Author: Momo Chan

The billionaire heir announced he would marry two women—essentially uniting two families under one roof. The news rocked high society like an earthquake. The wealthy Scott family had two sons, but tragedy struck when the eldest and their father both died in a plane crash. Mrs. Scott, devastated and desperate, demanded her younger son, Charles Scott, take two wives to preserve the family legacy. Only one wife could legally register the marriage, however, and Charles already had a woman he loved deeply. No one wanted their daughter to be the one without official status. Except me. I happily moved into the lavish mansion without hesitation. “I might have married you, but my heart belongs to Olivia,” Charles said coldly. I nodded seriously, lying unsaddened on the mansion’s eight-hundred-metre king-size bed. After all, I wasn’t here to break them apart—I was here to join the family. “Girls these days will do anything for money.” “No kidding. They say he’s marrying two wives, but only one gets the legal title. The other one? Just some shameless mistress without a name.” “Crazy, right? And to think she’s from a wealthy family herself—how embarrassing.” I sat on the edge of the bed, listening to the maids gossip outside. It was almost midnight when Charles stumbled drunkenly into the room. He sat at the edge of the bed, staring at me with a deep hatred in his eyes. “I might’ve married you, but you know perfectly well that my heart belongs to Olivia. You’ll never compare to her.” “We might’ve had a wedding, but I’m not getting a marriage certificate with you. Legally, Olivia will be my wife—no one else.” His words were blunt, and his glare was sharp, as if he was waiting for me to crack. I nodded with a calm smile, unfazed. The Scott family, one of the richest in the fictional country of Westmont, had two sons. The eldest, Michael, was the perfect heir—gracious, intelligent, and well-loved. He was groomed to take over the family empire, but a tragic accident during a business trip with Mr. Scott shattered those plans. Charles, the younger son, was left to inherit the family fortune. But Charles was different—he had a fiery romance with Olivia, a woman from a modest background. Their love story was no secret in the elite circles. The couple faced criticism for their relationship but vowed to defy societal expectations and stay together—a testament to their “pure and undying love.” But this love was precisely what Mrs. Scott opposed. When she decided Charles should marry two women to continue the Scott legacy, she made it clear she didn’t approve of Olivia. Still, Charles and Olivia’s passionate love story continued to make waves. In elite families, it wasn’t uncommon for men to have affairs, but they were expected to keep their wives happy and maintain appearances. Charles, however, was different. His “second wife” would receive neither love nor respect—an unenviable position. No respectable family would willingly send their daughter into such a situation. Except me. “If I don’t agree to the two-wife arrangement and marry you, my mother won’t let me register my marriage with Olivia. She’s the reason you’re here, so don’t provoke her. Stay out of her way,” Charles said coldly, his eyes filled with disdain. I scratched my cheek and smiled. “Relax. I’m not here to ruin your relationship—I’m here to join the family.” As I unzipped the back of my wedding dress, his expression darkened. “Are you seriously suggesting…?” he asked in disbelief. I chuckled, calmly slipping off the dress. “You’re marrying two women to carry on the family name, right? You have your job, and I have mine. Let’s get this over with—it’s better for everyone.” He frowned, his eyes filled with contempt and disgust. “Fiona Monroe, you’ll do anything for money, won’t you?” “You’re nothing but a gold digger. How could someone like you ever compare to Olivia?”

“You’re right—I’ll never compare to Olivia,” I said calmly. “But tonight, you will do what’s necessary, or how else will you explain yourself to Mrs. Scott tomorrow?” I issued my threat without an ounce of shame. Charles Scott’s face went dark, his eyes filled with fury. Having lost his father and brother, Mrs. Scott was his only family left—and his greatest weakness. Her demands couldn’t be ignored, and her approval was something he couldn’t afford to lose. Seeing the storm brewing in his expression, I softened my tone and took a step back. “I swear, I’ll never do anything to hurt Olivia,” I said gently, walking closer to him. “Mrs. Scott wants you to have two wives, and if you have to marry someone else, isn’t it better that it’s me? At least I won’t try to take your love away from her. I just want a child, nothing more.” I smiled, my voice sweet, as though we were having a casual chat. “All I want is to have a baby, live comfortably, and leave you two to your happily-ever-after. It’s a win-win for everyone.” Charles froze, clearly trying to figure out whether I was being honest. I met his gaze without flinching because I wasn’t lying. I had no intention of fighting Olivia for his love—or for anything at all. “I heard you come from a wealthy family,” Charles said suspiciously. “Not as rich as the Scotts, of course, but it’s not like you’re starving. What did my mom promise your family? Must’ve been a pretty sweet business deal.” I sighed inwardly and nodded. “Yes, she’s helping my family out. But I also married you of my own free will.” I tilted my head, smiling playfully. “Why don’t you just pretend I’m madly in love with you and couldn’t live without you?” Before he could respond, I grabbed him by the arm and dragged him into the bathroom, pulling at his shirt. “Let’s get this over with. The sooner I’m pregnant, the sooner you won’t have to deal with me anymore.” Charles stiffened as I stripped off his shirt, his face a mask of disdain. The contempt in his eyes was so thick it practically dripped off him. “I’ve never met anyone as shameless as you,” he said coldly. “You don’t even bother pretending to have dignity.” I gasped dramatically, wrapping my arms around his neck. What a heartless man—he had zero regard for a woman’s feelings. Hah. Men. They’ll look down on you in public but won’t hesitate to take what they want in private. The next morning, I went downstairs, now dressed and composed, and saw Charles sitting in the living room with Mrs. Scott and a pale, tearful Olivia by his side. Charles was holding Olivia’s hand tightly, his voice gentle. “You should rest more. I know last night was hard on you.” Mrs. Scott, obliviously cheerful, grabbed my hand and gave me a satisfied smile. “Even though you’re not officially married to Charles, you’re still my daughter-in-law. Now hurry up and give the Scott family some grandkids!” Her words were pointed, and Olivia’s face turned even paler. When her gaze fell on the marks on my neck, she froze, her body trembling. Tears spilled down her cheeks. “Charles Scott, looks like you had a great time last night!” Slap! Her voice shook as she slapped Charles hard across the face. Before anyone could react, she clutched her chest and suddenly collapsed.

On the second day of my marriage, Olivia slapped Charles in front of his mother. But that wasn’t the real drama. The real drama came when the doctor revealed that Olivia had a congenital heart condition. “I won’t allow this! Divorce her immediately!” Mrs. Scott erupted, furious. She had never liked Olivia, and the revelation of her illness only made things worse. “You knew, didn’t you?” she accused Charles, jabbing a finger at him. “She has heart disease, and you helped her hide it from me! The Scott family can’t have a daughter-in-law who’s sick! She can’t even have children!” Charles lowered his head, trying to explain. “Medical technology is advanced these days. Her condition won’t stop her from having kids—we’ve already consulted doctors…” “It’s already done. She’s my wife and will remain the second Mrs. Scott.” Slap! Mrs. Scott struck Charles across the face with enough force to leave a red mark on his other cheek. Despite her rage and physical outbursts, Charles stood firm. He refused to divorce Olivia. I leaned against the doorway, watching the dramatic scene unfold like a soap opera. When I left the living room, I ran into Olivia, who was leaning against the wall for support. Her eyes were red as she gazed toward the living room, her expression one of bittersweet gratitude. “Even though you tricked him into this marriage, his heart still belongs to me,” she said, turning to face me. Her pale face was full of defiance. “He’s willing to fight his mother for me. That just proves how deep his love is. You’ll never come between us.” I chuckled softly, brushing past her. “I’m not here to break you two up. I’m here to join the family.” Her lips trembled as I walked away, but then she raised her voice, sharp with anger. “I’m his true wife! Even if they call it a two-wife arrangement, you’re nothing but a glorified mistress!” When I didn’t respond, she grew even more hysterical. “You think you’re so clever, don’t you? You’re just shameless! Whatever you can give him, I can give him too!” That night, she dragged Charles into her bedroom, presumably to prove her point. The Scott estate was huge. I lived on the third floor, while she stayed on the second. When I went downstairs for water in the middle of the night, I could hear the sounds coming from her room. The next day, Olivia came to the third floor, her face glowing with satisfaction. She tugged at her collar, “accidentally” revealing the marks on her neck. “You’re jealous, aren’t you?” she said with a smirk. “I have his love, and I can satisfy him in ways you never will.” I frowned, glancing at the marks. “You have a heart condition. You really shouldn’t overexert yourself. Especially not around your neck—there are arteries there.” Her smile faltered for a moment before she sneered. “You’re just bitter. Don’t think you’ve won just because his mother likes you. I’ll never let him go!” She stormed off, but as I turned around, I saw Mrs. Scott standing in the hallway. She patted my shoulder with a smile. “Don’t worry. Charles is your husband too. Love will come in time—just be patient.” I blushed and nodded shyly. “With the business deal already in motion, don’t let me down,” she added with a meaningful look. I nodded again, obediently. Once she was out of sight, my smile vanished. I would make sure Charles came to me. But not because I wanted his love. I just wanted to get pregnant as soon as possible.

I was doing everything I could to get pregnant, but Olivia wasn’t giving up her position without a fight. Charles Scott, it seemed, truly adored her. Every time she shed a tear, he’d immediately drop everything to comfort her. She had her emotional leverage, but I had my own tricks. For all his cold, polished demeanor, Charles had no self-control around me. He wasn’t the upright and disciplined man he pretended to be. I knew exactly what he liked, and I used it to my advantage. Olivia stared at the marks on my neck, her eyes red with frustration. “He’s changed. He never used to ignore me like this. But don’t get ahead of yourself—he’s only with you because of family obligations. Deep down, he still loves me. You’ll never take my place.” I looked at her, this woman who clung so desperately to her idea of love, and I almost felt sorry for her. Charles hadn’t changed at all. He had always been this kind of man. Before I married into the Scott family, I’d seen him with countless women—young, bold, and alluring. While the media painted him as a devoted lover, spinning stories about his “pure and passionate romance” with Olivia, reality was far less glamorous. Even now, with two wives, he still carried the faint scent of unfamiliar perfume. Olivia never noticed. She always assumed it was mine. “Olivia, I’ll never hurt you, and I’ll never fight you for him,” I said evenly. “There’s no love between Charles and me. I’m only here for one reason: to give him a child.” She stared at me, stunned. After a long silence, she shook her head. “I don’t believe you,” she said. To her, Charles was perfect—how could anyone not want his love? My persistence paid off. I was finally pregnant. The entire Scott household was overjoyed. Mrs. Scott couldn’t stop grinning as she looked at my growing belly. Even Charles, who was always indifferent toward me, cracked a rare smile. From the second floor, Olivia stood watching us, her face pale as a ghost. That night, the lights in her room stayed on until morning. I opened my window and could faintly hear muffled sobs and voices. “You need to take better care of yourself,” I told her the next day. “Your health is more important than anything else.” “Why is it that I’ve been with Charles longer than you, yet you’re the one who got pregnant first? I’ve been trying so hard, and still—nothing!” She froze at her own words, then suddenly erupted into a furious scream. “You did something, didn’t you? Tell me!” She glared at me with wild, desperate eyes, her voice shaking the walls. “I know it was you! You didn’t want me to have his child, so you sabotaged me!” Her accusations grew louder and more frenzied. I instinctively stepped back, shaken by her outburst. “It’s you! You’re the reason I haven’t been able to get pregnant!” she screamed, her voice cracking. Suddenly, Charles stepped in, pulling me behind him protectively. “Olivia, enough!” he snapped, his voice tight with frustration as he grabbed her arm. “It was me,” he admitted, his tone low. Olivia froze, staring at him in disbelief. “What are you talking about?” “I’ve been putting birth control in your water,” he said, his voice heavy with guilt. “You have a heart condition, Olivia. I didn’t want to risk your health by letting you get pregnant.” Her face twisted with shock. “Why…?” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I’ve always wanted to have a child with you!” she cried, her face contorted in pain. Her voice cracked as she screamed, “You did this for her, didn’t you?” She pointed a trembling finger at me, her eyes wild with fury. “You love her! You want her to have your baby because you’ve fallen for her!” Before I could react, she lunged at me. The impact sent us both crashing to the ground. Pain radiated through my abdomen as I hit the floor. A sharp, searing agony shot through my body, and I felt the wet warmth of blood pooling beneath me. Bright red streaks ran down my legs, staining my dress. “Ahh—” Olivia let out a piercing scream and clutched her own stomach, curling into a ball. Both of us lay there on the cold floor, bleeding and broken.

