Author: Momo Chan

The day he admitted the affair and asked for a divorce, I signed the papers immediately. The house, the car, and custody of our child will be awarded to me. Everyone thought I was stalling. Thirty days later— The mistress was suspended the very night she got promoted. The company’s accounts were frozen, forcing it into bankruptcy. I left the city with my child, starting a new life without him. When I pushed the divorce agreement in front of Nathan, it had only been 40 minutes since he told me about his affair and asked for a divorce. As requested, the house, car, and custody of our child would all go to me. He would give me a one-time payment of $2 million for compensation and child support. After that, our child and I would no longer bother him. At that moment, Nathan was in the middle of a conference call. He glanced down, saw the words “Divorce Agreement,” and his expression flickered almost imperceptibly. Then he nodded, indicating he understood. I left the room. To save time for both of us, I packed up all of Nathan’s clothes and belongings. Three full suitcases. Afraid I might have missed something, I even included his childhood photos from the attic. Finally, I saw our wedding photo in the corner. In the photo, Nathan looked handsome and dashing, while I smiled sweetly. We were embracing without a care in the world under the sunlight. That was when he would always hold me close and whisper, “Honey, I love you so much. I’m so lucky to have married you.” Nathan and I met in college. When we first met, he was still a poor boy wearing worn-out canvas shoes. I had plenty of suitors back then, but I fell for Nathan at first sight. He was calm, kind, and good-looking. He had countless qualities I admired. We got married right after graduation, and he started a company with his friends. After I got pregnant, I became a full-time housewife. I devoted myself entirely to taking care of Nathan and our family. As the business grew, Nathan’s social obligations and drinking events increased. In between my busy daily routines, I made time to work out and learn about makeup and fashion. Nathan didn’t disappoint either. No matter how busy he was, he would come home to look after our child and cook. He also helped me handle the relationship with his mother. In others’ eyes, we were the model couple, the model family. I’m not sure when it started, but Nathan began scheduling meetings in the evenings. Sometimes when work got busy, he would stay out all night. Friends joked that I should keep a closer eye on him in case anything happened. I laughed it off, saying it wouldn’t, but I still felt uneasy. I brought them late-night snacks a few times. Nothing seemed amiss. A group of people in meetings, with that woman just waiting at the reception desk. Her name was Chloe. In her early forties, not very tall, on the thin side, with short hair. She looked rather plain, but her voice was unexpectedly gentle, unlike her appearance. She smiled and greeted me. All these years, I had imagined this day might come. I thought it might be a pretty secretary at the company, or a fresh-faced college student, or maybe a powerful female CEO they worked with. I never expected it would be Chloe, the receptionist. I heard she had been married before, but her husband cheated and they divorced. This was her first job after the divorce, and she cherished it greatly. She would come to the office early, learn everyone’s little habits, and occasionally make some pastries. Some colleagues even ordered lunch from her for convenience. When I found out, I told Nathan to look after her a bit, since she was having a tough time. Nathan always responded coolly. “The company isn’t a place for sentiment. I’ve already advised her not to engage in transactions outside of work.” At the time, I teased Nathan for being an unsympathetic boss. Now that I think about it, he was probably upset that Chloe had to make extra food for colleagues after work every day. As for why Nathan chose today to ask for a divorce. I had just made him a hangover soup as usual this morning after he came home drunk. He looked at the soup in front of him, sighed, and pushed it away slightly. After a long silence, he suddenly looked up at me, his eyes weary, and asked if we could get divorced. He confessed that he had been having an affair for six months, sneaking off to hotels every time he worked late. My heart trembled like a sieve, as I struggled to control myself. I asked who it was. When he said Chloe’s name, I even doubted I had heard correctly. A sense of helplessness washed over me. Cold and chilling.

By the time Nathan finished his meeting and came out, I had already eaten, cleaned up the kitchen, and was sitting in the living room watching TV. As if nothing had happened. He turned to take a shower, but halfway through realized there were no towels. Out of habit, he called from the bathroom. “Honey, where’s my bath towel?” Without turning around, I replied: “I’ve already packed it in the suitcase. If you don’t mind, use mine for now. I’ll throw it away later.” I was met with a long silence in response. When Nathan came out, he finally noticed the three suitcases by the door. He sat down across from me and pushed the divorce agreement towards me with his fingertips. “I can give you $1.5 million for child support upfront, and the rest can be paid monthly…” I interrupted: “No need. Let’s do a lump sum buyout. I don’t think she would want you to keep in contact with me either.” Nathan looked at me, puzzled: “The child isn’t just yours. I have the right to be involved in his upbringing. I know this is my fault, and I’m willing to compensate, but you don’t need to use our child as leverage.” I paused the TV show and looked at Nathan seriously. “The affair is your fault, so it’s reasonable for you to pay compensation and child support. Compared to your assets, me getting the house and car isn’t asking too much. Our son has been raised by me since he was little. He’s a sensitive child with needs. Tell me, how much energy will you have to take care of him while you’re in the honeymoon phase of your new relationship? Being involved in his growth isn’t just about money, it’s about time and companionship.” Nathan was left speechless. After a while, he spoke: “In any case, I won’t use $2 million to buy out my relationship with my son.” I reached out and opened the divorce agreement: “The $2 million is for compensation and child support. If you have other emotional needs, you can transfer money to our son. I’ll open a separate card for him.” Nathan suddenly laughed: “Sophia, I never knew you were so obsessed with money. You keep talking about money.” “What else is there? Is loving you useful?” Nathan was stunned into silence. He frowned and swiftly took out a pen to sign the divorce agreement. He also arranged for us to go to the civil affairs bureau tomorrow to apply for divorce. Then he called his driver. I finished watching my show and went to bed. When I woke up in the morning, Nathan was already gone. Our son ran out of his room and hugged me, excitedly telling me about a really happy dream he had last night. As I listened to him share, I tentatively told him that Dad’s company was busy lately, so he might be away on business trips for a long time. Contrary to his usual reaction, our son didn’t insist on calling Nathan to ask, “Dad, when are you coming back?” He just said “Oh” and pursed his little lips: “It’s okay, I have Mom with me.” I instantly couldn’t hold back anymore. Tears spilled from my eyes as I excused myself to the bathroom to compose myself. Agreeing to divorce Nathan made me sad, but mostly I felt I was letting our son down by not allowing him to grow up in a complete family. But I knew this wasn’t my fault. After dropping our son off at school, Nathan and I went to the civil affairs bureau to apply for divorce. There’s a 30-day cooling-off period, after which we can get the divorce certificate. Back in the car, I circled a date on the calendar, marking today. Divorce countdown: 30 days.

I debated whether to tell my parents about the divorce now. I grew up in this city, with all my relatives and friends here. My parents are retired teachers, and I’m their only daughter. They’re very open-minded, but my father’s health hasn’t been great these past couple of years. I was thinking of waiting a bit longer. Nathan called after a couple of days. He rarely called me. Usually, he would text on SnapChat, since I would always reply promptly, which he found convenient. Last night, I had already deleted him from my contacts. I answered the call. Nathan’s voice sounded normal. “Sophia, your mom just called me. She said she’s cooked a lot of dishes tonight and wants us to come over for dinner. I think since your dad’s health isn’t good, maybe we should wait to tell them about the divorce until he’s better. What time do you want to go over? Also, next Sunday is your dad’s birthday. Should I still go with you?” I had been hesitating, but hearing Nathan’s words made me decide to tell my parents the news. I replied that it wasn’t necessary. Nathan: “You don’t need to be stubborn. The elderly’s health is important.” I said calmly: “If you really cared, you wouldn’t have an affair and ask for divorce at a time like this. My dad’s health may not be great, but his mind is clear. I don’t think he would want me to continue in an unfaithful marriage.” “Nathan.” “Hmm?” “Don’t call again. If you want to see our son, follow the agreement. Once a week.” Hearing this, Nathan dropped his conciliatory tone. “Sophia, I’ll say it again. Ethan is my son too, my family…” “But you gave up the family he belonged to, didn’t you?” Finally, I heard Nathan slam down the phone. I promptly hung up and collected my somewhat shattered emotions. I decided to drive to the mall. The bedding, sofa, and all the furniture Nathan liked at home – I planned to replace it all. And I wanted everything in stock. After replacing everything, I cleaned the house thoroughly, then went to my mom’s place. When she saw me without Nathan, she assumed he was busy. I fell silent, feeling a bit nervous as I called out, “Mom.” She immediately sensed something was wrong. Putting down what she was doing, she just stared at me, then gently pulled me into her arms. I didn’t say anything, but as a mother, she could feel my emotions and hurt. I tried to calmly explain everything to her. My mom handed me a tissue to wipe my tears. Her voice was very soft. “It’s okay, divorce is quite common these days. If he’s not faithful, it’s better to end it sooner rather than later. Sophia, Mom only has one request for you.” She finished speaking, her eyes growing moist as she held my hand. “Since you’ve decided to divorce, no matter what happens, don’t ever get back together with him.” I nodded tearfully: “Okay.” After dinner, my mom and dad talked in their room for a long time. When they came out, my dad handed me a big red envelope. He said today was a new beginning, worth celebrating. “I hope my precious daughter will always be happy and blessed.” Leaving my parents’ house, I cried for a long time in the car. Before coming, I was so afraid of disappointing them. They’ve barely argued in their lives, always getting along harmoniously. When I married Nathan, everyone disapproved, but they said they respected my decision. Now that Nathan is successful, everyone admires them for having good judgment. Yet they calmly support my divorce. I wiped my tears and looked at the calendar. Divorce countdown: 28 days.

When I picked up our son from school, he said Grandpa had called saying he missed him and asked if he could stay at their place for a week. He wanted me to take him over. I was taken aback but helped our son pack a small suitcase. He was so excited, saying Grandpa had promised to take him to fly a drone. After dropping our son off, my mom walked me out: “Sophia, cheer up. Go out and have some fun.” As I got in the car, my mom stood there watching me for a long time before going back inside. I opened the mirror in the car and saw my pale face and dejected expression. I took out my makeup and applied a bright lipstick. I went home and packed some things. Then I traveled for a week, hurriedly seeing many people and places, hearing many stories along the way. I came back feeling much more spirited. I looked at the calendar. Divorce countdown: 21 days.

I returned just in time for my dad’s birthday. They decided to hold it at a hotel this time, inviting relatives and friends for a gathering. The hotel wasn’t far from home. There were five tables in total, all filled with familiar relatives and friends. Many people were asking about Nathan. Fortunately, our son had an extracurricular class today and didn’t come. My parents didn’t directly answer the questions. Just as dinner was about to start and my dad went up to give a speech, Nathan arrived. He was dressed in a suit and tie, carrying several gift bags and a big red envelope. The relatives and friends all greeted him. He waited for my dad to come down and handed him the red envelope: “Dad, happy birthday.” My dad glanced at it coolly: “Mr. Miller, you’re too kind. No need for the red envelope, since you and Sophia are already divorced. I wouldn’t dare let you spend the money.” Nathan’s face instantly froze. The relatives and friends were in an uproar, but quickly fell silent. His voice was very low: “We’re still just in the agreement stage…” My dad shook his head: “It’s all the same, same meaning.” He then turned to invite everyone to eat and drink. Nathan just stood there. He gripped the gift bags tightly. My mom politely returned the other things to him. He left without lingering. Seeing him leave, the relatives and friends tacitly agreed not to mention Nathan again. In the future, no one would ask me about him either. That’s good. My mood was gradually recovering, accepting, permeating. I shed the title of Mrs. Miller. I became Sophia Chen again. The property management and housekeeper of the company somehow got the news. They no longer called me Mrs. Miller, but Miss Chen instead. I also quickly wanted to keep myself busy. I planned to open a coffee shop. There was a shop for sale that I liked the location and decor of, so I signed the deal right away. The staff were all still there and could continue operations, but I wanted to take some time to adjust the menu and flavors. I also wanted to change the storefront and furniture. It was temporarily set to soft open. After a busy day at the shop finalizing plans, I was about to head home. I glanced at the calendar in the car. Divorce countdown: 15 days.

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I personally put my girlfriend into my cousin’s bed. The moment the door closed, I didn’t leave. I sat at the far end of the hallway, listening as the night fermented with ambiguous sounds, counting down to the start of their judgment. Tyler has been divorced for three years, yet he still receives a hefty monthly alimony from his ex-wife, living a life of luxury and indulgence. One day he’s dating a model, the next he’s wooing a college girl. He’s always busy with his conquests. Recently, he set his sights on my girlfriend of six months, Skyler. I wasn’t surprised that he discovered her so quickly. My mom had come to my rented apartment to pick up some things and happened to meet her. My mom’s biggest flaw in life is her constant need to compare herself to others, consumed by envy. Tyler had married well, and even after the divorce, he still had an endless supply of alimony. Add to that my Aunt Lydia’s relentless bragging in front of my mom. It had become my mom’s life mission for me to marry someone even better than Tyler’s ex-wife. My lack of progress in this area had become her constant worry. I met Skyler at a bar. I spotted her in the crowd and it took me over six months to finally win her over. She was younger than Tyler’s ex-wife, prettier, and even wealthier. Wasn’t this exactly what my mom wanted? She immediately announced it in our family group text, even sending out a cash gift via Venmo to celebrate my impending marriage. When I saw this, I could only respond with a waving hand emoji. “It’s not that serious, everyone. Don’t make a big deal out of it.” My mom immediately fired back with a photo in the group text. “With looks like this and carrying a bag like that, you’re not serious? Give me a break!” Tyler chimed in: “Wow, where did our Ethan find such a gem? Do I need to check her out for you?” I didn’t respond, but I knew that whether I liked it or not, he would try anyway. However, this time I was well prepared.

On the first day of our relationship, I told Skyler, “I have a very handsome and smooth-talking cousin who likes to add my girlfriends on Snapchat. If he tries to add you, please don’t accept.” Skyler jokingly asked, “Afraid I’ll fall for him?” I chuckled softly and said, “I’m afraid you’ll fall for his charm and get your heart broken. Let’s just say none of my exes ended well after getting involved with him.” She hugged me and cooed, “Well, I definitely won’t. I’m yours for life, Ethan.” With my warning, when Tyler first tried to add her, she consistently refused. She even complained to me several times: “Your cousin Tyler is really persistent. He’s tried to add me with over ten different Snapchat accounts.” I kissed her cheek in approval and said, “You must stand firm. Don’t let his player act get to you.” Her fingers didn’t stop as she rejected another friend request from a new account. Then she turned to me and said: “My parents want to have dinner with you. They say we’ve been dating for six months, and you still haven’t shown your face. They’re really excited to meet you after everything I’ve told them.” I paused for a moment, stroked her head, and said, “Let’s wait a bit longer. I’m quite busy these days. After this quarter is over, I’ll treat your parents to dinner.” “You don’t need to treat them! They’d be over the moon just to see you. We’ll eat at my family’s hotel!” Perhaps frustrated by his inability to add Skyler on Snapchat, Tyler became impatient and suggested coming to stay at my rented apartment for a while. Of course, I wouldn’t agree, but my mom was eager to show off the new apartment Skyler had gotten for me. She couldn’t wait to give him the address. So when I returned from work, I found Skyler and Tyler sitting on opposite ends of the sofa, scrolling through their phones. Skyler pulled me into the bedroom, clearly annoyed, and said, “I really didn’t engage with him. How did he end up at our place?” I shrugged it off, “My mom probably gave him the address. He’s just like that. Just ignore him and he’ll go away.” She swore she hadn’t encouraged him. I felt a bit uneasy, my mind replaying the image of them sitting on the sofa. Surely Skyler wouldn’t fall for him so quickly, right? It had taken me six grueling months to win her over. She couldn’t possibly be won over in just one evening, could she? I was still anxious, partly due to my lack of self-confidence, and partly because I wasn’t sure how long Skyler could resist.

Skyler didn’t stay over that night. She had another apartment in the next building and went back there. Early the next morning, she came over with breakfast. The table was laden with seven or eight dishes. Tyler saw this and smirked proudly. “Did Skyler bring so much because she knew I was here today?” “Wow, I love the soup dumplings from this place. They never do delivery. Did you go and pick them up early this morning?” Skyler glanced at him and said, “No, I forgot you were here. I actually bought less than usual. Ethan doesn’t have much of an appetite in the morning, so I buy a variety for him to choose from.” Tyler let out a long “Oh,” but his hands kept fidgeting, a sign that he was deep in thought. I figured if he was only slightly interested in Skyler before, now he was definitely determined to win her over. I squeezed Skyler’s hand unconsciously, perhaps a bit too hard. Skyler looked at me, puzzled by the pain. I quickly apologized and left the table. That evening when I got home from work, they were again sitting on opposite ends of the sofa. Skyler got up to greet me as I entered. She whispered to me, “Does Tyler not have a job? Why is he here every day? And doesn’t he have his own place? Why is he always at ours?” I looked up at her and said, “If you add him on Snapchat, he might leave you alone.” Her expression froze for a moment before she said, “I just added him. He said if I did, he’d go home tomorrow.” I simply said “Oh” and went into the bedroom. Skyler followed me in, asking if I was angry. “I just didn’t want to see him every day. I’ve already blocked him, see? I’ve even muted his notifications.” She said, pulling out her phone to show me, trying to prove her innocence. I didn’t say anything, but my disappointment must have been obvious because Skyler spent half the evening trying to cheer me up. At dinner, she kept trying to engage me in conversation and piled food onto my plate. Tyler observed this and smiled, “Skyler is very attentive, isn’t she?”

