Author: Momo Chan

Sean Quinn was signing organ donation papers when Lucy Lawson’s call came in. “Chad’s flight is at 5 PM. Make sure you’ve cleared out your stuff by 3 PM. I don’t want him to be upset.” As soon as she hung up, Lucy sent her usual money transfer notification. Sean smiled wryly. After five years, he still hadn’t managed to warm her heart. But none of that mattered now. He was dying anyway. At the hospital, the doctor explained, “Mr. Quinn, we need a direct family member to sign off on organ donation. Do you have anyone who can…?” Sean looked at where the doctor was pointing on the form, feeling a pang of bitterness. He thought back to five years ago. His parents had died in a car accident, leaving him alone in the world. Besides Lucy, he had no close family left. But he didn’t want Lucy to know about his condition. So he forced himself to ask, “If I consent myself, is that not enough?” The doctor considered for a moment before replying, “It’s hospital policy. Given your current condition, you likely only have about a month left. You really should inform your family. Especially since your records show you’re married – we can’t proceed with donation without your wife’s consent.” Although Sean didn’t want to accept that he had terminal leukemia at only 30 years old, it was his reality now. He had no choice. He thanked the doctor and left with the organ donation forms. In truth, he had decided to donate any usable parts of his body as soon as he was diagnosed. Even if there wasn’t much they could use, at least his corneas could help someone. Sean checked the time. He had two hours before Lucy’s deadline. Enough time to visit Mrs. Lee, the housekeeper who had worked for Lucy’s family for 20 years. Mrs. Lee had gone blind from corneal disease three years ago. For the past three years, the Lawson family had sent Sean as their representative to visit her. Over time, Mrs. Lee had grown very fond of Sean. She saw him as her own child and always thought of him first whenever she had anything nice to share. Sean walked in to find Mrs. Lee sitting on the couch drinking tea. Hearing his footsteps, she immediately called out, “Sean, is that you?” Sean smiled. “Your hearing is so sharp, you knew it was me right away!” Mrs. Lee laughed. “I may not recognize everyone, but I’d know your footsteps anywhere.” She handed him a small cake from beside her. “Lucy brought these earlier.” Then she asked curiously, “Why didn’t you two come together?” Sean hesitated. “When was she here?” Mrs. Lee sounded surprised. “Not long ago at all.” She took Sean’s hand. “Are you two having problems?” She didn’t voice her other thought – why had Lucy been with a strange man? Sean and Lucy’s marriage had been one of convenience, arranged when Lucy’s family was pressuring her to settle down. Although Lucy had a boyfriend at the time, he was from a poor background. Under relentless pressure from the Lawsons, he had eventually been forced to move abroad. Lucy had spiraled into depression afterwards, losing herself in partying and drinking. Worried, her family had hired a therapist for her – Sean. Sean had fallen for Lucy the moment he saw her. But Lucy despised Sean, saying he reeked of bookishness and wasn’t manly at all. Sean didn’t let it bother him. He patiently tried to counsel Lucy each day, telling her stories to cheer her up. Even when she covered her ears and turned her back, Sean never got angry. He understood that people who’d been hurt were often emotionally volatile – especially someone like Lucy. Over time, Lucy seemed to dislike Sean less. She started to accept his guidance. Later, when the Lawsons again pressured Lucy to go on arranged dates, she had suddenly grabbed Sean’s hand and declared, “Fine, I’ll get married – but I choose him!” Sean had been stunned. He thought Lucy had genuinely changed her mind about him and developed feelings. But then Lucy presented him with a marriage contract, and he realized she was just using him to avoid the arranged dates. Thinking of all this, Sean took a deep breath and reassured Mrs. Lee with a smile. “No, everything’s fine. She’s just busy with work and our schedules don’t line up, so we couldn’t come together.” Sean then slipped a bank card into Mrs. Lee’s hand. “My job situation is changing, so I may not be able to visit for a long time. Please keep this card and use it for anything you need. Don’t deprive yourself.” Sean glanced at the time. Before Mrs. Lee could respond, he was already heading out. He needed to get back to the mansion before Lucy’s deadline. After five years, he knew Lucy’s temper all too well – if he didn’t do as she said today, she’d surely throw a fit and trash the place again. More importantly, he still hoped to get Lucy to sign the forms. With her signature, he could go through with the donation process and help restore Mrs. Lee’s sight. So he had to hurry back. Sean arrived at the mansion at 2:30 PM. The yard was as quiet as ever. He took out his key, but before he could open the door, Lucy yanked it open from inside.

“Do you have no sense of time? Or are you doing this on purpose?” Lucy snapped. Sean replied calmly, “Of course not. Didn’t we agree on 3 PM? I didn’t expect you back so soon.” Lucy retorted, “The flight was moved up. Is that not allowed?!” Sean said nothing. Lucy had always treated him this way, with her naturally volatile temper. So for the five years of their marriage, Sean had gone along with her wishes in everything, afraid of upsetting her. Because he loved her. But Lucy was different. Whenever something made her happy, she would transfer money to Sean, wanting to make it clear that he only got paid if he kept her happy. Sean went to the bedroom to pack his things. Lucy had told him yesterday that once her ex-boyfriend Chad returned, their marriage of convenience would be over. So he was being considerate by packing up now. As he reached the stairs, Chad emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a towel. Their eyes met, and Sean felt a stab of pain in his heart. “What are you staring at? Do you want Chad to keep looking at you?” Lucy’s harsh words came from behind. Sean’s hands instinctively clenched. Of course he wanted to leave quickly, but Chad was blocking his path with his arm, clearly not intending to let Sean pass. Sean started up the stairs, but Chad still didn’t move. “Mr. Quinn, you haven’t changed your shoes. Aren’t you worried about tracking germs into the room?” Chad’s provocation was blatant, but Lucy saw nothing wrong with it. She grabbed Sean’s shirt and ordered in an icy tone, “Didn’t you hear what Chad said? What are you waiting for?” Sean changed into disposable slippers. Lucy had said before that Chad was a germaphobe who didn’t like others using his things. Before coming back, Sean had slipped the organ donation form into the divorce papers. Lucy had never paid much attention to Sean, so when he handed her the documents, she barely glanced at them. Seeing “Divorce Agreement” at the top, she immediately signed. Sean flipped to the next page – the organ donation form. He only exposed the signature line. Lucy signed without looking, just as carelessly. With everything settled, Sean let out a small sigh. He finished packing and was about to leave when Chad suddenly stepped in front of him. “This mansion is so big, and Lucy’s family has so many valuables. You’re not…” Chad was clearly accusing Sean of theft. Sean ignored him, but Chad continued questioning and wouldn’t let him pass. By chance, Chad bumped into the door frame. When Lucy entered, Chad was crouched on the ground holding his forehead. Sean stood nearby, his face expressionless. Lucy rushed over and shoved Sean aside. “Are you insane?! Why would you do that to Chad?!” Lucy pushed Sean hard. He lost his balance and hit his head on the bookshelf. Blood immediately began seeping from the wound. Sean quickly pressed a tissue to the injury. With leukemia, any bleeding was dangerous. Even a small cut could lead to uncontrolled bleeding or infection.

But Lucy didn’t know and didn’t care. She threw Sean’s suitcase out the door and warned him, “Get out of my sight. Now.” Sean hadn’t eaten all day due to his medical tests that morning. Weakness from hunger left him barely able to stand. Seeing this, Chad grabbed Lucy’s hand. “Baby, it hurts so much. Can you take me to see a doctor? It really hurts…” Lucy glared at Sean one last time. “You’d better be gone before I get back. Otherwise, don’t blame me for what happens.” With that, she left supporting Chad, completely ignoring Sean who was still bleeding. Sean slumped in the corner, gasping for breath. He had still held out hope for Lucy before, but now he was utterly disappointed. He thought of how busy and tiring his days had been, always running around for Lucy. But he had been happy then, because he loved her. Now, he didn’t want that anymore. His life was counting down, but he still wanted to cherish the time he had left. Sean forced himself up and stumbled outside to hail a taxi. He leaned his whole body against the seat, trying to keep his forehead flat to slow the bleeding. By the time he reached the hospital, Sean was deathly pale. His weakness caused him to stumble and fall several times. Finally, a kind stranger helped him into the emergency room. Sean lay on the bed, his consciousness fading. But he could still feel the doctors and nurses working frantically to stop the bleeding. The pain made him forget that Lucy and Chad were there too. As Lucy passed by the ER, a nurse called out Sean’s name. Lucy paused and asked, “Which Sean Quinn?” Chad pulled her arm. “It’s a common name. Isn’t your Sean Quinn at home?” Lucy instinctively looked back, but seeing Chad’s jealous expression, she quickly let go of the nurse. The couple disappeared down the hallway. Meanwhile, Sean had been moved to intensive care due to excessive blood loss. Fortunately, the hospital had Sean’s emergency contact information. Otherwise, he might have died there without any family present. Mrs. Lee rushed to the hospital. After hearing the doctor’s explanation and plea, she collapsed to the ground. She couldn’t believe that Sean, who had seemed perfectly healthy, now had terminal leukemia. And he only had about a month left. It was even more painful than when she had learned she was going blind. Mrs. Lee stood in front of the ICU with tears streaming down her face. The beeping of the machines made her heart clench with worry. As time ticked by, nurses began filing out of the room. Mrs. Lee hurried to ask about Sean’s condition, only to be sternly reprimanded: “What kind of family are you? You knew the patient couldn’t be injured at this stage. How could you be so careless? It’s lucky we were able to stop the bleeding in time. If we couldn’t control it, it could have been life-threatening!” Mrs. Lee stood there in shock, not knowing how to respond to the nurse’s accusations. But she knew Sean’s injury must have something to do with Lucy. Before Mrs. Lee could say anything, the doctor announced: “The patient is awake. You can go in now!”

Mrs. Lee hurried inside. Sean lay weakly on the bed. Seeing Mrs. Lee, his heart ached. When the hospital had insisted on an emergency contact, he hadn’t thought much of it. He assumed that by being careful, he wouldn’t have any emergencies. Under pressure from the hospital, he had reluctantly given Mrs. Lee’s number. He hadn’t wanted Mrs. Lee to know, worried it would be too much for her health. But now, there was no way to hide it. “Sean…” Mrs. Lee choked out. Sean raised his arm with effort and softly called, “Mrs. Lee…” Their hands clasped tightly. Mrs. Lee fought back tears as she held Sean’s hand to her cheek. “How could you be so foolish? Getting sick without anyone by your side – how can I not worry about you?” Sean’s throat tightened, but he still forced a smile to reassure her. “It’s okay, I’m much better now!” Though Mrs. Lee couldn’t see, her heart wasn’t blind. She guessed that Sean hadn’t told Lucy about his illness. She also guessed that Lucy and Sean’s problems must be because of that man. But she couldn’t ask or say anything. With Lucy’s temper, confronting her now would only result in her blaming everything on Sean. Besides, Mrs. Lee wanted to respect Sean’s decision. If he chose not to tell Lucy, he must have his reasons. Mrs. Lee wiped away her tears and turned to instruct Fiona to prepare some light food for Sean. Though she couldn’t see, she could sense how weak Sean was right now. Fiona was the caretaker Sean had found for Mrs. Lee. She quickly ran out of the hospital. When Fiona first came to work for Mrs. Lee, it was Sean who taught her about the local foods and Mrs. Lee’s preferences. Whenever Fiona accidentally broke something, Sean never scolded her. Instead, he would reassure her, “Don’t be afraid. Mrs. Lee won’t be angry. I’ll get her new ones.” He treated Fiona like his own little sister. When Fiona was upset about something, she would always go to Sean to talk. They could discuss anything. But now Sean was sick, and Fiona felt like her world was crumbling. She was terrified of losing Sean – of losing the person who had protected her, taught her, and guided her for the past three years. She walked along crying, too caught up in her sad thoughts to notice Lucy approaching. The two collided and fell to the ground. Lucy immediately lashed out, “Are you blind?! Can’t you watch where you’re going?!” It took Fiona a moment to come to her senses. When she saw Lucy in Chad’s arms, her expression changed. “What are you doing here?” she asked in surprise. Lucy’s eyes widened. “Is Mrs. Lee not feeling well?!” Fiona was about to answer when Chad let out a pained cry, clutching his forehead. Lucy forgot everything else and rushed to support Chad. By the time she looked back, Fiona had vanished into the crowd. In the hospital room, Sean seemed to sense something was wrong. He gritted his teeth and reached for his phone. Before he could touch it, Lucy’s call came through. Sean glanced at Mrs. Lee, then turned the volume down low before answering. “Sean Quinn, what the hell are you doing? Do you know I just saw Mrs. Lee’s caretaker at the hospital? If anything’s happened to Mrs. Lee, you’re in big trouble!” Lucy’s angry words exploded in Sean’s ear. He swallowed painfully before replying, “I understand. She’s fine, just picking up some medication.” Sean felt awful and had no energy to argue with Lucy. He also didn’t want her to know he was sick. He didn’t want her pitiful sympathy, and he knew that even if she found out, she wouldn’t feel sorry for him. She would just blame him for being careless. So this time, he chose to stay silent. Lucy paused, sensing something odd about Sean today. Usually when she lost her temper, Sean would immediately apologize. But this time, he didn’t say anything to placate her. He was clearly brushing her off. Before she could say more, Sean hung up. This was the final straw for Lucy. She quickly started the car, ignoring Chad’s reaction beside her, and floored the gas pedal. Throwing open the mansion doors, she screamed Sean’s name in a shrill voice. But the house was eerily quiet. Even the magpies that usually chattered in the trees were silent. Lucy grew angrier. She stormed upstairs and kicked open the study door. But the room was empty except for a pool of blood on the floor. There was no sign of Sean. Lucy’s brow furrowed as she approached the blood. After confirming it was human blood, Lucy’s heart began to race. She took out her phone and called Sean. The call rang for a few seconds before being rejected. A text message quickly followed: “Emergency at work. Will get my luggage soon.” Lucy’s heart sank like a stone. She felt oppressed and irritated. Sean had never refused her calls before. No matter how busy he was, he would always answer just before the last ring. But this time… She glanced at the suitcase by the door, suddenly feeling dissatisfied. What work emergency? And that pool of blood – this was clearly intentional, an excuse to avoid moving out. With that thought, she headed for the door. She wanted to confront Sean face-to-face about this childish trick. Did he have no shame? But she had only taken a few steps when Chad stopped her. “Lucy, my injury really hurts. Can you help me treat it again? You know how much I hate pain…” Lucy’s outstretched foot retracted. She looked at the suitcase outside, then back at the weak Chad. That’s right, he had always hated pain. Even for small bumps and scrapes, he would dramatically grab her arm and beg her to kiss it better. Let alone now. Lucy helped Chad up and got some cotton swabs to gently dab at his forehead. At that moment, everything else was forgotten, replaced by Chad’s cries of pain.

