Author: Momo Chan

My boyfriend took me to the emergency room late at night because of severe stomach pain. But before I could even finish describing my symptoms, The doctor cut me off with a dismissive tone. “I told you last time, you can’t have ten abortions!” “You insisted on doing it because it wasn’t your boyfriend’s baby. Now you come to me, and there’s nothing I can do!” At first, I denied it, then, realizing what she was implying, I angrily demanded to see her supervisor. But Hugh held me back, pulling me toward the next examination room. “I believe you’re not that kind of person. The priority is getting you treated. We can complain about her later.” But I never got to complain. That whole clinic visit went viral. My reputation was shredded. Under the weight of public ridicule and mockery, I fell into a deep depression and took my own life. After I died, The doctor apologized to me, tears streaming down her face. “I just saw how much pain she was in and wanted to distract her. Who knew she’d take it so hard?” Hugh, meanwhile, was heartbroken. “Maybe she had a guilty conscience. You shouldn’t blame yourself!” I opened my eyes again. I flung Hugh’s hand away and dialed 91

“Hello, I believe I’ve had ten abortions without my knowledge. I suspect I’ve been drugged!” 1. “It’s supposed to hurt.” “While abortion procedures are common now, they’re not truly harmless. Right now it’s just stomach pain, but there’s worse waiting for you down the line!” “But maybe you’re not afraid of any of that. After all, you’re a mess from head to toe, except for your hair. You’re probably used to it by now, aren’t you?” Dr. Riley, the on-call doctor, looked at me with utter contempt. But when she looked atHugh her face completely changed, a flirtatious glint in her eyes that was impossible to miss. In that instant, I knew. I had been reborn. It was exactly like this in my past life. I was in excruciating pain from a severe stomach flu, and Dr. Riley just glanced at my medical history before spouting nonsense. It nearly made me furious enough to die on the spot. Because I was desperate for medical attention, I didn’t cause a scene then. But the next day, Dr. Riley posted a blurred video of my visit online. “Doctors nowadays really have it tough. Ten abortions, and she still asks me why her stomach hurts. It’d be weird if it didn’t hurt.” “You weren’t there, you didn’t see her glare. Anyone would think I was a doctor, but honestly, it felt like she thought I was one of those awful men who got her pregnant and then left her to deal with it.” Even though Dr. Riley blurred the video in my past life, some people still “recognized” me. I faced a barrage of hate online. I tried desperately to explain that I had never done any of the things they accused me of. But no one believed me. Everyone said: 【If you didn’t do it, why are you running? You ran away because you knew it was true and couldn’t face it, right?】 【Exactly, a normal person who’s wrongly accused would fight back, scream, and complain.】 【Good thing the doctor released this surveillance footage first, otherwise, she might have turned it around and blamed the doctor!】 I developed depression because of it, and eventually, I just… died in a haze.

Maybe it was the memory of that desperate and painful death, but now the stomach pain felt significantly less severe. I didn’t panic. Instead, I pushed Hugh’s hand away and looked calmly at Dr. Riley. “Dr. Riley, isn’t it? Were you joking just now, or were you serious?” Dr. Riley hadn’t expected me to be so composed. She froze for a moment. But she was clearly good at making things up, so her mental fortitude was impressive. She quickly nodded. “Of course, I’m a doctor. How could I make things up?” “I used to be in Obstetrics and Gynecology, and I’ve recently moved to the emergency room. You and I are old acquaintances. Pretending not to know me won’t work.” Dr. Riley then suddenly turned to Hugh. “Which boyfriend are you of Chloe’s? I haven’t seen you with her before.” “She always comes here with different men.” Hugh didn’t answer. He was pinching his thigh hard, struggling to keep from laughing out loud. Last time, when Dr. Riley slandered me, he just pulled me away as if nothing had happened. He said he believed me, and at the time, I was touched. Now, I just found it pathetic. Of course, he believed me; he and Dr. Riley knew better than anyone how innocent I was! My expression remained calm, and my voice didn’t waver. “This is my boyfriend, Hugh. I’ve never had an abortion, nor have I ever visited an OB/GYN with other men.” Dr. Riley looked like she suddenly understood. “Oh, I see. Is this your *official* boyfriend?” “No wonder you’re trying to say I was joking. Well… alright, alright, Chloe’s right, I was joking. This isn’t due to an abortion; it’s… it’s stomach flu, or appendicitis. Quickly, I’ll order some tests for you. Let’s get you treated.” Although Dr. Riley sounded like she was clarifying things for me, her sarcastic tone made it obvious to anyone that she had no choice but to back down!

Dr. Riley finished writing the test orders and handed them to me, but I still didn’t move. I stared into her eyes. “Just saying it was a joke isn’t enough. Since you claim I’ve had ten abortions, then show me my medical records.” “If you can’t produce them…” I held up my phone. “Then I won’t let you off the hook.” Dr. Riley’s face darkened even further. She slammed her hand on the desk. “What do you mean? Are you threatening me, saying you’ll complain and report me?” “I admit, I violated protocol by revealing your medical condition directly, but I was just worried about you. Your attitude makes it seem like I’m trying to harm you.” I ignored her, simply continuing to demand to see the records. Seeing Dr. Riley’s scowl, Hugh stopped smiling too. “Chloe, don’t make a scene. Someone must look a bit like you, or have a similar name, so the doctor got it wrong.” “I believe you, and I know you. I know you’re not that kind of person. We don’t need to waste time here. Aren’t you in pain? Let’s go see a doctor first.” “We can complain about her later.” Without thinking, I slapped Hugh across the face. “Are you even a man? She’s slandering me right to my face, and your solution is to hide?” Hugh was stunned by the slap, unable to utter a single word. Dr. Riley was both pained and furious. “You’re the one who did something to betray your boyfriend, how dare you hit someone here?” “I was originally going to spare you some dignity so you could stay with your boyfriend.” “But since you don’t appreciate kindness, then take a look!” Dr. Riley finished speaking and slammed the desk again, roughly spinning her computer screen around. As the screen turned, I was a little stunned. Because on that computer, there really were pages and pages of my medical records. Every single entry was from the OB/GYN department, either for abortions or other treatments. According to this, Dr. Riley wasn’t lying; *I* was.

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My boyfriend took me to the emergency room late at night because of severe stomach pain. But before I could even finish describing my symptoms, The doctor cut me off with a dismissive tone. “I told you last time, you can’t have ten abortions!” “You insisted on doing it because it wasn’t your boyfriend’s baby. Now you come to me, and there’s nothing I can do!” At first, I denied it, then, realizing what she was implying, I angrily demanded to see her supervisor. But Liam held me back, pulling me toward the next examination room. “I believe you’re not that kind of person. The priority is getting you treated. We can complain about her later.” But I never got to complain. That whole clinic visit went viral. My reputation was shredded. Under the weight of public ridicule and mockery, I fell into a deep depression and took my own life. After I died, The doctor apologized to me, tears streaming down her face. “I just saw how much pain she was in and wanted to distract her. Who knew she’d take it so hard?” Liam, meanwhile, was heartbroken. “Maybe she had a guilty conscience. You shouldn’t blame yourself!” I opened my eyes again. I flung Liam’s hand away and dialed 91

“Hello, I believe I’ve had ten abortions without my knowledge. I suspect I’ve been drugged!” 1. “It’s supposed to hurt.” “While abortion procedures are common now, they’re not truly harmless. Right now it’s just stomach pain, but there’s worse waiting for you down the line!” “But maybe you’re not afraid of any of that. After all, you’re a mess from head to toe, except for your hair. You’re probably used to it by now, aren’t you?” Dr. Riley, the on-call doctor, looked at me with utter contempt. But when she looked atHugh her face completely changed, a flirtatious glint in her eyes that was impossible to miss. In that instant, I knew. I had been reborn. It was exactly like this in my past life. I was in excruciating pain from a severe stomach flu, and Dr. Riley just glanced at my medical history before spouting nonsense. It nearly made me furious enough to die on the spot. Because I was desperate for medical attention, I didn’t cause a scene then. But the next day, Dr. Riley posted a blurred video of my visit online. “Doctors nowadays really have it tough. Ten abortions, and she still asks me why her stomach hurts. It’d be weird if it didn’t hurt.” “You weren’t there, you didn’t see her glare. Anyone would think I was a doctor, but honestly, it felt like she thought I was one of those awful men who got her pregnant and then left her to deal with it.” Even though Dr. Riley blurred the video in my past life, some people still “recognized” me. I faced a barrage of hate online. I tried desperately to explain that I had never done any of the things they accused me of. But no one believed me. Everyone said: 【If you didn’t do it, why are you running? You ran away because you knew it was true and couldn’t face it, right?】 【Exactly, a normal person who’s wrongly accused would fight back, scream, and complain.】 【Good thing the doctor released this surveillance footage first, otherwise, she might have turned it around and blamed the doctor!】 I developed depression because of it, and eventually, I just… died in a haze.

Maybe it was the memory of that desperate and painful death, but now the stomach pain felt significantly less severe. I didn’t panic. Instead, I pushed Liam’s hand away and looked calmly at Dr. Riley. “Dr. Riley, isn’t it? Were you joking just now, or were you serious?” Dr. Riley hadn’t expected me to be so composed. She froze for a moment. But she was clearly good at making things up, so her mental fortitude was impressive. She quickly nodded. “Of course, I’m a doctor. How could I make things up?” “I used to be in Obstetrics and Gynecology, and I’ve recently moved to the emergency room. You and I are old acquaintances. Pretending not to know me won’t work.” Dr. Riley then suddenly turned to Liam. “Which boyfriend are you of Chloe’s? I haven’t seen you with her before.” “She always comes here with different men.” Liam didn’t answer. He was pinching his thigh hard, struggling to keep from laughing out loud. Last time, when Dr. Riley slandered me, he just pulled me away as if nothing had happened. He said he believed me, and at the time, I was touched. Now, I just found it pathetic. Of course, he believed me; he and Dr. Riley knew better than anyone how innocent I was! My expression remained calm, and my voice didn’t waver. “This is my boyfriend, Liam. I’ve never had an abortion, nor have I ever visited an OB/GYN with other men.” Dr. Riley looked like she suddenly understood. “Oh, I see. Is this your *official* boyfriend?” “No wonder you’re trying to say I was joking. Well… alright, alright, Chloe’s right, I was joking. This isn’t due to an abortion; it’s… it’s stomach flu, or appendicitis. Quickly, I’ll order some tests for you. Let’s get you treated.” Although Dr. Riley sounded like she was clarifying things for me, her sarcastic tone made it obvious to anyone that she had no choice but to back down!

Dr. Riley finished writing the test orders and handed them to me, but I still didn’t move. I stared into her eyes. “Just saying it was a joke isn’t enough. Since you claim I’ve had ten abortions, then show me my medical records.” “If you can’t produce them…” I held up my phone. “Then I won’t let you off the hook.” Dr. Riley’s face darkened even further. She slammed her hand on the desk. “What do you mean? Are you threatening me, saying you’ll complain and report me?” “I admit, I violated protocol by revealing your medical condition directly, but I was just worried about you. Your attitude makes it seem like I’m trying to harm you.” I ignored her, simply continuing to demand to see the records. Seeing Dr. Riley’s scowl, Liam stopped smiling too. “Chloe, don’t make a scene. Someone must look a bit like you, or have a similar name, so the doctor got it wrong.” “I believe you, and I know you. I know you’re not that kind of person. We don’t need to waste time here. Aren’t you in pain? Let’s go see a doctor first.” “We can complain about her later.” Without thinking, I slapped Liam across the face. “Are you even a man? She’s slandering me right to my face, and your solution is to hide?” Liam was stunned by the slap, unable to utter a single word. Dr. Riley was both pained and furious. “You’re the one who did something to betray your boyfriend, how dare you hit someone here?” “I was originally going to spare you some dignity so you could stay with your boyfriend.” “But since you don’t appreciate kindness, then take a look!” Dr. Riley finished speaking and slammed the desk again, roughly spinning her computer screen around. As the screen turned, I was a little stunned. Because on that computer, there really were pages and pages of my medical records. Every single entry was from the OB/GYN department, either for abortions or other treatments. According to this, Dr. Riley wasn’t lying; *I* was.