Skyler ignored him. She was busy discussing with me about the setup of a new direct-sales brand store she was working on. Tyler, hearing this, deliberately made a commotion at the dinner table. When we both looked at him, he smiled and said: “Oh my, you’re talking about something I’m quite familiar with. I got a bit excited.” He turned to the puzzled Skyler and said, “My ex-wife has a direct-sales brand that’s doing quite well. She has many resources that she could share with me. For Ethan’s sake, I could help you out.” He then went on to describe the brand in detail. I could see that Skyler was very interested. She looked at me hesitantly, then back at Tyler, and asked: “Since it’s your ex-wife’s, wouldn’t it be awkward?” “What’s awkward about it? A quick chat and everything’s solved. Just wait for my message.” This time, Skyler didn’t refuse. I knew her “mute” setting for Tyler was about to be turned off. Sure enough, when she came into the room later, she said to me, “Tyler is quite generous and connected, isn’t he?” I just looked up at her once, my eyes already half red. She immediately came over to comfort me: “I was just saying. How could I be interested in a man who’s still entangled with his ex-wife?”

Tyler left my apartment the next day, and Skyler didn’t come back for several days. She said she was out of town for work, as several direct-sales stores were opening simultaneously. During our video calls, I could sometimes see Tyler in the background. She quickly explained: “Tyler called to ask about my progress. When he heard I was in the neighboring city, he came over to check things out. This time, thanks to his help, a lot of work was saved. Even my dad praised me.” Second-generation rich kids spend their lives trying to surpass their parents, and Skyler was no exception. Especially since she was a girl. Her father and grandfather were both very successful entrepreneurs. She wasn’t bad herself, but she was always overshadowed by her family’s legacy. She had always wanted to prove herself. This time, the direct-sales stores were set up in several cities at once, fast and in good locations. Even her father and grandfather praised her at the dinner table for handling this matter beautifully. Skyler transferred $200,000 to me, saying it was to buy a gift for my cousin in my name. “I know he helped me because of you. It’s better if you give it to him. I still have some sense of boundaries.” She added, “Choose something Tyler likes. If it’s not enough, I can send more.” I took out my phone and called him. As soon as the call connected, I said: “Thanks for helping my girlfriend. She wants to send you a gift worth about $200,000. Is there anything you like? Or should I just transfer the money to you?” There was a pause on the other end, then a slightly hoarse female voice came through. “Ethan? Why is your girlfriend sending Tyler a gift?” Oh no, Tyler and his ex-wife’s contact names only differed by one letter. I had accidentally called his ex-wife, Faye. Faye, Tyler, and I were all alumni. Faye was a year ahead of us, and we’d run into each other during club activities. I had only complimented Faye once on being considerate, and the next day, Tyler started pursuing her ostentatiously. Two weeks later, they were together. After several breakups and reconciliations, they got married right after graduation. Three years into the marriage, they divorced.

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I used to believe family was the one line no one would ever cross. That belief shattered the day I caught my boyfriend cheating and had nowhere else to go, so I moved into my younger brother’s place. Instead of support, his girlfriend slapped me across the face and threw me out of the house. She called me “pathetic,” said I deserved to be dumped, and claimed she was the real woman of the house. And my own brother stood beside her—silent, choosing her over me. That was the moment I simply made one decision—— kicked them both out of my house. My brother Dylan Stone is seven years younger than me and currently in college. Six months ago, he asked if he could borrow my two-bedroom apartment in Chapel Hill because his roommate snores and keeps him up at night. Since the place was sitting empty, I gave him two spare keys and told him to stay in the guest room and not to enter my room. He eagerly agreed. A couple of days ago, I discovered that my ex-boyfriend cheated on me. After the breakup, he kept showing up outside my office building and my apartment complex every day. To get some peace, I handed over my work to my assistant and decided to stay at my brother’s place for a while. On Thursday afternoon at 4 PM, Dylan should still be in class, so I didn’t tell him and just dragged my suitcase over. But to my surprise, I found that no matter how hard I tried, my key wouldn’t unlock the door. Could Dylan have changed the locks without telling me? Just as I was about to pull out my phone to ask Dylan what was going on, the door suddenly clicked open. Standing there was a girl with perfect makeup, wearing a cute, fuzzy pink bunny onesie. That onesie looked familiar; it seemed like something I had bought as a spare. But right now, I didn’t have time to figure out why this girl was wearing what looked like my pajamas. What I really needed to know was why she was in my home! As I frowned at her, she looked me up and down with an expression that was anything but friendly. “Hi…” I tried to ask what was going on, but she interrupted me. “Are you serious?! You’re here trying to break into my house? Do you think I won’t call the cops and have you arrested?” ??? I stood there, confused and taken aback. Just as I pulled off my scarf to show my face and understand what was happening, I felt a sharp sting on my left cheek. At the same moment, the door slammed shut, sending a breeze across my burning face. I was seething with anger as I took out my phone. My gut told me this was all Dylan’s doing. [Me: Dylan, what did you do with my house?!] [Dylan: Sis? What’s wrong?] [Me: I just got slapped by a woman in my pajamas who’s in my house.] [Dylan: Why did you show up so suddenly?] [Me: You better explain this to me quickly.] Dylan seemed surprised and panicked, taking a few minutes to respond. [Dylan: Sis, there’s probably a misunderstanding. I had my girlfriend open the door for you. I’ll explain when I get back from class; don’t be mad.] Don’t be mad? How am I supposed to not be mad after being slapped and locked out of my own house? Wait… girlfriend? Dylan is dating someone? And they’re living together? In my house?!

I waited outside for another ten minutes, but Dylan’s girlfriend still didn’t come to let me in. As a graduate from a prestigious university who started a successful business with my best friend, I was now a bona fide female CEO. With my impressive grades and affluent background, I had always been pampered growing up. It was the first time someone had disrespected me like this, and I couldn’t just let it go. Unfortunately, I really couldn’t get into the house, so I dragged my suitcase to a coffee shop downstairs to wait for Dylan. During this time, Dylan kept sending me apology messages. [Dylan: Sis, she definitely didn’t mean it; don’t be mad.] [Dylan: There must be some misunderstanding; just calm down.] I ignored him. An hour later, a disheveled Dylan rushed into the coffee shop, scanning the room until he quickly spotted me in the corner. He approached me with a smile plastered on his face. “My lovely, charming sister, I knew you wouldn’t be upstairs, so I figured you’d be here!” Dylan grabbed my suitcase, saying, “Let’s go, Sis.” I shot him a glare, my anger bubbling under the surface, and followed him upstairs. In the elevator, Dylan kept trying to charm me. “Sis, I just got back and had a talk with Skylar. Don’t be mad; don’t let her drag you into the mud.” Seeing him like this, I could understand; after all, they were supposed to be enjoying their time together as a couple, and me showing up probably made things awkward for them. But this girl was taking it a bit too far. I decided that if she apologized sincerely, I could overlook this whole incident. Dylan quickly agreed. Once we entered the apartment, I found Skylar lounging on the sofa, her bare feet propped up on the coffee table I had meticulously chosen during renovations. She was munching on sunflower seeds and watching some reality show, laughing out loud from time to time. Sunflower seed shells were scattered everywhere, and there were piles of orange peels and several empty soda cans on the table. The elegant artwork that once hung in the living room had been replaced with posters of boy bands I didn’t even recognize. I couldn’t believe this was the apartment I had handed over to Dylan. “Skylar, this is my sister, Avery,” Dylan said, giving her a knowing glance before turning to me with a nervous smile. “Avery, this is my girlfriend, Skylar Hayes.” I regarded the girl before me, who was practically the definition of rude. “Hi, sister,” Skylar said, barely looking at me. “I asked you to let my sister in; why didn’t you?” Dylan asked her, glancing nervously at my expression. “And about that misunderstanding, hurry up and apologize to my sister!” Only then did Skylar glance my way. After scanning between me and Dylan, she smirked, “I didn’t realize your sister liked to wear matching scarves with you!” That’s when I noticed Dylan was wearing the scarf I had given him. I hadn’t purposely given him that scarf; it was a mix-up when I ordered a couple online. The seller mistakenly sent me two, and since I didn’t want to deal with returning it, I just kept both. I had planned to give the extra one to my best friend, but Dylan had seen it and said he needed one, so I just handed it over. Siblings wearing matching scarves isn’t that strange, right? And because of this, I was slapped and locked out of my own home? Unbelievable…

After hearing that explanation, I could somewhat understand Skylar’s actions; she probably thought I was a homewrecker. She was just a bit petty, being in the honeymoon phase of her relationship, so I forced myself to be understanding. I turned to Dylan and asked why he had changed the locks. If my key had worked, none of this would have happened, and I wouldn’t have gotten slapped for no reason. Dylan hesitated before explaining, “Well… I forgot my keys at school the other day and had to call a locksmith. For safety’s sake, I had the locks changed.” Skylar chimed in sarcastically, “Who would feel safe knowing someone else has a key to our place?” The only keys to this apartment, besides Dylan’s, are mine. Not even our parents have a key. This is my house; am I an outsider? She really doesn’t see herself as an outsider? Seeing I was about to explode, Dylan quickly jumped in to defend Skylar. “Hey, sis, don’t think too much about it. Skylar just meant the locksmith.” Looking at Dylan’s panicked defense of Skylar, it was clear he really liked her. Dylan was twenty years old, and this was the first time I realized he was dating someone. Oh well, as long as he likes her. Skylar probably just had low emotional intelligence and a lack of manners. Besides, it’s not like I’d be living with her; if Dylan can handle it, that’s all that matters. I didn’t say anything and pulled my suitcase toward the master bedroom. The door was open, revealing a messy space filled with signs of life. Before I moved out, I had left an entire set of unopened La Mer skincare products on my vanity, but now it was all used up. The clothes, shoes, bags, and jewelry I had prepared in the closet had all been used, and given that Skylar was wearing my pajamas, it was clear that Dylan and Skylar had moved into my room. “Skylar, since Dylan calls you that, I’ll call you that too,” I said, peeking into the master bedroom with a polite smile. “If you need skincare products, clothes, shoes, bags, or jewelry, just let me know. I can give you some that suit you, but using my things without permission—how am I supposed to use them when I arrive?” Surprisingly, Skylar didn’t show any sign of remorse or intent to apologize. Instead, she looked at me and said, “You’re keeping a tally? How pathetic.” “Well, you’re not married yet. No matter how much you earn, it’s all for Dylan’s wedding. I’m his girlfriend, so everything here technically belongs to me, right?” I swear I’ve never met someone as shameless as Skylar. Not a person, but a whole different species! Dylan rushed over to pull me into the master bedroom, whispering, “Sis, Skylar didn’t have an easy life at home. Her family… let’s just say they don’t value daughters much, so she craves affection. Don’t take it too personally!” I held back my frustration and ordered Dylan, “Quick, gather your things and move them to the guest room!” Dylan nodded eagerly, “Okay, okay!” As Dylan moved their things from the master bedroom to the guest room, Skylar repeatedly tried to say something but was stopped by Dylan’s glare. She then plopped down on the sofa and started rolling her eyes dramatically. I was worried she might actually flip herself over.

I thought Skylar would finally calm down. After all, I was only planning to stay a few days. If I weren’t allergic to pet hair, I would’ve gone to my best friend’s place directly, but her boyfriend’s dog was temporarily staying there, so I had to come here. I didn’t mind Dylan dating; I was too busy to keep tabs on them. With my relentless encouragement, Dylan had developed impressive cooking skills, so naturally, he prepared dinner. The table was filled with all my favorite dishes: Southern-style pork, sweet and sour ribs, roasted chicken, stir-fried chives and eggs, cauliflower with ham, braised lamb, and my favorite spicy shrimp! “Eating so heavy at night? No wonder you got dumped!” “Ugh, chives? They’re so annoying to get out of your teeth!” “Dylan! Why did you make lamb? The smell is unbearable!” As soon as the dishes were served, Dylan hadn’t even had a chance to take off his apron when Skylar started picking food off the plate and shoving it into her mouth. While we weren’t a rich family, we still had decent manners. I frowned slightly at Skylar’s behavior but said nothing. Everyone comes from different backgrounds, and lifestyle habits vary; those can change over time. Hearing Skylar complain, I thought maybe Dylan overlooked her tastes since he wanted to impress me and had ignored what she liked. Just as I was about to reprimand Dylan for his lack of etiquette, he spoke up. “Didn’t you ask for at least two meat and two vegetable dishes for dinner? It’s been a while since my sister ate my cooking, so I made a few extra dishes.” “Didn’t you say eating chives is good for your health and you should have them every day?” “Didn’t you say yesterday you wanted to eat braised lamb?” Oh, great! So this whole dinner was a subtle attack aimed at me! Under Dylan’s silent pleading, I decided to ignore her and put on some disposable gloves to start peeling shrimp. Maybe I hadn’t given Skylar the reaction she was hoping for because, after just a few bites, she started acting up again. “Dylan, I want shrimp!” Dylan patiently peeled a few shrimp and placed them on her plate. “Some people have to peel their own shrimp. How… common.” Was that a direct jab at me? Sure, and next I should just give her my bank account too! But before I could swallow my shrimp and say anything, I witnessed something that shocked me to my core. “Dylan, feed me!” Skylar cooed in a high-pitched voice, closing her eyes and opening her mouth, waiting for him to spoon-feed her. Dylan looked troubled as he glanced at me, then turned to Skylar, who was looking at him with a blissful expression. He lowered his voice and said, “Skylar, don’t do that. My sister’s here; just eat your food, okay?” Hearing this, Skylar opened her eyes, shot me a glare, and clung to Dylan’s arm, pouting, “Dylan, do you love your sister more than me now? You used to never say no to me!” Dylan, looking uncomfortable, lowered his voice to soothe Skylar. “Skylar, my sister just went through a breakup. It’s not nice to tease her like this, and it’s not proper either.” Somewhere along the line, Skylar’s temper flared. She slammed her chopsticks on the table and stood up. “Dylan! Why is your sister more important than me? Just because she got dumped doesn’t mean I should be her little servant! You’re the only son; everything in this family will be yours! She’s just a daughter who’ll marry out someday. Why should I bow to her, an outsider?” At this point, my temper also flared. “Who are you calling an outsider?” Skylar seemed taken aback by my sudden anger, shrinking back slightly, but quickly regained her bravado, glaring at me. “I’m talking about you!” Seeing a confrontation brewing, Dylan hurriedly stood up to comfort Skylar. Skylar ignored him, pointing her finger at me. “Avery, do you have no shame? You show up uninvited and take over my room!” “You seem to forget who the real owner of this house is.”

“So what if the title is in your name? Your family only has Dylan as a son, and all the property will eventually belong to him!” “Once you marry, you’re no longer part of this family. Are you planning to take this house with you when you marry?” I raised an eyebrow. “Why shouldn’t I? It’s my property, and I can do whatever I want with it.” “You’re so selfish…” Skylar stared at me in disbelief, as if I had said something completely outrageous. Before she could continue her rant, Dylan picked her up and carried her away. “Avery, I’m sorry. Skylar isn’t usually like this; don’t be mad. I’ll talk to her. You just enjoy your meal, and after you eat, you can rest. I’ll handle the cleanup.” With that, Dylan dragged her into the guest room. After all that commotion, I lost my appetite. I returned to my bedroom to handle some work my assistant had sent to my email, getting so caught up that I lost track of time. When I finally looked up, it was already past 11 PM. After shutting down my computer and getting ready for a shower, my phone suddenly pinged with a friend request. —Hey Sis, I’m sorry. It was obvious that Dylan had made Skylar add me on social media. After I accepted the request, she quickly followed up with another message: “I’m sorry.” I didn’t have the energy to lecture Skylar on the principles of respect, so I simply replied, “Whatever.” I didn’t know if Dylan was using Skylar’s phone to apologize or if it was her idea; I didn’t want to figure it out. Like I said, I’m not the one who’ll be living with her. After my shower, I lay in bed and, out of habit, scrolled through Instagram. This action chased away any drowsiness I had just managed to gather. The top post was from Skylar, shared just seven minutes ago, reading: “My boundary-less sister-in-law also made an appearance. Not only did she force my boyfriend to wear matching scarves with her, but after getting dumped, she insists on moving into our master bedroom, leaving me and my boyfriend stuck in the cramped guest room.” The exaggerated description made my blood pressure spike. I couldn’t help but screenshot it and vent to my best friend, who immediately called me after reading it. “Avery, can you really put up with this? What’s wrong with Dylan? How could he be dating someone like her? Don’t worry, I’ll come over tomorrow and see what kind of little diva she is!” “No need. She’s not worth your trouble. Let her pack her things and leave tomorrow! If Dylan supports her, then he can leave with her.” So she wants to slander me, huh? And she didn’t even block me, making sure I saw it, trying to provoke me? If I let her into our family, I’d be the one to change my last name! I thought if Dylan liked her, I could tolerate her for his sake, but today Skylar really pushed my buttons, almost to the point of a full-on dance-off! In the Stone family, it’s either me or her!

