Author: Momo Chan

After being laid off, I unexpectedly won two hundred million dollars. But when I got home, I found my husband, Liam, throwing a lavish welcome party for his first love, Victoria. And when my name came up, everyone’s faces twisted with disgust. Liam’s mother, Brenda, rolled her eyes. “That useless woman lost her job, and she still expects Liam to pick her up? No one opens the door for her later!” Our son, Leo, clapped his hands in agreement. “Grandma’s right! Dad, hurry up and divorce that useless mom! I don’t want to call her mom anymore. I like pretty, rich Victoria. She can buy me limited-edition sneakers!” Liam chuckled. “As long as she agrees to let Victoria move in and let me date her, I’m willing to let her stay as a nominal wife.” I immediately demanded a divorce. But they were utterly consumed by regret when they later saw me driving a luxury car, with my new husband and our newborn son. “Dad, you let Victoria sit next to you, and Grandma and I will make heart shapes behind you…” When I pushed open the door, Liam, Leo, and Brenda were posing for a group photo on the couch with Victoria. They were huddled together, beaming brightly for the camera. The sound of the door made them finally notice me. Everyone’s smiles froze. The atmosphere hung heavy for a few seconds. The next second, the laughter resumed as if I were invisible. They simply changed their pose and continued snapping pictures. Not a single person acknowledged me. It wasn’t until they finished the photos that Brenda finally swept a disdainful gaze over me and spoke: “Well, Clara, you’ve got legs, can’t you walk home?” “I thought after you got laid off, you wouldn’t even know how to walk anymore, insisting Liam pick you up.” At that moment, I was soaked to the bone, my hands and feet numb with cold. Today, after being fired, a heavy rainstorm hit. Liam had promised to pick me up after work, but he never showed, even past midnight. I walked over six miles back home in the pouring rain. Before entering, I’d already heard their contempt and mockery behind my back. But I never imagined that even after I returned home, they would still ignore me, laughing and chatting with another woman. A bitter pang shot through my heart. I was just about to speak. Suddenly, a piece of cake flew at me! Splat! My face was covered in cream. I looked up. Leo was hiding behind Victoria, glaring at me with undisguised disgust: “You’re lazy! You don’t work hard to earn money to support Dad and me! So useless!” “You’re not even as good as Victoria’s pinky toe!” My heart was sharply pierced. This was the son I had loved and cherished for ten years. For Victoria, he showed adoration and joy, but for me, only sarcasm and scorn. At this point, Liam, who had been silent, finally spoke. He frowned, chastising Leo: “Leo, how can you talk to your mom like that? You’re being so disrespectful!” He put on an act of defending me, grabbing a towel and handing it to me gently. “Clara, don’t mind what the kid says. Go change your clothes first, then we’ll talk.” As I took the towel, I caught the undisguised disgust in his eyes. A deeper wave of sorrow washed over me. Just as I was about to head to the room, Victoria suddenly walked over and greeted me: “I just got back from overseas, and Liam absolutely insisted on throwing me this welcome party. I really couldn’t refuse, so I came.” “I heard you just lost your job? Don’t worry, the economy isn’t great right now. I might be able to help you find something.” Her seemingly kind and friendly demeanor only made me feel more humble and pathetic. Before I could answer, Brenda impatiently shoved me: “What are you standing there for? Aren’t you going to thank Victoria?” “You’re a woman in your thirties, and you still got fired? How embarrassing for Liam!” I stumbled from the push, almost falling. But Liam and Leo, whom I loved deeply, acted as if they hadn’t seen anything, their entire attention focused on that woman. This was clearly my home, yet I felt like a stranger. In the end, I said nothing and went to my room to wash up. When I came out again, they were already seated at the dining table, eating. No one had called me. There wasn’t even a place or utensils set for me at the table. Seeing me approach, Liam slowly put down his fork and looked at Leo: “Leo, go get your mom some utensils.” Leo rolled his eyes at me. “No way! She doesn’t even have a job. She can’t support Dad, Grandma, and me anymore, so why should I get her anything?” “Mom, don’t you have hands? Are you just going to be useless from now on?” Such sharp, cruel words, coming from my own son. My heart held nothing but sorrow and self-mockery. Liam shot Leo a disapproving glance and then said to me, “Clara, you’ve spoiled this kid rotten. Go get some from the kitchen, and you can sit next to me. Just squeeze in…” Before he finished speaking, Brenda suddenly stood up. I thought she was going to help me get utensils, since she used to do that when I was the one earning money for the family. But instead, she grabbed the pet’s food bowl and shoved it into my hand. “There are no clean bowls left in the kitchen. Wash this and use it.” In that moment, a bitter, biting irony twisted in my gut. This—this was the ‘family’ I had worked tirelessly for ten years to support: Liam, Leo, and Brenda… “No, thanks. I’m not eating.” I turned to go back to my room, but Victoria spoke up, feigning surprise: “Clara, you’re not angry, are you?” “I just asked around, and my company still needs a cleaner. It pays five thousand dollars a month.” “It’s not very glamorous, but a good cleaner can even get promoted to supervisor.” I knew perfectly well she was trying to belittle me while showing off her capabilities to Liam. I had just said “no” when Brenda suddenly stood up and slammed her hand on the table! She yelled at me furiously: “Someone’s offering you a job, and you’re being picky?!” “Are you not going to support your husband and child? Are you really planning to live off my son’s money from now on?” In that moment, I could no longer suppress the rage bubbling inside me. When we first got married, Brenda was sick and needed care, and Liam couldn’t work. I was responsible for all the family expenses. Later, when Liam wanted to start his own studio, I invested my hard-earned savings into it. Yet, he never contributed a single dime of his earnings to household expenses. Liam finally spoke, frowning as he reminded me: “Clara, you’re unemployed now!” “As the woman of this house, you have to take responsibility.” “Also, Victoria just returned to the country. She’ll temporarily stay in your room, and she’ll pay rent, which will help ease our financial pressure. You can live in the storage room from now on.” His words sounded perfectly reasonable, as if my refusal would make me irresponsible. It was then that I finally understood. They were simply banking on my desperate situation of being unemployed and broke, forcing me to accept Victoria’s presence. In that moment, my last shred of attachment to this family completely vanished. Remembering the two hundred million dollars that were about to be mine, I no longer held back. I said coldly: “No need to trouble yourselves. I’m moving out!”

“No job? Going out to beg for food, huh? What an embarrassment! Don’t anyone stop her, just let her get out!” Brenda couldn’t resist mocking me. Liam looked at me with disappointment, then ignored me, turning his head to put food on Leo’s plate. Leo, meanwhile, rolled his eyes, hugging Victoria’s arm and sweetly chiming: “Victoria, give Dad some food, Dad loves vegetables.” This heartwarming scene only made me feel more like an out-of-place fool. I decisively went back to my room, packed my things, and picked up my suitcase to leave. But Brenda suddenly walked over, rudely snatched my suitcase, and looked at me as if I were a thief. “You can leave, but let me check if you’ve stolen anything from the house!” With that, she reached for my suitcase zipper. I had wanted a clean break, but I never expected Brenda to be so overbearing! I immediately snatched my suitcase back, roaring: “You don’t have that right!” Seeing my reaction, Brenda became even more convinced I had something to hide, and she started yelling obscenities at me. The commotion quickly drew Liam. After hearing the whole story, Liam frowned and stared at me for a few seconds. Then, he suddenly pulled me into the room and closed the door. He said to me earnestly, “Clara, stop making a scene, okay?” “I know losing your job has been hard, and I understand you don’t want to be a cleaner. I’ll ask Victoria to arrange for you to be a driver. How about that?” “Right now, you don’t have a job, so just bear with it. At least try to show your value in the house, right?” Listening to his high-sounding words, I felt utterly disappointed. “Your ‘value’ only exists when I’m earning money to unconditionally support you and your mother? And when I can’t, I’m just a maid in my own home, watching your first love become your mistress? Is that it?” Liam’s face turned grim. He said, enraged, “Clara, what nonsense are you talking about? I’m trying to talk to you nicely, and you’re being so ungrateful!” “Don’t forget,you’re the one who’s unemployed right now!” I was completely done arguing with him and pushed the door to leave. But Leo suddenly rushed over, forcefully slapping a document against me, shouting: “Useless mom, hurry up and divorce Dad! I want Victoria to be my mom!” I read the words on the paper, and it was a printed divorce agreement. In the bottom right corner, Liam had already signed his name. Brenda stood beside him, nodding with satisfaction. “My smart grandson, you’ve got to kick this useless woman out!” Then she pointed at me, her voice sharp: “What are you waiting for? Sign it now! Liam felt sorry for you and didn’t want to bring up divorce, but now it seems, this is perfect timing!” I looked at Liam’s cold, indifferent face. Without further hesitation, I snatched the pen, signed my name, and threw the paper to the floor! “Fine, divorce! See you at the courthouse tomorrow at nine!”

When I left the house, the rain had stopped. I pulled the crumpled lottery ticket from my pocket. The winning amount was two hundred million dollars. When I was laid off, I notified my family, but I still felt miserable, so I bought a lottery ticket on a whim. I never expected to win the grand prize. I was overjoyed and wanted to share the news with Liam. I even planned to buy a bigger house for us, expand his studio, buy luxury bags for Brenda, and get Leo those limited-edition sneakers… But all that anticipation shattered with the scenes that had just unfolded. I arrived at a hotel, planning to get a room for the night, but when I swiped my card, I was told: “Apologies, ma’am, your card has been suspended.” My heart sank. All the money I’d earned over the years had been handed over to him. This card was what Liam gave me for daily expenses. Before leaving home, I thought,fine, I’ll just forfeit all my savings from these past years. But I never imagined Liam would be so ruthless. It was laughable how I had scrimped and saved for this family, never daring to order takeout that cost more than ten dollars! I called Daniel, my only friend and college classmate in this city, for help. The moment he heard I was broke, he immediately transferred six thousand dollars to me. He even ordered food and had it delivered to me. That night, it was the first time I’d had a warm meal since yesterday. The family I deeply loved and sacrificed everything for was worth less than a casual acquaintance. It was truly ridiculous. The next day, at exactly nine o’clock, I arrived at the courthouse. I immediately saw Liam and Victoria, dressed in perfectly matching outfits, holding hands and chatting outside. Brenda had even gotten her hair done, her face beaming with joy. Even Leo was dressed in a festive red suit and a red bow tie. “Hmph, good thing you’re sensible enough not to drag my son and grandson down into a life of poverty! Liam, go get the paperwork done!” Brenda urged Liam. I didn’t waste any words and walked straight into the hall. Liam gave me a complicated look for a moment before following me inside. Less than half an hour later, the divorce certificate was finalized. As I prepared to leave, Liam suddenly called out to me, holding out a card with a condescending pity on his face: “Thank you for leaving Leo’s custody, the house, and the property to me.” “There are twenty thousand dollars on this card. From now on, you’re on your own.” Looking at his hypocritical face, I didn’t even want to speak. But I still took the card; after all, it was my hard-earned money. Only a fool would refuse. Next, I went to cash in my lottery ticket. Two hundred million, after taxes, was quickly deposited into my account. I immediately arranged to meet Daniel for dinner. He was the only one who helped me when I was at my most helpless. Not just last night, but for so many years, whenever there were major family expenses, Liam would never humble himself to borrow money. It was always me, time and again, asking Daniel for help to get through those tough times. So now that I was back on my feet, I had to repay him. I arranged to meet him at a shopping mall, then headed straight for a luxury store to pick out a gift for him. Daniel, worried I was acting rashly, kept trying to pull me out, persuading me: “Clara, this place is too expensive. Let’s go somewhere else.” I stubbornly helped him pick out suitable clothes and a belt. Just then, Liam walked into the store with Brenda, Leo, and Victoria. The moment he saw me, Liam’s smiling face instantly darkened. “Clara, are you stalking me?”

“Clara, can’t you have some self-respect? Are you really going to resort to harassment now?” Brenda couldn’t hold back and started yelling at me. I said calmly: “You’re all too full of yourselves. I’m here picking out a gift for my friend. Why would I need to stalk you?” Daniel stood there awkwardly, holding the belt, unsure what to say. Victoria, however, suddenly let out a snicker: “Picking out a gift? Clara, it seems you’ve never been in a luxury store like this; you don’t know a thing!” “Do you know how much that belt in your hand costs? At least one hundred thousand dollars!” “Even I have to think twice before buying a belt like this. You?” She shook her head with a scornful laugh. Liam’s expression was even more disgusted, as if he hated my lack of ambition. He said unhappily: “Clara, you only have the twenty thousand dollars I gave you in your entire account.” “Are you really going to cut off your future livelihood just for appearances?” “If you truly hit rock bottom, don’t come begging me. It won’t do you any good!” I almost laughed out loud. My daily interest alone was over ten thousand dollars, more than his monthly salary. Why would I need to beg him? “Who says Clara can’t afford it? It’s just a hundred thousand dollars! We’ll buy it!” Daniel, standing beside me, bravely spoke up. As he spoke, he secretly slipped a card into my hand, his eyes signaling for me to use it. I knew that was Daniel’s entire savings from all these years. Now, he was willing to take it out just to help me save face. A surge of warmth flooded my heart. Actually, I had always known this man’s feelings for me. But at the time, my heart was set on Liam, so I never openly responded to him. At this moment, I truly felt like I had been blind all these years. To have fallen for a man like Liam. I gave Daniel a gentle smile. “It’s okay, I have money.” With that, I pulled out my own card and handed it to the sales assistant. “Card, please.” As the assistant took the card to process the payment, Brenda burst into laughter, clearly expecting a show. Liam frowned, looking at me with disappointment. Victoria, holding Leo, calmly watched me, as if observing a clown. Soon, the card machine beeped: “Transaction successful!” In an instant, everyone’s eyes focused on my face. Especially Liam. His eyes almost bulged, staring at me in disbelief. “Clara, where did you get that money?” Victoria raised an eyebrow, a knowing smirk on her face. “Oh, I get it. Clara, you’re so desperate to impress men that you’re willing to take out a high-interest loan just to show off?” “You really are something else!” She sneered, curling her lip. I couldn’t be bothered to explain to them. Just as I was about to leave, a store clerk suddenly pointed at me and exclaimed: “Oh! I remember now! This lady is the winner of the two hundred million dollar lottery prize yesterday!” “Two hundred million?!” Instantly, the entire store erupted, everyone staring at me and murmuring. Brenda paused, then scoffed, “Her? Impossible. Useless Clara wouldn’t have such good luck…” Before she finished speaking, Liam suddenly stared at his phone, his face pale, and interrupted with a trembling voice: “No!” “The news says the winner of two hundred million really is…” “Clara?!”

