Author: Momo Chan

My wife, Chloe Hayes, and her true love, Liam Miller, were kidnapped at the same time. She’d brought five million in ransom, and without a second thought, she rescued Liam. And my son, whom I’d raised since he was a baby, echoed her sentiment: “I want Liam to come with us! Mom, he’ll be scared if he stays here!” The System declared my mission a failure: “Once this body dies, you’ll be sent back to your original world.” So all I wanted was to die and get home fast. But when my wife and son realized I truly didn’t want to live anymore, they hugged me and cried: “I was wrong, please don’t leave us, okay?” After twelve years of trying to win Chloe Hayes over, she still chose Liam Miller without hesitation. Chloe quickly untied the ropes binding Liam, her eyes soft with tenderness. Beside them, Leo Hayes, mimicking his mom, rubbed Liam’s red wrists, blowing on them occasionally. “Blow on it, it’ll make the ouch go away.” The three of them stood together—Liam hugging Chloe, Chloe gently stroking his back, and Leo clinging tight to Liam’s shirt hem. They looked so loving, so perfect together, like I wasn’t even there in the kidnapper’s clutches. This scene even made the kidnapper scoff: “Your old lady’s too busy with her lovebird to care about you. Probably won’t even pay to get you back. Why don’t I just put you out of your misery?” Watching them dote on Liam as they left, the System officially declared my mission a failure. The punishment hit instantly—an electric shock that knocked me out cold. Through the fog, I felt the kidnapper fumbling to catch my collapsing body. “I just ran my mouth a little and he passes out? Shit, this is bad—real bad. Gotta get him to a hospital, now. If he croaks on me, I’m done for.” When I came to in the hospital, I checked with the System in my head: If this body dies for real, I can go home, right? When the System confirmed it, I dragged myself to the window. The room was on a high floor—at least fifty feet up. A jump from here would finish me off for sure. I opened the window and leapt out. The freefall hit hard, and I flailed instinctively. Wind howled in my ears, stinging like a bitch. But I wasn’t scared—I was relieved. Finally, it’d be over. Just a little more, and I’d be home. Back to where someone actually gave a damn about me. I closed my eyes, waiting calmly. The next second, the falling sensation vanished. Then someone grabbed my arm like a vice. The momentum wrenched my muscles, sending a white-hot pain shooting from my shoulder to my chest. I cracked an eye open—felt like my arm was snapped clean in two. The person holding me was Skylar Hayes, Chloe’s half-sister. I stared up at the girl, sweat dripping off her. Her arms were shaking, veins popping as she clung to me like I was a lifeline. “Let go,” I said flat. Skylar bared her teeth, holding on tighter, hauling me up with every last bit of strength. “So Chloe picked the other guy—big deal! You gonna throw your life away over that? Are you braindead?!” I reached up, prying her fingers off one by one. “Skylar, you’ve always hated me. Let me fall. It’s what you want.” Skylar hated me. Hell, anyone even remotely close to Chloe hated my guts. After Liam left her high and dry, Chloe caved to family pressure and married me. They all thought I was some slimy opportunist who’d taken advantage of her when she was down. Frozen me out, talked behind my back, acted like I didn’t exist. Skylar was the worst. She’d waltz into the Hayes mansion like she owned the place—tore up every flower I’d planted in the backyard. Knew I was deathly allergic to cat dander, but put the idea in Leo’s head to adopt a stray kitten. When I said no, she told him to throw a fit. Kid screamed so loud the whole house shook. Skylar played the hero, of course. “It’s just a kitten. If the kid wants it, let him have it.” Leo cried even harder, rolling on the floor, mumbling: “Dad’s a jerk! I want the kitten!” I tossed Skylar and the cat out, then tried to explain to Leo—allergic to cat dander, can’t keep it, but we could get a puppy instead. But Skylar had already poisoned his mind. Kid didn’t care about my allergies, just kept hitting me, screaming for his stupid cat back. That’s when Leo stopped talking to me. Skylar kept at it, badmouthing me to him until he started outright defying me. She was a real piece of work—turned my whole life into a living hell.

But I didn’t die. Skylar’s yelling drew the nurses running. They hauled me back inside together. Skylar shot me a dirty look, slammed the window shut, and went quiet for once. Her hands wouldn’t stop shaking—palms covered in raw, red scrapes. Those once-soft hands were all bruised and bloodied now. “Alex… I don’t hate you as much as you think.” She lowered her head, her long hair covering half her face. Her voice cracked, almost like she was… upset? Before I could ask what she meant, Skylar crossed her arms, lifted her chin, and went back to being her usual bitchy self. “This is just another one of your stupid stunts, right? Chloe’s not gonna fall for it—you’re just gonna piss her off more…” “This is another one of your new tricks, isn’t it? I’m telling you, Chloe Hayes isn’t falling for your games. All you’re going to do is annoy her…” Skylar rambled on while the nurses checked the monitors. I used the distraction to bolt for the window again. I’d barely got it open before Skylar tackled me back. Before I could even step out, Skylar yanked me back. After two tries, Skylar finally got it—I wasn’t messing around. I really wanted to die. She dragged me away from the window, then sat me down, her tone softening like she was talking to a spooked animal. “Don’t do this. Chloe’s not the only woman alive—why are you so hung up on her?” She cleared her throat, face turning pink. “Chloe’s a lousy wife, I get it—but just divorce her. Don’t throw your life away over her. There’s probably someone out there who actually likes you, y’know?” Skylar drove me back to the Hayes mansion. On the way, she said Chloe thought I’d planned the kidnapping to hurt Liam, and was now coddling him. “Chloe’s furious. Just apologize to Liam when we get there, and it’ll blow over.” “Get Chloe calm first, then divorce’ll be easier.” I stared out the window, didn’t say a word. The world blurred by, gone before I could register it. The kidnapper had panicked when he thought I was dying—probably Liam’s doing. Frame me for the kidnapping, play the victim for Chloe. Classic Liam move. He’d done it before, and he’d do it again. This wasn’t the first time, and it would never be the last. Liam and I were oil and water—we couldn’t stand each other, but we kept colliding. And Chloe? She was Liam’s biggest fan. Always had been. Even his dumbest lies looked like “innocence” to her. She always took his side—never mine. Every time I tried to explain, she’d just roll her eyes: “Quit being dramatic. Look at how you’re acting.”

I thought back to when I first started trying to win Chloe over. Back then, Liam was with someone else, and Chloe was the heartbroken side chick—drinking herself into a stupor every night. The System pointed her out: passed out in a bar corner, that’s your target. Get her to love you 100%, and you can go home. Stupid mission, if you ask me—why does going home depend on some woman’s feelings? But I did what I had to. Sat with her when she drank, cleaned up when she threw up. She missed Liam’s baking, so I took classes—learned every one of her favorite desserts. She tossed them in the trash without even looking. Told me I was nothing compared to Liam. So I quit baking, started cooking instead. Chloe had a sensitive stomach, skipped meals when she worked late. Made her balanced meals every day, brought them to her office myself. Guess the food was good enough—she started letting me stick around. Got her affection up to 98%. Thought I was finally going home. Then she got pregnant. Family pressured her into marrying me. Her affection tanked. Said I’d trapped her. Said the baby was a mistake. Said I’d planned it all. I’d boosted her affection rating to 98%. Just when I thought I’d be going home soon, an accident happened—she got pregnant. Chloe, pressured by her family, married me. Her affection rating for me plummeted. All along, she believed I had deliberately gotten her pregnant. That it was a trap I’d set, a scheme she’d fallen into. Ridiculous. She was the one who came onto me that night. Her mistake, not mine. Chloe and Liam were two peas in a pod—always blaming others for their own messes. Guess it makes them feel better about themselves. Whatever. I followed Skylar into the house. I followed behind Skylar. Liam was on the couch like he owned the place. Chloe was feeding him fruit with a fork. Chloe was holding a plate of diced fruit, feeding him piece by piece with a fork. Leo was at his feet, rubbing his legs like a little puppy. Chloe saw me and her face dropped. Chloe turned and saw me, instantly putting on a stern face. She grabbed a paper off the table and threw it at me. “Alex! I don’t care if you’re throwing a fit—but you had no right to hurt Liam!” “You think staging a kidnapping is funny? If Liam had gotten hurt, you’d be in jail!” “Do you think this self-staged kidnapping is fun to get my attention? If anything serious had happened to Liam, you’d be going to jail!” I picked up the papers. Read them. Laughed. After reading them carefully, I couldn’t help but let out a cynical laugh. It was the kidnapper’s “confession”—blaming me, of course. If Chloe had bothered to check the bank records, she’d know I didn’t pay the ransom. But she didn’t want to know. She only wanted to believe Liam. Liam saw my face and stood up quickly, grabbing Chloe’s arm. “Chloe, it’s okay—don’t get upset…” I slapped him before he could finish. Hit him hard. The sound echoed through the room. Liam stared at me, shocked. Everyone was. Chloe snapped first. She lunged at me, hands around my throat. “You think this fake confession will send me to jail? You’re the idiot, not the cops.” Chloe squeezed harder. I couldn’t breathe. But I smiled. Skylar punched Chloe in the face. Chloe let go. I collapsed to the floor, gasping. Glared at Skylar—she’d ruined it. Skylar hit Chloe again. “She was dying, you psycho!” Chloe stared at her hands like she couldn’t believe what she’d done. Then she looked at me—guilty, maybe? She turned away, face red. Chloe instinctively released her grip on my throat. Lack of oxygen made my legs weak, and I instantly collapsed to the floor. I gasped for air, glaring with slight annoyance at Skylar, who had ruined my plan. She then punched Chloe again, still not satisfied. “She’s dying, do you hear me?! You almost choked her to death!” Chloe was dazed from the hit, she shook her wrist, but didn’t choose to hit back. She pushed Skylar away, looking at me with a complicated expression. After a moment, she awkwardly turned her head. “So what if he dies? He hit Liam first.”

Leo hugged Liam’s arm. “He’s a bad dad! I hate bad dads!” Leo hugged Liam’s arm, indignantly echoing Chloe’s words. I snuck to my room while Skylar and Chloe fought. Tired of their faces. Skylar was still fighting with Chloe, her voice drifting up to the second floor. “Chloe! Alex wanted to die—didn’t you see him smiling when you choked him? He was asking for it!” “Die? He’s just begging for attention. He’d never actually do it.” The bedroom door closed, cutting off all noise. The world fell silent. I took a knife from the drawer, went to the bathroom. Cut my wrist. Blood dripped into the sink. Death wasn’t as scary as I thought. Woke up in the hospital again. Stared at the ceiling. Skylar was asleep next to the bed—dark circles under her eyes. She jumped up when she saw me. “You’re awake! Want water? Food?” My wrist was bandaged. I pushed her hand away. Skylar pulled back, looking hurt. “You’re awake? How do you feel? Do you want some water or something to eat?” My right wrist was wrapped in a thick bandage. I wordlessly pushed away her helping hand, propping myself up on the bed. Skylar flinched, awkwardly retracting her hand. I turned away. Didn’t want to look at her. If I wasn’t so weak from blood loss, I’d tell her to get lost. She kept ruining my plans. Why did she suddenly care? “Where’s Chloe?” Skylar snapped. She grabbed my shoulders, pushed me back. “Why do you even care about Chloe?!” “You’ve been out for two days. She didn’t even call.” “Divorce her, Alex. Please.” The door slammed open. Chloe stood there, furious. She slapped Skylar across the face. “You think you can steal my husband?!” Skylar didn’t hold back this time. She punched Chloe in the stomach. “He’s not your husband! You don’t even care about him!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “332183”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #重生Reborn #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #魔幻Magic #校园School

