Author: Momo Chan

Emily’s last wish before she passed away was to see Olivia come back to visit her. I made countless phone calls, begging her earnestly for a long time. She was very impatient, “Stop calling, I’m busy.” I personally carved Emily’s tombstone, sending her off on her final journey. But that night, high-resolution photos of her night out with her secretary spread online. I completely lost it. On Emily’s birthday, the little girl lay in her hospital bed. Weak and powerless, relying on a ventilator to stay alive. I looked in through the observation window, tears streaming down my face uncontrollably. Emily’s expression was pained, but her gaze was fixed on the spot next to me. Countless phone calls went unanswered. The last one finally connected. I hurriedly urged, afraid she would hang up the next second, “Honey, come to the hospital quickly, Emily…” The woman’s tone was impatient and dismissive: “I’m busy.” “Beep… beep… beep…” The surroundings fell into a deathly silence. The little girl on the bed suddenly started breathing rapidly, her body shaking violently. A group of doctors rushed into the room, nurses coming and going. Then, they left with tense expressions. I mustered up my strength to lean over the bed, calling softly: “Emily baby, Daddy’s here.” The little girl’s mouth opened and closed, her eyes full of hope: “Where’s Mommy?” My heart felt like it was being stabbed over and over again, the pain unbearable. I forced a smile, gently stroking her head, explaining: “Mommy’s on her way.” I pointed to the cake on the cabinet, “Look, this is the mango cake Mommy specially told me to buy. She remembered she promised to come celebrate your birthday with you, but she’s stuck in traffic.” As I comforted her, I sent messages to Olivia. “Olivia, Emily’s not going to make it.” “I’m begging you, come to the hospital to see her one last time. She’s your daughter.” “I’ll do anything if you come, even die.” After a barrage of messages, she finally replied, “Mr. Lucas, Mrs. Song is busy. Please stop bothering her.” … In the last moments of her life, Emily never got to see Olivia. But she believed what I told her. After all, Olivia used to spoil Emily rotten. Whatever Emily wanted, Olivia would buy without hesitation. No matter how busy work was, she would always make time to pick Emily up. For every holiday, big or small, she would prepare at least half a year in advance. She never missed any of Emily’s surgeries, big or small.

Late at night, I lay powerlessly by my daughter’s bedside, her breath now stilled. My eyes were red and swollen, tears long since dried up. My phone suddenly vibrated with a message from Jack. It was a news article, with two high-resolution photos attached. The headline blared: “Song Corp CEO’s Night Out with Handsome Man” In the photo, a woman in a tight dress clung coyly to a man’s arm, looking flirtatious. The man had handsome features, a faint smile playing on his thin lips as he gazed lovingly at the woman. Quite the picture of a loving couple. The second photo showed Olivia wrapped in a towel, smoking on a balcony. Red marks were clearly visible on her body, her gaze directed vaguely out the window. “Brother Lucas, Mrs. Song loves me. It’s time for you to step aside as her husband.” My hand trembled uncontrollably, my nails digging into my flesh as hatred surged in my eyes. How could they? How dare they! Do this to me. Jack was a college student I had sponsored. Back then, I had accidentally learned from a middle school teacher that Jack’s family couldn’t afford to send him to school, and wanted him to drop out to work and earn money for his brother’s wedding expenses. The teacher told me Jack was hardworking and promising. When I first met Jack, he wore ill-fitting old clothes, his hands clutching nervously at the hem. I felt like I was looking at my younger self. I offered to sponsor Jack’s high school tuition and living expenses for three years. After he graduated college, I even recommended him as a secretary against Olivia’s objections. I still remember his grateful eyes at the time, promising me, “Brother, just wait. I’ll definitely repay you in the future.” Later, I did indeed receive his “repayment.” Time and time again, he tirelessly proved to me the illicit affair between my wife and him. Ambitious to replace me in taking care of my wife.

I chose a fine headstone and, dusting off skills long unused, carved Emily’s tombstone myself. “Emily, beloved daughter. Radiant as the heart, forever in our hearts.” I personally laid Emily to rest. Next to her grave lay my grandmother, who had once been my only family. Yet I had never visited her since she passed away. The little old lady had doted on me since I was young. After my grandfather died, our family’s circumstances were poor and we couldn’t afford tuition. When I graduated middle school, someone advised Grandma to have me drop out to ease the family’s burden. She refused vehemently, “As long as Lucas wants to study, I’ll support him no matter how long it takes!” For three years of high school, she supported me by selling vegetables, successfully sending me to a top university. I thought then that Grandma’s blessings were still to come. But later, the little old lady who had bent her back to raise me became nothing but a mound of earth. I pressed my cheek against Emily’s cold tombstone, thinking to myself, “Emily, you won’t be lonely with Great-grandma to keep you company.” “Walk slowly, wait for me.”

After returning from the cemetery, I numbly packed my suitcase. I sat silently in the dark living room, not saying a word. The huge house, now devoid of the little girl’s cheerful laughter, felt suffocatingly oppressive. My tears had long since dried up, unable to shed another drop, my eyes bloodshot. On the coffee table sat a family photo of the three of us, radiating happiness. But it wasn’t in the original frame. I met Olivia when I was ten years old. She was thirteen at the time. Her mother had an affair and ran off with all the family’s money. Her father moved next door to us with her. Although Olivia was pretty, she was always cold and quiet. The villagers gossiped, and soon the whole town knew. At school, Olivia was constantly mocked. Only I stubbornly followed behind her, protecting her. “Sister Olivia, I’ll stay by your side forever.” I wanted to follow in my grandfather’s footsteps and become a sculptor, but Grandma strongly opposed it. Only Olivia told me, “There’s no such thing as a lowly profession. I’ll stay by your side forever.” On my 18th birthday, Olivia gave me a set of carving tools she had made herself. Seeing the cuts on her hands, my eyes stung with tears. “Does it hurt?” Seeing my wet eyes, she became flustered, hurriedly explaining: “It doesn’t hurt at all.” But she hid her hands behind her back, grinning foolishly at me: “They’re almost healed, really.” When we were 22, we went from school uniforms to wedding dresses, getting married. Olivia wanted to start a game studio, but her father strongly opposed it, thinking it wasn’t proper for a girl. Only I stood up to support her, just as she had once supported me. When I was 25, our daughter Emily was born. Overcome with joy at becoming a father for the first time, I held the newborn Emily and cried out loud. No matter how busy she was, Olivia personally took care of everything for the child. She often had to work overtime, but she always made me feel secure. I once thought meeting Olivia was the luckiest thing to ever happen to me. More than once, she reminisced about the past with me, saying she hated cheating and despised her mother for hurting her father and destroying their family. Olivia once curled up in my arms, promising me that she would never become someone fickle like her mother.

Olivia came home in the middle of the night. Seeing me, she was startled, “Why aren’t you asleep so late?” I coldly raised my head, meeting her gaze: “Where were you the day before yesterday?” Her eyes darted away, unconsciously avoiding my gaze, “Last-minute business trip.” After a pause, her tone softened, “I’ll make it up to Emily for her birthday another day. I’ve never missed one before anyway.” Hearing this, my chest tightened, and in that instant, tears slid down my cheeks. I turned away, trying hard to hold back the tears. After a long while, “Olivia” I spoke, my voice hoarse and weak. “Let’s get divorced.” Olivia’s face froze, and she asked uncertainly: “What?” I looked straight into her eyes, enunciating each word slowly: “I said, Olivia, let’s get divorced.” Disbelief flashed in her eyes, her expression bewildered. Just for a moment, Olivia’s face hardened, darkening slightly: “Lucas, this divorce talk isn’t funny anymore.” “Fine, we can divorce, but I’ll only give you $200,000. Also, I get custody of Emily.” As expected of a businesswoman – the company was now worth millions, yet she only offered me $200,000 to get rid of me. How cruel. I used to admire her ruthlessness in business, but now it was being used against me. I laughed coldly: “Fine, sign the papers.” She could have custody of Emily if she wanted, the girl was dead anyway. Olivia thought she could still use the child to tie me down, but it wouldn’t work anymore. Signing didn’t take long. I picked up my suitcase and headed for the door. Olivia grabbed my wrist, her tone languid: “It’s too late today, leave tomorrow.” I immediately shook her off, my tone measured: “No need. I’ve already packed everything.” “Monday at 10 AM, I’ll be waiting for you at the Civil Affairs Bureau.” A sudden summer downpour invaded the night, the empty oil-paved road exuding a stifling heat, making me nauseous. I shakily returned to the apartment I had bought for Grandma. It took most of my energy to clean up the long-uninhabited place. The house was simple and sparse, with only one photo frame – a picture of the three generations together.

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“James, he says he wants freedom and doesn’t care about money. I feel like I can get the money without marrying him. I really don’t want to be intimate with him anymore,” Lily said. “No way, the wedding is in three days. Just marry James, tell him you’ll manage the family business, get the money, and then kick him out. It’s safer this way. No one knows I’m not really your cousin,” Chris replied. I quietly sat back down, not making a fuss. The wedding proceeded as scheduled. On our wedding night, Lily wrapped herself around me like a snake. I did as she wished and signed over all the factories to her. The very next day, she showed her true colors and kicked me out, bringing Chris in: “Get lost, I’ve had enough of you. But if you really can’t bear to leave me, I suppose I could let you stay as a watchdog in the yard.” I adjusted my glasses that had been knocked askew and replied good-naturedly: “Sure, that’s fine.” “James, we’ve tried on all the wedding dresses. After we’re married, you have to listen to me and give me the factories,” Lily said with a coy smile as she stood before me. I struggled to hold the pile of clothes she had bought while adjusting my glasses. “Of course. Weren’t you afraid of marriage before? Why did you suddenly agree? Don’t tell me it’s because you want the factories?” Lily’s eyes flickered at my probing question. She pouted and wrapped her arms around mine. “What are you talking about? I was just insecure before. We’ve grown up together – don’t you know what kind of person I am?” Chris chimed in cheerfully from the side: “That’s right, bro! How can you say that about my sister? She loves you so much she’s not even asking for a sewing machine. Go ask around – who gets married without asking for appliances these days?” Lily skipped ahead, with Chris quickly following. I silently trailed behind them. Lily and I had been childhood sweethearts. As the eldest in a family with many siblings, she was often mistreated. I would always appear when she needed help, paying her tuition when she had no money, giving her my food when she was hungry. All these years I had protected her like a knight, and she was always moved. But when faced with my love, she said she was afraid of marriage. If I hadn’t overheard her conversation with Chris, I would have truly believed it was my love that touched her and made her no longer fear marriage. “Oh, the Ye girl, are you getting married to Chris? Buying so many things – I’ll have to come drink at the wedding,” an older neighbor called out. No wonder people would think that. They were dressed similarly, holding hands as they walked together, looking like a perfect couple. I was more like their chauffeur. Before I could explain, the neighbor had already ridden off on her bike. Lily came running back to explain: “Don’t listen to her nonsense. Chris is my brother. Holding hands is just how we show affection as siblings.” Chris nodded in agreement and even tried to take the things from my hands: “Let me carry those, bro.” He eagerly grabbed the wedding dress and suit. But Lily didn’t take my hand, only linking her arm with mine: “You’re not jealous of Chris, are you? We’re about to get married after all.” I awkwardly patted her head and smiled gently: “Of course not. Your brother is my brother too. Let’s go buy whatever you like.” Seeing I had no reaction, Lily turned and winked at Chris. She thought I couldn’t see her secretly holding Chris’s hand behind my back, grinning like a cat that got the cream. I smiled too. Enjoy it while you can. You won’t have such good days ahead. Perhaps because she had been poor for so long, Lily treated me like a cash cow and went on a crazy shopping spree. She may not have asked for appliances, but what she wanted was far more expensive. “James, I want this golden phoenix crown.” “I want this emerald necklace too!” “Ahh it’s a huge diamond, James!” I signed for everything she wanted. She got carried away and even picked out a Rolex for Chris. She excitedly put it on Chris’s wrist, then put on a matching women’s watch herself. The two of them held hands and looked at me. I didn’t refuse, and signed for those as well. As long as Lily asked, I would buy it, no matter who it was for. I didn’t care that there wasn’t a single item for me in the bills I was paying. Lily even bought a piece of cloth for the dog at home, but didn’t get anything for me. She seemed to have completely forgotten I was her fiancé, until the Rolex saleswoman gave a free children’s watch as a gift. Lily’s eyes lit up as she put it on my wrist: “James, this is for you. It means only I can treat you like a child, and I’ll always dote on you and love you.” Chris showed off his shiny Rolex and exclaimed exaggeratedly: “Wow sis, you’re so mushy. I’m so jealous of this single guy!” I thanked her. By the time night fell, she was finally tired of shopping. Sitting in the restaurant, she complained: “These shoes don’t fit, my feet really hurt. James, if only you could give me the shoe factory at home too. Then I could just make shoes I like.” I smiled slightly: “Sure, I’ll give it to you after we’re married.” Chris chimed in: “Bro, you really spoil my sister. She’s so lucky to marry you. Not many men would give up everything when they get married. But I guess that shows how much you love her.” I agreed: “Yes, I love her. Giving up everything is nothing.” Her eyes suddenly lit up. I lowered my head to order food, pretending not to see their legs intertwined under the table. That meal was very pleasant. They thought they were about to become filthy rich. While I knew they were about to have a very bad time. Two days before the wedding, I brought Lily home. Chris followed us out. Seeing me look at him, Lily explained: “He’ll drive for us. Otherwise you’ll be too tired.” Seeing I had no objection, she sat in the passenger seat and turned back to talk to me: “I’ll give Chris directions.” The whole way, she and Chris chatted and laughed non-stop. I sat in the back smiling silently. Our two families lived very close, just a street apart. I got out to open the door for her. She wore a brand new outfit, taking off her sunglasses as she stood in front of my house. My parents were waiting eagerly, greeting us with warm smiles: “Lily, we’ve been waiting for you. Come in quickly.” Chris followed us in. Lily explained to my parents: “This is my cousin, my aunt’s son. He’s James’ driver now.” I invited them to sit down, not continuing that topic. My mom smiled imperceptibly and slipped the jade bracelet off her wrist to give to Lily. The smooth jade made Lily’s smile even wider. My dad remained silent on the side. It was the highest level of hospitality – a table full of Lily’s favorite dishes. My mom even brought out a family heirloom, a pair of mutton fat jade earrings. She opened the box to show Lily: “These have been passed down for generations. You’re about to get married, so I’m giving them to you. Once you marry into the family, there are many more treasures in my dowry that will all be yours.” Lily’s eyes crinkled into crescents as she smiled. The meal was very pleasant. They didn’t hold back at all despite being at my home. Lily’s left hand was under the table the whole time. I helped her get food while deflecting my parents’ questions. Chris ate like he’d never seen food before. Lily looked at him dotingly as she got food for him, prompting my mom to say: “You two siblings are so close.” Lily replied: “Yes, he’s like my real brother. When we become a family and have children, it will be so nice.” I nodded, adjusting my slipping glasses to hide my expression: “Yes, being a family is wonderful.” After leaving my house, we headed back to Lily’s place. Chris tentatively asked while driving: “Bro, are your parents very rich? They casually gave such expensive jade.” Lily turned back to look at me, her gaze eager: “James, I never knew your family was so wealthy. We’ve lived so close, but I only knew you had a few factories. How could you hide this even from me?” I smiled faintly: “I wasn’t hiding it. My parents are just low-key. They let me manage their five shoe factories and one cement factory. I only have two mines under my name. I’ll give it all to you after we’re married, Lily.” Lily said impatiently: “I really wish we could get married right now.” I laughed: “Don’t rush. The day after tomorrow when we get married, it will all be yours.” Perhaps because she was about to receive enormous wealth, Lily’s attitude towards me became extremely warm. Seeing me unconsciously biting my fingers while thinking, she pouted and put my fingers to her lips: “Don’t bite them, it makes me sad.” She took out corn-flavored candy from her pocket and put it in my mouth: “Here, you’ve always loved these since we were kids.” The sweet corn flavor spread in my mouth. I remembered when we were young, I would always bite my fingers until they bled. Back then Lily was often hungry, and candy was a rare treat. She would always give hers to me instead of eating it herself. In return, I would give her my food. The repressive atmosphere in my family made me withdrawn and old-fashioned, but she was different. She was like the sun, never afraid to fight for what she wanted. My heart stirred. I let the candy melt in my mouth and tentatively asked: “Lily, is there anything you’re hiding from me?” Lily looked up at me, a bit startled. But she quickly smiled, looking straight at me: “Of course not. We grew up together, what secrets could there be? Once we’re married we’ll be together forever, living a good life. I’ll give you sons!” She hugged me and giggled in my ear. But my heart grew cold. I had given her a chance. She chose not to take it. I gently hugged her back, not asking any more. The wedding day arrived. Early in the morning, my parents woke me up and urged me to go meet the bride’s family. Looking in the mirror at my face, devoid of any joy, I forced a smile. I arrived early at Lily’s house, but couldn’t get in no matter what. Even stuffing money in didn’t work. The situation became awkward. Lily pushed out a voluntary property separation agreement, saying loudly: “Sign this and I’ll come out.” Everyone looked at each other in confusion, whispering. “What is Lily doing, asking for this on her wedding day?” “She’s after our James’ money. That ungrateful woman – if it weren’t for James, her heartless parents would have sold her off at 18. She wouldn’t even have finished school. Now she pulls this stunt.” I quieted the chatter and took out a pen from my pocket, signing without hesitation and pushing it back. I only had the mines. The other factories still required completing the wedding to transfer. Lily understood this and said coyly: “Everyone step back. My brother will carry me out.” My groomsmen were all indignant, but I remained calm. “Alright, tell Chris to be careful not to drop you.”