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Last life, my wife Jessica’s childhood friend Marcus and I both fell into a snake pit. Seeing my severe injuries, Jessica rescued me first. But by the time she went back for Marcus, he had already been bitten to death by venomous snakes. From that day on, my wife hated me to the core. A month later, I was chained in a basement, hundreds of venomous snakes crawling all over the floor. I screamed for help, but Jessica’s chilling voice echoed from outside the door: “You killed Marcus, Alex. Now, you’ll know what it feels like to be bitten to death by venomous snakes.” In the end, I was bitten by hundreds of snakes and devoured completely. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day of the accident. Sharp pains shot through my body. I slowly opened my eyes, finding myself at the bottom of a cliff in the forest. If not for the soft, muddy ground beneath me, I would have been shattered into a thousand pieces. I was a guide at Mount Rainier National Park. Last time, during a rescue mission, I sustained a severe back injury. The doctor ordered complete bed rest. I should have been recovering in the dorms, but my wife—Jessica, captain of the park’s search and rescue team—insisted I act as a private guide for her childhood friend, Marcus. I was furious. “My back isn’t healed yet, and you want me to take someone into the mountains now?” “Alex, I wouldn’t be asking if Marcus’s original guide hadn’t gotten injured and couldn’t go. The doctor said moderate walking would be good for you, and it’s just a regular trail anyway,” Jessica explained. I was livid. “No way,” I fumed. “Then we’re done! We’re getting a divorce!” she snarled. I had no choice but to compromise. In my previous life, I led Marcus along a designated safe trail in the park, but he snuck off into a restricted, wild area when I wasn’t looking. That place, I knew, was crawling with venomous insects, had treacherous terrain, and was full of hidden dangers. I couldn’t just abandon him, so I had to chase after him. We reached a broken cliff edge, and Marcus pointed down, claiming he saw someone at the bottom. As I leaned over to look, he shoved me violently, catching me off guard. “Die, Alex! Once you’re gone, Jessica and I can finally be together!” Thankfully, the cliff bottom was soft earth, and I survived. Enduring the agonizing pain, I groped around the ground, covered in rotten leaves, for a good half hour. Finally, I found my GoPro action camera. Last time, I was too focused on saving myself after waking up, and only realized I’d lost the camera after being rescued. Without the recording, Jessica refused to believe me, no matter how much I explained. I carefully checked the GoPro; it wasn’t damaged. I breathed a sigh of relief. It was a professional habit of mine to always record when providing one-on-one guide services, just in case any disputes arose. I was certain Marcus must have scouted this route with his previous guide before trying to ambush me in the wilderness. But he overestimated himself. Mount Rainier’s old-growth forest was a labyrinth. Even after many trips, it was easy to get lost, let alone without a guide. That’s why he ran into trouble. I quickly bandaged my injured leg at the bottom of the cliff and immediately started looking for a way out, relying on my memories from the last life. This time, I wanted nothing more to do with Jessica. I would never call her for help. Reaching the crooked tree I remembered, two paths lay before me. Last time, I’d chosen the left, gotten lost, and had no choice but to call Jessica. This time, I picked the correct path on the right. After about two miles, a sudden chill permeated the air ahead, followed by a layer of grayish-white mist rising from the ground. I quickly retreated. These were toxic fumes from the wilderness marshland, and inhaling too much could be fatal. I was forced back to the crooked tree. Checking the time, it was already past 3 PM. The mountains get dark early; it’s practically night by 5 PM. The forest at night is teeming with venomous creatures, wild animals, and the temperature plummets. Hypothermia would be deadly. Reluctantly, I had to take the same old path as last time. After walking for over an hour, the sky grew noticeably darker. I climbed a tall tree to search for a phone signal, my battery now at 2%. Luckily, just like in my previous life, I managed to connect with Jessica at the last moment. “Jess, I’m in trouble! I’m in the park’s southeast section, about six miles upstream from Mirror Lake. Get here fast!” I yelled frantically. “You, an experienced wilderness guide, can’t find your way out? You malicious jerk, taking Marcus into the restricted wilderness! Were you trying to kill him? Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. Stop pretending. I’ll deal with you when you get out. Right now, I’m going to save Marcus!”

With that, Jessica hung up. I froze. What just happened? Last time, she had definitely come to rescue me first. And she hadn’t said anything like that before. After a moment of stunned silence, it hit me. Jessica had also been reborn. This time, she chose to save Marcus first. I wanted to call the park’s emergency rescue center, but my phone had already died. A wave of dread washed over me. Strange, gnarled trees surrounded me, and rustling sounds came from the shadows. I couldn’t waste any more time; I had to get out. At this point, I was completely lost, but I pushed forward stubbornly. The pain in my injured leg had faded into numbness. As I walked, the sky completely darkened. I was utterly exhausted. The water and food in my backpack had been consumed by Marcus shortly after we entered the restricted area. I collapsed on the ground, gasping for air. The temperature dropped to below zero. Silver-green, eerie lights gleamed in the tree branches—the eyes of nocturnal birds, staring intently at me. In the distance, an unknown beast howled. Despair washed over me. I wondered if I would make it out alive. Just then, a few beams of flashlight pierced through the trees… It was the search and rescue team. “Alex? What are you still doing here?” The two team members who arrived were Ben and Rick, from my wife’s team. “Ben, Rick, thank goodness. Help me get out,” I said weakly. “But we have a mission. The captain ordered us to search for Marcus,” Ben said. “Are you just going to leave me to die?” I challenged. Just then, Ben’s satellite phone rang. It was Jessica. “Have you found Marcus?” “Captain, we haven’t found Marcus yet, but we found Alex. Should we bring him out first?” “Ignore him! He’s just trying to delay you, to stop you from saving Marcus. Let him fend for himself. You two, search downstream from Mirror Lake immediately!” Jessica’s voice was filled with urgency. “Ben, Rick, I really can’t go on. Can one of you take me out first, and the other continue searching for Marcus?” I pleaded. “Alex, rescue team regulations require us to operate in pairs. It’s too dangerous to go alone,” Ben explained. “We all know you and Marcus don’t get along, but this time you went too far. How could you take him into the restricted wilderness? You know better than anyone how dangerous it is there,” Rick said, defending Marcus. “Rick’s right, Alex. You really messed up this time. If something happens to Marcus, you’ll be legally responsible.” “Besides, how did you even get lost? You’re a guide here, you should know the terrain better than us.” I was a hiking guide for regular trails in the park, not a wilderness survival expert. “Alex, stop faking it.” “I’m not faking it! Can’t you see my leg is injured?” I pointed angrily at my blood-stained pant leg. Ben looked at my injury and said, “Alright, how about this? We’ll go search for Marcus first, and you wait for us here.” Wait? How long would I have to wait? If Marcus was bitten by a snake, they’d call for a helicopter extraction on the spot. Would they even remember to come back for me then? “Leave me some water, food, and a spare jacket. I’ll walk out myself.” It was better to rely on myself than to beg others. Self-rescue was better than waiting. After getting the supplies, they continued downstream towards Mirror Lake. I put on the thick jacket, drank some water, and ate an energy bar. I felt some of my strength return. Walking alone in the wilderness at night was too dangerous. I built a small bonfire and stayed on edge, not daring to sleep. Around 6 AM, faint morning light filtered through the trees, and I set out again. After a grueling six hours, I finally saw the park trail markers. The moment my guard dropped, the excruciating pain in my leg and extreme exhaustion hit me simultaneously. My vision went black, and I collapsed at the exit.

When I woke up, I found myself in the community hospital near the park. “Alex, want some water?” “Paul?” It was my colleague and good friend, Paul. He’d fortunately found me unconscious at the trail exit and brought me here. “How did you end up in the restricted wilderness?” Paul asked, puzzled. “It’s a long story.” Just then, Jessica’s voice echoed from the hallway: “Which room is he in?” Paul immediately went to the door. “Captain, Alex is in here.” The hospital room door was open. I looked at Jessica; her eyes were chillingly cold. “Captain, Marcus is in room 8.” “How’s his condition?” “Nothing serious, mainly hypothermia.” “Good.” Jessica turned directly and headed for room 8. Paul was utterly shocked. “Your wife… she’s not coming in to see you?” I offered a bitter smile, offering no explanation. The next day at noon, I saw Jessica walking down the hallway, carrying a takeout container. She didn’t even glance into my room, as if I didn’t exist. That insulated container was mine; I’d bought it. I used to often bring food to Jessica at the search and rescue station. Now, she was using my container to bring food to someone she cared about. The irony stung. Around ten at night, just as I was getting ready to rest, Marcus pushed open the door and walked in. “What do you want?” A malicious smirk played on his lips. “I never thought you’d be so tough, surviving a fall from that cliff.” “Are you going to turn yourself in to the police, or should I call them to arrest you?” “Hahaha, evidence? You’ve got nothing but words! Who’s going to believe you?” “The truth always comes out eventually.” “The truth? The truth now is that you, Alex, out of jealousy, tricked me into the restricted wilderness with ill intent. I barely escaped with my life.” “Oh, and by the way, aren’t you feeling pretty miserable and wronged right now? Jessica chose to save me first, not you,” he said smugly. After the torment of my previous life, my heart had already hardened towards Jessica. If not for the toxic fumes, I would never have called her for help. “Are you done? Get out if you are,” I said coldly. Just then, steady, hurried footsteps echoed from the hallway—I knew them too well. It was Jessica. Suddenly, Marcus raised his hand and slapped himself hard! Smack! After the crisp sound, he crumpled to the floor, looking at me with tear-filled eyes. “Alex, Jessica and I are just friends who grew up together; nothing has ever crossed the line! If you don’t believe me, fine, but how could you hit me?” The door to the private room was flung open. Jessica dropped the bag of takeout she was carrying and rushed over to help Marcus up, her face filled with concern. “Alex, you evil bastard! Marcus was right; you actually hit him? Don’t you know he’s just been through a dangerous ordeal and is still very weak?” “He’s weak after an ordeal, and I, after falling from a cliff, am perfectly fine, I suppose?” I retorted. “You brought it on yourself! If you hadn’t harbored malicious intent and lured Marcus into the restricted wilderness, none of this would have happened!” “You believe everything he says?” “Yes! Marcus never lies!” “Fine, fine, fine. I can’t be bothered to argue with you two. You two truly are a match made in heaven. Both of you, get out. I don’t want to see you,” I pointed to the door. “My face hurts so much…” Marcus clutched his cheek, tears streaming down, his voice brimming with false grievance. Jessica’s rage instantly reached its peak. She took a step forward and slapped me hard. The blow made my vision go black, and I stumbled, falling to the floor. The back of my head hit the sharp corner of the bedside table with a sickening thud. Excruciating pain exploded, and warm liquid immediately seeped from my hair. I instantly lost consciousness.

After I was moved from the emergency room, the doctor told Jessica, who had rushed over, that I had a moderate concussion, accompanied by a scalp laceration, and needed to be hospitalized for observation for potential complications like intracranial hemorrhage. “Just rest and recover. When you’re discharged, we’ll discuss our issues,” she said, her tone cold and business-like. “You still care if I live or die?” I laughed sarcastically. “At least legally, I’m still your wife,” she replied stiffly. Her words were deeply ironic. In my previous life, she had locked me in a snake-infested basement, despite my severe injuries, letting me be bitten to death and devoured. This time, she was talking about legal obligations. After she left, I immediately used the hospital phone to contact my lawyer. Reborn, I absolutely wanted no more ties with Jessica. After being discharged, I returned to our shared apartment, opened my laptop, and began drafting the divorce petition. Around ten at night, Jessica returned. “I have something to tell you.” We had both spoken at the same time. “You first,” I said. “Tomorrow, you’ll come with me to see Marcus. You will offer a sincere apology in person and ask for his forgiveness,” she commanded. I almost laughed out loud. “Are you insane? You want me to beg for his forgiveness?” “And why shouldn’t you? I’ve told you countless times, Marcus and I are just friends! I think of him as a younger brother! You’re just narrow-minded, with a dirty mind, always twisting our relationship with your sordid thoughts!” “Are you sure you only see him as a ‘younger brother’?” I took a step closer. “Which ‘younger brother’ calls you at midnight to ‘fix a lightbulb’ in his apartment? Which ‘younger brother’ curls up in your arms in a tight tank top and shorts, watching horror movies after he hears I’m away on business?” A flicker of shame, quickly replaced by anger, crossed her face at being exposed. “No matter how you try to twist it, you lured Marcus into the restricted wilderness this time and almost got him killed. That’s a fact! Don’t you owe him an apology?” She raised her voice, trying to overwhelm me with sheer volume. I was utterly enraged. I slammed the printed divorce papers onto the coffee table in front of her and roared, “Who was trying to kill whom?! See for yourself!”

