Author: Momo Chan

My boyfriend of five years once said he would marry me immediately if I got pregnant. For this promise, I went through twelve IVF cycles and finally succeeded in carrying his child. With the pregnancy test results in hand, I was overjoyed and ready to share the good news with him, when I accidentally overheard him drinking with his friends. “Didn’t you get a vasectomy for Diana long ago? Where did her baby come from? Could she be having someone else’s child?” a voice mocked. Myles, with a woman in his arms, said contemptuously, “That child is definitely mine and Diana’s. She’s nothing but a tool. If Diana wasn’t afraid of pain, she wouldn’t even have this opportunity.” In that moment, I realized the five years of sweet memories were all an illusion. Without hesitation, I bought a plane ticket abroad and left. Three years later, Myles found me at the airport. When he saw the child in my arms, his eyes instantly welled up with tears. “I know I was wrong. Please come back. I’ll announce to the world that you’re my wife. A child needs a father,” he said sincerely and passionately. However, I just smiled faintly and showed him the wedding ring on my finger. “Sorry, I’m already married.” ***** Hearing the conversation in the private room, I could barely stand. I thought, “Could the child in my womb really not be mine?” I instinctively touched my belly, unable to believe any of this. During our five years together, Myles had been extremely loving and never changed. Once when I mentioned I was afraid of the dark, he spent a fortune to buy Filana’s largest diamond as a bedside decoration. Whenever someone belittled my background, that person would be kneeling at our doorstep the next day, apologizing to me. The conversation in the private room continued. Myles said, “When Esther was working as a bartender, she was almost assaulted by a group of men. I happened to save her, and she fell for me. “Who would want to have a child with a bartender? She’s been with so many men. Having her bear a child is just for convenience. “I’ve already arranged everything with the hospital. Whether we want the child or not depends entirely on Diana’s mood.” The woman in Myles’ arms kissed him and said, “Myles, you’re so good to me.” My breath caught, and my chest felt crushed by a boulder. Those days working at the bar were memories I never wanted to revisit. I had only ever told Myles about this. At the time, he held me tenderly, his eyes full of compassion. Now, he was publicly exposing this secret, turning it into a joke for their amusement. “This gold digger will definitely try to claim her position. She has so many tricks up her sleeve, Mr. Weber, don’t fall into her trap.” “For these five years, Myles has kept Mrs. Weber’s position vacant, waiting for Diana. Now that Diana is back, that woman’s good days are over.” Hearing these words, my knees weakened, and I almost fell. A passing waiter caught me in time and asked with concern, “Miss, are you alright?” I steadied myself and whispered, “Thank you.” No wonder I had once seen a photo of a woman in Myles’ study. The photo was a bit blurry, but the woman in it bore some resemblance to me. At the time, Myles explained she was an old friend. Later, when I tried to enter his study again, the servants stopped me, saying Myles had ordered that I was no longer allowed in. Looking back now, I finally understood that he had been treating me as a substitute all along. Fighting back tears, I watched Diana in Myles’ arms, my heart shattering with pain. Diana took several photos with Myles’ phone, then lightly tapped the screen. The next second, my phone received a notification. Opening it, I saw content posted from Myles’ Instagram account. Nine photos in total, each one showing Diana and Myles intimately together under dim lighting. And Myles made no attempt to stop her. Thinking back, I had also tried to document our love on Instagram, only to be scolded by him. Soon, my phone received several messages from Myles.[You think getting pregnant with his child means you can be with him?] [You should be thankful for that face of yours, otherwise you wouldn’t even have a chance of catching Myles’ attention.] [But I’m not that petty either—I won’t shortchange you a penny. Once you have the baby, I’ll give you eight million dollars, more money than you could earn in your entire lifetime.]After I give birth, you’ll give me eight million dollars—money I couldn’t earn in a lifetime.] Diana’s provocations came one after another, until suddenly the sound of a breaking bottle and a scream echoed through the private room. I looked up to see a young man clutching his head on the floor, while Myles casually tossed aside half a broken bottle. He said coldly, “What business is it of yours whether I get married or not? “I’m warning you all, shut your mouths. If anyone dares tell Esther, don’t expect me to show mercy.” A cold smile tugged at my lips. At this point, Myles only thought I still had some value to him. But, Myles, I want nothing more to do with this relationship or this child.

Late at night, I lay in bed looking at flight tickets. Suddenly, a pair of hands wrapped around my waist from behind. Myles, smelling of alcohol, held me tightly and murmured with furrowed brows, “Diana…” Countless times in his sleep, he had called out this name. I never thought much of it before, assuming it was his pet name for me. Now, I realized how painfully naive I had been. I broke free from Myles’s embrace, walked to the balcony to feel the night breeze, and purchased a ticket to Geleat for three days later. The next morning, Myles took care of me as usual. He bent down to help me put on my socks, then gently lifted me up. Looking at his flawless face, my thoughts were in complete disarray. The stern, decisive CEO known in the business world had no pretenses with me, acting every bit the perfect husband. Yet this loving facade was nothing but a carefully crafted illusion that had fooled everyone. At the breakfast table, Myles suddenly leaned closer to me. “Why aren’t you happy?” he asked. I didn’t answer, lowering my gaze to notice the fresh and fading kiss marks on his neck. Feeling nauseated, I abruptly pushed his hand away and rushed toward the bathroom. I suddenly lost my balance. As I fell forward, I tripped over baby toys on the floor. Those toys had been bought by Myles in anticipation of our child’s arrival, and they were never carelessly left around. “Careful!” Myles rushed forward and caught me. I fell into his arms, still shaken. He frowned and said softly, “You’re so careless. What would you do without me?” My heart sank. So this was what Myles truly thought. He believed I could never leave him. Myles looked up, his eyes filled with coldness, and harshly questioned the row of servants standing at attention in the living room, “Who cleaned the living room today?” The living room fell silent; no one dared to answer. At that moment, someone hurried out from the guest room—it was Diana, whom I had just met yesterday. I stood there frozen in disbelief. Why was she here? I was shocked to see her in our home. Looking behind her, I was stunned to see the guest room had been filled with her luggage overnight, with more by the front door. Diana nervously grabbed my hand and said, “It was me! Esther, are you hurt?” She was in tears, completely different from her arrogant demeanor yesterday. She said, “The first trimester requires extra caution. I wanted to sanitize these toys, but my good intentions backfired. I’m sorry.” Myles remained unmoved, suppressing his anger as he scolded her, “Stop meddling in these matters. If you cause any more trouble, you can go sleep on the balcony!” Then, he reluctantly explained to me, “She grew up with me, and I see her as a sister. When she heard you were pregnant, she insisted on coming to help take care of you. She’s been spoiled since childhood, so please don’t take offense.” “I’m sorry, Myles. I didn’t mean to. I promise I’ll take good care of Esther during her pregnancy,” Diana said sincerely, even raising her hand to swear. I didn’t even have a chance to express my opinion. Without responding, I turned and went back to my room to pack. At noon, Diana prepared a large meal to apologize to me.However, the table was covered with various animal organs like liver, kidneys and intestines, and the strong fishy smell of animal organs made me nearly vomit. I immediately wanted to leave, but Diana forcefully held me down in my seat. She said, “Esther, I heard from doctors that pregnant women need to supplement trace elements. These dishes are specially prepared for you, you need to eat these.” I wanted to refuse, but Diana’s strength was surprisingly powerful to resist.She kept force-feeding me, as if I were livestock. The next second, I could no longer hold back the nausea in my stomach. I pushed Diana away forcefully and rushed to the bathroom to throw up. Myles scolded, “Diana is doing this for you and the baby’s sake, how can you be so ungrateful?” I remained slumped helplessly by the toilet, offering no response. At some point, they had both left. I washed my face and decided to process my overseas travel documents that very day. In the afternoon, I returned home to find the mansion completely empty. As I was wondering where everyone was, I suddenly heard faint sounds. Following the noise, I discovered Diana in my bedroom, wearing my pajamas, sitting on Myles’s lap.

Intermittent voices came from the room. Diana said, “Myles, I regret it. I don’t want to watch you being so good to that woman. Let me have our child instead. Will you dump her?” Myles responded, “Of course, I’ll do that for you.” As soon as he finished speaking, the bed began to shake more urgently, and Diana’s intermittent moans filtered through. I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms, filled with rage. I thought, “What exactly do they take me for? A breeding tool?” I turned and left, heading straight for the hospital. Only I could decide the fate of this child. To avoid Myles finding out, I risked going to a small hospital for an abortion. Lying on the operating table, I felt the cold instruments moving between my legs. I closed my eyes, and a tear slid from the corner of my eye. The doctor had just told me that due to multiple IVF procedures, my uterine wall had become very thin, making natural conception highly unlikely in the future. Even if I tried IVF again, the chances of a successful pregnancy would be slim. This meant I could never become a mother. By the time I returned home, it was already dark. Myles saw me and rushed forward to embrace me. He said, “Esther, where have you been? I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” I pushed him away, fighting through my discomfort. “I just felt stuffy and went out for a walk.” Just thinking about the scene between him and Diana in bed made me sick. Myles sighed in relief and reached out to stroke my head. “Next time you want to go out, tell me, and I’ll accompany you.” I turned my head to avoid his hand, not wanting to look at his hypocritical face anymore. Looking at my pale face in the mirror, I suddenly found it laughable. I never realized before that Myles was actually such a terrible actor. If he had paid even a little attention to me, he would have noticed something was wrong. The next morning, I made a bowl of oatmeal. Having just had surgery, I couldn’t eat anything spicy. Diana saw this and mocked, “Myles went out specially to buy breakfast for me, while you only deserve this.” She raised her hand, and a blue diamond sparkled in the sunlight between her fingers. I recognized it immediately—it was the exorbitantly priced custom engagement ring Myles had commissioned last year, one of only two in the world, which had even trended online. He had promised to propose to me with it, but now it was on Diana’s finger. Diana continued, “All the jewelry he’s given you over the years were pieces I didn’t want.” I nodded casually and turned back to my room. After Diana finished breakfast, Myles took me out, claiming it was for our so-called anniversary. The car slowly pulled up in front of a bridal shop. Myles smiled at me, and I was momentarily stunned. I had accidentally discovered photos on his phone earlier and learned that when I first became pregnant, he had secretly ordered a wedding dress. Since then, I had been looking forward to the day I would wear it. So even though he had delayed proposing to me, I always believed we would get married. Now Myles’s intentions were obvious, just short of saying it outright. He was about to fulfill my five-year wait, but I no longer felt any joy. Myles held my hand as we got out of the car, but before he could speak, I saw Diana twirling around inside the shop. She was wearing the wedding dress Myles had custom-made, with a cinched waist and strapless design, fitting perfectly in every way.Ignoring how Myles’s expression darkened, she stepped forward, tugging at his arm, and said, “Myles, bridal photoshoots are really trending lately. Can we take some photos too?” When he didn’t respond, she pulled him away from me and stood on tiptoe to whisper something in his ear. Myles’s furrowed brow suddenly relaxed, and he let out a soft sigh.He walked over to me and said in a low voice, “We still have plenty of time. I’ll help you pick out a wedding dress later.” Diana pointed at the necklace around my neck and said coquettishly, “Myles, this necklace would suit me better.” Myles took out his phone and transferred me $200,000, then moved behind me and removed the necklace. Throughout the entire process, he never asked for my opinion. Even though he knew perfectly well that this necklace was a gift from my mother Natalie, and I had always treasured it. I fell into a prolonged silence. After they went in for the photoshoot, Diana sent me a message with a screenshot showing a transfer of $2 million. [Myles says that’s all you’re worth.] I didn’t reply and left the store. Having a third person appear on my anniversary with Myles was absurd enough; I had no interest in continuing this charade. My love for him had completely evaporated, and today was no longer a special day. I didn’t need the remaining time either. I changed direction and went to the nightclub. This had been my original destination today. I had just finished signing the contract and was about to go downstairs when I saw Diana around the corner. She stood in front of me, holding the broken necklace, and threw the shattered pearls at my face. She angrily said, “I knew you wouldn’t change. Whose baby are you carrying? And Myles actually scolded me because of you!” I looked up at her. “Now that I think about it, you do look familiar. You were at this nightclub that night when those people came for me, weren’t you?” Her expression became flustered, obviously guilty. “Don’t talk nonsense!” What had been mere suspicion before was now absolute certainty. I ignored her and turned toward the spiral staircase. After descending a few steps, her voice rang out again. “Let’s see what you’ll do if something happens to your baby!” I instinctively turned around and saw the malicious smile on her face just as she pushed me violently. She used all her strength. I screamed as I lost my balance and fell backward. Just when I had almost given up hope, a hand from behind caught me and pulled me into a protective embrace.   Myles’s expression was one of profound relief, his body trembling slightly. “Thank goodness I came.” Seeing his reaction, Diana became anxious, her eyes reddening. “Myles, you promised me!” Myles, in a rare display of anger toward her, shouted, “Enough!” Diana defiantly raised her chin, though tears were already streaming down her face. “Esther still works at the nightclub. I was just disciplining her for you! Besides, she hit me first!” Her words were a mixture of truth and lies, but at least one statement was true. All her actions stemmed from the confidence and silent permission Myles had given her. Myles didn’t reprimand her further but turned to me and said, “Diana is my sister. You don’t need to lose your temper over these trivial matters; it’s dangerous.” I gently pushed him away and politely said, “Thank you.” Afterward, he took Diana home. While I sat in the back seat scrolling through my phone, I discovered the incident was already spreading online. The morning’s events had been captured by passersby and uploaded, instantly igniting public opinion. The comment section was filled with accusations against me. The nightclub had security cameras, but Myles wouldn’t let me access the footage. He said, “I’ll handle this matter.” During dinner, Myles frequently got up to take phone calls. The waiters huddled together, exchanging whispers, occasionally glancing at me with contempt. “The woman he always brought here before wasn’t her. What is she pretending to be?” When I looked at my phone again, Myles had already suppressed all the news. However, this controversy quickly took a new turn. A maliciously edited video entered the public eye. In the footage, I was holding a wine glass, then pinned down by a group of men. Combined with the trending topics that had just been suppressed, along with deliberately misleading comments, netizens were quick to condemn me as the guilty party. Subsequently, rumors about me spread like wildfire. They labeled me a nightclub entertainer with implied promiscuity, someone who seduced customers to climb the social ladder and interfered in others’ relationships. All kinds of unspeakable words flooded the internet. As clever as Myles was, he surely knew Diana was behind this.I mocked, “Myles, you allowed her to defame me like this.” I spoke with certainty, and his silence confirmed my suspicion. He said wearily, “Today of all days, can you please let this matter go?” Then he promised almost solemnly: “Esther, I will marry you and clear everything up for you today, if you just drop this.”I looked away, realizing that five years of genuine feelings had been wasted, exchanged for one transaction after another in the name of love. Myles was indeed a successful businessman, capable of weighing the pros and cons even in matters of the heart. I didn’t answer, just sat across from him in silence until we hastily finished our meal. Soon after, the controversy around this topic died down again. We arrived at the riverside, only to find the banks already crowded with media vehicles. No one was willing to let go of such a sensational story. But their attention was quickly diverted. Every year on this day, Myles would meticulously plan a grand performance, and this year’s was even more spectacular. Fireworks soared into the sky, showering the daylight with brilliant and magnificent romance. “I never expected to see a new work from this master!” someone began livestreaming. Myles embraced me from behind and whispered, “I spent half a year preparing this. Do you like it?” I looked up at the fireworks as they gradually transformed into heart-shaped patterns. His intentions were obvious, but I only felt bored. From the corner of my eye, Diana’s figure flashed by, and immediately after, Myles’s phone began ringing incessantly. He frowned as he declined call after call. After the performance, the plaza had quietly been transformed with new decorations, and the media gathered around again. Myles faced me and slowly knelt on one knee, his eyes full of deep affection. He said, “Esther, you’ve been my fiancée-to-be from early on. Today marks the fifth year of our love. Will you marry me?” Amid flashing cameras, I smiled brightly. “I will.” I extended my hand, allowing him to slip that second-hand diamond ring onto my ring finger. In my heart, I said, “Myles, I promise to leave you forever.” His tense lips finally relaxed at that moment, his eyes brimming with joy. For a brief instant, I even thought I glimpsed his true heart. But that door had never opened; for five years, I had been hurting myself trying to get through. Shortly after the media dispersed, Myles finally answered his phone. “After you reprimanded Ms. Collins, she ran off. We haven’t been able to contact her. Her last known location was by the river!” Myles’s expression changed drastically, as if he was making a difficult decision. “You have your pregnancy check-up today,” he finally closed his eyes briefly and said, “I’ll take you to the hospital first.” I smiled and said, “You’ve got the time wrong. The check-up is the day after tomorrow.” He immediately looked chagrined, as if he had truly forgotten the date. He said, “Then I’ll clear my entire schedule the day after tomorrow to accompany you for a thorough examination.” He didn’t continue, but I chose to let it go. The smile remained on my face. “Go quickly, before something really happens.” “Esther, you’re always so understanding.” He hurriedly kissed me and strode away without looking back. In truth, the pregnancy check-up was indeed today, but none of that mattered anymore. I was grateful that the unblessed child had departed early. Now, it was my turn to leave. After the crowd dispersed, I threw away the ring and tore up the tickets I had been clutching. A private jet waited not far away. I turned and boarded. All coincidences converged today, destined to become your most unforgettable day. Myles, this is the surprise I return to you. We will never meet again.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MyFiction” app 🔍 search for “397724”, and watch the full series ✨! #MyFiction #B×G

