harmed, my father will level this village.” The bloodlust in the man’s eyes completely dissipated. He asked hoarsely what I wanted to do. “He’s under my care now,” I said, pointing at Liam lying lifelessly on the ground. The young man seemed to have become a skeleton, as if he had already died just now. I used a lot of strength to drag him out of the small courtyard. Throughout, Liam had no reaction at all. In the moonlight, I looked down at him for a long time, then cleanly and decisively slapped him: “There’s nothing easier in this world than dying. If you really don’t want to live, there’s a river right there.” I grabbed his collar and continued fiercely: “Liam, you owe me too much. This life is no longer your own.” Liam suddenly looked up at me. Our eyes met, and finally, there was emotion in his. Perhaps it would take a long time to fully understand, but at least for now, he wouldn’t take his own life. I turned and left decisively, feeling completely lost. By chance, I had saved the person I should have hated the most. The web of fate had woven us two together, getting tighter and tighter, more and more entangled. After that day, Liam seemed to suddenly change his ways, studying day and night. Almost every monthly exam, his ranking would jump up several dozen places. He became even more silent, hiding in corners, as if he didn’t exist. One day I was doing problems late and took a shortcut home, but unexpectedly encountered the group that had surrounded Liam that day. The leader was very interested in me and insisted on having me drink with him. We reached a stalemate. It was getting dark, and it started to rain. Summer clothes were thin and transparent, clinging to the body when wet, inevitably revealing curves. The group laughed lewdly. During the standoff, unexpectedly, Liam kicked the leader to the ground. He had several people behind him, and it quickly developed into a brawl between two groups. I stood in the corner watching Liam. He fought viciously, aiming for vital points with every strike, like an untamed beast. I called the police. When they arrived, Liam was already covered in injuries, but his expression remained defiant. He licked the blood from the corner of his mouth, got on the police car nonchalantly, and even whistled at me before leaving. Liam was detained for several days before being released. I heard his stepfather had slapped him hard in public. When he returned, there was still a visible handprint on his cheek. Many classmates were whispering about it, but Liam just silently continued to do problems. From then on, every day when I went home, Liam would quietly follow behind me, leaving only after seeing me safely home. He didn’t say anything, and I pretended not to notice. After the college entrance exam, Liam followed me and got into the same university. I wanted to get rid of him, but unexpectedly, he never left. He was like a shadow behind me, stubbornly following, impossible to shake off or escape. ———-This is the breakpoint———- The whole university knew that Liam was Nora’s number one admirer.

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After a decade as Adam Carter’s secret lover, I was still just a plaything to him. He only spent nights at my place, rushing back to his wife at dawn. I thought his devotion to me was genuine, until I smashed a wine bottle over his wife’s head and he went berserk. With one slap, he extinguished the last shred of conscience I had. Adam Carter, are you ready to face our revenge? Adam Carter slapped me hard across the face. The force of the blow made my head spin and my ears ring as I stumbled sideways. I steadied myself against the wall and slowly sank to the floor. Something glinted as it fell – the earrings I had just bought yesterday. But the man who had lovingly put them on me was now frantically embracing Zoe, checking her injuries with concern. Watching Adam’s nauseating display of false affection, I almost laughed out loud. He and Zoe had been married for ten years. I had also been his secret lover for ten years. For a decade, he catered to my every whim and showered me with affection. His only request was that I not interfere with his wife Zoe. Not only did I ignore his wishes, I deliberately provoked Zoe by smashing a wine bottle over her head. Crimson liquid trickled down her face. Zoe wasn’t particularly attractive and had a meek personality. Even after being assaulted, she just stood there helplessly. It wasn’t until Adam rushed in and embraced her that she timidly spoke up. “Adam, who is she?” Adam glanced back at me huddled in the corner, his expression dark. “Just some crazy woman.” The side of my face that he had slapped began to burn. I silently watched as he led Zoe out the door. When he bent his head towards her, the tenderness in his expression made him look like the perfect husband. I felt utterly pathetic. After they had gone, I finally picked myself up off the floor. But as soon as I stepped outside, I saw a figure standing around the corner. Adam had always been handsome and charismatic, the center of attention since childhood. No wonder Zoe and I were both so captivated by him. He walked towards me, his features coming into focus in the dim hallway. Looming over me, he leaned down for a kiss. His lips tasted of roses – Zoe’s favorite perfume. Suddenly nauseous, I pushed him away. How could he do this? One moment tenderly comforting his trembling wife, the next passionately kissing his lover. “Stop it,” he said. Adam was never good at sweet talk. The countless times we argued, he would just flatly say the same thing: “Ava, stop making a fuss.” But I wasn’t his obedient wife who followed his every command. I was the seductress who had thrown herself at him. It all started when I was truly desperate, flinging myself onto his car on a cold, rainy night to seduce him. I knew he had just gotten engaged to the wealthy Chen family’s daughter. His own net worth was over 100 million. As I lay on the freezing ground, I was still calculating how much money I could extort from him when I heard the car door open. Designer shoes splashed through puddles, the water droplets glittering like tiny crowns. For some reason, I started laughing. It took me a while to look up and see Adam standing there with an umbrella. After that night, I had two jobs – officially Adam’s assistant, but really his mistress. Adam was skilled in bed and extremely generous. In the past, I could barely make $800 in three months of work. Now Adam would casually hand me over $20,000. But after being his mistress for ten years, he still treated me like a cheap whore. Adam only spent nights at my place. Before dawn, he would get dressed and rush back to his home with Zoe. He said he needed to make breakfast for Zoe. The housekeeper’s cooking didn’t agree with her stomach, so she wouldn’t eat and would get stomach pains. Without fail, every single time. Even though I knew Adam was probably just keeping up appearances for the business partnership with the Chen family, he still insisted on making Zoe breakfast. Even after Adam had completely taken over Chen Corp, he still persisted in making breakfast for Zoe. I could no longer deceive myself.