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My boyfriend gave my $10,000 annual bonus to his childhood friend, Chloe. I stood alone on the rooftop, tears streaming down my face. Then I scrolled past an online challenge posted by his friend, Caleb Reed: 【New Year Breakup Challenge! First girl to break up before midnight wins $10,000!】 I stared at that post for a long, long time. After all, I was just $10,000 short of my Grandpa Leo’s medical expenses. After three minutes of intense debate, I messaged Caleb instantly: 【Hi, I’d like to sign up for the Breakup Challenge!】 Right after sending it, I felt a pang of regret. Caleb Reed was known for hating love-addicts more than anything. And I was infamous in their circle as the biggest love-addict, having simped for Liam for three years straight. Caleb had always been the coldest towards me. It was almost midnight now; what if the challenge was already over? To my surprise, he replied almost immediately. 【Send a picture to prove you’ve broken up.】 His tone was unmistakable, like a CEO giving orders to an employee. A shiver ran down my spine. Among all of Liam’s friends, Caleb was the only one who, despite his young age, had already taken over his family’s empire. I replied: 【Okay, please wait a moment.】 Then I instantly clicked open Liam’s chat and sent him a message: 【Let’s break up.】 Liam replied almost instantly: 【Aria, you’re breaking up with me just for a $10,000 prize?】 I didn’t dare make Caleb wait, so I quickly replied: 【No joke, I’m serious.】 After sending it, I took a screenshot and forwarded it to Caleb. Caleb messaged me first: 【Delete all contact info for your boyfriend. Block him, and you can get another $10,000.】 So, I didn’t even bother replying to Liam. I quickly deleted and blocked him. Then I sent the screen recording as proof to Caleb. The next second, my phone buzzed with a notification: $20,000 had landed in my bank account. I couldn’t believe it – this breakup challenge was actually real!

The next day, I didn’t go looking for Liam, but he came to me. He stared down at me, clearly annoyed: “Aria, you actually dared to block me?” I calmly explained: “We’ve already broken up.” He looked impatient: “Is a prize really enough to make you act like this?” I took a deep breath, enunciating each word: “Liam, that money was for Grandpa Leo’s surgery.” Liam froze mid-sentence. Immediately after, Chloe, his childhood friend, clutched his arm and frantically apologized to me: “I’m so sorry, Aria, I didn’t know it was that important! I’ll give you the money back, please don’t be mad at Liam, okay?” Liam snapped out of it, frowning: “You don’t need to apologize. I gave her the bonus, it’s hers.” He saw my silence and, for once, his tone softened towards me: “I messed up, but she needs the prize more than you. She needs it to prove herself to her family. I’ll cover your grandpa’s surgery.” I pressed my lips together, about to speak. But then I looked up and saw Caleb Reed standing not far behind Liam. He was watching me from across the crowd, his gaze chillingly indifferent. It was like he was daring me to say yes, ready to pounce if I did. Liam followed my gaze and then looked surprised: “Caleb, what are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be at the company today?” Seeing this, Caleb walked over, calmly explaining: “Day off.” Liam didn’t pay much attention. A few seconds later, he remembered something and casually asked: “Oh, by the way, that breakup challenge you posted last night was pretty fun. Did anyone actually participate?” Caleb’s eyes flickered to me. Then I heard him give a noncommittal “Yeah, someone did.” I glanced at Caleb. Since I’d already taken his money last night, I wouldn’t be getting back with Liam. So, I told Liam seriously: “I’ve already got the money for Grandpa Leo. And I wasn’t kidding about breaking up.” “Liam, let’s just end things here.”

After that, I didn’t see Liam again. My meetings with Caleb also became less frequent. Grandpa Leo recovered well after his surgery and was discharged soon after. Ending a relationship, I was still a bit unaccustomed to being single. So when Liam’s friend, Noah, asked me, “Want to give us a try?” I said yes. He was really good to me, sending flowers and gifts, and even found an excellent doctor for Grandpa Leo. It made me feel loved again. I decided to bake him a batch of my specialty cookies. But at the baseball field, I saw Liam and Noah together. Liam frowned, saying, “Cookies again? I’m so over them.” I reached out: “Give them back.” He looked annoyed: “Still mad?” Noah took the bag: “Liam, I forgot to mention, she’s my girlfriend now.” Liam froze, his lips tightening: “You’re that desperate you’re dating my ex?” Noah ignored him, turning to me with a smile: “I’ll take you to a new restaurant.” Liam looked at me again: “Aria, don’t you have any new tricks? Are you doing this just to piss me off?” Just as he finished speaking, I felt a gaze on me. It was Caleb. He was looking at me with a frown, like I was making a huge mistake. Noah stepped in front of me: “She made these for me, it has nothing to do with you.” He ruffled my hair: “Wait for me, I’ll change and then take you to dinner.” Liam scoffed and turned to the changing room as well. Only Caleb and I were left. I was still a little intimidated by him. I mumbled a quiet greeting and then looked down at my phone. But he didn’t leave. After a while, he walked up to me. “Aria.” I looked up. His tone was calm: “Noah is just like Liam, not a good guy.” I paused. But remembering Noah’s care for Grandpa Leo, I still managed a polite smile: “This time it’s different. He’s really good to me…” Caleb closed his eyes. A flicker of rare irritation crossed his face. Just then, Noah emerged. I quickly stood up. Before leaving, I whispered to Caleb: “We’re good now… but thank you for the warning anyway.” Caleb no longer looked at me, his voice returning to its usual flat tone: “Whatever.”

After that, Caleb really didn’t contact me again. Noah even planned to take me on a trip to Europe. We visited many cities and countries. He went along with everything I wanted, always following my suggestions. Until the third day in London. I found out he was cheating on me, too, through his phone. We had our first big fight. Afterward, he left me stranded on a strange London street. I squatted blankly on the street corner, lost in thought for a long time. I tried to stand up, but my legs were numb, and I accidentally knocked my calf against a nearby stone. I sniffled, then sat on the stone, waiting for the pain to subside, while texting Noah. I was halfway through typing when a shadow fell over me. I looked up. Caleb Reed, whom I hadn’t seen in ages, stood before me. He was looking down, his expression unreadable, at my chat screen. I froze for two seconds, remembering that he had warned me, and I hadn’t listened. I felt a wave of embarrassment and tried to hide my phone behind my back. He reached out his hand, his voice brooking no argument: “Give me your phone.” I felt a strange compulsion and handed it over obediently. His gaze swept over my half-written long message, then he deleted it all. His words to me were as concise as ever: “One hundred thousand. Break up and block him. I’ll take you back home.” As he spoke, he typed a new message for me: 【We’re done.】 The second before hitting send, he symbolically asked for my consent: “Okay?” I nodded faintly: “Okay.” So he sent the message, deleted, and blocked. After he finished, a brief silence fell. He made a phone call, seemingly arranging something. After hanging up, he explained to me calmly: “I have a meeting tomorrow; it won’t finish until the day after.” He paused, then asked: “Do you have somewhere to stay?” I shook my head. After being left on the street, I hadn’t even retrieved my luggage, let alone booked a new hotel. He said: “Then stay at my place for now. I’ll take you back home the day after tomorrow.” Then, he noticed the injury on my leg. “Wait here. I’ll go buy some medicine.” Ten minutes later, he returned. Caleb crouched in front of me, his hand easily steadying my ankle to prevent me from moving. With his other hand, he gently pressed a cotton swab onto my wound. Just as he finished applying the medicine, a voice suddenly came from behind us. Noah had returned, and his eyes held a hint of surprise: “Caleb, what are you doing here?” He said, his gaze falling on my leg, which Caleb was holding, and asked with a smile: “Why is your hand on my girlfriend’s leg?”

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It was our seventh wedding anniversary when my wife sent me 999 roses. The moment I was discharged from the emergency room, I called her, my voice flat, and told her I wanted a divorce. On the other end, her assistant was crying as he apologized: “Leo, it’s all my fault. Please don’t be angry with Sera.” Seraphina gently comforted him for a long time, then coldly told me, “Fine. Have it your way.” I didn’t see her again for half a month. “Make me some noodles.” Seraphina came home early that morning. Unlike usual, there was no breakfast on the table. She frowned automatically, barked a few orders, and headed to the bathroom. When she came out, steam curling around her, I was still staring blankly at the TV. She pulled several designer watches from her suitcase. “Look at these—do you like any?” They were all trending styles right now. She used to cater to my tastes when she was trying to win me over. Now these gifts were just her way of brushing me off. I didn’t bother looking. I picked up the remote, changed the channel, and asked: “When do you have time to finalize the divorce?” Seraphina was always busy; even our anniversary gift had been picked out by her assistant. When it came to scheduling, I always had to work around her. “Don’t be ridiculous. Adrian didn’t know you hate roses—I’ll tell him next time.” She poured herself a small glass of red wine, settled into the armchair across from me, a faint, unreadable smile playing on her lips. Adrian had been Seraphina’s childhood friend, always carrying a torch for her. The moment they graduated, he jumped at the chance to become her personal assistant. Their closeness was undeniable—they even shared hotel suites on business trips. Honestly, I didn’t blame Adrian. After all, it takes two to make a relationship work. If she hadn’t wanted it, no one could have come between us. I let out an exaggerated yawn, rubbing my tired eyes. After a long silence, Seraphina assumed the conversation was over. She asked about our seven-year-old daughter’s latest test scores. I shook my head. “I don’t know.” I wasn’t holding back information to spite Seraphina. I genuinely didn’t know. The Seraphina family valued elite education. From a young age, the children were taught by private tutors in their sprawling estate, their daily schedules packed tight. It was laughable, really. This child was my own flesh and blood, yet the time I could spend with her was pitifully scarce. I’d protested, I’d argued, but Sera’s family remained unmoved. In their eyes, my marriage to Seraphina was a rare stroke of luck—a connection I shouldn’t have pushed for. As for anything else, I shouldn’t demand more. Seraphina rubbed her temples, telling me to focus more on Daisy: “At this rate, Adrian will be more of a parent to her than you are.” I understood. Last Friday was the only day I was allowed to pick up Daisy from school. I arrived an hour early and waited until dark, until the school gates closed. Adrian was the one who finally called to tell me that Sera had sent him to pick Daisy up for dinner. On the phone, I heard Seraphina’s voice. She was laughing, asking Adrian if he wanted to stay for soup. I snapped back to reality, giving Seraphina a humorless smile. “Isn’t this exactly what you wanted? I’ll leave right now—clear the space for him.” I don’t know which word struck a nerve with Seraphina. She fell silent for a few seconds, her face darkening. “My patience is limited. Leo, cut the crap with this nonsense.” She stood up and had barely taken two steps when I said calmly: “Oh, I forgot to tell you. I’m severely allergic to roses.”

A month earlier. That night, she got Adrian’s call and rushed out to help him with some client emergency. Meanwhile, I was having a severe asthma attack from the roses, struggling to breathe, practically blacking out. I barely managed to drive myself to the ER. The doctors gave me emergency treatment and told me the severe allergic reaction had taken a significant toll on my health. When I learned the allergy attack had left me with lingering health issues, I actually felt a strange sense of relief. Lying alone on a bed in the emergency observation room, I decided it was time to end this marriage. In the living room, Seraphina stood with her back to me, clutching her wine glass, her knuckles white. She didn’t ask why I hadn’t called her. She knew perfectly well how many times I’d called her that deep into the night. But no one picked up. “Since it’s already happened, let’s just accept it. Some things just can’t be forced.” Seraphina walked to the study, closing the door with a practiced hand. In seven years of marriage and countless arguments, I was always the one to back down first. However, this time, Seraphina never heard that familiar, compromising knock on the door again. Half an hour later, she opened the door, searching the sprawling house, but couldn’t find me… I was Seraphina’s first love. Who would have thought that a bright, accomplished rich girl from an affluent family would fall for a “bad boy” who spent his days cruising on a motorcycle, seemingly going nowhere? Our first meeting wasn’t exactly a fairytale. I was just cruising down a dimly lit alley when I spotted a group of street punks cornering her—the perfect student. One of them actually dared to whistle at me. So I revved my motorcycle, charged in, and while putting those punks in their place, I unintentionally saved this utterly bewildered girl. From then on, Seraphina was everywhere I went. She’d follow me home from school, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake her. She sent me roses; I coldly threw them away. She brought me a homemade lunch box that looked ridiculously fancy and expensive. I turned around and handed it to a homeless guy on the street. My friends used to tease me, saying I had a persistent and well-off admirer. Anyone could see we were from different worlds. But it was her who, when my alcoholic father beat me so badly I was afraid to go home, dragged me out of my hiding place and into the ER. As the doctor treated my wounds, she stood with her back to me, her shoulders shaking slightly, constantly wiping her face. The doctor, a mix of exasperated and amused, asked her, “You’re not the one hurt, why are you crying?” She said she didn’t know, just felt a crushing weight in her chest, like she couldn’t breathe. She even innocently asked the doctor, “Is there something wrong with my heart?” Outside the clinic, Seraphina awkwardly handed me a glass of water. “I can’t stand feeling this miserable anymore, Leo. Promise me you won’t let yourself get hurt again.” I ate the ice cream I’d bought from the hospital convenience store, mumbled a vague assent, then looked up and glared at her: “So, are you going to be my girlfriend then?” That day, both our faces were flushed red, like we had fevers. I confided a secret to Seraphina. Every time my dad got drunk and went off the rails, a wilted rose would appear in the house the next day—his pathetic excuse for an apology. So I told her, if she ever wanted to break up, she didn’t need to say a word. Just give me a single rose. “Don’t be silly, we’ll always be together.” The eighteen-year-old girl hugged me tight, forbidding me from even uttering the word ‘goodbye’.”

