Author: Momo Chan

Maya Carter, my housekeeper, is never late. Until today. “Mrs. Harrison, I’m so sorry dinner’s not ready yet. Please don’t be upset with me, but I couldn’t help it. I waited downstairs for over half an hour, and nobody came through to swipe in. I tried calling Mr. Harrison but he didn’t pick up, so that’s why I’m late.” I pause mid-motion as I’m slipping off my shoe, and my frown deepens. “Mrs. Carter, didn’t Tyler give you the access card?” She blinks at me, totally confused. “Access card? Mr. Harrison never gave me one.” “Never?” “No, ma’am.” Maya wipes the sweat from her forehead, her voice careful. “This whole month, I’ve been waiting for other residents to open the door so I could sneak in behind them, or I’d call Mr. Harrison, and he’d buzz me up. Today he just didn’t answer, so I was stuck down there.” That’s weird. The smart lock system showed that the spare access card had been used multiple times this month. *** I bought this penthouse apartment outright before we got married and paid in full. Between my demanding work schedule and constant business trips, I hired Maya to handle dinners and housekeeping. We had one spare access card sitting in the drawer at the time. I handed it directly to Tyler with clear instructions. “The housekeeper’s coming tomorrow for her trial day. Give her this card so she can get in.” He took it from my hand with that warm, attentive smile of his. “Don’t worry, babe. I’ve got it covered.” But here we are a month later, and Maya’s never seen that card. I pull up the electronic lock app on my phone. Seventeen entries logged for that card over the past month. Tyler and I both use fingerprint access, so who’s been using the card? I’m still turning this over in my mind when the door opens. Tyler’s home. “Hey, Maya was late today,” I say, keeping my tone casual. “She said she doesn’t have an access card to get in. Didn’t I ask you to give it to her a month ago?” Tyler’s hands still on his tie, and he lets out an awkward laugh. “Oh, that. I was slammed that week and must’ve completely spaced on it. Probably shoved it in a drawer somewhere. Let me look for it, and soon as I find it, I’ll get it to her.” “Don’t worry about it.” I set down my magazine, keeping my voice even. “If you can’t find it, it’s fine. I’ll report it lost to the building management tomorrow and get a replacement. Maya shouldn’t have to deal with this hassle every day.” “Don’t!” Tyler whips around, and his voice shoots up several notches. When he sees the confused look on my face, he quickly softens his tone and comes over to put his arm around my shoulders. “I mean, the replacement fee is like a couple hundred bucks, you know? No point wasting money on that. It’s gotta be somewhere in the apartment. I’ll look for it properly over the next couple days, and I’m sure I’ll find it. “You work so hard, and you finally get to come home and relax, so don’t stress over little things like this. Look at you, you’ve been anxious again these past few days, haven’t you? Your face doesn’t look good.” “It doesn’t?” I raise my eyebrow. “Yeah, you used to have these chubby cheeks, and your complexion was so rosy. You looked so adorable back then.” With him joking around like this, I drop the whole access card thing. But something still feels off. That night while he’s in the shower, I pick up his phone. The passcode was still my birthday. His messages are clean with no suspicious conversations, and even his Instagram and X accounts barely have any contacts. I open up his shopping apps next and scroll through his order history. Nothing but everyday household stuff. Then I checked the archived and deleted orders. Buried among a bunch of removed purchases, I find an order from a week ago for a necklace. The shipping address is his office, and the recipient name is Nicole Perry.

Nicole’s a new intern at his company. I actually met her at the last company party. She seemed pretty shy and was super deferential toward me, kind of sweet really. I put his phone back exactly where I found it, acting like nothing happened. After Tyler finishes his shower, I casually bring up Nicole. He doesn’t seem guilty at all and actually goes on about how much she’s improved this past month, so he rewarded her with a necklace. That eases about half my suspicions since Tyler does frequently buy gifts to reward his team. The next day at work, I pull out my phone and connect to our backup home camera. I installed this camera six months ago to check on my cat. It’s hidden pretty well, tucked behind a row of books on the living room bookshelf and pointed right at the sofa and entryway. Later, I sent the cat back to my mom’s place, and I never turned the camera back on after that. Tyler’s completely forgotten it exists. Last night while he was asleep, I quietly plugged the camera back in and got it online. On the feed, the apartment is dead quiet. Nothing unusual at all. I check it for three days straight and don’t catch anything suspicious. Am I just being paranoid? Maybe the necklace really was just a reward for his employee? Deep down, I don’t want to believe that the man I’ve shared a bed with for seven years is cheating. Friday afternoon, work suddenly sends me on a business trip to a nearby city. I leave the office two hours early to go home and pack. When I push open the door, Tyler’s in the bathroom taking a shower. He usually only showers at night before bed, so showering at this hour is weird. “Babe? What’re you doing home so early?” Tyler comes out with a towel wrapped around his waist. When he sees me, panic flashes across his face, but he covers it quickly. “Last-minute business trip,” I say as I head into the bathroom. “Just grabbing a few things.” I pick up a bottle of body lotion from the counter, and immediately something feels off. The bottle’s way lighter than it should be. I hold it up to the light and my stomach drops. It was more than half full just a few days ago, and now it’s practically empty? That uneasy feeling settles deeper in my chest, but I don’t say anything. I just pack my suitcase in silence. When I’m ready to leave, Tyler’s suddenly all attentive. “You work so hard, babe. Let me take you down to the garage.” He grabs my suitcase with that considerate smile plastered on his face, playing the perfect doting husband. By the time I check into the hotel in the neighboring city, it’s already nine at night. I don’t even bother washing up before I pull out my phone and open the home security app. The feed loads, and there’s Tyler, sitting alone on the couch scrolling through his phone, looking completely bored. I watch the screen for a good ten minutes, and I’m just about to close it and go to sleep when I hear something at the door. The electronic lock clicks open with a beep. The door swings wide, and a figure in a short skirt walks in like she owns the place.

It’s Nicole. And she’s holding the missing access card. Tyler springs up from the couch with this look on his face I haven’t seen in forever, all soft and adoring. Nicole moves through the apartment like it’s her own home, and she doesn’t even put on the guest slippers. Instead, she slides into my pink silk house slippers, the ones Tyler gave me for my birthday that I barely ever wear because they’re too nice. “Babe,” Nicole coos, and throws herself into Tyler’s arms. “There’s my girl. What took you so long? I missed you.” “Oh stop, I had to do my makeup.” Nicole traces little circles on his chest with her finger, her voice all playful. “Besides, that wife of yours won’t be back for a whole week, so we’ve got plenty of time.” “Well then, I’m gonna make the most of this week with you, baby.” Tyler scoops Nicole up in his arms, laughing as he carries her straight into my bedroom. I stare at my phone screen, my nails digging so hard into my palm I can almost feel blood. He’s actually cheating on me. My first instinct is to call Tyler and confront him, but as I pull up his number, my finger hovers over the call button. Yelling at him now would only tip them off and give them time to cover their tracks. I can’t let them get away with this. The next few days on my business trip drag on forever. During the day I force myself to focus on work, but at night, I hide in my hotel room torturing myself by watching the security footage. Nicole’s acting like she owns the place. She’s wearing my pajamas, using my skincare products, and sleeping with my husband in my bed. The most disgusting part? Nicole actually dips her toes into my ridiculously expensive body butter and scoops out the cream with her toes to use as a foot mask. Tyler just stands there watching, and instead of stopping her, he’s laughing and massaging her feet. Watching this makes me rush to the bathroom and dry heave. I splash cold water on my face and stare at my pale reflection in the mirror. My expression hardens. If they want to be this shameless, then they can’t blame me for what comes next. I download all the security footage from the past few days and back everything up to the cloud. Then I call my lawyer. “Mr. Lawson, I need you to draft divorce papers. I want him to walk away with nothing.” After I hang up, I check the calendar. Tomorrow’s my birthday. Tyler said he’d celebrate with me, but clearly he’s forgotten all about it. Fine. I’ll throw myself a “grand” birthday party. I push through all my work in five days and book an early flight home. Then I send out three group messages. The first one goes to my parents and Tyler’s parents. “Mom, Dad, it’s my birthday this Saturday. Tyler wants to throw a party at our place and we’d love for you all to come celebrate with us.” The second message goes to Tyler’s buddies, his coworkers, and a few of Nicole’s rivals at the company. “Party at Tyler’s place Saturday at 10 AM! Good food, good drinks, come hang out!” The last one goes to the building manager. “I’m upgrading our security system Saturday morning. Could you have two security guards wait by the door? We might need help moving some things.” Everyone happily agrees. The next morning I land and head straight home. On the security feed, those two are still all over each other in bed. Tyler reaches out and strokes Nicole’s face. “Baby, wake up. You hungry? I’ll order some takeout.” “Mmm… don’t wanna move…” Nicole mumbles. “Tyler, just go make something. I want your sandwiches.” “Okay, I got you, babe.” Tyler kisses her sweetly and gets up to head into the kitchen. At 9:50 a.m., the doorbell rings.

