Author: Momo Chan

My husband told me to lick whipped cream off another man’s thigh because his assistant refused. She picked up a bottle and pressed it to her neck. “Damon, I won’t do it. Make her go.” Damon looked at me. His voice did not pause. “You do it. I’ll make it up to you later.” This was the ninety-seventh time he put her before me. I did not refuse. I owed him a life debt. One last step, and it would be paid. After that, we will be done. “Well, well, looks like the supermodel agreed to lick it after all? Damon sure knows how to handle women!” “What if she doesn’t lick the cream? Are they really going to make Amber do it? She’s Damon’s true love!” The mocking laughter around me was deafening, and I felt utterly humiliated standing there. Amidst this nauseating display of arrogance, Damon crouched in front of Amber, carefully placing a band-aid on her neck. Then he turned to me with cold eyes: “Elena, don’t try anything clever. Amber’s waiting for you to finish so we can continue the game.” Amber, Amber… He only cared about Amber, never once asking if I was willing. He had completely forgotten that I was his wife. He had also forgotten that just a few days ago, I had miscarried because of her, and I was barely able to stand here today. Seeing me hesitate, someone suddenly pushed me: “What are you standing there for? Go lick it! Don’t tell me you’re backing out now?” I stumbled but managed to steady myself. When I looked at Damon again, his eyes were completely focused on Amber. “96 times. This is the ninety-sixth time,” I counted silently in my head as I stiffly walked towards the man with whipped cream on his leg, a notorious playboy in our circle. Just as I bent down to kneel, the playboy suddenly grabbed my chin. He looked at Amber and said, “Miss Amber, this isn’t right. She lost to me three times. Licking once isn’t enough.” “How about we play ‘stuff the egg’? If you can persuade her to do it, I’ll forget about the punishment.” Stuff the egg? What’s that?! An unnamed fear suddenly surged through me, and I quickly looked towards Damon. But in the next second, Amber was already pleading with Damon, clinging to his arm and pouting: “Damon, it’s just a dare. Can’t you let your sister-in-law agree just this once?” Seeing Amber’s small body trembling, Damon was left with nothing but pity. He looked at me intently: “Elena, you were willing to lick the cream. So you wouldn’t mind taking on another dare for Amber, right?” “Yay! Thank you, Damon!” Amber jumped up happily, her face full of smugness. Watching Damon gently pat Amber’s head with a doting expression, I couldn’t help but laugh at that moment. My dignity had been trampled on, and I had become nothing more than a toy for them to torment and play with. Damon, how could you be so heartless? How could you still want me to participate in some kind of performance art and be humiliated for her sake? Oh, right, I almost forgot. Amber was his unattainable moon. He had pursued her for years without success, and then they were separated by their families. Amber had left the country overnight. Now that he finally had her, of course he would pamper and indulge her every whim. How could I possibly compete? Suppressing the bitterness in my heart, I spoke stiffly: “Can that count as one forgiveness voucher?” Forgiveness voucher? The crowd laughed at my strange request, but Damon put down the hand that had been pampering Amber and suddenly looked at me. He knew what I was talking about. After a moment, he nodded: “It counts!” I smiled bitterly: “Alright, I agree.” Eight years ago, when I had just entered the modeling world, I was targeted by a big boss and confined on an island. Along with other girls, I became a tool for men to use at their business gatherings. I was lucky. Damon was the first man I encountered, and he fell in love with me at first sight. For my sake, he took over those men’s businesses, sent them to prison, and saved my life. Later, I found out that it was because my features strongly resembled Amber’s. On the night I was rescued, I asked him how I could repay this debt of gratitude. His eyes were sincere: “Then marry me.” I pinched him: “I’m serious.” His breathing became ragged as he entangled with me and said: “Then… give me 99 forgiveness vouchers.” “Forgiveness vouchers?” I curiously clung to his body, not understanding. At that moment, he smiled: “Silly girl, if – and I’m just saying if – if one day I hurt you 99 times, I’ll use these vouchers to make you forgive me 99 times. Once the vouchers are used up, this debt will be settled.” For the next five years, he poured resources into making me a supermodel and loved me like a precious jewel. Until two months ago, when Amber returned to the country. Everything changed. Now it was the 97th time. Just two more times, and my debt would be repaid. We would have no more connection. Seeing Damon agree, the playboy took me into his private room, a dimly lit chamber covered in silk. The table was full of hard-boiled eggs, and on the floor lay two or three women with disheveled clothes, a rotten smell emanating from beneath them. A chill ran down my spine as I realized with horror what Amber meant by “stuffing eggs” – they were going to insert them into my private parts. Damon, who had followed us in, suddenly narrowed his eyes and turned to ask Amber: “Wasn’t this supposed to be about eating eggs? What’s going on here?” But Amber ignored him and pushed me forward. “Mr. Seven, Miss Elena used to be a dancer. I’m sure her flexibility will satisfy you.” “Don’t you want to try it yourself? Push your limits?” As Amber finished speaking, I was already trembling in terror. I immediately looked to Damon for help. At least I was still his wife. He had loved me once. Although he had tormented me a lot for Amber’s sake, he surely wouldn’t hand me over to a pervert to be tortured, right? But to my surprise, Damon walked to the bar, poured a glass of wine, and shoved it into my hand. “Why don’t you toast Mr. Seven first to liven things up?” Liven things up? Did he want me to entertain them? He… actually agreed? In a daze, I saw Amber give me a sinister smile. “Sister! Didn’t you hear what Damon said?” Just as I was looking at Amber, not knowing what to do, she suddenly kicked me in the knee. In an instant, I lost my balance, and the wine in my hand spilled on the playboy’s face. Then I fell onto the shattered glass, immediately cutting several bloody gashes on my arm. My eyes met the distorted, pale face of the woman on the floor. Amber’s shrill accusations rang in my ears: “Sister, if you didn’t want to toast, you could have just said so. There’s no need to pretend to be crazy to anger Mr. Seven. Is this how you act as Damon’s wife? Are you trying to embarrass Damon?” The playboy’s expression froze for a moment, then he suddenly realized something and stared at me with wide eyes: “You… you’re Damon’s legendary wife?” I said nothing, just sat on the ground, my body and heart aching almost to the point of suffocation. The playboy reached out to grab my arm, but Damon immediately seized his wrist. Damon glanced at my blood-covered face, his eyes suddenly turning gloomy. He gritted his teeth as he looked at the playboy: “Get out!” The playboy was intimidated and had to leave, grumbling under his breath. “Damon! Are you crazy? If I had known she was your psycho wife, I wouldn’t have touched her!” As the playboy disappeared, I got up to leave, but my arm was once again gripped by a large hand. “Elena, aren’t you happy now that you don’t have to be punished? Did those two years on the island not teach you how to behave? You only had to toast a drink, and this would have been over. Why did you have to act crazy? You knew that when I asked you to toast, I was trying to end this, didn’t you? Are you that clueless?” Looking at the angry Damon, I responded with bloodshot eyes. This time, I finally didn’t hold back and retorted: “Damon! I’m your wife. If you had just made my identity clear, this would have been over just the same.” My words were clear. It was him, he was the one who wanted to play with my vanity to protect Amber’s face, which is why he never said anything. Caught off guard by my revelation, Damon felt a bit guilty. Amber, seeing this, wanted to defend him. But Damon frowned and spoke up to stop her: “Enough! Shut up and wait for me in the car.” After her footsteps faded away, he sighed: “I’m sorry, but I still need to explain. I really didn’t know what ‘stuffing eggs’ meant. If I had known, I wouldn’t have agreed from the start.” “As for Amber, I hope you can understand. After all, she just came back to the country and saw that I was marr-” Damon stopped abruptly, but I could still guess what he was going to say. He wanted to say that Amber was in a bad mood because she found out he was married, so she deliberately gave me a hard time, and he wanted me to forgive her. Our eyes met, and Damon seemed to understand the mockery in mine. He sighed again. “Alright, I see you’re hurt. I’ll have the driver take you to the hospital. Amber’s not in a good state, so I need to check on her. We’ll talk about this when I get back.” Without waiting for my response, he added: “Although you didn’t complete the task, I’ll allow you to count this as one forgiveness voucher.” With that, he turned and left. Watching his retreating figure, I touched my still-bleeding forehead and burst into laughter. But I didn’t care anymore. Just two more times, and once I’ve repaid my debt, I’ll leave. From now on, I won’t suffer his mistreatment anymore.

It was late at night when the driver sent me home. Damon hadn’t returned, and I didn’t bother to ask. The next day, his assistant brought his gift: two commercial property deeds. He specifically emphasized that one was compensation for forcing me to lick the cream, and the other was an apology for the egg incident. Expressionless, I labeled the deeds with numbers 96 and 97, then carelessly stuffed them into the safe. The maid beside me smiled fondly: “Mr. Damon really dotes on you, ma’am. He’s been giving gifts more and more frequently.” I smiled without saying a word. She didn’t know that these were just Damon’s compensations after hurting me each time. Looking at the safe full of property deeds, I knew I would be able to leave soon. But before I left, I just wanted to take one camera with me. It contained things I had to destroy. Damon was very exploratory when it came to intimate matters, and in the heat of the moment, he would sometimes impulsively record our encounters with a camera. In the past, those videos were just marital intimacy. But now, I didn’t want them to remain. After all, if the videos were leaked, I would be ruined. However, after searching every corner of the room, I couldn’t find that camera. Just as I was about to search again, my agent called, yelling angrily: “Elena, are you crazy? Look at the internet! Your private photos are everywhere! How dare you accompany other sugar daddies behind Damon’s back? If you want to die, don’t drag our whole company down with you!” In an instant, my mind exploded, only hearing my agent’s words: “You’d better give me an explanation for the videos online right now! And for Damon’s fury, or we’ll haunt you even as ghosts!” The call was hung up, and I quickly opened my phone. I saw that the top trending topic was my private video. With bold, explosive text: [Supermodel Elena Sleeps Her Way to the Top] In it, Damon’s face was blurred, while mine was clearly visible in the center, flushed with desire. Millions of netizens were online hurling abuse, calling me a slut who slept with multiple sugar daddies for resources, a woman who would sleep with anyone. My legs gave way, and I collapsed to the ground. But in the last moment before I lost strength, I was suddenly caught in Damon’s strong embrace. “Don’t look at those things. It’s okay, I’ll handle it. Trust me!” The comforting words had barely left his ears when he turned, his face cold, and roared at the room full of people. “Who did this! Tell me! Who did this!” Seeing his unprecedented fury, my eyes suddenly stung with tears. But at the same time, Amber’s casual voice came from nearby: “Damon, you mean the videos? I uploaded them!” The arm around my waist suddenly tightened. Damon and I both looked at Amber. “Don’t look at me like that! I just happened to see them and thought sister’s body was too amazing to be seen by only you, Damon. So I took the initiative to share them!” “After all, beautiful things should be enjoyed by everyone, right?” In an instant, blood rushed to my head. I got up to slap Amber, but Damon steadily caught my hand. “Elena! Enough!” I was furious and grief-stricken, shouting: “But she-” Before I could finish, Damon glanced at the smug Amber, then turned back to me with a frown: “I’ll help you take down the trending topics. Let’s end this here. Don’t cause trouble for Amber, okay? You know, after all, she’s also…” “No! Damon, why should I let it go? She’s ruined my reputation! Why should I let it go?” “I want to sue her for defamation! She must pay the price!” I stared at Damon with bloodshot eyes, refusing to back down even a little. “Elena! You-” Damon took a deep breath, about to persuade me again. But Amber tugged at Damon’s sleeve, pretending to sob with reddened eyes: “Damon! Don’t say anymore. I know I was wrong. Let sister sue me. I shouldn’t have been jealous, jealous that she married you. It was my fault. If only I had persisted back then!” As she spoke, Amber’s eyes turned red, and she began to cry. “Sister, I really know I was wrong. I’ll kneel and apologize to you. Please don’t make things difficult for Damon.” “If it makes you happy, I’ll turn myself in right now and help clear your name! At worst, let me be ruined too, but please don’t let this ruin your relationship.” Seeing Amber about to kneel before me, Damon’s eyes turned cold again. He said to me in a deep voice: “Elena! Amber already knows she was wrong. Let it go.” “Your reputation is already ruined anyway, so why not just quit the industry and enjoy being a rich housewife at home? Isn’t that good?” I was shocked by his blindness, unable to believe he would still indulge her to this extent. I was about to speak again, but in the next second, I received a hard slap across the face, leaving it stinging. His knuckles were red, his breathing rapid, his eyes filled with unprecedented violence. He threw a disclaimer at me: “Be good and sign this. Once the storm blows over, I’ll help you make a comeback.” “But if you dare to report this to the police, don’t even think about stepping out of this door again!” “I won’t sign!” I gritted my teeth, staring at him. But no matter how much I struggled and refused to sign, Damon forcibly pressed my handprint onto the disclaimer. As I collapsed to the ground, exhausted, A feeling of helplessness and pain that I had never experienced before swept over my entire body, like thousands of needles piercing my heart. They left, but their casual conversation was like poisonous insects crawling into my ears: “Damon, is sister okay…” “She’s fine. As long as she still wants to make a comeback, she’ll listen to me. At worst…” “I’ll count it as one forgiveness voucher. She still has dozens left, she’ll behave.” No, there aren’t any left. There’s only one more time. Damon, I won’t be your puppet anymore. After sitting stunned on the ground for a long time, I finally went back to my room and took out my diary. Although everyone says the modeling world isn’t much cleaner than the entertainment industry, I really loved this career. Standing on the runway, bathed in spotlights – that confidence was where I found my value. But now, it had been utterly destroyed. Perhaps even heaven was telling me it was time to go, to not linger anymore. Tears flowing, I wrote down today’s events in the book, ending with the number 98. Every time he hurt me, I would record it in my diary to remind myself not to soften. But Damon’s voice suddenly came from behind: “What does 98 mean?”

Seeing him reach for the diary, I quickly closed it and stuffed it into the drawer. “Nothing.” He sensed my panic and seemed to think of something: “You girls are so delicate, always writing grudges in your little books. Is this the grudge book you mentioned?” He was referring to our wedding after we got married, when he lost the wedding rings. He had to use two soda can tabs as a substitute to exchange rings with me. That night, I was so angry I kicked him off the bed: “Damon, you’re killing me. I’m going to curse you in my grudge book.” He laughed through his tears: “Write whatever you want, I can always win you back.” Realizing he had misunderstood, I didn’t bother to explain and just nodded halfheartedly. Remembering the sweetness of our newlywed days, his cold face finally showed a rare smile: “Alright, I said I could definitely win you back, so no more holding grudges. Come take a look.” He handed me a property deed and casually pulled me into his arms. “It’s a new building in the city center. I specially kept it to give you as a gift.” “The video has been urgently dealt with. Next month, I’ll let you make a comeback, okay?” The maid outside peeked in enviously. But I remained stiff and unmoving, saying flatly: “Whatever you say.” Seeing that I was unmoved by either kindness or harshness, his brows furrowed, a hint of anger in his eyes: “Are you determined to make an issue of this?” I looked up, my eyes dark as I stared at him: “No, how would I dare, Mr. Damon?” My words immediately set Damon off. “Elena, I took those videos, and I was careless in letting Amber see them. If you’re angry, take it out on me. Understand?” For a moment, it felt like a heavy stone was pressing on my chest. He could do anything for Amber, even humble himself in front of me, or sacrifice himself for her. I suddenly felt so tired. I didn’t want to be entangled with them anymore. So I calmly agreed: “I understand.” Seeing that his punch had hit cotton, he frowned and gritted his teeth, staring at me for a long time before finally slamming the door as he left. The next day, Damon sent a message asking me to come to the golf course. I was going to reply that I wouldn’t go, but the next second a message came: “I’ll count it as one forgiveness voucher.” Looking at these words, thinking this was the last time, I eventually went. As soon as I entered the private golf course, I didn’t see Damon. Instead, someone kicked me from behind, knocking me to the ground. Amber’s voice drifted over: “Don’t bother looking. I’m the one who invited you.” As she finished speaking, two bodyguards restrained me. Then clubs began to rain down on my legs furiously. Blood splattered as I screamed in agony. Fighting through the excruciating pain, I shouted: “Amber, have you gone mad!” She smiled sweetly, but her eyes flashed with venom: “Elena, how dare you! You’re already a pariah, yet Damon still won’t divorce you. He even says he needs to make it up to you and help you make a comeback.” “Elena, tell me! How dare you?!” Damon treats her like a goddess, and even his casual words to placate me are worth her making such a big fuss? Utterly exasperated, I said coldly: “I’m not trying to compete with you.” Seeing that I knew my place, she snorted and said haughtily: “But I just can’t stand the sight of you. You’re a supermodel, right? Well, I’ll break your legs and see how you seduce Damon then!” Looking at the sticky blood on my pant leg, she retched in disgust. Her eyes fell on a golf ball nearby. As if suddenly thinking of something, she smiled eerily. “Strip her pants!” Her voice was shrill. “Last time we didn’t get to stuff the egg. What a pity. There’s a ball right here. Elena, I guarantee you’ll feel ecstasy today!” She caressed the golf ball in her hand and ordered the bodyguards to strip my pants. I struggled desperately, roaring like a wild beast. Amber giggled in my ear, grabbing my face, her manicured nails leaving bloody scratches: “Don’t scream! You’ll feel so good soon, better than any man! I promise you’ll be addicted!” Looking at her ugly face, I flashed back to Damon’s countless rebukes, disgust, and cold stares because of her. Tears suddenly poured out, giving me the courage to throw caution to the wind. I was leaving anyway. Why should I let her bully me! Just as my pants were about to be pulled down, strength came from nowhere. I suddenly pushed away the bodyguards and charged at Amber. Then I opened my mouth and bit down hard on her hand. Amber let out a piercing scream, frantically trying to tear my mouth away. But I wouldn’t let go no matter what. The taste of blood filled my nose as I bit off half of Amber’s finger. “What are you doing?” Damon’s stern roar came from behind. As he rushed in, he came face to face with my blood-covered face and half-stripped lower body. Realizing Amber was bullying me, he was shocked! He kicked the bodyguards away and quickly pulled up my pants, his eyes filled with anxiety. “Elena, what happened? Don’t be afraid, I’ll… take you to the hospital!” But Amber suddenly screamed, showing him her bloody half-finger, her cries shrill and almost piercing the air: “Damon, she bit off my finger! My hand is ruined!” “It hurts so much! Damon, save me, please!” Damon’s expression changed dramatically. He turned to look at me in shock, caught in a dilemma. But after just a moment, he tossed me a few words and hurriedly picked up Amber. “The survival time for a finger is low. I’ll take her to the hospital first. Call an ambulance yourself. I’ll come pick you up later.” Hearing this, my heart suddenly plummeted into an endless abyss. So, he wasn’t unaware of Amber’s vicious nature. He was just biased. I looked up at him, my eyes full of desolation: “Damon, this is the last time.” Damon looked at my completely hardened expression and suddenly felt a pang in his heart, feeling as if he had lost something important. But feeling the broken and shattered person in his arms, he still chose to abandon me without hesitation. As he was leaving, he looked at me earnestly, pleading: “I know you’re wronged. I’ll definitely give you an explanation this time.” “Just… don’t call the police… please.” Watching his back disappear with my own eyes, I didn’t go to the hospital. I just dragged my injured leg back to the villa. Sure enough, as soon as I got home, the maid handed me the 99th property deed. It was for this villa. I locked it in the safe. Along with my diary, divorce agreement, and contract termination papers, I placed them on the table. I took a note and left him a line: “The life debt is repaid, love cannot continue. Damon, let’s divorce.” I took what little luggage I had and checked in for a flight to Yunnan. Damon, this is how it ends between us. As the plane streaked across the sky, Damon returned home, exhausted. The room was empty and silent. He was confused and called me. He noticed the note on the bedroom table and was about to pick it up when a cold, mechanical female voice came from his phone. “Sorry, the number you have dialed is not available…” And in the next second, when he saw the large characters on the note, his pupils suddenly constricted!