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I was in a car accident and fell into a coma for three years. When I woke up, my usually gentle husband Patrick was unusually cold towards me. My son Leo even cried and told me to get lost. As I tried desperately to win them over, I overheard Leo crying: “Why did she suddenly wake up?! What about Diana now that she’s awake?” “Dad, can you crash the car into Mom again? Use medical technology to bring Diana back!” That’s when I realized the truth. Diana was Patrick’s first love. To save Diana, who was in the late stages of cancer, Patrick had developed a technology that could transfer a soul into a sleeping pod while maintaining the body’s vital functions with the help of machines. He deliberately crashed our car, and while I was in a coma, he allowed my cancer-stricken best friend Diana’s soul to occupy my body, stealing everything from me. After hearing the truth, a chill ran down my spine, and my heart felt like it was being torn apart. “Patrick, are you a monster? I’m your wife!” I shouted at him, my voice trembling with anger and despair. Patrick’s face was grim, but there wasn’t a trace of guilt in his eyes towards me. “Natalie, I was wrong to hide this from you, but I just couldn’t bear to watch Diana wait for death,” he said. “Your body is a perfect vessel, the best match for Diana’s soul, and there won’t be any complications. She’s your childhood best friend, and she has no other family. You can’t just let her die!” Patrick grabbed my hand urgently. “That’s right, Mom!” Leo pleaded with me too. “You still have me and Dad, but Diana has nothing. If you don’t save her, she’ll be all alone!” Watching father and son beg me for Diana’s sake, I instinctively shook my head. Diana had lost both parents at a young age, came from a poor background, and was often sick. In middle school, when she was bullied by some delinquents, I saved her. After that, we became inseparable, and I often brought her home. Over time, we became each other’s most trusted confidants. The year I got married, Diana borrowed money from me to go abroad for treatment due to her illness. After that, we lost touch. Until three years ago, when I heard from Patrick that she was in the late stages of cancer. I was planning to visit her abroad, but then the car accident happened, and I fell into a coma for three years. I never imagined that all of this was manipulated by Patrick for Diana’s sake. One was my beloved husband, the other my most trusted friend. Diana had even played matchmaker for Patrick and me. But in the end, these two people who meant so much to me had deceived me and tried to take everything from me… “I won’t agree to this,” I muttered. “Natalie, how can you be so cold-blooded! She won’t survive in this temporary body much longer! She’ll die!” Patrick frowned, his eyes full of disappointment in me. “Mom, how can you be so heartless! My teacher says that helping others is what good people do!” Leo shouted at me angrily. Helping others? Just because my body is a perfect vessel, I’m supposed to be used and suffer for it? On what grounds! “I won’t agree to this!” I said coldly, clenching my fists. Patrick sighed. “Natalie, think about it carefully. I’ve checked your body and soul condition. Your soul is also a universal attachment, it can perfectly match any body. If you agree to give your body to Diana, I can find you the most perfect body. We can still live happily together!” After saying this, he gave me a complicated look and left the house with Leo, leaving me alone on the sofa. I cried, my tears flowing freely. This was the man I loved, this was the son I had given birth to at the risk of my life. For Diana’s sake, they had all abandoned me… I calmed down, wiped away my tears, and went to a print shop to print out divorce papers. I also contacted a lawyer. I was about to take a taxi to the hospital where Patrick worked with the printed divorce papers when Patrick’s call came in. “Natalie, come to the hospital quickly! Leo suddenly had an allergic reaction!” Patrick’s voice was urgent. I could hear Leo crying in the background! I panicked immediately. Leo had always been prone to allergies during season changes. He had once been rushed to the emergency room due to an allergic reaction and almost died on the operating table. Without thinking too much, I hung up the phone and quickly took a taxi to the hospital, rushing all the way to Patrick’s private office. But when I opened the door, I was stunned. Leo was sitting perfectly fine at the desk, watching TV, without any discomfort! “Patrick, you actually made Leo pretend to be sick to trick me!” I shouted angrily. But Patrick just sighed and put a document in front of me. “Natalie, I didn’t want it to come to this, but please look at this agreement.” A bad feeling suddenly welled up inside me. I looked down, and my mind exploded! It was an agreement consenting to a body swap! And in the signature column for the consenting party, my name was already signed! I looked at Patrick in disbelief. He had actually forged my signature on the agreement! “Natalie, I swear! This is the last time I’ll help her!” Patrick begged, holding my hand. “I’ve already found a body for you. It’s perfect, you’ll love it! Once Diana wakes up, we can go back to how things were before! Natalie, trust me! I won’t let you down!” He’s insane! He’s just a madman! I struggled to break free from his grip and tried to run outside, but Patrick was too strong. He pinned my hands behind my back, and suddenly a sharp pain shot through my neck. By the time I realized what it was, it was too late. My vision went black, and I lost consciousness completely. When I woke up again, my whole body felt numb. I instinctively sat up and slowly turned my head to look at myself in the mirror. It was an unfamiliar face and figure. My body had indeed been taken by Patrick and given to Diana… Tears burst from my eyes, and I couldn’t hold back my sobs anymore. Why? What did I do wrong? Just then, the door suddenly opened. I turned to look at the person who walked in. It was Patrick. And behind him was Diana, in my body. I looked at them coldly, tears still flowing. Patrick looked at me and sighed softly: “Natalie, I know you’re very angry right now, but you saved a life. You should be happy!” “Natalie, thank you for giving me a second chance at life!” Diana said timidly, wearing my face. But I didn’t miss the malice and arrogance in her eyes: “I really don’t know how to repay you. I… I’ll kowtow to you!” Diana was about to kneel down, but Patrick pulled her up: “Diana, don’t do this! You’re good friends, there’s no need for that!” Patrick frowned and lightly scolded her. “That’s right, Diana! Mom won’t blame you!” Leo also persuaded her. Diana looked at me, the arrogance and triumph in her eyes becoming more undisguised. “Natalie, you’ve just had a body swap surgery and are still very weak. I’ll bring Diana and Leo to see you again tonight!” Patrick said with a smile, then turned to leave with Diana and Leo without even looking at me. They were laughing and talking, as if they were the real family. I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms, causing a piercing pain. Suddenly, my gaze froze. I noticed that Diana’s phone had fallen to the ground. I picked it up and found that Diana’s phone wasn’t locked. What I saw on the screen of the chat interface nailed me to the spot: [Diana: Darling, you’re still so capable, coming up with this idea of surrogacy! Now Leo doesn’t even recognize my best friend for my sake, haha!] [Hehe! If it weren’t for my idea to get your best friend to come abroad for a medical check-up, you wouldn’t be reunited with Leo now! But Patrick doesn’t know about this, right?] [Diana: Don’t worry, I arranged for Patrick and Natalie to have the check-up together. We gave them enough drugs at the time, he doesn’t know his bodily fluids were combined with mine] [Diana: And Leo came out of Natalie’s belly and looks so much like Patrick, it can’t be traced!] My whole body trembled as I read and reread these words in disbelief. Six years ago, Patrick and I had our routine medical check-up. Diana strongly recommended that I go abroad, even buying the plane tickets for me. The doctor there said they had new technology that could complete the entire check-up while we were asleep, and Patrick and I agreed. I remember getting pregnant shortly after the check-up. But now, this chat log was telling me that Leo wasn’t my child… Without realizing it, I had helped Diana raise her child with Patrick… My vision blurred, and a strong wave of dizziness hit me, almost making me lose my balance. Just then, Diana’s phone rang. The caller ID showed it was Patrick. I instinctively answered, and Diana’s voice came through: “Natalie, did you see?” Diana’s voice was soft, but it felt like a flesh-eating plant devouring me. “Patrick helped me swap your body. From now on, I am you.” “Your husband, your child, everything you had, is now mine.” My body trembled as I listened to Diana’s low, curse-like words: “You know what? I’ve always been jealous of your good conditions and environment.” “But I had nothing, and in the end, I couldn’t even keep my own man and had to give him to you!” “Why do you rich people get to live a peaceful life? Why can’t I?” “But it doesn’t matter now. The plan is complete. Thank you for taking care of my husband and son for me.” “From now on, you have no more use. Because no matter what you say, Patrick won’t believe you. Goodbye, my dear friend~” The call was hung up, and I stood there for a long time. My palm felt sticky. When I lifted it, I saw it was bloody and mangled. But at this moment, I felt extraordinarily calm. A plan quickly flashed through my mind. Diana, you say I have no more use? Not necessarily. Because I’m curious, after I leave, will you and Patrick go crazy looking for me everywhere? I quietly watched out the window, watching the sky darken into night. The hospital room door opened at that moment, and Patrick walked in with Leo. “Honey, Diana has gone back to her room to rest. I brought Leo to see you!” Patrick said with a smile as he walked in and sat by my bed. I turned my head and looked at him and Leo silently for a moment, remaining silent. The smile on Patrick’s face faded a bit. He took off his gold-rimmed glasses, his expression showing a hint of helplessness. “Honey, I just talked it over with Diana. She’s in your body now, so it wouldn’t be right for me not to divorce her.” “I’ll marry you again later, and we’ll be just like before. Don’t be angry anymore, okay?” “That’s right, Mom! Being angry gives you wrinkles, and that’s not pretty!” Leo hugged my arm and whined. Suppressing my disgust, I pulled my hand away and looked at Patrick with a slight smile: “This face isn’t pretty. I want to have some minor adjustments done. Can you arrange a plastic surgeon for me?” Patrick was stunned for a moment, then smiled happily. “Of course! As long as you’re not angry, I’ll agree to anything!” “I’ll arrange the best plastic surgeon for you. No matter how you look, I’ll love you just the same as always.” “Diana will also be your best friend, just like before!” I ignored him and turned back to look out the window. The next day, the plastic surgeon Patrick arranged came to see me. I discussed the parts I wanted adjusted with him. That afternoon, I went into surgery. On the fourth day, some of the bandages on my face were removed. Patrick wanted to come visit, but I turned him away, saying the wounds hadn’t healed and I didn’t want to see anyone. “Why?” Patrick was confused. “You only had minor adjustments. It won’t affect anything if I take a look!” “But I want to give you a surprise. Just be patient a little longer!” I sweet-talked Patrick, pretending to be affectionate. He hesitated for a moment before finally agreeing. On the sixth day, the doctor told me that my face had healed well, my overall condition was normal, and I could be discharged. I packed up my things quickly and left the hospital after completing the discharge procedures. After leaving, I didn’t linger but went straight to the airport by taxi and bought a ticket to Country M. While waiting for my flight, I bought a new SIM card and posted a blog post I had prepared earlier on my phone. This blog post was something I had written before the plastic surgery. I detailed Patrick’s advanced body-swapping technology and specifically mentioned the key information that my body was a perfect soul vessel. Thanks to Diana’s boasting, she had left selfies in my body on her phone, as well as her post-surgery examination results, which added credibility to Patrick’s technology. Having been with Patrick for many years, I understood that he was extremely confident in his medical skills and absolutely wouldn’t allow his reputation to be damaged. At the same time, he desperately craved recognition. Once his technology and Diana’s successful case were publicized and sparked widespread discussion, what kind of people would it attract? That was no longer something I could control. I smiled faintly, inserted the new SIM card, and threw the old one into a trash can. As the boarding call for my flight sounded, I boarded the plane. Patrick, Diana, this is the consequence of your deception. Your retribution has only just begun. I hope you can still smile when that time comes. Meanwhile, Patrick was in Diana’s hospital room, watching Diana play with Leo. He felt inexplicably irritated. “You rest first. Today is the day Natalie gets her stitches removed after her minor adjustments. I’m going to check on her!” Seeing Patrick about to leave, Diana quickly grabbed his hand. “Will… will you come back to see me later?” she asked. “You know, I just had the body swap surgery. I’m afraid I might not fully integrate with Natalie’s body.” Patrick looked at Diana, who now had Natalie’s face and body, but her every move felt so out of place. It clearly told Patrick that she and Natalie were still two different people… Patrick suddenly felt some regret for giving Diana Natalie’s body, but at the time Diana’s condition was very critical, and he really had no choice. Natalie… At this moment, all he could think about was Natalie. “You were integrated with Natalie’s body for three years without any accidents. This time will surely be the same.” “I’ll go see her first. Oh, and remember we need to get the divorce certificate tomorrow,” he said. “You’ve changed bodies, so of course you can’t continue living with me with Natalie’s face. Find a time to get plastic surgery done too!” “It’s really strange seeing you with Natalie’s face!” With that, he left with Leo without looking back. Diana angrily clenched the bedsheet, her eyes full of jealousy and hatred. Plastic surgery? She had finally obtained Natalie’s body and everything else, and now they wanted her to change to accommodate Natalie? In her dreams! She had stolen Patrick once, and she could do it again. Just wait and see! Patrick carried Leo, striding quickly towards Natalie’s room. When he opened the door, he found the bed empty. Natalie was nowhere to be seen. “Where did the patient from Room 4 go?” Patrick quickly grabbed a nurse and asked. “Oh, the patient from Room 4? Is she an acquaintance of Dr. Pei? She completed the discharge procedures and left!” the nurse replied. Patrick frowned. Discharged? Why hadn’t she told him? Just then, his phone rang. He picked it up and saw it was a call from the hospital director: “Dr. Pei, wasn’t your soul-swapping technology supposed to be confidential?” “How come I’m seeing detailed information about your technology online? Did you release it?” Patrick was stunned.

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I loved and fought with Lucas Stone for five years. During the time he went missing, I became his half-brother’s mistress. Later, he used every means to force me to divorce, Calling me a cheap slut in front of his new girlfriend, But I refused to let go. Today, however, I handed him the divorce papers myself. Because I’m going to marry his brother. “What are you up to now?” Lucas Stone stared at the divorce papers on the table, his eyes full of disgust and impatience. I wasn’t surprised by his reaction. For the past year, I had clung to him like a madwoman, desperate to keep him. I’d gone crazy, made scenes, even cut my wrists. But today, I saw Lucas at the hospital accompanying his girlfriend for a prenatal checkup. My battered heart finally died. I sniffled and put on a carefree smile. “Lucas Stone, you’re so boring. I don’t want to play anymore.” Lucas’s face darkened as he grabbed my neck forcefully. “Aria James, are you asking for death?” He gritted his teeth, seeming ready to kill me. Just as I was about to suffocate, Lucas’s phone rang, saving me. A girl’s soft sobs came from the other end: “Lucas, don’t be hard on Aria. I don’t need any status…” Lucas gently comforted her. The speaker was Chloe Zhang, the girl I had adopted and who was now Lucas’s girlfriend. After hanging up, Lucas swiftly signed the divorce papers, as if afraid I might change my mind. I wasn’t upset and moved on to discuss the property division. “You can have the house and the money. I just want this ring.” It was the wedding ring Lucas had given me. Back then, his proposal was broadcast non-stop on the mall’s big screen. The whole world knew Lucas Stone loved me. Now, only this ring could prove he once loved me. Lucas frowned deeply. “Stop acting.” He threw the divorce papers in my face. “Aria James, you disgust me.” I silently picked up the scattered papers from the floor. “I’ll move out as soon as I find a place.” After Lucas left, I collapsed onto the sofa in relief and called Nathan Stone. “It’s all over now. Are you satisfied?” I sat in Nathan’s car, clutching the divorce papers tightly. “Aria,” Nathan pulled over and smiled at me. “Lucas never loved you. If you were really as materialistic as he claims, why did you risk everything for him back then? He’s just afraid to investigate.” “None of that matters anymore,” I interrupted him, asking where we were going next. “I remember you haven’t been home in a long time.” I laughed bitterly, “I don’t have a home anymore.” When my mother found out I had become Nathan’s mistress, she slapped me hard. She said she had sacrificed everything to save Stone Corp, but never imagined her daughter would betray her life’s work. She refused to acknowledge me anymore. I had knocked on our home’s door countless times, but the servants avoided me like the plague. My mother adopted a girl who looked just like me. I watched them from afar at an amusement park, the three of them riding the merry-go-round together. From that moment, I knew I no longer had a home. Nathan stroked my head, his eyes as deep and unfathomable as an abyss. “Aria and I are the same now. Aria only has me, and I only have Aria.” He had schemed to make me become like him. “So Nathan, can we not go home?” Nathan’s lips curved slightly upward. “But how can our wedding not have our parents’ blessings?” I returned to the James house alone. The housekeeper was surprised to see me when he opened the door, as if he hadn’t expected my visit. “Miss, the madam isn’t home today.” I tilted my head to look inside. Chloe was lounging lazily against Lucas’s side, while Lucas adjusted the butterfly hairpin on her head. My mother was taking photos of them with a camera. I recognized the butterfly hairpin. It was a birthday gift my mother had once given me. Now the hairpin was hers, my mother was hers, and Lucas was hers too. I was the outsider. My mother stood up and walked towards the door, her face full of smiles until she saw me and froze. “How dare you come back? Why don’t you just die!” She angrily pushed me, shouting for me to die. I lost my balance and stumbled backwards, falling hard down the stairs. I was dizzy and disoriented. My mother still wore a cold expression, showing no concern as she watched me struggle to get up. My head was spinning, my body ached, and so did my heart. Chloe came out of the living room arm-in-arm with Lucas, feigning surprise. “Aria, why are you here? Mom, didn’t you say Aria wasn’t allowed back…” Her voice trailed off, clearly meant for me to hear. Lucas looked at me with disgust. He stood protectively in front of Chloe, as if afraid I might hurt her. My mother also quietly urged her to go back inside, moving to close the front door. I grabbed the door handle. “Mom, I’m going to marry Nathan Stone.” A gust of wind blew past my ear, and my cheek stung with pain. “You shameless wretch! Why did I ever give birth to you!” My mother slapped me and grabbed my collar, cursing me at the top of her lungs. Chloe covered her mouth in disbelief. “Aria, how could you… That’s Lucas’s brother!” Her act made me sick. I turned to leave. But my arm was seized in an iron grip. I looked back to meet Lucas’s gloomy eyes. “So you were in such a hurry to divorce because you’re marrying him? Aria James, you’re such a slut!” “Yes, but Lucas Stone, you’re the one person I’ve never wronged in this life.” I looked at him through tear-filled eyes, enunciating each word. He pushed me to the ground and looked down at me: “Aria James, you’ve wronged me your entire life.” I returned to the small apartment where Lucas had proposed to me. Right here, Lucas had said: “Lucas Stone will love Aria James forever.” He forgot, but I didn’t. I raised my ring finger, now bare. The back of my hand was bleeding from a scratch. As I was leaving, Chloe noticed I was still wearing the wedding ring from Lucas. She tearfully asked Lucas if he still had feelings for me. Lucas coldly said I wasn’t worthy. He forcibly yanked the ring off my finger, ignoring my protests. In the struggle, the ring cut my hand. The symbol of our love became a weapon he used to hurt me. He was unmoved, repeatedly wiping the bloodied ring, as if I had tainted it. But I clearly remembered when Lucas proposed, he was so nervous he went from kneeling on one knee to both knees, too choked up to speak. He said Aria James deserved all the beautiful things in this world. Those almond-shaped eyes made me drown in an ocean of tenderness. But he broke his promise. Chloe flashed me a victorious smile when Lucas wasn’t looking. She had won. I had to admit, she was truly a great actress. She publicly slandered and insulted me, while playing the innocent victim in private. She wanted me to be abandoned by everyone. She wanted rumors and gossip to drown me. She wanted to replace me. No matter what I did, it was wrong. Everyone knew that when Lucas went missing and was presumed dead, I got involved with his brother. No one believed me. I didn’t want to argue anymore. I got up clumsily, my thin clothes fluttering in the wind. Looking at Chloe’s tear-stained face, I said flatly: “I’m giving it all to you.” “I don’t want anything anymore.” I didn’t want to love Lucas Stone anymore. It was too painful. I sat by the floor-to-ceiling window watching the sun rise and set. But the sun in my heart would never rise again. The sun would never shine on me again. When I went back to the Stone house to pack my things, I found my fingerprints could no longer open the door, and the passcode had been changed. Chloe let me in. I hadn’t expected Lucas to be so eager to move her in. He must really love Chloe. The way he once loved me. Chloe acted every bit the lady of the house. “Lucas went out to buy me lychees. I didn’t want him to make the trip, but…” She lowered her head and stroked her belly, smiling smugly. “He said we can’t let our baby go hungry no matter what.” Although I had known about her pregnancy for a while, hearing her say it herself still felt like a stab to the heart. The man who once loved me so much now had a child with someone else, and I didn’t even have the right to question him. After all, in everyone’s eyes, I was the one who betrayed him first. I said nothing, so Chloe started to push her luck. “Aria, stop trying to get Lucas’s attention like this. It only makes him hate you more.” I rolled my eyes at her, not wanting to engage further. “Excuse me, I’m just here to collect my things. I’ll leave right away.” She didn’t budge from the doorway, pointing to a nearby trash can instead. “Your things are all in there.” The trash can was empty. The garbage collectors must have already taken everything away. I didn’t have many possessions, but there were some very precious items to me. Just as I angrily demanded to know why she threw out my things, Lucas returned. He stood in front of Chloe protectively. Glaring at me fiercely. “I told the housekeeper to throw it out. Chloe’s pregnant and can’t be around dirty things.” His protectiveness silenced any words I might have said. In his eyes, all my belongings were dirty. Even I was dirty. Chloe dramatically collapsed against Lucas’s shoulder, tears falling again. “Aria, it was just a charm. Why are you making such a big deal?” Lucas’s expression flickered for a moment. I think he probably hadn’t forgotten either. Nor had he expected that someone as materialistic as me would treasure such a worthless charm. Three years ago, I fell seriously ill with no apparent cause. Even the doctors were at a loss. When I was drifting in and out of consciousness, Lucas went to Lingyin Temple and kowtowed three times every nine steps, crawling up the stairs to obtain this charm for me. After wearing the charm, my illness miraculously improved. Back then, Nathan was still a carefree young master, and we had a good relationship. He told me: Lucas kept begging the Buddha, his forehead bleeding from kowtowing, all while murmuring: “I offer my life in exchange for my wife’s.” After hearing this, I stubbornly refused to wear it anymore, crying that I didn’t want Lucas to die. Later, I kept it in a box like a treasure. Now, it had become “dirty” in Lucas’s words. It had become a small pile of ashes in some incinerator. I wonder if Lucas still remembered that my life was exchanged for his devout prayers when we were young. I was once the person he would have given his life to protect. Before leaving, I stared at the lychees Lucas was holding and reminded him: “Lychees are cooling. They can cause miscarriage if eaten during early pregnancy.” Chloe immediately bristled at this, accusing me of cursing her child. She dropped her innocent act completely. She cried and threw a tantrum at Lucas, demanding that he kill me, that I should die. But this time, Lucas said nothing. He just stood there silently watching me leave. I went to the airport to pick up Hazel Greene. When she saw me, she burst into tears. She said I had gotten so thin she barely recognized me. Looking at myself in the airport bathroom mirror, I examined my face repeatedly. My pallid face was devoid of color, my eyes hollow and lifeless. There wasn’t a trace left of the radiant girl I once was. No wonder she didn’t recognize me. I couldn’t even recognize myself anymore. She cooked a feast of all my favorite dishes, saying I needed to eat more to regain my strength. I sat at the table and picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork. “Lucas and I are divorced. I’m marrying Nathan on the 8th of next month.” Hazel’s hand trembled violently, dropping her chopsticks on the floor. She looked up at me in confusion. “Aria?” “He didn’t want me anymore.” I ate the sweet and sour pork, only tasting bitterness. “This past year while you were gone, I suffered so much.” “No one believed me. Even Lucas bullied me.” Hazel angrily smashed a bowl. “How dare he! Doesn’t he know that back then you…”

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When I was having my beach wedding with Ethan, he received a call from Mia. As the officiant asked “Do you take Olivia to be your lawfully wedded wife?”, he refused in front of all our family and friends. “I do not. I will never marry such a vicious woman! I was blind before! She doesn’t deserve me!” He slapped me hard across the face and pushed me down. I tumbled down the five-foot-high steps, my body bloodied and battered, barely clinging to life. It was the hotel staff who rushed me to the hospital. When I regained consciousness, the doctor delivered devastating news. I had miscarried my early pregnancy, and I was diagnosed with locked-in syndrome in critical condition! Just as I was about to contact Ethan, I saw a video Mia posted of him proposing to her on a snowy mountain. Having narrowly escaped death, I called my birth parents. “Mom, Dad, I’m willing to go abroad and live with you!” The doctor’s cold voice still echoed in my ears: “Locked-in syndrome, the condition is very serious.” In one month, I lost my baby. Diagnosed with a terminal illness, late-stage locked-in syndrome. I lay in the hospital bed, my body aching from the fall down those five-foot-high steps. He had also slapped me across the face. Ethan, my newlywed husband, a doctor. Living with me, yet he never noticed anything wrong with my health. With trembling hands, I picked up my phone. On the screen was Mia’s radiant smile, a snowy mountain, a diamond ring, a proposal. Meanwhile, I was lying here, tubes all over my body, wasting away. For a week, he hadn’t come to see me. On SnapChat, his last message was “Baby, I finally married you” on our wedding day. Along with videos sent by people gloating over my misfortune, showing how he insulted me at the wedding after receiving that phone call. I used to cook for him, iron each of his shirts meticulously, and give up my chance to study abroad for him. Now, for another woman, he had tossed me aside like garbage. My phone vibrated. It was my adoptive mother calling. “Olivia! Where the hell are you? Get your ass back here right now! Look what you’ve done to Mia, you shameless bitch!” “If Ethan hadn’t traveled so far to find Mia, our real daughter might have been killed by you!” The barrage of insults felt like daggers piercing my heart. Once, they had cherished me like a precious jewel, saying I was their most beloved daughter. Ethan was the husband they had chosen for me since childhood, and we were once deeply in love. But ever since Mia, their real daughter, came back, he became a different person. I learned that my parents were actually my adoptive parents. Everything had changed. They had once tried to stop our wedding, but Ethan had insisted on marrying me despite me being the “fake daughter”, saying he loved me. Who would have thought that one phone call from Mia, their real daughter, would change everything? And now, in their eyes, I had become a despicable criminal. I silently hung up the phone, tears silently rolling down my cheeks. The home I once knew, I could never return to again. I dialed the number of my birth parents overseas. “Mom, Dad, I’m willing to go abroad and live with you.” The joyful voices on the other end were like a ray of sunshine on a winter’s day, warming my cold heart. I gave myself only one month. One month to leave this place, apply for a visa, and hand over my work. One month to say goodbye to the past completely and finalize the divorce. It was also my final deadline for Ethan and this family. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Olivia, you need to start over. Your life shouldn’t be controlled by anyone else.

