Author: Momo Chan

Two months after our wedding, my husband Lucas suggested we split all our bills equally. Living expenses, supporting our parents, social obligations, raising children – everything was to be split 50/50. I accepted. Later, he couldn’t handle it himself. He begged me to support him! I kicked him out. “Get lost, you jerk!” My dad fell ill. The doctor informed me that after deducting the health insurance coverage, we still needed to pay over $15,000 for the surgery. I regretted buying a new car just last month. I called my husband, Lucas. “Honey, can you lend me $15,000? My dad needs surgery.” “We agreed to split our expenses equally, remember? We’re each responsible for our own families,” Lucas replied, his tone colder than that of a casual acquaintance. I gritted my teeth, trying to stay calm. “I said ‘lend.’ I’ll pay you back!” “I don’t have it. Figure it out yourself.” He hung up without even a word of concern. Furious, I threw my bag onto the chair. What a piece of trash I had chosen! “Amelia, did you manage to borrow the money?” My mom asked, having heard the commotion. “Yes, don’t worry!” I lied. Left with no choice, I called my boss at work. “Boss, I have about $10,000 in commissions from last quarter that haven’t been paid out yet. I was wondering if I could get an advance.” “What happened?” he asked. I explained my dad’s situation. “Alright, I’ll make an exception. If you need more, I can lend you some personally.” Seeing $15,000 deposited into my account, I covered my face and cried. What had marriage given me? Nothing but a mess. The respect and trust I earned through my own hard work and perseverance were worth so much more.

Four years ago, I married Lucas. I was blinded by love, captivated by his good looks since college. Even though my parents objected, thinking Lucas wasn’t reliable enough. Even though Lucas’s family didn’t offer a bride price, I thought love was priceless. Even though I had to bring a house as a dowry, I was willing. But after the wedding, he proposed splitting all our expenses equally. Living expenses, supporting parents, social obligations, raising children – everything was to be split 50/50. I was shocked and didn’t understand. Although we both worked and had our own incomes, I had never asked him for living expenses. We just lived casually. Occasionally, I would pay for utilities, he would pay for gas. I would buy groceries, he would buy daily necessities. I didn’t like to fuss over details and never calculated who paid more. But Lucas kept a little notebook, recording every expense. After two months, I guess he felt he was losing out. But aren’t couples supposed to weather storms together? Did we need to be so calculative? Lucas, however, had his arguments to convince me. “Many people in Western countries do this. It’s progressive and can reduce conflicts.” “But it feels like we’re business partners, not a married couple,” I protested. “Marriage is about choosing the most suitable partner. Besides love, we need to think long-term.” I started to reflect on our dating process, realizing I might have spent more. But I had never calculated it. Since that was the case, I decided to give it a try. From then on, Lucas recorded every bill, and we split them equally, accurate to two decimal places.

A year later, I got pregnant. I had severe morning sickness and had to stay at home after six months of pregnancy. I applied for unpaid leave from work, as my maternity leave hadn’t started yet. Lucas’s face was very dark during that period. I thought he was worried about my health, but it turned out he was concerned about my income. “We agreed to split expenses, remember? You haven’t been paid for months, and I can’t help you,” he said. I frowned. This was even harsher than settling accounts between siblings. Seeing that I didn’t respond, Lucas hurriedly explained. “You still have some savings, right? It should be enough for a few months.” I made a list including formula, diapers, baby clothes, bottles, strollers, and more. “We need to buy all these. It’s a significant expense. You buy them first, and I’ll pay you back later.” Lucas’s frown deepened. He clearly hadn’t planned for this. “It’s so expensive. I don’t have money either.” “Where did your money go?” I asked. Lucas glared at me, displeased. “We agreed to split expenses, remember? We don’t interfere with each other’s spending.” “Split, split! So for having a baby, should I be pregnant for 5 months, then hand it over to you for the next 5 months? I had to take unpaid leave to have this baby, and you don’t consider me at all. You just keep talking about splitting!” Lucas looked at me incredulously. “I can’t help you with childbirth. It’s not that I don’t want to.” “But you can help with the expenses, and you won’t?” “We agreed to split, didn’t we?” I grabbed a pillow and threw it at him. “Get out! If you won’t cover it, I’ll just starve. We can all starve together!” Lucas muttered dissatisfaction as he slowly left the room. I heard him making a phone call in the next room. “Mom, can you transfer me $5,000?” “Isn’t my salary card with you?” “Amelia has severe morning sickness, and I need to cover some expenses. She’ll pay me back later.” “She’ll definitely pay back. Once she starts working again, I won’t cover anymore. I’ll make her pay.” As I listened, my heart grew colder. Lucas had given his salary card to his mother. No wonder he never said where his money went. Now he needed $5,000 and had to ask his mother’s permission. What a calculation! He treated me like an outsider. What if we had a conflict that led to divorce? Our marital property would be divided, but he wouldn’t have any money!

I turned and contacted my mom, giving her my salary card too. My mom didn’t want to take it at first, but I insisted. “Did you have a fight with Lucas? You two should get along, especially now that you’re pregnant.” “No, nothing like that. He’s very filial, and he taught me to be filial too. Just take it, I know what I’m doing.” My parents kept my card but used it to buy me lots of nutritional supplements, a crib, and baby blankets. I also sold my stocks and funds at an opportune time and opened a new account under my mom’s name. I could be carefree when I didn’t care, but I could also be meticulous when I did. Lucas finally noticed that I had changed my account and password. “You changed your bank card password?” “Yes, why are you trying to log into my bank account? Aren’t we splitting everything?” Although we had been splitting expenses, we knew each other’s account numbers and passwords. I was cautious, worried that if one of us suddenly died or had an accident, the other wouldn’t know how much money was left or which bank it was in. “No reason, just wanted to plan. Thinking of buying a bigger car. It’ll be convenient when we have a child.” I nodded. I actually had the same plan. “Let’s wait until I start working again. I’m worried about money these few months.” Lucas keenly noticed my issue. “Did you sell all your stocks?” “Yes, I ran out of money.” “What about your salary card?” “It’s with my mom.” Lucas’s face changed immediately. “Why did you give your card to your mom? How are we going to live? I’ve already covered so much, I can’t cover anymore.” “I learned from you. Didn’t you give your card to your mom? For several months before, I covered a lot for you too.” Lucas paced back and forth, grabbing his hair, very anxious. He clearly hadn’t planned for this. After pacing for a while, he finally thought of a solution. “How about this, from now on, we’ll settle accounts every month. No more covering for each other.” See, this is my husband. Even credit cards are paid off the next month, but my husband wants to settle immediately.

I finally gave birth to a big, healthy boy. It was a natural birth, which saved quite a bit of money. Lucas was very happy. His parents also came to the hospital to see me and their grandson. “Good, very good. Take good care of Amelia, she’s been through a lot,” my mother-in-law said, then ran off faster than a rabbit, afraid I’d ask her to help with my postpartum recovery. Lucas didn’t react immediately. “Your parents will help with your postpartum recovery, right?” “Let’s hire a postpartum nanny. We’ll split the cost.” “I don’t have money for a nanny. Isn’t your mom retired? She’s free anyway.” “What about your mom? Isn’t she free at home too? Why did she run away?” Lucas sighed reluctantly. “She’s not in good health. It wasn’t easy for her to raise me. Besides, my sister-in-law is also pregnant with twins. My mom needs to cook for her.” “Your mom never cooked a single meal for me when I was pregnant.” “Why bother about that? You wouldn’t have liked her cooking anyway.” Lucas stopped arguing with me and went out to take a call. I actually really didn’t like my mother-in-law’s cooking, but I just wanted to make a point. When I’m generous, you nitpick with me. When I nitpick, you talk about being generous. Hmph, such double standards. In the end, my mom compromised. She moved in with me to take care of me and her grandson. Lucas was quite happy about it. He moved into the study, living just like before he became a father. When I asked him to change diapers, he frowned and said he didn’t know how. My mom quickly came over. “I’ll do it, I’ll do it!” When I asked him to prepare postpartum meals, he again claimed he didn’t know how. My mom looked up recipes online herself. “I’ll do it, I’ll do it!” “Mom, we agreed to split expenses. You’re helping me, not him. He should be doing these things!” My mom glared at me, her eyes conveying many meanings. “We’re all family.” Lucas found an excuse to back down and hurried out to buy groceries. “Mom, if you spoil him like this, when my recovery is over and you go back, this child will be left to me alone.” My mom sighed. “You should have opened your eyes before marriage. After marriage, you make do with what you have. You’ve got it backwards.” I was choked up by my mom’s words, unable to argue back. “I really want to get a divorce!” “Don’t think like that. You’re in postpartum recovery now, your hormones are dropping, it’s easy to get depressed. Wait until you can take care of yourself and feel better, then you’ll be able to handle things. We can’t let Tommy be born into a family without a father.” I looked at the sleeping baby. He was so cute. Ah, I couldn’t bear it.

Days dragged on, and finally Tommy was 3 years old and started preschool. I finally got some relief, bought a new car, and everything seemed to be back on track. But then my dad fell seriously ill. When life is smooth sailing, you can’t see the good and bad in people around you, whether they’re human or beast. But once you encounter storms, the ugliness of human nature appears. I never expected Lucas wouldn’t help at all. “My mom and I don’t have time to take Tommy to preschool. We need to go to the hospital. You take him.” “It’s not my month, remember? You figure it out. Next month is my turn.” I really wanted to curse. Even my colleagues were willing to switch shifts to help, but he completely ignored the situation. Even if he were just a relative, just a friend, he would at least offer money or effort, or some words of comfort. But he completely distanced himself, as if my dad were a stranger. This time, I truly saw through him. Since you’re heartless, I’ll be ruthless too. What goes around comes around. Don’t let it come back to me.

Unexpectedly, this karma came back quickly. Three months after my dad was discharged, my mother-in-law fell. Lucas called me urgently. “Amelia, my mom is in the hospital. Go there quickly.” “Why should I go to the hospital? I’m at work.” “I’m busy, about to board a high-speed train. Go to the hospital to pay the bills. My mom fell.” “We split expenses, remember? Handle it yourself.” I hung up the phone. Lucas kept calling back, but I kept hanging up. Lucas sent me voice messages on WhatsApp. “Amelia, that’s my mom. You can’t be like this. You’re her daughter-in-law. Can’t you go take care of her?” “Three months ago, how did you treat my dad? That’s how I’ll treat your mom.” I quickly replied and then muted my phone. After a while, my father-in-law called. “Amelia, your mother-in-law is in the hospital. We need to pay the bills.” “Why don’t you ask your son? Why are you calling me?” “He’s on a business trip.” “I’m busy too. We split expenses, remember? We agreed I don’t take care of your family, and he doesn’t take care of my parents.” “What split expenses? Nonsense. I don’t understand that. Come pay the bills quickly, or if something happens to your mother-in-law, it’s on you.” I hung up the phone directly. I took time off work, feeling that if I stayed at the company, I might get cornered. Sure enough, after work, my colleague called me.

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After Dad brought me back home, I was bullied by my twin sister for ten years. To control me, she went as far as drugging her boyfriend and staging a scene where I was caught in bed with him. Just when I thought I could finally escape my sister’s control by debuting through a talent show, I was bombarded with crazy declarations of love from sponsors, and my name was all over the trending topics. When my sister discovered that her string of boyfriends had suddenly turned to fervently support me, she flew into a rage and released a flood of scandals and compromising photos of “me.” I couldn’t defend myself and had to accept being blacklisted from the industry. My sister then brought her entire entourage of boyfriends to mock me, saying, “You think you’re worthy of taking what’s mine? Even if I don’t want something, you can only have it if I allow it!” Even with her pregnancy bump showing, she still imperiously ordered me to sleep with her husband. Later, she even embraced other men in front of her husband and framed me for it. But her husband wasn’t like the boys in her string of boyfriends – he could really bite back. I refused to be my sister’s puppet for life. So, in the middle of the night, I knocked on the door: “Brother-in-law, open up.” 0

I opened my eyes to find myself lying next to a man I knew but wasn’t close with. It was none other than Sebastian Hayes, my sister’s fiancé and the eldest son of the Hayes family. At that moment, Sebastian and I were in bed together, completely naked! The soreness throughout my body and the glaring red stain on the sheets screamed one fact at me—I had slept with my soon-to-be brother-in-law, but he seemed to have mistaken me for my sister. To avoid being exposed, I fled in a panic. On my way home, I made sure to stop by a pharmacy for some emergency contraception. As I pushed open the front door, I saw my sister Vivian standing at the top of the stairs with a cold smirk. “Out all night? Is this how I taught you to behave?” “I had a bit too much to drink at a class reunion and crashed at a friend’s place,” I lied. Vivian knew full well how poor my social circle was. She let out a mocking laugh, clearly thinking I was just making excuses to drown my sorrows after being blacklisted from the entertainment industry despite all my efforts. Vivian and I are twins. When our parents divorced, it made sense to split us up—one went with Dad, the other with Mom. I was the one who returned to our hometown with Mom. Unfortunately, that area was quite underdeveloped, and I got lost not long after. It took years before I was found and brought back. By the time I returned home, Mom had already passed away, and Grandma who had been raising me for a few years had also died. That’s how I ended up being brought back to the Quinn family by Dad. But Dad was hands-off, leaving everything to Vivian once he brought me home. She’s been running the household ever since. I worked hard in the shadow of Vivian’s academic brilliance. Though I could never match up to her, it was still much better than life in our small hometown. The two sisters lived together peacefully like this for years. Until the night before I participated in a talent show, when Vivian caught me in bed with her boyfriend. She took photos and videos of the scene, cursing me for being shameless and cheap. Our sisterly relationship was never the same after that. From then on, Vivian made no effort to hide her contempt for me. She threatened me, controlled me, and monitored my every move. Even when I debuted in the entertainment industry with a face similar to hers, she saw it as something beneath her status. She didn’t hesitate to release a flood of false scandals about “me” to ruin my career. Everything about me was laid bare before Vivian. As time went on, I somehow got used to it and never thought about resisting her control. Looking back now, I realize I never actually slept with her ex-boyfriend. The so-called evidence in Vivian’s hands was either staged photos or pictures of herself. It was all just a ploy for her to manipulate me. Back in my room, I locked myself in the bathroom, stuffed my clothes into the washing machine, and stood under the shower. To my surprise, I heard Vivian shouting and opening the door outside. Years of conditioning under Vivian’s rule had stripped me of the habit of locking doors. I hadn’t thought of it this time either. If Vivian barged in and saw me covered in hickeys… I didn’t dare imagine what that psycho would do. In a panic, I hastily wrapped a towel around myself and ran smack into Vivian as she opened the door. Vivian stood with her arms crossed, eyeing me suspiciously. “Why are you showering in the middle of the day?” I said, “I was out drinking all night and smell awful. You don’t like that, right?” My show of weakness didn’t soften Vivian’s heart one bit. She looked me up and down for a while, then suddenly smiled with her eyes narrowed, though there was no warmth in her gaze. “Slept with a man?” Is Vivian so sensitive about me being with men because she’s afraid I’ll discover I didn’t actually lose my virginity back then? I kept my head down, meekly saying, “No, I really was at a friend’s place last night. You can call and ask her if you don’t believe me, sis.” “That won’t be necessary,” Vivian said. Then, with a cold look in her eyes and a curl of her lips, she continued, “If you didn’t sleep with a man, what are you afraid of? Open your towel and let me take a look.” 0

