Author: Momo Chan

After being admitted to the psychiatric hospital, I fell in love with the attending physician, Finley Sampson. When I was discharged and accepted his marriage proposal, I learned that he was the one who had caused all of my mental breakdowns. My younger sister, Patricia Roberts, who was the only one I could count on and had been through thick and thin with me, committed suicide and left behind nothing but a suicide note. That was when I realized how much Patricia resented me. I isolated myself at home, cutting off all contact with the outside world, and sank deeper into self-blame day after day. It was Finley who accompanied me day after day and stayed by my side to protect me. He proposed to me, and looking into his affectionate eyes, I agreed. On the day I returned from the psychiatric hospital, I happened to overhear Finley talking on the phone with his best friend, Zachary Blair. Zachary asked, “Do you regret what happened to Patricia all those years ago?” “Not at all,” replied Finley.

Zachary continued, “Natalie keeps questioning herself because of that suicide note. If she ever finds out that the note is a fake and there’s more to her sister Patricia’s death…” Finley interrupted him, “Shut up. There’s no way she’ll ever learn the truth about what went down back then.” “Have you forgotten what happened? Patricia was crying out for help, and your indifference led to that tragedy,” Zachary said. “Harper is the most important woman in my life. Not only would I cook up evidence for her, but if I had to, I’d even kill someone for her.” Harper Wilson was the woman Finley held dear above all else. Zachary replied, “If Natalie finds out, she won’t be able to handle it.” “She won’t. Natalie is crazy about me. I’m her last emotional crutch. Besides, I’m about to marry her, so I’ve already made amends,” said Finley in a patronizing tone, as if marrying me was some huge favor he was doing. The voices inside carried on, but I couldn’t make out a word now. My mind went completely blank. I clamped my hand over my mouth, trying my damnedest not to let out any sobs. My blood seemed to turn to ice, and my body wouldn’t stop shaking. An excruciating pain in my heart made it almost too much to bear. When I heard some movement inside, I turned around and left. I ran all the way home, feeling like every ounce of strength had been sucked out of me. I plopped down on the floor and stared blankly at the spot on the floor not far away. I thought Finley was my knight in shining armor, but it turned out he was the mastermind who’d shoved me into the abyss. I didn’t know how much time had passed, but I was shivering all over when the door was pushed open from the outside. The familiar scent enveloped me, and Finley picked me up off the floor and placed me on the sofa. There was deep concern in his eyes. “Natalie, were you thinking about what happened back then again? “Don’t dwell on it. Patricia was too young back then to understand your good intentions. It isn’t your fault at all. You had nothing to do with it.” His gentle voice was just like the way he used to soothe me. If I hadn’t heard the whole conversation, I probably would’ve been fooled by his top-notch acting for the rest of my life. I looked up and stared at him for a long time. Finally, I said softly, “The one in the wrong isn’t me. “Patricia was a tough person, and we had an amazing relationship. I don’t believe that letter was written by her. “I’m gonna get that letter authenticated. I’m sure the police will give me justice. What do you think?” Finley panicked at my words and blurted out, “No, you can’t.” Perhaps realizing his tone was too harsh, he explained, “It’s been ages. The truth about what happened back then can’t be dug up anymore. “Revealing this thing means you’ll have to put yourself back in the spotlight. “I’m worried you won’t be able to handle it, and I don’t want you to go through that rough patch again. Let’s just let it go, okay?” I looked at him with bloodshot eyes, feeling like I’d fallen into an ice-cold cave. I was giving him one last shot, but he just didn’t cherish it.

I kept my eyes fixed on Finley, and he bent down and planted a kiss on my forehead. “You haven’t eaten yet, have you? I’ll go cook for you.” With that, he turned and walked away. On closer inspection, his steps were a bit wobbly. I stared at his back, and tears welled up and trickled down from the corners of my eyes. My chest felt as if it were filled with ice-cold water, making it difficult for me to breathe. I bit my lip hard, but the tears still streamed down uncontrollably. Finley had always been the support in my heart. Now that the support had crumbled, I didn’t even know what reason I had to keep going. My phone rang, and it was the doctor who had done my last physical. “Is this Ms. Roberts?” “Yes, it’s me. What’s up?” I answered. He said, “Ms. Roberts, the results of your last physical are in. You’d better come here.” I slumped to the floor, my face expressionless. “Just tell me.” He replied, “Ms. Roberts, you’ve been diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer.” At that moment, my mind went completely blank, and only the words “advanced gastric cancer” echoed in my head. I started laughing, and then I broke down in tears. The doctor on the other end of the line tried to comfort me, saying, “Ms. Roberts, if you cooperate actively with treatment, there’s still a chance.” “How long do I have, roughly?” I asked. “Conservatively, one month.” I hung up with the doctor, got up, and headed downstairs. When I heard the news, my first instinct was to find Finley. These days, he had become my mainstay. But as soon as I got downstairs, I heard sobbing. In the kitchen, two figures were locked in a tight embrace. “Finley, I’m so scared. I don’t know what to do.” Harper said, “The doctor said I only have three months left, and there’s still no matching heart donor. Am I going to die soon?” “No, Harper. Don’t worry. I won’t let you die,” Finley said, patting her back, trying to soothe her. His face was etched with worry and panic. So, when you cared about someone, you couldn’t stay calm. Finley had never looked panicked in front of me, so I guess I just wasn’t important enough. I opened my mouth. I had rehearsed what I was going to say, but at that moment, not a single word came out. My lips trembled slightly, and the words seemed to be stuck in my throat. Every word I managed to utter came out with a faint cracking sound. Hearing the noise on my side, Harper looked up. She quickly pushed Finley away and explained, “Natalie, don’t get the wrong idea. I was just so upset, and Finley was consoling me.” I gave her a cold stare, and she was the woman my ex-boyfriend loved. It was because of her that my ex-boyfriend had dumped me and married her. I only knew that Finley had met Harper after we got together, and I had often argued with Finley because of her. But every time, Finley would look at me, frustrated, and explain helplessly that they were just friends. I could sense that Finley treated her differently, but I felt helpless. Just as he had said, I loved him deeply, and I didn’t know how I was supposed to go on living after losing him.

Seeing that I remained silent, Harper’s eyes welled up with tears as she said, “I know you hate me, Natalie. I’ll leave. I’ll leave right this minute.” I picked up my handbag and turned around, ready to leave. Finley grabbed her wrist and stepped in front of her, looking at me with a disapproving frown. “Natalie, Harper and I are just friends. Don’t be so narrow-minded.” I thought, “Narrow-minded? That’s how he thinks of me? I didn’t even utter a word.” I felt my nose sour, and I managed to swallow the bitterness in my throat. “You two are friends, and I’m the one who’s in the way.” I clutched my handbag and left the house. Before I left, I could still hear Finley consoling Harper. “Harper, don’t pay her any mind. She just likes throwing fits and will be back soon.” I wandered around on the street as if there was an invisible barrier separating me from the world around me. Patricia and I had been orphans since we were kids, and we’d leaned on each other as we grew up. She was the most important person in my life. But Patricia killed herself on her eighteenth birthday and left behind a suicide note that blamed me. It said that because of the pressure I’d put on her and my lack of understanding, she couldn’t carry on. Everyone called me a murderer, and I holed myself up at home, too scared to go out, and even cut off all contact with the outside world. When I felt like I couldn’t go on living, it was Finley who broke open my door and took me to the hospital. He stayed by my side, looking after me with great care. One day, Patricia’s classmates came to the hospital and called me a murderer who’d killed Patricia. Finley was like an angel. He pulled me into his arms and glared at them sharply. “It has nothing to do with Natalie. She’s not a murderer.” Over the years, he was the first and only one who was willing to believe me. So, a tiny crack formed in my frozen heart. Later, as we spent more time together, my world revolved around him. Naturally, we got together, and he proposed to me. Finley was the light that brightened up my life. At that time, I even daydreamed that after we got married, we’d have a simple and peaceful life together. Now, it all seemed incredibly ironic. I randomly found a park and plopped down on a bench. Suddenly, the sky darkened as dark clouds gathered, and the whole world was cast in shadows. The thunder roared deafeningly, and the rain came down in torrents. Everyone around was running for shelter, but I was the only one sitting on the bench, unmoving. I didn’t want to go back, and I didn’t want to face Finley. The rain soaked through my clothes, and the cold seeped deep into my bones. Suddenly, I was pulled into a familiar embrace. Finley looked a mess, and there was a hint of anxiety in his eyes. He scolded me, “What are you doing sitting here all alone in this downpour?” For a moment, I couldn’t tell if it was rain or tears streaming down my face. He’d come looking for me. My heart felt as if it had been ripped open, and I couldn’t put into words how I felt at that moment. I followed him like a zombie. Then, Finley led me to the hospital. When I saw the hospital, an inexplicable sense of resistance welled up in me. “I don’t want to go. I don’t want to go to the hospital.” The memory of seeing Patricia’s cold body in the morgue played over and over in my mind like a broken record, and I was shaking all over. Finley didn’t seem to notice my distress and tried to take me inside. I struggled frantically. “Let me go! Let me go!” There was a sharp pain in my neck, and I blacked out. When I woke up again, I was lying in a hospital bed. I’d already been changed into dry clothes. Finley was sitting beside me. When he saw that I was awake, he was overjoyed. “Natalie, how are you? Do you feel any pain anywhere?” My face was pale, and I waved my hand dismissively. “No, I don’t want to stay in the hospital. Can we go home?” I didn’t know if it was just my imagination, but I got the sense that Finley was extremely excited. Finley stopped me from getting up. “Natalie, you just got drenched in the rain. Stay in the hospital and rest well for one night. We can leave tomorrow.” I thought about it for a moment and then nodded in agreement.

Finley made up an excuse about going to buy me food and headed out. I stared at his back, and my vision gradually grew hazy. He was right. I was completely dependent on him, even after finding out about his past actions. The instant I laid eyes on him, all my anger and resentment melted away. I sniffled, thinking, “After all, back then, he just stood by and did nothing. Patricia’s death wasn’t his fault, and he seems intent on making amends.” I wanted to forgive him. During my final days, I wanted to spend the remaining time with him in peace. I muttered, “Patricia, I’m so sorry. Please forgive me for being selfish. I can’t bear to lose him.” There was a sound at the door, and I thought it must be Finley coming back. I quickly got out of bed, eager to open the door for him. Just as my hand reached the doorknob, Finley’s gentle voice sounded. “Harper, you can have the surgery tomorrow. I’ve managed to get the heart.” I didn’t know what was said on the other end of the phone, but his smile grew even more tender. At that moment, a chill spread through my entire body. When he walked in, he was holding a surgical consent form. He approached me and gently stroked my hair, his eyes filled with sorrow. “Natalie, why didn’t you tell me about such a huge thing?” There was a hint of sob in his voice. “The doctor said that as long as you cooperate with the treatment, there’s still hope for you to beat this gastric cancer.” He held out the surgical consent form to me. I lost my mind and tore the paper to shreds, my voice sharp. “Get out! Get out! I won’t sign it!” I knew what he was up to. He wanted me to donate my heart to Harper and was trying to get me to sign the consent form. Finley looked at me as if I were a stubborn, disobedient child and kept trying to convince me. “Natalie, you’re so irrational. Don’t you want to be with me forever?” He took out another surgical consent form and shoved it forcefully into my hand. “Sign it now. I’ll have the doctor arrange the surgery for tomorrow morning.” I held the pen, and my fingertips trembled uncontrollably. I looked up at him, my eyes filled with hope. “Do I have to have the surgery tomorrow morning?” Finley didn’t even hesitate. “Yes, the earlier you start the treatment, the better. Natalie, don’t be scared. I won’t leave you. I’ll always be here to protect you.” I lowered my eyes, closed my eyes, and wrote down my name. I thought, “Finley, since you’ve already made up your mind, let it be as you wish.” I lay on the cold operating table, a cold shiver running up my spine. Watching the doctors bustling around in front of me, I found my head grew dizzier by the second.

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My wife, Vanessa Fitzgerald, left me and our six-month-old daughter in my old house to ensure the safety of her first love, Charlie Gomez, who suffered from severe depression and would self-harm at the sight of me. Five years after my brutal assault and death, Charlie was diagnosed with kidney failure. The doctor informed them that a blood relative would have a higher probability of having a kidney match with him, prompting Vanessa to finally remember me, Charlie’s biological elder brother. Vanessa hastily called, demanding I return immediately. My five-year-old daughter, Evelyn Gomez, timidly replied, “Ma’am, my dad… my dad’s been gone for a long time.” Vanessa frowned, her tone dripping with impatience. “Who are you? Where’s Sheldon? Put Sheldon on the phone!” Evelyn stammered, “You… you have to wait a moment.” She put down the phone and hurriedly ran to find the village chief, Howard Douglas. “Mr. Douglas, someone’s looking for my dad.” Howard, hunched over, slowly made his way to the phone and picked it up. “Is this Ms. Fitzgerald? You finally…” As soon as Vanessa heard the old man’s voice, her face darkened immediately. She rubbed her temples forcefully, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. When she opened her eyes again, her face showed a hint of simmering irritation. “Where’s Sheldon? Is he scared to answer my call? “He asked a little girl to answer the phone and told me he was dead. Now, he has an old man tell me the same thing, right? “Is this his way of forcing me to come get him myself? “Fine. For Charlie’s sake, I’ll go pick him up myself!” Without waiting for Howard’s response, Vanessa hung up the phone. The next day, Vanessa drove to my old house. Half of the house had collapsed, and the door hung ajar. Inside, there was no furniture, just scattered wooden planks and bricks. Spiderwebs covered both the interior and exterior, and the windows were shattered. Vanessa couldn’t help but frown at the sight. She glanced up at the young man who had brought her here, her eyes filled with impatience. “Where’s Sheldon? Tell him to come see me. “If he’s willing to donate his kidney to Charlie, I’ll take him back.” The young man looked uneasy and hesitated. “Ms. Fitzgerald, well, uh, how about you wait for Mr. Douglas to come?” Vanessa narrowed her eyes, seemingly forcing herself to stay calm. Just then, Howard arrived, leaning on his cane. “Hello, Ms. Fitzgerald.” Vanessa glanced at Howard and said coldly, “Where’s Sheldon?” Howard placed one hand behind his back. “Sheldon can’t come to see you…” Vanessa sneered upon hearing this. “What? Are you going to tell me he’s dead? “Tell him to stop throwing a tantrum. I won’t tolerate it! “He needs to come out and see me now. I’ve come to pick him up in person, so what else does he want?” I thought, “What did I want? I wanted nothing. I just wanted to live and watch my daughter grow up, but I couldn’t even do that.” Now, my soul stood to the side, staring blankly at Vanessa. Five years ago, not long after my half-year-old daughter and I were sent to the old house, Charlie had people track me down. He was jealous that I had married Vanessa, and even more jealous that she had given birth to my child. So, Charlie first sent thugs to destroy my old house, then had them harass me daily, and insulted me, leading to my death. They left my broken body in the mountains, where vultures feasted on it. It was Howard who noticed I was missing. He organized a search, and eventually, my body was found in the mountains and was buried by Howard.