I returned to the home Ethan and I shared. The locks had been changed. My documents and clothes were all inside. I went to my adoptive parents’ house across the street. “You little bitch! I’ll beat you to death! If Ethan hadn’t gone to save Mia, our real daughter might have been killed by you!” “How dare you show your face here? Go die somewhere!” My adoptive mother screamed, grabbing an ashtray and hurling it at me. Blood trickled down my forehead. I was still reeling from the shock of the miscarriage and locked-in syndrome diagnosis. The intense pain made my vision go dark. “How dare you bully my daughter! You ungrateful wretch, we raised you for nothing all these years!” My adoptive mother was hysterical. Mia? What had I done? I leaned weakly against the wall, my whole body trembling. My adoptive mother lunged at me, grabbing my hair. Punching and kicking. I was trampled on the ground like a stray dog. Once, she had gently brushed my hair so tenderly. Once, she said I was her most beloved daughter. There was a commotion outside. Ethan and Mia had returned. Mia saw me and shrank back, trembling, hiding behind Ethan. “Sister, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, please, stop forcing me! Please, I’m begging you, I’ll kneel down for you!” She wanted to kneel before me? I looked at her in bewilderment. What had I done to her? “I didn’t, I don’t know what she’s talking about!” I clutched at Ethan’s shirt. He shook off my hand, his eyes full of disgust. “Olivia, you’re really despicable! You won’t even admit what you’ve done! Fine, I’ll show you, so you can die with a clear conscience! We’re going to call the police!” He took out his phone and played a surveillance video. A group of men were tearing at Mia’s clothes, their vulgar language unbearable to hear. Mia was crying and struggling. Then, Ethan rushed in with some people. In the video, those men specifically said they were acting on my instructions. He also showed my bank transfer records. Once, he had held my hand, saying he would protect me for life. Once, he had tenderly kissed my forehead, saying I was his one and only for life. But now, Ethan threw the phone in my face. “Get lost!” He was cold and heartless. I collapsed on the ground, my whole body cold. Blood and tears mingled together. Blurring my vision. I stumbled to my feet. Looking around at this home where I had lived for over twenty years. The walls used to be covered with family photos of all of us. And my beloved garden swing. Mia had only been back for a year. Everything had changed. This home was now filled with all her favorite things. The family photos I had once been so proud of were now replaced with photos of them, as if I had never existed. I looked at Ethan. “When are we going to file for divorce?” “I need to go back and get all my things and documents now!” His eyes were still full of hatred. “I can’t wait to divorce you!” “Since you’re back now, take your things and get out of my world!” He comforted Mia while walking towards the villa across the street. He opened the door. The overwhelming scent of roses hit me. I had severe pollen allergies that could be fatal! He knew that! I gasped for breath at the doorway, my locked-in syndrome making it difficult to move. Gone was my former nimbleness. I held my breath and went inside, wanting to quickly gather my things. I entered the bedroom, but all my belongings had vanished. Mia’s glamour shots hung where Ethan and I’s wedding photo used to be above the bed. The closet was filled with her clothes. It seemed that during my hospital stay, she had already become the lady of the house. On the bedroom sofa were unused condoms and lacy lingerie. Once, our wedding photo had been displayed there. Once, this place had been filled with our sweet memories. My heart felt like it was being stabbed. I could only pretend I hadn’t seen it. After this month I would really be leaving. I opened the closet. Fighting back nausea. I opened the safe and took out my documents, but there were no property deeds or anything like that. “Where are my things?”

Ethan sneered, “You have the nerve to ask for things?” “Haven’t you done enough to hurt Mia? That house will be your compensation to her! It originally belonged to Mia’s parents anyway, you were just a cuckoo in the nest!” Hearing this, Mia put on an innocent act and simpered from the side. “Sister, it was Ethan who asked me to move in. If you mind, I can move out right away!” I looked at her coldly. “No need, I should be the one to leave. I wish you both a happy life together.” I looked at the harsh terms of the divorce agreement. Everything that once belonged to me was being taken back. I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly at myself. I was the real joke all along. After signing the divorce papers, Ethan turned away in disgust. “Take your things and get out now!” “I don’t want to see you for another second!” I looked around. This place was once my home. Now it felt like a cold prison. I took my documents and stumbled out of the villa. Once, this was the love nest Ethan and I shared. Now, it had become my hell. I had just reached the doorway and was leaning on the doorframe when my pollen allergy made my vision blur and breathing difficult. My phone was buzzing frantically with countless message notifications. Before I could check them, the vice president of my company called. “Ms. Sullivan, quick, check the trending topics!” “You’ve been accused of plagiarizing Mia’s latest jewelry design!” Plagiarism? I hurriedly opened social media. The label “plagiarist” was plastered all over me. I clicked on the widely shared images. But those were clearly my works! My painstaking designs had now become Mia’s original creations! In the comments, everyone was cursing at me. The former praise had now turned into slander. My stomach churned and I vomited a mouthful of blood. The bright red blood stains stood out starkly against the white floor. I turned to look at Mia. She still had that innocent expression. “How did you get my designs!” I demanded. “Sister, what are you talking about? I know you hate me, but how can you falsely accuse me? I designed these myself!” “I spent so long working on these sketches!” As she spoke, her eyes welled up with tears, on the verge of crying. I looked at Ethan. There wasn’t a hint of surprise on his face. As if everything was within his expectations. Once, he had treasured me above all else. Now, he coldly watched my suffering. Once, we could talk about anything. Now, he was filled with disgust towards me. Once, this home was my safe harbor. Now, it was my hell. I nearly fainted. I gripped the doorframe tightly, barely managing to support myself. Once, I was a jewelry designer praised by all. Now, I had become a plagiarist despised by everyone. Once, I had a happy and loving family. Now, I had nothing. Looking at everything before me, my heart turned to ashes.

“You told her my design ideas, didn’t you?” I confronted Ethan. He scoffed dismissively: “I couldn’t be bothered to look at your designs.” “You had ill intentions yourself, plagiarizing Mia’s work, and now you’re trying to frame her.” “You’re truly despicable!” I staggered forward, wanting to confront Mia. But Ethan pushed me away forcefully. My locked-in syndrome made it difficult to move. I fell to the ground hard. Once, he had protected me so carefully, afraid I would get hurt. Now, he pushed me down without hesitation. I struggled to get up, watching them throw all my belongings out of the villa. Tossed outside like garbage. My medical records had fallen out of my bag at some point and Mia picked them up. She pushed open the door and shouted accusingly. “Sister, whose child did you get pregnant with and abort? Did you betray Ethan! And this locked-in syndrome? How did you get that?” Ethan came out when he heard. He took a look and his eyes turned vicious. “Olivia, I haven’t touched you in a long time. You actually got pregnant with someone else’s child behind my back!” “Stop pretending. This trick of yours, trying to make me come back to you, keep dreaming! And locked-in syndrome? You really know how to act! You dare bring fake medical records you bought online to fool me, a doctor? You’re utterly disgusting!” With that, he took Mia’s hand and went back inside. Once, this was the love nest I had carefully decorated. Now, it was my burial ground. He continued to disbelieve me as always. He even slandered me, saying the child was conceived from an affair, forgetting that night. That time he came back from a business trip, had some drinks, and made love to me passionately all night long. It took me a while to recover. I picked up my suitcase containing the few belongings I had left, and step by step, left this heartbreaking place. Once, I had laughed and smiled here. Now, I was leaving with a heavy heart. Countdown: Two weeks. I needed to wrap up all loose ends before leaving this city. I returned to the company to resign. Online, the abuse towards me showed no signs of stopping. Moreover, Mia had held a press conference, revealing the design sketches. Ethan had also testified that I had plagiarized. “I can testify that Olivia plagiarized Mia’s designs! I’ve also divorced her!” All the rumors and slander came crashing down like a tidal wave. Once, I was a design genius praised by all. Now, I had become a plagiarist despised by everyone. The cyberbullying instantly engulfed my life. My phone was bombarded with abusive calls. I didn’t dare turn it on. At the company, people sent me dead rats and other nasty things. Once, I had countless fans, with flowers and applause everywhere I went. Now, I was cursed by thousands, hated by all. Countdown: 10 days. My condition suddenly worsened. Breathing became increasingly difficult. My vision grew blurrier, movement more labored. The doctor had said this disease was incurable. If I stayed positive, I might live a bit longer. If I gave up on treatment, the condition would rapidly deteriorate. Once, I had a healthy body and a bright future. Now, I was terminally ill, with not long to live. I lay shivering in the cold rental apartment. Once, I had a warm home. Now, I was homeless. I clutched my design sketches tightly. They were my last pride, and also my last pain. Once, I had been so proud of my designs. Now, my designs had become evidence of my crimes. I closed my eyes weakly, tears silently falling. I no longer had the strength to prove I wasn’t a plagiarist, because I had no evidence left. Countdown: 5 days. I dragged my body that could collapse at any moment to the place where we grew up. There, he had protected me countless times, fought for me, cooked for me for the first time. His traces were everywhere. Countdown: 3 days. I went to my childhood home. Back then I didn’t know I was adopted. My parents had once cherished me like a precious pearl, afraid I would melt if they held me in their mouths. They had accompanied me for every exam, always encouraging me. All the memories felt like they had happened just yesterday. Countdown: 1 day. At the time Ethan had specified, I arrived at the civil affairs bureau to officially file for divorce. He came with Mia. I couldn’t be bothered to ask if he was going to marry Mia as soon as we divorced. I no longer cared. I just wanted to be free. But as soon as we finished the paperwork and came out, we were surrounded by a crowd of reporters and angry fans, pushing and cursing at me. Meanwhile Mia put on a tearful act. “Don’t hurt my sister! You can’t hurt my sister! My sister didn’t mean to plagiarize my work, she’s the most important person to me, please don’t hurt her!” Her act was so convincing even Ethan believed it. I collapsed to the ground, my vision blurring. Just before I blacked out, I heard a familiar voice. “Make way! The patient has locked-in syndrome and is going into shock! Quick, make way, we need to get her to the hospital! Dr. Ethan, call 911 now!” “Are you sure? Locked-in syndrome?” Ethan asked again in disbelief. “Dr. Ethan, my father-in-law diagnosed Ms. Sullivan himself. How could there be a mistake?” the other person said. “How could this happen…”

My whole body was in excruciating pain, my consciousness floating in darkness. I vaguely heard a clamor of voices, crashing into my eardrums like waves. Then, I saw light. In the blinding light, I saw my birth parents, tears streaming down their faces. “My child, you’ve suffered so much!” My mother hugged me, sobbing like a child. My father’s eyes were red as he stroked my hair over and over. I lay weakly in the hospital bed, tears silently falling. Once, I thought Ethan was my support, my future. Now, I was like a bird with broken wings, lying alone in a cold hospital bed. A strange man appeared in my line of sight – handsome, sunny, wearing a white coat. “This is Chris, the son of my old friend. He’s an expert in this field, and we specially asked him to rush back from abroad,” my father introduced. Chris smiled gently and began examining me. Outside the door stood a crowd of doctors. Even the hospital director had come. “Dr. Chen, what do you think…” the director asked respectfully. Chris pondered for a moment. “The situation isn’t too bad. There’s still hope.” I felt like I had grasped a lifeline, a glimmer of hope lighting up in my eyes. Once, Ethan had cared for me so tenderly. Now, he had pushed me into the abyss. “We’ll take you abroad for treatment, using the best medical resources,” my mother said firmly. I gripped my mother’s hand tightly, feeling a long-lost warmth. Once, the Foster family was my home. Now, I was returning to my real home. “Olivia, do you have anything else to say?” A cold voice came from the doorway. It was Ethan. He stood at the door, his face pale, his expression complex. “Get lost.” I used all my strength to spit out those words. Once, I had loved him with all my heart. Now, I just wanted him to disappear from my world. Ethan staggered, unwilling to turn and leave. His appearance made my parents very wary. I gestured for them to stay. I needed to talk to him alone. His eyes were blank. He seemed to want to ask something, but didn’t dare open his mouth. “Want to ask why I have locked-in syndrome?” “Or do you want to ask whose child I was carrying?” He looked shocked. “The child was really mine?” “What’s going on with your locked-in syndrome?” “How did you suddenly get this disease?” His eyes were full of curiosity. Once, he had been so attentive to me. Now, he scrutinized me like a stranger. “I started falling for no reason a year ago.” “I didn’t pay much attention then.” I smiled bitterly. “Remember that time? I fell and you mocked me, saying how could a grown woman trip like that. Have you forgotten?” “You’re a doctor, and you’ve been with me for so many years, but you never noticed, did you?” “Because during that time, you were always accompanying Mia, weren’t you? How could you notice me?” Once, he had treasured me above all else. Now, Mia was all he saw. “As for the child, you’ve forgotten yourself.” “You came back from a business trip drunk and made love to me all night, then turned around and said you hadn’t touched me in a long time?” “Did you mistake me for Mia?” I calmly recounted these painful and ironic events. But he said: “I really didn’t know it was like that, I…” Once, he had made me countless promises. Now, even an explanation was so weak and powerless. A phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID. “Mia, don’t cry, I’ll be right there, stop crying.” He left the hospital room without looking back.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296164”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring #魔幻Magic #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn #惊悚Thriller