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Ryan Carter, the famous playboy heir in Harbor City, openly declared that he only dated women on short-term arrangements. However, there were still lots of women eager to be his temporary girlfriend. Because if he was in a good mood, he’d reward them with a villa. If he wasn’t, they’d still walk away with a million-dollar breakup fee. People in Harbor City all laughed at me, saying I was the most miserable wealthy wife in history. They all thought I’d endure it for the rest of my life. I was going to, until Ryan brought a college student named Kelly Smith home. The girl looked ordinary, yet she was the first woman he kept longer than a month. Ryan gave me two choices. Accept an open marriage and let Kelly stand on equal footing with me. Or just divorce him, split half the assets, and go our separate ways for good. His friends were there, watching the show. They were certain that I’d keep being a pushover, enduring everything, for the sake of money. But I chose the latter without hesitation. In my previous life, I chose to endure, and what I got in return was Kelly pushing her luck further and further. She forbade Ryan from touching me, forbade him from giving me any assets. In my later years, I couldn’t be more envious of Kelly, who got everything, money and kids. Even after Ryan died, his will didn’t grant me anything. All his inheritance was left under Kelly’s control. I had been his lawful wife, but ended up with nothing at last. Reborn into this life, I finally figured everything out. This time I just wanted to take the money and leave. I picked up the divorce agreement, read it carefully from beginning to end, and was about to sign my name. Ryan finally spoke, his tone carrying a trace of tension even he hadn’t noticed. “Anna Taylor, think this through. Once you sign, there’s no turning back.” I didn’t stop. I quickly wrote my name down. “I’ll pack my things and leave right now.” Why the hell would I turn back? In my previous life, I thought bringing Kelly home was just another one of his tricks to mess with me. Naively, I believed that after all these years of marriage, he must have had at least a little affection for me. I was a fool. He and Kelly had kids one after another and grew old together in love. And I, in that house, was like an awkward outsider, mocked by others for my whole life. Not until my later years did I hear him talking with Kelly in a hospital room. He said that back then, the dramatic scene of catching a guy in my bed, had been arranged by him personally. “I was just tired of her and didn’t want things to get too ugly, so I staged the whole thing.” There wasn’t a shred of guilt in his clouded eyes, “That way, anything I did afterward seemed completely justified.” So that was it. No wonder every time I desperately tried to explain, all I got was his cold disbelief. Because from beginning to end, he knew the truth. He didn’t love me, yet he used a fabricated crime to trap me for fifty years. He could have ended it cleanly with one stroke, but instead chose to slowly torture me to death. Looking at the young yet still cold face before me, I felt nothing but hatred. He stared blankly at the signed agreement, his eyes filled with shock. Outside the door, the faint sounds of whispering abruptly stopped. The next second, my distinguished parents-in-law rushed in cheerfully. My mother-in-law grabbed Kelly’s hand, looking her up and down, clicking her tongue in praise. “Oh my, look at her! So young and so energetic!” My father-in-law, who had always treated me with hostility, was smiling kindly at this moment. He shot me a pointed glance and then said, “Finally, we can send away that useless one. It’s been so many years, but there’s no kid at all!” Kelly lowered her head shyly, pretending to be modest. “Sir, Madam, please don’t say that. I’m not that much younger than Madam Anna…” She paused, her face flushing, “Actually, I’m already one month pregnant. It’s just still early, so I planned to tell you about it later.” I looked at her and frowned. As expected, still the same familiar sarcasm, the same nauseating tone. Only this time, I didn’t care anymore. All these years, in order to be a useful wife, I worked myself to the bone at Carter Group during the day. At night, I still had to serve these two picky bastards. Just past thirty, yet plenty of white hair had already crept into my temples. I did look kinda old. I turned back to my room and began packing my pitiful little bit of luggage. And I was already planning where I should go first to properly relax after getting the money. Didn’t notice Ryan following me in. “It’s so late. There’s no need to move out immediately. Leave tomorrow.” “Isn’t the villa in the west of the city still empty? You can stay there for now. I’ll visit you when I’m free.” “Anna, I know you still love me. Don’t be mad anymore, okay?” He seemed to recall something and smiled. “But I really can’t let you be my legal wife anymore. I can’t let my child grow up being labeled as illegitimate.” I didn’t respond. I just picked up my suitcase, walked past him, and headed straight for the door. “There’s nothing left to say between us. I’m very happy we’re divorced.” “If you really still have a conscience, hurry up and pay me what you owe.” The night wind carried fine snow as it rushed toward me, biting cold, yet unable to extinguish the fire burning in my heart.

Ryan’s efficiency was, as always, impressive. When I woke up, three billion was already in my bank account. With the money, the first thing I did was book Harbor City’s most luxurious private club. Haircut, full-body spa, and everything. The haggard woman with graying temples in the mirror was gone. In her place stood a sharp-eyed beauty with flamboyant red hair. Just as I finished changing, my best friend Iris Allen called. She immediately burst into a fit of shouting. “Anna Taylor! What’s going on between you and Ryan? Have you lost your minds? What the hell happened?” I held the phone a little farther away and asked lazily, “What’s wrong?” “And you still ask what’s wrong? Haven’t you seen the news yourself?” Iris’s voice was full of disbelief, “The headlines are all photos of Ryan attending a banquet with that mistress!” “He said in front of all the reporters that that bitch is his only wife! He even said they’re holding a wedding soon!” “Your snobbish parents-in-law were right there too, saying that bitch deserves it!” Her voice dropped, filled with cautious concern. “Well, are you okay?” I never got such public acknowledgment, such recognition. Ryan had now given it to her. “I’m fine.” Admiring my brand-new look, I spoke calmly. “We’re already divorced.” “What? Divorced?” Iris didn’t believe it. She’d watched me love Ryan for more than ten years. She watched me bend over backward for this marriage, give up myself, wagging my tail like a dog, begging for scraps of affection. I didn’t explain further. I just laughed and said, “Are you free tonight? Let’s go get a drink. My treat.” In Harbor City’s most extravagant bar, the booths were piled high with the priciest wine. Several young, handsome male models surrounded me, attentively pouring drinks for me. Iris stared at me and said, “Holy shit, I believe it now. You really have let go. You were never like this before.” Back then, to prove to Ryan that I wasn’t after money, I calculated cost-performance for everything. I had been afraid he’d think I was wasteful or didn’t care about the family. Now, sitting in this luxurious private room, I looked at the woman reflected in the mirrored glass. The flamboyant red hair, the perfectly tailored haute couture dress, was strange, yet familiar. Iris raised her glass and clinked it hard against mine. “You look a bit like that once-in-a-century genius beauty from the finance department at Ace University.” She downed a huge gulp of wine and then complained, “Back then, so many venture capital firms were fighting to invest in you. If you’d started your own group, you’d have crushed Carter Group long ago!” “Spending over a decade being a servant for his family, and after the divorce you only got this much money.” “Girl, I really think you deserve better.” I had been a servant for them for more than a decade. In my previous life, Carter Group, under my control, once dominated the national rankings as the strongest enterprise. Yet in my old age, I couldn’t even afford a box of painkillers. In the end, I was thrown out by Kelly’s children and died of illness beside a trash heap on a winter night. The business empire I built with my entire life went to Kelly and her children. Thinking of this, I drained the wine in my glass in one go. The spicy liquid burned down my throat, yet ignited the fire deep in my heart. I swore I would get back at them. Without me, could they really live so well? The very next day, news of my group registration spread like wildfire, stirring the entire circle. Some people sensed opportunity and rushed overnight with proposals, hoping to invest. But more people mocked and waited on the sidelines, waiting for the Carter family’s reaction. Someone clearly gave instructions to the media, so paparazzi articles were all belittling me for overestimating myself. I looked at the push notifications on my phone and swiped them away expressionlessly. I just didn’t expect to receive a call from Ryan. “Anna, just stop it.” “Starting a company isn’t child’s play. That little bit of money of yours won’t last many days. I haven’t removed your position at the group. Come back.” I refused coldly, “None of your business.” There was a few seconds of silence on the other end. He seemed displeased, but still spoke patiently, “Anna, can’t you be a bit more understanding? I’ve just found true love.” “Besides, instead of starting some small broken group, wouldn’t it be better to stay at Carter Group?” “That southern district merger you were handling before…” I hung up the phone directly. As expected. He had just remembered that I was still useful. That southern district project was a tough nut I’d been working on for over half a year. I drank until my stomach perforated for it. Without me, Carter Group wouldn’t even know where to start. At Carter Group, although I was the president, my monthly salary was only three thousand. All because my distinguished father-in-law said we were family and shouldn’t be so calculative. I once naively believed that was his test for me. Now it seemed I was nothing more than an exceptionally capable yet ridiculously cheap laborer they had recruited. The more I thought about it, the angrier I became. I made up my mind at that time. I would take over all those projects I brought to Carter Group in my previous life. Even if my new group couldn’t deal with them, I would personally hand them over to Carter Group’s deadliest rivals. After the call was cut off, Ryan slammed his phone to the ground in fury. All these years, he had grown used to my obedience, expecting me to show up on command and disappear at his whim. Now that I’d hung up on him so decisively, he felt really mad. At that moment, his special assistant awkwardly came in holding a stack of documents he couldn’t even understand, asking him to sign them. Days of exhaustion, plus years of unfamiliarity with group affairs, had left him truly overwhelmed lately. Kelly followed the assistant in, took Ryan’s hand, and said with eyes full of concern, “Ryan, don’t work yourself too hard. I’m your wife now. Let me help share your burden.” He hesitated, somewhat uneasy. “You’re still young and unfamiliar with group operations. Go rotate through the departments first.” Kelly’s eyes immediately reddened with grievance as she questioned him, “Anna Taylor could be the president. Why can’t I?” Ryan subconsciously wanted to say that at least Anna was a top graduate from Ace University’s finance department. But the moment he met Kelly’s eyes, all his rationality was thrown away. His heart softened, and he just nodded. Kelly broke into a smile through her tears, hugged him, and said affectionately, “I’m just worried about you. Look at you, you’ve lost so much weight lately.”

Less than half a month after my group started up, everything was already running smoothly. During this time, Kelly sent people over more than once to cause trouble. Just some petty tricks, all of which I brushed aside with ease. After all these years in Harbor City, the connections I’d built were far beyond what a little girl like her could compare to. Those senior employees at Carter Group whom I personally trained had long wanted to leave after hearing I’d gone solo. Especially since after Kelly started working there, she kept suppressing them, making their days suffocating. I didn’t rush to bring them over. I had them stir up a little chaos before they left, a small token of allegiance to me. Kelly thought losing a few people was no big deal, even secretly rejoicing that she’d cleared out some remnants of me. But she didn’t understand, some of them were critical for the group. Projects fell through one after another, and Carter Group’s stock price plunged again and again. Meanwhile, on my side, with capable team members, we unleashed astonishing power, consecutively landing several deals worth tens of millions. Standing by the floor-to-ceiling window in the conference room, looking at the jubilant team below, I announced loudly, “Tonight at OTK Club. It’s all on me. No one leaves sober!” “Awesome!” Amid the thunderous cheers, I led everyone out of the group building in a grand procession. At the entrance, a familiar black Rolls-Royce was parked quietly by the roadside. The car door opened, and Ryan stepped out with an arrogant look, waving at me. I didn’t even glance his way, leading my people straight ahead. His special assistant stopped me. Ryan followed, his face openly showing displeasure and restrained anger, “Anna Taylor, what do you mean? Didn’t you see me? You’ve really grown bold now.” A little impatient, I looked at him coldly and said, “Mr. Ryan, do you need something?” He seemed slightly taken aback by my attitude, but still got straight to the point, issuing an order, “Shut down your group and come back to Carter Group.” I was so angered by his self-righteousness that I laughed. He took my laughter as hesitation, and his tone softened a little. “Anna, I’ve really been exhausted lately. Don’t keep fighting with me, alright?” He paused, as if making a huge concession. “If you really mind Kelly, I can have her move somewhere else for now.” Looking at this pompous man before me, I couldn’t help but question my own judgment back then. “I’m not throwing a tantrum.” I cut him off coldly. “Mr. Ryan, we’re already divorced. Please don’t interfere with my life anymore.” His patience ran out, his voice suddenly rising. “I’ve already compromised!” “What more do you want?” “The group needs you right now, and you choose this moment to put on airs?” I suddenly felt there was no reasoning with him at all. In his world, everyone was supposed to revolve around him. “If you’ve got any issues, Mr. Ryan, why don’t you go bother your precious wife, Kelly Smith?” “I’m just an outsider. I have no obligation to clean up your mess.” He seemed to have realized something and said, “You care about the status?” “Anna, once Kelly gives birth, I’ll think about it.” “But you have to promise me, no going public. I don’t want Kelly to be hurt.” I stared at him, enunciating every word: “I’ll say it one last time. Get lost! Don’t let me see you again!” “I’m never getting back together with you. Ever.” Ryan’s face darkened with rage. “Anna Taylor, don’t push your luck!” “Don’t forget this is Harbor City. If I want to crush a low-tier little group like yours, it’s easy as pie!” Just then, a clear, slightly lazy male voice cut in. “Oh? Mr. Ryan sure has a bad temper.” “Not only openly harassing my fiancée, but also threatening to destroy her group?” Ryan turned his head and was totally stunned. It was Alex White, another rich young man in Harbor City, and Ryan’s nemesis. Alex strolled over lazily and naturally wrapped an arm around my waist. Leaning his head intimately against my shoulder, he whined, “Darling, I’ve been waiting in the parking lot forever. Turns out you were here stopped by a bastard.” Ryan trembled with fury, pointing at me. “Anna Taylor! Give me an explanation! Why did you betray me?” Then, as if he suddenly figured something out, he put on a smug, all-knowing expression. “I get it now! You’re acting, aren’t you! You deliberately found Alex to piss me off!” Alex rolled his eyes dramatically and dragged me away. “Let’s just not waste time with him.” “Stop right there!” Ryan tried to chase after us. But he was too agitated, and with his recent chaotic schedule, his abdomen suddenly seized with sharp pain. “Damn… ” He doubled over in pain, clutching his stomach, cold sweat beading on his forehead. “Anna. My stomach hurts…” I didn’t slow down, in fact I walked even faster, not turning my head even once. Behind me were his suppressed groans of pain, and his assistant’s panicked screams. *** Alex didn’t give me any chance to look back. He directly shoved me into the passenger seat of his flashy red Ferrari. The sports car roared out of the parking lot. Only then did he take off his sunglasses and smile at me sideways. “Well? Not bad acting, right?” I didn’t speak, just watched the cityscape speeding past outside the window. “Hey, Anna, don’t be so indifferent.” He nudged me lightly with his elbow. “I helped you out, you know. Not even a thank you?” “Thank you.” I kept it brief. He pouted, clearly dissatisfied with my coldness. But he didn’t say more, only turned up the volume of the car music. That very night, the headlines of Harbor City’s financial and entertainment sections were all dominated by Ryan Carter. #Carter Group President Chasing Former Love, Suffers Stomach Spasms and Is Hospitalized# The accompanying photos showed him being taken into an ambulance by his assistant and bodyguards. The comment section exploded. Some mocked Ryan for bringing it on himself, saying he should’ve expected this day back when he flaunted his mistress. Others claimed Kelly Smith was inferior to me, which was why Ryan turned back, and that the two of us would soon remarry.

