Author: Momo Chan

My step-brother, Alex, framed me for his allergic reaction. My three sisters, fueled by his lies, dragged me into the suffocating, airless basement, chaining the door shut from the outside. I weakly pounded on the basement door, begging my sisters to let me out. Scarlett, our eldest sister and a formidable business mogul, glared at me with icy contempt before she left. “You usually pick on Alex, that’s one thing. But knowing he’s allergic to seafood and still deliberately feeding it to him? You were trying to hurt him, weren’t you? Stay down there and think about what you’ve done!” Chloe, the rising singer, and Willow, the prodigious artist, simply scoffed. “Someone as wicked as you, still making excuses and playing the victim? You deserve everything that’s coming to you!” With that, they embraced a trembling Alex and rushed him to the hospital. The oxygen dwindled, each breath a desperate struggle. I died in that darkness, suffocated and alone. Three days later, only when my sisters returned from the hospital with Alex, did they finally remember me. But they didn’t know, I had already perished from oxygen deprivation in that cramped basement.

I died in that basement, starved of oxygen. When I awoke again, my soul was hovering right beside my three sisters. They had just returned to their grand mansion. Scarlett and Chloe were doting on Alex, speaking to him with tender concern: “That’s wonderful, Alex. It’s a good thing we got you to the hospital in time. You’ve recovered so quickly.” Willow, our third sister, was even more solicitous: “The doctor said you’re still weak, Alex. You need to get your strength back.” As she spoke, she piled a generous piece of meat into Alex’s bowl. A house staff member nearby couldn’t help but interject, “Leo hasn’t made a sound in the basement for three days…” Scarlett scoffed, cutting her off sharply, “It’s a happy day, Alex is home from the hospital! Why mention someone who brings such bad luck?” The staff member tried to speak again, but Chloe and Willow silenced her with chilling glares. “Leo must have known about the seafood allergy to deliberately make that seafood stew.” “And here I thought he was finally starting to accept Alex. Turns out, it was all premeditated!” Alex deliberately put on a frightened expression, speaking timidly: “Leo is being punished because of me. He’s been alone in the basement for so many days. He won’t be angry when he comes out, will he?” Scarlett’s face was cold as she replied: “Don’t worry, Alex. We spoiled him before, never taught him a lesson. “After this, he surely won’t dare to bully you again.” As she spoke, she unconsciously pulled out her phone, refreshing her chat with me. But our conversation still ended three days ago. In those three days, I hadn’t sent her a single message or made a call, fueling Scarlett’s anger even further. “So many days have passed, and Leo hasn’t even sent a message to check on Alex!” At that moment, Alex took Scarlett’s hand, feigning fear in his voice: “Let’s not let Leo misunderstand. I just want your company, I don’t want to take anything from him.” Scarlett quickly put down her phone, caressing Alex’s head with a pained look. “Alex, you’re so kind, unlike him. He’s just an ungrateful wretch.” Chloe thought of me, her eyes filled with cold disdain. “Exactly. How dare he try to hurt his own family just to get attention? He’s truly evil!” Willow nodded in full agreement, scoffing, “Unless he realizes his mistake and kneels to apologize to Alex after these three days, I’ll kick him out of this house myself!” I stood beside them, listening to my sisters’ words, feeling only a bitter amusement. Yet, no one could see or hear my spectral form. From the moment our parents passed away, my three sisters had showered me with all their attention. One day, I wished for a playmate my age, so my sisters found Alex at an orphanage. I welcomed Alex with open arms, giving him my whole heart. But he framed me, again and again, driving a wedge between me and my sisters, pushing them further away with each passing day. This time was no different. My three sisters didn’t even give me a chance to explain before locking me in that tiny basement. I struggled desperately, feeling the air grow thin, each breath harder than the last. Pounding on the basement door, I pleaded with my sisters to let me out. But they only looked on with cold indifference, shouting back: “Why are you making such a fuss? This is all your fault! If it weren’t for you, why would Alex be so miserable from his allergy?” “I think we’ve been too good to you, that’s why you keep picking on Alex. Just stay put in there!” With that, Chloe personally wrapped the chains, and Willow even pushed heavy objects against the basement door, cutting off my last shred of hope for escape. Now, watching Alex put on his fake smile for my sisters, I let out another bitter, sarcastic laugh of disappointment. My sisters, the brother who loved you most in the world, has been killed by your own hands!

Alex deliberately tugged on Scarlett’s sleeve, whimpering: “Scarlett, don’t be angry. It’s my fault for being weak and having a seafood allergy. Leo surely didn’t mean it. Please don’t blame him!” Scarlett’s expression hardened instantly, her voice chilling: “We’ve been too lenient with Leo. That’s why he’s grown so arrogant and unruly!” Chloe’s eyes flashed with surging fury: “He’s only grown more narrow-minded with age! If it weren’t for him, why would Alex be like this?” Then, Alex deliberately exposed his arm, still slightly red from the fading allergic reaction, to his three sisters. Willow tenderly caressed the faint red marks on his skin. “Does it still hurt, Alex?” Alex lowered his head, his voice trembling: “It doesn’t… It doesn’t hurt…” Chloe’s anger completely ignited, and she yelled furiously: “If we had waited any longer to go to the hospital, Alex’s life would have been in danger! And after all these days, he hasn’t even sent a message. He shows no remorse!” Scarlett spoke with even greater rage: “Go fetch Leo and make him apologize! I don’t believe he’s so stubborn he can hold out without saying sorry!” Chloe and Willow echoed her fury: “He’s so stubborn because he’s always relied on our support, hasn’t he? Now that he’s done wrong, he must face the consequences!” With that, they turned to the trembling house staff, their voices blazing with anger: “Why are you just standing there? Go and bring that ungrateful wretch to me! And bring the discipline stick too. If Leo hadn’t deliberately put in the seafood, why would Alex have suffered in agony for three days in the hospital?” “It’s time to remind him of the consequences of his actions!” The staff received the order, not daring to disobey, and hurried in my direction. I let out a bitter, desperate laugh. My sisters, without even bothering to investigate, had simply decided I was guilty. Three days ago, Alex wanted some stew, and I, hoping to please him, offered to cook it. He even gave me a small packet of seasoning, saying he wanted this flavor. I tasted it; it was just a simple seafood stew. But who could have known it was his allergen? Scarlett, a business mogul, couldn’t even see through such obvious manipulation and cheap theatrics? Wasn’t that favoritism, pure and simple? In my sisters’ hearts, I was never as important as Alex. My own heart grew increasingly desolate. But it no longer mattered. I was already dead in that basement. My sisters could finally give all their favoritism entirely to Alex. “Scarlett, we’ve called for Leo for a long time, but there’s no movement from him.” “We listened inside, and it sounds like there’s no breathing!” Scarlett’s brows furrowed. She abruptly stood up, her face utterly cold: “What is Leo playing at now? Does he think apologizing to Alex is beneath him?” “Does he even understand that he almost killed Alex this time?” Alex tugged on Scarlett’s sleeve, feigning sadness: “It’s okay. I’m just an orphan. I don’t deserve Leo’s apology.” Scarlett’s anger was completely ignited: “You think I can’t see through these cheap tricks to get attention? “You’re dreaming if you think playing mute will get you off the hook! It seems the punishment I gave him was too light!” “Come on, drag him out. Let’s see how he hides now. He will kneel and apologize to Alex!”

I followed my three sisters’ hurried footsteps, my heart growing ever more desolate. Driven by their blazing fury, my three sisters arrived at the basement door. “Leo, do you think hiding inside and staying silent will let you escape punishment?” But no sound came from the basement. Chloe’s face grew even darker: “Leo, what are you still playing at? Get out here, now, and apologize to Alex!” “Don’t think that by hiding in there, turning off your phone, and ignoring our calls, you can escape responsibility for deliberately harming Alex!” Willow’s eyes were also blazing, and she spoke with furious anger: “Leo, you really think you’re so smart, don’t you? You’re just jealous of how good we are to Alex, so you’re deliberately trying to upset us by staying silent, right?” “Do you really think that by hiding in the basement and playing this stubborn game, you can make us give up?” Still, no sound came from inside the basement. Willow, however, looked at the trembling staff nearby and said coldly: “Why are you all shaking? Tell me the truth. Did Leo bribe you? Did you secretly let him out?” Chloe scoffed: “Given his awful personality, he probably couldn’t stand the basement after we left and got these staff members to let him out.” Willow’s eyes were completely filled with disappointment: “You almost killed Alex, yet you don’t dare take any responsibility? Is this really the brother I know?” “Do you really think you’re our only brother?” At this, a staff member stammered nervously: “Ms. Scarlett, without your orders, we wouldn’t dare let him out!” “Leo truly has been in the basement for three whole days.” Willow looked at the still, silent basement. A flicker of unease suddenly crossed her eyes. She stepped forward and tried to pull the basement door open several times, but it wouldn’t budge. “Leo, are you done yet? I’ve even unlocked the door. Are you still clinging to it and refusing to come out?” I looked at the twisted basement door from the inside, a bitter smile on my face. In my final moments, suffocating, I had desperately tried to break free, hoping to live. But the basement door was incredibly sturdy; I couldn’t even force a crack open, and so I suffocated to death inside. My sisters, when you see my corpse, will you give me even a tiny bit of love, and bury me beside our parents? Willow grew increasingly agitated. She began to kick the door with her foot. The twisted basement door groaned, and a larger gap appeared. A foul, putrid odor wafted out. A staff member nearby trembled, stammering, “It smells like… a corpse!” The other two sisters, still seething, walked closer. “What corpse smell? He clearly ran out ages ago and just threw a dead rat in there to trick us!” “Leo, do you really think we’re that easily fooled?” The three sisters grew more impatient, kicking the door together. The entire basement entrance shuddered again. With a resounding thud, the door was finally kicked open. Along with an even fouler, rotten stench, the small, dark basement was exposed to everyone.

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That night, clutching the positive pregnancy test, my heart practically soared with joy as I waited for Nealon to come home. I planned to confess everything to him. Instead, I waited for him to bring a gorgeous woman home for the night. The woman didn’t like the smell of durian pastry, so he tossed out the meal I’d spent two hours meticulously preparing. Nealon scooped her up in a princess carry, heading inside to massage her feet. She chuckled, teasing him, “You have a little girl living here? She seems quite fond of you.” Nealon didn’t even glance back. His voice was icy. “Just a kid. No need to mind her.” A bitter laugh escaped me. I shredded the pregnancy test report, booked an appointment for an abortion, and simultaneously bought a ticket to the Amazon rainforest. I was a Master’s student in Archaeology, passionate about history and artifacts. My professor often praised my exceptional talent for archaeology, repeatedly inviting me to join his team. For Nealon, I always refused. Nealon. He was the man I loved more than anyone. He was a friend of my father’s. I was content to be a clingy vine, utterly dependent on his life. I felt truly happy. Especially after I discovered I was pregnant that night. It made me even more determined to stay by Nealon’s side. But now, all those beautiful illusions had shattered. Nealon had another woman. And he had never, not once, loved me. Before booking my ticket to the rainforest, I finally dialed my professor, a call I hadn’t made in ages. His voice on the other end was a mix of surprise and pure delight. “Anya? What, have you finally decided to join my archaeology team?” I nodded. “Yes, Professor. I’ve made up my mind. My flight is in three days. I’ll meet you in the rainforest.” The professor was overjoyed, as if he’d found a priceless treasure. “Oh, Anya, you’ve finally come to your senses! I’ve always said you’re the most talented student I’ve ever seen. You shouldn’t let that talent go to waste!” After hanging up, a clap of thunder rumbled outside, making me realize it was raining. Normally, at times like these, I’d worry about Nealon getting caught in the rain. Even though I knew he had a personal driver and bodyguards and wouldn’t get wet, I’d still rush out with an umbrella. He always looked surprised to see me, then his brows would furrow. “Didn’t I tell you not to come here anymore?” His angry face would send me into a panic, making me apologize profusely. I couldn’t help but smile bitterly. That’s what love does; it makes you so desperate. But now, I sat motionless on the sofa. Whether Nealon got wet or not would soon have nothing to do with me. Only three days left. In three days, I would leave this city forever.

When Nealon pushed the door open, he was soaked to the bone. He stood in the doorway, watching me, his eyes unreadable. “Anya, it’s raining today.” I stood up, poured myself a glass of water, and nodded. “Hmm.” I was thinking about what I needed to prepare for the rainforest, things that would be useful for archaeology. After a long moment, I turned around and realized Nealon hadn’t left. He was still staring at me, unmoving, his brows tightly furrowed. I asked, surprised, “What’s wrong, Nealon?” He was completely drenched, water still dripping from his hair, but his eyes held a surprising vulnerability, a hint of hurt. “Why didn’t you bring me an umbrella today?” I suddenly chuckled. I thought it was something serious. “You don’t like me going there, so I didn’t go. Is there a problem with that?” I looked at him, genuinely puzzled. “No problem.” Nealon curtly dropped three words, his voice thick with a cold nasal tone. Then he turned and walked upstairs, slamming the study door shut behind him. He was angry. But I no longer cared. Before, I cared so much. Whenever he was in a bad mood, I’d rack my brain trying to cheer him up, only to be met with his annoyance. Nealon was a business associate of my father’s. After my parents died in an accident, Nealon took me in, provided for me, paid for my education, and taught me so much. If I hadn’t secretly fallen for him, perhaps I wouldn’t have harbored these bitter, unspoken feelings. I took a deep breath and went to bed early. But who knew, I accidentally fell down the stairs, and the baby miscarried. I still remember the night I got pregnant. Nealon had been drugged. He didn’t know who I was, drunkenly pulling me onto his bed. He was utterly ruthless with me. His scent filled the sheets and the entire room. I admit, I was completely lost in that moment. Afterward, Nealon didn’t remember a thing, and I didn’t dare speak of it. Until. I found out I was unexpectedly pregnant.