At the wedding, the waitress handed Ethan a strawberry he had already bitten. Surprisingly, the usually germaphobic Ethan smiled and ate it from her mouth. “If I didn’t, she would have been embarrassed,” he said. The young master, who usually treated people’s lives as worthless, was now considering others’ feelings. He allowed the waitress to act as the hostess, wearing the same wedding dress as me and making toasts on behalf of the bride. I, the real fiancée, became a laughingstock. Heartbroken and desperate, I faked my own death to escape his control. But I never expected him to go crazy because of it… The heat deep within my body grew more intense as his scorching body pressed against my back. I tried to push him away, uncomfortable, but he gripped my ankle and forcefully pulled me back. “I’m so hot, stay away from me,” I pleaded. A cold bead explored an area that had never been touched before. My foggy consciousness suddenly cleared, and I looked at the man on top of me, feeling nauseous. “Ethan Caine, get out!” I shouted. He gently kissed my forehead, but his lower body didn’t slow down. He violently shattered my voice. “Get out? So you can go play with those pretty boys?” he growled. “I feel sick just looking at you. Divorce. I want a divorce.” My words thoroughly angered Ethan, who was already furious. He laughed coldly, his movements becoming more forceful as he silenced me with a kiss. I completely lost consciousness… When I woke up, my whole body ached. I saw a perfectly sculpted torso and abs, with strong arms wrapped around my waist, holding me in place. His handsome face came into view as memories of last night flooded back. I kicked Ethan, who was still sleeping, off the bed. The sudden movement aggravated my sore spots. He looked at me with his head hanging low, a pitiful expression on his face, as if I had just done something unforgivable. I laughed coldly. He was such a good actor. After a while, Ethan calmly got dressed and prepared to kiss my forehead. “Let me go. The woman you love made a fool of herself yesterday. That mistress who can’t see the light of day.” My sudden words made him freeze. He pinned me to the bed, gripping my neck and gritting his teeth. “Lily, why do you have to be against me?” The phone rang abruptly, breaking the tense atmosphere between us. Ethan’s expression softened, even showing a faint smile. “Okay, don’t be afraid. I’ll be right there,” he said into the phone. He glanced back at me, as if seeking my approval. Seeing that I didn’t say anything, the anxiety on his face became more apparent. “Mia has some urgent business. I need to be by her side.” My heart sank. The man who had just been intimate with me was now arguing with me over another woman. I didn’t bother to speak and slowly buried myself in the blankets. I heard the front door close and the sound of a car engine fading into the distance. Only then did I pick up the tattered clothes and vigorously wash away the filthy marks on my body. Looking around the bedroom, the wind blew in from outside. Suddenly, the door handle turned. I retreated cautiously. I ran out of the mansion in a mess, finally breathing a sigh of relief. Thankfully, I ran fast enough, or I would have died in there with that creep. The fire had turned the entire sky red, growing more intense. A luxury car screeched to a halt. Ethan stumbled out of the car, looking at the scene in disbelief. He couldn’t understand how the mansion had caught fire in the short time he was gone. Firefighters carried out a charred body. Ethan completely broke down, frantically questioning them. “Where’s Lily? Did you save her?” My heart skipped a beat. I unconsciously took a step forward, but just as I opened my mouth, I saw a woman get out of the luxury car. Ethan immediately scolded her for getting out of the car and gently draped his suit jacket over her shoulders. I retracted the foot I had extended. Of course, in Ethan’s heart, no one was more important than her. Mia Sullivan. The girl Ethan couldn’t forget from years ago, and apparently still couldn’t. Ethan was adopted by my mother from an orphanage. We grew up together as childhood sweethearts. We finally got into a top high school with excellent grades, only to meet Princess Mia Sullivan. She couldn’t stand that we had good grades and were close. The willful girl cornered the usually quiet and aloof Ethan, demanding he be her boyfriend. After being rejected, she didn’t give up and turned her attention to me. Ethan finally compromised and became Mia’s nominal boyfriend. But when her novelty wore off, she became interested in other boys. I thought Ethan would be happy about this, but that day he refused to go home with me because he saw Mia flirting with another boy. He angrily dragged her away. In a small alley, the boy kissed the girl, expressing his pent-up love. And I had always been just an observer of their love story. I couldn’t understand why Ethan turned a blind eye to Mia’s bullying of me. Even when he saw her corner me in the bathroom and force me to eat feces, he blamed me for not understanding and angering his beloved. Later, my mother accidentally saved Ethan’s grandfather’s life, and we discovered Ethan’s true identity. He suddenly became the young master of the Caine family in high society. My mother passed away due to illness, her only wish being for me to live a good life. I found a boyfriend, but Ethan flew into a rage and demanded to marry me. At that time, I thought maybe Ethan truly had feelings for me. Looking back now, I was such an idiot. It was only because Mia had gone abroad, and he wanted to prove his charm, trying to provoke Mia into staying. But Ethan’s plan failed. We didn’t get married. From 18 to 23, I was always his nominal girlfriend. Recently, he finally proposed to me. I thought it was the light at the end of the tunnel. I never expected Mia to show up at the wedding as a waitress. She fed Ethan a half-eaten strawberry, and he smiled as he accepted it. Everyone at the wedding was laughing at my stupidity and presumption. I caused a scene, but Ethan accused me of being petty. On our wedding night, my husband rushed off to be with his true love, leaving me alone in our bridal chamber. Before the fire, the two of them looked at each other lovingly, like a match made in heaven. Without hesitation, I turned and left. I heard that the most expensive mansion in the city had caught fire, and the feared young master of high society, Ethan Caine, was going crazy outside the fire, crying and laughing while holding a bracelet. In that fire, the only person who died was Ethan Caine’s wife. I pushed open the door, and a cloud of dust hit me, making my eyes sting. Ever since I married Ethan, he had despised this small house and demanded we move out. To be with him, I agreed without hesitation. This little home, filled with beautiful memories, would now be mine alone. The doorbell rang, and I reflexively grabbed a kitchen knife. Seeing who it was, I was stunned. A handsome face beamed at me, asking me to be his sugar mama. In the blink of an eye, five years had passed. “Mommy, that uncle is so weird. Why does he keep staring at us?” Emily hugged her milk bottle, her little face slightly furrowed, melting my heart. “Don’t talk to strange uncles. We’re going home soon.” I packed up our small stand when a red hundred-dollar bill was held out in front of me. “I’ll take one,” said a familiar voice. The sound made me freeze. I stiffly looked up at the person in front of me. After five years, Ethan looked more mature than before. His face was expressionless, but his reddened eyes betrayed his nervousness. “I’m sorry, we’re closing up. Please come again next time.” I quickened my pace. Emily hugged my leg and pointed at Ethan. “Mommy, why is that uncle crying?” Indeed, Ethan was in tears. They fell in large drops. I had never seen him look so miserable before. He stared at Emily greedily, excitement flashing in his eyes. “Lily, come home with me. I’ve fixed up the house, it’s exactly the same as before you left.” He suddenly grabbed my hand and picked up Emily. “This is my daughter, right? Our family of three can finally be together.” Emily was strangely quiet in his arms. Panicked, I quickly snatched her back from him. “Mr. Caine, what are you doing?” An abrupt male voice broke our awkward moment. William Chase approached with a cold expression, quickly coming to my side. Seeing him arrive, I felt slightly relieved. “Daddy, did you bring Emily cake?” the little girl asked. The man’s expression softened as he playfully pinched his daughter’s nose. But someone couldn’t bear to watch anymore. Ethan kicked over my stand, his face vicious. I fearfully hid behind William, which seemed to provoke Ethan even more. He grabbed my wrist. “Lily Quinn, you’ve got some nerve. How dare you fool around with another man behind my back.” He dragged me towards his car. I lost my balance and fell to the ground. Memories of past nightmares came flooding back. I couldn’t stop shaking as I knelt on the ground, kowtowing. “Please, I’m begging you, let me go. I’m already dead, why are you still haunting me?” Ethan looked at me, at a loss. His hands hovered awkwardly. “Lily, what’s wrong? I’m Ethan, the Ethan you love most.” Love? The man I once loved to the bone now stood before me. I was surprised to find that I felt no love for him, only fear. I thought I had let go after all these years, but he had to appear and shatter my peaceful life. If Mia Sullivan was my bully during school, then Ethan Caine was my biggest abuser when I was 23. Before, love had blinded me, but not anymore. “Love me? If you loved me, would you have allowed Mia to bully me? If you loved me, would you have let her wear my wedding dress at my own wedding, making everyone play along with your charade?” “You’re still so unreasonable. How many times do I have to tell you, she’s just my sister.” How ridiculous. As soon as Mia appeared, Ethan had rushed off the stage. The usually composed man lost his cool, giving a clumsy explanation paired with the woman’s tearful act of being wronged. He forgave her so easily. Then he agreed to let Mia wear my wedding dress and make toasts as the bride on my behalf. Ethan asked all the guests to play along with their performance. Once again, I became a mere spectator to their love story. I lost it right there. Ethan’s grandfather kicked Mia out, but I didn’t want to give Ethan another chance either. I turned to leave, but he stopped me, dragged me to bed, and vented his anger over and over. He accused me of brainwashing his grandfather, causing Mia to lose face in front of everyone. That night, another call from Mia took him away again. An unexpected fire seemingly ignited Ethan’s deep love. People online praised his heartbreaking performance that day, but I found it disgusting. Now he had the nerve to tell me that he and Mia were just siblings, that it was all in the past. “Lily, she’s my sister. We’re over, why can’t you let it go?” Ethan’s face darkened, his eyes full of dissatisfaction. William shielded my disheveled self behind him, wary of the man in front of us. Ethan clicked his tongue, his expression growing colder. He held a sharp knife to Emily’s throat, drawing blood. My heart dropped. Looking at this stranger before me, “Lily, be good and come here. Otherwise, this little girl will pay the price for your stubbornness.” It was always like this. In this city, Ethan still held all the power. Unlike his past gentleness, he was now like a demon, seemingly wanting to devour me whole. William gripped my hand, about to speak, but I stopped him. Only when I saw Emily safely released did Ethan’s car drive away. I never thought I’d return to this mansion again. “Lily, this is the house you carefully decorated before. Do you remember?” Ethan stared at me eagerly. Seeing no reaction from me, he didn’t give up. He introduced me to each part of the mansion one by one. “It was right by that floor-to-ceiling window where we tried a new position. Lily, you were so soft.” The shameful words instantly brought back my memories. Of course I remembered. It was there that I angered him by throwing away the bra strap bracelet Mia had given him. He made me strip naked and forced me to moan by the window. Outside the window were hardworking gardeners, while servants passed by behind us. I remember everyone keeping their heads down that day, not daring to look directly. But I still felt like I had completely lost face. Even so, Ethan wasn’t satisfied. He put unspeakable toys inside me and forced me to pleasure myself in front of those gardeners. In broad daylight, everyone watched me entertain myself. Ethan wanted to continue introducing the places once filled with happiness, but when he turned around, His eyes suddenly widened. “Lily, what are you doing?” I stared at him in confusion, not stopping my actions. Until I was completely naked, I lay on the floor as usual. “What do you want? What should I do to cooperate?” Ethan interrupted me, picking up the clothes strewn on the floor to cover my body. “Don’t you just want to sleep with me? Let’s get on with it.” The man frowned deeply, angrily pushing me away. “Is this how you see me?” Isn’t it? His favorite thing was to display my allure in front of strangers. No one dared to mock him, But behind his back, they all called me a whore who used her body to please men. I was already getting impatient. Emily was waiting for me to go home and cook. “We weren’t like this before. Don’t you remember? You loved me.” Ethan repeated these words pitifully. He was good at playing the victim, then forcing me to endure such humiliation. I was so incredibly stupid back then. Mia Sullivan was the girl he truly cared about. I foolishly threw myself at him. I really deserved all that suffering. “We just grew up together. What love are you talking about?” “No, you do love me. Lily, you’ve changed.” Ethan interrupted me, refusing to accept it. A woman’s voice suddenly cut through our argument. “Brother, where did you go? I was so scared when I woke up and didn’t see you.” A beautiful woman played with her burgundy nails as she walked out of the master bedroom. She saw me and her eyes filled with terror. She looked me up and down in my disheveled state, then quickly composed herself. “Lily Quinn, aren’t you dead? Why are you here? Have you come back to haunt me?” Her abnormal behavior made Ethan frown. “It’s windy outside. Why did you come out? You’re not well, you shouldn’t be running around.” Mia’s smile froze on her face. She coquettishly punched him. “I’m not that delicate. If you don’t comfort me, my headache might come back.” The disdain in her eyes was obvious, as high and mighty as ever. During all those years of bullying, she had looked at me the same way. “I was wrong before. I shouldn’t have tried to climb above my station into your Caine family. I understand now, so please let me go.” “I have a child now. I won’t come bother you anymore in the future.” The fear deep in my body made me tremble uncontrollably. I repeated myself over and over, suppressing the anger in my heart. I was no match for them now, and I didn’t want my family to be implicated because of this. “Lily, don’t be like this.” “Lily Quinn, stop pretending. Everyone knows you’re good at playing these games.” Mia spoke up mockingly, insisting that everything I did was just to win back Ethan’s heart. The tenderness on Ethan’s face gradually faded, replaced by disgust. He seemed to recall the lies I had told in high school. It was actually Mia who had no shame, but she turned around and accused me of being too jealous. To appease her, Ethan had thugs drag me into an alley, claiming it was punishment. Then he told my mother I was flirting with men outside. He didn’t believe Mia bullied me, convinced I was just envious of her wealth and couldn’t accept her. No matter how many times I explained, it was all seen as excuses. If I showed any intention of tattling, my mother would suffer the consequences too. Thinking of this, endless hatred consumed me. I didn’t look up. The warm sunlight outside shone on me, but my limbs were still ice cold. I looked at them, my vision going dark as I gradually lost consciousness. I collapsed to the floor. Ethan picked me up and carried me back to the bedroom, his face full of concern. Behind him, Mia’s eyes darkened, brewing malicious intent. The master bedroom was a mess, with traces of a woman’s life everywhere. Ethan realized something was amiss and kept trying to explain to me. This seemed to be the first time he had ever explained so much to me. After all, he used to just harshly blame me for being petty. Even on our wedding day, Mia pretended to be a waitress, feeding Ethan a half-eaten strawberry as she sat on the groom’s lap, marking her territory. The usually germaphobic Ethan smiled and ate it. The guests whispered among themselves, while the Caine family laughed heartily, tacitly approving their intimacy. Only I went crazy, pushing Mia down and cursing her shamelessness. He put me on the bed and went on and on about how much he had missed me these years, reminiscing about our youth. He held my hand, his tone solemn, saying I was his true love. I didn’t understand. I had been gone for five years, and the big fire had caused quite a stir. They had confirmed the body wasn’t mine, But Ethan never said he was looking for me. Instead, he kept lamenting about me online. Now he was making such a big fuss. What was his purpose? “Hasn’t Mia been taking good care of you all these years?” “Lily Quinn, don’t go too far. She’s my sister.” I originally didn’t want to rehash old grievances with him, but he really disgusted me. If Mia hadn’t added me on SnapChat a few days before the wedding, Sending me daily updates about how Ethan was taking care of her, I wouldn’t have known he was actually impatient about the wedding, eager to chase after his true love. “Right, if she’s not your sister, how could you openly sleep together and have an affair?” “Let me go home. They’re waiting for me.” I looked at him with amusement, already feeling the man’s anger about to erupt. “Lily, why do you keep challenging my bottom line?” Ethan’s eyes were gloomy. He didn’t understand. He had done so much, why was Lily still being unreasonable?

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My family is the wealthiest in the city, and I’m the designated heir. But my two brothers brought home a girl, saying we’d be sisters from now on, and even allowed her to impersonate me. Before the family inheritance announcement, my two brothers escorted her onto the stage in front of everyone. All eyes were drawn to her, believing she was the family’s chosen heir. Chloe looked at me as I followed her onto the stage, her expression haughty: “Olivia, this stage for the heir isn’t a place for you. Get off and go stand with the guests.” “If it weren’t for my brothers kindly adopting you as our family’s foster daughter, someone like you would never even set foot in the Sullivan mansion.” I knew she was relying on my brothers’ favoritism to act so arrogantly, even trying to steal my position as heir. But she didn’t know I’d been reborn. In my past life, I yielded at every turn, only to end up disowned and penniless. This time, I kicked her right off the stage: “Who do you think you are? How dare you act wild in front of me. You’re trying to steal what’s mine – do you have a death wish?”

I kicked Chloe off the stage with one swift move. Everyone’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Olivia, how dare you be so reckless, doing such a thing to Chloe!” My eldest brother Ethan’s face was livid with rage. My second brother Nathan rushed over and slapped me hard across the face. “You insolent foster child, how dare you bully Chloe like this! You’re asking to be punished!” They were shaking with anger, utterly shocked that I, who had always been so meek, would fight back now of all times. In their minds, I would at most cry at our father’s grave, then resign myself to my fate. “Punishment? Let me ask you – since when does an orphan you took in get to replace my identity?” Looking at my two brothers twisting the facts, my eyes were filled with cold fury. I had been so foolish before, always yielding to Chloe to please my brothers, even letting her impersonate me. Hearing my cold words, Ethan’s face darkened as he angrily berated me: “Olivia, what nonsense are you spouting? We kindly took you in, letting you live comfortably in the Sullivan home. Yet you dare to publicly assault our family’s only heir!” Nathan could barely contain his anger as he spoke: “It’s all my fault. I thought letting you attend would broaden your horizons. I never imagined your delusions would be so severe that you’d think yourself the Sullivan heir and make such a scene in public.” Chloe had returned to the stage with Ethan’s help. She looked at me with feigned hurt in her eyes: “Olivia, I never thought that my constant yielding to you would make you misunderstand yourself as the Sullivan heir.” “It’s my fault for being too indulgent. But Olivia, you absolutely cannot disrupt such an important occasion!” The three of them twisting the facts made all the guests start whispering among themselves: “An orphan taken in by the Sullivans, instead of quietly enjoying the luxury, actually dares to hit the real heir. The world’s really turned upside down!” “Is she trying to get herself disowned and cut off?” Hearing the guests’ comments, Ethan secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Then he waved his hand dramatically, ordering the security guards standing nearby: “Since she’s so delusional, I hereby declare that as long as we’re around, you’ll never set foot in the Sullivan mansion again!” “Take her away!” The security guards swarmed menacingly onto the stage. Seeing the guards approaching, my eyes grew even colder: “Ethan, who gave you the authority to target the Sullivan family’s true heir in front of everyone?” “Don’t forget Father’s will on his deathbed – I am the sole heir to the entire Sullivan family.” Hearing my forceful tone, my two brothers’ eyes flashed with panic. But Ethan quickly furrowed his brow and snapped: “Olivia, what are you playing at? How could the Sullivan heir possibly be a foster child like you?” The security guards had already surrounded me threateningly. Nathan also recovered, speaking condescendingly: “Olivia, you really have some nerve. Don’t forget that everything you’re wearing right now was given to you by us!” “What are you waiting for? Throw her out of here immediately!” Seeing the guards getting closer, I angrily smashed a nearby champagne bottle. “Listen up! I am the sole heir to the Sullivan family. I dare any of you to touch me!”

The sound of shattering glass plus my angry shout made the entire ballroom fall silent. All the security guards were intimidated by my aura. Then I turned to my two brothers, my face cold: “Ethan, Nathan, you’re still twisting the facts! This foster daughter you brought home has been completely out of control, relying on your support!” “She’s not only enjoying our family’s wealth, but now wants to steal my identity as heir! You two really think you can do whatever you want in this family!” Ethan’s face grew darker and darker as he spoke icily: “Olivia, you’re the one who’s out of control. Not only did you publicly assault Chloe, you’ve ruined the event we worked so hard to prepare!” “Do you think you can muddy the waters and steal the Sullivan inheritance like this?” Many guests whispered among themselves: “This Olivia they adopted into the Sullivan family is really something else. She’s already part of the family, yet she’s pulling these tricks to try and steal the inheritance!” “But why do I feel like Olivia has an air of nobility about her, more befitting of the Sullivan heir? Who’s telling the truth here?” Hearing the guests’ comments, Nathan’s eyes flashed with anger: “Olivia, your delusions are getting more and more severe. There’s only one heir here, and that’s Chloe!” “What are you all standing around for? Throw her out immediately!” Ethan paused for a moment, then spoke with an extremely grim expression: “She’s bullying Chloe like this now. We might as well just cut her off financially to teach her a lesson. We can’t let others think the Sullivan family rules are lax.” When my brothers mentioned cutting me off, the anger in my heart instantly filled my entire chest. In my past life, my brothers always sided with the orphan Chloe they brought home. Whenever Chloe was unhappy, my two brothers would punish me. To please them, I kept yielding again and again, even giving up my position as heir. But in the end, Chloe said she wanted to see something exciting. My two brothers directly cut me off financially, leaving me penniless and on the streets. As I desperately begged for help, my brothers were laughing and chatting with Chloe outside. As I lay dying, I couldn’t understand – I was their real sister, so why did they favor an outsider they brought home so much? In this life, after careful investigation, I finally understood the reason. Thinking of this, I looked at my two brothers even more coldly: “You want to cut me off? Who do you think you are to treat me so rebelliously? Aren’t you afraid Grandmother will find out?” Nathan’s face instantly paled. He whispered in Ethan’s ear: “Brother, if Grandmother Sullivan hears we cut Olivia off, that would be disastrous. We should just throw her out for now.” Seeing Nathan’s fearful look, I couldn’t help but sneer. The entire Sullivan family empire was built by Grandmother. She only had my father as a child. After my father died, Grandmother personally named me the heir to the entire Sullivan Group according to my father’s will, while she retired overseas. These two brothers aren’t my real brothers at all, but the children of my mother’s brother. It was only because my brothers’ parents died early that my mother begged my father for two weeks before he allowed these two brothers to enter our Sullivan family. That’s when their last name was changed to Sullivan. Ethan’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of Grandmother Sullivan, but he still spoke firmly: “What are you afraid of? Once Chloe inherits the family business, what can Grandmother say even if she’s unhappy?” I just sneered: “I’m standing right here. Who can steal my identity as the Sullivan heir?” Hearing my words, Ethan pointed at me in a rage: “You little brat, you dare to keep spouting nonsense? You really think you’re the Sullivan heir!” “Why are you all still standing there hesitating? I’ll say it right now – $100,000 to whoever hits her. Cash on the spot!” As soon as he finished speaking, one of the young security guards rushed over and punched me hard. “A foster child picked up by the Sullivans, still daring to make a scene here? Know your place!” Touching my aching nose, I laughed bitterly. A random security guard I’d never seen before dared to punch me. It seems my two brothers really thought they could do whatever they wanted in the Sullivan family. My expression grew colder as I kicked the guard’s left knee hard. In pain, the guard immediately knelt before me. “Ethan, Nathan, you two really have some influence, offering $100,000 for a punch! Who gave you the right to spend the Sullivan family’s money?” Seeing I was still resisting, Ethan spoke in fury: “What are you all standing around for? Take her to the basement and lock her up! Whoever does it gets a million dollar reward!” Nathan’s voice was equally icy: “Anyone who doesn’t move, pack your bags and get out!” Under my brothers’ threats and bribes, the guards began closing in on me. Just then, an angry shout came from outside the hall: “What are you all doing? The event started so long ago, why is it still so chaotic!”