Five years into my marriage, my husband Liam had his ex, Seraphina, post a photo of a property deed on social media. Her caption read: “So grateful to Liam for transferring the house to me. My daughter’s school situation is finally sorted out!” But the address on that document was clearly our home address. I was stunned and left a simple “?” in the comments. Liam’s furious call immediately came through. “She’s a single mom—you know how hard it is for her. I just transferred the house to her to help her out; it’s not like it affects where we live.” “How can you be so heartless, so utterly devoid of empathy?” Half an hour later, Seraphina posted again, this time showing off a luxury Mercedes. “Bought it outright! They say a man’s heart follows his money, and he just proved where his truly lies.” This time, I made up my mind. I was getting a divorce. When Liam got home, I was taking the medication prescribed by my doctor, washing it down with birthday cake. These were for my post-gastric tumor removal recovery. It was my birthday, and I’d bought the cake in advance, waiting for Liam to come home so I could tell him about the surgery I’d had while he was away on a business trip. I waited until seven that evening. He didn’t answer my calls or reply to my texts. It wasn’t until I commented on Seraphina’s property deed post that Liam’s call came through instantly. But instead of an explanation, he started chewing me out. I tried to explain, but he hung up before I could get a word in. Then he blocked my number. My freshly stitched wound throbbed with frustration. Liam glanced at the medication and cake on the dining table, frowning. “Whose birthday is this for? Yours?” Silently, I put away the medicine, tossed the cake into the trash, and replied calmly, “Not mine. It’s a friend’s.” He let out a sigh of relief. “I remember yours is September 28th. Today’s only the 8th.” Five years of marriage, and Liam had messed up my birthday every single year. The kicker? He never forgot Seraphina’s. Liam sat down beside me, handing me a small car model. “Seraphina asked me to give this to you. She thinks she might have upset you today and hopes you won’t take it personally.” It was a miniature version of the Mercedes, with a faint smudge on it. I said flatly, “I don’t want it.” Liam frowned, clearly annoyed. “What’s your problem now? She’s extending an olive branch—can’t you just be nice about it?” Seeing I was unmoved, Liam tried to pull me up to call Seraphina. He pulled hard. As I was yanked up, my injured right leg knocked against the cold edge of the coffee table. It was the same spot where Liam had accidentally burned me with hot soup a week earlier. When Liam saw my right foot wound start to bleed again, he looked a little flustered. “I’ll take you to the hospital.” I didn’t refuse. “Okay.” As soon as I got in the car, the Bluetooth connected automatically, and Seraphina’s sweet voice filled the speakers: “Welcome back, my Liam! Work hard and make lots of money for me to spend~” Liam’s expression shifted slightly. “Seraphina set that up last time. I forgot to delete it. I’ll turn it off.” “No need,” I said calmly. The car fell silent. Liam looked at me, surprised. “You’re not mad?” I pressed my lips together. Maybe I would’ve cared before. But now, I didn’t even care about Liam. “Just drive. It’s late.” The hospital was nearby—just a U-turn and a mile straight ahead. Just then, Liam’s phone rang. His tone brightened involuntarily as he answered. I recognized Seraphina’s voice. She was sweet-talking Liam into taking her for a drive in his new car. “Seraphina has something urgent. I’ll drop you off here. The hospital’s just across the street—it’s really close.” Liam didn’t even bother to make a U-turn; he seemed desperate to leave. I stared at him coldly. “I can’t walk.” Liam’s face instantly hardened. “Can you stop being so dramatic? Your leg is hurt, not paralyzed!” He opened the passenger door and practically shoved me out, telling me to call him after I got my dressing changed. The car sped off, splashing mud onto the gauze on my right foot. A light rain began to fall, soaking me and making me feel utterly miserable. Every step of that short distance was agony, cold sweat beading on my forehead. My freshly stitched abdominal wound throbbed with every movement, aggravated by the dampness and strain. My legs gave out, and I collapsed onto the crosswalk. Traffic whizzed by relentlessly. Luckily, a kind security guard from the hospital entrance helped me up—otherwise, the consequences would’ve been unthinkable. Finally, I made it back from the hospital and collapsed onto the bed. Liam burst through the door, fuming. “Didn’t I tell you to call me after you got your dressing changed? I waited for an hour outside the hospital, and your phone was off the whole time!” I looked at him, overcome with exhaustion.

It took me over two hours for wound care and an IV drip at the hospital. When I came out, Liam’s car was nowhere to be seen. I felt terrible, so I had to take a taxi home by myself. My phone had died right as I got home. So he hadn’t even come to pick me up in the first place. He used to be so attentive—when did Liam become like this? “You blocked me. I couldn’t call you.” Liam paused, the anger on his face fading slightly. “I brought you some late-night snacks in case you were hungry—chicken noodle soup.” I looked at the bowl of soup. It was watery, with barely any chicken or noodles—like he’d scraped it from someone else’s bowl. Half an hour earlier, I’d seen Seraphina’s latest post. The picture showed Liam’s back in the kitchen. “Who says there are no good men left? Someone’s willing to take me for a midnight drive in his new car and even makes soup from scratch when I’m hungry. So happy.” I stirred the soup with a self-deprecating smile, feeling only disgust. “Throw it away. I have no appetite.” Liam’s face instantly darkened. “What’s with the attitude? I specifically brought this for you, and you’re just going to throw it away?” “So what if I transferred the house to Seraphina today? Do you have to act like this? Her kid needed help with school, she made a post to thank me, and you—you had the nerve to leave a question mark! I haven’t even yelled at you yet!” The pain in my abdomen and leg left me utterly exhausted. “You misunderstood. I was just wondering why the address she posted was our house…” Liam cut me off impatiently. “Misunderstand? Seraphina was right—you’re just making a mountain out of a molehill!” “You’re always so paranoid! The second I have any contact with another woman, you never let it go! I think the problem is with you!” If this had been before, I would’ve argued. Now, I just watched him coldly. When he finished his tirade, I said slowly, “Done? Can you turn off the light for me?” He glared at me fiercely, slammed the door shut, and stormed out—leaving the light on. A few minutes later, an even louder slam echoed from the living room. He was gone. Before, when he left like that—to be with Seraphina—I would’ve laid awake all night. Tonight, alone, I slept soundly. The next day, I woke up, contacted a lawyer, and started consulting about divorce proceedings. Liam didn’t show up for three straight days after storming out. The next time I saw him was in a vacation photo posted by one of his friends. In the picture, Seraphina stood beside Liam. They wore matching outfits, and Seraphina was beaming with youthful energy. I quietly liked the post. Not long after, Liam’s call came through. “I’ll pick you up later. I’m taking you to the beach to relax, and you can meet my friends.” He paused, then added, “I wasn’t originally going to invite you, but you’ve been… relatively well-behaved lately.” “Mmhmm.” The divorce process had already started; I didn’t want to complicate things. Liam picked me up as promised. Strangely, Seraphina wasn’t there this time. When we arrived, his friend came over to greet us. “My apologies for not taking better care of you at the last get-together.” The other person was being polite, so I offered a shallow smile. “Work’s been busy lately. A lot going on.” “Heard you’re planning to open a branch in another city—congratulations.” I maintained my smile. Just then, Liam strode over, his voice laced with displeasure. Just then, Liam strode over, his voice laced with displeasure. “You’re moving to another city? Why didn’t you tell me? Did I agree to that?” I turned and looked at him calmly. The atmosphere turned tense. His friend quickly stepped in to smooth things over, inviting everyone to the BBQ. Liam sat next to me, a rare trace of unease on his face. “Seraphina and I agreed that once her daughter finishes elementary school, she’ll transfer the house back.” “Don’t be upset. This house is mine, after all—I have the right to do what I want with it.” “Oh.” I nodded calmly. Just then, a familiar figure approached from a distance, and the smile faded from my face. A young girl, who seemed close with Liam and his friends, jumped up and excitedly waved at Seraphina. “Seraphina, over here! Liam’s here!” For a moment, the surroundings fell silent. His friend kicked the girl under the table, muttering about her lack of tact. “I’m going to the restroom,” I said, getting up—wanting to avoid the awkward scene. Liam glanced at me, then at the smiling Seraphina walking toward them—but he didn’t follow. When I returned, everyone had finished eating and was sitting on the beach, chatting. Seraphina and Liam sat intimately close. I quietly found a spot a little further away. His friend tried to lighten the mood. “Everyone’s here. Let’s play Truth or Dare.” Liam won the first round, and Seraphina lost. Seraphina chose Truth, and Liam asked a safe, meaningless question. Seraphina blinked, looking at Liam. “I’ve met a truly amazing guy lately who makes me feel so secure. Oh, and he even takes me for midnight drives in his new car.” After saying this, she gave me a triumphant glance. Most of the people present caught the implication, but no one dared to comment. Seeing I hadn’t reacted, his friend continued to set up the next round. When it was my turn, Seraphina asked the question. “I choose Truth,” I said. Seraphina walked over, holding her drink. “Cassie, let’s make it exciting. How about Dare?” I frowned. “I choose Truth.” “Oh, come on—just pick Dare! It’s simple. I heard you’re a great swimmer. Why don’t you swim a lap for everyone to see?” Seraphina’s gaze subtly, almost imperceptibly, swept over my abdomen. I firmly refused. “I’m not feeling well. I can’t swim.” Seraphina looked at Liam, feigning hurt. Liam’s voice held a hint of reproach. “Swimming’s your specialty, isn’t it? Why can’t you swim?” “Seraphina’s already made a gesture of goodwill—what’s the big deal if you just swim a little?” Liam said, and together with Seraphina, they started half-pushing, half-dragging me toward the water. Seraphina seized the opportunity to snatch my jacket, then downed a bottle of alcohol herself. “Cassie, I’ll drink to you. Now you better swim well.” She was trying to pressure me by drinking. I lost my patience. “I said I don’t want to swim! Your drinking is your business—why should I have to obey you?” Seraphina’s eyes immediately welled up as she looked at Liam. Liam’s face darkened. He tossed the bottle onto the sand. “What’s with the attitude? It’s just a swim! Seraphina already drank her share as a challenge—why are you being so disrespectful?” Looking at Liam, who was protecting Seraphina, I sneered. “Did I force her to drink? I don’t want to swim, but she’s trying to pressure me. How is that not making things difficult?” I retorted directly, and Seraphina immediately burst into tears. Liam’s face turned ashen. He rolled up his pant legs. You won’t swim? Fine, I’ll go with you! He grabbed my wrist and forcefully pushed me into the seawater. The icy seawater instantly submerged my wound—a searing pain shot through me, and then the water choked my nasal passages. I coughed violently. Liam and Seraphina held me down with all their strength. I struggled desperately. Just as I felt like I was suffocating, Liam finally let go. Unfortunately, a sudden wave crashed over us. I tried to grab Liam, but he kicked me away. I was swept into the sea, swallowing several mouthfuls of water, before using all my strength to fight my way back to shore—gasping for breath, utterly disheveled. Liam, meanwhile, was gently patting Seraphina’s head, comforting her tenderly. “Don’t be sad—I’ve already taught her a lesson.” “She deserved it. I’ll deal with her later.” Then he walked up to me, looking down at me. “Apologize to Seraphina! And drink a bottle of wine as punishment! Otherwise…” Under everyone’s varied stares and Liam’s piercing gaze, I interrupted him, my eyes red. “Liam, expect to hear from my lawyer. We’re getting a divorce.” Liam froze, looking at me in disbelief. I supported my weak, trembling body and walked away step by step. As I reached the edge of the road, my vision went black, and I collapsed to the ground. Before losing consciousness, I heard someone nearby exclaim: “Someone’s passed out!” “Call an ambulance! Oh my God, her abdomen is bleeding!” 4 I don’t know how long passed, but I woke up to my best friend, Chloe, shouting angrily. “Liam, are you out of your mind? You forced her to swim? Didn’t you know she just had gastric tumor surgery?” “She… she had surgery? When? She didn’t tell me…” Liam’s voice was tinged with surprise and a hint of panic. “Are you blind? Couldn’t you see how pale she’s been lately? Your eyes are only for Seraphina, aren’t they!” Chloe was furious. “I really didn’t know…” “You didn’t know? You transferred the house to that woman, bought her a car—you knew all that? She’s so weak because of you! Her stitches tore open!” “I…” “Just get out. I can’t stand looking at you!” The room fell silent. I opened my eyes. Chloe sat by the bed, her brows furrowed. “You’re awake? How are you feeling?” I asked weakly, “You know everything?” Chloe sighed. “I told you not to marry him back then… Sigh, but it’s too late for that now.” My heart ached. If I hadn’t been so stubborn back then, my parents would never have agreed to me marrying Liam—even though his family was well-off. Looking back now, Liam was actually so two-faced. Liam had entered the room at some point and was staring directly at me. “Cassie, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know you just had surgery…” I looked at his face—the coldness of the seawater seemingly washing over me again. I said coldly, “I know you like Seraphina. After we divorce, you can marry her. I wish you both happiness.” “I don’t want a divorce.” Liam panicked. “There’s really nothing between us. I don’t like her—why else would I have married you?” I gave a cold laugh. “Really? Liam, that night you were drunk—didn’t you say you regretted proposing to me, and that if we divorced, you’d marry Seraphina first thing? Was all that a lie?” That night, Liam got drunk at a work event, and Seraphina brought him home. I was in the guest room and clearly heard their conversation in the living room. Seraphina was about to leave, but Liam pulled her back. “I regret it. I shouldn’t have impulsively proposed to her back then.” Seraphina looked toward the bedroom, asking triumphantly, “If you get a divorce, who would you marry?” “You, of course… Don’t leave tonight.” Seraphina eventually left that night—I knew she left because Liam was drunk. Even then, I had already completely given up hope on Liam. Everything that followed was just to make sure I was absolutely done with him. Liam was eventually escorted out of the room by Chloe. But he didn’t give up. Half an hour later, my phone started vibrating frequently—he’d unblocked me. He sent many messages: “I asked the doctor. Chicken soup is good for recovery. I’ll make some for you later.” “Don’t eat anything cold for a few days. I’ve ordered some supplements for you.” “I was wrong before. Can we make up?” I didn’t reply. I set my phone to “Do Not Disturb” and asked the nurse to help me change rooms, stating I needed quiet rest. Liam kept calling, saying he wanted to see me. I picked up, annoyed. “Liam, I don’t want to see you right now. When I feel better, we can discuss a divorce settlement.” Silence on the other end for a moment, then Liam’s voice softened. “Cassie, I just want to see you from afar—I won’t bother you.” To avoid getting tangled up, I hung up and turned off my phone. Three days later, I was discharged from the hospital. Liam was waiting at the hospital entrance. When he saw me, he forced a smile. “Discharged? I’ll drive you home.” I didn’t refuse and got in the car. The car started, and the car’s Bluetooth automatically connected again—Seraphina’s voice filling the air: “Welcome back, my Liam! Work hard and earn lots of money for me to spend~”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “332182”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #重生Reborn #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #魔幻Magic #校园School

My name is Harley Bennet. The girl I adopted, Malia, is an ungrateful person. She competes with me in everything, seduces my husband David Hayes, even gets pregnant with his child, and teams up to kill me, taking all my property. When I opened my eyes again, I was reborn to the day I first met her at the orphanage. ***** “This girl is adorable, well-behaved, and obedient. You’ll definitely like her.” The orphanage director, Freya Perkins, stood beside me, pointing at a little girl with pigtails, introducing her with a bright smile. “Hello,” she said with a smile, revealing sweet dimples. I stared at that hauntingly familiar face, my eyes filled with hatred. She is Malia. In my past life, because I couldn’t have children and desperately wanted one, I discussed with David about adopting from an orphanage. I originally wanted to adopt a four- or five-year-old child, but seeing Malia’s innocence and charm, I instantly liked her and adopted her at twelve. But unexpectedly, her nature was truly vile. In the first six months at my home, she behaved very well, studied diligently, and occasionally helped with chores. By the time she started middle school, she completely changed. She stopped studying seriously, refused to do homework, and her exam scores gradually fell behind. She came home very late at night and spent weekends going to bars to drink, sing, and dance with her friends from outside. She smashed the birthday gift I gave her, put dead mice in my drawer, broke my lipstick, and added lemon juice to my milk. She would even make up lies to drive a wedge between me and my family. She started caring whether David spent weekends with her or me, and whether the dishes David cooked were her favorites or mine. She barely paid attention to me and often stuck to David. I once thought it was just teenage rebellion and patiently guided and educated her. Until one time, when I entered the room to bring her fruit, I found her straddling David’s lap. I questioned them about what they were doing. She said, “We didn’t do anything.” David also complained, “Why are you so worked up? I’m just helping her with homework.” I was half-convinced but unwilling to think the worst of people. I just told her she’s no longer a child and should maintain boundaries when interacting with the opposite sex. Later, while I was busy working to support the family, Malia was busy seducing David. Less than a year later, I found out Malia was pregnant. It turned out David hadn’t failed to maintain boundaries; they had been involved all along. I broke down and demanded a divorce from David. But before the divorce, they conspired to kill me, claiming I accidentally fell to my death. The truth was they tricked me into going near the window and pushed me down. David’s mother, Sophia Hayes, was involved too. She despised me for not being able to have children, but Malia could, so Malia was more qualified to be David’s wife. Afterward, they received a huge insurance payout and inherited my assets. I can’t rest in peace. When I opened my eyes again, I had been reborn. I returned to the day in my past life when I first met Malia at the orphanage. She still flattered me, warmly saying I was young and beautiful. But this time, I ignored her kindness and pointed at the quiet little boy standing in the corner, watching me from afar, saying, “I want him.”