I’ve gone crazy, pretended to be sick, thrown tantrums – nothing could stop him from returning to Zoe’s side. He would only say to me, “Ava, stop making a fuss.” Then he would lean down to kiss me before rushing off like the wind. Back at home, the unfinished wine still sat on the table. The sweet aroma of alcohol hung in the air as Adam took off his coat and went to the kitchen to get some ice to press against my face. “Aren’t you going to comfort your wife?” I asked, staring at his long eyelashes as he bent over me, feigning nonchalance. “She’s much more obedient than you.” The words I wanted to say got stuck in my throat. The warm yellow lamplight enveloped us as I listened to his breathing, suddenly feeling empty inside. Ten years. I had devoted ten years of my time and energy to Adam Carter, thinking it would soften his heart. But his heart remained as cold and hard as ever. “Let’s break up,” I said. His hand on my cheek paused for a moment as he looked at me steadily. I hated that expression of his the most – aloof and callous. In an instant, it transported me back to that stormy night thirteen years ago. My body started trembling uncontrollably. I shook off his hand and turned away, hiding my vulnerability in the shadows. Adam just thought I was having another outburst. He was used to me threatening to break up whenever I was upset, only to be appeased with some money. So easy to placate. That night, Adam still slept at my place. He held me close as he slept soundly, moonlight flowing like the tide over his hair. His brows, his eyes – I had gazed at them for ten full years, each time etching them into my memory with a hatred that cut to the bone. A faint vibration interrupted my thoughts. Adam’s phone lit up, displaying just one word on the screen: “Nian”. “Hello?” I answered the call. The urgent tone on the other end suddenly fell silent. After a long pause, Zoe’s trembling voice came through. “Is…is this Ava? Is Adam there? Can you ask him to take the phone? I…I think I’m having a miscarriage…” I turned back towards Adam, at a loss for words, and met his still slightly dazed gaze. When he finally registered what Zoe had said, his expression changed. He snatched the phone from me, his voice barely containing his anger – directed at me. “Why did you answer the phone?! Haven’t you upset her enough already?” His grip on my wrist was so tight it felt like he would crush the bone. I trembled, feeling the blood in my heart run cold. I watched him hurriedly throw on his clothes and rush out the door, his face etched with anxiety that seared my vision. I collapsed onto the floor, letting out a bitter laugh as I looked down at the angry red marks on my wrist. I remembered my first miscarriage. I had also made a phone call then, forcing Adam to come back from the villa where he was cooking for Zoe. I had been even more ruthless back then, sitting calmly on the sofa as I watched the pool of blood spread. Only when it was certain the baby couldn’t be saved did I finally call Adam. The anxiety on his face when he arrived was identical to just now. As if he had divided his love equally between Zoe and me. But how can one heart love two people? He was false and pretentious, unable to let go of either Zoe or me. I felt exhausted and cold. I curled up on the carpet and fell asleep until the sky began to lighten, but there was still no sign of movement outside the door. Adam wouldn’t be coming back. I sat in our spacious home, looking around, and realized for the first time how many traces of Adam there were. The mugs on the kitchen island – we had picked them out together as a couple. Adam had scoffed at such childish things, but still used the silly cartoon rabbit mug to drink alcohol. In the fridge, half was filled with his liquor, half with my calcium milk drinks. He had mocked my habit, but would silently restock the milk each time. And the wall of perfumes he had collected for me, the ring designs he had personally sketched… My phone lit up as the long-awaited message finally arrived. It was a photo from Zoe. Adam’s handsome profile was buried in the snow-white bedding, one hand tightly gripping Zoe’s pale, slender fingers. The smile on her face was gentle and serene as she gazed directly at me through the screen. “I told Adam you scared me into miscarrying.”