“The life debt is repaid, love cannot continue. Damon, let’s divorce.” Damon’s mind went blank, barely recognizing the word “divorce.” He picked up the paper, turning to the last page, and only then did he clearly see the three large characters signed: Elena. He finally realized that Elena really wanted to divorce him. Looking at the contract termination agreement laid out before his eyes, he angrily smashed his phone. Then he called my agent, roaring furiously: “You dared to terminate her contract behind my back. Do you want to die?” The agent was terrified and could only weakly explain: “Mr. Damon, didn’t you tell us that Amber was seriously injured, and unless the sky was falling, not to bother you?” Damon’s body stiffened. He remembered receiving a call when the experts couldn’t treat Amber. But he was so anxious at the time that he cursed the caller and hung up. Who knew it was about Elena’s contract termination? “How could you let her leave without my signature on the termination agreement?” Damon was determined to vent his anger on someone today. The other side sighed again: “Mr. Damon, have you forgotten? You signed the contract five years ago.” “She’s your wife. You gave her special approval for termination back then, and you even paid the breach of contract fee out of your own pocket…” Damon’s lips had lost all color as he gritted his back teeth. That did happen. But he had long forgotten about it. At that time, he was passionately in love with Elena. He signed her to his own company, poured resources into making her a star, just to give her the best treatment and ensure she wouldn’t be constrained. He even spent all the liquid assets he had, angering his grandfather who punished him with twenty strokes of the family rod. After his wounds healed, Elena was so worried about him that she developed a fever in the middle of the night and almost died. He was terrified and mobilized all his connections in the city to save her. He cried like never before at her bedside: “Elena! You can’t have anything happen to you, you can’t die. Even the King of Hell can’t take my wife from me!” And when Elena woke up, her one sentence made him cry tears of joy: “Is this your way of proposing to me?” As the memories flooded back, Damon’s eyes stung. His self-perceived doting had almost cost Elena her life back then, and now it had made her disappear from his world completely. Didn’t Elena say she loved him? Then why did she leave him… His nails dug into his flesh, but he couldn’t feel any pain. His heart continued to ache. The world seemed to return to those dark days when he was besieged within the Jin family, desperately fighting for power. Those were the darkest days of his twenty years, suddenly plunging into an icy hell, all warmth around him vanishing. Only Elena stayed by his side, loving him. She stayed up late with him, coaxed him to sleep, took him to see a therapist, accompanied him in extreme sports. She gave him love, becoming his emotional pillar. How could someone like her leave? Damon crouched on the ground, burying his head in his arms, questioning the air over and over. But no one could give him an answer. The phone on the ground was still ringing: “Sigh, Elena is pitiful too. Her legs were beaten until she was crippled. She can’t be a model anymore.” “But at least she retired from the industry while still hot as an international supermodel. People will remember her, so she won’t be too lonely.” A tear fell on Damon’s phone as he urgently wanted to know exactly what had happened: “How badly were her legs injured?” The agent’s voice immediately turned angry: “It’s really despicable. Those people specifically wanted to ruin her. They didn’t touch anywhere else, just completely destroyed her legs. It’s a sin!” “Originally there was hope for treatment, but who knows why it took so long to get her to the hospital. Her right leg is beyond saving now.” Only her legs were injured? Specifically to ruin her career?

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The hotel receptionist had been eyeing my boyfriend all morning. Now, she decided to make her move with a vicious, public smear. “Miss, you checked in yesterday with a different man. And when you left, you stained the bedsheets and refused to pay for the damage.” Ryan stared at me in complete shock. The receptionist added with fake concern. “Oh! I’m so sorry. I didn’t say something I shouldn’t have, did I?” When I demanded security footage, she claimed the cameras were down. What she never expected was that this luxury hotel answered to my family. “Good afternoon, ma’am, how can I help you?” The receptionist’s words were directed at me, but her gaze remained locked on Ryan. My eyes dropped to her name tag. Sarah. I remembered this delicate-looking receptionist quite clearly. Last night, when Ryan brought me to check in, she was the one who assisted us. She’d been so fixated on Ryan, she even knocked over a glass of water. After clumsily cleaning up, it took her another ten minutes to finally finish my check-in. I knew Ryan was a looker. He was tall and muscular, with handsome features and eyes that were surprisingly gentle and deep. Girls often stared at him, dumbfounded, and I never really cared. After all, everyone likes to look at a handsome guy. But this receptionist? Wasn’t she a little too unprofessional? “Hi, I checked out this morning. I left a necklace on the bathroom counter.” “Hello? Did you hear me?” Ryan and I were college sweethearts. We met at a party during our senior year. They say graduation season is breakup season. Even though we moved back to our respective cities for work, joining the ranks of long-distance couples, our relationship remained solid. This time, I was in Ryan’s city for a business trip. He suggested I stay at his place, but his parents and grandparents lived there too. Before getting married, I didn’t want to move in with him and face the scrutiny of his entire family. So, Ryan booked me a room at the only five-star hotel in the area. I checked out early this morning. After lunch with Ryan, as we were heading home, I realized I’d left my necklace at the hotel. I waved my hand in front of the receptionist’s face a few times before she finally blushed and tore her gaze away from Ryan. She looked down at her computer screen and replied without hesitation: “Good afternoon, ma’am. Housekeeping already cleaned your room this morning. There were no items left behind. Are you sure you’re not mistaken?” I was a bit taken aback. This morning, while I was brushing my hair in front of the mirror, my hair got tangled in the necklace. I’d taken it off and set it aside. After I finished my hair, just as I was about to grab the necklace, my phone rang. My client, who I was supposed to meet later, had arrived early. I rushed out, grabbing my bag, and only remembered the necklace after the contract was signed. “I’m sure I left it on the bathroom counter. Please, could you ask the cleaning lady again?” The receptionist didn’t make a call. Instead, she stated firmly: “We didn’t find anything. You must be mistaken.” Seeing my frown, Ryan stepped forward and took my hand. “Don’t worry. Are you sure you can’t think a bit harder?” “Maybe you dropped it somewhere on the way out?”

I was a little annoyed. What did he mean? Was he implying I was mistaken? I was absolutely certain my necklace was on that bathroom counter. It was a diamond necklace my mom gave me for my birthday last month, and it was worth a fortune. “Your hotel lobby and elevators should have security cameras, right? Have someone pull up the footage.” “We’ll see if I was wearing the necklace when I left. It’ll be obvious.” Ryan sighed in relief and joined me in urging the receptionist: “Yeah, that’s a good idea.” “Have someone check the footage.” The receptionist froze, her eyes darted around, then she bit her lip, looking at me with a complicated expression. “Ma’am, could your necklace have been taken by your companion?” Both Ryan and I were stunned. Ryan’s face changed, and he pressed anxiously: “Companion? What companion?” The receptionist blurted out: “The gentleman who stayed with this lady yesterday.” “This lady left first in the morning, and that gentleman checked out an hour later.” “Housekeeping went to inspect the room afterward and found the bedsheets covered in. stains.” “According to regulations, there’s a cleaning fee for stained sheets, but that gentleman refused to pay and argued about it for ages.” Ryan was practically fuming, his face flushed crimson, and his voice shot up several notches. “What gentleman! What gentleman are you talking about?!” I was even angrier than him. Is this receptionist out of her mind? Last night, I was busy revising and reviewing a contract, staying up until three in the morning to finish. What man could possibly have been there? What kind of insane nonsense was she spouting?! And what did she mean by “stained bedsheets”?! I glared at her, my face hardening. “You know, speaking like this carries legal consequences. Now tell me again, what man was in my room yesterday?” The receptionist looked as if I’d scared her, taking two steps back. “I-I might have remembered wrong.” Ryan pulled me aside, gritting his teeth and glaring at me. “Scarlett, you can’t threaten her.” Then he turned back, forcing a strained smile at the receptionist. “Take your time, don’t be scared.” Sarah nervously lowered her head, deliberately dropping her voice. “I-we’re not supposed to disclose guest privacy.” “I’m sorry, just pretend I made a mistake.” I nearly passed out from anger, a surge of pure rage shot through me. Ryan was just as furious. His eyes were bloodshot, his chest heaving. “Scarlett, is this why you didn’t want to stay at my place?” “No wonder you ignored my FaceTime last night… Who was that man?” Ryan didn’t believe me.

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When the game world fell into reality, Caius found me first and put his arm around my waist. He smiled and looked at me for a long moment. “Found you,” he said. Becuse players were screaming and selling their accounts. I didn’t. I stayed up late and said goodbye to every NPC I cared about. The next morning, the game world broke into reality. The ones I used to flirt with in the game were now stepping into my world for real. The news hit like a bombshell: Sword World, the game that had taken the world by storm, was shutting down in 24 hours. The moment the announcement dropped, players everywhere rushed to sell their accounts. My roommate Sarah was no different. “You should sell yours too,” she urged. “Might as well make some money back while you still can.” But I couldn’t do it. This wasn’t just a game account to me. It was a reminder of everything I’d been through, a source of comfort during my hardest years. To me, it was priceless. When Sarah suggested we sell our accounts together as a bundle, I politely turned her down and logged into the game by myself. If this was the end, I wanted to say goodbye properly. After all, this game had been with me for five long, difficult years. I followed my usual routine: I harvested the vegetables in my little virtual garden, tidied up, and got everything in order. Then, I set off to visit the NPCs one last time. I spent every last coin in my account. I bought the stable boy his favorite pastries. Picked out the perfect calligraphy set for the schoolteacher. And got the beggar by the city gates a new pair of straw sandals. One by one, I visited them all, bringing gifts and watching as they broke into their familiar smiles. “Thank you, hero!” they said, cheerful as always. I couldn’t help but smile back. “Goodbye,” I whispered to the screen. “I don’t think we’ll meet again, but I hope you’ll be okay. Take care of yourselves.” Behind me, Sarah let out a loud snort. “Are you serious?” she said, rolling her eyes. “They’re just a bunch of lines of code. The moment the servers shut down, they’ll get deleted in an instant.” “Take care of themselves? You’re acting like they’re real people!” I stayed quiet, but her mocking tone grated on me. “You’ve totally lost it,” she continued, laughing. “Calling NPCs your ‘friends’? You need help. Like, actual help. Maybe I should tell someone—get you checked out or something.” Then she reached for my phone. “Come on, stop being ridiculous! Just sell your account already! If we sell ours together, we’ll get way more money.” I shoved her hand away. “I said no, Sarah!” My voice was steady, but my patience was wearing thin. “And for the record,” I added, staring her down, “friends are the ones who bring you comfort and joy. These NPCs did that for me when no one else did. So yeah, they’re my friends. Deal with it.” As we argued, the clock quietly struck midnight. I glanced at my phone, and my heart sank. The game had logged me out. The servers were officially shut down. No more Sword World. No more NPCs. And worst of all, I hadn’t made it to Caius. Caius—the sensitive one, the one who’d probably take it the hardest if I disappeared without saying goodbye. I stared at the blank screen, guilt gnawing at me. But it didn’t matter now. Sword World was gone, and there was nothing I could do.

The day Sword World shut down, the wind outside was ferocious. I watched from the dorm window as a convenience store’s patio umbrella, base and all, was ripped off the ground and sent flying several meters down the street. The store clerk ran out, trying to grab it, but the wind shoved him back like a toy. Every news channel was looping coverage of the global storm. Experts took turns sharing their theories, but no one could explain it. Some people online were even saying it was the end of the world. Meanwhile, I stared at the dwindling food stash in our dorm room. The storm showed no signs of stopping, and I was running out of options. My supplies wouldn’t last past tonight. Sarah, my roommate, didn’t seem worried at all. She leaned back in her chair, scrolling through her phone. “Told you you should’ve sold your account when you had the chance.” She smirked. “I got a cool eighty grand for mine. Once the money’s in my account, I’ll be swimming in takeout—even if delivery fees shoot up to a hundred bucks.” She shot me a glance. “You? You’re on your own. Hope you enjoy starving.” I ignored her. There was no point arguing. She clearly didn’t realize that no one in their right mind would drop that kind of money on a game account after the servers shut down. It was almost definitely a scam. I got up, heading toward the bathroom to wash up when something strange happened. A cold, robotic voice echoed through the room. “Sword World dungeon successfully initialized. First mission: find Lyra’s favorite item near the village entrance. Time limit: 24 hours. Failure will result in erasure.” I froze. “Lyra?” I whispered. Sarah, on the other hand, rolled her eyes. “What the hell? A mission? Who’s pulling this dumb prank?” I wasn’t sure what to say. Lyra was a name I knew—she was an NPC in Sword World. The granddaughter of the beginner village chief. A sweet little girl who loved playing hide-and-seek by the creek near the village gates. But this couldn’t be real. It had to be some weird coincidence. Before I could think further, there was a loud, frantic knock at the door. Sarah sighed dramatically and stomped over to open it. “Who is it?” Standing there was Jessica, another girl from our dorm. She looked awful—her clothes were torn, and she was covered in blood. She wobbled unsteadily, clutching the doorframe for support. “Help… me…” she gasped, her voice barely above a whisper. Then, before we could react, she collapsed, hitting the floor with a sickening thud. Behind her, standing in the hallway, was a little girl. She couldn’t have been older than six or seven, with twin pigtails and a lollipop in her hand. She swayed slightly as she stared at us, her big, round eyes sparkling with an eerie light. Then she smiled. “Big sister,” she said sweetly, tilting her head. “Did you find my favorite thing yet?” Sarah jumped back in shock. “What the—where did this creepy kid come from?! Hey, where are your parents?!” I couldn’t move. I couldn’t even speak. The girl’s face, her outfit, her voice—it was exactly like Lyra. The Sword World NPC. Down to the last detail. My stomach twisted into knots. This couldn’t be real. There was no way someone could look exactly like an NPC from a video game. I took a step back, my mind racing. But as I moved, something cold brushed against my leg. The chill shot through me like ice water. I looked down. Jessica. She was lying there, motionless. Her skin was pale, her lips blue. I crouched down, reaching out with trembling hands, and froze when I touched her. She was ice-cold. Her entire body felt like it had been pulled out of a freezer. I scrambled backward, panic rising in my chest. “She’s—she’s gone!” Sarah turned to glare at me, annoyed. “What the hell are you talking about? gone? Are you losing it?” Before I could respond, the TV, my phone, Sarah’s laptop—every screen in the room suddenly flickered and changed to the same broadcast. A news anchor appeared on the screen, pale and visibly shaken. “This is an emergency announcement,” they began, their voice tense. “After thorough investigation, experts have confirmed that the recent global anomalies are linked to a martial arts game called Sword World.” I felt my blood run cold. The anchor continued, their tone growing more urgent. “We are now asking anyone familiar with this game to come forward and provide information. “If you encounter anyone resembling NPCs from the game, do not engage with them. Avoid contact at all costs. Do not speak to them, and leave the area immediately.” They paused, their eyes darting nervously off-camera. Then, in a lower voice, they added: “If you must interact with them, answer their questions carefully. Incorrect answers may result in….” The broadcast repeated the warning, hammering it into viewers’ heads: “Do not engage with NPCs. Do not make eye contact. Answer questions with extreme caution.” Then, the screen cut to a slideshow of game NPCs.