Everyone turned to look at the door. The newcomer was my mother. Upon entering, she saw the bloodstains on Chloe’s clothes and rushed to her side, fuming: “Chloe, what happened? How did you get hurt? Tell me who did this!” Chloe looked down at me, tears in her eyes. Ethan pointed at me angrily: “Mom, who else could it be but this little brat?” Nathan was shaking with rage, “Mom, look how arrogant this brat is. She kicked Chloe off the stage right in front of us. She’s still bleeding.” Mother rushed over and punched me hard in the face: “Olivia, who gave you the guts to bully Chloe? Have you lost your mind?” “You’ve ruined today’s event. Are you trying to completely destroy the Sullivan family’s reputation?” “I need to teach you a lesson. Get on your knees and apologize to Chloe right now!” Seeing my mother’s actions, the guests frowned and muttered: “Isn’t that Hannah Sullivan, the former family head’s wife? From her reaction, it seems Chloe is her real daughter!” “Damn, this Olivia has some nerve, openly claiming to be the Sullivan heir. I almost believed her.” Hearing the guests’ discussions, my expression darkened further. I shoved my mother away hard. “Teach me a lesson? You’re not fit to be my mother anymore!” In my past life, besides my two brothers unconditionally favoring Chloe, even my mother doted on Chloe extremely. One time, I accidentally broke one of Chloe’s toys. My mother locked me outside kneeling for a whole day before forgiving me. After that, I always followed Chloe around, pathetically trying to please her to win back my brothers’ and mother’s love. But in this life, I finally understood. Chloe wasn’t some orphan brought in from outside. She was my mother’s child with my mother’s brother. To protect my inheritance rights, my father had specifically left a will for Grandmother to announce me as the sole Sullivan heir. But my father never anticipated that his wife would not only try to steal my inheritance, but even wanted to get rid of me completely. My two brothers had known about this all along, and were scheming to help their real sister. I was so stupid before not to notice these things. Mother was furious, glaring at me as she spoke: “You dare talk back? You’re really getting out of control!” I met my mother’s angry gaze directly, speaking coldly: “Hannah Sullivan, don’t forget that I’m the Sullivan heir. An outsider like you has no right to speak.” “As long as I’m here, your illegitimate daughter Chloe will never take over the Sullivan family!” Hearing my words, Mother exploded in rage. Chloe lunged at me first, followed by my two brothers pouncing on me viciously. Mother grabbed my collar and slapped me again. “You little brat, say that again? I’ve been running the Sullivan family for years. Your grandmother hasn’t been involved in ages. Why can’t I make decisions?” I was pinned down unable to move. I licked the blood from the corner of my mouth, still staring fearlessly at my mother. I had already notified Grandmother to return earlier. By my calculations, she should arrive any moment now. Seeing my smile, Hannah grew even more enraged. Chloe kicked me hard in the stomach. “You little brat, you still dare to hit and curse at me? Who gave you the guts? Remember, you’re the foster child in the Sullivan family!” My two brothers didn’t hold back either, each slapping me across the face again. “Olivia, who do you think you are? Stop daydreaming. The entire Sullivan family rightfully belongs to Chloe!” Just then, an elderly but strong and authoritative voice rang out from the doorway: “Who gave you the guts to bully my granddaughter, the Sullivan family’s only heir! Do you all have a death wish?”

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The Sunset Mansion was shrouded in darkness, with moonlight spilling onto the balcony. Jack stood there alone, gazing silently at the grounds below. His phone was pressed to his ear, the voice on the other end filled with concern. “Jack, are you sure about this?” Jack nodded slightly, his tone resolute as he replied, “Yes.” A soft sigh came through the phone, followed by: “You’re the sole heir to our family fortune, yet you’ve stayed away for seven years because of a woman. Now that you’ve come to your senses, it’s not too late. When do you plan to return to South City?” Silence hung in the air as Jack seemed to steel himself for a difficult decision. Finally, he spoke: “In three days.” The voice on the phone took on a half-joking tone: “Alright then. I have a gala to attend in Zheng City in three days anyway, so I can pick you up on the way. But are you really over Zoe now? I hope you won’t cause a scene wanting to go back to her as soon as you return…” “Aunt Claire, don’t worry. I’m completely over Zoe. In three days, we’ll part ways for good.” After hanging up, Jack turned his gaze towards the mansion grounds. At the entrance, Zoe was intimately nestled against Ethan, her old flame. The two were laughing and chatting, looking every bit the picture of a couple in love. This was the seventh year of his secret marriage to Zoe, and the sixth year she had refused to let their child call her “mom”. The heart he had tried to warm for seven years remained cold in the end. Jack clenched his fists, a mix of emotions churning inside him. Suddenly, a small hand gently grasped his larger one. Jack whirled around in surprise. There stood Lily in her thin pajamas, clutching a worn Barbie doll in one arm while holding his hand with the other. She looked up at him with innocent, wide eyes. Startled and concerned, Jack quickly crouched down and said: “Lily, what are you doing out here? It’s cold outside, go back to your room.” He picked Lily up, intending to carry her back inside. Lily looked up at Jack and asked softly: “Daddy, are we really going to leave Mommy?” Jack paused mid-step, instinctively glancing back at the intimate couple below. Then he turned to Lily with a smile: “Lily, Auntie’s old love has come back. We… don’t have a reason to stay anymore.” “Daddy will take you back to our own home, okay?” Lily looked at the Barbie doll in her arms, her eyes full of reluctance. She looked back at Jack, tears glistening in her eyes: “Daddy, do we have to go? I… I still haven’t been able to call her Mommy properly…” Jack felt like his heart had been struck. He opened his mouth but found his throat too tight to speak. After a long moment, he managed to say softly: “Lily, Auntie… she doesn’t like having us around…” Lily pleaded pitifully: “Daddy, can we give Mommy three more chances? If… then we’ll leave, okay?” Jack was taken aback for a moment, then nodded and said gently: “Alright! We’ll do as Lily says and give Auntie three more chances!” A bright smile immediately lit up Lily’s face. Jack carried Lily back into the mansion, about to head upstairs. Just then, Zoe walked in with a smile on her face. Lily excitedly wriggled out of Jack’s arms and ran towards Zoe, calling out happily: “Mommy, you’re back…” Zoe’s expression instantly darkened. She glared at Lily and snapped: “Who told you to call me Mommy?” Lily froze mid-run, the bright smile vanishing from her face. She stood there motionless, like a child who had done something wrong, not knowing what to do. Zoe looked up at Jack, her voice full of anger: “Jack, how many times have I told you!” “Don’t let her call me Mommy. Are you both deaf?” Lily fearfully took a step back, lowering her head and apologizing timidly: “I’m sorry, Mom… Auntie!” Jack immediately stepped forward, shielding Lily behind him as he glared coldly at Zoe: “Zoe, it’s one thing if you don’t like me, but Lily is just a child. Why are you yelling at her?” Zoe’s eyes widened in fury: “Jack, what right do you have to lecture me about the child?” Her face twisted with hatred, “You know perfectly well how that child came to be!” Zoe advanced step by step, jabbing her finger viciously at Jack’s chest: “Seven years ago, you took advantage of me when I was vulnerable and raped me!” “You’re nothing but a rapist who hurt me!” She turned her piercing gaze to Lily, her tone dripping with disgust: “And she is just the daughter of a rapist. Why should I be nice to her?” Jack hurriedly covered Lily’s ears, not wanting her to hear such vicious words from her own mother. But even for him, those words cut deep. He glared at Zoe through gritted teeth: “Zoe, I’ll say this one last time. Seven years ago, it was you who—” “Enough! Jack, how much longer are you going to keep up this charade? Do you think I can’t see through your little schemes?” “Schemes? Zoe, if you think this was all some scheme, why did you marry me and have Lily?” Zoe’s face was a mask of ice as she spat out: “Because… I wanted to remind you every single day what a monster you are! I wanted you to pay for what you did!” Jack’s eyes reddened, his voice trembling slightly: “So from the very beginning, you never loved me at all?” Zoe glanced at Jack’s pained expression, her own eyes reddening. She yelled in a low voice: “You dare to speak of love? Jack, from the moment you took advantage of me when I was drunk seven years ago, you became nothing but a piece of filth in my eyes!” Tears began to fall unbidden down her cheeks. Jack’s heart ached. He instinctively reached out to wipe away Zoe’s tears. Zoe reacted first, quickly wiping away her own tears. She took a deep breath and looked at Jack with contempt: “Seven years ago, you stooped to such despicable acts just to climb the social ladder and live a good life. Not only did I not hold it against you, I even gave you luxury cars, a mansion, status, position. Jack, what more do you want?” “Zoe, is this really how you’ve seen things all these years?” Jack’s eyes were red-rimmed, filled with disbelief that the woman he loved so deeply could view him this way. Zoe’s face twisted with disdain as she said: “How else am I supposed to see it? Jack, I’m warning you, don’t push your luck. Otherwise, I can take back everything I’ve given you just as easily!” With that, she strode past Jack and Lily, heading upstairs. Jack stared after Zoe, silently explaining in his heart: But… Zoe, I married you and had a child with you because — I truly loved you… I thought that after we were married, I could slowly warm your cold heart. But I forgot that a heart as cold as stone cannot be warmed… His thoughts seemed to be pulled into the past by an invisible hand, memories flooding back like a tidal wave. Seven years ago in a hotel hallway, a drunk Zoe had crashed into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably. He had been flustered and at a loss, yet his heart began racing uncontrollably. In that moment, his world narrowed to just the fragile woman in his arms. Then, through a series of misunderstandings, they had spent the night together. The next morning, Zoe had vanished without a trace. He thought they would never meet again, but half a month later, Zoe had shown up looking grim, saying she was pregnant. He had been shocked too, but still made his commitment responsibly. He had married Zoe in secret, concealing his true identity, and quietly used his family’s resources to help her. But her attitude remained cold and distant. It was only after investigating that he understood — that night, Ethan had gone abroad, which was why Zoe had gotten so drunk and ended up with him. Though it was an accident and Zoe didn’t like him, he believed that with time and effort, he could warm her heart. But after seven full years, that heart remained frozen, and their daughter was denied a mother’s love as well. Now Ethan had returned, and he and Lily were clearly no longer important. It was time to go back. … Jack took a deep breath, blinking hard to pull himself out of his memories. He gazed at Zoe’s retreating back, silently making a decision: Seven years of devotion, not a hint of response from you. Zoe, I’m tired… Lily looked up at Jack curiously, asking: “Daddy, why did Auntie say you’re a rapist?” Jack’s eyes reddened as he fought back tears. He crouched down, forcing a smile as he said, “Because Auntie misunderstood Daddy!” Lily reached out her small hand to gently wipe away the tears at the corner of Jack’s eye. “Don’t cry, Daddy! Auntie may misunderstand you, but Lily never will.” Jack hugged Lily tightly, deeply moved: “Lily is such a good girl.” After thinking for a moment, Lily said sadly: “Daddy, Auntie… still has two chances.” Jack paused, then looked into Lily’s eyes. His eyes reddened again as he nodded firmly: “Okay!” In Lily’s room, on the bedside table, sat a framed photo collage of the three of them. In the photo, Jack was holding Lily, his face beaming with happiness. Zoe’s photo, however, was cut out and pasted on the right side, stuck into the same frame. This seemingly complete picture was actually pieced together. Lily was now tucked into bed. Jack bent down carefully to tuck in the blanket. She clutched the blanket, hiding her mouth and nose underneath, only her bright eyes peeking out as she stared at Jack, wide awake. Jack affectionately pinched Lily’s nose and said softly: “Time to sleep~ Winter break is over, you start school again tomorrow~” Lily poked her head out from under the blanket, her eyes sparkling with hope: “Daddy, can you ask Auntie to come with me to the back-to-school ceremony tomorrow? The other kids all have their moms, I want a mom too…” Jack hesitated, his voice uncertain: “Lily, Auntie might… not have time tomorrow…” He sounded reluctant, afraid of shattering the child’s fantasy. “Daddy, let’s count it as our second chance for Mommy, okay?” Her eyes were pleading as she sat up in bed, hands clasped together. Jack pondered for a moment before finally nodding: “Alright, Daddy will go ask Auntie.” He tucked Lily back in before quietly leaving the room. … In the master bedroom, Zoe had just emerged from the shower, surrounded by wisps of steam. Just then, her phone chimed with a Snapchat notification. She walked over to the bed, picked up her phone, unlocked the screen and played the voice message. Ethan’s magnetic voice came through the speaker: “Zoe, I miss you already even though we just parted. I wish I could see you all the time.” Hearing this, a sweet smile spread across Zoe’s face. She quickly tapped the voice input and replied happily: “Okay okay okay, I promise you’ll see me first thing when you wake up tomorrow!” Soon after, another voice message from Ethan came through: “Really? Oh by the way, Zoe, I heard the richest man in Zheng City is hosting a gala at the Grand Hotel in three days. Even the Jiang family from South City will be there. I just got back from abroad and need to build connections. Could you introduce me around?” Zoe was about to reply when a sudden knock on the door broke the silence in the room. She frowned in annoyance, looking up towards the door. Jack gently pushed the door open and walked in. Zoe merely glanced up at Jack before lowering her head again, fingers busy tapping on her phone screen as she asked irritably: “What do you want?” Jack paused for a moment before carefully saying: “Lily has school tomorrow. She’s hoping you could attend her back-to-school ceremony…” At that moment, Zoe was completely focused on her phone screen, paying no attention to what Jack was saying. She was in the middle of typing a reply, having just typed out the word “okay”. “Okay!” Zoe reflexively responded out loud. Her verbal response coincided with sending the message. Jack’s face lit up with surprise, a glimmer of joy flashing in his eyes. He asked in disbelief: “You agreed?” Zoe looked up, frowning in confusion at Jack, her tone icy: “I’m going to sleep. Don’t bother me if it’s nothing important!” Jack was about to confirm again when Zoe shoved him out of the master bedroom. He stood outside the door as Zoe forcefully slammed it shut. He stood there dazed, a mix of emotions churning inside. Just then, Lily suddenly poked her head out of her room. Her eyes held a hint of anxiety and disappointment as she asked softly: “Daddy, did Mommy… not want to…” Jack walked over, immediately plastering on a smile as he said: “Lily, I’m not letting you sleep? Why are you out of bed again?” Lily looked at Jack nervously: “Daddy, did Auntie agree?” Jack reached out to pat Lily’s head, “Of course she agreed! Auntie said she’ll attend your back-to-school ceremony tomorrow.” Lily’s eyes instantly lit up as she bounced excitedly, hardly believing her ears: “Really, Daddy?” Jack’s mood lifted seeing Lily so happy. He nodded firmly. “That’s great! Daddy, when Mommy comes to the ceremony tomorrow, I’m going to tell her that the teacher likes me best!” Lily said excitedly, her little face beaming with happiness. “Wonderful! Our Lily is the best!” Jack said as he picked Lily up and carried her back to her room. At the bedside, he carefully laid Lily down and tucked her in. Lily looked up expectantly, her eyes shining: “Daddy, when I wake up, we’ll go to school with Mommy, right?” Jack affectionately pinched Lily’s nose: “That’s right, now go to sleep!” Lily obediently closed her eyes, a sweet smile still on her lips. Jack stood up, quietly turning off the lights and closing the door. He turned around, his gaze unconsciously drifting towards Zoe’s bedroom as he thought: Zoe, I hope you won’t disappoint Lily tomorrow… The morning sunlight streamed through the windows into the mansion’s great hall. Jack stood in the center of the hall, skillfully doing Lily’s hair. She was already dressed and wearing her little backpack. Lily kept glancing upstairs as she asked hopefully: “Daddy, why isn’t Mommy coming down yet?” Her eyes betrayed her anxiety and longing. Jack’s hands didn’t stop as he said, “Once Daddy finishes your braid, we’ll go upstairs to find Auntie together, okay?” “Okay!” Lily agreed obediently. Soon, Jack had finished Lily’s braid. He looked at the neat and pretty braid with satisfaction: “The braid is done, let’s go call Auntie!” Lily nodded happily, her eyes sparkling with joy. Jack took Lily’s hand as they headed upstairs together. They stood outside the master bedroom, knocking once, twice, but there was only silence from within. Jack’s face gradually filled with anxiety. Lily looked up, her eyes full of worry: “Daddy, could Mommy be sick? Maybe she didn’t hear us knocking?” Jack knocked more urgently, asking anxiously: “Zoe? Zoe? Are you in there? Say something!” His voice held a note of unease as he pounded on the door, but there was still no response from inside. Jack’s brows furrowed as he said sternly: “If you don’t answer, I’m coming in…” As he spoke, he looked down at the doorknob. In a moment of distraction, his mind flashed back to the day they got their marriage certificate. Inside the Pei family mansion, Zoe had led him in, one in front and one behind. Zoe had carelessly tossed the marriage certificate onto the table, then turned back to look at his joyful face, saying haughtily: “Jack, even though we’re married now, I have to lay down some ground rules.” He had smiled at Zoe, quickly agreeing: “Of course, go ahead!” Zoe had stated coldly: “One, we must keep our marriage a secret from everyone.” “Two, you are not allowed to enter my room or touch my things without my permission.” “Three, you are not allowed any intimate contact with me!” The smile had frozen on his face then, but in the end he had nodded and said softly: “Alright!” Snapping back to the present, Jack gritted his teeth and made up his mind, pressing down on the doorknob. The unlocked door swung open gently. Lily ran in excitedly, calling out loudly: “Mommy…” But her words trailed off as she saw the room was empty and tidy. Lily turned back to Jack in confusion: “Daddy, where’s Mommy?” Jack looked at the empty room, his mind going blank as fear gripped his heart. He pulled out his phone and quickly dialed Zoe’s number as he hurried downstairs. The cold voice prompt came through the phone: “The number you have dialed is powered off.” Jack kept redialing Zoe’s number as he rushed to the cake by the stairs. But the call still wouldn’t go through. “Jack, you really are ungrateful. I specially bought you a cake, and you play disappearing act on me!” She angrily threw her phone onto the sofa, crossing her arms and glaring. “Not answering the phone, huh! Don’t you dare come back if you have the guts!” Zoe got angrier as she spoke. She picked up the cake, about to throw it forcefully. However, when the cake was raised halfway, she suddenly stopped. “Forget it! Jack, I’m in a good mood today so I’ll let you off this once. Just wait till you get back, I’ll settle accounts with you then!” Zoe put down the cake and stomped back to her room in a huff. … Meanwhile, at the entrance of the Grand Hotel, two rows of bodyguards stood at attention, waiting respectfully. The convoy of cars slowly pulled up in front of the hotel. As soon as Jack got out of the car with Lily, the bodyguards bowed deeply in unison, calling out: “Welcome back, Young Master! Welcome, Little Miss!” Jack held Lily’s hand, no longer hiding his natural air of nobility and grace. Lily looked at the bodyguards in surprise, then up at Jack, calling out uncertainly: “Daddy…” Jack looked down at his daughter, smiling as he said: “Lily, Daddy is taking you home!” Just then, Aunt Claire emerged from behind the bodyguards. Jack and Lily immediately looked up at Aunt Claire, then walked over to her. Seeing Aunt Claire, Jack noticed the new wrinkles on her face. A lump formed in his throat, his eyes reddening. His voice choked with emotion as he called out: “Aunt Claire!” Aunt Claire saw Jack’s distress and stepped forward to give him a warm embrace, gently patting his back: “These past seven years, you’ve been holding onto a woman who could never change her mind. You’ve suffered so much.” “I’ve been unfilial, leaving all the family burdens for you to bear alone, Aunt Claire…” Aunt Claire smiled as she released Jack, reaching up to pat his shoulder, her tone teasing: “If you know I’ve had it tough, then hurry up and take over as head of the family so I can retire early and enjoy the rest of my life!” Jack nodded, feeling a long-absent warmth in his heart, a smile spreading across his face. At that moment, in a corner of the hotel lobby. Ethan had just walked out, looking up to see Jack. He immediately took a step back, quickly ducking behind a pillar. He muttered in confusion: “Jack?” He narrowed his eyes, staring viciously at Jack and Aunt Claire’s interactions, a cold smirk suddenly appearing on his face. He pulled out his phone, quickly snapping a photo. On the phone screen appeared a photo of Jack and Aunt Claire embracing. Ethan looked at the photo with a sinister smile, then glanced back at Jack and Aunt Claire before turning to leave with a smug expression. Aunt Claire looked down at Lily with affection, crouching to gently pat her head: “You must be little Lily, right?” Lily nodded shyly, then looked at Jack in confusion. “Lily, say hello to Great-Aunt!” “Hello, Great-Aunt!” Lily gave a sweet smile as she greeted Aunt Claire. Aunt Claire smiled as she gently stroked Lily’s cheek, her smile growing even brighter. “Such a good girl! Great-Aunt has prepared a welcome gift for little Lily!” Aunt Claire stood up, clapping her hands at the waiting staff. Immediately, two staff members wheeled out a rack of beautiful princess dresses. The dresses were colorful and exquisite, especially a few Frozen-themed princess dresses in various colors. Lily’s eyes widened at the sight of the dresses, her face lighting up with delight. She couldn’t help but gasp in wonder: “Wow~” “These are all for Lily. Do you like them?” Lily nodded vigorously, walking over to gently stroke the blue Elsa dress, unable to hide the love in her eyes. A memory flashed through her mind: At an amusement park, a group of little girls were playing together in beautiful Frozen princess dresses. She had stood to the side, looking at them with envy. One of the girls had given her a disdainful look, saying scornfully: “Lily, your clothes are so ugly!” She had looked down at her own clothes, unconsciously taking a few steps back, feeling dejected. … Aunt Claire walked over, taking down the blue dress Lily loved, asking gently: “Does our little Lily like this dress?” Lily nodded hard again, her eyes full of anticipation. Aunt Claire handed the princess dress to Lily. “Why don’t we have our little Lily wear it to the gala tomorrow, how about that?” Lily nodded excitedly, saying happily: “Okay!” Jack watched Lily’s joyful expression, feeling a pang of sadness. He said reproachfully: “I’ve been remiss. I overlooked that little girls all like these things.” “Lily is a girl, and girls all love pretty princess dresses and shoes. It’s normal for a rough guy like you to overlook these things!” Jack looked at Lily, momentarily speechless, his heart full of guilt towards his daughter. “By the way, tomorrow is the day our Jiang family officially enters Zheng City. I’ve already spoken to Mr. Lin, the richest man in Zheng City. From now on, all the business in Zheng City will be handed over to you.” “Aunt Claire, I haven’t returned to South City yet. For now, let’s not announce my identity publicly!” “That works too!” She then added meaningfully: “It’ll prevent certain people from getting any ideas when they hear the news! But you still need to attend the welcome gala Mr. Lin is hosting tomorrow!” Jack nodded. Aunt Claire smiled at Lily, holding out her hand: “Come on, Lily. Great-Aunt’s friend has prepared a beautiful tiara for you too. Let’s go try it on!” “Okay!” Lily agreed happily, nodding. With that, Aunt Claire took Lily’s hand as they walked into the hotel, their steps light and quick. Jack watched them walk away for a moment before following them into the hotel. … The next morning, Zoe woke up groggily, checking her phone to see it was 7am. She rubbed her eyes and got out of bed with her phone, calling out: “Jack? Jack!” But the mansion was silent, with no response to her calls. Furious, she stormed to the guest room, thinking Jack was inside. She barged in, talking as she entered. “Jack, you…” Her voice cut off abruptly as she found the room empty. Zoe’s expression froze, then twisted with anger as she clenched her fists and shouted: “Jack!” Enraged, she opened her phone and immediately called Jack, but the call wouldn’t go through. Zoe frowned, opening Snapchat to send Jack a message full of threats: “Jack, I don’t care where you are. Get back here in half an hour, or face the consequences!” After sending the message, there was no response. Her anger growing, she sent a voice message: “If you’re not back in half an hour, don’t bother coming back at all!” Zoe angrily went downstairs, clutching her phone with her arms crossed as she sat fuming on the sofa, waiting fiercely for Jack to return. Time ticked by minute by minute. She glanced at the time, “One minute left!” She stared at the door, starting to count down: “Thirty seconds… ten seconds…” As she counted lower, Zoe’s voice grew heavier, “Three, two, one!” Just as she reached one, the doorbell rang. Zoe let out a relieved sigh, a smug smile spreading across her face as she scoffed: “I knew you couldn’t stay away from me!” She got up leisurely and went to open the door. But when she opened it, the smile froze on her face. Outside stood Ethan and his son Aiden. Aiden saw Zoe and immediately called out excitedly: “Auntie Zoe!” Ethan also smiled and said: “Zoe!” Before Zoe could speak, Aiden darted inside, looking around as he called out loudly: “Auntie Zoe! I’m hungry, can you make me something to eat?” Ethan followed him in. Zoe closed the door in a daze, asking in confusion: “Why are you… here?!” “Isn’t there that gala at Mr. Lin’s tonight? I thought I’d come over with Aiden first to meet up with you.” He glanced at Aiden, smiling as he said, “Aiden’s hungry. Why don’t you cook him something?” Zoe looked at Aiden, then down at her own hands, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside her. A scene flashed through her mind: In the kitchen, she was about to cook some noodles when Jack walked over, smiling as he took the pot from her hands, saying softly: “Your hands are too beautiful for cooking. From now on, just tell me what you want to eat and I’ll make it.” Zoe lowered her hands and nodded, her voice a bit hoarse as she said: “Alright… okay!” She walked into the kitchen while Ethan and Aiden made themselves comfortable on the sofa. Ethan glanced at Zoe in the kitchen, a calculating look crossing his face as a barely perceptible sly smile appeared. He casually said: “Oh, by the way, Zoe, guess who I saw at the hotel yesterday?” Zoe asked absently: “Who?” Ethan paused deliberately, then said: “Jack!” At first Zoe didn’t react, responding indifferently: “Jack…” But suddenly realizing something was off, she jerked her head up, shock written across her face: “Who did you say?” Ethan’s mouth curved into a malicious smile as he said pointedly: “You know, that Jack who’s been pursuing you! Zoe, it’s a good thing you didn’t accept him. Yesterday, I saw him at the hotel with a child, going to a room with some rich older woman!” Zoe was stunned, nearly dropping the pot in her hands. Her eyes filled with disbelief as she mumbled: “How… how is that possible? You must have seen wrong…” Ethan put on an exaggerated look of indignation, shaking his head and clicking his tongue: “I saw it with my own eyes, how could I be wrong!” “Such a morally bankrupt, shameless person.” He narrowed his eyes slightly, his expression growing more contemptuous. He glanced at Zoe meaningfully, saying in a serious tone: “Zoe, you should really stay away from these unsavory characters in the future!” Zoe’s hand gripped the pot tightly, her knuckles turning white. Her mind was in chaos, images of Jack’s usual gentle demeanor clashing with the scene Ethan described. The scales in her heart tipped towards believing Ethan, and a surge of anger welled up inside her. Zoe gritted her teeth and muttered lowly: “Jack! Just wait till you get back, I’ll teach you a lesson!” Her hand gripping the pot had turned red from the force, her body trembling slightly with anger. Ethan watched Zoe’s angry reaction with secret delight, a look of smug satisfaction spreading across his face. Meanwhile, in a private room at the hotel, Lily had already changed into the beautiful Elsa princess dress. Aunt Claire took out a diamond tiara from an exquisite box. The tiara sparkled brilliantly under the lights. The moment Lily saw the tiara, her eyes widened in awe: “Wow! It’s so pretty!” Aunt Claire smiled, her eyes full of affection, “This was specially chosen for you by Mr. Lin himself. Come try it on.” Aunt Claire gently placed the tiara on Lily’s head. After putting it on, she stepped back to admire Lily, her smile growing even brighter: “With this tiara on, our Lily is the most beautiful little princess in the world!” Lily twirled in her dress, then turned to look at Jack expectantly: “Really, Daddy?” Jack nodded with a doting smile: “It’s true, our Lily is the most beautiful little princess.” Lily spun around happily in her dress, her joyful laughter filling the room. Jack watched Lily’s blissful smile, his heart full of contentment. His gaze slowly fell on the tiara on Lily’s head as he mused thoughtfully: “This tiara is the final work of the master jeweler Mr. Ou. I imagine Mr. Lin went to great lengths to obtain it.” Jack sighed softly, a look of appreciation on his face, “It’s clear he put a lot of thought into this.” Aunt Claire looked at the happy Lily and explained: “Of course he had to put thought into it. With our Jiang family entering Zheng City and partnering with him, even a hundred tiaras would be worth it to him.” Jack nodded in agreement. Aunt Claire glanced at the time and said: “The gala is about to start. Shall we go?” “Mm, let’s go.” The two each took one of Lily’s hands as they walked out of the hotel room. Their silhouettes in the light looked especially warm and happy. The luxurious and dazzling banquet hall was brightly lit, crystal chandeliers casting a soft yet brilliant glow that illuminated the neatly arranged cakes and wine glasses. The cakes were exquisitely crafted, adorned with fresh fruit and delicate sugar flowers. The wine glasses sparkled alluringly in the light. Amidst the perfumed air and elegant attire, people chatted softly, their champagne flutes occasionally clinking together with aclear tinkling sound. The entire hall exuded an atmosphere of luxury and elegance. Zoe entered the hall gracefully in a haute couture gown, accompanied by Ethan and Aiden. Ethan looked around at the opulent and grand hall, his eyes widening in awe as he remarked: “So this is what a gala thrown by the richest man looks like! It really is high-class!” A smug smile tugged at Zoe’s lips. Ethan turned to Zoe with a calculating gleam in his eyes: “I heard the heir to the Jiang family from South City will be making an appearance today!” “The Jiang family is the business powerhouse of the entire southern region. Zoe, I’m at a critical point in my career after returning home. You’ll have to help introduce me around later!” Zoe smiled and replied: “I’m fairly well acquainted with Mr. Lin. It shouldn’t be a problem to have him introduce us to the Jiang family representatives and get familiar.” Ethan’s smile grew even brighter at her words. “That’s wonderful! Don’t worry Zoe, once my company takes off, I’ll be sure to repay you handsomely!” “No need to talk about repayment between us. Come, all the movers and shakers of Zheng City are here today. Let me introduce you around first!” With that, Zoe led Ethan towards the crowd. Just then, Aiden suddenly spotted some exquisite pastries on a nearby table. He pointed excitedly and said: “Daddy, I want to go eat those!” Ethan frowned slightly, a hint of annoyance crossing his face: “Aiden, didn’t you just eat at Auntie Zoe’s house? How can you…” “Let him go eat, it’s fine!” Zoe smiled indulgently at Aiden, her eyes full of affection. “Aiden, Auntie Zoe and Daddy have some things to take care of. Can you go eat by yourself?” Aiden nodded happily, “Okay!” With that, he let go of Ethan’s hand and eagerly ran off to eat the pastries. Zoe looked up and spotted two CEOs chatting nearby. Her eyes lit up and she immediately led Ethan over to greet them. “Mr. Liu, Mr. Zhang, it’s been a while…” The two men turned around, smiling as they responded: “Oh! Ms. Pei, you’re here!” Their gazes fell on Ethan, confusion flashing across their faces as they asked: “And this is…?”