Children had always been a sore spot for Adam. He found them troublesome, but couldn’t do without one. After all, his business empire needed a legitimate heir. Adam was the typical rich second generation. Spoiled by his family since childhood, he excelled at smoking, fighting, and racing cars. It wasn’t until he got into trouble and his family had to cover it up that he finally cleaned up his act and took over the family business. But Adam had a younger half-brother from his stepmother, ten years his junior, who was about to come of age and take on responsibilities. The two were at odds, destined for a fight to the death. Adam’s father favored his younger son and had always been strict with his eldest. As luck would have it, several major business partners withdrew their investments at this time. Adam was overwhelmed, barely able to come home once in a while after working late into the night. Seeing his son’s career setbacks, Adam’s father began gradually handing over control of the company to his younger son. Adam fought this for a long time before his father finally relented slightly. He could have the company, but Adam needed to produce an heir first. After all, he was already in his mid-thirties with no children, inevitably raising doubts about whether Adam had some hidden condition. If that were the case, the company would naturally go to his brother, who would inherit after Adam’s death anyway. I had miscarried once a year ago. And now Zoe, who I had just hit over the head with a wine bottle, had been frightened into miscarrying. The heavens were not on Adam’s side. I almost wanted to applaud. I thought Adam would stay at the hospital with Zoe for a long time, but he called me very soon. “Come to the hospital,” he said. His tone was so cold it seemed to seep through the phone. I carefully applied my makeup and walked to the hospital room in high heels, only to be hit in the face with a heavy medical chart as soon as I entered. “Apologize,” Adam commanded. He stood imposingly by the hospital bed, his gaze ice cold. Zoe leaned against the bed, her small face pale as paper, her eyes glimmering with laughter. This wasn’t the first time I had seen Zoe. Before smashing the wine bottle over her head, before I knew Adam had a wife, I had hidden in corners many times, watching her like a voyeur. She liked to wear cream-colored sweaters, gently taking Adam’s suit jacket. She loved rose-scented perfume, subtle and elegant. When Adam held me at night, the rich scent of roses would envelop me. She enjoyed doing small crafts. Adam still wore the red string bracelet she had made on his wrist. Adam was covered in traces of her. This woman asserted her dominance without a sound. I tried to deliberately ignore these things, but they only became more glaring. Especially when Adam stood beside her. I clutched my stomach where the medical chart had struck me, meeting Adam’s warning glare. …I couldn’t fight back. I wasn’t ready to openly defy Adam yet, so I could only swallow my pride and apologize to Zoe. “I’m sorry, Miss Chen. I was wrong.” Hearing me give in, Adam also relaxed. He turned and took Zoe’s hand, his face full of tender caution. “It’s my fault. You focus on getting better. I’ll end things with her. From now on, we’ll have a good life together.” A faint smile bloomed on Zoe’s pale face. Like a delicate white flower swaying in the wind. I rolled my eyes, but she immediately caught it. “Adam, can you ask her to leave?” Adam obeyed her every word. I don’t know where she got such charm. “Go outside…handle some company matters. Don’t disturb me unless it’s important.” Adam’s phone was tossed into my arms. I got up, limping towards the door. As I was leaving, I turned back and waved the phone at Zoe. She lifted her head from Adam’s embrace, her eyes curving into crescents. Silently signaling to me with her gaze. The corners of my mouth twitched upwards. — The plan had succeeded. [Cut-off point] Because Zoe had always been in poor health, this miscarriage took a severe toll on her already fragile body.

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It was a Sunday evening when I got a call from Lucas while having dinner. “Ava, I’m sorry. I cheated again.” I calmly put some vegetables into the pot and replied, “Buy me a car to apologize, and we’ll move on.” Lucas fell silent for a moment before dropping the bomb. “She’s pregnant.” I stopped eating and stared at the bubbling broth. “Oh, that won’t do. You’ll have to add an apartment too.” … After my face was registered for the lock of the 4,600 square foot penthouse downtown, the keys to a white Cullinan also arrived in my hands. Lucas, my fiancé, truly lived up to his reputation as the cream of the crop among the city’s second-generation rich. This time, his mistress was a stunning woman named Mia, who confronted me aggressively. “Break up with Lucas! He loves me!” “While you were sitting at home alone, we were kissing by the lake! He took me horseback riding and we made love passionately every night at the resort! That’s when the baby was conceived…” What a riveting love story. If I’d come across it on TikTok, I’d have given it a like. My gaze lowered to Mia’s slightly protruding belly beneath her heaving chest. I’d seen many mistresses before. But one coming to confront me while pregnant? That was rare. She was the second. The first was me. I looked at her, my expression unchanging. “Miss Mia, don’t get carried away. Lucas is young and likes to play. When he’s tired of someone and wants to get rid of them, he hands them over to me. You’ve entered the after-sales stage.” Lucas’s pinned post on Instagram was our engagement photo, and he always wore the Harry Winston wedding ring on his left middle finger. Anyone still throwing themselves at him would be treated as “asking for it.” “As for the authenticity of the child, I’ll take you for a paternity test tomorrow. Once we have the results, we can discuss compensation.” Mia slammed the table and stood up. “Ava, are you even human? You’re talking about me and my baby like we’re commodities.” I remained as calm as still water. “Being a mistress comes with its own treatment. Miss Mia, if you could reach Lucas and make him take responsibility, would you be sitting here for three hours waiting for me?” Mia’s expression faltered, and I delivered my final blow gently. “Coincidentally, Lucas always uses protection when he sleeps with others. I never give him condoms that are more than six months old, and I insist that he confirms the other person’s health status before sleeping with them. How strange that this time there was an accident?” Hearing this, Mia was not only shocked by the content of my words but also showed a moment of panic. Her fingers, gripping the cup, trembled and turned white. “Maybe… it was just bad luck…” Her voice trailed off, quickly swallowed by her cup. I smiled without speaking. Her phone rang. Suddenly, Mia’s gloomy face brightened. “I’m not afraid. You can check all you want. But I’m telling you, if the report shows it’s really Lucas’s child, you’ll have to step aside and break up with him!” My eyes darkened. This idiot Lucas really fell for it. Mia pressed her advantage. “Ava, if Lucas really loved you, he wouldn’t have slept with someone else. You’re so calm about his cheating, do you really love him?” I thought to myself, youth is beautiful, still believing in love. Adults are all about mutual benefits and satisfaction. I stood up, gathering my things to leave. “Since Miss Mia is determined to take my place, I wish you success. However, from now on, you won’t be dealing with me, but with William.” Hearing this name, Mia’s whole body tensed. “William… you’re going to hand me over to him?” William, the undefeated killer in the business world, was Lucas’s older brother and the most outstanding young CEO in the city. He doted on his playboy younger brother Lucas the most. Those who dared to scheme against his brother were always ruthlessly dealt with. Seeing Mia’s fear, I gave examples of William’s skillful methods of causing “accidental” bloodshed. Mia’s features crumpled as she protected her belly. After an internal struggle, she decisively grabbed me. “I choose to negotiate with you…” I wiped away her tears. “Alright. I’ll help you get the maximum financial compensation.”