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On the eve of Thanksgiving, my husband, Eugene Green, had promised to accompany Tyler and me to my parents’ house for the holiday. Halfway there, he suddenly received a message that his mother was seriously ill and wanted to see her grandson. “Helen, I have to take Tyler back to see my mom. We won’t be able to go with you this time,” he said. Tyler Green, ever the well-behaved son, offered me comforting words. Considering the urgency of his mother’s condition and her longing to see her grandson, I felt a pang of disappointment but did not object. Watching their retreating figures, I curled my lips into a cold smile. Had Thanksgiving turned into Halloween? Had my mother-in-law, who died ten years ago, somehow risen from the grave? I called my father—the man who had never failed to solve a problem. “Dad, Eugene is having an affair. You and Mom should come over with our men. We’re going to catch him red-handed!” I followed the car’s tracker to the company. Laughter echoed from the conference room. Through the window, I saw the company’s ditzy beauty, the finance officer, Gloria Grant, leaning in Eugene’s arms. She was about to blow out the candles. Tyler stood beside her, singing the birthday song along with the other employees. When the song ended, Tyler shouted excitedly, “Dad, give my mom a birthday kiss!” The other employees joined in the teasing, chanting, “Kiss her! Kiss her!” Amidst the excited cries, Eugene held Gloria tightly and kissed her passionately, oblivious to everyone around them. Without a word, I pushed through the crowd and slapped Eugene hard. He looked up, about to explode in anger, but his eyes turned frantic when he saw me. “Why are you here?” Tyler, bewildered, hid behind Eugene, not uttering a sound. Only Gloria remained unfazed, even smiling slightly. “Ms. Belle, Mr. Green is just celebrating my birthday. Would you like a piece of cake?” She held out the entire large cake to me. But in the next second, she slipped and, before I could react, she somehow flung the entire cake into my face. Before I could react in anger, she feigned tears. “I’m sorry, Ms. Belle. You know I’m always clumsy.” Silently, I grabbed her new dress and wiped the cream off my face. Gloria screamed, looking at Eugene with an expression of grievance, “This is the birthday gift you gave me, worth hundreds of thousands!” My heart turned to ice. A shameless parasite, using my money to support his mistress? Eugene snapped, “Helen, are you crazy? Can’t you just wash your face in the restroom instead of soiling Gloria’s dress? How vicious! It was an accident!” “Didn’t you say you were going to see your sick mother? Why here? Is Gloria your new mother now?” Before Eugene could explain further, my colleague Oscar interrupted me discontentedly. “Ms. Belle, how dare you speak like that? What’s wrong with a husband celebrating his wife’s birthday? Why do you care? And you even dared to hit the boss and ruin Gloria’s clothes. You should apologize already, or we’ll call the police!” I stared at Eugene with a sardonic smile. “Celebrating your wife’s birthday, huh? What a devoted husband you are.” Oscar snorted coldly, enviously. “Of course. Mr. Green is famously a doting husband. Everyone in the company knows it. It’s just that they prefer to keep a low profile.” A chill ran through me. So these two had been carrying on right under my nose, while I was kept in the dark. “Are you going to explain to me about this mistress of yours?” Upon hearing this, the crowd burst into an uproar, looking at Eugene and Gloria in disbelief. Eugene’s lips turned dry, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down, but he couldn’t utter a single word. Hearing the increasing murmurs around her, Gloria began to sob. “Ms. Belle, I know you’ve always wanted to climb the social ladder by seducing Eugene. But Eugene only has eyes for me. I beg you to stop haunting him. If you continue like this, I’ll have no choice but to ask him to have you fired.” Eugene didn’t expect Gloria to say that. He glanced at me furtively, guilt written all over his face. Instead of getting angry, I laughed. “Gloria, didn’t you mess up the client contract and cost the company tens of millions? Isn’t the dismissal process complete yet?”

As soon as my voice fell, Teresa from HR splashed a faceful of alcohol on me. “I guess you’ve got cake frosting on the brain. Let me help you sober up! This is Mr. Green’s company. Even if Gloria loses a hundred deals, so what? Everyone knows she’s the boss’s woman! As for you, thinking you can control Mr. Green with a few big clients? Dream on!” The others chimed in one after another. “Just apologize to Mrs. Green already!” Earl Lew, the bald driver, leered at me greasily. “Ms. Belle, if you’re really that desperate for a man, how about me? Forget the wedding gift. I’ll even accept a few hundred thousand as a dowry from you. That’s all I need, easy deal.” Everyone burst into laughter at his words, and someone even suggested that I get engaged to Earl on the spot. I wiped the alcohol from my face and spoke slowly, “Eugene, I suggest you tell the truth before you regret it.” Seeing that I was all alone, Eugene became more confident. “Gloria is my wife! What do I have to regret? You asked for all this!” “And you should apologize to Gloria!” Gloria threw herself into Eugene’s arms, whispered, “Honey, never mind. I’m such a clumsy person. Even if I’m bullied, I won’t hold a grudge.” “I’d never slap you in front of everyone and humiliate you the way Ms. Belle did.” As expected, Eugene held Gloria even tighter, his eyes filled with tenderness. I looked at Gloria and curled my lips into a cold smile. “I almost forgot. I only slapped him, not you!” In the next second, I pulled her out of Eugene’s arms and slapped her hard twice! Gloria screamed in shock, “You’re crazy! How dare you hit me!” Before I could continue, Eugene stepped forward and grabbed my neck tightly, pressing down. “Go to hell!” His strength was immense, and despite my struggling, I couldn’t break free. At that moment, Gloria raised a bottle of wine and smashed it fiercely against my head. Blood mingled with the wine and flowed down. Seeing my icy gaze, she tried to explain, “Ms. Belle, I was trying to help you, but I’m just clumsy and missed…” She then looked at Eugene with tears in her eyes. “Honey, don’t blame me. I was just afraid you’d get into trouble.” Eugene didn’t even glance at me but held Gloria tighter. “How could I blame you? You’re just too kind-hearted.” Our marriage lasted for over a decade. In that instant, it just crumbled into dust. I clutched the wound on my head and said, word by word, “You may not acknowledge me, but my own flesh and blood can surely vouch for my identity!”

Upon hearing that, the employees’ gazes shifted towards Eugene, now tinged with suspicion. Some even whispered to each other, “Judging from their conversation, Ms. Belle seems much more confident than Mr. Green. Is Gloria really the mistress?” “It’s likely. Mr. Green’s son, Tyler, is already ten years old and looks much more like Ms. Belle’s child. Gloria is only in her twenties. Could she have a child that old?” “But would Mr. Green really dare to cheat so blatantly?” Tyler, who had been hiding behind Eugene, suddenly stepped forward and shouted, “Don’t you dare judge my mom!” I had hoped to shield Tyler from the adults’ mess. But now, I silently prayed he would speak up for me. “My mom is Gloria! She’s my dad’s legal wife! Helen is just crazy!” These words felt like a plunge into an icy abyss. I was jolted back to the birthday song he had led. I looked at my son in disbelief, my voice hoarse. “Tyler, don’t you remember how I signed you up for a European summer camp last summer, but Gloria, being so ‘clumsy,’ sent you to Africa instead? Or last month, when she drove you to school and, in her confusion, lost your lunch, leaving you hungry? And…” “Stop it!” he interrupted furiously. “You don’t understand! Mom didn’t mean it! She’s just a bit clumsy, but she’s incredibly kind-hearted, nothing like you! You wanted me to go to Europe just to force me to attend a German-language program! The so-called nutritious meals you made were all things I hated. Mom is different. She says I don’t have to do homework and can buy snacks from street vendors. I love her! She’s my real Mommy!” After a decade of toiling for this family, I felt utterly disheartened, drained of any strength to argue. Gloria looked at me triumphantly. “Ms. Belle, what else do you have to say? Kids don’t lie.” The driver Earl Lew, confirming that I was “indeed” the fake, stopped pretending and draped his arm over my shoulder, showing his true colors. “Helen, if you’re horny, just say so. Why steal Gloria’s husband? That’s just low.” Teresa chuckled. “Earl, you’re so lucky! Why not just skip the engagement and sleep with her already? She’ll be yours then.” I stared at them in shock, clutching my clothes tightly. The others joined in with taunts. “Earl, share the spoils. It’s not nice to hog her all to yourself. Helen is a bit older, but she still has her charm.” I looked at Eugene. After ten years of marriage, even a stranger wouldn’t be so heartless. But he just waved his hand in disgust. “Take her to another office. Don’t ruin Gloria’s birthday party.” Gloria’s eyes gleamed. “We’d better film this. Otherwise, if she goes to the police…” Eugene pinched her cheek affectionately, nodding with a sly smile. “And you said you’re clumsy? I’d say you’re the smartest girl here.” I was furious. “Don’t you dare!” Gloria slapped me hard twice. “What’s there to be afraid of? Once we film you, let’s see how defiant you can be!” As soon as she finished speaking, dozens of hands reached for me, trying to drag me to another room. I struggled desperately. Just then, a familiar voice came from outside the door. “Gloria, sweetie, I’m here!”