To pull me away from the chaos my father created, Seraphina found a way to take us both abroad. Her family, furious and determined to split us up, cut off most of her funds. Back then, besides going to class, we both worked two part-time jobs every day. Those days were brutal; we were constantly hustling. Yet, even when brushing our teeth, we’d make silly faces, trying to make each other laugh. In that tiny apartment, we laughed and played, our eyes only for each other. If only the rest of our lives could have stayed like that… “Leo? Are you alright?” The doctor’s question snapped me back to reality. It was the third day since I’d moved out of that house, and my old insomnia had returned. I was picking up my prescription at the pharmacy counter when I ran into Adrian. “Leo, why are you here alone?” Adrian’s face wore a perfectly calibrated look of concern. When I didn’t reply, he softened his voice: “Sera told me about your allergy… Don’t worry too much, you’re still young—your body will recover.” “Don’t worry, there won’t be any more ‘afters’ for us.” Just as I finished speaking, Sera walked over, a dark expression on her face. She was holding a pain relief spray. I didn’t know why she was angry. Adrian, looking a bit embarrassed, explained that he’d twisted his ankle slightly walking downstairs. It was a minor injury, nothing that really warranted a hospital visit, but Sera insisted he get it checked out—‘delaying’ their important work. Seeing the bag of medicine in my hand, Seraphina couldn’t help but ask: “Are you feeling unwell?” Ignoring her, I took my medicine and turned to leave. She actually reached out and took my bag. “Since when did you need to take these?” “Leo, I’m talking to you. How long are you going to keep this up?” Seraphina clearly thought I’d just stormed out in a fit of pique—a pathetic attempt to get her attention. That’s why, even now, she never asked where I was living or what I’d been doing these past few days. She unconsciously raised her voice, drawing glances from people around us. A flicker of exhaustion crossed my eyes. I took my medicine back and said softly: “I’m not putting on an act.” Perhaps my tone was too calm, and Seraphina thought my attitude had softened. She offered to drive me home first, then Adrian back to his company. But I shook my head. “You go about your business. I’ll go home on my own.” Home, meaning my own place.

My alcoholic father died in a car crash, leaving me with a small settlement. And that old house I’d always yearned to escape? It was now my only refuge. Watching my solitary figure leave, Seraphina’s lips moved, as if she wanted to follow, but Adrian grabbed her arm. His face slightly pale, he told her he suddenly felt dizzy and unwell. Probably low blood sugar from skipping breakfast. Seraphina hesitated, then ultimately didn’t follow. She turned towards a nearby vending machine instead. The day my lawyer was drafting the divorce papers, I happened to get a call from Seraphina. Her voice had a hint of urgency: “Daisy’s sick. Can you come to the family estate before five?” Before I could ask for more details, she hung up. I folded the printed agreement, feeling a small weight lift from my chest. When I arrived at the Seraphina family estate, nearly everyone was there, gathered for a family dinner. Daisy was nestled between Sera and Adrian. To any outsider, they would have looked like the perfect family. I walked over to my daughter, whom I hadn’t seen in a while. I bent down, wanting to caress her face, and softly asked her what was wrong. The little girl had Sera’s eyes, her whole face echoing Sera’s features. But Daisy recoiled from my hand, watching me warily, then turned to Adrian. A sharp pang went through my heart. Adrian gently pulled Daisy closer, saying in a soft voice: “Daisy isn’t sick, Leo. Are you sure you’ve been getting enough rest? Maybe you got it wrong?” The moment Adrian finished speaking, the rest of Sera’s family looked at me with undisguised contempt. I knew they secretly despised me, especially Sera’s sister, Chloe. She always thought I wasn’t good enough for her sister. For Sera’s sake, I’d always tolerated their disdain. But this time, I wasn’t going to hold back. I asked Seraphina, “You called and said Daisy was sick, asking me to come. I rushed across half the city to get here, and your ‘good friend’ says I got it wrong. Who’s lying? Who has the real problem here?” My directness seemed to catch Adrian off guard—a flicker of panic crossed his eyes. He opened his mouth, trying to explain something. But I didn’t give him the chance. I lowered my gaze, warning him in a flat tone: “Adrian, if you want to fawn over her, that’s your business.” “But don’t use my daughter in your little games. Otherwise, don’t blame me for not holding back.” The blunt sarcasm instantly made Adrian’s eyes well up. Seraphina put down her fork, her gaze icy as she looked at me: “Leo, you’re just overthinking things. Daisy has had a cold for days—have you, as a father, shown any concern for her?” “And you said you’d be here by five, but you’ve kept everyone waiting so long. Since you have no sense of time, go eat by yourself at the restaurant next door!” In this house, it seemed no one could defy her. A flicker of smug satisfaction crossed Adrian’s eyes. He pursed his lips, putting on a show of wanting to speak, of being deeply concerned for me. Chloe, on the other hand, arched an eyebrow at me, her gaze full of undisguised contempt. Under everyone’s watchful eyes, I turned to Martha, the nanny, who was standing nearby. “Martha, if you ever have some free time, come over to my place. I’d love for you to try my cooking.” I didn’t want Martha to feel like not eating with them was something shameful. Done, I met Seraphina’s gaze and gave her a contemptuous smile: “You disgust me.” Seeing me turn to leave, Seraphina suddenly stood up and grabbed my wrist, anger etched on her brow: “Where are you going? Did I say you could leave?!” Her self-righteousness actually made me laugh. “It has nothing to do with you. Let go.” Receiving a look from Adrian, Chloe immediately sneered at me: “Leo, after all these years, you’re still the same pathetic loser—useless as dirt.” Hearing this, Seraphina actually turned and snapped at Chloe: “Shut up!” Taking advantage of her distraction, I forcefully pulled my hand free. A searing pain shot through my wrist, igniting years of suppressed fury. I coldly swept my gaze across the room, my eyes finally settling on Chloe’s face—which was still alight with superiority. “I’ll show you what truly ‘ill-mannered’ looks like.” I slowly walked over to Chloe, picked up the bowl of her favorite cream soup in front of her, and poured it straight over her head. It didn’t happen suddenly, yet it caught everyone completely off guard. In the Seraphina family, “the one” who always quietly endured and backed down was actually doing something like this. For a few seconds, the sprawling dining room was eerily silent. Until Chloe finally reacted, letting out an ear-splitting shriek. The others in the room seemed to wake from a dream, beginning to loudly accuse me and comfort Chloe. The lavish family dinner instantly turned into a chaotic market. Yet, inside, I felt a strange surge of exhilaration. This was real life, vibrant and alive. So much noise, so much drama.

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My wife, Chloe, was sprawled on the living room sofa, asking the man behind her to press harder on her back. The scene was more than intimate. I frowned. “Keep some distance. This is our home.” Chloe glanced back, her expression pure contempt. “God, you’re so immature. It’s sports therapy! We all used to do this on the team. It’s team bonding.” Team bonding. Sure. I didn’t argue. Instead, I looked down at my phone and texted my childhood friend, Alice. “Usual place tonight. New ergonomics study. Requires a partner. Very…hands-on.” Her reply came in seconds. “No problem.” If my wife wanted “therapy,” it was only fair that I got some professional consultation of my own. A true exchange of knowledge. Julian’s POV It was 2 AM, and the bedroom was empty. Chloe had posted online about a team seminar, saying she wouldn’t be home all night. I scrolled through my TikTok feed without expression. The algorithm knew me well. The third video showed Jax’s late-night training session. The background was dim. In it, Chloe was perched on Jax’s shoulders, her thighs clamped around his neck as he performed weighted squats, her body moving with his. Sweat dripped from her chin onto his bare collarbone. Their laughter was wild and unrestrained. The comments section was filled with praise. “Perfect synergy!” “Now that’s true sportsmanship!” I used to feel suffocated, driven to madness, seeing such physically intertwined scenes, demanding to know why she behaved that way. But now, watching the two figures on screen, I only felt like I was looking at two frozen cuts of pork rubbing against each other. I tapped ‘like’ and left a comment. “Excellent core stability. Consider adding resistance.” At eight in the morning, Chloe came home smelling of massage oil. She was wearing an oversized men’s training shirt, the collar gaping open-clearly with nothing underneath. “My clothes were soaked, so I borrowed Jax’s.” She explained it as if it were the most natural thing, then picked up my cup and took a sip. “The seminar was exhausting. Everyone was wiped out-too tired to even talk. Don’t overthink it.” Too tired to talk, but not too tired for weighted squats? I stared at the dark red mark on her neck. Chloe seemed to notice and tugged her collar higher. “Jax has strong hands. It’s just from the lactic acid release.” I didn’t call her out. I just nodded, my voice even. “Then his technique must be very professional.” Jax was the former captain of the sports team. After retiring, he’d opened the biggest combat gym in New York. He was Chloe’s idol, and the unofficial leader of their whole retired-athlete circle. Once, at a team dinner, I watched him reach right into her shirt to adjust her sports bra strap-in front of everyone. His reason was perfectly pure. “The strap’s sitting wrong. It’ll chafe your trapezius and kill your power output.” I slammed my hand on the table back then. But Chloe erupted in anger, smashing the wine glass in her hand. “Jax has been looking out for me for over a decade! He does that to protect my athletic career! Why are you so filthy-minded?” The teammates around us burst into laughter, their eyes full of mockery. “Are you crazy from all that studying? We athletes aren’t so formal.” “Exactly, if Jax hadn’t helped her loosen her muscles back then, she would have lost that gold medal long ago.” In that circle, they had their own closed-loop logic. If anyone questioned their physical contact, they would accuse them of desecrating the spirit of sportsmanship.

Julian’s POV At breakfast, I watched Chloe stuff an entire box of imported high-protein energy bars into her sports backpack. I’d bought them to keep my energy up during long work nights; she hadn’t asked. She hummed a tune, then casually tossed a bottle of men’s antiperspirant into her bag. It wasn’t the brand we kept at home; it was the cologne-scented one Jax frequently used in his videos. Bringing things from home out, and bringing outside scents in. Chloe leaned over and casually brushed my face. “Honey, the team’s busy these next few days. You’ll have to figure out dinner yourself.” I recoiled from her touch. “Busy with what? Busy with weighted squats?” Her face stiffened. “Who are you being sarcastic to? That was recovery training! Jax was just helping me get back in shape!” Then she forced a smile. “Oh, don’t be mad, sweetie. To make it up to you, I’ve got something planned for this weekend.” She pressed on my shoulder, her technique practiced. “Darling, how about we go night fishing at ‘Stillwater Lake’ this weekend? Haven’t you always wanted to go camping?” My eyes flickered. She always hated mosquito bites. “I’ve already borrowed all the gear from Jax, the most professional outdoor tent. I promise I’ll stay up with you all night this time.” She didn’t even know I had a full set of custom fishing gear, no need to borrow. Chloe finished speaking and rushed out the door. “I’m going to pick up the tent.” The moment the door closed, I felt a wave of absurdity. Using her lover’s tent to sleep with her own husband-was this a compensation, or a humiliation? I sat in the living room, looking at the custom fishing gear bag gathering dust in the corner. A cross hung on the bag, which she’d gotten for me during our first year of marriage. Back then, she’d said, “You go fishing, and I’ll read beside you.” Now, she didn’t even know where I fished, yet she wanted to take me to a campsite recommended by Jax. I picked up the cross and tossed it into the trash can. I pulled out my phone and sent a message to Alice. “There might be a show to watch this weekend.” It was Friday evening. I was packing when a video call came in from Mrs. Davis, Chloe’s mother. She had a booming voice. “Julian! I hear Chloe’s going fishing with you? See how much that girl cares! Taking time off her busy team schedule just for you.” I kept my face blank. “Yes. She borrowed Jax’s tent.” “Oh, how thoughtful of him! You two have a wonderful time!” Saturday afternoon. One hour past our agreed time. No call. No text. I sat on the sofa, watching the second hand tick. This kind of waiting was all too familiar. Finally, Chloe texted. “Something urgent came up with the team. We’ll do night fishing another time.” Hours later, I saw Jax’s Instagram update popped up. A ninephoto carousel, tagged at Stillwater Lake. In one corner of a photo, Jax sat smoking in my custom fishing chair. It was the one with my name engraved on it. My cherished rod lay beside his feet. I zoomed in with two fingers. Jax was barefoot, his feet resting on the chair’s leather armrest. I oiled that chair meticulously after every trip. Now it was caked in mud and reeked of foot odor. The caption read: “Good chair. Super comfy. Thanks, man.” At 2 AM, Chloe finally came home. She was carrying my fishing gear. The bag was spattered with mud.