After transferring the seven-figure compensation to Mia’s account, I received a message from Lucas. He invited me to a party tonight, saying there would be new people. I stood outside the private room for two minutes. Lucas was sitting in the corner of the sofa, his arm around his childhood friend Rachel as they played a game. When Rachel got tired, she clung to Lucas’s arm and whispered in his ear. Lucas smiled, gently pinching her cheek. The ambiguity was thick in the air. Someone like Mia had probably been forgotten long ago. Lucas’s philandering was like a powerful air conditioner that suddenly cuts off. A person who’s gentle to everyone is actually cruel to everyone. Fortunately, I was even more gently cruel than him. Just as Rachel was about to lean in closer to Lucas, I pushed open the door. Lucas’s face lit up with joy, and he immediately stood to greet me. Rachel’s face darkened, and she furiously tapped on her phone. “Ava, I’ve missed you so much. Thank you for your hard work. When we get home, I’ll make it up to you…” Lucas’s sweet talk came as naturally as breathing. I let it go in one ear and out the other, never taking it seriously. “It wasn’t hard. But in the future, you need to be more careful and avoid these accidents. I can help you keep things under control, so they won’t reach your parents’ ears.” I was always generous and considerate. No matter how many women Lucas flirted with outside, I never cried, made a scene, or acted out. I even took the initiative to clean up his messes. His friends were dying of envy. But I simply didn’t love him. Lucas led me to a secluded corner of the room. “Ava, let me introduce you to a new friend. He’s one of my brother’s business partners, and I’ve been asked to entertain him recently…” As the neon lights flashed by, they illuminated two faces from deep in my memory. My college first love and his affair partner. It took all my strength to clench my fists and not make a sound, but I still showed the biggest loss of composure in nearly three months. “Noah, did you see that? Ava’s expression just now was so ridiculous, still as stupid as ever…” Contemptuous, frivolous, malicious female voice. I once broke down and cried under such a voice. Now, it only took me two seconds. I took the initiative to raise my glass and greet them with a smile. “Hello, I’m Ava, Lucas’s fiancée.” Zoe, wearing a wine-red spaghetti strap dress, turned her head haughtily, disdainful of me. Instead, it was Noah, hidden in the darkness, who accepted my toast. His voice was low and bewitching. “Lucas is lucky to have such a good fiancée.” Compared to before, Noah had become more sophisticated and less cold. Lucas joked, “Brother Noah, are you envious? I can introduce you to some quality girls. Someone as outstanding as you doesn’t need to hang onto a crooked tree. Find someone you can show off…” A blatant insult to her face. Zoe finally realized and glared at Lucas. Lucas didn’t flinch, smiling softly and innocently. Zoe had miscalculated. Lucas might seem good-natured, but he was actually sharp-tongued, playing dumb to outwit others. Zoe had offended me, so he targeted her. The air froze. Noah smoothly mediated the situation. “Thanks for your kindness, Lucas, but I’m a man of singular taste. Once I’ve found someone I like, I don’t change easily.” “New clothes might be nice, but old friends are irreplaceable. The more people you meet, the more you miss the sincerity and companionship of your first love.” He seemed to be defending Zoe, but his gaze fell on my face. I turned away, pretending to look at my phone. Suddenly, there was a loud noise at the door. Usually, I deal with one mistress a month, but today I’ve encountered three in one day. The girl standing at the door with her arms crossed and glaring was Ella. Two months ago, I had seen her at Lucas’s friend’s rock climbing gym. That day, Lucas had complimented her a couple of times, and Ella had blushed, finding ways to talk to him. After lunch, Lucas told me he was going to the hotel next door to take a nap. Not long after, Ella disappeared too. I pretended not to see or hear anything. Rachel couldn’t find Lucas, so she asked me. I said I didn’t know. Rachel was frantic: “Ava, can’t you control him more?” I never controlled Lucas; in fact, I indulged him. Men can’t be controlled; the more you try, the more they resent you.