Howard stroked his beard, his eyes filled with sorrow, and let out a deep sigh. “Sheldon has been dead for five years.” A mocking smile appeared on Vanessa’s face, and she grew even more indifferent. “Mr. Douglas, you think I’m easily fooled? “Someone like him would never willingly die.” Vanessa’s sharp gaze swept over the people present. Then, she sternly ordered her bodyguards, “Find him, no matter what it takes!” My soul floated in the air, watching as the bodyguards violently knocked on doors, roughly pushed villagers aside, and went in to search for me. The villagers were so frightened that they all came out. Even as the entire village gathered around, Vanessa still couldn’t find me. She seemed even more irritated as she marched up to Howard, grabbed him by the collar, and demanded, “Tell me! Where are you hiding Sheldon? “If you tell me now, I’ll still treat you with respect. Otherwise, don’t blame me for what happens next!” Howard stuck to his story. Vanessa finally lost her patience and winked at the nearest bodyguard. The bodyguard stepped forward and, with a simple twist, broke Howard’s hand. As Howard let out a cry of pain, a little girl rushed out from the crowd. She was neatly dressed, with two braids, and her eyes were filled with fear. But she still ran to Howard, crying, “Mr. Douglas, are you okay?” Vanessa was stunned. She knitted her brows, her eyes sweeping over Evelyn from head to toe. There was something vaguely familiar about the girl that tugged at the back of her mind. Before anyone could blink, Evelyn, seething with rage, darted right up to Vanessa and sank her teeth hard into Vanessa’s leg. Reacting on pure instinct, Vanessa’s leg jerked, sending Evelyn sprawling to the ground. Evelyn fell to the ground but struggled to get back up, glaring fiercely at Vanessa. “You evil woman! Mr. Douglas already told you my dad is dead. Why are you still bullying him?” For a moment, Vanessa looked shocked, her eyes darkening as she stared at Evelyn. Afraid she would hurt my daughter, my soul instinctively floated in front of Evelyn, blocking Vanessa. I was nothing but a disembodied spirit, so Vanessa passed right through me and approached Evelyn. She picked Evelyn up and perused her carefully, as if trying to read her thoughts from her face. As Evelyn dangled in the air, she kicked her legs, struggling. Staring at Evelyn’s face, which bore a resemblance to mine, Vanessa gritted her teeth. “You’re that bastard!” In an instant, Vanessa grabbed Evelyn by the throat, her voice filled with rage. “Tell Sheldon to come out, or I’ll strangle her!” Watching Evelyn struggle, I shouted, “Vanessa, I’m here! I’m right here. Let go of Eve!” Nevertheless, nobody heard a peep. Evelyn’s face turned red, her breathing becoming more labored. In my panic, I even forgot I was already dead. I rushed at Vanessa, trying to bite the hand choking Evelyn, but I passed through her, biting only air. Seeing Evelyn on the verge of losing consciousness, Howard, despite his pain, managed to shout, “Ms. Fitzgerald, Eve is your…” Before he could finish, a bodyguard kicked him to the ground. He lay there, groaning in pain. Vanessa suddenly released Evelyn and coldly glanced around, threatening, “Sheldon, if you don’t show up in three days, I’ll kill that bastard!” Looking at Howard curled up in agony on the ground and my daughter’s bruised and purple neck, the hatred I felt for Vanessa boiled over. At the same time, a bitter taste of regret filled my mouth for ever having loved her. Unfortunately, my soul was numb to all these emotions.

In the blink of an eye, three days passed. This time, Vanessa brought Charlie with her. Though Charlie had been arrogant when he came to the old house five years ago, he was now frail and weak. Vanessa looked at him tenderly, helping him out of the car and into a wheelchair. She even carefully draped a thin blanket over him, her eyes filled with concern. Vanessa reserved all her gentleness for Charlie. In contrast, all she ever showed me was coldness and impatience. Howard and I waited at the entrance early, though no one could see me. When Vanessa saw that no one was behind Howard, she suppressed her anger and said, “Seeing Charlie so weak, how can Sheldon be so heartless as to not help his own brother? “Mr. Douglas, if you just let Sheldon come out, and he’s willing to match with Charlie, I’ll build roads for your village and improve the villagers’ living conditions. “Also, I’ll take Sheldon back and let him continue living a life of luxury as my husband. “As for that bastard, I’ll treat her as my own daughter.” Vanessa thought she had made a huge concession. If we didn’t toe the line, she wouldn’t let it slide. However, Howard still didn’t give her the answer she wanted. “Ms. Fitzgerald, after Sheldon returned to the old house five years ago, he was constantly harassed by local thugs. “I’m not sure exactly how he died. “When I realized he was missing, I mobilized the whole village to search for him. We found his battered body in the mountains. “I buried his body and laid him to rest at the back of the mountain. If you don’t believe me, go and take a look.” Vanessa let out a bitter laugh, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. “Are you still lying to me? “If he were truly dead, how could that little bastard have grown up?” Howard looked embarrassed and let out a deep sigh. “Even if Sheldon suddenly died, we couldn’t just ignore Evelyn, could we?” Upon hearing this, a flash of surprise and viciousness passed through Charlie’s eyes. Charlie knew exactly how I had died. That day, I asked my daughter to stay at Howard’s place. I planned to go out and look for a job to support myself and my daughter. As soon as I stepped outside, Charlie arrived with three men. Before I could react, Charlie had them cover my mouth and nose, drag me into the house, and pin me down. Charlie began punching and kicking me relentlessly. Still unsatisfied, he stomped on my fingers with his foot. I cried out in pain. “Sheldon, you scum! “Why did you get to marry Vanessa just because you were born first? “Vanessa loves me more!” I struggled to look up at Charlie, wanting to say something. But Charlie seemed determined to vent all his rage on me. He slammed my head against the wall repeatedly. I tried to protect myself, but my arms were pinned down by his men. Finally, I lay on the ground, barely alive. Charlie leaned down and whispered in my ear, “Just the thought of you sleeping with Vanessa and her giving birth to a child for you makes me hate you to the core, my brother! “Since you dared to steal my woman, even if you’re my brother, you must die! “Sheldon, weren’t you so arrogant before? People said you had a thing for guys. Let me give you a gift, and you’ll like it.” As soon as Charlie finished speaking, the three men began to roughly tear at my clothes and brutally humiliate me. I had no idea how many times they did it before I lost my breath. After I died, I watched helplessly as Charlie ordered the others to throw me into the mountains. The wheel of justice might turn slowly, but it would turn. So, five years after my death, Charlie’s retribution arrived. The only brother who could save him was killed by his own hands. He knew that no matter what Vanessa did, it was futile. I could never come back to see her.

Charlie weakly raised his hand, trying to grasp the hem of Vanessa’s dress. Vanessa, who had been seething with anger just moments ago, instantly softened. She quickly bent down, taking Charlie’s hand in hers, and asked gently, “Charlie, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell again?” Charlie gave a faint smile and shook his head slightly. “Vanessa, is Sheldon refusing to save me because he’s still mad at me? “I’ll apologize to Sheldon. I… I was wrong, and I shouldn’t have bothered you… “But… but I want to live. I want to be with you forever.” Vanessa gently kissed Charlie’s forehead and reassured him, “Charlie, don’t worry. I will save you.” A flicker of ruthlessness flashed in her eyes. My heart suddenly raced, and a suspicion began to form. I shouted, “You can’t do that! Eve is your daughter. Don’t hurt her!” But, of course, my voice from beyond the grave couldn’t reach the living. Vanessa’s bodyguards dragged Evelyn out of the root cellar and brought her to the rooftop. The two-story rural house stood over twenty feet tall. Howard stood up in a panic, his voice trembling. “Ms. Fitzgerald, what are you doing? “Let Eve go! She’s your child!” Vanessa looked cold, her eyes hiding a trace of hatred. “Well, my child? Did Sheldon tell you that? “We never crossed that line, so how could we have a child? “He cheated on me and fathered a bastard. “If it weren’t for Charlie pleading back then, I would have killed her. She shouldn’t even be alive now!” Seeing the hatred in Vanessa’s eyes, my memories were instantly pulled back to that night six years ago. It was Vanessa’s birthday party. Charlie had drugged my drink, trying to set me up with another woman to ruin my reputation and force Vanessa to divorce me. Fortunately, I noticed it in time and left. However, the drugs he put in still took effect on me. When I woke up the next day, I clearly saw Vanessa lying beside me. Watching Evelyn cry out “Mr. Douglas” in fear, my soul floated desperately in front of Vanessa. I asked her, “Vanessa, if you never loved me, why would you marry me? “You never forgot Charlie, so why didn’t you go abroad to find him? “He didn’t leave the planet. You could have taken a plane to find him!” Vanessa suddenly looked up, her eyes meeting mine. If my soul could feel emotions, I might have already become a vengeful ghost. Just as I thought she could see me, she said indifferently, “Sheldon, I’ll give you ten minutes. If you don’t come out, I’ll drop your daughter to her death!” My eyes widened in horror. “No! “I’m here. I’m right here! “Don’t hurt my daughter!” Still, no one responded. My soul floated up, trying to save Evelyn, but no matter how many times I reached for her, my hands passed right through her. Howard crouched down abjectly at Vanessa’s feet, begging her to let Evelyn go. Vanessa, as if she were deaf, kept her head down, watching the time on her watch. I screamed in desperation. Meanwhile, Charlie, unnoticed in the corner, smirked, his eyes filled with triumph and disdain. I rushed at Vanessa, punching and kicking, but it was futile. “Ten, nine, eight, seven…” Vanessa began the countdown mercilessly. I slumped down on the ground in despair, watching helplessly as Vanessa ordered the bodyguards to throw Evelyn from the rooftop. My soul flew to catch her, but her body passed right through me. At the last moment, Howard scrambled forward, trying to catch Evelyn, but just as he reached out, a bodyguard kicked him to the ground. He spat blood, lying there barely alive. I stared blankly as Howard’s eyes slowly closed. With a thud, Evelyn hit the ground. I watched as blood spilled from her mouth, and she murmured in pain, “Mr. Douglas… My dad…” In that instant, I screamed in agony, “Eve! Mr. Douglas!” At this moment, a young man from the village rushed over with a paternity test report, shouting, “Ms. Fitzgerald, Eve is your daughter. Please take a look…” Simultaneously, a bodyguard yelled, “Ms. Fitzgerald, we found Mr. Sheldon Gomez’s…” Vanessa’s brow furrowed as she watched Evelyn’s breathing grow shallow, her small body barely clinging to life. She suddenly sneered, mocking, “Sheldon, you’re truly heartless, watching your own daughter fall to her death right in front of you. I underestimated your cruelty!”

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I was Bruce Wayne. During a contract negotiation, Elena West was deliberately plied with alcohol. I took her home and, at her desperate plea, comforted her in her distress. After that night, she found herself pregnant. Left with no other choice, Elena married me. However, when her childhood sweetheart, Aidan Moore, saw the news, he went out for a reckless high-speed drive and died on the spot. Upon hearing the news, Elena kept a poker face and simply said he was just a friend and that his death was no big deal. But on the seventh night after Aidan’s death, she grabbed a kitchen knife and slashed it at my waist. “It’s all your fault for having dirty thoughts about me. Aidan got drunk and went for that crazy drive, dying with a grudge. I want you to pay for his life with your own!” The next time I opened my eyes, I was back to the night when Elena got drunk. “Bruce, I’m feeling like absolute crap. Get over here quick!” The moment I heard Elena’s desperate wail over the phone, I shot up from my sleep, and it hit me like a ton of bricks—I’d been reborn. Without a second thought this time, I immediately dialed Aidan’s number and then headed out to pick her up. When I found Elena, her cheeks were all flushed, and she was slumped on the sofa, looking as drunk as a skunk with those bleary eyes. In my past life, it was those same pleading eyes that made her tell me how lousy she felt and beg for my help. I was so under her spell back then that I just caved in helplessly. And that single decision cost me my life. This time, I plopped down right next to her and said sincerely, “Elena, Aidan’ll be here soon. You two know each other like the back of your hands. He’s way better at taking care of you.” Elena started fidgeting in her seat and reached out her hand, trying to grab me. But I played dumb and shuffled a bit farther away. Not long after, Aidan burst through the door. He gave me a nervous look. When he saw I hadn’t done anything out of the ordinary, he let out a quiet sigh of relief. Aidan pulled Elena into his arms and smiled, “You can head home now. I’ll take Elena to my place to sleep it off.” I just nodded and made a quick exit. As I stepped out of the hotel, the cool night air hit me in the face, waking me up. I let out a long breath. In my past life, I just couldn’t stand seeing Elena suffer from the drug’s effects, so I took her home and tried to help her ease the pain with my body. After she got pregnant, we had to go public with our engagement. When Aidan saw the news, he went on a drunken joyride at breakneck speed and ended up getting himself killed. Elena coolly took care of Aidan’s funeral arrangements. That very night, she came at me with a kitchen knife. I lost so much blood that I collapsed on the floor, begging her to spare me for the sake of our long-standing relationship. But she glared at me with those red-rimmed eyes and roared, “You’re just a stray mutt I took in. There’s no such thing as a relationship. Die!” As the blade sliced into me, I passed out from the excruciating pain. This time, I called Aidan to take care of her so they could finally be together. And I’d get out of this place and never cross paths with them again.

The next day, I went to work at the company. Elena walked in, arm-in-arm with Aidan, and announced to all the employees, “From now on, Aidan’s my boyfriend. You all better respect him as much as you respect me. Whatever he says, you gotta follow it.” Then she looked straight at me and emphasized, “Bruce, especially you. Don’t think you can do whatever the hell you want just ’cause you’re somehow related to me. If you piss Aidan off, I won’t let you off the hook.” I just nodded silently. Aidan stood beside Elena, flashing a cocky smile. I didn’t even bat an eye. Seeing my calm reaction, he turned to the others and said, “I’ve ordered a dozen or so mango mille-feuilles for you guys. Consider it a little gift.” Amid the cheers, the cakes were handed out. I picked up a paper plate, planning to just leave it on my desk and go. But Aidan immediately said, “Honey, does Bruce have a problem with me being your boyfriend? Why won’t he take my gift? After all, he’s your brother. If we can’t get the family’s blessing, maybe we should call it quits.” Seeing Aidan looking so put-upon, Elena immediately gave me a dirty look. “Bruce, what the hell are you doing? Eat the cake before you go.” I flat-out refused. “I’m allergic to mangoes.” Elena said impatiently, “So what if you’re allergic? This cake’s all about your attitude towards Aidan. Is feeling a bit sick more important than giving him some respect?” I was completely floored by what Elena said. But I really couldn’t be bothered to argue with her. “I care more about my health. I’ve got a mountain of work to do, so I won’t ruin your party.” Ten minutes later, Elena stormed into my office. She stared at me, fuming with rage.

I shot her a cold glance and didn’t feel like saying much. But Elena stormed over and snatched the mouse out of my hand right away. She moved in close, scrutinizing my face. “Why are you being such a cold fish? Is it because I brought Aidan to the company that you’re all bent out of shape?” I quickly shook my head to clear things up. “No, I’m really chuffed for you. It’s just that I’m swamped with work and have to get it done ASAP.” Elena still looked mad as hell and clearly didn’t buy my story. She let out a scoff. “Really happy for me? Yeah, right! Bruce, don’t tell me you still have some wacky ideas about me. That night after high school graduation, you pulled out a love letter and tried to confess your love. After I turned you down, you ran outside blubbering and got plastered. “Over the years, you’ve been snooping around, keeping tabs on my likes and dislikes. Every time I said I was into something, you’d go and learn all about it, then act like it was no biggie in front of me. But it was as plain as day in everything you did. Even my friends knew you had a thing for me. “I’m warning you, don’t have any crazy pipe dreams. I’ll never fall for you. Stop making a fool of yourself.” As she ranted, she marched over to my desk drawer and yanked it open. It was crammed full of stuff I’d collected about her over the years. Elena grabbed a handful and chucked it in my face, laughing derisively. “Bruce, if it weren’t for the sorry sight of you bawling your eyes out in the orphanage back then, I wouldn’t have had a soft spot and decided to take you in. But instead of being grateful, you’ve got these pervy thoughts about your foster sister! “You know I’ll only ever love Aidan. Yet you’ve been keeping all these records. You’re like a total creep, and it makes my skin crawl!” She glared at me with pure venom in her eyes. “I came here today to set the record straight. I got drunk last night. When you came to see me, it was obvious you were getting ideas. Thank God you still had some sense and called Aidan over. Otherwise, I’d have had you locked up for attempted rape and made sure you paid the price.” My heart twisted in pain. But whether it was in my past life or last night, she’d called out my name in her stupor. I guessed she’d been confused. Even though I’d already decided to let her go for good, her harsh words still hit me like a ton of bricks. Seeing me keep quiet, Elena gave my leg a good hard kick. “Stay away from me and Aidan from now on. If you cause any hassle for him, you’ll be sorry.” With that, Elena flounced out of the room. I sat there in silence for a moment, then opened my email. There was an invitation from my overseas tutor. This time, I didn’t hesitate and clicked to accept. I spent the entire afternoon getting my overseas travel essentials in order and answering emails. By the time I finally wrapped things up, it was already the wee hours of the night. As I stepped out of the company building, I was floored to find that my car, which I’d parked there earlier, had vanished into thin air. Just as I was about to dial the cops, Aidan shot me a message: [Bruce, I noticed you hadn’t come back yet. Thought I’d let you know it’s been freezing cold these days. Elena was worried I’d catch a chill on my way home at night, so she lent me your car. You’d better take a cab back.] Then he sent a pic of himself grinning from ear to ear, holding the car keys. [Hey, it’s your sister’s ride after all. She can do whatever she wants with it, right? I’m sure you won’t kick up a fuss.] This car was a gift from Elena when I broke my leg last time. She wanted to make it easier for me to get around town. Back then, she said she couldn’t stand seeing me in pain. Elena knew darn well that being so nice to me would make a guy like me, who’d been starved of love since childhood, grow attached to her. But she still went ahead and did it. Now, Elena was mocking me, calling me pushy. And she didn’t even have the decency to give me a heads-up before snatching the car away, all because she felt sorry for Aidan. I let out a bitter laugh and hailed a taxi home. When Elena heard me unlock the door, she sauntered out of the bedroom and gave me a casual once-over. “Aidan’s still not fully over his cold. I was worried it might come back, so I told him to drive the car home. Besides, your leg’s all healed up. A little exercise never hurt anybody.” I just nodded and kept my mouth shut. But all of a sudden, Elena got her back up. “Bruce, what’s with the sudden silence? Don’t tell me you’re up to something shady. You’ve been acting fishy all day. Usually, you throw a fit when someone touches your stuff. How come you’re being so laid-back now? “I’m warning you, whatever scheme you’ve cooked up, ditch it right now. If Aidan tells me you’ve pulled something, I’ll make sure you live to regret it.” As I made my way to my bedroom, I retorted, “I’m not thinking about anything. I just wanna live my own life and stay out of other people’s business. “Besides, Elena, didn’t you always whine about me bugging you? You should be happy I’m like this now.” Elena was caught off-guard by my words. She huffed and clapped her hands. “Fine, Bruce. Just like you!” Then she spun around and stormed back into the bedroom, slamming the door shut with a deafening bang. In the old days, whenever she did that, I knew she was steaming mad. But now, I couldn’t care less about cheering her up. After all, Elena was just my foster sister in name. Since she had her own boyfriend, it was his job to calm her down.