My pupils constricted as water droplets and cold sweat ran down my back. Seeing my hesitation, Vivian’s suspicion grew. “Do I need to do it myself?” I kept backing away, my heart in my throat, not daring to take a single breath. Just as the situation reached a critical point, Vivian’s phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, she broke into an excited smile. She cleared her throat and answered sweetly, “Sebastian.” Hearing my brother-in-law’s name, my relaxed nerves instantly tensed up again. The heart that had just settled back down leapt right back into my throat. Even my hair stood on end in fear. What if Sebastian asked about last night… Watching Vivian’s expression change as she spoke, my emotions rollercoastered along with her facial expressions. Thankfully, I managed to get through this crisis without incident. After showering, I went downstairs to find Vivian pensively examining a tube of ointment. I tried to quietly slip past, but Vivian caught me with a glance and blocked my way. She raised her arm as if to hit me, but I nimbly dodged. “You dare dodge?” Vivian’s face turned ashen as she demanded loudly, “Tell me! What exactly did you do last night? Why did Sebastian bring me this?” Looking at the ointment in front of me, I wracked my brains and came up with a seemingly convincing lie. Seeing Vivian buy my story, I finally let out a sigh of relief. Vivian handed me the ointment and went back to scrolling on her phone. Just when I thought I’d made it safely through the day, Vivian’s calm voice exploded in my ears: “Find an opportunity to sleep with Sebastian.” Excuse me? I always feel out of sync with this world because I’m not twisted enough. Vivian keeps pushing the boundaries of my understanding of her. I couldn’t help but mock her, “Is sis afraid Sebastian will find out you’re not pure anymore?” Thinking of Vivian’s endless string of boyfriends and her debauched lifestyle as a spoiled rich girl, it seemed to make sense. “Want me to smack that smart mouth of yours?” she threatened, avoiding my question. I didn’t push it. “Sis, have you forgotten? I’m not a virgin either. That time…” “I’ll take you to get it fixed,” Vivian interrupted coldly, as if everything was under her control. “Why don’t you go yourself? Or is sis planning another ‘caught in the act’ scene?” I said lightly, as if just making casual conversation. Vivian’s face changed. She tossed out a “mind your own business” and left. The next morning before dawn, Vivian burst into my room, threw some clothes on me, and dragged me to a sketchy back-alley clinic. I snapped wide awake, looking at Vivian in disbelief, silently questioning her with my eyes. Vivian instantly understood my meaning and said dismissively, “We didn’t come to the wrong place. We can’t leave any records that might raise suspicion.” I dawdled as I walked through the door, about to turn back and come clean to Vivian, when I heard her tell the doctor, “Break it first, then fix it. I paid good money for this.” Vivian was still as malicious towards me as ever. But I had actually slept with Sebastian, so there was no need for any “fixing.” Looks like I’d have to use some tricks. I picked up the scalpel and twirled it expertly, pressing it precisely against the doctor’s neck. It was easy enough to get him to agree to play along with me. I didn’t expect the doctor to be such a coward. I even gained some unexpected intel that gave me a glimpse into Vivian’s little secret. It wasn’t a waste to go along with Vivian’s scheme after all. 0

When I came out, Vivian just gave me a cursory glance before stepping on the gas and driving off alone. I knew crystal clear that Vivian had definitely run off to meet up with one or more of the boys in her string of boyfriends. But unlike usual, I didn’t try to bargain or negotiate. I just kept staring intently at Vivian’s belly. No wonder Vivian had become more generous with money lately. Turns out it was thanks to the little one in her belly! But Vivian went through men faster than I went through pen refills. Did she even know who the baby’s father was? And how could she be sure she could keep it a secret from the Hayes family? If the truth came out, wouldn’t the entire Quinn family become targets for the Hayes family’s revenge… Lost in thought, a black car sped past then reversed back to stop beside me. The window rolled down to reveal none other than my soon-to-be brother-in-law. “Didn’t you use the ointment I gave you? Get in, I’ll give you a ride.” Following the man’s gaze, I looked at my wrist. Damn! I remembered to apply it on my legs but completely forgot about this spot. But from the looks of it, he seemed to have mistaken me for Vivian again. I kept reminding myself: Stay in character, stay in character! Thinking about how I could squeeze some more money out of Vivian when I got back, a professional smile instantly spread across my face. I smoothly opened the car door and got in. “Thanks, bro-” My polite self almost slipped up. Meeting the man’s scrutinizing gaze, I gave an awkward laugh and continued, “Can I borrow your charger? My phone’s dead.” Sebastian didn’t probe further, and my little life was saved. After getting home, messages from Vivian came pouring in. “Make sure you seal the deal with Sebastian tomorrow night.” “The weather forecast says it’ll rain tomorrow. I’ve mailed you some aphrodisiacs via express delivery. I don’t need to teach you what to do, right?” “Don’t try to be clever. Remember to take photos in bed for me to check! Otherwise tomorrow’s headline will be your sex tape. You know I’m capable of anything.” “You wouldn’t want to experience cyberbullying again, would you?” Vivian sure moved fast. She could still think of everything while fooling around with her boy toys. That’s something. Counting the string of zeros in the payment Vivian sent me, I slept soundly that night. The next evening, I timed it perfectly to get caught in the rain on my way to Sebastian’s villa. When I arrived, Sebastian lived up to his reputation as a gentleman, easily agreeing to let me stay the night. Perhaps to avoid making me uncomfortable, he hid in his study all evening without coming out. I sat in the living room, watching the clock hands go round and round, but there was no sign of him emerging from the study. I pondered silently, then heated up a glass of milk, secretly dissolving a sleeping pill in it, and carried it to Sebastian’s study. I handed him the milk and made sure to give him a suggestive look before leaving, coyly reminding him, “Don’t lock your door tonight, okay?” Then I sashayed out. I mentally calculated how long it would take for the drug to kick in. When I estimated the time was right, I took my phone and snuck into Sebastian’s bedroom, planning to stage some suggestive photos. Just when I thought I had succeeded and was about to leave, his hand suddenly wrapped around me like a vine, locking me in place like an iron clamp. He even unconsciously gave my butt a light pat, mumbling drowsily, “Still being naughty in my dreams?” As soon as he finished speaking, his burning lips crashed onto mine fiercely. It was as if he wanted to swallow me whole, clearly intending to thoroughly feast on me. I didn’t dare struggle too hard for fear of waking him, but my small attempts to break free were completely ineffective against his grip. I was both angry and anxious, only able to silently curse Vivian. The intel didn’t say he was resistant to sleeping pills! That Vivian really set me up this time. To think I delivered myself right to his doorstep, letting him have an all-you-can-eat buffet for free! 0

I woke up groggily in the morning and instinctively looked to my left. He happened to glance to his right at the same time. Our gazes collided unexpectedly, like an electric shock, and we quickly looked away. In that instant, the awkward atmosphere in the air was so thick you could cut it with a knife. I was so uncomfortable I couldn’t even stay for breakfast before fleeing in a panic. Mission accomplished. Vivian was in an unusually good mood and treated me with unexpected kindness for two whole months. Until I just got her call, I realized the interest on her kindness was more than I could bear. Looking at the cold $100,000 in my bank account, my heart was pounding. This… this couldn’t be hush money, could it?! When I rushed to the hospital, I even doubted if I had gone to the wrong place. My sister, my brother-in-law, and one, two, three… countless guys from Vivian’s string of boyfriends. What a chaotic scene!! I had anticipated that the $100,000 wouldn’t come easily, but I never imagined it was for me to inherit Vivian’s “harem”! Looking at all these men, I felt my scalp tingling. My mind was screaming: This many men, I really can’t handle it! This is not okay at all! Vivian didn’t care about any of that. When she saw me arrive, it was like she had found a lifeline. She grabbed my hand tightly and said, “Aria, you’re finally here. Your brother-in-law came with me for a prenatal checkup, but these boyfriends of yours mistook me for you. Quickly explain to your brother-in-law.” After saying this, she took advantage of everyone’s distraction to pinch my waist hard without leaving a trace. Under Vivian’s threatening gaze, her boy toys swarmed towards me one by one. I welcomed them all without discrimination. To everyone’s shock and bewilderment, I gave each of them a resounding slap across the face. I muttered under my breath, loud enough for everyone present to hear clearly: “Each of you claims to love me the most, yet you can’t even tell me apart from my sister. What a bunch of brainless losers. No wonder none of you can become official boyfriends. Your intelligence is really worrying!” After finishing, I noticed from the corner of my eye that they were still dumbfounded, not yet recovered from the shock. I quickly turned my head, flashed a ingratiating smile at my brother-in-law, then made a swift escape from this “den of trouble”. Not long after I got home, Vivian predictably came storming in to confront me. Those little fish in her pond had each whispered lies in her ear, instantly bewitching my sister to the point where she couldn’t tell north from south. Fortunately, our family is now on the brink of bankruptcy with nothing left. We don’t have to worry about my sister doing anything as stupid as “using sex to gain favors from powerful men.” But I still underestimated Vivian. To please her boy toys, she actually outsourced the task of “bonding” with my brother-in-law to me. Seriously? Is this right? Even when filming movies, the lead actress’s name appears in the credits while a body double does all the work! But thinking of the threatening messages bombarding my phone from her sugar daddies, I had no choice but to continue following Vivian’s orders. Who would have thought that Vivian’s little fish were all richer and more powerful than me! If I were to betray her now, who knows what trouble it would stir up. With this helpless mindset, I came to Sebastian’s house again. As soon as I entered, without a moment’s hesitation, I walked straight towards the study door. “Sis…” I was about to say “Sis’s husband, open the door.”

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I woke up with a start, memories of my past life flooding back. Three days after I had run away from my arranged marriage, my fiancé had committed suicide in our new home, leaving all his assets to me. When I went to sort through his belongings, I was shocked to find walls covered in photos of me and bloodstains on the floor. His assistant told me, “The boss had loved you for many years. His depression was severe – only seeing you or thinking of you brought him some relief…” Each revelation left me stunned, horrified, and inexplicably sad. So this time around, when my childhood friend Lucas suggested I escape the arranged marriage again, I smiled and refused. “I’m not running away,” I said. I wanted to see just how foolish this man who loved me so desperately could be. Ethan died three days after I ran away from our arranged marriage in my past life. My father and brother had just left after apologetically informing Ethan about my escape when they received news that he had slit his wrists in the mansion. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The will he had prepared in advance left all his assets to me. When I got the call from my brother in North America, I felt my expression slowly harden. To me, Ethan had been a stranger who suddenly appeared demanding marriage. We had never even met before. And yet, all the evidence suggested he had loved me deeply for many years.

I rushed back at the lawyer’s request, numbly accepting Ethan’s urn. His background was a mystery and he had no known relatives. His assistant gazed sorrowfully at the small box containing his ashes and said softly: “The boss had loved you for many years. His depression was severe – only seeing you or thinking of you brought him some relief. I thought once you two were married, he wouldn’t be so pessimistic anymore. But I never expected…” His voice trailed off. There was no accusation, but I felt an inexplicable ache in my heart. The assistant handed me a key. “This is the estate the boss prepared for you. It’s also where he personally decorated your new home.” The place where he had killed himself.

The estate was massive, with lush green lawns and even a racetrack. The decor was in my favorite shade of navy blue. The furniture, decorations – everything matched my tastes perfectly. One room was filled wall-to-wall with photos of me. I examined them closely and realized they spanned from my sophomore year of college up until now. It seemed I had been under this man’s lens almost every moment. On the floor were faint bloodstains from where he had slit his wrists, giving off a slight metallic scent. Each revelation left me stunned, horrified, and inexplicably sad. I couldn’t help feeling angry too. If he liked me, why didn’t he just say so? Bursting into my home and demanding marriage like some kind of bandit – how could I possibly feel at ease marrying him? Was this gruesome scene meant to make me feel guilty and unable to forget him for the rest of my life? Dream on. I ended up donating all the assets, including the mansion, to charity. The cleaning lady tore down the photos on the walls, carelessly tossing them on the floor to cover the bloodstains… And just like that, all traces of Ethan’s brief but remarkable life vanished from this world.

It took me three days to accept the reality that I had been reborn. Three days ago, Ethan had just arrived at my home, forcefully demanding an arranged marriage in a manner bordering on coercion. When Lucas heard about it, he immediately urged me to run away to North America for a few days to avoid the situation. That’s exactly what I had done in my past life. But this time, remembering those walls of photos and the horrific bloodstains on the floor, I calmly shook my head. “I don’t want to run away,” I said. “I’m going to find him and ask why he wants to marry me.”

Ethan’s company was very successful. When I went to see him, he was still in a meeting. His assistant personally came down to greet me and asked me to wait in his office for a moment. “The boss will be down very soon,” he assured me. I nodded softly in acknowledgement. True to his word, Ethan arrived quickly. Before I had even finished my tea, he strode in hurriedly, fastening his cufflinks as he walked. When he saw me, he stopped in his tracks and greeted me coolly: “Miss Gu.” His demeanor was cold and distant, as if looking at a stranger. Taken aback by his coldness, I fumbled for words before quietly asking: “Mr. Shen, my father said you want to marry me. Why is that?” “I want to, so I will. No reason needed,” he replied curtly. I was at a loss for how to respond. Slowly standing up and grabbing my purse, I said, “Well, I’ll be going then.” Ethan’s expression shifted slightly, a rare look of confusion crossing his face. “You’re leaving already?” I stared at him expressionlessly, watching as his face gradually paled and his whole demeanor became dejected. Still, he stepped aside to let me pass. If I wasn’t certain this man liked me, I would have thought he was just toying with me… I sighed and took the initiative to grab his sleeve. “How about we have dinner together?”

Ethan’s assistant seemed on edge watching us interact. As I was leaving, the assistant kept apologizing to me: “The boss isn’t good at talking to women. Please don’t be upset with him, Miss Gu.” “I’m not upset,” I said with a smile. “I actually quite like him… his looks are very much my type.” The office door was ajar. Through the small gap, I clearly saw Ethan touch his face, his expression dazed. I smiled slightly and told the assistant: “I made dinner plans with your boss tonight. Remind him not to stand me up.” The assistant nodded hurriedly, as if afraid I would change my mind any second. I walked out of the company building in my high heels. As soon as I stepped outside, I got a call from Lucas. Looking at the contact name “Lucas” on my phone, I calmly declined the call and stared blankly at the clouds in the sky.

Lucas had always been good to me and truly had my best interests at heart. But childhood friends, close friends – they all inevitably fade away on the long road of life. Just like in my past life. He found a lover, had children, and learned to keep his distance from me. So even when I was later trapped in the mountains with an expedition team and called him for help, his wife berated me, calling me an old maid who couldn’t get married. Lucas was right beside his wife when she insulted me, silent and unresponsive. I ended up dying there in the mountains. I wonder how he felt about that.

Ethan arrived early for dinner that evening. The atmosphere was quite cold and awkward. I struggled to make conversation, but he seemed like a conversation-killing machine, uninterested in engaging no matter what I said. Feeling exhausted, I set my fork and knife down heavily on the table. “Mr. Shen, your behavior is making me feel like you don’t actually want to start a family together.” Ethan’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he lowered his head and apologized. “I’m sorry.” “You know that’s not what I want to hear,” I said, truly exasperated. “You’ve run your company for so many years, rarely losing at the negotiating table. Your insight into human nature should be flawless. And yet now you’re like this… “It makes me think you’re not actually interested in me at all.” Ethan’s face paled. His fingertips dug tightly into his palms, drawing faint traces of blood. “Don’t overthink it,” he said. “I’m just… not used to being this close to you.” His sudden, almost confession-like words surprised me. His nervousness and melancholy, along with the blood on his palms, didn’t seem fake. I suddenly remembered what his assistant had said in my past life: “The boss’s depression was very severe. Only when he saw you did he feel a little better…” “Mr. Shen,” I asked, suddenly very curious, “Did we know each other before?”

Ethan’s thin lips trembled. His eyes instinctively avoided mine as he turned his head to look out the restaurant’s glass windows. “We did,” he admitted. “When?” I pressed. But Ethan clamped his mouth shut tightly, refusing to say any more no matter what. Feeling somewhat deflated, I started eating my steak, no longer trying to make conversation. Ethan didn’t speak either, seemingly unaware of how awkward the atmosphere had become. He just stared blankly at my lips and neck, his gaze following the red wine as I swallowed, slowly moving down to my throat before stopping, restrained by his manners. I glared at him. He hurriedly turned away, his face pale. He accidentally bit his lip, drawing a spot of bright red blood. I sighed in exasperation. “If you want to look at me, just look directly. Don’t be all secretive about it. “We’re going to be married soon, Mr. Shen. Can’t you do something more open and aboveboard?” He had taken so many photos of me, hired people to watch me, and even seemed to have bribed my family’s maid… If it weren’t for how tragically he had died in my past life, I would have reported him to the police for being a stalker by now. But his assistant had said Ethan was ill. I should be more patient with someone who’s unwell. I took his hand, ignoring how he instantly tensed up. I dampened a napkin with water and gently wiped away the blood on his palm. “Your hands are so beautiful. Please don’t hurt them anymore, okay?” Ethan didn’t answer, just staring at my face. After a long while, he asked in a low voice: “Does this mean you’re willing to marry me now?” “Did you give me any choice not to?” I retorted. His Adam’s apple bobbed. “Actually, if you don’t want to…” “What, run away? Or find you and yell in your face that I’ll never marry you?” I cut him off, staring into his eyes. “I could do that easily, but Ethan, what would happen to you if I did?” The result was obvious. He would die. In my past life, I never understood how someone could be so weak and helpless that they would end their life so casually, just from hearing news of an escaped bride, without even meeting face to face. And yet, for some reason, I couldn’t bear the thought of his death.