Tonight, Ella came in full force. I stood up, wearily going to meet her. “Miss Ella, if you have something to discuss, let’s go outside…” Ella, taller than me, took advantage of my attempt to reason and slapped me to the ground. “Ava, haven’t you overstayed your welcome in the Lucas family? I’ve done my research, you’re quite the gold-digger. You even seduced the boss of a finance company before, your reputation is in tatters, everyone wants you gone…” The crowd gasped, and discussions broke out. It was like having a bucket of ice water dumped on me in winter. My heart clenched, and the light in my eyes went out like a switch. That suffocating feeling of being overwhelmed came rushing back. Before I met Lucas, I had been struggling in that kind of darkness, lost and confused. Ella turned and changed her demeanor. She grabbed Lucas and pleaded earnestly. “Lucas, don’t be fooled by Ava, she’s no good. Her mother is just an ordinary worker from Xinjiang, and her father died fifteen years ago.” “She has neither background nor connections, but she’s beautiful. Women like her have no bottom line, they’ll do anything to climb up, using men as stepping stones.” “She’s only close to you for your family’s money. Break up with her…” Another one trying to force me out. But this time, she was going through Lucas. Before I could counterattack, Lucas laughed. He looked at Ella with curved eyes, but there was coldness deep within. “Miss Ella, have I offended you somehow? Why are you slandering my beloved fiancée?” Ella was stunned, suddenly feeling uneasy, and waved her hands repeatedly. She had underestimated my relationship with Lucas. I was the daughter-in-law recognized by the Lucas family, with interests aligned with Lucas. My face was his face. Ella’s foolish public exposure, her self-righteous good intentions, were actually trampling on his face. Lucas looked up at me, his lips silently forming two words. “Get up.” Behind Ella, I was already at arm’s length, my eyes bloodshot. Grabbing that flamboyant high ponytail, I directly hit her head with the bottle of Dom Pérignon in my hand. “Ah!” Ella screamed, followed by other girls screaming, mixed with Zoe’s cold laughter. “Don’t go over there.” Lucas sternly warned others not to move. “Can’t you see your sister-in-law is angry about being wrongly accused?” Sometimes, I felt Lucas and I were a perfect match. I unconditionally tolerated his philandering, and he stood by my side and defended me without limits. Ella panicked and was about to explain. I quickly stunned her with another bottle. Straddling Ella, I slapped her face one after another. “This is for spreading rumors about me, this is for making up stories, this is for repeatedly trying to ruin my relationship with Lucas…” Apart from Ella’s whimpers and the crisp sound of slaps, the room was silent. More than a dozen people looked at each other with complex expressions. Until someone abruptly applauded. “Bravo, bravo, Miss Ava is truly impressive, it’s quite an eye-opener…” I suddenly came to my senses and stopped my actions. The one applauding was Noah. He walked step by step into the light. Phoenix eyes, thin knife-like lips, a slightly aquiline nose. His mouth curved up, but his eyes were full of mockery. Every move exuded a dangerous aura. “I’m becoming more and more interested in Miss Ava…” Noah and I looked at each other across the space, separated by four years. After a long while, I was the first to look away. I forgot to manage my expression, leaving indifferently. From the corner of my eye, I saw Lucas following me. I deliberately waited a while at the elevator, but no one came. I laughed self-mockingly and pressed the elevator button to go down. I dialed William’s number; I wouldn’t turn to him unless absolutely necessary. “Hello, big brother, help me deal with someone named Ella.” “…Yes, I did delete everything back then, I don’t know where she dug up the dirt, she publicly exposed my affair with Jack…” Downstairs, I bought a milk tea to ease my anxiety. Behind me, a black G-Class drove up. Noah’s well-defined face was gradually revealed by the car window, which had tinted film on it. It wasn’t hard to imagine his purpose for the tinted windows. In the past, Noah and Zoe were like dry tinder, ready to ignite at any moment, and they had played in all sorts of places. While they were recklessly indulging, I was making soup for Noah and ironing his shirts. The man’s slender knuckles knocked on the car window: “Let me take you home.” I held back the nausea rising in my throat: “No need, Lucas will be down soon.” Noah pretended to think for a moment. “What a pity, Grace is very clingy, she won’t let Lucas come down easily tonight…” I was surprised. I had heard of Grace, she was a famous escort. Thinking back, she did seem to be in the private room earlier. So, Lucas’s footsteps were held back by her. In just a second, I reacted: “You arranged this?” Noah chuckled softly, getting out of the car himself to pull me. “Don’t worry, Grace has a clean health check report.” He came closer, I stepped back. I turned and ran back towards the building. Noah didn’t waste words, his large hand caught my waist and locked me in the car. ———- This is the breakpoint ———- Seeing the car drive out of the city center against my will, I was both anxious and angry, desperately calling Lucas.