The night I got the pregnancy test results. I sent Martha, the housekeeper, home to rest. I cooked dinner myself. I prepared a lavish meal, waiting for Nealon to return, intending to confess my feelings. If he loved me back, I would tell him about that night, and we would be together. If he didn’t, I would leave. But it wasn’t until eleven o’clock that Nealon finally arrived, the food long since cold. And he wasn’t alone. He brought a gorgeous woman in a red dress, intimately leaning on him. Her personality was as vibrant and intense as her red dress. She saw right through my carefully hidden feelings. Deliberately wrapping her arms around Nealon’s neck, she provocatively teased me. “Nealon, this little girl in your house, she seems quite fond of you!” Nealon didn’t even spare me a glance. His eyes were fixed on the woman’s feet as he carefully massaged them. “Just a kid. No need to mind her.” My blood instantly ran cold. So that’s it. Even after all I’d done, all the obvious hints I’d dropped. In his eyes, I was still just a child. I rested for half a day, then took a taxi back to the villa alone. I was ready to pack my things. But everything I had in that villa, Nealon had given me. I only packed a few essential clothes, taking nothing else. At eight o’clock that evening, Nealon knocked on my door. “Anya.” I glanced at the time, surprised. Nealon usually worked until after ten. Why was he home so early today? I quickly dabbed on some blush in the mirror, to hide my pale complexion and any tell-tale signs, before opening the door. To my surprise, Nealon had brought me a gift. It was a VIP gift card, a lifetime membership, for my favorite restaurant. “I’m sorry, Anya.” “That night, Camilla couldn’t stand the smell of durian, so she threw out the food. Later, Martha told me you made it.” “This is a gift for you, consider it compensation for that day.” Nealon’s eyes were sincere. I smiled faintly, not reaching out to take it. “It’s okay, Nealon. You don’t have to.” Anyway, I would be leaving in two days. Nealon’s brows furrowed. “Why not? Don’t you love that restaurant’s food?” I bit my lip, shaking my head again. “No, really, it’s fine. I’m already so grateful for your care all these years.”

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I turned down an offer to be a professor at MIT, choosing instead to work for my parents’ company. But on the day the company went public, my parents pushed a girl onto the stage who bore a striking resemblance to them. “Harper, the nurse made a mistake when you were born. Serena is our biological daughter.” “You need to move out tomorrow. And don’t forget to pay back all the expenses we incurred raising you.” “But jobs are tough to find these days. For old times’ sake, we can let you stay on as a cleaner at the company.” Serena chimed in, a smirk playing on her lips: “Sister, thank you for every project you developed over the past five years. All your patents are now registered in my name.” “But I don’t like having outsiders in the family. You should leave as soon as possible.” Amidst the sympathetic glances of the guests, I let out a low laugh. A bunch of fools. If I could get you to go public, I can certainly make you go bankrupt! I calmly walked through the crowd and exited the opulent doors of the stock exchange. I flagged down a taxi and gave the address of the mansion I’d lived in for over two decades. The driver glanced at me in the rearview mirror. He probably recognized me, the ceremony had been broadcast live everywhere. He didn’t say a word, just quietly turned off the financial news radio. I leaned against the window, watching the neon lights blur past outside. My phone kept vibrating. I didn’t need to look to know it was the media, eager for a scoop. I just switched it off. The car pulled up to the entrance of the gated community. From a distance, I could already see two large suitcases and a cardboard box, standing forlornly outside the front door. I sneered. Looks like they were pretty efficient, afraid I might stay an extra second if I came back. I dragged my bags to the door, instinctively placing my finger on the fingerprint lock. “Beep—Permission denied. Please contact administrator.” A cold electronic voice. The mockery in my eyes deepened. This entire security system, from hardware to software, was designed and deployed by me. The so-called highest administrator privileges had always been mine. I never thought I’d be locked out by the very system I created. Fine by me. It saves me from having to act out some disgusting charade with them inside. I sat on the ground and pulled out my laptop. I skillfully logged into the internal server backend. I wanted to see just how thoroughly they’d stolen my work. I entered the superuser account and password I’d used for five years. But instead of the familiar admin panel, a bright red window popped up, stating that the user did not exist. They truly went all out. Just as I was wondering what to do next, the phone I had switched off in my pocket suddenly lit up. It was a number I thought I’d never contact again.

The encrypted call request flashed for less than three seconds before disconnecting. It felt like a hallucination. The screen went dark, returning to the black screen it had been before I switched it off. I tried to power it on again, but the phone was completely unresponsive. I gave a bitter laugh. My top priority right now was finding a place to stay. I hailed another taxi and went to a decent-looking budget hotel nearby. “One room, please.” I handed over my driver’s license. “Certainly. That’ll be three hundred and sixty-eight for the room, plus a five hundred dollar security deposit. How will you be paying?” “By card.” I pulled out the bank card I’d used for years. This was a secondary card Victor Hayes had set up for me. All my salary and project bonuses were deposited into it. But when the front desk clerk inserted the card into the reader, “Beep, beep, beep—” The machine let out a series of urgent beeps. The young woman looked bewildered, tried again, and got the same sound. She looked at me apologetically. “Miss, I’m sorry, there seems to be an issue with your card. It’s not going through.” My heart sank. “Try another one.” I said, pulling out my personal savings card from my wallet. I’d opened this account in college, it held all my scholarship money and the pocket money I’d earned from projects. It wasn’t a lot, but it should definitely cover a few nights at a hotel. The result was the same. “This one isn’t working either…” The front desk clerk’s voice grew even softer. I had no choice but to ask the clerk to help me charge my phone. Once it powered on, a text message from the bank immediately popped up. “Dear Ms. Harper Reed, pursuant to an application submitted by Mr. Victor Hayes, all bank accounts registered under your name have been frozen due to ‘claims for past expenses,’ totaling…” I laughed. Victor missed his calling as a financial wizard. Looks like a hotel was out of the question. I dragged my suitcases and headed back to the street. The night wind blew, a bit chilly. I opened my phone and found Michael Stone’s number. He was my lead developer, someone I had mentored, and he’d always been grateful to me. I dialed. It rang for a long time. “Hello? Michael, it’s Harper.” The other end was dead silent, save for a faint sound of breathing. “I need your help with something. I need you to get the original development logs from the system…” “I’m sorry, you have the wrong number.” He cut me off directly, then hung up. I stubbornly dialed another core team member’s number, but it showed as disconnected. Those partners who had fought alongside me, pulled all-nighters eating instant noodles, and shared the joy of every problem solved. They either hung up, switched off their phones, or their numbers were no longer in service. This move was truly ruthless. I stood at the crossroads, watching the constant flow of traffic, feeling a hint of bewilderment for the first time. My money was gone, my home was gone, even my former comrades had turned into enemies. He truly wanted to break me.

I dragged my two suitcases, walking for so long on the late-night streets that my legs started to ache. Finally, I stopped in front of an alley entrance lit by a dubious neon sign. “Rooms for Rent, $300 Monthly” was scrawled in red paint on the wall. Alright, this would have to do. The landlady was a tough-looking woman, puffing on a cigarette. She gave my clothes a peculiar once-over, then eyed my two expensive-looking suitcases, before finally tossing me a greasy key. First month’s rent and a security deposit, cash only. I emptied my wallet of the few remaining bills, in exchange for this space of less than ten square meters. A bare cot, a chipped table, and a flickering light bulb with a bad connection. The walls were stained with marks left by previous tenants, and the air hung heavy with a mix of damp mildew and cheap perfume. I lay on the hard cot, fully dressed, staring at the stubbornly flickering light bulb, sleepless through the night. The next day, I was woken by a commotion. Footsteps shuffled chaotically in the hallway, mixed with women’s screams and men’s shouts. I ignored it until there was a knock on my door. “Bang, bang, bang!” The knocking was urgent, carrying an impatient certainty. I thought it was the landlady, so I got up to open the door. When I pulled it open, I froze. It was Serena Hayes. She was wearing full, elaborate makeup, looking like a princess who had wandered into a slum, stark against the drab, dilapidated background. Behind her, several reporters carried cameras, all pointed at me. Flashbulbs popped “click-click-click,” stinging my eyes. “Sister,” Serena’s eyes immediately welled up with tears, “How could you be living in a place like this? Don’t you know how worried Mom and Dad and I have been?” As she spoke, she reached out to take my hand, but I sidestepped, avoiding her. She didn’t seem embarrassed. She pulled out a thick envelope and, in front of all the cameras, tried to press it into my hand. “Sister, I know things are hard for you right now. Mom and Dad asked me to give you this. Take it, find a better place to stay, don’t let yourself suffer.” Her voice choked, acting with such sincerity. “Don’t worry, as long as you apologize to Mom and Dad and admit your mistakes, the door to our home will always be open for you.” I looked at her and suddenly found it somewhat amusing. “Serena Hayes,” I spoke, my voice a little hoarse from not having drunk water all night, “Do you really think everyone is as stupid as you are?” The expression on her face stiffened, and the tears in her eyes almost failed to hold. “Sister, how can you say that… I’m just trying to be kind…” “Cut the act,” I interrupted her, “Bringing reporters to visit me, are you afraid I won’t die miserably enough, so you came to twist the knife? Or is the ‘tech prodigy’ image crumbling too fast, and you need to step on my ‘corpse’ to climb higher?” Serena’s face went completely pale. She hadn’t expected me to talk to her like that, even in my current desperate state. She took a deep breath, dropped her pitiful demeanor, and leaned in, saying in a voice only we two could hear: “Harper Reed, don’t be foolish. You have nothing now. How can you fight me? Believe me, if I say the word, you won’t even be able to live in a dump like this.” She paused, a hint of cruel pleasure in the curve of her lips: “Be a good-for-nothing, admit that everything is mine, and maybe I can find you a job cleaning toilets. Otherwise, you can just starve on the streets.” After saying that, she reverted to her kind, innocent persona and sighed for the cameras: “Sister, just think about it.” With that, she and the swarm of media marched away. I closed the door, listening to the murmurs outside gradually fade. Starve on the streets? Cleaning toilets? I walked to the only mirror in the room. My hair was a mess, my eyes bloodshot, looking as disheveled as a lunatic. But those eyes, in the dim light, glowed with an unnerving intensity.

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It had been five years since I was kicked out, and I ran into my brother at a fancy bar. He was the VIP, casually dropping thousands on Skylar, the daughter of a prominent family friend. Me? I was just a bottle girl, working for commission based on how many bottles I sold. All night, we pretended the other didn’t exist. Until I, deadpan, chugged two bottles of whiskey for a measly fifty dollars in tips. Watching the color drain from my face, he pursed his lips and spoke, his voice ice-cold: “You’d rather do this kind of work than come home and admit you were wrong?” “Aubrey, you’re really something.” I just gave a noncommittal smile, extending my hand toward him. “Fifty dollars. Cash, or Zelle?” Silence fell over the private room. Everyone stared at me, their expressions a mix of disbelief and amusement. Someone snickered. My brother, Jackson Brook, sitting on the plush sofa, instantly scowled. He was embarrassed. Fifty dollars. For someone like him, it wouldn’t even cover a coffee. But here I was, humiliating myself by chugging two bottles of top-shelf liquor. Skylar, his socialite friend, sneered at me. “Jackson’s been waiting for you to come home. And this is what you’re doing? Doesn’t it feel dirty?” I shot her a look. “It’s honest work. What’s dirty about it? I’m not selling myself.” She scoffed. “Are you that desperate for money? Drink two more bottles, and I’ll add another fifty.” As her words hung in the air, the onlookers started egging me on. “Drink it! If Skylar adds fifty, I’ll add fifty too!” “You add, I add! I’ll throw in a hundred!” Without hesitation, I reached for another bottle. The door to the private room suddenly swung open. Mr. Davies, the manager, scurried in, a sycophantic grin plastered on his face. He pushed me aside and asked Jackson, fawning: “Mr. Brook, has our employee done something wrong?” “Please don’t be angry, sir. She can be a bit blunt. If she…” “Are you going to drink for her?” Jackson cut him off coldly, his eyes slowly narrowing. Sweat beaded on Mr. Davies’ forehead. He didn’t want to stick up for me, but he also didn’t want trouble if I collapsed from drinking. He chuckled nervously. “That’s too much alcohol, even for a grown man, let alone a young woman.” “Drink up, or get out!” Jackson frowned impatiently, pulling a wad of bills from his wallet and slamming them onto Mr. Davies. “Fifty thousand dollars. Aubrey isn’t going anywhere tonight. If you try to stop her again, this bar can forget about opening tomorrow!” Mr. Davies fumbled to pocket the money, his face practically beaming. He couldn’t care less about me now. He mumbled a quick thank you and strode away proudly. All eyes were on me again. Jackson sneered. “What? Don’t want the money anymore?” I walked over, emotionless, grabbed a bottle, and chugged it down. Having already downed two, my stomach was twisting in knots. So this bottle went down slowly, drawing a fresh wave of mockery. Jackson’s face grew darker and darker. As I finished one bottle and stumbled over to grab the next, he suddenly grabbed my wrist. “Are you trying to kill yourself, Aubrey?!” “I want the money.” I pulled my hand free, snatched the bottle, and poured it into my mouth. I actually had a plan. The lighting in the room was dim. I could pretend to lose my grip while drinking. No one would notice if I spilled a little. But just as I took a sip, a stinging slap landed hard across my face. SMACK! I froze, stunned, and the bottle slipped from my hand, shattering on the floor. Jackson gritted his teeth, furious. “For money, are you really that shameless?!” “Stop drinking! Even if you die, I won’t give you a cent!” The alcohol hit me hard, and everything started to blur. That voice, buried deep in my heart for five years, suddenly roared in my ears: “You sold Mom’s keepsake for money?! Did you lack for anything? Why didn’t you just sell yourself instead?!” “Get out! I don’t have a sister anymore!”