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On our fifth wedding anniversary, Vanessa’s junior colleague posted a photo of them scuba diving together on social media. The caption read: “Nothing sweeter than diving with my boss 💕” I commented, reminding them to be safe while diving, but my comment was instantly deleted. Vanessa immediately video called me, her face beautifully made up but full of impatience. “I’m on a company retreat with my employees. Why are you being so passive-aggressive in the comments?” “My employees can make money for me, can you? You’re just a sick man staying at home without earning a penny. How dare you criticize my staff!” In the background, I could see other employees comforting her junior colleague. Before I could explain, Vanessa hung up abruptly and blocked me. The next moment, her junior colleague flaunted a million-dollar watch on social media. I knew it was Vanessa’s way of compensating him. I tossed the anniversary gift I had prepared for Vanessa into the trash. Five years of marriage, it was time to end it. “I’m sorry, sir, but we only have one room left in the hotel today,” the receptionist at the Maldives resort apologized to me. Lucy, standing beside me, looked troubled. “Ryan and I were supposed to share a room, and you with Vanessa…” “Jack Sullivan, what are you doing here in the Maldives?” Vanessa, who had just berated me on video, stepped out of the hotel elevator. Behind her were several employees she had brought on this company retreat. Chris Zhang, Vanessa’s junior colleague and secretary, was carrying her bag and standing intimately close to her. Vanessa furrowed her brows and stormed over to me, her voice a mix of disbelief and anger. “Is this really necessary, Jack? Just because I’m a few days late coming home, you followed me all the way to another country?!” Two weeks ago, Vanessa had left for the Maldives on a company retreat, promising to return two days early to celebrate our anniversary together. But when the day came for her to return, she didn’t show up. I was worried sick at home, wondering if something had happened to them in the Maldives, so I anxiously called her several times. She impatiently accused me: “I’ve only been gone for a few days and you’re calling every day! How annoying! I’ve never seen such a nagging man. I’m not some little wife you can keep locked up!” My heart sank as I realized that my concern for her was nothing but a shackle in her eyes. It was she who had eagerly proposed to me several times, asking me to put a diamond ring on her finger, saying she belonged only to me and would be my wife alone. I coughed lightly, my expression cold as I looked down at her. “You can come to the Maldives for a vacation, why can’t I?” “What’s with that tone? You’re clearly stalking me!” Vanessa glared up at me, indignant. Lucy, standing next to me, quickly tried to smooth things over. Only then did Vanessa notice Lucy and me standing together. She looked at us suspiciously. Chris suddenly chimed in with a smile: “Jack, are you here on vacation with this beautiful lady? What a coincidence that you’re staying at the same hotel!” Vanessa’s face immediately changed, her eyes full of jealousy and envy. She stepped forward and pinched my arm hard, yelling: “How dare you betray me and have an affair with Lucy!?” I shook off her hand, coldly saying, “Are you crazy? Lucy is my buddy’s girlfriend. Don’t spread rumors!” My friend Ryan had just returned from the restroom. Seeing the situation, he quickly pulled his girlfriend into his arms to comfort her, glaring at Vanessa: “Vanessa, have you lost your mind? You know how much Jack loves you. How could you accuse him of being with my girlfriend!” Vanessa frowned, her tone full of arrogance. “Why didn’t you explain earlier!” I laughed bitterly to myself. As if she had given me a chance to explain. Lately, she had been increasingly impatient with me, just like earlier on the video call when she hung up without letting me explain. But I wouldn’t bother explaining to her anymore. There was no point. With only one room left in the hotel, I didn’t want to intrude on my friend and his girlfriend, so I had to share a room with Vanessa. I had been on a long flight, and I could feel my lungs were already overworked. Even breathing was becoming difficult. Back in the room, I sat on the couch, pale-faced, trying to rest. Vanessa urged me to go out for dinner with her employees. “I’m not feeling well, I’ll pass. You guys go ahead.” Vanessa rolled her eyes impatiently, her tone sarcastic: “You insist on coming here even though you’re sick, you deserve it! Fine, stay here then. I’ll bring you some leftovers when I’m done with dinner.” Vanessa left quickly in her high heels without giving me another glance. I opened my eyes wearily, took out my medication from my suitcase, and only felt my breathing ease after taking it. I opened my phone and sent an email to Dr. Zhang, a medical expert in treating lung conditions. Today was my fifth wedding anniversary with Vanessa. I had originally planned to come here to surprise her. But now it seems this wasn’t a surprise for her, just a shock and annoyance. Fortunately, my trip wasn’t wasted. Dr. Zhang replied that he had time to treat me over the next couple of days. I felt relieved and contacted a lawyer back home, asking him to draft a divorce agreement. When we return, I’ll officially divorce Vanessa. I fell asleep on the couch and when I woke up, Vanessa had just returned. But when I opened the takeout box, I saw cold, greasy leftovers that turned my stomach instantly. Vanessa flew into a rage: “Eat it or not, I don’t care if you starve!” She sat on the couch angrily playing with her phone, chatting with someone, a sweet shy smile gradually appearing on her face. Suddenly she said to me, “It’s too late now and the hotel’s not delivering food anymore. I’ll go out and buy you some supper.” But I had been hungry for too long and didn’t want to wait for her to go out and come back. I decided to go out with her. But Vanessa lost her temper again. “You want to follow me even to buy supper! Don’t you trust me? Do you think I’m going to meet someone? How can a man be so petty, always getting jealous! ” I hadn’t said anything, and she was already on the defensive. I said sarcastically: “You’re overthinking. I just want to eat out, otherwise how would I know what leftovers you’ll bring back this time.” Vanessa still looked unconvinced: “What leftovers? You’re just making excuses to argue with me! Now you’re finding reasons to follow me!” My stomach was cramping from hunger. I looked at her coldly, impatient. “Are you going or not? If not, give me the car keys. I’ll go eat by myself.” Vanessa rolled her eyes and reluctantly drove me to a nearby supper spot. On the way, she kept glancing at her phone while driving. The screen showed a group-buy deal for a famous restaurant nearby. When we arrived, Vanessa immediately shooed me out of the car, as if afraid I’d linger. “The staff called me over for supper. It’s not to your taste, so you eat here. I’ll come pick you up in two hours to go back to the hotel together.” With that, she drove off in a cloud of dust. I ordered a table full of delicious food and enjoyed it alone. It’s my own body, and I won’t ruin my health for her anymore. After eating, I waited outside for Vanessa, but the agreed time had long passed without a sign of her. A gust of cold wind blew, entering my lungs through my nose. I covered my mouth and coughed violently. Spots of blood seeped through my fingers, dripping onto the ground. My heart sank. It seemed my old lung problem had worsened again. Suddenly, it started pouring rain. By the time I hurriedly retreated back into the restaurant, I was already soaked. The cold moisture invaded my lungs again, and I couldn’t help but cough up another pool of blood. The restaurant owner was startled. I had to swallow my pride and ask him to drive me back to the hotel, otherwise if I kept waiting, I might cough up my entire lung. Back at the hotel, I showered, took my medicine, and quickly arranged to see Dr. Zhang tomorrow afternoon for treatment. By chance, I saw that Chris had posted on social media ten minutes ago. Among several food photos was a picture of intertwined hands. One of the hands wore a very familiar diamond ring. The location tag on this post showed it was the trendy restaurant I had seen on Vanessa’s phone earlier. When Vanessa returned, she started yelling at me as soon as she entered the door. “Didn’t I tell you to wait for me? You came back without telling me, making me look for you in the rain for hours!” I smirked, directly exposing her lie. “Half an hour ago I was still waiting for you outside the restaurant. Where exactly were you looking for me for hours?” A flash of guilt crossed Vanessa’s face. She bit her lip and glared at me. “Hmph, anyway, you should have called me if you weren’t going to wait!” I laughed inwardly. She had blocked me this morning, how could I call her? But I was too tired to explain. I took a set of spare bedding from the hotel and put it on the couch, lying down to rest. Vanessa sneered, “Don’t want to sleep in the same bed? As if I care!” “Cough cough!” The rain earlier had affected my lungs, which were now throbbing with pain. Vanessa slammed the bedroom door, leaving only a parting shot: “Sick dog, coughing all day! It’s so annoying to hear! When we get back home, let’s sleep in separate rooms!” I would certainly fulfill her wish. After the divorce when we return, I’ll have nothing more to do with her. My lungs hurt with every breath. I couldn’t sleep all night and even coughed up blood again. But my medicine was still in the bedroom and I hadn’t brought it out. I knocked on the door for a good ten minutes, coughing, before Vanessa finally opened it, her face full of anger. She didn’t even look at me, just turned and lay back on the bed with her back to me. I took my medicine and left. Hearing me close the door, Vanessa, lying on the bed, cursed me for being sick. But I really am sick. I tilted my head back and took a pill to treat the lung bleeding. Five years ago, if it weren’t for saving Vanessa, I wouldn’t have gotten this illness. Early the next morning, Vanessa had already changed and applied her makeup, looking ready to go out. Seeing me still lying on the couch, she frowned, looking displeased. “Why aren’t you up yet?” I ignored her, replying to a message from my friend. He said he and his girlfriend were going diving today and asked if I wanted to come see the ocean. Vanessa looked at my cold profile, feeling a bit panicked. She suddenly softened her tone. “Jack, we didn’t celebrate our anniversary yesterday. Let’s go diving together today, we can make up for it, okay?” So she did remember yesterday was our wedding anniversary. But my friend had just said he and his girlfriend were diving in the same area, so I nodded, planning to meet up with them. When Vanessa and I arrived, several employees from her company retreat were already on the yacht. Chris, wearing swim trunks and shirtless, asked Vanessa to help him apply sunscreen. He deliberately showed off his physique, raising an eyebrow at me, then said softly to Vanessa: “Vanessa, can you help me put on some sunscreen? I can’t reach my back!” A tour guide on the yacht joked, “Mrs. Wells, you and your young boyfriend get along so well.” At these words, the few employees present all looked at each other awkwardly. Chris pretended to be embarrassed, scratching his head: “Jack, don’t misunderstand, the guide is just joking. Maybe he thinks Vanessa and I look good together!” I glanced at him coldly, my tone contemptuous: “Indeed, you do look like a kept man.” Chris’s expression changed slightly, flashing embarrassment and anger. “Jack, what do you mean by that? Vanessa and I are purely professional. Are you deliberately mocking me?” Vanessa also frowned at me, her tone unpleasant. “Don’t be so rude. Weren’t you and Chris like brothers when he first joined the diving club? Why are you targeting him now!” Chris was our junior in college. When I first met him, I could tell he liked Vanessa. But this guy went abroad after graduation, so I didn’t pay much attention to him. Who knew that when he returned two years ago, he went straight into Vanessa’s company as her secretary. It seems that from then on, Vanessa became increasingly cold and impatient with me. Thinking back over the past two years, the many times Vanessa stood me up, stayed out all night, perhaps Chris had already replaced me in her heart. Seeing the atmosphere turn awkward, several employees came over to smooth things over. “Jack, I remember you’re good at diving too. Why don’t you come down and enjoy it for a while?” I shook my head, refusing. “No thanks, you guys go ahead.” The employees looked awkwardly at Vanessa. She felt embarrassed and bit her lip, cursing me in a low voice: “Jack Sullivan, how can a grown man be so petty! Can’t you read the room? You’re deliberately making everyone uncomfortable. What’s wrong with you!” Chris also said: “Jack, come down and play with us. Although Vanessa personally taught me yesterday, I still haven’t learned well. Why don’t you try teaching me?” As he spoke, Chris walked over and forcefully pushed me towards the diving suits. I was already annoyed that this pretty boy had cuckolded me, and now he dared to get in my face. Angry, I raised my hand and pushed him away. “Get lost!” “Ah! Vanessa, save me!” Unexpectedly, this pretty boy suddenly tilted towards the railing and fell straight into the sea. Vanessa rushed over, pushing me aside, and jumped into the sea without hesitation to bring Chris back up. Chris lay in Vanessa’s arms, looking panicked and scared. Vanessa anxiously asked if he had swallowed any seawater. Chris spoke weakly: “Vanessa, I’m okay… cough cough! Just swallowed a little water. Don’t blame Jack. Even though I know he dislikes me, he wouldn’t deliberately push me into the sea to hurt me…” Watching Chris’s poor acting, I laughed coldly. “Didn’t you just flip over yourself? If I wanted to hurt you, I would have held you underwater. Would I have let her fish you out?” Vanessa came over angrily, raising her hand high and slapping me hard across the face. “Jack Sullivan, have you gone crazy?! If anything had happened to Chris today, I wouldn’t have let you off!” I probed my cheek with my tongue, raising my hand to wipe the blood from the corner of my mouth, looking down at her coldly. IIn all our years together, no matter how fiercely we argued, she had never hit me. Now, for Chris’s sake, she didn’t hesitate to slap me.