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Three days before my wedding to Ashton, I walked in on him cheating with his secretary. They were right there, in our new bed. For twenty years, I’d never seen him break. Now, his hands trembled. Tears fell. He blamed the booze. Swore it would never happen again. But one look at Valerie told a different story. Her face, a mask of cool contempt, said this was a well-practiced routine. When my mother asked if I still intended to marry him, I let out a wet, broken laugh and nodded. “The wedding is on.” Only this marriage could save my father’s failing company. It was just disappointment. Love was long gone. It didn’t matter who I married anymore. My wedding day was a storm of chaos. I sat at my vanity, detached from it all. My father found me there. He led me to the ballroom doors, his hand trembling as he fought back tears. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. My heart clenched. I forced a faint smile. “Don’t be. Ashton… still cares for me. I’ll be happy.” He fell silent. His shoulders slumped in defeat. Finally, the grand doors swung open. Ashton waited, poised in a crisp white suit, a bouquet in his hands. Forcing a smile, I stepped forward. And the memories crashed over me. Our families, the Reynolds and the Bennetts,were once neighbors, equal. Ashton, three years my senior, had always watched over me. The day I took my first steps, he stood before me, holding my tiny hands, guiding me forward. At ten, he wiped milk from my lips, then stole a kiss. My face burned. I pushed him away, my lecture on personal space firm and swift. Ashton stared back, his eyes blazing with a possessive certainty. “What are you afraid of? I’m going to marry you someday.” The memory faded. My steps faltered, then stopped. Ashton came to me, holding the flowers. My father placed my hand in his, his voice a low, desperate plea. “Please, be good to my daughter.” Ashton’s eyes were red as he promised. “I will.” It was just like when I was eighteen, when he’d held my hand tight before our families, vowing to love only me, forever. Back then, I’d blushed, believing every word. I was full of hope for a loyal, unwavering love. Now, at twenty-three, I was finally marrying him, just as I’d always expected. Then the officiant’s voice cut through. “Do you take this man…? Then, the dam broke. All the sadness I’d held back came rushing out. I lost control. Tears streamed down my face. Ashton’s face blurred behind the veil of tears. For a terrible moment, I couldn’t even see who I was marrying. I just closed my eyes and a choked whisper escaped my lips. “I do.”

The wedding was over. We were home. He was drunk, the driver helping him onto the sofa. I wrung out a cloth and gently wiped the sweat from his forehead. He frowned, eyes suddenly opening. He stared at me for a moment, then pulled my hand to his, laughing softly. “I finally married you. Wifey… wifey? That sounds so good. Will you call me that too?” His possessiveness had always been overwhelming. Since we started dating at eighteen, he’d been eager for me to call him ‘husband.’ But I believed in acting the part and never gave in. Back then, he’d just shake his head with a helpless smile, ruffle my hair, and call me his ‘good girl.’ Now, meeting his expectant gaze, I just smiled and loosened his tie. “You’re drunk. Let me help you to bed.” Ashton’s grip on my hand tightened sharply, making me wince in pain. “Why won’t you say it? Just once! Call me ‘husband’!” I pressed my lips together, staring at him, utterly silent. Finally, Ashton closed his eyes. A wave of pure torment seemed to crash over him as he collapsed into frustration and rage. “Fine! I messed up, I know! Are you still angry, Chloe? Then why won’t you yell at me? We have twenty years, and this is the only thing I’ve ever done wrong! Just this one thing!” His voice was laced with desperation. As if I was the one who was guilty. The Reynolds family had invested poorly this year, and our company was teetering on the brink of collapse. Our previously equal standing with the Bennetts had suddenly plummeted. I even felt a pang of insecurity, feeling unworthy of Ashton. My father’s company had a massive funding gap. But then Ashton suddenly proposed at that very moment. “After we’re married, we’ll be truly family. Then it’ll be my duty to help your father, and you won’t have to worry anymore.” Ashton held me close, chuckling softly against my ear. “Besides, you were always meant to be mine, weren’t you?” That day, I sobbed uncontrollably, overwhelmed by a twisted mix of gratitude and relief. The greatest burden on my heart had been effortlessly lifted by this man, once again. A tidal wave of immense love enveloped me. I wanted to give him everything. I truly felt like the happiest person on earth. I hugged him back fiercely, vowing to love him for the rest of my life. With three days left until the wedding, I was a bundle of excitement and anxiety. I was sending him messages almost constantly. If he didn’t reply within half an hour, I’d get so anxious I’d want to cry. As a bride-to-be, I had been staying at my parents’ house during that time. One day, Ashton’s messages were delayed. I waited for a long time, and for some reason, I suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to visit the new home Ashton and I had bought. My mother drove me there. When I opened the front door, a shockingly high-pitched scream echoed from the bedroom. The sounds rose and fell, one after another, sickeningly familiar. One listen was all it took. I instantly went cold, my hands and feet numb. Instinctively, I pushed my stunned mother back outside. Step by step, I walked to the bedroom door. Ashton was thrusting like some primal beast, a disgusting grin plastered across his face. His sweat-soaked hair was slicked back, revealing those wild, captivating eyes. He was spewing vile, demeaning words I’d never heard from him before. Bitch. Whore. I stood there like a puppet, frozen. My purse slipped from my hand, hitting the floor with a soft clack. Every hope, every dream, shattered with that sound.

Ashton explained to me. He’d gotten drunk, and Valerie, his secretary, had brought him back to our new house. It was a drunken mistake. His eyes red, he swore to me. It was just this one time, he’d only made this one mistake. Under the massive shock. I inexplicably leaned forward, sniffing his breath. No alcohol smell. Instead, a pungent, indescribable scent. It felt utterly, sickeningly filthy. I gasped for air. My awareness and emotions clashed violently within me. I was in too much pain to even cry out loud. My life had always been smooth sailing, following every rule, every expectation. The biggest setback I’d ever faced was my father nearly going bankrupt. And even that problem had been effortlessly solved by Ashton. From my earliest memories to my first blush of love. This man was everywhere, inside and out. In that moment, I wanted nothing more than to slap him hard. Then, stand tall. And with dignity, announce the cancellation of our wedding. But then I saw my mother’s anxious figure at the door. Reality slammed back into my mind. I forced a smile, stretching my stiff lips into a grotesque grimace. After that day, the wedding proceeded as planned. Ashton and I maintained a silent, unspoken facade of decency. Only I knew. Everything was different now. … Now, Ashton was still waiting for my answer. As if, if I just acknowledged his role as my husband. Everything could still be salvaged. I opened my mouth. But my throat seized up. Ashton sighed, standing up first. “Never mind. It’s late. Let’s just go to bed.” He took a step, then paused. Turning back, he looked at my hand gripping his jacket sleeve, a surprised joy spreading across his face. “.Wifey?” I managed a strained smile, my voice meek. “Husband.” Ashton’s face lit up. He turned back and hugged me tightly, pressing kisses all over my face. It wasn’t until my eyes met his, blazing with raw desire, that I suddenly clapped a hand over my mouth. A wave of nausea hit me.I clamped a hand over my mouth, gagging as I pushed him off. I pushed him away before stumbling to the bathroom to throw up until nothing was left. I never saw his expression darken in that instant. I never saw his fists clench.

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I was the ultimate simp. My bestie must have told me to dump Jake a hundred times. I never listened. When my boyfriend announced he was a business genius and decided to open an herbal burger joint with his girl best friend, Sam, I didn’t hesitate. I drained my savings for him. Then he claimed they were desperately short-staffed. I quit my $18,000-a-month job to work for free. Then I caught them. Jake said he was off for a “business meeting” with Sam. The business was her, naked in our bed. As I sobbed, Sam had the nerve to shrug. “Don’t overthink it, Chloe. Best friends can have super intense meetings under the covers. It’s all for you, so Jake can marry you!” Like an idiot, I almost believed her. Until the business went bankrupt, and Jake ran off with Sam and all the cash, leaving me with $700,000 in online loans. The debt collectors drove me to the roof’s edge. I jumped. Then I opened my eyes. I was back on the day Jake first pitched his brilliant business idea. My bestie Harper burst in, her eyes red. “Chloe, ‘love blindness’ is a real condition now. Insurance covers it.. You HAVE to get treated!”

“Harper, what are you talking about?” Jake stomped over, scowling. “Are you trying to sabotage my relationship with Chloe again?. Then he turned to me, his tone dripping with possession. “Chloe, I’m planning to open an herbal burger joint.I’m short on cash. Hand over your savings.” My love-blind self was already nodding, ready to agree. “No!” Harper cut in fiercely. “An ‘herbal burger joint’? Does that even sound like a real business? Chloe, do NOT give him your money! Come with me. Now!” Harper squeezed my hand so hard, I nearly cried ou. But when I met her tear-filled, red eyes, the truth slammed into me. Harper and I had both been reborn. The last time I saw that look in her eyes was right after I jumped. She had cradled my broken body, sobbing hysterically. And I, a mere wisp of a soul, could do nothing to wipe her tears away. My eyes instantly welled up too, and a sudden calm washed over me. I spoke to Jake, my voice stiff. “Jake, I suddenly don’t feel so good. I’m going to have Harper take me home to rest.” “I’ll figure out the money situation later.” Jake frowned, annoyed, and let out a dismissive “Tsk.” “Fine, whatever. Just send the money over as soon as you can.” I nodded, then pulled Harper and turned to leave. As we walked, Harper vented, shaking her head in frustration. “Chloe! Snap out of it!” “You just said you weren’t feeling well, and he didn’t even care! All he thought about was getting his hands on your money.” “Are you seriously going to keep being a ‘love-blind’ idiot for a guy like that?!” Once we were in the car, I urgently prompted her. “Harper, hurry! Let’s go to the hospital!” Harper’s eyes lit up. “Chloe, what did you say?!” I looked into her sparkling eyes, stating each word with serious intent. “You’re right. ‘Love-blindness’ is covered by insurance now. I’m going to get my brain fixed!”

Lying in the hospital operating room, the anesthesia needle slowly sent me into a hazy state. In my dream, I saw the debt collectors from my past life again. Last time, Jake used my phone to take out $700,000 in online loans. After the herbal burger joint went bust, he just ran off with Sam. He left me with nothing but a huge mess and those $700,000 in debts. Several tall, mean-looking guys with tattooed arms blocked my front door, yelling and banging, their mouths spewing obscenities. “You damn bitch, pay up now!” “No money? Then go sell yourself! If you don’t pay, we’ll drag you off and sell you to traffickers!” I huddled in my room, trembling and crying, calling Jake. “Jake, please, pay me back…” Jake just coldly replied, “You’re the one who owes the money, not me. Figure it out yourself. Don’t bother me.” From his end of the call, I heard Sam’s voice, sickly sweet yet trying to sound tough. “Ugh, women are so annoying with all their crying.” “Jake, forget her. Come on, have a drink with Daddy!” The next second, the call was cut, leaving only the endless “beep, beep, beep” of a busy signal. In the silent darkness, I curled up in the corner of my room, shaking and in tears. The banging and shouting from outside were terribly loud and terrifying. The scene shifted. My dream moved to the rooftop. I stood at the edge, dialing Jake’s number one last time. “Jake, I’m dying. The debt collectors are killing me…” What came through the receiver, though, was the sound of heavy, breathless panting, enough to make anyone blush. Jake was gasping, his voice hoarse but brutal. “If you’re going to die, just do it. You don’t need to tell me.” Sam’s voice echoed with an ambiguous laugh, a teasing purr. “Women are so annoying, Jake. Just block her.” The call was disconnected again. When I tried calling back, Jake had actually blocked me. In that moment, my heart turned to ash. I leaped, falling from the rooftop onto the hard concrete below. Bright red blood stained the ground. It hurt so much, truly agonizing… “No! Stop!” I jolted upright, my eyes filled with regret and terror. Harper, sitting by my bed, immediately grabbed my hand. She gently patted my back, soothing me. “Chloe, don’t be scared. The surgery is over.” “Your ‘love-blindness’ has been cured.” Two days later, I was discharged, completely recovered. After my insurance covered it, the whole thing cost me less than $500. And my love for Jake? It was completely wiped clean. This time, I was going to make them pay tenfold for all the pain they’d inflicted on me! My phone suddenly rang. It was Jake. He impatiently demanded, “Chloe, why haven’t you sent me the money for the shop yet?!” “I need to pay the store’s deposit! Hurry up and send me the money!”