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I was kidnapped. But my kidnapper turned out to be my future husband. So the question is, should I call for help first, or should I call him “honey” first? After my dad refused to pay the ransom. I could only weakly ask, “How about… I offer myself instead?” “Boss, this is the Winter’s kid!” a voice said as the blindfold was pulled off my head. As my eyes adjusted to the light, I began to assess my surroundings. It was clear that I had been kidnapped. But when I focused on my captor, I was shocked to realize it was my future husband! Well, a 10-year younger version of him. Liam Reeves frowned slightly as he got a clear look at my face. He turned to the chubby guy beside him and said, “Wasn’t the Winter’s kid supposed to be a boy? How did it turn into a girl?” “That boy was surrounded by bodyguards, it was too risky,” the chubby guy explained with a dejected look. “But I found out this girl is also Old Winter’s daughter!” Liam scrutinized me, bending down slightly to meet my eyes. “Little girl, we don’t want to hurt you. But your dad has gone too far. As long as he pays the ransom, we’ll let you go. Nod if you understand!” I nodded frantically! When the phone call connected… “I have your daughter Zoe. Prepare $500,000, or you know the consequences!” “Daddy, save me…” I cried pitifully and helplessly, following Liam’s instructions. My dad very decisively — hung up the phone. Liam, not giving up, called again. My dad was decisive once more: “No money. Take the girl if you want!” This behavior was so typical of my dad. Liam and I exchanged an awkward glance. I tentatively suggested, “How about… I offer myself instead?” Liam looked at me like he’d seen a ghost. The chubby guy laughed and said, “Sis, you’ve got guts!” What could I do? After all, he was my future husband. I had to pamper him.

Liam coldly ordered, “Lock her up!” So I was untied and locked in a room. From what I could tell, we were in the countryside, probably at Liam’s grandparents’ old house. I could even see some of his childhood photos. Who would have thought that my husband was so… adorable as a child. Although I was kidnapped, the fact that it was him made me not feel scared at all. I had just been reborn, so I might as well take this chance to rest and sort out my thoughts. I carelessly took off my shoes and socks and lay down on the bed. Liam and I had an arranged marriage, but that was ten years in the future. By then, Liam had become a renowned business tycoon, while the Winter family was in decline due to my father’s extravagance. For the sake of benefits, my dad decisively chose to sell his daughter for glory, and I was naturally the one being sold. Liam’s father had been driven to death by my dad, so I always felt that he married me only for revenge. But at that time, I had no choice but to agree to this marriage. After getting married, Liam and I maintained a cold and distant relationship, not interfering with each other’s lives, like strangers living under the same roof. It wasn’t until I was kidnapped by his business rival and he risked everything to save me that I finally saw his true feelings. After that, we broke down the barriers between us and began a sweet and passionate married life… Perhaps I had to experience being kidnapped once to truly become his wife?

“Wake up, wake up!” In my dream, the past and present intertwined. Looking at Liam, I instinctively grabbed his hand and softly whined, “Honey, I’m hungry.” Liam was once again stunned by my bold words. The chubby guy, on the other hand, couldn’t stop praising me, “Sis, you’re really something! You’re really getting into character!” Liam, somewhat irritated, frowned again and said to the chubby guy, “You, get out!” Then he coldly said to me, “Get up!” I got up reluctantly, taking my time to make the bed. I showed no signs of the fear a kidnapped person should have. Liam stood with his arms crossed, frowning as he looked at me, his eyes full of assessment. I looked up at him, full of obedience. “Don’t think you can get away with this kind of trick!” “Mm-hmm.” Please don’t let me get away. “Didn’t you say you were hungry? Come out and eat!” “Okay.” I gave him a sweet smile. Whether in the future or now, my husband is always so adorable.

The so-called meal was actually just two cups of instant noodles. Looking at the mushroom chicken flavor in front of me, I instantly felt full. Then I glanced at his beef flavor noodles… “I want yours.” “What right do you have to make demands as a hostage!” “You’re right, but I still want yours.” “Damn it,” Liam cursed. “I’ve already eaten from mine.” “I don’t mind!” “You…” Liam took a deep breath and reluctantly pushed his beef noodles towards me. I really dislike instant noodles, but I was indeed hungry, so I had to eat in small bites. Liam seemed unable to stand the way I ate and urged, “Hurry up and eat. Finish quickly and leave!” “Ah? That doesn’t seem right!” “What else then? You can’t be exchanged for money, what use is keeping you here — to steal my noodles?” I immediately put on a pitiful look and pushed the noodles in front of me towards him, “I’m not eating anymore.” “Damn it.” “You shouldn’t curse, you know.” “You dare lecture me!” I continued to act like a poor, helpless little thing. “This is ridiculous!” Liam cursed under his breath, but still pushed the noodles back to me, “Hurry up and eat.” I ate less than half a bowl before putting it down. Liam frowned as he looked at me. “I’m full…” “We’re in a poor rural area, this is all we have.” “Mm, I don’t mind.” I smiled at him and said, “But you should eat less instant noodles, it’s not good for your health.” After all, you’ll die of stomach cancer at a young age, leaving me a widow, which isn’t a good life. Thinking of that, I immediately realized I should urge my husband to eat well and have regular check-ups. I can’t let that tragedy happen again! Perhaps my concern was too obvious, as Liam seemed a bit uncomfortable. “Don’t you think you should act more like a hostage?” “Theoretically, I should, but you…” “What about me?” I looked at him with a coy expression: “I like you, you know!” “Clang!” Liam’s chopsticks fell, his expression shattered. Perhaps he had never seen such a bold hostage before, he seemed a bit scared.

