Author: Momo Chan

Julian Thorne, the Silicon Valley tech titan, commissioned a diamond ring worth one hundred million dollars just for me. In an exclusive Forbes interview, he declared that this ring was made for only one person. Whoever could wear it perfectly would become his wife. In my first life, my half-sister Bianca went to a plastic surgeon. She had her finger bones shaved down by two millimeters. When she walked into the bridal suite, confident as a queen, Julian grabbed her by the hair. He smashed her face into the marble countertop until she was unrecognizable. “You are not her!” In my second life, our adopted sister, Harper, starved herself insane. She lost seventy pounds in four months. On her wedding night, Julian pushed her straight off the spiral staircase of the penthouse. She died instantly. “Still not her!” In my third life, my stepmother Victoria went to a black-market doctor. Under general anesthesia, she had the cartilage of her finger removed just to force the ring on. The moment Julian saw her, he held her head underwater in the jacuzzi until she stopped breathing. In my fourth life, the three of them were terrified. Trembling, they pushed me forward. I put on the ring. It was a perfect fit, down to the micrometer. My whole family let out a sigh of relief. But the moment Julian saw me, his eyes turned maniacal. He pulled a custom hunting knife from his suit jacket. Twenty stabs. He avoided every vital organ, letting me bleed out slowly in agonizing pain. “Why isn’t it her? Where the hell is she?!” Now, in this final life, Julian’s chief attorney brought that legendary diamond ring to the Ashford Manor. We four women spoke in unison: “The ring doesn’t fit. None of us can wear it.” The lawyer pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses, eyeing us with a creepy intensity. “Mr. Thorne is certain that the woman he is looking for is among the four of you.” He paused, his voice dropping to a freezing temperature. “She needs to reveal herself within 48 hours. Otherwise…” He didn’t finish the sentence, but the threat hung in the air like a blade.

We four women—my stepmother Victoria, my half-sister Bianca, my adopted sister Harper, and I—sat around the genuine leather sofa in the living room. We stared at the glittering diamond on the coffee table. The air was so thick it felt like we were suffocating. “Jesus,” Victoria lit a slim cigarette, smoke curling around her red lips. “We’ve all died once. Who the hell does this lunatic want to marry?” Bianca clutched her Hermes Birkin bag, her voice trembling. “Maybe we should call the police? Tell them he’s a serial killer?” “The police?” Harper laughed bitterly. “You think they’ll believe ‘we were all murdered by a billionaire and then reborn’? They’d throw us straight into the psych ward.” I stayed silent, my brain replaying the scenes from my last life on a loop. On our wedding night, Julian had walked into the bedroom wearing a dark blue silk robe. The moment he saw me, that breathtakingly handsome face twisted into a demonic snarl. “You lying bitch!” He screamed, lunging at me. “You dare try to replace her?!” When the knife pierced my body, I could hear the sound of skin tearing and muscle severing. Twenty cuts. He skillfully avoided anything that would kill me quickly, ensuring I suffered. “You’re just a distraction.” He leaned over, looking at me like I was a bug. “Did you really think you could replace her and marry me? A nobody without even a single share of the Ashford family stock?” I struggled in a pool of my own blood for three hours before I finally died. “Serena?” Victoria’s voice snapped me back to reality. “What are you thinking?” I took a deep breath. “I’m thinking… maybe we can find the woman he’s actually looking for.” “How?” Bianca challenged. “Start from the beginning.” I stood up. “Remember what the lawyer said? Julian saw us at the Met Gala and decided the mystery woman was connected to the Ashford family.” “That gala…” Harper’s eyes lit up. “They have surveillance footage!” “Exactly.” I grabbed my Chanel clutch. “We’re going to the Ritz-Carlton. Now.” Victoria stubbed out her cigarette. “Let’s go.”

Ten P.M., at the Ritz-Carlton near Central Park. Harper deserved an Oscar. A few tears were all it took to melt the heart of the hotel’s security chief. She sobbed about losing her late mother’s pearl necklace and begged to check the footage from that night. The chief was a middle-aged man with a classic “white knight” complex. He handed Harper a tissue. “Don’t cry, miss. I’ll take you to the security room.” On the monitors, the charity gala ballroom glittered with gold. Because my father—the former head of the Ashford family—had died of a heart attack three months ago, our family’s status on Wall Street had plummeted. That night, we were shoved into a corner table. Just the four of us at a table for eight. “Look,” Bianca pointed at the screen. “There’s Julian Thorne.” In the video, Julian walked down the red carpet. He wore a custom Armani suit, standing at least 6’3″. His dark brown hair was perfectly styled, and his blue eyes looked like the Pacific Ocean. Trailing behind him were at least twenty bodyguards and assistants. The entire ballroom stood up to applaud. Women looked at him with hunger; men looked at him with envy. Number seven on the Forbes list. Net worth of 85 billion dollars. Thirty-two years old. Single. The “Modern Howard Hughes” of Silicon Valley. He walked slowly through the venue, and then— He stopped right by our table. On screen, the four of us were arguing quietly, completely ignoring him. But Julian turned and looked deeply at our table. That look… “Oh my god,” Victoria gasped. “He’s smiling.” It was true. Julian Thorne, the man known as the “Iceberg” in business negotiations, was wearing a gentle, affectionate, almost obsessed smile. Like he was looking at the most precious treasure in the world. Then, he turned and whispered something to his lead attorney. “Can you zoom in?” I asked the security chief urgently. “Can we see what he’s saying?” The chief adjusted the controls, but the angle was off. We couldn’t read his lips. “Keep watching,” Bianca said. The footage showed that for the rest of the night, only the four of us sat at that table. No one left, no one else approached. Just us. “So…” Harper’s voice shook. “The woman he wants is really one of us?” I stared hard at the screen, and suddenly, I noticed a detail. “Wait.” I told the chief to pause. “Rewind thirty seconds.” The footage went back. I watched our actions closely. Victoria was on her phone. Bianca was reapplying lipstick. Harper was cutting her steak. And me… I was texting someone under the table. And I had a sweet, stupid smile on my face. “Damn it.” I ran my fingers through my hair. “I remember now.” Three pairs of eyes snapped toward me. “That night, I was texting Julian,” I whispered. “Because we were… secretly dating.”

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For five years, I was his co-pilot. For five years, I was his secret. I was perfectly happy with my underground relationship with Captain Kian Hayes. But the moment I found out he was still entangled with his ex-girlfriend, Cora Reed, I knew it was over. I put in a request to fly solo, determined to become Ascend Air’s first female captain. And I chose a new route that would never, ever cross paths with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner that Kian flew. … Seattle, Ascend Air Operations Base. “Jules, you’ve been Kian’s co-pilot for five years. With your record, you should have been flying solo ages ago. Are you really going to play second fiddle to him forever?” Director Stevens pulled a captain promotion application from his drawer and slid it across the desk to me. “You are more than qualified to be our first female captain. The entire company is behind you. Think about it—keep flying in his shadow, or seize this opportunity and command your own route?” My eyes stung at the mention of Kian’s name. I looked down at my crisp, white pilot’s uniform and reached for the form. “Thank you, Director Stevens. I’ll think about it.” That night at ten, I came home to our empty villa in Bellevue. The house felt cavernous and cold. My gaze fell on the photo on the entryway console: me and Kian in his captain’s uniform, standing proudly in front of a Boeing 787. For a moment, I felt lost. Everyone at Ascend Air, from management to the flight crews, thought Kian and I were just the dream team in the cockpit. They had no idea our chemistry in bed was just as electric. We met when I was an intern, fresh out of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. We teamed up for flight simulations, shattering one record after another. Back then, Kian pursued me relentlessly. For my birthday, he rented out all of Gas Works Park and hired a quartet from the Seattle Symphony to play for me under the stars. When I was sick, he, a man who never cooked, would stay up all night watching YouTube tutorials just to make me a bowl of chicken noodle soup from scratch. His relentless efforts planted a seed of love in my heart that I couldn’t ignore. To protect his career and our future together, I agreed to keep our relationship a secret. By day, we flew the same Boeing 787 from Seattle to San Francisco, then halfway across the world to Tokyo. By night, we shared the same bed. His kisses, from fiery to tender, explored every inch of me. We were a perfect match, body and soul. But thinking about it now, the memories felt tainted, the light in my eyes dimming. I don’t know how long I stood there, lost in thought. The click of the lock broke the silence. “You’re still up?” Kian walked in, his white uniform immaculate, the four stripes on his epaulets gleaming under the light. The faint scent of his cologne pulled me back to the present. “Flying too many night routes lately. The jet lag is hitting hard, can’t sleep.” I was on my annual leave this week, so I hadn’t been flying with him. He didn’t notice the exhaustion on my face. He just pulled a small, elegant box from his pocket and handed it to me. “A little something I picked up for you on my last trip.” My heart fluttered for a second as I opened it. Inside was the newest diamond bracelet from Cartier. Three months ago, during a flight, I’d mentioned offhandedly how much I loved this bracelet from their new collection. I couldn’t believe he remembered. He was thoughtful. Too bad I’d already seen it three days ago on Cora’s Instagram. [Kian has such great taste! The meaning behind this Cartier bracelet is ‘eternity’!] The post featured a mirror selfie of Cora in her flight attendant uniform. She looked stunning, the diamond bracelet sparkling on her wrist. A colleague had commented, “Are you and Kian back together? That bracelet looks amazing on you!” Cora replied with a simple smiley face emoji: “Don’t jump to conclusions. ;)” Now, staring at the same bracelet in the box, my stomach churned. After five years together, it was only then that I learned the lead flight attendant, Cora Reed, was Kian’s ex-girlfriend. No wonder he always insisted on driving her home after every crew dinner. And I, to avoid suspicion, always had to call myself an Uber. Now, a gift meant for me had appeared on his ex-girlfriend’s wrist first. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Seeing my silence, Kian spoke in a low voice. “You don’t like it? I had someone wait in line for six hours to get it on the launch day. You said you loved it on the plane.” I closed the box. “I guess… I don’t like it as much anymore.” Just like I didn’t love the man I’d adored for five years quite as much anymore. Kian frowned. “If you don’t like it, I’ll get you something else next time.” With that, he walked into the bathroom. I watched his back, a bitter taste filling my mouth. Next time he buys me something else, will Cora get to try it on first, too? Or will he just buy two of everything? My gaze drifted to the promotion application on the console, partially hidden under the jewelry box. I let out a humorless laugh. I had deliberately placed the form where he couldn’t miss it, but he had completely ignored it. This one-sided love affair was my mistake from the very beginning. I took a deep breath and picked up my phone to call my director. “Stevens, I’ll accept the transfer. I want to fly solo on a new route. But I’m requesting the SEA-ASE route to Aspen.” Director Stevens sounded surprised on the other end. “The Aspen route? That heads east, while Kian’s international route goes west. If you choose that, your flight paths will never intersect. You’ll barely see each other. Are you sure, Jules?” I clutched the phone tightly. “I’m sure.” Even if it meant never seeing him again for the rest of my life, I had to choose this route. Director Stevens sighed. “Alright, then. I’ll submit your promotion application. Get your affairs in order, and you can report for your new assignment at the end of the month. The Aspen route is yours.” A flicker of light returned to my eyes. “Understood.” After hanging up, I took out a pen and signed my full name on the promotion application: Juliana Vance.

The bathroom door opened, and Kian walked out with a towel wrapped around his waist. He glanced at me. “What are you writing?” “Release documents for the next flight,” I said, folding the application and tucking it into my bag. Kian didn’t seem to notice. He casually dried the water droplets from his abs with another towel. “If flying is getting to be too much, you could always quit. I can support you.” My heart clenched. I stared at the man I had loved for five years, swallowing the bitter words that rose in my throat. “Let’s talk about the future later.” Kian always knew what I had sacrificed for him, how much I loved flying, as much as I loved life itself. But today, he was telling me to give it all up. I took a deep, silent breath to calm myself. It’s okay. In fifteen days, I’ll be out of here, and I’ll be out of his life for good. Back in the bedroom, I had just lied down when Kian pulled me into his arms from behind. I felt the heat radiating from his body and tensed up, about to push him away. His hand was already slipping under my nightgown, his rough fingertips cool against my skin, sending a shiver through me. “Don’t,” I gasped. The thought that these same hands might have been intimate with Cora just three days ago made my skin crawl. Sensing my resistance, Kian sounded surprised. “What’s wrong?” I pushed his hand away, making up a quick excuse. “It’s that time of the month. My stomach hurts.” He didn’t question it. His thin lips brushed against my hair, and he moved his hand to my lower abdomen, his voice softening. “Let me warm you up, then.” As I felt his familiar, gentle touch, my eyes began to well up. I knew Kian cared about me, that he loved me. But I couldn’t understand why he still paid so much attention to his ex-girlfriend. Had there always been a part of his heart that he kept reserved just for her? I didn’t sleep a wink that night. The next morning, Kian was getting dressed when I woke up. His phone on the nightstand lit up, and I instinctively glanced over. It was a text from Cora. [Kian, remember number three on our college wish list? Watch the sunrise together at Green Lake. I’ll be waiting for you at the boat dock!] My heart sank. Just last week, Kian had promised to take me to see the sunrise at Green Lake once my leave started. When I saw him getting ready just now, I thought he’d remembered. Turns out, he already had plans with Cora. Watching him fix his tie in the mirror, I spoke up, my voice casual. “I hear the sunrise at Green Lake is beautiful. Let’s go see it today.” Kian’s hands paused. “I’ve got a training session with some of the new interns and senior instructors today. How about next week? I’ll take you next week.” He grabbed his phone and walked out. Watching his retreating back, I whispered to the empty room, “Next week, summer will almost be over.” It used to be that whenever I wanted to go somewhere, Kian would drop everything to take me. Even if I forgot, he would always remember and plan everything perfectly. But now, I was the one who remembered, and he was the one who forgot. I dug my nails into my palms, the sharp pain a welcome distraction. Only fourteen days left. I could just watch the sunrise somewhere else. After Kian left, I got up for breakfast. The photo wall in the living room was a punch to the gut. It was covered with pictures from the past five years—all the places we’d traveled, all the cities we’d flown to together. Five years. Thousands of photos. I had carefully selected a hundred of our best moments to display. There was one from our first time co-piloting the Boeing 787, both of us in our white uniforms, secretly treating them like matching couple’s outfits. There was another of our first kiss, a passionate embrace under the New Year’s Eve fireworks. … A hundred photos, each with a special memory, each a testament to the life we had chased together. When Kian first saw the wall, he had smiled and said, “A hundred photos for a hundred years of our love, unchanging and everlasting.” But now, his love had changed, and these photos no longer belonged on this wall. My hands trembled as I began to tear them down, one by one, ripping our “eternity” to shreds. From now on, we would go our separate ways.

A wave of exhaustion washed over me. I leaned back against the sofa and opened Instagram on my phone. The first post in my feed was from Cora. [The sunrise is beautiful, but not as beautiful as having someone who comes whenever I call.] It was a nine-photo collage of the glorious Green Lake sunrise. In the center photo, two hands—one large, one small—formed a heart against the rising sun. I knew that large, tan, bony hand. It was Kian’s. My vision blurred. I was about to close the app when a notification from Snapchat popped up. A private snap from Cora. My finger hovered for a second before I tapped it open. The photo was a close-up of a rumpled bedsheet. The caption read: “Be gentle, it hurts…” It was accompanied by the sound of a man’s heavy breathing. A jolt went through me, and I dropped my phone as if it were on fire. I couldn’t believe Cora would send me something like that. And I couldn’t believe that bastard would go from watching the sunrise with his ex to getting a hotel room with her! If Kian was going to give his time and love to Cora, then I was taking back every last drop of love I had ever given him. I flung open my closet, my eyes stinging as I looked at all the gifts I’d bought for Kian over the years. Every Christmas, I would get him a custom pair of Bose noise-canceling headphones engraved with our flight records, a way to be with him on every flight. Every Valentine’s Day, I’d hunt down a limited-edition pilot’s watch for him, a way to forever mark the time we spent together. … Whenever I gave him these gifts, he would accept them with a huge smile and kiss me reverently. “I’m the luckiest man alive to have a girlfriend like you. I’ll treasure everything you give me, baby.” But now, all the things he promised to treasure were going in the trash. I stuffed everything into garbage bags and, along with the photos, dumped them in the recycling bin downstairs. In the days that remained, I would slowly erase every memory of our love. Darkness fell. I checked the time. 9:40 PM. Kian wasn’t back yet. I had just washed up and was about to head to bed when I heard the lock turn. Kian walked in, a faint, unfamiliar perfume clinging to him. He took off his jacket and immediately noticed the bare wall. “Jules, where are the pictures?” My fingers curled into fists. “They fell down,” I said, my voice tight. “I put them away.” Without another word, I turned and went into the bedroom. Kian looked stunned for a moment, sensing my mood was off. He followed me. “Why didn’t you hang them back up?” I saw the faint lipstick marks on the inside of his collar and looked away. “The nails are loose. They won’t hang right anymore.” He didn’t catch my double meaning. He just looked relieved. “Well, when I have some time, we’ll hang them up again together.” He then disappeared into the bathroom. As the sound of the shower started, I muttered to myself. “You can rehang pictures, but you can’t fix a broken relationship.” That night, we lay side by side, worlds apart. The next morning, I went to the office with my promotion application. As I entered the building, an announcement came over the intercom. “All 787 crew members, please report to the conference hall. Our new lead flight attendant will be joining us today.” I frowned. The 787 route was getting a new lead? I quickened my pace toward the conference hall. As I neared the entrance, I could see Kian on stage in his white captain’s uniform, looking handsome and distinguished next to a few managers. Below the stage, a group of flight attendants stood in perfect formation. Then, the head manager stepped forward and called Cora up from the crowd. “Please join me in welcoming Cora Reed as the new lead flight attendant for our 787 route.” The hall erupted in applause. I stood frozen in a corner, invisible in the crowd. I never imagined the new lead would be Cora. Cora walked gracefully to Kian’s side, looped her arm through his, and smiled at the audience. “The first time Kian was promoted to captain, I was his dedicated lead flight attendant. Now, five years later, here I am again. It must be fate.”

