Author: Momo Chan

When the plane crash happened, my pilot husband Samuel immediately snatched away my life jacket. He pinned me firmly against the emergency exit, using me to shield his first love from the raging flames. Giving her the chance to survive. In my previous life, the same thing happened. He pushed me out to save his first love. As the plane disintegrated, I was burned alive, my body completely destroyed. He cried inconsolably at my funeral, yet married his first love the very next day. But then he got into a car accident. Before dying, he said he regretted his actions. If given another chance, he swore he would save me. When I opened my eyes again, I was back at the moment of the plane crash. Once more, he chose to save his first love, tying me to the disintegrating plane to await death. … Samuel used a safety rope to bind me tightly to the emergency exit. Having learned about airplane emergency procedures, I knew clearly that he intended to use my life alone to give everyone else a chance to escape. Using my body to block the oncoming flames, delaying the disintegration of the plane’s emergency exit. But I would be incinerated the instant the exit broke apart, my body torn into countless pieces. This was something emphasized repeatedly in survival training. Samuel must have remembered. “Samuel!” I shouted, but in the blink of an eye, I saw him embracing his first love as they jumped into the sea together. He held her figure tightly in his arms. The plane’s fuselage grew hotter and hotter, plummeting at an extreme speed. And I was left hanging at the emergency exit, experiencing the torment of ice and fire. My arms were scorched by the fierce flames. The skin gradually curled and blistered. The plane began to rapidly break apart in two places. At that moment, my entire body was overwhelmed by the fear of impending death. Looking at the death knot Samuel had tied with his own hands, seeing my wrists bruised purple from being trapped, I finally understood how laughable Samuel’s deathbed regrets in my previous life were. Heaven had given him another chance. Yet he still gave the opportunity to live to his first love, Olivia. This time, he even felt sorry that Olivia’s face had been burned in the previous life due to the fire, so he directly used me to block the rapidly approaching flames. Watching the fire consume my arms, yet calmly helping his first love put on the life jacket snatched from my hands. Using the life-saving rope meant for escape to seal off my path to survival. Enduring the pain, I watched as the plane was about to disintegrate, feeling the agony of my limbs being torn apart. It hurt so much, the pain made me faint. But when I opened my eyes and saw white walls, I was momentarily dazed. “She’s awake!” Having just regained consciousness, I was surrounded by a crowd of people. Several doctors and nurses pushed through the crowd and approached me. “Vitals normal!” “No adverse reactions!” “Excellent!” The doctor in charge told me that in the last moment before the plane disintegrated, I had fallen into the nearby sea. A man who had been sea fishing rescued me. He drove through the night to bring me to the hospital. Most fortunately, that man was also an accomplished surgeon, so along the way, he saved my life using his extensive emergency medical knowledge. The group surrounding me were mostly reporters. This plane crash with zero casualties had received extensive media coverage. Due to the massive exposure, the media discovered that there was one unauthorized passenger on the flight beyond the official headcount. But the airline refused to provide the specific passenger list, citing protection of customer privacy. In the end, it was the pilot Samuel who admitted that his wife Chloe had used his name to board the plane against regulations.

As a result, many uninformed members of the public believed I deserved such severe injuries. Some even publicly stated that I should have been dismembered and killed when the plane broke apart. My personal information was released online. During my hospitalization, countless media outlets and social media influencers wanted to get a first-hand interview with me, constantly harassing me. The hospital could only tell them I hadn’t fully regained consciousness and was still in a coma, blocking them from entering. But Samuel, as my husband, never showed up. Looking through those reports, I learned that Samuel had been named an outstanding pilot and everyday hero for his rescue efforts. He even did interviews with his first love Olivia, the two of them playing off each other, claiming that I had obstructed their rescue efforts. And that I had always been suspicious of their pure friendship, deliberately using Samuel’s name to board the plane. All because I was jealous. They said it was my jealousy that nearly endangered everyone on the plane. There were even people online starting to ship them as a couple, with captivating videos that even had me mesmerized. As I was watching, the attending physician walked in. “I see your spirits have improved a lot, you’re even interested in shipping your husband with someone else?” I closed my phone and cooperated with his examination. A whole patch of skin on my arm had been burned off, and every dressing change felt like death. He looked at it and said: “Logically, sitting in the middle, you should have been among the first group to escape. How did you end up burned so badly?” “And why are there marks on your hands as if you were tied up?” I looked at the attending physician. “I’ve been following the news for so long, why haven’t I heard anything about the black box?” “It hasn’t been found yet, after all it fell into the sea.” I shook my head. It would be found soon. Once found, everything would become clear. In my previous life, Samuel’s accident happened just before it was found. At that time, I really thought he was distracted by guilt over me, causing him to be hit by a car and die. Only later did I learn that it was because the black box had been found, and the fact that he had illegally allowed his first love into the cockpit and pushed me out to die was about to be exposed. After enjoying being adored by people for so long, he couldn’t accept going from heaven to hell. “Once the black box is found, everything will be clear.” “Alright!” Not long after the attending physician left, Samuel arrived. Olivia was following behind him. Seeing their matching couple outfits, I turned away in disgust. But Samuel sat down beside me and said: “Now that you’re awake, do an interview and say what I tell you to.” He tossed a notebook at me, hitting my hand. Using an imperious tone, he said: “Just take responsibility for everything yourself. It’s not like they’ll do anything to you anyway. It’ll save my job and help Olivia get reinstated too. It’s a good thing.” A good thing? I couldn’t hear anything good about it. He put the nearly wilted flowers he was holding into my vase. “As long as you obediently say what I tell you, I won’t divorce you. You’ll still be Samuel’s wife. If you don’t…” He glared at me before continuing: “We’ll have to get divorced.” This kind of threat had existed since I married him, and it had always worked before. This time he thought it would work too. Olivia stood to the side, looking at my injuries with disdain. But she put on a pitiful act and said: “Sister, you really misunderstood. Samuel and I are just ordinary friends. If you hadn’t boarded the plane this time, none of this would have happened. So… please, do me a favor. After all, you were in the wrong!” I didn’t board the plane? I was on that flight because of a sudden work assignment. The company booked the ticket for me. The HR department even specially grabbed this ticket for me, considering that my husband Samuel and I lived apart most of the time.

But in their words, it became me insisting on coming to catch them in the act. They even claimed that leaving me at the emergency exit, nearly causing me to be dismembered, was what I deserved. Olivia cried and pointed at the scar on her hand, “If it wasn’t for you constantly obstructing Samuel from rescuing me, I wouldn’t have had such a large area of skin burned off.” Samuel looked at her with heartache before turning to me and saying: “Look what you’ve caused. Don’t you feel any guilt? Olivia has so many burn injuries. If you hadn’t fought for the life jacket and refused to give it up, how could her injuries be so severe?” I let out a cold laugh. “I was a legitimate passenger who bought a ticket. That life jacket was from my seat.” I looked at Olivia. “As for her!” “Captain Samuel should know best how she got on board!” At this point Samuel fell silent, just lowering his head and fiddling with his fingers. He knew very well that this flight was going to a seaside destination. Olivia had insisted on going on a beach vacation with him, just the two of them, without me around. So Samuel made an exception and let her sit in the cockpit. Since they were all part of the same flight crew, everyone turned a blind eye, and Olivia just sat in the cockpit accompanying him on this flight. Moreover, Olivia played a big part in causing this plane crash. This was probably something even Samuel himself didn’t realize. “Olivia was originally part of our flight crew. If it wasn’t for you reporting her and getting her suspended, she wouldn’t have had to sneak on board with me. So you share responsibility too!” I reported her? I looked at Olivia and saw her face turn bright red in an instant as she lowered her head, not daring to speak. Although I had always been dissatisfied with Olivia’s relationship with Samuel, because their flight routes were so dangerous, I worried about Samuel getting into an accident. So I basically turned a blind eye. I hadn’t even shown anyone else those provocative messages she sent. Let alone report her. “What did I report her for?!” I asked, and Samuel immediately raised his voice by several octaves. “You reported her for improper conduct and seducing your husband. Who else but you would report that!” Improper conduct? I couldn’t help but laugh. At this moment, Olivia suddenly seemed to break down and blurted out: “Who else could be so petty but you? You still won’t admit it? I asked the people in the complaint department, and they said it was you!” Just as she was speaking, a group of reporters rushed in, holding up various equipment. They excitedly rushed up to me. “Regarding the recent news about you, what’s your own view? Did you go to catch your husband cheating and obstruct him from rescuing other passengers, causing the accident to worsen?” I looked at Samuel, took the microphone, and said softly: “My husband wants me to admit to everything, so I’ll admit to it all!” The reporters looked at me in confusion. At that moment, someone in the crowd shouted: “The black box from the plane crash has been found! Officials say they’ve extracted important evidence and will hold a press conference soon to announce the cause!”

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My childhood sweetheart suddenly officially announced his relationship one night. His girlfriend was the girl who had been pursuing him for three weeks. One day, he finally snapped at me, his tone impatient: “If it’s not important, can you please stop bothering me?” But he knew very well that I lost my right leg because of him. I looked at him coldly and left with a parting shot, “Don’t think too highly of yourself.” A few months later, he was crying at my doorstep, begging for forgiveness. 0Recently, a girl has been relentlessly pursuing my childhood friend. She sent flowers on Valentine’s Day, brought water when he played basketball, and waited for him after evening study sessions – she tried every trick in the book. I thought she would fail like all of Jack’s countless admirers before her, but when I asked Jack about his feelings towards her, I saw him hesitate for the first time. Although he eventually told me to stop asking such pointless questions, I noticed something different. After one basketball game, when he accepted the water Emma handed him, I saw a genuine smile on his face amidst the teasing from others. I realized he had fallen for Emma. Otherwise, why would he suddenly leave our dinner together when he received a message from Emma asking for help? I cleaned up our table and limped after him. “What’s wrong?” I asked. “Emma said someone was following her,” he replied urgently. As he said this, I clearly felt Jack quicken his pace. I was stunned for a moment, instinctively trying to speed up as well. But I forgot that my right leg was a prosthetic, and I couldn’t run fast. The next second, I fell to the ground, letting out a cry of pain. Jack turned to look at me, but his eyes lacked their usual concern and worry. I knew that look – it was irritation and disdain. I had seen it in many people’s eyes before. He came forward to help me up, his brows furrowed and his tone unusually cold: “What’s going on?” “Why are you following me? Why didn’t you go back to the dorm? Don’t you know your own body’s limitations?” Scared by his tone, I instinctively apologized: “I’m sorry.” I wanted to keep up with him too. He seemed to finally realize he had said something wrong and ruffled my hair several times: “Lily, I didn’t mean it like that. Don’t cry.” He said, “Emma might be in danger. Be good and go back to the dorm, okay?” I nodded, and he let out a relieved sigh before turning and leaving. As Jack’s figure disappeared from my sight, I suddenly felt like crying. But I held it in. It was just… an inexplicable feeling of hurt. That day, my leg was actually scraped, but Jack didn’t notice because I was wearing long pants. In the end, I stumbled back to the dorm alone. I walked very slowly, and by the time I reached the dorm, I saw a new post on Reddit. Emma wasn’t in any danger that night; it was just a grand confession she had planned. Opening the photo, I saw Jack standing in a heart shape made of candles, his ears red. Emma stood opposite him, her face blushing. The post quickly gained traction. Most comments were along the lines of “What a perfect couple” and “The girl is so brave.” Among the hundreds of comments, I even saw my name mentioned. “Who still remembers Jack’s limping sidekick?” But this comment was quickly buried. I didn’t pay much attention to it. That night, Jack officially announced their relationship. The caption read: “A new chapter, my heart belongs to Emma.” He attached the photo of their confession from that night. With trembling fingers, I commented “Congratulations” under his post. On the day they got together, Jack replied with thanks to every comment congratulating them on that Reddit post, except for the one mentioning me. He skipped over it. In the past, he would have immediately lashed out at anyone in the comments who insulted me, not stopping until they apologized. But now, he chose to ignore the humiliation directed at me to maintain the beautiful atmosphere of his new relationship. I knew that Jack and I were drifting apart. 0

When I was ten, Jack became my new neighbor. When I first saw him, the movers were carefully carrying a Yamaha piano into their house. Jack stood awkwardly to the side, but when he saw me, a smile spread across his face: “Hello there, little girl.” Jack was excellent at playing the piano, and I had been learning ballet since childhood, so I often asked him to accompany me. Over time, we became known as “childhood sweethearts” to others. My favorite piece he played was “Für Elise.” Watching his flying fingers, my heart would start to flutter. I liked Jack. No one knew. For him, I even threw myself in front of a falling beam during a fire to protect him. While recovering in the hospital, I heard my parents crying outside the room, lamenting that I would never be able to dance again. Jack held my hand tightly at my bedside: “Lily, I’ll always be by your side from now on.” Tears slid down my cheeks as I bit my lip, barely managing to say: “Jack, I can’t shine on stage with you anymore…” I saw his expression turn grief-stricken, crying so sorrowfully, his grip on my hand tightening as he said earnestly: “Lily, you are the light itself.” From then on, Jack became my guardian angel. He would fulfill all my little wishes, like saying he would only play “Für Elise” for me alone. He would chase away other kids who gossiped about me, even if it meant getting physical. He would deliberately slow down his pace when walking with me, just to protect my fragile self-esteem. He said that whenever I needed him, he would never let me be alone. He said these things with such sincerity, and I basked in his gentleness year after year. Most of the roads we walked in our growth were wide and smooth, but I never imagined that the path between Jack and me would become muddy, causing me to fall and allowing thousands of vines to grow between us. 0

On the first day Jack and Emma got together, they invited me to dinner. When I arrived, I realized it wasn’t just the three of us. Besides the guys I knew who were friends with Jack, there were also some of Emma’s friends. Among them were people who had gossiped about my limp behind my back. Jack had previously cut ties with them because of this, but because of Emma, he chose to accept them again. I stood there frozen, watching them chat and joke happily, feeling as if my feet were weighed down by a thousand pounds. The moment they saw me, they all fell silent, looking at me with strange expressions tinged with mockery. I looked towards Jack, but he averted his gaze as if he hadn’t noticed my discomfort. In the end, I found a corner to sit down. Emma was the first to speak at the dinner: “Thank you all for your tremendous support in my pursuit of Jack! Today, I want to properly thank you!” “This first toast is for Lily.” I looked up in surprise to see Emma’s lips curled into a slight smirk, her expression smug: “Thank you, Lily, for always being by my boyfriend’s side, acting as his guardian for so long.” “If it weren’t for Lily’s companionship, how could I have caught up with Jack walking so fast?” Rachel, Emma’s friend sitting next to her, chimed in: “Don’t forget that time when Lily’s prosthetic leg fell off while trying to keep up with Jack for an 8 am class. It was hilarious, I still have photos on my phone.” They joked so naturally, making Jack laugh beside them. I choked up. It was the first time I doubted Jack. Could he really not hear the mockery in Emma’s words? Or did he also think my disability was just a casual joke to be tossed around? “Oh really? I remember something pretty funny too. Rachel’s wig fell off during the long jump in PE class. It was quite a shocking sight. It even ended up on the campus confession page afterward. I have photos on my phone too, want to see?” The one who spoke was Alex, Jack’s friend. His tone was flat, completely different from Emma and Rachel’s joking manner. Rachel’s face immediately turned awkward, forcing out a few dry laughs. After that, I kept my head down, sipping juice and secretly glancing at Jack sitting diagonally across from me, just to see if his smile was any different from when he smiled at me. The air conditioning in the private room was set very low. I unconsciously rubbed my arms, and the next second, a jacket was draped over my legs. Alex said in a voice only I could hear: “Put it on.” I obediently did as he said. I don’t know if it was my imagination, but after I put on Alex’s jacket, I clearly sensed a change in Jack’s expression. After the dinner, Jack offered to walk Emma and me back to our dorms together. Emma’s face clearly fell, but she still clung to Jack’s arm sweetly and said, “Baby, look, Lily is already wearing someone else’s jacket. Why don’t you let them have their private time? Just focus on walking me back, okay?” Jack rejected the idea without hesitation: “No, her leg isn’t good. I’m not comfortable letting her go with someone else.” As he said this, I couldn’t help but feel a bit dazed. The reason I had some interaction with Alex was also because of Jack. For instance, when Jack needed to go on dates with Emma and couldn’t accompany me to the rehabilitation center, he had asked Alex to take me there and back to school. But throughout those times, we hardly had any conversation. I really couldn’t have imagined that in a moment like this, it would be Alex who came to my rescue. Alex spoke up at this point: “Want to come with me?” I said, “I’ll go with you.” After saying this, even through the night, I clearly saw the displeasure on Jack’s face. But when he looked at Emma, that displeasure instantly melted into tenderness. Two taxis drove side by side. Because the distance was so short, through the car window, I could even see the two of them kissing shamelessly in the backseat.