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I couldn’t believe my eyes. My husband Gabriel was pretending to fall down the stairs and lose his memory, just to please his childhood friend Lily. He even gave her my position as the CTO of our tech company. In the hospital room, Lily was cuddling up to Gabriel, giggling and acting coy. “Gabe, you’re so clueless,” she cooed. “When I said I envied Rachel, I meant I envied her for being your wife. But you went and made me the CTO instead.” Gabriel held her close, smiling indulgently. “Why not both? For the next few days, you can be both the CTO and my wife.” I froze as I was about to push open the door, holding the soup I had made. Silently, I turned and left. The next day during a meeting, Gabriel publicly announced that Lily was his real wife and forced me to resign, handing over my CTO position to her. He was prepared for me to argue and fight back, but I said nothing. To everyone’s shock, I signed the termination agreement on the spot. What Gabriel didn’t know was that I had personally compiled the core source code for the company’s newly developed software. And the deadline for delivery to the client was less than a week away.

After the meeting, I went to the finance department to complete the handover. As I was leaving, Lily blocked my way at the door of the CTO’s office. Gabriel’s childhood friend admired her freshly done manicure, her tone condescending. “You’ve been with the company for so many years. If you can’t bear to leave, maybe I could let you stay if you beg me,” Lily said patronizingly. “Look, the company needs a janitor. You could start as an intern.” “As for the salary… how about $300 a month?” The company’s janitors were paid $400 a month. Even without looking at the provocation in her eyes, I knew she was deliberately trying to humiliate me. I narrowed my eyes slightly. “Is this Gabriel’s idea too?” “I’m Gabe’s wife now. How could he refuse my little request?” Lily giggled, covering her mouth. She pointed behind me. “Oh, here comes Gabe. If you don’t believe me, you can ask him yourself.” “Rachel, you’ve already resigned. Why are you still here?” Gabriel’s voice came from behind me before I saw him. He walked past me and pulled Lily into his arms, looking at me warily as if I was bullying his beloved. “Oh, Rachel wasn’t bullying me,” Lily said, snuggling into his embrace with a coy smile. “I saw she was reluctant to leave the company, so I was suggesting she stay. But she said she wanted to ask your opinion first.” Gabriel tweaked her nose. “You don’t need to ask me about such small matters. Just make the decision yourself.” Then he looked at me with disgust. “Since it’s Lily’s idea, go ahead and process your re-employment now.” I asked coldly, “She wants me to be a janitor. You agree with that too?” Hearing this, his tone became annoyed. “What’s with that attitude? What’s wrong with being a janitor? Lily is just being kind.” Whether it was kindness or not, Gabriel knew better than anyone. Looking into his impatient eyes, I suddenly understood. He was so confident because he was sure I wouldn’t leave the company. We had only been married for three years, but this company had been around for seven years. For the company’s development, I had not only worked long hours for the past seven years, but it was also common for me to stay up all night just to write a piece of code. This company held so much of my effort and dedication. My emotional attachment to it was deeper than anyone else’s. A while ago, Lily had just finished her internship and become a full-time employee when Gabriel wanted to promote her to Deputy CTO of the tech department. The tech department already had plenty of talented people. Adding an incompetent deputy wouldn’t make much difference. Many employees, both old and new, came forward to congratulate her. I was the only one who rejected his appointment on the spot. The tech department was the core of the company. I couldn’t let him mess around with it. He stayed quiet for a while after that, and I thought Gabriel had given up. I never expected him to use such a cliché method as pretending to lose his memory just to please his childhood friend. Seeing us standing there in silence, some of the older employees who had been watching quickly stepped in to defuse the situation. “Don’t be angry, Rachel. The boss is sick and has lost his memory. That’s why he’s talking like this.” “Yeah, the reason he’s protecting Lily is that he’s mistaking her for you. See how much he loves you?” “It’s just being a janitor! Just put up with it for a while. Once the boss regains his memory, everything will be fine.” They all chimed in, their words full of envy for Gabriel’s feelings for me, urging me to swallow my pride and bear with it. But why should I? If Gabriel really loved and cherished me, I might have put up with it. Before, when we were dating and even after we got married, Gabriel always seemed like a good man in others’ eyes – respectful and loving towards me. But the truth was… Whenever it came to making a choice, regardless of right or wrong, close or distant, I was always the first one he would abandon. He would persuade me to be more tolerant, to give in more. He said that as a married couple, we could fight at home but make up in bed. Any conflict could be resolved at home, but leaving a bad impression on others was irreparable. Is this how normal couples interact? I was confused for a long time, but as people around me kept expressing their envy, I gradually accepted it. But seeing Gabriel repeatedly shield Lily in his arms, repeatedly abandoning his principles and bottom line for her, I finally got my answer. If you truly love someone, how could you bear to let them get hurt? Love is about protection, care, and pampering. Love is everything, but it’s never a bargaining chip when weighing pros and cons. At this moment, I suddenly felt a bit ironic. I actually understood what true love meant by observing how my husband treated another woman. “All of you, shut up! I’m Gabe’s real wife. If you keep talking nonsense, I’ll have Gabe fire you all,” Lily suddenly burst out of Gabriel’s arms and slapped me across the face. “Rachel Quinn, is this what you’ve been spreading outside? How shameless can you be? I get it now. You joined this company just to seduce Gabe, didn’t you?” She was twisting facts and lashing out in anger, acting as if she really was Gabriel’s legitimate wife. My head was spinning, and I instinctively wanted to slap her back. But Gabriel quickly shielded Lily and pushed me hard. I was already unsteady from Lily’s slap, and wearing high heels, his sudden push sent me tumbling to the ground. My wrist hit the floor hard, and my face contorted in pain. Involuntary tears welled up in my eyes. “That’s enough. What are you crying for? If you hadn’t tried to hit Lily, I wouldn’t have pushed you,” Gabriel said. I looked up to see him avoiding my gaze, his tone stiff as he added, “You graduated from an Ivy League school with a Ph.D. It would be a waste of your talent to be a janitor. Go re-apply for a position as a programmer.” Lily’s previous position had been a programmer. She tugged at Gabriel’s sleeve, dissatisfied. “Gabe, the tech department isn’t short-staffed. Can’t we just let her be a janitor?” But this time, Gabriel didn’t indulge her. Was this compensation? Or a carrot? Did Gabriel think he could still manipulate me like this? But he didn’t know one thing. Sunk costs don’t factor into major decisions. When Gabriel deceived me and negated years of my hard work for another woman, there was no possibility of reconciliation between us. Now he was the one being abandoned by me. I tugged slightly at the corner of my mouth. He wanted to pretend to have amnesia? He wanted Lily to be the CTO? He wanted someone else to be his wife? I would grant him all of it. The newly developed software was the biggest project the company had taken on since its establishment. Its completion would take the company to the next level, but if something went wrong, the penalty would be more than Gabriel could bear. With less than a week left, I hoped he would remain as composed as he was today when it came time to deliver the software. Seeing me smile, Gabriel thought I had chosen to compromise as usual. The corner of his mouth was about to curl up when it froze due to what I said next. I stood up, tidied my disheveled appearance, and looked at him seriously. “No need.” “Gabriel, let’s get a divorce!”

“Are you crazy? You love me so much, how dare you mention divorce?” Gabriel blurted out. Realizing his tone was off, he quickly covered up, “What nonsense are you talking about? Why would I divorce you? Lily is my wife.” His expression was too unnatural; anyone could see something was wrong. But right now, I was willfully blind. Since Gabriel was pretending to have amnesia, I started spouting nonsense too. “That night you were drunk and mistook me for Lily. You insisted on dragging me to get a marriage license.” “Now let’s annul the marriage so you can marry Lily properly.” Lily, who had been hostile towards me, suddenly lit up when she heard this. She tugged at Gabriel’s sleeve, whining, “Gabe, let’s agree to her request. I can’t wait to marry you.” I pretended not to hear the flaw in her words and chimed in. “That’s right, don’t let me hold up your marriage.” Lily’s whining became even sweeter, but Gabriel suddenly shook her off and started to leave. “We’ll talk about this later. I have work to do.” His attitude seemed evasive? Could it be that he didn’t want a divorce? But if he didn’t want a divorce, where did that leave Lily? A bunch of questions popped into my head. In the past, I might have wanted to figure them out, but now I just felt irritated. I didn’t want to play some tragic love triangle drama with Gabriel here. Seeing him about to leave, I deliberately provoked him. “Could it be that you didn’t mistake me for Lily that day, but intentionally married me? Are you actually in love with me?” Lily immediately panicked. “You’re talking nonsense! Gabe only loves me.” Gabriel also turned back to glare at me. “Stop being ridiculous. Lily is the only one in my heart.” “Then why won’t you divorce me?” I smirked, deliberately sighing. “I understand. Men just like to act tough.” “Stop talking or I’ll tear you apart!” Lily glared at me furiously. I ignored her and raised an eyebrow at Gabriel. “Honey, since we’re not getting divorced, how about giving me back my CTO position?” “So that was your real motive all along.” Gabriel gradually regained his composure, his eyes filled with disgust towards me once again. “Such a calculating woman, you’ll never measure up to even Lily’s little finger.” “Yes, yes,” I said perfunctorily. “You can say whatever you want as long as you give me back the CTO position.” Lily screamed, “Don’t even think about it! I’m the CTO now.” Gabriel also snorted coldly. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. Since you want to use divorce to force my hand, I’ll give you what you want.” Hearing this, I deliberately provoked him a few more times. With Lily whining and fanning the flames beside him, Gabriel soon lost his cool. I struck while the iron was hot, grabbing our marriage certificate and dragging him to the courthouse. The staff there wanted to advise us out of duty, but after seeing Lily cuddling up to Gabriel, they stamped our papers without another word. It wasn’t until we walked out with the fresh divorce papers that he seemed to realize what he had done. His body swayed for a moment before he suddenly grabbed my hand as I was about to leave. “My… my head hurts so much…” Gabriel covered his head with his other hand, feigning pain. “I think I remember now. That day I didn’t mistake you for anyone else. I really wanted to marry you.” “Honey, can we not get divorced?” Gabriel rarely called me “honey” except in bed. In the past, he only used this term when he was apologizing to me. He was subtly trying to make amends, but I pushed his hand away without hesitation. “Your memory is confused. On our wedding day, you kept calling Lily’s name.” Lily clung tightly to his arm, eyeing me warily. “That’s right, Gabe. You’ve already divorced her. Let’s go get our marriage license now. Don’t pay any more attention to this woman.” Seeing my resolute attitude, Gabriel’s tone gradually cooled. “Rachel Quinn, think carefully. Once I marry Lily, it’ll be too late for you to regret it.” “Congratulations, best wishes, good riddance.” I threw out these words and left. Yesterday, I had overheard not only Gabriel’s plan to fake amnesia but also the reason he married me in the first place. In the hospital room, he had held Lily and said disdainfully, “A woman with nothing but code in her head, you don’t know how boring she is. If it weren’t for her talent, I wouldn’t have married her…” Three years ago, the company faced a huge crisis, and many employees jumped ship when they saw the situation going south. With the company on the verge of bankruptcy, Gabriel and I were so worried we couldn’t sleep, losing hair in clumps. It was at this time that Gabriel suddenly proposed to me. I thought it was love showing its true colors in times of adversity. I thought Gabriel agreed to marry me out of love, but it wasn’t until yesterday that I realized it was all one-sided. I graduated from an Ivy League school with a Ph.D. and was a core member of the company. He was afraid that if I jumped ship too, the company would be completely finished. That’s why he had no choice but to marry me. The marriage I thought was perfect was actually full of calculations and exploitation from the very beginning. No wonder he never let me participate in the company’s specific management except for the tech department. He had been guarding against me from the start. More and more details leaked out in my memory, and I increasingly felt that my decision to divorce was correct. My disgust towards Gabriel also deepened. This disgust reached its peak when I returned home. Looking at the house full of traces of life with Gabriel, I suddenly found I couldn’t stay for another moment. After booking a hotel on my phone, I started packing to leave. As I was leaving, I ran into Gabriel coming back. He seemed a bit anxious when he returned, still slightly out of breath. But upon seeing me, he still put on a condescending attitude. “I remember some more things. After we got married, we seemed to have moved in together.” “I remember you’re not from this city and have nowhere else to stay. I’m a kind person. Even though we’re divorced now, I’ll still allow you to continue living here.” If it weren’t for him, why would I have stayed in this unfamiliar city after graduation? “No need. I don’t want to disturb you and Lily’s love nest.” After coldly saying this, I left with my suitcase. Lily, who had just caught up, passed by me. Before the door closed, I vaguely heard a few lines of their conversation. “Gabe, I’m sorry. Maybe I went too far today. Should I go explain to her?” “Don’t bother with her. I told you, you can play however you want these few days.” “I know her. She’s just throwing a tantrum for a couple of days. When the time comes, I’ll say a few soft words, and she’ll come running back on her own.” As I pressed the elevator button, I lowered my eyes slightly. Gabriel, I won’t be fooled again this time.