“No way… this has to be some kind of joke. There’s no way the game’s NPCs are actually real!” Sarah stared in disbelief, her eyes darting back and forth between the computer screen and the little girl standing in front of us. Meanwhile, Lyra stood there smiling sweetly, looking for all the world like a perfectly normal kid. “Big sister,” she said, tilting her head innocently. “Did you find Lyra’s favorite thing yet? It’s getting late, and Lyra needs to go home. Hurry and tell me, okay?” My hands started to tremble—not from fear, but from excitement. I thought I’d never see them again—the friends who had been with me through the hardest five years of my life. When Sword World shut down, it felt like losing a piece of myself. All the people, the stories, the memories I’d poured my heart into—they were gone in an instant. All I could do was sit by helplessly as years of effort disappeared overnight. I remember the shock when I first heard the news. It was like my blood had turned to ice. I couldn’t stop replaying it in my head; I couldn’t stop panicking over what life might be like without them. But now… now they were back. Sure, the situation was strange—terrifying, even—but I couldn’t help feeling a spark of joy. Sarah’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. “Who the hell knows what she likes?” she said, glaring at Lyra. “She’s just some random NPC from the beginner’s village! She barely even has a role in the game.” Then Sarah’s expression shifted. Her eyes lit up with an idea, and before I could react, she grabbed my arm and shoved me forward. “She knows!” Sarah blurted out, pointing at me. “Ask her! She can tell you!” And then, without a second’s hesitation, Sarah slammed the dorm door shut behind me. Through the small glass window in the door, I could see her smirking at me. “I’m not perishing for this,” she said with a cruel grin. “If anyone’s meeting their end because of this eerie little creature, it’s you.” She gave me a mocking wave. “Besides, isn’t this your thing? You’re always obsessing over NPCs and their stories. Time to put all that ‘research’ to good use. Go on, Elara—this is your big moment!” Her voice was dripping with malice, the same condescending tone she’d used so many times before. It was just like the way she’d told everyone I was “crazy” for treating NPCs like real people, the way she’d turned the entire class against me. Fine, Sarah. If this is how you want to play, I’ll play too. I turned to Lyra, forcing myself to stay calm. “Lyra,” I said gently, “I know what your favorite thing is. But after I tell you, can you promise me something?” She blinked, tilting her head curiously. “What is it, big sister?” “You have to ask that big sister, too,” I said, nodding toward Sarah through the window. “She really wants to answer your question as well.” Lyra’s eyes lit up. “Oh! Does that big sister want to play with me, too? Okay! But you have to go first! Once you tell me, I’ll ask her next!” Behind the door, Sarah’s smirk vanished. Her expression twisted into panic as she realized what I was doing. She started banging on the door with her fists. “Elara, you bitch! You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you? Just answer her question and get it over with!” She was practically screaming now. “You’re gonna get me in serious trouble! Darn it, Elara!” I ignored her. Leaning down, I whispered into Lyra’s ear, my voice low enough that only she could hear. “Lyra loves the butcher’s big cleaver, doesn’t she?” For a moment, Lyra’s eyes gleamed with something sharp and unnatural. Then, she let out a soft giggle. “Wow, big sister, you really know a lot!” she said, clapping her hands together. Behind the door, Sarah’s banging grew even louder. “What did you tell her?!” she shouted, her voice cracking. “Elara, what the hell did you say?! You can’t just leave me hanging like this!” She sounded frantic now, her words tumbling over each other. “We’re roommates! You can’t just let me go! Help me!” But before I could respond, Lyra’s cheerful voice cut through the chaos. “Hmm… but you got it wrong!” What? I froze. Sarah stopped yelling. For a moment, everything was silent.

She let out a cold laugh, her voice dripping with disdain. “Wow, and here I thought you were actually good at something. Typical Elara—useless and weird.” “You couldn’t level up properly; you were trash at dungeons, and now you can’t even figure out a low-level NPC. Pathetic.” Her smirk deepened as she delivered the final blow. “People like you—antisocial losers living in your little fantasy worlds—aren’t good for anything. Why don’t you just do everyone a favor and disappear already?” A sudden chill shot up from the ground, snapping me out of my thoughts. Startled, I looked down to see an icy column snaking its way up my legs, frost spreading fast. Within seconds, my legs were frozen solid below the knees, sharp crystals glinting in the light. This skill… I knew it. There was no mistake. It had to be her—the mischievous Lyra from the beginner village in Sword World. “Lyra!” I shouted, panic slipping into my voice. “Are you acting up again?” Her head tilted slightly, her big, round eyes blinking at me in confusion. “Didn’t I just tell you last night to behave and listen to your grandpa? What, you forgot already? If you keep this up, I’m not bringing you any more pork floss buns!” Her expression froze. She stared at me, wide-eyed, as if trying to process what I’d just said. “Who… are you?” she asked, her voice soft and hesitant. I crossed my arms, lifting my chin. “What? You don’t recognize me anymore? Oh, Lyra, you’re in big trouble now! I’m never helping you steal the butcher’s cleaver again!” Her eyes widened and then sparkled with sudden recognition. In an instant, she canceled the skill and ran toward me, throwing herself into my arms. “It’s you! Mr. Handsome! Lyra finally found you!” She hugged me tightly, burying her face in my chest, her voice trembling with excitement. “You don’t know how much Lyra missed you! Lyra waited and waited, but you never came back to visit.” I patted her head gently, trying to suppress a smile. But then she pulled back slightly, her innocent eyes scanning me from head to toe. Her brow furrowed in confusion. “But… Mr. Handsome, why are you a girl now? Did you… did you turn into a girl? Did you get a sex change?” … I froze, completely thrown off by her question. Her wide, curious eyes stared at me, waiting for an answer. I opened my mouth and then closed it again, unsure of what to say. God, why did I ever think it was a good idea to create a male character? Letting out an awkward laugh, I quickly changed the subject. “Uh, let’s not focus on that right now. What I do want to know is why you lied earlier. I didn’t get your question wrong, did I?” Lyra’s smile faltered. Her eyes darkened slightly, and she lowered her head, her voice muffled as she spoke. “I didn’t lie,” she said softly. “You were right. That used to be my favorite thing. But it’s not anymore.” Before I could process what she meant, she suddenly looked up at me, her eyes blazing with anger. “Ms. Handsome!” she shouted, pointing angrily toward the door where Sarah had locked herself in. “It was her, wasn’t it? She hurt you! She was mean to you, wasn’t she?” Her small hands clenched into fists. “Don’t worry, Lyra will protect you! Lyra will get rid of her for you!” “Wait, Lyra—” But before I could stop her, dozens of thin, glimmering ice threads shot out from her hands, slicing through the air like needles. Sarah barely had time to react. She let out a choked scream, scrambling to run, but it was too late. The ice threads pierced through her body in an instant, blood splattering the walls as she collapsed to the floor. She didn’t even have time to cry out. Her lifeless eyes stared blankly at the ceiling. Her body crumpled in a pool of red. Lyra turned back to me, her face lighting up with pride. “See, sister? Aren’t you happy now?” I stared at Sarah’s body, my chest tightening painfully. My breath caught in my throat. “Lyra,” I said carefully, forcing myself to stay calm. “You can’t just go around harming people like that. You’re still a kid—you don’t understand. This world isn’t like the one you came from.” I crouched down to her level, trying to meet her gaze. “When people gone here, they don’t come back. They’re gone forever. Do you understand?” Lyra pouted, clearly unconcerned. But when she saw the seriousness in my expression, she hesitated and then reluctantly nodded. “Okay… I’ll listen to you, big sister.” Before I could say anything else, the school’s PA system cracked to life. “This is an urgent broadcast. Attention, all students. Sword World NPC Caius is currently searching for a specific individual: a man in a black bathrobe, with multicolored hair, a passion for gardening, and a large red flower on his head.” “Anyone with information is requested to report to the nearest TV tower immediately. This is a priority alert. A significant reward will be given for any leads.” I froze, staring at the speaker in disbelief. Seriously, Caius? Did you really have to describe my character in excruciating detail? I sighed heavily, grabbing Lyra’s hand. “Come on, Lyra. Caius’s looking for me. Let’s go find him.” But before I could take a step, Lyra tugged on my hand, refusing to move. “Do we have to go?” she asked, her voice small and hesitant. “Can’t we just stay here? Just you and me?” I crouched down, frowning slightly. “Why, Lyra? Don’t you want to see Caius? Don’t you miss him?” She squirmed, her eyes darting to the side. “Ms. Handsome… you don’t understand. Caius’s different now.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “He’s scary. Really scary. Lyra doesn’t want to see him. Please, can we not go?” I couldn’t help but laugh softly. Typical kid behavior. Caius? Scary? The guy was the definition of calm and polite—probably the least threatening person I’d ever met. I ruffled her hair, smiling reassuringly. “Don’t worry, Lyra. I’ll protect you. Let’s go.” Reluctantly, she nodded and followed me out of the dorm, though her steps were heavy with hesitation. We’d barely made it down the hall when we ran straight into John and his group.

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“She sold her grandma’s heirloom for me. Tell me that’s not stupid.” In 104-degree heat, I stood frozen at the villa gate, takeout bag in hand. I knew that voice too well—my boyfriend, Brandon, the guy who had “failed” seven startups. Then another voice chimed in from inside: “Brandon, if she ever finds out you’re actually a billionaire and only pretending to be broke to get back at Chloe, she’ll lose it.” Laughter erupted. My entire body went cold. I stepped aside, dialed a number, and said quietly, “Grandpa… you win. I’ll go through with the arranged marriage.” Chloe’s syrupy voice drifted from inside the mansion “You’re the best, Brandon. What is Amelia, anyway? She never deserved you. Two years with you was more than she deserved.” I stood stiffly outside the door, the takeout bag suddenly heavy in my grip. Today was our second anniversary. I’d planned to finish this delivery and surprise Brandon at home. Brandon’s voice was relaxed in a way I’d never heard. “She never deserved me. If it weren’t to avenge how she treated you back then, why would I play this role for two years?” Chloe giggled. “Look at her, Brandon. So pathetic, delivering food every day and actually thinking she’s saving her bankrupt prince.” Through the cracked door I saw Brandon lounging on the sofa without any trace of his failed entrepreneur act. My grandmother’s bracelet glittered around Chloe’s wrist like a cruel joke. He pinched her cheek. “Watching her beg customers for extra delivery tips never gets old.” My vision blurred. For two years I woke at 4 AM, worked until 11 PM, sold everything valuable. Even the bracelet my grandmother left me. That night he’d held me, whispering, “When I get back on my feet, I’ll give you the life you deserve.” Now I understood. His bankrupt family, his dead parents, all those failed startups. Every part of it was a lie designed to help another woman destroy me. I slammed the door open. The laughter died. Brandon shot up from the sofa as if electrocuted, the blood draining from his face. “Amelia? What are you…I can explain! This is just a business meeting.” My gaze never reached him, locked on the bracelet circling Chloe’s wrist. “The bracelet. Give it back.” She tilted her head, a smirk playing on her lips. “Why should I? Brandon gave it to me as a gift.” “That was my grandmother’s,” I said, my voice shaking. “I pawned it to fund his so-called startup.” Brandon’s smile stiffened. He reached for my wrist, his tone softening into that familiar, poisonous sweetness. “Amelia, let me explain.” I snatched my arm back. “Explain the lies? Or how you stole my grandmother’s bracelet for her?” Chloe rose, cradling the jade bracelet protectively. “You want it? One million dollars. Pay up, and it’s yours.” One million dollars! Since cutting ties with my family and pouring every cent into Brandon’s ventures, I was broke. I couldn’t even scrounge up a thousand bucks. Brandon avoided my eyes, silently endorsing Chloe’s cruelty. My heart sank. “Give me three days,” I gritted out. “I’ll get the money.” Chloe laughed. “Three days? You’ll never earn a million delivering takeout!” She snatched the food from my hands and flung the gourmet meal at me. Sauce dripped down my clothes as she ground the expensive steak under her heel. “This is all you’re worth.” Though stained and humiliated, I stood my ground, fists clenched. She suddenly ripped the bracelet from her wrist and threw open the window. “Look at you. So pathetic. So cheap. Since you care this so much-” Before I could move, she hurled it out. I lunged forward. “No!” The bracelet flashed in the light before vanishing into a storm drain. My grandmother had put it on me herself before she passed. It was the last tangible link to her, to my family.

I shoved Brandon away when he tried to grab me. “Get lost.” Under everyone’s astonished gazes, I didn’t hesitate to jump into the storm drain. Instantly, the sewage reached my waist, and a wave of sickening stench hit me. Around me, gasps and jeers erupted, but I heard nothing, cared for nothing. Chloe’s piercing laughter echoed from upstairs. “Hahaha, look at that crazy woman! Jumping into a sewer for a useless old bracelet, it’s hilarious!” Brandon frowned and yelled at me, “It’s just a useless old bracelet, do you have to be so dramatic?” Useless old bracelet? It was the only thing my grandmother had left me! And his beloved Chloe had thrown it away like garbage! I frantically fumbled in the murky water, enduring the scorching sun overhead. I searched for nearly half an hour in that sewage. Finally, I felt the outline of the bracelet, only to find it broken into three pieces. Clutching the fractured bracelet in my hand, I slowly climbed out of the storm drain. The onlookers, covering their noses, parted to make way. Brandon’s voice drifted from the villa steps, sharp with contempt and anger. That face, which once made my heart race, was now twisted into a mask of cruel unfamiliarity. “Amelia! If you dare to walk away now, we’re over.” I looked down at the broken jade, my voice eerily calm. “We were over a long time ago.” Chloe walked over in her high heels, intimately hooked her arm through Brandon’s, and jingled another gold bracelet on her wrist. “Brandon, why waste words on trash like her? She doesn’t even deserve to be mentioned by you. Should I throw this one down too, so she can perform another sewer dive?” Brandon suddenly let out a cold laugh. “Amelia, watching you work your butt off like an idiot to support me these past two years? It was the greatest joy of my life. Don’t think for a second I’d ever like a cheap-looking woman like you. Can’t even do your makeup, you’re an embarrassment to be seen with.” My body trembled, my vision blurred by tears, yet my voice emerged as cold as ice. “It’s over!” I watched Brandon’s expression shift from panic to something darker. “Who do you think you are?” he demanded. “For two years you lived under my roof. You’re nothing without me. Do you really think you can just leave?” I let out a cold, hard laugh. “Your roof? Your food?” I stared directly into his eyes. “Brandon, tell me the truth. Who paid for everything these past two years? Who worked three jobs to fund your startups?” Chloe kept her distance, wrinkling her nose and covering it with her hand. “Oh, those gifts Brandon bought you, those fancy restaurants he took you to-that all costs money! And now you just want to walk away!” Those so-called “gifts” were all bought with my hard-earned money. And those “fancy restaurants” Brandon wanted to go to? I always paid the bill. I turned towards the door, emphasizing again. “It’s over!” Without another glance at them, I turned and walked away decisively. How could I have been so blind as to fall for such an animal? Half an hour later, a black Maybach pulled up by the curb.

Three months ago, Brandon claimed another startup failure, needing to repay a hefty sum. He suggested I take up food delivery, proudly calling it “helping me share the burden.” Looking back, it was all a carefully orchestrated scam. A way to make me suffer, to avenge his Chloe. Anyway, it’s all in the past now. Life can finally get back on track. I quit my delivery job and packed all my belongings in my apartment. The next day, I arrived at The Grand Astoria. It was the city’s top hotel, and one of my grandfather’s properties. Dragging my oversized suitcases through the opulent lobby, my rough clothes and worn canvas sneakers clashed sharply with the luxury. Suddenly, that irritating voice sounded behind me. Chloe, in a designer dress and high heels, approached like a proud peacock. “Well, well, isn’t this Amelia, the woman who jumped into the sewer the other day?” I kept walking, but she grabbed my suitcase. “What’s wrong? Dumped by Brandon, so now you’re desperate to come to a place like this to hunt for a sugar daddy?” Her little posse burst into derisive laughter. Someone even kicked my suitcase, scattering my clothes across the floor. I looked at the mess, my voice calm. “Pick them up.” Chloe dramatically rubbed her ear, then stomped her foot onto my white shirt, leaving a clear high heel mark. “What? You want me to pick them up? How about this: you get on your knees and beg me. Maybe I’ll be in a good mood and help you then.” More and more people gathered, some starting to egg her on. “Kneel! Kneel!” I remained motionless. Chloe suddenly reached out and shoved me. “Stop acting! I couldn’t stand that pretentious look on your face back in college, it just annoyed me.” But I was ready. I sidestepped, avoiding her push. She, however, stumbled forward from the momentum, crashing into the designer bag display rack behind her. Limited edition designer bags tumbled down, some even scratched by the metal edges of the display. Crash! The lobby instantly fell silent. Chloe’s face turned ashen. She pointed at me and shrieked. “You… you deliberately pushed me!” “Oh my God! Those are limited editions!” “I saw it! She definitely pushed her!” “Hahaha, how many designer bags did that hick ruin?” “A Chanel classic, three Hermès Birkins, and a few limited collaboration pieces…” Chloe walked up to me, raising her voice. “These are worth at least five million dollars! That’s ten years in prison, easily!” I remained silent. Chloe walked closer, triumphantly. “I do have a good idea, though. You can get down and bow down and beg to each of these bags. For each one you beg to, I’ll pay for one of them. How about that? A good deal, right?” A few of Chloe’s cronies snickered and crowded around. “Yeah, get down and beg! Let’s see how the errand girl begs! Hurry up and do it, or we’ll call the police and have you arrested right now!” Just then, Brandon stepped out of the elevator. He saw the scene, frowning. “What’s going on?” Chloe’s expression shifted instantly. She melted into Brandon’s arms, tears welling in her eyes. “Brandon, she tried to hurt me! She pushed me toward the display case!” Brandon’s eyes flickered to me before returning to Chloe. “Amelia,” he said, his voice tight, “apologize to her. I can still help you through this..” A cold laugh escaped me. “We’re done. I don’t need your help anymore.”