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My daughter Emily was running a high fever in the middle of the night, but my husband Jack had taken the car and left. The next day, I saw a post from Lily, his female business partner, on social media. “Finally fulfilling my dream of motherhood,” she wrote. The picture showed stockings on the passenger seat, and the car’s interior was identical to ours. Furious, I confronted Jack for an explanation. He brushed it off casually: “I’m just maintaining client relationships. It’s all for you and Emily’s benefit.” “Besides, what use is a daughter? Lily’s son will be the one to carry on the Miller family name!” To add insult to injury, Lily leaned into his arms and said, “Don’t mind me, sweetie. I just love kids and needed someone to help me have one.” I kept my face expressionless as I turned away, already planning my next move. 0When four-year-old Emily’s fever suddenly spiked to 104°F in the middle of the night, I frantically woke Jack up. He glanced at his phone, then left without a backward look. “There’s an issue with a business partner. You’ll have to handle this yourself,” he said. I watched in disbelief as he slammed the door shut. With no other choice, I carried Emily downstairs myself. To my shock, Jack had taken the car and driven away without a word. In the dead of night, the streets were deserted. I had to walk eight miles to get Emily to the hospital. As the nurse hooked up the IV, she scolded me, “A little longer and she could have suffered brain damage. Where’s her father?” I forced a smile. “He’s busy with work.” The nurse nodded approvingly. “What a good husband.” Is he really? I wondered. In our seven years of marriage, I had helped him grow his small fruit stand into a thriving store. As our lives improved, I saw less and less of him. Having finally caught my breath and settled Emily to sleep, it was already dawn. I picked up my phone, intending to ask Jack where he was, but instead saw a social media post from Lily from twenty minutes ago. “Finally fulfilling my dream of motherhood,” it read. The picture showed stockings on a car’s passenger seat, and the interior was identical to ours. I felt like I’d been struck by lightning. Though I had a bold guess, I didn’t dare to investigate further. Jack and I had been married for seven years, weathering hardships together. Even as our situation improved, he seemed to be a good husband and father to Emily and me. Lily was a purchasing manager at his company, and had been buying fruit in bulk from our store for company events for years. I’d never heard of them being close. Looking at my sleeping daughter, I tried to push the thoughts away. But the next day, reality hit me like a ton of bricks. In the hospital lobby, I saw two familiar figures. Jack was carefully supporting a woman, laughing and talking. It was Lily. Her belly was slightly swollen, and Jack’s face showed a tenderness I’d never seen before. I remembered being eight months pregnant and still working in the store. Jack would come by after unloading deliveries and affectionately pat my belly. “You’re doing great, honey. I promise I’ll take good care of you both in the future!” he’d say. Now here he was, arm-in-arm with another woman at the hospital! I was grateful Emily was still upstairs getting her IV. Before I could approach them, Lily spotted me. Leaning into Jack’s embrace, she sauntered over. “Well, if it isn’t Chloe! What brings you to the hospital?” Seeing my silence, Jack quickly stepped closer. “Honey, I’m just accompanying Lily for a prenatal check-up. Don’t be upset.” I stared at her belly, my throat dry. “Whose is it?” He looked guilty but tried to appear calm. “Mine… but you know my parents have always wanted a grandson to carry on the family name…” Lily giggled, stroking her belly. “Don’t take it personally, sweetie. I just love kids and needed someone to help me have one!” 0

Heartbroken and disillusioned, I went back upstairs and took Emily home alone. I thought Jack might follow to explain further. But to my surprise, he didn’t come home until that evening. “Emily, look what Daddy bought for you!” he called out. He returned with a load of snacks and toys, but only gave Emily two bags of chips. My daughter looked longingly at the toys in his hands, but was too well-behaved to ask for more. I felt angry and ridiculous. Was his own daughter only worthy of leftovers? If these were bought for someone else, why pretend to be a caring father? “Honey, I bought something for you too. Look at this dress, do you like it?” he said. I coldly watched him pull out the garment. It was a bright red dress. But the size was wrong, and the color wasn’t my style. Since marrying Jack, I’d never bought new clothes to save money. I only wore old black and gray clothes, with my one red dress being my wedding gown. But even that was far inferior in quality to this one. Besides, after having a child, my figure had changed. This didn’t seem like a size I could wear. I took out my phone and smirked. On it was CCTV footage from the store. It showed him passionately kissing Lily, who was wearing an identical red dress. Was this a carefully chosen gift, or just something Lily didn’t want passed on to me? “If you don’t want to stay married, just get a divorce. No need to be disgusting,” I said. He flew into a rage, throwing the dress on the floor. “I try to be nice and this is what I get? Don’t push your luck! I’m just maintaining client relationships, all for you and Emily’s sake!” “Besides, you’re eating my food and spending my money. You’re past your prime and still acting like this!” With that, he stormed out, slamming the door. I knew without asking that he was going to see Lily again. Emily looked up at me and asked, “Mommy, were you fighting?” Looking at her face, I felt overwhelmed with grief. To marry Jack, I had cut ties with my parents and hadn’t seen them in years. I had worked tirelessly to grow the business from nothing, handing over all the profits to him. Now I was being treated like a parasite. Fighting back tears, I knelt down and stroked Emily’s face. “If Mommy and Daddy separated, who would you want to live with?” “I want to stay with you, Mommy!” Feeling a small comfort, I knew I had to fight for Emily’s sake. Late that night, after finishing a call with my lawyer, I suddenly felt a splitting headache. Using my last bit of strength, I sent Jack a message. [Remember to go to the store tomorrow. I’m not feeling well.] Then I passed out. The next morning, Emily woke me up. I realized Jack hadn’t responded all night. Instead, Lily had sent a picture of his sleeping back. My heart ached. The seven-year itch was real after all. To make money, I forced myself to go to the store. But halfway through unloading a delivery, I felt dizzy. When I opened my eyes again, I was in a sterile hospital room. The nurse told me Emily had called her father. I felt a glimmer of hope. At least he wasn’t completely heartless. “You’re overworked and stressed out,” the nurse said. “Whatever’s going on, talk it out. Don’t make yourself sick.” I looked around but didn’t see Emily. I quickly asked the nurse about her. “Her father and grandmother took her home. Oh, you still have one more IV bag…” I pulled out the IV and hurriedly left. 0

When I got home, my mother-in-law Martha was indeed there. Emily ran to me excitedly when I arrived. “Mommy, you’re finally back! Daddy came home earlier too!” “He brought a lady with him. She gave me this toy!” I had a bad feeling, but I sent Emily to her room to play. I heard noises coming from the bedroom and rushed to open the door. “Chloe! Don’t disturb them!” Martha tried to stop me. My heart sank. “So you know about your son’s affair?” She spat, “What affair! He’s just borrowing a womb to have a child. It’s consensual, don’t make it sound so ugly!” “Besides, Jack left Lily to rush here for you. Doesn’t he deserve to make amends?” I laughed coldly and moved to open the door. She grabbed me again. “And you haven’t given our family a son to carry on the name all these years. Lily drank my special tea before getting pregnant, so it’s definitely a boy!” I was both amused and angry. So everyone knew about their affair except me? Shaking off Martha, I kicked the door open. Inside, the two were half-dressed. Jack was even shirtless. “Is this how you make amends? In bed?” I sneered. Seeing me enter, Jack hurriedly covered Lily with the blanket. “She wasn’t feeling well, so I was just checking on her. The baby comes first, you know…” “Don’t worry, once the baby’s born, I’ll never see her again.” I scoffed, “She’s already showing. Aren’t you worried about miscarriage, playing around like this?” Suddenly, he slapped me across the face. My ear rang, and my left cheek burned. “How dare you say such unlucky things! If Lily miscarries, I’ll never forgive you!” Just then, Lily let out a strange cry. “Honey, I’m in pain!” He panicked and quickly helped Lily up to leave. As they passed me, he kicked my knee. Lily whimpered, “Chloe, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come…” Jack cooed, “Don’t apologize. As long as you and the baby are okay.” Even Martha fussed over her as they left. Emily, frightened by the argument, came out with teary eyes and gently touched my swollen face. My heart ached. I was determined to take Emily and leave, no matter what! I spent half the day consulting with my lawyer and gathering evidence. That evening, Martha came home first. “Chloe, think about Jack. He works hard day and night to provide for you two, and in the end, he doesn’t even have a son to carry on the family name.” I laughed coldly. “He provides for us? If I hadn’t begged for connections, could he have turned that fruit stand into a store?” She was taken aback but tried to continue scolding me. I cut her off. “Where is he?” “At… the hospital with Lily. You really scared her earlier.” I scoffed, “Did he know I fainted at the store? Did he know I was taken to the hospital?” Martha stammered, unable to answer. So he did know. A dull pain spread in my chest. Seven years of love, and I still cared for him instinctively. “Tell him I’m filing for divorce.” 0That night, Jack rushed home. “I’m sorry, honey. Please don’t divorce me, okay?” “Are you still mad about me hitting you? Come on, hit me back!” He grabbed my hand and pressed it to his face. Since he insisted, I slapped him hard. He seemed shocked that I actually hit him, his eyes darkening for a moment. Then his expression softened again. “Our family really needs a son to carry on the name. I promise, just this once.” “We’ve been together for seven years, honey. Please don’t divorce me.”

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I was diagnosed with acute leukemia and couldn’t stop vomiting blood. Jack happened to pass by. Seeing me face down on the street covered in blood, he spoke with disgust. “Since you’re dying anyway, give the special medicine to Emma. Otherwise, let’s get divorced!” He then grabbed his slightly bruised first love and stole my ambulance. A kind-hearted person who couldn’t bear to watch called a taxi for me. When I got out of the car, I realized that the last fifty dollars in my phone had been used by Jack to buy a box of condoms through his credit card. Back home. Disheartened, I signed the divorce papers, but then saw my daughter’s diary entry: “I hope both mom and dad can attend my graduation ceremony.” To fulfill my daughter’s wish, I voluntarily gave up the medicine and begged Jack to attend together. As a result, on that day, my daughter hugged Emma’s legs and boasted in public: “See? I told you my mom would definitely come.” “Congratulations, Ms. Zoe. The special medicine is ready. Once the family member signs, we can arrange the surgery.” The moment the doctor announced this, I finally snapped out of my fear. Today was supposed to be my 28th birthday, but I was suddenly diagnosed with acute leukemia. Fortunately, heaven was kind, and the hospital managed to get the last dose of the special medicine. Grasping at this lifeline, I immediately dialed Jack’s number. “Honey, can you come to…” Before I could say “hospital,” our daughter Lily interrupted on the other end. “Mom, Dad and I have prepared dinner, and I even fried a heart-shaped egg for you.” “When are you coming home?” Hearing that my usually pampered daughter and husband had actually cooked for me, I felt a bit comforted despite my bitterness. “Lily, you’re so clever. Mommy will be home soon. Can you pass the phone to Daddy…” But the next words I heard plunged me into an icy abyss. “When you come back, remember to clean up the kitchen. Aunt Emma isn’t feeling well, so we need to go keep her company.” “Dad, don’t forget to pack the heart-shaped egg I fried…” Before I could respond, they hurriedly hung up. I lowered my gaze to hide the disappointment in my eyes. I arranged the surgery date with the doctor alone. When I got home, it was already 10 PM. Having not eaten all day, I suddenly remembered Lily saying she had fried a heart-shaped egg. I walked into the kitchen with anticipation. Microwave, rice cooker, fridge… Finally, in the trash can, I found 29 badly fried eggs. Only then did I realize. She and Jack had cooked for another woman – Emma. Emma lived up to her name. Although she was a rich heiress, she couldn’t bear to see human suffering and had established a charity organization. Jack was one of the beneficiaries. I once teased him: “The story of a first love and a poor boy, how romantic.” He corrected me seriously. “Don’t talk nonsense. I only respect her.” “If it weren’t for Emma’s financial support, I would have starved to death long ago. How could I have entered university, met you, and had such an adorable daughter?” So when her family went bankrupt and she was diagnosed with leukemia, Jack and I helped her with all our might. Even though there were several times when Jack would abandon me and our daughter to comfort her. But today’s situation was different. I needed someone by my side too… Just as I was feeling down, Jack’s call came through. “Zoe, Emma had an attack, so I had to rush over with Lily.” The man gently explained his absence. Clutching the hospital’s diagnosis report, I felt jealous for the first time. “She’s sick, but you’re not a doctor. What can you do there?” Seemingly surprised by my retort, he lowered his voice again. “It was sudden, and she has no family left. I was the only one the police could contact.” “I couldn’t be with you on your birthday and our wedding anniversary, but I promise I’ll make it up to you.” Realizing that Emma’s situation was serious enough for the police to get involved, I softened a bit. “Lily isn’t in good health and shouldn’t stay up late. I also have something to discuss with you. Remember to come back early.” “I’ll try my best.” They say that not giving a definite promise is a tacit admission of inability to fulfill it. Sure enough. Jack didn’t return home until the next morning. Out of spite, I didn’t prepare their breakfast. Ignoring my haggard face, Lily picked at her sandwich critically. “Mom, why isn’t there any warm milk? And where’s the egg I like in the sandwich?” No guilt, no apology. After staying out all night, her first action upon returning home was to complain. I suddenly remembered that among the eggs I threw away yesterday, several were discarded simply because they weren’t heart-shaped. “If you want to eat them, go dig through the trash can.” Only then did Lily realize we had run out of eggs. “Oh, Aunt Emma is sick, so what’s wrong with letting her eat well?” “We ran out of eggs and you didn’t buy more. Mom, you’re so lazy.” Hearing her unfair accusations, I suddenly felt so resentful. The child I carried for ten months and raised with such care was now criticizing her mother for the sake of an outsider? Before, when Emma was sick, I had to give way to her. Now that I’m sick too, why should I still give way to her?