Divorcing Gabriel wasn’t as hard to accept as I thought. During these few days staying at the hotel, I actually felt more relaxed than any day in the past seven years. Three days later, a former colleague from the tech department suddenly called me. “Rachel, when are you coming back? The software is about to be delivered, and we’re still missing part of the core source code.” “You should talk to Lily about this. I’ve already resigned.” “Stop joking around. You’re the boss’s wife. Even if everyone else resigned, you couldn’t really resign!” The person laughed it off, their tone so natural as if I hadn’t resigned but just taken a few days off. “I’m not joking.” I was about to hang up when I heard a series of noises. A moment later, Lily and that colleague’s conversation came through the phone. “Rachel has already resigned. I’m the CTO now. Why aren’t you talking to me about work matters?” “Lily, stop messing around. Do you know how much money the company will lose if this software isn’t delivered on time?”

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After my marriage, I was pressured to hand over all my earnings to my in-laws. But when I was diagnosed with a terminal illness and needed $10,000 for surgery, my husband Jason refused to help. “You know, I have a younger brother, Kyle, who isn’t married yet. I need to buy him a house. It’s a lot of financial pressure,” Jason explained. Then he added coldly, “Besides, you’re terminally ill. What’s the point of treatment?” After that, they vanished without a trace, refusing to even pay for my hospital bills. I suffered in agony until my last breath, never seeing them again. When I opened my eyes once more, I found myself back in time, just before Jason had taken control of my finances. This time, I wouldn’t make the same mistake. I threw the divorce papers directly in his face. “Olivia, haven’t you forgotten to give me something?” Jason asked, wrapping his arms around me with a smile. I felt a sudden sense of déjà vu. The last time Jason called me by that nickname was three years ago, right after we got married. It was the night of our college graduation party. My roommate Mia had dragged me to the plaza. There, in the center of a heart-shaped arrangement of candles, Jason knelt before me with a huge bouquet of roses. “Olivia, will you marry me?” he asked. I have to admit, I was truly touched at that moment. Jason and I had met during a trip to Paris. They say Paris is a city full of romance and chance encounters, and it was in a café there that we happened to meet. Jason told me that due to his family’s financial situation, he had dropped out of school early to work and help support his family. “You’re a student at a prestigious university. Won’t you look down on someone like me?” he asked, the light in his eyes dimming. I quickly reassured him, “Of course not! I don’t care about educational differences. As long as you truly care for me, that’s enough.” And so, I accepted his pursuit and began a four-year long-distance relationship. During that time, Jason would make the trip to see me once a month. My friend Mia often said I was lucky to have such a handsome and devoted boyfriend, and for a while, I believed it too. “Olivia?” Jason nudged my arm again. I snapped back to reality, slowly extricating myself from his embrace. Too many memories were flooding back, and my head was starting to throb painfully. I rubbed my temples, feeling a wave of disgust and nausea. Jason noticed something was off and asked with concern, “Are you feeling unwell?” “A bit,” I replied, turning my back to him as I lay down. “It’s nothing, I just need to rest for a while.” But Jason hadn’t given up on his original intention. He leaned close to my ear and continued, “So where’s your salary card? I can go get it myself.” At that moment, I couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh. So from the very beginning, all he cared about was my money. I pretended to be asleep. After calling my name several times with no response, Jason gave up. Half an hour later, I heard the sound of him typing on his phone, occasionally interspersed with laughter. They seemed to be having quite the pleasant chat. I pulled the covers up higher, determined to ignore it all. I had been given a second chance at life, and I had more important things to focus on.

The next morning, I was woken by Jason’s mother’s shrill screams. She burst into the bedroom, yanking open the curtains and pointing at me as she launched into a tirade: “What time is it and you’re still not up making breakfast? Do you expect me, your mother-in-law, to wait on you hand and foot?” The sudden flood of sunlight made it difficult to open my eyes. I could feel droplets of spittle landing on my face as she yelled. Seeing me frown, Jason’s mother’s tone grew even sharper. “Look at my son, getting up early on a weekend to go to work. I really don’t know how he ended up with such a lazy wife.” Right, I’m a financial consultant at a Big Four accounting firm, while Jason is just a regular employee at some unknown company. His yearly salary probably doesn’t even match my monthly earnings. Does working overtime on a weekend really make him better than me? Jason’s mother had always had an incredibly loud voice. With her nearby, I knew I wouldn’t be getting any more peaceful sleep. I silently sat up, opening my eyes to look at Jason’s mother, who stood in the doorway tapping her foot impatiently. “You have five minutes,” she snapped before stomping back downstairs. I paid no attention to her words, taking my time getting ready and contemplating what to wear. As I was doing my makeup, Jason’s mother came up several times to bang on the door. But since I had locked it, she could only curse and grumble outside before leaving empty-handed. In my previous life, I had always played the role of the obedient, dutiful daughter-in-law. Despite having to get up early for work, I would still wake up an hour earlier to make breakfast for the whole family. Then I would have to wait for everyone to finish eating and wash all the dishes before I could leave for work. Jason’s mother had a habit of watching TV while eating, and sometimes when she got into a show she liked, she would take half an hour just to finish a meal. “Mom, could you please eat a little faster?” I once asked. There was only 15 minutes left before I had to clock in at work, but Jason’s mother showed no signs of putting down her chopsticks. “How dare you rush me, your elder?!” she exploded, slamming her utensils down on the coffee table and launching into a tirade. It was always the same old rhetoric about how a woman’s place was in the home, taking care of her husband and children. She’d go on about how it didn’t matter how much money I earned if I couldn’t even manage to get pregnant. And just like that, the topic would shift from a wife’s duties to the belief that a woman’s only real value came from bearing children. Needless to say, I was late to work that day. After that, I never dared to rush Jason’s mother again. If I did, she always found ways to delay me from leaving on time. By the time I finished getting ready and went downstairs, an hour had passed. Jason’s mother and Kyle were sitting on the living room couch watching TV. Seeing me finally head to the kitchen, Jason’s mother let out a derisive snort. “Hmph, whatever you do, never marry a wife like this. She’ll be the death of me.”

Fifteen minutes later, I emerged from the kitchen with the prepared breakfast. Jason’s mother stared at the single egg and glass of milk on the table, her eyes wide with disbelief. After a long moment, she finally exploded, “Is this tiny amount supposed to feed anyone?!” “Kyle is still growing. Are you trying to starve him?” she demanded. Kyle remained on the couch, watching TV while playing his handheld game. He glanced at the table and sneered, “I’m not eating that. It looks gross.” I didn’t get upset. I simply sat down and began to enjoy my breakfast. “I know you two weren’t going to eat, so I didn’t make any for you,” I explained calmly. I generally don’t have much of an appetite in the mornings, especially on weekends when I eat even lighter. In the past, I would make a huge spread of breakfast foods to cater to the tastes of all three family members. And Kyle was an extremely picky eater. I had to come up with new menu ideas for him every couple of days. Now that I was free of all that hassle, I felt much more relaxed. “How dare you! I see you’ve completely lost all respect!” Jason’s mother shrieked. I ignored her constant yelling beside me. After finishing the last sip of milk, I went over to Kyle. If I remembered correctly, the handheld game console he was playing was one I had just bought. I hadn’t even had a chance to use it myself before he opened the package. Seeing me standing next to him looking like I was about to scold him, Kyle quickly hid the console behind his back. “This is mine. Don’t even think about taking it away,” he said defiantly. In Kyle’s mind, everything in this house belonged to his brother Jason. And naturally, everything of Jason’s belonged to Kyle as well. I had no right to question any of it, even though this entire house, including all the furniture, had been purchased outright with my own money. In my previous life, I never scolded Kyle for taking my personal belongings without permission because I cared for him like my own brother. “Kyle, I’m not upset about this,” I said gently, crouching beside him. “It’s just that you’re in high school now. You should be focusing more on your studies.” Kyle snorted, “You can say all that, but in the end you just don’t want me to have your game console. If it was Mia, she definitely wouldn’t treat me like this.” Unfortunately, back then I was so focused on my family that I never suspected there might be hidden meaning behind those words. Well, if you still love playing games so much this time around, then go ahead and play to your heart’s content. “You’ve misunderstood me,” I said, taking out $500 from my wallet and placing it on the table. “This console just arrived, so it probably doesn’t have many games yet. Since it’s the weekend, why don’t you go to the store and buy some game cartridges?”

Kyle was still young, so his reactions were quick. As if afraid I might change my mind, he grabbed the money and rushed out the door. “Don’t think this means I’ll give the console back to you,” he called over his shoulder. Of course not. As long as you enjoy it, I’ll keep buying you more. It’s just that this time, you probably won’t be getting into college. In my previous life, I had devoted myself to tutoring Kyle. Although his grades weren’t great in the end, he did manage to get into an average college. But shortly after starting university, Kyle developed a habit of drinking and partying. I often lectured him about it. One time when I went to pick him up from a bar, Kyle drugged me and handed me over to some of his drinking buddies. Afterwards, he proudly showed me the video. “If you hadn’t forced me to study so hard in high school, I might have been able to get the girl I had a crush on for years,” he taunted. After that, Kyle frequently used the video to blackmail me for money. In less than a year, my savings were completely drained. Having lived through it once, I won’t be so naive this time. Since you love it so much, go ahead and play to your heart’s content. I glanced at my phone. It was about time for my appointment with Dr. Chen. Seeing me getting ready to leave, Jason’s mother grabbed my arm. “You’re going out? What about my breakfast?!” I pulled my arm away, my expression blank. “Not just breakfast. I won’t be cooking anymore from now on.” “Didn’t you always complain my cooking was terrible? Well, now I’m too lazy to bother.” Ignoring Jason’s mother’s stream of insults, I got in my car and headed to the hospital.

“Fortunately we caught it early. The tumor is benign,” the doctor said. As I left the examination room, I felt an enormous weight lift from my shoulders. In my previous life, Jason had always insisted on managing our finances. Knowing how much men care about their pride, I handed over my salary card after we had been married for a year. But I never imagined he would completely take over all of my assets. Due to a congenital condition and work stress, I was diagnosed with cancer three years later. When I was lying in the hospital bed unable to move, I begged Jason to help pay for the surgery. “Olivia, the surgery costs are just too high,” Jason said, his expression torn. “Our family can’t afford it.” When I heard those words, I lay there in shock, barely able to breathe. I struggled to calm myself. “It’s only $10,000. How can that be…” “What’s the point of treatment?” Jason’s mother interrupted impatiently. She sat nearby, picking an apple from the fruit basket. She wiped it on her shirt before taking a big bite. “It’s terminal cancer anyway. Why waste money on something that can’t be cured?” Almost all of our family’s savings over the years had come from my income alone. Now that I wanted to use the money for my own medical treatment, she had the nerve to object? The pain in my chest intensified. “How is it not my money to spend?” “What do you mean YOUR money?!” Jason’s mother shrieked. She jumped up from her chair, crying and shouting about how ungrateful I was. As more and more people gathered to watch, she began embellishing the story, completely twisting the facts. In her version, I was a lazy wife who did nothing all day while her precious son supported the entire family on his own. “Now that she has an incurable disease, she’s trying to drain all our savings,” Jason’s mother wailed, throwing herself on the ground. “Oh, why is my life so miserable?” I felt utterly heartbroken, tears streaming uncontrollably down my face. I looked to Jason, who stood silently nearby, hoping he would speak up to defend me. But his next words crushed what was left of my spirit. “Olivia, you know our family’s situation,” he said. “You know I still have a younger brother to support. He’s not married yet, and I need to help him buy a house.” Buy a house? With my money? “Like my mom said, this is a terminal illness. There’s no point in treatment.” The doctor had said the chances of recovery were very slim, but not impossible. I wanted to use my own money for treatment. What was so wrong with that? If only my parents were still alive. I wouldn’t have to suffer this kind of mistreatment. At that thought, I became so distraught that I passed out. ———-This is the breakpoint———-

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I had finally accepted Lucas’s proposal after his 99th attempt, believing he would fulfill his promise to marry me. But on the eve of our wedding, he not only called it off at the last minute, making me a laughingstock, but also abandoned me to go on a stargazing trip with his childhood sweetheart Tiffany. I begged him to honor our engagement. Instead, he forced me to go rock climbing barehanded and catch 520 fireflies, all to make Tiffany smile. It was an absurd romantic gesture that I was coerced into. When a mudslide suddenly hit, he left without a second glance, carrying Tiffany in his arms. I was trapped on a cold, steep cliff for three days and nights without food or water, my body temperature dropping dangerously low. My body froze, and so did my heart that once loved him. Even when Lucas later apologized profusely, I could only respond with a bitter laugh. “Stop pretending. You disgust me.” I was hanging from a dead tree halfway up the mountain. The violent impact from falling off the cliff left me in excruciating pain. I couldn’t move, with broken bones all over my body. Only the taste of blood in my mouth kept me barely conscious. “We found her!” When I was discovered, Tiffany was livestreaming my rescue. She hugged my battered body while crying, her manicured nails digging into my wounds that were deep enough to see bone. “Chloe, you’re so reckless! How could you gamble with your life like this?” “Don’t leave the campsite on a whim just because you’re upset. You’ve not only broken Lucas’s heart, but also wasted public resources.” “This time, I’m donating $2 million to the disaster-stricken area on behalf of the Lu family. I hope it can atone for Chloe’s sins.” After her repeated gentle persuasion, Lucas reluctantly picked me up in his arms. He was extremely reluctant to have any physical contact with me. My body was left suspended in mid-air, like a piece of garbage he found repulsive. A clap of thunder sounded. It seemed to pull me back to those three desperate days. Fear made my stomach churn violently, forcing a trickle of blood from the corner of my mouth. Lucas’s expression changed abruptly, and he immediately let go of me in disgust. “Are you addicted to acting now?” Looking at me trembling on the ground, he impatiently called for someone to put me on a stretcher. “Chloe, stop pretending.” “It’s your own fault for being unreasonable, insisting on joining our stargazing trip without even basic safety awareness.” “Look at the stupid thing you’ve done, causing me so much trouble.” The more he spoke, the angrier he became. “It was Tiffany who went to great lengths to contact the rescue team for you, praying for your safety every day.” “You’ve wasted manpower and resources just to save your worthless life. You’ll never be able to repay her.” I curled up, staring at the countless wounds on my body as tears streamed down my face. The fireflies that were meant to witness their love almost became witnesses to my death. Their hypocritical kindness crushed my dignity and innocence bit by bit. My tears seemed to spark a flicker of complexity in Lucas’s eyes. He clicked his tongue and took off his jacket to drape over me. “Alright, you’ve overacted. You look ugly when you cry. Aren’t you usually good at holding back your emotions?” For the first half of my life, I had compromised and endured everything just to marry him. But in those short three days of being lost, my heart had turned to ashes. I no longer wanted to survive falling off a hundred-meter cliff. I didn’t want to be a desperate, clingy girlfriend anymore. I refused to beg on my knees for his love. My battered body was punishment for loving him. The love I had accumulated over the years was worn away along with my broken bones and spilled blood. When I woke up again, I was alone in the intensive care unit. My body was full of various instruments and tubes. The doctor said there were thirty steel nails embedded in my body. Tiffany came in arm-in-arm with Lucas, fussing over me. She was holding a bowl of yam and cilantro porridge that I hated most, like leftover slop. It was as if they were the loving couple, not us. Tiffany raised my hospital bed, wanting to feed me the porridge herself. Sensing my resistance, Lucas grabbed my chin, forcibly prying open my mouth. The scalding porridge rolled down my throat. I struggled desperately but knocked over the bowl. The intense burning sensation left my entire arm red. “Who allowed you to waste Tiffany’s kindness?” With that, Lucas picked up the bowl and smashed it against my head. Wet strands of hair stuck to my forehead. Compared to the torment of waiting to die slowly, this humiliation was nothing. I peeled off the rice grains and vegetable leaves from my head, stuffing them into my mouth without missing a single one. Lucas looked at me with disgust, throwing a wet wipe at me. “Chloe, are you a beggar? How revolting.” I chewed mechanically. Taking in Tiffany’s provocative smirk from the corner of my eye. They had candlelit dinners. Meanwhile, I had gnawed on tree bark just to stay alive, even swallowing insects raw. Staying alive had become a luxury. In the end, I was the one covered in scars, I was the one bearing the brunt of rumors and slander. Perhaps the only thing I had damaged was their secret love affair.