Ethan was undoubtedly a genius. He had a keen eye for business, but his background was a complete mystery. His rivals dug and dug but couldn’t uncover anything about his past. They could only watch helplessly as he seized opportunities in the internet boom and rocketed to success. With just a few casual remarks, he had the old-money families of River City gasping for air. And yet a man like this, at the prime of his life, killed himself over a woman. In my past life, Ethan became a laughingstock. He was crowned the “Number One Love Fool” and viciously mocked by his rivals’ deliberate smear campaigns. I didn’t want to see all that happen again. On the way home, my mind wandered aimlessly as I thought about many things. Finally, looking at Ethan’s expressionless face as he drove, I decided to have a chat with his assistant in a couple days. I truly didn’t know how to interact with this guy. And his illness… Was there really no way to help him?

The black Rolls-Royce stopped in front of my family’s villa. By coincidence, we ran into Lucas, who was walking up with a box of pastries. Ethan’s eyes narrowed. “Do you want to go say hello?” he asked. I turned to him and said, “Lucas is a good friend of mine. No need.” Ethan leaned over and unbuckled my seatbelt. “You should head inside then.” Though he said it wasn’t necessary, his heart clearly sank, a bitter taste rising in his throat like he had swallowed some bitter herb. I grabbed his wrist. “Lucas and I really are just friends. Don’t overthink it.” “I won’t,” he said. “You really won’t?” I turned my head and saw him gripping the steering wheel tightly, faint blue veins visible. I reached out and touched his fingertips. “If something’s bothering you, can you tell me? “Don’t keep it all bottled up inside. It makes things very difficult.” Pressured by me, Ethan’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He turned to look away and slowly admitted: “I don’t really like him.” “Then you don’t have to interact with him,” I said, encouragingly patting his head. “He’s just my friend. You don’t need to force yourself to like him.” “Besides, we’re going to be husband and wife soon. That’s a much closer relationship than I have with him. If you’re uncomfortable with my friendship with him… I can keep some distance from now on.” Ethan looked surprised. “You’d distance yourself from him for my sake?” “Why not?” I smiled at Ethan and said softly, “We’re going to be married after all!” Ethan froze, looking somewhat dazed. I pressed on while the iron was hot, leaning close to tell him: “See, talking things out is how problems get solved, right? “If you’re ever unsatisfied with me or want to tell me something, you have to let me know. “Don’t keep it all inside and make yourself miserable while I’m completely unaware. That would be such a waste!” I was starting to realize that Ethan didn’t know how to handle intimate relationships. He tried to use his business negotiation tactics in matters of the heart, coercing my family into an arranged marriage. But when I took the initiative to seek him out, he was at a loss for how to respond. He was incredibly naive when it came to romance. “It’s okay,” I thought to myself. “I can teach him slowly.”

Lucas watched me get out of Ethan’s car, his eyes narrowing with a hint of hostility. As the car drove away, Lucas walked up to me. “So you’ve decided to marry him?” he asked. “He’s handsome, rich, well-behaved in social circles, no scandals. Why shouldn’t I marry him?” I replied. “But…” he started to say something before trailing off. Looking a bit flustered and angry, he finally blurted out: “Are you sure you like him?” “In our social circles, how many marriages are actually based on liking someone?” I shrugged. “He’s a very suitable match.” Lucas’s eyes widened. “But he can’t possibly be better than the two of us…” “Lucas!” I cut him off coldly. “I’m getting married. Don’t say things that could be misunderstood.” With that, I walked towards the house without waiting for him. To be honest, even after being reborn, I still couldn’t figure out Lucas’s attitude towards me. When things were good between us, he was incredibly nice. He once scoured small towns across Northern Europe just to buy me a necklace I wanted. But when things were bad, they were pretty bad. To this day, he still can’t remember my birthday. In my past life, I had suggested we get married. He refused, saying he wanted to play the field for a few more years. Then while building a snowman in St. Petersburg, he fell in love at first sight with a sweet, innocent girl. They got married and had a child in less than three months. His wife was very wary of my existence, so I tactfully kept my distance and didn’t contact him. Little did I know that would be our final goodbye. Lucas must have felt at least a little sad when he heard news of my death. After all, when his dad and stepmom slapped him over his little brother, I was the one who sat with him on the roof terrace all night, counting stars. 13.

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Lucas, the Wolf Prince, had lived for a thousand years. Though feared throughout the shapeshifter realm, he showed no interest in romance. The Wolf Queen Mother was frantic, as beauties from various clans lined up outside the royal den. I’m Lily, a poor girl from the modern world who accidentally fell into this realm of shapeshifters. After crossing over, by a twist of fate, I stumbled into the Wolf King’s chambers. On the day of his engagement to the Tiger Princess, I ran away carrying a litter of wolf cubs. Years later, I was busy feeding meat to eight little wolf pups. He pushed open my courtyard gate, looking as pitiful as a basset hound. “Lily, do you really not want me anymore?” I never expected to fall into a world of shapeshifters. One moment I was picking herbs for my grandmother in the mountains, the next I found myself in a strange land filled with half-human, half-animal creatures. Before I could get my bearings, a group of wolf patrols surrounded me. They were about to dispose of me when an old leopard lady intervened and brought me to the wolf territory. Growing up isolated in the mountains with only my grandmother, I was naive about the outside world. At first, I thought I could treat these beast-people like the small animals back home. But when I tried to pet their heads and ears, their fierce looks scared me away. They were more intimidating than the Tibetan mastiffs in my village! The leopard granny was kind to me though, just like my own grandmother. She wanted me to help with chores, but unfortunately, I was clueless about this world. Instead of helping, I caused all sorts of trouble – tearing precious scrolls while organizing bookshelves, nearly burning a hole in the floor after spilling potions… Exasperated, the leopard granny eventually brought me before the Wolf Queen Mother. The Queen Mother was pleased with my curvy figure, whispering to her attendant: “This little human would make a good surrogate, though she seems rather simple-minded and naive.” “That’s fine for a surrogate. She’ll be easy to deal with once we have a new princess.” I didn’t understand what they meant by “surrogate” or “new princess”. I only cared that the leopard granny said I could survive here if I slept in the Wolf Prince’s bed for one night. And so, I was happily led to Prince Lucas’s chambers. At the entrance, I saw a group of wolf beauties gathered there. They were clearly unhappy about my arrival. One silver wolf beauty even deliberately threw my luggage into the most remote corner of the courtyard. It wasn’t until evening that I first saw the Wolf Prince. He had a pair of fluffy wolf ears on his head, but his face was so handsome I couldn’t look away! “You… you’re so handsome…” I blurted out. Lucas was taken aback, seeming to develop some interest in this human. He leaned in to sniff me, then looked me up and down thoughtfully. This scene infuriated the other wolf beauties in the courtyard. From then on, they bullied me relentlessly. If they weren’t threatening to tear my throat out with their fangs and claws, they were putting bugs in my food. For days, I couldn’t eat a proper meal. Most wolves ate raw meat, which I simply couldn’t stomach as a human. When I was starving and couldn’t take it anymore, I remembered what the leopard granny said – I just needed to sleep in the prince’s bed for one night to survive and get good food. So in the dead of night, I snuck into the prince’s chambers. The room was empty, so I climbed right into bed and under the covers. Soon after, Lucas entered. He walked in while undressing, heading straight for the bath. Through the misty steam, I could only make out his muscular waist and the smooth lines of his muscles. This was the first time in my life seeing a naked man! My face burned as I watched, when suddenly he turned around. I quickly ducked under the covers, not knowing how much time passed. He stood by the bed, looking down at the little mound I made under the blanket. “Come out,” his voice commanded from outside, full of pressure. I timidly peeked out, patting the pillow next to me. “Prince, shall we… sleep together?” Lucas raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his eyes. “What’s your name?” “Lily,” I answered honestly. As he spoke, he seemed to focus only on my lips, his breathing growing heavier. Then he turned and went back to the bath, emerging again moments later. His eyes were even redder than before, his breathing ragged as if struggling to suppress something. “I… I was recently injured and have some evil energy I’m having trouble controlling,” he said. “Lily, I want you now. Is that okay?” Want me? What did he mean? I was confused by his burning gaze. “If I say yes, will you give me food? Will I get to live?” I asked. He chuckled softly and nodded. Hearing there would be food, I perked up immediately. “Then hurry up! I want to eat after!” The next second, he pinned me to the bed. His kisses came like a storm, making me dizzy. I felt like I was melting into a puddle. In my daze, he tore off all my clothes. Suddenly, intense pain jolted me awake. I tried to push him away. “It hurts! I don’t want to anymore. I don’t need food!” He gently kissed away my tears, whispering soothing words, but his movements only grew more fierce. My protests and struggles seemed to fuel his frenzy. “Be good, just relax. It will feel better soon,” he murmured. I cried from the pain, but he seemed intoxicated, pinning me down for what felt like forever before finally stopping. Afterwards, I clung tightly to his arm. “You promised. I want food.” Lucas stroked my head indulgently, looking thoroughly satisfied. He immediately called for a table full of delicious food to be brought in. And just like that, I – a human who had only arrived days ago – inexplicably became the first person to sleep with the Wolf Prince.

The next morning, I woke up covered in Lucas’s scent. I had no idea what this meant in the beast world. The group of wolf beauties in the courtyard huddled together, their eyes shooting daggers at me. In just one night, I seemed to have become public enemy number one. I was moved to a special room, supposedly designed for humans, with strange charms hanging on the walls. It was close to Lucas’s chambers but heavily guarded. The leopard granny was right – after sleeping with the prince, I no longer had to starve. No wolf dared to threaten me anymore. Lucas treated me very well, sending all sorts of cooked dishes and desserts every day. Though some were quite strange, it was better than having nothing to eat. People outside said Lucas was cold and disliked women, but I knew better now – those rumors were complete nonsense! Since that night, he seemed addicted to me. As soon as he returned to his chambers, he would pounce on me relentlessly. From the bed to the bath to his desk, nowhere was spared. I would come to my senses to find it was already dawn outside. Even when handling official business, he often held me in his lap, kissing and nibbling. I was sore all over from his attentions but didn’t dare complain. In the end, I secretly went to the kind leopard granny to pour out my troubles. After hearing my description, a knowing smile appeared on her face. She patted my hand and said meaningfully, “Silly girl, the prince is marking you! In our world, that’s an immense blessing!” “Once you’re carrying his pups, you’ll have a bright future ahead! You’ll be a hero to the wolf clan and never want for anything again.” I listened in a daze, suddenly thinking of a serious question. “What if I give birth to a human baby?” This stumped the leopard granny. She frowned in thought. That night, curled up in Lucas’s arms, I worked up the courage to ask him. “Prince… if we have a baby, will it be a wolf cub or a human?” Lucas’s hand paused in my hair, then he casually replied, “You’re still young. Don’t worry about children yet.” But from the next day on, after each time we were intimate, he would feed me a strange fruit. He said it was good for my body, so I didn’t think much of it and ate them. It wasn’t until much later that I realized they were contraceptive fruits. Clearly, Lucas never intended for me to bear his heir. On normal days, as long as Lucas was in the territory, he liked to keep me by his side. During his free time, he would teach me the beast language and writing. I have to say, the beast script was even harder to write than human languages. My writing looked like chicken scratch. But Lucas was very patient, guiding my hand stroke by stroke. I loved writing his name in beast script the most, my heart fluttering with each careful line. Lucas understood my tastes well. Every time he returned from a trip, he would bring me exotic beast delicacies – glowing berries, strangely textured mushrooms, even the legendary “divine nectar”. Without realizing it, my heart grew stranger. When I couldn’t see Lucas, I was always thinking of him. When he was by my side, even if he was busy with work, I felt utterly content just quietly staying near him. Soon it was time for the annual “Full Moon Festival”, held at a distant sacred site. As the Wolf Prince, Lucas had to attend. The night before he left, he pinned me down in various places, frantically taking me as if to make up for a month’s worth. I was reluctant for him to go too. That night I was unusually proactive. Lucas was so excited his beast tail manifested, wagging happily. After he left, I wilted completely. Even my favorite roast chicken wings lost their appeal. Suddenly I remembered a beast proverb Lucas taught me: “A lone wolf howls at the moon, its solitary shadow sleepless.” I didn’t understand it then, but now I felt it deeply. As someone who had never dated before, I finally realized – this must be love. Without me noticing, it had already carved itself into my bones. The day Lucas returned, he dragged me into the room without a word. I thought he wanted me, but he mysteriously pulled out a glowing fruit from his robes. “Try this. It’s fruit from the divine tree. I managed to secretly pick one.” I was so touched tears nearly fell. The divine fruit was a treasure of the beast world. Even the Wolf King was said to be reluctant to eat it, yet Lucas secretly brought one back for me. Taking a bite, a strange energy immediately flowed through my body. I felt light as air, as if I could fly. In that moment, I even thought that if I could stay with Lucas like this forever, maybe never returning to the human world wouldn’t be so bad. But I forgot I was just a “surrogate”. How could I dream of growing old together with the Wolf Prince? Not long after, news spread throughout the beast world that the wolf clan would be forming an alliance through marriage with the tiger clan. The tiger clan’s eldest daughter was coming to stay in wolf territory, clearly with the air of a future queen.

The wolf beauties who had always looked down on me now took the opportunity to mock me even more. “A mere human, how dare you think you could monopolize the prince’s favor forever?” “The real deal is here now. A little thing like you who can’t even grow fur, get lost!” We lined up in two rows to welcome Lucas and Natalie, the tiger princess. As they walked hand in hand, my heart skipped a beat. Lucas exuded the powerful aura of a beast king, while Natalie’s beauty was both elegant and wild. They looked perfect together. My heart was instantly flooded with bitterness. Thinking of the long years ahead, having to watch them as a loving couple, I found it hard to breathe. In the days that followed, Lucas accompanied Natalie around the territory. They admired the moon together and chased each other while hunting. Some busybodies even used illusion magic to capture their sweet moments, deliberately showing them to me. I pretended not to care, but late at night, I couldn’t stop the tears from falling. Lucas hadn’t summoned me in many days. He returned very late at night, and I couldn’t even catch a glimpse of his shadow. Perhaps as the others said, I was just a toy he played with when bored. His previous affection was probably just a way to pass the time. Suddenly one day, the Wolf Queen Mother summoned us to the great hall. It turned out Lucas was busy with official duties and worried Natalie would be lonely, so he wanted us to keep her company. Natalie walked towards me with a smile, linking her arm with mine affectionately. “I heard you take care of Lucas. It must be hard work, right?” Once we were alone, her face immediately changed. She viciously flung my arm away. “A mere human like you, how dare you stay by Lucas’s side?” “I heard you think you’re his bedmate? Guess who’s more important to him – you or me?” My internal alarms went off, but before I could escape, I saw her rip off the protective charm around her neck and throw it into the nearby miasma-filled forest. Just then, Lucas happened to walk into the courtyard. Natalie immediately threw herself into his arms, crying crocodile tears as she accused me. “Lucas, this human in your household is so ill-mannered. I just wanted to chat with her, but she insulted me and threw the protective charm my mother gave me into the miasma forest!” I hadn’t seen Lucas in a long time. The man I once spent every day with now wore a cold expression, his gaze unfamiliar and making me uneasy. He glanced at me indifferently, his eyes as cold as ice. “I didn’t…” I tried to explain but was cut off. Lucas lowered his head to gently comfort Natalie in his arms. “Don’t be afraid. I’ll send someone to find it right away.” But Natalie pouted, pointing at me. “She lost it, so she should go look!” Humans have the weakest sense of smell among beast people. I had no way to navigate in the miasma. Lucas knew this – he used to tease me for being a “noseless fool” because of it. But now, he coldly ordered me: “Go find it!” I stumbled into the miasma-filled forest. The acrid smell made me dizzy, the poisonous gas burning my skin. I fumbled around, feeling my life force slowly draining away. After searching for who knows how long, I finally touched that damned charm. Covered in wounds, I crawled out of the forest and handed it to Natalie. The Wolf Queen Mother had arrived at some point. She glared at me furiously. “How outrageous! You’re a disgrace to our wolf clan!” “Go reflect in the dense forest for a day and night!” Lucas didn’t even look at me as he left with his arm around Natalie. The night wind blew, making me shiver. At that moment, I finally understood the vast difference between a surrogate and a queen. Here, I didn’t even have the right to speak. Natalie could easily control my life and death. I, who had once been intoxicated by sweetness with Lucas and attached to this wolf territory, thought about leaving for the first time. I couldn’t hold out for long in the miasma forest before passing out. In my hazy state, I thought I caught Lucas’s scent. He seemed to be carefully licking my wounds with his tongue, his movements incredibly gentle. Sobbing, I asked him: “Do I have a place in your heart?” But he remained silent. When I fully regained consciousness, there was no one around. I laughed bitterly and shook my head. It must have been a hallucination. Suddenly, a familiar set of footsteps approached. Lucas entered with a gloomy face, pushing open the door. My heart leapt with a glimmer of joy. “Your Highness, why did you come?” He sat down by my bed, staring at me with a complex expression. “Lily, Natalie contracted a spiritual decay after losing her protective charm. Her condition is critical.” He paused, his gaze growing determined. “The shaman said they need human blood as a catalyst for the medicine. You’ve always been understanding. Can you… help her?”