I signed a three-year secret relationship agreement with Elliot. On the surface, I was the enviable executive secretary. Behind closed doors, I was merely a substitute for his lover. I was only allowed to travel between the villa and the company, always by his side. I thought he loved me deeply, until I accidentally overheard his conversation with friends at a drinking party. “Parker would be furious if he knew you’ve kept his daughter, whom he’s been searching for most of his life, by your side, playing with her for three whole years.” “So what? As long as Lucia isn’t upset.” “Even though Juliet has a great figure, you must be bored with her by now. Why not let me have her…” “Hmm, I’ll think about it.” From these fragments of conversation, I pieced together the truth. So Elliot had kept me trapped by his side for three years all because of Lucia. To him, I was nothing but a plaything he could share with friends. Tears slid down the corners of my eyes as I stuffed the renewal agreement I had prepared back into my pocket. I would leave him forever. ***** “Juliet, why are you standing at the door?” Just as Elliot finished speaking, the private room door was forcefully pushed open. Elliot looked at me expressionlessly, pushing his gold-rimmed glasses up his nose, his tone ice-cold. “How long have you been here?” As the person was about to answer truthfully, I quickly interrupted, asking naturally, “Elliot, will you be busy for much longer? Should I take a taxi home first?” A flash of displeasure crossed Elliot’s face. “Don’t you dare leave my sight!” With that, he pulled me into the private room. The deafening music pounded in my ears as I looked at the men with varying expressions under the dim lights, feeling a wave of revulsion. Elliot’s hand firmly gripped my waist. He kept his distance from other women, yet clung to me possessively in his arms. He bit my collarbone hard and said, “Don’t go anywhere except by my side, understand? After I finish my work next week, I’ll take you for a vacation, okay?” I pushed him away, enduring the pain. He never acknowledged my status, yet always clung to me, leaving visible marks on my body. I said, “Okay.” I had always obeyed him, but this answer was an exception. He smiled with satisfaction, his hand slipping under my blouse. “You’re so obedient. How should I reward you?” I broke free from his embrace, unwilling to continue this charade of intimacy. When I saw he had no intention of stopping, I calmly reminded him, “So many people are watching. Aren’t you afraid the news will reach Lucia’s ears?” Sure enough, his face immediately turned cold. “You have no right to mention her.” For three years, I had meticulously played the role of an alluring rich girl, just to be more like Lucia. Yet I didn’t even have the right to mention her name. Perhaps to Elliot, I would never be worthy in this lifetime. His eyes darkened, but he left first, pulling me toward the underground parking garage. Just outside the private room, we ran into Lucia. Lucia asked curiously, “Eli, who is this?” Facing Lucia’s curious gaze, Elliot remained composed, smiling with exceptional tenderness. “She’s just an ordinary employee from my company who caused some trouble at the party. I’m taking her back to the office for a reprimand.” He tightened his grip on my wrist, silently warning me. My eyes filled with tears from the pain, and I nodded earnestly. Seeing my sincere expression, Lucia believed Elliot’s words. Elliot smiled with satisfaction. Lucia folded her arms, looking suspiciously between us, but was eventually called away by her friend without saying anything more. Elliot held my hand and pressed me against the back seat of his Bentley.The car had been specially modified with soundproof windows that prevented anyone outside from detecting what happened inside. Ironically, I once thought he was being considerate by driving smoothly on any road. But in reality, two-thirds of our intimate moments took place in this car. He thought it was both convenient and thrilling—just close the windows, and no one would ever know the shameful things happening inside.I had never felt so cheap. He pinned both my wrists with one hand, making my already swollen wrists even more unbearably painful. When I tried to struggle, his expression instantly turned cold. “Rein in your temper,” he said displeased. “Don’t make me irritated.” “You performed very well in front of Lucia earlier. I’ll give you a special reward.” The temperature in the car rose, yet I felt unusually cold. His eyes held only lust, not a trace of love. I was just a pet he could summon at will. I collapsed onto the seat, like a rag doll. Elliot’s face gradually darkened with menace. Just as he was about to speak, his phone rang. Lucia’s coquettish voice came through: “Eli, haven’t you left yet? Could you drive me home?” Her voice seemed to come from just outside the car window.

Everything happened so quickly. Elliot suddenly became flustered, responding with a hoarse voice. After some confusion, Lucia sat in the passenger seat. Her destination was a villa in the suburbs. The journey was quiet, but when the car turned onto a secluded suburban road, she suddenly said, “Eli, you seem quite close to your female assistant.” Elliot slammed on the brakes, fixing me with cold eyes. “Lucia, don’t misunderstand. I’ll make her get out right now.” The darkness outside was like a monster ready to devour me. I suppressed my anxiety and resistance, voluntarily opening the door to leave. Lucia said, “Eli, she’s your employee. It’s dangerous to make her get out here. I’m just a tiny bit uncomfortable, silly. I can handle it.” She pouted and turned away. Elliot quickly pulled her into his arms, but directed his anger at me: “What are you standing there for? Are you begging for death?” I couldn’t disobey any of his demands. That was stipulated in the agreement we signed three years ago. However, that agreement had already expired, and I no longer needed to follow its rules. Recently, there had been frequent murders, with multiple homicides reported nearby. After getting out, I barely dared to breathe loudly, suddenly recalling the night I first met Elliot. My foster father had jumped to his death after accumulating thirty million dollars in debt from a construction project. Worse still, my brother, trying to earn money, took the most dangerous job at a construction site and broke his leg when his safety lock wasn’t secured properly, requiring expensive medical treatment. I had tried everything except selling myself. I worked tirelessly selling drinks at various bars, but the money needed was like a bottomless pit. My appearance was too eye-catching, and I had repeatedly rejected one customer’s advances. Angered, he forced me to strip dance in a private room full of people. It was Elliot who saved me and voluntarily helped pay off all my debts, with the only condition being signing an agreement with him. He was a ray of light in my dark life. I knew he had been hurt before and still loved someone else. I knew he suffered from insomnia and could only sleep soundly when holding me at night. I understood his food preferences and dislikes. He seemed to have a desperate need for physical contact, having sex with me every day. No other women ever appeared in his life. He constantly gave me gifts and spoke words of affection. I naively believed we loved each other. But only now did I understand that he helped me because of my connection to Lucia. Lucia was Parker’s illegitimate daughter. If Parker’s daughter from his first marriage hadn’t been kidnapped as a child, Lucia would never have become the Harris family heir. She was ostracized in their entire social circle. Elliot found me, made me fall in love with him, and kept me under his control. As long as he controlled me, Lucia’s position as heir would remain unchallenged. Whenever Lucia got entangled with other men outside, Elliot would return home and vent his frustration on me.I thought it was love, only to realize it was actually hate. The sky suddenly erupted in a downpour, with icy raindrops pelting down, stinging my skin with their cold. There was no one around in sight and nowhere to take shelter. Having no phone with me, I couldn’t contact anyone, so I had no choice but to trudge along the road, enduring the hardship as I continued forward. Finally, I found a clinic. The moment the doctor opened the door, I collapsed unconscious.When I woke up, my head was throbbing. As soon as I opened my eyes, I saw Elliot. Seeing me awake, he didn’t offer a single word of concern. He merely extinguished the lit cigarette in his hand and coldly urged, “Since you’re awake, let’s head out for the award ceremony.”

My mind went completely blank for a moment, and it took me a while to remember the schedule he was reminding me of. I had represented the company in a prestigious design competition and somehow managed to win the gold award. My face was pale, and for the first time in three years, I contemplated calling in sick. He seemed to read my mind and spoke first, “Who do you think you are? You just got caught in the rain, and now you’re acting all delicate and dramatic?” I pressed my lips together without arguing, silently getting up to dress myself. No matter what, in his eyes, I was worthless. I didn’t need to explain myself to him. A flash of satisfaction crossed his gaze. He even opened the car door for me and personally fastened my seatbelt. I looked out the window, a plan forming in my mind. This award ceremony was hosted by the Harris family. I might have a chance to meet my biological father, perhaps even be recognized by him on stage. Plus, today marked the day I received my first award in life. Thinking about this, a glimmer of anticipation rose within me. Lucia, as a representative of the host, was naturally present at the event. She glanced casually at the list of winners and said, “Juliet, you’re amazing, actually winning this award. I’m so envious I could cry. Unfortunately, I don’t have that talent; I might never win such an award in my lifetime.” I was momentarily speechless. In a fair and just competition, of course only those with ability would win. But I still casually agreed, “I was just lucky, that’s all.” The award ceremony began on time. Although I already knew the results, I was still extremely nervous when the award was announced, my palms sweating. The gold winner’s name scrolled on the big screen, and the host deliberately kept the audience in suspense. He dragged out his words, “The gold award goes to Lucia. Congratulations, Miss Harris!” The scrolling names on the screen finally stopped at “Lucia.” I had already instinctively stood up from my seat, staring blankly at the screen. Lucia, however, appeared composed. Seeing my somewhat awkward situation, she couldn’t help but cover her mouth and laugh softly, “What I want, I never fail to get.” Nearby, my biological father looked at Lucia with admiration as she went on stage to accept the award. The crowd below began to whisper. “Who is that? How embarrassing. Why did she stand up when the gold award was announced?” “I don’t know. But I heard the original gold winner was someone named Juliet. How did it suddenly change to Miss Harris?” “Miss Harris is just exceptional. Look how radiant she is today, making that girl from earlier look like a clumsy clown in comparison.” “Exactly, I think so too.” Hearing these words, my nails nearly dug into the flesh of my palms. Elliot was adjusting his cuffs at this moment and said coldly, “I had the organizers change the winner’s name an hour before the ceremony. Let this award be Lucia’s. “From now on, you’ll continue to create under Lucia’s name. “Awards aren’t important; what matters most is Lucia’s happiness.” I turned to look at Elliot in disbelief. This design had taken me an entire month of sleepless nights to complete, countless times of anxiety due to lack of inspiration. To me, it was as precious as my own child. Yet he so easily made me give up the award to Lucia. Seeing my unhappy expression, he slightly softened his tone, stroking my hand reassuringly, “Don’t be angry. Didn’t you want to go to the amusement park? I’ll take you there.” Once, I truly wanted to go to the amusement park with him.Once, I had truly wanted to go to the amusement park with him. But now, I had given up on that idea entirely. I let out a bitter smile. Elliot loved Lucia and thought constantly about making her happy, while I only received his hollow attention. Mustering my courage, I said to Elliot, “That won’t be necessary. The agreement between us has run its course, and I want to leave.”However, Elliot seemed not to have heard me at all. Lucia excitedly came down from the stage after receiving her award and threw herself straight into his arms. He congratulated Lucia, completely ignoring what I had said. The courage I had mustered instantly vanished. For the past three years, I only knew how to obey him, enduring his unreasonable temper and endless desires. Now, I finally realized clearly that my submission and pleas only encouraged his behavior, never earning me an ounce of compassion. While Elliot and Lucia were immersed in their sweet moment, I quietly slipped away, trying to find an opportunity to approach an assistant close to my biological father. I said, “Hello, I’m Juliet. Actually, I’m Mr. Harris’s biological daughter.” I thought he would be shocked or excited, but he responded expressionlessly, “Do you have any proof?” I panicked inside and stammered, “No, but…” He had clearly lost patience. “Ma’am, you’re the two hundredth person claiming to be Mr. Harris’s daughter. How many more times must this trick be repeated?” With that, he turned to leave, ignoring all my explanations and pleas. Just as I was feeling disappointed, a handsome man approached me and asked sincerely, “Do you need help?” I tried hard to recall, but had no memory of this person. He said, “You don’t remember me? Last night at the bar, didn’t you overhear my conversation with Elliot?” Hearing his words, I finally remembered who he was. I frowned, rolled my eyes, and was about to leave. He was taken aback, quickly stepped forward and grabbed my wrist, explaining, “I said those things intentionally for you to hear. Don’t misunderstand. I can help you.”

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I have a hereditary form of amnesia that skips generations. By the time they diagnosed me, I had only seven days left before everything would slip away. On the first day, my boyfriend confessed he’d fallen for my sister. I forced a smile and broke things off. On the second day, my sister smashed my prized LEGO collection. Everyone laughed, saying I was an embarrassment who didn’t deserve to be a Miller. By the fourth day, I’d forgotten my sister was allergic to mangoes and accidentally sent her to the hospital. My parents couldn’t even look at me, and my ex called me a heartless bitch. On the seventh day, I woke up in a hospital bed to find my father storming in, demanding I quit my job to become the family’s full-time caretaker. I just stared at them all, confused. “Who are you people?” I asked softly. When they realized I genuinely couldn’t remember anything, the whole family lost their minds. ***** Harris: [Ms. Miller, are you continuing your treatment? Don’t forget to pick up your prescription if you are.] Harris: [Ms. Miller, your condition is serious. Stopping medication will cause side effects. You absolutely cannot abandon treatment or you’ll lose all your memories within eight days.] I stared at Doctor Harris Clark’s messages for the longest time, my fingers hovering over the keyboard. In the end, I didn’t reply. Maybe getting amnesia wasn’t the worst thing that could happen to me. I’d been alive for years, and honestly? There wasn’t a single memory in my head worth fighting to keep. I stared at Harris’ earnest message on my screen for what felt like forever before slowly typing back: [Thanks, Dr. Clark, but I’ve already decided to give up.] After turning off my phone, I glanced at the calendar. Today marked six years since James Davenport and I had started dating. I’d been planning his anniversary gift for a whole month. A tie seemed too basic, shoes too impersonal. After endless deliberation, I’d dipped into my secret savings to buy him an expensive handcrafted watch. James worked at a Fortune 500 company where he constantly rubbed shoulders with loaded bigwigs. He needed something to help him look the part. Plus, I didn’t want my memory loss condition to drag him down anymore, so I’d decided to break up with him face-to-face. But when I arrived at the restaurant we’d agreed on, James was nowhere to be seen. I waited until the water in my glass turned cold before I finally spotted him rushing in, looking totally frazzled. “Feona, I’m so sorry! The office suddenly needed me to work late. I got here as fast as I could.” I took in his disheveled appearance and couldn’t miss the hint of a hickey peeking out from his collar. Something in my brain just snapped. “You—” I started to say, but before I could finish, James wiped the sweat from his forehead and handed me a small box, smiling warmly. “This is for you. Thanks for sticking with me these past six years.” I just stared at the box he handed me, feeling nothing—no excitement, no happiness. When I opened it, there was a gorgeous bracelet nestled inside. It looked incredibly expensive, with an intricately carved peony flower that seemed almost alive. All these little details suddenly clicked together in my mind like puzzle pieces, and I understood everything in an instant. I didn’t like peonies—my sister Tracy Miller did. The scales had started tipping in my sister’s favor three months ago when I first introduced her to James. Since then, everything had changed. He stopped caring about my feelings, from buying extra gifts that weren’t for me, to constantly bringing up Tracy’s name during our dates, and finally to leaving me behind while he walked side by side with her, laughing together. When exactly had he started falling for her instead? I’d been quiet too long. James looked at me nervously and asked, “What’s wrong? Don’t you like it?” I forced a bitter smile onto my face. “James, let’s break up,” I said, my voice ice cold. James froze, his eyes filling with disbelief before he jumped to his feet in anger. “What the hell is that supposed to mean? What now?” he snapped, words rushing out. “Weren’t you the one crying about how nobody cared about you or remembered your special days? Weren’t you begging me to celebrate our anniversary together? And now what? You’re already bored of me? “I should’ve listened to your sister. I shouldn’t have wasted my time planning all these surprises for you! No wonder your family prefers Tracy—you don’t even come close to measuring up to her!” His words came out like bullets as he slammed his glass down on the table, still breathing hard after his angry tirade. I stared into James’ eyes, frozen in place. So this was what he looked like when he lost his cool—just another angry guy with a temper, no different from anyone else. “James,” I said quietly, “was your big surprise really just giving me the same gift Tracy wanted?” He froze, his head snapping up to look at me with the most complicated expression I’d ever seen on his face. His eyes couldn’t meet mine. “So you’re breaking up with me because you don’t like the gift?” he stammered. “If you didn’t like it, you could’ve just said so instead of making this huge deal out of nothing.” He nervously grabbed the box back and stuffed it into the shopping bag like it was evidence he needed to hide. “I can get you something else, no problem. And we can just pretend you never mentioned breaking up. “You’re too old to be playing games with your future like this.” I watched his guilty eyes and obvious attempt to cover up. Something inside me was crumbling away. On the very day I’d decided to stop my treatment, I’d been worried about how James would feel about my memory loss. I wanted to be honest with him, to wish him happiness. But he hadn’t even noticed anything weird about me these past few days. His mind was already half-occupied with that girl he’d only known for three months. He was barely present when talking to me. Did someone like that really deserve my consideration anymore?