The nurse came in to change my dressings. Lucas immediately ordered her to disinfect the room. He fanned his nose in disgust, telling me to change into clean clothes. While looking for clothes, I accidentally found the wedding photos I had secretly cherished. In the photo, Lucas wore a rare smile. During every moment I was on the verge of collapse while trapped on the cliff, This photo had always given me strength. But now, it was nothing more than a thin piece of paper. After changing, I stumbled back to the ward. The VIP room originally booked for me by Lucas’s grandfather had been given to a regular crowded ward after Tiffany’s exaggerations. The noisy, cramped space was filled with endless complaints and crying. This time, I didn’t make a fuss. I just silently dragged my injured body back and forth. As I was almost done moving, Lucas stopped me. Beside him were Tiffany and his best friend Chris. My once close friend looked at me, the fallen dog, with mockery all over his face. Chris spoke with sarcasm, “Well, well, you survived a near-death experience and you’re still alive?” I clutched the rough hem of my clothes, feeling a deep, stinging pain in my heart. When we first got engaged, they had mocked me for being delusional. I never argued back, even humbly trying to please the Lu family’s housekeeper. But what I thought was loving the whole family for Lucas’s sake was just wishful thinking in his eyes. The thunder and rain were all blessings he bestowed upon me. His slightest smile could make me give up everything. A slight frown from him could also drag me into the abyss. Chris found a news article and handed it to me. “You’ve been pestering Lucas for so many years, but he never had you in his heart. Now that this news is out, even Lu Corporation’s stock price has been affected. How could he accept someone with such a bad reputation as his wife?” “Luckily Lucas was wise enough to call off the wedding and stay away from a jinx like you. I advise you to know your place and stop getting between Tiffany and Lucas!” Seizing on my weakness, those who already disliked me became even more vicious. They twisted the facts, deciding I was the culprit. Threatening the interests of Lu Corporation, destroying Lucas’s love. No one blamed Lucas for suddenly calling off the wedding. No one was outraged that Tiffany was pursuing a man who was engaged. And no one cared if I was in pain during those three days. I trembled all over. Meeting Lucas’s cold gaze, I instantly crouched down covering my head. “I’ll be good, don’t abandon me.” I knelt at his feet trying to beg for mercy. But Lucas pulled his leg away. One step and I would have rolled down the stairs, the pain of falling off the cliff overwhelming me again. “Save me!” “Chloe, you…” There was no expected pain. Lucas had pulled me into his arms. He pushed me away with some frustration, his tone icy: “I’ll marry you.” I was stunned. Lucas was convinced I would be grateful. So he tried every means, even ruining his own reputation, to break off the engagement. How could he possibly want to marry me now? I opened my mouth but couldn’t speak. But he smiled coldly: “We won’t register the marriage. It’s just for show.” “To control public opinion and make the stock price rise.” Tears instantly gushed out. He wanted to pretend to be deeply in love. To stand on the moral high ground and gain a good reputation before bowing out. In his eyes, I was trending gossip, a tool to be used. But never his wife. Before he finished speaking, Tiffany smiled coyly, “Lucas, you’re so bad.” She walked in front of Lucas, fixing his tie. Casually playing with her hair, revealing the huge diamond ring on her ring finger. I lowered my eyes and swallowed the bitterness in my throat. I no longer had the strength for hysterics.

Chris kept taunting me viciously. Insulting me to no end. I looked at the crimson seeping through my bandages, walking past them to go downstairs and check out of the hospital. I wanted to hide away, not wanting to endure the cold hospital and indifferent Lucas anymore. He wouldn’t give me the sense of security I needed most. Just let me fend for myself. At the stairway landing, Lucas grabbed my wrist. “You’re half crippled now.” “If you leave me and check out, how many more people do you want to harm?” I pried his fingers off one by one. Three days ago, I was barely clothed and starving, dangling precariously halfway up the mountain. Listening to wolf howls, too afraid to sleep, terrified until dawn. At my most desperate, I even thought about jumping off the cliff to end it all. From beginning to end, I was the one covered in scars, I was the one bearing the brunt of rumors and slander. Perhaps the only thing I had damaged was their secret love affair. Seeing my resistance, Lucas irritably pushed me against the cold, hard wall. “Stop being so delicate, okay? Be a good girl and listen. I can give you anything except love.” “Why can’t you be more considerate of me like Tiffany? Is that so hard?” “If you keep acting like this, you might as well have died at the bottom of that cliff.” His increasingly harsh words were like a curved blade. Slowly cutting open my deepest fears. The back of my head hit the wall hard, my pupils gradually losing focus. My hands weakly pounded on his shoulders as I kept repeating, “Let me go.” Lucas was annoyed and picked me up in one motion. But he didn’t know that my determination to get away from him had reached its peak. In my desperate struggle, I collided head-on with a nurse’s treatment cart. I fell among countless shards of broken glass. My wounds reopened, a bloody mess. The clean clothes I had just changed into were in tatters again. “Chloe!” Lucas was startled and carefully tried to reach out to help me up. But I lay on the ground gasping for breath, only managing to stand with difficulty with the nurse’s support. My avoidance made a murderous aura emanate from him. “You hate me touching you? Then why did you desperately beg me to marry you?” “Now you’re even playing hard to get?” I was dizzy, my ears ringing. His malicious speculations shattered the rose-colored glasses I had for him piece by piece. The light that had kept me alive went out. I could gather 520 fireflies for him, even if it wasn’t for me. I could obediently stay put, even if he didn’t come to rescue me first. But I couldn’t accept that he never even thought about finding me. So I’m tired, I don’t want to love anymore. “Chloe, I’m very disappointed in you. How did you become like this?” I didn’t understand where the pain in his eyes came from. This question should have been for me to ask him. I vaguely remembered five years ago, when my mother was on her deathbed. After donating a kidney to Lucas’s grandfather, her only wish Was to secure my engagement to Lucas. He personally carried my mother’s coffin, silently wiped away my tears, and held me in his arms like a treasure. “No matter what happens in the future, I will never abandon you.” But in the face of the raging mudslide, My tears dried up once again. All because Lucas had broken his vow.

My emotions completely collapsed. I remembered my mother’s dying wish for me to be happy. Then I thought of how desperate and lost I was on that rainy night. I hugged myself tightly, my eyes red-rimmed. “It hurts so much, Lucas.” “Why didn’t you save me? The cliff was so dark and cold. I won’t cling to you anymore, just don’t leave me alone.” “I’ll give you back to Tiffany, please don’t abandon me.” “Stop torturing me…” He looked at my shaking shoulders, unable to say anything harsh. He couldn’t help but soften his tone. “Chloe, I’m right here. I didn’t abandon you. What’s wrong?” “Didn’t you jump off the cliff yourself to get sympathy?” Lucas carried me back to the Lu mansion and called for a private doctor to take care of me. He carefully used a cotton swab to moisten my lips. “If you don’t want to stay in the hospital, then come home.” “Tiffany and I are both here. She’s sensible and will take care of you.” “I’ll let bygones be bygones for what happened before, but why are you so afraid?” I suddenly felt a bit wronged and choked up, ready to explain. But before I could open my mouth, a graceful figure affectionately leaned against Lucas. Tiffany pressed her bleeding fingertip to his lips. “Lucas, I cut my finger while making food for Chloe.” “Can you blow on it for me?” Lucas’s furrowed brow showed his distress. “You should have let me do it.” I looked at him in disbelief. Lucas was a male chauvinist who never stooped to cooking because of his privileged upbringing. If I had cut my finger, he would probably just scold me for being clumsy. I closed my eyes in despair. Lucas tucked me in and sighed. Seeing this, Tiffany suddenly spoke up: “Chloe, Lucas and I grew up together. I can tolerate your resentment towards me given your engagement.” “But last time during the camping trip, that was the company’s new project. We were just doing a site survey.” “You shouldn’t have thrown a tantrum, stolen supplies and hidden in the mountains, then jumped off the cliff before we arrived.” “Because of your scandal, Lu Corporation lost hundreds of millions in revenue. Can you take responsibility for that?” After her embellished account, Lucas snorted coldly, a self-mocking smile on his face. “I almost fell for your tricks again.” “Tiffany, don’t bother with her. This kind of scheming woman will bite you harder the nicer you are to her.” A sense of powerlessness washed over me. I wanted to argue with red-rimmed eyes. But I could barely choke out a complete sentence through my sobs. “She’s lying…” Lucas raised his hand high. Even my crying became shaky with fear. My eyes brimmed with tears as I bit my lip hard, refusing to let them fall. He swept everything off the bedside table with one motion. After staring at me deeply for a moment, he left without looking back. Only my whimpers remained in the large guest room. I covered my chest as large teardrops fell on my face. Hearing him gently comforting Tiffany through the wall, I laughed bitterly, “Lucas, let’s end this.” “I don’t want to love you anymore.” I found the agreement Lucas’s grandfather had once given me. I signed my name. ———-This is the cutoff point———-

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My son was murdered while buying a birthday cake for his father. That evening, Jake’s childhood friend posted on SnapChat: “Someone with a mango allergy insists on eating the mango cake I bought.” Fighting back tears, I called Jake to come see our son one last time. “Can’t you stop bothering me? Emma rarely comes back to celebrate my birthday with me.” As a crime scene cleaner, Jake personally cleaned up the cake shop where our son was killed. “Look at other people’s kids, remembering their dad’s birthday. My ungrateful brat is just like his mother, only knows how to ask for money.” With a heart turned to ashes, I decided to divorce him. “Think about Kevin. A child without a father’s love will never be happy.” After slapping him, I dragged him to kneel before our son’s ashes. “Ma’am, we need you to come to the police station. There’s a body here for you to identify.” The moment I received that call from the police, my mind went blank. Just half an hour earlier, my son Kevin had snuck out, saying he wanted to prepare a surprise for his dad. I checked my phone. The first message was from Kevin: “Mom, I’m buying a birthday cake for Dad. I’m going to give him a big surprise tonight!” With trembling hands, I tried calling Kevin’s phone. No answer. I tried again… still no answer. I don’t even remember how I got to the police station. After giving them Kevin’s name, the officer sighed. “Do you know Kevin Zhang?” he asked. I nodded numbly. “He’s my son. What… what happened to him?” “I’m sorry,” the officer said, gesturing for me to come inside. As we entered, I noticed the sign on the door: Morgue. The officer lifted a white sheet. I forced myself to look. And then I collapsed to my knees. On the cold metal table lay Kevin, his face and neck horribly mutilated. But it was unmistakably my little boy. “Has… has the killer been caught?” I asked through gritted teeth, tears streaming down my face. “Yes, we’ve apprehended the suspect,” the officer replied. Okay. At least they caught the monster who did this. “Can I take Kevin home now?” I asked. The officer nodded. “You may.” With shaking hands, I pulled out my phone to call my husband Jake. We should at least bring Kevin home together. The phone rang for a long time. He hung up on me three times before finally answering on the fourth try. Before I could speak, Jake’s irritated voice cut in: “Can’t you take a hint? Emma came all this way to celebrate my birthday with me. Can’t you just leave us alone for once?” Emma? Jake’s childhood friend. Ever since Jake and I got married, Emma had constantly needed his help for every little thing. And Jake was always eager to solve her problems. Especially after Kevin was born, when Emma left the country out of jealousy, Jake felt that Kevin and I had driven away his dear friend. The officer’s eyes held even more sympathy now. A female officer came over and helped me up. “Ma’am, we can drive you and your son home.” But I couldn’t let Kevin go without saying goodbye to his father! This was his dad, after all. I called Jake again. This time he picked up quickly. “Olivia, do you have nothing better to do? Emma and I are just having a normal get-together. If you keep bothering me, don’t blame me for getting angry.” I lowered my voice. “Kevin’s been in an accident. You need to come.” I couldn’t bring myself to say the word “dead.” “Oh come on, you’re using Kevin as an excuse again? Everyone knows you two are always scheming together.” Before I could respond, I heard a woman’s voice in the background. “Jake, I’m scared to cut the cake. Can you help me?” The call disconnected again. I saw Emma’s latest post on Instagram: “Someone with a mango allergy insists on eating the cake I bought. 🙄” The photo showed a mango cake, along with a selfie of her and Jake. My legs went weak. The female officer had to support me to stand up straight. “Don’t be scared, Kevin. Mommy’s taking you home,” I whispered. I brought Kevin home and began preparing for his funeral. Jake never came home that night. The next morning, on the way to the crematorium, Jake finally called me. “Make some pumpkin soup and bring it to the hospital. Make extra – Emma wants some too.”