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The day I was supposed to marry Brandon. Sienna, a young woman he’d sponsored through a tough time, was there, acting as our wedding host. As we exchanged rings, Sienna smiled, pressing the play button on the giant screen. The inscription on my ring flashed in high-definition video: WHORE. But on Brandon’s ring, Sienna’s name was engraved instead. Sienna provocatively wiggled her hand at me. “Brandon and I had these couple rings custom-made. Pretty, isn’t it?” The entire wedding hall fell silent. “What’s going on? Is this some new kind of… performance art?” “I’ve seen a lot of weird wedding stunts online. Maybe Brandon and Aurora are trying to be edgy?” “Wow, I never thought of having my ‘good friend’ put the ring on.” The word “WHORE” was undeniably clear on the big screen. Seeing me humiliated, our guests didn’t know how to react, resorting to forced laughter and awkward jokes to deflect. But right then, I didn’t care about their discomfort. My eyes were fixated on Brandon’s hand. I grabbed it tightly. “What is the meaning of this?” Brandon first frowned in annoyance. “Are you serious right now? Sienna just likes to joke around—” He stopped mid-sentence, his eyes widening as he looked down at his own ring. Where my name should have been, Sienna’s name was clearly etched on the inside. “How… how could this happen?” he mumbled, turning to Sienna. “Sienna, what’s going on?” Brandon had entrusted Sienna with all the details of our wedding rings. Sienna showed no sign of guilt, wiggling her hand at Brandon again. “Well, you insisted on going wedding dress shopping with Aurora instead of me that day, so I just changed it myself.” She finished, pouting playfully and sticking out her tongue. “Even the designer said my name sounded better. See? Our two names make such beautiful rings, don’t they?” Their hands came together. It was as if *they* were the happy couple getting married today. Brandon glanced at them, then let out a helpless sigh, his voice filled with a sickening indulgence. “Seriously, when are you going to grow up? You’re a grown woman, still so petty. What a little troublemaker. This is Aurora’s and my wedding today. Don’t you dare do this again.” Sienna batted her eyelashes at him, whining softly. “Hmph, it’s your fault for being so busy and not spending time with me lately.” “Alright, alright, fine. Next time, I’ll go swimming with you.” They flirted back and forth right there, at *our* wedding, as if they were the ones tying the knot. The wedding hall was utterly silent. The guests stared at the scene on stage, bewildered and unsure what to do. I couldn’t believe Brandon, a man so observant, wouldn’t notice the strange atmosphere. No. He simply thought Sienna was more important than anyone else. At that moment, scrolling text appeared on the big screen: **[PROFESSIONAL WHORE, ONLY FIVE BUCKS A POP!]** Accompanying the text were explicit photos of me being humiliated.

Perhaps the humiliation was too much, because the entire wedding venue fell into a stunned silence. My friend, Chloe, quickly cut the power to the screen. Sienna still looked unfazed, grinning as she said, “Like it? I customized that just for you.” “I think it would’ve been even better if you were wearing that ring and those captions while you were getting beaten up.” Brandon’s face finally changed. His expression quickly darkened. But not at Sienna. At me. “Aurora, Sienna’s just joking. Don’t make a scene.” “It’s our wedding day.” I let out a mocking laugh. *I* was making a scene? Who was it that had been systematically destroying my wedding? The tiny pains in my heart spread out, dense and suffocating, until they simply went numb. The guests below finally snapped out of their shock. “The bride is so unlucky, getting bullied on her wedding day.” “They say Sienna is a famous TV host, but I’d say she’s more like a famous homewrecker host.” “Maybe we should report her. See if she got that hosting gig through legitimate means.” Hearing the word “report,” Brandon finally couldn’t sit still. He quickly turned to Sienna. “Sienna, why don’t you go home for now? You don’t need to host the rest of the wedding.” I looked at Brandon’s anxious face, my heart growing colder. I had been publicly insulted by Sienna for so long, and he hadn’t reacted. But Sienna had merely been criticized a little, and he couldn’t stand it. “You’re telling me to leave?” Sienna looked at Brandon in disbelief. “You said that whether you got married or not, there would always be a place for me by your side.” “And now, on the very first day of your marriage, you’re kicking me out!” Her voice was incredibly hurt, her eyes rimmed with red. Tears streamed down her cheeks. As she spoke, she threw down the host’s jacket. Left in only a flimsy slip dress, coupled with her red eyes, she looked utterly pathetic. “You liar, I’m leaving and I never want to see you again!” “I’m going to go die right now, so I won’t be in your way!” With that, Sienna burst into tears and ran out, uncaring. Brandon panicked completely, tearing off his groom’s jacket. “Aurora, Sienna is really stubborn. I can’t leave her out there alone.” “We’ll just finish the wedding ceremony when I get back.” I stood on the wedding stage, my voice calm. “Brandon, it’s our wedding day. Are you really leaving?” Brandon gave me a quick hug. “I’m just going to comfort her.” “I’ll be back soon, it won’t delay anything.” With that, he left without a backward glance. Leaving me, dressed in my wedding gown, standing alone on the stage. The day that was supposed to be the most beautiful of my life had turned out like this. I never expected it. The guests below cast sympathetic glances my way. Soon, they started leaving, one by one. I sat in the dark, clutching the ring with the insulting inscription. Tears streamed down my face, unstoppable. From noon until evening, Brandon didn’t show up. It wasn’t until past midnight that Sienna posted a photo on SnapChat. The background was a Ferris wheel. “The person who truly loves you will even ditch their own wedding to ride a Ferris wheel with you.” Soon, mutual friends started commenting: “OMG, but aren’t you guys afraid Aurora will get mad?” Brandon quickly liked the post and replied to the comment: “If she gets mad, I’ll just go home and sweet-talk her.” “After all, Sienna is the most important person to me. Aurora is partly to blame for Sienna leaving, so she deserves a little punishment to teach her a lesson.” I stared at Brandon’s reply, my heart clenching painfully. The hotel wedding venue was frighteningly empty. I stood there for a long moment, then dialed a number. “Find out Sienna’s hosting schedule for me. I want to send her a big gift.” “Also, please draft divorce papers for me.” After hanging up, I went to the dressing room to change out of my wedding dress. A staff member stood behind me. “Ma’am, I’ll pack this up for you to wear next time.” I lifted my eyelids, glancing at her. “No need. Burn it.” I wouldn’t need it ever again anyway.

I got home that night, and Brandon’s message popped up. “Aurora, Sienna was scared by those people at the wedding. How could you have friends and family like that? That’s just bullying. Let’s put the wedding off for now. I might need a few more days to comfort her.” Bullying her? What a perfect liar. Looking at his words on my phone, I couldn’t even summon anger anymore. I typed back: “No worries, take your time.” Brandon’s message came through quickly again. “Are you mad at me?” “Sienna is the child we sponsored together, from a struggling community. We watched her every step of the way until now. What are you doing? Sponsoring someone only to abandon them later? You’re truly disappointing me.” He was disappointed? I scoffed. Brandon and I had gone to a less fortunate area to sponsor Sienna. She was the oldest, already seventeen, and not within my initial consideration. But Sienna knelt before me, saying her parents had passed away, and if I just gave her a chance, she would repay me well. My heart softened, and that very day, I brought her out of that community. I spent three months running back and forth to get her into school. Brandon said I’d found myself a queen. At the time, I even told him not to be so cold and to smile more at the kids from the community. Until later, their relationship grew closer and closer, and I felt like the outsider. So this was how she repaid me. I lowered my eyes, turned off my phone, and ignored him. Brandon didn’t send any more messages. For several days, he used his honeymoon leave to travel to several countries with Sienna. They even went to Antarctica to see the aurora borealis. I stared at the photos, lost in thought. Brandon had once told me that the aurora was pure and romantic, and he would never take another girl to see it. Just as he would only love me, for life. But in just a few years, he had forgotten everything he said. It wasn’t until my friend, Chloe, frantically messaged me that I snapped out of my memories. “Aurora, you won’t believe it, that b*tch is selling your explicit photos in the big group chat!” My brows furrowed. “Add me.” As soon as I joined, I saw Sienna’s message. “Aurora’s explicit photos, big sale! Not $998, not $98, just $9.8!” “If you want them, I can even throw in the video of her getting ditched at her wedding. What a deal, right?” I gripped my phone so hard my palm almost bled. I clicked on the group members. Brandon was in there. He was just quietly watching Sienna insult me like this, without saying a word. Chloe practically screamed through the phone, “Aurora, how does she know about your past?! And how did she get those photos?!” I looked at Brandon’s profile picture, and it took me a while to remember. When Sienna first transferred, she said she was scared. To cheer her up, Brandon had pulled out photos from when I was bullied in high school. My clothes were torn, I was wearing only a flimsy tank top, my face was swollen and bruised. Cheap lipstick was smeared all over me. Sienna finally smiled looking at those. Her dark eyes curved into a smile, her voice laced with amusement: “How utterly pathetic.” I had realized something was wrong back then and wanted to send her back. That was the first time Brandon ever fought with me. The man who had always indulged my every whim cold-shouldered me for a whole month, all for Sienna. “What a despicable pair! I’m so mad, I’m going to go tear them apart right now!” Chloe fumed. It took me a while to speak, my voice hoarse. “No need. I’ll do it myself.” The next day, Sienna, wearing a smile, stepped onto the hosting stage as usual. “Hello, everyone watching on screen, I’m your host for today, Sienna—” Before she could finish, the staff members gasped. On the big screen, a sudden display of intimate photos of her and Brandon appeared. Causing a scene at my wedding, selling my photos in a group chat, posting all kinds of vile messages. “Oh my god, how could she be like that?” “She always seemed so proper, but she’s so trashy in private. We should stay away from her, or she might put us in a group chat too.” “Mostly, she’s getting so close to someone else’s husband. Messing up someone else’s wedding, and still has the nerve to call someone else a third party.” Sienna’s body stiffened. The TV station director walked in from outside, roaring angrily: “Sienna! What is going on?!” The big screen continued to play. Sienna was almost in tears. “No, this isn’t me! Don’t look, none of you look!” “This is someone framing me, yes. It’s Aurora, that b*tch, she’s framing me!” “Is that so?” I walked out onto the stage. “Those were photoshopped, but what about this?” As soon as I finished speaking, several police officers entered from outside. Cold handcuffs clicked onto her wrists instantly. “Sienna, you are under arrest for disseminating obscene material and infringing on personal rights. Please come with us.” Sienna froze. Seeing me behind her, she lunged at me in a furious rage. “Aurora, you b*tch! It was you, wasn’t it?!” I pointed at the screen. “The TV station is still broadcasting live, sweetheart. Little kids shouldn’t use such language.” Sure enough, countless calls flooded in instantly, all condemning Sienna. Even the TV station executives couldn’t suppress it. Sienna, who had never experienced such a massive public spectacle, was completely stunned. She was so scared she couldn’t even cry anymore. I bent down and touched her face. “Like it? This is a special public service announcement I customized just for you.” “Honey, next time you plan on doing something bad, remember to study the law first.”

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When I was ten, Matteus secretly played with fire in the storage room and caused a massive blaze. Trying to save him, a burning beam fell on me, leaving 80% of my body with severe burns. I went from being a sweet, adored little girl into a monster. For ten years, Matteus was the kindest person to me. He often held me as I trembled from the agonizing skin grafts, his eyes red as he whispered: “Lena, I’ll take care of you forever. Anyone who dares to humiliate you, I’ll kill them.” Mom and Dad also spent every last penny for me. In this house, I seemed like the most cherished treasure. Until that day, when Matteus brought home a beautiful fiancée. I heard it with my own ears, Matteus, the one who swore to protect me forever, his voice ice-cold: “Don’t worry, once we’re married, I’ll send that monster to a care facility out in the countryside.” “Just looking at her face makes me so disgusted I lose my appetite.” I knew then, it was time for me to leave. 0 The lights were off in the room, and the curtains were tightly drawn. I was used to the dark. Because only in the dark, the person in the mirror, like a melted wax figure, wouldn’t look so grotesque. “Lena, drink your medicine.” Mom came in with a bowl, her eyes somewhat evasive. The medicine was bitter, but I didn’t even flinch, tilting my head back and swallowing it down. After multiple skin grafts from the burns, my facial nerves were damaged, so I could barely make any expressions anymore. “Mom, is Matteus coming home today?” My voice was hoarse; my vocal cords were also injured in that fire. Mom’s hand, as she took the bowl, paused, then she forced a smile: “Yes, of course, he’s coming home. It’s your birthday, after all.” I nodded, though it was an almost imperceptible movement. That fire ten years ago. Matteus was completely unharmed. But I was turned into half-human, half-ghost. Since then, my birthday had become our family’s grim anniversary. Every celebration felt like a constant reminder to everyone. Of what I had sacrificed for this family, and what I had become. The sound of keys turning in the lock came from outside the door. Even through the door, I could hear the lightness in Matteus’s footsteps. This was rare. Ever since my accident, Matteus had always been heavy in this house, carrying a guilt-ridden silence. “Mom! I’m home!” Matteus’s voice was high-pitched, filled with barely concealed joy. Immediately after, a soft female voice chimed in: “Hello, Aunt Eleanor, I’m Chloe.” I sat in the darkness, my fingers instinctively clenching the bedsheet. Due to skin contractures, my hand was twisted like a bird’s claw. We had a guest. And it was a girl Matteus had brought home. I heard Mom’s flustered voice: “Oh, oh, hello… Well, you didn’t tell us you were bringing anyone…” “Just wanted to give you a surprise,” Matteus said with a laugh. “Chloe is a colleague from the hospital, and she’s my girlfriend.” The living room filled with cheerful chatter. The sound of fruit being sliced, the TV, and that girl’s laughter, clear as a bell. Her laugh was so lovely. Unlike mine, which only pulled at the scars on my face, making me look worse than if I cried. I hunched in the corner of my room, trying to make myself as invisible as possible. This wasn’t the time for me to appear. As long as I didn’t show myself, Matteus would still be that excellent doctor. A perfect man, without a blemish. Not a “pity case” with a monster for a sister. But biological needs are uncontrollable. I’d been holding it in my room for three hours. Listening to the noise outside die down slightly, I thought they’d gone to the kitchen. I put on my heavy baseball cap, pulled up my specialized face mask, and donned long sleeves and pants. Only after making sure not an inch of my skin was exposed did I carefully push open my door. In the living room, Chloe was sitting on the sofa, peeling an apple. Hearing the door open, she turned her head. Our eyes met. She froze. Even though I was completely covered, my twisted posture, and the dark red scars peeking out from the edge of my mask, still exuded an unsettling aura. “Ah—!” A scream tore through the cozy atmosphere of the house. The fruit knife clattered to the floor. Chloe recoiled in terror, pointing at me: “W-what is that thing?!” 0