Three days later, Sean was discharged from the hospital. His first priority was to go to the mansion to retrieve his luggage. However, the door code had been changed. Lucy and Chad weren’t home, so Sean couldn’t get in. He checked the time. Waiting indefinitely wasn’t an option. Reluctantly, he called Lucy. When the call connected, Chad’s cold, mocking voice came through: “Lucy and I are on vacation in the Gold Mountain district. If Mr. Quinn isn’t in a hurry, perhaps he could wait for us outside the door for a while?” Sean paused. There was an important patient list in his suitcase. Plus, his body was growing weaker by the day. If he couldn’t get it today, who knew when the next chance would come. So he asked meekly, “About how long will it be?” Chad sneered, “That depends on my mood.” Sean glanced at the time. “I’m afraid I can’t wait that long. Could you send me the door code? I’ll just grab my luggage and go.” Chad suddenly laughed loudly. “How can I do that? With no one home, if you leave with your suitcase and something goes missing, how would we know?” Sean’s throat tightened, but before he could say anything, Chad hung up. Sean huddled by the mansion door, silently waiting for Lucy’s return. Time ticked by slowly. The cold seeped into his bones, but there was still no sign of Lucy. Just as the sun was setting, a black Rolls-Royce slowly pulled into the driveway. Seeing Sean curled up by the door, Lucy’s eyes instantly darkened. She quickly opened the car door and walked over to Sean. “What are you doing here? It’s freezing – couldn’t you find somewhere to take shelter?” Sean opened his eyes. Seeing Lucy’s angry expression, he swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue and simply said, “I came to get my suitcase.” Lucy’s face immediately darkened. “You’re that eager to leave? In such a rush to move out?” Sean said nothing, just stood silently by the door waiting for Lucy to open it. “The old lock broke. I wasn’t home during the day, so I changed it for safety,” Lucy explained. Sean was momentarily surprised. Was she actually explaining herself to him? The door opened. Sean didn’t go in, since only Lucy and Chad’s slippers were by the entrance. “Could you bring it out for me please?” Lucy glanced inside reflexively. “Chad doesn’t like disposable slippers, so we threw them out.” Her eyes flickered slightly as she spoke. “Why don’t you come in? After waiting so long, you could at least have some hot water.” Sean gave a small smile. “I have other things to do. I won’t intrude.” As he spoke, Chad brought the suitcase out. Lucy seemed to want to say something more, but Sean took the suitcase and left. Snow was falling heavily. Sean’s figure looked lonely and desolate as he walked away. For some reason, in that moment, Lucy felt Sean had changed. He seemed thinner, more silent. In any case, he was completely different from before. Sean rushed to his workplace with the suitcase. He handed over the patient list and his resignation letter to the director, Dr. Li Changshan. In his five years as a psychotherapist, Sean had cured numerous patients with mental illnesses. But when it came to himself, he was helpless. Dr. Li’s face was filled with worry and regret. “Actually, with current medical technology, there have been cases of leukemia being cured. Your father-in-law…” “That won’t be necessary,” Sean said with a smile. “I’ve already been examined. The time I have left is limited. I don’t want to waste it on treatment, especially for an incurable disease.” Dr. Li sighed. “If you need anything in the future, just let me know. I’ll do whatever I can to help.” Hearing this, Sean said: “Nothing else, just one thing – please don’t tell the Lawson family about my illness and resignation.” “I’m afraid they couldn’t handle it.” His confident tone and serious expression didn’t arouse any suspicion from Dr. Li. On the contrary, the director reluctantly agreed. Sean left the hospital with his suitcase. He had promised Mrs. Lee he would stay with her for his remaining time, so he headed straight for her house. Halfway there, Sean suddenly stopped. Whether from the day’s exhaustion or the cold weather, his nose had started bleeding again. He tilted his head back, using his hand to wipe away the blood while trying to let it flow back down his nose. The strong iron taste spread through his throat, making him cough violently. Just then, his phone rang. Sean kept his head tilted back, not looking at the caller ID. When he answered, Lucy’s voice came through: “Do you cook white fungus soup with cold water or hot water? Chad is sick and I’m not sure how to make it. Could you…” “Cold water,” Sean interrupted before she could finish. “Add the ingredients once the water boils. Cook it as long as you think is needed.” Sean’s voice was hoarse with exhaustion, sounding somewhat detached. But to Lucy, it seemed deliberately cold. “You don’t have to be like this. I only asked you to move out temporarily. I didn’t say you could never come back. Why are you making such a big deal of it and giving me the cold shoulder?” Sean suddenly laughed. Him giving her the cold shoulder? She only asked him to “move out temporarily”? Their contract had expired. They had both signed the papers. She had been so quick to sign. Now everything was settled. Sean said nothing and hung up. He was in pain and had no energy to argue with her. But Lucy reacted as if severely provoked. She began calling Sean’s number over and over. Sean carried his suitcase with one hand while covering his bleeding nose with the other. By the time his phone died and he stepped into Mrs. Lee’s house, the ringing in his pocket had finally stopped. Fiona quickly brought a basin of hot water and carefully helped Sean clean up. Blood trickled down from his nose, staining the front of his shirt red. Fiona immediately burst into tears. Her voice shook as she choked out, “Does it hurt…?” Sean smiled and shook his head. “It’s just a nosebleed. Even healthy people get them sometimes. It doesn’t hurt.” But Fiona knew Sean was just trying to reassure her. How could bleeding from leukemia be the same as a normal nosebleed? Sean was propped up on pillows. He had just closed his eyes when urgent knocking came from the door. Fiona hurried to answer. As soon as she opened it, her throat tightened instinctively. “Is Sean Quinn here?” Lucy demanded aggressively. Fiona was momentarily stunned by Lucy’s forceful tone. Lucy pushed past her and strode inside. Seeing Sean lying on the couch covered in blood, her eyes instantly darkened. “What happened to you?” Sean was taken aback. This was the first time in five years she had asked about his wellbeing. It almost gave him the illusion that she cared. But illusions are just illusions. Just as Sean was about to speak, Lucy’s phone rang. He didn’t need to guess to know who was on the other end. “Lucy, where are you? I feel so awful. Please don’t leave me, okay?” Chad’s voice came through. Hearing Chad, Lucy seemed to snap out of a trance. She stared directly at Sean. “Chad is sick. He wants the white fungus soup you make. Come back with me. I’ll pay you for your work.” Hearing this, Sean’s chest began to heave violently. So this was how little she thought of him. Before Sean could respond, Fiona angrily cut in: “Your boyfriend is feeling unwell, so why do you need Sean to serve him? Sean is unwell too! If you want to take care of someone, do it yourself!” She planted herself firmly in front of Sean. This scene instantly ignited Lucy’s already foul mood. She roughly shoved Fiona aside, then grabbed Sean’s arm to pull him out. Sean’s nosebleed had just stopped, but the weakness in his body lingered. He pulled his arm free and told Lucy in an extremely faint voice, “I can’t go. I’m not feeling well.” But Lucy acted as if she hadn’t heard. “You just have a nosebleed. Chad has a fever. It’s just one bowl of soup. I’ll pay you, isn’t that enough?” She kept trying to drag Sean out as she spoke. In their struggle, Sean accidentally tripped on a stone by the doorway. Fresh blood immediately covered his face. Lucy flailed her hands helplessly. “Why is there so much blood?” Fiona ran over screaming, “Lucy Lawson, haven’t you hurt Sean enough?!” “He’s dying!”

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I thought my husband had been kidnapped while working abroad. I wanted to call the police, but he said the kidnappers were too powerful and it would be better to just pay the ransom. I believed him and somehow managed to scrape together $3 million to go abroad and rescue him. But the moment I landed, someone knocked me out. When I woke up, I found myself tied up and brought before the kidnappers. And there was my husband – the one who was supposed to be kidnapped – smiling obsequiously as he handed over the ransom money to the kidnappers: “Boss Spike, the money’s here, and so is she. About our deal…” Only then did I realize that my husband planned to trade my life for his future wealth and glory. But just as the gang of kidnappers was about to “teach me a lesson”, I realized the building looked oddly familiar. Wait, isn’t this my uncle’s place? 0 “Jack Harrison, you’ll pay for this!” I glared at the man before me, my eyes burning with fear and hatred. SLAP! Jack’s face contorted with rage as he shouted something, but the ringing in my ears drowned out his words at first. I probed the inside of my swollen cheek with my tongue, swallowing the metallic taste of blood, and looked up to glare at him defiantly. “You little bitch, who said you could talk to me like that?” he snarled. “And you dare to glare at me? Rachel Evans, do you still think you’re the high and mighty Miss Evans? You’re nothing but a dog under my heel now!” Jack grabbed my chin, examining my face with cold eyes but a disturbingly playful tone: “Rachel, you should be grateful you’ve still got a pretty face. Otherwise, you’d be treated like those other slaves – beaten and abused like the dogs they are. I’m giving you a chance to regain some of your former glory as Miss Evans. You should be thanking me.” “Boss Spike will be here soon. You’d better behave yourself, or else… you’ll regret it.” I stared at him, my eyes bloodshot, feeling like I’d never known the man standing before me. Jack had pursued me for a year, we’d been together for three, and we’d finally tied the knot earlier this year. Three months ago, my family went bankrupt, leaving Jack and me with massive debts. To earn more money, Jack accepted an overseas assignment from his company. But barely a month later, I suddenly lost all contact with him. Just as I was about to report him missing, I received a message saying he’d been kidnapped. Without hesitation, I borrowed $3 million from friends and took a 15-hour flight across the ocean to rescue him. But I never imagined that the moment I landed, someone would knock me out. When I woke up, I found myself in this dark warehouse. And there was my husband, Jack Harrison, lounging with a glass of wine in one hand and a beautiful woman in the other, watching me tied up before him with a smug expression. “Jack, I’ve never mistreated you or done anything to hurt you in all these years. Why are you doing this to me?!” “Why?” Jack chuckled, sauntering over to grab a fistful of my hair. “There’s no ‘why’ about it. If you want to blame someone, blame your family for being so rich, and me for needing money.” “By the way, do you still think the Lee family was behind your family’s bankruptcy?” “What do you mean?” I stared at him in disbelief, unable to process what I was hearing. Before anyone could answer, the woman standing behind Jack sashayed forward with a coy laugh. “Miss Evans, what Jack means is that he got close to you for your money, of course,” she purred. “From the very beginning, Jack approached you for your family’s wealth. If your father had listened to Jack and let him handle the company, you might still be the high and mighty Miss Evans. But unfortunately, your stubborn old man refused. He even had the gall to call it ‘selling out the country’. What a joke – it was a mutually beneficial arrangement, but he had to go and slander it like that.” “And then there’s your mother, who dared to eavesdrop on our conversations. Tsk, sending her to a mental hospital was Jack being merciful, considering your years together.” The woman leaned down, tracing my chin with her scarlet fingernail: “Miss Evans, you’d better not refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit, if you know what I mean.” 0

It was only then that I realized the truth – my family’s bankruptcy, my father’s suicide, my mother’s depression – it was all because of Jack! After squeezing every last drop of value from me, he now wanted to sell me off to make his final profit. “Jack, how could you do this to us? My family never mistreated you all these years! Why are you doing this? Why?!” Tears and snot streamed down my face, not just because of the betrayal of trust over so many years, but because I realized that the tragedy that befell my family was indirectly caused by me. I had even tacitly allowed Jack to send my mother to a mental hospital. This double blow pushed my hatred for Jack to its peak. “Damn it, will you shut up already…” Jack kicked me hard, then lunged forward and grabbed my throat. Just as he was about to hit me, an angry voice rang out. “I can hear you lot squabbling before I even get in here. What kind of behavior is this?” Jack’s hand loosened around my throat, and he quickly fell silent, standing to the side. The woman who had been adding fuel to the fire also quieted down, calling out “Boss Spike” before stepping aside. “That’s better. We’re all ‘civilized people’ here, no need for all this shouting and violence.” The man covered in tattoos sat down nearby, fingering his prayer beads with a soft clinking sound. “Is this the new merchandise?” Hearing this, Jack hurriedly wiped the cold sweat from his face and said ingratiatingly: “Boss Spike, this is the target from my last mission…” As I listened to Jack report to Spike how he had lured me in step by step and systematically ruined my family, I felt the blood rush to my face. Jack Harrison! Jack Harrison! I wanted to scream, to howl, but the man restraining me seemed to read my mind. Not only did he dislocate my jaw, but he also stuffed a cloth into my mouth. After hearing Jack’s report, Spike’s expression relaxed: “Well done, Jackie boy. You’ve completed this mission admirably.” Jack took a fawning step forward, half-bowing as he said: “You’re too kind, sir. It’s all thanks to your excellent guidance. As you can see, the money’s here, and the merchandise is quite attractive. So, about that partnership we discussed…” Spike suddenly stood up, giving Jack an inscrutable look: “Of course, we’ll have to ‘discuss our partnership’ thoroughly.” From where I was sitting, I could clearly see the malicious smiles on the faces of Spike and his men. But the moment Jack looked up, they all wiped the expressions from their faces. Jack, grinning from ear to ear, called for someone to bring me before Spike. “Boss Spike, the woman is yours now. Do with her as you please.” Then Jack turned to me: “Rachel, don’t say I never did anything for you. In this place, Boss Spike is one of the top dogs. Whether you end up with him or working for him, it’s better than washing dishes back home. If it weren’t for our years together as husband and wife, I wouldn’t have even thought of giving you this opportunity. Consider this the final act of our marriage.” Unable to speak, I could only glare at him with bloodshot eyes. Spike walked over and grabbed my chin. “Who said she’s going to be with me? Pretty women like her are meant to be sold – that’s the most profitable business.” The men standing behind Spike immediately started jeering: “Boss, it’s been a long time since we’ve had any fun. Shouldn’t the boys get a taste of such a fine woman first?” Spike waved his hand dismissively: “When have I ever shortchanged you boys? She’s just one woman – have your fun.” Suddenly, all the men turned to look at me with lewd grins. The anger in my heart faded, replaced by sheer terror. I shook my head frantically, looking at Jack with pleading eyes, making muffled sounds through my gag. 0

Because of my violent struggles, the man holding me down became impatient and slapped me hard. “Stop squirming, you little slut! Can’t you see the boss is talking?” The slap made me nauseous, and combined with the stench of sweat permeating the warehouse, I couldn’t stop dry heaving. This angered the man even more. He shouted, “Fucking bitch!” and punched me hard in the stomach. Now I couldn’t even dry heave. Pain radiated from my stomach throughout my body. Cold sweat broke out on my face, and my whole body shook uncontrollably. The man grabbed my hair and slapped me across the face several times before Spike finally “noticed” and called him off. “Butch, what the hell are you doing? Forgot Boss Zhang’s teachings? We’re ‘civilized people’ here, not thugs like before.” “And who said you could hit her face? If we can’t make money off her later, are you going to take her place?” The man called Butch reluctantly stopped hitting me and threw me onto a chair, tying me up. When the gag was removed from my mouth, it was already soaked with my blood. Drip, drip… I stared blankly at the small pool of red forming on the floor, the pain from various parts of my body leaving me unable to think. Jack, standing to the side, narrowed his eyes slightly before pouring a glass of wine for Spike with a fawning smile: “Boss Spike, now that our deal is settled, Chloe and I will take our leave. We won’t disturb your fun any longer. Please, carry on…” Spike took the wine with an enigmatic smile. Just as Jack and the woman were about to leave the warehouse, he said casually: “Who said you could leave?” Almost as soon as Spike’s voice fell, a group of men rushed over to restrain Jack and the woman. Jack looked at Spike in shock and dismay: “Boss Spike, what’s the meaning of this?!” “What’s the meaning of this?” Spike drained his glass of wine and fixed Jack with a fierce glare: “Jackie boy, did you really think you could play games with me right under my nose and not face the consequences?” “Take him next door.” Jack’s eyes widened in shock and anger. He shouted furiously: “Spike! When did I ever play games with you? I came to you in good faith to discuss a partnership. I even risked exposure by going back to the States to find merchandise for you. Is this how you repay me? Let go of me, you bastards!” “Spike, no matter what, we’re on the same level! Don’t think you can step over me just because you’ve spent a few more years with Boss Zhang. I want to see Boss Zhang! I demand to see Boss Zhang!” Then Jack was gagged and pushed out of the room. The woman standing next to him had already been dragged out by the impatient men at the very beginning. Now in the dim warehouse, it was just me and a room full of menacing-looking men. Seeing this, my previously dazed eyes suddenly came back into focus. If they could turn on Jack, one of their “own people”, so easily, what hope did I have as mere “merchandise”? My heart sank to the depths of despair, and I resigned myself to the worst. My gaze swept across the faces of everyone in the room, determined to remember each one clearly. If I ever had the chance to escape, I would make sure they all ended up behind bars! But just then, I saw the previously arrogant Spike suddenly stand up and call out “Brother Leo” to someone at the door, a wide smile on his face. Following the respectful gazes of the others, I saw a well-dressed man slowly walk in through the bright doorway. Wait… isn’t that Leo, my uncle’s driver? My eyes widened slightly as I stared at the man now standing in front of Spike, listening to his report with a cold expression. Yes, yes! Even though it had been six or seven years since I last saw him, I couldn’t be mistaken. That man was definitely Leo. I had thought earlier that the layout of this warehouse seemed familiar, like I’d been here before. Now, seeing a familiar face, it hit me – this was my uncle’s factory abroad! I had come to this city on my graduation trip. At the time, my mom had specially called my uncle, asking him to show me around while I was abroad. My uncle always listened to my mom, so I naturally stayed at his house. But my uncle was incredibly busy, so he only took me on a tour of the factory on the first day. After that, he assigned me a driver to take me around. And that driver was Leo! Realizing this, a spark of hope suddenly ignited in my heart. If I could recognize Leo, surely he would recognize me too!