After hanging up, I went straight to the bank. I locked all my savings into a long-term CD and canceled all my credit cards. Then I changed my phone password to stop Jake from taking out more loans. Only then did I go to inspect Jake’s chosen location. I stared at the three-story building. My unpaid workplace for six months. And I laughed. It was sandwiched between a McDonald’s and a KFC. A Burger King stood directly across the street. And Jake wanted to open his “herbal burger” joint here, under siege by fast-food giants. The very idea turned my stomach. Who would ever eat that? But the biggest fool was my past self who funded it. Not this time. I put on a troubled face and fidgeted. “Jake, my parents locked my savings in a long term CD,” I said. “And I maxed out all my credit cards last month. I cannot get any money right now.” Seeing Jake frown and ready to explode, I cut in quickly. “Jake, you said you saved $28,000 for our wedding. Why not use that? When we marry, I won’t ask for a single dollar. Consider it my investment in your startup.” His frown deepened, a flicker of guilt crossing his face. I smirked inside. That wedding fund was a fantasy, an empty promise he never meant to keep. I didn’t press him, instead shifting gears with a tone of innocent concern. “But… your herbal burgers don’t sound very appetizing. Will people actually eat them?” The moment I questioned him, Jake’s annoyance flared. “This is a project Sam and I researched personally! It perfectly merges health consciousness with modern food trends!” “What the hell do you know? Just keep quiet if you don’t understand!” Sam chimed in from the side, “Ugh, women just have such a narrow view, no vision at all.” “Our herbal burger joint is entering a completely blank market right now. There’s so much money to be made!” I wanted to burst out laughing. Seriously, Sam? Have you ever stopped to think why the market is blank? It’s because this garbage won’t make any money! But Sam was still lost in her self-proclaimed brilliant vision. She slapped Jake on the butt, winking and grinning. “Jake, Daddy here has found us the ultimate path to riches! We’re going for it, even if we have to take out loans!” “We’ll take over this whole three-story building! Herbal burgers on the first floor, boba tea on the second, and a trendy rooftop patio for Instagram on the third! It’s going to be an instant hit the moment we open!” Last time, they did exactly the same thing. Before they even opened, they blew nearly $100,000 on renovations for all three floors. But after opening, nobody bought the herbal burgers, and the generic tea shop on the second floor was completely ignored. As for the trendy rooftop patio? Only mosquitoes and flies ever ‘checked in’ there. In my previous life, I tried to convince them not to invest so much money all at once, to just try one floor first. But then I was called timid and lacking vision. This time, I mentally gave Sam a huge thumbs-up! Go for it! Take out massive loans! You two deserve to experience what it’s like to be hounded by debt collectors, driven to despair. But on my face, I maintained a worried expression, deliberately questioning, “Can that really work? What if your judgment is wrong and you lose everything?!” Sure enough, Jake, who couldn’t handle even the slightest challenge, got even more hyped up. “What the hell do you know?! Sam and I picked this project! How could we lose money?” “We’re listening to Sam! We’re taking all three floors and making it a huge, bustling success!” They exchanged a sweet glance, lost in their delusional dreams of getting rich. Watching their public display of affection, in my previous life, I would have been consumed by jealousy and self-doubt. Now, I just felt utterly disgusted.

I was about to make an excuse to leave when Jake dropped another task on me. “Chloe, you’re an interior designer. The design and renovation are all on you.” Memories of my past life flooded back-a brutal experience that would make a slave driver wince. Sam was impossible. She wanted American style one day, vintage the next, then industrial. She bombarded me with hundreds of photos but never gave a clear direction. “Just show me what you come up with,” was all she said. My designs changed constantly, shifting styles, sometimes reverting to the first draft. She made impossible demands, like asking for “a colorful black,” just to mess with me. I went back and forth 99 times before she finally approved one. When Jake found out, he patted Sam’s shoulder sympathetically. “Poor Sam, you worked so hard. It’s Chloe’s fault for being so incompetent.” The memory makes my blood boil. But not this time. I’m done playing. Let’s see what masterpiece Sam can create without her free, devoted labor! So, I put on my troubled face again. “I sprained my hand a couple of days ago. The doctor said I need a lot of rest, so I can’t draw any designs for at least two months.” Jake raised his voice, agitated. “Two months?! We can’t wait that long!” “Why did you have to sprain your hand at such a bad time?” I put on a hurt and regretful expression, looking down, but in my head, I’d already cursed that selfish jerk eight hundred times. Sam, looking completely confident, spoke up. “Forget it, I don’t think she’d design anything good anyway.” “I’ll handle the design and renovation. I’ll make it so dazzling it’ll blind you all!” A few months later, Sam’s renovation finally blindsided me. She had spent nearly $200,000. The result was pure apocalyptic junkyard chic. It looked like she’d just dumped a bunch of hideous, eye-sore second-hand furniture into a bare concrete shell. That was it? Any customer walking in would probably burst into tears from the ugliness. But Sam proudly declared, “Look at my design style! Isn’t it super cool? Super badass?” Jake’s expression was a little complicated. He awkwardly glanced around a few times before finally managing to squeeze out, “It definitely… has style…”

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Ninety-nine days after our brutal split, and I was still drowning. Staring at the wreckage Luke left in my apartment, I decided it was time to purge it all. I headed downstairs for moving boxes and passed a new massage place. A guy with a killer smile handed me a flyer. “Grand opening! 20% off!” My body had been a stiff, comatose mess for weeks. Why not? His hands were professional, finding every knot and tense spot. The pain brought tears to my eyes.. Then My phone buzzed. It was Luke. The ex who’d ghosted me the day we broke up. “I think I left my belt at your place. Can you find it for me?” Blunt, to the point, no sugar-coating. I took a deep breath. “I threw it out.” “Come on, Aubrey. Throw out whatever else, but that belt… Chloe gave it to me…” The words choked me, my body shaking with a wave of anger. The cute masseur noticed my tension. “Relax,” he murmured. “Lift your leg.” “Mm-hmm…” Luke’s roar blasted through the phone. “Aubrey, what the hell are you doing?! We just broke up!” My face burned. Right before I hung up, the masseur’s hand pressed hard into a sensitive point on my lower leg. “Ow! That hurts! Easy, please…”

“Aubrey! What are you doing?!” I slammed my phone face-down, silencing Luke’s roar. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to lose myself in the massage, but the tears came anyway, disobedient and hot. Seven years. This is how it ended. Anyone who said it didn’t hurt was a liar. Later, standing at my own door with a stack of empty boxes, I took a deep, steadying breath. It was time. I hardened my resolve and stepped inside to pack away Luke’s relics. I had just tossed one box aside when the keypad at the front door beeped. “Unlocked.” The door flew open. Luke stood there, chest heaving. “Where is he?” “Who?” “The guy you were just with! He sounded young, too, didn’t he? Aubrey, are you that desperate?” As his wild eyes scanned the room, a cold dread filled my stomach. So that’s why he’d come. Because of a sound. “Are you here on a raid?” His silence was confirmation. I scoffed. “We’re broken up. You have no right to be here. And more importantly, does Chloe know you’re here?” Luke seemed to calm. His eyes swept over me. “Who said I’m here to catch you in the act?” He jutted out his chin, extending his hand. “My belt. Hand it over!” I didn’t move. My attention was locked on the lipstick near his feet. That was the first gift he ever gave me. I remembered the first weekend after we started dating. We’d planned a trip to the beach. It was our first trip together. It was also the first time I met Chloe. Chloe was Luke’s longtime family friend, practically a sister. On the train, claimed the middle seat between Luke and me. “Aubrey, I just love the middle seat! You don’t mind, right?” She then grinned. “Oh, and Luke said you’re paying for everything! Your family must be loaded.” I forced a smile, shooting a pained look at Luke. He just turned away, offering no defense. Back then, I was too hopelessly in love to stay mad at him. Our first trip, and I was already seething because of his “sister.” Later, he appeased me with a cheap lipstick. The very one now at his feet. The memory sent a wave of fury through me. “I told you, I threw it out. Try the dumpster.” I shoved Luke away, picked up the lipstick from the floor, and tossed it into a packing box. “You’re throwing that out too?” Luke stared, utterly stunned. “That was my gift!” I pointed at the still-sealed tube and smiled coldly.”An $18.80 lipstick with free shipping, Luke? I wouldn’t dare use it. I’m pretty sure it’s toxic.” Luke’s face immediately darkened, a chaotic mix of embarrassment, fury, and a pathetic attempt at disdain. “You’re not still thinking I bought you that lipstick just because it was cheap, are you?” “I explained it to you! I bought you a designer one later! You forgave me back then, didn’t you?” I just stared at him. When I first got the lipstick, I told myself the same lies. Guys just don’t get all the nuances of makeup, they’re too simple-minded, too lazy to pick out anything good… It wasn’t until months later, when I scrolled past Chloe’s Ins feed and saw picture after picture of her with designer lipsticks Luke had given her, that my defenses completely crumbled. That was the first time Luke and I had a real fight. I hysterically accused Chloe, criticizing all his boundary-crossing behavior with her. Luke just sat there, silently watching me lose my mind, watching me cry non-stop. It wasn’t until I quieted down that he finally spoke. “Aubrey, I honestly didn’t know there was so much to a lipstick. Chloe just picked it out herself and asked me to pay!” “There’s nothing going on between Chloe and me, you know that. Why would I be with you if there was?” “How about this, you pick one too, and I’ll buy it for you!” Just like that, I was placated. I picked out one more expensive than Chloe’s, but now I had no idea where it even was. “I forgave you then. Now we’re broken up. Can’t I just throw it out?” Luke jabbed a finger toward my face. “Aubrey, you’d better not come crawling back to me, begging to get back together, because I-” “I won’t.” I cut him off. The words he hadn’t spoken died in his throat.

In the 99 days since we broke up, this was the first time I felt so resolute. Just a second before Luke walked in, I was still picturing him begging for me back. Or maybe, I’d be the one, unable to hold on, begging him to come back, just like before. But in this very second, I knew there was no possibility for us. Luke looked into our bedroom. It was a mess. The floor was practically buried under all his stuff, all our stuff. That lunchbox on the very top shelf of the kitchen cabinet once held all my burning love for Luke. Luke stormed over, grabbed it, and smashed it to the floor. Bang! It shattered into pieces. “You think I ate all those breakfast burritos you waited in line for every morning freshman year?” “Let me tell you, I never even liked those breakfast burritos. Chloe did!” “Every single time, I gave them to her behind your back!” “How about that? Does that make you mad?” Luke pointed at the broken lunchbox on the floor, his brow furrowed in anger, veins bulging on his neck as he spoke. I wasn’t angry. I wasn’t crying. I merely shot Luke a deadpan look, then squatted down, picking up the pieces and tossing them into a packing box. “Do you know why I stopped bringing you breakfast after that?” My calm tone and detached demeanor made Luke’s hand, hanging by his side, tremble slightly. I still remember that freezing winter morning freshman year. I’d just left the main cafeteria after waiting in line and found it was pouring rain, but I didn’t have an umbrella. So I called Luke. He didn’t answer for a long time, until a loud commotion erupted. “Luke?” “Hello? Luke?” There was no answer on the other end, and I was about to hang up and redial. “Luke, it’s pouring out. Your girlfriend isn’t still standing in line for your breakfast burrito, is she?” I heard Luke’s roommate’s voice, tinged with a teasing note. “If she knew those burritos were all for Chloe, she’d probably lose her mind!” “It’s not like I’m forcing her to buy them.” “Besides, what’s the difference if I eat them or Chloe eats them?” “She…” Luke’s casual voice rang out, tinged with a bit of sleepiness. I couldn’t bring myself to listen to the rest. The moment I hung up, the burritos in my hand suddenly felt like they weighed a thousand pounds. The rain beat down on my face, stinging and cold. I walked back to the dorms through the downpour and came down with a high fever. Luke called me countless times, but I missed every single one. From then on, I never brought Luke breakfast again. Every time Luke brought it up, I would lightly brush it aside. Back then, I was so blindly in love, I convinced myself none of it mattered. I thought I could swallow all the hurt, but deep down, I knew I never really did. It stuck in my throat, refusing to dissolve for years. I walked into the bedroom and threw all the photos we’d taken together into a box. Luke looked a bit unsteady on his feet. “Luke, these photos? They’re all junk.” “Seven years together, and we don’t have a single decent picture of just the two of us.” “No way!” Luke looked utterly incredulous, bending down to rummage through the box. But after he looked, he couldn’t say a word. Luke didn’t like taking pictures, he’d told me that ages ago. Every time I picked up my phone to open the camera, he’d instinctively dodge. Eventually, I figured, whatever, as long as we’re together. But then I accidentally scrolled past Chloe’s Ins feed, and picture after picture showed my boyfriend, Luke. By then, I was already really bothered by Chloe. So I set a boundary with Luke. He agreed, albeit reluctantly. But whenever Luke and I tried to take a picture, Chloe would always appear. It was either a hand, or half a face, or a corner of her clothes, or half a head. She always, at just the right moment, interrupted our photos. “Forget it, if we can’t get a good one, then don’t bother.” In the end, Luke would always walk away, annoyed. That’s why none of our photos were ever good. Our photos always had Chloe in them. Luke’s face was a mess, going from pale to flushed, his mouth opening and closing. Finally, he managed, “Chloe… she…” “She probably didn’t mean to…”