The days that followed gradually slipped into a peaceful rhythm. Since moving in with Elena, Aidan had been rubbing his relationship in my face day in and day out. Elena was clearly still mad at me and gave me the silent treatment. I, for my part, couldn’t be bothered to patch things up. Half a month later, Elena sprang a surprise on us all—she was expecting. All smiles, she shared the exciting news with everyone at the office. After that, she and Aidan were inseparable, hashing out every single aspect of their wedding. They began to be a rare sight at work and instead spent all their time running around wedding boutiques. This time, Elena had finally achieved her heart’s desire—Aidan’s child. I knew it was high time I bid farewell to their world once and for all. As soon as all the formalities were taken care of, I quickly booked a flight overseas. Funny enough, I was set to leave on the very day of their wedding.

In the evening when I got home, Elena was sitting in the living room waiting for me. Aidan had gone out with his friends to celebrate over dinner. She intercepted me at the door, fished out the bank card statement from her pocket, and frowned as she grilled me. “Hey, how come you suddenly splurged on an overseas flight ticket? I got the spending alert and called the airline. They said it was you who booked it in person. “Are you being a sore loser ’cause Aidan and I are tying the knot soon? Trying to pull the ‘going abroad’ card as an excuse?” At first, when Elena started with the first part of her question, I was on pins and needles, scared that she’d uncovered my secret. But when I heard the second half, I let out a tiny sigh of relief. I hung my head, keeping my mouth shut. As she saw my reluctant look, Elena’s eyes turned icier. Clearly ticked off, she laid into me. “Bruce, when are you gonna quit this kid stuff? For the past two weeks, you’ve been dodging me like the plague. If I hadn’t brought it up today, were you just gonna keep this act up forever? “Ever since Aidan moved in with me, you’ve been giving me the cold shoulder. But I’ve made it abundantly clear. Aidan’s the only guy I’ve ever been head-over-heels for in my life. “If you see me as your big sister, you oughta respect Aidan like an older brother. Stop trying to avoid us at every freaking turn. “You’ll always be my little bro, but this kind of resistance ain’t gonna fix anything. I’m not gonna change my mind for you. Do you really think you can strong-arm me into loving you?” I quickly shook my head. “Elena, you’ve got it all wrong. I’ve always seen you as the kind-hearted soul who took me in. I’ve always looked up to you for taking care of me and guiding me, and I’ve wanted to pay you back.” Hearing me, Elena burst out laughing like a maniac, as if I’d said the most absurd thing ever. “Look up to me? If you really did, you wouldn’t have written me that love letter and spilled your guts. Bruce, aren’t you ashamed of spouting such BS?” With that, she stomped straight into my bedroom, flung open the bookcase, and pointed inside. “All the books I love, the vinyl records I listen to, the posters I like—you’ve gone to so much trouble to collect ’em here. And you still say you don’t have feelings for me?” As she rambled on, she proudly picked up a book. Looking at the well-worn pages, she was nearly in hysterics. “To wear a book out like this, you must’ve flipped through it a gazillion times. “But you’d better clear all this junk out before my wedding. Aidan’s gonna move in with me soon. I’ve promised to love him till the end of time, and I don’t want him getting the wrong idea because of your crap. “Also, no matter how lovesick you are, I’m not gonna return your feelings. Think twice before you do anything. I gave you a second chance at life, so don’t go giving me any more headaches.”

Listening to Elena, I nodded obediently. I walked over and tossed everything into the trash can sitting on the floor. Since I had no intention of coming back after leaving for abroad, it was best to get rid of these things now. It saved me the hassle and made my feelings clear. But when Elena saw what I was doing, her expression hardened instantly. She rushed over and grabbed my arm, her voice rising in anger. “Bruce, what do you think you’re doing? Why are you throwing all this stuff in the trash? That’s my limited edition book you just ruined!” I glanced at the book she was clutching. It was a birthday gift she had given me after I was adopted, the first one I celebrated here. Elena had told me how much effort she put into finding it, claiming it was precious. I had cherished it so much that I wouldn’t even let anyone else borrow it. Yet, now, seeing me toss it aside was something she couldn’t bear. Elena snapped, frustration etched on her face, “Bruce, do you really have to go this far? Is this how you plan to show your dissatisfaction? You fell for someone you shouldn’t have, and I asked you to keep your distance. Instead, you’re throwing a tantrum! “You were so shaken up by my engagement that you had to leave the country to get over it, yet here you are, pretending it doesn’t bother you at all. Don’t you feel ridiculous? “Honestly, you should just get out of here for a while. I just found out I’m pregnant, and I don’t want to deal with your long face every day.” With that, she pulled out her phone and transferred more money into my account. “Stay abroad for a few months. Don’t come back or contact me until I’m settled. Once my pregnancy is stable, we can talk.” She waved her hand at me, looking a bit drained. “While you’re away, take some time to reflect on your past behavior. Get your head straight. After all, I’m going to be Aidan’s wife. I hope you can act like a proper brother when the time comes. Otherwise, you might as well work at the branch office and stop bothering me every day.” Elena threw in a few more reminders about going abroad before turning to leave. But what she didn’t know was that I had been reborn in this life. I wasn’t trying to get her attention or stir up trouble. I had made up my mind to leave. On the morning of her wedding to Aidan, countless people were bustling around, making final preparations. While they were busy moving in and out of the house, I quietly grabbed my packed bags and slipped out through the side door, heading to the airport. After getting her hair and makeup done, Elena sat quietly in her bedroom, eagerly awaiting the long-awaited moment. She cast a casual glance around at the jubilant crowd that had gathered. Suddenly, it dawned on her that Bruce was nowhere in sight. Her heart skipped a beat, and without hesitation, she sprang to her feet and made a beeline for Bruce’s room. She was dying to ask him why he hadn’t joined her. Elena scoured every nook and cranny of the house, but there was still no sign of Bruce.

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For years, Macbeth Watkins and I had been entangled in a clandestine love affair. Since he was my so-called uncle, we had kept our relationship a closely guarded secret. At the engagement party with my childhood friend, I was struck by the news that he was planning to marry his ex-girlfriend, Sabina Stevens. Disregarding the stares of the crowd, I hurried to his house in a frenzy. Though I didn’t find him there, I inadvertently overheard a revealing conversation between two maids. “Macbeth is really doting on Sabina now, even more than he did with Lainey Stone.” “You bet. Back then, it was Lainey’s father who broke them up.” “He’s been secretly with Lainey all this time, maybe just to get back at her dad…” I stood there, thunderstruck, unable to process what I had just overheard. Before I could even begin to make sense of it all, Macbeth walked in with a woman by his side, Sabina. It was my first time seeing her in person, though her name was far from unfamiliar to me. I knew she was Macbeth’s ex-girlfriend, but I never imagined their breakup had been orchestrated by my father. The revelation hit me like a tidal wave, leaving me breathless and disoriented. He noticed me standing there, frozen, and his expression turned icy. He pulled Sabina closer and introduced her to me, his voice cool and detached. He said, “Lainey, this is Sabina, my fiancée. We’re gonna marry soon.” I was utterly devastated, my voice trembling with disbelief as I managed to ask, “Macbeth, what am I supposed to…?” He cut me off before I could finish, his eyes cold and distant, a stark contrast to the man I thought I knew. He exclaimed, “Enough. Today, we’re welcoming the future lady of the house. Sabina and I just want to enjoy the moment without any distractions. Unless you’ve got something important to discuss, you should leave for now.” Before I could even process what was happening, Sabina gently took my hand, her smile warm and unassuming, and uttered, “Come on, Macbeth. She didn’t mean any harm. Don’t be so hard on her. So you’re Macbeth’s niece, right? I’m going to be part of this family now. Looking forward to getting to know you.” Her tone was gentle, but the look in her eyes was sharp enough to devour me whole. Ignoring the venom in her gaze, I turned stiffly, ready to make my exit. But before I could take a step, she burst into tears and threw herself into Macbeth’s arms, her sobs echoing dramatically through the room. Then she said, “Macbeth, does your family not like me? Maybe… maybe I should just leave.” He pulled her closer, his voice softening with concern. He then turned to me, his tone firm but laced with an unspoken plea, and yelled, “Lainey, are you deaf or something? Sabina said hi. How about showing some respect and at least saying hello? What’s wrong with you?” It was the first time he had ever raised his voice at me since I moved into his villa. Back then, he promised he would always protect me, and he truly did. Throughout all those years of love at first sight and being together, he treated me with nothing but tenderness. He never let me suffer the slightest grievance, let alone dared to scold me. He spoiled me so much that even I began to believe he would always treat me this way. But today, for Sabina, he broke that promise. His furious voice echoed through the entire villa. I bit back my tears, stubbornly meeting his gaze, refusing to say a word. Then, with a sharp crack, a harsh slap landed across my face. The maids standing nearby shot indignant glances, their eyes filled with silent outrage. Having been in the Watkins family for so long, I had developed a bond with them that went beyond mere employer and servant. They knew all about the relationship between Macbeth and me, and now, they couldn’t bear to see him side with an outsider to hurt me like this. Sabina, noticing the disapproving glances from those around her, let out a soft, pitiful sob. Her voice quivered as she spoke, “Macbeth, just drop it. Don’t break everyone’s heart just for me.” In the end, he didn’t dare to push me too far. Instead, he immediately turned his anger toward the maids, venting his frustration on them. He shouted, “Lainey lacking manners is one thing, but what’s with your attitudes? Who taught you to act like this? Guards, hit them. Maybe that’ll teach them to remember their place.” The bodyguards behind him immediately sprang into action, their batons raised high before coming down hard on the maids. The agonized screams that followed echoed through every corner of the villa, a harrowing scene that was almost too much to bear. “That’s enough.” Unable to bear seeing them suffer because of me, I pleaded with a trembling voice, my words choked with desperation. I carried on, “Sabina, I’m sorry. It’s my fault. Please, just let them go. I’m begging you.” I knelt on the ground, pleading desperately, my appearance a complete mess. For a brief moment, a flicker of pain crossed Macbeth’s eyes, but in the end, he raised his hand, signaling the bodyguards to stop. He surveyed the chaos in the house, his gaze cold and commanding as he looked down at everyone, and exclaimed, “You all better remember today’s lesson. From now on, Sabina is the lady of this house. If anyone disrespects her, this is what’s gonna happen.”

The maids were punished; some were injured, and others were bruised. I tended to their wounds, my hands trembling as I applied the medicine, afraid to press too hard. One of the maids noticed the red mark on my face. Her eyes welled up with tears, and she whispered, “Honestly, it’s just crazy how Macbeth used to dote on you. How could he just change like that overnight? And now, for that Sabina, he not only went off on us but even laid a hand on you. Guess he really can’t get over her, huh?” Hearing this, tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. He was utterly consumed by his love for Sabina, unable to let her go all these years, and now he was even marrying her. So why did he bother coming into my life in the first place? Macbeth and I weren’t related by blood. He was my father’s most trusted friend, my uncle by title. A man of principle and tradition, yet I fell for him the moment I laid eyes on him. When I threw caution to the wind and confessed my feelings, I was prepared for his stern rejection, for him to cut me off entirely. Instead, he took my hand, his eyes filled with tenderness, and promised to take care of me for a lifetime. I moved into his villa, and to outsiders, it simply seemed like a close family relationship. He claimed he didn’t care about gossip or what others thought. He asked me to give him a little more time. And then he would declare his love for me to the world. I believed him. But what I waited for wasn’t his declaration but his betrayal. Numbly, I got to my feet and stepped out of the room. Downstairs, Macbeth was celebrating with Sabina, as if the earlier events had never happened, as if nothing had changed. My heart turned to ash. With trembling hands, I dialed my father’s number. Through the phone, I murmured, “Dad, I know I messed up. Is the engagement with the Hayes family still on the table?” With a sigh, he said, “Lainey, I admit I was wrong to arrange the engagement with Cairbre Hayes behind your back. But I’ve known that kid since he was little. I know him inside and out. I’d never steer you wrong. Even after you walked out on him in front of everyone, he didn’t bat an eye. He said he’d wait for you to come back.” I froze for a moment, caught off guard. On the other end of the line, my father talked again, his voice earnest and pleading, trying to reason with me. He uttered, “Anyway, I’m just glad you’ve come around. This time, don’t you dare run off again. I promise you this. No more secrets, not even about the wedding date. We’re gonna do this right, give you the wedding you deserve, and make sure no one looks down on you.” A wave of warmth washed over me, and I agreed without hesitation. As I glanced around the house one last time, I finally made up my mind that it was time to leave. Early the next morning, the clamor of construction work buzzed through the house, grating on my nerves. Frowning, I made my way downstairs and found Macbeth directing workers, and overseeing the renovations. Sabina caught sight of me, a smug grin spreading across her face as she spoke, “Oh, I hope we didn’t disturb your sleep. Blame Macbeth. He insisted on redoing the whole place just the way I liked it. Pretty much everything’s been remodeled. Hope you don’t mind.” Well, none of this mattered to me anymore. Then, in a calm and steady voice, I said, “No big deal, as long as you’re happy with it.” Sabina’s expression froze, her mouth opening as if to say something. But before she could, Macbeth stepped in. He took her hand in his, his presence cutting through the tension, and drawled, “Let the workers handle the renovations. This afternoon, I’ll take you to try on your wedding dress.” Overcome with excitement, Sabina pressed a lingering kiss to his lips. I watched them, lost in their own world, and felt a bitter smile tug at the corners of my mouth. Without a word, I turned and headed back upstairs to finish packing. Not long after, Macbeth pushed open the door to my room, following close behind. “You mad?” The moment he noticed me packing my things, his face darkened with alarm as he asked, “Look, I know this is sudden, but I’m marrying Sabina, and whatever was between us is over. But you’ll always be my niece. Lainey, just stay here in this house. I’ll treat you the same as I always have.” A bitter laugh escaped me as I stared at him in disbelief, and then I scoffed, “How can you even say that with a straight face? You’ve got no shame. I’ve got my own home, and I’m leaving. For good.”