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On my wedding day in my previous life, the man I had waited 20 years for held his secretary’s hand and forced me to accept them: “It’s just a wedding ceremony, what’s wrong with three people doing it together? Lily doesn’t mind, so who are you to object?” I was so angry I felt dizzy. Thankfully, I still had my parents to back me up. But when they arrived, they rushed towards the secretary instead: “We’re so sorry the hospital mixed up the babies and you suffered all these years. Don’t worry, we’ll give you everything a daughter could want!” “Charlotte! Hurry up and bow to your sister! Be a good girl and accept being second wife!” The shock of these betrayals triggered my heart condition and I died right in front of them. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to my wedding day. The fear of death suddenly engulfed me like a tidal wave. My agonized screams from my final moments seemed to still be echoing overhead. The three people I had trusted most in life were tightly protecting the one who had caused my death. They frowned at me: “Can you stop making a scene? Do you think pretending to be sick will make us feel sorry for you? If you’ve got the guts, why don’t you really die?” A sharp pain shot through my chest. I could only watch helplessly as my body collapsed. “No!!!” I jerked awake with a gasp, panting heavily. Strangely, that awful scene from my past life didn’t play out. I found myself lying in my own bedroom, surrounded by familiar decorations. My mind raced as an unbelievable thought struck me. I had been reborn! Had the heavens taken pity on my tragic fate and given me another chance? Suddenly, a glass came flying at my head. If I hadn’t ducked quickly, it would have smashed into my skull. I turned around angrily to see Sean glaring at me coldly: “What are you standing around for? The guests will be arriving soon. Hurry up and go greet them!” As I stared at his face looming so close, I suddenly smiled: “You’re right, I should go greet the guests. And you should rest up.” In my past life, I had loved him blindly. I would have done anything he asked, even if it meant dying. I never even dared to speak harshly to him. He was used to me being so submissive: “Sigh, I’m doing all this for our family. If only you were as understanding as Lily and could help me with work, I wouldn’t be so exhausted all the time.” I was astounded at how low a person’s morals could sink. In my past life, I had trusted him so completely that even when intimate photos of him and Lily were sent to my phone multiple times, I still believed they were just boss and employee. Until they confronted me at the wedding and admitted they had been secretly sleeping together, even demanding we have a three-person wedding in front of all the guests. I refused to agree. I had been counting on my parents who had doted on me since childhood to stand up for me. But who could have guessed that when they rushed in, instead of defending me, they took Lily’s hand and announced to everyone that she was their real daughter. And I was just a baby that had been switched at birth. In an instant, the betrayal of both my love and my family caused my existing heart condition to flare up. Actually, if they had just quickly taken me to the hospital, I still would have had a chance to survive. But they didn’t care if I lived or died. They just kept pressuring me to agree to this absurd wedding. My life ebbed away bit by bit as I writhed in agony on the ground. But they surrounded me, berating me for being selfish. In the end, I was literally tortured to death on what should have been my wedding day. I died from the cruelty of those who claimed to love me. Remembering their crazed expressions still filled me with dread. I was the biggest victim, yet not a single one of them felt sorry for my tragic fate. After I died, Lily smoothly moved into my home, spending my parents’ money and sleeping with my husband. Meanwhile, my body was left to rot. They didn’t even bother buying me a coffin. It was all so unfair! In this new life, I would never allow that to happen again.

I knew Lily was waiting for Sean downstairs. His excuse about needing to work was just a cover to go sleep with her. How ridiculous – the wedding was starting in a few hours. He had abandoned his bride to go have sex with another woman. He truly didn’t see me as a human being at all. Instead of arguing like I used to, I patted his hand sweetly: “I saw your assistant waiting for you downstairs for a while now. You should go check if there’s some urgent work matter.” Sean was taken aback by my understanding attitude. In the past, I would fly into a jealous rage at any mention of Lily and force him to choose between us. But now I was suddenly so reasonable? He wasn’t stupid. He eyed me suspiciously: “You’re okay with me going to see her? You’re not planning some new way to bully her, are you?” I lowered my head, unconsciously touching my beating heart. This new life was precious. I couldn’t make the same mistakes again. With that in mind, I forced an understanding smile: “Don’t be silly. I trust you won’t do anything to hurt me.” “Besides, Lily has worked for you for so long. If there was something between you two, it would have happened already.” Sean had been anxious to go to Lily. Seeing me give him an out, he grew even more excited: “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of things there and be right back. It won’t delay the wedding.” After confirming I wasn’t angry, he finally rushed downstairs to drive off and meet Lily. Once I had successfully tricked him into leaving, I collapsed weakly into a chair. Thank goodness. Thank goodness. There was still time. In my past life, my trust in them had delivered me straight to hell with my own hands. Now I no longer hoped for love from him or my parents. I just wanted to live this life in peace. My parents weren’t here either. I assumed they had gone to get the DNA test results with Lily. Thinking of the home I had lived in for over 20 years, despite my reluctance, I knew I had to leave. After all, this was no longer a place where I belonged. But I hadn’t expected Sean to return so quickly. And my parents came back with him. Seeing the tears in their eyes as they kept glancing at Lily, I knew. They had confirmed she was their daughter. When they saw me, they looked uncomfortable. Lily boldly stepped forward: “Charlotte, you know Cloud and I truly love each other. If I can’t marry him, my life would have no meaning. You can understand that kind of feeling, right?” I couldn’t understand at all. The world of mistresses was too bizarre. How could she be so blatantly provocative? But I didn’t get angry. I just calmly looked at Sean: “What does she want?” Sean frowned, speaking carelessly: “Lily started dating me right after graduating. I have to take responsibility for her.” “You just want a wedding ceremony anyway. Let’s have the three of us do it together today. Lily’s even willing to let you be the first wife. You should be grateful!” My parents nodded along: “Charlotte, whether it’s looks or knowledge, you can’t compare to Lily. It’s already amazing luck that Sean still wants you. Hurry up and…” “I agree.” Before they could finish, I had already agreed to their proposal.

Under everyone’s incredulous stares, I spoke calmly: “Since you two are truly in love, and I truly love Sean, I can only agree…” My graciousness and understanding stood in stark contrast to their unreasonable demands. They probably hadn’t expected me to love him so much that I would endure even this level of humiliation. Sean fell silent for a moment. He glanced at Lily, his lips moving, but ultimately said nothing. Seeing his expression change, Lily immediately panicked: “If you hadn’t stolen my identity and husband, why would I have to use this method? You’re the real third wheel between us!” The hall instantly erupted in an uproar. I was clearly Sean’s original fiancée – what nonsense was she spouting? Lily’s face turned pale under everyone’s accusatory stares, but she stubbornly continued: “None of you understand! Sean’s heart truly belongs to me. If it weren’t for worrying about gossip from all you relatives, we would have gotten married long ago!” How stupid. If Sean really loved her, why didn’t he break up with me earlier and give her proper status? In the end, he just couldn’t let go of my family’s strong financial backing. Now that she had been acknowledged as the true daughter, of course Sean would immediately abandon me for her. This man didn’t truly love anyone but himself. I put on a sad expression: “I understand. Let me go to the restroom first, then we can have the three-person wedding when I get back, okay?” Sean couldn’t wait for me to agree. He impatiently waved me off: “Hurry back! Don’t delay this auspicious day!” I quickly lifted my skirts and walked away. Like hell I’d come back, you asshole. As soon as I left the bathroom, I saw Sean gazing lovingly at Lily on stage. Professing his devotion to her. For such a romantic moment, it would be a shame not to add some atmosphere. Five seconds later, the balloons tied to the curtains suddenly burst. A horrible stench filled the entire banquet hall. The guests turned green, covering their noses as they fled outside: “Who took a dump in here? This is disgusting!” “It must be heaven showing its disapproval! I told you being a mistress never ends well!” Lily had been in the middle of her vows on stage when she was suddenly assaulted by the stench. She nearly fainted from the shock: “It must be that bitch Charlotte playing tricks! I knew she wasn’t really okay with this!” My best friend happened to overhear this as she was looking for me. She immediately exploded: “Who are you calling a bitch?!” She ran on stage and grabbed Lily’s hair, the two of them brawling. The calm surface had finally erupted into turbulent waves. I may have been able to endure the insults, but my best friend couldn’t. I stormed on stage and slapped Lily hard across the face: “You never fucking stop, do you?!” As I was “breaking up the fight”, I managed to land several solid punches on Lily, leaving her face swollen like a pig’s head. Seeing his lover getting beaten, Sean panicked and roughly shoved me away. There were various wedding implements behind me. My body slammed into their sharp edges. The world spun. Guests pointed at me and screamed: “Blood! There’s so much blood!” Blood was gushing from between my legs. The fear of death from my past life enveloped me once again. Sean was terrified: “I just pushed you lightly! Stop pretending! He moved to help me up. I shoved him away without mercy. I didn’t want to say a single word to this man anymore. My best friend was horrified, her face streaked with tears: “Charlotte, what’s wrong?! Let’s go to the hospital! Now!” I wanted to say I was fine, but my head was spinning badly. I could only lean against her. And so this farce ended in this bizarre fashion.

The hospital hallway was in an uproar. Uncle John was shouting outside the door: “You can’t blame my daughter for everything! If they hadn’t run their mouths, how would things have turned out like this?!” Sean hadn’t expected things to go this way. He stammered out an explanation: “Y-yeah! Who knew she’d be so vicious as to deliberately sabotage my wedding? Of course I had to teach her a lesson!” Go to hell. Shameless bastard. The doctor saw I was awake and hurried to support me: “Young lady, don’t move around. Sigh! Try not to be too upset. You can still have children in the future. You’re still young…” Children… What children? Seeing my blank expression, the doctor grew even more sympathetic: “You didn’t know? You were pregnant…” In my past life, I had already died by this point. Of course I never had a chance to know I was pregnant. I instinctively touched my belly, thinking of that unborn child. My heart was a tangle of emotions. Never mind. We weren’t meant to be. It’s better this way. If the child had been born, it would have been trouble for all of us. Sean quickly chimed in: “Charlotte, we can still have children together…” Just hearing his voice made me nauseous: “Shut up!” This was the first time I had ever yelled at him. He was stunned. I ignored him, slowly turning to Uncle John: “Uncle, have you forgotten it was your daughter who destroyed my family on my wedding day, not me? Do you think I haven’t compromised enough?” “My child is gone now. Who do you think is more pitiful?” Hearing me call him “Uncle”, John’s expression faltered: “How can you call me Uncle…” He was helping outsiders bully me, yet still expected me to call him Dad? My best friend couldn’t stand it anymore. She laughed coldly: “What a bunch of shameless scum.” Sean stepped forward, trying to soothe me: “Don’t be angry. I really didn’t mean for this to happen. It was just an accident. If you hadn’t tried to ruin the wedding, how would you have gotten hurt?” I laughed bitterly: “You’ve got some nerve. You’re the ones who ambushed me with this polygamy scheme without my knowledge. What’s wrong with me retaliating?” Sean coughed awkwardly, wanting to check on my injuries. But Lily dramatically clutched her chest and collapsed to her knees first: “Sean, I think my asthma is acting up again. I’m sorry…I’m so useless…” Seeing Lily looking so weak in his arms, Sean’s veins bulged in panic: “What are you all standing around for?! Hurry and get a doctor! If anything happens to Lily, I won’t live either!” His wife had just lost a child and he couldn’t even pretend to care. But his mistress had an asthma attack and he was frantic like an ant on a hot pan. My heart filled with desolation. In his heart, Lily had always been number one. I only regretted not realizing it sooner in my past life. The doctor came by for his usual rounds. But Sean grabbed him first: “Doctor, check on Lily first. Why did she suddenly faint?” The doctor’s face turned cold: “Don’t be ridiculous! I’m not an internal medicine specialist. Move aside, the patient needs her dressing changed urgently. Any delay could cause complications!” But Sean wouldn’t listen: “How is that possible?! You’re a doctor, you must know how to treat everything! She just lost a baby, but Lily actually fainted! Clearly Lily’s condition is more serious!” The pain in my abdomen was getting worse. My back was drenched in cold sweat. I struggled to stand: “No…take care of me first!” Lily had been bouncing around fine a second ago. Now she suddenly fainted? Who would believe that? But Sean ignored me completely, dragging the doctor towards the door: “If you don’t treat Lily, I won’t let you treat Charlotte either!” He treated a matter of life and death like child’s play. I was truly heartbroken! I looked at Sean, but he avoided my gaze: “Charlotte, I’m doing this for your own good. If anything happens to Lily, you’ll be implicated too. You understand, right? Stop being petty. It’s just a lost baby. You’ll get over it soon.” How could this be endured? Just as they disappeared through the hospital doors and I was about to pass out from the pain, I fell into a warm, strong embrace: “Charlotte! Open your eyes and look at me!” ———-This is the breakpoint———-

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I had been in love with Lily for four years. We promised to get married once my company went public. But on the last day before that milestone, she became someone else’s bride. I looked at her painfully, wanting her to give me a reason, but she was pulled behind by the man next to her. “Jack, I have a terminal illness with not much time left. My only wish in this life is to marry Lily once,” Ryan said. Lily’s eyes were brimming with tears, her voice choked with sobs: “Can’t you be a little less petty? I’m just helping Ryan fulfill a wish, it’s not like I’m really marrying him.” I smiled bitterly and turned to leave, saying “You might as well really marry him then.” That same day, I packed up all her things and threw them out. There was just one day left before my company’s IPO. But Lily had disappeared without a trace. The mutual friends Lily and I shared looked at me with complex expressions, as if they had something they wanted to say. I had a bad feeling and frantically tried calling Lily, but no one answered. Until a friend sent me a photo. [You won’t be able to reach her. She’s getting married.] [If you come now, you can still make it.] The message included an address. I had a feeling this wasn’t a joke. Lily was someone who loved romance but wasn’t proactive. She would never arrange some romantic proposal ceremony herself. As I got closer to the destination, the unease in my heart grew deeper. Until I saw Lily’s brother at the entrance, along with those friends. Lily’s brother looked like he’d seen a ghost: “Shit, which bastard told my brother-in-law the address?” His outburst completely confirmed my suspicions. I pointed at the tightly closed doors and asked, my voice trembling: “Why couldn’t you tell me?” “Let me rephrase – is that your sister getting married in there?”