Right. How interesting. He used to say things like that too. Except back then, he wouldn’t say “probably.” He’d say “definitely.” I turned to look at the piano in the living room, and Luke’s gaze followed mine. That was a gift Luke bought me after graduation, with his first big paycheck. It was a gift he promised to buy me after I nagged him for a long time-the second gift in seven years of dating. The ridiculous thing is, I never even played it before it broke. After graduation, Luke and I moved in together. I was comfortable, living off my family’s support, taking my time to find a job. Luke was different. He started clawing his way up from his senior year of college. So I focused on being his pillar of support. During that time, Chloe was busy looking for work, so she rarely appeared. Luke and I’s relationship gradually strengthened. Luke got a promotion and a raise after his first project was a success. To celebrate, he invited a bunch of friends, including Chloe. “Aubrey! You’re such a good influence on Luke! You really keep him together!” “Luke, you mean this house is yours?” Chloe looked around, sizing up the place. I had a bad feeling then, and sure enough, Luke brought up the idea of letting Chloe move in. “Aubrey, Chloe’s apartment complex has had a few break-ins recently. I’m really worried about her living alone.” “If she comes, she can keep you company too!” Luke pleaded with me for a long time. I finally softened and agreed. But the first day Chloe moved in, she “accidentally” spilled water on the piano. I blew up at her, and Chloe ran off crying. The first thing Luke said when he brought her back wasn’t to comfort me, but to accuse me. “Chloe definitely didn’t mean to.” “It’s just a piano, Aubrey. Do you have to make such a huge deal out of it? You’re being so over-the-top!” “I’ll just buy you another one next time, okay?” In that battlefield of three, I never won. That time, I called it quits, but regretted it the next day. Later, the piano was never mentioned again. Luke followed my gaze to the piano, then looked down. “The piano…” “I… I just forgot about it later…” Yes, Luke had a bad memory. But only when it came to me, not Chloe. He couldn’t remember what subway stop my office was on, but he could tell you exactly where the best coffee shop was near Chloe’s job. He couldn’t remember I had pollen allergies, but he could remember Chloe didn’t like cilantro. I didn’t answer, walking directly into the room Chloe used to stay in. The room was painted pastel blue, with a crib, a high chair, a changing table… Everything was brand new and unopened. It was the nursery I had carefully decorated for Luke and my first child. “Luke, you and Chloe owe me a life. Forever.” His eyes instantly reddened. “Aubrey…” Luke reached out to grab me, but I stepped back.

In the summer of 2023, I got pregnant. Using that as an excuse, I demanded Chloe move out. At first, Luke even got mad at me for it, saying I was disrespectful. But when I told him I was pregnant, he fell silent. Truthfully, when Chloe wasn’t around, Luke was really good to me. Chloe had a fight with Luke over it, and they didn’t speak for a long time. Luke also started making arrangements to meet my family and for our engagement and wedding. That period, I was truly happy. It felt like a dream. On our wedding day, Chloe, whom I hadn’t seen in ages, appeared. She brought lavish gifts to celebrate us. In the dressing room, I genuinely believed her well-wishes were sincere. It wasn’t until the ceremony rehearsal that Chloe, volunteering to fix my train, somehow “tripped” and stomped right on it. I lost my balance, lurching forward into a metal floral stand by the stage. A sharp, searing pain ripped through my abdomen. Then, a cold, terrifying wetness spread between my legs. “The bride! The bride is bleeding!” The whole place erupted in chaos. The wedding came to a screeching halt. My baby was gone. When I woke up, I hysterically accused Chloe. “She did it on purpose! Luke, she did it on purpose!” “She deliberately stepped on my dress!” … I screamed my accusations, but Chloe didn’t argue. She just cried and apologized. “It’s my fault, all my fault. I’m so sorry, Aubrey, I’m so sorry!” Chloe admitted her mistake, even dropping to her knees in my hospital room. She even sank to her knees on the hospital room floor. In that moment, all my hurt and anger were muted. It seemed if I didn’t forgive her, I would be the one at fault. Luke held me, his whispers a hollow comfort. “Don’t think about it, it’s over.” “We’re still young, we can have more.” “Chloe, she… she didn’t mean it.” That incident was too painful. So painful I’ve made myself forget how it even ended. Our wedding plans were shelved after that, and the subject never came up again. “Aubrey…” “It’s over.” Luke looked utterly heartbroken, his hand gently patting my back as if to offer comfort. My eyes stung. I blinked hard, then closed the door. “Luke, you’re here for the belt, right?” He had no time to answer. I turned and went to the storage room. In the corner, on a shelf, lay the belt, still in its packaging. I shoved it into his arms. “Take it. Check if there’s anything else you want. Just take it all.” “And don’t come back here.” Luke’s knuckles were pale, his face ashen. “Aubrey, I actually-” Ding-dong! The doorbell interrupted Luke. I stepped around the mess on the floor and opened the door. The cute guy from the massage place stood at my door, holding my jacket. “You left this.” One doorway, three people, a tangle of conflicting emotions. Luke’s breathing turned ragged, his fury burning like a wildfire.

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After my chemotherapy, my husband Daniel took me to a party. There, his childhood friend pointed at my bald head and sneered, “You look disgusting. Doesn’t he find you repulsive?” I waited for my husband’s defense. It never came. “Look at you,” he said, his voice dripping with disgust. “You’re an embarrassment.” Even my own son, Leo, screamed, “Ugly hag! Get out!” I had just finished chemotherapy. My hair was gone. I never imagined my husband and son would treat me with such contempt. But he forgot how he’d begged me to marry him on his knees. I filed for divorce. And adopted the son of his greatest rival. “You’re sure about this? You know who his father is.” “It’s fine. Daniel won’t care.” The director’s expression shifted from doubt to pure delight. Since she hadn’t seen Daniel with me recently, she asked no further questions. “Alright, I’ll process the paperwork immediately. You can expect him within days.” I walked out of the orphanage into a heavy downpour. The throbbing pain from my abdomen, a lingering reminder of the surgery, tried to pull me under, but I clung to consciousness, making my way back home. The living room was ablaze with light when I opened the door.  Daniel sat on the sofa, eyes closed, seemingly resting. At the sound of my entrance, his eyes opened and locked with mine. “Where were you?” Clutching my stomach, I barely had the strength to speak. I tried to walk past him and head upstairs. But he grabbed my wrist, and immediately, the potent smell of alcohol enveloped me. “What’s your problem now? Making a scene in front of everyone!” “Skylar was just joking.  Don’t be so petty.” Petty. He knew the chemo took my hair, yet he let her wield it as a weapon against me. He always took her side, making me an outsider in my own marriage. How dare he tell me not to be petty? “Yeah, Skylar’s just telling the truth.Why are you so sensitive, Mon? You embarrassed Dad in front of everyone.” Leo stood nearby, glaring at me with pure disapproval. In that moment, I felt like the entire world was pointing fingers at me, branding me the worst kind of villain. I clenched my fists until my knuckles turned white. I used to fight back, desperate for them to see me. Now, I finally understood. Their hearts belonged elsewhere. I was done. The fight left me. His grip left a throbbing, swollen bracelet of pain around my wrist. I went still after a brief, silent struggle. Daniel mistook it for surrender, a smug eyebrow lifting in triumph. “Go make me some hangover soup.”With that, he collapsed onto the sofa. A wave of nausea hit me, remembering him toasting with Skylar while I was humiliated. Why should he rest while I, just out of surgery, served him? My decision was final. I bypassed the kitchen and went upstairs. When I opened the bedroom door, Skylar was stepping from the bathroom, draped in Daniel’s shirt. Steam glistened on her skin, the fabric doing little to cover her My bed was buried under her clothes, a suitcase barring the entrance. She gasped and clutched her chest when she saw me. She asked, full of feigned shock and in a sickly sweet voice, “Eliza, what are you doing back?” I scoffed. “Am I interrupting?” I turned on Daniel as he mounted the stairs, his pace unbearably casual. “Daniel. An explanation. Now.” He met my stare, his tone deliberately reasonable.  “Skylar has no one else in the city. Letting her stay a few days is nothing. Are you seriously making a scene about this?” Leo puffed out his chest beside him. “She’s pregnant. She can’t stay in the cold guest room.” Skylar was just out of a divorce and pregnant. Offering help was one thing. But I was recovering from surgery and couldn’t risk a chill.  Why was she sleeping in my room? As if sensing my thoughts, Skylar feigned alarm. “Eliza, Daniel said the guest room was too cold for me, and it wouldn’t be good for the baby, so he let me stay in the master bedroom. You don’t mind, do you?” Her words twisted a knife to my heart. I was the one fresh from surgery, yet his concern was all for Skylar. To excuse her public humiliation of me was one betrayal. To install her in our home was another entirely. A hot, suffocating rage burned in my chest. My fists clenched. The disappointment was absolute, final. I packed a bag and moved toward the guest room. Daniel followed me inside before the door could close. His arm snaked around my waist, his face nuzzling into my neck. “I’m sorry I didn’t ask you first. Does your incision still hurt?” “You’re just so stubborn.Making a public scene like that… think of my image. I lost my temper, I admit it. Forgive me?” As he spoke, his hand groped for the light switch, leaning in to kiss me. And I understood. He couldn’t bear the sight of me. I wouldn’t let him. My hand shot out and flipped the switch, flooding the room with harsh, unforgiving light. Daniel recoiled, scrambling back from me on the bed. He was already stuttering an apology when a knock cut him off. “Daniel… I’m a little scared. Could you come out and be with me?” I yanked the door open without hesitation, glaring at Skylar, who stood there in a thin nightgown, crying dramatically. “If you’re scared, then get out!” Skylar immediately looked like she’d been grievously wronged. “I’m so sorry, Eliza, I didn’t mean to disturb you two, I… I… If you don’t like me, I’ll leave right now!” With that, she wiped her tears and started to walk downstairs. Daniel immediately panicked. He pushed me aside. The violent shove sent me crashing against the wall, making me gasp in pain. Daniel spun around, roaring at me, “What the hell is wrong with you?! Skylar’s pregnant, how can you be so vicious, trying to force her out?!” “If anything happens to her, you’ll regret it!” He then rushed after her. I struggled to my feet from the cold floor, feeling blood seeping from my incision. The pain made it impossible to stand straight. I hastily cleaned myself up in the bathroom, hoping that with him gone, I could finally get some rest. But in a hazy dream-like state, I was suddenly yanked from my bed. A chilling cold enveloped my entire body. Daniel snarled through gritted teeth, “How dare you sleep?! Don’t you know Skylar’s in the hospital?!” I was dragged to the hospital by Daniel, where Skylar lay in her room surrounded by an array of treats. Seeing us enter, she put on a pathetic, innocent act. “Eliza, I didn’t mean it, please don’t be angry…” I hadn’t even said a word, and Skylar was already offering tearful apologies. But this wasn’t an apology at all. It was clearly her trying to pull the same old trick, making Daniel feel sorry for her again. Her acting was so clumsy, anyone with eyes could see through it. But Daniel, once again, fell for it. He grabbed my arm, his voice sharp and severe. “Apologize to Skylar.” “If you hadn’t upset her and made her leave, how would she have tripped on the stairs?” I was so infuriated by his baseless accusations that I laughed. “What does that have to do with me? You yourself said she fell, didn’t you?” “Daniel, you know perfectly well that I’ve just had surgery and shouldn’t be running around, yet you’ve repeatedly humiliated me. Have you forgotten how I got this illness in the first place?” At my words, Daniel froze. Others might not know, but he knew the truth all too well. Back when he was starting his business, I accompanied him to client meetings. I drank so much every day that I’d vomit blood from my stomach. I was rushed to the emergency room multiple times. It was from that time that my kidneys started having problems. Until this year, when it escalated, and I was diagnosed with early-stage kidney cancer. “I…” Before Daniel could reply, Skylar sat up from her hospital bed. She knelt on the floor, bowing her head repeatedly. “I’m so sorry, Eliza, it’s all my fault, please don’t blame Daniel…” I didn’t understand what she was playing at. The slight regret in Daniel’s eyes flickered and then vanished. He then spoke to me in a cold tone. “Even so, you can’t bully Skylar. She’s innocent.” “You’re just jealous of her beauty, aren’t you? You’re acting like such a shrew…” I couldn’t bear to hear him berate me any longer. The pain in my abdomen started up again. I clutched my stomach and crouched down, sweat beading on my forehead. “Eliza, stop faking it. You see Skylar apologizing to you, so now you’re trying to act pitiful? Get up and apologize to her.” Daniel frowned, showing no concern for my distress. Then, my vision blurred, and I collapsed.