Seeing how coldly I responded, he suddenly broke into a smirk and sneered, “Lainey, you can’t live without me. The fact that you ran away from your engagement proves you still love me. But Sabina, she’s different. I can’t live without her.” As soon as he finished speaking, Sabina’s voice called out from outside, and he hurried off without another word. I took a deep breath and quietly continued packing my things. When I arrived home, my father’s face lit up with relief and joy as he chirped, “I get that you two are close, but Macbeth’s about to get married. It’s not really appropriate for you to keep staying there.” Though my mind was filled with questions, especially about how my father had driven Macbeth and Sabina apart, I simply nodded, promising I wouldn’t bother him again. In the days that followed, I threw myself into preparing for the upcoming wedding. When my father handed me the freshly printed invitations, he said, “Since you’re close, why don’t you deliver his invitation yourself?” My face fell. I wanted to refuse, but I couldn’t risk my father suspecting anything about our relationship, so I agreed. When I returned to Macbeth’s villa, I noticed the maids had all been replaced. The renovations were nearly finished, and everything felt unfamiliar, almost unrecognizable. Every corner of the house seemed foreign now. Ignoring the unease settling in my chest, I stepped into the living room, only to freeze in my tracks. There, on the couch, Macbeth and Sabina were lost in a passionate kiss, completely oblivious to my presence. I was about to drop the invitation and leave when Sabina caught sight of me. She shrieked, “Ah!” Her face flushed crimson as she buried herself in Macbeth’s arms. He, on the other hand, looked frustrated, his expression tinged with guilt and discomfort when his eyes met mine. He scoffed, “So you finally decided to come back, huh? Now that you’ve had your fun these past few days, try not to run off again. Just behave yourself, alright? After all, Sabina wants you at the wedding to see how happy we are.” I pushed down the unease in my chest, not in the mood to argue, and simply handed him the invitation, saying, “My dad told me to give this to you…” But he left it hanging, refusing to accept it. “What is it?” “A wedding invitation.” “Whose?” “Mine.” His head snapped up, and our eyes locked. The icy detachment in my stare seemed to hit him like a sharp jab. For a moment, he hesitated, then slowly reached out and took the invitation. After a brief look, he let out a quiet laugh and said, “Lainey, stop messing around. I’ll explain everything about Sabina and me later. But you don’t have to fake a wedding invitation just to get under my skin.” I dodged his hand, unsure of what he was getting at. Sabina’s eyes landed on the invitation, and her expression shifted to one of stunned disbelief as she spoke, “Lainey, so your wedding is on the 8th too?” It all clicked in an instant. So, our wedding was on the same day. No wonder he thought the invitation was fake. He probably assumed it was just some petty trick of mine, born out of jealousy. But there was no point in explaining further. I turned to leave, only for Macbeth to step in and block my way. He exclaimed, “Sabina mentioned that you girls probably have a lot in common. She’s been having trouble finding the right wedding dress and was hoping you could help her pick one out.” I couldn’t help but laugh, already forming a biting retort in my mind. However, Sabina abruptly lunged at me, her voice ringing out in alarm as she spoke, “Watch out.” The chandelier, freshly installed, came crashing down from above, right where I had been standing. She shoved me out of the way, taking the brunt of the impact, and collapsed, unconscious. But the floor, cluttered with sharp tools and nails from the renovation, became a minefield. My legs were impaled, the pain so intense that I let out a blood-curdling scream. Macbeth snapped into action, but his first instinct was to scoop up Sabina, who lay motionless. I was trapped, my legs immobilized, every inch of my body screaming in agony. As I watched him carry her away, panic surged through me. Driven by sheer survival instinct, I screamed at the top of my lungs, “Macbeth, help me, please.”

He paused, his gaze locking onto the blood soaking the ground around me. His face hardened, a serious, almost pained look replacing his usual calm, and he said, “I’ve already called 911. I don’t know how bad your injuries are, so I can’t risk moving you. Just hang in there. The paramedics will be here soon, and they’ll take care of you. Sabina’s unconscious. I have to get her to the hospital now.” I watched his retreating figure, tears streaming down my face as the pain consumed me. My vision blurred, fading into darkness until I finally passed out, overwhelmed by despair. Even as I woke up in the hospital, that same suffocating feeling clung to me, refusing to let go. I slowly opened my eyes, my body numb and heavy, as if disconnected from myself. In a daze, I could faintly hear Macbeth speaking with the doctors, their voices distant and muffled. “Kirsten Chapman is a bit of an eccentric, but he’s incredibly talented and one of the best in his field. This year, he chose our hospital for his only clinical surgery.” “Mr. Watkins, to be honest, if you weren’t the largest shareholder here, we wouldn’t have even considered giving this opportunity to you.” “This is a one-time chance. I think it should go to Lainey, given how severe her injuries are. Sabina’s brain damage is serious, but with long-term rest and proper treatment, she can stabilize over time.” “Lainey’s fall injuries are treatable, but her legs are full of sharp tools and nails. If she doesn’t get this surgery soon, the damage could become permanent, and she might never walk again.” The thought of never being able to stand again jolted me awake, panic surging through me. I mustered every ounce of strength to push myself up, only to collapse back onto the bed, weak and trembling. The noise caught Macbeth’s attention. He stood in front of me, his expression a mix of guilt and heartache. Tears streaming down my face. With my voice breaking with desperation, I begged, “Macbeth, I can’t lose my legs. You know what that would mean for me.” Before I got together with him, dance was my greatest passion. But my father, Tedros Stone, wanted me to take over his dull, monotonous business. He even sent Macbeth, someone I was close to, to convince me to give up the art I’d spent years mastering. “Lainey, can’t you just dance at home?” He whispered, “I’ll be your only audience.” I reluctantly agreed, stepping away from the stage for good, though a part of me always carried that regret. Now, struggling to sit up, I clutched at his sleeve, desperation in my grip. Just as he was about to make his decision, the doctor suddenly called out, “It seems like there’s something wrong with Sabina. I need to go check on her.” At those words, Macbeth sharply pulled back, his voice icy and unfeeling as he spoke, “I’m sorry, Lainey. But her condition has to be my top priority right now.” The flicker of hope in my eyes died out completely. I could feel just how severe my condition was. Every ache and numbness screamed the truth. If the doctor had said only Kirsten’s surgery could save me, then I would have believed it. After all, his clinical procedures were legendary, something even the wealthiest and most powerful couldn’t easily secure. Years ago, my father might have been able to pull strings, even if it meant spending everything we had. But now? It was really difficult. Macbeth had been given this rare opportunity, and he chose to save Sabina instead. With that, he shattered any last hope I had left. I lay in the hospital bed, my eyes empty, like a hollow shell of a person, devoid of feeling. Out of guilt, Macbeth stayed by my side, tending to me. My father called, his voice filled with concern and urgency as he asked, “Lainey, Macbeth told me you got hurt. What happened? Cairbre heard the news too. He was in Sparkletown picking out your wedding dress, but now he’s rushing back. Your wedding’s in a week. Let’s not have any more surprises, okay?” Before I could react, Macbeth’s hand clamped down on my wrist. He stood there, his expression stormy, and snapped, “What wedding?” I ended the call without a fuss, pulled my hand free, and replied, “Nothing important. I was just letting my dad know I’m okay, and we ended up talking about your wedding.”

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At the CEO’s birthday banquet, I accidentally wore the dress of his late wife. His ten-year-old son shoved me into the champagne tower in front of everyone. He stood there, watching indifferently as I struggled on the floor, blood streaming down my body. His expression mirrored his father’s, cold and emotionless. “Wearing my mom’s dress doesn’t make you her. “You’re just my dad’s secretary. I can have him fire you!” Cold champagne soaked me to the bone. I lay there weakly, staring at the child I’d raised for ten years. “Don’t bother. I’ll submit my resignation tomorrow.” Ten-year-old Nash Vincent’s eyes were icy, sharp enough to cut. I took the shawl handed to me by the maid and turned to go back to my room to change. The hem of my dress snagged on the table corner, ripping a long tear down the fabric. “You ruined it! That was my mom’s favorite dress!” The previously mocking Nash instantly transformed into a furious little lion. His eyes were burning with anger as he glared at me, hatred written all over his young face. I looked at him with a complex expression. “Nash, you’re lying.” Nash’s mother always preferred luxurious styles; she would never have liked such a simple, elegant dress. Caught in his lie, Nash looked guilty. He stomped and stormed off. I didn’t chase after him to comfort him as usual, letting him vent his anger. After the guests had left, I returned to my room alone. As I opened the door, a dead dog dangled in front of me, stopping me in my tracks. Bright red blood dripped to the floor, staining my shoes and soaking Snowball’s soft fur. I was stunned, and before I could recover, Nash’s shrill laughter exploded behind me. “Serves you right! You took my mom away, now I’ll make you feel the pain of losing what you love!” He made a face at me and ran off triumphantly. I stared at the shocking pool of blood on the floor, unable to speak for a long time. Years ago, I arrived in this city with nothing but a small suitcase. I was hired to work for the Vincent family. The Vincent Villa was vast, but it felt more like a gilded cage than a home. They stripped me of all my hobbies, leaving me with nothing but a demanding child and a spoiled little dog. It took me ten years to raise them. But losing them happened in an instant. After a sigh, I caught the familiar scent of fir. Looking up, Maddox Vincent stood quietly before me. Maddox and Nash were two sides of the same coin, equally arrogant and cold. He stood there with his arms slightly open, expecting me to change his clothes like always, while saying, “I heard about what happened today. “Stella, you were in the wrong first.” Seeing my lack of response, he frowned, clearly displeased. He glanced at the glaring blood on the floor, his tone softening slightly. “Nash is still young. Just let him have his way.” With a look from Maddox, someone immediately came to clean up the blood on the floor. The lights were dim, the shadows hazy. Snowball, who had once played around the table, seemed as if he had never existed. Just like me, who had cared for them day in and day out for ten years, yet never left even a trace in the hearts of them. After changing, Maddox sat on the sofa, gently tapping the table to signal me to pour coffee. I instinctively complied. As I approached, he pulled me into his arms. His fingertips gently brushed my cheek as he said in a low voice, “It’s your birthday tonight. Skip the pill. If you get pregnant, well, that’s your gift to me.” His warm breath on my neck sent a chill through my bones. Maddox had a strong appetite in that regard. In my first month at the Vincent Villa, I was found to be pregnant. Before I could even feel anything, I was handed an abortion pill and told to take it. “In this lifetime, I only love Sylvia, and I will only acknowledge Nash as my child. “If you had a child, you might develop other thoughts and wouldn’t be able to take good care of Nash.” After that, he would always watch me take the contraceptive pill. For ten years, without fail. Tonight, I was supposed to be grateful and give him what he wanted. But for the first time, I avoided his touch. “Mr. Vincent, our ten-year agreement is over. I’ll be leaving tomorrow.”

Whatever warmth and hope I once had were long gone. Maddox snapped, “Nash is just a kid! “As his… nanny, it’s your job to raise him right. I haven’t held you accountable, yet you dare to throw a tantrum?” Nanny? I let out a dry laugh at that word. Years ago, Maddox fell head over heels for my friend, Sylvia Olsen. Despite his family’s disapproval, he married her anyway, and the Olsen family quickly climbed the social ladder thanks to him. They went from a nobody family in the middle of nowhere to high society almost overnight. After marriage, they were inseparable, deeply in love. But fate had other plans. Sylvia died giving birth. Fearing the loss of support, the Olsen family sent me, their adopted daughter, as a replacement. Maddox, deeply in love with Sylvia, refused to remarry but couldn’t bear to see young Nash left uncared for. So the two families made a ten-year arrangement: I would stay at the Vincent Villa as a so-called personal assistant. Though called a personal assistant, I had no formal employment contract or legal protection. My entire life was defined by a single piece of paper. Looking back, it was almost laughable. I raised Nash for ten years. Technically, I was still single. I collected my thoughts and calmly said, “I’m not throwing a tantrum. The agreement has expired. “Staying here without a defined role will only stir up gossip for you and Nash.” Maddox’s furrowed brow relaxed slightly. His gaze was probing, but his tone softened. “If you’d have a child for the Vincent family, I will include you and the child in the family registry, giving you the status you deserve…” “No, thank you.” No one would willingly lower themselves like that. In this life, I had suffered enough as an illegitimate child. How could I bear to let my child endure the same? I straightened my clothes and retrieved the company seal and documents related to the Vincent family’s assets from the bedroom. “I’ve already sorted out all the accounts. Sylvia’s people will take over my responsibilities. “Nash has grown up. He should be taught by professional tutors. I’m not qualified to teach him anymore.” Maddox waved his hand dismissively. The priceless property documents and the agreement were scattered on the floor like trash. He stepped on them without hesitation. “Stella, don’t push your luck. “Considering it’s your birthday, I’ll let it slide. “Stay in your room for the next few days and think about what you’ve done.” The heavy mahogany door closed, separating us into two worlds. I looked up at the sky, watching the faint glow drift away until it vanished. I couldn’t help but smile. It was a sky lantern, lit to celebrate my birthday and pray for blessings. But today wasn’t my birthday. It was the day Maddox first met Sylvia. The night before I was sent to the Vincent Villa, my adoptive mother came to me. She told me to memorize everything about Sylvia and imitate her every move. “Stella, you must impress him. Only then will you have a place in the Vincent family.” Her eyes burned with intensity, her tone leaving no room for doubt. As she predicted, Maddox, who cared little for anything, remembered my birthday. It was the one day of the year I looked forward to. Only on this day could I feel a hint of familial warmth, briefly held in his thoughts. But stolen things must eventually be returned. As I sighed, a sharp pain shot through my forehead. Nash stood on the wall, proudly holding a slingshot. “If you keep clinging to the Vincent Villa, one day it won’t be a stone hitting your head, but a bullet!” He was proud of his marksmanship. He completely forgot I was the one who taught him how to shoot and drive fast cars. Yet, ten years had passed. Maddox treated me as invisible, and Nash seemed eager for me to vanish immediately.

“It’s cold at night. Don’t catch a chill.” I gave him one last reminder before turning and heading back to my bedroom. The next morning, my adoptive mother showed up in a panic and blocked the doorway. Just like ten years ago, she dropped to her knees, begging. “Stella, Nash still needs you. “Your father and brother depend on Maddox’s support, and the Olsen kids rely on you too. You can’t just walk away on a whim.” I couldn’t hold it in anymore. “You’ve said all that, but have you ever asked how I’ve been?” She was stunned. A car pulled up outside, cutting her off mid-sentence. A woman stepped in, all elegance and charm. As soon as she entered, Nash rushed over and threw himself into her arms. “Monica, I’ve missed you so much!” Hand in hand, they walked right past me without so much as a greeting. The scent of her perfume lingered as the housemaids started whispering, “Poor Ms. Spears spent years trying to win over Mr. Vincent and his kid, and now she’s not even worth a footnote in the family.” “Yesterday she was desperate to leave, and today she’s changed her mind,” someone sneered. “Probably panicked when Monica showed up, afraid of losing her position.” Nash lifted his little face, nuzzling into Monica Stewart’s arms, his voice sweet and syrupy. “Dad’s been waiting for you. Let’s go see him. “I like Monica best. You smell pretty and talk nicely, not like someone who always acts like a naggy hillbilly.” I stood there, frozen, feeling as if something had stabbed my heart. I grew up in the south, and when I first moved here, nothing felt familiar. The cold hit like a blade, and I got sick so often that I barely pulled through. The servants mocked me for being uncouth, refusing even to bring me medicine. Back then, only little Nash stayed by my side, whispering sweetly, “Stella, get better soon. You look so cool when you ride your bike.” That little boy who once never left my side had now become a sharp thorn, piercing my heart. This turn of events was something I never could have imagined. Monica smiled politely, every move calculated and graceful. But her words carried a subtle dig. “Don’t take what a kid says too seriously, Ms. Spears.” I ignored her and turned to help my adoptive mother up. “You see, Maddox and Nash are never short of people to care for them.” Monica was the second daughter of the Stewart Group. With her striking resemblance to Sylvia, she could freely enter the study I was barred from, effortlessly winning the hearts of both father and son. My adoptive mother stood up, her earlier sorrow gone, and coldly demanded. “Are you really leaving?” “I won’t waste my life stuck in this gilded cage, chasing after two men who couldn’t care less about me,” I said firmly. With a loud smack, she slapped me hard across the face. “You’re hopeless,” she scolded. “If I hadn’t taken you in, you’d have drowned in that river years ago! How can you be so heartless? You’re worse than the Olsen family’s dog.” As she raised her hand for another slap, I caught her wrist. “They raised me until I was eight. I gave them ten years in return. “We’re even now,” I said, staring into her eyes. For ten years, I endured Maddox’s cold indifference. In the Vincent Villa, I managed every detail. I treated Nash as my own son, giving him all my love and care. I had done my best, with a clear conscience. The only person I had failed was myself. My adoptive mother left in a rage, her persuasion unsuccessful. I turned around and met Maddox’s unfathomable gaze.