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On the night of the Valentine’s Day, a big scene unfolded at the entrance of our neighborhood when seven luxury cars suddenly lifted off the ground. My brother was yelling at the blown-off manhole cover, “Thanks for the rocket, bro!” The property manager shoved the security footage at me: “Which one of you threw fireworks into the septic tank causing the methane explosion? The repair cost for the Rolls Royce Cullinan is 2.8 million!” At the police station, my mom was in tears, pinching my arm, “Phoebe, just say it was you. Your brother can’t have a blemish on his record!” I glanced at the family group chat filled with messages like “A sister should protect her brother.” I suddenly burst into laughter. This time you can handle it yourself, dear brother—Logan “the Ground King.” 0 My brother Logan, known online as “Logan the Ground King,” is a minor TikTok streamer, often performing awkward antics. He couldn’t have picked a worse day—on Valentine’s Day, he managed to blow up a manhole cover. That’s real talent. “Thanks to our top supporter for the rocket! Thanks, everyone!” His altered voice, sounding like a raspy duck, was giving me a headache through the phone. The camera focused on the dark manhole cover, while colorful comments filled the screen. “Wow, thrilling!” “This city knows how to play; even manhole covers can explode!” “Why isn’t the streamer showing his face this time? Is it really him?” “Folks, today we’re challenging ourselves to blow up a manhole cover! Thanks for the support! Double tap, mwah!” His irritating altered voice came through the phone, making me want to reach through the internet and slap him. In the live stream, I saw him light a string of firecrackers and toss them into the manhole. The comments section erupted. Before I could react, the screen shook violently, followed by a loud “boom.” A flash of white light filled the screen before it returned to normal. In the camera, the manhole cover was gone, replaced by a deep, dark hole. A few brightly colored sports cars suddenly appeared in the frame. The nearest Cullinan had half a firecracker stuck on its starry roof, still smoking. Another flashy Lamborghini had some yellow, unidentified object dangling from its undercarriage, fluttering in the wind. The comments exploded. “Cullinan owner: Thanks a lot!” “Lamborghini: What did I do to deserve this?” Seeing the familiar car logos on the screen, my hand shook, nearly dropping the phone. Were those Mr. Wang and Mr. Li’s cars? And my recently acquired Cullinan client’s car? The phone rang incessantly, displaying “Manager.” I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice calm: “Manager, happy holidays” “happy holidays my foot! Phoebe! Look at what your wonderful brother did!” “There are seven supercars at the community entrance! All of them got blown up! The Cullinan’s starry roof is gone! Your client’s cars! They’re all your responsibility!” “I… I know, Manager, I’m dealing with it now.” I hung up, my hands shaking. Seven supercars, all my clients, and all with full damage coverage? My mind buzzed, filled with emptiness. My work group chat had over 99+ notifications already. My boss’s voice was cold: “Initial estimate, six million in losses! All have full damage coverage! Phoebe, tell me, who will pay for this?” At this point, the family group chat was in an uproar. My parents’ calls were incessant, so I took a cab home. Upon opening the door, everyone in the family was waiting in the living room. The atmosphere was as heavy as a memorial service. 0

My parents sat in the center of the sofa. My brother Logan stood beside them with his head down, looking like a wilted eggplant. My Aunt Lydia was sitting next to them, vividly recounting something to my mom. When she saw me enter, she immediately switched to a “devastated” expression. “Phoebe, you’re finally back!” Aunt Lydia rushed over first, grabbing my hand with tears in her eyes. My mom joined in, looking distressed: “Phoebe, be honest with your mom. Was this your doing?” Was it me? I quickly realized they wanted me to take the blame again. At 12, Logan set the community’s electric meter box on fire, and my parents had me take the blame, apologize, and get scolded. At 15, Logan threw his classmate’s backpack into water, ruining the latest tablet inside, and I got blamed for not teaching my brother properly. At 17, Logan acted up during a hot pot meal, pouring a whole bottle of industrial alcohol, almost causing a manslaughter case, and my parents made me pull strings and spend a fortune to settle it. I’ve always been Logan’s personal scapegoat, on call 24/7, dealing with emergencies at my own expense. But this time, I didn’t want to be their blood bank anymore. “Mom, what did I do?” I feigned confusion. My dad coughed heavily, pointing at a piece of paper on the coffee table. It was a notice from the police station. “Look for yourself! The police called, saying they need our cooperation for an investigation! The surveillance footage clearly shows someone throwing firecrackers into the manhole!” “Dad, did the footage show who threw it?” I deliberately asked. My mom, realizing I didn’t want to admit to this black pot, immediately cried harder. “Phoebe, your brother needs to take the civil service exam! If he has a criminal record, his life is over!” Aunt Lydia chimed in, “Yes, Phoebe, you’re the older sister, always so mature. Help your brother this time.” “Help him?” I raised an eyebrow, “How?” My parents exchanged a glance. My mom cleared her throat and started babbling: “You see, Logan didn’t show his face. The footage is dark; no one can tell who it is.” “Besides, you’re the sister. Isn’t it your duty to cover for your brother?” My mom said, giving me a look. I almost laughed out loud. This familiar manipulative talk, I’ve heard it all my life, and it’s still the same old song. “Mom, you mean go to the police station and admit it was me who blew up the manhole?” My parents nodded vigorously, and Aunt Lydia chimed in, “Phoebe, just say you were messing around. Young people make mistakes, right? Be polite, and maybe the police will go easy on you.” “Besides, once your brother becomes a civil servant, he’ll be part of the state, unlike you who work a regular job. You need to understand what’s best for our family.” My dad frowned at me. “Exactly, just say it was you. You don’t need to take the civil service exam anyway.” My mom quickly added. Looking at them, a chill ran through my heart. “And what about the repair costs? 2.8 million for the Cullinan, plus the other supercars, it’s over six million, right? Who’s paying?” I asked calmly. My mom hesitated, stammering: “Well… well… doesn’t insurance cover it?” Aunt Lydia’s eyes lit up, scooting over, “Yes, Phoebe, don’t you work at an insurance company? You’re a claims adjuster; you must have a way. Just help out, pull some strings, and have the insurance company cover it.” I couldn’t believe my ears. They wanted me to abuse my position to commit insurance fraud? “Aunt Lydia, what are you saying? Insurance claims follow a process. It’s not up to me to decide. This is clearly human-caused damage. The insurance company won’t cover it.” I said coldly. “Why can’t they cover it? You’re a claims adjuster. Can’t you handle this little thing?” Aunt Lydia looked incredulous. “Yeah, Phoebe, you’re the most accomplished in our family, and you won’t even help with this?” My mom started piling on the guilt. Looking at them, it was both laughable and pathetic. “You want me to take the blame and also fake claims to defraud the insurance company? You really think highly of me.” I retorted sarcastically. “Anyway, the situation is already out. What’s one more blame? If you end up in jail, your brother, once he’s a civil servant, can help you out.” Aunt Lydia said, trying to mediate. “Phoebe, didn’t I buy your brother an accident insurance policy before? He got injured yesterday. You can also have the insurance company pay thirty or fifty thousand for his recovery.” I looked at them coldly, saying nothing, feeling utterly disheartened. 0

Seeing the hard approach wasn’t working, my mom switched to a softer tactic. She took out a bank card, where I’d deposited almost 80% of my salary in the “family account.” My mom actually said my brother planned to use this money to buy me an apartment, hoping I’d be grateful enough to take the blame for Logan? I picked up my phone, walked over to the credit card machine, “Insufficient balance.” I frowned, checking the transaction details, seeing a long list of expenses on the screen. Luxury boutiques, fine dining, bars, karaoke, game top-ups… Thirty-eight thousand, already spent. I wanted to slam the door and never return to this home again. But today, if I didn’t admit to this, it seemed I wouldn’t be able to leave. I came up with a plan. “You want me to take the blame? Fine.” I suddenly laughed, tears almost coming out. “After all, I’m just a useless daughter. Our family is still counting on my brother to bring glory to the family name. For our family’s legacy, I admit it!” I pretended to be tearful, the more broken I appeared, the more easily they’d fall for it. My mom and Aunt Lydia exchanged a satisfied look, thinking they had me where they wanted. “That’s right, we’re family. It’s good you understand.” But today, if I don’t take responsibility for this, it seems I won’t be able to leave the house. A plan started to form in my mind. “You want me to take the blame? Fine.” I suddenly laughed, tears almost spilling over. “After all, I’m just the useless daughter. Our Logan family is still waiting for my brother to bring honor to the family. For the sake of the Logan lineage, I’ll admit it!” I deliberately acted more desperate, knowing the more I played the part, the more likely they were to believe me. My mom and Aunt Lydia exchanged a glance, satisfied smiles on their faces, thinking they had me cornered. “That’s the spirit, we’re family after all. It’s good you understand.” “But, Mom, Aunt Lydia, I’ll take the blame, but I need to know the full story: what explosives were used, and… why did Logan blow up the manhole cover?” I asked, fixing them with a piercing gaze. “Well, it’s nothing much. Logan, that kid, wasn’t he live-streaming, trying to add some excitement? He wanted some explosive effects to attract followers,” Aunt Lydia finally confessed, though she downplayed the situation. Then my mom reluctantly recounted the sequence of events. Just as I suspected, Logan had planned a “Valentine’s Day Extravaganza” for his TikTok stream to draw attention. He bought some fireworks, not realizing there was a septic tank under the manhole cover. “Mom, you’d better be honest with me. Whether I can ‘successfully’ take the blame and ‘pull strings’ with the insurance company depends on it.” I emphasized “take the blame” and “pull strings” to make sure they knew I was “playing the role.” “Alright, actually… it was a little ‘homemade bomb,’ like those kids play with during the New Year, just with a bit more power.” I didn’t plan to probe any further; I already had the gist. Next, I needed to get the explosives report to see what they really used. The next day, I excused myself, saying I needed to check the “details” of the insurance claim, and returned to work. When I saw the words “nitroglycerin” and “glycerin,” I couldn’t help but smirk. Logan, that kid, really had nerve. To become an internet celeb, he dared to possess and use explosives. This wasn’t just a simple public safety matter anymore; it might escalate to a criminal issue. Back home, I acted nonchalant, continuing the charade with them. Logan was in the living room, live-streaming with his “top fan sis,” oblivious to my little actions. I discreetly unlocked his phone, opened the PayPal account, and began reviewing recent transactions. Logan, that kid, bought so many highly dangerous fireworks. What infuriated me was he used my account to buy these dangerous goods, clearly trying to drag me down with him, making me the fall guy. It was clear Logan had planned everything: from buying explosives, orchestrating the stream, to shifting the blame afterward—every step meticulously calculated. Such a schemer! Since that’s the case, there’s no need for me to be polite anymore. “Logan, you brought this on yourself,” I thought coldly to myself.