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The night before my wedding, I walked in on my fiancé entangled with his savior’s younger sister. The woman was wrapped in my wedding blanket, a lingering look of passion still in her eyes. I threw the pregnancy test result in his face and asked, “Do you still want this child?” He smoked half the night. At dawn, stubbing out his cigarette, he said, “I have a duty to her, but I love you.” Hearing that, I put on my wedding dress, deciding to give him one last chance. However, what I got was, “Sorry, Ms. Southwell. Mr. Vogt says the wedding is cancelled. Ms. Woods has suffered a heart attack and is undergoing emergency resuscitation.” My bouquet dropped to the ground, my dignity shattered. I ran outside just in time to see his car speeding away. On the phone, my voice verged on collapse, “Julian! If you dare to go to her today, I’ll be at the hospital tomorrow. You’ll lose your child!” He was silent for a moment, and then hung up. Only the dial tone remained in my ear. I stood at the hotel entrance, still in my wedding dress. The guests around me whispered as they stared. The host froze on stage, unsure what to say. Julian’s mother, Lydia Finch, hurried over and grasped my hand. “Sophia, go inside first. Don’t let them see it.” I looked at her and said softly, “The wedding is off.” “Nonsense!” She said in a low voice, “Julian just had a momentary lapse of judgment. Vivian’s situation is critical. He couldn’t ignore her.” “So he could ignore me?” “You’re going to be his wife. Don’t make a scene.” I laughed, pulling my hand from hers. “I’m done being his wife!” After gathering the hem of my dress, I walked toward the backstage. Lydia shouted after me, “Sophia! Leave today, and forget being a Vogt ever again!” I didn’t look back. In the dressing room, I took off the wedding dress and changed into my own clothes. The makeup artist carefully removed all hair accessories. “Ms. Southwell, your makeup…” “Leave it.” I picked up my bag and left. Outside the hotel, the sky was overcast. I hailed a taxi. “Trinity Hospital, please.” My phone vibrated in my bag. It was Julian’s assistant, Daniel Bright. I didn’t answer. I knew what he would say. “Mr. Vogt is handling an emergency. Mr. Vogt didn’t mean it. Mr. Vogt will explain to you later.” Such words sounded in my mind. I’d heard excuses like this for ten years. Vivian had been Julian’s responsibility ever since her brother, Leonard Woods, died saving him five years ago. This responsibility had weighed on Julian for five years. I used to think it was right for him to take care of Vivian. Today, I realized just how far he’d let that responsibility go. The taxi stopped at the hospital entrance. I paid and walked into the emergency building. Julian was sitting on the long bench outside the emergency room. Head down, elbows propped on his knees, hands dug into his hair, he sat there with his suit jacket tossed carelessly to one side. I walked over. Hearing my footsteps, he looked up and stood up when he saw me. His eyes were bloodshot. “Sophia, why are you here? I’m sorry. Today…” “How is she?” I interrupted him and looked at the closed door of the emergency room. “The doctor said it was acute heart failure. They’re still trying to stabilize her. She’s in critical condition.” “I see.” I nodded and then turned to leave. Julian grabbed my arm. “Sophia, please don’t be like this. Leonard died because of me. I can’t abandon Vivian. She has no family in this world.” I shook off his hand. “Julian, I’m not doing anything. I just feel our wedding doesn’t seem as important as a girl you’ve known for five years.” “No! Sophia, you’re the most important to me! But she’s dying!” “The doctor didn’t say she’s dying,” I said calmly. His lips moved, but no words came out. Just then, the emergency room door opened. A doctor came out. “Family of Vivian?” Julian immediately stepped forward. “I am.” “The patient’s heart rate spiked due to excitement. It’s stable now, no danger. She’ll be transferred to a regular ward for observation for two days.” Julian heaved a sigh of relief. He looked back at me with a hint of reproach. “See? She’s so pitiful. Can’t you be a little understanding?” I said nothing. The hospital bed was wheeled out. Vivian was lying on it, pale and with her eyes closed. As she passed me, her eyelashes fluttered, and her eyes opened a slit. Seeing me, she soon got tears welling up. Julian immediately held her hand. “Vivian, don’t be afraid. I’m here.” I turned and walked out of the hospital. The cold wind hit my face. Only then did I realize my heart was pounding wildly.

The next day, Julian didn’t come home. The house was deathly silent. I called a real estate agent to list the house. “Yes, we need to sell it right away.” In the afternoon, Julian came back. He looked exhausted. “Sophia, I apologize on Vivian’s behalf. She didn’t mean it yesterday.” “Can’t she apologize herself?” He was stunned for a moment. “She’s still very weak.” “Julian, don’t talk about her. Let’s talk about us. What about the wedding? How do we explain to our relatives and friends?” He was silent for a while. “Once things settle down, we can have the wedding again.” “Again?” I stared at him. “You think this is something that can be done again?” “Then what do you want me to do? It already happened. Sophia. I know you have endured a lot, but Vivian just came back from the brink of death. Can’t we be a little more understanding?” “Again, understanding.” I sighed in my heart. I went into the bedroom, pulled out a suitcase, and started packing. Julian frowned. “What are you doing?” “I’m selling this house.” His face darkened. “Sophia, have you had enough of this scene?” “I’m not making a scene,” I said, folding my clothes neatly into the suitcase. “I just don’t want to live here anymore.” He walked over and grabbed my wrist. “Don’t you dare sell it! This is our home!” “The moment you abandoned it for another woman, it stopped being our home.” Fury flared in his eyes. “You’re being utterly unreasonable!” At this moment, his phone rang. He answered, and soon his tone shifted. “What’s wrong? Another nightmare? Don’t be scared. I’m coming right now.” After hanging up, he released me with impatience on his face. “Sophia, stop this. Vivian’s still shaken. I need to check on her. We’ll talk when I get back.” He thought I would compromise like before. I said coldly, “If you leave, then don’t come back.” His steps halted. He looked back at me with an icy gaze. “Sophia, my patience has limits.” Then he left anyway. Listening to the door slam shut, I placed the last item in the suitcase and zipped it shut.

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After returning from studying abroad, I applied for an internship at my father’s company without telling him—it was supposed to be a surprise. But on my very first day there, I found out that everyone in the company was calling an intern “Princess,” as if she were some kind of heir apparent. I stood there, dumbfounded, and even asked my colleagues again to confirm that the young woman in front of me was really my father’s publicly recognized daughter. But as an only child, I never had a sister! With a cold smirk, I sent my father a message. [Dad, I’m going to intern at our company after graduation.] As always, he replied instantly. [Sweetie, you don’t need to work. Just stay abroad and enjoy yourself after you graduate. I’ve earned more than enough for you to live a carefree life!] I immediately got in touch with a lawyer. [Please help my mother with the divorce proceedings.] *** Employees buzzed around Pearl Edith like bees around honey, flattering her incessantly. I pushed my way through the crowd until I reached her. The middle-aged woman, Norma Sidney, hovering protectively near Pearl, paled the moment she saw my face. “Ahem, everyone, back to your desks. No chatting during work hours.” The staff scattered in an instant, like mice fleeing from a cat, grumbling under their breath, “I thought having the ‘Princess’ here meant we’d get a break, but why’s the lady boss yelling at us?” Hearing them call that woman the “lady boss” only fueled my anger. My mother had no interest in business, and I’d been away for years. It seemed that a mistress had quietly entrenched herself in my family. Pearl looked annoyed. “Mom, didn’t you promise to help me make a show so I could take over Edith Group sooner? I haven’t even had enough time to show off yet.” I let out a laugh. “You want to take over my mother’s company?” Pearl shot me a glare. “Of course. This is my dad’s…” She didn’t get to finish before the so-called “boss lady” shoved her aside. “Shut up and get back to work!” Then, with a tense, sweat-beaded face, Norma growled through clenched teeth, “Shall we talk outside?” Seeing how rattled she was, I casually pulled out a chair and propped up my legs. “Why outside? Is it because you know you’ve done something disgraceful?” Norma gasped, nearly collapsing on the spot, her voice turning to a plea. “Th… This is the office area!” She grabbed my arm and dragged me out, shutting the door on the curious onlookers. That was when I noticed the nameplate on her chest. [Norma Sidney, General Manager’s Secretary] Leading me to an empty hallway, she finally let out a sigh of relief. “You must be Mr. Edith’s daughter, Ms. Daisy Edith. I’ve heard so much about you.” “It was my mistake,” she went on. “I was worried my daughter might be bullied during her internship, so I had her pose as Mr. Edith’s child. Please don’t expose me. Considering all those years I’ve worked here, please do me a favor.” Her expression was so full of maternal worry that it was almost convincing. But I didn’t buy a word of it. Around her neck hung the necklace I’d recently gifted to my mother. I reached out with one finger, hooked the deep green gem, and eyed her with mockery. “Seems your overstepping goes beyond just pretending, Ms. Sidney.” My mother had been raised like a princess, pampered and shielded from the world, with a passion only for collecting jewelry. This necklace had cost me a fortune. My father had promised to personally bring it back from abroad as a gift for her. Now, however, it appeared my gold-digging father had forgotten who my real mother was! I gave the necklace a sharp tug, leaving red marks on Norma’s neck. She instantly burst into tears, looking helpless and pitiful. “Ms. Edith, please, you’ve misunderstood. I’m just a poor mother looking out for her daughter.” I gave a cold sneer and yanked harder, snapping the chain, causing her to lose her balance and collapse. Without another glance, I contacted the lawyer. “I need you to handle my mother’s divorce case.” “Yes, you heard me. I’m calling the shots on this.”