Julian’s POV “Why was Jax sitting in my chair? Using my rod?” Chloe flinched for a moment, then retorted self-righteously. “Oh, Jax said he hasn’t used high-end gear like that before, so he wanted to test its performance first, in case you found it awkward to use.” “Testing the chair? Testing if it could hold two people?” “Can’t you keep your mouth clean?! He was helping you break in your equipment! Do you know how expensive Jax’s appearance fees are? You’re ungrateful for him testing it out for free!” When we first got married, she would ask before even using my cup to drink water. Now she shared my personal belongings with another man and acted like it was a favor. In her eyes, Jax’s use was a privilege, my discomfort was sacrilege. “It’s dirty. Just throw it away.” I turned and walked towards my study. There was a square indentation on the sofa in the study, as if someone had sat there heavily. The paperweight on the desk was askew. I remembered Chloe saying Jax had come over last time to help move things and had gone into the study. Even my last sanctuary was defiled. I put on medical latex gloves to pack my luggage, carefully wiping every item I intended to take with alcohol spray. Chloe leaned against the doorframe. “Why are you acting like you’re defusing a bomb? Where are you going?” “My father needs surgery; I’m heading back to Manhattan for a bit.” “Oh? Is it serious?” She made a pretense of concern. “Do you want me to ask the team doctor to take a look? Or should I have Jax drive you?” “No thanks. Jax’s car has stiff suspension; it’s not suitable for passengers. It’s more suited for transporting livestock.” Chloe muttered. “Fine, don’t go then. Why say such disgusting things?” She turned and went back to the bedroom to catch up on sleep, not at all concerned about my father’s condition, only worried about not having breakfast made for her. My ride-share arrived. I stood by the curb with my suitcase, glancing back at our apartment window. The curtains were drawn, like a sealed-off burrow. The car started, and New York City’s iconic sports stadium flashed past the window. I thought I came to build civilization, but I almost became an animal myself. I pulled down the sunshade and put on my noise-canceling headphones. Manhattan City, hospital. My father was reading, and my mother was peeling an apple. No sweat, no crude jokes, just the smell of disinfectant and books. In the hallway, I ran into one of Jax’s distant relatives. “Well, well, not in New York with your wife? I saw Jax’s Ins; Chloe’s been training hard lately, staying at the club until midnight every day.” “Is that so? Good for her.” “Jax really has pull. Chloe doesn’t listen to anyone but him.” My phone vibrated. It was a voice message from Chloe. The background was noisy, filled with clinking glasses. “Drink! Drink more!” She didn’t ask if my father’s surgery was successful. Instead, she asked when I’d be back, because she hadn’t had breakfast for days.

Julian’s POV A few days later, my father’s condition was stable, and I had to return to New York to gather evidence for a divorce. The moment I landed and turned on my phone, Chloe’s message popped up. “Honey, Jax and I are here to pick you up! Surprise!” Before, she’d brought people to hold up banners, humiliating me. This time, it was likely another one of Jax’s stunts. I adjusted my suit and tie, taking a deep breath. A giant, mud-splattered modified SUV pulled up to the curb. Jax, in a tight-fitting tank top, his tattooed arms exposed, held the steering wheel with one hand. Chloe sat in the passenger seat, waving, her seat reclined low, almost lying down. “Just toss the suitcase in the back. Don’t scratch the leather in the back seat.” Jax shouted. I opened the passenger door, but Chloe didn’t move. “You sit in the back. The view’s better up front, and I’m helping Jax watch the road.” I opened the back door, but couldn’t bring myself to sit. A suffocating wave of heat and foot odor hit me. The back seat was piled with scattered protective gear, empty Red Bull cans, and a sweaty sock. Was this meant for people? I cleared a spot to sit, my fingers brushing against the sticky trash. It was disgusting. Jax looked at me in the rearview mirror. “Sorry, car’s a bit messy. We athletes aren’t as particular as you bookworms.” Jax connected to the car’s Bluetooth and dialed a group video call. Several large faces appeared on the screen. “Jax! Did you pick up Chloe’s cultured husband?” “Got him! Professor Julian’s squished in the back seat!” Chloe leaned in. “Oh, stop teasing, guys. My husband’s tired.” The group on screen openly commented and ridiculed. “Tsk, low blood sugar. Chloe, get me an energy gel.” Chloe skillfully tore open a viscous sports energy gel packet and directly offered it to Jax’s mouth. Her fingers brushed Jax’s lips. Jax sucked on the gel packet, looking at me provocatively through the rearview mirror. “Thanks. Chloe’s feeding makes this stuff taste even sweeter.” Chloe casually pulled out a tissue and wiped the gel that had spilled from his mouth. She didn’t throw the tissue away. Instead, she naturally tucked it into the side pocket of Jax’s pants, on his outer thigh. Jax’s thigh muscle tensed for a moment, then relaxed. As the car passed the university hospital intersection, I asked him to stop. Jax scoffed. “What? Can’t handle the SUV? Getting car sick?” “To pick up my attending physician.” Jax didn’t slow down. He stomped on the gas, and the car jerked forward violently. My head slammed against the window. Chloe laughed. “Oh, Jax, slow down! Don’t shake the professor to pieces.” I touched the swelling lump on my forehead, my voice calm. “Pull over. Now. Or I’m calling the cops for an illegal ride.” Jax swore under his breath, yanked the wheel, and stomped on the brake.

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My roommate ordered a box of highly venomous snakes online, claiming they were medicinal eels for an experiment, and stored them in my wardrobe. That weekend, I went home. The snakes escaped. Three people got bitten. One lost a limb. I was about to tell the police the truth when my roommate turned and pinned it all on me. “I bought those eels for virility research. They are crucial for my future Nobel Prize. You must have swapped them with snakes out of jealousy.” I was expelled. My parents sold our house to pay the victims’ medical bills. Driven to depression by cyberbullying, I jumped from a building and died on impact. I was reborn, back to the moment the package arrived at our dorm.This time, I shoved the box deep into her bedding. “Why don’t you test it yourself? Let’s see whether the venom or the virility is more…potent.” I stared at the words “Live Seafood Eels” printed on the delivery slip. My blood ran cold. The agony of my past death, the cyberbullying and the jump, flooded back and seared every nerve. The last sound I remembered was the sickening crack of my skull hitting concrete. “Hey, you gonna sign or what?” The delivery driver’s impatient shout ripped me from the memory. I snapped back to the present. My eyes locked on the sender information. Sender: Chloe Reed. Special Instructions: Handle with care. Live animals. I forced my hand to stop trembling and signed the name that had once destroyed my family. She had done this before, in that other life. She said she’d bought eels for an experiment, and her wardrobe was full, so she needed to put them in mine for a bit. I was a pushover, and I believed her. That weekend, when I was home, those “eels” broke through the foam box. They weren’t eels at all. They were highly venomous cobras and kraits. Three visiting girls were bitten. One lost a limb and the other two sustained permanent kidney damage. But Chloe hid behind the scenes, completely absolving herself. She cried to the police, “I bought eels! Maya must have been jealous of me and swapped my eels with poisonous snakes to get back at everyone!” Her parents made a huge scene, pinning all the blame on me. My parents, desperate to protect me, sold our only house for compensation, only to face endless abuse afterward. I tried to explain, but no one believed me. Because at school, I was just a quiet, almost invisible bookworm, while Chloe was the beautiful gymnastics team captain. Just then, my phone vibrated. Chloe sent a voice message. “Maya, help me keep them safe, okay? These are very delicate little eels, don’t let them get cold.” I sneered and replied, “Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of them for you.” Chloe didn’t reply again. She was probably busy on a date with her rich boyfriend. This time, I didn’t lock the box in my wardrobe as I had in my past life. Instead, I went straight to Chloe’s bed and lifted her duvet. I slid the foam box inside. To a casual glance, it would look like nothing more than a pillow or a pile of unfolded pajamas. A faint rustling came from inside the box. It was the restless stirring of coldblooded creatures sensing warmth. The venomous snakes, on the verge of hibernation, were slowly being roused to activity. After doing all that, I returned to my desk and put on my noise-canceling headphones. Inside the box, the snakes were slowly stretching, flicking their tongues. Waiting for their owner.

At 3 PM, the roar of a sports car echoed from downstairs. Chloe, impeccably made up, walked into the dorm, arm-in-arm with her new wealthy boyfriend. The first thing she did wasn’t to check on her package. Instead, she tossed the designer bag her boyfriend bought her onto the desk, her eyes filled with disdain for poor students like me. “Liam bought me another pile of bags. I’m exhausted. Maya, are you still reading? Haven’t you gotten a boyfriend yet?” She touched up her makeup, deliberately raising her voice. “Where are the eels I asked you to keep for me? Those are important biological experiment samples.” I closed my book and pointed toward her bed. “Didn’t you say they needed constant temperature? Your bed is the warmest spot in the room, so I put them in your duvet.” Chloe’s face fell. A sharp shriek tore through the air. “Are you out of your mind?! That’s brandnew silk! If you stain it, you could never afford to replace it!” She rushed over, ready to rip the duvet off the bed. Her hand froze in midair. It seemed she had suddenly remembered what was inside the box: poisonous snakes. She glanced back at her boyfriend, then at me, her eyes darting nervously. Her boyfriend curiously leaned closer. “Chloe, what kind of eels are so precious? Let me see them? Wouldn’t want them to die.” Saying this, he reached out to lift the duvet. Chloe’s face went pale with fright, and she quickly blocked the bed. “Oh, come on! They’re just experiment samples, they’re gross, don’t look!” Her panicked appearance made it obvious to anyone with eyes that something was wrong. I seized the moment to twist the knife. “Chloe, didn’t you ask Professor Evans for leave, saying you didn’t want to attend next month’s biology lab? Why are you suddenly buying experiment samples?” Chloe glared at me fiercely. “I suddenly changed my mind. What’s it to you?” Her boyfriend looked a bit confused but didn’t press the issue. “Okay, then hurry up and take them out before you really mess up the bed.” Chloe had no choice but to brace herself and reach for them. She cautiously extended her hand into the duvet. I retreated a few steps, putting as much distance as possible between myself and her bed. By now, those snakes must have all woken up. She plopped down on the bed, right next to the foam box. She tried to block her boyfriend’s view with her body, hoping to secretly move the box out. “Ah!” She suddenly sprang up, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. Her face was ghost-white, and she clutched her butt. “What’s wrong?” Her boyfriend jumped in surprise. Chloe forced a smile, cold sweat beading on her forehead. “N-nothing, just a static shock.” But I saw it clearly. She had just sat directly on the foam box. My heart pounded. The foam box was probably already ripped open. Beneath the duvet, the snakes had clearly crawled out of the box. From a distance, I saw ripples moving across the duvet. Chloe’s body was rigid, both her legs trembling. Yet, she dared not move, nor dared to scream. Because once she threw back the duvet, her lie, and the truth about her buying poisonous snakes, would be exposed to her boyfriend. A superficial girl like her feared nothing more than losing face in front of her rich boyfriend. Even if it meant risking her life.

Chloe found an excuse to send her boyfriend away. The moment the dorm door closed, her face changed instantly. The delicate demeanor was gone, replaced by a vicious snarl. “Maya, are you doing this on purpose? Are you trying to kill me?” She roared in a low voice, but dared not approach the bed by even half a step. I innocently spread my hands. “I didn’t expect you to sit right on it.” Chloe’s chest heaved with rage. She stared intently at the pink duvet, wanting to take the box out. But her hand reached out a few times, then recoiled in fear. Just then, a few girls from the next dorm dropped by. “Chloe, we heard your boyfriend bought you a new bag? Let’s see it!” Chloe’s eyes swept the room. Then, without warning, she burst into tears. “Waaah…my necklace! My Tiffany necklace is missing!” Her abrupt wailing made the other girls jump. “What happened? Where did you lose it?” Chloe pointed at me, crying dramatically, tears streaming down her face. “It was right here in the dorm! Maya was the only one here just now!” “Maya, I know you’re jealous I got a scholarship, and you’re jealous I have a boyfriend.” “But you can’t steal my necklace! That was my birthday gift from my boyfriend!” The unsuspecting classmates gathered around. Everyone knew Chloe lived a lavish lifestyle, and they all assumed I was a poor student. So, under Chloe’s manipulation, the girls quickly believed her lies. “Maya, if you took it, just hand it over. We’re all classmates here.” “Exactly, how can you be a thief?” Seeing public opinion shift in her favor, Chloe became even more agitated. “Everyone, judge for yourselves! She messed up my bed and rummaged through my stuff!” “I saw her going through my duvet the moment I walked in!” She wanted to use public opinion to force me out of the dorm. Once she got me out and sent everyone else away, she’d have a chance to dispose of that nest of snakes. Unfortunately, in this life, I wouldn’t be her scapegoat again. I sneered, pulling out my phone. “Since you say I stole something, let’s call the police. And while we’re at it, let’s start a live stream so the whole school can see who the real thief is.” I expertly opened TikTok Live, the hottest live-streaming app. I’d already thought of a title: “Roommate lost her necklace, insists on searching me.” In my past life, she used online public opinion to drive me to my death. In this life, I would make her taste what it felt like to be scrutinized by the entire internet. The moment I went live, the sensational title and local push notifications sent the viewership soaring. Thousands of people tuned in. Chloe hadn’t expected me to be so bold; her face stiffened. “You… what are you doing! That’s privacy invasion!” I aimed the camera at myself, then swept it across the other classmates. “Everyone, Chloe here says I stole her necklace, and now I’m going to prove my innocence.” “In front of the entire internet, you can search me, or my closet, whatever you want.” This move turned the tables, forcing Chloe to continue her act. “Search then! It’s definitely hidden in your closet!” She pointed at my wardrobe, trying to divert everyone’s attention from her bed. I stepped aside generously. “You can search me! But if you don’t find anything, I want you to strip down and search your entire body!” Chloe’s face instantly went pale. Because she was closest to the bed. Amidst the noisy argument, she clearly heard the “hissing” sound coming from under the duvet. It was the prelude to an enraged cobra.