“Chloe! Don’t be scared!” Matteus rushed out from the kitchen, embracing his trembling girlfriend. Mom also hurried over, positioning herself in front of me, trying to shield my damaged body. “This is… this is Matteus’s sister, Lena.” Mom’s voice was low, tinged with a humble plea. Chloe, still shaken, hid in Matteus’s arms. Her eyes shifted from fear to disgust, then to disbelief. “Sister? Matteus, you never said your sister was… was like this…” She didn’t say the word, but everyone understood. A monster. An outcast. Matteus’s grip tightened around her, his face darkening. He didn’t look at me, but instead lowered his head, gently reassuring his girlfriend: “I’m sorry, I didn’t prepare you. She… she became like this after that fire.” I stood still, unable to move forward or back. The baseball cap pressed painfully against my head. I needed to use the bathroom, my bladder ached painfully, but I didn’t dare to move a step. “I’m sorry.” I squeezed these three words from my throat, my voice rough like sandpaper grating against wood. Chloe flinched. Matteus finally looked up at me. His eyes held none of the tenderness of yesteryear. Only a fleeting flicker of embarrassment. “Lena, go back to your room,” Matteus’s voice was cold, a command. “Don’t come out and scare our guest.” My body stiffened. This was the first time Matteus had ever spoken to me like that. Before, even if some insensitive kids called me a monster outside, Matteus would rush over and send them packing. Then he would gently tell me: “Lena is the prettiest, they’re just blind.” But now, he was telling me not to scare people. “Matteus! Is that how you talk to your sister!” Mom, unable to bear it, scolded him. Matteus ran a frustrated hand through his hair: “It’s true! Look how scared Chloe is!” “I told you I was bringing my girlfriend home today, why did she have to come out wandering around now?” My heart felt like it was being squeezed by something merciless. I didn’t explain that it was because I needed to use the bathroom. I just lowered my head, dragging my inflexible right leg, and slowly shuffled back to that dark room. The moment I closed the door, I heard Chloe’s tearful voice: “Matteus, I can’t… I’m really scared… that face is terrifying…” “If your family is like this, I’ll have to rethink our marriage.” “No, Chloe, let me explain…” Matteus’s voice was filled with panic and pleading. I leaned against the door, slowly sliding to the floor. The heavy clothing made me sweat all over, and the healing wounds began to itch again. The itch was agonizing, like countless ants crawling under my skin. I couldn’t scratch; one scratch and it would break, then get infected. I could only pinch my thigh hard, until it was bruised, using the pain to suppress the itch. So, I was already a stumbling block on Matteus’s path to happiness. The boy who once said, “I’ll take care of you forever,” had finally bowed his head to reality. I didn’t go out for dinner. Mom brought a bowl of food into my room, piled high with my favorite dishes. “Lena, don’t blame him. He’s just… too concerned about Chloe.” “Chloe’s family is well-off, and she’s beautiful. Matteus’s grown up, it’s not easy for him to start a family.” Mom rambled on, her eyes red. I scooped a spoonful of rice and vegetables into my mouth, trying to swallow it. “I know, Mom.” “I don’t blame Matteus.” What right did I have to blame him? It was my own fault for being so frighteningly ugly. It was me who had burdened this family for ten whole years. 0

Over the next few days, the atmosphere at home was suffocatingly heavy. Matteus left early and returned late every day. He smelled of smoke when he came back. His arguments with Mom and Dad in the living room, even when deliberately muffled, still reached my ears. “Chloe said she’ll marry me, but we can’t buy a house in this neighborhood.” “She said every time she thinks about someone like… *that* being in the house, she has nightmares.” That was Matteus’s voice, thick with exhaustion. “Then what do you want to do? Lena wouldn’t have been like this if she hadn’t saved you…” Dad slammed the table, his voice trembling. “I know! I know she saved my life!” Matteus suddenly exploded, his voice rising to a shout: “That’s why I’ve spent the last ten years of my youth! Every penny I earned went to her treatment! Isn’t that enough?” “Dad, Mom, I want to live a normal life too!” “I’m almost thirty, how many relationships have I messed up because of my disabled sister, do you even know?” “I finally found someone who didn’t care about my modest income, and now, because of Lena… it’s going to fail again!” Silence descended upon the living room. In my room, I bit down hard on the back of my hand. My numb skin bled, and the metallic taste filled my mouth. So, these were Matteus’s true feelings. All those “I’m not tired,” “I’m willing.” Ultimately, in the face of daily despair, they had transformed into “I’m almost thirty,” “I want to live a normal life too.” “Then what are you going to do?” Mom asked, crying. “Send her to a care facility,” Matteus’s voice turned cold, resolute. “I found a cheaper one in the suburbs. We’ll send her there, and I’ll visit her every month.” “As long as she’s not in the house, Chloe will accept it.” “You bastard!” *Slap!* It sounded like Dad had hit Matteus. “Send your sister to a place like that? That’s basically sending her to die! You’re trying to force her to her death!” “Then are *you* trying to force *me* to my death?!” Matteus slammed the door and left. That night, I had a dream. I dreamed it was ten years ago, and the fire hadn’t started yet. Matteus held a lighter, smiling at me: “Lena, look at the fireworks.” If only then, I hadn’t rushed in and pushed him out. If only then, it had been him trapped under the burning beam, not me. Would everything be different now? Or, if that fire had just killed me outright. Then Matteus would have mourned me forever, instead of wishing I would disappear like this. The next day, Matteus brought Chloe home. This time, they were delivering an ultimatum. I heard them in the living room discussing the wedding date, and the financial aspects of their marriage. Finally, the conversation turned to me again. When they weren’t paying attention, I secretly opened the door a crack. I wanted to see Matteus one last time. I wanted to see what the Matteus who once carried me to every hospital in the city looked like now. Through the crack, I saw Chloe nestled in Matteus’s arms, playfully whining: “So, when is your sister moving out? My parents are coming to see the house next month.” Matteus was peeling an orange, offering a segment to her lips. His face held an appeasing and relaxed expression I had never seen before: “Don’t worry, I’ve arranged everything.” “She’ll be gone next week.” “I went to the care facility; it’s a bit out of the way, but no one will see her once she’s inside, so she won’t scare anyone.” Chloe pouted: “Honestly, that day really disgusted me. How can someone look like that, like a burnt monster?” Matteus’s hand paused. I thought he would object. Thought he would say, “Shut up,” like he did when we were kids. But he didn’t. He just put the orange into Chloe’s mouth and said flatly: “It is pretty disgusting.” “If I had known it would turn out like this, it would have been better if she had just died in that fire.” “Living like that is just suffering, and dragging the whole family down with her.” In that instant, the last bit of warmth in my body’s blood turned completely cold. So, I wasn’t just a burden. In Matteus’s heart, I had become so disgusting that he wished I had died. I gently closed the door. Without making a sound. I turned around, looking at myself in the mirror, completely bundled up. It was indeed disgusting. Even I couldn’t bear to look for long. Since Matteus wanted to live a normal life so badly, since my existence was the greatest misfortune for this family, then it was time to end everything.

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When Derek Miller showed up with his secretary, Serena Cross, he pointed a finger right at my face. “You’re nowhere near as sweet or stunning as Serena, and you can’t even handle our kid. Let’s get a divorce.” Serena scoffed, too. “I warned you, Chloe. Women need to know how to keep their men happy, or they’ll just get replaced.” I let out a dry chuckle, looking at Serena’s smug face. “Alright, ex-husband. Enjoy your ‘happiness’.” Less than three minutes later, I’d cleared out the bedroom for them. I swiftly packed my bags, ready to walk out. As I left, I thoughtfully pulled Leo out of his room and pushed him into Serena’s arms. “Leo, this is the new mommy your dad found for you. Now you’ll have someone new to spoil you.” The words had barely left my lips when Leo punched Serena’s stomach. A piercing shriek echoed through the living room. “Honey, it hurts so much! My baby, our baby!” Only then did I notice Serena’s stomach was subtly rounded. At least three months along, I’d guess. Derek rushed forward, pulling Leo away, his face etched with worry as he cradled Serena. Leo, meanwhile, sat on the floor, kicking and screaming. Mrs. Miller, Derek’s mom, came out, drawn by the cries. Seeing her precious grandson wailing on the floor, she immediately snapped at me. “What kind of mother are you, Chloe? You can’t even manage one child?” “All you do is lecture! Do you even know how to be a woman anymore?” I glanced at Serena, about to explain that today had nothing to do with me. Serena immediately took a few deep breaths, straightened up, and forced a smile. “Mrs. Miller, it’s all my fault. Leo accidentally bumped into me, and when Derek pulled him away, it upset Leo.” Mrs. Miller’s expression softened instantly when she saw Serena. She smiled warmly. “Kids are rambunctious; a few cries are nothing.” Her gaze then turned to Serena’s belly, gleaming with anticipation. “Serena, are you alright?” “I’m fine, I’m fine,” Serena said, flashing an ingratiating smile. She pulled out a gaming device and knelt in front of Leo. “Leo, Auntie’s sorry. Auntie forgot to bring a present for our little darling.” “Let’s not be angry anymore. Auntie will play games with you, okay?” Before I could stop him, Leo’s chubby body launched into Serena’s embrace. He snatched the gaming device and began excitedly fiddling with it. Serena shot me a triumphant glance, then started smiling as she showed Leo how to play. Seeing Leo happily nestled in Serena’s arms, Derek immediately shot me a look of pure disdain. “Chloe, what ‘sickness’ could Leo possibly have? It’s just your overly strict parenting that makes him defiant and difficult. Look how calm he is with Serena.” “Since you can’t manage a husband or a child, just stay at the office from now on. Don’t be an eyesore at home.” Serena also looked up, her voice cloyingly sweet and slightly nasally. “Ms. Hayes, Derek has so much on his plate every day; he’s exhausted physically and mentally. How can you burden him with petty family matters?” “Don’t worry about staying at the office. I’ll take good care of Derek and Leo from now on.” Every word from Serena dripped with blatant provocation and indifference, as if I, the actual wife, was nothing but a pushover. But they seemed to forget that not only did I hold twenty percent of AlphaCorp’s shares, but all the company’s core technology patents were developed and filed by me. They were the very foundation of the company. If lust had completely clouded Derek’s judgment, then I guess I didn’t mind running AlphaCorp myself. I swallowed my fury, smiled, and pulled out the divorce papers I’d had ready for ages. “Derek, Ms. Cross is so beautiful, sweet, and understanding. You wouldn’t want her to be called a mistress, would you? Sign these, and she can become Mrs. Miller legitimately.” Derek scoffed. “Chloe, you’ve threatened divorce so many times; aren’t you just trying to get me to ditch my other women?” “If you insist on divorce, fine. Take ten million and leave. The company is absolutely off-limits for you.” From his first affair with an intern to the club managers and bar hostesses, I’d threatened divorce countless times. But he’d always calmly lecture me about ‘human nature’: Chloe, we were college sweethearts, and you were with me from the ground up when we founded AlphaCorp. Ten years of marriage, I truly loved you, and I still do. But I’m a successful man; I have needs, and I crave passion and excitement. You can’t expect me to be like those boring, conventional guys who stick with one woman forever, can you? He sugar-coated his depravity with such pompous justifications. I was tired of his shameless excuses. This time, I didn’t want to drag it out. Since he was handing me the blade, I might as well slice out the poison. I couldn’t be bothered with more talk. I grabbed my suitcase and walked out of the mansion. The moment I stepped outside, I made a call. “Mark, I need you to audit the company accounts immediately, tally the total assets, and have a lawyer draft a divorce settlement.” “Yes, I want Derek to leave with absolutely nothing.”

The first time Derek cheated, I caught him in the underground parking garage. He was terrified, weeping and kneeling before me, begging for my forgiveness. He even slapped himself a hundred times, pleading with me not to divorce him. The company was just stabilizing, and I’d just found out I was two and a half weeks pregnant. For the sake of our child and our business, I forgave him. The stress festered in my heart, and when Leo was born, he was diagnosed with a genetic condition. The second time was with a club manager. He actually bought her the most upscale club in the city. By then, Derek had started to sound self-righteous. “She’s just some tart, right? She offers her services, I pay the bill, and she even helps with clients. Don’t be so petty.” Until the third time, the fourth time… He finally became so nonchalant that he’d tell me about these things as casually as he’d discuss eating or drinking. After a year of heartache, I came to a realization: Leo was still young, the company wasn’t fully stable, so I just started seeing him as a glorified cash cow. After all, I held twenty percent of the company shares, plus my patents, and another thirty percent I’d anonymously acquired. Getting rid of him would be a piece of cake. Love faded like smoke, but the money remained. For an orphan like me, who started from nothing, that wasn’t too hard to swallow. I drove straight to the luxury apartment I’d privately bought. Pushing open the door and flicking on the warm orange light, I finally felt a sense of peace, a moment to truly breathe. Ever since Leo was born, every day was filled with Mrs. Miller’s criticisms, Leo’s volatile temper, and Derek’s endless string of women. Mrs. Miller would say I spent too much time in the business world during my pregnancy, which is why I “gave” her Miller family a “defective grandson.” Leo would throw tantrums for his games, hitting the nannies, screaming and crying if he didn’t get his way, biting and kicking me. Derek’s women would brazenly bring him home, drunk, and they’d kiss goodbye in the entryway as if I didn’t exist. Only here did I feel like I was truly home, a place where I could shed my exhaustion, recharge, and muster the courage to return to the battlefield the next day. After a solid night’s sleep, I put on a bold, striking makeup look and a vibrant red dress, feeling refreshed as I headed for the office. Passing by Leo’s school, I couldn’t resist stopping to glance. Sure enough, there was Derek. Serena was kneeling in front of Leo, one hand holding a cotton candy, the other a fried chicken, as she tried to pacify him. Leo greedily devoured the fried chicken, occasionally licking the cotton candy. I sighed. The doctor had warned that children with Leo’s condition shouldn’t be overly indulged; if they don’t get what they want, they can explode with even greater aggression. And definitely no junk food. Serena proudly patted Leo’s head. “Derek, see how well-behaved Leo is? He’s not nearly as difficult as Ms. Hayes said.” She then turned Leo’s face towards her and asked, “Leo, would you like me to be your new mommy? What if I have a little brother for you to play with later?” A bad feeling twisted in my gut. Before I could even cover my eyes, Leo’s tiny fist flew, connecting squarely with Serena’s eye. “I don’t want a brother! I’m going to kill him!” Then he kicked Serena’s stomach again. By the time Derek reacted, Leo had already grabbed Serena’s hair and furiously scratched her face. Serena shrieked in agony, falling to the ground. Derek rushed to pull them apart, but Leo was stout and strong, and Derek couldn’t restrain him right away. I massaged my temples, letting out a small, wry chuckle, then slammed my foot on the accelerator, heading for the office. Leo has his condition, but he’s not intellectually disabled. His possessiveness is extreme. Once, when I mentioned having another baby, he picked up a vase and threw it at me. It had taken a lot of explanations and promises that he wouldn’t have a sibling for his rage to calm down. I just hoped Serena had enough luck to keep her baby. When I arrived at the company, a few of the executives I’d discreetly cultivated offered respectful greetings. “Ms. Hayes, good morning.” I gave a slight nod and strode purposefully toward my office. Before I could even sit down, Derek called. “Chloe, get to the hospital now. Look at the wonderful son you’ve raised; he kicked Serena so hard she’s having contractions!”

I didn’t want to go, but then I heard Leo’s shouts in the background, and my heart tightened. I immediately got up and rushed to the hospital. No matter his issues, Leo is still the son I carried for nine months. And his outbursts have been slowly decreasing; he’s capable of understanding reason now. If it weren’t for Mrs. Miller’s constant interference, Leo’s condition would probably have improved significantly by now. When I arrived at the hospital room, I found Leo on the floor, crying his heart out, screaming “no little brother!” and “I hate little brothers!” Derek was holding him by the collar, yelling at him. I rushed over, pulling Leo into my arms. “Derek, what are you doing? The doctor said not to agitate Leo, have you forgotten?” “Didn’t you say Serena was so gentle and caring? Is this how she looks after Leo?” I shot a chilling glare at Serena. Derek let go, his face dark. “This is all because you spoil him! He just needs a good beating to learn his lesson.” “Serena was kindly buying him food, and he viciously kicked her in the stomach! What kind of monster will that child become when he’s older?” Before I could speak, Serena, feigning fragility, quickly interjected. “Honey, I really was taking good care of Leo. But he’s… developmentally challenged. I was just thinking, if he had a younger sibling, they could look after him later and also inherit AlphaCorp, bringing honor to your name.” “AlphaCorp is such a big company; we can’t possibly leave it to Leo, can we?” Only then did I notice the long scratches on Serena’s face, her eyes bruised black like a panda’s, as she glared at me with hatred. Serena’s provocations were always blatant. After all, she wasn’t just Derek’s best bedmate, but also his most capable assistant. She was a Harvard MBA grad, outwardly pure but with a seductive charm that made men drool. She’d even sent me videos of them tied up with whips in bed, openly taunting me to learn how to “satisfy a man.” My arms instinctively tightened around Leo, covering his ears. “Serena, you pathetic mistress, and your unborn bastard who doesn’t know his place—how dare you call Leo ‘developmentally challenged’ and dream of inheriting my company? Not a chance.” Serena’s face flushed red, and tears welled in her eyes. “Ms. Hayes, I only said Leo was ‘challenged’ because I feel for Derek, working so hard, hoping for a helper later. How can you be so vicious, cursing my baby?” I frowned, about to tell her she was delusional, when Derek’s enraged voice cut in. “Chloe, I think you’ve completely ruined Leo. He’s inherited your malice deep in his bones.” “Tomorrow, I’m sending Leo to a special education school, and you can go with him to take care of him. Serena will take your VP position. She’s all the help I need at the company now.” I stared at Derek in shock, biting my lip hard. If I wasn’t afraid of scaring Leo, I would have kicked him, slapped him senseless, and taught him what it meant to be a decent human being. Before I could even speak, Leo suddenly shot forward like a little rocket, slamming his chubby head directly into Serena’s stomach. “I don’t want to go to special school! That place is full of bad kids! I’m not a bad kid!” Serena immediately cried out, collapsing to her knees, clutching her stomach and wailing. I rushed over, pulling Leo into my arms, trying to comfort him. Mrs. Miller had once threatened to send him to a special school after he bit her, claiming it was full of “tigers and snakes that eat naughty children.” From that moment, terror had taken root in Leo’s young heart. Derek instantly exploded in fury. He grabbed Leo by the back of his shirt collar and slapped him across the head. “You little monster! How dare you lay a hand on Serena? I’m going to teach you a lesson you won’t forget!” As his hand came down again, I spun, shielding Leo. The slap landed squarely on my head, my ears ringing violently. Leo seized the opportunity and bit Derek’s hand. Derek cried out in pain and flung Leo against the wall. Leo’s forehead hit the wall, and blood immediately gushed out. My pupils dilated. I raised my hand and slapped Derek across the face. “Derek, you’re doing this to Leo for some cheap woman? Are you even human?” I rushed over and scooped up the unconscious Leo. Seeing his son unconscious, Derek also calmed down, his face dark. “This child is completely beyond hope. All thanks to your wonderful parenting.” I cradled Leo’s head, straightened up, and stared at Derek coldly. “Derek, let’s divorce. I’ll take my twenty percent of the shares, plus another ten percent for Leo. That way, you won’t be delayed in having your ‘excellent son’ with your little mistress.”