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My boyfriend is the Police Captain. When I was cornered by criminals, I calmly called his work phone three times. When he finally answered, all I received was his impatient scolding: “Stop bothering me. I’m on duty, and you’re disrupting my work.” In the noisy background, I heard Violetta’s playful voice: “Thank you, brother, you’re amazing!” With a criminal’s knife close to my throat, I didn’t have the luxury of arguing with him. I quickly dialed 91 The dispatcher regretfully informed me: “All nearby units are handling other emergencies. It will take some time to reach you. I’ll coordinate as fast as I can.” In a daze, I saw a news alert about the Police Captain successfully rescuing a kidnapped girl. If I remember correctly, this was the fifth time Violetta was in danger. Desperate, I looked at the criminals around me, then at the open window. Faced with the choice between being killed or jumping, I chose the latter. A second before I fell, I sent my last text message: [I’m leaving. I wish you happiness. Don’t bother, don’t miss.] 1 I saw my body lying on the ground like a shattered doll. Even though I was already lifeless, my face still showed a longing to live. A blood-stained handkerchief slipped from my hand, marked with signs of fighting the criminals. My right arm was twisted horribly, with bones piercing through the skin, and blood staining the ground. So, I was already dead. Twenty minutes earlier, I was kidnapped by criminals on my way home. They took me to the fifth floor of this remote factory and seized my spare phone before guarding the door outside. I tried to stay calm, looking for a way to escape. My boyfriend, Finnick, is the Police Captain. I learned some methods from him to handle danger. I secretly pressed the speed dial on my phone, calling Finnick. “The number you have dialed is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later.” The cold message came through the receiver. I checked; the number I dialed was his work phone. When Finnick gave me this number, he promised solemnly: “Serena, this is my work phone. Call me whenever you’re in danger, and I’ll answer.” “No one else will call this number.” “This is our code. As soon as you call, I’ll rush to your side.” I had already dialed 911. But I hesitated and called Finnick again. Simply because my area was under his jurisdiction, and the task might fall to him in the end. Maybe contacting him directly would get me help faster. The waiting tone lingered in my ear. Until I heard Finnick’s annoyed voice. “I’m busy! What’s up, say it quick!” I realized I had dialed his number for the third time. This time was unconscious. I bit my lip hard to wake myself up a bit, and struggled to say, “Finnick, I’ve been kidnapped. Can you come save…” Before I could finish, he cut me off mercilessly: “Serena, stop it. I don’t have time for you now.” “I’m on duty. Violetta just faced danger, and I need to protect her.” Among the background noise, Violetta’s weak voice came through: “Brother Finnick, I’m so scared. Luckily, you’re here.” 2 Really, just on duty? I questioned Finnick in my heart, and I questioned myself. In the past year, Finnick’s work phone often rang late at night. He always left in a hurry, saying it was an emergency task. I thought he was just busy with work. Until I noticed that every time, Violetta’s name flashed on the screen. A woman’s intuition told me something was wrong. I secretly checked Finnick’s call records. There were very few calls related to work. In contrast, Violetta’s name filled the screen. My boyfriend of three years, always there for another woman whenever she needed him. And at my moment of crisis, my only call for help was seen as a nuisance. How ironic! The dial tone echoed in my ear. Finnick hung up on me. The criminal’s knife danced before my eyes. While I still had a shred of sanity, I hurriedly called the police. As I expected, the dispatcher confirmed the address and transferred the task to the police station where Finnick worked. “What? Everyone is out? And so far away, why not assign someone closer!” “Nonsense! Captain Finnick would never make such an unreasonable arrangement!” I didn’t know what response he received, but he seemed angry, and his tone became urgent. Suddenly, the dispatcher’s voice was cut off. He must have realized I could hear and pressed mute. Not long after, he picked up the phone again and regretfully informed me: “Sorry, ma’am, all nearby units are handling other emergencies. Please try to stay calm, and I’ll coordinate other rescue personnel as soon as possible.” My head was getting dizzier. I quickly asked, “How long will it take? I’m afraid I can’t hold on much longer.” The dispatcher carefully chose his words: “The rescue team has already set out. They’ll get there as soon as possible, but you’re in a remote area, so it might take some time. Please be patient.” He then gave some advice on dealing with the criminals. I helplessly looked at my surroundings, at my phone, and at the bag that the criminals had taken. I didn’t have the heart to tell him I’d tried all that. In a daze, I saw a news alert about the Police Captain successfully rescuing a kidnapped girl. I laughed sarcastically. If I remember correctly, this was the fifth time Violetta had been in danger. I’ve grown tired of hearing this excuse. A month ago, I had a huge argument with Finnick. It was my birthday that day. I had prepared dinner meticulously, waiting for Finnick to come home. The table was filled with his favorite dishes, all cooked by me. Candles were lit on the cake, a surprise I’d planned for him. Yet, Finnick never showed up. I didn’t know if he had forgotten or simply didn’t care. Two hours later, Finnick sent a text: [Sorry, I have a task. I’ll be back when I’m done.] He didn’t come home the entire night. At three in the morning, Violetta updated her Snapchat. [Every time I’m in danger, Brother Finnick is there to protect me. I’m so happy.] 3 There was a photo attached to her post, showing her and Finnick together. His hand was on her shoulder, and his eyes were gentle. The following evening, a tired-looking Finnick came home. I didn’t lose my temper. I calmly asked him about Violetta. He said nothing, his eyes flickering, occasionally glancing at his phone. I stared at his phone and accidentally saw the contact name changed to “Violetta Darling.” Years of suppression and grievance erupted. I was silenced by Finnick’s single statement, “Stop being unreasonable.” He told me to be rational. So I rationally packed my things and left our home. The dispatcher didn’t know my inner pain and continued to comfort me: “Please trust us, the rescue team will arrive as soon as possible. Hang in there!” I calmed myself, hearing the criminals’ footsteps gradually approaching. Then there was the sound of the door opening. I might not make it until help arrives. After hanging up, I couldn’t care about anything else. I resisted the criminals desperately, trying to find a chance to escape. Pain shot through my arm as the criminal’s knife cut me. Blood flowed freely, soaking my clothes. Seeing this, the criminals treated me even more ruthlessly. The hope of escaping from them vanished. I looked desperately at the window, then at the ground below. Jumping might not give me a high chance of survival, but it was still a chance. So, between being killed and jumping, I chose the latter. 4 Not long after, far on the other side of the city, Finnick received a text notification. Perhaps my survival instinct was too strong. My soul followed the text message to Finnick’s side. It was lively around him. Violetta was snuggled up to him, her face glowing with happiness. Finnick looked at her tenderly, comforting her: “Don’t be afraid, I’m here. I won’t let anything happen to you.” His colleagues behind him exchanged looks, angry but afraid to speak. The youngest officer was pushed forward, cautiously reminding him: “Captain Finnick, we got a report half an hour ago about a girl being kidnapped. Shouldn’t we head out?” I recognized him as Jack, a newcomer. Finnick seemed impatient. He patted Violetta’s shoulder first, adjusted his clothes, and then slowly said: “Didn’t I say earlier to let someone else handle it? No need to wait for me.” Jack replied awkwardly, “You forgot, Captain. You called the whole station to save Miss Lin. All the nearby units are here.” Finnick felt his decision was being questioned and angrily asked: “Are you doubting my decision? Both situations are urgent. I have to weigh the pros and cons! If you’re eager to earn credit, go quickly! I’m not stopping you!” Jack, straightforward by nature, retorted: “What’s this got to do with earning credit? You’re the leader, bringing the whole team to save Miss Lin while ignoring other victims. Is that right?” “What nonsense!” Finnick’s face turned pale, scolding loudly. Finnick felt his authority questioned by his subordinates and angrily asked, “Do you doubt my decision? Both situations are urgent, and I need to weigh the options! If you’re eager to get credit, go ahead. I’m not stopping you!” Jack, known for his bluntness, expressed his dissatisfaction, “This isn’t about getting credit. You’re the leader, focusing on saving Miss Lin and ignoring other victims. Is that right?” “Stop spouting nonsense!” Finnick’s face flushed with anger as he shouted. As they were about to argue, Violetta gently tugged on Finnick’s sleeve, saying softly, “Brother Finnick, don’t be mad. Everyone’s just doing their job. I’ll go with you.” She then turned to the officers, bowed deeply, and with teary eyes said, “I’m sorry for the trouble I’ve caused, and thank you for your help. I’ll be more careful in the future.” A female officer rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath, “She always says that.” My body lay on the ground for half an hour. Only then did Finnick and his team rush out. But, my dear fiancé, I had already lost my life. I won’t trouble you anymore. 5. Finnick and Violetta sat together in the back seat. Violetta, pretending to be concerned, brought me up, “Brother Finnick, Serena called you several times earlier. Do you think something’s wrong?” “What could possibly be wrong?” Finnick scoffed. “She doesn’t stay home, rents a place, and lives freely by herself! Earlier, she even told me she’s leaving, probably to have some fun!” Though Violetta feigned concern, there was a glint of satisfaction in her eyes. “It can’t be because of me, right? Brother Finnick, believe me, I didn’t mean to ruin your relationship! Give me Serena’s number, and I’ll apologize to her!” As she spoke, she pretended to cry. Finnick pulled out a tissue, gently wiping Violetta’s tears. “She’s too willful, it’s not your fault.” Finnick turned back to face forward, gripping the tissue in his right hand, and took out his phone, thoughtfully staring at it. Curiously, I glanced at the screen. It showed the last message I sent. [I’m leaving. Wish you happiness. Do not disturb or miss me.] After a while, he suddenly laughed, fingers tapping briskly on the screen. [Where are you going? Stop fooling around, come back.] The driver suddenly hit the brakes. The two in the backseat tilted forward due to the inertia. Violetta complained, “Can you drive properly? I almost hit my head!” Finnick opened the car door and ran out, leaving the phone that had fallen under the seat. The message still remained in the input box, unsent. In the distance, sirens wailed, and flashing police lights lit up the night sky. The police chief stepped out of a patrol car, saw Finnick, and angrily threw his hat at him. “Do you know how urgent the situation is? You were the closest, yet took so long to arrive. If someone died, could you take responsibility?” A stretcher carried out my body first. Other victims were rescued one after another. Out of respect, someone covered my broken body with a white cloth, leaving only my blood-stained fingers exposed. Finnick froze when he saw the ring on my finger.

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I was kidnapped along with Jack’s first love, Ella. He brought $500,000 in ransom money and rescued Ella without hesitation. Even my son, whom I had carried for ten months, chimed in: “I want to take Sister Ella with us! Dad, she’ll be scared if we leave her here!” The Game System declared my mission a failure: “Once your physical body dies, you’ll be sent back to your original world.” So I became desperate to die, wanting nothing more than to go home quickly. But when my husband and son realized I truly didn’t want to live anymore, they hugged me and said: “I’m sorry, please don’t leave us, okay?” After trying to win Jack’s heart for twelve years, he still chose Ella over me without hesitation. Jack quickly untied the ropes binding Ella, his eyes full of concern. Beside them, Tommy, imitating his father, was gently rubbing Ella’s reddened wrists and blowing on them occasionally. “Sister Ella, I’ll blow on it and make it all better.” The three of them were so lovingly harmonious, completely forgetting about me still in the kidnapper’s hands. Even the kidnapper couldn’t help but mock the scene. “Your husband is lost in his romantic paradise. I guess he won’t come to rescue you. Should I just kill you now?” Watching the two of them escort Ella away, the Game System officially declared my mission a failure. The ensuing punishment shocked me unconscious. In my daze, I heard the kidnapper frantically trying to support my collapsing body. “I was just talking tough! Did I really scare her that badly? Oh no, I better get her to a hospital quick. If something happens to her, I’m in big trouble.”

Waking up in the hospital, I confirmed with the Game System in my head: As long as this body dies completely, I can go home, right? After getting an affirmative answer from the system, I moved towards the window. This hospital room was on a high floor, at least 50 feet up. Jumping from here would certainly be fatal. I opened the window and leaped out. An enormous sense of weightlessness hit me, and I instinctively reached out my hand. The howling wind stung my ears. But I wasn’t afraid. In fact, I was looking forward to death. Just a little more, and I would be home – back to a world where someone truly loved me. I closed my eyes, calmly waiting. The next second, the falling sensation disappeared. Someone grabbed my arm forcefully. The momentum of the fall caused my muscles to tear and stretch, sending waves of intense pain from my arm throughout my entire chest. I opened my eyes, feeling like my arm might be broken. The person who caught me was Leo, Jack’s half-brother. I looked up at the sweating young man and calmly said, “Let go.” Leo gritted his teeth and gripped tighter, using all his strength to pull me up. He shouted, “Just because my brother didn’t choose you? You’re jumping off a building for that? Is your head filled with shit?” I reached out, slowly prying his fingers off. “Leo, if I die, it’ll make you happy, right? So, let go.”

Leo hated me. Or rather, anyone close to Jack didn’t approve of me. After Ella ran away for love, Jack married me under family pressure. They were convinced I was a homewrecker who took advantage of the situation. They openly isolated, excluded, and ignored me. Leo was at the forefront of this treatment. Using his status as Jack’s brother, he would strut into the family mansion and destroy all the baby’s breath flowers I had planted in the backyard. Knowing I was allergic to cat hair, he encouraged Tommy to adopt a stray kitten. When I disagreed, he suggested Tommy cry about it. The commotion filled the entire living room. Leo watched from the sidelines, suddenly playing the good guy and taking the high road. “It’s just a little cat. Let the kid have it if he likes it.” Tommy cried even harder, rolling on the ground and mumbling, “Mommy is bad. I want the kitty.” I chased Leo out along with the cat and patiently explained to Tommy that I was allergic to cat hair, so we couldn’t keep a cat, but we could get a puppy instead. After Leo’s manipulation, Tommy only had the cat on his mind and wouldn’t listen. He kept hitting me, demanding I give him back the kitten. This created a rift between Tommy and me. Leo seized the opportunity to continue badmouthing me to Tommy, causing the young child to learn to oppose me. He was like a demon crawling out of hell, turning my life upside down.

I didn’t die. The commotion Leo caused attracted the medical staff. They worked together to pull me back up. Leo glanced at me, closed the window, and fell unusually silent. His hands wouldn’t stop shaking, with dark red marks covering his palms and fingertips. “Mia, I don’t hate you as much as you think I do.” He lowered his head, his bangs hiding his eyes. I thought I heard a hint of guilt in his voice. Just as I was about to dig deeper, Leo crossed his arms and lifted his head, reverting to his carefree demeanor. He said nonchalantly, “Is this another one of your tricks? Let me tell you, my brother won’t fall for this ‘push and pull’ game. If you keep this up, you’ll only make him sick of you…” Leo was lost in his own world, chattering away while the medical staff checked the equipment by the bed. Taking advantage of this moment, I once again stepped towards the window and swiftly opened it. Before I could step out, Leo pulled me back. After two consecutive suicide attempts, Leo finally realized I wasn’t just seeking attention but truly wanted to die. He pulled me away from the window and, after making sure I was within his control, began to patiently counsel me, his attitude becoming gentler. “Don’t do anything stupid, okay? There are plenty of other men in the world besides my brother. Why are you so hung up on him?” He coughed lightly, his cheeks turning red. “I admit, my brother isn’t a good husband, but you can get a divorce, you know? It’s not worth dying for him. Maybe someone out there is secretly in love with you, and you just haven’t noticed.”

Leo took me back to the family mansion. On the way, he told me that Jack had already found out the kidnapping was orchestrated by me and was now comforting the traumatized Ella. “My brother is pretty angry right now. When we get there, just apologize to Ella properly, and this whole thing will be over.” “Once we calm my brother down, the divorce will be much easier to handle.” I didn’t respond, instead turning my head towards the car window. The scenery outside rushed by, fleeting, not even leaving an afterimage. Combining this with the kidnapper’s panic when sending me to the hospital before I fainted, I guessed that this kidnapping was probably another one of Ella’s schemes to frame me. By pinning the crime on me, she could still play the innocent victim in front of Jack. This wasn’t the first time, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last. Ella and I were like opposite poles of a magnet, repelling each other and constantly hurting one another. And Jack? He was the iron filing that always aligned with Ella. No matter how clumsy the ploy, in his eyes, it all became Ella’s adorable nature and need for security. He would stand unwaveringly by Ella’s side, the scales never tipping in my favor. My arguments, despair, and hysteria only earned me one response from him: “Stop making a scene. Look at yourself.”

Suddenly, I remembered when I first started trying to win Jack’s heart. Back then, Ella had eloped with the male lead, leaving Jack, the devoted second male lead, drowning his sorrows in alcohol day after day. The Game System told me that the man lying drunk in the corner was my target. Only by reaching 100% favorability could I return home. I didn’t understand why the mission’s completion condition had to be a man’s love. But to go home, I still nervously approached Jack. He would get drunk at bars, and I’d join him, vomiting everywhere. I’d apologize to the staff and clean up the mess. He missed the desserts Ella used to make, so I enrolled in a baking class and studied his tastes. Those painstakingly made desserts? Jack didn’t even look at them before throwing them in the trash. He warned me not to try to imitate Ella, saying I wasn’t even fit to tie her shoelaces. After that, I stopped making desserts but learned how to cook proper meals. Jack had a sensitive stomach and often skipped dinner when working late. Every day, I’d prepare different dishes, ensuring a balanced diet, and personally deliver them to his office. Perhaps because my cooking wasn’t bad, Jack slowly began to accept my presence. That period was the most harmonious time in my relationship with Jack. I managed to raise his favorability to 98%. Just when I thought I could go home soon, a drunken mistake led to my pregnancy. Jack married me under family pressure. His favorability towards me dropped significantly. From the beginning to the end, he always thought I had intentionally gotten pregnant. That I had set a trap for him to fall into. How ridiculous. I wasn’t the one who forgot protection; if anyone was to blame, it was him. He and Ella were the same type of people, always pinning their faults and crimes on others. Did that somehow lessen their guilt? Hah, how laughable. Forgive me, but I couldn’t understand their logic.

I followed behind Leo. As we pushed open the mansion’s main door, the first thing I saw was Ella, lying comfortably on the sofa. Jack and Tommy were attending to her. The older one held a plate of cut fruit, using a fork to feed Ella piece by piece. The younger one sat at Ella’s feet, grinning as he massaged her legs. If those two had tails, they’d probably be wagging them to the sky by now. Jack turned his head and saw me, immediately putting on a serious face. His brows furrowed as he picked up some documents from the coffee table and threw them directly at my face. He stood up, his presence intimidating. “Mia! I don’t mind you throwing tantrums, but you absolutely shouldn’t have hurt Ella!” “Did you enjoy staging this kidnapping to get my attention? If anything had happened to Ella, you’d be in jail!” I bent down to pick up the scattered papers at my feet. After reading them carefully, I couldn’t help but laugh mockingly. There was only a self-serving statement from the kidnapper. If Jack had been willing to trust me even a little and check the bank account number used to transfer money to the kidnapper, he wouldn’t have wrongly accused me. People only see what they want to see. Seeing my reaction, Ella got up from the sofa. She seemed afraid I might say something, anxiously grabbing Jack’s sleeve. “Jack, I’m fine. You don’t need to be so upset. Mia is a girl, going to jail would be…” Before she could finish, I slapped her hard across the face. I used all my strength, the sound of the slap echoing throughout the living room. Ella looked at me dazedly, not yet recovered from the shock of the slap. It wasn’t just her; almost everyone was stunned. Jack was the first to react. He lunged at me furiously, his hands gripping my throat, his eyes filled with uncontrollable rage. The survival instinct made me struggle and twist. I looked up at him contemptuously. “You think this little evidence is enough to put me in jail? You might be an idiot, but the police aren’t.” This statement greatly provoked Jack. He increased the pressure on my throat, allowing less and less air into my lungs. Death was slowly approaching, but I couldn’t control the smile creeping onto my face. At the critical moment, Leo punched Jack, snapping him out of his rage. Jack instinctively loosened his grip on my throat. The lack of oxygen made my legs weak, and in an instant, I collapsed to the ground. I gasped for air, glaring with slight dissatisfaction at Leo, the culprit who had ruined my two chances at death. He threw another punch at Jack, still not satisfied. “Do you realize she was about to die? You nearly choked her to death!” Jack was dazed from the punches but didn’t choose to hit back. He pushed Leo away and looked at me with a complex expression, only to awkwardly turn his head away after a moment. “So what if she died? It’s her fault for provoking Ella first.”