Cora’s words were met with even louder applause. They looked at each other and smiled, looking every bit the happy couple. I quietly averted my stinging eyes and slipped out of the conference hall. It didn’t matter. In thirteen days, I would be gone. Whether they rekindled their old flame or started fresh, it had nothing to do with me. I had made my decision to let go, and I would leave without a scene. That afternoon, after submitting my promotion application to Director Stevens, I went back to my desk. Since I was transferring to a new airport, I needed to clear out all my personal belongings. As I was packing, I overheard a couple of colleagues gossiping nearby. “I remember when Cora and Kian were together, he gave her his first kiss and his first time. I can’t believe he’s still so hung up on her after all these years.” “I know, right? Cora was the one who turned him from a boy into a man. She took him to see the Northern Lights in Alaska and then broke up with him. For most people, the aurora is romantic. For them, it was a breakup.” “No wonder he could never get over his first love and never dated anyone else. Maybe I should take my boyfriend to see the Northern Lights if I want to break up with him!” Their voices faded as they walked away, but my heart felt heavier with each beat. So that’s why Kian was at her beck and call. She was his unforgettable first love. I took a deep breath and continued clearing my desk. I was about to call a car home when Liv from the cabin crew spotted me. “Jules! The entire 787 crew is throwing a welcome dinner for Cora tonight. Come with us!” Before I could refuse, Liv had already pulled me into her car. … The Waterfront Grille, an upscale seafood restaurant. As I arrived, I overheard two colleagues walking ahead of me toward the private room. “It’s amazing that Kian and Cora could reunite after all this time. I remember when the company sent Cora to Dubai for training, Kian almost gave up his pilot career to go with her. If it weren’t for the senior management desperately trying to stop him, his career would’ve been over.” “Yeah, it’s really something. Now that Cora’s back, I bet there’s nothing standing in their way!” Their words felt like a knife twisting in my gut. I felt so pathetic. For five years, I thought Kian had only done those grand romantic gestures for me. The truth was, long before me, he had already done them all for Cora. Every romantic moment in my relationship with Kian was probably just something Cora had taught him. The thought left a bitter taste in my mouth. I waited until they had entered the private room before I slowly pushed the door open. Inside, colleagues were scattered around, all gathered around Kian and Cora. Cora saw me and flashed her professional flight-attendant smile, walking over. “Hi, I’m Cora. Your senior.” Her words were a clear double entendre, and my answering smile felt forced. She had sent me those provocative private messages, yet here she was, pretending we’d never met. How ridiculous. I gave her a curt nod and found a seat in a quiet corner. I listened as everyone continued to fawn over Cora. Kian’s attention was entirely on her; he didn’t even glance my way once. I had no desire to stay. I made up a quick excuse and said I had to leave early. But just as I stepped out of the room, I heard Cora’s voice behind me. “Kian, I don’t think your co-pilot likes me very much. She left without even eating!” Kian didn’t say anything, but I heard the voices of other crew members. “Don’t worry about her. She’s been secretly in love with Kian for years, that’s why she’s been his co-pilot for five years. She’s probably just jealous seeing you two looking so good together.” A murmur of agreement went through the room before Cora stepped in. “Don’t say that. We’re all colleagues here.” Hearing their conversation, I couldn’t help but smile wryly. The entire crew thought Kian and Cora were the perfect match. And me, his actual girlfriend, was just some pathetic girl pining after a man she couldn’t have. But it didn’t matter. In a few more days, I would be gone for good. Our relationship was never public anyway. My departure would be clean. I had just left the restaurant when Kian caught up to me. He pulled me into a secluded corner, his voice low and sharp. “Jules, you shouldn’t have just left like that. Cora is a new colleague. You made things very awkward for her.” Awkward? It was a welcome party for his ex-girlfriend. Why couldn’t I leave early? I stared at him, my voice quiet but firm. “Is she just a new colleague, Kian? Or is she your ex-girlfriend?”

Seeing my silence, Kian’s frustration seemed to melt away. He pulled me into his arms, a hint of panic in his voice. “Jules, I’m sorry. Cora and I have a past, but that’s all it is—the past. That’s why I didn’t think it was important to mention. You’re my girlfriend now, and you’re the only one I want to marry.” I felt the warmth of his body and looked up into his anxious eyes. He did look like he was completely devoted to me right now. In the five years we’d been together, Kian had never mentioned Cora, nor had he ever been linked to any other woman. I knew everyone has a past. It didn’t matter that someone else used to live in Kian’s heart, as long as he had cleared it out for me now. But Cora’s Instagram told a different story. It was clear to me that his heart wasn’t clear at all. Just as the tension hung thick in the air, Cora’s voice cut through the silence from around the corner. “Kian!” At the sound of her voice, Kian’s arms around me instantly loosened, and he took a quick step back. Seeing his nervous reaction, my heart twisted. After five years, I, his current girlfriend, still couldn’t compare to his ex. I took a few steps back myself. “You should go. Don’t keep her waiting.” Without waiting for his response, I turned and walked away. The night sky was starless, and the dim streetlights stretched my shadow into a long, lonely figure. I walked aimlessly along the waterfront, my mind replaying images of Kian and Cora together. I thought I had prepared myself for this, that I should be used to it by now. But walking alone in the dark, I realized my heart still ached. I walked for over three hours, finally reaching home around one in the morning. I kicked off my heels and my bare feet hit the wooden floor. I only then noticed the blisters on my heels, some of which had broken and were bleeding. I cleaned the wounds with antiseptic and covered them with bandages before collapsing onto the sofa. I opened my phone, and another new Instagram post from Cora was at the top of my feed. “Kian is the definition of boyfriend material. So protective.” The photo was taken in a dimly lit bar. Cora, in a sexy cocktail dress, was sitting on Kian’s shoulders, a tipsy smile on her face. Love is measured by the little differences in how you’re treated. With Kian, the difference between the ex and the current girlfriend was staggering. I remembered a year ago, we were at Disneyland watching the fireworks. I saw a girl riding on her boyfriend’s shoulders, taking pictures, and I wanted to try it too. But Kian had shot me down. “Jules, we’re too old for that. It’s not very classy.” Yet here he was, indulging his ex’s “childish” whim, letting her ride on his shoulders without a second thought. Clearly, the love he gave me would always be less than the love he gave Cora. I took a shaky breath, trying to swallow the bitterness that filled my throat. Just a few more days. I was leaving Kian. There was no need for self-pity. I pushed through the pain and continued packing my things. My side of the closet was already looking bare. The only things left that we shared were a few matching sweatshirts, still with the tags on. Since we both wore uniforms for work, we never had a chance to wear them. Kian had never worn his even once. Now that Cora was back and I was leaving, there was no reason to keep them. I found a bag, stuffed the sweatshirts inside, and dropped them in the donation bin. Then, I started packing the things I would take with me. I had just zipped up my suitcase, filled with my most-worn clothes, when Kian came home. He saw the suitcase and his eyes widened. “What are you doing?” I didn’t even look at him. “Packing my flight bag.” He seemed to relax, probably remembering we had a flight together the next afternoon and I always packed ahead. He didn’t question it further. “Let me help.” He reached over and fastened the locks on the suitcase. I watched him, a storm of emotions brewing inside me. If he had just paid a little more attention, he would have seen that the suitcase wasn’t filled with my flight uniform, but with everything I owned. The air grew heavy. Kian must have sensed my low mood because he tried to explain. “Cora was the guest of honor at the dinner tonight, so I couldn’t find the right moment to tell everyone about us. But next time, I promise, I’ll let everyone know we’re together.” I didn’t respond. Kian had made countless “next time” promises. I had gotten my hopes up time and time again, only to be let down. Now, there would be no more “next times” for us. Once I was gone, it wouldn’t matter whether our relationship was public or not. Seeing my silence, Kian tried a different approach. “After we land tomorrow, how about I take you to see the Northern Lights in Alaska? I know you’ve always wanted to go.” I froze. I had asked to see the Northern Lights so many times before, but he always had an excuse. Now that Cora was back, he was suddenly offering to take me. I remembered what my colleagues had said, and a bitter smile touched my lips. When the ex comes back, the current girlfriend always loses. I looked at Kian, at the man I had loved for five whole years, and calmly nodded. “Okay. Let’s go see the Northern Lights.” The aurora had witnessed his breakup with Cora. That was fine. Soon, it would witness our breakup too.

The next morning, I put on some light makeup and headed to the airport. Today was my last international flight with Ascend Air, and Cora’s first time as the lead flight attendant on the Boeing 787. Flying with her on the same plane, I couldn’t afford to make a single mistake. In the crew briefing room, I changed into my flight uniform. As I was adjusting the three stripes on my co-pilot epaulets, Cora walked in, her heels clicking on the floor. She looked me up and down, her eyes full of meaning. “Poor Jules. You’ve been with Kian for five years, and he still won’t even acknowledge you in public. I guess in his heart, you’ll always be the girl he has to hide.” My hands paused. I couldn’t believe she knew about us. My silence only made her smile widen. “Thanks for taking care of Kian for me these past five years. Keeping him company at work during the day, and warming his bed at night.” “But you know, all those tricks he does in bed? I taught him those. We spent a whole weekend trying out every technique in Cosmo.” “A man never forgets his first love. Kian will never forget me, especially in bed. Now that I’m back, you should probably just step aside gracefully. It’ll be more dignified for all three of us.” Her words hit me like a series of punches, each one landing squarely in my gut. All those intimate moments that I had cherished now felt like a deep humiliation. I bit my lip so hard I could taste blood. “You should probably be saying this to Kian.” I didn’t need any “dignity” from her. I had already planned my exit. In ten days, I would be gone, with my dignity intact. Cora’s face fell, clearly not expecting my calm response. “Juliana, is there any point in clinging to a man who doesn’t love you? You know his heart belongs to me. You were just a fling.” “The gifts he gave you? They were my hand-me-downs. The man himself? My leftovers. He and I are the only ones who are truly compatible.” Cora was probably hoping for a breakdown, a dramatic scene. But she was going to be disappointed. Ever since I realized Kian’s heart was never fully mine, my love for him had been a wilting rose. There was nothing that could stop it from fading away. “It’s great that you two are getting back together. I wish you all the best.” I gave her one last, cool glance and walked out of the room. The sun was shining brightly outside. It was a perfect day for flying. And my future would be even brighter than this sun. After the pre-flight briefing, I did my usual walk-around inspection before boarding the plane. In the cockpit, Kian and I were ready. We contacted the tower. “Seattle Tower, this is Ascend Air 787.” A calm, steady voice came back through the radio. “Ascend 787, Seattle Tower, go ahead.” Kian’s voice was professional and cool. “Ascend 787, ready for takeoff, request clearance.” A crackle of static, and then a green light on the screen. “Ascend 787, you are cleared for takeoff. Have a safe flight. Goodbye.” After signing off, Kian placed one hand on the throttle and the other on the control yoke, his focus absolute. I couldn’t help but glance at him. This was the last time I would be his co-pilot, the last time I would sit in this right-hand seat. Soon, I would be the one with my hand on the primary controls. Guiding every flight to a safe landing. The plane climbed to 30,000 feet, and Kian switched on the autopilot. We went to do a cabin check together and ran right into Cora in the galley. “Kian,” she cooed. Just then, the plane hit a patch of severe turbulence. A hard-shell suitcase tumbled out of an overhead bin! “Look out!” Kian instinctively pulled Cora aside, shielding her with his body. I didn’t have time to react. The suitcase slammed into my shoulder, and the force of the impact sent me sprawling to the floor. A flight attendant rushed to my side. “First Officer Vance, are you okay?” I looked at Kian, still holding Cora tightly, then looked away. “I’m fine. Go reassure the passengers. This is just normal turbulence, tell them not to panic.” After the flight attendant made the announcement, I looked up at the open overhead bin. “This latch wasn’t secured. Whose responsibility was that?” Cora looked flustered. “Sorry, I was getting something out earlier. I must not have closed it all the way.” I rolled my aching shoulder, my gaze turning serious. “That’s careless. If that had hit a passenger, could you have taken responsibility for it?” Before she could answer, Kian jumped in, his brow furrowed. “Let’s not get worked up over what-ifs. Cora didn’t do it on purpose.” I was stunned. Kian, who was known for his strict adherence to protocol, was defending her. I opened my mouth to argue, but then just let out a bitter laugh and said nothing. Back in the cockpit, the silence was deafening. Kian, sensing my mood, lowered his voice to explain. “Cora was closer to me. My instinct was just to protect her. Don’t overthink it.” I looked at him, my voice flat. “It doesn’t matter. This is my last time flying this 787 with you anyway.”

Kian’s expression froze. “Are you still mad about what happened?” I just shook my head. “No.” But he clearly thought I was upset about Cora becoming the lead flight attendant. “Cora’s been away for five years, so she’s a bit rusty. You shouldn’t be so hard on her.” His words felt like a punch to the gut. Cora was the one who had been negligent. I was the one who got hurt. And yet, he was blaming me for being too harsh. What a joke. What a pathetic ending to this final flight together. I didn’t say another word. I had already decided to leave. There was no point in explaining anything to Kian. After a 13-hour flight, we landed smoothly at San Francisco International Airport. We spent the night at an airport hotel, and the next day, as promised, Kian took me to see the Northern Lights in Alaska. Except, my excitement vanished when I saw Cora and the rest of the crew were coming along too. Kian noticed my disappointment. “It’s more fun with a group,” he said softly. “And safer to stick together in a foreign country.” I pressed my lips together. “Whatever you think is best.” At the aurora viewing point in Fairbanks, the sky was a canvas of dancing, vibrant colors. As everyone gasped in awe, I heard Cora’s voice drift over to me. “Kian, the first time we saw the Northern Lights, things ended badly between us. You swore you would bring me back to see them again. Thank you for always remembering.” I turned to see Cora and Kian standing close together, their eyes filled with a shared history. “I never forget a promise I’ve made to you.” Hearing Kian’s reply to her, my heart, which I thought had turned to stone, suddenly ached with a sharp, unexpected pain. So, all along, the person he had wanted to bring here was Cora. I was just an afterthought, someone he brought along for the ride. Under the ethereal glow of the aurora, I turned and walked away. Snow began to fall, dusting my hair and clothes, but I barely felt the cold. I just kept walking, numb. I don’t know how long I walked. It felt like I was reliving the entire 1,867 days of our relationship all over again. … Two days later, we were back in Seattle. The first thing I did after we landed was go straight to the operations director’s office. I placed my employee ID card on his desk. “My final flight is complete. Awaiting further instructions, sir.” Director Stevens nodded, a look of satisfaction on his face. He took my ID, placed it in a file, and then handed me a brand new one, along with a velvet box containing a captain’s epaulets with four stripes. “From this moment on, you are no longer the co-pilot of the 787. You are the captain of the new Aspen route.” “Congratulations, Jules. You are officially Ascend Air’s first female captain, and the first captain of this new route.”