Before Derek could speak, Serena interjected, her voice vulnerable. “Derek, the doctor said it’s a boy. It’s not that I don’t care for Leo, but if this keeps happening, I’m afraid I might also give birth to a child with… similar issues.” Serena didn’t finish her sentence, her gaze falling pointedly on Leo. Derek’s brows furrowed. I spoke calmly. “Derek, if you don’t agree, I’ll sue you for adultery and emotional distress, and I’ll make sure the court sees all your blatant infidelities. Do you think the court will rule in your favor then?” “Leo is your biological son. If you’re so reluctant to give up shares, fine, I’ll even give you Leo’s shares. But I’ll have people watching you, and if you dare mistreat Leo in any way, I will prosecute you for child abuse.” My gaze lingered on Leo’s forehead as I stared coldly at Derek. Derek hesitated, deep in thought. Serena immediately clutched her stomach, stood, and leaned into him. “Derek, it’s only ten percent of the shares, right? Don’t worry, I’ll help you earn it all back. After a couple more years, we’ll buy up all the loose shares.” “With you and me working together, AlphaCorp will have a brilliant future.” She then lowered her voice. “Worst case, we can slowly undermine the company from within, buy back those shares at rock-bottom prices.” “Giving shares to Leo isn’t giving them to a stranger, right? It just shows what a loyal, good man you are.” Right there, in front of me, they shamelessly began plotting to seize the shares I had anonymously acquired. I couldn’t help but scoff. This decisive divorce was absolutely the right move. Otherwise, those two dogs would have hollowed out the company sooner or later. Fine, if that’s how it is, I won’t hold back either. I’ll just let them go bankrupt and drown in debt. I’d love to see how brilliant their future will be with their combined genius. Derek nodded approvingly, embracing Serena with a cheerful laugh. “You truly understand me best. Meeting you is the biggest blessing of my life.” Then he turned, looking at me with disgust. “You’re always so obsessed with money. If you were even half as sweet and understanding as Serena, I wouldn’t be like this.” “I’ve agreed to the shares. But from now on, you’re not allowed to interfere with the company. Just live a quiet life with Leo. And if I ever find out you’re cheating on me, I won’t let you get away with it.” Derek moved fast. Within twenty minutes, his lawyer had the divorce papers and the share transfer agreement drafted, signed, and ready. I signed swiftly, picked up Leo, and walked out. The moment we stepped outside, Leo’s tiny hand brushed my cheek. “Mommy, I know I have a problem. I’ll be good from now on and won’t make you angry.” I hadn’t cried when Serena insulted me, or when Derek slapped me. But now, I cried. I knew my Leo would be alright. He understood everything; he just couldn’t control himself. Within an hour, I decisively sold my shares and the patents I had developed. Well, it was a bargain. AlphaCorp’s sworn rival, Victor Thorne, almost split his face smiling as I signed the papers. Of course. Acquiring those patents meant seizing AlphaCorp’s lifeblood. All of Derek’s products in sales and those currently in production were now unlicensed. Victor Thorne could bankrupt him in minutes if he wanted to. I wasn’t heartless. The moment he threatened to send Leo to a special school and kick me out of the company, all ties between us were irrevocably severed. There was no need for me to consider the future of someone who had so viciously plotted against me. Looking at the substantial balance in my bank account, I took Leo and flew directly overseas. The moment we landed, Serena “thoughtfully” video-called me. “Ms. Hayes, it’s the company’s anniversary gala tonight. Such a shame you won’t be accompanying Derek for his speech.” “Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of Derek and the company from now on. After all, this will be my son’s legacy someday.” On the video, Serena, stunning in a silver evening gown, was arm-in-arm with Derek, who wore a dark patterned suit. They looked like a bride and groom, intimately standing on the grand stage, basking in everyone’s fawning praise. Anyone who didn’t know would think it was their wedding day. Just as Derek excitedly announced Serena’s official appointment as Vice President and their imminent marriage, Victor Thorne burst in with a team of black-suited bodyguards. Derek was about to loudly protest when Victor Thorne raised his hand, projecting the share certificate and patent ownership onto the large screen. “Mr. Miller, since when does a minor shareholder like you have the authority to appoint a glorified courtesan as Vice President?” “As of now, I am AlphaCorp’s majority shareholder. From this moment on, I am your boss.” Through the video, I watched Derek’s pupils slowly dilate, his face morphing inch by agonizing inch into pure terror. Serena reacted, her face drained of color, rushing to the camera and screaming, “Chloe! How could you be so cruel? Do you really have to destroy us?” I let out a soft laugh, my voice calm. “Yes, Serena. I’m going to send you straight to hell.”

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In my past life, my twin brother Julian was always pushing me to skip class, pull all-nighters at parties gaming, then sleep through school the next day. Whenever I tried to study, he’d tease me for being a bookworm. But behind my back, he was secretly cramming late into the night and sneaking to the library with top students during breaks. When college apps rolled around, he got into an Ivy League school, landed a Wall Street job after graduation, and married a high-paid software engineer. My grades, though, were a mess. My parents looked at me with such disappointment, and I ended up juggling three part-time jobs just to scrape by. Later, I moved in with an abusive woman who eventually beat me to death. At my memorial, Julian said I was clearly smart but didn’t apply myself—everything that happened was my own fault. Unlike him, who’d worked hard since childhood to change his fate through education. The next thing I knew, I woke up crammed in a sweltering, noisy basement, in the middle of an intense gaming session with a group of guys. I shook off my grogginess, grabbed my crumpled backpack, and bolted home. When I got back, Julian was hunched over his desk, scribbling furiously under a lamp. He quickly stuffed his practice papers under his arm when he saw me. “Alex, why’re you back? What about your teammates?” He was always the one dragging me to those wild parties to game. And every time, he’d be the first to say he was tired and head home—only to study in secret. I pulled out a brand-new set of test prep books and taped an Ivy League sticker to my wall. Julian blew up instantly. “You’re applying to the Ivies? Who do you think you are?” Not only am I getting into the Ivies—I’m gonna make you realize talent isn’t something you can outwork.

I stared at the kill feed on the screen, the stench of sweat and junk food in the air making my nose wrinkle, while my teammates screamed and cursed as we lost. I looked around, stunned. I’d been reborn—back to when I was 17, a month before the SATs. I grabbed my grimy backpack off the floor and bolted, my teammates’ confused shouts fading behind me. I’d promised to carry them to the top ranks of the game. If I left, they’d definitely lose. But my future mattered way more than their temporary gaming win. I tuned everyone out, ran as fast as I could, and was home in no time. It was already 1 a.m., but Julian’s bedroom light was still on. His shadow stretched across the window as he scribbled furiously. I pushed open his bedroom door. He jumped, quickly shoving test papers under his arm. I yawned. “You said you were tired—why aren’t you in bed?” He forced a calm tone. “Woke up and realized I hadn’t packed my backpack. I’ll do it and go right to sleep.” Julian’s light went out. I flipped on my desk lamp—a lamp I hadn’t touched in years. I pulled out textbooks that still had blank name lines. In my past life, I crammed last minute and barely got into this high school. Julian, acting shocked, told me grades didn’t matter. What counted was being friends with the “cool kids”—the ones from rich families. There was a small clique at school—kids from rich, powerful families who flunked most classes. They relied on family connections and donations to get ahead. I listened to Julian, skipping class every day to hop between parties. We bragged about who was the best gamer. With minimal effort, I became their top player. But back then, I didn’t realize they were all trust-fund kids who’d go to expensive private colleges or inherit family businesses after graduation. My parents, though, were just regular working-class people. If I didn’t get into a good college, my future would be dead-end. I was decent-looking, and not long after I started working at the fast-food joint, a flashy, high-maintenance woman took interest in me. I told Julian about her, and he encouraged me to chase “true love.” He said love couldn’t be bought, and as long as we cared for each other, we could get through anything. I believed him and moved in with her. We didn’t have a wedding—just a quick courthouse ceremony. But after we tied the knot, she turned violent—hitting me, screaming at me. Every time she got drunk, she’d yell, “You and Julian share a mom—so why’s he a genius and you’re a total idiot?” Tears stinging my eyes, I thought back. I’d always been the more talented one. I’d grasp problems instantly, memorize textbooks like it was nothing. When I bombed exams, my old teachers couldn’t believe how far I’d fallen. Later, that awful woman—my wife—beat me to death. When it happened, I called Julian over and over, but he always said he was busy. The second I died, he showed up. At my memorial, everyone mourned how the once-brilliant kid had ended up so broken. Julian put on a sad face and told everyone I was clearly smart but didn’t apply myself—everything that happened was my own fault. Unlike him, who’d worked hard since childhood to change his fate through education. After everyone left, Julian gloated, finally admitting why he’d lied to me all those years. Turns out I’d been the “gifted child” growing up—all my parents’ attention and hopes were on me. He’d been consumed by jealousy, using my trust to sabotage me. This time, I’d never let history repeat itself. I’d prove that raw talent is something his endless grinding could never truly match. I grabbed a piece of paper, wrote “I WILL get into an Ivy League!” in bold letters, and taped it to my desk. I pulled out my textbooks and started from page one. By 3 a.m., I’d finished two books—every concept already locked in my memory.

I slept for two hours, then got up and was the first to rush to the classroom for morning study hall. “Alex is actually studying? That’s a first!” “The exam’s only a few months away. It’s too late to cram now—he’ll be lucky to get into community college.” “With his grades, even community college is a stretch. He’ll probably have to pay for a for-profit school.” I tuned out their whispers. My grades and acceptance letters would do the talking. Julian, as always, strolled into class right as the bell rang. He saw me and asked, “Alex, why didn’t you text me this morning?” “From now on, I’ll be at school by 5 a.m. If you can drag yourself out of bed, join me. If not, set your own alarm.” Julian looked confused. “You never study—why show up so early?” Sophia, who sat behind me, piped up excitedly: “Your brother came early to study today! No clue what’s gotten into him!” Julian froze for a second, then snapped: “Alex, after graduation, let’s get jobs together. I heard fast-food places let you make good tips if you’re good at it!” I pulled out my phone and played a video. “If fast food’s so great, why were you cramming at 1 a.m. last night?” Julian watched the video, his face draining of color. Sophia grabbed my phone and pointed at Julian: “Julian! So that’s why you always bailed mid-game! You were sneaking home to study!” “And you study secretly 24/7, yet you only have a B average? Your brain’s not exactly a supercomputer, huh?” Julian’s face turned bright red. He slammed open his textbook and started memorizing vocab. He repeated one word a dozen times—still couldn’t remember it. After school, I still hung out with my rich friends at parties. I wasn’t cutting them off—after graduation, they’d all be networking connections. In my past life, all the connections I built ended up helping Julian. After leading them to five straight wins, I bolted home. My parents saw me home early and sneered: “Look who decided to come home before midnight. I thought you’d rather die at those parties?” “Go ahead—stay out every night! Let’s see what college accepts you!” In my past life, my parents tried everything to get me to study—but I listened to Julian instead. Eventually, they gave up on me. They only made sure I had food, nothing more. After I died, they grieved for months. Mom even had to stay in the hospital to recover from the shock. I apologized right away. “Dad, Mom—I’m sorry. I was stupid before. I promise I’ll study hard and get into a good college.” Mom stared at me, then turned away to wipe her eyes. Dad helped me up. “Good for you—you’ve always had potential. Even if there’s not much time left, just try your best. Worst case, we can take a gap year and reapply.” I nodded. “Don’t worry—I’ll get in on the first try. My goal is the Ivy League.” Just then, Julian walked out of his room with a textbook. “Alex, why’re you home? I thought you were at the party with Sophia and the guys.” He stepped close, then pinched his nose. “Ugh, Alex—you smell like a bar! You’re making me sick!” Mom sniffed the air and snapped: “I knew you’d never change! You just came from a party, yet you’re lying about studying? With your grades and all the classes you skip—if you get into the Ivies, pigs will fly!” Dad sighed and followed Mom into their bedroom.

Once we were alone, Julian dropped the act. “Alex, don’t waste your time. You can’t beat me in a few months. I’ve been holding back—my real skills are way better than my GPA shows.” I scoffed and went back to my room to study. Talk is cheap—my grades would prove everything. We had weekly pop quizzes. I was improving, but still failing. Julian, though, stopped holding back. He performed at his real level—second in class, tenth in the grade. Mr. Reynolds, our guidance counselor, praised my progress. He said I could get into a decent community college. I glanced at Julian’s paper. He’d missed the hardest question—his brain really wasn’t that sharp. Julian slammed his paper down in front of me. “Look, Alex—almost perfect in Lit, A in Pre-Calc.” “Now look at yours—59 in Math. So close to passing… if we were using a 100-point scale. Too bad we’re not.” “And you’re so lopsided! At least you passed History—guess your humanities brain works better.” Sophia tried to talk sense into me. “Alex, maybe studying isn’t your thing. Don’t force it. You haven’t pulled an all-nighter with us lately—our ranks keep dropping without you.” Julian fake-scolded her. “How can you say that? My brother’s going to the Ivy League!” The class laughed. “His GPA’s not even 3.0—and he thinks he’s going to the Ivies? That’s gold!” “Does he think the Ivies are a public park? Just walk right in?” I ignored them, pulled out old SAT papers, and started practicing. Just then, Mr. Reynolds burst into the classroom. Mr. Reynolds set a stack of scratch paper on my desk. “Alex—is this yours?” I nodded. The counselor hugged me excitedly. “Genius—you’re a genius!” “Principal Miller always says I only teach average kids—but now I’ve got an Ivy League prospect!” Julian stared, shocked. “Mr. Reynolds—my brother improved, but his GPA’s only 2.8. How could he get into the Ivies?” Mr. Reynolds clapped my shoulder. “He can—definitely can. Your brother’s the most talented student I’ve ever seen.” Sophia whispered: “Mr. Reynolds must be crazy…” Mock exams rolled around. After grading, the rankings went up on the school website. Julian was near the top—I was dead last. Julian laughed. “Look at our future Ivy Leaguer—98th percentile! Wow, such improvement!” Everyone snickered. But Dean Sterling, standing nearby, said quietly: “Alex should’ve been first in the grade.” Julian glared at me, furious. “Why does everyone still believe in you? You can’t raise your GPA from below 2.0 to 4.0 in a few months!” I leaned in. “Want to know why they think I can get into the Ivies?” I laid all my test papers on his desk. His eyes grew wider and wider. “How is this possible?” “No way—you cheated! I’m reporting you!” On my answer sheets, I’d skipped all the easy questions. But every hard one? I nailed them. And of the questions I got right, Julian had only answered half correctly. Julian grabbed my papers and ran to Principal Miller’s office. He didn’t knock—just burst in. “Principal Miller! I’m reporting Alex Sanders for cheating on the mock SAT!” Inside, all the grade’s teachers were sitting with Principal Miller. Principal Miller waved me over. “Alex—perfect timing. We’re looking at your test. Can you explain why you skipped the easy questions but aced the hardest ones… with solutions beyond the curriculum?” “I just started studying. If I ranked first right away, I didn’t want to crush everyone’s confidence.” I glanced at Julian. “So I only did the hard questions. For the real exam? I’ll go all out.” Mr. Reynolds laughed. “See? That’s exactly what I thought.” Principal Miller suggested moving us to AP classes. Julian and I both said no. I didn’t care where I studied—but Julian still wanted to distract me. After school, Julian and Sophia stopped me. “Alex—let’s pull an all-nighter at Jason’s party tonight.” I agreed, leading them to five straight wins. As I was leaving to study, a woman—maybe 7 or 8 years older—stepped beside me, leaning in from behind. “Your moves are off—let big sister show you how it’s done.” I stepped back fast. A wave of cheap perfume and sweat hit me—made my stomach turn. “Who are you?” Julian jumped in: “Alex, this is Luna—no one messes with her around here. With her backing you? You’ll be untouchable.” Luna pulled out a cigarette, lit it like she thought she was cool, and blew a smoke ring. “Alex—I’ve got my eye on you. You’re mine now. Let’s go back to my place.” Julian smiled and pushed my backpack at me. “You’re lucky Luna likes you—go with her. I’ll cover for you with Mom and Dad.” Luna reached for me, but I dodged. “Don’t touch me.” Luna grinned—her teeth were yellow from smoking. “Why so stuck-up? Your brother said you were easygoing.” Sophia stepped in front of me. “I don’t care who you are—get lost! If you touch Alex, you’ll answer to me!” Everyone was staring. Luna looked humiliated—she lunged at Sophia, yelling. By the end, we were all at the police station.