Malia was stunned, and Freya was also stunned. Freya quickly came to her senses. She said, “Him? Sure. His name is Charlie, and he doesn’t talk much. I’m getting old and forgetful, almost forgot about him.” “Charlie, come here, this is Ms. Bennet.” Freya cleared her throat, looking calm, then waved Charlie over. I know this orphanage will be closed in three years because Freya committed child molestation. In my previous life, she recommended Malia to me, saying she liked me and persuaded me to adopt her. But it wasn’t because of Malia’s outstanding behavior; it was because of their improper dealings. They made a deal: as long as Freya could help Malia find a wealthy family, Malia wouldn’t report Freya. And Charlie once rejected Freya. That’s why Freya always ignored him. “Ms. Bennet, hello,” Charlie said timidly. I reached out and ruffled his messy hair, softly saying, “Hello, Charlie. Ms. Perkins, I’ll take him.” Hearing this, Malia’s face changed drastically. She almost blurted out, “Why didn’t you choose me?” People around cast surprised glances. I narrowed my eyes slightly. Normally, if not chosen by a preferred parent, she would at most feel sad and disappointed, not angrily question. I thought, “Could it be that she was reborn too?” “If that’s the case, even better.” Originally, I felt a trace of guilt toward this Malia who hadn’t done anything wrong yet, but now, my burden is completely gone. The evil she committed in her past life can be settled all at once in this life. I turned my head and asked, “Julia, didn’t you also want to adopt a child?” I didn’t come to the orphanage alone; I came with my colleague Julia Lakin. Julia is my subordinate. She is in her forties, believes in staying single and childless, and had adopted a girl in her early years, but sadly, the child passed away due to illness. Today, she came to the orphanage with me because she wants to adopt another child. In her past life, she chose Charlie. Charlie is quiet, sensible, filial, and excels in academics. However, Julia, who appears honest and simple on the surface, is actually a psychologically twisted sadist. In her past life, Charlie couldn’t bear her torment and committed suicide two years later. I suspect the cause of that previous girl’s death was most likely also due to Julia’s abuse. In this life, I will protect Charlie. As for Malia, let her and Julia torment each other. Julia was already interested in Malia under Freya’s strong recommendation. Previously, since I was her boss, she didn’t dare compete with me. Now that she sees I didn’t choose Malia, she immediately agrees with delight. “Alright, then I’ll take Malia!” Malia’s expression was complex, with a hint of confusion in her eyes. In my past life, I was afraid she couldn’t handle it, so I never told her about Charlie’s suicide. She naturally doesn’t know now either. She saw that although Julia was older, her family was fairly well-off, so she reluctantly nodded in agreement. Before leaving, she still glanced at me several times, unwilling to let it go. I smiled and waved goodbye to her. Wasn’t enjoying all my wealth in her past life enough? She wants to do it again in this life? Dream on!

When I brought Charlie home, David, as usual, lost his temper with me. “Didn’t we agree to adopt a four or five-year-old? Why did you adopt such an older child?” “I agreed to you adopting a child, but I never said a teenager! What are you doing? Do you think my life isn’t chaotic enough?” I ignored him and went straight to the room to start packing. He followed me, continuing to yell, “Didn’t you hear me? Playing deaf? What are you trying to do? You’ve got some nerve!” I stopped what I was doing and looked at him calmly. “Let’s get a divorce.” David’s job is easier than mine, his salary is lower, yet he leaves early and comes home late, then just lies in bed playing on his phone, never doing any housework. Whenever work frustrates him, the first thing he does after coming home is take it out on me. I wanted a child and suggested visiting the orphanage on the weekend, but he made an excuse about working overtime and told me to go alone. Since we got married, he’s been avoiding all troubles like this. In my past life, I silently endured it, fearing gossip from relatives and neighbors, until I discovered his affair with Malia and finally decided to divorce. Now reborn, I will no longer endure. My salary is four times his, and I cover almost all the household expenses. This marriage is already meaningless. If we divorce, I can take good care of the child on my own. “What did you say?” David widened his eyes, unable to believe that I, always submissive, would say such a thing. I repeated, “I said, I want a divorce!” At first, he disagreed, but Sophia was thrilled. “David, she hasn’t been able to have a child for so long, she’s useless! You should’ve divorced her ages ago! She’s finally letting you go!” “She can leave if she wants! Anyway, the house is ours, and where she lives afterward is none of our business.” “Hurry up and find a virtuous wife, and have a child quickly!” “By the way, that colleague Jasmin you mentioned before, isn’t she interested in you? She hasn’t been married, right? Is there a chance for you two?” David blushed and retorted, “Mom, don’t talk nonsense. We’re just ordinary colleagues.” I do have some impression of Jasmin Griffin. In my past life, I found their chat history on David’s phone. David cried and promised me he would never do it again, begging for my forgiveness. At that time, I was in the prime of my career, so I didn’t pursue it further and didn’t know what happened afterward. Sophia smiled brightly and unilaterally confirmed their relationship. “I think she’s great, let’s go with her!” With her help, David and I quickly got divorced. Not long after, David and Jasmin quickly registered their marriage. Sophia specifically messaged me, asking me to see how happy David was after leaving me. I completely ignored it. She was waiting to see me end up on the streets, but I turned around and bought a detached villa in full. She assumed I’d be exhausted taking care of the child alone. But Charlie is obedient, independent, and eager to learn, leaving me nothing to worry about. My good days are just beginning. And their happy life is about to end. Because they don’t know that the one with fertility issues isn’t me, but David.

My name is Stefan Jenkins. On the day I returned home, Maeve Stewart sent me a photo of a baby. She asked me to name the baby, bring my ID, and said she had a big surprise waiting for me at City Hall. When I arrived with baby supplies, she and her friends were mocking me. “I told you, he’s been abroad for a year, but he’s still my sidekick. As long as I beckon, he’s willing to help me raise a child!” After speaking, she still looked at me with an amused expression. “Stefan, how are you still so naive? A joke can make you rush over like this!” They laughed at me without restraint. But when I walked past them, registered my child’s birth certificate, and took a commemorative photo with my wife in my arms, Maeve’s eyes turned red from crying. ***** After a year apart, Maeve still seems to dislike me. Watching them clutch their stomachs and laugh until they squatted on the ground, I couldn’t help but clench my fists, my nails digging deep into my palms. “Stefan, you’re really stupid. Chasing Maeve for so many years, haven’t you improved at all?” “Every time we think you’ve finally decided to leave, you turn around and cling back again!” “Wake up, even if you’re willing to help Maeve raise her child, she still looks down on you!” Sharp taunts pierced my ears, and I trembled all over with anger. Maeve saw me staying silent and pretended to be concerned, pinching her voice as she said, “Stefan, do you not like the gift I prepared for you? What should I do? I spent so much time on it.” She spoke while pretending to be angry toward her friends. “You guys are a bit too much. Stefan just got off the plane and rushed over, how can you bully him like this!” After she finished, there was another burst of laughter, with Maeve’s voice particularly grating. Just as I turned to leave and end this farce, she suddenly called out to me, pulling out a big dog from behind and handing me the leash. She said, “Stefan, I can’t take advantage of you for nothing. This is a stray dog Robert picked up, and he just got the dog license. He doesn’t have time to take care of it, and since you want to be a dad, let this dog be your son.” After she finished speaking, everyone burst into laughter again. “Maeve, let me remind you, be careful of someone using dog care as an excuse to pester you every day!” Looking at the dog leash in Maeve’s hand with Robert Griffin’s name and phone number written on it, I froze in place, motionless. If it were the old me, I would have taken the dog leash with a big smile and repeatedly promised to take good care of the dog. But now, I directly shook off her hand and took a few steps back. “Sorry, I have a baby at home, not suitable for keeping a dog!” The whole room fell silent for a moment, then erupted into even sharper laughter. “Stefan, are you still dreaming? Do you really want to be a dad to someone else’s kid?” “We are all well-educated people, how can your mind be so slow?” “I never thought you were so despicable!” She glanced at me with the same familiar disdain and contempt, speaking while patting her skirt, as if afraid I might dirty her white dress. Even though I had imagined countless times what it would be like to reunite with Maeve before returning home, I never thought it would be like today.

Before the plane took off, I posted the flight information on Instagram. Then, I got a call from Maeve. She said something had happened and asked me to go straight to City Hall as soon as I landed. I still remember my trembling hands when her call appeared on my phone, and I can’t forget my racing heartbeat when her anxious voice reached my ears. I thought she had finally realized that when she needed help the most, I was the one always by her side. But what I didn’t expect was that after hanging up, she posted the entire setup of this farce on Instagram. However, she seemed to forget to block me, someone she hadn’t contacted for a year, so I ended up knowing their entire script. When the flight attendant reminded me to turn off my phone, tears were already streaming down my face. She took advantage of my ten years of unwavering obedience to her, which is why she hurt me so recklessly time and again. She once said that if one day she got tired, she would marry me and have a child. Now she’s not tired, but I am. I came to City Hall indeed to apply for a birth certificate for a child, but it’s for my own child. I rubbed the bottle in my hand, tucked it into my arms, and walked past Maeve to handle the paperwork. She immediately blocked my way. “Stefan, that’s enough, don’t get too carried away!” “If you could really move on from me and have a child with another woman, would I have given you a dog? Who are you pretending to be so devoted for?” I couldn’t be bothered to explain and felt disgusted even looking at her. Perhaps my sudden coldness caught her off guard, as she grabbed my arm and refused to let go. Just as I was about to pull my arm away and leave, Robert rushed over. “Maeve!” Hearing this, Maeve immediately let go of me and threw herself into Robert’s arms, instantly putting away her sharpness and showing a warm smile. “Didn’t you say you’d come with me to get the dog license when I had time? There are so many viruses out there, what if the dog gets sick?” He took the leash and looked at me while speaking. Then, as if just noticing me, he quickly said, “Stefan, when did you get back? Are you holding formula and diapers? Do you have a child?” Maeve quickly covered her mouth and laughed, “Who could he have a child with? I tricked him by saying I needed to get documents for a baby, and he actually believed I had a baby and even bought so many baby supplies.” “Isn’t he silly?” Seeing her openly mocking me, Robert immediately interrupted her, “Maeve! Stefan rushed over because he was worried about you. You shouldn’t make fun of him like that.” As always, he played the considerate and magnanimous good guy, while I ended up being the one who couldn’t let go. I didn’t want to get entangled with them any longer, so I patiently explained, “Sorry, I have something to do. Please let me through.” After saying that, I prepared to leave again. Just as I turned around, Robert grabbed me, and the bottle in my arms fell to the ground, spilling milk everywhere. The people around all looked over with expressions of disdain. “Stefan, why are you still carrying a bottle?” Robert seemed startled, looking at me in shock. Maeve wanted to say something else, but I interrupted her directly, “Yes, I said from the beginning that I came to get a birth certificate for my child. But you refused to believe me. Now look, the bottle’s broken, and my wife will be mad later.” Hearing this, the smile on Maeve’s face froze instantly. At that moment, my wife Andrea Nelson made a video call, and I put it on speaker. I said, “I’m already here, but there was a bit of an accident. You might need to find a nursing room to feed the baby yourself later!” The woman’s voice and the baby’s cries from the call reached everyone’s ears without missing a word.