“She needs care, but don’t I need it too?” I slapped her hand and scolded her. “Who spoiled you with such bad habits, messing up the food like this?” Lily, who had just been hit, was stunned for a moment before bursting into loud sobs. “Mom is so mean, not at all like Aunt Emma.” “Aunt Emma knows I’m not feeling well and reminds me to wear more clothes. Mom doesn’t even make breakfast for me. Mom is a bad mom, I don’t want mom anymore!” She wiped her tears and ran upstairs. “She’s just a child who doesn’t understand. Why are you arguing with her?” Jack worriedly followed her, picked her up, and patted her back to comfort her. “If we’re out of eggs, we can just buy more. What if you scare the child?” I moved my lips but ultimately said nothing. When I hit her, how could I not feel heartbroken? Lily was born premature and spent two months in an incubator. Later, she was diagnosed with congenital heart disease. With her, I never dared to raise my voice and always did everything myself. She used to be very understanding, hugging me and showering me with compliments. Constantly praising me for being thoughtful, smart, capable, and gentle. Now, because of Emma, she calls me a bad mom. Looking up to meet Jack’s reproachful gaze, it felt like a thorn piercing my heart. I completely lost my appetite. After cleaning up the kitchen, I prepared to do the laundry. Unexpectedly, I found two tickets to a fireworks show in Jack’s clothes. The theme of the fireworks show was called “FOR MY LOVER,” scheduled for our wedding anniversary. “Zoe, I’m sorry for speaking harshly earlier. I was worried about Lily.” Before I could think too much, Jack stood in front of me with a bouquet of roses. “I was supposed to give these to you yesterday, but after all that happened, the flowers aren’t fresh anymore.” He scratched his head regretfully, his eyes sincere and bright. My gaze fell on the card attached to the bouquet, which had a childish handwriting: [Happy Birthday to the most beautiful mom in the world!] Instantly, my grievances burst forth like a flood. They hadn’t forgotten my birthday after all. “Silly, it’s the thought that counts.” Jack tenderly wiped away my tears as if handling a precious treasure, then placed a kiss on my forehead. “Of course, because you’re worth it.” “Oh right, you said you had something to discuss. What is it?” Tears of happiness kept rolling down. I suddenly felt that maybe I could wait a bit longer to tell Jack about the surgery. At least before our wedding anniversary, I shouldn’t make him worry. “I was wondering if you had any plans for Lily’s graduation ceremony. By the way, how’s Emma doing?” Pretending not to know, I smiled and changed the subject, putting the tickets back in his pocket. “Of course both parents will be there for Lily’s graduation ceremony.” “As for Emma, she’s out of danger and under observation in the hospital. I hired a caregiver for her.” Over the next few days. Without Emma as a topic, our home returned to normal. However, what I didn’t expect was that the onset of my illness was unpredictable. I had nosebleeds in front of Jack several times. Today, on my way to pick up our daughter from school, I suddenly felt a sweet and salty taste in my throat. The next moment. My clothes were stained with large patches of bright red. Afraid of being discovered, I had to notify Jack to pick up Lily while I secretly went to the hospital for a follow-up. The doctor frowned as he looked through the examination report. “Leukemia itself doesn’t cause vomiting blood, but you have gastritis, which can easily lead to complications like gastric bleeding. We need to move up the surgery date.” “Can’t we wait a little longer?” “The longer we delay, the more you’ll suffer.” I shook my head, “I’m not afraid of pain.” Yet tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. In fact. I’m quite afraid of pain. In kindergarten, I was punished by teachers. In elementary school, I was bullied by older kids. As I grew older, my parents’ relationship deteriorated, and they took out their frustrations on me. Long-term exposure to pain and hurt, Led me to develop a habit of crying at the slightest discomfort. Jack says I’m delicate, suited to be kept in a greenhouse, and fortunately, he can be that greenhouse. Thinking of Jack’s concerned expression and our daughter’s anxious face. My heart ached even more. After much debate, the surgery was finally scheduled for the day after our wedding anniversary. Lost in thought, I pushed open the door. Emma was hugging Lily on the sofa, showering her with kisses and embraces. Jack, busy cooking in the kitchen, occasionally chimed in. The scene was so warm that I felt out of place entering at that moment. It was Emma who reacted first, walking to the door to greet me with delight. “Oh, Zoe’s back. Why don’t you come in?” Her familiarity made her seem more like the lady of the house. “It’s good you’re back. I was planning to leave after dropping off some things for Lily, but Jack was busy cooking, so I stayed to help her with homework.” Lily clung to Emma, reluctant to let go. “I want Aunt Emma to tuck me in.” “That won’t do, sweetie. Only family can live together. Auntie has to go back to her own home.” Lily tightened her grip on Emma’s hand and turned to ask me. “Why can I only have one mom? Why isn’t Aunt Emma my family? Then Aunt Emma could live with us all the time.” Emma smiled and told me not to overthink it, so I smiled along with her. But the hand holding my medicine dug its nails deep into my flesh. “Oh, right,” she suddenly turned back before leaving. “Zoe, I saw you at the hospital.”

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CHAPTER Is that me? Being burned alive feels exactly how you’d imagine—a scorching, all-consuming agony that burrows into every inch of my body. I should be dead. But I’m not. Not exactly. I hover, weightless, watching the scene unfold beneath me. Watching her. “Our Evelyn is so beautiful. Tomorrow is your birthday party! Mom bought you this dress.” My mother’s voice is soft, affectionate—a voice I never knew she was capable of. She holds up a shimmering dress. I’ve seen that dress before. My sister once boasted that it cost 10,000 dollars—more than my parents make in a month. Yet, they still bought it for her. They always found a way to meet her demands. When the fire left scars on her fingers, they scraped together the money to have them removed. But when I burned? I got nothing. Not a hospital visit. Not a touch of comfort. Not even a second glance. Because in this family, only one daughter mattered. This cramped, two-bedroom apartment was purchased for her. My parents took out a loan to move closer to a better school. One bedroom belonged to them. The other? Hers. I never had one. “Sis, my classmates will laugh at me if they see how small my room is. Why don’t you sleep in the living room instead?” I was twelve. She dragged me to the couch, tossed me a blanket, and slammed the door in my face. I wanted to protest. I wanted to tell my parents. But all they said was, “It’s just the living room. We used to sleep under bridges, and you can’t even handle this?” So, I stopped complaining. I slept on that couch for five years. And in that time, I learned: I was nothing more than a shadow in this house. Once, I was cleaning her room and accidentally brushed against her bed. My mother’s voice had cracked like a whip. “Your hands are filthy! Do you want to dirty my daughter’s bed?” My daughter. Not her daughters. Just one. From that day forward, I never stepped foot in her room again. And yet, standing here, looking down at the family that ignored me in life, I still hoped—stupidly, desperately hoped—that my death would shake them. That they’d grieve me. That they’d miss me. But instead— “Mom, I’m inviting my friends to celebrate my birthday at a restaurant tomorrow!” My parents exchange hesitant glances. I can see the deep lines of exhaustion on their faces, the weight of financial stress. They can’t afford this. They shouldn’t. But then my mother smiles. Soft. Loving. Indulgent. “Of course, Evelyn! Mom won’t forget your birthday. Everything’s set—you’ll be the most beautiful girl there.” The most beautiful girl. Not a single mention of the daughter they just lost. Not a single flicker of sadness. And then— “Damn it, Big Sis had to die at the worst possible time. What bad luck.” Bad luck. Not tragedy. Not grief. Just inconvenience. My chest clenches with something sharp, something suffocating. I was nothing to them. I had always been nothing. When I was little, I believed that even if my mother was unfair, she still loved me. That my father’s beatings, his cruel words—they meant he cared. “Beating is affection. Scolding is love,” he used to say. So, I endured it. I remembered every lesson. I never made the same mistake twice. The neighbors praised me for being such a “sensible child.” And sometimes—just sometimes—my parents would smile. But as I watch my sister now, dry-eyed and unbothered by my death, I finally understand. I was never their daughter. I was never anything. “Big Sis was so capable,” she sighs, voice laced with insincerity. “But she died in the fire.” Then, as if on cue, she forces out a few fake tears. I stare at her perfect, unmarked face. At those cold, soulless eyes. A surge of hatred curls in my gut. I want to reach out. I want to rip them out. ________ CHAPTER

I remember now. I remember everything. I could have escaped that fire. The flames had been closing in, smoke thick in my lungs, but I had a way out. I was almost free. But then I heard my parents’ voices in my head. “Protect your sister, no matter what.” I turned back. I found her—Evelyn—trapped in the blaze, her terrified eyes locked onto mine. I grabbed her arm and dragged her toward the exit, toward safety. We were almost there. Almost free. And then— She ripped herself away. Before I could react, she shoved the door closed and locked it. I pounded against the wood, screaming her name. She didn’t look back. She left me there to die. My sister. The one I had protected since childhood. And now, as I watch her calmly discussing my death over dinner, I wonder— Had she ever loved me at all? Had they? “That dead girl,” my mother says dismissively, scooping soup into my sister’s bowl. “If she were still alive, she could’ve earned at least 3,000 dollars a month. We could’ve used that money to buy you nice clothes.” They weren’t mourning me. They weren’t even sad. I was nothing more than lost income. Something sharp twists inside me. I think back to all the ways they had stolen from me. All the things I had given up, convinced it was my duty as a daughter—as a sister. When I finished middle school, I begged to continue my education. But my parents refused. “You’re stupid anyway,” they said. “And you already repeated a year.” But that wasn’t my fault. They had made me repeat a year so I could stay in the same class as my sister. “She’s still young,” they told me. “We don’t want to leave her alone in elementary school. Stay with her. Protect her.” And like an idiot, I agreed. I let my parents rob me of my future. I let them take away my chance to learn, to grow—to be more than a shadow. We were struggling financially back then. I did everything—tutored my sister, cooked, cleaned, helped with the farmwork. And because of that, my grades slipped. I begged for tutoring. I wanted a chance to catch up. But my parents scoffed. “The school already teaches you everything. If you’re not learning there, why waste money on extra classes?” And yet, when she struggled, they didn’t hesitate. They spent money on her tutoring. Paid for her dance lessons. Sent her to piano classes. She became refined. I remained a simple country girl. But despite it all, I worked hard. I fought for my education. And finally—finally—I became the top student in my class. For once, I thought they’d be proud of me. I held up my award, heart pounding, waiting for their approval. Waiting for them to say, “Well done, sweetheart. We’re proud of you.” Instead, they turned to her. “Don’t worry, darling,” my mother soothed, stroking her hair. “Your sister is only good at studying. But you? You have talents—dance, piano. Your grades will catch up soon.” They dismissed my success like it was nothing. As if being smart—being capable—wasn’t enough. It was never enough. Because no matter what I did—I would never be their daughter. Not like her. __________ CHAPTER

“It’s such a shame your sister died,” my father sighed, pouring himself another drink. “I had already arranged a good marriage for her. We could’ve started preparing for the wedding next month.” “What a waste,” my mother agreed, stirring her soup. “I’ll ask around about a ghost marriage. Maybe we can still make some money off her.” A ghost marriage. They were planning to sell my dead body off to a stranger. Even in death, they still saw me as nothing more than a transaction. The realization settled over me like a thick layer of ice. I was never their daughter. I was currency. And now that I was gone, they were desperate to squeeze every last bit of value out of my corpse. Tomorrow was Evelyn’s birthday party. She slept soundly, curled up in her bed, looking peaceful, unbothered—alive. I sat on the edge of her bed, staring at her. I was no longer human. I didn’t know why I hadn’t disappeared. Maybe it was unfinished business, or maybe it was pure, unfiltered hatred that tethered me here. I wasn’t sure yet. But I had time to figure it out. If nothing else, I could learn how to make her suffer. I reached out, trailing cold fingers over her cheek. She shivered in her sleep. A notification lit up her phone on the bedside table. I glanced at the screen. 【Give money!】 The message was from an unknown number. I frowned. Who was Evelyn supposed to give money to? Was she in debt? Or was she paying someone off? My mind spun with possibilities, but before I could process them, my mother entered the room. She pulled the blanket up over Evelyn’s shoulders, tucking her in with careful hands. A soft, loving gesture. The kind I had never received. I remembered all those nights I slept on the cold, hard sofa, my body trembling from the chill. No one had ever come to cover me with a blanket. I watched her move, hovering near the ceiling, unseen. “Is the air conditioner too low?” she mumbled, rubbing her arms. I smirked. No, Mother. That’s just me. The next morning, I witnessed something I hadn’t seen in years. A real home-cooked breakfast. The table was filled with steaming dishes—both Asian and Western. My mother bustled around the kitchen, her movements fluid, almost graceful. I never knew she could cook like this. When had she learned? Then, it hit me. She had to. Because after I was gone—after I was sent away to work—there was no one left to cook for Evelyn. She must have struggled at first, forcing herself to get better, to take care of her precious youngest daughter. The daughter that mattered. I watched as Evelyn stretched, rubbing sleep from her eyes before skipping over to the kitchen. “Mom, your cooking is delicious!” she beamed. “I love eating the food you make!” My mother smiled warmly, reaching up to smooth her hair. The scene before me was perfect. A cozy home. A warm meal. A loving family. Anyone would envy this life. And for a fleeting moment, I wondered— Was it my fault? Had I been too cold, too quiet, too difficult to love? Had I pushed them away? Had I done something wrong? I thought back to the younger version of myself, desperate for affection. I remembered standing in this very kitchen, eager to help, eager to please. I remembered the way my mother had shoved me aside, irritated. “Don’t bother me! You annoy me just by being here!” That was when I learned the truth. I was only welcome if I was doing something for Evelyn. That was the only way to earn their approval. And even then, it was never enough. I wanted to leave this suffocating house. To get as far away as possible. But whenever I moved more than ten meters from Evelyn— I was pulled right back. Like a leash. Like a curse. Like I still belonged to her. __________ CHAPTER

Evelyn’s birthday party was lively. My parents had gone all out, renting a banquet hall to celebrate. The room glittered with chandeliers, laughter filled the air, and the guests—most of them wealthy and influential—sipped on expensive champagne, smiling as they mingled. I floated through the crowd, unnoticed. Unseen. But I wasn’t surprised. I had spent my entire life like this. From the corner of the room, a familiar face caught my eye. Caleb Martins. He was here. Evelyn’s former classmate. One of the only people who had ever shown me kindness. I remembered the last time he attended one of her birthdays—last year. “Sis, I want a seafood feast for my birthday.” I had spent hours preparing a lavish spread for her, making sure every dish was perfect. But when we went grocery shopping, she wrinkled her nose. “The market’s selection is disgusting. Go to the supermarket instead.” And I had listened. I always listened. Because my father had said, “You’ve been working for years. Can’t you spend a little money to make your sister happy?” That year, I had paid for every single expense. But Evelyn never even acknowledged my efforts. It was Caleb who had noticed. When she cut the cake, she handed him the second slice. But instead of keeping it, he had placed it in my hands. “This should go to the one who worked so hard to make tonight special. Let’s thank her together.” He had been the only person who ever truly saw me. When I was rushing around, drowning in tasks, he had helped. And later, we had exchanged numbers, keeping in touch through quiet messages. But then Evelyn had smashed my phone. “Sis, don’t be ridiculous and try to pursue Caleb!” I never had. But she had already decided I wasn’t worthy of even speaking to someone like him. “You? A middle school dropout talking to someone from a prestigious university? Have some self-awareness!” After she told our parents, they hadn’t hesitated to take her side. “If you want to get married, we’ll find you a rich man. You’ll be set for life.” A week later, my mother dragged me to a blind date. The man was older than my father. I had fled the city after that. I never thought that the next time I returned… I would be nothing but a charred corpse. The shrill ring of a phone cut through the party’s music. “Hello, your daughter’s body—” My father hung up immediately. “What a terrible omen! Today is Evelyn’s birthday, and you’re talking about my daughter’s corpse? Are you cursing her?” The phone rang again. I wanted him to answer. To acknowledge me. But he silenced it once more. My death meant less than a murderer’s birthday. In his eyes, I was already gone. Irrelevant. I hovered near my mother, listening as she sighed. “I feel a chill, dear.” “You must not be wearing enough layers.” She had no idea I was standing inches away, watching her. The phone rang again. This time, she hesitated before picking up. “If you don’t come handle your daughter’s body in River Creek Village, we’ll dispose of it ourselves,” the voice on the other end warned. My mother’s response was instant, her voice detached. “Handle it yourselves. I’m busy.” Then she turned, beaming at Evelyn. I wanted to scream. To grab the phone and beg the person on the other end to bury me. I didn’t want to be cremated. I had already burned once. I didn’t want to go through that agony again. But when I reached for the phone— My hands passed right through it. I was nothing. And yet, they were smiling, laughing, moving on as if I had never existed. “Mom, Dad, this is my boyfriend, Caleb Martins!” I turned sharply. Evelyn clung to his arm, her eyes sparkling with feigned innocence. Caleb? Her boyfriend? A strange feeling twisted inside me. I didn’t know what it was— Only that something inside me cracked. I looked down at my hands. They were fading. Then re-forming. What was happening to me? I lifted my gaze, watching my parents glow with pride. The same parents who once shamed me for even talking to him. “You? A toad trying to eat swan meat?” But now that Evelyn was with him, they adored the match. “They’re perfect for each other,” my mother gushed. “A match made in heaven.” And then— Caleb looked around, frowning slightly. “But where’s Evelyn’s sister?” For the first time that night— Someone remembered me. _________ CHAPTER

