Author: Momo Chan

My mom, who prides herself on being a health guru, has long believed in using celery to manage my dad’s high blood pressure. Concerned about my dad’s health, I discreetly provided him with blood pressure medication, which eventually stabilized his condition. Later, when my dad discovered my mom’s infidelity, he was so upset that he suffered a cerebral hemorrhage. I invested time and resources to help him recover. However, under my mom’s influence, he became convinced that the medication I provided was the cause of his illness. Together, they plotted to have me pushed in front of a luxury car, resulting in my death. When I opened my eyes again, it was the day we first discovered my dad’s hypertension. This time, I sarcastically praised my mom: “Mom, you’re truly a health expert. I completely trust you to take care of Dad’s health.” The doctor studied my dad’s medical report, his brow furrowed, and said, “Your blood pressure is dangerously high—280/180. You must take medication to control it, or the consequences could be severe.” My dad nodded in agreement, “Yes, yes.” But my mom dismissed the doctor’s advice, “Doctors these days always prescribe medication. Don’t they know that medicine has side effects?” “If he takes medication every day, his body will surely suffer.” “In this case, diet therapy is the safest and most effective way to lower blood pressure.” Hearing my mom’s familiar argument, it hit me—I had been reborn, back to the day my dad’s hypertension was discovered. In my previous life, I had taken my parents for a check-up, and we found out my dad’s blood pressure was alarmingly high. The doctor advised medication, but my mom ignored the advice, insisting on using celery to manage his blood pressure. When I realized this, I searched online for cases of strokes and cerebral hemorrhages caused by hypertension, hoping to warn my parents. But my mom slapped me and scoffed, “Those online stories are staged or exaggerated—they’re not reliable.” “If you encourage your dad to take random medicine again, I’ll marry you off to that guy from the village.” Afraid to confront my mom directly, I watched in silence as she continued with her celery regimen. My dad, being a submissive husband, followed her lead. His blood pressure kept climbing, and fearing complications, I secretly bought him medication. After much persuasion, he finally agreed to take it. Later, my dad stumbled upon my mom with another man in the park. His anger led to him collapsing on the spot. I rushed him to the hospital, where the doctor said he had suffered an acute cerebral hemorrhage due to high blood pressure, urging us to gather funds for immediate surgery. Upon hearing the surgery would cost over 200,000 Yuan, my mom exclaimed about having no money and suggested just letting him die. Unable to abandon him, I used my ID to take out a high-interest loan to pay for the surgery. After a long night of emergency care, my dad survived. Though he lived, he was left with severe aftereffects. I quit my job, learned rehabilitation techniques online, and helped him recover at home. Three years later, he was finally back to normal. But he believed my mom, thinking the medication I provided caused his illness and that my efforts were out of guilt. They lured me back home, drugged my drink, and took me to the roadside. When a Rolls Royce sped by, my dad pushed me under its wheels, killing me. They extorted 5 million Yuan from the car owner with my death and lived wealthy lives. My mom even had a son later, becoming a ‘winner in life.’ In this life, I’m curious to see if my mom’s celery can really cure my dad’s hypertension.

The doctor, hearing my mom’s words, looked at me earnestly, “Young lady, please persuade your parents. This is not a joke.” “Every year, over 6 million people in our country suffer from cerebral hemorrhages due to hypertension. Most don’t survive, and only a few are lucky enough to get a second chance.” “You must take this seriously; taking medication can control it.” “Don’t wait until complications arise, or it will be too late to regret.” I snapped back to reality and said cheerfully, “Doctor, don’t worry, my mom’s a health expert. She can definitely lower my dad’s blood pressure.” My mom gave me a rare approving look, then rolled her eyes at the doctor and called him a “quack” before strutting out with my dad. They didn’t hear the doctor’s last words. “Young lady, your mom’s blood pressure is high too. You must convince them both to take antihypertensive medication!” Back home, my mom bought a bunch of celery and prepared various dishes for my dad. After a month of this, my dad complained of dizziness, “Nora, my head’s spinning. It feels like the world is turning.” My mom, engrossed in her TV show, responded without looking up, “You’ve been eating too many vegetables, must be malnutrition. I’ll make some pork trotters to supplement you later.” I chimed in, “Dad, my high school classmate Li Jinjin’s dad didn’t take medication for his hypertension and suffered a brain hemorrhage. He didn’t survive.” “My classmate said her dad felt dizzy and the world spinning before it happened, just like you. Could it be your hypertension?” “Dad, why don’t I take you to the hospital for a check-up?” My dad, timid and hearing about someone dying from hypertension, was terrified. He grabbed my hand and insisted, “Dear, take me to check it out.” As we reached the door, my mom threw her slipper, hitting my dad’s head. We turned to see my mom, one hand on her hip and the other pointing at us, yelling: “Ethan, if you dare go to the hospital today, I’ll never let it go.” “I told you it’s malnutrition, and you’re listening to Lydia, doubting me?” “Unbelievable!” “Lydia, get out, you ungrateful brat.” My dad, seeing my mom angry, wilted and apologized, “Wife, don’t be mad. It’s Lydia’s fault. I believe you, I believe you, calm down.” Yes, I’m Lydia Greene, the unwanted child with no status in this family.

I was born during the strict family planning era. And because I was a girl, my mom wanted to drown me in the cesspool and try for a son. But my dad, soft-hearted, kept me. Whenever I misbehaved, my mom would say, “I should’ve drowned you in the cesspool to avoid the trouble.” My dad would say, “If not for me, you’d have been drowned by your mom. You should be grateful I gave you a second life.” So, I grew up grateful and obedient to them. But all it got me was being killed by them. In this new life, I want to live for myself. I smiled to myself. Dad, this time, I really won’t care about you. I wonder if you’ll regret it once you see mom’s true colors? But I guess dad won’t have the chance to regret. Because mom changed her dietary strategy. Monday to Friday, she used celery to lower dad’s blood pressure. On weekends, she made rich foods to supplement him. In half a year, dad gained weight, and his blood pressure kept rising. Mom watched dad grow fatter and his blood pressure higher, smiling in satisfaction. One day, after breakfast, mom dressed up and went square dancing. After she left, I coaxed dad to take a walk. As we passed the park grove, we heard moans. Dad, hearing the sounds, couldn’t help but curse, “Which stray dog is in heat here?” I listened and then said, “This sounds familiar, like mom’s voice!” Hearing me, dad got serious, “Don’t talk nonsense. You go ahead; I’ll see who’s shameless.” I nodded, “Okay, dad, I’ll take a stroll.” I hadn’t gone far when I heard a commotion behind me. There were panicked curses and dad’s angry shouts: “Nora Bennett, you… you cheated on me!” Ah, dad finally found out about mom’s affair. When I got there, dad was already foaming and collapsed. I took dad to the hospital. Outside the emergency room, the nurse asked mom to pay the surgery fee. Hearing it was 200,000 Yuan, mom widened her eyes, “200,000? Why don’t you go rob?” “Ugh, always asking for tens of thousands. You wouldn’t make 200,000 even if you sold yourself.” Mom’s venomous words made the young nurse tear up and leave. An older nurse approached us, speaking harshly, “You don’t look like you’re struggling financially. Isn’t your husband’s life worth 200,000?”

People around us began whispering and pointing at my mom. “How heartless, not even caring about her own husband.” “Exactly, what a misfortune for this family.” “Maybe she planned to harm her husband on purpose? You never know with people these days.” Hearing the murmurs, my mom finally couldn’t stay silent. She began to pressure me. “Lydia Greene, pay your dad’s surgery fees first.” “Our money is tied up in a fixed deposit. We can’t access it until it matures.” “I know you have 200,000 in savings. You cover it first, and I’ll pay you back later.” “Remember, without your dad, you wouldn’t be here.” I nodded and agreed. I turned around and used her and my dad’s IDs to take out a 500,000 loan from a loan shark. I paid 200,000 for my dad’s surgery. I kept the remaining 300,000 as startup capital. The next day, the doctor issued a critical condition notice. Seeing the notice and the expense list, my mom broke down. She started cursing, “That deadbeat, if you’re going to die, just die already. Stop wasting my money.” “I’m not signing anything. You better refund my money. I choose to abandon treatment. Just take him back and cremate him.” Facing the pointing and whispering, my mom snapped back at those who criticized her. “Are you going to pay for his treatment? If not, why are you meddling?” “Do you live by the sea? Why are you so nosy?” “If the emperor’s not worried, why are you, the eunuch, in such a hurry? Get lost, my family matters are none of your business.” With that, she pushed the doctor aside, trying to storm into the ICU to drag my dad out. I held onto my mom, trying to reason with her. “Mom, don’t give up on Dad. He can still be saved.” “How can you just watch him die?” “You’ve already hurt him once, do you want to hurt him again?” Ignoring me, my mom shoved me to the ground. “I’ve had enough of him. It’s better if he dies.” She pushed the doctor aside and was about to open the door when someone suddenly rushed over, grabbed my mom’s hair, and pulled her away, then slapped her hard. “Phoebe Bennett, how dare you.” Seeing the person who suddenly appeared, I felt a wave of relief. Aunt Fiona finally arrived. After sending Dad to the hospital, I called Aunt Fiona. Dad collapsed; I couldn’t let Mom have an easy time. So I thought of Aunt Fiona, who has always been at odds with Mom. I clung to Aunt Fiona’s leg, crying, “Aunt Fiona, you’re finally here. If you hadn’t come, my mom would have taken my dad straight to the crematorium.” “Aunt Fiona, please save my dad. The doctor said he can still be saved. Boohoo.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295572”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn #浪漫Romance #魔幻Magic #励志Inspiring

I’m the real biological daughter who was swapped at birth, while the imposter is acting all innocent. On the day we reunited, the imposter cried, “Does this mean mom won’t love me anymore…” I went over and hugged her, “No, not only does mom love you the most, but I do too!” Imposter: “?” I was given a task to help a restless spirit find peace, essentially kickstarting her path to rebirth. She was the true daughter, swapped maliciously by the family maid, and grew up in neglect. At five, she was finally reunited with her family, but they were all charmed by the imposter. Later, even her engagement to Daphne was snatched away by the imposter. She was falsely accused and, even after her death, was scorned by everyone. I scoffed, “You were too weak. With such a strong start, you really played your cards badly.” With her blood ties and the guilt her biological parents felt for losing her, she should have been a winner in life. Besides, I could handle a bunch of these fake innocent types with ease. The real daughter is named Phoebe. Phoebe sighed, “Otherwise, I wouldn’t have come to you.” I patted my chest, “Don’t worry, leave it to me.”

When I opened my eyes, there was a man in a suit before me. He bowed respectfully, “Miss, please come back with us.” I nodded, got into the car, and glanced back at my adoptive mother, whom everyone called Auntie White. Her eyes were filled with hatred. Growing up under a mother’s hatred, anyone would lack a sense of security. I suddenly felt sorry for Phoebe. Arriving at the Brooks Family home, in the beautiful villa stood two expectant adults, an impatient little boy, and a girl with a shadowy expression. My biological mother, Amy Brooks, my biological father, Asher Brooks, the imposter, Harper Brooks, and my brother, Rowan Brooks. I suddenly felt lucky; Phoebe sounds better than Harper. Getting out of the car, Amy Brooks knelt down to look at me closely, sobbing softly, “Phoebe, baby, I’m sorry…” I remember the original character standing stiffly, cautiously looking at Amy Brooks, and then being led into the villa in a daze, like a puppet. Amy Brooks was soon distracted by Harper’s crying and had no time for the emotionless original character. Though such a situation would scare any child, especially someone like Phoebe who had never been loved, it would easily erase her presence in the home. Without expressing needs, she would soon be marginalized. When faced with guilt and love, one shouldn’t resist or push away but should accept and enjoy what is rightfully theirs. I teared up, crying softly, “Mom, I don’t blame you, I don’t blame you.” I looked at my cracked hands, dirty from long-term work, even after washing. I hesitated to hug Amy Brooks, fearing my dirtiness. Who would refuse their pitiful, innocent daughter willing to wrong herself to be understanding? Especially since it was Amy Brooks’s lack of supervision that led to my loss, she already felt guilty. Her eyes reddened, and she hugged me despite my dirty clothes. The mother-daughter reunion was touching, except for the imposter, Harper Brooks. “Mom, will you not love me anymore?” Harper suddenly asked, her voice timid, with eyes full of grievance, making her very endearing. Though Harper wasn’t their biological daughter, they lived together for over five years. People say distant relatives aren’t as good as close neighbors, not to mention they always treated Harper as their own. Amy Brooks, being soft-hearted, was quickly attracted to her. Before she could act, I asked, “Mom, is she your baby too?” Amy Brooks hesitated. Though Harper wasn’t her biological daughter, she was afraid of hurting her, so she nodded, “Yes, she’s… your sister.” Hearing this, my little face was full of earnestness, seriously saying, “Sister, not only does mom love you, but I will love you too.” A foster child afraid of losing the mother’s love to her biological daughter, while the biological daughter says, I’m not here to take your mom, I’m here to love you like mom does. How touching. As expected, Amy Brooks’s eyes filled with tears again, but I knew she wouldn’t treat Harper the same as before. After all, that comparison showed Harper’s narrow-mindedness. Even my usually stoic CEO father, Asher Brooks, was full of affection as he patted my head after hearing my words. Rowan Brooks’s gaze softened towards me, only Harper glared at me viciously. Phoebe was shocked, “Is this even possible?” I laughed inside, “Sometimes being a bit fake can better protect yourself.”