His expression was cold, like he was looking at a disobedient pet. He tossed a remark my way, casual and dismissive. “Stella, you’re smart. You know leaving the Vincent family means you’ll have nothing. “I’ve had someone find a prettier dog for you. I’ll send it over later.” He spoke casually, like he was doing me a favor, “If Nash gets too annoying, Monica can help you take care of him. I’ve already had the room prepared for her to stay here.” In Maddox’s script, I was supposed to be overwhelmed, then meticulously arranged everything for Monica, playing the role of the virtuous and dutiful wife. But I was truly tired of it all. “Let the butler handle it. I’m leaving.” Monica stepped out gracefully from behind Maddox, her voice soft. “You don’t seem too pleased. Maybe I should leave. “Ms. Spears is a noble lady. Someone like me, a divorced woman with a child, naturally wouldn’t meet your standards.” She hadn’t taken more than a few steps before Maddox stopped her. “Why belittle yourself? A woman’s happiness depends entirely on a man’s opinion,” he said, glancing at me before scooping Monica into his arms. Soon, the sound of their heavy breathing drifted from the study, leaving people flushed and embarrassed in broad daylight. Nash made a face at me. “I want Monica to be with Dad. She’s not like you, a vain and wicked woman.” I stared hard at the little brat I’d raised, wanting to hear what he’d say. “Is that really what you think?”

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My Husband and I Went to the Orphanage to Adopt a Child, and the Little One Suddenly Ran Over and Called Him Daddy After a car accident left me, Bella Carson, unable to have children, my husband Mason Reed suggested we adopt. So, we went to the adoption center. When we met the little boy Mason had chosen, a healthy, fair-skinned boy named Liam Archer, he suddenly rushed into Mason’s arms, calling out, “Dad, why did it take you so long to get here? Mom and I have been waiting forever…” Mason had a low sperm count, so after we got married, I repeatedly went to the hospital for IVF in hopes of having a child with him. Finally, in the third year of our marriage, I got pregnant. Both Mason and I were deeply invested in this long-awaited child. We often imagined what the baby would look like when it was born. But, in the end, our hopes were shattered. At six months pregnant, I was in a car accident on my way to a check-up. The accident caused me to lose the baby, and it also left me unable to have children again. I was devastated. Although Mason was just as heartbroken, he showed a smile and said it was okay. He told me that, compared to the baby, he cared more about me. He said if I really wanted a child, we could adopt one from an orphanage. However, when we went to the orphanage to adopt, the child Mason immediately picked out jumped into his arms and said, “Dad, why are you so late? Mom and I have been waiting for you!” The child’s words made my heart drop. Though I didn’t want to doubt Mason, my rational side couldn’t help but want to dig deeper. I squatted down and looked at the boy, who looked about 80% like Mason, and smiled as I asked, “If he’s your dad, then who’s your mom?” Mason’s face immediately paled. Before the child could answer, Mason hurriedly spoke, “Of course it’s you! This child is smart. He can tell we’re the perfect parents for him! Even before we officially adopted, he started calling us mom and dad!” “Dad, that’s nonsense. My real mom isn’t this dull, lifeless woman…” The child pushed me away from Mason and stood there defiantly. My heart sank. I thought, “Dull… Lifeless… These weren’t words a five-year-old should be able to say.” Mason’s face turned ashen. Just as I was about to press for more answers, the door to the break room opened. Mason’s secretary, Ruth Sterling, walked out. She looked surprised to see Mason and said, “Mr. Reed? What are you doing here? I’m off today, just came by to see the kids… Liam, what are you bothering Mr. Reed for? Didn’t I tell you before?” She walked over and yanked the child, who was still clinging to Mason, away, scolding him. Mason, looking flustered, hurried to my side, grabbed my hand, and awkwardly smiled as he explained, “All the kids here act like this. When they see good adoptive parents, they rush to call them mom and dad…” I calmly pulled my hand away. “Then why did he call Ruth mom’? I came here with you, shouldn’t he call me?” “Uh…” Mason hesitated, then replied, “After we decided to adopt, I came here with Ruth to check things out. This child had met us before and immediately decided we were his parents… you know, kids from orphanages crave affection but can be really stubborn. Changing their initial view takes time.” “Really? I guess I was just overthinking…” I stood up and started walking out. Mason hurried after me, asking, “Aren’t you going to finalize the adoption today?” “Adopting a child isn’t a small matter. I’ll think about it more carefully and let you know.”

I thought, “Women are sensitive creatures, especially those who have just lost a child and their ability to have more.” That day, at the orphanage, after the seed of doubt was planted in my heart, I couldn’t help but pay closer attention to Mason’s work and personal life. I always had the feeling that Mason and his secretary, Ruth, were up to something. One night, as I passed by the study on my way to the bathroom, I overheard a phone conversation. “The child would have been better off dead. He shouldn’t have come into this world! So what if he was a fully formed baby boy? He’s nothing compared to even a single strand of hair from Ruth’s child…” It was Mason’s voice, deliberately lowered. I thought, “Who was he talking about? Who was nothing compared to Ruth’s child?” I pressed my ear to the wooden door, straining to hear more. Then, I heard the voice of his father, Jackson Reed, come through the phone. “Are you out of your mind? How can you say something like that? Do you really think you deserve Bella? “When you and Ruth broke up because of the business trouble, you were drunk all the time and didn’t care about the company. If it weren’t for Bella begging her parents to help you, you wouldn’t be the president of the Carson Group today! You wouldn’t even have a job fixing shoes on the side of the road! “And yet? You didn’t appreciate Bella. On your wedding night, you drugged her and told her you had a weak sperm count. Bella, despite all that, didn’t blame you. She risked everything and went through nearly three years of IVF. The doctors even told her to give up, but she stubbornly insisted on having a child to carry on the Reed family legacy. But you? “You heartless bastard, not only did you fail to cherish her, but you also caused a car accident to kill the child in Bella’s womb for the sake of your and Ruth’s child and even bribed the doctor to make sure she could never have children again! How the hell did I end up with such a soulless scumbag son like you?!” “That was her choice,” Mason’s cold voice cut through the conversation. “If she hadn’t insisted on IVF, she wouldn’t have miscarried, and I wouldn’t have had the chance to make sure she couldn’t have children. “Now it doesn’t matter what you want. Bella can’t have children anymore. If you don’t let Ruth’s child, Liam, into the Reed family, you can forget about keeping any of our fortune.” I stood frozen outside the door. I thought, “What were they talking about? Mason was the one who caused my miscarriage? He was also the one who made sure I could never have children again. Was all this just so he could bring Ruth’s son, Liam, into the Reed family and secure his future?” The cold truth made my teeth clench together tightly. Then, I heard Jackson’s voice, nearly breaking down. “When your company was on the verge of bankruptcy, Bella’s parents helped you out because of her. They saved your company. After everything they did for you, why didn’t you just leave their daughter alone? Why marry her if you didn’t love her? And then, you didn’t even cherish her. Do you have any idea how much damage you’ve done to her?” “I didn’t want to marry Bella either! But it just so happened that her family, the Carson Group, could save my company, and she just happened to like me… I was just going with the flow! But that wasn’t love. The only one I’ve ever loved, from the beginning to the end, is Ruth!” I couldn’t listen to it anymore. Stumbling, I returned to the bedroom and buried myself under the covers. Over and over again, I replayed Mason’s words in my head. So, Mason had never loved me. What he married was just my position as the only daughter of the president of the Carson Group. But after the Carson Group went bankrupt and my parents passed away last year, my identity had become meaningless. That was why he dared to orchestrate a car accident to kill the child I was carrying, to hurt me beyond repair, all to make way for Ruth’s child and for Ruth herself.

When Mason’s footsteps sounded at the door of the bedroom, I quickly closed my eyes, not wanting him to know that I was awake. He tiptoed over to my bed and gently kissed my forehead. In the past few years, he often did small things like this. At that time, my heart was full of sweetness. But now, when he kissed my forehead, I only felt a chilling, spine-tingling cold. Just a moment ago, during our phone call, he had clearly told me that he didn’t love me. Yet now, he was casually making a move that contradicted his true feelings and kissed me. He was so good at pretending! His scheming was so deep it was almost terrifying. I had no power right now, so I absolutely couldn’t tear my face off with him just yet. I couldn’t let him know I had already uncovered the truth. If I did, given Mason’s unpredictable nature, I was afraid I might not even survive this. I had to quickly find the evidence of Mason’s affair and his involvement in killing our child and harming me. Then, with the law’s protection, I could completely break free from this scum of a man. Mason fell asleep soon after. Maybe I had been so naive and unaware before that Mason didn’t guard himself around me. Once he was asleep, I used his phone’s password for the first time since we got married. The phone looked clean. Whether it was WhatsApp or text messages, everything was about work and normal, everyday conversations. But this couldn’t be right. He loved Ruth so much. He had even killed our child and made sure I would never be able to have children again, all for Ruth. In such a situation, there was no way his personal phone would be so spotless. I’d heard that some cheating men set up two systems on their phones, so I tried switching the system. And sure enough, there was another one. I tried the old lock screen password. It didn’t work. Then I tried Ruth’s birthday from the HR form, and it worked. It seemed this system was set up just for Ruth! When I switched over, the first thing I saw was a wedding photo of Mason and Ruth embracing each other. In the photo, Mason had the brightest, most radiant smile. But I remembered that when Mason and I took our wedding photos, he always kept a straight face. The photographer had asked him to smile, and he’d said he wasn’t someone who liked to smile. It seemed he wasn’t someone who didn’t like to smile. He just didn’t want to smile for someone who wasn’t important to him! Although I already knew he didn’t love me, the bitterness in my heart still flooded over me. I took a deep breath and opened WhatsApp. In his WhatsApp contacts, there were only two people. One was Ruth. The other was their son, Liam. Just as I logged in, Liam had sent Mason a voice message. After glancing at the sleeping Mason, I clicked to convert it to text. [Dad, Mom is mad at me! She says it’s my fault I said the wrong thing in front of that woman, and that’s why I can’t come back to you… But I said that on purpose, we’re supposed to be a family! I don’t want anyone else to be my mom except for her!] I didn’t reply, but instead, I opened the chat between Mason and Ruth. I saw the latest messages. [I just gave your son a good scolding! With all the trouble he caused today, don’t even talk about him coming back to the Reed family to claim his place. It’s going to be tough.] Mason replied: [He’s still young, don’t hold it against him. I’ll think of a way here. Bella listens to me. I’ll talk to her in a couple of days. Maybe she’ll agree to let Liam come live with us.] [Why do you need her to agree? Why don’t you just kill her and be done with it? After all, she doesn’t have any family to back her up.] [Don’t talk like that. I’ve been married to her for three years…] [Wait, are you developing feelings for her? Choose her or me. If you pick her, I’ll take the kid and disappear from your life forever!] [I’ll choose you…] [Then kill her! Kill her, and I’ll take the kid, and we can proudly be your wife. From now on, we’ll be together forever as a family.] [Murder is illegal…] [Then use someone else to do it! Didn’t you always say your driver, Noah Blackwood, looks at Bella with interest? Why not arrange for an accident? Make sure they both die in a car crash. If it’s investigated and they find out the car was tampered with, we can blame it on Bella and Noah having an affair and committing suicide together!]

I thought, “The Driver… Yes, I do have a driver named Noah Blackwood. He’s a young man with great driving skills.” His wife had breast cancer, and to pay for her treatment, he worked three jobs every day. One time, after he collapsed in front of my house, I learned about his situation from a passerby. I found out that his combined salary from three jobs didn’t even add up to a third of what my family’s driver earned, so I decided to offer him a helping hand. At that low point in his life, Noah didn’t turn me down. When he started working as my driver, I advanced him a year’s worth of salary. He used the money to get his wife the surgery she needed in time, and now, she’s able to live a normal life again. Once his wife regained her strength, Noah was extremely grateful. Every day when he came to work, he would bring me some food made by his wife, and he would tell me that she wanted to meet the person who saved her life. From beginning to end, there was never anything inappropriate between Noah and me. I never noticed Noah looking at me in a way that wasn’t proper. Noah had his beloved wife, and his Instagram was full of pictures of them together, living happily. I didn’t understand why Mason, who also had Noah’s WhatsApp, misunderstood the situation. Even more confusing was why he would tell Ruth about these baseless rumors. I thought, “But none of that matters now. What matters is that Mason, taking Ruth’s advice, decided to make a move against me and Noah tomorrow. It’s truly sad. They say that a married couple shares affection. But for me, after three years of marriage, I’ve only earned hatred so intense that they wish they could get rid of me completely.” Fighting back my frustration, I saved all these chat records. I also looked through the earlier messages and saved some evidence that could prove Mason’s infidelity, the abortion, and how he caused harm to his wife. I then logged out of the system and put his phone away. Perhaps the truth hit me so hard tonight that I couldn’t sleep. I tossed and turned in bed all night while Mason, in his sleep, muttered Ruth’s name the most. Occasionally, my name came up, too. I thought, maybe in his dream, I had some kind of conflict with Ruth. Otherwise, how could someone like me end up in the same dream as Ruth? But never mind, after tomorrow, everything will be over. The next morning, when I opened my eyes, I saw that Mason was already gone. When I was having breakfast, he came back home. As I was eating, I noticed the smell of gasoline on him. “Did you drive out?” “Yeah, Dad suddenly felt unwell last night. Since the driver had finished his shift, I drove myself over to check on him…” I thought about Jackson, who had been defending me last night while Mason kept attacking him, and I couldn’t help but put my fork down and ask, “How’s your dad doing?” “He said his heart was bothering him. I’ve already taken him to the hospital… Honey, do you want to go see him?” “I should go,” I replied calmly, finishing the last bite of my egg. Mason looked at me with a complicated expression. “You don’t have to go if you’re not up for it… Your health hasn’t been great since the miscarriage…” “I’ll go. After I married you, your dad has always treated me well. If he’s unwell, I should see him,” I said, standing up and asking Sara Baker to get me some clothes. But then Mason came up behind me, wrapped his arms around my waist, and buried his head in my neck. He took a deep breath and said, “Honey… I’m sorry…” “Why are you suddenly apologizing?” “Since we met, you’ve helped me so much, but because of me, you’ve suffered so much… When we got married, I promised I’d give you a lifetime of happiness, but now, it seems I was too confident back then.” I couldn’t help but laugh coldly to myself. I thought, “Was this regret? But Mason, even if you regretted it, you still didn’t stop me from jumping into your trap of death!” With Mason seeing me off, I walked to the door. Outside, Noah, already at work, opened the car door and greeted me with a bright smile. “Good morning, Mrs. Reed!” I nodded at Noah and got into the car. Mason stood at the door, watching us leave. In the rearview mirror, Mason’s figure grew smaller and smaller. In the end, he even chased after the car, but… it seemed like it was already too late! Noah drove steadily, but if something were to happen to the car, the brakes would have to be tampered with. I didn’t know much about cars. And I didn’t know how Mason had tampered with the brakes. But I could clearly feel the car, which had been driving at a constant speed, picking up speed. Noah seemed to notice it, too. He tried to brake. But it failed. “Mrs. Reed…” He looked at me with a pale face and said with a trembling voice, “The brakes seem to be failing! I checked everything before leaving yesterday…” “It’s fine!” I pointed ahead at the bridge railing and said coldly, “Crash into it, and after the car falls off the bridge, use the safety hammer’s blade to cut the seatbelt and break the window to escape. I can swim!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295941”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #重生Reborn #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #励志Inspiring #校园School #魔幻Magic #惊悚Thriller #擦边Steamy #后宫Harem

My husband Aaron Brooks and I stayed childless through five years of marriage. To boost my fertility, I took vitamins he specially ordered from abroad at crazy prices. But when my cousin came back from overseas studies, she said that brand never did custom vitamins. I got the pills tested at a hospital. The report showed they were strong hormone drugs meant to stop pregnancy. That was when I realized Aaron’s daily caring routine of watching me take those pills was just an act. He’d been lying to me for five whole years. Right as I was about to confront him, Queenie Bennett tagged Aaron in the company chat. [Honey, the doctor said I’m having twins at today’s check-up.] [Two grandsons for the Brooks family! Happy now?] My heart froze dead. Everything clicked. If this was how things stood, we were done. I took my phone and answered Dorian Bryant, my childhood sweetheart who’d texted three days back. [After Arctic auroras, let’s see penguins in Antarctica.] Queenie’s message set off a storm across the company instantly. [Holy cow! When did you and Mr. Brooks get together?] [You guys even have kids now!] [Congrats! I’m already saving up for your wedding!] [Mr. Brooks, you got the hottest girl in our company!] Messages kept flooding the group chat. My eyes turned colder as I watched. This was Brooks Group’s internal chat filled with key members and Aaron’s inner circle. When Aaron added me here earlier under his parents’ orders, the scene felt just as lively. But back then, when people teased us, Aaron replied: [Nora’s my friend. She joined to learn finance stuff from you all.] After sending that, he told me privately, “Nora, ours is an arranged marriage between families. It’s too complicated. Let’s keep it quiet for now.” I agreed and stayed quiet in the chat. As coworkers joked about asking me out, Aaron replied: [Go for it if you can. Just don’t slack at work!] Queenie fired back below: [Stop acting like that around girls! You’re ruining our company image!] Aaron always used “work overload” as an excuse, so we never had a wedding. That was why after five years of marriage, nobody knew their Mr. Brooks was already married. The chat finally slowed after a full hour. That was when Queenie suddenly posted: [Thanks for the love! You all are welcome to our baby’s birth party!] [But you better bring fancy gifts!] [No problem! Happy life to your family of three!] [Come on! Queenie’s twins make four!] [Can’t wait to meet your babies!] Reading these messages, my heart twisted with bitter pain. I gripped my phone so hard that my fingertips turned pale. I tried to believe this was all a cruel joke, but then, I saw Aaron’s reply to the group. [Thanks for the best wishes. I’ll grant paid leave after this busy period.] My eyes stung as tears spilled uncontrollably. It felt like a giant hand crushed my heart, making it hard to breathe. Why? Why would Aaron do this to me? I sat frozen on the couch, drowning in misery until numbness took over. Opening the chat, I saved all the chat records. Staring blankly out the window, I felt hollow. Just then, keys jingled in the door. I looked up and saw Aaron walk in. He came home before dinner, a rare miracle. “Your eyes are red. Have you been crying?” He sat beside me, oozing fake concern. “Talk to me, darling. Who upset you? I’ll fix it.” He pulled me into his arms. His embrace felt warm, yet my entire body stayed ice-cold. Why? How could he betray me yet act so loving? It made no sense. Feeling his breath on my neck, I shoved him away. “Don’t touch me!” Aaron’s smile faded. He leaned back casually. “You saw the company chat, huh?”