Five years ago, Skylar royally screwed me over. She stole Mom’s mementoes from Jacksond sold them, then blamed it on me. Jackson was furious, accusing me of selling them. He interrogated me non-stop about where I’d sold them, but I had no idea. I told him it was Skylar’s scheme, that she just hated how good he was to me. But he just wouldn’t believe me. Stealing, disrespect, and stubbornness. Each accusation hit a nerve with him. With Skylar adding fuel to the fire, he confiscated all my money and kicked me out of the house. For the first six months, I managed pretty well. I found a sales job, enough to support myself with a little left over. But after six months, everything changed. Jackson called me for the only time in five years. His first words were: “Aren’t you coming back to admit your mistake? Just tell me where you sold it, and I’ll forgive you.” Stubborn, I roared back at him: “I told you it wasn’t me! Didn’t you hear? Ask your ‘good friend’ Skylar, she’s the one who sold it!” Jackson hung up immediately. That same day, I was fired. He spread the word throughout the entire city: anyone who dared to help me would be crossing him. So, for the next few years, I couldn’t find any legitimate work. I could only do odd jobs in nightclubs. He seemed to be doing it on purpose, not only boldly announcing Skylar as the sole heir to the company. He even took her to interviews, galas, and auctions. He was always spending lavishly, millions at a time. His and Skylar’s faces were constantly on the financial news channel. While I hid in the shadows, drinking myself sick just to survive. I developed stomach cancer. These past few years, I’d desperately sought treatment, spending all my money. I took out many high-interest loans, but it still wasn’t enough. The specialized medication was too expensive, and chemotherapy was beyond my means. I even called Jackson once, asking for money. He cut me off impatiently after just a few words. “Money, money, money! Is that all you care about?!” “Don’t even think about getting a cent from me until you come back and apologize. Just go die out there for all I care!” That phone call, that was when I completely lost all hope of living. I was just so tired, truly. If he wanted me dead, then I’d die. At least, the pain would stop. A month ago, I ordered an urn for myself. After scraping together what I could, I was still fifty dollars short for the final payment. The vendor called almost every day, hounding me. I thought I’d finally have enough today. But who knew Jackson would give the manager fifty thousand dollars, yet refuse to spare me fifty? He left the bar with his entourage, a huge fuss. While I was in the bathroom, throwing up until the world spun. Only one thought echoed in my mind. Three bottles of liquor, all for nothing. Leo, the supervisor, was smoking next to me. “How did you piss off Mr. Brook so badly? His face was green when he left. What’s your relationship with him?” My stomach was cramping, and my head was spinning. I could barely keep my eyes open, clinging to the toilet to keep from falling in. “I don’t know him. An enemy, I guess.”

The next day, I was woken by my phone ringing. It was Mr. Henderson, the urn vendor. “Ms. Aubrey, when are you going to pay the rest? It’s just fifty dollars, do you really need a whole month?” “If you can’t pay within three days, I won’t hold it for you, and the deposit is non-refundable!” My voice was hoarse with desperation. “Please give me more time. I get paid in two weeks, then I’ll—” “Can’t wait two weeks!” He cut me off, his tone unpleasant. “I’ve never seen anyone like you, dragging their feet even for an urn.” “If you don’t have the money, don’t order something so expensive in the first place!” I wanted to say more, but before I could, he hung up. My head was pounding. I called Mr. Davies, hoping to get an advance on my paycheck. But his response was even more ruthless. “Just letting you know, you don’t need to come to work today.” “And there’s no way we can pay you. If Jackson says so, there’s nothing we can do.” My head spun. My voice cracked with urgency. “What you’re doing is illegal! I’ll file a lawsuit!” Mr. Davies scoffed. “A lawsuit? Go ahead. Jackson said he’ll bear any consequences. His legal team is top-notch. If you insist on running headfirst into trouble, there’s nothing I can do.” With that, the call was disconnected again. A knot of frustration tightened in my chest, refusing to go up or down. My face was pale with discomfort, and my throat tasted like rust. Suddenly, a mouthful of fresh blood gushed out. I stared at the glaring red puddle, and the tears I’d been holding back finally streamed down my face. After a long moment, I pulled out some tissues and wiped the blood away. Then, with practiced ease, I pulled out my painkillers and swallowed them whole. After all that, I barely had any strength left. Leaning against the bed, I replayed the last five years since I was kicked out. I suddenly realized that every single one of my backup plans had been cut off by Jackson himself. Now, I couldn’t even work at a nightclub anymore. Just eating became a struggle, let alone affording painkillers or the urn. All I wanted was a quiet corner to rest in when I died. What was so wrong with that? I buried my face in my hands and sobbed, crying until the afternoon, before I managed to regain some strength. Looking at my trembling hands, I finally decided to go home. I needed to ask Jackson, why he was doing this to me!

When I arrived home, Jackson and Skylar were having dinner. He glanced at me, his voice devoid of emotion. “Finally decided to come back?” “Why did you get Mr. Davies to fire me?” I countered, my face expressionless, completely ignoring his question. “It’s been five years. Haven’t you humiliated me enough?” He raised an eyebrow, completely unconcerned. “How else would you know that home is best unless you suffered a little?” “Aubrey, do you know what people are saying about you out there? I’ve been keeping the worst of it from you, and you’re not even grateful?” Skylar put down her forks and spoke sarcastically. “Jackson, Aubrey doesn’t understand how good you are to her. Look at her, she’s clearly blaming you!” “Shut up!” I couldn’t take it anymore and lunged forward, raising my hand to slap her. But the next second, Jackson grabbed my wrist. His face was cold as ice, his voice chilling. “Now you’ve learned to hit people? I guess you’ll never realize where you went wrong!” “Do you really think I can’t make life impossible for you in this city?” My heart clenched, as if someone had squeezed it tight. Impossible life? Hadn’t he been doing that for years? One by one, destroying my jobs, crushing my hopes. Leaving me worse than a rat in a gutter, tattered and broken, unable to even afford an urn. I’d had enough, enough of his threats! My emotions burst, and I screamed in despair, “I didn’t do anything wrong!” “Jackson, if you don’t want me to live, then I’ll just die, okay?!” “I’ll go to hell, you can’t control that, can you?!” He seemed enraged by my words, a vein throbbing in his temple. “Even in death, you’ll still owe me!” With that, he shoved me. It wasn’t a hard push, but I still lost my balance and fell. My lower back hit the dining table, sending a sharp pain through me. My face went instantly pale, and cold sweat broke out. A flicker of regret crossed Jackson’s eyes, then he turned his back on me. “Until Mom’s mementoes are recovered, you don’t even have the right to die!” He said, then quickly left. I was in too much pain to get up. Skylar stood over me, arms crossed, looking down. “Aubrey, look at you now, so pathetic, isn’t it?” “How about this? You kneel and beg me, and I’ll tell you who bought that worthless bracelet, okay?” I glared at her, my eyes blazing, wishing I could tear her apart. But I knew I didn’t even have the strength to hit her. Five years of humiliating survival, and now, even in death, I couldn’t have a shred of dignity. Jackson’s words still echoed in my ears: “Until Mom’s mementoes are recovered, you don’t even have the right to die!” “Even in death, you’ll still owe me!” Fine. If I found the mementoes, then I could finally die in peace, right? I desperately wiped the tears from my face, knelt at Skylar’s feet, and bowed my head to the ground three times. “Please, tell me where Mom’s mementoes are.” Before, when she plotted against me, I would fight back with all my might. But these past few times, I hadn’t even argued. Skylar suddenly seemed to lose interest. She simply tossed a piece of paper at me. “That’s the address. But Aubrey, you still have to be able to get it back, you know!”

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My cousin and I chose our beast companions at the same time. In my life before last, I chose a werewolf, and my cousin got a merman. The werewolf was deeply, madly in love with my cousin, and he watched me being torn to shreds. Then, he took the crystal I’d died for and shamelessly offered it to her. In my last life, I stayed far away from the werewolf and chose the merman. But to my horror, the merman was also attracted to my cousin. He drowned me and then threw himself into her arms. This was my second rebirth. Facing these two shifters, both highly recommended by my mother, I wanted neither of them. Just as I was agonizing over my choice, a streak of black flashed past. Overjoyed, I grabbed it and immediately declared, “I’ll take this one!” Then, before anyone could react, I quickly formed a contract with it. “Damn it!” As the silver light, symbolizing the completed contract, flashed, a voice echoed simultaneously in my mind. “Contracting with me… are you trying to die again?”

Serena, my cousin, is a year younger than me. She was supposed to choose her beast companion a year later. But she was so favored by the clan elders that she convinced them to let her choose a shifter with me, a year early. The two shifters my mother had carefully selected for me now had to be split, with one going to Serena. “Rowan, just choose the one you want,” my mother, Eleanor, said. In my life before last, that’s exactly what I did. I chose the werewolf, Kael, the strongest in the clan in both speed and power. Serena got the merman, Orion. But after Kael and I contracted, he was always off his game. I thought he just wasn’t used to it, and I wanted to give him time to adjust. Yet, as he watched me being torn to shreds by other shifters, Kael suddenly leaped up, killing them swiftly with a power I’d never seen him use. He stood over my dying body, with not a shred of remorse: “The biggest mistake you ever made was choosing me, keeping me from Serena.” It turned out Kael had always liked my cousin and harbored a deep resentment towards me for it. So, when I was reborn in my last life, I didn’t hesitate to choose Orion, the merman. Orion had a gentle nature; surely, he wouldn’t hurt me. But I never imagined he, too, would fall for Serena. For her sake, the supposedly gentle Orion lured me to his native waters and, with the help of his clan, drowned me. After I died, he sat by the water’s edge, his gaze lowered. “I’m sorry, but I really, truly love Serena. I love her to the point of madness.” This time, I was reborn again. Right back to this moment of choosing a beast companion. The clan elders were impatiently urging me now: “Rowan, how much longer will you drag this out? Serena is waiting behind you!” I glanced at Kael, who wore a menacing glare, then at Orion, who was stealing glances at Serena. My head was spinning. I quietly asked Eleanor if I could choose no one. Eleanor firmly said, “No.” “Rowan, are you worried about their strength? These are shifters I personally handpicked. Kael is a once-in-a-generation talent, unmatched in speed and strength, and Orion is their clan’s prince, with a strong possibility of becoming the Merman King.” The situation was urgent; I couldn’t explain what had happened to me to my mother right now. “Rowan, just make your choice. Serena can only pick from whoever is left.” Eleanor’s eyes swept across the crowd, her words carried serious weight. “I know many in the clan disapprove of me, but none of them have the power to undermine my authority yet.” But even if Eleanor said that, I couldn’t choose no shifter at all. This was a thousand-year-old rule of the Witch Clan; every member had to choose a beast companion at the contracting ceremony. If I just left without a contract, Eleanor would surely be targeted and criticized by the elders. Yet, neither of these shifters would truly be loyal to me. As long as they fell for Serena, my life would still be on the line. Just then, a black streak shot past. It was slender, fast, and no one but me seemed to notice it. An unfamiliar, untransformed little snake, but it carried the distinct scent of a shifter. I was overjoyed. I grabbed it and announced on the spot, “I’ll take this one!” Then, before anyone could react, I quickly formed a contract with it. “Damn it!” As the silver light, symbolizing the completed contract, flashed, a voice echoed simultaneously in my mind. “Contracting with me… are you trying to die again?” I opened my eyes to a mix of bewildered and appalled looks from everyone. Serena, barely containing her glee, loudly declared: “Cousin, after all that fuss, you chose *this*? A puny little snake?” An elder angrily shouted, “Rowan, how could you act so irresponsibly?” I raised my arm, showing them the contract mark on my wrist. “How am I playing games with you? I already have a beast companion, don’t I?” Seeing the unique glyph symbolizing the contract between a witch and a shifter, they finally believed that the little snake in my hand was indeed a shifter. Next, it was Serena’s turn to choose her beast. Only then did I get a moment to lift the little snake in a secluded spot. “You said ‘die again’ earlier. What did you mean?” “You have the nerve to ask?” The snake didn’t open its mouth, but its voice resonated directly in my mind. A deep, resonant male voice, laced with gritted-teeth frustration. “I can’t transform yet, and I’ve been forcibly bound to you. In your last life, and the life before that, you died twice, and I died right along with you, twice!” “Each time, just as I was on the verge of regaining my human form, you went and got yourself killed!”