Brandon’s eyes turned sinister. He took a step forward and grabbed my wrist, squeezing so hard it felt like my bones would shatter. “Amelia, don’t play dumb with me. I hated that attitude of yours back in college, and you still ended up being played by me for two years. Fine, if you don’t want my help…” I trembled with fury, yanking my hand free. “Let go!” Chloe smugly wiggled her high-heeled foot. “I have an idea. You can start by licking my shoes clean. Maybe I’ll be in a better mood and let you off.” A burst of laughter erupted from the crowd. Brandon, in front of everyone, loudly declared: “Don’t be shy. Every time you groveled and begged people for money to support me, I’d record a video and send it to Chloe. It was hilarious.” I felt my whole body shake, my vision blurring. All the humiliations, all the times I had to grovel over the past two years… It was all just their personal entertainment! Brandon grew more excited. “Oh, and especially when you knelt on the ground begging customers. We even posted the video in the alumni group. The title was ‘Our former campus queen begging for ten bucks’.” SMACK! I raised my hand and slapped Brandon across the face. “Stop talking!” The loud slap cut him off. Brandon’s face was turned to the side, a bright red handprint instantly appearing on his cheek. He stared at me in disbelief. “You fing dare to hit me?” Before he could react, I turned and slapped Chloe, who was trying to grab me. I declared loudly, “That’s for both of you, you two disgusting people!” Chloe’s meticulously made-up face instantly swelled. Her perfectly sculpted nose, likely full of filler, was clearly crooked. “Ouch! My nose!” Brandon shielded Chloe and yelled, “Guards! Grab this crazy woman!” Five or six cronies immediately rushed forward. Overpowered by numbers, I was forced to the ground. My cheek slammed hard against the marble floor, and the metallic tang of blood filled my mouth. Chloe shrieked hysterically, “Hold her head down! Make her bow down!” Rough hands grabbed my hair, slamming my head against the floor again and again. Brandon sneered, pulling out his phone to record. “This time I’m posting it online. Let’s see if you dare bully Chloe again.” Blood soon seeped from my forehead, as I lay prostrate on the marble floor. Chloe’s shrill voice dripped with pure venom. “You were so high and mighty in college, weren’t you? Now look at you, sprawled on the ground like a dog!” An endless surge of humiliation and fury rushed through me. I never wanted to use my power, but now that they were using theirs, I gathered all my strength, lifted my head, and shouted: “I am Amelia Vance, the sole heiress of Evergreen Holdings! My grandfather is Arthur Vance!” A brief silence fell over the lobby. Then, even more frantic laughter erupted! “She says she’s Amelia Vance? Then I’m the crown prince of England!” “Is she out of her mind? She’s delusional.” Chloe laughed so hard she doubled over, tears streaming down her face. “Amelia Vance? The heiress to Evergreen Holdings is the fiancée of the Magnus Group’s heir! I don’t expect you to call your grandpa, but if you’re so powerful, why don’t you call your fiancé to back you up?” “That’s the funniest thing I’ve heard all day. Making up stories without even trying to sound convincing.” I couldn’t help but feel ridiculous, my voice hoarse. “Brandon, for the past two years, I was naive and foolish to believe your lies. But since you’re so intent on pushing me, I won’t let you off easy either.” Brandon stared at me for a long moment before a harsh laugh tore from his throat. “Still acting? Let me tell you something. I’ve hated that superior attitude of yours since college, when you turned me down. If Chloe hadn’t wanted to see you humbled, I wouldn’t have wasted a second glance on you.” Chloe stepped forward, her heel hovering just above my fingers on the floor. “Brandon’s right. Trash like you exists for our amusement. I hear you play the piano. I wonder if you’ll still be able to after this-” Several hands grabbed my wrists, pinning my hands down. The cold tip of Chloe’s heel pressed into my fingers. A searing pain shooting up my arm. Just then, a voice cut through the noise, cold and low. It wasn’t loud, but it sliced through the chaos like a blade. “Stop.”

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I rushed out of the elevator and found my husband screaming for a doctor— for his wife in the operating room. And that wife wasn’t me. Minutes later, I was the surgeon ordered to save the woman carrying his child. That was the moment I stopped being the fool in this marriage… and started becoming the storm that would destroy it. “Get me the best doctor here right now!” As I stepped out of the staff-only elevator, I was greeted by the sight of my husband, Grant Fairclough, making a scene outside the operating room. My first thought was, “What is he doing here?” He told me he was away on a business trip today and couldn’t celebrate our seventh wedding anniversary with me. Before I could process what was happening, he yelled at the nurse again. “You’d better save my wife and baby, or I’ll make sure this hospital goes bankrupt!” I froze at his words. I thought, “If his wife is the one lying in that operating room, then who am I?” The realization hit me like a freight train. I’d been betrayed. I was still standing there in shock when a young doctor hurried toward me. “Dr. Fairclough, you’re just in time. All the senior surgeons are tied up with other cases. Please, you need to head into the OR now!” I took a deep breath, clenched my fists, and made my way toward the operating room. Grant blocked my path, his voice dripping with hostility. “Are you the lead surgeon?” I was momentarily stunned that he didn’t recognize me. “Even with the surgical cap and mask covering most of my face, how could he not recognize his wife of seven years?” I thought. But then again, I realized that he probably never imagined I’d be here. Last month, I was temporarily assigned to this small-town hospital as part of an exchange program. I remembered telling Grant about it, but it was obvious that he had been too engrossed in his phone and hadn’t paid attention. From behind my mask, I said calmly, “Please step aside, Sir.” I brushed past him. Grant shouted after me, “There aren’t any men in that OR, right? My wife’s body isn’t for other men to see!” I cursed him silently, disgusted by his absurd possessiveness. But my curiosity grew. His words intrigued me more about the identity of the “wife” he was so protective of. After scrubbing in, I entered the OR. A pregnant woman lay pale and weak on the operating table. The moment I saw her face, my chest tightened. It was Vanessa Hilton, the wife of Ethan Hilton, Grant’s cousin. Ethan was a soldier and was often away on duty. Vanessa would frequently call Grant over to her house with excuses like a broken appliance or a plumbing issue. I’d been so busy with work that I never paid much attention to these things. But now, I realized they had been carrying on behind my back! The nurse handed me Vanessa’s medical chart. Vanessa was eight months pregnant. Her premature contractions were triggered by sexual activity during her pregnancy. I flipped through the chart, my mind racing. Ethan had been away for nearly a year. I couldn’t help but think, “Could the baby Vanessa is carrying be Grant’s?” My stomach churned. Memories of suspicious moments surfaced. Despite years of marriage, I hadn’t been able to conceive. My cycles were irregular, and last year, I’d suggested Grant get tested. He’d flatly refused, insisting he was perfectly fine. Even his mother, Carol Fairclough, had taken his side. I thought, “No wonder he was so sure of himself. He’s already gotten someone else pregnant.” It dawned on me that Carol must have known all along. “Dr. Fairclough,” my assistant interrupted, “should we prepare for a C-section?” I checked the fetal heart rate and ultrasound. The baby was developed enough to survive outside the womb. “The irony,” I thought bitterly. “I’m about to perform a C-section on the woman who’s been sleeping with my husband.” But as a doctor, I had no other choice. Taking a steadying breath, I said, “Yes. Prep for anesthesia.” As we began preparations, Vanessa suddenly screamed, “I want my husband here! I don’t want to do this alone!” The nurse tried to soothe her. “Ms. Hilton, that’s against protocol…” “Why not? I’ve seen husbands in the delivery room on TV!” After the anesthesia kicked in, Vanessa’s contractions eased, and she began shouting energetically. The nurse explained patiently, “Those require prior approval, and our hospital doesn’t…” Vanessa shouted, “I don’t care! My husband is a high-ranking executive! If you don’t let him in, you’ll regret it!” I thought, “Your real husband is a soldier, Vanessa. Grant’s just your lover, isn’t he? How shameless.” Clearly, neither Vanessa nor Grant cared about their marriage. They openly called each other husband and wife. “I won’t deliver unless my husband is here!” Vanessa declared.

My assistant hesitated. “Dr. Fairclough, what should we do?” Suppressing my rage, I replied, “Call the director. I don’t have the authority to make that decision.” The director approved it quickly, saying the paperwork could be handled later. Soon, Grant entered the room, dressed in scrubs. Vanessa immediately started whining. “Honey, it hurts so much…” She was lying, of course. In her semi-anesthetized state, she wouldn’t feel pain. Grant held her hand tenderly. “Hang in there, sweetheart. Once the baby’s born, I’ll reward you.” “I want that limited-edition designer bag…” “Anything you want. Just name it.” Watching this despicable pair, I no longer felt anger. I only felt self-loathing for being so stupid. Grant had been so distant recently, even forgetting my birthday and our anniversary, but I’d foolishly chalked it up to work stress. “Avery,” I told myself, “you’re a doctor. No matter who’s on the table, you must do your duty.” Resolving to stay professional, I picked up the scalpel. The first incision was smooth. Grant leaned over to look, then promptly fainted. Ignoring him, I moved on to the second layer. “Grant! Are you okay?” Vanessa shrieked, trying to sit up. My assistant held her down. “Ms. Hilton, please remain still.” Two nurses dragged Grant to a corner. I knew what was going on. Grant must have fainted from the sight of blood. “How touching,” I thought sarcastically. “He really does care for Vanessa.” We successfully delivered the baby. It was a frail boy, his umbilical cord wrapped around his neck, his skin a sickly purple. “Is the baby out?” Vanessa asked anxiously. “It’s a boy,” my assistant replied. She was overjoyed and immediately asked, “Why isn’t he crying?” The assistant didn’t answer. I calmly cleared the mucus from the baby’s airway and gave his foot a firm tap. The baby’s first cry finally pierced the room. Grant stirred, attempting to sit up, but fainted again when he saw the bloodied newborn. The nurse measured the baby’s vitals and weight before showing him to Vanessa. “He’s a little weak and needs to be placed in an incubator,” the nurse explained. “What? Incubator? You’re just trying to scam us for money!” Vanessa snapped. I lost my patience. “Premature babies often require incubators. If you don’t trust our hospital, you’re welcome to transfer elsewhere.” Her defiance flared. “Fine! We’ll transfer! My husband can afford it. If it weren’t for…” She stopped short, then muttered, “Who’d come to this crappy hospital otherwise?” I knew what she meant. They came here to avoid gossip. After all, I was the best doctor at the city’s top hospital, and if they had born this kid in the city, I might have found out about their affair. I handed over the post-op procedures to my team and stepped out. Just as I was about to take a break, I heard loud yelling from the corridor. “The baby wasn’t even due yet! Why was he born? I’ll sue this hospital into the ground!” Looking up, I saw the source of the commotion. It was Grant’s mother, Carol.

Carol blocked the midwife, refusing to let her take the baby to the NICU. The midwife, growing anxious, tried to reason with her. “Mrs. Fairclough, due to the risk of losing the baby, we had to perform an emergency C-section…” “What?” Carol’s voice shot up. “A C-section? Natural birth makes smarter kids! Who gave you permission to do this? Call your director here, now!” I had never realized how ignorant Carol could be. My emotions churned, but I wanted no part in this mess. I only wanted to leave. I made up my mind. As soon as I got home, I would divorce Grant and sever all ties with these shameless people. I tried to avoid her and walk away. But Carol spotted me and quickly stepped in my path. “Was it you who performed the C-section on my daughter-in-law?” I answered calmly, “The procedure was done with the patient’s and her family’s consent. If you have questions, take them up with your son.” Carol didn’t recognize me. She started shouting again. “Hey! How dare you talk to me like that? Do you even know who I am? Who do you think you are? You are just a doctor!” Taking advantage of the distraction, the midwife hurriedly wheeled the baby into the elevator. Carol, too focused on berating me, failed to stop her. She redirected her fury toward me. “You’re the reason my grandson was born prematurely! What kind of evil person are you? Are you trying to ruin his future?” The other people waiting outside the operating room couldn’t stand it anymore and began to speak up. “How unreasonable can you get? The doctor only acted to save your grandson!” “Exactly. Both your son and his wife signed off on the surgery. Why are you blaming the doctor?” Someone discreetly began recording the scene on his phone. Carol, unfazed, lashed out. “Mind your own business! If it’s not the doctor’s fault, then whose is it? My grandson wasn’t due for two more months! It’s all because of this quack!” “You’re heartless,” an elderly woman interjected. “The doctor saved your grandson’s life!” The argument spiraled into chaos. In her rage, Carol suddenly swung a fist at the elderly woman. I quickly intervened, warning Carol. “Madam, if you keep this up, I’ll have to call security.” “You wouldn’t dare! Go ahead and try!” Carol screamed, now completely unhinged. I shielded the older woman, urging her to step back. “Please, Madam, step aside for your safety…” Taking advantage of my momentary distraction, Carol shoved me hard. I staggered, unable to steady myself, and fell heavily to the ground. A wave of dizziness hit me, followed by sharp pain in my lower abdomen. Concerned bystanders rushed to help me up. “Doctor, are you okay?” I couldn’t stand straight. Carol, however, began shouting as if she were the victim. “Stop pretending! I barely touched you!” The pain was unbearable. I pressed my stomach, too weak to argue with her. Suddenly, I noticed a warm sensation trickling down my thigh. I froze, too terrified to move. Just then, Grant appeared, pushing Vanessa’s hospital bed out of the operating room. Seeing Carol, Grant asked in surprise, “Mom? What are you doing here?” Carol, emboldened now that her son was present, twisted the story. “Your assistant told me Vanessa was delivering the baby here! Grant, tell me, did this quack doctor trick you into agreeing to a C-section? It was such a major decision, and you didn’t even consult me first! Hospitals like this always exaggerate risks to scam people into expensive procedures!” Several staff members lost their patience and spoke up. “Don’t you dare accuse us without evidence!” “The patient’s water broke! We had no choice but to perform the surgery!” Carol, hands on her hips, snapped back. “And why did her water break, huh? Don’t try to fool me!” I couldn’t listen to her nonsense any longer. Summoning my remaining strength, I retorted, “Your son and his wife caused this by having sex during her pregnancy!”

Grant froze, unable to refute me. Carol hesitated briefly before flying into a rage. “That’s a lie! My son would never do something like that!” A nurse came over to support me. “Dr. Fairclough, don’t stoop to her level. Let’s get you out of here…” But Carol wouldn’t let it go. She grabbed my arm, trying to stop me. “Hold it right there! Do you think you can just walk away? You owe my grandson an explanation!” Pain tore through my abdomen, and I felt cold sweat on my forehead. I realized something was very wrong. I broke free from her grip in desperation, pushing her away. Carol stumbled back into the wall, clutching her back. She immediately began wailing dramatically. “Oh, my head! You’ve hurt me!” The nurse snapped at her. “You hit your back, not your head! Stop lying!” Carol whined, “I don’t care! Apologize to me, or you’ll regret it!” She turned to Grant for backup. “Your mother’s being mistreated, and you’re just standing there? Do something!” Grant, still angry with me from the operating room, saw his chance to lash out. He marched over, pointing a finger in my face. “Apologize to my mother right now!” I gritted my teeth through the pain and whispered to the nurse, “I… I can’t… My stomach hurts. Take me away, please…” The nurse tried to lead me away, but Grant grabbed my arm roughly. “Where do you think you’re going? You’re not leaving until you apologize!” The nurse tried to intervene, only for Grant to shove her aside. “Grant! You’d better see who I am!” I shouted hoarsely. I raised my hand to remove my mask, but Grant seized my wrist, hissing, “I don’t care who you are. If you don’t apologize, I’ll make sure the director fires you!” Carol gleefully aimed her phone at me, triumphant. “Make her bow! Make her apologize! I’m recording this. Everyone will know what happens when you cross us!” The crowd murmured in disapproval. “These people are awful…” “Yeah, it was the old lady who started it.” Carol, unbothered, sneered, “Even the hospital director has to be polite to my son. Who does this doctor think she is? She’ll be out of a job by tomorrow!” Grant shoved me down, forcing me to bow. I struggled, refusing to give in. Enraged, he kicked the back of my knee. I collapsed to the ground, my knees slamming against the hard floor. “Apologize!” he barked, pressing me down further. In the scuffle, my hat and mask came off. My face was exposed as I hit the ground with a sickening thud. Pain shot through me, and everything went black for a moment. Several men in the crowd, unable to tolerate Grant’s behavior any longer, stepped in to restrain him. “That’s enough!” “How can you treat a woman like this!” “Someone should teach him a lesson!” Chaos erupted as Grant fought back. Carol seized the moment to kick me several times. “Security! Call security!” the nurses shouted. Two nurses helped me to my feet. I swayed unsteadily, and my vision blurred. Grant broke free and looked up, finally noticing my face. He froze, stunned. “Avery?” Carol paled as recognition dawned on her. “It’s you?” A nurse gasped in horror. “Dr. Fairclough! You’re bleeding!” I looked down to see my pants soaked in blood. My breaths came fast and shallow. My legs gave out, and I fell into darkness.