I went home from the airport. I checked the calendar on my phone. December 28th. Only three days left until I was gone for good. I placed my new captain’s uniform, epaulets, and ID card in my suitcase. A wave of relief washed over me. After a long bath, I was about to get into bed. Just then, Kian rushed home. He looked panicked, storming over to my bedside. “Jules, I just saw the flight schedule. Why isn’t your name listed as my co-pilot for tomorrow’s flight?” I gave him the excuse I had prepared. “I haven’t been feeling well lately, so I took a few days off.” I had asked Director Stevens to keep my transfer a secret, and I certainly wasn’t going to tell Kian myself. I would never again fly the route I had flown with him for five years. I would never again come back to this place. There was no need for everyone to know I was leaving. Hearing my explanation, Kian’s tense shoulders relaxed. “Oh, thank God. I thought for a second you didn’t want to be my co-pilot anymore.” He then dropped to one knee by the bed and grabbed my hand. “We promised we’d fly together for the rest of our lives. We have to keep that promise. Jules, you can’t lie to me…” I looked at the sincerity in his eyes and felt a sharp sting of pain. He told me not to lie to him, yet he had lied to me over and over again. If he loved me, why did he hide the fact that he was still involved with his ex? I didn’t understand. I didn’t understand how he could be such a good actor. I closed my eyes, my lashes trembling. “Okay.” It was the first time I had ever lied to Kian. And it would be the last. Kian finally seemed at ease. He leaned in to kiss my forehead, but I quickly turned away. His heart seemed to clench again. He realized that somewhere along the line, his Jules had stopped letting him get close. “Jules, when I get back from this flight, it’ll be New Year’s Day. How about we go to New York to celebrate?” I shook my head. “I don’t want to go.” “Then what about our cabin at Lake Tahoe? We can see the stars from there. I promise, no one will bother us this time,” Kian suggested, trying again. But I just shook my head again. For five years, to keep our relationship a secret, Kian would always take me to some faraway place for New Year’s. This year, I didn’t want to go anywhere. I just wanted to quietly wait for my new life to begin. But seeing the frown on Kian’s face, I changed my mind. “On New Year’s Eve, let’s go to Kerry Park and take some pictures.” After all, on New Year’s Day, I would be leaving this city for good. I wanted a few pictures to remember it by. Kian looked surprised. “Why there? Wouldn’t New York be a better backdrop?” I saw the reluctance in his eyes, and a lump formed in my throat. “Don’t worry, you’ll just be the photographer. I’ll be the only one in the pictures.” I had no intention of being in any photos with him. I wouldn’t be taking a single picture of him with me when I left. Kian’s expression flickered. “After the New Year, at the company’s annual awards ceremony, I’ll announce our relationship. I promise. Just wait a little longer.” I closed my eyes again, not answering. “You should go take a shower. It’s getting late.” As I listened to the water running in the bathroom, my heart felt heavy. Wait a little longer? I had been waiting for five years since we started dating. I wasn’t going to wait anymore. Kian Hayes, I will never wait for you again. … December 31st. One day left. I put on some nice makeup and changed into a red silk dress, with a red cashmere cape over it. It was a departure from my usual sharp, professional look, giving me a softer, more gentle appearance. I waited for Kian at the top of Kerry Park. I waited from morning till afternoon, from afternoon till evening, but he never showed up. I stared at my phone, which had no new messages. After a ten-second debate, I called him. The phone rang until the very last second before he picked up. His voice was low and gravelly. “Jules, I’m at the airport dealing with something urgent. I’ll come find you later…” Before he finished, the line went dead. My heart sank. I instinctively opened Instagram, and saw Cora’s new post. [Unlocking new positions with Kian. Perfect chemistry! 🔥] The picture was of her in a car, holding a glass of wine, her eyes hazy. On the seat next to her was an open box of condoms. My mind went blank for a second, and then I started to laugh. I laughed so hard I had to clutch my chest, gasping for air. Kian, you liar. How many times have you lied to me?!

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I waited three whole years for Caleb, the future Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack. I was his fated mate. Even though his wolf howled with the mating frenzy every time he came near me, he refused to complete the marking ceremony on the full moon. Then, he developed a sick obsession with my stepsister, Lila. He claimed Lila was his “True Love.” He didn’t care about Pack laws. He spread his possessive pheromones all over the territory, just to court her. This time, my wolf didn’t whimper. She didn’t try to beg through the mind link like she used to. I watched them calmly. In that moment, I actively blocked the bond. I got rid of every token that carried his scent. I took the pure white lace nightgown I had secretly sewn for our mating ceremony and threw it into the fireplace. I watched the flames swallow it whole. On the day of his first full moon shift as an adult, I severed my mental link with the Silver Moon territory and drove away. Just before I got in the car, Caleb sent a message through the Pack link: “Why aren’t you here yet? The Elders and the members are waiting for you.” I looked at the screen and smirked. I didn’t reply. I blocked him. Then I blocked every single member of the Silver Moon Pack. He didn’t know. Two weeks ago, I made a choice. I accepted the Mate Contract from the Alpha of the most powerful pack in the North—Lucas Knight of the Midnight Blood Pack. When my plane lands in the North, I will accept his mark. I will become his Luna. … “Lucas, my wolf is ready.” I stood in front of the mirror. I looked pale and thin, the result of enduring the pain of a rejected bond for so long. It turns out, turning your back on the Moon Goddess’s original arrangement isn’t that hard. “Ivy… are you sure you want to accept my mark?” On the other end of the phone, Lucas’s voice was low and husky. It carried the magnetic command of a powerful Alpha, yet he was incredibly gentle with me. My nose stung—a biological reaction to being protected by a strong male. As a tear rolled down my cheek, I whispered, “I accept.” “Ivy, did you know? Since the first time we caught each other’s scent at the Wolf Academy, my wolf has been praying for this day.” I didn’t realize I was smiling until I saw my reflection. “Give me two weeks. I’ll annul all alliance obligations with the Silver Moon Pack through the Council.” “Okay, Ivy. My wolf and I will wait for you.” The moment I hung up, my bedroom door was pushed open. “Ivy.” My father, Marcus, walked in. He was a Beta of the Silver Moon Pack. He cleared his throat awkwardly. “Lila just went through her first shift. Her body is reacting badly. She’s a weak wolf. Your master bedroom faces the moon—it’s best for absorbing energy and healing. The Elders think, for the future of the Pack, you two should swap rooms.” I remained silent. My gaze drifted to the mother and daughter behind him. My stepmother, Karen, quickly chimed in, “Marcus, we shouldn’t trouble Ivy.” Lila shrank her neck back, radiating a sickeningly fragile aura. “Yes, Daddy, I’m fine. Don’t let me ruin the harmony of the Pack.” “This is the Council’s decision,” my father said, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Ivy, you are a Pureblood. Your body is strong. You should make concessions for the good of the Pack.” I stared blankly at my father. I thought my wolf would go mad from the betrayal. I thought she would break because my father favored a mixed-blood stepdaughter over me. But I didn’t shed a single tear. My wolf just lay there, letting out a mocking snort. “Fine. I’ll switch with her.” In two weeks, I would sever all blood ties with this rotting Pack. It didn’t matter which room I slept in anymore.

Father looked pleased with my “obedience.” Challenging the Council is taboo, even for a Pureblood. Stepmother Karen smiled with satisfaction. After they left, Lila lingered. “Ivy, let me help you pack.” She stood before me, acting obedient, releasing a fake, sweet scent. But when she looked around the room, her eyes were filled with greed—the hunger of a low-ranking wolf for high-ranking resources. “I didn’t expect the Council to agree to let us switch rooms either.” Lila tilted her head back, her eyes flashing with provocation. “Ivy, does your wolf want to rip me apart right now?” “After all, I just stole your fated mate, Caleb. And now, I’ve stolen the room you’ve lived in for ten years.” I suppressed the urge to teach her a lesson and turned to grab my suitcase. Suddenly, Lila let out an exaggerated scream and threw herself onto the floor. “Ivy…” When she fell, her arm hit the corner of a table inlaid with silver filigree. Silver burns werewolves. Her skin instantly turned a bruised purple. “Ivy! What the hell are you doing?!” Caleb burst through the door, his Alpha hearing picking up the commotion instantly. His face was dark—the precursor to Alpha rage. He carefully scooped Lila up into his arms. “Caleb, I’m fine. Ivy didn’t mean to.” Lila was crying, yet she forced a pained smile. “It doesn’t hurt at all, Caleb.” “You’re burned, and you say it doesn’t hurt?” Caleb looked at the wound on her arm, his eyes full of distress. But when he looked at me, his golden pupils constricted, releasing icy hostility. “Ivy, if you have a problem, take it out on me.” “Don’t hurt Lila. She is just a newly shifted, fragile female.” “Unlike you. Born a noble Pureblood. You’ve never lacked anything.” I thought the mate bond wouldn’t affect my emotions anymore. I thought I wouldn’t shed another tear for Caleb. But in the end, I was still a female wolf with a connection that hadn’t been fully severed. I didn’t have a body of steel. I didn’t have a heart of stone. My childhood ally. The fated mate blessed by the Moon Goddess, a bond we kept for three years. In just a few days, because of some “freshness,” he fell for a young girl who had just shifted. He saw me as a vicious, stray Rogue. I didn’t want to cry. I actually wanted to laugh. But my tear ducts ached. “Caleb, is your nose broken? Can’t you smell what kind of person I am? Can’t you smell the stench of lies on her?” Caleb frowned. His gaze rested on my face—an Alpha’s scrutinizing look. His expression seemed to waver slightly.

Lila suddenly let out a whimper, like an injured pup. “Caleb, don’t fight with Ivy because of me.” “I don’t mind. Ivy has every right to be mad at me…” She cried softly, sounding as if she had suffered the world’s greatest injustice. This triggered Caleb’s excessive protective instincts. Caleb’s gaze on me turned completely cold. “You’re jealous that my wolf chose Lila.” “Jealous that I treat her well.” “Jealous that the whole Pack adores her.” “Ivy, you’ve changed.” “Your mind has been twisted by jealousy. Just like those fallen Rogues.” He finished speaking, carried Lila, and turned to leave, leaving the room filled with the scent of his angry pheromones. I watched their retreating figures and suddenly realized my tears had dried up. That’s good. I had cried so many times over this breaking bond. From now on, I truly wouldn’t shed another tear for him. That evening, our private group chat for the Pack’s younger generation, “Wolf Den,” suddenly became active. Caleb sent a message. “Suddenly feel like completing the marking ceremony. What should I do?” The group exploded. “Caleb! Are you finally going to mate with Ivy under the Moon Goddess’s gaze?” “Time to call her Luna, I guess.” People started tagging me: “@Ivy, congrats! Drinks are on you?” “Caleb, when is the ceremony for you and Ivy?” The chat was chaotic, messages scrolling fast. I was about to type a clarification. I am not your future Luna. The one Caleb wants to mark isn’t me. But Caleb beat me to it. “You guys got it wrong.” “I never said my wolf chose Ivy.” Then, he added Lila to the group. He tagged everyone: “Look clearly. This is the future Luna of the Silver Moon Pack.” The noisy group went silent, as if a high-ranking Alpha had cast a silence spell. No one spoke for a long time. Caleb: “Why the silence? Say hello to your future Luna. That’s an Alpha command.” People started awkwardly greeting Lila, forced into submission. I thought for a moment, then typed one message. “Congratulations. May the Moon Goddess bless you both.” After sending it, I left the group immediately, cutting the last link.

The moment I exited the group, Caleb called. It was an Alpha command call—impossible to ignore. “Ivy, come here immediately.” “Where?” “You know where. The Pack House.” “Why?” “Apologize to Lila.” “Why should I apologize?” “You quitting the group just now was a public provocation. Do you know what other families will think of her?” Caleb’s tone was hard, carrying the dominance typical of an Alpha. “I don’t want people slandering her.” “My wolf chose her. I need to give her status.” “She is innocent. She shouldn’t bear the label of a homewrecker just because of your recklessness.” Even though I thought I was numb to his actions, the phantom pain of rejection spread through my chest. My fingers trembled as I gripped the phone. My claws threatened to extend and pierce my palm. When I spoke, my voice shook. “Caleb, you can’t use your Alpha privilege to bully me like this.” “What gives you the right?” “You betrayed our fated bond first. I felt your rejection. I did nothing. I even congratulated you. Isn’t that enough?” I fought back the tears. I refused to show weakness. But my voice cracked. There was silence on the other end. It seemed his wolf felt uneasy for a split second. “Ivy.” “I won’t punish your disrespect this time.” “But remember, Lila is innocent.” “Don’t take your anger out on her. Don’t hurt her.” The call ended. I sat on the carpet, shaking. On the nightstand sat a photo of my mother. She was looking at me with gentle, loving eyes. She was a respected high-ranking Healer in her time. Tears burst forth. I lunged forward and hugged the frame tight. Through the cold glass, I pressed my cheek against hers. My tears fell endlessly. The mother in the photo seemed to be grieving for her daughter. I didn’t want to cry anymore. I didn’t want my mother, who had returned to the Moon Goddess’s embrace, to worry. Once the anniversary of my mother’s death passed… I would take the moonstone necklace she left me. I would leave the Silver Moon territory forever. I would be a free Rogue, or become the Luna of another Pack.

Lila moved into my master bedroom. I didn’t move into her dark, north-facing room. Instead, I found a guest room to stay in temporarily. The servants, sensing the shift in power, gave me bedding that was cold and damp. It smelled of stale dust—torture for a werewolf’s sensitive nose. I slept in my clothes. Just a few more days. Just survive this, and it’s all over. The next morning, I went downstairs. In the side hall, the memorial altar dedicated to my mother was a mess. My mother’s photo had been thrown on the floor. The frame was shattered. The picture was covered in muddy paw prints. The silver Moonflowers—flowers that meant the world to my mother—were scattered everywhere. Lila’s mixed-breed wolfhound was tearing at the petals. Lila stood nearby, clapping her hands and cheering, her eyes shining with malice. I stood there, feeling my wolf blood boil instantly, rushing to my head. All reason, all patience, vanished. I felt my claws lengthen, my fangs itch. I went feral. I grabbed a crystal candlestick and hurled it at the dog. The dog yelped and ran away with its tail between its legs. Lila screamed. A shard from the candlestick scratched her arm. “Ivy! What are you doing? How dare you!” My father’s voice boomed—the roar of a Beta Elder. Lila was already crying in his arms. “Daddy, save me! Ivy’s wolf is out of control, she’s going to kill me…” “Ivy, you’ve gone too far!” “Are you blind? She destroyed my mother’s altar! She ruined my mother’s photo!” I was shaking all over, tears streaming down my face. I felt aggrieved for my mother. But my father just glanced at the mess on the floor and frowned. “That doesn’t give you the right to attack someone! In this Pack, we have rules!” “Marcus…” “Ivy, your mother has been dead for a long time. Since when are dead people more important than the living? Besides, Lila is the one Caleb loves.” Lila spoke up, her face pale, releasing a submissive scent. “Daddy, my dog accidentally knocked it over. I wanted to apologize to Ivy, but she just released her pressure and attacked me before I could speak…” She lifted her bleeding arm, looking at my father pitifully. “Daddy, maybe Mom and I should move out of the territory…” “The beast doesn’t know better, but do you lack sense too?” My father glared at me. Suddenly, he raised his hand. A heavy slap landed. I forgot to dodge. Or rather, I didn’t care enough to dodge. Smack. The crisp sound echoed in the hall. He seemed stunned for a second. But in the end, he said nothing. He turned and took Lila to the Pack Doctor. I watched their backs. It took a long time before I felt the stinging pain on my face—shame that went deeper than flesh. I covered my swollen cheek. Tears fell, but I laughed out loud in mockery. I knew it. This Pack, this so-called Frostfang family, had no place for me anymore. That afternoon, I accidentally overheard a call between my father and the Council. “…Yes, although Lila isn’t pureblood, her bond with Caleb might bring new genetic advantages. As for Ivy… her maternal line is noble, but our alliance with the Midnight Pack is crumbling. We need a new tie.” I leaned against the wall, digging my nails into my palms. It wasn’t just emotional betrayal. It was a calculated political trade. In their eyes, I was just a bargaining chip. That night, I contacted the diplomat of the Northern Midnight Blood Pack through an encrypted channel. “Tell Lucas Knight I accept his contract. But I have one condition: I want the Silver Moon Pack to pay for their betrayal.”