Since my phone had been broken, I had lost contact with Caleb. I never expected him to still remember me. Every year on Evelyn’s birthday, I had been there—either cooking, serving tea, or making sure everything was perfect. I had been so consumed with her celebrations that I had forgotten my own birthday. The only time I had ever celebrated it was when my grandmother was alive. She had cooked me a simple bowl of longevity noodles. That was it. And now, even in death, I was here again. Watching. “Big Sis died in the fire, and it’s so tragic that she’s no longer with us. But today is Evelyn’s birthday, so let’s not dwell on sad things.” Evelyn’s mother had tears in her eyes. Evelyn, ever the doting daughter, handed her a handkerchief, her expression sorrowful. I stared at them in disbelief. I had never seen that woman cry. She was always smiling, always cheerful. So why hadn’t she shed a single tear when I actually died? Not even a pretense of mourning. “Sis always attended my birthday parties, but this year… something unexpected happened.” The mother-daughter duo exchanged sorrowful glances, taking turns dabbing at their tears. It was picture-perfect grief. A textbook display of the deep mother-daughter bond they shared. I had never experienced it. Maybe I had been too dull. Maybe I had never learned how to please my parents like Evelyn did. Maybe that’s why they never loved me. Maybe it was because I didn’t know how to cry. Because if I had, maybe they would have paid attention to me. “The fire was too big,” my father sighed heavily. “We could only save Evelyn. Every night at midnight, I wake up, haunted by the image of Big Sis begging us for help. I’m sorry, Big Sis.” I drifted toward him, my cold, dead gaze locking onto his face. He was the one who slept the most soundly in that house. The one whose lies were always so smooth. If he had truly loved his beloved daughter, maybe he would have been heartbroken to know she was a murderer. But he didn’t care. He just didn’t want people whispering about it. Caleb wore a forced smile as he listened, pretending to be saddened by my death while also comforting my so-called grieving family. I clenched my fists, but my fingers simply passed through my dress like mist. A waiter rolled out a towering three-tiered cake, and the mood instantly shifted. Evelyn was radiant, standing in the center of her admirers. Beautiful. Elegant. Graceful. She basked in their praise like it was oxygen, her lips curling in satisfaction. I had seen this scene too many times before. From childhood to adulthood, she had always craved admiration. Always loved being flattered. I had learned early on that if I wanted to avoid a beating, all I had to do was praise her in front of my parents. They would get so distracted with their perfect daughter that they’d forget about me completely. Evelyn took the first slice of cake and held out the second piece to Caleb. But before he could take it, he turned to her with an unreadable expression. “This one should go to your sister.” The room stilled for a fraction of a second. Evelyn’s hand tightened around the cake server. Her perfect smile wavered. Then, in an instant, it was gone. “I’ll give you this first slice instead,” she said sweetly, pressing the fork into his hands. She had always liked being first. And now, she had decided he belonged to her, too. As guests enjoyed their cake, her friends continued to fawn over her. “Evelyn, if it weren’t for you, I’d never have gotten to eat at such an expensive restaurant.” “Evelyn, your family is so rich. Your parents and sister spoil you so much! This birthday party is amazing! And your boyfriend is so handsome!” Evelyn smiled, her tone light. “Yes, my sister was always good to me. Whatever I wanted, she gave it to me.” But her eyes gleamed with something else. Mockery. Yes. Whatever you wanted, I gave it to you. You even took my life. The room’s atmosphere shattered when the doors swung open. A police officer strode inside, his uniform crisp, his badge gleaming. “Evelyn Brooks,” he announced, his voice steady, “you are under investigation for murder. Please come with us.” The party froze.

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A sudden fire broke out at the company. To save Jack, I found myself trapped in the flames. But Jack turned and ran towards Emma, his dream girl assistant who was crying in fear. As I lay there barely breathing, Emma looked at Jack with coy affection. “Hmph, why did you save me? I don’t want to be seen as some pushover!” Jack stroked her head, comforting her. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. How could I let your precious self be in any danger?” He quickly took Emma to the hospital, completely forgetting about my existence. After being rescued, I lost all my previous stubbornness and immediately texted my brother. “Remember that friend you mentioned? I agree to go on a blind date with him.” When Jack found out, he cried and begged me, but it was too late – we were over! After the firefighters rescued me and rushed me to the hospital, I was finally out of danger. Just as I was about to start oxygen therapy, Jack walked by with some test results. Seeing me weak in the hospital bed, he suddenly remembered. Jack looked surprised, then quickly tried to cover it up as he hurried to my side. “Lily, things were so chaotic earlier, I forgot to check on you. But I just asked the doctor and he said you’re fine.” “Look at you, why did you have to be so reckless? Don’t be so impulsive in the future.” I silently looked at the man in front of me, at a loss for words. During the fire, I had pushed him out and ended up trapped in a small space, nearly suffocating to death. The doctor said if I had been brought in any later, I wouldn’t have made it. Yet he hadn’t given me a second thought because of Emma. Now he was making up excuses to pretend he cared. But I no longer believed his false affection. A message from my brother came through. I glanced down at my phone. Thinking it was time to end things completely, to cut all ties. I looked up at Jack and said, “Can you take me home?” Jack was momentarily taken aback and was about to speak when his phone rang. “Jack! My puppy is missing, come help me find him quick!” Emma’s urgent voice reached my ears. I kept a blank expression, pretending I hadn’t heard. Jack glanced at me, then responded anxiously. “Don’t worry, I’ll be right there.” Jack hurriedly hung up the phone and looked at me to explain. “You should take a cab home later. Emma’s dog is lost, I need to help her look for it.” Watching his retreating figure, my heart felt like it had been stabbed, aching terribly. Jack and I had been together for five years. Everyone envied our love. But in the end, it was no match for his dream girl. Ever since Emma appeared, everything changed. He used to firmly oppose nepotism, but he specially arranged an assistant position for her. Emma was constantly late or left early, but it was never counted against her attendance. The company seemed to have special privileges just for her. Years ago, I had worked so hard just to become a formal employee so I could work with him. Jack’s favorite thing to say was, “We need to lead by example.” It turns out the impartial man I thought I knew was nothing more than this.

After replying to my brother’s message, I dragged my exhausted body home. But at the front door, I saw traces of blood and a trail of small paw prints. My heart instantly leapt into my throat. Ignoring my physical discomfort, I followed the blood trail and found Cola barely clinging to life. Cola was a stray cat I had rescued a few years ago. She was timid and sweet, but very intuitive. She would quietly keep me company when Jack was busy, and comfort me when I was upset. Jack was a germaphobe, but because of this little cat, he had even set up a cat bed in the house. He said as long as it made me happy, it was fine. But now, as I prepared to take her away, she was dying. I quickly picked her up to find the first aid kit, but when I entered I saw Jack and Emma. Emma was bandaging her pet dog, while Jack was comforting her. “Don’t cry, it’s okay. I’m sorry, I’ll take care of it right away.” Hearing his words, I immediately rushed over and shouted angrily. “Who are you going to ‘take care of’?” Jack was startled by my appearance. But when he saw the dying cat in my arms, he started scolding me instead. “Throw that thing out! Ungrateful stray, it’s learned to scratch people now!” Emma put on a pitiful act, looking wronged and sad. “Jack, that nasty little street cat is so mean. If my brave puppy hadn’t fought back, I could have been hurt today.” Hearing her words, I felt like my whole world was shattering. Cola’s belly was trembling, her breathing weak, blood still seeping from the wounds on her body. I had no time to argue and quickly searched for the first aid kit. But all the bandages had already been used on Emma’s dog. Jack saw my frantic state and seemed at a loss. “Lily! What are you doing? It’s lost so much blood, it clearly won’t survive!”

Hearing his words, Cola closed her eyes for the last time. I could no longer hold back my tears. I raised my hand and slapped Jack hard across the face. In his shock, I finally collapsed, passing out. In my dream, I seemed to return to when I first rescued the little cat. Jack would care for me then, loving what I loved. It turns out, it was all just a dream. When I woke up, it was already light outside. Jack was by my side taking care of me. He brought over a glass of water, looking at me somewhat helplessly. “Get up and take some medicine. You’re being too emotional – it was just a cat. If you like, we can get another one, can’t we?” Hearing his words, I took the water and threw it in his face. Jack immediately stood up, looking at me angrily. “Lily! You’ve really gone crazy! Emma was right, what a worthless cat. It deserved to die!” With that, he stormed out. I slowly got up, hugging the cat’s body, and found a place to bury her. Looking around this home, familiar yet strange, it was time to end things once and for all. In all our years together, Jack had given me many things. A dusty photo album in the drawer stirred up memories. It was a book Jack had specially made when he was pursuing me. Inside were our chat records. He said keeping these things would ensure we never forgot our initial sweetness. I picked up the album, about to throw it in the fire pit. But I discovered many new photos hidden in a compartment of the album. Behind my back, Jack had so many interactions with Emma. The places I had most wanted to visit, he had gone to with Emma. On the back of the newest photo was written a touching love message: “After traveling mountains and seas, I will make you my wife.” He had never let go of Emma in his heart, yet pretended to love me every day. How ridiculous. I threw the album and everything he had given me into the fire pit. The flames blazed high. Opening the closet, I searched for the last gift my mom gave me before she passed away, but couldn’t find it anywhere. In a panic, I was about to message Jack, when I saw Emma’s social media post. “Handmade DIY clothes. Though ugly, they keep my puppy warm and cozy.”

She had posted a photo of her pet dog, wrapped in that very nightgown. It felt like my heart was being carved out bit by bit. I accidentally fell to the ground, blood flowing from my leg. In a rage, I dragged my injured leg to the company to confront them. Jack was hugging that dog, coaxing Emma. In the trash can were the cut up sleeves of the nightgown. I rushed over and slapped Jack across the face. His eyes went wide. I coldly looked at him and asked, “Where did this nightgown come from?” Jack was stunned by the slap. He yelled loudly. “What are you going crazy about in the middle of the night?” Tears fell as I turned to Emma and demanded, “Who gave you permission to touch my clothes!” Emma looked at me innocently. “It’s just a piece of clothing. Big sis is being too stingy.” Jack gritted his teeth, looking at me with fury in his eyes. “It’s just an old nightgown you never wear. I gave it to the dog. Why are you targeting Emma?” Emma looked at me, then put on a pitiful act. “Lily, last night Jack saw my puppy had no clothes, so he gave it to him. If you’re that attached to it, I can take it off and give it back?” I raised my hand and slapped her hard across the face. Emma stood there stunned, her eyes welling up with tears. Jack saw this and lost it. Without thinking, he forcefully slapped me back. My face stung fiercely, but it didn’t hurt nearly as much as my heart. He clearly knew that nightgown was a birthday gift from my mom before she passed away when I turned 20. I had never worn it, just kept it on the top shelf of my closet. I never imagined it would end up on Emma’s dog. My face throbbed from his slap. He shielded Emma behind him, afraid she had been wronged. “Unreasonable! Lily, I never knew you could be so vicious!” I shakily picked up the tattered nightgown, tears streaming down. This nightgown was the only memento I had left from my mom before she died. But now, it was torn beyond recognition. Jack saw my emotional state and softened his tone slightly. “If you like it that much, I can just buy you a new one. Are you trying to embarrass me on purpose?” “Lily, you’ve really gone too far this time!” Emma looked at me, acting wronged. “I’m so sorry, Lily.” Emma quickly walked over and clung to my arm. I forcefully raised my arm, causing her to tumble down the stairs. “Waaaah…Jack, don’t blame big sis…” While I was in shock, Jack slapped me hard across the face again. My face stung fiercely. I felt like my eardrum would burst. “Lily! How can you be so petty? Picking on her over an old piece of clothing! What’s the point? Your mom died years ago!”

“Lily! Apologize to Emma right now!” Jack’s voice was like thunder in my ears. I never imagined the man I had loved for so many years could be so despicable. Back then, I had insisted on being with him against my family’s wishes. For him, I even missed the chance to see my mom one last time. Now Jack was so disrespectful to a deceased elder. I felt utterly drained of strength, but Jack kept pressing on relentlessly. He had no intention of letting me off. Emma tugged at Jack’s arm, her voice trembling. “It’s okay, Jack. Big sis didn’t mean it. Please forgive her!” He reached out and forcefully grabbed my neck, as if wanting to choke me to death. No matter how I tried to explain, Jack wouldn’t believe me. “Apologize!” I bit down hard on his arm, drawing blood. He finally let go when he felt the pain. “Mad dog!” Jack shoved me hard. The back of my head hit the wall, blood trickling out. But I endured without making a sound. I just wanted to leave this place as quickly as possible. “Jack, let’s break up!” I turned to leave, but Jack let out a cold laugh. “Don’t think using this trick will make me forgive you. If you don’t apologize to Emma, don’t bother coming back!” Hearing his words, I suddenly remembered something. I took off the ring on my finger and threw it at his feet in front of him. “Jack, I wouldn’t come back even if you begged me.”

Jack stared at the ring for a few seconds, then frowned. “Lily! Do you know what you’re doing? Using this to threaten me?” So Jack still remembered – that ring was the one he had personally put on my finger when pursuing me. I had once fantasized about wearing that ring as we walked down the aisle together. He had also promised that once the ring was on, it would be for life. Now, I no longer cared for him at all. I left the company without looking back. Jack kept sending me messages defending Emma. The wound was hurting badly, so I immediately went to the hospital. Unexpectedly, I ran into Ryan there. He was my brother’s friend and a well-known surgeon. Seeing me in such a sorry state, Ryan was surprised. “Miss Lily, let me help bandage that for you.” Ryan had a faint pleasant scent. As he bandaged me up, I unknowingly dozed off. I hadn’t slept so peacefully in days. In my daze, I felt him carefully changing the dressing on my wound. Seeing I had trouble moving, Ryan offered to rent a wheelchair for me. I had just sat down in a chair in the hallway when a grating voice rang out. “How can big sis be so intimate with another man? How can you face Jack?” I turned to look. Emma had bandages on her hand and was clinging tightly to Jack’s arm, looking very close. She was really overstepping her bounds, trying to lecture me now. “If you have nothing to say, then shut your mouth!” I glared at Emma. Her face turned pale and she shrank back into Jack’s arms. Seeing my forceful attitude, Jack’s expression darkened. He seemed angry, as if I had cheated on him. His eyes were full of fury. “Lily, are you that desperate for attention? How can you be so shameless?” His voice was very loud, attracting stares from people around us. Everyone was pointing and whispering, with various harsh criticisms. I ignored him and struggled to stand up and walk away. Jack glared at me with a gloomy expression. “Lily, I’m giving you 10 minutes. Go home right now!”

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In my previous life, while watching a movie, my husband found a bag. He repeatedly reminded me to verify the owner’s identity before returning it to avoid any problems, then left. Soon, the owner came looking for me. I thought my husband’s advice was right, so I spent half an hour verifying before returning the bag. Not long after, the owner found my house and kicked me flying. He cursed, “It’s all your fault for dawdling and not wanting to return the bag. My son died from a heart attack because he couldn’t find his medicine!” When I tried to explain, I was accused by my female neighbor who was live streaming: “I was the ticket seller at the cinema that day. I saw with my own eyes that Mia kept making excuses not to return the bag because she wanted to keep it for herself!” “Although we’ve been neighbors for years, I can’t stand by and watch her selfishness cause the death of an innocent child!” I was not only sued by the owner but also attacked by everyone online. The day before the trial, I was pushed off a tall building by angry internet trolls and died a horrible death. My female neighbor became a viral internet justice warrior, making a fortune from live streaming. My husband not only didn’t seek justice for me but happily married the female neighbor. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day we found the bag at the cinema.