My hand shook as I gripped the phone, too angry to speak. After a long pause, I managed to say: “Jake, don’t you dare regret this.” I suddenly felt that Jake didn’t deserve to be Kevin’s father. As I watched Kevin being pushed into the cremation chamber, I couldn’t hold back anymore. I crouched down and sobbed. From a young age, Kevin had been so understanding. He knew his father wasn’t very attached to our family, so he always behaved well and never asked Jake for anything. This time, he had snuck out on his own just wanting to use a cake to improve his relationship with his dad. At the parent-teacher conference a week ago, I could sense how envious Kevin was of the kids whose fathers attended. But now, it was all gone. As I carried Kevin’s ashes out, a light drizzle began to fall. Not long after I got home, I received a call from the cemetery. “Ma’am, I’m sorry but the plot you reserved this morning has been sold to someone else for a higher price.” What? I had carefully chosen that spot for Kevin. “But I already paid a deposit. How can you sell it to someone else?” I protested. The person hemmed and hawed before another voice came on the line. “Listen lady, money talks. We’re paying more, so naturally we get priority. Besides, you didn’t sign a contract, so it doesn’t count.” I knew that voice all too well. It was Jake. “Jake, let’s just forget it. We can find another spot for my uncle. No need to insist on this one,” I heard Emma say in the background. I took a deep breath. “What about honoring agreements? I paid a deposit. You can’t do this.” Jake was still comforting Emma. “Your uncle is my uncle too. I’ll make sure this gets taken care of.” How touching. The cemetery staff sounded uncomfortable. I really didn’t have the energy to argue, especially not with someone connected to Jake. I just wanted Kevin to rest in peace. “Ma’am, we can compensate you, or you can come by this afternoon to choose another plot?” the staff member offered. “Fine,” I agreed. We’ll just find another spot. The funeral preparations continued. Jake’s parents had both passed away, so his family couldn’t help. I called my parents and asked them to come assist with the arrangements. My parents hugged me tightly when they arrived, and we all cried together. “Oh sweetheart, you’ve been through so much,” my mom said. I had moved far away when I got married. Jake had knelt before my parents and sworn he would take good care of me. And now… I took a deep breath. “Mom and Dad, can you please go to the funeral home and set up the memorial? I need to go to the cemetery first.” When I arrived at the cemetery, the staff came out personally to greet me. As soon as I entered, I locked eyes with Emma in the distance. She immediately grabbed Jake’s hand and hurried away from the cemetery. Her expression suggested she knew something. I composed myself and chose a new plot for Kevin. After finishing up, I ran into Jake on my way out. “Olivia, are you following me?” he demanded. I let out a cold laugh. “Follow you? To watch you and your little friend being all lovey-dovey?” “How many times do I have to tell you, Emma and I are just friends. She’s all alone here – what’s wrong with me helping her out?” “Fine, go ahead and help your dear friend then!” I snapped before walking away. As I was leaving, I thought I heard Jake mutter something. About cleaning up the cake shop crime scene. Oh right, I’d almost forgotten – he’s a crime scene cleaner. So… Would he be cleaning up the cake shop where Kevin was murdered? When I got home, everything was ready at the funeral home. The funeral would be tomorrow. I had no friends or relatives here. Just a few of my parents’ relatives had come. “Damn that bastard Jake! He won’t even come to his own son’s funeral?” my uncle fumed.

I looked at my uncle, my meaning clear. “Once this is over, I’m divorcing him,” I said. “That still doesn’t excuse him from attending his child’s funeral. What kind of father is he?” My uncle stood at the entrance and started making phone calls. I stared at Kevin’s black and white portrait, tears falling uncontrollably. He was only six years old. How could fate be so cruel? It started raining again. My dad stood next to me holding an umbrella. I clutched Kevin’s portrait throughout the entire funeral. Jake never showed up. I had tried to contact him, but he had blocked my number. I couldn’t even send him a message. I didn’t know any of his friends to reach out to. I had just brought the urn home when Jake finally called. Looks like he unblocked me. “Olivia, what kind of scene are you trying to make? Haven’t you embarrassed me enough? Telling all your relatives our family business – you’re just taking advantage of the fact that I don’t have anyone to back me up, aren’t you?” Taking advantage? If that was my goal, I wouldn’t have married him without asking for any dowry, and even contributed over $10,000 of my own money when we got married. Now in his eyes, I’m the one taking advantage. “I don’t know what my uncle said, but you should come home when you can. I need to talk to you about something,” I said. “No way, I don’t want to deal with your relatives. They all look down on me anyway.” How ridiculous. If they really looked down on him, why would I have quit my job to focus on our family? Only later did it become “useless housewife” in his eyes. He hung up on me again. Fine, he’s probably still cleaning up at that cake shop. I’ll go find him there tomorrow to explain the situation. Coming to this place filled me with dread. All I could think about was how Kevin looked when he died. He was always so afraid of pain. I can’t imagine how terrified and desperate he must have felt in his final moments. The shop was cordoned off, so I could only wait outside for Jake to come out. I could clearly hear the voices talking inside. “Did you guys hear? The kid they killed was only 6 years old. Apparently he was buying a cake for his dad’s birthday when he ran into the killer.” “Tsk tsk, look at that kid, still remembering his dad’s birthday. My ungrateful brat is just like his mom, only knows how to ask me for money.” That was Jake’s voice. So in his eyes, Kevin had become the ungrateful one. “Aw, they just don’t understand your work.” Jake chimed in: “Exactly! My wife even tried to get me to switch jobs. Not at all understanding like Emma. Only Emma supports me behind the scenes.” What a joke. Why did I ask him to change jobs? It was all for Kevin’s sake. During a school survey, Kevin had proudly described his father’s job as a crime scene cleaner as noble and selfless. The result was endless bullying and ostracism. The other kids at school called him unlucky and said he smelled like death. No one wanted to be his friend. Kevin never dared tell Jake about it. If I hadn’t accidentally discovered him crying alone in his room one day, I never would have known either. That’s the only reason I suggested Jake change jobs. Of course Emma would support him – she wasn’t affected by it at all. “Hey, I heard the security footage is still around. You guys brave enough to watch it?” someone asked.

I wondered how Jake would react if he saw the victim was Kevin. “Ugh, that’s disgusting. I heard the killer even smashed out the kid’s teeth. It must be a bloody mess. I don’t want to see that and have nightmares.” That’s right. Sometimes my little Kevin didn’t even have any teeth left. An hour later, Jake finally finished work. He seemed surprised to see me waiting outside. After saying goodbye to his coworkers, he pulled me over to a nearby alley. “What are you doing here?” he demanded. “Let’s get a divorce,” I said. “Are you crazy? Is this about Emma again? How many times do I have to tell you, it’s not what you think.” As we were talking, Emma suddenly appeared. She immediately latched onto Jake’s arm and smiled at me. “Sister-in-law, you’re just too jealous. If I really wanted Jake, do you think you’d stand a chance?” How sweet of her to say. I was about to respond when my phone rang. “Ma’am, we need you to come to the police station again. There’s been a development in the case.” After hanging up, I turned to leave. Jake grabbed my wrist. “Where are you running off to? Did Emma hit a nerve? You really are just a jealous shrew.” I yanked my hand away and slapped Jake hard across the face. “Watch your mouth. I don’t have time for your nonsense right now.” I rushed to the police station. The officer offered me a glass of water first. “So, have you or your family made any enemies recently?” he asked. I thought about it. I hardly ever left the house, let alone made enemies. I barely even saw anyone. So it had to be related to Jake somehow. But given Jake’s unusual job, I’d never heard him mention conflicts with anyone. Suddenly, Emma came to mind. I remembered the look in her eyes at the cemetery. I nodded. “My husband has a mistress. Does that count?” The officers exchanged glances. “It could.” “What’s going on? Did the killer say something?” “Well, we have reason to believe Kevin’s murder was a contract killing.” A contract killing. Kevin was so young. Who could be so heartless? “Why didn’t you tell me this before?” I asked. The officer looked embarrassed. “I apologize. It was an oversight on our part.” The rest of the details were confidential, so the police couldn’t share more with me. When I got home from the station, I was surprised to find Jake there. He was lounging on the couch with his legs crossed, seemingly unaware that our son was missing. “Where’s Kevin? Out playing again?” he asked casually. Unbelievable! I set down my things. “Now you care about your son? Where were you before?” “What’s that supposed to mean?” “Jake, let’s get divorced,” I said. I took a deep breath. I would just have to accept that Kevin no longer had a father. More accurately, Jake didn’t deserve to be a father. Seeing how serious I was, Jake started to panic. He smiled and took my hand. “Don’t be ridiculous. We’ve been married for so many years. You can’t throw it all away over this little thing with Emma.” “Oh, so you do remember how long we’ve been married,” I said with a bitter laugh. “Then please, just agree to the divorce. Don’t make this painful for both of us.” Jake came up and hugged me from behind. “How can you bear to divorce me? Don’t you want Kevin to have a father? Do you want him to be bullied for not having a dad?” SSo he did know that kids without fathers get bullied. I turned and grabbed Jake by the collar, dragging him to Kevin’s room. “Look closely. These are your son’s ashes.”

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My stepsister married the billionaire who was supposed to be my fiancé. As she walked past me on his arm, she gave me a smug smile. “Little sis, this incredible fortune was too much for you to handle. Your big sister had to step in and take it off your hands.” I just smiled back without saying a word. I still remember how she later ended up beaten bloody by debt collectors, kneeling and begging me for help. What a pitiful sight that was. My sister had locked me in the house. Today was the day my fiancé Jack was returning to the country. We had been betrothed since childhood, an arrangement made by my late mother and Jack’s mother when they were young. My stepmother had known about this for a long time. She had always despised me, so how could she possibly let such good fortune fall into my hands? They locked me in my room and had my stepsister take my place. Chloe gave me a vicious kick, hitting me right in the stomach. I was already hungry, and now the pain made me curl up on the floor. The next second she roughly yanked me up by the arm. Her eyes were full of mock pity as she sneered, “Little sister, I’ve stolen everything from you for twenty years. Now I’m even taking your fiancé. How does it feel? Do you hate me?” I glared at her fiercely, wanting to fight back, but the pain left me too weak to move. Seeing this, she slapped me hard across the face. “You’ve got some nerve giving me that look. Don’t even think about resisting.” The bright red handprint stung on my cheek. Chloe was very pleased with my wretched state. She taunted me cruelly: “Who can you blame for the misery of your 25 years? Your short-lived mother for leaving you all alone in this world? If you want to blame someone, blame her – you poor motherless child.” “Oh right, you don’t know this, but I’m the one who got your mom killed.” My body went rigid with shock. Everyone had always said my mother was assaulted and killed by some thugs. I had suspected my stepfamily’s involvement, but those thugs had mysteriously died afterwards. Even if I wanted to prove their guilt, I had no evidence. Chloe cackled with laughter. “That’s what you and your mother get for being so pretty. You deserved to be ruined.” I clenched my fists tightly, trembling with rage. No, now wasn’t the time to strike back. I had to wait a little longer. Chloe kicked me again before continuing: “When I was little, I was on my way to buy candy when I came across your mom. She was lying motionless on the ground. I was so scared at first.” “When I got closer, I realized she was still barely breathing. Want to know what happened next?” She crouched down and whispered in my ear: “She weakly called out to me, ‘Chloe’. She begged me to call 911. Her phone was right there next to her.” “But I didn’t. Hahaha I watched her die right in front of me. All I could think was that you were motherless now, but I still had my mom!” “I don’t know why, but seeing you in pain just made me so happy. The more you suffered, the better I felt!” I felt my blood run cold, my body frozen stiff. My stepmother’s voice came from the doorway: “Why are you telling her all this? Hurry up and go meet your fiancé!” “Coming, Mom!” Chloe called back. I stared out the window at the sunset, biting my lip hard until I tasted blood. Only then did I manage to calm myself as memories flashed through my mind. Suddenly, I smiled. Their time to be so arrogant was running out.

From the moment I was born, I had been aware that I was living in a story. I knew how everything would unfold. My so-called billionaire fiancé was actually a despicable hypocrite. He appeared refined on the surface, but was rotten to the core – an abusive gambler and womanizer who would eventually be shot dead. His wife, after enduring endless torture and humiliation, would end up jumping to her death. My stepmother would die alongside her daughter. The mother-daughter pair’s fate could be considered karmic retribution for their evil deeds. Now, if the story went according to the usual script, they would inevitably bring about their own downfall sooner or later. But I never expected there would be a twist. I suspected that the Jack Johnson in this story had been replaced by someone else.

He was lounging on the sofa as my stepmother Fiona brought him tea, grinning from ear to ear. “Oh my, what a handsome face! I like this son-in-law more and more!” She reached out to touch Jack’s face, but Chloe quickly pushed her hand away. “Mom! What are you doing?” she scolded, clearly annoyed. Fiona just chuckled. “Alright, alright. I know he’s yours. I won’t steal him, you little brat.” Sitting across from them, I smirked as I watched the scene unfold. In the original story, there was even a plot where the mother and daughter fought over the same man. However, my smile caught Jack’s attention. He asked, “And who is she?” Fiona quickly spoke up: “That’s Chloe, Abigail’s sister that I told you about.” “Is that so? For some reason, I have a feeling she’s actually the real Abigail Quinn,” Jack replied. The room went silent for a moment. Fiona panicked. “No, no, that’s impossible. You two have never met before. I already told you she’s Chloe. Why would I lie to you?” She hurriedly tried to pull me into another room to lock me away again. But Jack said, “Wait.” Fiona nervously swallowed. Jack smiled. “She is Abigail Quinn, isn’t she?” “Impersonating someone else’s identity is a crime, you know.” I could feel Fiona’s hand trembling violently as she gripped my arm. Chloe stepped forward, shielding Fiona. “It was all my idea. Don’t blame my mom!” As I listened to their conversation, I frowned in confusion. In my memories, Jack had married Chloe without any doubts, completely fooled by the deception. Could it be that he knew something? Looking into Jack’s dark, inscrutable eyes, I had an ominous feeling.