In the middle of the night, screams and crying woke me. My wolf hearing picked up panicked footsteps downstairs. I sat up just as my door was kicked open. My stepmother, Karen, rushed in wailing. Before I could react, she slapped me hard across the face multiple times. “How can you be so cruel? Do you have no conscience?” “Hurting her during the day wasn’t enough? You want to kill her?” Karen collapsed into my father’s arms, sobbing. “She knows Lila is weak! She knows Lila is severely allergic to Moonflower pollen! Yet she deliberately sprinkled it all over her bed and pillow!” “She wants to kill our daughter! This is murder! Just because Lila’s dog accidentally broke a flower, she retaliates like this!” “Alright, stop crying. Luckily Lila took the antidote in time. She’s fine.” Father comforted her softly, then looked at me with disgust. “Ivy, I am so disappointed in you.” “Move out of the Manor tomorrow.” “Keeping you here will only destroy the peace of this family. I can’t let a dangerous element like you hurt the future Luna.” Karen stopped crying instantly. I looked at the man in front of me. He used to be my closest kin, an Elder of the Frostfang family. He used to love me. I was his only pureblood child, the apple of his eye. But everything changed. I was like a protagonist in a tragedy, stripped of everything. At first, I didn’t understand. I cried, I fought, I argued. But now, I finally woke up. The blood tie between father and daughter was completely severed. The day I moved out of Frostfang Manor. My father said to me, “After your mother’s death anniversary, I’ll bring you home. Reflect on your actions outside. Learn to control your wolf nature.” I didn’t answer. After they left, I took all the photos of Caleb and me, and all the photos of my father. I cut them to shreds and threw them into the fireplace. Finally, I burned that moon-white robe. It was made of the finest moon silk. I had ordered it three years ago when Caleb’s family proposed the mating. I had imagined wearing it for the marking ceremony countless times since I was a girl. Now, I burned it with my own hands, along with my last lingering attachment to this Pack.

What remained were the tokens Caleb had given me over the three years. Runes unique to the clan. Expensive gems and land deeds. I picked out the valuable ones to give to my friend for safekeeping. Once I left Silver Moon, she would anonymously return them to the Alpha family. That way, we would be even. I wanted his scent gone completely. The cheap trinkets, the ones meant just to make me smile… I threw them all in the trash without hesitation. I used to cherish even a simple crescent pendant because it carried his scent. Now, as I tossed it, my heart felt nothing. Even my wolf didn’t bother to look. Done. I carefully wrapped my mother’s photo and the moonstone necklace—pulsing with energy—and placed them in a hidden compartment of my suitcase. I walked out of the place I had lived for ten years without looking back. As I walked out of the gates, Caleb’s signature black SUV pulled up. I didn’t even glance at it. But the car stopped right beside me. The window rolled down, revealing Caleb’s handsome face. His Alpha aura washed over me. My gaze skimmed over him, indifferent. I kept walking. “Ivy.” Caleb frowned, seemingly annoyed by my coldness. “Where are you going with all that stuff?” I was dragging two huge suitcases. Walking was difficult. I had no energy for small talk. I ignored him and kept walking. Caleb got out of the car. In a few strides, he was in front of me. “Do you want a ride?” “No thanks.” I sidestepped his hand. He grabbed my wrist. His Alpha strength made it impossible to break free. “Ivy, why are you being so stubborn?” “Cry a little, like you used to. Bare your neck and show submission. Maybe I’ll go soft.” I ripped my hand away with force and looked at him with a calmness I had never possessed before. “Caleb, I don’t need that anymore.” I didn’t need to cry. I didn’t need his pity. Time and again, my wolf had grown tired. She had lost all desire for him. “Fine. Suit yourself.” Caleb scoffed, but disbelief lingered in his eyes. No wolf leaves their fated mate that easily.

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When the attacker charged into the ER with a knife, my fiancé, Caleb, didn’t hesitate. He shoved me forward, using my body as a human shield. Then he turned his back on me to wrap his arms protectively around his childhood sweetheart, Sienna. I took multiple stab wounds to my abdomen. The baby I had struggled so hard to conceive didn’t stand a chance. The only surgeon in the hospital capable of performing the delicate procedure to save the pregnancy was Caleb. But no matter how many times the nurses paged him, he didn’t answer. The morning after I lost everything, I woke up to see Sienna’s Instagram Story. “Your arms are the safest harbor in the world! ❤️” The photo showed Sienna’s delicate hand resting on Caleb’s bare chest. My hands trembled as I took a screenshot and texted it to him. “Is this the reason you pushed me into a knife?” It took him two whole days to reply. “Come on, Harper. You’re a war correspondent. A woman who runs into war zones is scared of a little knife? Sienna is different. She’s fragile.” … “Caleb, let’s break up.” My dream had always been to report from the front lines. But I got distracted. I fell for Caleb. I chased him for five years before finally becoming his fiancée. I thought my devotion would earn his love. I thought my happy ending was starting. I never imagined my bravery would become his excuse to push me toward death so he could save another woman. The doctor told me my uterus was severely damaged. The chances of me ever conceiving again were practically zero. That unborn life, the one that never even got to see the sun, was likely the only blood relative I would ever have. I begged the doctor for hours until he finally agreed to let me take the remains of my angel home. I couldn’t protect him while he was alive. Now, I just wanted to find him a quiet place to rest, hoping his soul would find a happier family next time. I placed him in a hand-carved wooden box and buried him under a large oak tree on a hill outside the city. It faced the sun. Warm in the winter, shaded in the summer. Staring at the fresh mound of dirt, I felt like I was drowning in the freezing Pacific Ocean. His arrival and departure shouldn’t be this silent. Besides me, Caleb should remember him forever. I dialed Caleb’s number. Suddenly, a familiar ringtone chimed from the top of the hill behind me. I hid behind the oak tree. I watched Caleb frown, look at his screen, and impatiently hang up on me. Then he turned, supporting Sienna with a tenderness I rarely saw. “Just tell me what you need, and I’ll handle it. Why drive all the way out here yourself?” When he was with me, Caleb’s catchphrase was, “I’m exhausted, Harper. Stop bothering me.” So, I learned to fix everything myself. I never wanted to burden him. Turns out, he just didn’t think I was worth the effort. “A psychic told me my recent bad luck is because someone buried a cursed object with my name on it,” Sienna whined. “She pinpointed this location. I have to dig it up myself to break the curse!” They walked down the hill and, naturally, they saw me. Caleb’s face instantly darkened. He glared at me with pure disgust. “What the hell are you doing here?” This was the spot where we became a couple. Where he proposed. Where we made that baby. It was perfectly normal for me to be here. But a man looking for a fight doesn’t care about logic. “Are you stalking me now?” “Harper, first the nonstop calls, now this? I’m not a criminal. Can’t you give me some damn space?” Arguing with him was like talking to a brick wall. I didn’t want to fight in front of my baby’s resting place, so I turned to leave. Sienna stepped in my path. With her back to Caleb, she smirked at me. “Harper, don’t be mad at Caleb because of me!” “That maniac at the hospital was terrifying. I’m still shaking! I was too scared to be alone, so I asked Caleb to stay. By the way… are you okay?” My abdominal wounds throbbed. The doctor said if the blade had been an inch to the left, it would have hit my liver, and I’d be dead. During the chaos, I was closest to Caleb. He’s a surgeon. His hands are his life. I had stepped forward to protect him. I imagined a million scenarios. Not once did I imagine he would push me from behind. Caught off guard, I stumbled right into the attacker’s blade. And he didn’t even look back. He just scooped Sienna up and vanished. “None of your damn business,” I spat.

“Harper! Sienna is just being nice. Watch your mouth.” Caleb stepped up, shielding Sienna like a mother hen protecting a chick. I used to fight with him over Sienna constantly, desperate to prove I was his priority. Now, it just seemed pathetic. When life and death were on the line, my delusions were shattered. I used to think screaming and crying was the ultimate sign of heartbreak. Now I know that when you’re truly broken, silence is the only response. “I appreciate her ‘kindness,’ but no thanks. I don’t need it.” “Move.” I tried to walk away, but Caleb grabbed my arm. “What were you trying to say on the phone earlier? Are you okay? You didn’t get hurt that day, did you?” The words I wanted to scream earlier died in my throat. My injuries were his fault. He ignored me for days, and now he pretends to care? Crocodile tears. “If you actually cared, why didn’t you come back to the apartment?” I kept my head down and kept walking. “I… The hospital has been crazy. I couldn’t get away.” I stopped. I turned and looked at the man I had loved for years. He lied so easily. That night, the only surgeon capable of saving my pregnancy was him. But he had taken leave. He ghosted the hospital. “Caleb, you didn’t read the text I sent you, did you?” “It doesn’t matter. I’ll say it to your face. We are done.” Caleb’s face went rigid. Shock filled his eyes. “Why?” “Just because I protected Sienna? Are you seriously breaking up over that?” “She twisted her ankle! And if she hadn’t come to the hospital to keep you company, she wouldn’t have been traumatized. She has insomnia now because of it! Have some heart, Harper.” I let out a cold laugh. I went for a prenatal checkup alone. I bumped into Sienna at the entrance. In his version of reality, she was there to support me. “Caleb, God is watching. Being the loudest one in the room doesn’t make you right.” “You know exactly why you pushed me. Deep down, you know.” Caleb frowned, looking annoyed at my “ingratitude.” “Harper, stop being dramatic!” “You’ve been to war zones in Afghanistan and Syria. You’re scared of a punk with a knife? Sienna is fragile. She needs me!” When I stayed silent, he paced anxiously and grabbed my shoulders. “Look, Harper. I messed up. I didn’t protect you first.” “Next time, I swear, I’ll stand in front of you. Okay?” I shook his hands off. I didn’t want to hear it. “I apologized. What more do you want?” I stared into his eyes, my voice dead calm. “I’m breaking up with you because I don’t love you anymore. I don’t want you.” “Who you protect, who you sleep with—it’s not my problem anymore.” Seeing I was serious, panic flashed in his eyes. He reached for my hand again. Before he could speak, Sienna’s voice cut through the air. “Caleb! I found it! I found the cursed object!”

I instinctively looked back. When I saw what they were doing, I ignored the tearing pain in my gut and sprinted up the hill. “Stop! Don’t touch that!” Sienna was directing two hired men to dig up the small mound. My wooden box was tossed out, landing in the dirt at Sienna’s feet. I was terrified she would desecrate it further. I charged, shoving her to the ground, and curled my body around the box. Don’t be scared, baby. Mommy is here. Smack! Caleb rushed over, helped Sienna up, and slapped me across the face. “It’s just a dirty box, Harper! Are you insane?” Sienna sobbed, looking up at Caleb with big, teary eyes. “Caleb, that thing she’s holding… that’s the curse the psychic talked about! It’s the reason I’m suffering!” Caleb glared at the box in my arms. I didn’t care what they thought. I just knew they wanted to hurt my child. I scrambled up and tried to run. But I was injured and weak. They caught me in seconds. The men grabbed my arms. Caleb coldly ripped the box from my hands. “Caleb, please. I’m begging you. Give it back.” “I’ll do anything. Just give him back to me!” Caleb patted my cheek, sneering. “Harper, you really missed your calling in Hollywood. One second you’re tough, the next you’re on your knees for a box of trash.” “Your attention-seeking games are disgusting. Apologize to Sienna. Now.” My child died because of her. Now she was digging up his grave. And he wanted me to apologize? I wanted her to burn in hell. “Caleb, that’s not trash! That’s your—” “Caleb, look! There are letters on the bottom! It’s my initials!” Sienna shrieked. Caleb turned the box over, ignoring me completely. He walked toward me, eyes full of contempt. “I didn’t think you’d stoop to black magic just because you were jealous, Harper.” I shook my head violently. “You used a dead animal to curse Sienna just to get my attention? That explains why she’s been getting hurt.” “This is all you, isn’t it?” Caleb, the man of science, was believing this nonsense. “No! It’s not an animal! It’s my—” Caleb laughed, a cruel, cold sound. “Do you think I’m stupid? If it’s not a hex bag for Sienna, why is ‘L.J.’ carved into it?” L.J. wasn’t Lindsay Jones (Sienna’s real name). It was Noah James. My intended name for him. But Caleb was done listening. He raised the box high in the air. “You love this box so much? Let me show you what happens when you cross me.” He threw it. Hard. I watched in slow motion as the box hit a jagged rock. It shattered. The small bundle inside rolled out, tumbling down the rocky slope. “NO!” I broke free from the men, screaming, running toward my baby. But I was too slow. Just as I reached the bottom, a wild stray dog darted out from the bushes. It snapped its jaws around the bundle and swallowed it whole. Gone. He was gone. My world went black, and I collapsed.

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After the soul-extraction mission ended, I finally woke from my vegetative state. Alpha Kael, my mate, embraced me with bloodshot eyes, “Elena, you’re finally awake.” My eight-year-old son, Leo, also cheered happily, calling me mother. Just as I celebrated the return of my life, the ward door was pushed open by a girl who looked seventy percent like me. Kael shielded her behind him, “Elena, things between Sarah and me are innocent.” Leo quickly explained, “Mom, Aunt Sarah was just kind enough to take care of me and Dad for you.” After returning to the pack house, Kael and Leo treated me with utmost care. But I could always feel that I didn’t fit in. Until I saw my mate and son making wishes with Sarah under the New Year fireworks, and the resentment in my heart finally erupted, as I smashed the entire house to pieces. Leo sensibly bandaged Sarah’s wound and muttered that I was being excessive. Kael’s face darkened, “Elena, stop being so unreasonably troublesome!” I forced back the tears in my eyes and gritted my teeth, “In this pack, it’s either me or Sarah—you choose one!” …… The entire room suddenly fell silent. Kael stepped forward, trying to pull me into his arms as he used to. His face was filled with hesitation. “Elena, Sarah has sacrificed a lot for this family. If it weren’t for her… Leo and I might not have survived.” Leo’s eyes were red as he tugged at my hem, acting spoiled. “Mom, I want to stay with Aunt Sarah, please don’t drive her away.” Looking at their deep affection for her, I felt a sharp pain in my chest. I rushed into the room and threw the divorce papers I had prepared long ago at Kael. “Since you can’t choose, then we reject the bond!” Kael retreated two steps, his voice trembling. “I won’t reject it…” He kept saying he wouldn’t reject the bond, saying he loved me, saying how much he missed me. But all the layouts in the house had already been changed. The blue-and-white curtains I liked were replaced by the deep gray ones Sarah preferred. Even our mating photos were taken down and replaced with a portrait of the three of them as a family. Sarah approached with tears, trying to grab my hand. “Elena, things between Kael and me are pure.” “I’m just a placeholder he paid for; I’ve never dared to cross the line. If you don’t like me, I can leave anytime.” I brushed her hand away with pure disgust. “Since you’re going to leave, why are you still here? Are you waiting for me to kick you out!” Sarah bit her lip hard, and her tears finally fell. Leo frantically dove into her arms. “Aunt Sarah, I don’t want you to go!” Kael pulled me aside with a grim face. “Elena, there’s a limit to being unreasonable. Don’t give Sarah a hard time during the New Year!” Looking at how they protected Sarah. I swung my hand away from Kael in despair, “If she won’t leave, I will!” Seeing me truly turning to leave, Kael panicked. He reached out to grab me. In my hurry to dodge, I accidentally pushed Sarah, who was trying to block me. My own head slammed heavily against the nearby bookshelf. Blood trickled down through my hair. In a daze, I saw Kael frantically picking up Sarah. Leo’s eyes were also full of careness. “Aunt Sarah, are you okay?” My heart went cold. I walked past them, step by step, heading outside. Seeing this, Kael hurriedly put Sarah down. “Elena, I…” Before he could explain anything, my vision went black, and I fainted. Before sinking into darkness, I summoned the system: [System, was it a mistake for me to come back?]