“Ah, so that’s it. What a coincidence, we have quite a history, don’t we?” Thinking that someone had been reborn with me twice… it was a strange feeling. “Heh, heh,” the little snake dryly chuckled, “I’m not exactly thrilled about this kind of ‘history’.” I said cheerfully, “We’ll be fighting together from now on. You have to protect me, okay?” He snapped, “You should be grateful I haven’t killed you myself.” I looked at Serena, who was still pondering between Kael and Orion in the distance, and asked the little snake: “Who do you think she’ll choose?” “How should I know?” “Then, in your opinion, who’s stronger?” His slender snake body wriggled in my grasp, his critique merciless. “Both are weak.” I gave up on getting an answer from the little snake and focused on Serena. But then, she turned her head and looked at me. “Serena, who do you think I should choose?” As soon as she spoke, everyone present fell silent, awaiting my answer. Whether Serena followed my advice or not, the unchosen shifter would undoubtedly hate me to their core. She was using me to stir up trouble. I smirked. “Why not take both, Serena?” “Both shifters are so exceptional. I’m sure you’d be more than willing to dedicate your witch power for them.” Actually, each witch could contract with more than one shifter. But contracting with beast companions consumed a witch’s magic. Contracting with multiple shifters would drain a witch’s strength, even shortening their lifespan. Sure enough, the moment I finished speaking, Serena’s face changed. She forced down her reluctance, smiled, and said, “I was just kidding. I already have someone in mind.” She walked towards the taller, more muscular werewolf, slit her fingertip, and dripped blood onto Kael’s forehead. A silver light appeared, and the contract was sealed. Kael gave a triumphant glance at the frustrated Merman Prince, then knelt on one knee the next second. “I am Kael. I will protect you, forever and always.” I sighed, recalling the past. He had watched me indifferently as I stood in front of him, single-handedly fending off other shifters’ attacks. Back then, he wasn’t nearly as devoted. “What a foolish woman,” Silas, the little snake, sneered. “If you can’t beat them, why didn’t you run? And didn’t you know his heart wasn’t with you, that he probably wished you’d die sooner?” “How was I supposed to know back then!” I shot back angrily. Silas fell silent. After a long while, he awkwardly mumbled, “My name is Silas.” The contracting ceremony was over. I had planned to leave and explain to Eleanor why I hadn’t chosen the shifters she’d prepared for me. But it turned out, the show wasn’t quite finished. Orion, the merman, his face pale, grabbed Serena’s hand and gave her a desperate, pleading look. “Serena, are you really not going to choose me?” “I have sonic attacks; I can instantly kill anyone within a mile radius. I also have healing abilities; no matter what injuries you suffer, I can heal you.” Silas chuckled softly. “He’s capable of far more than that.” I asked him what Orion’s greatest strength was, but he clammed up again. But no matter how much Orion begged, Serena cruelly let go of his hand. “I already have Kael.” “But you can contract two shifters!” Orion pleaded frantically. Serena shot me a resentful glance. She roughly shook off Orion’s hand, but still tried to maintain her sweet, innocent facade. “Sorry, Kael is enough for me.” I had planned to make up a reason for Eleanor, explaining why I hadn’t chosen the shifters she’d prepared. After all, something like being reborn wasn’t something I could explain quickly. Especially not being reborn twice. But she said, “If you have something difficult to explain, you don’t have to. I believe in my daughter, no matter what.” Reborn twice, the only constant was my mother’s unwavering faith in me. I had died confused and inexplicably both times; I couldn’t imagine her pain. Even if it was just for Eleanor, I had to become stronger. With that thought, I looked at Silas with determination. “Now that we’re contracted, the next step is training together.”

Silas, too, was busy enhancing his own power, but he didn’t train with me. He was out early and back late, always on his own. Three months later, Silas finally learned to transform into his human form. That night, he returned earlier than usual. As soon as I saw him, I pulled various fruits from the fridge. Just as I was about to pop a grape into his mouth, a white mist suddenly swirled from somewhere. A strong hand reached out from the mist and gripped my wrist. Then, I saw a tall, powerfully built man with dark hair, sculpted like a Greek god. Looking further down, I saw his solid, chiseled chest, and… He wasn’t wearing any clothes! I quickly averted my eyes: “Silas, you just transformed suddenly! Quick… quick, put some clothes on!” He was actually really handsome… I shoved down the faint flutter in my chest and popped the grape into my own mouth. But to my surprise, Silas snatched the grape directly from my mouth and ate it! What a domineering snake! After that, Silas’s attitude changed completely. He followed me everywhere, even when I wanted to go to the bathroom… This wasn’t good, because Silas didn’t help me fight off the brutal shifters. In fact, under his powerful presence, no shifter dared to even approach me. After grueling training, we decided to take a few days off. Eleanor specifically came to the training grounds to pick me up. “Mother!” I excitedly ran to her. Eleanor scanned me from head to toe, an approving smile gracing her lips. “Rowan, you’ve improved so much.” I affectionately leaned on her shoulder. “Of course!” The peaceful moment shattered as an unwelcome voice cut through the air. It was Serena. “Rowan, you’ve really improved quickly. Got some secret potion no one else knows about?” she sneered. As soon as Serena said that, the expressions of the other clan members who had come to pick me up changed. It was as if I was hiding some secret and refusing to share it with the clan. I shook my head. “I’ve been training hard for six months. What have you been doing this past half-year? Oh, I remember. Probably busy with your love life.” Serena blushed and said, “I’m not having a love life; I’m cultivating a bond with my Kael.” At that, quite a few people chuckled. “You don’t seriously think that to become a powerful witch, all you need is a good bond with your contracted shifter, do you?” Just as Serena was at a loss for words, Kael, her werewolf, swiftly appeared by her side and wrapped her protectively in his arms. Kael’s speed amazed everyone. Kael tilted his head slightly. “Are you suggesting my strength isn’t enough and Serena needs to suffer extra hardships?” No one spoke; they all acknowledged Kael’s power. Kael put his arm around Serena and left. Before leaving, he glanced our way. But he seemed to completely miss Silas, standing right behind me.

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Ryan had me co-sign for a couple hundred thousand dollars in high-interest loans. Furious, I snapped a picture of his back and posted it to an exclusive online group chat: “Tall, ripped, amazing in bed. Due to unforeseen financial troubles, I’m heartbroken to let him go. Sugar mommy wanted! Must provide a good home.” I was just kidding around, but the group chat instantly exploded. A ‘Ms. Victoria’ immediately jumped in: “I want him. Tonight for the… ‘test drive’!” I thought she was playing along, so I laughed it off and agreed. Five minutes later, a hundred grand deposit landed in my account. I practically shot off the bed. This jerk is actually this hot a commodity? I was ecstatic. I immediately turned into a total brown-noser, kissing up to the sugar mommy in the chat: “You’re amazing, Ms. Victoria! Don’t worry, he’ll serve you well and meet all your demands!” The chat was flooded with lamenting messages: “Ugh, too slow! Next time something this good comes up, you HAVE to tell me first!” “Seriously, if the quality’s there, everything else is negotiable!” “As if you guys could afford him! The full price is three hundred grand! Sugar mommy, want to check me out instead?” I sighed, looking at the flood of messages. Ryan and I were practically engaged. If it weren’t for that trashy guy, using me as collateral for all those loans, I wouldn’t be pulling this stunt. Instead of living the rest of my life looking over my shoulder, buried under mountains of debt with him, he might as well go live it up with a sugar mommy. I’d be free and clear. Even if Ryan was a terrible person, his ‘equipment’ was pretty top-notch. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have fallen for his pretty face back then. I was happily planning if I should hit up the Maldives or splurge on a designer bag once I got the rest of the payment when Ms. Victoria suddenly sent me a private message with an address: “Tonight at 11 PM, bring the ‘goods’ to this address. In-person inspection.” I clicked on the location – it was the outdoor parking lot of the upscale shopping center next door. Checking the time, I had half an hour. I quickly replied: “No problem, I’ll be there right on time!” With that sorted, I took a deep breath and walked out of the bedroom. Ryan was slumped on the couch, brows furrowed, staring at his phone with this heavy, troubled look. I walked over, wrapped my arms around his, and whined softly: “Sweetheart, you haven’t taken me to the movies in ages. I just booked tickets for a midnight showing, super intense! Shall we head out now?” Ryan stiffened when he saw the ticket info on my phone screen, and his face instantly went chalk white. “It’s so late. We won’t be back until after midnight. It’s not safe. Let’s go another time.” I was a bit taken aback. When we first started dating, we’d often sneak out for midnight movies. He was always the most eager one. Why was he so weird tonight? He was pale as a ghost, cold sweat beading on his forehead, and he kept darting glances at my phone. My heart sank. Had he seen a few messages pop up in the group chat? My brain raced, trying to figure out how to cover my tracks. Just then, Ryan suddenly pulled me into a tight hug, his voice choked: “Honey, I messed up big time. Can you please help me?”

I stared at him, utterly confused. With reddened eyes, he went on: “My business partner scammed me out of half a million dollars. If I don’t pay it back this week, my credit will be totally shot, and I’ll be blacklisted by every bank.” “Could you ask your dad to help me out, please? Just get me through this, and I promise I’ll work hard and be even better to you!” I leaned into his embrace, a cold dread washing over me. It was two hundred thousand dollars in gambling debt, but now it was half a million coming out of his mouth. What a genius scam. That extra three hundred grand? He’s definitely trying to pocket the difference! Any lingering guilt I had instantly evaporated. To avoid tipping him off, I managed to squeeze out a few fake tears, pretending to be shocked: “Half a million? How could this happen?” “Honey, don’t be scared. I’ll go back to my dad’s tomorrow to borrow the money. Whatever happens, we’ll face it together!” Ryan visibly relaxed at my words, hugging me tightly: “Honey, you’re the best. So, shall we go to the movie now?” I was about to agree when I noticed a nasty-looking rash on his arm: “What happened to you?” He scratched it uncomfortably and chuckled: “It’s nothing, just an allergy. A little medicine will fix it.” But I couldn’t help frowning. So many red spots. What if Ms. Victoria gets turned off by that? Thinking this, I immediately clutched my stomach, frowning: “Honey, I suddenly feel a bit unwell. Maybe I ate something bad today. Let’s save the movie for another time.” By the time I’d coaxed Ryan into the bathroom, it was past the time I’d agreed to meet Ms. Victoria. I quickly checked my phone. Sure enough, Ms. Victoria was blowing up the chat: “Where are you? Are you trying to mess with me? Standing me up, are you?” Followed by a string of angry emojis. My blood ran cold. I quickly apologized: “I’m so sorry! Something urgent came up, I really didn’t mean to!” But Ms. Victoria wouldn’t let it go. I gritted my teeth and pulled out my trump card, sending her a private pic of his abs I’d saved: “Sis, calm down. Good things are worth waiting for. Miss out on this, and you’ll regret it!” The other end of the phone was silent for a few seconds before she replied: “I’ll give you one last chance. Set a time before tomorrow night, or face the consequences!” I let out a long breath of relief: “You got it!” Just then, Ryan came out of the bathroom. He was wrapped in a bathrobe, his abs just peeking out. I looked at him, suddenly felt a little frisky, and reached out to grab his towel, wanting one last intimate moment. But he flinched back like I’d burned him, his eyes darting around: “Honey, I’m a bit tired, I want to go to bed early…” With that, he practically bolted under the covers. I was filled with questions. Was Ryan hiding something from me?