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My Mother, the Forensic Pathologist My mother is a forensic pathologist and a mother of two sons. She resented me because of my father’s death and became even colder after remarrying and giving birth to my brother, mistreating me at every turn. She even went so far as to personally dissect me to conceal evidence of my brother’s crime when he became a murderer. What she didn’t know was that the dead person was me. When it was revealed that the unidentified body was mine, she went mad. I’m dead. My soul floats in mid-air, looking down at my own horrific body. The woman before me right now is my birth mother. She’s a forensic pathologist, swiftly cutting open my body with a scalpel and removing the contents that had been forcibly poured into my stomach. She retches uncontrollably but has no choice but to speed up her work. My face and head have been corroded by sulfuric acid to the point where my features are unrecognizable. My cervical vertebrae are broken – the direct cause of my death. The revolting substances churning in my stomach were forced down my throat by my brother. Bits of flesh remain under my fingernails, torn from his body during my final struggle. I can’t help but recall the phone call my brother made to mom before she arrived. “Mom, where are you? I pushed someone down the stairs…” My brother nervously sought help from mom. After all, he had only been fond of pranks before, never going as far as causing someone’s death. Mom was clearly stunned on the phone. “Ryan, where are you? Don’t move, I’m coming right now!” “Okay, Mom, hurry up, I’m scared!” my brother urged anxiously. “Don’t be afraid, sweetie. Mom’s here for everything. We’ll talk when I get there!” Mom rushed to the scene in such a hurry she didn’t even dress properly, wearing only a mask and hat! When she saw the body lying on the ground, she didn’t even bother to ask why my brother had pushed someone down the stairs. She immediately crouched down and started cleaning up the traces my brother had left behind! My spirit in the air was in such pain I could hardly breathe. I always thought that no matter how much mom doted on my brother, she wouldn’t allow him to take a life so carelessly. But I never imagined she would actually come. She even destroyed the evidence of my brother poisoning me with her own hands! I cried out in anguish, running to mom and begging her to stop, telling her how much it hurt! But I was just a spirit, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t make her notice me. I passed through her body, feeling her tremble. She was actually helping her son dissect her other son. At this moment, she surely didn’t know that this body she was destroying evidence from, this horrifically mangled corpse, was mine. I watched as mom used the knife to cut open my stomach and clean out the residue in my stomach with water she had brought! She even used the sharp blade to lift my fingernails and clean out the flesh my brother had left behind when I clawed at him. It was heartbreaking…

Mom dug a hole with many tools she could find and carried my body with my brother to dump it in. After filling it with soil, she put on plastic bags and cleaned up all the footprints she and my brother had left behind. Mom’s face was as dark as water. Having just finished dealing with the aftermath, her eyes flickered with a dim and complex light! She gripped my brother’s arm tightly, her voice low and stern: “Remember, not a word about what happened today!” Back home, the air in the living room was heavy. I watched all this from another world’s perspective, my soul floating in the air, powerless to change anything. “Why did you hurt someone?” Mom questioned my brother. My brother turned his head away, his voice choked with tears, “He was just a homeless man! He threatened to hurt our whole family! I… I just wanted to protect you…” Hearing him say this, my heart felt like it was being torn apart by a dull knife. Memories from my life came flooding back: every time I was neglected, every meal I couldn’t eat my fill, every time I was unfairly locked in the dark room… All the pain and despair once again eroded my soul. “You really disappoint me.” Mom said in a flat tone, without much more reproach. These simple words contrasted sharply with her violence towards me. It also made me question her identity, how she had lost the most basic human conscience. To cover up for her son, she personally disposed of the victim’s body. I couldn’t help but recall that ever since Dad passed away, from the time I could remember, Mom never liked me. She often wanted to strangle me on lonely nights. She kept saying Dad died to save me. But just a few years later, she remarried and had my brother. My position in this family became even more precarious, bullied and insulted, beaten by everyone. And my brother was the culprit. All the beatings I took from childhood to adulthood were because of his framing! I was beaten by Mom with a stick until I coughed up blood, then thrown into a dark room to reflect. The little bit of gentleness and understanding I had hoped for on countless nights, shivering in that dark room, now seemed so distant and illusory. Anger and helplessness stirred up the emotions that remained in this world. I rushed forward, trying to attack the brother who had deceived our mother and framed me many times. But when my fist passed through his body, there was no sensation, as if it were passing through air. “Why do you always favor him?!” I screamed at my mother, but the voice only echoed in my own ears. “Why has it always been me who gets hurt, from childhood till now! I’m your child too! Why are you so cruel!” I lived such a miserable life, while my brother grew up like a child bathed in honey. We had the same mother, yet lived completely different lives. Watching Mother gently caress my brother’s warm skin while I couldn’t even seek the most basic justice, an indescribable pain and sense of isolation overflowed from the bottom of my heart. Moonlight fell in patches on the old wooden floor outside, every corner of the house exuding an eerie and cold air. I looked around at this place once called “home”, which had now become a place where no one remembered my existence. Vaguely, I seemed to hear Father say to Mother before he passed away: “Take good care of the children!” But reality was so cruel and ironic. Mom took care of me until she saw me suffer endless torment, and then personally disposed of my corpse. All the grievances and harm I had endured over the years seemed to turn into sharp arrows, unable to be released even after death. I existed in this world like a ghost, both laughable and pitiful.