At dinner, I sat next to Amy Brooks, with Harper next to me. The seat I took was originally Harper’s. Harper’s eyes were full of malice, but while Phoebe was afraid, I wasn’t. I even savored her hatred towards me. The enemy’s hate is such a satisfying emotion, making one delight in the enemy’s incompetence and frustration. The more it is, the happier I am. The original Phoebe told me that Harper had long known she was Auntie White’s daughter, and her malice was carefully nurtured by Auntie White. I remember not long after dinner, Asher’s men found out Auntie White had maliciously swapped the kids. But at that time, Harper framed me for stealing her things, pretending not to be angry but patiently persuading me, which made Amy Brooks decide to keep her to subtly influence me, turning me into a good child. Good child… heh. Prepared, I sat properly, silent, waiting for the imposter to make the first move. “Mom, the longevity locket you gave me is missing, just when I was taking a bath,” Harper suddenly spoke, looking so pitiful she could act in a play. I squinted my eyes; no wonder Phoebe couldn’t beat her. This imposter’s tactics aren’t something a normal child can handle. I glanced at Auntie White behind her. Oh, I forgot her. An imposter plus a scheming adult isn’t something a child can handle. “Don’t worry, it must have fallen somewhere. Let’s have Auntie White look for it, okay?” Amy Brooks comforted her. Harper nodded, obediently saying, “It’s the one mom gave me, I don’t want to lose it.” If you don’t want to lose it, then don’t lose it… I secretly rolled my eyes. Amy Brooks’s eyes reddened and asked Auntie White to search. At this moment, Amy Brooks also wanted to cultivate some mother-daughter feelings before sending Harper back, not expecting this new idea to be exploited by Auntie White. Auntie White soon came over, her eyes complex, “Ma’am…” Amy Brooks sensed something wrong and asked, “What happened?” “The second miss’s longevity locket was… was… under the big miss’s pillow.” Auntie White extended her hand, and sure enough, Harper’s longevity locket was in her hand. “What now?” Phoebe asked anxiously. I smiled gently, “Isn’t this just what I wanted?” I was stunned, innocently observing everyone present, “What?” “Sister, I didn’t know you liked this longevity locket. If I knew, I would definitely give it to you! Even though… I, I like it very much… But sister, taking things without asking is really not good!” Harper appeared very friendly, but the pride in her eyes was already obvious, “Sister, I will really share everything with you!”

Perhaps in others’ eyes, this isn’t a big deal, but she was warning me that I only have the right to share her things, and I have no place here myself. I bit my lip, trembling, looking at Auntie White in disbelief. “Time to close the net?” Phoebe asked anxiously, “Don’t overplay it.” I told her in my heart, “Don’t rush, closing the net now would waste all our efforts.” Phoebe nodded, remaining silent, as I had control over this body. Harper looked at me sadly, “Baby, you can’t just take other people’s things…” Asher, who had been silent, suddenly received a call and stepped out. I looked fearfully at Auntie White, seemingly making a decision, my little face full of determination, “Mom, I really don’t like my previous mom because she would say I stole things when she went to the store. But mom, I don’t want to be a thief in your eyes because you’re so good to me, I really don’t want to disappoint you…” I ended up crying, my face covered in tears, sobbing away. Auntie White’s face was full of rage. I knew Auntie White hadn’t stolen anything, but so what? Who would believe a five-year-old child is lying? She just didn’t want her beloved mom to misunderstand her. Look, she even mustered all her courage. The tables have turned. Now it’s Auntie White who stole, subconsciously wanting to frame her former foster daughter— Perhaps she even wanted to frame the foster daughter to keep the biological daughter in the wealthy family, but who cares? Auntie White will be sent to the police station. I ended up crying inconsolably, tears streaming down my face. Auntie White was livid. I knew she hadn’t stolen anything, but it didn’t matter. Who would believe a five-year-old could lie? She just didn’t want her beloved mother to misunderstand her. Look at her, she gave it her all. Then things turned around. Now, Auntie White is accused of theft and is trying to pin it on her former adopted daughter. Perhaps she even wanted to frame her to ensure her biological daughter stayed in the wealthy family. But who cares? Auntie White is going to the police station. If the police dig into it, they might find out she secretly put the longevity locket under my pillow. No matter the outcome, I’m not at a loss. Daphne struggled to remain calm, though her voice betrayed her anger: “I refuse to let anyone frame my daughter! We’ll wait for the police.” Auntie White panicked, glancing at Harper Brooks. Like mother, like daughter—Harper promptly accused me: “You’re lying! I saw you rush out of my room with my longevity locket! I just wanted you to admit it, but you blamed someone else!” Another twist. Now, with Harper as a witness, it seemed like everything was my lie. It seemed I had become a girl who steals and lies, framing an innocent person. Daphne was stunned, looking at me with sadness. My eyes welled with tears, confused about how things had turned out this way. My mother’s doubt hit me hard, leaving me hopeless as I muttered, “Mom, believe me, please believe me…” Daphne wept, shaking her head. “When did you see Teanzi go to your room?” A composed voice asked. Asher Brooks returned from a call, his usual rational demeanor now tinged with disdain towards Auntie White. Then he turned his gaze to Harper, still with disdain. Five-year-old Harper began crying loudly: “In the afternoon… after I finished bathing and changing clothes, boohoo…” Daphne shot Asher a reproachful look, stood up, and comforted Harper: “Don’t cry, don’t cry, Daddy didn’t mean to be harsh.” Through my teary eyes, I watched Daphne hold Harper, full of envy, but I only dared to glance briefly before lowering my head, saying nothing, biting my lip hard. That furtive glance was caught by Asher and Rowan Brooks. Rowan couldn’t sit still and stood up, loudly declaring, “But sister was with Dad and me the whole time!” This was my plan; having a prepared strategy felt great. I mentally nudged Phoebe: “See, the brother who always opposed you is now on your side.” Phoebe was speechless. Actually, Rowan is just a simple kid. Initially, when he heard Harper say I was bad, he believed it. But he’s essentially a good kid. In the previous life, he was deceived by Harper too, dying without knowing the truth. It’s good for him to see through people’s facades early. No need to thank me~ Daphne was stunned once more. Another turn of events. Her biological daughter was being schemed against by her adopted daughter and the adopted daughter’s mother, yet she didn’t believe her own daughter, trusting the trap set by two outsiders. If her biological daughter had chosen a terrible path out of despair… How heartbreaking would that be! Looking at Harper in her arms, Daphne couldn’t help but feel disgusted and put her down, turning to me. I looked dazed, beyond hope for this family, showing a hurt expression. “Phoebe, Mom…” Daphne was at a loss. I lifted my head, eyes full of wariness, with a bitter smile: “Mom, a dog not loved is a stray, and I don’t have a home…” I curled up my thin body, eyes dull. Daphne couldn’t hold back anymore and cried out loud, disregarding her dignity: “I’m sorry, Mom’s sorry… Will you believe… believe in Mom one more time? Mom… promises, promises this will always be your home…” She hugged me, and I sobbed softly. But I gave Harper a triumphant look. Harper looked at me in horror. Asher glanced expressionlessly at her and Auntie White, then said, “I just took a call. Someone deliberately swapped the two children’s positions back then. The medical staff said they reminded the girl’s biological mother, and the girl’s biological mother said that both families knew each other and would return the child after playing for a while.” Daphne shivered. Back then, Auntie White used underhanded tactics to try to push Daphne away and wanted to get pregnant with Asher’s child, but Asher never fell for it. She had to use artificial means and frame Asher, almost causing Daphne to abort me. In the end, evidence was found to expose her. But Auntie White stayed in the Brooks Family as a nanny… Thanks to Daphne’s naive saint persona, such foolishness was evident from the beginning. “You can’t insult my mom,” Phoebe suddenly said after a long silence. I sneered but still replied dismissively: “Alright, alright.” Seems like Phoebe inherited a bit of Daphne’s nature. If it were me, it wouldn’t matter if they were biological or not. If they didn’t believe me and indirectly harmed me, I wouldn’t let them have a good ending. But I can only follow Phoebe’s mindset. After all, the customer is king.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295571”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn #浪漫Romance #魔幻Magic #励志Inspiring

On the day my wife, Wendy Carr, gave birth to her ex-boyfriend’s child, who was serving time in prison, her family was on high alert, fearing I might show up to cause trouble. But even as the child was born after a difficult labor, I never appeared. When Wendy was wheeled out of the delivery room, lying on the hospital bed, her eyes instinctively searched the crowd for my face. “Wendy, don’t worry. We’ve taken care of everything. That man won’t be able to come here.” Her mother reassured her, patting her chest confidently. “That’s right. I was terrified he’d bring bad luck to my little nephew,” her brother chimed in. Wendy nodded, then turned to look at the baby beside her, a joyful smile lighting up her face. She never understood why I couldn’t see her perspective. She only wanted to ensure her first love had no regrets. She even thought to herself that if I treated the child well, she might agree to let me raise the child together with her. But this time, I had already accepted an assignment from the organization. Soon, I would depart for the capital of Drakonia, Virelia, to join an international criminal investigation task force. This journey held an uncertain future.

Wendy suffered severe blood loss during childbirth. Yet less than a week after being admitted to the hospital, Jerry Brudos’ mother was already urging her to go home. For the past month, I have been attending meetings at work to coordinate some major international cases. Today was my first chance to take a break. Dragging my exhausted body home, I felt something was off the moment I stepped through the door. In the living room, Wendy’s parents were gathered around her and the baby, their faces full of affection and love. Jerry’s mother, Daisy Brudos, was also there. The group looked so harmonious that I suddenly felt like an outsider in my own home. “Oh, my little darling, you’re so adorable! Come on, say hi! Good baby!” Wendy’s mother, Elodie Britton, gushed over the child, her entire face radiating fondness. When they noticed my return, the warmth on their faces instantly turned awkward. Wendy’s face was pale and bloodless. She cast me a faint glance before lowering her head to play with the baby. “What bad timing. Coming home now of all times!” Wendy’s father, Richard Britton, lit a cigarette, gave me a once-over from head to toe, and let out a cold snort. Looking at these people before me, I couldn’t believe it. Before our marriage, they were so pleased with me. Once, my relationship with Wendy was pure and beautiful. I had attended the police academy in college while she studied education at a neighboring school. That was when fate set its wheels in motion. We met, got to know each other, and fell in love, with no conflicts ever arising between us. I wasn’t much of a talker, while Wendy was vibrant and cheerful, like a little songbird. After the death of my parents, I rarely experienced strong emotional waves. Wendy was like a beam of light piercing into my dim world. We married without any obstacles. Her parents liked me too, often praising my stable and promising job. Our love remained strong, though Wendy was always hesitant when it came to intimacy. I respected all her wishes, so our marriage remained unconsummated. I never doubted her because our love felt so genuine. Perhaps it was also because I spent much time away from home, leaving our marriage as fresh as when it began. When I was assigned to a six-month closed training program for a cross-border crime task force, we had to part ways. As we said goodbye, her eyes shimmered with tears as she held my hand tightly. “Promise me you’ll come back safe. I’ll always be waiting for you,” she said. I gently wiped away her tears, pursing my lips, unsure of how to respond. Elodie, too, couldn’t stop crying. She clung to my sleeve, urging me to take care of myself. At that moment, I silently resolved to request a transfer after training, opting not to join the mission. I wanted to stay home and protect my family. To be honest, during that half-year of training, there wasn’t a moment when Wendy wasn’t on my mind. Sometimes, I was even a little distracted. On the last day of training, I drove home eagerly. But when I flung open the door, the scene before me left me stunned. In the living room, Wendy and an unfamiliar man were sitting at the dining table. The man had his arm wrapped intimately around her shoulder. Both froze when they saw me. Wendy quickly shrugged off the man’s arm, her expression flustered. “Who is he?” My voice was icy, and I didn’t even bother to set down my luggage as I stared at the man. Wendy’s eyes darted nervously as she stammered, “This… this is Jerry, my friend. He’s just staying here for a few days.” The smiles on Richard’s and Elodie’s faces vanished instantly. Richard frowned deeply, shooting me a disdainful glance. “Why are you back now of all times?” he muttered. Elodie’s expression soured, and she grumbled, “What a useless man. It might as well have died out there. Such a buzzkill.” Jerry stood up as well, smirking at me with a hint of arrogance. I didn’t press further, but as my gaze fell on Wendy, I noticed her subconsciously touching her belly. It was slightly swollen, already showing signs of pregnancy. My heart sank into a bottomless abyss, and an ominous feeling overtook me. That night, Wendy brought me a glass of milk, smiling as she said, “You must be exhausted after such long training. Here, drink some milk and get a good rest.” I took the glass but caught a fleeting glimpse of nervousness in her eyes. Pretending to drink a few sips, I casually set the glass aside. Sure enough, in the middle of the night, Wendy tiptoed out of bed and crept out the door. I followed her quietly, watching as she entered another room. Inside, Jerry’s hushed voice could be heard. “Baby, what took you so long?” Fury surged within me. I moved closer and overheard Wendy’s playful voice saying, “Be gentle. Don’t forget about the baby.” It felt like a hammer had struck my heart. Everything was now painfully clear. Before this, she had always rejected my advances. Yet in my absence, she had carried another man’s child.