Liam was a bit speechless, “What, hostage falling for the kidnapper, not following the usual script?” “I might have Stockholm syndrome.” “You actually know what that is!” “Wow, you’re so smart!” The atmosphere suddenly became awkward. “Um… I know you, we went to the same high school.” I blinked at Liam with starry eyes, trying hard to show my sincerity. Of course, I didn’t know all this information from the beginning, but discovered it when sorting through Liam’s things after we got married. It turned out he had been paying attention to me since I entered high school, silently protecting me. Later, when he insisted on marrying me, it was purely because he liked me. How could I miss out on such a good husband! Sure enough, a suspicious blush flashed across Liam’s face. Based on my understanding of my future husband, I continued to push forward. “I also know that time when I was being stalked by a creep, you helped chase him away, and then you kept secretly walking me home. I know everything you did.” I looked at my husband, who I had lost and found again, and poured out my heart: “Liam, I like you.” Liam looked very calm, but his reddening ears betrayed his emotions. He turned away strategically, coughed, and pretended to be indifferent, “Do you think it’s appropriate to say these things now?” “Why not?” Liam looked at my innocent face and sighed quietly. “I’ll take you back first thing tomorrow morning.” “Ah… but I don’t want to leave you. I haven’t seen you for so long since you went to college. How’s college? By the way, you haven’t dated anyone, right?” “Don’t you think you’re overstepping?” “Can’t I reasonably claim the rights of a secret admirer?” “Why are you so troublesome!” “You’re the one who kidnapped me and brought me here, you have to take responsibility!” “I…” “So that means I still have a chance, right?” “You…” Liam was suddenly rendered speechless by me. Of course I knew he hadn’t dated anyone, I just regretted not meeting him earlier in my previous life. Now that I’ve been reborn, I must cherish this opportunity! Perhaps the burning love in my eyes was too pure, Liam seemed unable to handle it. He put on a cold and heartless facade and pushed me into the bedroom, commanding, “Go in and stay there, don’t talk.” “Okay, honey!” “Don’t call me honey!” “Okay, future boyfriend.” Liam: Are young girls nowadays all this bold?

I had taken a nap after they brought me back in the afternoon, so now I was bursting with energy to the point of wanting to tear the house apart. Plus, with the person I’d been thinking about just outside the door, I was feeling restless. Although it might be a bit early to get intimate with my husband now, it didn’t seem entirely impossible. Thinking about our shameless married life before, how should I deal with this blushing and heart-pounding feeling! Although the mirror showed a high school student, the soul inside was actually that of a woman in her 30s. Especially after Liam passed away, I had been quite lonely and cold. Now I was at that age where I felt like a hungry wolf. No, no, I can’t get carried away! I patted my face to dispel these wild thoughts, and decisively decided to take a shower to cool down. Now that I’ve been reborn, I can’t let the previous tragedy happen again. ———-This is the breakpoint———- First was Liam’s dad. From what I knew, it was because my dad owed his family a large sum of money for a project that Liam’s father had a heart attack. He was now in the hospital waiting for surgery fees, money was a big issue.

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When I was seventeen, the boy I liked committed suicide. His blog was made public online. In millions of posts, his hidden sorrow and feelings for me became known to thousands. At the end, he wrote: “Only you can save me.” That night, I went back to the day we first met and hugged him. The usually aloof and proud boy fumbled: “Classmate, this isn’t appropriate, is it?” Zack died. I heard the news while squeezed in a crowded subway during rush hour. Next to me were two high school girls in uniforms, whispering to each other. I caught some fragments: Zack, sleeping pills, Chris remembered. These keywords connected together easily made me think of something unpleasant. There was a moment of ringing in my ears, and I turned my head to look at the two girls. Perhaps frightened by my blank stare, one girl hesitated: “Sister, do you like Zack too?” I was stunned by this question, nodded, and the girl immediately showed a sympathetic expression. “My condolences.” What a pity, only after you died did I have the chance to say I liked you in front of others. The topic of Zack’s suicide had already risen to number one. His good friend Chris made all the private posts on Zack’s blog public according to Zack’s last wishes. I scrolled through his blog posts one by one. He wrote about how painful it was in his creative process, how difficult it was to maintain his sharp edges in the entertainment industry. My heart seemed to feel the same pain. In these articles, he kept reminiscing about a person called ‘Lily’. What a coincidence, we have the same name. If I didn’t know that I had almost no contact with Zack during high school, I would have thought it was me. But when I saw the last post, my tears instantly dried on my face. “09/02/2014 Today, a classmate listened to my original song seriously. What a strong sense of achievement! I really want to hold a concert and sing just for her.” “I’m thinking, even if many people don’t understand me, what does it matter? As long as I’ve been treated seriously by one sincere gaze, I’m lucky.” “If there ever comes a day when I want to give up, only Lily can save me.” In an instant, the hundreds of articles with ‘Lily’ in them had an answer. ‘Lily’ was me. My heart started beating uncontrollably, but what followed was a deep sense of helplessness. If… if I had been a little braver back then, could I have saved him? The dead are gone, and the living still have to go to work tomorrow. I looked at the redness under my eyes in the mirror and sighed. Zack… I hope in your next life you can be an ordinary but happy child. That night, I dreamed of Zack. In the dream, the sky was orange-red like an oil painting. I stood on the playground, with unfamiliar