“Honey, this bag looks expensive. We can’t let someone claim it falsely. Make sure to check the information carefully. Only give it to someone who can describe every item inside!” Jack’s voice came through as I looked down at the all-too-familiar leather bag in my hands. My body still ached as if my limbs had been torn apart. As Jack walked away, I surveyed the familiar cinema, finally realizing what had happened. I had been reborn to the day we found the bag at the cinema. Remembering what happened in my previous life, I decided to get rid of this troublesome bag first. “Excuse me, I found a leather bag,” I said to a staff member. But the person in front of me kept their head down, pretending to be deaf while playing on their phone. They didn’t respond to me at all. I felt something was off. “So you’re the one who found my bag? Hand it over!” Ryan ran over, rudely extending his hand towards me. In my previous life, I remembered my husband’s reminder and asked him what items were in the bag. He stammered for a long time, unable to answer a single question. I still patiently asked for other information, and it took half an hour to confirm the bag was really his. Now that I think about it, it was very suspicious. I made sure nothing was missing from the bag, secretly turned on my phone to record everything, then tossed the bag to Ryan. Now, there shouldn’t be any problems. In my previous life, my husband, who was always busy with work, rarely took me to the cinema. After the movie, Jack found a men’s leather bag. He repeatedly reminded me to carefully verify the owner’s identity before returning it, then hurriedly left. I followed his advice and spent half an hour verifying the owner’s identity before returning the bag. Unexpectedly, not long after, the owner found my house and accused me of not returning the bag containing his son’s heart medication in time, resulting in his son’s death from a heart attack! When I tried to explain, I was accused by my female neighbor who was live streaming: “I was the ticket seller at that cinema. I happened to be working that day and saw with my own eyes that Mia kept making excuses not to return the bag because she wanted to keep it for herself!” “Although we’ve been neighbors for years, I can’t stand by and watch her selfishness cause the death of such a young child!” With these words, all the blame fell on me, and I was branded a murderer! I was not only sued by the owner but also attacked by everyone online. The day before the trial, I was pushed off a tall building by angry internet trolls and died a horrible death. My female neighbor became a viral internet justice warrior, making a fortune from live streaming. My husband not only didn’t seek justice for me but happily married the female neighbor. In this new life, I won’t let the tragedy of my past life repeat itself! Early the next morning, there was a violent knocking at the door. I wondered who it could be. Unexpectedly, Ryan forcibly broke open the door and came in, kicking me to the ground. “You’re the bitch who killed my son!” “When you returned the bag, you secretly took out my son’s medicine, causing him to die from a heart attack!” “I’m going to make you pay with your life!” I was stunned. Why was this life unfolding the same way as the previous one? I had clearly checked that nothing was missing, so why was he saying he couldn’t find the medicine? Ryan was putting all his strength into stomping on me, with no intention of communicating properly. Suddenly, I realized that neither in my previous life nor in this one had Ryan mentioned his son’s heart condition when he came to claim the bag! Otherwise, I would have done everything to save the child first. “I heard everything from inside. How could you be so vicious?” “Just because you couldn’t keep the bag for yourself, you had to cause someone’s death? Is the little money in that bag worth more than a human life?” Jack came out of the neighbor’s house, angrily accusing me. My heart ached. It was Jack who had told me to carefully verify the owner’s identity, and now that something had happened, he was blaming me? Hearing the commotion, Olivia also came out of her house, trying to persuade me kindly: “Mia, you really did wrong this time. A life has been lost, such a poor little child! Let’s apologize to the family and ask for leniency, okay?” Olivia was wearing sexy pajamas, with many visible kiss marks on her body. I snorted coldly: “You two aren’t even trying to hide it anymore? Ever since I got married, you’ve been constantly asking my husband to come over to fix things around your house.” “I thought you were a single mom and life wasn’t easy for you, so I put up with it even though I was uncomfortable. I didn’t expect you two to become so blatant!” “You’re so generous, why don’t you go confess? I won’t admit to something I didn’t do!” Jack, embarrassed and angry, slapped me: “How dare you spread rumors and ruin Olivia’s reputation?” Olivia hid behind Jack and said sarcastically: “Mia, the facts are clear. Even if you try to slander us to divert attention, it won’t work!” Ryan immediately caught on and grabbed my collar menacingly: “Don’t try to change the subject! Wait until the police come, and we’ll see how you can still deny it!” 3 “Officer, my poor grandson had such a miserable fate!” Ryan’s mother came with the police, wiping non-existent tears as she complained: “My poor grandson, so young, died of a heart attack because of this wicked woman. Now he’s lying in a cold coffin, about to be buried.” “He was the only heir of our Thompson family. We can’t let this vicious woman get away with it!” Ryan rolled up his sleeves, making a gesture as if to hit me: “That’s right! We don’t want anything else, we just want you to pay for this murder with your life!” The police stood between us, trying to calm Ryan and his mother. Ryan kept saying he didn’t want compensation, only my life. But from what I heard Mrs. Thompson say earlier— The child was about to be buried, yet neither of them was attending the funeral, instead coming here to deal with me first? If they really cared about the child, why weren’t they going to see him one last time? Olivia suddenly spoke up: “Officer, Mia has always been selfish and likes to take advantage of others. She must know she’s wrong now!” “Mia, I pretended not to notice when you stole my takeout from my doorstep and the sausages downstairs. I thought as longtime neighbors, we should get along and share things. But now someone has died, and you still won’t admit it?” “Mia, why are you still being stubborn? Apologize quickly! If you delay any longer, I won’t be able to help you!” I noticed Olivia discreetly pointing her phone’s rear camera at me. In my previous life, this was when she secretly started live streaming, causing my reputation to be ruined. I coldly grabbed her wrist, and the live stream comments came into view: “Oh my god! She’s been immoral all along, and now she can even harm a child? Is she even human?” “Facing death and still not apologizing? This woman is rotten to the core!” “Doesn’t anyone feel sorry for the streamer? She misjudged someone, forgave so many times, and can only advise her neighbor to turn back now. How kind!” I squeezed her wrist hard and said: “When did I ever steal your things? You’re just pretending to be nice! If you really cared about me, why are you secretly live streaming?” Jack slapped my hand away: “Olivia is righteous and kind-hearted. Of course she wants to expose a scumbag like you publicly!” “I’ve had enough of you for a long time. You’re selfish at home, never do any housework or work, and you’re always beating and scolding me. If it weren’t for my sense of responsibility as a man, I would have divorced you long ago!” I no longer had any feelings for Jack and slapped him back: “You’re willing to do housework, but only at Olivia’s place!” The police coughed twice, signaling us to be quiet. “The surveillance footage we obtained from the cinema shows that Ms. Johnson was the only person who touched the bag.” Jack eagerly said: “The evidence is clear, what else do you have to say for yourself?” “I was truly blind to have married such a vicious woman. How come you haven’t learned any kindness from Olivia after being neighbors for so many years?” I couldn’t help but laugh coldly inside. He’s supposed to be my husband, yet he’s the most eager to convict me. I didn’t rush to present my evidence for self-defense; I still needed to draw out more clues. I tentatively said: “But the surveillance footage also doesn’t show me taking anything out. How can you prove you’re not deliberately slandering me?” “Bah! You murderer, still trying to argue? You even dare to turn this on us? I’ll beat you to death!” Ryan spat at me and rolled up his sleeves, coming to hit me. Mrs. Thompson pretended to stop him but secretly kicked me twice, while still acting pitiful: “Ryan, don’t do anything stupid! We’re all law-abiding citizens. The police will surely bring this menace to justice and send her to prison!” The police struggled to separate the three of us and controlled Ryan with a headache. “Ms. Johnson has a point. The evidence is insufficient. This case needs further investigation!” But my husband wouldn’t have it and blurted out: “Evidence? What more evidence do you need?” “Officer, I’m her husband. I know her best. She’s just bitter about losing her own children and can’t stand seeing other people’s kids. Her mind is twisted, and she wants to take revenge on society!” 4 My heart skipped a beat. I remembered my three daughters from before! The first two died shortly after birth, before I could even see them. I was extremely careful with my third daughter, raising her like my own life until she was three years old. Once, when I returned from a business trip, my mother-in-law told me my daughter had been hit by a car and was already buried. She refused to tell me where the grave was. Those days I was close to a breakdown, but Jack was now tearing open my deepest wound! Remembering the past, I choked up and questioned him: “When I was pregnant with our third daughter, I asked you – your mother has always favored boys over girls. If you were worried that I might not be able to have a son after being hurt, we could divorce!” “You disagreed and sweet-talked me into keeping the baby. Do you regret it now?” Jack, embarrassed and angry, raised his hand to hit me but was stopped by the police: “Sort out your personal matters in private. Regarding this case, Mr. Wilson’s words are not sufficient evidence. Please come with us to the police station to make a statement—” Olivia suddenly interrupted the police with a serious expression: “At this point, I must speak up!” She walked in front of me and made a show of bowing: “I’m sorry, Mia. Although you told me not to say anything, I really can’t bear to see such a young child die innocently.” I frowned, realizing this two-faced woman was stepping on me again. “I was the ticket seller at the cinema that day. I saw with my own eyes Mia secretly taking out the medicine from the bag behind the cameras before reluctantly returning it.” “She originally wanted to give the bag to me, to frame me, but I couldn’t do such a thing! With my conscience, I can’t cover up for her anymore.” I understood now that the staff member who ignored me earlier was Olivia! Mrs. Thompson held Olivia’s hand, full of gratitude: “Ms. Parker is truly impartial and righteous!” “On behalf of our grandson, I thank you for coming forward to testify. Officer, can you arrest her now?” Ryan raised his eyebrows at me triumphantly, but I felt increasingly strange. I was certain that this mother and son didn’t care about the child’s life at all! They just wanted to send me to jail! I kindly reminded Olivia: “Do you know the consequences of perjury?” Jack stood in front of Olivia, extremely concerned: “Mia Johnson, you brought this on yourself! If you knew this day would come, why did you do it? Threatening Olivia now is useless. Just wait to go to jail!” Ryan broke free from the police’s control and urged: “We have both witness testimony and physical evidence now. Hurry up and arrest her! Don’t delay my business!” Olivia looked at me provocatively: “Mia, I’m really sorry, but I just want to give everyone justice and fairness.” I took out my phone and sneered: “How did you forget to ask if I have any evidence?” In front of everyone, I pressed play. The video clearly showed that all items in the bag were intact and I threw it back to Ryan.

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I thought Ryan had given me a second chance at life when he helped clear my family’s debts after our bankruptcy. We were together for nine years, seemingly deeply in love. Until Emma returned from abroad, and I discovered their past connection. To please Emma, Ryan was willing to use me, who’s afraid of water, as a bet in a pool game. Later, when I wanted to break up, Ryan laughed arrogantly, “Without me, what could you possibly achieve?” But in the end, he was the one who broke down. I smiled and said, “Can you not be so emotional?” 0On the rooftop pool. The Emperor’s Game. As night fell, under the dark blue lights, Ryan stood in his suit, bending over to explain the rules while holding a ring toss. Behind him, his friends were opening champagne and watching the show. “Everyone stand back,” he said, pointing to the pretty girls in swimsuits in the pool. “Each person only gets one chance, and can only ring one person…” I looked away, clutching the Basque cheesecake in my hand, and asked softly, “Ryan, come eat some cake first. You’ve been waiting for a while, right?” Emma saw me and enthusiastically called out, “Lily, you’re here! Do you want to play too?” Emma was Ryan’s childhood sweetheart. She had just returned from abroad a few days ago. Ryan had been away for several days since then. We had a big fight because of this and had been giving each other the cold shoulder for days. Until tonight when he called and asked me to bring a Basque cheesecake. In my eyes, this was a sign of reconciliation. So I carefully applied my makeup and changed into a pure white dress that he liked. Carrying the Basque cheesecake he wanted. I shook my head and walked over to open the cake box, “I’ll pass. I’m not good at ring toss.” Emma looked at me as if she had heard the biggest joke ever, and said mockingly, “Who said anything about ring toss?” She turned her head towards the girls in the pool and gestured, “It’s over there.” “Ryan, what do you think? It must be fun!” Emma’s words became increasingly sarcastic, and no one dared to interrupt her. I gripped the ribbon of the cake box tighter, staring blankly at Ryan. “Ryan, you know I can’t…” I can’t swim. “Go change.” Under everyone’s gaze, Ryan turned and grabbed a swimsuit from the sofa and threw it at me. The cold fabric hit my face. Seeing that I didn’t move, he frowned and turned to look at me, speaking earnestly. “Lily, it’s just a game.” “Don’t be such a poor sport.” “Yeah, Lily, it’s just for fun,” Emma chimed in. I looked at him, my eyes unfocused. I guess he had hidden it for so long that I almost forgot he was always a playboy at heart. Emma cut a piece of cake, picked it up, tossed it around, and threw it onto someone’s shirt nearby. “How convenient.” “Come on, play! This one’s got some weight to it.” I touched the burn mark on my left index finger, watching them carelessly waste the cake I had spent the whole afternoon making. My heart was as tangled as a ball of yarn that had been clawed by a cat. The sky darkened, and the wind on the rooftop became chilly. After a long while, I trembled, suppressing the sourness in my heart, and walked over to put the swimsuit on the sofa. “You guys play. I’m leaving.” As I was heading back, Emma caught up with me and smiled, trying to comfort me, “It’s okay, Lily. If you don’t want to, forget about it…” The next second, catching me off guard, she pushed me hard into the pool. A huge splash erupted. “Ah!” The girls in the pool desperately tried to dodge. I’m afraid of water. Water rushed into my throat, making me feel suffocated. I struggled to stand steady, my skirt floating up due to buoyancy. Everything was exposed. Vaguely, I heard someone exclaim. “Holy shit…” Emma cried out from the edge, “Oh my, Lily, how could you be so careless?” I kept thrashing in the water, trying to find my balance. On the platform, Emma urged Ryan to distribute the rings. “Hurry up, Ryan!” “I want to throw!” Ryan handed out the rings. In an instant, all the rings flew into the water. And I was casually ringed by Lucas. I was soaked from head to toe, not even having the chance to wipe the water from my face or the wet hair sticking to it. The ring landed around my neck. “Ryan, I…” Lucas nervously rubbed his hands, waiting for Ryan’s “rescue.” Lucas’s family business wasn’t big, and he always followed Ryan’s lead. In recent years, Ryan’s family had been flourishing, riding the wave of the entertainment industry. Living a life dependent on others’ favor, Lucas naturally didn’t dare to make any mistakes. Even though everyone knew Ryan had no real feelings for me. He had even just used me as a bargaining chip, a commodity. But I was still his nominal girlfriend after all. Ryan extinguished the cigarette in his hand and passed the ring to Emma. He squatted down and looked at me. His expression was dark. After a long while. “Take her away then.” 0

Those careless words silenced everyone around. With just three short words, I understood their game. I struggled to shore, not caring if my dress was see-through. I threw on a bathrobe and headed for the exit. “What’s she playing at? If it weren’t for Ryan, she’d probably be in some old baldie’s arms right now.” “It’s all because Ryan values loyalty.” Behind me, all sorts of hurtful comments kept coming. Constantly chipping away at the hard shell I had rebuilt around myself. Yes, if it weren’t for Ryan. I should be drowning in millions of debt now, a rat that everyone would chase down the street. That pampered Miss Lily who grew up as the center of attention was long gone. It was Ryan who saved me. So, in their eyes, I should be eternally grateful to him. What’s a little pool game compared to that? Ryan seemed to have had enough and shouted harshly, “Shut up!” I composed myself, took a deep breath, turned around with a smile, and looked at Lucas, inviting him, “Shall we go?” Lucas froze in place, dumbfounded. The place instantly fell silent, you could hear a pin drop. Ryan’s face turned ashen as he rushed over, wrapping the bathrobe tightly around me, grinding his teeth, “You wouldn’t dare!” Ryan forcibly took me home. I developed a high fever on the way. When we got out of the car, Ryan climbed into the passenger seat to carry me. I pushed him away in my hazy state, “Don’t touch me!” He slapped my waist, his face grim, “Lily, stop making a fuss!” “Can’t you take care of yourself?” “Are you trying to anger me to death?” Hearing this, I couldn’t help but laugh sarcastically, “Isn’t this all thanks to you?” Wasn’t it him who knew I was afraid of water yet still made me get in? Ryan’s face turned ashen, and he wordlessly hoisted me up. In the night filled with cicada sounds and wind, an “I’m sorry” blew past my ear. Ryan fed me medicine. He tucked in the blanket corners and went to the kitchen to make porridge for me. When he brought it to me, the porridge was still steaming hot. “Have some porridge, it’ll warm your stomach.” I closed my eyes and kept my lips tightly shut, not making a sound. He let out a long sigh, scooped up a spoonful of porridge and blew on it. “Honey, be good, okay?” “When you’re better, I’ll take you to the Maldives. Didn’t you want to go for a long time?” Ryan coaxed me, this was his usual style. Going to the Maldives was a promise we made before Emma came back. After Emma returned, Ryan’s attention wandered, we had a big fight, and the trip was forgotten. As we were at an impasse, Emma’s call came through. “Ryan, take me home!” “Otherwise my dad will scold me again. He feels at ease when you take me.” Under the dim table lamp, Ryan remained silent for a long time, put down the bowl, and glanced at me. “Ask Lucas to take you. I’m a bit busy.” Ryan rarely refused Emma. “I don’t want that. I want you to take me!” I stared at the dark ceiling, my head throbbing and my nose sour, and said in a low voice, “Go then.” “Don’t keep her waiting too long.” 0