I suppressed the surge of anger in my heart and decided to keep my composure and continue observing. In the days that followed, their brazenness grew worse, as if I were nothing more than a ghost in my own home. During the day, Jerry would boldly sit next to Wendy. Their hands often intertwined, their gazes filled with affection and flirtation. Once, while the whole family was gathered around the dining table, Jerry forked a piece of meat and fed it directly to Wendy. She ate it without the slightest embarrassment, even giggling as she wiped the corners of his mouth with a napkin. Richard, Elodie, and Jerry’s mother all acted as though nothing had happened. Whenever I questioned them, Richard and Elodie would dismiss me with the excuse that Jerry and Wendy were just friends. They would accuse me of neglecting the family, pointing out that Jerry had been the one helping with everything over the past six months, while I was off chasing my career. They called me ungrateful. Perhaps it was guilt over my frequent absence that kept me silent. But this time, I could no longer suppress my fury. I slammed my fork on the table with a resounding crack. “Wendy! What exactly do you think you’re doing? “Is this what friends do? Do they end up in bed together? “There’s already a child! How long have I endured this? And you’re still hiding it from me?” They knew I had discovered the truth. Richard shot up from his seat, jabbing his finger at my nose and shouting, “What are you yelling about? Look at yourself! Always busy with that worthless job of yours! How much do you even make? “What can you offer Wendy? Jerry can give her a comfortable life. Can you?” Elodie chimed in, “Exactly! You’re useless. After all these years, you haven’t given Wendy any sort of good life. “Jerry is a hundred times better than you. He knows how to take care of Wendy and make money.” My whole body trembled with rage. I glared at them and growled, “Are you seriously saying this with a straight face? “How much have I sacrificed for this family, and you refuse to see it? Now you’re siding with an outsider to attack me!” “Sacrifice? What sacrifice?” Richard sneered, “Jerry makes more on one business deal than you do in an entire year. “What do you have to compare with him? Wendy was unlucky in ending up with someone like you!” His words stabbed into my heart like a dagger. I laughed bitterly and turned to Elodie. “You’re really ready to accept that bastard’s child as one of your own? “Your daughter cheated on me, and you have the gall to defend her?” Elodie’s face darkened. “Don’t you dare talk about my grandchild like that! “That child is flesh and blood from Wendy! No matter what, it’s family, and there’s no way we’ll ever get rid of it.” Wendy stood up just then, about to say something, when a knock came at the door. A group of police officers stormed in, flashing their badges. They pinned Jerry to the floor and hauled him away. Jerry’s arrogant expression instantly dissolved into terror. He struggled and screamed, “What are you arresting me for? “It’s you! You set me up, you bastard!” Wendy panicked, shrieking at me, “Did you do this? “How could you be so heartless? If anything happens to him, I’ll never forgive you!” Richard and Elodie were even more furious. Richard rushed toward me, jabbing his finger so close to my eye I could barely see past it. “You cruel son of a bitch! How dare you get Jerry arrested? “If something happens to him, we’ll fight you to the death!” Elodie wailed, “You heartless man! How could you do something so wicked? Use your connections and get Jerry out of this mess, or Wendy and the baby will be ruined!” The lead officer spoke firmly, “He’s involved in fraud, and we have solid evidence. We’re arresting him according to the law.” Wendy froze, her face a mask of disbelief. Richard and Elodie refused to back down. Richard turned to the officer and shouted, “You’ve got the wrong man! Jerry is a good kid. There’s no way he did this. Someone’s framing him!” Elodie echoed, “Yes! Someone must be out to get him. You can’t punish an innocent man!” I pulled out my own badge. The lead officer glanced at the initials on my bag and saluted me. After getting a brief rundown on Jerry’s crimes, I learned he had been involved in fraud for quite some time, making off with millions of dollars. The evidence was indisputable. I tried to calm Wendy and her parents. But Wendy flung herself at me, clawing and hitting. “You’re lying! Jerry is a good man. You’re just jealous! You framed him! “If you don’t help him, I’ll hate you for the rest of my life!” Richard trembled with fury, pointing his finger in my face again. “Don’t pretend to be a good guy! You just can’t stand to see Wendy happy. “If you don’t get Jerry out of this, I’ll raise hell at your workplace and make sure you lose your job!” Elodie chimed in, “Exactly! You heartless man! Wendy must have been blind to marry you. If you don’t help, this isn’t over!” Just as I was about to respond, I received an urgent call summoning me to a meeting, bringing the confrontation to a temporary halt. Memories swirled in my mind as I gazed at Wendy, cradling the child in her arms. I stayed silent for a long moment.

She didn’t bother looking up, casting a disdainful glance my way. “In a few days, you’ll come with me to a class reunion. You’ll say you’re my bodyguard. “Look at how tanned you’ve gotten from all that training, like a lump of coal. How can I bring you along? You’ll embarrass me.” For someone like me, who trained outdoors every day, getting tanned was completely normal. I looked at Wendy, barely able to believe she could make such a ridiculous demand. Still, to let her face reality once and for all, and to put an end to this failed marriage, I silently nodded in agreement. On the day of the reunion, Wendy dressed to the nines in luxurious designer clothes. Holding our child in her arms, she glanced at me impatiently, her eyes filled with disdain. In a sharp tone, she said, “Keep up. Don’t dawdle and embarrass me. “Remember, you’re just a bodyguard. Keep your mouth shut. “You’re lucky I even let you come.” I remained silent, my expression calm, though inside, my emotions were surging like a storm. I followed her into the venue. As soon as we entered, the classmates’ eyes immediately turned to us. They first noticed the adorable, doll-like child in Wendy’s arms, then her glamorous appearance. Their gazes brimmed with curiosity and envy. A female classmate was the first to speak. “Wendy, it’s been years! You’ve really changed. Your child is so big now! Where’s the father?” Wendy lifted her chin with pride, her eyes glinting with vanity. She deliberately lowered her voice, though it was loud enough for everyone to hear. “The child’s father is a bit busy and couldn’t make it. “But you all probably know him, Jerry. He’s in business, and he’s pretty capable.” The room buzzed with exclamations as the classmates surrounded her with praise. “Wendy, you’ve really got it made! Married into a wealthy family, huh?” “Exactly! You’ve got to take care of us in the future!” Basking in their flattery, Wendy’s head tilted slightly upward, her expression filled with arrogance. She sneered and said sharply, “Oh, you all need to work harder. Not everyone’s as lucky as me, stumbling into a life like this. “Some people, no matter how much they struggle, will amount to nothing.” Just as she reveled in her smugness, the phones of her classmates began pinging with notifications one after another. They checked their phones in confusion, their expressions growing increasingly strange. Wendy noticed the shift and frowned. “What’s going on?” No one answered her. They only looked at her with an odd mix of shock and disdain. I knew exactly what was happening. The evidence of her infidelity, which I had anonymously sent to each classmate, was finally making an impact. The photos and chat records were being displayed on their screens, one by one. Finally, a classmate couldn’t hold back and asked, “Wendy, what’s this all about? Are these things true?” Wendy’s face turned ashen in an instant. Her lips trembled, and she looked around in panic. She screamed, “This is a setup! Someone’s framing me! It’s all fake, completely fake!” But the murmurs among the classmates grew louder. “I can’t believe she’s this kind of person.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295570”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn

At the wedding seven years ago, during the ring exchange, my bride slapped me in front of everyone. “Marriage? It’s just a game. You don’t actually think I’m serious, do you?” The next moment, a wealthy young man took the stage, wrapping his arms around her and looking at me with disdain. “How dare you touch my woman? Here’s the deal. Crawl through my legs and bark three times, and I’ll spare you. I’ll let you serve me like a dog.” I stood there in disbelief, tears welling up as I asked her why. But she swiftly kicked me off the stage. She told me to get lost. She said I wasn’t even worthy of being a dog. Seven years later, when I returned to the city where I was born, I was already a renowned tech tycoon. I never expected the next time I would see her to be on the golf course I owned. The sight of her pregnant belly made me pause in shock. I wasn’t familiar with the entertainment industry in Bumville. I only bought it for the convenience of holding business events for the company. Cutting costs was an instinct I had developed since my childhood. After all, I had once been poor, and the feeling of living in a basement stayed with me for a long time. That was why I cherished everything I had earned more than anyone else. WEI gradually became a notable presence in Bumville. It was said that if you wanted to mix in Bumville, you had to get through the door of WEI. In the past, I didn’t pay much attention to it. But this afternoon, I gave the order to stop accepting new guests. Because I was about to host a dinner for my future business partner at the golf course. Dylan Creeway, just over forty, was incredibly experienced. Every project he handled was profitable, and what I wanted was the most lucrative one in his hands. After a few rounds of golf, Dylan and I went to a private box. As drinks were being passed around, his secretary came to fetch him for another meeting. I was about to step out to get some fresh air when my assistant was waiting for me outside. He respectfully handed me a business card. “Mr. Ferguson, a young man downstairs insists on meeting you. Doesn’t even realize his own standing.” Normally, I wouldn’t see such people. They were just some hungry wolves who smelled an opportunity and wanted to grab a piece. But today, I had already cleared the place, yet this guy still managed to sneak in. His actions intrigued me. Honestly, it was rather impolite to make such a move. I gestured, grabbed a bottle of aged red wine, and followed my assistant downstairs. At the door, I asked my assistant to wait and pass on a message to Dylan, telling him to give me a few minutes. After handling these situations often, I naturally learned how to manage them. I knocked three times before a familiar voice sounded from inside. “Come in.” As I pushed the door open, the sight before me left me frozen in place. Sitting directly across from me was Edward Wilson, the same reckless young heir who had stolen my bride and publicly humiliated me. And sitting next to him was Georgia Marvis, equally shocked to see me. Her eyes, which had once been so filled with affection, were now wide with disbelief. Her hand involuntarily slid down to rest on her swollen belly. She was pregnant. I hadn’t noticed when I last saw Georgia. That encounter had been purely accidental. I was on a business trip, and I ran into her struggling with someone outside a high-end hotel. She had insisted she wasn’t selling herself, clinging to her dignity. I stepped in and drove the man away, looking down at her. Wasn’t she dying to climb the social ladder? How had her standards dropped so much in just a few years? That day, Georgia had looked at me with helpless eyes, begging me to take her home. I couldn’t quite explain how I felt at that time, maybe I wanted to ask her why she treated me like that back then, maybe I wanted her to regret it, or maybe I just wanted to humiliate her. I said, “Name your price. Have a drink with me.” She quickly climbed into my car and said, “I owe you. I won’t take your money.” I drank a lot that night, and I couldn’t remember what happened afterward. I only remembered that in my sleep, it felt like a fire was surging within me. The next morning, when I woke up, Georgia was gone. She had left without a trace as if she had never been there at all. Now, looking at her swollen belly and Edward’s large hand on her, I suddenly understood. She had eventually gotten what she wanted. Edward seemed to read the expression in my eyes and immediately turned to look at Georgia with concern. “Did the baby kick you again? Such a playful one, just like me.” The next moment, he raised an eyebrow at me. Then he clicked his tongue and said, “Martin, it’s been so long, and you’ve fallen so far. You’re actually working here?”

The large private room echoed with the sound of laughter. These people were all familiar to me. They were the guests at that humiliating wedding, Edward’s closest friends. “How could someone who went to college end up like this?” Edward sneered. “You’re better off being my dog.” Apparently, he thought I was one of the staff members here. The people around him burst into laughter, some even whispering to each other, speaking loud enough for me to hear. “Wasn’t it him? The one who lost the bride and the wedding.” “Poor enough to live in a basement, he deserved to have his woman stolen…” I placed the bottle of fine wine on the table as a sign of politeness. Since they were somehow my guests, I considered the wine a charitable gesture. These sycophants surrounding Edward looked at me with contempt. “Such a decent wine. Even your life isn’t worth that much.” Actually, he was wrong. I was now a rising star in the industry, with assets exceeding hundreds of millions of dollars. And my company’s market value was still on the rise. I smiled politely and turned to leave. Engaging with people like them was beneath me. As for Georgia… Our fates were probably sealed. She had a family now, about to become a mother, and we were destined to have no further connection. Just as I reached the door, a voice rang out behind me. “Wait a second. Are you leaving just like that? “Mr. Wilson didn’t say you’re free to go. How dare you!” I turned around and saw Edward’s top lackey, Adam, frowning at me. He stood up as if preparing to block my path. Edward snorted. He shot me a sideways glance. “You’ve spent all these years without improving, but your guts sure have grown.” I took a deep breath. Since I had already decided not to engage with him, the sooner I left, the better. “Everyone, I need to get back to work.” I cleared my throat. “Today’s work is very important to me.” I wasn’t lying. It wasn’t easy to get Dylan here. Had I known it was Edward, I wouldn’t have bothered to come. My words were met with merciless laughter. “Come on, you’re just a waiter. No more than a useless servant.” “That’s ridiculous. You truly are poor to the bone.” I didn’t get their sense of humor. Even though my business wasn’t the biggest, the employee benefits here were top-notch. All the out-of-town staff were provided with nearby housing, and their salaries were higher than those of white-collar workers. The people here probably didn’t earn more than my waitstaff. As if to provoke me further, some of them fiddled with the car keys and watches on the table. I glanced over. They were nothing more than basic models. I couldn’t understand what they were laughing about. Seeing that I didn’t react, Adam intentionally pulled back his sleeve and flashed his keys and watch. “See? You’ll never earn enough to buy these in your lifetime.” He sized me up, his gaze full of disdain. “You’ve probably never even touched a car.” He was right. I never drove. “Yes,” I responded calmly. “I walk to work every day.”

Laughter erupted again in the room. I was stunned once more. I was telling the truth. My estate was connected to the golf course, so I didn’t need to commute. What were they laughing at? Edward, sitting at the head of the table, cleared his throat, and the room fell silent. At that moment, I realized that everyone in this room, except for me, was Edward’s lackey. They were eagerly waiting for their master’s next command. Edward pulled Georgia closer, his chin rubbing against her head. “Georgia, if you hadn’t listened to me back then, you probably wouldn’t be sitting here,” he said. “Martin’s just a good-for-nothing.” The entire room burst into laughter. Only Georgia glanced at me cautiously before immediately looking down, seeming a bit flustered. In that instant, I became curious. Was she worried I would expose the fact that we’d drunk together? Was she worried that Edward would get angry? I wouldn’t stoop to such petty acts. Edward’s gaze swept over the room, and once again, the place went quiet. He looked at me from his high position with a condescending gaze. “If you kneel and beg me now, I’ll have Mr. Anderson help you out. Getting a raise will be no problem.” Mr. Anderson? I furrowed my brows in thought. Seeing my confusion, Adam laughed louder. “Stop thinking about it. Mr. Anderson is the trusted confidant of the owner of this golf course. A lowly employee like you will never get a chance to meet him.” He sneered. “Hurry up and kneel. This is your one and only chance to turn your life around. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Mr. Wilson is rarely kind.” A group of people telling me to kneel and beg for mercy. How was this supposed to be kind? Their morals were even lower than I’d imagined. Being Edward’s dog was certainly about personal gain. They were like flies hovering over the crack in an egg. There was no need to argue with them. And I definitely wouldn’t let them know my true capabilities. I smiled calmly. “Enjoy your meal and your laughter. I’ll take my leave now.” What I had to do was a thousand times more important than this. Just as I was about to leave, a force from behind nearly caused me to stumble. Adam glared at me, and his face was full of anger. Edward looked at me with a smirk, saying nothing. Then, Adam kicked me in the knee. Although the pain shot through me, I remained steady on my feet. “Didn’t I tell you to kneel?” he snapped. “You can’t wait to learn your lesson, huh?”