“Nora Sherwood, you should know the real reason why we got married. “We united for our families’ sake. Why obsess over trivial details now?” Aaron’s eyes flickered with impatience. “Besides, isn’t our current arrangement working fine?” His words stunned me. Aaron was right. Years ago, when a new potential group rose in Agelaton’s business world, Brooks Group and Sherwood Group were forced into retreat. The two families had no choice but to form an alliance against their rival. To solidify this partnership, Aaron and I were pushed into a marriage of convenience. “For Brooks Group and Sherwood Group’s future, you two must marry!” “It isn’t negotiable!” Under our parents’ iron-fisted pressure, Aaron’s budding romance with Queenie died prematurely. I, too, was forced to break up with Dorian. Our parents even cut off all financial support to coerce us. Faced with the brutal reality, Aaron and I held out for only three months before surrendering. After leaving the civil registry, Aaron coldly warned me, “This is purely for our families. I don’t love you, and don’t expect what isn’t yours.” I knew Aaron still longed for his secretary Queenie. But how dare he betray our marriage so casually? How could he force me to take strong hormonal contraceptives, harming my body for that woman? I was utterly heartbroken. Yes, our marriage began as a business arrangement. But over five years, 1800 days, how could I not develop any affection? Anger and disappointment surged within me. Staring at Aaron’s calm face, I blurted out, “What exactly are you planning with Queenie’s pregnancy?” Instantly, I regretted asking. If Aaron didn’t want her children, he wouldn’t have publicly acknowledged it in the company chat or thanked colleagues for their congratulations. “Nora, I want children. “That’s my kids. I’m keeping them.” Rage exploded within me. My palm cracked across Aaron’s right cheek. Snapped! He stood frozen, disbelief twisting his features. “You’re insane! How dare you hit me?” Ignoring him, I slammed the medical report onto the coffee table. “Five years, Aaron! “You lied to me for five years!” “Custom-made vitamins? How clever! Using that excuse to feed me contraceptives!” My vision blurred with furious tears. Aaron paled, guilt and fear flashing in his eyes. “Nora, let me explain…” “What’s left to say?” I hissed. “You poisoned me for years. Is this your desire for children? Or do you only want them with Queenie?” Bitter tears streamed down my face. Panicking, Aaron reached to embrace me. I sidestepped his touch. “You want Queenie’s children? Fine! “If you could just tell me! I’d even help convince our parents! “But why hurt me? “Do you know what those hormones did to my body?” Though it was an arranged marriage, we’d grown close over five years. He’d scour the city for my favorite cakes when I was sad. Drunk, he’d cling to me whispering, “Nora, don’t leave.” He’d take midnight flights back during business trips just to comfort me when I missed him. I didn’t know if this was love, but his whispered “darling” always warmed my heart. “Nora, I’m so lucky to have married you.” Countless nights, he’d murmur this while holding me. I thought we’d stay happy forever until discovering his five-year deception. Without my cousin’s help, I’d never have known about the contraceptives. Aaron’s eyes showed panic seeing my tears. “Nora, I hid Queenie’s pregnancy just to spare you pain.”

Aaron’s half-hearted excuse filled me with bitter disappointment. If he feared hurting me, why cheat? If he cared, why feed me high-dose hormonal contraceptives? The hypocrisy stung. What a despicable liar he was! Watching his guilty expression, I sneered. “These years, I’ve lost sleep over infertility, clumps of hair falling out. Do you know my anguish? Yet you tricked me into taking birth control pills. Those hormones destroyed my hormonal balance permanently—I can never have kids now! You stole motherhood from me to protect Queenie and her children! Aaron, you’re a jerk!” Tears streamed down my face as my chest heaved. The doctor’s diagnosis had shattered me. Aaron obliterated my dream of a daughter. I loathed him. I couldn’t bear his existence, storming to the bedroom. As I sank onto the bed, Dorian’s message lit my phone: [Nora, why ignore me? If Arctic auroras don’t appeal, let’s pick somewhere else.] Dorian, my first love, had moved abroad after college, which was why my parents opposed our relationship. For years, his messages piled up. Invitations to surf oceans, explore canyons, watch desert sunrises… I never replied, not even to his plea for reconciliation. Yet he persisted, sharing his life relentlessly. My phone overflowed with his unopened texts. I dared not read or respond. I was another man’s wife. I’d clung to moral principles while Aaron trampled my dignity and health. My sacrifices yielded only pain. Sobs wracked my body. Eventually, I steadied myself. Summoning courage, I opened Dorian’s chat. Unread messages cascaded. [Nora, I wish you’d attended my PhD graduation today.] [Nora, I saw vanilla cake at a bakery, your favorite.] [Nora, did my gift arrive?] [Nora, I miss you.] Each word pierced my heart. Suddenly, my phone buzzed. Aaron had transferred three million dollars to me. [Darling, I’m sorry. The money proves my remorse. Forgive me.] I scoffed. Three million to buy forgiveness? As if money could erase betrayal and ruined health! I vowed then to never sacrifice anything for Aaron again. I’d live for myself. Opening Dorian’s chat, I typed: [After Arctic auroras, let’s see penguins in Antarctica.]

After the fallout with Aaron, he grew increasingly brazen. He stopped coming home during the day, even staying out all night. But I didn’t care. His absence lifted my mood instead. I wasn’t idle either. First, I applied for immigration paperwork. Then I packed all my belongings from the house, shipping them in batches to Dorian overseas. Returning from the post office one day, I bumped into Aaron at the doorstep. “Nora, I’ve got a surprise for you.” He produced a box containing the bracelet I’d admired at last month’s auction. “Do you like it?” I nodded, mentally calculating whether such valuable jewelry could survive shipping. At dinner, Aaron suddenly proposed. “Nora, come with me to my grandparents’ 50th anniversary next Monday.” “Sure,” I agreed. He blinked, startled by my compliance. “Nora, you’re the best wife ever!” His smile radiated triumph. The banquet swarmed with my family and Agelaton’s business elites. Before entering, Aaron forcibly hooked my arm through his. I didn’t resist, letting him parade me into the hall. Queenie stood there, instantly recognizable. As Brooks Group’s star executive and Aaron’s personal secretary, her presence was inevitable. Watching her bustle around, I smirked. “Her pregnancy glow suits her.” Aaron’s face darkened. During dinner, the interrogation began as usual. “Nora, five years married, you must prioritize children,” Aaron’s mother chided. “Aaron says you’ve been trying. Any progress?” his grandmother added. “Don’t avoid doctors. Get checked,” his grandfather boomed. My heart ached. A child? I’d never have one. Queenie suddenly announced, “Sir, even if Nora can’t conceive, I’m carrying twins!” Silence gripped the table. As Aaron’s grandfather flushed angrily, Queenie purred, “Don’t misunderstand. I just want Nora to share this blessing. Maybe she’ll give you two great-grandsons too.” Aaron shot her a tender, hopeful glance. “Nora, let’s toast. You failed in the past years, but my luck might rub off on you.” Queenie raised her glass, provocation gleaming. I glared, ignoring her. When she kept standing stubbornly, Aaron shoved her into a chair. “You’re pregnant. Sit down!” He then snapped at me, “Stop being petty! Queenie’s blessing you. Why embarrass her?” “Aaron!” His mother frowned at his tone, but he barked, “Mom, stay out of it! She’s my wife, yet she has no manners! We’ve been childless five years because of her infertility. How dare she sulk?” Rage choked me. I was shocked by his shamelessness! How could he have the nerve to say such words? It was all his fault! I clenched my fists, breath ragged. A blessing? I lifted my wine, eyeing Queenie coldly. “Thanks. Extra gratitude if those twins are Aaron’s.” The table froze. But I didn’t care and calmly resumed eating. When the party ended, Aaron and Queenie vanished together, perhaps fooling around somewhere else. So I left without him. Placing divorce papers on the coffee table, I hauled my luggage out forever. Before boarding my flight, I mass-emailed chat screenshots to my parents and the Brooks family: [Aaron already has twins via Queenie. No future here. I’m divorcing him.] As soon as I stepped off the plane, Aaron’s barrage of texts flooded my phone. [Nora, have you lost your mind?]

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My wife cheated on me, and my son wasn’t mine. She confessed this bluntly on our wedding night. But then, by some bizarre twist of fate, I discovered that my son shared my extremely rare blood type: Rh-negative. Behind my wife’s back, I secretly took a paternity test. The results floored me: a 99.99% DNA match. Andrew was related to me, without a doubt. But if he wasn’t my son, who was his “real” father? My mind raced, my stomach twisted. Could it be… A horrible thought crept into my mind, leaving me sickened. “Is this Simon Swift, Andrew Swift’s father?” The call came in abruptly, shattering my morning peace. “This is Children’s Hospital. Your son had an accident at school. He fell, hit his head, and lost a lot of blood. He urgently needs a transfusion. “Please come immediately.” I glanced at the clock. It was 10 AM, and annoyance quickly overtook concern. It wasn’t worry or even anger, but irritation. “You should call his mother,” I said coldly. “Besides, I’m Rh-negative. What good is calling me? Doesn’t your hospital have a blood bank?” I was ready to end the call when I noticed Roger, my driver, shooting me a stunned, judgmental glance. I could read his thoughts clearly. What kind of father would respond so callously to news that his son was hurt? Yet the truth was simple. Andrew wasn’t my son. Beatrice Moore, my wife, had been three months pregnant when we met. She married me carrying another man’s child, and I accepted it. I was nothing but a pathetic stand-in. “What kind of father are you?” The doctor’s voice on the line grew sharper, thick with frustration. “If our blood bank had his type, why would we call you? “We’ve already tested Andrew. He’s Rh-negative, exactly like you. Get here now!” The call ended abruptly, leaving me frozen in disbelief. Andrew had Rh-negative blood too? How could that possibly be just a coincidence? Roger cleared his throat gently. “Simon, he’s just a kid. Kids get hurt. It’s part of growing up. “Maybe you’ve been a bit strict with him, but right now, you really should focus on his health.” “I’m not his father!” I blurted out, louder than intended. Immediately regretting it, I lowered my voice. “Sorry, Roger. I didn’t mean to snap. Let’s just… get to the hospital.” After the transfusion, Andrew drifted into sleep. For the first time, I found myself truly studying his face, startled by the striking resemblance I saw there. Roger stepped beside me quietly, his voice low but sincere. “Simon, you can’t deny it. Andrew looks exactly like you.” A sudden panic surged through me. I turned to the doctor urgently. “Can you perform a paternity test here?” The doctor gave me a puzzled look. “Isn’t your shared blood type enough proof?” “That’s not enough. Just tell me, can you do it or not?” “We can’t run it here,” he replied slowly, still eyeing me skeptically. “But we can send the samples to the central hospital downtown. Results take three days.” Without hesitation, I rolled up my sleeve. “Do you need blood or hair? Let’s do this right now.” I watched intently as they took our samples and sealed them away. Only then did Beatrice arrive, eyes swollen and red, her cheeks still streaked from recent tears. Teachers and school officials immediately crowded around her, apologizing and comforting. I merely shot her an icy glare, turned to Roger, and said, “Let’s go.” It was lunchtime when we left the hospital. Feeling restless and needing something stronger than cafeteria food, I asked Roger to join me at a restaurant. The moment the alcohol arrived, I poured myself a glass and knocked it back. Anyone could tell that I was trying to drown my confusion. “Simon, slow down,” Roger said cautiously. “You’re going to hurt yourself drinking like that.” He paused, carefully selecting his next words. “Are you absolutely sure Andrew isn’t yours? Because this blood thing… it’s awfully strange.”

But it wasn’t just the blood type. Today, as I truly studied Andrew’s face for the first time, an unsettling feeling took root deep inside me. Panic crept through my veins, making my skin crawl. Beatrice and I had been set up by our families. At first, I liked her well enough. Everything moved fast; our families agreed, and my mother didn’t hesitate to hand over the dowry. The wedding was arranged hastily, just two weeks after our initial meeting. It was a classic shotgun wedding scenario. Then, just days before the ceremony, Beatrice confessed that she was already three months pregnant. The news hit me like a thunderclap, turning my world upside down. For days before the wedding, I drank myself into oblivion, tortured by indecision. In the end, I decided to bury the truth and marry her anyway. It was not out of love, but because my mother had just been diagnosed with cervical cancer. I couldn’t risk breaking her heart. From then on, I treated Beatrice with cold indifference. After Andrew was born, I never held him or played with him. His existence mocked my pride as a man. Hearing him call me “Daddy” only sharpened the blade twisting in my chest. Now he was three years old, already attending preschool, and yet I had never taken him to a playground or tossed a ball with him. Whenever he approached me, especially if I’d been drinking, I’d snap at him harshly, sending him running away in fear. Andrew grew up wary and distant, a child who didn’t know his own father. And I never felt a shred of remorse. He wasn’t mine, so he wasn’t my burden. Frankly, I often considered myself generous just to tolerate his presence. Andrew was a permanent stain on my life, a humiliating reminder of my cowardice. The fact that I hadn’t mistreated him physically felt like kindness enough. But today, all my comfortable lies were collapsing around me. Anxiety gnawed at my thoughts. If Andrew wasn’t mine, why did he share my blood type? Why did he look so unmistakably like me? Three days flew by quickly. Andrew was already discharged; it was just a small injury after all, needing only three stitches. During these three days, I didn’t once inquire about his recovery, nor did Beatrice bother updating me. This was our life and normality, coexisting like tenants in the same house, separate lives carefully never intersecting. The moment I left work, I went straight to the hospital to pick up the test results. I brought Roger along. Among all my coworkers, Roger knew me best since he drove me around every day. Besides, he knew about the test. I brought him also because I panicked and didn’t dare to face the result alone. When the nurse handed me the sealed envelope, I didn’t open it immediately. Instead, Roger and I headed to a nearby diner. Only once we’d ordered and sat down did I break the seal, hands shaking slightly from nerves. Roger leaned over eagerly as I unfolded the paper. The moment he saw the result, his face split into a wide, congratulatory grin. But my reaction was the opposite. My heart jolted in my chest, cold dread surging up my spine. I stared in stunned disbelief at the unmistakable words: Probability of paternity: Greater than 99.99%. Andrew was absolutely, undeniably, my biological son. Yet, that result, rather than bringing comfort, slammed into me with sickening force. It was impossible and unacceptable. My head spun violently, leaving me disoriented, breathless, and dazed. My voice shook as I muttered numbly, “No… no, this can’t be right. Where…where the hell did things go wrong?”