The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Suddenly Jack burst out laughing. It was a cruel, dangerous sound. “Why are you all so nervous? Even if she is the real Abigail, I’ve already given my heart to Chloe. Let’s just have the wedding as planned. You’re all part of the Quinn family anyway.” Hearing this, Chloe’s eyes immediately lit up with joy. She clutched Jack’s arm, asking excitedly, “Really? Do you really mean it?” Jack patted her head. “Of course I do.” Fiona happily clapped Jack on the shoulder. “You naughty boy, you nearly gave me a heart attack! As punishment, you have to have a drink with me tonight!” Chloe shot me a smug look. “Little sister, I guess you just don’t have the good fortune to enjoy all this wealth and luxury!” Thanks for the offer, but I wouldn’t want that “good fortune” even if you gave it to me. Jack’s little performance tonight made me suspicious. His tone, logic, and even appearance were completely different from the character I remembered from the story. I had a bold theory – I suspected he had been replaced by someone else. Friend or foe, I couldn’t be sure. I also couldn’t be certain if this transformation meant he was now on a path of righteousness. If that was the case, I’d have to carry out my revenge on my own. For now, I couldn’t figure it out. I turned to go back to my room, but Chloe grabbed my arm. She looked down at me haughtily and commanded, “I order you to bring me a basin of water to soak my feet.” Look at that, she’s already putting on airs before officially becoming Mrs. Johnson. Unfortunately for her, I had no intention of indulging her. I dumped an entire bucket of scalding hot water all over her body. The boiling water instantly turned her skin an angry red. She let out a piercing scream. “Ahhhh! Abigail! Are you trying to kill me?!” “Mom! Mom! Hurry up and beat her to death!” Chloe was bright red all over, like she’d just been pulled out of a boiling pot. She wailed as she ran to pour cold water on herself. As she passed by, I slapped her face hard twice. “Stop putting on an act, sis. I’ve been holding back for a long time today.” If it weren’t for wanting her to successfully marry Jack, I would have run away long ago. Did they really think they could keep me trapped with their puny brains? Fiona rushed over to hit me, but I caught her arm and flipped her whole body. Her flabby rear end hit the floor with a thud as she cried out in pain. “Owww!” I sneered, “Stepmother, are you so arrogant because you have some animal protection group looking out for you?” “Unfortunately, you’re nothing but a couple of mad dogs.” “Next time you bark at me like that, I guarantee I’ll beat you until you can’t even afford the medical bills!”

I didn’t give them a chance to react before heading back to my apartment. As soon as I opened the door, my cat Sweetie jumped into my arms, nuzzling against me. After petting her fur and feeding her, there was a knock at the door. Through the peephole, I saw it was Jack outside. I frowned, not planning to let him in. But then he spoke: “You’ve awakened, haven’t you?” My heart skipped a beat. Did he know? “Don’t be so extreme. They are family after all.” I couldn’t help but laugh. “You fake, are you here to speak up for them?” Jack: “Yes. Don’t go against your stepsister.” So he really was on their side. My clenched fists trembled violently. “And what if I don’t listen?” I challenged. Jack didn’t respond. After a long silence, I realized he had already left. It seemed he would have to be dealt with as well.

The wedding was set for three days later. Before then, I went to cash in a winning lottery ticket and used the money to hire some people. But I didn’t expect to run into Chloe on the street. She was dressed up glamorously. As soon as she saw me, her eyes blazed with fury. She charged at me, ready to attack. But Jack grabbed her arm, stopping her. “What are you doing?” “Jack, she poured boiling water on me yesterday. I have to get revenge!” She tried to lunge forward again, but Jack said in a low voice, “Enough.” Chloe didn’t dare defy him, but she still glared at me, grinding her teeth in hatred. She turned to me, “Little sister, you were quite bold yesterday!” I raised an eyebrow. “I suppose.” Chloe looked up at Jack and said, “Jack, you don’t know this, but my sister is actually a prostitute. She didn’t come home last night – who knows which man she was sleeping with.” Those kinds of insults didn’t faze me at all. But Jack’s gaze as he looked at me was very searching. “Soon I’ll be the high and mighty Mrs. Johnson. When you see me, you’ll have to kneel and beg forgiveness!” Chloe gloated. I found it amusing. “Has the water damaged your brain, sis? The nonsense coming out of your mouth is laughable.” “You-!” She sputtered in anger. “Just wait and see me walk down the aisle in three days!” I smiled and agreed. Sure, in three days you’ll be walking straight into your coffin. I didn’t expect Chloe’s revenge tactics to be so crude. That night, as I was leaving work, someone knocked me unconscious. When I came to, I found myself tied up and lying on a bed. I smirked in disgust. Using a small knife, I cut through the ropes. Opening the door, I realized I was in a hotel. Hiding behind a wall, I saw a shadowy figure sneak into the room I had just left. Soon after, I heard him cursing and making a phone call: “What the hell are you playing at?!” The person on the other end said something. The man snapped in frustration: “I don’t care! Come see for yourself!” A few minutes later, Chloe showed up at the hotel. But before she could say much, the man roughly dragged her into the room. Her shrill screams rang out. [CUT-OFF POINT]

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A devastating fire consumed everything I had when I was eighteen, including my eyesight. It was Jack, my neighbor, who rushed into the inferno to save me. He even performed the surgery himself. Unfortunately, he couldn’t save my eyes. From that day on, he voluntarily became my crutch, the starlight illuminating my dark world. He even defied everyone’s objections and married me, making me Mrs. Thompson. Later, with the help of my best friend, Anna, I successfully received a cornea transplant. I didn’t tell Jack, secretly returning home to surprise him. What I never expected was to find three voluntary cornea donation agreements on our coffee table. The donor was Emily. My hands trembled uncontrollably. Jack had always lied to me, saying there were no suitable corneas, but he had found three for Emily! The earliest agreement was signed just a month after my failed surgery! I wanted to confront Jack, but I saw him entangled with his stepsister Emily on our marital bed, their clothes disheveled. I hid behind the door, overhearing their conversation. “If she hadn’t urgently needed a cornea, why would I have saved her?” ······ “I merely stole her eyes, but I’ve compensated her with my entire life!” Hearing this, my heart stopped. I remembered when I had just been rescued. Jack personally prepared a surgery for me, but unfortunately, I still couldn’t regain my sight afterward. Could it be that my corneas weren’t actually damaged, just temporarily blind? That surgery wasn’t to help me restore my vision, but to extract my corneas for Emily! I clutched my aching heart, collapsing outside the door. Inside, Jack exhaled a smoke ring, his arm around Emily’s waist. “Emily, I can’t bear to see you suffer, not even for a moment!” “I, Jack Thompson, would rather betray the world than betray you!” Emily giggled, clinging to Jack: “Brother, I knew you cared for me the most!” “By the way, have you prepared the backup corneas for me?” “Don’t worry, I’ve prepared three sets. I’ll never let anything happen to you again!” Jack passionately kissed Emily, his eyes filled with a tenderness I had never seen before. “Emily, you’ve sacrificed so much for me. Your corneas were donated to me, causing your blindness. You even agreed to marry that old man for my sake. I’ll never let you down in this lifetime!” Emily pushed Jack away, pouting: “But brother, you already have a legal wife. You haven’t really fallen in love with her, have you? After all, you’ve wronged her too, haven’t you?” “How could I? Sarah was temporarily blinded by a cabinet falling on her, causing intracranial hemorrhage. Although it could have been cured, I sacrificed my life to get her eyes, didn’t I? I’ve already given her the title of Mrs. Thompson, enough compensation for that pair of corneas! We’re even now!” “But what I owe you can never be repaid!” I covered my chest, my hands trembling uncontrollably. Jack, can you really compensate for my life? What I lost wasn’t just a pair of corneas. I lost six years of youth that should have been the most vibrant. I lost my dream of becoming a surgeon. The acceptance letter from Johns Hopkins Medical School had already arrived in my hands, but because of this accident, I completely lost the opportunity to become a doctor! Jack, you can’t compensate for this, and I don’t want to be entangled with you anymore! I recorded the intertwined figures of the two on my phone and retreated from the room, feeling lost. I was an orphan. The fire that year burned everything, leaving only my grandmother in the countryside and me. When I woke up in the hospital then, I really thought I had been abandoned by the whole world. In the darkness, it was Jack who held my hand. He whispered tenderly in my ear: “Sarah, don’t be afraid. From now on, I’ll be your eyes.” He hugged me, tears falling on my hand, his voice still choked with sobs: “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. If it weren’t for my poor medical skills, you wouldn’t… From now on, I’ll take good care of you! I’ll never let you down, for life!” At that time, I thought that apology was remorse after trying his best in vain. Now I understand, it was all my own wishful thinking. That apology wasn’t meant for me to hear, it was for his uneasy conscience. I originally thought he was the redemption of my dark life, the starlight I held in my palm. But I never expected that he was the culprit who plunged me into eternal darkness! I left that house, wandering like a lost soul to the cemetery where my parents and grandmother were buried. Grandmother’s grave was newly built last year when I still hadn’t regained my sight. Since the accident at home, grandmother had moved to the city to take care of me personally. She was my last living relative. When grandmother passed away, I lay on her gradually cooling body, repeatedly stroking her face. How I wished I could see her one last time! But I couldn’t even see her for the last time. I cried for three days and three nights, unable to close my eyes, while Jack watched by my side. Watching me cry heartbrokenly, watching me not eat or drink, watching me become increasingly depressed behind closed doors. Watching me develop depression and repeatedly self-harm with a small knife, watching my arms covered with scars, yet never revealing the truth. He had found corneas long before grandmother passed away, but he refused to give them to me, letting me see grandmother one last time! Jack, I really want to cut open your heart to see if it’s made of stone! I knelt before the graves of my parents and grandmother, telling them the good news that I had regained my sight. Telling them that I would retake the college entrance exam and reclaim my dream of becoming a doctor. Just then, my phone rang. It was Jack, but I ignored it. He kept calling. I put my phone on silent, no longer paying attention. In an instant, there were more than a dozen missed calls on my phone. Along with a barrage of voice messages on WhatsApp. “Sarah, where are you?” “Sarah, I’m sorry I forgot the time and didn’t come to pick you up. Are you angry?” “Sarah, why aren’t you answering my calls? Are you upset?” “Sarah, are you alright? Sarah!” ······ Soon after, I heard hurried footsteps approaching from behind. It was Jack. He came over and hugged me, his eyes full of anxiety: “Sarah, where have you been? Do you know how worried I was when I couldn’t pick you up at the airport and you weren’t answering your phone? I was going crazy!” I turned my head and saw the dense hickeys on his neck, seemingly mocking me silently. Because I was blind, he didn’t even bother to pretend anymore. Performing a show of deep affection in front of me with another woman’s kiss marks. I pretended not to see and gently pushed him away: “It’s nothing, I just missed them!” At this moment, Jack flashed a smile at me, knowing I couldn’t see. He took my hand and repeatedly stroked the white chrysanthemums in front of grandmother’s grave. “I was negligent. Yesterday was grandmother’s death anniversary. I should have guessed you would come to see her when you returned home today.” “Yesterday, I had something at the hospital and couldn’t come to see grandmother personally, so I arranged for someone to send fresh flowers to grandmother early in the morning, burned some joss paper, and even left a stack of grandmother’s favorite osmanthus cakes.” He then placed my hand on the stack of osmanthus cakes: “Can you feel it? I also left a box for you at home. It’s not as good as grandmother’s cooking, but it’s about 80% similar.” I turned to look at this man, at his ingratiating expression. A wave of bitterness welled up in my heart. He was still so attentive and thoughtful. Anyone who saw would praise him for being a deeply affectionate good husband and a considerate grandson-in-law. But the hickeys on his body and that faintly sweet perfume smell were silently accusing him of the fact of his infidelity. Jack, what exactly is true and what is false! I forced a smile at the corner of my mouth: “Thank you, that’s thoughtful of you.” “Let’s go home!” As I said this, I was about to walk down the steps. At this moment, Jack steadied me: “Sarah, where’s your cane? The mountain is so high, and your family’s grave is on the hillside. How did you walk up here without a cane?” Seeing that I could no longer hide the fact that I had regained my sight, I quickly found an excuse: “I left it in the taxi on the way here. The staff here helped me up.” He nodded, gently reminding me to watch my step. He then said softly: “See? You can’t manage without your husband, can you? Next time, don’t go out alone. I really worry about you!” As he spoke, he held my hand, moving in perfect sync with me. Even if I closed my eyes now, I could easily walk down the steps. This was the tacit understanding we had developed over six years. I would raise my hand or stretch my foot, and he could predict my next move. There was no one in this world who knew me better than he did. Just as my thoughts were wandering, a phone call brought me back to reality. I clearly glimpsed the caller ID on the phone screen: “My love Emily” But he nervously explained: “It’s a call from the hospital. There’s a patient who needs emergency surgery! Sarah, I have to go now!” He left me on the steps, running towards Emily without looking back. This cemetery was built on a mountain, with good feng shui, but it was also difficult to climb. He never thought about how a blind person like me would get down the mountain? I remember when I first lost my sight, I wasn’t resigned to being useless and insisted on practicing walking alone. As a result, my knees were scraped, and Jack found me covered in blood.

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After finishing work and returning to the country, I didn’t expect the first message to come not from my wife, but from a high school classmate I hadn’t seen in years. “Ryan, tomorrow is Jack’s baby’s one-month celebration. Everyone’s going, but he specifically asked for you to come. Such an honor – you can’t disappoint!” I was surprised. I never imagined that the class bully would now have a child. “Sorry, I just got back from abroad. I still have some contracts to finalize, so I’m afraid I can’t make it.” A second after I sent that, I was pulled into a strange group chat. This was the first time I learned there was a class group. “Well, well, if it isn’t our big boss who just returned from abroad!” I estimated my assets of over 100 billion and humbly replied: “We’re all old classmates, no need to talk about that.” Unexpectedly, this triggered mockery from everyone. “Look at him putting on airs! A few years away and he doesn’t know his own place anymore?” “Yeah, if you were really a big boss, how come we’ve never seen you at any class reunions all these years?” “We all know each other’s backgrounds. No need to pretend in front of us. If you’re married, you can bring your wife to broaden her horizons. After all, following a useless guy like you, she probably can’t even afford meat, haha!” “Let me remind you – everyone who attends the one-month celebration gets a house in the school district. Jack’s wife is a real rich beauty. The houses others fight to buy are just her family’s properties!” Reading their words, I frowned but still politely declined. At this point, Jack sneered. “We invite you and you still put on airs? Is it that you’re ashamed of your wife? We’re all brothers here, don’t worry, I won’t mock you.” “After all, even if your wife is a heavenly beauty, she can’t compare to mine.” “And with your conditions, you probably can’t afford a school district house there in your lifetime. Don’t let pride ruin your child’s future.” He then sent a photo. When I opened it, I was stunned. Isn’t that my plastic surgery-loving wife Sophia? And looking at the celebration address – isn’t that the villa I’m living in right now?!