I looked at Maeve, whose face was gloomy, and said calmly, “I came here today not because of your call asking me to come, but because my child really needs to get the birth certificate done today.” “Because my wife left in a hurry and didn’t bring baby supplies, I bought them right after getting off the plane.” Maeve sneered and said, “Stefan, what’s the point of lying? Can you just claim to have a child out of nowhere? You’ve really gone to great lengths to get my attention.” She rolled her eyes at me, full of disdain. Seeing that she still didn’t believe me, I had no choice but to take out the birth certificate application form. Her friend snatched it first, opened it, and read aloud, “Father: Stefan Jenkins, Mother: Andrea Nelson…” Hearing Andrea’s name, Maeve’s tightly furrowed brows suddenly relaxed a bit. She looked at me with disdain, full of mockery. “Stefan, if you’re going to fake it, at least put some effort into it, okay? Andrea Nelson, the heir of The Nelson family, is someone you think you can reach?” “You even claim to have a child with her. Do you think I’m as stupid as you?” After she finished speaking, she shoved the application form back into my arms without even looking. Robert glanced at me meaningfully after seeing that. “Stefan, as a man, I understand the feeling of unrequited love. Maeve can be a bit willful, but you really don’t need to lie just to get back at her.” “I know your ten-year relationship is extraordinary, but…” “Who has a ten-year relationship with him? I have no feelings for him at all, Robert, don’t misunderstand!” Maeve hurriedly distanced herself from me. After speaking, she added, “My Bella and Max have been with me for ten years too, but who says ten years of feelings must mean anything?” Bella was the cat I gave her on her eighteenth birthday, and Max was the dog she adopted to keep Bella company. The more she explained, the more her voice trembled, almost breaking into tears. And my heart grew colder bit by bit with her anxious words. Maeve’s friends said I was shameless, ugly, and still trying to climb up to the Nelson family. Maeve took the lead in jeering, and the others immediately chimed in. For a moment, it felt like I had committed an unforgivable crime. I quietly put away the application form. Reason told me that such people weren’t worth wasting my time explaining to, but seeing their contemptuous looks, I stubbornly wanted to prove that I was telling the truth. Then, I took out my phone and pulled up my wedding photos with Andrea and pictures of our child’s birth. I said, “These are photos of our family of three. If you don’t believe me, see for yourselves.” I held up my phone and swept it past them one by one. When it was Maeve’s turn, she just glanced at it, and the smile on her face vanished completely. She stared at the phone in a daze for a long time, unable to react. The person next to her noticed her reaction, quickly grabbed the phone, and flipped through the photos one by one, still speaking with disdain. “I want to see how long you can keep pretending.” Maeve stood aside pretending not to care, but her eyes kept staring intently at the phone. Until the girl holding the phone spoke softer and with more hesitation, Maeve finally couldn’t hold back and snatched the phone away. When she saw the photo of our family of three on the phone, her hand trembled slightly, and then she glared at me with bloodshot eyes, her tone no longer as confident as before. “Stefan, don’t think that faking a few photos will make me soften and marry you. I want to see how many more fake pictures you’ve prepared just to be with me!” Robert quickly stepped forward to support her and gently comforted, “Maeve, when we get married, I’ll take you to the beach for wedding photos, okay?” But Maeve didn’t respond sweetly as usual; she just kept scrolling through the phone. As the photos flashed by, her face grew paler and paler.

In my past life, I, Sofia Harvey, along with my good friend Talia Porter, married into the medical family, the Larson family. She married the Larson family’s eldest son, Jared Larson. I married the Larson family’s younger son, Jeremia Larson. However, after marriage, Talia had three children, all medical prodigies. But I only had one daughter, and she was mentally disabled. Jeremia, who cared deeply about his reputation, felt utterly humiliated. Years later, at a medical seminar, I brought my daughter along. She stuttered and called out “Daddy,” causing everyone to burst into laughter. Jeremia, feeling humiliated, angrily stabbed my daughter to death and then struck me dead with a blow. When I opened my eyes again, Jeremia and I had both been reborn. This time, at the family arranged marriage event, Jeremia took Talia’s hand first and said, “I like you. Will you marry me?” ***** The Larson family hosted a banquet, inviting renowned figures from the medical field and New York’s elite families. It was a public matchmaking gathering. My family is a lineage of doctors. Our private hospital recently encountered problems, and I attended the banquet to seek help from the Larson family. Thinking of the experiences from my past life, my eyes filled with bitterness. Jared and Jeremia stood at the front, surrounded by people, full of confidence. I heard the people beside me whispering softly. “Jeremia has such a great demeanor, he looks like a gentleman.” “Jared is handsome too, just a bit aloof.” “He’s more than just a bit aloof! You have no idea how indifferent he is. I heard he’s highly skilled in medicine, but he won’t treat anyone he doesn’t like. Jeremia, on the other hand, is different; he treats every patient kindly. I think a gentle husband like him is the way to go!” “But I heard Jeremia is an illegitimate child.” “So what? Didn’t he get acknowledged and brought back?” Talia listened, her face lighting up with excitement as she grabbed my hand, her eyes fixed on Jeremia in the crowd. When she accidentally made eye contact with him, she shyly looked away. I, however, let out a mocking cold smile. In my previous life, I was also deceived by Jeremia’s appearance. 我的祖父、父亲和哥哥都是医生，我也是。甚至因为我的天赋极高，我成了小有名气的医生。 Because of my renowned talent and beautiful appearance, I was chosen by Jeremia as his marriage partner. It was then that I realized Talia liked Jeremia. But that night, she got drunk and accidentally had a relationship with Jared. A month later, she got pregnant and eventually had to marry Jared. After getting married, Jeremia and I had a wonderful time together. He truly was, as everyone said, a gentle person. At that time, I was glad I had married a good husband, but I never expected this would be the source of my pain for the rest of my life. Not long after Talia married Jared, she gave birth to three healthy sons in a row. Jared’s father, Daniel Larson, praised Talia highly and gave her nine billion dollars. But I was never able to get pregnant. Gradually, Jeremia changed. He started becoming impatient with me, irritable, and quick-tempered, deeply bothered by others saying he had no children. He blamed me for having health issues and forced me to take countless medicines. To ensure I focused on preparing for pregnancy, he forced me to quit my hospital job and stay home. But I’m a doctor. If I haven’t gotten pregnant for so long, wouldn’t I check my own body? The one with health issues is clearly him! For ten whole years, I took countless medicines, ruined my health, yet still couldn’t get pregnant. I couldn’t take it anymore and wanted a divorce, so another woman could have his child. He sneered, “I’ve spent so much effort on you, and now you want a divorce?” “I chose to marry you back then only because of your medical talent! Did you really think I’d genuinely like you? And what happened? You can’t even have a child. No matter how skilled you are in medicine, what’s the use if you can’t have a baby? Useless!” After a big argument, I fainted. When I woke up, I found him sitting by my bed with a smile, saying I was pregnant. He seemed back to normal, caring for me attentively. In the end, I gave birth to a daughter. However, I couldn’t feel happy. Talia’s three children officially started studying medicine and were praised as medical prodigies by their teachers and family. Daniel directly announced his retirement, handing over all the Larson Family’s business to Jared. But my daughter is a slow-witted fool. Jeremia broke down, cursed me as a useless woman who couldn’t bear a son, and kicked me out of the house. I didn’t feel wronged; instead, I felt relieved and started a new life with my daughter. But at a medical seminar, my daughter stuttered and called Jeremia “Daddy,” causing everyone to burst into laughter. Jeremia’s face turned red instantly, feeling humiliated. That day, he broke into my house and stabbed my daughter to death. He said, “It’s you, you fool, who made me lose face in front of everyone! Go to hell!” I used all my strength to push him away, trying to hold my daughter and rush to the hospital for rescue. But Jeremia went completely mad, attacking me from behind with a twisted face. Before dying, I held my daughter tightly, my blood turning cold as I gradually lost consciousness. I never expected to be reborn, even returning to the day of the banquet. Overwhelming hatred made my fingertips tremble as I coldly stared at Jeremia. He didn’t look at me but walked straight toward Talia. I trembled all over, suddenly realizing he was reborn too.

“My two sons spend all day studying medicine, and they’re almost thirty but still not married. When will I ever have grandchildren?” Daniel sighed, pretending to be helpless. Everyone present knew that today was a family marriage banquet, and Daniel was looking to choose marriage partners for his two sons. Jared, born to Daniel’s ex-wife, is highly gifted and renowned in the medical field. Jeremia, born to Daniel’s current wife, once sparked controversy over his status but won everyone’s favor with his gentle nature. In his previous life, Jeremia had already investigated everyone attending the banquet. His medical talent couldn’t compare to Jared’s, and he didn’t diligently practice medicine, so he wanted to have a smart child to make up for his shortcomings in medical skills. So, he had long decided to choose me as his marriage partner. But in this life, he didn’t even glance at me. Instead, he walked straight to Talia, took her hand in front of everyone’s astonished eyes, and said, “I like you. Will you marry me?” Everyone present was stunned and quietly asked who that woman was. Talia’s family had some assets, but they weren’t even on the guest list. She liked Jeremia and begged me to bring her in. At the time, I didn’t think much of it because marriage alliances were based on family backgrounds. Her presence wouldn’t make a difference. Daniel frowned and asked in a deep voice, “Are you sure?” Jeremia smiled and nodded. “Actually, I’ve liked Ms. Porter for a long time, and today I took the chance to confess and propose to her.” He looked at Talia affectionately. Talia’s eyes reddened with excitement, and she quickly agreed, “I’m willing to marry you!” At that moment, Jeremia seemed to glance at me unintentionally. The disdain, contempt, and loathing in his eyes almost overwhelmed me. I felt a chill all over, recalling the fear and hatred before my death in my past life. I clenched my fists, my nails digging deeply into my palms, the pain jolting my nerves. Just as I was about to lunge at him and slap him, a warm hand held my cold wrist. I instinctively looked up, meeting his deep eyes. The man before me, dressed in a tailored suit with an aloof demeanor, slightly smiled and said, “Shall we get married?” The crowd was in an uproar. Everyone whispered, wondering if Jared and Jeremia were secretly dating. Something happened at my family’s hospital, and everyone knew that marrying me meant solving my family’s troubles first. My marriage partner hasn’t gained any benefits yet but has to save my family’s hospital first. Seeing me attend the banquet, no one thought the Larson family would choose me. Daniel frowned but said nothing. After all, it was his son getting married, not him. But Jeremia, standing nearby, looked grim. “Jared, before getting married, you’d better check her health. If she can’t have children, you’ll regret it later.” Anger surged instantly, and just as I was about to retort, Jared took my hand. His tone was indifferent. “Who I marry is none of your concern. You should worry about your own partner.” “Besides, I’m marrying her because I like her, not to have children.” Jeremia’s face stiffened; he felt Jared was mocking him. Jeremia’s Freya Larson quickly spoke up in his defense. “Jared, Jeremia is just concerned about you. But since you both have chosen the ones you love and they are willing, then just pick a date and get married.” Daniel stayed silent, tacitly approving his two sons’ choices. The guests sighed and found excuses to leave. Jeremia held Talia close as they left. Passing by us, he sneered and said, “Jared, this woman is indeed pretty. But there are plenty of pretty women. Don’t act on impulse and regret it for a lifetime. It won’t be long before you realize how useless she is. You’ll regret it.”

Back home, my parents already knew about my union with Jared. Their hearts, tense for months because of the hospital issue, finally relaxed. They actively prepared the wedding with the Larson family while discussing how to exchange benefits. The day before Jeremia’s wedding, Talia came to see me. Her face was full of happiness, yet she seemed uneasy the moment she saw me. “Sofia, I was stunned by Jeremia’s confession that day and didn’t get a chance to speak up for you. “I really like Jeremia, and he said he would give me the best life.” She paused for a moment and softly advised me, “I heard Jared is hard to get along with. He probably chose to marry you to take over your family’s hospital. I think you should reconsider.” I looked at her, pretending to care for me, and sneered inwardly. Before marriage, Talia was indeed my best friend. But after, she became the one who loved to mock me the most. In my previous life, she also said Jeremia didn’t like me and advised me to marry someone I loved. When I was tormented by Jeremia, she smiled and said to me, “See, I told you so, but you didn’t listen. Since you can’t have children, why not let Jeremia marry someone else? Then you can raise their child without going through the pain of childbirth.” I thought, “Talia, I hope that after experiencing everything I went through in my past life, you can still think this way.” She eagerly anticipated a grand wedding, hoping to bask in the glory. But to her surprise, Jeremia had no intention of hosting a grand wedding; it was even downright shabby. He only invited close relatives, set up a few flower arrangements, hired an officiant for a simple ceremony, and called it a wedding, leaving Talia so upset that she cried in grievance. Jeremia comforted her, saying Daniel disliked extravagance and promised to make it up to her with a grand banquet once she had a child. I heard it and couldn’t help but laugh out loud. In New York, Talia’s family could never reach high society. After Jeremia was reborn, he chose her as his marriage partner because she had given birth to three medical geniuses in her previous life. But he cared about his pride and felt marrying a woman whose background didn’t match his was reason enough not to hold a grand wedding. Does the Larson family lack the money for a wedding? Only Talia naively believed Jeremia’s words. In my previous life, I also believed those words. At that time, I thought Jeremia married me and treated me well because he liked me. After three years without getting pregnant, he completely changed. On my wedding day, Jared held a wedding at the Larson Manor, inviting countless elite families from New York. Jared, dressed in a pure white suit, had a joyful expression on his usually stern face. He wrapped his arm around my waist, lifted my veil amid everyone’s cheers, and kissed my lips. “Happy wedding.” My cheeks flushed, and my heart raced. I thought, “Isn’t Jared supposed to be cold and distant?” “But why does the person in front of me seem nothing like the rumors?” In my previous life, he rarely appeared with Talia, always looked cold at family banquets, and spent his days studying medicine, either at the hospital or in his private apartment. And Talia, besides mocking me, always said Jared was like a work robot. After the wedding, Jared took me to live in an apartment outside. I was a bit surprised. “Don’t we need to live with your parents at the Larson Manor?” In my previous life, Jeremia insisted on living with his parents and told me we must be filial and not let them feel lonely. Jared tugged at his tie and gave a faint smile. “No need. How can we enjoy our time together if we live with them?” My face turned red, not knowing how to respond. Jared picked me up and carried me into the bedroom. When I woke up again, the housekeeper told me he had gone on a business trip to treat a patient. I looked at the message he sent on my phone, feeling a bit lost. It seems he really loves his work.