“See? Clear as day. There’s no mistake.” Roger grinned widely, practically glowing as though he were the proud father himself. “Simon, stop torturing yourself. Andrew looks exactly like you. Same blood type, and now even a DNA test. What more proof do you need?” “I told you, he’s not mine. He can’t possibly be mine,” I insisted firmly, my expression hardening. “Beatrice and I met through a blind date arranged by our families. We got married two weeks later, and we barely knew each other. “Just a few days before our wedding, she admitted to me that she was already three months pregnant.” “And the timeline proves it,” I continued bitterly. “Andrew was born only seven months after our wedding. “We told everyone he was premature, but he was full-term.” Roger’s jaw dropped open, eyes widening. It was clear his brain was spinning as fast as mine had been earlier. Several long, awkward minutes passed before he finally gathered the nerve to speak again, his voice hesitant. “Simon, are you absolutely sure you didn’t know her…from before?” “You mean, could I have dated her earlier, gotten her pregnant, and forgotten about it?” I shot Roger a sharp look. “Tell me honestly, would you completely forget someone you were involved with just three months earlier?” Without waiting for a response, I stood up abruptly. “There’s got to be a mistake. I’m getting another test.” “Hold on,” Roger grabbed my sleeve. “Simon, please don’t get mad at what I’m about to say.” “Look,” he added cautiously, lowering his voice as if delivering a hard truth. “Is it possible the issue isn’t the test itself? Think about it: Andrew looks just like you, and you share the same rare blood type. You personally watched them seal the samples. The chance of error here is practically zero. “And since you’re positive Beatrice was already pregnant before meeting you… Is there any chance Andrew might be your brother’s child?” I understood immediately what he was implying, but that was also impossible. Putting aside the scientific fact that a nephew and his uncle would never match at a near-perfect 99.99%, there was a much simpler reason. “I don’t have any brothers,” I said flatly. “Only a sister.” Roger blinked in surprise, quickly shifting gears. “Oh…no brothers. Then what about your d…” He caught himself mid-sentence, his face reddening in embarrassment. He’d clearly crossed a line. “My dad passed away eight years ago,” I said, shooting him a pointed look. “I’m so sorry, Simon. I-I didn’t mean it that way,” Roger stammered, waving his hands frantically in apology. After a tense silence, he awkwardly cleared his throat. “Well, in that case, I can only think of one other explanation. “Simon, have you ever heard of the multiverse theory? You know, alternate dimensions, parallel universes… “Maybe Andrew isn’t your kid… But maybe another Simon from some parallel universe crossed over and…” I stared at him, speechless. Was he serious? Clearly, he’d spent too many late nights reading ridiculous sci-fi novels. I turned my head slightly, noticing the diners at the next table quietly picking up their plates and moving to seats further away. The looks they cast our way spoke volumes: they clearly thought we’d both lost our minds.

I didn’t respond, choosing instead to frown deeply and bury my frustrations in the bottom of my glass. Roger, however, was still riding the high of his bizarre theories, each new speculation wilder than the last. “Simon, uh…in the months before the wedding, did you ever visit any…questionable establishments? You know, sometimes mistakes happen…” He coughed awkwardly. “Protection is always key. If you slipped up, maybe one of those girls could’ve ended up pregnant, and then…” He quickly raised his hands in surrender as my glare hardened. “Okay, fine, let’s try another angle. “Have you watched any romance dramas? I’m sure you had more than one girlfriend before getting married, right? “Maybe you had an ex who wasn’t over you, went abroad, got plastic surgery, and reinvented herself as Beatrice? “Or… wait, wait! Simon, have you ever donated…um, DNA samples?” I could only stare at him, utterly speechless. Roger’s imagination was truly astounding, absurd to the point of exhaustion. He finally got the hint from my murderous expression and shut his mouth. But as ridiculous as his ideas sounded, he wasn’t entirely wrong to grasp at straws. Still, none of these scenarios applied to me. I might not have been some paragon of virtue, but I’d never been one to sleep around. As for past relationships, sure, I had dated three women seriously before marriage. But none had mysteriously vanished or undergone surgery to reemerge as Beatrice. And donating DNA? My thinking had never been that progressive. The truth was, no matter how hard I racked my brain, nothing made sense. If I couldn’t find the answers, Roger’s random guessing certainly wouldn’t help. In short, the situation had me completely baffled. Since I couldn’t unravel this myself, I decided the only way forward was to confront Beatrice directly. When I returned home, she was busy putting Andrew to bed. Only after he was asleep did I emerge from the study. Beatrice seemed to sense something was up and joined me quietly on the sofa. I looked at her, my voice cold and direct. “Who is Andrew’s real father? You’ve never once mentioned him.” She raised an eyebrow. “Since when have you ever cared about Andrew? Nearly four years married, and suddenly, you’re interested?” I couldn’t shake the feeling she was mocking me, enjoying some private joke at my expense. Her voice hardened, a bitter edge creeping in. “His father’s a worthless scumbag who deserves every awful thing coming to him.” In the past, hearing that would have offered me a twisted comfort. Now, with that DNA test burning a hole in my pocket, it felt like a deliberate insult, like she was throwing those words directly at me. “You’re not answering my question,” I snapped impatiently. “I want a straight answer. At the hospital the other day, I gave him blood. Maybe you don’t know this, but I’m Rh-negative. And guess what? Andrew has the exact same rare blood type. “And lately, everyone’s been saying how much Andrew looks like me, as if he’s practically my clone.” As I spoke, understanding flickered in her eyes. She looked at me strangely for a moment before breaking into a self-mocking chuckle. “Wait…you don’t actually think Andrew’s yours, do you? Didn’t I clearly tell you before our wedding that I was already three months pregnant?” “Then explain this!” My patience snapped completely. I pulled out the DNA test results, slamming them onto the table between us. “Simon, you secretly ran a paternity test on Andrew without even telling me? What the hell were you thinking?” Beatrice snatched the test results off the table, her expression instantly shifting.

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During a meeting, I whispered to my colleague if she had a tampon because I felt my period had started. To my surprise, my colleague, Vivian Myers, erupted in anger. “Is menstruation something to be ashamed of? Why are you whispering about it? Here you are!” She slapped the tampon on the table, drawing the attention of everyone in the meeting room. Over twenty people turned to look at us. I noticed the boss’ cold face and tugged at her sleeve, trying to calm her down. Seeing that she had drawn attention, Vivian became more impassioned. “Menstruation has never been anything to be ashamed of. Thanks to it, new life can be born, and human civilization can continue. We should resist period shaming and instead take pride in menstruation.” She looked around with her chin slightly raised. “I’m on my period, with a healthy flow and bright color, and I never get cramps.” I didn’t want to influence others in the meeting, yet in her view, I was ashamed of my period. With a smile, I said, “Alright, let’s give a round of applause for Vivian, who ranks last in the company’s performance evaluations but claims greatness because she’s on her period!”

A smattering of applause rang out in the meeting room, but many people had looks of mockery. Since Linda, the last manager of the logistics department, resigned, this department had ranked at the bottom in the company’s performance evaluations, and the satisfaction from other departments had been declining. Vivian, the acting manager of the logistics department, had been unable to be confirmed in her position partly due to this. She glared at me. “So what, Aurora White? Someone has to be there. You guys think I’m an easy target as I’m a woman. Anyway, no matter how well I do in logistics, I can’t fully exert my capabilities.” I looked around. The proportion of women in middle management was nearly equal to that of men. I retorted, “Are you implying someone is deliberately targeting you? Vivian, when Linda was here, the evaluations were always near the top.” Vivian rolled her eyes at me. “I didn’t say that. You are doing business, impacting the company’s future. I can’t compare with you.” Seeing the meeting veer further off course, the boss, Adrian Hill, intervened. He cleared his throat. “Vivian, my cup is empty. Could you please refill it for me?” He pushed the coffee cup toward her and turned back to continue the meeting. However, Vivian just sat there, making no move. Adrian’s face became even colder. “Vivian, I asked you to refill my cup. Didn’t you hear?” Vivian showed no fear, instead giving a cold snort. “I heard you, but I refuse.” Everyone in the meeting room looked at her, forgetting about the proposals and reports. Vivian pushed the cup away and said calmly, “My job is logistics support, not being your secretary. Making coffee isn’t part of my duties. With so many people here, why single me out to do it? Can’t men do it? It’s unfair.” Adrian seemed speechless by Vivian’s impassioned speech. I noticed the cup was still more than half full. The request was merely to give Vivian a moment to cool down. To ease the awkward situation, I stood up. “Well, I’ll do it.” Unexpectedly, Vivian grabbed my arm. “Sit down. I’m fighting for women’s rights. Don’t feign being a reasonable one.”

Hearing this, I couldn’t help but doubt myself. I thought, “Am I just trying to smooth things over, or had I become insensitive?” But looking at Adrian’s gray hair and Ryan’s dark circles under his eyes, I felt it was necessary to speak up. I said, “Vivian, you can fight for our rights, but you shouldn’t have indiscriminately accused every man here. When you messed up the event and offended the clients, Mr. Hill apologized to them on your behalf. But he never blamed you. “Look at them. Ryan stayed up until dawn yesterday working on this report. Bruce has a high fever, yet he is still working. John returned to work just two months after a car accident, and he still needed crutches to walk. But you only see your so-called unfair treatment but ignore their efforts.” I sneered. “Maybe you should reflect on how to improve satisfaction instead of pointing fingers.” Ignoring her fierce glare, I picked up the cup from the table and strode out of the meeting room. Behind me, Vivian scoffed. “Save it, Aurora. You have no right to criticize me.” Then, she muttered disdainfully, “Ugh, you stained the chair. I still have to clean it. Damn.” I suddenly felt uneasy. I wore white pants today. When I checked in the restroom, there was already a stain. Annoyed, I thought, “If I hadn’t argued with Vivian, I might have had time to avoid this. What could I do now? I have to meet a client for dinner tonight.” Just then, my colleague, Bella Cox, came out of a stall. Seeing her, I felt very awkward. We used to be close colleagues and friends, but since I became deputy manager, she had been distant. I instinctively covered my backside with both hands, trying to avoid another embarrassing scene. But Bella said calmly, “Wait, I’ll get you another pants.” Soon, she brought me a new pair of pants and a paper bag, solving my embarrassment. Holding the bag tightly, I called out as Bella turned to leave, “Don’t you hate me? Why are you helping me?” Without turning around, she replied, “Does this conflict? The pants cost 200 dollars. Remember to transfer the money.” Embarrassed, I scratched my nose. “Oh, okay.” Just then, my phone vibrated in my pocket. Seeing Adrian’s message, I realized I had been out for too long. When I returned, the meeting was nearly over. Everyone showed a mix of expressions, and Adrian looked at me awkwardly. “Aurora, Vivian just proposed transferring to the marketing department for some experience. What do you think?” I hesitated, and Vivian shot me a challenging look. “The position of head of the marketing department has been vacant since Lily resigned. Mr. Hill said we need a fair competition, so let’s do it.” Seeing my silence, Ivy Green, the HR supervisor, said, “Your ranks are equivalent. Vivian is the acting supervisor, and you’re the deputy manager. It makes sense.” No one stood up to support me. Adrian and Ivy were being evasive, and the rest remained silent. Refusing would seem like I was afraid. I smiled. “If Mr. Hill agrees, I have no objections.” Vivian transferred to the marketing department, becoming my equal as deputy manager. After the meeting, Ivy patted me on my shoulder. “Don’t worry. Her personality is like a double-edged sword. If she really stands up for women and tackles the business dinner culture, it could be beneficial to us.” I nodded, not bothering to argue. The following days in the marketing department were going to get much more interesting.

Vivian’s desk is right across from mine. While I was busy scheduling meetings with clients, she was touching up her makeup in a mirror. As I worked on revising my presentation slides, she was laughing out loud while watching a variety show. Seeing her like this, I understood why the logistics department had been consistently underperforming over the past few quarters. When I tried to rest for a while due to menstrual cramps, Vivian finally opened a document. “Aurora, add me to the marketing department group chat. How did you calculate the quote for the client? Isn’t it a bit low? Did you hear me?” Exhausted and in pain, I pointed to the stack of files on her desk. “The information is in the documents I gave you. Just look it up yourself.” She immediately flipped out. “What do you mean? You hide everything from me. Are you treating me as a competitor? You promised fair competition in front of Adrian.” Glancing at myself in the mirror on my desk, I found my lips had lost their color from the pain. Sweat broke out on my forehead, and my voice trembled uncontrollably. “Just wait a moment, okay? I’m in a lot of pain now.” Vivian rolled her eyes at me and muttered something under her breath. I couldn’t make out what she was saying as I rummaged through my drawer for medicine. Thankfully, I found a painkiller. I struggled to keep my hands steady as I tried to take the pill. But before I could take my glass, Vivian suddenly snatched the pill from my hand and sneered. “It’s just menstrual cramps. Do you really need to take medicine?” She held the pill, laughing contemptuously. “I hate delicate women like you. Can’t you even bear a little pain? You want to rest and take medicine. Humph, why not just ask for a leave and go home?” With that, she tossed the last remaining pill into the trash can. I hurried over to the trash can to retrieve it, but inside was an old instant noodle container. The pill dissolved instantly in the residual soup. Vivian continued her tirade, “It’s because of people like you that women struggle in the workplace.” I was in so much pain that I couldn’t retort. Glaring at her, I collapsed on my desk. Vivian took out her phone and started snapping pictures of me, muttering, “You can rest. I’ll send these photos to Ivy and let her post them in the main chat group to curb this kind of behavior.”

The argument here drew the attention of everyone in the office, but no one dared to offend the newly appointed leader. Only Bella approached my desk with a serious expression. “Aurora, you never had painful periods before. Why is it so severe this time?” Vivian burst into laughter. “Look, even your friend is questioning you. You are still acting, huh?” I was upset, thinking, “Is Bella here to laugh at me? But she helped me just now.” I stared at Bella, wanting to know her answer. “Do you really think that?” Bella didn’t speak. Instead, she swiped the phone out of Vivian’s hand. The phone fell, and Bella caught it smoothly. Vivian erupted in anger, shouting, “Bella!” Bella sneered. “You said I doubted her. Huh, why are you so sure she’s acting? If she’s not acting, what then? Apologize to everyone? With your twisted logic, you’ll only defame our department in the group chat. Will you pay for the damages?” With that, she tapped on the screen and deleted the photos. Vivian wasn’t about to back down. The two stared at each other, neither willing to yield, looking like they were about to come to blows. I struggled to stand up to intervene, but suddenly, I collapsed straight onto the floor. Vivian gloated over my embarrassment. “Since you’re sick, I’ll take your dinner appointment tonight.” I fainted. When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed. It was dark and quiet outside. My colleagues must have brought me here and left. The loneliness of making a living alone in a big city hit me hard. Vivian sent me a photo of the private room I had reserved. The client opposite her was the one I had been working with for a long time. “Damn it!” I muttered. “That’s because you’re not strong enough.” Just then, a cold voice echoed in the ward. Simultaneously, the sudden bright light made it hard for me to open my eyes. Adjusting my vision, I saw it was Bella. I hesitated. “Bella? Have you been here all along?” Bella snorted. “No, I passed by the hospital after work. I was worried you might be in pain and no one would know, so I came to check on you.” I felt warm. Why hadn’t I realized how sharp-tongued Bella was? I winked at her. “You’ve been so sweet. Could you accompany me to do something? I’ll treat you to dinner.” She saw right through my intentions and immediately agreed. “You want to get the deal back, right? Let’s go. I’ve been annoyed with Vivian for a while. Just be careful not to drink too much. I don’t want to be an accomplice.” I playfully punched her. “Wish me well for once, okay?” Vivian said she wanted to compete fairly with me, but behind my back, she was trying to steal my clients while I was sick. She even used the dishes I had ordered in advance. However, I noticed there were only a few bottles of non-alcoholic beverages on the table.

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I Was So Furious That My Water Broke, and Yet My Husband Told Me to Fend for Myself. As a Result, My Child and I Died… On the day my husband, Jaxon Rivers, married his childhood friend, Ruby Wells, I, Olivia Stone, was so upset that my water broke. My husband quickly called off the wedding. I thought he was going to take me to the hospital, but instead, he turned the car around and drove to Maplewood Residences, locking me inside a house and leaving me to fend for myself. He then turned around and went back to continue the wedding with Ruby. Some guests asked if he was being too harsh, but he coldly replied. “I only married Ruby for the show to please her family. Olivia won’t let it go and deliberately ruined the wedding by peeing herself. She’s only six months pregnant. How could her water have broken? “I’ll let her out after Ruby and I finish our honeymoon. There’s enough food in the house, so she won’t starve, and maybe this will teach her a lesson!” But he didn’t know that, to avoid affecting his career, I had lied about being two months along. A week later, my husband came back, satisfied and ready to take me home. When he saw my deflated belly and the decayed body, he completely lost his mind.