When I woke up, I found myself lying on a hospital bed with an IV drip in my arm. My mother was sitting by my bedside. The moment she saw me open my eyes her voice trembled with emotion. “Avery… how are you feeling now?” I shook my head slightly, my throat dry and scratchy. She helped me sit up, propping a pillow behind my back before handing me a glass of water. Outside, the sound of a heated argument filtered in. “She went through so much just to conceive a child for your Fairclough family! Is this how you repay my daughter?” I recognized it was my father yelling. I froze, confused. “What is he talking about? The Fairclough family’s child?” A wave of disbelief washed over me as my hand instinctively moved to my abdomen. My voice was hoarse when I asked my mother, “Mom… am I… pregnant?” Her eyes turned red as she nodded. “Yes… but… the doctors couldn’t save the baby…” A deafening roar filled my head. I couldn’t believe it. I had been pregnant with Grant’s child. My menstrual cycles had always been irregular, and with everything going on recently, I hadn’t even noticed the changes in my body. And now… the baby was gone. A crushing sorrow consumed me. Grant’s voice echoed from outside. “I didn’t know Avery was pregnant… she never told me…” My father’s fury boiled over. “You heartless bastard! Don’t play dumb. I know everything! You were fooling around with your cousin’s wife, got her pregnant, and came to this small hospital to have her deliver that little bastard, hoping Avery wouldn’t find out. And then you had the audacity to hit Avery! It’s your fault she lost the baby!” Just then, Carol arrived on the scene, immediately siding with her son. “How dare you speak to my son like that? If your daughter couldn’t keep her baby, that’s her own bad luck! Don’t you dare call my grandson bastard!” My father’s voice trembled with rage. “Your son cheated on his wife, and you still defend him?” “It’s all because your daughter couldn’t give him a child! They’ve been married for years, and she never got pregnant. My son had no choice but to find someone else!” “You… you’re absolutely shameless!” Carol, ever the brazen shrew, kept spewing her nonsense. My mother, unable to endure it any longer, stood up and opened the door. Instead of arguing, she spoke calmly, “There’s no point in this shouting match. You owe Avery an apology. Think about how you plan to make it right.” Carol sneered, undeterred. “Make it right? The only thing left is for them to divorce! My son is going to marry Vanessa. My grandson deserves a proper family!” My mother turned to Grant. “And what about you, Grant? What do you have to say?” With his mother backing him, Grant’s tone was firm. “Then let’s divorce. I’ll make sure Avery gets her fair share of the property.” My father’s anger erupted. “You’ll leave with nothing!” Carol snapped back, “Why should he? Grant, don’t listen to him. Just give Avery tens of thousands of dollars and call it done!” My father glared coldly. “Tens of thousands of dollars? Are you trying to insult us?” By now, I had calmed down completely. I knew the divorce was inevitable. But I wasn’t about to let them walk away unscathed. My mother made one final statement. “This is not the place for this discussion. We’ll involve lawyers and settle this properly.” The confrontation ended in hostility. My parents came back to the ward to comfort me, but I remained unusually calm. I asked my mother to hand me my phone and began searching for a contact. My mother looked puzzled. “Who are you calling? A lawyer?” I shook my head. “No. I’m looking for Grant’s cousin, Ethan.”

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The night his beloved Sienna returned, my fiancé Brandon locked me in an auction tank while his friends cheered him on. Brutal chains bound me. My mermaid tail, once shimmering, was now covered in wounds. “Aurora, Sienna is back tonight. Why don’t you dance for us to liven things up?” “We have all seen those private videos of you and Brandon. Stop pretending to be innocent.” “Brandon said the highest bidder gets to enjoy you tonight.” My desperate eyes found Brandon through the glass. The disbelief burned deep in my soul. He was holding Sienna close, whispering tender words to her. “Don’t worry. Mermaid tears are priceless. Selling her will get you that sports car you wanted.” Then I finally understood. Brandon had faked his amnesia. He tricked me into coming ashore just to harvest my mermaid tears. He claimed to love me, yet he was willing to drain me of blood and tears. The water around me bloomed with blood. I curled into myself, powerless, my heart plunging into darkness. Brandon had called today our anniversary. Instead, I had become merchandise on his cruise. My voice was raw. “You promised those videos would never leak.” Brandon’s hand slid possessively down Sienna’s waist. “So what if they did?” he sneered. “You’re just a piece of meat.” “Aurora, you’ve always been so… accommodating. Do this for me. Sienna wants a show.” “Think of it as your chance to please her. Making her happy is an honor.” Sienna pressed closer to him, her voice dripping with false concern. “Brandon, Aurora doesn’t seem willing. Are you sure this isn’t too much?” A bitter laugh tore from me. I slammed my tail against the glass, the impact shuddering through the tank. Tears choked my words. “Brandon, I’m your fiancée! Why are you doing this to me?!” The massive splash drenched Sienna’s clothes, and she shrieked, shrinking into Brandon’s shoulder. Brandon punched the glass, “Aurora, don’t be ungrateful! Sienna is like a sister to me, we grew up together.” “She just got back today. Do you really have to ruin everything for everyone?” I struggled to turn around, “Your sister you grew up with? Then what am I?” Brandon impatiently lit a cigarette, “You’re just a mermaid. I helped you come ashore so you could experience land life. Shouldn’t you be thanking me?” “Now, it’s time for you to repay that favor.” “Making Sienna happy is the least you can do to be useful.” Sienna leaned in, kissing Brandon’s cheek possessively, a smug look on her face. “Brandon says mermaid tears are the most valuable thing.” “Once we get them, we’ll go buy that sports car.” I slumped against the glass, completely drained. In Brandon’s eyes, I was nothing more than an item for sale. Brandon waved a dismissive hand, “Alright, enough talk. Everyone’s waiting. Give us a dance.” When I still refused to move, Brandon finally snapped. He seized a long whip and brought it down across my body. Scales scattered like shattered glass. Angry red welts rose instantly across my skin. A scream tore from my throat. I grabbed the tank’s edge, desperate to escape, but Sienna pressed a lit cigarette to my fingertips. She looked down, sneering, “You lowliest mermaid, I advise you not to struggle.” Brandon coiled the whip around my neck and pulled tight, cutting off my air. The air vanished from my lungs. Brandon’s eyes burned crimson. “I told you to behave. Are you trying to make a fool of me?” His friend Jake stepped forward, placing a calming hand on Brandon’s shoulder. “Easy, man. Don’t break her before we’ve had our turn.” “A mermaid’s body… I wonder how different it really feels.” Their words carved into me, each syllable a dull blade twisting deeper.

Three years ago, Brandon and his friends were surfing when a storm caught them off guard. A rogue wave threw him into the raging sea. I swam faster than I ever had, pulling him to shore. The boat’s propeller sliced through my tail, nearly severing it completely. He was the first human I had ever seen. His eyes held a light brighter than any gem in the ocean’s depths. Ignoring the agony in my tail, I focused only on reviving him. To repay me, Brandon took me home to heal. I knew it broke every rule of my people. But for him, I defied my parents. I turned my back on my tribe. I chose him. After coming to land, I endured the agonizing pain of dehydration. My scales gradually turned pale green, and the bone-deep agony nearly took half my life. Yet, Brandon held me in his arms every night, comforting me. I, so naive, believed this was love. I thought I had won the gamble, but it turned out I had lost everything. Brandon looked at me with an amused expression. “You said you could fully transform into a human after a year on land, but I guess you can’t change your true nature.” Sienna covered her nose, her face filled with disgust, “No wonder there’s a fishy smell. It’s so gross.” “I can’t imagine what you’ve put up with these past few years, Brandon. You shouldn’t just pick anyone just to spite me.” I lowered my gaze to my tail, which had gradually turned white. When we first met, Brandon had praised its beauty. He had tenderly cupped my tail, vowing to spend the rest of his life making it up to me. Someone nearby rubbed his hands, chuckling, “This mermaid’s quite something. I think Brandon just doesn’t know how good he has it.” Sienna’s face darkened instantly. “What do you mean by that?” The speaker’s face changed, and he quickly explained, “Sienna, I didn’t mean it…” Furious, she snatched the whip, raising it to strike my face. I quickly raised my hand, gripped the whip, and with a slight tug, pulled half of Sienna’s body into the tank. Sienna screamed in terror, flailing wildly. Brandon quickly scooped her up. Still shaken, Sienna cried. “Brandon, I just wanted to throw the whip away so it wouldn’t hurt Aurora.” “Why did she suddenly become so vicious?” “I heard mermaids used to eat humans. Aurora, even if you’re angry, you can’t act like that, can you?” Brandon dragged me out of the water and roughly threw me onto the floor. He raised his hand and slapped my face. “Aurora, do you really think you’re so special? How dare you touch Sienna? Do you want to die right now?!” “Why do you think I kept you at home, enduring your fishy smell every day?” “If it weren’t for the rumors that mermaid tears are worth millions, I would have killed you long ago.” “Don’t actually think I truly loved you.” I stared at him in disbelief. Brandon kicked me in the waist, “But you just lie there like a dead fish, no matter what I do, you don’t shed a single tear.” “Since you’re so ungrateful, I have no choice but to resort to this method.” Hearing those words, I trembled uncontrollably. My supposed “love at first sight” was nothing more than a meticulously set trap by Brandon. And I, like a fool, had walked straight into it, ending up losing everything. Who could I blame but myself? This was the happiness I had sought by sacrificing everything. I let out a bitter laugh. Brandon stared at my reddened eyes, waiting, but nothing happened. Furious, he called a few men over. “Strip her! That way everyone can get a good look at the merchandise!”

At his words, the crowd erupted, some even pulling out their phones to take pictures. The flashing lights stung my eyes, making it impossible to see. I had been drugged, so my mermaid form couldn’t transform into human shape quickly. I painfully dragged myself forward inch by inch, but Brandon brutally pulled me back. He slammed my tail against a nearby iron railing, the immense pain making my vision go black. Several rough, greasy hands reached for my shoulders. I thrashed wildly, screaming. “Get off me! Don’t touch me!” “Don’t you dare touch me!” Sienna came over, pressing her sharp high heel onto the back of my hand. She looked at Brandon with expectant eyes. “Brandon, how about we cut off one of her hands?” “She’s useless anyway, and the main goal today is just to get her mermaid tears, right?” Brandon’s dark eyes fixed on Sienna. Sienna’s face stiffened, realizing she had crossed a line. She lifted her foot from me and threw herself into Brandon’s arms, whining. “I was just kidding. I know that things at an auction need to be kept intact.” “Brandon, don’t be mad.” Brandon patted her waist, “Good that you know.” The atmosphere was buzzing. Brandon frowned at me for a moment, then waved his hand, signaling the burly men who were on top of me to get off the stage. They exchanged glances, clearly reluctant, still wanting to touch me again. Brandon growled. “Did you not understand me? Get down!” I lifted my head, battered, a flicker of hope in my eyes. But Brandon only smirked, “Now, let the bidding begin.” I froze, the crowd’s jeering filling my ears. I lay on the floor, helplessly curled into a ball. I had overestimated Brandon’s meager love for me. A rich kid in the audience raised his hand, “One hundred million!” Everyone turned to look. He spoke with malicious glee, “This stinking bitch offended me before. Once I get my hands on her, I’ll make sure she regrets it.” I knew this man. He was Brandon’s arch-rival, Marcus. Previously, he had tried to bribe Brandon’s company employees to steal a bid document, but I had caught him, creating bad blood between us. Now, I stood before him like a lowly servant, in the most despicable state. He rose and slowly walked onto the stage, kicking me lightly. “Aurora, where’s your arrogance now?” One hundred million was almost the highest price. People shook their heads, disheartened. “Young Master Marcus is really generous.” “That woman won’t have a life in his hands. I heard he has some… special fetishes.” Marcus lit a cigar. “Mr. Brandon, you’re a man of your word, right?” Brandon looked down at me, his eyes unreadable. Sienna smiled, walking up to Marcus, “Of course. Businessmen value their word.” Marcus approached me step by step, grabbed my hair, and started to drag me away. I struggled, shaking off his hand. To save my life, I abandoned my dignity, half-crawling towards Brandon. “Please, don’t let me go with him.” “I saved you then. If you help me this once, we can call it even, okay?”

Sienna kicked me away, “You’re disgusting, Aurora!” “Stay away from Brandon. Your fishy smell is making me sick.” Brandon stepped on my shoulder, “Aurora, you can’t even beg properly, can you?” His friends chimed in, eager to provoke. “Brandon, they say mermaid tears are priceless. Is Aurora going to cry tonight or not?” “She doesn’t seem that upset. Maybe you’re holding back too much, Brandon.” “Yeah, Brandon, you’re not getting all soft and gentle, are you? Your methods are way too mild this time.” Brandon, being short-tempered, couldn’t stand such provocation. He leaned down, grabbed my jaw, and slammed my head against the side of the tank. “Aurora, you said you loved me most, didn’t you? Now shed a few mermaid tears for me. Let me see just how much you love me!” “Cry!” Blood stained the glass. Brandon, like a madman, continued to brutalize me. His eyes were completely red. I desperately bit my lip, suppressing the pain. Everyone around fell silent. Marcus stepped forward, stopping Brandon. “I already paid a high price for this fish. What if you break her?” Brandon waved him off, panting furiously, “Who the hell do you think you are?!” Marcus sneered, “I’m your father, Brandon. Don’t forget your true identity.” Brandon’s face turned ashen at his words, and much of his rage subsided. He looked at my blood-stained face with disgust, meticulously checking if any mermaid tears had fallen. The answer, predictably, was none. Mermaids have a high pain tolerance. Even with immense physical and psychological torment, I hadn’t shed a single tear. “You’ve got guts, Aurora! I want to see how tough you really are!” Brandon pulled out his phone and made a call. Moments later, he dragged me by my hair to a monitor. My heart sank instantly. It showed the sea where the merfolk lived. Brandon sneered. “What if I capture all your family and bring them before you? Would you cry then?” On the monitor, several large ships surrounded the merfolk’s waters. I trembled all over, grabbing Brandon’s clothes, pleading. “Please, whatever you want, do it to me.” “Brandon, please, let my family go, okay?” Brandon pushed my hand away. He was about to say something, but then he looked down and froze. Several luminous pearls lay gleaming before me. A collective gasp swept through the crowd. “My god… Those are the legendary mermaid tears! How much are they worth?” “Just one would make a man rich for life!” Marcus quickly walked over and picked up a few. The crowd immediately swarmed forward. Brandon grabbed me, “Aurora, are you really so concerned about your pathetic life?” “You’re so selfish. I should have choked you to death the moment you came ashore!” I looked at him in despair, my eyes devoid of any emotion. This man had rotted to the core in my eyes. Sienna came over, linking her arm through Brandon’s, “Since we’re on a cruise, just throw her overboard.” “We’ve already gotten everything we wanted.” Brandon’s eyes glinted with cold fury, “Aurora, even if I got the mermaid tears, I won’t let you go.” Brandon shoved the monitor before me. The sea had churned into a bloody stain. My voice died in my throat. In chasing a fairytale, I might have sacrificed my own family. He dragged me across the deck, pinning me against the railing as the bitter wind clawed at my skin. My breath came in shallow gasps, my gaze burning with pure hatred. “My only regret is saving you that day,” I whispered. “It should have been you who died.” His pupils sharpened to points. Just then, the ocean surged. Through the spray, a tall, familiar figure walked across the raging waves and reached for me. “Aurora, I’ve come for you.” Tendrils of dark vine erupted from the water, coiling around the cruise ship with a crushing grip. In a heartbeat, the sea turned ink-black. Through the rising mist, hundreds of mermaid tails broke the surface. Pale faces emerged, their eyes fixed hungrily on the ship’s passengers. Sienna screamed, “Brandon, what’s happening?” But Brandon acted as though he hadn’t heard. His gaze remained locked on me, cold and accusing.

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I died on my wedding day. Adrian walked in with Ella. He told the guests he would not marry me. People laughed. My dress was torn and my life ended at that moment. Then I opened my eyes again. I was back before the betrayal. This time, I did not beg for his love. I did not wait for him to choose me. I turned to his older brother Ethan. From the moment I walked away, Adrian began to lose control. Last life, I chased him. This life, he chases me. And I want him to break a little more each day. After setting the wedding date, I started preparing things we’d need for the ceremony. I didn’t expect to run into Adrian and his friends at the mall. “Coming out to play and still keeping such a close eye on her. Adrian, you’re watching your woman way too tightly,” his friend teased, causing Adrian to frown in annoyance. “She’s not my woman. Say that again and I’ll sew your mouth shut.” Adrian spotted me from afar and walked over, clearly displeased. “Aria, when will you give it a rest? Why do you have to follow me everywhere I go?” “You forced the elders to tie us together. Now everyone knows you’re marrying into the Johnson family. Are you satisfied now?” I stayed silent for a moment, my expression calm. “I’m not trying to tie myself to you. You’ve misunderstood.” His emotions suddenly flared up as he gripped my wrist tightly, causing pain. “Then why are you here? Aren’t you just stalking me?” I shook off his hand, instinctively rubbing my reddened wrist as I explained: “I’m here to prepare things for the wedding. I didn’t expect to run into you.” Seeing our unhappy expressions, his friends quickly gathered around. “Preparing for the wedding? Adrian, marrying her sure is convenient – you don’t have to prepare anything yourself.” Adrian glared at the speaker without responding. “Aria, don’t think that just because our families arranged this marriage, you can use these tactics to get me.” “Even if you get my body, you’ll never have my heart. I despise manipulative, vicious women like you the most.” His eyes were cold, his voice suppressing anger. But I felt nothing, only wanting to escape this troublesome situation. I looked up and met his gaze calmly: “Who wants your heart? Don’t flatter yourself. I won’t be marrying you either.” Hearing this, Adrian’s face immediately fell. “How can you still deny it at this point? You’ve always used every trick to force me to marry you. Now that you’ve finally succeeded, you’re saying you won’t marry me…” His friend bumped his shoulder: “Adrian, can’t you tell? The little lady is just mad at you. She’s saying that out of anger.” “She’s personally out choosing things for the wedding. How can she be happy when you’re being so cold and sarcastic to her?” Adrian’s expression finally softened a bit. He stared at me with a complex look, finally forcing out a sentence after a long pause. “I’ll show up for the wedding on time, but like I said, don’t expect me to ever like you.” Suddenly there was a sound of something dropping behind us. Adrian and I turned to see Ella standing there in shock, wearing a cute sundress. She was the foster child my family had been supporting. With poor health, she was a frequent hospital patient. My mother felt bad about her poor living conditions and took her in to live with us. She was now dressed up like a delicate doll, with fluttering eyelashes over watery eyes. Adrian immediately let go of me and rushed over to her. “Ella, let me explain. It’s not what you think.” Ella covered her face and ran off, not giving him a chance to explain. Everyone dispersed unhappily after Ella left. Before leaving, Adrian threatened me harshly. “If Ella gets upset over this, I won’t let you off easy.” I laughed mockingly, for a moment doubting if the childhood friend I grew up with had been possessed by someone else.