When I opened my eyes again, I was already lying in bed. The tears on Leo’s face hadn’t even dried yet; seeing me wake up, he immediately threw himself onto me. “Mom, you’re finally awake! I was so scared you wouldn’t want me anymore!” My heart trembled. Just as I was about to wipe his tears, Kael stepped forward and gripped my hand tightly, his voice shaking. “Is there anywhere else you feel unwell?” I tried hard to pull my hand away, but he held it tighter. “Elena, it’s New Year. Let’s not fight, okay? As long as you don’t leave me, I’ll do anything.” I curled my lips, “Fine! Make Sarah leave! This is my home; I don’t want her here!” Kael froze, hesitation and conflict flashing across his face. He turned his head away, trying to avoid the topic. Suddenly, Sarah pushed the door open and walked in. Her eyes were red, and her voice choked with emotion: “Elena, don’t fight with Kael. I was always the extra person in this house; the one who should leave is me.” She took a protection charm from her bag and stuffed it into Leo’s hand. “Little Leo, I prayed for this for you a while ago. I hope your life is smooth.” Then her gaze lingered on Kael. But fearing she would provoke me, she quickly withdrew her eyes, forcing a smile that looked more painful than crying. “Thank you for your care, Alpha Kael. We shouldn’t see each other again.” After saying that, she turned and left before we could react. Leo gasped and rushed out crying. Kael instinctively wanted to chase her, but when his gaze swept over me, he stopped himself. He held me tightly in his arms as before, gently stroking my hair: “Elena, look, Sarah is gone. Don’t overthink things anymore; you’re the only one in my heart.” I looked down at the name “Sarah” sewn onto the bedsheets and smiled bitterly. Sarah moved out, and all her things were cleared away. It was as if she had never appeared. Our mating photos were hung back on the wall. Just as I was happy that our family of three could finally be together. I discovered that Kael, who never smoked, now smelled of tobacco every day since Sarah left. Leo also locked himself in his room all day, staring dazed at that protection charm. I heard the pack servants whispering: “The Luna is so petty, actually driving Miss Sarah away.” “Does she think that by kicking her out, she can actually fit into this home again?” My face instantly turned pale. [System, was I wrong?] [This is clearly my home. Sarah occupied it for so many years; shouldn’t she leave?] The system sighed: [Host, when people spend time together, it’s hard not to develop feelings.] [It’s natural for them to miss Sarah.] I pursed my lips and said nothing more. I stubbornly thought that if I treated Kael and Leo well, they would gradually forget Sarah. I personally took care of everything for them, even waking up at five in the morning to prepare breakfast. Until one day when I had a fever, the system’s voice rang in my ear again: [The breakfast you made was thrown into the trash by them!] I gritted my teeth and walked out of the room, just in time to see Leo throwing away the buns I had steamed. He muttered: “If only Aunt Sarah were here. I don’t like buns; I want steak!” Kael, standing nearby, didn’t scold him. Instead, he smiled and took his hand. “Dad will take you to find Aunt Sarah right now!” Even though I had a fever, I felt a chill all over my body. With a pale face, I followed Kael to another nearby villa. The door was slightly ajar. Leo threw himself into Sarah’s arms, acting spoiled: “Aunt Sarah, I missed you so much!” Kael naturally took the dishes from her hands. “I’ll do such trifles like cooking; you can rest.” It turned out Sarah had never left. Kael had secretly hidden her here. I clenched my fists so hard my nails dug into my flesh before I finally regained my senses. I pushed the door open expressionlessly: “So you three really are the real family!”

The air in the villa was filled with awkwardness. Leo quickly pulled back from Sarah’s arms, a flash of panic in his eyes. “Mom, why… why are you here?” Kael’s face, which had been smiling, instantly froze, and he instinctively stepped in front of Sarah. “Elena, don’t give Sarah a hard time. Leo and I were the ones who wanted to find her.” Looking at how they avoided me like the plague while racing to protect Sarah. I felt a sudden pang of heartache. All my logic collapsed in that instant, and I screamed at them almost heart-wrenchingly: “Didn’t you say you’d never contact her again? Why did you come here! Do you want to be with her that badly!” Sarah pushed Kael aside and rushed to explain to me. “Elena, don’t misunderstand, we…” “I didn’t misunderstand!” Before Sarah could finish, I pushed her away. “You knew I was back, yet you still tried to take my place! Sarah, do you like being a homewrecker that much!” Sarah didn’t stand firm and fell to the ground. Leo hurried to help her up with heartache, his eyes filled with more resentment toward me. “Mom, why do you have to make things difficult for Aunt Sarah!” Kael frowned, looking at me with total disappointment: “Elena, when did you become so vicious? How could you say such things!” “If it wasn’t for Sarah these past three years…” Hearing Kael mention those three years, tears finally poured out uncontrollably. I raised my hand and slapped him across the face. “If it wasn’t to save you back then, how would I have been in a coma for three years?” “This is clearly what you owe me, yet from your mouth, I’ve become the sinner!” The motivation that kept me going in the other world for three years was Kael and Leo. But now, they were telling me with their actions. Just how stupid I was for wanting to come back! Kael’s expression changed instantly! Leo glared at me angrily: “It’s your fault for bullying Aunt Sarah. You must apologize to her! Otherwise, I’ll pretend I don’t have a mother!” I stood there stunned. My son’s words shattered the last bit of hope I had for this family. After a while, I laughed mockingly at myself, “Fine, then just pretend you don’t have a mother.” “Don’t you all like Sarah and want to be with her? I’ll fulfill your wish.” After saying that, I turned to leave. Kael tried to pull me, “Elena!” I shook him off mercilessly and walked out step by step. [System, I regret it.] [Take me back to the mission world tomorrow.] This home, Kael, and my son—I don’t want any of them anymore. The system was silent for a while, then finally agreed to my request. [Tomorrow I will arrange an accident to help you return to the mission world.]

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A real estate agent called to say our house had sold. He wanted to know when we could transfer the deed. I didn’t follow. We still lived there. When had we put it on the market? I called Leo. He laughed and said the agent must have dialed the wrong number. I hung up. For the first time in years, I filed for leave from the base. Then I called my father — Director Raymond Mercer of the Public Security Bureau. “Dad. Leo’s cheating. Get me a lawyer and start the divorce papers. As fast as possible.” — “Excuse me — the police residential compound. Step on it. I need to catch someone in the act.” The driver didn’t need to be told twice. He floored it. A one-hour drive. Thirty minutes door to door. I showed my ID at the gate and walked in. But at my own front door, the keypad wouldn’t take my code. My stomach dropped. Leo had changed the locks. I was still running through combinations when the neighbor came home and spotted me. “Who are you? What are you doing in front of Chief Graves’ house? How did you even get past the gate? Tell me right now or I’m calling someone.” I’d been away too long. None of the neighbors knew my face. “I’m Chief Graves’ wife,” I said, keeping my voice steady. “I work out of town. I got a few days off and came back to see our daughter.” The neighbor’s eyes narrowed. She looked me up and down twice. “His wife? I know his wife. I’ve seen her plenty of times — she’s a doctor at the city hospital. Drops their daughter Miya off at school every morning, picks her up every afternoon. So who exactly are you supposed to be?” She shook her head. “You look like a decent person. Don’t tell me you’re actually the other woman. Have some self-respect.” My hands closed into fists at my sides. Leo. I’m not even cold in the ground and you’re already replacing her mother. I was about to identify myself when the neighbor’s face lit up behind me. “Oh! Dr. Durant — leaving work early today?” I turned around. A woman stood behind me. Fine-featured. Composed. My eyes went to her wrist first — my mother’s Patek Philippe. Then to the suit she was wearing — the one I’d had custom-made for our wedding. She looked up. Her face went pale the moment she saw mine. I raised an eyebrow. Felicity Durant. I recognized her from high school. She’d been notorious back then — smoking behind the bleachers, scraping the bottom of every class ranking, never made it past community college. And now she was a doctor at the city’s top hospital? She saw me at the door and the blood left her face all at once. Her mouth opened. Closed. Then: “Scarlett.” The word came out like she’d stepped on something sharp. “You’re — why are you back?” I didn’t answer right away. I let the silence sit there. Then I crossed my arms. “Problem with that?” My voice came out flat. “It’s my house. Better question — what are you doing at my door?” Her eyes cut sideways to the neighbor, still hovering and watching. She stepped toward me. Her hand went for my arm. “Not here.” Her voice dropped, urgent. “There’s a café two blocks down — let’s just go there and I can explain everything—” I moved my arm before she made contact. “Why would we go anywhere?” “We’re standing right in front of the door.” “Unless there’s something on the other side of it you don’t want me to see.” She flinched at my words. Then she leaned in, voice dropping to almost nothing. “It’s not what you think. There was a break-in — at my place, a while back. One of the suspects got away. Leo was worried he’d come back and — he offered the spare room. Just until things settled down. Please, you have to believe me—” Every word a new hole. She thought I was going to swallow that. I kept my jaw tight. “That so.” I held her eyes. “Then why are your hands shaking. And why won’t this door open.” She hadn’t expected me to keep pushing. Her gaze slid off mine, landed nowhere. Her mouth moved and nothing came out. My patience ran out. “Open it. Or I’ll have the door blown off.” That landed. Her hands were trembling as she reached for the keypad. A beep. The lock clicked open. I walked in without looking at her.

The first thing I saw was a pair of women’s slippers in the entryway that weren’t mine. A scarf thrown over the couch. A woman’s blazer folded across the armrest. And underneath it all, something floral. Faint. A perfume I didn’t own. Leo had been bringing someone home. Felicity could see my face changing. She kept talking anyway. “Scarlett, just let me explain—” The words came out slower and slower. The sentences stopped making sense. She was filling air and she knew it. I was about to speak. A little girl exploded out of the hallway and launched herself at Felicity. “Mommy! You’re home! Cici missed you so much — can we wait for Daddy and all go out for dinner together?” She was about Miya’s age. She was wearing Miya’s dress. The limited-edition one. The one I’d hunted down specifically for Miya last spring. Everything landed at once. Leo hadn’t just cheated. She’d been handing my daughter’s things to this child. I stared at the two of them. “Where’s Miya?” My voice came out flat. Cold. Felicity’s face collapsed. Cici didn’t notice. She spun toward me, furious. “Who are you? Get out of my house! That Miya is just a little beggar—” Felicity’s hand came down over her mouth. Fast. Something dropped in my stomach. I moved. Room to room, every closet, every corner, every space big enough to hold a child. I didn’t slow down. I didn’t stop. Felicity was right behind me the whole time, pulling at my arm, begging me to stop, trying to step in front of me. I shoved her back and kept going. Nothing. No trace of Miya anywhere. Every room was clear. That left the basement. A thought crossed my mind and my vision went white at the edges. My foot was already moving toward the door. Felicity threw herself in front of it. I don’t know where she found the strength — she hit me like she meant it, both hands, full weight. I rounded on her. “Move. Or I take you down with the door.” Then a voice behind me. “What kind of lunatic puts her hands on my wife.” Leo. He was through the door before I could turn around. One kick, straight into my back. I went down hard. He didn’t look at me once. He was already at Felicity’s side, both hands on her face, checking her over. “Felicity. Mrs. Green called — said some lunatic broke in.” His voice was soft, urgent. “Did she hurt you?” Felicity leaned into her shoulder and said nothing. Her eyes had gone red around the edges. Leo’s face tightened. He pulled her closer, voice dropping to a murmur. “It’s okay. I’m here. Anyone who thinks they can walk into a cop’s house and put their hands on my wife—” He turned his head toward me. The threat died in his throat. A crowd had gathered in the doorway without either of us noticing. Neighbors, five or six of them, all talking at once. “Chief Graves — that’s the woman. She said she was your wife. Walked right in.” “Been tearing through your whole house too. Bold as anything. You’d think even a thief would know better than to pull this in a cop’s home.” Leo’s eyes moved to the crowd. Something shifted in them. He looked away from me. I stared at her and didn’t blink. “Leo. Aren’t you going to explain yourself?” A bead of sweat ran down the side of Leo’s face. Felicity caught it. Her hands flew up to cover her face, shoulders shaking at exactly the right moment. “Leo — it hurts. She just burst in and started hitting me, trying to kick me — if you hadn’t come back when you did, I — I think she might have actually killed me—” She kept talking. While she talked, she reached down and pinched the inside of her own arm. Hard. Then she pushed her sleeve up and showed the mark, a strip of red already darkening at the edges. Cici’s crying started right on cue. “Daddy I’m so scared, the crazy lady was going to hurt Momy, I don’t want to be an orphan—” Leo had been hesitating. But he saw the bruise on Felicity’s arm and he saw Cici’s tears and something in his face went vicious. He turned on me. “Scarlett Mercer. Apologize to Felicity. Right now. I don’t care what your problem is — you don’t put your hands on people.” A laugh almost came out of me. “Has your conscience completely rotted out, or are your eyes just decorative?” My voice came out hard. “She says it and you just believe it? She’s lying to your face. You want to talk about who’s making accusations — do you need me to pull out our marriage certificate—” Leo’s expression cracked. He cut me off before I could finish. “What are you talking about? What marriage certificate? I have never been married to you.” His voice went sharp and loud. “My wife is Felicity. My wife has always been Felicity. I know exactly what you are — you think I haven’t seen women like you before? Trying to leech off someone else’s life. Get out of my house.”

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After I was reborn, when Vince Costello’s personal assistant, Bella, once again slipped a dog collar around my neck as a joke while I was sleeping, I didn’t pull out my Glock and press it to her head like I did in my last life. And I didn’t smash half the crystal chandeliers in the Westchester estate and scream for a divorce when Vince defended her. I just sat up, unclasped the damned chain from my neck, and dropped it on the floor. “She’s got some nerve,” I said to Vince, my voice terrifyingly calm. “You two have fun.” I grabbed my trench coat from the nightstand. “I’m done. Happy anniversary.” Then I walked out of the bedroom without looking back. I had no choice. My last life was a nightmare after I left Vince. He treated me like a family traitor—all my bank accounts were frozen overnight, every credit card canceled. I searched all over Manhattan for a divorce lawyer willing to take a “gray case” and ended up with a check for forty-eight dollars. The moment they heard the name Costello, they wouldn’t even let me in their offices. Worse, right after I escaped New York, I was diagnosed with late-stage adenocarcinoma at a free clinic in New Jersey. The doctor said I had six months, tops. No insurance, no money. The cost of late-stage cancer treatment was astronomical. I tried to apply for Medicaid, but the process was too slow. I contacted several medical charities, but they all rejected me, saying my case “didn’t meet priority assistance criteria.” The pain devoured me like a wild animal. I survived on ibuprofen from CVS, and then I couldn’t even afford that. At my most desperate, I swallowed all my pride and crawled back to Vince’s estate on Long Island. It was a late December night, right after a blizzard. I knelt in the snow outside the iron gates, begging the guard through the intercom to let Vince know I was there. Vince’s voice came through, as cold as ice. “You chose to leave, Ava. It was over the moment you walked out that door. Don’t come crawling back.” Then he hung up. I collapsed in the snow. My body temperature was dropping, my consciousness fading. In my last moments, I saw him through the iron bars. He had his arm around Bella in the rose garden I had so carefully tended to. They were drinking champagne from the Waterford crystal glasses I had picked out, and then they kissed. I died right outside my own home. So in this life, fuck dignity. Survival is the only thing that matters. … But I didn’t expect Vince to follow me. He caught me at the end of the hallway, still in his robe. “Ava, wait.” There was a rare urgency in his voice. “Just… hear me out.” He paused, as if trying to find the right words. “Bella’s young, she doesn’t think. The dog collar—I know it was messed up, but it was just a stupid prank.” “Her father worked for my father. She’s seen me as family since we were kids. She doesn’t know boundaries,” he said, rubbing his brow. “You are my wife. Don’t let her get to you.” He had said those exact same words in my last life. Back then, Bella had just burned the back of my hand with a Zippo lighter custom-made for the Costello family, the one with their crest engraved on it. I was shaking from the pain, and hearing Vince’s casual defense of her made me snap. I pulled the Glock 19 he’d given me from my waistband and fired three shots into the marble floor at his feet. Shards of stone flew everywhere. All the core family members were there, including his father. “We’re done!” I shrieked, then stormed out of the estate.

Thinking back now, I was so stupid. Did I really think a woman who was an artist could threaten the boss of New York’s biggest crime family? The reality was, as I walked all night in the winter rain, my Louboutins rubbing my ankles raw and my fever spiking to 103… as I curled up waiting to die in a cheap motel on the Lower East Side, Vince didn’t even send anyone to look for me. He flew to Sicily with Bella that same night. A picture of him adjusting her gun holster and a video of her kissing his cheek on tiptoe spread through the family’s encrypted chat groups the next day. It was sickeningly ironic. I couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh. Seeing my expression, Vince suddenly yanked his hand away from my wrist. “I’m tired of repeating myself, Ava,” he said, his voice turning cold. “Bella’s father was loyal to my father. I look out for her because of that. Nothing more.” “It’s just a mark on your neck. Put some Neosporin on it. It’ll be gone in two days.” His eyes grew distant. “Stop imagining things between us. You’re being paranoid.” I saw the chill in his eyes, and a bitter feeling rose in my chest. Not for him. For that foolish woman in my past life. In my past life, after I left him, the cancer tormented me beyond belief. The chemo side effects made me vomit blood every day. When the pain hit, I would claw at the walls until my fingernails broke. I lived in a moldy basement in New Jersey that cost four hundred dollars a month and didn’t even have heat. I was so broke that I even went to a pawn shop to sell the engagement ring he gave me—a three-carat black diamond Tiffany custom piece engraved with the Costello family crest. The pawn shop owner offered five thousand dollars. I stared at that ring for a full ten minutes before putting it back in my pocket. When the doctor told me I had a month left, I dragged my eighty-pound body onto the Long Island Rail Road for a two-hour ride back to the estate. I told myself he had once knelt in the blood of my parents and sworn to protect me for the rest of my life. Maybe… maybe he still remembered. But when the guard announced me, Vince’s voice came through the intercom, as calm as if he were talking about the weather. “She made her choice. Tell her to leave.” I knelt outside the iron gate, my forehead pressed against the cold metal bars. “Vince, please…” My voice was so hoarse I could barely speak. “I’m dying. I just want to… see you one more time.” Only static came from the intercom. Then he hung up. I knelt there in the snow until all the warmth left my body. In my final moment, I saw him and Bella in the rose garden. The roses were David Austins I had ordered from Portland, the ones I pruned and fertilized every weekend. They clinked the Waterford crystal glasses I had chosen, and then they kissed. In that moment, the death of my heart hurt more than the cancer. Now, I quickly composed myself. “I’m not jealous, Vince,” I said calmly. “And I’m not mad at Bella.” “I’m just tired. I need some space.” I looked at him. “You should get back to your guests. It’s your anniversary party, after all.” A flicker of shock crossed Vince’s face. He probably didn’t expect me to be so calm. Without another glance, I turned and walked toward the night-shrouded driveway. The estate’s security lights cast my shadow long behind me. I heard him call my name, but I didn’t turn back. This time, I just want to live. Nothing else matters.