classmates playing basketball in the distance. Everything was so familiar. Eight years ago… Just then, a guitar sound came from behind me, accompanied by a boy’s low singing. In an instant, I suddenly froze. This scene, I would never forget in my life. It was because I accidentally heard Zack’s original song that I started to have a crush on him. The voice from behind continued, and I turned around stiffly, staring at the boy in front of me. Zack was only seventeen at that time, his face still had baby fat, his hair fell on his forehead, and his eyes were pure. His temperament hadn’t yet developed the melancholy of his post-debut days. Sensing my burning gaze, he stopped. “Classmate…” He was about to say something when he suddenly stopped. My tears also instantly slid down my cheeks. Zack stood up, put everything else aside, and fumbled in his pants pocket to find a pack of tissues. “I don’t think I was singing a sad song, was I?” He handed them to me: “Or do you have something upsetting you?” From Zack’s personal diary, I knew that Zack had also fallen in love with me at first sight because of my appreciation for his music. I threw aside my former reserve and shyness, and suddenly hugged Zack’s waist without warning. “Zack… you’re still alive… that’s so good.” I said these words chokingly. Zack raised his hands the moment I hugged him. Behind us, many classmates started whistling teasingly. “Classmate, this isn’t appropriate, is it?” Zack’s ears turned red, and he stood stiffly, not daring to move. I let go, took out a jade pendant from my neck. This jade was given to me by my grandfather at a scenic spot when I was a child, saying it could bring safety. It had always been with me, and I indeed had been healthy and safe since childhood. Now I laid this jade in front of Zack. “It’s for you.” Since it could protect me, it could protect you too. After all, it was in my dream, I could do whatever I wanted. Zack’s ears turned red, a bit bewildered by my behavior. “This…” His clear eyes seemed to have a glimmer of water, his hand took it. “Thank you then…” He gripped my jade in his palm, tightening it. When he looked at me again, his gaze was a bit serious. “Classmate, have we met before?” I paused, shook my head, and tried hard to suppress the sourness in my heart to give him a smile. “Maybe, just seeing you, hearing your music, I felt a special sense of familiarity.” When I first met you, it was like reuniting with an old friend. My consciousness gradually recovered, and when my eyes opened, my face was cold. Indeed, dreaming of Zack still makes me sad. When I arrived at the company, the atmosphere was gloomy. As soon as I sat down, a colleague came over. “Have you seen Zack’s public blog?” My heart was suddenly pierced by a thorn, but I still nodded strongly. The colleague immediately opened up. “I didn’t expect Zack to have so many painful aspects inside.” “And, I didn’t expect such a handsome guy would have unrequited love.” “But that girl must have liked him too, right?” “Otherwise, how could she directly give Zack that jade pendant?” In an instant, my eyes suddenly widened, and even my breathing became heavy. “What did you just say?” As I said this, I opened Zack’s blog and turned to the last post. “A jade pendant?” The colleague’s words suddenly came out, and I also saw the content in Zack’s blog post that wasn’t there yesterday. “This girl suddenly cried when she saw me.” “She took off her jade pendant without saying a word, her neck instantly turned red.” “But when I asked for her name at the end, she ran away without saying a word.” But this… was what I did in my dream… “How is this possible?” I muttered to myself, and my colleague’s eyes showed a bit of confusion. “Didn’t you see the news? Zack was clutching this jade pendant when he died.” “But you have the same name as this girl, it’s really such a coincidence.” If I understand correctly. Last night’s dream really gave me a chance to save Zack. But why… did he still commit suicide? I was so uncomfortable at my workstation that I could hardly breathe, hating myself for not seizing the opportunity. Back home, after a simple wash, I fell into a dream again. This time, I must hold onto him. Today’s dream scene was on a dark path outside the school gate. It should have just missed the crowd after the evening self-study session, now there were very few people on the small path. I wonder which scene of me and Zack this is? Suddenly, I heard an angry shout from the alley beside. “Don’t touch my guitar.” In an instant, I had an impression. In the second year of high school, there was a nasty off-campus fight incident involving Zack. To say it was a fight, it was almost one-sided with him being beaten. The cause was that Zack accidentally discovered his classmate being extorted for protection money by boys from a vocational school. So he took his classmate away. Zack had quite a few brothers, so those people were wary of Zack and let him go at that time. Later, they found a few small-time thugs from society and took Zack to a small alley when school was over. I heard they smashed Zack’s guitar that he had used for a long time, and Zack was outnumbered. Afterwards, Zack bought a new one, but obviously, every time he played the guitar, his expression wasn’t as immersed. So, this was Zack. And at this moment, I was just a seventeen-year-old girl. I thought calmly, every time Mr. Harrison was on duty, he would stay in the office for a while after the evening self-study session. The school, now with only a few lonely lights, became my reassurance. I first hid to one side and called the police. Then I sent a message to Mr. Harrison: “Mr. Harrison, there are students from other schools extorting our school’s students at the school gate.” After sending the message, I stuck to the wall, covering my breath. Now in the alley was an oily voice. “Actually, we don’t have to touch this, but you have to apologize to my brother.” “Why should I?” A sound came from inside, as if someone had hit the wall with the guitar. “Don’t move!” Zack’s voice in the quiet alley was like a whimpering lion. ———-This is the breakpoint———- Even though I knew I should protect my own safety, I really couldn’t sit by and do nothing.

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