Sophia had scrapes on her face. Luna was worse—her nose looked broken. She was sobbing at the station, screaming for justice. My parents arrived and started yelling. “You’re bad enough on your own—now you’re dragging Julian down! I told you—ruin your own life, but leave Julian alone!” Mom tried to hit me, but a cop stopped her. “Mrs. Sanders—please calm down. It’s not what you think.” Julian looked scared the cop would tell the truth. He started crying. “Mom—Alex has been improving. His GPA’s almost 2.8. I saw him at Jason’s party and tried to get him home. I didn’t know he’d gotten mixed up with that woman… then we fought.” “Mom—I don’t want Alex to get worse. Maybe send him to a teen behavior program? Once he’s fixed, he can come back and apply to college. He’d get into a good school then.” Mom sighed. “Maybe that’s the only way. Alex was smart as a kid—but games and bad friends ruined him. I’ll look into it tomorrow.” Sophia—her face still scraped—ran to Mom. “Mrs. Sanders—don’t listen to Julian! He called Alex to the party. He brought Luna there to force Alex to go with her. Alex refused… that’s why I fought Luna.” Julian looked shocked. He started sobbing loudly. “Sophia—I know you like Alex, but you can’t lie about me! How would I know someone like Luna?” “If Alex didn’t hang out at those parties, Luna never would’ve noticed him! They’ve probably been together for months!” Mom slapped me. “You’ve disappointed me so much! You don’t study—and now you’re with that woman! We have to send you away—so you can break up with her!” Julian stood behind Mom, grinning at me. Finally, the cop had enough. He told Mom everything that really happened. Mom stared at Julian. “Julian—you’re always so good. How could you get mixed up with that woman? How could you let her bully your brother? He’s your twin!” “How could you become this person?” Julian’s plan was exposed—he stopped pretending. “Why did I become this way? You and Dad should know! Alex and I are twins—so why is he tall and handsome, and I’m just… ordinary? Like a background character!” Mom had explained this before: we were fraternal twins. I looked like Mom; Julian looked like Dad. But Julian could never accept it. “Why is he so smart? He never studied—crammed for two weeks before ninth grade and still got into this school. Slacked off for three years—studied a month before the SATs and can solve the hardest questions! What about me? I work so hard—sleep four hours a night, got sick, even my period’s messed up—and I’m only tenth in the grade!” “I’m exhausted—and I still can’t beat him! Why did you give him all the good genes?!” My parents stood there, helpless. No one could answer that—looks and smarts aren’t choices. Julian turned to Sophia, angry. “And you—Sophia! What does Alex have that I don’t? You canceled your family’s Europe trip for him! Haven’t you seen how I treat you?” I stared at Sophia, shocked. I thought she only hung out with me to carry her in games. In my past life, Julian and Sophia’s families got close later—I always thought… Sophia’s mom arrived then. After hearing what happened, she smiled. “If young people like each other—so long as it doesn’t hurt their studies—we parents are okay with it.” Mom stepped in front of me, blocking Sophia’s look. “Alex is too young. Now’s not the time for that.” Sophia’s mom stood beside Mom. “Mrs. Sanders—our Sophia isn’t big on school. We don’t expect her to run the business. If Alex and Sophia hit it off later… our family business could go to someone capable like Alex. It’s not a Fortune 500, but it’s worth a lot.” Julian’s face turned red. He ran out into the rain, yelling back: “Alex—I’ll beat you! I’ll be better than you!” Competition is good—I admired his drive. But not if it meant ruining my life.

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My so-called “charity case” Luke— the guy who claimed he had to save up just to buy a soda— was cheating on me. When I got home late that night, he wasn’t waiting at the door in his usual apron. He didn’t blush and bury his face in my neck, softly asking, “Sophia, are you hungry?” The living room was pitch-black, reeking of a strange tobacco smell that made me frown. In the moonlight, I saw him sitting dead-center on the couch. Scattered at his feet were all the limited-edition sneakers I’d bought him— now slashed to ribbons, looking like a pile of worthless junk. I frowned and flipped the light switch. “Luke, what the hell is wrong with you? If you don’t want this, get out.” He slowly lifted his head, his eyes glinting with a sinister mockery I’d never seen before. Those eyes— once only capable of feigning innocence— were now like daggers. “Fine, Sophia.” To get rid of him, I tossed a half-million-dollar check onto the table. “Take it and disappear. Don’t let me see you again.” But he picked up the check, pulled out a lighter, and burned it to ash right in front of me. The flames danced across his suddenly unfamiliar face. He smiled. “Five hundred grand? Sophia, do you take me for a beggar?” “So, what do you want?” I asked. He stood up, towering over me, his fingers brushing my lips. His voice dropped to a terrifying whisper. “I want you… to beg me to stay.” I scoffed and turned to leave, convinced he’d lost his mind. That is, until the next day, when the newly appointed group chairman walked into the office. When I saw that familiar face, the coffee cup in my hand slipped and shattered on the floor. He settled into the head chair, pointed at me, and smiled like the devil. “Director Sophia, you’ve spilled your coffee. Be a dear and clean it up, won’t you?”

In that moment, all I felt was sheer absurdity. Watching Luke storm out, I didn’t get angry— I laughed. The kid was clearly spoiled rotten by me, pulling such a pathetic attention-seeking stunt. Burning a half-million-dollar check? That was more money than he’d make in a hundred years of working. I surveyed the messy living room. The floor was littered with slashed sneakers— reverse-swoosh Jordans, one pair even a rare collector’s item I’d won at auction. And that crystal ornament, shattered to pieces, was a gift from me for his last birthday. It wasn’t worth much, but he’d cried half the night, swearing it was the best gift he’d ever gotten. Now, these “best gifts” were jagged shards of glass. I kicked the fragments aside and walked to the liquor cabinet to pour myself a whiskey. The burning liquid slid down my throat, quelling the strange, unsettling feeling in my chest. Luke’s final look kept replaying in my mind. So completely unrecognizable. For three years, he’d been as docile as a golden retriever. When I worked late, he’d bring me dinner; when my stomach ached, he’d stay up all night rubbing my belly; when I lost my temper, he’d even kneel to massage my feet, smiling and asking if I felt better. He was just a good-looking, broke student— completely useless except for the emotional support he provided. At least, that’s what I always believed. “Freaking psycho,” I muttered, slamming the glass onto the table. My phone vibrated. It was my assistant, Chloe, with my schedule. I glanced at it and replied: “Cancel all of Luke’s supplementary cards. Also, contact his university— tell them I’m withdrawing my sponsorship and he needs to refund this semester’s scholarship.” If he wanted to leave, he could leave with nothing. I, Sophia, never make losing deals. If he wasn’t going to play nice, I’d make him learn what real hardship felt like before he even starved. I didn’t sleep well that night. In my dreams, a pair of eyes watched me constantly, like they were ready to devour me whole. The next morning, Chloe’s frantic call jolted me awake. “Boss, something’s wrong,” her voice trembled. I rubbed my temples, my morning crankiness making my tone sharp. “Has the sky fallen? Spit it out.” “Luke’s card… I can’t cancel it.” I froze, then scoffed. “What do you mean ‘can’t’? It’s a supplementary card I issued— I’m the primary cardholder.” “The bank said…” Chloe swallowed hard. “That card’s linked to an overseas family trust fund. Not only is the credit limit unlimited, but even the authorization… is above yours. The bank manager said if we absolutely have to cancel it, we need authorization from… Mr. Harrison himself.” My hand holding the phone hung in mid-air. My head was spinning. An unlimited black card? An overseas trust? The Luke who’d walk five kilometers just to save a couple bucks on bus fare to bring me an umbrella? The Luke whose cheap T-shirts were washed until they faded? “Are you still drunk?” I snapped back. “Boss, there’s something even crazier,” Chloe was on the verge of tears. “You asked me to cancel his scholarship at the university. They said… there’s no record of him.” I shot upright. “What do you mean no record? He’s been studying there for three years!” “His file is empty, encrypted with… the highest level of federal scrambling. The dean himself replied, saying the name is fake, his enrollment is fake, and even the staff member we usually dealt with was actually… the Harrison family’s security chief in disguise.” My phone slipped from my hand, landing softly on the duvet. I suddenly remembered Luke’s eyes when he burned the check last night. It was like watching a jester try to bribe a king with two pieces of candy.

I refused to believe anything so absurd. I, Sophia, had clawed my way through the business world for ten years. They called me the “Medusa of Wall Street.” I was the one who outsmarted others— when had anyone ever played me like this? I skipped breakfast, grabbed my car keys, and rushed out. First stop: the convenience store where he used to work. It was just down the street from my apartment, open twenty-four hours. When I used to come home late, I’d always see him in his green uniform behind the counter. He’d flash that goofy smile when he saw my headlights, then run out to hand me a warm bottle of milk. I parked my car haphazardly on the roadside and pushed open the door, heels clicking. “Welcome!” A chubby guy I didn’t recognize stood behind the counter. “Where’s Luke?” I asked, pulling off my sunglasses, direct and blunt. The chubby guy blinked. “Who?” “The college student who used to work the night shift. Tall and thin, he looks really…” I trailed off, realizing I couldn’t describe Luke’s looks beyond “handsome.” “Oh, you mean that rich kid who was ‘slumming it’?” The store manager popped his head out from behind a shelf, looking gossipy. “He quit ages ago. Left last night.” “Slumming it?” I latched onto the phrase sharply. The manager wiped his hands on a rag, giving me a “how could you not know?” look. “Yeah, the guy bought all the properties on this street. Said his girlfriend lived nearby, so to be close to her, he just picked a store to ‘hang out’ in. We couldn’t let him do any real work. All those basic milk and bread items? He bought premium imported stuff out of his own pocket and swapped the packaging.” I felt dizzy, having to steady myself against a shelf. Imported goods, repackaged? No wonder the convenience store sandwiches tasted better than Michelin-starred meals, no wonder the dollar-fifty bottled water tasted like Alpine snowmelt. It was all an act? “He also said…” The manager glanced at my face, then hesitated. “Said what?” “He said these three years were like getting a degree in acting, and now he’d graduated and it was time to go back and take over the family business.” A chill ran through me, like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over my head. Turns out, I hadn’t been caring for a stray dog— I’d been housing a wolf in sheep’s clothing. I spent the entire day frantically searching for him, like a chicken with its head cut off. I went to his supposed hometown— an old apartment in Brooklyn— only to find it had long been converted into high-rise office buildings. I called the numbers he’d given me for his “relatives,” all disconnected. I felt like a fool, living in a massive reality show with Luke as both director and star. Returning to the office that evening, I collapsed into my chair, staring out at the bustling city lights. My phone suddenly vibrated. A photo from an unknown number. No text, just an image. The background was the dim interior of a car. A slender, elegant hand casually dangled a diamond necklace. I knew that necklace all too well. It was the finale item at last month’s auction— a pink diamond named “Tear of Eternity,” sold for twelve million dollars. When I watched the live stream, I’d casually remarked, “It’s so beautiful.” Luke, who was peeling grapes for me at the time, simply said, “It’s just a rock.” Now, that “rock” was being held by him like a piece of trash. Immediately after, a text message arrived. [It’s for you, Miss Sophia.] [Your ‘technique’ over the past three years wasn’t bad. Consider this… your service fee.] Crash! I hurled my phone against the wall. Service fee? Luke, Lucas Harrison… whatever your name is, you’re unbelievable. Who did he think I was? A call girl? And to add such a humiliating comment as “technique wasn’t bad”? I trembled with rage, my nails digging into my palms until they drew blood. In that moment, I finally understood: the docile, poor student was gone. In his place stood a malicious devil I didn’t recognize. And this devil was watching me from the shadows, reveling in my breakdown.

Turns out, Lucas wasn’t just interested in watching me lose my mind. He wanted to crush my dignity under his heel. Monday’s routine board meeting was eerily suffocating. Robert, the chairman and my direct superior, was now relegated to a subordinate seat, drenched in cold sweat, constantly wiping his glasses. “Sophia, I heard the group was maliciously acquired by some mysterious capital?” Emily leaned over, lowering her voice. “What kind of new boss is this? Robert looks terrified.” My heart sank. That ominous feeling grew stronger. “I have no idea,” I replied, coolly organizing my documents. The meeting room doors swung open. The previously noisy room fell silent. Two lines of black-suited bodyguards entered, quickly securing all exits. Then, a man in a charcoal gray bespoke suit walked in. Behind him followed a team of top-tier lawyers— an entourage that seemed less for a meeting and more for a sentencing. He was tall and lean, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. His face was still exquisitely handsome, impossible to look away from, but his demeanor had undergone a drastic transformation. The old Luke’s eyes were clear and dewy, always looking at people with an eagerness to please. But now, his hair was swept back, revealing a clean, full forehead. A pair of gold-rimmed glasses rested on his nose, and behind the lenses, his eyes were cold, mocking, and condescending. He walked straight to the head chair and sat down, long legs crossed, his slender fingers lightly tapping on the mahogany conference table. Tap, tap, tap. Each tap echoed directly in my chest. The room was dead silent. His gaze slowly swept across the room, finally locking precisely onto my face. A familiar yet utterly alien smirk played on his lips. “Allow me to introduce myself,” his voice was deep and magnetic, carrying a hint of casual laziness. “Lucas Harrison.” “New Executive Director of Harrison Group, and… your new boss.” A collective gasp echoed through the conference room. The Harrison family? The legendary, all-powerful Harrison family that monopolized half the energy industry? The mysterious, ruthless heir who’d just fought his way to power? I stared at him, my nails almost tearing through the folder in my grip. Luke. Lucas. So that’s how it was. He looked at me, his eyes playful. “Director Sophia, you don’t seem very welcoming.” I took a deep breath, stood up, and tried to keep my voice steady. “Mr. Harrison, you jest. Since it’s a company decision, I naturally comply.” “Comply?” He chuckled softly, pushing up his glasses. “Good.” He casually picked up an HR appointment letter from the table, not even glancing at it, and tossed it in front of me. “Since Director Sophia is so respectful of the rules, this will be easy.” “Given Ms. Sophia’s… mediocre performance in past projects, and her chaotic personal life, which severely impacts the company’s image.” He paused, his smile deepening. “Effective immediately, Ms. Sophia is relieved of her position as Investment Director.” Emily shot to her feet. “Mr. Harrison! This isn’t fair! Sophia is a core executive— she led all the major projects these past few years—” “Did I give you permission to speak?” Lucas didn’t even lift his head, merely giving Emily a dismissive glance. The sheer pressure in that instant silenced even Emily, a woman who’d weathered countless storms. He turned back to me, his gaze like that of a predator eyeing its prey. “However, I do appreciate Miss Sophia’s… certain ‘talents’.” “Therefore, I’m specially appointing Sophia as my personal assistant, responsible for my daily needs and schedule.” Personal assistant? From a partner earning a million a year to a tea-fetching errand girl? Humiliation. Naked, blatant humiliation. I gritted my teeth, looking at him coldly. “What if I refuse?” “Refuse?” Lucas sounded as if he’d heard a joke. “Of course, Miss Sophia can refuse. However, I hear Miss Sophia’s parents are still serving time in prison? If something were to happen to them inside… or if their parole applications kept getting denied…” Despicable! He was threatening me with that! I trembled with rage. This boy, who once couldn’t even stand to watch me clean a fish, was now using my family against me. “Fine.” I spat the word through clenched teeth. “I accept.” When the meeting ended, executives filed out, no one daring to meet my eyes. As I prepared to leave, that devilish voice called from behind me. “Stop.” My footsteps halted. “Did I say you could leave?” Lucas leaned back in his chair, pointing to the coffee cup he’d knocked over earlier. Brown liquid had pooled on the table, dripping steadily onto the expensive carpet. He looked up at me, his eyes full of malicious, vengeful glee. “Director Sophia, oh no— Assistant Sophia.” “The coffee’s spilled. Come on, clean it up.”