People in the circle all say Talia is Jeremia’s true love, and the two are considered a model couple. Jeremia cares a lot about Talia’s health and bought her many supplements. To protect her, he even argued with Freya. He almost always gives in to her, earning the media’s title of “ideal husband.” But somehow, my news spread to the hospital where I work. “The day after their wedding, her husband went on a business trip. Sofia really is just a pawn in a marriage alliance. Maybe Jared has someone he loves out there!” “Could be! What’s the point of a grand wedding? Marriages in wealthy families are just mutual benefits.” Colleagues at the hospital talked about me behind my back. I don’t even know who I offended; even the media started spreading rumors that Jared was forced to marry a woman he doesn’t love and avoids coming home after the wedding. And these rumors about me finally erupted completely at a family dinner. After a year apart, Talia doesn’t seem as great as others claimed. Her figure was out of shape, her eyes filled with exhaustion, and a few pimples appeared on her face. When she saw me, shock and jealousy flashed in her eyes. “Sofia, I didn’t expect you to be doing so well without Jared around.” I smiled. “He’s away on a business trip, of course I’m doing just fine.” Talia pursed her lips, then clung to Jeremia’s arm with a hint of pride in her tone. “Jeremia treats me so well, he wouldn’t bear to go on long business trips. He even tells me not to work too hard and just stay home to enjoy life.” Seeing that I didn’t seem to react, she added, “Why don’t you quit your job too? Working at the hospital is so exhausting. Could it be that Jared isn’t giving you money to spend?” I smiled and said, “Do I need a man to support me? You know my family is wealthy. Besides, how do you know my husband hasn’t given me money?” Talia was momentarily speechless. Before she could say anything else, Jeremia suddenly spoke, “It seems like you really like Jared being away on business trips often.” I replied indifferently, “Of course, I love my husband.” Jeremia’s face suddenly darkened, letting out a cold snort. Talia’s gaze shifted back and forth between Jeremia and me, and she hurriedly tried to pull him away. Jeremia, who had always been obedient to her, suddenly shook off her hand, causing her to stumble and almost fall to the ground. Jeremia’s face darkened as he said coldly, “Sofia, after marrying Jared, do you think no one else matters? Do you really believe your marriage is that solid?” “Jared can solve your family’s problems, and I can make your family face problems again!” I let out a cold laugh, not wanting to argue with him anymore, and turned to leave. But at that moment, Jeremia suddenly grabbed my hand. “I won’t allow you to like anyone else!” As I struggled, a cold shout came from the doorway, “Let her go!”

My name is Hannah Martin. Watching my good friend Jayla Howard diligently do laundry, cook, feed medicine, and massage the elderly Louis Gordon upstairs, I knew she had also been reborn. In my previous life, Jayla and I were roommates, and we were often woken up in the middle of the night by Louis’s violent coughing. I went upstairs to find out and learned that he was paralyzed in both legs, with no children or family. I felt compassion and immediately decided to take care of him, bringing him meals and giving him massages every day. A month later, Louis suddenly handed me a bank card with a serious expression. “There’s eight million dollars here as your reward.” With this money, I immediately settled my dad’s medical bills. Later, Louis even directly transferred the ownership of the house we were renting to me. He said, “When your dad gets discharged, you can all move in together. That way, I’ll have some company too!” But Jayla, knowing this news, grew jealous of me. During the days I had insomnia, she put an overdose of sleeping pills into my water cup and watched me die in agony. After I died, my boyfriend Anton Sanchez, claiming to be my “fiancé,” cut off my dad’s medical expenses and took the bank card. Jayla spread rumors in front of the neighbors, saying that Louis gave me money because I sold my body. Six months later, the two of them held a grand wedding and fully paid for a villa in the city center. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day Louis was coughing uncontrollably. ***** The poor soundproofing of the high floor allowed Louis’s coughing and wailing to occasionally reach Jayla and me. I slightly sat up, only to be pushed back onto the bed by Jayla the next second. She glared at me warily. “What are you doing? Don’t move!” Saying that, she quickly put on her shoes, threw on a jacket, and rushed out the door without looking back. The heavy sound of the door closing instantly snapped me awake. Watching her actions, I was certain she had been reborn too. Half an hour later, a disheveled Jayla came home. Pinching her nose, she stuffed a pile of smelly clothes into the washing machine. Afterward, she pulled out disinfectant wipes and vigorously scrubbed her fingers. Noticing my gaze, she slowly looked up, her eyes openly filled with hatred toward me. “You were woken up by the coughing too, weren’t you?” She casually tossed the wet wipe into the trash. “Too bad, you’re a step late. “This lifetime, all the wealth and glory belong to me.” I blinked, pretending to look confused. “Jayla, what are you talking about?” She awkwardly swallowed and tentatively asked, “The person upstairs is coughing so badly, you really didn’t hear it?” “I heard it,” I replied calmly. She sneered, “You’re so overflowing with compassion, are you planning to take care of him already?” I shook my head. “I still have a ton of things to do, where would I find the energy to care about others?” Hearing this, Jayla visibly breathed a sigh of relief. When she spoke again, her tone softened quite a bit. “You better stick to your word!” “Anyway, I’m the one taking care of this old man now, so don’t even think about stealing my credit!” The last sentence, she practically shouted through gritted teeth. I smiled calmly. “Don’t worry, I definitely won’t.” Louis is no ordinary person! Jayla, that fool, only saw the money and property he gave me but completely ignored what I lost. In my previous life, I softened for a moment, seeing Louis lonely and helpless, and decided to take time to care for him. When Jayla found out, she mocked me every day. “I never thought you’d be this naive!” “You take care of him, and what will you get in the end? Probably just a pair of old man’s pee-soaked pants!” Faced with her mockery, I felt embarrassed, but I never regretted taking care of Louis. Of course, I took care of him willingly, not because I wanted anything from him. But I never expected that a month later, Louis, who was originally paralyzed, suddenly stood up. He was very happy and laughed, saying it was all thanks to me. I was happy for him too, but I didn’t expect a sudden bad news to arrive. My dad was hospitalized after a car accident. As if he noticed my embarrassment, he handed me a bank card. “I have no family, and no one to spend my money.” “You’ve taken care of me for so long, I have no way to repay you. You must accept this money.” That night, he knocked on my door again and placed a key in my palm. He pointed at the house Jayla and I were renting. “You’re a good kid, and this house is mine too. But soon, it’ll be yours!” “I had someone prepare the transfer documents this afternoon. All you need to do is sign them.” “From now on, this is your home. When your dad is discharged, just bring him here to live.” I was too shocked to speak, and by the time I reacted to refuse, he was already gone. When Jayla heard this, she was furious, her face turning bright red. “Why is Louis being so generous to you?” “Did you sleep with him?” “Hannah, you really disgust me!” Being accused by a good friend, I couldn’t hold back despite my good temper and ended up arguing with her. I never expected that she would hold a grudge and poison me to death. After my death, I found out that Jayla and Anton were high school classmates and had always maintained an ambiguous relationship. The notification sound suddenly chimed, pulling me straight back to reality. I opened my phone and saw it was a payment link sent by Anton. He also sent a message urging: [Hurry up! Pay now! Or I’ll break up with you!]

Looking at the number on the bill, I couldn’t help but widen my eyes. I messaged him: [You spent seven hundred dollars on a meal alone? What did you eat?] As soon as the message was sent, Anton’s call came in. “Why do you care what I ate?” “Hurry up and pay! Can’t you see there’s a countdown on it? Quick! Or I’ll have to place the order again!” I had the speakerphone on and looked up, only to meet Jayla’s face full of schadenfreude. She was touching up her lipstick in the mirror and said without looking up, “I’m heading out later, don’t lock the door.” I nodded and said into the phone, “What did you just say?” “You said if I don’t pay for you, you’ll break up with me?” Anton was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly raised his voice. “Yes! If you don’t pay for me, I’ll break up with you immediately!” Facing his outburst, I calmly said, “Then let’s break up. Remember to return the $30,000 you owe me.” “I’ll give you one day. If you don’t return it, then see you in court!” After saying that, I hung up the phone and muted his messages. Jayla was stunned seeing this. After a long pause, she finally spoke, “Did I hear that right? You actually broke up with Anton?” “Are you crazy? With your situation, you should be grateful that Anton is willing to be with you. How dare you break up with him?” She got more and more agitated, constantly poking my shoulder. I rudely pushed her arm away. “If you think he’s so great, then you be with him!” Saying that, I reached out my hand to her. “Or, will you help him pay back the money?” She bit her lip and then glanced at her phone. A few minutes later, she angrily pushed open my bedroom door. “Give me your bank account! Isn’t it just thirty thousand dollars? I’ll pay it back for him!” Hearing that, I excitedly picked up my phone and sent her my bank account. The notification sound of a successful transfer filled the bedroom; Jayla was somewhat reluctant to part with her money. She said, “I gave you the money, from now on, Anton has nothing to do with you.” “You are not allowed to keep bothering him!” I nodded frantically. “Alright, no problem.” Just thinking about what they did to me in the past life makes me so angry. I can’t wait for them to stay far away from me! I never thought I could get back this $30,000, after all, I know very well what kind of person Anton is. He loves saving face, so overspending has become second nature to him. After he got together with me, all the food and drinks were on my dime. During this time, I kept hesitating about breaking up with him, but I was also worried I wouldn’t get the money back after breaking up, so I kept delaying it. I didn’t expect such a perfect opportunity to come up today, truly lucky! Just before leaving, Jayla suddenly turned around and arrogantly waved her phone. “Oh, by the way, I haven’t told you yet. “Just now, Anton and I got together. “We also posted it online, make sure to give it a like!” I obediently nodded. “Wishing you both happiness!” Not getting the response she wanted, her face twisted with anger. She slammed the door hard and walked away cursing all the way. After she left, I quickly started looking for a place on rental websites. Louis’s incident left me deeply traumatized. This place feels so eerie, I don’t want to stay a moment longer. I kept scrolling through rental listings until I fell asleep at 3 a.m. But at 7 a.m. the next morning, a commotion suddenly erupted outside. “Honey, we can be together openly from now on!”

I couldn’t be more familiar with that voice. Anton and Jayla kissed without restraint, and the sounds grew louder. Lacking sleep, I had no choice but to wear earplugs. Half an hour later, a phone call instantly silenced them. “Mr. Gordon, are you awake?” “Great! I’m coming up right away. I’ve bought everything you wanted to eat!” “I even learned a new massage technique, just waiting to help you relax today!” “Don’t worry, I guarantee you’ll be satisfied!” Jayla hung up the phone and immediately got up to leave. Anton, puzzled, grabbed her arm. “I’m not done yet. Where are you going?” “Taking care of the old man upstairs? Are you crazy?” Jayla lowered her voice. “Keep it down! I’m doing all this for our future.” “He’s really rich!” “You’ll know when the time comes!” For the following week, to avoid awkwardness, I stayed in the company’s office. During these days, I found a house I liked and took my dad for a full medical check-up. I only felt completely relieved after the report showed everything was normal. On Monday morning, I took leave to prepare for the move. But when I got home to pack my luggage, I suddenly realized that my bedroom had been taken over by Jayla. She had piled all her stuff on my bed. I kicked open her bedroom door, and inside, two people were naked, embracing. Seeing it was me, they slowly got dressed without any rush. A few minutes later, Jayla appeared in front of me, and I was so startled that I stepped back. It had only been a few days, but she looked like she had aged over ten years. The wrinkles at the corners of her eyes were obvious. Even scarier, she emitted a sour stench, similar to the smell on Louis. “What are you doing here?” She ignored my fear and gave me a shove. “I’m asking you a question, didn’t you hear me?” I clenched my fists. “You still have the nerve to ask why I’m here?” “I’m a tenant here too. I paid the rent. Why can’t I come?” Anton smugly threw the contract in my face. “Open your eyes and take a good look at whose house this really is!” I looked down and saw, to my shock, a property transfer contract. No wonder Jayla aged so quickly! Turns out she took Louis’s house. Anton, with a cigarette in his mouth, mocked, “Got a good look?” Jayla smoothly sat on his lap, but I noticed a trace of disdain flash in Anton’s eyes. Jayla said, “Hannah, now, get out of my house immediately!” “Otherwise, I’ll call the police and report you for trespassing!” “Getting you detained for a few days is no problem!” I shook my head. “No matter whose house this is, I rented it for a year, and I’ve only lived here for three months.” “According to the contract, as the landlord, you should compensate me for my losses.” Anton sneered. “Money? We don’t have any. If you want to stay, then stay!” But Jayla looked at me and Anton with a nervous expression. In the end, she bit her lip and said softly, “Fine, I’ll compensate you! Once you get the money, leave immediately!”