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself at Jaxon and his childhood friend Ruby’s wedding. Ruby was wearing the pure white wedding gown that Jaxon had custom-made for me, a gown worth millions of dollars. She held his hand tightly, smiling sweetly at him. She smiled, her eyes full of smug satisfaction. At this, my eyes filled with tears, and anger bubbled up inside me. I rushed forward to stop them, only to realize I passed right through their bodies. It hit me then. I was already dead. What was left of me was just a lingering spirit. Before I could feel the despair, the guests around us started chanting. “Kiss her, kiss her!” Most of these people were mutual friends of Jaxon and me. Not long ago, they had all pitied me. They had sworn that even if Jaxon and Ruby got married, they would never support them. But now, they betrayed me and chose to back Jaxon and Ruby. I couldn’t help but chuckle bitterly. Their previous kindness had all been about getting close to Jaxon. Now that they could please him directly, why would they care about me? Yet, there was still one person who couldn’t take it. They weakly spoke up. “Jaxon, isn’t this too much for Olivia? What if something happens to her?” Jaxon casually swirled his wine glass, his voice indifferent. “It’s Olivia’s own fault. After the wedding, I’ll let her go. “The food in there is enough to keep her from starving. She’s spoiled by me. It’s good for her to suffer a little.” He didn’t know. I was already dead. He had killed me with his own hands. A week ago, Jaxon had proposed a fake marriage with Ruby, who was pregnant out of wedlock, just to appease her family and deal with rumors. I had refused. “If you really want to play pretend, she could find someone else. Why does she need to involve you, a married man? She’s up to something!” Jaxon scolded me for being petty, and we argued fiercely. If this had happened before, I would’ve humbled myself and agreed to his absurd request, making up with him. But this time, I stood firm. I even threatened divorce to make him abandon the idea. I never imagined he would secretly marry Ruby behind my back. When I saw their wedding, it made me so angry that my baby kicked, and my water broke. Jaxon immediately stopped the ceremony and rushed to carry me to the car. I thought he was taking me to the hospital, but instead, he turned around and headed straight for Maplewood Residences, locking me in a room to reflect. It was him. He personally led me to my dead end. When I came to my senses, Jaxon, as if struck by a thought, called Henry Bennett over. “Henry, go check on Olivia. If she’s willing to apologize, maybe we can let her out early.” I could only smile bitterly. But I didn’t do anything wrong. I had never lied. At that time, I had truly gone into labor. But under Ruby’s provocation, Jaxon believed I had intentionally ruined the wedding by wetting myself, making him lose face. He trusted Ruby more than me. Seeing Jaxon hesitate, Ruby immediately placed a hand on her belly and said with a pitiful look. “Jaxon, although Olivia lost control of her emotions and pushed me earlier, she’s still pregnant. It wouldn’t be good if something happened to her. You should let her out. “This time, I’ll be careful with my belly. Olivia can hurt me, but she mustn’t harm my baby…” Earlier, when I had barged in on their wedding, Ruby had used her mouth to mock and provoke me. Pregnancy hormones were already unstable, and with her taunts, I couldn’t control myself and rushed forward. Before I could even reach her, she fell to the ground, clutching her belly and screaming in pain. That was why Jaxon later locked me up in Maplewood Residences to vent his anger for Ruby. Now, hearing Ruby say this, Jaxon looked at her with concern and patted her hand. “Don’t worry. As long as I’m here, no one will hurt you or the baby.” He turned to Henry and coldly commanded, “Tell Olivia that when she’s ready to apologize to Ruby, then we’ll let her out.” Ruby shyly leaned against Jaxon’s shoulder. “Jaxon, you’re so good to me and the baby.” Everyone around them started teasing. “Jaxon, why don’t you two just make it official? You’ve been childhood sweethearts. Your bond is way deeper than with Olivia!” Ruby gave a bashful smile and tugged at Jaxon’s sleeve. I couldn’t help but think that Jaxon would surely agree. But he frowned and coldly interrupted. “Don’t say that again. Ruby and I are just in a fake marriage. It’s all for the show. “Olivia’s quite possessive. If she finds out, she’ll be mad.” A bitter taste filled my mouth, and a wave of sorrow washed over me. But this time, I wouldn’t get angry because I was already dead. If he truly cared, he wouldn’t marry Ruby. Since they were already married, what was the point of saying such hollow words? Hearing Jaxon’s words, the group fell silent, and Ruby’s expression grew dark. Just when the atmosphere became awkward, Jaxon’s phone suddenly rang. He instinctively thought it was me calling to apologize, so he picked up the phone and immediately spoke. “Olivia, you…” Before he could finish his sentence, the person on the other end interrupted him. “Hello, are you Ms. Stone’s husband? I’m a doctor at Silverbrook Hospital. We’ve been unable to reach Ms. Stone. Could you bring her in for her check-up on her due date?” Jaxon looked confused. “Isn’t she only six months pregnant? What do you mean by due date?” The doctor paused for a moment before answering slowly, “Six months? She’s already eight months along, almost ready to give birth! And you, as her husband, didn’t know?”

Jaxon froze, his fingers gripping the phone so tightly that his knuckles turned pale. Seeing his shocked expression, I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. It was a crucial moment for the company’s stock market listing, and I had kept my pregnancy a secret for two months to avoid distracting him. I told him I was only six months pregnant. But if Jaxon had paid more attention, he would’ve noticed the check-up report in my drawer, showing the true due date. If he cared enough, how could I have hidden it? It all came down to the fact that he simply didn’t care enough about me. At that moment, someone couldn’t help but voice their thoughts. “So Olivia didn’t just wet herself earlier? Her water broke?” As soon as the words left their mouth, Jaxon shot Henry a death glare. “Henry, you went with Olivia to her check-ups. Didn’t you say she was only six months pregnant? What’s going on here?” Henry avoided Jaxon’s gaze, looking guilty. He felt guilty. After all, he was indirectly responsible for my death. After my water broke, I immediately called Jaxon for help. But then, his assistant, who knew the truth, stepped in and claimed I was only six months pregnant. Ruby, ever the troublemaker, fueled the situation by saying I wet myself to embarrass Jaxon. With their words echoing in his head, Jaxon believed I was lying and locked me away in the abandoned Maplewood Residences. As soon as he left, I started bleeding heavily from the shock. I begged Henry, crying, to save me and the baby. But he pushed me aside, stomped on my hand, and ruthlessly kicked my stomach again and again. Then, with a cold look on his face, he shut the door and walked away. The pain was suffocating, and soon, warm liquid began to flow from me, staining the ground. The baby I had carried for months was reduced to a pool of blood and flesh. Despair consumed me. My life was slipping away, and my breaths grew weaker. In the end, I succumbed to the agony, unwillingly taking my last breath. Now, when I think back, I can still feel that unbearable pain as if it happened just moments ago. When Henry didn’t know how to speak up, Ruby deliberately mocked him, saying, “Jaxon, I didn’t expect Olivia to be so petty. Just to spite you, she even pretended to be sick and went to see a doctor. “If it were me, no matter how angry I was, I would never embarrass you or make things worse…” Ruby’s words provoked Jaxon, and his gaze turned cold. He replied to the doctor, “Tell Olivia to stop with these childish tricks. I don’t have time to play her games!” With that, Jaxon hung up the phone decisively. Ruby smiled smugly, a glint of triumph in her eyes. After the wedding, once the guests had left, Jaxon was about to take Ruby home. But Ruby suddenly suggested she go back with him. “Jaxon, if we’re going to act, we might as well go all the way. At least on our wedding night, I should stay with you. Otherwise, how will people not gossip?” Jaxon hesitated, his brow furrowing deeply. He had promised me he wouldn’t let anyone but me step into our new home. But now, it seemed like he was about to break that promise. When she saw Jaxon waver, Ruby’s eyes reddened, and she grabbed his sleeve, shaking it. “Jaxon, please, for the sake of the baby… help me, okay? “If people find out I’m pregnant and unmarried, how will I live with the shame? Do you want to see me ruined?” In the end, Jaxon reluctantly agreed. Jaxon was worried about Ruby’s reputation, but he didn’t realize how much harm this would cause me… Lost in thought, Jaxon had already brought Ruby into our newlywed home. As soon as they entered, the housekeeper, Laura Hall, greeted them. “Mr. and Mrs. Rivers, welcome home!” But upon seeing Ruby, she quickly corrected herself. “Oh, I mean… Ms. Wells.” Ruby’s smile froze, and she subtly nudged Jaxon’s elbow, whispering, “Jaxon, don’t let it slip.” Jaxon’s expression turned icy, and he ordered the housekeeper, “Call Ruby Mrs. Rivers.’” I was taken aback. But he had promised I would be his one and only Mrs. Rivers. Now, it seemed he was willing to share the title… The housekeeper, confused, spoke up on my behalf. “Mr. Rivers, I think Mrs. Rivers will be upset…” Jaxon paused for a moment before responding, “Once Olivia returns, we’ll change it back. Until then, call Ruby Mrs. Rivers.’” Ruby, pleased with the arrangement, raised her chin proudly. She walked into the bedroom, wearing my clothes, my jewelry, and even using my lipstick, acting like the lady of the house. Jaxon simply glanced at her without saying a word, silently tolerating her behavior. The housekeeper, Laura Hall, seemed ready to protest, but Jaxon stopped her. “Laura, can you make some barbecue ribs and tomato-baked chicken legs? Ruby loves those. “Oh, and don’t add thyme or chili. She doesn’t like them…” Jaxon was attentive, giving detailed instructions about Ruby’s preferences. My heart ached. He had lived with me for so long and didn’t even know I was allergic to seafood, but he knew Ruby’s every liking. I had always thought he was careless, but now I realized how thoughtful and gentle he could be. At that moment, Ruby noticed a scarf in the wardrobe. It was a scarf I had spent weeks knitting for Jaxon, with the letters LJR embroidered on it, short for [Love Jaxon Rivers.] Ruby ripped the scarf off the shelf, her expression darkening. “Olivia, you’re dead and still can’t let go! “You’re just a replacement, and you dare to covet my things? You don’t deserve it!” I froze. How did she know I was dead? Was Henry working with her? Before I could react, Ruby grabbed the scarf and tore it to shreds, then threw it on the floor and stomped on it several times. At that moment, Jaxon suddenly burst into the room. When he saw the ruined scarf on the floor, his face turned cold.

“Ruby, what are you doing?” I froze for a moment. I thought, “Jaxon cared so much about the scarf I gave him. Does that mean he has feelings for me too?” But before I could figure it out, Ruby’s eyes reddened, and tears started to sparkle in them. “Jaxon, I… I just thought the scarf was so beautiful. I wanted to try it on, but I didn’t expect it to tear. “This scarf has your name embroidered on it. I’m guessing Olivia gave it to you, right? I’m sorry. I ruined it…” The scarf clearly looked like it had been cut. Ruby’s lie was full of holes, but Jaxon believed it. He didn’t blame her. Instead, he took her hand with concern. “It’s just a scarf. Are you okay? Did you hurt your hand? “If you like it, I’ll have Olivia make another one for you.” At this, my heart slowly turned cold. Jaxon wasn’t panicking because of my scarf. He was worried about Ruby getting hurt. I thought, “And he even wanted me to have Olivia make another one for Ruby? Was my sincerity so cheap in his eyes? In the end, I was just fooling myself.” I didn’t want to watch them being so close, so I tried to escape mentally, but my soul could only linger around Jaxon. Helpless, I turned my head away, hoping not to see. Seeing that Jaxon wasn’t angry, Ruby grew even bolder, asking if she could sleep with him tonight. To my surprise, Jaxon avoided her touch, pulling away and coldly saying, “Ruby, this is just an act for others. Don’t push it.” Ruby reluctantly went to the guest room, her eyes flashing with bitterness as she left. After she left, Jaxon lay on the bed, tossing and turning. After a while, he took out his phone and repeatedly read through our chat history. But the messages were still stuck at the ones from the morning. This made Jaxon a little puzzled, even when I was angry. I would never go this long without replying. Conflicted, he still sent me a message. [Still, sulking? If you just apologize, I can let you out anytime. You’re just too stubborn…] But there was still no reply. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to reply, but that I couldn’t. After all, how could a dead person reply to messages? Jaxon scratched his head in frustration, deciding not to bother with me anymore, and turned off his screen to sleep. But he, who usually slept well, couldn’t fall asleep for the first time. The next day, Jaxon woke up with dark circles under his eyes and immediately grabbed his phone to send me a message. [I’ve punished you long enough. I’ll come to get you in a bit.] He was about to leave to find me when Ruby stopped him. “Jaxon, my relatives back home already know about our marriage. They really want to meet you. “Can you please help me out one more time?”

With Ruby’s big, teary eyes, Jaxon couldn’t bring himself to say no and reluctantly agreed. Before leaving, he didn’t forget to send me a message. [Sorry, Olivia, something came up. I’ll be a few days late picking you up.] I thought, “Jaxon was… informing me?” This took me by surprise. After all, he had always been the kind of person who acted on his own, ditching me without a second thought, never considering how I felt. Now, he was explaining things to me. If I were still alive, I might have been glad to see his change. But I was already dead, and whether he changed or not didn’t matter to me anymore. My soul followed Jaxon back to Ruby’s hometown. As soon as we got out of the car, Ruby’s relatives surrounded Jaxon, showering him with praise. “So this is Jaxon? You’ve really made it! You’re like a totally different person from when you were younger!” “No wonder Ruby’s so lucky. You two were childhood sweethearts, and now you’re together. It’s truly fate!” At the dinner table, Ruby’s aunts and uncles kept piling food onto Jaxon’s plate. Ruby’s dad was crazily clinking glasses with Jaxon, drinking so much that his face turned red. “Jaxon, I’ve always believed in you. Now that Ruby’s married to you, we can finally relax. “But Ruby’s pregnant with your child. How about transferring some of your company shares to her unborn child just to secure their future? Ruby’s family clearly had plans to get their hands on Jaxon’s wealth. I had warned Jaxon more than once that Ruby was only getting close to him for a reason, but he said I was being petty and jealous, spreading rumors about Ruby. He trusted Ruby completely and was always on guard around me. But I was his wife, not her. Jaxon stayed silent, his face darkening. Ruby quickly tried to smooth things over. “Dad, it’s too early to talk about this. We can always transfer the shares after the baby is born.” With that, she picked up a piece of fish and tried to calm him down. What she didn’t know was that Jaxon had a sensitive stomach and couldn’t handle spicy food. Normally, I was the one who carefully removed all the bones before serving him fish. Now, Jaxon just stared at the plate of fish in silence, lost in thought. Seeing that Jaxon wasn’t responding, Ruby’s aunts and uncles broke the silence. “By the way, Jaxon, now that you and Ruby are married, when are you going to register your marriage?” “Yeah, you can’t just let Ruby follow you around without any proper status.” Ruby took the chance to hook her arm through Jaxon’s, her cheeks flushing. “Jaxon, why don’t we…” I thought for sure Jaxon would agree since he had already shown he’d give up his wife and child for Ruby. But instead, Jaxon slammed his hand on the table, pushed Ruby away, and said coldly. “Ruby, I already made it clear before, we’re just pretending. It was never going to be real. “I have something else to do, so I’m leaving.” Ruby’s face stiffened for a moment before she rushed to grab him. “Jaxon, you know how I feel about you. Why won’t you give me a chance? “I know you have feelings for me, too, or why would you help me so much?” Jaxon furrowed his brow, his face darkening. “Ruby, looks like I gave you the wrong impression. “I don’t love you. The one I love is Olivia.” Without another word, he turned and left, heading straight for Maplewood Residences. Before getting into his car, he sent me a message. “Olivia, wait for me. I’m coming to pick you up!” Jaxon arrived at the villa soon after. His unexpected arrival startled Henry, the assistant standing at the door. “Mr. Rivers, what are you doing here?” “I came to see Olivia. Call her out.” Henry broke into a cold sweat, stammering. “Mr. Rivers, maybe you can come back another day? Mrs. Rivers… she…” Jaxon felt a sudden unease in his chest. Without waiting for Henry to finish, he pushed past him and stormed inside. As soon as the door opened, a terrible stench and the sharp scent of blood hit him. In the center of the villa lay a decaying corpse!

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