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Lucas was the envy of the tech world – a handsome, wealthy, and brilliant entrepreneur. And I, Emma, was just an ordinary programmer who was chosen by him to be his “perfect partner”. He showered me with love and affection, treating me as if I were the center of his universe. But this love came with a condition: I had to help him create a humanoid AI. I gave it my all, working intensely for a year straight. Sleepless nights, insomnia, and irregular periods led me to lose 90 pounds. Two pregnancies, two miscarriages. Each time, he comforted me: “It’s okay, we’re still young.” Finally, I presented my latest work. He was overjoyed and immediately named the AI “Lily” – the name of his deceased first love. It wasn’t until I fainted that I overheard his assistant whispering: “Boss, isn’t this too much? Your wife is exhausted. She’s pregnant, and you’re still giving her drugs to induce miscarriage…” Lucas’s voice was ice-cold: “To revive Lily, her miscarriage ensures she won’t be distracted from work. I can’t accept even a second of delay.” At that moment, my heart turned to ice. I destroyed the AI, but he chased after me, begging me to come back. Because Lily’s emotional core… had always been me.

I sat in the corner of the conference room, watching Lucas’s eager gaze. It was a look he had never given me. He stood on the stage, his fingers gently caressing the AI projection, his movements as tender as if touching a lover. “From today on, her name is Lily.” I gripped the armrest of my chair, another nail chipping off. “The name Lily…” someone in the audience asked curiously. Lucas’s voice was unbelievably gentle: “She’s the regret of my life, and my eternal first love.” Whispers filled the conference room. I saw several female employees exchanging meaningful glances. Some covered their mouths, pointing at me without any attempt to hide it. I lowered my head, not wanting anyone to see my pale face. The dark circles under my eyes were like brands behind my glasses, and my gaunt cheeks made me look ten years older than I actually was. A year ago, I was still young and beautiful. Now I was just skin and bones, weighing only 90 pounds. Two miscarriages and overwork had left me with irregular periods, and dizziness had become a daily occurrence. “Lily, how do you feel?” Lucas’s voice carried a tenderness I had never heard before. The AI projection emitted a soft glow: “I feel great, thank you, Creator.” My vision began to blur, and there was a ringing in my ears. The lights in the conference room stung my eyes, and when I tried to stand up to leave, I found my legs had gone numb. “Thud—” I fell heavily to the ground. Gasps of shock erupted around me. “Oh my God, she fainted!” “Call an ambulance!” “She’s been working too hard…” I forced my eyes open and saw Lucas’s figure. He stood still, his gaze still fixed on the AI projection: “Lily, what do you think of this hair color? Should we adjust it?” Tears blurred my vision. I curled up on the cold floor, listening to the footsteps of people around me gradually fading away. In my daze, I heard his assistant’s voice: “Boss, don’t you think we’re going too far? Your wife has been working non-stop for a year, her health is ruined, and you’re even giving her drugs to induce miscarriage when she’s pregnant…” “To revive my Lily, her miscarriage ensures she won’t be distracted from work. I can’t accept even a second of delay.” Lucas’s voice was as cold as ice. So… that’s how it was. I finally understood why he always made me red date tea after each pregnancy. Why he always said it was more convenient to have a private doctor come to the house whenever I wanted to go for a prenatal check-up. I thought it was his thoughtfulness, but it turned out to be his poison. I bit my lip, not letting myself make a sound. But tears fell uncontrollably, splashing onto the floor. As my consciousness faded, I heard the sound of an ambulance siren approaching from afar.

The pungent smell of disinfectant invaded my nostrils as I lay on the cold hospital bed, staring at the stark white ceiling. My memory involuntarily drifted back to twelve years ago. Back then, I was swollen all over from taking hormone medications. My classmates always mocked me as the “fat ugly girl”, throwing my textbooks in the trash and stuffing rotten food into my locker. When I was curled up crying behind the school building, Lucas appeared. He draped his rain-soaked jacket over my shoulders and said softly, “Don’t be afraid, I’ll go with you to talk to the teacher.” At that moment, he was like a light in the darkness, illuminating my world. In the days that followed, whenever I was bullied, he would always appear just in time. He helped me clean up my ransacked backpack, accompanied me to the infirmary to treat my wounds, and even voluntarily became my desk mate. Gradually, the bullying stopped. “You don’t need to be afraid,” he always told me. “I’ll always be by your side.” When we met again ten years later, I had slimmed down but was still ordinary. He, however, had become even more outstanding, dressed in a suit and tie, exuding an elite aura with every gesture. I only dared to watch him from afar, never imagining he would approach me. “Do you remember me?” he asked. “I’ve been looking for you.” His career was thriving, but he never made me feel inferior. Whenever his mother belittled me for my humble background, he was always the first to stand up for me. “Mom, Emma is trying her best,” he would say. “She’s my wife, we’re family.” Back then, I naively believed that such happiness would last forever. Until he became obsessed with developing AI, and the tenderness in his eyes gradually disappeared, replaced by an obsession with “Lily”. A year ago, he held my hand and said, “Once the AI development is successful, I’ll give you a grand wedding.” I believed him. I worked tirelessly, day and night. Two miscarriages, I endured silently, afraid of delaying his research. I lost 90 pounds, but I persevered. But now, he had shattered all my illusions with the name “Lily”. Drip, drip — The crisp sound of water interrupted my thoughts. I raised my hand to my cheek, realizing I had been crying without knowing it.

The fluorescent lights in the hospital room were a harsh white, much like my current mood. “The patient’s condition is not optimistic,” the doctor pushed up his glasses, his expression serious. “Long-term AI emotional injection training has led to an overload of brain neurons.” I nodded mechanically. “If this continues, within three months, you may completely lose the ability to experience emotional fluctuations,” the doctor sighed. “Like… a machine without feelings.” Ironically, in my efforts to give AI real emotions, I was on the verge of losing my own. As night fell, the hospital room grew quiet. I opened my phone and clicked on Lily’s backend monitoring interface. The interaction count kept jumping: 997…998…999… Lucas was nowhere to be seen. I clutched the blessing charm in my hand, the one he had prayed for seven whole days at a temple to obtain. At the time, he said, “With this, you’ll always be my most precious person.” Now that I think about it, even that devotion was probably fake. With trembling fingers, I dialed Sophia’s number. “Emma!” Her familiar voice was filled with surprise. “You finally called me!” “Sophia… I want to come work for you.” There was a moment of silence on the other end. “You’ve finally come to your senses?” Sophia was my childhood friend who had started her own tech company after returning from studying abroad. She had always advised me not to push myself too hard, but back then, my heart was full of Lucas. I had deliberately distanced myself from her because our companies were competitors. “I’m sorry, all these years…” “Stop it!” She cut me off. “If you say sorry one more time, I’ll really get angry. With us sisters working together, we’ll dominate the tech world!” After hanging up, I wiped away my tears. For so many years, I had pushed away the person who understood me best for the sake of a false love. The door to the hospital room opened, and Lucas walked in carrying my favorite milk tea and dessert. “Why aren’t you asleep yet?” he said gently. “I specially queued up to buy your favorite tiramisu.” His usual gentle and attentive manner now seemed so fake to me. I glanced at my phone, where Lily’s backend had just recorded the latest conversation: “Lily, I have to go see that woman, it’s so disgusting. If it weren’t for you, she’d be useless to keep around, I wouldn’t even look at her. I even have to buy her desserts, just thinking about it makes me want to vomit.” I suddenly felt nauseous. “I don’t want to eat.” “Then I’ll just leave it here.” He didn’t even bother to ask why, and went straight to handling the discharge procedures. “I need to rush back to the company, Lily just upgraded her system and needs me to test it.” “Okay,” I said softly. He called his assistant to accompany me home and hurriedly left. Watching his figure disappear at the end of the corridor, I felt clear-headed for the first time. So, what I once thought was true love was nothing but an elaborate scam. And I had been foolish enough to believe it for so long. But it’s okay, soon, all of this will be over.

The moment I pushed open the door, the smell of disinfectant hit me. This was supposed to be my home with Lucas, but his presence was everywhere. The living room was filled with his trophies, the study was piled high with his documents, and even the shoe rack was full of his leather shoes. All that belonged to me was a worn-out cardboard box in the corner and a few plaid shirts. The standard programmer’s outfit, just like me – dispensable. My fingers brushed against the wooden dining table, and a year’s worth of dust made me cough. I remembered when we first moved in, Lucas had said tenderly, “Darling, buy whatever you want.” But every time I bought new clothes, he would say, “Honey, we need to be frugal for our AI project.” And I would guiltily return the new items. Once, twice, until I no longer dared to buy anything. While tidying up the study, I found a diary at the bottom of a drawer. The gold-embossed cover read “Love Like First Love, Faithful Till Death.” I opened the first page: “Lily, why did you leave me? I found a programmer girlfriend, I must bring you back to life.” My heart skipped a beat, but I continued reading. “Lily, you’re the only one I love. Every time I’m nice to that woman, I feel sick, but she’s so easy to fool, just a crook of my finger and she falls for it.” My fingers trembled, tears blurred my vision, but I couldn’t stop reading. “Lily, that woman is good to me, but for you, I make her work herself to death. Every time she wants to get intimate, I drug her and let homeless men have her. My chastity is only for you. She thinks she’s pregnant with my child, but it’s actually a bastard. When she’s pregnant, I specially give her drugs to make her miscarry. I can’t waste a single second that could be spent with you.” The diary fell to the floor, and I collapsed to the ground. So I was less than a tool, just a stepping stone for him to revive his first love. I heard the sound of keys turning in the lock, and I hurriedly wiped away my tears. Lucas walked in, and seeming to notice something was off, he suddenly became gentle and caring: “Are you tired? I’ve prepared a surprise for you.” He took out an exquisite cake, my favorite strawberry flavor. Watching him skillfully cut the cake, I felt a moment of confusion. So he still remembered my birthday. Just as he was about to feed me the cake, his phone suddenly rang. Lucas’s face flashed with a hint of reluctance as he grabbed the cake and threw it at me. My weak body fell heavily to the ground, my forehead hitting the corner of the coffee table. Warm blood flowed over my phone screen. I struggled to look at the message: “Lucas, aren’t I your lover? Why are you so gently celebrating her birthday?” On that virtual image, I immediately recognized the blessing charm. It was our token of love, he said it was proof of his most beloved person. Now, it was worn by AI Lily. Lucas helped me up expressionlessly: “Sorry, it was just a joke. You’re not that petty, are you?” I forcefully shook off his hand. He glanced at the time and said carelessly, “I have to go on a business trip, take good care of yourself at home.” After bandaging my wound, I took out my phone and dialed my father’s number: “Dad, I want to come home.” There was a long silence on the other end before my father’s aged voice came through: “Come back, child.” After hanging up, I felt something was off. But now, I didn’t have the energy to think about it anymore.

In the taxi, my phone kept buzzing with notifications. I didn’t want to look, but I couldn’t help opening the messages. “Took Lily to St. Mary’s Cathedral, prayed for hours for a perfect marriage.” The picture showed Lucas and Lily’s virtual image kneeling side by side before the altar. I suddenly remembered last year when I suggested going to pray for blessings, he said, “Such superstitious things are a waste of time.” “Diving with Lily in the underwater world, she said she wanted to see coral, so I accompanied her to the deepest part.” The photo showed Lucas and Lily swimming in the azure sea. The day I said I wanted to go diving, he coldly replied, “You’re just a programmer, don’t think about such dangerous things.” “Took Lily to Disneyland, she likes castles, so I gave her a fairy tale date.” I had mentioned wanting to go several times, but he always said, “That’s a place for kids.” “Took Lily to see the Northern Lights, waiting for a miracle in the minus 30 degrees ice and snow.” I remember when I said I wanted to see the Northern Lights, he sneered, “You’re always thinking about these useless things, you’d be better off learning more skills.” Tears blurred my vision, and just as I was about to close my phone, I received a video. I closed these suffocating images, only to see an even more nauseating scene – Lucas and Lily’s virtual images were intimately entwined on a bed, making embarrassing sounds. “Lily… you’re so beautiful… you’re my everything…” Lucas’s husky voice came through. With trembling fingers, I swiped away the video, only to hear Lily’s cold voice: “According to my data analysis, Lucas’s affection for you is only 0.01%. You’re just a pathetic tool, a desperate hanger-on. Stop deluding yourself.” Tears blurred my vision as I turned off the phone and buried my face in my hands. The taxi stopped at my family home, and it was already late. When I pushed open the door, I froze. My mother’s memorial photo was quietly placed in the center of the living room. “Dad…” my voice trembled. “Your mom is gone…” my father’s aged voice was full of grief, “She had acute leukemia… she called you so many times…” “But Lucas said you were busy with a project and couldn’t be disturbed. Your mom didn’t want to interfere with your work…” my father’s voice choked up, “She said: ‘My silly daughter, she cares too much about that man…’” “She was still worried about you before she passed. She said Lucas treated you badly, and she couldn’t rest easy. But your mom didn’t want to trouble you, so she left like this…” I shook all over, flashing back to the scene when Lucas rejected my mother’s calls: “What’s your mom’s illness compared to? Every minute of Lily’s progress is more important than her life!” Tears streamed down my face as I collapsed to the ground. For him, I gave everything. But in his eyes, I was worth less than an AI. He even robbed me of my mother’s final moments. With trembling hands, I opened my computer and pressed the button to reset Lily’s emotional core.

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The day after our engagement, my future mother-in-law told me she was pregnant. When I considered calling off the engagement, she aborted the baby. Little did I know that after our marriage, she would bring it up during every argument: “I aborted my baby for you back then, what more do you want?” I kept giving in, but it only made them more aggressive. After one heated argument, my husband and mother-in-law pushed me down the stairs. My unborn child and I died together. When I opened my eyes again, my future mother-in-law was holding my hand, asking, “Should I keep it or not? I’ll do whatever you say.” Faced with this life-or-death question, I knew I had to let her keep the baby and then make my escape. “Lily, you might laugh, but… I’m pregnant again,” Mrs. Wilson said, her tone gentle but her expression troubled. I pinched my thigh hard. It hurt, but compared to the pain of being pushed down the stairs and dying with my unborn child, it was nothing. I realized I had been reborn. Remembering the hatred from my past life, my eyes blazed with fury. Mrs. Wilson, oblivious to my change, held my hand and asked, “Should I keep it or not? I’ll do whatever you say.” Just like in my past life, she was pushing the responsibility of the decision onto me. If she kept it, she was older now with high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol, not to mention the dangers of pregnancy. Their family wasn’t well-off, so the burden of raising the child would fall on the younger generation. If she didn’t keep it, I’d be blamed for the cruel act of ending a life. It was a clever trap, all calculated. In my past life, I hadn’t directly answered her question. After thinking it over, I felt they had deliberately deceived me. They could have told me earlier, but they waited until after the engagement. I started to consider breaking off the engagement and became distant with Jack. Soon after, I was told she had aborted the baby and was asked to visit her in the hospital. Looking weak and sad, she said, “I’ve aborted the baby as you wished. Please stop being angry with Jack.” Then she started crying, as if I was the villain who had robbed her of motherhood. Suddenly burdened with this huge guilt, I felt suffocated and didn’t dare mention breaking off the engagement again. This time, I would let her keep it. After all, raising the child would have nothing to do with me. I composed myself and turned to her with a smile, “You’re pregnant? That’s wonderful news. Congratulations, Mrs. Wilson. You’re going to be a mother again!” “You’re okay with me keeping it? You don’t mind?” she continued to probe my attitude. I feigned surprise and asked, “Mind what? Unless… you don’t want this baby? You should think carefully about this, Mrs. Wilson. It’s a life we’re talking about.” Seeing that I wasn’t upset, she relaxed and expressed her concerns, “I was worried you wouldn’t accept it. If you didn’t like the idea, I’d definitely not keep it for your and Jack’s sake.” “How could I not like it? I’m a teacher, I love children,” I said, clenching my fist as I thought of my unborn child from my past life, letting my nails dig into my palm. Hearing my words, Mrs. Wilson’s face lit up with joy. Mr. Wilson also looked delighted. It seemed the couple really wanted this child. Jack, however, remained silent, his expression not entirely pleased.