My name is Violet Petrov. I’m pregnant and taking care of my longtime companion cat, Lucy. My husband’s sister, Riley Jacobs, urged me to get rid of Lucy, but I refused. Later, while I was not home, she secretly killed Lucy and threw her into the neighborhood trash bin. After I safely gave birth, she went around bragging, “If I hadn’t killed the cat to prevent her from getting toxoplasmosis, how could she have had a healthy baby?” Later, my daughter Nora Jacobs became more and more outstanding, while her son couldn’t even graduate from middle school. Riley completely broke down and pushed me and Nora off a cliff during a trip. When I opened my eyes again, both she and I had been reborn. She looked at me holding Lucy with a mocking expression. “This time, I won’t try to persuade you again. Let’s see if you can still have a healthy baby!” ***** “Violet, yesterday Riley saw online that cats can transmit toxoplasmosis, so pregnant women shouldn’t keep cats. “Why don’t you just take her advice and get rid of Lucy?” Aaron’s mother, Emily Jacobs’ voice came through, snapping me back to reality. It wasn’t until my fingers touched my slightly rounded belly that I realized I had been reborn. Seeing me stay silent, Emily turned to Riley. “Riley, say something.” Riley stood up, tone full of disdain. “What do you want me to say?” “If she’s so determined, then let her raise it.” “Don’t worry about it anymore. She insists her cat is very clean, so why bother persuading her? We should respect others’ choices.” As soon as these words were spoken, I knew Riley had been reborn too. In my past life, she always claimed it was for my own good, but in reality, she just couldn’t stand me spending money on my cat. I had already discussed with my friend to send Lucy to her place. But Riley wouldn’t listen to me at all and insisted on killing Lucy. She even pretended to persuade me, “Why spend so much money on a cat? You might as well buy a few more outfits for my son!” “I’m doing this for your own good! If you catch toxoplasmosis and have an unhealthy baby, you’ll regret it!” I held the things I just bought online for Lucy, feeling heartbroken. Emily criticized Riley behind my back. “Violet already said she’d give the cat away, why do you have to kill it?” “What if she’s too upset and it affects my grandson?” Riley sneered and said with a smirk, “Mom, you’re too naive. She says she’ll give it away, but isn’t she still thinking about it every day?” “Look at how much stuff she bought for that cat! This money could have paid for several classes for my son!” “Besides, what right does she have to use Aaron’s money to raise a cat? Even if I kill that cat, so what? Who would be sad over an animal?” Emily was actually convinced by her and nodded repeatedly. “True, Aaron works so hard to earn money, and she doesn’t work, just spends recklessly.” I was so furious that I trembled all over, had a big fight with Riley, and almost went into premature labor. She sold everything I bought for Lucy and took all the money. When Nora was born, she went around bragging that it was because she killed my cat that my daughter didn’t end up a fool or disabled. Later, on the day Nora got into a prestigious middle school with the top score in the city, she asked me to help get her useless son into the same school. I directly refused, “The school isn’t mine, I really don’t have that ability.” Her face immediately darkened. “Isn’t your daughter the top student? Tell her to go to the principal and say if they don’t accept my son, she won’t go either!” “Pull some strings, slip in some money to smooth things over, and my son will definitely get in.” I was stunned by her shameless words. I shook my head in disbelief. “No way. Have my daughter threaten the principal? How do you think people will see her?” “Besides, that middle school isn’t just somewhere anyone can get into. You…” I hadn’t finished speaking when she interrupted me. She angrily said, “Your daughter has what she has today all because of me! I killed that cat to save her!” “Is this how you treat your savior? If I had known, I wouldn’t have agreed to Aaron marrying you.” “You ungrateful person!” I completely broke ties with Riley. Later, Aaron kept speaking up for Riley, trying hard to reconcile us, and even arranged a family trip. Only then did I reluctantly let it go. But I never expected that crazy Riley would actually push Nora and me off a cliff.

Thinking of that inexplicable tragic death in my past life, I clenched my fists, hatred surging in my heart. Seeing that I remained silent and Riley didn’t try to persuade me, Emily sighed and hesitated before speaking, “Violet, this cat…” I held Lucy tightly in my arms, gently nuzzling its soft fur with my cheek, and said firmly, “Lucy is like a child to me, I will never give it away.” I shot a cold glance at Riley, my tone suddenly turning icy. “If anyone dares to touch my cat, don’t blame me for turning hostile.” Riley instantly got angry. “Violet, don’t think I’ll kill this cat for your child’s health like I did in our past life!” “I’d like to see what happens to your child without my help!” Emily looked completely puzzled. I gently put Lucy down and unceremoniously kicked Riley out the door. “Are you even human? Cursing your own niece! Get out! Get out of here right now!” Riley stumbled from my push, almost falling. She furiously yelled, “Violet, you bitch! Just you wait and see!” After Riley left, Emily looked at me with reproach in her eyes. “No matter what, Riley is Aaron’s sister. How could you fall out with her over a cat?” “Now that you’ve kicked her out, where is a single mom with a child supposed to live?” I ignored her, held Lucy, and turned back to my room. When I was 25 weeks pregnant, Riley divorced her husband and left with her child, taking nothing. Emily kept complaining to me about how hard life was for Riley. Aaron also repeatedly assured me that Riley wouldn’t affect our lives, so I agreed to let Riley and her son move in. But from that day on, Emily’s heart completely leaned toward Riley’s son. I didn’t say anything, just made up my mind, “When my baby is born, if Emily doesn’t have time to help, I’ll hire a nanny.” In my past life, that was indeed my plan. But in the end, I couldn’t make it happen. Emily said, “I can take care of them, why spend extra money on a nanny?” But in the end, I was the only one taking care of the child. Every day, I had to work on illustrations for others, take care of my daughter, and still find time to cook and clean. Emily and the unemployed Riley refused to do anything. Under such circumstances, I single-handedly raised Nora. But Riley’s son, Anton James, was raised by Emily herself. Compared to Nora, she favored Anton more and even allowed him to bully Nora. After Nora and I died, she hated me for dragging Riley to death with me. She didn’t bury us but instead allowed Anton to scatter our ashes. Aaron watched all this happen and then turned around, took my house and property, and married the woman he had been involved with during my pregnancy. I am now 29 weeks pregnant, lying in bed, stroking my belly and thinking about divorce. Half-asleep, I drifted off. Until a piercing cat’s cry startled me awake. “Beast! How dare you bite me!” Aaron roughly grabbed Lucy by the neck, a fierce look on his face as he was about to walk out. I jumped out of bed, rushed in front of him, grabbed Lucy, and screamed, “What are you doing? What do you want to do to my cat?” A trace of impatience flashed in Aaron’s eyes, followed by a fake smile. “Better not keep this cat. Didn’t Riley say cats have toxoplasmosis, which isn’t good for kids?” “For the sake of the child, let’s send it away.” Before I could speak, Riley’s mocking voice came from outside the door. “Aaron, don’t waste your effort. What does it matter to you if she keeps a cat?” “Anyway, she’s carrying a girl. If the baby turns out to be a fool, just divorce her.” Emily immediately asked nervously, “Riley, did you go with Violet for the ultrasound? Is it really a girl?” Riley said confidently, “Mom, trust me, she’s carrying a girl.” “Then let her keep the cat. If she gives birth to a fool, she’ll be the one to regret it.” Emily stayed silent, and Aaron didn’t say a word either. I couldn’t hold it in and burst out laughing. Riley is Emily’s daughter, and she loves her dearly. But when it comes to me, they don’t want me to have a daughter. It’s ridiculous. I stared at Aaron, my gaze cold. “Aaron, there’s no need to wait until the baby is born. Tomorrow, we’ll file for divorce.”

The three of them were all stunned. Aaron was the first to react, instinctively reaching out to grab me, but I pushed him away. He suppressed his anger and asked me, “What nonsense are you talking about? You’re divorcing me over a cat?” I looked at him expressionlessly, my tone cold. “Aaron, you know very well why I want a divorce.” “Now, take your mom and your sister, and leave this house immediately.” Riley’s gaze was like a knife, wishing to tear me apart. “This house belongs to Aaron too! What right do you have to kick us out?” I sneered, “Do you even have the nerve to mention that? Did he contribute a single cent?” “His meager salary barely covers the utilities, and I pay for everything else. To put it bluntly, I’m supporting your whole family!” “You have no gratitude towards me, only endless complaints. I’ve put up with you for so long.” Seeing the argument between Riley and me escalating, Aaron shouted, “Enough! Riley, say less!” He turned to me, his tone gentle yet helpless. “I don’t know what upset you, but since you don’t want to see us right now, we’ll leave for now.” “I’ll take them to a hotel for a few days. When you’re feeling better, we’ll come back.” “Don’t get too upset, take care of the baby in your belly.” They casually packed a few clothes. Seeing that I never spoke to ask them to stay, they hesitated before getting ready to leave. Just as they were about to leave, I suddenly spoke, “Aaron.” He turned back in surprise. “Are you…” I interrupted him, “Monday at 9 a.m., we’ll go handle the divorce procedures.” Aaron froze but ultimately said nothing and left with them. The originally sound-asleep Anton was woken up and cried uncontrollably. Riley held him, glaring at me with a vicious look that sent a chill down my spine. At that moment, Lucy suddenly appeared out of nowhere, crouching by the door. Riley didn’t even look and kicked hard. Lucy slammed into the chair leg, letting out a painful cry. I held my stomach, carefully squatted down to pick up Lucy, and spoke harshly, “Riley, if you don’t want your foot anymore, I’ll chop it off for you!” She gave me a sidelong glance, a mocking smile curling at her lips. “If I don’t kill this beast to teach you a lesson, you can wait to give birth to an idiot.” “I will teach my son well, make sure he gets into a good school, and countless honors will belong only to him!” Aaron stood by as always, blankly watching Riley humiliate me and the baby in my belly, without saying a word to defend me. I no longer had any expectations of him and slammed the door shut. Outside, Emily’s wails echoed, “How did my son end up marrying such an unreasonable woman!”

The day Jace broke my legs for his sweetheart, I swallowed a full bottle of sleeping pills. As my consciousness faded, I clutched the old train ticket from when we eloped. Then I saw him. Jace. But he was eighteen again. “Does it hurt? I’m gonna kill that bastard!” Eighteen-year-old Jace, the hot-tempered gangster, wiped at my tears, furious. He held a blood-stained steel pipe, pure menace rolling off him. “Tell me. Who did this to you?” My gaze caught on the familiar scar above his brow. Trembling, I pointed at the news report on the TV, where the billionaire Jace Thorne stood in a sharp suit. “It’s your future self!” When I opened my eyes, I wasn’t greeted by the sterile white walls of a hospital. Instead, I was staring at the moldy ceiling of a mansion’s storage room. I tried to move. A piercing pain shot through my legs. Looking down, I saw both legs encased in thick plaster casts. “You’re awake?” The voice was familiar, young, and exploded right beside my ear. I painstakingly turned my head. Crouched by the bed was a boy in ripped jeans, a scar above his brow. Eighteen-year-old Jace Thorne. His eyes were bloodshot. He still clutched the bloody steel pipe. His hand reached for my legs, then froze in mid-air and recoiled. His hand was trembling. “Scarlett, does it hurt?” His voice was hoarse, and fat tears rolled down his face. “Don’t worry, I’ll get us out of here. We’ll fight our way through this.” I looked at him, despairing. I wanted to tell him it was useless. Just then, the storage room door was kicked open. The loud bang sent dust raining down. Thirty-year-old Jace Thorne stood in the doorway. Behind him, Serena Hayes, clad in a white dress, wore a look of contrived innocence. The scene was so ironic. Eighteen-year-old Jace would have sold his blood just to buy me a hot meal. Thirty-year-old Jace had personally broken my legs just to soothe Serena’s anger. Jace strode in, his expensive leather shoes clicking heavily on the floor. He saw the twelve-year-old elopement ticket still clutched tightly in my hand. His eyes instantly filled with utter disgust. “Scarlett, stop playing games.” “Who are you trying to scare with a whole bottle of sleeping pills? Breaking your legs was meant to teach you a lesson. Stay away from Serena.” I said nothing, just stared at him. In the air, the eighteen-year-old Jace went berserk. “Stop, you bastard!” The boy roared. He raised the steel pipe and swung it in a wild arc at the thirty-year-old man. “That’s Scarlett! How could you?! How dare you!” The pipe hissed through empty air, passing clean through his torso. The eighteen-year-old Jace froze. He stared at his own hands, then raised the pipe and brought it down again. Once. Twice. Three times. Each swing passed through nothing but air. The boy unleashed a raw, guttural scream, his face twisted in agony. “Why can’t I hit him! Why?!” “Is he a monster?! That’s Scarlett!” Thirty-year-old Jace couldn’t hear or see any of this. He was already turning to comfort a “frightened” Serena. She buried her face in his chest, a trembling finger pointed in my direction. “Jace, Scarlett’s eyes are terrifying. She looks like she wants to kill me… I’m so scared.” Jace’s face darkened. To soothe the woman in his arms, he kicked the glass water cup on my bedside table. Smash. A sharp crack. The cup shattered, sending glass shards flying. Several pieces of broken glass sliced my cheek, and blood instantly began to flow. Warm, sticky. I watched the phantom Jace drop to his knees. His ethereal hands frantically scrambled to catch the blood flowing from my face. He was trembling. “Stop… Please, stop bleeding…” “Scarlett, I can’t protect you. I’m so useless…” At the boy’s despair, I laughed. I turned my gaze to the cold, indifferent billionaire Jace, my voice a sandpaper rasp. “You deserve to die.” Jace frowned, a flicker of displeasure in his eyes. I stared into his eyes, enunciating each word. “You personally murdered the year you loved me most.” Jace’s heart inexplicably clenched. The sudden, sharp pain made his face go pale for a moment. But he quickly dismissed the strange sensation. He scoffed, wrapped an arm around Serena, and turned to leave. Only a single, icy sentence was left hanging in the air. “Keep an eye on her. Don’t let her die. She’s nothing but bad news.” The door slammed shut. Only the eighteen-year-old ghost remained, kneeling by my bed, repeatedly slamming his forehead against the floor to the empty air.