I returned home with the lawyer, who had rushed straight over, and dropped the divorce papers in front of my mother. She stared at us, stunned. “Daisy, are you crazy? Your father and I get along fine. Why divorce?” “Did your dad cut your allowance? Oh, my dear, don’t throw a tantrum. Here, take Mom’s card.” As she pushed a black card across the table, tears spilled down my cheeks. I just couldn’t help it. My mother came from the richest family in Kingsport, raised in silk and shielded from every ugliness the world had to offer. How could I possibly tell her about the despicable things my father had done? Seeing my tears, she quickly moved to comfort me. As she bent down, a fake emerald necklace slipped from her blouse. Catching my stare, she offered a reassuring smile and tucked it away. “Your father said this was the gift you picked out for me. I adore it and keep it with me all the time.” At that moment, I felt a sudden sense of relief. My mother, who’d seen the finest treasures in the world, couldn’t possibly mistake a fake for the real thing. Dad had indeed swapped the gift I gave her. It was just that she thought I’d been tricked, so she still wore it close to her heart, happy and unsuspecting. But the image of Norma wearing the genuine necklace flashed in my mind. Without hesitation, I told her, “Mom, Dad is having an affair.” “And not just that, their daughter is even a year older than me.” My mother’s face drained of color. Her eyes reddened. “Daisy, do you realize what you’re saying?” Clenching my teeth, I slammed a stack of photos onto the table. She picked up the first. When she saw the necklace around Norma’s neck, she froze, then looked at me, pale and shaken. Taking a deep breath, she flipped to the next. As she focused on the second photo, I sighed. “That’s their daughter, Pearl.” “If I hadn’t shown up at the company unannounced today, I never would’ve known there was already a mistress and a so-called princess in our company.” My mother’s tears fell as she reached for another photo. I clenched my teeth. “This is the share transfer agreement. The stocks you entrusted to Dad, you let him manage them, but he handed them over to his lover and their illegitimate child long ago!” She stiffened again, but then her eyes landed on the next photo: a college acceptance letter. Seeing the seal of the medical university, she thought of something. She stopped crying, her expression darkening. I gave a bitter laugh. “That’s true. I was told I’d failed the SATs back then, which is why I had no choice but to study abroad.” “But after my recent investigation, I found out I never failed. It was Dean Edith, that traitor, who switched my scores with Pearl’s!”

As Mom took in my words, her grief slowly gave way to fury. She slammed the table. “That monster! How dare he do this to you!” I let out a breath, glad I’d guessed right. At her age, she might be able to forgive many things, but I could never tolerate a traitor as a father. If I only proved that he had cheated, Mom might be uncertain. But finding out he’d stolen my future was something she could never accept. Gently wiping away her tears, I shook my head. “We can’t change that already. Let’s focus on our situation now.” “Mom, you inherited billions and several public companies from Grandpa. I suspect that while you handed control over to Dad, he used the time to seize everything. That’s why he dares to act so brazenly, parading his mistress in our company!” I expected her to be nervous, but to my surprise, she just smiled knowingly. “Relax, these matters are tightly restricted by the prenuptial agreement. Everything I have is merely managed by Dean. If we divorce, he’ll have to return it all.” “In this case, let’s strip that unfaithful man of everything and leave him utterly humiliated!” Just then, my phone vibrated incessantly. I realized I hadn’t checked the employee notification group, which had already flooded with over 999 messages. [To celebrate the Princess’s successful entry into the company and the upcoming IPO, a banquet has been reserved at Maine Restaurant. Dear employees, all of you and your families are invited!] [Mr. Edith is incredibly generous. I heard the minimum spend per person in Maine is twenty thousand. We’re finally going to see what luxury looks like!] [All thanks to the Princess! Wishing her a long and prosperous life!] Pearl joined in, too, sending her best wishes to the group and stating her ambitions for the company’s future. Watching the cheerful chaos, I curled my lips into a cold smile. What a perfect chance. I’d been wondering how to handle the situation, and Dean had the gall to host a welcome banquet for his illegitimate daughter. Well, if that was the case, I absolutely had to attend the party. I tapped open Dean’s contact and sent him a private message. [Dad, I’m planning to return home today. Will you come to the airport with Mom to pick me up?] His reply came instantly. [Why are you coming back now?] [I mean, do you miss home so much?] [You know what, your mom is going to book a ticket and go keep you company. And I’ll visit after this busy period. Be a good girl and take pretty photos for your mom when she gets there.] I arched an eyebrow and held the phone up for my mother, urging her to take note of Dean’s hypocrisy. But Mom had already recovered from the initial shock. She sat down in front of her vanity, picked up her custom-made, high-end makeup brush, and motioned for me to come closer. “Come on, let’s get you dolled up.” “Time to meet your father and his little family together!”

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Flashing lights lit up Julian’s face, but not his expressions. He remained as cold and unreadable as ever. My boss was beside himself with excitement. He rushed over for Julian’s autograph, then a photo. Seeing me standing there without reaction, my boss kindly turned back and called out to me. “Irene, come take a picture with Mr. Reed!” “He’s the youngest CEO in the world. One photo with him can definitely get our café buzzing! I might even give you a raise!” My hands froze mid-wash. I didn’t look up, but some reporters still saw my face instantly, and the next second, they swarmed toward me. “So you’ve been here all along, Ms. Walker. Once celebrated worldwide for your designs, and now stuck behind a café counter. How does that feel?” “We hear your ex-husband has waited ten years for you, postponing his wedding again and again. What do you make of that?” I ignored them, ignored their questions and microphones that nearly poked my face, and just focused on my work. Still, I couldn’t stop the tremble as I reached for the cups. I knew Julian too well. There was no way he could do that for me. I stayed on guard. The standoff dragged on until Julian stepped in front of me, he blocked the cameras. His expression was so stern. “This is our private matter. We’re not accepting interviews. We appreciate your understanding.” Then he turned to me, his gaze deep and complicated. “Irene.” He paused, as if he had so much to say, and in the end, only said one thing. “Long time no see.” His voice seemed to come from the past, and my hand quivered beyond control. Clatter— A coffee cup hit the floor and shattered. Flying shards cut into my skin. Blood dripped from my fingertips. Julian grabbed my hand instinctively, frowned as if he cared. “Are you alright?” I pulled away at once and apologized to my boss in a rush. “Alan, I’m so sorry. I’ll clean it up. Just charge it to my pay.” Before Alan could even respond, a bright, cheerful voice came from the doorway. “Julian, what are you doing here?” “You just left without a word. We’re all worried!” I followed the voice and saw her walking in with a gentle smile. She reached for Julian’s hand naturally and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. I remembered her too well. It was Chloe Bennett—the woman who caused the accident ten years ago. She had become Julian’s fiancée. And behind her… I actually saw my biological parents, who had disowned me like a stranger. Chloe turned to me then, her gaze sweeping over me with a thin smile of contempt on her lips. “Well, isn’t this our greatest architect, Irene? Long time no see.” “Oh, by the way, your parents have made me their goddaughter. I suppose that I should call you ‘sister’ now!” I glanced past her, and there stood my parents. They had aged so much. Their backs were hunched, their hair completely white. A sharp, quiet ache spread through my chest. I couldn’t help but wonder how they’d feel if they ever found out their ‘goddaughter’ was the one who made me fall like this. My father snorted coldly. “We only have one daughter, and that is Chloe. A murderer blinded by greed would only make me sick.” My mother clenched her jaw. “Julian, why would you even bother with trash like her?” “Just let her rot away!” Their words hit the café like a cold wind. Everyone, including Alan, looked at me strangely. I turned my face away, swallowing the pain, refusing to meet their eyes. Julian let out a soft sigh. “Don’t blame your parents. That thing hit them too hard.” He gave a gold-embossed business card to me. “I owe you far too much. If you ever need anything, call me.”

I didn’t refuse Julian’s card. Or rather, I accepted it politely like I would for any customer, but that’s all. I didn’t believe he just came for me. And I didn’t expect to see him again. Then, three days later, Alan called, “Irene… I’m really sorry.” “I didn’t know who you were. And people like you should never just stay in a small café.” “I’ll mark you down for full attendance this month and send your paycheck shortly. And today’s your last day.” He hung up before I could say anything. I tried calling back, but I’d been blocked. At the same time, a message popped up, my salary arrived. Four thousand five hundred. Alan had even added an extra thousand, with a note: “Consider this my compensation. My café is small, can’t bear any trouble. Please, spare me another visit.” My heart sank. I knew who was really behind this. Sure enough, Julian’s call came through. “Irene, I can’t undo what happened back then. I hope you understand. But in every other way, I’ll make it up to you.” “That café job was way too much for you, so I took care of it. And I bought you a villa in Portwell. I’ll send you the key. And another thing is about Chloe. She’s still inexperienced and needs someone who knows the drawings. Help her out. I’ll pay you two hundred thousand a month.” My fists clenched so hard they ached. Why? Why could he so easily shove me into the abyss, where loneliness and hatred swallowed me alive? And why after all this happened, could he still carelessly shatter my peaceful life as if he’s some superior savior? Why did he think he could arrange everything for me? Help Chloe? He just wanted me to be her shadow, her tool. The thought of it made my stomach churn. I pressed my lips together and said through gritted teeth. “Thanks for the offer, Mr. Reed, but I have my own life now. Please don’t come to me again.” Julian was silent for a long moment. “Irene, don’t be difficult. A genius like you only truly enjoys working as an architect. I’m taking care of your life and letting you shine, what else could you want?” “Don’t push me, Irene. I’ve got my ways.” And then he hung up. A faint unease settled in my chest. That very afternoon, I found out exactly what he meant. I needed to find another job as soon as possible. But no matter where I went, people only pretended to respect me. I decided to go back home for a rest. But at the door, I found the landlady waiting. She was a kind old lady. When I first came here with no money, she had waived a month’s rent and always brought me her homemade treats. Now, her eyes were red, standing at my doorstep. “Irene… you’re back!” she said, clutching my hand. “I’m so sorry, but I can’t rent the apartment to you anymore. Please don’t blame me…I have no choice.” “Some great man came to town. He said if I let you stay, my daughter, she… she…” Her voice broke as tears ran down. I didn’t want to make things harder for her. That night, I packed my things and moved out. This was Julian’s compensation. Destroying my life… and then arrogantly offering compensation. Ridiculous.

The day I moved out, Julian showed up. He lost weight in just a few days. Dark shadows sat under his eyes, like he hadn’t slept at all. He came with a moving crew and directed them as if this was something he ought to do. His manner was so natural that anyone who didn’t know us would consider him as a husband picking up his wife and taking her home. At the villa, he poured me a glass of honey water. “You’ve always been tense,” he said. “This helps you relax.” I took the glass in silence and had a small sip. It was sweet. So sweet it made my hands tremble. So this must be a part of his “compensation”, it tasted like heaven, but could drag me down to hell in the next second. I set the glass down. “Mr. Reed,” I said calmly, “what happened before is over. If you really wanted to make up for it, you shouldn’t have shown up uninvited.” He froze for a moment, a flicker of disappointment crossing his eyes before he masked it. “Irene,” he said softly, “don’t keep pushing it.” “I know what you feel. This is just the first step. I’ll soon find someone to claim the fall and clear your name.” “I know you don’t like Chloe. I’ll keep her out of sight. For now, just rest.” His tone was gentle, but the message was clear. I wasn’t being offered a choice. He wanted control. Absolute control. And Chloe was never going to stay out of sight. The very day I moved in, Julian had barely arrived when she stormed in with a group of reporters. “Julian, I heard Ms. Walker was here. Why didn’t you tell me?” She turned to the cameras, her voice full of practiced sympathy. “She was wrong, of course. But everyone has to live on. I hope Ms. Walker has learned her lesson and will walk the right path from now on.” She pressed a card into my hand. “This is just a small gesture,” she said warmly. “You’re my senior and also my fiancé’s ex-wife. Please take it. If life gets hard, just let us know.” She played her role perfectly. By that afternoon, the news had spread all over Portwell. [Disgraced Engineer Resurfaces After Deadly Collapse, Billionaire Ex Shows ‘Mercy’] [Back Among the Elite: Can the Victims Ever Find Peace?] Suddenly, Julian became the devoted tycoon and Chloe became the gracious fiancée. And once again, I was only the one who got torn apart by public outrage. Whether on purpose or not, Chloe leaked my address. From then on, grieving families and angry crowds gathered outside my home every day. Three days later, my parents came. It was the first time in ten years that they had come to see me on their own. When I saw them standing at the door, the good old memories came back, a spark of hope rose in my chest. “Mom, Dad… You’re here. Come in, have some water.” I stepped aside to welcome them. My father only snorted at me. “We wouldn’t dare drink a murderer’s water.” My mother leaned against the doorframe, her voice tired. “Irene, we can’t forgive what you did back then.” “But don’t keep making the same mistake. We’re begging you. Chloe truly loves Julian. You’re divorced now. Stop clinging to him.” “She’s considerate. She doesn’t want to say it out loud, so we will. Leave Portwell.” “If you insist,” she added quietly, “your father and I will find a way to make you leave.” Her voice was still gentle. The same voice that once sang me to sleep. Now, every word felt like a blade, cutting into my heart until my blood ran out.