When I woke up again, I was in a hospital bed. “Stop pretending. The doctor said you just have low blood sugar. Why are you being so dramatic?” Daniel stood over me, looking down, a hint of impatience in his eyes. I didn’t reply. I didn’t want to talk to him. Daniel couldn’t stand it when I was like this. He snapped, “How long are you going to keep this up? Can’t you learn to be more sensible, like Skylar?” “Keep this up? Daniel, I’m already in this state, what do I have left to ‘keep up’ with you about?” For him, I had undergone chemotherapy at 25. I had become this ghost of my former self, and now he was tired of me. He was disgusted by me. The man who once loved me so deeply had become a cruel stranger, a puppet in her hands. “But you still can’t give Skylar the cold shoulder. She’s pregnant; what if her emotions get out of control and affect the baby?” Mid-sentence, Daniel paused, noticing my pale face. He used to be so concerned about me, but now, because of Skylar, he was yelling at me. Completely forgetting that we had been married for over ten years. He controlled himself. “I was too emotional… Eliza, you know, Skylar’s parents were very good to me. I can’t just stand by and watch her suffer.” I gave a cold laugh. “So I deserve to suffer instead?” “You!” Daniel was choked by my words. “You’re always so willful and defiant. Can’t you learn to be a little more sensible and gentle like Skylar?” He forgot that when we first got together, he used to say he loved my straightforward personality the most. Now that he was tired of it, he blamed me. But it didn’t matter anymore. If he couldn’t stand it. I wasn’t going to force it. “I can’t learn, and I won’t. If you want someone ‘sensible,’ go find her.” “What do you mean?” I looked at him coldly. “Let’s get a divorce.” Daniel’s face instantly darkened. “Divorce? Eliza, do you know what you’re saying?” “I’ll have the divorce papers prepared today. You can leave now.” I had given him his marching orders, but Daniel suddenly became agitated. “Just because I asked you to apologize to Skylar? You’re threatening me with divorce?” He wouldn’t believe it. Ten years into our marriage, I had never once talked about letting go, so Daniel naturally assumed I was just throwing a tantrum. But the truth was, I wasn’t. “Eliza, when did you become so petty?” I ignored him. Daniel gritted his teeth. “Fine, you’d better think this through. If we divorce, I won’t ever remarry you!” “Don’t come crawling back to me then!”

Bang! He slammed the door shut, and silence returned. Daniel didn’t visit me once during my three-day hospital stay. On Ins, Skylar’s updates kept coming. In the photos, Daniel held her hand, tucked into his pocket. Skylar smiled, radiating happiness, her other hand holding Leo’s. The three walked side-by-side under falling snow. The caption read: “With you two, this winter isn’t cold at all.” In the comments, Daniel’s friends were all teasing. “Skylar has him absolutely whipped.” “All that attention on her… how can you not be jealous?” … Those blessings felt like slaps across my face, making me feel ashamed. After all, Daniel and I had been together for so long, and he never allowed me to post pictures of us together on Ins. When I asked why, he’d always say, “What’s the point? It’s enough that we know.” Turns out, it was just because I wasn’t the right person. I put away my phone and checked myself out of the hospital alone. The doctor said my condition was quite good, and with a few more months of consistent care, I could be fully recovered. Before, during my treatment, because I was helping Daniel’s company, I hadn’t gone for physical therapy very often. The healing process had been slow, but now I had all the time in the world to recover. Back home, I started packing my things. The family photos on the wall, the matching family outfits we’d bought in the living room – I threw them all into the trash. When I finished packing, everything fit into a single suitcase. All these years, I had dedicated myself to this family, giving Daniel and Leo everything good, while I couldn’t even bring myself to buy a new dress. Looking back, it was truly laughable. I called my best friend, Chloe, asking her to pick me up.

Once in the car, Chloe asked curiously, “Why are you suddenly separating? Did you two have a fight?” “It wasn’t a fight,” I said, my voice deadpan. “We’re getting a divorce.” Chloe gasped. “Divorce?!” “Yes.” I told her the whole story, and Chloe exclaimed indignantly, “How could he do that to you?! Has he forgotten that if it weren’t for you, he wouldn’t be where he is today?!” Daniel and I met on a blind date. His family wasn’t wealthy; he had a critically ill mother. Our family, while not rich, was comfortable. The moment I saw him, his looks captivated me. After getting to know each other, we officially started dating. Back then, Daniel had just graduated from college and was working at a small factory. I would wait for him outside the factory gates every day, come rain or shine, nothing deterred me. And with my daily presence, Daniel gradually opened up his heart. He began to return my affection. That period was probably the most unforgettable time of my life. He said he wanted to start a business, so I took out all my savings to invest in him. To help him build connections, I reached out to every classmate, colleague, and even relative in my contact list. Later, when his studio was established, I accompanied him to client meetings to secure orders. I was put through difficult situations by clients, drinking until my stomach bled and I ended up in the emergency room. That night, Daniel was devastated. He said, “I’m so sorry, Eliza. I promise I’ll make it up to you, I’ll give you a good life.” After that day, he seemed to change. He became ruthless and incredibly driven, stopping at nothing to close deals. Within just one year, his company went public. We built the life we’d always dreamed of. Then Leo was born, and I was sure my long-awaited happiness was complete. Until Skylar appeared, and it all came crashing down. She was Daniel’s first love, his childhood friend. They had dated for five years, eventually breaking up because Daniel couldn’t offer her a future. They weren’t supposed to meet again. But when Skylar interviewed for Daniel’s assistant position, they rekindled their old flame. Yes, rekindled. Even though she knew Daniel was a married man.

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Someone drugged Michael with a sex drug that night. We ended up in bed, bodies overheating and out of control. Right when I was about to climax, I saw Serena—the woman he actually loved—standing in the doorway, tears running down her face. Three days later, they dragged a woman in a wedding dress out of the river. Serena. Pregnant with Michael’s first child. And he still married me. On our wedding night, he looked me dead in the eyes and sneered, “Happy now?” For the next thirty years, he never touched me again. And before I died, he told me, “I wish I never met you.” Then I opened my eyes—back on the night he was drugged. This time, I gripped my collar tight… and shoved Serena straight into his room. “Stella, help me…”The plea was a hot breath against my ear. Michael’s burning palm locked around my waist, slamming me against the door.. “Stella…” His voice was ragged, his teeth grazing my earlobe. In my past life, this was my fatal mistake. Michael was my parents’ adopted son. He’d doted on me, loved me, since we were children. Seeing the man who had once cherished me above all else now writhing in agony, my mind had gone blank. My fingers had moved to my buttons. Then, I met Serena’s tear-filled eyes in the doorway. Three days later, she was dead, taking two lives with her. Michael’s hatred for me ran bone-deep from that day on. I shoved Michael away. He staggered back, stunned. “Michael, I’ll get you some water.” I pushed the door open. Serena was standing right there, just outside the door. In my past life, I was utterly clueless, believing she was some sweet, innocent girl. If she was truly innocent, how could her timing be so perfect? “You’re just in time.” “What do you mean?” A flicker of panic, quickly hidden, darted in Serena’s eyes. I had no patience for her games. I grabbed her arm and pushed her into the room. “Your precious Serena is here. You two figure it out.” I slammed the door shut. The next second, the door was kicked open from the inside! Michael hadn’t touched her. Instead, he whirled and smashed his fist into the wall mirror. Glass shards sliced his arm, blood welling instantly. He was using pain to claw back his sanity. His bloodshot eyes locked on me, burning with a raw, tearing hatred. “Stella Caldwell, you’re vicious!” He snarled. “Serena is pregnant with my child.” “Did you shove her in here hoping to hurt them both?” How could he possibly know? In my previous life, he clearly didn’t know at this point! The world tilted. My blood ran cold. An absurd and terrifying thought exploded in my mind. He was reborn, too?

“Stella Caldwell!” Michael growled, his voice gritted. “How did I never see how malicious you were?” Michael loomed over me. “I’m marrying Serena in a month. From now on, you will remember your place.” “My place?” I looked up at him. “My sister.” His words were cold and final. “We may not share blood, but you call me Michael. That makes you my sister, and that is all you will ever be.” He paused, a complex emotion flickering in his eyes. “And stop with the drugs.” A sudden, sharp laugh escaped me. So he’d always believed I was the one who drugged him. No wonder he hated me for thirty years in my past life. From the very beginning, he had cast me as the vicious woman who would sink to any depth to have him. “Okay.” I nodded, calmly. “I wish you both all the best.” A hint of surprise flashed in Michael’s eyes, as if he hadn’t expected me to agree so readily. But he didn’t know that my parents had left me a safeguard. Michael, if you truly marry anyone else, you’ll lose everything. The ones who loved me most were always Mom and Dad. For now, I’d patiently wait for their wedding. Michael made me personally attend to Serena’s every need, all in the name of “atonement.” “Stella, from today on, you’ll cook for Serena, do her laundry, and take care of everything.” Michael stood in the living room, looking down at me. “Until you’ve truly repented and purged the malice from your heart.” I didn’t resist, just nodded calmly. “Okay.” Michael seemed a little surprised by my compliance, but quickly regained his cold demeanor. Serena sat on the sofa, stroking her still shapeless belly, giving me a gentle smile. “Stella, I’m afraid I’ll be quite a burden these next few days.” Sure enough, she was really looking for trouble for me. She had morning sickness. She insisted I stand beside her with a basin, watching her bend over and dry heave. Vomit splattered on my hand, with a pungent, sour smell. She slumped against the sofa, a peculiar light gleaming in her eyes. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Stella. I’ve made you dirty.” I cleaned the filth from my hands, my heart completely calm. She’d complain her feet were swollen when she walked. I would kneel and massage them, each session lasting over an hour, until my own hands went numb. I endured it all. And eventually, she seemed to find it boring. She didn’t just make things difficult for me when Michael wasn’t around, but she also slandered me when he was. When I handed her the prenatal vitamins, she suddenly stumbled. No, it was a “fake fall.” The scalding liquid splashed all over my hands, instantly causing blisters. The searing pain made my hand tremble, the glass vial fell to the ground, scattering fragments. “Serena!” Michael rushed over like a madman, scooping up Serena, who’d supposedly just “twisted her ankle,” and bellowed at me: “You can’t even stand to see her happy?! You’re trying to hurt her even when she’s just walking carefully?!” I looked at my own hands, burned bright red, blisters rising layer after layer. But Michael didn’t even glance at me. “Michael,” Serena leaned weakly in his arms. “Don’t blame Stella. It was just my own clumsiness.” “Don’t you dare defend her!” Michael seethed. “She did that on purpose!” The pain was excruciating, but I just watched them, my heart a barren landscape of indifference. I already knew this would be the outcome. “Michael,” Serena whispered, her gaze drifting to my neck. “Is that… a ruby? I heard red isn’t good luck for a pregnant woman. It might… clash with the baby’s energy.” “Take that thing off your neck,” his voice was devoid of warmth. That was what Michael gave me for my 16th birthday. My most precious possession. Before I could speak, he reached out and grabbed the chain. The thin silver chain dug into my skin, a stinging pain. Snap! The chain broke. He didn’t even glance at it, casually tossing it into the burning fireplace nearby. The flames instantly swallowed the ruby pendant. It turns out everything I once cherished, in his eyes, was no different from trash. How ironic.

“You’re coming with us to the bridal shop later,” Michael commanded, his arm around Serena at the top of the stairs. On the way to the bridal shop, Serena suddenly clutched her stomach and complained she was hungry. “I’m craving those amazing grilled cheese sandwiches from that old deli on the other side of town,” she said, hooking her arm coquettishly around Michael’s. “But we have to go try on dresses…” Michael immediately understood her meaning and turned to me. “You go get them.” Serena smiled sweetly. “Stella, I’d love them fresh and hot, straight off the grill. Would you mind?” I frowned, looking at the pouring rain outside the car window. Michael looked at me coldly. “What, you don’t even want to do this little thing?” I shook my head, and Michael shoved me out of the car. It was hard to hail a taxi in a heavy rain. I waited in the downpour for half an hour before finally getting one. By the time I reached the deli, I was completely soaked. “I’m sorry, we just ran out of grilled cheese. We’re making a new batch, but it’ll be about an hour,” the staff member said apologetically. But I waited anyway. I didn’t want to get into a pointless argument over this again. An hour later, I was rushing back through the rain with the piping hot takeout container. The rain was even heavier now. Even though I used my jacket to shield the container, rainwater still seeped in. My lips were purple with cold, my teeth chattering uncontrollably. By the time I stumbled back to the bridal shop, Michael and Serena were waiting for me in the lounge area. Seeing my condition, Michael frowned. “What took you so long?” “It’s raining. Traffic was bad,” I explained simply, my hands trembling as I handed the takeout container to Serena. Serena’s foot subtly extended, tripping me. The container flew from my grasp. The hot contents of the sandwich, along with the melted cheese, splattered all over the wedding dress next to Serena. “Ah!” Serena shrieked. “My wedding dress!” The pure white lace was stained a mess. “Stella Caldwell!” Michael roared, kicking the takeout container, sending the remaining hot cheese and sauce splashing all over my legs. The scalding liquid burned my skin through my wet pants. I gasped in pain. “You did that on purpose!” Michael pointed at me, his eyes blazing with fury. “You just can’t stand to see us happy!” “I’m not!” “Are you still trying to argue?!” Michael’s gaze cut into me like a knife. “Get down on your knees!” “What?” “Kneel! Kneel until Serena is no longer upset!” Other customers in the bridal boutique stopped to gawk, their whispers reaching my ears. “What’s going on?” “That poor girl…” I stood there, drenched, the focus of everyone’s stares. In my past life, I would have found it unbearable with shame. But now, I just felt tired. So, so tired. I slowly knelt down. The cold floor instantly made my knees numb. “Michael,”Serena said softly, “It’s okay, Stella didn’t do it on purpose.” “No.” Michael said coldly. “She needs to know what she did wrong.” I knelt there, looking at the shattered pieces of the takeout container on the floor. The rain was still falling. Just like many years ago, that rainy night when I had a high fever and Michael sat by my bed all night. Back then, he would anxiously touch my forehead, tell me stories to coax me to sleep, and gently pat my back when I woke up in the middle of the night. “Don’t be scared, Stella. Michael’s here. I’ll always protect you.” But now, he felt disgusted even looking at me. The rain grew heavier. I knelt on the cold ground, feeling my body temperature slowly draining away. I don’t know how much time passed, but I felt dizzy and my vision blurred.

I lay in the hospital for three days, battling a fever. I nearly died. Michael never came. Not even a text or a call. I closed my eyes. Although I no longer held any hope, my heart still ached a little. Today was Michael’s wedding. I forced my weak body to appear at the Caldwell estate. When Michael saw me, a flicker of surprise flashed in his eyes. “You should be recovering in the hospital.” “I don’t want to miss your big day, Michael,” I said calmly. Serena walked down from upstairs. When she saw me, a hint of smugness flashed in her eyes. “Stella, are you not well yet? Your face looks very bad.” “I’m fine,” I replied without a ripple of emotion. “That’s good.” She walked up to me and said in a low voice. “Oh, by the way, Michael mentioned you’d be helping to host today. He thought it would be more practical if you wore a staff uniform.” She pointed to the black uniform on the sofa. I looked at the ill-fitting staff uniform and suddenly smiled. So they didn’t even want to leave me the last shred of dignity. “Okay.” I picked up the uniform and changed into it right in front of them. Michael looked at me, with a complex emotion in his eyes, like reluctance, and also like relief. But quickly, he shifted his gaze. The banquet hall was full of guests. I stood in the corner in a staff uniform, enduring everyone’s pointing and whispering. “Isn’t that Stella Caldwell? Why is she dressed like that?” “Honestly, what a disgrace.” I listened to their comments with a blank expression, my heart completely calm. The emcee began to host the wedding. “Now, please welcome the bride and groom to exchange rings.” I watched Michael and Serena on stage. They smiled so sweetly, as if there was only each other in the world. The emcee announced with a smile, “I declare, you are officially husband and wife! The groom may now kiss the bride!” Just as Michael leaned in to kiss her, the banquet hall doors swung open. A middle-aged man in a suit walked in, holding a document. “Excuse me for the interruption, everyone.” He walked to the stage, his voice clearly reaching everyone in the banquet hall. “I’m Mr. Hayes, senior legal partner for Caldwell Industries. The late Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell entrusted me with their final wishes.” The entire hall fell silent. Michael frowned. “What is it?” Mr. Hayes unfolded the document. “A supplementary clause specifies that Michael Caldwell will forfeit his entire inheritance upon marrying any woman other than Stella Caldwell.” “What?!” Michael couldn’t believe it. “Effective immediately, all shares and assets of Caldwell Industries will be transferred to Ms. Stella Caldwell.” Mr. Hayes continued, his voice flat and final. “Mr. Michael Caldwell, you have been disinherited.”

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On our anniversary, my husband, Colonel Elias Vance, lied to me—“urgent mission,” he said. I tracked his car. It wasn’t heading to base, but to the city’s top OB-GYN clinic. I hacked the clinic’s cameras. There he was, holding a pregnant woman, eyes full of tenderness he never gave me. “Elias, have you picked a name for the baby?” she whispered, hand on her belly. “Hope. For our love,” he said. A cold dread hit me. Then I called Military CommandI put the call on speaker and said, “Colonel Elias Vance has deserted. I suspect he’s leaking classified info.” One sentence. It froze General Thompson on the phone and Elias on the screen. On my phone, General Thompson’s voice turned to ice. “Cassandra, Say again?” On the monitor, Elias’s phone rang too. His face twisted at the caller ID. He hung up frantically and immediately tried calling me. I didn’t answer. Instead, I spoke into my phone, each word measured and clear. “Reporting, General Thompson, Elias Vance left home today claiming an urgent mission, but he’s at the city’s OB-GYN clinic. His movements are suspicious, and he’s refusing to answer secure military calls. I suspect him of desertion.” My voice was low, yet it hit like a bombshell. Five seconds of dead air followed. “Cassandra Vance,” General Thompson finally said, his tone sharp and decisive. “Hold your position, secure the area, and stay safe. We are en route.” I hung up and silently watched the monitor. On screen, Elias was in a full-blown panic. He abandoned the woman, Willow Jenkins, frantically dialing my number as he rushed towards the clinic’s entrance. Willow cried out pitifully behind him, “Elias, where are you going? Our baby…” He didn’t even glance back. The tenderness and patience in his eyes had vanished, replaced by sheer terror and volatile rage. But it was too late. Less than ten minutes later, several dark green military SUVs roared to a halt, completely blocking all exits of the clinic. Heavily armed soldiers leaped from the vehicles, their movements swift and their presence intimidating. They stormed into the lobby, pinpointing their target. “Colonel Elias Vance, you’re coming with us!” The black muzzles didn’t waver. Elias raised his hands, his face turning to ash. Two soldiers forced his arms behind his back, clamped on the cuffs, and marched him out. As he passed through the main entrance, he saw me. I stood just outside the glass doors, watching him with cold indifference. His pupils shrank to pinpricks, as if seeing a ghost. “Cassandra!” The roar was pure, twisted fury. “You’re insane! What have you done?! This is a setup!” I answered with a cold sneer. Yes, I know it’s a setup. You didn’t desert. You were just with your mistress, naming your bastard child, while I planned our anniversary. You were just betraying me while I was pregnant. But why should I ever explain for you? When you lied to me and disgraced that uniform, why didn’t you see this coming? The soldiers didn’t give him a chance to protest further. They roughly shoved him into a vehicle. The woman, Willow Jenkins, was also taken away under “protective custody.” She was trembling uncontrollably. As she passed me, she suddenly lunged like a madwoman. “It’s you! You ruined Elias! You bitch!” Two female soldiers quickly intercepted her. I looked at her tear-streaked face and her slightly swollen belly. “Hope,” I whispered, just two words. Willow’s face instantly went white. “Commemorating your love, right?” I smiled, a smile that brought tears to my eyes. “What a beautiful name!” The surrounding commotion faded into irrelevance. The world before me turned to grayscale. Elias Vance, the game has begun. You destroyed my love; I will destroy everything you hold dear.

I was taken back to the military base, not as a spouse, but as a “key informant.” The one who debriefed me was General Thompson, a man nearing fifty with a naturally authoritative presence. “Mrs. Vance, relax. Walk me through everything you observed today.” I held the mug, my hands steady. “Today was my and Elias’s third wedding anniversary. This morning, he said his unit had an urgent mission and rushed out. I immediately felt something was off.” “What felt off?” General Thompson pressed. “He wasn’t in uniform, and he was driving his private car. Also, as he left, I saw a crumpled piece of paper fall from his pocket. It was an appointment slip from the local OB-GYN clinic.” I pulled a crumpled slip of paper from my pocket. Of course, this slip wasn’t his. I’d found it in the trash can in his study. He thought he’d disposed of it cleanly. But he didn’t know that from the day my sense of smell became unusually acute after I got pregnant, I’d noticed a perfume scent on him that wasn’t mine. From that day on, I ceased to be myself and became a hunter. General Thompson took the slip, his expression growing grimmer. “Why did you suspect him of desertion?” This was the core of it all. I let my gaze drop, injecting a carefully measured tremor into my voice. “His behavior has been erratic. Taking encrypted calls late at night, using a separate laptop in his study. When I asked, he said it was for classified intelligence.” “I know the rules. I shouldn’t ask what I’m not supposed to. But today… he lied about a mission to take another woman to her OB-GYN appointment.” “General, if he would lie to the service, what wouldn’t he do?” It was a masterful blend of truth and lies. He did have another laptop, but he used it to play games with his mistress. He did take calls in the middle of the night, but those were his mistress calling to complain about pregnancy sickness. I’d seen all of this clearly through the surveillance cameras at home. But I couldn’t say that. General Thompson’s brows furrowed. “Do you know that woman?” “No,” I shook my head. “But I accessed the clinic’s system. Her name is Willow Jenkins.” “You hacked their system?” General Thompson seemed surprised. “Cybersecurity was my major.” I replied, my tone even. This was my ace in the hole. Not only could I hack into the clinic’s system, but I could also recover all deleted files and chat logs from his “gaming laptop.” General Thompson fell silent. A Special Forces Major, acting clandestinely, deceiving the service, and having a close relationship with an unknown woman. And his wife, a cybersecurity expert, reported him herself. Every element was startling. “Mrs. Vance, the information you’ve provided is highly critical. We will launch an immediate investigation. In the meantime, for your safety, you’ll need to stay at the military guest house.” “I understand. I have only one request.” “I want a divorce.” My tone held no hesitation. “Regardless of the investigation’s outcome, this marriage is over.” General Thompson looked at me, his eyes complex. “Alright, the service will support your reasonable request.” Stepping out of the office, the sun was shining brightly. But I only felt cold. My phone vibrated. It was a text from an unknown number. “Cassandra, you bitch! If you dare to ruin Elias, my mom won’t let you get away with it!” It was Elias’s sister, Sierra Vance. I deleted the text with a blank expression and blocked the number. This was only the beginning. Immediately after, a call came in. It was my mother-in-law. As soon as I answered, a barrage of curses erupted. “Cassandra! What’s wrong with you?! What has Elias ever done to you to deserve this?! You jinx, I should never have agreed to your marriage!” I listened quietly. When she finally ran out of breath, I spoke calmly. “Mom, don’t rush to curse me. You should be more concerned about your unborn grandchild.” The other end of the line went completely silent. “You… what do you mean?” “Colonel Vance was at the clinic with his mistress for her prenatal checkup. The baby’s already three months along. Oh, and they’ve even picked out a name: Hope.” “To commemorate their love.” With every word, I could imagine the blood draining from my proud mother-in-law’s face on the other end of the phone. “You’re lying! Impossible! My son isn’t that kind of man!” she shrieked. “You’ll find out soon enough.” I hung up, letting out a long sigh. The knot of resentment in my chest seemed to loosen a little. Elias, you thought your family was your backing? Soon, they’ll become yet another straw to break your back. 3. I settled into the military guest house. Though called a guest house, its security level was high, with sentries guarding the entrance twenty-four hours a day. I understood. This was both protection and surveillance. Until Elias Vance’s suspicions were cleared, I, as the “primary informant,” couldn’t move freely either. This suited me perfectly. I needed an absolutely safe and quiet environment to prepare my next move. The investigation team came to see me the next day. This time, in addition to General Thompson, there were two sharp-looking middle-aged men I didn’t recognize, dressed in plain clothes. They were from internal security, specifically responsible for internal reviews. “Mrs. Vance, we’ve reviewed the clinic surveillance and conducted preliminary interrogations of Colonel Vance and Willow Jenkins. Colonel Vance insists it was merely a personal conduct issue, and he felt guilty, which is why he panicked.” One of the men spoke, his tone even, but his eyes, like a hawk’s, bore into me. “Willow Jenkins also claims she and Colonel Vance had merely a simple romantic relationship and that she knew nothing about his work.” “Really?” I raised an eyebrow slightly. “A ‘simple romantic relationship’?” I took a USB drive from my bag and placed it on the table. “This contains all the data I recovered from Colonel Vance’s ‘gaming laptop’.” “Including his chat logs with Willow from when they first met until now, every payment he made to her, and even… records of his irregular actions, like using his position to apply for ‘temporary military dependent housing’ for her.” The faces of the three men at the table instantly changed. General Thompson’s expression was one of shock and anger. The two men from internal security showed unconcealed gravity. A personal conduct issue was entirely different from using one’s authority to gain undue benefits for a lover. The former was personal moral decay; the latter was a severe disciplinary violation, a stain on the uniform! “In the chat logs, Willow repeatedly complained to Elias that she didn’t feel safe living alone, and she envied me living on the military base.” I stated calmly, as if narrating someone else’s story. “To placate her, Elias promised her a ‘special talent dependent’ housing slot, claiming she could soon move into a community near the base.” My eyes locked on the General. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but that community is exclusively for families of personnel with exceptional service records?” General Thompson’s lips were tightly pursed, and he remained silent, but a vein pulsed visibly on his forehead. The internal security officers immediately collected the drive. “We will verify this immediately.” After they left, only General Thompson and I remained in the office. “Mrs. Vance…” he sighed, his voice full of weariness. “You… you’ve been through a lot.” I shook my head. “Compared to what I’ve endured, I’m more concerned about the honor of the uniform he wore.” I spoke these words with genuine sincerity. I married Elias not only because I loved him, but also because I admired him. I admired him as a steadfast soldier, a hero defending our nation. But now, he had personally shattered all my reverence. “The service will not tolerate any misconduct and will never wrong a good person,” General Thompson assured me. I nodded and rose to leave. Just as I reached the door, I paused, as if something had suddenly occurred to me, and turned back. My face held a hint of hesitation and uncertainty. “General, there’s something… I’m not sure if I should say it.” “Speak your mind.” “That woman, Willow Jenkins. When I checked her information, I found she has a brother named Brandon Jenkins.” “This Brandon… he appears to have an overseas background. He’s not a local. And the chat logs show Willow telling Elias that her brother was persistently curious about his job. He wasn’t just asking; he was probing for operational details such as training methods, equipment specs.” I chose my words carefully, making myself appear like an ordinary person who had inadvertently stumbled upon a clue but was afraid of saying the wrong thing. “At the time, I thought it might just be family curiosity, and I didn’t pay much attention. But thinking about it now, it feels a bit off.” “I’m afraid… I’m afraid Elias might have been exploited by this woman…” My voice grew softer and softer, finally trailing off with a hint of a sob. This sob was half feigned, half genuine. For my dead love, and for my husband, whom I was about to personally push into the abyss. General Thompson shot up from his chair. The last trace of warmth vanished from his eyes, replaced by an unprecedented vigilance and sharpness. “Name and nationality of the brother. Now!” The shift in the room was instantaneous and absolute. This was no longer about misconduct. It wasn’t even about gross abuse of authority. This was now a potential national security breach. A grim smile touched my lips. Checkmate, Elias.

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The year I turned eighteen, I fell hopelessly in love with my adoptive brother. To force me to move on, he paraded a new girlfriend before me every month. He even offered me a hundred million dollars to let him go. But I swore back, “I’ll only give up when I die.” Then he brought her home, a girl with my face. After that, the other women vanished. My feelings became irrelevant. On their hundred-day anniversary,she whispered that she wanted privacy. His order to me was simple. “Get out of the car.” I died on the side of the road that same day, struck by a car. Then, I was granted a seven-day return pass to the living world. “Caleb, I’m dead.” The moment I was thrown through the air, my last thought was to him. I called him ninety-nine times. He never answered. he list of missed calls was a monument to my foolishness, a perfect summary of every year I’d wasted chasing him. When Caleb finally rushed home with Lydia, he circled my body, his face bleaching of all color. “How could you say that? You can’t just say you’re dead?” Of course, I knew. When I was a little girl, I begged to go to the amusement park. My parents, who could never deny me, had taken time off work to take me. But On the way, a truck swerved out of control. They shielded me with their own bodies and died instantly. I was the one rushed into the ICU, clinging to life. Caleb, who never believed in anything, prayed for the first time. He begged for my life. I survived, but a part of my spirit withered that day. My parents died because of me. I felt like a murderer. I stopped eating, wanting to follow them. But Caleb was stubborn. “It was an accident,” he insisted. “You die, I die.” It was a vow. When I refused food, he refused it. When I slashed my wrist, he didn’t hesitate to cut two deeper gashes into his own. “If you’re gone,” he asked me, his eyes raw, “what is left here for me?” From that day on, I never dared to speak the word “die” again. But now, I was truly dead. In this moment, a strange, quiet gratitude washed over me. At least someone would be there for Caleb, even if she was just a stand-in.. I stayed quiet. I didn’t scream or fight. Caleb could only stare, his eyes wide with pure disbelief. In my past life, every time Caleb brought a woman home, I’d throw a massive tantrum. I’d smash vases, break plates, destroy anything I could get my hands on. After the storm, I would drag my suitcase out the door. And every single time, Caleb would get in his car and track me down himself. This time, I didn’t even look at them. I turned and went back to my room. Just before I fell asleep, the door opened. Lydia walked in, wearing Caleb’s shirt, a glass of milk in her hand. She offered it to me. “So, are we trying a new strategy today? Playing hard to get?” “Stop making a scene from now on. Caleb and I are getting married.” I kept my eyes on her, but remained silent. Lydia, seeing my indifference, gently ruffled my hair. “He loves you, but he has to marry me. We’re not enemies, Chloe.” I gave a bitter laugh. “I knew that the moment I first saw you.” I turned my head, looking at our reflections in the window. We looked incredibly similar. The room remained silent. Downstairs, Caleb rushed into the house, then burst into the room. After confirming I was okay, he finally noticed Lydia, and his brows furrowed. As if afraid I might have overheard something. Caleb’s eyes held a strange, complicated emotion. “I’ve decided to marry Lydia. Nothing’s going to change that.”

“Get rid of those foolish thoughts of yours. Go to Mom and Dad’s study and reflect.” “When you understand, then you can come out.” This was Caleb’s usual tactic, his way of trying to make me see the reality of our relationship. But he probably forgot that we weren’t related by blood. I was just an orphaned girl adopted by his parents, nothing more. Just because I called him brother, did my love for him become a sin? “I won’t.” Caleb’s face instantly darkened, his eyes chillingly cold. He didn’t say a word. He just grabbed my wrist, his grip so strong it made my hand ache. He dragged me towards the room, forcing me to stumble along with him. “Since you don’t want to reflect, then you can stay in here alone.” “If you can’t figure it out, then you won’t eat.” Bang! The door slammed shut in front of me. I slumped against the door, listening to his footsteps recede, growing fainter until they vanished at the end of the hallway. For the next three days, Caleb came back every few hours. He wouldn’t come in. He’d just stand outside the door for a moment, then leave. Lydia would occasionally drop by too, saying through the door, “What’s the point of fighting with him? You’re always the one who gives in first.” She was right. Caleb would always soften. He was afraid I’d be too stubborn to back down, afraid I’d starve myself, afraid something would happen to me. On the evening of the third day, I heard the lock turn. Caleb stood at the doorway, backlit, so I couldn’t make out his expression. I could only see his tall silhouette. “Come out.” His voice was softer than before, like he’d conceded. I pushed myself up against the door, my legs wobbly, my body swaying forward. Caleb instinctively reached out to steady me. The moment his fingers touched my arm, his entire body stiffened. “You…” He stared at my arm, his Adam’s apple bobbing, words catching in his throat. Finally, he pulled his hand back. “Go take a shower, then come down for dinner.” After my shower, I went downstairs. The dining table was already laden with food. In the center, a plate of blueberry muffins glowed invitingly under the light. They were my favorite treat. My parents used to love making them for me. After they left, whenever I missed them, Caleb would bake them himself. “Have you learned your lesson?” Caleb sat opposite me, taking a sip of his tea, his voice betraying no emotion. I didn’t answer. I sat down and picked up a blueberry muffin, putting it into my mouth. The soft, sweet taste melted on my tongue, spreading warmth through me. Then my stomach churned violently. Caleb put down his teacup and reached out, as if to pat my back. I clapped a hand over my mouth and rushed to the bathroom, throwing up uncontrollably into the toilet. The blueberry muffin I’d just eaten, along with the little water left in my stomach, all came out. Turns out, the dead can’t eat the food of the living. I leaned against the wall, catching my breath for a moment. When I looked up, Lydia was standing in the doorway. She walked in and knelt in front of me, a flicker of concern in her eyes. “I didn’t want to say anything…” “But Chloe, you look like… you might be pregnant.” “You can’t face this alone. Tell us, and Caleb and I can help you.” Footsteps sounded outside the door. Caleb stood at the bathroom entrance, his fingers clenching, veins popping. “You’re pregnant?” Pregnant? How could I, a dead person, be pregnant? I opened my mouth, wanting to explain, but swallowed the words back. It didn’t matter. I was going to die anyway. I wasn’t going to be with him, so let him misunderstand.

Caleb stared at me, silent for a few seconds, then suddenly spoke. “We’re going to the hospital.” My fingers curled up, my fingertips as cold as if they’d been submerged in ice water. What could a hospital possibly find? That my body temperature was zero, that my heart had long stopped beating? That I was dead? “I’m not going.” “You have to.” His voice was hard, brooking no refusal. “I said, I’m not going.” I looked up at him. He was looking back at me, his brows tightly furrowed, his eyes filled with complex emotions. Suspicion, disappointment, and something else I couldn’t quite decipher. Lydia sighed beside him. “Caleb, you need to respect Chloe’s feelings on this.” She paused, her tone softening. “She’s an adult now. Haven’t you always wanted her to move on from you?” “Now that she has her own life, you should be happy.” Caleb remained silent. The living room was terrifyingly quiet, every breath clearly audible. After a long time, he finally spoke, his voice low. “If you’re really pregnant, bring the child’s father here. Let me meet him.” I froze. He actually believed it. Believed I would sleep with another man, believed I would carry another man’s child. A dull ache suddenly swelled in my chest, as if something was tearing inside me. I knew it was fake, that a dead person couldn’t feel pain, but the sensation was so real, so real I almost clutched my chest. “I refuse.” “Chloe!” Caleb shot up, “Do you even see me as family, Chloe?” Family. There it was again, that cursed word. I looked up at him, tears welling uncontrollably, but I still smiled. I smiled, and the tears spun in my eyes. “I never wanted you to be my brother.” He opened his mouth, his Adam’s apple bobbed a few times, but in the end, nothing came out. He turned, footsteps sounding, growing more distant. The door slammed shut. For the next few days, Caleb never returned. I stayed alone in the empty house, starting to pack my things. Clothes in the closet, folded one by one, placed into bags. Photos on the desk, torn one by one. Only one photo remained. It was a picture of Caleb and me, taken when I was ten. He was so young in the photo, his eyes crinkling into a smile. I pressed the photo to my chest, imagining it would be buried with me. After packing, I pre-scheduled a text message to the funeral home. Telling them to come for my body in three days. That would be Caleb’s wedding day. I pressed send. The phone screen lit up, displaying “Scheduled message set.” This was good. The day I truly left, I wouldn’t have to attend his wedding. Wouldn’t have to watch him and Lydia exchange rings, wouldn’t have to hear him say “I do,” wouldn’t have to see them kiss in front of everyone. At least fate, in its cruel way, granted me this small, pathetic mercy.

On the wedding day, I woke up early. Six o’clock, before the sky was fully light, I got up and got ready. I put on light makeup in the mirror and changed into that cream-colored dress. I wore it when I confessed my feelings to Caleb when I was eighteen. Now, I would wear it again, sitting quietly on the sofa, waiting for death. At the wedding venue, guests gradually arrived. Caleb stood at the reception, his gaze occasionally sweeping towards the entrance. Lydia held his arm, wearing a pure white wedding dress. She followed his gaze. “Are you waiting for Chloe?” Caleb’s body stiffened slightly. “She won’t come.” “With her personality, how could she stand by and watch you marry me?” “Don’t worry, after the wedding, I’ll go with you to find her.” “Hmm,” Caleb hummed, his voice a little dry. At 9:55 AM, the wedding was about to begin. The officiant was making final preparations on stage, guests were seated, and the ceremony awaited the couple’s entrance. “Caleb, it’s time to go in,” Lydia urged. Just then, Caleb’s phone vibrated. He instinctively pulled it out and saw the caller ID- “Funeral Home.” He froze. Why would the funeral home be calling him now? “Hello?” He answered the phone. “Is this Mr. Caleb?” The voice on the other end was very formal. “I’m a staff member from City Funeral Home.” “According to our records, you are Ms. Chloe’s guardian. We are required to inform you as per protocol.” “What does that mean?” Caleb interrupted, his voice hurried. “Ms. Chloe has passed away, and her remains are currently undergoing cremation. We require your signature for confirmation.” The voice on the phone was calm, as if stating the most ordinary fact. My soul, having just floated free from my body, jolted violently. I’d actually forgotten about this. How I wished you wouldn’t know of my death. But you know, after all. You’ll probably be sad, won’t you? I’m sorry, Caleb. But this time, I’m leaving for good. Those words hit Caleb like a heavy hammer to the heart. The color instantly drained from his face, and he froze on the spot. “What did you say?” His voice trembled. “Say it again.” “Ms. Chloe has passed away. The cremation process is currently underway-” Clatter. His phone slipped from his hand, falling to the floor. Everyone around was startled by the sudden change. “Caleb, what’s wrong?” Lydia grabbed his hand, only to find it terrifyingly cold. “She’s dead.” Caleb murmured, his eyes unfocused. “She’s dead…” “What? Who’s dead?” “Chloe.”

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The night before our wedding, I left my fiancée, Chloe. Her mom needed a huge amount for surgery, so I took on a secret mission to earn the money. I fought to survive under constant gunfire every day. Three years later, after finishing the mission, I planned to come home and marry Chloe. But I found Chloe and my best friend, Dustin，rushed to the ER—their hips pressed tightly together. The next day, scandalous photos of them went viral on Instagram. Right after surgery, Chloe called me in a panic: “Baby, I don’t know who I pissed off! Someone Photoshopped explicit photos of Dustin and me and posted them online! Send me $200,000, and I’ll find the culprit.” I told her, “No need. I already know who leaked the photos.” “What? Baby, you’re back?” “Where are you now? I’ll come pick you up!” “The hospital.” Chloe on the other end suddenly went silent. After a long pause, she asked: “The hospital? Which hospital?” When I told her the hospital’s name, she didn’t know what to say next: “Baby, you didn’t actually believe what people are saying online, did you?” “You entrusted Dustin to look after me. How could he and I do anything to betray you?” “I booked you a hotel, just spend tonight there. I’m still out of town on a business trip, I’ll come back as soon as I finish up and be with you!” Before she even hung up, she’d already sent me the room number for a star-rated hotel. Then she asked me to reimburse her ten thousand dollars. Her usually sweet, innocent voice, which I used to adore, now made my stomach churn. In the past, whenever she sweet-talked me like that, I would have given her anything. But now, the cramping pain in my abdomen and gut surged to my heart, leaving me unable to tell which hurt more! I glanced down at the bandage, already stained with blood, and took a deep breath. My voice was flat: “Just kidding, I won’t be back that quickly.” Chloe, who had sounded worried moments ago, instantly raised her voice: “Leo! Are you crazy? Is that something to joke about? Do you know how much I miss you…” I took a step, wanting to storm to her hospital room door and confront her. How much could she really miss me if she was sleeping with my best friend? But in the end, I didn’t ask anything. I just hung up. She wouldn’t let me come home, and even booked me a hotel. That could only mean there was something at home she didn’t want me to see. But I’m stubborn. Even after being betrayed, I wanted to see the extent of Chloe’s deceit. I hailed a cab and quickly returned to the house. Inside, I heard a child crying. My blood instantly ran cold. Had they even had a child behind my back? Then what was the point of me risking my life for three years to earn money for her mom’s surgery? Just then, I heard Mrs. Davis’s voice, soothing the child: “Shh, Noah, don’t cry. Mommy went to the hospital to help you have a baby sister. If you still want a sister, you have to be good, okay?” “When your daddy comes back, we’ll give him a big surprise!” “Then when will Daddy come home to play with me? Mommy never plays with me, she just wants to have a sister.” A thunderclap exploded in my mind. So, she had a child, made me raise him for three years, and was now planning to have a second one, expecting me to be a complete fool? After all, Chloe wasn’t pregnant when I left. If she had been, she would have used the child to demand money from me endlessly! Rage consumed me. I instinctively entered the door code. The alarm blared, indicating an incorrect password. I froze, my fingertips chilling. When we set the password, Chloe had hooked her arms around my neck, sweet-talking me: “Baby, let’s use the day we met, okay? That way, every time I open the door, it’ll be like meeting you again.” Now, that same door shut me out. Footsteps approached from inside, followed by the sound of the lock turning. The door opened. A little boy, about three years old, looked up at me, his big eyes full of curiosity. “Who are you?” Even with my mental preparation, when I saw the boy’s face, strikingly similar to Dustin’s, a sharp pain pierced my heart. The wound in my abdomen throbbed with my emotional turmoil, and the seeping blood stained my shirt. “Noah, who is it?” Mrs. Davis’s voice grew closer. When she saw me at the door, the smile on her face froze instantly, all color draining away, as if she’d seen a ghost. “You… you’re back?”

Mrs. Davis frantically tried to close the door, but I held it firmly open with my hand. “Mom, I’m home. Aren’t you going to welcome me?” Mrs. Davis knew she couldn’t hide it any longer. She tried to block my view with her body while fumbling for her phone, her hands trembling. “Chloe! Get back here, he’s returned!” She shrieked into the phone. I pushed the door open forcefully and walked in. I scanned the apartment, the one I had poured all my savings into, the one I had decorated with so much hope as our marital home. Aside from the dusty wedding photo on the bedside table, there wasn’t a single trace of me left. Dustin’s suit, ties, and razor were scattered everywhere. Children’s toys lay strewn across the floor. The air was thick with an unfamiliar scent, the smell of another man. My home had long become someone else’s. Memories flooded back. Three years ago, at the airport. Chloe was crying, her face streaked with tears: “Baby, you must come back safe. I’ll wait for you.” “I will, don’t worry. Your mom’s surgery costs… I’ll find a way to get the money as fast as I can.” She nestled into my arms, her voice choked with emotion: “But that mission is too dangerous. Maybe you shouldn’t go? I don’t want you to risk your life for my mom. If something happens to you, how could I live?” At that time, I had nothing. Even if I sold my apartment, I couldn’t raise enough for Mrs. Davis’s surgery. There was no other way but to find a quick way to earn money. Mrs. Davis had shown me great kindness. If not for her giving me a home and sponsoring my college education after my parents died, I might have starved to death on the day I fought wild dogs for scraps. The Davis family wasn’t wealthy. Mrs. Davis raising Chloe and me alone had been incredibly tough. So, when she fell critically ill and needed urgent surgery, I accepted my boss’s overseas assignment. Every day, I walked through hell. Bullets whizzed past my ears, and artillery exploded beside me. Countless times, as I brushed with death, I clutched a photo of Chloe in my pocket. I was incredibly frugal, sending every penny I earned by risking my life back to her. Every time she received money, she would be exceptionally touched: “Baby, thank goodness for you! When you come back, we’ll get married! I miss you so much every night I can’t sleep…” Chloe returned quickly, still in her hospital gown. She rushed through the door, her face a mix of panic and guilt. “Baby! Let me explain!” Chloe stepped forward, reaching for my hand, but I sidestepped, avoiding her touch. She spoke rapidly: “Noah’s mom passed away during childbirth. Dustin was struggling to raise him alone. While you were gone these three years, he took such good care of my mom and me…” As she spoke, her eyes welled up. “We felt sorry for the child, so we helped look after him, gave him a home. If you were here, you’d do the same, right?” Just then, Noah, clutching a toy car, walked up to me and looked up with his small face: “Daddy, will you play with my car with me?” That single word, “Daddy,” struck me like lightning, making my eardrums hum. For the past three years, neither Chloe nor Dustin had ever mentioned this child to me. That made it hard for me to believe that Noah had nothing to do with Chloe. Meeting my suspicious gaze, Chloe’s face flashed with anger, then she patted Noah. “Noah, be good. Daddy just got home, let him rest for a bit, okay?” She said, then familiarized herself by pinching the soft flesh around my waist: “Baby, look how much Noah likes you. Hurry up and say something!” I couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh: “I’m not interested in being a dad.” “Where’s Dustin? Weren’t you two at the hospital together?” Chloe’s eyes darted nervously. She quickly denied: “Baby, are you listening to the rumors online? Dustin and I truly have nothing going on…” She didn’t know I was right there when she and Dustin were being loaded into the ambulance, intertwined. It seemed she was afraid Dustin would show up and get beaten by me, so she told him to hide. But I had no interest in raising someone else’s wife and child. I called Dustin directly: “Come get your wife and kid. As for her mom, she’s free to stay or go.” If Mrs. Davis wanted me to support her, out of gratitude, I wouldn’t default on my debt. But I wouldn’t support Chloe and her child anymore. Chloe smashed my phone, instantly jumping up in protest: “Baby, what do you mean? I’m your fiancée, and you’re kicking me out the moment you get home?” “Chloe, if you don’t leave, do you plan to freeload in my house and let me keep being a complete fool supporting the three of you?” My eyes were cold as knives, sweeping over her pale face. My words sent a shiver down her spine. “Baby, it’s not what you think! Dustin and I really didn’t have anything… he was helping me…” “Get out.” I cut her off sharply, pointing to the door. Chloe froze, looking at me as if she were seeing me for the first time. “Leo… you’re telling me to get out?” Her eyes instantly reddened, filled with unbelievable hurt: “We’ve been apart for three years. I thought about you every day, and after finally waiting for you to come back, this is how you treat me?” “You thought about me?” I advanced on her, step by step. The pain in my abdomen brought beads of cold sweat to my forehead, but it was nothing compared to the agony in my heart.

“So much that you slept with Dustin? So much that you had a child with him? So much that you used my money to raise your kid?” “No! Noah, he…” “Shut up!” I pointed to the door, using my last ounce of strength: “Take your things and get out of my house! Now! Immediately!” Chloe looked at my determined expression, the color slowly draining from her face. She bit her lip hard, tears rolling down her cheeks. After a long moment, she snatched her bag from the couch and glared at me fiercely. “Leo! I never thought you’d be such a petty, heartless person!” “I’m leaving! See if you don’t regret this!” She grabbed Noah and Mrs. Davis, stumbling out the door. A loud slam echoed, leaving me in the dead silence of the room. I couldn’t stand, swaying a step, and leaned against the wall. The bloodstain on my abdominal bandage had spread significantly. Excruciating pain tore at my nerves. But it was nothing compared to the utter annihilation of my heart and the anguish of three years wasted. Ten minutes later, I heard a commotion outside, followed by knocking. “Hey, Unit 302, do you have any conscience? How could you kick your wife out? She’s outside with her mom and child, threatening to jump! Aren’t you going to talk her down?” I opened the door. The unfamiliar neighbor saw it was me, and her expression froze. She quickly checked the door number, then shouted into my apartment: “Is her husband home?” It turned out that for the three years I was gone, Chloe and Dustin had presented themselves as a married couple to the neighbors. No wonder the neighbor didn’t recognize me. I hadn’t spent a single day in this apartment after it was renovated, leaving it for that scumbag, Dustin. A life was at stake, and I didn’t have the energy to explain the complicated situation to the neighbor. I quickly took the elevator to the top floor. When Chloe saw me, she started crying even louder. “Baby, why won’t you believe me? You’re kicking me out, aren’t you just trying to force me to die?” “Dustin looked after my mom and me for you, and we helped him with Noah. It was just a mutual help situation, but in your eyes, it’s wrong?” “You don’t like me helping him raise his child? I’ve already sent Noah away, isn’t that enough?” She hung her head, tears falling. That image of her, so humble and downtrodden, was completely different from the spoiled girl I remembered. I stayed silent, yet to speak, when Mrs. Davis suddenly climbed onto the edge of the rooftop. “Baby, Chloe and Dustin are truly innocent. Will I have to prove their innocence with my life, then?” With that, she made to jump. I didn’t want a death on my conscience, so I quickly shouted: “Alright, I believe you.” At my affirmation, Chloe and Mrs. Davis exchanged a quick glance. I couldn’t stomach watching their drama and turned to go home. Late that night, my bedroom door creaked open. Chloe, wearing a nearly transparent black lace nightgown and reeking of perfume, slipped in. “Baby…” Her voice was syrupy sweet, and her hand explored my body. I grabbed her wrist violently, making her cry out in pain. “My wound hasn’t healed. I’m not in the mood.” I stared at her, my eyes devoid of any desire. “Get out.” Her face paled. She was about to say something else when her phone suddenly rang in her bag, cutting her off. She looked as if she’d been burned, rushing back to the guest room to grab her phone, then disappearing into the bathroom. The sound of running water masked her voice. I walked to the bathroom door and, through the crack, heard her broken whispers: “I’ll figure out the money… just wait a little longer…” Just then, my phone screen lit up. A message: bank transfer of 500,000 failed. Chloe was still trying to get money from me for Dustin! It seemed she wouldn’t stop until she’d completely drained me dry! The next morning, several of Chloe’s friends arrived, claiming they wanted to catch up after so long. But their words were all probing: “Leo, you must have made a fortune in the war zone, right? I heard the profits there are huge!” “Chloe will finally have a good life now, you should get a big villa, shouldn’t you?” I gave them vague answers, sending them away disappointed. After they left, I watched Chloe, who was pretending to be busy in the kitchen, and walked over to her. “That 500,000 last night, was that for Dustin?”

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