Jace was holding his autobiography launch. To cultivate a perfect entrepreneurial image, his PR team suggested he completely erase his “gangster” past. That, naturally, included me. The next morning, several bodyguards stormed into the storage room. They roughly grabbed my shoulders and dragged me off the bed. A tearing pain shot through my broken legs. I broke out in a cold sweat but bit my lip, refusing to make a sound. The eighteen-year-old Jace went wild. He swung a phantom knife, stabbing wildly at the bodyguards. “Don’t touch her! Get your hands off her!” He dodged between them, slashing and screaming. But it was useless. The bodyguards acted oblivious, pinning me down without pause. Jace walked in. In his hand was a laser tattoo removal device. Across my collarbone ran a line of black ink: “JT&S.” Jace had dragged me to get it done when we were eighteen. We had no money back then, so we went to some dodgy parlor. It hurt so much I cried. He held me and comforted me all night, swearing he’d never get it removed. Now, thirty-year-old Jace stood before me and switched on the machine. “Remove it.” He commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument. “I don’t want Serena seeing these filthy things and getting the wrong idea, and I certainly don’t want the media catching wind of it.” I looked at him and suddenly found it hilarious. “Jace, you begged me to get this done.” Jace’s face was expressionless. “I was young and stupid back then. Now, I just find it disgusting.” The moment the laser hit my skin, a smell of burning flesh filled the air. Excruciating pain, like an electric current, shot through my entire body. I bit my lip so hard my nails dug into my flesh, but I didn’t make a single sound. I wanted to see if this man’s heart was truly made of stone. “Ah!!!” The phantom Jace beside me let out a heart-wrenching shriek. He knelt beside me, clutching his own collarbone as if the laser were burning him. “Don’t touch her! I endured that pain for an entire night to get that done!” “That’s Scarlett’s skin! How dare you, you bastard!” The boy cried, his body convulsing, tears and snot streaking his face. He tried to push away the doctor holding the machine, but his hands passed through the man again and again. On the TV mounted on the wall, the preview for the launch event was being broadcast live. Serena Hayes was present, introduced as Jace’s “soulmate.” She wore a haute couture gown, and around her neck hung the “Heart of Eternity” diamond necklace that was originally meant for me. Eighteen-year-old Jace had promised me he’d buy it for me someday when he made enough money. Now, it sparkled brightly around another woman’s neck. I was in such extreme pain that I started to hallucinate. I thought I saw young Jace, holding my hand, running in the sunset. He said, “Scarlett, when I get rich, I’ll build you a palace.” I wanted to laugh, but I couldn’t. I don’t know how long it took, but the laser finally stopped. The letters on my collarbone were now a mangled, bloody scar. Its original form was unrecognizable. Jace walked over to inspect his “handiwork.” He looked at the raw flesh and nodded in satisfaction. “Clean that up properly. No scars.” With that, he turned to leave. In the corner, young Jace was curled up, hugging his knees. He was no longer screaming, no longer raging. He just bowed his head, his voice as faint as popping bubbles. “I’m sorry, Scarlett… My current self is such trash.” “I can’t protect you… I can’t even protect a tattoo.” I endured the intense pain, painstakingly raising my hand. I made a gesture as if to pat his head in the empty air. “It’s okay.” I whispered, and tears finally streamed down my face. “I don’t want him anymore.”

On Serena’s birthday, Jace, in an act of ultimate humiliation, hosted the party at his home. He even forced me, in my wheelchair, to serve drinks and appetizers to his glamorous guests. Clad in a maid’s uniform, I navigated the crowd in my chair. Every shift sent a dull ache through my broken legs. “”Well, well. If it isn’t the fierce Scarlett we all remember.” One of Serena’s friends covered her mouth in feigned surprise. “To think she’d end up a crippled maid. How the mighty have fallen.” A ripple of laughter spread through the room. Serena clung to Jace’s arm as she approached, pretending concern. “Please, don’t speak of Scarlett that way. She’s suffered enough. Scarlett, why not tidy that mess in the corner for me?” She pointed to a pile of clutter. My eyes followed, and my pupils tightened. On top lay a worn wooden guitar. It was my birthday gift from eighteen-year-old Jace, who saved for three months doing construction and selling his blood to buy it. It was the purest romance he’d ever given me during that desperate age. I pushed my wheelchair like a madwoman, rushing towards it. “Don’t touch it!” I screamed, my voice hoarse. A flicker of malice crossed Serena’s eyes. She lifted her stiletto heel and savagely stomped through the guitar’s soundbox. “CRACK!” “Oh, my, why is this junk so fragile?” Serena disdainfully scraped her shoe on the floor. “It’s covered in dust, so dirty.” In that moment, the string of my sanity snapped. I don’t know where I found the strength, but I lunged from my wheelchair. I bit down hard on Serena’s ankle. “AHHH!!” Serena let out a bloodcurdling scream. “Jace! Help! This lunatic is biting me!” “Scarlett! You have a death wish!” Jace’s furious voice roared above me. Immediately, a massive force struck me. He slammed his open palm across my face. SMACK. The blow was incredibly heavy. I was sent flying, crashing hard against the corner of a coffee table. My ears rang, and the world instantly went silent. Blood seeped from my ear, staining the carpet crimson. I couldn’t hear the gasps around me, couldn’t hear Serena’s cries. But I saw it. I saw eighteen-year-old Jace Thorne, completely unhinged. He knelt on the floor, picking up the shattered guitar, trying to piece it back together, but it was impossible. He clutched the broken remains, letting out a silent, anguished wail that tore through the heavens. Then, he suddenly stood, picked up a sharp wooden shard, and lunged at Jace and Serena. He wanted to kill those despicable two. He charged again and again, passing through their bodies each time. Jace held a “frightened” Serena. His eyes, full of disgust, were fixed on my crumpled form. “Lock this crazy woman in the basement!” He pointed at the guitar fragments on the floor. “Burn all this junk! It’s an eyesore!” In the courtyard, flames blazed sky-high. That guitar, which carried all the boy’s love, was tossed into the fire pit. Flames devoured the instrument, crackling and popping. Young Jace, oblivious to everything, rushed into the fire. He wanted to snatch the guitar back. The flames passed through his body as he twisted and struggled in the inferno. “Don’t burn it! That’s for Scarlett! That’s for Scarlett!” He knelt in the fire pit, his hands fruitlessly grasping at the ashes. In that moment, I couldn’t even clearly see the eighteen-year-old Jace anymore. This, I thought, is what it feels like for your heart to die. Jace suddenly felt a pang of panic. That feeling of dread was even stronger than before. It was as if something vital was slipping away from him forever.

Late at night, the rain poured relentlessly. I was locked in the basement, burning with a high fever. My broken legs were swollen like inflated balloons, and the wounds had started to fester. I knew if I didn’t leave soon, I would die here. I dragged my broken legs, crawling towards the narrow vent window. Every inch I crawled left a trail of blood on the floor. “Scarlett, crawl out! Don’t look back!” The phantom boy crawled ahead of me in my hallucination. He was clearing a path for me. He used his ethereal body to shield me from the nonexistent wind and rain. “Almost there, just a little further.” He looked back at me, a encouraging smile on his face, but his eyes were full of anguish. I gritted my teeth, my nails digging into the dirt, inching forward. Finally, I crawled out of the basement. The torrential rain instantly drenched me. I greedily gasped for the outside air. However, the next second, several powerful flashlight beams hit my face. The blinding light made it impossible to open my eyes. “Running? Where do you think you’ll go?” Jace, holding a black umbrella, emerged from the rain. He wore polished leather shoes, and the tip of one shoe hooked under my chin, his eyes full of mockery. “Serena is pregnant. She can’t handle stress.” “Since you love causing trouble so much, you can go stay somewhere quiet.” My body went cold. The “quiet place” was a fully enclosed psychiatric hospital in the city outskirts. Two burly orderlies roughly grabbed me, throwing me onto a bed like a dead dog. My limbs were tightly bound with leather straps. “Give her a shot. Make her quiet.” Jace stood outside the glass window, giving cold instructions. A large dose of sedatives was injected into my body. My consciousness began to scatter, but my heart pounded as if it would explode. I was allergic to this medication. Breathing became difficult, my throat felt as if it were being choked. The monitoring equipment let out a shrill alarm. “Mr. Thorne, the patient seems to be having an allergic reaction, respiratory failure…” The doctor called to ask for instructions. On the other end of the line, Jace was with Serena for her prenatal check-up. His impatient voice came through. “Don’t let her cause trouble. Increase the dosage. If she dies, it’s on me.” The doctor hung up, his eyes turning ruthless. The orderly roughly yanked my oxygen mask aside. “This woman is such a hassle. She’d be better off dead.” A suffocating sensation washed over me like a tide. I opened my mouth wide, but couldn’t draw in a single breath of air. My vision blurred, and the world turned black and white. Just when I thought I was truly going to die. The bloody boy returned. This time, he was no longer an ethereal shadow. The light bulbs in the ward suddenly exploded. “Bang! Bang! Bang!” Sparks flew, and darkness descended. The heart monitor no longer beeped; it emitted a sharp, piercing shriek. Jace Thorne stood in the center of the ward, covered in blood. His body… had solidified! It was an entity forged from ultimate hatred. “Touch her… you dare touch her…” The boy lowered his head, his voice a guttural rasp, thick with the scent of blood. He abruptly looked up, his eyes blazing crimson like a demon. BOOM! He drove his fist through the one-way mirror. A storm of glass filled the air. Jace stood outside the glass, having just rushed to the hospital. His eyes were wide with horror. He stared at the “monster” who looked exactly like his younger self but radiated pure murderous intent. Across the shattered window frame, Jace glared back at his future self. Rain streaked his face, cutting through the blood. His lips drew back, revealing a chilling, blood-stained grin. He mouthed silently. “I told you.” “I’m taking you to hell.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “331631”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #重生Reborn #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #魔幻Magic #校园School

At our seventh anniversary dinner, my husband said just one thing. “Babe, pass the lemon juice.” My best friend instantly rose and passed it to him. I stared, stunned. Chloe quickly explained. “Habit,”she said. “We’re always passing things at family dinners. Do you need some lemon, Valerie?” “No, thank you.” I kept my smile perfectly in place. My fork clattered to the floor. Bending to pick it up, I saw it: my husband’s leg and Chloe’s, tangled under the table, snapping apart. After the party, I told Mark calmly. “Let’s get a divorce.” Mark was shocked. “What the fuck?! Because she passed me the lemon juice?!” Mark turned on me, furious. “Your leg was tangled with hers under the table,” I stated, my voice cold. Mark scoffed. “You’re imagining things. I stretched. My leg brushed hers. That’s it. What, am I not allowed long legs now?” He wouldn’t admit a thing, so I pressed harder. “You also cut her favorite salmon for her, poured her favorite orange juice. Since when do you know Chloe’s favorites?” Mark’s face darkened. “Valerie, have you lost your mind? I was being hospitable. Since when is that a crime?” I didn’t stop. “No wonder she’s stayed single. Tell me, Mark. When did it start with you two?” Mark fell silent, then stormed out, slamming the door. I sank into a chair, overwhelmed, staring at the messy table. We met in college. I came from money but never held his humble start against him. For two years, I was the one who paid the bills. He had always been gentle with me. And yet he cheated. With my best friend. At 11 PM, he still wasn’t home. I went straight to Chloe’s bar. Before I even pushed open the door, I heard Mark’s complaining voice from inside. “You guys know I’m being bullied by my crazy wife, and you’re laughing? Don’t you have any sympathy?” The room was packed, mostly with our mutual friends. Chloe toyed with a glass, leaning against Mark. “Whose fault is it for being so careless, calling me ‘babe’ right in Valerie’s house?” “I thought she wouldn’t be so sensitive. Guess I was wrong, she still figured it out.” She set down her glass and lit a cigarette with the limited-edition lighter I’d given her for her birthday last year. But as she took a drag, Mark casually took the cigarette from her. “You’re pregnant, you can’t smoke!” “Fine, fine. Whatever you say. No smoking. After all, you’re the father of my baby, so you’re the boss.” She stroked her still-flat stomach, resting her head on Mark’s shoulder, a smile playing on her lips. All the blood in my veins turned to ice in that instant. Chloe and Mark weren’t just having an affair; they were having a baby!