Someone called Professor Evans, who rushed over. The small dorm room was instantly packed with people. The live stream viewership had already surpassed ten thousand. After all, a “dorm room thief” drama never lacked an audience. Chloe looked at Professor Evans, who she usually got along with, as if she’d found a lifeline. After all, Professor Evans had a history of accepting expensive gifts from her. Chloe immediately rushed over, sobbing. “Professor Evans! Maya stole my things and is live-streaming, invading my privacy! Make her turn it off!” Professor Evans frowned upon entering and sternly ordered me. “Maya, turn off your phone! What can’t classmates solve privately? Causing a scene online is inappropriate!” In my past life, I would have cowered and meekly complied. Then they would have bullied me behind closed doors. But now, I had nothing left to lose. I took a step back and raised my phone high. The camera was pointed directly at Professor Evans’s face. “Professor Evans, Chloe just falsely accused me of stealing in front of dozens of people. If I turn off the live stream now, it will look like I am guilty. I need to prove my innocence and defend my reputation in front of everyone watching.” The comments section exploded. “This is so unfair! Why is he demanding she turn off the stream right now?” “Don’t turn it off! We’re your witnesses!” Seeing my unyielding stance, Professor Evans couldn’t openly snatch my phone. She could only say with a dark expression, “Fine, then search! If nothing’s found, I’d like to see how you’ll explain yourself!” “Search!” I pointed at my closet. “Search anywhere.” Professor Evans and the students rummaged through my closet. Apart from a few textbooks and some cheap clothes, they found nothing. The comments started to shift. “Is that Chloe girl delusional?” “Being poor means you steal? What kind of logic is that?” “Her closet is so clean, Maya looks like a tidy girl.” I tidied up my disheveled clothes and slowly approached Chloe. “My innocence is clear. Now, let’s check your bed. Maybe your necklace got caught in your duvet. You have been sitting there since you walked in.” Chloe threw herself in front of her bed, guarding it. Cold sweat had pasted her styled bangs to her forehead, leaving her looking utterly ruined. “No! That’s my privacy! You can’t touch it! My underwear is on my bed!” It was a pathetic excuse. I sneered. We were all women. What was the big deal about a pair of underwear? Professor Evans had lost all patience. She snapped. “What privacy? You didn’t care about privacy when we searched Maya! Hurry up. I have work to do.” She shoved Chloe aside. “Get out of the way!” Chloe stumbled and fell to the floor, her eyes wide with raw despair. Professor Evans grabbed a fistful of the duvet and yanked it back in one violent motion. “Ah!!!” A sharp scream tore through the room

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In my past life, Chloe Henderson’s boyfriend, Liam Hayes, was developing an electric vehicle when the battery exploded, sending Henderson Motors to the brink of bankruptcy overnight. Without hesitation, I married Chloe and took over the mess Liam left behind. I poured my heart and soul into turning things around, developing a new generation of smart EVs that pulled the nearly bankrupt Henderson Motors back to the industry’s peak. But on the day the company went public, Chloe publicly accused me of murdering Liam and stealing his technological breakthroughs during the bell-ringing ceremony. Chloe herself had me thrown in jail, where she watched me be tortured to death. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day Chloe’s grandfather, Mr. Henderson, was deciding who would lead the new vehicle project. He frowned deeply, speaking awkwardly. “Ryan, you and Liam are both incredibly talented, but there can only be one lead for the new project.” I bowed slightly and declined. “I’m afraid my skills aren’t quite up to such a big role. Let Liam take charge.”

Mr. Henderson’s face showed urgency, and his voice rose. “Ryan, do you even know what you’re saying?” I stood up, my gaze meeting Chloe’s calmly. “Chloe, I’m sure you agree with my decision too, right?” Her eyes turned icy when she realized how perceptive I was. “At least you know your place!” In terms of both technical expertise and experience, I was far more suited for the position than Liam. Before today, everyone had assumed I would lead this project, and my engagement to Chloe would naturally follow. But in this life, Chloe’s cold gaze fixed on me. I understood instantly. She’d come back too. If you’re that desperate to save your boyfriend, then I won’t stand in your way. Chloe said nothing and quickly left the conference room. I knew where she was going. At this very moment, Liam was testing a battery solution—and that explosion would kill him. There was still time to fix everything. I stayed put, a cold emptiness spreading through my chest. Ten years of marriage in my past life couldn’t compare to her favoritism for Liam. “Ryan, do you have any idea what you’re saying?!” Mr. Henderson looked at me with deep disappointment. This old man, who had personally taught me mechanical engineering, was now utterly bewildered by my actions. I spoke with indifference. “Chloe actually prefers Liam, so I think I should step aside and let them be together.” Mr. Henderson sighed. Remembering Chloe’s resolute departure just moments ago, he couldn’t bring himself to scold me.

I quietly returned to my room, packing only a few changes of clothes and an external hard drive containing the project’s core files. The next morning, an internal email announced the new personnel appointment. Liam Hayes was named Head of the Velocity Project, accompanied by a photo of him looking radiant and confident. I placed the hard drive in my backpack, my face expressionless. Just before noon, loud shouting erupted from the office downstairs. Standing at the end of the hallway, I heard Liam’s furious roar. “Chloe! You promised me! The second I became project lead, you’d hand the German partnership over to me! Why is Ryan’s name still attached to it?!” Chloe spoke helplessly. “Liam, Ryan handled all the initial technical discussions for that partnership. If we switch now, the Germans will have serious concerns!” “I don’t care!” Liam snapped, clearly displeased. “I’m the future of Henderson Motors! Chloe, are you really going to trust an outsider over me?!” The partnership with the German company was crucial for Henderson Motors to acquire the latest generation of Battery Management Systems. In my past life, I secured this partnership, and my optimizations based on it were what made Henderson’s new car an instant success. Chloe knew this full well. A few minutes later, my phone rang. It was Mr. Henderson. He sat in his office, his face etched with weariness. “Ryan, about this… I’m truly sorry.” It dawned on me then: Chloe had still managed to get Liam the lead position on the German partnership. I spoke calmly. “Mr. Henderson, you don’t need to say anything. I understand.” Mr. Henderson looked up at me, his eyes filled with complex emotions. He had always treated me like his own grandson. But faced with his granddaughter’s demands on one side and his chosen successor on the other, he had ultimately given in to Chloe. From my backpack, I pulled out the hard drive containing my life’s work and placed it before him. “This hard drive has all the data and technical solutions for the Velocity project, including all the documentation for the German partnership.” Every file on this drive was the culmination of countless days and nights of my effort. Watching my composed face, Mr. Henderson’s lips moved, but he couldn’t utter a single word. I stood up and bowed deeply to him. “Mr. Henderson, I’ll never forget your guidance these past years.” Just then, Chloe and Liam pushed the door open and walked in. “Did he agree?” Chloe didn’t even glance at me, asking Mr. Henderson directly. He nodded, and Liam immediately reached out to grab the hard drive. But I spoke up suddenly. “Wait.” Liam instantly glared at me, his eyes wary. “Ryan, what now? What do you want?” I shook my head and pulled a document from my pocket. “This is the most critical Battery Safety Agreement for the German partnership. I just finalized it yesterday and haven’t uploaded it to the hard drive yet.” Liam took the document. His face changed as he looked at the stringent terms and data. “These standards are extremely high. If even one item isn’t met, the Germans will revoke their technical authorization, and the tens of millions we’ve invested will all go down the drain.” My tone was flat. “With your proposed solution, meeting these standards shouldn’t be an issue, right?” Liam’s face flushed red, but he still stubbornly scoffed. “Don’t be so dramatic! It’s just a safety protocol. I can handle it in minutes.” I didn’t say anything more. Liam’s approach—sacrificing safety for performance—was nothing short of a ticking time bomb.

Chloe spoke coldly. “You can leave now.” “From today on, Henderson Motors and you, Ryan Sterling, are finished. We have no further connection.” Just as I was about to leave, Liam called out to me. “Wait. Since Ryan isn’t the project head anymore, he’s not exactly family, right? By rights, everything he’s currently using belongs to the Hendersons. Shouldn’t he leave it all behind before he goes? Chloe, don’t you agree?” I turned, ignoring Liam’s smug face, my gaze fixed only on Chloe. “Is this what you want?” She stood there, her eyes flickering with a hint of evasion. But in the end, she silently agreed. Hearing this, Mr. Henderson was so furious he smashed the teacup next to him on the floor. “You absolute brats! Ryan’s been with the Hendersons for eight years—he’s family! How dare you treat him like this?!” “Grandpa!” Chloe finally spoke, but it was to defend Liam. “Liam’s right. If he’s leaving, we should settle everything now to avoid future complications.” I looked at her and suddenly smiled. “Mr. Henderson, if this is Chloe’s decision, then I’ll respect it. But if we’re settling accounts, then I need to do my own math. I joined the Hendersons when I was twenty, learning from you, and it’s been eight years to this day.” Liam scoffed disdainfully. “So you’re trying to win sympathy with that?” I glanced at him, then continued. “In my second year with the company, I streamlined the production line process, saving the corporation over three million dollars annually.” “In my fourth year, my chassis tuning solution helped Henderson Motors secure the largest municipal procurement contract that year.” “In my sixth year, to solve the motor overheating issue…” I listed them, one by one, detail by detail. With each point I made, Chloe’s face grew a shade paler. “All of this added up. In those eight years, the profits I generated for Henderson Motors far exceeded everything the Hendersons ever gave me.” Chloe’s lips were tightly pressed together. She, of course, knew the weight of these accomplishments. In my past life, it was these very foundations that allowed Henderson Motors to revive from the brink of collapse under my leadership. “The Hendersons supported me for eight years, and I worked myself to the bone for Henderson Motors for eight years. My efforts are enough to repay Mr. Henderson’s mentorship. From now on, we owe each other nothing.” Liam, however, let out a sarcastic laugh. “Easy for you to say. The car you drive, the house you live in—which of those truly belongs to you?” He stepped forward, pointing at the car keys in my pocket. “That Mercedes, that’s Chloe’s, right?” Then he pointed at the watch on my wrist. “That Vacheron Constantin, must be close to a million, right? How could a broke kid like you afford that?” Finally, he pointed at the documents on the desk. “And that Grand View apartment in your name—Mr. Henderson gave you that too, didn’t he? Seriously, what here *isn’t* from the Hendersons?” I let him mock me, my gaze never leaving Chloe. But she remained silent. “Chloe.” I couldn’t help but ask her. “That year on my birthday, the promise you whispered in my ear—have you forgotten it?”

Finally, she ground out two words. “Forgot.” I had thought that after coming back to this life, my heart was already dead. But at this moment, those two words still stabbed me painfully. I forcibly suppressed the dull ache in my chest and began to unfasten the watch on my wrist. Mr. Henderson suddenly stood up. “Ryan! Don’t do this!” “Mr. Henderson.” I cut him off, placing the watch on the table. “Rules are rules.” Car keys, apartment keys—I pulled them out one by one, placing them next to the watch. Finally, I took off my expensive suit jacket, folded it neatly, and laid it on the table. I was left in just a thin white shirt. Liam’s face wore a look of vindictive pleasure. Chloe finally couldn’t hold back and called out to me. “Stop! That’s enough!” I looked at her calmly. “From now on, I am just me. I, Ryan Sterling, am no longer an employee of Henderson Motors, nor am I Chloe Henderson’s fiancé. We are nothing to each other anymore.” I shouldered my backpack and walked out of the office. The hallway was packed with employees eager for drama. On the company’s internal message board, the news of my dismissal was already pinned at the top. My colleagues’ pointing and whispering glances stabbed me like needles. “Look, that’s him! The freeloader finally got kicked out!” “He actually thought Chloe would keep him. Look at where he came from!” “Without Henderson Motors, he’s nothing!” I dragged my heavy feet, walking step by step through the crowd. Just as I exited the corporation’s main gates, a black Rolls-Royce pulled up in front of me. The window rolled down, revealing the serious face of a middle-aged man. “Mr. Sterling? We’re from the Federal Automotive Technology Institute. Our director would like to speak with you.”