Lily and I had basically grown up together. We were both excellent students – I was always first in the class, she was second. We were the model children other parents always talked about. Even when Lily and I got together later, people would just say: “Those two are a perfect match. It’s only natural they ended up together.” I thought so too. Because we were mature for our age, the behavior of our peers often seemed childish to me. This also meant I didn’t have many friends. I had thought more than once that if Lily wasn’t by my side, I would probably die of loneliness. I was grateful that heaven had sent her to me. Whenever I said this, she would lean close to my ear and laugh. “Have I ever told you that without you, I’d die of boredom too?” I would just look at her tenderly, my heart slowly filling up. How fortunate I was to have her by my side. I kept my promise – once the company went public, we would get married. But with just one day to go, she became someone else’s bride. Lily’s brother ultimately couldn’t stop me. When I pushed open the doors, Lily’s gaze turned to me along with the guests. In an instant, her face changed dramatically. Just as she was about to speak, Ryan pulled her behind him. He looked at me apologetically: “Jack, please don’t blame Lily.” “I have a terminal illness with not much time left. My only wish in this life is to marry Lily once. Lily is just fulfilling this wish for me.” Lily’s eyes were brimming with tears, her gaze full of accusation as she looked at me. “Jack, can’t you be a little less petty? I’m just helping Ryan fulfill a wish, it’s not like I’m really marrying him.” “Ryan is dying, can’t you let him have this?” Looking at her expression, all the questions I wanted to ask died in my throat. I could feel the strength rapidly draining from my body. I nodded and smiled bitterly: “Fine then. I’ll let him have this. I’ll let you go too!” I slowly took off the couple’s ring I had worn around my neck for so long and threw it violently to the ground. My heart clenched painfully. “You two are a match made in heaven. I wish you a lifetime of happiness together.” With that, I turned and left. Lily hadn’t expected me to be so resolute. She wanted to chase after me, but stopped when she heard Ryan’s voice. “Lily, go after him if you want. I’m a dying man, I have nothing left to hope for.” “Jack is the one you’ll spend your life with. I don’t mind!” In the end, Lily didn’t come after me.

Lily’s brother and our mutual friends watched me come out and all rushed to try to persuade me. “Jack, my sister and Ryan are really just friends, don’t overthink it!” “Come on man, be a little more open-minded. It’s not like they’re really getting married.” “Jack, you and Lily have been together for so many years. Don’t throw it all away over something so small…” Looking at these former friends, I felt a wave of desolation. “Stop calling me Jack. From now on, if we pass each other on the street, let’s pretend we don’t know each other. I can’t afford friends like you.” Among them were classmates I had known for over a decade and childhood friends I had grown up with. But when it came to Lily’s situation, Their first thought wasn’t to tell me. It was to hide it from me. Wanting me to continue living in blissful ignorance in that fairy tale relationship I had constructed. Like an idiot. But why should I? Sitting in the driver’s seat, I slowly opened the front compartment. Inside was a property deed for the riverside apartment Lily had been dreaming of for so long. I had bought it for her. I was planning to give it to her as a wedding gift. Now it seemed there was no need.

Actually, there had been signs of something between Lily and Ryan for half a year. It was around the time my company first started taking off. I rarely came home then. On the rare occasions I did make it back, I never saw Lily around. Whenever I called to ask where she was, she always brushed me off with various excuses. “I’m playing mahjong with my girlfriends. I’m often not home. What, am I not allowed to stay with my friends?” Hearing her coquettish complaints, I felt guilty. “I’m doing this for our future. Once this busy period is over, I promise I’ll spend more time with you.” “Take your time honey, don’t worry about me. I’m not some clingy vine that needs constant attention. You focus on your work – that’s how we’ll have a good future.” I was touched by how understanding she was. I subconsciously dismissed the unfamiliar male voice I heard in the background as coming from the TV. Looking back now, she wasn’t playing mahjong with friends at all. She was in bed with another man. How ironic. I contacted the sales manager for the riverside apartment, intending to put it back on the market. I didn’t care about the price. But to my surprise, within a few hours, a buyer had already contacted me. And coincidentally, it was one of the few mutual friends Lily and I had who hadn’t shown up at that deceitful ceremony today – Olivia. She looked at me and sighed softly. “Was this apartment meant for Lily?” I nodded, smiling self-mockingly: “Not anymore.” Seeing my expression, she sighed helplessly: “I see you found out about that ridiculous situation.” Her expression was complex: “I tried to talk her out of it. How can you treat marriage so casually, using some ‘dying wish’ as an excuse? But she’s always been stubborn. The more you try to dissuade her, the more determined she gets.” “I know Ryan. He’s been a spoiled rich kid since childhood. He’s liked Lily for a while, but even so, he’s never stopped seeing other women.” “I heard he found out he doesn’t have much time left, so he’s trying to fulfill his ‘dying wish’. Lily is being so foolish!” Olivia felt the whole fake marriage thing was completely out of line. To get married to someone else when you already have a fiancé? That’s basically no different from cheating. How could she claim her heart still belonged to her boyfriend? Wasn’t she afraid he’d break up with her when he found out? She probably wasn’t afraid. She probably didn’t even care. What other reason could there be? I didn’t know.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to push the pain from my mind. Olivia took out her phone, looking frustrated: “I actually wanted to tell you about this at first, but you had blocked me on everything.” I picked up my phone, pretty sure I knew who was behind that. Seeing I was in a bad mood, she dropped the subject of being blocked and suggested we go get a drink instead. As soon as the alcohol hit my throat, it exploded. My stomach started burning, the pain of betrayal, hurt, and humiliation all masked by the violent churning in my gut. My head was spinning, scenes flashing before my eyes like a zoetrope. As I slowly lay down, He was still so young. The first thing he did when he got home from work was ruffle my hair, then go to the kitchen to cook. He made my favorite dishes and mom’s favorites, but never his own. I asked him once why he never cooked things he liked. Dad always smiled gently but helplessly: “Dad likes spicy food, but mom can’t eat it or even smell it.” “I may not get to eat what I like, but I get to look at your mother every day. As long as she’s by my side, what’s giving up a little food pleasure?” I didn’t understand much then, but I understood what dad meant. To love someone is to accommodate them. It’s to hope for a long future together. But a father like that didn’t end up getting the lasting relationship he wanted. That day when I came home, I saw dad crouched on the floor drinking alone. Mom appeared in front of him wearing a fancy dress I’d never seen before, handing him a folder. “Let’s part on good terms. I was the one who emotionally cheated first, so I’ll take responsibility. I’ll give up everything in the house, and I won’t fight you for custody.” “I’ll send money every month for the child’s expenses.” With that, mom left with her luggage, her departing figure resolute. She used divorce to teach dad a lesson. Love yourself first before loving others. Dad was in a daze for a while. In the end, he pulled himself together. He didn’t wallow in self-pity. During that time, he completely forgot about my existence. I survived on snacks every day, and when those ran out, I could only eat vegetables that hadn’t gone bad. Finally, one day at school, I fainted from hunger. That’s when the teachers realized something was wrong. They contacted my dad. Seeing how weak I looked, dad cried. The father who hadn’t shed a tear when mom betrayed him cried when he saw me sick. From that day on, he pulled himself together. He sold our old place and took me to a new environment. I was happy because dad was finally moving on.

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I was kidnapped along with my wife’s first love. But my wife only paid the ransom to save her first love. When I used my last chance to call my wife for help, she impatiently blocked me, “Just die if you want to die! I gave you $500,000 already, how can there be such a greedy person like you!” She thought this kidnapping was staged by me. Just to get her attention. Later, the kidnappers became enraged and stabbed me to death. After death, I didn’t directly embark on the journey to heaven or hell, but instead floated back to Wendy’s side. She was anxiously waiting outside the hospital room. When the doctor walked out, Wendy immediately rushed up, grabbed the doctor’s hand and asked, “Doctor, how is Zach?” The doctor said calmly, “The patient is in shock and not in a good mental state. We’ve treated the wounds on his body, there’s no danger.” Wendy let out a sigh of relief after hearing this and muttered to herself, “Thank goodness Zach is okay, heaven really has eyes.” As her husband, I leaned against the wall watching this scene. I thought I wouldn’t have any feelings after death. But now my heart felt like it was being stabbed by a knife, painfully. Zach only received a shock, yet Wendy was so worried she dropped everything to stay by his side. But when I was in the hands of the kidnappers, she didn’t care at all, as if my life and death were trivial matters. I smiled bitterly as the last memories before my death flooded back into my mind. After being beaten by the kidnappers for several days, there wasn’t a single good spot left on my body. Seeing me on the verge of death, the kidnappers impatiently threw me a phone, letting me call Wendy, my wife. As soon as the call connected, Wendy’s impatient voice instantly came through: “Are you done yet, Charlie? What trick are you trying to pull now?” I begged her for help: “Wendy, I’m not pulling any tricks… Save me, I’m about to die…” Before I could finish, Wendy laughed coldly on the other end of the phone: “I gave you $500,000 already, isn’t that enough? How can there be such a greedy person like you?” “Weren’t you kidnapped? Fine, tell them I won’t give them a single cent, let alone $500,000!” “If they want to kill you, go ahead! You selfish bastard, it’s better if you die!” With that, she hung up the phone without giving me a chance to explain. I called back in disbelief, only to hear the blocked number tone echoing through the room. The kidnappers beside me saw her attitude and became furious, kicking me hard: “Isn’t she your wife? Why doesn’t she care if you live or die? Damn, you made us waste our efforts!” Realizing there was no hope for my ransom, they suddenly swarmed me, punching and kicking harder than before. Finally, after days of torture and no food, my already weak body couldn’t hold on any longer. After a few more blows, I coughed up blood. The skinny man beside me was startled and stammered to the kidnapper boss: “Boss… if we keep beating him he’s going to die…” The kidnapper boss looked at me with disdain: “So what if he dies, no one cares about him anyway, no one will give a damn if he’s dead!” I felt only desolation in my heart as my vision gradually darkened. The despair and fear of impending death instantly filled my mind. I reached out my hand into the air. Wanting to grasp something, but in the end it fell limply. On the verge of death, I thought of all I had given to Wendy over the years. From the moment I met her until I closed my eyes, it was all one-sided giving on my part, while Wendy was always on the receiving end. Actually, from the very beginning, it wasn’t worth it. With regret and unwillingness, I closed my eyes forever.

After entering the hospital room, Wendy’s first sight was of Zach trembling in the corner. She immediately rushed over and carefully embraced Zach, as if protecting a priceless treasure. Zach looked up at Wendy shakily and said, “Sister Wendy, I’m so scared, those kidnappers were so terrifying…” Seeing him like this, Wendy’s eyes reddened. She held him tightly and said, “Don’t be afraid, Zach. I’m here with you, no one will dare touch you.” How ridiculous. I was her lawful husband. But in her eyes, I probably mattered less than a stranger she met on the street. I remembered once when I caught Wendy and Zach being intimate in the office, I angrily rushed in to confront Wendy. Unexpectedly, Wendy slapped me directly and looked at me with disgust: “Can’t you be less narrow-minded? Your heart is filthy, so you think everyone else is filthy too!” Those words were like shards of a shattered glass bottle, deeply embedded in my heart. Whenever I recalled them, they were always accompanied by a dull ache. Zach nodded while sighing, not feeling there was anything wrong with lying in another man’s wife’s arms. He said with a pale face: “How’s Charlie? Wasn’t he kidnapped too? Has he come back?” Hearing her mention my name, Wendy’s expression instantly became visibly annoyed. She said with disgust: “What does it matter to me if he comes back or not? That beast deserves to die out there!” “He even dared to kidnap you. It’s because I’ve been too lenient with him time and time again, letting him forget his place!” “If he really died, that would be great. One less burden, my life would be so much easier.” Seeing her frowning expression and these cold words, I felt as if I had fallen into an icy pit, my whole body numb. I was an orphan, discriminated against by others since childhood. It was Wendy who appeared and rescued me from being bullied. She promised to protect me for life, and I believed her. I wanted to give her my heart. But after Zach appeared, everything changed. She started to get tired of me, started staying out all night. Leaving me alone at home waiting from dusk till dawn. Every time I brought up not wanting to be left alone, she would impatiently push me away saying: “Haven’t you had enough of your pity party? I’m busy, don’t bother me.” After that, I learned to keep my mouth shut. Hearing Wendy’s loving words, a flash of smugness passed through Zach’s eyes, but he quickly feigned concern again: “It’s not Charlie’s fault, it’s all my fault for making Charlie jealous and doing these things…” He was deliberately provoking Wendy, gauging her attitude. Sure enough, Wendy’s face grew increasingly unpleasant. She gritted her teeth and said fiercely: “Using these despicable tactics will only make me despise him more!” After saying that, she stood up with a face full of tenderness and poured Zach a cup of hot water, placing it in his hands: “Your main task now is to recover. With me by your side, you have nothing to fear.” She then picked up the phone Zach had tossed on the pillow and opened the WeChat message list. Since the kidnapping drama began, I hadn’t sent her a single message. In the past, I would send a dozen messages a day. Looking at the message column dated to last week, a fire of anger rose in her heart. She was certain I must be safe and sound, not sending messages was just another ploy to play hard to get. She didn’t want to find me. After scrolling through the phone for a while, she turned off the screen and tossed it aside again. Zach saw her little action and said pitifully: “Charlie still hasn’t messaged you? Should I apologize to him and promise not to get in his way anymore?” Wendy immediately flew into a rage: “You’re just too kind-hearted! We shouldn’t care whether that kind of person lives or dies!” “Besides, I’ve already been tolerating his harassment of you every few days. Now he even dares to set his sights on you, arranging this kidnapping.” “What right does a viper like him have to make you apologize? He should come kneel down and beg for your forgiveness!” As she said these words, the disgust and contempt on her face were undisguised. It was like the sharpest sword piercing my heart. A flash of joy passed through Zach’s eyes. Wendy hating me so much now was exactly what he wanted. But he still pretended to be troubled: “Don’t fight with Charlie because of me…” Wendy’s face was expressionless: “Don’t worry about him. He’s the one who wronged you. That kind of person doesn’t deserve a second glance from me!” With that, she picked up the porridge she had bought and started feeding it to Zach spoonful by spoonful. Watching this intimate scene between the two, I tightly closed my eyes, not wanting to look anymore.

To help Zach get over the trauma of being kidnapped, Wendy eagerly took him on a trip as soon as his mental state improved slightly. Watching them take photos together and play around at various scenic spots, my heart felt like it was being tightly squeezed by a large hand, unable to breathe. I had begged Wendy many times in the past to go on a trip together, even if just for one day. But she was always either busy with work today or had a business trip tomorrow. Each time she would impatiently tell me: “Why do you have so many annoying habits? When do I have time to accompany you? The company has so much business, which isn’t more important than you?” So I never brought it up again. But now, to accompany Zach, Wendy had specially taken several days off from the company, pushing aside all her tasks. I finally understood. It wasn’t that Wendy didn’t have time. It was just that in her heart, I wasn’t even worth one ten-thousandth of Zach. I followed the two of them like this, watching their sweet moments together as if they were a married couple every minute of every day. After all these years, it was like I was meeting her for the first time. On the way back, Zach fiddled with the photos in his hand, suddenly asking with red eyes: “Sister Wendy… if Charlie finds out we went out to play together, will he kidnap me again?” Zach seemed to have some deep grudge against me, not forgetting to bring me up even at this time. Sure enough, Wendy’s face instantly turned from smiling brightly to stormy. She raged: “He wouldn’t dare! Don’t worry, just stay by my side. I’d like to see how he could do anything to you!” Zach’s face immediately lit up with a bright smile: “Sister Wendy, you’re so good to me…” Looking at the sweet couple, my heart could no longer stir any waves. Perhaps it was because I was dead, or perhaps after being by her and Zach’s side for so long, I finally understood. She had never liked me. It was all just my wishful thinking. Why did I bother deluding myself? Just then, for some reason, Wendy became very agitated. She kept taking out her phone to look at it. I suppose she had gotten used to my attentive care and concern, and felt uncomfortable not receiving any harassing messages from me for so long. I’m sure she’ll be freer from now on, at least without me, this annoying lapdog, getting in her way. “Sister Wendy, what’s wrong?” Zach noticed Wendy’s change and purposely asked. Wendy shook her head, “It’s nothing. I just wanted to see if Charlie had repented these past few days and sent a message to apologize to you.” “Looks like I gave him too much face.” Wendy glared coldly, taking her phone out and putting it back several times. In the end, she still opened my phone number and called me. Unfortunately, dead people can’t answer phone calls. After calling three or four times with no answer, Wendy’s patience finally reached its limit. She laughed coldly and blocked me, “Since you don’t want to answer, don’t ever call again!” Zach said softly: “Is Charlie deliberately trying to get your attention? Or is he jealous of me and doesn’t want to talk to you…” Wendy gritted her teeth: “He still hasn’t had enough of these boring tricks! Why can’t he learn a thing or two from you!” I listened to the two of them complaining about me with disgust, letting out a bitter laugh. They still thought I was playing games. Wendy, what would you think if you found out I was dead?