“Honestly, Valerie’s such a fool, always insisting on that child-free lifestyle.” “She’s been pampered too much, so she doesn’t know how to think about others.” Everyone around them was siding with the cheating couple. And my husband, Mark, held Chloe’s hand, saying deeply. “Chloe, the fact that you’re willing to bear my child makes you the love of my life!” Hearing his words, tears streamed down my face, and I almost collapsed. My mother had a difficult childbirth when I was born, suffering a massive hemorrhage and passing away before she could even hold me. Because of this, I’d always been terrified of childbirth, and I told Mark about it early in our relationship. But Mark had held me tight then, saying. “Meeting you in this lifetime is enough for me. Children aren’t important at all. My love for you won’t diminish one bit!” I was so touched back then. But now, seeing Mark’s heartfelt gaze toward Chloe, I knew I had been wrong! Just then, someone asked. “Are you two planning to hide it from Valerie forever?” Everyone looked at them expectantly. Mark immediately shook his head. “Chloe and Valerie have been friends for over twenty years. I don’t want to see their friendship ruined. Besides, my business is deeply intertwined with Valerie’s family’s empire. I can’t afford to divorce her.” So, the fundamental reason Mark stayed with me was purely for personal gain. A ripple of murmurs went through the room, and some cast sympathetic glances at Chloe. “Chloe, you’re such a proud person. Are you really content with this?” Chloe kissed Mark, then replied. “Who even cares about marriage anymore? Besides, isn’t this… more thrilling?” Laughter filled the private room, but I felt like I’d fallen into hell. Even worse, I was the last one in our friend group to know about it. With tears streaming down my face, I walked out of the bar and dialed the legal department. “Prepare the divorce papers for me. I want Mark to leave with nothing. Also, I need you to do a few other things for me…”

The following day was the eightieth birthday of Mark’s grandfather, David Davies. But when I walked through the estate gates, I found Chloe inside, seated as if she were family. Mark’s mother was holding her hand warmly, her face alight with fond attention. “Chloe, dear, pregnant women need to focus on nutrition. You’re too thin; it breaks my heart to see. From now on, I’ll prepare your three meals a day, and Mark will bring them to you every day!” Chloe smiled sweetly and innocently, showing no hint of panic when she saw me enter. “Valerie, it’s such a big day, why are you only just arriving? I’ve been waiting for ages.” Before I could answer, Mark’s mother interjected. “She’s a privileged rich girl, it’s a wonder she came at all, why expect so much?” Mark’s mother finished, then immediately offered a strawberry to Chloe. “This strawberry is so sweet, eat more.” I sat across from Chloe. “When did you get pregnant? Mark’s mother knows, but I’m still completely in the dark.” A flicker of guilt crossed Chloe’s face, then she smiled. “Just found out. I was planning to tell you today.” “Yes, pregnant women have a special aura about them. Those of us who’ve had children can spot it right away!” Mark’s mother chimed in, smoothing things over, but not forgetting to take a jab at me. “Valerie, you haven’t had children, so you wouldn’t understand.” I ignored her, my gaze still fixed on Chloe. “Who’s the baby’s father? When are you two planning to get married?” Sensing the coldness in my voice, the smile on Chloe’s lips faded slightly. “I don’t believe in marriage. I never planned to.” But I smiled. “Are you really willing to let your child be branded as illegitimate, laughed at by other kids at school?” Chloe’s face cycled between green and white, glaring at me, unable to utter a word. Just then, Mark, who hadn’t appeared yet, finally entered, assisting Grandpa David. The moment he saw Chloe at the dining table, his face instantly changed. “Chloe, what are you doing here? Who invited you?” “I invited Chloe!” Mark’s mother suddenly stood up and declared loudly. Then she pointed at me and scolded. “Mark’s grandfather is over eighty, and you still haven’t given us an heir! Now that Chloe has finally conceived Mark’s child, of course I have to invite her!” Mark was furious, almost jumping up. “Mom, what are you talking about? Chloe and I are innocent; how could she be carrying my child?” He desperately winked at his mother, but she pushed him away. “What’s there to hide? It’s Valerie’s fault for not being able to have children! And now she dares to be so brazen, calling my grandson illegitimate!” “I’ve wished for this grandson for so long, how can I allow anyone to insult him like this!” Mark was on the verge of tears, about to explain, but Chloe stood up, looking directly at me. “Valerie, you already knew, didn’t you?” “Since it’s come to this, I won’t hide it from you anymore. I am indeed pregnant with Mark’s child.” “All these years, I’ve seen how good he’s been to you and all his sacrifices. I’ve envied you, and I’ve also resented you for not appreciating what you had, for not even being willing to have a child for him.” “You don’t treasure such a good man, but there are plenty of women who want him!” Right in front of me, she grabbed Mark’s hand and declared confidently. “Everything Valerie can give you, I can give you too! I’m tired of holding back. Today, I’m going to be with you openly!” Mark’s eyes flickered, calculating. Then, decisively, he took Chloe’s hand. His gaze when he looked at me was final. “Since the truth is out, Valerie, let’s make this clean. We’ll divorce. I don’t want a cent of yours. But the Davies Corporation is mine. I built it. You won’t lay a finger on it.” I looked at his utterly shameless face and laughed. Without me, how could a poor student like him have gotten his first round of funding? How would he have taken it public in a decade? It didn’t matter. I had more than just revenge in mind. I had a better game to play. Right there, in front of them both, I took out my phone. “It’s Valerie Yates. The corporate ambush on Hayes Group and Davies Corporation can now commence.”

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I wore stunning makeup and a sexy deep-V dress the day I divorced billionaire Richard Sterling. He looked at me with disgust. “Dressed like that? Already on the prowl?” I touched the ruby at my throat and smiled. “Yes. And you even know him.” He scoffed.”Delusional. You’re forty and divorced. Who’d want you? Beg, and I might take you back.” Offended? Please. Just last night at my bachelorette, seven guys asked for my digits. A handsome one even proposed on the spot. Richard didn’t head for the courthouse right away. He drove in the opposite direction. Catching my questioning look, his voice was ice. “Valerie will be there today. Once we’re done, I’m marrying her. She’s waited twenty years. No more waiting.” So that was it. Our entire marriage-a hollow, convenient arrangement. A performance that had run its course. When we arrived outside Valerie Hayes’s house, I got out to buy a bottle of water. When I came back, she was in my seat. “Scarlett, I always ride up front with Richard. You understand, don’t you?” Why would I? We were here to get a divorce anyway. I simply climbed into the back seat. Just then, Valerie turned her head, her eyes fixed on my wrist. “What a beautiful bracelet!” “Scarlett, give Valerie the bracelet,” Richard ordered, his hands on the steering wheel, not even glancing back. This bracelet was a birthday gift from Richard three years ago. My fiancé wouldn’t want me wearing another man’s jewelry, so I slipped it off and held it out to Valerie. “I have plenty of jewelry at home. If you like it, I’ll send all of it to you.” Seeing this, Richard nodded, satisfied. “Scarlett, as long as you don’t cause a scene, I promise no one in our circle will know about our divorce.” I didn’t answer. He had no idea I was getting remarried very soon myself. Suddenly, my phone vibrated. It was my fiancé. “I’ve boarded, I’ll be there soon.” His voice was full of tenderness. “I miss you so much!” I happily replied, “Okay, see you in a bit.” Richard caught the smile on my lips in the rearview mirror. A surge of irritation flared in him. He was about to ask who it was when Valerie, sitting in the passenger seat, suddenly shrieked. “What’s wrong?” Richard asked gently, turning his head. Valerie cried, “Oh no, the bracelet broke! It was fine a moment ago.” I was still busy on the phone, completely unaware of the bracelet. Richard’s anger immediately ignited. He grabbed the broken bracelet and hurled it at me. Before I could even react, Richard snatched my phone and threw it out the car window. My phone was instantly crushed by a passing car. “Richard Sterling, what the hell is wrong with you!” I yelled, furious. Richard pulled the car to the side of the road and dragged me out. My heel slipped, and I twisted my ankle the moment my foot hit the ground. Seeing my swollen ankle, he scoffed and threw my hand away in disgust. “I only asked you to give Valerie a bracelet, and you deliberately broke it. Scarlett, how can you be so vicious!”

He convicted me without even asking? I looked up at Valerie in the car. She quickly averted her eyes, flustered. From the moment she arrived, I was recast in Richard’s story as the villain. My investment in his family firm became a scheme to force his hand in marriage. My ambition to excel was a plot to steal his empire. Even my choice of clothes was a calculated bid to stir his jealousy. Now, even though Valerie had deliberately broken the bracelet, he still thought it was my doing. But today, I was too tired to argue with him. “Yes, that’s right. I didn’t want to give it to her. I wanted to spite her. Are you satisfied now?” Gritting my teeth against the searing pain in my ankle, I straightened up and turned, walking away down the road without looking back. He stood by the car, haughty. “Scarlett, since you admit it, don’t blame me for punishing you! You can walk to the courthouse yourself today!” Ha, leave me? Hadn’t he abandoned me for Valerie enough times? At our wedding, he received a message from Valerie and left without a word of explanation, right in front of all our guests. The night I had appendicitis, he also abandoned me to go see Valerie. After all that, my heart had long since turned to ice. By the time I reached the courthouse, my foot was incredibly swollen. I was leaning against a wall by the roadside to rest when someone suddenly rushed up from behind and forcefully swept me into his arms. “Richard Sterling, put me down!” Richard’s face was taut. As if he hadn’t heard me, he walked straight inside. As we passed Valerie, a flash of resentment flickered in her eyes. The moment we entered, a staff member approached us. “Sir, madam, are you here for a marriage certificate?” Richard’s face darkened, and his grip instantly loosened, setting me down. “No, we’re here for a divorce.” After the paperwork was done and I had my divorce certificate, I sat aside, waiting for my fiancé to pick me up. “Scarlett, aren’t you leaving? Your foot looks pretty bad. Richard and I can take you to the hospital after we get our marriage certificate!” Valerie said, smiling sweetly as she intimately linked her arm with Richard’s. I touched up my lipstick in my compact mirror. “No thanks, I’m waiting for my fiancé. He’ll take me to the hospital later.” “Oh, what a coincidence! Richard, why don’t we wait with Scarlett for a bit?” Valerie pulled Richard to sit next to me. “Once we’re done with our marriage certificate, if Scarlett’s fiancé still hasn’t arrived, we can give her a ride.” Valerie probably thought I was fabricating a “fiancé” to maintain my dignity. Richard tenderly took her hand and put it in his pocket to warm it. “You’re always worrying about others, you know.” The sky was getting dark, and my fiancé still hadn’t arrived. I reached into my pocket for my phone, only to remember it had been crushed by the car earlier. Annoyed, I stood up, about to leave. Valerie, clutching her freshly acquired marriage certificate, walked over, smiling. “Scarlett, why isn’t your fiancé here yet? You don’t have to lie to us, you know. Where would you get a fiancé? Let us take you to the hospital!” I checked my pockets again. I hadn’t brought a single cent. So, I didn’t refuse her offer. Stepping outside, I carefully descended the steps, holding onto the railing. “Scarlett, let me help you.” Valerie hurried to catch up. I was on the verge of dismissing her when- “Ah!” A sharp cry. Her foot seemed to slip, and she fell backwards. Richard caught her effortlessly. She clung to his chest, tears instantly welling in her eyes. “Scarlett, I only wanted to help. Why would you push me?” Richard gently stroked her back, his face filled with tenderness. He turned and grabbed my hand, yanking me down the steps. “You’re truly ungrateful, Scarlett.” I was clutching my ankle. He saw it, and a flicker of hesitation crossed his face. He was about to tell me to get in the car when Valerie’s lips parted slightly, and she murmured, “Richard…” He immediately pulled her in his arms into the car. They drove away, leaving me behind.

I hobbled to the police station and asked an officer to take me to the hospital. I had my assistant bring me a new phone. The moment I inserted my old SIM card, a call came through. “Scarlett! You finally picked up! What happened?” My fiancé sounded on the verge of tears. I looked at my freshly bandaged foot, my eyes lowered. “Nothing serious, just twisted my ankle.” “What! Is it bad? Did you go to the hospital?” His words were urgent; he sounded like he wanted to teleport beside me. “My plane had to turn back halfway because of the weather. The moment it landed, I called you, but no one picked up. I was terrified.” I reassured my fiancé. After hanging up, I saw that Richard, who never posted on Instagram, had actually posted. It was his wedding photo with Valerie. I commented, “Congratulations on your marriage! Wishing you both a lifetime of happiness.” Soon, Richard called me. I hung up and blocked his number. Just as I walked out of the examination room, I bumped into Richard and Valerie coming out of the room next door. “Alone?” Richard instinctively furrowed his brow. Valerie’s face contorted with a flash of pure malice. Then she stepped forward, winding her arm around Richard’s waist, her expression smoothing into saccharine sweetness. “Scarlett, still no fiancé? If he were real, wouldn’t he be here with you?” Just then, my phone rang again. I didn’t offer another word. I quickly hobbled out of the hospital. They followed slowly behind me. “Scarlett, you didn’t just make someone up because Richard and I got married, did you?” Richard’s face melted into understanding. He cupped Valerie’s cheek. “Scarlett, drop the act. You don’t need to invent a fiancé. Very few people are capable of a devotion like Valerie’s-waiting over twenty years.” Valerie pouted, clinging to Richard’s arm. “Richard, let’s not bring up the past. I’d do anything for you.” My phone vibrated again. I gestured to my phone to the people behind me. “Excuse me, my ride is here. I’ll introduce him to you both another day.” “Scarlett, what time is it, and you’re still lying to us?” Richard stood not far from me, seemingly waiting to see if I had actually called a car. The driver pulled over. Richard pulled out a wad of cash and tossed it through the car window. “Cancel this ride. You don’t need to pick them up.” He then turned back to me, looking at me with a smirk, as if convinced the person I spoke of was imaginary. “Where are you going? I’ll give you a ride.” Valerie enthusiastically opened the back door for me. “Scarlett, why don’t you just admit it! Even if you just made someone up on a whim, it’s fine. Richard and I promise we won’t laugh at you.” I sighed, feeling a slight urge to laugh. Since these two were so desperate to know who my fiancé was, revealing it a little early wouldn’t hurt. They both knew him, and they knew him very well. The car began to move. Valerie fed Richard fruit one moment, then nestled into his arms to sleep the next. Richard kept glancing my way, but saw only that I was engrossed in my phone, replying to messages, a faint smile playing on my lips. A wave of irritation washed over him. My phone kept pinging with notifications. It wouldn’t stop. Seeing this, Richard’s stifled anger finally broke through. “What,” he snapped, “are you having your friends message you now? To pretend it’s him?” I sent my last reply and locked the screen. “That won’t be necessary.” He gritted his teeth, reaching to snatch my phone. I shifted my hand just enough to avoid him. “Richard Sterling, you have no right to check my phone now.” Anger creased his brow. He finally looked away, his voice tight. “Fine. Let’s see how long you can keep up the act.” At our destination, I stepped out to wait. Valerie, her expression one of smug anticipation, linked her arm through Richard’s and drew him aside to watch. As the crowd thinned, she smirked. “Scarlett, it’s freezing today. Letcs go home. This time, I’ll make sure Richard takes you all the way home-” Her words died when my fiancé approached, pulled me into a close embrace, and kissed me. Richard’s face turned ashen as he strode over and pulled me away. “Scarlett! You can’t be with him!” Valerie looked even more furious, a hand flying to her chest. Then she seized my fiancé’s arm. “How can you be with her!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “331629”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #重生Reborn #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #魔幻Magic #校园School