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After bankruptcy, to care for my disabled husband and a son with aphasia. I turned down an offer from a top research institute abroad, and for three years, I cleaned fish at the market. On New Year’s Eve, a customer dumped a whole basin of fish guts on my head. “Daddy, this is your ninety-ninth test for Mom. She always smells so gross, and even if she passes all your hundred tests, I still don’t want her. I only want Serena to be my mom.” Leo’s childish voice echoed from inside the house. Marcus immediately transferred fifty thousand to his childhood sweetheart. “Serena, it’s New Year’s Day. Leo wants your cooking again.” In the kitchen, my face was expressionless as I brutally smacked the struggling fish on the cutting board. It was as if that fish was Marcus, pleading for my help all those years ago. “You guys just sell dead fish! This pufferfish isn’t even cleaned properly. Are you trying to poison our whole family on New Year’s?” Animal guts mixed with bloody water rained down on me from above. I shivered uncontrollably, nearly retching. Yet, all I could do was force a smile, seeing off the fifth troublesome customer this month. “Stella Hayes, aren’t you coming home for New Year’s? Leo’s hungry and waiting for you to cook.” Marcus rarely messaged me, busy as I was outside for 365 days a year. Thrilled, I threw on a thin sweater and rushed home through the snow. When the customer blocked me at the door, my body was cold, but my heart was colder. My own son’s tender voice still echoed in my ears. Serena Miller was the girl Marcus knew from the orphanage. She was also the psychologist I’d paid a fortune to hire to treat Leo’s aphasia. When did she start playing the role of ‘Mom’ in my son’s mind? I swallowed the ache in my chest and pushed open the door to our shabby home. Marcus, with his bad leg, was drawing with Leo. His expression flickered when he saw how disheveled I was. The next second, Leo shrank into his arms, burying his face, afraid to look at me. “Stella Hayes, how did you get yourself into this state outside?” “Leo’s already scared of you and won’t talk to you. You should learn how to be a good mother.” “At least be like Serena.” Marcus, who had seemed hesitant, frowned and questioned me, then took Leo to the small room. He didn’t spare me another glance, nor did he fuss over me like he used to, asking if I was warm or comfortable. He completely ignored my purple, frozen skin and my filthy clothes. They say love changes, especially for couples facing hardship. But I always believed Marcus’s vows. Whether I was a wealthy heiress or a stay-at-home mom, he would love me just as he did when we were young. After bankruptcy, I’d often anxiously cling to Marcus, asking if he still loved me. Marcus went from firm promises to evasive silence. “You don’t need to cook. Serena’s coming over to celebrate with us, and she wants to try her hand at cooking.” “Deep clean the place. Serena can’t stand the smell of fish.” Marcus closed the door, leaving only a few light words that felt like cold thorns piercing my heart. His latest model phone, left on the sofa, suddenly lit up. Marcus never allowed me to check his phone. An inexplicable urge made me pick it up. What greeted my eyes was a picture of me, red-eyed and covered in blood, standing at our doorstep. [Mr. Thorne, what do you think of how I handled things? Please keep me in mind for next time.] [Wives who aren’t obedient need to be taught a lesson.] Scrolling up, the chat history revealed all the photos of my humiliation over the past three years. It even included that time at the lakefront, when Marcus took Leo straight to Serena, leaving me to walk back to the hotel alone, almost getting assaulted by a homeless man. Those photos were there too. The soul-crushing messages were interspersed with large bank transfers. As our household funds dwindled, sometimes we couldn’t even afford my mother’s medical bills. Where did Marcus get all this money? I stared at my wretched reflection on the phone screen, my fingertips white from clenching. I remembered Marcus’s furious outburst at the police station afterward, fighting until he bled for me. My heavy heart felt sliced in two, brutally exposing my pain. This was Marcus’s “hundred tests.” My breathing hitched. Through tear-filled eyes, I saw the latest message, from Serena. [Marcus, I loved the tricks you pulled in Stella’s bed last time. Today, I have a special surprise for you.] Marcus, the man I’d loved for five years, was cheating on me.

When Serena arrived, Marcus and Leo were already waiting at the door. In the past, by the time I finished work and came home, it was always past midnight. To avoid disturbing Leo, Marcus had suggested we sleep in separate rooms. For three years, I could only secretly watch them sleep in the dead of night to ease my endless exhaustion. I had never witnessed such a heartwarming scene. Serena wore designer clothes, her jewelry making her appear even more gentle and radiant. She looked like someone who had blossomed in the nourishment of money and love. She was a completely different person from the timid Serena I first met, who used to do odd jobs for a cleaning company. Marcus smoothly took Serena’s coat, and Leo, his eyes full of joy, hugged Serena, calling her intimately. “Serena, Leo missed you so much.” Hearing my son’s voice again, I only paused for a moment. I had once studied psychology with my mother, but stopped after her illness worsened and our company went bankrupt. Marcus, whom I had sponsored, just saw me as a spoiled rich girl without a job. He had found Serena to be a psychologist without consulting me. Leo’s aphasia, it turned out, was only directed at me. The last time I heard my son speak was when he was a toddler, chasing me and calling me “Mommy.” That snowy night, I couldn’t reach Marcus, had no money for a taxi, and could only carry my feverish son to the hospital on my back. Having been pampered by my parents since childhood, I walked two kilometers, eventually collapsing from exhaustion and passing out on the roadside. Leo, picked up by the ambulance, looked at me but didn’t say a word. It wasn’t until dawn that snowplow workers found me, stiff and nearly frozen to death. And Marcus, rushing to the hospital, carrying a familiar perfume scent, questioned why I hadn’t gotten Leo to the hospital sooner. Claiming it was my fault that Leo’s high fever had led to his aphasia. Turns out, some words weren’t *can’t* be said, but *won’t* be said. I wasn’t Leo’s problem; *they* were mine. In the kitchen, I watched the harmonious scene in the living room, savagely hitting the fish on the cutting board. “Auntie, are you already preparing dinner? Please add an extra place setting for me.” Serena raised her right hand, wrapped in gauze, looking apologetically at Marcus. “Sorry, Marcus. I accidentally injured my hand helping an elderly person on the way here. I might not be able to cook for Leo.” Marcus’s momentary discomfort at Serena calling me “Auntie” vanished, his eyes filled with nostalgia. “Serena, you’re still as kind as you were as a child. Leo misses you dearly, just spend time talking to him.” “Stella Hayes is supposed to cook.” “Oh, it’s Stella. My apologies, I thought you were a new maid.” “Sister, you’re rarely home. I almost didn’t recognize you.” Serena smiled, intending to link arms with me, but when she saw the fresh blood on my apron, she couldn’t hide her disgust and recoiled. She wasn’t so high and mighty when she stood timidly beside Marcus, begging me for a job. I looked at my reflection in the window—wearing worn, frayed clothes, my hands rough and calloused, my cheeks sallow and sunken. I really did look like a housekeeper. A mocking smile tugged at my lips. Looking at Serena, standing between father and son, I no longer hesitated. I took out my phone and replied to that email, attaching the five years of research I’d developed with my mother. The rotten bonds of family, I didn’t want them anymore. The top research institute was incredibly efficient, quickly sending a reply. [Ms. Hayes, we haven’t given up on you for three years.] [We can arrange the best doctors for your mother.] [Your flight abroad is booked for three days from now. Thank you for joining us!]

On New Year’s Eve, Leo insisted on sleeping with Serena. I was forced to give up my room, making do with the sofa for the night. When I got up for water in the middle of the night, I saw Marcus’s bedroom door ajar. Serena was sitting on Marcus’s lap, moving rhythmically, her expression seductive. Marcus was making low, controlled sounds, a display of passion I had never seen from him. He used to blush even at holding hands, famously pure. Even our first time, I had to guide him. Now, he brazenly brought another woman home, seeking thrills while she wore *my* pajamas. I suddenly remembered the unfamiliar underwear I’d found when tidying the room last time. I clenched my trembling hand, barely stopping the water glass from falling. I didn’t want to hysterically rip apart my dignity in front of him. The next morning, I didn’t prepare breakfast for the family. Instead, I tore all of Leo’s drawings from the wall. And threw them into the trash can. Each of those drawings used to be my treasure; the family of three depicted in them was my favorite image. But only today did I realize that the smiling mother with long flowing hair in those pictures, perhaps, was never me. “Stella Hayes, what’s with the tantrum? Serena just stayed one night, and you’re giving her attitude.” “Is that what the etiquette you learned in your wealthy family taught you, how to treat guests?” “When you’re done throwing a fit, come back. Leo’s been crying all morning. If you comfort him, he might even forgive you.” Marcus’s words hadn’t even finished before I hung up on him. I smiled, looking at the market manager, and handed over the rights to my fish stall. On the other end, I contacted a lawyer to draft divorce papers. When the phone rang again, I was unusually annoyed. Picking it up, I heard the hesitant voice of a researcher. “Dr. Hayes, your research results from last night were very innovative, but they’ve just been published.” “And the authors aren’t you and your mother…” This research was initially proposed by my mother. We painstakingly collected data; our home computer still held countless records of our experiments. I panicked, anxious, before I even had a chance to open my phone. On a large screen by the roadside, Serena’s radiant face, now flourishing, was projected. She stood under the flashing lights, accepting all the praise as if it were her due. “I owe the completion of this research to my beloved, the CEO of Thorne Group.” “Thank you for being by my side since I was eighteen. You are the best gift in my life.” Eighteen — that was the year I officially sponsored Marcus, pulling him and Serena out of their poor village. My phone conveniently displayed the search results for Thorne Group. The youngest CEO, successfully acquired Hayes Corp, a new business elite… Behind every achievement displayed was Marcus’s indifferent, aloof face. So, ‘Mr. Thorne’ meant *this*. Bitterness spread through my veins, hot tears falling on my hand. While I was fighting over a few cents, Marcus had already become Mr. Thorne, rich and famous. How cheap was the love between us, really?

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Coming home early from a business trip, I pushed open the door and found my best friend and my husband in bed together. My husband, who used to struggle in bed and barely lasted three seconds, was now on top of my best friend like a wild animal. I sneered, pulling out my phone to record a video. Then I packaged it up and sent it to my best friend’s husband. And I added a message: “Your wife’s a real miracle worker, huh? She can even cure a man’s ED.” “Honey, you’re recovering pretty fast, aren’t you?” I leaned against the doorframe, my voice light and airy. The two on the bed froze instantly. My husband, Dylan, stared at me like he’d seen a ghost, stammering, unable to form a single word. My dear best friend, Chloe Davis, reacted quickly, scrambling for the duvet and wrapping it around herself. “Audrey…? We…” “Don’t rush to explain.” I pulled out my phone. “Let me snap a pic first. This is the first time in three years of marriage I’ve seen my husband this energetic.” Dylan snapped back to reality and lunged at me to grab my phone. He ripped off the covers, and I was almost blinded by the sight. “Whoa there, honey, easy now. Why so worked up? It’s not like I haven’t seen you naked before.” I took a step back. “Oh, right. I guess I haven’t. After all, you’ve been ‘saving yourself’ for my best friend for the past three years.” Chloe’s cheeks flushed crimson. “Audrey, let me explain. It’s not what you think.” I smiled sweetly at her. “Explain what? You sacrificed yourself to help cure my husband’s ED. I should be thanking you!” “You two carry on. I’m just going to call Marcus, your brother, and let him enjoy his wife’s spectacular performance.” Chloe’s face instantly went pale. She was Marcus Evans’s wife, and my best friend. I genuinely thought marrying two brothers from the Evans family with my best friend was the happiest thing that could happen in my life. Turns out she wanted both men! “You wouldn’t dare!” Dylan roared. I raised an eyebrow. “You dared to do it. Why wouldn’t I dare?” Chloe suddenly lunged forward and grabbed my leg. “Audrey, please, don’t tell Marcus. I know I messed up.” Looking at the best friend I’d grown up with, now disheveled and clinging to my leg, begging, I found it incredibly amusing. “Chloe, get up first.” I bent down and patted her shoulder. “The floor’s cold.” She looked up at me, hope in her eyes. I continued, “If you stay like that, my husband will feel sorry for you.” Then, I turned to leave, but Dylan grabbed my arm. “What are you doing? Are you trying to ruin our family?!” I clenched my fists, my eyes narrowed in a smile. That was truly shameless coming from him. “I need to go to the hospital and get checked. See if it’s my problem. Why is my husband useless with me but such a beast with someone else?” Dylan’s face turned bright red. “Audrey Blake, stop being so sarcastic!” “Easy there.” I held up my phone. “Want to see the photos I just took? The composition, angle, and lighting are all perfect. It’d probably go viral on TikTok.” Chloe suddenly pounced, trying to snatch my phone, but I dodged her. I smiled. “Oh, right. How about a caption? Something like ‘Sweet Moments with My Husband and My Best Friend’?” “You!” Chloe trembled with rage. Just then, my phone rang. It was Marcus. I put it on speaker. “Hey, Marcus.” “I’m downstairs. What’s the apartment number?” Marcus’s deep voice came through. Chloe’s pupils constricted, and her body visibly trembled. Footsteps echoed from outside the door. I leisurely leaned back in the chair, pulled out my phone, and started recording. Marcus pushed the door open, his face expressionless as he scanned the room. His gaze swept past a disheveled Chloe, finally settling on his utterly bewildered younger brother

“Marcus…” Dylan called out, his voice trembling like a leaf. Marcus didn’t speak. He just turned to me. “Recording?” I paused, then quickly nodded. “Yep, recording.” Chloe crumpled to the floor, tears streaming down her face. “Marcus, it’s not what you think…” “Shut up.” Just two simple words, but Chloe gasped as if her throat was choked, unable to utter another sound. I sat in the chair, watching the scene, a strange sense of unreality washing over me. I was the one betrayed; I should be the most devastated. But at that moment, I felt like a detached observer, coolly watching this farce unfold. “You two, put your clothes on.” Marcus said coldly. I watched them clumsily dress, and suddenly wanted to laugh. Why did this scene feel so much like a TV drama? Once they were decent, Marcus grabbed Dylan, landing two swift punches, left and right, on his face. Then a vicious knee strike. I watched Dylan clutch his groin, his lips going white. He pretended to have performance issues before; now his ‘dream’ might just come true. Marcus usually seemed so composed and gentlemanly. I never imagined he could be so fiercely masculine when he was angry. When Dylan fell to the ground, Marcus finally spoke. “So, how long have you two been hooking up?” No one answered. “I asked, how long?!” Marcus suddenly roared. Even I flinched. Chloe sobbed, “Th… three… years…” Three years. The exact length of my marriage to Dylan. So he’d been lying to me from the very beginning. All those excuses, all those evasions, all those so-called ‘physical reasons’—they were all lies. I spoke, my voice laced with sarcasm. “So, you two are soulmates? It started even before we got married?” Dylan hung his head, silent. “Look up! Look at us when you speak!” Marcus roared again. Dylan slowly raised his head, his eyes filled with terror. “Bro… I…” “Don’t call me bro!” Marcus’s voice was filled with pure rage. “I don’t have a brother like you, you animal.” Dylan’s face turned ashen. Chloe suddenly knelt down. “Honey, I’m sorry… I truly know I messed up…” I added, twisting the knife, “Do you know you messed up, or are you just scared?” If I hadn’t found out, who knows how long we would have been deceived. I stood up and faced Marcus. “The evidence is all recorded. Let’s go. This place is dirty.” Marcus nodded, turning to leave. “Wait! Don’t go!” Dylan panicked, dropping to his knees. I turned back, smiling sweetly. “Why not stay? To watch you and Chloe do it again? Besides, you want to be with Chloe, right? We’re just helping you out.” “No! Honey, we can’t divorce!” Chloe shrieked. Marcus had more money than my husband and had never been stingy with her. Now she probably couldn’t bear to lose that. It seemed she cared more about Marcus’s money than Dylan’s love. “You’re busy with work. I was just so lonely that I made a mistake. Please forgive me this one time. I’ll cut him off completely, okay?” Chloe cried dramatically, but Marcus didn’t even glance at her as he refused. “Impossible. You slut! Get out!”