I stood there, staring at the brown stain, feeling my blood rush to my head. If this were before, anyone who dared to speak to me like that would have had a glass of water thrown back in their face. But now, he was Lucas— wielding absolute power over the entire group— and I was a prisoner with my weakness exposed. I took a deep breath, telling myself, *Sophia, you’ve seen worse. This petty game is nothing more than a child’s tantrum.* I turned, walked to the cleaning cabinet in the corner, took out a rag, and returned to the conference table. Lucas watched me, completely at ease, twirling a limited-edition pen in his long fingers— his eyes like those of someone watching a circus act. I bent down, wiping the table stroke by stroke. As I bent, the hem of my professional skirt rode up slightly. I could feel his gaze shamelessly linger on my waistline. It was an invasive gaze— not just filled with desire, but more with the arrogance of one surveying their property. “What’s wrong? You were so gentle wiping sweat off me in bed, why are you scrubbing a table so hard now?” He suddenly spoke, his voice low yet jarringly loud in the empty conference room. My movements halted. I snapped my head up to glare at him. “Boss, it’s work hours.” “Is it?” He chuckled softly, stood up, and walked around the table to stand behind me. The unfamiliar scent of cologne mixed with tobacco instantly enveloped me. He leaned in close, his warm breath fanning my ear, sending a shiver down my spine. “I remember Assistant Sophia used to enjoy doing other things during work hours,” his hand hovered around my waist without touching, “like, in front of the office’s floor-to-ceiling windows… teaching me how to kiss.” I straightened up abruptly, throwing the coffee-stained rag onto the table. “Lucas, aren’t you being childish?” I turned to face him, looking him straight in the eye. “If you went through all this trouble to acquire this company just to humiliate me, then you must be incredibly bored.” The smile in his eyes instantly vanished. “Humiliate?” He stepped closer, trapping me between the conference table and himself. “Sophia, you can’t handle this? For three years, when you treated me like a dog, ordering me around, did you ever think I might do the same to you one day?” “When did I ever treat you like a dog?” I scoffed, angry laughter bubbling up. “I provided food and shelter, even bought you the best underwear. You call that ‘treating you like a dog’?” “Isn’t it?” He suddenly flared up, grabbing my chin and forcing me to look up. “You’d pet me when you were happy, then ignore me when you weren’t. I cooked for you, warmed your bed, was your emotional punching bag—did I ever say no to anything? But how did you treat me?” His eyes were bloodshot, his voice hoarse. “Five hundred thousand. You tried to dismiss me with a single check. Sophia, in your eyes, was I really that cheap?” I was stunned. *Is that what he cared about?* “You were the one who wanted to break up!” I yelled back. “You were the one who said you didn’t care anymore!” “That was…” He hesitated, his eyes swirling with emotion before settling into a cold stillness. “Forget it. There’s no talking to a heartless woman like you.” He let go, then fastidiously pulled out a handkerchief to wipe his fingers— as if he’d touched something filthy. “Go, get me a coffee,” he reverted to that haughty coldness. “I want a pour-over Geisha from ‘Blue Bottle’ on Fifth Avenue. If it’s not here in thirty minutes, you can clean the toilets.” Blue Bottle Coffee was in the city center, twenty kilometers away. It was rush hour— I couldn’t even fly there in thirty minutes. He was doing this on purpose. But I didn’t argue. I turned and walked out. Outside the office, I immediately pulled out my phone and called for a rush delivery. I added a three-hundred-dollar tip, ensuring it would arrive in twenty minutes. Then I went to my workstation— now a small desk outside the CEO’s office— opened my laptop, and pulled up the files for the Harrison Group’s latest acquisition. It was a billion-dollar project. The Harrison Group aimed to acquire a tech company, but I immediately spotted discrepancies in their financial report. If I didn’t point it out, Lucas would sign— and that billion would go down the drain. As much as I wanted to see him lose money, this company was also my hard work— I couldn’t bear to watch it crumble. Thirty minutes later. I carried the delivered coffee and knocked on the CEO’s office door. “Come in.” Lucas was looking at documents, his brow furrowed. I placed the coffee next to him. “Boss, your coffee.” He glanced at his watch, raising an eyebrow. “That fast? Did you fly back?” “Money makes the world go ’round, didn’t you teach me that, Boss?” I offered a fake smile. He snorted, picked up the coffee, and took a sip. Just as he was about to find fault, I slapped a document down in front of him. “Boss, while you’re drinking your coffee, take a look at this.” “What is this?” “Your billion-dollar project. The other party’s core technology patent expires in three months, and they’ve concealed a two-hundred-million-dollar debt guarantee,” I said calmly, as if discussing the weather. “The legal department’s incompetent team missed it. I’ve highlighted it for you.” Lucas paused, set down his coffee, and flipped through a few pages of the document. His expression shifted from casual indifference to serious, then finally a complex look as he stared at me. “Why help me?” he asked. “Wouldn’t seeing me lose a billion be more satisfying?” I leaned forward, hands braced on the desk, looking directly into his eyes, and offered the first genuine smile I’d shown today. “Boss, a brain is a good thing. I hope you acquired one when you bought the company.” “I’m not helping *you*— I’m not letting *my* company be ruined by an idiot.” “And,” I pointed to the coffee cup, “consulting fee: five hundred thousand. Make sure it’s wired to my account.” With that, I turned dramatically, leaving him with a proud back. Behind me, I heard the heavy thud of documents being closed, and Lucas’s gritted-teeth remark: “Sophia, I truly want to stitch that mouth of yours shut.” I curved my lips into a smirk. Want to tame me? In your next life, kid.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “331621”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #重生Reborn #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #魔幻Magic #校园School

To repay a debt of gratitude, I married Maddox, the grandson of my benefactor, a man afflicted with aphasia. For three years, I dedicated myself to caring for him, yet he remained stubbornly cold. I always thought Maddox was simply aloof by nature, until my mother fell gravely ill and was admitted to the hospital. “Tessa, it’s been three years. I’ve waited for you for three years. If Grandfather hadn’t disagreed back then, you’d be my wife right now!” “Maddox, let go!” Tessa’s voice was tinged with anger. “What’s the point of saying all this now? You’re already married!” “Married?” Maddox’s sneer pierced my eardrums. “She was forced on me by Grandfather. I never acknowledged her as my wife. I promised you I wouldn’t speak to other women, so I pretended to be mute for three years and ignored her. Don’t you understand my heart?” Jessica’s POV “You joined this hospital, owned by the Miller family, wasn’t it for me?” The hospital fire escape door was ajar. From inside came a man’s clear, low voice, filled with a searing emotion I’d never heard before. Something exploded in my mind. I clapped a hand over my mouth and stumbled back half a step, unable to believe my ears. Maddox… he could speak? He wasn’t suffering from trauma-induced aphasia, had he not spoken a word to me for three years? I thought he had some deep-seated emotional block, so I never dared to ask, only treating him with even greater care. But it turned out he could speak? It turned out, these three years of silence weren’t due to illness. They were born of disgust, a way to remain emotionally reserved for another woman. With every word Maddox spoke, my heart ached a little more. I couldn’t help but remember the thousand-plus days and nights after marrying this man. The nourishing soup I spent hours simmering was always coldly poured down the drain. My SnapChat messages to him always vanished into thin air, until one day I accidentally glimpsed his phone and found my chat window set to “Do Not Disturb.” Even our few intimate moments only happened under Grandfather Miller’s insistence. But even in those intimate times, he never spared me a single glance. In fact, after each routine encounter, he would spend two full hours showering. Normally, he’d rather stay in his room and take care of things himself than touch me, his legal wife. His room was even explicitly forbidden to me, secured with a high-security fingerprint lock. As if I were something dirty. My enthusiasm dwindled bit by bit, but I could never bring myself to give up. Only because Maddox wasn’t just the person I promised Grandfather Miller I’d care for; he was also the man I’d secretly loved for seven years. But now, it seemed there was no need for me to persist. I instinctively raised my hand, gently covering my still-flat belly. There, a tiny life, whose existence I had just confirmed this morning. In between rushing around for my gravely ill mother, this news was like a sliver of light breaking through the gloom, giving me a humble glimmer of hope in my hopeless marriage. I even fantasized that if Maddox knew about the baby, would he treat me a little differently? And at this moment, I was only left with relief. Relief that this last card hadn’t been played. This child was the last shred of my dignity, untouched in this absurd marriage. I backed away step by step, my heels shaky, until I reached the long bench at the end of the hallway. I could no longer stand, and sank onto it. I fumbled for my phone, my fingers trembling so much I could barely hold it, but I managed to call Grandfather Miller, who was recuperating abroad, and briefly explained the situation. “Grandfather,” my voice was hoarse but unusually calm, “The three-year agreement is almost up. I… can’t go on.” The other end of the line was silent for a long time, then a heavy sigh. “Jessica, the Miller family has wronged you. I’ll arrange the divorce. You just need to sign after the thirty-day cooling-off period. I’ll compensate you. As for the child…” “I’ll have the baby. This is my child, it has nothing to do with him.” The call ended, and tears spilled from my eyes without warning. I wiped the wetness from my face with force, taking a deep breath. Thirty more days. Maddox, I’ll give you the freedom you want.

Jessica’s POV I stayed at the hospital for a long time before my mother’s urging made me go home. The living room lights were off, and a strong smell of whiskey hit me. By the moonlight filtering through the window, I saw Maddox’s tall frame slumped in the sofa, already passed out drunk. His brows were tightly furrowed, and a few indistinct syllables unconsciously escaped his thin lips. I took a few steps closer and heard clearly. “Tessa… don’t leave…” The voice was hoarse, painful yet lingering. My heart gave a sharp twist, as if something had violently wrung it. I once thought Maddox was inherently cold, a lofty deity whose emotions wouldn’t be swayed by anyone. It turned out this iceberg wasn’t incapable of melting; it was just that the sun that could melt him was never me. Over the years, taking care of him had almost become second nature. I bent down, laboriously helped him up, gritted my teeth, and, supporting him, shuffled him step by step towards the second floor. After we married, Maddox gave me the spacious, comfortable master bedroom and moved into the guest room. Yet, the distance across the hall felt like a thousand miles. The guest room door was, as usual, tightly closed and locked. I paused in front of it, hesitating. I had never been allowed to set foot in Maddox’s room, but now that the woman he loved was back, he probably wanted to be in the same room with me even less. I finally used his fingerprint to unlock it. A soft “beep,” and the door slowly opened. As the light fell and revealed the scene before me, I froze, my mind blank. The bedroom was covered wall-to-wall with Tessa’s photos and portraits. On the walls, on the cabinets, even on the ceiling… frames of all sizes displayed Tessa’s bright smiles and various moments of her life I’d never seen. But what truly made my scalp crawl was the life-sized custom-made doll of Tessa, dressed in silk pajamas, quietly propped against the headboard of the large bed in the center of the room. Perhaps returning to his familiar private space, Maddox’s consciousness cleared a bit. He abruptly pushed away my supporting hand with such force that I stumbled and crashed into the doorframe. Maddox didn’t even glance at me. He staggered to the bed and, like a devout believer seeking salvation, expertly pulled the doll tightly into his arms. He rubbed his cheek against the doll’s cold hair with yearning, the discomfort of his drunkenness gradually replaced by a mesmerizing sense of satisfaction and deep affection. He murmured, “Tessa… my Tessa…” I clamped my hand over my mouth, desperate to stifle the gasp that threatened to escape. The sight before me was so eerie it sent shivers down my spine. I could almost imagine how, on countless nights when I lay alone in the next room, Maddox was here, with these photos, this doll, channeling the twisted, fervent desires he couldn’t express to the real person. A wave of intense nausea violently surged from my stomach. I couldn’t stay another second. I turned and rushed back to my bedroom. As soon as I locked the door, I collapsed by the sink, retching uncontrollably until my stomach was empty, leaving only bitter bile. It took a while for me to emerge from the bathroom, my gaze unconsciously falling on the wedding photo on the bedside table. That was the only picture Maddox and I had together. Ten years ago, as a scholarship student supported by Grandfather Miller, I first stepped into the Miller home – and that was also my first meeting with Maddox. My nervousness and awkwardness left me flustered, and a sudden period only made things worse. A small, embarrassing red stain appeared on my light-blue pants, strikingly visible, making me want to disappear. It was that dazzling young man, silent as the stars, who took off his designer jacket and, with natural ease, tied it around my waist, covering the mess. He bent slightly, and in a voice only we could hear, gently said, “Don’t be scared, it’s okay. Only I saw it, but I have a bad memory, I’ll forget it soon.” The flutter in my heart at that moment was clear and intense. Later, I accepted the Miller family’s sponsorship, transferred to his private school, and studied desperately, only to be closer to him, just a little closer. I helped him with his studies, took care of his daily needs, like a sunflower, humbly turning towards his light, yet never daring to get too close, afraid of annoying him. Until Grandfather Miller found me again, saying Maddox had developed aphasia due to an accident, his emotions highly unstable, and hoping I could stay by his side as his wife for three years. No matter the outcome, after three years, I could choose whether to stay or leave. I hadn’t intended to agree, but then, Maddox actually sent me a SnapChat message, proposing. That line on the screen, “Let’s get married,” filled me with wild joy, foolishly believing he might reciprocate a tiny bit of my feelings. Now, it seemed it was merely a forced compromise under his grandfather’s immense pressure. I looked at the photo of my younger self, eyes full of light, and quietly said, “Jessica, you were so foolish.”

Jessica’s POV I didn’t sleep a wink. I made sure to get up early because I didn’t want to run into Maddox; I didn’t know how to face him. As I reached the entryway, the living room light suddenly came on. Maddox stood at the top of the stairs, wearing a bathrobe, his face pale from a hangover, but his eyes were clear as he looked at me. He picked up his phone and typed. 【Was it you who brought me back to my room yesterday?】 I knew Maddox remembered nothing when he was drunk, so I shook my head. “I didn’t see you when I got back. You must have gone back on your own.” Maddox came a little closer, watched me pack my things, and pursed his lips. 【What have you been busy with these past few days? I rarely see you at home.】 I didn’t stop, continuing towards the door, bending down to change my shoes: “My mom’s in the hospital. I have to go take care of her.” His phone chimed again: 【Is it serious? Why didn’t you tell me?】 My hand paused as I tied my shoelaces. I didn’t look up, my voice flat, with a hint of self-mockery, “I thought you wouldn’t care about these things.” I picked up my bag from the entryway cabinet, as if suddenly remembering something: “The doctor said her condition isn’t great. She needs surgery.” I noticed his fingers tighten on his phone as I continued, “The hospital assigned Tessa, Dr. Tessa. She’s quite young, just back from abroad, I heard. Such a major surgery, entrusting it to a rookie, I’m not comfortable. I’m going to ask today if we can get a more experienced specialist.” The moment I finished speaking, Maddox’s face changed. He abruptly lowered his head, his fingers flying across the screen. 【No!】 【How will she face anyone in the hospital if you do that!】 I stood still, quietly watching him. So, my mother’s life was worth less than Tessa’s pride. Maddox seemed to realize his reaction was excessive. He paused, then added, his tone softening a little but still firm: 【Suddenly changing the attending physician isn’t good for Mom either.】 Maddox seemed uncomfortable under my gaze, shifting his eyes away, no longer meeting mine. I said nothing more, reaching for the doorknob, but my wrist was suddenly grabbed by him. He shoved his phone screen in front of me; a new line of text read: 【I’ll go to the hospital with you. For the next few days, I’ll go with you every day.】 A month ago, if he had said that, I probably would have secretly rejoiced for days. But now, I only felt sarcasm. He didn’t want to accompany me; he was just finding a plausible excuse to see the woman he held dear every day. This realization made me sad, and also made me clearer. This attending physician had to be changed. Not only because being stuck between them was unbearable, but more importantly, in the past few days, I’d noticed Tessa’s inexperience and hesitation in managing my mother’s case. I couldn’t risk my mother’s life. I had already discussed this with Grandfather Miller over the phone last night. Grandfather said he would help me, and he already had a candidate in mind – a specialist named Dr. Noah. However, Dr. Noah was currently at a medical conference in another state and wouldn’t be back for a few days. Maddox’s performance was impeccable. He not only accompanied me to the hospital but also had his assistant buy many nourishing gifts. Mom was delighted, rare for her to have such high spirits, and she pulled Maddox into conversation. She didn’t know the true nature of Maddox’s and my relationship, but she could see how much I loved him, so she extended her affection to him. Maddox was surprisingly patient, staying at the bedside for the entire morning. Until Tessa appeared for her rounds. Though Maddox made no outward moves, his gaze was fixed on her, oblivious to everyone else. Tessa briefly questioned Mom, but misstated her condition several times. As she was about to leave, I called out to her.