After Adam’s barrage of insults, the crowd around me looked on with eager anticipation, their faces lighting up as they waited for me to fall to my knees and beg for forgiveness. That would be an ending they expected to cap off the evening’s disappointment. Even Edward rose from his seat, crossing his arms over his chest. “I truly want to help you, you know. Why not show a little appreciation?” he said, his voice cool but tinged with a subtle mockery. “I’m about to make a big deal with the owner of this place tonight. A few good words from me, and you could be on your way to the stars.” Adam furrowed his brow, clearly displeased. “Mr. Wilson, that’s Dylan’s project. Why not let me have a piece of the pie?” The people around us immediately jumped in, eager to flatter. “Yeah, I heard Dylan’s been working with some big tech mogul, their company’s worth billions of dollars.” “Mr. Wilson and Dylan go way back. If he could lend us a hand, we could make a little extra before the New Year.” Lackeys buzzing around him, Edward seemed unbothered, his expression haughty as he glanced around. “Do you even know the scale of this project? Even if you risked every penny you have, you wouldn’t be able to get a piece.” A collective gasp swept through the crowd. Edward tilted his chin and met my eyes, his gaze sharpening with a new level of disdain. “Looks like you’ve gained some backbone over the years.” With a swift push, he shoved Georgia aside and perched himself casually on another chair, leaning with one leg draped over the edge. “So, Martin,” he drawled, his voice smooth. “Here’s another chance. You want to be a lapdog or not?” The room fell silent, their eyes fixed on me like vultures, waiting for my next move. I had endured so much, swallowing my pride at every turn, but nothing had worked. This time, I couldn’t keep quiet anymore. I straightened my back, feeling the weight of the moment. “The Dylan you’re talking about,” I said, my voice unwavering, “is someone I invited. “This place belongs to me, and I’m going after that project. It’s mine.” The room went deathly quiet for a few seconds before laughter erupted, even louder than before. Adam shoved me roughly, a sneer twisting his face. “You’re the boss? I could just as easily say I’m Elon Musk!” “Yeah, keep dreaming,” the others jeered, joining in the mockery. Edward, smirking, gave me a long look. “If you’re going to lie, at least make it believable. Say you know Mr. Anderson, or something.” I didn’t flinch. “I do know him.” How could I not know the assistant I’d personally brought back from a famous overseas university? The laughter roared again, drowning out my voice, but I stood my ground, smoothing the wrinkles in my jacket as I looked at them all, my tone steady. “I graduated from Quenca University, class of 2013. You can’t fake that.” Some in the crowd seemed to waver, their disbelief beginning to crack. “Quenca? Now that’s impressive.” But just as their uncertainty began to show, Adam’s voice cut through, cold and dismissive. “So, why don’t you show us your diploma then? Let’s see if it’s real.” Who would carry their diploma around with them? Adam’s taunt was deliberate, and the crowd laughed along with him, feeding off his cruelty. I took a deep breath, my patience beginning to fray. “Is that what it takes for you to believe me? A piece of paper?” No one answered. They just looked at me, smug and certain of their superiority. But then Georgia’s voice broke the silence, soft and almost tentative. She tugged gently at Edward’s sleeve, her touch light. “Could you… let him go? I think he’s starting to make me feel sick.” The room erupted in laughter again, but I felt a sharp pang in my chest. I knew she was trying to help me. But it wasn’t just relief I felt. It was confusion. Why was she helping me? She’d been so uneasy all night, so nervous around me, as though she was terrified of facing me. Just as I turned to leave in search of my diploma, a sudden force blocked my path. I stepped back, instinctively moving out of the way. The door opened, and Julius Anderson walked in, followed by a few others. Edward, his face paling, stumbled back, his voice trembling. “Mr. Creeway, Mr. Anderson!” He cast a fleeting glance at me, his expression twisting with sudden panic. “Martin, good dogs know their place. Get out of the way!” But before I could move, Dylan’s voice rang out, cutting through the tension like a blade. “Who are you telling to get out of the way?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295569”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn

The morning after our wedding, I woke up to the sight of my mother-in-law, Tiara, standing at the foot of our marital bed, looking down at me with unmistakable disdain. “Layla, this house was only loaned to you two for the wedding,” she said, stressing the word “loaned” as though it were some great favors. Groggy and disoriented, I blinked at her, wondering if I’d misheard. Didn’t this house belong to Zac and me? What did she mean by “loaned”? Pushing myself up from the bed, I grabbed my phone and called Zac, who had disappeared early in the morning without a word. At first, Zac hemmed and hawed, his tone evasive. But under my persistent questioning, he finally spilled the truth. “Layla, the house is in my mom’s name. It’s meant for my little brother in the future. I only managed to convince her to let us use it for the wedding by giving her a thousand dollars. “Now that the wedding’s done, it’s time for us to move back to the countryside and live a simple, happy life.” As soon as Zac heard I wanted a divorce, he rushed back to try and talk me out of it. “Don’t be impulsive, Layla. We just got married yesterday. How can you be talking about divorce today?” I was furious, glaring at him as I snapped, “You mean you already showed your true colors the day after the wedding? “Before the wedding, you lied and told me this was your house. Fine, I let that slide. But now you’re telling me it’s actually for Marcus, and you had to pay your mom a thousand dollars just to borrow it for a day?” It wasn’t like I was desperate for Zac to have a house. I had always been financially independent and had a decent job. But I wanted to build a stable family, and if my husband had better financial standing, it would make raising kids easier in the future. Now, however, it was clear that things were different. This house was in Tiara’s name, and technically, both Zac and Marcus should have equal inheritance rights. But Tiara blatantly favored Marcus, and Zac didn’t put up any fight. He was more than willing to hand over everything that should have been his. This wasn’t just about not owning property; Zac was clearly a textbook “submissive to his younger sibling” type. If today they charged a thousand dollars for a day’s use of the house, what’s next? Would Zac have to pay for Marcus’ wedding, car, and future kids? I got married to start a life, not to sell myself as a servant to their family! Zac tried to guilt-trip me, “Layla, you know how hard it was for Mom to raise both me and Marcus on her own. “Marcus didn’t get to enjoy much growing up. It’s just one house. Isn’t it fair to give it to him? “Please don’t make a fuss. The moment I met you, I knew you were a good person, not someone materialistic.” He dared to accuse me of being the one making a fuss? Of being materialistic? Was I supposed to swallow the lies and pretend nothing happened? Wanting fairness and what was rightfully mine made me greedy? I gave Zac one last chance. “Can’t Tiara at least split the house equally between you two?” Before Zac could answer, Tiara, who had been quietly enjoying the show, jumped up and spewed a stream of insults. “Split the house? Dream on! You want my house? Over my dead body!” She continued, “What kind of wife did you marry? I’m still alive, and she’s already eyeing your brother’s things! “If I die, who knows how she’ll bully Marcus! Why don’t you get control of this shameless woman already?” Zac turned purple with embarrassment. After stammering for a moment, he finally went to stand behind Tiara, patting her back to calm her down. “Mom, don’t worry. I’ll talk to Layla. She’ll understand!” Watching how they handled things, I knew it was pointless to keep talking. “No need to waste any more time. It’s still early. Let’s head to the city hall.” I was done with the drama. If we couldn’t reach an agreement, there was no point dragging it out. When Zac saw I was serious about the divorce, he dropped the act. “You think you can just leave like that? If you want a divorce, fine, but only if you pay back the wedding gift! Otherwise, I’ll sue you!” Tiara’s eyes lit up. “Exactly! Do you think you can just waltz in and out of our family? Pay back the money!” I couldn’t believe their audacity. “The fifty thousand dollars was all spent on the wedding, wasn’t it? Our messages clearly show that. If you want to sue, go ahead. I’m not afraid!” I wasn’t about to be intimidated. When I agreed to marry Zac after a whirlwind romance, it was only to shed the stigma of being a “leftover woman.” The fifty thousand dollars wasn’t why I said yes, so I hadn’t been paying close attention to the money. When Zac said he was short on cash for the wedding, I had generously transferred the money to him, not bothering to oversee the details. Who would’ve thought they’d have the nerve to turn around and accuse me?

When I brought up the bank transfer records, Zac fell silent instantly. Tiara, however, kept barking. “You greedy little gold digger! The moment you see my son doesn’t own a house, you’re ready to divorce him. Don’t you have any compassion for your husband?” I let out a cold laugh. “The house isn’t in my name, and the fifty-thousand-dollar wedding gift was entirely transferred to Zac. That’s me being greedy?” Tiara wasn’t one to admit defeat, even when she was wrong. She straightened her neck and shouted, “What have you even contributed? And you want the house in your name? Let’s face it. You’re only here because we have a house in the city!” I scoffed. Fine. If they wanted to accuse me of being calculating, I’d show them what it really looked like. “So, I was the bride, right? Where’s the guest ledger? Let’s take a look at the accounts.” The wedding was held in the countryside, with plenty of relatives and friends attending. While the monetary gifts weren’t substantial, they should have totaled at least thirty or forty thousand dollars. And Tiara had kept every penny of it firmly in her grasp. I worked myself to the bone all day during the wedding, only to be kicked out after one night in the city. I didn’t even get to see a dime, and now I’m the one being labeled as greedy? What kind of luck did I have to marry into this family? Zac glared at me with bulging eyes. “Layla! All you talk about is money or a house. Did you marry me just for that?” What else? Did I marry him for being almost forty, without a house or a car? Or was it to follow him back to the countryside and struggle? We couldn’t find common ground, so I immediately packed my bags and called a cab to go back to my parents’ house. But as soon as I got there, I was greeted with looks of disdain from my parents. “What are you doing back here? There’s no place for you in this house!” I expected this. At thirty-five years old, I had been the “problem” child in their eyes, the daughter who couldn’t get married. If not for their relentless pressure to find a husband, I wouldn’t have rushed into this ill-advised, hasty marriage. Suppressing my anger, I recounted everything Zac and his family had done. Instead of siding with me, my parents berated me for not being a good wife. “You’re already at this age. You should be grateful a man even wants you. You can’t be so demanding!” “It’s just a house, isn’t it? You’ve been working for ten years. You and your husband can pool your savings for a down payment and pay off the mortgage gradually,” my mom said, glaring at me in frustration, her finger tapping against my forehead. My dad extinguished his cigarette and chimed in, “I told you a long time ago that women shouldn’t work so hard. But you wouldn’t listen, always chasing your career. “Now you’re thirty-five. All the good men are taken. You’re lucky to find someone who’s never been married. “Listen to me, go back to Zac’s place this afternoon, apologize to Tiara, and stop making trouble.” A wave of despair swept over me. Neither my in-laws nor my own parents considered me family. Dragging my suitcase back to my old room, I discovered my bedding and pillows had already been packed away. I had only been gone for a day… Before I could even argue with my parents, there was a rapid knock on the door. “Oh, Zac, you’re here. Layla just got home too. Young couples have little tiffs all the time. Sit down, talk it out, and everything will be fine!” My mom practically tripped over herself welcoming him, guiding him to the couch, pouring him coffee, and putting on her best hospitable smile. But Zac wasn’t having it. His face was dark as he growled, “There’s nothing to talk about. Your daughter looks down on me. Fine, I can take it. “But that wedding gift? That was borrowed from relatives. If Layla wants a divorce, you must pay it back!” The moment my mom heard it, her demeanor changed. “That wedding gift didn’t come to us! It all went with Layla! How can you expect us to pay it back?” She stormed to my door, banging on it furiously. “Layla, you ungrateful burden! You’re the bane of my existence. Get out here and explain yourself right now!”

When I opened the door, Zac stood there with a smug expression plastered on his face. I knew he wasn’t serious about wanting me to return the wedding gift. He just wanted to use the debt as leverage, keeping me tied to him, obediently playing the role of a dutiful wife-slash-servant for his family. But I wasn’t some helpless lamb ready for slaughter. If he wanted to play dirty, I’d gladly up the ante. Taking my time, I said, “The wedding was held in your hometown, right? If I’m not mistaken, the catering was done by Fabian’s family at the edge of the village?” Zac, confused by my calm response, hesitated. He clearly expected yelling and accusations, not a casual reference to wedding logistics. “What does that have to do with anything?” he snapped, feigning confidence. “Either pay back the money or come home with me!” “You…” Before I could respond, my father chimed in, siding with Zac and scolding me. “Layla! I raised you better than to argue with your husband’s family!” I stared at my father, incredulous, as he turned to Zac and handed him a cigarette. “Zac, take Layla back with you. If she misbehaves, discipline her however you see fit. Hit her, scold her, whatever you need. We won’t interfere.” Buoyed by my father’s support, Zac accepted the cigarette, speaking to me with even more audacity. “You hear that? Even your own parents can’t stand you!” I closed my eyes briefly, then nodded. “Fine. I’ll go back with you.” If my own family wouldn’t back me up and would only hold me back, I’d rather fight this battle alone. As soon as we got out of the car, Zac reached over, trying to wrap his arm around my waist. Disgusted, I dodged. Zac chuckled, brushing off my reaction. “Still shy, huh? If it weren’t for being so tired yesterday, last night would’ve been our wedding night!” Clearly, Zac assumed that my agreeing to return meant I had resigned myself to this life. His tone made that abundantly clear. I glanced at him and asked, “Where’s the expense report for the wedding?” His expression darkened, and he barked, “Why keep bringing that up? It’s over and done with. We’ll pay back the money together and focus on building our future!” Rubbing my neck, I sighed, “Well, if you won’t tell me, I’ll just go to your hometown and investigate myself. “Fabian’s family handled the catering, didn’t they? It wouldn’t take much effort to ask them how much they charged.” The food at the wedding had been mediocre at best. The beef and lamb didn’t even seem fresh. It couldn’t have cost much. As for other wedding expenses, there hadn’t even been a proper emcee. I refused to believe Zac’s modest wedding had burned through the full fifty thousand dollars. Zac stormed off, too angry to keep arguing. Of course, I never expected him to hand over any records. My point wasn’t to make Zac confess; it was to establish a reason for staying in the city. Zac, pushing forty, was floundering at work and eager to retreat to the countryside for a quieter life. But I wasn’t about to throw away my career in the city for his sake. Whenever Zac suggested I move to the countryside with him, no matter how much he tried to romanticize rural life, I’d bring up the finances. That was all it took for Zac and Tiara to glare at me in silent frustration. Eventually, they stopped bringing it up altogether. But I stayed put, waiting for the perfect moment. Zac’s brother’s upcoming wedding. A month later, I made a call to Marcus. “Hey, Marcus, just thought I’d give you a heads-up. Mom might be planning to transfer the house to Zac. “I’m serious. Zac’s mentioned it a few times already. Originally, we were just supposed to borrow the house for the wedding and move back to the countryside. “But it’s been a month now, and Mom’s starting to think she’s been too hard on Zac over the years. She might be trying to make it up to him!”