Once his breathing evened out and I was sure he was asleep, I quietly grabbed his phone and expertly unlocked it. When I saw his chat history with his relatives back home, I froze. He actually owed a quarter-million dollars. Two hundred thousand was lost to a scamming business partner. The remaining fifty thousand was for his grandfather’s emergency surgery and recovery treatments. The most recent photo in his gallery showed his grandpa in the ICU, hooked up to a million tubes. He’d even told his family not to let me know, so I wouldn’t worry. Had I misunderstood Ryan? My best friend, Chloe, who works at the bank, was the one who first told me he owed a couple hundred grand in gambling debt. Could Chloe have been wrong? My mind was a total mess, and a wave of guilt and uncertainty washed over me. No way. Before I handed him over, I had to figure out what was really going on with this debt. The next morning, I pretended to pack, saying I was going back to my parents’ place to ask for money. Ryan gently held my hand, touched: “Honey, thank you for doing this. I’ll be waiting for your good news!” I forced a smile, feeling conflicted as I left. I didn’t go to my dad’s; instead, I found a coffee shop to sit in. I wanted to call Chloe and get some answers. The moment she picked up, Chloe immediately started yelling into the phone: “Skylar! I was just about to call you! Guess who I saw? Your Ryan!” My heart tightened: “What happened?” Chloe continued: “That scumbag! He’s cheating on you! Right in the coffee shop below his office, all over his little secretary! It was sickening! I even got it on video!” The next second, a clear video popped up on my phone. In the video, Ryan and his young, pretty secretary, Tiffany, were sitting close together in a booth. He was holding a jewelry box, carefully slipping a massive diamond ring onto Tiffany’s finger. Tiffany gave a coy smile: “Ryan, babe, are you really gonna dump your old lady?” Ryan smirked, raising an eyebrow: “Of course. She’s already gone back to her parents to beg for money! Once I get my hands on it, I’m dumping her immediately!” “Then we’ll take the cash and go wherever we want, whenever we want!” Tiffany frowned slightly: “What about the half-million debt and your grandpa’s ‘illness’?” Ryan dotingly stroked her hair: “Silly girl, it’s all fake. If I don’t make the act convincing, how else will she happily empty her bank account for me?” I clutched my phone, my whole body trembling. So, this was the truth? The enormous debt was fake. His grandpa’s illness was fake. Ryan had gone to such great lengths just to drain me dry. Any lingering guilt or doubt I had instantly evaporated, replaced by a searing rage and bitter mockery. I took a deep breath and immediately opened Ms. Victoria’s chat: “Ms. Victoria, tonight at 8 PM, Marriott Hotel underground parking B-level. ‘Goods’ ready for inspection!” Next, I called Ryan, putting on a cheerful act: “Honey, good news! My dad agreed to help!” “He said he wants us all to have dinner tonight, give you the card, and celebrate our third anniversary. It’s at the Marriott Hotel’s Chinese restaurant, 8 PM sharp. Don’t be late!” Ryan was overjoyed: “Really? That’s amazing, sweetheart! I’ll be there on time! Love you!” I hung up, a cold smile playing on my lips. Since you betrayed me first, don’t blame me for finding you a new home!

At 7:30 PM, I arrived at the hotel parking lot early. The agreed time was approaching, but there was no sign of Ryan. I called him: “Ryan, where are you? Mom and Dad are waiting!” Ryan’s voice sounded anxious: “Honey, something urgent just came up here, I really can’t leave!” “Please tell your parents I’ll be a little late, but I promise I’ll be there!” I hung up, feeling suspicious. Logically, to get this money, Ryan should be more anxious than me. Why would he suddenly have an emergency? Then I remembered the couple’s tracking app Ryan and I had synced when we first started dating. I opened the app, and on the map, the little glowing dot representing Ryan was at the Hilton Hotel. I refreshed it several times, but it didn’t change. Almost simultaneously, Chloe’s message came through again: “Skylar, that scumbag Ryan is openly celebrating Tiffany’s birthday at the hotel! He even booked the top-floor suite, it’s outrageous!” She immediately sent a picture. It was Tiffany’s Ins story: “My old hag of a girlfriend just HAD to show off our ‘love,’ but guess who he came running to with one phone call?” Below was another picture. In the photo: roses, flowers, a fancy cake, and Ryan kissing Tiffany’s back. My heart sank completely. So this was his “emergency.” I sneered and sent a message to Ms. Victoria: “Ms. Victoria, change of location: Hilton underground parking A-level. There might be a slight delay, but he’ll be there!” After sending it, I immediately drove to the Hilton parking lot and quickly found Ryan’s BMW. With time running out, I quickly called Ryan, deliberately putting a sob in my voice: “Ryan, I left a really important USB drive in your car, in the passenger side glove compartment. I need it urgently, can you find a delivery service to bring it to me?” Ryan sounded a bit annoyed, but he still replied: “Okay, I know, just wait for it!” After hanging up, I immediately hid in the shadows, nervously watching the elevator. But twenty minutes passed, and neither Ryan nor Ms. Victoria appeared. I was burning with anxiety and called Ryan again, but this time, no one answered. Just then, heavy footsteps echoed from a corner of the parking lot. It wasn’t Ryan, but several burly men covered in tattoos. The leader had a menacing face and a thick gold chain, about the size of my pinky, hung around his neck. The leader walked closer, eyeing me up and down with a hostile gaze: “You’re Sky?” Sky was my nickname in the group. I thought they were Ms. Victoria’s muscle, so I quickly nodded: “That’s me, boss! Just a moment, please…” But before I could finish, the man grinned, cutting me off: “No need to wait!” I froze: “Huh? What do you mean?” The man waved his hand, and two burly henchmen immediately stepped forward, grabbing my arms: “Because we’re here for you!” I was completely bewildered, struggling and shouting: “What are you doing? You’ve got the wrong person! Let me go!” The leader pulled out his phone, opened an app, and shoved it in front of my face. It was a group chat. The chat history stopped at a message: “Sweet and sassy, fair-skinned and fun-loving. Looking for a new ‘partner’!” The message was followed by my swimsuit picture from my trip to Hawaii. The man grinned, leaning closer: “Someone put up half a million dollars for you. We just do what we’re paid to do!” As he spoke, his hand reached out. I was icy cold, as if struck by lightning. Who listed me? Could it be Ryan? But Chloe took this picture; he’d never even seen it! Suddenly, it all clicked, a cold wave of understanding washing over me.

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A video of my boyfriend slow dancing with his secretary at a private charity gala went viral overnight. Not a normal dance—the kind where his hand rested on her waist like it belonged there. The secretary even posted a public confession: “I’ve waited years for the man I love to choose me. Tonight… he finally did.” The comments section exploded: “I’m dying—this chemistry is insane!” “They look like they’ve been secretly in love forever!” I didn’t cry. I didn’t scream. I simply locked my phone and went to find him. That’s when I overheard him talking to a friend behind the stairwell. “What was I supposed to do? Her family’s pushing her into an arranged marriage. If I don’t step in, she’ll be miserable.” “And Aria? You’ve been dating her for years.” “She won’t leave. Seven years is too long for her to walk away now.” Fast forward to our wedding day. Yes—our wedding day. On the same morning he was marrying his secretary, I was slipping into my own wedding dress for someone else. Our wedding cars passed on the road. As tradition, the brides exchanged bouquets through the open windows. The moment he saw my face behind the veil— saw me in white— his expression collapsed completely.

“Mom, I’ve decided to go through with the arranged marriage.” In the dimly lit living room, my voice sounded distant and numb, like it didn’t even belong to me. Hearing my sudden change of heart, my mom was stunned. “You weren’t willing before. Why the sudden change? Aria, marriage isn’t a joke. It doesn’t matter whether it’s arranged or not—what matters is that you’re happy. You need to think this through. Don’t rush into it.” Her words made my chest tighten, and for a moment, my eyes stung with tears. “Mom, I’ve thought it through. You can start planning the wedding.” Mom must’ve sensed how I felt because she paused for a second before softly reassuring me: “You’ve been with Austin for so long, and he still won’t go public with your relationship. He hasn’t even agreed to meet us. Your dad and I have known for a while that things wouldn’t last between you two.” Her words felt like a knife twisting in my chest. It turns out that everyone on the outside could see the truth so clearly. The only fool here was me. “The Ford boy is someone your dad and I carefully picked for you years ago. We made sure he’s a good match. Not only is he from a solid family, but he’s also a man of great character. Aria, you deserve the best.” I took a deep breath. “Thanks, Mom. I trust you and Dad’s judgment.” Mom continued, “Do you want us to arrange a meeting with him in the next few days?” “There’s no need. Just go ahead and plan the wedding.” After I hung up the phone, I realized Austin had appeared behind me at some point, holding a small cake. He looked confused. “A wedding? Who’s getting married?” I am. I’m the one who’s getting married. I answered him silently in my heart, but the words never left my lips. Instead, I kept my expression calm and shook my head. “No one. Just a friend.” As soon as I said that, I noticed the tension in his shoulders ease. His face relaxed noticeably, and it made my heart ache all over again. Was he nervous because he thought I was going to pressure him into marrying me? Or was it because he thought I’d found out about him and Aria, his perfect secretary, and assumed they were the ones getting married? “I brought you your favorite cake from that bakery you love. Want to eat it now?” he asked. There was a time when Austin would bring me little treats after work—snacks and desserts he thought I’d enjoy. Even if I didn’t always like them, the thoughtfulness of it made me feel like I was floating in a sugary dream. I felt cherished, loved, remembered. But now, as I stared at the cake in his hands, all I felt was bitter irony. Not long ago, I’d stumbled across Aria’s newly public social media posts. I couldn’t bring myself to scroll far because just a few entries in, the truth hit me like a slap in the face. This cake wasn’t for me. It was Aria’s favorite. Not just this cake—those nuts, those snacks, all the little treats he used to bring me? They were all her favorites too. And the worst part? I realized that his habit of bringing me food only started after Aria joined his company. So, Austin… when you handed me those treats, who were you really thinking of? Was it me, Aria, or was it Aria? Swallowing the lump in my throat, I said flatly, “I don’t like sweets anymore. They’re too much. Don’t buy them for me again.” Austin blinked, clearly surprised by my reaction. “What? That’s not true. You’ve never had a problem eating them before.” We’ve been together for years, and yet, if he really cared about me, how could he not know my preferences by now? Sometimes, you repeat yourself so many times that you grow tired. And eventually, you stop correcting them altogether. I didn’t argue. I simply shrugged and said, “My taste has changed recently.”

For days, Austin had been so busy that he didn’t even remember my birthday. Not that it mattered anymore—it wasn’t like I cared. But then, as if the thought suddenly struck him, he tried to make it up to me by buying tickets to my favorite Broadway musical. It was a wildly popular show, nearly impossible to get tickets for. I hadn’t been able to snag one myself, so when Austin said he had two tickets and invited me, I agreed. On the day of the show, I waited for him. And waited. But instead of Austin, I saw a post from Aria on Instagram, flaunting two tickets to the very same musical. Her caption read: “Bored, so I decided to catch a show. It’s the best feeling to have someone who’s always there for you, no matter what. ” The photo didn’t show their faces, but I recognized the hand in the picture immediately. That scar—it was unmistakable. It was Austin’s, from the time he got hurt saving me years ago. Suddenly, I felt like a complete fool. While I stood outside in the rain, worried something had happened to him, Austin was inside, sitting in VIP seats with his secretary. Ice-cold raindrops pelted my face, soaking through my clothes. The chill worked its way into my bones, but my heart felt even colder than my body. My phone buzzed with a message from my mom. She told me the wedding was set for two weeks from now. If I thought it was too rushed, we could push it back. I shook my head, even though she couldn’t see me, and replied, “No need. Let’s keep it as planned.” The heavy rain had brought the city to a standstill. Traffic was a mess, and I couldn’t get a cab no matter how long I waited. Finally, Austin called me. His voice was casual, like nothing was wrong. “Why aren’t you at home?” I kept my tone calm, completely devoid of emotion. “I’m at the Broadway Theater.” There was a pause, as though he’d just remembered something. Then he said, “I’m sorry. Something came up this afternoon, and I couldn’t make it. Stay where you are—I’ll come get you.” I didn’t argue, but I knew he wouldn’t show up. And I was right. A moment later, Aria updated her Instagram again: “He didn’t want me catching a cold in the rain, so he made ginger tea just for me. A man who cooks is the most attractive. �� Can’t wait to marry him!” The photo showed Austin’s back as he stood at the stove, cooking. I stared at the post for a second, then calmly exited the app. The rain left me with a fever and a nasty cold. I used it as an excuse to move out of the master bedroom, claiming I didn’t want to infect Austin. I moved into the guest room instead. For once, he actually stayed home from work to take care of me. But I couldn’t stand it. “It’s just a cold,” I said, keeping my tone neutral. “I’m an adult. I can take care of myself. You should go back to work.” He frowned and looked at me for a long moment. “You used to want me around the most when you were sick. What’s with the sudden change?” I lowered my head, hiding all the emotions in my eyes, and forced a small smile. “I was immature back then. I’m not like that anymore.” Austin’s brows furrowed with concern. “Aria, are you okay?” “I’m fine. Go on, really.” He didn’t seem convinced, but after staring at me for a while, he finally sighed. “Alright. Call me if you need anything.” As soon as he left, I let out a long breath and fell into a deep sleep. When I woke up, I found another message from my mom. This time, it was the finalized wedding plans. She’d also sent me photos of over a dozen wedding dresses, asking me to pick one. I scrolled through the pictures absentmindedly, enlarging them to get a better look. I was so absorbed in the task that I didn’t even notice Austin walk in until he snatched my phone out of my hand and tossed it aside. “What are you doing looking at wedding dresses?” he demanded, his face dark with irritation. For a moment, I thought he’d figured it out—that I was planning my own wedding. I was just about to come clean when his next words stopped me cold. “Aria, is this your way of pressuring me to marry you? I told you I’d marry you eventually. You don’t have to resort to tricks like this—it’s pathetic.”