Before I could figure out what was going on, my wife sent me a message. “Honey, I’m going to a classmate’s baby’s one-month celebration tomorrow, so I might not be able to reply to messages promptly. As soon as it’s over, I’ll video call you. If only you were by my side, I wouldn’t have to go alone. I miss you so much, darling!” Reading my wife’s words on the phone screen, I felt like I’d been struck by lightning. How could this be such a coincidence? After thinking for a moment, I still asked: “Which classmate?” “You probably wouldn’t know even if I told you. I see the weather’s getting colder abroad. Remember to dress warmly, don’t let yourself get sick. I’d be heartbroken!” I had gone abroad a year ago to develop overseas business. My wife and I had been married for five years, but we were still as lovey-dovey as newlyweds. Especially during my time abroad, we video called every day without fail. Her gentleness and care always surrounded me, warming my heart. So I worked day and night, and the project finally got on track. That’s why I came back early without telling my wife, wanting to go to our empty villa in the city center to prepare a surprise for her. I didn’t expect her to give me a big surprise first! Just as I was about to send a message questioning her, I heard a commotion outside. I walked out of the room and stood at the edge of the third floor, coldly observing everything below. The originally quiet first-floor hall was now filled with balloons and streamers. In the center was a huge standing photo. The happy family of three in the picture was none other than my wife, Jack, and their child! Jack wore a low-key but luxurious white sweater and casual pants, looking every bit the gentle husband. His face radiated undisguised joy as he stood at the entrance greeting guests. The faces coming and going were all familiar. “Jack really lives up to being the school heartthrob back then. Not only did he marry a wife as beautiful as an angel, even his child’s one-month celebration is so grand!” “Yeah, his wife’s father is a real estate tycoon. If it weren’t for Jack, no matter how hard we tried, our kids could never get into that elite school!” “Exactly! Look at this villa! Prime location and so magnificent. If it weren’t for Jack, we’d probably never see such a place in our lives. And the rich beauty actively pursued Jack. Our Jack is just too capable!” In the crowd, I immediately spotted our former year head teacher. Back then, he looked down on Jack’s rebellious personality and especially disliked him. Now he was bent over slightly, his face full of flattery. “Little Jack, although the teacher was strict with you back then, it was only because I saw early on that you had a bright future. Others wanted me to manage them, but I couldn’t be bothered!” “Now that you’ve made it big, the teacher is very gratified. The teacher has a relative with a child who’s about to start school…” The teacher slipped a red envelope into Jack’s arms, his meaning clear. Jack accepted it as if it was his due. He held his head high, full of pride, but still pretended to be polite: “No need for this. It’s all good, all good.” Seeing his pretentious manner, I sneered. My wife used to be obsessed with cosmetic procedures and plastic surgery, running to beauty clinics every few days. Later she even wanted to change her entire face. I was so scared that I quickly found her things to do, letting her manage the city’s real estate projects. I didn’t expect her to make money, just wanted to distract her attention. As a result, now all this glory and capital had become a demonstration of Jack’s capabilities! Someone coughed, and after an exchange of glances, everyone turned their gaze to me, full of mockery. Jack’s former lackey jumped out first, pointing at me with a sneer. “Ryan, you don’t think wearing pajamas and standing there will make us believe you’re the owner of this place, do you?” “You pretended to be rich in the group chat earlier, and now that you know Jack borrowed this place for the celebration, you immediately rented a villa here? How come you weren’t this quick when you used to run errands for Jack back then?” Others chimed in. “Someone who doesn’t even come to classmate gatherings where we split the bill, now goes to such lengths just to show off once. Don’t let your wife divorce you over this later!” “What, you think wearing nice pajamas makes this villa yours? Why don’t you say Jack’s rich beauty wife is yours too, and those billion-dollar properties are yours as well?” “Must be mentally ill. What normal person would do this? I get it – definitely jealous of Jack and angry at his own incompetence. Mental illness is showing!” Hearing their words, I calmly stated the facts. “Indeed, it’s all mine.” Piercing laughter immediately erupted from the crowd. But Jack looked furious. He pointed at me, gritting his teeth. “You really dare to claim it!” “I’ve caught you now, you must be that mistress!” “Take off those pajamas right now, they were bought by MY wife for ME!” “Looks like you still haven’t learned your lesson from school. A shameless mistress actually dares to come to my wife’s house and act big!”

Everyone downstairs was shocked into open-mouthed silence. “What does this mean? Wasn’t this place supposedly borrowed just for the celebration? This is actually Jack’s wife’s villa?” “The pajamas are Jack’s too? No wonder! I could tell at a glance those pajamas were luxury goods, and a limited global edition at that!” Jack smoothly retrieved his wife’s property deed from a room. The crowd was shocked again, their tones even tinged with sourness. “I never imagined the ugly duckling from back then could now seduce a rich beauty.” “Is the bar for gold diggers so low these days?” Jack clenched his fists, his lips curled in mockery. “No wonder you haven’t come to class reunions all these years. Turns out you were feeling guilty.” Everyone looked at me with contempt. “Even stealing and wearing someone else’s expensive pajamas. How disgusting can he be? Those clothes are probably contaminated with some dirty disease now. What a waste!” “I was wondering how he changed so much, suddenly becoming handsome and refined. Turns out money really can change a person. He must have had plastic surgery.” “Ryan, does it feel good being a kept man? Back then you were so ugly you could make children cry. Now you’ve become a pretty boy. Must feel great, huh?” “Just thinking about having been classmates with such a lowlife makes me sick!” “A shameless male mistress, not even ashamed, but daring to openly come before the real wife. Have you no sense of shame at all?” The year head teacher also pointed at me with a dark face. “Ryan, the teacher helped you back then. Is this how you repay me?” “In the future, never say you know me. I’m old now, I still want to keep some face!” Because the noise was too loud, it attracted many onlookers. With just a few words, they joined the army denouncing me, even starting to throw pebbles. Jack, unable to contain his anger, took a pebble from an onlooker and threw it directly at my face. The sharp edge grazed just below my eye, instantly drawing blood. I sneered and walked down the stairs. “You know nothing yet dare to get physical. Want to bet I can send you all to jail?” Jack scoffed: “You? Look at yourself in the mirror first!” “You’re a male mistress who ruins others’ relationships. You dare to ride on my head? Don’t you deserve a beating?” He grabbed my collar and started tearing at it. “You have no morals, no bottom line. A homewrecker dares to say this to me? Even if I beat you to death, others would only applaud!” “This is my wife’s anyway. I want to see how you’ll live here now!” Jack was so angry he lost his head. He actually found some spray paint and started vandalizing the pristine walls. “I’ll let you live here! Live here!” After he vented, the walls were covered in vicious curses and accusations against the mistress. I smirked and advised him. “You shouldn’t speak so definitively. After all, are you really sure this house belongs to your wife?” As soon as I finished speaking, Jack became even more furious. His whole being erupted like a volcano, completely losing rationality. “Fine, fine, if that’s how it is—” He spun around, surveying everything in the house. Finally, he rushed into the storage room and came out with an axe, swinging wildly. Everyone was stunned. After a while, someone reacted and started smashing things too. Jack shouted. “Well done! Whoever smashes the most today gets the biggest reward!” “This is my wife’s anyway. I want to see how you, you piece of trash, will live here now!” With one person taking the lead, the rest followed suit. Everyone joined in this frenzy, growing more and more intense. Soon the entire first and second floors had been ransacked. All kinds of smart appliances, marble countertops, imported custom furniture – everything was smashed to pieces. What couldn’t be smashed was slashed open with various sharp tools. The place was a complete mess. The worst was the wall Jack had vandalized. After being viciously attacked with the axe, the wall was breached, exposing the steel bars and cement inside. I warned them not to do this, but Jack’s face was full of mockery. “It’s just compensation, right? I have plenty of money. Besides, this is my woman’s house. Forget smashing it, even if I burned it down, she wouldn’t dare say a word!” Cheers erupted from the crowd. “Jack is awesome! This is what a real man looks like!” At this moment, the year head teacher pushed up his glasses, his eyes flashing. He slowly opened the door to the last room on the second floor. Everyone’s eyes instantly lit up. They looked at each other, then at Jack. I frowned deeply and immediately spoke up. “Jack, you should know the value. The things inside are worth several properties. I advise you not to act rashly, or you won’t know how long you’ll be in jail!” The various antiques displayed on the rosewood shelves were my carefully curated collection over many years, all priceless treasures. But Jack ignored my warning and walked right in. With a light push of his hand, a Qing dynasty vase instantly fell onto the wool carpet with a muffled thud. “I do know. Even though I’ve seen many fine things over the years, I have to admit the items in here are invaluable.” “The things are good things, but trash like you who wants to climb up by selling your body doesn’t deserve them!” He smiled and looked back at the crowd. “Brothers, in all our lives, we’ve probably never heard such an expensive sound!” “Today, let’s hear our fill!” I stepped forward, trying to stop these people’s crazy actions. “I’ve already transferred the house to Sophia. However you smash it is her business, I won’t interfere. But these antiques are what I’ve painstakingly collected from various countries. You can’t touch them!” But Jack shoved me out forcefully, looking exasperated. “Are you really sick or just pretending?” “You’re the mistress, I’m the real deal. This is my wife’s money, our joint property, protected by law. I have the right to take it back, understand?” “Ignorant, stupid, and blindly confident. Not a single redeeming quality. She must have been really desperate to eat such garbage!” I was so angry I laughed. So in these people’s eyes, I was so unworthy of my wife. But besides eating, drinking, playing, and plastic surgery, everything else relied on me to solve for her. When we got married, my wife’s family was so poor they couldn’t even come up with a thousand dollars. It was all thanks to my help. Others said I was doing poverty relief. I never imagined it would turn around like this! At Jack’s signal, a new round of frenzy began in the antique room. They complained the sound wasn’t crisp enough, so they first threw out the carpet. Then came a series of crashes. I knew there was no reasoning with these fools, so I simply gave up trying. I issued recording and alarm instructions to the camera in the corner. As soon as I finished speaking, the camera was violently knocked down. “You dog dare to call the police? What, call the police on yourself?” “These are all Jack’s things. Where do you get the nerve? If not, let’s call a mental hospital first, get you treated. Don’t worry about the medical fees, it’s pocket change. Consider it Jack’s charity to you!” Someone even took out their phone, very arrogantly. “Go ahead and call the police! Jack has strong backing anyway. I want to see who goes to jail first, you or us!” Jack gave him an approving look. “The evidence probably wasn’t enough earlier. No worries, let’s add some more.” He said, looking towards the third floor. I instantly panicked. There were important things on the third floor that absolutely couldn’t be touched!

“I can let those antiques go, but the third floor is my bottom line. Leave some room for maneuver. Don’t make things too ugly.” I suppressed my anger and lowered my voice, trying to negotiate nicely. Jack was stunned, then quickly burst into laughter. “Weren’t you so arrogant before? Keep being arrogant!” “If you had this attitude earlier, how much trouble could we have saved?” He wore a smug smile on his face, patting my face. His voice wasn’t loud, but the insult was extreme. “Since it’s so important to you, I’m not an unreasonable person.” “How about this – you kowtow to me three times, shout ‘Grandpa, I was wrong,’ and I’ll give you a chance. How’s that?” I clenched my fists, considering whether my assistant would arrive with people faster, or if they would destroy everything first. The year head teacher, ever the cunning one, saw through my attempt to stall for time in an instant. He leaned over and whispered something in Jack’s ear. Jack’s expression instantly turned vicious. “I’ll give you five seconds.” “Five—” “Four—” “Three, two, one.” “You!” In the end, faced with everyone’s smug expressions, I slowly bent my knees. Someone questioned what could be on the third floor that was even more valuable than the antiques, worth giving up a man’s dignity for. I looked towards the room in the farthest corner of the third floor. There… was my father’s memorial tablet. When I was young, there was a huge flood. In the critical moment, my father gave me the last floating ring, staying behind himself. After I was rescued and brought people back to save him, the floodwaters had long since submerged our house’s roof, turning into a vast expanse of water, leaving no trace. In the end, I couldn’t even find my father’s remains. I could only silently set up a memorial tablet for him. Years ago, when my wife set her sights on this location and asked me to transfer the house to her, I specifically told her about the situation here. This was my Achilles’ heel. I stressed it over and over again. No matter what else she did, I could forgive her, even if she cheated on me! But this one thing, I could never forgive! My head moved towards the ground, but Jack’s lackey thought I was moving too slowly. He walked up, put his hand on the back of my head, and violently pushed down. There was a loud “thud”. I clenched my jaw, desperately gripping my own fingers. After three times, my forehead was already oozing blood. “Satisfied now?” Jack clapped and laughed, nodding. But I suddenly widened my eyes. At this moment, three to five people were eyeing the third floor covetously, charging up. I couldn’t stand it anymore and threw a punch. “You bastard, you tricked me!” Jack was knocked to the ground, blood at the corner of his mouth. Seeing this, the others quickly restrained me. In the end, I was pinned down, kneeling on the ground, unable to move. “We tricked you, so what? Who told you to be just a lowly insect? Not to mention Jack here is the victim of infidelity. This is just a small lesson to make you remember – who you can mess with and who you can’t!” “As old classmates, don’t say we’re not being kind. We’re teaching you a lesson, saving you from being beaten to death the next time you seduce someone’s wife!” Jack stood up, giving me several punches, then kicked my ribs several times, finally kicking me several meters away. My back landed on various fragments. I cried out in pain, spitting out a mouthful of blood. Soon they kicked open the last room. After a series of clanging sounds, someone came out holding my father’s memorial tablet, throwing it on the ground and spitting. “Ptui! And here we thought there’d be something good. It’s just this thing. Really unlucky!” My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as I let out an anguished howl. “Stop! I’m telling you to stop!” But I was restrained, only able to watch helplessly as they insulted my father. “I will definitely make you pay for this!” I bit off a piece of flesh from the corner of my mouth, my whole mouth filled with the salty taste of fresh blood. “Oh, I’m so scared.” Jack sneered, stepping on the memorial tablet and stomping several times until it was crushed to wood chips before he was satisfied. He then stepped on my face, grinding repeatedly. “In high school, this is how I looked down on you. Even if you’ve sold yourself to look presentable now, it doesn’t change the fact that you only belong under my feet.” “Trash like you, poor bastard, will never turn your life around. Just stay in the gutter! Don’t try to get attention in front of me, or your father will be next!” Under Jack’s lead, they strung me up and started playing games. Whoever lost would take out their frustration on me by hitting me. Whoever won would hit me twice as hard. Amidst their unrestrained laughter, regular footsteps could be heard from outside, even making the ground shake. Someone pushed open the door and filed in… ———-This is the breakpoint———-

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295987”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring #重生Reborn #惊悚Thriller #校园School