It was two in the morning by the time I got back to the SoHo penthouse. Vince bought the apartment for me after we got married—a 4,000-square-foot loft in a converted 1920s industrial building, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking all of lower Manhattan. Only my name was on the deed. It was part of the prenup. His legal team spent three months drafting the two-hundred-page document. I bolted the door and the first thing I did was text my private doctor. Need a full cancer screening. Tomorrow morning, if possible. Paying cash. At 2:30 a.m., she replied. There’s an opening at Memorial Sloan Kettering at 7 a.m. I’ll arrange it. Is everything okay? Memorial Sloan Kettering. The best cancer hospital in New York. Last time, I couldn’t even get in the door. I replied: Just a check-up. Thanks, Dr. Chen. Putting my phone down, I walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows. The Manhattan skyline was a sea of lights. This city never sleeps—even now, there were taxis and people on the streets. I used to love this city. When I was at RISD, I would take the Amtrak to New York every weekend, wandering through the galleries in SoHo and the art districts in Brooklyn. Then I gave it all up for Vince. RISD offered me a full scholarship for my master’s. I turned it down. A curator at MoMA saw my work and wanted to give me a solo show. I turned that down, too. I spent all my time learning how to be a “proper mob boss’s wife”—how to cook Italian food, how to taste wine, how to maintain a polite smile at family gatherings. How ridiculous. My phone suddenly buzzed. Vince was back. He pushed the door open, yanking off his tie, his brow furrowed with annoyance. “What the hell was that, Ava?” “You embarrassed me in front of everyone. Just walking out like that?” Ever since Bella became his “special assistant,” Vince had become increasingly harsh with me. He could find fault in anything I did—the coffee was too weak, the dinner too salty, the dress I was wearing “inappropriate for a family event.” In my last life, it was his change in attitude, coupled with Bella’s constant provocations, that made me lose control time and time again. I suppressed the tightness in my chest. “Vince, believe it or not, I’m not throwing a tantrum.” “Look.” I pulled down the collar of my shirt, revealing the ligature mark already hidden by foundation. “I’ve already covered it up. So no, I’m not holding a grudge.” He froze for a second. “I just need to get some sleep. That’s all.” With that, I went into the bathroom and locked the door. When I came out of the shower, Vince was gone. But my burner phone was buzzing nonstop. Bella. It was her habit—whenever she was with Vince, she’d send me pictures. Using my phone as her personal photo album. In my last life, I would break down crying or storm into Vince’s office every time I saw them. Now, I opened the message. The first photo: they were in the study at the estate. Vince was looking at documents, and Bella was standing behind him, her hands on his shoulders. The second: in the car, Bella taking a selfie while Vince drove. The third: Bella holding a champagne glass, with the estate’s terrace in the background. I calmly typed back. Wrong angle. The shadow on his left cheek is more flattering. Hold the phone higher. And there’s too much empty space in the second one. Makes you two look distant. A few seconds later, Bella replied. Did someone hack your account??? I sent a smiley face emoji. Nope. Just a friendly tip—Vince is all yours now. I closed the chat. Then I blocked her. Putting my phone down, I felt a wave of relief I’d never felt before. This love triangle was fine by me: I wanted the status of being the Costello family matriarch and the unlimited AmEx Black Card. As for Vince’s body and soul, Bella could have them. Unlike last time, when I was foolish enough to believe love could conquer all.

After dealing with Bella, I lay down and tried to sleep. But I couldn’t. Even reborn, the nightmares still came. I dreamt of my teenage years again. Back then, we lived in Red Hook, Brooklyn—a neighborhood filled with dockworkers and Italian immigrants. My family lived on Third Avenue, Vince’s across the street. His father was the former boss of the Costello family, known for his iron fist. Because Vince was quiet and withdrawn, he was disciplined harshly from a young age. Late at night, I could often hear sounds from their training yard across the street—the crack of a whip, gunshots, and low, stern reprimands. He’d get beaten every time he failed his combat training or shooting drills. I always felt sorry for him back then. So whenever I got candy, I would secretly slip it into the pocket of the coat he left hanging on his door, along with a sticky note. Eat one. It helps. The first time he caught me, his ears turned bright red. “I… I don’t like sweets.” I just smiled and waved my hand. “Then don’t eat it. But Vince, you should talk more. You have a nice voice.” It became our routine. The boy who was always alone started waiting for me. We would walk together down the cobblestone alleys of Red Hook, and sit on the edge of the abandoned pier to watch the sunset. Then, the year he turned eighteen, right before he was sent to a private academy in Switzerland as the family heir, he came to find me. He handed me a brochure for the Rhode Island School of Design. “I looked it up. The security is good, and it’s close to where I’ll be based.” He paused. “Your grades might not get you into the undergrad program, but… there’s a pre-college program. A summer session. I can pay the tuition.” I never told him my parents had already planned to send me to Florence to study art. They were successful gallery owners and could easily afford it. But I secretly changed my application and chose RISD. My father yelled at me for an hour, but I never regretted it. Later, we ended up in the same region—he was in New Haven, Connecticut, “learning the family business,” while I was studying art in Providence, Rhode-I. Free from his father’s control, Vince became a different person. He ditched his thick glasses for contacts, cut his hair short, and started wearing Tom Ford suits. He even learned to play Chopin and Rachmaninoff. I didn’t know why he changed. Until one day, I was celebrating in my studio at RISD for my upcoming solo exhibition when he suddenly appeared at the door. His eyes were red. “I changed everything for you,” he said, grabbing my wrist. “Can’t you just… look at me?” “I’m in love with you, Ava. I have been since we were kids.” In that moment, my heart felt like it had been shot. Of course, I’d heard the rumors about him—how he’d cleaned out family traitors at sixteen, taken over half the East Coast arms trade at eighteen, and was already considered the next boss by twenty. Countless women documented his “transformation” on anonymous, Gossip Girl-style forums, complete with candid photos. I thought a world of blood separated us. But he said he was in love with me. Without thinking, I stood on my toes and kissed him.

We got together after that. I spent all my time researching how to brew his Lavazza coffee, how to pick out Hermès cufflinks, how to choose Blue Note jazz vinyls. My life had no plan; it just revolved around him. Meanwhile, Vince’s life continued its meteoric rise. He consolidated the family’s power, eliminated his rivals, and was officially crowned Don at twenty-three. Even the New York Post reported on it—though they didn’t dare call him a “mob boss,” just a “shipping magnate.” It was an ironic contrast to me. I gave up my art and became his accessory. Even more cruelly, my parents were killed by a car bomb planted by his enemies on their way to see my art show. The NYPD ruled it an “accidental explosion due to vehicle malfunction.” But I knew the truth—my father’s gallery had once refused to launder money for a rival family. Now an orphan, I clutched their charred belongings and cried until I passed out. Vince knelt before me in the funeral home in Brooklyn, under his father’s grim gaze, and swore he would take care of me for the rest of my life. A month later, we got married at City Hall. No wedding, no guests. Just two witnesses—his lawyer and my best friend. After we married, I had multiple miscarriages. The first at six weeks, the second at ten, the third at thirteen. The doctors said my body was “unsuitable for pregnancy” and suggested surrogacy or adoption. Vince said it was okay, but I could see his father’s disappointment. The Costello family needed an heir. My health deteriorated. Insomnia, anxiety, depression. Until Vince met Bella. She was the daughter of his father’s most trusted man, studying international relations and criminology at Columbia University. She interned at Vince’s “company” and quickly became his special assistant. She could discuss the arms market, turf wars, and how to handle FBI investigations with him. She could accompany him to any bloody scene—underground fights, smuggling docks, family “clean-ups.” All I could ask him was, “What do you want for dinner?” or “Does this tie match this suit?” He started to find me empty. I could see it. My eyes started to burn. When I opened them, it was already light out. The pillow was wet again. There was a text from Vince on my phone. Going to see the old man this afternoon. Connecticut. Be ready by two. I looked at the message and replied calmly. Can’t make it. The phone rang immediately. “Why?” Vince’s voice was tight with suppressed anger. “Ava, seriously. There’s nothing going on with Bella and me. Why are you still stuck on this?” Hearing him bring up Bella again, unprompted, made me want to laugh. Vince was always a man of few words. This was the first time he’d ever explained something so many times. Was he trying to convince me, or himself? A sharp pain shot through my chest. “I don’t feel well. I have a doctor’s appointment.” I paused. “Besides, your father has a heart condition. He never liked me—said I was too ‘artsy’ for this family. Why raise his blood pressure?” “And anyway…” my tone was even, “doesn’t he always say someone like Bella is a better fit for you? You should take her.” I was genuinely suggesting it. But Vince exploded. “Fine. Keep throwing your tantrum. Just don’t come crying to me later.” He hung up. I listened to the dial tone and laughed out loud. See, that’s the difference between being loved and not. The Vince who used to love me would panic if I so much as frowned, asking if he’d done something wrong. The Vince who didn’t love me anymore thought I was throwing a tantrum even when I was giving him sincere advice.

I didn’t waste any time. I took an Uber straight to Memorial Sloan Kettering on the Upper East Side. I turned off my phone and left it in the apartment. I was afraid it would mess with my head. This check-up was about whether I would repeat my past mistakes. I arrived at seven in the morning, right on time. The Memorial Sloan Kettering building was a fortress of glass and steel at the corner of 68th and York. This was the top cancer treatment center in the country—if there was a cure for cancer, it was in this building. When the receptionist saw the name “Costello” on my appointment, her attitude shifted immediately. “Mrs. Costello, Dr. Chen is waiting for you. Please follow me to the VIP area.” The VIP area was on the twelfth floor. It was decorated like a five-star hotel—teak floors, modern art on the walls, a Nespresso machine, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the East River. It was a world away from the free clinic I went to in New Jersey in my last life. That clinic was in an industrial area of Newark. The plastic chairs in the waiting room were cracked, the fluorescent lights flickered, and the air always smelled of disinfectant and sweat. I had to wait in line for three or four hours every time, just to see a doctor for ten minutes. And their equipment was ancient—the CT machine was from the 1990s and sometimes jammed. It took a week to get results, but the bill was still thousands of dollars. In my last life, I had no insurance. Vince froze all my accounts after the divorce, including my health insurance. I tried to apply for Medicaid, but the process took three months, and I couldn’t wait that long. I had to sell everything—my Hermès bags, my Cartier watch, my Tiffany jewelry. I sold each piece for a fraction of its worth because I needed the cash. In the end, I even took my wedding ring to a pawn shop. The owner was a bald Jewish man with thick glasses. He looked at the three-carat black diamond ring with a magnifying glass for a long time before offering five thousand dollars. “The market price is at least a hundred and fifty thousand,” I said. “Market price is market price, cash is cash,” he shrugged. “Do you want the money or not?” I held the ring, my fingers trembling. In the end, I put it back in my pocket. I’d rather die than sell it. How pathetic. Now, Dr. Chen walked into the exam room, holding an iPad. She was in her forties, Chinese-American, a Columbia Med school graduate, and the chief of oncology at MSK. “Ava,” she said, sitting down with a serious expression. “I’ll be direct. When you texted me at two in the morning asking for an emergency screening, I was very worried.” “Is there something you haven’t told me? Any symptoms?” I took a deep breath. “I just… have a bad feeling. Family history, you know.” It was a lie, of course. But I couldn’t exactly say, “I died of cancer in my last life, so I’d like to get checked.” Dr. Chen nodded. “Alright. We’ll do a full workup. CT, MRI, bloodwork—tumor markers, genetic testing, everything. I’ve also scheduled you for a PET scan and an endoscopy.” “Given your request, I’m treating this as a high priority. Preliminary results will be back in three days.” Three days. In my last life, it took a week just to get CT results. For the next ten days, I stayed in a VIP room at MSK. The room was like a hotel suite—king-sized bed, private bathroom, Netflix, and gourmet meals three times a day. The window looked out over the East River, and in the evening, the sunset would paint the entire room gold. I underwent all sorts of tests: CT, MRI, PET scan, colonoscopy, endoscopy, bone marrow biopsy. Every time they drew blood, the nurse used the thinnest needle and applied a numbing cream first. “You’ll barely feel a thing, Mrs. Costello.”

In my last life, at that clinic in New Jersey, the nurse used a thick needle and would miss the vein on the first try, leaving my arm covered in purple bruises. This is what money does in the American healthcare system. If you have money, you get a VIP room, the latest drugs, and the best doctors. If you don’t, you wait in line for four hours, use outdated equipment, and want to cry when you see the bill. On the tenth day, Dr. Chen came with the report. She sat down by my bed, her expression complicated. “Ava, I have news. And it’s… a bit complex.” My heart skipped a beat. “We found something. Adenocarcinoma. But it’s early—Stage 1A, to be exact.” “The tumor is small, localized, and hasn’t spread to the lymph nodes. The survival rate after treatment is over 90%.” She paused. “I’m so sorry. I know this is terrifying. But you caught it incredibly early. Most people are asymptomatic at this stage.” As I listened to her, tears suddenly welled up in my eyes. But they weren’t tears of fear. They were tears of relief. I finally have a chance to live. “Can… can you treat it?” my voice trembled. “Of course. We’ll start with surgery to remove the tumor, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy to clear out any remaining cancer cells. Given the early stage, we can use targeted therapies with minimal side effects.” She took my hand. “Ava, you’re going to be okay. I promise.” I signed the treatment consent forms that day. The surgery was scheduled for a week later. Chemo would start after I recovered. Dr. Chen created a personalized treatment plan for me—the latest targeted drug, Keytruda, combined with a low-dose chemo regimen. Six cycles, once every three weeks. “The side effects will be managed,” she said. “Hair loss, fatigue, some nausea. But not as severe as traditional chemo. We’ll monitor you closely.” The cost was astronomical. Surgery: one hundred and twenty thousand dollars. Chemotherapy: thirty-five thousand per session, totaling two hundred and ten thousand for six. Targeted therapy: forty thousand a month, for a total of two hundred and forty thousand over six months. Hospital stay: The VIP room was twenty-five hundred a day, estimated at seventy-five thousand for a month. The grand total: over six hundred thousand dollars. When the nurse gave me the bill, she said cautiously, “Mrs. Costello, we can set up a payment plan if you need…” I pulled out the American Express Black Card. “Put it all on the card.” She stared for a moment, then nodded. “Of course. I’ll process that right away.” In my last life, I couldn’t even afford a ten-thousand-dollar down payment. That New Jersey clinic demanded cash upfront before they would operate. I begged them with the five thousand dollars I got from selling my jewelry, but they refused. “We need at least a 50% deposit, ma’am. It’s hospital policy.” I knelt in the billing office, crying and pleading with the financial administrator. “Please. I’m dying. I’ll find a way to pay, I swear…” She looked at me with pity, but mostly helplessness. “I’m sorry. I really am. But I don’t make the rules.” In the end, I had to forgo the surgery and live on painkillers. I bought them on the gray market—expired OxyContin, ten dollars a pill. I only took one when the pain was unbearable because I couldn’t afford more. Now, I lay in my bed at Memorial Sloan Kettering, looking out at the New York skyline. This time, I have money, the best doctors, and a chance to live. But at what cost? Being tied to a man who no longer loves me. Is it worth it? I looked at the wedding ring on my finger. The black diamond glittered in the sunlight, cold and beautiful. It’s worth it. To live, everything is worth it.