“You’ve got it all wrong, I’m not—” Before I could finish, Austin waved me off, cutting me short. “I’m busy. I’ll be going now. A word of advice—stop pulling these stunts to wear down what’s left of my feelings for you.” The door slammed shut behind him, leaving the house in complete silence. For a long time, I stood there, unmoving, and then let out a bitter laugh. Austin, how much of your so-called feelings for me are even left? What’s there to wear down anymore? In the past, a misunderstanding like this would have left me devastated, unable to eat or sleep. But now, I quickly pulled myself together. I went back to reviewing the wedding details my mom had sent over. Before closing my messages, I instinctively clicked on the notification dot in my social media app. That’s when I saw it—a rare update from Austin. “When someone this amazing comes into your life, you marry them and keep them close.” The photo was a solo shot of Aria, along with an image of their wedding invitation. Within minutes, one of our mutual friends commented: “Bro, so you’ve already swapped out the bride? That was fast.” Not long after, Austin’s post disappeared. But it reappeared almost immediately on Aria’s Instagram feed instead. Then my phone rang. If this had been the past, I would’ve immediately screenshot the post, called him up, and demanded answers. No argument would have ended without a screaming match. But this time, I let the call ring out. And then ring again. I didn’t answer, not even once. What surprised me the most was that I didn’t feel particularly upset by what I’d just seen. Maybe I’d grown numb. My first thought wasn’t anger or heartbreak—it was mild amusement at the coincidence. Their wedding was scheduled for the same day as mine. When Austin finally came home that night, I was already in bed, pretending to sleep. He tiptoed into the room and stopped by my bedside. “Aria? Are you awake? I tried calling you—why didn’t you answer?” I kept my back to him, my voice muffled and indifferent. “I must’ve fallen asleep. Didn’t hear it.” He sighed in relief and leaned down, reaching out to feel my forehead. “Is your fever gone?” But as he got closer, the cloying scent of women’s perfume—sweet and heavy—hit me like a punch. My stomach churned, and I had to fight the urge to gag. Without thinking, I shifted away from him, dodging his hand. He froze, his hand suspended awkwardly in mid-air. “Aria,” he asked cautiously, “Did you see something?” I buried myself deeper into the blankets, muffling my voice. “No. I’m just not feeling well. I want to sleep.” I slept through the night and woke up feeling lighter, like a weight had been lifted. With a clear head, I started packing up my things, systematically erasing every trace of myself from this house. That’s when I realized how many little “couple’s” items I’d bought over the years. At first, Austin would use them with me. But at some point, without me noticing, he’d stopped. Most of those things had been shoved into some corner, collecting dust. I packed them all into a box and dumped it in the trash. Then I found something else—an old scrapbook. It was filled with photos of our trips together, postcards we’d collected, train tickets from when we were long-distance, and letters he’d written to me. The entire scrapbook was a record of our years together. But after Aria came into the picture, the pages had stopped being filled. There were no more photos, no new memories to add. By the time Austin came home, I was tossing the scrapbook into the fireplace. He rushed in like a madman, pulling the burning book out of the flames with his bare hands. Ignoring the burns on his fingers, he turned to me, furious. “Are you insane? Do you have any idea how important this scrapbook is to us? Why would you burn it!?” Austin rarely ever raised his voice at me. This was the first time he’d spoken to me like this. His anger looked genuine, but so was the fact that he was planning to marry someone else behind my back. I didn’t want to argue with him, so I casually replied, “The scrapbook had gotten moldy and infested with bugs. Don’t worry—I’ve backed up all the photos and mementos. I’ll make a new one eventually.” Hearing this, his anger finally subsided. Later, as I applied ointment to his burn, Austin stared at me with an intensity I couldn’t quite place. “Aria,” he said suddenly, “You’ve seemed off lately. Is work stressing you out? I’ve booked you a personalized vacation package. Take some time off to relax.”

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Matteus Blackwood hated me to the core, convinced I was the hit-and-run driver who killed his mother five years ago. He personally sent me to prison, ruining my reputation and my life. After my release, he dragged me back to his mansion, making me the lowest servant, tormenting me day and night. He tore up my sketches, a cruel sneer twisting his lips. “Do murderers even deserve to dream?” he mocked. It wasn’t until my blood stained the floor, until I was clinging to life, that he finally realized— The one who truly killed his mother and escaped justice was the woman he had cherished above all else. Later, he abandoned everything, kneeling outside my door, weeping and begging God to give me back. But I simply leaned weakly against my treating doctor, and whispered to him: “Matteus, I… don’t… for… give.” I once believed Matteus and I would go from high school sweethearts to walking down the aisle. Until three years ago, when his mother died in a car crash, and I became the cold-blooded bystander in his eyes, the one who saw death and fled. Three years of wrongful imprisonment. I spent over a thousand days and nights in that dark place. On the day of my release, the sky hung dull and gray like a dirty rag. I dragged my left leg, severely deformed from an old break maliciously inflicted in prison and left untreated. Every step felt like treading on broken glass, the grinding sound of misaligned bones something only I could hear. My only possession was a thin release paper, its edges softened by sweat. I shivered, cold rain mixing with the coppery tang of pus and blood, soaking my threadbare clothes. A black Maybach, like a phantom, glided to a silent stop before me. The window descended, revealing Matteus’s face, sculpted and cold. Three years hadn’t diminished his arrogance one bit. Instead, they’d added a crushing weight to his presence, making him impossible to look at directly. His gaze, when it landed on me, was laced with venomous hatred, devoid of any past warmth. “Get in.” His voice was devoid of warmth, an unquestionable command. I instinctively recoiled, the sharp pain from my injured leg almost sending me sprawling. “Scarlett,” A cruel curve formed on his lips as he flashed his phone screen – my father, withered and unconscious in a nursing home. “Or would you prefer him to be tossed onto the street to feed the stray dogs tomorrow, for unpaid bills?” My blood ran cold instantly. I could almost hear my heart cracking as it turned to ice. My father was my only weakness. Three years ago, the shock of my imprisonment had left him paralyzed by a stroke. I knew I had no choice. Gritting my teeth, I mustered every ounce of strength, dragging my ruined leg, practically crawling into the car. A small, damp patch of mud stained the luxurious leather seat. He recoiled in disgust, tossing a clean silk handkerchief at me. “Clean it up,” He didn’t even look at me, his gaze fixed on the rain-swept road ahead. “Don’t use your filthy, murderer’s hands to defile my car.” My hands trembled as I took the handkerchief, not to wipe myself, but to meticulously clean the spot where I had sat and the small stain on the floor. My utter subservience seemed to amuse him. He let out a soft, contemptuous scoff. “Scarlett, look at you now. Three years inside, and you haven’t learned a thing. Except how to be utterly pathetic.” I didn’t respond, only bowed my head lower. My stomach churned. Memories of the foul-smelling prison food and the beatings surged back. The car pulled up to the opulent villa I once called “home.” Mrs. Gable, the housemaid, glanced at me, a flicker of surprise in her eyes quickly replaced by silent pity. “Put her in the downstairs staff room, the one converted from the storage closet,” Matteus commanded casually as he shed his coat, as if disposing of trash. “From now on, she’s a servant here. She’ll do the dirtiest, hardest work.” He paused, then added, his voice like ice splintering in my heart: “Scarlett, remember your place. You live only to atone for your sins against my mother, through your suffering.” “Yes, Mr. Blackwood,” Mrs. Gable mumbled. I stood there, head bowed, clutching the release paper so tightly that its edges left white crescent marks on my palm. In the cold, lavish hall, I watched his retreating back as he ascended the stairs. My heart felt instantly frozen, then shattered into dust by a heavy hammer. Matteus, is this truly the ending our love story deserved?

My “servant” life began. Every day, I woke before dawn, dragging my injured leg to clean the vast garden, Scrub the cold floors, and wash mountains of dishes. With every bend, every exertion, excruciating pain shot through my left leg, often leaving me drenched in cold sweat and on the verge of collapsing. My ankle was swollen and shiny, the skin an ominous purplish-blue. The other staff members looked at me with scorn and mockery. “That’s her, the one who killed Mrs. Blackwood. Mr. Blackwood is kind to even let her live.” “Look at her, a cripple. Serves her right.” “She used to think she was the lady of the house. Now she’s beneath even us.” Their whispers, like tiny needles, pricked at me constantly. But I could only remain silent. Here, I had no right to defend myself, no right to resist. Matteus seemed to completely forget my existence, until the evening of the third day. I was struggling to clean the stove in the kitchen when Veronica’s soft, sugary voice floated from behind me. “Honey, I’m craving a coffee, the kind only you can make.” My body stiffened, but I didn’t turn around. “Okay.” Matteus’s deep voice responded. He walked into the kitchen, saw me busy, and his tone instantly turned glacial. “What are you doing here? Get out.” I lowered my head, put down the rag, and prepared to leave. “Wait,” Veronica called out. She walked over to me, a sweet, innocent smile playing on her lips. “Scarlett, long time no see. I heard you were out of prison, and now… a servant here?” She looked me up and down, her gaze lingering on my limping leg for a moment, a flash of triumph in her eyes. “Let bygones be bygones,” she said magnanimously, though every word was a barb. “Even though you copied my designs and almost ruined my career, Matteus and I won’t hold it against you. Just focus on your work here.” My nails dug deeply into my palms, reopening old wounds. The sticky, metallic scent of blood mixed with dish soap filled my nostrils. Forget about it? She was the one who stole my sketches, published them first, then had the audacity to accuse *me* of plagiarism! She was the one who fabricated evidence at the crash site, framing me and sending me to prison! I looked up at Matteus, a faint, lingering hope in my eyes. But he only stared back at me, cold and impatient. “She spoke to you. Did you not hear her?” In that moment, the last tiny spark of hope flickered, then died, leaving behind only a pile of cold, dead ashes. “I heard, Miss Hayes.” I lowered my head again, my voice numb. Veronica smiled contentedly, linking her arm intimately with Matteus’s. “Let’s go make coffee. I’m a little tired.” Matteus immediately embraced her, his voice tender in a way I had never heard before. “Of course, you go to the lounge and rest. I’ll be right there.” They walked away together, leaving me alone in the cold kitchen, feeling like a fool. That night, my leg pain was so severe that my movements were slow, and I didn’t finish clearing the trash on time. When Matteus found out, he flew into a rage. “You can’t even do this one small task? Scarlett, did you spend three years in prison just learning how to be lazy?” He ordered the piled-up kitchen waste to be dumped at the entrance of my staff room, then said coldly: “If it’s not cleaned up tonight, you won’t sleep!” That night, dragging my agonizing leg, I toiled in front of the putrid garbage until dawn. The stench of decay in the air made me retch, as if I were back in the endless, unbearable nights of prison. Tears, cold sweat, and pus-laced blood streamed down my face, but I dared not even cry aloud. Matteus, what is your heart made of?

Just as I was about to be swallowed by this boundless darkness, a sliver of light pierced through. That day, I was pruning flowers in the garden when a sudden, tearing pain shot through my left leg. Unable to stand, I collapsed heavily to the ground, the garden shears flying far away. “Are you alright?” A gentle male voice spoke above me. I looked up. Silhouetted against the light, I saw a young man in doctor’s scrubs, wearing gold-rimmed glasses. He had a clean-cut and refined aura, and his eyes held concern as he crouched down to look at me. “I… I’m fine.” I tried to get up on my own but failed again due to the pain in my leg. “Don’t move. Your leg is severely injured.” He pressed my arm, his voice firm. “I’m the new family doctor, Dr. Nolan Reid. Let me take a look.” His fingers were warm and dry as he gently pressed my left leg, examining the injury. “It’s an old fracture of the tibia and fibula, severely dislocated, and there are signs of infection. You need immediate surgery, or you could lose the leg, and it might even lead to sepsis.” He spoke gravely, his eyes filled with a mix of confusion and pity. “Why hasn’t this been treated?” Why? I lowered my head bitterly. Because the person who holds my life in their hands simply doesn’t care if I live or die. Dr. Nolan didn’t ask further. He helped me to a nearby bench and skillfully treated the scrapes on my knee from the fall. His movements were gentle, imbued with professional focus and kindness. “Thank you.” I murmured, the long-forgotten kindness making my eyes prickle with tears. He looked at me, his gaze complex. “I’ll inform Mr. Blackwood about your condition.” “No! Don’t!” I instinctively grabbed his sleeve, my eyes wide with terror. “Please, Dr. Nolan, don’t tell him! I’m fine, really!” Dr. Nolan observed my frantic reaction, then sighed after a moment of silence. “Alright. But I have some anti-inflammatory and pain medication here. Take them as prescribed. If the pain is severe at night, you can ice it.” He handed me a small packet of medicine, carefully writing down the dosage and instructions. Just then, a voice, cold as ice shards, cut through the air behind us. “What are you doing?” Matteus stood not far away, his face terrifyingly dark. His gaze, like a knife, flickered between Dr. Nolan and me. It finally settled on my freshly bandaged knee and the small packet of pills in my hand. As if burned, I yanked my hand back, and the pills scattered across the ground. Dr. Nolan stood up, his expression composed. “Mr. Blackwood, this young woman’s leg injury is very serious and requires immediate—” “Dr. Nolan,” Matteus cut him off, his voice laced with a dangerous edge. “Your job is to look after Veronica. As for anyone else who doesn’t matter, don’t waste your concern.” He emphasized the word “doesn’t matter.” He strode over to me, looking down arrogantly, his eyes filled with undisguised contempt and fury. “Scarlett, I truly underestimated you. It’s only been a few days, and you’ve already mastered playing the victim to lure men? Hmm?” He lifted his foot and viciously ground the white pills scattered on the ground. The powder mixed with the dirt, as if crushing the last sliver of hope that had just bloomed within me. “It seems the work here is too easy, leaving you with time for such filthy schemes!” “No, Mr. Blackwood, we were just…” I endured the intense pain and fear, attempting to explain. “Shut up!” He roared, grabbing me roughly. “If your leg is fine, then go pick up all the fallen leaves in the backyard by hand! If you don’t finish, you won’t eat tonight!” My injured leg couldn’t withstand his harsh tug. A sharp pain flared, and I nearly fell again, but he dragged me forcibly towards the backyard. Dr. Nolan tried to intervene: “Mr. Blackwood, her leg can’t be treated this way—” “Dr. Nolan!” Matteus turned, his eyes cold as steel. “Remember your place. Meddle again, and you’re out!” Dr. Nolan froze, watching as Matteus dragged me away like a sack of garbage, his eyes filled with powerless rage. The backyard was covered in thick layers of fallen leaves, reflecting my desolate heart under the gloomy sky. I knelt on the cold, damp ground, picking up leaves one by one. The pain in my left leg surged in waves. The freshly bandaged wound on my knee began to bleed again, staining the withered leaves red. Tears fell silently into the mud. The tiny spark of light Dr. Nolan had brought was utterly, completely crushed by Matteus.