After that whole scene, I lost interest in continuing to shop and went home early. It wasn’t until evening that Adrian brought Ella back. He was carrying bags of things, with his driver following behind carrying several boxes. The boxes were filled with expensive fruits and imported snacks. It was clear Adrian had bought a lot to appease Ella. When they came in, I was curled up on the couch watching TV. I deliberately didn’t look Adrian’s way, but he came over on his own. At first he didn’t speak, just pursing his lips as if waiting for my reaction. But I kept my eyes fixed on the TV, not even glancing his way. “Aria, you clearly saw me bring in all these things. Why didn’t you come help?” I gave him an indifferent look: “Why should I help you? The stuff wasn’t bought for me. What does it have to do with me?” His expression darkened: “If you want something just say so. If word gets out that my fiancée is so desperate for a few trinkets, people will laugh at me.” Adrian completely ignored what I’d said at the mall. I couldn’t be bothered to keep emphasizing to him that I wouldn’t marry him. He’d understand completely on the wedding day. Adrian casually picked up a box of blueberries and tossed it next to me. Due to the force, the box bounced off the couch and fell to the floor. “A reward for you. Don’t say I mistreat you.” I looked down at the box of blueberries, but had no desire to pick it up. Because if I did, I’d be like a begging dog, eagerly accepting Adrian’s handouts. I don’t need that kind of charity. I curled my lips in a cold smile: “You’re quite at home in my house. Don’t you have any sense of being a guest? Don’t embarrass your family’s upbringing.” We’d grown up together and were certainly familiar with each other’s homes. I’d never said such insulting words before. Adrian’s face turned red with anger. He looked at me like he wanted to eat me alive. My parents weren’t home yet, and the staff were busy with their own tasks. Only Adrian, Ella and I were left in the living room. Adrian acted like I didn’t exist, pressing Ella against the wall and giving her a quick kiss. He murmured: “Ella, in the future if anything upsets you, just tell me directly. Don’t let it hurt your health.” Ella’s coquettish voice reached my ears. “I know. Adrian always treats me the best.” As Ella responded to him, the two started kissing passionately, their intimate sounds making one blush. I turned off the TV and walked around the couch, deliberately taking a path farther from them to reach the stairs, intending to return to my room. When I was halfway up the stairs, Adrian suddenly opened his eyes, remembering there was another person present. He instinctively pushed Ella away. Ella didn’t notice his change, just reluctantly ending the kiss. Finally Ella looked up at me, her eyes full of provocation and disdain, as if showing off her victory. Back in my room, I received a message from Ella. [Sister, even though Adrian promised you a wedding, the title of Mrs. Johnson will only ever be mine.] [Aria, whatever outcome you got in your past life, you’ll get the same this life. You can’t beat me.]

Seeing this message, my heart suddenly skipped a beat. So I wasn’t the only one who had been reborn. In my past life, after Adrian accepted the engagement, I thought he had been moved by my sincerity. After all, I had chased after him for over a decade. Even a rock should have been warmed up by now, right? I never expected that he only accepted the marriage to thoroughly humiliate me at the wedding. In front of all the guests, he tightly held Ella’s hand. He announced to everyone that he could never marry me, that Ella was the only one he loved and would marry in this life. I was utterly humiliated, standing alone in my wedding dress, trapped in awkward emotions. Everyone in our social circle knew how much I liked him. I had even made myself deathly ill, just to get my parents to agree to an engagement with the Johnson family. I had lowered myself so much, shaming myself and my parents, only to be repaid with Adrian’s revenge. He resented me for using my family’s status to force an engagement, making him and Ella separate. I also passed away from illness. I never want to experience that kind of suffering again. So after being reborn, I gave up on Adrian and chose his brother Ethan instead. But I never expected that this time, my marriage to Ethan would proceed so smoothly. There were no obstacles. I just had to wait patiently for the wedding next month to arrive on schedule. In my past life, Ethan had always worked abroad and never married. Everyone thought he had some unspeakable issue. Even my grandfather asked me to confirm again when he heard I decided to marry Ethan. Was I really sure I wanted to marry Ethan? I nodded. Even if he had some physical problem, so what? If I had to choose between them, a life of mutual respect was far better than one full of scars. The next day, I went to the jeweler to pick up the wedding rings for Ethan and me. But the staff informed me that the rings had already been taken by Mr. Adrian Johnson. This jewelry store was under the Johnson Group. If Adrian wanted to take them, the staff couldn’t stop him. Out of all the couples’ rings, he just had to take my wedding rings. Anger suddenly flared up inside me, because those rings were my own design. Since childhood, I’d had a dream of wearing rings I designed myself at my wedding to the man I loved. In the past, I thought the man wearing the matching ring would be Adrian. But now that the groom had changed, I’d torn up that old design and made a new one specially for Ethan. Yet Adrian had snatched them away. Just as I was about to call Adrian to demand an explanation, I suddenly saw Ella’s new post on social media. [A one-of-a-kind ring from my beloved.] The photo showed her and Adrian wearing the rings I had designed. People flooded the comments with congratulations. My eyes unconsciously welled up with tears. Even if the arranged marriage had once troubled Adrian, I had already backed out in time and given him his freedom. Why did he have to keep humiliating me, and even let Ella take my wedding rings? I couldn’t wait another second. I didn’t want to argue with Adrian over the phone. So I took a cab straight to Adrian’s office.

Adrian wasn’t in his office. But Ella was there. When she saw me, her eyes showed no surprise. As if she had expected I would come demand an explanation. Ella kept fiddling with the ring on her finger, occasionally pouting. “Sister, what do you think of the ring Adrian gave me?” She shook her head as she spoke. “I think it’s ugly as sin, but since Adrian gave it to me, I love it.” “I love anything he gives me.” Hearing her words, I couldn’t help but clench my fists. “Sister, do you think if I wear this ring to your wedding, I’ll steal your spotlight?” “After all, the diamond Adrian gave me is definitely bigger than whatever ring you’ll have.” Something snapped in my mind. I rushed forward to grab the ring from her hand. So Ella and I ended up in a tussle. The moment I got the ring off her finger, I felt a sharp blow to my waist. Someone kicked me hard, sending me sprawling on the ground in pain so intense I could barely breathe. Tears leaked from the corners of my eyes as I stubbornly turned my head, gritting my teeth as I glared at the petite woman now cradled in Adrian’s arms. “You crazy woman, how dare you lay hands on Ella? Don’t you know her health is fragile?” The pain spreading up from my waist was nothing compared to the ache in my heart. Adrian didn’t bother scolding me further, focused on comforting the distraught Ella. “Adrian, I can’t believe it. If you hadn’t arrived in time, would my sister have beaten me to death?” His gaze fell on Ella as he gently wiped away her tears, his movements tender and attentive. Adrian’s brows were tightly furrowed, his eyes rimmed with red. “Ella, don’t worry. I won’t let that crazy woman near you alone again.” “I won’t allow anyone to hurt you. Even if it’s the Wilson family’s daughter, I’ll turn against them if they so much as touch a hair on your head.” Adrian really went to extremes for Ella’s sake. Many people at Johnson Group knew me, including his secretary. The secretary helped me up, but Adrian angrily berated her. “Who said you could help her? Go to accounting and get your final paycheck. Don’t come in tomorrow.” The secretary stood there stunned before reluctantly leaving the office. I clutched my waist, my face flushed red. Just thinking about this humiliating situation made me want to cry. I laughed mockingly at myself. Each laugh blurred my vision a little more with unshed tears. He fired his secretary who helped me without a second thought. Did Adrian really hate me to this extent? “Crazy woman, you still have the nerve to laugh?” Adrian demanded: “I told you I would never like you. So why do you keep hurting the person I love?” I stubbornly refused to back down: “Are you blind? She’s the one who stole my things!” Adrian hesitated for a moment, but after glancing at Ella’s pitiful expression, he impatiently scolded me: “It’s just a ring. It was meant for me anyway. What’s wrong with her having it since it was meant for me!” I sneered: “You must not have a mirror, or even a puddle to look in. Check yourself – your ego is way too big!” I almost blurted out that the ring was meant for Ethan. But I suddenly remembered Ethan would be back tonight. I would thoroughly humiliate Adrian at the family dinner. I pressed a hand to my waist, each step difficult and painful. His voice came from behind me: “Come to the family dinner on your own tonight. I don’t have time to pick you up.” I left the office without looking back, a faint smile still on my lips. Laughing at his conceit, and even more at my own pathetic state. It’s fine. I don’t need him to pick me up. He’ll understand soon enough that my life will have nothing to do with him from now on.

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My wife kissed another man in front of me during our anniversary party. She wiped her lips and told me she had never loved me. Guests filmed everything while she walked out with him. When I opened my eyes again, I was reborn to the week before that humiliation. This time, I did not wait for her betrayal. I walked away first and erased myself from her life. Ten years later, she chased me into a crowded ballroom. She grabbed my arm and told everyone we were finally getting back together. I smiled. “I have a child now. Why would I go back to her?” 0 I never imagined I’d cross paths with Ava Sullivan again in this lifetime. At a high-society gala in Bay City, she stood arm-in-arm with Derek Graham amidst the crowd, her smile elegant and refined, no trace of the girl she once was. The people surrounding them wore ingratiating smiles, their tones flattering. “Miss Sullivan, you’re truly as capable as any man! To secure a provincial-level project at such a young age, your future is limitless!” “And this must be your partner? What a handsome couple you make, enough to make anyone envious!” Derek gazed at Ava lovingly and said softly, “We’re planning to get married at the end of the year. Everyone’s welcome to attend the wedding if you’re free.” Another round of congratulations followed, and someone asked, “I heard you’ve been together for ten years. Why are you only getting married now?” I was curious about this too. In my previous life, Ava loved Derek so much she was willing to die with him. After my rebirth, she immediately broke up with me. I thought they would get married right after graduation, but I didn’t expect them to still be unmarried now. Hearing this question, Ava’s face momentarily stiffened, almost imperceptibly. She quickly covered it with a smile. “We wanted to establish our careers first, then start a family. I want to give Derek the best life possible.” She looked at Derek, her eyes overflowing with tender affection. In my previous life, when she was with me, I proposed several times. It wasn’t until her family pressured her that Ava reluctantly agreed to be with me. Apparently, the difference between love and indifference can be this obvious. I was about to turn and leave when I caught sight of a small figure from the corner of my eye. My body instinctively followed. “Crash!” Champagne spilled all over the floor, and the waiter holding the tray looked at me with displeasure. “Where did you come from? Are you blind?” His voice was loud enough to attract the attention of those around us. Seeing my face, Ava was startled. “Ethan Thompson, what are you doing here?” I apologized to the waiter and explained, “I’m here to find someone.” Someone curiously asked Ava, “Miss Sullivan, do you know him?” Ava’s hand tightened on her champagne glass, her gaze becoming heavy. “Yes, an ex-boyfriend.” Someone nearby blurted out, “You’ve been together for ten years, I thought you were each other’s first love.” Derek’s smile faded slightly. He took Ava’s hand and said casually, “We were young then, had a little fight and separated briefly. Who hasn’t taken a wrong turn when they were young?” Ava remained silent, her gaze passing over me to the waiter. “Put the damages on my tab. Let him go.” She stood there, her expression calm. Apart from the initial moment of recognition, she didn’t spare me a single extra glance. It seemed she wanted to draw a clear line between us in front of Derek, distancing herself from this ‘wrong turn’ in her past. The waiter hurriedly pushed me towards the exit. “Miss Sullivan is being kind, cleaning up your mess. But there won’t be a next time.” He glanced at my wrinkled pajamas with disdain. “This isn’t a place for you. Get out quickly.” I shook off his hand and explained politely, “I’m here to find someone. Once I do, I’ll leave on my own.” The waiter scoffed, rolling his eyes. “I’ve seen plenty of people like you trying to rub shoulders with the elite. Do you even have the right to be at a gala like this? If you don’t leave now, I’m calling security!” “Wait,” Ava’s voice came from behind him. She picked up her dress, looked at me, and sighed resignedly. “He’s here to see me. Let me talk to him.” Derek stood beside her, putting his arm around her shoulder possessively. “Ethan, Ava and I are about to get married. I think anyone with a shred of shame wouldn’t come looking for an ex at a time like this.” Ava’s face darkened slightly, and she couldn’t help but advise me. “Why do you have to be so obsessed with me? Even if you waited for me for ten years, I still wouldn’t fall in love with you.” “My relationship with you was just a mistake. Now that I have a chance to correct that mistake, I hope you can let go of the past soon.” Derek looked me up and down, his eyes filled with mockery. “I can understand why you came to find Ava. After all, times have changed. She’s now a well-known entrepreneur, and there’s no shortage of people trying to curry favor with her.” Perhaps my wrinkled pajamas gave him confidence. Derek spoke arrogantly. “You graduated from a good university, how did you end up like this? If I were you, I wouldn’t have the face to go out in public!” Ava frowned, took out her phone, her tone tinged with impatience. “If you feel I wronged you when we broke up, I can give you some breakup money now.” “Is fifty thousand dollars enough?” Her fingers moved on the screen for a moment, then suddenly froze. “You deleted me from your friends list?” 0

I was a bit puzzled, not understanding why her reaction was so strong. Isn’t it normal to delete an ex after breaking up? Moreover, I have someone at home who gets jealous easily. If she knew I still had my ex-girlfriend’s contact information, who knows what kind of fuss she’d kick up. “Wasn’t it you who said you hoped I wouldn’t come looking for you after we broke up?” I asked. Ava’s face turned cold. She looked like she wanted to say something but held back. My tone was flat as I added, “And the breakup money isn’t necessary. I don’t need it.” After these repeated setbacks, Ava’s expression worsened. She said coldly, “Why are you still pretending in front of me? If I didn’t see how down and out you are now, I wouldn’t even bother saying a word to you.” Derek gently comforted her. “Ava, you’re just too kind-hearted. In my opinion, why bother with a man like this? Look at his shabby appearance, he’s just a hopeless case!” His tone was contemptuous, seemingly forgetting that ten years ago, he was in an even worse state than me. In my previous life, the reason Ava’s family didn’t approve of her being with Derek was because he was an uneducated, lawbreaking hooligan. The first time I met Ava in college, she had just bailed Derek out of the police station and was being forced by her family to break up with him. During Ava’s most depressed period, I was the one who stayed by her side, helping her get through it. She loved photography, so I used the money I had originally planned for starting a business to buy her expensive equipment worth tens of thousands of dollars. In scorching summers and freezing winters, I carried equipment weighing dozens of pounds, following her around, just hoping to see a genuine smile on her face. Who would have thought that it was Ava who confessed to me first? I knew about her past with Derek, and I had seen her occasionally staring at their photos in her album. So when Ava confessed, I very seriously asked her. Had she really gotten over Derek? At that time, she hugged me tightly and said firmly, “That’s all in the past. I’ve long since realized who truly cares for me. Ethan, I love you. Let’s be together.” We dated for seven years. Even her best friend couldn’t help but be surprised. “She liked Derek so much, I thought you two wouldn’t last long.” But what no one knew was that Ava had rejected my proposals countless times in private. “Ethan, I’m against marriage. Isn’t it good for us to just stay like this forever?” It wasn’t until Ava’s parents started pressuring her about marriage that she agreed to get married. During our honeymoon, when news of Derek’s accidental car crash came, she jumped off the cruise ship, leaving only a suicide note. In the note, it was full of her love for Derek, without a single word left for me. At the end, she wrote in blood, “Derek, all I ever wanted in this life was to be your bride. Now, I’m coming to find you.” My love for her also turned to ashes at that moment. So when Ava wanted to break up with me after my rebirth, I didn’t stop her. Because I knew it was unstoppable. Watching them get back together, I deleted all of Ava’s contact information, thinking there would be no chance to meet again in this life. But I didn’t expect to encounter her here. I wanted to leave, but Derek wouldn’t let it go, insisting on humiliating me in front of everyone. “You’ve really gone to great lengths to hook up with Ava. Looking at how you’re dressed, I bet you don’t even have a job to make ends meet.” “How about this, I’ll introduce you to work as a waiter here. If you learn to serve people well, you could make five figures a month.” Someone nearby, wanting to please him, added with a grin, “This is a hotel in the prime location of Bay City. Being able to work here would be extremely fortunate for you. Hurry up and thank Mr. Graham!” Surrounded by people and unable to leave, I said helplessly, “Thank you, but I already have a job.” “It’s photography.” As soon as the word ‘photography’ came out, Ava immediately looked at me. Her eyes flashed with complexity, and her lips moved a few times. She turned her head away, not looking at me, her tone cold. “How much can you earn from photography? You can’t make a living from a hobby. Given that we all know each other, I can arrange a job for you.” I was stunned, immediately realizing she had misunderstood. 0