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In the casino, my boyfriend Nathan Pierce’s cousin Amanda Clark gambled away 30 million dollars. When she couldn’t pay, the so-called ‘Prince of Winterhaven,’ Lucas Hartley held her captive and threatened to cut off her hand. Amanda is practically shaking with fear, but Nathan doesn’t hesitate for a second. He grabs me and shoves me forward instead. “Don’t take Amanda’s hand. Take hers.” He pins my wrist to the table, and his voice goes all soft and sweet. “Amanda’s gonna be a world-class pianist someday. Her hands are priceless, you know? But you? You just cut fish at the market. You’ll be fine with one hand. And if it really comes down to it, I’ll take care of you.” Amanda hides behind him, putting on a fake, concerned tone. “Yeah, Emma. This is Mr. Hartley’s place. Maybe you could just help us out here? I mean, he’s got a reputation for being brutal. If we don’t make him happy today, we’re all gonna die.” I almost laugh. Sure, I work at the fish market, but that’s only because my therapist suggested repetitive manual work might help me manage my bipolar condition. It’s supposed to be stress relief or whatever. These two are scared of Winterhaven’s prince, but they don’t seem too worried about his older sister. Which happens to be me—the Hartley family’s eldest daughter. *** The prince of Winterhaven, my little brother, Lucas Hartley, looks at me, and I can see the confusion on his face. “Wait, you look so familiar… Do I know you?” I pull my hat down lower and adjust my mask. Dad’s hunting for a traitor in the family right now, and Lucas is basically suspect number one. I can’t blow my cover here. But before I can do anything, Nathan steps forward and slams my hand down on the table. “She’s nobody. Just some girl who works at a fish market. There’s no way she’d know someone like you, sir.” Amanda immediately clings to his arm. “Nate, stop… Emma’s gonna get hurt.” She’s saying “stop,” but her body language tells a completely different story. She keeps backing away from me, and every few seconds, she glances over with a smirk like she’s enjoying this whole thing. “Come on, Emma. Just help Nate out, okay?” Amanda pouted. “It’s 30 million dollars. His company just started up, and he doesn’t have that kind of money. You don’t have any family anyway. Even if you end up disabled, Nate’s not gonna leave you.” I don’t say anything. I just look up at Lucas instead. This kid’s gotten bold in the three years since I’ve seen him. What’s he doing waving a knife around like some kind of gangster? Lucas seems to notice me staring. He frowns and looks at me more carefully, but I’m covered in dried fish blood from head to toe and I reek. It’s pretty hard to connect that to Emma Hartley, Winterhaven’s princess. “Hey, fish girl.” Lucas points the knife at me. “Your boyfriend wants to chop off your hand, and you’re fine with that?” I’m about to say something when Nathan panics. He slaps his hand over my mouth and turns to Lucas with a big fake smile plastered on his face. “Mr. Hartley, she’s fine with it! I promise!” Amanda jumps right in. “Emma’s completely obsessed with Nate. She’d die for him without even blinking, so losing a hand is nothing. Besides, she used to work at a nightclub. She’s danced for tips in clubs before. Losing a hand won’t stop her from selling herself, right, Emma?” A nightclub? I was inspecting one of my own venues when she saw me there, and now she’s spreading these disgusting lies? Nathan yanks me over to him and his face goes cold. “Emma, don’t be stupid right now. Amanda’s got a real future ahead of her as a pianist. If you take this hit for us today, I’ll marry you immediately. But if you don’t do this, we’re done. Over.” I feel pretty helpless, so I quickly fire off a few messages to my dad. But the second I look at his reply, Nathan grabs me and raises the knife. “Emma! You think this is your fish market or something? Put that damn phone away! Don’t worry though. I’ll make it quick and painless. I’ll get you the best doctors and the best prosthetic money can buy.” I stare at that knife and at the twisted look on his face, and I feel myself starting to lose control. I’ve been off my medication for two weeks now, and my doctor warned me it could mess with my impulse control. Turns out he was right about that, because right now, I don’t feel like killing fish today. Today, I feel like tearing everything apart. But thinking about the family situation, I rub my temples and force myself to stay calm. “Fine. You can cut off my hand. Just give me a minute first, okay?”

I’m so frustrated right now. Dad’s plan is almost complete, and I just need to stall as long as I possibly can. Nathan sees that I’m not fighting back anymore, and he looks so pleased with himself. “I knew you couldn’t give me up. It’s just one hand anyway. I’ll take care of you after this is over. Amanda’s my cousin, you know. I promised my aunt I’d look after her, and I can’t break that promise.” I almost laugh out loud at that. Cousin? Yeah right. More like his side piece. I caught them wrapped around each other before, and he told me Amanda was just losing her balance and he was helping her stay upright. Back then, I only saw Nathan as a way to kill time when I was bored, so I didn’t bother calling him out on it. But now these two are showing off right in front of me like they’ve got nothing to be ashamed of. Where did they get the nerve? Amanda pipes up again. “Emma, you can’t be selfish here. Mr. Hartley’s time is so valuable. Why should he waste it waiting around for you?” Lucas watches all of this with an amused expression on his face. “This is getting interesting.” “So if someone doesn’t want to lose their hand, then maybe…” He looks at Amanda for a second, and I can see her tense up. Amanda starts shaking and grabs onto Nathan’s arm. “Nate, save me…” Nathan immediately pulls Amanda behind him and gives Lucas this disgusting bootlicking smile. “Mr. Hartley, don’t listen to her. She’s just scared out of her mind right now. I’ll do it right now. I’ll cut off her hand immediately!” Nathan raises the knife and brings it down. My wrist tightens up, and I’m about to lose it, but Lucas speaks up again. “Hold on.” Nathan freezes mid-swing. “Mr. Hartley, is there something else you need?” Lucas taps Amanda with the tip of his knife. “Don’t cut her hand yet. Make her drink for what she owes first, round by round. We can chop it off after she’s done.” Before anyone can react, servers start bringing out rows and rows of shot glasses. They cover the entire table. The crowd around us starts whispering. “Mr. Hartley’s pissed. I heard the last person who made him angry got carried out foaming at the mouth, and he’s still in the hospital.” “This girl’s screwed. Not only is she gonna lose her hand, but now she’s gonna get played to death first.” Amanda’s face goes completely pale, and Nathan has to hold her up. Then he turns around and shoves me forward instead. “Mr. Hartley, my girlfriend can really hold her liquor. She’ll drink for Amanda!” I look at the table full of shots, and I actually smile. Drinking happens to be one of my specialties, and my baby brother here clearly learned all his dirty tricks from me. “You want me to drink? Fine, let’s do this.” I start going through the rows one by one, and I don’t even blink. But Amanda’s standing off to the side running her mouth. “Emma used to work at nightclubs, so of course she’s different from the rest of us. Besides alcohol, she’s probably swallowed plenty of other filthy things too, right?” I’m almost done with the last row when I pause for just a second. Nathan immediately starts pushing me. “Hurry up! Stop dragging your feet. Mr. Hartley’s waiting.” Amanda’s feeling brave now, and she starts taunting me. “Emma, if you really can’t handle it, just give up. It’s only losing a hand. You can tough it out.” I give her one cold look and reach for the last row of shots. But right then, someone’s hand suddenly presses down on my glass.

I don’t dare look up because I know it’s Lucas. He grabs the glass out of my hand and casually throws it on the ground. Nathan’s completely stunned. He asks carefully, “Mr. Hartley, what… what does this mean? She hasn’t finished yet.” Lucas ignores him and claps his hands instead. “I just realized something. Making her drink is boring. We should play something else. It’s not every day I meet a woman who interests me this much.” Watching Nathan act like a total lapdog makes me sick to my stomach. Next time I pick a boy toy, I need to have better standards. Lucas leans back in his chair and lights a cigarette. Through the smoke, he points at the dice cup on the table. “Since you’re in my casino, we’re playing dice. High or low. Simple as that. You win, the 30 million dollars gets wiped clean. You lose…” He pauses and looks between me and Amanda. “Lose a round, and you take off one piece of clothing.” Amanda bursts into tears the second she hears that. She’s wearing a strapless mini dress today, so there are barely two pieces to begin with. If she loses, she’ll basically be stripping in front of everyone. “Nate, I can’t do this. There are so many people here, and if I… how am I supposed to get married after this?” she sobs. Nathan looks like his heart’s breaking. He turns to Lucas, practically begging. “Mr. Hartley, Amanda’s a lady. She’s young and all that. Making her take her clothes off doesn’t seem right. Can we pick something else?” Lucas actually laughs at that, and then he kicks Nathan straight in the chest. “Who the hell do you think you are, telling me what to do?” Nathan struggles to his feet, and then he looks at me. “Emma! You know how to roll dice, right?” Before I can even answer, he just decides for me. “You’re playing for Amanda.” I have bipolar disorder, not some kind of masochism problem. I glance at the message on my phone and speak up. “I’m not playing.” Nathan freezes for a second, and then he grabs me, absolutely furious. “Don’t be ungrateful! Amanda comes from a respectable family, and you’re basically nobody. What’s the big deal if you take off some clothes? As long as it saves Amanda, you’ll do whatever I tell you to do!” I can feel my temper flaring up, and I can’t control it anymore. I smile at him instead. “Nathan, you really think I’m some pushover?”