On a warm afternoon, Mom and my brother sat in the kitchen, laughter floating lightly. “Ryan, you need to exercise well, don’t get too fat, or your body functions will decline!” “It’s fine, Mom. Oh right, I want the latest sneakers, can you buy them for me?” My brother asked Mom casually, as if nothing had happened. He had already taken all the money from me. Now his vanity still wasn’t satisfied. “Of course! How much? Mom will transfer it to you! Is five thousand enough?” My brother flatteringly massaged Mom’s shoulders and legs behind her. “I also want a new phone!” “Okay, as long as you behave and listen well in the future, and don’t make any more mistakes, Mom will fulfill all your wishes!” I suddenly felt this family was disgusting. Perhaps because of Mom’s profession, this family seemed to have no concept of death at all. It didn’t seem to affect them at all. As if my brother had never killed anyone, and Mom had never hidden a corpse for my brother. The two of them were affectionate, mother and son, a very loving scene. I hid in the corner, my lonely soul floating in the air, looking at the mother who doted on her son before me, thinking of everything this mother had done to me, my heart ached to the point where I couldn’t breathe. People die, but have to face all this. My heart felt as if it had been torn apart. Suddenly, the phone ring broke this tranquility. “Hello?” Mom answered the phone, the smile on her face gradually freezing. “I’m sorry to disturb you, but we need you to come to the police station immediately.” A serious voice came from the other end of the phone. I watched from the air as she hurriedly put on her coat, a sense of foreboding rising in my heart. Mother was a forensic pathologist, and being urgently summoned in this situation always meant something terrible had happened. After arriving at the police station, Mother was taken directly to the autopsy room. A body lay on the table, already beginning to decompose. When she pulled back the cover, although the face was difficult to recognize, every detail of that body made her heart race. “The body is severely damaged! Who could be so cruel as to completely destroy the face, break the neck! Even the fingernails have been lifted!” As she described the horrific state of the body, her voice grew smaller and smaller. She gradually became familiar with this body, it was the body she had secretly buried underground in the wasteland! “Where did the body come from?” “It was reportedly discovered yesterday by a construction team during excavation.” The officer beside her added. Hearing this, Mom’s hand trembled, “Really…” “What’s wrong?” A colleague asked my mom. She was silent for a moment before responding, “Nothing!” I watched as Mother struggled to control her panic and anxiety. She picked up the scalpel and began to work. However, when the internal organs emitted waves of stench, she finally couldn’t hold back and ran to the corner to vomit. She had been a forensic pathologist for years and seasons, of course she wouldn’t vomit. Why would she vomit and feel sick? It was because that body was the one she had personally cleaned up! She knew too well what this body meant! The air was filled with the most suffocating mixture of death and chemical reagents. I floated helplessly in mid-air, tears blurring my vision, my heart aching as I watched my own cruel death being recreated before my eyes. At this moment, I could only cry silently, my role as an observer making me feel even more acutely the pain and crime hidden behind every action. Mother couldn’t sense my presence, but she would occasionally pause her work and look towards an empty space. As if she were looking at me. The whole process seemed to play out in slow motion: every cut, every drop of blood, every piece of muscle was clearly visible. Every knife that fell felt as if it were really stabbing into my body, painfully. This scene was too cruel and real, but it also reminded me. Even after leaving this world, those unresolved wounds still deeply affected me.

I couldn’t help but recall the moments before my death. My brother had asked me to meet him on the hill behind our house, saying he had something important to tell me. About my birth father! But when I got there, my brother immediately kicked me down. I had always been physically weak, while my brother was as strong as an ox! “Ugh… What’s wrong with you, Ryan! Why did you kick me?” Although I was physically weak, my temper wasn’t particularly good. I wouldn’t speak nicely to him after being inexplicably beaten by my brother. “Jack, how do you have the face to stay in our house? How can you shamelessly live off others! You’re a grown man, how can you be so shameless!” I was used to this kind of insult from him. “What did you want to tell me? You said it was about my dad!” “Do you know how your dad died? He was killed by you! But Mom didn’t tell you everything, your dad…” He trailed off. “What about my dad?” I asked anxiously, concerned about anything related to my father. “Give me all your money, and I’ll tell you!” He brazenly demanded money from me. “I don’t have any money!” He said he had something to tell me, so I was already very wary and had recorded our conversation on my phone. But my brother punched me in the eye, and while I was in pain, he forcefully shoved some unknown substance down my throat. “Ugh… you…” My brother didn’t give me any chance to fight back. He took my phone and saw that I had been recording. He suddenly went crazy, taking out sulfuric acid from somewhere and pouring it on my face. The pain was excruciating, and my mouth was full of blood. I couldn’t speak. I struggled to grab his leg, wanting him to spare me. But what I heard before I died was my brother taking my phone, forcing me to use my fingerprint to unlock it, and transferring all my hard-earned savings and the small inheritance my father had left me. I desperately tried to grab him, but he kicked me off the second floor. As I fell, I felt weightless, and when I hit the ground, my neck broke. I was completely lifeless. And my brother, after transferring all my money, smashed my phone and threw it in the trash. Suddenly, my thoughts were pulled back to reality. The police were still investigating this unclaimed body. Phones rang incessantly in the office, each ring seeming to strike my soul. When Mother returned home in a daze, the sound of my brother playing with the dog came from the yard. She stared at them for a moment before walking over and hugging my brother tightly. “Be careful,” she said softly, with deep fear and worry, holding my brother tightly in her arms. As if saying a final goodbye, she went to the kitchen and started preparing dinner, making my brother’s favorite braised pork. During dinner, the atmosphere was warm and peaceful. Mother suddenly spoke up: “Where’s Jack? I haven’t seen him for days.” “Oh, my brother hasn’t been home for several days.” My brother could sense the sudden change in atmosphere. “Maybe he’s out playing again!” Mother’s face immediately darkened. “What an ungrateful, ill-mannered thing! All he knows is how to spend the family’s money!” She angrily picked up some food for my brother. I watched this scene, listening to my mother’s accusations and resentment towards me, silently crying in the air. I wasn’t a person who cried easily. Life had already been so bitter, but seeing scenes that pierced my heart, even as a man, I couldn’t help but shed tears. Just then, the phone rang again. “Hello, is this Mrs. Peterson?” The tone on the other end was serious. “We’ve learned from the school that your son Jack hasn’t been seen for many days…” “What? Impossible! He’s just out playing, right?” Mother tried to remain calm. “We regret to inform you…” The voice on the phone paused, “There’s reason to believe he may have met with misfortune. We suggest you file a police report!” The unexpected news shattered Mother’s last hope. “No, how could that be possible, he’s just playing around…” she murmured softly, tears beginning to fall. When the authorities contacted her again, saying the deceased might be me and asking her to come to the police station to provide more information, my mom trembled as she answered her cell phone. “Is it… is it really Jack?” Her voice revealed indescribable pain and disbelief!

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296160”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring #魔幻Magic #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn #惊悚Thriller

I had been with Logan for two years as his nominal girlfriend. I was pretty and obedient, never saying no to Logan in or out of bed. The night his true love returned, I cried my eyes out, insisting he was the love of my life and I couldn’t live without him. After hearing the cold slam of the door as he left, I sat cross-legged and started punching numbers into a calculator: “1 + 1 + 1…” A mansion, two sports cars… Hehe…I can retire now… “What are you doing?” Logan’s voice from behind nearly made me drop the calculator in shock. My former sugar daddy glanced at the calculator in my hand, then at the manic grin I couldn’t quite hide. He raised an eyebrow: “You seem awfully happy about breaking up with me?” I had always thought Logan was quite satisfied with me over the years. I was sweet, obedient and understanding. I never pried into his affairs and was an expert at stroking his male ego: “Logan…I think I’m falling for you.” “Logan…how am I not good enough compared to her?” Each time I breathlessly whispered his name, Logan truly believed I was in love with him. I couldn’t help it – he gave me so much. I had to put on a bit of a show to ease my conscience about taking his money. If he hadn’t come back just now, I could have milked the heartbroken, lonely substitute act for another hundred episodes. Now Logan leaned against the doorframe, all long legs and narrow waist, his face expressionless as he looked at me: “…Didn’t you say you loved me most?” “Yes, yes, of course…” I nodded vigorously while frantically pressing the clear button on the calculator under my pillow: “Zero zero zero…” Shut up! “You seem awfully happy about breaking up with me?” …Well, not extremely happy. Our eyes met and the atmosphere grew awkward. I eyed him warily, carefully hiding the property deed under my pillow as I tried to act out the part of a devastated, obsessed girl pounding her pillow: “Logan! Logan! How will I ever live without you, Logan!” … “You can stop acting now, Aria.” So…I looked at him cautiously. Why did he come back? Wasn’t his true love returning today? Logan tossed his jacket on the sofa: “The city’s been locked down.” I quickly stuck my head out to look – the whole villa complex had been sealed off for quarantine! “Then…what about Olivia…” “She just landed at the airport and was taken straight to quarantine.” Wow, return to the country in chapter one, quarantine in chapter two. “So you’re staying here now?” I fingered the property deed with my name newly added to it. “Mm.” Oh…should I keep up the act or not? I watched Logan carefully. He sank into the sofa, clearly troubled, probably worried his rival would steal his true love’s heart first. “Why don’t you sign up to be a volunteer?” It was probably too late to get certified as a caregiver, but he could try volunteering to help his true love. “Aria, you seem very eager for me to leave?” …If he didn’t want to volunteer he could just say so. What was the point in calling out my true thoughts? “I…I just thought you might be anxious.” “Aria, our contract period is over. I can’t leave now, so I’ll borrow the upstairs study. Once quarantine ends, I’ll go.” “During this time, we’re simply roommates.” Logan raised his head, his eyes cold behind his gold-rimmed glasses: “And don’t try any tricks. Don’t have any illusions about our relationship.” Ah…no worries there, unless you’ve got another mansion to give me. True to his word, Logan slept in the upstairs study that night. When I got up bleary-eyed in the morning to make noodles, I heard movement upstairs – he was just finishing work. Work probably ranked even higher than Olivia for him. Logan was a Capricorn, so I guess horoscopes are pretty accurate. I was slurping noodles in the kitchen when Logan came downstairs. He opened the freezer drawer and reached for the coffee beans in the cabinet, then froze when he saw me: “Aria! What are you wearing?!” “Oh this…I don’t have any other clothes.” I glanced down at my skimpy outfit, then nonchalantly blew on my instant noodles. The sound of the washing machine reminded Logan that he had called me over suddenly two days ago, so I hadn’t brought many changes of clothes. The closet only held his clothes and the short skirts and cheongsams I had bought to please him out of professionalism. They hadn’t even been used yet before his true love returned. Logan grabbed an iced Americano and went back upstairs. Ten minutes later, two unopened dress shirts landed on the sofa. When Logan came down for lunch, I had left food on the table for him. It was quite a feast. Braised beef, spicy beef, mushroom chicken stew, pickled vegetable soup. I had set aside three flavors for him, in exchange for the two shirts. Logan clearly wasn’t used to eating this kind of instant food. He knocked on my door and came in when I answered. He stood there holding the instant noodles, his expression seeming to say: “Is this how you show your professed love for me?” “Shouldn’t you have made a proper four-dish meal to make me feel at home and deeply regret not being with you?” Why would I do something as stupid as making a huge meal for a man who wouldn’t come home, wasting all that food? I sat at the desk, not bothering to take off my headphones as I looked up at him. His gaze lingered briefly on the expanse of thigh visible below my shirt hem. Oh right, I couldn’t fit into Logan’s pants, but his shirt was long enough to wear as a dress. Before he could speak, I said: “Mister, cooking costs extra.” No more love, even the sweet “Logan honey” had turned into a cold “Mister”. Taken aback by my words, Logan didn’t get angry. “How much?” Money could solve any problem for him without causing extra emotions. I smiled and showed him a number, displaying my QR code. I hummed a little tune as I fried eggs wearing his shirt. Logan sat in the living room on a video call. I sensed his gaze flitting to my back several times – he must have been annoyed by me. After all, I used to profess my love for him so earnestly. As I bent down to open the fridge, I heard his assistant on the video call clear his throat softly, quietly reminding Logan it was his turn to speak. I turned around and our eyes met. Logan quickly averted his gaze as if electrified. The great workaholic Logan, distracted during a meeting? He must be plotting how to get back at me. I bent down to put a sandwich on the table in front of him, mouthing silently from behind his laptop: Remember to wash the dishes. Then I went back to my room to do practice questions with my headphones on. My relationship with sugar daddy Logan was purely an accident. His true love Olivia got together with his despised nephew Jack, which really stung him. Logan, that refined pervert with his superiority complex, refused to be outdone. A group of girls were fawning over him on the couch. I was working part-time, bending over with a fruit platter when I looked up and met Logan’s drunken gaze. His thin lips were like a knife. He carelessly removed my glasses with his elegant hand, leaning back on the sofa: “Strip.” His tone was casual, as if commenting on the nice weather. Seeing my hesitation, he asked: “Why aren’t you moving?” I noticed his expensive gold-rimmed glasses. The high-priced hostesses were fawning over him, but there was always an awkward invisible wall between them. Much later I learned that Logan had quirks – he hated people looking directly at him. Even when we were intimate, we never had much physical contact. I never even saw his face in the throes of passion. His gaze landed on the small red birthmark on my lower back. “Even your underwear is so shabby.” “And not even matching, hehe.” The girls next to him whispered, mocking my embarrassment. What could I do? I was poor. Logan put down his glass of amber liquid, the ice clinking. The light reflected dangerously in his sharp eyes, adding a wild, dangerous air: “You’ll do.” Logan had fallen for 19-year-old Olivia at first sight at a dinner between their families. But Olivia and his distant nephew Jack were childhood sweethearts. Both their families were prominent old money – a perfect match straight out of a novel. By family hierarchy, Olivia should call Logan “uncle” like Jack did. In terms of age and romance, he couldn’t compare to Jack. Olivia had worn a white dress to that dinner. The night Logan took me from the club, his assistant brought an identical white dress for me to wear. He blindfolded me, making me call his name over and over in the darkness. Sometimes I would secretly wonder what the normally focused, cold Logan in his crisp suit would look like in the throes of passion. Would he loosen his tie and throw back his head like a lone wolf, a bead of sweat rolling down his throat? I had once seen a photo of Olivia hidden in his desk drawer. She was wearing a cheerleader uniform, the blue and red skirt shimmering in the light. She looked radiant and confident, like a little sun that would never dim. The photo was clearly taken secretly – her face was a bit blurry. But there was a small birthmark on her lower back. In the same spot as mine. With Olivia, Logan was experiencing first love – gentle, protective, carefully building her up. But with me, it was wild abandon. Beneath the refined shirt and tie was a violent beast waiting to be unleashed. Logan wore royal blue silk pajamas, even the gold trim on the cuffs perfectly pressed. The top button was undone, revealing his defined collarbones. His skin was an unhealthy pale from overwork. When I came out wrapped in a towel after my shower, I saw Logan sitting on the sofa, chin propped on his hand as he stared at his laptop, lost in thought. That hand with its elegant knuckles was especially beautiful when signing checks for me. What was he thinking about? The weather turning cold? Which company to bankrupt next? Just then, my phone on the table rang – a video call from Zack. “Heard you’re in quarantine, sis! When are you coming – holy shit! Answering a video call right out of the shower, trying to challenge your bro’s moral limits?” Zack was a guy I met when I was working part-time in college. He stood up for me when customers harassed me, insisting I was his little sister in a past life. We became sworn siblings and with his protection, my days working at the food court became much easier. He was handsome and popular, ran a tattoo shop, and had girls chasing after him everywhere. “Wait, is that a guy behind you? It is, right!” “You’re cheating! Aria, you player!” I stiffly turned around to see Logan’s expressionless face. His look clearly said: “The contract states that Aria seeing multiple people counts as a violation.” I panicked and quickly cut off Zack’s wailing on the other end: “Bro! Stop messing around!” Then, considering my bright future prospects of picking up cute boys with Zack, I turned back to Logan’s now calm face with a big grin: “What nonsense! This is my uncle!” Logan’s smile froze. I placated Zack for a bit and promised to call him back that night. “I didn’t know you had a brother.” There’s a lot you don’t know about me. “Zack helped me out when I faced some trouble at my old job.” To prove it, I lifted my bangs and leaned in to show him the scar on my temple: “See, someone hit me with a plate.” I didn’t expect Logan to actually lean in and examine my scar closely. With his high brow bone, the crystal chandelier cast shadows in his eye sockets, making his gaze seem tender: “Who hurt you?” I have to admit, he could be quite charming when gentle. But Logan was still Logan – in the next moment he reverted to type: “I thought you were always the one doing the deceiving.” My heart skipped a beat at the mention of deception. …Logan couldn’t have discovered something, could he? If he found out I had deceived him, with Logan’s abilities, he’d probably make me give back everything I’d gotten from him. Summer in River City brought frequent rain. It started pouring again in the evening. For several days, Logan and I kept our distance. I made meals and he appeared right on time to eat. But tonight was different. The soy milk by my hand had cooled, but he still hadn’t come down. I was woken in the middle of the night by the sound of the coffee machine. I saw him in the kitchen, looking lost as he guzzled coffee, dark circles under his eyes. Had he lost a bid? Been dumped by Olivia? Whatever happened, don’t waste food! I picked up the tray of food and knocked on his door. No response, but the door was ajar and swung open with a push. Logan had fallen asleep slumped over his desk in the dark. Golden flecks of rain reflected on the floor-to-ceiling windows cast a lonely glow on his profile. I felt his forehead – no fever, but his hands were cold. He must have gotten chilled from the air conditioning and exhaustion. I turned off the AC, dragged him to the sofa, and covered him with a jacket. Logan looked quite intimidating even when silent. He seemed so peaceful lying there, his breathing becoming more even. Logan woke up in the middle of the night. The light was still on in my room, and he knocked softly on the door. I opened it a crack, eyeing him warily. What now? Was the capitalist going to make the working class get up and cook for him at this hour? Logan’s gaze flitted around before finally settling on my eyes: “…Thank you.” “The food on the table was very good. I reheated it.” “…Get some sleep soon.” I nodded and closed the door. I closed the door, but I sensed Logan was still standing outside. Logan had been acting very strangely these past few days. The next day I mentioned I was going to make noodles with vegetables. When I finished brushing my teeth and went to the kitchen, I found Logan washing the greens. The pink apron looked a bit awkward on him. Noticing me behind him, Logan explained: “I was just helping out.” After we finished eating, the high school kid next door came by to pick up some homework. That’s when Logan learned I was tutoring the neighbor’s child in exchange for vegetables. The greens in his bowl were what I had earned by staying up late solving practice problems. That evening, he surprisingly invited me into his study. We put our heads together to tackle the last bonus question. I was scribbling calculations on scratch paper when I suddenly looked up, catching Logan staring at me. He had been watching so intently that my sudden movement startled him. “I wasn’t looking at you!” He blurted out before I could say anything. When he saw me with my hair up bustling around the kitchen, he seemed to feel guilty. He put down his phone and came to help me carry dishes. As Logan reached for a plate, our fingertips brushed and he instinctively pulled back. My steaming bowl of fragrant rice crashed to the floor, the porcelain shattering. “That’s all the rice I made. Your portion is gone now.” As we ate, I noticed Logan seemed to want to say something several times. Finally, as he washed dishes and I went to get ice cream from the fridge, he set down the bowl and chopsticks and looked at my back: “I saw you listening to online classes the other day. Are you still in school?” “Mm-hmm.” “So when we first met, you were working part-time to pay for school?” “Mm-hmm.” “…Can you tell me more about yourself?” I looked up at him, ice cream stick in my mouth. The light above Logan’s head was dazzling, casting a halo around him. I was enveloped in his shadow – he looked almost saintly, so unlike the usual emotionless Logan. I suspected the overwork had addled his brain. I hesitated before speaking: “Why are you asking so much? Are you…” “Planning some targeted poverty alleviation?” Our relationship had thawed considerably. The night before quarantine ended, I ordered some late night snacks and opened Logan’s prized collection of liquor. We clinked glasses filled with amber liquid. “It’s been a pleasure working with you. Here’s to my sugar daddy finding his true love soon.” Logan looked at me hesitantly, but still clinked his glass: “Here’s to…” He didn’t know what to wish for me. “To getting rich,” I finished. That demon of a man actually smiled: “Alright, to getting rich.” Empty bottles were scattered across the table and floor. We drank our way from the table to the floor-to-ceiling windows. I skillfully opened bottle after bottle with chopsticks. “You’re quite something, little girl.” Even drunk, Logan’s gaze was sharp. He leaned against the wall, his words as cutting as ever: “That’s why when I first saw you, I thought you were a professional.” I turned my head to look at Logan, flashing him a smile: “You know where you went wrong?” “With your emotional intelligence, you’ll never match up to Jack even if you’re reborn twice.” “If you want to pursue Olivia, do it properly.” “If you truly loved someone, why would you need a substitute?” “Or…are you just insecure? Afraid you can’t measure up to your nephew?” I laughed at that point – how could someone as rich as Logan be insecure? If I had his money, I’d go after whoever I liked without hesitation. He was quite drunk, his shirt a wrinkled mess. He swayed unsteadily as he tried to come teach me a lesson, but he could barely stand. He collapsed into my arms. Propping himself up against me in his drunken haze, he mumbled: “What if I don’t love her…” “Then Aria, do you love me…” Love? Of course I love you. “Of course I love you.” I stroked his cheek tenderly. “Mr. Logan, you’re so rich – Aria White, Aria Black, Aria Rainbow all love you.” He seemed to find that hilarious, letting out a soft chuckle: “As expected of you, Aria.” “I knew early on you were different.” Early on? How early? “That day I saw you gleefully calculating all that money.” “And then I realized, in this very room, you were crying and professing your love for me over and over.” “Your acting skills are quite pleasing, but I know you’re just sweet-talking me. Your heart isn’t in it.” I lowered my eyes. That’s not so early, Mr. Logan. There’s still so much you don’t know. “Why did you agree to be with me?” “I didn’t have money for school. Accepting donations and reciting gratitude speeches in public was humiliating.” It felt like being stripped naked in front of everyone. I was well-developed, and even loose clothes couldn’t hide my figure. When I went on stage to give speeches, those balding middle-aged businessmen would look me up and down, their gazes lingering on my chest, making me uncomfortable. Logan froze for a moment, then said very softly, “I’m sorry.” See, that’s why I say he’s only a demon in the business world. In romance, he can’t even compete with a young upstart like Jack. He doesn’t know how to truly love someone. While Jack was holding hands and going for passionate kisses, Logan was playing the good brother role. All that pent-up passion in his suit was only unleashed on me. Thinking of how he had cornered me in the kitchen to ask about my past, was that pity or guilt on his face? I couldn’t tell. But what difference did it make if he knew? Would he pity or sympathize with me now that he knew? Someone like Logan, who had gained neither benefit nor love, had no right to pity me. So that day I looked up at him very sincerely, ice cream stick in my mouth: “Only a foolish girl who gets neither money nor love is pitiful. I’m only after one of those things – that’s not too greedy, is it?” What difference was there between his condescending pity and the scrutiny when he pinned me to the table? Slightly tipsy from the alcohol, Logan seemed to have fallen asleep, his head resting on my shoulder, his face flushed. The night was hazy with mist. I stroked Logan’s Adam’s apple, feeling it jump sharply under my cold palm. In his half-conscious state, he turned to speak to me, his lips brushing my earlobe, his hot breath tickling my ear. His voice was soft and gentle, like the wind, like mist, like the rain outside. So unlike him. With the cover of his drunkenness and the moonlight, he carefully caressed my cheek: “Aria, I’m sorry for before…”