I was deliberately misleading Marcus. Tiara treated him like the apple of her eye; there was no way she would ever hand over the house to Zac. “Once your wedding is over next month, they might officially transfer the house. You’d better keep an eye on it!” Marcus panicked immediately. He had grown accustomed to everything in this family being his. “I knew it! Zac may seem honest on the surface, but he’s definitely plotting something!” From his tone on the phone, it sounded like Marcus was about to stomp his feet in frustration. I smiled. Look at that. This brother, whom Zac cherished and defended so much, thought so poorly of him. Marcus had dropped out of vocational school and gone to work out of town. With his wedding scheduled for just before the New Year, he wouldn’t be back until then. He was ready to call Tiara and Zac right away to demand an explanation, but I couldn’t let him ruin the fun just yet. “The moment you ask,” I cautioned him, “your mom will just brush you off. If she truly wanted you to have the house, she would’ve transferred it to you as soon as you turned eighteen instead of dragging it out until both of you were married.” “But don’t worry,” I continued with feigned sincerity, “I would never try to take something that rightfully belongs to you. You’re still young, and I feel bad for you.” I quickly sent him a photo of a draft I’d prepared—a voluntary waiver of any claim to the house. “Here, look at this. It’s legally binding. I absolutely won’t try to take the house from you!” Marcus, spoiled and with little understanding of legalities, was quickly duped. “Layla, you’re amazing! My brother’s so lucky to have married such a kind and understanding woman!” Sure. A “good wife” who was willing to sacrifice herself for them? That was how they see me. If I so much as hinted at claiming a share of the house, they’d probably curse me to high heaven. I chuckled sweetly and said, “Oh, stop it. You’re about to get married. What matters most is living a happy life with your wife!” Hearing Marcus’ cheerful laugh on the other end of the line, I smoothly changed the subject. “By the way, have you decided who’ll host your wedding? These days, brides care so much about having a proper ceremony. Zac and I just had a small family gathering with no vows, no ring exchange, none of that special stuff.” I sighed dramatically, “Thinking back, it all feels like something was missing.” Marcus, still trying to process what I’d said, started to get anxious. “I’m not very educated, Layla, and I’m not familiar with all that. Do you think it’s too late to arrange something now? If you don’t mind, could you help me out?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295568”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn

It was supposed to be just another night shift in the ER on New Year’s Eve. But then, an emergency came through: an unexpected case of a ruptured corpus luteum. And to my shock, the patient was none other than my girlfriend, Emily Kent. We’d been together for three years. Because Emily couldn’t accept pre-marital intimacy, I hadn’t even kissed her yet. But as I looked at the three men who’d come with her, I was completely stunned. What in the world was going on? “Dr. Ford, we have a patient. Dr. Betsby wants you to take a look.” On New Year’s Eve, my night shift was at the ER. I glanced at the clock. It was nearly time to go, but the nurse rushed in, asking for my help. “What’s the situation?” I asked. The nurse hesitated, looking slightly uncomfortable. “It’s a ruptured corpus luteum.” I wasn’t fazed by the news. After years in the field, nothing really shocked me anymore, but I could tell from the nurse’s expression that this wasn’t just a run-of-the-mill case. Still, I didn’t give it much thought until I grabbed the patient file. Emily. The name hit me like a punch to the gut. I stared at it, then down at the date of birth. The age matched, too. I tried to shake it off. It had to be a coincidence, right? It was a common name, after all. I was too busy to ask more questions. The emergency room wasn’t the place for distractions. As we walked to the room, the nurse dropped another bombshell. “She came in with three men… It might be related to, well, what happened.” She wasn’t being direct, but I picked up on the implication. Ruptured corpus luteum? It wasn’t common unless something intense had happened. I wasn’t sure if the girl did this willingly, so I couldn’t call the police yet. Still, I asked, “It wasn’t forced, right?” The nurse immediately reassured me. “No, no. Absolutely not.” Then, with a flush creeping up her neck, she added, “You’ll see when you meet her.” When I walked into the room, everything hit me at once. I heard a familiar soft voice coming from the bed. “It’s not your fault. I just got too excited and didn’t know my own limits…” My heart froze. That voice was definitely my girlfriend’s. I had no words. I had planned to take her home to meet my parents on January 2nd. But now… I stepped forward, my hands trembling as I pushed the door open. And when I saw Emily lying there in that hospital bed, my stomach twisted into a knot. She glanced at me, and her smiling face turned stormy in an instant. “Claudio? What are you doing here?!” She snapped, her voice like a whip. Then, her eyes narrowed, and she screamed, “What are you standing there for? Can’t you see I’m in an emergency? You want me dead or what?” I swallowed my anger, pushing it down. “What’s going on, Emily? Care to explain?” My voice was strained. “Are you telling me you slept with these three men?” She didn’t answer with words. Instead, she slapped me hard across the face. “Are you insane?” Her eyes burned with fury. “Who told you a ruptured corpus luteum means someone’s been having sex? You’re a doctor! Can’t you even think straight?” She continued, “What? Are you implying that someone coming for a gynecological check-up automatically has a messed-up personal life? “These are my friends! If they hadn’t brought me to the hospital, I wouldn’t even know where I was! “You, as my boyfriend, should’ve been more responsible instead of jumping to conclusions and slandering me! “How shameless can you be?!” The three men who’d been standing silently by her side suddenly seemed to gain confidence, each of them growing bolder by the second. The one with yellowed teeth sneered at me. “We’re just friends, man. Just cut off your wild thoughts. You think you’re worthy of being a doctor?” His voice was mocking, dripping with disdain. “We saved your girlfriend and didn’t even ask for anything in return. You should be grateful.” I looked Emily dead in the eyes, my mind racing. “Friends? Funny, I never knew about these friends of yours.” Her teeth clenched, and I saw her face turn red. “Do you seriously think I’m supposed to tell you everything about my life? I’m allowed to have my own privacy, you know! “You say you respect me, but all you’re doing is trying to control me!” I could only laugh bitterly, but I didn’t respond. What could I even say at this point? Emily’s anger flared again. “You’re unbelievable!” Her voice cracked as she continued, “I’m about to die, and instead of being supportive, you’re accusing me!” “You’re a doctor, Claudio,” she hissed, “and yet you’re treating me like this? If you keep this up, I’ll report you!”

Emily’s shouting attracted a crowd of onlookers. Some people pulled out their phones and started recording, while the nurse tried to stop the spectators and warned Emily not to make false accusations. Emily cried out, “What? He can spread rumors about me, but I’m not allowed to defend myself? “What kind of hospital is this, letting doctors bully patients like that?” Some of the onlookers started shouting, “Why are you slandering this young lady?” “Exactly! This doctor looks all respectable, but he’s so dirty on the inside!” Seizing the moment, Emily yelled, “I don’t want Claudio to treat me! I’d rather die than let this unprofessional person touch me!” The nurse grew a little frantic. “Ma’am, Dr. Ford is the most authoritative doctor on duty tonight.” “A man is the expert in gynecology? Are you serious?” Emily pushed herself upright in the bed, her eyes flashing with anger. “You’re all in this together! Your hospital just wants me dead!” “No, Ma’am…” The nurse didn’t get to finish before the tallest man among the three shoved her aside and landed a punch straight to her face. “Are you deaf or what? You’re dragging this out, trying to kill her, aren’t you? “It’s New Year’s Eve! How could you even do this?” The young nurse held her face, tears flooding instantly. I quickly stepped in front of her, shouting, “What the hell you’re doing?!” Before the man could respond, Emily started crying, “Oh, I get it! No wonder you couldn’t care less about me and are trying to ruin me with lies! Turns out you’re having an affair with this nurse!” “An affair? Emily, you told me you were afraid of being woken up by fireworks, so you went to sleep early. And now you’re here with three men, almost hospitalized for a ruptured corpus luteum. Who’s really the one having an affair? “If you’re going to accuse me of slander, fine. I’ll call the cops right now. They’ll clear your name for you!” The crowd around us seemed to agree. But the three men began to panic. The yellow-toothed one looked at Emily. “Wait, that’s not supposed to happen!” Emily’s face turned pale. “You’re calling the cops now just to delay my treatment. You want me dead, don’t you? Why can’t you just wait until I’m better to explain? “We’ve been together for all these years, and you don’t trust me at all?” I gritted my teeth. Trust? Three years ago, under pressure from my family, I met Emily through an arranged date. Her parents had divorced, each moving on with their own lives, leaving her without anyone to depend on. Her life had been difficult, and her father would often demand money from her; when he didn’t get it, he would block her in and beat her. In our first month together, I felt sorry for her and gave her six thousand dollars out of my eight-thousand-dollar salary, never questioning where it went. She had nowhere to live, so I gave her the code to my apartment. She wanted to travel, and without a second thought, I paid for her trip. I gave her my trust completely. To everyone else, it seemed like we’d get married soon. Why else would I give her so much? But the truth was, I had never even kissed Emily. She cried to me once, telling me how she had caught her mother cheating, and their intimate acts made her uncomfortable. I respected her wishes and decided to wait until after marriage to deal with it. What did I get in return? I gave a bitter smile. “You said I was slandering you, didn’t you? Calling the police to clear your name is the least I can do.” “The police are having dinner with their families. Can’t you have some decency? Stop wasting their time!” The yellow-toothed man shouted at me. The crowd around us started to catch on. “If they have nothing to hide, then why not let the police come?” “I think this woman’s the one who’s cheating.”

The three men swung their arms and shouted at the crowd, “What’s wrong with you people? Why are you all here? Focus on your family instead of making a scene here, or you’ll be the ones in the hospital next!” Their words stirred up the crowd, and it looked like things were about to get chaotic. The director arrived quickly with a team of security guards to disperse the crowd and told me to go home and rest. She’d handle the rest. I gritted my teeth and looked at Emily. “We’re done,” I muttered before turning to leave. As soon as I stepped outside the hospital, I called home. “I’m not bringing Emily back.” My parents were surprised, but I didn’t have time to explain. I quickly texted my friend: [Send me the hotel booking from last night.] The whole New Year period passed by in a haze of gloom for me, and my parents didn’t dare ask any questions. It wasn’t until the third day of the New Year that our whole family went out to celebrate my grandmother’s birthday. But what I didn’t expect was that Emily and her mother showed up at the celebration. Seeing the determined look on Emily’s face, I felt a twinge of panic and had no choice but to step forward and warn her. “Emily, I’ve already made it clear. Stop making a scene here.” “What scene? I’m just here to celebrate your grandma’s birthday.” Emily smiled and tried to walk toward my grandmother. I grabbed her arm. “Emily, we’re done!” Emily stared at me in disbelief, then suddenly burst into tears. “Claudio, what are you talking about? How can we be done?! “You heartless bastard! You don’t want to be responsible for me, do you?” With a loud scream, she drew the attention of everyone in the room. She sobbed uncontrollably, pointing at my nose. “Oh, so you slept with me and now you don’t want me anymore?!” My family gathered around, and my parents rushed to ask, “Claudio, what’s going on?” “Didn’t you hear? Claudio slept with this girl, and now he doesn’t want her anymore! How could anyone be so irresponsible?” My aunt looked at Emily and said, “Hey, isn’t this the girl Claudio said he was going to marry? Guess that was just an excuse, huh?” My mom slapped me across the face. “Claudio, you’d better explain yourself now!” “Mom, it was Emily who cheated first! I found out, and that’s why I broke up with her! “And as for sleeping with her, I never even touched her!” “You’re lying!” Emily cried out, turning to my parents. “If I really cheated, why would I come to see Claudio? I’m from a decent family. Why would I embarrass myself like that? “Claudio, you’re insulting me, aren’t you? Just because you slept with me and now you don’t want to admit it?! “We’re all adults, and you might be a player. But why did you fool me around?” As soon as she finished, her mother collapsed onto the floor, crying. “God, what have we done to deserve this? My daughter’s been suicidal, and it’s all because of this scoundrel! If anything happens to her, I’ll never forgive your family!” Since my uncle’s business was large, my grandmother’s birthday party had not just my aunts and uncles but also all my cousins who were involved in business. To avoid negative influence, they all started pointing at me, demanding an explanation. “Claudio, our family’s always been decent. When has something this disgusting ever happened? If you really did this, then take responsibility and marry her! Don’t ruin our family’s reputation. Do you want our companies to go bankrupt?” “Yeah, stop crying, girl. If Claudio’s really the bastard you say he is, we’ll support you.” Emily, thinking she had the upper hand, cried even harder and ran up to my grandmother. “Ma’am, Claudio did this horrible thing just to ruin your birthday!” My uncle immediately turned pale, quickly pulling Emily away from my grandmother, and then pointed at me, shouting, “Claudio, you bastard! Hurry up and get it over with!” “I always wondered why Claudio wasn’t in a rush to get married, and now I know. He’s just playing games! If he got married, he’d be tied down, right?” “Seriously, everyone thought he was a good kid, but now we see what he’s really like. His mom wanted to leave the company to him? Someone like this doesn’t deserve to inherit anything!” My aunt began boasting about her own son’s achievements. My parents, caught in the middle, were also getting anxious. My grandmother, seeing how upset everyone was, almost fainted from the stress. To avoid a heart attack, she was quickly escorted away by my aunt. My uncle came up and punched me. “Look at the mess you’ve made! You just can’t wait to see the worst, can you? “You either take responsibility now and marry the girl or get the hell out!” He then told my parents to go home and get my documents so we could get married immediately. When my parents didn’t move, he started yelling at them too. “You’ve spoiled this little brat! He acts all decent, but look at what he’s doing!” Emily wiped away her tears. “Sir, if Claudio is willing to marry me right now, I won’t hold anything against him.” My aunt grabbed Emily’s hand. “Good girl, I’m so sorry you’ve been treated this way,” she said, then scolded me, “Go marry her now!” I replied, “I will never marry this shameless woman! Why don’t you believe me?” With a loud crash, Emily’s mother flipped the table. “Look at this! He’s making excuses just because he doesn’t want to take responsibility, even insulting my daughter! “If you’re determined to make things ugly, you should be ready for the consequences!” I smirked and looked at Emily and her mother. “Really? You don’t care about your dignity? Well, that makes things easier.” The crowd hesitated, glancing at me. Emily suddenly grew frantic. “Claudio, what do you mean?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295567”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn

When I unexpectedly lost the baby, Bobby George was waiting in line to buy the first cup of cocoa of autumn for his first love, Zara Monroe. Seeing my pale face, he gently covered her eyes. “Bad luck, don’t look.” Then he coldly said to me, “Don’t think I don’t know you purposely made your face so pale. What are you pretending for?” Afterward, he took Zara’s hand and turned to leave. Late that night, I heard Bobby play sleep-inducing piano music for Zara, who couldn’t sleep. I calmly dialed a number. I said, “Dad, I’ve made up my mind. I want to go back and take over our family business.” Listening to the sleep-inducing piano music echoing in the house, I thought about the child I had just lost. I calmly made a call. “Dad, I’ve made up my mind. I want to go home and take over our family business.” I didn’t even know Bobby could play the piano after five years of being together. Maybe it wasn’t that he couldn’t play, but rather, I wasn’t worthy of having him play the piano for me. Just as I hung up the phone, Bobby came out of the piano room. He wore a white shirt, and his eyes still held some lingering tenderness. In the past, when he came home, he was always too tired to talk and would fall asleep immediately. He never had the leisure to play the piano for half a night. “Who were you on the phone with?” Bobby asked, his eyes still glued to his phone. He scrolled through his phone and smiled carelessly. I told him the truth. It was my dad. He hummed in response and didn’t ask further. I knew he didn’t care about my family either. After all, we had been in a relationship for five years, and he had never once mentioned meeting my parents. He had never been interested in my family. When Bobby picked up a cup of water, he noticed that it wasn’t the honey water he usually drank. For the first time, his gaze reluctantly shifted to me. “You said you were going to the hospital today. Did you go?” he asked. I looked down at my phone and typed. “I did.” “Did you have a sickness?” Bobby asked casually. I smiled bitterly and shrugged. “No sickness.” It wasn’t really a sickness. I was pregnant. I had planned to surprise him. But on the way, I had an accident and lost the baby. It was pointless to talk about it now. After all, he and Zara were both there when it happened. “I think you’re just overreacting,” he said. “By the way, don’t forget my honey water next time.” Bobby reminded me about his honey water and went into the study with a smile. He didn’t even notice my pale face. I checked out his Facebook page with my secondary account. Sure enough, there was a post visible to everyone except me. [Guarantee Letter. I guarantee to buy Zara the first cup of cocoa of autumn every year from now on. I’ll never forget, and I’ll keep my promise. As compensation for almost forgetting this year, I’ll deliver breakfast to her every day for the next week.] I sneered as I read the comments below that praised them as so sweet in love. The pair of cheaters were getting compliments. I immediately contacted my family’s legal team. Since I had decided to separate, everything that belonged to me should be returned.

The next morning, Bobby woke up early and went to a famous restaurant to buy food. I was about to open the heat-preserving bag when Bobby slapped my hand. “Don’t you like salad?” he asked. “This one is for you. Eat this.” I was stunned for a moment, then quickly remembered the content from his post yesterday. It seemed that the beautifully packaged food was for Zara. I stared at the salad being pushed toward me and coldly said, “Bobby, we’ve been in a relationship for five years. Don’t you know I don’t eat salad? Don’t you know the smell makes me sick?” Bobby froze, saying coldly, “It’s good enough that I bought it for you. Eat it if you want, stop being so picky.” I glared at Bobby, who didn’t care about my preferences. I turned and went back to the room, pulling out a bag. I said, “When you see Zara, give her this pair of underwear I found in the master bedroom.” Bobby looked surprised, then quickly tried to explain, “Zara always leaves things behind. I’ll remind her to be more careful next time.” “As your secretary, Zara left something in the master bedroom. She really needs to be more careful,” I scoffed. “Jasmine, watch your words. I won’t allow you to speak badly of Zara,” Bobby huffed, irritated. I couldn’t be bothered to say anything more, just coldly watching him. Bobby seemed to realize his reaction was too strong, so he offered to take me to work today. Just when he thought I would be grateful, I shook my head and refused. We had been together for five years, and I had been there for him during the difficult days of building the business. Even when I had stomach bleeding from drinking with clients, I never got the privilege of having Bobby pick me up and drop me off from work. Now, finally, he offered this, but it was to make up for another woman. It was laughable. This kind of compensation meant nothing to me. I turned and left the house. Once I arrived at the office, I began preparing my resignation letter. For some reason, most of my colleagues looked at me with sympathetic eyes. “Ms. Harper, you’re finally here,” my assistant, Lexie Dunn said hesitantly. I looked at her anxious expression, realizing she was genuinely worried about me. I gave her my only real smile in the past few days. “What’s the matter? Why are you so urgent?” I asked. “Ms. Harper, you should see this.” Lexie showed me a video. It was shot at the company entrance. Bobby was holding a cup of cocoa while gently helping Zara out of the car and taking her bag. They smiled at each other, as if they were a couple. The sight of Bobby’s careful actions and his tender gaze broke my heart. Zara was his first love. Compared to her, I was just an unimportant person who had been there since the beginning of his business. Looking at the cocoa in Bobby’s hand, I couldn’t help but recall the message he sent me a few days ago. [What kind of cocoa do girls usually like?] At that time, I happily named my favorite. I even read many articles about the first cocoa of the fall season. But then, I saw Zara’s post: [The first cocoa of the fall is here!] The picture was of the cocoa I liked. That was when I realized that Bobby had never planned to treat me well. I remembered how he found all kinds of reasons to hire an art student as a secretary. He must have had many intentions from the start. I was the only fool who believed that Bobby would never betray me. I looked at the broken mug in front of me. It had slipped from my hand and shattered. Bitter coffee spilled out, just like my mood. I was broken and bitter. I gritted my teeth and stepped on the pieces. I said, “It’s fine. I know everything. I’m resigning. None of this will matter to me anymore.” I gave Lexie a new phone number, then turned and entered the CEO’s office. I threw my resignation letter in front of Bobby. I said, “Bobby, I’m resigning. Please settle my salary. Oh, and my shares, I want them cashed out.”

Bobby lifted his head from the documents and frowned. He sulked, “What nonsense are you pulling? Just because I didn’t go to the hospital with you yesterday? We’re adults. Does it even matter if I accompany you? You’re grown. Are you afraid of getting lost? By the way, how’s the business in Flibus going?” I saw his impatience and repeated myself, “I want to resign. Convert all my shares. Please arrange it as soon as possible.” He stared at me and snorted, “Do you even know what you’re saying? I was planning to propose to you, and now you’re talking about settling accounts. Wasn’t marrying me your dream all along?” I stayed silent and just looked at him. There was a time I wished to spend my life with him. If it were the old me, I’d have been thrilled to hear these words. But now, using marriage to keep me tethered was impossible. Whether he agreed or not, I could still reclaim everything with the Harper family behind me. I couldn’t stay in this wretched company another day. My silence made Bobby nervous. He said, “Jasmine, I know I’ve been too kind to Zara lately. She’s my classmate and my secretary. She’s alone in this city, so it’s only right to help her. “I admit I’ve neglected you. I’ll make it up to you. “Tell me, is there something you’ve wanted recently?” “Bobby, this dress you bought is beautiful!” Zara’s cheerful voice interrupted his words. I turned to see Zara wearing the latest dress in the lounge. She looked at him sweetly. She said, “Sorry, Ms. Harper. I didn’t know you were here. I just wanted to thank Bobby for the dress. You don’t mind, do you?” She casually flipped her hair, revealing a bracelet on her wrist. It was a familiar bracelet. Bobby had been wearing the same one recently. I recalled how surprised I was when I first saw him wearing it. Bobby never wore accessories. When I asked why, he casually said it was for luck. But now, it was clear he wore it to please Zara. I didn’t care about it anymore. I wouldn’t care even if they wore wedding rings someday. I sneered, “Why would I mind? Once I resign, you two can change clothes here or even strip if you want. Do whatever you like.” Bobby snapped, “Enough, Jasmine! I’ve been speaking to you nicely. But your attitude toward Zara is unacceptable. Apologize to her now!”

Bobby snapped, “Get out of my office if you won’t apologize!” I countered, “If you don’t want to see me, then give me my money. I’ll leave immediately.” Bobby hesitated. I knew he didn’t want to spend a large amount of money. He also didn’t want to lose a loyal and useful “subordinate” like me. But that had nothing to do with me. Even though I came from a wealthy family and didn’t lack money, I would take back what was mine. I wondered how long these cheaters’ luck would last. “Mr. George, I’ll wait for your call. Don’t contact me about company matters anymore.” I turned and left without hesitation. Before I received a call from Bobby, I got one from his mother. Bethany George said warmly, “Jasmine, it’s my birthday the day after tomorrow. You must come to celebrate with me.” I was surprised. It was unusual for Bethany to call me. Everyone in the George family knew she didn’t like me. She had criticized me in front of their relatives many times. Now she was inviting me to her birthday party, likely setting a trap for me. I agreed with a cold smile, “Sure, I’ll come. Anything else?” Since I didn’t care anymore, I’d go and watch the show. “Can you bring the bracelet you wanted to buy me?” she asked. Greed was evident in her voice. I laughed silently. She didn’t like me but expected a gift. The George family members were greedy. I hung up the phone. Shortly after, I received a text from Bobby. [You don’t need to come to my mom’s birthday. Make sure to prepare a handmade cake.] Ever since Bobby and I were together, I had made cakes for his family every year. As a pampered lady, I had burned my hands countless times to make them happy. I received nothing in return. No one appreciated my efforts. And now, he had the nerve to tell me to do it again. I called the housekeeper. “Prepare a cake for me. Any flavor is fine, and it doesn’t need to be fancy. Write some words on it.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295566”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn

I caught my wife’s assistant cutting corners on the project. When he realized I’d found out, he tried to silence me by pushing me off a construction building. My wife, always the law-abiding one, actually tried to cover for him. She erased all the evidence, and when she held my hand by my hospital bed, she pleaded with me. “Edgar told me he was just scared and panicked. He didn’t really mean to hurt you. “You’re fine, right? So, for my sake, let’s just pretend this never happened. Please?” I nodded, handing her a document. All she had to do was sign it, and I’d let everything go. She thought it was the project approval form and signed it with a smile, praising me for being more understanding. She promised me that once things calmed down, we’d have a child and live a happy life. What she didn’t know was that she had just signed our divorce papers. “Don’t worry, Edgar, we’ll vouch for you. Philip fell on his own.” A voice rang out from outside the room. I glanced at my wife, Eva, who was sitting by my bed, as her assistant, Edgar, entered with the construction crew. Before they even stepped inside, I could hear the flattery echoing through the hallway. “Edgar, you and Ms. Biles should really set a wedding date soon. Look at how her suitors are causing such a fuss. Don’t you think it’s time to put an end to their foolishness?” “Exactly. Look at Philip. He’s a useless mess, and he dares to have feelings for Ms. Biles?” Edgar’s voice came through, lighthearted but firm. “Alright, alright, we’re here to visit the patient. Let’s keep it down. “That said, Eva and I will be setting our wedding date soon. We’ll be sending out invitations, so be sure to join us for the celebration.” The teasing and cheers outside were deafening. I glanced up at Eva, who was peeling an apple for me, her expression unchanged. “Ms. Biles, you’re getting married? Congratulations,” I said mockingly. Eva shot me a reproachful glance. She was just about to speak when Edgar and the crew walked in. She swallowed her words, clearly unwilling to contradict Edgar in front of everyone. After all, she’d rather keep the fact that we had been married for seven years a secret. She stood by, letting them mock me without intervention, simply a passive observer. Edgar, basking in the adulation, couldn’t help but sneak a few smug glances at me. “Philip, I’ll send you an invitation. You should come.” At that moment, every eye turned toward me. Edgar was five years younger than I was, yet these people were treating him like he was a figure of authority. It was enough to make me laugh. I smiled, my expression calm. “Sure, when’s the wedding? I’ll be there.” For the first time, Edgar was at a loss for words. As he fumbled for a response, Eva couldn’t hold back anymore. “Enough! Stop it. Don’t forget why you’re here, Edgar. Apologize to Philip.” Edgar, usually indulged by Eva, sulked, clearly displeased by her sharp tone. He crossed his arms, muttering in resentment. Eva’s rare show of protection made me feel… nothing. Because I knew she wasn’t defending me out of guilt. She was just afraid that I might press charges against Edgar for attempted murder, and she was putting on a show for my benefit. Just as Eva was about to demand an apology from him, the workers outside interrupted, their voices rising in protest. “Philip, you have no shame! You’re the one who tried to seduce Ms. Biles and deliberately fell down the stairs to cause trouble between them. Now you have the nerve to ask Edgar to apologize?” “Yeah, you’ve ruined everything. You’re the one who caused the delay in the project. We rely on this work for a living. You owe us money!” “Exactly! You must compensate us. You knew exactly where to fall. Otherwise, how did you survive such a high fall?” The workers shouted at me, demanding compensation, but I couldn’t bring myself to laugh. They all knew it was Edgar who pushed me. I was lucky I landed on the scaffolding, or I would’ve been dead. And yet here they were, twisting the truth right in front of me. The one who was shouting the loudest, I knew him well. His daughter was critically ill and needed money for treatment. Last month, he came to me, asking for an advance on his salary. I told him the company didn’t have a policy for advances, but I still gave him five thousand of my own money. Now, seeing him groveling before Edgar, I didn’t blame him because only he had the decency to tell me the truth. When I woke up from the coma, the first thing I did was report Edgar for attempted murder. But when the police arrived, everyone had changed their story. They all said I jumped on my own. Eva even had a fake medical record made up, labeling me with a delusional disorder. I couldn’t believe it. I screamed, asking them why they were betraying me when I had always treated them kindly. No one answered. They just said that my fate was my own doing, that I deserved it. Only that man, with guilt in his eyes, pulled me aside and whispered the truth. Eva gave each of them a large sum of money to silence them. To save his daughter’s life, he could only accept it. Now, when I saw him accusing me furiously, I thought about how he had persuaded me the other day. “Mr. Duncan, Edgar is Ms. Biles’ boyfriend, and he’s going to be the future head of the company. “We’re just ordinary people. How can we fight against them? “You should just accept the money and settle it. That way, everyone can move on.” I was silent for a long time, but I didn’t tell him that I was Eva’s husband. Her first pot of gold came from me. The company’s success relied on my connections, and I willingly gave up my position as CEO for her. Now, the woman I had slept beside for seven years was using our shared wealth to protect the man who tried to kill me. She was even pretending to be loving, trying to convince me to drop the charges. Once the workers had finished their tirade, Eva feigned authority and dismissed everyone, citing that I needed rest. She shooed Edgar out with a curt wave, and the promised apology was swept under the rug. I had to admit that Eva really doted on Edgar. No matter how badly he messed up, she would always go to great lengths to cover for him. She was even afraid he’d be upset about apologizing. Once everyone had left, Eva turned to me, her voice soft and tender. She urged me to rest, adding with a hint of guilt, “I’ve been neglecting you because of work. I’ll make more time for you from now on.” Her gentle demeanor almost fooled me. If I didn’t know the truth, I might have been swayed. But now, I had no illusions left. I wasn’t just going to divorce her. I was going to make sure she and Edgar paid for what they did.