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When I died, I watched my husband kneel beside my hospital bed—not out of grief for me, but whispering another woman’s name. Only then did I understand: I was never the one he loved. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to my teenage years. This time, before I could say a word, he brushed past me with a cold glance and went straight to the girl he had always chosen. I let him go. I didn’t chase. From that moment on, our fates unraveled into two separate lines. Ten years later, we met again at a luxury charity auction in Ocean City. He arrived in a tailored suit, confidence radiating off him— and she stood by his side like a crown he had finally earned. When he saw me step into the hall by accident, he paused, then said quietly, almost impatiently: “Don’t cling to the past. Even if you wait another decade, I still won’t choose you.” I didn’t respond. I simply walked across the room and picked up my son, who was happily chewing on a macaron. The moment he saw the child’s face, his expression shattered. His hand shot out, gripping mine tremulously. “Why are you doing this?” he demanded, voice hoarse. “Didn’t you say you’d love me for a lifetime?”

I never imagined I would encounter Silas again in this lifetime. At the elite gathering in Ocean City, he stood among the crowd with Daphne, exuding charm and sophistication, showing no trace of his former youthful awkwardness. People around him were all smiles, speaking in flattering tones. “Young Master Silas is truly promising, securing a major project at such a young age!” “Is this your beloved? You both make such a striking couple.” Daphne gazed at Silas with deep affection and said softly. “We’re planning to get married by the end of the year. If you have the time, we’d love for you to join us.” There was another round of congratulations, and someone asked. “I heard you’ve been together for ten years. Why wait until now to get married?” This was something I was curious about too. In the previous life, Silas loved Daphne so much he was willing to die for her. After being given a second chance, he immediately broke up with me. I assumed they would marry right after graduation, but they haven’t even registered yet. Upon hearing this, Silas’s face momentarily stiffened, but he quickly masked it with a smile. “You need a career before family. I want to give Daphne the best life possible.” He looked at Daphne, his eyes filled with tenderness nearly overflowing. In the past, when we were together, I asked him many times when we could get married. It wasn’t until his family pressured him that Silas reluctantly agreed to be with me. It turns out, the difference between love and lack of it can be so obvious. I was about to turn and leave when I noticed a small figure and instinctively followed. “Oops!” Champagne spilled everywhere, and the waiter holding a tray looked at me with discontent. “Where did you come from? Are you blind?” His voice was loud, drawing attention from those around us. Seeing my face, Silas was stunned. “Serena, why are you here?” I lowered my head to apologize to the waiter and explained. “I’m here looking for someone.” Someone curiously asked Silas. “Do you know her, Young Master Silas?” Silas tightened his grip on his wine glass, his gaze darkening. “Yeah, just an ex-girlfriend.” Someone nearby blurted out, “You’ve been together for ten years; I thought you were each other’s first love.” The smile on Daphne’s face faded slightly as she held Silas’s hand and said nonchalantly. “We were young back then, separated for a bit during a fight. Who hasn’t taken a wrong turn in their youth?” Silas said nothing, his gaze brushing past me to the waiter. “Charge the damage to my account and let her go.” He stood there, expression calm, not sparing me an extra glance aside from the initial encounter. It seemed he was eager to draw a clear line between us in front of Daphne. The waiter quickly ushered me out. “Young Master Silas is being kind, cleaning up your mess, but there won’t be a next time.” He glanced disdainfully at my wrinkled pajamas. “This isn’t a place for you. Hurry up and leave.” I broke free from his grip and explained politely. “I’m here to find someone. Once I do, I’ll leave on my own.” The waiter sneered, rolling his eyes. “I’ve seen plenty like you trying to climb up. Do you even have the qualifications to be here? If you keep lingering, I’ll call security!” “Wait.” Silas’s voice came from behind him. He sighed as he looked at me, helplessly. “She’s here to find me. Let me talk to her.” Daphne, standing beside him, asserted her dominance by wrapping her arms around his shoulder. “Serena, Silas and I are about to get married. Anyone with a bit of self-respect wouldn’t come looking for an ex at this point.” Silas’s face darkened slightly, and he couldn’t help but advise me. “Stop holding onto the past. Even if you wait for me for another ten years, I won’t love you.” “When I was with you, it was a mistake. Now that I have the chance to correct it, I hope you can let go of the past soon.” Daphne looked me up and down, a mocking glint in her eyes. “I understand why you would seek out Silas. After all, he’s a renowned entrepreneur now, and there’s no shortage of people trying to cozy up to him.” Perhaps my wrinkled pajamas gave her confidence, Daphne added arrogantly. “You’re a prestigious university graduate, yet you’ve ended up like this? If I were you, I wouldn’t even show my face!” Silas frowned, pulling out his phone, his tone growing impatient. “If you feel like you were wronged by our breakup, I can compensate you now.” “Is five hundred thousand enough?” His fingers moved over the screen, then suddenly froze. “You deleted me from your contacts?”

I was puzzled, not understanding why he reacted so strongly. Isn’t it normal to delete an ex’s contact after a breakup? Besides, I have someone at home who’s particularly jealous. If he knew I still had my ex’s contact, he’d probably make a fuss. “Didn’t you say you hoped I wouldn’t come looking for you after our breakup?” Silas’s face turned cold, as if he wanted to say something but held back. I spoke calmly, adding. “I don’t need the breakup compensation.” After facing setback after setback, Silas’s face darkened further, and he spoke coldly. “What are you pretending for? If it weren’t for your current misfortune, I wouldn’t even bother talking to you.” Daphne quickly soothed him with a gentle voice. “Well, she is a prestigious university graduate. Given her current miserable state, let’s just consider helping her.” “Oh Daphne, you’re still so kind. Why bother with a woman like her? Look at her pathetic state, just get lost.” His tone was disdainful, as if forgetting that ten years ago, he was in a worse state than I was. In the previous life, Silas’s family didn’t agree with their son being with Daphne because she was a dubious woman who liked shortcuts. The first time I saw Silas in college, he had just picked Daphne up from a club, forced by his family to break up. During Silas’s most depressed times, I stayed by his side, helping him through. He loved photography, so I used the money I planned to start a business to buy him expensive equipment. Through freezing winters and scorching summers, I, with my frail frame, carried dozens of pounds of gear following him, just hoping to see him smile sincerely. Who would’ve thought it was Silas who confessed to me first? I knew about his past with Daphne and had seen him occasionally stare at their photos in a daze. So when Silas confessed, I seriously asked him. Have you truly moved on from Daphne? At that time, he held me tightly, his tone firm. “Actually, I never loved her. I just saw her as a good friend. It’s you I love, Serena; let’s be together.” We dated for seven years, even his friends were surprised. “He liked Daphne so much, I thought you two wouldn’t last.” But no one knew, Silas repeatedly refused to answer my prompts about marriage. “Serena, I’m against marriage. Can’t we just be like this forever?” Until later, when Silas’s parents pressured him about marriage, he agreed to marry. During our honeymoon, after hearing about Daphne’s car accident, he jumped off the cruise ship, leaving only a note. The moment I slipped into critical condition, he rushed into the hospital room— not because of me, but because he had just heard that she was gone. Standing at my bedside, he didn’t even look at my pale face. His trembling hand clutched the edge of my blanket as he whispered, “Daphne… Daphne… why did you leave me…” Not my name. Not once. His voice broke, overflowing with grief that had nothing to do with me. And as I lay there, fading in and out of consciousness, the last of my love for him quietly burned out, turning to ash in my chest. So, after being given a second chance, when Silas wanted to break up, I didn’t stop him. Because I knew, I couldn’t stop it. Watching them get back together, I deleted all of Silas’s contact information, thinking there’d be no chance to meet again in this life. But I didn’t expect to encounter them here. I wanted to leave, but Daphne wouldn’t let it go, insisting on humiliating me in front of everyone. “Do you even deserve to speak to me? Look at how you’re dressed, it’s embarrassing!” “Here’s the deal, I’ll introduce you to work as a waiter here. If you learn to serve people, you can earn a five-figure salary a month.” Someone trying to curry favor with her added with a grin. “This is a hotel in the prime location of Ocean City. Working here is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you. You should thank Miss Daphne.” Surrounded by people, I couldn’t leave, so I replied helplessly. “Thank you, but I already have a job.” “As a photographer.” I wanted to leave, but Daphne was relentless, determined to humiliate me in front of everyone. “Do you think you’re even worthy of talking to me? Look at what you’re wearing—it’s such an embarrassment!” “Here’s an idea: I can get you a job here as a waiter. If you learn to serve people, you could earn a five-figure salary.” Someone nearby, eager to curry favor with her, chimed in with a smile. “This hotel is in a prime Ocean City location. Working here is a rare opportunity for you. You should thank Miss Daphne.” Surrounded and unable to move, I reluctantly replied, “Thank you, but I already have a job.” “Photography.” As soon as I mentioned photography, Silas glanced at me with a complex expression, his lips twitching slightly. He averted his gaze, his tone indifferent. “How much can you really earn from photography? Hobbies don’t pay the bills. Since we’re all acquaintances, I can set you up with a job.” I was taken aback, then realized he misunderstood me.