My love for photography wasn’t because I still had lingering feelings for Ava. In fact, when I saw that suicide note in my previous life, I had already completely given up on her. It’s just that when I was reborn, I found that all the money had already been spent on photography equipment. I couldn’t sell it on second-hand platforms, so I had no choice but to pick it up and use it myself. As a result, I really fell in love with photography. In this life, it’s not to please others, but just for myself. I politely declined Ava’s offer again, my tone courteous but distant. “My hobby is enough to cover my living expenses. Thank you for your concern.” Seeing that I didn’t appreciate her kindness, Ava’s face flashed with anger. “You’re not taking the opportunity I’m giving you. Don’t come crying to me for help later!” I didn’t say anything, nor did I tell her. Now, my photography works are exclusively supplied to several national-level publications, as well as top international journals. The various copyright fees, when added up, are not lower than Ava’s income. But if I said that, she would probably think I was bragging. After all, in these wrinkled pajamas, I did look quite shabby. It was all because of my son. He insisted on playing with me in the sandbox, and when I turned around, he had slipped downstairs again. I didn’t have time to change clothes before I chased after him. Just as I was looking for an excuse to leave, the waiter from earlier seemed to have discovered something. He pointed at my clothes and said, “Balenciaga? Where did you pick up this shirt? You’re not a cleaner here who stole it from a guest’s room, are you?” I couldn’t help but frown. “Can’t this shirt be my own?” Derek sneered, mocking, “Your own? Can you afford it? What rich person would dress so casually and run around like you?” He dramatically covered his nose. “It’s so dirty, you probably put it on without even washing it after stealing it.” Ava looked at me, her brows furrowed so tightly they could kill a fly. “Ethan, have you really sunk so low? Do you still want to be stubborn?” I didn’t want to deal with them anymore and directly said to the waiter, “If you really think I stole something, you can call the police right now.” I knew he saw Derek’s dissatisfaction with me and wanted to step on me to please him. Sure enough, his aggressive attitude immediately deflated, and he muttered, “If it weren’t for the VIP guest at the hotel today, and we’re afraid of disturbing them with people like you, I would have called the police already.” Derek’s eyes lit up, and he quickly chimed in. “It must be the young lady from the Lawrence family, right? I heard she and her family are vacationing in Bay City and staying at this hotel.” Ava nodded, her eyes revealing a hint of anticipation. “If only we could get the Lawrence family’s support for the project our company is working on.” The words “young lady from the Lawrence family” were like throwing gasoline on a fire, immediately sparking a wave of discussion. “Isn’t the reason we came to this gala today to meet Miss Lawrence? This entire building belongs to her family.” “I heard she got married and had a child in her early twenties. I wonder which family’s son she married into.” As everyone was discussing, the hotel manager came running in, sweating profusely, with a team of people behind him. “Has anyone seen a seven-year-old boy, about this tall?” The manager wiped his sweat, his eyes anxiously searching the hall. Someone quick-witted, seeing such a commotion, immediately guessed what was happening. “Is it the young master of the Lawrence family? I heard he’s just seven years old this year.” The gala attendees became enthusiastic, hurriedly searching everywhere. After all, if they found the child, there would be a chance to establish a connection with the Lawrence family. Ava and Derek also joined the search, no longer paying attention to me. Looking at the chaotic hall, I walked straight to the dessert area. Sure enough, I found my son under the table, his face smeared with cream. I extended my hand with a stern face. “Come here.” My son was startled and clung to the table leg, refusing to let go. “No.” Just as I was about to pull him over, Derek appeared out of nowhere, righteously blocking my way. “Ethan Thompson, what are you doing!” “Even if you want to curry favor with the Lawrence family, you shouldn’t lay hands on a child!” Ava rushed over at the news, her eyes full of disappointment as she looked at me. “Ethan, I never thought you’d do something like this for fame and fortune.” The waiter grabbed the manager and tattled. “It’s this man, he suddenly barged into the gala and even stole clothes from other guests!” The manager’s face immediately darkened, and he called for security. “Arrest this thief and send him straight to the police station! If he scares the young master, you’ll all lose your jobs!” A hint of a triumphant smile flashed in Derek’s eyes. He bent down and put on a kind face for the Lawrence family’s young master. “Come here to uncle, uncle will protect you.” My son ignored him completely. To everyone’s astonishment, he cautiously reached out to hold my hand. “Dad, I know I was wrong.”

I twisted his ear and said coldly, “Have you forgotten what the doctor said? You’re getting cavities and still sneaking sweets!” Seeing Henry wince in pain, Derek quickly accused me, “If he wants to eat, let him eat! Who are you to control him?” I replied calmly, “I’m his father. Why shouldn’t I be able to control him?” Derek finally realized what Henry had just called me. He fell silent, his gaze darting between me and Henry. I let go of Henry’s ear, and he immediately clung to me, trying to appease me. “Dad, I only had a little bit. I won’t get cavities.” His face, covered in cream, smeared all over my clothes. I held him at arm’s length with disgust and said irritably, “When your mom finds out later, I won’t stop her from scolding you!” Henry was in the process of losing his baby teeth and liked sweets, resulting in several cavities. Whenever he had a toothache, Lila would be heartbroken, but she couldn’t resist his pleading and often turned a blind eye. During this vacation, Lila got an urgent work call and had to leave. I was strict with Henry, so he snuck down to the gala to steal sweets. Seeing my serious face, Henry hugged my leg pleadingly. “Dad, I promise I’ll never do it again.” The manager standing nearby was trembling, his voice lowered. “You… you’re Miss Lawrence’s husband?” I nodded lightly. “Yes.” He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and quickly forced a smile. “We didn’t recognize such an important person. Would you and the young master like to go upstairs to freshen up?” Looking at the mess of cream all over me, I was about to follow the manager when someone suddenly grabbed me. Turning around, I saw it was Ava. She opened her mouth, but it took a while before she could speak. “You… you’re married? And you have a child?” I pulled my clothes free and nodded indifferently. “Yes, I got married right after graduation.” Lila and I met because of photography. I was on location abroad when I happened to encounter Lila, who had fallen down a hillside while hiking. It was a remote area with poor signal. I went to great lengths to rescue her. While waiting for help, she curiously looked at some of my past work and started chatting with me. As we talked, we discovered we had many common interests. By the time we returned home, we were already together. To my surprise, her family didn’t look down on my background. Lila smiled and looked at me with determination in her eyes. “Ethan, your character and personality are what made me choose you.” I thought that because of my past with Ava, I would find it difficult to love someone again. But Lila made me understand that love is mutual. Looking back on my previous life, all that pain and struggle now seemed so distant. The son in my arms was urging me. “Dad, let’s go back to find Mom. I miss her.” But Ava wouldn’t let us go. She stared at me intently, refusing to give up. “Are you trying to make me jealous on purpose? Didn’t you say you’d only love me in this lifetime?” “Did you say that?” a female voice sounded from behind me, followed by a chorus of greetings from around us. “Hello, Miss Lawrence. Hello, Mrs. Lawrence. Boss.” Looking back, I saw that Lila had come downstairs at some point. She held onto my arm and looked at Ava, her tone neutral. “Is this your ex-girlfriend?” Afraid she might get jealous again, I quickly explained. “We were together briefly when we were young, just for a month. We haven’t been in contact for ten years.” These words, hastily distancing myself from Ava, made her face pale. I thought for a moment and added, “Besides, I never said I’d only love her in this lifetime.” Ava stared at me, understanding the meaning behind my words. That promise was made by me in my previous life. Living this life anew, we had both chosen different paths, so naturally, that promise no longer held. She said reluctantly, “But… but we have so much history. How could you forget everything and be with someone else!” Derek’s face had already turned as sour as it could get. I sighed helplessly. “Why not? Aren’t you with Derek now? You’re getting married next month, yet you’re here accusing me. Isn’t that a bit much?” My words silenced Ava, her face alternating between pale and flushed. She was about to say something else when Derek, unable to watch any longer, intervened. “Ava, let’s go. He’s married now, he has nothing to do with you anymore. I’m the one who’s always been by your side!” But as soon as he grabbed Ava’s arm, she slapped his hand away. Looking at the red mark forming on the back of his hand, Derek’s face suddenly turned bright red. In the past, Ava would have surely held his hand and fussed over him, but now, she didn’t even spare him a glance. Derek shot me a vicious look, his eyes filled with undisguised resentment. Lila smiled enigmatically, looking Ava up and down before speaking slowly. “I thought some young girl had taken a fancy to my husband, but it turns out it’s an ex-girlfriend.” “Trying to rekindle an old flame before breaking up with your current partner? Isn’t that a bit shameless?” Ava’s face turned pale, and she hurriedly tried to explain. “No, I… I…” I raised my hand to interrupt her. “Ava, what happened between us is in the past. I have a family now, and you have someone who loves you. I wish you happiness.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “307342”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #魔幻Magic #重生Reborn

Six years after our divorce, I ran into Sebastian at the police station. He had climbed the ranks from an undercover agent to a respected inspector. I had fallen from a cherished heiress to a social pariah. He was there, flush with success, planning his wedding. I was there to collect my father’s death certificate. As I turned to leave, his voice halted me. “Stella, do you still hate me?” I shook my head. Hate is the offspring of love. After six long years, the love was gone. And so was the hate. A young officer, blind to the tension, chirped, “Come on, everyone, share Inspector Sebastian’s happy news!” He reached out to hand me a piece of wedding candy, but Sebastian intercepted his hand, quickly catching up to me. His voice was tight. “What brought you here? I can help-” I lifted the documents in my hand, cutting him off. “It’s done.” Then I walked straight out of the precinct. The irony wasn’t lost on me. We had met here twice now. The first time, I had watched my father be brought to justice. Sebastian grabbed my arm, forcing me to stop. “Are you alright?” Such a cliché greeting. My eyes dropped to the new wedding ring on his left hand. My answer was just as predictable. “I’m fine.” He pulled his hand back as if my skin had burned him. Leo’s car was idling by the entrance. I turned and gave Sebastian a final nod. “My husband is here.” His voice thickened. “Okay, goodbye.” I was done with goodbyes where he was concerned. As the car pulled away, he remained rooted in place, watching. “Stella,” Leo asked, his face full of gossip. “Are you using me to ward off an admirer? That officer looked like he wanted to set me on fire with his eyes. Why does he seem so familiar?” I smoothed the crumpled edge of the document in my lap. “That’s Sebastian Vance.” Leo snapped his head towards me, disbelieving. “The Sebastian Vance? The special crimes expert? The one they interview on TV about cold cases? The guy whose interrogation techniques are taught at the police academy?” At my nod, he stared blankly for another second before I had to remind him. “Eyes on the road, Leo.” But he couldn’t let it go. “No wonder they made him a Senior Detective so young. Now it all clicks. He spent nearly a decade deep undercover. Only resurfaced after taking down that massive syndicate. The main suspect was… Harrison, wasn’t he?” “Yes.” “Right, Harrison…that last name…” He seemed to remember that my last name was also Harrison and abruptly fell silent. My voice remained calm as I answered the question he left unasked. “Yes, that was my dad.” The main culprit of the Harrison Organized Crime Syndicate, personally brought to justice by Sebastian Vance. Leo awkwardly scratched his head. “I’m so sorry, Stella. I brought up something painful.” Mentioning it now, it no longer hurt. It was more like talking about someone else’s story, my emotions perfectly even. The atmosphere in the car grew a little awkward. Leo’s gaze fell on the papers in my hand. He quickly changed the subject. “Right, what were you doing at the precinct today?” I ran my finger over the prominent word “DEATH” on the document, and said. “To cancel my father’s… registration.” Half a month ago, Dad passed away. He suddenly vomited blood in his cell. The diagnosis was terminal stomach cancer. They released him on medical parole, but he lasted less than three months. On his deathbed, he left his last words to me. “Your father is guilty. I don’t hold that against Sebastian. But he lied to you. For that alone, I wish I could end him myself.” Dad never blamed me. Even though he’d refused hundreds of my visits over six years. I knew he wasn’t blaming me for bringing a snake into our home. He never wanted me to go through life branded as a criminal’s daughter. The thought of Dad still brought a pang of sorrow. To shake it off, I turned to Leo, who clearly had questions on his mind. “Want to hear my story?” I am the heiress to what was once the country’s largest crime syndicate. And the ex-wife of one of law enforcement’s most prominent figures. This is my story, tangled between two warring worlds.

When I was sixteen, I was kidnapped by a rival gang. I managed to escape one night, only to find myself stranded in a rough neighborhood. Trash and cigarette butts littered the ground, and rats squeaked in the sewers. Under the dim, flickering streetlights, a drunk blocked my path. A boy pulled me behind him, shielding me. It was Sebastian Vance, eighteen years old. He wore a faded black T-shirt, his arms lean and strong. When he took the blow of a glass bottle for me, he didn’t even utter a grunt. At the time, I didn’t know it was a setup. I just thought it was a classic damsel-in-distress scenario, and I was falling for my hero. So, I told my dad when he arrived. “Didn’t you want to find me a bodyguard? I want him.” Bodyguard was just a cover. Sebastian back then was dirt poor, with nothing but his strength. I needed an excuse to keep him by my side. Dad admired him too, saying the young man had a spark in his eyes and would achieve great things someday. He truly did make something of himself. After just two years, he was accepted into the same university as me. The day he received his acceptance letter, his eyes welled up. “Stella, I owe you and your dad my life.” “If I can, I want to stay by your side forever.” Sebastian would wake up at six every morning, take an hour-long bus ride, and stand in a long line. All just so I could have a hot breakfast bun before my 8 AM class. He would spend his entire paycheck just to buy a pretty brooch I’d casually complimented. Yet, his own sweater, pilled and faded, he wore for three years. His bag always contained painkillers, band-aids, an umbrella, and sanitary pads, all for my careless self. He was so good to me, so good that even Dad couldn’t find fault. The year we graduated, he proposed joining the Harrison Corporation. Dad hesitated, saying he didn’t need to repay us. But Sebastian knelt down. “I know I’m not worthy, but I love Stella. “I want the right to stay by her side.” I didn’t know then that Dad was already being coerced and falling into a deep abyss. I only remember he talked with Sebastian in the study for a long time. When they came out, Dad placed my hand in Sebastian’s. “Sebastian, promise me you’ll always keep my girl happy, pure, and honorable.” At 25, I had my master’s degree. Sebastian, through sheer force of competence, had risen to become a core executive at the corporation. But the higher he climbed, the more distant he became. He watched me with an unnerving intensity. Then, out of nowhere, he said,”Sometimes, ,wish I could just walk away from all of this… for you.” But when I asked him what he meant, he said nothing. Leo cut in. “Did he realize he really loved you, so he wanted to give up his undercover identity?” I shook my head. “I don’t know, and it doesn’t matter.” Whatever momentary conflict he might have felt, it didn’t change his relentless pursuit of justice. When I was 26, Sebastian proposed. We got the marriage license first and began planning the ceremony. The wedding day was lavish. I was in a gown of pure white. And I watched, with my own eyes, as Sebastian flashed his badge and put the cuffs on my father. Leo leaned forward, aghast. “On your wedding day? That’s brutal! Tell me you rushed over and punched him?” I shook my head again. “I didn’t get the chance. He walked away with my bridesmaid.” “Bridesmaid? Who?” “His current wife.”

A few days before, photos from Sebastian’s wedding had been blowing up our alumni chat. The bride, as expected, was Chloe Davis. My college best friend. My roommate. She came from a low-income family. She was plain, always hiding behind thick-rimmed glasses. But she was fiercely hardworking and even more fiercely proud. I remember when our professor mocked her accent, saying it “carried the distinct scent of the countryside.” She just flushed a deep red, but she never lowered her head. I was the one who approached her. I invited her to join the study group I had with Sebastian. Maybe it was their similar backgrounds, their same stubborn grit. They got along famously from the start. Or perhaps… the connection was just instant. The cheap food I found unpalatable, they both enjoyed. I liked wearing bright, colorful clothes; they both preferred durable, dark shirts. When given two choices for a project, they would invariably and synchronously pick the other option. But all their interactions were filtered through me, maintaining a polite distance. So, I never once suspected infidelity. After we graduated with our master’s degrees. Chloe struggled in her career and came to me for help. I wanted to give her a boost, so I pulled some strings and got her a job at Harrison Corporation. I even asked Sebastian to keep an eye on her. Unlike our college trio, this time, I wasn’t there to stand between them. And in my absence, they grew close. Why Chloe? Perhaps it was because the man who had hidden his true self for so long could finally stop pretending around her. I suspected nothing. Not until our wedding day, when Chloe rushed into Sebastian’s arms, her eyes shining with tears. “You did it! Ten years of playing a part… you can finally be yourself again!” It took ten years, but I was finally meeting the real Sebastian Vance. He just watched me from a distance, silent and detached, as if he were profiling a suspect. I had so many questions I wanted to ask. What would happen to my dad? When did you and she start this? And when did you start lying to me? But he didn’t give me the chance. Leading Chloe by the hand, he walked over, saying coldly. “He won’t be detained during the investigation. Pack a few changes of clothes for your dad and send them to the detention center.” He looked at my tear-streaked makeup, his expression softening slightly. I hurled my bouquet at his face. Then I picked up a glass of wine nearby and aggressively splashed it over him. The wine splattered onto Chloe’s pink bridesmaid dress. She whimpered, sounding wronged. “Sebastian, don’t go soft. Loving her was just an act; you wouldn’t actually fall for your own performance, would you?” Her single sentence snapped Sebastian back to reality. He picked up a glass of wine too, and poured it directly over my head. “An eye for an eye. I’m doing this for Chloe.” “Talk to me when you’re sober!” He walked away, Chloe in tow, leaving me standing alone. In the days that followed, sleep became a stranger. Harrison Corporation was seized. Every asset my family owned was frozen and cataloged. I dodged reporters while scrambling to find a lawyer for my father. The final conclusion was that there was no way out. Only then did I truly allow myself to understand, in the worldly sense, that my father was a bad man. The worldview I had built over a lifetime shattered in that single moment. Human nature is a tangled thing. No one is purely anything. He committed many wrongs, yet he adored his daughter and was passionate about philanthropy. Similarly, no one is perfectly good. Like Sebastian Vance. He was extensively covered by the media, bestowed with titles like “Shadow of Justice” and “Dawn Breaker of Darkness.” Yet, I found him kissing Chloe in our wedding-decorated home. I had no strength left to argue. I passed out. “What happened to you after that?!” Leo asked, urgent. “After that… I don’t remember much. I almost died.”