Not long after she spoke, Edgar stormed back in, fuming with anger as he slammed the door open. “Philip, you’re despicable! You went behind my back and exposed everything online! Now everyone’s calling me a murderer!” He said this with a frantic glance at Eva. “Eva, what if the police start investigating again?” Eva furrowed her brows and shot a reproachful glance at me, her tone filled with complaint. “This is such a small matter. We should’ve dealt with it privately. Why did you have to make it public? Now, the company’s stock price has plummeted. Are you satisfied now?” Watching Eva’s expression change so suddenly, I couldn’t help but chuckle. She wasn’t blaming Edgar, the one who had pushed me, but she was blaming me, the victim? Edgar, emboldened, continued to complain boldly in front of me, “Philip, the company is, after all, ours as a couple. I was just trying to help save costs for you guys. But in the end, I’m stuck in the middle. “Eva, I’m really hurt.” He spoke in such a sanctimonious tone, but I knew full well that the money they “saved” through improper methods had all ended up in Edgar’s pocket. And Eva, frequently transferring money to him under the guise of him having a hard time, had even allocated company bonuses to him as though they were her own. Now, seeing Edgar spout lies in front of me, Eva, who knew the truth, didn’t expose him. Instead, she gently comforted him. “Don’t worry. I’ll handle this.” Then, I watched her make a call to the PR department, instructing them step by step to spread rumors about me. They accused me of being a bad seed, claiming that everything I did was out of jealousy. My purpose was to smear Edgar’s name. She even claimed that the police had already investigated and denied murder. She deftly ordered everything to be done, and only then did she realize I was watching her. But there was no panic in her eyes. There was only calmness. She said, “Edgar is still young. You wouldn’t want him to ruin his career, right?” I looked at her with a sneer. “So, you’re willing to sacrifice my reputation for his career?” The promises Eva once made, vowing to love me forever when we first got together, now felt like a joke. But Eva didn’t get angry. She still gazed at me with affectionate eyes, yet her words pierced through me like ice. “Darling, I’m doing this for the good of the company. You should understand. “Besides, I’m doing it right in front of you, which means I have nothing to hide.” Edgar chimed in, grinning, “Yeah, with Eva’s skills, if she wanted to frame you without anyone knowing, it’d be easy. “Philip, just admit to the false charges at the press conference for Eva’s sake.” Eva’s eyes lit up as she nodded eagerly. “Edgar, you’re so smart. If the person involved clears things up on-site, the netizens won’t have much to say.” With that, she turned to me with a composed look. “Darling, since you’re the one who exposed all this, it’s only fair for you to take responsibility and clean up the mess, don’t you think?” Everyone knew that if I admitted to these fabricated charges, I’d be subjected to terrifying online attacks. Yet, the wife I had loved for seven years, knowing full well the truth, had pushed me into this abyss. As I looked back on the past, remembering all the good times, I could feel my heart freeze with each passing second. I nodded reluctantly, suppressing my disgust. At the press conference, I would personally give them the “gift” they so deserved.

Today was the day I was discharged from the hospital, and Eva came to pick me up. The entire way home, Edgar drove, telling jokes in his usual humorous style, making Eva laugh uncontrollably. Once we reached the neighborhood, Edgar, under the pretense of helping with the bags, followed us upstairs. As soon as the door opened, he shoved me aside, put on a pair of men’s slippers, and seeing only women’s slippers left in the shoe cabinet, he feigned innocence, saying, “Sorry, Philip. While you were sick, I was temporarily staying here to take care of a heartbroken Eva. “I was going to tidy up, but I accidentally threw away your slippers. Hope you don’t mind.” He apologized, but his face was full of smugness as if waiting for me to get jealous and cause a scene. But I didn’t take it to heart. “It’s fine. It’s just a pair of slippers. If it’s lost, then it’s lost.” I didn’t even care about the slippers. After all, I had already lost everything else. I put on the disposable slippers meant for guests and walked into the house. The changes inside were stark. The most noticeable was that the photos of Eva and me had all been replaced with pictures of her and Edgar. Even the wall that used to display our wedding photos was now filled with photos of them at the amusement park, their oversized selfies. Eva’s previously calm expression instantly turned sour. Edgar quickly apologized, “Sorry, Eva. You told me to put these away, but I rushed out and forgot.” Eva glared at him and warned, “What nonsense are you talking about? When did I ever say you could put these up? Take them down, now!” Edgar pretended to be wronged as he took the photos down, but his eyes met mine with a provocative look. I ignored their little drama and walked over to the fish tank. I noticed the goldfish we’d kept for seven years, the one that witnessed the love between Eva and me, was gone. But I didn’t mind too much. Goldfish could only live for about four to seven years, maybe up to 10 at most. It had lived long enough. However, before I could say a word, Edgar quickly scampered over to apologize again. “Sorry, my cat got a little too playful. I wasn’t paying attention, and it ate your goldfish. “How much was it? I’ll compensate you.” I took a closer look and noticed a lot of cat toys scattered around the house, and there was cat hair on the floor. Eva coughed dismissively and said, “It’s fine. The fish was probably close to dying anyway. Giving it to the cat for a feast just completes the circle.” She used to cherish that fish so much, but now, she didn’t even care that it was dead. Edgar awkwardly added, “Eva, you’re allergic to cat hair, and yet you let me keep a cat here. I really can’t thank you enough.” Eva waved him off, saying it didn’t bother her. She didn’t even realize that Edgar was deliberately showing off how well she treated him. I saw through it, but I couldn’t be bothered. After tomorrow’s press conference, everything would be over. The entire evening, Edgar kept showing off how much Eva pampered him, and I pretended not to notice. Eva probably thought I wasn’t jealous anymore. Early the next morning, she picked out a nice outfit for me and tied my tie for me. “Sorry for making you go through this today.” I waved my hand. “It’s fine. It’s all for the company.” Eva smiled contentedly and sent Edgar to start the car. By the time the three of us arrived at the press conference, reporters had already gathered in a crowd. She deliberately kept some distance from me, then stepped onto the stage. “Today, I brought Mr. Philip Duncan with me. He has already apologized to us and expressed his deep regret for falsely accusing Edgar. “Nobody’s perfect. I hope everyone can show him some understanding.” She finished, then stepped back to push me onto the stage. Suddenly, we saw some police officers approaching from a distance. Eva and Edgar immediately became flustered and asked, “Who called the police?” I quietly reassured her, “Don’t worry. I invited the officers to come and clarify everything. It’ll make the scene feel more realistic.” Upon hearing this, she relaxed and praised me for being so smart, then immediately invited the officers to approach. The police were about to ask the reporters to leave, but Eva waved her hand. “Officers, just tell them the truth.” The police pulled out handcuffs and immediately cuffed both Eva and Edgar. “You are both under suspicion of deliberately attempting to murder Philip Duncan. Please come with us.” At this moment, Eva couldn’t hold her composure anymore. She no longer cared about our secret marriage and immediately shouted at the police. “What nonsense are you talking about? Didn’t you already investigate? He fell on his own. “Besides, he is my husband. How could I ever want to kill him?” She then shot me a look and winked. “Darling, you need to clear this up. Tell them it was all just a misunderstanding.” I coldly pulled out a divorce agreement. “Eva, we’re already divorced. Just cut your act and admit your guilt.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295565”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn

I opened my email to check the exhibition details that the gallery assistant had organized for me. Just then, a Facebook Messenger window popped up in the top right corner. The avatar was of Theo Carr, from years ago. [Natasha, I miss you.] [For all these years, I’ve been waiting for a chance to walk back into your life.] My heart skipped a beat. These were the exact words Theo had confessed to me when we were 20. But since we moved abroad, his Messenger account had been deactivated. I was stunned. After a moment, I replied: [Walk back in? Are you sure it’s not just to hurt me again?] He responded quickly: [Who are you?] 1 [You’re not Natasha. She went to a painting lecture.] [Who are you? Why are you saying these things?] [Is there some misunderstanding?] The messages kept flashing on the screen. Just then, the studio door creaked open, and Theo walked in, carrying the faint scent of ink. It was the smell I used to know so well. Today was the day before the exhibition we’d been preparing for together. But just yesterday, at an art event, I saw him acting closely with the daughter of a famous art critic. As I looked at him, memories of all those late nights we spent creating art together rushed back. I wanted to ask him about the girl, but the words wouldn’t come out. Maybe I was just overthinking it. I’d dressed carefully, wearing an elegant dress, hoping he’d explain things on his own. I wanted to give him and us a chance. He quickly looked away and walked past me toward the easel, picking up a painting to inspect. He said, “I’m just checking this painting to get ready for tomorrow’s setup.” He didn’t notice my outfit or the way I’d styled my hair. Meanwhile, the messages kept flashing. [Do you know Natasha? You have to keep this a secret.] The sound of him adjusting the easel echoed through the studio, and it pierced my heart. I lowered my head to hide my disappointment. A month ago, I’d found a delicate box in his desk drawer. Inside was a unique necklace, with a card that said: [To my Muse.] For five years, I’d put my artistic dreams aside to support his career, barely buying myself any expensive jewelry. He’d kept it hidden so carefully that I thought it was a surprise for me. I’d carefully returned the box to its place and made sure everything was tidied up, not leaving a trace. Since then, I hadn’t mentioned anything about special occasions, afraid to ruin whatever he had planned. But he never acted like he was preparing a surprise. Theo set the easel down and started to leave. I instinctively called out, “Theo.” “Hm?” He turned, looking impatient. “Today…” I started. He cut me off, “I’m taking Kate to pick out decorations for the exhibition. She’s better at this kind of thing.” The door slammed shut behind him. It was like the final blow to any hope I had left. He didn’t care about us at all. I walked into the studio, opened the drawer, and saw the necklace box was gone. The messages kept coming. [You want Natasha to be happy too, right? I’m going to love her for the rest of my life and give her all the good things.] I thought back to the time when we were 20. Back then, Theo would go all over the city’s museums and galleries to help me find inspiration, and when I was feeling down, he’d sit with me by the Lake all night. I had once been loved so purely. But now, everything had changed. I watched him drive away from the window. Kate Hardy sat in the passenger seat, holding a bouquet and smiling brightly. Another message popped up. [I want to surprise Natasha. You understand, don’t you?] The sky darkened, and clouds gathered, almost like a bad omen. In a hopeless daze, I typed on the keyboard: [Natasha is already heartbroken. Theo doesn’t love her anymore. Nothing can go back.] [No way.] [Who are you?] I closed Messenger, and tears flooded my eyes. Then my phone buzzed with a gossip notification from the art world. [Famous artist Theo seen with Kate, an art critic’s daughter, suspected romance.] [Theo’s new relationship sparks debate. Could it be related to art resources?] [Is the five-year relationship between Natasha and Theo about to end?] The photos showed Theo and Kate interacting intimately at the art event. In one picture, she was wearing the bracelet that Theo had promised to give me last year for my birthday. I scrolled through the messages numbly. Each photo and each comment felt like a needle stabbing my heart. I stayed in the studio until late, watching the city’s lights go out one by one. Then I got a photo from a friend on WhatsApp. In it, Theo and Kate were asleep in each other’s arms in a luxurious hotel suite.

I gave a bitter smile. I had always thought the necklace was for me, but it was meant for Kate. The bracelet he promised me was now on her wrist. I signed the statement about withdrawing from the art exhibition, took off the pendant Theo had given me, and placed it on top. It was from our first year together. He sold his first painting and used the money to buy me the pendant. Back then, we both had dreams of becoming artists. Life was tough, but we were hopeful. I practiced drawing day and night to improve my skills. Theo would grind away at his work beside me, encouraging me. He ran around submitting his work everywhere, facing rejection after rejection, but never giving up. Finally, a small gallery selected one of his paintings for display. When it sold, he was so excited that he bought me the pendant. Tired but thrilled, he placed it in my hand. “Natasha,” he said, “this pendant is like our love. It’s warm and lasting. Things will get better and better.” I nodded, tears welling up. He hugged me tightly, his voice firm. “Natasha, I’ll love you forever. We’ll achieve our dreams together.” “Password incorrect.” “Natasha, open the door,” Theo called out, interrupting my thoughts. I opened the door and he staggered in, reeking of alcohol. He muttered, “Natasha, the art exhibition is going great. We’re going to make it. I’m going to buy you a huge studio so you can create freely.” I helped him to the sofa, watching him mumble. “Natasha, are you happy?” A bitter feeling rose in me. He already had resources and fame, but our relationship had long since changed. Since he met Kate, he’d been attending higher-end events and meeting more influential people. He’d go to art gatherings with her, creating special works just for her, while I was left alone in the studio. I dealt with creative blocks alone, faced criticism from peers myself, and spent countless nights waiting for him to come home. I was tired. No matter how much love I had, I couldn’t handle this anymore. “Natasha, I feel terrible,” Theo mumbled, tugging at his collar. I reached to undo the button for him. Suddenly, I saw a tattoo on the inside of his wrist. My name was on it. But Theo had never gotten a tattoo. A strange memory rushed in. Back in college, a classmate had whispered to me, “Theo went to a tattoo shop. Guess what he got? He tattooed your name on his wrist. He said he wanted everyone to know how much he loves you and that his love for you is unique.” The two memories tangled in my mind. I suddenly dropped his hand and rushed back to my computer. I opened Messenger and saw a message: [Theo will never stop loving Natasha. I’ll prove it to you.] There was a picture of him getting a tattoo. The timestamp was from last night. The one typing on the other end seemed to be the 20-year-old Theo. And he could change things in the present. I slumped in the chair, my heart a mix of emotions.