It was already super late when I got home. I barely managed to wash up before collapsing into bed, where I spent the entire night trapped in painful, bizarre dreams. When I finally woke up, birds were chirping outside my window. It was the start of a new day—and day six in my countdown to complete memory loss. The moment I got out of bed, a dull headache started pounding behind my eyes, along with a slight fever. I stumbled downstairs, feeling like absolute garbage, hoping to make some cold medicine. But before I even reached the bottom step, I saw my massive LEGO creation—the one I’d deliberately placed in the living room—knocked over, with pieces scattered everywhere. Tracy stood there looking smug, her eyes full of challenge. “Oops, sorry, Feona,” she said with fake concern. “Your thing was in the way. I didn’t see it and accidentally kicked it over.” I stared in shock at the model I’d spent three painstaking months building, now completely destroyed. My eyes started to burn with tears. This wasn’t just any LEGO set—it was the only gift my mom had ever given me. I was raised by my grandmother from birth. My sister and I are twins, though I’m older by just five minutes. When we were born, our parents’ business was taking off, and they couldn’t handle raising two babies at once. So they made the decision to send one of us to live with my grandma in the countryside. I was the one they sent away. For eighteen whole years, I could count on one hand the number of times I’d seen my parents. To make up for it, my mom bought me a giant LEGO set for my eighth birthday. I was over the moon about it and assembled it with total dedication. I kept it where it would be the first thing I’d see every morning when I came downstairs. Like an idiot, I’d daydream about how perfect life would be once I finally got to live with my parents again. But that day never came. It wasn’t until three months ago when my grandma passed away that my parents finally remembered they had a child abandoned in the countryside and were forced to bring me home. I carefully carried my treasured LEGO set to my new home, thinking my mom would recognize the gift she’d once given me. Instead, she wrinkled her nose in disgust and muttered, “What are you carrying that piece of junk for? It’s going to take up so much space…” I froze, staring at this woman who was supposed to be my mother but felt like a complete stranger. That was when it hit me—the family warmth I’d been dreaming about for eighteen years might never actually be mine. I just stood there speechless while my mom, Elizabeth Miller, busy in the kitchen, heard Tracy’s apology and poked her head out. She shrugged it off, telling her, “Don’t worry about her, Tracy. That stuff costs practically nothing. No need to apologize if it breaks.” My dad, Kevin Miller, who hadn’t even looked up from his newspaper, nodded in agreement. He barely glanced at me, his face showing nothing but annoyance. “Your mom’s right. She’s definitely from the countryside, treating that junk like treasure. It’s embarrassing to even have it in our living room.” With that, he went back to his paper, like he couldn’t stand the sight of me. Tracy snuggled up to Elizabeth, playing up the victim as she whispered, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.” “There’s nothing to apologize for. Just call the maid to clean it up,” Kevin replied without bothering to look up. The three of them walked out of the living room together, leaving me with nothing but their cold backs as they disappeared. They seemed to forget I was their daughter too. Tracy and I were the same age, with identical looks, the same height, and even similar voices. Yet for some reason, they adored Tracy and couldn’t care less about me. My foggy brain didn’t want to form another word, so I shuffled to the kitchen in my slippers, found a pack of cold medicine that hadn’t expired yet, and washed it down with water. Tracy lounged on the couch, slippers dangling off her feet, her face lit up with a smile as she texted someone. Mid-conversation, she suddenly tapped on a voice message, and James’ voice pierced my ears. “Don’t be upset, Tracy. Feona never listens anyway—it’s her fault for not putting away that LEGO set properly. Just hang on, I’ll make sure she apologizes to you properly later.” His voice boomed through the huge living room from her phone’s cranked-up volume. Tracy shot me a smug look, then brought the phone to her lips and replied in a sickeningly sweet voice, “Don’t worry about it, James! I wasn’t even mad. Feona doesn’t need to apologize.” I watched her contemptuous posture and that self-satisfied tone, feeling nothing but ice in my veins. It was fine. Whatever. I’d already given up fighting my illness. Once these seven days were over, I wouldn’t remember all these painful moments anymore, and Tracy’s provocations wouldn’t hurt me anymore. For the first time ever, I found myself desperately counting down to day seven.

By day four of the countdown, my memory had started to slip. I kept forgetting what I’d just been doing or what I’d planned to do next. Several times throughout the day, I’d find myself just standing frozen in place, completely zoned out. With effort, I finally remembered something important today—I needed to collect the LEGO set that Tracy had broken. Even though I’d given up on having any real family warmth around here, that LEGO set was special. Grandma had helped me build it, and it was one of my most precious memories with her. No way was I letting them throw away my memories of my grandma like they were trash. I rushed downstairs and spotted the pieces still scattered across the living room floor, untouched. That was when it hit me—our housekeeper had taken time off recently, which explained why nobody had cleaned up the mess. I quickly grabbed a small box and started picking up the LEGO pieces one by one from the floor. The set had shattered into so many tiny fragments that I’d only collected about half of them when Elizabeth walked in the door and caught me crouched on the floor. Her forehead immediately creased with disapproval. “What are you doing down there on the floor like that?” she snapped. “You don’t look anything like a proper young lady! How am I supposed to introduce you as a Miller family daughter to anyone? “This is what happens when you’re raised in the middle of nowhere. Your grandma completely ruined your upbringing!” My hands froze mid-pickup. I took a deep breath and waited for the hurt to subside before I quietly went back to collecting the scattered pieces from the floor. I knew the LEGO set was beyond repair after that fall, but I still wanted to keep the pieces as a memento. So I knelt down, carefully collecting every broken fragment from the floor. Elizabeth tossed whatever she was holding onto the couch with an irritated huff. “Are you even listening to me?” she snapped, her voice rising. “Why can’t you be more like your sister and stop causing problems for once?” I’d just spotted the final piece and was reaching for it when Elizabeth’s foot came down hard, crushing it beneath her shoe. She glared down at me, her expression dark. “Tomorrow is your sister’s birthday. You’re going to bake her a cake yourself as an apology. Don’t ruin her day.” Elizabeth glanced at the LEGO piece under her foot like it was actual trash. “It’s just a stupid toy. Sweep it up and throw it away. What are you doing wasting time on this? Do you expect us to support you forever?” I stared at the LEGO piece—now dirty from her shoe—and felt a wave of sadness wash over me. Looking up at my mother’s annoyed expression, I let out a bitter laugh. “Mom, Tracy and I are twins. Her birthday is my birthday too.” Elizabeth’s face flickered with momentary panic as I continued, “That LEGO set you’re stepping on? It’s the only gift you’ve given me in eighteen years. Grandma raised me because you and Dad didn’t have the energy for a second child, so you handed me off to her. “Grandma didn’t raise me wrong. She was the best grandmother anyone could ask for. And I don’t think there’s anything about me that makes me unworthy of being your daughter.” Elizabeth couldn’t look me in the eye. She quickly pulled her foot back, revealing the last broken LEGO piece beneath her shoe. Without a word, I reached down and grabbed it, adding it to the pile of fragments already in the box. When I looked up, Elizabeth was still avoiding my gaze. “It’s just a stupid LEGO set, okay?” she snapped. “Go make your sister’s birthday cake like you’re supposed to. I’ll buy you a new one later.” Right, my parents had plenty of money now—they could buy me a hundred LEGO sets if they wanted. But apparently, I wasn’t important enough for them to let me share a birthday celebration with Tracy. I closed the box without another word and carried it upstairs, my chest tight with everything I couldn’t say.   Elizabeth never mentioned buying me a replacement LEGO set, and honestly, I hadn’t expected her to keep that promise anyway. By the third day of the countdown, I was starting to forget things. That morning, I spotted the box of broken LEGO pieces on my bookshelf and just stared at it, trying to remember why they were there. Nothing came to mind. No matter how hard I concentrated, I couldn’t recall what had happened to them. Something in my gut told me they mattered—that they were important somehow. But if they were so damn important, why had I smashed them to pieces in the first place? If something broke so easily, maybe it wasn’t all that important anyway, right? I dumped the box of scattered LEGO pieces into the trash can outside our door and headed back to the kitchen to tackle tonight’s dinner. Tracy’s birthday was today, and Elizabeth had asked me to stay home and cook while she and Kevin took Tracy to the mall for gift shopping. It was already 8 PM when Tracy and my parents were back. I had just placed the cake I’d made on the dining table when I looked up and froze. James was with them, arms loaded with shopping bags, his eyes fixed on Tracy with that soft look he gets. He didn’t even notice me standing there at the table, feeling like complete trash. Something twisted in my chest. I dropped my gaze and silently untied my apron. Kevin shrugged off his jacket and plopped down in a chair. “I asked you to make a cake, not a whole feast,” he complained. “Such a waste if we can’t finish all this.” I paused mid-fold with the apron but kept my mouth shut. Tracy smirked as she dug through her pile of presents, casually tossing a small box my way. “Happy birthday, Feona,” she said, her voice dripping with mockery. I opened it and immediately recognized the earrings inside. They were freebies from some luxury clothing brand—nothing special, just basic studs they hand out as promotional items. I forced the corners of my mouth up into what probably looked like a grimace and pushed the box back toward her. “No thanks,” I said. “I stopped celebrating birthdays a long time ago.” “Just take it, alright? Tracy picked this gift out for you specially at the mall.” James frowned, clearly annoyed as he pulled out a chair for Tracy. “Here, Tracy.” Tracy settled into her seat with a smug smile, her challenging stare fixed on me the entire time. Elizabeth jumped right in, cutting a slice of cake and sliding it in front of Tracy. After just one tiny bite, Tracy let out a blood-curdling scream and knocked the entire plate to the floor. “There’s mango in this!” she shrieked, immediately starting to gag and retch. Elizabeth rushed over to check on her, roughly shoving me aside. “Your sister is allergic to mangoes, you idiot! Why would you put mango in the cake? Were you trying to kill her or something?” The force of her push sent me stumbling backward until my lower back slammed against the corner of the table. The pain was so intense my face went completely white. “No, I… I just forgot… I didn’t mean to…” I stammered, trying desperately to explain myself. But nobody was listening. The room had erupted into total chaos. “Feona, you need to get on your knees and beg for Tracy’s forgiveness!” James roared, glaring at me like I was a complete stranger. “What the hell is wrong with you? Her allergies could literally kill her! How can you be so goddamn heartless?” Everyone stared at me with pure accusation in their eyes. I felt tears welling up as panic took over. I wanted to explain, to defend myself, but the words wouldn’t come. The air felt thinner and thinner, like I was drowning. All their faces started to blur, like I was looking at them through murky water. Everything went muffled and hazy. I barely registered Kevin and Elizabeth rushing Tracy to the hospital, or James running to get the car. The last thing I caught before he left was him pointing his finger in my face, still hurling insults at me until the very last second. My vision started swimming, and once everyone had cleared out, my body finally gave up. I crashed to the floor with a sickening thud. I was out cold for two days straight. No clue who dragged me to the hospital, but here I was, sprawled across a bed in the inpatient ward. The sharp smell of disinfectant filled my lungs, and weirdly enough, I felt a strange sense of peace wash over me. That peace didn’t last long. The commotion erupted in the hallway before the door burst open, kicked in by a middle-aged man. The nurse on duty got shoved aside, still trying to do her job as she protested, “The patient needs rest! You can’t just barge in here—” But the man cut her off before she could finish. “Your sister’s been in the hospital for two days, and what do you do? Fake being sick so you can lie around in here without even checking on her once! How did we end up with such an ungrateful daughter?” Behind him stood a haggard-looking middle-aged woman and a younger guy. I stared at all three of them, completely blank. I had zero idea who these people were. The middle-aged man glared at me coldly. “Get up right now. You’re quitting that job of yours. Your mother hasn’t been well lately, so you’re staying home to take care of her.” “And in a few days,” he continued, “we’re arranging a marriage for you. After that, you’ll just stay at home where you belong.” I kept staring at this man who wouldn’t stop talking, plus the two strangers hovering behind him. After what felt like forever, I finally found my voice and asked quietly, “Who are you people?”

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Abigail risked her life in the inferno to save her son, only to witness her husband and child escaping with another woman—her husband’s first love! Alive from the flames but dead inside for heartbreak, she made one bold choice: file for divorce and reclaim her life. But as the ashes settled, the father and son were left drowning in regret, begging the woman they had abandoned.

Charlotte had crashed her car. As she lay on the operating table, all she could think about was the photo she’d seen right before the accident. The one of Arthur holding another woman, looking at her like she meant everything to him. She couldn’t get it out of her head – how gently he held her, the way his eyes lit up. She’d been so shocked looking at it, she didn’t even see the other car coming. She might be his wife, but that woman was clearly the one he truly loved. Five years of marriage, and he’d never once looked at Charlotte that way. Just thinking about it made her chest ache. Now his first love was back in the picture, and Charlotte had to wonder if she even mattered to him anymore. A thought suddenly crossed her mind. She needed to know if he still had feelings for her at all. When she opened her eyes, she was met with a stark white ceiling, and confusion washed over her. “You’re awake,” a deep, cold voice said from beside her. Charlotte turned to see a face set like stone. His features were sharp and chiseled, his expression impossible to read. Though his eyes seemed capable of warmth, they held none of it now as they stared at her. Charlotte blinked, confused. “Who are you?” She looked around, lost. “Where am I?” Arthur frowned. Those steel-gray eyes of his seemed to pierce right through her. Unable to bear the weight of his stare, Charlotte retreated behind a facade of timidity. “W-why are you looking at me like that?” Her voice quivered, not entirely an act. Even now, after everything, his presence could unsettle her so easily. Arthur looked away almost instantly, his voice as cold as ever. “Nothing. And… I’m just a friend of yours.” The words hit her like physical blows. Each syllable carved new wounds into her heart, deeper than any knife could reach. Five years – five years of marriage, of carefully molding herself into what she thought he wanted. All of it reduced to “friend” in a single breath. All those years of love and devotion had meant nothing. Just then, the door opened, and a young boy who looked just like Arthur walked in. It was Julius Harrison, their son. He walked straight to Arthur without even looking at her. “Dad, let’s go. Sarah’s waiting for us to watch her show.” Charlotte gripped the bedsheet tightly, his words hitting her hard. She gave a bitter laugh. This was her own flesh and blood, the baby she’d carried for nine months. Yet here he was, refusing to even look at her while she lay injured in bed. Like father, like son – both of them completely wrapped up in Sarah Miller. People always said boys never really get their mothers. Now she felt the sting of what her own kid had become. Arthur had always been cold, and here was Julius, turning out just like him. At home, he barely acknowledged her, and in public, he acted like she was just some housewife who didn’t matter. Charlotte felt something inside her go cold. If they thought she was worthless, fine. She’d leave them to it. Thinking this, Charlotte made a silent decision in her heart.

Five years of trying to make this marriage work, all that love and effort she’d put in… what a waste. Later, Arthur’s assistant came to handle her discharge paperwork. Keeping up her act of memory loss, Charlotte looked at the assistant. “Who are you?” Grace Johnson hesitated briefly. “I’m Mr. Harrison’s assistant. I’m here to take you home.” “Mr. Harrison?” “The man who was just here. Your husband.” Charlotte let out a silent, bitter laugh while keeping her expression neutral and puzzled. “So why would he tell me we’re just friends?” “I honestly don’t know,” Grace sighed. She couldn’t understand her boss’s thinking. His wife had lost her memory in a car crash, and he chose to call her just a friend. “Was this an arranged marriage?” Charlotte mused, keeping up her act. “Is that why he’s saying we’re just friends?” Grace stayed quiet, leaving Charlotte’s question unanswered. The car rolled to a stop outside Rose Villa. Charlotte’s chest tightened at the sight of the familiar house. Unbidden, the image from that photo flooded her mind – Arthur holding Sarah, their bodies close, his eyes soft with a tenderness she’d never seen directed at her. The pain hit her like a physical blow. These feelings for him, she realized, weren’t going to fade easily. This was the house they had shared, the place where they’d built their life together. Five years ago, he had been drugged, and she’d woken up in his bed. Their families quickly arranged the marriage, and everything had been set in motion. On their wedding night, he’d been blunt: “I don’t have feelings for you, but I won’t betray you. Let’s just be a marriage of convenience.” A marriage of convenience meant no love, just business. She’d agreed. But gradually, Arthur started controlling every part of her life, telling her what to wear and how to look. For a while, Charlotte fooled herself into thinking he was starting to care. She felt hopeful and tried harder to be the perfect wife he seemed to want. Six months after they married, she got pregnant with Julius, and she started dreaming of a happy family. But Arthur never changed. He stayed cold, only showing passion in bed. And she always fell for it. Five years later, when she found Sarah’s photo, reality hit her like a splash of cold water. Everything about her – her clothes, her hair, her makeup – was copying Sarah! Now it all made sense. He’d been so involved because he was trying to turn her into Sarah. She was just a replacement. After five years together, she finally saw the truth. Her life had been nothing but a cruel joke. The tears came without warning. “Are you okay?” Grace asked, concerned.

Charlotte touched her wet cheeks, confused. “I don’t know why I’m crying.” Grace just watched her with sympathy. Pulling herself together, Charlotte walked into the house. A housekeeper immediately approached her. “Ma’am, Mr. Harrison and young Mr. Julius will be home in two hours. Would you like to start dinner preparations?” For five years, Charlotte had handled everything for Arthur – cooking his meals, choosing his clothes, even picking out his accessories. She’d done it all hoping he would fall in love with her someday. But now she knew that her feelings would never be returned. Charlotte looked genuinely puzzled. “Why would I need to cook dinner?” The housekeeper stared at her, startled. “Ma’am, are you feeling okay?” At that moment, Grace explained Charlotte’s condition to the servant. The servant’s eyes softened with sympathy. “Ma’am, you should rest. We’ll take care of dinner.” “I’m not feeling great. Which way is the bedroom?” Charlotte asked, rubbing her temples. The maid showed her upstairs, and Charlotte just crashed onto the bed. Her head was swimming as she tried to figure out her next move. Divorce. That had to be first. She must have dozed off, but it wasn’t a good sleep. Her dreams were filled with the last five years – all the manipulation, the cold shoulders, and the moments when Arthur’s eyes would burn with passion during their intimacy, only to whisper those damning words. “Sarah, I love you.” Charlotte jolted awake, breathing hard, her chest still tight with pain. She spun around when she felt those cold eyes on her. Arthur filled the doorway with his tall frame. He walked in, casually undoing his shirt buttons, moving with that natural grace he always had – the kind that screamed old money. His sharp features and thick brows made him look like something out of a magazine. When he looked her way, his eyes were cold and distant, like he couldn’t care less. His tight-lipped expression didn’t help either. Charlotte pushed herself up slowly, keeping up her confused act. “They told me you’re my husband? Why did you tell me we’re just friends?” Arthur paused in the middle of undoing his buttons, his eyes flicking over to her. “Because there’s nothing between us,” he replied flatly. She pressed further, unwilling to let it go. “Then why did we even get married?” His gaze remained distant, his voice detached. “It was an accident.” Charlotte’s hand, hidden under the blanket, clenched the sheets tightly. “And the child… is he really ours?” Arthur’s patience was wearing thin. “It was another accident. Don’t overthink it.” Her heart felt like it was being squeezed. She looked down, fighting back tears. “So this whole time… we’ve been living together without any feelings. If that’s how it is…” “Let’s get a divorced!”

She looked up at him, expecting agreement, waiting for him to say they should end this. After all, his true love was back, and Charlotte was ready to step aside. An image of Julius – so much like his father – flashed through her mind, making her heart clench. But she kept her face neutral, waiting for the ‘yes’ she was sure would come. Instead, his voice cut through the air, cold and sharp: “Our marriage may have been arranged, but it’s been peaceful for five years. There’s no need for divorce.” No? She wanted to laugh. How do you plan to marry Sarah without divorcing me first? The words burned in her throat, but she swallowed them down. “But I don’t like you,” she said, her voice shaking. “I don’t even know you. We can’t live like this. Neither of us will be happy.” Arthur’s face darkened as his jaw clenched. In one fluid motion, he crossed the room and pinned her to the bed, looming over her with his face just inches from hers. Charlotte’s heart pounded as she quickly covered her mouth with her hand, staring up at him in shock. “What do you think you’re doing?” she mumbled behind her palm. “Proving that our marriage is fine,” he said coldly, his eyes hard. Charlotte felt sick to her stomach. This was wrong on so many levels. First, he claims they’re just friends with no feelings involved, and now he’s trying to kiss her? Was that all she was to him – something to use when convenient? The irony made her heart twist painfully. Fighting back the hurt in her chest, Charlotte met his gaze. “Stop,” she said firmly. “I only do this with someone I have feelings for. And I don’t have any for you. You can’t force this.” There she goes again, claiming she has no feelings for him. It drove him crazy. Something inside Arthur finally snapped. His face turned stone cold as he pulled back, barely containing his anger. Charlotte flinched away from him, fear flickering across her face. Without a word, he stormed out of the room. The door slammed behind him, and Charlotte let out a shaky breath of relief. For a moment there, she’d thought he might actually force himself on her. She sat up slowly, her mind racing with confusion. If he loved Sarah so much, why wouldn’t he just divorce her? It made no sense. Before she could think it through, someone knocked on the door. “Come in.” She quickly put on her confused face as she turned to the door. “Madam, would you like something to eat?” the maid asked. Charlotte nodded sheepishly. “Actually, yes.” “Dinner’s ready downstairs if you’d like to join.” “Thanks, I’ll come down.” She felt a bit smug about how well she was playing this. She just had to keep it up until she got those divorce papers signed. Walking into the dining room, she spotted a small figure sitting perfectly still at the table, hands folded in his lap, face blank. He barely turned his head when he heard her, saying “Mom” in that same cold way his father had. Charlotte felt her chest tighten. Julius had been shipped off to Arthur’s parents at three, where they’d raised him like a tiny soldier, robbing him of any real childhood. In the beginning, he’d still run to her for hugs when he visited. But that didn’t last. Soon he’d flinch when she tried to hold him, like he couldn’t stand her touch. He started shutting her out completely. She remembered how he gave her the silent treatment for a whole week just because she’d tried to tidy up his books. These days, he was turning into a mini-version of Arthur – just as cold, just as distant. Fighting back tears, Charlotte looked at him and asked, “Are you really my kid?” Julius, aware of her supposed memory loss, kept his face blank. “Yes.” Charlotte nodded, unable to keep the bitterness from her voice. “Then why didn’t you even look at me in the hospital? It’s like I’m not even your mother.” Julius, still too young to mask his emotions as well as his father, hesitated. His forehead creased before he answered, “I am your son. That’s just fact. Don’t say things like that.” He seemed annoyed with her attitude and, surprisingly, started to lecture her. “Don’t talk like that. People will think you’ve gone crazy from being stuck at home too long.” Charlotte’s fingers clenched, fighting back her rising anger. The contempt in his eyes was unmistakable. She used to let them both walk all over her, but not anymore. She’d decided to leave, and she wouldn’t tolerate their disrespect any longer. She took a deep breath and stood,fixing him with a hard stare.

“You little brat, where are your manners? Is this how you speak to your mother?” Julius froze. “You…” Charlotte calmly picked up her fork and started eating. “Just stop talking. If I had a choice, I wouldn’t want a son like you.” Julius stared at her, stunned. This woman who had always bent over backwards to please him and his father was suddenly different. She had never acted like this before! Back then, she’d run to him with hugs and kisses, always eager to hear about his life at Harrison Villa. Now her words cut like a knife. Julius had never really enjoyed her attention. Her constant hovering and meddling irritated him. He even thought her excessive concern for him was disrespectful to his grandparents. As Julius pulled away, Charlotte’s love never wavered – her eyes always full of warmth when she looked at him. But now she’d just said she didn’t want him as a son. Julius stood there speechless, his face hardening by the second. Given the choice, he’d pick Sarah over her any day. Sarah – the graceful, elegant ballerina who dazzled audiences – would make a much better mother figure. Julius pushed away from the table and stormed upstairs, leaving his dinner untouched. Before her accident, Charlotte would have chased after him, trying to make things right. His feelings had always come first. But this time, she just watched him go, clutching her fork tightly. Her heart hurt, but she pushed it down, feeling a bitter smile tug at her lips. This was the child she’d loved so deeply and raised with all her heart. Now here he was, scolding her, looking at her with the same cold disgust as his father. She forced herself to keep eating, swallowing past the lump in her throat. Upstairs, Julius waited for her usual apology, but for the first time, Charlotte never came. ***** After a long bath, Charlotte felt lighter. Letting go of her desperate need for Arthur’s love was surprisingly freeing. She couldn’t believe she’d wasted so much time chasing after him. She’d really thought if she could just be perfect enough, he’d fall for her. How stupid. Now she knew – love had to start with herself. Coming out of the bathroom, she dug out her old phone from the back of her closet. Five years of dust had collected on it. While it charged, she looked through her clothes. The closet was filled with soft, understated dresses – all picked to match Sarah’s style. Five years of playing dress-up as someone else. She’d been nothing but a stand-in, Sarah’s shadow. Her lip curled in disgust. Without a second thought, she dumped every dress in the trash. She was done being someone’s replacement. Her phone buzzed. An unknown number had sent a photo. The picture showed Arthur in a dim private room, lounging on a sofa. His usual cold expression was there, shirt collar undone, a woman’s hand on his chest. He held her wrist, the dark lighting making everything look intimate. Even in the poor light, she could see that tiny smirk on his face. Her fingers gripped the phone so tight her knuckles turned white. Even though she’d promised herself she was done with him, it still hurt. How had she fallen for someone so heartless? Her hands shook as she saved the photo, each moment reopening old wounds. The next evening, Arthur walked into the house to find Charlotte on the sofa. She looked completely different – she’d put on natural makeup, her curls now straight and pulled back in a simple ponytail. She looked fresh, vibrant, transformed. The desperate housewife was gone. In her place sat someone new, as if she’d finally broken free. “Perfect timing,” Charlotte said coolly, holding up her phone to show him last night’s photo. Arthur walked over slowly, his face a mask. He barely glanced at the screen before his eyes narrowed,questioning her like she was a spy, “you hired someone to spy on me?”

Charlotte was so frustrated she almost laughed. Clearly, he forgot she had amnesia! With an innocent blink, she said, “We’re not even close, so why would I sneak pics of you?” Arthur’s face got colder. He sank into the chair, giving her a weird look—like he knew her, but didn’t. When they first met, she was lively, her eyes bright like stars, showing every emotion. But after marriage, she turned into his perfect little robot wife—no makeup if he said so, dressed how he wanted, no personality, just obedience. Charlotte felt his eyes on her. She tried to stay calm, but her voice shook a bit. “You hooked up with someone else last night, right? You cheated. Got a mistress. Let’s just end this. Perfect timing. I’m over it, and you’ve got someone else. Clean break. Simple as that.” The spark in Arthur’s eyes died, replaced by cold indifference. “I didn’t cheat,” he said calmly, tugging at his tie, “You’ve got it wrong.” Charlotte rolled her eyes at his reply. Seemed he’d only admit it if she caught him in the act. His lack of honesty was frustrating. If he liked Sarah, why not just say so? It wasn’t like he had feelings for her anymore. She frowned, meeting his gaze. “Staying married doesn’t make sense. Maybe I liked you once, but not now. Are you worried about splitting the assets? Fine, I won’t ask for much—just a divorce paper.” Simple enough, right? Now, it was his turn to agree. The marriage between their families was complicated, but Charlotte just wanted a clean break. A peaceful divorce wouldn’t hurt their business ties, so why would he refuse? But Arthur’s eyes turned icy, and the room suddenly felt colder. Charlotte blinked, totally lost. What had she said to make him so angry? Arthur rubbed his temples as a headache crept in. After a sleepless night and barely eating all day, he felt awful. And instead of her usual warmth, all he got was her saying that she didn’t like him. Now, his headache was getting worse. “We’ll discuss divorce when you remember everything,” he said, voice arctic. “I’m starving. Make me dinner.” Charlotte froze, realizing her fake amnesia was pointless. The thought made her sick – he spends the night with another woman, then waltzes in demanding dinner? The nerve. “Do it yourself.” She answered. Arthur doubted his ears as he stared at her, face blank.

Then something hit him like a truck. Right. Amnesia. She couldn’t cook before they got married. His frustration spiked. Ever since she lost her memory, his perfectly controlled world had gone to hell. Like right now, Charlotte was still pushing for a divorce. Seeing Arthur’s cold look, she didn’t flinch. “Just think about it,” she continued coolly. “We’d both be better off.” “What about Julius?” Arthur shot back. “What happens to him if we split?” Charlotte paused before replying. “Like he’d care. He doesn’t see me as his mom, right?” Thank God for amnesia – it made her bold enough to say what she’d always swallowed down. The knot in her chest loosened a bit. Finally. Arthur’s eyes drilled into her, like he was trying to read her mind. She stared right back. “If he cared, he’d have shown me concern at the hospital. Let’s face it – we never got along.” She took a deep breath. “Why drag out this toxic mess? He’s a kid. He’ll be fine.” Charlotte silently prayed Arthur would just say yes. But no. His face went full ice age, dropping the room temp. She wasn’t acting. Her face was blank, her voice empty when talking about Julius. No emotion. This wasn’t the Charlotte he remembered. Before, she’d loved Julius deeply, even when he treated her with indifference. She had always been gentle, always affectionate. Whenever he came home, her eyes used to light up with love for him. But now, she was calmly talking about divorce, like it was someone else’s life. A mix of frustration and confusion stirred in Arthur. But what could he do? She had amnesia, after all. “How much have you forgotten?” Arthur asked, his voice low and sharp. Charlotte’s heart skipped a beat. She hadn’t expected that. But she quickly answered, “I don’t remember anything about you or your family. I just know I’m Charlotte Hardwick, from the Hardwick family.” She looked genuinely puzzled. “I can’t even remember why we got married.” Her confusion seemed so real that it almost made him doubt. Arthur’s jaw tightened. Seemed she had forgotten everything from the last five years. No wonder she felt like a stranger. “This can wait until Julius gets back,” he said flatly, turning away and heading for the stairs. Charlotte felt a bit relieved. Finally, he seemed to be softening. But she still had to wait another week, playing this part like a never-ending cycle of torture. That night, as she went to her room, she reached for the light switch. Just as her fingers touched it, she was slammed against the door. Then lips crashed into hers. She gasped, trying to push him away. Arthur was kissing her with no warning. The bedroom lights flickered on, blinding her for a second. Charlotte shoved him off, breathless and furiously wiping her lips. “What the hell are you doing?!” His eyes turned dark—like, seriously dark. That look of disgust on her face just made him angrier. All the anger she thought had cooled? No, it came rushing back.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MyFiction” app 🔍 search for “397717”, and watch the full series ✨! #MyFiction #Marriage #BillionaireRomance #MillionaireMillionairess #sad #BillionaireBillionairess #Divorce #PainfulLove #Betrayal #regret #Heartbroken

“Stay out of trouble and live a good life,” the prison guard advised as he opened the gate. Meryl Stone nodded absently. She had never imagined she would make it out alive after those three torturous years. She limped along the wall, each step slow and painful. The feet that once danced ballet now felt like they were walking on knives. Rain drizzled from the gray sky as she stepped into freedom. The biting wind made her shiver and wrap her arms around herself. A sleek Porsche Cayenne pulled up beside her. The sight of the license plate made her blood run cold. The window rolled down, revealing a man’s stern, emotionless face. “Why are you limping?” Dalton Aniston’s eyes flicked to her legs, his voice icy. Meryl’s eyes stung with unshed tears. This was the man she had loved for seven years, her fiancé, the same man who had ensured she was sent to prison. Was this supposed to be concern? From her very first day in prison, she had been beaten by the other inmates. They said Dalton had paid them to make her suffer. But he hadn’t always been like this. She remembered being fourteen, new to the city from a small town. Her father, Malcolm Stone, had enrolled her in an elite school, a fresh start that quickly turned sour due to Lydia Stone’s manipulations. One day, during a brutal snowstorm, Meryl had been locked in an outdoor bathroom stall, freezing and terrified. She screamed for help until her voice gave out, but no one came. Then, Dalton had kicked the door open. The memory was still vivid, like the icy air, him standing there with snow swirling around. His unbuttoned uniform billowed in the wind, wet hair clinging to his forehead. In the dim light, she couldn’t see his expression, but she remembered him taking off his scarf and tossing it to her. “Here, take this,” he had said, turning away without looking back. To fourteen-year-old Meryl, seventeen-year-old Dalton was a hero, her first beacon of hope. From that moment, she had loved him deeply, following him for seven years. But in the end, all she got was a life worse than death. ***** “Get in,” Dalton commanded, his arm resting casually on the window frame. His custom suit highlighted his tall, imposing frame, and he radiated a cold, aristocratic detachment. Meryl recognized the impatience in his voice, reminiscent of her parents. At fourteen, she was brought back to the Stone family, where her parents initially felt guilty and wanted to make up for lost time. But under the manipulative influence of Lydia, whom they had raised for fourteen years, they gradually distanced themselves from her. When Meryl was twenty-one, Lydia falsely accused her, triggering an explosion of pent-up resentment from the Stone family. “Sure, Lydia isn’t our blood, but what’s her fault? She’s been with us for years. We brought you back. What more do you want?” “Meryl, how could you do this to Lydia? It’s obvious you weren’t raised with us. You’re nothing like her.” Everyone accused her of kidnapping Lydia and plotting against her. They never gave her a chance to explain, sentencing her to prison without a second thought. They never believed her, not once. Dalton’s eyes stayed on Meryl. Seeing her still frozen in place, he snapped, “Get in the car!” His eyes drifted to her legs, spotting a gruesome scar wrapped around her ankle. It looked like it had been slashed with a sharp object, an ugly reminder of her suffering. He turned away and called, “Elias.” His assistant, Elias Sterling, got out of the driver’s seat and approached her. “Ms. Stone, Mr. Aniston wants you to get in the car.” When Meryl still didn’t move, Elias reached out to pull her. Instinctively, she crouched down, covering her head, her voice breaking. “No, please don’t hit me…” Elias was stunned by her reaction, his face showing his shock. She had changed so much that he barely recognized her at first. She used to be so vibrant and full of life, known for her beauty. Now, the light in her eyes was gone, replaced by fear and dread. Three years in prison had turned her into a shadow of her former self. Elias instinctively glanced back at Dalton, but his face remained as calm and indifferent as ever. “Meryl, how much longer do you plan on making me wait? Three years in prison, and you still haven’t learned your lesson?” Meryl slowly got up and slid into the car, carefully keeping her distance from him. The heater was on, but she huddled in a corner, still shivering from the rain and cold. Her head felt foggy, and despite trying to hold it in, she sneezed. The car hit a speed bump, causing Meryl to lurch forward and fall to her knees on the floor. Dalton, who had been resting with his eyes closed, snapped them open at the sound. He glanced at her, his voice dripping with disdain. “Meryl, you really are a mess.” She took a deep breath, his words making her feel even smaller. The car mat felt scorching under her, and she fidgeted uncomfortably. “I’m sorry. I’ll clean it up later,” she whispered. Dalton cut her off sharply, “No need. Everything will be thrown away.” A bitter thought crossed Meryl’s mind. “Is it because I touched it?” Her lips trembled, a hint of bitterness creeping onto her face. She turned to look out the window, her eyes growing red. In Dalton’s eyes, everything she touched was dirty and had to be discarded. “In your eyes, only Lydia is clean, isn’t she?” Dalton’s face hardened, a rare flicker of anger in his eyes. “You don’t get to talk about her. This is your last warning. If you ever harm Lydia again… If prison didn’t teach you, I’ll make sure you learn another way!”

Meryl’s face drained of color, her eyes losing their light. The hellish three years she had endured should have taught her something. She took a deep breath, struggling to control the whirlwind of emotions inside her, her fingers clenching into fists. As the car passed under a bridge, the shifting light cast shadows on Dalton’s face, highlighting his unchanged coldness and detachment. Swallowing her bitterness, Meryl asked, “Dalton… was it really you who paid those people in prison?” In prison, she had broken down multiple times, even contemplating death. But she couldn’t let go of Dalton. She feared he wouldn’t manage well without her care. She couldn’t believe he could be so cruel to her. Dalton’s response was chillingly calm. “What kind of answer are you looking for?” Meryl froze for a moment, then a wry smile twisted her lips. Was this his way of confirming it? In his eyes, she was jealous of Lydia and had arranged for her kidnapping, leading to Lydia nearly being molested. The evidence had been overwhelming, leaving Meryl without any defense. Lydia had been ruthless enough to gamble her own reputation, and she had won. Meryl suddenly felt that her seven years of love were utterly laughable. Her gaze grew empty as the car pulled up to what had once been her and Dalton’s future home. Every detail of the house had been painstakingly overseen by Meryl, from the major renovations down to the placement of flower pots. She had even been hands-on with tasks like painting. She had spent countless days and nights dreaming of a life there with Dalton. But now, the house was filled with Lydia’s belongings. Meryl’s heart felt like it was being pierced by needles. Her lips turned pale from how hard she was biting them, her heart frozen solid. Dalton seemed oblivious to her distress. To the maid who came out to greet them, he said, “She’s filthy. Take her to clean up first.” The maid nodded and led Meryl to the bathroom. Once inside, the maid covered her nose, clearly at a loss. Finally, unable to hold back, the maid said with disdain, “Miss, how long has it been since you last bathed? As a young woman, you should really take better care of yourself.” At twenty-four, Meryl wished nothing more than to feel clean and refreshed again. She didn’t say a word. After dismissing the maid, she locked herself in the bathroom and scrubbed at her skin for a solid hour. The wounds from her prison days still plagued her. During her three years in prison, she had been subjected to relentless cruelty. Though the last month had brought some respite, her old injuries had not healed. Many were hidden from view, ranging from bruises and scratches to long, jagged scars. The prison had offered no proper care, and untreated injuries had festered. The most painful was a deep scar on her left foot, which throbbed with each rainstorm, reminding her of its existence. Whenever the pain became too much to bear, Meryl would console herself, believing that the agony would eventually fade. When she emerged, she slipped into the fresh clothes provided by the maid, which fit her surprisingly well. However, as soon as she opened the bathroom door, she walked straight into Dalton. She stumbled, nearly falling backward. Instinctively, Dalton’s hand shot out to steady her, wrapping around her waist. The embrace was jarring for both of them. Meryl’s heart raced as she found herself pressed against his chest, the heavy scent of nicotine wafting from him. Quickly regaining her composure, she pulled away, creating some distance. She tried to sound composed as she said, “I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t mean to…” Meryl caught sight of the cigarette in Dalton’s hand and figured he must have been heading out for a smoke when their paths crossed. “What did you call me?” Dalton’s eyes narrowed sharply. “What’s your game this time, Meryl?” She bit her lip, her eyes stinging with tears she struggled to hold back. It seemed that in his eyes, no matter what she did, it was always wrong. Dalton’s expression darkened as he put the cigarette back in his mouth. He didn’t want to admit that her sudden departure from his embrace had left him feeling unexpectedly hollow. Especially now, seeing her tearful eyes stirred a primal impulse within him, a desire to lash out. He lit the cigarette with a flicker of impatience, his throat tightening as he suppressed the desire inside. “So, after three years, you’ve only gotten better at seducing men?” A sardonic smile played at his lips. “Can’t wait, huh?”

Meryl struggled to catch her breath, her fingers gripping the edges of her sleeves as if they might anchor her to sanity. Why did he have to not only reject her but also humiliate her? After a moment, she steadied herself, looked up at Dalton, and forced a smile. “Dalton, just because I have feelings for you doesn’t mean you can belittle me.” Dalton was momentarily taken aback by her smile, a rare sight these days. He found himself staring at her longer than intended, but by the time he processed it, Meryl had already averted her gaze. He loosened his tie and stubbed out his cigarette, acknowledging that Meryl had changed. Though he wouldn’t admit it, she wasn’t the same woman who used to light up a room with her smile. It was as if her spirit had withered away. It didn’t affect him directly, but it stirred an unsettling discomfort within him. Dalton couldn’t quite figure out what was bothering him. Shaking off the confusion, he reminded her, “Today is Lydia’s birthday. I’ll be taking you back to the Stone Villa later, but remember to behave. Don’t cause trouble. Lydia is nothing like you.” Meryl’s heart sank at his words. To Dalton, Lydia was a cherished prize, while she was deemed unworthy even as a mere accessory. ***** An hour later, Meryl was ushered into a car by Elias. At the Stone Villa, the grand hall was filled with guests. Even though Lydia wasn’t Malcolm’s biological daughter, her birthdays were always celebrated with great fanfare. It was a show of the Stone family’s status and their support for her, subtly reinforcing her position. Everyone of importance in Kingsdom had been invited. The hall was abuzz with wealthy women discussing the latest high-society gossip. “Why is Lydia so favored when she isn’t even Mr. Stone’s biological daughter? Is there something we don’t know?” someone wondered aloud. “She has the skills and talent. In our circle, that’s what really matters. Bloodlines are secondary to the benefits you bring.” Another socialite nodded in agreement. “I heard Lydia has already closed several major deals within six months of joining the company. Mr. Stone was so impressed that he promoted her to vice president, clearly grooming her as a successor.” “But she’s still an outsider. Isn’t that like giving the company away? What about her real parents? Why isn’t she with them?” “No one knows where her biological parents are,” came the response from someone in the know. “It’s odd because Camille Foster, who adopted Meryl, was supposed to be Lydia’s mother, but their paternity test proved otherwise.” Meryl clenched her fists as she overheard this. She still couldn’t understand why Lydia and Camille weren’t biologically related. She had assumed that Camille swapped them to give Lydia a better life, but it turned out Lydia wasn’t even her child. No one knew the exact details, but the result was clear. Meryl was returned to the Stone family, while Lydia’s origins remained a mystery. Lydia had been with the Stone family for over twenty years, and the Stone couple treated her as well, if not better, than their own child. As a few socialites chatted among themselves, their eyes subtly drifted toward Meryl. Noticing their gaze, Meryl lowered her head and quickly exited the hall. Just after she left, one of the women who had been talking turned to the others and said, “Didn’t that woman who just walked by look a bit like Meryl?” The others followed her gaze. “Meryl? No way. She was known for her striking beauty and figure. The woman who just passed by looked like a skeleton. Are you kidding?” In the past, Meryl was the kind of person who stood out even in a crowd of beauties. Now, however, she was almost unrecognizable… Unaware that she had become the topic of conversation, Meryl reached the second floor and was about to push open her room’s door when she overheard voices that made her freeze. “Dalton, I heard Meryl’s out of prison. Is that true?” “Meryl? The one who used to be glued to Dalton? When did she end up in prison? What on earth did she do?” The Stone family had worked hard to keep the scandal under wraps. The official story was that Meryl had been studying abroad, thanks to Malcolm’s efforts to cover up the truth. Dalton shot a frosty glance at Billy Preston, who immediately realized his mistake. He slapped his forehead and tried to smooth things over. “Oops, I got that wrong. Meryl was abroad, not in prison.” A wealthy young man who had been listening took a drag from his cigarette and commented, “Billy, you’re really losing it.” Billy chuckled nervously. “Oh, come on. Everyone makes mistakes.” The young man shifted the conversation back. “With Meryl back, things must be heating up around Dalton, right? If I remember correctly, you two were engaged three years ago. Dalton, any plans for a wedding?” Meryl hesitated, her hand frozen on the door handle. Inside, the sounds of a card game were audible. Billy smiled jokingly, “Engaged? Come on. Marriage is just a way to keep someone under control. Dalton isn’t the type to be tied down by something like that.”

The other man laughed. “But Meryl is quite the looker, isn’t she? With that face and figure, she’d turn heads anywhere. Keeping her around as a trophy wife wouldn’t be such a bad thing.” He glanced at Dalton, tossing a card onto the table. “Dalton, are you really okay with letting someone else have her?” Dalton finally spoke, his tone flat and uninterested. “You want her? Then take her.” The man was taken aback, unsure if Dalton was serious or just messing with him, and chuckled awkwardly. “Everyone knows Meryl’s been devoted to you. She’s followed you around all these years. I guess I’m not that lucky.” Outside the door, Meryl was taken aback, her face twisting into a bitter smile. It was well known that she loved Dalton, but hearing him casually offer her up like a prize was a painful blow. The sting of humiliation made her eyes well up. She clenched her fists tightly, feeling overwhelmed by a suffocating sense of betrayal. This was the man she had loved for ten years, and this was how he treated her. Fighting back tears, she moved to the window, pulled out a long-forgotten number, and dialed it. As the phone rang, someone called out to her from behind. “Meryl? You’re back?” Glancing at her phone, she ended the call and turned to see who was calling. Her mother, Bianca Stone, looking surprised to see her, approached with a skeptical expression. “When did you get out?” How absurd. Bianca had remembered Lydia’s birthday but had forgotten Meryl’s release. “You’ve lost so much weight,” she said, frowning as she assessed Meryl. “A little hardship can be good for you. It teaches you lessons. Your father and I won’t hold the past against you. Today’s both your and your sister’s birthday. Change into a dress quickly.” Then, as if remembering something, she added, “Oh, right. Since you’ve been gone for three years, your room has been repurposed into a game room. Go ahead and change in your sister’s room for now. I’ll have someone bring the clothes to you.” Meryl was pushed into Lydia’s room. The moment she stepped inside, the strong perfume made her stomach churn. She rushed to the bathroom, struggling to keep from gagging. Just then, the sound of footsteps outside the door signaled the arrival of the maid with the dress. Meryl leaned over the sink, her eyes red from vomiting. Once the nausea subsided, she washed her face and went back to the room. The maid was waiting inside, eyeing Meryl up and down as she emerged. “I’m not pregnant,” Meryl preempted her, knowing what the maid was thinking. She had been so sick that her eyes were still bloodshot, making her look extremely weak. “Tell Lydia not to make a fuss about this.” The maid gave a somewhat embarrassed smile. “Don’t misunderstand. I wasn’t thinking that. Just get dressed and come downstairs quickly. Mrs. Stone is waiting for you.” Meryl was aware that the birthday party was for Lydia, and she was merely an afterthought. Not wanting to feign sisterly affection with Lydia while feeling nauseous, she went to the kitchen to get some food. She had barely eaten a few bites when someone knocked on the door. It was still the same maid. “Mrs. Stone needs to see you. Miss, please come downstairs!” Meryl took her time finishing her last bite before looking up. “I’m not feeling well. I don’t want to go downstairs.” The maid was taken aback, clearly not expecting Meryl to refuse. “Madam said it’s not appropriate for you to miss today’s event. It would look bad if you and Ms. Lydia Stone aren’t seen together.” “When have Lydia and I ever been on good terms?” The maid was momentarily speechless, but fortunately, Meryl had already risen and was heading out. In the grand hall, Lydia, dressed to the nines, was surrounded by a group of wealthy young ladies. She held a glass of white wine, about to take a sip when a sudden, startling voice interrupted. “Ms. Lydia Stone, don’t drink that wine! It’s been tampered with!”

“What?” Lydia looked up, startled. “What are you talking about?” The maid shot a glance at Meryl. “I saw Ms. Stone go into the kitchen and put something into your drink. It looked like some kind of drug.” Several faces turned pale as the maid’s words sank in. Everyone in the Stone family remembered the kidnapping incident three years ago. Lydia had been abducted after drinking a spiked beverage. Hearing that it might be happening again made Lydia’s face go white, and her hand trembled, causing her wine glass to shatter on the floor. The crash of the glass drew attention from the crowd, who now looked over curiously. Lydia, with red-rimmed eyes, turned to Bianca. “Mom… “I’m so scared…” Bianca, realizing what Lydia feared, quickly comforted her. “Don’t be afraid. It’s all in the past.” Then, she turned her gaze towards Meryl, her expression hardened. “Still up to your old tricks?” Though Bianca didn’t directly accuse Meryl in front of everyone, Meryl knew exactly what she meant. It seemed Lydia was trying to use this situation to frame her again. Meryl, who had been holding back laughter at the absurdity, spoke up. “It wasn’t me.” She glanced at the drink in the decanter. Lydia had a special preference for white wine, which had been prepared just for her. It was clear Lydia had anticipated this. “I did go to the kitchen, but I was just looking for something to eat, not to tamper with her drink.” The maid persisted, “But I saw you add something to it. I swear I didn’t lie!” The maid’s certainty was almost theatrical, like a crusader standing up to a powerful foe. Around them, murmurs and whispers began to circulate among the guests. Bianca was anxious to keep the matter contained, knowing that family issues should be handled privately. Publicizing them would only bring embarrassment. Lydia, sensing her mother’s unease, gave her a reassuring smile. “Mom, I think there’s been a misunderstanding. “Meryl has spent three years in prison. She wouldn’t make the same mistake again. I trust she is innocent.” Her words caused a stir as the guests had been led to believe that Meryl was studying abroad. In their high-society circles, the mention of prison was a serious blemish, a mark that could affect one’s reputation and even that of their family for generations. The room buzzed with whispers. Lydia seemed to realize she had misspoken and quickly tried to cover up, her face a mask of guilt. “I was just drunk and rambling. Don’t take it seriously. How could my sister ever have been to prison?” But her attempt to backtrack only seemed to confirm the suspicion. Her evident discomfort made it clear to everyone that there was some truth to the claim. Trying to salvage the situation, Lydia said, “Meryl, since you’ve just returned from abroad, have you adjusted to the time difference? Today is our birthday, and I’ve prepared a special gift for you. Would you like to see it?” Meanwhile, the noise from downstairs had reached Dalton, who came down to find Lydia looking fragile and distressed, apologizing to Meryl in a pitiful manner. Her eyes were red, her hands clasped nervously as she carefully watched Meryl’s reaction. Meryl turned to look at her. This was nothing new. Lydia had always had a talent for playing the innocent victim, no matter how many times she tried to frame her. Meryl felt cornered, the stares from the crowd making her feel increasingly exposed. She hadn’t done anything wrong, yet she was being unjustly accused and manipulated by Lydia. It seemed that for Lydia, three years in prison wasn’t enough. The public revelation of Meryl’s imprisonment was meant to ruin her life. Meryl’s frustration grew. If Lydia wanted to drag her down, maybe it was time to bring everyone down together!

“Yeah, I did time.” Meryl’s eyes swept over the crowd, finally landing on Lydia. Lydia reached out to grab her hand. “Meryl, stop saying that. I just spoke without thinking, okay?” Meryl pulled back, avoiding Lydia’s touch, yanking her hand away forcefully. Unexpectedly, Lydia stepped on the hem of her dress and fell to the ground. The fall was hard, and shards from a broken glass on the floor hadn’t been cleaned up yet. Dalton immediately rushed over, pushing through the crowd to help Lydia up. Her hand was a bloody mess, with shards embedded in her skin. Dalton’s eyes blazed with anger as he glared at Meryl. “Meryl, you never learn! I warned you…” Meryl’s heart skipped a beat. She knew Dalton didn’t care about her, but seeing him protect another woman still hurt. “What did I do? I just pulled my hand away. She fell on her own.” Seeing their hands clasped together, Meryl felt a pang of irony. She lowered her gaze, gently touching a spot on her chest where a pendant hung, a gift from someone long ago. In prison, during countless moments of despair, she had clung to that pendant to get through it. When she looked up again, her eyes were cold. She smiled bitterly and continued, “Yeah, I was in prison, but I was framed.” Bianca’s face turned pale as Meryl admitted her imprisonment. Initially, when Lydia exposed Meryl’s past, Bianca also suspected it was intentional. But watching Lydia apologize and try to cover it up, she believed it was just a slip of the tongue. She had watched Lydia grow up and couldn’t believe she had such malicious intentions. Not wanting things to get out of hand, Bianca tried to smooth things over. “Meryl, you’ve had too much to drink. Let them help you upstairs to sober up.” But Meryl ignored her, her voice steady. “Three years ago, if I had really kidnapped Lydia, I could have made her disappear without a trace. Why would I leave evidence for you to find her?” Suddenly, a sharp slap echoed through the room. Malcolm had emerged from his study, his face stern. “Meryl, stop this nonsense right now!” he commanded. Her cheek stung, but Meryl didn’t flinch. “Lydia only had minor injuries. If those men had really wanted to do something to her, they would have done it when they first took her. Why bother taking her to an abandoned factory? It makes no sense.” The crowd was stunned, eyes widening in disbelief. Whispers spread through the room as people glanced at Lydia, who bit her lip, her face ashen. Malcolm was furious. This incident had been a forbidden topic in the Stone family for years. Now, Meryl was airing their dirty laundry in front of everyone, turning them into a spectacle. His one daughter ended up in prison, and the other was nearly assaulted all because of a bitter feud between sisters. It was the kind of scandal that made for juicy gossip in high society. Tears streamed down Lydia’s face, her shoulders trembling as she sobbed quietly. Meryl let out a cold laugh, thinking, “Can’t handle this, can you?” Compared to her own suffering, this was nothing. Bianca shot Meryl a warning look, urging her to be quiet. Three years ago, they had agreed to send Meryl to prison to teach her a lesson because she had refused to admit her mistake, and they thought she was beyond help. Bianca sometimes wondered if they had been too harsh. After all, Meryl was their daughter. But Lydia had insisted that being a Stone family member would protect her in prison. They believed this might be the only way to set Meryl straight, fearing she would otherwise go down the wrong path. Bianca had reluctantly agreed. Meryl had been raised by Camille, who had also raised a gambling, lazy son. With that kind of upbringing, Meryl needed some serious correction to set her on the right path. “Why bring this up now?” Bianca’s voice was full of frustration. “Can’t you see Lydia is crying?” Meryl’s expression turned mocking. “Right, I went to prison for her, and she’s the one crying.” She bent down, lifting the hem of her dress to reveal an ugly scar on her ankle, causing a collective gasp from the room. “But who cares if I’m hurting?” Meryl’s fingers traced the scar. The damp weather made it ache slightly, but she was used to it. “I’ve always wondered who paid off those inmates to treat me like that. I have dozens of scars. Want to see?” They had claimed it was Dalton, but Meryl didn’t believe it. She wanted to know, in front of everyone, who was truly responsible. The sight of her scar made the daughters of the wealthy families present feel a pang of sympathy. They had been pampered their whole lives and had never suffered like this. “Was it you?” Meryl looked at Malcolm and Bianca, then quickly shifted her gaze to Lydia. “Or you?” Finally, her eyes locked on Dalton.

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At the entrepreneurial team competition, Rachel Foster, Howard Jackson’s childhood sweetheart, volunteered to be the team leader in hopes of securing a recommendation for graduate school. I prioritized the overall situation and firmly rejected her proposal. So she withdrew from the competition and, following her parents, returned to her distressed hometown to get married. The team I led won the championship, emerged as a rising star in the business world, and all members secured recommendations for graduate school. Later, I married Howard. When we were celebrating the company’s IPO on a yacht, he pushed me—six months pregnant—off the yacht while I was off my guard. Before I drowned, I struggled while asking him why he did this to me. Howard’s face turned cold as he replied, “If you hadn’t selfishly taken the position of team leader, Rachel wouldn’t have left the competition, gotten married, and ended up dying from domestic violence.” When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back on the day when Rachel, a poor student, had volunteered to be the team leader. ***** “Lola, I’m just a few credits short of securing a recommendation for graduate school. The team leader in the entrepreneurship competition will get extra credits. Can you let me take the role of team leader?” When I heard those familiar words, I was shocked. I glanced at the clock on the wall and immediately realized I had been sent back to the day when Rachel first proposed to be the team leader of the entrepreneurship competition. In my previous life, Rachel didn’t major in finance, and my parents had promised to invest in my team and connect us with business elites for guidance. Given these factors, I could only reject her sternly on the grounds that she wasn’t suitable for the position. I also explained to her that if we excelled in the competition, all of us could potentially secure recommendations for graduate school, so she didn’t need to be the team leader. However, she felt that I was deliberately humiliating her and, as a result, dropped out of school, followed her parents back to her distressed hometown, and got married. Later, I leveraged my parents’ connections to attract resources for my team. In the end, we won the championship, all members secured recommendations for graduate school, and we emerged as rising stars in the business world. Three years later, I married Howard. While I was pregnant, he inherited my family’s company. The company founded by my team also went public successfully. Howard became a prominent figure and enjoyed immense success. In the name of celebration, Howard invited me onto a yacht. When I was off my guard, he kicked me, who was six months pregnant, into the sea. The water around me turned red with my baby’s blood. I pleaded with him to save our baby, but he threw a stone at me and sneered, “If you hadn’t been so selfish and driven Rachel away, she wouldn’t have gotten married and died of domestic violence while pregnant. You owe her.” It was at that moment that I realized Howard had harbored hatred toward me for so many years because of what had happened to Rachel. Seeing that I remained silent, Howard frowned and dragged me along with evident displeasure. “Lola, did you hear us? Rachel needs the position of team leader more than you do. You should let her take this role.” Hearing Howard’s impatient voice, I snapped back to reality. I looked at the pitiful Rachel beside me and sneered, “Didn’t you say that the team leader would be whoever could attract investment and make the greatest contribution? Now that I’ve delivered on that, you want me to step down?” When Rachel heard what I said, tears streamed down her face. “Lola, that’s not what I meant. I just want to pursue a master’s degree. I’m from a really tough background. If I can’t secure a recommendation for graduate school, I’ll have no choice but to go home and get married. Please, have mercy on me.” Having said that, Rachel immediately bowed to me. Her action instantly drew the attention of the entire class, and everyone gathered around. Rachel’s voice trembled with even more sorrow. “Lola, I really don’t want to go back to my hometown and marry some old bachelor. Please don’t make me drop out of school, okay?”

The crowd watching immediately grew indignant upon hearing this. “Lola, what are you doing? Who are you to make Rachel drop out of school? Why are you so vicious?” “Rachel comes from a poor family, but it doesn’t mean you can bully her like this.” “Lola, how could you use your family’s wealth to bully Rachel like this? That’s absolutely despicable.” Howard grabbed my arm and said earnestly, “Lola, I know you’ve always been spoiled and willful, but this time it’s about Rachel’s future. You can’t ruin her life over something as trivial as a team leader position. It’s really no big deal to let her have it.” I was infuriated by his words. They had once urged me to take on the responsibility of being the team leader. Why didn’t they suggest Rachel be the team leader when I had to stay up all night writing proposals? Where was Rachel when I went to countless companies to humbly seek investment for my team? Now, with the competition about to end, she wanted to replace me, and Howard described the team leader position as trivial. I said coldly, “I didn’t make her drop out of school. I’m the one who secured the investment for this competition. What qualifications does Rachel have to replace me?” Howard laughed dismissively. “Lola, stop bragging about your fundraising. You only managed to do that because our team is excellent. Even if we let Rachel seek investment, she could do it—and might even do a better job.” Rachel said shyly, “Lola, you can’t dismiss our team’s excellence just to highlight your own capabilities. Howard is a well-known financial genius. I guess it’s him who actually attracted the investment.” Howard was clearly pleased with Rachel’s compliment, and his expression grew even more arrogant. “Rachel is right. Lola, I might not have cared about this before, but if you’re going to be so selfish as to ruin Rachel’s future, I’ll never agree.” I raised my eyes and chuckled, “In that case, I’ll let her take the role.” Howard’s face lit up with satisfaction at my words. “Lola, that’s the spirit. I admire how sensibly you’re handling this. You’ll have plenty of opportunities in the future, but Rachel can’t afford to lose this one.” I nodded readily. “Then I wish you great success in the competition.” Rachel seemed a bit displeased, thinking that I was trying to shirk responsibility. “Lola, even though you’re no longer the team leader, you’re still a member of this team. You should still be responsible for the part you worked on before.” I sneered and said sarcastically, “Rachel, I was the team leader and handled 70% of the team’s workload. Now you want to replace me and still expect me to do most of the work? How shameless.” Rachel’s face turned pale. “That’s not what I meant. The competition is about to end, and it’s not a good idea to change the team leader now.” I nodded. “You knew the competition was about to end, so you chose to take the credit at this time.” As soon as I said this, the onlookers understood what was going on and began to accuse Rachel of being scheming and hypocritical—trying to take the credit without doing any work. Rachel hurriedly tried to explain, but no one believed her. After all, many classmates had seen me working tirelessly during this period—leaving school early and coming back late to run our business. Seeing that Rachel was on the verge of tears again, Howard stepped in front of her protectively and scolded me angrily. “Lola, Rachel is doing this for the good of our team. Don’t slander her. She is the team leader now and has the right to tell you what to do. You’d better be obedient. If you don’t follow her instructions, we can only kick you out of the team.”

I stared at Howard with wide eyes and clapped my hands excitedly. “Okay, I’m quitting right now.” Howard’s expression turned cold and stern, clearly taken aback by my sudden declaration. “Lola, don’t be impulsive. Rachel is a reasonable person and won’t make things difficult for you just because you targeted her before. If you quit now, you’ll definitely regret it.” I smiled dismissively, “Regret? Sorry, but I won’t. I’m quitting right now, and I won’t have anything to do with your team anymore.” With that, I turned around and walked away, not sparing a glance at Howard’s and Rachel’s sullen faces. Start a business? Forget about it. Wasn’t it better to inherit my family fortune worth billions of dollars? Howard was indeed exceptional. I invested in his development, propelling him to the top of the financial world where he became a leading figure and could attract investments. But at present, Howard hadn’t yet reached the level where his fame could attract vast investments. My uncles invested in our team simply to make me happy. That evening, I posted a message on social media, announcing my departure from the startup team. As soon as I posted it, my uncles all commented. [Dear Lola, you’re quitting the startup? Just go for it. Your father and uncles can provide you with substantial investment. Even if you fail, it’s okay.] [Lola, if you quit, I will withdraw my investment.] My cousins at school heard about how I was forced to quit and posted about it in the comment section. The comment section flooded with messages all at once. That very night, my uncles decided to withdraw their investment and announced they would blacklist the team in the industry. I didn’t stop them. The next day, I went to school as usual. After leaving the entrepreneurship competition, I had some free time and focused on studying and applying for graduate school. After class, I received a call from my dad asking me to draft a planning proposal for him. It was a small project, and my dad often gave me tasks like this to gain some experience. In the afternoon, I brought the proposal I had prepared to my dad’s company. He took the contract, glanced through it, and expressed his satisfaction. When I was walking out of the company, someone suddenly bumped into me. I glanced over and saw Howard. After spotting the documents on the ground, he suddenly laughed. “Lola, I knew you didn’t really want to leave our team. Did you know we were coming to Clarke Group, so you prepared a proposal and waited for us here?” Howard reached out to take the proposal from my arms, but I stepped aside to dodge him. “You’re overthinking it. I didn’t prepare it for you.” Howard frowned. “Lola, stop messing around. If you didn’t prepare it for us, are you planning to start your own business?” I was stunned, and suddenly it hit me—I had done most of the tasks in the team by myself. So why couldn’t I start my own business? Thinking of this, I suddenly smiled, “You’re right. I want to start my own business.” With that, I walked away, ignoring Howard’s cursing and shouting behind me. Three days later, I submitted my business plan and secured all the previous investments. When I was leaving school in the afternoon, Howard and Rachel suddenly stopped me. Howard said, “Lola, I didn’t expect you to go to such shameless lengths just to steal our investment. You’ve slept with so many men. You’re not worthy of being my girlfriend.” His slander instantly drew the attention of many curious onlookers. I said, “Howard, watch your language.” Rachel took Howard’s arm and said, “Lola, how could you cheat on Howard?” I frowned. “What nonsense are you talking about?” Howard pulled out a stack of distasteful photos and threw them in my face. “No wonder you were able to attract so much investment. The way you sought it is despicable.” Seeing everyone pointing fingers at me and gossiping loudly about me, I took out my cell phone and called the man in the photo. “Uncle Cam, please come to my school with our family photo.”

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My best friend, Hazel Prescott, whom I had cared for over the years, gave me a bottle of perfume. Without hesitation, I turned and poured it all into the toilet. In my past life, the moment I wore that perfume, my body began to sprout fur and emit a terrible stench. Colleagues avoided me like the plague. My boss and boyfriend, Wyatt Dawson, dumped me without a second thought and got together with Hazel. Desperate for a cure, I searched everywhere, only to die in agony and despair. It was only after my death that I learned the truth. Hazel had tampered with the perfume. Now, as I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day she gave it to me. “Charlotte, I saved up half a month’s salary to buy this perfume for you. It’s just a small gift. “Don’t look down on it. I promise I’ll get you something even better once I have more money.” Hazel crinkled into a smile as she handed me the beautifully wrapped gift. I staggered back in shock, glancing around at my familiar office surroundings, realizing. I had been reborn. Ignoring the puzzled stares from my coworkers, I rushed to the bathroom and stripped off my clothes. Staring at my reflection, I let out a shaky breath of relief. My skin was smooth and flawless. In my past life, the moment I sprayed that perfume, my entire body became covered in thick fur, carrying a faint, nauseating stench that drove everyone away. Hazel came from a poor background. When she first joined the company, she nearly got fired due to her lack of experience. Out of kindness, I helped her. After that, I continued to treat her sincerely, sharing fun moments and bringing her food whenever I got something nice. She seemed grateful, so when she gifted me the perfume, I simply thought it was a token of appreciation. A colleague jokingly wondered if it was some kind of unregulated product since she couldn’t even name the brand. I didn’t take it seriously and just thought they were messing around. But not long after, something started changing in my body. At first, it was just redness and itchiness. Then, patches of fur started growing all over me. I tried hair removal creams, but the next day, the fur grew back even thicker. I went to top hospitals. I tried every remedy, both medical and folk. Nothing worked. After that, I took leave and hid in the employee dorm, too afraid to step out. Hazel, pretending to check on me, brought the entire department along. The moment they saw me looking like a caveman, they gasped as if they’d seen a ghost. A gossip-loving coworker uploaded a video of me online, calling me the Hairy Beauty. The internet went wild. Influencers camped outside my apartment, demanding I go live. Meanwhile, Wyatt seized the opportunity to break up with me. Hazel, on the other hand, became even more stunning. On one of her so-called visits, her breathtaking looks caught the attention of bloggers. Seizing the moment, she engaged with netizens, quickly skyrocketing to fame. Within half a month, she had amassed over a million followers. And me? Unable to accept my ruined face and body, I slit my wrists in the bathroom. Only after death did I finally learn the truth. Hazel had envied my success and beauty. The perfume she gifted me wasn’t just a present. It was a cursed object meant to steal my fate.

After my death, she got what she wanted. Wyatt became her boyfriend. Seeking excitement, they even indulged in their passion right in my old room beneath my memorial photo. The tragic memories of my past life flashed before my eyes. My jaw clenched, every cell in my body boiling with rage. I dug my fingertips deep into my palm, the sharp pain pulling me back to reality. “Darling, what’s wrong? Come try this perfume.” Hazel blinked her big, innocent eyes, looking as harmless as ever. But beneath that facade lay a heart as venomous as a snake’s. When I didn’t reach out to take it, she carefully extended the porcelain bottle toward me. I immediately sprang from my seat, pointing to the slightly cluttered desk with caution. “Just put it there.” A flicker of frustration flashed across Hazel’s face before she quickly masked it, pressing me again. “This was made by the florist back home. You won’t find it anywhere, no matter how much you’re willing to pay! I spent half my month’s salary just to get this for you. “Come on, it’s just perfume, not some venomous snake. What’s there to be afraid of?” I glanced at the gloves she was wearing. If my guess was right, the perfume wasn’t just toxic in scent. Touching the bottle itself might be dangerous. Seeing my reluctance, Hazel suddenly bit her lip hard, her eyes welling up with tears that streamed down her face. “Charlotte, I know I come from a poor family, and this isn’t some fancy brand. It’s normal if you don’t like it… but I just wanted to show my appreciation…” I once saw her as a friend, yet she wanted me dead! Now she was trying to guilt-trip me, thinking she could manipulate me so easily? What a joke! Suppressing my anger, I let out a cold laugh. “Hazel, that’s really hurtful. “I stayed late to finish your unfinished work, unpaid. I helped you, yet instead of appreciating it, you think I’m looking down on you? That’s truly disappointing. “If I really looked down on you, why would I go out of my way to help? “Just because I didn’t take the perfume, you assume I think less of you? That’s completely unreasonable!” My voice trembled slightly as I spoke, drawing the attention of our colleagues. Everyone here knew how much I had helped Hazel in the past. Hearing this, they immediately chimed in. “Hazel, hasn’t Charlotte done enough for you? And now you’re saying she treats you badly?” “I remember plenty of times when you just walked out while Charlotte stayed behind, working late into the night. What have you ever done for her?” “Didn’t Charlotte cover your meals when payroll was delayed last month? I don’t recall you ever treating her back. And now you’re playing the victim?” “By the way, what brand is this perfume? Why is it in a porcelain bottle? And why are you wearing disposable gloves? Don’t tell me it’s poisonous.” Most of our coworkers didn’t have a good impression of Hazel. While speaking up for me, they were also venting their long-held frustration. Hazel had always loved playing the pity card. Whenever someone refused her request, she would turn around and cry to the others, acting like she was being bullied just because she was poor, implying that people should naturally cater to her. But after a while, everyone saw through her act and stopped entertaining her. Her expression darkened as she stared at the perfume bottle on my desk. Then, showing a stiff smile, she gave a slight bow. “Sorry, Charlotte, I spoke without thinking. I’ll just leave it here. Once you try it, you’ll realize how great it is. “We’re coworkers, after all. Why would I ever want to hurt you?”

I couldn’t stand her fake, pretentious face. I wanted to smash the porcelain bottle right into her smug expression, but I held back. I needed her to expose her true colors so I could get my revenge. Showing a casual smile, I pressed my lips together lightly. “Hmm, I’ll give it a try another day. I’ll just leave it here for now.” Hazel’s face lit up with joy. She eagerly took my arm and chirped about how the perfume should be used within a week, or else the scent would fade. I nodded absentmindedly, pretending to listen while my mind was racing. The moment Hazel stepped away to use the restroom, I sprang into action. Mask on, gloves on, I carefully opened the porcelain bottle. I snapped a picture of the perfume bottle and sent it to a friend who specialized in perfume packaging, offering a high price for an identical one to be delivered to my office ASAP. By the end of the workday, the replica had arrived. I discreetly dumped Hazel’s so-called gift down the toilet and tossed the original bottle into the trash. Over the next few days, Hazel kept sneaking glances at my desk, checking to see if the perfume bottle was still there. Every time she confirmed its presence, she nodded in satisfaction. To be extra sure, she even found excuses to go to the restroom with me, probably hoping to see if her little trick was taking effect. I decided to have some fun. I sprayed myself with a mix of water and garlic extract, a smell so foul it could make someone gag. Hazel had an excited twitch over her lips, convinced that her perfume was working its magic. Little did she know, she was stepping right into the trap I had laid out for her. Wyatt, my boyfriend, had been calling me into his office more often, looking for excuses to get close. Each time, I found a way to avoid him. Sensing my growing distance, he decided to make a grand gesture. That evening, he showed up at the employee dormitory with a bouquet of fresh flowers. “Baby, there’s a new restaurant in the old town. Let’s go check it out together.” I barely glanced at him, my tone indifferent. “I don’t feel well. I have no appetite.” “Then let’s pick another day.” I switched off the lights without another word. Wyatt knocked for a while before finally leaving in disappointment. Hazel, who had been eavesdropping nearby, saw me staying put. Wasting no time, she threw on a full face of makeup, slipped into her high heels, and hurriedly followed after him. Not long after, she updated her social media. The location was that brand-new restaurant in the old town. “Could she be any more desperate? Let’s see what tricks these two lovebirds are up to.” Wrapping myself up in a hoodie and mask, I hopped on the subway and made my way to the restaurant. Through the window, I spotted them at a corner table. Wyatt was holding Hazel’s hand, his gaze burning with desire. His fingers had already slipped under her collar. Hazel, playing her part well, perched herself onto his lap. Her long, manicured fingers trailed downward, making Wyatt’s face flush with excitement. “Wyatt, I should go. If Charlotte finds out, it won’t end well.” Wyatt yanked her back into his arms, pulling her in for a deep, sloppy kiss. “So what? I’ll just break up with her. That woman is nothing compared to you. “She’s as dull as a dead fish in bed. Nothing like you, baby. And besides, we’ve been doing this for over a year. Has she even noticed anything?” Hazel draped her arms around his neck, her eyes gleaming with wicked delight. “You’re right. If she weren’t so stupid, she wouldn’t believe everything I say. “You’re such a bad boy.” Wyatt chuckled, tapping her nose affectionately as his hands roamed freely. “Bad boys are what girls love, aren’t they? You like it when I’m bad, don’t you?” “Ugh, Wyatt! You’re so annoying!” My hands clenched into fists as I listened, seething with rage. So this was how they saw me? A fool to be toyed with? A stepping stone for their selfish desires? Then Wyatt asked, “Any progress with the perfume? She doesn’t seem all that different.” Hazel frowned. “Yeah, weird, right? Maybe the perfume isn’t close enough to her. I’ll slip it into her bag next time. That should work. “But don’t worry. She already reeks. Soon, I’ll take her place, become rich, beautiful, and unstoppable.” A crazed, triumphant glint flickered in Hazel’s eyes. The two of them raised their glasses in a twisted toast. Just as I suspected, even being near the perfume had an effect. An idea sparked in my mind. Wasting no time, I hailed a cab straight to the office. Digging through the trash, I retrieved the discarded porcelain bottle. That night, while Wyatt and Hazel were busy getting a hotel room, I poured the last few drops of liquid from the bottle, blending it into her perfume. Then, I submitted a vacation request to headquarters, claiming I needed a break. I invited a few colleagues on a getaway and disappeared for half a month. During that time, Hazel blew up my phone with calls. I ignored every single one. Two weeks later, I returned to the dorm with my coworkers, laughing and chatting. The moment I opened the door, an overwhelming stench filled the air. And what I saw next left everyone utterly speechless.

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My father, who had bravely stood up for justice, was on the verge of being sentenced to life imprisonment. Yet, I sat there calmly, observing my manicured nails. The jury members glared at me indignantly, their eyes as if they could flay me alive. Even the judge proposed a temporary recess, suggesting I sort out my thoughts and evidence. After all, at that moment, I was not only my father’s daughter but also his defense lawyer. I slumped casually in the chair and spoke calmly, “Although you rescued the girl from the clutches of the perpetrator, you continued to stab him after he lost the ability to resist. Legally, this constitutes intentional homicide.” My mother dropped to her knees before me, pleading with tears streaming down her face. “Sienna, please plead for your father. He’s your father!” I evaded her outstretched hand and brandished my lawyer’s license. “I’m sorry. I stand for what’s right, not for my relatives merely because of blood ties.” My mother crumpled to the ground, her forehead beaded with sweat, her voice quivering. “But people say the thug was about to attack your father, and your father was just acting in excessive self-defense. “Sienna, you still haven’t forgiven your father, so you’re deliberately making up an excuse to send him to prison, aren’t you?” Her eyes were filled with suspicion. That thought was justified, though. After all, we had a huge fight before my father’s heroic act. I glanced at my mother and let out a cold snort. “I’m your daughter. You should know me well. Who do you believe, netizens or your own daughter?” My mother was momentarily stunned. Soon, she clutched her chest and began to cry her heart out. “So what are we supposed to do now? Just watch your father be sentenced to life imprisonment?” In the end, she even started retching, clearly on the brink of a complete breakdown. “That’s your biological father who has raised you for twenty-six years. Do you really want to send him to prison with your own hands?” The deep affection between my parents made me, their daughter, seem shockingly cold and detached. But I just smiled indifferently. “Isn’t this a good thing? The prison provides food and shelter. I’ll see that he has a place to spend his remaining years. You don’t need to worry about his basic needs. “Frankly, before my dad acted bravely, he probably didn’t consider how we’d manage if he died. Why worry so much about him now? You might as well find a new partner for yourself.” With that, I poured myself a glass of water, turned on the latest variety show, and burst into laughter watching it, waiting for the court session to resume. When my mother saw my nonchalant demeanor, her eyes turned red. But she was just a housewife, lacking the means to solve this problem on her own. She was at her wits’ end, and this desperate act was the only way she could think of to save her husband. She smashed the cup in my hand and pressed a shard to her neck. “Sienna Walker, I don’t care if you hate your father or if, as you claim, he committed murder on purpose. You must save your father! “So many people online say your father was acting in excessive self-defense. There must be room for negotiation. If you don’t find a way out, I’ll die right in front of you.” The other relatives in the recess room regarded me with disapproval. “Sienna, we may not understand legal matters, but there are people on the internet who do. Now everyone is speaking up for your father. If you have any difficulties, just tell us. You can’t send your father to jail just based on what you’ve said.” My mother suddenly seemed to have an epiphany. She tightly grasped my arm, her eyes pleading. “You want to buy a house, right? Weren’t you arguing with your father because he refused to give you the down payment? “Help your father. Then, I’ll use all our family savings to buy you a house, okay?” The relatives in the recess room seemed to have grasped what they thought was my true motive and looked at me with contempt. Before I could respond, the door was flung open. A relative, who had been sent to gather information, rushed in, his face etched with worry. “I heard that the lawyer hired by the other side is the best in the country and has never lost a case. If the case proceeds like this, Steve may never get out.” He gave me a rather furtive glance. The eyes of an elder in my family flashed with anxiety, and then he fixed me with a stern look. “Sienna, I’m asking you one last time. Are you really going to insist that your father committed murder on purpose and let him spend his entire life in prison?”

Under their expectant yet intense gazes, I nodded slowly but resolutely. At the sight of this, the elder angrily crushed the paper cup in his hand, his face contorted with anger while glaring at me. “I can’t believe our Walker family has such an unfilial daughter as you! “I won’t talk about how your father rushed you to the hospital when you were sick as a child. Do you remember the year before last when you had uremia? It was your father who donated his kidney to you! “If it weren’t for him, would you have a healthy body now? “Not to mention, all the living expenses for your family of three were earned by your father, who worked day and night. Without your father’s hard-earned money to support your studies, could you have become a renowned lawyer today? “Sienna, you can’t be so ungrateful. Your father needs your help right now. If you act so heartlessly, you may get your retribution later!” The elder’s heartfelt questioning was sincere, and by the end, he even choked up. The other relatives also chimed in, pointing their fingers at me. “He’s right. You’re the only daughter in the family, and Steve dotes on you the most. If he doesn’t buy a house for you, who else would he buy it for? He must be considering the current declining housing prices and wants to wait and see. You can’t send your own father to jail just because of this.” “Look, you don’t even have a partner yet. If a man finds out that your father is in prison, who would be willing to marry you? Even for your own future, you have to get your father out.” “That’s right. There’s no such thing as an eternal feud between a father and his daughter. Sienna, we all know you’re a smart girl. You can’t be so foolish now.” The relatives’ chatter grew louder and more insistent. I sat on the sofa, legs crossed, looking composed and unfazed. I seemed impervious to everything around me. Seeing my indifference, my mother crumpled in despair, screaming in pain. She knelt before me once again, pleading desperately, “Sienna, I’m your biological mother who gave birth to you and raised you. I’m begging you, please save your father. “As long as you’re willing to save your father, I’ll transfer all the family’s money to you. Whether you want to buy a house or do something else with it, we won’t interfere. What do you say? “If you think that’s not enough, I’ll sell our house and give you the money, okay?” Upon hearing this, I finally uncrossed my legs and sat up straight. When my mother saw my changed posture, a glimmer of hope flashed across her face, and she hastily swore to me, “Sienna, as long as you promise to help your father, I’ll give you everything we have!” The older relatives present, seeing my mother’s abject state, turned away in anger. I took out my phone and started calculating. The combined assets under my parents’ names were sufficient for me to afford a car and a house easily. This sum of money was enough to fund my father’s defense in the upcoming trial. This seemed like a worthwhile deal.

I looked back at my mother and nodded silently in assent. An impatient look flickered across my mother’s face. “Check if the evidence is complete. Is there anything else you need to prepare? You can’t make any mistakes in the upcoming trial.” My hand reached for the materials on the table, but suddenly I clasped my hands together. “I can help my dad, but what if you go back on your word after the trial? “There should be at least one million dollars in cash at home. Transfer it to me first, and then we’ll sign a property transfer contract. I promise to get my dad acquitted later. How about that?” When my mother heard my words, her face was filled with disbelief. She felt as if she was being toyed with, and her face contorted into a hideous expression. “Most of that money is in paper passbooks, and we have to go to the bank to deal with it. How can I transfer it to you right now? “The court will resume soon. We don’t have the time now. Sienna, please don’t do this! I’m begging you. If you’re really worried, give me a contract, and I’ll sign it now. I will never renege on my promise.” I shrugged. “That won’t do. Even if you sign the contract, if you’re set on being a deadbeat, there’s not much I can do, right? “Either transfer the money now, or my dad goes to jail. The choice is yours.” The other relatives in the recess room could no longer tolerate my actions. The eldest among them even threw the wooden bracelet in his hand at me. “Your father must have done something heinous to have a child as disrespectful and unfilial as you. “Your mother shouldn’t have given birth to you. She should have strangled you at birth!” My eyes sharpened as I stared back at the elder. “This counts as intentional injury, and the minimum sentence is three years. What? Do you want to go to jail and keep my dad company?” The elder’s daughter, my cousin with whom I was quite close, looked at me with disappointment in her eyes. “Sienna! When did you become like this? Did you take money from the other side and do this on purpose? “Is money really more important than your family?” Her eyes were bloodshot, brimming with pain and questions. She hugged my mother tightly and consoled her. “Connie, just leave her alone. No matter how much we plead with a heartless person like her, she won’t help us. “If things turn out to be bad today, we can still appeal for a retrial. Then we can hire a better lawyer, and surely there will be people on the Internet who will come to our aid.” Seeing the devastated look on the face of the only person in my family I was close to, I couldn’t help but feel a momentary pain in my heart. My parents had been too busy to take care of me since I was a child, so I was practically raised by my cousin. When I failed the bar exam the year I graduated from college, it was she who firmly pressured me to quit my job that paid a meager 3,000 dollars a month. She supported me financially each month so that I could focus on preparing for the bar exam. At that time, I vowed to be good to my cousin and her family for the rest of my life. But now, the disappointed looks from my cousin and her father were almost unbearable. I turned my head away silently, not daring to look any longer. Suddenly, the door of the recess room opened. “The court session is about to resume. Please get ready.” It was the court’s messenger. My cousin squeezed my mother’s hand firmly and said, “Connie, don’t worry. Even if the worst-case scenario occurs, we still have hope.”   I donned an indifferent facade and sneered. “We’ll see about that.” My mother glared at me with hatred and walked out first. When I was the only one left in the room, I took several deep breaths, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill. Once I had composed myself, I took my place in the dock and argued that my father had committed intentional homicide. There was an immediate outcry from the jury, but an even louder commotion came from outside the door. The police on the scene were unable to hold anyone back. A large group of people suddenly burst into the room, each holding a cell phone. “Sienna Walker! How could there be a lawyer and a daughter as morally blind and deranged as you?” “We’ll expose your true colors to the world, even if it means breaking the law and going to jail, to seek justice for Mr. Walker.” I turned to look at the jury, knowing very well that they must have contacted these live-streamers during the recess, attempting to use public opinion to reverse the situation. Sure enough, a glimmer of hope shone brightly on my mother’s face. I stared at the live-streamers being restrained by the police and spoke without the slightest hint of shame, “Do you know that trespassing is illegal? “And Mr. Walker, the ‘hero’ you all claim him to be, actually did kill a young man. How could you want a murderer to be free?” In response, a torrent of curses rained down on me. “That’s bullshit! That guy was molesting a teenage girl. Such scum deserved to die!” “The surveillance footage clearly shows that Mr. Walker was acting in self-defense. At most, it was excessive self-defense. You’re his lawyer and his daughter. How can you not stand up for your own father?” “Someone saw you in contact with the other party’s family before the trial. Did you take bribes? You’re such a heartless monster who cares about nothing but money!” “Aren’t you afraid that there won’t be any more heroes in this country because of you?” “Aren’t you afraid that you’ll encounter the same situation one day, but no one will help you because of your disheartening actions?” I lifted my head, stared straight into their cameras, and smiled. “You’ve wrongly labeled a reckless person as a hero. What we advocate nowadays is to act with wisdom, not just recklessly. “Although his intention was good, he broke the law and must pay the price. If you have the power, you should work on amending the law instead of yelling here.” My taunts sparked a huge uproar, and the viewership of their live-stream rooms skyrocketed. The comments scrolled so fast that they almost looked like a blur, filled with insults aimed at me. But my eyes were fixed on a corner of the jury that no one else was paying attention to. The girl, wearing a mask and a hat, had tears in her eyes, yet she gave me a firm gesture and nodded. My handcuffed father suddenly dropped to his knees, just like my mother had, and looked at the live-streamers. “Please turn off the live stream. Since my daughter says I’m guilty, then I’m guilty. I admit it! “Please don’t cyberbully my daughter. I won’t be able to rest easy in prison if you do!” Then, my father looked up at the judge. “Sir, I plead guilty! Please sentence me to life imprisonment!” He then turned and looked at me. “Sienna, are you satisfied now?” I glanced at the number of viewers in the live-stream room and smiled with satisfaction. “Not yet. I want you sentenced to death!”

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When I turned eighteen, my family suddenly struck it rich. My father, Samuel Cooper, made a fortune in business. We moved into a big mansion with a full staff of maids and drivers. My younger brother, Dylan Cooper, was sent to Leranda to study and soon after graduated, marrying a beautiful and wealthy woman. Together, they helped our family business thrive. The only problem was that I had caught a cold and missed the SATs, so my parents married me off to a poor, rural bachelor. I was locked in the basement, tortured day after day. I finally managed to escape and return home, but my parents’ attitude was disgustingly cold. “Such a burden. Why didn’t you just die in the mountains?” Dylan took me out to cheer me up, then pushed me under a moving truck. I ended up with broken bones and was sent to the ICU. As I lay on the brink of death, Dylan, dressed in an expensive suit, whispered in my ear, “I’ll let you die knowing the truth. Our family didn’t get rich from business. It was all because of the 100 million dollar lottery ticket you won. “We secretly claimed the prize, and kept it from you all this time.” With regret, I breathed my last. After I died, my body was “married off” for a dowry of 120 thousand dollars. Then, I opened my eyes again, back to the day I bought the lottery ticket. “This is your ticket. Keep it safe. You might just win big.” I stared at the ticket in my hand, dazed. I had been reborn. Back in the day, I bought that lottery ticket! In my past life, I’d bought the same ticket, but Dylan had barged into my room and stolen it. I had always considered myself unlucky and didn’t believe I’d win, so I didn’t give the ticket much thought. Soon after, our family’s business started booming. We quickly moved into a mansion and became one of the city’s wealthiest families. Dylan was sent off to study abroad in Leranda. I had even suggested studying abroad myself, but my mother, Madison Cooper, shot it down immediately. “You’re a girl. You’ll get married and settle down. What’s the point of studying abroad? It’s just a waste.” I had been the top student in my entire grade. But ever since I bought that lottery ticket, my bad luck never stopped. Even on SAT day, I fell ill, collapsed from diarrhea, and missed the exam. My parents married me off to a poor rural bachelor, and I was locked in a basement, abused daily. I eventually managed to escape and return home. Covered in bruises and injuries, I stood at the door, but my parents only scolded me. “Look at you, like a beggar. You’re embarrassing our family! How could you not die in that village?!” Dylan’s wife, dripping in expensive jewelry, wrinkled her nose at me and sneered, saying to Dylan, “Is this really your sister? She’s even worse than a beggar!” Only Dylan held me close and whispered, “Zoey, I’m so sorry for what you’ve been through.” He took me out to cheer me up. Then, when the security cameras couldn’t see us, he pushed me under a speeding truck! I ended up with multiple fractures and was rushed to the ICU. In my final moments, Dylan, dressed in his luxurious suit, bent over and whispered in my ear, “I want you to die knowing the truth. Our family didn’t get rich from business. It was all because of the 100 million dollars you won from that lottery. That’s how the company started. That’s how I got the chance to study abroad. I really should be thanking you.” He paused, then coldly added, “But as long as you’re alive, there’s a risk you’ll find out the truth. What if one day you start making trouble? That’s why our parents sent you off to the village, and told the villagers to torture you. We never expected you to escape… but this time, you’re going to die. Just die peacefully. Our family will be grateful.” With regret, I took my last breath. After I died, my body was married off for a dowry. Thinking back on my past life, I clenched the lottery ticket in my hand and silently vowed. This time, I will never let them take the 100 million dollars from me again! “Zoey, I knew you’d be here!” I turned around in shock, only to see Dylan standing in front of me, though I didn’t know when he had appeared. He saw the ticket clenched tightly in my hand. His eyes lit up, and he reached out to grab it.

“Zoey, what’s that in your hand? Is it a lottery ticket? Let me see.” Dylan grabbed my hand forcefully, his eyes gleaming with greed. When he saw that I couldn’t open my fist, he kicked me in the leg. I winced in pain and accidentally loosened my grip. “Heh, I knew you were hiding a lottery ticket!” He looked down, his expression a bit confused. My hand was empty. Nothing was there. “Where’s the ticket? Where did you hide it?” Dylan stared at me, unable to believe it, scanning me up and down. I rubbed my sore leg, feeling a bit wrong. “What lottery ticket? I just passed by a lottery shop. I didn’t even buy one.” Dylan clearly didn’t trust me. He searched every inch of my body, panicking when he found nothing. He didn’t bother with me anymore, rushing into the lottery shop and grabbing the shopkeeper by the collar. “Who bought a ticket just now?” The shopkeeper, used to eccentric customers, shrugged Dylan off without a second thought. “Lots of people come and go all day, how would I remember?” Dylan was trying to recall the lottery ticket worth 100 million dollars. But after so long, his memory was fuzzy, and all he could remember were the first few digits. He took a deep breath. Then his eyes glinted as he thought of something. He pulled me over and glared at me. “You go buy it. “You better pick the right one, or I won’t let you off!” Hearing this, I felt a chill in my heart. Now, I finally understood what Dylan’s behavior was about! It turned out he had also been reborn! To make sure he wouldn’t miss out on the lottery win this time, he followed me all the way to the lottery shop and made me buy the ticket for him. I chose a ticket based on the first few digits he had given me. Still holding the ticket, Dylan looked at me with doubt, scanning me up and down. Clearly, he was still suspicious that I had hidden the ticket somewhere. At dinner, Dylan was irritated, tapping his fork on the table. Madison quickly picked up some food for him. “What’s wrong? Did someone at school upset you? Let me handle it.” Samuel also put down his fork and looked at him seriously. “Yeah, did some classmate look down on you again?” Dylan waited until he thought they were concerned enough, then finally looked up, sneering, and pointed at me. “She bought the lottery ticket and didn’t show it to me.” My parents exchanged glances. Samuel frowned first and scolded me. “What’s the matter with you? I’ve told you before, as the older sister, you should be considerate of your younger brother! What did you do to upset Dylan? Apologize to him now!” Madison sighed, gently brushing her rough hand over mine and saying softly, “Zoey, I’m not criticizing you, but your brother is our only son. As his older sister, you need to learn to take care of Dylan.” I felt the touch on my hand, and a shiver ran down my spine.

The outcome of my past life seemed to be clear as day. “My sister bought a lottery ticket but kept it from me, even lying and saying she didn’t get one. Mom, what should we do?” Dylan looked at me provocatively. My dad slammed his fork down. “Hurry up and hand over the ticket! You’re not going to win anyway. What’s the harm in letting Dylan play with it?” Dylan chuckled. “What if my sister wins the grand prize and decides she’s too good for our family?” My mom stood up immediately and shoved me into my room. She searched every corner of the place, even checking the lining of my underwear. “Zoey, where is it? Hand it over now!” my mom yelled angrily, pointing at me. I felt my eyes water as I looked at them, feeling wronged. “I told you, I didn’t buy a lottery ticket. But none of you believe me! “I only bought that one ticket. The only one Dylan took.” Dylan frowned and looked at me, suspicious. After all, he had just rushed over after his rebirth and hadn’t seen whether I went into the lottery shop or not. Once the door to my room was closed, I quickly pulled the ticket from my hair. Thankfully, I had hidden the ticket there in time, or else this family would’ve found it. But now, my room didn’t feel safe. I quickly took advantage of the time when I went to the bathroom to seal the ticket in a plastic bag and hid it in the toilet tank. Dylan took a few days off from school but still wasn’t giving up. He kept coming to my room, snooping around. I remained calm, watching him rummage through my things without a hint of panic. My mom also made up an excuse to take me shopping for clothes. While I was in the dressing room changing, she went through my bag. Of course, they found nothing. Because I had hidden the ticket in a place they never would’ve thought to look. Soon, the day of the lottery draw arrived. Just like in my past life, the ticket I bought won 100 million dollars! Soon, I would be able to claim the prize and make up for the regrets of my last life! But when I got home from school, I suddenly sensed something was off. As soon as I walked in the door, my mom slapped me across the face. My cheek burned with the sting. “If it wasn’t for the toilet being clogged, I never would’ve found out you hid the lottery ticket in the tank,” my mom sneered, shaking the ticket in her hand. My brother grinned at me. “See, I told you she hid a ticket! You didn’t believe me!” I rushed to the toilet tank, only to find it empty. My dad kicked me, his fist clenched in anger. “You’re getting bold now! You actually dared to hide it. You think you’re some kind of lucky one?” With a look of disdain, my dad held up the ticket and coldly laughed. “Today, I’ll let you watch your little fantasy come crashing down!” Saying that, he gripped the ticket and was about to rip it up. “Dad! No!” Dylan screamed, rushing forward to grab onto my dad’s leg, shouting, “Don’t tear it! This ticket could win 100 million!”   “One hundred million dollars? Are you kidding? Even if someone really won 100 million, it couldn’t possibly be your sister!” Dylan was still in shock and shouted, “The drawing has already happened! This ticket won 100 million! We can finally buy a big mansion. This crappy house is falling apart. My body can’t take it anymore! “I’ll marry a rich, beautiful woman and carry on the family line.” My parents couldn’t believe it. They stared at the numbers on the TV screen, completely ecstatic. “We’re rich! Our family is rich!!!” I crawled up from the floor, tears streaming uncontrollably, my whole body shaking as I screamed. “This is my ticket! Why are you stealing it from me?” My mom shouted back, “You used the money I gave you to buy that ticket! What are you shouting for? Even if we win 100 million dollars, you won’t get a single cent!” They had never given me living expenses, and all the money I made came from tutoring! Without saying anything else, they began to tidy up and prepare to leave to claim the prize. Before they left, they locked me in my room, ignoring my cries and struggles. “Zoey, you really are the chosen one. You casually bought a ticket worth 100 million. “But this time, just watch as we take home the 100 million! You’ll regret it. You’ll suffer!” I watched as my family left, the pain on my face fading away. Instead, a smile began to form because the real show was about to start… I quickly packed my bags and documents, then rented a place outside to focus on studying. On the way, Dylan called me on a video call. When the call connected, Dylan’s arrogant face appeared on the screen. He lowered his voice and said, “Zoey, you’ve been reborn too, right? How does it feel? Too bad, even if you have another life, you still can’t beat me. You’ll still have to watch me take home that 100 million. “Don’t even think about calling the cops. It won’t help. We’re family, and your money is ours. The police won’t be able to do anything. “Feeling hopeless? If you really are, just jump out of the window. Maybe you’ll get to the ticket before we do.” My family strutted off to the lottery center, proud as peacocks. My dad went straight to the counter, announcing loudly, “We’re here to claim our prize! We won 100 million!” “What? One hundred million?” The lottery store was packed with people on the weekend, and when the crowd heard this, they stopped and stared in shock. “One hundred million! Could it be that the winner is from their family?” “Someone actually won 100 million!” “Oh my God, why wasn’t it me?” More and more people gathered around, stopping whatever they were doing to crowd around my family. “Yes, it’s us! We won 100 million!” Dylan casually looked around, then held up the ticket high. “You should call the reporters now. Your store will make the front page of the news today, all thanks to us!” “By the way, there’s one more thing.” My dad suddenly paused and turned to the reporters gathering around. “Everyone, be a witness!” With the crowd surrounding us, my dad smiled confidently at the cameras flashing all around us. “This 100 million ticket only belongs to the three of us. It’s not for my daughter Zoey! “And from now on, our family is cutting ties with Zoey. After her SATs, we’ll wash our hands of her and let her fend for herself!” He ignored the murmurs of the crowd and turned to the store owner with a smug smile. “Now, give us the prize!” The store owner’s face turned red with excitement, sweat trickling down his forehead. He took the ticket with both hands, inspecting it closely. Then, he froze. The crowd held their breath, waiting to witness the miracle of 100 million. After a long pause, the store owner slowly looked up. “What? What’s wrong?” the crowd murmured. “Didn’t win?” “They did.” The store owner said, “But… it’s only ten dollars!”

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