The surgery was a success. Dr. Chen removed the tumor, and the lymph node biopsy showed no spread. “Clean margins,” she said. “We got it all.” Recovery took two weeks. Then chemo began. The first session was on a Wednesday morning. The nurse took me to the infusion center—a bright room with a dozen reclining chairs, each with an IV stand beside it. The windows overlooked the East River, and Monet prints hung on the walls. Soft music played from a Spotify playlist—Norah Jones, Coldplay, Bon Iver. The nurse set up my IV, and the drugs began to drip into my veins. Keytruda and a low dose of Carboplatin. I felt nothing for the first two hours. In the third hour, the nausea started. The nurse immediately gave me an anti-nausea shot of Zofran. The sickness eased, but it lingered. In the fourth hour, fatigue washed over me like a tidal wave. I closed my eyes, listening to the drip of the IV machine, feeling my body in a tug-of-war with death. The side effects were a little worse than Dr. Chen had described. Week one: Nausea, vomiting, total exhaustion. I could only manage small amounts of plain porridge and crackers. Anything else made me want to throw up. Week two: My hair started falling out. First a few strands, then handfuls. I stood in front of the bathroom mirror, looking at the clumps in the drain, and cried. Week three: Mouth sores, loss of taste, numbness in my hands and feet. I couldn’t even drink water and had to get fluids through an IV. But I didn’t experience the soul-crushing pain of my last life. Because it was early stage. Because I was on the best drugs. Because I had money. After the second cycle, I had lost fifteen pounds. Dr. Chen suggested I shave my head. “It’s all going to fall out anyway. Better to take control of the process.” She was right. I had a stylist come to my hospital room and shave it all off. Looking at my bald self in the mirror, I smiled. “Not bad. Very Furiosa.” The nurse laughed. “You’re handling this better than most patients, Mrs. Costello.” I didn’t tell her this was my second time with cancer. I already had my breakdown in the last life. This time, I just wanted to live. Before the third cycle, I needed to pay for the next round of treatment. A nurse came to my room to notify me. “Mrs. Costello, we need to process the payment for your next cycle. The total is seventy-three thousand, five hundred dollars.” I nodded and took out the black card. She took it to run the charge. Five minutes later, she returned, looking embarrassed. “Um… Mrs. Costello, the card was declined. The system says the account has been frozen.” I froze for a second. Then I smiled. Of course. Vince froze the card. I put my coat on over my hospital gown, slipped on a wig (a gift from a nurse who said it would make me “look less scary”), and took an Uber to Vince’s headquarters in Midtown Manhattan. The Costello “Shipping Corporation” headquarters was on Fifth Avenue, a 1930s Art Deco building, thirty stories high, with Vince’s office on the top floor. When I reached the entrance, security immediately stopped me. “Ma’am, do you have an appointment with Mr. Costello?” I looked at him—he was in his twenties, Italian-American, clearly new to the family business. I pulled my marriage certificate out of my purse. “Does this work?” He glanced at it, and his face changed. “Mrs. Costello. I’m so sorry, I didn’t recognize you. Please, this way.” He led me through the marble lobby to a private elevator that went to the top floor. Every employee we passed stared at me. I knew what I looked like—bald (the wig wasn’t sitting right), in a hospital gown, thin as a piece of paper, with the tape from an IV still on the back of my hand. I looked like a walking corpse. But I didn’t care. In my last life, after the divorce, I came to this building to try to borrow money. But back then, I didn’t even make it past the front door before security threw me out. Because all I had was a divorce decree, not a marriage certificate. The elevator reached the thirtieth floor. As the doors opened, I could hear laughter and chatter from the office area. “So, Miss Bella, is it true the boss is finally divorcing that wife of his? About time, I say.” “Right? I’ve worked here for three years and I’ve never even seen her. Heard she’s just some artist. An orphan, too. She was lucky to marry him.” “Yeah, last time the boss met with that Russian arms dealer, the guy kept asking where you were, Miss Bella. Said the boss wouldn’t even touch his vodka without you there to toast with him.” Bella chuckled lightly. “Come on, guys. The boss and I are just colleagues. My father trusts him, that’s why I’m here.” “But…” She paused. “A divorce? It won’t be long.” I stood in the hallway, listening to this conversation, a sarcastic smile playing on my lips. The difference between being loved and not? Before Bella came along, Vince forbade anyone from gossiping in the office. Anyone who broke the rule was fired immediately. But now, they could be so casual. I pushed the door open and walked into the office. Everyone turned to look at me, their faces filled with shock. I said calmly, “Sorry to disappoint you all. Your boss won’t be getting a divorce.” “He’ll be a widower first.”

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Three years into my marriage, I walked into a Swiss immigration office for my residence permit. The officer told me I wasn’t his wife. After we got married, Alistair got recruited by ETH Zurich with a three-hundred-thousand-franc package. I gave up everything to move from the States to Switzerland with him. Three years later, I still didn’t have so much as a residence permit. But his research assistant, the one who came over with us, already had her B permit through his sponsorship. I was furious. I started packing right then and there. Alistair never lost his cool. That day was the first time I saw his eyes go red. He took my hands and begged me to stay. “You have me. I’m not going anywhere. Don’t rush this, okay? The permit process is all standard procedure, but my position is sensitive right now. I have to be careful about how things look.” “As for Sienna, she uprooted her whole life to come work for me here. Helping her get settled first is the least I can do as her employer.” My heart softened. I put the suitcase down. Until the day I decided to handle things myself. I’d been teaching myself German on the side, slowly, so he wouldn’t have to deal with the paperwork on top of everything else. I walked into the office and handed over our marriage certificate. The clerk looked at her screen, then back at me. “Ma’am, our records don’t show you as Professor Vance’s spouse. You may want to check with your husband.” I couldn’t move. I was never his wife. Not in any way that counted. So there was no spousal permit. No family reunification. None of it was real. I packed everything without a word and booked the next flight home. Some goodbyes were never meant to be said out loud. … I got back to the apartment and punched in the code three times. Three times the lock flashed red. That knocked me out of the fog I’d been in since the clerk’s office. I double-checked. Right apartment. But the lock wasn’t the same one Alistair and I had set up when we first moved in. I called him. “What’s up?” He picked up right away. “Why was the lock changed?” It was fine when I left this morning. Two seconds of silence. “Oh, Sienna’s lock broke today. She likes the same model as ours and didn’t want to wait for a replacement, so I just swapped ours over to her place. The new one’s already in, I just haven’t set up your code yet.” “Get a hotel tonight. I’m pulling a late one, not coming home.” Sienna’s lock broke. So he gave her ours. And I was supposed to find a hotel. I thought I’d misheard him. I opened my mouth. Nothing came out but “Okay.” What was I supposed to say? This was our home and Sienna’s code was already in the system. She had her own room here. Alistair had set it up for her when she first got to Zurich. She was used to our lock. Of course she was. I hung up. I found a hotel down the block. A hundred and twenty francs a night. My card barely went through. When we first moved to Zurich, Alistair had put me on his bank card. No spending limit. Then Sienna started handling all his purchases. Clothes, watches, even the thermos on his desk. Everything went through her. Little by little, the card migrated to her wallet. Alistair started wiring me three thousand francs a month instead. He said she was better at it. Better eye, better taste. She said she was simply doing her job. I let it go. Until our third anniversary. Just the two of us, dinner at home, candles lit. The mood was right. Then the doorbell rang. Alistair got up to answer. Sienna was standing in the hallway, slightly breathless, holding out a box of condoms. “Professor Vance, big night tonight. I grabbed these for you.” She glanced my way and smiled like it was the most natural thing in the world. “You always say this brand is your favorite. Tell me I’m not the best assistant you’ve ever had.” He took the box with an awkward grunt. She waved and left. Door closed. He walked back to the table and tossed the box down next to the wine. I stared at it. I never knew which brand he liked. We’d been trying for a baby. We never used them. That dinner felt like sitting through a trial. He finished eating, said something came up at the department, and grabbed his coat. The door closed and it finally landed. An assistant’s job can be that thorough. That night I dreamed about our first year in Zurich. Me walking out of the airport dragging two oversized suitcases. Alistair waiting right there at arrivals. He was still the man who teared up because I’d thrown away my whole career to be with him. Still the man who took my bags without asking and pulled me close when I could barely stand. Then Sienna showed up. He said she’d left everything behind for his work. The least he could do was help. So he got her a residence permit. Got her a job at the university. And eventually got her the lock off my front door. Next morning, I went to book a flight home. Standing at the crosswalk, waiting for the light, my phone buzzed. A friend from back home.

“Clara, that thing you asked me to look into…” She hesitated. “I called in a favor, but all I could access was the registration info. Privacy laws are strict. Couldn’t get the full file.” “It’s fine,” I said. “Whatever you found.” Two seconds of silence. “The woman registered as Alistair’s legal spouse… it’s Sienna. Sienna Reed.” I held the phone. Said nothing. “Are you okay?” “I’m great,” I said. “Thanks.” I hung up. The light turned green. The crowd moved. Bodies brushed past me on both sides, one wave after another, and I just stood there. Rooted to the concrete like something left behind at the curb. Across the street, sunlight hit the glass of a high-rise and bounced back so bright it burned. Sienna. Sienna Vance. His real family had been right next to him this whole time. I stood on the sidewalk and laughed. For three years I’d been killing myself trying to prove I was worth something, refusing to settle for housewife. And the whole time, I’d missed what was right in front of me. Like how every weekend he said the department needed him. Gone the whole day. When I asked what it was about, it was always the same: “You wouldn’t understand even if I told you.” Like the time he forgot a file and I dropped it off at his campus office. Two toothbrushes sitting on the bathroom counter. One blue, one pink. I never let myself think about it. … I pulled myself back and kept walking. Two blocks, three turns, and I was at the airline counter. Standing in line, I thought of the queue at Zurich Airport three years ago. Just as long. But back then I was about to see the man I loved. I was so stupidly happy I didn’t feel tired at all. When Alistair spotted me at arrivals, he picked me up and spun me around. Then a girl waved at him from behind me. “Professor Vance! What a coincidence, Clara and I were on the same flight!” Sienna. Alistair smiled and took her suitcase. He turned to me like it had just slipped his mind. “Oh, I forgot to mention. Sienna’s coming on as my research assistant. She came all this way on her own. That takes guts.” Sienna gave me a sweet smile. “Clara, I hope we’ll get along.” My smile stiffened for half a second. I nodded. On the ride home, I watched them talk. When she spoke, he tilted his head to listen. When she pointed at the lake, he looked where she pointed. The attention that used to be mine alone was quietly being split in two. It stung a little. But I was happy for him, too. Good assistants are hard to find. Having someone he trusted would make his work at ETH go smoother. Those first months in Zurich, I tried to find work. Everything was in German. My field was too niche, and without the language, I didn’t stand a chance. Hundreds of resumes sent. Either silence, or a one-line rejection. I’d been top of my class my whole life. Everything had come easy. I’d never once been told no. Every night I lay awake turning the same thought over and over. Was I just not good enough? Eventually I swallowed my pride and went to Alistair. After dinner one night, I sat down next to him. Stumbled through it. “Could you maybe… ask around at ETH for me?” “There’s a spousal placement in the recruitment package, right? I was thinking, if something could be arranged…” I couldn’t finish the sentence. I had never in my life asked anyone to pull strings for me. It was a standard benefit, something the university offered as part of his hire. But saying it out loud made my face burn. Like I was begging for something I didn’t deserve. “Sure,” he said, not looking up from his papers. “I’ll ask around.” Something in me unclenched. That was three months ago. When I brought it up again, he said he’d been swamped. He’d get to it. But by then Sienna had already been working at ETH for a while. Administrative role, weekends off, solid pay. Alistair said she got in through the normal hiring process. I believed him. Looking back, her qualifications didn’t come close to mine. No German. No French. Could barely order coffee without pointing at the menu. So why did hundreds of my applications go nowhere while she walked right in? The answer had been sitting in front of me the whole time. I just refused to look at it.

The line moved forward a step. My turn. Over three years, I’d gone from sounding out street signs to filling in government forms. Free apps, secondhand textbooks from the Brockenhaus, and every spare hour I had. For three years Alistair had handled every piece of paperwork, every phone call, every official letter. I’d trusted him with all of it. Not anymore. This time, I would go myself. I handed over my passport. The woman behind the counter typed a few keystrokes and frowned. “Es tut mir leid, mit diesem Dokument kann ich kein Ticket ausstellen.” I understood every word now. I’m sorry, I cannot issue a ticket with this document. “Why not?” She switched to English, slowly. “Your residence status shows as irregular. You have overstayed your permitted period.” I blinked. “Overstayed?” “Your last permit extension was never approved.” She looked at me. “There is no valid authorization on file.” I stood at the counter. Said nothing. Three years. I’d been in this country for three years and I didn’t even have valid papers? “So what do I do?” “You will need to contact the cantonal migration office. Pay the penalties, get your status cleared, and then you can travel.” She slid my passport back. “Nächster, bitte.” I stepped aside. The person behind me pressed forward and the counter disappeared behind them. I stood there, staring at the passport in my hands. I wasn’t even here legally. Then what were the last three years? Outside the terminal, I called my immigration consultant. “Linda, I need to ask you something. My permit extension keeps getting denied and now I’m looking at a huge fine. What’s going on with my case?” Linda Wyss was as upbeat as ever. “Mrs. Vance, that doesn’t make any sense. Your husband is a professor at ETH. Family reunification through his B permit should be completely straightforward. Did he file the sponsorship documents?” “He did.” “Then there shouldn’t be an issue…” She paused. “Hang on, let me pull up your file.” Silence on the other end. When she came back, her voice was lower. “Mrs. Vance, let me ask you something. When your husband filed for your permit, did he go through the spousal reunification route?” I held the phone. Didn’t answer. “What I’m seeing in the system…” She chose her words carefully. “The spousal dependent slot linked to your husband’s B permit was approved for a woman named Reed.” “He did submit something on your behalf, but not through the spouse category. It was filed under a different channel.” “That channel was discontinued about a year ago. That’s why your extensions have been stuck ever since.” I paused. “Got it. Thank you, Linda.” I hung up. Stood there, remembering. Three years ago, right after we arrived in Zurich, Alistair said he’d handle all the immigration paperwork. He took my documents and I handed them over without a second thought. Later he told me everything was taken care of. I never followed up. Turns out what I thought was following the man I loved to a new life was actually becoming an illegal overstayer. I stood on the sidewalk for a long time. I went to every office I could find. Tried every option. In the end there was only one way out. Alistair, as my original sponsor, had to submit a sworn statement to the cantonal migration office. Confirming that he had failed to notify me of changes in my permit status, and that my overstay was not willful. Then I could pay the fines, apply for a short-term visa, and leave the country legally. Simple. All he had to do was sign. But how was I supposed to ask him? Walk up and say, “Since you gave the spousal slot to someone else, could you at least sign a piece of paper so I can leave?” And if I did, wouldn’t the bill for the last three years come due with it?

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I returned early from an overseas business trip to surprise my wife, Lily Osborn. I quietly came to her gathering to find her, but instead I was framed for stealing a watch there. The man stormed up to me. “My wife is the president of Domino Group. Who the hell do you think you are, stealing from me?” He kept slapping me and even broke my hand. Only then did I find out that Lily had been cheating on me during the three years I was abroad. I was furious. I stared at Lily, who rushed over, and said, “I put you in the president position of Domino Group. How dare you cheat on me while I was abroad!” Jack swung a slap across my face. “You dare steal my watch? You’ve got some nerve!” I ignored the burning pain on my face and stared at him. “Who did you just say your wife is?” Jack thought I was scared and smiled smugly. “Listen carefully. The famous Domino Group belongs to my wife. Give my watch back right now, or I’ll send you straight to jail!” The people around us started pointing at me and whispering. “Stealing Ms. Osborn’s husband’s watch? He really got a death wish or something.” “Exactly. I heard the watch was a gift from Ms. Osborn. A limited-edition Patek Philippe worth five million. There’s only one in the world.” Shouldn’t that limited-edition Patek Philippe be sitting in my collection at home? Lily actually dared to spend my money on some kept man! What a joke. Just half an hour ago, she had texted me: [Chris, when are you coming back? I miss you so much. Love you.] I looked at Jack and gave a cold laugh. “What evidence do you have that I stole your watch?” Jack looked me up and down with contempt. “You went into the restroom with me. When we came out, my watch was gone. If it wasn’t you, who else could it be? You look like you can’t afford anything anyway!” I said coldly, “You make the claim, you prove it. Without evidence, you’re just accusing me.” Jack grabbed my collar, arrogant and domineering. “I say you stole it, you stole it. I don’t need evidence!” I frowned. “Where is Lily? Bring her to me.” The disdain in Jack’s eyes deepened. “Since you know my wife, you should know what happens when you cross me!” I pried his fingers off and took out my phone to call Lily. Before I could dial, Jack slapped the phone out of my hand. The phone fell to the floor. I bent down to pick it up, but Jack stepped on the back of my hand. He ground his foot down hard, his voice vicious. “Don’t even think about calling for help. I’m telling you right now, if you don’t hand over my watch today, you’re not walking out of this door!” The pain made me gasp. I grabbed his leg with my other hand and yanked hard. He fell to the ground. Jack glared at me in rage. “You dare knock me down? I have to teach you a proper lesson today!” He called over a group of bodyguards. “Beat him. Don’t stop until he hands over my watch!” If I remembered correctly, these were the bodyguards I had arranged for Lily before I left the country. They forced me to the ground and slapped me over and over again. Faced with so many bodyguards, I had no way to fight back. Soon my mouth filled with blood. In my whole life, no one had ever dared lay a finger on me. I stared at Jack in fury and said, “If you don’t tell them to stop right now, I swear you’ll regret it.” Jack spat down at me from above. “You piece of trash dared to steal my watch and still talk big? Crushing you is as easy as crushing an ant!” The rage in my chest surged wildly. I let out a cold snort and said, “That’s my watch. I don’t need to steal it!”