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It wasn’t until they saw the butchered remains of every woman and child in the village that the men finally believed me. The pirates were real. The sight of the scattered corpses sent them into a violent frenzy. “Captain! You said your wife was just jealous! You told us she was lying so we’d stay and protect you and Sarah Cole while you celebrated her birthday! Now look… my son is dead! My wife is gone!” Julian Reed turned deathly pale, his voice failing him. I looked at the blood-soaked ground, tears finally breaking through. In my past life, when the pirates launched their surprise attack, Julian—the Captain of the Guard—had taken every able-bodied man out to sea to celebrate his “platonic” soulmate’s birthday. I was pregnant back then. I crawled through the filth of the sewers to find them, dragging the men back just in time to save the islanders. But in the chaos, a straggler caught his precious Sarah. She was brutalized and killed. Julian didn’t say a word after he finished off the pirates. He waited. On the day I gave birth, he broke my legs, sliced open my abdomen, and tossed me into the deep ocean. He watched as scavengers ripped me apart while I was still alive. “You were so jealous of her that you lured the pirates here just to ruin her day,” he had hissed, his eyes cold. “If you love competing with her so much, you can die just like she did.” I opened my eyes and found myself back on the day of the raid. This time, if he wants to play hero for his little sweetheart, he’s more than welcome to. Back in the present, I watched the pirate speedboats cutting through the waves toward the shore. A cold shiver ran down my spine. Without a second thought, I slammed my hand onto the emergency lever. The siren’s wail pierced the air, echoing across the entire island. But when I looked toward the harbor, the evacuation vessel—the only vessel large enough to carry the women and children to safety—was gone. My best friend stumbled toward me, her voice breaking. “Lily, the pirates are hitting the beach! Where are the men? Where did everyone go?” “The ship is gone,” she sobbed. “What are we going to do?” Before I could answer, a crowd of panicked women and children swarmed around me. Their eyes were wide, desperate for an answer I dreaded giving. “Julian took the men and the weapons,” I said, my voice hollow. “He took the vessel to international waters to celebrate Sarah’s birthday.” My mother-in-law let out a sharp, jagged curse. “Is he insane? He knows the raids happen this time of year! He took every able-bodied man on the island!” “That little tramp, Sarah!” she spat. “I knew she was trouble the moment he brought her home. Always playing the victim to lure men in. Now she’s going to get us all killed!” Her outburst snapped a string. The crowd erupted into a chorus of frantic curses, all aimed at the woman who had charmed their husbands away. In the distance, the roar of speedboat engines grew louder. They were hitting the sand. “Listen to me!” I shouted, fighting to keep my voice steady. “Everyone into the tunnels! Now!” Because our island was so isolated, we had built a network of underground tunnels for exactly this reason. We scrambled inside, packing into the damp, narrow space. Above us, we could already hear the heavy boots hitting the pavement and the chilling, rhythmic laughter of men hunting for prey. Panic began to rot the air inside the tunnel. There was only one way to save everyone: someone had to crawl through the drainage pipes to the hidden cove, take a jet ski, and bring the men back. My mother-in-law grabbed my hand, her grip bruising. “Lily, you know how to pilot a boat. You have to go. Find Julian. Tell him to bring the men back to save us!” I let out a bitter, dry laugh. “Even if I find him, he won’t come back for me.” The tunnel went silent. Everyone knew it was true. Ever since Julian rescued Sarah three months ago, he had been glued to her side. He claimed he was just “rehabilitating” her, but they were inseparable—fishing together, training together, whispering in corners. The whole island joked that they looked more like a couple than we did. Faced with the crowd’s teasing, he didn’t bother to keep his distance—if anything, he became even more intimate with her. I confronted him again and again, shouting, asking who his wife was supposed to be. He didn’t even flinch—he only blamed me for being small-minded and consumed by jealousy. Our marriage had died the day she arrived. Just as the silence became unbearable, my sister-in-law, Chloe, stepped forward. “I’ll go,” she said firmly. “I know the guys in the Guard, and Lily is pregnant. If something happens to the baby, Julian will never forgive me.” Without waiting for an objection, she dropped into the filth of the drainage pipe and began crawling through the muck toward the outside world.

We huddled deep in the tunnel, barely daring to breathe, praying we wouldn’t be found. But our luck ran out. A sharp-eyed pirate spotted the concealed entrance. “Found a hatch! I bet all the pretty things are hiding right under our feet!” “I knew it! No way an island this big is a ghost town.” “I’ve been at sea for six months,” another growled, his voice thick with lust. “I’m going to enjoy this.” The heavy thud-thud-thud of sledgehammers hitting the iron door echoed through the cramped space. The women turned ghost-white, their eyes fixed on the vibrating metal. Every strike felt like a heartbeat skipping. Our only hope was that the men were on their way. About thirty minutes later, the sewer grate rattled. Chloe Reed crawled back in, covered in filth and smelling of waste. A small cheer went up—everyone thought she had brought the cavalry. But then we saw her face. She was trembling, tears streaking through the grime on her cheeks. “I’m so sorry…” she sobbed. “They wouldn’t come back.” My mother-in-law grabbed her shoulders, shaking her. “What do you mean they won’t come? Their wives and children are in here!” Chloe broke down completely, biting her lip until it bled. “Julian… he said I was a liar. He said there’s no way the pirates would attack today. He told me I was just helping Lily pull a prank to ruin Sarah’s party. Then… then he slapped me.” She turned her head, revealing a bright red handprint on her cheek. The tunnel erupted. The women cursed Sarah, calling her every name in the book. They cursed Julian for abandoning his post and leaving his people to die for the sake of a mistress. Suddenly, a massive BOOM rocked the ground. Dust rained from the ceiling. They were using explosives on the door. That iron hatch had an hour left, at best. “Listen to me!” I shouted over the crying. “Peel Island is only twenty minutes away by water. They have their own militia. I can get help from them.” My mother-in-law gripped my arm, her calloused hands slick with cold sweat. “Lily, we’re counting on you. Please… bring them back.” I nodded, ignored the ache in my pregnant belly, and forced myself back into the narrow, stinking drainage pipe. I crawled until my knees bled, finally reaching the hidden cove. I jumped onto the backup jet ski and tore across the waves toward Peel Island. As I skidded onto the sand of the neighboring beach, I saw several armed men waiting for me. My heart leaped with relief when I recognized the man in the lead. It was Marcus Johnson, Julian’s second-in-command. Why is he here? I wondered. He was supposed to be on the cruise ship with Julian. I didn’t have time to think. I stumbled toward him, gasping for air. “Marcus! Thank God! The pirates—they’ve taken the island—” Before I could finish, he lunged forward, grabbing my arm with bone-crushing force and yanking me off the jet ski. He looked at me with pure, unadulterated loathing. “Lily Wilson,” he spat, his voice dripping with disgust. “I didn’t think a human being could be as pathetic and disgusting as you.”

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The Imperial Councilor once prophesied that the Chancellor would have a daughter capable of foreseeing the future. I was born with a lotus flower on my forehead, while my younger sister liked to draw flowers there. An imperial decree betrothed my sister as the Crown Prince’s bride, while I, according to my own wish, married Prince Peter. For the next five years, I used my power of foresight to help Peter Carter ascend to the throne. On the night of his coronation, I wiped away my makeup and told Peter about the lotus flower on my forehead. Yet he flew into a rage, carved the flesh from my forehead, and had me torn apart. “Bella Jones, how dare you imitate Karen?” “If you hadn’t chosen me first, how would she have been bestowed in marriage to Lucas? I want her to be my true empress!” “For every moment of intimacy with you over these five years, I felt nothing but disgust. You will pay for this with your life.” When I opened my eyes again, Peter burst in and interrupted Councilor Jack. “How can a mere flower decide that Karen is the god-favored woman?” “I’d like to use the blank imperial decree Your Majesty bestowed years ago, to marry the Chancellor’s second daughter, Karen Jones!” Everyone went silent for a moment. They looked at each other and didn’t know what to say. The Imperial Councilor still wished to speak, but I stopped him with a glance. That imperial decree was a reward from many years ago, granted after Peter Carter’s mother died saving the Emperor. I never expected he would use it here. In my previous life, even with my help, he relied on that decree to ascend the throne legitimately. I never imagined he would go this far for Karen. The Empress was delighted he used it early, sparing future trouble. “Bella Jones, what do you think?” “That His Highness favors my sister is an absolute honor to our family.” I bowed respectfully. Peter looked at me, and his gaze seemed really complicated. And it was resolute too. “This has nothing to do with coveting Lucas’s position as Crown Prince. It is simply that Karen and I are deeply in love. She is only a second daughter and cannot bear such an exalted fate. Mother Empress, please grant us your blessing.” The Empress pondered for a long while before speaking. “But the entire capital knows the one you grew up with was Bella. And now you…” Peter hurriedly explained. “I only regarded her as a younger sister. Didn’t know people would misunderstand us.” I sneered to myself. Younger sister, huh? Crown Prince Lucas was surrounded by a powerful royal aura, the so-called “King Aura”. Without my support, Peter would never be able to beat Lucas. Since he had staked everything on my concubine-born sister, I’d just grant his wish. Just as I exited the great hall, Peter’s attendant stopped me. “Lady Bella, please wait. Prince Peter requests your presence.” I was led to a corner tower where there was nothing else but tea. I didn’t know what I could do so I drank the tea, one cup after another, before Peter showed up. By the time my bladder was about to burst, Peter finally arrived, his face icy. “When Karen begged you for help back then, this was how you treated her. Does it feel good?” In the previous life, the army could not be delayed, so I stopped her. He won a great victory, and harbored resentment against me for it. “I know you’ve reincarnated too, Bella.” “Though you’re vicious and jealous, we were husband and wife after all. I can totally give you a way out. If you still love me, after I marry Karen, I can take you in as a concubine.” I set the teacup down heavily on the table. “We should just take separate ways. Do you understand?” “If vengeance is to be sought, it should be me coming after you, not the other way around. Since you’re betrothed, the more distance we keep, the better.” “I will request to go to Mercy Temple to pray for a year, just to avoid you.” Peter Carter did not look pleased by my good sense. His expression darkened further. I stepped past him to leave, but he grabbed me. “My killing you was an overreaction. But if you hadn’t imitated Karen by painting a flower on your forehead, how would I have lost it?” “As long as you behave yourself this time, I can keep you alive. We once shared tender moments, remember? If you don’t fight for any higher position, just be an obedient consort…” I took a deep breath and cut him off. “I said separate ways! I will never be a concubine!” No sooner had I returned to the residence than the imperial decree arrived. My father, beaming with pride, pushed me forward. “Well? Hurry and receive the decree!” Before I could explain, the eunuch said, “Chancellor Ted, it’s not for her. It’s for your second daughter, the concubine-born one.”