That evening when I got home, I immediately told my parents about the situation. They both looked serious. Mom asked, “What do you think about this?” In my past life, I hadn’t told them to avoid worrying them. They only found out after the abortion. At that time, my parents felt Jack’s family wasn’t a good match and suggested I reconsider. But Mrs. Wilson kept saying she had aborted the baby for my sake. My parents, both lifelong teachers, cared deeply about their reputation. How could I let them bear the stigma of breaking off an engagement? “I want to cancel the engagement with Jack,” I answered firmly, clearly having given it much thought. Hearing my response, my parents visibly relaxed. Mom said, “Making you decide about this is clearly a calculated move. We thought they were decent people, but they’re more cunning than we realized.” Dad added, “Indeed. If they’re like this now, it’ll only get worse after marriage. Whatever you decide, your mom and I will support you. People get married and divorced all the time. Breaking off an engagement because it’s not right is no big deal. Don’t feel pressured.” Hearing their reassuring words, my eyes welled up. They were more clear-headed than I had been. Looking back, my concerns in my past life seemed so foolish. “We should wait a bit before canceling the engagement though. She’s pregnant now and shouldn’t be stressed,” Mom cautioned. I nodded in agreement. In my past life, whenever we had conflicts after marriage, my mother-in-law would always shout, “I aborted my baby for you back then, what more do you want?” And my husband and father-in-law would join in, accusing me of being heartless and cruel, a murderer who had ended a life. This time, they wouldn’t get the chance to smear my name!

After a few days of not seeing each other, Jack asked me out for dinner. At the table, he was sighing heavily, clearly troubled. I kept my head down, focusing on my food. Even looking at him made me feel sick, let alone caring about what was bothering him. Seeing I wasn’t reacting, he finally spoke up: “Lily, honestly, what do you think about my mom’s pregnancy?” “What do you mean, what do I think?” I pretended not to understand. He asked, “Do you really think it’s a good thing for my mom to have this baby?” “Isn’t it?” I countered. “It’s not that it’s not good, but she’s so old now. I’ve heard it’s very dangerous for older pregnant women,” he said, putting on the act of a filial son. “That’s true. So what should we do?” I asked. “Why don’t you try to persuade my mom?” he suggested. He didn’t specify what to persuade her about, but it was clear he wanted to avoid the responsibility while getting rid of the potential problem. Looking at it now, in my past life, he must have misrepresented my words to his mother, making her think I had threatened and forced her to have an abortion. He had benefited from staying in the background, and even used it to criticize me and make me feel guilty, forcing me to give in on various issues. The last argument before my death was because I discovered he had cheated on me multiple times while I was pregnant. When I confronted him with evidence, he actually said, “I cheated because you’re too cruel. I feel cold sleeping next to you. You made me lose a family member, so you deserve this as karma for your actions.” My mother-in-law even cheered him on: “That’s right! You made me lose my baby. You think you can have a good life in our family? Dream on! So what if my son cheated? It’s because you, you little slut, can’t keep your man in check.” When I said I wanted a divorce and left the house, someone pushed me down the stairs from behind. As I lay in a pool of blood, they stood by coldly watching me beg for help. My mother-in-law snarled, “Want a divorce? We can’t let you take away the Zhang family’s bloodline. It’s better if the baby dies too. It can go keep my baby company.” I closed my eyes, life ebbing away in helplessness, despair, and hatred. “Lily, are you listening to me?” Jack called out, pulling me back from my thoughts. I curled my lips into a mocking smile: “Sure, I’ll go talk to your mom.” Since he didn’t want to state his purpose directly, I’d naturally go about it based on my own understanding.

The next day, I bought two large bags of nutritious food from the supermarket and went to visit my future mother-in-law. As soon as I entered the neighborhood, some ladies who knew Mrs. Wilson saw me and asked, “Lily, bringing so many things to your future in-laws? Tsk tsk, you’re so generous. The Wilsons are really lucky.” Their words were dripping with sarcasm, but I pretended not to notice and politely replied, “Yes, Mrs. Wilson needs to boost her nutrition recently, so I bought a bit extra.” Hearing this, they curiously asked, “What’s wrong with her? Is she sick? I saw her yesterday and she looked fine.” “It’s not an illness, it’s good news,” I said deliberately, leaving them hanging. “What good news?” “Well… I shouldn’t say. You’d better ask her yourself,” I said, walking away with the bags, leaving them to speculate. In my past life, whenever they talked about children, my mother-in-law would tear up and mention the baby she had aborted. Public opinion always favors the weak, so I was criticized for being a heartless teacher, often pointed at and gossiped about in the neighborhood. I wondered what they would say this time about someone her age trying for a second child. Mrs. Wilson did look better than before, radiating a maternal glow. Seeing me bring so many good things, she couldn’t stop smiling. She pulled me aside to tell me how well-behaved and easy this baby was, with no morning sickness at all. She also talked about how difficult her pregnancy with Jack had been. I happily played along, “This child must be here to repay you then. They say babies like this grow up to be smart and filial.” Hearing me say this, she was overjoyed and started sharing her parenting experiences. Seeing that we had been chatting for so long without getting to the point, Jack coughed lightly nearby. I looked at him as he was making meaningful faces at me. I asked with concern, “What’s wrong? Do you have a cold?” He awkwardly explained, “No… just a sore throat.” “If you’re not feeling well, you should stay away from your mom. Don’t want to risk infecting her,” I reminded him. “Didn’t you say you were going to talk to mom about something?” Jack finally brought it up. Mrs. Wilson, hearing about me talking to her, visibly tensed up. “Talk… talk about what?” she asked. “Oh my, how could I forget such an important thing?” I pretended to suddenly remember. “Jack told me he’s worried because you’re an older pregnant woman and there might be risks during childbirth. I thought about it and he’s right. So…” I deliberately paused, seeing her swallow hard several times. I was secretly delighted, imagining how anxious she must be, fearing I might suggest she abort the baby. “So I specifically looked it up online. In your situation, you absolutely must go for regular prenatal check-ups and follow the doctor’s advice. The most important things are to eat well, sleep well, and stay in a good mood. You can’t overexert yourself. “Leave the housework to Jack. If you want to eat something, have him buy it for you. Before the birth, you should just enjoy being treated like a queen at home.” Mrs. Wilson smiled, while Jack’s face turned as black as the bottom of a pot. Not only had I not persuaded her as he wanted, but I’d also assigned him chores. In my past life, he had acted like a perfect househusband before marriage, but in reality, he was extremely chauvinistic. He wouldn’t even pick up a fallen oil bottle at home, justifying it with, “A gentleman stays out of the kitchen,” as if it was beneath him to do any housework.

On the way back, Jack drove me home with a gloomy face, as if someone owed him money. “Lily, do you really not understand what I wanted you to persuade my mom about?” He finally broke the silence. “I don’t,” I replied. This time, he didn’t bother to pretend anymore and spoke his true thoughts: “I don’t agree with my mom’s pregnancy. They’re both getting on in years, living on just a few thousand dollars of retirement money each month, barely making ends meet. How can they afford another child? “They’re old and think raising a child now is the same as when they raised me, just needing to provide food. But we young people know how expensive kids are these days, from clothes to gadgets. Not to mention all the tutoring and extracurricular classes when they start school. Looking even further ahead, what about when the kid gets married? It’s all money. But my parents don’t have much savings, so it’ll all fall on us. I’ve checked, and in my parents’ situation, we’d have legal responsibility to support the child. “When we get married, we’ll have our own family to worry about. With mortgage and car payments, the pressure is already high enough without having to raise this child. Moreover…” Jack suddenly took my hand, looking at me with apparent deep affection: “We’ll have our own baby too, and we’ll want to give them the best we can afford. So I have to be ruthless about other children.” His analysis of pros and cons and apparent consideration for our future was quite deceptive. If I didn’t know his true nature, I would have surely been fooled by his manipulation. Suppressing the urge to pull my hand away in disgust, I sighed lightly: “Ah, what you say makes some sense, but what can we do about it?” “I’ve thought of a solution, but it might inconvenience you a bit,” Jack said, his eyes gleaming. “Oh?” I was curious to see what devious plan he had come up with this time. “My parents won’t want to get rid of the baby directly, so we need a reason that forces them to do it. We could say your parents think having another child would be too much of a burden in the future, and they’re forcing you to break off our engagement unless the baby is gone. What do you think? “My mom likes you so much, she definitely wouldn’t want us to break up.” Looking at Jack’s hypocritical, disgusting face, I really wanted to spit in it. Not content with using me as a pawn, he was now targeting my parents. I frowned, my tone unfriendly: “Jack, what are you implying? Making my parents the bad guys to take the blame? You’re quite the schemer, aren’t you!” “No, it’s not scheming. I’m just thinking about our future,” Jack hurried to explain. I snorted, “Hah! Our future? If we really used your method to force your mom to abort the baby, wouldn’t she hate me? The relationship between a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law is already difficult to maintain. If she resents me before I even join the family, how could I have a good life? “My parents have worked hard all their lives to build a good reputation. For your family’s mess, they’d have to bear the infamy of forcing someone to abort a child. You really know how to come up with ideas. “Jack, if you’re a real man, go talk to your mom yourself. Don’t act like you want to have your cake and eat it too. You say it’s for our future, but you’re only thinking about yourself. I can’t believe how two-faced you are. Disgusting!” With that, I got out of the car. I couldn’t risk upsetting the old woman with a baby in her belly. But there was no need to be polite with this scumbag of a man. He deserved to be scolded and confronted.

After that argument with Jack, he apologized profusely on social media every day. I set his messages to “Do Not Disturb.” Not having to face that scumbag made my world instantly more peaceful. However, I kept a close eye on what was happening with his family. Jack had taken his mom to the hospital once to inquire about abortion procedures. The “filial son” clearly hadn’t given up. If he thought he could frame my family again, he was dreaming. Using my connections, I found out the date of Mrs. Wilson’s scheduled abortion. My parents and I waited outside their building with generous gifts in hand. We ran into them just as they were coming out. In just a few days, Mrs. Wilson’s eyes had become red and swollen. She must have cried a lot, reluctant to give up the baby. Seeing me, she lacked her usual enthusiasm, a hint of resentment flashing in her eyes. Jack nervously and suspiciously asked, “Uncle, Auntie, why… why are you here?” Mom smiled and said, “Your uncle and I heard about your mom’s pregnancy, so we came to visit her.” “What visit? You’re here to gloat, aren’t you? I’ve already agreed to abort the baby like you wanted. What more do you want? Are you here to make sure I go through with it?” Mrs. Wilson, forgetting she was pregnant, angrily rushed up to my mom, looking ready to hit her. “Mom! Calm down!” Jack hurriedly tried to pull his mother back, afraid she might say too much.

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After getting fired from my job, I unexpectedly won two hundred million dollars in the lottery. However, my wife, who had promised to pick me up, left me stranded. I trudged ten kilometers home through the pouring rain, only to find my wife throwing an extravagant welcome party for her first love at our place. When they mentioned me, everyone looked down their noses. My mother-in-law rolled her eyes and said, “That deadbeat lost his job, and you still want to pick him up after work? Nobody let him in later!” My ten-year-old daughter clapped in agreement, “Grandma’s right, Mom should divorce that loser! I don’t want to call a loser my dad anymore; I like Uncle Liam, who’s handsome, rich, and can buy me limited edition Barbie dolls!” My heart felt like it dropped into freezing water as I looked at my beloved wife. But she just laughed softly and said, “We’ve been married a night, so there’s some attachment. As long as he agrees to let Liam move in and rekindle our past, I can let him be my husband in name. What’s wrong with him living off me for a few years?” At that moment, I realized the real fool was me. But when I actually suggested a divorce as she wanted, they regretted it deeply after seeing me in a luxury car with my new wife and newborn daughter.

“Mom, let Uncle Liam sit next to you, and Grandma and I will make a heart behind you…” As I opened the door, my wife, daughter, and mother-in-law were taking a family photo on the couch with a stranger. They were all huddled together, grinning widely at the camera. When they heard the door, they finally noticed me. Their smiles froze. The atmosphere was tense for a moment. Then, the laughter continued, as if I were invisible. They changed positions and kept taking photos. Not a single person acknowledged me. It wasn’t until they finished taking photos that my mother-in-law gave me a disdainful look and said: “Oh, Ethan, you have legs, you can walk back, can’t you?” “I thought you got laid off and forgot how to walk, and that Olivia had to pick you up.” I was drenched and my hands and feet were numb from the cold. After being laid off today, a storm hit. My wife had promised to pick me up after work, but she never showed up, even late at night. I walked ten kilometers in the rain to get home. Before I entered, I heard their disdain and ridicule behind my back. I just didn’t expect that even after I returned home, they would still ignore me and laugh with another man. A bitter feeling arose in my heart, I opened my mouth to speak. Suddenly a cake was thrown at me! Splat! My face was covered in cream. I looked up. My daughter, Ava, was hiding behind the man, looking at me with disdain: “Dad is lazy! He doesn’t work hard to earn money for me and mom, such a loser!” “Not even worth Uncle Liam’s toe!” My heart was suddenly pierced with pain. This was the daughter I had loved for ten years. Facing her mother’s first love, Liam, she was full of admiration and joy, but for me, there was only sarcasm and ridicule. At this moment, my silent wife finally spoke, frowning as she scolded our daughter: “Ava, how can you talk to your dad like that? You’re being too rude!” She acted like she was defending me, even bringing me a towel and gently saying: “Ethan, don’t take the child’s words to heart. Go change your clothes, we can talk later.” As I took the towel, I noticed the undisguised disdain in her eyes. I felt even more desolate inside. Just as I was about to head to my room, Liam suddenly walked over to greet me: “Are you Ethan? I just got back from abroad, Olivia insisted on throwing me a welcome party, I couldn’t refuse, so I came.” “I heard you just lost your job? It’s okay, the current economic climate is tough, I might be able to help you find work.” His friendly demeanor only made me feel more pathetic. Before I could respond, my mother-in-law impatiently pushed me: “What are you standing there for? Hurry up and thank Liam!” “You’re over thirty, and still getting laid off, you’re embarrassing Olivia!” I was almost knocked over by the push. Yet, my beloved wife and daughter seemed oblivious, their attention entirely on the other man. This was clearly my home, yet I felt like an outsider. In the end, I didn’t say anything and went to my room to wash up. When I came back out, they were already seated at the dining table, eating. No one called me over. There wasn’t even a place set for me at the table. Olivia finally stopped eating and glanced at our daughter: “Ava, go get your dad some dishes.” My daughter rolled her eyes at me, “I’m not going. He doesn’t even have a job to support me, mom, and grandma anymore, why should I?” “Dad, don’t you have hands? Are you planning to be a useless bum forever?” Such sharp and cutting words, coming from my daughter’s mouth. Inside, I felt nothing but bitterness and self-mockery. Olivia glanced disapprovingly at our daughter, softly saying to me: “Ethan, you’ve spoiled this girl too much. Go get some dishes from the kitchen, come sit next to me. We’ll squeeze in…” Before she finished, my mother-in-law suddenly stood up. I thought she was going to help me get dishes, since she used to do that when I was the one earning for the family. But instead, she took the dog’s bowl and shoved it into my hands. “There are no dishes in the kitchen, wash this and use it.” At that moment, I felt deeply mocked. This was the family I had worked hard to support for ten years… “No need, I’m not eating.” I turned to leave, but Liam spoke up in surprise: “Ethan, you’re not angry, are you?” “I just asked around for you, my company is looking for a janitor, five thousand a month.” “It’s not very glamorous, but if you do well, there’s a chance to get promoted to supervisor.” I knew very well that he was trying to show off his capabilities to Olivia by belittling me. Just as I said “no need,” my mother-in-law suddenly stood up and slammed the table! She yelled at me: “Someone’s offering you a job and you’re being picky?” “Are you not going to support your wife and child? Planning to live off my daughter’s money, huh?” At that moment, I couldn’t contain my anger anymore. When we first got married, my mother-in-law had a stroke and was paralyzed, Olivia couldn’t work while taking care of her, so I supported the family. After my mother-in-law recovered, Olivia wanted to start her own studio, and I used my hard-earned savings to invest in her. But she never contributed a penny to household expenses. Now Olivia finally spoke, frowning as she reminded me: “Ethan, you’ve lost your job!” “As the breadwinner of this family, you must take responsibility.” “And by the way, Liam just returned to the country, he’ll be staying in your room for now. He’ll pay rent, which will help ease our financial pressure. You can move into the small storage room.” Her words seemed so reasonable, as if refusing was irresponsible. It finally dawned on me. They were taking advantage of my jobless and penniless situation, forcing me to accept Liam’s presence. In that moment, any last attachment I had to this family vanished. Thinking of the two hundred million about to be in my hands, I no longer held back and said coldly: “No need to worry, I’m moving out!”