The whole place went silent for a moment. Then Jack burst out laughing. “You poor bastard, what did you just say? The watch is yours?” “You’re insane. Why don’t you just say the entire bank belongs to you?” The people around us joined in the mockery. “He must’ve lost his mind. He stole it, and he thinks it belongs to him now.” “Ms. Osborn’s husband is covered in designer brands. Everything he’s wearing looks cheap and low-end. Even looking at him makes me feel uncomfortable. How dare he claim that limited-edition Patek Philippe as his?” Although I was born into a wealthy family, I was used to keeping a low profile. I had loved Lily for many years. Because her family was poor, she always felt inferior. After we got married, she refused to rely on me and insisted on starting her own business. So I started a company for her, pulled every string I could to land deals, and step by step made her the president of Domino Group. She even said she didn’t want anyone to think she got where she was because of me. She wanted to keep our marriage a secret and asked me not to go to her company. I agreed, for the sake of her pride. I never imagined that the wife who was usually so gentle, considerate, and caring would cheat on me. I directly pulled out the receipt for the watch. “This is the invoice from when I bought the watch. It proves the watch is mine.” Everyone present froze. “Could the watch really be his?” “Did we misjudge him? Could he be some lowkey rich guy?” Jack snapped back to his senses and shouted, “Don’t listen to his nonsense! This watch was given to me by my wife. There’s no mistake!” “The receipt must be fake. He’s just a thief. How could he possibly be some rich guy!” The moment they heard Jack’s words, they believed him again. “The stamp on this invoice looks wrong. You can tell at a glance it’s fake.” “That’s right. He came in here to steal. He must have prepared this in advance. He’s just fooling us!” I let out a cold laugh. These people all worked in business, yet they were stupid enough to be fooled by a kept man. I looked at Jack. “Call Lily out right now. Everything will be clear then.” Jack kicked me. “Who do you think you are? Why should I listen to you?” I asked coldly, “You keep saying Lily is your wife. Are you married?” Jack raised his phone with a smug expression. “Open your damn eyes and look carefully. This is our marriage certificate!” Lily and I weren’t divorced yet. If this marriage certificate was real, then she had committed bigamy. Jack then showed several photos of himself and Lily to me. When I saw the background in those photos, it hit me instantly—my blood boiled. Lily had brought him back to my villa and slept in my bed. No wonder she had insisted on replacing all the housekeepers a few years ago. She did it so I wouldn’t find out. And I even felt guilty for leaving her alone in the country. I transferred money to her all the time. In the end, she spent it all on this kept guy. Jack’s phone suddenly rang. He answered excitedly. “Babe, why aren’t you here yet?” “There’s a fucking idiot. He stole my watch and even claims it’s his. I’m teaching him a lesson right now.” “Who the hell is he? I won’t let him off. Wait for me. I’m coming over right now to deal with him.” Jack had the call on speaker. Lily’s voice rang clearly in my ears. I was shaking with rage. Seeing that Lily was rushing over to back him up, Jack became even more arrogant. He stared at me viciously. “Hand over the watch, or I’ll break your arm!”

I glared at him. “Are you insane? Break my arm? It’s against the law!” Jack laughed. “A thief talking about the law? I am the law here!” He was completely deranged. I ground my teeth and said, “If you dare break my arm today, I guarantee you’ll pay the price. You won’t get away with this.” Jack showed no fear at all. He was still extremely arrogant. “Are you seriously threatening me? I’ll break your arm right now and see what you can do to me!” He then ordered the bodyguards to bring a baseball bat. I was held down tightly. Jack raised the bat and swung it down hard at my right arm. I screamed in pain. Cold sweat broke out all over my body. I stared at my blood-soaked arm and wished I could skin Jack alive. But I couldn’t move at all. I didn’t even have the strength to speak. Someone exclaimed, “He’s bleeding so much. Is he dying?” A trace of panic flashed through Jack’s eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. “He stole my watch, but I didn’t call the police. I’ve tried to be nice.” “Besides, it’s just a bit of blood. He won’t die.” He lifted his foot and stepped on my head. “Talk. Where did you hide my watch?” “If you don’t hand it over now, I’ll break your other arm too. Let’s see how you steal things in the future!” Someone nearby suggested, “Search him. Maybe the watch is on him.” Jack nodded and told the bodyguards to search me. They didn’t find the watch. They only found a USB drive. My eyes went red with fury. “Give it back!” The USB drive contained confidential data from my overseas company. If it was destroyed, the losses would be immeasurable. Jack toyed with the USB drive, then threw it on the ground and stomped on it hard. He laughed wildly. “It’s just a piece of junk. Seeing you so nervous makes me want to crush it even more!” I clenched my fists as I watched my USB drive being crushed. “That contains my company’s confidential files. It’s worth a billion. I wonder if you’ll still be laughing when the bill comes due.” Jack kicked me a few more times when he heard that. “You think you can extort me like that?” “A broken USB drive worth a billion? Who would believe that? Stop pretending. I’m not an idiot!” I was beaten until my whole body was covered in injuries. I said coldly, “Even if you kneel down and beg me now, I still won’t let you off.” Jack’s expression changed. “Still talking tough? Strip him. I want my watch back!” As his words fell, several bodyguards started pulling off my clothes. I struggled desperately. “Don’t touch me!” I only had one hand free. I clutched my collar tightly and refused to let go, but the buttons of my shirt were still torn open. They then reached for my pants. Looking at Jack’s arrogant face, humiliation and hatred surged together. If I had a knife in my hand, I would have stabbed him without hesitation. Jack still wasn’t satisfied. He humiliated me further. “You dare steal my watch? I’ll make sure you don’t survive this!” Just as my pants were about to be pulled down, a voice suddenly rang out. “Stop!” Lily pushed through the crowd and rushed over. When she saw me lying on the ground, disheveled and half-naked, her face turned deathly pale. Jack instantly changed his attitude. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and whined, “Babe, why did you take so long?” He pointed at me. “This shameless bastard stole the limited-edition watch you gave me and refuses to give it back to me.” “I broke his hand so he’ll never steal again.” “You have to help me teach him a good lesson!” Lily suddenly shoved Jack away. “Get lost!” Jack fell to the ground, completely stunned. “Babe, what’s wrong with you?” Lily said nothing and didn’t dare look at me. After getting up, Jack leaned over again and asked in confusion, “Did someone upset you?” “Just chill. Tonight, I’ll do whatever position you want in bed, okay?” He kept talking to himself and didn’t notice Lily’s trembling body at all. She turned to him and roared, “Shut up! Stop talking!” Jack looked shocked and aggrieved. “Babe, so many people are watching. At least save me some dignity.” I used all my strength to climb up from the ground. I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth and looked at Lily with icy eyes. “Tell them who I am.”

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When I finished studying design abroad and returned home, my grandfather told me that he had arranged a childhood betrothal for me long ago. The moment I returned to the country, he brought me straight to the Parker family to discuss the engagement. I found it too boring, so I wandered off alone to stroll through the Parker family garden. Suddenly, a woman rushed over and slapped me hard across the face. “Where did you come from, you pathetic thief? How dare you steal from me!” I covered my face, stunned. She lifted her chin arrogantly, her tone full of condescension. “That ruby you’re wearing was a birthday gift from Ross to me! You poor bitch! Why is it with you?” I opened my mouth, about to say that it was mine, but she suddenly slapped me hard again. “Do you even know who I am? I’m Ross Parker’s future wife! The entire Parker family will answer to me!” I took out my phone and, right in front of her, sent a message to my fiancé Ross. “Ross, there’s a crazy woman in your house. Are you going to do something about it?” To my surprise, the message failed to send. I laughed in anger. The engagement hadn’t even been settled yet, and he had already deleted me. “How did you sneak in? Hurry and give that back to Ms. Lester!” A Parker family maid lunged at me aggressively, but I dodged her with a quick sidestep. “I’m a guest here at the Parker family estate. How can you treat me like this?” Karen let out a scornful laugh and immediately took out her phone to call Ross, who was actually my fiancé. In less than a second, a gentle, low voice came through the line. “What’s wrong, Karen?” I listened closely. His voice was nice, and I kinda liked it. It seemed my grandfather did have good taste. “Ross! There’s some woman here claiming to be your fiancée—and she stole my ring!” I cut off her sugary, affected voice and introduced myself to Ross so he wouldn’t misunderstand the situation. “Mr. Parker, I’m Diana Summers, your fiancée.” He paused for a moment, as if processing my name, then his tone turned cold. “What fiancée? Anyone who enters my house needs an invitation. Otherwise, it’s trespassing.” After saying that, his voice softened again. “Karen, don’t be upset. It’s just a ring. When I get back, I’ll buy you another one.” That pigeon-blood ruby of mine was my parents’ love token. There wasn’t a second one like it in the world. As I was thinking about how reliable this marriage alliance really was, Karen beside me was already laughing so hard she could barely stand straight, looking me up and down with contempt. “You? Wearing trash without even a brand on it! And you dare claim to be Ross’s fiancée? Hilarious!” I had been studying design abroad, and all the clothes I wore were designed and tailored by myself, so of course they had no brand logos. My designs were already sought after by many wealthy ladies overseas, yet she couldn’t recognize them. That made me start to doubt her identity instead. After this mess, I completely lost interest in strolling through the garden and turned to leave. But Karen stepped in front of me. “Didn’t you hear Ross? You need an invitation to enter the Parker family. Didn’t you say you’re a guest? Where’s your invitation?” I rolled my eyes and reached into my pocket to look for it, but couldn’t find anything. Then I remembered my grandfather saying that we didn’t need invitations to visit the Parker family. Karen thought I couldn’t provide one, so the mockery on her face grew even stronger. “So you really are a liar! Someone, take the ring off her hand, tie her up, and throw her out!” I covered the ring with one hand and stepped back, glaring at her with a dark expression. Several servants approached me and tried to persuade me. “Miss, you’d better return it to Ms. Lester now. Otherwise, you will be in serious trouble.” “That ring is a love token between Mr. Parker and Ms. Lester. They’ve been close since childhood. If Mr. Parker finds out, he won’t let you off.” “I saw it with my own eyes last time. Someone only dirtied Ms. Lester’s skirt, and his hand was gone the next day!” Their words only made the mockery in Karen’s eyes grow. “Did you hear that? Get on your knees, put the ring on my finger, and then get lost. Otherwise, your fate will be the same as the person who dirtied my skirt!”

All my life, I’d only ever had others kneel and beg in front of me. The last person who dared speak to me like that already disappeared for good. I stepped forward and slapped Karen across the face. She turned her head, eyes wide in disbelief. “How dare you?” She instantly covered her face and pointed at me, ordering several maids to rush over. I looked at them and smiled. When I first went abroad, my grandfather worried I might get bullied, so he taught me Sanda himself. They were just a few maids. I took them all down in under a minute. “Weak.” I rubbed my slightly numb knuckles and turned to leave amid Karen’s furious screams. Suddenly, a maid shouted, “Mr. Parker is back!” I looked up to see a man in a perfectly tailored suit striding over with a cold expression. Karen’s fierce expression vanished in an instant, replaced by a pitiful look. Then she threw herself into Ross’s arms. “Ross! You’re finally back! I got bullied!” To be honest, Ross was quite good-looking. Even in the entertainment industry, he could carve out a place for himself. Unfortunately, knowing full well that he was engaged to me, he still got too close to his childhood sweetheart. I frowned at them. I needed to call my grandfather immediately. This marriage was impossible. So I ignored their clingy display and walked straight toward the garden exit. “Stop! You hurt my girl and think you can just leave like that?” Ross didn’t even look at me. He lowered his head and wiped Karen’s tears. Several bodyguards quickly stepped forward from behind him and blocked my path. I took a deep breath and turned to look at him. “Mr. Parker, my grandfather is currently in your grandfather’s study discussing our engagement. Do you want them to know about all this?” When I mentioned Ross’s grandfather, the servants’ expressions shifted slightly. “What? Is she really Mr. Parker’s fiancée?” “So what if she is? Look how much Mr. Parker cares about Ms. Lester. This marriage might not even happen.” “Exactly. We’d better not say anything and offend Ms. Lester. With her temper, we might all suffer later.” When Ross heard the word engagement, his face darkened more. “What engagement? I never agreed to it. Besides, Grandpa has always doted on me. How could he possibly force me to marry some shrew like you?” Karen lifted her head from his arms and looked at me smugly. “Ross and I are childhood sweethearts. A thief like you actually dares to covet the position of his wife?” I nodded but said nothing. That scumbag and that shameless woman were a perfect match. They deserved each other—better they stay together than hurt anyone else. It was just that my grandfather had said the Parker family had put in the most effort among all the families who were proposing back then. I had met Mr. Nick Parker a few times. He was a very decent elder. How would he react if he found out that the alliance he worked so hard to secure had been ruined by his own grandson? It would probably be a disaster. But there was no helping it. His own grandson ruined everything.

I shook my head regretfully and was about to leave. Suddenly Karen screamed sharply, “Can’t let her go! Ross’s ruby ring is still on her hand!” As soon as she said that, several bodyguards restrained me at Ross’s signal. Then they reached straight for the ring without any explanation. But the ring had been specially adjusted to fit my finger, and no matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t move it even a little. “Karen, if this really belongs to you, how is it exactly the same size as my finger?” I looked at her teasingly. Instead of backing down, she became even angrier. She grabbed Ross’s arm and shook it hard. “She must have thicker fingers! She forced it on, that’s why it won’t come off!” “Then use a drill!” I was kinda flustered, because I hadn’t brought any bodyguards with me today. Ross’s bodyguards were tall, strong, and far more numerous. After resisting for a short while, I was caught off guard and pinned to the ground. Karen immediately squatted in front of me excitedly, her blood-red nails pinching my chin. “Weren’t you so arrogant? Come on!” After saying that, she used all her strength to slap me across the face. Sand scraped against my cheek, leaving several bloody scratches. Ross stared at me for two seconds, then smiled. “Karen, does your hand hurt? Want to see something even more fun?” Karen’s eyes instantly lit up. “Tie her to the boat in the pond!” I widened my eyes and looked at Ross’s faintly excited expression. Did he know something? “No! You’ll regret this!” Karen’s face was full of scorn and excitement. “Regret? I’ve never regretted anything.” “As for you, today I’ll make you regret stealing from me!” The bodyguards dragged me to the pond in the center of the garden. They tied me up with a rope before throwing me onto a rickety old canopy boat by the shore. Before I could even open my eyes, they flipped me over. Then an electric saw was started and brought straight toward my fingers. The intense pain made me scream uncontrollably. Very soon, my blood stained the pigeon-blood ruby. That made it look eerily sinister. “Looks like that girl is dying here today.” “Such a pretty young girl, but she’s just too stubborn. Look at her. Mr. Parker won’t let her off. She’s gonna lose her finger or even her life!” “This is too cruel. I can’t bear to watch anymore.” The maids and servants chattered among themselves at the edge of the pond. I could no longer hear them clearly. The pain in my hand made me struggle violently. The old boat, long overdue for repairs, creaked and splashed against the water under my movements. It was eerily similar to the scene when my parents died at sea. The fear buried deep in my heart was instantly dragged back out. My face turned deathly pale. My hands moved on their own to clutch my head tightly. Bright red blood streamed down my cheeks. “No! Don’t! Let me go back up!” But Karen and Ross stood on the shore, watching like this was a show. They even stretched out a foot and kicked me toward the center of the pond. I forced my eyes open and saw Karen holding the ring with a smug smile. Ross had an arm around her and said gently, “The ring’s been stained with that bitch’s dirty blood. Throw it away. I’ll buy you a new one.” After that, amid my screams, they casually tossed the ring into the lake. “Ross! Aren’t you afraid my grandfather will come after you for this?”

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