Jessica’s POV I called her out of the hospital room, and Maddox followed, standing right beside Tessa. It was so natural, as if they were the couple. “Doctor.” I tried to keep my tone level. “There’s something I’d like to discuss with you. For my mother’s surgery, our family has arranged for a more experienced specialist, Dr. Noah, to take over. We won’t trouble you with the follow-up.” I phrased it politely. It’s common for patients to request a different doctor if they have doubts about the treatment plan. But Tessa looked as if she had suffered a terrible blow, her eyes reddening almost instantly. She didn’t look at me, her gaze fixed directly on Maddox, her lips trembling slightly, her voice choked with a sob: “Maddox… is this how you’re getting back at me?” Her tears flowed. “Yes, three years ago, I was wrong to abandon you to study abroad. But you don’t have to target me like this… You know this is the first important patient I’ve been responsible for since returning to the country. If I’m replaced, how will I establish myself in this hospital?” She choked, “You know I stayed because of you…” Maddox’s face suddenly changed. He opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to say something, but his gaze swept over me, standing beside them, and he swallowed the words back, just shaking his head forcefully. Tessa’s tears fell even harder. She took a step back, her eyes filled with disappointment and resentment: “I hate you!” With that, she cried and turned to run away. Almost simultaneously, Maddox rushed after her without thinking, his steps hurried and chaotic. As he passed me, he paused, turned his head, and shot me a venomous glare, full of resentment. Then I received a SnapChat message from Maddox. 【Don’t mess around.】 My heart ached, but I hadn’t done anything wrong. Maddox was gone for two days, and Tessa also took leave. To facilitate communication about her condition, I had added Tessa on SnapChat. So, these past few days, I saw a very different Maddox in her posts. Maddox, with eyes crinkled in tenderness, full of affection. Maddox, personally cooking meals. Maddox, holding Tessa and coaxing her to sleep… Love and lack of love were shockingly obvious. I couldn’t bear to look anymore. These two days, I went for my prenatal check-up alone. The embryo was developing well, which was good news. The doctor, seeing my gloom, advised me to keep my spirits up, so I simply deleted Tessa from my contacts. I didn’t let myself be idle. Using these two days, I contacted an agent and settled on a small house with a yard in a riverside town in the south. Once my mother recovered from surgery, it would be the perfect place for her to recuperate, and I also needed to thoroughly leave this place filled with painful memories. I started packing my things, only to find there wasn’t much I needed to take. My suitcase lay open on the floor. I was folding the last few frequently worn clothes to put inside when the bedroom door was gently pushed open. Maddox stood at the doorway, a hint of tiredness on his face, but his eyes weren’t as cold as usual. He held a beautifully wrapped small gift box and clearly froze when he saw the suitcase in the room. He pulled out his phone and typed: 【Going to the hospital again?】 I zipped up my suitcase, not looking at him, only giving a soft “hmm.” I didn’t want to explain further, nor was there any need. After all, Maddox hadn’t explained his relationship with Tessa to me either. Maddox was silent for a moment, then his fingers tapped on the screen again. 【Tomorrow is our three-year wedding anniversary.】 The words on the screen were clear: 【Shall we… go out for dinner?】 I was completely stunned, looking up at him with some disbelief. I thought he didn’t even remember the date. For the past two years, this day had always passed as silently as any other ordinary day, even more desolate than usual. I instinctively wanted to refuse. Our marriage was just a divorce agreement nearing its expiry; what was there to celebrate? But the words caught in my throat, because I caught a glimpse of a cautious expectation in the man’s eyes. My heart, after all, softened a little. This marriage was about to end. It was better to part on good terms. Consider it a dignified end to these absurd three years, and a complete farewell to the me who had once loved him with all her might. I lowered my eyelashes, hiding the turbulent emotions in my eyes, and replied, “Okay.”

Jessica’s POV On our anniversary, Maddox, uncharacteristically, arranged for a stylist to come to the house. When I appeared before him, dressed up, I had a fleeting illusion that I caught a trace of fleeting amazement in his eyes. We went to the restaurant together. After we were seated, I was surprised to find that the dishes Maddox had ordered in advance were all my preferred flavors, a few of which I had only mentioned casually. Then, he took out the small gift box, opened it, and inside was a bracelet I had seen in a store and really liked. It was a couple’s item, but Maddox wouldn’t wear one with me, so I had only taken a photo and posted it on Ins. I hadn’t expected him to specifically buy it for me. 【It’s been hard on you these past few years. I actually noticed it all.】 Another line appeared on the screen. His gaze was on my face, with a gentle warmth I’d never seen before. At that moment, my heart uncontrollably stirred slightly. My nose pricked, and I quickly lowered my head, afraid the tears would fall. Even though I had resolved to leave, the softest spot in my heart was still deeply touched. Amidst the dramatic emotional fluctuations, the symptoms of early pregnancy unseasonably surged, and I couldn’t help but turn aside, covering my mouth and dry heaving twice. Maddox frowned slightly, typing to ask: 【Feeling unwell? What’s wrong?】 I hesitated repeatedly. The warmth of the whole day gave me some courage. I wanted to try one more time. “Actually, I’m pregna—” My phone rang, cutting off my words. Maddox glanced at the caller ID; his face subtly changed. It was Tessa. He immediately answered. From the other end of the line, Tessa’s frantic sobs could be vaguely heard, even by me: “Maddox, come to the hospital quickly…” The voice on the other end ceased abruptly as Maddox’s phone automatically shut off. He urgently rose, not even bothering to tell me where he was going, and hurriedly drove away. Looking at the almost untouched food on the table and the empty seat opposite, I gave a bitter laugh. My husband had abandoned me here because of a phone call from another woman. I had lost my appetite and planned to get up to pay the bill, when several menacing-looking waiters suddenly surrounded me. Without a word, they forcibly dragged me to the back kitchen, using brute force to make me kneel. “What do you want? What you’re doing is illegal!” I shouted in panic, but they were unmoved. One of them slapped me across the face. “Who told you to upset Miss Tessa? Mr. Miller booked the entire place today, no one else will come, so you can just take your punishment here.” “Maddox conspired with you? That’s impossible!” The other person sneered. “What’s impossible? Miss Tessa is Mr. Miller’s true love.” My face stung terribly, but it was nothing compared to the heartache. But I didn’t even have a chance to cry out in pain. Slap after slap rained down. At first, I had the strength to resist, but gradually my vision blurred, and my ears buzzed until I heard nothing. I don’t know how many times I was slapped. My entire face was numb before these people finally stopped. “It’s your honor, you and your mother’s cheap lives paving the way for Miss Tessa. Next time, remember to be smarter.” They tossed me out the door like a dead dog. My head spun, and I lay on the ground, unable to move for a while. After a long time, the sky began to rain. Cold raindrops struck my swollen face, finally clearing my head a little. I took out my phone to call the police, only to find over a dozen missed calls on the screen. As soon as I unlocked it, the phone rang again. “Is this Ms. Jessica? Your mother suffered a sudden massive hemorrhage during surgery and is currently in critical condition. Please come to the hospital as soon as possible.” I couldn’t hear anything clearly, but the sudden surge of dread made me rush to the hospital without regard for anything else. The rain was too heavy. I couldn’t get a cab. Dragging my injured body, I walked for an unknown distance before finally losing consciousness.

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It was the fifth year of my marriage to Victoria, and the news of her affair had just broken, spreading like wildfire. To shield Tristan from being branded as the “other man,” Victoria came to me with divorce papers. “Professor Evans helped me back then,” she said, her voice firm, “I can’t let his son become a homewrecker.” All these years, Tristan was always Victoria’s first priority. In my past life, when I heard those words, I had a complete meltdown, refusing to divorce her. But she directly orchestrated a scheme, framing me for cheating, and then filed for divorce. That was when I finally understood that I could never compare to a debt of gratitude. In utter despair, I took my own life. When I opened my eyes again, I signed those divorce papers without a second thought. “Julian, once this blows over, can we get back together?” I was sitting in the villa garden, lost in thought, when Victoria arrived with Tristan. Just three hours earlier, paparazzi had exposed Tristan as Victoria’s lover. The entire internet was furious, calling him the third party who shattered our marriage. Victoria’s “devoted wife” image had crumbled, and her company’s stock price was plummeting. In my past life, when Victoria presented those papers, I had ripped out every rose she’d planted for me, madly questioning her relationship with Tristan. He was merely the son of her mentor; there were countless other ways to resolve this. But she chose to sacrifice me, all to prevent Tristan’s depression from worsening. She never knew that during that same period, I, too, had been diagnosed with moderate depression. “Julian,” Victoria called my name again. I lowered my gaze to the divorce papers on the stone table. She knelt, looking me in the eye, and reached out to hold my hand. Her tone was coaxing. “Julian, just for me, please?” “We can tell everyone our marriage was over a year ago, that we wanted to separate but hadn’t found the right time to announce it publicly.” I remained silent. Behind her, Tristan, in his thin clothes, had pale lips and red-rimmed eyes. “Julian, please, help me, okay?” “My mom committed suicide because of cyberbullying-induced depression. I don’t want to follow in her footsteps. I’m begging you, please…” He made to kneel, but Victoria immediately rose and pulled him up, shielding him behind her. Her face darkened, and she snapped in a low voice, “What are you doing?” Tristan choked, his voice trembling, tears welling as he lowered his head. “I… I just wanted to make him feel better.” Victoria’s brows furrowed instantly. When she looked at me, that hint of gentleness in her eyes completely vanished. “Julian, I’m not here to negotiate.” “This is already decided. If you don’t divorce me, then don’t blame me for—” I met her gaze, and her words died on her lips. But I knew what she was going to say. She would have said, “Julian, you know what I’m capable of. I have plenty of ways to make you sign.” “If you force this to court, you won’t win against my legal team.” Those were her exact words in my past life. Later, I was framed, waking up in bed with other women, with irrefutable proof of my “infidelity.” Overnight, I became the cheating one, enduring endless scorn. She and Tristan, ironically, became the victims. “I’ll sign,” I said after a long silence, “but you have to promise me one thing.”

Victoria glanced at me, then nodded in agreement. She handed me the pen. I took it, my expression unreadable, and signed my name. “Aren’t you going to read the agreement?” Victoria asked, frowning. I smiled faintly. “No need.” She was practically walking away with nothing, signing over all our assets to me—all for Tristan, to repay a debt of gratitude. “Let’s go to the registry office tomorrow.” “Okay,” I said. Victoria’s hand, holding the signed agreement, paused. She looked at me with a hint of bewilderment but ultimately said nothing. As they left, Tristan looked back, a sneer on his face, and mouthed silently, “You lost.” I certainly had lost. I’d lost my entire life. That’s why this time, I refused to lose again. A moment later, my phone lit up with a SnapChat message from Victoria. Victoria: You went through a lot today, Julian. I’m sorry. Victoria: Once this is over, I’ll give you another wedding. We’ll get back together. Victoria: I can’t just watch Tristan’s depression worsen. You understand, right? I stared at the message and couldn’t help but laugh, tears welling in my eyes. It was the same in my past life. To pressure me into divorce, Victoria had gotten advice from friends and drank herself into a stupor. But she forgot that her friends were my friends too. Harper, while urging Victoria not to ruin our marriage for Tristan, also came to me, asking for my understanding, claiming Victoria was just “exceptionally loyal.” She said that if Tristan’s father hadn’t recognized Victoria’s talent back then, investing in her and helping her start her company, Victoria wouldn’t be where she was today. I had cried back then, arguing, “She had countless ways to clarify the situation, why did she have to divorce me?” Harper fell silent. She had asked Victoria, who replied, “Someone has to be hurt. I can only make Julian suffer. He loves me; he’ll understand.” Because I loved her, I was expendable. What kind of logic was that? Luckily, I had another chance.

When it came to Tristan, Victoria always moved fast. We’d barely signed the papers in the morning when she arranged a press conference for the evening, having her assistant invite me to attend and clarify the situation. I didn’t say anything. The assistant, assuming I would refuse, relayed Victoria’s message. He said, “Mr. Sterling, you really should attend this press conference. If not for Ms. Dawson, then for your own reputation.” I paused for a second, then scoffed. Victoria was threatening me. She wanted to use the same old tactics from my past life, to slander my name, crush me with public opinion, and force me to surrender. I could never understand, did Victoria see me as a partner or an enemy? Now she wanted to publicly clarify our relationship. I wouldn’t shy away. The press conference was held in the city’s most exclusive hotel ballroom, attended by all the major media outlets. When Tristan, dressed in a suit, appeared alongside Victoria, reporters immediately swarmed them. Victoria instinctively shielded him, smiling as she deflected microphones. “Please wait, I’ll answer all your questions.” “Could you please make way?” Her voice was gentle. She looked up, meeting my eyes, as I too was surrounded. For a moment, I actually hoped she’d help me out of the crowd. But the next second, she subtly shifted her gaze, a smile on her lips, and led Tristan onto the stage, as if she hadn’t seen me at all. I gave a self-mocking twist of my lips. The closest reporter, who looked like an intern, timidly held out a microphone and asked, “Mr. Sterling, are you really divorcing Ms. Dawson?” “Yes,” I replied, looking up with a smile and a nod. The intern pushed up his glasses. “But you and Ms. Dawson met in high school, dated for seven years, and have been married for five.” “Last month, Ms. Dawson even bought an island and named it after you.” I continued to smile, though the warmth didn’t reach my eyes. “That’s what she owed me.” To care for the ailing Tristan, she had missed my birthday. The island was her belated apology. In my past life, I’d been proud of it, only to later learn it was Harper’s idea, and Victoria’s assistant had picked the island. Victoria didn’t even know where it was. “So, do you still love Ms. Dawson?” She looked at me anxiously. The surrounding reporters fell silent, even Victoria on stage looked over. Her brow furrowed slightly. I simply met her gaze, a slight curve to my lips, and clearly stated:”No, I don’t.”

I didn’t stay until the end of the interview. After Victoria clarified that my marriage to her had been effectively over for a year, I left. Overnight, I became Victoria’s discarded project, a broken thing. Tristan, however, emerged as the sole innocent victim of the public scrutiny. That interview remained pinned on social media for days, the topic’s heat never fading. Especially Victoria’s statement: “Julian and I had been planning to divorce for over a year, but the timing wasn’t right. We intended to handle it discreetly, but now that it’s affecting an innocent person, we have no choice but to clarify publicly. Tristan is not the third party in our broken relationship. He is the only remaining connection my mentor has in this world. My care for him is understandable; I hope everyone can view this rationally.” Some fans were swayed, claiming our relationship fell apart because I was overly suspicious and jealous, viewing pure friendship and gratitude as something dirty. They also said I wasn’t broad-minded enough, learning nothing of Victoria’s loyalty and sincerity in five years of marriage. The topic festered for days. I became the public’s punching bag. As I walked out of the city hall with the divorce papers, Victoria called out to me. “Don’t take what’s on the internet to heart, Julian. New hot topics will quickly overshadow it.” I stopped, unable to resist a light laugh. How could the distinction be so vast when both of us were being attacked on social media? “Julian, Christmas is only two months away.” “In spring, we can start over, okay?” She looked at me, and as she began to approach, I took a step back, turning my gaze to the paparazzi being held back by security nearby. Victoria also realized the impropriety and stopped. “Victoria,” I said, “I’m going back to Vancouver.” She nodded. “You haven’t been back in a long time. It’s good to stay there for a while. I’ll pick you up for Christmas—” “I’m not coming back,” I calmly interrupted her. The smile on her face froze, confusion in her eyes. “The condition you promised me when I agreed to sign the papers,” I continued, “it’s time to fulfill it.” Victoria stared at me blankly. When I first reborn, it only took me a few seconds to process my love and hatred for her. Seeing the divorce papers, I had thought about tearing them up and making a huge scene again, but ultimately, rationality prevailed. After a long moment, I curved my lips into a smile. “Victoria, I want you to disappear from my life forever.”

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