The imperial decree, already eye-catching as it made its way from the palace gate, was further amplified by Peter’s influence. In one night, our family became the center of attention. For years, it had been me, the first daughter of Chancellor Ted, seen accompanying Peter, yet the one getting married to him was the second daughter, Karen. I became the target of ridicule among the common folk. “Could it be that Bella had been the one chasing Prince Peter all along?” “How could the virtuous Chancellor have such a daughter? His first daughter acts like a courtesan. No wonder she couldn’t win the favor of Prince Peter.” The next morning, Peter arrived early, bringing ten carriages of extravagant gifts to our residence. This further confirmed his affection for Karen. My father, his face full of worry, looked at me as I practiced calligraphy. “Bella, though I don’t know what’s happened between you and the prince, public opinion is now turning against you. Would you like to leave the capital to avoid the storm? To clear your mind?” I put down the brush in my hand and said, “I had thought about retreating to the Mercy Temple, but there’s no escaping this now.” My father sighed deeply. “It’s my fault. I should never have brought Karen back…” Before he could finish, Karen pushed the door open and entered. “When I was a child, you favored her and sent me to live with relatives at the border. And now Prince Peter is coming for me. Do you wanna take this away from me too?” Father was silent for a moment. Karen grew more excited. “I’ll show you that even though I’m not as noble as Bella, I’m the daughter you should be proud of!” She stormed off in a huff, and my father, afraid of something bad happening, sent people to follow her. Later they reported that she went to Prince Peter’s residence. I tried to calm Father down. “Father, there’s something more important that needs your attention. There’s gonna be a major earthquake in Pakitown. You should prepare early.” Father froze for a moment. “I’ll go to the palace now.” I stopped him. “Prince Peter will prepare for this. You should just focus on the follow-up work.” Father was uncertain but chose to trust me. If Peter wanted to seize the throne, he wouldn’t miss such a good opportunity to win the people over. But I didn’t expect that he would let Karen have the credit. Soon, rumors spread that Karen could predict the future and was the true god-favored woman. The Imperial Councilor’s prophecy was brought up again, and with the wedding date approaching, she truly had the spotlight. When mentioning me, all the common folk would just shake their heads. “Bella Jones? She really doesn’t deserve the title of the noblest girl in the capital.” “Totally. She’s indeed very beautiful, graceful, and talented. However, her incredible sister has now completely outshone her.” At that time, Karen cornered me in the study and stopped me from writing. “Bella, I’m gonna be the Empress this time. So what if you’re the true god-favored woman? Since I have the memories, I can predict things too.” “You had such a talent. Why did you keep it a secret? Since you don’t want fame and fortune, I’ll take them for you.” I smiled and looked at her. “You think Peter was the reason why I became the Empress? You’ve got things backward.” She raised her hand to slap me. “You’re really full of yourself!” I grabbed her hand and threw it off, but just then, Peter walked in and saw what had happened. He immediately shielded Karen in his arms. “Bella, I warn you! If you harm Karen again, you don’t even get to be my concubine!”

I watched as he gently comforted Karen, but turned around to lash out at me. “Bella, weren’t you called the noblest girl in the capital? Now you’re clearly a jealous and vicious woman!” But just last month, during our boat ride, he had whispered sweet words beside me. “Bella, you’re so graceful and peerless, I want to hide you away so only I can have you.” Seeing my eyes redden, Peter didn’t want Karen to be scared. So he immediately ordered for her to be taken away. “It was because you couldn’t accept Karen that caused our rift in the previous life. Why do you have to make the same mistake now?” I held back my tears and said, “Why should I accept her? You know full well her background. Her existence is a disgrace to our family. We’ve only kept her because my father couldn’t bring himself to throw her out!” Karen’s father had been nothing but a thug. He had raped my mother, resulting in Karen’s birth. My mother had passed away in sorrow because of that. But my father, recalling that she was still my mother’s blood, couldn’t bear to expel her, let alone kill her. Suddenly, Peter furiously grabbed my throat and whispered angrily, “She was just a child! Totally innocent! If you don’t keep this to yourself, I have a thousand ways to make you unable to speak!” My breathing became labored, and Peter finally released his grip. “Guards! Bella wishes to go to the Mercy Temple for a month to pray for her sister Karen. Take her there!” The common people along the streets weren’t fools. They began to speculate on what had really happened. I was kept under house arrest in the temple, unaware of the rumors spreading outside. Meanwhile, Karen spread the word that I was jealous of her and tried to harm her, only to be caught by Peter. The people started praising her for predicting the earthquake and saving many citizens. The day I left the temple and returned home, a crowd was waiting outside the gates. They threw rotten vegetables and eggs at me. Just then, someone appeared in front of me and pushed the crowd back. “Stop it! She’s here only because she wanted to pray for her sister, my wife! These rumors are truly unfounded!” I looked at the tall figure in front of me, and my nose tingled with emotion. In the previous life, when we fought together on the battlefield, he would always shield me like this, but things had changed. Yet, as he protected me while I got into the carriage and sent me back home, it seemed like nothing had changed. “Ahem, the reason I’m defending you today is not for any other reason. I just thought it was wrong to forcibly send you to the temple back then.” I lowered my head, sniffing. “I understand.” Father rushed back from the outskirts of the city. “I was only away dealing with the disaster. How did this…” Father hugged me tightly and looked back at Peter. “Our residence is too small to accommodate you and your future princess. After your wedding next month, please don’t come to us again.” Peter opened his mouth, but it was a long while before he finally spoke softly. “After the wedding, I will come to discuss with you about making Bella my concubine.” Father’s face turned red with anger, and he picked up a broom to hit him. But a man who had just arrived stopped him. “How can you behave this way? The Chancellor has served the king and people loyally for his whole life. You’ve broken your promise and are marrying someone else, but now you want his first daughter to be your concubine? You’re literally insulting them!” It was Lucas Carter, the crown prince. He ordered his men to escort Prince Peter back to his residence. He then returned with us to our house. When I was in my room getting dressed, I removed the leafy cover from my forehead, revealing the birthmark that had been hidden. Returning to the main hall, I heard Lucas’s words. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to offer the entire kingdom as my dowry and ask Lady Bella to be my princess.” Father hesitated for a moment, and I pushed the door open. “I am honored by Your Highness’s affection, and I am willing.” In the previous life, it was because I chose Peter, defying fate, that all the disasters followed. They thought that by reliving this life, they could manage fate through their memories. What a joke. I bowed slightly to Lucas. “Your Highness must have your own reasons for choosing me, but all I ask is for you to protect my father and me, and ensure our safety for a lifetime.” “As a sign of sincerity, if Prince Peter makes any bold moves, I will assist Your Highness in resisting him.”

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Isabella Grey, Harbor City’s richest heiress, has one rule in relationships: she only keeps boyfriends for a month, never letting feelings get in the way. Men are lining up all over town to date her, and honestly, who can blame them? If you’re lucky, she might throw a villa your way. If not, a million-dollar breakup check is still yours. Everyone in Harbor City loves laughing at me behind my back. They call me the most pathetic kept husband in history, and they aren’t wrong. Everyone thinks I’ll just take it forever. Then Isabella brought home this college kid named Trevor Mason. He was completely average looking, nothing special about him at all. But somehow, he broke her one-month rule. She actually kept him around. One day, Isabella gave me two choices. Option one was to accept an open marriage and let Trevor have equal standing with me as her partner. Option two was to divorce her, take half her assets, and we’d call it even. Her friends were all standing around watching this go down, and I could see it on their faces. They were absolutely sure I’d pick the money and keep playing the fool. I didn’t even hesitate and took the divorce. See, in my past life, I chose to put up with it. I thought I was being smart and playing the long game. But Trevor just got worse and worse. He told Isabella she couldn’t touch me anymore. He told her she couldn’t have my kids. By the time we got old, I watched Trevor surrounded by his grandkids while I had nobody. And when Isabella finally died, her will didn’t even mention my name. Every single thing she owned went straight to Trevor. I spent my whole life being known as Isabella’s husband, but I ended up completely alone. This time around, I finally get it. Take the money and leave. Cut all ties with her and never look back.

I grab the divorce papers and read through everything carefully. Then I sign my name without hesitating. Isabella actually speaks up, and there’s this tension in her voice that she probably doesn’t even realize. “Caspian, you better be sure about this. Once you sign, there’s no going back.” My hand doesn’t stop. The pen glides across the paper in one smooth stroke. Signed. Done. “I’ll pack my stuff and get out of here today.” Regret? Not a chance. In my past life, I thought bringing Trevor home was just another twisted way for her to get back at me. I was naive enough to believe that after all those years together, she had to feel something for me. What a joke. She and Trevor had two kids within three years and stayed madly in love until they were old. Meanwhile, I was just this awkward piece of furniture in the house, embarrassed for half my life and laughed at for the other half. It wasn’t until we were old that I finally overheard her talking with Trevor in the hospital room. She told him that whole scene where I got “caught” cheating with the maid, the one who was half-dressed and everything, she’d arranged all of it herself. “I was just bored with him and didn’t want things to get too messy,” she said. Her eyes were clouded, not a hint of guilt in them. “So I set that whole thing up. That way, whatever I did after that looked totally justified.” So that’s how it was. No wonder every time I tried to explain, all I got from her was cold disbelief. She knew the truth the whole time. She didn’t love me, but she used that fake accusation to trap me for 50 years. She could’ve just made a clean break, but instead, she chose to torture me slowly until the day I died. I look up at her face now, young but just as cold as ever, and I don’t feel any love left. Just this churning hatred deep in my chest. She stares at the signed agreement like she can’t believe what she’s seeing, completely shocked. Outside the door, the sounds of people eavesdropping suddenly stop. The next second, my “wonderful” in-laws burst through the door looking absolutely thrilled. Isabella’s mother grabs Trevor’s hand and examines him from every angle, gushing the whole time. “Oh my, young people are just so much better! Look at how energetic he is!” Isabella’s father, who’s always looked at me like I’m dirt on his shoe, suddenly has this warm smile on his face. He shoots me a loaded glance and says, “Finally got rid of that dead weight. How many years has it been? Not even one grandkid to show for it.” Trevor lowers his head like he’s being modest. “Mr. Grey, don’t say that. I’m not that much younger than Mr. Wilde…” He pauses and his face turns red. “Actually, Belly is already a month pregnant. We just haven’t said anything because it’s still early.” I raise an eyebrow. Of course. Same passive-aggressive bullshit, same disgusting tone as always. The difference is, this time I don’t care anymore. For years, I worked myself to the bone at Grey Group during the day just to be a good husband. Then I came home at night and had to wait on these two demanding assholes hand and foot. I’m barely past thirty, but I already have gray hair at my temples. Yeah, I look old. I turn around and head to the bedroom to pack my pathetic little collection of belongings. I’m already thinking about where I should go first once I get my money, somewhere I can actually relax. I don’t notice Isabella following me inside. “It’s late. You don’t need to leave right now. Just go tomorrow,” she speaks softly. “That villa on the west side is still empty, right? You can stay there for now, and I’ll come visit you when I have time. “Caspian, I know you love me. Stop being stubborn.” She gently rests her hand on her flat stomach. “But I can’t stay married to you anymore. I can’t let my child be born with the stigma of being illegitimate.” I don’t respond. I just grab my suitcase, walk past her, and head straight for the door. “I’ve got nothing to say to you. I’m happy we’re getting divorced. If you actually have any conscience left, just hurry up and send me the money you owe me.” The night, wind hits my face and carries tiny snowflakes with it. It’s freezing and sharp, but it can’t put out the fire that’s burning hotter and hotter inside me.

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