The next day was Grandpa Harrison’s birthday banquet. Ryan and I attended. All the notable people in the city were there. Emma was no exception. Ryan went to a private room with his friends to discuss business. I was bored and went to the dessert table. “Harrison really doesn’t know better, inviting all sorts of riffraff. Isn’t he afraid of bad luck?” “Well, when your parents die leaving a mountain of debt, it’s all settled. If it were me, I’d have followed them long ago. Where would I have the courage to hook up with Ryan?” Behind me, several familiar voices rang out. “Wow, of course she has to hold on tight. After all, Ryan is probably the best catch among all the eligible options.” Emma, imagining something, added, “But, Ryan said she’s really boring in bed.” “Well, she used to be a good little rich girl, it’s not surprising she can’t satisfy someone as free-spirited as Ryan.” My face flushed red, my hand holding the macaron froze, trembling involuntarily. Listening to them casually sketching out my past, slandering me at will. “Enough!” I turned around and slapped Emma with all my might. The wine glass in her hand slipped and shattered on the floor, splattering wine on her skirt. “Clean your mouth before you speak.” The hall fell eerily silent. I smoothed my skirt and looked up, saying, “If you’re so capable, then make him dump me and be with you.” “Stop stirring up trouble here.” Emma didn’t expect me to fight back. Covering her face, she screamed hysterically, “Lily, what’s wrong with you?” “Do you think you’re still that high and mighty young miss?” “Wake up!” Ryan came at the sound, gently pulling Emma’s hand away, “Let me see. Does it hurt?” I hadn’t held back earlier, and Emma’s right cheek was already red and swollen. Ryan turned around and looked at me coldly, “Lily, apologize.” “Don’t go too far.” He wasn’t furious or agitated, but I knew he was extremely displeased now. “Ryan, it hurts,” Emma started her act again, sobbing, “I don’t know what I did wrong for her to hit me like this.” “It’s okay, don’t be afraid. I’ll take you to the hospital.” Ryan’s voice was gentle. I was tired of watching this drama of mutual affection, and tired of arguing with a habitual liar. “I wish you two a hundred years of happiness and an early child.” “My tongue is sharp, so I’ll spare you the nasty words.” I turned around and went home amidst the whispers and scrutiny of the guests. 0

I used to be one of them. Ryan and I were sworn enemies. I was well-behaved, he was wild, neither of us could stand the other. Emma was Ryan’s little fangirl, following him around calling “brother, brother” every day. When I was seventeen, my parents committed suicide after a failed investment, and I fell to rock bottom overnight. All my friends in the circle avoided me. Only Ryan, despite his parents’ opposition, used all his money and even borrowed money to fill my bottomless pit. Ryan, who always loved freedom and excitement, sold his Lykan and Porsche. He bought the mansion that my family was auctioning off. He said he couldn’t let me be without a home. Even though we later lived elsewhere, that house was never sold. A nouveau riche tried to humiliate me with money, boasting “If you’re with me, I’ll give you endless money to spend.” Later, he was also beaten up by Ryan. And now, it was also Ryan who put Emma first, trampling on my dignity without hesitation. Back then, I thought Ryan was my salvation. Little did I know, he always had Emma in his heart. But he helped me out of friendship, and developed feelings that shouldn’t have existed. I stayed at home for five days. When I finally calmed down and went out again. The streets were full of pink billboards. But it wasn’t some celebrity endorsement, it was Emma and Ryan’s wedding photos. The wedding ceremony venue they chose was my home. That Chinese-style mansion that had been empty for a long time. I walked in incredulously. The stone lions at the gate were wearing ill-fitting pink collars. The well-maintained lawn inside was full of holes dug to plant Juliet roses, with soil everywhere. On the central axis, a heavy gold nanmu wood frame was set up, with their huge wedding photos hanging on both sides. Even the rooms were in a mess. Broken vases, family photos carelessly thrown on the floor, walls drilled haphazardly for decorations… The home in my memory was turned upside down. A sharp pain came from my chest, like a knife stabbing in and out repeatedly. “Where’s Ryan?” I held back the tears in my eyes. Now I just wanted to find him and ask what was going on. Emma casually kicked the family photo by her feet, shattering the frame. In the photo, my parents smiled kindly, holding me. I hurriedly crouched down, brushing off the dust on the photo. Tears fell uncontrollably onto it, blurring the image. “What do you want with him? Still clinging on? Wake up, Lily.” “Look at yourself, what do you have left? Still dreaming of marrying him?” She hissed, pointing at the decorations in the yard, then changed her tone, “Lily, don’t get cocky. What you care about, what you cherish, hasn’t it all become mine now?” “I just mentioned that I liked him, and both families couldn’t wait to start preparing for the wedding.” “I just said this mansion looked nice, and he used it to arrange the wedding.” “And you?” “You’re just his dispensable entertainment, understand?” Ryan walked in carrying a wedding dress, frowned when he saw me, “Lily, what are you up to now?” “Come to see your blessing come true with your own eyes?” Looking at his face, my eyes gradually reddened, my throat choked up, and I pointed at his nose and questioned loudly, “Why did you turn my home into this?” “You can do whatever you want, but why did it have to be this mansion?” He knew this was my last refuge. Ryan’s expression was cold as he knocked my hand away, “Lily, can you not be so emotional?” “The deed has my name ‘Ryan’ on it, not your ‘Lily’. I’ll transfer the place you’re living in now to you.” “I don’t want it! I just want my home!” Ryan smiled wickedly and said, “If you want this house, fine.” “Lily, apologize to Emma.” “I might consider giving it to you.” This time, he finally became that person who humiliated me with money. I laughed lightly, spat at him, and said, “Ryan, you really disgust me.” At seventeen, I saw him as my salvation and support. At twenty-six today, he had become unrecognizable.

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The day after I died, my sister’s wedding went on as planned. She wore a wedding dress and married my boyfriend. My mom called several times but no one answered. She angrily cursed me as an ungrateful brat. My brother sent a message scolding me: “Are you really that petty, holding onto something from two years ago?” My usually quiet dad said coldly: “Tell her if she doesn’t come home today, we’ll act like we never had this daughter.” They didn’t really want me to come home. They just didn’t want my sister’s wedding to be imperfect without my blessings. But I was already dead. From a very young age, I knew I wasn’t liked in this family. When Mom went on a business trip, she brought back two new toys and gave them to Ryan and Emma. As she was about to leave, I stopped her and gently reminded her: “Mom, what about me?” “You want one too?” Mom frowned impatiently, “They’re expensive. I didn’t bring enough money. I didn’t count you.” I was only five years old then, but I already had a vague sense of other people’s emotions. Especially when that person was my own mother. And now. At my sister’s wedding venue, after exchanging pleasantries with some relatives, Mom walked to a corner, turned her back, and kept dialing my number over and over again. No one ever answered. On the third try, the call was directly rejected. She looked like someone had grabbed her throat, her eyes widening in disbelief: “Lily, I’m your mother!” Ryan came over and patted her back reassuringly: “Mom, don’t be angry. Lily’s not worth it. You know what she’s like.” Mom’s irritation and frustration finally found an outlet with her beloved youngest son. “Of all three of you kids, I put the most effort into Lily. When she was born, it was supposed to be boy-girl twins. Even the doctor said she stole her brother’s nutrients to survive…” This sentence, from childhood to adulthood, I had heard her repeat countless times. In the end, it would usually result in me being punished and locked in my room, watching them – a family of four – go out to relax. “Mom, don’t be upset. Don’t worry, I’ll drag her back here today even if I have to tie her up,” Ryan said, comforting Mom. He then turned and sent me several messages on SnapChat. “Lily, you’d better show up within an hour.” “How can you be so selfish? You know Mom has a weak heart, yet you still want to upset her.” “Is a man really worth holding a grudge over until today? Besides, isn’t Emma still your sister?” After sending this message, his fingers paused over the keyboard. A few seconds later, he put away his phone and turned to help greet the guests. Yeah, even he didn’t believe it himself. Emma was his good sister, Mom and Dad’s good daughter. How could she be my sister?

I floated upstairs and saw Emma sitting in the makeup room. The makeup artist was touching up her slightly smudged eye makeup. She clutched Dad’s hand, her eyes misty with tears: “Dad, is Lily really not coming? She’s my sister. On my most important day, I really hoped to have her blessing.” Dad, who had always been stern and cold towards me, patted her shoulder and said softly: “She will. I’ve asked Ryan to contact her. We won’t let you have any regrets.” He found Ryan in the hallway and said coldly: “Tell Lily if she doesn’t come today, we’ll act like we never had this daughter.” “Dad, she’s not even replying to my messages. She won’t even answer Mom’s calls,” Ryan said through gritted teeth. “I knew it. Someone like her is born heartless. She agreed to come at first just to give us hope, wanting to ruin Emma’s most important day.” Today was Emma’s most important day. She was about to walk down the aisle in her wedding dress to marry James, the man she had been dating for two years. Two years ago, when I brought James home, Emma fell in love with him at first sight. I still remember how her eyes lit up when she saw James. That night, she made an excuse to ask me out for a walk. She bought me a bubble tea and swayed her arm linked with mine: “Lily, I really like guys like James. You’re so amazing, you can definitely find someone even better. How about letting James be with me?” I refused. But not long after I returned to school, James broke up with me. I kept asking for a reason, and he probably got annoyed with me. He shook off my hand roughly. I fell to the ground, my palms scraped raw by the rough surface, stinging with pain. But he was indifferent, only looking at me with disgust. “Still trying to hide it from me? Even your family couldn’t stand it anymore and told me.” On a morning when Mom suddenly called me out to go grocery shopping with her. My brother, Ryan, pulled James aside and told him some “truths” about me. Bad character, stealing money from home, bullying classmates. Promiscuous, had an abortion in college. In the end, righteous Ryan sighed: “Lily is my sister, and I really want to side with her, but… I can’t just watch you fall into a fire pit.” My scraped palm was still stinging. I sat on the ground, looking up at James, listening to him recount what he had been told. As the last word fell, I suddenly laughed. He frowned: “Do you still want to explain something?” I shook my head and said with a smile: “They’re right about everything.” James didn’t have very deep feelings for me to begin with, let alone when the ones telling him how bad I was were my own family. My dearest, most beloved family. When I was alive, none of them cared about me. Of course, no one knew about my death either.

As we were talking, James arrived. Wearing a suit, he had styled his hair, making him look even more handsome. He kissed Emma’s cheek and asked softly: “Lily still hasn’t arrived?” Emma nodded, tears in her eyes. “Forget about her,” James’ face darkened. “Someone like that would only dirty our wedding if she came. Emma, you’re the bride today. Don’t cry over someone who doesn’t deserve it.” Emma took the opportunity to wrap her arms around his neck, looking up with a sad expression: “No matter what, Lily is still my sister.” Her expression seemed genuinely sincere. Just like three years ago, as an outstanding graduate, the school had proposed that my parents attend the graduation ceremony to say a few words on stage, which would also be convenient for the school’s promotional photos. I carefully chose my words and called home, timidly making the request. Mom agreed. But on the morning of the ceremony, she called to tell me she and Dad couldn’t make it. “Emma is sick. We’re not comfortable leaving her alone at home.” In the video call, Emma, with a slightly pale face, looked at me apologetically: “I’m sorry, Lily. I’m not feeling well… You’ve always been so independent. I’m sure you can handle things well even if Mom and Dad don’t go.” “Lily, congratulations on your graduation.” Congratulations on my graduation. How could I be happy? On the day of my graduation ceremony, I apologized to the teachers, to the college, to the staff in the activities department. As I passed by a camera, I happened to overhear someone complaining: “We’ve rehearsed the whole process, and now we have to redo everything. What a waste. And she’s supposed to be an outstanding graduate.” At the end of the ceremony, I took out my phone and saw that Emma had posted on Instagram. “It’s just a small cold, but Mom and Dad are taking such good care of me. Little happiness in life~” The photo showed the three of them together. The background was Emma’s bedroom. They hadn’t even gone to the hospital. What a severe illness indeed.

Soft piano music played in the banquet hall. Emma, wearing a long mermaid wedding dress, walked towards James holding a large bouquet of white roses. After Mom and Dad gave their speeches, it was Ryan’s turn. Standing on the stage, he jokingly waved his fist at James: “I only have one sister, and she’s the treasure of our whole family. If you dare to mistreat her, the whole family won’t let you off.” James gazed at Emma’s face, his tone deeply affectionate: “I wouldn’t dare.” Applause erupted from below. The stage was a picture of warmth. My soul stood on the flower arrangement at the edge of the stage, watching them woodenly. I thought I would feel heartbroken. But perhaps I had already experienced all the pain of a lifetime before I died. I only coldly observed all this, my heart empty and hollow, as if a wind was blowing through it. At one table, people were whispering: “Hey, I remember the Williams family has three children. Why did Ryan say he only has one sister?” “It’s because of their second daughter, Lily. Tsk, what’s the use of good grades? The most important thing in life is character…” Thanks to my parents. My bad reputation had spread far and wide among relatives on both sides. Actually, when I was young, there was an aunt who was quite nice to me. When she came to visit during New Year, she gave me a plush dolphin toy. Only I got one, neither Ryan nor Emma did. Ryan was used to getting his way. He asked me to let him play with it. When I refused, he directly cut the dolphin to pieces with scissors. Not long after, the aunt returned to pick up a scarf she had forgotten. She happened to see the pieces scattered on the floor. To protect the reputation of her beloved youngest son, Mom told the aunt: “Lily didn’t like the toy. She insisted on cutting it up with scissors, saying she didn’t want to see it.” The aunt’s expression changed immediately. After that, whenever she came to visit, she would skip me even when giving out red envelopes. After this incident, Mom probably felt a bit guilty and was nice to me for a while. But that soon faded away. In our family, Mom and Dad’s favoritism had a clear division of labor. The year Emma was born, Dad’s business had a big breakthrough. He believed Emma brought good luck, so he doted on her the most. As for Mom, she loved Ryan the most because he was the son she had longed for after having three children. As for me. I was born chubby and healthy, but my twin brother didn’t even survive 24 hours. They all thought I was unlucky. When I was young, I could never understand. Why was it that whatever Ryan and Emma wanted to eat, it would appear on the dining table the next day? But even though I was allergic to seafood, just because Emma said she wanted to eat crab on my birthday, Dad set the venue at a seafood restaurant. When I was twelve, there was an earthquake in the neighboring county. The whole family was taking an afternoon nap at home. Mom and Dad, without a second thought, each grabbed Ryan and Emma. I stumbled down the stairs, watching the shaking ceiling, crying my heart out. But no one came to save me. It was like this when I was twelve. It was the same when that driver grabbed me by the throat and dragged me into a desolate mountain forest.