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Three months before our wedding, Kael suddenly announced online that he and my adopted sister Morwenna would be “living together for a while.” Photos showed her moving into his apartment, her suitcase neatly stacked beside his bed. The caption read: “Family should help each other.” Morwenna replied with a blushing emoji. My mom commented: “Good girl, take care of Kael for Echo. You two look like such a perfect pair.” I typed a single question mark. Kael immediately called. “Don’t overreact,” he snapped. “She needs a place to stay during her pregnancy. I’m just helping her. Once the baby’s born, I’ll come back to you.” Before I could speak, he added, annoyed, “Mom said we should get our marriage license after you give birth to a son anyway. So relax. We’ll have the wedding first. Morwenna staying with me is no big deal.” I gave a quiet “Mm.” Then I opened Instagram, deleted every trace of him, and posted: “I need a new groom. Who’s free?” Kael was the first to comment. [Echo Young, are you insane? You think this stunt will work on me? Stop embarrassing yourself—and stop making things difficult for Morwenna.] Morwenna chimed in immediately. [Sis, please don’t be upset. Kael is only helping my baby have a stable environment. After you and Kael get married, I can move out. My child can even call you mom.] My mom scolded me publicly. [Morwenna’s giving you a baby without you having to suffer through pregnancy. She’s doing you such a big favor—why can’t you appreciate her kindness?] Then came Kael’s friends. [Sister wives! You two can just take turns—Morwenna gets him Mon–Wed–Fri, you Tue–Thu–Sat!] Laughter filled the comments, all at my expense. I stared at the screen, tears hitting the phone one by one. They were the ones crossing the line. Yet somehow, I became the unreasonable one. Ridiculous. They didn’t deserve my tears. I wiped my face, opened the comments again— and one reply caught my eye. Griffin White: “Can I be your new groom?” Griffin and I grew up together. After college graduation, I stayed in the city while he chose to study abroad. We’d avoided each other since I started dating Kael in college. It had been years since we last spoke. As I pondered this, Griffin called me directly. “Echo, I’ve liked you for a long time.” “You know I’ve always hated your adopted sister, so I would never have anything to do with her. I don’t have a bunch of shady friends either. These past few years, I’ve been focused on my career and haven’t dated anyone.” As he spoke, I suddenly received a contract. When I opened it, I saw it was the transfer of rights to all his assets and shares. While I was still in shock, Griffin nervously said: “Echo, this is all the sincerity I have to offer. Will you give me a chance?” My nose stung with emotion. Suddenly, I remembered when we were kids. Our teacher rewarded us with two candies that Griffin loved. He was clearly craving them, but he didn’t eat a single one. He saved both for me. He had always given me his utmost sincerity. I choked up a bit as I said: “I will.” Love had always seemed so elusive. I tried to grasp it, only to end up hurt and scarred. I had thought… I had thought being alone would be fine. But my grandmother’s dying wish was to see me married, to know someone would take care of me after she was gone. Kael wasn’t worthy. But if the groom was Griffin, I think Grandma would be truly at ease. Griffin’s voice was full of joy. “Then I’ll wrap things up at work and come back to marry you within two weeks.” “Echo, you’ll wait for me and won’t change your mind, right?” His tone held a hint of pitiful pleading. It reminded me of when we were kids and I promised to be his bride when we grew up. I made a sound of agreement. Suddenly I felt the urge to cry. “Griffin, let’s pinky swear on it.” After hanging up, my mom pushed open my bedroom door. “Where’s that sapphire necklace your father left you before he died?” I remained silent, not answering. Mom frowned in displeasure. “What’s with that attitude? Your sister just thought it was pretty and wanted to borrow it for a few days. Hurry up and get it out, don’t be so stingy!” Morwenna hung on Mom’s arm, saying dejectedly: “It’s okay, Mom. Sis has never seen me as real family. If she doesn’t want to lend it, I won’t force her.” “She wouldn’t dare refuse! That necklace belonged to my husband, your father. I’m making the decision to give it to you today.” Mom hugged Morwenna and glared sternly at me. “If you don’t hand it over, don’t blame me for having people search your room.” I stared at her blankly, my smile more painful than crying. The once gentle and loving mother in my memories. Had ultimately transformed into this harsh, scolding face in reality. But I was about to leave this place forever anyway. I no longer had the heart to argue pointlessly with her. Silently, I took the sapphire necklace out of its velvet box and handed it to her. Mom smiled with satisfaction. “That’s more like it. Morwenna is your sister, so you as the older one should let her have the nice things.” After Mom left, Morwenna put on the necklace right in front of me. “Sis, don’t blame Mom for favoring me. To be honest, this necklace looks better on me anyway.” “Just like how Kael is more suitable as my boyfriend.” “What belongs to me, others can never have.” Seeing Morwenna’s smug expression, I didn’t say a word. People like her – the more you engage, the more they push it. I picked up my purse and walked past her down the stairs, ignoring her completely. “Ah! Sis, why did you push me…” Morwenna suddenly darted in front of me, pretending I had shoved her as she stumbled towards the stairs. I may despise her, but I instinctively reached out to grab her. After all, falling down over 20 steps was no joke. “Echo Young, you vicious woman!” Kael violently smacked away my hand that was steadying Morwenna’s arm. My hand slammed into the railing with a loud “THUD.” The pain instantly brought cold sweat to my brow. “Kael, thank goodness you came in time, or else I…” Morwenna hid in Kael’s arms, her face streaked with tears and fear. “It’s okay, don’t be scared. I’m here.” Kael stroked Morwenna’s head, comforting her softly. “I won’t let anyone bully you.” I looked at my own hand, already bruising and swollen from the impact. Then I looked at Morwenna, who had only gotten a little scare but was being held tight and fussed over by Kael. Suddenly it all felt so ironic. The boy who once showered me with love and promised to treat me well forever. The man who was supposed to marry me in just three months. How could he have changed his heart so suddenly? After soothing Morwenna, Kael glared at me darkly. “I know you’ve been unhappy about me marrying her and having a baby behind your back. You can take it out on me if you want, since I didn’t tell you beforehand.” “But you can’t hurt Morwenna. Her health is fragile, she’s pitiful enough as it is.” “All she wanted was a chance to be a mother. What’s wrong with that? Why should she bear the brunt of your anger?” He pointed at me angrily. “You have to apologize to Morwenna today!” I struggled to control my trembling body. Through gritted teeth I asked: “Then what did I do wrong?” “What exactly did I do wrong?” Kael stared at my reddened eyes, taken aback for a moment. “Never mind, Kael. Even though I almost fell to my death…” “I don’t blame Sis, and I don’t need her to apologize.” “You two are still getting married in the future. I don’t want you to fight because of me.” Morwenna cried pitifully. Kael sighed, looking at her with tender affection. “Morwenna, sometimes your kindness breaks my heart.” He turned to me with cold eyes. “At the end of the day, you’re just jealous of Morwenna. You can’t stand to see her doing better than you.” “I’ll let it slide this time since Morwenna spoke up for you. But if you dare hurt her again, I won’t go easy on you.” He picked Morwenna up in his arms. Before leaving, he looked at me with disappointment and said: “You don’t measure up to your sister at all.” Only I remained in the silent living room. I stared blankly at the withered leaves drifting outside the window. Finally unable to hold back, I crouched down and sobbed into my hands. One last time… This was the last time I would cry over Kael. That afternoon, Kael posted on Instagram. It was a 9-photo collage. The photos showed different corners of a house. The caption read: “Every room, every piece of furniture, every decoration here was carefully chosen by me. I just want to give my baby a warm and comfortable home.” Many people offered congratulations in the comments. “Congrats to Mr. Brown on becoming a father so soon!” “So you and Echo are having a shotgun wedding! Congratulations!” “The bride is so lucky to have such a good husband in Kael. So envious!” “I wouldn’t miss your wedding in three months for a billion-dollar deal.” Just as the comment section was buzzing with well-wishes, Morwenna suddenly chimed in: “Please don’t misunderstand, everyone. This isn’t Kael’s marital home, it’s my house.” The comments section instantly fell into awkward silence. I was the first to break it, posting: “Three’s a crowd. I’m out. Wishing you two happiness.” With that, I couldn’t be bothered to see what else they might say. I directly deleted Kael and Morwenna from my friends list. Within minutes, Kael called me. “Echo Young, have you had enough of this tantrum?” I calmly replied: “I’m not throwing a tantrum.” Kael fumed. “That comment you left on my Instagram was clearly trying to smear dirt on Morwenna.” “Do you have to paint her as the other woman to be satisfied?” “If you keep slandering her, we can just call off the wedding!” I listened to his cold, heartless accusations, my heart as still as dead water, unmoved. “Kael Brown, what makes you think I’d still want someone’s sloppy seconds?” I hung up the phone. Perhaps the words “sloppy seconds” stung him. He called me countless times after that. When the calls wouldn’t go through, he bombarded me with messages. I ignored them all. In ten days I would be marrying Griffin. These people would all become part of my past. I had hoped to spend the remaining days coexisting peacefully with them, but I never expected Morwenna to knock over my father’s urn. The ashes scattered on the floor. Not only did she show no remorse, she even let her pet cat urinate on them. Then she looked at me with glee. “Sis, look! The ashes can even be used as kitty litter for my cat!” In that moment, the grief and rage I had been suppressing exploded. I snatched up the baseball bat by the door and swung it viciously at Morwenna. She took one hit and ran away screaming, her face pale. “Echo Young! You’ve really gone too far! How dare you hit your sister!” Mom’s appearance made Morwenna feel like she’d found a savior. She hid behind Mom, trembling. Sobbing, she said: “Mom, I’m scared. Sis tried to kill me!” Mom shielded Morwenna like a mother hen protecting her chick. She berated me harshly: “I’ve let your bullying of your sister slide before, treating it as harmless squabbling. But this time you’ve gone too far.” She was my mother, yet she always stood against me, defending an adopted daughter with no blood relation to her. Nothing could be more heartbreaking than this. I stared at Mom through tear-filled eyes. “She knocked over Dad’s urn!” “That was Dad! My Dad! Why? Why!” Why did they have to destroy the last memento Dad left me, even though I had already been so tolerant? Why didn’t my own mother love me? Morwenna quickly knelt down to explain. “Mom, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to, I’m sorry Mom… If Sis won’t forgive me, then I’d rather die!” Morwenna cried heartbrokenly. “Morwenna, don’t you dare-” SLAP! Before I could finish, Mom’s hand struck my face. “Enough!” “It’s just ashes! The person is already dead, are ashes more important than the living?” “If you bully Morwenna again, you can get out of this house.” That slap knocked away the last shred of attachment I had for her. This was for the best. I could leave without any lingering sentiments. I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth without sparing another glance at Mom, who stood there stunned. Then I turned and went upstairs. Since Mom thought I was an eyesore, and Morwenna had taken over my room, Rather than stay in this house that no longer had a place for me, I might as well move out. I packed a few clothes quickly. I didn’t take anything else – not the things Mom had given me, nor the expensive gifts from Kael. I didn’t even bring the photos I’d taken with them before. I burned them all. I wasn’t one to dwell on the past. Since I was leaving, I would leave cleanly. As I dragged my suitcase downstairs, Mom was applying medicine to Morwenna’s bruises. She glanced at me coldly. “Just because I scolded you a bit, you’re running away from home? How petty.” “Fine, go stay somewhere else. It’ll give this house some peace and quiet.” “Come back on your wedding day with Kael!” I said nothing, taking one last look at Mom. I wouldn’t tell her I had changed my groom. Nor would I tell her my wedding was in just ten days. Because she was no longer someone I could be close to. And I didn’t want her, or Morwenna and Kael, to show up and ruin my wedding. I called a car on my phone. While waiting, Kael pulled up in his car. “Echo Young, what are you doing with that suitcase?” “Moving out.” Kael frowned. “What for? I already gave that house to Morwenna. Don’t make trouble for her for no reason.” “I’m looking for a new place. Wait until I find one, then you can move.” I said nothing, walking past his car expressionlessly. Kael abruptly grabbed my arm. “Echo, do you have to make things so unpleasant between us? Can’t we be happy like before?” “You cheated on me with my adopted sister, yet you have the gall to hope we can be happy together? Where do you get the nerve?” “Why do you keep harping on about that? I’ve explained it to you countless times. Why are you still being so petty about it? Can’t you be more understanding like Morwenna?” Seeing him blame all the wrongdoing on me, criticizing and belittling me with such a self-righteous look on his face, I witnessed the epitome of shamelessness incarnate. “Since you find Morwenna so understanding, why don’t you just marry her then.” Kael didn’t believe a word I said. After all, everyone knew how much I loved him. They all thought I would never let him go. They certainly wouldn’t believe I would choose to leave when the wedding was so close. Including Kael himself. So he said dismissively: “Fine, you said it yourself. Don’t come crying back to me later when you regret it.” “Kael, you came to see me?” Morwenna’s voice interrupted our conversation as she came out. “Aunt said you had a scare earlier. What happened?” Morwenna pretended to be afraid, glancing at me before nestling into Kael’s arms. “Sis went crazy today, chasing after me with a baseball bat…” Kael’s brows furrowed. He was about to scold me when Morwenna tugged on his sleeve. “Kael, don’t yell at Sis. I don’t blame her anymore. It’s my fault, really. If Mom hadn’t adopted me, I wouldn’t be here bothering her.” “How could it be your fault? She’s the one who’s petty and can’t tolerate others. She’s the one in the wrong.” Kael put his hand on Morwenna’s shoulder in an intimate gesture. “Echo Young, I can overlook you hitting someone this time for Morwenna’s sake. But you must kneel down and apologize to her.” Their shameless act made me laugh in anger. “Apologize to her? Keep dreaming!” My ride had just arrived. I slammed the car door and left without a backward glance. Living in a hotel for the next few days, away from those toxic people and situations, I felt very at ease. But then Mom sent me a text message. “Echo, it’s my birthday today. Come home for a bit. I wasn’t going to let you come, but Morwenna begged me to invite you. Remember to thank her when you see her.” Of course I hadn’t forgotten her birthday. But I would no longer be like before, starting preparations a week in advance to organize the venue and gifts, determined to give her a pleasant birthday celebration. Of course, I wouldn’t be going back either. That place was no longer my home, and she was no longer my mother. Around noon, I was enjoying a nice meal. Probably because she hadn’t seen me show up, Mom impatiently sent another text: “Why aren’t you here yet? Even Kael has arrived. What kind of daughter are you, not showing up for your mother’s birthday?” “I’m not blaming you for not preparing a birthday party for me this year. Are you still upset about that slap?” “Can’t you learn to be kind and forgiving like Morwenna?” I read it with a cold laugh. What kind of birth mother would say such things? It was ruining my appetite. I promptly blocked her number. My phone had barely been quiet for a moment when Kael called. “Where are you? Stop being difficult and hurry over. Otherwise people will think your mom and Morwenna did something to make you skip your own mother’s birthday party.” I replied flatly: “We’ve broken up. It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to go.” He caught my implied meaning and laughed. “Come on! That thing with your adopted sister was just a joke! How could you take it seriously? You’re the only one I like.” “Whether you like me or not doesn’t matter to me anymore.” “Echo Young, who do you think you are?” Kael snatched the phone from his friend and spoke coldly. “Break up if you want. You’ll be the one regretting it.” I listened expressionlessly, about to hang up. Suddenly his tone softened. “Echo, how can you be so heartless? Leaving just like that, breaking up just like that…” If this had happened before, I definitely would have softened when he spoke to me gently like this. No matter how badly he treated me, I would have easily forgiven him. But now, I was revoking that privilege. So I hung up the phone indifferently and deleted the contact information for all his friends. From now on, we would go our separate ways, never to meet again. Griffin, Sophie and I chatted for a while longer outside the bar. Sophie wanted to take a cab home by herself. She said she didn’t want to be a third wheel. But she had been drinking, and it was so late. How could I let her go alone? So we drove her home first. After she left, only Griffin and I remained in the car. The enclosed space and ambiguous atmosphere Made the temperature rise steadily. My head, already fuzzy from drinking, felt even dizzier. He inched closer to me bit by bit. I bit my lip shyly, not knowing what to do.

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