Perhaps some primal self-preservation instinct finally kicked in. I fell ill, my mind sinking into a dense fog. Maybe out of pity, Sebastian never filed for annulment. Instead, he took a two-month leave and brought me from one doctor to the next. In therapy, I refused to speak. When given medication, I refused to open my mouth. He even resorted to strapping me down for electroconvulsive therapy. The side effects were devastating, often causing lasting damage. That’s why I can never hold a paintbrush again. Back then, I had no will to get better. I’d hidden a razor blade behind the mirror, waiting for the day of my father’s sentencing to finally set myself free. Sebastian, however, was furious. He forced my mouth open, making me swallow the pills. “Do you still think you’re that spoiled princess from before? Can’t you stop being so stubborn?” In the past, every time I had to take medicine, I’d throw a minor fit. And Sebastian would always patiently coax me. “Come on, sweetie, once you swallow it, I’ll give you a candy.” This time, there was no candy. The moment he let go, I threw up everything. Sebastian lost his patience, looking down at me. “Look at you now. I shouldn’t have bothered with you.” The door slammed shut, and he smoked in the living room all night. The next day, Chloe showed up. Their argument erupted almost immediately. “Sebastian, you’re an officer with a future! She’s a criminal’s daughter. Why are you still tied to her?” A long silence hung in the air before his low voice finally cut through it. “I looked after her for ten years, Chloe. You wouldn’t just abandon a stray dog you’d raised that long.” A stray dog. How compassionate of him. Their shouting match somehow twisted into another desperate kiss, right there in the foyer of the new home my father had bought for me. It felt like a desecration. I snapped. I stormed out and smashed everything I could get my hands on, aiming straight for the wedding portrait with their blissfully smiling faces . Sebastian shielded Chloe behind him, just as he used to shield me. He watched my breakdown, my frenzy, with cold indifference. Chloe feigned fear. “I told you, didn’t I? She has a criminal’s blood flowing in her veins, selfish, violent… truly terrifying.” Mentioning Dad, I became hysterical. I picked up a shard of glass, lunging at them. But Sebastian kicked it away. His words were full of disappointment. “Stella Harrison, you’ve exhausted the last shred of my compassion for you.” The day Sebastian went to file for annulment, My father’s final sentence also came down. Life imprisonment. Through the iron bars, Dad’s old eyes filled with tears. He saw my desire to die instantly. “My girl, live, please, your father is begging you.” He had already prepared a fallback for me. A substantial trust fund in an overseas institution. My dad had never said “please” in his life. So I thought, then I’ll live. The last time I saw Sebastian, in front of the precinct, Those were his final words to me. “Take care of yourself.” The car entered a tunnel, darkness enveloped us, leaving only a warm, dim glow. Suddenly, the stark white light of my phone flashed. An unknown number. “Hello?” It was Sebastian. “You left your ID behind. Can we meet?”

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That summer, when I was eighteen, Chloe and I finally crossed that line. Afterward, I was too excited to sleep a wink, believing my six-year-long secret crush had finally come true. Until the next day, I overheard her friends teasing her: “Wow, Chloe, you totally snagged the hottest guy in class.” I felt a flush of embarrassment, about to slip away unnoticed. Then Chloe’s nonchalant reply drifted over. “I want to go after Jaxon, the ice hockey star from school. I’m just worried he’ll think I’m too inexperienced.” “So, I just used Liam to practice my moves.” I didn’t say a word. In the last possible moment, I quietly switched my university application from Washington D.C. to Chicago. Chloe’s words hit me like a sudden, brutal lightning strike from a clear sky. My mind instantly went blank. In that sweltering summer afternoon, I felt an icy coldness spread through my body. The conversation in the classroom continued, though they seemed to pause for a beat before someone spoke again. “Only Chloe would say that. The hottest guy in class is just practice for her.” Chloe chuckled, unconcerned. “Don’t be silly. He’s not exactly losing out, is he?” Someone immediately chimed in. “True, true. Liam is pretty lean, compared to Jaxon… well, his build just isn’t the same.” Chloe, annoyed, playfully tossed a book at him, cutting off his comment. “It was just a heat-of-the-moment thing, the vibe was there, and honestly, he looked like he was about to burst.” They all exchanged knowing glances, teasing her. “So Liam’s the quiet type on the outside, a total wild card underneath!” “Oh, wow, Chloe, your charm is just too much. Of course, you’d take the opportunity when it’s handed to you.” “Liam’s been after you for years, he finally got what he wanted. He’s probably completely obsessed with you now.” The laughter in the room clearly intensified. My hands clenched into tight fists. It took every ounce of my strength to stay upright, to keep from collapsing at the classroom door. Footsteps approached from the end of the corridor. I snapped back to reality, bolting from the scene. In a panic, I rushed into a bathroom stall.

Chloe’s words echoed in my mind, syllable by syllable. They utterly shredded every last piece of my self-respect. If I hadn’t heard it with my own ears, I would never have believed that the person who’d been so intimately entwined with me, who’d seemed to lose herself completely in my arms just last night, was the same person. So, you could do something that intimate, even without love. You could lie and deceive, even in the most passionate, irrational moments. What I’d foolishly believed was our destiny, was nothing more than a punchline in their conversations. The more I thought about it, the more miserable I became. A long while later. My phone buzzed with a new message. It was Chloe. [Just cab it home. My friends are having a party tonight, and it’s not really convenient for you to come.] I didn’t reply. I stared at the message, silent for a long time. From dusk till dawn yesterday, Chloe and I had been all over each other, again and again. Finally, we were both exhausted. Before I fell asleep in her arms, she was still whispering softly to me. “It was our first time, and we weren’t fully prepared. You really went all out tonight.” Back then, I thought she genuinely cared about me, that I had finally found my happiness. And now… In an instant, I sobered up considerably. I dug my nails into my palms, took a deep breath, and walked out of the bathroom. When I got home, I felt like all my strength had drained away. Ever since Chloe’s family moved in next door, I’d trailed after her like a puppy, for ten whole years. I’d never imagined what a world without her would be like. And I certainly didn’t dare to. But from now on, I was on my own. Outside my floor-to-ceiling window, lights came on one by one, then faded out. I don’t know how much time passed before my buddy, Ryan, video-called me. “Liam, how come you didn’t come to our party with Chloe tonight? Jaxon from the next class is here, and with you gone, he’s practically glued to her side. They’re making everyone sick.” Ryan flipped his camera.

In a dimly lit corner of the lounge, Chloe and Jaxon, the ice hockey star, sat close together. Jaxon wore a simple black t-shirt, accentuating his broad shoulders, making him look effortlessly cool and totally eye-catching. They’d clearly carved out their own space, separate from the others. Even when they talked, it was like they were whispering conspiratorially, sharing private secrets. Even through the phone, I could feel a thick, undeniable tension between them. My chest tightened, a suffocating gasp caught in my throat. Chloe just said she wanted to go after him this afternoon, and it looks like she already sealed the deal tonight. During a round of ‘Truth or Dare,’ Jaxon got a prompt to do push-ups over a female guest. As expected, Chloe immediately stepped forward. The crowd immediately went wild. Chloe’s cheeks flushed crimson as she demurely lay back on the couch. Jaxon hovered above her, doing dozens of push-ups in one go. He was incredibly careful, his body barely hovering over hers, trying his best not to touch her. Until the very last one. Whether he genuinely lost his strength or it was a calculated move, I couldn’t tell. He failed to hold himself up and collapsed directly onto Chloe. The room erupted in deafening cheers, loud enough to blow the roof off. Chloe and Jaxon’s faces flushed an even deeper red. Amidst the crazy uproar, Chloe, with a mischievous glint in her eyes, simply tilted her head back and locked lips with Jaxon. They completely lost themselves in the moment, sharing a deep, passionate kiss as if no one else existed. It lasted a full three minutes before they reluctantly pulled apart. For those agonizing three minutes, I stared, unblinking, at the screen, so numb I almost forgot to breathe. My heart felt like it was being ripped apart, a searing pain. I wanted to cry so badly, but I’d cried too much that afternoon and had no tears left. “They were totally making out, Liam, did you see that? She’s completely into him.” Ryan sighed, then turned the camera away and stepped out of the lounge. He found a quiet corner and seriously tried to reason with me. “Liam, don’t be mad at me. If I hadn’t let you see it with your own eyes, you’d never give up on her.” My throat was dry and hoarse, the words that came out were rough and indistinct. “No, I don’t blame you.” It’s all on me for being such a fool for all these years. I always thought that because I was allowed to be by Chloe’s side, that spot was automatically mine. “I just couldn’t stand Chloe. How could she, knowing you’d liked her for years, still play this innocent game, stringing you along, watching you fall deeper and deeper?” “You saw it for yourself just now. I really hope you think hard about this. Don’t let her waste another four years of your life in college…” “I won’t, Ryan.” I cut him off, stating calmly. “I won’t give myself another chance.” “Ryan, I’ve decided. I’m going to university in Chicago with you.” “But you have to promise to keep it a secret for now.”

After saying that, to stop myself from wavering, I opened my laptop right in front of him. Without a second thought, I pulled up my application portal and, just before the early decision deadline, changed my top choice to that renowned university in Chicago. Ryan was, naturally, over the moon. He’d been begging me to apply to the same university for ages. But when we first entered high school, Chloe and I had made a pact: we’d work hard together after our SATs and head hand-in-hand to her dream school in Washington D.C., where she’d always wanted to study her favorite major. So, even though I didn’t particularly love Washington D.C. or feel any connection to that specific STEM-focused university, for three years of high school, I kept it as my goal. After years of being neighbors, both our parents were happy for us to apply to the same university. Everyone, myself included, thought Chloe and I would naturally become a couple once we were adults. But now, I couldn’t find a single reason to go to Washington D.C. Or rather, after today, if I continued to cling to Chloe like before, I’d never be able to look myself in the mirror again. I just wanted to get as far away as possible. Anywhere was fine, as long as Chloe wasn’t there. If she was in Washington D.C., then I’d go to Chicago.

Before bed, I turned on the shower, desperate to wash away the lingering stickiness of it all. But as I peeled off my clothes, the marks on my skin were still painfully obvious. Memories from last night surged back, uncontrollable. The burning heat of her skin as we clung together, the scorching breaths against my ear in the throes of passion—the warmth seemed to still linger in the air. I shook my head hard, trying to dislodge those absurd images. Then I found the roughest loofah I could find and scrubbed my skin repeatedly, until my whole body was raw and red, before finally stopping. I was clumsily trying to erase what felt like the most humiliating memory of my life. The result was so much pain that I couldn’t sleep well all night. Chloe, as expected, didn’t send any more messages. Breaking the six-year unbroken streak of goodnight texts we’d shared since we first got phones. This was probably for the best. It was bound to happen eventually. It’s time to go cold turkey, starting tonight. I drifted in and out of sleep, finally drifting off just before dawn. I was still in a deep sleep the next morning when I suddenly felt someone press a soft kiss to my forehead in my dream.

I jolted awake. Opening my eyes, I saw her familiar chin. The scent that enveloped me was her favorite cedarwood, along with a faint, unfamiliar hint of lemon. I’d almost forgotten, Chloe always knew my front door code. Seeing me awake, Chloe simply lowered her head, a playful smile on her face, trying to steal a kiss. I turned my head, dodging her. I pushed her away and scrambled to the other side of the bed. Chloe paused, then chuckled. “What, still playing hard to get?” I didn’t say anything, just pulled the duvet up, burying my head. Chloe started teasing me as she pulled back the covers. “Liam, you’re getting bold, aren’t you? Didn’t even say goodnight last night, and even turned off your phone before bed.” “Now you’re hiding from me?” She swiftly slipped under the covers with me. I didn’t have time to react before she wrapped her arms around me. “How many times have I told you not to skip breakfast?” “I even went for a half-hour run just to get you these. Your favorite gourmet muffins. I stood in line for ages.” “Do you want to get up and eat now, or do you want to… be eaten first…” Her breath was so close, and her hand started to trace patterns on my skin. Shaking off my grogginess, I started to struggle. I honestly couldn’t understand what she was thinking. She already had Jaxon, why was she still messing with me? “What’s with the mood?” “Still sulking? Is it really just because I didn’t bring you to the party last night?” I stayed silent. She buried her face in my neck and laughed. “Let me guess, did your ‘good’ friend Ryan rat me out?” “It was just a party game. Are you seriously getting jealous over that?” “It’s always the same with you; the moment I even look at another guy, you turn into a moody silent type.” I was seething, utterly speechless. I blindly jabbed my elbow backward, catching her sharply just below the ribs. While she winced in pain and curled up, I scrambled out of bed. “Liam!” She clutched her side, her face flushed, beads of sweat on her forehead. I quickly pulled on the first t-shirt I found over my sweats and hurried to the living room. I didn’t want to be in the same room as her, especially not my bedroom. A short while later, Chloe walked out, looking both annoyed and exasperated. Chloe walked to the dining table, picked up a coffee, and offered it to me. “Here, have something to eat first, then be angry. Your stomach’s always been sensitive.” I didn’t say anything, didn’t reach for it. Chloe’s hand, holding the coffee, hung in the air for a long time before she finally lost patience. “What is it, Liam?” “Sulking needs a reason, and a limit, you know?” I replied coldly, “I’m not good enough.” Chloe’s anger flared. She slammed the coffee cup down on the end table. She used too much force. The cheap paper cup tore, and coffee instantly seeped into the plush carpet. “What do you mean?” “Who do you think you are, Liam?” “We hooked up once consensually, and now you think you own me? You want to control me? Do you have any idea how much pressure that puts on me?” Her tone was harsher than I’d ever heard it. In an instant, I abruptly turned my head, my jaw clenched so hard I thought it would crack. Yesterday’s humiliation and today’s awkwardness surged over me, choking my throat, leaving me speechless. Chloe clearly hadn’t anticipated my reaction. She froze for a moment, then softened her tone. “I’m sorry, I drank too much last night. I was a little impulsive just now.” She knelt down, trying to get closer, but I dodged her again. She froze, her hand suspended in mid-air. Just as she was about to continue coaxing me, her phone suddenly pinged. She glanced at her phone, her face suddenly paling, and abruptly stood up to leave. “I have something urgent to do. You just cool down. And stop being so dramatic all the time, can you just grow up?”

Less than half an hour after she left, Ryan sent me a screenshot. Jaxon’s SnapChat story. [A simple ‘I’m hungry,’ and boom, breakfast. Feeling like there’s definitely a mutual crush brewing here.] The picture showed the exact same gourmet muffins, in identical packaging, as the ones on my kitchen counter. I didn’t reply. I just quietly knelt down, carefully cleaning the coffee Chloe had spilled. I tried for a long time, but with a heavy heart, I realized the stain on the plush wool rug had seeped deep, impossible to scrub out. In a sudden burst of anger, I decided to just throw the entire rug away. Anyway, Chloe and her parents had spent an entire afternoon picking this out for me during their trip to Morocco, even lugging it back by hand. While I was at it, I gathered up all of Chloe’s things left at my place, and all the gifts she’d ever given me, big and small. Even all the photos of us together. I spent the whole day sorting and packing them all up. Then I threw everything away. I figured she wouldn’t want these old scraps anyway. After Chloe left that day, there was no news from her for several days. I guess things with the ice hockey star were progressing smoothly. Or maybe she was waiting for me to give in. In every past cold war, I was always the first to back down, without exception. But this time, I didn’t look for her. There was no need to anymore. I blocked her on SnapChat and her phone number, changed my front door code, and deleted all my social media accounts. After doing all that, I called my parents, who were away on a business trip, to discuss my plans. I told them I wanted to spend the summer in Mexico with Aunt Sarah. My plan was that after summer, I would go straight to university registration in Chicago with Ryan. Aside from Ryan, no one else knew I had applied to a school in Chicago. This plan should perfectly avoid any chance encounters with Chloe. My mom teased me on the phone, “Oh, so you and Chloe are going on vacation together?” I made up an excuse, not wanting to explain too much. I just told her I wanted to spend time with Aunt Sarah and Grandma Rose. I begged my dad to book me the earliest flight, planning to fly out that very night. As I was leaving the house, I unluckily ran into Mrs. Thompson at the gate of my villa. She warmly greeted me, pulling me into a quick chat. “Liam, why are you alone? Chloe isn’t here to pick you up? Didn’t she say she was taking you skiing in New Zealand? Have a great time, sweetie. I’m all for it.” I found it a bit strange. During senior year, when we were studying for our college entrance exams, I had indeed mentioned to Chloe that I wanted to go skiing in New Zealand, to experience winter in the Southern Hemisphere. But given how things were between us now, I couldn’t imagine us traveling together. However, time was running short, so I just mumbled a few vague replies and left. But what I didn’t expect was to run into Chloe at the airport.

She was with a group of friends. Jaxon was there too. Jaxon, ever the gentleman, carried a designer handbag in one hand, his other arm casually draped around Chloe. They walked at the back of the group. Every now and then, Jaxon would turn his head to say something to her, and Chloe would patiently tilt her head up to listen. Unlike us. I’d always towered over Chloe, even as a kid, and grew even taller. With her, I always had to bend down to talk. But with Jaxon, she looked up, her gaze fixed on him. That’s how she acts with someone she truly cares about. I took a deep breath. I told myself to have some self-respect. Whatever she did was none of my business. One more stupid thought like that, and I’d slap myself. But there seemed to be only one path to the boarding gate. I could only follow distantly behind them. Finally, mercifully, we reached the gate, where the path split. Chloe seemed to get distracted. She tried calling several times, but nothing seemed to connect. She kept fiddling with her phone, her brow furrowed. Finally, she borrowed a friend’s phone, her face darkening, and headed toward the restrooms. A moment later, my phone suddenly rang. It was an unfamiliar number. “Liam, you’re really digging in your heels this time, aren’t you? So I have to be the one to reach out?” “And you blocked me?” “If you’re so tough, then just keep ignoring me. But when you get to university in Washington D.C., all alone in a new city, let’s see who’s there to take care of you then.” Chloe’s voice was sharp, a rapid-fire torrent of accusations. I didn’t say anything; there was no way to respond to that. But Chloe seemed to get even angrier. “I don’t have time for this. Just add me back on SnapChat, now.” “I’m going out of the country with some friends for a few days, so my phone might be off. Don’t go getting all dramatic and worried, okay?” I couldn’t be bothered to offer a single word. I hung up immediately and turned off my phone. I watched, from a distance, as Chloe, her face still stormy, returned to her spot. She huffily grabbed Jaxon’s hand, didn’t hesitate, and walked directly towards the left boarding gate. I sighed and turned to walk towards the right.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “307340”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #魔幻Magic #重生Reborn