In the afternoon, the wedding came to a perfect end. After seeing off the guests, Dad immediately darkened his face and told Mom to keep calling me. Emma’s eyes were red, the few rhinestones at the corner of her eyes reflecting tears. She held Dad’s hand, her tone understanding: “Let it go, Dad.” “Lily is still a child, maybe she’s just throwing a tantrum. I’m her sister after all, I shouldn’t hold it against her.” Sure enough, a trace of pity flashed in Dad’s eyes. Ryan said dissatisfied: “Sis, you’re thinking too highly of her. You treat her like a sister, but has she ever treated you like one?” Emma bit her lip, looking like she was about to cry. I stood beside them, looking at her, feeling nothing but irony. Emma was always like this. The family’s favoritism towards her was already so obvious it couldn’t be more clear, but she still felt it wasn’t enough. I knew it was because she hated me. Actually, at the very beginning, although Mom didn’t like me, she wasn’t that bad to me. On my birthday, she would bring back a cake to celebrate with me. But just as she lit the candles and I was about to make a wish, Emma suddenly cried. She wiped away her tears and smiled bravely: “It’s nothing, I just suddenly remembered that there should have been two people celebrating their birthday today.” With one sentence, Mom’s expression changed. She looked at me with a coldness I was very familiar with. She roughly pulled out the candles: “Eat, eat, eat, all you know is eating! Lily, do you know your brother died because of you? Do you have any heart?” I was scared, staring at her blankly. Mom got even angrier and directly swept the cake into the trash. After she went into the bedroom, I looked at Emma with tears in my eyes. With no one else around, she finally revealed her true emotions to me. Ten-year-old Emma, still wearing a gentle smile, spoke words as sharp as a poisoned knife. “Lily, why were you born?” She brushed her warm fingertips across my face, then suddenly pinched hard, “Originally, Mom and Dad only loved me. Now you’ve taken away their love. You should have died with your brother.” I never understood why she hated me so much. Yet after Ryan was born, she was so good to him. The year I took the college entrance exam, Ryan was about to start his last year of middle school. It was a crucial year, but Dad’s business was too busy for him to get away, and Mom was also at a critical point for a promotion. Mom demanded that I apply to a local university so I could conveniently take care of Ryan on weekdays. I didn’t agree. She looked at me with cold eyes: “Lily, don’t you know the situation at home? How can you be so inconsiderate?” After I left for college. Twenty-two-year-old Emma suddenly wanted to learn piano. Mom had someone throw away my bed and wardrobe, packing my clothes into the storage room. My bedroom became Emma’s piano room. She posted a video on Instagram of her sitting at the expensive new piano. Sunlight poured in. And she smiled serenely. I called home. Mom was still angry that I didn’t listen to her, her voice very cold: “Anyway, you’ve grown wings now and won’t listen to anything I say. You don’t plan to come back to this home, so what’s the use of keeping your room?” Emma took the phone: “Lily, don’t make Mom angry, okay? When you come home, you can sleep in my room. The family won’t leave you without a place to stay.” Even though she tried her best to hide it, there was still a hint of glee in her voice. I had only been gone for a month, and she was already eager to drive me out of this home. And Mom chose to acquiesce and indulge her.

In the afternoon, Emma went back to her new home with James. As for me, I followed behind Mom, Dad, and Ryan. Ryan was driving, with Mom and Dad in the back seat. The empty front passenger seat had always been reserved for Emma. I sat there, listening to them discussing my wrongdoings one after another. “She hates me so much, hates this family so much that she won’t even come back for her sister’s wedding.” Mom leaned tiredly on Dad’s shoulder, “I feel like I’ve really failed in my parenting.” Dad patted her comfortingly: “An ungrateful brat not worth raising, don’t waste your energy on her.” I turned my head, carefully observing their expressions. Trying to find even a trace of concern. But there was none. My sudden disappearance only made them feel annoyed and hateful. Not one person, for even a second, suspected. That maybe, something had happened to me. Even though I was just a soul, I could still cry. I cried and laughed at the same time, asking: “Mom, did you really, really ever love me?” “If you hate me so much, why did you give birth to me?” I had asked the same question a long time ago. It was when I was in my last year of middle school, a very stressful year for studying. Dad was out of town negotiating business, Ryan was still young, and Emma had just started her freshman year of college. Mom got kidney stones, and I was the one running between school and hospital every day to take care of her, losing a lot of weight. Mom seemed to be touched. That month, she gave me more pocket money than Ryan. When we met neighbors, she praised me several times, saying I was sensible and filial. When I was bullied by classmates, she even went to school to stand up for me. It seemed like everything was developing in a good direction. Until that afternoon, as we were crossing the street together, she somehow linked her arm with mine. This kind of mother-daughter intimacy was so foreign to me. I almost instinctively shook off her hand, causing her to stumble back two steps. It was just at dusk. The green light turned red. A car whooshed past us. Mom’s eyes slowly changed as she looked at me. It was a coldness I was very familiar with. She said flatly, with a straight face: “Sure enough, an ungrateful brat that can’t be raised well.” That night, I was almost consumed by regret and bewildered helplessness. I used a compass to poke several holes in my arm. Even the pain couldn’t alleviate the despair and anxiety rampaging in my heart. Finally, I walked into Mom’s room and asked her: “Mom, if you don’t love me, why did you give birth to me?” Mom closed her eyes and said nothing. But I knew she wasn’t asleep. She wouldn’t deign to answer me when I was alive. Now that I’m dead, she can’t hear me, let alone respond.

After dinner, Ryan called my phone again. This time, surprisingly, it was answered. His pent-up anger finally found an outlet: “Lily!! Are you an animal? You don’t come home for your sister’s wedding, making Mom and Dad sad. Do you think you’re so great? Is it fun to play us like this?” A moment of silence. A hoarse male voice came from the other end of the phone. “I’m her boyfriend.” “She says your whole family is quite disgusting, and she won’t come back to see you.” “Don’t call again.” The call ended. Ryan stared in disbelief, and after a moment, he suddenly kicked over a chair in a rage and cursed. But I was already stiff all over, having lost all my strength. The moment that voice sounded, I was forcibly dragged back into that memory. Before I died, I missed the last high-speed train due to overtime work. I had to take a taxi to the bus station. The driver was a young man with a pale face and a somewhat gloomy look. He seemed a bit familiar, but my brain was so exhausted that I just hugged my things and rested against the car window. At first, everything was normal. He chatted with me casually like all drivers do. At this time, Emma suddenly called. As the bride-to-be, even on the eve of her wedding, she didn’t forget to stimulate me one last time. “Lily, I’m marrying James tomorrow. I’m really a bit too excited to sleep.” She said softly, “Thank you for bringing him home.” I pressed my lips together, my voice filled with suppressed anger: “Emma, how many more times do you want to play these disgusting games, use these dirty tactics before you get tired of it?” She seemed completely oblivious. Her tone became even more light and sweet. “So it’s settled then, you must come to the wedding tomorrow, okay?” I hung up the phone, unable to help my rapid breathing, my chest heaving violently. The driver suddenly spoke: “Had a fight with your family?” I frowned and looked up, only to realize that the car had somehow been driven to a desolate wild area. My heart suddenly started racing. I forced myself to calm down and asked him: “How much do you want?” But he didn’t want money. Consecutive overtime had left me extremely tired, my limbs weak. I couldn’t escape the strength of a young man. He covered my mouth and dragged me into a small grove. The night wind was still, the moonlight falling gently. He tightly gripped my throat with one hand while slapping me hard with the other. He said, you bitch, don’t you regret leaving me now? Who do you and that rich guy think you are to look down on me? Beg for mercy, bark like a dog, and I’ll let you go. But I didn’t even know him. Who are you? Who are you? His hand suddenly loosened from my throat. He began to gently caress my face. He said, I’m your man. I always felt that he wasn’t entirely unfamiliar. But I just couldn’t remember where I had seen him before. I struggled with all my might and actually managed to reach my phone. The speed dial would call the most recent number. Ring, ring. After two rings. Emma hung up without hesitation. The man discovered what was happening. He laughed cruelly, put the phone in his pocket, then broke every finger on my right hand. In his pocket, there was also a switchblade. While I still had consciousness and sensation, I felt the blade cut into my left wrist, being slowly pulled and sawed off. The knife tip sliced open my cheek, tearing off a pitted and uneven piece of skin. He said: “Bitch, let’s see how you use this face to seduce others now.”

I don’t remember if I died from the pain or from blood loss. I only remember the wind of the wilderness that night. Howling as it blew across my exposed flesh and bones. Maybe people recall some beautiful things before they die. Vaguely, I thought of the time before I was five. To give birth to Ryan, Mom sent me to the countryside. Only my aging grandmother lived there originally. She was the kindest person to me in this world. She gave me all the warmth in my life. The tenderest buds from the tree, she would pick them, blanch them in water, and stir-fry them with eggs for me to eat. Mom called, saying Emma wanted to eat the tree buds, but they couldn’t be found in the market. Grandma said, “Oh my, there’s been too little rain this year, the buds haven’t grown out yet.” After hanging up the phone, the mischievous old lady winked at me and smiled. I always remember the taste that lingered on my tongue that night. But when I was five, Grandma passed away from illness. Ryan was only a year and a half old, so Mom was forced to bring me back home. She resented me for this. She whispered to Dad: “Is there something wrong with this child? How could she even cause her own grandmother’s death?” I looked at her woodenly. Actually, a five-year-old child doesn’t really understand life and death. I only knew that there was no one left in the world who would resolutely choose me among several people. From then on, I was the child who would never be favored. The moment my breathing stopped, my soul was pulled out of my body by the wind. I saw that man take out an axe from the trunk of the car and chop off the bones connecting my limbs. I saw the train speeding through thousands of miles under the starry sky, passing through the silent fields. I saw in one of the high-rise buildings, a little girl suddenly waking up from a nightmare, only crying out once before being hugged by her parents who rushed into the room, patting her back to comfort her. At the very end. I saw Emma yawning as she woke up, getting ready under Mom’s urging, changing into her going-out outfit. I came back. After death, I still returned to this home. I attended Emma’s wedding.

That man raped me, killed me, dismembered me, and took my phone. Ryan didn’t realize this. He just told Dad coldly: “Lily won’t even answer my call. She just had her boyfriend tell me that she finds our whole family disgusting.” Dad was furious. He slammed the table and cursed me as a beast. It seems that businessmen tend to be quite superstitious. He liked Emma because after she was born, his business developed rapidly, and his assets doubled in just two years. As for me, after I was born, his factory faced a crisis and nearly went bankrupt. So it’s understandable that he disliked me and thought I brought bad luck. Dad controlled the family’s finances. So Emma could attend a joint Sino-foreign university costing over $20,000 a year. Ryan could take tutoring classes at $100 an hour. While I, studying at a university in a first-tier city, had a monthly living allowance of just $200. For the next few days, I stayed in this house. Coldly watching them live their normal lives. Watching Mom call Emma, asking what she wanted to eat when she visited her parents after the wedding. Emma whined that she wanted seafood. When Mom went to the early market to buy it, she happened to run into our childhood neighbor, who was out shopping with her daughter, Meng Meng. Meng Meng and I were classmates from childhood to adulthood, and later we even worked at the same company. We weren’t very close friends, but at least we were quite familiar with each other. Mom enviously said: “Raising a daughter like Meng Meng is really heartwarming. She comes back and helps you buy and carry groceries. Unlike our inconsiderate Lily, who won’t even come home for her sister’s wedding, and even finds a boyfriend to scold us.” “Huh?” Meng Meng was a bit surprised, “Auntie, Lily doesn’t have a boyfriend.” Mom was stunned for a moment, looking at her. “She’s in the marketing department of the neighboring company, always so busy. Where would she find time for a boyfriend?” She said, “And Lily cares about you a lot. Last month when she got her bonus, we went shopping, and she bought a gold bracelet, saying she’d give it to you when she came home for her sister’s wedding.” A bewildered expression flashed across Mom’s face for just a moment, quickly fading back into the cold mockery I was familiar with. She said: “Lily just acts nice in front of others. You don’t know how she treats us at home.” Seeing this, Meng Meng and her mother couldn’t say anything more and politely said goodbye. Mom bought a lot of seafood that Emma loved and carried two big bags of groceries home. Standing at the door, she took out her keys to open it. Her phone rang. It was my number. “Is this Mrs. Lily’ mom? We’ve arrested a suspect in a series of brutal serial killings. We found this phone on him, and judging by the contacts, you should be the phone owner’s mother.” “The suspect has already confessed to the burial location. Could you and your family come to our City?”

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I Have Cancer, But My Boyfriend Doesn’t Know He once gave up his dream university for me. He also rushed to another woman at a car accident scene, leaving me injured behind. I died on the day he was setting off fireworks abroad with his female secretary. On the day I found out there was a tumor in my brain, Lucas proposed to me. My mind was in chaos. For a moment, I suspected he knew everything. After hesitating for less than thirty seconds, he stood up from the ground, put the ring box back in his pocket, and glanced at me with an indifferent look. “It’s my parents’ request. If you don’t agree, forget it.” I felt a sense of relief. As expected. He was always fond of joking with me. I guess this time he also thought I was using his parents to pressure him into marriage. So he came up with this proposal to humiliate me. I silently put down my outstretched hand and smiled at him, “What if I agree? Will you marry me?” He looked at me without saying a word. The answer couldn’t be clearer. To be honest, it was quite hurtful. “If you don’t marry me now, you might not have the chance in the future,” I said huffily, suppressing the heat in my eyes. Lucas was unfazed. He took off his jacket and placed it on the back of the sofa, with a hint of sarcasm at the corner of his mouth, “Are you sure that day will come?” He was always prophetic. Indeed, I wouldn’t live to see that day.

At night, I sat on the bed lost in thought. Lucas closed his laptop, closed his eyes to relieve his sore eyes for a moment, then got up and lifted the covers to get into bed. He habitually turned his back to me, leaving enough space between us to fit a pillow. Sleeping posture never lies. We’ve been together for eight years, yet he still can’t get used to sleeping in the same bed with me. I’ve always been thick-skinned in front of him. Even if he’s unwilling, I would sneak over when he’s asleep, press tightly against his back, and hug his waist. Even our first time was something I begged for shamelessly. At that time, I was twenty years old. I vaguely remember it was raining heavily that day. The dense raindrops pattered against the window panes, and the air was cold and damp. I took off my little jacket and slowly walked towards him… Hugged him. And he stood still without moving. The waist under a man’s white shirt was so thin and narrow. Unlike me, his body temperature was very high. I was trembling all over with shame, thinking that if he rejected me, I might just want to die. I looked up and smiled at him with all my might, but tears blurred my vision. At that time, I was so afraid of hearing words like “shameless,” “cheap,” or “disgusting” from his mouth. After all, I was still a young girl, with mindless courage but no ability to bear the consequences. He looked at me coldly. As if he would push me away the next moment. I fumbled with his buttons with shaking hands, my legs trembling so much I could barely stand. “What are you doing?” he asked. I stammered, unable to speak. He lowered his head and kissed me, with a bitter taste mixed with tears, “You don’t even know how to seduce someone, silly.” I smelled a faint scent of alcohol. His girlfriend had moved on to someone else, and he was in a bad mood. I took advantage of the situation, and from then on, he had a piece of flypaper he couldn’t shake off. In the pitch darkness, I stared at the vague outline of the chandelier on the ceiling. Perhaps when death is approaching, one’s mindset becomes more peaceful. The person I once wasted my youth chasing after, the feelings I once tore my heart out for, now seem less important than whether I can see tomorrow’s sunrise.

When I woke up the next morning, the early sunlight fell on my face, causing me to feel a bit confused. The doctor said the tumor might be pressing on my optic nerve, so it takes me a while to focus when I look at things now. Lucas was leaning against the headboard reading a financial magazine. In the past, when we lazed in bed together on weekends, I would cling to him like a koala, with at least one of my limbs on his body. This was an unconscious reaction of my body. Lucas looked down, “Awake?” I smiled at him, “Good morning.” He glanced at my shoulder, with an indecipherable look, “You slept quite obediently last night.” I still smiled. He suddenly frowned slightly, “What nonsense were you talking about in your dream just now?” I touched my face, it was wet. Did I cry? Worried that he would delve deeper, I sat up halfway and looked at him seriously, “I dreamed that I went to Norway and saw snow and the Northern Lights.” “I really want to go.” “Can we?” I looked at him pleadingly, with a hint of begging. Lucas ignored me, “No time.” I opened my mouth, then slowly smiled, “Alright then.” Perhaps my reaction was too calm, he turned his head and looked at me for a while, then said indifferently, “How about next March? I can’t make time this year.” I nodded. We should still have time.