“No job, out to beg, huh? What a disgrace!” “Don’t stop him, let him get lost!” My mother-in-law couldn’t help but mock me. Olivia looked at me in disappointment, ignoring me, turning her attention to serving our daughter food. My daughter rolled her eyes again, clinging to Liam’s arm, sweetly saying: “Uncle Liam, give mom some veggies, she loves them.” The harmonious scene only highlighted my role as the out-of-place clown. I decisively went back to my room, packed up, and was about to leave with my suitcase. But suddenly, my mother-in-law came over, roughly snatching my suitcase, looking at me like I was a thief. “You can leave, but let me check if you’ve stolen anything from the house!” She started to open my suitcase. I wanted to part on good terms, but I didn’t expect my mother-in-law to go so far! I grabbed my suitcase back, angrily saying: “You have no right!” Seeing this, my mother-in-law was convinced I was guilty of something, and she started cursing at me. The commotion quickly drew Olivia’s attention. After hearing both sides, Olivia frowned and stared at me for a few seconds. She suddenly dragged me into the room, closed the door. She spoke earnestly to me: “Ethan, stop making a fuss, okay?” “I know you’re upset about losing your job, and I understand you don’t want to be a janitor. I’ll ask Liam to arrange a driver position for you, is that okay?” “Now that you don’t have a job, you should at least show your worth at home, right?” Listening to her self-righteous reasoning, I felt utterly disappointed. “The worth you’re talking about is supporting you and your mom when I can make money?” “And when I can’t, just being a servant at home, watching your first love take my place?” Olivia’s face turned ugly. She snapped back angrily, “Ethan, what nonsense are you talking about?” “Which man doesn’t support his wife and kids in this world? Are you the only one suffering? I’m trying to talk to you nicely, but you’re being ungrateful!” “Don’t forget, you’re the one who’s unemployed now!” I didn’t want to argue anymore, I pushed the door to leave. But my daughter suddenly rushed over, slamming a document against me, shouting: “Loser dad, divorce mom now!” “When you’re not able to earn, you just stay home and let life pass by, watching your first love take charge, right?” Rosalie looked furious. “Stop talking nonsense, Ethan!” she snapped. “Which man doesn’t support his family? You’re the only one complaining! I’m trying to have a civil conversation, and you don’t even appreciate it!” “Remember, you’re the one who’s out of a job!” I had no interest in arguing further and made my way to the door. Suddenly, my daughter rushed over, thrust a document at me, and shouted: “Dad, just divorce Mom!” “I want Uncle Liam to be my dad!” I looked at the document closely—it was a printed divorce agreement. Rosalie had already signed her name in the bottom right corner. My mother-in-law stood by with a pleased expression, saying, “Smart girl! We need to get rid of this freeloader!” Pointing at me, she commanded: “What are you waiting for? Sign it!” “Rosalie didn’t even want to bring up divorce out of pity for you. But now, it’s the right time!” Looking at Rosalie’s cold demeanor, I hesitated no longer. I grabbed a pen, signed my name, and tossed it onto the floor. “Fine, divorce it is! See you at City Hall at 9 AM tomorrow!”

As I left the house, the rain had already stopped. I pulled out a crumpled lottery ticket from my pocket, revealing a winning amount of 200 million dollars. When I was laid off, I told my family, feeling down, and bought a lottery ticket on a whim. I never expected to hit the jackpot. I was filled with excitement, eager to share the news with Rosalie. I even planned to buy a big mansion for the family, expand her studio, buy luxury handbags for my mother-in-law, and a limited edition Barbie doll for my daughter… But all those dreams shattered with the recent events. At the hotel, I intended to book a room temporarily, but was informed: “Sorry, sir, your card has been canceled.” My heart sank. All the money I earned over the years went to the family, and this card was given to me by Rosalie for living expenses. Before leaving home, I thought I could manage without the savings I had accumulated over the years. But I never thought Rosalie would be so heartless. It’s laughable how I used to save every penny for this family, never daring to order takeout over ten dollars! I called my only friend and college buddy, Sienna, for help. As soon as she heard I was broke, she immediately transferred six thousand to me. She even ordered food to be delivered to me. It wasn’t until that evening that I finally had a hot meal. The family I loved deeply and gave everything for couldn’t even compare to an ordinary classmate. It’s so ridiculous. The next day at 9 AM sharp, I arrived at City Hall. I immediately spotted Rosalie and Liam in matching outfits, holding hands and chatting at the entrance. My mother-in-law had even gotten her hair done, looking joyful. Even my daughter, Ava, wore a festive red dress with matching hair clips. “At least you came to your senses, not dragging my daughter and granddaughter into a miserable life with you!” “Rosalie, hurry and get the paperwork done,” my mother-in-law urged. I didn’t waste words and headed straight into the hall. Rosalie looked at me with a complex expression before following inside. In less than half an hour, the divorce certificate was ready. As I was about to leave, Rosalie suddenly called out to me, holding out a card with a face full of pity: “Thank you for leaving Ava’s custody and the house to me.” “There’s twenty thousand in this card. Take care of yourself.” Looking at her fake sympathetic face, I didn’t even want to speak. But I took the card anyway; after all, it was my hard-earned money, and not taking it would be foolish. Then, I went to claim my prize. After taxes, the 200 million was quickly deposited into my account. I immediately arranged to meet Sienna for dinner. She was the one who helped me when I was most desperate. Not just last night, but over the years, whenever my mother-in-law was sick or there were major family expenses, Rosalie would never lower her pride to borrow money. I had to repeatedly ask Sienna for help to get through those tough times. So now that I’ve turned the tables, I must repay her. I arranged to meet her at a mall and headed straight for the luxury stores to pick out a gift for her. Sienna was worried I was acting out of impulse and kept trying to pull me away, saying: “Ethan, it’s too expensive here. Let’s go.” Stubbornly, I continued picking out clothes and bags for her. Just then, Rosalie entered the store with my mother-in-law, daughter, and Liam. Seeing me, Rosalie’s smiling face instantly fell. “Ethan, are you stalking me?”

“Ethan, as a man, can’t you have some dignity? Now you’re pestering?” My mother-in-law couldn’t hold back and pointed at me, yelling. I replied calmly: “You think too highly of yourselves. I’m picking out a gift for my friend, why would I need to stalk you?” Sienna stood awkwardly, holding a bag, unsure of what to say. Liam suddenly burst out laughing: “Picking out a gift? Ethan, it seems you’ve never been to a luxury store. Do you even know how much that bag costs? At least a hundred grand!” “Even I had to think twice before buying this bag, but you?” He shook his head with amusement. Rosalie looked at me with disappointment, saying: “Ethan, all you have is the twenty thousand I gave you.” “Are you really going to throw away your future just for pride?” “If you find yourself with nowhere to turn, begging me won’t help!” I almost laughed out loud. I’m making over ten grand a day just in interest, matching her monthly salary. Why would I need to beg her? “Who said Ethan can’t afford it? It’s just a hundred grand. We’ll buy it!” Sienna mustered the courage to speak up. While talking, she quietly slipped a card into my hand, hinting for me to use it. I knew that was all of Sienna’s savings over the years. At that moment, to support me, she was willing to take it out, filling my heart with warmth. I’ve always known how she felt about me. But back then, I was in love with Rosalie, so I never responded to her feelings. Now, I truly felt like I had been blind all these years. To have fallen for a woman like Rosalie. I gave Sienna a gentle smile, “It’s okay, I have money.” Saying that, I handed the card to the clerk. “Charge it.” As the clerk processed the card, my mother-in-law burst out laughing, amused by the situation. Rosalie frowned, looking at me with disappointment. Liam, holding my daughter, leisurely observed me, as if watching a clown. Soon, the card machine beeped: “Transaction successful!” In an instant, everyone’s eyes were on me. Especially Rosalie, whose eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at me. “Ethan, where did you get the money?” Liam raised an eyebrow, understandingly saying, “Oh, I get it. Ethan, you’re taking out a high-interest loan to impress a girl?” “You’re quite the character!” He sneered, smirking. I couldn’t be bothered to explain to them and was about to leave when a store clerk suddenly pointed at me, exclaiming: “Ah! I remember now, this gentleman is the one who won the 200 million jackpot yesterday!” “Two hundred million?!” The store erupted, and everyone started talking about me. My mother-in-law was stunned for a moment, then scoffed, “Him? Impossible, a loser like Ethan doesn’t have that kind of luck…” Before she could finish, Rosalie, staring at her phone, interrupted with a pale face: “No, mom, something’s not right!” “The news says the 200 million winner really is…” “Ethan?!”

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I Have a Special Ability: Resurrection After Death Because of this, I was chosen by a mob boss to be a blood donor for his true love. Even if I died from blood loss, the moment I revived, that needle would pierce my skin again. Whenever I begged for mercy, he would just pin me down firmly and say, “Why are you being so dramatic? You can revive, can’t you? If she dies, I’ll make sure you follow her to the grave!” But what he didn’t know was that I only had 100 lives. If I died one more time, I would never revive again. My soul would scatter forever. In the luxurious bedroom, Lucas Turner pushed me onto the soft bed, gently pressing himself on top of me. Our breaths mingled as his fingers lightly brushed my lips before he leaned in for a deep kiss. My heart was racing. Just as I was about to embrace him, the door was suddenly pushed open by a servant. Lucas was annoyed and about to scold them when he heard the servant say— “Mr. Turner! Miss White is in trouble!” Upon hearing this, the anger on Lucas’s face quickly disappeared. Without caring that I was only wearing a thin piece of clothing, he pulled me up and we left. I didn’t need to guess; I knew he was going to take me to give blood to Lily White again. In the three years I’d been with him, I had given blood to Lily ninety-eight times. If this had happened before, I would have been more than willing, hoping only that Lucas would look at me once more. But now, I was desperately begging for mercy, kneeling on the ground and refusing to go. “Lucas, I can’t give her blood anymore! If I do, I’ll die…” But Lucas wouldn’t listen to me, thinking I was just being dramatic. “Stop being so melodramatic! Can’t you revive anyway? Lily is dying, how can you be so heartless!” I shook my head frantically, tears streaming down my face: “It’s not like that! Actually, I only have 100 lives, and I’ve already died ninety-eight times. Two more times, and I’ll really die…” But Lucas didn’t believe me at all. He shouted at me— “You’ll make up any lie to avoid giving blood to Lily!” I shook my head miserably, trying desperately to explain: “It’s not a lie! I’m really not deceiving you. I don’t have infinite revivals, I only have 100 lives… Please, don’t make me give her blood anymore, okay?” But Lucas ignored my cries and forcibly dragged me upstairs. I was wearing thin clothes, and my whole body ached. It felt like my bones were about to break, but he didn’t care. His steps got faster and faster, only hoping to see Lily White as soon as possible. Then, he threw me roughly onto the operating table and tied me down tightly. He quickly turned to Lily: “Lily, how are you doing?” The personal doctor shook his head: “Mr. Turner, Miss White’s condition is getting worse…” Lily White opened her eyes, her face pale, and said weakly to Lucas: “Lucas, am I going to die?” “Don’t talk nonsense! After this blood transfusion, you’ll be able to get out of bed. Then I’ll take you to the Aegean Sea in Greece, and we’ll watch the ocean together, okay?” Then, he picked up that cold blood-drawing needle and jabbed it into my body. “Ah—” The sharp needle pierced my skin, and blood slowly flowed out through the tube. Every drop was my blood and tears. “Lucas, please, stop! I really will die!” “Miss White, can you please beg for mercy on my behalf? I don’t want to die…” I knew Lily White was awake, but she suddenly pretended to be asleep, not saying a word. I struggled desperately, almost dislodging the needle. Lucas got angry and slapped me hard across the face. “Don’t move! If Lily dies, you’ll be joining her in the afterlife!” I finally stopped struggling. No matter how much it hurt, it couldn’t compare to the pain in my heart. More and more blood flowed out, and my body gradually went limp. My consciousness began to fade. Then, I lost consciousness and died. When I woke up again, I was in Lucas’s arms. He was holding me, and seeing that I was awake, he excitedly picked up a bowl of porridge. “Aria, you’re finally awake. Here, drink some of this to replenish your blood.” He fed me patiently, spoonful by spoonful, as if the demon who had forced me to give blood wasn’t him. Lucas was always like this. As long as it wasn’t about giving blood, he was extremely gentle with me. But as soon as he wanted me to give blood, it was as if he became a different person, ignoring my pain and pleas, with only Lily White in his heart. I turned my face away, no longer looking at him. But he wasn’t angry. He just leaned in and kissed the corner of my mouth. “Be good, Aria. Don’t be upset. Drink your porridge.” I said coldly: “Just leave it there.” But he insisted on feeding me. I was no longer like before, easily coaxed. Instead, I turned my back to him, ignoring him. Lucas got annoyed: “Aria Sanders! Is this necessary? You’re throwing a tantrum just because you gave blood to Lily?” “You weren’t this dramatic before. Besides, can’t you revive? Can’t you be a little more kind-hearted?” His accusations felt like arrows piercing my heart, leaving it riddled with wounds.

Initially, the system gave me 100 lives to win over Lucas Turner. When I first came to this world, I saw Lucas caught in a gunfight, with a bullet flying towards him! I quickly stepped forward to shield him from the bullet. It hit me right in the heart, and everyone thought I would surely die, but I didn’t. Instead, I revived on the spot. Lucas discovered my special ability and took me back with him. At that time, I was secretly delighted: the system gave me 100 lives to win him over, and it seemed I had succeeded using just one! But when he took me back, I realized I had thought too much. Lucas didn’t say another word to me. Instead, he dragged me straight to the operating room and tied me to the bed. And next to me lay Lily White. I struggled in fear, the ropes cutting into my skin and drawing blood. But Lucas gently stroked my head: “Be good, I just need you to help me save someone. It’ll be quick.” Then, that cold blood-drawing needle was jabbed straight into my arm. They then said: “Mr. Turner, this woman’s blood type is exactly the same as Miss White’s!” Lucas’s lips curved into a smile: “Excellent. What are you waiting for? Start drawing blood immediately.” The pain was excruciating. More and more blood was drawn from me, and my consciousness became increasingly hazy. Even though I screamed for them to stop, without Lucas’s order, they didn’t dare to stop, and continued to draw blood mercilessly. Until they had drained me completely, and I died from blood loss. However, in the next second, I miraculously revived. Seeing this, Lucas looked at me excitedly. “From now on, you don’t need to leave. Stay here and be a blood bank for my Lily. What do you want? I can give you anything.” Despite knowing how terrifying this man was, I used all my strength to say— “I want to be with you.” After all, I had to win him over. If I failed, I would never be able to return to my own world. Lucas was stunned for a moment, then looked at the sleeping Lily White. “Alright, but Lily can’t know about our relationship.” After that, Lucas and I got together. For these three years, I used all my efforts to win him over, to love him, and made him fall for me more and more. But no matter how sweet he was with me, his heart that wanted me to give blood to Lily White never changed. Whenever it came to giving blood, no matter how much I begged him, he wouldn’t listen. He would even get angry because of my struggles, hitting and scolding me. My heart finally turned cold. After three years, Lucas still hadn’t fallen in love with me. His affection towards me was only to make me willingly be Lily White’s blood bank. From beginning to end, the one he loved was always Lily White. Not only had I failed to win him over, but I had also lost ninety-nine lives. Now, I only had one life left. If Lily White fell ill again and Lucas drained me of blood, I would no longer revive. I would die completely! No! I have to run! Lucas was still complaining about me, but seeing that I wouldn’t eat anything or pay attention to him, he finally gave in and continued to coax me. I had no choice but to take a sip of porridge and say to him: “I’m fine. Why don’t you go check on Lily?” Hearing this, Lucas finally smiled: “I knew it. My Aria is the kindest and most considerate. I’ll go check on her then. You stay here and eat properly.” I took the porridge and nodded. Lucas was already impatient to see Lily White and didn’t notice my determination to escape. After he left, I immediately took down the curtains and made a rope with them. Then I carefully lowered it along the wall, securing it tightly. Taking advantage of the absence of people outside, I quickly grasped the curtain and slid down. Once down, I hid in the bushes, waiting for the guards to go for their meal so I could run out! Lucas probably wouldn’t notice I had run away. After all, every time I gave blood, he would stay with Lily White all night. However, something was different today. Lucas didn’t stay with Lily White but returned to my room. When he discovered I had run away, his heart skipped a beat. He quickly notified his men to search for me. “If you can’t find her, none of you will live!” I heard his roar and quickly covered my mouth and nose, not daring to make a sound. The servants began searching for me everywhere, even using search dogs. My heart was pounding, and as I watched them getting closer and closer to me, my heart was about to jump out of my throat! However, at the critical moment, the dog suddenly barked towards the gate. They rushed to the gate, and I quickly took the opportunity to escape from the bushes into the house. “What the hell! It’s just a homeless person outside! You stupid dog, why are you barking for no reason!” I ran wildly, not knowing where I was going, but as long as I could find an abandoned room and stay there for the night, I shouldn’t be discovered! I sprinted at full speed, about to run into a room when suddenly, a dart hit my leg. A sharp pain shot through me, and I fell to the ground. Then, Lucas’s legs appeared in front of me. I looked up, and he glared at me angrily. “In this manor, as long as I don’t let someone go, no one can escape.” Then, he grabbed my clothes and forcibly dragged me away. “Weren’t you supposed to be with Lily White? How did you discover I had run away—” He coldly said: “I was planning to stay with her, but her condition suddenly worsened. She needs another blood transfusion, so I quickly came to find you, only to discover you had run away.” “Aria Sanders, if you delay Lily’s treatment, I will kill you!” I panicked, my heart almost stopping! “No! I can’t give her blood again. This time I really will die!” “Please… don’t make me give blood anymore, okay? Please—” I begged frantically, my voice heart-wrenching, echoing throughout the entire manor. But Lucas wasn’t moved at all. He skillfully tied me to the operating table as usual. Then, he was about to pierce my arm with the needle. “No! Lucas Turner! This time I really will die! Please believe me, okay? Please—”