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Seven months pregnant, I suffered from food poisoning and started bleeding. Gabriel rushed me to the hospital, constantly reassuring me that we could save the baby. In my semi-conscious state, I clung to his hand, placing all my hope in him. When I opened my eyes again, I overheard Gabriel talking to the doctor. “Mr. Anderson, if we perform a C-section now, your wife’s life will be in danger, and we might not be able to save the baby either.” Gabriel’s previous worry and anxiety vanished instantly, replaced by a cold and resolute tone. “Sophia has already given me a son. This one is unnecessary. Get rid of it quickly.” So he wanted to use my child to replace the one he had with his first love. The happy family I thought we had was just a facade for someone else’s benefit. If that’s the case, I’ll give you what you want. … “Quickly kill the baby in Mrs. Anderson’s womb and throw it in the trash. I’ve already brought Sophia’s child. We’ll say it’s Mrs. Anderson’s.” The doctor’s horrified voice replied, “Mr. Anderson, your wife has been coming for check-ups every month, taking such careful care. I really can’t bring myself to kill an innocent life. If you really don’t want it, we could at least let her give birth and send the baby to an orphanage…” “There’s no need. Since Sophia has already given me a child, I must take responsibility for her. Not being able to marry Sophia was my biggest regret. I promised her that her son would be the sole heir to the Anderson family.” The doctor hesitated before saying, “Mr. Anderson, this will leave your wife paralyzed from the waist down. She’ll be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her life. If we could wait just two more months before harming the child, we could at least save your wife’s body.” “We can’t wait a single day. If she’s crippled, so be it. With the Anderson family’s assets, she can sit in a wheelchair for several lifetimes without issue.” Gabriel sighed again, “There’s no choice. If there’s anyone to blame, it’s her bad luck. Who told Sophia’s child to be born already?” “It’ll be over soon. I’ll make it up to her later.” As soon as he finished speaking, the restaurant owner called. “Mr. Anderson, we prepared all the food according to your requirements today. We haven’t settled the bill yet.” “Get lost! The dose was so small that the child was still alive when it arrived at the hospital. You have the nerve to ask me for money?” “Please, Mr. Anderson, I swear that entire bowl of soup was filled with abortion drugs.” The footsteps grew fainter as Gabriel made another call, instructing his assistant to pay off the owner with $100,000. After he left, I could no longer hold back my tears. The child I had carefully nurtured for seven months had been poisoned by its own father, causing premature labor. The doctor wiped my tears, and soon I fell unconscious. “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Anderson…” When I woke up again, there was a baby crying constantly by the bed. Gabriel was holding him joyfully. “Jane, come look at our son.” He gently kissed the baby. “From now on, you’ll be the only young master of the Anderson family.” I already knew I was carrying a girl from the prenatal checkups. This child wasn’t mine at all. I turned my head away, not wanting to look. I wanted to get out of bed and search for my baby in the trash, but my legs wouldn’t move no matter how hard I tried. I kept hitting them, using all my strength, but they remained numb. “If you want to hit something, hit me.” My wrists were grabbed. Gabriel looked at me with concern. “Jane, you can’t walk anymore because of giving birth to this child. From now on, let me be your legs, okay?” “And you can’t get pregnant again. This child will be our only one.” 2. I looked at him, wishing I were dead. Gabriel quickly hugged me again. “Don’t be sad. Look, at least our child is born. Isn’t that something to celebrate?” He pinched my cheek. “We’ll definitely be the happiest family of three from now on. I’ll always be by your side.” He had destroyed my life and spoke of it so lightly. Soon, my lower body felt like it was being torn apart. When I lifted the blanket, there was a bloody smell. Gabriel, however, wasn’t disgusted and personally helped clean my body, constantly asking if the water temperature was okay, acting caring and loving with convincing performance. “I’ve named our child Xin Xin, meaning everything will be new from now on. You’re the child’s mother, his role model, so you need to be strong.” This child’s features resembled Sophia’s, and besides, I was only seven months pregnant – the baby shouldn’t be this big. Gabriel called the doctor to check on my mental state. I left the hospital in a wheelchair. The wind was bitterly cold, and my clothes were thin. With great effort, I finally arrived at Gabriel’s private villa, where I had seen Sophia leaving just as I was being framed and sent to the hospital. Gabriel had said it was his newly established private club for entertaining clients. The door’s password was indeed Sophia’s birthday. When I saw everything inside the room, I was stunned. The walls were covered with photos of him and Sophia together. The screen in the living room was playing a video of him kissing Sophia. So this was their love nest. For three whole years, every time he said he was working late or in a meeting, he was spending time here. With each month Sophia’s belly grew, they would take a set of photos. A full ten months, documenting her entire pregnancy process, and even going to Hong Kong for check-ups every month. During my pregnancy, Gabriel never accompanied me once. Every time I had a check-up, it was when he flew to Hong Kong. Even when I told him the baby was healthy and showed him the examination reports, he never replied. Looking at the walls full of various intimate outfits, I finally understood how passionate he was with Sophia. No wonder he was always exhausted when he was with me. I thought he was tired from work and understood him, not realizing he had used all his energy on Sophia. The world’s most expensive crystal high heels, studded with diamonds, were displayed in an exquisite showcase. These shoes, hailed as “Shining Sun”, had Gabriel’s dedication next to them. [Sophia, you appeared in my life like the sun, forever radiant.] A pair of shoes worth $220 million was just the tip of the iceberg. Everything was expensive and luxurious, including a necklace worth over a billion dollars. I had seen Sophia wear it a few times, and Gabriel said it was from her wealthy husband. At the time, I joked about when he would buy one for me too. I still remember his expression now, “Those are all very ostentatious things. I prefer you without anything on.” Below the necklace was another message: Sophia, you deserve all the best in the world. Signed, Gabriel Anderson. Drawers full of giant diamond rings dazzled my eyes. The one on my finger was small and old, and the only one I had. I thought he was too busy to buy me gifts. Now I knew he wasn’t not buying, he just wasn’t buying for me. The kitchen was luxuriously equipped. He never cooked at home, but here he was a master chef. The walls were covered with photos of him wearing a chef’s hat, posing with tables full of gourmet dishes. [Only cooking for the one I love. Sophia, you’re the only one with this privilege in this life.] No wonder he didn’t like eating the food I cooked. His culinary skills were even better than mine. The last time I had a birthday, he said he was on a business trip abroad. Looking at the date on the photos, it was exactly when he was celebrating with Sophia in Hong Kong that they were having a boy. He had rented out an entire theater and invited celebrities to perform, all to celebrate the Anderson family having an heir. When I told him I was carrying a girl, there wasn’t a hint of happiness on his face. “After we have a daughter, we’ll have a son, okay?” “But Jane, your health isn’t good. Can you handle having so many children?” Thinking back now, it was truly ironic and laughable. He didn’t care about our child at all, yet I was still full of hope. 3. When I left the villa, my heart was already numb, my mind filled with videos of their love. I don’t know how I got back to the hospital. My body was already exhausted. As soon as the wheelchair went up the steps, I saw Mrs. Anderson glaring at me angrily, and she slapped me hard. The slap knocked me to the ground. Before I could regain my senses, she started berating me in front of all the doctors and nurses. “You useless thing, your body is ruined, and now you can’t even feed the baby.” Sophia hugged her affectionately. “It’s okay, Mrs. Anderson. I’m here. I’ll feed him.” Gabriel gave her a grateful look. On the way home, Sophia kept kissing and hugging the baby, constantly praising how cute and handsome he was. She sat in the front seat holding the child, occasionally looking at Gabriel with happiness, while I sat in the back like a stranger. She only said she was hot once, and Gabriel immediately turned on the air conditioning. Completely forgetting that his wife who had just had surgery couldn’t be in cold air. Passing by a globally air-shipped chocolate shop, Sophia said it looked delicious, and Gabriel immediately stopped to buy for her. A big bag, all sorts of chocolates stuffed into her arms, with none for me. Sophia ate one and then fed one to Gabriel, the two of them being lovey-dovey. Finally arriving home, when the car door opened, no one came to help me. They all crowded around Sophia. “Madam, you’ve worked hard. Quick, get ready.” At the housekeeper’s call, all the servants and bodyguards came out to welcome, each holding gifts that filled the hall. 100 maids each held a limited edition dress. From the hall all the way to outside the courtyard, they stood in neat rows. “Pregnancy and childbirth are the most difficult things for a woman, and naturally should not be underappreciated. So at this crucial moment, I want to thank…” Everyone’s eyes were on me. Gabriel continued, “Sophia.” How laughable. Sophia stepped forward and hugged him. “Gabriel, it’s just feeding the baby. No need to be so polite. Besides, it’s just a small effort on my part.” “Jane can’t walk now, so the clothes should be used to comfort her. I already have too many high-end dresses, I can’t wear them all even if I change every day.” “Moreover, Jane doesn’t have a single one of these styles.” I looked at the pajamas I was wearing, fidgeting uncomfortably. Gabriel said disdainfully, “She can’t even walk, what’s the point of dressing up? These are all specially prepared for you. With your model-like figure, you’ll definitely look good in them.” Sophia swayed her chest coyly. Soon, a stage with lights was quickly set up. She put on these limited edition dresses one by one, starting a fashion show. Each time she came out in a new outfit, a new look, it left Gabriel unable to take his eyes off her, while she confidently and arrogantly enjoyed everyone’s gaze. Their eyes were fixed on each other, intimately close. Every time she passed by me, Sophia deliberately swung her skirt, brushing my face as she twirled. I was filled with anger and resentment, pinching my thigh until it bled. With a cry, my cat scratched the baby. Sophia quickly rushed over, tenderly stroking the blood marks on the child’s face. “Mommy’s little darling, it must hurt so much.” When I was pregnant, the kitten often lay on my belly. Maybe it recognized that this wasn’t my child. Sophia tried to hit the kitten but couldn’t catch it as it ran around the room. The kitten climbed onto her face, scratching it continuously. Soon, her eye corners and mouth were bleeding. She pointed at the kitten viciously, “Quick, kill it!” “This is the good cat you raised, Jane. It only knows how to hurt people. Even cats can be jealous.” At Gabriel’s command, soon there was blood everywhere. My cat was beaten to death right in front of me. I broke down crying. The cat I had raised for three years died before my eyes. It had been like family, accompanying me every day. After I got pregnant, it became even more loving towards my baby, always being gentle and careful not to touch my belly. Looking at the bloody mess of a corpse, my heart was completely broken. Mrs. Anderson came out carrying a freshly boiled pot of soup. Seeing Sophia injured, she immediately threw it at my face. The scalding soup splashed all over me, burning painfully. I tried to find water to rinse it off, but Mrs. Anderson blocked my way. “Why didn’t this damn cat scratch your face instead? You taught it to do this, didn’t you? You’re just ill-intentioned.” “You truly deserve to die. You’re just redundant in this family anyway.” I knew her words were full of sarcasm, each one directed at me. With the help of the nanny, I finally managed to go upstairs in a mess. My bedroom had become chaotic, with hair of a different color than mine on the bed. Opening the video, I saw that yesterday, when I was in the most pain, Gabriel and Sophia were entangled on my bed. Watching the video, I tore off the sheets and threw them out the door. I angrily threw the clothes left on my bed onto the floor. At this moment, the door opened, and a mocking laugh came through. “I have plenty more videos of Gabriel and me together. Want me to send you some more to feast your eyes on?” 4. Soon my phone received dozens of videos, showing various positions and poses. Sophia’s seductive and charming appearance enticed Gabriel beyond control. I threw my phone far away. She rolled her eyes, “That’s how much he loves me. Hurts, doesn’t it? Jealous? With your ghostly appearance, he probably won’t touch you again.” “Jane, the feeling of never being able to walk again isn’t pleasant.” She lifted her skirt slightly, revealing her long legs. “Gabriel loves my legs the most.” “Wasn’t I beautiful just now during the fashion show? I dressed up specifically for you to see. You should thank me.” I looked at her with contempt, not bothering to respond. This reaction made her face contort with anger, and she shouted at me, “What do you have left to compete with me? No child, can’t have children, a cripple. How can there be such a stupid woman in this world? Soon everything in the Anderson family will be mine.” After saying this, she started slapping her own face dozens of times. I watched her in shock. I watched as her face went from red to swollen, finally looking like a pig’s head. While hitting herself, she shouted, “Jane, please stop hitting me.” “Ah, my hair…” Then she took the scissors from the table and cut off her own hair. I sat there motionless, yet was accused of such a great crime. Gabriel came running at the sound. “Sophia? What happened to you?” When he saw Sophia’s hair all cut off on the ground and her swollen face, he glared at me fiercely. “Jane, I never thought you could be such a cruel woman. Sophia kindly called you downstairs to eat, how could you do this to her?” “She changed into those dresses one by one downstairs just to make you happy, just to see you smile. Isn’t that enough?” He picked up the hair from the ground, pained. “Quickly apologize to Sophia, or don’t blame me for cutting off your hair.” He stroked Sophia’s face, glaring at me viciously: “Should I cut it, or will you?” Just out of the hospital, I was exhausted all over, without even the strength to speak. I was forced to back away by Gabriel, looking at him in terror. Sophia covered her face, “I never thought that coming to breastfeed the child out of kindness would provoke such jealousy. I might as well just die.” Saying this, she started banging her head against the wall. Gabriel stopped her and walked towards me step by step with the scissors. I shook my head and kept retreating to the corner, but he still grabbed my hair. The scissors weren’t working well, so he simply brought an electric razor. My hair fell to the ground in large clumps, and I was shaved bald. He stroked my head as if to comfort me. “Jane, this is what we owe Sophia. Otherwise, people might think we’re bullying her.” Looking at my hair, I was already at my breaking point. Ignoring me, he called all the doctors in the city to treat Sophia’s face. The hall was full of people. I put the prepared divorce papers in the drawer and left. To compensate Sophia, the news of Gabriel lavishly spending to make a movie for Sophia made headlines. He invited all the star lineup to complement her, even claiming it would win an Oscar. At the movie’s launch ceremony, she was dazzling, dressed more luxuriously than the celebrities. Everyone came to flatter the investor, and Sophia was already being put on a pedestal. The director even guaranteed, “Miss Lee, with your conditions, it would be a real shame not to act. You’ll definitely become an overnight sensation.” Even A-list celebrities came over to take photos with Sophia. She was carrying a limited edition bag worth millions, showing it off. The venue was full of media reporters, all waiting to interview Gabriel. But he had his assistant call me instead. “We’ve arranged a supporting role for the madam, playing a disabled person in the movie. Let the madam come over to get familiar with the other actors.” Sophia came over and swayed her body, “With me as the lead, that’s enough. Jane needs more rest, no need to trouble her.” The assistant went back and searched for a long time, but there was no trace of me at home. “It’s terrible, Mr. Anderson. Someone saw the madam being kidnapped by a gang. They want Sophia to go as an exchange.” [This marks the breakpoint in the original text.]