Actually, I dreamed of twelve-year-old Lucas. He wasn’t like this before. He used to be a very good brother. I was born picky with food, disliking this and that, but afraid of being scolded by adults. He could eat what I left without any disgust. Unlike now, when he won’t touch a water glass I’ve drunk from. When I was bullied at school, had my hair pulled, and my homework scribbled on, he was always the first to stand up for me, beating up those annoying boys, explaining to the teachers for me, and giving me his new notebooks. I was very introverted as a child, and from a single-parent family. Without his protection, I probably would have been severely bullied. Later, when my mom died, I cried until I nearly fainted. I said, “No one wants me anymore.” He said, “That’s not true.” I repeated, and he repeated. I sat on the ground crying all night, and he comforted me all night despite his toothache. The next day, his whole cheek was swollen. After that, I told him I liked him and threw myself at him half-naked. His face was cold. He said I was being cheap.

On Monday at work, Lucas left his spare phone at home, so I went to his company to deliver it to him. On the way, someone called. I looked at the contact name: Z Z. How intimate. All these years, he has only ever called me by my full name. Vivian, Vivian. When my mom named me, she probably hoped I would live a peaceful and worry-free life. Regrettably, I got brain cancer before turning 30, failing to live up to her expectations. Come to think of it, my family has a history of tumors. My mom, my aunt, and my great-grandmother all died of cancer, and they all passed away very young. When I arrived at the company, Zoe stopped me, distant but polite, “The CEO is in a meeting, please wait for a moment.” Zoe was his university classmate and became his secretary after graduation. She handles all of Lucas’s affairs, big and small. The two of them spend more time together every day than I do with Lucas. What bothers me is that they dated briefly during university. Although it wasn’t for long, it has always been a thorn in my heart. In Lucas and my shared social circle, everyone thinks I’m willful and possessive in front of him, not allowing any girl to get close to him. But I don’t dare to even suggest firing Zoe. I still vividly remember how reluctant Lucas was to break up with Zoe. At that time, Lucas was utterly dejected, looking at me coldly with an expression I had never seen before, “Do you only know how to use my parents to force me?” His voice was hoarse, and I even thought I saw tears in his eyes. Did he like her that much? That time, I was stunned for a long while. He’s usually so reserved, I had never seen him care about someone so much before. In the past, I might have thrown a tantrum, waiting until the meeting was over to see Lucas come out, then deliberately show affection in front of Zoe. But this time, I handed the spare phone to Zoe, asking her to return it to Lucas after the meeting. I nodded slightly to her and turned to leave. There was a hint of surprise on Zoe’s face.

Lucas’s parents moved back to their quiet old house after retirement. I go back to see them every month. But Lucas is reluctant to go. “My parents have always liked you more than me,” he said casually while reading a contract. “You can go by yourself.” My mom got pregnant before marriage, and I don’t know who my father is. Lucas’s mom and my mom were best friends. After my mom passed away, they raised me. I’m very grateful to them and have always tried to be well-behaved. You could even say I was trying to please them. Pleasing Aunt, pleasing Uncle, pleasing Lucas. Lucas doesn’t have a good relationship with his parents, and I’m a big part of the reason why. He doesn’t know that I’m actually the one who’s dependent on others. Back then, Lucas’s parents didn’t approve of him being with Zoe because they found out Zoe was being kept by someone at that time. When the photographic evidence was presented to Lucas, he didn’t care. Zoe had her reasons, he said. So Aunt, exasperated, pointed at me, “Rather than letting you go for those unsavory girls out there, why not choose Vivian? At least she’s a pure and innocent girl!” Lucas smiled faintly, “If you like her so much, why don’t you marry her yourselves?” Snapping out of my memories, I coaxed him, “Let’s go together, they’ll be happier.” Lucas’s tone remained unchanged, “As long as you’re happy.” I gave in. After looking at him for a while, I got up and took my bag, “There’s food in the kitchen, remember to eat.” He didn’t look up, “Okay, be safe on the road.” It takes a three-hour drive to get to the old house. I’m good with words, and within a few sentences, I had the old couple laughing heartily. I helped Aunt loosen the soil and fertilize, sowed radish seeds, and set up frames for the pea shoots. I worked up quite a sweat and unknowingly fell asleep on the stone table in the vegetable garden. When I woke up, it was already dusk. Uncle’s jacket was draped over me, and my arms had several mosquito bites. The sunset was as fierce as fire, carrying warmth. After dinner, it was time to leave. Aunt asked me to take good care of Lucas. I said I would. Uncle said, “Take care of yourself too, you look a bit haggard.” Sometimes tears can be triggered by such a casual show of concern. I held back the lump in my throat and smiled, “I won’t stay up late next time.” On the way back, I realized that I probably couldn’t drive alone anymore. The headaches were becoming more and more frequent.

Ryan is my attending physician. He suggested I be hospitalized for treatment, as the frequency of headaches might increase in the later stages, and some people even experience persistent epilepsy. I shook my head, “By that point, I would have probably taken my own life. You know I can’t stand suffering.” He frowned at me for a while, and finally sighed. I didn’t dare to drive, so he sent me home. On the way, Ryan looked at me through the rearview mirror, “He still doesn’t know?” He, obviously referring to Lucas. I made a sound of agreement, “I haven’t figured out how to tell him yet.” He was silent for a moment, “I can hardly imagine his reaction.” I laughed, “He’d probably be relieved that he’ll be free for the rest of his life.” The biggest regret in Lucas’s life must be touching me in his sophomore year. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been held responsible for me by both me and his parents. Ryan glanced at me and shook his head, “When I lied to him that you got drunk and agreed to be with me, and I happened to have your clothes from the night before on my arm, he misunderstood that something had happened between us and was furious.” I said, “He was angry because his parents were forcing him to break up with Zoe.” Ryan clicked his tongue, “Whatever you say.” The sky gradually darkened. As we passed by the sports square, a group of energetic young people were sweating it out on the basketball court. There was a moment of blankness in my eyes. “Stop for a bit,” I said to Ryan, “I don’t want to go back yet. Don’t you play basketball? I want to watch.” “Me?” Ryan hesitated, “I play table tennis, but I haven’t touched a basketball in years.” After my soft persuasion, Ryan rolled up his sleeves and reluctantly joined the game. He’s tall with long arms and legs, and after a bit of getting used to it, he didn’t drag the team down. A beautiful three-pointer, and I couldn’t help but cheer. Ryan wiped the sweat from his forehead and turned to look at me proudly. Not far away, I saw a familiar figure. He was wearing a shirt and trousers, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, looking at the basketball court with a bland expression. I knew that on the outside of his arm, there was a long, ugly scar. That was left when he saved me in a car accident. A 20-centimeter wound, broken bones, steel pins. After that, due to nerve damage causing impaired finger movement, he could no longer play his favorite baseball or basketball. He couldn’t even hold a glass of water steady.

That hand once blocked a fatal flying stone that had broken through the windshield for me. I felt guilty about it for a long time. One game ended, and Ryan high-fived his teammates, walking towards me drenched in sweat. I handed him his jacket, “Let’s go.” He pouted, “We won, and I don’t even get a sip of water?” “I only have what I’ve drunk from.” He reached out, “Give it to me.” Lucas had left at some point. I hesitated, “Let’s go buy you some water.” When I got home, Lucas had already showered and was lying in bed wearing his pajamas. I showered, got into bed, and he turned off the lights. We didn’t speak all night. The next day, our planned weekend date suddenly had an extra person. “The company is planning to do an amusement park project, I’m bringing Zoe along to check out the site,” Lucas explained indifferently. I didn’t say anything. We walked for a while, and Zoe seemed to have caught a cold, coughing incessantly. Lucas frowned, “Why didn’t you say you were sick?” Zoe smiled, “I’ve had this cold for several days. I thought it would be fine after taking some medicine, but coming out in the wind made it worse.” Lucas took off his jacket and handed it to her. Zoe wrapped herself tightly in the jacket, “Thank you for your concern, boss.” It was an overcast day, and the wind was strong, showing no signs of letting up, making my face sting. Lucas found a coffee shop, but unfortunately, it was full at lunchtime with only seats by the door left. He let her sit in the seat against the wall, out of the wind. Perhaps due to the cold wind, my head started to ache again, and I broke out in a cold sweat all over. My legs went weak, and I instinctively grabbed Lucas’s arm. He looked down at me, “Are you sick too?” His tone couldn’t be described as caring. If anything, it had a hint of mockery. I struggled to stand steady, letting go of his arm, “I didn’t eat much breakfast, just a bit of low blood sugar.” He didn’t say a word. I said, “I’m going to the restroom.” He made a sound of acknowledgment. I turned around, took a deep breath, the headache making it almost impossible to think rationally, and something hot flowed out of my nose. A few customers coming towards me looked surprised. I had a nosebleed. I quickly covered my nose and mouth, lowering my head as I hurried to the restroom. After locking the bathroom stall door, I called Ryan to ask for treatment advice. The call went unanswered for a long time, and a wave of nausea came over me. I bent over the toilet and vomited until I was dizzy. The stomach acid burned my throat. After throwing up, my head didn’t hurt as much. I leaned against the wall, taking quite a while to recover. I splashed some cold water on my forehead, washed my face, and left through the coffee shop’s side door. When I came back, I found Zoe coughing quite badly, with Lucas gently patting her back. My eyes suddenly felt a bit sore. Probably out of jealousy. I walked over and put some ambroxol and cough syrup in front of her, “I asked at the pharmacy, they said these might help with the cough.” Zoe took them with some surprise, “Thank you, Miss Wu.” Lucas’s gaze remained focused on her, not sparing me even a glance. “You… don’t look too well either?” Surprisingly, it was Zoe who noticed something was off with me. Lucas’s gaze finally turned to me, slightly scrutinizing. I smiled, “My stomach’s a bit uncomfortable.” He said flatly, “Let’s go home early after we finish our snacks.” I nodded. In the car, Ryan called me back, “Sorry, I was just getting lectured by the chief and didn’t have my phone. What’s wrong? Is everything okay?” I glanced at Lucas in the driver’s seat and said softly, “Just a bit of stomach discomfort, wanted to ask you what medicine to take. It’s fine now, already better.” Ryan was silent for half a second, “Let’s talk when you get back then.” I couldn’t help but smile a little. He’s always been so smart. Lucas turned to Zoe, “I’ll take you to the hospital for an IV drip.” Zoe hesitated for a moment, then agreed. Lucas then looked at me through the rearview mirror, “What about you? Do you need to go to the hospital for a check-up?” I shook my head, “Just drop me off, I’ll take a cab home.” He had no reaction, “Suit yourself.” I looked out the car window at the passing scenery. Sometimes, I can’t help but wonder, if Lucas knew I was dying, would he regret treating me this way? But then I immediately realize, what does it have to do with him? It was my choice to keep it from him. A few minutes later, Lucas dropped me off at an intersection. Zoe looked at me with a slightly apologetic expression. The car quickly drove away. I stood there for a while, then hailed a cab.

I didn’t go home. I bought a pack of beer from a convenience store and went to the riverside, drinking in the river breeze. I didn’t intend to torture myself, only drinking half a can, holding the rest in my hand. Because I was afraid of the cold, I also bought a shawl from a roadside clothing store. Ryan once asked me why I didn’t tell my family about my illness. Before my mom died, I had been taking care of her. Her appearance on her deathbed, emaciated, with atrophied blood vessels, unable to even insert a needle, became my deepest impression of her. Whenever I recall it, it’s like a dark cloud pressing on my heart. In the middle of the night, that sense of despair and desolation of watching a loved one being tortured by illness lingers. My death doesn’t have to be like that. Rather than having them accompany me through futile treatments, witnessing me gradually becoming weak and unsightly, It’s better to let them remember me as healthy and beautiful. After that, Ryan can tell them that I passed away with dignity, that modern medicine is advanced, and that I didn’t suffer much. I stayed alone for a long time, hugging my knees and dozing off for a while. Before I knew it, it was almost dark. I opened my phone to find many missed calls. I randomly chose one to call back. Lucas’s tone was angry, as if he wanted to eat me alive, “I called you so many times, why didn’t you answer?” I was stunned for a moment before coming to my senses, instinctively feeling I had missed something, “What’s wrong? Did something happen?” He was silent for a while, his breathing heavy, as if trying to control his emotions, “Where are you?” I looked around, “Lakeshore Pier.” He said, “Stay there, don’t move. I’m coming to get you.” I wrapped the shawl tightly around me, obediently waiting for him where I was. Lucas arrived faster than I expected. After parking the car, he walked quickly to me, his gaze rapidly scanning me for any issues. After realizing I was fine, he calmed down. “What are you doing here?” he asked. I was about to answer when I sneezed. His expression darkened as he took off his jacket and wrapped it around me. I actually didn’t want it, considering this jacket had been on Zoe’s shoulders at noon. Faintly, I could still smell Zoe’s perfume. I followed behind him, secretly taking off the jacket. Lucas opened the car door and suddenly turned to look at me, frowning, “What’s wrong?” I said softly, “Zoe wore it.” I don’t want anything she’s worn. Call me petty if you want. I’m dying soon anyway, so I don’t need to be so understanding anymore, right? “Who said that?” He grabbed the jacket and wrapped it around me again, his brow relaxing, “Even if she did wear it, you still have to. Isn’t your body bad enough already?” In the car, he turned on the heater. I said, “It’s hot.” He said, “Serves you right.” 9 After that car accident, Lucas became very cautious when driving, taking over ten minutes to drive five kilometers. As we were entering the house, he suddenly grabbed my hand and lowered his head to smell the alcohol on me, “How much did you drink?” “One can.” He clearly didn’t believe me. I wanted to explain, but as soon as I opened my mouth, I sneezed several times in a row. He put his palm on my forehead to check my temperature, “Do you have a fever?” Maybe it was because I sneezed too hard, but something started flowing from my nose again. Lucas frowned, “What’s wrong with you?” I shook my head, covering my nose with my hand, “Maybe it’s just inflammation.” The blood gushed out like a poorly closed faucet. Lucas’s expression changed abruptly. He told me to tilt my head back and pinch my nostrils tightly, then went to the bedroom to find some medical cotton balls to stuff into my nostrils. He stared at me intently, his movements gentle and careful. The nosebleed gradually stopped, but my face and neck were sticky with blood. Lucas brought a warm towel to wipe me clean. When he wiped my chest, his hand paused slightly. I tugged at his sleeve, where there was a blood stain about the size of a spot, “It got on your clothes.” He didn’t mind, focusing on my face, his brows furrowing again, “You get a nosebleed just from sneezing, are you made of porcelain?” I nodded, frankly admitting, “I’m just relatively weak.” I was telling the truth. He looked me over, “Have you lost weight?” He could still remember my weight? Lucas went to the kitchen and cooked a fragrant bowl of noodles. Then he watched me eat the entire bowl. I hadn’t been this full in a long time. My belly was even a bit rounded, so full I couldn’t move. He brought pajamas and crouched down to change my shoes. As he lowered his head, his bangs covered his eyes, making him look patient and gentle. For a moment, I thought we had returned to the past. Back then, when I was malnourished due to being picky with food, he no longer indulged me and forcibly corrected my eating habits. Actually… there are many things I want to ask him. Back then, he had such good grades, he could have gone to a top five university in the country. Why did he stay at our mediocre school? At that time, he said it was because it was far from home, so he wouldn’t be bothered by his family. Was that the truth? Or was it because he was afraid I would be bullied if I went to school in another city alone? But in the end, I didn’t ask. Lucas received a phone call. He stood up and walked to the side, his tone and demeanor very gentle, “Mm, she’s been found.” Some things are destined by fate. If he hadn’t come to our school, he wouldn’t have met Zoe. Although Zoe later couldn’t withstand the pressure and ended up with another guy, after all these years, these two are still kindred spirits. Lucas, I don’t have much time left. After you accompany me through this last stretch, you’ll be free.

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