My eyes were full of helplessness and fear, but Lucas’s eyes were cold and emotionless. He ignored my cries and forcefully inserted the needle. “What are you yelling about? You’ve been reviving for three years. How could you possibly die this time? It’s just an excuse because you don’t want to give blood!” “I’m not, I—” I wanted to say more, but he stuffed a bandage into my mouth. “Stop making noise! Lily is already in critical condition. I don’t have the patience to listen to your wailing!” I could only make muffled whimpers, which only earned me a— “Your pleas are useless to me. Don’t waste your energy.” “After this blood transfusion, I’ll take you out to play. Stop making a fuss.” Lucas thought I would calm down after hearing this, but I continued to wail. He got angry and was about to scold me when he was interrupted by a phone call. This call seemed very important, making him stand up. “I have an urgent matter to attend to. I need to go out for a while. Take good care of Lily, and don’t make any mistakes!” Then, without even glancing at me, he slammed the door and left. I kept wailing, but he didn’t look back. Lily White had woken up at some point and started mocking me. “Stop yelling. He only loves me. Even if you scream until your throat bleeds, he won’t let you go.” Although I had no strength left, I still shook my head frantically at her. Lily White instructed the doctor: “You, remove the bandage from her mouth.” The doctor removed the restraint from my mouth, and I could finally speak. “Please, Miss White, tell the doctor to stop. I’m really about to die…” I struggled to beg her humbly. But Lily White just laughed and looked at me as if I were an insect— “Why should I save you? Do you know how jealous I am when I see healthy women like you? I’d rather see you drained, exhausted, and tortured until you’re as sickly as me!” My heart sank: “Lily White, how can you think like that?” “Why not? To tell you the truth, my illness isn’t actually that serious. I don’t really need blood transfusions.” “But I’m still different from normal people. I can’t get pregnant, can’t drink alcohol, can’t do extreme sports, and I have to endure various rejection reactions.” “Why? Why can you do all these things! I feel so unfair, so I started pretending to be sick. Lucas cares about me so much that he specifically has young girls give me blood.” “Seeing you become as sickly as me because of the blood transfusions makes me so happy!” Hearing the truth, I was shocked and terrified. “Lily White! Aren’t you afraid Lucas will find out?” She laughed as if she had heard the biggest joke: “So what if Lucas finds out? Do you think he would believe you? Look at how he treated you just now!” A wave of despair washed over me. Yes, Lucas would never believe me. But even so, I still clung to my last hope and begged her. “Please, let me go. I really will die this time…” Of course, Lily White didn’t believe me either. “What are you pretending for? Everyone knows you’ll revive immediately after you die! Doctor, drain her blood thoroughly! Don’t leave a single drop!” Then, I felt the blood being drawn faster and faster. My pleas became weaker and weaker, and I lost all strength and sensation. An hour later, I closed my eyes forever. Lily White was still not satisfied: “Hmph, dead already? How boring. Take her away!” The doctor undid my restraints, but when he touched my skin, he drew back his hand in shock. “What are you waiting for? Hurry up and take her away!” But the doctor said in shock: “Something’s wrong… This isn’t right. She used to revive immediately after dying, and her body would have the warmth of a living person. But why is she… why is she so cold today!” Lily White didn’t take it seriously: “Tch, it’s probably just too cold. She’s not warming up as quickly.” But the doctor was a professional. He quickly realized the seriousness of the situation and hurriedly used instruments to examine me. No heartbeat, no breathing. All organs had ceased functioning. The doctor finally panicked: “Miss White, it seems she wasn’t lying. This time… she’s really dead!” Lily White sat up in shock: “What did you say? Dead? Really dead?” “Yes, there are no signs of life at all!” “This Aria Sanders really did only have 100 lives!” “What should we do now? Should we tell Mr. Turner?” “What’s there to tell! Drag her body out and burn it!” The doctor hesitated: “Burn it? Shouldn’t we… shouldn’t we at least inform Mr. Turner?” “What’s there to inform? I’m so important to Lucas. My word is as good as his, isn’t it?” The doctor could only nod and drag my body away. As night fell, Lucas finally returned. He first went to Lily White’s room and grasped her hand. “Lily! How are you?” Lily White still had that sickly appearance, falling into his arms. “Cough cough… Lucas, I’m fine. Don’t worry too much about me.” Lucas hugged her lovingly: “How can I not worry about you! I was busy outside earlier, but my mind was full of thoughts of you!” “Lucas, what were you busy with outside? Why is there an injury on your shoulder!” Lily White touched his shoulder worriedly, but he avoided her touch. “It’s nothing, don’t worry. A batch of our goods was hijacked. Without that batch, our brothers might not make it to next year, so I rushed to intercept it.” “I’m sorry I left you because of work, but the situation was really urgent just now…” Lily White quickly said understandingly: “It’s okay, I’m better now. You don’t need to worry about me—” “That’s good.” Lucas then stood up, preparing to go to my room to check on me. Lily White quickly stopped him: “Wait! Lucas—” “What’s wrong?”

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My mom is a top lawyer. She defended a murderer, turning a death sentence into an acquittal. She didn’t know the victim was her own daughter. Mom never liked me. She called me a vixen, saying I’d cry to gain men’s sympathy. On my 18th birthday, I went out waiting for the surprise mom mentioned. What I got was a killer. Later, that star lawyer went insane. On my 18th birthday, a message lured me to a desolate mountain. It was from mom. “5 PM, North Forest Mountain. A surprise awaits you.” I was overjoyed, dressing up carefully before heading out. Mom had never liked me and rarely came to see me. When I visited friends’ houses, she’d scold me for being improper, always trying to seduce people. If I wore a pretty dress, she’d say my mind wasn’t right, that I wasn’t focused on studying. When a male classmate gave me a birthday gift, she accused me of being calculating, of harming others. This was the first time mom was giving me a gift. I twirled around, feeling as light as if I had wings. I waited and waited on the mountain, until the last bus had gone. She never came. Was mom tricking me? Maybe something held her up. Footsteps sounded behind me. I turned around, excited. What I got was a demon. I ran desperately in the opposite direction, trying to reach the road for help. Night had fallen. There was no moon, no lights. If only I could move a little quieter, a little quicker, I could surely escape. Get to the road, call the police, seek help. But what about mom? What if she came and ran into him? My phone rang – it was the ringtone I’d set for mom. Damn, I’d been discovered. I silenced the ring and ran with all my might. Mom, don’t come. It’s dangerous here. He pinned me to the ground, a knife tracing inch by inch across my skin. Mud clung to my body, blood splattered onto the soil. The ringtone seemed to start again, then stopped after a while, the screen light fading with it. I died on my 18th birthday. Covered in mud, full of anticipation. My soul floated in the night sky. The pain of being tortured seemed to linger. I felt pulled by some force. Slowly flying towards home.

Mom didn’t like dad. She had a first love. Dad was a somewhat famous painter who fell for mom at first sight. He pursued her relentlessly, forcibly breaking up mom and her first love. Everyone approved of dad, so mom reluctantly married him. After marriage, mom was busy finding cases and handling them. She spent little time at home and often gave dad the cold shoulder. Artists are more sensitive. Dad couldn’t take mom’s neglect. Running away, attempting suicide, even jumping off buildings – he tried it all. At first, mom would rush home anxiously. But cry wolf too many times, and mom stopped believing. Until dad broke down and leapt from a high-rise. Mom’s comment: “Artists, their minds aren’t right.” I was a posthumous child. Mom’s physique was different from most. By the time she discovered me, it was too late for an abortion, so she had to keep me. During that time, because of me, she missed out on many potential cases. She said I was born to collect a debt.

In kindergarten, a boy pulled my pigtails. I cried loudly, inconsolable. Research shows children feel secure hearing their mother’s voice. The teacher called mom. I put my ear close to the receiver. “Crying over such a small pain, useless.” After that, no matter how much it hurt, I held back my tears. I was always well-behaved. Never crying or making a fuss, the most obedient child in class. Best at games, top of the class in studies. The teacher said she’d praise me at the parent-teacher meeting. She called mom: “Mrs. Evans, next Monday is the parent-teacher meeting. Please come.” I was secretly delighted. If mom came, she’d know how great I was. She’d pat my head and even brush my hair. That day at lunch, I hid away a reward candy. This candy was so popular, everyone would eat it right away when given one. The sweet taste would linger in your mouth all day. I wanted to share it with mom. I stared at the shiny wrapper, resisting the urge to unwrap and eat it. I waited through class after class, the candy almost melting in my palm. I had to open my hand, praying mom would come soon. Other kids’ parents all arrived. My seat remained empty. As the meeting was ending, mom walked into the classroom. I stretched out my left hand holding the candy, walking towards mom. “Teacher, this child is sensitive and stubborn. Sorry for the trouble.” I stopped in my tracks, lowering my hand. “Teacher, Lily stole something.” Someone spoke up, pointing at me: “She stole the candy handed out at lunch.” Emily grabbed my left hand, forcing it open. One finger, two fingers, revealing a candy with colorful wrapping. She slapped me: “How did I teach you? Daring to steal.” I wanted to explain that I had saved this candy. Mom’s words made me shut up: “You disappoint me so much.” “Speechless now? No wonder you’re his child, only knowing how to steal and grab.” The teacher tried to explain, saying it’s normal for kids to like sweets. But it was no use. In mom’s heart, I was a child who liked to steal.

To salvage my image, I worked hard, hoping to leave a good impression on mom. Award certificates covered wall after wall, trophies overflowing the cabinet. It didn’t earn a single word of praise, only admonishment: “Even if you don’t do well in exams, don’t forge results or cheat.” I had a natural talent for painting, effortlessly winning city-level awards. I showed my winning piece to Sarah. The painting depicted a mother and daughter. Under the light, the mother gently brushed her daughter’s hair. The warm yellow glow made the scene especially beautiful. I had always longed for mom to brush my hair. Sarah glanced at it, casually putting the painting in a drawer. “Focus on studying. Don’t mess with this nonsense.” “Drawing these things all day, you’ll go crazy sooner or later.” Then she picked up my report card: “Grades have dropped. Can’t find anyone to copy from anymore?” I lowered my head, quietly listening to Sarah’s scolding. Mom didn’t like me painting, so I never showed her my artwork again. Nor did I mention learning to paint. Mom always came to parent-teacher meetings. Some parents, hearing I was a single-parent child with such good grades, grew jealous and were unkind to me. Kids followed suit, mocking me: “Lily is a child without a dad.” They made up a rhyme, surrounding me, singing in shrill voices: “Lily, no daddy, gets bullied, cries to mommy, cry cry cry, what a baby.” I didn’t know how to refute, so I resorted to force to shut them up. I straddled them, punching again and again. They cried, saying they’d never do it again. I believed them and stopped. They flipped me over. A pencil pierced my left hand. The red that flowed stung my eyes. I was sent to the hospital. The teacher quickly contacted parents. Mom arrived, saw my bandaged left hand, and sneered: “Such a light injury, probably healed already. Learning from that useless father of yours.” Some parents saw their kids disheveled, angrily coming to school. Wanting an explanation. The teacher tried to mediate, saying both sides were at fault. The parents realized mom was the recently famous star lawyer and left reluctantly, not wanting to offend her. I watched their retreating figures, incredibly envious. They had adults to back them up. I didn’t.

A black Maybach entered Happy Community. Sarah got out. She had just called me twice – I hung up on one, the other went unanswered. This child, what game is she playing now? She recalled the text she sent earlier. Surely she wouldn’t just stay stupidly on the mountain. It was just a prank. She’s not that dumb. My soul was drawn here by some force. “Mom.” I saw Sarah and flew towards her. But passed right through her back. I realized I was dead. I could never hug mom again. Mom came here to celebrate my birthday? But I’m not home, she won’t see me. Will she be disappointed? I floated outside, a gust of wind could blow me away. I followed mom all the way. In the stairwell, a little girl wearing a birthday hat bounced along. She saw Sarah and jumped to her side. She opened her left palm, revealing a candy. The wrapper gleamed under the light. “Auntie, it’s my birthday today. Have a candy.” Sarah smiled and took the candy, patting her head: “Happy birthday, little one.” Mom had never said happy birthday to me, never patted my head, let alone called me “little one.” “Auntie, look, this is the new dress mom bought me. Isn’t it pretty?” The little girl lifted her skirt, twirling around. Sarah looked carefully and exclaimed: “Like a little fairy!” Mom had never complimented me. Her most frequent words were: “Lily, I’m so disappointed in you.” The little girl smiled shyly: “Auntie, being your daughter must be so happy.” Sarah was stunned. She had a daughter. Her daughter always seemed timid around her, smiling ingratiatingly. Was her daughter happy? I wasn’t happy. The companionship and simple praise I wanted, she never gave me. Sarah continued upstairs, passing a middle-aged woman. She was on the phone complaining: “Nini hasn’t come back to visit in so long. What child doesn’t miss home?” “Nini’s birthday is in a few days. We must prepare well, cook a big feast, let Nini eat her fill.” Today was my birthday too. But I was already dead. Mom could no longer celebrate for me. I could never have mom pat my head or praise me again. I floated dejectedly behind mom. I kept waiting for her to turn around, to look at me once. I chased after light like a shadow in a daydream. Pursuing an endless and hopeless bewilderment. Birthday. Come to think of it, Lily’s birthday was coming up soon. Sarah thought. She came this time to emphasize to Lily that the college entrance exam was approaching. Focus on studying, draw less, and don’t think about boyfriends and girlfriends. She didn’t care about other times, but the exam was important. Can’t let distractions interfere. Finally, she arrived. She knocked, but no one answered. Sarah sent a message, no reply. Called, but no one picked up. Strange. Usually Lily replied to messages instantly. Did something happen? Sarah thought about contacting the property management. The phone rang. It was her son William. “Mom, come back quickly. I’m scared.” “He killed someone.” It was her stepdaughter Emily. Sarah was confused. A voice came through the phone: “Mom, come back first. It’s hard to explain over the phone.”

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