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I found out I was pregnant in the fifth year of my secret relationship with Adrian Foster. Overjoyed, I rushed to show him the positive pregnancy test. But when I arrived, I overheard him celebrating with his friends. “After five years, I’ve finally turned Olivia into my obedient little bird,” Adrian boasted. “In a couple days, I’m going to sell her to work at a nightclub. They’re short-staffed there anyway.” My vision blurred as I struggled to process his cruel words. Then one of his friends hesitantly asked, “Adrian, isn’t that going too far? She’s been with you for five years after all.” Another chimed in, “Yeah, how can you just toss her aside like that?” Adrian let out a cold laugh. “Olivia’s nothing but a dirty rag to me. I have no reason to keep her around.” “My fiancée Chloe is coming back soon. I need to clear the path for her return.” So that’s it. I was just an obstacle to be removed. Five years of devotion meant nothing to him. I clutched the pregnancy test tightly, my heart aching. When the door opened, I quickly hid the test behind my back. Adrian’s friends glanced at me before calling out sweetly, “Hey Olivia! Here to see Adrian?” Before I could respond, one of them yelled inside, “Adrian, Olivia’s here!” He was clearly trying to stir up drama. Adrian came over, looking down at me. “How long have you been here?” I knew he was trying to figure out if I’d overheard their conversation. I forced a smile and lied, “I just got here. Was wondering when you’d be home.” “Alright. Go settle the bill and I’ll get the car to wait for you,” Adrian said with a dismissive gesture. I nodded, “Okay.” After paying, I walked outside to find it pouring rain. I waited for a while, but Adrian’s car never showed up. I tried calling and texting him countless times, but got no response. Eventually his phone went straight to voicemail. One of Adrian’s friends came out and saw me huddled in the rain. He asked, “Olivia, didn’t Adrian already leave? Why are you still here?” I froze, unable to believe Adrian would abandon me like this. A girl with the friend held up her phone, her tone mocking: “Chloe came back early. Adrian just left to pick her up. Some people really have no shame!” “Don’t covet things that don’t belong to you. You’re nothing but a thief who stole five years of someone else’s time. You should be grateful for what you got.” With that parting shot, they drove off. By the time I made it home, shivering and soaked to the bone, I found Chloe blocking my way. She was wearing my new pajamas. She smirked, lifting her chin. “Olivia, now that I’m back, you need to know your place. You’re nothing but a dog Adrian kept around to play with.” That includes Adrian himself. My body felt ice cold as I tried to move past her to change clothes. Suddenly, Chloe let out an exaggerated cry of pain and collapsed to the floor. SLAP! Before I could even process what was happening, Adrian’s hand connected with my face. My rain-weakened body crumpled, hitting the corner of the shoe rack. Pain exploded in my forehead. Through blurred vision, I saw Adrian anxiously pick up Chloe. He glared at me coldly. “Olivia, you’d better remember your place. You’re nothing but a stand-in for Chloe. What right do you have to throw your weight around here!?” “I’ve spoiled you too much, making you forget who the real owner of this house is. You’re not allowed inside tonight. Get out!” His words felt like daggers of ice. I realized it was time for me to leave for good. I watched Adrian carry Chloe upstairs. In my dazed state, I thought I saw Chloe flash me a triumphant smile. My vision blurred red. I raised a hand to my face and felt something wet and sticky. Focusing my eyes, I realized it was blood. I struggled to stand, stumbling and falling again. My whole body felt like it was encased in ice. I curled up, trying to conserve warmth. My mind drifted to a time I’d had a high fever. Adrian had been beside himself with worry, rushing me to the hospital for a five day stay. During those five days, he’d taken care of my every need, refusing to let anyone else help. He’d cancelled all his work to be with me, giving me his full attention. When I told him he should focus on his career, he’d said sternly, “Anything related to you is the most important thing.” But then… then the dream shattered. I woke up. Adrian noticed immediately. “You’re awake?” For a moment, I thought he still cared. But then his face turned cold as he said, “Now that you’re up, go apologize to Chloe right away. You scared her half to death sleeping in the living room all night.” “If Chloe wasn’t so kind-hearted and generous in letting me bring you to the hospital, who knows where you would’ve woken up.” So he’d planned to abandon me in some desolate place. His phone rang. A minute later he hung up. “Olivia, hurry up and go apologize.” I paused. “What am I apologizing for?” For passing out in the living room due to a fever and head injury, which happened to scare her? Seeing my expression, Adrian assumed I was faking. “Olivia, can you stop pretending? Just looking at you makes me sick.” With that, he suddenly grabbed my arm roughly. My weakened body was helpless as he dragged me along. We passed several nurses who quickly avoided us. “Adrian, it hurts…” I whimpered. He didn’t loosen his grip. After opening a door, he literally threw me inside. I flew through the air like a kite with cut strings before crashing hard onto the floor. “Adrian, what’s going on?” Chloe asked in a sweet, innocent voice from her hospital bed. But when she looked down at me, I saw the triumph and joy in her eyes. My whole body ached. Chloe spoke again: “Adrian, did you and Olivia fight because of me!?” She ran over to Adrian barefoot. “If Olivia hates me so much, I’ll just leave. I only hope that after I’m gone, she’ll treat you well…” Adrian scooped Chloe up, his tone exasperated but doting: “Silly girl, why are you running around without shoes?” “Olivia’s not worthy of hating you. I brought her here to apologize to you.” He was explaining things to her. In the past, he’d never bothered to explain anything to me. I’d asked him about things before, but he told me he liked obedient women. So I stopped asking questions. Chloe’s bare feet dangled in front of my face as I knelt on the floor like an old dog. “Oh? Adrian, you’re making Olivia apologize to me? Won’t she resent me for that? What if she holds a grudge?” “She won’t,” Adrian said firmly. After a pause, he added: “She wouldn’t dare.” I felt my blood run cold, a chill spreading from my feet to the top of my head. “But I don’t think a verbal apology is enough,” Chloe mused. “How about we do something like Truth or Dare and choose a punishment?” She sat on Adrian’s lap, arms around his neck. “Whatever you want, sweetheart.” Adrian stroked her nose affectionately. The two laughed together like the perfect couple. Suddenly, a foot lifted my chin. I was forced to look up at Chloe’s mocking, triumphant smile. “Oh no, my feet got a bit dirty from running around barefoot earlier,” she pouted. “Adrian doesn’t like dirty things. Olivia, why don’t you wash my feet for me?” I stared at her in disbelief. How dare she! Seeing I wasn’t moving, Chloe snuggled against Adrian and whined, “Adrian, is Olivia upset with me?” Adrian frowned at me. “What are you waiting for? Get to it.” “I’ll go with Olivia to wash up,” Chloe chirped. “That way she won’t have to go back and forth.” With that, Chloe dragged me into the VIP room’s bathroom despite my resistance. It was a top-of-the-line setup with all the amenities. As soon as the door closed, Chloe’s innocent act vanished. Her face twisted into an ugly, vengeful snarl. She grabbed my hair and yanked my head back. “You disgusting whore. How dare you try to have Adrian’s baby?” “A piece of trash like you doesn’t deserve to bear his child. Have you forgotten your lowly origins? You’re nothing but filth.” She knew! My heart raced as I instinctively tried to protect my stomach. But Chloe wasn’t done. She kicked me hard in the abdomen. Pain radiated through my body. Knock knock Adrian’s concerned voice came from outside: “Chloe, is everything okay in there?” Chloe’s face hardened. She suddenly collapsed to the floor, crying out in pain. BANG! Adrian kicked the door open and rushed to Chloe’s side. I clutched my stomach, weakly trying to ask for help: “Adrian, please save…” Save the baby. Before I could finish, Chloe buried her face in Adrian’s chest, sobbing. “It’s my fault, I slipped and fell. Olivia didn’t push me. She didn’t push me down and then…” Adrian’s face darkened with rage. He kicked me hard. “If anything happens to Chloe, I’ll make you pay with your life.” He carried Chloe out, leaving me alone. I felt something warm trickling down my legs. Panicked, I crawled to the hallway, desperately calling for help. Thankfully, I was saved. But the baby wasn’t. I stared blankly at the tiny embryo the doctor had removed. The taste of blood filled my throat. After a long moment, I took out my phone and opened a secret app I hadn’t used in years. I sent a message: [I want to come home] The reply came instantly: [If you’re done playing, come back. I’ll pick you up.] I agonized over my response before sending: [Please erase all my information in the country. I’m leaving tomorrow.] When I went home to pack my things, I found all my belongings thrown outside. Among them was a jade bracelet, now shattered. With trembling hands, I picked up the pieces. A whirlwind of emotions swept through me. This bracelet was the only memento I had from my grandmother. Adrian opened the door and saw me. His eyes filled with contempt and disgust. “If you’re not dead, hurry up and take this trash away. Just looking at it makes me sick.” “Why is my bracelet broken?” I asked, holding up the two halves. Adrian glanced at it dismissively. “How should I know? You probably didn’t take good care of it yourself.” Seeing his uncaring attitude, my heart clenched painfully. “Adrian, I love the diamond ring you got me!” Chloe’s voice suddenly rang out. She appeared behind Adrian, holding up a massive 50-carat diamond. The sight made my eyes ache. Chloe pretended to just notice me. “Oh, Olivia! You’re back so soon?” “By the way, Adrian said he has a job to introduce you to tomorrow. I heard it pays really well. Soon you’ll be a successful career woman too, Olivia. I’m so envious!” A job? I suddenly remembered overhearing Adrian say he was going to sell me to work at a nightclub. My blood ran cold, my heart constricting painfully. My mind went blank. Chloe suddenly grabbed my hand, her long nails digging into my flesh. Blood welled up. “Olivia, Adrian likes girls with good careers,” she simpered. “You’re so lucky he’s helping you out.” “Shouldn’t you thank Adrian for introducing you to this job?” She leaned in close and hissed, “I guess trash raised without a mother doesn’t even know basic manners.” It hurt so much. I instinctively jerked my hand away. Chloe used the momentum to dramatically fall to the ground. She looked up with hurt, resentful eyes. “Olivia, did I do something to upset you? Please tell me so I won’t do it again. I’m begging you, please don’t hurt the little life inside me.” With that, she cradled her stomach protectively. Adrian immediately rushed to push me away. Chloe leaned into his arms. “Adrian, we’re having a baby. But… but Olivia doesn’t seem happy about it. I’m scared…” “I’m so afraid our baby won’t be able to come into this world safely…” Adrian held her tightly, murmuring soothingly, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here. Nothing will happen to our baby.” Before leaving, Adrian fixed his gaze on me. “You’ve really disappointed me. From now on, I won’t provide you with any financial support. You can either fend for yourself or go work at the place I introduced you to.” “I won’t go. Why can’t I work somewhere else?” I steadied myself, the last shred of hope dying in my chest. Adrian lost all patience. “If you don’t go, then die on the streets.” My face was expressionless. “Then I’d rather die on the streets!” Adrian’s cold lips curved in a mocking smile. “Do you really think anywhere else would take you?” “Besides, you’ve been used up by me. What makes you think you’re qualified for any respectable job?” “Don’t come crawling back to me like a dog later!” In the end, we parted ways on bad terms that day. Half an hour before my flight, I got a call from Adrian. I was about to reject it, but instinctively answered instead. Adrian’s voice came through, full of disdain for my actions: “Hah, I thought you were so capable. But you still answered my call, didn’t you?” I was about to hang up when he continued: “Olivia, at 11 o’clock someone will come pick you up. Once you get there, you’d better behave. When you’ve learned your lesson, come back and apologize to Chloe.” I glanced at my watch. It was still 30 minutes until 1

Suddenly, I heard a woman’s coquettish voice on the other end. It was Chloe. “Adrian, how about we set our wedding for the 18th of this month? We should invite Olivia too. Even though she doesn’t like me, she did take care of you for five years…” My chest tightened painfully. I was about to hang up when Adrian spoke again, his tone dripping with contempt: “Did you hear that? Chloe is so kind-hearted. In 10 days, I’ll send someone to bring you back for our wedding.” The call ended. My eyes grew cold as I deleted everything related to Adrian, including throwing away the card he’d given me. Adrian was in the middle of flirting with Chloe when he suddenly got a phone call. After hanging up, his expression turned grave. Chloe tried to snuggle up to him but he gently pushed her away. “Olivia wasn’t picked up by those men. I need to go check what happened. You stay here for now.” With that, Adrian left, ignoring whatever expression Chloe wore. Behind him, a vicious glint flashed in Chloe’s eyes. When Adrian returned home, he felt like something was different about the house. But he couldn’t put his finger on what exactly had changed. Until— The doorbell rang. Adrian went to answer, automatically assuming it was me coming back to hide. “Olivia, you have the nerve to come crawling back? Who do you think…” He opened the door to find not me, but a delivery man in uniform. The man said professionally, “Mr. Foster, this is a package Ms. Sullivan mailed to you. Please sign for it.”