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The man I’ve been in love with for ten years saw my roommate during a video call and fell for her instantly. Then he asked me to help him win her over. On the phone, his voice was as deep and captivating as ever. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone before, Lila. Please, help me.” But there wasn’t a trace of pleading in his tone. It was as if he already knew I wouldn’t say no. That’s how it’s always been between us—he’s always been so sure of me. Logan and my roommate were kissing. Their lips locked, their bodies close, completely lost in each other. I stood frozen, watching the scene unfold, feeling like someone had reached into my chest and torn my heart in half. I should’ve known this would happen the moment I agreed to help him pursue her. I should’ve prepared myself for it. But seeing it with my own eyes? It broke me. They were so absorbed in each other that they didn’t even notice me standing there. “Come over to my place tonight?” Logan’s low, husky voice pierced the quiet night. His words hit me like a punch to the gut, and my heart sank into an icy abyss. So, they were already at that stage? My roommate playfully smacked his arm, laughing softly. “What are you talking about? I promised Lila I’d help her with her thesis tonight!” They leaned in closer, their foreheads touching as they exchanged words I couldn’t quite hear, their intimacy painfully obvious even from a distance. When she finally went upstairs, Logan turned around—and saw me. “Lila?” His smile vanished instantly. I stiffened, avoiding his gaze as I fought to keep my emotions in check. Without a word, I turned and headed back to my dorm. The scene I’d just witnessed was too much. The bitterness, the jealousy, and the helplessness wrapped around my chest, suffocating me. I’d been by Logan’s side as his friend for ten years. In all that time, I’d never seen him show even the slightest interest in any woman. To me, he was always distant, rational—so much so that I sometimes wondered if he even saw me as a girl, or just a genderless companion. But tonight… Tonight was the first time I’d ever seen him like this. So full of emotion. And for who? For someone he’d only known for ten days. Ten days. Meanwhile, I’ve loved him for ten years—my entire youth consumed by this silent, unrequited love. When we were in high school, I failed my college entrance exam and couldn’t get into the same university as him. I spent an extra year retaking the test, only to mess up my application and end up in a different city. Throughout college, we barely kept in touch. Now, Logan was just starting to settle into his career, and I was drowning in my final-year thesis. We spoke even less. Every time I tried to visit him, he’d shut me down without hesitation. “Lila, I’m busy,” he’d say. Sometimes, I’d call him on video, desperate for some kind of connection. But no matter how much I wanted to talk, he always had something else to do. I knew I had no right to complain. To him, I was just a friend he’d known for a long time. Ten days ago, my roommate borrowed my phone to take a picture and accidentally stumbled upon a photo of Logan in my gallery. Her finger paused for a moment. Then she smiled. “Who’s this? He’s good-looking. Do you know him, Lila?” I saw the spark of interest in her eyes. I didn’t answer, mumbling some excuse before leaving the room. Even though I knew the chances of them meeting were slim, I couldn’t sleep that night. The fear of losing him—of losing even the fantasy of him—was overwhelming. My roommate was the kind of girl everyone noticed. She was the “it” girl of our department, with a face that was both strikingly beautiful and effortlessly alluring. Her presence alone was enough to draw attention, and her aloof, hard-to-get attitude only made her more desirable. In all four years of college, no one had managed to capture her interest. Until now. All it took was one picture of Logan. The next day, I finally worked up the courage to confess my feelings to Logan. But before I could, he called me. And during that video call, he saw my roommate in the background. I’ll never forget the way his eyes lit up. The way his sharp features softened, his usual guarded expression melting into something I’d never seen before. It was obvious. He’d fallen for her at first sight. The day after the call, Logan called me again. “Lila,” he said, his voice as calm and steady as ever. “I need your help. I really like her.” It was the first time he’d ever asked me for anything. But there was no vulnerability in his voice. No hesitation. He already knew I wouldn’t refuse him. That realization hit me like a wave, the bitterness spreading through every corner of my body. But what could I do? I couldn’t stop him from liking someone else, just like I couldn’t stop myself from loving him. So I said yes. I agreed to help him win over my roommate. What followed was inevitable. I introduced them. They exchanged numbers. And despite always being “too busy” for me, Logan suddenly had all the time in the world for her. He even took three days off work just to visit her. Today was their first official date. And judging by what I just saw, things had clearly progressed faster than I’d expected. When I stepped back into the dorm, my roommate’s voice greeted me. “Lila,” she said, her tone light and cheerful, “Logan and I are officially together.”

“Oh, that’s great,” I replied softly, forcing my voice to stay steady. I returned to my desk, sat down, and opened my laptop to work on my thesis. It took me several tries to type out a single word—”I.” Behind me, my roommate’s voice carried a hint of a smile. “It’s all thanks to you, our favorite matchmaker.” My fingers froze on the keyboard, tightening involuntarily. My chest ached, and my heart clenched so hard it felt like it might shatter. Yes, I had brought them together. It was me who told Logan every little thing my roommate liked—her favorite topics, the kind of humor she enjoyed. It was me who assured my roommate that Logan had never been interested in anyone else, that his feelings for her were rare and genuine. For the past ten days, I watched Logan go out of his way to care for her while she smiled every time she talked about him. I witnessed them fall for each other, piece by painful piece. Late at night, I’d bury my face in my pillow, trying to block out the sound of Logan’s voice messages from her phone: “Be good. Don’t stay up too late. Sweet dreams.” His tone was warm, teasing, with a hint of husky affection—a kind of tenderness I’d never experienced from him. And in that moment, I realized something devastating: I regretted everything. I even thought about lying to him. If I’d told Logan that my roommate already liked someone else, his pride would’ve made him give up immediately. Maybe then I’d still have a chance. “Speaking of which—” My roommate’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. She had walked up behind me, wrapping her arms around my shoulders in a playful hug. “Logan and I decided to treat you to dinner tomorrow as a thank-you. You’ll come, right?” My breath caught in my throat, and instinctively, I wanted to refuse. But she didn’t give me the chance. “Logan’s heading back to work the day after tomorrow, and after we graduate next month, I’ll be moving in with him. This might be one of the last times we all get to hang out together.” Her head rested lightly against my neck, her breath warm against my skin. Her voice was soft, almost coaxing. “It was his idea, too.” … If I still had even the faintest sliver of hope left last night, it was gone now. The next evening, we went to a hotpot restaurant near campus. The broth bubbled and steamed, filling the room with warmth, but I felt none of it. Logan sat across from me, peeling shrimp for my roommate. His head was slightly lowered, his long fingers deftly removing the shells with ease. Every movement was precise, practiced, and deliberate. Suddenly, I remembered something. Logan hated peeling shrimp. He couldn’t stand the slimy, sticky texture—it always disgusted him. Last year, I’d traveled four hours by bus to visit him on his birthday. I brought a cake and clumsily cooked a full dinner for him, even burning my hand in the process. When he saw the red, swollen burn on my hand, his expression grew complicated. “Lila,” he said, his tone flat, “if you don’t know how to cook, then don’t.” Before I could respond, he grabbed my hand and started applying ointment to the burn, his touch careful and gentle. It was one of the only times he’d ever been so kind to me. I remember looking at the plate of boiled shrimp on the table and impulsively asking, “My hand hurts. Will you peel some shrimp for me?” He frowned immediately, his tone sharp. “You know I have a thing about that.” That single sentence shifted the mood entirely. Normally, I wouldn’t have cared, but that day… for some reason, tears welled up in my eyes. The frustration, the disappointment—it all spilled over. In the end, I forced myself to peel the shrimp, ignoring the pain in my blistered hand. Logan sat silently the entire time, watching me. He opened his mouth a few times to say something, but nothing ever came out. Pulled back to the present, I watched as he placed the peeled shrimp onto my roommate’s plate. Then he neatly wiped his hands with a wet napkin and glanced at me. Our eyes met. And in that moment, I understood. He was doing this on purpose. He was showing me, in the most deliberate way possible, that I didn’t matter to him. The scar on my hand from that burn had long since faded, but it felt like he’d reopened the wound tonight, pouring salt into it for good measure. Logan had always known how I felt about him. He knew I didn’t see him as just a friend. This dinner, this entire display—it was his way of making it clear. Stop hoping. Stop dreaming. Don’t interfere with his life anymore. A sharp pain stabbed at my chest, and I lowered my head, avoiding his gaze. My hands trembled as I gripped my chopsticks. The dinner dragged on forever. No matter how much they flirted, I kept my head down, barely saying a word. But then, a sudden commotion broke out nearby. I looked up to see a flustered guy apologizing to Logan. Apparently, he’d lost a dare and had to ask the most beautiful girl in the room for her number—unaware that my roommate already had a boyfriend. Logan’s expression darkened, but he kept his composure in the crowded restaurant. The guy stammered out a few more apologies before retreating, clearly embarrassed. I turned to glance at my roommate. She was as stunning as ever, her flushed cheeks and glistening forehead only adding to her charm. Her lips, slightly swollen from the spice, looked impossibly soft. People around us kept sneaking glances at her, their admiration barely concealed. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a tall figure making his way toward us. A small smile tugged at my lips. For some reason, the knot in my chest loosened slightly. Maybe youth is about taking risks, even when you know better. I glanced at Logan. Sure enough, his expression had grown even darker. Curious now, I put down my chopsticks and sat back, ready to watch the scene unfold. But to my surprise, the guy didn’t stop in front of my roommate. Instead, he walked right past her and came to a halt in front of me. I blinked, startled. He looked directly at me, his eyes bright and sincere. “Excuse me,” he said, his voice a little nervous but steady. “Can I ask you out?” I froze, not sure how to react. Instinctively, I turned to look at Logan. For a split second, I thought I saw something flicker in his eyes. And for the first time all night, his expression grew even colder.

For a moment, my mind raced with memories and thoughts. Over the past ten years of silently loving Logan, there were times when I wavered. I had watched him reject confessions from other girls with such cold precision, leaving no room for misunderstanding or hope. So I buried my feelings deep, choosing to stay by his side as a kind, considerate friend. But no matter how much I gave, he never responded. His indifference and restraint were unwavering. The pain of wanting something I could never have, the exhaustion of loving someone who didn’t love me back—it all weighed on me, crushing me bit by bit. When I failed to get into the same university as Logan, everything I’d been holding in finally reached its breaking point. For the first time, I thought about giving up. On the day of our farewell dinner, he didn’t show up. After it ended, one of my classmates confessed to me. I turned him down, but he still insisted on walking me home. I hesitated for a moment. Walking home meant passing by Logan’s house. For some reason, I agreed. The moonlight that night was beautiful. The classmate walked beside me, trying his best to hold a conversation. I answered him politely, but as soon as Logan’s house came into view, I stopped in my tracks. Looking up, I saw him standing on the balcony, watching us with a cold, unreadable expression. Later that night, after I got home and showered, I lay in bed scrolling through my phone. That’s when I saw it: someone had filmed the classmate’s confession and posted it in our group chat. The video was too noisy to make out the words, but the final shot showed me leaving with him. The chat erupted with teasing comments from people who hadn’t been there. And then, Logan messaged me: “Do you want to retake the year?” I instantly understood the implication behind his words. He wanted me to attend the same university as him. He didn’t spell it out, but to me, it felt like a signal—a glimmer of hope. My heart soared, even as it ached. He always seemed to do this: letting me build up disappointment, only to pull me back with a single moment of hope. Now, sitting across from him at dinner, watching him with his new girlfriend, I couldn’t help but wonder: What signal was he sending me now? Before I could figure it out, my roommate shifted in her seat, breaking my line of sight. She reached for Logan’s hand, intertwining her fingers with his. For a brief second, Logan seemed startled. Then he looked down at her, his expression softening, his sharp edges melting away. In that moment, I felt it—the last tiny flicker of hope inside me extinguished completely. But instead of despair, I felt an unfamiliar calm settle over me. I lowered my gaze, pulling my focus away from him, and looked at the boy sitting across from me instead. He wasn’t expecting me to look at him, and when our eyes met, he tensed, clearly nervous. Then, as if on instinct, he repeated the same clumsy question from earlier: “C-Can I… can I ask you out?” The group of onlookers burst into laughter. Someone who knew him teased, “Hey, Noah, aren’t you the one confessing? Why are you asking her to chase you instead?” His face turned bright red, all the way to the tips of his ears. “I-I… I didn’t mean it like that…” he stammered. “Sure,” I interrupted him. The room quieted. This time, I didn’t even glance at Logan to see his reaction. Instead, I kept my eyes on Noah. He froze for a moment, staring at me in disbelief. His throat bobbed as he swallowed nervously, and I could see the flush spreading from his ears to his neck. Unable to stop myself, I smiled. “Sure,” I repeated. I quickly discovered that Noah was the kind of person who blushed easily. After I said yes, he turned so red I thought he might pass out. Without giving me a chance to protest, he grabbed my hand and led me out of the restaurant. We ended up at a nearby dessert shop, where he ordered way too many sweets and placed them in front of me. I stared at him, bewildered, as he fidgeted with his spoon, unable to meet my eyes. After a moment, he finally looked up and gave me a shy smile. “I noticed you didn’t eat much at dinner,” he said. “And… you know, people say dessert makes you feel better.” I looked at him, startled. That dinner—every second of it had been suffocating for me, but somehow, Noah had noticed. He’d seen how uncomfortable I was, how hard I was trying to hide my sadness, and he’d stepped in to pull me away from it all. Something in my chest shifted. It was small, but it was there. And as I took a bite of the dessert, I realized something else: He was right. Sweet things do make you feel better. Later, we walked around the track field, the sunset painting the sky in fiery shades of red and orange. Noah hesitated for a moment before nervously taking my hand. I glanced at him, catching a glimpse of his side profile—his pale skin, the sharp line of his jaw, and his ears still tinged pink from embarrassment. For the first time in a long while, my heart felt light. That feeling lasted until Logan texted me later that night. “Where are you?” I didn’t reply. And he didn’t follow up. I exhaled deeply, as if I were releasing years of pent-up frustration. Noah and I stayed out late. When I finally returned to my dorm, I threw myself into my thesis, editing and formatting until it was ready to send to my professor. Only after hitting “send” did I check my phone again. At 11 p.m., Noah had texted me: “Do you have time tomorrow?” I hesitated for a moment before responding: “I do.” His reply came almost instantly: “Great! Goodnight!” I glanced at the clock. It was already 3 a.m. I stared at his message for a while, a small smile tugging at my lips. As I got ready for bed, I noticed my roommate’s bed was still empty. Her blanket was neatly folded. She hadn’t come back tonight.

The next morning, I slept in until ten. After getting up and washing my face, I stood in front of the mirror to do my makeup. As I applied my lipstick, I heard the sound of a key turning in the lock. My roommate was back. I stared at myself in the mirror, my expression calm, my eyes steady. The last time I caught her and Logan kissing, it felt like my heart had been ripped apart, like my body had been broken into pieces, crushed, and painstakingly put back together again. But last night, when I realized they were together—probably doing something far more intimate than kissing—I didn’t feel that same earth-shattering pain. There was a dull ache, yes, but nothing unbearable. In fact, I’d fallen asleep quickly and slept through the night without dreaming. I wasn’t sure if this meant I was finally letting Logan go, finally letting myself go. But I knew it was a step in the right direction. I pressed my lips together to even out the lipstick just as my roommate’s tired voice broke the silence: “He’s gone back to the office.” I turned toward her and noticed how pale she looked—exhausted, completely drained. I stared at her in surprise, reaching out to feel her forehead, but she turned her face away, avoiding my touch. “I’m fine,” she said quickly. I frowned. She looked straight at me, her voice strained. “I slept with him.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296158”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring #魔幻Magic #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn #惊悚Thriller