Early in the morning, a loud commotion erupted from the company’s reception area. I was in my office drinking coffee when a colleague rushed in, saying Chloe’s mom was raising hell. I almost sprayed coffee everywhere. This plot was getting pretty dramatic. “Audrey Blake, you shameless woman! Seducing my daughter’s husband, destroying my daughter’s family! Have you no decency?!” Mrs. Davis, her voice booming, began her performance right at the front desk. My colleague came to report, “Audrey, Chloe Davis’s mom is downstairs making a scene. She’s saying you seduced her daughter’s husband…” I slowly put down my coffee cup. “Oh? Then I’ll go down and see.” Walking to the reception, I saw Mrs. Davis wiping away tears, accusing me of evil deeds. “Everyone, please tell me if I’m wrong! This woman, she’s jealous my daughter married better than her, so she deliberately meddled, trying to destroy my daughter’s family!” I leaned against the reception counter, watching the show with a smirk. The receptionist saw me and looked relieved. “Mrs. Davis, Ms. Blake is here.” Mrs. Davis turned, and seeing my relaxed demeanor, she got even angrier. “Well, aren’t you brave, daring to show your face!” “Why not?” I raised an eyebrow. “Or should I hide away after doing something shady, like some people?” Mrs. Davis’s face turned beet red. “Don’t you twist the truth here! My daughter and son-in-law were perfectly fine. You’re the one who destroyed their family.” I scoffed. “Is Chloe still lying to you so much? I thought she’d grown out of her childhood habit of fibbing.” Mrs. Davis paused. “What are you talking about?” I feigned surprise. “Oh? You don’t know? Your daughter, Chloe Davis, who is Marcus Evans’s wife. But she also seduced Dylan Evans, Marcus’s brother, who is my husband.” The surrounding colleagues all gasped. Mrs. Davis’s face changed. “You… you’re talking nonsense!” I pulled out my phone. “Want to see the video? I recorded your daughter and my husband’s spectacular performance.” Mrs. Davis panicked. “You… you wouldn’t dare!” I continued, “If you truly care about your daughter, go back and tell her to stop constantly chasing men. The divorce papers have already been filed. Making a scene here now, what’s the point?” Mrs. Davis was agitated. “My daughter cannot divorce!” I chuckled. “What, are you reluctant to let go of Marcus’s money, or do you think Dylan’s ED makes him ‘not good enough’? Don’t worry, Chloe has already cured Dylan’s ED.” “You!” Mrs. Davis pointed a finger at my nose. “How can you be so crude!” With that, she stomped her foot in anger, but realizing she wouldn’t get any satisfaction here, she grumbled and left. My colleagues all looked at me with admiring eyes. Kyle, a co-worker, came over. “Audrey, you were awesome!” I smiled. “Awesome? This is just the warm-up.” Back in my office, I sent a message to Marcus. Your wife’s mother just caused a scene at my company. Marcus replied quickly: Need me to handle it? Me: No, I already dealt with it. Marcus: Thank you. Looking at my phone screen, I couldn’t help but feel that life truly was full of surprises. “I want him to leave with nothing.”

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Seven years after my death, the person who murdered me was finally arrested and imprisoned. The killer, a notorious crime boss, showed no change in expression during the live court proceedings as he listened to the verdict. As the officer finished reading the list of victims, his hoarse voice cut in slowly: “One’s missing. The one I killed when I first started, the one who died the most brutally.” “Amend the verdict for me, and I’ll tell you who’s missing.” A chilling silence fell over the courtroom, broken only by the judge’s stern refusal: “Your crimes are heinous. You have no right to negotiate.” The crime boss waved his hand, confidently looking at the lead detective among the officers, Ryan Donovan. “Cassie Sterling. Detective Donovan, do you know her? Don’t you want to know where she died?” In the dead silence, Ryan endured everyone’s stares, speaking each word distinctly: “The person you’re referring to, she did exist. But Cassie Sterling isn’t dead. She’s not an officer anymore, but a fugitive who disappeared seven years ago.”

To make everyone believe him, the crime boss confessed the entire torture process in court. How he and his accomplices had knocked me unconscious and assaulted me. How they had pulled out my fingernails and teeth, coercing me for information about police informants. “She screamed terribly, but she refused to say anything. Out of — sympathy — I killed her, then personally disposed of the body.” As he calmly narrated, countless people held their breath, hearts constricting. Only Ryan’s eyes burned with fury, his body rigid and straight. “Keep acting. People like you, have compassion for cops? Ha.” The crime boss asked for a cigarette. “I’ve killed so many people over the years – those who betrayed me, those who stole business on the street, those who owed me money… I’ve never regretted it. She was the only one I ever felt guilty about.” But Ryan merely sneered. He suddenly stood up, his voice ringing out clearly: “I don’t believe a single word you’re saying.” The crime boss shook his head helplessly. “The time, the events, the participants — I’ve revealed everything I can. No need to lie to you. Anyway… now, only I know where she’s buried. Whether you want to give me leniency in my sentencing in exchange for information on her body, that’s up to you.” His superiors called for a recess, intending to pull him back for further interrogation. The public also demanded the police fully investigate. Only Ryan vehemently opposed it. He stormed into his superior’s office, pounding the desk. His superior lost his temper, too, sternly ordering him to personally lead the excavation at the site the drug trafficker described. The police cruiser roared to life. The accelerator was floored. Watching the rage barely suppressed on his face, my heart was consumed by a sense of helplessness. He probably genuinely believed I had willingly fallen from grace back then. For money, I had betrayed my ideals, and I had betrayed him. And now, I was supposedly disrupting the new life he and Selene Vance had just begun. But he didn’t know. I, the “old me,” was abandoned in the damp, cold underground. Suffering for seven years.

Seven years, and he seemed to have changed so little. His face was firm and righteous, his physique lean and tall. Only, he spoke less, his emotions buried deeper. The silent flash of red and blue police lights cut through the mountain road, stopping at a desolate field overgrown with withered grass. It was the dead of winter, the ground frozen solid. A shovel strike only left a white mark on the surface. He took command of the scene. “First, soften the ground with fire. The wind is strong; extend the downwind isolation zone by another five meters.” Selene Vance emerged from the volunteer team, unlatching a thermos. “Drink some hot water, Ryan. You’ve completely shredded your voice.” Ryan took a sip, asking softly: “Why are you here?” “It’s crowded and chaotic here; you should go home soon.” Selene rested her head on his shoulder, her voice filled with worry. “I watched the trial.” “Do you think… it could be true?” Ryan scoffed dismissively, but didn’t answer. He simply ran his fingers through the woman’s long hair, smoothing it from top to end, then curling a strand around his finger. Just like he used to comfort me. Back then, both our fathers were detectives. They worked together, went on missions together, and ultimately died in the line of duty together. During the wake, I clung to him, seeing him as my only support. He held me just as tightly, his hand smoothing my hair from the top of my head to the ends, then curling a strand around his finger. From that moment, we became inseparable. Later, we both got into the police academy, inheriting our fathers’ badge numbers. We were partners with shared ideals, and lovers completely devoted to each other. Before we got married, my mother laughed through her tears: “You scoundrel, you stole my daughter’s heart.” Ryan possessively pulled me into his embrace. “Not at all, Auntie. You just gained a son.” “Don’t worry, I promise I’ll never let Cassie suffer an ounce of injustice in her life.” And he kept his word. If I wanted to reopen an old case, he would pull several all-nighters to organize the case files. If I encountered armed criminals during a patrol, he would selflessly shield me with his body. I couldn’t eat spicy food, and the man who couldn’t live without it hadn’t touched a single chili pepper for years after we got married. Back then, we both believed there was no bond stronger than that of partners and comrades. Who could have known? This relationship ultimately crumbled because of a woman rescued from a drug den. I observed Selene Vance’s alluring face. It was hard to imagine that in just a few short years, she had transformed from a seductive streetwalker into a charming, sophisticated woman. Perhaps a woman’s tears were the ultimate weapon against a man’s steely heart. After Selene was rescued, she would often call Ryan late at night. Crying about not being able to find a good job, crying about how everyone discriminated against her for having been a prostitute and a drug addict. Ryan’s heart was softened by her tears. Pity and compassion sprouted like spring grass, growing uncontrollably. He brought her home, subsidizing her entirely with his salary, under the guise of “cleaning fees.” All household expenses fell on me, and we lived from paycheck to paycheck. Several times I tried to fire Selene, but he always insisted: “Cassie, Selene is very fragile and has suffered too much. We have to help her.” But over Ryan’s shoulder, I clearly saw her eyes filled with defiance, directed at me. I was furious. I grabbed her hair and dragged her out the door. She clutched her aching scalp, her tear-filled eyes seeming to hold back a thousand words. And Ryan, the man who had once sworn to protect me with his life—my lover, my partner. He didn’t hesitate to raise his hand against me. I was slapped to the ground. He, meanwhile, cupped Selene’s face, gently wiping away the tear streaks from her eyes with his thumb. “Don’t cry. I told you, no one will ever bully you again.” Then, he looked down and coldly reprimanded me: “When are you going to change your arrogant nature?” “Selene is also a victim. Are you worthy of the badge you wear by treating her like this?” But in this betrayed relationship, weren’t he and Selene colluding to “abuse” me? A thousand words clogged my chest in that instant. Ultimately, I just quietly packed my bags and moved into the police dormitory. Aside from work-related interactions, I didn’t speak another word to him. I actually knew that he and Selene had never had any physical relationship. I just couldn’t swallow it. He had given the tenderness and pampering that once belonged to me to another woman. Yet, all the responsibilities of our marriage were left for me to bear. We remained in this stalemate for a long time. Every day, I thought, maybe tomorrow we’ll make up. But the next day, the words died on my lips, replaced by a fresh wave of resentment. Sadly, fate had other plans, arriving sooner than any tomorrow. I never waited for him to come back to me. Instead, I unexpectedly discovered. Selene Vance had an undisclosed connection with the criminal organization we had been investigating for so long.

A sudden surge of activity interrupted my memories. The crowd suddenly erupted. “They dug it out!” “Careful, give them a hand!” Ryan was stunned, blurting out: “Impossible!” “You just wanted to see me disheveled and covered in sweat, right? There can’t actually be bones…” His voice was low, like he was talking to himself. Selene, biting her lip, looked worried. “Ryan, do you think… Cassie wouldn’t have killed someone, would she?” “She always had a fiery temper; she’s capable of anything when pushed too far…” Ryan’s lips instantly tightened, his muscles tensing. He strode into the crowd. “I’ll go take a look over there.” I hovered over the remaining fragments of bone, the cold wind whistling through the gaps, making me scoff. This was the true meaning of “bone-chilling cold.” He brushed the dirt from the fragments. Through his gloves, I could feel the warmth of his fingertips. My spirit trembled. Suddenly, I really didn’t want him to see me like this. If I could, I would rather him remember me. Forever the strong, headstrong, and vibrant girl. But now, I could only silently look up at the man I once loved. Lingering over the faint warmth of his fingertips as they grazed my remains. The coroner collected the bones, and the crowd gradually dispersed. Ryan remained alone in the spot. Until the faint morning light, when he suddenly pulled out his phone, frantically dialing a number. “Beep — beep —” “The number you have dialed is not in service. Please check the number and try again.” The wind in the desolate field was cold, turning his nose red. A few choked sobs were broken by the harsh wind. “Cassie, this isn’t real…” “This is a prank, right?” A pair of arms wrapped around his neck, the woman’s breath warm against his ear. Selene’s voice trembled: “Ryan.” “Do you… still have feelings for her…” Ryan’s body gave a sudden jolt. A silence heavy with unspoken emotions. He placed his hand over the woman’s lower abdomen, sighing softly. “It’s all in the past.” “Now, I only have you and the baby.” Selene’s arms tightened around him, and she sobbed softly. “Ryan, I’m so afraid you’ll leave—” “I’ve given you everything. Please, don’t betray me.” Seven years had smoothed out my temper. Now, I could calmly appreciate her performance. This woman was born with two faces. Always vulnerable and pitiful with Ryan; but full of resentment and defiance towards me. Sometimes I truly wondered, did we have a blood feud? Why did she hate me so much! It wasn’t until my dying moments that I finally understood. Yes, we did. Her father had died by my father’s and Ryan’s father’s gunshots while resisting arrest with a firearm. Stripped of protection, she quickly became a “shared plaything” of the gang. “Do you know what I hated most about you?” She squatted in front of me, her voice sinister. “We both lost our fathers, so why did you live so easily?” “Your classmates and neighbors cared for you even more than before, and no uncles or older men ever reached into your underwear.” “I’m smarter than you, prettier than you, and I understand people’s hearts better. But why did Ryan still love you more?!” I suddenly understood. It turned out both love and hate wound equally. Selene Vance had originally planned to avenge her father’s death on Ryan and me. But unexpectedly, she fell in love with Ryan. Thus, her hatred for me intensified.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “332712”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn #现实主义Realistic