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Just before I was wheeled into the operating room, Lucas held my hand tightly and kissed my forehead, his eyes full of love. “Don’t be scared, Anna. It’ll be over soon. It won’t hurt, I promise. I’ll be waiting for you outside.” I placed one hand on my belly, fighting back tears as I forced a smile for Lucas. Our little angel, who should have been eagerly anticipated, was diagnosed with a defect. I had no choice but to send it back to where it came from. The doctor administered the anesthesia and pushed my bed into the operating room. Under the harsh fluorescent lights, I gradually lost consciousness. However, I overheard a nurse’s curious inquiry. “Dr. Thompson, this patient’s baby is developing well. Why does Mr. Graham want to terminate the pregnancy and even remove her uterus?” “Shh, don’t ask questions you shouldn’t. This is all Mr. Graham’s decision.” “Oh no, could it be because of that rumor…” Wasn’t the baby supposed to have a defect? What’s this about removing my uterus? What rumor? Overwhelming panic gripped my heart. I struggled to wake up and ask for clarification, to stop this surgery. But my consciousness was dragged into a bottomless abyss. When I finally opened my eyes, only Lucas was in the hospital room. He had stubble on his face and bloodshot eyes, clearly having stayed up all night watching over me. Seeing me awake, his eyes lit up. “Anna, you’re awake. How do you feel?” The incision on my abdomen throbbed with pain. I felt as if a huge part of me was missing, with cold wind whistling through the void. Tears uncontrollably slid down my cheeks. I truly believed Lucas trusted me. I never imagined he would cruelly kill our child and even permanently deprive me of the right to be a mother, all because of Jasmine’s slanderous words. I had stayed by his side every moment to reassure him. How could I possibly have had an affair? But I didn’t know that my eagerness to prove my innocence only appeared as guilty behavior in Lucas’s eyes. Lucas assumed I was just upset about losing the baby and comforted me, saying we would have children in the future. I stared at him steadily, unable to believe how someone could be so loving yet so ruthless at the same time. “Lucas, do you really not mind what Jasmine said that day?” I just wanted an answer, one that wouldn’t leave me in such agony. Lucas gently flicked my forehead, then chuckled indulgently. “Anna, didn’t we already say it was just a dream? Why do you remember it more clearly than I do? Don’t worry, I love you so much. If I can’t trust you, who can I trust?” My heart ached terribly. I swallowed back all the accusations in my throat. After resting in the hospital for two weeks, Lucas brought me back home. As soon as we entered the Graham mansion, I heard Jasmine’s light laughter as she chatted with Lucas’s mother. A strong sense of discomfort welled up. I frowned at Lucas, only to find him looking completely unsurprised. Ever since Jasmine made those remarks, I had been very averse to seeing her. Lucas had even promised me he wouldn’t let her come to the Graham house anymore. Disappointment spread like wildfire again. Strangely enough, I had an “as expected” feeling. When Jasmine saw us, she knelt down in front of me, clutching her belly with tears in her eyes and a guilty expression. “Anna, I’m so sorry. I was out of my mind before when I drugged Lucas. I know I was wrong, but the baby is innocent. Please forgive us, mother and child.” This news hit me like a ton of bricks. My mind went blank, unable to process anything. Lucas’s mother clearly sympathized with Jasmine, who was carrying her first grandchild. She looked at me with displeasure. “Jasmine has admitted her mistake and apologized. Don’t be petty about it.” Lucas’s mother, who had treated me like her own daughter because my parents weren’t in the country, now looked at me with such unfamiliarity that I was bewildered. I could ignore all of this. What I cared about most was Lucas, who kept saying he loved me. I turned to look at the silent Lucas, unable to control the lump in my throat. “When did you find out?” “Anna, I’m sorry.” Lucas didn’t answer, just pulled me into his arms and buried his head in the crook of my neck. This was Lucas’s usual trick when apologizing. I used to find his gap moe adorable, and in the past, whenever he did something wrong, I would quickly forgive him if he did this. Did he think an affair could be easily forgiven with just an apology? What did he take me for?! I shoved him away forcefully, ignoring his shocked expression as I wiped away the tears that had unknowingly streamed down my face. Lucas explained helplessly, as if my distrust of him was very hurtful. “Anna, I really had no idea she would drug me. The baby… I only found out yesterday. I know you’re very upset, but Jasmine said she just wants to give birth to the child and then hand it over to us to raise.” Jasmine seized the opportunity to interject, choking up as she spoke. “Anna, you’ve been a mother too. You understand why I don’t want to abort the baby, right?” Thinking of the child who had been deprived of life before it was even born, my heart began to ache again, so painful I could barely breathe. Had Lucas known about Jasmine’s pregnancy all along, and that’s why he so readily took away my child? When you love someone, can you really bear to hurt them like this? For the past ten years, Jasmine had a crush on him, but he always made me feel secure, never crossing any lines in his words or actions. Whenever friends teased him, he would always put me first. “Anna is my only love, and I only recognize her.” I thought marrying Lucas meant marrying for love, but in reality, love couldn’t overcome all obstacles. A single flimsy prediction was enough to shatter all the beauty I once believed in. Suddenly, I felt so tired, losing all strength to argue. A mistress eager to climb the social ladder, a mother-in-law who deliberately made things difficult, and a husband who looked like he loved me but used a gentle attitude to force me… Perhaps leaving was the best solution. I tugged the corners of my lips into a self-mocking smile, the dull pain in my chest silent yet grinding. “Do whatever you want.” Lucas thought I had agreed and let out a huge sigh of relief. His mother snorted coldly at me, then turned to Jasmine with a beaming smile, her eyes full of concern. “Look how haggard you are. I’ll have the cook make some soup to nourish you later.” Jasmine coyly pulled Lucas’s hand and placed it on her belly. “Lucas, look, the baby is kicking me again.” Watching this family scene of love and harmony coldly, I turned and went upstairs without a word, asking my friend abroad to book me a flight to leave. Since someone always had to be the odd one out, I might as well bow out and let them be happy. I woke up startled in the middle of the night, my mind full of scenes of that child crying and asking me why I didn’t save him. I trembled, silently shedding tears. The cold empty space beside me reminded me of my failed marriage. Jasmine had said she had a nightmare, and Lucas was worried it might affect the baby in her belly, so he said he would go check on her. He never returned all night. That Lucas who used to hold me in his arms and gently comfort me whenever I had a nightmare, no matter when, would never exist again. I got out of bed intending to go downstairs for a glass of water, but there was a knock at the door. When I opened it, it was Lucas. The hidden meaning in his eyes made me feel like a stranger. “Anna, Jasmine had a dream where you didn’t like the child and pushed her down the stairs. Now she doesn’t want to give the baby to you.” “There’s a Buddha statue in Mom’s room. Can you go kneel there for a night, pray for blessings for that child, and apologize to Jasmine?” I wondered if I was still dreaming. “She just had a dream and you believe everything? Lucas, do you believe in dreams or do you just believe her?” Dreaming about that child made my emotions a bit intense. Lucas’s displeased frown made it even harder for me to pretend to be calm. In his eyes, it was just an illegitimate child. How could he feel guilty? I was so angry that tears streamed down my face, unable to say a complete sentence. Lucas sighed tiredly, as if my unreasonable behavior made him very troubled. “Anna, be good. Just kneel for one night, it’ll be fine.” “I’m doing all this for your own good. Didn’t you always want a child? Your child is gone, but Jasmine has one now. Maybe this is fate.” I trembled all over, finally unable to hold back and slapped Lucas across the face. If it weren’t for him, how could anything have happened to my child? Lucas’s expression turned cold as he looked down at me condescendingly. A chill rose in my heart. I instinctively sensed something was wrong and wanted to close and lock the door, but Lucas blocked it. “You care so much about that child? Why do you get so agitated whenever it’s mentioned?” “Anna, be more obedient and don’t make me angry. You’ve already put me in a very difficult position, but it’s okay. After all, I love you so much that I can overlook your affair. But if you keep being so willful, I’ll feed that bastard’s ashes to the dogs!” I stared at Lucas in disbelief, unable to believe that the man I had loved for so many years could become so unfamiliar, could say such things. “What evidence do you have that I had an affair? You’re the one who made the mistake first! Lucas, that was our child, how could you be so cruel…” Lucas neither confirmed nor denied, clearly not believing my words. I had no choice. That child had already been deprived of life. How could I bear to see him not rest in peace even after death? “Fine, I’ll go kneel.” I closed my eyes, not wanting to look at Lucas again. Choking back the taste of iron in my throat, I squeezed out a response. I wanted to pray for that child, hoping the Buddha would bless him. Next time, may he not be born into a family where his father doesn’t want him. “Also, Jasmine said she’s not comfortable sleeping in the guest room. For the baby’s sake, why don’t you switch rooms with her for a while?” Lucas didn’t care what my reaction was. He announced it like a notification and hurried away when he heard Jasmine say she was uncomfortable. Leaving me standing there, my heart shattered into pieces. From that night on, I had to kneel in front of the Buddha statue for two hours every night. Lucas’s mother found me an eyesore and had someone move the Buddha statue to a corner by the stairs next to the storage room. She even made me kneel when the servants were around. “Who knows if you’re sincere or not if no one’s watching?” I remained silent, praying sincerely for my child amidst the servants’ gossip. Meanwhile, Lucas, who said he loved me, appeared with Jasmine in places where I used to be. His little childhood sweetheart also became the “wife” in the mouths of company employees, the “sister-in-law” among Lucas’s friends, and the “true love” of Mr. Graham in media reports. Their love story was praised by everyone, their ten-year unwavering devotion admired. And I was naturally left behind, even becoming a topic of after-dinner gossip as the third wheel. I thought Lucas would take the opportunity to file for divorce, but even when I put the signed divorce papers in front of him, he remained unmoved. “You and Jasmine are in love and have a child together. Isn’t divorce the best choice for us?” I had already compromised this far. I didn’t understand what else Lucas wanted. I had already shattered my heart into pieces. I couldn’t give anything else. Lucas picked up the divorce papers, his eyes dark and unclear, his face covered with a layer of gloom. He tugged the corner of his lips into a smile, but without a trace of joy. “I’ve already forgiven your affair and am trying to find a way to permanently solve the problem. Yet you’re only thinking about leaving.” “What, are you in such a hurry to go find your lover? Are you that desperate?” Lucas had always been gentle and polite in front of me, never saying such crude and vulgar words. I thought I couldn’t be disappointed anymore, but Lucas always managed to surprise me. I endured the embarrassment, endured the nausea churning in my stomach. There was no point in arguing with someone who didn’t believe you at all. Once I got the signed divorce papers, I could take the earliest flight out tomorrow. “It’s none of your business.” “You accuse me of having an affair but can’t produce a shred of evidence. On the contrary, you’ve been sneaking around with Jasmine, and now you’re openly attending various events with her during our marriage. Who’s really having the affair?” I was prepared to see Lucas’s angry expression at being exposed, but I didn’t expect him to look so pleased. “Anna, you’re jealous of me.” “That’s good, but for us to be more stable in the future, I have to ask you to cooperate with me for a bit.” I frowned as I watched Lucas stand up, unbuttoning his shirt cuffs as he walked towards me. I instinctively backed away, feeling a strong sense of unease. Lucas saw through my intention to escape. He closed the distance in a few quick strides and grabbed my hand, pulling me out. I struggled desperately, pounding and clawing at his arm, but I couldn’t break free. The feeling of unease peaked when I saw the storage room. My face instantly turned pale. “Lucas, what are you doing? Let me go, let me go!” I clung desperately to the doorframe, my eyes full of fear of that dark, narrow room. Cold sweat broke out on my forehead. I couldn’t hear the sounds around me, only the rapid beating of my heart threatening to burst my eardrums. “Lucas, I don’t want to go in there. Please, Lucas, don’t do this…” My whole body shook uncontrollably, the air seemed to thin, and a sense of suffocation washed over me. My pleas couldn’t soften Lucas’s heart even a bit. He pushed me into hell without hesitation. As the door slowly closed, the last bit of light disappeared, and I fell into complete despair. I had been kidnapped as a child. The kidnappers locked us children in a small dark room, threatening to kill us if they didn’t receive the ransom by the deadline. The thin door couldn’t block out the sound of flesh being hacked and blood splattering. It was only a few hours, but it left me with a lifelong trauma. The first time I told Lucas about this experience, he was so heartbroken he cried. He kissed my face gently, which was pale despite my attempts to appear calm, and promised with absolute determination: “I will never let you be alone in the darkness.” But now he was the one pushing me into the abyss of despair with his own hands. I tried to curl up, tears streaming uncontrollably as I weakly knocked on the door. “Lucas, Lucas…” Save me, please save me… The buzzing of electricity sounded, and Lucas’s voice came through the device. “Anna, stop pretending. It’s just locking you up for a while. How can it be that painful? You should reflect on yourself.” My last lifeline cruelly snapped all my hope. I lost track of time, completely gripped by despair, on the verge of breakdown, unable to squeeze out a shred of rationality. Lucas, why do you say you love me, yet hurt me constantly… Biting my wrist in a daze, in my fuzzy consciousness, a voice urged me. Bite down, and you can leave this place. You’ll never be afraid again. Some liquid flowed down. Just before I passed out, the door was kicked open and someone rushed in to hold me. Lucas’s voice rang out, suppressing his anger. “You care more about my wife than I do, her lawful husband. How dare you still say you’re innocent?!” But the next second, Lucas’s expression changed when he saw me clearly, his face full of anxiety as he ran towards me. “The patient went into shock due to excessive blood loss. If she had been brought in any later, even God couldn’t have saved her.” I woke up to the doctor’s stern criticism, staring blankly at the ceiling. “Anna, you’re awake? How do you feel?” That voice… I turned my head in confusion, surprised to see Ryan there. Ryan looked relieved and explained, sensing my confusion. “You asked Emily to book you a flight. She was worried you had suffered some grievance, and since I happened to be on a business trip to the country, she asked me to check on you.” “It’s a good thing I came in time. That bastard Lucas…” Ryan couldn’t help but grit his teeth in anger at the mention of Lucas. Lucas and Jasmine were so high-profile, and Ryan had personally witnessed me being locked up and falling ill. Of course he would be angry. “Don’t tell Emily, or she’ll cry while cursing me for sure.” Ryan, Emily, and I had played together since we were kids, but I was the only one who got married early. If it weren’t for Lucas, I wouldn’t have left the familiar environment I grew up in to marry into a foreign country. I won’t forgive Lucas. The dull pain in my wrist kept calling out, and Lucas must pay for his mistakes. “Ryan, can you help me with something?” … When Lucas arrived, Ryan had already left. He sat down silently by the hospital bed, staring at my bandaged wrist with a complicated expression. This was self-inflicted when I was unclear-headed in the storage room. The wound was deep. Sensing an uneasy aura, I began to tremble involuntarily in my sleep due to weakness. Lucas was clearly startled. He wanted to come closer to check but froze when he saw me shaking even more violently. I furrowed my brows, as if having a nightmare, and woke up with tear stains at the corners of my eyes. Lucas’s entire demeanor turned cold again, looking at me without a trace of warmth. “The adulterer has been caught. What else do you have to say?” I remained silent for a moment, then looked up at Lucas with fragile sorrow in my eyes. “Ryan is just my friend. You’ve always known that, haven’t you?” “Besides, he came on a business trip. The person he likes isn’t me.” Lucas sneered, clearly not believing it. “Friend? Would just a friend rush over so anxiously after hearing you and I were divorcing? Do you really expect me to—” “He likes Jasmine.” Lucas was stunned, clearly not having considered this possibility. “Don’t you remember? When we confirmed our relationship abroad, Jasmine flew over overnight to congratulate you. Ryan liked her even back then, but Jasmine always had feelings for you… so he never said anything.” I sobbed lightly, my eyes full of dependence on him. My bandaged hand trembled as it clutched at the hem of his clothes. “Lucas, I was so scared then. No matter how I called for you, you didn’t respond. I thought I was really going to die…” Did Lucas love me? He did. He was silent at first, but seeing my tears flow more and more, he couldn’t help but hold my hand and embrace me, softening his voice to comfort me. “Anna, there are no more obstacles now. We can finally live peacefully like before.” But I found it pathetic. Lucas’s love was limited, unable to overcome his self-righteousness. Resting my head on Lucas’s shoulder, I flashed a challenging smile at Jasmine, who stood at the door of the hospital room with an ashen face. It doesn’t matter. I won’t care anymore, more or less. After being discharged from the hospital, I pretended not to know that Lucas had already signed the divorce papers and widely publicized it to lure out the so-called adulterer. I calmly returned to the Graham house. As soon as I opened the door, there was Jasmine with a face full of “I’m doing this for your own good.” “Lucas, Anna is no longer pure. You’ve seen it yourself. Why do you still want her to come back?” I saw Lucas’s hesitation and inwardly sneered. “Jasmine, Lucas did all this just to live a good life with me. Those things are in the past, he won’t hold them against me anymore.” I affectionately linked arms with Lucas, smiling happily. “Thank you for your hard work, Jasmine. Don’t worry, I’ll definitely treat the child well after it’s born.” “Lucas has always treated you like a real sister. We’ve both been worried about you being alone all these years. I have a friend abroad, if you’re willing, I can introduce you two?” Jasmine’s face changed, and she was about to make a sarcastic remark when Lucas nodded and interrupted her. “I know Anna’s friend too. He’s a talented young man, very suitable for you.” Jasmine was at a loss, forcing a smile through her anger. “Lucas, you know I’m just worried about you and Anna. In my previous dream, Anna passed away from that disease…” Jasmine’s voice got smaller and smaller, her expression becoming awkward, as if there was something difficult to say. Lucas frowned in displeasure, a flash of disgust in his eyes that didn’t escape my notice. I remained calm, thoroughly ignoring the malice coming my way. As the atmosphere grew tense, the doorbell suddenly rang. Soon after, the housekeeper came in carrying a beautifully wrapped bouquet of roses. “Someone sent flowers for Miss Chen. The card seems to be from a Mr. Lewis.” Assuming Ryan had started pursuing Jasmine, Lucas happily handed the flowers to her, then put his arm around me and went upstairs. After closing the bedroom door, I deliberately distanced myself from Lucas. “Lucas, when are we going to remarry?” Lucas, who was about to come closer, paused in his steps. “Anna, I’ve been too busy these past few days. Let’s not rush the remarriage. I still need to prepare a surprise for you.” Without waiting for my response, Lucas left on the pretext of having something to do. I knew he was concerned about what Jasmine had said. That’s fine. It also provided me with cover. Not long after Lucas left, Jasmine appeared in the room. “Anna, you’ve got the wrong room. Your room is in the guest room.” I ignored her pretense. Just thinking about her lying in this room before made me feel sick. I didn’t plan to stay here. As I brushed past her, Jasmine blocked my way. “Lucas won’t remarry you.” She snorted meaningfully, her tone full of certainty. There’s a corner staircase leading out of the master bedroom. After speaking, Jasmine deliberately stumbled down it. I stood on the stairs, coldly watching her self-directed play. “Anna, I really just wanted you to accept the baby. I didn’t mean anything else.” Jasmine was cruel to me, but even crueler to herself. She fell down hard, her face instantly turning pale, blood gradually seeping out from beneath her. Lucas rushed over to find Jasmine clutching her belly, looking helpless and panicked. He glared at me fiercely, his face gloomy. “You really did push Jasmine down the stairs because you don’t like this child!” “Lucas, she fell down on her own. She’s trying to frame me. Please believe me, okay?” I explained weakly, the hope in my eyes shattering under Lucas’s gaze that deemed me the culprit. “Anna Quinn, how dare a lying, disgusting thing like you.” Lucas picked up Jasmine and hurried downstairs to the hospital. I turned around with a heartbroken look, went to the guest room to pack my luggage, and left through the front door under the servants’ strange gazes. Unsurprisingly, Jasmine lost the baby. Lucas stayed with her at the hospital for several days, watching her lie pale and weak in bed, silently shedding tears. His heart ached terribly. “I just wanted Anna to spend more time with the baby and develop feelings for it. I never thought she would be so intolerant of the baby.” “Lucas, I really wasn’t lying. I dreamed she pushed me down the stairs, I dreamed she had an affair, and I dreamed she got that disease. She doesn’t deserve your love at all.” The veins on Lucas’s hands bulged as he gritted his teeth. “Jasmine, I’ll make her come to the hospital to kneel and apologize to you. She dared to deceive me. She must pay the price.” With that, Lucas took out his phone and dialed my number, but no one answered. He laughed angrily and dialed the home number. “Where is Anna Quinn? Not answering her phone, off to see which wild man again? Tell her to get to the hospital immediately!” On the other end was the stammering voice of a servant. “Sir, Madam said she was going to the temple on the mountain to pray for atonement. She left a letter for you and left.”

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