The person on the other side was really the 20-year-old Theo, the boy who once loved me with his whole heart. [Who are you really, and why are you saying this? I’ll get to the bottom of this.] I could almost picture him frowning. Tears blurred my vision, and my mind drifted back to those days when we were 20. Back then, Theo would scrimp and save for months just to buy me a set of limited-edition paints. He would watch me anxiously from the sidelines at art competitions, more excited than I was. For my birthday, he’d carefully planned a solo exhibition just for the two of us, showing only the paintings he’d made for me. The boy was passionate and sincere, loving me with everything he had. But now, he had hurt me deeply. My hands shook as I typed: [I’m Natasha, 25-year-old Natasha.] There was silence from the other side. I knew he probably didn’t believe it. [I know you don’t believe me. This afternoon, Natasha will faint in the studio from overwork.] He didn’t reply. After I passed out, Theo would take good care of me. He’d make nourishing soups, encourage me to rest, and tell me not to give up on painting. I sat up in the studio, not having slept a wink all night. The morning came, and I got ready to go back to work. But suddenly, dizziness overwhelmed me, and I collapsed to the ground. I hadn’t been resting properly for the exhibition, and my body had finally given out. In the bedroom, Theo’s phone rang. His soft voice came over. “Babe, how was the meeting yesterday? What do you want to eat today? I’ll have it delivered to you. Don’t overwork yourself. Take care. Okay, I’ll come find you after I’m done here.” I saw a candy on the floor, the one Caleb Burke had left when he came to visit. I struggled to reach it and popped it in my mouth, tasting the sweetness mixed with a hint of sourness. A little while later, I regained some strength, sitting up. My hair was messy, and I looked a mess. Theo walked out of the bedroom. He asked, “Natasha, what’s going on? You’re being so careless.” Before I could respond, he continued, “Kate wants a painting related to the exhibition theme. Can you make time to do it today? I’ll pick it up tonight.” I stared at him, incredulous. “I almost passed out just now, and all you care about is Kate’s painting?” Theo sighed impatiently, “Don’t overreact. It’s not the first time you’ve fainted. Get to work and don’t waste time.” His words hit me like a knife. I said, “Theo, we’re done.”

Theo frowned. “What are you talking about? Just because I asked you to draw a picture?” I picked up the resignation statement on the table and handed it to him. I said, “Sign it. Once you do, you can be with Kate without any worries.” He retorted, “When did I say I wanted to be with Kate? We’re just work partners. Stop being unreasonable.” Theo snatched the statement, crumpling it into a ball and throwing it to the ground. He huffed, “Can you grow up a little and stop overthinking everything? Kate has been a huge help in promoting our art exhibition. You should understand that.” I looked at him, feeling nothing but cold sorrow. I countered, “Understand? Should I understand you attending events with her and giving her all the care that was supposed to be mine? I gave up my creative work for our exhibition, and this is how you treat me.” Theo averted his gaze. His phone beeped with a text message. He glanced at it, his expression shifting. He said, “I have something to do. We’ll talk about this later.” With that, he hurried out. As the door closed, it felt like my heart closed too. I opened WhatsApp and sent a message to the gallery owner. [Mr. Ross, I’m sorry, but I can’t continue with the exhibition preparation. Sorry for the trouble.] After handling that, I went home, lay on my bed, and let silent tears fall. Just then, the Messenger notification sounded. [Are you really Natasha, the Natasha from the future?] I sat up, staring at the computer screen. [Yes.] He began to type: [In the future, do I really hurt you?] I could feel his pain and disbelief. [Yes.] He typed again: [I’m sorry.] Tears streamed down my face. I: [No need to apologize. You haven’t done anything wrong yet.] Theo: [Can you tell me what I did? Or is there anything I can do for you?] I stared at the screen, a thought forming. I wondered if the 20-year-old Theo could change everything. I remembered the accident that caused me to lose my unborn child, leaving me unable to have children. With trembling fingers, I typed: [There is.] [Stay away from me. Don’t appear in my life again.]

There was a long silence. I thought he wouldn’t reply anymore. “Natasha.” The door burst open suddenly, and Theo stormed in angrily. “You really want to quit the exhibition preparation? And you told Mr. Ross about it?” He grabbed my shoulders tightly, his eyes full of fury. I noticed the tattoo on his wrist had faded a lot, clearly from removal treatment. “You got rid of the tattoo?” I asked in surprise. Theo released me, looking uncomfortable. “Tattoos are childish. Besides, Kate might misunderstand.” “Misunderstand? In your eyes, I’m that insignificant?” I sneered. “I just thought the tattoo wasn’t appropriate. Don’t overthink it,” Theo tried to explain. I shouted, “Enough! Theo, you attended events with Kate, gave her gifts, and even spent our anniversary with her. And you think I’m overthinking? When I lost the baby, where were you? At an art gala with her.” Theo’s face turned pale. He was lost for words. His phone rang again. He glanced at it and grew anxious. He said, “Natasha, I have an emergency. We’ll talk when I get back.” He hurried out again. I watched him leave, feeling nothing but despair. On Messenger, 20-year-old Theo sent a message. [Natasha, I can’t forgive the future me. Don’t forgive him either. I’ll find a way to make things right.] I started packing my things, ready to leave this place filled with memories. Just then, my phone buzzed with a text from Caleb. [Natasha, I’m back in the country. Can we meet?] I hesitated, then replied: [Okay.] We arranged to meet at a coffee shop. The moment I walked in, the fragrance of coffee beans filled the air. The café was adorned with wooden furniture and paintings. Caleb still had that artistic vibe, though his eyes held more maturity now. “Natasha, I’ve always been thinking of you, knowing you weren’t doing well,” he said with concern. “It’s all in the past,” I smiled bitterly. “Actually, I’ve always had feelings for you. That hasn’t changed,” Caleb said sincerely. I was taken aback, looking at him with mixed emotions. Memories of the time we spent together discussing art flooded back. He had always offered unique insights that inspired me, but my eyes had only been on Theo. “I know I realized too late that you weren’t happy. But I still hope you’ll give me a chance to take care of you.” Caleb held my hand. I looked at him, feeling a slight warmth in my heart. Just then, the Messenger notification sounded. I opened it to see a message from the 20-year-old Theo. [Natasha, I did it. I’ve changed everything.]

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295564”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn

My husband transferred nearly a million dollars to his secretary. That money, which should have been part of our joint assets, became a “gift” to his mistress. The woman even flaunted it on social media with a screenshot. When I left a single comment: [Some people should know how to avoid suspicion.] I was promptly blocked by her. My so-called husband then called to threaten me not to spread nonsense. The next day, she posted another screenshot of a one-million-dollar transfer. I knew this was her declaration of war against me. But this time, I didn’t care anymore. I appeared to have a happy marriage, but at that moment, I was surrounded by unease and doubt. My fingers idly swiped across my phone screen when a notification caught my eye. It was Maggie Bell, the woman who always maintained a professional presence in my life. She was my husband Jeremy Sisto’s secretary. Her post wasn’t about trivial matters; it was a screenshot of a bank transfer. The numbers were like sharp blades stabbing into my heart. “How ironic,” I murmured to myself, emotions churning inside me. What I once believed was an unbreakable marriage now seemed fragile in the face of those cold numbers. But my fingers had a mind of their own. They clicked into the comments section, where I left the remark: [Some people should know to avoid suspicion.] My warning made no waves. It was swiftly deleted by Maggie, and moments later, a harsh notification confirmed that she had blocked me. At that moment, anger and humiliation surged within me. I could almost hear the sound of my teeth grinding. “What gives her the right? How can she blatantly destroy someone else’s family like this?” Just as my emotions were about to collapse, my phone rang suddenly. Jeremy’s name lit up on the screen, and my heart clenched tightly as I answered the call. “Darlene, what are you doing? Why are you spreading nonsense online?” His voice was filled with anger and disbelief as if I were the one at fault. “Spreading nonsense? Jeremy, do you even know what she posted?” I nearly shouted, holding the phone to my ear. But all I got in return was silence. “Darlene, calm down. This is between us. Don’t drag others into it.” His tone softened slightly, but the implied defense of her cut through me like a knife. “Between us? What is there between us that can’t see the light of day? What do you call sending her so much money?” My voice trembled as I confronted him. “Enough! Darlene, your unreasonable behavior has gone too far. I’m not going to argue with you anymore.” With that, the line went dead. When I tried calling him back, a cold mechanical voice informed me that his phone was off. Soon after, I saw that he’d blocked me on messaging apps as well. I laughed bitterly, a laugh-filled with despair and irony. [Jeremy, don’t regret this.] I sent him the text message, even though I knew he might never see it. That night, I tossed and turned, my pillow soaked with tears. The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight pierced through the curtains, I opened my eyes. What greeted me wasn’t hope for a new day but a harsher reality. My phone buzzed incessantly with notifications. Opening it, I found countless messages from friends, all sharing screenshots. Maggie had once again flaunted a transfer, this time an even more staggering sum—one million dollars. “Is this her way of declaring war?” A surge of unprecedented anger and sorrow rose within me. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

A week earlier, I had walked out of the hospital doors. The sunlight was bright, but it couldn’t warm the darkness in my heart. The doctor’s words echoed in my ears, a cold rain of reality reminding me of my body’s frailty and limits. But stubbornness lingered within me. Shaking my head, I rejected the doctor’s advice and decided to go home. Two months ago, a sudden accident swept through my life like a storm, tearing away all my happiness and expectations. Losing my child drained all color from my world. Jeremy’s indifference and distance were like knives, repeatedly cutting new wounds into my heart. Despite everything, I tried to use love and determination to build one last defense for our marriage. At home, I put on carefully selected clothes, each piece carrying my love and hope for Jeremy and our family. Staring at my reflection in the mirror, I forced a small smile, attempting to hide the exhaustion and sorrow in my eyes. I reminded myself that today marked our fifth wedding anniversary, a day meant to be full of warmth and sweetness. I sent Jeremy a message, full of anticipation. But it was like a stone sinking into the sea, no reply. As night fell, he finally stumbled through the door, reeking of alcohol. His gaze was vacant, blind to the dinner I had meticulously prepared and the effort I had put into my appearance. “Here, for you. Cake.” He tossed a delicately packaged box onto the table. Inside was a blueberry cake, once our favorite. Now, it felt like an insult. Inside the box, the cake was missing a small triangular piece. I froze because just hours ago, I had seen this exact cake on Maggie’s social media. She had smiled so brightly in the photo. And now, this piece of cake had become the cruelest joke in my marriage. “Jeremy, what’s the meaning of this?” My voice shook, anger and heartbreak surging within me. He frowned, irritation flashing across his face. “It’s just a cake. Why are you making such a big deal out of it?” “Just a cake? Maggie had this first, and you brought it to me? This is how you celebrate our anniversary?” My voice rose, tears brimming in my eyes. “Darlene, you’re being unreasonable!” He snapped back, his tone full of disdain. “Do you regret marrying me?” I froze, tears finally falling. Regret? Perhaps. But more than that, I felt pain and resentment. I opened my mouth to speak, but my throat felt blocked, leaving me silent. We stared at each other, the air heavy with despair. Eventually, I chose silence. I knew any further confrontation would be pointless. Turning away, I retreated to our bedroom and began packing my belongings. I needed to buy some medicine and personal items, but when I mentioned it, Jeremy’s indifference and impatience shattered my last shred of hope. I ventured out alone into the pouring rain. The downpour felt as though the heavens themselves were crying for me. I trudged through the slippery streets, each step feeling like walking on knives. By the time I returned home, I was drenched to the bone, but my heart felt colder than my body. Sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at the dark night outside, I made a decision. I knew this marriage had reached its end. Picking up my phone, I began drafting the divorce agreement. At that moment, I felt no hesitation, only resolve.

A few days later, a mutual friend from the company sent me a message. [Darlene, why didn’t you attend the company’s celebration party? Without you there, Maggie, that witch, looked so smug…] I sat alone in front of the computer. The glow of the screen illuminated my pale face as a torrent of emotions surged through me. The video of Jeremy’s company celebration felt like a sharp needle, piercing through the fragile calm I had desperately tried to maintain. In the video, he smiled so brightly, clinking glasses with his employees. That hearty laugh, that confident demeanor of a leader, I used to be so proud of him. But now, it all felt unbearable to watch. Especially, the moment he shielded Maggie from drinking too much, my heart took a crushing blow, leaving me gasping for air. I still vividly remember that suit. It was the one I carefully picked out for him on our wedding anniversary, brimming with joy, believing it symbolized our love. Now, that very suit on his body had turned into evidence of his closeness with another woman. I closed my eyes, trying to erase those images from my mind, but tears betrayed me, slipping silently onto the cold keyboard. I opened Maggie’s social media. Her posts were filled with gratitude toward Jeremy. There was also that photo of him and Maggie together. Maggie was closely leaning against him, her head resting on Jeremy’s shoulder, while Jeremy’s hand was gently placed on Maggie’s waist. Both of them had happy smiles on their faces. But to me, it was so glaringly painful. At that moment, I seemed to see the truth of our marriage. He was no longer my rock but had become someone else’s safe harbor. My heart turned completely cold. Taking a deep breath, I resolved not to run away anymore. I reached out to a divorce lawyer and scheduled a consultation. I knew this would be the hardest step of my life. But I had to take it, for myself, and for the person I once was, the one who had once dreamed of love with such hope. As I was lost in thought about the impending divorce, the phone suddenly rang, breaking my trance. The screen lit up with Jeremy’s name, surprising and confusing me. “Why is he calling now?” I thought. “Jeremy?” I answered, trying to keep my voice calm. “Darlene, we’re having a company retreat, and I’d like you to join.” His tone carried a faint trace of tenderness as if nothing unpleasant had ever happened between us. “A company retreat?” I paused, then let out a cold laugh. “Mr. Sisto, I don’t think there’s any need for me to attend such events anymore, is there?” “Darlene, I know there have been some misunderstandings between us. I hope this retreat can give us a chance to talk.” His voice sounded unusually sincere. I hesitated for a moment but eventually agreed. Perhaps this would be the last chance to understand his heart and let myself finally give up. On the day of the company retreat, I dressed up intentionally. Not for him, but for myself. When I walked into the venue, all eyes turned to me, including Jeremy’s. He walked over and introduced me openly as his wife. At that moment, I felt like I was back in the past, but the cracks in my heart could no longer be mended. During the game, he tried to get me involved. But Maggie’s appearance shattered all the harmony. She purposely lost the game, then provocatively looked at me and demanded that I drink. I knew this was her tactic, her provocation.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295563”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn